Sighted

Chapter 22: Building Confidence

Gin

     I check my watch again, for what feels like the hundredth time since Alex left. I never should have agreed to this! Owen insisted that if we are keeping Alex out of our plans tomorrow, then we'll have to leave him unguarded. Tonight, when Alex's mom finally insisted he come home, at least for dinner, I agreed to let him go without following.

     The other three in the apartment are currently sharing the couch. We really do need to get more furniture in here. Bowden is reading a novel while my brother and Dylan are on either side of him, watching a show on TV. I gave up trying to occupy myself and have been pacing from the front door to the kitchen and back again for a while.

     I check my watch again and its been two hours and forty-four minutes since Alex walked out the door. I don't like this. He's doing well in his training, but he's only had two days of self-defense. I wanted him to text me every fifteen minutes but was forced to compromise on every half an hour. His last text said that he would be leaving soon.

     I mentally run through the plan for tomorrow. I've dealt with my share of demons, evil spirits, rogue shifters and just about anything else since coming into my powers. Usually, though, those battles are fought in the shadows, in the dim and shady parts of the city. That's how we all operate, keeping our magic and powers hidden from the world.

     Ugh, it's really stressing me out, that we're going to barge into a building full of humans in broad daylight tomorrow. Owen says that that is the genius of the plan, the element of surprise.

     I made the decision to not tell Alex about tomorrow. He'll be at the free clinic during the time that we're at DemGen and we'll be home before he even goes to work at the hospital, so I don't want him worrying needlessly. He's been very protective lately and I'm not sure how he'll react yet.

     Suddenly, the front door opens and Alex is stepping inside. Before he can close it behind him, I'm in front of him, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"Alex," I sigh, relief that he's home flooding through me. He shifts in my hold slightly to close the door and slip off his shoes, but soon his arms are around me, returning my hug. I take a deep breath, inhaling his scent, before pulling away. My cheeks flood with heat, but I still look up into his eyes and greet him.

"You're home," I say shyly. Even though he's started to basically live here, and the kiss we shared at the hospital, I've been keeping my distance physically. It seems like we made so much progress in a short time, that what we have is fragile. I don't want to rush my doctor.

"Get a room!" Owen jokingly jeers from his place on the couch. When I turn to glare at him, he's smiling widely, along with the other occupants of the couch. I resist the urge to stick my tongue out at him while more heat floods my face.

"Don't be jealous," Alex says over my shoulder, causing Owen's face to match mine, before dissolving into a pout when Bowden places a consoling arm around him. When I look back at Alex, I catch the teasing glint in his eyes.

     Comfortably, I take his hand in mine and we head to my bedroom. I'm not taking Owen's suggestion, that's just where we'll be able to talk without distractions. I close the door behind us while Alex moves to sit on the bed, half laying down on my pillows. His pallet is still made up on the floor across the room, but he only uses it when I'm already asleep. When our schedules don't line up, I'll find him passed out, sprawled across my small bed, usually with several books spread around him.  It's too cute.

     I join him on the bed, pulling one knee up while facing him. "Did it go well with your Mother?" I ask hesitantly, the subject still a little sensitive to me.