While she would never admit it, nervous energy ran through her. Today was a big day. She was going back to Central with someone she had recently been reunited with. Someone she… didn't dislike.

Objectively, this was a networking opportunity, as Casey Wardell and her father liked to put it. She was all for expanding her operations and forming new contacts, especially when they were made without her family as a go-between.

Oh, who was she kidding. Allister was already a good friend. Fine.

And besides, she had been the one to insist he travel there the normal way. She wasn't even sure why she had insisted on that. An impulsive decision. It made her want to click her tongue. She wasn't like that. What had gotten into her? And how long would he keep her waiting?

Casey wasn't so crass as to tap her foot in impatience, but she did pull out her phone every few minutes. Not that Allister was late, since they wouldn't be leaving until—

He didn't walk out so much as he strode out of the crowd of the station. His steps lacked that affected fakeness she saw in those "manly" types, nor did he display the honed grace Aiden had perfected like an art form. He simply moved with perfect efficiency, in a manner that looked both understated and confident. It probably wasn't meant to draw attention, but she saw girls and women alike turning their heads to get a better look at him. Even the guys did, or they stood up straighter while walking next to their wives.

Not that it was entirely unexpected. Unlike yesterday, Allister's figure wasn't hidden by that inexplicably loose exotic clothing. Instead he was wearing a simple short sleeve t-shirt and jeans, revealing his well-muscled body. His bare arms were toned in a way she knew to associate with long hours of fighting and conditioning. The jeans didn't reveal a lot, but they did make his trained thighs stand out whenever he took a step forward. Similarly, his shirt rested comfortably on his prominent shoulders and pecs.

Brown hair fell down to his back, his face perfectly expressionless. None of that did anything to hide his sculpted features. Perfect jawline and cheekbones, sharp eyes, a straight nose, and eyebrows that made him look sterner, but not scarily so. Somehow even his skin was flawless.

Casey didn't outwardly react, remembering to keep her breath even. Allister wasn't oblivious to any of the attention he was getting, what with his sensory power being so potent. He just ignored it as he projected this unapproachable air that prevented him from being slowed down.

The difference was stark, compared to two years ago. Her classmate had really gone and grown up. He hadn't been ugly before, just young. Like a kid, pretending to be more mature than he was. She didn't get that impression anymore. Now, she was looking at a young man, ignoring the attention he got as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Hmph. Asshole.

"You're right on time," she remarked when he approached. She spotted one lady shooting her a dirty look after glancing between them, and almost rolled her eyes. Yeah, he was here for her. Keep walking.

"I know," Finn said, the added bass in his matured voice doing nothing to offset that matter-of-fact tone he liked to take. He stood next to her and put a thumb around his neck, adjusting the necklace she hadn't asked about, a gray leather bracelet on his pale wrist. "Aren't you carrying any luggage?"

"Hi pot, I'm kettle. Nice to meet you," she countered, indicating his own lack of suitcase or bag with her eyes. Then she continued, "I have all my things there in my residence. And the rest, I could just buy. What is your excuse?"

He shrugged. "I'm staying with Jack. And I usually travel light."

The same as her, then. He was planning to buy everything when he arrived there. "Where did you get those clothes?"

"Where do you think?" he replied, fixing his gaze in the train track with his thumbs in his pockets.

Aegis? Or had he borrowed clothes from his late father? It was too early to do a store run, and the shops had been closed yesterday. Regardless, she let the matter drop. It wasn't of any importance. "Whatever," she answered with a smirk.

Following his gaze, she looked to see when their transport would be arriving. She didn't normally come near inland train stations like this one, and she wasn't planning to make it a habit. But her other options were to rely on Father's personnel to drive them, which she didn't want to do for a few reasons, or use her own car to give him a ride. And the latter felt entirely too… private.

Never mind that it was slower. This ride wouldn't be too long, only taking one stop at a station that led east before continuing further south. In a few hours, they would be there.

They made light conversation until the train arrived, mostly her catching him up on the more mundane details they hadn't gotten the chance to discuss yesterday. When it arrived, Casey had to pull Finn back from boarding with the rest.

"We're in here." She pointed to a car near the front, releasing cooler air into the early summer.

During her time in public school, she had learned a lot about the normalities of poor people's lives and learned not to assume everyone else had what she did. But she wasn't an idiot. She wasn't going to sit in a jam-packed tight space like a sardine while it was summer break. Why would she, when she had better options? Her understanding for the lower classes went far, but what was the point in torturing herself for the purpose of gaining some misguided understanding?

Ostensibly, she had wanted to do something like that. And yet, if she was being honest with herself, the real reason she had chosen public school over private was to start carving out her own space and getting into a place where her father and brother had little influence. The stuff she had learned about her peers who had more humble backgrounds was a minor bonus.

It wasn't their fault that they were poor. Well, okay, yes it was, but it wasn't their fault that they didn't want or know how to fix their living conditions. Misgivings aside, she realized that you were the product of the handful of people you spent the most time with, so it stood to reason that if your entire family passed their unprofitable habits over to you in your formative years, you would in turn adopt many of those same habits. The statistics proved it.

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Behind her was a walking example of that reality, albeit in a different context. Emily didn't have to work, being relatively well-off after—and also before—her husband's passing, but her son had inherited many of his behaviors, if the stories Casey had listened to were accurate.

She briefly looked over her shoulder to make sure he was following, noting how the taller boy didn't check out the room visually. He had already perceived the entire train with his power minutes ago; there was no need for him to use his other senses. She might have to point that out to him if he ever crossed the street without looking. For now though, it just made him seem very focused.

The interior was lined with four sets of two cushioned red seats spaciously set opposite each other, complete with extendable tables and cup holders. There was extra food available, but she was on a strict diet. They boarded without incident. If Allister had a problem with her getting them first class tickets, he didn't voice it.

All seats were placed by a window, so they just picked the one on the right. And so they sat. He didn't restart the conversation, and she was content to let the silence linger. Until she wasn't.

"Allis- Finneas," she said, drawing his attention.

"Hm?" He glanced at her, bluish-gray eyes settling on her with that quiet intensity he carried on his effortlessly gorgeous face.

Utter bastard.

Angry thoughts, annoyed thoughts. She couldn't let him sense her emotions through the veil she was creating. This was bad enough as it was, no need to make it any worse. But she had to say it.

"It was boring without you," she admitted. "You were gone way too long."

"Did you miss me that much?" he replied in a dry tone.

"You could put it that way, if you want to flatter yourself." She shook her head. "Things have been busy and boring. I've been scaling finishing high school and scaling my businesses, which you should do as well by the way."

Pulling a sound transmission blocker out of her pocket, she placed it on the table next to her arm. Convenient as always, and they weren't even accessible outside of Aegis and her personal contacts yet.

Safe from prying ears, she said, "I've been keeping the details of my power hidden, but I have a suspicion someone high up in the DHD knows that I have one."

"Just a suspicion?"

"Just a suspicion," she confirmed. "No hard evidence. I've built up a decent network in Central since Father has limited reach there. Ideally, I would have my own security too, in case someone comes for me."

Allister said nothing, waiting for her to continue.

"I'm not going to ask you to help me with my problems, I only wanted to warn you of the political landscape that I've kept a pulse on." She sighed, already not wanting to get into it.

"Explain."

Casey tried to think of the right words. "Homeland is gaining more influence and members by the day because of the illegal research scandal, and if you come in and disturb the balance even more…"

"You're afraid they'll try to recruit or kill me?" Finn surmised.

"Exactly." Good, she wouldn't have to spell it out for him.

"I'm not worried about them," he said plainly.

She couldn't keep the surprise off her face, though she did school her features a second later.

He still saw it, prompting him to explain, "I'm going after someone stronger than them, and I've spent months around creatures stronger than me that wanted me dead."

Bold confidence, she would call it, if she didn't know he truly wasn't afraid. And unsaid went the fact that he wasn't even entertaining the notion of joining them.

His attitude held a certain appeal, fearless in a way she wasn't. She… wanted to be around that more. As friends of course, nothing more. A source of platonic inspiration. Taken, too. But she wasn't crossing a line with her next, admittedly impulsive suggestion.

"You're pretty strong now, aren't you?" she asked leadingly.

"Not strong enough," he said without missing a beat.

"Well, how about you and I start training together? I haven't had many opportunities to exercise my powers since I prefer to keep it under wraps. And I'm sure you'd like some variety in your regimen, making it mutually beneficial." She folded her hands in her lap. "What do you say?"

"You never struck me as a fighter," the up and coming hero told her.

"I don't like to fight," she agreed. "But I do want to be prepared if it ever comes down to it. Plus, it's not like I have no idea how to throw a punch. It's life or death experience that I lack."

"Be glad for it. Once you acquire it, it never leaves you. No matter how hard you try." He stopped to think for a moment, eyes drifting to his sneakers. "I guess your family doesn't want that sort of life for you."

"What about what I want? I should be free to make my own choices," she rebuked. "Doesn't your mother feel the same way about you? I don't see you taking her advice."

"That's different," he defended. The hypocrite. He held up a hand to stop her from interrupting, even though she hadn't opened her mouth yet. "…We came to an agreement, somewhat. I learned that sometimes it's better to hear out people close to you than dismiss them because you think their views don't fall in line with yours. Even when they don't, there's generally a lot to be gained from real conversation."

Oh? She listened attentively.

"I do understand why Mom acts the way she does." Allister rested his chin on his knuckles, looking out the window. "She was an orphan growing up, so she didn't have any family, extended or otherwise. She lacked any real support. No one to fall back on when Dad died, or when I did."

He smiled. Her heart did not skip a beat.

"But, despite everything… Having seen a few orphans in dire circumstances myself, I think she's fairly well adjusted." The train began to depart, a gradual build of velocity, and the boy watched the platform disappear behind them. "I know I wouldn't have been."

A surprisingly sympathetic and humble take from him, she felt. But then, both of them had changed, hadn't they?

"Heavy conversation to be having over breakfast," she commented.

"It was last night."

Casey let that sink in. "When did you sleep? How long?"

"Ninety minutes this morning," he said. "I'm fine."

Appalling. "Go sleep."

He rested his palms on his legs. "I don't need sleep."

"Go to sleep," she commanded, throwing the tiny sound blocker at him.

An arm had been ready to catch it before she even reached for it, and it landed easily in his hand. "Alright," he said, leaning against the headrest.

Watching him sit there in peace was something she felt she could do for hours, but that thought would never make it past the confines of her own mind if she had a say in it.

Rather than stare, she grabbed her phone and checked on his finances. Next, she'd make arrangements for civilian reinstatement.

It would take a few hours before they arrived. Plenty to prepare for. Though, maybe she could also cherish these moments of shared calm.

Bacause in the end, she didn't know how often she would be able to do this.

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