>	*Fluf...er, Thornguard, and Starfire...tell your riders to be ready.  As
>soon as he puts her down, we'll grab Mari and beat it out of here.  And if
>this place he's taking us has room for you to come to meet us, I'll let you
>know.  But don't come unless either I or your riders tell you to.
Flerrion,
>Regenta, that goes for you as well.*

>	T'rell glanced over and saw both Jason and Allora nod imperceptibly,
>which told him that their dragons had passed his message on.  Mari's face,
>though, bore a look of concern that he couldn't quite understand.  Surely
she
>agreed with his plan...

>	And so, the five of them made through the forest on their way to...meet
>Mari?

	Jason had caught on to the situation as soon as he saw Alexisâ face. The
blank look of incomprehension and the fact that he didnât start running when
Jason and Allora came into view was enough for Jason to realise that this
wasnât as it looked. He breathed a little easier when it was clear that Tâ
rell also knew what was going on and wasnât going to rush Alexis. At least
not yet.

	Seeing Alloraâs reaction to the scene, Jason placed a hand on her arm, the
pressure he exerted on it enough to at least calm her down some. He knew
what she must be feeling, seeing Marialla that close to the person who had
caused her so much pain. He had felt it to; the urge to step up and slit the
boys throat has been strong. But not now; especially not with Marialla so
close.

	They reached a clearing and Alexis placed Marialla gently on the ground,
letting Allora take a look at the injured ankle. Jason knew they would have
to carry her out, the thick canopy preventing any access by their dragons.
They just had to wait for an opportune moment to make their exit.

	Jason walked quietly around and crouched down near Alexis. The boy didnât
acknowledge his presence for some time, but when he did, a puzzled look came
over his face.

	ăDo I know you?ä he asked. Jason shook his head slowly.

	ăNo you donât. Youâve never seen me before.ä Alexisâ face brightened.

	ăThatâs good. You reminded me of someone I donât like, but Iâm glad you
arenât him.ä

	As they were talking, Jason slowly reached out his hand and signalled to Tâ
rell, just enough to get the riderâs attention. Târell nodded his head in
agreement and crept closer to Marialla, who still had Allora tending her
ankle. Jason didnât think that they would have any trouble getting Mari out,
but he wasnât taking any chances.

	ăSo, I guess you donât see a lot of people around this way,ä Jason said
casually, keeping Alexisâ attention focussed on him.

	ăNo. I mean, you are the first people I can remember that have visited me
here. But thatâs okay. It means no one will try and take Mari away from me.ä
He placed a hand on the pile of leaves beside him and his eyes narrowed.
ăYou arenât going to try and take her away, are you?ä

	ăNo, not at all,ä Jason replied. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched T
ârell and Allora quickly but quietly pick Marialla up and start to move
away. Mari had a strange look of protest on her face, but Târell was
whispering urgently to her and she remained silent. ăIn fact,ä Jason said as
he stood up, ăwe will be leaving you now.ä

	ăIt was nice to meet you,ä Alexis replied, a shy smile on his face,
confirming Jasonâs suspicion.  The poor kid had gone totally out of his
mind. Maybe this was justice being done, he thought to himself. He had paid
for what he had done to Mari and now he wouldnât be hurting anyone else. But
even Jason couldnât vindicate this type of punishment. He unconsciously
fingered his dagger, wondering whether it would be a mercy of he put this
creature out of his misery. But the memory of Marialla lying in the Med
Centre was enough to stop him. The real reason for the fact that they were
here in the first place all stemmed back to this person in front of him and
whatever he might be now, it could never pay back what Mari had gone
through.

	As Jason backed slowly out of the clearing, he kept his eyes on the
prostrate form of Alexis, who was now totally oblivious to their presence.
Once he reached to tree line, he turned and jogged after the others. He
caught up with them on the beach as Allora and Târell were helping Mari get
onto her dragonâs back, Reggie obviously having insisted she take her rider
back to the warren.

	ăJason!ä Allora called as he walked over to them. She saw the look on his
face. ăYou didnât·ä

	ăNo,ä Jason replied. ăI almost did, but no.ä

	ăI thought about it as well,ä Allora admitted. ăSeeing him again made me
want to·ä

	ăWhatâs done is done,ä Jason told her. ăHe wonât be hurting anyone ever
again and thatâs more than we could ask for. Letâs just leave this place,
and him, alone.ä

****

	 ăBut Târell·ä

	ăNo Mari, absolutely not. You hurt that ankle pretty badly and you donât
want to aggravate it. Youâll have to stay here until he says its okay for
you to walk on it.ä

	Jason caught the tail end of the conversation as he walked in to the room.
He had wanted to check in on Mari and see if she was okay. Well, thatâs what
he was telling himself anyway. Seeing Târell at her bedside made him tighten
his jaw noticeably, but he didnât say anything about it.

	ăI donât see why I canât just stay in my apartment,ä Marialla protested.
ăJason, tell him that I can·ä

	ăYouâre probably better off staying here until itâs better, Marialla,ä
Jason said calmly. ăNo point in walking around on it before itâs okay.ä
Mariallaâs eyes grew wide, as if she was expecting something else. Târell,
on the other hand, nodded appreciatively.

	ăJason, why·ä

	ăIâll come back in later, Mari, okay?ä Jason didnât let her answer as he
turned and walked out.

	Jason didnât know why, but he couldnât stay in there. Not with Târell there
and certainly not with that train of conversation. He agreed with Târell in
that Mari should stay in the Med Centre, but not for the reason he had
stated. If she had been let out, it would have meant that Heronâs
restrictions would have still applied and one of them would have had to stay
with her. Jason didnât feel as if he could do that at the moment.

	<Itâs not as if it is your fault that you both feel like that,> observed
Starfire sagely. <Anyway, I thought you sorted this out this morning?>

	*This morning was a mistake,* Jason replied shortly. *It wonât happen
again, Iâll make sure of it.*

	<I can see what you are thinking, and the answer is no.>

	*Excuse me?*

	<You were thinking about asking to leave, so you could be away from her.
But Iâm not going to leave my friends and you canât make me.>

	*Star!* Jason was shocked, not only in that his dragon had seen right
through him, but had made his position quite clear to his rider. It had only
been a thought he was entertaining·

	<It was not you that made her choose, it was Flerrionâs rider. Reggie says
that her rider was very happy after you talked this morning. Why canât you
be that happy again?>

	*Itâs not that simple, Star.*

	<Well itâs a lot more simple than just leaving,>

	*You are developing a habit of being painfully obvious, you know.*

	<I know. It seems to be the only way to get you to take notice.> Starfire
sounded quite smug in his statement, a fact that didnât help Jason one bit.

****

<later>

	ăCome to visit the patient, have we?ä

	ăOh, I thought I might drop by for a while, see how you were doing,ä Jason
replied lightly, noticing the hint of annoyance in Mariallaâs tone. He knew
she really didnât want to be in here at the moment, but maybe it was for the
best. For everyone involved.

	ăIs that the only reason you Îdropped byâ?ä Marialla asked, her voice
softening a little.

	ăNo,ä Jason admitted. ăBut I did want to see if you were alright. That wasn
ât the smartest of things to do, running off like that. I know it was pure
chance that you ended up there, but·ä

	ăIâm fine,ä she replied with a reassuring smile. ăReally, I am. I think
seeing him like that in some way helped. Maybe I sleep a little better now,
knowing that he canât come back.ä

	ăThat he wonât be doing,ä Jason agreed.

	ăJason,ä Marialla said slowly, ăIâve been thinking. Seeing him like that, I
was wondering if we could do something about it.ä

	ăWhat do you mean?ä Jason asked curiously.

	ăWell, maybe Gerald could help him in some way.ä

	ăUh, Mari, you do remember who you are talking about, donât you?ä

	ăJason, I know how this sounds, but·ä Marialla shrugged slightly. ăHe isnât
the person who he was any more. I canât hate him for what he was.ä Jason
looked at her perplexingly.

	ăMari, I can understand how you feel, but just remember who you are talking
about here. What he did·I know I can never forgive him for that and I wouldn
ât think you could either.ä Marialla sighed.

	ăI didnât think you would understand, but I know how you feel.ä She leant
over, putting her arm around his waist and laying her head on his shoulder.

	ăMari, I donât think this is the time, nor the place.ä He gently but
disengaged himself from her and stood up. ăEspecially in light of recent
events. Iâll check back in the morning, you should be able to leave here
then.ä He walked towards the door.

	ăJason·ä He paused at her voice, almost turning around. But instead he
caught himself and walked out, firmly closing the door behind him.

****

NRPG: Make of this what you will. Oh, and HNY all :)

Submitted by,
			Jason and Starfire
			Daere Warren

aka

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      _/|  \-''- _ /
 __-' { |          \          'Listen to them - the children of the
     /              \          night. What sweet music they make!'
     /       "o.  |o }
     |            \ ;                           -Dracula-
                   ',
        \_         __\
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