"Alright guys! I'm out of here for tonight!" Skylar called back tot he kitchen to the guys.

"See ya tomorrow babe! Walk home safe." One of the guys said and she gave him a little smile.

"Always do. See you tomorrow Jeff!" She said as she hung her apron up and went to the back room to change shoes and grab her things. With a sigh she pulled her hair out of the pony tail and let it fall free again. She was beginning to get a bit of a headache, probably from having it up to tight.

But once she brushed it out she felt better, and stuck her brush back in her bag to head out the back exit she always used. The night was cold now, but not as cold as she was used to so zipping up her jacket Skylar began to make her way home. Her grandparents worried about her walking nearly two miles in the dark, but she'd done it times before, and she had her cell phone if she needed it.

Skylar'd been walking for about fifteen minutes, meaning that she was halfway there, when she started to get hungry. It was only nine-thirty, so there should be plenty of places to go, but she really didn't know what she wanted.

She didn't want a burger, or a sandwich of any sort. If she'd wanted that she would have just stayed and gotten something at the diner. Taco Bell? Hmmm... Possibly. She was definitely feeling spicy though. But maybe Chinese? Yeah! Then she could just take it home and have left overs for tomorrow. Couldn't beat two yummy meals for seven twenty-five.

Calm. Jason loved early evenings and always had. There was a serenity about them that tended to brush away the uneasy fears of the dark and replace them with a sense of rest. Signs drifted by, some lit up and neon and overwhelming to look at, others dim or painted, soothing and old like they had been there for many years. Some of them had. He remembered a few from when he had first come to Demaitre, years and years ago.

He was entering the more lively part of the city. Even this early, people were already crowding around, crushing into buildings to dance and get drunk and ruin their next morning with a terrible hangover. What was so alluring about this kind of lifestyle to people? It was a question he was still quite unable to answer. Indeed, he was old-fashioned, but it was still a mystery. Definitely not his first choice of entertainment. But he had little else to do and he enjoyed watching people--not to mention the fact that there were bound to be some sketchier types around later in the evening, and as little as he liked to admit it, he could certainly use a thick skull to vent his energy on.

Not a pleasant thought. He continued walking, as he seemed to do more and more often. Jason was restless. And the bitter cold of Demaitre's infamous winters did little to soothe his nerves--quite the opposite, really. His stoic expression ducked slightly against the cold, he wandered on alone.

And one of those sketchier types was watching the young blond now.

But she was unaware. Singing in her mind to a song that had simply popped in her head was rocking ever so slightly to the silent tune.

Oh, she wasn't an air-head by nature, on the contrary she was quite observant of her surroundings. Well, when she wasn't being distracted by a piece that she'd played in band last year, her fingers moving ever so slightly to the piccolo pattern that she'd played. Music was one of the few things that made her space out.

But he was moving closer to her and Skylar didn't even notice.

When the man was about a block away, he quietly pulled out a switchblade, holding it so it wasn't too visible and began to move in faster. He'd get her at the next ally. And the girl was bound to have a tight body... He just knew it. Maybe she'd have some money too, but hell... He just needed something to take his energy out on, and she was looking mighty pretty.

The stranger caught Jason's eye at about the time the stranger saw the girl, perhaps a few moments sooner. He knew the look. He'd seen it a thousand times before. Outwardly, his blank expression edged into a slightly deeper frown, but inwardly, a somewhat deprived something broke into a fierce grin. He could almost feel sorry for the poor bastard.

Well, not really.

He shadowed the shadow, watching with intense curiosity as the man fell in step behind the girl, his hand moving to his pocket to extract a small, threatening blade. It glinted dully at his side, half-tucked in his dark sleeve. Jason bristled protectively, a flash of angry recognition playing in his stony eyes. He could kill him now, snap his neck quickly and be done with it. No. Too many witnessess. And the girl would scream and run and make a fuss, no doubt. Far too young to be walking the shadier streets of Demaitre by herself in the dark. That made him almost as mad as the little bastard whose life was quickly ticking down.

Undoubtedly, he was waiting to corner the girl somewhere less obvious, farther away from the street. Well, all the better. That would make it all the more easy for Jason to bash his head in. He turned his thoughts toward the girl, gently probing her consciousness, and found his own thoughts bombarded by a steady stream of instrumental music and nothing else. The tiny frown inverted, for a moment, to a small smile of amusement--but the humor faded as the unwitting thing drew closer to the shadows of a dark offshoot of the main road.

Just as she passed a darker ally where the lightbulb of the street-lamp had died, the man made his move.

His free hand went to her mouth quickly, the cold blade of the knife at her throat.

She tried to scream, but it was muffled and as she felt the metal against her throat, and a soft sushing hiss at her ear she fell silent, only whimpering slightly. Skylar's arms were pressed against her side, so she couldn't reach the phone in her bag... Even if she could reach it... He might kill her.

Well... He might kill her anyway.

Even if she did what he said, even if she gave him the money she had..

He pressed her back against a wall roughly, grinning wildly at her. "Well well, what do I have here? Such a pretty little thing out all alone..." He caressed the blade of the knife against her cheek and she trembled slightly.

"Please... Please let me go... I... I'll give you all my money, my phone... I... Please, don't hurt me." Skylar whimpered softly, not wanting him to have an excuse to use the knife.

"Oh... Whether I hurt you or not..." He grinned, caressing down to her thighs and then unbuttoning her khaki dress pants. "Is entirely up to you."

Skylar gasped and tried to move away, but the blade was against her throat then and she stood helpless as he began to undress her.

Jason's expression darkened as the man slipped his hand over his unfortunate victim's lips. He lagged a bit behind, stalking the two farther back as the stranger closed in on his prey. He crossed the threshold from being far enough back to remain completely shadowed, stepping into the girl's field of view not far behind the man's back.

So tempting, it was. How easily he could kill the little pervert and be done with it, one less psychopath for the unfortunate to worry about. But then he would have to deal with the girl, and that was simply not an option. He would have to content himself with beating the bastard to a fine pulp. His eyes flashed once with anticipation, and he stepped forward.

The man continued at the girl for a moment, suddenly glimpsing Jason out of the corner of his eye. He pulled his blade back maybe an inch, turning his head in surprise.

"What the fuck?! Get the hell out of he--"

But his protest was cut short as Jason clutched the wrist of his knife hand and twisted it sharply to the side, far past the point where it should have stopped. There was an audible pop, and the man cried out again, louder, the knife clattering to the ground. Jason didn't so much as blink, but only twisted his arm farther and threw him to the ground. The man landed face-first with a violent thud, temporarily unable to move. Jason looked slowly from him to the girl, his expression completely clear.

"Are you hurt? Feel free to give him a good kick, if you'd like."

Skylar's blue eyes went wide as she saw someone moving behind the man who was now trying to push her pants down over her hips. Was the other man here to help her? Or... Or was there more than one! Oh God... This night was either going to be really good, or really bad.

Her heart was pounding hard as his hand was now tugging at her panties. But it was then that her attacker noticed the other man. And by his reaction they weren't on the same side, or at least working together.

She pulled away, heading back into the alley further, pulling up and buttoning up her pants again. She was breathing heavily, and checked to see that there wasn't a cut on her throat. There wasn't a mark.

But by the time she looked back, the fight was already finished, the man who'd been attacking her now on the ground. "Hu-Hurt? No... Thank you... Thank you very much sir." She said smiling hesitantly. After all, it could just be out of the frying pan and into the fire.... "A kick?" She raised an eyebrow curiously, but really it sounded like a good idea. "Sure... Might give him two or three." She smirked.

Usually she wasn't violent, but this ass deserved it. She kicked him once in the stomach, making him roll slightly and then kicked him right between the legs.

"I... I'm gonna call the cops... He needs to be put away... For good." She muttered as she rummaged around in her mini back pack for her cell phone.

He watched the girl give the man a couple of good kicks and nodded as if in approval. She had some fight to her. He appreciated that. It was more than he could say of a lot of the types he tended to save from dark-alleyway-type scenes over the years. Jason crossed his arms over his chest, straightening up as she began to rummage for her phone. It was a good idea, he supposed, though he would have liked very much to take care of him himself. His blood was already pooling slightly beneath his half-crushed face. Pity it would go to waste, but what could be done?

Jason's brow furrowed just slightly as the girl continued to search for her phone.

"At the risk of sounding like a sexist pig, do you walk Demaitre alone at night often?"

Perhaps the question sounded harsher than intended due to his rather indifferent mannerisms, but Jason was sincerely curious. It seemed that girls caught in these situations were getting younger and younger. She couldn't be more than eighteen, if even that. The man on the ground gave a feeble, low groan and reached tentatively for his blade. Jason pressed the toe of his shoe down on the man's fingers, slowly increasing the pressure until the bones threatened to snap.

"Don't move at all or we'll make sure you can't breathe for bleeding, understand?"

Understandably, they received no further trouble.

"Huh?" Skylar turned to the man as she found her cell phone. "Oh... Yeah. I work late two or three times a week..." She bit her lip slightly. "I've never had a problem before... But... I... I was kind of distracted tonight. I didn't even hear him coming." She said sheepishly as she called the police.

"Um... Yes. I was just attacked at... 2704 on Caspian Street. No.. I'm fine, Uh, another guy saw and stopped him." She paused, listening for a second. "No. He's down for now, we're not in danger. He had a switchblade on him." She listened for a moment longer, saying the occasional 'yes', 'no', 'okay' and finally- "Okay. Thank you very much. Good bye."

She sounded strong and sure, but her heart was still racing, pounding in her chest as she thought about what could have happened if he hadn't shown up. "Oh... Uh, they said that an officer would be here in five to ten minutes. Don't touch the knife so they can match prints and all..." She said biting her lip, trying to calm herself.

"I'm sorry for bringing you into this. But thank you so much. I usually don't get distracted on my way home. Oh, I'm Skylar by the way." She said as she held out her hand with a nervous smile. "I've been walking this round at least twice a week for... six months now? But this hasn't ever happened... Just goes to show what happens when you're not alert." She murmured.

"Hmm," it was a quiet, low sound of disapproval. He pressed his foot down harder on the man's hand for a second and then stepped away from him, content to leave the crime scene at rest if the police did indeed show up soon.

He watched the girl--Skylar, apparently--as she spoke, noting her nervousness, her general air of unease. To some degree, it was to be expected. After all, she'd just been maliciously attacked. But it was something else, something other than that. He got the impression that she was a quirky young thing, still a teenager in a woman's body. He studied her hand for a moment and put on a small, stern smile as he took her fragile hand in his considerably larger one.

"Jason," he replied simply. "No need to apologize. I'm glad I was 'brought into this' if it means throwing him in jail. Men like him certainly don't deserve to be roaming the street."

He shook his head slightly, staring down at the barely-conscious criminal with ill-contained disgust.

"Perhaps you should invest in a car?" He smiled crookedly, his expression hardly seeming to change or make way for the sudden glimpse of amusement at all. "Something not too bad, I hope? The thing distracting you, that is."

"Indeed." She agreed as he said that men like him belonged in jail. If he'd gotten her tonight... Who knew what innocent girl would be next.

"A car?" Skylar laughed slightly. "No... I don't have enough money for a car right now, and can't get a loan or anything yet. Besides, college is more important." Living with her grandparents was good for saving money, but it wasn't like they had a whole lot extra to spare and because her grandpa couldn't drive, they only had one car.

"Oh. But it was just some music that I played with the school Orchestra last year. So it wasn't like I'd just broken up with a boyfriend or my dog just died or whatever." She grinned. "Well... Those things would be kind of hard seeing as how I don't have either at the moment." She laughed.

"But anyway, I hope he gets bagged. They might put him away for a week or whatever, but they need to put him away for good." She said biting her lip.

Why wouldn't her heart stop racing? And... And why did she keep looking at him? Not the bastard... Jason. He... He was handsome... But he was dangerous. Just as dangerous as the man he disabled, if not even more so. There was something that made her feel close to power... Power that was so controlled that it could be brought up at anytime, and who knew what could trigger it.

“Yeah, unfortunately his type tends to slip through the system too quickly. Apparently they’re not dangerous enough,” his stormy eyes grew darker still, his arms clenching mechanically. Which is why they’re better off dead. It was a persistent thought, and it was starting to annoy him. Whether he approved or not, the guy was going to get away with his life.

A distant blaring of sirens. He looked curiously at the girl, staring steadily back at her as she looked at him and quickly looked away. He had to wonder what she was thinking—of course it would be fairly easy to find out, but Jason considered such tricks to be a bit rude when not necessary. Besides, he could read her mannerisms almost as clearly as if he could see her thoughts. Her nervousness was sweet—he could hear her young heart clamoring away in her breast.

“Already thinking about college and no boyfriend?” He teased lightly, only with unchanging expression it almost did seem like an accusation rather than a joke. "You've probably heard it many times before, but I enjoy being cliche every now and then, so I'll say it again. Boys are trouble anyway. Especially the high school ones."

He gave the smallest of smiles, thin and almost mirthless, as though even this simple gesture needed guarding.

She nearly trembled as she heard his voice. Dangerous... Dangerous indeed. She could see ever so slightly the way his body tensed.

"Well, I'm going to be graduating this spring, so yeah... But it's not just boys... Men are trouble too... You just have to find the one who's worth it." She said with a faint smile. "Well, at least that's what my grandma says.... But knowing my own parents... I don't think I'll ever get married." She admitted, crossing her arms against her chest as she heard the sirens draw closer.

"No offense or anything about the men thing... But it just seems that marriage isn't worth it. Just causes problems." Well... It was all she really knew. It was hard to block out all the yelling, all the shouting and blame that was put on her...

Music had been all that did it... It was the only thing that helped.

"I... I guess I'm just a bit jaded... So don't mind me." She bit her lip again, shutting her eyes.

She'd always wanted to be married, have a boyfriend, fall in love... But she had always thought her parents were in love when she was little, only to realize as she grew older that it was the complete opposite. Did love really exist? Well... Her grandparents loved each other, but they were from a different age. A different time.

"I guess... I just don't believe in love. Well, not romantic love anyway. Parents can love children, sibling love and friends... But not romantic love. Haven't seen any good examples anyway." She shrugged.

"You're a bit young to have reached such a final, cynical opinion, don't you think?" He looked as though slightly puzzled. But in this day and age, he supposed it was no surprise that her first impression of "love" was an old, married, bickering couple that stayed together only because they felt they had to. Pity.

But before he had a chance to continue, the street just outside the alley filled with light, and the blare of the sirens reached them at full level, carried quickly on the crisp, night air. Jason moved slightly so that he was better standing between Skylar and the man on the ground. Should he decide to be violent, well, best that Jason was the closer of the two targets. No point in taking chances.

Three officers assessed the scene from a distance before slowly closing in, one of them slightly ahead of the others. She was older, probably in her fifties, and shorter than her male companions, but she was clearly the one in charge. The cop took a long look at bloodied man and looked back at Jason and Skylar, obviously impressed in spite of her stoic expression.

"You were the one to call us?" She looked warily past Jason at Skylar, more concerned about her confirmation that everything was alright now, while her partners lifted the criminal to his feet.

"Well, but it this way." Skylar said with a small smile as she tucked her hair behind her ears. "If something comes along... I might give it a try. But it'll be a bit hard for me to shove everything aside."

She threw up her hand at the sudden light, letting her eyes adjust.

"Oh. That was actually pretty quick." She murmured.

"Yes ma'am I was." Skylar said with a smile, stepping forward as the woman asked. "But yeah. Jason here helped me... I guess he saw the guy drag me here." She said looking up with an almost nervous smile at Jason.

"Okay. If I could just talk with you over here a second, get your information and your statement and everything?" She asked as she beckoned the girl over to the side.

Skylar nodded and followed her. "Sure thing." She agreed.

It was about five minutes later when Skylar came away with a smile. "And Sir? If I could talk to you for a moment please? And then we can all be on our way and get him down to the station." The woman said with a professional smile.

Jason watched the cop walk away with Skylar, bristling slightly at her not being at his side while the creep was still around. Call it old-fashioned. It was a hard habit to break, nonetheless. He waited impatiently for her to return, and offered a curt nod in response to the officer's crisp smile. He followed her away from the scene, pausing when she did and automatically crossing his arms over his chest. The officer tilted her head back, glancing up at him curiously.

"She says the guy was going to rape her and that you showed up just a minute after he did. Is that right?"

"Yes." He stared back, unblinking, and relaxed his posture slightly to keep from making her any edgier than she might already be. He knew how it must look from her perspective.

"And you dragged him off of her and beat him up pretty good?"

"I'd say I did a fair amount of damage, yes," he smiled very faintly, his steely eyes softening slightly with amusement. The officer mirrored the expression and nodded, making a note.

"Right. Look," she sighed, folding up her notebook, "we gotta get back to the station. Could you...could you make sure the kid gets home alright?"

He nodded once and the officer nodded back, reaching up to clap him heartily on the shoulder before turning to open the door of the police car. Jason walked slowly, pointedly watching the little pervert as they shoved him into the back.

"Good riddance..." Skylar muttered as she shoved her hands in her pockets, wishing she had remembered her gloves. The guy was going away it seemed... But for how long? She had faith in the system over all, but she knew it had faults. But he was being driven off now, and she wouldn't see him again. He'd be gone for a while and that was good enough for her.

Turning back to Jason she gave a faint, fluttering smile. She was feeling giddy for some reason... Probably just the adrenaline running through her body from the whole little episode.

"So... Uh... I guess I'll be going home now... Uh, thanks for everything... I mean... You saved my life and all." She said, grinning and resisting the urge to giggle. "Oh... Say, if you're ever in the neighborhood of Mel's Diner, feel free to come and say high and I'll buy you dinner, lunch or whatever." She offered.

He watched the police car closely, not turning back his attention until it was good and gone. His posture relaxed the tiniest degree, his worries slightly alleviated by the absence of blinding lights and irate sirens. Turning again to Skylar, he dismissed her thanks with a gentle shake of his head and the makings of a concerned smile.

"You'll be alright walking the rest of the way home alone?"

Jason couldn't help but doubt it. It was in his nature to be extremely protective of those who seemed to lack the ability to take care of themselves. And when he picked one such person out, he was rarely wrong. Thinking of her trying to get home alone made his brow darken with worry. Perhaps his concern came off as over-protective, even condescending, but he could care less about what she thought of him, so long as he could walk away knowing she was safely indoors with her family.

"Is it much farther?"

Why did she feel hurt when he shook his head? It wasn't like she liked him or anything. Well... She felt a little guilty for throwing off whatever he was doing for the night, taking up his time and all.

"Yeah... I should be fine... It's maybe another fifteen minutes or so. I'll be okay."

But there was just something about him... It wasn't the way he looked, even if he was handsome. She'd seen handsome men before, and she hadn't ever had the urge to just... giggle. There was something about him, something under his looks that made her feel so funny.

"I mean if you want to walk me home I could put some coffee on or something. Ah... Nevermind." She said quickly shaking her head. After all, he probably didn't want to do that. "I'm sure you have other things to do than walk me home. I've already bothered you enough for one night I guess." She gave a little laugh and a wave as she turned around and began to walk away.

But her face fell almost the moment she couldn't see him, thinking about something he'd said before. "You're a bit young to have reached such a final, cynical opinion, don't you think?" Too young.... He was probably in college, maybe beyond, and probably had a girlfriend, fiance or something. She was just being stupid, letting the adrenaline and the fact that he'd saved her get in the way.

He looked up the street into the darkness, his expression as unreadable as his steely eyes. Jason knew better than to follow this girl too closely. It was very likely they would never meet again, and it was cruel to give her any sort of hope that they might be good friends, laughing and talking like normal people. No. But it was against his better judgment to just let her go and attempt the rest of the walk alone. She was shaken up, maybe, more likely to be distracted than before. Or perhaps he was only making excuses and there were other reasons for his wanting to pursue company.

With a brief, quiet sigh, he unfolded his arms and walked after her, overcoming her quick paces with a few measured strides of his own.

"Skylar," he spoke her name instead of reaching out to touch her shoulder, "would you mind too much if I walked with you?"

He had been staring straight ahead as he talked, but now Jason turned his head to look her in the eye. She really was a young thing. His heart clenched at his own foolishness, for foolishness this was. So young. And already her eyes told of some distress. He was making a mistake by remaining in her company, but was it so unreasonable to wish for some company? If only for fifteen minutes?

"Huh?" She asked, turning her head as she frowned curiously. "Really?" Her face brightened though as his words sank in. She hadn't been expecting it, but... "Yeah. That would be nice." She said smiling slightly, containing most of her excitement, even if her eyes were more eager than her words. "And admittedly... It would make me feel a bit better..." She said biting her lip and looking don for a moment.

It didn't show, but she was still shaken from what had happened. After all, who could just push something like that out of their mind a few minutes after it happened?

But like everything, she just... accepted it, and moved on. Her counselor back in Toronto had told her to do that. Don't hold on to everything, don't let it simmer and sit. Let it go. Things are always changing, and you couldn't just try to hold on to everything.

Pulling her jacket closer around her and smiling warmly up at him. "So, is that a yes for some coffee?" She asked, almost hopefully. "I need some way to thank you, you know? I mean I can understand if you don't like the diner's food, but you can't hate coffee you've never tried." She said with a grin.

He smiled quietly in return, his eyes softening for a moment--just a glimpse of the thoughts behind his guarded expression--and pooled again to their normal, steely state.

"I would like that."

Honestly, Jason did not know how else to respond. To refuse her would be incredibly rude, but how was he going to pull this one off? Pushing his uneasiness aside to be mulled over when the time came, he focused instead on Skylar, contentedly listening in to the wavering scraps of her thoughts that made the first impression on his own.

"But really, you don't need to thank me. People shouldn't be thanked for doing what should be expected of them: protecting those who might need their help. If people simply did these things without expecting thanks or a reward, maybe people like him wouldn't be so feared."

He paused, realizing all that he had just said. Jason typically wasn't one to speak before careful thought. And yet--

"Sorry," he smiled again, silent laughter lightening his eyes. "I didn't mean to rant ethics at you."

She smiled as he said that she didn't need to thank him, and had it not been for the fact her cheeks were already red from the cold she probably would have blushed. "I... I know I don't have to, but I want to." She said softly, looking away with a sheepish smile.

"I know you say that I you don't need rewards for doing what you should do... But... Can I really do nothing to show how grateful I am? I mean I don't care what you might think, but you saved my life, and that's not something that everyone would do Jason. And I want to thank you."

It was people like him that restored her faith really, people who did what they should. She didn't need to thank him, reward him or anything, but she wanted to. She wanted to let him know she was grateful for being alive right now. She wouldn't have been otherwise and she knew that.

"Don't worry though. I understand, and I agree with you. People don't do what's right anymore, but it's the few like you that make me keep having faith in people, even if I shouldn't in a lot of cases." She said with a small smile up at him for a second.

"You've already proven it," he insisted with a quiet laugh.

A wave of quiet, nagging guilt. She assumed him to be a good person, which was not necessarily true. She believed it to be only because she had seen him at his "best" doing the one thing he felt safe doing. If not for this, he was as much a monster as all those of his kind who preyed on the same types he worked to save. And the hypocrisy survived. That was the worst part of it. The vain attempt at heroism he seemed to carry on his shoulders had proven to be inescapable, forged into his veins like a scar in his skin by the blood of the woman who had made him.

Jason looked back at her, catching her gaze in his own and holding it in pensive silence.

"Perhaps it's not so bad to trust people," he commented quietly, breaking their stare to look ahead again. "If you're cautious."

But he was a good person... Really... Even if he didn't think so.

"Trust people... And be cautious?" She asked frowning curiously up at him. She shook her head though, smiling helplessly. "I... I don't see how that's possible Jason. I mean... Can you really trust someone yet be cautious of them at the same time?" She asked curiously.

"It just seems to be a bit... I don't know... Hypocritical? Well maybe that's not the word, but I guess I only know to be wary of people, or trust them when they've earned it."

Skylar looked up with a smile. "And yes. You've earned it." She assured him.

"Shouldn't bee too much longer till were at my grandparents place. You don't live too far I hope? I mean... I can see if I could drive you home. I have my license and all, just no car. My grandma needs to have it at home and all, but I think I'll be able to get you a ride home." She offered.

He had earned her trust. Too easily, it seemed. He was baffled that she was so certain he was a "good guy." Perhaps he was expecting too much, over-analyzing it. Trust was a tricky concept. Maybe he was misunderstanding her because she was making her judgment based on what little she knew of him--it was his own self-knowledge that urged him to disagree with her and argue about it. It didn't matter. Why shouldn't she just go on believing that he was a random hero? It was better that way, better if he just left it alone.

"No, it's alright, it's not far. Wouldn't want to get you into trouble or anything."

He smiled wryly. He could only imagine what her grandparents might think. They would see a twenty-something-year-old man hovering around their high school-aged grand-daughter. Not even the most leniant of guardians would dismiss it as nothing. Or, at least, he hoped not.

"You're in high school, Skylar?"

"Yeah, senior year. I already applied to DU and all, just waiting to get a letter back or something. I mean... My grades weren't the best my first two years in high school, but they've been better this year and last." She said with a shrug. "I'm more so keeping my fingers crossed with my extra curricular activities, hoping they need drama, music and dance people." She grinned. Yeah, maybe it was a long shot, but well, she had to try. If she didn't make it, there was always one of the community colleges in the city.

"So what do you do? You in College? Just graduate recently?" She asked, looking up at him, genuinely interested. After all, she liked people, liked being around them, liked helping them and talking to them.

"I mean you're probably not too much older than me right? Five years tops." Weell.... then again she looked older than she was, and maybe he looked younger, or maybe he even looked older.

How old was he supposed to be? Jason couldn't remember the last time he had had to invent an age, a history, a story. Had he ever? All this time and he had never bothered coming up with a consistent alibi. But he'd never really had a reason to. He hadn't associated with people--actually associated with them, anyway--for a good long time. For all intensive purposes...

"I'm twenty-four, actually. I do odd jobs, mostly. You know, beat people up and stuff. If they owe money. Or favors." He grinned, pausing for a moment before he glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Kidding. I'm kidding."

He walked on, silently studying her reaction. It spoke a lot about what kind of person she was, whether she noticed it or not. Not that she seemed the type that would take him seriously, anyway. Maybe.

"So what do you plan on studying? Going to be an actress? Act on Broadway? Live in New York?" He questioned, donning a gentle New York accent at the end, for a smile, maybe a laugh. He could get used to this socializing thing. He'd forgotten how much he enjoyed the company.

Twenty four... Okay, so I bit older than she thought, but oh well. It... It wasn't like she was interested in him in that way anyway... Was she? Nah...

Skylar looked up at him frowning all of a sudden, but then she grinned and started to laugh even before he said he was kidding. "Well I mean you're strong enough to, but you're not that kind of person are you?" She asked with a grin, knowing that he couldn't possibly be.

"Oh No, I'm not for Broadway. Not that good yet. I mean it would be great to be there one day... But to be there... I even think I'd get stage fright!" She laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I... I hope to be in an orchestra for a while, I love music. Maybe even work with the Opera here for a while, working as a stage hand or in the pits. Just to be around it now. But I need more lessons before I could actually perform on the stage." She grinned.

"The Orchestra's holding try-outs in May, so I was hoping to give it a try then and test my luck." Skylar knew she'd need all the luck she could get. After all, she was good, but not that good. She knew there were people so much better than she was.

"But living in New York... Oh that would be glamorous. I've always wanted to go there, but I've never been able to. Never had the chance."

He grinned again, more apparently this time, and gave a slow shrug as if daring her to draw her own conclusions as to what exactly he was--much more interesting that way. Better than the truth, and better than his alibi. A win-win situation, really...unless she actually believed he was a criminal.

"You get stagefright?" He asked, a slight tone of accusatory disbelief accompanying a quiet laugh.

"Me neither. Not really sure I could live in that big a city like New York City for long, though. Demaitre's about as populated as I can get. I guess I've gotten used to liking my space. It seems like too much unnecessary stress to live somewhere so crowded and dangerous--not that it could be much more dangerous than here. Demaitre's gotten pretty bad."

He smiled a quiet, crooked smile, a thoughtful look. The city really had gotten worse, looking back on it. It had always been a pretty dismal place, but the crime rates had definitely soared in recent years. As bad as it was for Demaitre's citizens, it provided a nice variety of entertainment for Jason, anyway. Lots of idiots to maul and whatnot.

"You'll have to remember us humble, common types when you're famous," he teased, offering a fond and reserved smile. "I'll come and listen to you play."

He was beginning to get a bit ridiculous, and he knew it. But it was difficult to stop. Just being around normal people--not his kind and not the scum of Demaitre--was a little intoxicating. And she was downright charming, really.

Skylar just laughed and rolled her eyes as he shrugged. So he did have a sense of humor and he even seemed to be loosening up a bit.

"Everyone gets stage fright no matter how long you've been acting. How good you are just depends on how well you can control it." She said quoting her Speech teacher from school.

"But I don't know how I'd do there. I mean, I've only known Toronto really... That's where I grew up and all. But I'm here at least until I turn eighteen, and I've really wanted to go to school here too, so I might be here for a while." She gave a little shrug. "What about you? You lived here long?"

But his next words made her laugh.

"Famous? You're kidding again right? I mean nah.. I'll never be anything big. And I'm not sure if I would want to be... Stars... They get so much publicity... Even on Broadway. Granted it's a smaller following, and a more classy one... But I wouldn't want all that in life. I don't know why anyone would." She shuddered slightly and shook her head.

"But... I will hold you to coming to watch me play. Well, that's if I get in the orchestra. I mean, they let you try out on as many instruments as you like, So I've got a few chances, but we'll see how it goes." She gave a little shrug, but smiled as she saw the small house came into view.

"Ah! Just about home now." She grinned, looking over at him.

"Yeah, I've lived in Demaitre for a long time." A really long time, actually. He'd been living in or around Demaitre since before it was anything like it was now. The irony was enough to summon up a nostalgic smile. "But I was born in England."

Best not to linger on the details of his life, entertaining as it was. He wasn't particularly good at lying. Never had been. He traced her gaze with his own, a little disappointed that they were already there, but it was probably for the better. Still, it had been interesting...fun, even. Fun?

He walked with her in silence until they were close, not sure what left there was to say. She was home safe, now. Strange how things worked. Earlier in the evening he wouldn't have guessed he'd meet anyone at all. Now he wasn't so sure he wanted to just disappear. After all, he'd promised her something, hadn't he? Finally he stopped, staring the house for a moment before reluctantly looking down at her.

"Be safe, Skylar," he asked gently. It was an ambiguous request, but he meant it. "Maybe invest in some mace," he smiled.

"Born in England? Really? That's kind of neat." Skylar grinned up at him. "Never actually met anyone who was born outside of Canada. Well, I've met two people born in the US, but I don't know how much that counts." She said as she gave a slight shrug.

"What's it like of there? Is your family still there or did you all move here when you were little?" She asked curiously.

Skylar was definitely interested in people, learning about them, trying to understand them and seeing how much they had in common. You would be surprised how much you had in common just with a random person walking down the street, just someone you passed by once.

"Well, this is it." She said as she moved to the front gate of the little fence, holding it open after her. But he wasn't really moving.

Oh... So... So he didn't want to come in for coffee then. Her face dropped slightly, but she smiled none the less. She had to stop kidding herself. She couldn't just hang around the guy forever until she figured out what was so mysterious about him. "Okay." She said softly. "I'll pay more attention when I'm walking home at night Jason." After all, if she were to get in trouble again, he might not be there to save her next time. And she wasn't going to look for trouble to find him either.

But she had to ask... "Will... Will I ever see you again though?"

"Well...it rains a lot. And that's about it," he smiled, studying the empty road. "No, actually it's a beautiful place. My family's all over there somewhere, but I don't much see them anymore. My mum died awhile back and we all kind of scattered after that."

Jason watched her face fall and felt his own posture sink accordingly. He didn't want her to be sad at all, but really, he had pushed things a bit far already by just talking with her. He wasn't so sure what would happen if he went into her house, met her family. It seemed too easy to get caught in a corner, and that made him more nervous than anything.

But that one little question. Uncanny what one little question could do. Her expression made him feel so guilty, like liar caught in his own greedy web. He forced a small smile and stepped forward, gently catching her under the chin with a crooked finger.

"I promised, didn't I?" He drew his hand away, still put off by her expression. "Okay, how about this: my last name's Keates. Now if you ever need something or just feel like you'd rather not be by yourself, you can look me up in the phonebook and call me. I'm usually only ever home in the evenings. But...call, alright?"

He looked hard at her, wanting to make sure she knew he was serious. And he was, he found. He was serious.

Oh... So his mother had died... That must have been hard on him. Even if her own mother had died... She'd be sad too, even though she really didn't care for her mother all that much. She was still her mother.

But she didn't know why she was upset now. He was just a stranger. A stranger who'd just been in the right place at the right time and that was willing to do what needed to be done. But the fact that she owed him her life, and that little something about him wanted to keep him around.

"Keats... Like the poet." She smiled, as it would be easy to remember. "I guess I'll give you a call and let you know if I make the orchestra." She gave a more genuine smile, hoping it would sooth him. It seemed... Seemed as if he was torn between leaving and staying. He didn't want to go, but he was afraid to stay.

"Thanks again for everything. And well... You know where to find me if you need me." Though she knew it wasn't likely he'd come around to see her. "Good night Jason. Have a safe walk home." She said, giving a little wave as she turned back, walking towards the house with a smile. Even if she wanted to spend time with him, it wasn't what he wanted. And she wasn't going to guilt him in to doing anything he didn't want to.

Jason nodded and watched her turn to go, more unsettled by how she was reacting by the moment. Maybe this was a good personal reminder as to why he tended to stay away from human company. It was too difficult to make friends with someone and then just let them go again--and it was too dangerous to keep friends for long. They needed to be given the chance to move on, to grow up and live their own life. He could never change like that, which is why it made more sense to stay with one's own.

Even so...

"Goodnight, Skylar."

She was already halfway up the walk to the house, but he did not move. He stood, as if still guarding her, just outside the fence around her front yard, his arms crossing over his chest as he watched her go and said no more. When she was safely inside and a minute or two had passed--and not a thing had stirred but the cold, winter breeze--he turned and began to walk the way they had come, taking it slow, hanging on the fringes of her thoughts and consciousness until even that was lost. Even if he refused to acknowledge it, even if he knew better than to hope for it, he was hoping she might think to call.