“You don't have to see me out," I told him as he came back to the table. "Unless you're going home too.""No. I have more training to do, but it's fine."Don't sound so enthused, I thought as I drew a deep breath, turned, and headed toward the gate.”

“Butch, let me help you."He cursed. "What if-""What ifs don't cut it." She took a deep breath. "I won't lie. I'm scared. But I don't want to turn my back on you and you're a fool to try and make me."He shook his head, respect in his eyes. "You always been this courageous?""No. But it appears that for you, I guess I am. So are you going to let me in?""I want to. I feel like I need to.”

“You'll have to learn to forgive," he said. "For if you don't, you know what will happen?""What, Doctor?" I croaked, for my outburst had exhausted me."It will destroy you," he said as he handed me the tea.A tear came into my eye when he said it for I knew it was true and I would have loved to be able to do it (not because of its destroying me but because it was right, and deep down I knew that) but I couldn't and the more I thought of it the more the blood came coursing to my head so that whenever I'd write I'd find myself clutching the pencil so tight I broke the lead how many times I don't know, hundreds.”

“I love you, Bud," he whispered to Billy and two more tears escaped."I love you too, Mitch," Billy whispered back, my breath hitched and both males' eyes came to me.I waved my wineglass at them and murmured, "Don't mind me. Have your moment."Mitch leaned back, letting Billy go and grinning at me. "Men don't have moments.""You do," I returned. "I'm witnessing one.""This isn't a moment, honey, it's a meeting of the minds," Mitch contradicted me.”

“Cole, do you feel anything for me?" I don't know what made me ask this, except that Jack had asked him the night of the Tunnels. It obviously surprised him.He backed up. "What?"I inched forward, not quite sure I was going with this. "Do you feel...something for me?"He was quiet, still as a statue, so I moved even closer. "Don't, Nik." His gaze dropped to the ground."If you feel anything, please leave me alone. I don't know why I survived. I don't have your answer. Shadowing me will get you nothing."Then he did something unexpected. He backed down, and as he turned around to his motorcycle, he shook his head and mumbled, "What have you done to me?""I don't know," I said. "But you have ninety-nine years to figure it out."He kicked it on and revved the engine, and at the sound, he found his cocky smirk again. "That's a long time, Nik. Jack is gone, and I'm here. Let's see who gives up first.”

“He got up and walked out, so I missed seeing the powerful sorcerer doing his powerful sorcery, which would have involved him closing his eyes and then, I don't know, maybe taking a deep breath or something.”