Chapter 4: Not the Team She Had in Mind

The very first feature Cadence had noticed when she initially encountered Aaron at the Eidolon Festival were his piercing blue eyes. He was staring at her so intently now that she could only hold his gaze for a moment before nervously glancing down at her lap. She had purposely avoided him, both in proximity and in thought, once she was certain that Jamie had been able to fully heal him from the gunshot wound Aaron had taken in her own defense, and now, sitting next to him in such a confined space, she remembered exactly how she had felt when she realized he had been shot by a Vampire, and there was a possibility she could lose him forever. Those memories were not friendly, and she had to push them out of her mind if she was going to give her full attention to Jack.

"How are you?" he asked, his voice just above a whisper. Though he seemed to be feeling much better now than he had been when they boarded the plane, he was still obviously weak, and it would likely be several days before he fully recovered.

Cadence glanced up at him and then away again, not exactly sure how to respond. She knew he would be able to tell if she wasn't honest anyway, so she told him the truth. "Not very good,” she admitted, shrugging her shoulders.

Aaron nodded. "I'm sorry. Do you know how he is doing?"

Shaking her head, Cadence replied, "No, I haven't listened to my messages yet. I guess I'm afraid to."

Again, he nodded in understanding. "Well, we will be on the ground in Kansas City soon enough. I've arranged for a plane to take you straight to Lincoln as soon as we touch down. I really wish that I could go with you myself, Cadence, but I just don't think I can handle it right now."

Cadence was able to look him in the eye now, and she could easily see how difficult it was for him to admit that. "No," she said shaking her head, "I completely understand. You need to rest. And you need Jamie close by, just in case."

Aaron snickered. "I'm fine, Cadence. I'll be fine."

Hearing his adamant proclamation brought back fleeting memories of when he was not fine, and Cadence hurriedly brushed them aside, having no time or emotional strength to contemplate them just then. "Good," she finally replied, smiling. "I'm glad to hear that." Then, she added, "I'm sorry I didn't ask you how you were feeling before. I meant to."

Even before she finished her statement, he was shrugging her off. "No, it's fine," he said resolutely. "Don't worry about that. I know you've got more important things to worry about now."

Cadence didn't pause to ponder exactly which of her worries was, in fact, the most important. Rather, she moved on to gathering more information about the arrangements he had made for her trip to Lincoln, where Jack was hospitalized, and the rest of her friends had congregated a few days earlier. "Will I be going alone then?" she asked, hoping she would have at least one friend with her, just in case Taylor's news was not good, and she needed emotional support.

"No, of course not," Aaron replied. "I'm sending a Guardian with experience in this type of situation with you. Her name is Hannah, and I think you'll find her very helpful."

She was disappointed to hear a stranger would be accompanying her in such emotional circumstances, though she trusted Aaron's judgment. "I don't think I've ever met her," she admitted.

"No, you haven't," he replied. "But she has a talent fairly similar to my own in that she cannot only detect emotions, she can also help regulate them."

A look of confusion on her face, Cadence asked, "What do you mean? She can cause people to feel specific emotions?"

Adjusting in his seat a bit uncomfortably, Aaron glanced away as he contemplated his answer. "Yes, and no. Sort of. Let's just say, if you are in a situation where your emotions could potentially get the best of you, she can take the edge off."

Cadence wasn't exactly sure what that meant, but she knew she would be traveling with Hannah regardless of whether she wanted to or not. She was in no situation to argue with the leader, and so she determined to trust him. "All right," she agreed. "If you feel that she's the best person to send with me, then so be it."

"There is one other team member I insist go with you," Aaron said quietly, not yet meeting her eyes.

Again, Cadence felt uneasy. It wasn't like him not to look directly at her, and so she knew that there was a good possibility she was not going to like whatever it was he had to say. "Who's that?" she asked cautiously.

"Well," Aaron began, glancing in her direction but not committing to holding her gaze. "Considering the situation, and the fact that there may be some need for cover up, I feel that it is imperative that, despite previous difficulties, you really need to be accompanied by someone who can do damage control….”

Before he could finish, Cadence rolled her eyes and threw her hands to her head. "No," she groaned, praying her assumption was incorrect.

"He's not happy about it either," Aaron admitted, shrugging his shoulders. "But, Cadence, believe me, it's for the best. Elliott needs to go with you. Maybe this will be your opportunity to get to know each other a little better and repair your relationship."

"Aaron!" Cadence whispered sharply, suddenly aware that Elliott, who was seated across the aisle and one row in front of her, was clearly listening to their conversation, though he only glanced in her direction briefly. "You can't honestly expect me to put up with him while I'm potentially going through the grieving process! He hates me! He tried to get me thrown off of the team!" Though her voice never rose above a whisper, she was clearly upset, and her tone came through despite the volume.

"I know, I know," Aaron assured her, placing his hand on her forearm. "Believe me, I am fully aware of your feelings about one another. Nevertheless, if you will stop and consider the situation from the perspective of the team, I'm sure you can understand why it is that I insist that you take him with you. If the need should arise for a cover up, he's the only one capable of carrying that out."