Surprises are usually bad

"Skye, I hate asking you to do this." I stared at Roy who looked quite uncomfortable. It wasn't hard to see why of course, this was a rather big request. It had been a week but he had dropped by like he had said he would, seemingly unharmed to my relief. At the moment we were sitting in the living room, a cup in front of each of us. Tea for me and coffee for him.

I sighed and took a sip of my tea. "Roy, you drop by and ask me to do this, but you still haven't told me why. Roy that girl would be crushed if you just left her like that. You can see it in her eyes that she loves you. You're all she has." I was referring to Alice, the girl Roy had taken and was raising, who at that moment was in the backyard with Tori, who said she'd entertain the girl while we talked. "Roy I'm fifteen! How am I supposed to raise a child? I'm still just a child myself..." I nearly whispered the last part, not sure of my choice of words.

"Skye I know it's a lot to ask of you, trust me I know. I just didn't have anyone else to turn to...." He looked away, frowning to himself. Looking at him, he seemed just as tired as he had before, as if he hadn't slept for a long time.

"Look I'm sure Tori wouldn't mind you staying for awhile bu-" His eyes widened and he looked slightly panicked.

"No! Just....her...." I raised an eyebrow at the outburst. He looked at the ground, his eyes no longer visible, hidden beneath his hair. He continued to stare at the ground as he spoke. "Skye, please...." I stared at him for another few moments, the room silent as I thought.

"I'm not agreeing to anything, but if I'm even to think about this, I need to know one thing." He looked at me hopefully. "Why? Why can't you take care of her anymore?" He smiled sadly.

"Skye, the path I walk, is not one I chose. But it is one I must continue to walk. This path though, it's coming to an end. I'm not going to be around for much longer, and I refuse to drag her down with me, I care for her too much to do so." My eyes widened for a split second, trying to take in what I had heard. He was saying...he was going to die soon. But....

“You had been visiting Wolf right? How was that?” His smile became slightly strained at the question.

“It was nice, really nice. But there were things I wish I would have said. To each of them... I just...” He sighed.

I smiled at him. “Hey don't worry you can tell them next time.”

It's why he had seemed so sad.....there wouldn't be a next time. "Roy how can you be sure, I me-"

He chuckled. "Skye, you saw him didn't you? He's been following me for weeks now, I can't go more then an hour without seeing him. Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't noticed." At that moment, he appeared, standing right behind Roy, his faceless head tilting as he observed me. Everything had froze, Roy was still smiling and I felt all of the color drain from my face. As fast as he had appeared though, he had vanished. 

I let go of a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. I regarded Roy. He still smiled and yet, in his eyes I could see how desperate he was. I took another sip of tea and shut my eyes. How could I deny a dying man, his last request? I didn't open my eyes as I responded "Fine." Was all I said. I would of course talk to Tori about this later and hope she understood. 

I guess I was right, things had gotten a lot more complicated.

Surprise, surprise!

As I cracked open my book I realized with a sigh that it would be another boring night at work. I felt like I wasn't pulling my own weight, with Tori working now, and also her going on missions, I finally decided that I needed something to occupy my time. I had been hired at the library, I worked the late shift, anywhere from five or six until closing at midnight. It was usually after ten that I wouldn't really see anyone come in. So I would spend my time studying my book until closing.

I glanced up at the clock and sighed, ten thirty. Another hour and a half to go. I glanced up at the ceiling my mind wandering away from my book. I wondered how Tori was doing, she had been busy, busier than usual. I was worried but whenever I'd asked about it she had simply smiled that disarming smile of her's and told me that she would be fine, but she appreciated my worrying. I would trust her, but make sure that I was keeping the house clean and always had a nice dinner ready when she got home, that is if I wasn't working.

I chuckled as I remembered what she said the night before during dinner. She had smirked at me and commented that I would make the perfect housewife one day. I hadn't trusted myself not to stutter so I had simply continued to eat silently, my face aflame. The thought went through my head that she would make a great wife one day. Though having a wife that could kick my ass would be troublesome.....I blinked and shook my head. My mind was moving way too fast. As it usually tended to.

Just as I went back to read my book, I heard someone clear there throat. I had been so absorbed in my thoughts that I hadn't seen a man walk up to the counter, a large book in his hand, strangely enough the cover was bare of any words or even colors other than black. He had a hooded cloak on, his face barely visible. His green eyes, looked tired as if he hadn't slept for days, but as tired as they looked they were bright and piercing. But the smile I could see was kind, it put me at ease. The strangest thing was his posture, while seemingly laxed, was anything but. If one were to look closely enough they would notice that his muscles were tensed, like a coil snake ready to spring.

“Uh, did you want to check that out?” I asked hesitantly. I already had mixed feelings about the man. His smile was kind, but he stared at me intently, studying me, like he was sizing me up.

“Yes.” Was his simple reply, his voice calm and quiet. I simply nodded and took the book from him, not even glancing at it.

“Do you have a library card?” He shook his head, indicating that he didn't, I sat down at my computer and brought up the registration page. “Name?”

“Roy Carson.” My eyes widened and I looked up. I stared at the man, a wide grin now gracing his face. “Hey, Skye. How have you been?” Roy and me had been talking for a while. Even though I'd never met him in person we became fast friends. We had been shooting emails back and forth and chatting. But I hadn't heard from him in months.....

I smiled at him. “I've been okay. But what about you? I haven't heard from you in months! Where have you been?!” I had been worried. I didn't have many friends, and thinking he had died had not been a pleasant experience.

His grin turned mischievous. “You've been more than okay, if what I read on Tori's blog is true.” Cue my embarrassing blush. He chuckled, “and from the color on your face, it must be.” He frowned for a moment, a very tiny moment that if I hadn't been paying close attention I wouldn't have noticed it. But his smile was back on his face before I could say anything. “I was visiting a friend was all.”

“You had been visiting Wolf right? How was that?” His smile became slightly strained at the question.

“It was nice, really nice. But there were things I wish I would have said. To each of them... I just...” He sighed.

I smiled at him. “Hey don't worry you can tell them next time.”

His eyes suddenly had a far away look to them when he replied. “Yeah.....next time.” and he was all smiles again. Like he was slipping on a mask.

“So what are you doing here?”

“Just thought I'd come through time and visit you. There's also something I wished to speak to you about. Just not here.”

I frowned at the response, I went to say something and a shiver went down my spine. That feeling....he was here...but...where? Glancing at the window I saw him. Even without eyes, or a face for that matter, I could tell that he was staring at Roy. “Roy-”

The smile never left his face. “Yeah, I know. He's been following me for awhile now.” He glanced out at Slendy and then made his way towards the door. I went to say something but he raised his hand. “I'll come and visit you sometime soon.”

“But Ro-”

“Don't worry about me, I'll be fine.” He walked out the door after that. I saw him walk past Slender who remained for a moment before vanishing. I sighed and fell back in my chair. I had a feeling that things were about to get a lot more complicated.