He yawned loudly as she hugged him and put his arm around her.

"Hey you...im okay now you can stop squishing me" he teased kissing her forehead.

"But seriously...i missed you...how long was i out? feels like days..." he said sitting up

"I think so...wheres ryker...?" he asked.

He...missed being close to ryker.

He missed waking up to ryker in a chair, porbaably passed out asleep.

He missed the journey.

But that wasnt his life anymore.

He kissed aly and hugged her.

"Sorry i worried you hon" he said softly.

"Oh uh...no...no its okay i was just wondering" eke said only half lying.

He was happy for ryker sure but he couldnt help but be a little jealous that his attention was now split.

Had ryker felt that way when eke met aly?

He shook the thought from his hea and smiled kissing aly before getting up.

"Im gonna take a shower and change"

He stood there grabbing some clean clothes and sighed.

Was it over?

And if it was...now what?

Would ryker...leave? would he spend all his time with Arissa?

He bit his lip and went to the bathroom taking an hour long shower not wanting to face the reality that might be.

"Oh uh...no...no that wassnt it. its nothing. just enjoyed a hot shower" he lied convincingly.

He was still trying to dry his very wet hair around his horns.

"Seriously its fine" he said going downstairs.

He sat at the table after making a cup of tea.

He rubbed his neck where the scar was.

"Its fine. it doesnt hurt. i feel fine" he said taking a drink.

"I slept fine" he said staring at his tea.

He really didnt want to seem like a brat but he wasnt able to hide all of his pouting.

He sighed. he really didnt have much apetite after everything.

"Think ill go into town. check on the charity house..."

"Its nothing ryker" he said getting up.

"Im fine just...worn out okay?" he said walking away.

It wasnt like him to keep things from ryker.

It really wasnt like him to snap like that.

Arissa slowly walked downstairs and eke stopped in his tracks.

Eke didnt know what to say.

Arissa simply smiled gently and held out her hand.

"Do you want to know about your father?" she asked him.

Eke simply nodded taking her hand and they went outside to talk.

Eke spent hours with arissa as she talked.

He'd ask questions and she'd answer.

He smiled a lot as she told stories about his father.

When they finished, he decided to go ahead and check on the charity.

There had been so many donations and he was able to look over some options for upgrades.

It made him feel good about what he was doing.

He only hoped it really was over and things could settle some.

He lost track of time skipping over lunch looking at the time.

He was debating on wether on not to face ryker yet.