She shook head at his explanation, looking at the floor somewhere behind him. "That is not right. But I cannot make you change your mind about this, can I." Adelmar looked at him now, slow exhaustion seeping deeper into her bones and mind. To think, he would take care of her like this, even sacrificing others... Why, when had she not done for him anything yet, other than lied him out of his prison, needlessly so as his Commander had come for him anyhow? Again, young woman promised to herself, she would find and hold onto the power to become more than idle by-watcher of monstrosities done to people, whether Below or Above. So what if it came at cost of her personal happiness? She had never seen any in her future in the first place.

First duties first, however. "Is there anything I can do to reduce his sentence or make the imprisonment.... More comfortable?" She had sought for word, but none seemed. You could not make jail time 'better'. When Mannik approached, she wished to retreat, afraid not of him, but the truths he could uncover. Yet, she could not do it to him (or herself) and stayed put, letting him bring her arm up. "It is nothing," she assured him, emptily. "I have had worse." And at hand of her own father, no less. His gentleness was such a stark contrast to... everything that her heart clenched. She should, but could not pull her arms away, to hide away the marks.

"I had never quite felt safe around him, so he was to be given along with the estate when it sold. I thought he was already asleep at this late hour and never thought that even if he was not, he would..." She paused then, picking her next words carefully. "He admitted to keeping an eye on me for Zenon's parents for few years now and that since I had essentially dismissed him, he had lost good income. For that, he wished to claim compensation. Monetary one, I think." No, the money had not been on the man's mind at the time, though he probably could drive down the blackmail line later, if he had had his way. "I refused, and when I tried to walk away, grabbed me and backed me into the wall. I pushed, causing him to fall and hit his head."

She left out the parts about choking or the details of how he had called her s**t, someone who had paid for murder of her father with pleasure. That all Hadars thought of her the same as well. "He was drunk," she repeated her earlier statement. "I do not think he would confess of his crime otherwise. I was a fool to come here alone." But who could have she come with, to her own home?

When Mannik rose his head, she was staring at him intently, tears not quite ready to fall, but gathering in the corners of her eyes. Was she lying to protect herself or him? Why was this man, with every reason to be crueler and colder to her than the one who was lying on floor below (man who could be all those things and more), so gentle and brimming with care, and emotion she could not name? His concern was so genuine and it would be so easy to shift and bury her head in crook of his neck, feel safe and saved for a moment. When he entwined fingers with her, Adel's eyes widened, but when he seemed to about to pull away, she squeezed his hand.

Belatedly, she realized she had not addressed his other concern. "I did not call Zenon," she confessed. "He is gone for the weekend and I... I honestly did not think to, at first." Her emergency contact, somehow, had become Mannik. Zenon had hardly ever been her first choice for anything, but conceptually, she knew she could trust him to bust her out of situation such as this. Yet, in that first half hour she had not wanted to see him, nor his solutions. She had wanted Mannik, without expecting him to solve this. "Did you call him? Is it why he contacted me a short while ago, telling me he will soon be on his way?" She had not been able to ask why, or rather received no response, just half-demand to stay calm. (He himself had barely looked that when she gave brief overview of the situation.)

When the man surprised her by gentle brush of lips over her bruises, her mouth opened though the gasp of surprise did not escape. Their eyes met and Adel suddenly leaned forward, her forehead resting against his chest and free hand coming to grip at his shirt or jacket. "It... it helped. I do not need medicine, let is just stay like this for a moment. Please."

She could not let him see her cry or how much this affected her. Too much of her pride, her heart was on the line, even if this was a gamble of giving the rest of them away. The aftermath of fear and pained relief (longing) flooded her and silent tears ran down her face. Yes, he would see the tear streaks after, but to be looked upon as she cried - it would be too much. After her grandparents died, she had never cried and sincerely been comforted by anyone. Not until Mannik. Her grip on his hand tightened, pleading to not push her away. One moment of weakness, with a man who had already seen her at her worst and weakest. Could she not afford at least that much?

---

He wished, oh he burned, to take step forward, the one she was teetering on edge of, to close the gap between them and finish sweeping Sarah off her feet. But not tonight. This one time, he would not push her hand more than he already had. For once, he was playing fair and wanted her to make the choice without pressure. To chose him.

And if not for the damn call from wonder-boy... But it was Sarah, the Commander, he felt for, no matter how deeply or shallowly, how fleetingly or permanently. And Sarah would never pick one night over her duties and responsibilities. It stung, but was also one reason why he had began this dancing around her. If he was here with some floozy who had no other care in world than find a comfortable bed to lay in or that her nail broke, his heart wouldn't be cracking as he watched her retreat.

He did not say anything to her, only heaved sigh when she was gone and then moved to his own room to change. A quick call to Adelmar did wipe away some of regret about leaving because though she was sparse with details, there was something obviously very wrong about the whole thing. He couldn't picture his frail fiancée killing anyone, but at the same time, he had grown to learn of completely different side of her recently and accidents happened so simply. Too simply. But even so, she was hiding something, her mask was put on in lopsided manner and he glimpsed of how truly distraught she was.

When Sarah emerged from her room again, he pulled her in a hug, probably surprising them. Now that they were both lowered back to their regular self, he could afford it. "I am sorry. I truly wish tonight did not end like this," he admitted hoarsely. "But at least I will have an image of you as you were to hold onto until next time." The man pulled back, looking deeply into her eyes.

"Because there will be next time, even if not soon or any foreseeable future." He did not care for her objections this time. He had already gotten her here, despite all reasons for it not to happen. "Sarah, I want you to know that in two weeks, I will come Below officially. I will give you more details later, but I would like for Mannik to be there as well. It will be official business after all," Zenon smiled a wry smile. It was odd to call wonder-boy by his name, and he had been tempted to use anything else, but if they were to be allies, he had to at least try treating the other man as.... Well, not equal, but someone Sarah trusted.

"And no matter what I say then, what I have to do, it will not change this." Zenon pressed kiss to her forehead, cradling her face gently, before kissing her lips softly. "Before you get concerned, this is not a trap. I will only have one unarmed person with me and I will come unarmed as well. You will be able to have your people search us." He assured, before Sarah could get the wrong idea or angry.

"I guess we should go to our protégés now." The regret was seeping out of man's pores as he said that.

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