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TGT Agents and Delegates have been corrupted by an unknown source for who knows how long.

Kimi can find me anywhere I go. I already knew that, but it's still creepy and depressing.

I’m no closer to finding any of the missing people.

My only possible allies want to use me for their own purposes like everyone I’ve ever known. Except for Ben, maybe?

I turn my head slightly to look at him. His eyes are closed to fake being asleep. As if that would fool me. I want to call him on it, but I think he’s doing it for me to have some quiet time.

I wonder if he’s going to leave at some point tonight. I don’t think he realizes that he’s the only thing keeping the nightmares away, and when he leaves, they don’t let me go. I don’t have his presence with me to keep the terror away.

I don’t want to tell him because it makes me feel too vulnerable. It’s a weakness that could be used against me and -

“You’re thinking too loud,” he whispers, and his lip curls up on one side in a smile.

“Sorry,” I whisper back, lips twitching to suppress my smile. “Is this better?”

We sit silently for about thirty seconds before he sighs and props himself on the elbow of the arm I’m lying on.

“Now you’re just shouting at me, Bees. Tone it down. I’m trying to sleep.”

I close my eyes and pretend to snore, enjoying this little bit of fun with him.

He laughs aloud and nuzzles my cheek, planting a kiss there before burying his face in my neck and pulling me closer.

After a little bit, I hesitantly ask, “Hey, Ben?”

“Hmm,” he mumbles into my skin. The vibration causes goosebumps to erupt down my arm and a flutter in my stomach that I try to stomp out as quickly as it comes.

“What do you want from me?” I tense as I ask, staring at the dark ceiling blindly.

I feel his eyelashes brush my neck as his eyes snap open. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” I trail off, trying to put my thoughts together to at least be coherent. “You don’t have any ailments for me to fix. I do nothing around your house except cook things you can’t eat. If I weren’t here, you wouldn’t have Agents camped out on your lawn. So, I guess I want to know why I’m still here.”

He’s slowly drawn back from my neck to look into my eyes, but I refuse to meet his gaze. My palms start sweating as I contemplate why he might want me here, none of them good.

“Those Agents came here because of me. To arrest me. The stragglers have their own issues, so they aren’t as much of a concern. If you hadn’t been here, I probably would have been arrested for eating the demon and half-blood instead, so it’s a moot point. No, I’m not sick or dying, but who cares? You cook things you like, and I’ll never complain about watching you eat and get full after the things we’ve gone through.”

“Then why?” I interrupt and glare at him. “What is it you get out of this?”

He looks baffled at my questions as he stares back. “You. Your company. I know you don’t believe me, but I enjoy you. You’re funny and have a way of handling people I’ve never witnessed.”

“Why am I not surprised that you’ve never witnessed people talking things out,” I roll my eyes and entirely blame Scilla for that travesty.

“Bees, in this world, there is no talking things out. It’s eat or be eaten.”

I look back at him and frown. That isn’t how it should be, but he’s right.

“Besides, I don’t think coming to a peaceful resolution is normally handled with sarcasm, insults, and rage quitting,” he laughs softly.

“How would you know,” I grumble back with a pout.

“Touché,” he returns. “Where is this coming from? What’s going on in that head of yours?”

“The usual. A complete catastrophe with random one-liners I feel like I should have said to be a real bitch about stuff.”

“Of course,” he lies back down.