“Liam. Liam!” I wake up, dazed. It takes me a few seconds to realize that I lay in my bed, in my apartment with Alysha next to me trying to calm me. I stare at her a few moments, reliving my dream, seeing her body lifeless on the ground. But it wasn’t real. Well, not this time. I wrap my arms around her, trying to calm down. “Just a bad dream,” I tell her. Well for now. I don’t know how long it will take for that nightmare to become reality. “Liam?” “Yes.” “You’re suffocating me,” Alysha said extremely serious, before she started laughing. I let her go and got up. Alysha rolled out of bed as well and ran to the bathroom, so she could claim it before I could. “Hurry!” I sighed. “Nope!” I went to the kitchen to make some breakfast. My heart stops for a second when I find the little bottle with I-still-don’t-want-to-know-what-it-is on the table with an envelope leaning against it.

We’re getting impatient Payne. Just finish it already. It is getting more difficult by the day to cover this up, so don’t wait until the last day. Think about the consequences. Not only if you don’t do it, but also the consequences if people find out what you’ve been up to for the past few years.

They were here. They had been in my house last night. “Liam?” Alysha appears behind me. She is wrapped in a big white towel and her hair is still damp from the shower. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Again.” “Yeah, I haven’t told you yet, but my place is haunted. You know, with Casper the friendly ghost and all his friends.” “Well if it is just them, there is nothing to worry about.” I crumple the paper in my hand and throw it in the bin with the bottle. “What’s that?” “Nothing, it’s expired.” We eat our breakfast in silence. After that, I take a shower and Alysha gets dressed. “Take care,” she says as she is leaving. “Of course.” She kisses me quickly and leaves, because she is already late for her appointment. I sigh when I see her leaving.

Alysha pov
I walk up to the office. It is sunny and I enjoy, since I am pretty sure I am going to be yelled at within thirty minutes. I stop at a Starbucks for coffee and meet Gwenn, who is also summoned to be yelled at. Oh, how I love my job. *Sarcasm*. Gwenn looks pale. “What’s the matter? Had little sleep last night?” I joke. “No, it’s… What are they going to do? Force us to break up with them or just send us to some remote place.” “If we’re going to the North Pole, I’ll marry a polar bear.” Gwenn shoots me a deadly glare. “Listen, don’t worry too much. They have no absolute control over your life.” “Don’t worry? I remember you freaking out over a few pictures.” “But that was a legit reason. This is actually just stupid.” “I think it comes down to the same thing,” Gwenn opposes. “First you were scared that the attention would attract Conrad’s attention, and now they are scared that the attention will blow the whole operation.” I sigh. I don’t like it when Gwenn is right. I get up. “Come on, otherwise Kate will first yell at me for being late.”

We make it right in time for my appointment with Kate and Moira. I always hate those. It feels like I am going to my own trail. I knock at the door. “Come in,” Moira says. I enter her office and sit down in one of the chairs. “Good morning Alysha. As you know there is something we want to talk about.” “Go ahead,” I say. “In the last month, you’ve attracted quiet some media attention. We’re concerned about that.” “With all due respect, I see no reason why that should concern anybody except me.” “Because you’re jeopardizing the investigation,” Kate snapped. Exactly as Gwenn said. “And you’ve already messed up, you’re in hiding for crying out loud and you’re dating one of the most famous people in the world.” My jaw dropped. Nobody had ever said it so bluntly to me, even though it was true. I lean forward. “I’ve given everything up for you. My family thinks I am dead; the only friend I have left is Gwenn and only because she is as stuck in this mess as well. I don’t expect an ice queen like you to understand it, but I love him.” “Alysha,” Moira says warning. “Excuse me ma’am, but you’ve never heard me complain about it, and that is because I am willing to live with the consequences. But here I draw the line.” “If you’re willing to do so, fine, but we can’t let this interfere with the operation, so I take you off the case.” I sigh in relief. “Thank you.” “Get out,” Kate growls. I get up and do so. “How did it go?” Gwenn asks. “I am off the case, but they allowed me to stay with Liam.” “Really? That’s great!” I don’t tell her what Kate said about me screwing up, because I still have trouble with it. “So, what will you do instead?” “Don’t know, probably some desk work or small cases… You want me to wait until they’re done with you?” “No, I’ll see you in the gym.” She walks with me to the gym until the entrance. “Oh, and don’t call Kate an ice queen. I don’t think she’ll appreciate it to be called like that twice,” I laugh. “You did what?” “Nothing.”

Notes