Demons in the Doorway, Monsters Down the Hall
By: Ghost of the Dawn
Chapter Eight: Tell the Stars
It's funny how life works out sometimes. Even now, Robyn had never mentioned to Cye or the others what a lonely life she lived back in the United States. She wasn't sure what she came looking for when she fled to Japan. Safety perhaps. A place to call home. But even when she came to live with the Mouri's she never expected to belong. Not with them. And certainly not with the four other strangers Cye had befriended over their years apart.
But through some strange miracle, she did. Somehow Cye's friends became her own and she was more or less a part of their group. As the weeks and months passed by their experiences brought them closer. Even the episode with the haunted house was a bonding one--mainly for Kento and Robyn. But all came out different from it. That was a month ago. The air was much colder now as winter was almost upon them. The group of now six was close enough that when even one member was missing it was noticed--even by Robyn.
"Does anyone know where Rowen is today?" was the first thing she said at lunch.
Well, technically, that's not true. The very first thing she said at lunch was "Hey Ryo, check out my farm," as she shoved her bare arm under his nose.
Ryo looked at it to see several multicolored stick animals drawn on her skin.
"I hope those aren't permanent," he replied.
"Nah," Robyn assured him. "They're done in my milky pens, they come off with water. Look! There's a cat and there's a horse. Kento drew the dog and Cye drew the fish."
"Of course," Ryo grinned.
"And some kids in my other classes drew these other things."
"My turn," Ryo announced as he took the green milky pen from her hand.
Robyn happily reached out her arm to him while Ryo started to draw.
"Does anyone know where Rowen is today?" Robyn asked to the others who were eating quietly. "He didn't show up for math either. We learned all this hard stuff and if Rowen doesn't show me how to do it I'm screwed."
"Rowen went to Tokyo today," Sage said to his lunch.
"Tokyo??" Robyn exclaimed. "What's he doing there?"
Sage didn't say anything.
"So when's he going to get back?" Robyn probed again.
Sage shrugged and finally looked her direction. Robyn noticed how not only him, but the others suddenly got serious as well.
"I'm not sure. Probably sometime tomorrow."
Robyn sighed. "That guy sure enjoys inconveniencing me any chance he gets." She blew her bangs out of her face. "He better have a good reason for being gone."
"He does."
"Then does anyone care to clue me in on it?"
They all just looked down guiltily at their food.
"Sorry Robyn," Ryo apologized. "I think it's best we not say anything until we know for sure."
Robyn gave him a surprised look. Was it really something as serious as they were making it out to be? Why wouldn't they tell her? She was Rowen's friend too, wasn't she? The feelings inside her stomach suddenly sank. Perhaps she wasn't a close to them as she thought.
"There," Ryo announced as he handed her green milky pen back.
Robyn put it away as if on automatic and didn't even bother to look at her new green pig now scribbled on her pale arm. Her eyes lowered to her sandwich as she ate and kept her disappointment to herself. She hardly listened as Kento sparked up a more lively conversation and soon had everyone laughing. Robyn merely kept quiet and to her own thoughts as the bell rang.
Throughout the rest of the school day Robyn was distracted. She hardly listened to a thing her teachers said--not that she listened to them much to begin with. But her thoughts kept wandering back to Rowen and all the possibilities that could be keeping him. She tried to keep herself from picturing the worst. It probably wasn't as bad as she thought. She knew Rowen's parents were divorced and his father lived in Tokyo. Maybe it was about family problems. That wasn't too bad. Heaven knows Robyn had her share of those. So then why did the guys refuse to tell her about it?
The questions and the uncertainty ate at her but she never said another word about it. Sleep wasn't something that came easily that night either. The worries cut through her dreams and haunted her thoughts while she slept. When the morning came she found herself feeling a bit anxious but she forced herself to calm down and forget about it. The answers should come today.
Needless to say, Robyn was disappointed when Rowen failed to show again for their third period math class. Nor was he there for lunch either. As Robyn walked to her seventh hour class she was tentatively making a plan in her head. Asking Cye or any of the others again was out of the question. They'd probably get after her for being nosy. Perhaps she could sneak off and see if Rowen was at his house? No, she'd just feel stupid. She knew it really wasn't any of her business. The only thing she could do was wait and hope someone would eventually tell her what was going on.
"Robyn, there you are."
Robyn looked at the tall, blue haired young man with wide eyes as relief flooded over her. On the inside she wanted to hug him tight and let him know how worried she was. But all she managed to do was stand there and look clueless.
"Hi Rowen," she smiled as if nothing ever happened. "Where have you been?"
She noticed instantly that all Rowen's good humor was gone from the way he held himself and the way he replied.
"Do you mind if I talk to you for a second?"
Robyn shook her head and Rowen led her to a doorway that currently wasn't in use.
"So where have you been?" Robyn asked again.
Rowen paused to comb his fingers through his hair. He nodded to Ryo who passed down the hall on his way to class. It was apparent from the way Ryo continued on that he already knew what Rowen was going to say. The tall young man took a breath and returned his gaze to her.
"As you might know, I just got back from Tokyo. I went to the hospital there to get some scans. Well, they found out I have what's called a chiari malformation of the brain."
Robyn blinked and gave a blink stare.
"Basically, what that means," Rowen tried to explain. "Is that my brain is too big for my skull and it's pushing down on my spine and giving me headaches."
Robyn tried to take it all in. "Wow," she said with an ironic smile. "You're brain really IS too big!"
Rowen chuckled. "Yeah, my dad keeps making jokes about it. He says there's no doubt I'm his son now."
Robyn laughed and shook her head. "So I'm guessing this condition is pretty serious."
"Apparently," Rowen nodded. "I'm scheduled for brain surgery in two days; this Sunday."
"Woa," was all Robyn could get out.
"I know," Rowen said as his earlier confident stance began to falter. He started to look uncomfortable with talking about it now. "It's scary. It's just....really, really scary."
Robyn gave him a sympathetic smile. Again she wanted to hug him to make him feel better but she doubted Rowen would appreciate the gesture in the crowded hall.
"Gee Rowen, I...I hope it all goes okay for you."
"It should. I mean, the possibility of this being a successful operation is very high."
Robyn blinked. She didn't even consider that. If the doctors messed up Rowen could suffer from brain damage or maybe even death. The thought terrified her--probably terrified Rowen even more.
"Anyway," Rowen continued. "I just had to come to school and at least let everyone I care about know what's going on. I wanted you to hear it from me first before any crazy rumors start spreading around."
Robyn bit her lip and nodded.
"You should probably get to class now before the bell rings," Rowen said as he turned to leave.
"Wait Rowen, are you going to be here after school?"
"No. I'm going to the city library right now. I'm going to check the internet to see what else I can find out about this thing."
"Oh," Robyn tried to hide the disappointment in her voice. "Okay then. So I'll see you whenever I see you."
Rowen waved as he left. Robyn suddenly wondered why she was so worried about knowing the truth as she walked to her last class. Now that she had her answers she wished she hadn't been told. The new information had completely floored her. Never before had she had to face a crisis like this. Never had she worried about someone close to her like this. But then again, she never had anyone close to her to worry about in the first place. The feeling was completely foreign and Robyn had no idea how to handle it as she sat down at her desk and stared blankly at the wall.
"Hey, are you going to be okay?" Ryo, who was sitting beside her, asked.
Robyn hardly felt his hand on her shoulder. She felt completely numb. She looked to him with that same blank expression and nodded slightly.
"It's alright, you know," Ryo continued. "We're all worried about him."
Robyn snapped out of her trance a bit and nodded with a bit more expression before turning to look at her hands resting in her lap. The bell rang and Ryo had to let it go as the teacher began class.
As the instructor began her usual lecture, Robyn zoned out. Hardly a word said in that class even reached her ears and she continued on in almost a trance like state when the bell rang. She got up and traveled slowly to her locker and opened it. As she fished out her books she could hear a group of kids gathered and chattering in a lively fashion about the weekend.
"Hey guys," one kid announced louder than the hum of the usual voices as he ran to them. "You won't believe what I heard! Rowen Hashiba has a brain tumor!"
Robyn's eyes widened in surprise. Rowen was right about all the crazy rumors. Who would have thought they would spread this fast. Something inside her boiled when some of the kids laughed.
"I knew there was something wrong about that guy," another kid said.
"Yeah, serves him right," a third chimed in.
Robyn slammed her locker door as they laughed again. How she wanted to tell them off but a lump caught in her throat.
"Shut up," was all she could manage to whisper in a disgusted voice.
But the laughing group never heard her as they walked off together in high spirits. Robyn clutched her bag tightly to her chest as she walked out of the school building in even lower spirits than before. She was grateful that no one commented on the mood she was in. Everyone seemed to be stuck in their own little world and the place seemed to be empty somehow without Rowen there. Hardly any words were exchanged that day as each parted their own direction for the evening.
*******
Deep blue eyes watched the computer screen intently as nimble fingers clicked the mouse and the screen flashed the information of this site and that. The lanky blue-haired young man was so engrossed in his study he didn't even notice the familiar figure come in until he was almost right beside him.
"Hey, what are you looking for?" Sage asked quietly as he sat down next to his friend.
Rowen only spared him a glance before returning his gaze back onto the screen.
"Just trying to find out more information about this thing," Rowen mumbled as he read. "See there are four types of malformations for this. I've got the first type, which is good. It's the mildest and the easiest to rectify."
Sage nodded. "Okay, so explain to me again just how this works."
"Well see," Rowen began as he motioned to a graph on the screen. It showed in internal side view of a person's head. "What happened is, you see this little passage here where the brain stem kind of pokes down here next to the spine?"
"Mm hmm."
"Well, the normal brain is supposed to go down to about here. But my brain has kind of wormed it's way a down a bit farther now. See, it's about down to here. So it's literally going down my neck and putting pressure on my spine."
Sage have Rowen a dubious look. "So just how do they fix it?"
"Well, the doctors are going to go in and remove a small part of my skull at the base of my neck along with some other membranes and stuff to make room for my brain and then they'll close me up."
Sage made a face. "That--that's a bit more than I wanted to hear."
Rowen shrugged. "You're the one who asked."
Sage shook his head then let it pass. "Come on Rowen, let's go get something to eat."
Rowen clicked his mouse a few more times before turning away from the screen.
"Sounds good." He smiled but Sage could still see the underlaying worry in his face.
They traveled a few blocks down to a very familiar restaurant. The smells were, as always, delicious and inviting as they stepped inside. The place was quite full as it usually got around dinner time. Rowen and Sage decided on a small table next to the window. Sage picked up a menu and read through it, even though both boys knew everything served at the Golden Dragon by heart. Sage peaked over his menu to notice that Rowen hadn't touched his and was instead staring out the window with a far off look. Sage opened his mouth to speak to his friend.
"Hello," beamed a bubbly girl in a waitress uniform. "Welcome to the Golden Dragon. I'm Kira and I'll be your waitress this evening."
Sage instantly noticed how the younger girl was talking more to just him that the both of them. She had that look on her face Sage knew all too well. Great. Like he really needed one more love crazed female fawning all over him.
"So what can I get you today?" Kira asked in such a way the suggested she'd glad give up body and soul if Sage ordered it.
By now Rowen had been brought back to the current events of the restaurant and was smirking as Sage's situation. The Warrior of Light merely glared at his friend for the lack of assistance before placing his order under his breath. Rowen placed his order next in a more light-hearted manner.
"Rowen, you still seem distracted," Sage commented after the love sick waitress had left. "Is there something you want to talk about?"
Rowen gave a regretful smile. "I don't have anything you haven't heard before." He gave a frustrated sigh and ran his fingers through his hair. "There's just no way I can prepare for something like this, you know? It's so nerve wracking, not knowing what's going to happen. I just wish it would hurry up and be over with so I don't have to worry about it any more."
Sage nodded merely to be agreeable. He had never experienced anything like what his friend was going through. He didn't know where to begin to help comfort his friend so Sage simply held his peace. The two continued in silence, wrestling with their own thoughts. Rowen returned his gaze back out the large window while Sage stared ahead. Several more minutes passed until the young waitress returned with plates of foot balancing on her palms.
"Here you go," she chirped as she quickly set down Rowen's plate.
She gave Sage his food slowly, staring at the young man with a lustful expression as she bent over him. Sage bowed his head, wishing for her to leave as soon as possible. But the young girl stayed, grinning at him in a stricken fashion. She was about to blabber something when a large body bumped her out of the way.
"I can take if from he Kira," Kento informed her in such a manner that didn't leave room for argument.
Kira huffed at the rude interruption between her and the man of her dreams and then stomped off. Kento grinned as he grabbed a chair from another table and pulled it up to join his friends. He sat on it backwards with his arms resting on the back of the chair.
"Hey guys, what's up?" he asked cheerfully.
"Kento you are a lifesaver every day," a relieved Sage said as he clapped his friend on the shoulder.
"Anytime," Kento grinned. "So how are doing Rowen? You hanging in there?"
"I'm good," Rowen nodded between bites of food. "Like I just told Sage, I just want this thing to be done and over with so I don't have to worry about it any more."
"That's the spirit!" Kento slapped him on the back hard enough that he almost dropped his chopsticks. "We're all rooting for ya Ro!"
"Great," Rowen muttered as he looked over his spilled rice. "Really Kento, it's not that big a deal. I'll be in and out of surgery in no time at all."
Kento grunted. "Heh, tell that to Robyn."
Rowen raised an eye brow at him. "Why do you say that?"
"You didn't see how she was after school. She totally zoned out on us. You know how girls are. I think she's seriously worried about you Rowen."
The blue haired young man furrowed his brows and stared back at his food.
*******
DING-DONG
Robyn scratched her cheek as she went to get the door. She was dressed in baggy sweats and the sweater she was wearing had been taken from Cye's closet. The sleeves were so large and long her finger hardly poked out as she turned the doorknob.
"Rowen?" she asked as she stifled a yawn with her sleeve.
"Hey," he smiled.
Rowen was bright eyed considering the lateness of the hour. He was still in his day clothes and looking the same as he did earlier at school while Robyn was in her socks and her hair was now pulled back in a loose french braid.
"Hey," Robyn repeated, still fumbling from her initial surprise. "Uh wh--what are you doing here?"
Rowen shrugged casually. "Just coming to pick you up to go star gazing."
"Oh really," Robyn folded her arms and shot him a skeptic look. She wasn't buying that. Cye's mother would never allow her to go out this late. Not for any reason.
"Ah, there you are Rowen," Mrs. Mouri smiled when she saw him. "I was beginning to wonder when you'd show up. You two have fun now."
Rowen smiled and nodded while Robyn just stood there and looked befuddled.
"You asked Cye's mom if I could go out before you asked me?" she demanded.
Rowen just continued to wear that all-knowing grin of his. "You might want to put some shoes on and grab a heavy coat. It's getting cold outside."
Robyn shook her head in disbelief. She muttered to herself as she went to fetch her shoes and coat. "I can't believe this. Every time he plots about me behind my back. What a friend, what a friend."
"Did I hear Rowen?" Cye inquired as he poked his head out of the kitchen.
"Yep," the bearer of Strata said as he shoved his hands into his coat pockets and leaned against the doorway.
Cye gave him a quizzical look. "What are you doing here?"
"Ready," Robyn announced as she came back fully clothed and ready for the cold night weather.
"Where are you going?" Cye demanded, now stepping fully out into the open with hands on hips.
"Cye, get back into that kitchen and finish cleaning it," his mother scolded.
Cye blinked in surprise. "But..but..."
"You two drive safe now," Mrs. Mouri said to Robyn and Rowen as she opened the door for them.
Cye shot Robyn a look that demanded "Is Rowen making you do this?"
Robyn gave a clueless shrug as she stepped out the door.
"Don't wait up," Rowen called to Cye in a taunting tone before closing the door behind him.
The young British man seethed in the doorway for a moment before stomping back the kitchen in frustration.
Robyn kept quiet in the car while Rowen drove. It was a nice vehicle, not new but hardly used so it stayed looking new. She watched silently out the window as the city lights disappeared and thick trees began to grow along the sides of the road. She still was trying to figure out how Rowen managed to pull all this off and what his motives for it were in the first place. She knew there was no use asking. By now she had known Rowen long enough to realize that he wouldn't be giving a straight answer to her questions anytime soon.
The car slowed as it turned from the main road and went up a lesser used dirt road. It started to incline and the trees began to fade for a moment. The top of the hill was grassy and clear and that was where Rowen stopped. Robyn gave him a doubtful look as he killed the engine and stepped out of the car. He moved to the back and opened the trunk. Robyn tarried a moment before opening the door and following after him.
"Here," Rowen said, dumping a few heavy blankets into her arms.
"Rowen," Robyn asked as he ducked his head back into the trunk. "What are we doing? Why did you bring me here?"
Rowen pulled out a curious looking case of some sort and gave her a smile. "You'll see."
Robyn followed after him as he walked away from the road into the grass. With only a crescent moon out it was hard to see so Robyn stayed close as not to loose him. It was clear Rowen had found the spot he wanted when he knelt down in the grass and opened the case he was carrying.
"Just set up those blankets right here," Rowen said as he busied himself with his stuff.
Not being sure exactly what he wanted, Robyn unfolded one blanket and spread it on the ground and merely plopped the other two still folded on top. Rowen was still constructing what Robyn had now guessed was a telescope when she was finished. She stuck her hands in her pockets and wandered in a small circle while he worked. Robyn gazed down the hill and was met with a view of Toyama's city lights below.
"Wow, quite a view up here," she commented to herself.
"Yep," Rowen replied as he stood next to her. "You can see the entire city and then some from where we are."
Robyn grinned and then threw back her head and shouted to the sky. "Hello Toyama!"
Her voice flew through the night and bounced off the far mountains, sending odd echos back at her.
"I love echos," Robyn told Rowen. "I would listen to my voice bounce around at night when I was lonely sometimes. When the sky was clear it was like talking to the stars and the echo was how they answered back." Robyn chuckled. "One time I tried to have a conversation with them."
Rowen grinned. "How'd you pull that off?"
"Well, something like this," Robyn cupped her hands to her mouth. "Hello!"
"Hello...hello.." her voice answered back.
"How are you?"
"How are you...you..."
"I'm fine!"
"I'm fine...fine.."
"See," Robyn smiled. "Just stuff like that."
"Rowen is a looser!"
Rowen tried to put a hand over her mouth to stop the last comment but he was too slow and Robyn's voice returned to chide him.
"Looser...looser..."
"Fuh-ney!" Rowen huffed and went back to his telescope.
"I was just kidding!" Robyn yelled at the sky.
"...kidding..." the stars answered back.
Robyn laughed at her own silliness as she plopped down on the blanket next to Rowen.
"See?" she grinned. "The stars were just kidding. But I'm going to tell them some dirty secrets about you when you're gone. Those will be some echos to remember."
"Yeah right," Rowen argued. "You don't know any dirty secrets about me."
Robyn remained undaunted as she pulled her knees up to her chest. "Don't worry, I'll find some."
Rowen chuckled and shook his head. "How do you do it?"
"Huh? Do what?"
"That! You don't ever seem to run out of enthusiasm. Where does it all come from? How do you manage to attack the world day after day with that kind of fervor?"
"Attack the world," Robyn repeated with a small smile. "Interesting way of putting it. So by this question I'm assuming you would rather not have to deal with the world all the time?"
Rowen sighed. "I get tired of it." He rubbed his face. "Sometimes I do get so tired of it. All the stress, all the pressure, all the problems. Just once I wish I could have a day where everything went right for a change, you know?"
"Are you suggesting everything goes right in my life?" Robyn raised an eye brow at him.
"No! It's just that...you seem like it does. I mean, from the way you act, I never would have guessed you had all those trials when you were a kid. How do you get past all that? How do you forget about it?"
Robyn's face turned serious. "I don't forget it Rowen, I deal with it. Your problems don't go away until you learn to handle them."
"Yeah, but tell me how you can let it go like that!"
Robyn now looked skeptical. "I think you're looking for answers where there aren't any."
Rowen sighed in frustration and defeat.
"Okay fine," Robyn surrendered. "I'll tell you how I can be the way I am. It's because I know the secret to a happy life."
"No you don't," Rowen instantly countered.
"I do, too!"
"No you don't!"
"Fine, I don't then. You can be that way and I'm not telling you a bloody thing."
"You hang around Cye too much," Rowen berated, and then said. "Fine, then tell me what you know, most all-knowing and mystic one."
Robyn squinted her eyes at him but gave up her knowledge any way.
"There are two things you must do in order to live a full and happy life. The first step is to dance like nobody's watching."
Rowen sat there in silence. "That's it?" he demanded.
"For the first part anyway. But don't take it literally Rowen."
The bearer of Strata just continued to look clueless. It was an expression seen very seldom on his face. "Fine, if you say so. So what's the second part then?"
"First, practice what I've told you. The second step is easier once you've mastered the first."
"Yes honorable sensei," Rowen bowed mockingly. And then said. "You know what Robyn, I think you're just full of it sometimes."
"Hey, you're the one who asked," Robyn raised her hands defensively.
Rowen decided to drop it then and turned back to his telescope. Robyn watched his hunched form in the darkness.
"Rowen, why me?" Robyn suddenly blurted.
"What's that?" he asked, keeping his back to her.
"Why do you want to take me out here? With your surgery coming up and all, shouldn't you be with your family? Or even Sage? I mean, he is your best friend. So why me?"
Rowen continued to fiddle with his telescope as if he hadn't heard.
"Rowen, look at me," Robyn admonished gently. "I want a straight answer and I'm not going to stop bugging you until you give me one."
The blue haired youth paused for a moment. Finally he turned around and crawled next to her on the blanket. He laid down on his side, propping himself up on one elbow.
"I dunno," Rowen admitted. "I was talking with Kento earlier and he said you weren't taking the news very well." He shrugged. "I guess I just felt kinda bad for it."
"Oh," Robyn said, looking down. Now it was her turn to feel awkward.
"You know," Rowen said with a little laugh. "My dad has an odd sense of humor. He said this is God's way of giving the other kids a chance to catch up with me--just to make it fair."
Robyn chuckled and then gasped as she looked at the sky. "Rowen, look! A shooting star!"
"Oh yeah!" Rowen exclaimed as if just remembering something important. "That's why we came out here. There's a meteor shower tonight. Let's see if we can catch some."
He crawled for his telescope and started adjusting it for his liking.
"Did you ever see a shooting star in a telescope Robyn? It looks pretty neat."
"Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen anything in a telescope before," Robyn replied.
"You poor deprived child," Rowen joked. "Come here and take a look at this."
Robyn scooted over beside him and looking into the apparatus.
"I don't see anything," she said.
"Be patient," Rowen replied. "You should see one within a few minutes. Just keep watching."
"So do you do this often?" Robyn said, trying to start up a conversation.
"Yup, ever since I was a little kid. I've always been fascinated with it as far back as I can remember. I used to have my dad take me out on nights like this and I would make him tell me everything he knew about the sky. Of course, I already knew a lot about it myself but it was just nice to have someone else with me to talk about it."
"And you still keep it up now, huh?"
"Kind of, though usually if I want to go star gazing I have to go by myself. My mom's never home and I don't have any brothers and sisters. I've tried taking Sage a few times, but he's not much of a night person."
"So you planning to be an astronaut or something then?" Robyn continued to ask.
"No, not really," Rowen shook his head. "I still haven't decided what field I want to go in yet, but I don't think that will be it."
"Why not? If you love space so much it's a shame you won't ever be able to go out and experience it."
"I already have," Rowen said without thinking.
"What?"
"Uh...nothing!" Rowen fumbled. "Sorry, I was spacing out and talking to myself."
"Spacing out huh?" Robyn chuckled. "Interesting choice of--HEY! I see one!"
She finally pulled away from the telescope. "That was pretty cool looking. Thanks for showing this to me. This really is fun Rowen."
"No problem," the blue haired youth replied. "I'm just glad I actually get to share it with someone this time. When I'm out here by myself the sky seems so big and it just makes you feel kind of lonely." He took a deep breath of the clear night air. A cloud of steam formed as he let it out and watched the sky with certain admiration. "But it's worth it to see splendor such as this."
Robyn looked at him and shook her head. "Man, what is it with you guys? I swear, it's like each one of you have something you obsess over. It's like, I dunno, like you all have your own little element that's just you, you know?"
"Like how?" Rowen asked in amusement.
"Well, like you love the sky and the stars. Cye's obsessed with the water and his little fish friends, and Ryo likes to play with fire."
Rowen sat up straighter. He was impressed with how accurate her observations were. "And what about Kento and Sage?"
"Kento's in love with food and Sage......well Sage just likes to be antisocial and ornery."
Rowen laughed. "Yup, that's us in a nut shell."
Robyn looked at him in wonderment. "You are all so different, how did you guys manage to stay together?"
"I wonder that many times myself," Rowen admitted.
He shivered when he finally noticed the chill of the night hour was getting to him. He shook himself and rubbed his arms in attempt to warm his body. Robyn easily noticed this. Rowen was only wearing a thin jacket while Robyn's heavy winter coat was so thick she hardly noticed the cold. The young girl reached for the heavy blanket that had been discarded earlier. She stood up and drooped it over Rowen's shoulders with a friendly smile.
"Thanks," Rowen smiled back as he pulled the blanket around him.
He looked back up at the still standing Robyn as an idea hit him. He took one corner of the blanket and held it out and an open invitation to her.
"Care to join me?" he asked.
Robyn eyed him skeptically. "I don't know. I've been tricked by you once today already."
"Oh come on," Rowen pleaded. "I'm getting cold. Please?" He looked up at her with the saddest puppy dog eyes he could muster.
Try as hard as she might to resist the affects of Rowen's pleading look, Robyn eventually caved.
"Oh, alright," she said as she took the side of the blanket and sat down next to him.
The two sidled up close in the blanket as the air grew colder. But they remained, watching the sky with its stars shining like diamonds against the black velvet depths of space. Robyn listened carefully was Rowen unraveled all the mysteries of the sky before her. They stayed there all through the night, watching with respectful silence as the meteors continued to fall from existence and space relayed to the two star gazers its majestic excellence.
******
Robyn felt someone gently nudging her awake when, in truth, she couldn't even remember when she had fallen asleep. She felt warm and comfortable and lazy and didn't respond much to the small proddings into consciousness. Instead she curled up closer into her warm little world and searched again for that blissful place brought only by sleep.
"Robyn, wake up," a familiar voice echoed in her thoughts. But it was hazy and the source was unclear.
"Mmm....few more minutes..." Robyn muttered sleepily as she snuggled closer to the warm object that she held.
"Open your eyes and look at this," the voice enticed.
Robyn obeyed and her eyes fluttered open to behold a breathtaking scene as the sun rose above the city horizon and lit the sky on fire.
"Wow...beautiful..." Robyn breathed as she tightened her arms around her source of warmth.
It was then realization caused her to blink and she looked up to see what she was holding. Blue hair fell softly over crystalline blue eyes as they returned her gaze.
"WAH!" Robyn cried as she jumped away from Rowen and stumbled onto her back.
Rowen looked at her and just laughed.
"You little schemer!" Robyn yelled as she tossed a fist full of grass at him. "Why I outta..."
"Hey, I didn't do a thing," Rowen insisted. "You're the one who fell asleep so don't blame me."
"You could have woke me up," Robyn argued, still looking ready to deck him.
"I did! And just in time so you can see the sunrise. So where's the gratitude, huh?"
"I'll show you gratitude," Robyn muttered as she gave him a small shove. Her actions had turned less threatening and more playful by now.
"Hey, easy," Rowen grinned. "I've got to go off for surgery in a few hours so you have to be nice to me. It's the rules."
"Yeah, well next time you won't be so lucky," Robyn promised. She paused to look at the bright colors painted grandly across the sky. "Thanks for waking me up to see this," she finally said.
"No problem." Rowen got up and began to gather his things and put his telescope away. "Well, we should probably get you back home now before Cye wakes up and hunts me down."
Robyn chuckled as she started shaking the grass off the blankets and folding them. "I wouldn't be surprised if he did. I saw the expression on his face last night. You two sure don't get along very well sometimes."