How far can you go before you fall?

His thumb caressed the back of her hand as she replied. He noticed how a tear was blinked out of her eyes. He stopped and pulled in her hand a little to make her turn towards him. He let a careful hand dry away her tear, like he had done so many times before. He wouldn’t mind savoring the moment, but also knew it would be stupid to daydream too long, which was why he sent her a light smile before they could continue their stroll.

He chuckled a little as she mentioned the house they had looked at, being young fools in love, wanting to move in together as soon as possible. “Yeah, I remember,” he said with a smile spread on his lips. “It would be kind of funny if one of us ended up living in it, wouldn’t it?” he wondered and looked towards her with a caring smile, thinking the memory of them fantasizing about the house was very welcomed and drew out old feelings. “I wonder if it ever was put up for sale,” he wondered, almost wanting to walk there to see the place just once again.

She chuckled a little bit, when he said he remembered. This warmth spread in her chest by the memory that played in her mind, "I don't think that I would have wanted to live there without you -" Nicole confessed looking into his eyes, it would have been too weird moving into the house you and your first boyfriend had dreamt about, and living there with someone that wasn't him. No too weird. "I have no idea honestly, we should take a walk one day, take a look how it looks now," she suggested, not really knowing if it was her or the influence of alcohol that spoke - perhaps a little bit of both. "Because even if I wanted to go on grand adventure right now, I have a feeling I would not become very popular with Aleks for staying out longer than I promised," she nodded a little and took a sharper breath in. Then she clicked her tongue a little bit. "I met my biological family back in July, chaotic bunch," not really knowing how much he knew or didn't know about it. Because it really all depended on if Tien had spoken to Seraphina about it, and if Sera had mentioned it - which in Nicole's head was unlikely. Unless Ryan had directly asked about Nicole.

Ryan looked towards her with a slightly surprised smile as she mentioned that she wouldn’t want to live there without him. He licked his lips a little, because it was odd how he would want to live there alone, but only if he knew that he could invite her in at any time. He wouldn’t want to live there with anyone else. “Me too,” he agreed, it was much easier than to explain how he would accept it if she had to leave or if things got complicated. He would like to think of the place as theirs, and not just one of them moving in at the others or simply living there alone. A smile spread on his lips as she mentioned they should take a walk past the place one day and see how it looked, “Yeah, lets,” he said with a teethy smile, liking the thought of picking up from something old. When she mentioned Aleks, it was almost like a brick thrown into his face and the smile faded a little, “No, you’re probably right,” he said and licked his lips, looking straight ahead instead of at her. Aleks would probably be mad if Ryan had her out for longer than she had promised him. Ryan wasn’t about to be cross with Aleks. It was more than enough for Ryan that Aleks was cross with Ryan. The short memory of catching Aleks and Rose in the arms of each other spun in his stomach shortly. God, how he didn’t like Aleks and how smooth he was. He was quick to look back at Nicole as she explained how she had met her family in the summer, “What? How are they like?” he wondered with a broad smile, even though she had just explained that they were a chaotic bunch, he was almost certain they weren’t like any other chaotic family.

There was a huge part of her hoping that she could blame the alcohol on the form of safety she felt around Ryan. Because just by the time they had spent together now it was like reminding her that everything was and would be alright, not saying she didn't feel safe around Aleks, because she did. This was just something else, Ryan had always been able to keep her grounded and secure whenever she had felt like the world was against her. Maybe also due the fact that when she had been kidnapped ages ago, he had been one of the first people she had really told about it and how it had effected her. He always had her back. But she also knew Ryan, so she could see his mind went somewhere else for a moment.

Maybe it was why she told him something she as well also only had shared with Aleks. Her biological family. "Like a supernatural reality show," she shook her head a little bit. Well, she was judging from the gala. "No, it's just. They are hunters, brutally raised hunters. Not that you have anything to fear, it seems like they have retired and I haven't really any connection to them what so ever other than one of my brother's,"she responded with a small smile. It had been rather intimidating seeing every one knowing how you were supposed to be. A hunter to having been raised by the supernatural. To have most of the people you loved being supernatural people.

Ryan couldn’t help himself but chuckle a little. A supernatural reality show. How could it compete with James and Rebekah? They were their own reality show. When she elaborated, he understood why, and also got a smaller fear, which she quickly showed away. Brutally trained hunters that had retired. He nodded a little as she explained that she was more connected to one of the brothers than the other. “And he’s nice?” he licked his lips and shook his head a little, “I’m sorry, it’s just… Odd to think that you could have been a hunter,” he looked towards her with a smile. “Despite everything, I wanna say that I really like how you turned out to be,” he said with a calm and contempt smile, ending with a short chuckle.

"He cares, so,"she replied back, it had been the only of the bunch who had seemly done an effort to try pick up the pieces that had otherwise been lost. Nicole looked towards him as he shook his head, "oh, you do? I mean I have some killer kicks, I think I would have been just fine," she raised her left leg up in a somewhat front kick, she most likely shouldn't have tried to do since she was walking in both heels and with alcohol in her veins. More the less she just tumbled back towards Ryan and reached out grabbing his arm to hold her balance. Laughing. She just laughed, then nodded, "but so be frank - I did like it too, who I am -" Nicole once again stepped a step away from him so they actually could keep their walking going.

It was nice being around Ryan, feeling like she for the first time in a while just could put her walls down and just be. It was insane how he made her feel homesick, and even if a huge part of her loved that, she hated it too, because she was supposed to be home with someone else right now. "Full disclosure," she stopped and looked towards Ryan and took a sharper breath in, "being around you reminds me happiness is a thing that just, exists," she added with a small chuckle just looking into his eyes. "I truly have missed you."

Ryan laughed a little as she kicked, and he himself was about to join, when he noticed how she was about to tumble back, so he went to safe her from falling. He laughed with her, now that nothing bad had happened. Things were under control. She got her balance back and explained that she too liked who she had become.

He looked towards her as she broke the short silence that had formed between them, stopped when he noticed that she was stopping. A slightly crooked smile formed on his lips as she said that happiness simply existed, and that he reminded her of that. His eyes shifted from one of her eyes to another, “I have truly missed you too,” he said pulling an almost sad smile. There was so many things that he wished to do, but kept himself from, simply because he knew that it would lead to a fight. Not with her, but with Aleks. He wanted to hold her hand, caress it, tell her those three words he had told her so many times before and pull her in. But he shouldn’t. He truly shouldn’t.

So here they were, just standing looking into each others eyes, without saying a word, because who truly needed words to be spoken when your soul were screaming out loud? Nicole could feel her heart skip a beat ahead, the familiarity of it all was dangerous, so dangerous and they were swimming in an ocean of it. Nicole despite the danger took a step closer towards him, just one step, which lead her to take another one. Nicole lifted up her hands and cupped his face, letting her left thumb run across his skin lightly, as she shakily took a deeper breath in as her mind tried to break free from the influence she was under. Standing there for a moment just looking into his eyes, before letting go, letting her hands fall down to his shoulders, breathing out once again, looking down for a second trying not to get to captivated by his eyes. Fuck this was harder than she wanted it to be. So, she looked back up into his eyes then, attempting to let go of his shoulders to take another step back.

They needed nothing. The silence spoke for itself. They didn’t just miss each other. They still loved each other, and they hated how their relationship had ended. They wanted to know if things could be working out, if James could keep his hands away from their relationship, just as he did with Nicole and Aleks.
She took a step closer, and he could feel how he was reaching his limit for holding back the love he had for her, the love he was certain was very much reciprocated. She took another step, letting her hands find his face. He could feel it. Just for a moment. So close…
She lowered her hands and shortly after her gaze. It was hurting him to look at. He could feel how she was about to pull away but instead, he took a step closer, getting a little low and let his lips pick up hers, pulling her closer.

The world stopped for a moment when he took a step closer, and before she could know what to do nor say anything, she was reminded of a feeling she had spent years on forgetting. All the things she worried about disappeared the second his lips brushed against hers and he pulled her closer. "Excuse me guys, but you seriously have a shitty time for all of this," Lexie interrupted walking closer to them, "some of us are lonely enough as it is, we don't need for you to make more drama, so just stop okay? - You should get back to your boyfriend, and you - what are you thinking?" She asked. Nicole taking a sharper breath in, before taking a step back out of Ryan's embrace whilst looking at Lexie.

The kiss didn’t last long before a known voice was heard. Why hadn’t he been able to smell her from afar? He should have known, and now he was probably ruining everything for Nicole, and if he was unlucky his friendship with Lexie. He felt how his stomach made knots in itself, reminding him of how what he had done was wrong. Nicole had pulled back as she should have, and he simply couldn’t resist it. What a beast. When Nicole stepped away from Ryan, he did too, and let his eyes seek the street for a moment. “I wasn’t-” he replied to Lexie before he looked up and licked his teeth a little. He shortly looked toward Nicole, before he looked back at Lexie again, “You can follow each other home, and I can-” he didn’t even know what he was saying, but maybe he was just trying to figure out how both Nicole and he could get out of the best way possible, and that would be him leaving, right?

Nicole couldn't figure out if Lexie was heaven sent or hell sent. No way the witch was going to let Nicole off the hook, or Ryan for that matter. "I will order you a taxi, make sure you get home safe," Lexie gave Ryan a somewhat soft expression, even if she believed what had been going on was wrong, it wasn't like she could play judge over their actions. "And I will follow Nicole home," she picked up her phone and ordered a taxi rather quickly, "the streets aren't safe these days," and especially not for werewolves who weren't working with the Russians. Her own father would most likely not even be fond of her walking around here in the middle of the streets at this hour. Thought aside, she could see Aleks not far from them, "oh boy, here comes the drama," Lexie mumbled looking over at her brother giving him a small wave. Nicole could feel her heart starting to speed up making it hard for her to even breath right this moment.

“Thanks,” Ryan replied letting a hand scratch his neck, “Good- Good…” he replied, thinking that it was good that she would follow Nicole home because he did know that the streets weren’t safe these days. Ryan looked up as Lexie mentioned the drama, noticing Aleks approaching. Though he looked quite calm, with his hands in his pockets and walking, only waving as Lexie waved to him. Though Ryan could feel the tension in the small gathering, it only increased as Aleks was getting closer. He turned fully around and started to approach Aleks.
“Kissing on my girlfriend?”
“Shut up,” Ryan sneered.
“It did look very much like it,” Aleks said, still keeping himself way calmer than the werewolf. Werewolves and their temper. Just as the thought hit him, Ryan reached Aleks and pushed him, which made him stumble backward. He laughed a little, shaking his head at the werewolf and taking his hands up from his pockets, “Don’t get so wor-” Aleks received a fist towards the cheek and fell all the way to the ground. When Ryan noticed what had actually happened, he looked at Aleks, to his fist, and back to Aleks.

"Aleks," Nicole spoke not wanting Aleks to get too close, mostly because she heard how Ryan started to sneer. "Ryan, stop - " then Ryan pushed Aleks back, making Nicole walk towards them, only to be stopped by Lexie who shook her head, knowing better than to just let Nicole walk into a fight where a werewolf was getting pushed over the edge. "Ryan, settle down," Lexie tried to reach him, but he was too far in the most lunar state of his mind. Aleks laughing wasn't helping, far from. Before she got the chance to really do anything else, Ryan had punched Aleks in the face, and Aleks hit the ground. "Aleks!" Nicole ran over despite instructions from Lexie not to, and sat down beside Aleks. "You okay?"

Lexie walked up in front of Ryan, blocking his view of Aleks, "hey - focus, take a deeper breath in okay -" she looked towards Ryan's eyes hoping to catch eye contact, placing her hands on his shoulders. No, she wasn't really happy about how he had just pushed and punched her brother in the face, but it wouldn't make things better to yell or start another fight with him - least not giving him a piece of her mind till he had calmed completely down again. "You with me?"

She watched him slowly sit up, her eyes flickering with concern almost making her forget what had happened before Aleks had showed up. Still knowing in her bones that it was something that needed to be talked about, but right now she just wanted to make sure that he was alright. Nicole didn't even listen to what Lexie and Ryan were talking about she was just looking at Aleks. "I'm not the one who is hurt here," she breathed out, feeling more sober by the second the punch had hit Aleks.

Lexie exhaled a little again, seeing how Ryan reacted as he realized he had lost control over himself. "It doesn't matter, what matters is what you do next, okay?" Because they couldn't change the damage that had already happened, but they could have something to do with what would happen next. Control was not just something a person had and then you never had to think about it again, it was a constant battle, the same battle was with magic and her own powers - not that it could compare to have a wolf who wanted to be in charge half of the time. "But you are with me, right?" She wanted him to confirm as she gave his shoulders a soft squeeze.

Aleks chuckled as she said she wasn't the one who had been hurt. He wiggled his jaw a little from side to side feeling how it was still in the right place. "I'm okay, just... Surprised," he mumbled and took her hand, giving her a small smile letting his other hand caress his jaw a little, feeling sore. In reality he wasn't that surprised.

Ryan's eyes stayed at Lexie as she explained how it didn't matter what he had just done, he gave her a few small nods, understanding. "I'm with you, he confirmed.
"Don't kiss my sister, 'kay?"
Ryan closed his eyes and Lexie would be able to feel how his shoulders raised a little. He turned a little towards the couple sitting on the ground, "Fucking watch me," he said and flipped off Alex before he turned towards Lexie, pulled her in and places his lips on hers.

No, Ryan had no idea about what was happening right now, but Aleks clearly knew how to push the right buttons.

Nicole got up on her legs, and pulled a hand down to help Aleks get back up on his feet, whilst he asked Ryan not to kiss Lexie, she eyed Aleks for a moment to tell him to stop before everything would get out of hand. Not that Nicole actually had thought that Ryan would do what the did next. He actually kissed Lexie?

Lexie as well got rather surprised as Ryan suddenly kissed her, making her push him back, "what the hell," she raised her voice just a little, looking at Ryan. "Okay, I'm done with this," Lexie mumbled before she added a spell to her mumbling, to knock Ryan out, not minding him just collapsing on the ground. "Fucking hell man," she lifted her foot a little out, poking Ryan with her shoe to make sure he was knocked out. "I'm gonna call Rose and Roman, get them to pick him up if they are home. You two just get home, I will find a way by myself," Lexie announced with a sigh. "No way - you know these streets aren't safe by this time - we will wait for someone to pick him up, and then head back together," Nicole pointed out, "you okay?" Lexie just waved her hand a little, "yeah its fine," she just shook her head a little bit. "I'm gonna call my last life line," Nicole picked up her phone and typed in Bentley's number before lifting the phone to her ear, "Hey, I need a favor, I will only take a minute or two."

Ryan was pushed back, and he blinked, confused about himself just as much as the others. “I’m sor-” he mumbled before he was knocked out and laid on the ground. Aleks had gotten to his legs and folded his lips. This was all rooted in him pushing Ryan to an edge he hadn’t been close to before. Poor boy. Aleks too was about to interrupt his sister and insist that they would stay till things were in order and even follow her home or let her take a night at their place. There was space enough. While Nicole called her last lifeline, Aleks walked over and pulled Lexie in for a hug. “Kick his ass, okay?” he mumbled to her.

Bentley woke up from the phone that buzzed and pushed the girl by his side away to pick up the phone. He wanted to scold Nicole for calling at this hour but didn’t even get to say a thing before she told him that she needed a favor. “Okay…? What do you need?” he mumbled while pushing the girl further from him so he could sit up and with a flick of his fingers he was dressed.

She took a deeper breath in and nodded a little giving Aleks a small smile. It all felt very familiar to a point where she felt like something was eating her up inside, but it was okay - it was a long time ago since she had realized just that she was meant to be alone. Now she just needed to accept it. But the whole situation reminded her of the mountain with Henry, which also had ended up with Aleks getting hurt. So no, she didn't like the situation one bit. Looking over at Nicole who was calling someone, about to say she could just herself call Elias. Not that she thought Elias would like the tale behind why Ryan was knocked out on the ground.

"You remember Ryan?" She scratched the back of her head, "I need someone to teleport him home, he is out of control and - I don't really want him to hurt anyone else or himself for that matter," she explained and folded her lips a little bit. Well, she knew werewolves weren't really Bentley's favorites, but she hoped he would do her this one tiny favor. It should be childs play for someone like Bentley to do.

“Let’s not repeat this anymore,” he mumbled, letting a hand run over her hair gently. He too remembered the event on the mountain with the other dude. “Next time I might just lose a tooth,” he joked tightening the hug for a moment before he let go to see if she looked alright. “Dad’s not going to like this story either,” he laughed and pulled a small smile, that revealed a bit of the blood he had in his mouth that had found its way between his teeth.

Bentley covered his eyes as she mentioned Ryan. “Mhm, yeah… The guy James didn’t like,” he mumbled and waved half-assed to the woman in the bed. “How much out of control is he?” he mumbled, before he with ease teleported to the place where Aleks and Nicole lived, standing in front of the place. Even Aleks could feel the aura that beamed from the ancient witch that had arrived further away.

"I will drink to that," Lexie mumbled a little bit tired of it all. "Please don't do that yeah," she looked towards Aleks, hating all the fights that he was getting himself into. "Yeah no, Ash? Not one bit, but wait till if my father hears about this - not that I think he will do anything, but yeah, I just hope we can let it rest," she took a sharper breath in, not in the mood to make a bigger number out of this than she had to. "You need a quick healing spell? Less damage to explain to Bash," she pointed out and raised her brow a little bit.

Then it didn't take more than minutes before suddenly a wave of magic rushed over the field where they were standing, and it was so familiar it almost made her freeze. Not because she had seen the warlock before, it was just the fact of it, she knew she was related to him somehow. Then remembering by now that Nicole was raised by the Sinclair's, putting the puzzle together now. Nicole pointed towards Ryan collapsed on the ground, noticed how Lexie and Aleks looked at Bentley. "That much out of control," she exhaled to the fact they had needed to knock him out, as Bentley finally joined them.

Nicole wrapped her arms around herself whilst Bentley took a look at Ryan, noticing he looked towards Lexie as well, not that she had or wanted to take time out for that. Bentley was a smart guy, he had most likely already put the puzzle together. Lexie narrowed her eyes a little, just a little as she gained eye contact with the old warlock, but didn't say much. Nicole exhaled when Bentley confirmed that he would be getting Ryan home, and nodded, "thank you." Then taking a sharper breath in to the lift, "if it isn't too much to ask," she licked her lips a little bit, giving Bentley a slightly bigger smile. Lexie cleared her throat a little bit, "I'm staying at their place for the night either way, so their place will be fine," Lexie replied on her own behalf. Another thing was that she was pretty sure that getting Bentley to the mansion wouldn't be in anyone's interest. Not that she would be staying over, she would get Elias to open a door for her later.

Bentley pulled a small smile as Nicole thanked him. He looked towards the witch as she confirmed where she was staying. “Alright,” he clapped his hands, before he rubbed them against each other for a short moment and the second later they stood by their place, Ryan still laying on the ground. “Boy,” he said and waved him closer. Slightly hesitant about getting another punch he stepped closer, and was clapped on the cheek by Bentley, which fixed the small bruises, “Violence isn’t the answer,” he said before he gestured for the kids to go back inside to rest.

With a short wave of his hand, the werewolf was sitting in a wheelchair, still completely knocked out. If nobody had anything to say, he was gone within a moment and reappeared by the Walkers’ house. It didn’t take long before he could see that the lights were turned on in some of the rooms. “Super,” he sighed and started to roll the poor guy on the wheelchair towards the front door manually.

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Ryan and Bentley out