Purpose - A New Beginning - 1. Chapter 1

It's said, "absence makes the heart grow fonder," I've just never figured out who did the research. Ryan'd only been gone three days, and my heart was anything but fond of the separation. Then again, the research never considered the affect of being host to a spirit.

The logic part of me knew there was nothing to worry about. Even though Ryan had only been a host for a short time, the Purpose had enhanced his body enough that he'd be well beyond most people already. So why did I worry?

"Because it is the nature of your kind to worry."

Some days I preferred it when the Purpose didn't speak to me. "I don't recall asking you?"

"There is no one else here, who else could it have been meant for?"

Arguing with a non-corporeal spirit never really worked in my favor. Fortunately, It never really cared if I ignored a question or comment. Of course that was because I'm wasn't important enough for It to care, but I was usually grateful for the silence.

Ryan of course stewed over it. I suspected with time he'd grow to appreciate the silence. Then again, he'd never felt the need to avenge an angry soul. I learned to cherish the silence when it came.

"Your mate is in no danger, you that is called Will."

The first time It referred to me like that it annoyed me. Then I realized it had been an attempt to improve the interpersonal way we interacted. Now it just made me smile.

"I know." Speaking out loud made it feel a bit less like I was alone. "If he was, you'd tell me."

"If he was, you'd feel it."

The situation was new to all of us–Ryan, me and them–and the changing nature of things as Ryan grew stronger changed the 'rules' almost daily, but I had to believe It knew so much more than it was telling me. As if It fed me little morsels here and there, but withheld the larger cake.

"I do not understand your example."

"Of course you don't. You've never tasted really good cake."

"Even if I had, it would make no sense. Why would I withhold something I have no desire to keep for myself?"

"It's called an analogy, not an example." I got up off the leather couch–yes I knew leather was so dated, but I still like what I like–and headed for the kitchen. Our apartment was small, maybe too small for the two of us, but Ryan loved the view. It had taxed all my powers of persuasion to convince Ryan that buying made no sense. I'm not sure I'd have prevailed at the end had we not found this place.

"I understand it is what you call an analogy, but it is flawed."

My face broke into a smile as my eyes fall on the one-cup coffee maker–the kind that uses the little cups. Decorating 'our' place made Ryan so happy I didn't tell him we might need to leave it all if we were forced to move suddenly. Without thinking, I picked up a little container and rolled it in my hand.

"He knows this is probably all temporary. You can always get more when you find a new home."

"Easy for you to say, it's not your money." It barely felt like mine, but at least it was there to make Ryan happy. Then it hit me. "Why did you say, 'when' and not, 'if?'"

This was another aspect of the 'new' Purpose that annoyed the shit out of me; not answering me when it didn't want to share. Joined as we were, there was nothing I could do to It that wouldn't hurt me worse.

Footsteps in the hallway alerted me that Ryan was back. I had expected a call, but since I'd missed him, I wasn't going to let that ruin his return.

The tumblers moved and I heard the lock turn. My apprehension seemed to increase, not recede. "What aren't you telling me?"

Fucking spirit. When I want an answer It never responded.

His head down, Ryan shuffled into our place and shut the door. Defeated most aptly describes what I was looking at. Something I rarely saw in him.

"What's wrong?"

Ryan's head whipped up and around until he stared at me. I saw in his face, he knew he couldn't brush this off.

"We've got a problem." Shoving his key into his pocket, Ryan leaned back against the wall. "Barrington beat the charges at trial."