October 30, 2003 – 20:56
Frank, Stephanie, Victoria, Hector and Jennifer stood behind the stadium, waiting for the team members to come out. Frank was hoping he'd be able to see Coralis. She told him she'd talk to him after the game, but she could still get called on some case right after the game.
"You didn't give her your ring, did you forget it after all?" said Victoria.
"I have it with me, but I forgot about it when we were in that room. I don't think I would have been able to give it to her anyway, she had to leave right after it was over."
"Might be better to wait a day or two, to leave time for the branding to scar," said Hector.
"Nah, unless the ring contains silver, there is no need to wait. My mother put her engagement ring back on her finger right after she received her branding," said Victoria.
Stephanie heard a text message notification from her phone and pulled it out of her purse to look at it. She read it and passed her phone to Frank.
'We will meet you guys at The Wooded Tavern. Yes, she will come. Love you.'
Coralis and Sebastian were back in the small room they were in earlier, with their coach and two team officials. Erik and Henry were waiting for them in the hallway. This time, there was a table and five chairs instead of a furnace.
"The announcers didn't mention his name. We will make sure that it doesn't get released in the press, not even his initials," said one of the team officials.
"Thank you. I don't remember the announcers mentioning it, but I wasn't paying attention to what they said. I am not ashamed or anything like that, but I have too many enemies that could potentially use him as leverage against me," said Coralis.
"We understand. You know my mate is human, I would do the same if I was in your shoes. The public didn't know, but the team knew," said Mylo, their coach.
Coralis and Sebastian walked out of the room.
"While we were waiting for you, we spoke with Gus. The news spread out quicker than wildfire, as expected. Everyone wants to know who he is. We told Gus to refer to him as M. Blue. Think that nickname will stick?" said Henry.
Coralis rolled her eyes.
"That's an awesome one for him," said Sebastian, chuckling.
"As long as no one ever finds out his real name, I guess I'm fine with any nickname," said Coralis.
"Did you tell them this was going to be your last season?" said Erik.
"No, not yet. I was planning on announcing it after the holidays, around the same time as you guys, but with what just happened tonight, I think I'll do next week to give people something else to talk about."
"I think I'll make the same announcement too, at the same time. With everything going on, I don't want to keep spending half my time abroad. I need to focus on Stephanie."
Steven and Lydia arrived at The Wooded Tavern and quickly spotted their friends.
"Sebastian and Blue aren't with you?" said Jennifer when they arrived at their table.
"They needed to talk to our coach and some team officials. They will be here soon and I think the Fullemon twins will come too," said Lydia.
"Of course, they are! If they would have known about Frank's plan, their parents would have come too," said Victoria.
Frank was facing the entryway. Sebastian said she'd come, but he could never be sure. There was always the possibility that she wouldn't come.
"Stop worrying bro, she'll come," said Stephanie, who sat across from her brother.
"If she told you she would talk to you tonight, she'll find a way, but keep in mind that maybe she won't go home with you," said Victoria.
"I'm aware of that and that's fine. Tonight, I needed to know she was still mine and I got that mission accomplished. I'm happy with the outcome. If she comes home with me tonight, it'd be a bonus, but realistically, I know she probably won't."
Coralis and Sebastian landed in the forest behind the establishment, followed by Erik and Henry.
"Now remember. From now on, when we're in public like that, surrounded by other elementals and such, we only refer to Frank as M. Blue," said Henry.
She put on her eyeglasses and wrist binds before stepping into the parking lot, glancing at her finger branding as she slid a bracelet on her left wrist.
"We won't tell the group, but I'm sure they'll catch on," said Erik.
"I'm sure he's going to love that one," said Sebastian.
"Ready to face the music?" said Henry, his hand on the front door.
Coralis took a deep breath.
"No, but it's not like I have a choice."
They walked in and headed to their usual spot. Coralis could feel Frank's eyes on her, more than usual. She looked at him and read relief on his face. She knew he'd been worried about her for the past 3 weeks and that despite what he said on the field, he was upset at her.
She tried to look down as they approached their table, but she couldn't.
"I told you she'd come," said Stephanie as she turned her head to look at them.
Frank remembered what he had heard just before he left the box to deliver his speech. Overwhelmed with joy and emotions, he forgot to ask the group about it when he returned there.
He got up and went to hug her. He could feel his eyes getting humid as he held her tight. After 3 weeks, she was finally back in his arms, where she belonged. He wanted to leave with her, take her somewhere secluded, alone, but he knew he couldn't.
Their friends silently watched the scene. Stephanie wiped tears from her eyes as Sebastian sat beside her and past his arm around her shoulders. Erik and Henry sat on either side of Victoria.
"I'm sorry, I had to stay away. I still can't believe you did what you did."
"I missed you, luv."
She wanted to stay in the comfort of his arms. She missed him. More than she wanted to admit, but she didn't want to gather the attention of the entire restaurant. She parted from him and took a seat at the table. He sat next to her.
"Congratulations, M. Blue, but I better not see sister calling us in tears," said Henry, grinning.
Their group laughed when they heard the nickname. Frank smirked.
"Although it seems that she has been doing exactly that to you," said Erik.
"M. Blue, I love that nickname. Very fitting. I'm going to start calling you like that too," said Victoria.
"I take that I need to get used to it?" said Frank, liking the sound of it.
"Yup. Gus is scrubbing the press as we speak. Everyone wants to know about you, naturally, so he's making sure it's the only name they have. We promised sis we'd help her to keep you safe, and that's exactly what we're doing," said Henry.
"That's a brilliant idea," said Steven.
Frank turned to her, his hand on her thigh.
"When we were at the game, I heard you almost got captured. Is that true?"
She glanced at him briefly and looked around her.
"Yeah, but I will not talk about it right now, there are too many people around and I don't know who's listening."
Frank wanted to ask why she didn't tell him, why no one told him, but she was right. This wasn't the place for these questions.
"You'll understand when she tells you," said Sebastian, seeing that Frank wanted to ask more, "and then you'll probably know more than we do."
"I'm happy you didn't turn him down, but I warned him that if you tell him No, it's because things are worse than we thought. How bad things are right now?" said Victoria.
Coralis looked at her friends around the table. Sebastian was staring at his drink, and Erik at his nails. Frank's face had worries painted all over.
"Things are bad, very bad, but… I couldn't tell him No, not with the stunt he pulled," said Coralis, glancing at Frank. "You know I love him too much for that. It was hard to stay away, but I had to and I do hope he'll forgive me."
"Does that mean you'll stay away longer?" said Stephanie.
"Yes, but like I said to him on the field," she said, turning her attention to him, "we'll talk tonight. I won't come home yet, but I'll take you somewhere we can talk. I'll change into Cheetah when we're ready to leave here so that no one will see me getting in the car with you. Head north, and hope we won't be followed. You took your car, right?"
He nodded. They left an hour later and she turned into Cheetah before Frank opened the entry door.
Frank opened his car door, and she climbed in from the driver seat. She shifted back to herself on the passenger seat before Frank turned onto the main road and closed her eyes. She wanted to put her eyeglasses and wrist binds back on, but she couldn't yet.
She had to ensure that they weren't followed.