By the time his mother reached the table, he spoke to her in Italian and he had clearly asked for the recipe because she took out her little notebook and scribbled the recipe down before she turned to me and set the paper on the table her eyes held something in them that hadn't been there before. Almost a look of joy.

"Thank you," I whispered, feeling guilty that he had asked for her recipe for me.

"Anytime. I even included the special details on how to make it extra tasty."

"You really didn't have to give it to me, I told him it was fine."

"It's a recipe, it won't hurt anything."

She walked away from the table as more people came inside. Finishing up my pasta, I realized Andrei had no ride back to the compound as I had heard him call it before.

"I can drive you back home. It's no problem."

"I can call for a ride, it's fine."

"Please, I insist. I am sober enough to drive."

"Alright, but only because you insist."

I tried to pay for the meal but she wouldn't let me. Andrei took the bill and stuffed it under the side of the plate. He made it clear he had done this before many times. Before she could clean the table, he pulled me out of the diner and took my keys right from my hand. I didn't snatch them back or bitch about it, I just got in the passenger side. It was rare that I rode on this side of the truck, but it was a pleasant change. It gave me time to sort out the feelings I was still having about burning down the entire house.

"Hey, Andrei?"

"Yes?"

"If you are not super busy with anything, could I ask a favour of you? Not that a really have any right to, but consider it payback for the camera."

"What do you need?"

"Could I possibly get you to stay with me? At my place. I'm really still not over burning the place down."

"Yeah. I'm free for that. Let me just stop by the house to grab some better clothing."

"Thanks."

"Hey, it's not a problem. I understand, you can't be alone right now."

I didn't have to agree with him since we both knew it was the truth. If I had actually put more time in having social relationships outside of work and home, I might have had a boyfriend or maybe even a husband I could have gone home to and sought comfort. But I didn't. I didn't care about those kinds of things. But I was envious of those who had that kind of support in these situations.

"Just sit here, I'll be back in a moment."

"Alright."

Well he was inside, several people walked by, but I hardly paid attention to them. I was too busy looking over things on my phone. I dropped my phone accidentally and noticed Alexi and his partner, Creed walking by. I don't know why, but I got the urge to hide. But it was well past hiding time when we met eyes and he gave a small wave. Before nearly walking into Andrei who was coming out of the door. A bag over his shoulder.

Alexi didn't say a damn thing, from what I could see. But I knew how this looked. Which was why I felt super nervous when Andrei got back into the truck. I knew he was aware of why I wanted him with me, but to everyone else, it looked bad.

"Alright. Do you need anything before we go to your place?"

God, that was such a loaded question, but I settled on having him take me to get a coffee before we went back to the house. I couldn't remember the last time I had brought anyone over to the house under any circumstances. I guess I had always just chosen other things over connections with people and I hadn't changed.

Andrei went through the drive-through and rolled down the window so I could holler across him I wanted the largest iced coffee with a deathly amount of caffeine. It was my normal night crew, so they gave me what I asked for. Andrei had ordered a normal coffee for himself and I paid for both. Leaving the drive-through I had already consumed ten percent of the drink. It was exactly how I asked for it.

I was aware it was going to keep me up for most of the night, but at least I could get shit done this way.

"I don't know how you are not dead drinking those."

"Honestly, It's probably because I've had practice from drinking so many of these."

"I don't think I would sleep after a week, even from one sip."

"Surprisingly, I can sleep after drinking one of these. If I wanted to."

"That's impressive."

We pulled into the driveway and the lights inside were on, but the door was locked. That just meant Willow had been by. She had probably brought over food and other things she would have figured I would need. She was most likely worried about the same thing I was, that I would set the house up since I had nothing really keeping me here.

Unlocking the door, we stepped inside but not before Andrei made sure my truck had been locked. Andrei took his shoes off on the mat before looking around.

"Delightful house."

"Mom picked a lot of the shit on the walls. But nothing has really changed from the time my father died."

"Oh, How long ago did your dad pass away?"

"Twenty years ago. He was a soldier killed in action."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It was a long time ago."

"It doesn't make it any easier though, I lost my father as well."

"How did you lose your father?" I asked as we walked to the kitchen so I could make sure that if there was anything left out on the counter for me, it could get a place in the fridge.

"I was a young teenager when he was murdered, by a street gang. Our father had been a mafia man as well, but it was a wrong place wrong time incident. It caused war among our streets after that."

"I'm sorry you went through that."

"I appreciate that. But like your father, the chance for death is always there. We just choose to ignore it, until sometimes, it's too late."

Andrei wasn't wrong. Even my job was dangerous in some places, lucky for me, not here but somewhere. His job was dangerous for him everywhere. It was a wonder he still did what he did after losing his father in such a way, but maybe that was what pushed him to do it.

After losing my father I didn't look at being in the service as I had before. Whereas a child I had seen all those men and women proud to serve for their country, I saw them now as willing to die for their country. I couldn't have done what my father had chosen to do, I didn't have it in me. But I still wanted to help people.