Thread: Searching the Stars (attn:Any) 3/29/10

Mackenzie was deep in thought, a lot of things had been happening, and quickly to. She realized that she was letting her emotions run away with her again and chastised herself. Vowing to at least have a heart to heart with some people, she found herself near a specific spot in the Park.

With a small smile and then a sigh, she sees A.J. lying in the grass looking at the stars. "Can I interrupt? Or would you rather be alone?" She looks like she wants to talk, but unsure how much she will be welcomed. Especially after last night.

A.J. moves over, making room on the blanket and says, "I'm all ears tonight. Maybe listening to someone else's problems will help me forget mine." He gives a forced half smile and then turns his attention to the stars. He figured he should've known that Mackenzie would've been the likely candidate to come across him out at this spot tonight.

Mackenzie smiles and lays down on the blanket, looking up at the stars.

She stares at them for a few minutes before letting out a sigh. "I'm sorry, A.J. Last night there was a lot going on and I was harsher than I meant to be. It's no excuse for my behavior, but I've never been one to not take responsibility for my actions."

A.J. thinks about what she says to him. He hadn't really thought how she talked to him the previous night was harsh at all. He could feel her eyes on him, but didn't want to look because he was afraid she'd see the sadness in them. He spoke softly and said, "Mackenzie, you don't have to apologize. I understood the gravity of the situation last night and knew it was tense. I should be apologizing to you for asking you to tell me stuff about Corin, when I shouldn't drag you into whatever it is we have going on."

He frowned as he thought about the last words. He found himself asking himself, what did he and Corin really have?

Mackenzie lays there quietly for a few minutes. "I do have one important thing to say because it's been weighing on my mind since last night." She rolls over onto her side, so she is looking at A.J.

"Is Corin the only reason you are staying here? The night we talked on the docks, you sounded like you were ready to leave if nothing was between you two. Now, the same thing again."

She shakes her head. "That's what caused me to lose my patience. I understand you have feelings for her. How deep they are is private and I'm not asking you to tell me. What I want to know is how much I can count on you to be a part of this clan and city when you appear ready to run off at every turn?"

A.J. turns on his side and looks into her eyes. There is no fight in his, just a sea of sadness. He shakes his head and says to her softly, "I'm not leaving. I had considered it but I just can't do it. No matter what happens with Corin, I'm staying. I need to stay. I need a home for once." He pauses and thinks about what happened at his place the night before. How he'd given her the celtic jewelry box and the necklace inside. He closed his eyes to steel himself.

He says softly, "Besides, she's the one that is leaving."

Mackenzie's eyes fly wide open at that revelation. "Excuse me? I'm sorry....she's leaving? Pardon me, but huh? Who, what, when, and mostly importantly WHY?"

A.J. shakes his head and sighs. He shouldn't have said anything to her, but he had no choice but to answer her questions now. He turns his attention to her again and says, "She has things she needs to work out and she can't do it here with everyone trying to protect her all the time. She needs to move on from everything on her own, so she's going to leave for a little while. Maybe, I can come to terms with myself in that time too."

Mackenzie looks at him and cocks her head. "Alone?" She shakes her head and chuckles. "I have not seen Corin do anything alone." She narrows her eyes at A.J. as it appears she is thinking hard about something. "Did she say where?"