Date [Part 2]

Pisces parked the car before getting out and opening my door. Casually he took my hand and we entered the restaurant together.

"Table for two?" the waitress asked.

"Yes," Pisces replied.

"Right this way."

Pisces let go of my hand and had me follow the waitress to a booth in the back corner. Pisces sat against the wall where he could see the whole restaurant. I sat across from him.

"Would you like any drinks or appetizers to start you off?"

"Water," I said.

"Coke," Pisces said.

"Alright. Any appetizers?"

"No, thank you."

"I'll be back shortly with your drinks."

I nodded and she left.

"So, what brought you to look into Kinesiology?" I asked Pisces.

"A friend of a friend," he replied. "He'd been seeing Dorian for a sports injury and was amazed by his shortened recovery time that he suggested I check him out. I had injured my shoulder during one of my assignments and the Cortisol shots weren't doing anything."

"I understand. What made you stop?"

"I was assigned to several cases out of state. Kind of hard to keep going because of distance."

"Okay."

"I'm glad to be back here though. Need a good break from the madness."

"Well, you may encounter a different madness as you spend more time with Dorian and Shaunese."

"You're not part of the madness?" Pisces asked.

"Occasionally, but not often, because of work or family affairs."

"I understand. How long have you had your practice?"

"Three, four years by this point."

The waitress returned with drinks and we ordered.

"Where is your room at?" he asked when we were alone again.

"I'm in the office next to Dorian's."

"Did you move in there recently?"

"No, I've had it the whole time."

"You're Beans?!"

"What?" I asked, confused. No one but Shaunese and Dorian knew that nickname.

"You're Beans. Dorian told me you space out sometimes while you're working and it reminded him of Beans in Rango."

I nodded. "Absence seizures."

"Wow. I never thought…"

A bloody hand flashed in my mind and my spirit tried to leave. I sat up straighter and tightly closed my eyes.

"N'Lea, are you okay?" Pisces asked, covering my hand with his.

"Sorry. I'll be fine. Continue."

"We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to."

"It's fine, Pisces."

"Really?"

"Really. You never thought," I prompted.

"That you would be so young. I always pictured an older woman by how Dorian talked about you."

"Gee, thanks," I replied sarcastically, the edges of my mouth turning up into a smile.

"Sorry."

"Not bothered. I don't know how many people have told me I act older than I look."

"You don't act that old."

"Thank you, Pisces."

The rest of dinner went well. We talked more about the many books we had ready over the years, movies, and some of our funny vacation time moments. We laughed often and I couldn't help but think things would improve despite my dreams. Our conversation waned a bit, but the silence between us was comfortable. Pisces took different streets on the way back from the restaurant. As we neared a section of field, I recognized the area from my dream.

"Pisces, pull over," I said quickly.

"What for?" he asked.

"Something's not right. Pull over."

Pisces did so and I pulled a flashlight from my purse then got out of the car.

"N'Lea, what are you doing?"

I ignored his question as I looked up and down the depressed shoulder. The car had to be close. Where was it? I headed back the way we had come. Pisces grabbed a large mag light and followed me. I looked back up the road often, wondering if I had the spot wrong.

"N'Lea, what are you doing? There's nothing out here."

"No, it's here, but…"

Something glinted off the beam of my flashlight and I ran towards it. Pisces was right behind me. I didn't run far before I found the car. I knelt, the gravel digging into my knees. Another nightmare had come true.

"N'Lea?"

"There's a body down there."

"Where?"

His question didn't register. "The damage done by the car is secondary."

"What are you talking about?"

"Why?" I whispered.

He turned my head to look at him, making me aware of his presence once more. "How many fingers as I holding up?" he asked, holding up three of them.

"Three, Pisces. I'm not going into shock. There really is a body down there."

The edges of his mouth turned down before he stood and entered the weeds. His beam searched around and inside the car. He stopped on the far side and crouched down. The minutes crawled by as tears filled my eyes and my hands shook. When Pisces stood again he was on the phone.

He stepped away from the car and watched me while he spoke. He stayed down in the shoulder until he finished the call. His energy shifted as he approached me. For a minute, he stepped passed me and into the road. I knew he was checking to see if I had seen the car as we passed. Pisces stood next to me and sighed. His hand ran over his face and rested over his mouth. He shifted on his feet and I knew several questions were running through his head.

"How did you know the car was here?" he finally asked.

"A nightmare," I replied softly. "The one I had when we were at Dorian's and Shaunese's." I shivered as the wind of a passing car swept over me.

"There has to be more to your knowledge than that. The car isn't visible from the road."

"I know, but that's the truth, Pisces. This is how my dreams have been for the last few weeks."

"And you said you've written them all down?"

"Yes, I've recorded all of them."

"Do you have them with you?"

"They're in the car."

Pisces nodded then looked at the ground. It didn't take long for several police cars and emergency vehicles to reach our location.

"Sargent Cator," one of the officers said to Pisces.

"Chief Mearder."

"That the car?"

"Yes. The body is partially beneath the front passenger tire."

"Alright, we'll check it out."

Chief Mearder headed down with two EMTs. Photos were taken before they rolled the car off the body to pull it out.

"Can you stand, N'Lea?" Pisces asked, holding out a hand to me.

I took it and he helped me to my feet. Now I didn't know what to expect. Pisces' demeanor had changed as he tried to puzzle out how else I was connected to the car in the ditch. I pulled my jacket tightly around myself and folded my arms. Somehow I doubted I would be allowed to go home. Pisces remained by my side as the body was removed. A tow truck came shortly after the body was taken to take the car and Chief Mearder returned to us.

"This makes five in the last week," he said.

"Do you know if Grant has seen any connection between them?" Pisces asked.

"None."

"Alright. I'll meet you at the office to file a report."

"Very good, Cator."

Chief Mearder left and Pisces put an arm around my back, nudging me just slightly to start walking back to the car.

"I'm sorry to end our date this way," I said softly.

He gave me a stiff nod.

Pisces helped me into his car before driving down to the station. I didn't bother reaching for my purse yet. The calm, relaxed, fun Pisces was gone and a dutiful cop had taken his place. We didn't talk at all and he left the radio off. The streets passed and I wondered what I would do about my clients if I was incarcerated. Even getting in this far could potentially upset my business.