Please Don't Cry

'Just one more shelter and then I will head home.'

It was dark outside and he knew he shouldn't continue the search that day. He had a ton of work at home and was in a shady part of town. She could very well be there because there was a shelter nearby that he hadn't been to yet. And it wasn't like there was anything waiting for her when he got home.

He walked faster and pushed his hand into his coat pocket. The calm that he felt after the conversation with Penelope was fading fast as the temperature dropped. Anna was out there somewhere and it was so cold. He made it to the shelter and stepped inside.

He looked around and saw the usual rows of beds in the back and the tables and chairs in the front. He was getting used to the sight of children living like this as well, but there weren't any in this one. This was one of the all-female shelters because there were no men anywhere apart from one.

A man who didn't look like one of the homeless eyed Ladislas curiously and came over.

"Are you lost, sir?" he asked.

Ladislas certainly felt that way.

"No, I am looking for someone, actually. An Anna Dunn," he said.

The man looked pensive for a few seconds and then shook his head. "That name doesn't ring a bell. I'm sorry," he said.

He could feel my anger flare. Ladislas looked him down and spoke to him in hushed tones, describing Anna. The man was resolute and shook his head. Ladislas noticed his staunchness to not give out information.

His fists clenched at his side as he looked at the manager. He was ready to bewitch the man to get the information out if he had to.

"Are you okay?" the man asked anxiously.

"Yes, but I think you are lying to me," Ladislas retorted. He sucked in a deep breath and recognized the faintest scent of the lemons he so desperately wanted to be close to. The manager's head tilted to the room just a little, involuntarily and Ladislas looked over. All at once, he felt anger and desperation.

He saw Anna's back as she escaped out of the back.

The damned brat!

She was fast receding, her back to Ladislas. He couldn't see her eyes but he felt his heart shudder. Her clothes were the same tattered ones that she had worn when he had first seen her again. But the biggest difference was how fast she was running away.

He had expected her to come running to him, not the other way!

Ladislas sprinted to the other side, following behind and the manager gasped.

"Sir, what are you," he started, but Ladislas flicked his hand, making him freeze in his spot.

He followed her out of the back door and then looked around. "Anna!" he called.

She stopped and then her shoulders sank. She turned around and Ladislas felt scared. The tender look that he had seen in her eyes was replaced by a coldness I didn't think she had in her. She looked furious and glared angrily at him.

His head sank in his chest when she realized that Anna wasn't happy to see him. Not in the slightest.

"Why are you here?" she asked huskily.

"To see you." Ladislas took a careless step forward and she raised her hand. She bit her lip and then shook her head. "Stay right here."

"No," he retorted firmly.

"I am coming right back," she hissed. "Don't make me stand out any more than you already did," she threatened him unexpectedly. She moved past Ladislas fast, her eyes fixed on the ground. He watched through the still open back door as she moved towards the sleeping area. She stopped abruptly at a cot and started to put her boots and coat on. An older woman next to it was looking in Ladislas' direction with a shocked expression on her face.

"Kiddo, what is—" the woman started, but Anna held her hand up to the other to make them stop talking. The woman didn't say anything else. The woman turned towards Ladislas' direction and gave him a small smile before looking away. Anna had finished putting on her warm outerwear and after slinging her backpack over her shoulder, she marched in his direction.

When she stepped out, she grabbed his sleeve and pulled him along with her. She ushered him far away from the door. They walked away from the shelter at a fast pace and Ladislas almost tripped over his feet, the first time in his very long life, trying to keep up with the long strides of this small woman.

'Where is she taking me? Why is she acting like this?'

They were a few blocks away from the shelter when she suddenly stopped and just stared at the dirty floor.

"What the hell are you doing here? Do you know how unsafe this is?" she asked. Her eyes grew red and Ladislas realized that she was on the verge of tears. She was trying to hold back her emotions as best as she could. Two fat tears rolled down her cheeks and landed on the back of her hand.

Ladislas gasped and his hand was under her chin. His touch sent the familiar current through her and she shivered. He made her look up at him and the expression on her face was completely different. She looked upset, not angry.

"Please don't cry," he pleased and stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"Why did you—" she started but then stopped mid-sentence, not knowing what to say.

"I'm sorry," he choked out, not used to seeing her crying. It was one thing for her to be cautious and pretend to be scared, but it was completely another to see her cry because of him.