[ She watches him physically close off from her and Nina wants to turn and punch a wall. To do so would be to invite a tone of violence to this that she never wants to see, so she has no outlet for her sudden flare of hurt and frustration. Aggravating, arrogant, impossible -- what is she doing? What is he doing?

At times it feels like the only way to move forward with Matthias is to bare her heart wide open, shave off a piece of her defenses, and wait for him to hurt her and walk away. But each time she's managed to do it... well... I will keep you warm. He hasn't walked away.

Her hands flop out at her side, the sides of loosely curled fists hitting back against her hips. ]

You sound so certain. [ He always sounds so certain. ] Forgive me if I question and try to understand. Everything here is so different. I just don't want you to rush to conclusions or be disappointed. And I am trying to understand.

[ Both his perspective... and just what had happened, why they were all, suddenly, here. ]