Contradicting to Luke's initial intentions, we didn't make it back inside until sunrise, with our proposed walk soon morphing into a hike, ranging far further than the house grounds. Time had passed easily upon us, with an uncountable amount of mindless conversations stealing our focuses.
The morning sky was untouched, a lighter blue seeping over the navy that had vacated the space throughout twilight. The frost that we had seen formulating not long past midnight was now a white blanket stretching across the garden's entirety, while the air was crisp and icy despite the sun resting over the peaks of the mountains in the distant horizon.
"You're tired," Luke murmured as we entered the kitchen, leaving the cold air behind us. "You should head back to bed."
"I'll be okay," I shrugged, peeling my coat from my body. "Doubt that I'd be able to get back to sleep now anyway. And if anyone needs sleep, it's you. I don't even want to know why the hell you were up last night."
"Same reason as you," he answered simply, taking a seat aside me.
"You had a nightmare?" I questioned slowly.
Luke smiled softly as he sighed, "No, but you had one."
My response was cut short by Michael beckoning Luke from across the room, "Luke, mate, didn't realise that you guys were back."
"Just got in."
"Good job, pretty sure that the boss was about to send out a search party for the two of you."
"I did tell Blake where we were going."
"Yeah, he tried to tell boss that but you two disappearing at three in the morning was never going to end well with him was it?" Michael retorted.
Luke laughed this time before questioning expectantly, "What's he sent you for this time round then?"
"He needs you to prep the team for Morocco this morning."
"They don't leave until Tuesday though?"
Michael appeared somewhat taken back, "They're leaving this evening? Did Blake not tell you?"
"No," Luke murmured. "No, he didn't. Why's the boss brought it forward?"
"Didn't see the point in waiting."
"Right." Luke sighed as he heaved a hand over his face. "Tell the lads that I'll be in my office in five, I'll talk them through in there." Michael nodded before stalking out of kitchen. I turned to Luke, who had raised himself from his seat and was currently stood by the kettle. "I know what you're going to say Adelaide."
"I could say the same for you," I commented quietly as I watched him reach for a mug in the cupboard above him. "Luke, they need you."
"And I need you," he mumbled. "I need you safe Adelaide and I feel like that can't even be ensured if I'm not in the same building as you, never mind continent. This trip could be meaningless, so I don't want to risk it if it means being away from you."
"It'll be meaningless if you don't go, it'll just be a repeat of last time. A complete waste, so go with them. You might not be able to protect me physically while you're gone, but by you going and possibly finding more information, then that's keeping me safe in the long run isn't it?
"I don't know what to do Adelaide," he admitted softly, finally letting his gaze fall back on me as he leant his palms onto the counter behind him. "I could be gone for a week or so, and with everything that's gone on with us two in the past few days, I don't feel that it's right for me to leave you, nor safe for that matter."
