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"Stairs?" Beezle said "No elevator?"

"I don’t knohy you’re co," I said "You’ve never walked up a set of stairs in your life You’ve always been carried"

"It’s psychological pain," Beezle said "It’s hard for y"

"Uh-huh," I said

JB paused when he reached the door "I wonder if I should send you outside, and then send him out"

I cocked my head to one side "Why?" I asked

"Because I don’t kno he’s going to react, and I would hate forthere with JB like this, with hi that Nathaniel was my boyfriend Which he was, and he wasn’t And it was even weirder that the two ro quarters for the last few months

I started to speak, to tell JB that maybe it was best if Nathaniel and I went outside anyway, as I wasn’t particularly interested in an audience for our reunion But the front door flew open, and Nathaniel stood there

I re in the doorway of ant and perfect, and I’d hated hiht

Noas silhouetted in another doorway, his hair dark instead of gold, his eyes no longer icy blue but the sa polished and tailored, he wore a flannel shirt and jeans that looked like they were falling off his frame

I didn’t hate him anymore I wasn’t sure what I felt for Nathaniel That had been the probleht I died But I was happy to see him That, I couldn’t deny

He was thinner, a lot thinner, and he looked tired But he saw me, and his eyes blazed

Beezle flew off et out of your way"

Nathaniel stepped into the hallway His feet were bare, but he never hesitated, his eyes never leaving my face JB and Beezle slipped into the apartment behind Nathaniel and quietly closed the door

I stood still, and I waited My insides were all jumbled up, in need and confusion This hat he did tomy cheeks, my nose, my eyebrows

"You’re alive," he said

I nodded I wanted to crack a joke to lighten the tension, but I couldn’t be flippant in the face of his e in now that I hadn’t, that the last few rief need never have been