Victoria smiled when Alex winked at her. “No, but it’s always polite to ask. I mean, maybe one of these times you’ll already have other plans.” She watched him push his chair back into place, which reminded her to do the same.
	She moved to stand beside him as he spoke again. “Yeah, that’d be great. I [i]think[/i] I can remember the way back, but it’s better safe than sorry.”
	Besides, she always felt far more comfortable with him by her side. Safe, even. Though the sun had yet to set and the usual unofficial curfew had not come around, the thick clouds cast an eerie grayness over the city, the kind that often bought night sooner than normal. Though she had never said it aloud and did everything she could to hide the fact from everyone--even Alex--she had had a fear of the dark for as long as she could remember. Perhaps, she had long since reasoned, it was because she knew what lurked in the shadows of society.
	She went to the door and opened it. “Ready?"