Nik tried to breathe evenly as Aaliyah's palm lay gently on her cheek, wreaking havoc with her emotions. Even with her effort, her breaths were coming fast and short. A mix of apprehension and glee were waring inside her. Aaliyah's touch was electric and soothing at the same time. When their eyes locked, the sensation of the gentle palm resting on her face intensified. It was extremely intimate and at the same time, so very tentative, hesitant.

	Sara continued observing Aaliyah through eyes filled with wonder, passion and confusion that she saw mirrored in the brown irises across from her. And then suddenly the other woman drew away from her with shock and something else. Something that Nik could only liken to fear. There was a sudden stabbing pain deep within her soul. She couldn't be sure why, but for some reason fear was the last thing she wanted Aaliyah, this virtual stranger, to feel for her. Nik didn't want Aaliyah to be afraid of her. But then she didn't know the woman, so Nik couldn't be sure that she herself was the source of the fear she read in Liyah's eyes. [i]Please, don't be afraid![/i] Sara's essence reached out to Aaliyah's in an effort to sooth. It caused her literal physical pain to see the fear in the brown eyes.

	And then Liyah looked at Nik's raised wrist and focused her gaze on the pulsing tattoo there. The light in her eyes dimmed and pain radiated from her form in waves towards Sara. She'd anticipated Aaliyah's answer, but the shock was still there none the less. Her name and today's date tattooed on a stranger's wrist. A stranger's name and today's date tattooed on Nik's own wrist. What could it mean!? She was familiar with several folklore beliefs that talked of star-crossed lovers, soul mates and the likes. But Sara had always felt she was outside of such paradigms. Especially with being as long lived as she was. She was practically eternal as long as she knew. Not that she was indestructible. She could be killed. True, it would be extremely hard to do so, but still. And yet, she could not die of natural causes.

	It took Aaliyah looking away from her wrist and suggesting they discuss this strange situation somewhere else, to bring her back from her thoughts.

	"I mean..." She began uncertainly. "We could go to my camp site. It's not too far off. And it's at a pretty remote location within the park so we can be sure we'll be alone. If that's okay with you?" She finished even more uncertain now, since Aaliyah still hadn't looked back at her.