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"Police! Open up!"

After Tom made sure that Shau'i was already hidden he opened the door. A black suit and tie flanked by two uniforms met his gaze. The suit stepped forward.

"Good evening sir. My name is Frank Graber, I'm with the internal security office. There is a matter we need to discuss. May we step inside?"

"I'm sorry, no," Tom responded politely but firmly.

Mr. Graber glanced down the hallway and saw the romantically lit table.

"Ahh, of course. I will make it brief then. It's just a matter about your radio transceiver."

"What about it?" Tom replied and looked a bit uneasy.

"We found it near that plane that crashed a few weeks ago. I suppose you heard about it?"

"Yes I did. And I lost the radio just the day before it happened, I was hiking nearby."

"Really?" Mr. Graber encountered suspiciously, "You lost it just beneath the tree where we found an abandoned parachute?"

"What's that got to do with me?" Tom tried to say as convincingly as possible, "Andwhy is internal security concerned with a simple plane accident?" Tom continued, echoing the official news reports.

"That matter is classified. But if you should remember something else, ... or change your mind, here is my card. Have a nice evening."

"You too sir!" and after waiting and making sure that they had really left, Tom closed the door.

*

"Shau'i! We're leaving!"

"Why?" she asked, coming out of the bathroom.

"Because he will be back. He suspects that I wasn't truthful about my story. Next time he will search the house and find you."

"Why didn't he do it just now?"

"Probably he didn't have a warrant. But he will return. He might even sneak into the house at night."

"What's going to happen if he finds out about me?"

"What do you think?"

The color drained from Shau'i's face, visible only on the tip of her normally black nose.

"Come on, grab some clothes and let's go. I don't think we have much time."

*

About twenty minutes later Tom turned the ignition key of his car and they were off.

"Where are we going to?" Shau'i finally asked.

"To a small mountain cottage which a good friend of mine owns, he gave me a key to it and said I could use it whenever I wanted. He should still be on holiday in Croatia. It's an hour in the car and another hour hour on foot."

Shau'i just nodded, still frightened as old images popped up in her mind again. Tom was just as worried, in fact he felt completely the same way. But was all of it his own feeling? Then he remembered the day before, when she had regained her memory. He did feel her over kilometers of distance.

It was a bad time, but he had to try it. Still staring straight ahead, through the windshield he mentally whispered, <Shau'i>

Nothing.

<Shau'i!> he tried again, this time imagining to speak up.

Still no reaction.

<HEY!!> he barked in his head.

Suddenly she jerked around, staring at him, "Did you say something?"

"Yeah, but only in my mind."

"But we're not touching each other," she objected.

"Didn't you wonder why I was back so quickly when your memory returned?"

Shau'i shook her head.

"I don't know how, but I felt your scream."

She just stared at him.

"C'mon let's try it."

This distracted them from their immediate problems and soon they were able to talk and feel each other over their minds as almost easily as with direct contact, and they barely noticed the passing kilometers or time and soon arrived at a dark parking lot at the outskirts of a small village. They got out and shouldered their backpacks when Tom suddenly swore.

"Damn!"

<What is it?>

<I forgot the flashlights! It's completely dark, not even the moon is out.>

Now that the car's lights were out, he could barely see as far as his arms could reach, let alone the ground.

"Hmm," Shau'i said, <It's not that bad, we'll see enough.>

<What? I can't even see my shoes!>

Shau'i froze in realization that she could probably see better than any human.

<Does the trail get any more dangerous than what I can see from here?>

Tom thought for a minute, <I don't think by much.>

<Okay then, I'll guide you,> and Tom felt her take his hand. They were surprised as their link became even deeper than before they were able to communicate at a distance.

As Shau'i began to walk Tom could only wonder. It was one of the weirdest things he ever experienced, being pulled through the darkness by an invisible black paw. The moon was not up yet and it made little difference to him if he kept his eyes open or closed.

Once or twice Shau'i warned him to avoid a log on the ground and once he almost stumbled, but otherwise it went really well.

After about twenty minutes the path forked into two and Shau'i didn't know which one to take.

<Do you know which direction Tom?>

<I'm not sure I remember correctly, but look!> and Tom recalled a few images that Shau'i observed closely.

<OK, got it.>

Then it hit Tom. He was so stupid. He knew how to remedy his temporary blindness. He could experience her senses. So he allowed to submerge himself into her even deeper. It worked. Slowly the world lightened up a bit for Tom. He saw through her eyes. It wasn't very far, only about 100 meters. But now he felt even stranger than before. He felt beside himself, and as she turned her head and looked over to him, he could see himself from her eyes.

<You enjoying yourself?> Shau'i grinned mentally, surely not missing what was going on. Tom was, after all, in her consciousness.

<Oh yes, I do.>

<Let's just hold on for a minute, I want to know how much you see.>

...

<It's not working. It's all black.>

<I think it does. Look again,> and Tom brought his hand up near his face.

<Oh dear, you're right. I can barely see the outline. I'm sorry I was so insensitive before.>

<It's nothing. How could you have known. But let's move on.>

The fact that Tom could see with her help improved their speed considerately and soon the small wooden cottage came into sight.

Tom unlocked the door with difficulty and they carefully stepped inside.

"There should be a kerosene lamp and some matches on the shelf beside the door. Can you see it?"

"Yes."

And after a few attempts a yellowish glow illuminated Shau'i's face. They put down their backpacks, Tom pulled out one sleeping bag and laid it out on the floor in front of the single bed.

Just as he was done, Shau'i returned with an arm full of firewood she had taken from the stack behind the cottage.

An hour later Tom moved the pot of canned soup from the stove. He set the pot down on the floor between them and they began eating in silence.

While Tom ate his last spoons of soup Shau'i said, "We can't run or stay here forever."

"I know," Tom sighed gravel, "But what should we do?"

"I don't want you to give up your life for me!"

<NO!!!> "We're not splitting up for my sake!" Tom encountered, anticipating where she was headed.

"Why?"

"Because ..." he faltered and looked down, eyes watering slightly.

"Because what?"

Tom reached for her hands and a multitude of different and confusing feelings washed over to her.

"I ... I don't know how to say it. I already wanted to tell you after dinner."

He could feel the familiar drumming of his heart again. He had to tell her now, even if it wasn't the most romantic moment. And with all his fears and doubts that she might reject him, he leaned forward and whispered,

"I love you!"

She stared into his eyes for a few moments and Tom saw the universe reflected in hers. His heart still pounding as he waited for a reaction.

Then she blinked, and the worlds most beautiful smile lit up her face. Tom could already feel her response.

"I love you too. I didn't know what it was before, but now I'm sure."

Without conscious thought they began leaning in closer and closer and just as their lips met they closed their eyes for their first shy and tender kiss. Tom's heart was racing and fluttering, and so was hers.

The kiss seemed to last for and eternity and no time at all, and when they finally broke it, both were a bit out of breath.

"I would have left to protect you," Shau'i whispered.

"I know, but I could never have let you go. ... You know what, let's worry about that tomorr...ahh!"

Next thing Tom knew she was on top of him and squealed, "I love you!" again. And just as Tom tried to say something she silenced him with another kiss. This time much more fiery and passionate, the feelings for each other deepened and amplified a hundred-fold by their mental connection.

They lay on the wooden floor hugging, cuddling and caressing each other as much as possible. Tom simply loved to stroke and ruffle her soft silken fur. He looked up at her, still panting, and Shau'i giggled breathlessly, "I don't think we need the sleeping bag after all."

She then got up and pulled Tom to his feet and over to the small bed. They undressed and Tom got in first, holding the blanket up for her. She slid in with her back to Tom's chest and Tom hugged her from behind, spooning her. After a while of more kissing and cuddling Tom whispered, "Good night my beautiful kitty. My love."

"Love you too ... so much."