Sindy and Nathan walked side by side as they moved towards the cafeteria. Sindy felt at peace walking beside him. It reminded her of when they were kids, bringing back a strong sense of nostalgia.
This was when the thought of holding hands ran across Sindy's mind. She was flushed red as she slowly built her confidence. It was the perfect opportunity to make a move on Nathan.
Boldly, Sindy then tangled her fingers around Nathan's hand. This resulted in a sudden chill running up his spine. He couldn't comprehend why Sindy had done such a thing so suddenly. However, Nathan decided not to question why she had done this. Instead, he held his head straight and continued to walk. He refused to give a reaction.
This however made Sindy dissatisfied. Once again, Nathan had failed to acknowledge her romantic gesture towards him. Due to this, Sindy began to question if he even recognized her as the opposite gender.
Believing this, Sindy released her grasp on Nathan's hand before giving a shallow sigh.
A few minutes later, they arrived at the cafeteria and had even ordered their meals. Nathan ordered a chicken pizza with cheese and pineapple toppings.
Sindy could never understand how Nathan was able to eat pineapple on pizza. Was he even human for doing such a thing?However, despite her dislike, she still ordered the same topping to see if Nathan would notice. Unfortunately, yet again, Nathan failed to provide her with any of his attention. It was extremely heartbreaking for Sindy.
Sindy wished that she had the courage to simply tell Nathan how she felt. However, it wasn't easy for her. She and Nathan had come a long way since childhood. She treasured their friendship and couldn't bear the thought of losing him. If she were to announce her feelings for him then there was a possibility that things would change between them forever. Due to this fear, she was very cautious with announcing her feelings.
However, despite the constant setbacks, Sindy was determined to keep trying. She was finally alone with Nathan which was an opportunity that rarely came by due to Andrew.
Sadly, there was still an issue. The surrounding assassins all looked at them with disgust. They continuously whispered unpleasant things amongst themselves about Sindy and Nathan.
Nonetheless, Nathan and Sindy knew that things could have been much worse. The details of Nathan's A.O.D transformation were kept classified. Only a select few assassins had been told about what had happened.
If the majority were to find out the truth, then there would be chaos. Since very few people approved of Nathan, they would take advantage of the situation and do everything in their power to have him executed.
Sindy then turned her attention back to Nathan. It was the perfect opportunity to ask him the question she had on her mind for the past few days. Nervously, she twirled her hair as she searched for the courage. Executing her question incorrectly could lead to unwanted developments. She had to be cautious.
"So Nate... I've been wanting to ask you a question for a while now..."
Nathan then looked up with a spec of pizza crust on his lower lip before answering, "Sure. What's up?"
"Well, I wanted to ask if you remembered what I said to you the day before we went on the retrieval mission..."
"Uh, I think I do..?"
Sindy's heart began to race quickly. It seemed she was about to get her long-awaited answer.
"You do..?"
Suddenly, before Nathan could respond, he was interrupted by a loud squeal of excitement from behind.
"Nathypoo, you're awake!!!" Squealed Isabella with delight as she wrapped her arms around him.
Sindy looked up in disbelief. She could hardly believe that Isabella had ruined her perfect opportunity.
"Oh hey, Izzy..!" Greeted Nathan. Isabella's sudden sweet olive scent had almost caught him in a trance.
"Wait, Izzy and Nathypoo..? You've already become that close to exchange nicknames..?" Asked Sindy timidly.
Isabella then smiled charmingly while squeezing Nathan closer to her chest. It was almost as if she wanted to provoke Sindy.
"Yes! I met Nathypoo three weeks ago when he was undergoing training! I didn't know much about him then but I did find myself attracted to him! So I told him that he could call me, Izzy!"
"Oh... I see... Why are you here though?" Queried Sindy.
"I'm just here to collect my prize. Nathypoo is to begin training with me today! Will you be ready to go soon, Nathypoo?"
Nathan then looked up at Isabella. He was slightly charmed by her cute and innocent-like features.
"Sure! I'm down for some training. Let me just finish this pizza real quick!"
"Oh, you got a little bit of pizza crust on your lip, Nathypoo! Let me get it for you!"
Jealousy quickly began to attack Sindy's heart. It was painful for her to watch Isabella interact with Nathan so intimately. To make things worse, Sindy had already suspected Isabella of wanting to make romantic advancements towards Nathan.
Nevertheless, Sindy remained strong. She then called out to Nathan before reminding him of her earlier question. She was not about to let Isabella rob her of the opportunity she had been waiting for all this time.
"So Nate... What's your answer to the earlier question..?" She asked.
"Oh, right..! I'm sorry, Sindy, but I don't remember anything..."
Sindy felt like her heart had split in two. Nathan had not remembered her confession.
"Oh, that's fine..." She lied with a forced smile.
"Huh..? Are you sure? You could remind me of what you said. I don't mind listening."
Before responding, Sindy slowly arose from the table. Her heart felt heavy and her arms were beginning to tremble. She desperately wanted to repeat the three words which she had held in for so long but she was much too afraid. She wasn't willing to run the risk of destroying her friendship with Nathan.
"Don't worry about it! It's not that important anyway..."
Suddenly, an obnoxious voice boomed from behind. The three assassins then looked around to see Andrew running towards them.
"Nateeeee!! You're awake! I'm so happy you're okay!" He cried playfully.
"I'm fine... What about you? I heard you were seriously injured in the battle."
"Pfft! Who told you such nonsense? I beat that commander with my Bankai! It's not like I got my ass handed to me or anything!"
"Well, this is getting crowded!" Giggled Isabella.
Hearing Isabella's voice, Andrew adjusted his gaze. He was immediately stunned by how charming she was.
"Dude, who is this chick?! She's super hot!" He exclaimed excitedly. "Do you have a boyfriend? If not, then I have the perfect solution! Introducing your future husband, Andrew! He takes care of all your boyfriend needs with a rating equal to your beauty!"
Isabella then looked at Andrew innocently before declining with a sweet smile; "I'm sorry... I'm not interested!"
Andrew froze like a block of ice. Slowly, he then walked over to Sindy before gently resting his head on her shoulder in shame.
Unfortunately, Sindy wasn't in the mood to keep up with Andrew's games. In truth, his reaction to Isabella's beauty had only made her feel worse. She was slowly starting to feel inferior to her.
With her heart cracking to pieces, Sindy turned herself around before proceeding to leave. She couldn't even gather the strength to finish her meal.
"Wait, Sindy aren't you going to finish eating?" Quickly asked, Nathan.
"No, I'm sorry... I suddenly lost my appetite..."
"Oh..."
"Wait, so you're just going to leave this pizza here?! Don't mind if I do!" Celebrated Andrew as he began eating.
"Nathypoo! We should get to training! You can finish eating your pizza later!" Declared Isabella as she playfully tugged on his arm.
However, Nathan had now realized that something was wrong. He watched as Sindy slowly walked away without a single word. He knew that Sindy would never do such a thing unless something was truly bothering her.
"Andrew..." He called softly.
Andrew then looked up with his face buried in pizza crust before responding, "Hmm, what's up?"
"Could you check on Sindy for me? I think something's wrong with her. I would do it myself but I promised Izzy that I'd train with her..."
Isabella then looked down with a slight frown on her face. She wished to get Nathan's attention for herself.
"I'm sure she's fine! Let's go!" She demanded cutely.
Isabella then proceeded to lock arms with Nathan before tugging at him to follow her. By this point, Andrew had realized what was happening.
"Man, so much for this pizza... Fine, I'll go check on her! How dense can you be though..? Not even I'm that hopeless."
"What do you mean?" Asked Nathan.
"Sigh... nevermind!"
Andrew then slowly averted his eyes to Isabella one final time. However, before he could even say anything to her, she ran off with Nathan towards the training room.
"Nate!!" He shouted across the cafeteria. "Don't let her bewitch you! Remember, it's bros before hoes!!!"
Following this, Andrew quickly went after Sindy who had now disappeared. Fortunately, a few minutes later, he stumbled upon her slouched over a railing on a small balcony. Her face was built with depression.
"Sindy!" He called.
"Andrew..? Why did you follow me?" She asked in a depressing voice.
"Nate asked me to..."
"I see... I wish he came to me himself..."
Andrew then slouched beside her before responding.
"That's understandable... But Sindy, I assure you that he cares!"
"That's not the problem, Andrew..!" She exclaimed painfully. "I know that he cares! The blind could see that! But he doesn't care like how I care..."
"And you're worried that your feelings might ruin your current relationship with him, huh?"
"Mhm... I've known Nate for ten years, Andrew... And out of those ten years, not a day has gone by when he's not on my mind... I worry about him every day, afraid he'll do something reckless and get himself hurt. I always try to be there for him and I do my best to show him how I feel! But he just doesn't notice my feelings... It's either that or he doesn't view me as someone he would consider a relationship with..."
"Sindy, come on... There's no way that he doesn't view you as relationship material!"
"Then why doesn't he acknowledge how I feel, Andrew? I'm starting to hate this feeling of love because of how awful it feels... I hate feeling so weak and pathetic! I love him so much to the point where it's almost cringe..."
"It's not cringe to love someone, Sindy! It's being human... You don't need to feel that way!"
"But it's so unfair..! I've been trying to get Nathan to realize how I feel for years! Now, Isabella comes along and she's quickly making progress with him out of thin air... I don't get it..."
"Well, Isabell's pretty hot... Not gonna lie..."
Sindy then looked at Andrew with a slight frown. She did not appreciate his insensitivity.
"I mean, you're pretty hot too! Heh-" He laughed awkwardly, acknowledging his error.
Sindy then buried her face into her hands as she quietly wept.
"To me, Nathan is my world... But to him, it seems like I'm nothing more than a simple country... I don't know what to do..."
Andrew then gave a shallow sigh. He could tell that Sindy was not only hurting but she was also confused. She didn't know what she was supposed to do. She was slowly being crushed by the weight of her feelings for Nathan.
"Sindy, when it comes to love, Nathan's the densest guy I know. Why do you think he's never had a girlfriend? It's because he never realizes when a girl likes him. I doubt even Isabella could get through that thick skull of his. Sindy, all I'm saying is don't give up on him. He's not out of your reach."
"I don't know, Andrew... Just the other day, I found the courage to tell him how I felt. But he doesn't even recall what I said to him... It's as if we're not meant to be or something..."
"Sindy, you're the one that taught me that it's best to keep a positive mindset and move forward. Sometimes, things don't work out the way we want them to. But if we give up simply because they didn't work out then we'll miss the opportunities we could have created if we had kept trying. At least that's what I got from the ass whooping you gave me!"
Sindy chuckled, "Right? I whooped you good, didn't I?"
"Yeah, whatever. But what I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't give up on him just because you haven't gotten through to him so far. You said it yourself, didn't you? You've known Nathan for a very long time. So, if there's anyone who can get through to him, it's you. You've just got to show your love for him in a way you've never done before."
Sindy immediately felt as if a boulder was removed from atop her chest. Andrew's words had gotten through to her. She had needed the words of encouragement to push herself forward. She loved Nathan with all her heart and wasn't keen on losing him to someone else so easily.
Finally, Sindy then removed her necklace before looking at Nathan's name which was embedded on it. She then brought it closer to her lips and whispered; "I love you..."
Nathan closed his eyes as he concentrated. He could feel the power of his Spirit Energy boiling up inside him. During the time Nathan had spent training with Isabella, he had managed to call upon his Lightning and Wind Energies at the same time. This was all necessary to gain mastery over his Spirit Energies."Good Nathypoo! Now try adding your Death Energy into the mix! If you can do this then you have mastered taming your Spirit Energy! You might even be able to create your first Combination Art!" Tutored Isabella.Nathan followed Isabella's instructions. Due to this, his body became cold from his rising Death Energy. He could feel its power building up inside him, threatening to go out of control at any moment. Nathan clenched his teeth as he tried to force his power to obey him. It was quickly becoming too much for him to handle.If he was a simple Double Art User then he would have already tamed his Spirit Energy. Unfortunately, his Death Energy was much too
Nathan calmly walked through the lobby in search of Sindy and Andrew. As he walked, every assassin present in the lobby made a pathway for him to pass. It was almost as if he had some type of disease. Not one assassin was pleased to see him.Soon after, an onslaught of hateful words was tossed at Nathan. A majority of the other assassins wished for him to disappear. They hated that he was allowed to even be a part of AA.Despite this, Nathan ignored their negative remarks. He knew he shared the blame for the deaths of many people in the Mind World. Given his painful past, despair was a normal thing for him to experience. Due to this, Nathan was sure his negative emotions had taken the form of Demon Beasts and taken many innocent lives.Suddenly, Nathan heard a male voice within the crowd call Rosie's name. He then pulled himself to a stop before looking over his shoulder to see a nineteen-year-old male with bright blue eyes and shaggy brown hair. He was smirking
After the frightening ordeal, the three friends had made their way to Sindy's room. However, Sindy was still concerned. She didn't understand how Nathan had gotten himself in a fight in the first place. He was usually the type to ignore negative remarks and keep his cool."So, what happened back there?" She asked as she tended to his injuries."Well, I was just passing by when I saw this huge crowd! I expected a huge fight, but instead, it was Nate fighting SpongeBob and Patrick!" Explained Andrew dramatically.Ignoring Andrew's dramatic story, Sindy asked the question again."Nate, what happened? I'm surprised to hear that you got yourself in a fight...""I'm sorry... It's just that they were insulting Rosie's death. There was no way I could let them get away with that..."Sindy smiled sweetly at Nathan. It made sense for him to get in a fight for the sake of someone else. He had been like that for as long as she could remember."That'
It wasn't much but Nathan had done his best to prepare for the upcoming mission. If he and his friends were able to complete this mission successfully then Alondo would allow them to join Team Assassin. They had to succeed. Calmly, Nathan equipped his black uniform and sheathed his sword across his back. It had been a total of two days since Alondo had told them to prepare for the mission. It was finally time for it to get underway. Finally, before he left his room, Nathan equipped a pair of dark gloves over his hands which covered the mysterious letter D that still refused to go away. A few minutes later, Nathan arrived at the Transport Bay to await mission orders. Waiting for him there were Sindy, Andrew, and Alondo. However, Nathan found himself slightly confused upon seeing this. He already knew that Alondo would not be taking part in the mission, so who was their team captain? "Alondo, where is Instructor Brady..?" Asked Nathan. "Ah, Nath
After leaving Headquarters, the four assassins had set out to start their mission. They were now flying in a jet, patiently waiting for their arrival in Central Town. Fortunately, the jet was on autopilot which meant that the assassins had some time to relax. Sadly, relaxation was nowhere to be found. The tension between Sindy and Isabella was almost unbearable. It was now painfully evident that they thoroughly disliked one another. Nathan had no choice but to watch the two closely just in case they started fighting again. Sadly, Andrew was alone at the back, fast asleep. This meant that if anything were to happen, Nathan would have to deal with it alone. However, in truth, Andrew was upset. Despite how much Alondo had praised them for their efforts, he still felt useless. In both his previous missions, he had failed to defeat his enemies. Due to this, those around him had gotten hurt. This made him incredibly upset. He was only resting to get his mind off th
After exiting the jet, the four assassins made their way towards the barrier. By this time, the sun had already begun to set and a cold chill was present in the air. There were damaged street signs, buildings, cars, and even broken bits of glass that crunched underneath their feet as they walked. In short, the area looked as if it was in the dawn of a zombie apocalypse. A few seconds later, the assassins arrived at the foot of the barrier. However, this was when they noticed something strange. The barrier was oozing with a strange purple aura. "Dang, this thing's huge!" Exclaimed Andrew as he reached out to touch it. "Wait, don't touch it!" Quickly warned Isabella. "Huh? Why?!" Before responding, Isabella moved closer to inspect the barrier. Following this, she withdrew two Tessen Fans (Japanese War Fans) from her waist. The fans were black with the patterns of electrical dragons on either side. The edges were also quite sharp as if it was mad
Nathan, Sindy, and Andrew had been forced into hiding behind a small building. There were simply too many enemies to fight. After Isabella had left to fight Scorpio, the Scorpion mercenaries had began a relentless attack. They attacked using their Art Styles, guns, grenades, and a few other weapons. If the assassins weren't careful, they would easily be killed. However, Andrew was determined to do whatever it took to complete the mission. He was frustrated with how terrible things had gone for him up until now. It was time for things to change. It was time for him to step up and prove his worth. He had enough. Suddenly, a grenade was tossed behind the building toward the three assassins. The Scorpion mercenaries had finally found their hiding spot. Sindy couldn't help but scream in fright upon seeing the grenade. It could explode at any moment, surely injuring them in the process. Nathan also panicked as he tried to get Sindy and Andrew to take cover. However
Shortly after the three assassins had defeated the Scorpion mercenaries, they turned their attention towards Isabella. However, to their surprise, Isabella had already defeated her opponents. Both bodyguards were left dead at her feet and the leader, Scorpio was down on his knees, bleeding from his head. "Izzy!" Called Nathan as he ran towards her. "Oh, hi, Nathypoo!" She replied sweetly. "What are you doing? Shouldn't you finish that guy off already?" "Yeah, but I was thinking that it might be a good idea to take him back to headquarters! He might have some intel on what the Cliques are after!" "Uh— then shouldn't you tie him up or something..?" Interjected Sindy. "Well, I would but I didn't come on this mission expecting to restrain anyone... So I don't have any equipment to do that..." "Then knock him out..?" "I'm not a blonde! I was planning on doing that but I was asking him some questions first!" Sindy the
Nathan, Ava, and Evan felt a rush of nostalgia. The memories they created in Youkatai Mountain would stick with them no matter where they went. It was now time for them to venture into a new chapter of their lives. Ava and Evan wished to see the world for themselves and Nathan was adamant about defeating the Cliques.They were now set to leave the village. They were all carrying heavy bags that had food, water, weapons, and other necessities needed for their journey.Rikugan smiled before wrapping his arms around them for a warm hug."Remember you three, you're always welcomed here no matter where your journey takes you. I am proud to have you as my students and grandchildren!""Thank you, grandpa..! I'm going to miss you so much!" Sobbed Ava."Take care of yourself, gramps! We'll come back when we're finished helping Nathan! Until then, please be well!" Added Evan tearily."I will. Now, please behave yourselves while traveling with Nathan. On your journey, you'll come to see many thi
Nathan felt like the world had stopped moving. His heart thumped against his chest and his breathing became heavy. His eyes became as cold as ice and the air around him became filled with blood lust. He was fueled with rage. He couldn't accept that Sindy and Andrew had been killed."What did you just say..?" He asked in an unsettling voice, looking at Illumi.Illumi began to chuckle like a child, refusing to answer. Due to this, Nathan charged toward the commander burning with rage. However, Rikugan grabbed onto his arm, stopping him from going any further."Nathan, control yourself!" Deterred Rikugan. "There's no guarantee your friends are dead! He could just be provoking you!"Ava and Evan also rushed to Nathan's side, trying their best to calm him down."Dude, calm down..! Gramps could be right! They might just be provoking you to get you to come over to them so that they can grab you and run!" Soothed Evan."Evan's right! Besides, you're in no condition to take on two commanders
Nathan..!" Squealed Ava in shock.Rocca and Illumi were also stunned. Nathan, the Mind Hero, who they believed to be dead was now standing before them. They were sure that he had been killed in the explosion back in Conscience City over a year ago. It made no sense why he was still alive."You..! This isn't possible... You're the Mind Hero, aren't you..? How are you alive..?" Asked Rocca in shock.Nathan didn't give an immediate response. In truth, he had recognized Rocca as well. He was the commander that Rick had fought back in Conscience City over a year ago. If his memory served correctly, Rick had called him The Man Of Steel, Rocca, also known as the most powerful Clique commander."I'm no hero. My name's simply Nathan and I have no interest in telling you how I'm alive."Rocca laughed, "This is great!! There was an order to capture you and that #4 assassin, Isabella! So when we heard you had died, we were quite disappointed!"Nathan ignored Rocca's statement. He was much more co
The fight had begun. Tension was now in the air and adrenaline began to pump. Rikugan lunged at the commanders with his hands shrouded in dark Spirit Energy.Swiftly, he snuck below Illumi's guard and slammed his fist into his stomach. Illumi's mouth widened as the air was squeezed from his lungs. He staggered backward, struggling to regain his balance.However, Rocca was not about to let his partner be defeated so easily. He swung his massive axes at Rikugan, quickly activating an Art Style."Steel Art: Metallic Cut!"Rocca's axes shone brightly as they approached Rikugan. Rikugan had to defend himself. Metallic Cut was an Art Style that sharpened weapons to the point where they could cut even titanium like butter.Nonetheless, Rikugan was prepared. Quickly, he activated a Zen Barrier that barely managed to block Rocca's attack. Fortunately, this had created an opportunity for him to counter."Destruction Art: Destructive Touch!"Rikugan didn't have much Spirit Energy at his disposal
After leaving Nathan behind, Rikugan arrived at the part of the village that was being attacked. The area was ravaged and left in a deplorable state. Houses, shops, and other buildings were now piles of wood scattered across the streets. Flames flickered and smoke danced its way up into the air. However, the fighting had already seemed to stop. The only thing in sight was destruction and bodies of the injured and the dead. This was strange to Rikugan given that he could still sense the Spirit Energies of those who had attacked the village."Grandpa!" Shouted Evan who had finally arrived with Ava. "Why are you just standing around?! Some of the villages are still alive! We need to help them!""Wait, both of you! Don't move!" Warned Rikugan."Huh..? Is something wrong?" Inquired Ava.Rikugan didn't answer. Instead, he peered his eyes before him as if someone was there."I won't fall for such a cheap trick! I know you're there! Save me the trouble and show yourselves!" Shouted Rikugan.
Nathan was exhausted. He had exerted almost every drop of Spirit Energy he had to defeat Death. The only good side to his fatigue was that his real body had no physical injuries. Since it was his Spirit Energy that had been fighting Death, his injuries had not been transferred over physically."Nathy!" Squealed Ava as she wrapped her arms around him. She was filled with joy to see that he had made it back alive."Hey," he replied tiredly. "I told you I'd be okay... I kept my word..!"Evan and Rikugan were also thrilled to see him. Truthfully, they had feared that he wouldn't be able to defeat Death. They were happy this was not the case."Are you feeling okay?" Asked Evan curiously."I'm mostly okay but I'm extremely tired... I feel like I could collapse at any moment...""Well, that's better than being back in Tartarus.""I agree..!" Sighed Nathan"And the seal?" Interjected Rikugan.Nathan then showed his katana to Rikugan, revealing the imprint of Death's name on the side."Wow! Do
Even though he felt like he had just been hit full force by a fast-moving truck, Nathan painfully picked himself up. Despite Death's threat to kill him, he refused to stay down."I see..." He began in a pain-filled voice. "Now it makes sense why I haven't been able to outrun you...""Have you lost your senses? You talk as if you have everything figured out even though you're about to die," proclaimed Death."I'm sorry, Death, but I don't have time to be dead. I'm no longer that kid who always failed his missions and lost every fight. And I'm about to prove that by defeating you!""Don't get cocky, you brat!" Boomed Death as he flew towards Nathan.Once again, time seemed to slow down. Nathan knew that running was pointless. No matter how fast he moved, Death would be able to catch him. His only option was to stand and fight.Nathan then took a deep breath as he prepared to activate an Art Style. His eyes began glowing bright blue while electricity flowed from his body like a beacon. E
Nathan clawed his way out of the grave. His body was rigged with pain but he couldn't allow himself to stay down. He had to defeat Death, no matter what."It's true," smirked Nathan. "You are strong... But that's exactly how I like it. The stronger you are, the stronger I will be when I make your power mine!""You insolent pest!" Boomed Death in annoyance.A dark sword made from flaming Death Energy then formed in Death's hand. Nathan knew that this meant trouble. However, before he could properly prepare himself, Death flew toward him at insane speeds.Following this, Death swung his sword violently at Nathan. Nathan, however, managed to block the attack with the blunt of his katana at the last second. Sadly, he had not calculated the terrifying power that would accommodate Death's attack.The power of Death's attack shattered the ground into pieces like glass, uprooting dead trees and graves with ease. The force sent Nathan flying through over a dozen dead trees before he collided w
Nathan, Rikugan, Ava, and Evan all sat in a circle while holding hands. Everyone aside from Rikugan was on the verge of suffering from an anxiety attack."G-grandpa, do we have to do this? This is suicide!" Argued Evan."This is not only Nathan's problem, Evan. This problem is as much ours as it is his. If we do not find a way to tame that angel inside of him then one day, its power will destroy the Mind World. We must do this!"Evan lowered his head as he tried to calm himself. He wanted to run away but he knew he had no choice but to fight."Grandpa, how can you be so calm? I know you're strong but not even you could stand up to an angel! Why aren't you scared?" Trembled Ava."Ava, sometimes we must face the things we fear the most. That is the only way to defeat our greatest nightmares.""I'm sorry that you guys have to go through with this..." Apologized Nathan.Ava smiled at Nathan, comforting him. Evan also gave him a reassuring nod to signify that it was okay. Following this, R