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For the past day or two, ever since he stopped by the Cooper farm and got his car fixed up, Neil has been driving aimlessly around Kansas and the surrounding area.

He's usually happy to stop for a chat. There really isn't that much to do around here except talk to strangers.

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"No idea," she says cheerfully. "Wish someone did know, then we could go back."

"...I'm not so sure I can."

She's silent for as long as it takes (not long) to dish out the meat and hand him a hunk. It'd been pre-cooked, and now it's just warm.

"Why not?" she asks gently.

He takes it and holds it. Apple in one hand, meat in the other.

"When I flashed in it was right out of the end of a battle. I lost."

The shrug is a tiny movement of his shoulders, barely there at all.

"Another few seconds and I think I'd be dead. That's not the kind of thing you really go back to."

"Oh."

She nods, understanding and sympathetic.

"Then this place is a new chance for you."

"I guess so."

Neil half-smiles and takes a bite of his meat.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

That's not said out of sympathy. That's testing the waters to see if she's allowed to ask questions.

"Sure."

"Who were you fighting?"

Venison goes well with apple; Ai-Ling combines them in her mouth.

Now there's a good question.

Simplify, he decides.

"The man who killed my family."

Ai-Ling tenses, not out of pity, but out of sympathy. She can identify.

"Then I'm sorry you didn't kill him."

He grins. It's not a particularly happy expression.

"I'm pretty sure I did, actually. But--"

The smile disappears; he shakes his head.

"There was more to the fight than me and my grudge. I have no idea what happened to my side after I disappeared, but it can't have been anything good. That's what I mean when I say I lost."

She also grin; feral, slightly dangerous and also not that happy.

"I get it, I think. My world's still rebuilding after a war than ended twenty years ago. I know there's always more to it than personal vendetta."

Slow nod.

"Yeah."

Neil's turn to discover the wonders of venison and apple!

Sitting back, Ai-Ling hugs her knees and stares into the fire.

"I just wish I knew where Miki was, or if that man was even telling the truth when he said he was here."

Curious: "What man?"

She shakes her head, dismissing the memory as silly. "A few months ago I was staying with some people in a deserted town. The friend of one of them said Miki was at the farm, and gave me directions there. I think he was there before me, then left to look."

"Hmm. Well, I can't think of a good reason to lie about that, but some people don't need a reason."

Slight shrug.

"I hope you find your husband, whatever happens."

"Thanks," she says, smiling briefly. "He's all I have for family."

"...Yeah," he says softly, in the tone that means I know what that's like.

ENOUGH EMO.

"So have you met anyone interesting in this world yet?"

"One or two. A girl who can float on air, a guy who fixed up my car so it'll run on fuel I can actually find. This world seems to attract people with weird talents."

"I don't have weird talents," she says quickly. "I'm weird talent free. I can't even drive a car."

"Oh? You might want to learn sometime. The damn things keep dropping out of thin air, and they're pretty useful."

She laughs.

"I wouldn't even know where to start..."

Although it'd be awesome if she could drive when she found Miki. She could totally be the better one.

Now, she looks thoughtful.