(Kealey)

The night had brought with it visions of the horrible past; visions from the days of old reminded him of the monstrous ability he wielded and the purpose it hindered him with.

He awoke in a cold sweat; it beaded on his fine brow as he gasped for breath. Maynard wiped his brow before throwing the sheets aside and slipping out of his bed. He adjusted his silk pyjama pants before disappearing into the bathroom for a hot shower.

Steam rolled out of the bathroom still while he adjusted collar on his shirt; once satisfied he threw his black blazer on and left the penthouse.

The park served as a good distraction; the sound of birds chirping echoed in his ears as he strolled down the stone path, his hand heated by the cup of coffee he carried.

His index finger brushed the stubble on his chin as his eyes caught sight of a lovely young thing enjoying a curiously titled book. His eyes took their time in traversing her form, the attractive leggings that vanished beneath the hem of her stylish skirt. He stole a glance down at her face before helping himself to a seat on the bench beside her.

"Has it taught you anything?" his voice was rather deep, the rich accent drifted on the chilled air to disturb her reading.

"Are there, infinitely varying with each individual, inbred forces of Good and Evil in all of us, deep down below the reach of mortal encouragement and mortal repression -- hidden Good and hidden Evil, both alike at the mercy of the liberating opportunity and the sufficient temptation?"

The quote was by Wilkie Collins and Kealey filed the name away to remind herself to look them up. The quote was poetic, poetic with an undercurrent of truth so strong that it was impossible to ignore. The author of the book she was reading was trying very hard to analyze it, but Kealey was growing slightly bored. When something like that quote worked, it just worked. She was 189 pages into the 376 page book and her interest was starting to wane. The title had sounded promising, oh so promising, as had the snippets in the back. Unfortunately the book had disappointed so far, being nothing more than the author's commentary on other authors' work.

The day was chilly, but not too bad and the sunlight streaming down from the sky had drawn Kealey out of the library and into the park on her hour-long lunch break. Her coat and scarf were enough to keep her warm, especially since she'd worn leggins under her skirt and the wind wasn't blowing.

There were people milling here and there, but it was still early enough that the park wasn't crowded. That was nice because it gave Kealey some peace and quiet to spend with herself. There weren't enough people that she was overwhelmed by emotions that she had no hope of dissecting . Having long sense finished her lunch, Kealey had ridded herself of the trash and crossed her legs as she read, her dangling foot bouncing to an invisible rhythm as she read.

Realizing she'd read the first sentence of the same paragraph three times, Kealey took a deep breath and turned her concentration back to the words on the page. If there was one thing she hated it was starting a book and not having the perseverance to finish it.

>>"Has it taught you anything?"

Kealey nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of the smooth, accented voice. She hadn't felt his approach and she definitely hadn't felt him sit down next to her. Unable to do anything else as the book fell to the ground Kealey just stared at the stranger in such close proximity to her. The longer she stared, the more she realized that she really couldn't tell what he was feeling. Realizing just how rude she was being Kealey swallowed and shook her head slightly, "I'm so sorry..." she said, her own Irish accent thick with her bewilderment. "I didn't mean to be rude...you gave me a terrible fright. I guess I was too enthralled in the book." The book.

Bending at the waist, Kealey pulled the book up from the ground, gently wiping the pages with the palm of her hand as she replaced it in her lap as she continued to look at the stranger. "As for learning anything...I've learned a great deal...just not from the author of the book. You see, he only seems good at talking about things others have said."

Her voice was soft and Kealey continued to look at the stranger, marveling at how odd it felt to not know what another person was feeling as they sat so close to her. "I'm Kealey." she said.

There was a thin amount of steam escaping from the lid of his coffee cup; it carried the sweet aroma of his latté. He enjoyed a slow sip of the drink while his eyes studied the girl that was staring at him with such interest in her stunning eyes.

"I love you accent," he replied with a smile, resting his cup on the arm of the bench. He rubbed his hands together to spread the warmth left by his hot drink; he shifted his weight to the side so he was facing her.

"You look at me as though I puzzle you," he looked at her questioningly for a moment; "Am I such an enigma?" his smile was something to be savoured, it displayed his features so beautifully.

"I'm Maynard, it's a pleasure to meet you" he took hold of her hand and placed a tender kiss to it in greeting, "If you want to learn about the human ability for good and evil you must simply observe the world; it's filled with both elements, we see them everyday."

A low chuckle resounded in his throat; "The evil of the world is slightly less depressing if you turn your eyes to the beautiful things around us, such as yourself" he kept his eyes on Kealey while reaching back for his coffee; with great purpose he knocked over the cup, spilling the drink.

"Oh no, I'm sorry but I was lost for a moment..."

Kealey was still staring at the man next to her like she was stupid, the book she'd been reading dangling loosely from her fingers and into her lap. The leg she'd crossed dropped to the ground and she turned slightly towards the man who was so interested in speaking to her. He drank his coffee and Kealey watched some more, there was steam coming from the cup, it had to be hot.


>>"I love your accent,"

Kealey almost jumped again at the sound of the man's voice.The words were so smooth, yet they brought a deep blush to Kealey's cheeks. Unused to praise or compliments, but used to people reacting to her accent, she smiled brightly at the man. "Thank you. Yours is lovely too. It reminds me of home." Her voice was soft and Kealey worried her bottom lip slightly as she studied the stranger. Well, he wasn't really a stranger anymore as he gave his name. British to his very toes with a name like that, he was. Then he grabbed her hand and Kealey just watched, eyes widening slowly as he brought it to his lips for a very formal introductory kiss. The blush deepened.

The man, Maynard, had said she was looking at him like he puzzled her, and Kealey nodded her head slowly, then turned it as a couple walked by. The man was excited, presumably because the girl had practically wrapped herself around his arm as they walked. The woman was content, and excited as well. Her powers were working just fine...it was something special about this man.

"I'm sorry I'm so quiet. You must think I'm a total nitwit sitting here and staring at you like you've got a third eye." She stopped and smiled slightly again, shyly. "I just can't feel you." Her voice was still filled with slight wonder at the phenomenon and she shook her head, "That's why I was so startled before... it's been so long since..." Kealey trailed off, sure that she sounded like some kind of nutter to the refined man sitting so close to her on the park bench. "I'm sorry...I must sound crazy..." she said, running a hair through her loose curls.

He was speaking on good and evil again, commenting on how much a person could learn simply by watching the world around them. Kealey had a unique perspective on this and she couldn't help but laugh a little bit. "But looks can be so deceiving, can't they? I'm trying to understand the nature and the origin of the two..."

Maynard kept looking at her, and Kealey started to feel unsettled under the scrutiny of his eyes, it was unsettling not knowing the emotion behind the slightly intense gaze. He reached for his drink and the cup spilled towards the ground, hot coffee steaming as it spilled out.

Kealey bent to right the cup and he spoke again, still looking at her even though the coffee was leaking out onto the pavement.

>>"Oh no, I'm sorry but I was lost for a moment..."

Kealey stopped halfway to picking up the cup from the ground and sat back up, eyes still on Maynard's. "Now you're the one who's looking at me like I'm puzzling. I'm sorry about your coffee..."

When she reached for the cup he did so as well; their hands met briefly, the warmth of his strong touch gracing her slender fingers in a teasing stroke before he retracted.

"You're not puzzling, but intriguing" he replied with a coy smile, something he had to force for the cause.

Maynard craned his neck to the side, running his gaze along her shapely neck; he admired the divinity of her beauty, it appeased his inner torment briefly. He was sitting so close now that the warmth of his breath surely touched her supple skin; "Don't worry about the coffee, I'll get another one later"

"Have you figured me out yet?" he couldn't help but smile, partly because it suited his features and partly because her charming accent lured it out of him.

He stood up from the bench and held his hand out for Kealey; "I know we've only just met, but might you join me for a walk?" he wasn't exactly prepared to take no as an answer, he took her hand in his and gently brought her to her feet.

With her arm hooked in his as was custom he began walking lightly down the pathway; "How do you expect to discover the origin of human evil?" now that they were so close he could speak in whispers, gentle tones only for her ear.

Their hands touched and Kealey pulled hers back, startled that it still felt like they were touching, even when they weren't. Brows furrowing together slightly, Kealey peered at Maynard , wondering if the touch had been as casual as it had seemed, or if there was something else behind it. It was slightly scary if Kealey was honest with herself, not knowing what the man was feeling. Usually a man's intentions were evident through his emotions, she couldn't feel Maynard's, so that was not the case.

He didn't say anything about the fact that she couldn't feel him. Kealey was relieved in spite of herself, something about this austere man made her want to have his good opinion blurting out craziness like she had been was not the way to do that.

They were so close, Kealey could see feel Maynard's condensing breath as it left his mouth. She couldn't remember having ever been this close to a member of the opposite sex before, but she was so intrigued that she couldn't move away. She was intriguing? What could possibly be intriguing about an Irish girl in New York City.

He said he would get another coffee and Kealey wondered for a few moments what he was talking about. Oh, the coffee...the spilled coffee on the ground. Kealey leaned back, feeling suddenly awkward and looked down at the spreading pool on the running path.

>>"Have you figured me out yet?"

Kealey's head jerked back to Maynard and she shook her head, her face serious and her eyes searching, "I'm actually more and more confused by the moment. I've never met anyone like you."

Maynard stood and Kealey wondered if she had offended him somehow with her crazy talk and was surprised that she didn't want the charming stranger to leave, she hadn't figured out why she couldn't feel him. It turned out her worry was for naught though. As Maynard stood, he held out his hand and offered a walk.

Kealey did think about refusing, they'd only just met and this was a safe and public place, but then Maynard took the choice from her all together. Not resiting in the least as his hand closed over hers, Kealey simply stood and straightened her clothes with her free hand as he tucked the other into the crook of his arm.

They were close as they walked, the proximity of their bodies allowing Maynard to speak softly. Kealey could still barely hear so she leaned slightly closer, glad she'd worn heels.

"It's not even necessarily human evil I'm interested in..." Kealey said, searching for words to describe her curiosities, "Human intention is so different from human action. Human beings are always saying and doing one thing while their emotions are pulling them in a totally different direction. I'm convinced that evil is one of those things, I'm just trying to figure out which way it works...whether a person's emotions are pulling them to do the evil thing or if their emotions are telling them to do the right thing and they're committing evil acts in spite of that." Kealey stopped, "I'm rambling...I'm so sorry..." she said, looking up as they walked.

The cool air felt soothing on his skin, as did the warmth brought on by Kealey's close proximity; the aroma drifting off her skin reminded him of fresh strawberries. His eyes closed as he craned his neck to the side for a better sample, breathing in slowly.

"I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but you smell divine" something about his tone was incredibly sincere.

His arm squeezed hers gently as he smiled; the path wove around a large three as they moved deeper into the park, this was the first time he had actually set foot in Central Park yet he lived so close by.

"That's a very complex question you're trying to answer; emotions are incredibly difficult to understand" they stopped as they reached one of the intricate fountains; Maynard sat down on the edge.

"Our emotions have the ability to push our thoughts; they can mean the difference between a logical decision and an instinctive response. Understanding how they work would be something else, even better would be the ability to control them."

His hand gently touched hers as they sat side by side, arms still linked. His warmth soaked into her chilled skin as he cocked his head and looked into her eyes.

"Let me know when you discover the answer"

There were a few minutes of quiet as they made their way through the park but Kealey couldn't help but wonder what Maynard was feeling as they walked. For years Kealey had gone back and forth between acceptance of her power and bitterness at the curse she thought it laid upon her. Now, in its absence, she almost wished she had it to lean on a bit. This man was such a smooth mystery on his own, not knowing what he was feeling made Kealey feel a little like she was drowning in his presence.

He spoke then and Kealey found herself blushing for what felt like the umpteenth time since she'd met him.

"How could I take offense to such a lovely compliment? In fact, I thank you." she said softly, looking up as she spoke and wondering why the day felt so much warmer than it had when she'd been sitting on the bench, finally deciding it must be the exercise.

Maynard squeezed her arm with his as they moved deeper into the park and Kealey was pulled from her thoughts and found herself grinning back at his smile, her stomach knotting slightly. He was a handsome man, and Kealey couldn't help but wonder what he was all about. In her experience, handsome men were nothing but trouble. Then again, none had ever bothered to talk to her, most just hit on her or made unwanted physical advances. To this point, that wasn't the case with Maynard and she decided to just enjoy herself. His company was more than pleasant and the conversation was the most stimulating she'd had in ages.

Maynard brought up emotions again, and Kealey listened to his perspective, enjoying the thoughts from someone who wasn't immersed in emotion 24 hours a day.

"I see where you're coming from..." Kealey said, giving Maynard another searching look as he seated them on the edge of a fountain in the park. "Emotions are so overwhelming. They can take you to places you were never, ever intending to go. Especially if you don't understand the reasoning behind them." Kealey shuddered slightly as she spoke, thinking about blind hatred, blind lust, and other blind emotions that had a tendency to manifest without reason. Those were the hardest to deal with because they were usually the strongest and least controlled.

As they sat, and Kealey lost herself in thought she hardly realized the cold of the stone fountain seeping into her through her skirt until she realized how warm Maynard was next to her. It was nice, having someone there with her, especially someone whose every emotion she couldn't feel.

It was easy to concentrate on that when he was sitting next to her, and as a result, the other people in the park weren't bothering Kealey as much as they usually would. She felt more at peace than she had felt out in public in years.

"I'll let you know as soon as I do..." she said in reply to Maynard's request that she share the answer to the question of good and evil and emotions. "I'm biased towards emotions though." she said softly, her blue-green eyes rising to meet his gaze. Not looking away, she continued, "You see...until I met you...I've known what every person I came within ten feet of was feeling. I could feel it. You're the first person I've met since I learned I could do this that I haven't been able to feel."

Kealey paused and her brow furrowed, "That's why I keep stumbling over words like an idiot...I feel a little like I'm drowning here with you...I don't have a clue what you're feeling towards me. It's way more unsettling than I ever thought it would be...in fact...I used to wish and pray for this every chance I got...now I'd give almost anything to know what you were feeling."

His perfect eyebrows rose as she confided in him the truth of her ability; he'd never encountered someone so trusting before, usually it took some degree of manipulation to discover the source of a persons power.

"You're an empath?" he said aloud more so for his own confirmation. A power such as that would be helpful for keeping people in check.

"That must be terribly overwhelming at times, do you find the emotions of others to be clouding?" he shifted his position and took her small hand between his.

"Can the emotions of another effect you if they're powerful enough?” Unseen radiation seeped from his hands; sparking a great sense of euphoria in Kealey, stimulating the already positive feelings she was feeling toward him.

The heavy rays of the midday sun caught a large tree looming over their position; it shimmered through the remaining leaves to cast a dim shadow over his handsome face, adding an inexplicable hint of mystery to his already ominous gaze.

"I'd give nearly anything to be unique like you; mutation is such a hideous word, I've always thought of it as a divine gift" he let go of her hand, having released enough energy to sustain those emotions long enough for them to set in.

"Not everyone shares my view point however"

"Empath. That's such a strong word considering it's practically an oxymoron." Kealey mused when Maynard asked her flat out if she was an empath. She looked at him and continued, "I've thought about this a lot, you know. The word empath implies that as well as feeling the emotions, a person has to identify with them." Kealey's voice got softer as she spoke, "Except for the longest time I haven't been able to identify with anyone because I don't have a clue what I feel."

She stopped and thought about that for a moment, "but to answer your question, yeah. I'm an empath."

Maynard had taken her hand as he voiced the belief that the emotions of others had to be clouding, Kealey nodded, "You have no clue. It's easy to lose yourself in everyone else."

Maynard was curious, not disgusted or fearful and that was comforting. Most people didn't react too harshly to her powers because they seemed so ambiguous, but there were still the select few who thought her to simply be a freak. After how delightful the encounter had been so far, that would have really been disturbing, "They always effect me...." she paused for a moment, looking at the man holding her hand between his, "I grew up in a convent...they taught me how to meditate to keep a hold on myself. Otherwise I was always boomeranging. I went a little crazy a few times."

The sun was filtering through the leaves and Kealey again marveled at how warm she felt when the day had felt dank and chill before. It was incredibly odd, and she still had no clue what the man next to her was thinking. He spoke again, then released her hand as he explained the very thing she'd been guessing about him. He didn't think her powers were strange at all, in fact, she said he envied her power. She felt as though her mood should have shifted, but things had been going so well that it didn't. She shook her head anyway.

"It's not something to envy. I've only been able to be around people in the last couple years. I had to be completely isolated before that. I have to concentrate all the time or I risk losing it. It's exhausting sometimes...and no, not everyone shares your viewpoint."

The warmth of her flesh between his hands stimulated his temperature; it had grown moist in fact from the prolonged contact. The waves of radiation seeped away from him; leaving their trace over her senses to stir that longing that would make her crave his touch.

"I envy how special you are; some of us will never be so unique," he let her hand go, the fingers of his right hand gently brushed her cheek as he whispered those endearing words.

Maynard reached into his coat pocket to retrieve his wallet; inside he found a thin card. He slipped the card into Kealey's open hand; the smile on his face didn't waver for a moment as he stared into the depths of her blue eyes.

"I realize you don't really know me, but I'd love to see you again" he closed her slender fingers around the card.

His hand rested atop her closed fist while he leaned in closer, his lips gently nudging her earlobe as he whispered; "Perhaps we could get together for dinner; I'd love to hear more about your ability, perhaps you can discover the mystery of my emotions" tender lips nearly nibbled her ear he had moved so close.

He drew back and slipped away from the fountain, adjusting his coat before checking the time on his pocket watch. "I better get going, I don't want to hold you up any longer" in truth he had no plans to call him away, but he was interested in seeing what she would do.

Kealey's face flushed a deep hue of red as Maynard's fingers brushed across her cheek and he spoke. She shook her head though, dropping her eyes from his face, "It's nothing to envy. If nothing else, please believe that...and besides...everyone can be special."

Maynard reached into his pocket and Kealey watched him with her head tilted to one side, curious to see what he was doing. When he held the card out, Kealey took it, the blush deepening as Maynard spoke, saying he'd love to see her again.

She looked at the card, it looked as elegant and high class as the man who had given it to her. Kealey had so much to think about, "I'd like that." she said, the words spouting forth completely unbidden. Her eyes widened at her words and Kealey found herself laughing softly.

Laughter was the furthest thing from her mind, though, as Maynard leaned forward to whisper in her ear. His breath was so warm against her ear in comparison to the cold air that Kealey couldn't suppress the goosebumps that rose down her neck and up her arms. Her heart leaped into her throat and she was sure he had heard the sharp intake of breath she took as his lips actually brushed her ear. "Oh....uh...yes....that would be wonderful."

Before she could figure out what was going on, or pull together he jumbled thoughts after the close contact, Maynard was gone. The spot next to her on the fountain suddenly devoid of the warmth that had been there just a few moments before.

"I...." she said, not sure she was ready to stand yet after the surge of emotion that had played through her at the intimate speech. Maynard checked his watch, though and it was like the spell was broken. Kealey gasped and checked her own watch, "Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed, "I have to be back to work in five minutes!" Her eyes were wide and she leapt from the seat on the fountain. Reaching into her pocket, Kealey pulled out a pen and scribbled her phone number on the back of the card Maynard had given her, almost despairing at the way she marred the lovely paper.

Taking a few steps towards Maynard, Kealey held the card back out to him, "If you really want to see me again...you'll have to call. I'd never have the gumption to be forward enough to call you."