"She's quiet," Amaris whispered as they made their way back to the station.

"The Oracle?" Taehyung questioned.

Amaris nodded silently, brow furrowed. She appeared to be listening intently for the Oracle as if just by focusing she could draw her out. It was strange how she sought out the voice of the Oracle that she seemed to despise.

The relationship between the Oracle and Amaris was one Taehyung felt he could never fully understand. It was like an infinite push and pull; a fight with neither party wanting to win. Amaris said she no longer hated the Oracle, but there was still some sort of underlying animosity that was beyond what Taehyung knew. Nevertheless, Amaris seemed just a little frightened at the Oracle's silence. He wondered what it was like, sharing a mind with someone else. The constant conversation in Amaris' mind would have driven Taehyung mad. He admired her resiliance, but wanted to know more about what was happening in Amaris' head.

"Taehyung?" Amaris asked with a small voice. "Am I crazy?"

"What?" Taehyung made a face, taken aback by her question.

"I mean, I have a voice in my head that tells me to do things," she said, "and I do them. That's nuts."

"Amaris," Taehyung started, reaching for something to say, "a few days ago I thought you were crazy. I thought this whole thing with the Oracle was absolute madness. But now I'm wrapped up in this scheme with demons and biblical characters. Most all people accept some level of the supernatural ever since you came around, but I didn't want to see it."

"Taehyung, if you're trying to make me feel worse you're doing a great job of it," Amaris grumbled.

"Hear me out." Taehyung shook his head. "If you came to me a month ago and told me that I would be working with the Oracle on something having to do with demons, I definitely would have called you crazy. But now that I've seen what I have, now that I've seen you, I know this is real life. It sounds crazy, sure, but this is what our lives are now. You aren't crazy, Amaris. Maybe this situation is, but you aren't."

"That doesn't make me feel much better," Amaris sighed.

Taehyung grimaced as he stared at the road ahead of them. All he wanted to do was help Amaris, but all he could seem to do was hurt her. She seemed so sad around him, like a ghost. Even his well meant words caused her pain.

"We're here," Taehyung said softly as he pulled into the station parking lot, "do you want to come in?"

Wordlessly, Amaris nodded and followed him into the building. Once again, they made their way to his bare cubicle and sat down at his desk. Taehyung made a few calls to some people he thought could help them descipher the strange marking that they hoped were a clue. Meanwhile, Amaris rolled the spherical puzzle in her hands, studying its every facet. She moved the panels around experimentally, almost as if expecting something to happen, but all that changed was where each panel was.

"You called?" A bright voice asked from behind Taehyung.

Before he could reply, the dull thud of the sphere falling to the carpeted ground was heard. When Taehyung looked over at Amaris, she was staring at the person behind them with tears in her eyes, frozen.

"Jin?" She whispered, her voice trembling.

Taehyung turned around fully to see his coworker standing there, staring wide-eyed at Amaris.

"It's you," she sighed, standing and reaching out to cup Jin's face in her hand.

Jin didn't say anything, but simply tilted his head to press his cheek into her palm. Taehyung watched their silent exchange, finally putting the pieces together. Amaris' Kim number 2 had been his coworker Kim Seokjin.

And now, Taehyung could see that Amaris had never loved him when they were young. She had never looked at him like she was looking at Jin. Her eyes were bright, glimmering with a spark of something Taehyung had never seen before. She looked so hopeful, yet so broken. Taehyung would have given anything to get Amaris to look at him that way.

"I heard you were here earlier," Jin spoke finally, his voice just a little choked.

"Yeah." Amaris nodded.

"It's been so long," he said.

"Yeah." Amaris nodded again.

The two of them seemed in their own world, separate from Taehyung. He felt as if he were encroaching on their moment, a stranger in their removed reality.

"I still love you," Jin whispered to which Taehyung felt his stomach drop.

"You know that's not fair." Amaris shook her head, taking her hand away from his face to rest it gently on his chest.

"Life's not fair." He smiled gently. "What's to say we can't try this out? Look at the future and tell me you know we'll never work, and maybe then I'll let you go."

"I can't," Amaris mumbled, "the Oracle's gone quiet."

"Then what's stopping us?" Jin asked.

Amaris looked away, her hand dropping down to her side. They were silent for a moment longer as Taehyung watched with anticipation. He wanted Amaris to find her happiness, but he couldn't help being jealous of Jin. Taehyung had been by Amaris' side for years while Jin had only been a part of her life for maybe a few.

"Help us solve this puzzle," Amaris said finally, "let us close this case and then we can try this out."

"I understand." Jin nodded.

"And don't you dare disappear on me this time," Amaris warned with a gentle smile.

"I promise," Jin said before leaning down to brush his lips across hers gently.

It was a fleeting moment, but Taehyung felt a pang in his heart that was worse than any pain he had experienced before.

"So," he said loudly, hoping to change the subject, "what do you make of this?"

Taehyung held up the box that the orb had been in for Jin to see the inscription within. Jin took the box from his hands gingerly and squinted at the writing, running his fingers over it.

"This isn't like anything I've ever seen." Jin shook his head, handing the box back. "It's old, I can tell you that much. I don't think we have that in our system at all. I think your best bet is to try and decode it by comparing it to other alphabets."

"If it's not like anything you've ever seen, how are we supposed to compare it to something?" Taehyung asked perhaps a little too agressively.

"I suppose you're right." Jin pursed his lips. "I'll take a look at some of the things we have on file and send you an email with what I think will help."

"Thanks." Taehyung nodded before standing quickly. "I suppose I should be getting you home, Amaris."

"I suppose," she said softly in agreement.

"I'll see you guys around then." Jin smiled.

Taehyung watched as Jin leaned down to whisper something in Amaris ear to which her eyes grew wide and a smile spread across her lips. Though a little upset, Taehyung was more relieved that Jin hadn't kissed her again.

"You ready to go?" Taehyung asked Amaris as she turned to face him.

She nodded, clearly preoccupied by whatever Jin had said to her. Taehyung would be lying if he said he wasn't glad someone could make Amaris smile like that. Nevertheless, he couldn't shake his jealousy over the fact that it wasn't him. He supposed he got what he asked for, someone who could help Amaris, but not in the way he wanted. 

Life's not fair.

A/N:

I AM SO SO SORRY FOR MY WEEK LONG ABSENCE. MY DOCTOR TOLD ME NOT TO USE THE COMPUTER FOR A WEEK TO HELP MY WRIST HEAL. FINALLY, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WRITE! I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE THE UPDATE. MY WRIST STILL ISN'T AT ITS BEST, BUT IT'S BETTER. HOPEFULLY I'LL BE ABLE TO UPDATE REGULARLY VERY SOON.