Before going back to Mars, Ares and Eliza took a pit stop in Italy for a little nightlife fun. Neither one of them were eager to get back to hunting down more Scorpion members and Eliza was unusually joyful after putting Terrance away. Ares wanted to take advantage of her good mood.

The bar they went to was already full of people, some drunker than others, but all having the time of their lives. Eliza ordered herself a couple of shots that she took down instantly. She hooted with the crowd and meandered into the dancing crowd. Ares stuck with a little whiskey and watched his partner let go of everything. He laughed at her wild dancing and the way the crowd swarmed around her.

Eliza eventually came back to the bar for some water and a margarita. Her eyes were bright while she sipped the drink and smiled at Ares. He chuckled and studied the people around them.

“I didn’t peg you as a party girl, Lizzy,” he said over the chatter, looking back to her.

She shrugged, “There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me, Ares.”

“What got you into the party scene?”

“My rebellious teenage years. Lauren helped bring me back when we moved to Mars.”

“Does she even have time to go out anymore?”

Eliza grinned, “Of course. She calls a babysitter or has her husband watch the kids while we go out. She doesn’t let her work stop her from having fun.”

“Does her husband like the nightlife?”

“He got her into it when they were teenagers. He doesn’t go out as often anymore, but he hasn’t given it up yet. The kids slowed both of them down.”

Ares nodded and signaled for a second drink. Eliza sucked down half of her drink and leaned rested her head on her hand, staring down the man in front of her. The way a corner of his mouth turned up when he noticed her eyes made the alcohol in her stomach churn uncomfortably. Her already tipsy mindset didn’t let her look away embarrassed. Instead, her cheeks turned redder and she tapped the bar top with her fingers.

“Ares Matthews.”

Eliza and Ares turned to see a burly man with short black hair and a full beard. His brown eyes were bright as he looked upon the taller man, reaching over to clap his hand on Ares’ back. Once recognition registered in Ares’ eyes, he stood and pulled the stranger into a short hug. Eliza watched on in interest.

“It’s been a long time!” Ares grinned from ear to ear as he stared at his old friend.

The man laughed deeply, “Getting out of the business will do that. How have you been?”

“Great, great. Some family issues, but we’re handling it.”

That’s when the man’s eyes fell on Eliza. “You and this young thing?” Ares nodded and the man chuckled, “Didn’t know you still had it in you, lad.”

Eliza blushed again while Ares deterred his friend from the thought. The man held his hand out to her, which she took with a timid smile.

“Jack Kenway.”

“Eliza Kane.”

His eyes widened and then he let out a loud, boisterous laugh. “You have made quite a name for yourself in the bounty hunting world. What are you doing with this guy?”

“I didn’t have much choice,” she smirked, glancing at Ares.

“You still can’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”

Ares shrugged and sat back down. “Want anything?”

Jack shook his head, “Sadly, I can’t tonight. I’m here for a quick meeting with the owner of this dump. He’s another 10 minutes away.” He turned toward Eliza with a grin. “Ares sure is lucky to have found you, huh?”

“He was lost without me; literally begging me to partner with him,” she said.

“You asked me to, so I listened.”

“Wow, and he’s whipped!”

“I don’t think I’ve missed you, Jack.”

Jack laughed. “Be a man and learn how to take a joke, lad. Miss Kane enjoyed it.”

She covered her mouth to stifle her drunken giggle. She quickly asked for another glass of water and another margarita in the midst of her amusement. Ares gazed at her, his eyes softening at the sight.

Jack elbowed Ares and leaned closer to him. “Just a partner, eh?”

“Shut up,” Ares said, pushing his friend away with a smile. “Leave it alone.”

The three of them continued to talk to each other until Jack went upstairs to talk with the owner once he showed up. At that point, Eliza finished her second margarita and Ares was sipping on a beer, no longer wanting a strong drink. Eliza got up to dance a few more times and the last time she came to get a little hydration, she practically dragged Ares into the crowd. With a few drinks in both of them, dancing came easy. Eliza didn’t dance the same as before. She waved her hands and jumped a lot. It looked like she was at a rock concert. Naturally, Ares decided to join her craziness, making her laugh so hard she could hardly stand up on her own. It felt good to forget everything for just a little while.

Their walk to the hotel was quiet. Ares waited until Eliza sobered up before suggesting heading out. Her eyelids were drooping after she ate a burger, so Ares decided it was time to go. Eliza seemed content in their silence, listening to the chirps of crickets and staring at the half moon. The hotel they booked after taking care of Terrance came into view, causing Eliza to pick up her speed. She was ready for a good night of sleep.

Once they hopped into the elevator and the doors shut behind them, Eliza leaned her head against the wall of it. Her eyes fell on Ares as he checked his communicator. His hair blocked her view of his face, so she looked at the floor. The elevator beeped, opening up to their floor, and Ares put his communicator away to follow Eliza out.

“What room am I in?” she asked, checking the sign on the wall.

“You’re in 507. I’m next door,” Ares said. “I think the rooms are connected. I couldn’t find any available rooms that weren’t a unit.”

“That’s fine.”

The hunters stopped just outside Eliza’s room while Ares fished out her room key. She suggested he keep it while they were out because she was afraid her drunk self would lose it. She slowly took it from him, feeling exhaustion creep up on her again. A yawn escaped.

Ares chuckled, “We don’t have to be back on Mars early, so sleep as long as you need. We’ll leave when you’re ready.”

Nodding, she took the key card and unlocked her door. “Goodnight, Ares.”

“Night. If you need me, just come into my room. The door should be beside the closet.”

She nodded again and let the door shut behind her. Eliza listened to Ares go into his own room, standing in the middle of the short hall. There was an uncomfortable feeling of loneliness growing in her chest despite a single door separating them. She couldn’t tell if she was still tipsy or needing companionship. It was something she hadn’t felt in a long time. But it was Ares in the other room. He practically stalked her just to convince her to be a hunting duo. He pushed all of her buttons just to get a reaction and then he’d cackle about it. He got her into the giant mess with the Scorpions. But he also sacrificed a lot to keep her happy, to keep her safe, and he wasn’t protecting her to suppress her. He wanted her to kick Scorpion ass, but he wanted her sanity in check. Ares wiggled his way into her life and now she didn’t want to sleep without him.

Eliza shook her head and glared at the air in front of her. She wasn’t going into his room just to sleep. She wasn’t going to ask him to stay with her. He was scaling her walls and sharing a bed again would only help him overcome her stubbornness. She wasn’t having any of it. They still had Scorpions to deal with and getting closer would only give Ezra and his band of eight-legged freaks an advantage. She released air in a huff and got ready for bed.

After her scalding shower, Eliza climbed under the covers and stared at the hologram clock on the table. It was nearing 1 a. m. She closed her eyes. It felt like an eternity went by. 1:07 a.m. Eliza growled and covered her face with a pillow. She wasn’t going over to him. She was going to close her eyes and sleep. She didn’t need him right there. She slept fine without him in their apartment even after the intrusions. She’d sleep fine without him in a hotel. 1:15 a.m. 2 a.m. rolled around, and she nearly screamed as she got out of bed and stomped over to the door. Her hand hovered over the doorknob for a second before she rolled her eyes and marched into the room.

Ares was still awake, the television on and volume low. The lamp next to the bed was on, bathing him in a soft yellow. His eyes were a brighter gold than usual when he looked at her disheveled face. She resisted the urge to take in every angle and curve of his naked torso.

“Are you okay?” He jumped out of the bed to come closer.

Eliza’s stare was hard. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared up at him. “I don’t know what’s going on in my stupid head, but I can’t sleep alone. It’s pissing me off.”

He chuckled and smiled softly, “It’s not the end of the world if you need company, Lizzy.”

“It is when you’re my company.”

“Am I really that terrible to be around?”

Her eyes danced across his face, “Yes. Sometimes. Maybe not so much as of late.”

“Your frustration seems to be misdirected.”

“Don’t analyze me, Ares. You can’t figure me out when I can’t figure myself out,” she said. “I shouldn’t even be in here. I should be asleep in my own bed.”

Eliza turned to leave, but Ares captured her wrist. She almost didn’t look back at him.

“If you need someone close by so you can sleep, then I’ll help. I’ll quit teasing you about it. I don’t want you losing sleep because I’m a moron and make jokes when I don’t know how to react. You’re always surprising me. When I think I understand something about you, you change everything. I really didn’t expect you to come charging through this door saying you need someone nearby to sleep. Frankly, I was surprised.”

“You’re not the only one.”

Ares gently tugged on her arm to pull her away from the door, shutting it behind her. “You are more than welcome to take the other side of my bed if that will help. If you feel more comfortable in your room, then I’ll go with you. It’s up to you, ya know.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly, “I hate that you’re nice to me.”

“You’ll have to take that up with Mom.”

“I also hate that you’re not offended when I tell you what I hate about you.”

He shrugged, “I’m not here to start a fight with you. I also don’t need validation to know my value, so hate me all you want.”

“I hate that I don’t actually hate you.”

“You’ve told me this once. You haven’t been drinking since we got back, right?”

“Of course not. It’s too expensive at a hotel,” she scoffed. “Quit worrying about me.”

A gentle smile graced his lips, “Sorry, but that’s not going to happen.”

“You don’t have to care so much.” Eliza mumbled her way over to the bed and curled up on the side farthest from Ares.

He watched her pull the sheet up to her chin and still. “Is the television going to bother you?”

She made a noise, which he assumed meant she didn’t care. Eliza didn’t tell him to turn it off when he laid down on the other side, turning off the lamp. The soft blue hue from the television reflected off the wall Eliza glared at. She listened to the show and whatever Ares did beside her. It wasn’t long before she finally shut her eyes and fell asleep.

Ares heard her snore softly. He looked at her, still facing away from him, and smiled. He muted the television and carefully leaned closer to Eliza. He kissed the side of her head and brushed her hair away from her face. She shifted but didn’t wake. He knew she’d figure it out someday, and until then, he’d give her all the time she needed.