Percy’s jaw clenched, he knew that tone. It was the one Cat used when one of the kids got out of hand. It had been years since he had heard such a tone and for something as petty as respecting her silent wishes. “You seemed quite content to ignore me as well.” Percy ground out, surprised at the ire that rose so easily to the surface. Well over a decade of frustration, anger, hurt, poured into his words unbidden. He’d imagined seeing her again, running into her in the streets a million times, and never had he anticipated it turning out like this. Stuck in a lift with both of them mad at the other.

Without further words she brushed forward, pushing at the neglected buttons. Percy had ruled them out, knowing that it was magic that moved the lift the buttons merely directed it. But he said nothing and stepped back, watching her, wondering how it had spiraled so quickly into this.

Finally she stepped away from the buttons, the lift still suspended in the dark channel between floors. Thirteen years between them, wrapped around them, and all Percy could think to say was, “Done?” As if he could not resist the opportunity to make this situation even worse than it had begun.