Ian walked in quietly and sat on the other side of the couch from Sadia. He glanced over at her.
"Reading? Cool... I'd thought you'd be chasing after your planet guardians like usual," Ian teased.
Sadia looked up from the book, raising an eyebrow and smiling. "Nice conversation starter, Ian. And no, not right now. If they need me, they'll let me know or I'll find out. I can watch them."
Ian nodded. "Right... Listen, there's something I've been meaning to ask you... Why did you go to unreality if you didn't want to so much?"
Sadia set down her book and smiled slightly. "Ambros was kicking our butts at every turn... I didn't know how much longer earth or my friends could take it. I figured if I sacrificed myself that...that they'd be okay. I'd do more to protect them by keeping Ambros...and myself...away."
Ian was quiet for a moment. "But you've always liked Hayes, right? How did...how could you put everyone else before yourself?"
Sadia smiled. "Because it was worth it to me. I committed to protect them. And that was my best option... Tricking Ambros and getting us both trapped away from my family."
Ian frowned, looking down. "So...the same principle kind of applies with when I tried to stab Hayes...?"
Sadia nodded. "There was no way I'd let you hurt him...or any of them...without trying to save them. It's more than my job... They're my family. All of them, even Coral. I mean... I don't think Coral always likes me very much, but... She knows I'm going to fight for her, regardless of it she can handle it herself."
Ian blinked, frowning. "I just don't understand why you'd waste your life serving them."
Sadia laughed. "'Serving?' We're a team - team earth. I also help them manage the planet. But in terms of me taking your daggar to save Hayes... I'd do it again. I would keep blocking the hits until I couldn't. After that, Hayes would destroy you because it wouldn't be a sneak attack anymore and he would know."
Ian sighed. "I've always been taught it's everyone for themselves... Destroy or be destroyed. I don't know how I could ever be as selfless as you..."
Sadia closed her book and teleported beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You love Kamara, right? Start there. She'll keep you on the right track. And if you need to, do what you have to to save her."
"Start...with Kamara..." Ian repeated quietly. "...Okay. Um...thanks... Uh...sorry I stabbed you..."
Sadia smiled, shrugging. "It's cool. That was a different you. You're better than this now."
Ian thought quietly about the task Monica had given him. "I-um... See you later. Bye Sadia."
Sadia patted his shoulder. "Later, daggar boy."
She teleported back to her spot and kept reading.
Ian watched for a second and sighed, disappearing. He couldn't back out of the job now, but... He felt bad doing this to Sadia, of all people...
