Uncharted Waters

Link wasn't sure how it had happened, but now he had one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen in his life drag him around like they'd been friends for decades. Gemma, as she'd introduced herself. She liked to be called Gigi, but Link liked Gemma more. Of course, it wasn't his place to say. He'd only just met the girl.

He watched with wide eyes as everyone went back to their business after Gigi had scared the man off, which was strange in itself. Link almost didn't want to know what she's done to them before he quite literally ran into her. He awkwardly squirmed and adjusted his clothes, smoothing out his hair as best he could since he wasn't sure what else he was supposed to do with his hands. After the introductions, she shook his hand, and he hadn't let go right away.

All of the exams and studies his father put him through to get where he was felt like nothing compared to the stress he felt when Gigi gazed at him. She seemed sweet, but she had no reason to be sweet to him.

"Well, Gemma, uh, Gigi... It's a pleasure to meet you," Link said in return, tucking his loose papers into his notebook again.

He turned and started to walk away from her, but she quickened her pace to walk alongside him.

"You're not from around here," she pointed out.

"No," Link said, a little too quickly. "I'm, uh, from Boston. Which isn't the same place as New York."

"No... It's not...," Gigi said slowly, seemingly unsure of why Link even bothered to bring that up.

"I'm visiting," Link muttered, cursing himself for acting so socially awkward.

"What for?" she asked.

"Science. History," Link lied.

"What kind of history?"

"History of Port Aris," he shrugged. "You ask a lot of questions."

"I want to know who you are," she grinned.

"There isn't much to it," he mumbled.

Gigi gave him a look because of his modesty, then pointed to his notebook.

"What's all that?" she asked.

"Field journal," Link told her.

"For the science and the history?" Gigi grinned.

"Yes, that's right."

"Can I see?"

Link froze. He wasn't used to hearing that. He wondered if there was anything embarrassing in the notes, glancing down at the book in his hand before hesitantly sitting down on the steps of one of the buildings. Gigi eagerly sat down right next to him, sitting so close he could feel her against him. She had a hand on his shoulder as he fumbled with the papers. Suddenly, his hands were shaking.

"Something wrong?" she asked him.

"No," Link lied. "Here."

He handed her the notebook so she didn't have to be so close to him, folding his hands in his lap quietly as she skimmed through them. There wasn't anything secret. Nothing about his team's current goal. Most of it happened to be notes on things he'd read in books, and later encountered in person. Things his father would have been interested in hearing about.

"Why so many loose pages?" Gigi asked.

"I don't always have the book on me," he explained. "I'll write on whatever I can, and shove it into there later."

She gently closed the notebook and handed it back with a sweet smile that made Link turn crimson. He looked down at his feet as Gigi stood, brushing off her dress.

"I wish I could commit to keeping a field journal, like that," she sighed.

"Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt," Link recited.

Gigi's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"William Shakespeare," she realized.

"Yes," Link said, impressed that she even knew what he was taking about.

For a moment, they just stared at each other in silence, until Link broke the gaze and cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Well, I should go," Link said, standing up with her. "It was nice to meet you, Gemma. Er, Gigi."

She seemed sad to see him go, but smiled and nodded.

"Will I see you again?" she asked, surprising Link again.

"Me?" Link asked in disbelief.

"Yes, silly," she laughed. "Who else would I be talking to you?"

"I... Well.... Um," Link found himself stammering again, "Yes. I'll be around. I'm sure you will."

"Good," she said.

Link nodded to her and quickly started walking in the direction of home. He wasn't sure what had happened or what he was feeling, but it reminded him of the time his aunt had tried cooking, and left him chained his bed for weeks. Luckily, no one was home yet when he arrived.

He sat down at his desk and set down the book, flipping through it. Surprisingly, all pages were accounted for. Of course, who would want to steal any of it? His notes didn't make sense to anyone but him. He thought about what Gigi suggested, putting them all in order and clipping it so it wouldn't fly apart again. He realized he was smiling as he did so, and quickly pushed the thought from his mind. He doubted he'd ever see Gigi again. While she seemed genuine, she may have just been a very friendly, confident person.

Link heard the door open and his team return, sounding disappointed with the day's events. He stayed in the study until they all came to him, impatiently waiting for him to tell them why things didn't go their way.

"You really expect us to investigate every little piece of jewelry in town?" Catherine asked.

"No, that's what Eric expects," Link said. "I just said that its most likely in that form. And statistically, it would be someone in the upper class who carries it. So, no, you don't have to investigate everyone. Just the majority."

"We don't have this kind of time," Andrew growled. "Gavin won't keep finding an expedition that isn't going anywhere."

Link's blood turned to ice at the memory of the large, burly millionaire who was funding it all. Link had only seen him in person once, and even that was enough to instill fear into his heart.

"Maybe if you took me with you, you'd have better luck," Link suggested.

"Think fast, Link."

Link suddenly turned as a couple paperweights were tossed to him, catching one of them, but fumbling with the other and ultimately dropping both of them, as well as bumping into his desk and knocking several things off of that, too.

"See?" Eric said. "This was my point. Just give us names, we'll do the rest."

"I don't have names to give you!" Link snapped. "I told you a hundred times!"

"Watch your tone, Chicago," Daniel warned.

"Boston!" Link corrected, exasperated. "I'm from Boston!"

Link fell back into a chair, sighing as everyone loomed over him.

"Maybe instead of lurking, you should try making friends in the upper class," he suggested. "Go to some parties. Mingle. Gossip."

Instinctively, everyone looked to Catherine, who looked insulted.

"What, because I'm the only woman here, I'm the one who needs to mingle?" she scoffed. "I didn't get here for my sex appeal, that's for sure.

"What appeal?" Daniel mumbled, only to get punched in the gut by Catherine.

Soon, a full blown fight was happening in Link's room. He didn't pay attention as they tried to pry Daniel and Catherine off each other, lost in thought. If they weren't going to take him with them, he was just going to have to go out and look on his own.