She's No Beauty Queen

Mark hadn't realized exactly how much Lily knew about marine life until tonight. He knew she was a conservationist but hadn't been able to comprehend the extent of her passion until he saw her light up talking about jellyfish.

It was hard to imagine being that passionate about your career. She didn't choose to study marine biology because she thought it would be a high paying job, the way he had chosen to study business. She genuinely loved it.

Her forlorn expression when she mentioned she couldn't scuba dive weighed on him. He had never seen her look like that before.

Lily was normally such a smiley person. Even when she wasn't smiling she had an open, expressive face. He had seen negative expressions from her before, such as when she was worried about Angelina earlier, but this struck him differently.

This stubborn girl who inspired him by not being willing to accept the fact that nobody thought she would be able to get her driver's license back in high school had been resigned to her fate as she talked about not being able to scuba dive. Some things were impossible no matter how much you wanted them. He had learned that a long time ago.

Yet there were still people like Lily who optimistically clung to the notion of being able to overcome their circumstances and do anything. He had always admired those who fought against the norm. Her especially.

Maybe that was why he didn't like seeing her accept defeat like that. She was a large part of the reason he was here today. The reason he fought against his seemingly impossible circumstances to become something more.

And Mark had to admit she had chosen a difficult career considering her limitations. As expected of the Lily Bennett he knew in high school. With her brains she could have worked toward a cushy desk job somewhere instead of remaining active and more at risk.

He sighed. Worrying about Lily right now was pointless. Who he really needed to worry about was his boss.

Showing up unannounced close to 9 PM wasn't the best manners but he was sincerely concerned about the downfall of the mighty Edward Todd. Seeing him so unhinged earlier had freaked Mark out more than a little after he got that phone call about the kidnapping.

He hadn't wanted to leave at all but he had to do his job. Mr. Todd insisted. No, Edward insisted. This whole mess had proved he was a person with feelings like anybody else. They ran deeper than Mark could have imagined.

Right now he was here as a friend rather than an assistant. A friend who was worried about Edward Todd the man, not Edward Todd the employer.

Mark had a key to come and go as necessary because he was so involved in his boss's life but he didn't even need to use it. The front door had been left unlocked and the alarm system was off.

He didn't have to look hard to find his boss. Edward sat on the couch in the living room with his phone in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. He seemed to be scrolling through something and stopped to take a long swig straight out of the bottle after grimacing at whatever he saw.

When he lowered the bottle he finally noticed that he had company. "What are you doing here? I didn't call for you."

"Forgive me for overstepping my bounds but I was worried about you," Mark said straightforwardly. "I wanted to make sure you were okay after what happened earlier."

"I don't pay you to worry about me," Edward said bitterly. "Go home."

The comment would have stung if he didn't think back on what Lily said before about how no one seemed to call him by his name so he was probably lonely. Mark had never seen him around anyone that wasn't necessary for business aside from Angel and Aria. It was highly likely he didn't have a single friend.

"That doesn't mean I won't worry anyway," Mark replied as he sat down next to him without permission. "I've been by your side for two years now so technically speaking you're my oldest friend."

Edward snorted before taking another long drink from the bottle. "That's pretty sad. I suppose I should've realized you didn't have a social life either since you've never once asked for a day off. Fine then. Worry about me if it makes you feel better. Nobody else does.

"Angel certainly doesn't. When I met her I finally thought I found someone who was different from anybody else. Somebody that didn't want anything from me. What a joke. She doesn't want anything from me because she doesn't like me. Never did.

"And now she's probably dead and I'm all alone again like the sucker I've always been. Though I suppose there is Aria." He cursed and took another drink before continuing. "What am I supposed to tell her? She loves her mother even though she's hardly home.

"How am I supposed to raise a daughter all by myself? I don't know anything about females! If I did I wouldn't have fallen in love with the one woman on earth that wants nothing to do with me. Isn't it ironic? Just about any other young woman in Monterey would sell their soul to be with me but the one that I want wishes she never met me in the first place."

"Edward, I'm sure she doesn't actually think that—" he tried reassuring the depressed man next to him but was shut down instantly.

"Oh so you're calling me Edward now? Do you feel sorry for me Mark? That nobody ever talks to me like I'm a normal person. I'm twenty-nine; why does everyone treat me like I'm some sort of wise old sage?

"Mr. Todd this, Mr. Todd that. The last people to call me Edward before this were my parents and they didn't care about me either. Angel was different. The first time we met she said it was an old man's name and that Eddie suited me better. She was the only one who understood me and I screwed it up.

"Now she's gone; I'll never be able to fix things. She died hating my guts and there's absolutely nothing I can do about it. At the very least I need to find her body to bury for Aria's sake so she has a grave to visit."