Say That You Need Me - Hop x Gloria

Chapter 14

A/N - Ahhh we're so close to the end. I'm not ready to let go!

The short walk to the train station ended with Bede holding the door open for Marnie before following her inside. His eyes flicked up to the clock: 10:52. Nice. We're late. The desk worker snored softly, drawing their attention to the front desk.

Marnie raised her eyebrow questioningly and jerked her head in his direction. Bede nodded stepping to stand behind her and shoving her lightly towards the desk. She gasped, frowning back at him while he suppressed his laughter. Gently, she rapped her lightly bruised knuckles on the desk and took a step back as the worker woke up.

"Oh, it's just you two," he mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes before he straightened his hat. "Time?"

"Ten fifty-three."

"Well, that was good nap for the evening."

He turned to the computer and opened a map of the train routes.

"The train will be here at 10:58. The longest I can stop it for without making it late to its destination is a little under a minute. You two ready to hustle?"

"I think we could manage," Bede said, standing up to join them at the front desk.

"Excuse my asking, but what are you two doing down in the Wedgehurst station anyway?"

"I'd ask you the same thing, but I think I already know," Marnie smiled, earning one in return.

"Every night, 9pm-5am. It's not a bad gig, if I do say so myse-"

"In all seriousness," Bede interjected, "we're going to pick someone up due to a... family emergency." Marnie gave his hand a gentle squeeze before she jumped up to sit on the ticket counter. Silence, other than the gentle hum of the computers, settled over them again.

The worker looked from the map to the clock again a couple minutes later. "One minute until arrival. I really hope everything works out for you guys."

"I do too," Marnie said, climbing back down and joining Bede next to the train doors. The worker came out from behind the counter. He turned a key in a slot next to the door, opening them manually with a slight clang when they were open all the way. The train sped in, pulling to a stop with the gentle whoosh from the brakes. The worker scanned his thumb on a keypad so he could open the doors manually without triggering the emergency stop system.

"Go, go, go!"

Bede forced Marnie to go first, the doors closing right behind them. They turned and waved timidly to the kind man who had helped them. The worker simply tipped his hat and winked as the train took off again, sending them both to the floor.

Snow blew off the tracks when the train emerged out the other side of the mountain, sending a white spray over everything as if it were actually snowing. Marnie was on one side of the table, Bede on the other, occasionally stepping on each others toes as a form of entertainment when their cellular connection finally gave out. 

The subtle whirr of the electric engine slowed along with the train, coasting to a gentle stop and disrupting a large pile of snow that had accumulated at the end of the tracks. Marnie looked up to check the time displayed on an LED-screen: 11:27pm. The doors clicked and opened, small flecks of powdery snow falling into the doorway, causing both of them to shiver. Marnie wrapped the cloak tighter around herself, Bede grabbing her by the arm and wrapping an arm around her side to bring her closer to himself. She looked up and smiled at his blush.

"It'll be warmer if we stand like this," he muttered.

She leaned closer and elbowed his side softly, wrapping her covered arm back around in return. "I certainly don't mind."