Shallow Valley

33.Skeletons

33.

You got skeletons in your closet
It's written all over your face
(Brothers Of Osbourne-Skeletons)

Gaia was walking, pensive. She was a bit worried, it was a week since she had last heard about Luna. The Council had decided to dismantle her clan and she was scared that something bad had happened to her old friend. Also, she was concerned about Lexa and Madi's life. Gaia had helped the Heda to flee away from Polis. She was the reason why Lexa had known about her siblings and could move to Shallow Valley. Gaia met the Heda shortly after Costia's death. She had just become Titus' novitiate when the two saw each other's for the first time. The younger girl couldn't really understand why an important person like her would had wanted to approach her, but then she realized the truth. Lexa was grieving and feeling alone. She had no real friends, just people who she cared about, but that didn't care about her. Lexa told her about Roan, the only person who had ever loved and supported her beside Costia and about how she had to push him away. The Heda was drowning into solitude and all she needed was someone by her side, a friend. Being a commander means to be alone, she had heard those words slipping out from Titus' mouth so many times. She could see how they hurt Lexa, every time. She was fascinated by how her marriage had changed the perception of what the Fleimkepa kept telling her. It happened one night. Gaia was looking for a book for Titus in his office, when she saw an envelope with some papers inside. This is how she found out about Anya and Lincoln. At first, she didn't know what to do, but then she decided to tell Lexa about them. And when the older woman came to her door two weeks later asking for her help to leave Polis, she couldn't help, but do it. Gaia was the only one who knew where Lexa was. She had sworn fealty to her only. Not to the Heda, but to Lexa, something no Fleimkepa had ever done before. Going back to Austin in order to attend college had been also a way to protect Lexa's family and herself from Titus and Azgeda. No one had to know where the Heda and the Natblida went. They needed to stay safe. However, being both a novitiate and a student was really difficult. A lot of her people perceived themselves just elements of a criminal organization or of a clan of outlaws, but there was more than that in being a Grounder. She knew that. All she wanted was regaining the whole spiritual Grounders' heritage. She was studying to become a priest, after all. A priest of a really special church. She sighed, thinking about how many things she still had to do that day. She checked her watch and gulped. She was so late. It was almost prayers' time. Gaia ran to the dorm, hoping that her roommate wasn't there. Kate was a kind girl and she liked her a lot, but it would have been a bit embarrassing and complicated to explain her who she really was. Gaia reached her room and put the key into the lock, only to find out that the door was already opened. She went in, a bit suspicious.

"Kate?" she called her roommate, but apparently she wasn't there. Gaia swallowed. Something was wrong, really really wrong. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and jerked, scared.

"W-what are y-you doing he-here?".

________________

Octavia was sitting on her desk. She was so tired, investigating on Pike and on the homicides at the same time was starting to be really stressing. Moreover, Kara Cooper kept phoning the station in order to ask the detective to find her chickens. Apparently, other two of them had disappeared recently, but on the contrary of the previous times, the woman didn't find them. Despite Anya firmly believing that it was a wolf's guilt, Octavia was starting to assume that maybe the killer who was haunting Shallow Valley had something to do with the vanished chickens. However, a part Kara Cooper, no other farmer had reported missing animals. She snorted, slamming a pen on her desk. Indra gazed at her, a bit concerned. She liked that young detective. The FBI agent found Octavia a really strong and honest woman, who cared a lot of her town. Not that Anya didn't care too, but it was different. The older Woods was a great detective too, but since Indra had tried to arrest Madi, she was a bit cold to the FBI agent. The relationship with Octavia was really something else. The two were starting to bond a bit and the younger of the Blakes was really fascinated by Indra. Maybe it was her charisma or maybe her job, but Octavia couldn't help, but admire her a lot.