Logan

125. You Don't Have To Worry About Me

*Everett's POV*

I softly closed the bedroom door behind me, Alex had finally managed to drift off after trying to stay awake to ream her a new one. Finding out she'd been to the hospital and disappeared for so long freaked him out, but it also made him angry. There was too much stress confectionery in this house, so I grabbed some of it to take to the station, the firehouse, and maybe the elementary school. Alex would stress bake all day if he could, but I managed to hide the mixer somewhere.

I dropped off the last bit of stress baking when I felt my phone vibrate, then a song by Elvis started playing.

"Hello?"

"Everett, it's Natalie. Can you pick me up?"

I sighed in relief, but felt a pang of anger,"You know Alex has been in an absolute panic trying to find out where you went? Why didn't you call him?"

"I know you're upset, but truth be told I just didn't want to talk to anyone."

"You had no problem talking to Captain Ripley." Silence "Natalie are you still there?"

"It's fine, I'll just walk home." Click.

"Hello? Hello?" I looked at the screen to see the call was disconnected. I slammed my hand on the steering wheel, and thought of all her usual spots. I looked at the time, breakfast would still be going. It was a long shot, but I headed toward Trixies. I ran inside to find out she'd left a few moments ago, so I drove down the road that led to her house. There she was, walking along the road. I pulled up, and rolled down the window.

"Get in."

"No."

I sighed, "Come on, I'm not gonna take this."

"Then don't, leave me here."

"You know I can't do that." I was holding pretty tight to the steering wheel, and I pulled closer to the sidewalk, "Alex is my partner, and you're his sister. Which means I am partially responsible for you too."

She stopped in her tracks and looked right at me, "You have been dating my brother for only a little while, so you have no right to look at me and act like you know me just by spending a bit of time around me. You have no right to assume anything about me, especially when it comes to who I do or don't talk to. You certainly have no right to act as if me asking you for any type of favor gives you the place to criticize me for anything I do. Alex and I have been living together for years now, and as much as I love your dedication to him, you and I do not have that level of trust and support. I don't have to take shit from anyone, which certainly means you and anyone that isn't my brother."

She turned away and kept walking, and I saw the opportunity. I sped up ahead of her and pulled up onto the sidewalk. I watched her stop and I stared her down.

"Listen, little girl, you can either get in this truck and I can take you home, OR, I will pick your little princess ass up and throw you in." I didn't realize I was yelling until I saw her face turn pale, and she completely froze, expressionless.

"What the fuck is going on here?" I heard a familiar Scottish brogue in my ear as he stood in front of the window, "I know you're not actually yelling."

I leaned out to see Aeron looking back at me, "Where'd you come from?"

He pointed up at the brick building, "I live right there. I looked out my window and saw you two arguing. I headed down the steps, then, I watched you pull up on the side walk like a brute and yell." Aeron looked over, "You alright, love?"

I looked over to see Natalie's hands shaking and a whispered, "I'm fine." She was exercising self-restraint, but her body wasn't, she was looking down and away from me, part of her had slumped to look small.