Zuflucht

29

Curt's POV:

"Hey, think you can take over?" I glanced at Richard before looking back at Fiona in the rearview mirror. She looked exhausted and I'm sure her head was killing her.

"Just say the word and you got it. I'll need help reading that map though, never did really leave my hometown until all of this happened." He looked across the open windshield at all of the deserted buildings and neglected shops as I began to slow the pickup down to a stop in the middle of the road.

After placing the truck into park, I stepped out and opened the backseat, ordering Milly to hop upfront in the process.

"What are you doing?" Fiona asked with deep tired eyes. Her and Ashanti both looks confused, watching as Richard stepped out and got into the driver side.

"Think you could slide down so I can sit next to your mom?" I ignored her and asked her daughter softly. She looked unsure, glancing down at her mother whom patted her knee in reassurance. Nodding, the small girl scooted down the seat until she was next to the window behind Milly.

"Got enough strength to move down yourself?" I now asked Fiona herself. She nodded while lightly wincing before she slowly but surely made her way in the middle seat.

"Uncomfortable up front?" She joked lightly. A huff of amusement left my nose as I hopped in next to her.
A few seconds later Richard began driving, which was awful to say the least.

"You should let me clean that wound." I breathed out, glancing up at her hair covered head. Confusion was written across her face as she quickly jerked her hand up to where she had hit her head, blood evident on her finger. Ashanti looked uneasy as her mother muttered a curse word underneath her breath, glancing back and fourth between her Fiona and I.

"I'm alright." She confirmed, more for her daughters sake rather than my own. Her eyes flicked over to mine before she sighed.

"You don't have to. I can handle it. It doesn't feel too bad anyways."

"No, please. It's the least I can do. For how you helped me." I don't know why I had this sudden spurt of caring in me, but a part of me didn't like it. Never would I have been so willing to help anyone, hell even bring someone along on this suicide mission with me.
She looked shocked as she glanced quickly at my slightly injured shoulder, her eyebrows raised in surprised as she debated on it for a bit before nodding.

"Alright...just don't let Ash see." I barely caught the last part of her sentence from how quiet she mumbled it, before nodding and pulling out the appropriate items.
Fiona turned around in her seat so that she was facing her daughter, her back facing me as she began to take down her hair.

"Good luck." She stated as she started doing something with her daughter on the other side of her, probably finding ways to keep them both busy.

Good... luck?

My heart was breathing louder than usual for no particular reason. It's like I'm nervous as I picked through her hair with my eyes, strategizing how I planned to do this with her having a head full of thick hair.

I quickly figured out what she meant when she said 'good luck' as I started to gently untangle different pieces from each other. Her hair wasn't just thick, it was insanely thick. Her coils and curls gently fell to different sides as I found my way more and more towards her blood soaked wound.

"Do you feel any different?" I asked, wanting to make conversation. The truck was oddly quiet and it felt wierd being crammed back here with Richard driving.

"D-different?" She questioned.

"Y'know, because of your head." Realization must have hit her from the way her voice started to stutter.

"O-oh, yeah. I'm just a little sleepy is all."

That doesn't sound good...

"Are you hurting anywhere else?"

"I think I bruised my ribs or something when I fell. Nothing feels broken though." Her hand slid up her own waist until she gently rubbed her palms against her ribs, gently putting pressure every now and then just to make sure.

"Good, it doesn't sound too severe. As long as your still able to get around quickly." She didn't say anything but I knew she would have agreed with me.

I cleared my throat and continued going through her hair, now almost fully done parting the difference sections. It wasn't until Fiona hissed in pain lightly from me pulling her hair too hard, did I realize how truly awful Richard was driving.

"Richard, you mind?" I called out, earning an apology in return.

"Sorry guys, it's been so long I still don't have the hang of it yet. Didn't even own a car before all of this happened."

"So, you don't know how to drive?" Ashanti put two and two together and asked him. Richard glanced at her from the rearview mirror.

"Of course I know how to drive! I know the bare minimum. Besides, it's not like no one's around for me to crash into." He mumbled the last part and if it wasn't for me looking at him momentarily through the mirror I would have missed him rolling his eyes.

How can a seven year old bother you that much...

"This will sting." I warned Fiona, and felt as her body stiffened as she tried to prepare herself.

"Just get it over with." She snapped slightly. I didn't mind though, I wasn't the one with a gash on the back of my head.

I put the alcohol wipe near her wound and wiped the outer edges gently, listening as she cursed under her breath and scrunched up in pain. It got significantly worse as I made direct contact with it now, being as gentle as ever. Her wound wasn't as big as it may seem or felt, but definitely enough to make someone sick to their stomach if they were currently doing what I'm doin.

"Almost done..." I trailed while picking up the bandage and started to unwind it so I could patch her up. I noticed she was no longer as tense, and had calmed down a lot more than she had earlier.

"There. All finished." I announced as I disposed of the used items and began packing the aid kit back up. She turned around and sat forward again, not bothering to touch her hair or the bandaged covered wound. The sound of giggling caught my attention, making me turn my head in the direction of Ashanti who was looking up at her mother through fits of laughter.

"What's so funny?" I myself was surprised I asked. Fiona was looking at her as well with her eyebrows knit together in confusion, the corners of her lips barely lifting up into a small smile.

"I-It's jus-st..." She fought to speak through her laughter, her tan face becoming red with laughter.

"Mama, y-your head looks funny!" She laughed out loud again, barely able to contain herself. My eyes flicked over to Fiona's who happened to chuckle to herself lightly, not bothering to check what she looked like with the bandage wrapped around her head.

Now Richard turned around to glance, until I yelled at him to keep his eyes on the road, but he also found himself laughing lightly once he saw what was going on. Although I never admitted it, a small smile broke through on my face, something that now felt foreign to me. I was almost surprised cracks didn't start forming in my skin from how long it has been to fully smile on my own.

It was funny, but Fiona's appearance didn't look funny. I had for the first time witnessed her with her hair down, and it was very different to say the least. I hadn't noticed the small feminine details on her until now, and the freckle that was slightly above her lips to the left, or the way her curls framed her face and made her eyes look even more mysterious than they already were. I was always in fight or flight mode, treating her more as back up rather than as a female, and moments like this made me realize how clueless I could be.

"What?" Fiona asked. Her eyebrows were furrowed together as she watched me basically stare at her.

"O-oh nothing, just got lost in thought." I answered, suddenly feeling flustered for no reason. I cleared my throat once again and scratched the back of my neck out if awkwardness, suddenly wishing I was driving.

"Where are we supposed be headed?" Richard asked aloud while glancing back and fourth between me and the road.

This is gonna be a long ride...