Station 429

the night of waves

the night of waves

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During the first week of November, Foster was spending longer hours at the station, staying until two or three in the morning rather than midnight or one. He was letting Misty's words get to him, even though he was one to always be sure of himself. He hardly ever let anyone sway his opinions or thoughts, but this time it was different. He was dealing with Colleen here, and that was treacherous waters.

Misty had made Foster come to realize just how much of a tidal wave Colleen could actually become. There were so many ways that she could burst into her full potential, knocking him and everyone else to the ground.

What he meant, is that she had that certain fire in her heart that you have to see in order to believe, the fire that is hard to describe in itself, but you know it when you see it. She could be reckless and fearless and brave and tough, if she really wanted to.

But the part that scared Foster the most, was how he wanted to experience every single part of it. He wanted to be there when it happened- he wanted to drown in her waters then be brought back to life by her touch because he knew it would make him feel again.

Then there was a touch on his shoulder that stopped him from pacing back and forth around the tracks on the first group meeting in November. But it wasn't just anyone's touch, it was her touch, and when he spun around as Colleen's hand told him to and realized it was her, electric shocks shot through his body.

"I've been calling you since I was at the entrance," she said, hand still on his shoulder, which he couldn't help but notice.

"Um," he tried answering, but he kept thinking about her goddamned hand that was still on his shoulder. So he was forced to take a large breath (seeing the rise and fall of her arm as it moved with his shoulder, mind you, so then he shut his eyes briefly) and tried to relax.

"Is everything okay?" Colleen asked, becoming slightly concerned.

Foster's eyes fluttered open, and he tried his best to smile brightly. "Yeah, everything's fine." He tapped his finger to his head. "Just lost up here."

Colleen's eyebrows creased. "Anything you need to talk about?"

He immediately shook his head. "No. Don't worry about it."

Finally, Colleen let her arm drop, and I swear Foster let out an inaudible, but very much visible, sigh of relief. "Okay," was all she said, and they were left in silence.

Colleen hadn't been coming around as often. She would typically come on Monday's before Foster would show up, and just be alone with the station. She came Saturday's and Thursday's to be with Foster, because she very much liked hanging out with Foster, but compared to before their argument, that was hardly any time at all.

Again, she really did like being around Foster. He helped her figure things out in her clouded mind, and she couldn't ever repay him for that. But something about that argument shifted things for her, and what she really wanted to do was figure out who she was along with everyone else in Station 429. She thought that was very important to do, as well.

"You're still wearing the bracelet," Foster pointed out, eyeing how she twisted the white band around and around her wrist, which was becoming her new habit.

Colleen looked down. "Of course," she said.

"Why did you pick the white one, anyway?"

"To me, white is pure, and perfect, you know?" she said as they started walking toward the train. "And being pure and perfect represents a clean slate. Kind of like a baby."