Comforting Souls

Chapter One.

Bolting up right in bed, the shrieking sound of my phone ringing hammered at my brain. Glancing at the clock beside my bed it read twenty past eight in the morning. Groaning loudly, I reached over for my phone that wouldn't shut up.

"What?" I grumbled into the receiver.

A snicker sounded on the other end of the line before the person laughing spoke. "Well, good morning to you too sleeping beauty."

Olivia.

"Oli, it's twenty past eight."

"No shit Sherlock, we're still meeting at half past nine remember?" She questioned curiously. "You know, before you load your belongings at noon."

Shit, I forgot. "Yeah, yeah. Of course." I ran my fingers through my hair as I spoke. "Are you coming here first, or are you wanting to meet up at some place?"

"To be safe, we'll stay at yours. I'll fetch breakfast."

Olivia can be such a sweetheart, I swear. "Sounds great, I'll see you soon."

Throwing my phone onto my bed, I jumped up before grabbing some clothes and heading to the bathroom for a shower. The hot pellets of water soothed my skin and aching muscles, taking me to a place where I had no troubles at all. It's a shame how reality soon comes crashing down though. Turning the shower off, I slipped out and wrapped a towel around myself. The mirror in the bathroom fogged up due to the steam of the hot water and I had to wipe it down with a face cloth. I looked shattered in more ways than just one.

Quickly running the hairbrush through my wet hair, I changed into my clean clothes and threw my pyjamas and towel into a bin liner. Might as well throw them out since everything is packed up and ready for moving. And as I carried it down stairs, my doorbell rang. Reaching the bottom step, I peeked through the peep hole to see Olivia on the other side. Swinging the door open, I smiled brightly before we half hugged each since our arms were full.

"Just go straight through, I'm just going to put this in the bin." I told her as I slipped past.

Olivia walked straight inside as I moved down the pathway of my small garden, if you could call it that, and threw the bag of rubbish into the bin next to the garden gate. Peering over at one of the undercover police cars, I saw Officer Bailey watching me. I gave him a slight nod of acknowledgement, which he returned, before I went back inside, closing the door behind me.

"I got you a sausage and egg muffin, I ate your extra hash brown on the walk though." Olivia grinned sheepishly at me as I walked into the living room.

I chuckled softly. "Why do you think I always ask for an extra one?" Her jaw slacked in mock insult as I take a seat beside her on the couch.

"So, how are you feeling?" She asked biting into her breakfast wrap.

I shrugged my shoulders, uncertain. "I don't know really." I spoke almost quietly. Picking at my muffin, I suddenly lost my appetite, throwing the muffin back on the table. "It's fucked up, and it's not fair."

Olivia frowned. Placing her food back on the table, she turned to face me, taking my hand between both of hers. "I know, Sca'. And I'm so sorry. But this is the best way to keep you safe until..."

"I know." I said a little too harshly, cutting her off as I pulled my hand away. Abruptly standing to my feet, I walked to the window, my eyes only capturing the undercover police cars outside. I shouldn't have to live like this. "I'm sorry, Oli." I breathed out a sigh. "It's just. . .It shouldn't have had to come to this."

"At least look on the bright side of the situation," Olivia chose her words carefully. "It's not forever. This is only temporary and you'll be home before you even know it."