❝CHAPTER FORTY-TWO❞

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▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐓𝐰𝐨 ━︎━︎ 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚'𝐬 𝐒𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 ▌

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▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐓𝐰𝐨 ━︎━︎ 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚'𝐬 𝐒𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 left Clarice's, who had an apartment not too far from her mom. She knew it was lonely in that apartment so instead of staying with her mother and John, she would switch back and forth between staying with Clarice and staying with Lauren. Most of the time she and Lauren just ended up staying with Clarice. Artemis had been quick to fix the family food, having learned cooking lessons from her mother from such a young age. Caitlin was staring at the computer screen, searching for Andy, and Lauren was standing beside of Artemis and holding two bowls for Artemis to put the food in.

The sound of the door opening, made the two turn only to go back to the food when it was only Reed. "Hey, sorry to be back so late."

"It's okay." Lauren said, taking the two bowls and sitting them on the table. "How was Baltimore?" She walked back over to Artemis and grabbed two more bowls for herself and Artemis. Artemis filled them before Lauren sat them down and sat at the table, watching her girlfriend as she made them both a drink.

"Fine." Reed answered before looking at Caitlin's screen, pausing, and continuing further into the room to set his stuff down. "We got lucky at the checkpoints. Everyone made it through. How was the shelter?"

Lauren glanced at him, giving a quick smile before it fell as she turned back to her food. "It was fine."

Reed turned on the sink as he continued the conversation, "You making any friends down there?"

Lauren glanced up, meeting Artemis's eyes, before answering. "Not really, unless you count Ivan. He mainly talks to himself."

Reed turned off the sink and turned to look at her, not glancing at Caitlin as she stood up. "Maybe it's time we found you a job. Someplace you can meet people your own age."

Artemis rose an eyebrow. "What am I? Chopped liver?"

Reed rolled his eyes. "I meant besides you, Artemis."

Caitlin turned to look at her husband. "Reed, most of the information we have Lauren got through people she and Artemis have met at the shelter."

Reed shrugged. "I know, but her sole focus can't be just looking―︎"

Caitlin cut him off. "Her little brother is still missing. Finding him isn't a priority?" Artemis reached over and gently grabbed Lauren's hand, offering her the best smile that she could. Lauren tried to return it.

"Of course it is. But she needs to live her life."

Lauren jumped in. "I don't mind the shelters. Really."

𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐃𝐘━︎━︎ J. Proudstar (DISCONTINUED)Where stories live. Discover now