Unhinged

Chapter Eleven

A week went by, and it felt like a year. You kept busy at the bar and even thought about going back to uni to get your master's, but that was just a random idea you had blurted out one late night with James when you guys were talking out of your asses. It was just a brief wisp of a dream, but the way he was so encouraging about it made it a recurring one lately and it didn't help with him being gone. Okay, you missed him. You could admit that. Were you ready to admit to much else besides missing his company? No. Not so much. But you liked having him around and with Alex's crazy schedule, you got lonely sometimes in the apartment by yourself. Oh, yeah. That's another thing. You stopped taking random people home and you didn't want to think about the reason.

Dean didn't show up again which surprised you because James, or Bucky, since he was fine with either one, wasn't around to stop him from bothering you. Hopefully, if he did come back soon, you'd be able to hold your own. It's not like you haven't done it before. You've killed three other guys in your past – but that was the other thing. Even with James being forced to take the lives he did under mind control or because they were criminals that had to be stopped, he still didn't judge you for it. He knew the general idea of what they had done that night and he completely accepted the outcome that you chose to get even with. Just like that.

It was messing with your heart.

"What're you smiling about?" Carl called over with a light, curious tone when he noticed you grinning and blushing down at the mixer in your hand.

"Just thinking." You shrugged, still smiling, and he eyed you playfully, moving the toothpick in his mouth from one corner to the other.

"Yeah? You gotta special someone in your life or somethin'? Never seen you smile like that."

"I smile all the time!" You shouted back halfheartedly offended.

"Yeah, of course you do, but not like this," He took out the toothpick to point it at you with a suspicious squint, "You've got your sunshine smile out and I have only seen that once and it was after the shipping guys mixed up the order, letting you take home three cases of liquor for free," He paused, narrowing his eyes again, "Did you get more free stuff?"

"No." You pouted a little, missing those good times, and he laughed loudly before you poured someone a gin martini.

"Then what's going on?"

"What's up, bitches!" A familiar voice suddenly shouted from near the entrance and you both looked to see Alex strutting in.

"Hey, Al, when'd you get back?" Carl asked, his own sunshine smile spreading across his face, and you rolled your eyes with a knowing smirk.

"Mm," They tapped their chin to think back, "Like an hour ago – I was in Vegas, baby, and what happens in Vegas, well, I get paid for."

"Bachelorette party?" You guessed, wondering who would want to hire a photographer in Las Vegas when usually people didn't want to remember everything that happened there.

"I've switched careers, babe," They started, whipping off their sunglasses to set them on the bar, and then tapping the surface with the tips of their two fingers, signaling they wanted their usual – a long island iced tea of all things, "I'm doing private work now."

"Since, uh, when?™" You flicked your finger up, giving them thee look, and they snorted, shaking their head.

"Since now."

"Whaddya mean, 'private'?" Carl called over after checking a few IDs, "Like private investigator? Do you work for one?"

"Kind of," They drawled out in a high voice, and you quirked an eyebrow before they sighed defeatedly, "Fine, I've been taking side gigs for some extra cash to follow and get proof of spouses cheating, alright? It's hardly honest work, but damn, it pays way more than any wedding I've covered, and I don't have to deal with bride or groomzillas."