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AFTER THEY HAD GOT BACK FROM THE MOTEL, THE GROUP OF TEENS WANTED NOTHING MORE THAN TO FORGET THE TRAUMATIC EVENTS OF THE NIGHT BEFORE AS THEY ALL DISPERSED, RESOLVING TO HIDE IN THEIR HOMES FROM THE WORLD FOR AS LONG AS THEY POSSIBLY COULD.
Which, for Nat, wasn't very long.
As soon as she had got home (ducking in through the back door as to not alert the newly-increased numbers of patrol cruisers in front of her house- just like Noah had warned) she found she couldn't stand to be there.
She had sat in the quiet of her room for about ten seconds before her ugly thoughts- which had priorly been silenced by her friend's and their natural chaos- came rushing back in, immediately zooming in on Erica's absence, and abusing the thought of her death until Nat wanted to throw up.
So, she got back up from her bed and rushed out the door, because as much as she hates to admit it, not thinking about Erica (and, more obviously, her death) for a few hours, was mentally relieving to her.
She made her way out of her house, not even bothering to lock it up behind her- there's nothing of her in that house anyway, so she wouldn't care if she came back and it was all burned to the ground!-, Nat instantly turned her path to the nearest cruiser, as soon as she shrugged on her leather-jacket (right over the thin jacket Erica had left behind at her house, a few nights before her death). She had leaned in through the driver's window and demanded the two officers in there that they take her to Noah, which they did- after they got over their initial shock at her sudden appearance after being self-exiled for weeks, that is.
So, seeking solace in Noah as she desperately tried to hide from her thoughts- namely Kali and Erica- she had hidden herself away with him in his office and listened intently as he typed away on his key-board, making small- and awkward, not that Nat minded very much- conversation as he did so. It helped. Being next to him. It was like her mind shut off and she could float around her memories in peace, rather than her normal torment.
And then his phone rang and reality rushed back in, jolting Nat out of her sleepy-daze and taunting her out of her calm mindset.
The call was from Melissa- something about missing doctors. And as soon as Noah had begun answering the woman, he was already instinctively ushering Nat into his car- not remembering his previous promise as to not let Nat in on any cases until Erica's one is solved and the F.B.I, who Nat is practically waiting to appear behind her at any second with cuffs, have finished their personal investigation on her separately.
But, here, now, they stand, side-by-side, staring up at the hospital; the cold, sterile environment chilling Nat's chest as Noah graciously tries to pretend that he had meant to bring her along with him in the first place.
