Red Velvet Fanfic [prototype]

Chapter 33

Joy emerged from the bathroom, feeling refreshed, but not relieved. She wrapped her hair up in a towel and came out to the main room, where Crush was sitting at the table. He had set up a radio and was trying to get a signal.

"Thanks for washing my stuff. You trying to get in touch with your people?" Joy asked as she sat on the sofa.

"Yeah, but this equipment is so old it isn't functioning." He said giving up and just setting it down on the table. "I thought about it while you were in there and I think you were right. We probably shouldn't wait here too long. So, I figured we rest here tonight and we just lay low tomorrow and I'll get you out of here that night. Use the darkness to our advantage."

"Alright, that sounds good. Thank you." Joy nodded.

"You alright? I know you've been through.. a lot, too much even, these last few days." Crush asked.

"Just another chapter in my crazy adrenaline filled bounty chasing life." Joy shrugged.

"You should rest. Feel free to take the bed. I'll  wash up and keep an eye on things tonight." Crush offered.

"I can try. Don't know how much sleep I'll get though." Joy sighed.

They both got up, Joy heading for the bedroom and Crush behind her going to the bathroom.

Joy got to the doorway of the room, when crush called her from the bathroom.

"You forgot something." He said as she turned to him, and he handed her the gun again.

She thanked and took it from him.

"Just keep it. Like you said I might have others stashed away here.." he smirked.

"Hey, crush I need to tell you something." She said, fiddling with the communicator in her back pocket.

"What's on your mind." He leaned against the door frame.

"I just wanted to tell you that I..." she hesitated, wanting to come clean and tell him the truth about the deal she made with Grand and that she had contacted them but the words refused to come out.

"Joy?" 

"I'm really sorry." Her voice cracked.

"What do you need to be sorry about? The car? Forget about it. Seriously I really don't care." Crush was surprised the always confident Joy suddenly look so shaken.

"Joy, I should be apologizing again for dragging you into this then splitting up with you." Crush admitted.

"Why did you come back for me? Why not just leave with your friends?" She asked him.

"Because I couldn't." His gaze fixed on the floor, he raised his head slowly and their eyes met. Crush approached her as if he was gliding, and kissed her lips firmly. Joy felt a tingle in her finger tips, and a warm sensation rush to her head, settling in her cheeks. Her lips embraced his, before she paused and he pulled his face away.

"I guess, I'm an animal after all. I'm sorry if I crossed a line." He whispered.

"No. It's okay." She said, still flush in the face. "But.. I  still wanted to say."

"It's Grand." Crush blurted. Joys whimsical silence turned to guilty silence.

"W-what? How did..." Crush put his index finger up between their mouths. He then pointed to the small window in the bedroom. Joy could barely make it out against the darkening dusk sky, but what looked like a cable or rope dangled gently right outside of it.

"I'm going to get you clear of this town, promise me no matter what you will do whatever it takes to get back to our home base. You remember the way, the landmarks to follow on the unmarked roads?" He said quickly, and very seriously.