Innocent Until Found Dead

Chapter Seven

"Things are simple. Situations are clear. Hurdles are easy. It's our mind which makes it complex and complicated." 

                                                                        —Small Achievements

Hunter approached Quinn's door, every step weighed down by unspoken words. He paused, steadying himself before lifting his hand to knock. But before his knuckles met the wood, the door swung open, startling them both. Quinn stood there, her wide eyes meeting his, a mix of surprise and something else he couldn't quite place.

"Hunter," she gently spoke–very unlike the last time they had talked–tucking a loose strand of red hair behind her ear. Her voice was trembling. "W-what are you doing here?"

Hunter's gaze softened as he took her in, and for a moment, he forgot his rehearsed words. "I wanted to talk to Laura... but actually," he paused, sighing deeply, "I wanted to talk to you too—if that's okay." He searched her face, noting the slight flicker of hesitation in her eyes.

Quinn fidgeted, glancing down. "Were... were you about to come over to my house?" he asked quietly, catching the slight flush that crossed her cheeks.

"No," she replied quickly, too quickly. "Why would you think that?"

"Well," he said, his lips curving into a faint smile, "you've got your shoes on, and you opened the door before I even knocked. It looked like you were about to head out. I know you don't like going for grocery runs and...Well, I was probably hoping you were."

Quinn bit her lip, glancing down at her white sneakers before exhaling in resignation. "Fine. I was thinking about it," she admitted, a bit reluctantly. "But it doesn't matter now. You're here." She stepped aside to let him in, and he held back a smile as he walked past, feeling the sudden shift in the air. She closed the door, and together, they walked silently to the kitchen.

Laura was at the stove, cracking eggs into a bowl, her back turned to them. She turned around, smiling, when she saw Hunter. "Oh! I guess you beat Quinn to it, Hunter. She was just about to head over to your place."

Hunter's eyebrows shot up, a chuckle escaping him before he could stop himself. Quinn's face turned red, her gaze narrowing at Hunter's barely contained grin. "Stop laughing at me, Hunter. I'm mad at you, remember?"

"Sorry, sorry," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Do you want to talk here or somewhere more private?"

"No, here's fine," she replied a little too quickly as she looked away. Hunter found the way she was acting around him highly amusing. He thought she would take his confession of love in a platonic way, but she was more self-conscious than he thought she would be.

"Alright," Hunter said with a smirk as Quinn quickly excused herself to change, nearly sprinting out of the kitchen. He turned to Laura, who had resumed whisking her eggs, a glint of amusement in her eye.

Once he heard Quinn's door close upstairs, Laura lowered her voice. "Do you remember asking me if I thought Tris could resurface?"

Hunter's pulse quickened at the topic as he leaned in. "Yeah... why? Did something happen?"

Laura's expression grew serious. "It's bigger than just something. Quinn's starting to have dreams about her being...Tris. And I think she had a flashback about your relationship because she's been acting different every time I mention your name ever since she woke up."

Hunter's eyes widened. "Are you serious? Does she... does she think these memories are real?"

Laura shook her head. "No, of course not. She thinks they're just vivid dreams. She mentioned Gideon's name and even said people kept calling her Tris. I'm certain she's starting to remember, though I can't explain how. The doctors were convinced she'd never recover those memories, that they'd all been replaced through therapy and hypnosis."