~~Young~~

Chapter Twelve

   As a student there were only so many medications Heather- one of the Beta Alpha Gammas and future Angel should she prove herself worthy- could get her hands on, meaning this trip to the pharmacy was a must on Sera’s to-do list. As the last one in line she waited patiently behind all the other customers for her turn past the “wait here for next available window” sign just like they did. Only her prescription wasn’t called in by a doctor, but by Sera herself.

   It was the fourth in her list of stops to make tonight, having already checked into her hotel- both of them- and made a quick stop by the laundromat. That though wasn’t exactly planned but also a necessity. She needed to make sure she got those clothes cleaned as soon as possible to lessen her risk of future contamination. After this she needed to swing by the market, find Mama, then there was nothing left for her to do but hit a bar…

   Also something she very much needed to do, a by-product of her battle to keep her sanity as it were. She just needed a few minutes- not necessarily alone, but not with anyone she had any fondness for- with herself and her demons, the darkness inside her. She had tried twice, unsuccessfully, to let it take over today and if she didn’t give it the release she had so offered then it wouldn’t be a matter of letting it do anything.

   She already had about a third of what she needed thanks to Heather, but anything with any kind of street value or considered “habit forming” had to be procured from someone with a license. And Will was just the guy. A former Gamma himself with ties to the Angels, she just had to hope Nathan hadn’t spread the word of her faction’s suspension to those outside their ranks quite yet. She was sure every Angel on the continent was aware, but associates were harder to track down.

   She needed these drugs and short of robbing a pharmacy herself there was no other way to get them without seeing a doctor. And not needing any of that shit on her record…

   She rubbed her hand across her forehead and tried to forget all that, to put herself back in the state she had been on the train, where nothing mattered but the now. She couldn’t do anything about what had yet to be, could only take care of the now and for her own peace of mind needed to remember that.

   She fought the grin as soon as she felt it pulling on her cheeks, when she thought about that train ride…

   Unable to take it anymore she figured she could give up for just a few hours at least, that the train could be her sanctuary of sorts. After all her problems were not on the train- or so she hoped- and there was nothing she was going to be able to do about any of them while riding the train. So she let it all go, all inhibitions included and took every ounce of what Gage offered her. Comfort, support…himself.

   She wasn’t going to think about what a mistake that may have been. Like the future there was nothing she could do about the past, nothing that could change events that had come and gone.

   Including that kiss.

   No, it wasn’t a mistake, but what the hell had she been thinking? Well that was it wasn’t it, she wasn’t thinking. Just doing, acting on urges she didn’t have the energy to suppress. That medication had taken it all out of her, it took everything she had to keep her eyes open just to talk with Gage…oh talking, that had been even worse hadn’t it?

   At least when she woke up from her nap her mind was in a better place and she was able to answer- or rather not answer- all the questions he threw at her. He hadn’t much time, having only woken her once they were pulling into the station, but he tried to cram as many questions as he could in there. They weren’t anything malicious of course, he just wanted to know more about her, but she felt he already knew enough. Had seen more than enough both of her and what she hid inside and she artfully dodged the answers. It didn’t seem to upset him, more like entertain him.