Entwined fire | #Wattys2016

When the lights go out.

Night time had fallen around us, I noticed it was seriously dark, the only light came from the house and the moon which seemed brighter than ever in the sky.

We'd all had dinner and were sat in the garden making use of the fire pit using sticks that we had collected earlier to burn.

I sat curled up beside Aaron with a blanket over my legs listening to the crackling of the wood and watching the flames lick around the twigs scorching them.

I'd fell out the conversation a while back, I'd just taken to petting Gracie and watching the fire.

I looked up to see Zak was staring, realising I had caught him he looked away. I took in his body language, and noticed he had a bottle in his hand. I couldn't help but stare at it, I couldn't stop my eyes from almost trying to burn through it.

I tore them away when he placed it down on the table.

I need to apologise..

It just seemed so hard, it's not that I naturally want to argue with someone and ruin everyone's holiday but I just found it hard to apologise for my actions when he hadn't his.

I tried to listen in the conversation and successfully managed to smile on cue and even laugh lightly. But it was false and even Aaron knew it as he looked at me and placed his arm across my knees.

Zak's eyes connected with the move and then my eyes. I almost drowned at how he looked angry for some reason.

Maybe he was.. Maybe he thought that I was going to take Aaron away, convince him to walk away from investigating something I would never do.

Like Zak I think investigating was in Aaron's blood.

My phone pinged making me pull it from my pocket.

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Zak POV--

She hadn't spoken for a while, or even blinked in fact. Her hand absentmindedly petted Gracie as Maria had zoned out.

I never realised how small she was compared to Aaron, Maria was curled up next to him with a blanket over her.

She'd definitely lost weight over the last few months.

I looked at her cheek, I knew my apology wouldn't suffice, I had to be a man and do it properly. Her eyes flicked up to mine making me look away quickly.

I joined in the conversation for a while until I was able to zone out myself, my
eyes had wandered to her again. I watched Aaron put his arm across Maria's knees making her smile slightly.

I could see the unspeakable bond those two had. How they communicated through a look or an action. A part of me worried about the show, Maria had the potential to pull Aaron from us.

I think she would as well if she really wanted to.

A phone went off making us all look at one another, it was Maria's. Watching her smile fall and the blanket come off her legs.

"Sorry, I uh. Excuse me." She spoke leaving us and walking down towards the dock.

"What was all that about?" Bacon asked Aaron who gave a shrug.

"Boyfriend?" Diana asked.

"No.. No she would have said if she was seeing anyone." Aaron replied.

They fell back into a conversation about films but I had no interest in it, instead I looked down to the dock watching Maria.

I hadn't realised that Gracie had followed her as well until I saw her sat on the dock.

My dog had certainly found a soft spot for her.. The feeling was mutual between them, that was plain as day.

Whatever the call was about it couldn't had been good from how Maria put a hand over her face.

30 minutes later she was coming back up but walked straight into the house. We all looked at each other wondering what was going on.

"Bro.." I spoke to Aaron who shook his head.

"One thing I've learnt? Ri will come to me if she needs me." He answered.

What? I couldn't believe his answer and got up.

"Anyone want another drink?" I asked.

Nobody else did and neither did I. But I could either apologise or see what was wrong?

Walking back into the warmth of the lodge I found Maria pacing the floor beside the wifi.

"You okay?" I asked after she let out a frustrated growl.

"I need the Internet. I nee-" she paused as I handed her my laptop.

"Thanks. I need to Skype.. I'll bring it back." She mumbled.

"No problem." I gave a small smile and walked away.

"Do you wa-" I stopped my offer of a drink because of the footsteps running up the stairs.

Shrugging I went back out to air with the crew for a little longer before I went to bed.

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It was a little after 1am when we all gave in and headed for bed. Nobody had heard or checked on Maria. But something niggled at me to make sure she was okay.

Call it intuition.

I knocked on her door and waited. She opened it when I noticed we was wearing one of Aaron's tops.

I didn't realise they were a thing now?
Not that it was any of my business.

"Hey I was just coming to che-"

"Oh. Laptop." Maria clicked and handed it to me.

"Thanks.. I was just checking to see if you were al-"

"I'm fine." She answered instantly, I knew them she wasn't going to say a thing. Even if I could see that she had been crying.

Taking hint that she wasn't going to talk to me about anything I nodded and turned to go back to my room.

"Thank you for asking though." She said quietly.

"Good night Maria." I answered.

I went to bed to reply to some emails before crashing. I opened up the laptop to an internet page that had been from Maria's use earlier.

I bit the bullet and opened it up. Cancer? W-why was she looking around- oh god.

My heart hit the pit of my tummy for her.. Now I was in a rock and hard place.

Do I tell Aaron or do I keep my nose out?