The Drug Run

Chapter 4 - Connections

It was particularly warm that night. With Val gone once again, the team had managed to get back on track. They were finally able to properly celebrate the day before's success, in a rather meek fashion. Sandwiches were not the ideal party food, but what their achievement wasn't exactly the ideal reason for a party either.

The celebration was rather short-lived, as no one was in a particularly celebratory mood. They were still tense from Val's visit, and although no one wanted to admit it, it worried them that she had left so swiftly after her arrival. Noah yawned, rubbing his eyes.

"I'm gonna go to bed," he told Ally and Elias. He stood up.

"I guess we should too," Elias said, more to Ally than Noah.

"Yeah, I guess," she answered, not really paying attention. As Noah walked off, Elias stood up, and looked at Ally expectantly.

"You coming?" he asked, offering his hand. She stood up and followed Noah. Elias dropped his hand and walked after her.

Elias found Ally sitting on her bed, opposite Noah's, and he joined her. Noah might as well have dropped dead when he walked in from the way he was laying. Elias glanced at Ally, who was watching Noah, avoiding Elias' gaze.

Elias glanced back over at Noah, who was now snoring lightly. He smiled sheepishly at his brother, and turned back to Ally, or rather the empty space she had occupied moments before. He looked around for her, before heard the creaking of the makeshift door. He sighed, getting off his bed and followed her.

He sat down next to Ally, somewhat cautiously.

"So," he said nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah," Ally said in response.

"We're pretty close now," Elias told her, "to getting the formulas right, I mean." Ally nodded.

"Right, yeah." They sat in silence for a while, hoping that the awkwardness would pass. It was Ally who finally broke the stillness.

"Why do you always take her side?" she asked, a hint of pained jealousy in her voice.

"What?"

Ally sighed and bit her lip. She began again, slower this time.

"Why do you always take Val's side?" she asked him. There was silence again.

"Because," Elias tread cautiously over the words in his head, "someone has to, someone has to mediate. You can be a bit terrifying sometimes." He swore under his breath at that last comment, regretting it immediately.

"Thanks," Ally laughed half-heartedly, somewhat offended. More silence.

"You're right," she told him. Elias shook his head.

"It came out wrong." She shrugged.

Doesn't make it any less true though," she told him.

"Sorry," Elias told her sheepishly.

"It's fine," she assured him. Elias bit his lip and sighed nervously.

"She reminds you of them, doesn't she?" It wasn't really a question.

"What?" Ally asked, slightly annoyed.

"Harriet and Rose," Elias said, "she reminds you of them." Ally turned her head, sharply to face him.

"What are you talking about? I don't even know them, E," the anger was gone from her voice.

"Don't push them away, Ally. They are your sisters," Elias said calmly. He rested his hand on her shoulder, in an effort to comfort her.

"I'm not pushing them away. I don't even remember them. All I know is that they were never there, and that they work for the people we are trying to stop. They aren't family." Tears pricked in the corners of her eyes, knowing that she wouldn't ever know them.

"They're your blood Ally," Elias said in defense.

"Blood means nothing. You of all people should know that," she said, shrugging his hand off her shoulder. He nodded.

"You're right, I'm sorry," he said solemnly. He cautiously put his arm around her shoulder. She didn't react, and Elias immediately worried that it was a bad choice. He sighed in relief as she relaxed into his shoulder.

"Do you ever wish things were, just, easier?" Ally asked him, in an almost whisper.

"No." Elias answered very strongly, leaving Ally slightly taken-aback. She sat up and looked at him.

"Seriously? Why?" she asked, confused.

"Because, maybe this is better. All of us, together. Doing something that matters," Elias spoke with an air of wisdom that Ally was certain no 17 year old boy should have. "You're not the only one who doesn't remember Ally." Ally relaxed back into Elias shoulder.

"Noah does," she said softly, "is that worse?"

"I don't know," Elias said bluntly, "but we need to give him, and everyone like him a reason to not forget." Ally didn't reply, just nodding into him. He watched her, as she eventually closed her eyes. Her breathing slowed and Elias felt small drops of water seeping through his shirt. It was only once Ally was completely out that Elias suddenly realised how cold it was outside. Carefully, he moved from under Ally and picked her up. He carried her back inside and lowered her onto her bed.

"Night Ally," he whispered, before going back to his own bed, and falling asleep.

                                                                                     vvvvv

Val lay silently, her eyes blank. The lipstick on her mouth was smudged, and faded. She made a mental note to refresh it later. She balled her hands into small fists again, and bit her cheek. She had almost mastered keeping concentrated on mindless tasks such as this. It was easier that way. Mindless tasks. Think mindlessly, she told herself, for the fourth time that day. Val always had trouble controlling her thoughts, today more so than normal. She bit her cheek harder, and winced at the pain.

She wondered what the others were doing at that moment. She envied how simple it was for them. Their goal was easy. They just had to get there. Val's goal wasn't so simple, even she questioned her motives, and she often wondered if it was even worth it anymore. Eventually, she uncurled her hands, listening to the echoing silence around her. She sat up, and went to apply more lipstick.