Chance and Reason

Chapter Ten

A/N: I was listening to Rihanna's Stay and I thought it matched Lauren and Camila's journey in this quite well. Let me know your thoughts, it would be really brilliant to hear from you.

Harsh sunlight streamed through the window in jagged bars, rousing Lauren from her sleep. She stirred, rubbing her eyes as she took in her surroundings. From where she was now, it appeared that she had drifted off slumped against her bedroom wall, still wearing the same clothes from last night.

"Shit," she groaned, massaging her sore neck and stumbling to her feet.

Her duvet was still crumpled messily with a vague imprint remaining from where Camila had been lain. The reminder of the other girl was too painful to be left in place, and so she quickly remade the bed, smoothing out the creases from the linen.

A loud banging on the door disturbed her from her task. There were four thumps against the wood, followed by a few seconds of silence, and then another six impatient thumps. Whoever was outside was not in the mood to be kept waiting.

"Yes?" Lauren demanded as she swung the door open, "What is it?"

Camila ducked beneath the arm propping the door open and swept into the apartment.

"Look at this," she instructed, holding out a cardboard shoebox in front of her.

Lauren gingerly lifted the lid and suppressed a gag at the stench that wafted out from it. Somebody had stuffed the mangled remains of some mammal inside the box. Clumps of fur matted with dried blood clung to the cardboard edges.

"It was on my doormat," Camila told her, slamming the lid back down, "With this note,"

She waved a piece of paper at Lauren, who ripped it from her clutch and inspected it closely.

WE ARE COMING FOR YOU

"I'm going to call Officer Mendes," Lauren responded, "... unless you've done that already,"

"I was going to," Camila nodded, "But not about this," she added pointedly.

Lauren felt her cheeks burn in humiliation at the mention of her loss of control last night. She turned around to dial the number, hiding her face from the journalist's stares.

"You didn't call him though?" she mumbled as the phone began to ring.

"No, I didn't," Camila sighed, not offering any explanation as to her change of heart.

An apology for the previous night trembled on the tip of Lauren's tongue but the call connected before she had a chance to speak it aloud.

"Agent Jauregui?" Officer Mendes answered.

"We've had some sort of roadkill delivered to Miss Cabello's address with a note attached,"

"Is that just now?" he clarified.

Lauren confirmed that it was, and there was the sound of rustling paper as he made quick notes at the other end of the line.

"I'm swamped at the station, Lauren," he said regretfully when he was finished, "And I don't think sending an officer to you will do any good anyway. Just be vigilant, and if you think there is a genuine need for a safe house transferal then I can arrange that,"

"I don't think that's necessary at this stage. Thank you, though,"

Officer Mendes hung up and Lauren slipped her phone into her pocket. Camila eyed her curiously.

"You didn't tell him what happened either," the journalist observed.

"I intended to," Lauren murmured, "Last night. I was going to resign,"