Chance and Reason

Chapter Twenty

A/N: I'm honestly not sure about this chapter. I had really bad writer's block, and I knew exactly what I wanted to say but struggled so hard to get it down. Just as a heads up, the end of this update contains some slightly sexual implications. It's definitely not smut, but I thought I should mention it just in case.

Stirring gradually into consciousness, Camila blinked sleepily as she took in her surroundings. Slight panic set in at once as she struggled to remember where she was and how she had ended up there. Hazy recollections from the previous night trickled back to her in dribs and drabs, and she put her palm to her aching head with a groan.

Attempting to sit up, she felt her movement hindered by an arm draped over her middle, holding her in place. This sent her heartrate into overdrive. Where was she? And more importantly, who was she with?

Frantically she rolled over, trying to pull herself away, but the hand at her waist tightened its grip to stop her.

"Steady, Camz. Go easy,"

Whipping her head around, Camila recognised Lauren's husky voice before she even saw her lying there behind her. The older girl was propped up on one elbow, hair still tousled from sleep, and green eyes soft with concern. Butterflies erupted in Camila's stomach.

"Laur...?" Camila tried, grimacing at how raw her throat felt.

"Hi,"

"Um..."

"How are you feeling?"

"I've felt better," Camila mumbled, feeling profoundly perplexed at her current situation, "But somebody is really going to need to fill in the blanks for me about last night..."

"Of course," Lauren nodded, "Would you like an aspirin first though?"

Camila gratefully accepted, and Lauren immediately leapt up and headed to the bathroom in search of the tablets.

Dragging herself up to lean against the headboard, Camila scanned the room. Now that she was fully alert, she realised that she was in Lauren's apartment; the décor familiar from her last visit. However, how she had ended up there, particularly after their messy parting at the restaurant yesterday evening, was still a mystery.

Lauren returned and presented Camila with a glass of water and packet of painkillers. As the younger girl swallowed a couple of tablets and took a long drink, the agent settled comfortably back beside her. It felt so intimate and domestic, just sat together in bed in the morning.

"How much do you remember?" Lauren asked her.

"It's all a bit blurry after I got home from the restaurant," Camila confessed, "I think I started drinking as soon as I got through the door. When did I end up here?"

"It was the early hours of this morning,"

"Wait..." Camila said, suddenly flustered, "You and I... we didn't...?"

After a moment of uncertainty, Lauren finally understood what she was referring to. The implication made her skin burn and she hastily shook her head.

"No! No, we didn't," she assured the journalist quickly, "I wouldn't ever take advantage of anybody like that. Dinah and I carried you back here after you passed out in the street, and then we put you straight to bed. We decided one of us should stay with you because you threw up beforehand, and if it happened again, we didn't want you to choke or anything,"

"Oh my goodness," Camila covered her face in humiliation, "I'm so sorry,"

"It's fine," Lauren told her seriously, "I'm sorry about the way I left you yesterday evening. I really didn't plan for our night to turn out like that,"