Elmira's Embers

One

"Psssst."

Elena rolled over in bed, ignoring the sound.

"PSSSST," the sound became more aggressive. Elena sighed and looked over at the clock that read 3:47AM, before glancing over to the open window. She took in the sound of rain and occasional flashes of light.

"Brooke," Elena said, pulling her comforter back and shifting over, allowing her roommate to get into her bed comfortably.

"Thank you," Brooke pulled the covers over her chest and stared at the ceiling.

"Shh."

Time passed. Five minutes. Ten minutes. Brooke had yet to fall asleep. She had a childish fear, she knew. Thunder would not hurt her. Lightning would not creep through the window to kill her. She knew all this. Yet, here she was, a 22-year-old woman who tiptoed her way into her roommate's bedroom each time a storm washed over the city. Still focused on the ceiling, Brooke felt Elena shift next to her. She then noticed Elena winding her legs around her own and draping a lazy arm across her stomach.

"Thank you," Brooke whispered.

"Shh."

For the first time that night, Brooke felt calm and was eventually able to fall asleep. She had never felt this safe. Not even stormy nights spent with Xander in his apartment had resulted in a sleep as peaceful as those spent tangled with Elena. Brooke wasn't entirely sure what made falling asleep with Elena better than falling asleep with her own boyfriend but she tried several times to figure it out. She went over lists of their differences and similarities constantly. Both were larger than her, though Elena only slightly. Elena had softer, smoother, skin than Xander. Both had obnoxiously long dark hair that she had to sweep from her face in the morning. Xander held her tighter than Elena. She couldn't figure it out.

A warm tingle ran down Brooke's spine as she slowly awoke the next morning, finding her head on Elena's chest. She slowly lifted herself away from the brunette and exited the bedroom, ignoring the clock and finding her way to her bathroom to brush her teeth.

Elena woke up about an hour later, cold. Her flannel had been unbuttoned and she only knew where one of her socks went. Not to mention, the source of her warmth could be heard washing dishes outside her closed bedroom door. She took her time doing her morning routine of teeth brushing, hair braiding, and face washing before joining her roommate in the kitchen. Hoisting herself onto the counter, Elena noticed Brooke had waited for her to begin eating the breakfast she made for the two of them.

"You hungry?"

"Always," Elena made a plate and kissed Brooke's cheek in thanks. She felt Braxton's wet nose press into the calf and she managed to sneak a piece of bacon into the black lab's mouth without her roommate noticing. "You busy today?" she asked the blonde sitting opposite her.

"Nope. Ugh, I'm gonna be so bored," Brooke whined.

"Why do you sound upset? Girl, take advantage of it. Sleep! Play with Braxton, get a..uhh....tan!" The pair simultaneously looked out the window at a very rainy scene and back at each other again. "Okay maybe not a tan. But the rest?"

"I think I'll just lay around the house all day. You?"

"Just the usual. Might give my aunt a call."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just," Elena took a sip of her barely-warm coffee and twisted the dated rubber bracelet around her left wrist, "remember that call yesterday? 16 year old male DOA at a five-car pile-up?" She looked for the blonde's nod before continuing. "Looked just like him."