The Bunker

Chapter Eleven: Skin

There was a light ringing that sounded through the bunker speakers, an alarm to signal 8AM. Lucas opened his eyes and looked around, the lights had been turned on, although it was still a dimmed setting. After taking a moment to breath an crack his neck, he looked over to see Claire stirring slightly, her hear nestled comfortably against his other pillow. Just as her green eyes came into view, a voice sounded over the speaker...

"Good Morning, this is Director Hansen. I had the pleasure of meeting each and every one of your yesterday after the...the tragic events that had taken place. Many of you were assigned work detail after our meeting, those of you should report to your assigned station by 9AM. Every morning you will hear that 8AM alarm and I will address the bunker. If we are to survive, everyone must do their job. I know you all have questions...I know there is many things you are uncertain of. Let me assure you that I have full control and there are precautions in place. You are all safe here. Remember that."

The speaker clicked off and the lights brightened soon after, Lucas locked eyes with Claire and rolled to face her, his blonde hair falling gently across his forehead. Claire cleared her through quietly and rolled to her side to meet his face, "Hi."

"Hi," He smirked, "Not even a day to relax, to mourn...right into..."

"Work," Claire nodded, pushing her hand under the pillow. "It's...not normal."

"No," Lucas shifted to his back and stared at the ceiling while taking in a deep breath, "It's not, it's weird."

"Some people push themselves into work as a coping mechanism. Maybe that is what Hansen is aiming for." Claire pushed herself over toward him, he naturally wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, her arm resting on his chest. It was like she fit there perfectly. Emily always was annoyed with cuddling, said it was uncomfortable, but Lucas enjoyed it, it calmed him. The way Claire nuzzled against him made his heart beat pick up, he sighed with a small smile. "We should get up."

"I know, " Lucas looked down at her, she felt him so she looked up to meet his gaze, "Maybe not yet."

Claire grinned, she closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest. They laid together for a long moment, until the door to Lucas's room slid open and Keptner was standing with his arms crossed. Lucas and Claire both looked up at him, Kept took a deep breath and avoided looking at Claire, "Lucas we are meeting in the living room..."

"Got it," Lucas sat up, Claire leaned back into the bed, holding herself up by her elbow. Kept didn't say anything else, he just looked at the ground, then backed into the hall and disappeared. "So much for not getting up."

"It was nice while it lasted," Claire smirked, pushing herself up and out of bed. Lucas watched as her red curls cascaded down her back, she turned to him, "Thank you..."

"For what, " Lucas leaned up with his arm, watching her smile turn serious.

Claire swallowed, she shook her head a bit and shrugged, "Saving me."

 Lucas watched her, then got up from bed, "Claire...I didn't really save you, the bunker did."

Claire felt her mouth muscles want to press into a smile, but she forced herself not to, "I'm serious," She stepped toward him, "I wouldn't have been able to get to the bunker...even know if it's existence if it weren't for you."

Lucas watched her lips twitch, he crossed his arms gently, "Claire...I wasn't about to leave behind the girl I was trying to impress."

"Impress?" Claire felt the smile break through, she couldn't help it this time, "You were trying to impress me?"

"Clearly my knowledge of space and dinosaurs wasn't doing it." He shrugged.

Claire reached up to press her hand on his chest, "It was staring too," Claire smiled bigger, watching his eyes smile back, "We should get to work."

"Work," Lucas nodded, reaching a hand up to grasp her wrist, the hand that was resting on his chest, touching her skin softly, "Yeah, we should." As her hand pulled away from his he walked over to the small dressed at the end of the bed, taking the hoodie off he was wearing and grabbing a long sleeve shirt. Claire watched with a blank face, seeing his back muscles flex, Claire noticed something on his shoulder, without thinking she walked over toward him and touched it, a tattoo right above his shoulder blade. Lucas sucked in air at her touch, he looked over his shoulder very much aware of what she was looking at.

"What does it mean?" Claire ran her fingers slowly over the raised parts of his skin, following the letters smoothly, "L G." Claire's breath hit his bare skin as she spoke, the hair on the back of Lucas's neck stood up.

Lucas cleared his throat a bit, trying to keep himself in the moment, "It's initials."

"Yours?" Claire looked up at him as he turned to face her, she had to fight her eyes from admiring the toned shape of his abs.

Lucas smirked, "I'm not that self absorbed." He chuckled a little, "No, it's uh...my mothers. Leah Greene."

"Oh..." Claire crossed her arms slowly, "I bet she was great."

"Yeah, she was." Lucas nodded, his eyes watched as Claire's drifted, he smiled a bit, then pulled his shirt on. Claire felt herself pull back to reality and took a deep breath, Lucas tugged his shirt hem down and smiled at her, "Work?"

"Work." Claire nodded and turned to walk toward the door.