An Entire Year of You

Chapter 16: Early Mornings in the Lab

Carlos had never exactly had full faith in the police, but the police in Night Vale had an alarming approach to catching fugitives that he could only describe as questionable. Their plan towards armed criminals was basically to do nothing at all. Vigilante justice existed for a reason after all. Even worse, they refused to give a name or description, instead they just encouraged a general distrust of strangers. Since Carlos technically was still a stranger that threw him straight under the bus. He started sleeping in the lab. Staying in an apartment with no lock was bad enough with an armed fugitive walking around, an angry mob was a whole new level of unsafe.

"Morning sleepy head." Marsha hit him lightly on the shoulder with a notebook. He jolted awake so fast that he normally fell off the two chairs he was laying on and the lab coat he was using as a blanket fell on the floor. His hair was a mess. He probably looked terrible. Under the circumstances, he didn't really care. If he was going to be forced out of his home, then he was allowed to look as bad as he wanted. He stretched out dramatically and let out a loud yawn. He missed the comfort of his budget bed so much.

"Morning." Carlos muttered. His eyes adjusted and narrowed on the blue notebook in Marsha's hand. "Is that my notebook?"

"Mr Markson wants you to send some pages of your research off today. Be sure to take the unscientific parts out, Mr Carlos Palmer." She smirked as she handed it over. Carlos swung his legs to floor and positioned himself on one of the chairs. It was instantly more comfortable than laying down.

"What?" Carlos panicked as he snatched the notebook out of his hand. He flipped to the back three pages, where the notes from Cecil's interview. Everything started out fine. There were notes on possible reasons for Cecil's poor memory, comments about Svitz, a country which Carlos was yet to find any legitimate information on, and then...oh no. While he'd been talking to Cecil he'd started doodling in an absent-minded manner. When he left, he closed the book without looking at what he'd done. Apparently, he'd been scribbling little signatures like a middle school girl the whole time. His face turned bright red. Was his subconscious really so blunt? He was sure that the psychologists back at The University of What It Is would have something to say about the whole ordeal. He hated those guys; they were so smug.

"You guys talking about Carlos notebook?" Robin walked through the door at instantly noticed Carlos stunned expression.

"Does everyone know about this?" Asked Carlos.

"Oh, just us two and Jess. We'd never let it leave the lab." Said Marsha.

"Providing your nice to us, of course." Robin winked.

"Could you please not go threw my things?" Carlos sighed.

"This is supposed to be an open and honest team, Carlos. Besides, we thought we'd find research not...whatever that is." Robin explained.

"I really hope Cecil didn't see what I was doing." He mumbled.

"Oh, he probably found it cute. He flirts with you on the radio, you flirt directly in front of him in a notebook. Two weirdos together, you're honestly perfect for each other." Said Marsha.

"Thanks..." Carlos blushed. "I'll take this stuff out and send the relative information off. Is...there anything else that I should know about?"

"Nothing else in the notebook but..." A poorly concealed smirk started to spread across Marsha's face that sent a creeping feeling through Carlos' soul.

"What?" He asked cautiously. Did he even want to know the answer? He wasn't entirely sure that he did.

"You talk in your sleep." She smiled. Carlos' cheeks felt they'd been set aflame. He had to find a lock smith. Sleeping in the lab was clearly no longer an option.