Bury a Friend | Hemlock Grove |

Chapter 29 | In the Morning |

Roman awakes with a crick in his neck and his arm asleep. He cracks his eyes open to see the room illuminated in a golden hue. A strand of hair gets caught in his mouth, pulling his attention to the body sleeping next to him. Well, on him. Her eyes flutter open followed by two drawn-out blinks. "Hi," he whispers.

"Hi."

"You survived another full moon."

"One down," she smiles, still half asleep, "and the rest of my life left to go." Roman tries to sit up then, but her arm catches him. "No, sleep. Still tired."

"I've got to go get Peter," he reminds her, pulling her arm off of his waist.

"Where is he?"

"My house," Roman groans and sits up despite her protests. He hisses at the bitter air that hits him once he's free from the blankets. "I've got to go get him."

"How do I know you'll come back to me the same."

"I know her game now," he pushes her hair behind her ear. "I'm like her. Whatever she is."

"I'm coming with you."

"No."

"I'm going," she says and it's a promise.

"Please stay here."

"Where you go, I go," he tries to protest. "Don't. You know it won't work." He knows she's right.

"Well, let's go then."

"Okay, okay," Emma hesitantly pushes away the blankets to reveal her bare skin to the arctic tundra that's her bedroom. "Fuck Pennsylvania, fuck this weather," she mumbles. Roman stands the rest of the way and offers her a hand up. She takes it but doesn't let go. Instead, she pulls him behind her to the bathroom.

Shutting the door, she moves to the tub and waits for the water to heat up. "Em, Peter's waiting on us."

"And he can wait a little longer," she mumbles, hand under the faucet. "I need to shower."

"Okay, well... I'm going to get a cup of coffee from the kitchen."

"Nope," she shakes her head. "You're staying here."

"Why are you so adamant I stay with you?" He chuckles.

"Because I know the moment I turn my back on you you're going to leave me here," she told tugs his hands forward again. She's not wrong. Given the chance, he would leave before she could tag along.

He waits for her, leaned up against the counter with a steaming mirror behind him. Every 30 or so seconds her grumbles a 'hurry up to her' which ultimately makes her go slower.

.....

"Oh! Hi, Roman," Kay says, taken aback as they walk down the stairs. She's still in her scrubs, seated at the kitchen table with a magazine. She had barely glanced up, expecting to just her daughter. The sight of the impressively tall boy ducking his head as he makes his way into the room shocked her.

"Hello," he smiles back to her. As soon as he's past her eyeline she shoots Emma a look of bewilderment.

"What are you kids up to today?" She tries to play it cool.

"Oh, just some errands and stuff," Emma explains as they quickly zip up their outerwear "Roman," she nudges him. "Will you go warm up the car?"

"Of course," he takes the hint. Once the door is safely shut behind him Kay opens her mouth to speak but Emma waves her down.

"I'll explain tonight. I promise," she'll explain something. Not the whole truth, though. "Roman needs to stay with us."

"What?"