Departure

Alivia

I woke up in the morning to a Com request from the observatory just outside of the city. I figured it was Lorelei finally calling me back after two weeks of hearing absolutely nothing from her and Elijah. When I picked it up I scoffed.

"Finally you decided your best friend was important enough to answer."

"Actually Mrs Alivia we are calling to tell you to come pick up Lorelei's office supplies. She is fired."

"What! But she is a great astronomer." I protest as I got out of bed.

"While that is true Mrs Alivia, she has missed work for the past two weeks without a single call."

"Why are you bugging me about it? Ask her husband where she is."

"We would as Mr Elijah but we can't get ahold of him. Neither of them have answered any of our calls."

"Are you sure your phone isn't broken because that doesn't sound like either of them."

"I'm sure."

"Well than I guess I will pick up her stuff."

I sighed, I was planning on just laying in bed for another hour or so because America set up a playdate for Luna Rose at her house and I didn't need to constantly be watching Luna Rose.

When I got ready and walked down stairs Indiana was sitting at our breakfast table, shirtless, while drinking coffee.

This is particularly weird because ever since the war Indiana never had his shirt off.

"Indiana, what in the world are you doing?" I asked him.

"I want to show you something." Indiana grins like a little child.

"Alright, what do you want to show me." I rolled my eyes.

Indiana stood up from the table and just stood there. I looked at him and finally noticed what he wanted me too.

Half of his midsection was metal. After Indiana almost died from a bug bite a long time ago he had black skin where all the cells had died from the poison. It would have gone away quickly except his insides had died from the poison as well. The black skin was slowly getting less prominent over the years but it wasn't healing.

"When did this happen?" I asked as I touched his metal side.

"The doctor told me he could remove all the rotted skin and replace it with metal. And I got the surgery yesterday because I wanted to surprise you." Indiana beamed.

I placed my hand on his metal midsection and then hugged him tightly.

"I can hug you again." I sighed.

Indiana hugged me back and it was a little weird with his metal chest but at least now I don't have to be careful when brushing up against him and he won't be as disease prone.

"Well I hate to rain on this sunny parade but Lorelei got fired from her job and I have to pick up her belongings." I rolled my eyes.

"What do you mean she got fired?"

"I mean that she didn't show up to work for two weeks and never called in sick."

"Why doesn't Lorelei pick up her stuff?"

"They can't reach her."

"Why doesn't Elijah pick up Lorelei's stuff?"

"They can't reach him either so I figured I would go pick up Lorelei's stuff and drop it off at their apartment and if they weren't there I would take it to Alaina."