Across the Divide and Through Valhalla

Ignore That Please

Chapter 9

It had been more than two hours since they left the station, and Cloud was starting to get worried that he might have taken a wrong turn, even though the map hadn't said anything yet. He glanced over at Genesis for probably the dozenth time when the redhead finally gave him a glare back. His voice was still low when he sniped at the blonde. "Do you have an issue with me in particular, or is there something bothering you?"

Cloud frowned at his attitude, but he managed to answer in an even tone. "Actually, I was beginning to wonder if we were still on the right track. She had said we should have been there already."

Genesis' frown only increased at his words, but he finally moved to lightly shake the woman that had curled up against his chest. It had become slightly awkward, but he still found the sight humorous, mostly because she was so prickly when she was awake. She groaned slightly and turned to bury her face in his chest. He laughed at the motion, which caused her to suddenly go still. She slowly sat up, and her look was mortified when she finally met his gaze. He gave her a lopsided smirk as her face turned red. He didn't give her a chance to turn back around before he spoke. "I truly hate to interrupt your beauty sleep, as you seem to have needed it, but it is possible we are lost, and we need your input."

She scowled at him and looked like she had several things she wanted to say, but she settled for turning around again and looking at the map on the dash. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she looked over to Cloud before she finally responded. "We're still on track, but it looks like we are running a little behind. It's probably only because I have a bit of a lead foot. It's no big deal. We'll be there within a half-hour at most."

Cloud's face cleared as he heard that they weren't lost, but Genesis gave her a strange look, and Caius spoke up. "You have lead in your foot? Were you injured?"

Caius was sitting directly behind Genesis, so she couldn't really see him well when she twisted back, but she still assumed he really wanted to know and wasn't being a smartass and tried to answer accordingly. "I don't actually have lead in my foot. It is a saying that means I have a heavy foot, that I speed when I drive."

Caius only hmmed, so she assumed that meant he got the answer he was looking for. She finally turned to look at Genesis, and her voice was barely above a whisper. He smirked at her again when he saw her face heat slightly, but he kept his words to himself as she spoke. "I apologize for falling asleep on you. I know that had to be uncomfortable. You should have woken me up sooner."

He was slightly surprised that she wasn't acting angry, but his smirk softened slightly into his charming smile when he answered. "I got tired of watching you jerk awake. It was obvious that you were tired. Have no fear that if it had truly bothered me, I would have awoken you."

She only gave him a nod before she turned back around. It was an unexpectedly short amount of time later that she finally spoke up again. "Turn right here. My house is the third one down on the right."

Cloud followed her directions, and they all got the first sight of her home at the end of a long driveway. Once they stopped, it was only a matter of seconds before they were all out and stretching. Sherry felt a little bad when she heard several groans, but it couldn't have been helped. She wondered why it had been her that had been marked once again, but it didn't last long as she pulled her keys out and headed to the house. Because it had taken them so long to get back, the sun was riding low in the sky, and even though she had napped, she was still exhausted.

She unlocked the door and let them all in before she headed straight for her bathroom. She knew, now that they were back, the real questions would start, but not before she emptied her bladder. As she walked back into the living room, she also remembered that she didn't have a lot that would be easy to make for dinner. Her last shopping trip had been for camping supplies, and so her stocks were low at the house. That also reminded her that there would be many things they all needed if they were going to end up being there for more than a few days. That was a bridge she could cross when she got there. She wasn't sure how the rest of the night would play out.