The Day After

Chapter 3

It was much warmer inside the squad car, but Liam was still shivering uncontrollably. The elderly gentleman who had called out to him tsked and passed Liam a flask. As he took it, Liam felt heat creeping slowly into his fingers. His first sip of the spicy liquid returned feeling to his arms and legs. When the flask had been duly emptied, he was feeling much warmer, if a bit sleepier. Silence took hold of the little car as it continued to zoom on.
Liam pressed his head against the cool window glass and immediately all drowsiness fled from his system. They were at least 20 feet in the air.

Alden's eyes flicked impatiently to the door as it opened, but her annoyed expression quickly vanished when she saw who had come in. "Liam!"
"Steady on, loves!" Liam laughed joyfully as he suddenly found both Silvia and Alden in his arms, nearly tackling him backwards against the wall. The golden eyed one smiled happily at him.
"Oh, Liam, I'm so glad you've made it!"
"We were awfully worried you'd get stuck in this horrid downpour." Alden added in.
"Well, I didn't. Where's Kay?"
Alden frowned while Silvia gnawed nervously on her lip. From behind them a young man with bright red hair and a tall, almost lanky frame clarified, "She's not here yet."
"Ah," Liam frowned for a moment, disentangling himself from the girls, then smiling as he approached the man who had spoken, "I'm guessing you're Ron Weasly?"
"How'd you guess?" Ron grinned, running a hand through his bright locks while shaking Liam's hand with his other hand.
Liam laughed, "Well, it wasn't the hair, or the freckles." Actually, Ron's freckles were barely visible now, and if he hadn't been looking for them Liam might not have spotted them at first. Just before releasing his hand Liam leaned forward and joked in a soft voice, "Actually, it was the way you were looking at Alden, if you really want to know."
This comment made Ron blush fiercely, not helped by the fact that Alden had now come to stand beside them. She raised an eyebrow at both of them as Ron looked away, but decided not to say anything.
"So!" Liam turned with a smile to Dean. Silvia had also joined them, and her fiancée's arm was again wrapped around her waist. "You must be Dean Thomas, and quite a lucky man."
"I'd say so," Dean replied, glancing at Silvia while shaking Liam's hand. Silvia giggled, cheeks coloring slightly now that Ron's had faded back to their usual color. Then Dean looked back toward Liam. "I assume you're Liam O'Malley."
"That I am."
"Also a lucky man."
Alden rolled her eyes, "Only if Kay shows up." She saw Silvia's mortified look and quickly added, "Which she will. Soon. Really."
Silvia sighed, leaning against Dean. With a gentle frown Liam moved closer to them while Ron led his dual colored eyed companion apart a bit. "Alden."
"What? I was just. I thought. " she sighed, resting her head against Ron's shoulder as they stood again by the window. Her head was spinning slightly with worry. She hadn't meant to spill that concern about Kayla to the rest of the group. Ron held her close, not speaking. At length she managed to smile, "I noticed that you're the only man here who isn't lucky, according to the others."
"Oh, they're just jealous." Despite everything, he made her smile genuinely. "She'll come, Menace. Trust me." Alden nodded, softly kissing his cheek before turning to look out the window again.