Daybreak by Soleil Fel
A/N: Thank you so much to everyone that's read, reviewed or added this fic to your favorites/alerts list! I know that updates for this fic have been really sporadic, so I thank you for your patience.
Chapter 7
It took Bart a few more seconds to process all that Kristy had just told him. When he finally took off after her, he'd only managed to arrive in the lobby to see the elevator doors slamming shut. Swearing, he ran towards the stairs and taking them two at time, he panted heavily at the third floor just to see Kristy fumbling with her keys as she tried to get the door open.
As he sprinted down the hallway, Kristy finally managed to her door open and he arrived just into time to wedge a foot in before the former could slam it shut.
"Go away!"
"No," Bart said between pants, "Not until you hear me out."
He could hear her resigned sigh, "Will you go away if I do?"
"Yes."
"Fine," grumbled Kristy, reluctantly letting go of the door. She didn't bother looking at him as he headed in, shutting the door beside him.
In the living room, Kristy deliberately took the Laz-Z-Boy so he couldn't sit beside her. She watched as he flopped down onto the couch diagonally from her.
"Well," she said rather impatiently, "I'm waiting here."
She was rather unprepared for the next words that came out of his mouth.
"Why did you sneak off that morning?" he said abruptly.
Kristy's mouth fell open, "Sneak off?" she said indignantly, "What? Was I supposed to wait for you to wake up so we could both freak out?"
Now Bart just gave her a long look. "You freaked out," he stated calmly.
The girl sitting across from him just rolled her eyes, "Oh no, I sleep with guys I've known for half my life all the time! Of course I wouldn't freak out!"
Bart ignored her sarcastic tone, "And you're avoiding me because you think I'm pretending that we never slept with each other."
"So that's not what you think? Enlighten me here, I think the anvil-sized hints aren't quite enough." she snipped.
"...And now you're mad at me."
Kristy gave him a mocking look, "No, whatever made you think that?"
"Damnit, Kristy, will you stop that?" Bart could feel some of his temper fraying.
She just sighed, "Look, it was a mistake. I get that, it's just…I need some time to react to it, okay? Sheesh, I've already spent like a few days freaking out that I might have gotten knocked up, which I'm not, so you can stop looking so damned scared-"
Her voice rose to a pitch that was highly uncharacteristic of her usual personality, "-and then you're acting like nothing happened and that was my first time, you jerk!"
"Enough with the name-calling already, okay?"
Kristy just crossed her arms over her chest and scowled in his direction.
He decided to take that as a silent agreement on her part. "Look, I only remember bits and pieces from that night," admitted Bart, "And even those are all jumbled up."
"Somebody spiked my drink," she finally said.
"Yeah, whoever it was probably got mine too," his tone was rueful, "I guess I should have been more aware of my surroundings. I'll ask the guys what they remember from that night. See if we can figure out who did it." His gaze met hers, "For what it's worth, I'm sorry."
Kristy held his gaze for a bit before looking away. "I did miss hanging out with you..." she admitted, "I just felt so awkward because of what happened since I know you don't like me like that-"
"No."
However, the tiny flash of hurt that went across Kristy's face when he said that was what prompted him to continue. "No, you're wrong," Bart paused for a second before deciding to take the plunge, "I do like you...like that."
When Kristy's eyes widened, he decided that it was probably time for a strategic retreat. "Ball's in your court now. Anyways, I'll see you around."
It was only some time after Bart had left that Kristy finally snapped out of it. What am I supposed to do now? she wondered with a groan. The past hour, she'd vaulted wildly from one emotion to the other and now...
Now she didn't know what to think.
"Hey, I hope you didn't mind Stacey and Lewis' running commentary too much," Claudia smiled up at him as the two of them headed towards her building after the movie. The sun had set some time ago and now the only source of light were the soft glow of the street lights and the brightly lit campus buildings. "It always drives Dawn and I crazy, that's for sure."
"I didn't mind. It was...interesting."
"You're just too nice to say that what you're really thinking," she accused him playfully. "Don't worry, next time we'll get some seats far away from those two." The words were out of her mouth before the words registered in her mind. Oh my god, did I just ask him out? Again?
"No, really-" Will started to protest before he abruptly stopped.
"Will, what-"
A shot rang out and the next second Claudia found herself on the ground with Will hovering protectively over her. Her eyes widened in shock as a gun seemingly appeared from nowhere into his hand and he glanced around, trying to locate the shooter.
All traces of his previous jovial expression were gone. It was like a mask had fallen over his face and the man she had spent the whole afternoon and evening laughing with had been replaced by a stranger. His expression was calm, but deadly. There was no hesitation as he silently nudged her along
She gave an involuntary shriek as another shot ricocheted off the tree next to them.
"I am way too young to die," was the only thought running through Claudia's mind at the moment.
Will returned fire and she thought she'd heard a distant shout before he was pulling her up.
"C'mon," he said urgently as he nudged her towards the towards the buildings spanning the grassy area they'd been walking through just seconds earlier.
Claudia was sure she'd never run so fast in her entire life as another shot rang out. She could hear the hurried sound of footsteps racing after them from behind.
She let out a startled yelp as Will abruptly pulled her into corridor between two of the buildings.
"Long! Where are you?" Will was hissing into his cellphone as they continued running. "I could really use some back-up right now."
"I'm near the courtyard. South side. Claudia's with me."
"No, of course I didn't mean to! You think I like getting shot at?"
A few more turns later and what seemed like forever in her mind, the sounds of the footsteps finally decreased. Moving into the shadows, Will stood protectively in front of her as the two of them stopped to catch a breath.
She could hear voices calling out in a foreign language and her grip tightened unconsciously on his shirt.
"Will, what's going on here?" Claudia whispered fearfully as her gaze darted wildly around the area. The darkness that provided a cover for them also helped hide the people they'd been running from.
She didn't know who those people were or why they were out to get them but even in her panic, it was obvious that Will was a lot calmer that most people would have been. Not to mention the expert way he'd fired off a shot before they'd started running - it hadn't been the clumsy attempt of a person that owned a gun but never used it but the sure aim of someone that had done this multiple times before.
Will didn't answer. Instead, he pulled her deeper into the darkness as he bent his head down to hers. "There's going to be a black SUV pulling up on the side of the street soon. I want you to run and get in as fast as you can and then duck," he whispered hurriedly, "I'll try to cover you as best as I can. You get that?"
"But-"
"Get that?"
"Yes."
"Good, because we don't have much time."
No sooner were the words out of his mouth when a black car stopped with a screech in the street a short distance from where they'd been hiding.
"Hurry!" Will grabbed her hand as he pulled her towards the sidewalk.
The next few moments were a blur as shots rang out and they two of them raced towards the SUV. Even as Claudia scrambled into the back of the car, Will gave a painful grunt as he stumbled.
"Will! No!" She screamed, quickly leaning out to grab ahold of his arm. Somehow, she found the strength to pull him into the car and she barely managed to get the door shut before the driver slammed on the gas.
As the car sped down the road, Claudia could feel some wetness on her hand. Removing her hand from where it'd been trapped under Will, she stilled when she saw what it was.
Will's blood was on her hands.
To be continued.
