Chapter ten! Are we excited? Hmm… So who's your favourite Gallagher Girl fanfic writer?
Just wondering… :D
Oh and tell me some of your fave stories from the GG fanfics. I've read lots of stories that are complete crap, but then again I've read loads that are AWESOME
Some nice Zammie coming your way this chap.
K, so chapter ten is coming your way in…
Five…
Four…
Three…
Ah, heck I won't make you wait :D
"So, I was thinking, we should make a list of all the suspects… that way, we can have a process of elimination…" Macey says, picking up a pen and a pad of paper.
Zach and I nod. This approach seems like the best so far.
"Now we actually have to think of suspects," points out Zach.
Macey bites the pen, frowning gently. "Always have to put a damper on the mood, don't you, Zachary?"
Zach just shrugs. "Just stating the obvious, McHenry."
"Guys! Can we focus, here?" I interrupt.
"Well… maybe if I get the Circle of Cavan files from the CIA, there might be some interesting names in there?" suggests Zach, after giving Macey a death-stare.
Nodding, I stand up. "Are we going?"
Zach looks incredulously at me. "Are you kidding? I'm not going to be able to get them now! I'll get the access codes to the filing cabinet tomorrow, when Sarah's actually at Langley."
"But we can't wait that long! We've got to help Bex, now!" I yell, hysterically.
"Cam, calm down! We will, but right now there's not a lot we can do, so can you please calm down! You can sleep in the guest room tonight," Macey says, soothingly.
I can't believe she's even considering sleeping, but, in a way, I know she's right. There's nothing we can do at the moment, so we should get some rest and save our energy for later, when we'll really need it.
Later, as Macey and I sit in the bathroom, she lectures me about the state of my pores. I know she loves Bex like a sister, but at the moment, it's sort of hard to believe seeing as I'm getting something smeared onto my skin.
"Uhh, Macey?" I begin. "What are you doing?"
She rolls her eyes and continues applying the thick paste onto my face. "It's a fifteen minute face mask; it'll really help you feel better."
I don't ask how a gooey mask can banish my guilt, fear and shame, so instead I shrug and let her work her magic.
At nine thirty, Macey says goodnight, and disappears into her own bedroom, leaving me to aimlessly channel surf on the small TV in the guest bedroom.
She's given Zach her couch, and being a small house, it's a small couch. I kind of felt sorry for him earlier, as I watched her chuck him a blanket and a pillow.
Deciding there's nothing worthwhile on, I change into my pyjamas and crawl into the cold bed. With nothing behind my back, I can't sleep for fear of someone attacking me. I lie awake, tossing and turning, for hours, trying to fall asleep, but it's all in vain. Whenever I close my eyes, for some reason, my mind takes me back to all the bad times in my life.
The attack on the rooftop with Macey and Preston…
The tombs at Blackthorne…
The meeting with the Circle agent by the fountain…
The night Aunt Abby was shot…
The kidnapping and threatening of the Circle not hours beforehand…
It's all just too much, and the cold, hard bed does nothing to help.
I throw back the duvet and slide my legs out of bed. Without meaning to, I make my way into the lounge room, where Zach is. Only, he's not asleep. He's sitting up, resting an elbow on his knee and his chin in his hand.
I just lean against the doorframe, enjoying seeing him when he doesn't see me, for once.
But, outsmarting me as always, he says, "What's up, Gallagher Girl?"
Sighing, I straighten up and notice the time – 12:13AM.
"Can't sleep," is all I say.
He stands up and turns to face me.
"How come?" he asks, frowning.
I shrug. "Bad dreams."
Then he walks over to me, but stops barely a foot away.
"Do you want me to get you something? Macey? Water?"
Shaking my head, I uncross my arms and hug my stomach, withholding a shiver.
"Oh, okay…"
"Is the couch comfy?" I enquire.
He laughs lightly. "It's good enough."
I bite my lip. "Do you want t-… never mind," I begin, faintly.
"Want to what?" Zach never misses a beat.
"Oh, uh… nothing, forget I said anything."
"Okay…"
I turn to go back in the guest bedroom, but his hand on my arm stops me.
"Do you happen to like hot chocolate, marshmallows and tents at midnight?" he asks, a playful smirk forming on his lips.
This time it's my turn to laugh. "Who doesn't?"
Thirteen minutes and forty-three seconds later, the two of us are sitting in a cosy and quite sophisticated 'tent' made from the blankets off of my bed. I'm sitting on a pillow and leaning against the back of the couch, Zach right beside me, clutching a deliciously-made hot chocolate, courtesy of Zach.
"Seriously, who taught you to make these?" I ask, barely concealing the amazement in my voice.
He laughs and sips his own. "I have my ways…"
Of course he does.
We chat about nothing and everything. He tells me about his life after graduating, what Jonas and Grant have been up to and even some about my mother.
"She and Joe got engaged just before the CIA 'found out' that you worked for the Circle. She was going to tell you, but couldn't get in contact. She's still headmistress at Gallagher, but her retirement is expected any day now. They got married about five months ago, I was invited. They looked happy, if that's any consolation," Zach tells me, almost sympathetically.
"Ah well, I suppose I could have a worse step-father," I joke.
Step-father… that sounds so weird, especially when I still haven't forgotten my own, real father.
I place my drink to the side, where it won't be spilled and Zach does the same.
"Do you think this will all work out okay, Zach?"
He considers it for a moment, before smiling weakly, "I sure hope so, Gallagher Girl, I sure hope so…"
I turn my face so I'm looking directly at him.
"Me too," I whisper.
Then I realise he's leaning in, and that I am, too. Our lips meet in a blissful kiss, his warm hand on the back of my neck. A feeling of complete happiness overtakes my mind, blocking out all other thoughts.
When we break apart, I cast my eyes downward, not wishing to see regret in his. But as I force them upwards again, all I see is love. Or what I think is love, anyway.
We smile at each other, before lying down, arms entwined around each other.
I finally fall asleep in his comforting embrace…
"RISE AND SHINE!" With little sleep the previous night – or morning – I cringe at the loud words, like I've got a hang over or something.
"Seriously, Macey, could you be a little quieter?" I complain into the pillow.
"Are you drunk?" she ponders, disbelievingly.
In return for her outrageous question, I throw the pillow, hard, at her face and she finally goes away…
…Only to return not two minutes later with a bucket of water. Very, very cold water. Water that soon is being poured over my head.
"Oh, come on! I was getting up!" I scream, indignantly, jumping up.
She's smirking triumphantly. "Oh, good, you're up."
Cursing at her in various languages, I look around the makeshift 'tent' and notice Zach isn't there.
"Cam, did you make this all by yourself? And sleep in it, too?" asks Macey as she offers an arm, which I gratefully take.
She pulls me out and I shrug, wondering where Zach disappeared to.
"He's gone to Langley. He'll be back later… Now come and have some breakfast," Macey replies to my unasked question.
I follow her slowly into the kitchen hoping that today will be the day I can actually do something about my best friend's kidnapping.