Running
Chapter 11: Tension
I can feel Susan's eyes on me. I've felt them on me for at least half an hour, but refrain from looking up, pretending to be caught up in my work. I don't think she believes it.
"Doctor?"
I barely manage not to cringe, knowing that I couldn't simply ignore her. Sighing inwardly, I turn my gaze up to her. "Yes, my dear?" So many of our conversations seem to start this way. Lately it seems like it's all the ones that are bound to make me uncomfortable some way or another.
She doesn't answer right away, biting her lip. My heart almost breaks at the desperate look in her eyes. "I..." I hold my breath as she pauses. "Never mind."
She gets up and and turns to walk away and I feel a heavy weight on my chest. It wasn't the first time we've started something like this and never finished it. She's dying to talk to me about something, but can't seem to find the words. Glancing to the side, I can see Link sitting across from BOB in their game of cards. He glares at me expectantly over his hand.
Swallowing thickly, I turn my eyes back to Susan in time to see her make her way into the tent. I hesitate, not knowing what I'm going to say or do, but I can't keep leaving it like this. I stand, leaving my work behind, and start after her. "Susan my dear?" I ask carefully, poking my head inside the tent.
Susan's gaze snaps up to me quickly. "Dr. Cockroach." She's sitting cross-legged on her make-shift bed.
"Is there something you've been wanting to ask me, my dear?" I ask uncertainly, glancing around before deciding to just remain standing.
"No," she looks away. "What makes you think that?"
My antennae droop a little and I step closer. I reach out to brush her hair out of her face, but stop myself before I touch her, instead folding my hands behind my back. "We've done this several times, Susan," I point out. "Obviously something is on your mind."
She shakes her head, hugging her arms protectively. "It's nothing. Doctor."
Finally, I kneel down, reaching out to rest a hand on her shoulder. "Susan?" I press softly. She lifts her gaze again, biting her lip in that charming way yet again. Susan rests her hand on mine and I feel myself tense up in alarm. This... is a bad idea... Any amount of things could happen and then where would we be?
Susan brushes her lips against my cheek, stands up, and walks out of the tent.
This feels depressingly familiar.
-
Lonely. That's a good word. It seems so incredibly lonely without Susan around again. From what Link told me, she'd gone in the direction of the town, grabbing one of the radios. I haven't been able to gather the courage to try and talk to her through the other one. It's getting late isn't it? Looking up at the sky, I can see the fiery colors of sunset above. Why would she stay out so late?
Biting my lip, I snatch the radio, pressing down the talk button. "Susan, my dear? Are you there?" There's no answer. My chest constricts painfully in my worry and I try again. "Susan?"
For several minutes I wait, thinking that she mat have been talking to someone, unable to answer, but still, when noting happens, I start to feel a bit of panic.
"Hey Doc, where you going?"
"The town," I respond, placing my radio in my coat pocket.
Link raises an eyebrow at me in surprise. "You actually think that's a good idea?"
"It's a horrible idea," I correct him. Susan could just be trying to avoid me. She could just want to spend a little time away. But she could also have run into a problem, and I won't just sit back and find out which it is. "But Susan isn't responding."
I expect him to taunt me. Surprisingly enough, he doesn't. "What did you say to her, anything?"
"Nothing." And it's the truth. It just... I shake my head, starting in the direction of the town. "It's almost night, I should be able to sneak around without a problem. Stay here."
Insectosaurus roars something or other, but I'm already gone before Link can translate it for me. As long as I see Susan still safe, I can just head back. I have to make sure though. Afterall, we were being hunted down by the government. No matter how nice Phillip's is, we can't forget that we're still possibly in danger. I won't let something like what happened between us stop me from keeping Susan safe.