Holds Me Together
Rating: T-M Just in case
Disclaimer: At this point do I really need to write more then 'disclaimer' for you to know that I own only the new unheard of characters?
Reviews: Payton – Welcome aboard! All past reading and non-reviewing is forgiven! Thank you for an ego boost! Audrey – Howdy, how ya doin' there? I'm not really positive how many chapters I'm going to do. I will tell you though that I'll probably take the story through the entire school year, so we'll see. ) P.S. – Any updates on anarchy coming soon? (cough, cough) Laura – Look, I know you're addicted okay, but stop coming up with good questions like that! Although what's very ironic is I was writing this chapter and in the middle of writing a God part when I read your review-GET OUT OF MY BRAIN YOU! P.S. – Ahhh…The Netherlands, right? One of the most densely populated and geographically low-lying countries in the world (betcha didn't think I knew that hmmm?) Can't argue with a place that Rembrandt, Vermeer, Escher, van Gogh and hey, de Kooning came from right? I need to go on a trivia show, I know too much random stuff. Moving on, so what did you do while you were here last month? Butterfly Dancing – Glad you…er…enjoyed it? ) Feel free to reread it as many times as you like? That's kind of like rewinding a scene of a movie isn't it? Glad it received your stamp of approval! KJFlygirl87 – Good to see you onboard for the sequel! More is coming! Tiffany – YAY! I can't wait for your update! Thank you! The faithful love you for this! Hey I have the same reviewers you know, and I love them all! Even if only two or even if it was just you reviewing! So keep it up, and we'll keep being faithful! P.S. this story's going to be long…who knows what will happen to JA and GL? Or any of the other couples involved in the story? I'll tell you who, me! Until I write them for you! Muahahaha! Sam – Ohh Sam, Sammy, Sam, Sam, Sam, where do I begin? You're welcome. Phew, it didn't seem random? That's good then. I love M&Ms…we were totally both in the gutter for that one. I figured Grace would be the one to give Adam advice for the hang over remedy. Yeah, the hyena on Ritalin was a little over the top but it was funny! Come on! I couldn't make a liar or promise breaker out of Luke, could I? We have a couple of places like JB's around me, not in Philly, down at the beach, in South Jersey where my parents have a house. It's lots of fun to have a place like that, let me tell you. Never a dull moment! Honestly, I've never done anything 4-H related so if I funk it up, you can slap me. You'll see why I put her in 4-H when you read this chapter. Thanks for the comments about the last scene. I didn't want to go too crazy with it, but at the same time keeping it too tame wouldn't do it justice. I HATED those socks BTW! Yeah…I think everyone has clasp trouble at some point. Clasps are evil. It's like a Chinese finger trap-the harder someone tries to undo them, the tighter they stay stuck! I told you the ring was coming in at a good point didn't I? It's all in my brain, oh yeah. Thank you for my long ego boosting, where would I be without you my friend? )
A/N: Phew! That was a lot again! So exciting to hear from everyone! I LOVE YOU GUYS! Okay. Ahem. Sorry for the piss poor proofreading as always. Sorry! Read on with yo bad self, now! Be warned there are some shockers in this one! Watch out!
Chapter 4 – You Look Good In My Shirt
Of all things in the world, waking up late for work was Joan's least favorite. She could always think of things that were worse of course, but still, she hated waking up late for work. So on Sunday morning, two days before Halloween, with three papers to write by Tuesday, Joan awoke to the sound of Colby grumbling, climbing out of her own bunk and angrily hitting Joan's alarm clock which had been going off for nearly a half an hour.
"Wake up, Joan!" Colby threw a pillow from the couch at Joan. Joan lurched awake, confused and a bit dazed momentarily. She focused her eyes and saw Colby standing next to their bunks, looking up at Joan with her fists on her hips.
"What's wrong, Colby?" Joan asked tiredly.
"You're alarm's been going off for like, ever!" Colby said angrily. Johana sucked in some air and sat straight up when Colby punctuated her sentiment by slamming her own desk chair into her desk loudly. Joan looked at the clock and her eyes widened.
"Oh, crap!" She stumbled as she tried to get out of bed and succeeded in tangling herself in her blanket and as a result toppled out of the bunk and landed on an unsuspecting, wide-eyed Colby.
"Oh my God!" Johana couldn't help laughing as she herself hurriedly climbed down, having just focused her own eyes in time to witness this. "Are you two okay?" She helped Joan untangle herself from Colby, who was grumbling angrily.
"Don't touch me, leave me alone." Colby warned Johana, who simply held her hands up innocently.
"Okay, whatever, your highness." Johana replied. Brandon had run into Johana the day before in the campus cafeteria. Once he'd joined her, she asked him what was wrong. After only a moment of studying Johana with a guilty look on his face he'd promptly confessed to her all of Colby's sentiments, including the issues that Colby had with Johana, Tristan and Hayley. Johana had resolved to try not to let this get to her too much in an effort to avoid confrontation and problems between herself, Colby and Joan since they all had to live together for the rest of the year. At least now Johana understood most of the looks that Colby gave her.
"Sorry." Joan said guiltily to Colby, who just scoffed.
"Thanks for waking me up." She huffed, grabbing her things and heading for a shower. Joan sighed, looking at the clock. She was glad she'd taken a late shower the night before. She could get away with showering after work. She grabbed her things hurriedly and went to brush her teeth, clean her face and get ready for work.
After Joan had managed to get together, grab her things and make it outside, she looked at her watch. It was 11:45 and she had to open at noon. Instead of walking the 1.7 miles she went to the street and hailed a cab quickly. It was only a short ride, but it was faster than walking. She climbed in the cab.
"Where to, Joan?" The cab driver asked, grinning into the mirror. Joan groaned and put her head back on the seat with a sigh.
"If you're all knowing, should you know where I'm going?" She asked, lifting her head to look at him. He grinned revealing two gold teeth, and nodded.
"Right you are. Let's get you to work." He turned the meter on and pulled onto the street. "How does your head feel today?" He asked her with a knowing grin.
"You know if the reason for me to go to the party was to get hung over then I don't get it." Joan piped up. Cab Drive God laughed at her.
"I didn't tell you to drink anything, Joan." He said. Joan thought about this for a second and offered a nod of her head. It was true.
"So then what was the big deal? To have fun?" Joan asked skeptically. "Wait, am I going to get an answer?"
"Brandon and Hayley would not have gone to the party, had Brandon not found out that you and your friends were going." Cab Driver God told her, as if this explained everything. Joan waited for him to continue.
"Aaaannd?" She questioned when he didn't. God shook his head and chuckled with a sigh.
"If Hayley and Brandon hadn't appeared together at the party, Colby would not have found out they were together." He explained further.
"Wait…are you saying Hayley and Brandon shouldn't be together?" Joan asked. This would make no sense, considering that Hayley and Brandon were totally into each other as far as Joan could tell.
"I'm not saying that." God replied. "I'm saying Colby wouldn't have known."
"And if she didn't know Brandon and her wouldn't have gotten into a fight where they're not speaking. So I caused two siblings to hate each other? How is that good?" Joan asked. God glanced in the rear view mirror at Joan.
"So you think Colby's point of view is a good one?" He questioned even though he knew the answer.
"No. She's like a mini-Hitler minus the army, the book, and the vegetarian part-oh! And you know the disgruntled artist rejection thing too." Joan rambled. The cab pulled over outside of 'Know Knew Books.'
"That's 7 dollars Joan." God said.
"Wait, that's it?" Joan asked as she fished into her pocket and pulled out a crumpled ten, knowing she wouldn't get the change back for it.
"Speak your mind Joan." The cab drive said. "Stop avoiding confrontation."
"That's my assignment, huh?" Joan asked, feeling almost cheated. God's assignment was to be Grace for the time being, in essence. Not that this was a bad thing.
"It's not a bad thing to be Grace, Joan." God said, knowingly. "And that's not what I meant anyway. Oh, and go for coffee and maybe a donut at your lunch break." He instructed as she climbed out of the cab and shut the door, leaning down to look in the passenger window.
"I don't like donuts." Joan commented. God gave a wave as he pulled into traffic. Joan sighed and turned to the bookstore.
"It's about time." Grant, one of the other employees said with a smile as he stood up from sitting against the wall and threw his bag over his shoulder, waiting for Joan to unlock the door.
"I've had a hell of a morning, let's just say." She commented, unlocking the door and holding it for him and then locking it behind them as they still had 10 minutes to prepare for the store to open.
"If it makes you feel better I'm late on my rent." Grant commented with a grin.
"I fell off my bunk onto my roommate." Joan said and they both laughed.
"Onto Johana?" Grant asked. Joan shook her head. "Ohh, onto the snotty one?"
"Yup. Colby. That's the one." She nodded as they went about setting up the register and straightening up to some music.
Luke stared at Grace. It was maybe 8 or 9 in the morning, he wasn't positive since he hadn't glanced at the clock in a few hours. He and Grace were pressed tightly together halfway under her covers. He hadn't fetched his underwear to pull them on; not wanting to move from his current spot and to do so would interrupt Grace anyhow. His right arm was under her and her head was on his chest. They were both turned, perched slightly on their sides, legs tangled around each other. Grace hand sat almost idly on his abdomen, and the other one curled up under her. Luke's arm curled around her to hold her close to him and his hand swept slowly through her hair, down along her face, tracing its outline and back to her hair again. At some point in the hours following their romp between the sheets Grace had groped around in the dark and found that the closest shirt she could reach without leaving the warmth and comfort of Luke's embrace was his white button-up shirt from the night before. She had slid it on her arms and buttoned the bottom 4 or 5 buttons before curling back against Luke.
Luke hadn't been able to fall asleep, the last lingering bits of adrenaline kept him awake; that and the smell and feel of Grace this close to him both literally and metaphorically after their experience, kept him lost in thought as he'd stared at her. Grace looked like she was asleep, but Luke was well aware that she wasn't. He pretended he thought she was though; if she wanted him to think she was asleep, well then he would go along with it.
"I'm not asleep." Grace whispered after a few more lingering moments. Luke smiled as she lay there with her eyes still closed, enjoying his hand running through the strands of her messed hair and along her face.
"I know," He told her simply. Grace grinned and chortled slightly.
"How could you?" She asked him, opening her eyes and turning her head up to meet his.
"Well, for one you breathe slower when you're asleep," He began. "And for two, your hand stops drawing circles on my stomach when you're asleep as well." He smiled. Grace's cheeks flushed a bit. Luke studied her further now leaning only an inch or two back to examine her choice of clothing with a grin.
"What?" Grace asked just a little bit on the self conscious side. Luke just smiled broader.
"You look good in my shirt," He commented. Grace blushed further, turning her head back down and burrowing further against him, into his neck and collarbone. She took a deep breath and sighed as Luke's arm tightened around her. His free hand traveled down her right arm to where her hand was on his stomach, and he entwined his fingers there with hers. Grace felt content, but that feeling soon seeped away as her brain woke from its fog and she began to feel leery. Everything felt perfect and Grace knew for a fact that when everything felt that way something bad was bound to throw a wrench into the mix. Pushing this thought from her mind, because she simply didn't want anything to ruin how she felt, she closed her eyes again when she felt Luke kiss the top of her head.
"Luke?" She asked. She'd been using his name more often lately, but it still felt new to her, having called him many different names for the past couple of years.
"Yeah?" He responded just as quietly.
"I meant it, you know." She wanted to reassure herself more than him.
"Meant what?" Luke asked her, still.
"I love you."
"Will that be all?" Joan asked, ringing up two books and then looking up to see the customer who was buying them. She vaguely recognized the man with short brown hair that stood in front of her, though she couldn't tell from where.
"Yeah. Hey you're…uhm…you were at the Phi Psi party the other night, right?" He asked. "You were the Matrix couple." He said. Joan nodded.
"That would be true. Do I know you?" She asked curiously.
"Oh, sorry. We met at the party." He held his hand out. "I'm Flynn, Flynn Henry." He explained as Joan shook his hand. "Brandon's roommate-well, one of."
"Oh! Oh, right! You were uhm, the Black Knight, right?" She asked. He nodded, still waiting for a repeat of her name, having forgotten it from the party. "Oh! I'm sorry, I'm Joan." She pointed to the name tag and Flynn slapped his forehead feeling like an idiot for not noticing it before. "So, doing a little shopping are we?" Joan put the books in a bag. "That's $33.24." She said after punching a few buttons on the register.
"Wait, are you sure? They were both 25." Flynn dug his money out. Joan smiled and nodded.
"Employee discount," She winked at him. Flynn grinned appreciatively, handing her the money and getting his change.
"In that case, when do you get off for lunch, I'll buy you a coffee and some food in return for such a generous favor." Flynn suggested. Joan was about to say no when she remembered what Cab Driver God had said. She nodded.
"Okay. I have about 15 minutes." She looked at her watch. "I'll meet you at the coffee shop 5 blocks up?"
Flynn seemed to accept this, nodded, took his bag from her and left. Joan felt a pang of guilt for agreeing to go to lunch with a man who wasn't Adam. It's not like this is a date though, Joan told herself and she resolved to make that point clear to Flynn at the coffee shop. Joan was lost in thought when Grant came up from the floor behind the register and told her he was back from his break and she could go take hers. Joan snapped to attention.
"Oh, right, okay. I'll be back in half an hour." Joan grabbed her bag from the back and left the store, turning right and starting the 5 block trek. When she reached the shop she noticed that Flynn had found a seat among the outside tables. She walked in and approached the table and sat down in a chair across from him under the umbrella.
"I had one while I was waiting, I hope you don't mind?" He smiled warmly signaling his empty coffee cup.
"Oh, not at all." Joan waved her hand.
"So what can I buy you?" Flynn asked. Joan thought for a moment.
"Caramel Mocha Cappuccino with extra caramel on ice…" She paused a moment, "And a donut."
"What kind of donut?" Flynn asked. Joan shrugged. She wasn't a donut person.
"Surprise me?" She offered. Flynn nodded and got up to go to the counter.
"One…Caramel Mocha…something drink, and a donut." Flynn put them down in front of her and sat across form her with his own cup of what looked like plain old coffee.
"Thanks." Joan smiled and accepted the gifts. "Listen, Flynn, I have to make sure we get something straight about…this." She motioned between the two of them and began to ramble off about Adam and their relationship until Flynn laughed and she looked at him, blushing.
"Joan, relax." He took a sip of his cup and put it down, leaning in closer to talk quietly. "I'm gay." He told her. Joan stared at him, feeling stupid. He smiled. "I hope that doesn't make you feel more uncomfortable?" Flynn commented after a few moments of silence.
"Oh! No! Not, at all. I just, wasn't expecting that response." She laughed at herself now. She looked at the donut. It looked like a plain glazed donut. Joan, despite not liking donuts, couldn't just let it sit there after someone else had paid for it for her. So, halfway into a great conversation with Flynn, and halfway through her drink, she picked up the donut and took a bite out of it. It didn't taste so bad, really. They were about to launch into another conversation when Joan started to feel tightness in her throat and her chest.
"Are you all right?" Flynn asked as Joan began to wheeze. She waved her hands, as if that would help her get more air. Flynn began to call for help to the people around him.
"Is she allergic to something?" The manager asked as Flynn knelt over Joan who was barely getting air into her lungs as she gasped, lying on the ground now.
"I don't know. She only had a bite of a donut." Flynn said. Already someone had used a cell phone to call for help, but Joan's color was draining and her mouth hung open as her throat tightened.
"Well we fry the donuts in peanut oil like it says on the sign." The manager said. Joan waved her hand and mustered a nod. It had only been recently that Joan had become allergic to peanuts. She'd eaten half of a peanut butter and banana sandwich she and Grace were sharing outside of school during lunch in one bite. No sooner had she swallowed it and was reaching for her ice tea when she'd started having trouble breathing and soon fell off the cement block they were on, gasping for air. Grace had thought she was joking at first, having eaten many of these sandwiches together in the months before this incident. Once she realized what was happening she'd started calling for someone to help before she could make herself grab her own cell phone and dial for an ambulance. By then a large crowd had formed, including Helen, who had commenced in freaking out. The paramedics barely got to Joan in time. The doctors couldn't explain this sudden deadly allergy. Since then Joan was usually diligent about looking anything peanut related that could affect her.
Flynn noticed that Joan had an outstretched arm reaching for the strap of her bag but unable to get it.
"Is there something in here that can help?" He called out to Joan as he flipped open the bag. She nodded weakly, getting lightheaded and weary now. Flynn dumped the bag upside down and began digging through it.
"It's this right here!" Their waitress grabbed what looked like a big pen and held it out to Flynn.
"What the hell is that?" Flynn was starting to freak out. It was his fault this happened.
"It's an Epi-pen, move." The waitress popped the cap off and dropped next to Joan. She moved the side of Joan's skirt up and stuck the needles into the side of Joan's thigh, holding it there and counting to herself. Joan seemed to breathe a little easier, but not by much. The ambulance was close enough to hear its sirens anyhow, though.
"So what's on the agenda for the rest of the night?" Luke asked. It was nearly 1:30 and he and Grace were just finishing getting dressed and cleaned up. Luke had to be in work by 2, but he had an early shift tonight, ending at 8. Grace shrugged, putting her boots under her desk. She was closest to Luke that he reached out from sitting on the edge of her bed and pulled her to him and into his lap.
"Oh what, you think you can just grab me whenever you want to now?" She asked with a smile. Luke grinned.
"Maybe…" He teased.
"Oh is that so? Well what if I don't want to kiss you, brain?" She gave his shoulder a shove as he held onto her.
"Oh, you'll crack soon enough, when I refuse to kiss you." He grinned knowingly. Grace narrowed her eyes. Taking advantage of this staring competition Luke let his hand find her navel piercing under her shirt. As Grace's back shuddered she hurriedly smacked his hand away.
"That's cheating!" She yelped. Luke grinned. It was too late though, she'd lost and she leaned in and kissed him. They were vaguely aware that the door had opened.
"OH! Gosh I'm sorry!" Missy McMyles said as she dropped her duffle bag and covered her eyes. Grace and Luke reluctantly pulled apart. Grace stood up, clearing her throat.
"Missy, it's all right, you can open your eyes," She almost laughed, covering her mouth for a second. Missy peeked through her fingers to make sure the coast was clear and then removed her hand smiling.
"I didn't mean to interrupt y'all." She said. Her accent was slight, but it still stood out to anyone in this neck of the woods. Missy was from just outside of Topeka, Kansas. Her father was a rancher and her mother was a lawyer who worked in town and sometimes traveled to Wichita when cases needed it. She had 5 older brothers with the youngest one nearly 5 years older than her and the oldest one nearly 16 years older than her. She was a typical country girl. At first she'd come off to Grace as a peppy cheerleader like the girls in Bring It On, but after a while Grace had seen many sides to Missy.
Sure, Missy was a cheerleader, but she was also a ranch hand for her father since she could remember, and a vegetarian at that to fill in some irony, she loved dogs, she was rough and ready and would take on anyone's football challenge if no-neck football players like the one Sweet Lou had had a drinking contest with, and she was smarter than Grace had pegged her for. She was going to school to be a veterinarian and Grace couldn't figure out how that had led her to Harvard. Missy had spent her weekend volunteering and judging some 4-H contests in southeastern Massachusetts at a county fair featuring a rodeo, which only enticed Missy more since it meant that she got a chance to see her brother, who was a bull rider.
"Oh, no not at all," Grace assured. "We were just getting ready to leave actually,"
"Not on my account, I hope?" Missy asked.
"No, no." Grace said as Luke stood behind her. "Luke has to get to work and we haven't eaten yet today, so we're going to JB's."
Missy laughed. "They should put some beds in there for y'all, it would be cheaper." She said.
"Do you want to join us?" Luke asked her. Missy looked from Luke to Grace. Grace offered a smile.
"Sure if I'm not intruding?" She asked. Both Luke and Grace shook their heads
"Not at all," Grace said as Missy placed her duffle bag by her desk. Luke's stomach growled. He grinned sheepishly.
"Sorry." He said.
"Lead the way then." Missy agreed, following them out as Grace asked her about how the rodeo and fair had gone.
It was just about 6:30 pm when Grace and Missy were in Grace and Luke's normal booth with Avery Hines, who wasn't due to go on shift until 7 and Dina Mae from Grace's class and study group. Luke was working behind the counter today and sending JB Jr. over with coffee for the girls. They were lively chatting about many things, all of their backgrounds, family, friends, telling stories and just laughing. Luke noticed Grace was actively apart of these conversations though she had shied away, just listening at first until Avery, Dina and Missy had all prodded her to join in. When her cell phone rang, Grace excused herself from the booth and sat at the counter so that the others could keep talking. She looked at the caller ID and smiled, hitting the button to answer it and putting it to her ear.
"Hey Rove, three conversations in three days, you miss me that much?" She teased. Luke watched Grace's side of this conversation as he wiped the counter and set out new placemats for it. When Grace's face fell Luke took a few steps towards her. "What?" She practically yelled. "What happened? Is she okay?" Luke now directly in front of Grace on the other side of the counter, looked at her intently, knew she could only be talking about Joan. Grace held her finger up for Luke to wait while she listened intently to what Adam was telling her. "Okay…" Grace said into the phone. "All right…call me if anything changes." She ordered. Seeming satisfied with whatever Adam's response was she said goodbye and hung up. She looked at Luke.
"Joan's in the hospital." She said. Luke was about to speak up, worry etching across his face. "She ate a something that was fried in peanut oil, someone had to use that…pen thing on her and she's at the hospital overnight until late afternoon tomorrow. She's all right. Your mom is already at the airport, she's going to fly out there for two days, even though Joan asked her not to." She explained. Luke nodded, still looking freaked. Grace put her hand over his. "Rove said she's okay." She said, assuring Luke and herself. He just nodded
"Had a little scare there, did you, Joan?"
The voice came from the bed that was across from Joan's. She turned her head tiredly to the side to look at the person. Adam had gone to make some phone calls. Joan put a hand on her pounding head.
"You tried to kill me…" Joan said weakly.
"I would never, you know that." The person said slowly. Joan focused and saw that it was a girl about her age. She had a bandage on her head, her left wrist was wrapped up and her right leg was in a brace to keep it straight at the knee.
"When did they put you in here?" Joan asked randomly.
"Just a few minutes ago. I was one of the lucky ones." Patient God mused solemnly.
"Lucky ones of what?" Joan asked. God pointed to the TV. It promptly turned on and the volume came up as Breaking News rolled across the TV screen.
"Breaking News comes in now and we take you to the Euro Art Gallery and Stacey Russo who is on the scene, Stacey?" The Anchorman said. Joan stared, wide-eyed at the screen as it went to Stacey Russo who stood with her microphone in front of the Euro Art Gallery which was ablaze with fire trucks all around.
"Thanks Mike. I'm here at the Euro Art Gallery where just 40 minutes ago, a deranged delivery man entered the gallery wielding a shot gun, a flare gun and canister of gasoline. He shot and killed the owner, manager and two security guards of the establishment before dousing the gallery with the gasoline and lighting it ablaze. The five remaining employees managed to escape the scene with minor injuries and are being treated at Stanford University Hospital. The suspect, 43 year old Richard Foster was apprehended as he attempted to flee the scene. Witnesses say he was shouting obscenities and claiming that a letter from God instructed him to commit this crime. We're awaiting word now, as the fire department attempts to get the fire behind me under control, from the Chief of Police about this arrest and the origin of the supposed letter Foster claimed to have received from "God". For Channel 4 News, I'm Stacey Russo reporting live on the scene. Mike, Diane, back to you." Stacey said professionally and expertly. Joan was staring at the screen still as the weather came on followed by sports.
"Adam...A-Adam works there." Joan whispered eventually. God nodded.
"I know." She said. "He's a very good worker."
"He could have been…"
"Killed? Yes I know." God nodded again. Joan looked at her. Tears welled up in Joan's eyes at the thought. "Do you know why Adam is alive?" God watched the thought rolling around in Joan's head. Her eyes widened still further and her mouth hung open.
"H-He's my emergency contact…" She swallowed hard. "They called him when I…was brought here." She said. "An hour ago," She looked at God. God nodded. "How long?"
"Hey let ten minutes before Richard Foster arrived at the Gallery." God said.
"But..."
"Don't finish that statement Joan. You know I won't answer." God said truthfully. Joan was going to ask why the others weren't spared. Suddenly Joan looked at God. She covered her mouth momentarily.
"Did you send that man a letter to kill people?" She asked, appalled. God almost laughed at this.
"No, Joan. I did not." She said. "Someone you know, however, may have." God said suspiciously. Before Joan could question further, she pulled the curtain separating them forward to conceal herself. Seconds later, Adam reentered the room. Joan stared at him as he crossed the room and sat on the edge of her bed. Tears had come streaming down her cheeks.
"Jane, what's wrong?" He asked, visibly worried. Joan sat up, wrapping her arms around him tightly and crying into his neck. "Whoa, hey, what's going on?" He asked holding onto her and rubbing her back. He rocked a little bit with her. "You're okay, you know. The doctor said so. And you're mom's flying out even though I told her you said she didn't have to."
"Adam…" Joan couldn't say anything but his name as sobs cut off her voice. Adam held her tighter.
"It's all right. I'm right here." He assured her. He was unaware of the impact this statement had as it passed through Joan's ears.
"Thank God…" Joan said literally, her shoulders still shaking as she tried to stop crying. It was then that Adam heard the TV volume go up; presumably the person behind the curtain had turned it up. He looked up and stared at the screen in shock. He looked at Joan after the report played again, then back at the TV and then back at Joan.
"That's…my work." He said, pointing to the TV. Joan nodded, fresh tears coming to her eyes again. Without needing an explanation, and not being able to take one anyway, Adam pulled Joan to him again, reinforcing his statement.
"We're all right." He said to her. "We're okay." He held onto her tightly. Joan sunk wearily into his embrace, hiccupping from the crying she'd done as she caught her breath.
At 8, Luke clocked out. Missy and Dina had left a half an hour before, both heading back top campus. Avery was working now. Luke and Grace said goodbye and left, arm in arm. Grace shivered and Luke pulled her to him, rubbing her arm in a feeble attempt to warm her up.
"What do you want to do?" His mind was still on his sister. So was Grace's.
"There's and alien movie marathon at Brattle's Theater?" Grace suggested. She knew Luke loved alien movies. She figured it would get his mind and hers off the subject of Joan and peanuts. Luke thought about this for a moment and then nodded.
"Yeah that sounds good, if you want to?" He questioned. Grace nodded. She wrapped both of her arms around his waist, putting her head down as they stopped at the corner and waited for the bus.
When they got to the theater they were just in time for the beginning of the original 'Alien' movie. They stood in line and bought a small bucket of popcorn, some M&M's and a soda that was way too large for the two of them. Once inside the theater they found and empty row halfway down and made their way to the center. There were about 40 people spread out around the theater. Luke moved two seats' armrests up and sat down, leaning mostly sideway against his own arm rest after putting the soda in it. Grace sat herself down sideways leaning against him and stretching her legs out as Luke stretched his legs up to the armrest of the seat in front of them and laced her arm around Grace's shoulders. They both dug into the popcorn as they watched the beginning of the movie.
About twenty minutes in, Luke noticed Grace was staring in the dark theater towards the front couple of rows on the right side as she munched on some popcorn.
"What are you looking at?" He whispered next to her ear. Grace didn't look away from the spot.
"I think…Sweet Lou's over there." She pointed her finger. Luke followed her line of sight and spotted Sweet Lou with a girl who was giggling and looked almost as tall as Sweet Lou sitting down. Luke squinted.
"Who's he with?" Luke said quietly. Grace sounded almost like she was laughing.
"Look closer and see if you see who I see…" She said, a hint of astonishment in her voice.
"Is that…"
"Glynis?" Grace supplied. "I think it is," She nodded.
"Should we like…go over there and say hi?" Luke wondered. Grace playfully hit his chest with her hand.
"No, they're on a date." She said. Luke snickered.
"That's so absurd. It's probably not her." He said. Luke saw the woman stand up and head for the back of the theater. Shedding her jacket, which she was using as a blanket in the cold theater, Grace stood.
"I'm going in!" She said before following the woman at a distance. As Grace suspected, she headed right for the bathroom. Grace counted to 20 and then went in. She pretended to wash her hands as the toilet flushed and Glynis opened the stall and stepped out. She stopped in her tracks.
"Grace?" Glynis asked. Grace looked up and saw it was indeed Glynis in the mirror and grinned, turning the water off and drying her hands on a paper towel.
"Glynis?" She replied. "I thought that was you in there." She looked Glynis over as
Glynis looked Grace over. Grace noted that Glynis was indeed wearing the contacts she'd gotten in High School but hardly wore. Her hair, instead of being pin straight was wavy and curly and hung below her shoulders. She was dressed completely different then the Glynis that Grace remembered from just a few months ago. She still spoke in choppy, short sentences though. She was wearing hipster jeans and a three-quarter lengths sleeved shirt that rose up to reveal part of her stomach. Grace saw something sticking out of the left hip side of her jeans.
"Dude, you got a tattoo?" She asked, shocked. Glynis blushed.
"Oh! Yes...haha, I did!" She said excitedly. She reached up and peeled the top of her jeans down just a little bit to reveal the tattoo of an atom. Its rings stretched out so the circular size of the tattoo was about that of a half dollar. The nucleus was navy blue, each of the five rings surrounding it were a different color, blue, yellow, red, green and orange. The dots of electrons on each ring were the color of their ring. Grace stared at it for a moment before finally announcing her approval of it. "I did not peg you as one to get ink done."
"Oh! I know!" Glynis laughed again. "And boy it hurt." She added. "Is Luke here with you?" Glynis knew the answer to this. Grace nodded as they walked slowly towards the theater again after Glynis had washed her hands.
"Yeah he got off work at 8 and we came here." Grace told Glynis. Glynis nodded. "I only figured out it was you sitting there because I heard Sweet Lou and I was trying to figure out who he was with." Grace smiled.
"Oh, you know Louis?" Glynis asked eagerly. Grace started a second at the full use of Sweet Lou's name. Grace nodded.
"He's Luke's roommate." Grace said. Glynis stared at her.
"He didn't mention that." Glynis said, perplexed.
"That could be because he had no way of knowing you two might know each other?" Grace suggested. Glynis shrugged, appeased at this as they came to the theater doors. She shrugged.
"Well, we should get back in." Glynis grinned. "It was good to see you Grace!" Glynis laughed slightly again and hugged Grace before turning and going into the theater again. Grace was stunned for a moment. She collected her wits and went back to her seat, leaning against Luke, who promptly covered her with her jacket again.
"It's been such a weird day…" She commented.
"I think the early morning from about 2 am-ish on was quite wonderful actually." Luke stated. Grace offered him a sideways grin.
"You do, do you?" She asked. Luke nodded and found that their lips were drawn to each other for a short but well deserving kiss. "I think I second you opinion." She nodded before putting her head back down to watch the movie. "Glynis has a tattoo." She stated. Luke almost choked on the soda as he put it back down, coughing from the liquid going down the wrong tube. Grace laughed slightly.
"Are you serious?" He asked Grace. Grace nodded, laughing again.
"It's a tattoo of an atom." She almost giggled. Luke laughed at this. The couple two rose back from them hissed a 'shhhh' at them and they laughed quieter before settling in for the rest of the movie.
A/N: P.S. IF YOU LOVE ME GO READ "Unexpected" and Let Tiffany know what you think of it damnit! The title of the chapter is from Keith Urban "You Look Good In My Shirt." What'd you think of my shockers in this one, eh? What improvements can I make? And finally, did I start to suck or do I still have it?