-
Kendall watched as Adam raked his hand through his hair for the upmost time. She'd always liked him, he was sweet. Cute, too. But…she supposed he was overly sensitive. Taking a sip of her coffee, Kendall noticed how his blue eyes drooped heavily, half asleep at the table.
"When was the last time you slept?"
Adam jerked at the sudden noise, but didn't answer her. "Adam?" She asked.
"Hmm?" Those blue eyes blinked lazily at her.
"When was the last time you got some sleep? Or showered?" Kendall said, suppressing the urge to hold his hand again. Now was not the time.
"I dunno, a couple days ago, maybe?" He muttered, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and middle finger.
She picked up her purse. "Come on, I'll drive you home."
The man stared at her a moment. But nodded none the less as he took her outstretched hand.
-
"All packed up?" Nikki asked from the door frame as Ella closed her suitcase.
"Yep." She said, hauling it off the bed and dropping it on the floor next to Marcy.
"Well, best we call you a cab then." He said, a frown down casting his normally mischievous features.
Marcy gave her a soft smile and a careful hug as they walked to the door. "Have a safe flight."
"Thanks, Marce." Ella held her a little tighter, "you take care of yourself, kay?"
"Kay."
The two pulled apart and Nikki mimicked the girl's action, pulling the tiny woman into a hug. The pair spoke quietly for a moment before Ella got into the cab.
"So," The cabbie started, pulling away from the curb. "Off to the airport?"
"Yeah, but can we make a pit stop first?" Ella asked, staring out the window.
"'Course."
-
Kendall had taken it upon herself to tidy up Adam's apartment as he slept. Nothing drastic, just the dishes. He was fairly picky when it came to people touching his things, but hell, if she wanted to clean, he'd let her. He'd been asleep only twenty minutes when a light knock came from the door. The blonde turned the dinner plate over in her hands, and briefly contemplated waking Adam up to open it. But remembering the dark circles that graced his eyes, she decided against it. Setting the plate down, Kendall went to the door.
A young woman stood just outside it. Her dark brown hair was tied in a messy pony tail, and her already grim features dropped even more as she took in the sight of Kendall.
"I'm sorry, I- I must have the wrong address." Ella said, her accent quivering with her voice ever so slightly. Her fingers massaged her temple a moment before, she spoke again. Sighing, she said, "This is Adam Ross' address, isn't it?"
"Yeah," Kendall nodded, not fully understanding who this child was, and what she had to do with Adam. "Is there something I can help you with?"
"No-but do you think you could give Adam a message for me?" Ella's eyes dampened as her stomach twisted into knots.
"Of course," the lab tech smiled, trying to ease the girl's discomfort to no anvil.
"Could you just to stay the hell away from my sister, and tell him that I never wanna see him again?" A few tears trickled from her light blue eyes as she turned and left, leaving a stunned Kendall in her wake.
-
"Ready to go to the airport?"
Ella sighed, "Yeah."
The cabbie nodded, and made his way to the airport. The teen leaned against the window as she sighed. She should've figured Adam had someone else. It only made sense. Marcy had been away a long time…it was only natural he move on. But Marcy hadn't, and that bothered Ella a lot more than she's admit. Marcy had only had eyes for Adam for the past two and a half years, and when she needed him the most he was off with…with someone else. Ella closed her eyes.
-
"I'm just gonna run to the store, I'll be right back, 'kay Baby Ci?" Nikki shrugged his jacket on, and offered his sister a grin as she fiddled with her hands.
"Kay." Marcy said quietly, moving to shut the door behind him; locking it, she went back to her room.
-
"Wait-Ella was here?"
Kendall nodded as Adam paced in front of her, muttering to himself. "Yeah, well, I think it was her, small girl 'bout sixteen?"
"Seventeen." He corrected, stopping to rake his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Why didn't you wake me up?!"
"I didn't think to! Besides she didn't say it was anything important-"
"Just that she never wants to see me again!" Adam said, annoyed as he went back to pacing.
"Well, that part caught me off guard, what was I supposed to do?!" Kendall snapped, crossing her arms, "Tell her to hold on a minute while I get you?!"
"That would've been helpful!" He sighed, rubbing his eyes, "I gotta get over there."
The blonde dropped her eyes to the floor and nodded, "I should go."
"Yeah, you probably should." Adam muttered and handed her, her jacket. She snatched it from his grasp and left the apartment as he slammed the door behind her. He knew he was being harsh on her, but right now he really didn't give a damn. Kendall wasn't his first priority. Marcy was.
-
Lying on her stomach had become a habit for Marcy, and one she soon was sure not to break. Her ribs creaked and moaned in protest whenever she did, but laying on her back made her feel…vulnerable. Exposed. Her hands were locked over her head and she sighed, smiling to herself. It'd been weeks-a month really, since she'd been alone. Nikki had only been gone fifteen minutes and she allowed herself to bask in the silence of his absence. Ah, good times. Good times that were interrupted as a brisk knock sounded at the apartment's door. Stiffening, Marcy lay still as the discomforting sound continued to plague her.
Then the door opened. Snapping her head to the left, the anthropologist jumped off the bed. And grabbed the stun gun off the night stand.
"Ella? You here?" Adam glanced around the empty hall as he put the key back in his pocket. "Look, I'm-"
They stared at each other a moment. Marcy tilted her head at the open door, and took a step back as he made to close it.
"Don't!" She snapped, raising her shaking arm. "How'd you get in here?"
His blue eyes widened at the weapon, and he slowly moved to undo his coat. He looked down as he replied, slowly. "Ella gave me a key, Marce."
Adam discreetly took in her appearance. The pants she was wearing hung low on her hips and came a few inches above her ankle. Her shirt was wrinkled and seemed too big, but again rose high.
He gazed sadly at the thick bandages the incased her stomach. "W-what, uh, what-" He cleared his throat and dropped his eyes as she lowered the taser. Something was wrong. Different. He'd never had trouble talking to Marcy. Well, except that time in the elevator but that hardly counts. "How ya doin', babe?"
Blank blue eyes blinked back at him. Not quite sure how to respond, she shrugged. "Ella's gone." She whispered, and nodded toward the door, keeping a firm grip on her stun gun. "You can go now."
"What?" Adam's eyes widened as she slowly made her way out of the room, never once taking her weary glare from his figure. "Marcy, please, just-"
"Get out." She said. A hint of – was that fear or malice? He couldn't tell, and his heart ached at what had become of the woman he loved. Pulling off his jacket, he dropped it onto the couch before following her to her room.
"Marcy?" His hesitant voice chased her down the hall as she ducted into her-well, Kira's- room.
After looking in a few rooms, he found her. Not right away of course. Adam sighed and dropped on to the bed. Hunching over, he let out a groan as he buried his face in his hands. Rubbing his tired eyes, he heard a creak. Slowly looking up, he saw her pressed up behind a dresser. Her knees tucked up to her chest, Marcy watched his with cautious, wide eyes as she pulled herself into a smaller ball.
He slipped off the bed, but didn't move any closer. He simply offered her a soft smile, and stayed where he was.
-
About forty five minutes later Nikki returned two plastic bags in one hand as he carried a tray of hot chocolate in the other. Eric had hooked him up! God, he loved Marcy's friends. Quickly making his way to the kitchen, he didn't even notice a man's jacket laying discarded on the couch, until he fell on to it.
What the hell? The apartment suddenly seemed much to quiet, and he darted into Marcy's room. A man lay sprawl on his back, fast asleep, as was Marcy, a few feet away. Eying the strange man with suspicion, the boy-man, really,- man-child pulled the comforter from the bed and spread it over his sister. Nikki gave Adam a boot in the foot.
A grunt of annoyance came from his lips and he tried to blink the world back into focus.
"Who the hell are you?" Nikki said, his voice not so much threatening as it was curious.
"Adam Ross." He sat up, and rubbed the back of his neck. "You must be Nikki."
"Must be." Nikki cleared his throat, "you got her to sleep, huh?"
"Hm? Oh, no, I just, kinda, fell asleep and I guess, she uh, followed suit." Adam chuckled, slightly nervous. This wasn't exactly the introduction he had been hoping for with Marcy's little bro. He stuck his hand out regardless. "Look, I know-"
"No ya don't. you don't know dick." Nikki's grey eyes narrowed, "where the hell you been? I've been here almost a week and you haven't even bothered to call."
Adam's hand fell to his side, "I know. Last time I came-she avoided me. And I guess, I just," he shrugged, his eyes slightly fogged over. "I couldn't come back. She didn't want me here."
The men's eyes both trailed to the woman, now so small, asleep on the floor. Nikki's voice sounded strained to his own ears. "Than why did you?"
"Ella stopped by my place." Adam shook his head, "I think she misunderstood what she saw."
The younger man's brow quirked, "well, what'd she see? You weren't fuckin' a goat or somethin' were ya?"
"No!" He chuckled, "a friend of mine came over to clean my apartment. I think she might'a got the wrong idea."
"Who? Ella or the friend?" Nikki suppressed a smirk. Love triangle, sweet.
Adam sighed, and scratched his scruff. "I'm not sure. But apparently Elle was real upset."
"Oh!" Nikki grinned, chuckling-no, giggling evilly. "Fitzy got hold of the other woman!"
"She's not the other woman! There is no other woman!" Adam snapped, and sat on the bed. Gazing at Marcy a moment, he smiled softly as she nuzzled against the dresser. "There's only been one woman."
"Romantic." Nikki said, smirking, "boring, but romantic." He leaned his lanky frame against the pale green wall. Glancing around the room, he clicked his tongue. "I's not really you. She's self conscious is all."
The man's brows knitted together. "About what?"
Nikki scoffed, "What'd you think?"
"Oh, the scars?" Adam asked, and for a moment he thought Nikki was gonna have a go at him.
"Yeah, the scars, and the weight and the-" He stopped and cleared his throat as he stifled a sigh. "She just wants you to…I don't know, move on or somethin'."
"Why?" Adam said, exasperated, "I don't wanna move on! I like where I am!"
Nikki shrugged, "she thinks it's for the best. Something about not being whole or some chick shit."
The younger man absent mindedly picked at his nails as Adam stood. "Where ya goin'?"
"Home." He said flatly.
"Maybe you could stay the night." Nikki said, "I mean, she seems to sleep better when you're around."
Adam nodded, and looked up at the younger man, "okay."
Nikki grinned at him, and Adam was recalled back to one of the family photos. Of Nikki and Ella back when things were okay. Back when they were children.
How'd they manage to age so much in only a manner of days?