Fort Stewart was, by no stretch of the imagination, rather impressive. A large, formidable American base stationed in the lonesome expanses of Antarctica, home to researchers conducting some of if not the most groundbreaking research in the entire world. Or, at the very least, that was what head researcher Falken claimed. Whether or not there was any truth to that was up for debate, since only a handful of people had full access to the more well-kept secrets of the facility. With the position Sonia had, she would never truly know.
For as impressive as Fort Stewart was, though, it was also painfully boring. Those unfamiliar with such work would probably be fascinated by the workings of the facility, especially the extent of the research, but after having spent so long there Sonia found it all to be rather dull. Experiencing the same day-to-day routine was bound to have that effect, she mused, and a majority of her colleagues seemed to agree, if the frequent gatherings in the bar were anything to go by.
In fact, she had been there long enough to get to know most of the staff fairly well. Even for those she wasn't close to, she knew their faces.
As such it came as quite a surprise for her to discover a new face amongst the faculty.
She caught only a brief glimpse of the black-haired woman during the day as she went about her work, but she knew for certain they had never met before. New people were unfortunately rare, given the nature of the facility. A change, even a small one, was more than welcome. She kept her ear out for any whispers, but as the day dragged on, she heard little.
No matter: it just meant she could do what she did best.
That night, as faculty members gathered for dinner, Sonia took her chance to approach the new arrival.
She slid into the seat across from the other woman, choosing to ignore the scowl thrown her way.
"You're new around here, huh?" Sonia asked.
When she received no reply, she held out her hand, a small smile on her face. "Sonia Leone."
The woman glared at the offered hand with a frown. Letting out a soft sigh, she reached out to grab Sonia's hand.
"Cindy Chen."
"It's a pleasure," Sonia said. "Care to join me at the bar after dinner for a drink?"
"We just met." Cindy raised her fork to take a bite, only to stop and lower it back down to her plate once Sonia's words sank in. "This place has a bar?"
"Of course. How else are we supposed to get drinks?"
Cindy stared at Sonia as if she had said the most outrageous thing in the world.
"Well?" Sonia asked, leaning forward. "How about it?"
"Why?"
"I like to get to know people."
The scowl returned twofold. With furrowed brows, Cindy turned her attention back to her plate and mumbled, "No thanks."
That marked the end of the conversation.
As the two ate their dinner in relative silence, Sonia turned the exchange over in her head. She didn't think she had said anything that would upset Cindy. They barely even talked. Perhaps she had been a bit too direct in her approach? Offering a drink usually worked in her favor, and even when it didn't, the person never shut down any further conversation. Was Cindy an introvert? Sonia had barged into her personal space, so it would make sense to be annoyed. She would have gladly left if Cindy had asked her.
Cindy said nothing when she picked up her plate and left.
Sonia sighed. She would have to try again.
~0~
Trying again, as Sonia discovered, was not so easy.
Cagey seemed an apt word to describe Cindy. She withdrew into her shell the moment Sonia asked a personal question. Family, friends, relationships—no matter what Sonia asked, Cindy refused to answer. Once the opportunity presented itself, Cindy fled and left an increasingly confused Sonia behind. She might as well have been asking for classified information. No one else had gotten Cindy to talk either, much to her disappointment. A few of Cindy's coworkers had attempted to get to know her as well, only to be met with the same scowl Sonia received.
At one point, Cindy turned to Sonia with a sharp glare and asked, "Why are you so interested in me?"
"I don't mean anything by it," Sonia said. "I just want to get to know you."
Cindy huffed. "Really."
Sonia would have given up entirely, but with each passing day it became clear to her that there was a weight bearing down on Cindy's shoulders. Whatever was troubling her, it obviously took a toll.
With how tight-lipped Cindy was about personal topics, Sonia decided to shift to small talk about work. It proved to be the right choice. Cindy relaxed around her, at least a bit, and even if she continued to brush off most of Sonia's questions, her presence was tolerated. Being met with mild annoyance rather than downright anger marked improvement as far as she was concerned.
As Sonia joined Cindy again for dinner, she noticed Cindy sat hunched over the table much like she had the first day. Sonia frowned and sat down, but froze when she got a closer look and saw that Cindy's eyes were red.
Alarmed, Sonia leaned in, her voice low. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Cindy muttered, poking idly at her food. "Just tired."
"You look like you've been crying."
"I wasn't."
"Did something happen?"
There were a number of probable causes. Personal matters she could do nothing about, but if it were something work related, there was a chance Sonia could lend a hand to resolve the problem.
"No."
"Cindy."
"Nothing happened."
It would end badly, she knew, but she looked Cindy in the eyes and said, "You're not a very convincing liar."
Sonia expected one of two responses: to be snapped at, or for Cindy to leave without saying anything.
Neither happened. Instead, Cindy let out a heavy breath and leaned back, sliding both hands through her hair. She looked even more tired, the dark circles under her eyes standing out in stark contrast to her paler skin.
"I'm just worried," Sonia said softly.
"Why? You barely know me."
Sonia shrugged. "That's just how I am."
Cindy studied Sonia's face, her eyes narrowed in concentration. What she was looking for Sonia couldn't say, though she noticed the tension in Cindy's shoulders eased just a bit.
"Did you still want to get a drink together?"
For Cindy to be willing to accept the offer, even when uncomfortable, was a significant step forward. Sonia appreciated it, but she didn't want Cindy to feel that she needed to do it.
"We don't have to go to the bar," Sonia said.
"That's what you wanted though, wasn't it?"
"I was just offering. You don't have to if you don't want to."
Cindy chewed on her lip. "...Let's go."
"Are you sure?"
For a moment Sonia wondered if Cindy would change her mind, but Cindy simply sighed.
"I could use a drink."
Tempted though she was to ask about the untouched food, Sonia decided against it. If Cindy had wanted to eat, she would have. Instead, she followed Cindy's lead and stood. She might not be able to help solve the cause, but she could at least try to help Cindy feel better.
The bar was, unfortunately, a bit out of the way. Whoever decided to put it on any floor other than the first floor was a sadist, Sonia decided, because only a sadist would put a bar up several flights of stairs. Cindy looked at her quizzically as they ascended, but Sonia didn't know what to say. Not that there was much to say at all. It was just one of the numerous nonsensical design choices plaguing Fort Stewart.
She pushed opened the saloon doors with a small smile. "Welcome to the most colorful place in Antarctica."
The only splash of color in the otherwise dull facility, the bar offered two pool tables, three pinball machines, a jukebox, and a depressingly small selection of alcoholic drinks.
"Technically they call it a 'recreation room', but..." Sonia trailed off with a dismissive wave of her hand.
"It's a bar."
"Yeah."
Aside from the bartender, they were alone. "There are usually more people in here. Guess we got lucky tonight."
Cindy said nothing. Sonia took it as a sign to usher her towards the seats. It was John who manned the counter, and he gave Sonia a curt nod as the two approached. She wondered if he would ask about Cindy, but he simply glanced at her and quickly looked away. The sour expression on Cindy's face would make most people wary to strike up a conversation with her.
"Hey, John," Sonia said as she sat. "Slow night?"
"Thankfully. You want the usual?" When she nodded, John turned his attention to Cindy. "And you?"
"I don't care."
Frowning, John raised an eyebrow at her and shook his head. He chose to pour a second glass from the bottle he held. Sonia smiled as she accepted the glass, and Cindy mumbled her thanks when John handed over hers.
Sonia had just raised her glass to her lips when Cindy threw her head back and chugged the entirety of her glass. The sight nearly made Sonia choke. A thud echoed in the room as Cindy slammed her glass down.
One drink turned to two, then three. Sonia cringed. Inviting Cindy to the bar might have been a mistake, considering how quickly she downed her drinks. To Sonia's relief Cindy stopped after the third, though three seemed to have been enough for a slight buzz. While Sonia continued to nurse her first drink, Cindy laid her head down on the counter. If not for her open eyes, Sonia would have assumed Cindy fell asleep. Sonia tried to lighten the mood with the few entertaining bar stories she knew, but soon fell into silence upon seeing Cindy's hands curl into fists.
So much for that, Sonia thought dismally.
"I don't know why I'm here."
Sonia lowered her drink, tilting her head towards Cindy. "What?"
"I wanted to get away from everything," Cindy muttered, her voice muffled by her arms, "but nothing helps. It still hurts."
If Cindy was going to air her personal grievances, it needed to be between the two of them. Sonia shot a look at John and nodded to the door. The man quietly excused himself, leaving her alone with Cindy.
Tears gathered in Cindy's eyes. "I just want to forget. About him, about Dennis...all of it."
Sonia reached out, letting her hand hover for a moment before gently placing it on Cindy's shoulder.
Cindy's breath hitched. "I miss him so much."
The pieces fell into place. From the beginning Cindy had been reluctant, and while Sonia had no specific explanation, she had an idea of why Cindy reacted negatively to personal questions. It all seemed so obvious, and Sonia silently cursed herself for pushing Cindy the way she had.
They sat there in silence for some time, until Cindy shrugged off Sonia's hand and stood. Sonia jumped to her feet to catch Cindy when she swayed.
"Sorry," Cindy mumbled.
"It's fine. Really." Sonia smiled. "Let's get back so you can sleep this off, yeah?"
As they made the trek back, Sonia decided that in the morning, once she was certain Cindy had gotten enough rest, she would apologize.