I sat hunched on one of the office chairs in the Twin Peaks Sheriff's Department, my head hidden by my jacket's hood. I barely even noticed when Harry and Dale returned setting down a cup of coffee and a box of donuts on the table in front of my chair.
"Not even interested in donuts. Megan's really upset." Dale pointed out, taking a sip of his own coffee.
"Coop, you should have just left her alone. I'm starting to think that she's been telling us the truth the entire time." Harry answered, pulling up a chair beside me. "Megan, are you alright?"
"My home's a crater." I muttered, lifting my head to peer at them with red eyes. "I barely escaped with my life and everyone here thinks I belong in a straightjacket."
"No one said anything about a straightjacket, Megan." Dale answered and I fixed him with two lowered eyebrows. "Maybe on strong medication." He added as an afterthought and I froze my fingers just reaching for my own cup.
Even Harry stared at Dale who just took a sip of his coffee curious as I turned my head to stare at him, silent. After a long uncomfortable silence I leaned close enough to flick his forehead grabbing my cup before I held it in my hands in an effort to warm them.
Harry coughed to hide a smile of his own when Dale resumed drinking his coffee wisely deciding not to comment. My lips were inches from the cup when I paused, staring at the cup for several seconds. With a shrug I took a cautious sip enjoying the rich taste silently hoping that this time Dale hasn't decided to drug my coffee a second time.
"You better not drug my coffee this time, Dale." I muttered, taking another sip immediately after and he glanced at me as I hide a grin from behind my cup. Even Harry's finding Dale's continued silence amusing but he decided to drink his coffee instead of making any effort to help Dale.
"Why would you think I would do something like that?" Dale finally asked and I raised my head meeting his eyes.
"You knew I wouldn't set foot anywhere near my old home, not without being dragged kicking and screaming there. Of course you mixed sleeping pills in my coffee." I replied, setting the coffee cup down a little harder than I was intending. The slight noise of cup hitting table made me jerk in my seat but I recovered quickly, rolling my eyes at my own mistake. "If anyone needs me I'll be in the women's room." I added, rising from my seat and with a hair-toss that is very unnatural to me I exit the room leaving Dale wondering why I looked like I was about to cry.
"Harry, something tells me that Megan's upset with me." Dale commented as soon as Megan is out of earshot and Harry sighed, running a hand over his face.
"Coop, you did drug her to get her to come with us. That and telling her she should be on medication." Harry pointed out as Dale set down his own cup frowning at the open door.
"I wasn't being serious about that but Megan thought so. I wonder if Doctor Hayward has finished up the autopsy of our John Doe?" Dale answered, reaching for a donut while he worked out his next move.
Get the autopsy results from Doc Hayward. Find a room for Megan at the Great Northern Hotel and some basic supplies like toothpaste and a toothbrush. Possibly a change of clothes though I may get Lucy to help with that.
Instead of walking into the bathroom I wandered the sheriff's department instead, my hands in the pockets of my jeans and my head down. It wasn't until I walked past the reception desk that I heard a familiar voice and I sighed, turning my head enough to see Lucy waving me over. "Megan, what's wrong?" She asked once she saw my lips pressed together and my eyes.
"It's a long story, Lucy." I sighed walking over despite not really wanting to talk to anyone though I couldn't really say to Lucy Morang. "But if you really want to hear it I'll tell you."
"Of course. Just grab a chair and bring it around here." Lucy agreed and I nodded, picking up one of the seat near the reception desk before I dragged it behind the glass. "Now what happened between you and Agent Cooper?"
"How do you know I'm mad at Dale?" I asked, slightly impressed and she nodded towards my hand. Once I lifted up my hand I noticed that it was still red from the punch I'd given Dale and I gave her a weak smile setting my hands in my lap.
"Plus he has a hand print on his face and you're not talking to him so I put two and two together." Lucy told me and I nodded, remembering the moment when we walked back into the sheriff's office and Deputy Hawk and Deputy Andy both stared at Dale's hand print.
"Yeah he made me mad and I kind of...punched him." I admitted and her eyes widened giving me a deer-in the headlights look for a few seconds. "Not that he didn't deserve it."
"Golly you smacked Agent Cooper?" Andy said and I coughed, finding my fingers very interesting all of a sudden. "Wow."
"Yes I guess I did but he made me so mad. Probably shouldn't have punched him though. Not usually a violent person." I finally admitted raising my head to find I had an audience.
"Sometimes we do things we're not proud of." Deputy Hawk commented and I rubbed the bridge of my nose. "Though he probably had it coming." He added with a faint smile and I gave him a one-armed shrug wondering why everyone was so interested in me all of a sudden.
"So how did you end up in Twin Peaks? Dale said something about crashing your truck?" Lucy asked and I blinked when she reminded me that I supposed to be telling her a story.
"Actually it was an army truck." I replied and everyone leaned in, looking curiously at me. "Alright so I used to live in Raccoon City and..."
"I think Megan's had time to calm down. Let's go and find her." Dale announced twenty minutes later, climbing from his seat and Harry shook his head following Dale who had a smile on his face despite the red mark still marring his cheek.
"Just be careful, Coop. Otherwise you might end up with matching handprints." Harry warned but Dale wasn't listening too busy picking up the sound of my voice and several others he knew. As soon as they reached the reception desk Dale smiled once he found me talking animatedly with Deputy Andy, Deputy Hawk and Lucy who had pulled her chair in front of mine at some point.
"That's when I fell asleep at the wheel and the truck kept going. When I woke up I was in the hospital with a slight concussion from the crash and a bump of my head according to Doctor Hayward." I finished, running my fingers over my forehead the bump barely visible because of my fringe.
"Megan, that's terrible." Lucy said and I nodded not hearing Dale and Harry walking up to me until Lucy looked up. "Hello Harry. Hello Agent Cooper." She added and Dale rubbed at his cheek looking towards me and I just shrugged enjoying the attention.
"Dale, I've just be telling everyone what happened to my hometown." I explained and Harry exchanged a look of surprise with Dale who came to stand beside me. "I was just up to the part where I crashed the army truck."
"Megan, can I talk to you for a moment?" Dale asked and I raised an eyebrow at him, curious when his eyes move to the office he and Harry had just vacated. Sighing I climb from the chair, looking towards my new friends with a smile.
"I'll be right back." I told them following Dale when he retreats to the office and after I walk into the room he followed me, closing the door quietly behind him. Walking over to the chairs previously occupied by Harry and Dale I ease myself into the closest one waiting as Dale walked over. Standing in front of the table he looked down at me and I can't help but find it amusing to see his face is still red from the punch I landed on his cheek earlier.
"Megan, you shouldn't be discussing what happened in Raccoon City with the townspeople. They don't know about the infected John Doe and how quickly the virus can spread." Dale told me and I narrowed my eyes, crossing my arms in front of my chest when he pulled up a chair sitting in front of me when I continued to glare at him.
"Dale, I didn't tell them about the virus. Do you honestly think I would go and tell my friends about a virus that changes people, making them violent and bloodthirsty?" I answered and he nodded which caused me to widen my eyes. "You really thought I would cause a panic?"
"When I followed you here and found you talking to everyone I'll admit that that's the first thought that crossed my mind. From what I can read on you you're unpredictable and emotional." Dale replied, watching on as I stood my shoulders shaking and my lips pressed together.
"Emotional? Dale, I survived two days trapped in a city with no supplies and no help from the authorities. I crashed the truck I found because of the nightmares that keep me awake at night. Forgive me for being emotional. If you faced what I did you wouldn't be so quick to judge me." I snapped at him as he straightened, following me with his eyes when I started to pace the room arms at my sides.
"I wasn't judging you, Megan. I wanted to understand how this virus worked and you have all of the information we need right there." He said, lightly tapping his forehead with his forefinger and I hunched my shoulders not meeting his eyes. "But you won't give us the information we need will you?"
"I want to but the things I keep seeing..." I trailed off, swallowing when the image in the bathroom mirror flashed into my head my own decaying face staring back at me.
"What do you see?" Dale asked, interested as he crossed the gap though when he lay a hand on my shoulder I pulled back. "Nothing's going to hurt you." He insisted and I let out a laugh devoid of humor as I crossed my arms again.
"Why don't you check out that infected man? He can tell you everything you need to know about the virus and how it changes you. Besides when I try to remember how it works all I can see is blood and death." I muttered, sitting when my legs start to tremble. "The constant nightmares about what happened and you want me to go through that again? Not a chance."
"Megan, are you sure you won't help us?" Dale asked when I turned my chair around, resting my arms on the table in front of me. Noting the lack of response he kept staring when I lay my head on my arms closing my eyes despite my earlier warnings about my nightmares. I don't remember falling asleep though I must have been out for a while because I find that the building's much quieter and I can see moonlight peeking out from behind the blinds. As I stretch something starts to slide off my shoulders and on instinct I pull it closed around me to trap the warmth I could still feel from the jacket.
It soon dawned on me that it's not my hoodie that's been draped over my shoulders when I finally notice the dark fabric and the FBI in gold stitching across the left arm of the jacket. For once I'm grateful to be alone as I know I am now wearing the dumbest smile and two very pink cheeks at that moment in time.