The Deep Dive Pt. 01

JULY 4, 2016

If there was one place Laura hated most, it was the fucking Emergency Room.

There were the multitude of obvious reasons: the incessant groans of pain, the annoying Karens who couldn't sit still for one damn minute and kept pestering the front desk about the wait times, and the damn television that kept rotating the same fast food and medical advertisements.

And it was also the Fourth of July, so of course, the ER was slammed with screaming people who had been stupid and reckless enough to get too close to fireworks as if the warning labels weren't already loud enough.

It definitely didn't help that Kenny, Alex's current asshole of a boyfriend, happened to be one of those stupid and reckless people, and Laura had been the only sober one to drive him.

"Fuck!" he hissed painfully beside her. "They fucking better hurry the fuck up, or else --"

"Or else what?" Laura interrupted as she shot him a side glare, challenging him to continue. "You'll do what exactly?"

The one thing she hated the most about the ER was the entitlement that the patients got off on.

Oh, I'm in pain, so the doctor needs to see me now.

Oh, my body hurts, so I'm more important than the family who was in a serious car accident.

God, she fucking despised the entitlement above all else, and Kenny was the embodiment of it, with or without his burn injuries. Alex sure knew how to pick them.

His face twisted into a sneer. "I'll sue them for everything they fucking have."

She knew she should have just left it alone. He was in pain, after all, but she knew him. She knew that he wasn't acting like this because of pain. He was like this regardless, and that made her angry, especially when she already was stuck with him in the ER.

And she fucking despised the ER.

"You mean your dad will sue them," she corrected and made sure it was loud enough for the people around them to hear. "Because it's definitely not your money."

His face turned red, and he opened his mouth to throw a myriad of insults and profanity at her, no doubt. She was prepared for it, but then Alex and Sadie rushed towards them, their faces still flushed from alcohol.

"Baby, are you okay?" Alex asked as she took the other seat beside him. She reached for his hand, and he angrily shifted away from her.

"What do you think?" he snapped. "I'm fucking bleeding, and no one's doing anything about it."

Laura narrowed her eyes at the same time that Sadie took a protective step towards their best friend. Frowning, Alex glanced around the emergency room before returning her gaze back to her douchey boyfriend.

"It looks like they're busy," she replied gently. "And you only have a burn, so --"

He jumped up to his feet and glared down at Alex, whose eyes widened. "Only a burn?"

Laura immediately stood and stepped in between them just as Sadie did the same.

"And what are you two going to do?" he goaded. "Beat up an injured person?"

"Your mouth seems to be working just fine," Laura retorted. "I'm just thinking of the most creative way to shut it up."

"Maybe we can cut off his dick and shove it in his mouth," Sadie suggested.

His eyes flickered between the two of them, and he released a scoff.

"Guys, it's okay," Alex pleaded.

"He's an asshole, Alex," Sadie said. "You're too good for him. Lets just leave him here."

"Oh, I get it now!" He laughed mockingly. "You've been wanting Alex and I to break up because you want her all to yourself!" His face twisted into a sneer. "Fucking dyke."

As soon as the word left his mouth, it was Alex who squeezed past her two friends and lunged towards him. Eyes widening, he stumbled backwards, and Laura grabbed Alex around the waist just as her fingers grazed his cheek. She screamed out a myriad of curses and continued trying to lunge at him, so Sadie jumped in to help Laura pull her back.

"-- small dick I am fucking positive no girl has ever cummed on before because I sure as hell haven't and shove it in your ass!"

Laura choked out a laugh as Kenny's face reddened.

"Fuck you!" he mustered.

"No, fuck --"

The room exploded into noise when a pair of EMTs slammed through the door, pushing a stretcher. A doctor was on top of the stretcher, straddling an unconscious young woman as he delivered CPR to her.

There was so much blood, Laura noticed nauseatingly. It dripped from her wrist, drenched the stretcher, and left a trail. Laura was hit with the painful sense of deja vu. It hit her fully in the chest, and panic took ahold of her. Her arms fell away from Alex, who had stopped thrashing and whose attention had been pulled by the scene as well.

Backing away, Laura tried to clutch onto something to steady herself, but there was nothing around her to hold onto.

Then there was the sound of crying, and she turned to see a young girl, two or three years old, in the arms of another EMT as they followed the stretcher.

Oh god.

Laura stumbled into a seat, and she sat back down. They moved down the hall, and she stared after them, her body numb and unmoving. Sadie and Alex sat down on either side of her, not touching, but their presence reminded her that she wasn't alone. She felt her breath start to come back.

"Fucking hell," Kenny muttered, breaking the silence.

Chatter slowly filled the emergency room again, but Laura was still staring down the hall and at the trail of blood left behind.

"They're wasting their time saving someone who doesn't want to live when they could be helping the people out here," Kenny scoffed, and Laura felt her blood go cold. "Fucking despicable medical system we have."

In mere seconds, Alex was on her feet again, and a slap rang through the room, bringing it back into silence again. Laura's eyes snapped to them, where Kenny stared at Alex in shock as he held his cheek.

"You are a despicable waste of air," Alex seethed. "Lets never see each other again, asshole."

Then she spun on her feet, grabbed Laura's and Sadie's hands and pulled them out of the hospital. Behind them, Kenny had recovered and began to curse them out, but his words fell on deaf ears.

"God, I've been waiting for you to dump his ass," Sadie laughed as soon as they stepped outside, and Alex glanced over her shoulder to shoot her a smile.

Laura felt both of their gazes flickered to her with silent concern. Now that she was out of the hospital, it was easier to breathe even though the image of the woman and girl lingered in her mind. Letting out a breath, she forced a grin and tossed her arms over her friends' shoulders.

"So how small of a dick are we talking about?" she joked.

Alex's laugh filled the air, and the last knot in Laura's chest unloosened.

-----------------------

OCTOBER 5, 2019

For Olivia, falling in love felt a lot like drowning. The sensation of the water pulling her deeper towards the bottom was similar to the way her feelings pulled her deeper into that overwhelming, over-consuming love that she had always belittled.

It was unfair and so very wrong, but she couldn't stop those feelings. Not when she couldn't stop thinking about her.

Swimming had always helped clear her mind, and that was how she found herself at the pool on the college campus. A few months ago, with a little cash encouragement and a little charm, she managed to convince the guy at the desk to let her into the college pool just before they closed for the night. He left one of the back doors unlocked and made her promise to lock it and return the key, and of course, Olivia agreed.

She had returned it as promised. After making a copy of it first thing in the morning, of course.

She swam a couple of laps to distract herself from her thoughts, and it worked for a while until her limbs got tired.

Now, she sat on the tip of the highest dive board and stared down at the water. Olivia hated being alone with her thoughts, especially when it was so quiet like it was now. She didn't like feelings, and she didn't like thinking about them. It always made her chest hurt like it was hurting now, and when her mind began to spiral, Olivia always ended up making the wrong choices, which almost always lead to her hurting someone.

She didn't want to be a fuck-up, but somehow she couldn't stop being one.

Releasing a breath, Olivia slowly stood up on the board. As she closed her eyes and released another breath, the racing thoughts in her mind grew louder. It screamed and latched onto her for attention.

Olivia leapt off the board.

Everything seemed to pause as she fell through the air. A chill rushed through her body as the air whipped against her wet skin, but finally, everything was quiet.

And then she hit the water, and the silence was filled with a burst of pressure. Olivia didn't fight the water as it pulled her down. She invited it by loosening her limbs.

For Olivia, drifting felt a lot like home. It was familiar and real, and she didn't care for anything else.

She didn't really have a home. She used to before everything went to shit, but since then, she had just been drifting. Olivia was so used to it by now that she didn't care to ground herself because the thought of being tied down to a place or person made her want to crawl out of her skin.

Just before Olivia started to feel the pressure fill her chest, she felt a tight grip circle her wrist and tug. Olivia didn't fight it because she already knew who it was.

They emerged out of the water, and Olivia inhaled a gulp of fresh air and coughed when it was too much. Her ears popped along with it, and she winced, especially when she began to tune in to the familiar scolding voice. Her eyes burned from the water, but she blinked them slowly as she directed them to meet Charlotte's stern gaze.

"-- feeling that you would be here again even though I told you it was dangerous! What if I didn't check on you tonight and something happened?"

And just like that, those feelings slammed into her chest again, and she sucked in a breath. Charlotte made it so damn hard not to love her, and Olivia was so foolishly in love with her.

Charlotte's face softened, and she sighed. "I'm worried about you, Liv. You say you're fine, but you do things like this and I just... you know you're my closest friend, right?"

The words burned a hole in her chest.

Charlotte searched Olivia's face for confirmation, and Olivia mustered up the strength to nod.

"Then please tell me what's wrong." Charlotte pressed. "I want to help you, or at the very least, be someone you can talk to."

"Why?" Olivia almost snapped, but she was so exhausted that it just sounded quiet and strained.

Charlotte's brows furrowed. "Why do I want to help you?"

"Yes." She ripped herself out of Charlotte's grasp, splashing water. "I am such a bitch to everyone, including you, and you still want to check on me. Why?"

She frowned. "Just because you're a bi -- difficult person doesn't mean I'm just going to drop you."

"Everyone else has."

"Well, I'm not everyone else, and those people suck for doing that."

Olivia stared at Charlotte, who was still frowning. It was true that most of Olivia's friends had started to distance themselves from her, and she couldn't really fault them. She was abrasive and rude and reckless, especially when she had some drinks in her.

Charlotte, however, had always been there to pick her up or hold her hair back or check to make sure she didn't accidentally drown herself. It made things so much more complicated and harder because Olivia knew Charlotte didn't have any feelings for her. She all but confirmed it last weekend during a drunk game of spin the bottle, where they both had shared a kiss.

For Olivia, it had been the most electrifying kiss that really confirmed all of the fluttering feelings that had started since she met Charlotte. She still remembered Charlotte's fingers resting on her hips and the softness of her mouth against hers. It had been a short kiss, one that Charlotte pulled away from first, but it had been everything to Olivia.

She had caught a surprised look in Charlotte's eyes when her eyes finally opened, but it was gone when their friends pulled them back down and spun the bottle again. Olivia had been hopeful that there was something more behind that look, but then Charlotte and Manny Garcia had also shared a very heated kiss during the game. Then she found them making out in the corner of a room later that night, and Olivia got so drunk that she blacked out.

Now, as she stared at Charlotte, she wanted nothing more than to pull her in and kiss her again, but she swallowed that temptation down because the look on Charlotte's face was merely concern. It was etched all over her face and grew deeper the longer Olivia remained quiet.

"You're too good to exist in this ugly world," Olivia ended up saying, which was not at all what she meant to say, but it had slipped out.

Charlotte's eyes widened. "I hope that doesn't mean what I think it means."

And despite everything she was feeling, Olivia let her lips tug into a smile. "That I lured you out here, so that I could drown you? Sorry to say this..."

Charlotte splashed water in her direction with a laugh, and it shot another jolt of flutters through Olivia's stomach.

"But I'm fine," she found herself saying, and Charlotte's smile softened. "I'm glad you're my friend, Charlotte. I know I can be a raging bitch, so it may not seem like it... but I am glad."

And because she would rather have Charlotte's friendship than nothing at all, Olivia decided in that moment that she would try to move past these feelings. It was clear that Charlotte would never feel anything beyond platonic, and Olivia was never the type to wallow in self-pity and unrequited love.

She had to move on.

When Charlotte pulled her into a hug, Olivia returned it even though her skin tingled from the contact.

Friends, friends, friends.

That was all they were and all they would ever be.

-------------------------

OCTOBER 31, 2019

"You've always been a piece of shit, Laura, but this is a new low even for you."

"Fuck you, too," she replied dryly without turning around.

Harry released a sigh as he settled in the seat beside her and followed her gaze out into the horizon, where the sun was just beginning to make its descent for the day. It would be less than an hour before it grew fully dark, and Laura felt a dull pang of guilt when she pictured Jess and Noah driving this late because of her. She had no doubt that her parents and Harry had tried to get them to stay, but Jess wasn't one to stay where she wasn't welcome.

Laura had made her feel that way. She had drank a little too much today, and she was back at home on the anniversary of her older sister's death even though she wished she was anywhere else. But Jess had convinced her to take her parents' invitation to go home this year even though she had avoided it every year since she moved to Savannah. Laura didn't know what it was about Jess that made her want to be better, so she had said yes.

But actually being here on this day made it so much worse than she could have imagined. The past suffocated her, and despite the love she had for her family, they were equally as suffocating. She knew they pitied her. She had been the one to find her sister after all.

Halloween used to be Laura's favorite holiday until Wren passed.

Laura found her in the bathtub when she came home from school. She had been excited to go trick or treating with her sister, who had started taking her after she got her license, and Laura wanted to show her the adjustments she had made to her costume.

She never expected to find her sister lifeless in a bathtub full of blood and water, and the memory of it never left her even ten years later. It was still as fresh, even more so today since she was in the house where it all happened.

"So that's it, then?" Her older brother's voice broke the silence.

"What?"

"You're just gonna let her walk away?"

"I don't see you chasing Penelope."

Harry let out a scoff.

He and Penelope, his on-and-off girlfriend, were on the off-stage again. He hadn't told Laura much, but he had given more details to Jess, who told her that he and Penelope had a fight after he asked her to move in with him.

"She doesn't see a future with me," he said bitterly.

"Did she say that?"

"Practically."

Laura gave him a look. "Practically how?"

Crossing his arms over his chest, he huffed out a breath as he glared at the sunset. "I asked her to move in. She said no. I asked her why when we're basically living together already, and she said she still wanted her own place. I said fine and asked if she would ever considered moving in together in the future. She said she doesn't know."

"Doesn't know isn't the same as no," Laura said.

He turned his glare to her. "In this case, it is. We've been together for over a year now, and if she can't even see herself sharing the same wardrobe as me, then what are we still doing?"

"You two have also been fighting for half of the time that you've been together, so technically it's been less than that," she retorted.

"We don't fight that much."

"You're fighting right now."

"Screw you, Laura." He stood and made his way back towards the door before he jerked to a stop. "You know you're not the only one who lost her, right?"

Her throat tightened, and she refused to turn to look at him.

"We all hate that you were the one who found her. You were so young. It fucking sucks that she did what she did." Laura heard him swallow, and his voice grew quieter as he continued, "Mom and Dad blame themselves for what happened to her, and they blame themselves for how much you've tried to distance yourself from us."

Laura's stomach fell as coldness swept through her, and she closed her eyes.

"I'm not telling you this to try to be an asshole," he said. "I'm telling you this, so you can stop being one to everyone else."

Then she heard the patio door slide open and shut a moment later. Guilt tightened her chest as her brother's words took root inside of her, and she hugged her knees to her chest.

--------------------

Laura woke up early the next morning to catch her parents in the kitchen before they left for work. She spent the night tossing and turning as Harry's words turned her brain inside out before she finally grew tired enough to pass out.

Her parents were in the middle of breakfast when she entered, hands buried deep inside her pockets. She stopped when they looked up.

Her mom looked surprised. "Laura. You're up."

"Before nine, too," her dad added as he glanced at his watch. "That's a record."

She chewed on her lip. "I wanted to see you guys before I head back."

"Oh." Her mom frowned. "But I thought your flight was tomorrow."

"It is. Was," she quickly corrected before adding, "I need to get back to fix things with Jess."

Understanding filled her mom's face.

"Good," her dad grumbled as he resumed eating his breakfast. "That girl deserves better than the shit show you performed yesterday."

"Eric!"

"What?" he muffled through his eggs.

"Dad's not wrong," Laura quickly said. "I messed up and said a lot of things I shouldn't have said."

Her mom gave her a sympathetic look.

"You know you can always talk to us, right?" her mom said gently, and as Harry's words came back to haunt her, Laura felt her gut twist with guilt.

"I know," she replied quietly and loosened a breath before adding, "I love you guys."

The room grew quiet, and Laura caught her mom's lips trembled before she pressed them into a smile. Her dad looked surprised as he stared at her, his food abandoned again. Eyes glistening, her mom stood and quickly made her way around the counter to squeeze Laura into a hug.

"I love you so, so much," her mom whispered.

There was the sound of a barstool scraping against the tiles, and a moment later, Laura felt her dad's arms wrap around them both. Tears prickled her eyes, and she squeezed them shut and buried her face into her mom's hair.

"I'm sorry for not saying it enough," she choked out.

"It's okay, sweetheart," her dad replied softly. "Your mom and I know you do."

"Good." Sniffling, she pulled away and wiped her tears. "Because I would hate for you guys to think that I don't."

"Come home more than once a year, and we'll believe it even more." Her dad winked, and Laura let out a teary laugh.

"We're just glad that you're ours," her mom said, and Laura swallowed down a sob.

Instead, she just threw herself back into their arms, and for the first time since her sister's death, she felt at home again.

"I'll come home more often," she murmured and meant it. "I promise."

----------------------

Laura had screwed up many times, but Jess wasn't so forgiving this time around. On the same night that her plane landed, Laura had driven straight to Jess's apartment, but the door remained closed no matter how much she knocked and called for her. She came back the next morning, but the attempt was in vain as the door remained closed.

She decided to give her some space before trying again, but three days had passed since then and she grew impatient. She went to the diner where Jess worked, and the look she received from her should have made her walk right out the door. Laura forced herself to stay and sat down in a booth at the end of the diner.

Another waitress took her order instead of Jess, who didn't so much as looked in her direction for her entire shift. That didn't phase Laura at all. She merely came back the next day and sat in the same booth.

"What'd you do to piss her off this time?" Val, one of the waitresses, asked Laura after taking her order. "She won't tell any of us."

"I told her off in front of my family even though she was just trying to help me," Laura answered loudly enough for Jess, who was cleaning a table nearby, to hear. Jess didn't falter for a second. "She deserved better than that."

Val tucked her pen into her pocket and clucked her tongue. "That'll do it."

As she walked away, Laura turned back to Jess, who still refused to look at her.

"I was a bitch."

"You practically kicked me out of your house," Jess replied bitingly without looking at her.

Laura grimaced. "I'm a glorifying bitch, who deserves the death penalty."

"And an eternity in purgatory."

"I'm sorry."

Jess set the pile of plates she had stacked up down on the table and huffed out a breath as she turned to glare at her.

"What do you want from me, Laura?"

"I want you back," she began to say, but then Jess let out a scoff and turned away.

Laura shot up to her feet and quickly stepped in her path, and her heart slammed into her chest when she caught tears in Jess's eyes. Averting her glare to the wall behind Laura, Jess quickly swept the tears away before they could fall.

"Jess, I'm so sorry." Laura swallowed through the tightness in her throat. "Being home that day... I thought I could handle it, but it -- I'm not used to being around anyone on her anniversary. And my parents care so much -- too much, and you do too, and it was just a lot."

God, she was messing it all up. She had the apology all mapped out, but it was coming out all wrong.

"I know it's no excuse for what I did to you, but I was hurting and I took it out on you. I'm so sorry, Jess."

Jess looked at her again, and at the softness in her gaze, Laura felt her own tears prickle the back of her eyes.

"You should have told me," Jess said, but there was no anger in her voice. "I would have understand."

"Yeah, but I --" Laura lowered her gaze. "I wanted to be better for you."

"What do you mean?"

She sucked in a breath. "You're such a fighter Jess. After everything you've been through, you're still here for yourself and for Noah, and I didn't want you to have to fight for me too."

Laura felt the tears fall. She brought a hand up to wipe them away, but Jess stepped in and swept them away with her own. Laura's breath stopped.

"You're a fighter too. More than you know." Cupping Laura's face, Jess tilted her face up, and Laura felt her breath come back. "You've helped me through a lot of those battles, Laura. If you let me, I'll fight yours too. Not because I think you're weak, but because I love you."

More of Laura's tears fell, but neither of them bothered to wipe them this time.

"I love you too," Laura replied hoarsely.

Smiling softly, Jess pressed her lips to hers, and everything in her felt centered again.

--------------------

NOVEMBER 2021

Olivia's dad had been released back in May, and she had avoided coming back to Savannah to see him again. He had stopped asking her to come visit after a few times of her telling him she was too busy, but last week, he had called her and asked if he could visit her in New York.

Before she could think, words were flying out of her mouth, and now she was sitting inside the apartment she had helped set him up in after he got out of prison. Her mom had been livid when she found out. Olivia hadn't told her, but her mom found out anyway and exploded. Since then, they hadn't talked, but they rarely talked even before.

The apartment was smaller than what it had looked like in the pictures online, and as her dad, with his tall and broad frame, moved around the space, it seemed almost claustrophobic. He didn't seem to mind, though. Smiling, he brought out a mug of tea for her and a cup of coffee for himself. She resisted the urge to move away when he sat down beside her on the couch.

"I got you your favorite." He slid the tea towards her, and she tried to give him a smile.

It was strange to see him again without a piece of plastic glass between them. At least with a barrier, she felt safer like she could get up and walk away without him being able to stop her. Now, there was nothing to separate them, nothing to stop him from following her. It wasn't like he had ever hurt her or made her feel unsafe, but it was all of his feelings of guilt and sorrow that made her want to run.

And now, as she watched him rub his sweaty palms down his pants, his eyes flickering nervously between her and his mug, she felt his feelings choke the air out of her.

Olivia picked up her mug and took a sip of the hot tea, not flinching even when it scalded her tongue.

"I know you said you booked a hotel room, but the bedroom is there if you need it. I really don't mind taking the couch," he said and then cleared his throat before cracking a tentative smile. "I've slept on worse."

Tongue numb from the tea, she set the mug back down without a reply, and his smile fell. Olivia quickly looked away from his expression and stood. She pretended to look around the apartment.

"You decorated."

She wanted to curse herself the minute the words left her mouth.

You decorated?

But her dad seemed eager as he quickly answered, "Do you like it? I got these pillows and the frames after my first check. I tried to get something that matched the furniture you got for me."

She glanced around at the furniture she had bought and had put in before he moved in. Everything was dark, minimal. She didn't know what he liked and had just gotten something that she would have liked. Guilt swirled inside of her stomach now as she looked at the black and white throw pillows. She didn't even know what he liked.

"They look nice," was all she managed to say, and his smile returned.

"So I was thinking that we could grab dinner at Vinny's," he said. "I was surprised to see that they were still open after ten years. Remember when --"

"Sure, sounds good," she interrupted before he got too nostalgic.

His smile began to fall again, but he quickly recovered it and cleared his throat as he stood. "Alright, then."

Olivia grabbed her bag from the couch, already ready to leave the apartment and its cramped air. "I'll drive."

He flinched, and she realized too late what she had said. It had slipped without her thinking, but she really hadn't meant anything by it. The air grew thicker, and she pushed through it as she moved towards the door. His steps were heavy as he followed her.

-----------------

Vinny's was a small Italian restaurant that sold a variety of Strombolis, some pastas, and mainly pizzas. Being near the pier, the food was overpriced and greasy, which was perfect for the tourists that were famished from a day at the beach.

Being that it was November, there were few tourists, and Vinny's was empty saved for a couple of occupied booths. Olivia and her dad occupied one of those booths, and she kept her eyes glued to the menu as she sat across from him. Truthfully, she wasn't in the mood for anything here, but he seemed excited to visit this pocket of nostalgic place with her.

Sitting in the low-lit restaurant with its sticky tables and yellowing walls, she didn't get any sense of nostalgia at all, but her dad seemed content from the moment they walked in. He hummed quietly as he scanned the menu.

When the waitress arrived to take their order and picked up the menus, Olivia had no other choice but to meet his gaze.

"So how's Charlotte?" he asked.

"She's good," Olivia answered and took a sip of the water the waitress had brought out when she took their order. It tasted metallic, and grimacing, she set the cup back down.

"How's she liking her dad's company?"

"She likes it enough."

Actually, Olivia had a feeling that Charlotte didn't like it as much, but she didn't tell him that.

"Good, good." Still smiling, he drummed his fingers on the table. "What about you?" Dread filled her stomach as he continued, "How's that law firm treating you?"

She had started back in June, a month after his release.

"It's been good. It keeps me busy."

"Too busy to visit your old man, huh?" He slid in a small laugh to lighten it, but there was a strain in his voice.

Olivia shifted in her seat and glanced over at the waitress, who had taken their order, to distract herself. She looked a little bit younger, with straight, black hair and brown eyes. She had introduced herself earlier, but Olivia had been too distracted by everything to catch her name.

The waitress glanced up to meet her gaze, and when Olivia didn't look away, a blush filled the girl's cheeks.

"Her name is Christine." She snapped her gaze back to her dad, who looked like he was trying to suppress a smile. "She goes to that art school downtown. Majors in fashion design."

"And how do you know that?"

"I come here a lot. She picks up a lot of shifts. She's trying to save to move to New York after graduation."

"It's gonna take more than working here to save enough for New York," Olivia muttered.

He frowned but didn't reply. The tension returned, and Olivia felt like she had said something wrong again. Before she could think much on it, Christine returned with their food.

"Here's your usual, Malcolm." Christine gave her dad a wink as she set his plate down. "I even convinced Leonard to put in some extra pepperoni."

He laughed. "Thank you. You're too sweet."

Olivia lifted a brow.

"Anything for my favorite regular." Christine's blush returned as she set Olivia's pasta down. "You're Olivia, right?"

Instead of answering, she turned her gaze to her dad, who smiled sheepishly. Of course, he had talked about her.

"Malcolm told me you live in New York?"

Olivia almost retorted, is that supposed to be a question or a statement? Instead, she gave the girl a smile and said, "He told me you're interested in moving there after graduation."

Tucking her hair behind her ears, Christine nodded. "That's where all the fashion is, isn't it?"

"When do you graduate?"

"In May."

Olivia nodded, and finally looked down at her pasta. She had gotten spaghetti just for simplicity, but the dish in front of her looked anything but. There were far too many lumps of tomatoes, that she was pretty sure was canned, and the meat looked smashed to oblivion.

Christine's voice snapped her away from the tragedy that was the dish. "Right. I'll let you guys enjoy your dinner. Let me know if you guys need anything!"

Her dad smiled at the girl. "Thank you, Christine."

"Thanks," Olivia said as well, and Christine beamed before leaving the table.

"She's nice, isn't she?" he said, and Olivia refrained from rolling her eyes.

"She's okay."

Light danced in his eyes as he leaned closer. "She seemed to like you."

That much was obvious. Though, he probably wouldn't have appreciated her cockiness, so she just answered, "She's nice, Dad."

His smile grew, and he tapped the table with his knuckles. "See, I knew you two would hit it off."

"Don't tell me you brought me here to set me up with her," she scoffed.

"Would you hate me if I did?"

"No, but I would judge your poor matchmaking skills.'

He gasped and grabbed his chest dramatically. Olivia couldn't help it when her lips tugged into a smile.

Letting go of his chest, he chuckled. "Alright, kiddo. What kind of person are you interested in, then?"

"I'm too busy for relationships."

"But that doesn't mean you can't be interested in someone."

Immediately, she thought of Charlotte, and the smile slipped from her face.

"Oh." Her dad leaned back with a surprised look. "So there is someone."

Discomfort settled in her stomach, and she poked at the spaghetti with her fork. "There's no one."

He chewed on his lips for a moment, and she took a small bite of the pasta. It was too salty and somehow greasy. The discomfort in her stomach worsened.

"Is it..."

At the hesitance in his voice, her eyes snapped up and narrowed. "Is it what?"

Forcing out a smile, he nodded towards her plate. "Nothing. How's the spaghetti?"

"It's fine." She still wanted to push him to complete his earlier thought, but he let out a laugh.

"Now, I know you're lying."

"What --"

"Their spaghetti is the worst I've ever tasted," he said, and relaxing, she chuckled.

"Fine, you caught me. I hate it. It's too salty."

"And so oily. I can't imagine how they got it to be like that."

Olivia didn't realize she was grinning until his lips stretched into a grin as well. Then, she became too aware of her stretched cheeks, but before she could dwell on it, her dad pushed his plate towards her.

"Want half of my Stromboli?"

"No, it's okay. I can just --"

"Just try it, kiddo."

Rolling her eyes, she relented and picked up half of the pepperoni stromboli. He picked up his piece and eyed her as she took a bite.

It was too cheesy, and the thought of consuming that much of it made her nauseous. The tomato sauce was too salty, and the extra pepperoni made it even more so. She kept her expression neutral as she chewed, but he read it on her face anyway.

"You hate it," he chuckled through his bite.

"No, it's --"

"You don't have to worry about hurting my feelings." He was still grinning as he took another bite, and she relaxed a little. "I still love it."

"It's better than the spaghetti."

His grin widened if that was even possible. "At least it's better than the spaghetti."

"But maybe don't eat so much pepperoni. It has way too much sodium."

He raised a brow. "Are you calling me unhealthy?"

"I'm telling you to watch your health."

"Telling me, huh?"

"Dad."

"Olivia." He had lowered his voice jokingly, and she rolled her eyes.

"Heart attacks are common around your age."

His eyes lit up. "Oh, so now you're calling me old, too!"

"You said it, not me." She swallowed another bite of the Stromboli. "Besides, I can't come here often with my job."

"I know, kiddo." His grin eased into a small smile, which made her stomach squeeze. "Thanks for spending Thanksgiving with me."

A lump formed in her throat, and she dropped her gaze. "Of course."

"I'll cut the Strombolis down to once a week."

She snapped her eyes up again. "How many times were you eating this before?"

He winked. "That's between me, Christine, and Leonard."

As he took a huge bite of his Stromboli, some of the tomato sauce dripped down his chin, and she laughed.

----------------

When she got back to her hotel, however, Olivia's mom had called her and invited her for Thanksgiving dinner with her family. It was more like a demand than an invitation. She knew that Olivia was in town, and she probably knew she was in town to see her dad.

It was impossible to tell her no, and Olivia felt the guilt press down on her as she broke the news to her dad.

"It's okay, kiddo." His voice sounded too tight, and the guilt squeezed her chest. "I'm just glad I got to see you."

"We can grab breakfast before I leave Friday morning."

"Of course."

"Dad, I..." Settling down on the hotel bed, she cradled the phone to her ear, not knowing what to say.

"You should see your mom, too, Livia," he laughed, but it still sounded too forceful. "I can't hog you all to myself."

"She doesn't care about me." The words had fallen out before she could take it back, and she sucked in a breath.

"Livia --"

"I'll see you on Friday." She quickly hung up and tossed the phone behind her. The pressure in her chest grew, and she dropped her head into her hands and tried to push the phone call out of her mind.

This was why she hated coming back here. Being in Savannah was too close to her family, too close to the past. It muddled her thoughts and feelings and made her feel too much.

She despised those feelings. She despised the guilt and awkwardness.

She needed a drink.

Grabbing her phone, she didn't bother putting on a coat as she left the hotel room and headed for the bar she saw across the street.

Surprisingly, the bar was bustling with energy when she entered. There was a band playing on the small stage, but Olivia barely paid them any attention as she made her way to the bartender and ordered a whisky.

The drink warmed her stomach as she drained the glass and signaled for another. With the second glass, she sipped it and finally turned her attention to the band on stage.

It was a group of four women around her age, and they were performing a cover of an old song she couldn't remember the name of. The lead singer was pretty with her dimpled smile and warm eyes. Olivia's gaze was pulled to the bass player, though,, whose hair was silky black, and her eyes looked almost golden under the low, warm lights. She swayed along to the music, her lips pulled to a smirk as she stared at the lead singer, who met it head-on.

Clocking their 'fucking each other' energy right away, Olivia smirked and drained her second glass.

"You like their music?"

She turned, and it was Christine who settled in the stool beside her. She had changed out of her jeans and tee from the restaurant into a crop top and skirt.

"Too alt for my taste," she answered.

Smiling, Christine nodded. "I agree."

Olivia nearly snorted but held herself back. "Want a drink?"

"That would be great."

Olivia ordered her a tequila sunrise and another whisky for herself.

"How do you know I'll like that?" Christine teased.

"Lucky guess." Leaning in, Olivia let her gaze dip to the sliver of stomach revealed by her top. She licked her lips and looked up to see Christine giving her a heated look.

"What type of music do you like?" Christine asked.

"Rock, mostly."

"Like..."

Sliding in closer, she smirked. "Guess."

Christine's breath hitched, and when the bartender brought out their drinks, she took several gulps of her cocktail. As she pulled the glass away, Olivia reached up to wipe away the small drop that lingered on the corner of her lips.

"I..." Christine let out a nervous laugh, and her breath warmed Olivia's thumb. "Sorry. It's hard to think."

She picked up her glass and drained the rest of the whiskey. Christine's face flushed red, and as she turned away in embarrassment, Olivia took her chin and turned her face back to meet her gaze.

"Want to head back to my hotel?"

----------------

FEBRUARY 2022

"The line doesn't make any sense," Jess cut Laura off, who had been in the middle of explaining exactly why the line made sense in the bridge of the song they were working on.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Laura tried to keep her voice lowered as she said, "You didn't let me finish."

"It doesn't matter what you say. It. Doesn't. Fit."

With the last bit of her patience snapped, Laura tossed her pen onto the table and stood. Jess stood too and crossed her arms as she met her glare head-on.

"So what? What you say goes, and fuck everyone else?" Laura snapped. "You don't get to make all the decisions."

"Oh, is that what you think I do?" Jess narrowed her eyes, and stepping closer, she pressed a finger to Laura's chest, seething, "I don't make any of your decisions. You make them all on your own with no considerations."

Laura pushed her hand away. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"You know exactly what it means."

Laura tore apart her mind, trying to figure out what she meant, but her search came up empty.

It wasn't lost on her that they were no longer talking about the song. Her relationship with Jess had felt strained for a while now, but neither of them wanted to bring it up. Laura still loved her. God knows she still did, but sometimes she couldn't help but feel like she was stuck. Suffocated.

"You talked to Jeremy. No, wait --" Jess said. "Let me rephrase that. You threatened him."

Laura scoffed. "This again? He was harassing you at work. You were miserable, Jess!"

"I didn't tell you that, so that you can swoop in and play the fucking hero!"

"Is that really what you think I was trying to do?" Laura exclaimed. "I was only trying to protect you!"

"I didn't ask you to!"

"Well, someone has to because you sure as hell don't even try!"

Jess staggered back as hurt flashed across her face. Laura let out a long breath and exhaustingly swiped her hands down her face.

"Noah's hospital bill," Jess whispered, and Laura froze. "You paid it off, didn't you?"

Noah had taken a fall during recess at school and hit his head. He was taken to the ER, where he was treated for a mild concussion. Laura had never seen Jess so shaken up before, and it had scared her. She never wanted to see Jess and Noah hurt like that ever again, and she wanted to help them in any way she could. Jess was already struggling with the rent, and when Laura saw the bill on the table one night, she took it. She didn't tell Jess because she knew how she would feel about it.

"No, wait. Let me rephrase," Jess chuckled emptily. "Your parents took care of it."

Guilt twisted her stomach into knots, especially at the disappointment on Jess's face.

"Jess --"

"I'm tired, Laura," she sighed. "Aren't you?"

Laura felt her throat tighten. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying..." Another sigh left Jess's lips, and turning away, she covered her face with her hands and fell still. Laura's hands grew clammy as cold fear swept through her. Then Jess lowered her hands, and her eyes were glassy now when she met Laura's gaze again. "Remember that dinner when Harry and Penelope told us they were engaged?"

She could only nod, her tongue too heavy.

"Your dad was only joking, but he said they were waiting for our engagement. Do you remember what your response was?"

Frowning, Laura shook her head.

"You didn't say anything. You just laughed it off like it was a joke. "

Laura's stomach fell. She barely remembered that conversation at all, but it was clear that it had been weighing on Jess's mind since then. She hadn't known.

"I'm not saying I want to get married right now," Jess sniffled as she wiped her eyes. The sight of her tears broke Laura's heart even more. "But sometimes it feels like you never want to get married at all, or is it that you don't see yourself marrying me?"

Laura opened her mouth, but no reply came out because she didn't know. Her mind felt like it was thrown into complete disarray, and she still couldn't fathom how this conversation had gotten so carried away.

Jess's expression crumpled at her lack of a response, and she backed away. "I see."

Shaking her head, Laura reached for her, but Jess held up a hand to stop her.

"We keep going in circles," Jess said, her voice too frail like she was trying to hold in her sobs. "I'm not the same person I was when we met. I don't want you to keep saving me."

"Then what do you want?" Laura managed to choke out, her vision growing blurry with tears.

"I don't know," she whispered. "I thought I knew, but I don't know anymore."

Laura felt her heart shatter. Jess turned away, wiping her tears.

"It's clear that we need some time," Jess murmured.

Laura couldn't say anything. All she could do was look at her, but Jess refused to meet her gaze. It wasn't the first time they were taking time apart, but this felt more permanent. It had never felt like this before.

Without another word, Jess picked up her lyric book and quickly left, leaving Laura to deal with the pieces of her own broken heart.

------------------------

OCTOBER 2023

Olivia had never felt so blinded by rage before. She wanted to tear her skin off and scream until her throat snapped. It consumed her whole, and when her dad silently entered the car, Olivia nearly hit a car as she pulled out of the county jail parking lot.

His eyes shot to her, but she didn't look at him. If she did, she would explode. Instead, she pushed the windows down and cranked up the volume of some stupid pop radio station to distract herself from the rage.

It didn't help. Her mom's words came back to her throughout the driver no matter how much she tried to push them away.

"He lost his job five months ago for drinking during his shifts."

"You keep giving him chances, and one day he'll kill someone else. One day it will be you or maybe your child. Then it will be too late."

"Once a drunk, always a drunk. You do well to remember that, Olivia."

She didn't realize she had parked the car outside the apartment until her dad turned off the music and cleared his throat. Her hands tightened around the steering wheel.

"Livia, I--"

"Don't."

He sucked in a breath, and the silence settled over them again.

Since his release three years ago, he had been doing fine. The last time she talked to him, which was last week, he had sounded normal. Sober.

And then last night, she received a call from her mom, telling her that he had been arrested.

Fighting inside a bar.

She had only taken a glance at him when he stepped out of the police department, and the bruises and cuts on his face had only worsened her anger.

"How long?"

He turned to look at her, but she kept her glare straight ahead.

"I'll pay --"

"How long?" she snapped and turned her glare to him.

Flinching, he dropped his gaze. "Kiddo --"

"Get out."

He didn't move, and she felt her anger snap.

"I said get out!"

Finally, he opened the door, but then he hesitantly raised his head to meet her eyes with his teary ones. "I'm sorry."

His apologies meant nothing to her. He had fooled her just like he had fooled his family all those years ago, and her sister had paid the price.

She had been stupid to believe him, to believe that he could go back to being the dad who took her out to eat greasy food and taught her and her sister how to ride a bike.

That dad was gone. Only a drunk remained. The very same one who killed her sister.

He began to stand, but then she spoke again.

"If I don't see you walk into a meeting tomorrow, you can kiss the apartment goodbye." Her words dripped with disdain, and he tore his gaze away as his tears fell. "After that, I never want to see or hear from you again. I'll pay for your apartment, but that will be the only connection we have left."

He didn't say anything else as he got out and closed the door. She watched him walk into the apartment, his figure more lanky than when she had last saw him.

Feelings had clouded her judgement. She should have listened to her mom, but she had been too naive, too stupid.

Never again.

She would never let anyone fool her again.

-------------

The bar was located right along the beach. With it being a weekend night, there was already a large crowd inside, and Olivia was greeted with the scent of cheap liquor and sweat.

She pushed through the crowd with ease until she got to the bar counter, where she stripped off her jacket and hung it on the back of an empty seat. Her eyes scanned the bartenders until she found the one she was looking for.

Christine was talking to one of the customers when she felt her gaze and turned to meet it. Then, Christine froze, her eyes wide. Olivia's gaze remained steady and blank as she waited.

When the shock wore off, Christine blinked and tentatively made her way over.

"Olivia, hey," she greeted and wiped her sweaty palms down her pants. "How are --"

"My dad was here last night."

Christine's mouth fell open, and when no reply came out, she closed it again.

"Tell me what happened," she said curtly.

Christine glanced around the bar as she chewed on her lip nervously. "I have customers and --"

"A whiskey, then. Neat." Olivia pulled out her card and slid it across the table. Christine blew out a defeated breath as she picked up the card and went to get her a glass.

Olivia sat and bit down on her cheek to keep her anger in check. The longer she was here in the loud and stuffy bar, the closer she was to exploding.

Christine returned with her glass and card. Olivia scribbled down her tip on the receipt, pushed it towards Christine, and leveled her with a sharp look.

"Some guy got too drunk last night and copped a feel at me," she finally said. "Your dad got angry and punched him."

"How long has he been coming here?"

Christine broke her gaze. "A while."

"How long is a while?" Olivia gritted.

She didn't answer.

"Christine."

The girl dropped her face into her hand and blew out a sigh. "I don't know, okay? He was a regular here before I left Vinny's to work here."

Having heard enough, Olivia stood, but Christine reached over the bar to grab her hand.

"He really cares about you," Christine quickly said. "You're all he talks about and --"

"He's a drunk," Olivia interrupted coldly, and it was her steely glare that made Christine drop her hand. "He doesn't remember half of the things that come out of his mouth."

"Olivia --"

"Thanks for the drink."

Olivia picked up her jacket and left the bar faster than she had entered it.

---------------------

Instead of heading back to the hotel, Olivia walked to the beach. Stopping along the shore, she looked out into the dark water.

To most, it was ominous, but for her, it looked peaceful. She imagined sinking into the water and letting the waves carry her further away from the shore. She imagined the endless drifting and how quiet everything would be once the water evened out.

Olivia set her jacket and bag down and kicked off her heels. About a year ago, she had promised Charlotte she wouldn't swim alone at night again, but she had broken that promise many times already that it was practically moot. Tonight, however, she didn't feel like breaking the promise when the one most important one to her had been broken.

Still, just being here was enough to steady her again. The sound of the waves crashing was loud enough to distract herself from her mind, and when she took another step forward and felt the frigid water, the cold shocked her system.

Before she could adjust, a voice behind her broke through the sound of the waves.

"Just so you know, I once saw a shark fin right about where you are standing around this time of night!"

Olivia spun around and narrowed her eyes woman standing near her belongings. A grin stretched across the woman's face as her eyes, amber like cognac, glimmered from the moonlight.

"What makes you think I'm afraid of sharks?" Olivia shouted back.

The woman tilted her head, her grin widening as she considered the question. Then she stepped closer, the toes of her sneakers splashing water as she pocketed her hands.

"Yeah, you don't look like you would be afraid of anything," the woman answered. Olivia began to nod, but then she said, "That just means I haven't looked hard enough."

"And you never will." Olivia faced the water again.

The woman came up to her side, and Olivia felt her glance over. "You're not gonna go swimming right now, are you?"

"Why does that matter to you?"

"Well, I'm not exactly the best swimmer, and the water is freezing. So it would really suck for us both if you were attacked by a shark."

Olivia gave her a side look. "Unlike you, I'm a great swimmer, so I won't need your help. And if there was a shark, you wouldn't make it to me on time."

"My ex-girlfriend tells me I have a compulsive savior's complex."

"I think she might be onto something."

The woman laughed, the sound honeyed and warm. Olivia felt something stir at the pit of her stomach. When her laughter faded, a comfortable silence fell between them.

She didn't know how much time had passed before the woman spoke again.

"If I leave, will you promise you won't go out there tonight?"

A snarky reply immediately surfaced on her tongue, but when Olivia turned to meet the woman's gaze, she felt it die.

"Why do you care?" she asked instead.

The woman shrugged. "Like I said. Savior's complex. It's really bad."

"So you just go around, making sure women don't drown themselves?"

Suddenly, she took a step towards Olivia, her eyes hardening as her cheek flickered.

"Are you thinking of drowning yourself?"

There was an intensity in her gaze, and Olivia tore her eyes away to stare out at the water again. "No."

Not tonight.

The woman let out a small breath. "Why don't I believe you?"

"Must be that savior's complex," she replied, her lips twitching.

Another moment of silence passed between them before the woman broke it with a soft chuckle. The tension from earlier fell away, and Olivia glanced over at her again.

"Must be," the woman murmured again and smiled.

The easy warmth in her smile made Olivia's stomach flutter. Breath trapped in her throat, she dug her toes into the sand to help ground herself.

"I'll be seeing you around, then?" the woman said, and it sounded more like a promise than a question.

Olivia was still trying to untangle the knots in her stomach as she nodded, and by the time her throat loosened up again, the woman was already halfway up the beach. It was too late to tell her that they would never see each other again because Olivia planned to never come back after tomorrow.

-----------------

There was still half an hour before the AA meeting started. Olivia had gotten a cup of tea at a cafe nearby before making her way to the building, and she took a seat on a bench outside. Pulling out her pack of cigarettes, she lit one up and inhaled.

Her dad had brought her here to one of their open meetings last year to show her how much he had progressed. While she had been apprehensive about coming, it had seemed to make him happy.

Though, while many new and familiar faces entered the building today, none of them was her dad. She told herself that if he wasn't there by the time the meeting started, then that was that. She would cut him off completely as promised.

Fifteen minutes before the meeting started, a black SUV with tinted windows pulled up and parked behind her. Without a doubt, she already knew who was in the car, and it was confirmed when the back window rolled down, revealing the same cold eyes and face she had inherited.

Her mom smirked. "Still haven't given up?"

Instead of answering, Olivia merely took a sip from her tea.

"He won't show. He stopped going to the meetings back in March."

She clenched her jaw. Seven months and who knew how long before that.

"If you don't care what he does, then why do you keep tabs on him?" she shot back.

Her mom's expression hardened. "Because I want to be there for every mistake he makes. I knew he would fall back on every promise to change, and it's time you see that too."

She hadn't always been this cold. It had been so long, but Olivia still remembered her mom's fingers combing through her hair and the softness of her voice when she read for Olivia and her sister. Those were the few warm memories that lingered, but each time she was met with a cold glare or biting remark, she could feel another memory slip away from her. She couldn't even remember the last time her mom smiled at her.

Sometimes when her mind went to the darkest of places, she had the thought that her mom wished it was Olivia who had been in the car instead of Lilah. Olivia had always been too similar to her dad. It didn't help that every choice she made after her sister's death defied everything her mom tried to push on her.

"Continue wasting your time if you wish," her mom said with a scoff. "Don't say I never warned you."

The windows rolled back up, but the car didn't leave. Olivia turned back towards the building and glanced down at her watch.

Five minutes left.

Her cigarette was nearly out, so she snuffed it out.

The seconds dragged on, growing into minutes. At the very last minute, a body rounded the corner, and she gripped her cup tightly.

It was an older woman.

Behind her, tires crunched on pavement, and the car drove away.

Still, Olivia didn't move.

Even when the meeting had already started inside, even when her tea had grown cold, even when an unfamiliar face entered the building thirty minutes after, even when her butt ached from the hard bench, even when everyone she had watched enter earlier left the building an hour later.

She didn't leave until the last bit of hope flickered out.

--------------

Olivia had booked her flight for the next morning as soon as she had gotten back to the hotel. Despite what she told her dad, she couldn't bring herself to cancel the apartment contract, so instead she spent most of her afternoon swimming in the hotel pool as a way to distract herself. It had worked until she had no more energy to swim and had to leave, and then everything came rushing back.

So she found herself back at the same bar where her father had been arrested in just a few nights ago. It was quiet tonight, so Christine was the only one behind the bar. She had spent the last half-hour wiping the same two glasses while sneaking glances at Olivia, who was nursing the whiskey she had ordered but hadn't taken a sip from.

Olivia hadn't budged from her seat, nor had she looked up from the amber liquid in her glass. She sat there in silence, thoughts too heavy for her to be alone in a hotel room.

Then, she felt a presence slide into the seat beside her, carrying the scent of cheap cologne and stale cigarettes. She heard his breath as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Not interested," she interrupted flatly.

There was a pause in the air, and he shifted in his seat in surprise. She didn't look up, but then she heard his breath again.

The glass settled on the table with a sharp, final note, and she raised her head to pin him with a glare. Christine paused and looked at them with alarm. The man held Olivia' glare for a measly few seconds before he pushed his seat away and muttered 'bitch' under his breath. She rolled her eyes at the lack of originality.

"Are you okay?"

Olivia turned her glare to Christine, who had finally given up on pretending and had shifted closer.

"You know I hate that question."

"Okay, then," Christine sighed. "Why are you here if it's not for a drink or company?"

"Who says I'm not here for both?"

Christine leveled her with a deadpanned look, but Olivia didn't break her gaze as she picked up the glass and swallowed the whiskey down in one gulp. She set the glass back down, leaned back in her seat, and let her gaze dip and linger suggestively.

Hesitance flickered across Christine's face, and she crossed her arms defiantly. "No. I'm not doing this with you again."

"Why not?"

"There's someone. It's getting serious."

"'Getting' means it's not quite serious, yet."

"She loves me."

"She sounds soft." Olivia's lips curved into a smirk. "From what I remember, you like it a little... rougher."

Pink flushed Christine's cheeks, and she glanced around nervously even though no one around was close enough to listen.

She took a step closer, murmuring, "I love her."

"Oh, you don't have to try to convince me."

Christine scowled. Olivia traced the rim of her glass, and Christine's gaze snapped to her finger. Olivia didn't say anything and just watched as emotions warred each other on her face.

"Are you ever coming back?" Christine asked after a while.

"No."

Olivia had decided that the moment she booked the flight.

Christine let out a quiet sigh and then, "My shift ends at two."

Smirking, Olivia pushed her glass across the counter. "Another while I wait, then."

--------------

Moonlight spilled in the room through the balcony door, and Olivia gazed at the light that stretched across Christine's back.

They had finished not too long ago, and exhausted, Christine had fallen asleep after Olivia had pulled a fifth orgasm from her.

Still, her mind was still heavy with everything from today.

The bed shifted as Christine moved, and Olivia looked down again to see her eyes slowly blink open.

"You're still awake?" she mumbled into the pillow.

"Can't sleep." Olivia traced the line that separated shadow and moonlight on Christine's back and felt her shiver.

"Anything I can do?"

"Not really."

Silence settled for just a moment before Christine rolled over onto her side to look at her fully. Olivia knew what she wanted to ask, and she also knew Christine didn't have the guts to ask it.

"Tell me about her," Olivia said.

An emotion passed through Christine's face, and she looked away. Olivia didn't rush her. She caught a lock of Christine's hair between her fingers and twirled them.

Then, Christine whispered, "There's no her."

I know.

"I --" A faint tremor started in the girl's lips, and her breath hitched. "Olivia, I'm --"

Olivia didn't let her finish. She pulled Christine into her chest, and the girl fell apart.

"I'm sorry," Christine cried.

"It's not your fault."

It's mine.

That only made her cry harder, but Olivia didn't let go.

--------------

SEPTEMBER 2024

Hey Kiddo,

Did you know you were a heavy crier when you were a baby? I don't know if your mom ever told you, or maybe I did and I'm just telling you something I've probably said a hundred times before.

Your mom and I thought something was wrong, but the doctor said you were healthy. We tried feeding and holding you, but most of the time, that didn't work. Then, your mom took you out for a drive one night, and she said you knocked out before she made it onto the road. So that became our routine every night. She and I took turns driving you through town and along the coastline, and you slept like nothing in the world could hurt you.

I wish I could go back and stay in that moment, when I was a good father and hadn't broken our family apart. You were so little when we lost Lilah. God, I remembered when we brought her home, and you held her like she was the most precious person in the world. You told us that you were going to be the best older sister and protect her from all the bad things in the world. I never imagined that I would be the bad. I never wanted to hurt you and Lilah. I never wanted to break us apart.

I tried so hard to be the man your mom met and the father you girls deserved. I want you to know that it's not something that any of you did or didn't do. There are some things in my past that I can't escape. I was broken long before your mom met me, and god knows she tried to help me.

Your mom loves you so much, Livia. Your sister's death broke her heart, and she shut herself off from the world. It's my fault, not yours. You can hate me, but please don't shut yourself off like she did. You have so much of your life left to live, and one day, you'll find the person who will love and protect you the way you deserve.

I love you so much, sweetheart, and I'm so sorry I couldn't be the father you deserve. No matter what, you will always be my little girl.

Love,

Dad

--------------

SEPTEMBER 2024

LAURA

Typically after a performance, Laura went home with someone from the bar, or she went to a party, where she would end up going home with someone at the end of the night.

Nevertheless, she never went home alone, and when she was still with Jess (or even sometimes after they had broken up), they always ended up in bed together at the end of the night. Laura had always chalked it up to the high energy and thrill from the performance, and sex was the only way for her to get it out of her system. It didn't hurt that she also happened to love sex.

Tonight, however, Laura left the bar by herself, and she wasn't going to a party either. She was going back to her apartment, where Jess's fling, Olivia, for the last week was probably still knocked out, healing from her concussion.

Olivia Hansen.

Laura had rolled the name around in her head all night throughout the performance. She immediately recognized Olivia when she saw her at the hospital earlier but not as Olivia Hansen.

But as the woman on the beach a few years back.

She regretted walking away that night. There had been a loneliness in Olivia's expression that she couldn't get out of her head, but when she came back to the beach an hour later, Olivia was gone. Laura had hoped to see her again. Savannah was a small town, and they were bound to bump into each other.

After a while of not seeing her, she began to lose hope, and dread filled it instead. She hoped that she hadn't made a mistake by walking away, that the woman hadn't broken her promise and went into the water that night.

But Olivia was still alive. Concussed but alive.

Parking the bike outside her apartment, Laura felt her stomach tighten. Laura didn't know if she remembered her. Olivia hadn't said anything to indicate that she did even after Charlotte and Jess left the hospital room.

Laura hadn't planned on going back to New York anytime soon, but the offer had slipped out of her without thinking. She hadn't expect Olivia to take her up on it either, but she felt a strange sense of relief when she did.

She told herself that she wasn't going to get involved any more than she should. And maybe, just maybe, that was a lot by normal standards, but Laura's actions never fitted in any box, much less herself.

But Olivia was complicated. If that night on the beach wasn't proof enough, her being in love with Charlotte and sleeping with Jess was more than enough.

The farthest Laura was going to go with this was drive Olivia back to New York safe and sound and then never see her again. The last thing she needed was complications.

Closure. That was what she needed.

Laura walked by the community pool as she neared her building, but then she slowed when she saw movement in the corner of her eyes. She turned and immediately stopped when she caught the familiar flash of brunette waves before Olivia dove into the water.

Elegant was not enough of a word to describe the way Olivia smoothly glided through the water. It was as if the water parted for her, or she was an extension of it. Laura's feet carried her away from the direction of the building and towards the pool, where she entered through the gated door and stopped at the edge of the steps leading into the water.

Olivia had swam further out into the deepest end of the pool, and she was so deep under the water that Laura could barely see her if it wasn't for her olive green bikini.

While driving Olivia to her apartment, Laura had learned from small conversations with her that she was an attorney back in New York City, and she worked for a large firm. What she was doing here in Savannah, she didn't say, and Charlotte wasn't exactly forthcoming with answers either.

She knew of Olivia's mother, though, who Laura had the displeasure of meeting for the first time at the hospital earlier today. Vanessa Kline was as cold-hearted as her political standings, and Laura wanted to go as far to describe her as heartless after she learned that Vanessa had struck Olivia at the hospital. Olivia shrugged it off when Charlotte brought it up to her, and that made Laura wonder how often this had happened before.

Too long of a silence dragged Laura's attention back to the water, where Olivia was no longer moving. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest as she rushed to the other end of the pool, stripping off her jacket and shoes as she did so. Fuck, how long had --

Olivia moved again and with some pushes of her arms, she surged back up into the surface, and Laura nearly fell to her knees in relief.

"What the fuck?" she exclaimed, and Olivia turned to look at her, those pale blue-gray eyes widening in surprise.

Laura's breath was stolen again just like the first time she met her. Olivia's eyes reminded Laura of winter, hauntingly barren and cold in a beautiful and quiet sort of way.

"I thought you weren't going to be back until later," Olivia said.

Even her voice was pretty with its low evenness. Olivia stroked her hair back away from her face, and Laura followed the movement of her arms, eyes lingering on the fine lines of muscles that rippled around her biceps and shoulders.

"I thought you were drowning," Laura said and frowned when she remembered the stillness of the water just a few moments ago. "Is it even safe to swim with a concussion?"

"What the doctor doesn't know, right?" Olivia shrugged and gave her a smile like it was a secret they were sharing.

Laura didn't answer. She didn't know what else to say as she watched Olivia swim to the edge of the pool, towards her. Olivia pulled herself out of the pool in one smooth motion and stood, water dripping all around her and some splashing onto Laura's sock-covered feet.

"Thanks for letting me crash at your place," Olivia said. She grabbed the towel hanging on the stair rail and wrapped it around herself. "And for offering to drive me back."

Laura shrugged. "I've been meaning to drive up there anyway. According to my parents, I don't come home often enough, and I figured I would save you from Charlotte's nagging. Speaking of, does she always do that?"

Olivia's lips twitched. "She means well. She just has the soul of a grandma sometimes."

"Sometimes?"

Olivia laughed, which was quite possibly one of the best sounds Laura had ever heard. "Okay, all of the time, but she really does mean well. She's always been too caring for her own good."

"I can see why she and Jess like each other. Jess is the same way."

It hadn't meant to be anything. The observation had just flowed out of her mouth, and then she realized what she had said when Olivia's grin fell.

"Yeah," Olivia murmured quietly.

"Have you had dinner?" Laura blurted out before the silence could fill the air between them. "I think I still have a couple of things in the fridge I could put together."

Olivia shrugged. "It's okay. I'm not that hungry."

"I insist."

Olivia searched her face, and Laura saw her lips twitch before she said, "Still have that savior's complex, I see."

Laura froze.

"You thought I forgot?" Her lips eased into a smile again, and she wrung the water out of her hair as she walked towards the gate.

Laura snapped out of her shock and stumbled after her. "You didn't say anything earlier."

"You didn't either."

"There was a lot going on."

"Yeah." Olivia's voice quieted.

Laura thought of Vanessa again and how cold she had been towards her daughter. Laura had never hated anyone as much as she did in that moment.

"How's the head?" she asked and glanced over to look at the stitched gash on the side of her face. The bruise around her left eye had darkened into a bluish purple, and Laura felt another flicker of anger when she remembered Vanessa had struck her.

"It's fine."

Laura frowned at her nonchalant response, and she swiveled around in front of her, stopping their steps altogether.

"Tell me honestly," Laura murmured and didn't realize how close their faces were together until she felt Olivia's breath brush her lips. She didn't back away, though.

"My head is fine," Olivia answered quietly, and when she caught Laura's sharp look, she relented with a sigh. "It only stings a little."

Laura couldn't help but reach up and gently brush a finger over the bruise. "And this?"

"It's fine," Olivia replied and quickly added, "Promise."

Reluctantly, Laura dropped her hand and stepped away to give her space again.

"Looks like that savior complex of yours is still pretty bad," Olivia teased.

Laura laughed, grateful for the excuse to cover up her shaky breath. Eyes glimmering, Olivia brushed past her, and Laura turned to follow but paused as her eyes dipped to the swish of Olivia's hips. She felt her skin throb with heat.

Then Olivia glanced over her shoulder and flashed a knowing smile, and Laura felt her heart jump wildly in her chest.

----------------

OLIVIA

"Are you sure about this?" Charlotte asked, and the concern in her voice pulled Olivia's attention away from Laura, who was packing their stuff into the trunk.

Charlotte had arrived early in the morning as promised, and judging from the bags under her eyes and smudged makeup, it was clear that she hadn't gotten much sleep last night.

Olivia had wondered many times before if Charlotte reciprocated any of her feelings, but seeing the looks she and Jess gave each other for the last couple of days shut down any lingering hope she had before. Charlotte was merely a great friend, who worried way too much.

"I'm sure," Olivia answered and gave her a smile that she hoped was reassuring enough. She hadn't gotten much sleep either and had spent the majority of the night tossing and turning. She had managed to fall asleep two hours before her alarm went off.

"She'll be fine," Laura said as she shut the trunk, and her lips eased into a grin when she faced them. "You nag too much."

Charlotte glared at her. "I'm more concerned about where you got the car."

"Oh, this?" Laura tapped the trunk, her eyes dancing with mirth. "I found it under an overpass. There was a sign on it that said 'good condition' and everything."

Olivia bit down on a grin, but Charlotte didn't so much as twitch.

"I don't care what kind of driver you usually are, but she has a concussion so --"

"Fuck, Charlotte!" Olivia interrupted with a groan and dragged her away from an amused Laura. "I'm going to be fine. I promise."

Charlotte didn't stop glaring at Laura, who gave her a wink. "I don't like this. I don't like her."

"You don't like her because she's her or because she's Jess's ex?"

Charlotte's glare snapped to her, and Olivia held it steadily.

"Don't sleep with her."

"Charlotte!"

"What?"

"I don't sleep with every woman I meet," she defended. Charlotte gave her a doubtful look, and Olivia shot her a glare. "I don't!"

"Just be careful," Charlotte warned. Then she turned in Laura's direction and raised her voice for her to hear, "I have her location, so I'll know if something happens to her."

Grinning, Laura gave her a salute, and Olivia couldn't help but roll her eyes. Suddenly, her vision of Laura was blocked when Charlotte pulled her into a bone-gripping hug.

"Call me when you get there, okay?"

Despite her annoyance moments before, Olivia felt a trickle of warmth now, and she returned Charlotte's hug.

"I will," she reassured her.

Charlotte released her after another moment, and then turned to pin Laura with another threatening glare. Olivia smiled as she joined Laura at the car.

"So is she going to let me out of the city?" Laura joked.

"She might depending on how you reverse out of here."

Laura laughed, which prompted another bout of flutters to shoot through Olivia's stomach. She knew what the feeling was, and it wasn't hard to be attracted to someone like Laura. Between warm, cognac eyes and a grin that always seemed to be teasing, she carried herself with an ease as if nothing could touch her.

Usually, Olivia wouldn't have let anyone in as close as Laura did last night when she examined her wounds, but she hadn't been able to tell her to stop. She still remembered how Laura's touch left a lingering warmth on her face and the disappointment she felt when it left.

It was obvious that Laura was attracted to Olivia too from the way she looked at her, but Olivia had gotten herself into enough of a mess since coming back here. The last thing she needed was to get involved with Jess's ex and apparently Charlotte's arch-nemesis.

"Lets get you home, then," Laura said as she unlocked the doors.

Nerves tightened her limbs when Olivia remembered she had one more thing to do before she left. When she didn't get in the car, Laura's eyes filled with concern as if she could feel the tension in her body. Olivia didn't know how to make sense of it, but she shoved the thought to the back of her mind.

"Do you mind if we stop somewhere before we leave?"

---------------------

Vanessa Kline wasn't home, but her husband, Paul, was. His smile tightened as soon as he saw Olivia at his doorstep, and she straightened.

"She's not home," he said immediately.

Olivia knew her mother would be in the office today, but she didn't come here looking for her.

"Is Holly home?"

She already knew the answer before she asked it. It was a Saturday, so Holly didn't have school. There was also her favorite pair of Vans on the rack behind Paul, so she knew Holly was still at home.

Hesitance crossed Paul's face as his gaze began to dip. Paul was a nice man, far nicer than her mother deserved, but like her, he carried a prejudice against people who didn't fit in his world. Olivia, the lesbian daughter with an alcoholic father, didn't fit their world, and it was clear that he didn't like her around Holly. He didn't have too much of a backbone to tell it to her face, but she sensed it every time she came around.

"She's still asleep," he finally said. "Yesterday was a lot on her."

Guilt twisted her insides, and as memories of the crash began to resurface, she dug her nails into her palms to stop herself from shaking.

"Will you tell her I came to say goodbye?" she asked even though she knew that he wouldn't.

Paul nodded. "Of course."

Liar.

She stared at him, hoping that he could read the look in her eyes. His smile grew even tighter, and when he shifted awkwardly on his feet, she finally took a step back and turned towards the driveway. Laura had stepped out of the car and was casually leaning against the hood as she watched them, but her expression was steely.

"I'm sorry about your father," Paul said, bringing Olivia to an abrupt stop. "I didn't know him very well, but... I'm sorry."

She knew he was being genuine, but it didn't stop the surge of anger that rushed through her chest. She didn't know if she was more angry at him for being genuine, at her father for leaving her, or at herself for not being enough. It seemed like no matter what, she would never be enough for anyone.

Pain spread through Olivia's palms as her fingers dug in deeper. Laura's expression hardened even more, and she pushed herself off the car and began to approach Olivia, who shook her head. Laura stopped, but her eyes trailed over to Paul and narrowed.

"Thank you," she said tightly and forced herself to move again. Tension stiffened her limbs and remained even after she heard the door shut.

"Did he say something to you?" Laura asked lowly when Olivia reached her.

"It doesn't matter," Olivia dismissed as she breezed past her.

Olivia knew that Laura wanted to say more, so she quickly slid back into the car and closed her eyes before she could. Laura seemed to have taken the hint because she didn't say another word as she started the car and pulled away from the house.

--------------------

LAURA

It was around the fourth hour of driving when Laura had to stop for gas. Olivia had slept through the entirety of it, but her eyes fluttered open when the car rolled to a stop.

Instead of getting out of the car, Laura watched Olivia rouse from her sleep, and she bit down on a grin at the sight of her messy hair, which was all tangled up from her head rolling around against the headrest.

"Nice nap?" Laura teased when Olivia's eyes fully opened and met hers.

"Where are we?" she asked instead of answering.

"South Carolina. You hungry? I saw a pizza place up the road."

Olivia began to shake her head until her stomach betrayed her and grumbled.

Laura's lips stretched into a wide grin. "It's been doing that for the last hour."

"Do we even have time to sit down and eat?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Laura laughed. "I didn't realize we were on a time crunch."

"We're not. I just don't like wasting time," she retorted.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to avoid me."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Why would I be avoiding you?"

"You tell me."

"But I'm not."

"So have lunch with me."

Olivia's mouth snapped shut, and Laura knew that she had won.

"And you have to talk. I hate eating in silence," Laura added.

Defiance lit Olivia's face, and she crossed her arms and glared at her hard. An energizing jolt shot through Laura, whose grin eased into a smirk.

She loved a challenge, and she had a feeling Olivia would be her toughest one yet.

Olivia managed to maintain her silence all the way to the restaurant and even when they settled down across each other at the run-down pizza joint.

Laura did a quick scan of the menu until she found what she was looking for, and drumming her fingers, she returned her attention to the woman across from her. Olivia glanced up at her from the menu.

"Know what you want, yet?" Laura asked.

Olivia returned her attention to the menu, her face blank as ever. Laura knew she should have left her alone, but something about Olivia intrigued her. She wanted to know what her step-father had said to her in the morning. She wanted to know how a woman like her could fall in love with someone so uptight as Charlotte. Most of all, she wanted to know why Olivia looked so lonely that night at the beach, and what or who created the walls she surrounded herself with now.

A woman, Fiona, with dark circles under her eyes and a weary but genuine smile came by to take their order, and when she glanced behind her at a young girl sitting on one of the barstools, Laura felt a pang shoot through her.

At another time, that had been Jess and Noah. Laura remembered many nights where Jess broke down crying after Noah had gone to sleep because the exhaustion or the dark thoughts had caught up to her. No matter what, Laura would always come over when Jess called because she couldn't imagine the alternative. She would hold Jess and kiss her until the tightness in her own chest eased, knowing that Jess was still there, still fighting.

"I'm not hungry," Olivia said, pulling Laura out of the depths of her memories. Once her mind caught up to what Olivia had said, Fiona was beginning to turn away.

"You have to eat something," Laura said with a frown.

Olivia merely crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat defiantly. Fiona glanced between the both of them warily.

"Two pepperoni calzones, then."

Olivia opened her mouth to argue, but then Laura wiggled two digits at Fiona and gave her a wink. Flushing, Fiona quickly scribbled down the order and walked away.

"I hate calzones."

Laura returned her attention to Olivia, and returned her glare with a grin. "Then you should have ordered something."

"I'm not eating it."

"Then we're not leaving."

"You can't force me to eat."

Leaning back, Laura examined her defiant glare for a moment before saying, "If you didn't devour my pasta the way you did last night, I would think you have an eating disorder."

Pink crept up Olivia's neck, but she feigned indifference as she turned away. "Please."

"We can change it to something else," Laura offered.

Olivia glanced at her and then rolled her eyes. "It's fine."

"You sure?"

"You're annoying."

Laura grinned. "You certainly know how to warm a woman's heart."

With the corner of her lips lifting, Olivia let out a breath that was between a scoff and a laugh. Warmth lit a spark inside Laura's chest, and she leaned forward on the table.

"Tell me about yourself," she said.

Olivia raised a brow. "We don't have to do that."

"Do what?"

"Get to know each other."

"What." Laura tilted her head. "I don't get to know the woman I'm transporting across state lines?"

"You mean the woman who's been sleeping with your ex?" Olivia sniped coldly.

The comment was a warning and a reminder of the complicated lines between them, but Laura had never cared much for safety. Olivia's words should have burned, but Laura was untouched by it. Instead, her lips stretched into a grin.

"Exactly that," she replied cheekily. "I want to get to know the woman who's been fucking my ex."

Olivia narrowed her eyes but didn't say anything else.

"Fine. How about I start?" Laura offered. "You already know my mom is a senator, and my dad is a cardio surgeon. My older brother, Harry, is a representative in New York, which is where I lived before moving to Savannah. When I'm not making music, I like to work on cars for some cash." Folding her arms on the table, she leaned forward. "Your turn."

For a moment, Olivia's face remained blank and unmoving, but Laura didn't break her gaze. Then, she caught the slight twitch in Olivia's lips.

"So you're the black sheep in your family," she finally said.

Laura huffed out a laugh. "This is what you got out of all of that?"

Olivia shrugged. "I can relate."

She said it casually, but based on the tightening of her lips, Laura sensed that there was more to it that bothered her. Laura never cared that she was different from her family, and while her parents had been worried about her career choice, they never pressured her to choose their differently. They accepted her when she came out, and they loved her unconditionally despite how much trouble she got into growing up. She had never realized how lucky she was until now.

Laura hadn't seen Olivia receive the same warmth from her family, and it suddenly made sense why she was so cold and distant. She was beginning to realize that Vanessa Kline contributed to a lot of the walls Olivia guarded herself with, and she felt a stroke of anger from the thought of it.

"I don't like coffee," Olivia suddenly said, and Laura's attention snapped back to her.

For a moment, she was confused until she realized why Olivia had said it, and her grin returned.

"I know it's strange," Olivia said dismissively. "City attorney who doesn't like coffee and --"

"It's not strange at all," Laura interrupted softly. "What do you like, then?"

Olivia's brows furrowed as if the question itself was strange, as if she was expecting judgement but received something else that hadn't been part of the script.

"Tea," she finally answered, and Laura saw her shoulders loosen just a smidge. "I like tea."

"Tea is better than coffee anyway," Laura said.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "You don't have to pretend."

"I'm not pretending. It's a fact. Tea is healthier and better for your gut health."

"Says the one who just ordered pepperoni calzones."

"It's all about balance, and you better help me eat those calzones."

"It's not like I have a choice if I want to get out of here," Olivia retorted, but her tone was light rather than biting.

Laura's grin brightened, and she didn't tear her eyes away even when Fiona returned with their calzones.

Under her gaze, Olivia shifted in her seat. "What?"

"Nothing." Laura shook her head but was still grinning as she began to tear into her calzone. Steam rose from the bite-sized hole, and Laura relished the tangy and salty tomato sauce that exploded across her taste buds. A low moan vibrated through her throat. "Fuck, that's good."

Feeling Olivia's gaze, she met it again and froze. Olivia was smiling. Not the flirty smile from the pool last night, nor the sardonic ones she typically dished out with a biting remark.

No. This smile was reserved and rare. The type of smile that she didn't know if Olivia was aware that she was making. Something inside of her stirred.

"What?" Olivia asked again, and just like that, her smile was gone. She eyed the calzone skeptically. "Does it not taste right?"

Laura swallowed her bite and tried to squash the warm feelings swirling in her stomach. "It tastes good. Try it."

Olivia didn't look convinced, but she rolled up her sleeves and picked up a knife and fork. Laura resisted the urge to poke fun at her, but instead, held her breath as she watched Olivia cut a piece and bite into it. Her gaze lingered on Olivia's lips, transfixed by the way they pressed against the fork, soft and plump. Then, Laura's gaze trailed to Olivia throat, which bobbed as she swallowed, and she felt her own tighten.

When Olivia lowered her fork but didn't cut another piece, Laura's gaze returned to her face, and every part of her grew still. Olivia looked pained and distant as she stared down at her plate, and her eyes looked too bright all of a sudden.

"What's wrong?" Laura immediately asked.

Olivia's expression tightened for a moment before it went blank, and she looked up again to meet Laura's worried gaze. The sliver of warmth Laura had gotten a glimpse of earlier was gone, and the walls were back up, reinforced tighter than before.

"Nothing's wrong," Olivia answered too cooly.

Laura frowned. "Olivia --"

She was cut off by the squeak of Olivia's utensils scraping against the plate as she sliced another piece off. Whatever happened in that small moment that had made her run cold again, Laura didn't know, but she was sure she wouldn't get a response if she pushed. Sighing, she bit into her calzone in silence.

---------------

OLIVIA

Everything outside the window passed in a blur. Silence filled the car, but Olivia's mind was too loud.

She couldn't get the last image of her dad's face out of her head. Not the peaceful look he had in his death.

But the one of despair in the car when she had cut him from her life. He had broken her trust and reneged on the one promise that mattered most to her. To stay sober.

It was all that she had wanted from him, and he had done it. For over a year, Olivia had gotten her dad back when she had abandoned that hope a long time ago, and just as she had settled into having a dad back in her life, he had shattered everything into pieces again.

She had cut him out fast and without hesitation like --

A shiver ran through her. Like her mother.

And now her dad was gone, and all she had left of him was that last fight between them and everything that should have been said instead but wasn't.

Olivia was pulled out of the past when the car rolled to a stop, and that was when she noticed the lack of road and the abundance of trees surrounding them.

"Where are we?" she asked, breaking the silence for the first time since they left the restaurants hours ago. Her voice came out raspy from disuse.

"You'll see," was all Laura said before she pushed the door open and step out.

Olivia stared after her in stunned silence before her mind caught up, and she quickly got out of the car. Laura rested her palms on the hood of the car as she swung her leg back and forth, and Olivia strode towards her.

"What do you think you're doing?" she snapped.

"What does it look like?" Laura answered without looking at her. "I'm stretching."

"I mean," Olivia seethed. "What are we doing in the middle of nowhere?"

"If I tell you, then it wouldn't be a surprise."

"You're fucking with me."

"On the contrary." Straightening, Laura faced her, and Olivia wanted to slap the smirk off her face. "You're the one fucking up my driving energy with your restlessness, but I've got an idea to shut that mind of yours off."

"Great," Olivia said dryly. "So you brought me out here to kill me."

Laura tilted her head in consideration. "I didn't think of that, but it is a faster plan. Unfortunately, I don't have my murder kit with me."

Olivia didn't laugh. Instead, she crossed her arms and said, "I'm not going anywhere with you."

"We've crossed three states, and this is where you draw the line at?" Laura laughed.

"I'll report you for kidnapping."

"If you can find a signal first."

"Fine. Then I'll kill you and then drive myself back to New York with your car. I'll claim it as self-defense."

"If you can get your hands on me," she said. Olivia narrowed her eyes, considering. Eyes brightening with realization, Laura's teeth flashed with a grin as she took a step forward. "Oh, you like that, don't you? A challenge."

Her voice had lowered, husky and tempting. Olivia felt her heart pick up as heat pooled below her stomach, but she shoved those feelings down. Tilting her chin up, she hardened her glare, which only drew the infuriating woman closer.

"Tell you what," Laura said. "If you can catch me before I reach my destination, then we'll turn around, and I'll drive you back. No more questions, no more pit stops."

"And if I don't?"

"Guess you'll find out," she murmured, leaning in. Olivia held in a breath as Laura's face came closer until she could feel her breath on her cheek. The corner of Laura's lips twitched. "Unless you catch me. Then you'll never find out."

"And if I don't play?" Olivia challenged.

"Then you lose. There's many places I can stop along the way, and imagine all the ways I can annoy you with my incessant --"

"Fine." Olivia shoved her back and huffed out an annoyed breath. "If it can finally get you to shut up."

Laura's grin returned full-blown. "If you win."

"I'll win." Olivia rarely lost, and she would be damn if she lost to Laura. "How do I catch you?"

Shifting on her feet, Laura tapped her chin in thought, and Olivia scoffed. This entire time, she didn't even have a plan for the stupid --

Laura tapped Olivia's nose, who froze in surprise.

"Tag," Laura's lips slowly stretched into a smirk. "You're it."

Then she spun around and ran towards the clearing. The snap of leaves tore through Olivia's stupor, and she pushed her feet forward. Gravel replaced asphalt, crunching under her shoes. Up ahead, Laura glanced over her shoulder, and her grin grew at the sight of Olivia's determined face.

"Oh, come on, Hansen!" she goaded. "You can do better than that!"

Gritting her teeth, Olivia pushed forward, unleashing the stamina she had planned to reserve for later. Laura was faster than she had anticipated, and she was too cocky for her own good. Olivia intended to knock her down more than a few pegs.

Despite the chase, Olivia's heart was steady, and every breath she took was done with ease. The pressure that had filled her chest earlier was replaced by an exhilarating energy, and she couldn't stop the laugh that trickled out of her when Laura cartoonishly leapt over a branch and stumbled.

That move costed her, allowing Olivia within near reaching distance. Her lungs burned with exertion, and she could hear Laura's pants as much as her own. With another push, Olivia reached out, and the tips of her fingers brushed Laura's hoodie just before she escaped. Olivia let out a frustrated growl, and Laura's responding laugh mocked her.

Fuck it.

As glimmering blue water came into view ahead and gravel turned into grass, Olivia lunged forward and collided into the other woman. Dirt sprang up around them as they hit the ground, and for a moment, only a ringing filled her ears. She was rolled over onto her back when Laura pushed her off. Breathless and dazed, Olivia peeled her eyes open to stare up at the clear sky, her mind quiet finally quiet.

Laura's groan broke her momentary peace. "You're fucking insane."

Olivia turned her head to where Laura had sat up and was now pinning her with a glare as she dusted dirt off her palms. Other than some scratches on her arms, Laura looked fine, but it was the single leaf and tiny branches stuck in her hair that caught Olivia's attention. A laugh bubbled out of her.

"What?" Laura snapped, but the intensity of her glare softened when Olivia curled into herself and laughed harder.

For the life of her, Olivia had no idea what was so funny either, but she couldn't stop now that she had started. Tears leaked from her eyes, and she wiped them.

"I win," Olivia choked out.

Laura leaned down and propped herself on an elbow, the scowl replaced by a smug grin. "I'm afraid not, sweetheart."

Her laughter died. "What are you --"

Laura interrupted by gesturing to the lake behind them. "This is the spot."

"That --" Olivia quickly sat up, frowning. "We're not even at the water yet!"

Laura shrugged. "Close enough."

Close e --

Olivia opened her mouth to argue, but Laura hopped onto her feet and stretched out a hand. Despite the disheveled hair and dirt that stained her clothes, she still looked as infuriatingly cocky as ever.

"Come on, Hansen." Laura's eyes glimmered. "Time for a swim."

Olivia glared up at her. "No."

"We had a deal."

"You didn't win."

"Oh?" Laura cocked an eyebrow. "So you're insane and delusional."

"Screw you," Olivia snapped.

A flash of teeth, and Laura leaned closer. "Oh, I wouldn't mind at all if you wanna do that instead."

Olivia bared her teeth in a mocking grin. "In your wildest dreams." Then she dropped it and slapped Laura's hand away before pushing herself up to her feet.

"I didn't realize you were such a sore loser!" Laura shouted as she began to walk the path back to the car.

That made Olivia stop, and her fingers curled into fists. "I told you --"

The rest of her words died when she turned and was greeted by a shirtless Laura. She had peeled off her tee, revealing a black bra underneath, and she began to hook her fingers into the waistband of her pants.

"What are you doing?" Olivia snapped.

"Swimming." Laura smirked. "You coming?"

Olivia didn't answer. Laura kicked her pants off, and Olivia's traitorous eyes flicked to the thin cloth covering her. She forced her eyes up too late. Tying her hair into a bun, Laura gave her a wink before she turned and rushed towards the lake. Olivia's gaze trailed down Laura's toned back before settling on the swell of her ass, and her stomach gave a twist. Laura stepped into the water, and Olivia caught the shiver running through her body.

"Fuck, that's cold!" Laura exclaimed.

Still, she kept walking into the water until she her waist was submerged. Then, she slowly turned to face Olivia again.

"The water's nice!"

Olivia fought back a smile when she heard the tremor in Laura's voice.

"You just said it was cold."

"Well, you get used to it." Laura gave a small shrug. "Homeostasis or some shit like that."

"So your brain does work."

Laura grinned. "Are you gonna stand there and insult me all day, or are you gonna come in?"

"I could insult you for an entire week and still wouldn't lose any sleep."

Still, Laura's expression didn't change. It was like she was immune to her insults. Nothing seemed to shake her.

"Come on, Hansen. Don't make me beg. You know I'll do it."

She had no doubt that Laura would. Olivia was tempted to let her try, but then, another idea struck her. She reached for the hem of her shirt, and she fought back a smirk when Laura's lips curved triumphantly.

Olivia lifted the shirt off and then her pants. Laura kept her gaze steadily on her the entire time, smiling wider, still cocky. Then, Olivia reached behind her for the clasp, and with one snap, she unhooked it.

Laura grew still.

The bra, Olivia dropped carelessly to the side. Then, she reach for her underwear, and Laura's smile faded completely. Olivia kicked them off, baring herself, and she slowly made her way towards the water.

Laura didn't move at all. The water remained as still as her, and Olivia got close enough to dip her toes in the water. A small ripple broke between them. Olivia stepped in, and she barely flinched from the cold. Laura's gaze trailed further down her body, darkening ever so slightly, and Olivia's stomach twisted.

"There," Olivia said when she reached her. They were close enough that their chests were almost touching. "You win."

They both knew that was far from the truth. Laura looked like she wasn't even breathing.

Olivia's lips curved into a smirk. "Did I break you?"

Laura blinked once, twice. A hint of pink betrayed her cheeks.

"No," she forced out. "I was just...

Olivia waded closer. "Just..."

"Admiring the view."

"I'm flattered."

"I was talking about the trees."

A laugh escaped Olivia, surprising them both. She caught her lip in between her teeth to bite back the rest of it.

"If you say so," Olivia said, trying to flatten her voice, but it came out amused anyway.

Laura grinned like she had accomplished something. Rolling her eyes, Olivia kicked her feet up and let herself float on the surface. For the first time all day, she allowed herself to relax. The water was cool, and the world around them was quiet.

And as much as she didn't want to admit it, Laura's presence didn't bother her.

The water shifted, and then she felt Laura's hand brushed hers underneath. Olivia turned her head to see Laura floating beside her, eyes closed and smile relaxed. Olivia's throat worked through a knot, and she forced her eyes closed and turned her face towards the sky.

The tensions in her muscles loosened, and she let out a breath that slackened the heaviness in her chest. Olivia's mind quieted, dulling everything from the past week. She felt like she could breathe again, and somehow, it was all thanks to the annoying woman next to her with the untouchable smirk and unlimited supply of wit.

Tilting back into the water, Olivia submerged herself underneath and pushed through. She swam until her lungs burned and her arms began to ache.

When Olivia surfaced again, she brushed her hair back and opened her eyes. She had swam a good distance away, and Laura was still where she was before except now, she was no longer floating on her back. Instead, she was staring at Olivia with an unreadable expression.

"What?" Olivia said.

For a moment, Laura didn't answer. She just continued to stare at her, and Olivia suddenly felt more aware of her own nakedness. Heat began to surface in her cheeks when Laura finally spoke.

"I've never seen anyone swim like you before."

There wasn't anything teasing or sarcastic in what she said, and her expression remained annoyingly unreadable. Olivia's heart hammered as Laura finally moved, wading towards her.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Olivia asked, and her voice sounded strangely not hers. She hated that, and she hated that she had to ask.

Laura reached her, and suddenly the air around them felt thick and suffocating. Olivia held her breath and tried to flatten any emotion that might tried to betray her face.

"You swim like..." Small lines formed on Laura's forehead as she tried to think of the word. Olivia felt the sudden temptation to reach up and smooth them out, and she curled her fingers into her palms. "Like you belong in the water. Like it's a part of you."

"It is." The admission slipped out before she could stop it, and she felt her cheeks flare with heat. She clenched her mouth shut before she could say more.

Laura's expression changed. The corner of her lips pulled into a small smile, and Olivia felt her breath catch.

"Who taught you how to swim?" Laura asked.

Something heavy passed through Olivia's chest, and the memory came to her with a crushing weight. She could still feel the happiness from that day and hear the laughter in his voice.

"My dad," Olivia answered, her voice quieter than she intended.

"He must be a hell of a swimmer, then," she said.

Eyes stinging, Olivia forced them away from Laura's surprisingly gentle ones.

"You up for another race?"

Olivia scoffed. "What, so you can cheat?"

Suddenly, water splashed across her face, and she turned her head back to shoot Laura a glare.

"That's slander," Laura said with gleaming eyes. "And I won't stand for it."

"Be prepared to lose, then."

"You're so on!" Laura laughed.

The race was hardly a competition at all. Swimming was second-nature to Olivia, and she had swam competitively throughout high school and college. She didn't tell Laura that, though. Not until she won the race and turned around to look at the bewilderment on her face. It was satisfying to see.

Olivia didn't know how long they stayed there for, but Laura didn't rush her. For the first time since she could remember, Olivia was having fun without alcohol or sex. She wasn't even swimming to escape her thoughts. Somehow, it was all Laura.

The sun was beginning to come down when they finally left the water with pruny skin and their voices hoarse from laughing. They slipped their clothes back on in the kind of silence that was earned through familiarity before making their way back to the car. Olivia glanced back at the lake as it disappeared from view.

"We can come back," Laura said. "Whenever you want."

"We?"

"Yeah." Laura nudged her side. "You telling me you don't wanna see me again?"

"I don't know. Do I?" she teased.

"Our best friends are practically dating each other. You can't escape me."

Olivia bit down on a laugh. "You think they'll last?"

"With the way that they look at each other?" Looking ahead, Laura smiled. "I think they were made for each other."

Olivia searched her face, but she didn't find anything that suggested something other than genuineness.

"And that doesn't bother you?" she asked.

Laura glanced at her. "Because I'm her ex?"

She nodded.

"No," Laura answered. "I'll always love Jess, but I'm not the right person for her."

"What makes you say that?"

They arrived at the car, but neither of them got in.

"She deserves someone better." Laura's smile turned sad, and it made something in Olivia twist. That expression didn't belong on her face. "Someone stable, who doesn't carry a shit ton of baggage."

The words were strikingly familiar, and suddenly, tears sprung to her eyes. Heart throbbing so loudly she could hear it, Olivia turned away and sucked in a shaky breath.

Laura stepped forward, concern sliding onto her face. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"But --"

"Leave it alone."

"No," Laura said stubbornly. "Tell me what's wrong."

"Careful," Olivia snapped. "Your savior's complex is coming through."

Laura ignored the bite and stepped closer. Her gaze was piercing, and it brought an uncomfortable, gut-twisting feeling in Olivia.

She took a step back, and the back of her knees hit the car's front bumper. Her palms came to rest on the hood as she leaned away.

"We're not doing that," Laura murmured as she leaned closer and placed her arms on either side of her, their hands nearly touching on the hood of the car.

Olivia's breaths grew shallow, and she swallowed tightly. "Doing what?"

"That bitchy act you put up as a way to deflect," Laura answered.

"Who says it's an act?"

Her lips quirked. "Are you calling yourself a bitch?"

"If the shoe fits, right?" Olivia scoffed. She had been called worse.

"You're not a bitch," Laura said, and there was no malice in her words. She sounded almost fond, and a shiver passed through Olivia when Laura's gaze flickered to her lips as she added, "But you're a goddamn bomb. You're trouble for me, Olivia."

"So why are you still here?"

"Because," Laura exhaled, her breath caressing Olivia's lips as she leaned closer. Their gazes had fallen to each other's mouth and remained. "I happen to like trouble."

"Sounds like a serious problem," Olivia whispered even as her heart hammered. "You should get that checked."

"I don't think I want to."

Olivia didn't know who kissed who first. One second, their eyes had returned to each other's, and the next they snapped closed as their lips crashed together. A hunger clawed its way through her chest, and she practically dragged Laura on top of her and wrapped her legs around Laura's waist.

"Fuck," Laura panted and rolled her hips, which shot a jolt of warmth between Olivia's legs. "What are you doing to me?"

"What, you've never kissed anyone before?" Olivia sniped.

"That fucking mouth." Laura wrapped a hand around Olivia's neck, and now that was exciting. Her core tingled with heat and want, and she couldn't stop the moan that escaped. "There's so many ways I want to shut that pretty mouth of yours."

Olivia's breath accelerated. The thought was exciting, but, "Charlotte warned me not to sleep with you."

Laura's mouth left hers, but instead of pulling away, she lingered, lips hovering.

"Are you still in love with her?" Laura whispered.

"What?" Olivia blinked her eyes open in a mixture of surprise and confusion.

Something crossed Laura's face as she pulled back. "It's obvious."

"What, like how you look at Jess?" she said defensively.

Laura stared at Olivia, who held it challengingly.

"This was a mistake."

"You kissed me first."

"No." Laura frowned. "You kissed me."

Olivia scoffed. "You're the one on top of me."

In response, Laura peered down between their bodies, where Olivia's fingers were entangled in her shirt, knuckles white with tension. Olivia followed her gaze and immediately released her grip.

The sexual tension melted away, and a coldness seeped into her bones. Olivia let her legs slide back down until they rested limply against the car again.

"Get off of me," she gritted.

Laura's frown deepened, but she released Olivia's throat and pushed herself off. Olivia sat up and straightened herself. Her heart was still beating rapidly against her chest, and her legs were too unsteady. She hated that lack of control, and she hated Laura for being the reason for it.

"We should go," Laura said, her voice too steady for Olivia's liking. She felt like she could barely catch her own breath. "Find a hotel or something."

Olivia's eyes snapped back to hers. "What?"

"It's late and it's dark and I'm tired," Laura sighed. "I think we could both use the rest."

"I'm fine."

"Yeah, well, you're not the one driving, are you?"

Olivia clenched her jaw, fighting the urge to argue, to demand the keys and drive off on her own, to never see Laura again. For once, the guilt overpowered her indignation because Laura did look tired. She had spent the night before cooking Olivia dinner even when she didn't have to, and she had brought Olivia out here to help quiet her mind. It was the most thoughtful thing anyone had ever done for her, and it was unnerving. Laura unnerved her.

"Whatever," Olivia muttered and pushed past Laura, who for once, didn't say anything else.

The drive out of the woods was spent in restless silence except for the quiet hum of the engine. Olivia dug her fingers into her thigh as she stared out the window, a heavy discomfort wound up in her chest. The feeling didn't lessen even when they were back on the main road.

Half an hour later, Laura pulled into a nearly vacant lot of a motel. By then, Olivia no longer had the energy to complain about the run-down building, which she was sure had fostered many questionable guests in its history.

"It's not a five-star, but it'll do," Laura said, breaking the silence between them.

Olivia didn't answer, and the silence returned as they entered the building.

"How many rooms?" The receptionist droned.

"Two," Laura answered, glancing over at Olivia, who still didn't meet her gaze.

When they received their keycard, Olivia walked ahead. Their rooms were next to each other, but it didn't feel like enough distance.

"We'll check out at nine," Laura said when Olivia unlocked her door. "That should give us plenty of time to make it there by tomorrow night. Then you'll never have to see me again."

Olivia's chest tightened at the thought, but she didn't turn. Instead, she pressed down the door handle and entered her room, but when the door shut behind her, the exhaustion and emotions hit her all at once. She fell back against the door and slid down to the floor.

---------------

Sleeping was impossible.

Olivia had spent the last hour-and-a-half tossing and turning because her mind wouldn't shut off no matter how exhausted she was. She couldn't get the sound of Laura's hurt voice out of her head. It shouldn't have bothered her this much. She didn't typically lose sleep over people's feelings, especially from someone she barely knew.

But still...

Kicking the sheets off of her, Olivia rolled out of bed and grabbed her cigarettes from the table, which held a no-smoking sign. Ignoring it, Olivia stepped out into the balcony and lit one up.

She exhaled a trail of smoke into the air and the tension in her body eased a little. It wasn't enough, but it was better.

Movement caught the corner of her eyes, and she turned. Olivia bit back on the groan that almost escaped her mouth.

Laura stepped out into her balcony and paused in surprise. For a moment, they only stared at each other.

"Sorry," Laura muttered and turned towards the door. "I'll head back in."

"It's fine," Olivia stopped her. "You can stay."

Laura eyed her warily, and when Olivia didn't move, she stepped away from the door and leaned against the railing. Olivia held the pack out to her.

"I don't smoke."

"Since when?"

"Since ever."

Olivia scoffed, but Laura's expression didn't change.

"Seriously?"

"I never liked the smell."

Olivia stared at her for a moment longer and then shrugged. "Your loss."

Laura's lips began to curve as she turned away from Olivia to look down at the parking lot below. Silence stretched between them, and Olivia resisted the urge to look at her. She could still feel the pulsing throb on her lips from their kiss earlier, and a tiny part of her wondered if Laura felt it too. Or maybe she had already forgotten about it.

That thought bothered her more than it should have.

"I don't want... to not see you again," Olivia sighed. She felt Laura's gaze on the side of her face, but she kept her eyes on the cigarette between her fingers. "Like you said, it's impossible to avoid each other with Jess and Charlotte together, and I don't want to make things awkward."

"Things aren't awkward."

Olivia finally turned to her with a deadpan look, and Laura cracked a small smile. Relief flooded her at the sight of it again.

"At least we didn't sleep with each other," Laura added.

"Thank god."

"You're missing out."

"Please," Olivia snorted, and Laura laughed. The sound was too warm and made her stomach flutter annoyingly.

"Can I ask you something?" Laura asked just before the silence could settle again.

Olivia took a long draw from her cigarette. "You can ask. Can't guarantee you'll get an answer."

Laura pushed on anyway. "That night on the beach..." Caught off-guard, Olivia turned to face her, and Laura searched her face tentatively. "What were you doing there?"

Olivia thought about that night, about the heaviness in her chest and the way it lifted when her feet touched the water. She thought about the bar before that and the pity in Christine's eyes. And then the fight with her dad and the awful words she had said to him.

Her throat tightened, and she dropped her gaze. She didn't know how to answer the question without telling her everything, and she didn't know how to do that without breaking apart.

But she could offer her something else. Not because she felt like she had to, but because Laura made it easier somehow. No one else had made her feel that way other than Charlotte, and even with Charlotte, she had not been able to tell her everything.

Olivia snuffed out the cigarette.

"Earlier, you asked me what was wrong," she began, and Laura leaned closer against the railing between them. "My dad, he passed from an overdose. That's why I was in Savannah this week."

A lump sat in her throat, and she swallowed past it. She was thankful for the dark, so that Laura wouldn't be able to see how glassy her eyes had turned.

Laura didn't say anything, but when Olivia glanced over, she found Laura's eyes still on her, attentive and soft. She didn't fill the silence with pitiful words that always sounded forceful coming from others because they couldn't stand the silence. Instead, Laura let it settle between them as if she was giving Olivia space to speak.

Olivia chewed on her lip when a sharp pang ripped through her chest.

"The last thing I said to him was that I never wanted to see him again," Olivia whispered. Any louder, and she knew her voice would crack, but she couldn't break. Not here, not now, and maybe not ever. "There was a letter he sent a while back, and I didn't open it until last week. He apologized for not being that father I deserved. He died thinking I hate him."

She hadn't told Charlotte that. The letter had been on her mind all week, along with the over-consuming guilt.

Everything in her vision swam as the tears finally spilled over, and she squeezed her eyes shut. Olivia pressed a fist to her chest as the guilt grew sharper.

"Fuck it," Laura muttered.

There was a tiny shuffle and a small grunt. Then, suddenly, warm arms enveloped her, and she stiffened.

"I've got you," Laura murmured, her voice soft.

"I'm okay."

"I've got you anyway."

And that was all that was needed for Olivia to sink into her arms.

"I smell like cigarettes," Olivia whispered.

"I don't care."

She buried her face in Laura's chest and soaked her shirt with her tears. Laura's arms tightened around her.

------------------

LAURA

Olivia Hansen was a snorer.

Laura woke up to the sound of soft snores coming from the intimidating woman, and that revelation had filled her chest with a fuzzy feeling.

Morning light stretched across Olivia's face, highlighting the constellation of tiny freckles on her cheeks. Laura had studied it for far too long, but she couldn't pull her gaze away.

Without her usual frown lines, Olivia looked far too gentle in her sleep. She was pressed against Laura's chest, fingers loosely curled into her shirt and her face half-buried under a tumble of hair. One look at her like this, and no one would believe that she had a mouth sharper than knives and a piercing glare that could bring the strongest person to their knees.

Breathing out a quiet chuckle, Laura brushed the hair away from her face. Her fingers lingered over Olivia's eyes, which were puffy from last night, and she felt her chest tightened at the memory. She could handle an angry Olivia, but the one from yesterday with teary eyes and a crumpled expression? Laura had nearly slipped climbing over the two railings to get to her.

When Olivia had finally stopped crying, Laura had picked her up and carried her inside. Olivia had been too tired to protest, and she had said nothing when Laura slid in beside her. Instead, she had merely curled up in Laura's arms and fell asleep.

"What are you doing to me?" Laura murmured.

All she got in reply was Olivia's snores, and she smiled. Her fingers trailed down and hovered over Olivia's mouth, and she stilled as the memory of yesterday's kiss filled her mind.

That fucking kiss.

She couldn't stop thinking about the way Olivia's lips had fitted hers and the throbbing desire to feel it again. She couldn't forget the soft breathy moans Olivia had made against her mouth or the feeling of her body, soft and pliant, underneath hers. And the way her pulse had throbbed when Laura had her neck in her grip...

Most of all, she couldn't get the image of Olivia at the lake out of her head. The moment she took off her clothes, Laura knew she was done for. Now that she knew what Olivia looked like underneath her clothes, soft all over with pink nipples and the tiny patch of hair below, she was completely and utterly ruined.

Olivia shifted on the bed, pulling Laura away from the memory. Her eyes slowly blinked open and settled on Laura's face.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Laura murmured.

Olivia's gaze flickered to Laura's fingers, which still hovered over her mouth.

"What are you doing?" she rasped.

Laura lowered her hand. "You had hair on your face."

"Right." Olivia lifted her head and glanced around the room.

"How'd you sleep?"

"Like someone hogged up half of my bed and sheets."

"Your snores suggest otherwise."

Olivia's head snapped back with a cutting glare.

There she was.

Laura bit down on a grin.

"I don't snore."

"It's okay to have a flaw," Laura teased. "It's honestly kind of cute."

Olivia stabbed her chest with a finger. "I. Don't. Snore."

"Don't worry." Laura winked. "I'll carry it to the grave."

"I hate you."

"Such romantic words in the morning. I feel cherished."

"I'll murder you."

"And you know acts of service is my love language?" Laura gasped dramatically. "We should get married."

Olivia dropped her head back onto the bed and buried her face into a pillow with a loud groan. Laughing, Laura pulled the pillow away and received another glare.

"How are you feeling?" she asked. Olivia began to roll her eyes, her mouth opening with a snarky reply, no doubt. Laura stopped her before she could. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Deflect. Insult me so you avoid saying how you really feel, or say you're fine when you're really not."

"We've known each other for approximately forty-eight hours," Olivia scoffed.

"But am I wrong?"

"Yes."

"So then answer the question." Laura leaned closer. "How are you feeling, Hansen?"

Olivia narrowed her eyes as she answered, "I'm annoyed and hungry."

The corner of Laura's lips tugged into a smile. "Then let's grab breakfast."

She waited for Olivia to shoot the suggestion down, but the grumpy woman merely pulled the blanket back up to her chin and snapped her eyes closed.

"I need another hour of sleep. Preferably without someone hogging half of my space."

A small laugh escaped Laura, and Olivia rolled onto her other side to put her back between them. Taking the hint, Laura slid out of bed, and when her eyes caught the time on the clock, her smile widened. It was nearly nine, and Olivia wasn't rushing to leave.

As Laura reached for the balcony door, Olivia's voice stopped her.

"Try not to fall climbing back over."

Was that... concern? Laura half-turned in surprise, but Olivia's back was still facing her.

"I'll be careful," she answered.

Olivia didn't say anything else, but Laura was sure she hadn't imagined it. Olivia was concerned, and the thought warmed her more than it should have. Something had shifted between them last night, and Laura wasn't entirely sure what it was. All she knew was that she liked the change, and that felt dangerous.

End of Part 1

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A/N: We're just getting started with these two troublemakers. See you on the next one!