Strings of Fate

104- Leave and little girls | jolt awake. | sit up, confused and disoriented. I'm sweating with my heart racing. Why do I feel like | just ran a marathon? | look around for Bellamy but the bed is empty. | probably slept late again. | was pretty tired. Actually, | still feel tired. | close my eyes and take a few deep breaths to steady my heart rate a little. As | do this, | remember flickers of a dream. A nightmare? | don’t know what it was about, but when | try to remember I think of a little girl. She looks really small, probably younger than Logan. He's eleven so maybe eight or nine? The dream girl had shoulder length, white-blonde hair and pale eyes, maybe even as light as mine. But what really sticks out is that she was crying. | don’t know why, | can’t remember anything else. | don’t usually have nightmares like this. It's strange, a girl crying is sad, but somehow it’s hittingreally hard, it was terrifying, or maybe she was terrified? What a strange dream. Ugh, where is Bellamy? | kind of don’t want to be alone right now. Maybe scompany will helpshake this off. A slip of white note paper on the bedside table next to my phone grabs my attention and | can’t help but smile. Bellamy and his notes. | think I'm starting to find them comforting somehow. Like when | wake up and he isn’t here | know he was at least thinking about what | would find when | wake up.

“Good morning sweetheart, | woke up early but | thought I should let you sleep. I've gone for a run and I'll be downstairs getting swork done. Cdown when you're up and we can decide where you want to put your stuff and whatever else needs figuring. No need to rush, we have all day.

-Bellamy* Well, I guess he didn’t noticetossing and turning or anything, so maybe the nightmare was quick. Or | just stayed quiet during it. Either way I should get dressed and head down. | have work this afternoon and a glance at my phone tellsit’s already ten thirty. Good thing | have the evening shift or | would already be late! | take a quick shower and pull on my work clothes, leaving my hair down to dry. Bellamy must be really stressed because he’s always made a point of memorising my work schedule. Although he does still actively call my workplace and get his hands on it rather than askingfor it. It's possible that at this point. my supervisors send it to him automatically. | can’t bring myself to be bothered by it anymore though. It's convenient and for the sake of figuring out Aaron's hours | guess it makes sense for him to have access to that information. Once I'm dressed | head downstairs, still barefoot though because | don’t feel like wearing shoes yet and | have plenty of time.

1/4 104- Leave and little girls The only reason | put on my work clothes is because | don’t want to bother changing again later. | only have a few changes of clothes with me, no point dirtying them for no reason. | follow the sound of tapping on a keyboard and the occasional mouse click to Bellamy’s office. He is completely focussed on the screen and doesn’t even look up as | enter.

“Morning Ry. I'm just looking at the security footage from your place. | had Alex send it over this morning so | could watch it myself. | know it’s not likely that the entire security team. missed something but...” he trails off.

“But you had to be sure, | understand. Since you still look frustrated, I'm assuming you haven't found anything?” I confirm. Bellamy nods. I step up behind him and place a hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

“It's fine, we'll figure it out.” | watch a few seconds of the footage and | can’t see anything more than what the guys reported yesterday. Although | am kind of amazed at the video Although | am kind of amazed at the video quality. How high res were the cameras they set up anyway? It was the middle of the night and | swear that | can see every little detail right down to the fact that one of the perpetrators had a shoelace untied. Bellamy sighs and drops his head to his hands.

“Ctake a break. | should eat something and we can figure out what to do with my stuff.” | suggest. Bellamy perks up and for the first time, his gaze breaks away from the screen and slides to me. I'm a little shocked when, instead of his usual smile, he frowns disapprovingly.

“What are you wearing?” He demands.

“Uh, my work uniform?” | answer, confused. He's seen my work clothes plenty of times. He rolls his eyes and it immediately raises my hackles.

“I know what it is, why are you wearing it?” he clarifies, “I have a shift this evening, remember?” Bellamy is shaking his head before I can even finish my sentence.

“No. We talked about this yesterday during the meeting. You can’t go to work right now. It’s not safe.” He insists, | can’t decide if he sounds annoyed or anxious.

“No, you TOLD| couldn't go to work, then when | questioned it you said we would discuss.

2/4 104- Leave and little girls it later. We haven't discussed it, but | need to go to work. I have bills to pay!” | point out. Bellamy waves a hand dismissively.

“I can take care of the bills, and it won't cost you anything to live here. You can take stoff work, it'll be fine. It’s more important that you stay safe.” “You can't just pay my bills! I will be totally fine at work. Aaron will be withthe whole time, just like usual. It's a crowded restaurant. Nothing will happen there. Too many witnesses.” | point out, frustrated that he doesn’t seem to want to even considergoing to work.

“Not good enough, now that we know someone is after you we need to take extra care. You can’t be running out and about.” He objects. | raise an eyebrow.

“I'm not going to let you lockup in here you know. Unless you plan to keepprisoner, I'll still be going out.

I'll be careful but I can’t just put my whole life on hold!” Bellamy stands and begins pacing the room, dragging a hand through his hair. After a minute he stops, turns toand meets my eyes. His expression is resigned.

“Please? Just for a while? Givetto find these people.” I've never heard him so earnestly asking for something. And he is asking, he knows that he can’t makestay. Or at least he can’t makestay without ensuring that | don’t speak to him ever again... Still, he is trying to protectand he’s right that | am being targeted. Would it be so unreasonable to take a few days off? I sigh and tip my head back to the ceiling, flicking my wet hair out of my face as | move.

“1 suppose it wouldn't hurt forto see how much leave | have saved up. It has been a long tsince I've taken a holiday and | should have a decent amount of leave since | worked so much while we were not getting along.” | reason aloud. Bellamy beams a bright smile atand pullsin for a sweet kiss.

“Call your work now and ock your loo..

Please... and thankyou.” he adds at the end. I let out a half laugh, honestly it is more of a sigh than a laugh.

“If it'll make you happy.” | pull out my phone and call work. Amber, the Oracle slash my favourite supervisor answers.

3/4 104- Leave and little girls “Hi Ryann!” She greetsbefore | can answer.

“So I'm calling to ask about-” She cutsoff.