Strings of Fate

63- Security and suggestions Megan wakes several more times throughout the night, each tjolting awake in tears. In the morning when | wake up she is curled up against my side hugging my left arm tightly against her chest like it’s a prized teddy bear. | remain in bed, swapping between dozing and staring at the crack of light visible through her curtains contemplating what tit might be and what | need to get done today. | probably need to clean my house, I've been quite slack with it lately while I've been moping. | need to make my bed properly, actually | should probably wash everything since it’s been on the floor and dragged around my hto make a fort. Oh and | definitely need to do sshopping, there is zero food in my house and it’s now highly likely that I'll actually have guests again. | also owe Maggie a cup of tea at spoint, if she saw the state if my hshe would be horrified and probably start cleaning it forwhich would only makefeel worse. Yep, definitely due for a deep clean today. Shopping first though, I'm out of basically everything, including cleaning supplies. Plan made, | settle in to wait for Megan to wake up. | doubt it will take that long. She usually gets up early, she might sleep a bit later since her sleep was so disturbed but sleeping habits are hard to break. I'm fairly sure the only reason I've woken so early is that im in an unfamiliar bed. and | slept so much the night before.

As | expected, Megan starts to stir only about twenty minutes after | wake up. She almost immediately rolls out of bed and gets to her feet. She givesa weak smile.

“Breakfast?” She suggests. How is she so awake so quickly? Ugh, freakish morning person. From her smile | predict this will be another day of pretending that everything is fine. | still don’t know if this is a good or a bad coping mechanism, but | suppose there’s nothing to do about it other than try to support her as much as possible. | drag myself out of the warm blankets and follow Megan downstairs. | grab my phone on the way past.

It’s about eight thirty in the morning. Okay, so early but not as bad as | thought. We reach the kitchen and I'm surprised to find Bellamy up and making pancakes. Megan raises an eyebrow at him.

“You're up early. And you're cooking?” She asks incredulously. A slight blush runs over Bellamy’s face and he runs a hand through his hair awkwardly.

“Well, you've had a hard couple of days and I just thought | would-" Megan cuts him off.

“Yeah yeah, | know you feel all bad. But don’t even try to pretend you're doing this for me.” She nudgeswith her elbow before guidingto take a seat on one of the stools at the 1/4 bench. She drops into the seat next to me.

“I will however take advantage of your sudden domestic streak. I'm starving.” A couple minutes later Megan and | are happily eating pancakes with lemon and sugar while Bellamy leans on the other side of the bench watching us with a contented smile. Megan wanders off to go get herself showered and dressed for the day and | stay where | am.

“You didn’t really go to all this effort fordid you?” | ask and he shrugs atwith a slight grin.

“Of course | did. Megan's not the only one whose been having a tough trecently. But mostly | just wanted to impress you.“he admits. | can’t help but laugh.

“Mission accomplished then.” | smile. Megan comes thundering back down the stairs, she’s clutching an armful of books and a bag that’s hanging open. Her hair is wet and she looks completely frazzled. She drops everything on the bench and begins loading up the bag.

“I was going to take this week off but now I think heading back to my classes sounds like the perfect distraction.

| messaged Darrien and he will be here to getin a minute. If we make good t| can still make my first class. Sorry to ditch you so quickly but | don’t wanna be late.” Megan dashes around the counter and hugs Bellamy. She grabs her bag then hugstoo before rushing out the front door before either of us can comprehend the whirlwind of motion. | hear the front door slamming behind her.

“Well then. | guess that | don’t need to include Megan in my plans for the day.” | conclude. Bellamy laughs.

l guess not.” | take my dishes as well as Megan's to the sink and begin rinsing them off. | squeak in shock when Bellamy slides his hands around my waist from behind and leans in to kisson the cheek.

“And what are your plans for today?” He asks as | drop the clean dishes into the rack next to the sink. He steps away as | grab the towel and wipe off my hands, givinga little space.

“Nothing too fun. | need a ride hif you or someone else can take me, then | have grocery shopping and general household chores to do.” Bellamy glances up at the clock on the fridge 2/4 63- Security and suggestions door and sighs.

“I have work to do so | can’t take you myself, but just givea few minutes and I'll arrange a guard for you today. Aaron should be available. I'll give him a call.” Bellamy grabs his phone off the counter but | grab his wrist before he can make the call.

“I really only need a ride home, having guards twenty four hours a day is really a bit excessive. Nothing has happened since that one tand they were after you notanyway. I'm sure there are better ways those guys could be spending their tthan watchingclean my house.” | point out. Bellamy frowns, displeased.

“Has someone complained about it? You're my... well, keeping you safe is a priority.” He says hotly. | roll my eyes.

“That's very sweet of you, and no, no one has complained about guarding me. It’s just a waste of their tand it makesuncomfortable. | mean you have people waiting around while I'm sleeping!” | complain, frustrated.

Bellamy crosses his arms across his chest stubbornly.

“Being asleep doesn’t magically make you safe, in fact it makes you less safe.” He argues.

“Megan doesn’t have to have someone stay while she’s sleeping.” | blurt out. Bellamy is already shaking his head..

“Megan lives here with me, she hasat night, she doesn’t need another guard.” A slight “You are more than welcto stay here if you don’t want to have smile crosses his face.

guards at night. I'm sure Megan wouldn’t mind if you moved in.” | take two hack and almost trip over one of the kitchen stools.

“Absolutely not. It's waaay too soon to even THINK about that kind of thing.” I lecture him. He shrugs, I'm fairly sure he didn’t actually expectto take him up on the suggestion so he isn’t particularly offended.

“The offer is there if you change your mind, and in the meantime, you keep the guards.” He insists. | glare at him and turn my back, I'm not sure | want to see his reaction to my next argument.

“You can’t forceto keep them Bellamy. I'm not a child who needs a babysitter. | would 3/4 63- Security and suggestions hate to call the police on someone who is just doing their job, but if that’s the only way then. I'll do it.” | feel awful even suggesting it, but | am serious. The constant guards are grinding on my nerves. I'm used to spending most of my talone and now | don’t remember the last t| was properly by myself. Bellamy grabs my shoulders and spinsaround forcingto look at him. I think he’s trying to decide if | mean it. | hold his gaze to show | have no intention of backing down. A variety of emotions cross his face. First anger, then concern, anxiety? Then determination.

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