Nighthawk: A Superhero Story (closed for Siobhancan99)

[siobhancan99]

"Hadley's safe. The Vigilante found her" She realized she was going to need a cool vigilante name. "The Vigilante" made her sound like some sort of crazy person. maybe she could reach out to that Morgan dude and see if there could be some sort of reader poll. "I told my dad we're not hiking. I'm going to have to talk to Melanie Howe here in a bit. Mateo said some things to the vigilante she will need to hear. Hopefully I won't be long but I'll text if she needs me to stay with her or anything. Her... her wife was the first victim I think. He confessed so... She should hear it from me and not some cop."

"Office is fine." Monica stared out the window, trying to figure out how to break it to Melanie, how much she should say. She might have to reveal how she knew. She was at the very least going to have to reveal her connection to the masked vigilante woman. When they got into the office, she sat and looked across the desk at Melanie.

"A few weeks ago you asked me how I handle my grief. Well. I help people. I help people in part so I don't have to think about myself." She leaned forward "My first night here, I went to a party and there were gunshots outside. I ran out, while everyone else just sat in the apartment. I found a guy on the street bleeding, and I called 911. That was the first appearance of that masked woman. So... anyway. When you told me the story about your wife. I uh. I know this is probably not cool but... I thought maybe... since she was missing... I could you know. Help." She looked out the window, twisting her hands a little "So I dug a little and listened to crime podcasts and I found some other disappearances and such of women who fit the description of your wife. I mailed a guy who was in jail for one of them, and he said that his girlfriend wasn't killed by him and that she was being bothered by someone. Not someone. A professor. so uh... the masked Vigilante woman from the news. Since we have a connection... she reached out to a guy on the force and dug a little and well. All of the " she paused a moment "all of the disappearances related to the school. There were sick messages that came from this building. There was a suspect but DNA ruled him out. Then my friend Hadley went missing" She inspected her own fingernails, not wanting to look up "She went missing and after some... intrusive searches of her social media accounts we found that she was messaging with this guy from Arizona that used to work here. Except... as it turns out she wasn't. He was" She looked out the window again "He was Mateo Leonard's TA. The missing girls had Mateo for class. Or knew him... somehow..." She didn't want to spell out that Paige met her killer through Mel though that was an inescapable conclusion.

"He had Hadley. And I didn't know how much time there was so... the masked woman went out to the farm after you gave me the address and ..." She felt herself misting up and she covered her face with her hands "and what she found there sounds pretty terrible. He had Hadley and another girl there. Drugged." She swallowed "and uh... and so the reason I'm here. The reason. The reason..." she felt her hands trembling, this was too much. Fuck this was someone's job. How did people do this for a living? Telling people that their loved ones had been killed by some sick fuck. "The reason I'm here is he told the masked woman that Paige was... that Paige is buried on the farm. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I wanted to find her for you. I wanted to ... "

 

[Halcyon638]

A look of creeping, expectant horror built on Melanie’s face as Monica described how her investigation began. By the time she revealed Mateo’s role in it, her eyes were already welling up and there was a distant look to them.

What followed was the most anguished reaction Monica had ever witnessed, with the only thing comparable being Melinda, Tom’s mother, reacting to news of his death, and even then, Monica had seen the woman well after she’d been alerted to her son’s passing. It was as if a physical, soon-to-be-fatal wound had been inflicted on the professor. It was nearly a half hour before she was able to compose herself enough to speak again.

“I…I appreciate you telling me,” Melanie said. “I…I need to go home now. Can you make your way back to your apartment okay?” When Monica inquired about whether she was okay to drive, Melanie nodded, and said, “Yes. I can make it.”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica nodded, and she felt this twisting in her guts as she realized that with Melanie's fragile emotional state this could be the last time she sees her. It was a bleak thought. "Melanie If... if you need to talk you know I'm here for you. I understand if you can't but... I'd like it if you at least called me before you went to bed." So I know you're alive... came the unspoken thought.

"I know after Tom I didn't want to talk to anyone but...I know people needed to talk to me too so. Look. Just. if you feel up to it ok? and ... thank you. You saved my friend's life today. Giving me that address. Ines too. The other girl."

She felt stupid, offering these kinds of platitudes in response to Melanie's anguish, but what else did she have? What did anyone have in the face of such tragedy. Thoughts and prayers? Her parents devout atheism didn't really allow for that. All she had were the empty words of support to offer, though it was true. Hadley was alive because of Melanie. Maybe the other woman could latch onto that. She reluctantly let Melanie go, then headed home and grabbed a pizza on the way. She was starving and maybe Gabi and Shaun would eat a few pieces. She was reasonably sure they probably had been too stressed to eat.

 

[Halcyon638]

Melanie moved her head the slightest bit, approximating a nod. “I’ll text you,” she said. “Text me when you…when you get back to your apartment.” She touched Monica’s hand lightly, then seemed to fight back another potential wave of sobs.

When she made it home, Gabi and Shaun were more than ready to eat. “This is perfect,” Shaun said, grabbing a slice. Afterwards he dug into his wallet and pulled out a ten. “Thanks, Mon.”

“I’m still just in shock,” Gabi said after she had finished her slice and Shaun was going back for another. Her phone rang. “My parents have been freaking out. Understandably, for once.” She picked up the call and greeted her father.

As the evening went on, the university released a statement saying that in light of the day’s events, classes would be cancelled for the rest of the week. From what Monica could glean from the news, the only details that had officially been released were that Mateo Leonard had been arrested as the prime suspect in the kidnapping of Hadley and Ines Rivera.

Monica was scrolling through her phone and responding to text after text. She could hear Shaun and Gabi talking softly in the kitchen. A text from Melanie appeared on her screen.

“I’m going to bed now. Take care,” it said.

“You sure you don’t want me to stay the night?” Monica could hear Shaun ask.

“No,” Gabi said. “I mean, I’d like that, but I know you have to get up early to take Naomie to school and then work.”

“It’s fine,” Shaun said. “I’ll drink a lot of coffee.”

“You’re so sweet,” Gabi said, kissing his cheek. “But I’ll be fine. I just need…I’ve been having trouble sleeping, and…two people in a little bitty bed is a little tough.”

“Okay,” Shaun said. “Whatever you need.” He pulled her close for a kiss. “You know I’ll be bothering you a lot until I’m sure you’re okay.”

“Of course,” she said, smiling. Before long, he was getting ready to leave.

“You watch out for my girl, okay?” he said to Monica warmly. “Take care of yourself, too.”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica accepted that a text was as good as she'd get. She texted back "obv hiking is off but I am around all weekend if you need me."

She let out a breath, and with the thought at least that Melanie wasn't going to kill herself tonight she finally let herself feel like taking a little bit of a victory lap... almost. A girl's work was never done. She watched Shaun and Gabi and smiled, though she knew Gabi slept better with someone next to her. At least she did the other night. She wondered at her kicking Shaun out though... sometimes she just needed to be alone herself. Ok... almost all the time. That was part of the attraction of cruising around the city at night. She was left to her own devices. She could see how having to answer to someone might make that hard. Maybe she'd just stay single for a while. Ugh.... she texted Austin to let him know Hadley was safe and to offer to "get coffee" over the next few days. he'd earned it. Poor sweet manwhore had tried.

She put her phone down though and gestured for Gabi to come sit with her. "I know I haven't been asking much and I feel like a shit best friend. How are you holding up? with all this and with your folks and everything. How are YOU doing? are you ok? do you need to talk?"

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi sat beside Monica as Austin texted back: “I’m so glad to hear that! I would love to see you. Let me know if you need anything in the meantime. Sending hugs.”

“Honestly,” Gabi said, “I’m just…overwhelmed. It’s just…so much. I could really just use a distraction or something. Do you want to watch a movie? Something funny? I just need…something normal, you know? I’m kinda of disappointed classes are cancelled. I mean, I totally get it but it’s just…I kind of needed that…that routine. And you haven’t been a ‘shit best friend.' How are you holding up, carino?”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica shrugged "relieved but... also you know to be honest kind of proud? Hadley's safe because I got Mateo Leonard's address from Melanie so like... I was part of the solution and that feels pretty good you know?" She wanted to crow a little more but truth be told Mateo wasn't a villain whose physical defeat was an accomplishment. It had been putting it all together that had been the real work. The real triumph. "At the same time I feel sad for Melanie. She was devastated. I'm worried she will do something to herself. I worry that I fucked up telling her but... she was going to find out and I thought.. better a friend than a cop." She sighed and got up "why don't you get into your pjs and pick a movie corazon?"

She went into the kitchen and popped some popcorn and added in chocolate chips and a few caramels just for something different. She headed in with the bowl, setting it down and then went and washed her face, coming back to find Gabi ready to watch the movie "So since we have off tomorrow why don't we play dungeons and dragons till I have to go to work? Then maybe we can go see Ian's band. I told my dad we were not coming home, so maybe you and I can just do stuff this weekend unless Hadley wants people around. Me and you having a quiet weekend like old times. Unless you want Shaun to come over. how's that going anyway?"

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi nodded. “That’s pretty amazing you were able to help out that way,” she said, a faint smile on her face, the first Monica had seen since Hadley’s disappearance.” The smile disappeared as the topic of Melanie came up. “That is so sad. I can’t even…that poor woman. Hopefully her friends and family…they’ll be there for her.” She gave Monica a hug. “That’s so awful. I’m sorry you had to…” She trailed off, and at Monica’s suggestion, went to get into her pajamas.

“Hope you don’t mind penguins,” she said, returning with her black PJs patterned with sleeping birds. She and Monica scrolled through their viewing options, then Gabi suggested Monty Python and the Holy Grail, a movie they’d watched together a few dozen times.

“D&D tomorrow would be great,” Gabi said, her tone somewhere approaching her normal levels of enthusiasm for the first time. “Yeah, that sounds good if you’re up for it. I like the idea of having a chill weekend but just being here for Hadley if she needs it, or wants it. Just so you know, my dad is probably going to stop by tomorrow afternoon. He and my mom want to ‘check in’ on me with everything that’s going on…maybe we’ll go out to dinner with him, or them, and then we can go the show after if you’re up for it.”

Regarding Shaun, Gabi said, “It’s fine,” she said. “He’s very sweet, like you told me. He’s a good guy.” Monica sensed a “but” coming, but it didn’t arrive. Instead, Gabi dug into the popcorn and started quoting along with the movie.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica didn't push it, but she felt it and she nodded "I feel you angel. Well you'll figure it out." She wrapped her arm around her friend, watching Englishman prance about as if on horseback, smacking coconuts together "the real question of course, is what is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?" She grinned down at her friend and wrapped an arm around her, curling her in a little against her "It'll be a fun weekend. I'll make your mother's tamales and you can bake those amazing salted caramel brownies. We can have people over if Hadley wants to, or you and I can just be chill and hang out. I'm excited to learn how to play dnd. Maybe once we get a session or two in we can invite some of the others. I bet porter would play and that eve girl and Ian's guitarist." she shrugged, then started to relax. She felt good. Today felt like a win. Paige wasn't alive even when she found out about all this. She couldn't let that defeat her. She had her friends. She saved Hadley. She helped Detective Knapp.

She let herself get into the movie, since she didn't have class the next day and she felt no real urge to do anything vigilante wise. She could just relax. She could just be. It felt like the life she and Gabi had always talked about. Two "grown ups" away at college, watching silly movies, staying up too late and eating junk food. Having friends to chase after and boys to worry about.

"Very good Pig country... camelot" She grinned down at Gabi "the swamp castle is my favorite part of the movie."

 

[Halcyon638]

“Sounds amazing, princesa,” Gabi said, slumping toward Monica. She was still subdued for Gabi, but cracked a smile a few times during the movie. “Yeah, that’s a good part. I think it’s gotta be either the Black Knight or the bridge scene.” Monica recalled more than a few occasions when Gabi and her father had quoted both together while Monica was hanging out at their house.

Near the end of the movie, it hit Monica how tired she was. Though she’d eventually slept hard once she’d crawled in with Gabi, it had probably been no earlier than 3, and they’d both awoken earlier than usual. The adrenaline from the day’s emotional roller-coaster had long since worn off.

“I hope Hadley’s okay,” Gabi said. “That must have been so incredibly scary. Terrifying. I wish we could like, talk to her, but I know we shouldn’t bother her or anything.” The dark-haired girl yawned. Her phone rang. “Sorry, gotta take this. Mom.”

Gabi walked into her bedroom and closed the door, then returned about 10 minutes later. “Ughh. She’s still freaking out. Just heard it was a professor here. I was like ‘yeah, I’m on maybe 3 hours sleep, Mom. Maybe it can wait until tomorrow?’ ”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica packed up the popcorn so they could eat the last of it during games tomorrow. She folded herself into the couch and nearly passed out. She'd had no sleep, and all the drive from earlier in the day was gone. She stayed up though, knowing Gabi might need to talk after talking to her parents. When her roommate emerged she yawned and stretched "In her defense, even my dad offered to come up." Her father was almost famously hands-off. With a daughter he felt he didn't have to worry about he'd been very permissive in their high school years, so his offering to come was a statement.

"How are your folks doing? is your dad moving out?" She sat up, leaning forward a bit. She was exhausted but she could be there for Gabi if she wanted, or she could fall asleep right there, but hopefully the first. "how are you holding up with them and their bullshit?"

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi nodded. “Yeah, I know she’s just looking out for me,” she noted, “but her freaking out kinda only added to how freaked out I was. Am.” She clutched a throw pillow nearby, hugging it toward her torso.

“They seem to be okay. Honestly, I don’t want to think about it tonight,” Gabi said. “I just want to sleep until the heat death of the universe and then take it from there.” She got up and refilled her water bottle at the sink.

“Thank you for…last night,” the brunette said, her back to Monica as she turned off the sink. “It didn’t, like…weird you out or anything?” She looked generally in Monica’s direction, but didn’t quite make eye contact.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica smiled "no. It didn't. We take care of each other Gabi. We always have. It's the most natural thing in the world." She reached out, squeezing Gabi's arm and lingering for a moment. "When you are stressed out like that, who else can you turn to if not your best friend? For 12 years now we've been there for each other. Through thick and thin. I guess the question is, are you ok?"

 

[Halcyon638]

A relieved smile appeared on Gabi’s face. “Yeah, definitely. Thanks again. Speaking of which, I should probably get ready for bed. Before I fall asleep standing up.” She gently brushed the hair on the top of Monica’s head as she passed her on the couch. Soon, the water was running in the bathroom and she could hear Gabi brushing her teeth.

Monica managed to get her teeth brushed and prepped herself for bed, though it was tempting to just fall asleep on the couch as Gabi had done so many times before. Afterwards, she and the Latina met just outside their bedroom doors where they would typically say their goodnights. Gabi yawned again. “Crazy day,” she said, partially slumped against her door. “So…”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica propped herself up against the doorway, looking over at her roommate with exhausted eyes. She smiled, anticipating the question, wondering if she should tease her about Shaun being told the bed wasn't big enough "Something on your mind?"

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi played absentmindedly with the drawstring of her pajama bottoms, looking downward. “No, I just…umm…hope you sleep well.” She returned the smile shyly, still standing in the same position.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica yawned "I'm going to sleep like a fucking rock. I can barely stand." She looked Gabi over a minute "You can come in if you want, but fair warning I'll be asleep before my head hits the pillow." She turned and slipped into her room, then took a few tacks and tacked the curtain to the wall to make it darker. The amount of ambient light in the City made her crazy. She left the door open for Gabi to do what she wanted, and slipped under the sheets.

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi was silent, but a moment later, as Monica was sealing off the windows, she heard the door close, blocking off ambient light from the hallway. When Monica slid beneath the sheets, she brushed up against the warmth and softness of her friend’s pajamas. “Just for one more night, I promise,” Gabi said. “After everything that’s happened, I just…” She took Monica’s hand with her own and placed it on her stomach. Monica could feel the cool plastic of one of her pajama top’s buttons. “Goodnight, carino.”

As promised, Monica’s head hit the pillow hard, and she slept hard. She was awakened by Gabi’s phone sounding. Groggily, she glanced over at her friend. The brunette was hustling out of the room quickly and she could soon hear her speaking in hushed tones. It was light out, but felt early, too early.

A moment later, Gabi re-entered. “Sorry. Just my mom. Go back to sleep, okay?” She stroked the side of Monica’s face, sitting on the bed momentarily. Soon, Monica was asleep once more.

When Monica finally awoke and saw the clock once more, it read 11:04. She could hear voices in the apartment—agitated voices. Coming to her senses, she recognized them as belonging to Orlando and Sara Ruiz, Gabi’s parents. “How long do I have?” Gabi asked, the distress clear in her voice.

“Probably should aim for Sunday at the latest,” her father said, his usually jovial tone a bit more serious.

“It’s good that they canceled class,” Sara stated. “That should give you enough time.”

“Enough time?” Gabi repeated, disbelievingly.

“I’ll be here to help you, however much you need,” Orlando told her. “I took the rest of the week off from work, so you don’t need to worry.”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica threw on a robe, since they had company. She wandered out and turned on the Keurig, as she needed coffee. She assumed that Gabi's parents were there to move her home in a classic case of over reaction. She yawned and leaned against the counter "So you're here to take Gabi home?" She brushed her hand through her hair. The key here was to be respectful but lead them to the conclusion that this was insane on their own terms. "She's not gonna get a refund we're too far in to the semester." She arched a little and settled "So what's the plan for after this? She gonna work at the Wheel?" The wagon wheel was the local bar and a source of great distaste to Gabi's mother, full of bikers and other riff raff that offended her sensibilities.

"She's a pretty girl. She can meet a guy there. Maybe take off cross country or something." Monica nodded, as if she was being helpful and enthusiastic. "That redheaded girl that was in the homecoming court with me? Kathleen O'Hara? She met a really nice older guy there. He's a... not a Hell's Angel.. what is it. A Pagan? They have a kid on the way. She's gonna work in her dad's hardware store till he comes back. I mean I assume he's coming back to handle his responsibilities and all. That baby is going to be so cute. Kathleen always was a pretty girl. Smart of her to get started on having kids early so she can still have a long time after they leave the house to try to save for retirement."

 

[Halcyon638]

“Mija,” Sara said affectionately, striding over to Monica and giving her a hug. She was a petite, sleepy-eyed woman with mid-length dark hair.

Orlando followed soon afterwards. “Good to see you, Mon,” he said, patting her shoulder. He was a little on the short side with a few extra pounds on his frame, and wore wire-rim glasses. “Tell your dad he’s gotta make it over for Fury Road in 4K. Doesn’t know what he’s missing.”

“Actually,” Sara said, “Gabi is going to continue her studies but she’ll be staying with my brother and sister-in-law in Lofton for the rest of the semester so she can still get a ride to campus,” she added, referring to a town about an hour or so away from Prospect City. “Then we’ll see about transferring for the spring, right?”

“One step at a time, Sara,” Orlando cautioned.

Gabi said nothing. Monica could see tears welling up in her eyes.

“I’m sorry if this is going to throw you for a loop,” Sara said to Monica. “I think you should really seriously consider transferring.”

“State has rolling admissions, you know,” Orlando said, taking a sip of a bottled lemonade.

“That poor girl,” Sara said. “Have you talked to her yet? Your friend?”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica shook her head "no we're giving her a few days. I talked to my dad about transferring but ultimately you know, statistically there's probably a Mateo at every school right? Like maybe not to that extent but.. when you think about the population of professor and how many of them are violent psychopaths. Ultimately the math worked out better to stay here because ours was caught." She hated outright lying about talking to her dad about it, Gabi's parents were basically like her parents. Still... she knew Gabi wouldn't stand up to them in the least. It irked her, a little, how passive she was sometimes. Still friends stepped in and looked out for each other.

"Sara, Orlando... Gabi lives with ME. You can't really get any safer than that. This wasn't some guy snatching people off the street. This was a guy carefully cultivating relationships with girls online. That can happen anywhere. Most importantly... It can't happen to Gabi." She walked over and put her hand on Gabi's shoulder, squeezing gently "You raised an amazing daughter with WAY too much sense to meet strange guys online. We have friends. We meet those friends in person. We meet them together. Where Gabi goes out, I go out. Or her friend Christina from the Latinx group. She's never alone. She is surrounded by people that love and care about her and look out for her."

She moved back over to Sara "When I was a kid, and my mother left you took me in and you were so much... more the like... mom kids expect than mine was. Despite me being that weird awkward girl that only had one friend, you took me in and made me part of your family. Gabi is already living with family. She's living with me. Look this is not my decision. At the end of the day though, it is Gabriella's decision. I think it is great you've given her an option. One she hadn't considered. At the end of the day though, your little girl is grown up now. This has to be a choice that she makes for herself. It is something for you to discuss. It's something for you... and me... to be involved in in terms of letting her work out what the best choice is for her... but it has to be her choice. I know she would never say that to you. So i'm taking great advantage of the fact you two love me so much to say it for her."

 

[Halcyon638]

Sara and Orlando listened, empathetic expressions on their faces. “Monica,” Gabi’s mother said, “I know how much you care about my daughter. And it means very much to me.” She placed a hand on Monica’s shoulder as Gabi silently consumed a glass of water. “But with all due respect, there is only so much you can do to protect her. You’ve got a murderer on campus, some monster-woman drinking people’s blood…not to mention some obviously disturbed woman running around at night like she’s Batman.”

Orlando said, “She did save that girl. And the monster girl.” Sara glanced at him for a moment, then disregarded him.

“You’ve already lost someone you loved very much here,” Sara said. “Why would you stay?” She breathed deeply. “You’re like family to us, mija,” Sara remarked. “But this is…a discussion for us. The three of us.”

Looking at her daughter, she said, “Gabi, why don’t you go ahead and get cleaned up? Then we can grab some lunch together.” From how Sara was directed her glances, it was clear she meant just the three family members.

Gabi nodded. “O...okay.”

Orlando looked at his phone. “It says university offices are open today. Let’s see if we can talk to the housing people and get whatever forms we need.”

Sara nodded. “We’ll be back. Monica, we are taking you out to eat tonight. No arguing, just pick a place.”

After her parents hugged her and exited, Gabi looked at Monica, seemingly struggling to find the words to say what she wanted to express.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica walked over and hugged Gabi "No university has ever let money go that was in their hands. Your parents aren't getting their rent back so this is your place whether they like it or not. You gotta stand up to them though. I know its hard but... You're 18. This is your choice not theirs. you have scholarships. You have financial aid. I know they think this is their decision but its not. You can do this. I know it." She kissed Gabi's forehead and hugged her close "This is so dumb, its not like if you moved out you wouldn't just be here every day anyway. You're not a kid though any more Gabi, and until you tell them that they're never gonna get it."

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi returned the hug, resting her chin on Monica’s shoulder. “I tried talking to them this morning before you woke up,” she said. She pulled back from the hug. “I’ll try again, okay? Thanks for sticking up for me. Leaving here is the last thing I want.” Gabi took a couple of steps toward the bathroom, beginning to unbutton her pajama top, then slipped behind the door.

Afterwards, Gabi went on her way to meet up with her parents, dressed more modestly than she had been lately. Scrolling through her phone, Monica learned that Mateo Leonard had confessed to the murders of Amy Clemens and Paige Howe, though reports stated that it would take some time to test the evidence to corroborate his account. Darius Griffiths’s family had already issued a statement, expressing relief that he would presumably soon be exonerated for his alleged crime, and outrage at the racial bias that had played a role in his conviction.

Ines Rivera’s parents also issued a statement, expressing their gratitude toward the “masked woman” for her rescue, her mother sobbing as she described the reunion with the young woman.

A little while later, Gabi returned. She closed the door hard behind her and sighed deeply. “My mom says it’s my decision, but if I decide not to go live at my aunt and uncle’s for the rest of the semester, she and my dad aren’t going to pay for my rent or food.” Room and board were the two major aspects of Gabi’s schooling her aid or scholarships didn’t cover, Monica recalled, and she’d had some kind of agreement with her mom about maintaining a certain GPA if she’d wanted to live here rather than in the somewhat more inexpensive (but still pricy) dorms. “Can you believe her?”

She threw herself backward on the couch. “It’s bullshit. She and my dad are headed over to a hotel they rented because they’ve decided they’re staying through the weekend at least, but whether it’s to help me move or not is up to me. Never mind that my friend just got kidnapped by a freaking lunatic—now I have to deal with this right away.” Gabi slumped over, burying her face in her hands.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica sighed as Gabi left. She wanted a drink. Everyone left her, why should Gabi be any different? Her feelings of victory were muted by the certainty that she'd be alone for the rest of the year. She didn't even have any friends really. She'd made friends with Gabi's friends.

"well that felt good for like 20 minutes" she went into the bathroom and had a shower, getting herself cleaned up and ready for work. Seeing Gabi return she wrapped an arm around her "that's fucked up. I hope she understands how leases work. She's paying for this place whether you live here or not." She kissed Gabi's temple and squeezed her softly against her "At least till the end of the semester." She knew Sara would give zero fucks about that though. "Listen. I need you. Everyone fucking leaves me and I'm fucking tired of it" She let herself crack, just a little bit. It wasn't something that she was good at and so usually when it finally happened it was an explosive mess. "You're all that I have left." She stood and inhaled, then exhaled "Look. I get it. she has you over a barrel. You can't afford to live here without her."

She stood and walked into the kitchen, getting a drink "It's up to you. Obviously, but she is going to make it as hard as she can. Look I love you and I'll support whatever decision you make, but I will be god damned if that woman is ever coming back into my house. The way I was fucking dismissed by her earlier, like I'm not fucking family... fuck her." She walked back in and handed Gabi a water "If you need help moving this weekend Porter and I can help you. If you want to stay with my dad over break you can. If you don't, that's also fine. But fuck her. I won't be coming to dinner either."