It wasn't very hard to imagine that Lexi would have trouble sleeping that night. Every bump or creak of the house settling and the storm still blowing outside had her thinking that the strangers were coming down the hall to kill her. She stayed wrapped up in her soft comforter, curled into herself to retain whatever warmth she could. Half the night her mind was coming up with scenarios in which she could fight back against an attack.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡcO3wko6Wrj
'I could throw the lamp and jump through the window. No, it's too high. I could hide in the closet and slip past them when they're turned away. But his sword's so long…I should have taken it away before letting them in. Well, they might've just killed me anyway…'copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡuB6HW477VF
There was another creak, and then the squealing of metal, like a hinge. Her eyes shot open, listening intently. There were footsteps, slowly approaching her room. With bated breath, Lexi heard the footsteps go past her door and into the bathroom, and the door promptly shut.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5DMIbPQyw
"Thank God." She whispered, releasing the pent-up breath. After a few moments the toilet flushed, and the sink was turned on. Then, underneath those sounds, the familiar shouts of her grandmother could be heard in her room below. With a sigh, Lexi looked at the clock. It was 2:30 in the morning. At least she didn't have classes to go to that day.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Lk4hFsoBU
Throwing the blankets off her body, she rose and padded to the door. Her room was colder than the warm cocoon of her bed, and a shiver went up her cracked open the door, peeking side to side hoping that no one was there. She was in luck. Silently creeping out into the hall, she tiptoed downstairs and towards her grandmother's room.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6vOOrSVzO
"My name is Donna Roe. I'm a medic for the United States. My service number is AM13-726-810." Lexi heard her call, repeating it over and over to her captors, and the brunette knew that she thought she was being interrogated. Usually, when Lexi walked into the middle of her delusions, Nana usually woke up from it. But on a few occasions, the old woman actually believed her to be one of the interrogators. Since that first time of having to convince her that Lexi was, indeed, Lexi, she'd always just played the part in Nana's delusion.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡATUdFCputX
With a sigh, and a small grin because Nana certainly kept her life interesting, she held up her hands in the shape of a gun, throwing open the door and twirling inside.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vIlzZ02oC
"Hands up, this bunker is now occupied by the United States of America! Step away from the prisoner." She called, not too loud to wake the others upstairs, but loud enough to get Nana's attention. Nana stood with her back against the wall, hands held out on each side like she was held prisoner. Lexi pretended to shoot invisible Nazis in the bedroom, going so far as to add 'Pew, Pew' to each shot, just to make it seem real to Nana. The older woman looked up and smiled.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5IsTwUMst
"Thank the Lord! I don't know how long I could've held out. Lexi, you tell those rescue men that they've got my thanks. How did you find this place anyway?"copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2nug27FwB
"It's no problem, Nana. And we got your message through code." She took a shot in the dark. Usually, Nana would try to send out 'codes' for the military to find her. "Just sit tight and we'll have you home in no time." She pretended to cut off the ropes 'restraining' her grandmother, and she sighed in relief.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡCx6lSGkTII
"I might've had a hard time stayin' true, but I sure did get a lot of information about the enemy tactics! Those son's a' bitches won't know what hit 'em when I tell the General about their movements!" Lexi guided her back to the bed, tucking her in.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFOe7IL1ud
"I'll let him know you have valuable information, Nana. But just sit tight and prepare for takeoff. The helicopter will fly you straight back to the medical camp, alright? Just rest up. You need it." She clicked Nana into an invisible set of helicopter seat belts, and Nana closed her eyes.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5fSAwVIbs
"I'll see you back at home, Lexi." She said, drifting into a deep sleep. Smiling, Lexi finished tucking Nana in.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡjOZq9S6uLP
"Night, Nana." She whispered, rising from the side of the bed and leaving the bedroom.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhu1vCJhEe
Law had always been a midnight owl, sometimes going several days without sleep, thanks to his insomnia. It wasn't unusual, therefore, that he found himself staring at the ceiling of the guest bedroom at 2:30 in the morning with the urge to empty his bladder. Glancing at Bepo, who slept contentedly on the carpet floor, and his two crew mates, who had somehow found some kind of thin mattress-like device in the closet, he rose from the bed and crept towards the door.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡuakK3UhYCs
Opening the door, he peered out into the small hallway. No one was outside, and the storm was still raging. Deciding that nothing posed a threat, he wandered over to the room that Lexi had said was the bathroom.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWhqmqisV4
Flipping on the light switch on the wall, it illuminated a small bathroom. The shower and toilet was on one side of the room, with the sink on the opposite corner. Closing the door behind him, he quickly took care of his business.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8lM9RoT83
It was quite evident that this bathroom was Lexi's personal one. The curtain had a rather childish portrayal of bubbles and a rubber duck in the bottom corner. The towels were bright colors, and the rug in front of the sink was fuzzy pink.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DdrnglEfY
He washed his hands, still examining the room when he heard the sound of a shout from downstairs. At first, he tensed, preparing for danger, but then Lexi's words came back to mind. He assumed that the noise was her grandmother, or Nana as she called her. Then, he heard the door to her room open, and she descended the stairs to go take care of her. Law finished washing his hands, drying them on the neon teal towel that hung from the rack.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GUp6gPoJK
Exiting the bathroom, he saw that her door was cracked just slightly, and he smirked mischievously. Lexi never said he couldn't go in her room. Sure, it might have been implied from the moment they walked in the house, but she never verbally confirmed it. Therefore, Law just didn't know any better. Besides, he was curious to see what kind of person she was. And so he found himself walking inside.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1TNO2FdVN
Immediately after turning on the light, there was a blatant common theme in the room. The walls, the curtains covering the windows, the bedspread: it was all a light blue. He was willing to bet it was her favorite color. There was a large bookcase at the foot of the bed, packed full of different books. On the vanity, there was a stack of cases, with strange, circular discs. Walking over to them, he picked one up, examining it in the light. Written on one of them was "90's Greatest Hits." Not understanding what it meant, he placed it back in the holder.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3quuOKQt0
There was a small desk in the corner, below the window, and various textbooks were laid out. Several lines out of the pages were highlighted in yellow, and a notebook was open with writing in it. She did schooling of some kind, and of the medical profession if the textbooks and notes were anything to go by.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBGJ0M0PbK
He straightened, glancing around the room once more before turning off the light and leaving. Getting caught at this point would probably warrant a long and severely loud lecture from the brunette. He hadn't even known her a full day, but he could tell she was the freaking-out kind. Slipping back into the guest room, he returned to bed.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡADMtrAw6Os
Lexi ascended the stairs, yawning as she got closer to her bed. The thought of snuggling into the confines of her covers was rather appealing. Passing by the guest bedroom, she didn't hear anything except the soft snores of the men. She sighed in relief. At least they hadn't woken up to Nana's shouts.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡU4vky09jRC
Entering her room, she noticed idly that she'd left the door ajar. Shaking her head, she closed it and locked it, thankful that she'd caught it before something embarrassing or possibly regretful could happen.copyright protection192ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGd0qeNr4Y
ns3.80.60.248da2
