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[Emma-la]

Jenny was right, it was awfully early. But she had to just go with it, she had committed. “Yeah, but I don’t have anywhere to be today. That doesn’t happen often.”

[Eraisuithiel]

Jenny smiled softly, understanding. "Okay, then, let's get hammered!" she announced, punching up into the air before twirling round and going to raid Grayson's liquor cabinet. "But," she added, turning around suddenly. "Only if you promise to have a full glass of water after every drink."

After a few moments Grayson set off again to their secret little 'meeting' place. He was amazed at how lax the security was in the place (government budget cuts, he supposed). As he neared the room a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye made him freeze suddenly. A nurse? No, it was something else. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle and darted into the room, his heart racing, the unmistakable feeling of being watched sinking in.

[Emma-la]

Alexis snorted and nodded. “That shouldn’t be a problem. So long as you do the same.” She followed her to the liquor cabinet, where her hand absentmindedly landed on Jenny’s waist as she was talking.

[Mara-la]

Autumn sighed. “Let’s just enjoy the peace.” She paused. “Hey, when’s Anna staying over next? Just so I know when to migrate back to my apartment to give you guys time together.” She figured he wouldn’t want her there for that so he could focus on Anna.

—

Sophie finished in the bathroom and was amused when she heard shouts from the common space. The nurse eyed her warily, and she shrugged. “Couldn’t have been me, I was peeing.” The annoyed nurse led her back to her room, protocol when something happened. She waited till the nurse was gone and then darted down the hall to where Grayson would be. She slipped in and was about to congratulate him on the prank well pulled, but instead saw that he looked upset. “What is it?” She asked, concerned.

[kristina-la]

“Not sure yet, Jen was too upset on the phone to get into that,” Andrew said, “I guess I’ll have to call her.” Andrew said with a groan. He looked over at autumn, eyebrow raised, “you don’t have to go back to your apartment when she’s here.” Andrew said.

[Mara-la]

“I mean... I just thought you’d want to spend time with her without me interfering,” Autumn said. There was something scarier now about being around the little girl now that she and Andrew err actually dating. Before, she was just ‘dad’s friend’ and now she was ‘dad’s girlfriend’. She didn’t know if Anna knew, or even how Anna would react. Would she think she was trying to replace Jen as a mom figure?

[Eraisuithiel]

Jenny felt the soft touch of her hand and smiled. Things were working out better than she had hoped. She opened the cabinet and began rifling through it. "So, what's your poison?"

Grayson nodded and closed his eyes for a moment, his body tense all over. "Yeah, I just... I thought I was being followed."

[Mara-la]

Sophie nodded. “That’s hard,” she said. She walked over to him, sitting down by him. She didn’t know the extent of his trauma or how he would react to being touched, so she just said: “do you need anything? A listening ear or a cuddle or anything?”

[Eraisuithiel]

"I need to forget. A solid distraction or something," Grayson sighed. He looked over at her. "I feel I may have ruined our little plan. I'm sorry."

[Mara-la]

Tentatively, Sophie put her arm around his shoulders. She didn’t want to scare him any more. “Nah, you did fine. Someone was yelling, so we struck gold,” she said. “And once we’re both out, I’ve got a nice bottle of Cognac that I’ve been waiting to share with someone. That, and some Cubans, courtesy of my ex. Would that help you forget?”

[kristina-la]

Andrew hadn't seen Anna in a long time; he was eager to spend time with her, so it would make more sense for him to have that time without the difficult task of explaining his relationship with Autumn,"Right...well, I'll let you know when she will be staying with me," Andrew said, "Though I wouldn't mind having you around and I'm sure Anna would love that too," Andrew added, "Maybe just for an afternoon out together," he said.

[Mara-la]

“You don’t think she’ll get scared that I’m trying to take you away from her, or that I’m trhing to replace her mom?” Autumn asked. She didn’t really know how these situations worked, but from the one case she did know from when she was a kid, both of those things had come to pass with the kid she knew.

[Eraisuithiel]

"That would help a lot, yes," Grayson murmured, leaning into her. Then he sat up and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "Thank you."

[kristina-la]

Andrew really didn't know how Anna would react; he was more concerned with Jen's behaviour, as he knew Jen disliked Autumn. She had already made numerous passive aggressive comments about Autumn moving with him to Canada. "I don't think she will think that, but we can ease her into this slowly," Andrew suggested. He reached his hand over and slipped it into hers, giving a gentle squeeze, "it will work out," he tried to assure her.

[Mara-la]

Sophie’s eyes flitted across his face and before she could stop herself, she leaned in and kissed him deeply.

—

“I just don’t want her to think of me like some evil witch that’s coming in to break apart her family, you know?” Autumn said. “Plus it’ll be safe to say she’ll probably be getting those vibes from Jen. However much she hated me before is going to be ten times worse now.”