1/26 Instance: Without a Trace

[tears~fall~like~glass]

timeline: after Worse Distractions


Paige: Paige yawned as she woke up, slamming her hand down on her alarm. She glanced over at the couch, sitting up when she saw it was empty. She looked to the bed next to her, but it was empty too. Rachel hadn't come back. Paige shook a bit as she pushed herself out of bed to get ready for the day.

Paige: Once showered and dressed, Paige checked her room again. Still no Rachel. Paige bit her lower lip, every possible bad thing that could happen racing through her mind. She had to find Rachel. Paige took off for Rachel's room first.

Rachel: Rachel hadn't planned to spend all night in one of the art rooms, but she had, and she had no intention of moving anytime soon because she was fairly sure the room wasn't needed for a class this morning. Carefully setting the tattoo machine aside, she picked up the grapefruit to inspect her work and made a few notes on where to improve before placing it with its inked brethren.

Rachel: She'd been telling herself she'd go to bed as soon as she finished the one she was on, but she only had a few more now. After placing a new grapefruit in front of her, she leaned back in her seat, rolling her shoulders as she considered it. Now, what should she put on this one?

Paige: Not in her room. Paige was getting frantic. Where was Rachel!? What if she had gone out? What if the cannibals had gotten her?! "Oh Rachel..." Paige ran for the music room. Empty. She ran her hand through her hair, catching her breath and trying to think. Where else would Rachel be?

Rachel: She had no ideas. Maybe it was because she needed sleep... or caffeine. Or because grapefruits were far more boring than actually tattooing someone. Blowing out a sigh, she debated taking a break, peeled her gloves off, and checked her phone. It was... early.

Paige: What did Rachel do all day? What did she do? Paige pulled her hair a bit, then ran for the art rooms. If she wasn't there, she was calling Bobby.

Rachel: Maybe someone would be cooking breakfast, she could steal some, work, sleep, and catch Paige after her classes. This seemed to be a reasonable plan, so she dragged herself from the chair, stuffing the phone back in her pocket. At the very least, she needed coffee and a smoke break.

Paige: There was was. Paige paused in the doorway, catching her breath. She stared at the blonde, emotions rushing through her. "You're ok." She said softly.

Rachel: As she pulled the tie from her hair, she blinked at the appearance of Paige, "Yeah, and you're not in class."

Paige: "I had to find you... you weren't there." Paige crossed the room to pull Rachel into a hug.

Rachel: "Well, no because I've been here..." Rachel slowly replied as she tied her hair back up, fairly sure she looked as confused as she felt.

Paige: "I thought you were dead. Eaten by cannibals!"

Rachel: She slid her arms around Paige, blinking at that one too, "Oh."

Paige: Paige nuzzled Rachel, holding her tightly. "You scared me..."

Rachel: "Oh," Rachel repeated, taken aback. She wasn't really used to this kind of concern. Taking a breath, she tried for more than one word, "Well... I'm fine, so you don't need to freak out now."

Rachel: Rachel: "Oh," Rachel repeated, taken aback. She wasn't really used to this kind of concern. Taking a breath, she tried for more than one word, "Well... I'm fine, so you don't need to freak out now."

Paige: Resting her head against Rachel's, Paige stroked Rachel's cheek. "I know... I know... I can't help it."

Rachel: Sighing, she tilted her head to kiss her cheek and released her, stretching. "I've just been working."

Paige: Reluctantly releasing her, Paige blushed a bit. "I feel silly now."

Rachel: Rachel shot her a slight smirk, "You always are."

Paige: Paige poked Rachel for that, making a face. "Am not!"

Rachel: "Riiight," she nodded, unconvinced. She pulled a face at the poke and reached out to catch Paige's hand, "I was about to take a break."

Paige: "I think I should cancel class." Paige squeezed Rachel's hand once it caught her own.

Rachel: Rachel shook her head, "You don't need to cancel your class."

Paige: "But whhhhhy." Paige gave her a sad look.

Rachel: "Why would you need to? I'm okay, you're okay, everything's... fine," she replied, pulling Paige to the door.

Paige: Paige reluctantly went, keeping Rachel's hand. "But is everything fine?"

Rachel: Rachel paused at the question, turning to face her, "Is it?"

Paige: "Is it?" Paige looked into Rachel's eyes, staying there.

Rachel: Meeting Paige's gaze, she considered how to answer that, eventually reminding, "You were the one mad at me..."

Paige: Her weight shifted a bit from one foot to the other. "Well... yes... you just... sat there."

Rachel: "Yeah... I did," Rachel replied, raising an eyebrow, "What was I supposed to say?"

Paige: "I didn't know what to say either," Paige pointed out.

Rachel: She managed to resist turning this into an argument, instead asking, "Well, what are we going to say from now on?"

Paige: "What do you want to say from now on?"

Rachel: "Why do I have to decide?"

Paige: "Because I'll mess it up."

Rachel: "You're being silly again," she rolled her eyes. Like Paige could mess anything up. "Is Friday or Saturday better?"

Paige: "For what?"

Rachel: Rachel answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "For a date with me."

Paige: Paige just stared at Rachel, torn between her eyes watering and a smile. "Friday." It was closer. She wrapped her arms around Rachel for another hug. "Though I'm ok with both."

Rachel: She supposed she hadn't really thought anything she'd said in the past thirty seconds through. On the other hand, none of it really needed to be given a second thought, did it? After returning the hug, Rachel kept a hold on her hand and started walking again, "Then, I'll figure something out."

Paige: "Well now I can't wait for the weekend to begin!" Paige gave Rachel's hand a happy squeeze.

Rachel: Shooting her a bemused look, Rachel leaned to kiss her cheek, "You never can. ...And that answers what to tell people, right? Everything is fine?"

Paige: "That I have the hottest girlfriend ever? I think so!"

Rachel: Her face flushed slightly, and she shook her head, still grinning, "You're wrong, but that's okay."

Paige: "Am nooooooot." Paige paused to steal a quick kiss. "I knooooow you're super hot."

Rachel: "But not the hottest ever because that'd have to be you," Rachel replied. "Also, at this rate? You're never going to make it to class."

Paige: "I told you I should just cancel today." Paige giggled a bit. "And what if I think you're hotter?"

Rachel: "Well, I'm not the beauty queen," she countered and simply led Paige in the direction of her class.

Paige: "Sooooo? I can still think you're prettier." Paige was happily pulled along, not paying attention to the direction they were headed.

Rachel: "I guess I can let you think you're right," Rachel relented as she paused near the door of the classroom, "Now go do your job."

Paige: That earned her a heavy sigh. Paige pulled Rachel to her for a kiss. "If I must."

Rachel: "You must because I must go for a smoke, and you'll just make faces at me the entire time," Rachel mumbled, stealing another kiss.

Paige: "You're right." Paige kissed her again. "See you after class?"

Rachel: "I'm always right, if I'm awake, and have a good day." Rachel was pretty sure that covered everything.

Paige: "You too." Paige smiled before turning to head into her class.

Rachel: Rachel grinned as she watched Paige head into class, though it faltered when she realized that had no idea what to do for a date. ...She needed that smoke. Now.