1/27 Instance: Something in the Shadows

[Slarti]

Current timeline.

<Jessica> Jess couldn't sleep, it was difficult most nights what with the nightmares and the still healing bruises making her uncomfortable and anxious. So, rather than lying in bed and keeping Sebastian awake with all her shuffling, Jess retreated to the cupola with a blanket. She curled up by one of the windows, wrapped securely in the blanket and watched the world go by.

<Jessica> It wasn't an especially interesting pastime at one in the morning but it didn't need to be interesting, just distracting. Her eyes wandered over the street and to the building opposite theirs when a small bit of movement caught her eye. She froze, staring hard into the darkness, unsure of what she'd seen but more than a little alarmed.

<Shaw> It made him more uncomfortable when Jessica preferred to spend her nights elsewhere. Sebastian settled into a light doze, arm thrown across his face to block out the light from the windows and the street outside.

<Jessica> Even as she watched there was another tiny movement and the light of a passing car reflected off of something. Jess didn't know what to do, she was frozen to the spot in fear. Was someone watching their house? What if that reporter was back?

<Shaw> The surge of panic in his mind brought him halfway awake again, and confused. Rolling onto his side, he squeezed his eyes shut and tried to bury his face in his pillow, automatically reaching for Jessica but finding nothing but cold bedsheets.

<Jessica> Sebastian? She hoped he was awake. Her eyes hadn't left that spot in the alley where the light had hit and she was afraid to move.

<Shaw> This made him snort awake, pushing himself up on one elbow and looking around the room before he realized she wasn't in the room. Are you all right?

<Jessica> No... I'm scared... She leaned forward as though this would allow her to see further into the darkened alleyway. I saw something outside...

<Shaw> Sebastian looked at the window, as if that would answer the question, then jerked upright. Within a few moments, he was padding through the door and up the stairs, realizing Sharky had hopped off the bed to follow.

<Jessica> Relieved to hear him on his way up, she focused again on the alley. She couldn't see anything else.

<Shaw> Four legs, even four stumpy ones, seemed to be faster than Sebastian's two at the moment, and Sharky soon bounded past him, somehow already knowing where they were going. He rubbed both hands over his face and through his messy hair.

<Jessica> Jess sucked in a breath as Sharky's cold paws found her feet, glancing down at him as he burrowed under her blanket for cuddles.

<Shaw> He was moment behind the pet, not speaking as he moved in behind her where she huddled on the floor and placed his hand on her shoulder, looking out into the dark. What did you see?

<Jessica> In the alley across from us... I think there's someone there...

<Shaw> Squinting, he leaned closer to the window. None of the proximity sensors he'd installed in their home had gone off, but he'd need to check.

<Jessica> Jess watched him, cuddling Sharky while she waited on the verdict.

<Shaw> Enhanced senses did him no good, and he stared for what felt like a very long time, analyzing the shadows. Finally, he blew out a breath and shook his head. "I don't see anything, love."

<Jessica> "There was something there... I'm sure there was...." she looked again at the alley.

<Shaw> "What did it look like?" He lowered himself to the cold floor, and after a moment moved in close beside her, banding his arm around her. "I'm assuming you believe it was a person and not an oversized raccoon?"

<Jessica> She leaned against him, nodding to the question. "I saw movement... not much of it but there was some and there was a car... the headlights shone on something...."

<Shaw> "I can check the cameras." He looked back out to the alley, stifling a yawn.

<Jessica> "Would you? I need to know what it was..." she looked up at him, head resting partially on his shoulder.

<Shaw> He closed his eyes and made a noncommittal noise.

<Jessica> "I didn't imagine it... there was something there..." she didn't know who she was trying to convince at this point. Maybe it had just been an animal and she was being paranoid.

<Shaw> After a few moments more, he sighed and opened his eyes, pulling away from her to get up. "On one condition," he started.

<Jessica> "What condition?" She watched him get to his feet, making no move to get up herself.

<Shaw> "You should come with me." He held out his hand to her and waggled his fingers once.

<Jessica> She sighed, taking his hand and getting up with the blanket, Sharky waddled his way back down the stairs ahead of them.

<Shaw> Pleased she hadn't argued, he smiled slightly and gave a last glance out the window on their way out. Leading them back to their room, he only let go of her once he'd gotten her seated on the bed and retrieved his tablet from its case on the nightstand.

<Jessica> She curled up again, hugging her knees beneath the blanket while her eyes followed him around the room.

<Shaw> He sat next to her, logging on to the monitor of their security system and checking for any abnormalities.

<Jessica> Jess leaned against him once she was seated, watching the screen on the tablet instead. "Anything?"

<Shaw> "No." He yawned again, scrolling through status reports and then finding the camera that monitored that side of the building and pulling up the proper feed. Estimating the time, he scanned back through the footage.

<Jessica> "I can't have imagined it..." she chewed her lip, turning to rest her chin on his shoulder and watch his face.

<Shaw> "Perhaps it was an animal?" He blinked the sleep from his eyes as he watched the sped-up footage within the proper time frame.

<Jessica> She shook her head, "It was too high up..."

<Shaw> "Some unfortunate homeless wretch?" Bums weren't common in the area, but it wasn't impossible. Sebastian switched the feed to another angle and repeated his scan.

<Jessica> "I don't know... maybe..." though she'd expect any hobo to be huddled up at ground level at this time of night and trying to sleep.

<Shaw> He saw no evidence of a hobo either, though he didn't say anything. Even a switch to the thermal settings revealed nothing out of the ordinary.

<Jessica> She sighed, closing her eyes and shifting to rest her forehead against his shoulder instead, "There's nothing there, is there?"

<Shaw> Fighting another jaw-cracking yawn, he shook his head, then looked down at her. "The security system picked nothing up," he hedged.

<Jessica> "I'm sure I didn't imagine it..." but she must have done or there'd be something.

<Shaw> "Love, you haven't been sleeping much, you could just be overtired." He set the tablet aside after tapping in the order to notify him of any irregularities.

<Jessica> "Maybe... I'm sorry..." she wrapped her arms around him, enveloping him in the blanket with her.

<Shaw> "No need to apologize." He turned toward her and trapped her in his arms before flopping backward onto the bed. Sharky squeaked and squirmed from under his arm and he chuckled.

<Jessica> Jess squeaked too but settled against him, pulling the blanket more comfortably over them both. "I woke you up..."

<Shaw> Sharky wriggled between them and he found he didn't care. "I hadn't been asleep long." He turned his face toward her and nuzzled into her hair.

<Jessica> "But still... I woke you up for nothing..." she cuddled into him, wrapping an arm around the wriggly dog-thing.

<Shaw> "Not for nothing, I have you here with me now." He was too tired to contemplate that she was apparently seeing things now. Perhaps he should task his creation with some patrols, just in case.

<Jessica> That made her smile and nuzzle his chest, "I'll stay down here now..."

<Shaw> "Excellent," he mumbled. "Then not a waste at all."

[steyn]

an oversized raccoon

[Slarti]