#bergen_county

.............

"Piper?" Zane says "Come on... it's weird looking for you in a little black book . Way too house lanister"

She hasn't gotten that far away. But is currently distracted as she somewhat noisily empties her stomach behind a bush. Hurk.

"Oh geez" He helps hold her hair "I'm sorry"

"You okay yet? Adam was worried"

A peek, wuff... "I didn't even know you ate carrots today"

She gives a weak laugh, heart not in it. “I... I want to go home. Can I just go home?”

"I..." he doesn't have the heart to say what comes to mind , "Let's get you to your room. I'll come back and let Adam know you're fine. Okay?"

She looks so relieved it looks like she might cry. Really, all this over some blood? “I can.. you go back. I can get home. Oh, the truck. We have to ditch it... uhhh, a couple blocks away and cops will call it a joy ride...”

"I'll take the truck then" he says "You go home. You've done enough. Okay?"

"And... look, I know it was wrong to ...bend Adam's mind so he thought he was a dog taking orders but... it was all I could think of. I know he'll be mad if he thinks on it... and I know you have a right to be mad.. but it's all I could think of and he wouln't move"

A distracted shake of her head. “If you hadn’t, I would have. I almost wish I had, he might forgive me quicker.... but I don’t think he’ll hold a grudge.” She hesitates, still.

If...” she swallows, and gives Zane a desperate look. “If the Count shows up? Don’t let him know I was... damnit. Damn gwydions. I won’t ask you to lie...” though she seemed just about to... “IF it comes up- any mention of me? Tell him. I wasn’t part of it. I didn’t know, no better than you did - less even. Please. Promise me?”

"If the count... you hadn't been there I wouldn't have searched in the first place. you did GOOD, Cousin" Okay? You did good." then he says "But I won't tell if that's what you want. Piper, I know you came here because of.. more than hyou tell folks, but I also know what I see... and I see someone who tries to do right by people. You're ... you're cool not because you try to be cool, but becuse your'e so cool to others."

“I... it’s not about me. I don’t want this to be about me. I can’t BE there if he comes though, okay? I’m no goddamn reaver, but I’m not... I’ve SEEN his prison.”

"I wondered..." He says "Yeah.. geeze you're brave just to reccomend him. Okay. You go to your room. I'll drop the truck off. Okay?"

“Okay.” She gives him a quick hug. “Tell Adam.., ...never mind. I’ll... talk to him when I see him.” And she heads off, picking up speed after checking the path.., and out of sight.

A hug back "yeah," And he watches her go, then heads to the stolen truck, stops, and looks at the swinging testicles on the stupid thing "Fuck it, before I drop you off, i'm getting bolt cutters. Probably give you better mileage and smoother ride"

PIper gets to the Wayburton house.. she can hear celebrations in the backyard winding down, but for her, it's stripping her clothes off for a shower, a towel off, and a flop into the bed.

And sleep. Yep.

...sleep.

...

Sleep? Maybe for someone else. And she tosses a comforter over the dresser mirror, hides her head under the pillow so that the moonlight filtering through the blinds doesn’t reflect off anything.

And waits for tomorrow.