𝐏𝐀𝐕𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄.

iv. the calm before the storm.

"dot it's been twelve hours, we're not any closer to finding them than the cops are." gabriel argued as he watched the girl lose her mind in her own steps, tracing the trail over and over til she'd find herself halfway into the forest. He wasn't wrong, they'd been there since six in the morning till six in the afternoon. He had only been able to convince her to sit in the car every few hours or so, trying to keep their hands from being frost-bitten. It was thirty minute intervals that she seemed to despise, her frozen fingers antsy to scavenge through bushes and kudzu crowded ditches.
  Yet, she knew gabriel wasn't as dedicated as she had been. If anything he stalked behind her in a shifty manner, looking every which way, maybe shifting a few logs over. It was as if he was scared to step away from her in any which way, yet they were in broad daylight for the majority of the time.

Alex's disappearance had to have put him on edge as well, it was understandable, the scene was gruesome even without a body. Just remnants of blood and distant tracks in the mud. One's she stared down at now as he blabbered in the background.

"It's christmas eve - it's supposed to snow later, we can't keep on in the cold." his reasoning caused her to pause for a moment, casting a glance his way. Christmas eve?
  When had the holiday been this close? How she didn't notice was a mystery to her, the whole trip had been gathered around the special occasion. She wondered that if they had stayed in chicago, that if she had listened to alex's wishes to do so, would they still be caught up in this mess? It wasn't likely. Now she was here, searching for them with someone that they were less than fond of. If it weren't for dot's guilt of ignoring the old friend, they could've been at home in their shitty apartment, ranting on about the stomping footsteps of the neighbors above them. Christmas was a sore subject anyway, disconnected from their families, they held each other dear to the holiday.
  Them 'forcing' each other to watch their favorite movies, polar express and the nightmare before christmas on loop as they went crazy for the hot chocolate.

It was the idea that christmas was meant for them, to spend the time with each other and to cast away the pessimistic view they had before. dot had messed with the tradition, and it had fallen apart. Even if gabriel had been a part of it before, that was three years ago, he wasn't a part of the routine they had set for themselves now. She stepped out of line and disaster struck from the sides, caging her into a place void of cheer and warmth. Still, the shuddering from the man behind her did bring her out of her thoughts, was it right to push him into the same drive? Him and alex weren't as close, but he was still around, that was enough. It was best to listen to the voice of reason, the one beckoning her to get out of the cold, even for a little bit.

"okay." she uttered, folding the ripped fabric of alex's jacket into her bag. She had brought it along as a reference, to see if any stray pieces had landed elsewhere, to match them together. At least the fur around the hood was intact, surprisingly. Handing gabriel the car keys, she allowed him to lead the way back. The forest was hollow as they trudged along the trail, several boot tracks facing the other way as they passed, the cops had made a mess of it. How would they find anything in the muck? It was all she thought about as she ducked under the caution tape, even as she buckled herself in.

The sun was setting early again, it would be dark soon. The streetlamps had already turned on along the streets, just barely illuminating the sidewalks yet. Lights she used to bask in only blinded her now, leading her to sink into her seat until they arrived, though it wasn't the way back to gabriel's home. Instead they turned into the parking lot of a particular dining, the 'open' sign flashing above a '24 hour' one. slugs cafe, the larger sign sat atop the roof. It wasn't an unfamiliar place, in fact it had been one she spent hours in with the two she called friends. It was just one of those spots that they had found refuge in.

Though she was dressed sloppily, it wasn't the worst the workers had seen her in. besides, it was mostly other people flying in through town just to make a quick stop to eat. She would never see any of these people again, so why did it matter?
  Zipping her jacket up, she got out of the car and shut the door with the bare minimum amount of force. She didn't have the energy to slam, but apparently gabriel did as he raced towards the entrance. following closely behind, she grabbed the handle before the door could close on her, gabriel's hunger overruled his manners. When she entered, she found him at a booth towards the back of the diner. One they had settled in several times before.
Him across from her, while the other two - or usually the other two - sat on the other side. The vacant space beside her felt dismal, begging for presence.