STORM

-twenty-seven-

When Storm got home, Joey wasn't there. She'd walked in with the intention of telling Joey about her and Gabriella, but had found the apartment empty. It wasn't until she'd called and texted him multiple times that she started getting concerned. Even when they argued, it was unlike Joey not to pick up her calls. He should have been home by now.

Deciding to wait, Storm turned on the TV, trying not to focus on her silent phone. As an hour crept by, Storm was beginning to freak out. She called him one more time, then went on to call Gabriella when he still wasn't picking up.

By the sound of it, Gabriella was outside. She heard some voices nearby and strained to see if they were familiar.

"Hey," Gabriella greeted, voice not as clear because of the wind. "Everything all right?"

"Joey isn't answering my calls and he should have been home a while ago, have you heard from him?"

"Is that Storm?"

Storm was pretty certain that was Ziv. Pulling away from the phone, Gabriella answered with a simple 'yes'.

"Say hi from us." That was definitely Thalia.

"Thalia and Ziv say hi."

There was some talking and shushing in the background before Storm heard a door opening and then shutting. She must have gone somewhere inside from the others. It was a lot quieter and the wind was absent, as well as the voices of Ziv and Thalia.

"Hey, I'm alone in my car now. Ziv and Thalia bombarded me with a visit like half an hour ago and dragged me outside, so...But anyway, Joey. It's weird he hasn't been answering. He always has his phone on him."

"I'm guessing you haven't heard from him, then?"

"I haven't, I'm sorry. I can try and call him?"

"Yeah, please do. What if something happened? He told me he would be home and he wouldn't just ignore me, even if he was mad at me."

"I bet he's fine. Give it a little while more, I'll call him, and if he still hasn't shown up, well..."

"Fuck, what if he got into an accident or something? What if-"

A door creaked open. Storm jumped out of the sofa and checked to see who it was. She almost let out a tear of relief when she saw Joey in front of her. Catching Gabriella quickly up on his appearance, she rushed out a goodbye and hung up. Before she could hurry over to ask what happened, she noticed he wasn't alone. Behind him stood a familiar person. One she hadn't heard from in a week. Eiji.

Lips parted, Storm glanced between them in confusion. Eiji had been mostly ignoring Joey for weeks, and all of a sudden he was standing behind him, hand around Joey's arm. As she got closer, she spotted the bags under his droopy eyes cast down at the floor and his disheveled hair. Joey had an almost protective stance in front of him, his t-shirt slightly wet like someone had been crying on it.

He was so focused on Eiji that when Storm spoke, he appeared startled. "What happened?" Was all that Storm could begin to ask.

"Eiji's staying here tonight," was Joey's reply.

It didn't answer the question, but she didn't pry, sensing it wasn't the time and place. She could only assume it was Eiji's story to tell if and when he wanted to. Instead, she nodded and stepped aside so they could pass. They disappeared into Joey's room and Storm was left alone to ponder on what could have happened between the two or so hours since she last heard from Joey. It clearly wasn't anything good. However, she was relieved he hadn't gotten into an accident or anything. That was something, at least.