Midnight Racer-Tony Stark's Daughter

five

That first night they drove, well Dallas had driven and driven farther and farther away from not-home and each more miles he saw switching numbers on the mileage on the car Griffin felt freer then he ever had his whole life.

She'd pulled over into a stop for the nigh', Stars were out yonder and shinin' bright and beautiful they were, he watched as she crawled on through to the back seats and lay down.

"Well come on, you don't want to get a crick in your neck from those seats, they hurt big time." That Girl now she pulled him to the back, it was bigger than he thought from glancing once, he landed on soft blankets by where the feet go.

"Thank ya." He'd relished in that blessing.

"No need cowboy, it's nice to have someone to talk to now." He could just hear her smile, he couldn't describe it but it was like a sixth feeling he'd gotten when he met this girl. Like he'd gotten attached already and knew he didn't want to let it go anytime soon.

It was times like now that Griffin wishes he could just turn back his watch and have time go along with it too, that he could just be on the road traveling with Dallas and wake up with her leaning on him or vise versa. Just a safe bubble they had since they met, even now waking up with her leaning on his shoulder where he'd fallen asleep in the waiting room.

A sense of peace. A-A freedom she could only give him, Griffin just wishes he wouldn't get so attached to people like Cooper. Because now, there was one more person he cares about, one more person to think about, one more person to watch out for.

He believes that maybe he gets his ambition to be careful because he doesn't want to lose or get attached to people he cares for now. Not again, and not no more in the future. Because the moment he sleepily watched the Doctor stroll up sulkin' an such, Griffin knew he was not bearing anything good with him.

"Dal, wake up, the Docs here." Griffin lifts her head off his shoulder slowly and gently, he'd never hurt her.

The Ice pack slides off her face, he catches and gives it back to her though it's mighty squishy and not ice anymore. She feels this too because she tosses it to the table where the magazines with them pretty women advertising furniture were. They stand.

Griffin doesn't feel weird when he grabs her hand.

"I'm so sorry we did everything we could, he didn't make it."

It was different than being left behind by family who he'd loved and tried to impress or give them a reason to love them back than someone who'd stuck by his and Dallas' side for years, fully supporting them and appreciating their existences. This feels way worse than being abandoned, it feels cruel and not right.

T-They has to be lyin', Cooper was just–he was just talking to them in the car not but five hours ago, no, he was sittin' up in a hospital bed waitin' on them to bring him junk to eat–he wasn't, he couldn't...

"You're lyin'."

Dallas' hand felt like an anchor, it didn't hurt, he'd never hurt her.

"I'm extremely sorry for your loss, please accept my condolences." The dumb faced looking lyin Doctor smiles with sadness.

People don't lie with sadness, you cant fake sadness.

"Griff, he's telling the truth Coop didn't make it." Dallas squeezes his hand now, yes she does, the anchor is now sinking through his heart and rips it in half tearing each side to shreds.

People who love you back aren't supposed to leave.

Now that's what she'd said to him all those years ago when he'd been all upset about his Ma and Pa again. Now it's a lie, it ain't truth, Griffin didn't know truth no more.