(Y/n) felt strangely cold that night, she'd grown more accustomed to sleeping with Gabriel for her liking. Despite that slight tinge of loneliness she was surprised when she actually managed to get to sleep.
She woke up late the next morning and was met with Clementine's parents when she walked into the kitchen as they laid out some breakfast for her.
"Good morning, dear, how did you sleep?" Polly, Clementine's mother, asked sweetly.
"Really well, thank you." (Y/n) said to her politely.
"I know you had a look at it last night but would you want something to put on your eye..? A cold rag? Some ice?" Polly followed up in concern.
(Y/n) declined, even though she was being offered she still felt guilty about it all.
"I think I'm going to try to get a bus out of town today." She announced. "Clementine sent me the location of a supposed uninfected community and there's a bus that can take me close enough to walk the rest of the way."
"If you need to stay longer then you're very welcome to." Ives said with a smile.
"Yes, and we can drive you anywhere you need to go." Polly added in agreement.
"I don't want to get you two in any trouble, I've got enough money to catch the bus. I really can't ask for anymore than what you've already given me." (Y/n) began to eat the warm food on her plate. "I can handle it, don't worry about me."
Ives and Polly looked at each other for a moment and then back at (Y/n). "We just don't want anything to happen to you, dear." Polly said. "Of course if you'd rather do this yourself then do be it, but we're happy to help."
(Y/n) was sat on the bed, she wondered if it was a good idea to send her parents a message. She missed them dearly and wouldn't want them to think she was dead or anything, even if she knew she couldn't see them again she still wanted to offer them closure.
She hesitantly turned the phone on and was immediately bombarded with texts upon texts from four of her contacts in particular. All the calls she'd missed from them were also racking up.
A small groan left her as she went to read through what they had to say, if not for her own sanity then for the sake of the small possibility that they may know where she is.
Gabriel: (Y/n)
Gabriel: (Y/n)
Gabriel: (Y/n)
Gabriel: (Y/n)
Gabriel: (Y/n)
Gabriel: Where are you?
Gabriel: I thought we were going together??
Gabriel: Have you heard the announcement? We need to leave.
Gabriel: (Y/n)
Gabriel: Just let me know you're safe
Gabriel: *please
Gabriel: Lloyd is with the nurse, you don't need to worry about him. I can bring you home just tell me where you are.
Gabriel: Please?
Gabriel: (Y/n)
Gabriel: (Y/n)
Gabriel: What's wrong? CALL ME WHEN YOU SEE THIS.
Gabriel: LET ME KNOW YOU'RE OKAY
Gabriel: TELL ME YOUR LOCATION AND I'LL FIND YOU.
Gabriel: I'm sorry for getting sidetracked with Lloyd. That was stupid, I should have left him. I'm sorry
Gabriel: Please, I'm so sorry and I won't forgive myself if anything happened to you
Gabriel: (Y/n)
Gabriel: Call me, okay?
She pinched her nose as she read through Gabriel's desperate texts all from the day before. She hadn't even though about the fact that her mentor probably thinks she got caught.
Again, that slight hint of pity that she associated with him played with her emotions but not enough to make her text him back.
She exited the conversation and went to the next one.
Unknown Number: Hey!
Unknown Number: I just woke up :D
Unknown Number: This is Lloyd btw (the nurse left her phone on)
Unknown Number: I heard you got mentioned in an announcement but don't worry! I've just asked Frankie to go and find you!
Unknown Number: She'll hold onto you for now but I'll see you soon. Your mentor was pretty mad at me haha
Unknown Number: You're obviously doing something right now...
Unknown Number: Text me back when you see this :)
Unknown Number: I love you!
Unknown Number: It's so nice being able to text you again, I can't wait for us to be together forever!
Unknown Number: I know you're probably upset about everyone knowing you're uninfected but I think it's really adorable!
Unknown Number: The nurse is coming back so I gotta go but I'll see you soon. Love you!!!! <3
(Y/n) didn't want to even think about Lloyd's reaction to discovering Frankie didn't exactly follow through on what she was meant to do. But luckily it seemed he didn't get access to someone else's phone to contact (Y/n) on.
Harvey: Okay... I know I fucked up.
Harvey: I'm sorry
Harvey: But please come back now I'm getting worried.
Harvey: If you're at a facility then tell them to contact me, I'll get you out of there, okay?
Harvey: Give them this number and I'll come and get you.
Harvey: I was really stupid with what I did in class but you were pissing me off.
Harvey: So don't piss me off again, yeah?
Harvey: If you just come back or even tell me where you are so I can get you, then we can forget all about this.
Harvey: I can forgive you, you can forgive me.
Harvey: This isn't funny.
Harvey: Text me back
Harvey: You're mine, stop trying to avoid this.
Harvey: I'm gonna find you
Harvey: Make this easier and just tell me where you are.
Harvey's were definitely the more aggressive messages out of the three. It wasn't typical of him to speak to her like that, or at least everytime he did he'd instantly back down with guilt and the slightest hint of upset on her end. Though she has a feeling that expressing discontent wouldn't get her out of this one.
There was still one more person she needed to check though she was hesitant to do so.
Wes had completely terrified her yesterday and she was scared to even see what he had to say to her.
Wes: I'm sorry
Wes:*SO SO sorry
Wes: I don't know what that was.
Wes: That wasn't me, you know I'm not that guy.
Wes: I just want to be with you and you were going to leave and I lost control.
Wes: I won't lose control again, I swear.
Wes: Where have you gone? I can get you out of here before you get caught.
Wes: If you're already caught and a facility worker is reading this: (Y/n) is mine! Contact me and I'll take her back!!!
Wes: I'm just really sorry
Wes: If you're scared of me then I get it.
Wes: You don't have to say anything.
Wes: I feel so awful.
Wes: You don't understand, this is worse than I've ever felt in my life.
Wes: I miss you, please come back.
She placed her phone down with a sigh, the emotional labor was effectively palced back on her shoulders. They all brought this upon themselves and yet she still was feeling this way.
(Y/n) concluded that she wouldn't reach out to her parents even if she wanted to. She could barely will herself to click on the texts they'd sent her. She had to move on and start a new life without them even if it was hard.
Just as she went to turn her phone off again, another notification came through on the chat between her and Wes that she was still on.
Wes: (Y/n)!
Wes: I can see you're reading this!
Wes: That means you weren't caught!
Wes: Tell me where you are.
(Y/n) muted his messages and quickly went to complete her packing, she had a bus to catch after all.