{"id":7373,"date":"2014-09-17T01:35:21","date_gmt":"2014-09-17T01:35:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/renne.finalknight.net\/?p=7373"},"modified":"2014-09-17T01:35:21","modified_gmt":"2014-09-17T01:35:21","slug":"rebeccaemilyrosen-beckys-hands-sweat-making","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/renne.finalknight.net\/?p=7373","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"

rebeccaemilyrosen<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

Becky\u2019s hands sweat, making them slip on the steering wheel of her silver beetle as she pulls into a parking space at the Odin bus terminal. \u00a0She\u2019s happy that Claire is going to be safe, but a bit terrified as well. \u00a0She worries that Claire won\u2019t like her or that she\u2019ll be unhappy staying with her. \u00a0What does she know about having a teenager around all the time? \u00a0When she was 13, she was angry at everything and spending months attached at the hip to the most dangerous girl in town.<\/p>\n

Sighing, she puts the car in park and adjust her coat. \u00a0\u201dEverything is going to be fine,\u201d she says to herself as she exits the car.<\/p>\n

Becky takes a seat on the benches inside the terminal and waits for Claire\u2019s bus to arrive.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

abitofclaireity:<\/p>\n

\n

The trip from Missouri to\u00a0Minnesota\u00a0is long and tiring, but Claire has found it almost impossible to sleep. Every time she started to nod off, nervousness and worry would curl in her stomach and send a chill down her spine. Was she doing the right thing? Or should she have stayed behind and waited for Dean?<\/p>\n

She is so exhausted and blurry-eyed when the bus finally pulls in that she almost leaves her bag behind, and it\u2019s only the kindness of the woman she had been sitting beside that made sure that she didn\u2019t. They\u2019d spoken a few times on the trip, Claire purposely vague about where she was going and who she would be meeting in an attempt to avoid having to deal with a helpful stranger.<\/p>\n

No such luck, and Claire finds herself with an unwanted \u2018supervisor\u2019 as she hauls her things along behind her, searching for Becky.<\/p>\n

She nibbles her lip awkwardly for a moment, trying not to look at her\u00a0escort\u00a0as she calls out for her \u2018Aunt Becky\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

rebeccaemilyrosen:<\/p>\n

\n

Becky looks up when she hears a voice call her name. \u00a0The girl is tall with long blond hair and an uncertain look on her face. \u00a0She looks older than 13; Becky would probably peg her for at least 15 from a distance, but Becky is reasonably certain this girl is Claire. \u00a0She smiles shyly and walks toward Claire, flicking her eyes over to quickly study the woman standing at Claire\u2019s side.<\/p>\n

\u201cClaire,\u201d she calls, waving. \u00a0\u201dLook at you. \u00a0You\u2019re so tall,\u201d she says, pretending that it\u2019s been a while between visits instead of their first meeting. \u00a0\u201dWas the ride okay? Do you need a hand with your bags? \u00a0Are you hungry?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

abitofclaireity:<\/p>\n

\n

“Hi Aunt Becky,” and it\u2019s pretty clear from her tone that she\u2019s also saying \u2018See? I\u2019m not running away you can GO AWAY now lady!\u2019, “It was\u2026 very long. Food would be totally awesome.” Nonsense chatter has never been her strong suit, and she clenches a fist around the bag with her mother\u2019s stuff in it for a second, trying to decide what to say next.<\/p>\n

Her guardian stranger takes the moment away from her with a bright and relieved smile and pats Claire on the shoulder. \u201cShe didn\u2019t sleep at all on the way, so you should probably get her settled in quickly. Thank you for the company, Claire.\u201d Like it was Claire\u2019s idea to seat them together or for her to tag along in the terminal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But she does turn around and head off, which leaves Claire shuffling awkwardly in front of Becky. \u201cSo um. Yeah.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

rebeccaemilyrosen:<\/p>\n

\n

Smiling, Becky tries to find the right words to say.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m glad you\u2019re okay.\u00a0 How about we get out of here?\u00a0 I\u2019ll pick up some burgers and maybe some shakes on the way back to my place, unless you\u2019d prefer something else to eat.\u00a0 I don\u2019t have a lot of groceries at the moment since, um, I haven\u2019t been spending much time at home\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

She fights the colour that rushes to her cheeks at the remark, but isn\u2019t very successful.\u00a0 \u201cIf there\u2019s anything you want, specifically, or if there\u2019s anything you can\u2019t have or if you have any allergies, let me know and I\u2019ll be happy to get it, or not get it, for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Becky tucks her hair behind her ear, feeling like she\u2019s talking too much.\u00a0 \u201cThe car\u2019s out here,\u201d she finishes lamely, pointing in the direction of the lot.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s the silver bug.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

abitofclaireity:<\/p>\n

\n

“Burgers?” Claire is her father\u2019s daughter; she perks right up at the thought of burgers. “Burgers are the best. And a chocolate shake!” her stomach rumbles at the thought of it.<\/em>\u00a0She\u2019d eat just about anything right now with how hungry she is.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“If you haven\u2019t been home, where\u2019ve you been staying, then?” Claire isn\u2019t sure if she\u2019s being nosy or not, but after how long it took to get here, she\u2019s too tired to care either way. “And no. No allergies, so we\u2019re good there.”<\/p>\n

She nods slowly, and adjusts her grip on her bag. \u201cAlrightie then. Let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

rebeccaemilyrosen:<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cRachel\u2019s makes the best burgers ever and the shakes are\u2026\u201d Becky just sighs, leading Claire toward the car. \u00a0She folds the passenger seat forward so that Claire can put her bag in the back as she ponders how exactly to answer Claire\u2019s question. \u00a0By the time they\u2019re settled in the car and Becky has them headed in the direction of Rachel\u2019s, she hasn\u2019t come up with a really good answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m seeing someone and it\u2019s not uncommon for me to end up being too tired to drive home after we hang out,\u201d she says, smiling a little. \u00a0\u201dHe\u2019s really great actually and super nice. \u00a0I mean, he\u2019s got a bit of a snarky sense of humor, but nice. \u00a0My place isn\u2019t very big\u2026it should be okay\u2026but if it\u2019s not\u2026he\u2019s offered to let us go there if we need more space.\u201d<\/p>\n

Becky turns her blinker on and pulls into the parking lot behind Rachel\u2019s. \u00a0\u201dDid you want to go in to eat, or is it okay if I just run in and grab us some food? \u00a0I don\u2019t live far from here, so it won\u2019t get cold or anything\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

abitofclaireity:<\/p>\n

\n

“Ooooh, real burgers? Not like McDonald\u2019s patties, but real meat? Awesome.” Claire is, perhaps, a touch over protective of her bag as she puts it into the back seat. There\u2019s nothing delicate or fragile in it, but she still sets it down carefully and makes sure that it won\u2019t fall over before climbing into the passenger seat.<\/p>\n

Claire smirks slightly as Becky speaks of her boyfriend. She\u2019s just getting into the whole liking boys thing, but she can definitely understand wanting to be with someone who cares about you. It\u2019s why she\u2019s\u00a0here\u00a0<\/em>after all. It does cause her jaw to drop and a surprised blink when his offer to put them both up is given. \u201cI\u2026 wow. That\u2019s really awesome, Becky. You\u2019re both way too nice.\u201d<\/p>\n

She shakes her head as they pull in. \u201cIt\u2019s okay if you want to go in. I\u2019m like\u2026 so tried I\u2019d probably fall asleep before we finished.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

rebeccaemilyrosen:<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d she says blushing. \u00a0\u201dI was really worried about you. \u00a0You\u2019ve been through a lot and I\u2019m happy to give you a safe place to stay.\u201d \u00a0She chuckles. \u00a0\u201dI think Adam\u2019s a bit lonely in his big, ol\u2019 house by himself. \u00a0We can talk about it more when you\u2019ve had time to settle in.\u201d<\/p>\n

She reaches into the back seat, careful not to jostle Claire\u2019s bag. \u00a0She\u2019d seemed sort of touchy about it earlier, so better safe than sorry. \u201cLock the doors behind me okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

Still jittery, terrified that Claire might disappear or get snatched when her back is turned, Becky makes her way into the diner. \u00a0Ann is happy to see her and asks her how Adam is and scolds Becky for not bringing him by again. \u00a0Becky orders two cheese burgers, two chocolate shakes and a jumbo order of onion rings to go and lets Ann chat at her while she waits for the food. \u00a0Finally, after being threatened with refusal of future service into bringing Adam by again soon, she returns to the car with the bulging bag of food.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

abitofclaireity:<\/p>\n

\n

Claire rubs the back of her neck and looks away from Becky as she flushes. \u201cYou didn\u2019t have to worry\u2026\u201d although it feels good to know that someone did. After a moment she turns back and sticks her tongue out. \u201cBleh! Being by yourself can suck so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

The teen nods and dutifully locks the doors as Becky disappears into the diner. Her fingers twitch and she shoves them into her pockets as she slouches in the passenger seat. One hand digs into her thigh, but the other one wraps around her phone; she pulls it out slowly. By this point she\u2019s well aware that she\u2019s not going to have the response she\u2019s waiting for on it, but some part of her can\u2019t help but hope.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She runs her thumb across the screen and bites her lip before she starts yet another message to her mother. She doesn\u2019t really have anything better to do while she waits for Becky to return, and surely her mom would want to know that she\u2019s safe and sound, right? Even if she never responds\u2026<\/p>\n

Claire shakes her head. She can\u2019t get all mopey now. Becky will be back\u2014 right about now, apparently.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

rebeccaemilyrosen:<\/p>\n

\n

Becky\u00a0maneuvers\u00a0the car door open with one hand, careful not to spill, and makes sure the shakes are secure in the cupholders and the bag neatly tucked down by Claire\u2019s feet before she closes the door and puts her seatbelt on. \u00a0Claire looks sad, but Becky\u2019s not sure that anything she can say will make it better, so she just smiles even though she would really like to reach over and hug the younger girl.<\/p>\n

She doesn\u2019t say much on the two minute drive back to her apartment because, for the first time in a while, she\u2019s at a loss for words. \u00a0Becky wonders if this is what the people in her life had felt like after her father had and Becky closed herself off from her family and friends. \u00a0She takes the food, waiting for Claire to get her bag, before leading the teen toward her apartment.<\/p>\n

\u201cMind the salt,\u201d she says, as they step over the threshold. \u00a0Becky sets the food and shakes down on the kitchen table, hoping that Claire won\u2019t think too badly of the books and DVDs stacked on the floor in the living room\u2026or the huge red Devil\u2019s Trap painted on the ceiling over the door. \u00a0\u201dThis is it,\u201d she says, spreading her arms to gesture to the room. \u00a0\u201dCasa de Rosen.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

abitofclaireity:<\/p>\n

\n

Normally, Claire would have dug into the bag and started munching the moment it was put in front of her, but between her exhaustion and not really knowing where she stands with Becky she manages to hold off.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When they arrive, she picks up her bag with just as much care as she had taken in putting it in the car. Everything that is left of her life, or her mom, is in that bag; she feels terrible about almost leaving it behind on the bus, so she all but clings to the bag when it\u2019s in her arms.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She follows Becky in a bit of a daze, the long trip really starting to catch up to her now that she\u2019s finally somewhere safe. Claire almost\u2014 almost!\u2014 skids her feet through the salt line, and it\u2019s only Becky\u2019s warning that has her lifting them up high enough to not break them. Her vision has\u00a0tunnelled\u00a0almost completely on the food, and she doesn\u2019t even bother taking in the room around her. She can look later, after food and sleep, it\u2019s not like the apartment is going to go anywhere, right?<\/p>\n

She licks her lips and nods when Becky spreads her arms, not totally hearing her. \u201cCool.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

rebeccaemilyrosen<\/p>\n

\n

Smiling a little, Becky grabs two plates from the cabinet and set out one of the foil wrapped burgers and half the onion rings on each. \u00a0She gestures for Claire to come sit at the table with her and, once Claire is seated, starts to eat. \u00a0She\u2019s a sucker for onion rings, so they\u2019re gone first and, though she tries her best, she can\u2019t make it all the way through her burger. \u00a0Being too full makes her a bit sleepy and sort of happy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you like it here, for however long you end up staying. \u00a0Tomorrow maybe, once you\u2019ve rested, we can maybe talk about the boring stuff like the possibility of you going to school or if you think we\u2019ve got enough space or if we need more\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Becky smiles nervously. \u00a0\u201dThe bathroom is the first door on the left when you get down the hall. \u00a0I wasn\u2019t sure if you\u2019d need anything, so I picked up one of those travel kits with the minis in it. \u00a0Your room is across the hall from the bathroom. Mine\u2019s at the end of the hall. \u00a0Really, that\u2019s about all there is to this place. \u00a0The doors and windows are all salted, so just keep that in mind when you\u2019re opening them or leaving. \u00a0I put my spare set of keys on your nightstand\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

She chuckles. \u00a0\u201dAnd here I am, babbling again.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

abitofclaireity:<\/p>\n

\n

Claire considers her burger for approximately three seconds before tucking into it with gusto. She barely stops to breath, let alone drink her shake or eat onion rings, so it doesn\u2019t take long before it\u2019s all gone and she turns her attention back to Becky.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She wrinkles her nose at the thought of going to school. \u201cTomorrow, definitely things to think about tomorrow.\u201d She nods slowly, her smile awkward and shy. This isn\u2019t exactly a situation she\u2019s used to getting herself into, after all.<\/p>\n

“Um well. No harm in babbling\u2026 I think I\u2019m going to go fall asleep now.”<\/p>\n

She\u2019s fairly certain she\u2019s going to have to get Becky to explain everything all over again when she wakes up. That\u2019s how tired she is.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

rebeccaemilyrosen:<\/p>\n

\n

Becky nods. \u00a0\u201dOf course, you must be exhausted. \u00a0I\u2019ll be up for a while longer. \u00a0If you need anything let me know, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

She starts to clear away the dishes and the garbage. \u00a0\u201dIf you can, try to think of anything you might need at the store tomorrow. \u00a0We\u2019ll go get some groceries, maybe some new clothes if you need them\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

The poor girl looks like she\u2019s going to fall asleep on her feet, so Becky takes pity on her and cuts off the stream of babble that\u2019s threatening to burst out. \u00a0\u201dGet some rest, Claire.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

abitofclairety:<\/p>\n

\n

Claire nods and starts shuffling towards the room Becky had prepared for her. She pauses for a moment before going down the hall. \u201cBecky? I know I\u2019ve said it like ten trillion times, but thank you so much. You have\u00a0no idea how much this means to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then she turns and heads towards the sweet siren call of a bed. She doesn\u2019t bother to get changed into her only sleeping clothes, just pulling off her jeans and dumping them into a pile beside her bag. And then she is curling up into a ball, whispering her nightly prayers to God and Castiel and Mom and Daddy in between yawns.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She doesn\u2019t finish before she falls asleep.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

rebeccaemilyrosen:<\/p>\n

\n

After she cleans up the kitchen and gives in to her paranoia to check the salt lines, Becky ventures down the hall and peeks in on Claire. \u00a0The girl is out cold and Becky pulls the door closed, leaving it cracked just an inch, before heading to the living room to watch a movie and catch up on her much neglected email.<\/p>\n

She\u2019ll sleep at some point, but not anytime soon.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

[17-post compilation from abitofclairety]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

rebeccaemilyrosen: Becky\u2019s hands sweat, making them slip on the steering wheel of her silver beetle as she pulls into a parking space at the Odin bus terminal. \u00a0She\u2019s happy that Claire is going to be safe, but a bit terrified as well. \u00a0She worries that Claire won\u2019t like her or that she\u2019ll be unhappy staying … Continue reading <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1230,1232],"class_list":["post-7373","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-abitofclairety","tag-rebeccaemilyrosen"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/renne.finalknight.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7373","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/renne.finalknight.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/renne.finalknight.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renne.finalknight.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renne.finalknight.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7373"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/renne.finalknight.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7373\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/renne.finalknight.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7373"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renne.finalknight.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7373"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renne.finalknight.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7373"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}