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Post by Halleigh Robinson on Jul 5, 2011 18:50:36 GMT -7
Halleigh tapped her fingers against the steering wheel of her brother’s car, her free hand adjusting the volume on the stereo. It had taken her around two hours to convince him to even give her the keys- two hours of begging and pleading, all to go run errands. Perhaps it was well justified on his part, after what she had done to her car… but that wasn’t something she particularly wanted to think about right then. She had always been a bit of a night owl, something that had worked out for her great in her earlier days of college when she had pulled all nighters to work on her papers, but something that wasn’t fully conducive to her current state in life. Student teaching all day, doing her homework in the afternoon, and going out with Cajun at night were more than enough to make her want to crash by seven every day, but finally, finally, summer break was upon her. For two and a half months, she didn’t have to get up before noon if she didn’t want to, and she could stay out as late as she wanted (which, considering the local businesses shut down around midnight other than the bars, wasn’t late.) She was feeling reckless, to say the least- which was the reason she was driving to Monroe at nine at night, to spend the night with her baby sister. Halleigh had very little in common with her sister, though they were close. They had fought like cats and dogs when they were younger, both physically and verbally, but as they had grown up and joined their seperate peer groups, they had settled down and even become friends. By the time Halleigh had graduated with her bachelors, she considered Elle one of her best friends. It hadn't taken nearly as much convincing to get her brother (a control freak to the core) to let her leave for the weekend (and therefore get out of staying with their father, who was… not fit to stay alone, at best) as it had to get him to loan Halleigh the car. For the most part, Halleigh’s relationship was a good one. They were very close, despite their almost opposite personalities, and the age gap kept them from fighting too much- unless Halleigh wanted to borrow his stuff. Then it was on. As she put her foot on the accelerator, she noticed that the car was beginning to make little popping noises, soft at first and then louder. "No..." She mumbled, easing off the gas, as if that would solve the problem. "You can't break down," she pleaded with the car. "He’ll will kill me." As if to spite her, the car lurched, and she pulled over to the shoulder, allowing it to roll to a stop. "Damn it!" Halleigh rarely cursed- it a habit she was trying to break herself of, considering she worked with third graders on a day to day basis- but just this once, she'd let herself get away with it. She turned the car off and sat for a minute, staring out the window at the darkness. At least she was still in Bon Temps, and not on the highway. Thank God for small miracles. She grabbed her purse out of the passenger's seat and fished around, looking for her cell phone. It wasn't buried in the compartment with all of the gum wrappers, nor was it under her book, or tucked in the zipper pocket that held her "emergency cash" that usually translated to "expensive overpriced coffee fix" money. It wasn't in the seat, nor was it in the floorboard. Which meant it was at home, on the kitchen counter, the pretty little green light from the charger giving off an alien glow on her countertop. "Son of a bitch." She hit her hand against the steering wheel, jumping as the horn sounded. She pulled the key out of the ignition and grabbed her purse, resisting the urge to give the car a good kick as she clambored out of it and shut the door. She looked around her surroundings, taking a moment to place where she was- and where she'd need to go for assistance. Halleigh hoisted her bag up her shoulder and began to walk in the direction of the police station, which could either be a blessing or a curse. She was hoping, given her current situation- rain soaked, on foot, and generally irritable- that she didn’t run into her “friend,” but Halleigh had never been that lucky. It took her twelve minutes of walking before she spotted lights up the road. She picked up her pace, glaring into the misty rain that froze her to the core, and she threw open the police department’s door with more force than was warranted.
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Post by Andy Bellefleur on Jul 5, 2011 19:28:02 GMT -7
Andy was working late that night - well hell, Andy worked late every night. He usually only went home to sleep, and there had been a couple of times he had slept on the couch in his office. There was always something to do at the police station after hours and Andy never seemed to get ahead - but in a place like Bon Temps, what did you expect?
Andy was a veteran, nothing surprised him anymore. Hell, he wouldn't be surprised now if it turned out fairies and elves existed. Vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, witches, and whatever the hell that Mary Ann was. Was it any surprise that he was just now turning to V? He swore he already lost his mind a long time ago and at least people were taking him more seriously now. He was Andy the town hero instead of Andy the town drunk.
Go Andy.
Just as his thoughts were drifting to how much things didn't surprise him anymore, the little chime to signify someone entered the station went off. Andy was both excited and irritated by the sound, wondering just who was out in the rain anyway. He came around from his office, surprised to see Halleigh standing there soaked to the bone.
"Oh wow, you look like a drowned rat"
He reached for his jacket hanging by the wall and brought it over to her - it was drier than she was and at least it would warm her. He honestly never expected to see her again, not after their last confrontation at the barn party. He nodded towards the coffee machine behind the receptionist desk.
"Help yourself to a coffee, what are you doing here anyway?"
He figured he might as well ask, she was probably going to tell him anyway.
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Post by Halleigh Robinson on Jul 5, 2011 19:55:40 GMT -7
It was almost enough to make Halleigh want to turn around and walk back into the rain, almost. Instead, she let out a long sigh when she saw Andy as she steeled herself for an interrogation of some sort- either because she was too stupid to walk into the belly of the beast herself, or for the goods she no longer had. Either way, this was not going to be any more pleasant than calling her brother to tell him she had done in his precious car.
"Oh wow, you look like a drowned rat"
The look she gave him could have been scathing- but it was hard to look intimidating at all when she was dripping a puddle on the floor from her clothes. “Thanks. That’s what every girl loves to hear.” She said sarcastically. She blinked when he moved to the coat rack and then handed her a coat- one that was blessedly dry, and looked warm, at that. She raised her gaze to his, her hostility displaced by confusion and… gratitude? “Thank you.” Her voice was quiet, but sincere, and she shrugged the coat on, pulling it tight around herself. Without her usual bravado, she looked a lot smaller, a lot more fragile.
"Help yourself to a coffee, what are you doing here anyway?"
Halleigh did just that, grabbing a paper cup and filling it with the warm liquid. She didn’t care if it tasted like tar, she was going to drain every single drop of it. She put the cup to her lips and took a sip, looking at him thoughtfully as she did so. It wasn’t like she could say she was “just dropping in,” after all, so she might as well tell him the truth. “My car broke down and I don’t have my cell phone. I was hoping I could borrow one.” She finished the coffee and poured herself another cup, already feeling much warmer than she had. “I’m on my way to Monroe.” It was probably the most she had ever said to him willingly, and certainly the nicest she had been towards him. Her gaze was still slightly suspicious, as if she expected he might decide to stop being so nice, but for the most part, she seemed more than willing to be civil as long as he was.
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Post by Andy Bellefleur on Jul 6, 2011 7:18:40 GMT -7
Lucky for the both of them perhaps, Andy hadn't come completely down from his last drop of V yet. He was in between the stages where he would be good for another two hours before his body wanted more. There was also the reassurance that he still had another two and a half bottles close by so he didn't need to start panicking... yet. Andy found every excuse he could to justify taking a drop of V - tonight his excuse was that he was alone in the office until two and he needed to be alert.
“Thanks. That’s what every girl loves to hear.”
Andy just shrugged, it wasn't like he was in the habit of trying to impress girls. Andy was a workaholic, he wasn't even sure he could have a girlfriend with the way his schedule was. If he ever did get a girlfriend she would probably have to work as much as he did - or at least have supper waiting for him when he got home, that would be nice.
“My car broke down and I don’t have my cell phone. I was hoping I could borrow one. I’m on my way to Monroe.”
"I hate to tell you, but at this time of night nobody is going to be able to look at your car. The best you can do is get it towed to the station and have a mechanic look at it in the morning. If you need a ride to Monroe I can take you, it is a pretty dead night tonight anyway"
Andy shrugged again, the offer was there and it was up to her if she was going to take it. He took his own seat in one of the chairs in the lobby. "Listen, I know I owe you an apology for the other night. I wasn't in the right frame of mind." He couldn't think of any way else to put it as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "The phone is right behind the counter, if you need to call anybody to tell them you are going to be late"
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Post by Halleigh Robinson on Jul 7, 2011 20:41:30 GMT -7
Slowly warming up, courtesy of his coat, Halleigh glanced around curiously. She hadn’t been in a police station since she was seven, when her school took a field trip to the precinct, possibly in hopes of scaring them all straight. It hadn’t given the desired effect, as most of the kids had spent the time misbehaving, and a good number of them were now getting high every night, or selling things… like Halleigh. She was hardly pristine.
Her gaze turned from Rosie’s desk to Andy, and she stared up at him unabashedly. Cajun’s influence had done some to stifle some of the flame that Halleigh usually had about her, but she was still the same girl that he had bought V from: more certain on the outside than in, her weapons her words. “How come you’re all alone tonight?”
"I hate to tell you, but at this time of night nobody is going to be able to look at your car. The best you can do is get it towed to the station and have a mechanic look at it in the morning.
Halleigh shrugged. She had no problem putting off calling her brother and telling him about his precious car, but she didn’t think Elle would be so easily avoided. Nor did that solve how she would get home, as her sister was notorious for not answering her cell phone when she didn’t know the number.
If you need a ride to Monroe I can take you, it is a pretty dead night tonight anyway"
“Really?” Halleigh blinked. Monroe was a good forty-five minutes away. “I mean, I don’t have anything to give you, in return…” She glanced away, scuffing her feet against the floor. Was that what this was about, V? He had to want something from her- no one was ever nice to her for no reason at all.
"Listen, I know I owe you an apology for the other night. I wasn't in the right frame of mind."
Halleigh bit back the retort that automatically came to her lips, instead swallowing it as she moved, leaning against the side of his desk. “Ah, thank you.” She said quietly. “I’ve heard it’s hard… I wouldn’t know from experience.” She ran a hand through her dark curls, the sleeve of his coat falling up her arm. “I owe you an apology as well, for the other night.”
"The phone is right behind the counter, if you need to call anybody to tell them you are going to be late"
“She won’t pick up the phone, even if I do call.”
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Post by Andy Bellefleur on Jul 8, 2011 18:44:31 GMT -7
“How come you’re all alone tonight?”
"Too many people, not enough police men. We all have to do our share, and Jason had his turn last night. "
Andy probably could of done with another six police officers on the force and still not have enough in Bon Temp's. Jason had turned out to be a blessing in disguise, even if Andy had to pull quite a few strings to get him on the force - it had been worth it.
Halleigh had been surprised that Andy was offering her a ride to Monroe, and Andy was already heading to the closet to get an umbrella for her and his spare jacket.It was hard to say if Andy would of made such an offer to anybody else, but right now that offer had been made to Halleigh.
“Really? I mean, I don’t have anything to give you, in return…”
"It's no big deal, Kenya will be here any minute to take over for the night shift and I've had enough coffee to be up for another three hours."
The conversation between them continued, both of them offering an apology to one another for the "V" incident at the barn party. Andy however, was still suffering through his V addiction and fighting the urge to ask Halleigh if she had any more. The door had opened and Kenya had come inside, giving Halleigh and Andy a strange look as she headed toward the staff room.
"Didn't realize you had company Andy"
"It's not like that Kenya, I am just giving her a ride to Monroe"
"Giving her a ride to Monroe? Is that what you kids are calling it these days?"
"Shut up Kenya, you can be replaced you know"
Kenya just laughed, taking her place behind the desk. "Whatever you say Sheriff"
Andy mumbled underneath his breath and handed Halleigh the umbrella, putting the jacket on himself as he headed toward the door. "Let's get going"
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Post by Halleigh Robinson on Jul 8, 2011 20:21:31 GMT -7
"Too many people, not enough police men. We all have to do our share, and Jason had his turn last night. "
Halleigh nodded- that made sense. She couldn’t help but wonder, however, what her sister (who believed strongly in fate and things happening for a reason,) would have to say about him being the one working tonight when she had wandered in. She’d never have a chance to ask Elle about it- her little sister had no idea what Halleigh was doing for money, outside of tutoring. The fact that Elle would probably hit her up for some scared her enough to never bother telling her.
As he went to the closet, Halleigh continued to watch him. She was positive that had they met under different circumstances, she would have liked him- he had that dry, raw sense of humor that she did, and she had always appreciated guys that didn’t back down from her in a challenge. Now that he was being nice to her… well, it was conflicting her previous idea of him, to say the least.
"It's no big deal, Kenya will be here any minute to take over for the night shift and I've had enough coffee to be up for another three hours."
“Are you sure? I mean, I don’t want to inconvenience you if you have somewhere else to be.” Like home in bed, or with his family- like she should be. “I can call a cab or something.”
The door to the precinct opened and Halleigh turned, half expecting some other out of luck traveler to have wondered in… but if that was the case, this one had a uniform on. Halleigh watched the exchange between the two, very aware of how it must look to the other woman: her in his coat, still completely wet, they fact that they were alone… add in the fact she was blushing, and she certainly looked guilty of something. “It’s nothing like that.” She mumbled, looking at the floor.
She took the umbrella when he offered it to her, giving a halfhearted wave to Kenya as she headed outside, holding the opened umbrella aloft.
"Let's get going"
“Thanks again, for this.” She waited for him to unlock the car before shutting the umbrella, running the last few steps to get into the passenger seat. “You’re saving me a lot of trouble.”
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Post by Andy Bellefleur on Jul 8, 2011 21:55:25 GMT -7
“Are you sure? I mean, I don’t want to inconvenience you if you have somewhere else to be. I can call a cab or something.”
Andy looked at her, giving her a funny look. ”Would you stop that? If I didn't want to take you I wouldn't have offered, damn!” He didn't understand why she was so worried about it anyway, it wasn't like he was flying her to the moon. Sure, he was driving forty five minutes out of his way at night but it beat sitting at home staring at the television and trying to resist taking more V than his body could handle.
And it wasn't like Kenya was any help, lord knew what she was thinking of the situation and nor did he care to know. At least Kenya wasn't a gossip, if it had been Jason he wouldn't hear the end of it. The whole town wouldn't hear the end of it, if it had been Jason.
“Thanks again, for this. You’re saving me a lot of trouble.”
Andy nodded, opening the door for her before getting into the drivers side and turning the car on. He pulled onto the road, heading toward Monroe before he turned on the radio and kept the volume low enough if she wanted to talk. Andy didn't know why he was so nervous as they got down the road, he was having trouble trying to find what to say to her as he cleared his throat and glanced toward her.
”Yeah so, nice night, no drunks on the road.”
Horrible choice for conversation. Andy wasn't exactly the best conversationalist.
”Yep, nice night.”
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