Consuming Fire

Chapter 63

Hunter and Will slept soundly and wholly in each other's arms for the first time since their return from ICE. Perhaps they were simply overtired, or maybe it was the comfort of another person that made sleep seem less frightening. Either way, they woke up and said good morning to each other, deciding first that what they needed was some breakfast and some coffee. Then they could figure out what to do next.

Not only were they facing the biggest threat to mankind the world had ever known, what with Dr. Wolfe having Ravenadium in his possession, but now Hunter had the issue of Will on her shoulders and what stage their relationship had moved up to after sleeping together.

Things were much simpler in Physics class.

Will mentioned nothing while they walked down to the kitchen, his hand holding hers as though that were the most natural thing in the world and he hadn't freaked out over her touch just a few days ago on the hill in Seattle. She would normally psycho-analyze his behavior like any human being, but circumstances were different to normal life and frankly ... she just didn't care.

They found the breakfast hall occupied by only a few SSS members that she wasn't familiar with just yet. She and Will walked to the coffee pot and Will decided to fetch some toast. As Hunter was stirring a sugar into her black coffee she felt the presence of someone behind her and – thinking it was Will – raised the coffees and turned to see Eli.

Shock caused her to drop both Styrofoam cups and splash coffee all over her legs and the grates of the floor.

"Oh shit," she muttered.

"S-sorry," he said and bent down to pick up the cup. "I didn't mean to scare you."

A few of the SSS members stared at them from a table nearby, but otherwise left them alone to clean up. Hunter took some napkins from the coffee table and dabbed at her jeans and shoes.

"It's okay, it's my fault."

"Want me to grab you another coffee?" he asked.

Hunter straightened up and looked at Eli directly in the eye for the first time since they came face to face the night she arrived. In a split second, she was able to come to the conclusion that when Joshua woke Eli up from cryonics state, not only did he not remember her, but his personality had changed as well. She noticed that he was much more confident than he used to be. He didn't look down as much. There wasn't the same innocence in his turtle-green eyes. He wasn't the same Eli she knew, therefore he wasn't the same Eli she fell in love with.

That made it easier to deal with any guilt of sleeping with Will when – technically – she had never broken up with Eli. It wasn't a conversation she really wanted to delve into the morning after.

"It's okay, I'll make it." She took the cup from him and turned her back to fill it.

"Hey, uh." Eli lifted a cup from the stack. "I was wondering if we could talk."

"Is there really anything we need to discuss?"

"I'm not sure, to be honest."

He reached over her to pour milk into his coffee. Hunter watched him check the bottle first before deciding not to add it. He put the carton down with a sigh and didn't see her smirking.

At that moment, Will walked up to the two of them with a plate of eggs, bacon and toast, looking as though he wanted to turn right around and walk out of the room.

"Am I interrupting something?"

"No, not at all." She held out an arm and pointed to a nearby bench.

The three of them swung their legs over the chairs and sat down facing each other. Will slid Hunter's plate under her nose and she shot him a side-ways thanks.