Cold to the Touch

Chapter Thirty-Three

(Nora's POV)

"Cecile and Joe are talking with Ambres again." I said, walking into the cortex the next morning, Dawn by my side. "She's upset that she's been called in for questioning more than once so it might take some time for her to budge."

"Hopefully she will." Dad said, rubbing his forehead. I frowned, he seemed stressed. I know that this whole situation had all of us on edge, but dad was always one to shoulder everything without an outlet to lighten his burden.

"Dad? Why don't you take the day off?" Dawn said, shrugging. "I mean, without Ambres, we can't really move forward with the plan."

"I don't need to take time off." Dad said, shaking his head.

"Dad, mom is even taking some time off today. Until Ambres agrees to help, there is nothing for any of us to do." I said. "Uncle Cisco already has enough of the cure ready for both Orlin and Grace. He's working on the mental activity dampeners as we speak. We don't really need to be here."

"What if something happens?" Dad said, looking up at both of us. He looked tired.

"We have an alert system. No use in exhausting yourself before the fight." Dawn said, giving him a pointed look.

"Maybe you're right." He said, running his hands down his face. "Sorry, I'm just so worried about how all of this is going to end. I want to get through to Orlin, make him choose the right side."

"I know, dad." Dawn said, walking over to pull him into a hug. "What you're doing right now is not going to help though. You need to rest."

"You two are too smart for your own good." He said, hugging Dawn back. "Alright, I'll head home."

"Maybe go see mom?" I offered up with a shrug.

"You two just want the loft to yourselves." Dad laughed, shaking his head at us. "I do want to go spend some time with you mother though."

"See! Perfect opportunity!" I grinned. "Now run along."

Dad rolled his eyes before running off in a flash of lightning.

"I'm heading back to the loft." I said, turning to Dawn. "I'm exhausted, I slept terribly and then had to get up early."

"I know, I also had to get up early." Dawn said, rolling her eyes at me. I stuck my tongue out before walking out of the room at normal speed. "You aren't even going to run?"

"I don't feel like it." I sighed. "You can run us home, can't you?"

"Fine." Dawn groaned, grabbing a hold of me and running us both back to the loft. "Are you just going to take a nap?"