Intertwined

Chapter 8: Lunatic

Derek’s POV

The train station was slowly coming together. I’d cleared out most of the junk that was left lying around and rearranged some of the things for my own purposes. I got the electricity working and the water running so I could take showers. Right now I was working on clearing out one of the train cars.

I picked up a crate heading through the door and moved it across the room. Standing back up I saw Ashley standing in the entrance. Folding my arms across my chest I leaned against the wall. “Doing some redecorating are we?” she commented. She had a smirk on her face, her hair framing her face which she brushed out of the way. She shifted the gym bag she was carrying on her shoulder.

With a slight smile on my face I looked down. “Just keeping myself busy,” I replied. I glanced back up at her, watching as she stepped farther into the room. “After all I’m a known fugitive. There’s not much I can do because somebody insists I stay inside.”

She rolled her eyes as she set her bag down on the ground. “Excuse me for having your best interests in mind. It’d make things rather difficult if you ended up in jail.” She knelt down and started rummaging through her bag. “What are you doing?” I questioned her. “I’m looking for something,” she said as if that wasn’t totally obvious. “Aha.” She stood up having found what she was looking for, a hair tie. She gathered her blonde tresses and secured it with the hair tie. As she was unzipping her jacket she said, “Okay, now I’m ready.”

“Ready for what?” I asked. She pulled her jacket off and tossed it on top of her bag, leaving her in a black tank top and pants. Putting her hands on her hips she gave me a pointed look, “To train. Remember, that thing you agreed to?”

I grimaced, rubbing the back of my neck. “Yeah, now’s not really the best time.” She threw her arms out in front of her. “What? Like you’re busy?” She had a point. “I’m just not in the mood.” She rolled her eyes and walked down the short set of stairs coming towards me. “You’re never in the mood,” she glared at me. “And I don’t care what you say, we’re doing this.” The next thing I knew her foot was connecting with my gut and I was knocked backward. She smiled at me sweetly as I leaned up on my elbows. “Wether you fight or not,” she finished.

I let out a soft growl as I got back to my feet. There was noway I was just going to sit here and let her use me as her personal punching bag. “If it’s a fight you want,” I started, circling her slowly as she smiled, “then it’s a fight you’ll get.”

I reached out to grab her but she moved out of my reach, ducking behind a pole. I followed after her. She struck out with her right hand coming at my shoulder but I leaned out of the way. We continued on like this for awhile. I backed up as she kept coming at me like rapid fire. Reaching up I blocked her with my forearm, grabbing her arm by her side and spinning her around.  I had her trapped till she drove her elbow into my gut causing me to release her. When I looked up again she was nowhere in sight. I glanced around checking every available hiding place. Focusing my hearing I tried to pick up the sound of her breathing or her heartbeat but came up empty. She was using everything we’d ever been taught. Slowly I started to move.

The station was silent except for my careful footsteps and the quiet shuffle of rodents. I took a deep breath picking up a trace of vanilla. I smiled to myself as I followed it. “It’s no use hiding when I can smell you,” I called to Ashley.

I was walking past a dark alcove when she launched herself at me from her hiding place but I was ready for her. By this point we were both breathing heavily. Ashley moved to strike me but I grabbed her arm spinning her around, kicking her legs out from under her and pinning her to the floor. “Game over,” I whispered hovering above her, my chest rising and falling. My hands relaxed their hold on her arms and she used that opportunity to knock my arms off of her and flip me over onto my back straddling me, my arms locked above my head. “Now it’s game over,” she breathed smiling down at me.