Chance and Reason

Chapter Fourteen

A/N: I haven't really got anything to add, so I just hope that you're having a good day and that you enjoy this chapter!

Low voices and shuffling outside the bedroom door woke Camila. She was out of bed at once, going in search of Lauren. The living room was empty, but the agent's blankets were still strewn across the sofa. Seeing the place where the revelations of last night had taken place made Camila yearn even more for the other girl.

"Lauren?"

Her call yielded no response, so she headed for the kitchen. A gut feeling told her that somebody was inside, but as she opened the door, it became obvious that it was not Lauren.

"Who the hell are you?" she shrieked, backing away from the unknown woman who was stood in the room.

"Hey, it's okay!" the woman beamed, holding her hands up to show that she was safe, "I'm Officer Brooke, but you can call me Ally. You must be Camila!"

"Where's Lauren?"

Ally ignored the question and cheerily held up a mug.

"Would you like a coffee? Tea, perhaps?"

"No," Camila shook her head, "I just want to know where Lauren is,"

"Agent Jauregui isn't here," Ally sighed at last, "She resigned in the early hours of this morning,"

"She what?!"

"Resigned," the officer repeated before turning around to the refrigerator, "Do you know what, I think I'll get us both an orange juice, it'll be far more refreshing,"

Camila found herself backing out of the room, hands winding up into her hair as she felt panic setting in. Lauren had left her. After all the progress that they had made last night, she had abandoned it all. This was a nightmare.

"Camila?"

She could hear Ally's voice, but it wasn't sinking in. The room was spinning; furniture blurring into hideous haze that left her feeling nauseous. Beneath her feet, the floor seemed to be shifting, as if nothing was really stable any longer.

"Oh dear, look at you!" Ally gasped, rushing forward to help the staggering girl to a chair, "You've had a bit of a shock, haven't you!"

"Why did she go?" Camila asked croakily as she collapsed into the seat.

"I didn't get given any actual details, honey," Ally said gently, rubbing the other girl's back, "All that was mentioned to me was that 'unforeseen circumstances' had arisen,"

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know, babe," she responded tenderly, "I just got a call a couple of hours ago saying that I needed to replace an officer. But, if it's any consolation, I'm sure it wasn't anything serious,"

"So she'll come back?" Camila shakily mumbled.

"I... er..."

The motions of Ally's hand stilled as her face fell.

"She will come back... right?"

"I'm sorry, babe," the officer apologised, "I think her resignation was fairly final,"

Pain. Real, genuine pain erupted inside Camila's ribcage. Something was shattering internally.

Burying her head in her hands, she allowed the agony of rejection to flood through her. She both appreciated and detested Ally's attempts to provide comfort. While the knowledge that there was somebody there to support her was nice, the fact that it wasn't Lauren made everything so much worse.