Ever After -Completed-

You Won't Believe

><Meg>< 

When I woke up in the morning, Collin was gone. 

I walked into her room around six, ready to start the usual back-and-forth routine of dragging my hungover friend out of bed. My eyes were still drooping tiredly as I stumbled in. Even after a month or so of going through the motions, I still wasn't used to waking up early. 

The pillows were arranged cleverly enough that I didn't even realize she was gone until the sheets were pulled back. 

What surprised me the most was how clean the whole room was. No more broken glass or empty bottles. The mess of clothes had disappeared into a hamper. I hadn't actually seen it this clean in years. Collin wasn't a very clean person to begin with. 

I moved through the house, calling her name. When it was clear I would get no answer, I checked out all her usual haunts. The park, the bakery, even a few museums she occasionally went to. All of them twice, just in case, and half my day was gone before I gave up. 

Then I remembered one last place she could be, the last place that made sense and didn't scare the absolute shit out of me. 

And, if I broke a few speed laws and ran a block or two, I might actually just make it in time.

/\Matt/\

We were about to go on when a hand grabbed my wrist. Startled, I immediately jumped into defense mode, only to see it was just Meg. Not that "just Meg" was a thing, but still. At least it wasn't a crazy person. 

"Hey," I shifted the guitar onto my hip so it was more comfortable. "What happened to you?"

She was sweating lightly, though shivering in only what looked like pajama shorts and a tank top. Meg's hair was a disaster area, high on her head in a bun that didn't seem to have been brushed. 

She didn't even take the time to greet me with her usual affectionate glare before crumbling. Meg, from what I could figure, was a closed off person at best, but now it seemed like everything in her exploded. "Collin was missing this morning and I looked everywhere, literally everywhere, but she wasn't there so this is the only place she could be otherwise she's dead. If she's not here than she's dead because there's nowhere else for her to be."

It seemed like Meg had been trying to keep it all together but had fallen apart at the last moment. Which, again, I considered out of character for someone like her. I guess this meant she trusted me? Whatever the reason, this wasn't an opportunity I wanted to blow. 

Putting my hands on her shoulders (okay, more like in the air just above her shoulders. I'm a wimp), I said, "Don't worry. I think I remember our gate man telling me she had come in. Josh doesn't know, obviously, but I think she just wanted to see him. It's what I would do, at least."

"Okay, yeah. Do you know where she was headed to watch?"

"Probably near the back somewhere. Do you want me to look out for her on stage?"

She shook her head, taking out her bun and running an anxious hand through her hair. "No, I think I'll just see if she's there myself, if that's alright. Wouldn't want you screwing up."

I took the jibe in stride, pretending to be hurt. "Ay, cruel. Well, tell me if you see her, at least. Wish us luck in that whole not-screwing-up thing."

"Luck, then." Meg gave me a short hug, then ran off again. 

"Thanks." I murmured, fixing my guitar and heading off to join the guys with a slightly lighter feeling in my chest.