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one month later ;
"SCULLY."
Eleanor groans, angry that anyone would have the audacity to wake her up.
"Scully, wake up."
The use of a nickname that hadn't been mentioned in weeks and the sound of Zuko's urgent whisper finally registers in her brain. Eleanor furrows her brow as she opens her eyes, immediately meeting Zuko's blue ones.
She had spent the past month avoiding him — looking elsewhere when he happened to walk nearby, forcing away the thoughts of going to him to say hello — and now he is here, leaning over her with frantic eyes and messy bedhead.
Eleanor props herself onto her elbows and he promptly leans back, watching as she glances around before returning her gaze to him.
"What are you doing here?" Eleanor whispers.
"We need you, Scully."
She sighs, starting with, "Zuko..." before he cuts her off.
"I know you wanted out. I know. But this is different," he says. The look in his eyes manages to persuade Eleanor on its own. "Please, just come with me. You know I wouldn't bother you if it wasn't important."
Eleanor glances at her sleeping family before she nods, pushing back her blanket. Zuko offers her a hand and she takes it, pulling herself to her feet. They look at each other for only a second until Zuko turns around and begins weaving through the sleeping civilians, Eleanor following. Both of them are dressed in their pajamas — Zuko's being black sweats and a light blue t-shirt and Eleanor's an oversized sweatshirt and shorts.
"What's going on?" Eleanor asks him in a hushed voice.
"I can't explain it here. Atticus woke us all up and told me to get you. I've never seen him look so worried."
Eleanor keeps an anxious look on her face as she continues to walk behind him, toward the lockerrooms. Once they make it past the maze of sleeping people, he slows his pace slightly and Eleanor promptly steps aside to walk beside him.
Neither of them says a thing as they walk, both of them looking straight ahead and Eleanor fumbling with the sleeves of her sweatshirt.
Zuko opens the door of the locker room for her and gestures for her to go inside. She does, giving him the smallest of smiles as she passes. Atticus, Bender, Indiana, and Robin are all waiting inside, sitting on benches or leaning against lockers. Everyone is in their pajamas.
The boys study Eleanor and Eleanor studies the boys, looking for changes that occurred in the past month. They look happy to see her, save for Bender, who seems to be glaring.
