𝙵𝙻𝙴𝚂𝙷 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙱𝙾𝙽𝙴 | 𝚃. 𝙾𝚃𝚃𝙾 𐂃

Chapter 5

I assume you'll be staying here for a while with your new patient and this nut job." James helped Cristine with her duffle bag. Father and daughter ambled to her old cabin. Jake assured her that it was technically still hers despite practically living at outpost Beta. It felt as if she hadn't been here in ages and didn't mind that it was located so far away from the rest. It was quiet and very much liked the privacy in this community. It was nearly midnight after she switched shifts with one of the medics and visited Mrs. Daley, she was surprised to see her father.

"It's safer. Me and Blake disassembled the radio station just in case. Don't want whoever this is to listen in on us."

James nodded, the dimpled smile on his face wrinkling his face, but he didn't hide the happiness of having Cristine here. Not after she did leave in spite of his protest and her coming clean over what happened on her first and last run with Troy and the militia. "That's good. I rather you stayed here indefinitely, instead of there all by yourself."

"I love it." Cristine shrugged casually. "My very own place. And it wasn't as if I didn't drop by every few days to visit."

"I know. I just missed you a lot Birdie and so did Hailey. Dolores has been saying nothing but nice things. Never seen her so proud."

"Hm," Cristine hummed, lips thinning int a straight line. "She's only saying nice things cause it'll look bad if she doesn't. She's glad my ass wasn't around the place and so was I." Her thoughts trailed off so she missed her father's words, whipping her head at him with a glazed look in her eyes."What?"

"The four of us should have dinner. Like old time's sake," James repeated and stopped when the two of them arrived at her cabin. Cristine didn't expect the offer, even if she should have. She had her own reasons to go back to her outpost before dinner time and it wasn't just because she didn't want to travel at nighttime. Cristine wanted to avoid doing stuff like... this. Play house and ignore things were fine when they really weren't. It wasn't just Dolores, but her father too. He was the main reason she left for outpost beta in the first place and Cristine didn't want to forgive and forget when they didn't talk about the elephant in the room. James was secretly appalled by what she'd done on her run with Troy and the gang. He'd try to hid the horror in his face, but his eyes spoke volume. James was disgusted with her and instead of the comfort she expected him to give her, the same comfort her baby sister had, there was nothing.

"Maybe another time daddy," Cristine answered softly and took the bag from her father. She saw that he wanted to say more, but she shook her head. "I'm tired. It's been a long day and I need sleep. We'll rain check it." That seemed to appease her father. Without a word, he wrapped his arms around her and planted a kiss on her temple. The firm hug broadcast his solemnity and the fatherly love Cristine wished he'd always show her. Cristine pressed her face into his shoulder and squeezed her eyes shut to enjoy the warmth.

"You get your rest Birdie. I'm happy you're here where it's safe."

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