as we pass through arrangements of shadows

[shreds]

Comments

[braveandstupid]

Late night fight with the coffee machine.

[A pause as she turns back to her new friend.]

She's my sister.

[But she makes note of the Prius and files it away.]

Look, I would recommend going to get some sleep. I'm sure something with your sister will turn up soon.

[shreds]

( Hm. She seems harried. Definitely the kind of mess of a flame Elena would be drawn to in the middle of the night at a motel.

"Nadia," she says with a pleasant, if lacking, smile. "I'm Nadia. I'll see you tomorrow, okay? It was nice to meet you. Both. And thanks for listening."

Don't say it Elena. Katherine just burns holes into the back of her mind as she's taken back, the keys in her hand, ornate, one dangling down. )

[braveandstupid]

Get some sleep.

[But no, she won't say anything. She is totally not going to say anything. She might be planning to wait for Katherine to go to sleep and then investigate, but that's neither here nor there.]

The front desk guy give you any trouble?

[shreds]

( A rough memory stuffed back down, she turns to the door. )

Only made me argue the difference between a 6 and a 9. He's a bottom feeder.

( She opens the door and shuts the light on, dropping her things on the bed furthest from the door. )

You fixed the coffee machine?

[braveandstupid]

More like I wasn't super anxious so it was easier to manage.

[She takes the other bed, dropping her stuff next to it.]

She was having a bad day.

[shreds]

Really, just the day.

( She sits on the edge of her bed, pulling off her heels one at a time. )

[braveandstupid]

[Elena raises an eyebrow.]

Do you actually care?

[shreds]

You know I don't.

( Especially with a name like that.

But, she does. She just isn't in the business of sharing how she feels with Elena Gilbert. She was judging her, not sympathizing with her, but she can do both.

Collecting what meager toiletries she got her hands on, she brings her little bag with her as she gets to her feet. )

But, while you play that little interaction in your head and predictably knock on her door in the morning, I'm going to shower this day off.

[braveandstupid]

You do that.

[And that is absolutely not what she was going to do.

What she is going to do is head outside, wander down to check out the Prius and see what she can find without opening it (12). She also will send a text to a certain new FBI agent friend, Stiles.]

Can I ask a favor?

[tramplemain]

( The Prius is cold to the touch, it hasn't been driven in a while. Turning on the light of her cell phone, she sees a bag in the trunk, some trash in the backseat, a charger in the middle compartment in the front seat and the glove compartment on the right side is open.

Nothing weird about the car itself, or strange, but this is Elena and she's not exactly a fan of Antique Roadshow

Stiles can't exactly help from where he is, relying on Audrey's connection. He is working in overtime to try and track his friends.

I've kind of got my hands full right now
But I have a colleague that owes me a favor

Not even a minute goes by before her phone rings )

[braveandstupid]

[She will take what she can get, and as such will answer the phone:]

Hello?

[tramplemain]

( "Is this Elena," a voice asks from the other end of the line. )

[braveandstupid]

Yes, this is. Is this Stiles' colleague?

[That feels so awkward, but it's the word Stiles used.]

[tramplemain]

( It is awkward, right? )

Not quite, but we can go with colleague if that gets you what you want faster.

( Inter-agencies and all, but, however Stiles wants to characterize him. US Marshall's aren't exactly colleagues of the FBI, but they can work together. )

I was told to help you in any way I could and I owe him one. You can call me Hayes.

[braveandstupid]

Hayes. Nice to meet you.

[Over the phone anyway.]

I was wondering if you could run a license plate for me?

[tramplemain]

( Any friend of Stiles' (so he won't talk him into his grave after)

He runs the plate from her description, asking small talk about the weather, and then laughing because he still doesn't know what to talk about when he waits for these kind of results. She should see him with lab techs.

Anyway. He gets a hit! )

That Prius belongs to a, Natalie Morris, 35 years old this week happy birthday to her, brunette. Does that match the description?

[braveandstupid]

[Two brunettes, Natalie and Nadia, that sounds about right. But she can't say for sure.]

I don't really have one, but her sister's a brunette. Can you send me her driver's license photo or something? I don't know if there's been an official missing person's report but her sister's been trying to get a hold of her for three days with no answer.

[tramplemain]

Text work?

( He'll get going on that, but as far as any more research goes... )

I can do a little more digging, get back to you.

[braveandstupid]

Yeah, text is perfect. And I would really appreciate it. I just would like to give her sister some answers, she's freaking out a little.

[For better or worse, but Elena is hoping it's for better.]

[tramplemain]

I'll get back.

( He ends the call. )

[braveandstupid]

[Elena nods and with that she heads back to the room, trying to do as she promised and get a little sleep while she waits for more information.]

[shreds]

( Katherine took a quick shower and changed into something comfortable, so when Elena gets back, she's already in bed.

At least as of the morning, Elena isn't given anything concrete, or anything at all. Whatever strings Stiles' colleague is pulling, it's taking time. But, he promised and lawmen keep their promises, right?

Elena will awaken to the sound of Katherine zipping her bag closed. She's not being particularly kind with her noise-level. )

[braveandstupid]

[As a result, she startles into wakefulness, shooting Katherine a look before reaching for her phone to check her messages.]

What time is it?

[shreds]

Seven.

( Which should make Elena groan, but it isn't as if she doesn't have her hospital shifts and little sleep between them, or Katherine assumes. Doctors don't have much of a life, right? )

We don't know who may be on our trail. The faster we get out of here, the more miles we put between us and the death squad.

[braveandstupid]

Yeah, I know.

[When she sees there's no news, she scrubs a hand over her face and gets up.]

Let me just splash some water on my face and brush my teeth.