as we pass through arrangements of shadows

[shreds]

Comments

[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.

[shreds]

( You do that, Elena. As Katherine sits on the edge of her bed, she zips up one boot, Elena's phone coming to life between the beds. She looks back at the bathroom door before leaning over and reaching for her phone, taking it off the charger.

In her best Elena voice: (12) )

Dr. Elena Gilbert.

( "Elena, Hayes. I did more research into your friend's sister." )

... Thank you.

[braveandstupid]

[Elena hears that, and sticks her head out of the bathroom, mouth full of toothpaste so she can't really speak. But she will raise both her eyebrows like "What are you doing?"]

[shreds]

( Katherine, the caught kitten, turns her head giving a 'who, me?' look before rolling her eyes, bringing her phone down, and switching the connection to speaker.

"So there's no record of Natalie Morris having a sister, but she was adopted. An only child from the Northeast, she lost her parents young. Like, college young. It's actually pretty gruesome. She came home from college and found her parents butchered." Dark and gruesome, Katherine thinks, looking at Elena. )

And my friend thinks this is her sister.

( "That's the plate you had me ran," he says. "Anyway, there's not much more about her. She flunked out shortly after and changed zip codes. Now she belongs to the NRA and files taxes in Texas. Her credit card charges are made out of all 50 states at some point. She's on the move a lot," he shares. "The last charge is at the Econo Lodge in West Virginia." )

Where I am. That's Natalie's car. And - no mention of a Nadia?

( "I could do even more digging, but we're talking cell records. Do you need me to?"

Katherine's eyebrows ask Elena, well? And then they fall as she realizes they probably aren't getting out of here in the next hour. )

[braveandstupid]

[Elena considers, because now something in the back of her brain is starting to itch. She nods, as her mouth is still full of toothpaste, and she retreats back into the bathroom to rinse her mouth. She'll explain her thinking when she gets back.]

[shreds]

( What Elena wants. )

I do. I'd like that. Please, Hayes.

( She overplays earnest Elena.

"Then I'll dig. Anything I should look for in particular? This sister?" )

[braveandstupid]

Some info on her would be good.

[Let's hope that Hayes doesn't notice that Elena's voice is coming from a completely different direction.]

She said they were estranged but they'd recently been in touch, so I'd like to figure out how true that is. She said her name was Nadia. I didn't get a last name.