Did You Kill Him?!

Daisy hopped into Alex's lap as they watched TV and he petted her absentmindedly as he focused on the screen. Claire suppressed a smile at the sight.

She had never imagined anyone else would be here watching TV with her in their pajamas while casually petting her cat. Let alone someone as…unique…as him. It was kind of nice, to be perfectly honest.

Alex was confusing and sometimes frightening but he was becoming better company every day as he learned more about how to act around others. Having him around wasn't as bad as it was before.

Claire used to secretly wish for this kind of casual hanging out between friends. But she had never expected it to happen the way it had.

This whole experience had been the most stressful thing she had ever gone through—including adjusting to life as an emancipated teenager after losing her mom—but she couldn't completely regret meeting him. She had someone to come home to at the end of the day for the first time in six years.

Even if it was someone stone cold, confusing, and dangerous. Having anybody to spend time with other than her cat was better than nothing.

And Alex really wasn't so bad. He had been oddly compassionate yesterday when she was freaked out about the car bomb. He was learning; in due time he could be a pretty good friend to have in her corner.

He had already proven himself useful in terms of survival, though that was as terrifying as it was helpful. But spending time with him in more casual contexts helped Claire get over her fear.

It was hard to be afraid of a guy who took anime seriously, tried and failed to make her dinner, and wore dumb stuff found in her mom's closet with her for the heck of it. He didn't exactly have what she would classify as a personality yet but she was sure he would get there someday.

There hadn't been any attacks today. She even managed to have a little fun while doing something that stressed her out. Sitting here with him and Daisy now, things almost felt normal.

Claire leaned her head against the back of the couch feeling slightly content. Nothing else mattered right now aside from the fact that she wasn't watching TV by herself for the time being. She had to take things one step at a time or she would go crazy.

===

The reprieve of the night before didn't last long. The following morning on the way to work someone tried jumping on the roof of Claire's car and Alex had to shoot him through the metal. She screamed and swerved when the body fell off into the street, slamming on her brakes.

"Did you kill him?!" she demanded.

"Just drive. That bullet isn't traceable. I'll clean the top of your car and patch up the hole while you're at work," he said calmly.

"I don't think I can."

"Then scoot over. I'll do it."

Alex made her park and climbed over the CD holder in the middle after she moved to the backseat to lie down. Her heart was about to beat right out of her chest. She really, really couldn't take this anymore. How was she supposed to make it through the workday now?!

This happened halfway to work on a deserted road due to the earliness of the hour. Nobody else seemed to have noticed the person jumping onto or falling off of her car yet. Lucky for them. The last thing she needed today was getting arrested for being an accomplice to murder.

Claire was still hyperventilating when they arrived at the pharmacy. She really didn't think she could get out of the car.

He turned around and looked at her seriously. "You need to get up, Claire."

"I can't, I can't, I really can't! I'm going to die! Even the car isn't safe! Nowhere is safe," she blubbered incoherently.

Alex reached back and slapped her across the face. It wasn't using his full strength—she was certain she would have broken something if he had—but it did bring her back to her senses. She stared at him in shock.

"Sorry. I read that slapping someone stops them from being hysterical. It seems to have worked. Are you or are you not going to be able to go in today? If you need to go home and call in sick, you can," he said.

Claire shook her head to snap herself out of it fully. No. She needed to go to work. Things had to stay as normal as possible. He would be right outside protecting her like usual. She would be fine.

"I'll go in," she said quietly. "Thanks for snapping me out of it."

"You're welcome."

She shakily made her way inside and took several deep calming breaths. If she believed she was fine, she would be. It was what had always gotten her through hard things before.

Ray asked her if she was okay yet again and she had to lie to him. He was obviously concerned but Claire couldn't tell him the truth. He would never believe her in a million years. Her life had become something straight out of a crime show; what normal person would be able to comprehend that?

A few of her fellow techs noticed something was off about her too. Her supervisor wasn't the only one. She really needed to pull herself together.

Claire forced herself to focus properly. She did pretty well until lunchtime when she saw a missed text from Alex.

'I cleaned the blood off the roof of your car. There really wasn't much to begin with. If anyone checks there shouldn't be a trace of it now. I bought stuff to fill the hole with too but I'll probably have to wait to do that until we get back to your house'

Fantastic. It was supposed to rain today. The inside of her car was going to get wet for sure. This day was getting better and better! At least the cops hadn't come after her yet.