Another Piece of the Puzzle

 The motel parking lot was a patchwork of cracked asphalt where the weeds defined each crack. Kurt was busy unpacking the car so he could rearrange things. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement. Kurt turned his head and watch as Marina approached him. The morning sun caught her hair, turning the red-orange strands into a stunning halo of fire, and for a moment, he forgot what he was doing.

"My turn." Marina announced. "I don't trust you to this quick and right!" She quietly taunted him, pretending to shove him out of the way.

Kurt stepped back, leaning against the Jeep. "Think you can do better, huh?" Kurt said, crossing his arms, his tone light and teasing.

Marina glanced up, her amber eyes narrowing slightly. "I'm just trying to make it so more than one person can sit back there," she replied, her voice remained soft and steady.

Kurt snorted. "Oh, come on. You think a little rearranging is gonna can that backseat a first class cabin?"

Marina straightened, her hands resting on her hips. "It's not about luxury. It's about not having to sit on top of each other."

"I dunno, I'd like having you sit on me," Kurt replied suggestively and winked at her.

In response, Marina picked up a pillow and tossed it at him as she muttered "Oh my goddess," under her breath. He ducked just in time, the pillow hit the side of the Jeep with a soft thud. "Hey!" he protested, but there was a grin tugging up the corners of his mouth.

Kurt retaliated with a rolled-up jacket, but Marina was quick, dodging it with ease. She grabbed a small duffel bag and lobbed it back at him. Kurt caught it mid-air, his reflexes sharp, and then tossed it right back. The exchange escalated, bags and clothes flew between them as their giggles and fun taunts became laughter.

Kurt froze and just stared at Marina as her laughter grew louder, freer, with every passing second. She was beautiful when she let go, even if it was just for a moment.

As she turned to tried to throw another pillow over his head, Kurt grabbed Marina by the waist and spun her around. She let out a startled yelp, but it turned into a laugh as she realized he wasn't letting go. They stood there, staring at each other while the tingles from Kurt's grasped spread throughout them. The playful energy quickly shifted into something more.

Then, without another word, Kurt pulled her closer, his lips meeting hers in a kiss that was both gentle and needy. Marina hesitated for just a moment before she leaned into him, her hands finding their way to his chest. The world around them faded away, leaving only the two of them, the morning light, and a future of possibilities.

Marina pulled back, face flushed and heart beating rapidly, instantly missing the wonderful tingles that stopped when her lips left his. With a wide smile she said, "I think that's enough help for now," her voice soft and breathy. "You unpack the rest and I'll repack it."

Kurt nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "Yeah. Let's get this done."

Selina leaned against the motel door, watching the Marina and Kurt's interaction with a look of amusement and curiosity. Beside her, Liam crossed his arms, his expression thoughtful. "They're good together," he said quietly. "Better than I thought they'd be. I was so sure she was going to reject him."

"Yeah," Selina agreed. "She's been a bit of game-changer, hasn't she?" Marina had a way of fitting into the gaps they hadn't even known were there, like she'd been part of the group all along.

"She's holding back, though," Liam said, his voice low. "There's something she's not telling us. Something about her and not her father."

Selina nodded. "I know. But she will. She's starting to trust us, I think. And she's strong, so much stronger than she realizes." Selina and Liam watched in silence as the other two continued their work.

"Done! Let's go!" Kurt yelled back at the twins as he climbed into the driver's seat and Marina into the passenger seat.

"Aaargh I don't want to be squished in the back seat." Liam groaned as he sprinted towards the vehicle.

"Aww poor baby," laughed Selina as she ran past her brother.

Liam grumbled dramatically when he found himself squished against the door. "I guess I can move over a little," Selina replied as her laughter filled the car as she shifted over, giving Liam considerable more space.

Kurt drove through the parking lot, pausing at the exit. Kurt glanced in the rearview mirror, his eyes meeting Selina's. "So, Sexy Psychic," he said, his tone playful, "you gonna stick to the plan, or is that intuition of yours screaming something else?"

Marina's hands clenched into fists, her knuckles pale against the dark fabric of her jeans. She didn't look up, but her posture became ridgid. Selina, feeling the sudden jealousy radiate off Marina kept her answer direct and ignored the playful title. "The plan stays the same," she said finally, her voice steady. "We head to Lunar Lake, stopping at one of Marcus's facilities first. It's about six hours away."

Kurt's eyes flicked to Marina, his expression softening. "You okay?" he asked, his voice low and concerned.

Marina nodded, her jaw tight. "Yeah," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm fine. Um, actually…" Marina took a deep breath and momentarily held it and then spat out "don't call her that!" as she flicked her eyes towards Selina before looking back at Kurt.

Kurt stared at the road as quickly thought through his last words. "Psychic? Well she sorta…"

"Ah wrong," Liam's amused voice interrupted from the back. ''The one that started with sss and ended with exy."

"My mistake, sorry, it won't happen again," Kurt replied quietly as he reached over and touched Marina's hand as he whispered sorry against her ear.

As the hours passed, the sun's position shifted from peaking out from behind the trees to high in the sky. As it's decent began an the only structure around for miles, came into view.

The crunch of gravel beneath the jeeps broke the eerie silence as they approached the house. The once white paint had peeled away, revealing weathered wood that seemed to sag under the weight of years. Vines crawled up the walls, as if nature itself was trying to pull down the structure. The air was thick with the scent of death and rot.

"I'll stay here," Marina said softly, fear seeped through he voice and aimless movements. "Keep watch."

"Stay safe, honk the horn if you see anything," Kurt directed before sharing a reassuring hug and kiss with Marina.

"Selina with me. And remember, aim at the eye. Don't forget dad's training." He ordered as he tossed each of them a handgun loaded with liquid silver and wolfsbane ammo.

Marina stood by the Jeep, her eyes scanning the horizon. The isolation was unnerving, and didn't play well with her almost paralyzing fear. Her thoughts drifted to her father, Marcus Shadowcrest and what she would lose if he found her, found them.

As the trio entered the farmhouse, creaking old wooden floorboards beneath their feet became amplified by the empty halls. The layout of the main floor seemed similar to mine shaft. A lab with chains, a storage room and an office. All of which bore similar destruction and debris as well. Once again, almost everything was on the floor.

Selina moved cautiously, her intuition on high alert. She paused midway up some stairs, her head tilted slightly as if listening to a sound only she could hear. "There's something or someone here," she said softly, her voice tinged with unease. "Not sure what, but it doesn't feel right."

Kurt moved past Seline, his boots heavy on the steps. "I'll check upstairs. Count to 60 before following me," he said, his voice calm and firm. Selina nodded her head in agreement.

Their movement was interrupted by an unexpected noise—a faint thud from below them. Kurt's head whipped towards the direction of the sound, then the direction they had come from, his eyes scanning for dangers. Selina's hand tightened around her handgun as she whispered, "Liam."

Rushing back downstairs, they found Liam in the office ankle deep in bullet riddled books and papers, pulling something out. As he stood, the silvery white shimmer of the parchment stood out against the rays of the early afternoon sun that had filtered through the broken curtain and windows. Selina approached it cautiously, her fingers brushing the edge.

"This is it," she said, her voice filled with a mix of awe and trepidation. "Another piece."

As they prepared to have one last look around, the air in the room seemed to shift. "We need to leave. Now!" Selina shouted in a panic just as the Jeep's horn blasted through the silence from outside.

Before she could explain, a low growl from outside reverberated throughout the house. Kurt's head snapped towards the door. "Marina!" He shouted.