acontritemess | Little birds have to jump out of the nest if they're going to fly

Little birds have to jump out of the nest if they're going to fly

[She didn't actually get nervous until they'd passed Ohio. The next step marked the furthest from home she'd ever been. She trusted Freya, at least somewhat, but home wasn't a place, a concept really was what it was. Home was her family, and she was leaving it on the other side of the country. It was terrifying, but she was equally excited, since she was seeing things she'd never had a chance to see before.

The country changed as they made their way across it, and as they neared the mountainous and wide-open country of Montana, she was in awe. It was just like every postcard she'd ever seen, and she was having a hard time thinking it was real.]

....it's so beautiful...

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I promise it's 100% safe. [She continues to smile, but mostly because of the music she's finding.]

Oh! Journey! My mother used to listen to this in the car when I was kid, when she was taking my brothers and sisters to school!

[Her memories of her young childhood are fragmented. Shards here and there: a song, a movie. Nothing concrete, but she's pretty sure most people remember being five that way. She reaches to the console and inserts the disc, and after a few moments, an iconic keyboard intro starts and she looks up to the rearview mirror to grin at Freya. Don't leave me hanging with the singing starts, sister.]

[Freya smiles at Cat and there aren't any words needed for her to communicate that yes, she's going to sing along to. Anyone who doesn't know the words to this song hasn't lived.

At first David just listens, captivated by Cat's voice but after a swift kick from Freya to the back of his seat he begins to sing along as well.]

[Cat can't help but laugh. She can't remember the last time she's had this much fun, just singing loudly with amazing music with people she l- cares about very much, with no sadness clouding the water.

As Don't Stop Believing faded, and her favorite Journey song started, she couldn't think of anything that could make this morning better.

Except maybe 6 more hours of sleep, but she wasn't even feeling sleepy at the moment.]

[David's smile widens as the song fades and the next one slowly rises over his speakers. A lot of his CD's are older but that's mostly because he never gets around to buying new music. He's selfishly glad that she likes it and as the next song starts he continues to sing along, his attention split between the empty road and the sweet sound of Cat's voice.

Freya continues to sing along though she's mostly watching the trees as they pass by and hoping it's a short car trip. She wants to get out and walk around town. She knows that they are supposed to go fishing later but she might just shift and go for a run. It's been awhile since she's been back to Montana and a small part of her wants to see what's changed.

The ride into town only takes about a half hour. After the first 15 minutes the small buildings and lonely street come into view.]

[As they near town, Cat finally gets to see how adorable this little town is. She's reminded of the vague place she called home when she was a young girl, and it brings a delighted smile to her face.

That is until the phone in her pocket vibrates.] Hey! I got signal!

[Her excitement is short-lived as she pulls the device from her pocket, though, frowning at the illuminated surface.] Oh...

What is it?

[It's Freya who asks first, scooting to the edge of the back seat to peer over at Cat's phone. David tries to look over but now that they are on the street his eyes are mostly on the road. It isn't busy yet since it's so early but that doesn't mean he wants to run into a lamp post.

That and it isn't far to his office from the north end of town which is where they entered. A few minutes and they'd be pulling into his parking lot.]

Everything okay?

[David asks with worry laced in his voice.]

I...Yeah! Yeah. Everything's fine. I just...

[She breathes a sigh.]

...Nothing's wrong or he would have left a message the ...several times he called...

[David pulls into the parking lot and turns off the car.]

You can call him now. Figured we'd meet in a few hours from now. If you get bored of wandering you can come wait in my office.

[As David spoke Freya jumps from the back of the car, stretching her legs.]

[Cat nods, jumping out of the vehicle behind Freya and turning back to David.]

Thanks again for the ride! We'll see you in a few hours!

[Once David is gone, Cat looks uncertainly down at her phone and is about to dial Toby when the phone starts to ring again.]

Oh, crap! [She takes a steadying breath and answers, biting her lip.]

Hi, Toby. I'm really sorry I didn't call you yesterday. I was out of the service area.

Where are you?

[His voice is tense but it's noticeably relaxing now that he's gotten a hold of her.]

[She swallows, obviously feeling terrible.]

I'm in downtown Columbia Falls, Montana. But...I don't think there's a difference between downtown and not...really. It's pretty small. I'm okay.

Freya's still with you?

[Sorry Cat, he has questions and while Cas is glaring at him he needs to ask them for his own sanity.]

Where are you staying? How are they treating you?

Of course Freya's still with me, Toby.

[She breathes a sigh.] I'm staying with her aunt, and they're treating me very well. They're really nice people.

Oh...

Good.

[He sound nervous, mostly because Cas is staring at him. She'd been right and Cat was fine. He could hear Freya's voice replied distantly over the phone.]

What did he think I was going to do? Just leave you on the side of the road somewhere? Really?

[Toby relaxes more and it almost sounds like he's smiling.]

Are you having fun?

[She smiles, relaxing now that Toby is relaxed, and she laughs at Freya's comment.]

A lot of fun! Toby, this place...might be the most beautiful place I've ever seen, and today, I get to learn how to fish!

Learn how to fish?

[It's spoken in a tone that suggests that he can't understand how that might be fun.]

Who's going to teach you? Will you be safe?

[He is worried again.]

Yeah, and in a river, too!

[And she becomes a little more guarded, because his tone changed again.]

His name's David, and yes. I'll be safe.

David?

[He doesn't like the sound of the guys name.]

What's that?

He's Freya's cousin...

...and a park ranger. [She pauses.] He...gave us a ride into town today, too. He had some paperwork to do at the ranger office [Which just sounds funny to say], and then we're going to go to the river.

...

[Silence follows as a knot twists in his stomach.]

Just you three?

[He doesn't sound happy.]

[She doesn't say anything for a moment before frowning and shaking her head, then realizing he can't see that.]

...no...his cousins, Peter and James, are coming too...

So it's five of you?

[Toby pauses again, his throat constricting with each word.]

Who are Peter and James?

[This is really starting to become a nightmare for him.]

Peter and James are their cousins. They're...kids, Toby.

[She pauses.]

You don't want me to go.

No... that's not what I said.

[He's getting death glares from Cas.]

I'm just worried.

[His little girl is so far from home.]

I miss you.

...you didn't have to.

[She breathes a sigh. She'd assumed this would happen.]

I miss you guys, too, but I'm okay. Really. You don't have to worry. David knows this whole forest and he's not going to let anything happen to me.

[She begins to smile as she speaks of David again, and she can't help it. She doesn't really even realize it.]

Re: That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...

That next morning...