Unseen Scenes—Book One, between Chapter Twenty and Twenty-one (Nate Version) (Patreon)

Here's Nate's version of the Unseen Scene from last time as the extra monthly bonus for staying over $2800!!

Hope you enjoy it :)

(I used 'they' as a pronoun for the Detective as it's neutral, so you can imagine whatever gender your MC actually is or NB) 

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At the Facility. Nearing Midnight.

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The confines of his room had been too contained, too restricting, for Nate tonight. He’d meant to stay there—wandering around the cold, bland corridors of the facility isn’t a much more attractive prospect than staying in his room—but he’d needed space.

With his head buried in the pages of his go-to book for comfort, Nate winds around the tunnels of the facility without needing to look. It’s been a long time since he’d mapped the entire base in his mind.

It’s quiet at this hour, which is surprising. Many supernaturals either don’t need to sleep or are nocturnal, so at least the usual activity brings some comfort even if Nate’s not actively participating in it. He draws ease from being surrounded by others.

But everyone seems to be elsewhere tonight.

Until Nate stumbles on a lone figure down the corridor of the medical wing.

He contains the sigh that almost escapes him upon seeing Rebecca. It doesn’t seem that she’s slept or even moved since the Detective was brought in days ago.

“Rebecca,” he calls, not wanting to startle her as he approaches.

She turns to face him, her face drawn with heavy shadows bagging beneath her usually focused eyes. Her nails have been chewed down, as well as the distinctive scent of unchanged clothing.

Nate ignores it all to stand close beside her. “You look exhausted.”

“I am,” she replies, her voice hoarse. “But I’m not leaving.”

“I never thought to suggest it.” Nate smiles down at her, gaining a ghost of a smile in return from the fatigued woman. “But you’ll need rest for when the Detective wakes up.”

“I don’t care what I look like when I see them.” She brings her hand to her tightened lips. 

Nate frowns in concern. “They’re going to be all right.” They have to be. The thought invades Nate’s mind with such strength it makes his frown deepen.

“I don’t know what I’ll do if they’re not…” Rebecca admits in possibly the first uncertain way Nate has ever heard her talk.

Without hesitating, Nate wraps and arm around the woman’s shoulder to tug her into a hug. She doesn’t return it, but her body shakes with sobbing that she is trying her hardest to contain.

Nate knows neither will say anything to the others about this moment. It would break Rebecca for anyone to know she’s had an emotional moment such as this.

But it doesn’t matter. For this moment, Nate can do something, offer something, rather than just standing around with a fear clasping in his chest that he may not know what to do if the Detective isn’t all right either.