#epiphanydrling

           His  head  was protesting,  yet  another sip  was  taken. And  the  more sips  he  took, the  funnier  it echoed.  They’d  really lied.  They’d  really just  gone  and lied.  Because  what  ?  Because he  hadn’t  been trustworthy  ?  Or because  he  would  have  recognized  the ridiculousness,  the  madness of  the  situation ?  Done  something to  prevent  certain death.  Well,  whatever  really ! It’d  be  so interesting,  when  everyone on  this  train  would  demand to  see  Wilford. What  would  they do  then  ? How  would  they justify  this  all  ?   ❝ This.  Another  of  this.  That. Thanks. ❞  He  raised his  glass  to  order  another one.

       there are times maureen feels like the train is SUFFOCATING her. this isn’t what she’d trained for. she’d trained for space, wide and expansive and too big to think about. not permanent confinement. but before she’s anything, maureen is a mother, and wilford’s offer had been... well, she didn’t exactly have a choice. still, she needs a place where she can just feel like a person, just for a while, which is how she ends up in THE NIGHT CAR. 

       she can barely manage a smile at audrey as she approaches the bar. ❝ just... a drink. i’m not picky about which one. ❞ lithe fingers brush stray auburn strands from her face. ❝ and possibly A MIRROR, if you’ve got one. i can tell i’ve got grease on my face, but i can’t see well enough to get it off. ❞

Grey didnt know if he would like it up car. At least in the tail he didnt stand out but somehow it had gotten out that he was a black belt and he was wanted as a guard of some sort.

He thought as soon as they found out he was a mute that they would send him back but he was somehow accepted in the nightcar and he owed that all to Miss Audrey.

He walked into the nightcar before a busy night ahead. His uniform consisting of black pants and a black suit jacket with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, no shirt underneath which showed off his physique and tattoos.

He gave a nod to the wait staff as he moved behind the bar and into the back room where he knew Miss Audrey was getting ready.

Melanie & Audrey endless edits. 

          ❝ You  are  sure you  can  handle it  all  alone  ? ❞  Words  dressed  in  joking  tone  escaped  the  engineer’s lips;  Melanie  should be  on  her way  to  the engine,  and  Javi was  more  than good  enough  to  assume  command of  the  train. This  ride  was not  his   favorite, and  while  the last  few  days had  elapsed  smoothly, he  still  felt that  overwhelming  need to  see  something more  than  just  the  engine. They could  only  hope that  nature  wouldn’t  have different  plans;  that he  wouldn’t  have to  rush  back --  avalanches  threatening to  crush  them,  or  the train  itself  deciding that  it  was time  for  technical problems  --.

          Steps  echoed across  the  corridor, and  while  he  enjoyed  his position,  the  view he  got  to see,  it  was a  relief  to walk  past  the engine  room.  And however  anti-professional  as it  might  have  been,  a drink  was  all that  he  deeply craved.  Of  course he  knew  all that  tantamounted  to his   visit  to the  night car;  the  whispers,  the  glances --  engineers  rarely ever  roaming  the train  --  ,  yet  still it  was  a nice  place  for  distraction, for  relaxation.  And apparently,  he’d  gotten just  in  time   to appreciate  the  few seconds  of  a performance  too.  Audrey. The  woman  that  was  now walking  towards  the bar,  and  the one  he  couldn’t  help but  very  soon  approach,  address. ❝ May  I  be  honored  with  an autograph ?  ❞  Words were  dressed  in something  the  teasing, something  meant  to trigger  the  childish game  they’d  always played.  ❝ You  might  have earned  a  new fan. ❞  

       it’s about THREE O’CLOCK in the morning when maureen knocks on audrey’s door. she’s got a very upset, very awake five year old perched on her hip, his sandy blonde hair is sprawled out in a mess across maureen’s shoulder, brown eyes red and watery as tears streak down his face. MAUREEN, for her part, looks exhausted, even more exhausted than usual. she visibly sighs with relief when audrey opens the door. 

       ❝ i’m SO SORRY to bother you. i know it’s absurdly late, i just... i’ve tried everything and i can’t get him to sleep. he’s heard you sing a couple of times and it seems to relax him. i wasn’t sure what else to do. i was hoping you’d be willing to TRY... ❞

       ❝ this is... hard for me to ask. if i had any other option i wouldn’t bother you with it. i know... i know watching the person you love leave with no guarantee they’ll be back is... excruciating, even if things aren’t PERFECT between you. ❞ she still remembers, back before the train, when john had re-upped without telling her. the betrayal, the hurt, the anger... they’d almost been the end of them. 

       ❝ but i need... i NEED to know that someone will look out for my family. john... i know john will look after the kids, but i don’t know... he’s never been the one who’s had to stay home before, and i worry about him. i know... i know you’re going through your own pain and this isn’t fair, but... please, audrey. the only way i’m going to be able to do this is if I KNOW someone has got their back. ❞