#thread017

SERENA:

Serena wiped the corners of Sadie’s mouth gently, setting aside the now empty juice box. Her daughter smiled up at her, completely content after her simple dinner of crackers and apple juice, oblivious to the chaos beyond these walls. Sadie wriggled from her lap and quickly returned to the floor, where she resumed coloring her drawings, the beam from Serena’s flashlight casting just enough light for her. Serena’s stomach growled, but she ignored it. The thought of breaking her strict diet for a bag of chips or forcing down something from a can made her nauseous. She leaned back against the wall, her gaze fixed on Sadie, grateful her daughter was so easygoing. If only it were that simple for her.

MORGAN:

Morgan had rummaged through the cafeteria, trying to find things that could be useful. His childhood days of hiking and camping had taught him a few useful things, such as how to get the best out of what little he had available to him. And thankfully, the school was loaded with money, so it wasn't the cheapest, most horrible things that were at hand. Out of all the places to be stuck, at least it was the one filled with food. Only problem? There was no real way to cook any of it, with no power. And cold soup from a can was disgusting, he'd learnt. So instead, he chopped up some vegetables and some fruits, and made himself a sandwich. Walking out of the industry kitchen and into the dining room, Morgan saw the light from Serena's flashlight and headed over there, a gentle smile on his face as his eyes caught Sadie coloring on the floor. "Have you eaten yet?" He asked gently, sitting down on the chair opposite Serena.

SERENA:

Serena looked up as Morgan approached and smiled faintly. No, she hadn’t eaten. But she also hadn’t showered or hadn’t put on any makeup. Her skin felt oily, her hair was a mess and she could barely stand the way she looked, let alone how she felt. The least of her problems was the food, really. “No, I haven’t,” she replied quietly, feeling a bit better now that he was sitting with her, but still pretty annoyed. She glanced over at Sadie, who was content and focused on her coloring. “But she did and that’s what matters. She's probably very happy she didn't have to eat her veggies tonight." She chuckled softly, her gaze returning to Morgan, noting how calm he seemed despite everything. “Have you?”she asked.

MORGAN:

Looking down at the kid, Morgan smiled. It was at least nice to know that she'd been taken care of, but then again, Morgan didn't doubt for a second that Serena prioritized her kid over herself. Bringing a carrot stick up to his mouth, he motioned down to the plate. "Dinner is served," he said, before taking a bite of the vegetable. He pushed the plate of fruits and veggies towards her, but didn't say anything. He was worried, but he wasn't about to push. "How're you holdin' up otherwise?"

SERENA:

Serena’s eyes lit up the moment she saw the plate of vegetables, her face brightening as if she’d just seen a five star meal. “Oh my God,” she breathed, her hand instinctively reaching out for a carrot stick. “Where did you find this?” She laughed softly, relief palpable as she took a bite. Glancing back at Morgan, her expression softened. “Better now that I have this.” She gestured to the plate with a small smile. “I just… really want a shower and a comfy bed.” She took another bite, grateful for the small comfort, before turning her attention to him. “What about you? You seem like you’re handling all of this pretty well. Is it because you live in the countryside or were you a scout?”

MORGAN:

Pleased by the fact that Serena was actually getting some food in her system, Morgan smiled, and lifted his sandwich so he could take a bite out of that. He shrugged at her question, not thinking too much about it. "There's a whole stock of fresh food going bad in the walk-in fridge, so I figured it wouldn't hurt stealin' a few things," Morgan smirked - there was that hint of rebel behavior that he'd told Serena about previously. "I can fetch you some more food, but I ain't sure I can help with the other things though." He couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Serena seemed like the type of girl who was used to the luxury of being handed everything, so this must have come as a shock to her. "Me? I was, for like, half a year when I was nine. Then that got boring, and I just ventured out on my own. I'm more concerned with my horses, y'know? But Bree made a good point; my ranch is so far out, she thinks the earthquake's strength probably wasn't as bad, as it was here."

SERENA:

Serena raised a brow, half smiling as she took another bite of the carrot. “I'm shocked I respect people's property so much it didn’t even occur to me,” she scoffed lightly, but then her gaze softened with a glint of admiration. “But Rebel Morgan, you're my hero. Always come out to play, I won't mind in the slightest,” she joked, leaning back in her seat, starting to feel a little more like herself now. At the mention of his ranch, she nodded, her expression thoughtful. “She’s probably right. And you’ve got employees, right? I’m sure they’re taking good care of them, don’t worry.” She said softly and then shifted slightly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, trying to push the lingering worry about her own world out of her mind. She then offered him a wry smile, “I guess you’re better prepared for this. It’s tough times for spoiled girls like me.” She let out a small, forced laugh, though behind it was a flicker of vulnerability she couldn’t quite hide. Her eyes briefly flicked to Sadie then, who remained engrossed in her coloring, before she glanced back at Morgan. "She's definitely joining the scouts when we get out of here."

MORGAN:

Morgan couldn't help but chuckle. It was nice to see that Serena could joke back, just like she usually did. He understood that this situation was very different to what they'd been in before, but whatever could be done to feel more normal, Morgan would do. And that included the usual banter between the two friends. "Just call me Robin Hood - I steal from the rich and give to the...hungry?" Morgan smiled cheekily, and took another bite of his sandwich, nodding to what she was saying. He was grateful that he had two people working for him, knowing exactly what to do, otherwise he would've been besides himself. "Yeah, I'm really fortunate to be in that situation. I don't know what I would've done if I didn't have Gwyneth and Waylon back at the ranch." He confessed. Looking down at the little girl, Morgan smiled to himself. At least someone was having a good time. "Would that be such a bad thing?"

SERENA: