Aberrant: 2011 - Pretense [Complete]

[z-Kara]

"I don't know, but if I find out, I'll let you know," Kara said, keeping her voice as light as she could. It didn't work very well; she could hear the tension in her voice.

Go, girl, before you get stupid, a voice told her, and Kara tilted her head back. "Want a ride back to the hospital? I wouldn't mind at all."

[Dr. James Adler]

"Yeah. A ride would be just fine." Old joke, Kara. They mate very, very carefully. He didn't take her arm as he so often had in the past, but he did pause to offer his own slightly before limping his way to the door.

[z-Kara]

Kara took his arm, his shirt rustling under her fingers as they curled around. She moved next to him, working out how to glide next to a man with a limp, and finding that it wasn't that hard. It was just a different rhythm, a new way of putting her feet down while swaying; so easily done, for someone who couldn't adjust emotionally to a different rhythm.

Outside, Rashard and Dexter glanced up from the SUV; Dexter hurried out and headed to open the door, and while Rashard did the same, his dark eyes studied the two with more care. Whatever he thought of the vibe he was feeling was concealed as he slipped his sunglasses on. "Back to the hospital to drop Dr. Adler off?" Dexter asked, his voice too cheerful for the moment.

"Yes," Kara said, nodding as she watched James settle himself and his leg, trying to stay out of his way and not overtly help him. When he was in, she climbed in next to him and lapsed into a tense silence.

[Dr. James Adler]

The drive back to the hospital was mercifully short and awkwardly silent, punctuated only by the occasional brush with traffic, and they pulled up in front of the hospital without a word spoken. By the time their eyes finally met again, Alder had extracted himself from the car and was leaning lightly on his cane, his other hand resting lightly on the rim of the door, an odd smile twitching on his lips. "Thank you for lunch, Kara. It was quite... interesting." His voice dropped very slightly, just the hint of an undertone like the taste of his cigarette smoke in the air. "We'll do it again."

[z-Kara]

Kara quirked an eyebrow and drily asked, "Is that an order or a request?" Then, before he could respond, she waved the question away. "Not that it matters, because you're right; we are going to do it again. Sometime."

She leaned forward and gave him another kiss on the cheek; from appearances, it was a chaste, gentle peck, but there was nothing chaste about the deep breath Kara took, inhaling his scent. She pulled back and resettled into her seat, giving him a ghost of a smile. "Call me sometime, James."

[Dr. James Adler]

"Bet your ass." He gave her a final smirk, half schoolboy impishness, half masculine smugness, then let the door close between them. He was still looking after her when the car pulled away, unlit cigarette dangling between his lips and the late afternoon light catching him in profile against the hospital.

[z-Kara]

Kara didn't watch him as the car drove away; instead she dug out her compact and fiddled with it, checked her appearance until the car turned the corner, hiding the hospital from view. Then she put the compact away, and turned to gaze out the window.

"So what next, Kara?" Dexter asked, turning around to look at her. "We gonna turn in the car and fly home?"

Kara blinked, coming out of her reverie. "Yeah. Yeah, sounds good," she said, her voice distant. But when she spoke again, she sounded almost normal. "Dex, would you please make the arrangments?"

"Sure," he said, turning back around in his seat. As he began the calls, Kara settled back into her seat, thinking. After a moment, she pulled out her opnet device and opened her chat server. Feeling strange yet not knowing what else to do, she sent a chat request to one of her contacts.

Dominic got back almost immediately; his greeting sounded like he was bored.

Dom: k, baby! xox whatcha wearing?

Kara chuckled softly. He seemed to be in the right mindset.

Caramel: i'm about to get on a plane.

Dom: awww... that means u are not dressed sxy

Caramel: wanna change that?

Dom: u have 2 ask?

Caramel: it's polite...

Dom: Yes. Yes i want u 2 b sxy 4 me.

Caramel: ill call when i get in town.

Dom: ill be waiting xoxoxoxoxxxxxsexxxxxxxoxox

Kara smiled and sat back; it was good to have an eager booty call - or three - on hand. But it still wasn't a completely good feeling. You're treating a symptom, not the cure. Then she realized that she was making medical allegories, and she rolled her eyes. Don't start. Just don't. She'd feel a lot better in a few hours.

For a little while, anyway.