Small World - Chapter 6 -

A/N: This is a short update but I thought I should post it since it's been so long. It was going to be another long chapter but since it's just been sitting there for so long I decided that I should start fresh on chapter 7 which will be another long update and the conclusion should be posted soon. Anyway, sorry for the wait guys and thanks for all the favorites/follows.

What had just transpired began slowly settling around Nora as a wet blanket would; cold and heavy. She couldn't bear to look at Trevor now. The two of them sat in silence while the seconds ticked by. As always the escapade had ended in Trevor's bodhi, the two of them seated too close together when all she wanted was to be back on Michael's couch as far away from the deranged meth head as possible.

"Fuck," he shouted, startling her out of her depressing reverie. "I'm.. I'm sorry, alright? I shouldn't have fucking done that." Trevor dug his palms into his eyes as if he were trying to rub them out of their sockets.

She had been expecting anything but this. An apology? He sounded ridiculous after the way he had treated her in that bathroom.

"Why?" she asked. "It's nothing that I.. that I didn't.. I mean I've probably done worse.."

Nora knew that was the truth; she'd done some pretty fucked up things when she was high and a little rough sex in a dirty bathroom didn't seem so bad when compared to past events.

His head snapped up, "Like what?"

She scowled, "I'm not going to tell you. I'm just trying to make you feel better."

"I'd probably feel a whole lot better if you'd tell me."

"You're so fucking annoying sometimes."

"Fine. Suit yourself. Can't be acting all high and mighty on me after what you just did, sister."

"I'm not trying to be high and mighty; I just want some shit from my personal life kept.. personal."

"Again, you seem to be working under the preconception that something you've done will psychologically scar me. My cock has been in your mouth and you still can't find it in your heart to be honest with me."

"I don't care about your fucking psychological state, Trevor. Pretty sure that became unsalvageable long before I found you."

"Okay no need to be insulting. Just want a little driving conversation."

A raindrop fell on Nora's shoulder and she noticed the angry, grey clouds building over their heads. What she wanted more than anything was a roof during their drive, not more awkward attempts at small talk.

"You shouldn't drive so fast in this weather," Nora complained, feeling annoyed.

"What?" Trevor shouted over the radio. As if it weren't enough she was getting absolutely drenched she was having to endure his idea of acceptable "music" when she wouldn't talk to him.

"I said; you shouldn't be driving so fast with the roads so slick."

"Honey, I've been driving waaay longer than you. I'm also a pilot. Did I ever tell you that?"

"That's fucking great. I'll leave a note in my pocket telling the coroners to write that on your gravestone."

"Hmm? What? You gotta speak up."

"Fuck's sake.." she muttered.

She distracted herself by reading signs on the buildings they passed, the words blurred by the rain streaking past. The word 'TATTOO' glowed faintly in neon, painting the droplets red, no, it wasn't the sign that made everything red. It was a stoplight.

A stoplight, red, screeching tires and then.. nothing.

So, a car accident was what had somehow sent her back to where she started that morning. Didn't explain why she had decided to get inked, but now she knew why she was missing time. She probably had a concussion.

Hell, she probably had fucking brain damage after all of the shit she'd just experienced in mere hours.

Nora pinched the bridge of her nose trying to staunch the terrible throbbing pain behind her eyes, an insistent and unforgiving final punishment for her transgressions.

After looking for what she thought was about twenty minutes she was still unable to find Trevor and she was too tired and cold to keep searching. She'd grown too adjusted to having a roof over her head and all of the shit was having more effect on her than it normally would have.

She managed to hail a passing taxi and to her surprise the cabbie had been so shocked by the state of her he'd offered to take her wherever she needed, no charge.

Standing at Michael's gate the city backdrop seemed an empty stage being concealed by a curtain of rain; she felt strange, unsettled, as if she were suddenly the only person left alive.

Such dreary thoughts were swept aside the nearer she got to the front door; she could hear screaming coming from within. She wanted to shake herself like a dog once she'd crossed the threshold but decided that would be bad manners even for her.

As it was she dripped water throughout the house as she tiptoed upstairs to where the source of the argument was coming from.

"I'm telling you that she can't stay here, Michael!"

Amanda.

"What has she done that's offended you so much? Jesus." Michael sounded irritated with his wife, probably a common occurrence from the impression Nora had gotten from the two of them.

"Why do you feel the need to defend her? Do you want to fuck her?"

Nora couldn't help smirking, feeling a smug little burst of arrogant self-satisfaction that she made the bitch feel insecure about herself.

"No. It's funny that you would be the one to accuse someone of thinking about cheating, honey," Michael said, overly sweet.

"Oh, don't you even go there you prick! All of that shit was behind us, I thought, now, I'm not so sure!"

Nora moved around where she could see them, the bedroom door was cracked open, Michael standing just inside, Amanda seated on the edge of the bed. Her eyes looked red rimmed as if she had been crying. Nora rolled her eyes at the sight of her.

"They've been like this ever since you showed up. Like, when are you leaving?" Tracey asked, leaning around from her bedroom door.

"As soon as I can. Believe me; I don't want to be here anymore than any of you want me to be here. I'm just up shit creek with no oars," Nora told her, moving away from Michael and Amanda's bedroom so they wouldn't hear them talking.

"I don't have anything against you personally, it's just.. my dad was being a real asshole for like ever and things had finally went back to normal," Tracey sighed, breezily, looking put out.

Tracey's cell phone rang, some annoying pop song set as her ringtone that made Nora want to clench her teeth.

"Oh, hey, Lazlow. You know I'm still really pissed at you right? My dad would totally kill you if he knew we were speaking."

Nora cringed as Tracey's voice became overly-bubbly and more awful on the ears than her ringtone. Nora knew she was forgotten.

As she turned the argument between Michael and Amanda spilled out onto the balcony, their shouting drowning out Tracey's phone conversation.

"Fuck you, Amanda! I did it one time! What's your score by now?"

"Stop trying to turn this around on me you son of a bitch! And if you expect me to believe that you've fucked only one other woman while we were married then you must really believe I'm an idiot!"

Tracey covered her phone with her hand shouting to be heard, "What the fuck you guys? Can't you see I'm on the fucking phone?"

"When are you not?" Michael retorted. "If you're not whoring yourself out to some sleaze ball trying to make a name for yourself you're on that fucking phone trying to do the same."

"Oh my God, dad, I hate you so fucking much!" Tracey wailed, running back into her room and slamming the door with a bang.

Nora felt like she was back in the field caught in the crossfire with no cover to get behind. Amanda glared at her, shaking her head in disgust as if she'd just noticed that she'd stepped in dog shit.

Nora wanted to punch her in one of her overly shiny fake tits.

"If you want me to go so badly why don't you tell me to leave yourself instead of hiding behind his leg while you make him do it for you?" Nora asked, softly, unable to remain neutral any longer.

Any traces of hostility slid off of Amanda's features, fear taking it's place. Nora was enjoying seeing the older woman so unsettled by being confronted directly for the first time.

You should be afraid of me you fucking bitch. Your husband might have robbed banks but I've seen shit that would undo all of those thousands you've blown on botox.

Amanda glanced at Michael, looking panicked, now. Getting no support from her husband, she fled downstairs leaving Nora alone with Michael. Tracey was still gabbling away overly-loud on her cellphone.

"Women. You can't live with them and you cant-" Michael stopped, catching himself. "You just can't live with 'em."

Nora's lip curled shrewdly, "What is her fucking problem?"

"If I didn't know better I'd think she was jealous. You ain't ugly after all."

"You ain't too bad yourself, De Santa," she drawled, playfully poking him in the chest.

Michael was smiling now, "Is that so?"

She paused, a small, sly, smile of her own tugging up the corners of her mouth, "Your ass is a little too fat in those shorts.."

"I don't need another Trevor tellin' me everything that's wrong with me every twelve seconds," he groaned, making her snort.

All day Nora killed time doing menial little things around the house. She watched tv, tried to do yoga and even went as far as to try a kale milkshake which left her bent over the sink spitting and rinsing her mouth out under the tap.

All day she waited for Trevor to call or just burst into the house unannounced but he never showed. She could feel the tiniest gnawing at the bottom of her stomach even though she felt silly, but she was actually worried. She was certain that he pretty much did his own thing and this wasn't unusual but she couldn't seem to relax.

An entire week had gone by before she finally heard anything on where Trevor had gone and by then she wasn't surprised by what she heard.