#/ALSO ALSO. I CAN'T TELL IF MY EDITING PROGRAM IS BEING WEIRD BC THEY RELEASED A NEW VERSION. MY COMPUTER IS BEING A JERK.

[imtiredofbeingafraid]

Moved to beta

@littlelightningbvg

“We do?” Kay repeated in surprise as she stared at the back of his head. She hadn’t thought there’d be a we after he’d saved her, but maybe he intended to help more then she’d realized. Though she couldn’t imagine what the bigger issues were then the ones she… they were facing at the moment. Even aware that he wasn’t looking at her, her head still bowed a little when he mentioned her needing to explain. Where did you start? And what if he found out the truth and didn’t want to continue helping her… Maybe it didn’t matter. She appreciated the help she’d received so far, and if he didn’t want to continue afterward then she’d make her way back to the woods again. Peering up at the top of the enclosure while she listened, she watched as a few members of the public passed by. No sign of the men from the lab, but she knew he was right, that didn’t mean they weren’t nearby. “What’s a… transport box?” she questioned nervously. It didn’t sound like something she was eager to get into, in fact it reminded her of the scared caged animals they would bring into the lab for them to use their powers on. “I – I… I’m not sure… would I be able to fit in one?” The last time she’d been close to one it had housed a small animal, and she didn’t think she was as small as a cat.

His words were slow to register, and when they did, she stood there in disbelief. Survive and are cared for. Sure, she’d survived at the lab, but she didn’t know what it was like to be cared for, not the way the other children were. “Do – do you mean I… I get to stay with you?”

Dan didn't respond to her first question. He needed to not talk to her. The more attention he drew to himself--the worse off this was going to be. He was still less concerned about the lab people than he was the zoo employees. They knew which animals were staying and which were going and it would be easy for them to figure out that he was up to something. Perhaps he could claim he needed to clean it or had forgotten that it wasn't needed?

His brain was still reeling trying to figure all of this out and how he could successfully pull it off. He was good at coming up with plans but he liked to have time to get it all together. Doing it all on the fly like this wasn't where he flourished. He just needed to get the box close to an exit for her to slip out.

"It's what we use to move the animals." He had no way of knowing what she was thinking but she wasn't that far off. "Believe me, you're not even close to the size of the biggest animal we have here. You'll fit." He could hear the hesitation in her voice, "Hey if you don't feel comfortable I can try to find an alternative? Maybe there's a costume or something for you to hide in?" Cartoons always used balloons or she could get in a stuffed animal but they weren't living in a cartoon and he had to be reasonable about this.

His cheeks flushed. He was barely sure how to get out of here. Let alone what he was going to do after that but he had to be reassuring for her. He tried to shake it and give Kay an encouraging smile, "Of course. Or at least until we figure out a better solution."

Unfortunately it didn't take long for his anxiety to show up again, "The important thing right now is getting you out and I'm having a hard time convincing myself to leave you behind or come up with a meeting place for you even though I know it has to be done." He knew she couldn't come with him. At best if she could get out on her own they could avoid all of this but could she do it safely?