abandon all hope.

"It is," Annabelle agreed with a short nod, truly agreeing with Garrett's comment, "We're both masters of bad ideas though, they are usually the ones that work out best for us..."

***

Carter had thought alot about leaving the Cartel... thought about running as far away as he possibly could and never looking back. The only thing holding him back was the desire to find his sister, Annabelle. She had always made his life better... made him better and he just needed to find her.

Grabbing a blanket from the cupboard, Carter immediately headed back to the basement and entered the room. "This should keep you warm," he said, handing the blanket to Elena and taking up his position against the wall again.

Garrett let out a breath of air, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "Let's go eat" he sighed, climbing out of the door of the car, wanting to leave the conversation there for now. They had too many important tasks to get done over the coming days to let something like that cloud their judgement.

"Annie, just leave it there okay.. we'll talk about it some other time" he said gruffly, his jaw tense as she tried to bring it up again. He took a seat at a table, offering the waitress a smile as she gave them their menus.

***

Elena could feel her breath beginning to catch at the back of her throat as her body tensed up. She felt the muscles all slowly begin to relax again when Carter entered the room and she was sure it was him. She let out a soft sigh and took the blanket. "thank you" she told him and pulled it around her shoulders. She wanted it for comfort if nothing else.

"How did you end up here?" She asked him.

@ AngelicWasteland;

Yeah, we just won't talk about it yet again Annabelle thought as she followed him over to the table, sitting down and browsing through the menu. She wasn't really hungry anymore, but she ordered herself a burger and sat opposite Garrett in silence.

***

"I guess I trusted the wrong person," Carter told her with a shrug, "I needed some quick cash and an old friend of mine said that he knew exactly the place to go, I didn't know that the deliveries I was making were for the Cartel... until I tried to walk away. All of this, everything I do, it isn't for me..."

Garrett watched Annabelle as she sat there, a pout on her face as she ordered her food. He sighed loudly after ordering for himself and put his hands down on the table. "Annie don't do this" he sighed gruffly, his eyes studying her face. He wanted something to work out between them just as much as she did but he knew right now was not a good time. Not when she was about to infiltrate an enemy gang. They couldn't have any ties.

***

"Who's it for?" Elena asked, raising an eyebrow at him in the darkness. She was surprised he was talking to her like this, letting her know his weaknesses. She didn't trust it... Was this good cop bad cop? Is that what Troy was for? Her mind was racing with thoughts as she tried to listen to him.

@ AngelicWasteland;

"Don't do what, Garrett?" Annabelle replied, looking over at him questioningly, "I'm not doing anything... let's just eat and get out of here."

***

"That doesn't matter... I'm not going to put her in that kind of danger," Carter stated, absent-mindedly reaching for the chain that hung around his neck and shaking his head, "Some things are too important to let go so freely, you understand that, right?"

Garrett shook his head softly "yeah fine whatever" he grunted. He ate in silence eventually standing up and going to pay the bill with a sigh. "C'mon let's go" he instructed and picked his keys up off the table heading for the car.

***

"Yeah sure" Elena said softly as she stared towards the outline of face in the darkness, stifling a yawn as it came over her. "Carter?" She asked softoy, her voice a little shaky as she thought about what she wanted to say. "I know this is such a stupid thing to ask... But um... Could you stay down here with me tonight?" She asked softly, already feeling like it was the stupidest thing she could've asked for.

@ AngelicWasteland;

Clearing her plate, Annabelle watched Garrett as he grabbed his keys and let out a soft sigh. She had always told herself not to fall for anyone... to protect her heart at all costs, but he was different and there was only one other guy that held that amount of power over her.

***

A little taken back by her question, Carter hesitated for a few minutes and spoke. "Sure..." Settling back against the wall, he allowed his mind to wander to thoughts of his sister and hoped that she was safe.

(hey so sorry I was taken in to hospital!)

Garrett started the car, his jaw tense as he stared out the front window waiting for Annabelle to get in before he pulled away heading back towards the base. "look Annie, there's just a lot going on right now... I don't think it's a good idea" he said to her. He couldn't bbare to let things progress with them only to see her get hurt.

***

"Thank you" Elena whispered in to the darkness pulling the blanket tighter around her, grateful to know she wouldn't be left alone in the dark room for the night. "Why this cartel?" She asked him softly

@ AngelicWasteland;

"Let's just drop it... I need to focus on this job," Annabelle told him firmly, not wanting to argue and refusing to show him any kind of emotion that would make him feel sorry for her.

***

"Like I said, it was just where I fell into," Carter repeated, "By the time I figured out who I was really working for, it was too late to back out and backing out wasn't an option anyway. I had a plan... I would do my time here and then I would find her again, but I don't even know if she'd want to know me anymore."

Garrett nodded softly, rolling down his window to put in the code to enter the complex. He sighed gently, rolling out his shoulders as he got out of the car and walked inside. "I'm gonna go shower and head to bed, tomorrow is going to be Manic" he told her, offering up a soft smile.

***

"Find her...who?" Elena asked Carter, her eyes narrowing as she squinted to try and make out his face in the dim room. She could feel herself growing tired and she hoped maybe she would somewhat get a good night's sleep.

@ AngelicWasteland;

Nodding in response, Annabelle went straight to her room and sat down on the bed. Reaching under her pillow, she retrieved a photograph and felt tears form as she stared at it. "I wish you were here... I could really use my over-protective big brother right now."

***

"My little sister..." Carter admitted softly, reaching up to grab the cross pendant that hung from a chain around his neck and taking a deep breath to fight back his emotions.