Chapter One- Back In LA

Sleep did not evade, as they drove into the parking lot of their building. But just as much satisfaction still held upon their expressions, as it had this morning after they had left their hotel where the conference had taken place.

Many forms of tactics and knowledge had been expressed over the last three days that were now taken into consideration, and exchanged between both in conversations. Information now determined that should be conveyed to the team.

Don turned off the engine, after he had pulled into his usual parking spot. He looked over at Megan who had long since fallen asleep, her right hand protecting the side of her head as both pressed against the side of the window.

He sighed, noting the usual conversations that they had over the last few days, counting mostly for the speakers and information they had seen and listened to for the past three days, but other than that she hadn’t said much.

Taking the key out of the ignition, and grasping them in his hand, he let the quiet settle over them; wonderment falling upon his thought, before he put one hand on her shoulder, and shook it lightly. “Megan” She stirred immediately, taking her hand from underneath her head as she sat up, looking at him with her dark green eyes.

“Hey” She smiled wearily, already knowing the answer to where they were as she stretched quickly, and unbuckled her seat belt, before yawning.

Don unbuckled his own, but at a slower pace, “Megan--” Her eyes shot to his, “Go home, get some rest” He lead the belt from over his shoulder over the side, letting out a sigh. Knowing he had been debating what to say the whole way here, he decided for now it was enough to let her mind rest.

She shook her head, and opened the passenger side door “Not unless you plan on going home yourself” Megan looked over at him, conveying the message in expression before stepping out. Shutting the door, she made her way to the back, and opened it. She pulled out one big black suitcase, as Don stepped out of the car.

He made his way to the back, and shut the door, as she rolled her luggage to her car. She was avoiding the fact that he was concerned. He knew the tactic well, and he used it often. “I’ll just make sure Colby and David know that we’ll be coming in tomorrow” He called out as he went to his side of the car, reached over and unhooked his cell phone before dialing the number to David’s cell phone.

After he had made the phone call, he had decided that they would go in shifts, so that maybe they could all get some sleep, “I’ll see you back at seven. Get some sleep” He advised, and watched as she stepped into her car. And although he thought about going back into the building to catch David and Colby up on everything that they had listened to at the conference he decided that it could wait until tomorrow.

She recognized the look on his face, as she started the car. It wasn’t hard to tell what he was thinking, so she added, “It can wait Don." she gave another tired yawn. " I’ll see you bright and early, tomorrow.”

-----

It had only been a few minutes later when she had gotten home that she started to feel the full effect of her tiredness. She stepped out the elevator with one hand on the suitcase, as she rolled it down the hall.

Keys in hand, she walked to where her apartment was located, which almost in the middle of sixth level hall. Giving a quiet sigh, she opened her apartment. The blinds to the patio window that she had forgotten to close before she left flooded the quiet apartment with white light that danced across the modern living room, and kitchen.

Her living room consisted of a small TV set up against the wall. A maroon colored leather couch, and coffee table. Sitting on the table were unopened letters that her father had sent to her in the past couple weeks.

She set her suitcase against the closet door, near the door as she pushed the button on her answering machine, “You have no new messages” Came the robotic reply, as a monotone beep followed straight after. Megan exhaled toeing off her shoes, then undid her jacket, which revealed a white sleeveless shirt underneath.

Why have an answering machine when you’re never home? She had asked herself that several times, because most days and nights she was still at the office, only returning home late the next night, to get some sleep and to refresh for the next day.

Truth was though she had been avoiding the exhaustion, finding herself only half refreshed to beginning a new day. Megan made her way to the couch, and let her body rest into the soft leather as she closed her eyes.

Only seemingly minutes later she opened her eyes, looking at the watch on her hand, which read two thirty. She had been sleeping for about thirty minutes and already she felt even worse then when she had fallen asleep. She let her hand rest upon her pounding head, and she closed her eyes.

A few minutes later, she woke up to a pounding on her door. She propped herself up on her elbows, scowling slightly as she sat silently. “Megan, open the door--”

Her body protested at the movements as she steadied herself upon her feet. “Don go home. Get some rest”

To Be Continued...