Of course they wouldn't take the same way back, the Watcher sighed to himself as he followed a few passengers behind the girls onto a bus heading down toward Boston.
He had to admit, the route they'd chosen, though seeming a bit longer, was scenic.
Snow covered the ground like a pure blanket, settling along the skeletal tree branches to give the glimpse to an otherworldly faerie land. Watching the landscape go by, he only half-listened to what was going on.
"I still can't believe you cut and dyed your hair, well okay I can believe you dyed your hair, but I can't believe you cut it! I thought you were heading for the Duo look, long bangs and long braid - whatever possessed you to cut it!" Emily shook her head in wonder.
"I got bored, it got hard to take care of, I thought I might try looking like the semi-respectable doctor I was?" Sylvana shrugged with a smirk.
There was laughter. "I still can't believe you cut it."
"Oh look!"
The Watcher couldn't help but look up at the exclamation. The young woman was pointing out the opposite window at a particularly exotic looking sunset reaching its tendrils of dimming light across the snow. He half smiled to himself.
"Syl, wake up," Emily shook her shoulder. "We've reached Boston, gotta find a place to crash."
"No crashing, it hurts like the sith," she mumbled as she clawed her way toward consciousness. "Wha?" Sylvana blinked the sleep from her eyes. Long rides had always been her downfall, lulling her quickly to sleep nearly every time.
"We're in Boston, and we're going to find a hotel." The teenager grabbed Syl by the arm and reached up to bring down the bags.
The doctor grabbed her own pack, as well as shouldering one of the other's. "Emi', you packed way too much," she mumbled to herself as she allowed herself to be put into the press leaving the bus.
The Watcher sighed as he followed them to a small motel. He waited until they'd gotten a room before putting in for one of his own. As he was walking to, and situating himself in, room 113, he listened.
"Alarm set?"
"Yep."
*yawn*
"I'm sure you have a plan for tomorrow - I was just going to take a bus back to the train."
"I was thinking we could catch a boat or something to New York in the morning."
"Eep! These sheets are cold. Sure, we could do that - but, what's our excuse?"
*yawn*
"Educational Scenic Trip?"
"Hn."
"Oh, come on Syl - Sci'll buy anything!"
*yawn*
"Are we talking about the same Major?"
"Hey, I've known him longer, I can do whatever I want! Besides, I outrank you."
*yawn*
"You'd do whatever you want anyway - since when has anyone been able to dictate you?"
"Since, uhm...."
Silence reigned for the better part of five minutes.
"Since forever!"
More silence.
"Syl?"
Silence.
"Goodnight, Syl,"
*Click*
Watcher shook his head as he pulled out the earpiece and put it on the loudest setting before securing it tightly. When the alarm in his charge's room went off, he would most definitely hear it, and he would be ready and waiting by the time they left.
*SKREE!*
Watcher half jumped out of his skin and tore out the offending earpiece. "Too loud," he mumbled to himself as he reset the thing and waited a few minutes before putting it back in.
The boat trip to New York City was uneventful. The waves were fairly calm, and the view stretched on forever. Though it was cold, Sylvana spent the entire trip on the deck, watching the waves rolling beside them. Whatever else the young woman saw, none could say, but the look on her face was that of one who had found something they would long for.
Emily was another case altogether, she spent the trip wandering the ship, but mostly in the sparse arcade challenging whoever came to play - and most often winning.
The Watcher stayed near the door, keeping an eye on the Lorrdain. He never moved from his post, as though afraid that she would lean too far into the light wind and topple in the sea to disappear beneath the beckoning waves.
Once on dry land, he followed the girls to the Consulate, then relinquished his invisible escort duty for the warmth of the room he was renting for the duration of the New York excursion.
The suite that had been commandeered by the members of Terra Group was large, allowing for a few rooms left over once each had been filled. Sylvana pointed Emily toward an empty one before going in search of her brother.
She just KNEW he'd been up to trouble.