Chapter Text
1.
After Nate destroyed yet another lost city, the duo returned back to the Tibetan village hidden amongst the Himalayan mountains. Unfortunately, saving the world from chaos and destruction came at a price. Elena Fisher. Poor girl, Chloe thought. All she wanted to do was make things right-- or, save the world, as she put it. Little did she know that Harry Flynn wasn't something that could be fixed. The asshole decided to make his exit memorable by suicide-bombing his way out. The explosion took Fisher in its hands, but not at a lethal grip, thankfully.
Chloe couldn't exactly decrypt what Tenzin was telling her, but the tone in his voice was definitely worried. It wasn't hopeless, though. At least thats what she believed, for Nate's sake. The poor guy felt helpless just seeing her in the state. Every few minutes he'd rush inside the room for confirmation that she was still breathing. His eyes were red and wet and his voice was breaking. Thats how Chloe knew that he loved her, and she was surprisingly okay with that. The whole Shambhala thing made her realize just how different they were from eachother. Sure, they both enjoyed the thrill of adventure. But while Drake had a more wholesome perspective on life, always needing to be the damn hero, Chloe had a more do-whatever-needed-to-be-done mentality.
Maybe thats why she got along so well with Flynn.
She couldn't bare to see Nathan in the state he was for any longer, so she retreated to the memorial that was planted in the middle of the village. She lost a lot of people this week, not necessarily by death. She let her face sink into her elbow as she watched the mountains in the distance weep with snow.
"Hello," A plump young girl interrupted Chloe's train of thought, tapping the women on her back. When Chloe turned around at the foreign language, she saw a little girl with an apple wrapped under her small fingers. "I brought you some food, because my Father told me to."
Chloe looked at the apple, then back at the child. She couldn't understand one word coming out of her mouth. Maybe she should've listened to Elena when she said that Tibetan was probably something she should become familiar with, especially in a job like this.
"Uhm... Hello." Frazer greeted with an uncertain smile. "I'm not so good with TIbetan, sorry. You're Pema, right?"
The girl turned her head like a confused dog before a smile grew at her cheeks. "I'm Pema," She nodded, motioning her hands to her chest. "And your name is Chlo... Chloe."
"Yes, I'm Chloe." She nodded enthusiastically. God, she wasn't good at this whole children thing. "Uhm... you don't speak any English by any chance?"
Pema kept her eyes contently on Chloe's before nodding shyly. "I know a little bit of English, but I don't know how to say the words."
"I'm just going to assume you said no," The woman smiled before moving her gaze to the ground. "So I guess this conversation is completely one-sided for both of us, hm?"
The little girl tilted her head to the left before looking at the apple. She suddenly moved her hand onto Chloe's and pulled at her fingers. "You look cold, I will take you inside."
"Oh-- off we go." Chloe said, nearly losing balance as the girl dragged her off into one of the houses. She opened a small door that was built into the ground. It looked like an underground bunker of some sort. After they climbed down the very narrow ladder, they ended up in a small dark room that consisted of nothing but a candle.
"This is my secret spot," The girl smiled, setting the candle alight. "It is very warm in here."
A gentle orange flickered the room with brightness. The girl stood up and grabbed a chalk from the floor and drew on the wall. Chloe watched in wonder as the child sketched out what-looked-to-be a portrait of Elena.
"Ah," Chloe nodded with a grin. "Is this how we're gonna communicate, huh?" She whispered before leaning her tired back into the rock wall.
Pema nodded, her cheeks red and her eyes serene.
Frazer breathed out, looking at the girl in the eyes. "Is she going to be okay?" She asked, not expecting a response.
"I hope so," The girl responded, before realizing that the Australian couldn't understand what she was saying. So instead she drew a question mark on the wall.
Chloe chuckled sadly. "I'm sure she'll be fine..." She said to herself, more wishing than hoping.
The girl gave her a look of sorrow before rolling her the cold, swollen apple that she had ignored before. The fruit bumped against Frazer's shoes and Pema mimicked herself eating it.
"For you," She pointed at the woman, her eyes on the apple. "Food will make you feel better."
Chloe understood her charade and picked up the apple, throwing it in her hands. "Thanks, hun."