[Powers Plot] Sept. 16: With all my shields and protection, it's only me I deceive

[girlsolo]

Magnus's words you could be lovely together are ringing in Kate's ears when she wakes in Declan's hut before him and before the sunrise. In Declan's arms, wrapped as firmly around him as Will's stupid sloth and smiling as stupidly in her sleep.

She doesn't want to "be lovely" with anyone. It's too much responsibility. Too much for her to take on. She has to focus on getting them out of here and on getting better. Being better. Declan needs someone who isn't her. Someone who won't just break his heart a million times. If he even wants her.

There's no reluctance to leave his bed or his arms today. She's not even sure why she came here last night since they're not fucking and she shouldn't have, even though she's grateful he lets her. Kate lifts his arm and squirms out from under it, murmuring, "Be right back," when he rouses.

She grabs her clothes and her boots without stopping to put them on, steals off into the trees to do what he probably thinks she's doing, then quickly dresses and stows her knives. Not three minutes have passed before Kate's racing across the island toward the Compound for coffee and information.

It's not long before she realizes something is very wrong on the island. Something is very very wrong.

*
Title and lj-cut lyrics from Melissa Etheridge's Dance Without Sleeping.

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[inabmovie]

After talking with Kate and Declan, Will thought it less likely that Druitt was behind this and more likely it was another stupid island trick, so he decided to go and wait in the last place he'd seen Magnus--their hut. If she suddenly had some new power and was freaked out by it, she'd probably try to get back to the last place she'd seen Will. So he went back there to wait. No sign of her yet, and he wasn't sure how long he could make himslef wait before he wanted to go look for her again.

[notsocommon]

Helen had tried her best to think about the hut and not get overly emotional and after bouncing around the island for a while, she landed, well, more or less on top of Will.

"Dear God, I'm so sorry. I can't control it!"

[inabmovie]

"Hey, it's okay," he said, trying to be calm. She was obviously scared about whatever was going on and he wanted to help her calm down a little if he could. "You're back here, you're good." Will decided not to tell her how he'd freaked out a little thinking it could have been Druitt behind this, becauze it obviously wasn't.

[notsocommon]

Helen nodded and tried to calm down, slow and steady breaths for a moment while she focused on Will's face and his voice. Stupid bloody island.

"I was so afraid I would just keep bouncing around and not get back here."

[inabmovie]

"And now you're back," he said, lightly rubbing her arm. "All in one piece. Apparently half the island has some kind of powers right now. I'm guessing it's some wacky island thing and it'll be over in a couple days."

[notsocommon]

"Of course it has to give me the one power I have some issue with," Helen said, curling around Will even though she was a grown woman and hardly needed to become a barnacle because she'd started randomly teleporting. "The one person I'm afraid of and the damned island gives me his power."

Why not invisibility or electricity or vast intellect?

[inabmovie]

"It'll be temporary," Will assured her. "It has to be, this kind of stuff always is. Hey, at least you're still you?" That was the bright side, at least to him. He'd hated being turned into a girl.

[notsocommon]

"I am still me. I haven't shown any signs of mental defect either," Helen pointed out. "So I don't think I have to fear turning into John completely. I simply hate the idea of being out of control, you know that."

[inabmovie]

He slid his arm around her to hold her close, kissing her lightly. "I know," he said. "Just hang on and remember it's probably not permanent and whatever happens, I'm here." So far he seemed to have escaped the latest island trick, and he hoped it stayed that way.

[notsocommon]

"Were you terribly afraid when I disappeared?" Helen asked, face still cradled against his neck. "That perhaps I'd gone for good?"

[inabmovie]

"Scared to death," he admitted. "It was only the fact that I saw you disappear that way that made me think something else was up and not just island-disappearing..." His arm tightened around her a little. "I don't know what I'd do if you left for good."

[notsocommon]

"I don't know what I would do if you disappeared," Helen said quietly, as if being quiet meant that possibly the fickle island gods wouldn't hear her and take him away. Will had been important to her long before the island as a protege and a friend but now, as close as they were and as much as she loved him, she couldn't bear it.

"I love you so much, Will. So much."

[inabmovie]

"Love you, too," he said. "Don't forget it." His voice was just as quiet as hers; not that he was superstitious or anything, but he sometimes had the weird feeling, when talking about the island, that it was best not to say things too loud.

[notsocommon]

"I don't want to lose you," Helen repeated, already upset from just mentioning it. She shouldn't have brought it up, no, but now that she had, she couldn't stop her reaction to it. And, then, of course, she felt the tell-tale tingle of the teleportation again.