[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.

Comments

Re: After Will and Magnus

[notsocommon]

"I suppose that's all I can ask for," Helen said, her smile dimming just a touch. "I wouldn't have wished this place on anyone but selfishly, I'm so happy that you and Declan have showed. I missed...I missed feeling like I mattered. It's easier with you, Will, Declan and Nikola."

Re: After Will and Magnus

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

If it's weird to think anyone could miss the old Kate Freelander, girl solo, it's even weirder to see Magnus doubting herself. Even a little.

"If you sat on your ass and ate Alfredo's every day for the rest of your life, you'd matter." That's so solid and certain there's no room to doubt it. But Kate only gets fiercer the longer she talks. "If the millions of lives you've touched, changed, saved don't do it for you, well. There's Jimmy. He'd have blown up a subway if not for you. And there's me. Maybe someday I would've turned my life around without you, but I doubt it. So don't ever say that again. Don't even think it."

Re: After Will and Magnus

[notsocommon]

"I know. I just get this way occasionally," Helen said, straightening her shoulders and putting up her guard once again. "And I'll pull my way out, I always do. It's just a hazard of a long life."

Re: After Will and Magnus

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

Damn. She didn't mean to make her feel...whatever. She's just trying to give her her face back. Same as Kate would want for herself.

Kate reaches over to touch her hand, and there's a little more softness in her eyes in her voice when she says, "Listen, Magnus. I get it. I mean, I don't, I can't. But I know how easy it is to get...lost, here. If my being here helps you feel less lost, well, then I'm glad I'm here. After everything you've done for me, it's seriously the least I can do."

Re: After Will and Magnus

[notsocommon]

"Thank you," Helen said warmly, smile coming a little easier. "It means more to me than I could ever possibly say. Now, I suppose I should go try and find Will again, shouldn't I?"

Re: After Will and Magnus

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

Kate breathes out a little sigh of relief. "You can just stay with me, if you want. We're meeting at the Winchester at sundown. Me, him, and Declan. I figured you might go to Trixa if you couldn't find us."

Re: After Will and Magnus

[notsocommon]

"Or Nikola, both of whom are likely to be found near alcohol," Helen said, smirking a bit. "Trixa of course because she sells it and Nikola, well. We all know about Nikola's habits."

Re: After Will and Magnus

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I couldn't find him though," Kate says and now that she thinks about it, that's pretty weird. She can almost always find him. "I'll look for him after we get you back to Will, okay?"

Re: After Will and Magnus

[notsocommon]

"That seems like the most prudent course of action," Helen agreed. "Thank you, Kate. For listening for a bit while I had a crisis?"

Re: After Will and Magnus

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

Kate shrugs and smiles just a little. It's always weird, good weird, but weird when Magnus thanks her for something or trusts her or praises her. "Sure. It's not like it's a hardship to be your friend or anything."

Not like it at all. Even if this isn't her Magnus, and she wants to go home to her, she's still Magnus. Any Magnus thinking enough of her to trust her with this stuff is... a lot more than Kate ever expected. A lot more.