milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Rachel took Elshie out to the lake to meet Rain this morning. Water falling light and grey from the sky. Rain...a true and simple joy to share with a child, even one as young as Elshie, after all, Rachel was more than content to bring her out in storms until she was old enough to love them as well...

For now, shared joy was enough, even with the ticking clock and the tremors that had shaken the lake waters recently. It was enough...she'd release Ari's daughter back to him soon, to seek safety from whatwas to come...

But now, now there was a damp telepath, hair like blood down her back, and a dry, hungry baby to take care of.

[As always, response shall be slow at times]

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A quiet Hank McCoy watches, shields tight as tight could be, with the added reinforcement of a psiblock in his uniform, added when he and the others slipped out of the mansion.

He watches quietly and smiles. He misses her and he is glad she is showing signs of being happy.

Shields and blocks are just as attention getting as screaming thoughts alud...blank spot where the rest of the senses scream Life...

So, it isn't too longbefore two sets of drowning green eyes aer turned in his direction, though Elshie's are greener.

Hank nods to them both, not speaking, just acknowledging their gazes. He smiles a little to himself. They looked fitted to one another. He smiles a little brighter, as he watches her.

Rachel smile is bright and warm, Elshie's is gummy and distracted as she makes little hungry noises.

Yes, they do look fitted don't they?

Hank's own smile widens. She is good at doing that and the double smile effect added by the baby just makes it worse.

They do indeed look fitted, and for a moment, he lets himself hope she had found a way and a time to have a child of her own.

He lifts a hand in a wave.

A second glance at those baby eyes and they'd lend the lie to the Illusion. Drowning emerald, yes, but not flame licked...brilliant. s'Ffalenn eyes. Unforgetable.

Only a glance though, because Elshie is quite happy to nuzzleagainst Rachel's breast and start on breakfast. At least Rachel's learned enough decency to drape a blanket over her shoulder, baby and all.

Yeah, that's new.

She's happy to wave back though.

That definitely drew a blink of surprise, and a nod, and some small amount of staring and shaking of his head.

He made his way closer.

"Hello, Rachel."

His voice was quiet, soft. He had dealt with a number of babies in his time.

His look and headshaking is almost enough to make her laugh, and the humor is certainly there in the quirk of her lips and the sparkle in her eye...

"Morning" she replied equally softly, not that Elshie would be startled by a full brass band at this point, but hey, the adults had to try.

"How have you been?"

He quirks an eye at the baby and then at her.

"You seem to have acquired something extra there, since I last spoke with you."

He isnt talking about the child, exactly, either.

"I'm...not so bad" factored in that she has a child at the moment, even if not hers...she's doing wonderfully. She's still splintered and broken from every angle, thats he knows...but she's better?

Then she grimaced and glanced down atthe loose, button down shirt "Yeah. Kinda creepy to not have the shirts Svava gave me fitting"...and spandex would no doubt look obscene.

He twitched slightly. Then he nodded.

"I can use the fabricator to make you some new ones? We have had a few mothers back on Earth at the mansion... the program is in there."

Of course, he would have to use the fabricator here. The one back home would have to wait until, and if, he ever made it back.

His smile didnt slip though.

"It is nice to see you happier, Rachel."

And the look is as full of the care he has for her as ever. She is family, and always will be.

"I talked to Bar, I'm covered" in more ways than one! She chuckled then, stroking Elshie's back below the blanket "Thank Arithon for the happier bit okay?"

Then she reached out to poke him, flame flickering deep in her eyes "You're hiding from me" she pointed out gently. "Or just hiding in general?"

No, she doesn't miss a trick.

Or a Psi shield.

His mouth twitches and he nods. He blinks, then looks down and nods.

"Well, I was just in general, but when I saw you and the child, I didnt want... a lot has happened back home and I didnt want to intrude."

He gives her that self-depreciating smile of his and shrugs.

"You looked like you had your hands full, so to speak."

"Elshie is shielded" Rachel stated calmly. "As heavily as can layer on" she's a baby. She deserves to not suffer from empathy. Rachel can't block out the tie to her father of course, or herself, but that's deeper than mere empathy.

"You can't over burden me Hank, you can't. So don't worry" she'll help if she can.

He hesitates and then reaches up and taps a button, and the shield fades away. He slowly opens his own mind, not wanting the rush of it to hit her. And scenes of war and darkness fill his mind as he directs it to telling what has happened these last weeks and where he came in from.

Then he closes that darkness away and lets her feel the warmth and love, and his gladness at seeing her again. He smiles at her, unwilling to let any war take away that joy.

She was raised in a lost war. She's lived and breathed it, feasted upon it...and overcome it. It can't take away her joy right now.

She doesn't let the darkness hide though. She's...too powerful for normal shielding to block her, and politeness will only go so far when such a poison is trying to run...

No, she latches onto it with bright talons and sheds harsh light upon the memories. Floods power and passion through the desperate darkness.

It's what she does. What she is.

She doesn't destroy the memories. no, but she helps.

All in the space of a heartbeat.

He winces slightly.

"Rachel... be nice."

There is gentle chiding in his voice. He steps back almost involuntarily.

Helping isn't often nice, that she'll admit...but this was like turning on a light without warning the people in the dark room. Nothing more...brightening darkness to make nightmares seem less terrifying.

Why?

Because he'd need what little distance and perspectivehe could get, heading into a war as he was.

"It'll tear you apart Hank. You're...not well suited to war"

"Maybe so, but next time? Ask, Rachel. Please."

There is a rawness to his request, a need for knowledge of the security of his mind, froma man who has been screwed with there far too often. He trusts her and yet, the fears and the pain of those happenings is far too close to recent for even a friend.

"You would have said no. You like to be strong enough on your own."

She'd rather have him sane and alive.

"You're going into something that...if I didn't catch you now, there wouldn't be a chance to yell at you and shake a finger later."

She sighed and readjusted Elshie "I can't leave if you need me. The door doesn't lead where it would need to..."

"The door will open again for me soon, and as soon as it does, I will be goling back through. You have to do as you will do, Rachel."

He smiles regretfully.

"I wish our paths always walked together."

His gaze is fond and accepting of her, as she is, for what she is, even is she sometimes irritates him. He will still love her for who she is always.

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