shufti (
shufti) wrote in
milliways_bar2007-01-10 04:33 pm
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
Entry tags:
(no subject)
In one corner of the bar is Shufti, with Jack on her knee, showing him some pictures.
"And on the big day, I'll wear a long white dress, and you and Dada will have suits I expect. And then we walk down the middle of the guests and say some special words in front of everyone. And Dada will say some extra words to say that he'll look after you too."
Jack points at the picture. Shufti smiles. "That's a cake. Can you say cake?"
"Tay" Jack replies, then points at something else. "Baa?"
"That's a sheep love, we won't be having one of those. I don't think."
"And on the big day, I'll wear a long white dress, and you and Dada will have suits I expect. And then we walk down the middle of the guests and say some special words in front of everyone. And Dada will say some extra words to say that he'll look after you too."
Jack points at the picture. Shufti smiles. "That's a cake. Can you say cake?"
"Tay" Jack replies, then points at something else. "Baa?"
"That's a sheep love, we won't be having one of those. I don't think."
no subject
"Sorry to interrupt...but are you Shufti and Jack?"
no subject
"Yes, I'm Shufti, this is Jack." She spots the badge. "Are you arresting me? Because he grabbed me first and it was in the corridor and all I did was kick him in the nadgers and give him a face full of flour."
no subject
She offered a hand "Alex actually mentioned you to me, mentioned a jerk of non-father and nightmares Jack's having? I might be able to help with that..."
no subject
She shakes the hand, but looks a little apprehensive.
"That's very thoughtful of you both. How do you mean? Are you a psychicologist? Because the doctors said he wouldn't be able to try that until he could talk more."
no subject
"What I could do for Jack, if you and he wish, is to blunt the edges of the memory of the attack, not the details, just the immediacy, drain away a bit of the fear. He wouldn't forget, but it wouldn't make him wake up at night..."
no subject
"What would you have to do? Would it hurt him or affect him any other way?"
no subject
no subject
She nods. "Okay, thanks. I just want him to be okay. I'm not sure he understands enough to give permission though, I mean he only knows six words."
no subject
Then she held out her hand to Shufti "Shall we ask him?"
no subject
Jack looks up at the two, not sure what's going on.
no subject
With these new sense, Jack was Potential and Life just barely blossomed...
And Shufti herself? Was Warrior, and Mother...
Rachel led the way, gently, softly, her flame held to a flicker as she touched Jack's cheek lightly. It wasn't words, no, But bright, bubbly brightness, safety and warmth that begged to be let in to heal, like Momma's hands after a fall, like Momma's arms after John...
no subject
He doesn't know what to do. But he wants to let it in.
no subject
And to heal? To heal she had to reach out to those dark, bleeding memories, the ones that leaked fear and darkness through the bright young mind and cradle them gently in flame. Carefully, ever so carefully she began to wear the edges from those sharp memories, letting the primal fear bleed into herself and Shufti, letting it bleed away...
It seemed so small a task, but it meant much in one so young.
no subject
Jack just watches, unsure what to make of it all. But all the bad feelings inside are hurting less.
no subject
...from Jack.
There were still wounds to face, and so she turned her attention, as warm as summer sunshine, on Shufti.
:;May I?::
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
It was her nature to steal the pain from others, adding their drops to her own ocean...
no subject
no subject
no subject
Shufti's mind is full of memories of violence, some towards her mother as a young child, from about the age of twelve towards herself by a cruel master. More recently the war, the threat of starvation, and several assaults from Johnny within the bar. But there are happier thoughts to, of hope, of engagement, that pad out the most recent bad ones.
no subject
One that she can help, not as simply and purely as in the child, but she dimmed the darker memories, let them sink deeper into the mind where they need not poison...
She drew Pain and Fear off into herself, as inexorably as rivers led to the sea...
And at last, as a parting gift, another bright moment to add to coming joy, just a trace of star laced sky and high, wild song...
And it took Heartbeats, nothing more. Heartbeats before Rachel released Shufti's hand and smiled, a shadow laced, weary smile...but a true one.
no subject
"Thank you. Did that hurt you?"
no subject
"Now take care of your little Jack and I'll be checking in okay?"
no subject
"Thank you." she says again.
no subject
And yes, she was always bad with remembering to introduce herself.
no subject
"Um, who are you?"
no subject
Then, then she was outside, off to her precious lake and to the let the latest bits of pain settle.