(Untitled)

[bannion_sight]

She's seen this place many times before during this long winter, the same images tumbling and falling through her nights until she had finally been able to make sense of them. In the days of those first dreams she had been too young in power, too new to her gift to realize where she was-- and it had taken repeated dreaming for her to realize that

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[still_golden]

Jen sleeps lightly, these days. She wakes with a start when Kim's cry cuts through the silence.

Swinging out of bed, she grabs her robe and heads for the kitchen to put water on the stove. That done, she looks in on Kim, then returns to the kitchen, gets the phone, and dials.

"Kevin? It's Jen. No, I'm all right . . ."

"Dave, it's Jen. Of course I know what time it is . . ."

"Paul, you need to come over."

[bannion_sight]

Alone in her room, Kim opens her eyes. For some time she does nothing but stare at the ceiling, dry-eyed and without even the dim promise of tears.

Eventually, she rises from her bed, noting as she does the muted flicker of the Baelrath on her hand. With a weary sigh, Kim wraps her robe around herself and starts for the kitchen.

It's four in the morning, she sees by the clock-- and sees as well that she's not the only one awake.

"Hi."

[still_golden]

"Hi."

She nods towards the chairs around the kitchen table. The kettle's just coming to a boil.

"You cried out. I thought something was happening."

[bannion_sight]

"It did."

She sinks into one of the chairs, tightening her robe about her with a shiver. These days, it seems she's always cold, especially when returning from the paths of her dreaming.

[still_golden]

Quiet -- "You know what you have to do?"

[bannion_sight]

Kim nods.

Somehow, it seems to take too much effort to speak.

[still_golden]

"Is it all right?"

[bannion_sight]

She shrugs, still borne down by the weight of vision that denies speech.

In times like these, she finds herself thinking more and more of Ysanne, and the peaceful solitude of the little cottage by the lake.

Finally, Kim says, "We'd better call the guys."

The Warstone continues to glow as she speaks-- a dimmed warning still, but one nearly as bright as the light on the ceiling above them.

[still_golden]

The water's getting to be in danger of boiling over; Jen gets up and crosses to the cabinets, pulling out mugs and tea.

"I already have," she says, pouring the water and bringing the mugs over to the table. "They'll be here soon."

[bannion_sight]

Kim wraps her hands around her mug, grateful for its warmth, then gives Jen a sudden sharp look.

"Just what did I say in my sleep, Jen?"

[still_golden]

Jen looks back steadily, eyes gentle and kind.

"You cried out for forgiveness."

[bannion_sight]

Kim looks down at the mug, unseeing.

She would drag the dead from their rest, and the undead to their doom.

"Fat chance."

[still_golden]

"Oh, Kim," she murmurs.

Around then, the doorbell rings, and Jen rises. "I'll get it. Drink your tea."

[pwyll_twiceborn]

Paul's grey eyes are intent on Jennifer as soon as the door opens.

"She saw," he says, and it's not a question.

[inthetapestry]

The noise of Dave's car driving up in front of the apartment intrudes before Jen can answer; Dave jumps out of the front seat, disguising a yawn, and heads up to the door.

He doesn't say 'this had better be damn important', though.

He knows it is.

[inthetapestry]

Kevin shows up not long after Dave, though his entrance is considerably more stylish.

Or it would be, if Kevin were into that kind of posturing.

Now doesn't seem the time for it, though.

Even less so if something ends up happening.