Dream is in his office all afternoon. He may be slightly wistful as he begins the work of packing his books to leave the school, and he hopes his independent study students will stop by.
Around fifth period, Parker stopped by with her Russian essay. "Hi, Professor Dream. I finished the essay on Alexander Pushkin versus Chekhov."
[Said essay compares the attitudes of Pushkin vs. Chekhov (supporter of democracy vrs. communism), backgrounds (aristrocrat vs. middle-class) and literary types (mostly poetry with some folk tale elements, vs. straight prose and drama). Parker comes down heavily in favor of Pushkin, partly because he wrote with ease of translation in mind, partly because he's a more optimistic writer. She admits that Chekhov is probably more layered, though. It's very well-researched but tends to ramble a bit.]
"Thank you, sir." Parker looks vaguely uncomfortable. "I know I haven't done as much this semester as I wanted to. I think taking an Independent Study on top of five classes was probably a mistake."
"Definitely. It is a fascinating language, even if it's more frustrating than the ones I've studied before. And with Liz Weir and Alex Krycek around, I should manage to get some conversational practice in over the next year or so. I'm hoping to be fairly fluent by the summer after I graduate; my father's mentioned a trip to Moscow." She smiled at him, a little regretfully. "You won't be here next year, though, will you?"
Dream shook his head, a trace of regret in his eyes. "I have other responsibilities. My time here has been a vacation, of sorts. All vacations must end."
Parker's quiet for a minute, studying the silver ring on her left hand. "I want to thank you for all your help this year. Not just with languages, but with... everything else. You made some developments a lot easier to deal with." After a month of thinking, she has a better idea why he wouldn't have mentioned that her dreams were memories, as well; and she has much better targets for her anger. "I hope everything works out for you, when you go home." Which is the closest Parker can get to asking about that.
"Maybe I'll see you there, someday." She smiled. "Black coffee in a Russian cafe."
Dream nodded. "We should meet for coffee in five years, perhaps. I believe you will be an extraordinary woman then."
He took a few restles steps; something about Parker's manner seemed to slightly unsettle him. "I helped as I could. I am sorry I could not do more. You have found some peace?"
"I'd like that." She gave him her brightest smile, hoping like Hell that Titania was wrong, that he'd find a way out of what the Fairy Queen said was his future. "As for peace-- yes. The past isn't what I thought it was, it's better. But it means I have even more I have to accomplish than I expected." She shrugged. "One step at a time, I guess."
"That is all any of us can do," Dream agreed. "Day by day, moment by moment."
He seemed to be considering something before he spoke again. "If you ever have true need of me, I can be summoned with your ring. Simply call aloud for Morpheus and I will be there, if I can."
She tilted her head, then nodded, touched and a bit surprised. "Thank you, sir. I'll remember that. I don't suppose I can help you in return, but--" I tried. "--I would if I could. Thanks for everything you taught me. All of it."
She got to her feet and held out her hand. "It's been an honor to be your student."
[Said essay compares the attitudes of Pushkin vs. Chekhov (supporter of democracy vrs. communism), backgrounds (aristrocrat vs. middle-class) and literary types (mostly poetry with some folk tale elements, vs. straight prose and drama). Parker comes down heavily in favor of Pushkin, partly because he wrote with ease of translation in mind, partly because he's a more optimistic writer. She admits that Chekhov is probably more layered, though. It's very well-researched but tends to ramble a bit.]
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"Do you expect to continue your Russian studies?"
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"Moscow," he added, "is a beautiful city."
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"Maybe I'll see you there, someday." She smiled. "Black coffee in a Russian cafe."
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He took a few restles steps; something about Parker's manner seemed to slightly unsettle him. "I helped as I could. I am sorry I could not do more. You have found some peace?"
Reply
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He seemed to be considering something before he spoke again. "If you ever have true need of me, I can be summoned with your ring. Simply call aloud for Morpheus and I will be there, if I can."
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She got to her feet and held out her hand. "It's been an honor to be your student."
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