Tin Man Fic: Where She Rests Her Head Tonight
Title: Where She Rests Her Head Tonight
Author: jennukes
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairing: Cain, DG, Raw; DG/Cain
Spoilers: All Three Parts of Tin Man
Warnings: None
Summary: For now, his princess was safe and close, where she belonged.
Disclaimer: Bugger it all, I don't own any of it.
Author's Notes: Thanks to a girl's best betas, squeelated and pixie_on_acid. There is no story without them. I loved Tin Man. Plus, I do enjoy my DG/Cain. It's all squeelated's fault for introducing me to the term FFKOAH and making a legitimate kink in my mind. I am forever grateful! :-)
Also, the title is a slightly changed line from Dar William's Mercy of the Fallen, which as I listen to the lyrics, has many parallels to the story told in Tin Man. I mean think about it... Until one cloud-scattered night, I got lost in my travels and met Leo the Lion, met a king and met a giant, with their errant knight.
They were all falling asleep standing when the Queen ordered them to bed. Cain looked ready to argue - he was too old to be ordered to bed - but then shook his head; he couldn't very well argue with the Queen. There was still so much to do, so many wounded to see to, Longcoats to round up, things to repair, but they couldn't do it all themselves and they couldn't do it all in one night. He'd already woken DG twice after finding her leaning against a wall, asleep on her feet. The kid sure held up well under pressure, more than he had given her credit for at first. He should have known, though, with the way she had come barreling down the hill by his old home, brandishing a stick to help save people long gone. He didn't think he'd ever forget that first look at the woman who would one day become Queen. It still made him smile.
He, Raw, and Glitch each had been given rooms down the hall from the princesses. He'd frowned when he calculated the distance from his room to hers. He'd never be able to cover it fast enough; he'd never even be able to hear her scream. He didn't like it one bit, but again, who was he to argue with the Queen? The threat was gone in her mind and he wasn't yet ready to shatter that peace. She deserved some after her years trapped in a miniature prison.
DG watched him walk down to his room from her own doorway - he could feel her wide eyes on him. He nodded at her and waited until she shut her door before entering his own room; she was too far away to see the worry in his eyes.
*****
She frowned and entered her room. She hated the pink disaster. Pink canopy bed, pink and white furniture, pink walls, all suitable for the child she had been, but not for the woman she was. Redecorating was low on the list of things to accomplish, so she'd have to deal with it for a while. But she didn't have to like it.
She tried; she really did. She gave it two whole hours. But after that, she knew it was no use. She woke up three times to nightmares of being placed in a Tin Suit, of Cain being placed back in one, of them all dead. There was just no way she was going to get any sleep if she stayed in this room. After all that had happened, all that had ended so recently, it scared her to death that those she trusted and felt safe with were so far away… and five doors down the long hall could have been all the way across the O.Z. to her mind.
She was pretty sure that, as a Princess, her plan would be frowned upon, but if they wanted their princess to sleep, they would just have to deal.
*****
Cain paced his room, unable to sleep. She was too far away. He couldn't protect her like this. If anyone had asked, he couldn't have said who she needed protection from, but he was sure he could come up with something. It was his job to protect her and he couldn't do it if he couldn't see her. Who knows what Longcoats were out there, bent on revenge? They could be climbing the tower walls right now.
Cain sighed. This was getting ridiculous. His mind was inventing justifications to go check on her. That had to stop. He had to start separating himself from her. No good would or could come from staying close to her. His feelings were obviously compromised. He was beginning to like making her smile too much. He was beginning to get lost in just looking at her. And no amount of shouting at himself that she was only a few years older than Jeb did anything anymore.
But, checking on her just once couldn't hurt, could it?
*****
DG popped her head out her door and checked the hallway. She sighed softly; it was empty. She was bone weary - tired enough to sleep for days if she felt safe enough to sleep. Clutching the pillow and blanket to her chest, she slipped silently down the hall. She didn't have the courage to knock, but the hall outside his door was close enough to feel safe again. She didn't care to think about the future, how one day he'd leave to go be with his son and what she'd do then. Right now, he was here and she was taking full advantage.
Silently, she arranged the blanket and pillow and sighed as she felt herself begin to drift off.
*****
Meanwhile, Cain was still trying to convince himself that he didn't need to check on his princess. He tried the bed, but after annuals in the Tin Suit and the last few days of sleeping on the rough ground, its softness was too much for him. He laid down on the long couch near the fire. He fell asleep once, only to be jerked awake by haunting images of DG in a Tin Suit.
"That's it. One look," he vowed to himself. He'd pop his head in her room and make sure she was sleeping peacefully.
Cain yanked open his door and froze. DG was cocooned in a blanket on the floor in front of his door. She looked at peace, sleeping soundly. He didn't want to wake her, but he couldn't leave her there. If anyone found her!
What in hell was she thinking? Doesn't she know the scandal she could cause if anyone saw her here? Cain sighed. Of course, she isn't thinking like a princess. It isn't her way at all. He didn't know what he was going to do with her. All he did know was he couldn't leave her. She'd get into so much trouble if he wasn't there to look out for her.
He smiled down at her. He felt at peace, settling on what he was going to do now. And a heart he would have sworn was made of tin warmed a bit at that.
Someone was opening a door. His head immediately lifted, searching for the source of the noise. Ice blue eyes searched the darkened hall and settled on Raw as the lion man slipped over to him and the sleeping DG.
"DG scared. Safe now. Cain happy, settled." Raw whispered, smiled and returned to his room.
Cain shook his head at the viewer. It was time he woke DG. His shoulder wound would never let him carry her. He kneeled down next to her and gently shook her awake. "DG, come on, get up. You can't sleep here on the floor."
"Cain. What? Oh. Is it morning?" DG shook her head to clear the sleep.
"Not even close, Princess." He stood and gave her his good hand to help her up. She clutched the pillow and blanket to her.
"Please don't make me go back to that pink hell, Cain. I can't sleep in there." Her eyes were wide with fear he could easily read.
"Why did you camp out outside my door, kid?" Cain asked.
DG bit her lip and looked at her toes. "Icouldn'tsleepforthenightmares.youandmeintinsuits.youdying.ididn'tfeelsafe.toofaraway." The soft words tumbled altogether in her rush to get them all out and not turn bright red in embarrassment.
"I didn't get a word of that, Princess." His hand tipped her face up so he could see her eyes.
"I was scared. You were in a Tin Suit again and I didn't know where to find you so I could rescue you again." Her eyes were too wide, too full of fear.
"Hey. You defeated the Witch, remember?" Cain pulled her into his embrace. DG dropped the blanket and pillow and latched her arms around his neck. "You saved the day."
"And I can't sleep. Nightmares. All I do is toss and turn or wake up screaming. I don't know this place. I don't know these people, my parents. I'm supposed to set the O.Z. back to rights and I don't even know what right is." She buried her face in his good shoulder. "I almost wish it was still Gltich, Raw, you, and me against the world, Cain. At least I knew what I was doing, sorta, then. You didn't expect me to fix the entire world."
"They don't expect that from you, either, Princess. At least not right now. And certainly not alone. You have your parents, sister, Glitch, Raw- all of us."
"You too?" She turned her head so ocean blue met ice in the low light.
"Always."
"Thank you," she breathed into his neck as she buried her face again.
Cain released her. She stepped back, her eyes looking more like the strong woman he had come to … like. It wasn't something he could deny right now, not anymore. It wasn't right; it probably wasn't even meant to be, but it was true.
"Come on, kid. We both need sleep to deal with the sun."
"I, no…" The fear was coming back.
Cain motioned to the bed. "You take the bed. I have the couch."
"You're sure?"
"Now you think like a Princess?" Cain chuckled and raised an eyebrow.
"I meant I could take the couch." DG rolled her eyes and picked up the dropped blanket and pillow.
"Oh, no. That ain't happening. I have the couch, Princess."
She looked at the bed, noticing it was still made and then over at the couch which already had a pillow and blanket on it.
"The bed is too soft." Cain shrugged.
She touched his hand, knowing he was thinking about the Tin Suit, and not liking the look that entered his eyes at the memories.
"I promise you this, Wyatt Cain, every Tin Suit will be found and destroyed." Her words were whispered but her eyes were steady on his as she made her vow. She smiled at the shock in his eyes, but then continued, more serious than he'd ever seen her. "No one will ever suffer that fate so long as I live."
It was her steady gaze that settled him. And it settled everything else in his mind too. If he hadn't already decided he had to protect her, he would have known it with those soft, strong words.
He looked away first, gesturing again to the bed. "Sleep, Princess."
"Yes, Cain." She blinked and smiled and was back to the princess he knew.
She was asleep in minutes. He stood, watching her for long moments before taking her pillow and blanket and settling himself back on the couch. With morning's light, he knew there would be a lot to accomplish, not the least of which was explaining why the youngest princess was sleeping in his bed, but for some reason that didn't faze Cain as much as it should have. For now, his princess was safe and close, where she belonged.
Author: jennukes
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairing: Cain, DG, Raw; DG/Cain
Spoilers: All Three Parts of Tin Man
Warnings: None
Summary: For now, his princess was safe and close, where she belonged.
Disclaimer: Bugger it all, I don't own any of it.
Author's Notes: Thanks to a girl's best betas, squeelated and pixie_on_acid. There is no story without them. I loved Tin Man. Plus, I do enjoy my DG/Cain. It's all squeelated's fault for introducing me to the term FFKOAH and making a legitimate kink in my mind. I am forever grateful! :-)
Also, the title is a slightly changed line from Dar William's Mercy of the Fallen, which as I listen to the lyrics, has many parallels to the story told in Tin Man. I mean think about it... Until one cloud-scattered night, I got lost in my travels and met Leo the Lion, met a king and met a giant, with their errant knight.
They were all falling asleep standing when the Queen ordered them to bed. Cain looked ready to argue - he was too old to be ordered to bed - but then shook his head; he couldn't very well argue with the Queen. There was still so much to do, so many wounded to see to, Longcoats to round up, things to repair, but they couldn't do it all themselves and they couldn't do it all in one night. He'd already woken DG twice after finding her leaning against a wall, asleep on her feet. The kid sure held up well under pressure, more than he had given her credit for at first. He should have known, though, with the way she had come barreling down the hill by his old home, brandishing a stick to help save people long gone. He didn't think he'd ever forget that first look at the woman who would one day become Queen. It still made him smile.
He, Raw, and Glitch each had been given rooms down the hall from the princesses. He'd frowned when he calculated the distance from his room to hers. He'd never be able to cover it fast enough; he'd never even be able to hear her scream. He didn't like it one bit, but again, who was he to argue with the Queen? The threat was gone in her mind and he wasn't yet ready to shatter that peace. She deserved some after her years trapped in a miniature prison.
DG watched him walk down to his room from her own doorway - he could feel her wide eyes on him. He nodded at her and waited until she shut her door before entering his own room; she was too far away to see the worry in his eyes.
*****
She frowned and entered her room. She hated the pink disaster. Pink canopy bed, pink and white furniture, pink walls, all suitable for the child she had been, but not for the woman she was. Redecorating was low on the list of things to accomplish, so she'd have to deal with it for a while. But she didn't have to like it.
She tried; she really did. She gave it two whole hours. But after that, she knew it was no use. She woke up three times to nightmares of being placed in a Tin Suit, of Cain being placed back in one, of them all dead. There was just no way she was going to get any sleep if she stayed in this room. After all that had happened, all that had ended so recently, it scared her to death that those she trusted and felt safe with were so far away… and five doors down the long hall could have been all the way across the O.Z. to her mind.
She was pretty sure that, as a Princess, her plan would be frowned upon, but if they wanted their princess to sleep, they would just have to deal.
*****
Cain paced his room, unable to sleep. She was too far away. He couldn't protect her like this. If anyone had asked, he couldn't have said who she needed protection from, but he was sure he could come up with something. It was his job to protect her and he couldn't do it if he couldn't see her. Who knows what Longcoats were out there, bent on revenge? They could be climbing the tower walls right now.
Cain sighed. This was getting ridiculous. His mind was inventing justifications to go check on her. That had to stop. He had to start separating himself from her. No good would or could come from staying close to her. His feelings were obviously compromised. He was beginning to like making her smile too much. He was beginning to get lost in just looking at her. And no amount of shouting at himself that she was only a few years older than Jeb did anything anymore.
But, checking on her just once couldn't hurt, could it?
*****
DG popped her head out her door and checked the hallway. She sighed softly; it was empty. She was bone weary - tired enough to sleep for days if she felt safe enough to sleep. Clutching the pillow and blanket to her chest, she slipped silently down the hall. She didn't have the courage to knock, but the hall outside his door was close enough to feel safe again. She didn't care to think about the future, how one day he'd leave to go be with his son and what she'd do then. Right now, he was here and she was taking full advantage.
Silently, she arranged the blanket and pillow and sighed as she felt herself begin to drift off.
*****
Meanwhile, Cain was still trying to convince himself that he didn't need to check on his princess. He tried the bed, but after annuals in the Tin Suit and the last few days of sleeping on the rough ground, its softness was too much for him. He laid down on the long couch near the fire. He fell asleep once, only to be jerked awake by haunting images of DG in a Tin Suit.
"That's it. One look," he vowed to himself. He'd pop his head in her room and make sure she was sleeping peacefully.
Cain yanked open his door and froze. DG was cocooned in a blanket on the floor in front of his door. She looked at peace, sleeping soundly. He didn't want to wake her, but he couldn't leave her there. If anyone found her!
What in hell was she thinking? Doesn't she know the scandal she could cause if anyone saw her here? Cain sighed. Of course, she isn't thinking like a princess. It isn't her way at all. He didn't know what he was going to do with her. All he did know was he couldn't leave her. She'd get into so much trouble if he wasn't there to look out for her.
He smiled down at her. He felt at peace, settling on what he was going to do now. And a heart he would have sworn was made of tin warmed a bit at that.
Someone was opening a door. His head immediately lifted, searching for the source of the noise. Ice blue eyes searched the darkened hall and settled on Raw as the lion man slipped over to him and the sleeping DG.
"DG scared. Safe now. Cain happy, settled." Raw whispered, smiled and returned to his room.
Cain shook his head at the viewer. It was time he woke DG. His shoulder wound would never let him carry her. He kneeled down next to her and gently shook her awake. "DG, come on, get up. You can't sleep here on the floor."
"Cain. What? Oh. Is it morning?" DG shook her head to clear the sleep.
"Not even close, Princess." He stood and gave her his good hand to help her up. She clutched the pillow and blanket to her.
"Please don't make me go back to that pink hell, Cain. I can't sleep in there." Her eyes were wide with fear he could easily read.
"Why did you camp out outside my door, kid?" Cain asked.
DG bit her lip and looked at her toes. "Icouldn'tsleepforthenightmares.youandmeintinsuits.youdying.ididn'tfeelsafe.toofaraway." The soft words tumbled altogether in her rush to get them all out and not turn bright red in embarrassment.
"I didn't get a word of that, Princess." His hand tipped her face up so he could see her eyes.
"I was scared. You were in a Tin Suit again and I didn't know where to find you so I could rescue you again." Her eyes were too wide, too full of fear.
"Hey. You defeated the Witch, remember?" Cain pulled her into his embrace. DG dropped the blanket and pillow and latched her arms around his neck. "You saved the day."
"And I can't sleep. Nightmares. All I do is toss and turn or wake up screaming. I don't know this place. I don't know these people, my parents. I'm supposed to set the O.Z. back to rights and I don't even know what right is." She buried her face in his good shoulder. "I almost wish it was still Gltich, Raw, you, and me against the world, Cain. At least I knew what I was doing, sorta, then. You didn't expect me to fix the entire world."
"They don't expect that from you, either, Princess. At least not right now. And certainly not alone. You have your parents, sister, Glitch, Raw- all of us."
"You too?" She turned her head so ocean blue met ice in the low light.
"Always."
"Thank you," she breathed into his neck as she buried her face again.
Cain released her. She stepped back, her eyes looking more like the strong woman he had come to … like. It wasn't something he could deny right now, not anymore. It wasn't right; it probably wasn't even meant to be, but it was true.
"Come on, kid. We both need sleep to deal with the sun."
"I, no…" The fear was coming back.
Cain motioned to the bed. "You take the bed. I have the couch."
"You're sure?"
"Now you think like a Princess?" Cain chuckled and raised an eyebrow.
"I meant I could take the couch." DG rolled her eyes and picked up the dropped blanket and pillow.
"Oh, no. That ain't happening. I have the couch, Princess."
She looked at the bed, noticing it was still made and then over at the couch which already had a pillow and blanket on it.
"The bed is too soft." Cain shrugged.
She touched his hand, knowing he was thinking about the Tin Suit, and not liking the look that entered his eyes at the memories.
"I promise you this, Wyatt Cain, every Tin Suit will be found and destroyed." Her words were whispered but her eyes were steady on his as she made her vow. She smiled at the shock in his eyes, but then continued, more serious than he'd ever seen her. "No one will ever suffer that fate so long as I live."
It was her steady gaze that settled him. And it settled everything else in his mind too. If he hadn't already decided he had to protect her, he would have known it with those soft, strong words.
He looked away first, gesturing again to the bed. "Sleep, Princess."
"Yes, Cain." She blinked and smiled and was back to the princess he knew.
She was asleep in minutes. He stood, watching her for long moments before taking her pillow and blanket and settling himself back on the couch. With morning's light, he knew there would be a lot to accomplish, not the least of which was explaining why the youngest princess was sleeping in his bed, but for some reason that didn't faze Cain as much as it should have. For now, his princess was safe and close, where she belonged.