Ficlet: Ours
Title: Ours
Author: lefaym
Betas: Many thanks to amilyn, who was willing to be brutally honest (and yet still very kind) as all betas should be, and to used_songs who gave it a last-minute read-through when I was lacking in confidence.
Fandom: Sarah Jane Adventures
Pairing(s): Sarah Jane/Mrs Wormwood
Summary: They've both made Luke into the person he is now.
Rating: G/PG
Disclaimer: RTD and the BBC own everything.
Spoilers/Warnings: An episode tag to Enemy of the Bane.
Word Count: Approx 675 words.
Ours
Sarah Jane gasped and opened her eyes, startled awake by a sudden gust of wind rattling her window and the furious beeping of her watch as it lay on her bedside table. Reflexes honed by many years dangerous living saw her out of bed in seconds, but she couldn’t avoid a startled jump when she turned the lamp on and saw the woman standing before her.
“You!”
“Yes. Me. My, you are obvious sometimes, aren’t you?”
Sarah Jane pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. “You’re a dream. I’m dreaming.”
“I’m afraid not.”
“You fell. I saw you!”
“I was pushed. It seems that you and your little team are quite happy to let others do your dirty work for you, when necessary.”
“Don’t you dare suggest-”
“Don’t worry, Miss Smith. I quite approve, you know. I employed Kaagh for much the same purpose. At least my son will be able to learn something useful from you-or that friend of his.”
“As we established last week, Mrs. Wormwood, Luke is my son.”
Mrs. Wormwood smiled, and raised an eyebrow.
“You know nothing-nothing about-” Sarah Jane broke off, shaking her head. “This is silly. I am not going to stand here and argue with an apparition, a figment of my own imagination!”
“Oh, I’m no figment of your imagination.” She raised her hand and pressed her index finger to Sarah Jane’s cheek, running it along her jaw. “You see, I’m quite solid.”
Sarah Jane’s breath caught in her throat. “Stay away from us. I don’t know how you got back here, but you stay away from me, and you stay away from Luke, do you understand?”
“You have nothing to fear from me. I cannot hurt you. I am- powerless.” Her face twisted bitterly. “My new master has seen to that.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Strictly speaking, I am not here.”
“But you said-”
“A temporary localised overlap, between this world and the world I am now forced to inhabit. If I moved a few feet in any direction, I assure you, it would all dissolve.”
“Well, I suggest you move then.”
“Not yet. Only once I have-sealed the deal-as you people say.”
“What deal? There’s no deal between us.”
“Oh, but there is.” Mrs. Wormwood stepped closer, her eyes meeting Sarah Jane’s intently. “He’s sleeping in the room down the hall from you.”
“Luke is mine.”
“He is-ours.” Mrs Wormwood flinched, as though the last word caused her pain, but when she once again raised her hand to Sarah Jane’s cheek, her face was smooth. “We made him together. I gave him life, and you made him-human, I suppose. I may not like it, but-” her breath tickled Sarah Jane’s lips, “-that’s the way it is. We must accept it.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Luke didn’t- he doesn’t want-”
Sarah Jane broke off as Mrs Wormwood’s mouth met hers.
Later, Sarah Jane told herself that it was surprise that made her lean into it, surprise that made her part her lips against a soft, smooth tongue, surprise that made her shudder when Mrs. Wormwood dropped her hand, letting it ghost across Sarah Jane’s shoulder. Sarah Jane gripped Mrs. Wormwood by the hips, and hung on as tightly as she could. It was just surprise.
When Mrs. Wormwood drew back, several long seconds later, she smiled a moment before speaking. “Well. That was rather less painful than I was expecting it to be.”
Sarah Jane swallowed. “I really-I really think you should go now.”
“Yes.” Mrs. Wormwood looked over her shoulder, as though she was afraid that someone was watching her. “Yes, I rather think I should.” She took three steps backwards, and her image began to waver. “Remember, Sarah Jane,” she said, her voice growing faint. “He is ours.”
Wind rattled the windows again, Mrs. Wormwood dissolved into nothing, her final words still hanging in the air.
Sarah Jane shivered, the impression of Mrs. Wormwood’s lips on hers still vivid.
He is ours.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's Note: I actually wrote this ages ago -- right after Enemy of the Bane aired, in fact -- but I put it aside for a while, in order to get some perspectives on some problems in the fic, and time got away from me! I only remembered that I still needed to post it when I came across it while doing the WIP meme. Hope you enjoy, and concrit is quite welcome!
Author: lefaym
Betas: Many thanks to amilyn, who was willing to be brutally honest (and yet still very kind) as all betas should be, and to used_songs who gave it a last-minute read-through when I was lacking in confidence.
Fandom: Sarah Jane Adventures
Pairing(s): Sarah Jane/Mrs Wormwood
Summary: They've both made Luke into the person he is now.
Rating: G/PG
Disclaimer: RTD and the BBC own everything.
Spoilers/Warnings: An episode tag to Enemy of the Bane.
Word Count: Approx 675 words.
Ours
Sarah Jane gasped and opened her eyes, startled awake by a sudden gust of wind rattling her window and the furious beeping of her watch as it lay on her bedside table. Reflexes honed by many years dangerous living saw her out of bed in seconds, but she couldn’t avoid a startled jump when she turned the lamp on and saw the woman standing before her.
“You!”
“Yes. Me. My, you are obvious sometimes, aren’t you?”
Sarah Jane pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. “You’re a dream. I’m dreaming.”
“I’m afraid not.”
“You fell. I saw you!”
“I was pushed. It seems that you and your little team are quite happy to let others do your dirty work for you, when necessary.”
“Don’t you dare suggest-”
“Don’t worry, Miss Smith. I quite approve, you know. I employed Kaagh for much the same purpose. At least my son will be able to learn something useful from you-or that friend of his.”
“As we established last week, Mrs. Wormwood, Luke is my son.”
Mrs. Wormwood smiled, and raised an eyebrow.
“You know nothing-nothing about-” Sarah Jane broke off, shaking her head. “This is silly. I am not going to stand here and argue with an apparition, a figment of my own imagination!”
“Oh, I’m no figment of your imagination.” She raised her hand and pressed her index finger to Sarah Jane’s cheek, running it along her jaw. “You see, I’m quite solid.”
Sarah Jane’s breath caught in her throat. “Stay away from us. I don’t know how you got back here, but you stay away from me, and you stay away from Luke, do you understand?”
“You have nothing to fear from me. I cannot hurt you. I am- powerless.” Her face twisted bitterly. “My new master has seen to that.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Strictly speaking, I am not here.”
“But you said-”
“A temporary localised overlap, between this world and the world I am now forced to inhabit. If I moved a few feet in any direction, I assure you, it would all dissolve.”
“Well, I suggest you move then.”
“Not yet. Only once I have-sealed the deal-as you people say.”
“What deal? There’s no deal between us.”
“Oh, but there is.” Mrs. Wormwood stepped closer, her eyes meeting Sarah Jane’s intently. “He’s sleeping in the room down the hall from you.”
“Luke is mine.”
“He is-ours.” Mrs Wormwood flinched, as though the last word caused her pain, but when she once again raised her hand to Sarah Jane’s cheek, her face was smooth. “We made him together. I gave him life, and you made him-human, I suppose. I may not like it, but-” her breath tickled Sarah Jane’s lips, “-that’s the way it is. We must accept it.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Luke didn’t- he doesn’t want-”
Sarah Jane broke off as Mrs Wormwood’s mouth met hers.
Later, Sarah Jane told herself that it was surprise that made her lean into it, surprise that made her part her lips against a soft, smooth tongue, surprise that made her shudder when Mrs. Wormwood dropped her hand, letting it ghost across Sarah Jane’s shoulder. Sarah Jane gripped Mrs. Wormwood by the hips, and hung on as tightly as she could. It was just surprise.
When Mrs. Wormwood drew back, several long seconds later, she smiled a moment before speaking. “Well. That was rather less painful than I was expecting it to be.”
Sarah Jane swallowed. “I really-I really think you should go now.”
“Yes.” Mrs. Wormwood looked over her shoulder, as though she was afraid that someone was watching her. “Yes, I rather think I should.” She took three steps backwards, and her image began to waver. “Remember, Sarah Jane,” she said, her voice growing faint. “He is ours.”
Wind rattled the windows again, Mrs. Wormwood dissolved into nothing, her final words still hanging in the air.
Sarah Jane shivered, the impression of Mrs. Wormwood’s lips on hers still vivid.
He is ours.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's Note: I actually wrote this ages ago -- right after Enemy of the Bane aired, in fact -- but I put it aside for a while, in order to get some perspectives on some problems in the fic, and time got away from me! I only remembered that I still needed to post it when I came across it while doing the WIP meme. Hope you enjoy, and concrit is quite welcome!