molly graham (test run) -- red dragon -- barways

[yelling_muse]

Molly Graham is a tough cookie.

(She survived.)

She's been through enough that she isn't the same person as she was.

(She's divorced, for one.)

But she tries to lead a life as close to normal as she can manage.

(She does it for Josh.)

So when a bar appears instead of the laundry room, she doesn't look nearly as surprised as she might have a few months

Comments

[volam_vincam]

...

Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.

[justshoothim]

The pandimensional bar doesn't cause her to drop her laundry.

The sight of him does.

(The basket hits the floor sideways; the clothes spill out.

She wants to say, why are you here, what are you doing --)

She quickly drops down to her knees and starts gathering up the clothes again.

(-- but all that happens is that she averts her gaze. Concentrates on the cotton.

Don't look up don't look up don't look up.)

[volam_vincam]

He drops his eyes to the floor--

--and raises them again, a half-second's incredulous dart, because he's not dead for her.

That's impossible.

He's not dead for her.

He has to be.

She moves like--

No.

Come on.

No.

Fucking Milliways.

[justshoothim]

Her first thought (having gotten the laundry back in order) is just to turn and leave.

(She's not sure whether she's ready to talk or not.)

But then -- she can't.

So she looks up.

(Shit. Oh, shit.)

She doesn't know anyone else here.

"I don't suppose --"

Her voice sounds strained, even to her.

"-- you could tell me what's going on."

(It isn't spoken like a question.)

(He's not dead.)

[eidetiker]

"--Mollly."

Will watches the wall where his door ought to be like a hawk, as a matter of course. There's little conscious thought to the action by now.

It still takes him seconds to process that Molly just walked in and Molly is here and Molly, and then the door behind her closes and is gone again.

It doesn't matter. He's on his feet crossing the bar towards her.

"Molly!"

[justshoothim]

She knows his voice.

(Remembers it, anyway.)

It's a sequence of surprise, relief, confusion, and defensiveness.

But the surprise came first, and it gets the better of her.

"Will?"

The laundry basket is fumbled with, and then re-secured. There's a pained edge to her voice as she speaks, 'I don't understand,' lacing every word.

"What are you -- what's going on?"

[eidetiker]

He starts to reach to steady the basket, automatically.

The defensiveness in her face pulls him up short. He summons up a smile nevertheless; it's easy, because Molly is home and home is Molly and Milliways is neither, and he's missed her.

"That's a very long story. I'll explain, I -- Molly, the door you came in through, can you see it?"

Please, please say yes.

[justshoothim]

(He looks so hopeful.)

"I'm sorry, I -- it disappeared as soon as I got here. Wherever this is."