...After the Other

[_fredless]

Who: Fred Burkle and YOU
What: Fred returns after the Expedition
When: Sometime before escape...
Where: Around town and the castle (Initial section for Wesley with more sections to follow)
Rating: PG-13

Comments

Library

[_fredless]

Libet.

The word still hung in the air, and clung stubbornly to her thoughts. Even though Fred was fairly certain of the outcome, that knowledge didn't prevent her from pouring through the books of the library trying to find any reference at all.

Tower - Open to Visitors

[_fredless]

Fred was finally feeling more like herself several showers and multiple changes of clothes later. What they picked up on that trip -- it would take a while to be rid of. If they ever were. She was finding it difficult to view the castle walls with as accepting an eye as before.

[likethetragedy]

Elektra comes over for a visit as soon as she's sure Fred is back. She can care less about whatever has been found for the time being. She just wants to be sure her friend is alright. "Fred," Elektra calls out before she sees her. The last thing she wants to do is spook her by sneaking around. Despite herself Elektra always walked around too quietly. "Are you around?" Silly question but, at least she would be harder to miss.

[_fredless]

Every noise is a bit louder, every reaction that much stronger. It's a direct result from the past week, yes But it's also more than that. It is also the instincts Elektra herself has been helping Fred reconnect with. Ones she leveraged more than once in the course of the past week.

From her lab, she hears Elektra calling.

"I'm up here. Trying to sort these samples out."

[likethetragedy]

If Elektra knew she was putting those skills to good use she would be proud. "I'll be there in a minute." For the moment though she's walking a little too eagerly to the lab. Elektra believes in her completely. There would be always be a voice in the back of her head reminding Elektra what happened more often than not to the people she cared for. It put her on edge enough to doubt herself.

When Elektra enters the lab and sees Fred it's silenced for the time being. She feels alright again. "How did it go? Everyone has been quiet."

Taking a Walk

[_fredless]

Busy thoughts inevitably lead to busy feet, and despite her lingering exhaustion Fred set out for a walk along the castle grounds.

Wes' townhouse.

[demonologist]

[He's been scouring the journal, looking for more news, more word from those on the expedition. They're due back today. Needless to say, it's been an exercise in patience (and fortitude due to his headaches flaring up again, although he suspects they're more stress- than injury-related). The waiting has been difficult for him. Especially when things had started to go wrong.

Wes happens to be in the kitchen, pouring himself another tea when he catches movement in the window. Peering out into the front garden he sees Fred. She's finally back! And walking under her own steam. That's something to be thankful for.

He hurries to open the door, but as soon as it's flung wide, he pauses, taking in the sight of her. It's been awful, being left behind, hoping for the best and waiting for Fred to return to him. Whatever greeting he'd been planning to say just flies from his mind and instead he's moving forward to pull her into a tight wordless hug.]

[_fredless]

[The door opens before Fred can translate thought into action and actually move to knock on it herself. There's a moment where she just stands there, taking him in.

For all her speeches about him staying behind -- not only for his health but for her own peace of mind -- she never properly accounted for what it really would mean for her peace of mind. She knew it was selfish, and she knew they'd come to the right decision...

But with every disturbing discovery? With every sample she'd collected? Fred constantly found herself returning to the same central thought --

That she wished he was there.

Fred folds herself into him, irritated at herself when she's not completely successful at stamping down the involuntarily wince at the strain the embrace puts on her arm]

[demonologist]

Fred feels the same, but she smells different. It's a subtle thing, but she's been to places he hasn't and it really shouldn't matter, but it does. Because as much as he's tried to be an independent self-sufficient person over the years, not needing anyone to validate himself anymore like he once did, he finds himself very much wanting to cling and be needy and it would be embarrassing but for the fact that it's Fred. She's home. He's allowed to want to hold her close and reassure himself that she's fine.

At least for the most part. Her wince doesn't go unnoticed and he quickly releases her, his brow furrowing. Catching sight of the strips of fabric wrapped around her arm, he chastises himself for not having checked first.

"You're hurt," he observes softly, his voice finally emerging. Yes, it's stating the obvious, but he's still reeling a bit from the excitement of having her back again. "Does it need to be looked at?"

[_fredless]

It's exactly why she was so irritated at herself, and why Fred did her best to mask whatever discomfort the embrace caused. Because when all is said and done? She can only come down on the side of it being worth it