[They'd been walking for days. Meals were scarce, but they managed. Mostly, they didn't talk; it was all they could do to keep warm without uncovering their faces
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[It's almost two hours before they return, sans John. Al doesn't look triumphant, but he's not in handcuffs and the sheriff's relaxed. Adler speaks up as they come through the door.] You two can't stay at that house. Gotta find yourself a place or move on.
[Calavicci stops and looks at Adler.] Well, wait, what about my sister? She's still sick. I think I've got a couple bucks, but we can't afford a room. And we can't move on -- not when she's like that.
Sure. [Al spied the note from Rita, gave it a read, and then popped open the door. The hallways told no stories, so Al slipped out, leaving the door ajar behind him.]
[Downstairs, he had no problem following his memory back to the kitchen. It was cut off from the sunlight save a window, but it was enough to illuminate the room for him.]
[Bless Rita, he found two plates with notes on them. Pancakes, bacon, eggs -- room temperature, but kind nonetheless. Al took hold of the meals and went straight back up the stairs, slipping through the door and leaving it swing open behind him.]
Breakfast. [It was rather cheery coming out of his mouth.]
[Kara turns and smiles, pleased. After a warm night and more food than she could remember eating since she departed Caprica, even despite the pneumonia and twisted ankle, she felt pretty damn good.] Thanks, Al.
[She relieves him of half his burden and takes a seat on the floor, leaning back against the bed under which she'd already stowed the trundle.
Around her first mouthful of pancake and bacon:] We need to find a way to thank her before we light outta here.
[He nodded in agreement, sitting down on the bed near Kara and quietly devouring at the meal. The eggs even had a little cheese in them, which pleased Al quite a bit.] If nothin' else, I got some money I can leave. Not the best thank you, but it's somethin'.
[More eating, more eating, and then with his mouth so rudely half-full, he picked up and began to pace.] Maybe we could shovel their walk.
Yeah, no problem. [He munches on a piece of bacon, just looking at Kara for the time being. He couldn't tell himself he was responsible for her -- he wasn't -- but he felt it.] I'm just glad I wasn't too late.
[She gives him a noncommittal shrug and returns to her breakfast. In the end, she saves nearly the entire portion of bacon and one of the pancakes. That, she knows, will make a decent supper later.
In silence, they work to reassemble the room to how they found it, and they take turns dressing in their now-clean clothes, layer by layer. Through the window, Kara sees watery sunlight, so she knows it's going to be beyond freezing out of doors, but it's better than having to shovel against the driving snow.
Once their bags are packed once more, they head downstairs and through the garage door. Kara locates a reasonably-sized coal shovel beside the snow shovel and there's a supply of rock salt in a bucket to boot.] They're over here. [Kara grasps the coal shovel and makes for the door.]
[Al watched her move around, take up the shovel, act like she was going to work, and made it a point to block her path before she could get out the door. Reaching out, he grasped the handle of the coal shovel below her grip.] I'll get it.
[She gave him a weary eyeroll. Of course he'd protest.] It'll take to long. I can do the walk. [She looked pointedly at his grip on the shovel.] Well? You gonna let go or make me put splinters in your hand?
What's too long? We've got nowhere to be. [And no, he would not let go. In fact, his other hand tugged the snow shovel closer and then he had both.] I could use the hard work, anyway.
[Kara glowered at him for a minute before retreating back to the garage.] Fine. Any suggestions for what I should do in the meantime? I'm hardly going to cheer you on out there, kid, so don't tell me to wait on the sidelines.
[She waved him and his 'suggestions' off.] Fine. I'll just go find something to do in the house. [Mumbles to herself, indistinct, and then:] Try not to freeze to death, huh?
Haven't managed it yet, have I? [Of course, he seemed that much brighter since she actually listened to him.] I don't think this'll take me long.
[Calavicci pulled his hood up and sniffled against the cold of the garage before exiting out into the chill of the day. The sun added little warmth, but with all of the movement involved in shoveling snow, Al guessed he'd barely notice.]
[He finished the walkway first, shoveling away the snow and salting the remaining ice before he stepped back inside to warm up briefly.]
[Kara did her very best to appear like she hadn't been watching at the window, but there is a suspiciously fresh mug of coffee steaming on the small kitchenette table when he comes inside.
Kara however is nowhere to be seen. She'd gone upstairs to strip the linens from the beds she and Al had occupied and is busy laundering them in the basement. It's much more of a chore than it had been at home on Caprica, but she can't simply sit idly while Al repays their debt.]
[Al wasted no time with the coffee, stripping out of his wet gloves and enclosing his hands around the porcelain mug. The coffee was strong and warm enough he could feel it as it went down his throat, all the way to his stomach. He drank more than half before venturing after Kara.]
[It took him enough time to warm up almost completely before he followed the noises into the basement. Calavicci leaned against a support beam, coffee in hand, watching Thrace. He gestured with his mug.] That's exactly how I do the wash.
[Calavicci stops and looks at Adler.] Well, wait, what about my sister? She's still sick. I think I've got a couple bucks, but we can't afford a room. And we can't move on -- not when she's like that.
I'll put you up. [This was Rita.]
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[Downstairs, he had no problem following his memory back to the kitchen. It was cut off from the sunlight save a window, but it was enough to illuminate the room for him.]
[Bless Rita, he found two plates with notes on them. Pancakes, bacon, eggs -- room temperature, but kind nonetheless. Al took hold of the meals and went straight back up the stairs, slipping through the door and leaving it swing open behind him.]
Breakfast. [It was rather cheery coming out of his mouth.]
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[She relieves him of half his burden and takes a seat on the floor, leaning back against the bed under which she'd already stowed the trundle.
Around her first mouthful of pancake and bacon:] We need to find a way to thank her before we light outta here.
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[More eating, more eating, and then with his mouth so rudely half-full, he picked up and began to pace.] Maybe we could shovel their walk.
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A few silent moments later, she looks up from her eggs.] Hey. Thanks for comin' back for me.
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In silence, they work to reassemble the room to how they found it, and they take turns dressing in their now-clean clothes, layer by layer. Through the window, Kara sees watery sunlight, so she knows it's going to be beyond freezing out of doors, but it's better than having to shovel against the driving snow.
Once their bags are packed once more, they head downstairs and through the garage door. Kara locates a reasonably-sized coal shovel beside the snow shovel and there's a supply of rock salt in a bucket to boot.] They're over here. [Kara grasps the coal shovel and makes for the door.]
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[Calavicci pulled his hood up and sniffled against the cold of the garage before exiting out into the chill of the day. The sun added little warmth, but with all of the movement involved in shoveling snow, Al guessed he'd barely notice.]
[He finished the walkway first, shoveling away the snow and salting the remaining ice before he stepped back inside to warm up briefly.]
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Kara however is nowhere to be seen. She'd gone upstairs to strip the linens from the beds she and Al had occupied and is busy laundering them in the basement. It's much more of a chore than it had been at home on Caprica, but she can't simply sit idly while Al repays their debt.]
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[It took him enough time to warm up almost completely before he followed the noises into the basement. Calavicci leaned against a support beam, coffee in hand, watching Thrace. He gestured with his mug.] That's exactly how I do the wash.
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