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[lifewithoutrest]

Helen trailed her fingertips along the edge of her desk, feeling the curve of the wood. It had been a long year, longer than most. And she felt more than qualified to make that judgment. She was still surprised at how difficult it had been, returning to the life she'd left

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[w_zimmerman]

There was always work to be done, and Will was as aware of that fact as anyone, but he'd been listless since their return, unable to focus on much of anything for too long. Too many emails and conference calls, too much paperwork to contend with. Not enough working frantically towards tangible, world-saving goals. Not that he missed the idea of the world being in peril, but it was hard to adjust to the new pace of life. He couldn't focus, he couldn't sleep, and he couldn't forget.

More than that, though, he was worried about Magnus, had to be. She watched out for everyone else and that made it his job to watch out for her. She was taking things hard, that was obvious. Which meant that, tonight, paperwork and filing could wait.

He knocked on her office door, leaning in and trying not to look as worried about her as he felt.

"Hey, you got a minute?"

[lifewithoutrest]

Helen glanced up at the knock on her door, offering a faint smile. "Will. Of course." She nodded to the seat across from her. "Please, sit."

The worrying went both ways. She was concerned about him, as well. One didn't go through what they had been through and come out unscathed.

[w_zimmerman]

He was scathed, in his way, but it was easy to ignore in the face of his worry for her. He'd have to face it eventually but, for now, he was able to set his own reactions aside, even if he wasn't getting much sleep. That was mostly worry for Magnus. Or something...

He settled down across the desk from her, immediately climbing to his feet again and moving to stand next to her.

"Magnus," he murmured, biting his lip and dropping into a crouch next to her. "Listen, can we... I don't know, go somewhere that's not an office? Kitchen, garden... somewhere?"

He considered mentioning the roof, then changed his mind. That was a place for serious reflections on life and death matters, and all he really wanted was to ease some of her burden.

"Can we talk?"

[lifewithoutrest]

A brief, confused frown crossed her features as he rounded the desk, and she shifted in her seat to look at him properly. After the better part of two centuries, she liked to think she was good at reading people, but Will had never been as easy to read as she would have preferred. And now, she was struggling to follow the turn this conversation was taking.

"Of course. Wherever you'd like."

She set down her pen, neatly shifting a stack of papers off to the side. Her work could wait. For him, she would make time. Letting her hand rest briefly on his shoulder, she moved to stand.

"A walk?"