(Untitled)

[fallen_april]

At some point this morning, a little six-year-old sneaks out of the infirmary, where she decided to sleep last nightShe's in the same outfit as yesterday, and her hair could use a good brushing and being pulled back again, but she's cheerfully sitting on a barstool eating chocolate chip pancakes and drinking chocolate milk

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[bohemian_mark]

And at a table, there's a man with a camera. He's filming people. And really, he looks extremely innocent. Whoops?

[bohemian_mark]

Mark watches her, quietly turning on the camera. Because, damnit, it's adorable. "You're welcome, dear. Just promise me that you'll never lose your love of reading."

[fallen_april]

"Never ever," she replies. "When I get big, I wanna write stories, like L.M. Montgomery and C.S. Lewis."

She pauses and ponders for a moment. "I guess I'll publish things as S.F. Cornwell, 'cause I think all the good authors use letters instead of their names." There is much nodding.

[bohemian_mark]

Mark laughs. "And I will read them, when you write them." Oh, look. He actually kept that promise.

[fallen_april]

"You promise?" She asks eagerly. "I'm gonna be famous. And really really good. And everybody's gonna want my autograph and my picture and my stories."

She's so cute when she's imagining being famous.

[bohemian_mark]

"I promise." Mark grins. "And hey. I have the first film of you." He pauses, then leans in. "Wanna hear another secret? I'm a film director."

[fallen_april]

GASP!

"You make movies? Can I be in one? Can you make a movie about Anne? Or about Lucy and Peter and Edmund and Susan? Or King Arthur?"

[bohemian_mark]

Mark laughs. "I might make one about Narnia sometime. Dunno about Anne or King Arthur, though. We'll see." He grins, though. "And, well, you just might be in one someday."

[fallen_april]

"That would be really cool. I live in Hartford and my Daddy's name is Matthew Cornwell and he's a doctor and my Mommy's name is Susan Cornwell and you can find me and take me to New York and I'll be famous and I won't be a problem anymore so they'll like me better!"

All said cheerfully.

[bohemian_mark]

Oh, dear. Mark barely keeps the wince back, but manages mightily. "Well, I'll definitely make sure I find you."

[fallen_april]

"You promise?" She asks, suddenly somewhat earnest and serious.

Don't promise to find her, Mark. Promise to try. Because she knows that if you try, you might fail, and it won't hurt as badly when you never find her if you don't promise for certain.

[bohemian_mark]

"I promise to try my hardest to find you, my dear." He grins, and holds out a hand. "We have a deal?"

[fallen_april]

She shakes his hand as firmly as a six-year-old can. "We have a deal," she says firmly.

[bohemian_mark]

Mark beams. "Wonderful."