nine. [video; locked to ebony_bone]

[aunomdedieu]

[ Caprica has never needed to use the function of the Vine that allows transmission of messages only to specific people, but for this... well, she isn't quite sure that it needs to be public. It takes her a little time, but eventually she configures the mirror the way she needs it. ]Dominique? I wanted to ask if it was all right for me to come by

Comments

[ebony_bone]

[She doesn't respond to the message as soon as she sees it. She goes to talk to Jackie, instead, to carefully bring up the fact Caprica would like to see her - them. The reaction isn't good - none of her reactions could be described as particularly good, at the moment, but her reactions to Caprica had been strained before the phantoms. They are only worse, now.]

I'm afraid Jackie isn't... [A slight pause, and tilt of her head, trying to think of how best to phrase it,] Strong enough, for visitors, at the moment.

[It isn't what she particularly wants to be saying. She can see that Caprica's worried, doesn't think it's a good idea to push people away in this place - those that can be trusted, anyway - but Jackie is her priority.]

[aunomdedieu]

[ That wasn't quite the answer she was expecting. Caprica hadn't expected Jackie to be precisely eager to see her, but she hadn't thought the other woman would mind her presence, either. And unfortunately, the way Dominique phrases it only serves to make Caprica more worried. ]

Did something happen?

[ She had been avoiding the Vine quite strenuously while the phantoms had been haunting the inhabitants of the Gardens, hadn't seen that Jackie had been visited by them, too. ]

[ebony_bone]

[She wonders how much she should tell Caprica. She hadn't known much, to begin with, recovering from her own encounter with the phantoms. It was only after she'd looked back on the vine that she'd known about Jackie's. She hadn't even spoken to Jackie about that much. And the woman was a liar, kept her pain and her secrets wrapped up tightly inside. Dominique did not condone it, did not believe it good, but she respected it.]

The ghosts. They were hard, for her.

[The Gardens were hard for her, the lack of control, the helplessness. Dominique understood that. But then the Queen had delved into their pasts and their fears, and Jackie's reaction was complete retreat, a fragility that had to be wrapped up in bedclothes and darkness. Dominique was left making sure she had company, persuading her to eat, waiting and hoping for her to find her strength again.]

[aunomdedieu]

[ A little flicker of anger crosses Caprica's expression - not anger at Dominique or at Jackie, but being openly reminded of the phantoms reminds her how angry she was (still is, in a way) at the Queen for what had happened. ]

I see.

[ For a long moment, she's still and quiet. She wants to do something - the restless need for it is in her expression, if subtly - but she also doesn't want to make Jackie's condition worse. ]

Is there anything I can do to help? For either of you?