[[ milliways ]]

[justdidntseeit]

[ "I hope we'll see you both tomorrow." ]

God, it's early.

With Boo in her arms and a tote bag loaded with necessary toys and art supplies over one shoulder, Kate reaches the bottom of the stairs and turns to see how Bill's faring with the two suitcases he's hauling.

"This is going to be fun, Gracie-Boo," she murmurs into Boo's hair, and she doesn't know who she's trying to assure more -- Boo or herself. "Provence is beautiful."

When Bill joins them, she gives him a small, sleepy smile; neither of them got much rest the night before thanks to last-minute packing.

"Okay, you two."

Demeter's waiting.

Comments

[wheelsy_sheriff]

The luggage is heavy, and between that and his yawning Bill is glad when they reach the bottom of the stairs so he can set the baggage to rolling instead of carrying it all.

He returns Kate's sleepy smile and gives one to Boo.

"She's right, darlin', s'gonna be fun."

[wheatencrown]

Demeter is waiting at the door with a shawl around her and she kiss them each on the cheek,

"You'll like my garden, Boo."

[i-scare-monstrs.livejournal.com]

Boo's snuggled up on Kate's shoulder, but she raises her head up once they're close to Demeter. Her face lights up.

"Met'r!"

[justdidntseeit]

"Morning," Kate says as her smile grows.

She takes another quick survey of the quiet bar; there's no sign of Ramon.

Refocusing on Demeter, "I bet Boo will love your garden."

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Mornin'." He gives Demeter a smile before looking over the bar.

With all of them down here like this, he's wary. Having the goddess with them is reassuring, but he's still on the lookout.

Anxiety is a good wakeup call and he's quickly starting to break out of the leftover fog left from the early rising.

[wheatencrown]

"I know you all will. Now do you have everything you need?"

She's starting to open the door and scents of the last of the warmth of Summer move through the air.

[i-scare-monstrs.livejournal.com]

Boo's eyes widen as she remembers!

"Hat!"

She pats her head and wiggles down and goes towards Demeter.

"Hat!"

She frowns at the door.

That is not her bedroom. Where her hat is.

Frown.

[justdidntseeit]

"I think we -- "

She double-checks the tote bag once she sets down Boo and glances at Bill, her expression apologetic.

"Mr. Spiny's still upstairs. I'll take the suitcases if you don't mind grabbing him?"

[scurlock]

Doc and Kate are already downstairs, sitting at the Bar and keeping an eye on things. They've got a little bit of business to take care of once Bill, Kate, and Boo have headed off with Demeter - but other than that, they're ready to go.

He's calm, this morning.

(And armed, though the Colt on his left hip is hidden by the black duster he's wearing.)



He tips his head in greeting as they make their way over, his focus still on the bar and every other patron (it's practically deserted at this hour, but there are still people here and there) downstairs.

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate is almost hidden beside him in the darkest corner of the Bar she could find. She's nursing a cup of black coffee -- two sugars -- looking only slightly more on edge than Doc.

It could just be the early hour and the caffeine working its way through her system. She's not typically a coffee girl, but the wee black hours of morning will change a person's preferences.

As soon as Bill and Kate leave the landing and step into the bar proper, her senses go on high alert. She has already scanned the bar for Ramon (or that woman, Fiona) a hundred times, but when she catches the swatch of jet black hair resting on Kate's shoulder, she feels it imperative to scan it just once more.

Her heart's beating just a little fast, but she keeps up the appearance of being calm when she nods her greeting to the group.

[wheelsy_sheriff]

"Yeah, I can -- "

He's already moving the suitcases so he can go back for everyone's favorite stuffed hedgehog when he spots Doc and Katherine.

Straightening up, he gives them a nod.

"Mornin'."

[wheatencrown]

The tension makes Demeter frown as she looks over to Doc and Kate,

"Good morning. Did you come to say goodbye?"

[scurlock]

"That we did," he replies. "Wanted t'see everyone off safely, 'fore we head out on our own."

Doc gives Demeter a grateful smile - glad that his friends will be safe and taken care of.

[justdidntseeit]

Kate's own smile is small and sad as she looks between Doc and Katherine.

"I'm glad you guys got my note."

[wheelsy_sheriff]

Bill manages his own small smile; hearing that they're heading out as well is both good and sad news.

"'Preciate it. Was hopin' t'see y'all before you left, too."

[i-scare-monstrs.livejournal.com]

"Kassen!" Boo's face lights up for a second time and, her hat momentarily forgotten, she runs over to the coffee drinking woman.

"Kassen Kassen!" She bounces up and down in front of her happily for a minute. Then she takes a finger and attempts to tug her towards the door, pointing. "Hat," she explains seriously.

[ikissdhimbck]

Her heart leaps into her throat when Boo calls her name.

God, she's grown. Kate finds herself scanning her sweet little face, looking for cuts and bruises, signs of sadness or abuse. Her heart hurts, equal parts regret for not being there for Boo when she needed her, and relief that the child looks relatively unscathed.

"Hey," she murmurs, her voice quavering as she reaches her free hand out to pet Boo's hair. She obediently gets up off her stool, but before Boo can drag her to the door she kneels to get a better look at the girl.

"Lookit you, Gracie-Boo. It's been so long, I went an' forgot how pretty you were."

She tips their linked hands up so that she can tenderly brush Boo's wrist with her free fingers.

[wheatencrown]

The door quietly swings shut behind Demeter as everyone talks so that they're not taking up too much space.

Demeter leans over to squeeze Kate's hand, she looks so young, they all do.

[i-scare-monstrs.livejournal.com]

Boo beams at the attention. She reaches up and hugs Kate tight around the neck and kisses her cheek in a very toddler sort of way.

She chirps cheerfully, "Kassen bad bye bye lub Kassen skoo!"

[ikissdhimbck]

She feels a zing through her heart as Boo babbles cheerfully, thinking about the last time she saw the girl, and how she had cried those very words.

And then you left her -- she asked you to stay, and you just couldn't, could you? And look what happened.

She swallows thickly and smiles up at Dem when the goddess reaches for her hand, appreciating the strength and comfort the simple gesture gives her.

"I know. Katherine bad bye-bye," she murmurs, her name tasting like ash on her tongue. "I'm sorry, Boo. Bad Katherine bye-bye."

Blinking away the veil of tears over her eyes, she pulls back from the embrace and gives Boo her best smile.

"You excited 'bout your trip, Boo? Y'get to visit Lady Demeter's world, it's gonna be so nice. You have everythin' you need?"

[i-scare-monstrs.livejournal.com]

Boo frowns seriously.

"Bad byebye. Luff Kassen skoo!" She nods and grins at these last words, hugging her again.

And then she remembers!
"Hat!" THIS LACKING HAT THING IS VERY SERIOUS INDEED!

She tugs at Kate. "Hat!"

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate shifts on the balls of her feet as Boo tugs at her so urgently.

"You forgot your hat? Through your door?"

[i-scare-monstrs.livejournal.com]

Boo nodnodnodnodnods!

SHE UNDERSTANDS!

Tugtug.

"Hat!"

Pointing.

"Hos!"

[ikissdhimbck]

It's like no time has passed between them at all.

"Okay."

She looks at Kate Warner, unsure, but lets Boo lead her to her door.

"You want me to wait here while you go get it?"

[i-scare-monstrs.livejournal.com]

Boo frowns thoughtfully and looks uncertainly from Kassen to Lellow Kake.

She nods, her hand on the knob.

[ikissdhimbck]

"Okay."

She nods firmly; she will stay right there. This time, she promises.

"I'll be right here."

[i-scare-monstrs.livejournal.com]

Boo turns the doorknob and with a last look back at her skoo, she runs through the door.

[justdidntseeit]

Kate adjusts the tote on her shoulder, tipping her head toward Doc while Boo babbles excitedly to Katherine.

"What about getting notes to Bar?"

She's careful to keep her voice low, though the bar is nearly deserted.

"Did you figure out a way to -- "

She turns in time to see Boo dart through the door.

"Gracie -- "

click

[wheatencrown]

As the door clicks, Demeter moves a hand to touch the other Kate and say,

"She'll be back, she's just gone home for a time."

Her voice has that solid truth in it since she knows the difference so well.

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate can see the door swinging back towards the jamb just a little too fast, but she's not quite quick enough to get her hand out to stop it before it clicks shut.

Her heart skips a beat, but then she reminds herself that Boo's only gone back to her world. She'll be safe, and she'll be back.


Still, she does not move from her crouch by the door.

She promised, after all.

[i-scare-monstrs.livejournal.com]

The door opens again and the taller and pajama-clad Boo on the other side looks confused. In a blink she's gone and then she's zoooooooooming back through the door, her teddy in one hand and the floppy hat in the other.

"Kassen!" She runs into her and hugs her before moving on to greet the rest of her skoo with equal enthusiasm. "Lellow Kake! Bill! Meter!"

[justdidntseeit]

Kate's eyes are wide as she wraps her arms around Boo.

"Gracie-Boo, hey ... "

Her eyes move to Bill, Demeter, Katherine, and Doc; she shakes her head slightly, at a loss.

[wheelsy_sheriff]

Bill smiles to see Katherine and Boo together, but keeps his attention on Doc, hoping it'll help nervousness and guilt he knows Katherine has regarding Boo.

"Y'all headin' out straight away?" He doesn't like the idea of them being here too long after he and Kate have gone.

His head turns when he hears Kate say Boo's name, and his eyes widen when the door shuts.

Looking at Demeter he's about to ask what she means when the door opens again and Bill's surprised when he sees the girl who steps through.

"Hey, there... Squirt."

[scurlock]

"Yeah," he responds, to Bill. "Soon as we see ya'll off, we're headin' out ourselves."

He watches Katherine and Boo interact, and something in his chest pulls tight -- you miss your son -- as his mind contemplates the future.

And possibility.

The door opens, closes, opens -- and suddenly, Boo is taller than before. Older than before.

He swallows his comment about f-ing Milliways to protect young ears.



"Looks like the doors are havin' fun, this mornin'."

[wheatencrown]

Demeter grins and kisses Boo on the head,

"Time has never been a simple thing."

[ikissdhimbck]

Boo's hug had quite nearly bowled Kate over, so shocked was she to see the sudden change in her. She's still crouching, leaning heavily on one arm, as she watches Boo run up and hug everyone else.

(She had stayed put, but she still feels like she missed something.)

[justdidntseeit]

Kate breathes a laugh and tucks a lock of hair behind one ear, still processing what she's seeing.

Another quick glance around the bar brings her attention back to the more pressing issue: Ramon.

"Okay, guys," she says, her tone apologetic. "We should probably go so you two can, too."

She doesn't want Boo, Doc or Katherine down here any longer than necessary, just in case.

She steps closer and wraps Doc in a quick, one-armed hug.

"Take care of yourself, okay?"

[wheelsy_sheriff]

Bill watches the hug and tries hard to ignore the uneasy feeling of doubt that's almost jealousy, whispering in the back of his mind.

He gives a nod to Doc after Kate pulls away, and a look to Katherine that's an apology and a goodbye.

"Y'all stay safe, good luck out there."

[scurlock]

"Always do."

Doc returns the quick embrace, before stepping back and moving closer to his Kate.

"Appreciate it," he replies, to Bill.

(He picks up a hint of something not quite right, in Bill's nod. But he doesn't let it linger, simply because now is not the time.)

He looks around the bar, scanning for threats. None. A glance back towards the door, where France and safety await all of them.

It's time to go.

[ikissdhimbck]

Part of her doesn't want to leave now, with such a bittersweet reunion and a sharp, sudden change in the young girl -- you're going to miss everything -- but she knows Kate is right.

It's time to leave.

She straightens up and avoids watching the brief hug shared between Doc and Kate, instead focusing her attention on Demeter and Boo, who both get one more tight hug goodbye. She almost does the same for Bill and Kate, but there's so much awkwardness and regret there that she can't make herself move.

She nods once.

"You two... take care. An' take care of each other. And, Gracie-Boo, you be good and have fun with Lady Demeter."

She can't say the word 'goodbye' around the lump in her throat, so she simply nods once more and smiles. It's better this way, anyhow; she wouldn't want to upset Boo just before leaving.

"Be safe," she murmurs, and then she and Doc turn back to collect their things.

[justdidntseeit]

"You guys do the same," Kate says softly, watching Katherine and Doc gather their belongings.

This isn't goodbye, she tells herself. They'll come back.

She gives Bill's forearm a gentle squeeze.

"I think I left Mr. Spiny on the couch." She swallows thickly. "We'll hold the door for you, okay?"

She offers Boo her free hand.

"C'mon, half-pint. Let's go visit Demeter's house."

[wheatencrown]

Demeter watches them all and frowns, so much pain and her hugs to Doc and his Kate are tight as she whispers in Kate's ear,

"You will heal, I can see the green life in you."

Then she opens the door once more onto France.

[wheelsy_sheriff]

Again there are no goodbyes and he tells himself it's better this way, and what they're all doing is the right move.

After Doc and Katherine leave he watches to make sure Kate and Boo get through the door to France, then goes upstairs quickly to retrieve Mr. Spiny.

It takes a bit of searching to find the stuffed hedgehog, but he does, locks up the room, and heads back down the stairs.

[latino_menace]

Later, he'll ruminate on what unfortunate timing this. At this moment though, he's invincible in his own head, following the two figures he sees in the dark, only one thought in his head.

He passes the back of the bar with no thought of being seen.

[wheelsy_sheriff]

Unfortunate timing indeed, whether it's something in his periphery, his mind being on Doc and Kate, or just as a final scan of the bar, Bill's head turns towards the back windows just in time to see the man walking buy.

Bill freezes, uncertain and trying to decide if it's just paranoia, or if Ramon Salazar is stalking around outside.

He shouldn't go out alone, unarmed.

He can't risk it if it is Ramon.

Glancing towards the front door where Kate and Boo are waiting on him in Demeter's world, Bill heads outside for the stables.