75 Godiva Street, Saturday Afternoon

[geniuswithasmartphone]

So, everything was terrible again. Hardison was pretty sure that Tony and his TA were evil, Eliot had brought home a version of Kathy that needed babysitting a lot more than she needed to be out heroing, there were slugs pretty much everywhere, and last night Eliot had insisted they all sleep down in the panic room in the basement. Which was actually more like a 'panic suite' because Eliot had built it and he was kind of extra about things, but even so, it was a little more claustrophobic than Hardison was comfortable with. He'd found himself calculating how much air was available in their hidey hole, which wasn't something he'd done since they'd moved from Portland.

That itchy restlessness hadn't left him, even when they'd all come back upstairs for brunch. He needed to get out for a little while. Do something. Spend some time in the open air while feeling useful. So once the meal was over, Hardison grabbed for his jacket and his laptop bag. A walk across the island to the school for some quality research time would hopefully settle him.

[Open for housemates and visitors!]

Comments

[whoisalicewhite]

"It means your family loves you - see, U ? - forever. Say it out loud when you see it, it'll make more sense. The heart is love." Parker leaned into her, and pushed one strand of hair out of Kathy's face. "Maybe you can make it a tattoo. So you never have to wash it off."

[godilovedthis]

"I have a tattoo!" Kathy said. "It's on my hip. It's a girl with a rainbow ribbon. I don't know why I got it, though. Maybe I really like rainbows? It's not written down, though, so I don't remember."

[whoisalicewhite]

"That's you," Parker said, smile acquiring a few more shadows. "As a superhero. Banzai. I think you said you got it to celebrate, a few years ago." So yeah. A tattoo, after this.

If Kathy didn't have to go back to Horrible World too fast. Ugh.

(Maybe she wouldn't have to go back at all?)

[godilovedthis]

That would bring this Kathy's total up to two, half the number of tattoos this universe's Kathy had.

"A superhero?" Kathy asked. "Me?" She smiled at that. "Did I protect people?" Lowering her voice, she added, "That's why I'm here. To protect everyone."

[whoisalicewhite]

"I know," Parker said, lowering her voice to match Kathy's. "And you did. You are." Always. "We'll help you do that."

[godilovedthis]

"I remember you came and helped us last year," Kathy said quietly, sounding a bit like her old self for a moment. "I don't remember much, but I remember that. That's why I came along when Dante and Anders explained. Because I want to protect you and your world like you protected me and mine."

[whoisalicewhite]

Thanks seemed so inadequate. "I'm glad you did." Parker's face scrunched up. "Do you want a hug?"

[godilovedthis]

"Yes!"

Normally Kathy would have hesitated, opening her arms and letting Parker come to her. That was the right way to hug Parker. This Kathy didn't remember that, flinging herself at Parker with a happy smile.

[whoisalicewhite]

Parker winced, but managed not to flinch, then awkwardly patted Kathy's back. "Yay." No, really. She was smiling, even if she tried to hide it. "Yay."

[godilovedthis]

"I love hugs," Kathy said happily. "Thanks for giving me one, ummm...I'm sorry, what's your name again?"

[whoisalicewhite]

Parker paused, then pointed at the new markings on Kathy again. "Somebody that loves you. Don't worry about the rest."