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[bleak_midwinter]

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[witness_this]

She was young enough that she might have been born with it.

[She admits, with a shrug.]

My mothers were Katie and Mary, but my sister at arms was Valkyrie, and the girls younger than me are Cheedo, Toast, Dag and Capable.

[bleak_midwinter]

But she was. Splendid.

[witness_this]

She had a way with ideas. She'd call bullets antiseed; plant one and watch something die.

[bleak_midwinter]

You talk that way too, sometimes. Max, as well. Poetry comes out of your mouths.

[witness_this]

Words are the only thing we have to paint with.

[bleak_midwinter]

I admire it. I like listening to you talk- any of you. She must have been impressive, to have impressed you.

[witness_this]

She was incredible. She was one of the main reasons I brought them.

When I worked for Joe-

[bleak_midwinter]

[He makes a soft inquisitive sound, prompting her.]

[witness_this]

I did some guard duty for him. I watched over her when he was-

Well. I owed her that escape.

[bleak_midwinter]

[He cradles her head and leans down to kiss her forehead again, apologetically.]

I'm sorry. I'm sure she treasured that freedom, even if it didn't last long.

[witness_this]

None of us really expected to survive, but I don't think we thought we'd lose her, either.

[bleak_midwinter]

Some people seem invincible.

[witness_this]

There were a lot of things I could throw myself between- you know, they shot a hail of bullets at us and I took Cheedo to the ground in a tackle, that kind of thing. Splendid was the only one who put her body between me and danger. She knew Joe wouldn't risk the child, so she'd stand on the lip of the rig, hanging on to the door, swaying out into space with her full, full belly, so he couldn't snipe past her and clip me as I drove.

[bleak_midwinter]

[He can't imagine the horror of it all, so alien from his own nightmares. So he rubs her head again and makes a soft, sympathetic sound.]

She'll be worth the deal. I can hear that.

[witness_this]

After what happened, you have to know I'm going to be shielding your body with mine from machine gun fire, for the next few times.

[Just, be braced for that.]

[bleak_midwinter]

I've never been protected like that.

[Not because his family doesn't love him enough: he just never gave them a chance to. He sounds deeply grateful that she would, now.]

[witness_this]

My first time since my mother died was here.

[She admits, because she knows.]

[bleak_midwinter]

I won't tell you not to, since I'd do the same.

[witness_this]

We'll try hard not to get shot at.

[bleak_midwinter]

That's a probably the best we can do.