The Splintered Dreams

Robert left, and time slipped by while Khaat slept under her father's spell. This time it was her turn to be uprooted by a bad dream. A nightmare of Rob leaving her forever. She woke with a jolt, sitting bolt upright. She realized quickly where she was, took a deep breath to calm herself. She saw the lights were getting dim. The day was quickly passing, and she had lost most of it somehow. Sunset was here. Oh,yes. Her father's work, she remembered.

She felt a bit better, and thought perhaps it was time she got back to her own office. She still had a headache, but her father's spell was keeping the worst of the pain away now. She tossed off the blanket, wondering what laying around all day had done for her hair, her makeup, and her clothes.

"My dad said that?" She sighed. She was licked before she started. She knew better. No one could ever beat her father. No one. "I refuse to be admitted to my own hospital for the night. I have kids to take care of at home. He knows that," she knew even as the words left her mouth that they were worthless. She hurt, she didn't feel well, and she knew she couldn't go home to Rob in this condition. Rob would leave and never come back. And what was worse, her father knew that too. It was his way of protecting her from a lot of things. She sat back down on the bed heavily, feeling defeated. It was hell for any warrior to not get their own way, especially when one was loaded with adrenalin and had no place to go with it. And Cordel saw that need she had to go and do something--go and do anything. Remus had been the only other one to really truly understand it. And he had known how to put on the brakes when she got over her head. Now, a man she had known not even 2 days understood that. Rob didn't seem to get it. Didn't seem to want to get it.

"Can I just go to my office for a minute?" she asked Cordel. "I'll be right back. I promise. I won't run any races. I'll just go there and right back."

Khaat moved about her office, not with her normal speed. Archangel had returned obediently to his post. She went over and stroked him. He was still her best friend. She got into an insulated bag and fed him some pieces of fish until she knew he was well fed for the night. "You know, I could just sleep in here, Cordel, " she said softly, "I've done it many times. Its where I usually sleep anymore." She picked up her black bag that held her belongings from home and motioned to Archangel. She felt a need to be close to him tonight. She shrank his perch and put it in her bag and picked up the insulated bag of food she kept for him. Archangel hopped obediently over to her shoulder and gave her a supportive nuzzle, letting her know he had picked up on her mood. She wished she could be open with Rob and share with him when she was hurting. That it wouldn't scare him and make him run when she needed to just be held. She drew up that fearless warrior strength again from someplace deep and said to Walker, "Alright. Back to our cell, I guess. Before we get caught escaping."

She smiled softly. "Thanks. I needed that more than I thought. Okay. I give in. Lets go back before he catches up with us." She walked back slowly with him. She excused herself to go change in the bathroom. The dress clothes were getting uncomfortable. She chose instead her running sweats. Just plain gray sweatpants, a plain gray sweatshirt, and plain white slipper socks. She was feeling very tired. She wasn't sure how much longer she wanted to go through life without Rob. She wanted to give him all the time he needed but she did not understand what she had done wrong in order to make her distance from her. Maybe she wasn't worth being with. She brushed her hair to fix how disarrayed it had become. It made her feel more human.

As she exited the bathroom, her father returned. "Well, at least you're more comfortable now." He saw instantly that Rob was on her mind again. Getting to her again. "Khaat," he said softly, "You're not yourself tonight. You're suffering from a concussion. It can make anybody moody. I do magic, not miracles. You know that. You need time now. Come on. Back to bed." "Daddy, I should be sleeping in my office. Not taking up bedspace," she protested. "No. Not tonight." He flashed a packet of papers from his jacket pocket at her. She knew instantly what they were. He had admitted her without her consent. Probably while she had been unconscious and just hadn't told her. "And when were you planning on telling me about this?" she glared at him. "Oh, about now, more or less," he shrugged, unphased by her irritation, "Bed. Now." "Only if you don't tell Rob." "He knows where you work. If he were truly concerned about you and why you were here all night, he'd have stopped in. So why would I call him?" Robert said as a matter of fact, "No. I'm afraid you're stuck with me tonight, my dear. "

He tucked her into bed. He checked her again, and laid his hands on her head again. "It is persistent if nothing else," he sighed. "Get some rest. Keep an eye on her, Archangel. " He stroked the bird. He drew his perch out of her bag, made it fullsized and put it near the bed. The bird seemed far happier on his perch, and chattered a bit at Robert. "You're welcome," Robert laughed. "You both get some rest," he said to her and Cordel. "Ill be back." He left the room turning down the lights a bit.