5th floor Common room, Sunday night

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River was not having a child sleeping in her room, even if it was her own offspring from some other future. Luckily Blair had picked up Tributary, and River had even managed to say goodnight. Now there was the other girl, Ananda.

Appearantly Ananda expected her to find her a place to sleep. She was also hurting, asking her all sorts of questions in her mind, and it made River's head spin. So River had gestured towards the couch in the common room, and brought a blanket from her own room. Spreading the blanket over Ananda, River flinched as the girl stared up at her. "I'll get you Bertie," she mumbled. Appearantly the girl knew him.

Berthold had somewhat reluctantly let himself be dragged out into the common room, but he had cheered up when offered ice cream.

Night!, River thought, then hurried back to her room.

[For Ananda and her Dad]

Comments

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

Ananda curled up on the couch, trying to hold back the tears. It didn't work, and she ended up sobbing, shaking under the blanket.

Berthold was cheerfully enjoying his ice cream.

Her Mom hurt. She didn't want Ananda, she even seemed to prefer the other girl, Tributary. Where was her Dad? And Uncle Simon?

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Jack had woken up in the wee hours of the morning. Or it might have been late at night. He had no way to tell, seeing as checking would have woken up the peacefully sleeping Aiden.

Somehow, he ended up wandering the hallways while his brain refused to let him sleep, which is how he found himself outside the fifth floor common room, listening to someone crying like their heart was breaking. "Hello?"

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

Ananda opened her eyes. Even if she hadn't sensed him close she would have recognised that voice. Swallowing, holding back her tears and wiping her eyes she sat up. "Daddy! I'm here!"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

Daddy. Okay, another one. He could deal with this. Wondering about the crying, he made his way over to the couch and crouched next to her. "Hey, sweetheart. You okay?" he asked, looking her over. "Am I your dad?"

Again, best to make sure it wasn't another Aly situation.

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

Ananda blinked, fighting hard to hold back her tears. Daddy was different too and didn't know her. She swallowed. "'m Ananda. You're my Dad." At least he wasn't hurting to trying to run away.

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Ananda," he said, sitting next to her. "That's a nice name. I know things are a little strange right now, but it's going to be okay. Can you tell me who your mom is?" Though, looking at her, he had his suspicions, and he put an am around the little girl, hugging her against his side.

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

Curling up against her Dad, Ananda said: "You chose my name. And River's my Mom. I know I look like her." She poked a tentacle extending from under the couch. "She left Berthold to comfort me."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"I choose good names. Hi Berthold." Jack gave Ananda a hug, smiling down at her. Can you hear me when I do this?

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

Looking up at him, Ananda smiled and nodded. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him close. "Couldn't find you. Mom's hurting and you weren't there. Couldn't find Uncle Simon either."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Well, I've got you now," he said, doing what he did with River and thinking warm, gentle thoughts, like a mental hug as he snuggled her against him. "You're safe. And I think we should go to bed, okay? Somewhere other than a common room." And he'd just hope that she and Aiden would get along okay.

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

Ananda clung to him. Her Dad always managed to make her feel safe and happy. There was no chance she was letting him go now. "Your room?" she asked. "Aiden?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"Aiden is sort of your brother, I guess. Half-brother, from a different universe. He's a wizard." Jack wasn't sure if she'd know what that was, so he pictured Cedric, flying and doing magic. "And yeah, my room," he said, standing up very carefully so he wouldn't drop her. "Berthold will have to stay here."

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"Bye, Berthold," Ananda said, resting her head on Daddy's shoulder. "He can fly too? Without a spaceship?"

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"I don't know if he can fly yet, but I think he can turn people into toads." Jack stroked her hair as he left the common room, heading back down to the second floor. "He's not allowed to, though."

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"Good," Ananda said, sighing happily. "If he tries I'll kick him."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"No kicking," he said firmly. Be nice to your half-brother. "He won't turn you into a toad. I think that's just for Jake. He's a good kid."

[harknesshorde.livejournal.com]

"'m good too," Ananda said. "And tired."

[anextimeagent.livejournal.com]

"I know," he said soothingly. "Close your eyes and go to sleep, if you want. We'll be there soon. "