(no subject)

[sunnydalealum]

There aren't any guards posted outside the doors of these rooms, just a single sentry at the end of the hall, and the doors themselves aren't locked. The three young women in the rooms are in a position somewhere between house arrest and honorable parole.

Jordie's in the second room on the right.

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[there-is-a-me.livejournal.com]

He runs a hand over his hair, taking comfort in the clatter of beads, and says; "Orders matter in life. How can t' other girls trust you, knowing that you don't follow orders you don't like?"

[sunnydalealum]

Still stiff: "They did trust me. And I told them I'd take full responsibility. You can't obey orders when you know they're wrong."

[there-is-a-me.livejournal.com]

"You can't promise the ones who followed you that you'll get full responsibility." Spoon says quietly, "An', yes. Sometimes you obey the orders that are wrong, if the other option is to be more wrong. How many people died because you weren't protecting your cities?"

He says it like he knows there is a body count. Maybe there is, maybe there isn't, he doesn't know. He's a grunt werewolf who doesn't really give a shit about the Council except in that he loves kids and adores Harry, so Harry's girls get all the weapons he can bring.

But people could die. Otherwise there wouldn't have ever been a Slayer made.

[sunnydalealum]

"We were gone for two and a half days," she says, and this time there's sharp defensiveness in her voice. "That's less time than they gave me to go home for Thanksgiving weekend, for god's sake."

[there-is-a-me.livejournal.com]

A certain amount of chill enters his eyes at her curse, "I thank you not to take His name in vain." Spoon says very quietly, "You may not be one, but I'm a believer.

"You were gone for two an' a half days. Anything could have happened in those two and a half days, and you would not have been where people expected you. Perhaps nothing went wrong, I don't know. They don't tell me shite like that.

"Guess none of that matters, though. Got yourself wrapped up in self-righteousness. Only thing in your world matters anymore is Beth, innit? Certainly not those of us who care about you."

He can't take it anymore, and turns for the door. He's not angry, not really. He's sad because as far as he can tell she's wrapped herself up in hatred so tight that nothing at all will ever get through to her, and that hurts.

She's still his favourite.

(He thinks, in a slightly hysterical way, that this may be how Obi-Wan felt about Anakin when he started showing what Yoda warned about. He prays, much more seriously, that Jordie won't end up as a Sith.)

[sunnydalealum]

Just before he reaches the door: "I didn't use the wristblades."

It's abrupt, and shaky, and sounds close to tears.

[there-is-a-me.livejournal.com]

He pauses, with one hand on the door frame, and then turns back, "Thank you." his voice is soft, gentle, "An' I still love you, Jordie. Still me favourite. Just - think you have a lot of growing up that we stole from you. So you're having to learn things the hard way instead.

"Sorry for that."

[sunnydalealum]

Red floods Jordie's face, anger and shame and frustration and humiliation all blended together, and she twists her head aside and down.

Just a kid, that's what he thinks. Irresponsible. Wrapped up in self-righteousness. Nothing but a disappointment. Or an embarrassment --

He kissed me back, that last time. He did --

So what? You knew that was goodbye. Nothing's changed.

The tears are back, but this time she turns her back before he can see them fall.

[there-is-a-me.livejournal.com]

He's not human. Never will be again. He moves towards her and presses her head against his shoulder. He can no more not try to comfort her than he can not smell her sorrow.

"Think you did a bad thing, lass." gruff, but honest, "But don't think you're a bad person. You can grow past it. Not the end of the world this time."

[sunnydalealum]

She wants to lean into him, bury her face in his shirt and bawl; she wants to pull away and move to the window, keep her back to him, stay silent and cold.

A shudder passes through her, and she doesn't move at all.

[there-is-a-me.livejournal.com]

He keeps, ever so gently, petting her shoulders. Lecture time is, at least for now, over.

[sunnydalealum]

"You should go."

It comes out unsteady and strained and not as loud as she'd like, barely a squeak ... but it comes out.

[there-is-a-me.livejournal.com]

Spoon nods and lets go of her.

"Be at your trial if they let me." he says quietly.

[sunnydalealum]

Her shoulders jerk at the word trial, but she nods. Silently.

(She has to admit it now, to herself if nobody else: she's scared.)

[there-is-a-me.livejournal.com]

He brushes his hand across her hair and heads out, not stopping this time.