Ben Wade (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
almosthonorable) wrote2009-01-26 02:52 am
almosthonorable) wrote2009-01-26 02:52 am
Entry tags:
[[ pre-dawn, milliways, upstairs ]]
whitetextiswhite
[ the lonely light of morning ]
He's blinking in the darkness, already upright and swinging his legs over the side of the bed before he knows why.
Then the rapping -- light but insistent -- registers.
"Hold on just a minute, gotta -- "
He yanks on his pants and pulls his undershirt over his head, then pads to the door barefoot.
"The hell's the -- "
He's squinting, running his free hand through his impressive case of bed-head.
" -- Kate?"
[ the lonely light of morning ]
He's blinking in the darkness, already upright and swinging his legs over the side of the bed before he knows why.
Then the rapping -- light but insistent -- registers.
"Hold on just a minute, gotta -- "
He yanks on his pants and pulls his undershirt over his head, then pads to the door barefoot.
"The hell's the -- "
He's squinting, running his free hand through his impressive case of bed-head.
" -- Kate?"
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She drags a quick hand through her messy hair in agitation.
"If I told him, he'd just want to go with me. Maybe even stop me, I don't know. He wouldn't like it, that's for sure," she says. Then she looks at Ben oh-so-seriously, lowering her voice.
"But I can't -- that can't happen. It can't."
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He lets out a breath.
"But I won't tell him."
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She swallows thickly, shaking her head.
"But it won't matter once I'm through that door. Just... just let him know that I'm all right. Tell him..."
She pauses, looking at the weapon in her right hand.
"Tell him 'they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.'"
Her cold blue eyes reach for his again.
"He'll understand."
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A humorless half-smile.
"I'll make sure he gets the message."
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"You... you don't have to, if I'm askin' too much. I'd understand."
Again her eyes fall to her hands.
"I just don't know who else to... I... I don't have anyone left anymore."
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He tilts his head to catch her eyes.
"I'll tell him."
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After a moment, she nods jerkily.
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She draws in a deep breath, and stands from the bar stool. Glancing back to the larger Colt on the bar top, she nods once, as if Lady Bar can see her.
"Would you continue to hold onto Mr. Bonney's pistol for me, Miss Bar?"
The gun disappears, and Katherine turns her attention back to Ben.
"I don't know what to say."
There's a very interesting stain on the floor at her feet.
"But I think 'thank you' is a good place to start."
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His eyes move back to Katherine when the pistol disappears.
"Told you not to thank me till you get back here."
(Now that she's standing, too, he feels like he's towering over her; she's so damn small.)
"I meant that."
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Her lips quirk just briefly, and she nods.
"Forgive me."
There's a long pause, while she tries to collect her thoughts into words.
"Ben--" Beat. "You... I... you..."
She gives up on words, instead wrapping her arms around his middle in a snug embrace, face buried in his shirt.
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Ah, hell.
His arms go around her, careful and light.
"You just be smart like I know you are," he says, his chin brushing the top of her head.
"And keep both eyes open."
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Everything.
(Even what went unspoken.)
I promise, God, all of it. I promise.
That said, she pulls away from his embrace and slowly moves toward her door.
Where hell is waiting outside.
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He wonders what he just let her walk into.
Studying the counter, he resists the urge to order whiskey and asks Bar to hold on to Katherine's discarded charcoal coat.
Another cursory glance around the bar proper.
"Coffee, please."
He settles onto a stool and picks up his mug; he figures Doc'll be awake and downstairs soon enough.