[[ pre-dawn, milliways, upstairs ]]

[almosthonorable]

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?"

Comments

[almosthonorable]

He doesn't move for a handful of heartbeats.

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."

[ikissdhimbck]

"I promise."

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.

[almosthonorable]

He watches the Front Door close behind her before his eyes move around the still-quiet bar.

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.