[hider=Two Tired Girls]
It isn't long after Hannie and crew return to home base that Kaitlyn seeks out what she realizes she is increasingly considering her own kid. It’s immediately apparent she's seen better days; her eyes are red, and she carries herself with a distinct lack of energy or motivation.

Finding Hannie is, for most people, something of an ordeal. She tends to crawl into strange dark spaces or curl up alone in auditorium seating. But Kaitlyn knows where to look, and the moment she finds her little Hannie - auditorium seating this time - she collapses onto her knees and wraps the kid in her arms. Trembling, and silent.

The girl starts at the sudden embrace, and doesn’t seem to have much to say herself. After a moment’s pause, she hugs Kaitlyn back. Kaitlyn reciprocates with an even tighter embrace, tears prickling the edges of her eyes.

[color=0072bc]“Hannie…”[/color]

A short silence hangs between them.

[color=89f5ff]”Yeah?”[/color] Hannie says, apparently not picking up Kaity’s tone.

For some reason, Kaitlyn laughs at this. It’s more an exasperated exhalation than anything. She’s not even sure what’s so funny… 

[color=0072bc]“It’s just… Good to see you again.”[/color]

She sighs and, for a moment, goes limp. But she rights herself up in short order, releasing the little girl and wiping off her cheeks with her sleeve. She [i]has[/i] been crying… Or she’s about to. 

[color=0072bc]“Did you have fun?”[/color] She asks, weakly.

[color=89f5ff]”Um.”[/color] Hannie briefly considers the words, “are you okay?” It’s probably not a good thing to ask. [color=89f5ff]”Nil is hard to play with. She ran around everywhere and didn’t share and we had to sit down with a stranger.”[/color] She pauses. [color=89f5ff]”Yes.”[/color]

[color=0072bc]”A stranger?”[/color]

Kaitlyn sounds, and looks, concerned.

[color=89f5ff]”Um,”[/color] Hannie says, again. She frowns, considering her options to explain. She kind of waggles her hands. [color=89f5ff]”Like… that tall? And, uh.”[/color] She deepens her voice and nearly affects an unspecific South-American accent. [color=89f5ff]”“Sounds like this.”[/color]

Kaitlyn covers her mouth, although there’s a look of amusement in her eyes.

[color=0072bc]”Hehe… Well, it sounds like you had a good time. I’m guessing Nil weirded him out?”[/color]

Kaitlyn’s mood already seems to be improving. The power of hugs and cuteness!

[color=89f5ff]”I think we just bored him.”[/color] Hannie looks upward, trying to recall how it went. Kaitlyn could already imagine it was pretty chaotic. [color=89f5ff]”He talked a lot.”[/color]

Kaitlyn slowly nods, but exhaustion is beginning to settle in. The search has kept her going up to this point, but now she could use some rest. Some [i]real[/i] rest. 

Her eyes unfocus for a moment as a second sun blazes in her mind, threatening her with nightmares full of crunching sand and screams.

[color=89f5ff]“Why don’t you tell me all about it while we walk? I’d like to check us into a hotel or something. Sleep in a real bed. Take a bath. I feel kinda icky. You?”[/color] She rises to her feet, then offers Hannie her hand with a small, warm smile. Hannie takes the hand with her usual lost, okay-sure-I’ll-go-where-you-go sort of look, and Kaity’s smile grows just a touch wider.

Over the next several minutes Hannie slowly picks up the story of how Nil had bullied and neglected her, how this strange bearded man had sat them down and bought them smoothies and made them talk. Her words sound like it was misery, but her tone sounds like she had some fun. Kaitlyn nods along and offers her sympathies, although she retains a small smile throughout it all. In no time, Kaitlyn sniffs out a decent place to stay- Capitol Resort, which is just down the street!-  and beelines for the bed, tossing herself onto the comforter with an explosive sigh.

[color=0072bc][i]At last, a real bed! How long has it been?[/i][/color]

Hannie slows to a pause in the doorway, looking around the room as if dazzled by the luxury, or at least the impression of it. It’s on the modest end as rooms abroad go, yet she appears fascinated, working her way slowly to the bedside while stopping to study every vaguely evocative painting and easy-clean carpet fiber.

[color=0072bc]”Hannie? Are you alright?”[/color] That concern creeps back into her voice as she leans up on the bed, watching her.

Tearing her eyes from a bulky white air conditioner embedded in the wall, Hannie tries to express what she’s thinking… and manages, [color=89f5ff]”Fancy.”[/color]

‘Fancy’ isn’t the word Kaitlyn would use to describe a 4.1 star resort.

[color=0072bc]“... Have you ever stayed at a hotel before?”[/color]

The girl hops onto the bed, examining the bland, intermittently peeled wallpaper. She shakes her head no, and tests the texture of the linens. They’re actually some quality stuff, all things considered. Soft and cushiony. Kaitlyn briefly entertains the idea of a pillow fight before chucking it into a [i]third[/i] sun specifically conjured up to eat bad ideas.

[color=0072bc]”But you have slept in your own bed before, right? Had your own room?”[/color]

[color=89f5ff]”Yeah? Most of the time.”[/color] Hannie doesn’t look as she answers, focused on the alarm clock on her side. 9:18pm, a good almost-twenty minutes over the typical curfew, and more importantly covered in strange and fascinating buttons.

Kaitlyn studies Hannie for a moment, then reaches out- but she stops herself just short of grabbing the little girl. She seems eager to explore at the moment, and Kaitlyn doesn’t want to impede on that curiosity. The girl scans the device, and taps a button to no effect. She presses and holds it, yielding a long shrill tone. She blinks. So does the display.

[color=89f5ff]”Did I break it?”[/color]

Kaitlyn giggles and reaches over to tap a few buttons of her own. The prolonged beep is mercifully silenced, and a still 12:00am appears.

[color=0072bc]”No, silly. That’s the reset.”[/color] Kaitlyn briefly explains how the device works, and what the buttons do… To the best of her knowledge, at least. It doesn’t help that Hannie doesn’t seem to read Tagalog, but eventually she manages to correct the time to 9:21.

[color=0072bc]”If you want…”[/color] This time, Kaitlyn doesn’t stop herself from wrapping her arms around Hannie and pulling her up against her chest, laying down on her side. [color=0072bc]“... After this is all over… You can stay with me. And you’ll have your own bed, and your own room, all of the time.”[/color]

The Hannie wiggles, stunned and displaced. She thinks for a moment. [color=89f5ff]”I don’t think my mom would like that,”[/color] she says, stretching herself out, stuck in Kaitlyn’s arms.

Kaitlyn goes still.

She had assumed…

[color=0072bc]”Where…”[/color] Her mouth is suddenly dry, and she takes a moment to gather her composure. [color=0072bc]”Where is your mom now, Hannie?”[/color] She states the question gently, even as her insides twist.

[color=89f5ff]”At home?”[/color] Hannie says. Then, as if remembering late that this isn’t very specific, she adds, [color=89f5ff]”Cairns. Queensland.”[/color]

[color=0072bc]”Does she know where you are? What you’re doing?”[/color] The thought that any mother would send their child off to the battlefield… She couldn’t possibly know, could she?

[color=89f5ff]”Yeah. I don’t think she likes it.”[/color] Hannie frowns, stroking the sheets in front of her. They really are pretty nice. [color=89f5ff]”I hope she doesn’t worry too much.”[/color]

Kaitlyn isn’t even a mother herself, but she already knows just how much Hannie’s mom must be worrying. The implications that Hannie was here against either’s wishes also don’t sit well with Kaitlyn. Just what powers were in play here?

[color=0072bc]”Well… At the very least, I’ll make sure you can return home and see your mom again.”[/color] She squeezes Hannie, briefly, and smiles. [color=0072bc]”I… I [b]promise[/b] you this, Hannie. We’ll both make it through this.”[/color]

Hannie nods. For a moment, trees in the wind sound like crackling ice, and crackling ice sounds like that voice again.
[i][color=6ecff6]”Place your faith carefully, child.”[/color][/i]
She shakes her head, very slightly. Kaitlyn doesn’t seem to notice and, after a pregnant pause, she speaks up again.

[color=0072bc]”There’s something I should tell you…”[/color]

Needless to say, the two had quite the talk.

When all is said and done- And Hannie assists Kaitlyn with a sudden nosebleed- Kaitlyn reaches out and gives little Hannie a great big hug, then flops down onto the mattress, limp as a noodle. [color=0072bc]”Now… I think it’s time for bed. I. Am. Pooped!”[/color] 

Hannie glances at her palm. Severely frostbitten from summoning Kirvella earlier, but that always gets better after a while. She folds it under her other arm to help the thawing and drops onto the bed beside Kaitlyn, who immediately seizes the opportunity to convert her into a child-sized teddy bear.

[color=0072bc]”Thank you…”[/color] She murmurs, already beginning to drift off. It’s been a long day. [color=0072bc]”For being here for me.”[/color]

F I N
[/hider]