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[x-mactaggart.livejournal.com]

Moira walked out onto the back porch and took a deep breath. She needed to clear her head after the days events and now that Nathan was sleeping peacefully, she allowed herself to venture outside. Movement caught her eye and she stepped forward. "Alison?"

Head snapping to locate Moira, Alison nodded once, jogging up to her quickly. "You found him," she stated, because if nothing else, Moira would have been asking her that question before letting her even move, if she hadn't.

"Aye, he managed ta wander inta town o' all thin's." She leaned against a post and sighed. "'ad me worried 'alf ta deat' an' back again 'e did."

Going up the steps to lean on the another post, Alison wrinkled her nose, taking Moira's current condition as further sign that he was back at the mansion and tucked away somewhere, most likely. "Men. Typical." She smiled a bit in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"If talkin' ta dead people an' drawin' bizarre maps is typical, than aye." The breeze was chillier than she had expected but refreshing none the less.

Noticing the older woman's shiver at the gust of wind, Alison headed one of the garden chairs on the porch, motioning for Moira to follow her. "C'mon. We can be more comfortable here, and I can show off at the same time," she waggled her eyebrows at Moira as she settled down, taking stock of her internal level of power to see how long she could maintain a simple, warming light.

"Showin' off's always good," she replied, curling up in the other chair. "This should be impressive."

Nudging her chair closer, Alison chuckled. "Naw. Impressive is one of my live shows," she wrinkled her nose and curled up comfortably as well before working her way through the light spectrum, glowing a bit as she found the perfect spectrum to radiate optimal heat.

Moira let out a happy noise as the warmth spilled over to her. "Tha' feels better. Spent most o' today wit'out me jacket since I ran out o' 'ere so fast."

"He'll be upset you did that," Alison said knowingly, pulling up her knees, wrapping her arms around them lightly. "Betcha he scolds you." A wise, knowing nod followed. And then a pause, before Alison grinned wickedly. "Spank you, even."

Never let it be said that Moira was without dignity. Only in moments like this as she jerked backwards in surprise and nearly sent the chair flying backwards. "Bloody 'ell!" She felt her entire face redden. "I...ack...Alison!"

"Mmmm?" was the purred reply, underscored by contentment at the very palpable hit. She shoots, she scores, no doubt there. "Why, is that a blush I see?"

"Nay...aye...argh! Bloody well bad enough tha' ye left tha' broom outside me door th' other night..."

Alison leaned back in the chair as she burst in laughter, delighted with the response. "OOoh, found it did you? Hid it in time for Nathan not to see it?" she asked between giggles, eyes gleaming with merriment.

"Ye better well bloody believe it," she muttered, righting herself. "God, yer goin' ta give me a 'eart attack one o' these days."

"Little old me? Never," Alison gasped in mock sadness, flipping one hand limply in a pseudo-dismissive gesture. "I'm as sweet and innocent as they come, dont'cha know." The following snickers destroyed the illusion neatly, however.

"Oh aye. Tha's why yer 'orns shine through so much." She shook her head. "Nay like anythin' like tha'll 'appen fer a while...if ever," she muttered under her breath.

Why, that caused an eyebrow to rise slowly in response. "Oh?" Head tilting to the side, Alison tapped her chin pensively. "Now that just won't do... 'less you're the one wanting to take it slow? Or is he being all dense dumb male about it?"

Moira hesitated. But this was Alison... "Bot', more on 'is side, I think. Even though th' idea scares th' 'ell out o' me." She shook her head. "Been a lon' time."

"It'll be even longer if you spend it on your own," Alison murmured pensively, the break up with Sam still fresh and painful in her mind. Shaking off the thought, she continued. "Besides - if you both just keep dancing around the issue... it might just skip you by. Would you be willing to risk that?"

"Nay, but I'm nay willin' ta push 'im either. There's a lot more issues on 'is side than on mine."

"Might want to make it just... clear to him then. Cause men are dumb sometimes." She paused then corrected herself. "Often." The way Moira kept rubbing her wrist lightly didn't escape her, and she gave the red head a pointed look. "He had a vision again?" Eyes flicking to her wrist slowly, then back to her.

"Half an' half," she murmured. "I woke 'im up an' he reacted instinctively. Feels right bloody bad 'bout it." There was a lot of eye rolling. "An' I cannae brin' it up...'e'd, I dinnae know, run away or somethin'."

"Not if you bring some bandages and ointment with you, and make him tend to it for you," Alison smirked

"'e'd make me sleep," she muttered. "An' everythin's at 'is pace."

"Well then, just make sure he naps with you, mmm?" Matter of fact reply, as the notion made entire sense as far as Alison was concerned.

"'Tis nay tha' simple...most o' th' time. 'Tis like we get closer an' then 'e backs off. I dinnae want ta...I'm afraid o' losin' whatever this is by rushin'."

"Napping isn't rushing. You'll be sleeping. Oh wait. Does the telephathy muck things up?" Alison blinked, wondering - Nathan had stated he didn't use it much...

"We're linked." She facepalmed. She hadn't meant to say it that quickly.

The reaction drew a laugh from Alison, who wagged her finger at Moira. "Aaah, I see. Been there. Well, in a non romantic sort of way. Betsy and I were linked, for a while."

"Was it annoyin'?" The chair creaked as she settled into it. "I rather like...th' intimacy an' closeness. But ye know, normal 'umans are nay supposed ta be able ta start them."

"It was just there and dormant most of the time..." Alison trailed off, and sighed. "I didn't mind it. It was... nice in a way. To know there was someone right there, no matter what. You know?" She grinned, sheepishly. "Well, yeah. You do. It happened by pure accident though. I've been lurking about the med lab trying to see her... she's still isolated." Shaking her head, she sighed. "Keeping me out dammit. Stubborn woman. But... Sometimes I think it's back again."

"Aye, I do." She reached over and patted Alison's hand. "I'll let ye know th' second she's allowed visitors."

"Thank you." Looking down for a moment, frowning, Alison looked at her hand, and Moira's above it. "I had nightmares, while Kwannon had control over her... a little girl, screaming that she was lost and needing help. I never... I never thought it might be that..."

"Oh, sweetie." She tightened her grip a little. "Tell me ye dinnae blame yerself fer nay knowin'."

"There are things she said in her email. Kwannon. And looking back now," she shivered, eyes filling with tears. "God, it was so clear. The signs were all there for me to see..."

"Hindsight is twenty/twenty an' it brin's wit' it pain an' regret," Moira whispered. "She fooled -Charles-, Alison. Ye are -nay- ta blame."

"Ok," was the unsteady reply, the words but clearly not entirely accepted just yet. "I just... wish she'd let me see her."

"She will. I can only imagine what she's goin' through an' when she's ready ta come out, she's goin' ta need all o' our 'elp."

"Wish she'd need it now," Alison muttered plaintively, only too aware of how petty that sounded. "I'll wait. I... I just won't wait well."

"Ye can always go talk some sense inta Nathan," she muttered, only half kidding.

"I can do that," Alison replied absent mindedly, patting Moira's hand with her own this time. And then focused on her, lips quirking. "Kidding. YOu can breathe."

"Actually, considerin' th' monkey comment, I'd laugh me ass off."

Puzzlement greeted that reply, Alison blinking slowly at Moira. "Monkeys?"

"Monkeys." Moira nodded solemnly. "Apparently Amanda made some monkey comment ta 'im over e-mail an' 'e won't tell me what. Kept blushin' an' told me she told 'im ta get a pet. Some nice, solid revenge would be nice. Embarrassin' 'im is even funnier."

...well. That actually wasn't a far guess for Alison, who'd already thought of it but dismissed the notion at first. "Oh," she said slowly, carefully keeping a straight face. "The broom would do it. If you're innocent about it and he remembers what I said at the bar." Because yes. Nice sturdy broom. Monkey sex. "Then again, he might miss it entirely."

"Ali, 'e tried ta tango wit' a tree on th' way back ta th' 'ouse...I doubt 'e'd remember."

A bright cheerful smile greeted that remark. "Innuendo about him, trees and monkeys should do it, then."

Moira laughed. "'e's goin' ta kill me."

Smiling serenely, Alison shook her head. "Naw. I'll beat him up if he does that." Hell, Cain will turn him to a smear onna floor if he even thinks of doing that, was the mental, unspoken follow-up.

"God 'elp anyone who -really- wants ta 'urt me." She paused and then remembered the news broadcast and nearly died giggling. "Oh Lord, I never did get around ta tellin' ye 'bout wha' 'appened th' other night..."

"Teeeell meeeee!" Leaning forward, a wheedling tone to her voice as listened with an enraptured expression. She really had been dying to know, even though she'd forgotten about it by now - but curiosity had been revived, fully so.

"Seems me ex 'usband got 'imself embroiled in a wee scandal." She grinned impishly. "Joe was recently quoted as bein' against another Parliament member who was, er, well caught wit' 'is pants down. Apparently, Joe was caught th' other day wit' a certain youn' debutant Courtney Ross. Barely 18 an' engaged to a duke's son. Lower duke, but a duke nonetheless. An' after 'is 'arsh statements...Joe's lookin' like quite th' ass."

Eyes widening in pure shock at the rather juicy tidbit of gossip, Alison clapped ahand over her mouth, unable to repress a giggle. "Oh my god!" she blurted, sounding remarkably like a valley girl for a moment.

Moira looked like the cat that ate the canary. "'Tis bloody beautiful it is. Makes this ol' 'eart glad."

Bright, cheerful laughter resounded from the back porch as both women succumbed to laughter, before finally dying down to low murmurs as they continued to chat, occasionally interspersed by more laughter.