xp_logs | Moira and Nathan: And when my faith... all but falls apart...

The ~~morning~~ afternoon after: a ghost, a revelation, and (shock of shocks!) no actual regrets...

Moira frowned at the papers in her hands. The readings weren't adding up properly. After a minute, she managed to blindly find the door handle and stepped inside, eyes still glued to the paper. Due to lack of walking into the doorframe or the wall and being able to shut it properly, it was obvious this was a dance she had done before. She eyed the paper in irritation and turned it upside in the hopes that possibly it would help.

"...tha' actually makes better sense..."

Nathan, sprawled on the couch, looked up and smiled faintly at her. "Have I mentioned I've always admired your coordination?" he asked quietly, setting aside the Clancy book he hadn't been reading anyway. She stopped scowling at the paper and smiled at him, and despite the sad-eyed little dead boy standing over by the window, Nathan actually felt his heart lighten a little.

"'ey ye." She put the paper on the table, the bizarre readouts could wait, and walked over to the couch. "Ye okay?" That last post would suggest "no" she reminded herself as she settled on the strip of couch that wasn't occupied by Nathan and reached for his hand.

He squeezed her hand gratefully. "Depends on which me you're asking," he said with a half-hearted chuckle. "The one who woke up with you using me as a pillow this morning, or the one who spent the afternoon with the boy from that vision." The smile tried to slip off his face and he struggled to hold it there, clinging to the memory of just how good this morning had been. But the misery crept into his voice, despite his best efforts. "I thought if I wrote it down I'd be okay, but then I looked around and there he was."

Moira reached out and touched his cheek gently. "Shove over, ye big lug," she muttered as she tried to curl up on the small strip of couch he had left. She was finally able to get into a position where she wouldn't fall off easily and reached up to kiss him on the cheek. "Sorry I was so busy today."

Nathan closed his eyes, relaxing a little as she settled down beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Don't apologize," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her. He could almost feel the warmth radiating from the link, driving back the cold that had seemingly settled into his bones. "I'm not that needy, you know."

"Mmm, I know. Jus' wish ye dinnae 'ave ta go through most o' this without me." On the other hand, her day had at least been productive. The ball was now rolling on the whole Muir Island mess. She'd been unable to reach the Parlimentary members she had intended to talk to but had left messages that they were to get back in touch with her at their earliest convenience. Still..."Ye'd think wit' nay any classes I'd be able ta get away."

"With classes gone it just means you're only doing enough work for seven people," Nathan quipped. "Instead of ten." She snorted, poking him in the ribs, and he couldn't help a yelp. "You watch yourself," he scolded her, grabbing her wrist in a light, if firm grip. "I know where all your ticklish spots are, woman."

Moira cocked an eyebrow at him. "I know where yers are t', ye forget," she said sweetly, suddenly slipping her free hand between them and getting him again in the ribs. Nathan yelped again, especially when she managed to get her rather cold hand underneath his sweater.

"Yes, because you're generally poking them with cold instruments--" The words caught in his throat and he sat bolt upright, ignoring Moira's noise of protest as she tried to catch her balance. The little boy was standing right there, beside the couch.

A quick grab for the armrest was the only thing that prevented her from tumbling head first off the couch. "Nathan?! Wha's wron'?"

Nathan squeezed his eyes shut, counted to three, and then opened them again. The boy was gone, amazingly, and he took a deep, shaky breath, rubbing at his jaw. "Just--ghosts, still," he said unsteadily. "He's not there anymore, though."

Moira pulled herself firmly onto the couch and then reached for Nathan, who still looked slightly shaken. "Come 'ere," she soothed, wishing that there was *something* more she could do to help him through this.

He obeyed, and found himself on the receiving end of a rather fierce sort of hug. "I'm okay," he murmured, kissing the top of her head. It would probably be more convincing if he could actually stop shaking, a voice at the back of his mind pointed out sardonically. "Really," he said, sensing the doubting thoughts whispering along the link. "Just--he just startled me, that's all. He's been here all afternoon, but--" He cut himself off, knowing he was babbling. "I'm all right," he repeated, trying to make it sound firm.

"Ye will be," she said fiercely. She pulled back enough to look him in the eye and set her jaw. "Nathan...we need ta set a time. I need t' -see-." Moira knew he would know what that meant, with the visions and she also knew he would probably protest. Loudly. He'd always been protective of her but now...God help anyone who tried to hurt her, she thought wryly.

Nathan swallowed. His first instinct was to open his mouth and let some variety of 'Hell no!' escape, but he was getting the very strong impression that Moira wasn't going to accept that as an answer. "I can't--exactly time them, Moira," he temporized.

"Damn, means I 'ave ta spend an entire day wit' ye," she smirked at him. That was...easier than she had expected. But she had to try it, at least once. It was the one thing she really hadn't done, at least not consciously. If she could experience one with him deliberately, it might tell her something useful.

He gave a pained sigh and pulled her close again. "The thought scares the hell out of me," he muttered, remembering how she had reacted to the first time she'd been pulled into a vision. With the link the way it was now--he stopped, unable to help a smile, despite the direction the conversation. "Not to change the subject, but are you noticing something?"

Truth be told, the visions scared the living daylights out of her. But if her understanding meant furthering the probability that they sorted things out...but for now, his question. She leaned back in his arms and looked up at him. "Hmmm?"

"My general lack of flinching and twitching?"

Moira paused and *really* thought about it. She blinked. "...now tha' ye mentioned it, aye, I 'ave." Her nose wrinkled as she thought about it. "Th' link?"

"I think so," he said softly, staring down at her with something close to wonder. "It's like you don't set off that particular set of instincts anymore." His smile grew, almost of its own accord. "Like you're slipping in under my radar or something. It would make sense. The link definitely went--um, 'kablooey' last night."

A small blush crossed her cheeks. "Aye, tha' it did..." Moira smiled, both at the memories of last night and the image of slipping beneath his radar. She reached up to kiss him but grinned impishly as she suddenly poked him in the ribs again. "Means I get ta do tha' easier now..."

"Yeah, well, don't abuse the privilege," he murmured wryly, and kissed her.

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Lyric-bits from 'I Believe In You' (Sinatra, of course).