Part XV

Hrn...somethin'...big n' heavy on me...

Blearily, icy eyes open, blinking a few times when she finds herself on the couch with someone curled close to her. She smiles softly as she brushes dark hair from the handsome face.

Heh...Klork...probably a good idea to just let him sleep...

She gazes at him for a little bit as she slowly awakens the rest of the way. After placing a soft kiss on his brow, she carefully slides out from under him, doing her best not to wake him. Biting back a yelp when she turns the wrong way, she grabs her cane and tucks the blanket gently around him. After showering and changing, she seeks Quinlan out. She finds him in what's been his room for the past four or five days, packing for his departure. "Dad?"

He looks up and smiles at her. "HLM! Come in...rest that leg of yours..."

She smirks lightly, sitting in the chair he leads her to. "So you're leaving tomorrow, huh?"

He nods, a puzzled look in his emerald eyes. "How did you know?"

Another smirk. "I wasn't as asleep as you and Birman thought I was."

"Ah..." A soft chuckle rises from his throat. "You will not object to spending most of tomorrow with me, then?"

She shakes her head with a grin. "I was planning on it."

"Good. I would like to teach you some more elven magic..."

"I'd like that." Her smile shows her sincerity.

That evening, once Quinlan wraps the lesson up and they both finish their conversation, HLM checks the couch in front of the fireplace. Finding Klork still there, she smirks slightly and tucks the blanket a little more around him.

Best he just sleeps until Hank can figure something out to take his pain away...

She makes her way into the MedLab and blinks when she nearly collides with the blue ball of fuzz himself. "Woah, Bones, 'sup?"

He grins tiredly at her. "I think I've figured something out that might help Klork with his pain..."

"Oh...that's good to hear!" She smiles.

"One question..."

"Yeah?"

"Where is he?"

"Heh! On the couch in front of the fireplace, sleepin'."

He blinks and smirks. "What in the world did you do to him?"

"Heh...would you believe, sang to him?"

"Hmm...fascinating...I wonder..."

They both look up when Lisette begins to stir. He nods over to her just before he heads for Klork. HLM hobbles over to the awakening woman.

...this should be interesting...hope she's ok...

"Heya..." The icy eyed woman reaches out to help the Lisette sit up.

The woman glances at her arm, relief coming into her eyes at seeing the IV no longer there. With a tired smile, she accepts the help. "Thank you..." Her brows furrow as she looks down at the younger woman's leg, her voice lowering. "Are you alright?"

A grin curves the young woman's lips. "You're welcome..." With a blink, her grin turns sheepish. "Yeah...just have to stay off it...you?"

"Been better, been worse--Klork?" She looks up and tries hopping off the table, only to grab it when hit by a dizzy spell. "Too much sleep....not enough nutrients..."

"He's on the couch out there...woah....." A strong hand attached to a bandaged arm reaches out to steady the ailing woman. "Sit back down then...I'll get you something to eat..."

Lisette looks like she's about to complain, but nods instead when her stomach interrupts her. "Thank you...I could use it..."

HLM nods slightly. "No problem...I know the feeling all too well...uh...do you want anything in particular?"

"I...just food...I can't honestly think of just one thing... Do you need help?"

Moron tough...no need help...

"Nah...I can handle it..." She offers another grin before limping towards the kitchen. Pausing, she looks back to the freshly awakened woman and grins lightly. "Thank you, by the way..."

Lisette blinks and gives her a genuine smile as she softly responds, "It was the least I could do. I wish I could have done more."

Wisps of strawberry blond, escaped from the loose braid she wears, gently sway as she shakes her head with a soft grin. "It was more than enough...heh...I'll be back, k?" With that, she hobbles back into the kitchen to warm up some left-over homemade pizza made earlier that day.

Glad there's some of this left...best thing for when you just wake from a coma...don't wanna keep her waiting...

Shortly, she returns and gives Lisette her food, chuckling softly at the thank you from the other woman's stomach.

"...thank you. It smells wonderful..." she comments with a slightly embarrassed smile.

"No problem...and thanks...the good home-made stuff..." She pulls up a stool and carefully settles on it. She hides the twinge she feels when Lisette lets a fork and knife appear in her hands.

Wonder if I'll ever be able to do that again...

The young woman furrows her brows as she notices her rival's hands shaking as she eats.

Man...I'm feeling more and more like I should have kept my damn mouth shut about my feelings towards Klork...

Once she finishes, she gives HLM a shaky smile. "Thank you...it was very good...where should I--kitchen, right?"

With a slight blink of icy eyes, the young woman nods a little. "Heh...no problem again...and yeah, kitchen..." She blinks as she watches the other woman point towards the kitchen before going that way, her clothing and hair smoothing and seeming to clean themselves as she disappears.

Dude! Wish I could do that! Mornings must be a breeze...

With a slight head-shake, she gets up and hobbles from the lab. Her brows furrow when she sees Lisette sitting on the floor, shoulders shaking.

Man...she's crying...

She bites her lip. "...Lisette...?"

The other woman jumps slightly before seeming to sink a little more, taking a deep breath. "...yes, HLM?"

"...uhm...you sure you're ok...?" She makes her way over, eyes filled with concern.

...gods...how can I do this to her...as usual...your heart was wrong, Moron...

The crushed woman nods with a sigh, her voice remaining extremely soft. "Yes...I'm okay in regards to my collar bone...I thank you..." She then lifts her head and stands, wiping her eyes. "But I doubt I should even be here any longer..."

"...well...you are welcome here...."

She hiccups a little, looking about ready to break down before she composes herself and shakes her head. "That's not what I meant...and you know that..."

HLM sighs lightly and sags against the counter, nodding slightly and bowing her head.

Damn the day I was created....damn the day Mariko saved me...there'd be so much less heartache if I'd just been allowed to be dropped into that acid-vat...

She hears Lisette's sigh and her quiet utterance, "I just wish...I'd told him when I'd had the chance...It really wouldn't matter now..."

She looks up, brows furrowing as she chews her lip.

Tell him what...? I...it's probably none of my business...should say something though...

"I'm sorry, Lisette...."

The other woman whimpers and squeezes her eyes shut, snapping, "DON'T...feel sorry for me." She flinches, light brown eyes meeting ice blue in apology before fleeing the pale gaze. "I don't want pity..."

HLM continues to bite her lip, nodding slightly as she limps back a few steps.

Figures...wrong thing to say...again...

"I want what I can't have..." The soft voice continues. "It has always been this way. I should have given up long ago." Delicate brows furrow as she shakes her head. "I apologize...I...cannot think strait...I need out...please excuse me...?" Without waiting for an answer, she hurries out.

HLM nods nonetheless. "...'course...take care...?" She sighs softly as she leans against the counter, her body suddenly feeling about fifty tons heavier than it should.

Goddamnit...

She listens to Klork's and Lisette's voices altering back and forth for a little bit before shoving herself off the counter and making her way out of the kitchen.

May as well face the music...discordant as it may be...

Lisette whimpers, looking up at Klork, only to see the Moron behind him. "Mo'...I...careful..."

She sounds so worried for me...by all rights, she should hate my guts...

"...Your leg should heal before you walk on it too much..."

"I...uh...that's what the cane's for..." She chews her lip slightly. "Thanks though..."

Klork sighs shakily, moving to leave.

"Klork...?" Lisette's voice breaks a little before she calms herself. "...You...have something you wish to talk to us about?"

HLM pinches the bridge of her nose a little, trying to ward against the oncoming headache, brows furrowing as she shakes her head. "...ok....maybe...we should all try sitting down somewhere...an'...yeah, what she said."

Klork shakes his head as he rubs the back of his neck. "I...not yet...I haven't figured out how..."

The blue eyed woman nods slightly as the man they both love sighs and crosses his arms, refusing to face either of them. "Logan told me to just do it straightforward...it isn't as easy as it sounds..."

Again, HLM nods, slumping against the wall as Lisette opens her mouth briefly, before she closes it and her eyes, battling tears.

Man...

He sighs shakily again, seeming to sink a little, his voice barely a whisper. "But it isn't fair to have you both wait forever....God knows I still don't fully understand why either of you are waiting for me as is..."

Icy eyes examine the floor as that lip is bitten again while Lisette just sinks where she stands.

Another shaky sigh sounds as he continues. "So what do I do...what do you two want me to do...??"

Belatedly, Lisette answers his whisper with one of her own. "Because we love you, Klork...that should go without saying..."

The younger woman nods, her own voice a mere whisper. "Yeah...an'...I dunno..." She trails off, rubbing her arms.

"Just...tell me..." He sighs. "What do you guys want; I want to know EVERYTHING...both of you...I..." Another sigh pulls itself from his throat as he trails off.

For this whole thing to be over...to get on with our lives...

Instead of voicing that, she furrows her brows and sighs herself. "...gads...I dunno....I'd prefer the straightforward...but..." Her voice lowers to a mutter as  she picks at her bandage. "Mebbe if you talked to us separately...."

She feels Lisette's look before hearing the other woman's sigh mingled with Klork's.

"When..." he whispers.

Icy eyes look up to the elder woman, their owner sighing slightly and shaking her head a little when they see her shaking. "...I'd say whenever you're ready, but...." She trails off with another soft sigh and headshake, pushing herself up a little against the wall.

"It may be my choice, but you two have some say in it as well...I mean..." He sighs shakily and runs a hand through his hair. "I could choose whoever, but that person could still refuse me..."

Lisette finally speaks up in a nearly silent whisper, "Just...get it over with, please...? I'll go insane if I  have to sit here knowing...and yet without confirmation..."

HLM nods a little in agreement.

He sighs and sinks, staring at his feet, his answer whispered. "Mo'..."

The chosen woman nods and bites her lip as a vast kaleidoscope of guilt, joy, sadness, a sense of victory she hates herself for and a vast number of other emotions races through her heart, body and soul. She chews her lip lightly as Klork hurries to his truck, just short of running. She hobbles after him as fast as she can, knowing even before he hops into his truck and peels off that she has no hope of catching him. Her heart sinks. "...Klork..." She sighs and grimaces at the agony shooting through her body when she puts weight on her bad leg.

Oh gods...

Lisette hurries to her side, surprised eyes wide. "I...Klork...?"

"...go after him, Lisette...I can't...literally..."

As it is, I don't think I can even stand much longer without passing out or something...

The older woman looks at her and rests a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Is...it safe to be in a modern vehicle in the snow? I don't know if they--"

"I don't know if he's really safe to drive in the snow..." She watches Klork drive off in the distance.

...if at all...

Light brown eyes blink. Their owner whimpers, demeanor indecisive before looking at the crippled woman at her side and nodding. "Only if it is unsafe..."

Soft curls curtain a guilt etched face as she bows her head. "...be safe...I'll be hanging out here somewhere..."

The shaking Lisette disappears from her side, sending a mental message, "...I will send him to you..."

"K..."

I knew I shoulda just kept my emotions to myself...as usual...

She takes a shuddering breath, standing alone in the cold, and closes her eyes.

If anyone's listening out there...please...just let them be ok...please? If anything happens to them...

She refuses to finish that thought, biting her lip against tears of her own instead, she turns to limp back inside, unable to hide her grimace as pain courses through her body and mind.

It's strange...I would have sworn this would feel better than it really does...

As soon as she gets to her room, she settles on her bed, buries her face in her hands and lets the tears come.

Later that night, HLM decides to change into the deep red satin night gown her family in Underhill gave her, black detailing along the hem and border where the black spaghetti string shoulder-straps meet the gown. While she waits for Klork to return, she sits down at her desk to try writing something more in her journal, only to slump into an exhausted sleep in her chair.

"Mo'?" Asks a quiet voice, barely penetrating the fog of sleep.

Mm...I know that voice...

"Mo'?" This time it's closer, right in front of her.

Guess waking up would be a good thing...didn't realize how worn out I am...

"Hmm..." Slowly, the icy eyes open and a small grin spreads over her lips when she sees Klork kneeling there, his brows knit with worry. "Hi..."

He watches her, face lined with worry, both their voices remaining whispers. "You ok...? Well, you were out..." With a sheepish look, he clears his throat.

Chuckling softly, she straitens up and rubs her eyes. "Yeah...I...long day..." She bites her lip and watches him. "You?"

His hand runs through his hair as he nods. "Think so..." His face is hardly convincing.

Her brows crease. "Your face says otherwise..."

With a blink, he looks up at her before sighing and shaking his head as he sinks. "Been a long couple of weeks...things are turning out...I...definitely not the way I expected I guess...I...just don't know..."

HLM nods slightly and sighs, unable to keep the slight shudder form it as she closes her journal. "I...yeah...maybe...was just too fast...or..." Again she shakes her head, and lets the soft curls of gold and fire curtain her face. "...something..."

Everyone's entitled to change their minds, Moron...you should have seen this coming...

To her surprise, he gently tilts her chin up with his thumb. "Hey, that's not what I meant...I...just really didn't expect Lisette to do what she did..." His brow furrows as a sigh trembles from his lips. "I'm more or less wondering...hoping that she'll be safe..."

...that doesn't sound good at all...

HLM blinks slightly as her own brows furrow. "...what did she do?"

Another shaky sigh pulls from his throat. "She's leaving my children -- Meridya as well, with me..." Again his brows furrow. "And leaving...to go to someone who more than likely will kill her if she's not careful..."

Pale blue eyes widen as the slowly healing body straitens gradually.

Holy shit...

"...wh...wha'? Why?"

He sinks even more; muscular shoulders slump. "Because...I...I didn't choose her..." He swallows. "She didn't tell me though, because she didn't want to influence my decision..." The soft voice lowers even more. "I-I guess she really does love me more than I ever could understand..."

My gods...

She bites her lip and furrows her brows before sinking to the floor to kneel and slip her arms around him, ignoring her leg's protests. She whispers the only thing she can think of to say. "Jeeze..."

His arms slide around her in return as his brow rests upon her shoulder, his whisper nearly silent, "Please tell me I made the right choice...??"

She bites her lip as she strokes his soft hair, whispering in return, "I...I think so...I mean...you followed your heart, right...? As best you could..."

She feels him nod, his voice softer than the trembling sigh that whispers over her skin. "I..." He trails off into silence.

...the pain just never ends, does it...

She nods slightly and swallows as she holds him.

After a few moments of silence, he pulls back to look up at her and trace a hand over her jaw. "I want to believe that I've made the right choice, Mo...I..." His brow furrows. "This may be asking a lot of you, but...I'd like to try this? I...us?"

Pale eyes open to gaze at the wonderful man before her.

I don't want him hurt any more than he already is...

She bites her lip as her eyes fill with unwanted tears.

Maybe this time it'll be different...? We'll both just be happy...? Gods know I love him enough to try...

Finally, her quiet answer sounds. "I...I'd like to, too....." She swallows and gives him a smile.

I just hope he doesn't get hurt because of it...that he truly wants to as much as I do...

Klork chews at his lip as he gently wipes the tears from her eyes. "I..." That lip gets chewed on a little more. "Thank you...??"

She blinks.

Why's he thanking me...? I'm not exactly the most desirable out there...

Her lips curl in a small grin as she loses herself in the depths of his amazing blue eyes. "No...thank you..."

Those same eyes blink as a genuine, though small, smile curves his lips, just before wrapping her in a gentle bear-hug.

She smiles softly as he pulls her close once she slides her arms around him again. Their eyes slip shut as he begins a soft purr.

I could stay like this forever...

The ache of her leg goes ignored a little longer as she enjoys the purr...his closeness...the feel of being in his arms...having him in her arms. Soon, however, the ache crescendos into a pulsating pain.

Hmph...stupid leg...

"Uhm...I don't mean to ruin the moment...but...uhm...my leg's throbbing..." she whispers.

Klork blinks and pulls back a little. "Ah, um, you need help ah--what can I do?"

HLM winces a little as fresh pain bolts through her body when she shifts slightly. "Help me up...? I...too much pressure on it..."

He easily lifts her as he stands, brows furrowed. "I...sorry about that..."

A light smirk stretches her lips as she slides her arms around his neck. "It's ok...I shoulda known better than to kneel like that..." She winks slightly at him.

With a slightly sheepish look to him, he chews his lip. "Anything I can do to help...?"

I can name a few things...but I think we're both a little too worn and hurt to even contemplate them...

She brushes the backs of her fingers along the soft skin of his cheek. "...besides not worry about it...? Nah..."

With a smirk, he rests his brow to hers. "Well, only if you're sure..."

Watching his amazing blue eyes, she grins. "Very..."

With a smile sure to make any woman's heart melt, he brushes his hand lightly through her hair, lingering there a moment before watching her eyes. "Well, that's good..."

She smiles softly, locking her gaze with his. "Mmhm..."

Happiness... She identifies the vaguely familiar sensation welling up within her and beginning to push past all the pain and suffering she's accumulated over her life. Wow...I never thought I'd ever feel that ever again...

He grins as he places a gentle kiss on her nose before covering a yawn. "Agh..." he whispers. "Sorry about that..."

A soft chuckle rises from her throat as she ruffles his hair. "'Sokay...we've both  had long days it looks like..."

He stretches a little with a nod. "I...bed? Exhausted here..."

She nods. "Bed...good..." Limping over to her bed, she accepts his help over. They curl carefully together, wary of each others' wounds, and exchange soft goodnights. A gentle smile spreads over her lips as she lets his soft purr lull her into sleep.

Mm...here's hoping this works...at any rate...even if it doesn't...I'm sure we'll at least have some happy memories to share...

Part XIV
Otherworldly Comforts Index