(no subject)
Aug. 4th, 2005 09:59 pmTom remained shocked, stunned the entire time he walked with Ingress through the front gallery and into Door's study. Ingress stole glances at him, marveling over how tired and old his youthful face looked.
When Door saw her, her eyes opened wide - the dark circles under her eyes made them stand out that much more.
"What...?" She stood up. "What happened?"
"Nothing," Ingress said, hurrying to her. She experienced a strange moment of surrealism as she realized that she was older than her big sister. "It was magic. Your Ingress - me - I'm likely asleep in my room. Unless I've woken up and am playing."
"But how?" Door was crying now and holding Ingress tightly.
"I don't know, for certain, but I was sent here, I think." Ingress looked over her shoulder to see Tom, standing away from his ladies, his jaw clenched and his eyes shining. She reached out to him. Tom stepped forward and his arms went around them both.
She wanted to tell them then that everything would be alright. She wanted to tell them that in fifteen years they'd have three beautiful children and that the first shaky year of their togetherness would be far, far behind them. But she couldn't. Not without putting her own future in peril.
This summer had defined them all.
Door looked up at her. "You know." Her eyes were pleading with Ingress to give her some hint as to what might happen in the next weeks.
Ingress nodded her head. "I can't say."
Tom's arms tightened around them both, and his forehead leaned against hers. "We know."
"Door, I love you. I told you when I was small that you were the best sister in the whole world. I've never, ever changed my mind in that regard."
Door nodded her head and leaned against her, crying harder. Ingress looked back to Tom. She didn't feel as capable as she had a few minutes ago. "I must get ho- back soon."
Tom kissed her on the forehead. "Of course you must. Do you know how?"
"I think so. I hope so." She took the yo-yo out of her pocket. Now it was her turn to kiss Door's cheek and give her one last hug. "Things happen as they must, Door. You're strong and you've been my hero a long, long time. Don't forget that, please?"
She stepped back and was pleased to see Door turn to Tom and bury herself in his arms.
"Tom, don't forget. Don't forget your love for us all."
"I never shall, Ingress. Never."
Ingress wound up the yo-yo and let it drop. As it snapped
up
up
up
she thought of Haven and Megwyn and home. The door was there again and with a relieved sigh she Opened.
She was back in her room, and she'd done what she'd been sent to do.
It was well.
When Door saw her, her eyes opened wide - the dark circles under her eyes made them stand out that much more.
"What...?" She stood up. "What happened?"
"Nothing," Ingress said, hurrying to her. She experienced a strange moment of surrealism as she realized that she was older than her big sister. "It was magic. Your Ingress - me - I'm likely asleep in my room. Unless I've woken up and am playing."
"But how?" Door was crying now and holding Ingress tightly.
"I don't know, for certain, but I was sent here, I think." Ingress looked over her shoulder to see Tom, standing away from his ladies, his jaw clenched and his eyes shining. She reached out to him. Tom stepped forward and his arms went around them both.
She wanted to tell them then that everything would be alright. She wanted to tell them that in fifteen years they'd have three beautiful children and that the first shaky year of their togetherness would be far, far behind them. But she couldn't. Not without putting her own future in peril.
This summer had defined them all.
Door looked up at her. "You know." Her eyes were pleading with Ingress to give her some hint as to what might happen in the next weeks.
Ingress nodded her head. "I can't say."
Tom's arms tightened around them both, and his forehead leaned against hers. "We know."
"Door, I love you. I told you when I was small that you were the best sister in the whole world. I've never, ever changed my mind in that regard."
Door nodded her head and leaned against her, crying harder. Ingress looked back to Tom. She didn't feel as capable as she had a few minutes ago. "I must get ho- back soon."
Tom kissed her on the forehead. "Of course you must. Do you know how?"
"I think so. I hope so." She took the yo-yo out of her pocket. Now it was her turn to kiss Door's cheek and give her one last hug. "Things happen as they must, Door. You're strong and you've been my hero a long, long time. Don't forget that, please?"
She stepped back and was pleased to see Door turn to Tom and bury herself in his arms.
"Tom, don't forget. Don't forget your love for us all."
"I never shall, Ingress. Never."
Ingress wound up the yo-yo and let it drop. As it snapped
up
up
up
she thought of Haven and Megwyn and home. The door was there again and with a relieved sigh she Opened.
She was back in her room, and she'd done what she'd been sent to do.
It was well.