OOM-but-not, Milliways Infirmary

[noteful]

[After this.]

Kim's hair is pretty unmistakable. Meg can, therefore, spot her sister from the doorway, and is about to go over to her table, when Kim gets up and heads for the infirmary.

Meg stops, and stands, and watches. Kim's back may be to her, and they may be able to count in days -- rather than months or even weeks -- the time they've spent in the same place at the same time in the last three years . . . and Meg can read her mood anyway, from the way Kim holds herself and the way she moves.

There's a moment's hesitation, and then Meg follows her sister into the infirmary.

With almost anyone else, Meg would opt for the somewhat less presumtive is everything all right?

But with her sister . . .

"Kim? What's wrong?"

Comments

[bannion_sight]

"He didn't."

That, at least, is certain. Kim sighs.

"I just wasn't expecting..."

She trails off there for a second or two, and eventually adds,

"... and I'm going to have to tell him. About Galadan."

And that she knows, of course; that part will be pretty obvious, when it comes down to it.

[noteful]

"He should have told you," Meg says.

It's too big a secret to keep.

"I don't think there's any way you could have been expecting something like that," Meg says.

"What about Galadan?"

She's trying to keep up, but she can't quite.

And she's a little distracted now by being worried about Kim.

[bannion_sight]

"He would have, eventually."

She pushes her hair back from her face and gives Meg a rueful look.

"It -- well, at the time, it wasn't really my business, you know?"

A beat.

"As for Galadan, um. He's the Lord of the andain. Which means he'll be -- Kevin will be his responsibility, one day."

In a very real sense, he already is.

[noteful]

"Maybe it was, at the time, maybe it wasn't. But . . . the guy you were describing the other night? That guy should have told you. When you get to the point where people are pretty special . . ."

Meg trails off again, and then sighs.

"All right. And what does 'his responsibility' mean?"

[bannion_sight]

Kim shakes her head, looking somehow helpless.

"I don't think anyone knows, exactly. Except Galadan. And the andain themselves."

A long, long pause.

"Whatever it is, I think ... it won't be simple."

Her breath catches, and Kim brushes a hand across her eyes, wiping away the treacherous tears that are threatening once more.

"But at least he won't-- he won't be alone."

[noteful]

Meg hands Kim a tissue, and nods.

"Nothing about that place sounds simple," Meg says, half to herself.

"Should I ask what part of all that is the reason you're as upset as you are?"

[bannion_sight]

"It's really, really not," Kim agrees.

She dries her eyes, then looks back at Meg.

"Sort of all of it together."

[noteful]

"That's a fair answer," Meg says.

"Is . . . is there anything I can do?"

[bannion_sight]

"You've already done it."

Kim leans forward and takes Meg's hand, squeezing gently.

"And I'm so glad you did."

[noteful]

Meg squeezes Kim's hand back.

"Any time," she says, simply.

Whatever else they are or aren't still working out . . . some things are bigger.

And then you just need your sister.