9 June 1989, Night to 10 June 1989, Morning

[noteful]

They're only allowed to see Alain briefly, before doctors need to examine him and run tests and generally make sure that he was, in fact, all right.

And then visiting hours end, and the hospital puts its collective foot down and suggests none too uncertainly that everyone should leave until tomorrow morning.

And, with the exception of Meg (who had slept at the end of the universe), everyone had been up for more than twenty-four hours, or traveled hundreds of kilometres since last they slept, or both. (Kim has the added bonus of being five time zones away from where she last woke up.) When John Ford quietly suggests that the find a quick dinner and then the nearest hotel again, there isn't a lot of argument. Or, indeed, any at all.

Dinner is fast food hamburgers and french fries, and it would probably have been at least a little awkward if everyone hadn't been so tired. Adrenaline is a glorious thing, but when it wears off . . . well, conversation is minimal, really.

"I'll share with Meg," Kim says, "if she'd like," as John Ford asks about rooms at the hotel he's found.

Meg nods. "Yes, thank you." She'd rather not be in a room by herself.

Kim gives Meg her suitcase with instructions to borrow anything she likes, and then, with a short glance over to Dave, says that she'll be up to their room in a few minutes.

(That it winds up being slightly longer than a few minutes is not much of a surprise.)

Kim asks again if she wants to talk about it. "In the morning, maybe," Meg says. "Right now I just want to go to bed."

(And it's about equal parts wanting Kim to be able to go to bed -- since it's something like two in the morning on her internal clock right now -- and Meg's knowing that she's going to need some time to let everything process and settle before she can discuss it.)

Kim studies her face for a moment, then tells Meg to wake her up if she needs anything.

Meg stares at the ceiling for a long time. She doesn't quite expect to fall asleep at all, but she must have.

It's the only way she could have just woken up.

Comments

[noteful]

"I'll give it some thought," Meg says. "And let you know if I come up with anything."

After another moment, she says, "How long are you staying?"

[bannion_sight]

"A few days, at least." She frowns at the empty air. "I should call Neville later to check in, and Mark, to see if he was able to find my car."

[noteful]

Meg gives her sister a slightly startled look.

". . . you lost your car?"

[bannion_sight]

Kim laughs.

"No, no," she assures her. "It's just that I was in a bit of a hurry at Heathrow, and basically tossed the keys and a rushed explanation as to where I'd parked it at Mark before making a run for the plane."

A beat.

"Mark Scott," she clarifies. "He's Neville's son, a doctor too, and a good friend. He lives in London."

[noteful]

"That makes much more sense. I suppose if you call and he doesn't answer, he may still be wandering the parking lot at Heathrow. In which case, you're probably going to owe him dinner when you get back.

"It does seem to run in families, doesn't it? The doctor thing.

"Then again, I probably have a skewed perspective on that."

[bannion_sight]

"I probably owe him dinner anyway, and since it's his turn to cook this month, I'm sure he'll be glad to get out of it."

Kim glances over at Meg with an amused smile.

"Maybe not exactly skewed, but somehow I don't think we have a statistically significant sample to go on here. Not quite."

[noteful]

"Well," Meg says, tone very patient and practical, "that would be why I said seem."

She looks down at her watch.

"I should get dressed and everything. I want to be there when visiting hours start.

"Actually, I want to be there well before visiting hours start."

[bannion_sight]

"Of course you do."

Kim smiles, and stands up.

"I hung out some clean clothes for you in the bathroom. It'll be a little tricky with the sling, of course, but between us, I think we can manage it."

[noteful]

"Thank you," Meg says, standing.

"And I will love you forever if you will braid my hair.

"Actually, I'll love you forever, regardless. You're my sister.

"But I'd really appreciate help with my hair."

[bannion_sight]

"I love you too," Kim says. "And of course I'll braid your hair."

As the two of them head toward the bathroom to get Meg dressed and ready for the day, she adds, teasingly,

"And I won't even tie ribbons on the end of it."