25 Unicorn Street, Tuesday Evening

[on_her_korhal]

Another day at the office.

Kerrigan tapped the code in with a sigh, pulled the door open, and went inside. She slammed it shut behind her, leaning against the surface for a few precious seconds before moving into the kitchen to get something to drink.

She should probably get to work on her suit's maintenance program.

Sarah flopped down on the couch and stayed there.

[ open to one ]

Comments

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"I haven't been avoiding you." The reply came immediately. Instant, even. Kerrigan cradled her glass before taking a sip.

[light-a-spark.livejournal.com]

"I suppose you wouldn't have shown up on Saturday if you were," Roy mused, considering his glass for an instant before he glanced at her. "Thank you, by the way. I know crowds aren't a favourite." Understatement.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Nah, I hang out in a hall full of buzzing noise, idiot guys and detectives with an axe to grind for everybody I meet," she muttered.

[light-a-spark.livejournal.com]

"Mmmmmm," he sipped from his glass almost casually. "Radio did mention an encounter with one of my staff."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Stupid brat Montoya took a swing at me." Kerrigan punctuated the point with a drink off her own glass.

[light-a-spark.livejournal.com]

Roy frowned, trying to keep his thought involving Montoya at the back of his mind. "Why?"

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Apparently I'm part of a sizable and unknowable mass of 'heroes' who are never there when they're needed," Kerrigan said, dryly. "And I don't know anything about sense of duty."

[light-a-spark.livejournal.com]

He raised an eyebrow, not sure what to make of it but he didn't know Montoya enough to understand the situation. "You've got too much duty," he told Kerrigan.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"I'm supposed to be a good soldier, Roy," she said, and failed to fully push down on the exhaustion in her voice. "Why the hell am I still here?"

[light-a-spark.livejournal.com]

"Because you have people to protect here too," he said quietly. There was more, but he wasn't sure if she wanted to discuss that part and if she did, he'd leave it up to her to bring it up.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"You realise there's no point in avoiding the topic around me, right?" she asked, staring over at the electronics wired into the opposite wall.

[light-a-spark.livejournal.com]

"I do," he said simply, his thumb rubbing over the glass. "But I don't need to bring it up. If you want to talk, you'll pick up on the invitation or you'll let it lie if you don't. There's no point in me pushing it if you don't want to."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"It doesn't matter," she said, and suddenly slammed back a good chunk of the whiskey. "I know you're thinking it."

[light-a-spark.livejournal.com]

"Yes," he agreed, pausing a moment too long.

"Do you regret the decision you made?" he asked finally.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"I have to be able to do my job, Roy..."

She stared into what remained of her drink. "I'm not one of the people who needs to be rescued. Instead of helping, I'm hanging out on some island, ignorantly rolling around in comfort when god knows what's happening to Jimmy and everyone else right now."

[light-a-spark.livejournal.com]

He understood that part all too well and he would never argue her on it either. He trusted her to pick up on that thought as well so he didn't have to say it out loud.

"Say that you do, that you go back next week. Have you figured out what you'll do?"

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Focus again," she said, slowly, and drained the rest of her glass. "Take down the Protoss before they blast what's left of Tarsonis. Run from there."

[light-a-spark.livejournal.com]

"And what if Mengsk decides he liked this victory and does it over again?" Roy asked next.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"..."

She reached for the bottle of whiskey.

[light-a-spark.livejournal.com]

"Find out, Sarah," he said quietly. "Don't let him keep you in a position where you're always reacting. You have time now even if you hate it, so don't let it go to waste. Figure out a strategy just like you do right before battle."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

She poured another glass. Steadily. So steady it was unnatural.

"...Thanks," Kerrigan said, finally. "Roy."

[light-a-spark.livejournal.com]

"Any time," he said, still softly but definitely sincerely, as he watched her pour, for a moment letting the sounds around them dominate the conversation.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"I know," she said, finally, when her glass was full and the bottle had impacted back on the table. "I know you think it's a bad idea, Roy. I just--"

She ran a hand through her hair.

[light-a-spark.livejournal.com]

"It's what you need to do," he finished for her, bringing the glass up to his lips. He knew that too, understood all too well what it meant to carry a debt you couldn't repay.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," she breathed, her own grip on the glass wobbling slightly as she brought it to her own mouth. "Yeah, that's it."