25 Unicorn Street, Saturday Morning

[on_her_korhal]

The house was steadily becoming emptier. It hadn't been very full to begin with, but as she slowly pawned off, packed, or otherwise removed the few belongings that had been around, it was...

It seemed to be getting bigger.

Now, Kerrigan sat quietly on the couch, Mustang-the-kitten making a home of her lap, and stared at the wall.

[ open to five ]

Comments

[idontlooktired.livejournal.com]

Harriet knew she couldn't keep Kerrigan from reading whatever she was thinking, so she simply filled her mind with paperwork. With accounts, with the minutiae of school administration that bored even her to tears. The closer they got, the more she thought about it, and by the time she was knocking on the door, she was quite engrossed in a particularly tricky ledger balance.

She did so want this to be a surprise. Harriet could sometimes be rather evil.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

Kerrigan's attention was pulled from the kitten for a moment, and she glanced at the door. Huh. Harriet. They hadn't said Saturday.

Depositing Mustang next to her on the couch (with some realy difficulty), she got up, stalked to the door, and pulled it open. "Is this a business call?" was out of her mouth before the door was fully open.

[mymumkicksass.livejournal.com]

And before the door was fully open, Lauren had snuck her hand out of Harriet's and snuck through the door to grin up at her mom, standing almost to attention but not quite. "Mom!"

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

Huh.

That one became obvious for a second or... one and a half, perhaps. And then--

Kerrigan closed her mouth again. She opened it a moment later. "This island. I swear to god."

[idontlooktired.livejournal.com]

Harriet continued to look - and, if one were a telepath, to feel - amused. "I certainly never expected to find myself with child at this age."

[mymumkicksass.livejournal.com]

"Mum made me give a report, in case something had infiltrated," she said proudly. "It hadn't, but reports are important. And she didn't see me sneaking up on her. Which was good, because you say stealth is most important of all."

She was so clearly mimicking her mom, right down to posture, it was almost scary.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"So she decided to bring you here." Kerrigan shot Harriet a look over the girl's head.

And then peered down at her. "Reports are important," she said, warily. "Come in. You can give me one."

[idontlooktired.livejournal.com]

"She did indeed," Harriet agreed, guiding Lauren into the house. "It seemed the best place to bring her. I do live in the same house as Professor Stinson, and no child of mine," no matter how she arrived, "is going anywhere near him."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Probably a good idea."

Kerrigan stayed by the door, staring after them-- pensively, more than anything-- then shut it. "Any clues on how this happened--?" Pause. "Damn island."

[mymumkicksass.livejournal.com]

Lauren's attention was immediately caught by the kitten. She paused long enough to say, "Mum says you're not supposed to say those words in front of me," before holding out a hand for the kitten to sniff.

Always approach an unfamiliar situation with caution, and it was an unfamiliar kitten, which was almost the same.

[idontlooktired.livejournal.com]

Harriet's lips twitched with the effort of holding back laughter at the idea of her telling Kerrigan not to swear in front of their child. "If it's any consolation, Lieutenant, it's not the first time this has happened. If it's anything like last time, it won't be permanent."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

Mustang crept closer. Closer. Closer. And then sniffled. He didn't really get enough attention.

But Kerrigan just watched them, something in her face tightening a little-- "Good," she said, simply, and turned around. "Tea?"

[idontlooktired.livejournal.com]

"Please." Harriet watched Lauren, who was holding still - very still, in a way most children couldn't - then glanced at Kerrigan. "If you want to add a dash of something stronger to it, I wouldn't say no."

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"One whisky tea, coming up," Kerrigan snorted, slipping quietly into the kitchen.

She might go for an Irish, herself. And fixed it up with deftness.

[idontlooktired.livejournal.com]

Harriet leaned against the arm of the couch, watching the girl play with the kitten. Amusing as Kerrigan's reaction was, having Lauren appear out of nowhere was more than a bit of a shock. Tea with a bit extra was definitely called for.

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

And it was with tea-and-a-little-extra that Kerrigan returned, wordlessly holding the cup in front of Harriet-- blue with a crack in it, so little left to clean out, really.

Then she took a big swig of her own coffee, barely avoiding burns to her mouth. "Must've been a shock."

Later that morning

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

Fleeing the dorms after having been woken up by what was appearantly her son, the best place River could think of to hide was Kerrigan's. She knocked loudly on the door.

Re: Later that morning

[mymumkicksass.livejournal.com]

It wasn't Kerrigan that opened the door.

Rather, it was a blonde girl, a little tall for her age, kitten balancing off her shoulder. Lauren smiled, slightly, but definitely confidently. "Hi," she said. "Mom's in the kitchen."

Re: Later that morning

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River winced. "Need to see Kerrigan." She stared at the girl, wide eyed, then tried to push past her and into the house.

Re: Later that morning

[mymumkicksass.livejournal.com]

Lauren blinked, just a little, turning as she tried to close the door.

Maybe not quite tall enough yet. "Mom! Someone's here!"

Re: Later that morning

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

She hadn't really needed to say that (and Lauren, Kerrigan knew, knew she didn't have to; apparently it was important enough for her to mention anyway).

So Kerrigan stuck her head out of the kitchen, water bottle still firmly in hand-- "River?"

Re: Later that morning

[moonbrain-tam.livejournal.com]

River fled into the kitchen, giving Kerrigan a pleading look. Need to hide. There's a kid... She offered some brief images of the boy, including his father.

[mymumkicksass.livejournal.com]

Lauren looked over from petting the kitten. "You always say that after I do something new," she said with a put-upon sigh (which sounded remarkably like Harriet's). "I didn't even do anything interesting this time."

[idontlooktired.livejournal.com]

"I hate to think what interesting entails," Harriet muttered and took a long sip of her tea. "And it was, yes. She popped out of nowhere with a cry of mum."

Re: Later that morning

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"Kids everywhere," Kerrigan said, shooting Lauren a look across the kitchen doorway. ...Yeah. "Crap. Stay here. Lauren's-- mostly harmless."