24 - No place like home

[ichoosefight]

[ In a sing-song voice: ] Luuucy, I'm hooooome!

[ Apparently taking a break has been very good for Steph, because she's in a fantastic mood. ]

So it looks like I've been gone a couple of months, which is definitely not long enough for all of you to forget about me. Mom's great, the new house is pretty sweet, and various people say hello to various other people and I'm sure they know who they are.

How are things on the home front?

Comments

[bodilesswarrior]

[Barbara really should be happy to see her, and she does attempt a smile.]

Could be better. ...You in your room?

[ichoosefight]

[ Uh oh, she knows that look. ]

Yeah, I'll leave the door unlocked.

[bodilesswarrior]

[The smile deepens, just a little, as she nods.] Be there soon.

[And she is!] Steph?

[ichoosefight]

Hey.

[ The cabin is different, but the decor is the same. She did not feel the need to get rid of her dozens of stuffed animals, photos and posters in the move. ]

What's up?

[bodilesswarrior]

[The site stops her short. It's familiar - bright and warm and young - and god, she can imagine Cass lounging here with Steph, laughing and playing and arguing and -

She blinks hard, a few times, before meeting Stephanie's eyes.]

Cass is gone.

[ichoosefight]

[ All signs of good cheer freeze for a second, then drop entirely. She tries to say something, stops, starts again. ]

What?

[ She knows what that means: that means Cass is dead. ]

[mistconduct]

Heyyy Steph. Welcome back, shortie.

[ichoosefight]

Heya dork. How are things? Any big changes since I left?

[bodilesswarrior]

[She doesn't want to cry in front of Steph. She wants to be solid, steady, stalwart; a pillar to lean on.

But her eyes are burning.]

She disappeared a week ago.

[mistconduct]

Nothing exciting. People are a little weird, but you know. So life goes.

[ichoosefight]

I think I'd be more surprised if people around here weren't weird.

[ichoosefight]

[ She's breathless for a long moment, groping behind her until she finds a chair and falls into it. She had been happy to see Cass despite the circumstances because she had always taken it for granted that her friend would graduate. Now the proverbial rug was pulled out from under her.

Her eyes are burning too. She swallows thickly. ]

God. I don't... [ She doesn't believe it, she wants to say, only she does. Belief hits her like a knife to the heart, and her voice cracks. She hides her face in her hands and fails to keep from crying. ]

No...

[punched_hitler]

Glad to hear things sound like they're all right at home.

[mistconduct]

Yeah, but they're acting weirder. The other day, Anya pulled some slimy thing out of my arm.

[ichoosefight]

Yeah, things are awesome. I'm still totally ditching unpacking duty, though.

[ichoosefight]

I'm not at all sure how those two sentences are related. Is this a new party trick for her...?

[bodilesswarrior]

[Her heart twists as she sees Steph crumple, and then she's reaching out to pull her close.]

[ichoosefight]

[ She in turn falls into Barbara's lap and hugs her tight, giving herself this moment to just despair.

The moment stretches on, then passes. ]

We'll get her back. We will. I don't care how. I'm not letting her go.

[punched_hitler]

I don't blame you.

Although if you're living out of a suitcase in a month, you might want to reconsider it.

[ichoosefight]

Are you kidding? I'm seventeen, I basically live out of a laundry basket as it is.

[mistconduct]

Who even knows anymore? Anya's weird as fuck.

[ichoosefight]

True enough. So business as usual, presumably?

[mistconduct]

Pretty much. Hope you brought the Batgirl skill set. You're gonna need it.

[ichoosefight]

Better: I brought the Spoiler skill set.

[punched_hitler]

I do vaguely remember that being how things went at that age, yes.