OOM: France, 2005

[ikissdhimbck]

[Third OOM]


Kate wakes to sunlight poring into her room, the shadows of Chêne-liège leaves dancing across her eyes. She breathes in deeply, stretching her legs against the cotton sheets, and rolls over. Her hand smooths over the mattress, searching.

And then she remembers.

Eyes open to an empty bed, her tanned hand resting against stark white sheets. For a while, she doesn't move. She dares to wonder when she'll wake up to something other than the vice-grip ache in her heart.


A knock comes at her door, light but insistent, like the determined birdsong outside the french doors.

Comments

[betagainstme]

"I guess before 1920." Alice sinks her hand into a basket of peppermints, wrapped in shiny plastic. "I don't know. I woke up craving bl--"

She breaks off and smiles at the attendant. "Bonjour."

[ikissdhimbck]

"Bienvenue!"

Kate turns away from the shopkeeper, biting back an embarrassed smile. They go on in French, perhaps asking if there's anything the ladies are interested in, but it might as well be Greek to Kate.

Oh, my. Is that taffy?

[betagainstme]

When Alice turns away from the shopkeeper, she's holding a huge back of candy and chocolate. "Apparently I'm buying this. So you better eat it all."

[ikissdhimbck]

There are stars in Kate's eyes.







"S'not much of a threat."

Translation: I love you, Alice.

[betagainstme]

Alice grins back at her. "I'm sure you'll put it to use."

[ikissdhimbck]

She has a sweet tooth even when she's not nursing a broken heart. They'll be lucky if the bag lasts a few days.

"All right, so now that I've gotten some treats, where should we go next for you?"

A blood bank, perhaps?

[betagainstme]

"No, this trip is for you, you get to choose." Alice waves her hand around as she hands the large bag to someone who will also bring this to the house.

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate flails slightly.

"This is too much! Y'can't possibly afford t'do all this for me."

Not even her daddy spoiled her this much.

[betagainstme]

"...no seriously, it's cool. I can't even tell you how much money I have, you'll faint."

[ikissdhimbck]

"You're loaded?"

[betagainstme]

"I'm an excellent gambler." :D?

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate grins.

"Remind me t'take you with me if I ever make it to Las Vegas."

Of course, she means Las Vegas New Mexico, but it's practically the same as the one in Nevada, in her time.

They amble down the street for a while, glancing in windows, popping into shops that look interesting (and always coming out laden with new purchases).

[betagainstme]

Alice buys her a light dinner around five, pretending to drink her bottle of Perrier. Eventually they leave and wander down a side alley -- it seems safe enough here to do so.

The sun is starting to set and shadows are longer and as Alice turns to grin at Kate and talk about something inane, she stops --

a mugger steps out behind the building and he goes for alice because she's smaller and she seems like she's weaker -- but when she steps out of the way he goes for kate instead and then

--"Kate!" She snaps just as the guy comes charging at them. Alice, sidestepping and watching as he goes for Kate. In barely any time at all, Alice has wrenched him back and pinned him against the wall, her teeth bared (shiny, sharp and glinting in the dim twilight).

"Bad idea," She hisses.

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate isn't as fast as Alice. Not by a long shot. But she doesn't like shadows and tight passages, not since Refugio, and especially not since Doc came back to her bleeding from one too many surprise attacks. So her senses are already on high alert, and when Alice shouts her name...



...She has her Smith & Wesson out of her clutch and pointed at the would-be mugger before she even knows what she's doing.

Alice already has him under control, his dark eyes wide with equal parts shock and horror. Kate doesn't need to know a stitch of French to translate the startled cry that leaves his mouth.

She sidesteps a few paces, making sure Alice is clear if she should need to use her gun, steel blue eyes on the man.

"What the hell is this?"

[betagainstme]

"Mugger. Thinks he could get away with attack two helpless girls." She smirks at the man and tightens her hand around his throat, just a little.





"Go home," She murmurs in French, her eyes sharp and angry. "And don't do this again, understand?"

[ikissdhimbck]

Shit. She recognizes this guy's face from earlier, and it dawns on her suddenly just how careless their conversation had been. Of course they looked like easy marks!

What a stupid little girl you've been, Katherine. It's just like your friends told you, ages ago. Careless, and unprepared.

But when the man whimpers his reply in French, gurgling as Alice finally releases him -- tosses him -- floundering in her direction, there's a loud click in the back of Kate's mind. She follows his steps with her gun, follows his eyes with her eyes, the cold ice of her glare inescapable.

You will not make a helpless little girl out of me.

I will not be a helpless little girl again.

Those days are over.

[betagainstme]

Alice watches Kate as much as she watches the would-be mugger, as he scampers off. She doesn't touch Kate, but she does stand closer. "You okay?"

[ikissdhimbck]

It should be a simple answer.

Physically, she's fine.

"He barely touched me."

[betagainstme]

"That's not what I meant, Kate."

[ikissdhimbck]

She draws her elbow in, relaxing her grip.

Eyes flicker away from the vacated alley entrance to Alice.

"I'm all right."

[betagainstme]

"Sure." Alice nods, eyes narrowed at her. "Let's go home, huh?"

[ikissdhimbck]

She touches Alice's wrist. It surprises her just how cool her skin is at times.

"Are you all right?"

[betagainstme]

"Yeah. I just...want to eat now. He smelled yummy." :(

[ikissdhimbck]

Her stomach turns.

She manages to restrain her grimace, however.

"If you an' Jasper need t'go ... eat ... I'll be all right on my own tonight."

[betagainstme]

"We're fine taking turns. Come on. Let's get home before it gets colder."