Further Conversations on a Theme of Paganini (for bitunlikely)

[beforeyoucanblink]

Bart's room has gotten a lot of use in the past few days. Bart's been sleeping a good portion of the time- concussions suck like that- but at least he knows where he is when he wakes up, which is considerably better than he was doing in the infirmary. (Contrast between 'in danger' and 'safe' is always nice, after all. You forget which one's which, otherwise.)

...Bart's getting really tired of sleeping, lately.

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[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

Sleeping is something Jenny's been catching up on, too. But unlike Bart, it's been difficult for her. There's too much going on at once, too much that Jenny doesn't understand.

And keeping it to herself is difficult, not something she's used to doing at all. Almost impatiently, she waits for Bart to awake, playing with the skirt of the purple teddy she's wearing.

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

Bart is aaaaaaall too happy to oblige her by waking up. Dreams suck, sometimes.

There are sleepy, waking-up noises and stretches. And then:

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

She glances at the clock on his desk and frowns a little. "Four in the morning."

And she wants to be asleep, too. But she doesn't know how to achieve sleep right now.

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

His sleep cycle is completely screwed, so, to be honest, it being four in the morning does not bovver bother him.

"You okay?"

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

Jenny shrugs a little, unsure how she should bring up River and Susan. Besides, she's more concerned about Bart at the moment.

"Shouldn't I be asking you?"

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

Slight grin. "I asked first, though."

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

"Okay," she states. "I'm doing okay."

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

"You sure?"

Irony.

Oh irony.

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

Jenny gives Bart a long, silent look.

It's an unspoken no.

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

"What's up?"

IRONY OH IRONY

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

She looks at him for a moment longer before looking away. Jenny pulled her knees to her chest, the lingerie coming up to her high thigh.

"I met people, Bart," she says slowly. "A woman who knows Dad and.... and I think I have a niece. That's what you call it, right? Your father's granddaughter?"

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

"How?"

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

A shrug. "I didn't stay long enough to find out."

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

"Oh."

He's not... really sure what to say to that, now.

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," she says quietly, still looking away from Bart. "I... I don't want to lose the family I made because I have a real one."

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

"Why would you?"

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

Jenny shrugged again, carefully moving on the bed to lean against him. Being held made things easier sometimes. She hoped it would now.

"Because I won't need them anymore."

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

And he will hold her, definitely.

"...What, just because you've got a birth family?"

Birth families can suck. Bart's is living proof.

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," she answers, closing her eyes as she settles against him. "Yeah. It was supposed to be just me and Dad."

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

"And?"

HE DOESN'T GET IT. D:

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

"I don't know what to do with a niece."

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

"...Call her your favourite niece and give her presents on her birthday?"

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

He gets a slight smack on his leg for that. "Bart!"

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

HEY! BRUISED AND INJURED NOT!HERO, HERE.

"I don't know! How old is she?"

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

She was being careful!

Jenny shrugged against him. "I don't know. She looks my age."