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.

Comments

[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."

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

"Oh."

That's weird.

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Jenny breathed out, shaking her head. "She wants to talk to me again."

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

"Okay.



"Do you want to talk to her again?"

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

"Don't know," she admits. "It could be interesting but..."

Another shrug. Jenny's grown content with the family she has. "How are you doing?"

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

Rather than a proper response, Bart pulls himself into more of a sitting-up position. Thing.

It's very communicative.

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

It is, surprisingly enough. It means that he's not doing all that right.

Tentatively, "Bart?"

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

Slightly muffled, because apparently the icon is right and his head is kind of in his arms and knees right now. "Just dreams and stuff."

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

"What kind of dreams?" Jenny asked, as she gently wrapped her arm around his back. "Bad ones?"

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

"It's kind of like... a replay."

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

"Of what happened?"

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

"What did I tell you already?"

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

"It was your grandfather, right?"

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. Um. Okay."

Give him a minute to collect his thoughts?

"He was involved. In the, um-" he hesitates. "-accident. I- thought. That gave me superspeed."

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

Jenny waits patiently for him to start speaking and even suppresses her urge to respond.

Instead, quietly, she whispers, "Yeah?" and waits for more.

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

"So I guess he wanted a speedster for stuff."

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

A nod. "Why?"

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

"....I'm not sure. He didn't really get beyond trying to, um. Recruit me or something."

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

"Oh," she said quietly, nodding absently. "How did he get to you, Bart?"

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

Um.

Quietness time again.

[bitunlikely.livejournal.com]

"Take your time."

[blinkandyoumiss.livejournal.com]

"There was another speedster. I don't... know how. Or why. Or why, if he had him, he needed me, too."