Painful Talks

Kassandra knocks on the door, opening it at the call. She enters carrying Maya who is cooing and in general having a good time pulling on Kass's hair. "Ow. Too hard, Maya! Would you believe the grip she has?" The elf closes the door behind her, shifting the baby up. Despite her protests, she doesn't seem to mind at all.

Lilith is sitting in bed, propped up on some pillow, sheets pulled up over her lap. From the looks of it, she's been there for a while…papers are scattered about her on the covers, she's got a pocsec in hand, and a dinner tray is resting on the stand beside her. She's frowning as she pecks away, then smiles at the pair as they enter. "Why, hello there." She shifts, wincing a bit. "Oh, damn. Ally wasn't able to make it?"

"She's resting, they had her running several 36 hour shifts at the hospital and she is *exhausted*. She was sleeping so we snuck away for a little while to keep from bothering her." Kass indicates all the papers with a wave of her hand, "I see you are as buried in work as she."

Lilith grunts and shrugs, setting aside the pocsec. "To a degree. I've been bedridden so I've used the chance to catch up on some minor things." Her voice is a bit softer then usual, her tone more mellow and relaxed. She gives Maya a typical wary glance, but still smiles. "I feel rather selfish now, asking after our Ms.Cindel. I was hoping she'd be able to drop by, I understand now why I wasn't able to get a hold of her."

"Bedridden? What happened?" Kass frowns, keeping her voice light for Maya's sake but shifting gears from 'interested friend' into 'shadowrunner' mode. "Did he come back here and cause trouble? If you need her I can get Ally here immediately, or someone to stand in for her."

Lilith shakes her head, her tone soft, but slightly pained again as she moves. "No, no, nothing like that. Let the poor dear sleep." She smiles, gathering her papers together to put aside. "I had a rough client yesterday, is all. You know what they say about trolls." With just a hint of a wicked smile.

Kass pauses ever so slightly, downshifting and chuckling quietly, "Ah .. I'd say that I'd think you'd be used to it, given Alexander, but I imagine not everyone is, un, built quite the same? I have a few aquaintances I can call up if you need a more, er, magical approach to healing?" The elf bursts out laughing, startling Maya a bit. "Sorry, that was unkind, just .." She laughs again, tickling Maya.

Lilith frowns at Kass, now unamused. "I rarely kiss and tell, madam, but I assure you Alex's size is not so great that it causes me discomfort. He isn't an actual troll, after all. Now, a full out Ingentis can be quite large down there and it can be uncomfortable, if not outright painful and dangerous, for the inexpirienced to attempt a bedding. If they get rough, well…" She shrugs. "I know how to take care of myself, and I don't think there was any permament damage, but for safety's sake I was wishing Ally was available."

Kass makes a 'yikes' face, nodding. "I .. have a little idea of what you mean." She sobers quickly at that, shaking her head, "No, sorry, it was unkind of me. I *do* have some discrete friends in the medical profession, I'd be glad to get ahold of them, unless you want to wait for Ally? I don't want there to be any problems."

Lilith watches the woman for a moment, her expression…oddly sympathetic. Understanding, even a touch of kinship. "No, it's no problem. These things happen." She smiles faintly. "If you could call someone over with magical healing, other then Ally, I'd be deeply appreciative. I'm not too worried, but then again, I'm not a doctor, so I'd rather have a quick checkup at least."

Kass juggles the baby, digging a cell out of her back pocket. She paces the room, making a quick call to one of her clients, explaining the problem and the address. Hanging up, she remarks, "She should be here soon, maybe half an hour? Young girl goes by the name of Kerri, works for a doctor that I often use. She isn't in Aladriel's class, but who is? She is still fairly good at what she does."

Lilith smiles and nods. "Thank you, I'm sure she's fine." She pats the bed. "I've been awfully rude, come, have a seat. I'd get up to greet you but I *know* Aladriel would give me hell for walking around in my condition." She chuckles faintly.

"Oh tell me about it. She is very demanding if someone is hurt. I banged my thumb cleaning and you'd have thought I lost a limb." Kass sinks down on the bed, bouncing the baby on her knee. "She has no problem telling anyone to sit down and shut up if they are hurt. I think she'll make a great doctor."

Lilith laughs softly, watching the baby for a moment before lifting her eyes to Kass. "She will indeed. I'm not looking forward to the lecture." Her voice is very dry and she rolls her eyes. "Never mind the fact I've got a number of years on her and I'm a pro at this already."

"It's the doctor in her, it lets her be bossy to anyone, no matter the relative age between them. The only thing worse is military people. They don't care how old you are or whatever, they will tell you to shut it and read you the riot act."

Lilith wrinkles her nose. "Oh, I know how to deal with them, doctors and military. As long as you shut it and do what they say they're happy."

Johny enters the room from the hallway
Johny has arrived.

Kass is sitting on the bed talking to Lilith, bouncing Maya on her knee.

Lilith is sitting in bed, covered up to her lap, with a pile of papers, a dinner tray, and a pocsec on the nightstand beside her. She looks normal to most, but subtle signs indicate a touch of tenseness, exhaustion perhaps. She chuckles softly as she speaks with Kass, though.

Chicks its the way it goes. Every month, bedridden. It must be great being a woman. A vacation every month, licence to act like a raving bitch and make unreasonable demands… then, 3 days later? HOW DARE YOU HOLD MY WOMANS TIME AGAINST ME???!?!. Johny smirks as he steps in to the room, a small potted plant under one arm. "I hear the lady of the house is under the weather…"

Lilith looks over, and the slight tension in her body turns into a full blown wince, then a brief look of embarrassment, before it's gone again. She gives a tight smile. "Mr.Wulfson. I'm nothing of the sort."

Without turning, Kass remarks to Maya, "It's Uncle Johny!" The baby burbles something, and Kassandra nods, looking over her shoulder, "Good evening, Mr. Wulfson. Have you gone into the gardening biz?"

Johny quirks an eyebrow. "This, no. I read somewhere that sick liars are helped by the presence of small, dumb insentient's, and since I lack a child of my own to bring, I felt a plant would be the next best thing."

Lilith snickers slightly. "Why, what do you have to lie to us about, Mr.Wulfson?" She appreciates the humor, at least, and vaguely indicates a chair with a wave of her hand. "Have a seat, and forgive me if I don't get up." Voice a bit softer then normal, or is that a hint of discomfort underneath?

Kass's eye go large as she puts on a face of mock outrage, addressing Maya, "He compared you to a plant!" She hold the baby up, pointing her at the man and says, "Do it, Maya, use your elven magicks on him. Teach him the error of his ways!" The baby giggles in the direction of Johny before she is sat back down. "As you are indi .. as you are covered in papers, could I get anyone a drink?"

Lilith laughs a bit, nodding to Kass. "I don't want to bother you, I've already got some water here…actually, please, sit. I'll get you both something. I need to at least make the effort."

Johny staggers back, holding up his plant, eyes closed with the strain. "NO! NOT ELVEN MAGICKS! SAVE ME, DUMB INSENTIENT PLANT LIFE! SHIELD ME WITH YOUR AURA!" He cracks one eye open, looking at the plant, then the baby… "Well done, plant! Well done." he sets the plant to the side before he sits down. "No drink, thank you."

Lilith grunts as she sloooowly begins to move her legs and swing them off the bed. Have to make a good show of it, damn the man. "Kassandra? Juice, as usual?"

Pointing at the bed, Kass says, "Sit down this instant, missy!"

Lilith arches a brow at her. "Hmm?"

Johny clarifies. "Sit your ever loving ass down now, before she shakes the baby at YOU too. And you lack a plant."

Johny reaches one hand over to possessively touch the side of the plants little pot. "YOu will be defenseless."

Lilith pauses, on the edge of the bed, bare legs peeping out of the covers. She scowls at Johnny. "I am not, sir."

Motioning to the papers, Kass remarks, "You'll mess up your papers!" She rises, carrying the child with the casual ease of someone who has been doing a lot of it recently, "I can get my own refreshments. Nothing at all, Johny?"

Lilith says "I put my papers aside for a reason!"

Johny shakes his head. "I am perfectly sated. I supped on a small child on my way over, as such my vampiric needs are met."

Kassandra raises Maya threateningly.

Lilith scowls at the baby, of course to know effect. Yuck, children. "Mr.Wulfson, really. Raw?"

Johny lifts the plant defensively, eyeing the small child. "I know the ways of your elven magjicks now, witch woman."

"Ablappftt" Maya explains, looking goggly eyed at the other two adults.

Lilith growls and begins to shift herself off the bed anyways…she pales for a moment, then just as slowly shifts back, arranging herself neatly and with an air of perfect normality.

His features pivot. First his eyes, then his head turning to match the eyes… its almost inhuman. "If you do not sit down and rest, Lilith DeWinter, I will show you just how uncomfortable a pine cone can be in the human body."

Kass busies herself with getting some juice, mixing some horrible concoction out of whatever Lilith has lying about. The baby watches the plant warrily over Kass's shoulder. Her errand done, she remarks blithely, "I think that costs extra."

Lilith turns to Johnny, cooly lifting her chin. Face calm as ever, eyes blank as ever. No fear in there, not even that little flicker deep down. "Been there, done that, sir. But I will heed your advice for the sake of the child."


«Auto-Judge[]» Johny (#799) rolls Biotech + Task Pool: 3 for "Visual Diagnosis":
1 1 2 2 3 4 5 10

«OOC» Lilith says, "Whatcha wanna know, Johnny?"
«OOC» Johny says, "Some ideas as to whats going on with her. Basics. Visual temperature (I have thermo), pupil dilation, ect…"
«OOC» Lilith says, "Increased heart rate, pupils a bit dilated, she's in pain and something's shook her up just know, before you said anything."


Johny narrows his eyes. "Lilith." A pause. "What is ailing you?" He asks, his tone such that it is clear he expects a clear, concise answer without duplicity or magical elven interuption.

Lilith blinks. "Ah." She takes a slow breath, resigned. "Rough client the other night. Troll."

Kass keeps her elven mouth shut, sipping juice and watching the pair.

Johny purses his lips. "Ah." He says, one hand coming up to brush something out of the tree. "I was to understand that you had retired from such necessities and simply ran the house? Not that it's my business what you do in your spare time, with your personal hobbies, I just like to be sure I have the right of the situation."

Lilith shrugs. "Retired for the most part. I'll take a client if they're charming enough and the money is always nice. I need to make ends meet around here." She brushes down her covers, maybe a little too casually. "In this case it was a mutually beneficial arrangement. He's the actual manager of the Catacombs, is not fond of…you know who. Jase, the aforementioned manager, and I have agreed to keep things pleasant between our clubs, and not to cause trouble with one another."

"Well thats good." Says he. "Considering thats a filthy rathole of a fuckandsuck club across town that has zero competition with your club."

Johny sets the plant down, and rises to his feet then. "I'll leave you to your… ah… recuperation."

Raising an eyebrow, Kassandra hmms quietly, nodding with Johny's sentiment if not the exact words. "Indeed." She glances to Johny, "Hot date? This is the quickest I've seen you here and gone."

Lilith nods briskly to Johnny. "Thank you."

Johny glances back to Kassandra. "Oh. Nothing.. My sympathy for Ms. Dewinters condition, which was the purpose of my visit, evaporated when I came to understand the nature of the self-inflicted injury."

Lilith goes pale again, this time in part due to an unfamiliar sense of shame.

Kassandra ahhs, nodding. "Still, she is injured nonetheless. A kind word might make her feel a bit better than not, no?" The elf glances towards Lilith as she pales, a faint frown crossing her face as she glances back to Johny.

Lilith continues to stare straight ahead.

Johny glances over to Lilith, his head tilting in a decidedly inhuman fashion. He watches her for a long moment. "Next time. More lube." He turns to go.


«Auto-Judge[]» Johny (#799) rolls Essence:
4 5


Johny glances over to Lilith, his head tilting in a decidedly inhuman fashion. He watches her for a long moment. "Next time, use more lube." He turns to go.

Lilith hands twitch. Oh, she's tempted to reach for a glass to chuck at him. She settles for a vicious, angry murmur.

*muttermutter*selfrighteousass*muttermutter*

Sighing, Kassandra remarks sadly, "Right. That was not quite what I had in mind." She idly bounces Maya, shaking her head.

Johny pauses at the door. "I am not self righteous. I am self possessed. I am a self made man and I worship my creator. Every day I deal with issues that leave me sore, bruised and battered both in body and in soul, and yet, I choose them for myself. I know exactly what I am doing, Ms. DeWinter. And I do not expect sympathy for them. The difference between what you have done and what I have done, Ms. DeWinter, is I do not see my choices as optional. If you do not find that you appreciate the lack of sympathy I hold for self-inflicted wounds, I suggest perhaps that you not inflict wounds on yourself in the name of personal passions." He glances back to Kassandra, then Lilith. "I do not hold you in scorn. I do not judge you. I simply hold no sympathy or care for your actions. THere is a distinct difference."

Lilith crosses her arms over her chest. "I do not do such things for the sake of personal passion, as you say, but I recognize the wisdom of your words." She does not quite meet his gaze. "I…good evening, Mr.Wulfson."

Johny reaches in to his pocket. He removes a credstick, looking down at its read out. He taps it twice, then sets it on the end table. "Here's 20,000. Take the next week off."

Johny moves for the door again.

Kass says, quietly, her voice soft, "I wish you two didn't fight so much."

Lilith eyes the money, expression freezing over. She ignores the credstick, and she ignores Kassandra as she turns her gaze once more rigidly in front of her.

Johny murmurs, his voice still filling the room all the same. "I am not arguing with Ms. DeWinter. I am simply making myself clear so that I am not misunderstood. Misunderstandings are so very uncomfortable for me."

Kassandra looks towards Lilith, then Johny. She shrugs with only a slight movement of her shoulders, "Well. Then let us say that there are many colourful misunderstandings and discussions about such?" She smiles briefly and sighs, "Just would rather .. " She shakes her head, "Nevermind."

Lilith gently smooths her covers again, ignoring the conversation between the other two.

Johny turns, placing one hand to, but not opening, the door… "No. You may as well get whatever you wish to say out in the open. Clearly, I have, with my usual savoir fair and grace, made an ass of myself in a way I feel is perfectly reasonable. Do. Clarify."

"Alright." Kass looks at Lilith, then at Johny, "I'd just like you two to find a happy middle ground, as I expect I'll be around the two of you for the next hundred or so years, barring gunshot wounds, injury by troll penis, or thrown water glasses." The elven woman says, "She knows her profession, Johny. You tend to weild it like a weapon against her. As for you, Lilith, you know what he is like and how he talks: plain and to the point. Getting upset about it is like being mad at water for being wet."


«Auto-Judge[]» Johny (#799) rolls Essence:
5 10


Lilith speaks calmly. "I'm well aware of the man, and I'm not that upset with him. I did and do not expect either his sympathy or his care, and in fact, I would very much have wished he not arrived here with me in this state."

Johny considers that for a long moment, watching Kassandra. He seems to honestly be considering her words, as he looks back to Lilith. "I am not… a gentle man. This is why Alex warned you away from me when we first met. Alex had the right of it. I am not…" A pause as he licks his lips… "AS Ally said… Like everyone else. I apologize if I have offended you. I do not mean to use your former profession as a prostitute as a bludgeon. I was just surprised that you still take clients, when your stated goal was to be come an administrator. When I was made aware that you were ill, I tried, in my way, to bring comfort." He pauses, glancing back to Kassandra, then back to lilith. "I then felt very much like a fool."

Nudging the bed with her leg, Kass remarks, "I think I can understand that. Lil? You feel a bit foolish, I wager, for him catching you with this 'injury', neh? Words to the contrary, I think you care a lot what he thinks."

Lilith blinks and looks to him. "You have nothing to feel foolish about, sir. Do you think I am unaware of what you are like? I may not have been in Denver long, nor will I claim to have even the amount of expirience that Kassandra herself posses. But. But, I can read people, as my profession has taught me to. I sensed that at the very least you were…" She hesitates, nodding to Kassandra for a moment, before continuing.

"Cold, perhaps. Distant in some fashion. I've seen it before, in the old warriors. I won't pretend to understand it." She looks up at him. Perhaps a touch of awareness filtering through her expression, a suspicion that she then calmly lays aside. "What I stated was that yes, I wished to be an administrator, but now I have more of a choice in who I bed and when. I can *choose*, more for myself, and I have the ability to make my own mistakes. Besides, it can be very hard…very hard indeed to leave work. I find that I cannot, entirely.

So yes, I am embarrassed, and perhaps ashamed now, that you see me like this. That I know what you were thinking. There is nothing here for you to feel the fool about. Just that I know that people, however dear they are, still can hold stigmas against what I do."

Johny looks back to Kassandra for a half moment, as if trying to draw some support there, before wrenching himself back to Lilith. "Lilith." He says simply. "I am the basest of whores. I have been the whole of my life. My body, my heart, my soul, have been laid down for cash, for purpose. I have killed man, woman and child. I have used my body to put good men in compromising situations and to compromise good situations. Nothing you do with a troll will be stigmatized in my eyes. I simply do not bear -sympathy or care- for your personal choices. I cannot. It is simply not who I am. Those few who I do allow such for, those whos actions do matter to me, usually end with nothing but annoyance, frustration, distraction and eventually, pain. If you…"

He pauses then, licking his lips. "If you wish to enjoy physically strenuous physical activities, it is your life."

For her part, she has spurred the conversation forward. Where it goes now is up to the other two. Kass keeps quiet, sinking to a seat with Maya and listening.

Lilith eyes meet his, unavoiding, now unafraid…understanding. "Samuel." SHe speaks very simply, plainly. "I understand. I don't want you to trouble yourself over it any more, especially in regards to my feelings. I'm not hurt, nor will I allow myself to be anymore ashamed or so foolishly piqued. I will admit to you, though, that I do care, I do know something of what you speak, and despite what you may or may not have done in your life, or what you feel as to personal choices of others, for myself…"

She pauses herself, smiling a little. "And despite my deplorable lapses in temper, I'll simply continue to regard you as dear to me, whatever comes. I dare to hope that you still hold me a friend, as I do you, and as much as I know I must drive you mad, annoy, or frustrate."

Johny nods once. Nothing more to be said on the matter, and perhaps, to much already said. He looks back to Kassandra, before again, turning for the door. "Enjoy the plant. It's a conifer."

Kass nods quietly, "Good evening, Johny." She carefully rocks Maya to sleep, keeping her own council for the time being.

Lilith murmurs quietly as well, suddenly drained of energy. "G'evenin', sir."

Johny opens the door and exits to the hallway
Johny has left.

Lilith falls back on the pillow, eyes closed.

Lilith voice is very, very quiet, very soft. "Kassandra?"

Kassandra sighs, "Well." She shifts the almost sleeping child, "Yes, Lilith?"

Lilith indicates the cupboard, just lifting her hand. "There's some old linens in the bottom cupboard. If you could bring them here…how long is it till your girl Kerri arrives?"

Kassandra rises, laying Maya carefully on the sofa and hedges her in with pillows. "She should be here within the next 120 seconds." The elf moves towards the cupboard, taking out the linens, "Are you alright?" She starts back towards the woman, looking concerned.

Lilith smiles faintly, opening her eyes as she takes the linens. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Just not quite the scene I expected to occur, hmm?" She fusses with the cloth…mostly an old pillow case or two and some large rags. She slides them under the blankets and seems to be wriggling a bit. "I am afraid, however, that Mr.Wulfson was correct in many ways. I was foolish." She looks to you. "Alex is…I can't describe it. He satisfies me more then any man I have ever known. He doesn't, however, like rough stuff. I do. Since our relationshop is open I tend to delve my darker side with clients…and ye gods, sometimes I wish I didn't have to."

It says something that Lil is being so…forthright and honest, open about herself. It also indicates she might not entirely be in her right mind, as she seems to pale again. "Don't say a word to anyone. Maybe Ally. No one else."

Kass frowns, shaking her head, "I don't talk to anyone else besides you and Aladriel, Lilith." She steps in, laying the back of her hand to Lilith's head just as the door is knocked upon. She moves towards it, producing a tiny pistol from the back of her pants. She checks the door, moving to open it and allow the girl in, closing it quickly afterwards.

Lilith groans a bit, nodding. She's not feverish, just worried and in pain. "Bah…this is nonsense. I've had this happen to me before, I don't see why everyone's getting so excited…"

Kerri steps in, a blond Nordic girl of impressive cheekbones and huge tracks of land. She looks to the gun, to Kass, and then Lilith. "This is the patient, yes?"

Kassandra nods wordlessly, putting the pistol away without a hint of self-consciousness.

Lilith tries to prop herself up a bit, be the gracious hostess as always, nods and smiles to the newcomer. "Good evening, miss. Thank you for coming."

Kerri waves a hand, "Lie back, rest, no need to get up for me." The woman frowns, eyes going out of focus as she assenses the madam. She extends one hand, slowly moving it along the outline of Lilith's body as she concentrates.

Kassandra moves to make sure Maya is still where she left her; never good to let the baby fall. She watches and waits, arms crossed.

Lilith groans a bit and lies down. "Thank Eris."

As Kerris scans….she notes physical damage within Lil's lower "regions", bruising of the cervix, and more alarmingly, some tearing that should've been treated sooner. This has lead to bleeding, which has suddenly peaked due to stress and Lil overextending herself. There's relativly minor bruising and lacerations on the outside, mainly around the hips, breasts, backside, and neck. Lil does not always play gentle.

Kerri frowns at what she finds, opening an eye and fixing it on Kassandra, "I'll help you find this man if you like." She quiets herself and starts the spell.

Mana warps in the room as the magician begins her spell, muttering in a strange dialect (Norse). Kerri concentrates, her other hand making a fist that slowly drips with spectral blood, each drop hitting the floor and vanishing. She keeps her eyes closed, her other senses feeding the information she needs.

Kass holds her peace, unable to see what the damage is.


+roll 6(sorcery)+6(spell.pool)/5~Fix
«Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 6 (sorcery) + 6 (spell.pool) vs TN 5 for "Fix":
1 1 3 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 7 9 = 4 Successes


Lilith eyes flutter closed and her breathing becomes shallower as the magic flows over her. She murmurs weakly, chuckling a little. "Self inflicted…self inflicted…"

«OOC» Kassandra says, "Rating 4 resist pain in effect, blocking 4 boxes of damage (physical)"

The chanting stops as the magician finishes the spell. She moves to the bed, swinging a pouch around. Kerri digs in it, coming up with a number of slap patches and medication. "This you use every four hours. This every six. You change these pads every four hours as well. This last is my card; if there is anything that comes up, any pain or dizziness, you call, yes?"

Lilith blinks, raising herself up. She shakes off her fuzzies and nods briskly. "Ahh…thank you, that's much better. Yes, yes, of course…" She smiles wearily at the tall blonde woman, taking the items. "You do good work."

Kass moves to the bed as Kerri rises, handing the woman a credstick. "She does very good work. Much obliged, Kerri. I'll see if I can keep her out of trouble."

Kerri pockets the card, pulling Kass aside to mutter quietly at her. The elf's face with pale as she hears, nodding quickly with a dart of a look at Lilith. She nods several times, the magician moving to leave. Kerri points at Lilith. "Stay in bed. Alone." The big woman smiles briefly and heads out.

Lilith bobs her head as the other woman leaves, then looks at Kass, her brow arched. "Not one word, madam, and not one word or hand against my client. This was consensual and it was my own fault, I know my work and I know the risks."
Nodding, Kassandra shrugs. "It is your decision to make." She seems subdued by what she was told, moving instead to fuss with the blankets on the bed. She starts to speak but thinks better of it, instead taking the juice glass back to clean it.

Lilith watches the woman, folding her hands in her lap. She appears much better now, cheeks a much better colour, discreetly tossing aside the now bloody linens. "Don't look so down, Kassandra. There's not a lot to get emotional about, I was foolish, I overextended myself and got hurt. Please, don't trouble yourself over what the doctor told you."

Finishing washing the glass, Kass sets it to dry and comes back towards the bed, "Perhaps so. It's your call to do things, It's my call to worry." She flashes a quick smile to the woman, indicating the dinner tray, "That's gone all cold. Do you want something?"

Lilith peers at you a bit, and then chuckles. "As well it should, I've barely picked at it…no, it's all right. I don't mind cold spaghetti." She leans back and eyes the bar thoughtfully. "Mm. I suppose I'd get in trouble for drinking?"

"Not until you start taking the pills and slap patches. The spell shouldn't cause any ill effects." Kass speaks with some authority, then shrugs, "I've been reading all Ally's books, things are starting to sink in." She indicates the tray again, "Are you sure? It is no matter to get something that isn't the same temperature as the air outside."

Lilith nods slowly, listening. "Mmm, that's good…ah!" She blinks and looks down at herself, then the bar, then begins to laugh, very softly.

"What?" Kass looks at Lilith, hands on her hips. "What?" She repeats, apparently not seeing anything funny about the laid up woman.

Lilith laughs, crosses herself, and then brings the little gold feather dangling around her neck to her lips. Eyes bright, she begins to float in the air, black silk trailing around and behind her like a long, thick tail. Or wings. "I've completely forgot about Samuel's gift! I've been lying about all day and look, I can very well take care of myself." She slips into the informal address, perhaps not quite as sound yet, and drifts over to the bar. "Maybe not booze, but I'm dying for a cold glass of water…"

Chuckling, Kassandra watches. "That is a lovely gift he gave you. One day I hope to be able to fly with Aladriel and just get away from everything." She considers, "It really was a very thoughtful gift. He takes care of his friends, even if he tries to hide it."

Lilith moves silently. Just the softest of sounds, the gentle hiss of black silk over the fine carpet. She hrms and ponders over a glass, getting the ice, ouring the water. She stops…then continues as Kass speaks. "Indeed he does."

Kassandra shrugs, "Just hidden depths is all. He tries very hard to put on a lot of faces and protect himself as much as anyone else. And then he does things that he shouldn't because it is the only way to show he cares."

Lilith turns sharply, almost spilling the water as she moves back. "Does things he shouldn't? Like what, reprimanding me? Or giving gifts? Or other things we cannot speak of here?"

Kass looks over her nails, considering. "He took it upon himself to look into my past. Things he ran across offended him, and in finding such, someone happened to make mention of me in a derogatory fashion. He decided to kill a great number of people, because he felt that they were a threat to me. 10,000 miles and a lifetime away, and he felt they were enough of a passing threat to just end their lives like that." She snaps her fingers.

She glances to Lilith, "He reprimands you because it is the only way he has to show that he cares. There are things he cannot, will not say." She shrugs a little.

Lilith drifts down to her spot, her face once again falling into it's shuttered, cool expression that she usually bears. "I doubt it…I know he "cares", as you say." She looks somewhat away, taking a sip of water.

Spreading her hands, Kass says, "Maybe so. There are the fronts to why he does things, and then there are the real reasons. I doubt we'll ever work it all out." She sighs, toying with some of Maya's hair as she passes by.

Lilith shrugs. "Take what you can get. Trust in what you do get to see."

Lilith gives a slightly bitter laugh.

Kass is silent a long moment. "Maybe so," she says again, looking thoughtful. "And maybe once. But I can't do that anymore. It just doesn't feel right."

"You know, the other night I took a job to go get this woman's son back. The implication was to go steal him back and do the whole badass shadowrunner routine. You know what I did? I went and paid for the kid, just out of pocket. Because I don't want to be the reason someone is without their kid, because I messed up and got them killed out of pride or ego."

Lilith nods. "Nothing wrong with that."

"No, nothing wrong with that, in essence. We won. But it isn't something that I'd have done in the past." Kass shrugs, "I don't even know what point I am making."

Lilith eyes Kassandra, bitterness over some past thought still lingering in her eyes, but she smiles. "No need to make one. You're changed, so what? Everyone changes, we move on, things get better or worse. Does it honestly, really matter if you wouldn't have done it in the past? Good lord, I'm a child hating witch, but I would've paid for the kid out of sheer practicality."

"I'm not sure if it matters or not. But I know that it is important." Kass shrugs a bit. "I should probably let you rest before either Aladriel or Kerri comes back in her and give me what for." She moves to collect the baby, offering, "Personally? I think things will get better, not worse."

Lilith nods, laughing a bit. "Perhaps. For you, certainly. For me, I suspect the changes will only grow worse before they get better." She seems to drift off a bit, looking thoughtful…then shakes her head, looking vague. "Why did I just say that….dammit all, must still be silly from the magic or something."

"Changes?" Kass pauses in leaning to retrieve Maya, gaze drifting back to Lilith. She stares at the woman, and not a simple stare of someone lookingm, but someone *looking*, looking for some minute change, some difference.

Lilith taps her fingers idly on the covers. She doesn't look any different, really, at least not to normal or even 'ware enhanced senses. But she seems preoccupied, for a moment, frowning at something in her head…again, nothing unusual. "Oh, I mean in a general sense. Things have gone so upsy-daisy for me since arriving here. Falling in love with Alex, the Watchers, Mr.Wulfson, all this other gloomy business…I suppose I'm being pessimistic."

Her hand wasn't going for a gun, no. Kass nods quietly, just watching. She finally says, "I know something of what you mean. I've come to town with nothing but thoughts of money, and now I am engaged to be married, about to have a beautiful daughter, and so forth. And that's just been this last month. It's no wonder we are frazzled."

Lilith chuckles again, and yawns. "Goodness. I'm dead tired and it's early yet. I know what you mean about being frazzled…I really need to slow down a little. As mad as you are with love and all that, at least you got a vaca…" She stops, remembering, and frowns darkly at the cred stick Johnny left behind.

"So go on vacation. The girls here can run things well enough, and I'll keep an eye on them if nothing else. Get out of town, go to a spa, relax!" Kass rises again, pointing, "But for now you should rest. Magical healing is hard on the body, it eats up resources. Drink lots of fluids, try to eat several times."

Lilith grunts, and tosses the cred stick to her. "I don't *need* his money, and I don't need to go on vacation. I will rest and do all that rot, I have no issue with that, but I'll be damned if I'll let him pay for my time. I won't insult him by throwing it back, either…you take it. Put it in Maya's college fund or something, and we'll speak no more of it."

Snagging the stick out of the air, Kass makes it vanish into a pocket. She is nothing if not pragmatic, after all. "Everyone needs a vacation, Lilith. And you'll be having one in less than a month, perhaps two at most." She grins at that, twisting a piece of hair around a finger, "We're having the wedding in Florida."

Lilith nods, managing a faint smile, for her, at least. "That's good."

"I wouldn't say that so soon. You may be in costume, as it is at Disney." Kass smirks a bit at that, buffing her nails on her shirt, "Ally and I decided that there was no need for us to get so worked up over things when there are people we can pay to do the worrying for us."

Lilith shrugs. "I'll dress as I please, madam. And nicely, for your wedding." She begins to sink back into her pillows, exhaustion finally winning over. "Kass…if you could do me a favour…?"

"Of course." Kass moves to move things away from the bed, "What do you need?"

Lilith murmurs quietly. "There's a box just under my bed. Wide, flat, wooden, carved with an old fashioned looking lock. Could you get it?"

She nods, sinking down to retrieve the item and placing it on the bed, then Kass dusts her hands off. "I should probably get back to the house and let you rest. I'll make sure things are going fine downstairs, but I imagine your staff has things in hand."

Lilith eyes get curiously sharp as she watches you handle the box. She almost seems to fidget, agitated, but it's subtle, almost unoticeable, and gone again once her hands wrap protectively around the box and she pulls it towards her. "Thank you…things are fine, Mrs.Palm, me den mother keeps things well in hand. G'night, Kass, and thank you."

Lilith eyes are already drifting close as she murmurs sleepily. Poor thing, she's completely worn out, and she curls up around her box, oddly enough.

Kass collects Maya and nods, "Call if you need anything, day or night. I'm not that far away." She smiles and heads to the door with only a cursory glance to the box.

February 23, 2009

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