[Day... she's stopped counting]

[hattie_notqueen]

The chair wasn't any more comfortable the second time she attempted to sleep in it.

She spent most of the night tossing and turning and, to be honest, fretting. She was worried about Kitt: how he was acting, how he'd been when they'd found him, how he was so intent on being something he wasn't.

She worried that it was her fault. She worried that it was over, all of it.

By the time the light started peeking over the tops of the heavy curtains, by the time she heard the staff outside beginning their morning routine, she couldn't remember if she'd ever been so tired before. Not even being held hostage, or having to stay awake when sleeping would have KILLED them, had ever made her feel so tired.

This was all emotional. She was exhausted.

Finally, she stood, opened the doors and scooted past the staff once again and headed upstairs and into the shower, leaving her clothes where they fell as she shed them. She just didn't care anymore.

Comments

[ki2k.insanejournal.com]

No. He hadn't ignored her. But he would not dare allow himself to misinterpret her intentions, and so had opted for neutrality. Yes.

He nodded. "I would have brought them out to you."

[hattie_notqueen.insanejournal.com]

"I didn't um-" She cleared her throat and stepped into them where she was, buttoning them carefully. "I didn't want to bother you."

She took in how he was dressed and swallowed, ducking her head and tucking her arms over her chest. "Going to the office?"

[ki2k.insanejournal.com]

"You're not bothering me." He finished straightening his tie, pulling on it maybe a little too hard. "I told you, it's your bedroom too." He checked his reflection in a mirror, making a face. His hair wasn't behaving, but then he'd done nothing more than run a brush through it. It would have to do. It wasn't like there would be anyone to see him anyway.

He nodded again, his eyes hooded. "I haven't checked in for a while. I suppose I should see the extent of the damage for myself. Kobie took care of the virus, but..." He trailed off, with a small shrug.

[hattie_notqueen.insanejournal.com]

"Right. Of course."

She stepped back and continued looking down at the ground. "I'm sure they've missed you. I bet your PA was going crazy, what with the not hearing from you." She bit her tongue on the 'not hearing' herself. "Kobie was really helpful."

[ki2k.insanejournal.com]

His voice was hard, not so much at Kobie but at the situation, the Stargate. "I'm sure he was." He paused, softening just slightly. "Thank you for finding me." Chances were, he would have been fine. But even he could concede the possibility.

[hattie_notqueen.insanejournal.com]

"I was really worried about you."

She looked up at him. "Thirty-eight minutes, Kitt. That's how long it took for us to get to you." The feeling of panic was welling up in her again and she pressed a hand to her chest. She wasn't even thinking about Kobie in relation to the Stargate. She had only thought about him in relation to fixing Kitt. "Getting to you, getting you out of the house..."

Hattie swallowed. "I was really worried."

[ki2k.insanejournal.com]

For the first time, he turned to face her, studying her frankly, as if trying to gauge her sincerity.

He could hear the blood pounding in his ears, blocking out everything else, crushing her to him before he even realized what he was doing.

[hattie_notqueen.insanejournal.com]

And just like that, she was wrapped up in his arms, crushed against his chest. She didn't even know she was crying until she had to take a breath, her arms wrapped around him, squeezing him tight.

[ki2k.insanejournal.com]

It was only after she was in his arms that he was finally able to admit to himself just how much he'd missed her. He kissed the top of her head, then rested his cheek there, eyes closed.

[hattie_notqueen.insanejournal.com]

Considering how she just fit, tucked under his chin like that, Hattie was ready to just stay there for a very long time. She didn't want to talk because every time they talked? It just got ruined. So, she stood there, hanging onto him, until she wasn't crying anymore.

[ki2k.insanejournal.com]

"I love you." He was still holding on just as tight, but one of his hands had begun to rub up and down her back, trying to soothe the crying until it stilled. He was willing to stay there for as long as she wished, not wanting to break the moment.

[hattie_notqueen.insanejournal.com]

Once she wasn't crying, she still didn't feel like moving, so she didn't. She just felt his heart beating and rested her head against his chest.

"I love you, too."