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Language:
English
Series:
Part 22 of I Just Wanted To Believe In Something Beautiful
Collections:
The Vault of Syrupness's Eastrail Saga
Stats:
Published:
2022-04-15
Updated:
2022-04-30
Words:
1,830
Chapters:
3/4
Comments:
24
Kudos:
13
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242

Butterflies and Needles

Summary:

We start to find out how Casey and the others are living, and how their lives will start to intertwine again.
Chapters will have chapter specific summaries. Tags will be added as chapters are added.

Notes:

Title is taken from 'Hunger of the Pine' by alt-J, covered by Vaults.

Happy Easter everyone! Sorry this is not a festive one for the holidays.

Chapter 1: Office Chat

Summary:

The alters are working together to be successful in employment but a curious comment by a co-worker reveals that at least one alter is being secretive.

Chapter Text

 

Finishing off the fix on the boat engine he called Kat to take the light. She’d made friends with the others working at the mechanics, and she was the only one who liked the biscuits they stocked for the staff. The transition as they swapped the light was smoother than last time. Not great, but it was getting easier every time.

Kat stood from the chair and shook herself loose, taking the time to stretch her arms and legs before making her way to the staff room. The smell of oil was replaced by coffee as she hustled over to the cookie jar.

Pouring coffee, Miguel turned slightly to say “Hey, thanks again for fixing that generator for my mama’s party. I owe you one.”

Mouth full of biscuit, Kat just smiled. She hadn’t done much personally, just nag all the mechanically skilled alters until one agreed for the sake of remaining on good terms with their coworkers, and to get Kat to finally shut up.

The office manager, Lola, breezed in holding a very large empty mug. Seeing Kat she squinted questioningly at her before asking “How are the jobs going?”

All the alters were kept informed for these situations, so Kat was confident as she swallowed her biscuit to say “Finished the engine, the jet-skis are next.”

“hmm, that's good…” but Lola continued to look at her strangely “and you don’t have a lisp.”

Kat was taken aback “Lisp? no.” but then the blood started draining from her face as she realised one of them does. There is one alter who speaks with a lisp.

Lola had turned back to pour her coffee and didn’t notice “It was just strange. I saw you in the post office speaking English and you had a lisp, but here, when you are speaking Spanish you don’t. I didn’t think it was something that changed with language...”

Her mouth opened and closed but Kat didn’t know what to say. Panic was boiling up and the others were getting restless as her grip on the light weakened with shock.

Miguel noticed her distress and started laughing “I know what happened! You got it the wrong way. You lisp to speak Castilian!”

Lola flicked a dirty look at Miguel and the break was enough for Kat’s brain to start again. Thinking fast enough to say “or when I bite my tongue!” smiling at Lola “All healed now though. Thanks for the concern. I’ll get back to work.”

Taking care to look casual Kat headed back to their work area, not knowing how much longer she can pretend. Dragging the work chair over to the first jet-ski she dropped into it she handed the light off to the nearest alter, whether they were prepared or not.

Bursting into the chair room she scrambled over to Barry “We’ve got a problem. Lola saw Hedwig!”

“What? How? Hedwig is only allowed the light at the house. Did Lola visit-”

“No, no. Hedwig was at the post office!”

There was a beat of silence so profound that Kevin’s heart may have stopped for a moment.

“What!?”

The others nearby who had been listening burst into chatter “Can Hedwig take the light at will again?” “How did we not notice?” “What did he think he was doing?” “Where is the kid?”

Then they spotted him. Hedwig was curled underneath one of the now-unused, damaged chairs, staring out into the dark.

Barry waved the others to stay back and approached the boy alone.

Squatting down “Hedwig?”

The boy ignored him.

Barry picked up the chair, planning to sit down but changing his mind when he recognised the chair by feel, instead he moved it aside and crouched in the boy’s line of sight “Hedwig, we need to have a serious talk.”

Hedwig looked up but didn’t say anything.

“You were seen somewhere you shouldn’t have been. You know the rules.”

The boy squinted “You don’t let me do anything.”

“We can’t trust you.” then the man sighed “What were you doing at a post office anyway?”

Hedwig set his jaw in a stubborn way.

Barry used his calm, patient voice “Come on Hedwig, you know it would be dangerous if we were recognised. The things that happened, the things you helped do, made us a wanted criminal.”

He screwed up his face, and for one breathless second no one knew if it was to yell or to cry, but then it passed and the small boy curled into himself “I just wanted to do something…”

Hovering close he softened his voice to match Hedwig’s whisper “What did you want to do?”

Almost inaudible, but clear enough to hurt “I just miss them so much. Why are we here and they’re not? I miss…miss… I want it like before…”

Barry felt his own chest ache at the words and he glanced at the other surviving alters. So many lost, their chairs broken and empty. Talking about his pain was too much for the boy who then dissolved into tears. They wouldn’t get answers now, all Barry could do was lay a hand on the thin shoulder and wait for the sobbing to subside.

 

Chapter 2: Stamp

Summary:

Casey's mind is thrown into chaos with a letter.

Notes:

Sorry about the delay on this one. I can blame at least 5 other people for the delay, but it does come down to me. Hope you enjoy your weekends!

Chapter Text

 

Casey closed the door to her bedroom carefully, oh so carefully, to appear normal. Pulling the torn envelope from her bag she sat on the bed. Her swallow felt like shards of glass in sugar syrup as she pulled the single page free and stared at it.

Hope sparked to life. Instantly beating back the darkness of grief, yet making it seem all the blacker.

It couldn’t be, could it? No. Not possible. It was just a sick joke. Congratulations, she’d gotten her first creepy fan,

but yet…

Hope burned through her like acid.

She couldn’t look at it anymore, but when she looked up she saw his ashes sitting on her bedside table.

Surrounded by him but he was nowhere and all she was left with was questions.

How?

Why?

How?

When?

How?

Where?

That stopped her mind cold. Where. Frantically grabbing for the envelope that had fallen to the floor she raised it to her eyes with shaking hands. The postmark was smudged and smeared but the stamp was clear enough.

Conflicted and anxious she stood, still as a statue, while her mind raced. Someone else could have posted it. It might not be him at all,

but if it was…

Her hope was terrible in its greatness.

If it was Hedwig, and he wasn’t careful. If he just posted it from wherever he was, then she would have a starting point.

Should she even try? Would she be putting them in danger? Did they even want her to look for them?

Hedwig at least wanted contact

…if it was Hedwig in the first place.

What, no of course it had to be him!

And the word ‘alive’ throbbed through her in time with her heartbeat.

It was so obvious and simple. Those six white letters printed across a fingerprint’s worth of sticky paper.

Alive. Alive. Alive.

She would have to keep it secret, keep him safe.

Taking one last look at the picture she folded it small and tucked it inside the back of her cheap alarm clock.

The second hand beat with her heart.

Alive. Alive. Alive.

Alive and in Mexico.

 

Chapter 3: Plans

Summary:

Casey has many paths to choose for her future.

Notes:

Another late one. I might have to change my posting day to my Saturdays if this delaying keeps up. But hey, I figure it is still Fridays somewhere!

Chapter Text

 

Focusing on her left leg, Casey slowly straightened it, pushing through the wobble. It was giving her trouble recently and she knew she had to get stronger to go through with her plan. A deep breath and she controlled her leg back to resting position. She was about to repeat the exercise when Reggie burst into the lounge room.

“Casey, the best news ever!”

Glaring at him “Don’t scare me like that.”

Unrepentant he smoothly squatted next to her hard chair “Sorry, sorry” He clearly wasn’t but his grin was almost infectious “I just had to rush over and tell you the news!”

“Is it bad news?” Casey dead-panned.

Mouth already open, the man did a double take before pursing his lips with an accusatory look “Don’t you tease now.” Then the grin was back “That Newspaper article has the fish biting. The big fish! I’ve got 3 publishing offers for you,” He pulled some papers from his bag “This one is the best and they have plans for you to tie into other works, it means five books!” Handing her a sheaf “This one is more modest and they want a two book deal. We have enough material, we can split your book, full and abridged style, and do this deal easy.”

Casey was stunned, he’d been hopeful to get one offer, not in her wildest dreams did she think they would get three so quickly. Though she wasn’t quite sure what they meant, options, five books, or two books?

“Reggie, we only have one book. This book.”

He put a hand on her arm. She didn’t want the touch, but she didn’t want to make him upset even more. Casey needed him in a good mood.

“Case. Ceecee, this is great. Do you have plans for your future? Because these contracts offer you a foot into the writing business. You’ll be an author!”

That made her stop and think. The Dunns had a job at the store for her and school seemed much easier now she had help. David had mentioned college a few times, especially after finding out she wouldn’t have to pay tuition fees being a foster and all. But what did she want to do?

She knew exactly what she wanted to do.

“It’s a big decision. You’ll have to explain all the points so I understand the different options here but… doing this has taken a lot out of me. I’d like a decent holiday after this. I’d have time for that wouldn’t I?” She gave her biggest doe eyes

With a look between pity and understanding “Oh Casey, of course you can have a holiday! I can’t imagine how hard this and all the healing has been. We’ll pick one,” he waved the papers “finish the book, then a publicity tour, and then you can take a luxury holiday to recharge. I’ll fight for that to happen if any obstacles pop up, okay?”

Casey nodded with a smile. Her plan was starting. “I’ve always wanted to visit Mexico.”

Cocking his head slightly “Not quite the luxurious holiday destination I was thinking of, but if it’s what you want… come on, lets go over these so you are one step closer to your holiday!”

Reggie stood athletically, thighs pushing him upright with seemingly no effort. It sparked a flare of jealousy in her, but it also fuelled her desire to be able to move that strongly again. Casey used her cane and the other hand on the back of the chair to stand, consciously powering her movement with her legs before taking hyper-aware steps over to where Reggie was laying out the papers on the table.