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[aim_blind]

The drive home, one minor breakdown aside, is pleasant and chatty; unusual mostly in being more chatty than usual. Occasionally Leah will let a silence fall for long enough to be comfortable, but she always pushes for a conversation when a topic occurs to her

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[not_scully]

The breakdown, the conversation, the questions and answers - Sam's done his best to stay relaxed and calm for Leah's sake and sanity but he's feeling a strain for it. He's worrying now, uncomfortable for the first time in Leah's presence, and he hesitates for just a second longer than absolutely necessary.

"Actually," he says, standing by the couch and running a hand through his hair, "do you have Coke or something? I could use some sugar."

[aim_blind]

"I don't drink it," Leah admits, ruefully, but she quickly follows up with, "I'm putting the kettle on, if you want tea."

[not_scully]

Leah will only notice the hesitation, which is probably good since Sam's other response is a quick nose-wrinkle of disgust.

"...sure."

[aim_blind]

It's something Bill used to do; without fail after every mission he'd put on a brew. Leah was never into the habit personally, but she could really do with something familiar right now.

So the kettle is on, and the tea brought in, and instead of going to her usual chair; "where are you?"

[aim_blind]

Leah really does feel better after a shower, thanks to a number of things, mostly involving some serious thinking. By the time Leah makes it into her room and flops back onto her bed, there's only one thing she needs before sleeping.

A confession.

Instead of hacking her way in and sounding alarms, though, she' goes for a usually open channel- one that'll get Babs's attention if it's readily available, without interrupting, or more importantly waking. Leah has really no idea what time it is.

"You awake?"

[twiceahero]

Barbara Gordon, despite the efforts of people who care for her, doesn't sleep much. On a good night she gets as many as four hours, but not tonight.

"I'm awake," she says, setting her eighth (ninth?) cup of coffee aside and glancing at her screens automatically to see if Leah might be in trouble anywhere. Nothing obvious on that front. "What's up?"

[aim_blind]

"Nothing."

There's an echo to Leah's voice - she didn't feel like being wired up or plugged into anything, so she has Oracle on speaker phone.

"I killed a man today."

[twiceahero]

There's a long silence. Long enough that it might sound like Babs has gone offline.

Then, very, very softly, two words.

"I'm sorry." Because... they were similar enough that Babs knew how that had to feel.