[It's been a long, long night, and Jack's body shows it as he stumbles into the common room, shoulders slumped, hands shoved in his pockets. He's found the few he needs to find, or has at least heard news of their safety, which is nearly as good. And now-- what? He hasn't the faintest idea, and it's driving him a little mad.
He doesn't notice Helga as he comes in, moving immediately to the window to stare out at the fence. After a moment, he lights a cigarette. Small comfort, but a comfort indeed.]
[Elisa had also made her way to the common room, though she was searching for a coffee rather than tea.
They'd done their best to make the students comfortable - which wasn't the same as safe, at the moment - but, with everyone tucked into their sleeping quarters, there was nothing to do but wait. Wait and hope that the fence continued to hold.]
I can never sleep. Especially with the Mist around.
[She sighed and looked at the detective.
This woman had looked after the students out of duty, not fear for herself. Not that she blamed the little mouse and the clock. Small, small things like that had to be watched as well, and the mouse-- her name, Helga couldn't remember, simply because her mind wasn't yet trained to remember most animal names.]
[She felt tired - exhausted, in fact - but, with the Mist just outside, she couldn't even think about trying to sleep. She didn't want to risk dreaming.]
Hey, it's my job. Thank you for everything you did in the tunnels.
[Of course, none of them were all right at the moment - not with that dreadful Mist snapping at their heels - but, from what Bianca had seen, Helga had been so busy organising everything else that she'd forgotten to take care of herself.]
[Instinctively, Helga looked up and around... but saw no one. Still. No. That voice wasn't in her head. So she finally thought to glance lower and saw the mouse.
Her expression was something of amusement... but a bit of appreciation as well as... puzzlement. She was still adjusting to animals speaking.]
As well as can be.
[She made a dismissive gesture with her gloved hand.]
[It could have been much worse. Bianca was used to being regarded with fear or disgust. Although she could tell that Helga wasn't the sort of person to be frightened of a mouse, she was pleasantly surprised that she hadn't chosen the latter option.]
Oh, you're welcome. I'm very glad I was able to help.
[Helga was quickly learning that in this school... There seemed to be nothing too strange. Ever.]
Hopefully we'll get keys to those rooms if we ever need them.
[After all, the locks were complicated. It'd take her awhile to pick them. And from the make of them, she doubted that this small of a creature would be able to turn the locking mechanism from the other side.
[Audrey couldn't sleep at all, her brain would just replay the same dream over and over again.
Fire, roaring, someone screaming and falling. There was so much falling.
She didn't want to deal with that right now, or ever for that matter. So she tried to pace a hole into the carpet, and thought of more important things.]
[She made an apologetic grimace at Helga, a small stutter in her paces. It wasn't that she disliked tea, to the contrary even. It just made her sleepy for some weird reason.
'Ey. [His voice is quiet and hoarse, and Vinny's eyes look bloodshot. He's good at putting up a front, but it's harder to do that when your body betrays you.]
Ya ever think about gettin some sleep? We might need it. [He knows what the answer will be before she speaks.]
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He doesn't notice Helga as he comes in, moving immediately to the window to stare out at the fence. After a moment, he lights a cigarette. Small comfort, but a comfort indeed.]
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[But there's no real threat behind her words.
After all, it's not like she can tell him to go outside. Not now.
Her voice was clearer, more sure. More like it should sound, rather than like it had sounded the last time they'd spoken.]
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Gimmie a break tonight, Lieutenant.
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Long as you don't tell anyone.
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They'd done their best to make the students comfortable - which wasn't the same as safe, at the moment - but, with everyone tucked into their sleeping quarters, there was nothing to do but wait. Wait and hope that the fence continued to hold.]
I'm guessing you can't sleep either?
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[She sighed and looked at the detective.
This woman had looked after the students out of duty, not fear for herself. Not that she blamed the little mouse and the clock. Small, small things like that had to be watched as well, and the mouse-- her name, Helga couldn't remember, simply because her mind wasn't yet trained to remember most animal names.]
Thank you for your assistance. With the students.
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[She felt tired - exhausted, in fact - but, with the Mist just outside, she couldn't even think about trying to sleep. She didn't want to risk dreaming.]
Hey, it's my job. Thank you for everything you did in the tunnels.
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Standard routine in my job.
[What was an expedition without a cramped passageway, dim lighting...]
Have you slept at all?
[It was a question, not a suggestion. She knew her own nightmares, knew she wasn't the only one.]
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[Of course, none of them were all right at the moment - not with that dreadful Mist snapping at their heels - but, from what Bianca had seen, Helga had been so busy organising everything else that she'd forgotten to take care of herself.]
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Her expression was something of amusement... but a bit of appreciation as well as... puzzlement. She was still adjusting to animals speaking.]
As well as can be.
[She made a dismissive gesture with her gloved hand.]
Thank you for your help earlier.
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Oh, you're welcome. I'm very glad I was able to help.
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Hopefully we'll get keys to those rooms if we ever need them.
[After all, the locks were complicated. It'd take her awhile to pick them. And from the make of them, she doubted that this small of a creature would be able to turn the locking mechanism from the other side.
Probably too heavy.]
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Fire, roaring, someone screaming and falling. There was so much falling.
She didn't want to deal with that right now, or ever for that matter. So she tried to pace a hole into the carpet, and thought of more important things.]
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[Tea without whiskey.
If things got worse, though, her next pot might well be... fortified.]
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[She made an apologetic grimace at Helga, a small stutter in her paces. It wasn't that she disliked tea, to the contrary even. It just made her sleepy for some weird reason.
And she bet Helga knew that - crap. Lies wasted.]
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And motioned to the chair across the small table from her, if Audrey wanted it.]
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She isn't surprised.
Helga glances over slightly and gives a faint nod in acknowledgment.]
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Ya ever think about gettin some sleep? We might need it. [He knows what the answer will be before she speaks.]
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[She hated this Mist. She always had trouble sleeping-- too many enemies, too few allies. But the Mist made it a hundred times worse.
This time was even worse.]
Look like you could use a few hours yourself.
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