A Secluded Couch In The Arms Hotel Lobby, Saturday Morning - Give or Take 20 Years

[thatsamilkshake]

Well, here goes nothin'... See ya in the funny papers, princess...

Francine, eyes still closed, was trying to rub at her forehead while someone was kissing her hand. Wasn't working out so well. That happened when you were still three quarters asleep, and that someone was leaving, and

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[bigdamndestiny]

And be assaulted by cheerful wizards, right? "Francine!"

[thatsamilkshake]

There was a voice she hadn't heard in...much longer than was true for Merlin, though Francine was for the moment unaware of that fact. She didn't need time to place it, but the seconds of silence that followed came at least partially from matching the years-older face up with the voice of the boy she'd known.

"Merlin." Who didn't look nearly as much older as Francine felt, even so.

[bigdamndestiny]

Merlin was too busy hugging her to notice the glaring differences between her and the Francine he knew. "Is Katchoo around too? Or did she manage to get away from the cheer already?"

[thatsamilkshake]

Oh, she'd missed that. Not that she didn't get in plenty of hugs on the mom front, but it was different when the other person wasn't a ten year old girl. Well, it was Merlin, so that might have been giving too much credit.

So she didn't immediately freeze at the question. There was at least a five second time delay. "I haven't... she's here?"

That'd be what he just asked you, dumbass.