(no subject)

[ladyfirestarter]

The permanent door from Milliways opens onto a hallway that looks like it could be a teacher's area in a primary school. Drawings and photographs are tacked up on the walls; the doors leading off the hallway are painted a calm pale-rose color, and each has a nameplate on it. (The closest one reads IRENE TASSENBAUM. It's locked; Irene's out today.)

Charlie steps aside to let her guest through. "Welcome to Taos."

Comments

[thisfatefulhour]

"Some other time," he agrees, nodding.

[ladyfirestarter]

Up a short flight of stairs, and out into the library's main reading room.

Winter sunlight sifts in through a row of high windows, burnishing the dark wooden bookshelves and tables to a deep glow. There's a handful of teenagers scattered around the room: bent over books at the tables, browsing the shelves, curled up on the leather couches. At first glance, it might be any well-appointed college library.

[thisfatefulhour]

Charles pauses as they come in, a little uncertain. In another situation, he might go strike up a conversation with one of the readers; he's not sure what's appropriate here.

Regardless, though, his eyes are bright and excited.

[walk_ins]

The first person to react to their presence is a tall young man sitting on -- on, not at -- one of the tables, one knee drawn up and chin resting on it, apparently absorbed in the book he's holding.

He raises his head, looking intently at the far wall.

"Come from outside," he says, not loudly. "Wants to see them. See it."

[thisfatefulhour]

Charles looks towards the voice and slips his hands in his pockets,

(you want to learn)

waiting.

[ladyfirestarter]

The boy turns his head sharply to look at Charlie, who nods.

"Leon," she says quietly, "this is Charles Wallace. He's come to visit. Charles, this is Leon."

[walk_ins]

"Charles," Leon repeats, and turns his gaze to the visitor. "Free man."

Beat.

"From the German."

[thisfatefulhour]

He smiles slightly.

"Yes. The French variant. It's good to meet you, Leon."

[walk_ins]

"From outside."

A sharp little face framed by red hair looks up from under the table.

"Crossed from the East."

[thisfatefulhour]

Charles' smile widens -- the flash of red hair reminds him of Poly.

"You could say that. It was on the roundabout side."

[walk_ins]

"Wandering Aramean," she says, and her gaze on him is piercing. "In and out of time."

A beat, and she adds scornfully: "She's not the Old Man's daughter."

[thisfatefulhour]

He blinks at her, slightly taken aback, and crouches so he's on the same level with her.

"So was my father," quietly, "but not lost."

He pushes his hair out of his eyes and adds, "I know. Honestly."

[walk_ins]

"Not all those who wander," says Leon, low and half-laughing. "Yeah. He, Beth, he knows."

Beth looks at Charlie, her expression very dubious, and then back at Charles Wallace. "His father," she says.

[thisfatefulhour]

He smiles at Leon, nodding, and looks back at Beth.

"Not time, though. He never learned how."

[walk_ins]

Charlie has taken a step back, fading into the background to watch.

"You had help." Beth's voice is suddenly much less sharp, almost unsure. "Five-dimensional spatial mathematics. Too many angles."

[thisfatefulhour]

Another nod.

"I still can't do time by myself."

[walk_ins]

A few of the others are drawing closer, including a boy of about thirteen who hasn't yet hit whatever growth spurt he's destined to have.

"Wasn't there," he whispers. "He wasn't."

[thisfatefulhour]

Charles glances up and gives the boy a curious look, uncertain what he means.

"Where?"

(Where doesn't matter.)

[walk_ins]

The boy looks at him like he's crazy. "There."

"Walls and masks and needles," Beth mutters. "Never going back."

[thisfatefulhour]

"Oh." Soft.

"No," he agrees, looking at the faces around him. "Never."

[walk_ins]

Another face appears around the corner of a bookshelf, staring at him solemnly.

[thisfatefulhour]

He looks up and catches her gaze.

And breaks into a smile.

She does have blue eyes.

[walk_ins]

She does. And those eyes are fixed on him.

Her smile is tentative and shy, and she doesn't come any closer.

[thisfatefulhour]

He won't push for contact, any more than he would with any of the other kids. But he returns her smile warmly, and looks around at the others.

"Thank you, by the way," he tells them, "for letting me intrude."

[walk_ins]

"It ain't," Leon mutters, but doesn't elaborate.