Monday

[ladyfirestarter]

The phone rings three times before Charlie manages to lift her hand to the receiver and fumble it towards her, tilting her head sideways so she can rest the receiver on the pillow instead of holding it up.

"Hello?"

Comments

[shadowsusannah.livejournal.com]

"Charlie. How are you doing?"

[ladyfirestarter]

"...Susannah."

(I cry your)

She starts to sit up, regrets it when another sluggish wave of exhaustion goes through her.

"I'm awake," she manages. "Sorry. Still a little ... you?"

[shadowsusannah.livejournal.com]

"Me too," she agrees. "Although I can't imagine--"

[ladyfirestarter]

"Mn," Charlie agrees. Eloquently.

"Charles said he called ...?"

[shadowsusannah.livejournal.com]

"That's right," she says. "Thank you, Charlie. For getting rid of it. And for--"

"That took a lot of courage."

[ladyfirestarter]

She closes her eyes.

"You're all right?"

[shadowsusannah.livejournal.com]

"I'm all right," she confirms. "How are you doing? Any ill effects?"

[ladyfirestarter]

"Just tired."

A pause.

"Very," she adds, "very tired."

[shadowsusannah.livejournal.com]

"I can't imagine," she says.

"I had a long talk with Armin yesterday," she says. "The board isn't very pleased. I don't really blame them."


Weary: "I'm sorry, Charlie."

[ladyfirestarter]

Weak tears are gathering in her eyes. It's the exhaustion, she knows it.

"It's all right," she says, and the effort to keep her voice clear is so much more than it should be. "You weren't --"

She can't catch the crooked half-laugh half-sob before it comes out.

"You weren't yourself."

[shadowsusannah.livejournal.com]

"I was, though," she says. "That's the trouble."

[ladyfirestarter]

Charlie's silent.

Because Susannah was entirely herself that night, and that is the truth.

[shadowsusannah.livejournal.com]

"I'm stepping down," she says. "I'm signing my shares of Tet over to Rose."

[ladyfirestarter]

"...What?"

[shadowsusannah.livejournal.com]

"She passed her trial," Susannah says. "In all the things that happened that night, that was part of it."

"This... it's time."

[ladyfirestarter]

Her trial. The gunslinger trial. And that makes Rose an adult, as much as anything can.

Oh, Rose, mourns a quiet internal voice. Oh, honey.

Charlie shifts, rolling onto her side. "What's that going to mean for Tet? And for us?" Taos, she means, and the Irina Foundation.

[shadowsusannah.livejournal.com]

"Well, she'll own more than half the stock in Tet. With all the authority that gives her. As for the Irina Foundation--"

"I think it would be better if you were a little more independent. I hope you can work well together, of course, but I'm going to transfer the endowment for the Foundation to you and Ted and Irene officially and legally."

[ladyfirestarter]

She is not going to utter any variation on I'm sorry, for a second there it sounded like you said.

Which means all that comes out is "Oh," weakly.

[shadowsusannah.livejournal.com]

"I know I can count on you. Now more than ever."

[ladyfirestarter]

For the past day and a half, Charlie's been lying in bed or lying on the couch or (very briefly) sitting up; she hasn't been able to get to her feet, much less cross the room, without help from Charles or Zillah. Even reaching for the telephone felt like lifting weights.

Those words, from this woman, and she's ready to promise to run the marathon. And follow through, or die trying.

"I won't let you down."

[shadowsusannah.livejournal.com]

She winces.

What did I ever do to deserve this kind of loyalty?

"She'll need support getting started, I think. Cochrane isn't going to be very friendly."

Although Rose can handle the likes of him.

[ladyfirestarter]

"Well."

Tired or no, there's the sound of a grim smile in her voice.

"Maybe someone can remind him that he's an observer, not a protagonist."

[shadowsusannah.livejournal.com]

Susannah barks a weary laugh.

"I should let you rest." And she has other calls to make.

[ladyfirestarter]

"Thanks. Just ... let me know where and when you need me. I'll be there."

If I have to get someone to carry me.

[shadowsusannah.livejournal.com]

"She will," Susannah says.

"You rest now, sug. Goodbye."

[ladyfirestarter]

"Bye."

It takes her a moment (as she laboriously stretches to hang up the phone again) to catch on; she's too used to talking to people who use the third person to refer to themselves.

She will. Not Susannah. Rose.



Another wave of weariness crashes over her, and she closes her eyes and lets it drag her down.