(no subject)

[ladyfirestarter]

It's the same hallway as the last time he came through. The drawings have changed; one of them is a careful pencil sketch of two hands in repose, fingers halfway overlapping.

Charlie stands aside to let him pass, studying him carefully as he crosses the threshold.

Comments

[walk_ins]

Her eyes flicks back to him, and she beams.

"It's now," she says softly, happily.

"Hi."

[thisfatefulhour]

He nods at the library. "Yours is mine."

Beat.

"We'll be at it all day if we start now."

[walk_ins]

Zillah nods, but the laughter's fading from her face.

"The world is quiet here," she says, uncertainly.

[thisfatefulhour]

"Yes."

Slowly -- "The heart breathes to music."

[walk_ins]

"You came here seeking shelter."

A tiny upright line appears between her eyebrows as she studies him.

[thisfatefulhour]

(I believe they'll find you)

He nods, mute.

(it's very crowded)

[walk_ins]

Her eyes widen, in what might be concern or alarm. "The air resounds with cries of scavengers --"

[ladyfirestarter]

Charlie's sitting up very straight in her chair now, leaning forward just slightly.

[thisfatefulhour]

Charles' eyes widen a little in echo -- then he shuts them, hard, focusing as much as he can on anything else.

(trying to protect his student's innocence He told them the Ice Age was really just)

"Sorry--"

[walk_ins]

"No." Zillah shakes her head, and speaks urgently, entreating. "No. All's well with you..."

She glances to Charlie as though for confirmation; to Avi, behind her, for support.

"All's well with you," she repeats more firmly.

[thisfatefulhour]

After a long moment, he nods, opening his eyes.

"Are you sure?"

[walk_ins]

She doesn't looks sure. But she nods, unsteadily.

"You come once more, at evening, to this simple cloister," she whispers. "Hushed by the quiet walls, you stand at peace."

[walk_ins]

She isn't just saying it aloud.

(peace)

The good-mind's starting to pulse with it. Still hunkered down by the bookshelves, Avi rocks slowly to the not-quite-words.

(quiet calm safe)

[thisfatefulhour]

Charles takes a breath, and lets it out, long and slow.

"The only other sound's the sweep of easy wind," he murmurs.

His breathing is settling gently into the rhythm of the good-mind.

[ladyfirestarter]

(peace safe comfort)

Charlie's drawn her legs up to curl in the armchair, and she's watching him very closely. Him, and the kids.

(home)

[walk_ins]

"Go with the wind," Zillah agrees softly. "Whirl and return."

[thisfatefulhour]

(the winds with their swiftness along the path)

"As God is my witness," he murmurs, but doesn't seem inclined to finish the quote.

"I didn't mean to bring him in here." He glances between Zillah and Avi, and down at his hands. "I'm not sure I realized he'd . . . stuck with me."

[walk_ins]

"A fiend, if fiends speak truth --"

Her eyes narrow. "Afraid, aggressive, and American."

[thisfatefulhour]

That startles a not-very-amused laugh out of him.

"Precisely." He brushes his hair out of his eyes. "But I haven't seen him since then. Or heard him."

[ladyfirestarter]

Charlie's leaning forward a little now.

"Who, Charles?"

[thisfatefulhour]

He glances over at her, blue eyes shadowed.

"He called himself Sylar. He -- he sounded like almost no one I've ever heard before. And he was very . . ."

He frowns, searching for the right word. "Perceptive."

[ladyfirestarter]

"But not sympathetic."

[thisfatefulhour]

Swallowing,

(who hunts you, Charles?)

he looks away.

"No."

[ladyfirestarter]

Charlie's nodding.

Zillah's nodding too, and Avi bites his lower lip and brings his arms up around himself as though cold.

Perceptive, but not sympathetic; they know -- they all know -- what that's like.

[thisfatefulhour]

"You could say it set me back," he murmurs, mostly to himself.

Then his head comes up, turning towards Avi; he looks distressed, part his and part a reflection of the boy's.