Chink *Cloudie! Wake up!*
The tinkerer jerked out of slumber, disoriented and fuzzy.
*Jeez, you gonna sleep all morning? Get out of bed!*
Cloudie groaned, burrowing further under the soft, bright bedclothes and closer to Ewan's warmth. The musician grinned sleepily, brushing a kiss over her ringlets.
"Someone's enthusiastic this morning. I guess he's looking forward to the weekend."
"Yeah," Cloudie winced - Gorey's shrill yapping was echoing Rowan's excited agitation.
"You okay, lovely?" Ewan shifted onto his side, the easier to wrap the TK in his arms.
"Yeah," a sigh, "I really hope this helps him settle, Ewan, I don't know what I'll do if it doesn't..."Rowan had never acclimatised to life in the Agency. He'd made some good friends and was enjoying learning to use his abilities but he never really felt like he belonged. That wasn't the only problem though. The Traveller boy had had a comparatively sheltered life and now he had access to all sorts of information sources he was finding out just how bad life could be outside the loving, protective buffer of a clan.
Cloudie had come home from the workshop one afternoon to the sounds of sobbing coming from her brother's room.
*Row?* the tinkerer gently pushed the door open, concerned to see Rowan huddled on his bed with Gorey whining and distressed beside him. Cloudie darted forwards, gathering the child into her arms. *Rowan, what's wrong?*
*E-e-everything!* a fresh burst of tears accompanied the less-than-helpful exclamation.
She hugged him, tightly, and kissed the top of his head.
*Want to tell me about it?*
And it had all *tumbled* out, everything Rowan had learnt about wars, and famine, and terror and suffering. All he'd learnt about greed and injustice, and a planet slowly drowning in filth.
*N-no one cares, Cloudie! How can we be like this?!*
The Tinkerer didn't have a ready answer for the distraught child, all she could do was hold him while he cried himself out.
Sometime later he was still sniffling but calm, and only then did Cloudie try to console him. Rowan had listened attentively to his sister's explanation of how there were many, many strong and dedicated people involved in trying to fix the damage and right the wrongs. And yes, there was a long way to go but the journey had begun and the more people who joined in the quicker the healing could happen.
*Could I be one of those people, Cloudie? The healers?* Rowan's *voice* was thoughtful.
*You already are, my love,* the tinkerer smiled at him, thankful the crisis seemed to have passed. *You understand there's problems – that's the first step.*
The boy nodded, his expression distant.
*Are you one of the healers?*
*I try to be. I do what I can.*
Rowan nodded again, the soft lines of his child's face taking on a hardness that inexplicably worried his sister.
*So will I – and I'm gonna tell everyone they have to help.*
*Go gently, sweetheart,* Cloudie cautioned. *People don't like being bullied into something, you've got to convince them it's in their own interest.*
*That's dumb!* Pale blonde eyebrows drew together in a frown. *All they gotta do is look to see how bad everything is! An' if they don't wanna look then they've gotta be told.*
While the tinkerer could applaud the sentiments but she could all too easily see her idealistic little brother becoming hardened and made bitter by the apathy and disappointments she knew he was going to have to face.New converts are always the most zealous and pretty soon Rowan was chaffing against his sister's more moderate stance. He wanted to start saving the world right now and resented Cloudie's reining him in. Consequently there was a steady increase in friction between the siblings, with Cloudie feeling as if she should keep a closer eye on him, and Rowan becoming standoffish and secretive in return.
The tinkerer was flummoxed, she went to Holly for advice."Well, he's making no secret that he's not happy here," the empath mused, "I think all this belligerence stems from that."
Cloudie's face fell.
"How can I make him happy, then, Holly? Without compromising his safety? I can't just let him go off and do what he wants."
The medico clasped Cloudie's hands across the table.
"This isn't easy, I know, for either of you, but he will settle down eventually." she brightened, "Maybe it's time for a break? He's been working awfully hard."
The tinkerer gnawed her bottom lip.
"I did say he could go back and visit Mum and Dad sometime."
"Perfect!" Holly beamed, "It'll give him – and you - a chance to unwind somewhere familiar."It was arranged quickly, a four day long-weekend for the brother and sister to go and visit their family. Ernst requested to go with them – he was going to rejoin his team leader in Europe soon and he wanted to see Lilah before he went – and Rowan had asked if Jem could come too. Cloudie was happy to have the young TK along, he and Rowan were as thick as thieves and when they were together her brother seemed to behave more like the happy, carefree kid she remembered.
*Cloudie, are you out of bed yet?*
The tinkerer groaned again, reluctantly pushing herself away from Ewan.
"Would you like some breakfast before we go?"
He smirked at her for a moment, a heavy-lidded, promising look that left her in no doubt where his thoughts were wandering.
"I mean food!" Cloudie laughed, swatting at his stomach, then impulsively leaning over to nuzzle his mouth.
*It's a shame you can't come with us.*
*Wish I could, love,* he raised a hand to tuck golden curls behind her ear. *'m going to miss you.* She shivered, pupils dilating as his other hand brushed over her breast, tugging lightly at the fine ring threaded through her nipple.
*Cloudie!* the tinkerer jerked at her brother's strident, exasperated *voice*. *Ernst's here already! C'mon!*
Ewan chuckled, wriggling out from beneath the covers – Rowan had unsubtly *included* him in the call.
"I'll get breakfast ready," he grinned, shrugging into clothes rumpled from being left where they'd fallen the previous night, "you can deal with the rest of it..."Cloudie drove, naturally, half-listening to the boys giggling in the back seat of the small van but mostly her attention was focused on the vehicle, listening to the engine, feeling the tyres' grip on the alternately wet and sleety road surface. Ernst sat in the front passenger seat, self-contained with a book, happy to let the machine empath do what she did best without interruption.
It was mid-afternoon and already the evening was closing in when they reached their destination, a camping ground near Buxton, in Derbyshire, its one claim to fame being an ancient Roman spa fallen even further into ruin since the funds for restoration had petered out half a century ago. Cloudie climbed out of the van with a beaming grin plastered over her face – it was so cold the mud was still frozen, there was a vicious wind whipping through but she was home, with her family. She really wished Ewan could've been there too.
Rowan flung himself in his mother's arms and Daisy hugged him back, tight enough to squeeze the breath from his lungs, burying her face in his colourful knitted hat. Cloudie wasn't privileged to hear what her brother had *said* to the older woman but the look on her face when he first made *contact* was priceless!
Ernst threw the tinkerer a casual wave and sauntered off to find Lilah. Jem, feeling a little shy perhaps, stuck close to her side until Rowan beckoned him over and began making introductions. Cloudie stood to one side and watched her brother's happy, voluble homecoming, while Gorey bounced through it all, barking ecstatically.
"It's usually you being greeted so enthusiastically."
Tiger's melodious, dark voice sounded close to her ear and Cloudie swivelled to smile at him.
"Eh, this is Rowan's first time back, only natural he's the centre of attention."
"Yeah, the little sod's been missed." The lanky, dark-skinned male smiled down into her eyes, "So have you." He lowered his head to kiss her, a softly warm and familiar sensation. After a moment Tiger pulled back and quirked an eyebrow.
"So, are you going to tell me their name?"
"Whose name?" Cloudie blinked.
"Whoever it is you've hooked up with."
The tinkerer blinked again and Tiger smirked, brushing broad fingertips over the faint spiral tattoo high up on her cheek.
"You always kiss differently when you're with someone: there's a... I don't know.. a sort of reserve there."
"Oh," the tinkerer grinned shyly. "His name's Ewan and he's a musician."
"Is he good to you?"
"Oh yes," Cloudie's reply was low and throaty. Tiger smirked again but there was a flare of something like loss in his eyes, quickly suppressed.
"I won't expect to see you in my van, then?" he enquired lightly.
"Sorry, my friend, not this time."
Tiger nodded, then grinned.
"Go find Aggie, she's got a surprise for you."
Cloudie raised her eyebrows but ambled off to find her old friend anyway."Aggie!" the tinkerer's squeal of delight pealed around the campsite as she caught the thin woman up in a tight hug. "This is wonderful! When are you due? Who's the father?"
"Couple of months to go yet," Aggie wrapped her hands over her bulging abdomen, her eyes bright and happy, "should be a May baby." She laughed, "And I'm not sure who the father is."
Cloudie smirked.
"You must have some idea."
"Well," Aggie giggled, "Could be Tiger, or Lonzo, or that pretty friend of yours."
"Devon?"
"Yup. Near as I can figure I fell during your last visit with us."
The tinkerer stared, then burst out laughing, hugging her friend again.
"That's such good news, sweetie! I'm so happy for you! But if you don't mind I won't mention it to Devon just yet."
Aggie frowned a little.
"You think he'd want to know? I wouldn't expect anything from him if he was my kid's dad."
"I think he'd want to know at least, yeah," Cloudie was thoughtful, "But it's probably not fair to worry him with the possibility until we know for sure." The tinkerer grinned evilly, imagining the TK's reaction. "In May, you say? I'll be visiting again during Summer at the very latest – might see if I can convince Devon to come along again too..."The supplies Cloudie had packed into the van were quickly unloaded and stowed away while Rowan and Jem set their tent up. Daisy fussed a little about the boys sleeping out while it was so cold but Rowan simply flashed big-blue eyes at his step-mother and *said* that sleeping in a tent was something Jem had always wanted to do. Daisy acquiesced with the admonition they were to come straight inside if they started getting cold. Not that that was likely to happen, the tent was waterproof and designed to withstand a blizzard, and with the sleeping bags and grounds mats they'd be warm enough.
Cloudie, on the other hand, happily accepted her parents' offer of a bunk. There was no way she'd be sharing with her brother and Jem, not if she wanted to get some sleep anytime soon, and to be honest, without having someone to cuddle up to she didn't relish sleeping outside when it was this cold if she didn't need to.The tinkerer sat with her parents around the tiny table in their van, sipping the honey-sweetened peppermint tea, the warmth of the drink and the familiar surroundings relaxing away tensions she'd only been partially aware of.
"How's Rowan doing?" Daisy asked. "He didn't really answer when I asked him earlier."
It was the question Cloudie had been dreading but there was no way she could be less than truthful with her family.
"He's taking a long time to settle in."
"Which means?" Malcolm frowned.
"Which means – " Cloudie sighed, " – he's not happy, though he is doing really well otherwise." She added hastily.
"Well if he's not happy he should come home." Daisy was reasonable.
"He can't, mum," Cloudie grimaced, "Row's too vulnerable at the moment. He's got to stay and learn to use his abilities."
"But if he's not happy – "
"Happiness isn't everything," the tinkerer didn't quite snap, then sighed, rubbing her temples, "This isn't up for discussion, mum, he can't come home yet."
Daisy's eyebrows came together in a mutinous frown but Mal interceded, lightly clasping his wife's forearm.
"It's okay, love, we understand." Cloudie graced her father with a small, grateful smile which transmuted into laughter at his next words. "And how much longer do I have to wait for my grandchildren...?"The hours passed easily as Cloudie brought her parents up to speed on her life. She'd initially only intended to tell them about Ewan and not mention the problems with James at all but slowly, inexorably it all came out.
"Oh, that's a shame, love!" Daisy scooted around the table to snag her daughter into a sympathetic cuddle, "I liked James."
"Yeah, oh well," Cloudie snuggled into her mother's embrace with a small sigh, "I'm going to miss him – I hope we can go back to being friends sometime."
"How did Rowan take all this?" Malcolm asked. "He's very fond of James."
The tinkerer was quiet for a moment.
"Row accused me of driving James away. I tried to explain what happened but I'm not sure he really understood." Cloudie shrugged, "Anyway, James is still in contact with him at least. That helps." She glanced out of the van's window at the boys' tent – there was still a light on in there, if they were still awake and chatting there'd be two very sleepy little boys dragging around the camp tomorrow. Cloudie gave her mother a quick squeeze. "Anyway, I'm tired, better get some sleep. No doubt I'll be up to my elbows in engines tomorrow."
"Sure, love," Daisy kissed her daughter's curls, "sleep tight."On the one hand the weekend passed all too quickly - Cloudie was kept busy with the clan's vehicles, and spending time with her parents and Aggie – but on the other hand, she found herself missing Ewan and anticipating going home. Rowan and Jem seemed to be never still and it was wonderful the way the young TK, who'd known nothing but privation and emotional isolation before being rescued from a foundlings home by the Agency, fell into the clan way of life like he'd been born to it. And Rowan had discovered another aspect of his animal empathy.
Tiger had taken the boys out on a foraging trip and they'd returned a few hours later carrying half a dozen rabbits between them, enough to provide a substantial stew for the clan's evening meal. Rowan was ecstatic, *burbling* about his discovery to Cloudie and their parents. He'd been able to sense the rabbits long before reaching their warren and decided to see if he could influence them at all. To his delight he could, holding them calm and still while Jem lifted them quickly from their burrows in front of an astonished Tiger. The half-caste was beaming, pointing out the saving in ammunition the boys' skills meant, and how the animals were able to be killed more humanely than with firearms or snares. Cloudie smiled, knowing the psi tutors back at the Agency would be fascinated by all this.By the end of their short holiday, both Rowan and Cloudie were more relaxed, in themselves and with each other. The boys weren't terribly enthusiastic to return, Cloudie knew, though thankfully neither of them made a fuss about it. But the tinkerer was more than ready to leave – when she'd phoned Ewan the previous day he'd promised to be waiting for her when she got back...
Rowan smirked at his sister. Cloudie was enveloped in Ewan's arms, sharing a deep, thorough kiss with the musician.
*I'll stay with Jem tonight.* He informed the pair.
*Are you sure?* Cloudie pulled away enough from her much-missed lover to regard her brother.
*Yes.* Rowan smirked harder, if that was possible, his gaze dropping to where Ewan's hand was just dipping between the tinkerer's denim-clad buttocks.
"Okay then," Cloudie smiled, *You can unpack tomorrow. Say 'hi' to Erin for me.*
*I will.* Then sporting huge, matching grins, he and Jem bolted, Gorey galloping beside them.
"I've missed you." Ewan nuzzled her neck.
Cloudie sighed happily, winding her arms around his neck.
"Missed you too, can you stay tonight?"
"I'd planned to." Ewan grinned.
"Oh good." the tinkerer murmured, pressing close.It'd been a bit of a jolt, albeit a pleasant one, coming back to her quarters after the short break. Cloudie still half-expected to see the patterns when she'd walked in, but any sense of dislocation was quickly swamped by the pleasure her new colour scheme gave her. Not that all the walls were the same colour, heavens no: the main living area was a sunny yellow, Rowan's room was a bright sky-blue, the bathroom was turquoise and her bedroom was now a rich, mid-purple. All comfortable, comforting colours that lifted her heart.
And Ewan had been waiting for her, with his heart in his eyes and clasping a big bunch of hot-pink gerberas...Panting and very happy, Cloudie slumped forwards over Ewan's chest, loving the feel of his lean body between her thighs, and the way his cock twitched inside her as he was coming down from orgasm.
"Did you have fun while you were away?" Ewan asked after they'd got their breaths back, stroking lightly down the tinkerer's neck.
"I did, yes, and the boys had fun too, I think." Cloudie pushed herself upright, wriggling a little at the pleasant sensation of a half-hard penis still buried deep within. She smirked at Ewan's bitten back gasp, and wriggled again. "Oh, and remember I told you about Aggie and how she'd lost her baby?" the musician nodded, "She's expecting again!"
"That's great, is she happy?"
"Very." Cloudie beamed. "She's wanted a kid for ages."
"Do you?" Ewan's forest-green eyes were muted. "Want a kid?"
"I don't know," the tinkerer replied, "I've never thought this was a particularly good world to bring a child into."
"I'd like to have children of my own, one day," Ewan wasn't quite looking at her, concentrating on a spot between her breasts as he idly played with the nipple rings.
"You'd be a brilliant dad." Cloudie said quietly.
"You'd be a brilliant mum," Ewan murmured, almost diffidently lifting his eyes to hers. The tinkerer's breath caught in her throat and there was an odd hot/cold sensation prickling inside her ribcage.
Cloudie got the impression they'd just tacitly agreed to something and, surprisingly, it wasn't as scary as she'd thought it might be...
© 2004 February 9th Lutra
Darkside
© 2004 Wordwrights