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 Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 3:55 am
Robert did the freaking out when Rene started seizuring, and his breath came in short, haggard gasps until she stopped. He ignored Clarice's check ups, focusing only on the pale face of the little girl, now that her eyes had closed again. He brushed the strands of matted hair out of her face, and itched to pick her back up into his arms. But instead, he went back to cleaning up her wounds when he was told to do so, numbly moving without any thoughtful effort.
"Thanks." He'd snapped out of it suddenly to repeat his gratitude, but there was no sarcasm in his voice this time when he looked up at Clarice, eyes wide and innocent. It was clear that this time, he was thanking her for Rene, and not for himself. He immediately turned back to the girl, and finished with her last open wound, before immediately scooping her up and holding her gently in his arms.
This time, he was definitely humming.
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Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 4:16 am
As the tide of relief receded, her irritation and anger at the situation began to well up again. To be honest she preferred that to worry and panic, it kept her sharper in all ways, so when Robert locked up at her all big sad eyes, she was sad to see that edge fade and dull. "Godamnit," she murmured, focusing on the texts she was sending out. It was simple proximity that had her placing on hand gently on his head. b*****d was tall. His head was just there.
In Robert's arms, the girl shifted and whispered softly, "Daddy?"
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Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 4:38 am
The hand on his head made him crack a smile, but it wasn't enough. It wasn't going to be enough to stop the heartbreak when he heard it. The complete, and utter ******** that finally broke the straw that Circe had already worn away at. Robert hadn't been himself since that day, and the sound of that one, little girl, whispering the one, little word he knew he wanted to hear and never would, broke him.
It broke his heart clean in half, and his mind struggled with the usual coping mechanisms for a broken heart. The most obvious of which was a denial and reconstruction of reality.
"Shh, it's okay Rainbow." He coo'd, bringing her head up to his lips and kissing her on the forehead. "You're safe now." Robert's eyes glazed slightly as he rocked her in his arms. "Daddy's here."
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Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 4:49 am
Clarice's hand tightened as she heard the girl's soft whisper, her face carefully blank as she finished her messages. Robert's reaction was...she kept her hand on his head, a small, ineffective tether to reality as she willed the clean-up team to arrive now goddamnit. It only took about ten minutes, but it felt like a slow, spiraling fall into an infinitely depressing forever until they arrived.
As the hunter team approached, several dressed as fireman along with a couple 'officers' and a 'medic,' Clarice knelt down beside Robert and placed a hand on his arm, the other stroking his back, and spoke to him with a gentleness that never came easy when directed at this particular hunter, "Robert, she's okay. You need to let her go now."
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Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 4:59 am
Clarice's voice was much more of a tether on reality than her hand could ever be, and he turned to look at her when he heard it. He blinked, and his lower lip jutted out in a pitiful pout. He didn't argue, nor did he let her go, he just looked at her. His eyes were silently begging, but the words wouldn't come.
Finally, when it seemed a moment too long and someone had to be wondering if they were going to have to use force, Robert's hold on Rene loosened and he stood up, holding her out to the technicians. When she left his arms, it felt like part of him was being ripped away, a part he knew he'd never had in the first place. This phantom love that never existed, but somehow hurt more than anything he'd ever felt, to lose.
His empty arms fell down to his sides, and he watched them take her away.
"No, Clarice." He whispered quietly, eyes still on Rene, as he re-answered Clarice's question from several minutes ago. "I'm not okay. I'm not okay."
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Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 5:13 am
The pause had been...painfully drawn out, oh god don't make us use for, Robert, just please...
And then he finally let go and it was...just a little bit...heartbreaking to watch. The team carried her away, her mother's cry of surprised alarm could be heard in the distance, as well as the soft purr of a particularly pretty cat who briefly rubbed up against the Intermediate's leg and then trotted after it's little owner.
Clarice stared at Robert, hands useless at her side, feeling awkward and awful and helpless and so ******** worried for the younger man until she finally just let it go and stopped holding back. Despite their difference in size, Clarice's hugs <******** hurt, especially after having wielded Raeg. "I know....I know...but you will be, Robert."
Everything would be fine.
Really.
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Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 5:36 am
The cat made him feel again, and he took in a shuddering breath when he felt it brush against his leg and walk away. At first, he didn't know what was happening, but then, the big, lunky giant crumpled in Clarice's tight and painful hug, his head dropping down to rest his face on her shoulder. There was a single, shuddering heave that warned of an oncoming flood, but he sucked in a very sharp breath and hugged her back, gathering what strength he could from her attempt at comfort and forcing himself to hold on until he was alone. It worked.
He sucked in another violent breath as he straightened up, and held her out just enough to look down at her. His eyes were wet, and threatening, but he wasn't crying just yet. He gave her a remarkably genuine smile, and sniffed.
"Come on." He huffed out in a cracked and emotional voice. "We gotta go."
He meant it, too. He needed to leave this place, as quickly as possible, or he was going to break down and cry, and no amount of strength could stop him.
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Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 5:48 am
Looking up she gave him a crooked attempt at a smile and said tightly, "Yeah, let's go home." There would be questions, and paperwork, and explanations later. But they could wait until Robert's world shifted and settled into something he could deal with. Or, at least, until tomorrow morning. Chances were he'd get a lot of questions and lectures come tomorrow morning.
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