Suddenly Darcy is attached to his front. Severus freezes, arms raised - away from her, as if he's in danger of being sniped by some kind of anti-nerd-contact SWAT team hiding on a mountain ridge a hundred yards away and this is some kind of bizarroworld sting.
"It's fine," he says stiffly, and forces himself to lower one hand to her shoulder, which he pats it awkwardly.
Merlin's fucking beard, Severus. It's like you've never been hugged by a distraught woman before. Just go with it.
Or don't, because Darcy is perceptive enough to recognize that he's actually doing quite the opposite of what she would do if their roles were reversed, and so she's quick to extract herself again. If not quite swift enough. (Or never having begun at all?)
"I better go," she says. Making the decision to leave her own. Not that she thinks he'd make her leave, but she's actually starting to feel bad about inflicting herself upon him now, even above and beyond the hard knot of dread in her stomach. "Thanks. For... you know." Telling her to do something that actually makes sense, rather than screaming like a banshee in the hall and demanding miracles.
He relaxes somewhat when she pulls away. There's no trace of revulsion in the way he reacts to her, just confusion. Severus understands that she's not trying to get closer to him to stick a knife in, but he doesn't have anything else to supplement that with. (He also isn't having any kind of hyped up adrenaline reaction because he isn't afraid.)
"You should go to the communications center and see if anything else comes up," he tells her, evenly. "I can walk you down there if you like."
Severus sounds perfectly fine about doing that. Maybe Darcy will piece together that he doesn't like being touched without warning one of these days.
Ohhhh no. No, no, no. The last time Darcy let Severus walk her some distance while she was riding an adrenaline high, all she could think about was kissing him, and that was terrible. The not actually kissing him part, that is. Maybe someday she'll come to the realization that her reactions to these kinds of situations are not remotely universal. But before she'll figure out the problem is her technique, she's going to paint in too-broad strokes and assume the problem with her touching him suddenly is her, full stop.
"It's okay. I can get there myself." But then she pauses, uncertain. "I mean, unless you'd feel better walking me there." It's a little unfair to just flounce after that display, isn't it? What if he's actually concerned that she'll just go grab the next hapless person in her path/rolodex? "I know I'm kind of a mess, and I wouldn't be surprised if you don't feel like taking my word that I'll make it there in one piece, without a meltdown of some sort." That much is at least said with the lilt that accompanies her usual wit. She's poking fun at herself again, so she can't be too bad off, can she?
Businesslike. Severus looks over his shoulder and motions at his office-- a book inside closes, then the door shuts. He pulls out his own communications device and sends someone a message before setting out, making sure the lab doors open for her and close behind them.
You can't escape, Darcy. Be careful what you wish for.
"You know that I'm a schoolteacher," he says-- not really a question, but like he's confirming with her before proceeding with something else.
There is a hot for teacher joke there that he's set himself up for so expertly, if only he even knew. Why must so much popular culture be lost on decent-looking wizards?
She watches with interest at the casual display of magic, craning her neck to catch a glimpse of the office before the door shuts, and she turns her attention back. "I think I may have overheard that," Darcy confirms. Her dismay about this situation is already on its way to being short-lived. As long as they manage to keep conversation up, maybe she'll manage to keep her mind from wandering too much. Hopefully. Fingers crossed.
Severus walks briskly, keeping his comms device in hand. The situation is one, despite his desire to make sure Darcy is okay, that he knows he needs to monitor at all times now. Until it's settled - he needs to.
"My society is very small. There is only one all-wizarding village in the United Kingdom." For reference. "A war began when I was a child. It's only come to a stalemate in the last few years. This may be why I am less inclined to panic."
"I watched aliens pour into New York City," not to one up, and she's assuming she at least has a passing knowledge of the existence of a major American city, "in an attempt to conquer the human race." On television, but still. That's as close as she needed to be, even if she and Jane should totally have been closer, thank you very much. "And I've helped fight back space elves who wanted to drag the entire universe into darkness." Not as effectively as her colleagues, but still. "But I didn't really panic then."
She frowns, and a realization dawns on her, quietly. "I guess I don't really get as freaked out when I feel like I can do something. That's why I signed up to help in the first place."
Realizing then that her tact may have left something to be desired, she darts a look over quickly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound like the bit part I've played in the story of the near demises of my world is anything compared to what you went through on a daily basis. That had to be terrible." Especially if it's made him what she sees now.
Edited (whoops i forgot that button inserts brackets too i pay attention) 2014-06-21 10:18 (UTC)
"It's fine." He's not dismissive of her condolences about the war, he just doesn't really have any use for that kind of sentiment. Especially from a muggle. Even one who's been through all that-- which, while interesting, is also something he doesn't have use (or time) to sift through at the moment. "You do have a use. We need to be able to try and find out when the transmissions came through and how they were able to connect in the midst of what's otherwise been a complete blackout."
Tech things that Severus has no knowledge of. He's frustrated by his uselessness, but it can't be helped at this point. "I understand that being isolated here makes people feel anxious and helpless, but it's just a feeling."
"Everybody I knew from my world is gone," Darcy says, punctuating the fact that, yes, she does feel exceptionally isolated. "I recognizes faces of a few others, but I don't know them." Her throat feels tight suddenly in tandem with a thought that she gives voice to.
"Jane would know what to do. She's the smartest person I've ever met in my life. She's a genius." Her eyes sting, and she blinks a few times in rapid succession, but she manages to keep from getting too wrapped up in the sudden unexpected emotion, and avoids shedding tears. "It's the stupidest thing, but I thought she was at my pod when I woke up after the jump this time. You don't think I'm losing it, do you?"
The last thing Severus wants to think about is people from home. While it is a remote comfort to know that the war does, someday, actually end, he never feels entirely at ease about it. He assumes it's because he's just not there himself. (In reality it's because he will die before then, and never actually know.) Idiots, and young women who deserve better than this awful prison.
I thought she was at my pod when I woke up prompts him to think of his own feelings, and what Potter said, and Lupin's text before--
"Shit."
Severus stops walking.
He turns away from Darcy, wand in hand, and makes a graceful movement with it, saying "Expecto Patronum" quietly. Two silver deer appear through swirls of silver light. "Kate Bishop, Remus Lupin," he commands them, and immediately they both turn away and bound away, unhindered by physical constructs.
In the exact same direction. Completely in time with each other.
"What? What did I say?" At first, she's worried about having caused some offense, especially once he turns away from her. Casting that spell, however, brings her to believe that this may not be about her.
"Whoa!" Darcy dances back a step as the deer appear like mercury ghosts, only to dart away - presumably in the direction that the two named can be found. "That was awesome! What did you just do?"
"Tested something." He sounds irritable. He looks it, too, hands on his hips for a moment, barely keeping himself from pacing with restless energy. "I think we're going to start finding out more than just the fireteams are missing."
Merlin fucking damnit. Severus does pace for a moment, back and forth in the hallway like a caged animal, before turning and setting off again towards the lifts. "Something is wrong." He pulls his communications device out and texts someone, frowning.
His pacing is watched, apprehensively at first, then with a slow frown. "You know," she begins dryly as she falls in step behind him, matching his pace even if she has to take about a step and a half for each of his long strides, "I totally dig on your man-of-few-words thing, but I'd love it right now if you would elaborate for me."
Because, really. Really. He went from that pillar of calm, to something that resembles what she's actually feeling. Some of that comfort is starting to ebb away. "Of course something's wrong." That is literally the entire reason why they are even walking together right now. Literally. The entire reason.
"Not like that," he says, jabbing the lift button with an index finger. "We expected something like this eventually with the reconnaissance teams. It's nothing short of a miracle that it didn't happen on the first venture." Unkind, perhaps, but true.
The doors open and Severus steps inside, waiting until Darcy's joined him before he hits the button for the correct floor. "But a dozen people have spoken to me about odd feelings at the jump and I have reason to believe someone not a part of a recon team has gone missing. Looking for someone who isn't here, I suspect."
Something occurs to him. He doesn't like it. Is Kate the sort of person who would want anyone to follow her down there? Or is something using her to lure them.
"Someone like Jane." While this is definitely not a soothing thought, Darcy's at least able to trade panic for a brand of concern that's at least more serene. She restless in the lift, but she avoids the urge to pace about. Something about moving around in an elevator has always made her nervous.
She chews on the inside of her lip for a moment before gathering her thoughts enough to speak up again. "Do you think those transmissions were fake?" She doesn't, but she's willing to listen to the theory if he thinks it likely.
"Perhaps not. But tampered with, or made under duress, I do believe." Kate sounded nothing like herself-- and in mere hours he will see more messages, and pick out the one repeating, uncanny line, and his belief will be solidified. "Something about Kate asking us to come to her - you and Claire, specifically - doesn't sit right with me."
"I don't know anybody who'd make me their first choice if they need rescuing," Darcy admits. She can't speak for Claire, but given the other woman's diminutive stature, she can speculate that she's not high on the list either. She might be wrong, but she can still speculate.
"Could Jane have been lost in the hallways all this time? I've heard about that happening to people here."
"No." Firmly. "You must remember, virtually all disappearances happen when people get into their pods for a jump and then aren't there when we come out of it. It is impossible to survive a jump outside the stasis pods. If someone is lost in the ship over a jump, they will die."
Darcy isn't entirely convinced, and it shows on her face, but she doesn't try to argue the point further. She asked for his thoughts on the subject, and he's given them succinctly. Elaboration isn't likely to chase away her lingering hope (masquerading as doubt). She's wasted enough of his time already.
"So you think Claire and I were targeted deliberately?"
Severus pins her with a sharp look, no arguing necessary. Don't be stupid, his look says. The lift doors open, saving anyone from further chatter about the issue. But for the record: so many of you are getting yelled at when this plot is over. SO MANY.
He strides down the corridor to where Shepard's temporary HQ has been set up. "Obviously. Why, I can't begin to guess yet, but everything is deliberate here. Remember that, Darcy." Severus stops outside the open doors and fixes her with another look. "When you let yourself become a pawn you are no longer helping anyone but the ship."
How many, Snape? Darcy doesn't wilt under that look precisely, but she does seem to yield in some subtle way. She'll take it all under advisement, without promising not to do the dumb thing. She's just so good at doing the dumb thing.
"It's hard to know how to avoid being a pawn when you aren't even sure what the game being played is," Darcy complains. Not to Severus, but generally.
"Don't go into the hallways." There. That's it. That's the not a pawn plan. Okay? Okay.
Severus nods to her. He's busy, though - he has to go start putting out fires, proverbially - so he steps away from Darcy, turns on his heel, and vanishes.
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at
is happening.
Suddenly Darcy is attached to his front. Severus freezes, arms raised - away from her, as if he's in danger of being sniped by some kind of anti-nerd-contact SWAT team hiding on a mountain ridge a hundred yards away and this is some kind of bizarroworld sting.
"It's fine," he says stiffly, and forces himself to lower one hand to her shoulder, which he pats it awkwardly.
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Or don't, because Darcy is perceptive enough to recognize that he's actually doing quite the opposite of what she would do if their roles were reversed, and so she's quick to extract herself again. If not quite swift enough. (Or never having begun at all?)
"I better go," she says. Making the decision to leave her own. Not that she thinks he'd make her leave, but she's actually starting to feel bad about inflicting herself upon him now, even above and beyond the hard knot of dread in her stomach. "Thanks. For... you know." Telling her to do something that actually makes sense, rather than screaming like a banshee in the hall and demanding miracles.
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"You should go to the communications center and see if anything else comes up," he tells her, evenly. "I can walk you down there if you like."
Severus sounds perfectly fine about doing that. Maybe Darcy will piece together that he doesn't like being touched without warning one of these days.
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"It's okay. I can get there myself." But then she pauses, uncertain. "I mean, unless you'd feel better walking me there." It's a little unfair to just flounce after that display, isn't it? What if he's actually concerned that she'll just go grab the next hapless person in her path/rolodex? "I know I'm kind of a mess, and I wouldn't be surprised if you don't feel like taking my word that I'll make it there in one piece, without a meltdown of some sort." That much is at least said with the lilt that accompanies her usual wit. She's poking fun at herself again, so she can't be too bad off, can she?
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Businesslike. Severus looks over his shoulder and motions at his office-- a book inside closes, then the door shuts. He pulls out his own communications device and sends someone a message before setting out, making sure the lab doors open for her and close behind them.
You can't escape, Darcy. Be careful what you wish for.
"You know that I'm a schoolteacher," he says-- not really a question, but like he's confirming with her before proceeding with something else.
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She watches with interest at the casual display of magic, craning her neck to catch a glimpse of the office before the door shuts, and she turns her attention back. "I think I may have overheard that," Darcy confirms. Her dismay about this situation is already on its way to being short-lived. As long as they manage to keep conversation up, maybe she'll manage to keep her mind from wandering too much. Hopefully. Fingers crossed.
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Severus walks briskly, keeping his comms device in hand. The situation is one, despite his desire to make sure Darcy is okay, that he knows he needs to monitor at all times now. Until it's settled - he needs to.
"My society is very small. There is only one all-wizarding village in the United Kingdom." For reference. "A war began when I was a child. It's only come to a stalemate in the last few years. This may be why I am less inclined to panic."
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"I watched aliens pour into New York City," not to one up, and she's assuming she at least has a passing knowledge of the existence of a major American city, "in an attempt to conquer the human race." On television, but still. That's as close as she needed to be, even if she and Jane should totally have been closer, thank you very much. "And I've helped fight back space elves who wanted to drag the entire universe into darkness." Not as effectively as her colleagues, but still. "But I didn't really panic then."
She frowns, and a realization dawns on her, quietly. "I guess I don't really get as freaked out when I feel like I can do something. That's why I signed up to help in the first place."
Realizing then that her tact may have left something to be desired, she darts a look over quickly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound like the bit part I've played in the story of the near demises of my world is anything compared to what you went through on a daily basis. That had to be terrible." Especially if it's made him what she sees now.
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Tech things that Severus has no knowledge of. He's frustrated by his uselessness, but it can't be helped at this point. "I understand that being isolated here makes people feel anxious and helpless, but it's just a feeling."
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"Jane would know what to do. She's the smartest person I've ever met in my life. She's a genius." Her eyes sting, and she blinks a few times in rapid succession, but she manages to keep from getting too wrapped up in the sudden unexpected emotion, and avoids shedding tears. "It's the stupidest thing, but I thought she was at my pod when I woke up after the jump this time. You don't think I'm losing it, do you?"
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I thought she was at my pod when I woke up prompts him to think of his own feelings, and what Potter said, and Lupin's text before--
"Shit."
Severus stops walking.
He turns away from Darcy, wand in hand, and makes a graceful movement with it, saying "Expecto Patronum" quietly. Two silver deer appear through swirls of silver light. "Kate Bishop, Remus Lupin," he commands them, and immediately they both turn away and bound away, unhindered by physical constructs.
In the exact same direction. Completely in time with each other.
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"Whoa!" Darcy dances back a step as the deer appear like mercury ghosts, only to dart away - presumably in the direction that the two named can be found. "That was awesome! What did you just do?"
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Merlin fucking damnit. Severus does pace for a moment, back and forth in the hallway like a caged animal, before turning and setting off again towards the lifts. "Something is wrong." He pulls his communications device out and texts someone, frowning.
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Because, really. Really. He went from that pillar of calm, to something that resembles what she's actually feeling. Some of that comfort is starting to ebb away. "Of course something's wrong." That is literally the entire reason why they are even walking together right now. Literally. The entire reason.
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The doors open and Severus steps inside, waiting until Darcy's joined him before he hits the button for the correct floor. "But a dozen people have spoken to me about odd feelings at the jump and I have reason to believe someone not a part of a recon team has gone missing. Looking for someone who isn't here, I suspect."
Something occurs to him. He doesn't like it. Is Kate the sort of person who would want anyone to follow her down there? Or is something using her to lure them.
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She chews on the inside of her lip for a moment before gathering her thoughts enough to speak up again. "Do you think those transmissions were fake?" She doesn't, but she's willing to listen to the theory if he thinks it likely.
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"Perhaps not. But tampered with, or made under duress, I do believe." Kate sounded nothing like herself-- and in mere hours he will see more messages, and pick out the one repeating, uncanny line, and his belief will be solidified. "Something about Kate asking us to come to her - you and Claire, specifically - doesn't sit right with me."
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"Could Jane have been lost in the hallways all this time? I've heard about that happening to people here."
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So don't go harboring any delusions, Darcy.
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"So you think Claire and I were targeted deliberately?"
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He strides down the corridor to where Shepard's temporary HQ has been set up. "Obviously. Why, I can't begin to guess yet, but everything is deliberate here. Remember that, Darcy." Severus stops outside the open doors and fixes her with another look. "When you let yourself become a pawn you are no longer helping anyone but the ship."
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How many, Snape?Darcy doesn't wilt under that look precisely, but she does seem to yield in some subtle way. She'll take it all under advisement, without promising not to do the dumb thing. She's just so good at doing the dumb thing."It's hard to know how to avoid being a pawn when you aren't even sure what the game being played is," Darcy complains. Not to Severus, but generally.
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"Don't go into the hallways." There. That's it. That's the not a pawn plan. Okay? Okay.
Severus nods to her. He's busy, though - he has to go start putting out fires, proverbially - so he steps away from Darcy, turns on his heel, and vanishes.