Kate - timed to after debut

[duerespectguv]

Tesla's told him it's a tropical island and they're trapped and that's enough for Declan; it's not Carentan, but something like, and he's going to keep poking at it until he's cracked it. Magnus and Will haven't done it yet after a year and while that should be discouraging, Declan's not willing to give up. Not yet. Not now. He's going to get them home.

He knows Kate's on the island and it's close to sundown before he finds her, tucked in at one of the bars and he whistles lightly to get her attention.

"Tesla told me you might be here. Miss me?"

Maybe Kate knows more than Tesla did about what was going on back home.

Comments

[duerespectguv]

Declan nods and tugs his shirt over his head, tossing it down on the sand. It doesn't bother him, stripping in front of Kate, mostly because she's team and he's comfortable with her.

"Swimming, I can do. How much are we taking off?"

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

Kate's already pulled off her shirt when he asks and she tosses it with his, giving him a sharp look over and a little smile. Nice. If he was Will, she'd strip down to nothing just to fuck with him, but it's different with Declan.

"I'd rather not ruin the only decent set of lingerie the clothing box has coughed up, but if you're too British for skinny-dipping, I'll deal."

[duerespectguv]

"I'm not too British to be pragmatic," Declan says, shrugging and stripping the rest of the way. Nobody's going to see them and, if they do, it's not like he'll be the first person to ever be caught skinny dipping.

It reeks of teenager, though, so he'd rather not be caught, all things told.

"And you, what, consider yourself American, don't you? We all know Americans are brash."

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

"Citizen of the world, babe. Girl or guy in every port. You know the drill." She flashes him a sharp, I'm bullshitting you - sort of smile and drops trow.

Kate's not trying to be a cocktease, standing there in black lingerie with pink trim. But she's not going to complain if he actually looks.

[duerespectguv]

Declan looks, but no more than a cursory once over that's almost demanded by how brazen she is about the whole thing. Kate's not his usual type, not physically, but he can appreciate her beauty easily enough. He finishes stripping and wades out into the water.

"Well, this port of call, find anyone yet?"

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

Appreciative but not interested, that's what Kate takes from how he looks at her. Fair. He's not her usual type either. A little older, a little more British, but there's definitely something about him.

She tucks her lingerie inside her jeans, wades a few steps out, then dives across the water. "Not planning on staying," she tells him. "But there's not much else to do." Which is totally yes, but ... Tesla.

[duerespectguv]

Declan understands that more than he's willing to admit. Sanctuary life is a lonely one and his Sanctuary doesn't have young, hot men and women running around like Old City. It's been a long time since he's had anyone steady and given the choices available on a tropical island, well. He can't blame Kate.

"Don't want to burn too many bridges, is all. My only unsolicited advice."

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

"One bridge I'd like to burn permanently," Kate mutters when she comes up near him. It's not really for his ears, but it's not not for his ears either.

She swims out, then rolls to her back, staring up at the moon and stars. "I'm the queen of scorched earth. Used to be anyway. Old City, Magnus, that's the first time I've had any connections...pretty much ever."

[duerespectguv]

"Connections in London too," Declan points out, grinning at her. It's different for him, he has family and he's never had to cut ties the way Kate has, never had to burn bridges.

"We won't be here long," Declan decides. "We'll figure a way off, you and I. We're resourceful and, let's face it, Magnus and Zimmerman might not even want to go home."

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

Kate's had that thought, once or twice, and she shoves it away every time it comes up. "Don't say that. They're coming with us, like it or not. Tesla too, the asshole." That's a little too bitter on top of the rising edge in her voice that's a little panicky.

"Will says we're copies. If we're copies, what if there's nowhere for us to go? What if this is like...the xerox pile for failed copier test sheets?"

[duerespectguv]

"I know none of you were missing for me, except possibly Tesla," Declan says, working that out. "Doesn't matter, we have to have a universe we're from and where we're missing. Otherwise..."

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

"Otherwise, we're stuck here and some other versions of us are doing our jobs," Kate finishes for him.

She's pissed again and no alcohol or sex in sight. There's tons of open water, though, and Declan to make sure she doesn't get hurt. So she pours it all into a swim, as hard and all out as she can. She's not a swimmer, but tonight no one would really know it.

[duerespectguv]

"Exactly," Declan says softly, but it fades when he sees her swimming and pushing against the waves. He's a strong swimmer, SAS training was well rounded, but he doesn't have the drive she seems to have right now.

"Kate? Trying to leave me?"

[girlsolo.livejournal.com]

At first, she doesn't hear him over her own blood pounding in her ears and the chop of the surf. But she swims back past him. Contrary to 'popular' opinion, she's not suicidal. There's a difference between drowning your demons and drowning yourself and Kate's been surviving way too long to choose the latter.

She drops her feet to the seabed and comes up close to him, almost too close, with what they're not wearing. "No," she says, voice softer than usual for her. "Not leaving you. Pinkie swear it, we're leaving here together or not at all."

[duerespectguv]

Declan extends his hand to her, offering the previously-requested pinky, and nods. There's nobody else he'd rather have watching his back than Kate Freelander and if Magnus and Zimmerman have given up on home, so be it. He and Kate would get them back.

"Swear it, then. We'll get out of here, one way or another."