little_callahan | [Underneath this farce] There beats the heart of man...

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[Underneath this farce] There beats the heart of man...

True to her word, Valkyrie was at Jack's house in ten minutes exactly...her mother had located a route that was clear, but Valkyrie knew about it a good five minutes before she did, as was her way. She always got the jump when someone was looking for something...

The road back, however, wasn't nearly as kind. Valkyrie could only assume that Julius was either in trouble with Billie, or he was falling hard. His power was emotionally tied, and she saw the way he was looking at that scrawny little toothpick of a girl that was, somehow, still prettier than she herself would ever be.

Two hours later, she was finally pulling her car into the driveway and ducking out, shivering in the rapidly falling snow that was now knee-deep. Leading Jack through the treacherous path up to her stoop, she let them both inside and stomped the snow off her boots, shedding her jacket, scarf, hat, and gloves quickly to let in the heat that surrounded them.

"Bugger the fucking snow." she huffed, rather than cursing her brother. After all, Jack didn't know yet...

Once Jack had laid his own things aside, she led him down the hallway to the guest room. Cracking the door open, she saw Billie in bed, bundled under the covers with Cain's massive form looming over her and Julius seated by her bed, rhythmically stroking her forehead. Catching his eye, the pair signaled to each other for a moment before Valkyrie shut the door and turned to Jack.

"You saw her, she's safe, but it looks like she's only just nodded off." Valkyrie explained. "She's hurting at the moment, so we'd best not wake her yet. Cain's looking her over, once he knows how she's doing we'll send you in. Meantime, living room. That fireplace you saw coming in is real, and I'm bloody freezing."

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Valkyrie nodded in agreement, a merry giggle rising from her as she lowered her gaze demurely and raked a hand back through her hair, again hiding a blush as best she could. He reminded her a lot of Cain if he were friendlier...and not her brother, and hotter than a high school bonfire.

And that was a bad thing to think about, because he was a nice guy, extremely cute, and wasn't even looking at her, no guy could. Trying to put it out of her mind, she lifted her gaze again to meet his, nibbling on her lower lip for a moment before she rolled her shoulders and tilted her head, reaching up absently to trace one of the scars on her back, touching her trapezius in a move that looked as if she were rubbing her shoulder.

"So...how'd you end up in the military?"

"Wanted to get the fuck away from my family," Jack admitted honestly, slightly ashamed at the admission, the exact same look of shame Billie had -- it was a family trait, downcast blue eyes, slight frown, more thoughtful than sad, the slumping of the shoulders. "Joined the Corps when I was seventeen, did my three years, came home, bugged the shit outta our Congressman and re-upped at the Academy, made myself an officer. Did my tours and only came home on winter break and my leave till Ryan got slammed. Not exactly an upstanding brother."

He failed to mention that he managed to attend Colby, Casey and Billie's high school graduations, Billie's prom, and Colby's college graduation. Or that all of his money went back home and straight into the two youngests' college funds.

All he seemed to recall was that he left.

"Well that's a load of crap." she informed him bluntly, straightening and scooting closer, not noticing as her knee touched his leg. "I read people for a living, and you don't fit the profile of 'less than perfect.' Look where you are, what you're doing. It's brilliant...you're brilliant for being here. I tell you, not many people would be. Not all families are like ours, y'know."

She paused, lowering her gaze again...too long, and she found herself staring. Smiling, she shrugged as she toyed with her own fingers.

"Not many realize that family means something. You and yours...do. Realize, I mean...you get it." she stammered out with a shy smile, looking up again. "That's remarkable, I hope you know that."

Jack shrugged, trying to accept the praise and failing. "I dunno, it's not remarkable if you don't know anything else. Mom was remarkable, but us? We were just raised that way. And anyway, you know that scrawny as fuck girl in the other room? Sweet, kinda perky. You ever seen her pout? I can't say no to that shit, I got zero tolerance for her brand of fuck your shit up adorable."

Lips curving into a half smirk, he laughed again. "You might want to warn your brother about that. Peanut's got it bad for 'im."

Valkyrie snorted, rolling her eyes with a grin. "He's just as bad off, I saw him with her before. Poor bastard's drenched in the dust those stars in his eyes are flaking all over Hell's half acre." she teased. Catching his gaze, she reached out and patted his hand comfortingly.

"Ma's a dictator...she taught Cain and Jules manners." she assured him. "Whatever happens between those two? There are only three men in this world less likely to hurt Billie than my brother: Father Hurley at St. Cyril's down the street, Cain...who's almost a priest himself...and the second soddin' coming of the Christ."

"I don't expect anyone to hurt her. She may be a pacifist, but I'm the one who taught her to hook," Jack replied, eyes glancing at his hand for a moment. "Thanks though, now I won't have to kill your brother. Be a pity if Red started a Romeo and Juliet. I don't think that ended well..."

Sighing heavily, he dropped all pretense and laid back, holding his hand to his eyes and his head thumped against the carpet. "She has to be okay," he whispered, mostly to himself.

Touched with a pang of sympathy, Valkyrie unfolded herself from her Lotus and scooted over to sit next to his prone form, trying to ignore just how...well, how cuddly he looked. Seriously, not only was the body fabulous, but she could just see how perfect it would be to stretch out next to him and rest her head on that broad chest...

Leaning over, she threw an arm across his chest and pressed her cheek to his briefly in a modified hug, forcing herself to make it quick. "She'll be fine." she whispered. "Just wait."

"Thank you, Kreskin."

Valkyrie bolted upright at the sound of Cain's voice, eyes flying to his looming form in the doorway. He was even more intimidating in his surgical scrub pants and wifebeater. He'd gotten his shoes off, but the stethoscope around his neck indicated he'd gotten home not long before examining Billie.

"Don't give me that look, I don't need a soddin' chaperone." she bit off at Cain's expression, accent thickening with agitation. "How's our girl?"

Grunting, Cain moved into the room and rubbed the back of his neck. "Okay, so far, but she's in for a shitty time of it. Jules explained her deal to me, though, and considering what she's capable of? High metabolism's probably got her shooting up more than most. Same thing'll probably save her from a lengthy detox. I'm thinking a couple of days of hell before she can start getting herself back on her feet...keep her here a week total, I don't even think a hospital stay's necessary. But we ain't fucking moving her, so that shit's out."

"Thank you, Dr. Feelgood." Valkyrie deadpanned, rolling her eyes. "Jack, I'm sorry, my brother's an arse. Cain, this is her big brother Jack...Jack, Dr. Cain Callahan. He's a trauma surgeon and cardiac specialist at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Medical Center."

Standing up quickly, Jack crossed the floor to reach out and shake Cain's hand firmly. He didn't bother with the formalities or the getting to know yous, hell she didn't even say hi, he just flew right in to the meat of it.

"Can I see her?"

Cain shared a brief look with his sister, who shook her head: Billie didn't know he was here. Shee-yit.

"For a minute." he finally grunted, accepting Jack's handshake. "But not long, I gave her something to help her sleep. Diphenhydramine, antihistamines basically. Non habit forming, and given her tolerance they won't knock her down, just make her drowsy. I gotta warn you though: she's miserable right now. Kid just stepped up, she's fiending, and it's painful. Whatever she might say or do? Don't take it to heart."

Valkyrie rose, moving to Jack's side and laying a comforting hand on his arm. "I'll go with you...moral support and the like. And so I can have the tongue-lashing I'm due, yeah?"

"She ain't gonna say nothing I haven't heard before," Jack said with a shrug. He wasn't being cavelier about what she may or may not say, but he'd spent half her life being cussed out for telling her what to do. You're not my father! was one of her favorites.

"And, I'll admit I know nothing about this shit? But you might wanna keep some ice handy, numb her fingertips and the fire goes out."

"Got it." Cain grunted with a nod before beckoning the pair to follow him. Leading them back to the guest room, he cracked the door and quietly ushered them in.

Valkyrie took the lead, motioning for Jack to hang back just a little as she approached the bed and knelt next to Julius, smiling at Billie.

"Hey, babe." she whispered, reaching out to smooth her hair back from her forehead. "Listen, I did something...you may hate me for it, but I'm hoping you'll be happy enough to forgive me."

Glancing up at Jack, she motioned him forward with a nod of her head.

Billie blinked slowly. Jack hadn't been lying when he told Valkyrie she was a light sleeper -- every time Julius shifted, her eyelashes would flutter against her cheek, instinct telling her to open her eyes, pounding headache convincing her not to.

But she blinked at Valkyrie, her words not making sense until she saw her brother step forward. Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion, and then anger, and her tongue darted out to lick her lips. "You lied to me," she accused quietly.

Touching his hand briefly to Valkyrie's shoulder, Jack reached out and pressed his fingertips against one of the cherry blossom tattoos Billie had on the back of her neck, smiling the tinest bit when her head curled into it like a kitten. After a moment he dipped his head, kissing her temple. "'course she did, dumbass. S'what family does remember? What's best for you, We sure as shit don't know what's best for ourselves."

"Like you know? Hypocrite." She hissed, eyes narrowing into a glare as Jack straightened up.

Willpower was something Jack was sure he had, somewhere deep down that always got shoved aside at time like this, or any time Billie got snappish. "Hypocrite? I ain't fucking Colby, Wilhelmina, bite your damn tongue."

"You left us."

"You wanted me gone."

Backing away, because he was not going to get into a fight with his sister like this, he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before saying anything. "I'm not fucking leaving, but I'm not sure as shit not going through this again."

Without another word, Jack walked out the door. He knew it wasn't the right thing to do, he was petty damn sure it was the wrong thing to do, but the last time they'd had this particular fight Billie had run away.

Stalking straight back to the living room, Jack sat down on the floor and stared at the flames in the fireplace. Kiki had been wrong, Billie didn't need him, she didn't even want him.

And Cain, he realized with a frown, probably thought he was right.

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[Underneath this farce] There beats the heart of man...

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