(no subject)

[acts_of_gord]

Gordon got used to bad sleep long, long ago. It's better than it used to be- five hours at a stretch before the nightmares kick in, sometimes more than that- but it's still a very strange thing for him to wake up without some sort of interruption or disturbance.

This night, alas, is a strange thing of an entirely different sort. When his breath catches and his eyes flick open, he lies very still while the world stops blurring and spinning, the way it always does when he's wrenched straight to wakefulness from REM; then he rolls onto his back to stare up at the ceiling for a while, just to be sure it's there and he's here.

Comments

[vance_prime]

Alyx leans back against Gordon, closing her eyes.

It's been twenty years--more than that, now. But the image of her mother's broken body is still burned into her memory, as clear as if it happened moments ago.

[acts_of_gord]

"I'm sorry."

He's only got the memory from a glimpse in a dream, but it's enough to give him the idea.

[vance_prime]

"What for? It's not your fault..."

[acts_of_gord]

"You just..." He shakes his head. "Nothing like that should happen to children. None of it."

[vance_prime]

Alyx lets out a long, slow breath.

"'Should' and 'did' are two different things, Gordon."

[acts_of_gord]

"I know," Gordon says. "That doesn't mean I can't still wish it'd been otherwise."

[vance_prime]

"Me too."

[acts_of_gord]

He kisses the top of her head gently.

"Regardless, it's over now."

[vance_prime]

"Yeah... I guess it is." She smiles, faintly. "Thank you, Gordon."

[acts_of_gord]

"You're welcome," Gordon murmurs. "Think you can get back to sleep now?"

[vance_prime]

"Probably. How about you?"

[acts_of_gord]

"As long as you're here."

He didn't mean to say that out loud, but he'll roll with it.

[vance_prime]

Alyx's smile broadens. She turns herself around a bit so she can crane her neck just far enough to give Gordon a peck on the jawline.

"Always."