Dated February 9, 1998
[Scene: The dining room of the Lighthouse Inn, an evening in March, 4277. After an altercation in the office a few days ago, Leila has thrown Kerrigan out.]
Stormy is leaning on the bar, a cloth in one hand, idling wiping the same spot over and over as she stares into space.
Kerrigan slinks rather than walks in, like a cat who lost a fight.
Stormy glances up and nods, hair spilling over her shoulder. "'Lo Kerrigan. Get ya anything?"
Kerrigan's head snaps up, eyeing her warily. "Dammit," he mutters, mostly out of habit.
Stormy snorts softly. "Aint servin' that t'night." She notices she can see her reflection in the spot she was rubbing, and moves on to another.
Kerrigan glares at her. "Damned snippy women all over this town."
Stormy shrugs. "Don't like it? Leave." She wrinkles her nose at him, then goes back to cleaning.
Kerrigan grins harshly. "So that's why she doesn't like you."
Stormy humphs. "If she is Leila, she doesn't like me because I'm younger and prettier and Garry-chan liked me."
Kerrigan's grin widens. "Uppity little thing, aren't you?" His sullenness has given way abruptly to a sort of ferocious jocularity. "And you seem so demure on first glance. No, I don't bet she does like you. Can't stand anyone with a tongue to match her own. -- 'Garry-chan!'" He laughs shortly.
Stormy scowls at him, her eyes darkening at the tone in which he says 'Garry-chan'. "If Garry-chan were alive, you'd show him more respect!"
Kerrigan stares at her. "What--? You poor little bitch, nobody told you!" He seems honestly sympathetic... well, almost.
Stormy tosses her cloth on the bar and plants her hands on her hips. "Told me what? Out with it, you baka!"
Kerrigan shakes his head slightly, half smiling, gazing at her. "Hathorne's back. Has been for weeks. Gods of hell, nobody told you?"
Stormy blinks, going completely still for a long moment, then she clenches a fist, her small face deadly pale. "Kuso! If you're lyin' ta me! I swear, I'll kill you!"
Kerrigan scowls at her. "I wish to hell I were! Large as life and twice as hairy. And," he adds with bitter precision, "thrilled to pieces over his wife and his baby. I was there."
Stormy closes her eyes briefly, looking as though she might faint. "He's alive," she whispers. "Oh thank Kami he's alive." She slumps against the bar.
Kerrigan crosses the room in three strides and reaches over to catch her. "Easy," he says roughly.
Stormy sucks in a few gasping breaths, still rather pale. "Oh Kami! I didn't know! Weeks! And I didn't..." She trails off and leans against him rather than fall to the floor. Her small form trembling like a leaf.
Kerrigan's voice is gruff, but his grip on her shoulder is steady and surprisingly gentle. "Leila wouldn't tell you. Spiteful bitch. Sit down before you fall down."
Stormy nods and sinks down onto a stool, trying to stop her trembling. "I think I'm going to be sick," she whispers.
Kerrigan says curtly, "Head down between your knees. Deep breath."
Stormy takes a few deep breaths, but doesn't bend over. "I'm not puttin' my head between my knees, hentai!"
Kerrigan stares at her a second, then snorts. "Gods. Go ahead and faint, then. What the hell d'you take me for?"
Stormy groans and puts a hand to her forehead. "Fuck, I need a drink. Ya want one?" She stands shakily and goes behind the bar.
Kerrigan eyes her for a moment, but: "Sure."
Stormy uncorks a bottle of dark rum. She glances over at him, "Whata ya want? Rum?"
Kerrigan shrugs. "Beggars can't be choosers."
Stormy passes him a rum, then gets one for herself, comes back around and [flops] on a stool again.
Kerrigan accepts it with a mutter of thanks.
Stormy says, "I can't believe this. Am I the only one in the whole fuckin' town who didn't know? Damnit!"
Kerrigan looks up at her. "Well, hell, it's all over town. Old church biddies and gods know who. I thought you'd heard."
Stormy scowls at him. "If I'd heard, ya think I'd be mopin' around here?" She pauses a moment. "Kami. I have to go see him!"
Kerrigan snorts. "Sure. You going to walk up and knock on the door? 'Hello, Mrs. Hathorne, I came to see Garry-chan. Just a friendly call.' She'll let you right in." His mimicry is merciless.
Stormy lifts her chin and glares at him. "Well... maybe she won't answer. Maybe Garry-chan will. I mean, it's gotta be hard fer her to move around."
Kerrigan smiles a slow, aggravating smile. "Maybe the brat will. What are your chances with her? Even? Have a little sense, kid."
Stormy sighs and pounds a tiny fist on the bar. "Kuso! I... Why didn't he come see me? Or send word?" She sounds rather... pitiful now.
Kerrigan leans on the bar with a sigh. "Oh, you stupid kid. Because he's too wrapped up in her, that's why."
Stormy fights back tears; she'll be damned if she'll cry in front of Kerrigan. "He... I though he was... my friend... at least."
Kerrigan slants a look at her. "Oh, hell." He turns fully, a little abashed.
Stormy shakes her head. "I know what ya must be thinkin'. Stupid kid, falling fer a married man. Kami!"
Kerrigan rakes a hand through his hair. "Well, no. Not that."
Stormy sighs and hangs her head, her hair hiding her face. "I'm gonna get drunker than I've ever been in my life."
Kerrigan snorts. "Good luck."
Stormy salutes him with her rum bottle. "Thanks, good thing I get it fer free." She takes a long sip of rum.
Kerrigan sighs and follows suit, rather morosely.
Stormy tilts her head at him. "So whats eatin' ya? Ya look like yer dog died."
Kerrigan half chokes. "Oh gods..."
Stormy snorts. "Girl trouble maybe?"
Kerrigan looks at her through narrowed eyes. "Married woman."
Stormy chokes on her rum and blinks at him. "No shit?"
Kerrigan grimaces. "Nope."
Stormy says, "Hell, Kerrigan... well... is she the faithful type?"
Kerrigan stares at a spot on the floor. "Devoted to him."
Stormy makes a face, then pats his shoulder. "Aw hell, I... ya know... know how ya feel and all." She shakes her head. "We're both stupid."
Kerrigan looks down at her with an odd expression, half rueful, half friendly. He drops to a seat finally, still looking at her. "Yeah, well."
Stormy laughs shortly. "Hey! I know. We can set your woman's husband up with Leila, and that'll free up her, and Garry-chan." She snorts softly, not really meaning it.
Kerrigan lets out a bark of laughter, and sets his drink down on the bar with a bang. "Gods, Stormy!"
Stormy tosses her hair and looks up at him. "Well hell, ya never know."
Kerrigan says hoarsely, "It's Leila, you little idiot, dammit."
Stormy blinks and falls off her stool she's so shocked, hitting the floor with a thump, staring up at him. "Leila!! Leila Hathorne!!"
Kerrigan snaps back, "Yeah, dammit, Leila Hathorne! Are you happy?" Then gets up to help her to her feet, scowling.
Stormy just sits there, stunned, till he pulls her up. "Leila?" she repeats incredulously. "Oh! Ya poor thing. And she's such a bitch ta ya."
Kerrigan looks away from her, and it's hard to tell under the sun-brown if he's blushing or not. "Damn right she is. And now he's home, and she's fired me."
Stormy blinks again. "Fired ya? What for? Just cause Garry-chan's home?"
Kerrigan sighs. "No... dammit... because... Gods." He reaches for his drink again. He looks rather rattled.
Stormy sits back down and tilts her head at him. "Kuso, ya look worse off than me. What the hell is it?"
Kerrigan snaps, "Isn't that enough?" But almost immediately he goes on. "I... hell, I told her how I felt -- she made me! -- and then she was pissed off at me, and when I tried to apologize she just got bitchier, and I hit her, and she fired me." There, he said it. He takes a long sip of rum.
Stormy blinks yet again. "Ya hit her? Well hell, I can understand that, I've hit her too. Course, she's hit me more... but hell."
Kerrigan shrugs. "Wasn't your job on the line."
Stormy makes a face. "So whatcha gonna do now?"
Kerrigan shakes his head. "Gods know. --Dammit," he adds a little wildly, "I only wanted to help her --be on decent terms with her -- hell! What's wrong with that?"
Stormy finishes the rum. Zelda glides by and takes away the empty bottle.
Stormy nods and sighs. "Yeah.. I know whatcha mean. I jus' wanna be friends with him, if I can't have nothin' else."
Kerrigan nods. "But she won't have it, no, it's 'Dammit, you bastard, I hate the sight of you, how dare you, get out of here'." He scowls.
Stormy sighs and leans on the bar. "It jus' ain't fair. Ya think she could at least be friends with ya."
Kerrigan snorts. "Leila has no damned friends. Cold-blooded bitch."
Stormy nods at that. "I tried ta be friendly ta her, she never did like me."
Kerrigan shrugs jerkily. "She doesn't like anybody except Hathorne and the kid. 'S not you."
Stormy smiles wistfully. "She'd get mad, cause Garry-chan liked ta hear me sing."
Kerrigan chuckles at that. "Leila Burgess jealous! Gods!"
Stormy grins ruefully. "I bet she'd kill me if she saw the painting I got in my room."
Kerrigan starts to grin crookedly. "Yeah...? What's that?"
Stormy grins a bit herself. "Come on, I'll show ya." She hops off her stool.
Kerrigan, his grin widening, follows her.
They leave the dining room, passing through the open doors to the lobby.
Stormy waves to MeiLing, then dashes up the stairs.
In the hall, Stormy opens her door and motions Kerrigan in.
Kerrigan follows Stormy, quizzical, but amused.
[Stormy's Room:]
Stormy walks over to her bedside and lifts the portait there, holding it out to Kerrigan.
[This small painting shows a roguish fellow with an easy grin, just a bit deranged, and very merry grey eyes, he also has a crop of light brown hair. His nose is a bit crooked, and a scar runs across his face, but he is surely still a dashing man with the air of a playful pirate.]
Kerrigan peers at it. The grin comes out full strength, sardonic certainly, but somehow less obnoxious than his simple smile. "Oh my gods."
Stormy flushes slightly and turns away to set it back on her nightstand. "I had it made a bit ago."
Kerrigan sounds rather admiring. "She would kill you."
Stormy nods in agreement, her hair falling over her shoulders. "Well.. it's not like she'll ever be in my room. So I guess I'm safe, unless someone tells her."
Kerrigan raises an eyebrow. "I'm not that much of a ... whatever it was you said."
Stormy sits down on the edge of her bed and grins. "Baka? It means 'jerk'."
Kerrigan chuckles wryly. "Yeah, well, I guess that fits. I wouldn't do that, though." He stays standing, looking a trifle awkward.
Stormy nods, then pats the bed beside her. "Take a load off, if ya want ta."
Kerrigan half grins. "Thanks." He takes a seat gingerly.
Stormy flops back on the bed, her legs still dangling over the edge. "I gotta think of a way ta see him, without her there."
Kerrigan makes a face. "Damn, it always comes back to her, doesn't it?"
Stormy sighs and looks up at him. "Sorry, I shouldn't mention her I guess."
Kerrigan shakes his head. "'S all right, you can hardly help it if it comes to him." He adds without malice, "Which I guess it mostly does with you."
Stormy smiles ruefully and nods. "Yeah... Garry-chan... he's all I think about mostly."
Kerrigan makes a face, half a grin. "Yeah." He leans forward, elbows on knees, reflectively.
Stormy ughs. "We're both so... I dunno... something! We gotta buck up." She reaches out and grabs her pillow, and tries to wap him in the head with it.
Kerrigan yelps -- yes, veritably yelps, at this double blow. He bats at the pillow. "Dammit," he protests, "don't tell me buck up, she always tells me that." He reaches to wrest the pillow away from her for a return attack.
Stormy loses her hold on the pillow, and grabs for another, coming up on to her knees on the bed. "Okay... cheer up then."
Kerrigan swats at her with his prize. "Cheer up! Gods, me cheerful? There's a vile thought."
Stormy oofs as she's swatted in the face, then lunges forward with her own pillow, swinging and giggling at the same time.
Kerrigan dodges, but the room's too small for his usual acrobatics and the pillow catches him pretty squarely. He laughs outright, slipping off the side of the bed.
Stormy grins wider and leans over the edge of the bed to swat at him, balancing precariously.
Kerrigan tries halfheartedly to fend off the pillow, but it's late and all he really has the energy to do is sit there grinning up at Stormy.
Stormy grins back, then her eyes widen as the sheets slip and she tumbles forward, pillow and all, to land in his lap. "Oof!"
Kerrigan lets out an undignified squawk as she falls on top of him, and topples over on his back, laughing. He says quite good-humoredly, "Now there's a way to end an evening."
Stormy shakes her head, then starts to laugh, pushing herself up to grin at him. "Oh sure. I fall at yer feet, I bet ya think that's good." She grins and laughs again.
Kerrigan grins. "Hell yeah." He braces himself on one arm, shakes the fair hair out of his face.
Stormy reaches out and waps him lightly on the head, then gets to her feet. "You silly..." she tries to think of something unoffensive, then grins and shrugs. "Baka."
Kerrigan chuckles again, and then yawns, hugely, like a cat. "Oh.... gods.... dammit all, the time. What the hell time's it?" Not that he seems in any real urgent hurry.
Stormy peers at the clock, then yawns herself. "It's late."
Kerrigan says decidedly, "Past my bedtime." He starts to climb to his feet.
Stormy nods and stretches, arching her back. "Yeah, me too." She turns to him and tilts her head, "Ya know, yer not half bad a guy, but I won't tell no one." She grins.
Kerrigan offers her a crooked grin. "I appreciate that." Gaining his feet, he runs a hand through his hair again; then pauses. "You're a pretty good kid yourself."
Stormy grins. "Thanks, but I ain't a kid." She shoos him toward the door. "Drop by anytime. It's kinda nice ta have someone ta talk to."
Kerrigan snorts. "Sure," he says rather ambiguously, and heads for the door.
Stormy follows him a few steps, then leans a hip against her desk. "Night, Kerrigan. See ya sometime."
Kerrigan pauses at the door and nods, almost shyly. "Night, Stormy." And is gone.