Nocturnal Gale

Chapter 22: Revelation

It's afternoon when Dusk reaches the apartments again. She walks through the door and is instantly greeted by a smile from Shade, and all the events from the past twenty hours wash away.

Two or three days pass, relaxed and easy. Sheridan is slowly getting over her guilt, and Shade moves back into his own room. He hobbles around on crutches, but only puts up with them for a few days before ditching them and preferring to limp around without help. Dusk stays, helping him when he needs it and sleeping comfortably on the couch in 169, the couch Sheridan stayed on when she'd been shot in the calf.

After the third day, Sheridan looks better. Shade is also doing much better and insists on taking a walk to help him get his strength back. Dusk agrees and goes with him. They go down into the alleys, Shade limping slightly and Dusk slowing her pace to match his.

She's silent, deep in thought, fingers steeling up to her hair almost of their own accord and slowly unbraiding it. She must have given a heavier sigh than normal, because Shade gives her a sidelong glance, a question that doesn't need words.

She looks back at him and sighs again, wondering if she should even bring up the topic she's been unconsciously thinking about for awhile now. How should she even bring it up? Best to just go for it.

"Shade, maybe...maybe we should tell Sheridan. I think she should know." She knows she sounds uncertain, but that's because she is.

Shade looks away, spine stiffening fractionally as he shoves both hands into his pockets. It's a while before he answers, but she waits patiently.

"Why?" he asks.

"I don't know?" she exclaims softly, exasperated at herself. "I don't know why I've been thinking about it or why I even feel that it's the right thing to do, but I do. I think we should at least let her know, for her sake. What she's getting into now that she's a part of this life." She pauses, a bit surprised at her number of words. She hasn't talked this much in quite awhile. "Don't you think she should know?" she asks, looking at Shade, eyes vulnerable. She's not used to being uncertain.

He takes a deep breath. "Sheridan knows what she's in now. I told her, a while ago, and she's experienced enough now to make her own decision." He sighs, and drops his head to stare at the rough alley floor. "I don't think it would do her much good."

Dusk tilts her head, voicing her next thought in a quiet, halting way. "Maybe...maybe it would....do us some good?"

"By bringing it all back to the surface? How?"

She smiles a bit ruefully. "It's not good burying everything inside."

He considers for a moment, brows drawn together, and then his lips tilt slightly upward in a smile. "It's worked for me, for a while now."

"Yeah, but for how long?"

Shade shrugs. "Almost three years."

"No, smarty pants," Dusk laughs, the rare nickname slipping out of her mouth of its own accord, reminding her of the good times in their past. She's glad for a break in the seriousness. "I mean for how long in the future."

"Oh." Shade grins, eyes crinkling at the corners, but his expression falls as he seriously considers her question. "I don't know."

"That's my point. I think it would be good." She pauses, brows drawing together. "And hard. And different. And totally out of our comfort zones. So what are we waiting for? It'll be fun." She makes a silly face and stares off into the distance.

Shade raises one eyebrow and follows her gaze as they round a corner, eyes alert for any movement around them. "I guess. But what if it's a mistake? What if she..." He trails off, one hand automatically going to the back of his neck to feel his tattoo.