Watford Tales

The Stars

Baz

Daphne and Father are waiting anxiously in the salon when I ascend the ladder into the humming, elegantly lit warmth of the dirigible. Mordelia transfers her octopus grip from me to Daphne without a word. Father claps me on the shoulder, and says "Good man!"

Simon is coming into the dirigible behind me and he and Father look at each other for a long moment. I watch them both, afraid to breath. At last Father moves forward and takes Simon's hand. "Thank you," he says and turns to follow Daphne up the stairs where she is carrying Mordelia to their cabin to be fawned and petted over.

Mrs. Petty shows little response when Amoun tells her, gently as he can, that her son Nicodemus is dead. "He has been dead to me for many years," she says quietly. Her black eyes are dry.

It turns out that Mrs. Petty is a healer, and she removes the bullet from my shoulder with her wand. It hurts like hell but the pain feels centering somehow. I grip onto Simon's arm with my good hand and curse quietly under my breath and it's over in less than a minute. It's odd that Nico tried to shoot me. I don't think a bullet could have killed me, but this one definitely hurt me.

"That'll leave a scar, that will, says Mrs. Petty as she hands me a smoking potion to drink. It's so bitter it's almost worse than getting the bullet removed but I swallow it down, wincing, while she wraps a bandage tightly around the wound. Then she sews up Penny's head and we tuck her into one of the bunks in the dark solarium. She sighs when her head hits the pillow and grabs onto Simon's hand.

"You did it," she says sleepily, smiling at him. She's still kind of out of it.

"We all did," he says. "Sleep now."

Agatha and Dev are curled up together in the bunk above her, already asleep and Niall is settling into the one opposite her. I really want a few minutes alone with Simon and I lead him to the front of the airship where the narrow winding stairway leads to the observation deck.

********

We've left the sea mist behind us. The stars are bright and close in a clear moonless sky. We stand next to each other and lean against the railing, looking out at the gorgeous night, the dirigible's engines somewhere beneath us making a reassuring hum. It's cold out here, among the stars, but not too cold. Chilly. Spring is coming.

I feel shy. So much has happened between us, so much of it unspoken. I'm so glad just to have him standing here beside me. Not fighting. Not......apart. I don't want to bung it up again.

"Hey," Simon says, and knocks his shoulder into mine.

"Hey," I say, and I knock my shoulder against his in return. We just go back and forth like that for a few minutes until we're both giggling from the silliness of it. Then he puts his arm around my shoulders and pulls me around until we're facing each other. I'm enfolded in his warmth. His hand reaches out to stroke my cheek and then and we're kissing.

"I'm sorry," I say, when we pause for breath.

"What for?" he asks.

"Just.......Everything.

"I'm sorry, too," he says leaning his forehead against mine, his curls brushing against my cheek. He's breathing hard, hard enough so it flutters my eyelids.

"What do you have to be sorry for?"

He shrugs. "I dunno. Last night. I was....too rough...... and I hurt you. And it.....wasn't good..... And I'm sorry."

I relax against him. He feels so good.

"Baz?

"Here."