Rising Light

Chapter 4: Gluttony

The park had always been one of Kate's favorite places, especially as a Tai Chi spot. Sunshine beating down on her, the indistinct chatter of others, the greenery that filled the space around her; all of it made the whole thing a lot more calming, helped her to drown out the feeling that had crowded in her mind over the past few weeks. She'd tried Tai Chi indoors but it wasn't as nice when there was a whole world outside that she was missing out on. She'd joined in with the class on the green for a little while but retreated back to the others, taking it at her own pace, evening her breathing as she allowed their conversation to wash over her.

"You were right about the park," said Zed, and Kate felt a small smile slip onto her face. She'd insisted that John and Zed joined her, claiming that they needed the fresh air. In fact that was more for John's benefit than anything else. After everything with their last case she thought that it might help him a little as well. He seemed to be enjoying the sun more than anything. "This closeness to nature, the energy, the people. Yeah. My senses, they feel heightened. It's... It's like a..."

"A drug?" suggested John, causing Kate's eyes to snap open. She shot him a slight glare.

"I wouldn't know," admitted Zed.

"Seriously? You've never dabbled?" John sounded almost personally insulted by the revelation.

"Seriously. You try having visions like mine, and see if you're still interested in dabbling. I need more control, not less."

"You know, there are some –"

"Well," John interrupted Kate's lecture, shooting her a quick look, "sometimes control is about letting go. Psychic energy is all around us. It's like a network. You have the ability to travel that network. But you have to lower your walls first. And then you'll be able to see how far you can really go." He lifted his coffee to his lips as Kate dropped onto the step above him. It was with great restraint that she didn't rest her arm on his head, amused to be taller than him for once.

"I see coins," said Zed, her attention on the sky. She looked momentarily baffled, and Kate glanced towards John who looked pensive. Then, Zed chuckled, drawing Kate's attention back to her. The other woman had her hands raised, fingers splayed as if to catch snowflakes on her palms. "They're falling all around us. It's so beautiful!"

Kate glanced towards John. Out the corner of her eye she spotted sunlight reflecting off metal; glinting gently before disappearing quickly. As if had never been there at all.

For a moment, in the space between one blink and the next, Kate felt lost. She furrowed her brow as John put his sunglasses back on and turned his face to the sun. She could have sworn that he'd been wearing them though.

She patted his shoulder. "I told you the fresh air was good for you," she teased, standing up to start her Tai Chi again. "You joining?"

He scoffed, but there was something off about it that she couldn't quite place. His thoughts a million miles away.

_______________

"Where's Chas?" Zed asked as they pulled up in front of the Mill House.

"I told him to fix that cab of his. Figured we'd work on your training today while Kate did her thing." Constantine waved his hand dismissively at Kate.

She rolled her eyes. "Tai Chi, John. Calms the mind and body."

"So, how am I doing?" Zed asked, ignoring the banter. It had taken her a bit, but Zed was really coming along in understanding how Kate and John worked together. She was surprised Zed hadn't said anything to them about it. Even Chas still wondered how Kate and John could work so well together despite being opposites.