blue_ajah | (no subject)

She wakes early enough that it is still full dark outside, although the first stirrings of birds hint at the dawn to come.

Some few minutes later, Moiraine is seated at the small table in her kitchen, a cup of tea steaming untouched near to hand as she looks out the window, watching the trees and waiting for enough time to pass that she can make a phone call without waking the person she wishes to reach... and without disturbing his morning meditation session.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

tibetanmethod

"There are communication issues," Cooper says, succinctly.

Cooper hates the BLM and the ATF. It is mutual. And yet he's the one in the department who can speak federalese most fluently -- and he knows it.

"They'll be resolved."

Or else.

From:

blue_ajah

"I am certain that they shall," the Aes Sedai murmurs.

"Someday, perhaps, I shall tell you of how Rand al'Thor resolved certain communication issues between the Houses in Cairhien."

From:

tibetanmethod

"Is it a tactic I can use with the ATF?"

From:

blue_ajah

Perfectly tranquil, she replies,

"It depends on what their reaction might be to you burning the paperwork submitted by all parties involved in the situation at hand."

From:

tibetanmethod

Very seriously:

"Moiraine, that may well be a felony."

From:

blue_ajah

"Then it seems likely that it might not be the best option for you in this matter."

From:

tibetanmethod

"As satisfying as it might be," Cooper agrees, "I think I'll have to find another tactic."

He finishes off his cup of coffee and puts the mug in the sink. "Thanks for the joe, Moiraine." There's a briskness to his manner that's a clear retreat into professionalism. He knows it. He figures she knows it.

And he also figures she'll forgive him for it.

"See you at six?"

From:

blue_ajah

She inclines her head to him.

"You are welcome."

Moiraine remains where she is, to all appearances perfectly calm and composed once more, her serenity surrounding her like a warm winter cloak.

"Six it shall be. Walk in Light, Dale."

From:

tibetanmethod

"Likewise, Moiraine."

The sun is up as he gets into his car and pulls out of the driveway, aimed for the station.

From:

blue_ajah

Some minutes pass before she moves. Moiraine tends to the empty mug and the coffeepot with thin threads of Water and Fire, then returns them to their places and glides from the kitchen through the cozy sitting room and down the hallway to her chamber.

She crosses the room to the vanity table on the far side, and rests her fingers lightly on the carved pinewood box, barely the size of her hand, that resides there. Moiraine flips the latch with her thumb, raises the lid, and looks down at the glossy black feather lying on the bed of blue velvet lining.

The Aes Sedai considers it for several moments, then glances up. Her eyes meet those of her image reflected in the mirror, and something firms in her glance.

The latch slips home with a faint metallic chime as she closes the lid and leaves the room.

She has made enough poorly-thought calls for one day.

From:

tibetanmethod

The benefit of being in at six is that the station is quiet. Hawk won't get in for another hour. Harry won't get in until eight.

Cooper gets a cup of coffee, sits at the table in the conference room, and watches the world continue to lighten.

Dream -- Morpheus -- promised him, in that last conversation, that he didn't need to worry about being a door, or a venue, for the manifestation of nightmare any longer.

Which, Cooper thinks, doesn't limit the revenge Dream could take if he and Moiraine --

Softly, to the window: "I can think about it."

He's not used to being able to think about it.

And eventually he doesn't have the time; Hawk comes in, notes Cooper's demeanor, and doesn't ask questions, but proffers a bear claw.

Patrol, paperwork, a DV call, a conference call with the BLM (which doesn't go horribly), an 88, more paperwork, and, all told, Cooper doesn't have much time to think about it until his shift ends.

He goes home, hangs up his uniform, and considers making more coffee.

He elects a nap, thinking before he falls asleep that if Morpheus knows, there will be a sign.

From:

blue_ajah

She spends the morning as she has done so often over the years, studying her journals and making notes of the half-hidden hints and themes that repeat themselves in story after story, no matter how subtle.

It is a slow process, but a familiar one, and at least in this search she is not driven by urgency; there is time, and more than enough.

As the sun begins the arc of its descent down the western sky, she leaves her small house to join Major Briggs at their agreed-upon meeting place by the river. As she accepts the thermos of coffee that he has so thoughtfully brought and seats herself on the shore to wait while he makes his fly fishing preparations, she cannot but wonder what Siuan the fisherman's daughter would think, were she to see this.

In any case, Siuan's tales relayed in their shared room in the White Tower so many years ago have certainly stood Moiraine in good stead, even if it has led to more of these sorts of conversations taking place on fishing trips than she might ever have expected.

It is not until the light begins to fade that the Major is willing to pack up his kit, and by then the Aes Sedai has filled several more pages in her journal with the stories he has told over the course of the afternoon.

From:

tibetanmethod

Coffee happens at five. Cooper hand-grinds the coffee, fills the percolator, and stands over the stove, watching it, arms folded, lost in thought.

When it's done, he pours himself a cup, turns off the burner, and takes the cup over to the window. As always, he cannot help the small lift to his spirits; it's damn fine coffee, made to his exacting specifications, and a good cup of coffee and a good view grants the illusion of a modicum of control over your life.

Cooper is fairly certain he knows what he's going to say. The decision feels good; if Moiraine doesn't like his decision, he can't do anything about that. It's the offer he can make at the moment. At less than twenty-four hours after he found out that she's still in contact with her ex-husband, Cooper feels that he's doing a good job coping with this.

A much better job than he'd have done not so long ago, even.

At 5:49, Cooper goes downstairs.

At six sharp, there's a knock on Moiraine's door.

From:

blue_ajah

"One moment."

There is a flash of blue at the window, and then the lock clicks back and she opens the door once more, just as she had done twelve hours ago.

"Good evening, Dale."

From:

tibetanmethod

"Moiraine," Cooper says as he steps in. "I hope you had a pleasant day."

From:

blue_ajah

"It was not unpleasant, to be certain," she agrees. "And as the Major caught three fish, I believe it was pleasant for him as well."

She closes the door and turns back to him.

"I hope the same is true for you, as well?" A faint flicker of a smile touches the corner of her mouth. "Regarding the day, that is, not the fish."

From:

tibetanmethod

"No fish," Cooper agrees. "But pleasant enough."

Besides the fire, the DV call, the conference call, and the paperwork. (All of it, in other words.)

From:

blue_ajah

"I am glad to hear it."

She indicates the small sofa and the armchair near it with a tilt of her head and a questioning look.

From:

tibetanmethod

Cooper nods, and goes for the corner of the sofa.

Taking a seat: "I didn't expect my day to start out the way it did, Moiraine." There's apology in his tone. "I'm... frankly still trying to mentally encompass what happened."

From:

blue_ajah

She chooses the armchair, and sinks gracefully into it. Moiraine spends a moment arranging her skirts, then inclines her head to him in acknowledgement.

"I know; you had no reason to expect anything of the sort," she says, quietly. "I am sorry for surprising you so, and so early in the day."