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crossing_lostrp2006-10-22 07:38 pm
Dance as Old as Time
Who: Molly
Where: Outside the Medical facility
When: Day 22, mid afternoon. Prior to “the announcement”
Invited: Dean, Jon, River (any who follow the music ::snicker:J
Status: Incomplete (open)
River danced and skipped ahead of them, moving through the trees with an effortlessness that made Molly wonder if she had Elf ancestors.
Molly carried Rose’s iPod and the speaker hook up she had given up when asked. She hadn’t asked what for, and Molly was glad for that. She had only to promise their safe return.
Dean and Jon followed behind. It was
It was River who found the clearing, or maybe she had been leading them all along.
The canopy was sparse, but did provide some sun cover.
“Sun burns as moonlight sooths.” River slid the straps of her sundress over her shoulders and let it puddle at her feet. Evidently she knew that underwear was pointless here.
Molly laughed at the girl’s pragmatism. She slipped her tee-shirt over her head and shimmied out of her jeans. In the small of Molly’s back was a tree of life tattoo in a dark green against her pale, freckled skin. She was a bit envious. River had that flawless complexion that Molly’s own cousins possessed. She would have made a wonderful Sidhe.
Turning round to set the iPod and speakers to play their music Molly noticed Jon pointedly looking anywhere but at them, and Dean standing there with his jaw down in surprise.
“A bug will fly in.” Molly pointed at Dean.
She set the music and Loreena McKennitt’s beautiful voice filled the clearing.
Come by the hills to the land
where fancy is free.
And stand where the peaks meet the sky
and the rocks reach the sea.
Where the rivers run clear and the bracken
is gold in the sun.
And cares of tomorrow must wait
till this day is done.
Molly spun gracefully, her whole body moving with the music. River watched, then mirrored the movements, a look of pure joy on her face. The two women clasped hands and danced, arms stretching up, hips rolling. The dance was sensual, but elemental. There was something old and earthy to it, even as the movements were light and buoyant.
[Dean] Gaping and guarding
Molly pointed one pale, graceful arm at Dean and said something, but he couldn't process the words. She and River spun and flowed over the green ground with preternatural grace, distracting him from what he'd otherwise dismiss as pansy-ass emo music. It should have been hot, watching two lithe girls dance skyclad, but it wasn't. It was breathtakingly beautiful.
Pain shot down Dean's arm, which he abruptly realized was twisted behind his back by Jon. "The fuck?!" he ground out through gritted teeth.
Jon kicked at Dean's T-shirt, which for some reason was on the ground. "You're here to guard, not dance, Romeo."
Dean's eyes flicked down to his bare chest. "Who--?"
"You did, kiddo." Dean realized that Jon's back was to the women, and that he wasn't looking directly at them. Jon eased his hold on Dean's arm. "Now, are you gonna be a good boy and take 12 o'clock and not ogle the ladies?"
Dean was about to retort indignantly, but the authortative look in the teenager's eyes silenced him. "No, sir," he replied automatically. (Sir?!)
Jon nodded approval. "Good." His eyes scanned the perimeter as he scooped up Dean's shirt at tossed it to him. "Get to your post."
Still unsure as to why he was taking orders from a kid who couldn't legally drink, Dean did as he was told. (Sammy's never hearing about this one. Nuh-uh.)
[Molly] Learning to live
This was the magic of the old dances. Living in the moment. All that mattered was here and now. The earth beneath your feet, the feel of the wilderness, the roots, and grasses and living things seeping into your skin, the connection with life itself.
Molly had no one to understand or counsel her, but there was the dance. The trees listened, but couldn't empathize, but the dance freed her.
River... River danced as if she were born to it. She had to have a Sihe in her ancestory. She was a perfect partner.
Come away, oh human child
To the waters and the wild
With a fairy hand in hand
For the world's more full of weeping
Than you can understand.
Where the wave of moonlight glosses
The dim grey sands with light
By far off furthest Rosses
We foot it all the night
Weaving olden dances
Mingling hands and mingling glances
Till the moon has taken flight
To and fro we leap
And chase the frothy bubbles
While the world is full of troubles
And is anxious in its sleep.
Molly laughed now at the song, both at its accuracy and its complete misunderstanding. If only there had been Sidhe aware of River’s plight whenever what was done to her was done. She’d have been taken, a changeling. Or was she now?
Molly saw the backs of their silent guardians. Dean and Jon. She wished she could get Jon to dance, to drop the worries and cares and just be. But he wasn’t likely to. There was a man set in his ways under the youth. She faltered a step.
No, only here and now. No thoughts of past or present.
The tropical forest was sultry in its heat, but the green scented air was cool and tingling on sweat glistened skin. And the magic began to rise.
Molly could feel it, coming up from the ground, where bare feet danced. The magic of the earth, linked to the life all around them, from the tiniest insect to the largest tree. She couldn’t shape it or use it, but she could feel it. She could let it seep into her. And this was why she had not asked Tara in the end. Tara could feel it, but not touch it now.
She threw her head back and danced, lost in the bliss. River had stopped and stared at her, her own breath panting from exertion, her eyes wide with wonder. Molly understood, River was feeling it through Molly. She couldn’t escape it, and didn’t look like she wanted to.
Molly held out her arms and River stepped into the dance once more, moving in perfect synchronicity. They were of one thought now, and though the human child couldn’t feel the magic on her own, Molly was only too happy to share the ecstasy of it.
The air about them began to sparkle in the sunlight. It shimmered to even the most magic blinded eyes. This island had power of its own. For two alone shouldn’t be able to dance up so much power. If this simple clearing responded like this, then the node Tara wished to access would be so bright. Later, she’d think on it later.
Bend and turn, spin and reach, leap and twine. The music reached into her, pumped in her blood, moved here soul.
For more than an hour she danced, barely tiring. But she did feel the perspiration of her exertions, and the magic that infused her had filled her as much as she could take in. Once again, she was glowing from within. She was not as drugged of senses as she had been when she took it all in at once, but she was in a state of euphoria, where the Sidhe side of her was the stronger.
The music stopped and so did she. River was in excellent condition, but a full hour of dancing, and feeling the residual euphoria had left her panting and a little shaky.
“I was full of bubbles!” She exclaimed. “They tickled inside, and made me want to burst. The light was green and I couldn’t stop. And time fell away, ashes at our feet. There was nothing but the bubbles and light and music. Can we do it again?”
Molly laughed again. “I’m glad you liked it. And some other time, we’ll do it again. Maybe with Tara. But now we have to get dressed and go back. We need to shower and I’m on dinner duty.”
Her inner questions had found answers. She hadn’t heard them as a voice, but felt them in her heart.
Dean: enjoying the fallout
As time passed, Dean felt something in the air. "Magic. She's conjuring up some intense mojo." Dean said to Jon. Dean knew Jon wasn't familiar with the sensation by the look on his face. Dean smiled. (Oh, Jon was in for one heckuva ride if he falls for Sidhe.)
The dance progressed with no interruption. Dean felt the magic pour through him as well. The feeling was pleasant and rejuvanating. Not at all the kind of dark magic Dean and Sam were used to dealing with. "Sam's missing out." Dean said absently.
The magic died down and the women began to talk to each other. Dean waited for Jon to turn around first, feeling the magic drain from him. He missed it already.
"Are you ladies done?" Jon asked, still not turning around.
[Molly] Returning to earth
"Yep, all ready, and properly dressed." Molly was still a bit glowy, but not lit up like a firefly. Most people wouldn't notice unless the lights were out.
River was back in her sundress. "Simon would have had a fit. Seizured as the brain cells died. Dancing naked is only for the drunk or paid professionals." River was glowing as well, but not literally. She looked happy, and with her long, tangled locks, almost as wild as Molly.
Molly Stood on tip ties and kissed Jon's cheek. "Thank you for watching."
River echoed Molly's actions with Dean, and there was just as much fea teasing to it. "Yes, thank you for watching." She looked fit to burst with giggles again.
"River, subtlety. It isn't much pun without it." Molly chided.
"I forgot we were supposed to dance around the issue." River moved away, heading back the way they came.
"You can't lay it all bare at once you know." Molly hooked her arm in Jon's and half dragged him along.
Dean
"You can't lay it all bare at once you know." Molly said as she hooked Jon's arm. River echoed that move again with Dean, but instead of walking side-by-side, used his hand to pirouette under. Dean complied.
"Really? I thought you and River did a pretty good job of doing just that." Dean said as he helped River spin.
"Yeah, and you wouldn't have know that had you kept your head turned in the right direction."
"Hey, just making sure all sides of the area were safe."
"Yeah, right."
"Back side, front side, curves nice and safe. Dean says so." River laughed as did the others.
"Hey now!" Dean laughed with them. (Damn I feel too good. I need to find Faith.) He tought as they walked back.
[Jon] Trying so damn hard..
Following his arm (which had little choice but to follow an exuberant Molly), Jon tried not to think of things laid bare and wondered (again) what he was getting himself into here. Potentially dating older women was new enough, but women with tingly skin? He could watch and wait patiently for hours - days, if necessary - even through humidity and bugs.. the weird sensation that had left Dean happy enough to play with River though, that made Jon feel wrong, as if something was trying to rob him of self-control. Watching a bunch of harmless tress had suddenly become harder than writing reports when there was a yo-yo in the desk drawer.
Rationally he knew there wasn't anything insidious about the dance's purpose - and cheering Molly up wasn't exactly a bad thing - but its effects were harder to ignore now that she was holding onto him. She was skipping, damn it! And his arm felt all tingly, like it wanted the rest of him to be too. That was.. not something he was going to think about right now.
"So, uh, guess you're feeling better now?" Jon asked lamely.
The cheeky look she threw him didn't exactly help matters, but that action of turning in his direction loosened her grip and removed that nice-but-tingly feeling. Jon sped up without thinking about it, catching her waist without realizing why that felt so much better until it was too late.
I am so screwed, mumbled Jon's brain.
"That's great," said the rest of him, grinning back..
[Molly] Different kinds of light
"Much better. All batteries recharged, and crisis of faith averted. It's like prayer, a day at the spa and a good counseling session all rolled into one. I'm only sorry you can't feel it like I do." She lay her head on Jon's shoulder.
"When Clarice died, it just barraled into me that I was going to lose every mortal friend, family and aquaintence I ever make. I was looking at this long and endless future of nothing but endings. I was terrified. I didn't want to be stabbed with that pain over and over. And I had no one here to understand and talk to."
Molly wasn't sounding depressed. She even wrapped her free arm around Jon's waist as well. "This was helping me find answers. Remembering my mum's words, that pain makes the joy sweeter, and you can't have one without the other. But it also reminded me that nothing is ever promised to anyone. To love is to face loss. Everyone who loves know they face loss the moment they love whether it be agape, eros, phila or storge. And to be in constant fear of it is just silly."
"And that is my moment of zen. And you get to deal with an elf on a magic high as a result." She slipped out of Jon's arm for a momet to twirl in cirles then run behind to hop up on Jon, piggyback style. "I am so full of energy right now I could run a marathon, take on the world... or go at it like the energizer bunny till morning. Humans can't come up with an energy drink to top a good Shide céilídh."
[Jon] Bright light! Bright light!
That thought made him blink, because she could have lost ten kids and he wouldn't know. Between one thing and another, Jon hadn't made the time to say much more than hi to Molly most days - that good old avoidance thing again - so background knowledge wasn't his forte. He couldn't stop smiling as she twirled about between the bushes though, and when she leapt onto his back well, that tingly feeling was all over the place now.
"Magic high, huh? You're leaking too," he chuckled, turning his head to kiss her on the cheek. She even smelt happy, and damn that red hair was bright this close. "Shoulda brought my sunglasses."
Shifting their relative positions so he could carry her more easily, Jon resisted the urge to twist and swing her round so they were facing each other. It was something he'd done with Charlie for fun, but felt too intimate right now - just. The infectious energy made it hard to tell.. not that having a lithe young woman wrapped around his torso wasn't intimate in the first place.
"This not-thing we've got going here," Jon asked, clearing his throat a little. "You wanna try that again sometime? I think I messed up the last round."
OOC: Yay-ness
*sheepish grin* Slowly getting caught up 'round these parts ...
[Molly] Her mouth runneth over...
“I think I could work with this not thing. Of course right now anything is possible and the world is just wonderful. I promise I won’t be this annoyingly chipper for more than a day. I haven’t felt this good since… okay taking my magic back from Tara doesn’t count… The Victory celebration of the Battle of Fairgrove. I topped that off by getting gloriously drunk.”
Oops, not something to be brought up when discussing possible not things. Her third ever, more intimate kind of dance partner, had been her best friend when they were both roaring drunk. No recriminations but awkward as hell. Ick. And nothing since. Oh, bad idea to think of nothing since. Not when feeling all glowing and tingly.
“Besides, there’s been a lot of things going on. Lots of thing you were in the middle of. I understand that. Even if part of me was a bit unsure if you were interested at all in a short imp with more freckles than skin and a red birds nest on her head.” The last was pretty much a quote. She’d overheard her cousin talking to a friend in fits of giggles.
“Guard rotations, prisoners, random shooting sprees, uncontrollable magic discharge… now that sounds like something a pubescent elf would suffer…. and assorted island madness has kept everyone busy.”
OOC applause
Quick, someone pour a few cups of island coffee down Jon's throat!
[Dean] Being helpful
Just as the idea came to him, River flushed bright red, stared at Dean, then waved him over to the not-couple, who were too wrapped up in each other to notice. He felt a little guilty that the reader had picked up on his not-for-minors thoughts, but it wasn't his fault that she heard everything. Plus, she'd probably be 18 in a year or two. Or three.
After a quick shake of the head he decided to help out Mr. and Mrs. Denial. He sauntered over to Jon's non-Molly-draped side. "Hey. Wanted to run something past you."
Jon frowned at him skeptically. "Yeah?" His eyes were a little dilated, Dean noticed.
"Yeah." Dean leaned closer, whispering the highlights of "a friend's" encounter with a well-endowed contortionist.
He'd only gotten about a third of the way through when Jon jerked away. His face was a lovely shade of maroon. "*That's* what--"
Dean shrugged. "Yeah. I'll tell you the rest some other time." Then he grinned at Molly, who'd turned a few shades of pink herself. "You two blush at the drop of a hat, dontcha?"
Dean jogged forward to walk along side River, who was skipping along happily. She stopped bouncing long enough to return his high-five.
OOC: Way to Go
Woot! Way to go Dean. :)
OOC
Re: OOC
Besides, Dean made me do it. :)
Re: OOC
Dean is so ebil!
[Jon] Who needs help?
Out loud Jon commented, "What does he think we are, a pair of teenagers?"
He was aiming for nonchalant, but his voice was closer to hoarse. He made as if to carry on walking, but Dean and River beamed back at them smugly, the girl clapping. It really was too much. So they want a show, do they?
Jon's arms moved of their own accord and suddenly Molly was facing him, legs still wrapped around his waist, the tingly feeling running up and down his front for the first time. It was so much more intoxicating now that she was grinning at him directly rather than into his shoulder. Dean's story was well out of Jon's thoughts by now.
"The freckles are cute," he assured her softly, hooking some of that supposedly bird's-nest hair behind a pointed ear. She'd kissed him last time; now it was his turn.
Looks happy, sounds happy, feels happy, smells happy.. even tastes happy, Jon's sidelined brain concluded a little later, then shushed itself. His lips and tongue were having far too much fun proving his mental age.
[Dean]
"Senses happy. Tingly bubbles makes things rise." River smiled and continued to skip towards the bunker.
"Yeah, things are rising alright. You know, you really shouldn't be thinking those thoughts." Dean smirked and followed, "let's leave the two crazy lovebirds alone."
"Why not? Thoughts are same with you and Faith. Less soap bubbly tingles, more dirt. clean! clean! clean!" River laughed accusingly shaking her finger at him. "At least those birds flock together. You and Faith like magnets, one attract, turn two repel, twist pirouette. dance dance dance."
"Wha..? Stay outta my head, woman!"
[Molly] Turning a not-thing into a some-thing
And he certainly didn't kiss like a teenager. Unless that teenager had been very busy.
Heat, and happy bubbles and a touch of apple registered before she was kissing back.
Oh yes. Tinglys all over. She didn't even realize that they'd been left alone.
Eventually breathing was required.
"Oh. Wow. That'll do."
[Jon] WTF?
He felt all glowy himself, now. Probably looked goofy as well. Going back for more was very tempting, but if she'd already been feeling insecure he didn't want her to think it took a magic high for him to find her attractive.
Leaning over to drop a lighter kiss on all that red hair, Jon realized that Molly wasn't that short really - shorter than him (and he had another foot or so to go), but nothing major. He snagged an arm back around her waist, hugged her close and turned towards the bunker. River and Dean were well ahead of them by now.
"What're your thoughts then. Food? Shower? More, uh.." he paused, wincing as something rattled in his boots. Was there a stone in there or something? In both boots? Blisters weren't friendly either way. "Uh, just a sec. Sorry if they smell."
Muttering something about timing Jon knelt down to untie his laces, pushing the bottom of his pants out of the way of his hands. Job done, he took one boot and shook it, looked down in frustration when nothing fell out.. and gaped. His right foot way smaller than it should be and his left boot looked at least a size too big - it was his own damn feet causing the problem. Not just that, but his pants covered half of the boot-free foot for crying out loud!
Jon looked back at Molly in shock, recalculating their respective heights against what he remembered. "Ok the kissing was great, but when the hell did I loose three inches? Oh no. No no no. Not back where I started, please!"
OOC: random bunny landed in my head.. Loki might not have been able to bypass the marker, but this here's magic - and I already made one PC age *cackle*
OOC laughter
[Molly] Shockwaves
"Streachailt leathair hifreann." Molly let out a string of Gaeilge.
"Jon, You look... about sixteen." Unfortunately Molly knew kids and kids ages. Side affect of being one of their defenders. Okay, that nice feel good tingle was fading fast.
Okay, this had to be because of the magic. There was no other factor. He hadn't regressed from their first kiss. Or was it the physical contact?
She wanted to put her hand on his shoulder but was suddenly terrified of touching him.
"Okay, deep breaths here.... Who here knows about you? I mean Tara might be able to do something... but she's lost her magic for now. I mean, there has to be a way to reverse it. Right?"
[Jon] Shockwaves
He took a deep breath and checked that Dean and River were too far away to hear anything, then plonked himself on a fallen tree.
"Ok, might as well sit down - and yeah, a gap is probably good," he admitted tersely, though Molly looked as shocked as he felt. "Guess you've never heard of this side effect before?"
Molly shook her head anxiously. "No. It has to be the magic combined with however you were.. made. Tara might be able to help, eventually -"
"Hold it right there!" Jon exclaimed. "More magic? Nuh-uh. Not so fast. I'd trust magnets sooner."
"I said eventually, Jon. She's not in any state for casting at the moment."
"Still. A thousand year old mad alien scientist whose life depends on cloning technology couldn't think of any way to make me older than to let time do its thing, and the only thing that magic's done for me so far is make me younger! For all we know I could be in diapers by morning!"
Don't panic! he yelled at himself, but it was hard not to when his clothes were too big, limbs were too short and voice sounded so fucking young. There was one straw left to clutch.
"How long does this magic high of yours normally last anyway? Maybe we just need to wait this thing out."
Inside he wasn't that optimistic though. I knew there was a reason I picked the name Murphy.
OOC: Bad Sophie! No Cookie!
Can I snuggle your ebil? Maybe some of it can wear off on me?
*meep* No Cookie? *sob*
[Molly] Wanting to crawl into a hole
Jon certainly didn't deserve this. And he was as close to panic as she was.
"If it.... if it doesn't wear off you are going to have to trust one of the doctors. They've got lots of science know how between them. But don't rule out homeopathic cures out of hand."
After all, Molly thought, Tara had accidently AGED Methos. Once she was back up to snuff maybe she could help. Bright goddess, please let there be no need. Maybe it would undo when the magic wore off.
[Jon] Smile like you mean it
"Ok..." Moving swiftly on. "I don't seem to be shrinking any more, so we might be in the clear. On the other hand I still need a change of clothes, but I can handle twenty hours. If that doesn't work: doctors - or Doctor. No need to cross that bridge yet."
Jon scrubbed his face tiredly, stood and began to pace, forcing himself to ignore the loose feeling in his boots. Molly looked miserable through and through. Crap.
"Hey, maybe next time." Now she looked blank. "That attempt at having a thing? Third time lucky, one day, maybe, if we don't get struck by lightening in the meantime, because this isn't your fault."
He tried to look cheerful, though he'd much rather be taking his frustration out on a punching bag. Better yet, a firing range. Or DHARMA. Now there was an idea.. shame he was too puny to cause any damage. Back to that forced smile then.
"So I could lose a year, so what? It's better than thirty-five - or the rest. I even have fake ID this time."
[Molly] Misery
He hadn't said anything but... "Jon, homeopathic means litterally like curing like. It doesn't always mean herbology. I don't think even Dr. Peirson's or my best herbal remedy would help here. But something caused by magic might just need to be cured by magic. But I understand the panic that thought causes. So we'll hope you'll be okay in twenty hours, then try science."
Oh... She had to help Tara tomorrow. There was relief in the escape there. Avoidance had it's positive side.
"It's not your fault, Jon. I think I'm doomed when it comes to the relationship thing... or even not-things. Freak out seems to be the way things go around me. I never meant to hurt you. I'm so sorry." She was close to tears. "I think it might be safer for you if we don't try a third time. Maybe next time you'll end up with a third hand, or a great big hump on your back, and us with no church bells."
It was her fault. She'd danced up the magic, got too friendly. Leaked all over him. At least she wasn't carrying him back looking for diapers. Sweet fuck this was a mess.
[Jon] Deja vu, kinda
Jon gave up on keeping his distance and drew Molly into a loose hug. The mood was already dead and he had a feeling that there'd be plenty of excuses found to stay apart over the next day or so, on both sides.
"It could have been worse: the other me went from middle-aged to decrepit in a couple of days once. That worked out ok. Then there was the caveman incident, getting a tonne of alien crap downloaded into his head.." Jon trailed off, not wanting to go there now that he seemed to be speaking English again. "This'll come good too. Definitely."
His belly rumbled loudly. "See? Growing kid need food. Dancers too. Let's get some dinner and see what happens tomorrow."
We are so messed up
Things could go wrong. In fact with the current trend, they likely would.
She had been a bit uneasy about the hug, but that was out of fear of further regressing Jon.
Hey, you know, there are people who'd kill to find a way to get younger." She tried, but it sounded a bit weak to her own ears. "Of course they aren't apparently seventeen to start."
[Jon] Ya think?
Chances were he'd stay out of others' way tomorrow, patrolling or fishing or something. Maybe stuff his shoes full of paper (platforms worked for Tom Cruise, didn't they?) and avoid conversation.
OOC: Apologies for ebiling a nice happy thread! Any more for any more, or is that about it?
OOC
But your ebiling is always interesting. LOL.
OOC just wanted to say...
Part of me is laughing at more ebil inflicted upon Jon, and part of me is going, "Aw, darn it, he's going to start avoiding her again..."
Re: OOC just wanted to say...