Waystation {Plot}

[ken]

Kennedy's group of refugees barged into the Cave. Rae had already called ahead and cleared the building, insuring that the small group of insurgents wouldn't have to fight for room. Kennedy hadn't exactly taken a head count yet, but he knew that somehow he'd managed to gather a small following.

Most important of those to Kennedy was his pregnant fiance.
Most in need of assistance was charcoal-boy: Leo.

Kennedy hurried over to a section of bar, sliding the burned Leo onto it. A club wasn't exactly the best place for Leo to be at the moment, but it certainly beat trying to treat him in the field. Besides, they still weren't sure what to do with him.

Kennedy couldn't even remember first aid for something like this. No, he'd need to call in some help if he wanted to at least stabilize Leo. Besides, he needed to check on his "safe house" anyway.

He flipped out a cell phone and headed for a corner of the club, waving for the others to settle in as best they could. His fingers danced over familiar numbers, and he murmured a silent prayer.

[✿ngela wingrose]

Angela hovered when she was worried. This is what is supposed to explain why she was pressed against the ceiling, texting her father, brows puckered with concern. She couldn't look at Leo for any longer than a second without feeling ill. Her father had to know some first aid, or someone who did. Weren't there a bunch of healers for parents out there? Angela was too panicked to think straight, and couldn't recall which friends could help.

Hitting the send button, Angela finished up her text and held her breath. She looked down at Kennedy, and despite their current predicament she felt herself relax. He looked every inch a leader, someone confident and in-charge. He was a man she would follow anywhere, and it was reassuring to know that he was hers. Beautiful boy. Father of her child. She placed a hand over her abdomen fondly.

She hoped all this chaos settled, and everything would be resolved soon. She didn't want her child born into a civil war. The beautiful girl descended from the roof and found a stool next to Kennedy, and placed her hand in his once he finished dialing. She kissed his fingertips and then put both their hands in her lap, squeezing both to reassure and feel secure.

[casey]

The whole situation still made Casey nervous. And he already knew that no one from the Academy would come looking for them. Mostly because Casey was the person from the Academy who'd come looking for them.

He kept looking over at the mostly charbroiled kid, and winced. What would happen if he gave Leo a transfusion? In theory, it would just heal him. But what if the morphing bit of Casey's blood changed Leo permanently? Casey was a skilled polymorph, after all, one of the best in the Academy. Which meant his blood was probably potent.

But they couldn't just leave Leo.

And Casey couldn't very well start first aid. Now while still maintaining "Michael."

"So... we're safe here?" he asked. His eyes darted around the club, wishing they'd figured a less obvious and safer waystation. The Academy was liable to think of this place first...

[ken]

Explanations and excuses had flown from Kennedy's lips as the person on the other side finally picked up the phone. In the end, he managed to convince them that yes, they would need to shelter the small group, and yes, Kennedy wouldn't run off and do anything stupid.

Which just left them there to stew while the others went out and risked their lives to save people. Kennedy had friends risking lives, and both friends and family being rescued. Just sitting here made him incredibly nervous.

He curled his fingers around Angela, leaning over to gently peck her cheek. At least he had her with him, and their child. Kennedy's hand trailed over Angela's abdomen, as if he could protect the child by will alone.

"We're safe for now," answered Kennedy. His eyes flicked up to Michael. "They're going to look here soon enough, but we can rest until then. Get some sleep. We'll head for Illinois in the morning."

Kennedy smiled at Angela. "You wanted to meet my family anyway, right?"

[✿ngela wingrose]

"Maybe under better circumstances," Angela pouted. Her hand trapped Kennedy's where it was on her stomach and she smiled down at their interlocked fingers.

The pretty blonde girl sighed and leaned on the bar counter. These stressing days made her crave strawberries. Maybe they could make a virgin daiquiri for her. Did anyone know how to mix drinks?

"I'm hankering for a strawberry," she confessed, running a hand over his forearm. Oh! That reminded her! She was due for a model shoot tomorrow morning. She'd have to call and cancel, which would take a serious blow to her financial situation. She'd been counting on the Crave shoot to pay for the flowers at their wedding. Well... they didn't need flowers. But it would have been nice.

Picking up her cell phone, she hit the speed dial number for her agent and was about to hit dial when an incoming call interrupted. Brow furrowing as she recognized Preston's number, she answered it. A flurry of words met her upon saying 'Hello?' and she held the device away from her ear; as the words gained speed, they gained in volume too.

"...id you say he's going insane I have no idea where we're going but Angelica you must have said something terrible because he has that crazy person look on his face that isn't very becoming for a man of his advanced years and he's throwing things around has he ever done around you or am I getting special treatment because if that's the case I honestly don't want to be special anymore!!!"

Angela snapped the phone shut, blinking. Slowly, she looked up at Kennedy, the stinging, resonating silence almost comical in how dramatic it was.

"I think my father is going to help us out."

She didn't really feel like strawberries anymore.

[ken]

At the mention of strawberries, Kennedy unlaced his fingers from Angela's and began rummaging around the bar. Normally he wouldn't expect to find fruit at a bar, but he knew Rae. He knew that the lycan was likely to have a bit of fresh fruit just in case a pretty girl asked for it. And if not, well, strawberries were a sexy food, and Rae was bound to know that.

Kennedy had just decided to look for a refrigerator when he heard Angela's phone. He paused mid-look, turning slowly to face the phone. That voice sounded remarkably familiar...

"Your father...?" repeated Kennedy. He wasn't quite sure how to take this. Travis Sivart would be a great aid in figuring out how to deal with the whole anti-Academy situation. And he certainly made a better ally then a certain mind-reading vampiress. But did Kennedy really want to deal with his future father-in-law up close for an extended period of time?

"Sure you don't want strawberries?" asked Kennedy, smiling nervously.