Room 418, Wednesday Night After Radio

[wrongkindofsith]

Instead of her usual post-radio bed-flop (talking that much was draining, all right?), Cara was pacing, fingers drumming restlessly against her thighs.

She mightn't have worn a hole in the carpet yet, but given the tension in her shoulders it was only a matter of time.

[Expecting one.]

Comments

[wrongkindofsith]

There were reasons Cara got along with Bruce, just saying.

Well, considering Cara's main experience with puppies was raising one and training it to attack on command, it wasn't so much helplessness as adorability ...potential?

"Taking the blame for that's like saying Rahl ordering the massacre at Brennidon was Richard's fault because he was the target," she said, reaching up to smooth her fingers through his hair. "He hadn't even been born yet."

Come to think of it, at times Richard did blame himself for that.

[redandblueblur.livejournal.com]

The way she touched his hair had Clark feeling like he'd won perhaps an inch, despite the realization that this difference of perception was not one they could fix with a single conversation. But he had hope.

"I guess," he shrugged a little. "But I bet knowing that doesn't make Richard any less sorry for what happened to other people because someone was after him."

[wrongkindofsith]

"It doesn't," Cara admitted, leaning in to rest her forehead against his. It was as close to a hug as she could let herself initiate. "Despite the fact he never even raised a hand to any of them."

Because nine-year-old girls who'd undergone weeks of torture were just that much more responsible for their actions than newborn babies.

[redandblueblur.livejournal.com]

Clark reached his arms around her to complete that hug, understanding the need. "It sounds like Richard and I were raised a lot alike." Good adoptive parents who die horrible deaths eventually.

[wrongkindofsith]

Cara's response was as much awkward clinging as hug. "Explains why he liked you so much." Never mind that Richard liked everyone.

[redandblueblur.livejournal.com]

Clinging was a good thing and he stroked her hair softly. "And why we both believe in redemption." Because for Clark at least, if there was no redemption, he could never count Lex a friend or himself capable of doing something good to make up for what he brought on Earth.

[wrongkindofsith]

Even Cara wasn't stubborn enough to argue the point about whether that belief should apply to her, not at that moment, instead she focused on trying to stop leaking all over Clark's shoulder.

Spirits, this was going to be embarrassing when she felt more like herself.