Xaviers!

"...and there it is."

"You two were doing better before all of this."

"We were... doing. Coexisting, but not thriving. Not strong."

"And you feel like if I put this back in, you're back in the same situation."

She inclines her head slightly in agreement, "I *am* her. She still does not see that. Without the ice, she could not hide from it."

"But the ice is you as well, you realize."

"I don't follow. It's what we do. A useful trick... but it isn't *us*."

"You don't see it as I do. Everyone has a little light in them, and right now I hold yours in the palm of my hand."

"And you want her... us... to have that light back."

"And now that I understand, I won't have it take your pride of place."

"But I think I know another way."

"Then do what you need to do," she says, resting her hands on her knees in a relaxed posture finally.

Sam's mind reaches out for the wolf, and as surreal as it may be she digs her fingers into the wolf's chest and pries it open. Then, cradling the spark gingerly she places it inside. Leaning forward, she gives it a deep breath, blowing on it to kindle it. Then, just as gently, she closes the wolf's chest around it.

"She will not hide from you," she says slowly opening her eyes in the real world.

As she closes up, the wolf becomes as malleable as the ice Tereza wields. The light begins rippling through her metaphorical fur, slowly filling in the cracks the way sunlight dapples a glade. And much like her element, the wolf melts in the heat of that light. She finally begins to sense proper Tereza again, drawn to the light of the ember from whatever shadow she was hiding in. But that's short lived as it becomes impossible to tell where Tereza ends and the wolf begins as the mixture of the two swirls around inside her. As the ember flares further to life, the presence begins solidifying again, filling the available space and even pushing against it a little, creating new space as ice does.

In the real world, Tereza tenses and twitches slightly as the tension in her builds and releases. Fur ripples up her in a wave, but disappears almost as quickly, leaving her in her own skin. Her nails morph and grow talons of ice that recede back into normal fingernails as the fur wave passes. She lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding and the breath causes the warmer outside air to turn to a cold fog. Her eyes slowly open and she stares at her hands as if she's seeing them for the first time.

"Welcome back," she smiles down at Tereza.

"I wasn't... I wasn't gone... not really," she says, flexing her fingers and noting the blood on them. "I guess I can add poaching to my list of offenses."

"I don't think they're going to come looking for you."

"Not really any large canines in the UK to pin this on," she glances at the boar as she stands up. "Are you okay?"

"I've... been better, but I'm patched up as best they could manage."

"We got him. Things are going to work out."

"We even found the Headmistress."

"Sorry I wasn't there." There's a brief impulse to say 'she', but she stops and instead says, "I really lost it and I had to leave so everyone else would stay safe."

"I punched a man who went to Eton. You ate a wild boar. We've had a busy day."

She wipes her hand on her mouth, "I think I prefer cooked, but it did in a pinch. I'm..." She looks down at herself, "I knew I was forgetting something."

"Hmm?" She asks, looking down as well.

"I seem to have left all my clothes at school," she says with an air of only mild concern.

"I've got one of the vans, it's no trouble." She chuckles.

"Just don't get pulled over or you'll have to answer why there's a naked woman in your van with blood on her," she says with a chuckle.

"Honestly officer, I don't know how she got there," she smirks as she leads the way back to the van.

"I've already added poaching to my list, what's a little public indecency?"

"Still think we need a night to ourselves?"

"I'd... well not never say no... but I'd have to think long and hard before I said no to a night with you."

"I just didn't know if you wanted to put it off until things... settled a bit."

"You're worried you'll split me again," she says without hint of accusation, "The evening you're planning in your head is that wild?"

"Oh, no. Well, maybe it was, but it definitely isn't now that I've got stitches in my side."

"I'm just... trying to be considerate. Especially coming down off a considerable Morrigan high."

"And I appreciate that." She leans over as they walk and whispers in Sam's ear, "And as soon as I can get cleaned up, I'll show you how much I appreciate it."

"...well then," she says, her cheeks coloring, "I'd be hard-pressed to refuse that, myself."

"You're... pleasant, like this."

"Naked and bloody?" She raises an eyebrow, obviously teasing.

"That's a look I've been known to sport, but... oh, you know what I mean."

"I do." She leans her arm around Sam and leans over and kisses her cheek, "Thank you, Sam. You know I love you, right?"

"I wouldn't be out here if I had any doubts about that."

"Okay, I probably still would, but there's no doubts. This feels... right, aye?"

"It... really does. Thank you for coming after me."

"Getting to be a habit, aye?"

"It's like you want me around or something."