Xaviers!

Will smiled and shook her head.

"Oh, Tereza. Is that what you've been worrying about this whole time? Poor you, I'm so sorry.

That was before the other guy was split off of me. All of those worries and concerns? They belong to him now. I'm happy to be helpful. Like when you forgot your shower stuff, right? That was fun, wasn't it? I'd much rather do that then have to worry about...like, taxes and having a job or stuff.

I was hoping that you'd talk to ASHLIE and get her to give me up, because she's not a very attentive owner. Like I said, you care a lot more about your stuff, and I'm glad that you're the one who finally talked some sense into her. But the other guy's the one who hates the idea of, you know, being stuff. He's the one denying who he really is, if you ask me.

But, no, it doesn't irritate it when people treat me like property...as long as it's people I care about," she smiled.

"You know, it doesn't have to be either/or like that."

"Sure it does," Will shrugged. "If people think of me too much as a person, they hesitate using me as an object. So, scrap the former, and give me the latter. Besides, being a person sucks. You have to worry about..taxes. And keeping up appearances. And getting a job. No thank you.

This is an argument I had for about 10 years, off and on, with my Sara before we finally came to an agreement we both could, uh, agree with."

Tereza rocks back and sits, "Okay then. I guess I'll figure out where to go from here."

"Well, first thing's first.

No more storage closet for me! Would it work best if I had a little box on the bookshelf or something? Or if we made some room in your closet, or your sock drawer?

Or...I was that pillow for you for a few nights, before the Big Split happened. If that's easiest, I could do that again?" Will said, excitedly.

Help me, please reverberates across her link to Sam as she tries hard to look like she's thinking about it.

"Don't you want like... a real bed again?"

"You're allowed to have space all your own."

"Is this a 'do you want a space of your own' question, or a 'we'd really not like you to be in this space' question?

Honest question, no wrong answers, no hurt feelings," Will said, looking from Tereza to Sam.

"I mean, the first time you went in the janitor's closet it seemed like you were punishing yourself. Then the second time it was because he'd kicked you out. I guess I just thought you'd want a room again."

"You dodged the question," she smiled.

"The second time was because I didn't have a space to be anymore and, as property of the university, that was the most logical place to be. ASHLIE didn't care enough to provide alternative living arrangements. But she no longer gets a say in that.

Again, if you'd prefer me to not be in here, that's alright. I can find another option. No hard feelings."

"I think there's a good space for you in with Gemma since Vivienne's moving in here."

"If that's what you want, that's where I'll go," Will said, straightening up a little and nodding. "You're the boss."

"And you'll still be close by, aye?"

"For certain definitions of close," Will nodded. "I just hope you pay more attention than ASHLIE did.

For that matter, is it just Tereza's name on the paper, or is this a group situation?"

"Just me," Tereza says.

"Dodged a bullet in this universe, ay Sam?" Will teased.

"Is there anything in particular you need, Tereza? Like, on a regular basis or something? Breakfast, laundry, shower, makeup? Or should we just play it by ear for now?"

"Let's just... play it by ear. I think everything's handled at the moment." For no one's definition of 'handled.'

"OK," Will smiled, standing up to head for the door.

"Just....please. Don't just leave me in Gemma's room to rot, OK? I don't think you will, but I thought ASHLIE would do more after turning me into a university car that one time, and, well, she only wanted me to hurt people after that. But I trust you. You'll know what's best to do."

"We'll be sure to keep you involved, Will," Tereza reassures him. "You're part of the pack, remember?"

"Now more than ever! It's on paper and everything. Just don't take me to get neutered, si vu play" Will teased.

"Wouldn't dream of it," she laughs lightly.

Will blew both of them a kiss as she bounded out, presumably to go bug Gemma.

A small ice person pushes the door closed and Tereza puts her face in her hands. "I think I might have fucked up."

"It was... mostly a good idea. If it were Will as a whole it would've been great."

"And now one's disappointed that I didn't absolutely want to do it and the other's sort of mad at me for doing it," she says, tossing the letter at Sam.

"It's because each of them is an extreme, aye? Neither of them really has the coping mechanisms that balance out the ways they're extreme."

"I was just trying to help," Tereza sighs, getting up and flopping on the bed.

Sam gets up and sits by Tereza on the bed.

"You are helping, love. They'll get over it."

Tereza almost curls around her, "I just... need to make sure everyone's alright, you know?"

"You got a taste of what a pack's really like, didn't you?"

"Maybe a little," Tereza acknowledges.

"And I... well, it felt right for me too. All of us together, in the thick of it."

"You're not sore at me for having Will pull you out?"

"...maybe a bit," she admits.

"But it was still... good. All of it."

"I mean that's a good thing, right? That sometimes everything just... works for us?"

"I think so," Tereza says, "It felt good."

"I think we make things too complicated sometimes. When it really works it's pretty simple."

"Sometimes I think things just want to be complicated."

"I'm not saying I'm immune to it or anything. Like when I was hedging that night we all went out to dinner?"

"Yeah, I remember that," Tereza says, "It was... a little irritating."

"Tell me how you really feel," she smirks faintly, nudging Tereza in the ribs.