Wordcount: 590
Rating/Warnings: PG
Summary: It’s easier to beg forgiveness than it is to ask permission… assuming no one is kidnapped in the process. Doh.

NOTE: This is a very rough draft with no editing at all (per National Novel Wiriting Month rules) and is presented for amusement value only. Think of it as a periscope into my writing process rather than a coherent story!

There will most likely be spelling and grammatical errors afoot as well as flat out bad writing, info dumps, plot holes, contradictions/retcons, uneven characterization and pacing. These snippits are also posted out of order, so please refer to the Outline to figure out where it’s supposed to fit.

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Pawn Takes Queen

“You did WHAT?” yelled Brian, furious almost to the point of squeaking.

“Do you know how worried I’ve been?” snapped Sara, cutting him off. “I’ve been looking for you almost since you left, you can go off and get yourself killed you do NOT take Nathan with you!”

“He wanted to come!” Blue objected, fending off the random objects that Sara had started throwing at him. Thankfully the objects were soft and for the most part poorly aimed. “He wouldn’t let us go alone, I tried!”

“Yeah, that sounds like Nathan,” Brian said, still angry. “I can’t believe he would do this without the rest of us.”

“He seemed determined to keep you out of this.” said Horn to Brian.

“They would have recognized me,” said Brian. “There was a chance they would have forgotten him.”

“Why would they know you?” Blue asked, but he was afraid he already knew the answer. Beside him Horn bristled, but was quiet.

“Because that’s where we came from.” said Brian, without apology. “We made a clean break, but it wasn’t a pretty one. If they’d seen me there would have been a lot more shooting and a lot less kidnapping.”

“You came from where?” said Sara, suddenly quiet.

Brian sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Look, it’s not something we talk about, it’s not something any of us talk about, but there’s a reason the core group is made up of people you’d find on a recruiting poster before a couch.”

“All of you?” said Sara, even quieter. “Even Steff?”

“Yeah hun, look I’m sorry,” Brian said. “It wasn’t meant to hurt anyone, we haven’t done anything since we left. We left because of you, well not you specifically, but you in general. The castoff kids who wandered through the doors without anyone to care for them.”

“And before that you killed elves.” said Horn, voice sharp and tight.

“Elves and humans who got in our way, yes.” said Brian, voice still even and calm. “Black can be very persuasive, when he’s not trying to kill you.”

“Even then,” said Blue in annoyance.

“True,” Brian shrugged. “But you can’t undo the past, no matter how much you try. Now we’re faced with coming back to that choice, something I thought we’d never have to do.”

“I can see why.” said Sara. “I mean it’s not like we’re both trapped in the same city with no way out and both of us patrol the same area, us looking for lost children and them murdering every fucking thing they come across. It’s obvious why you thought that particularly brilliant decision would never come back to haunt you.”

“Look, it was mistake, I’ll admit that, but it’s not too late to fix this.”

“But they’ll be expecting you to come save him, right?” asked Blue.

“Yes, but they won’t be expecting you.” said Brian.

Blue sighed, “So we’re back to where we started. Didn’t I say we should do this alone?”

“It’s still a bad idea.” said Horn.

“Oh, not with him,” said Brian, “you’re still going in with me.”

“But they’ll recognize you,” objected Sara, “then there will be three of you in jail and we’re not going to be any better for it.”

“Ah, but now you’re underestimating my magical powers–”

“You don’t have magical powers,” grumped Sara.

“–of disguise.” finished Brian, ignoring the interruption. “When I have time, I have a plan, when I have a plan, it’s flawless.”

“Well, that last bit is true anyway,” said Sara.