Fic: Leading Questions (S&S)
23 Feb 2013 12:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thisbluespiritTitle: Leading Questions
Author:thisbluespirit
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 890
Characters/Pairings: Sapphire, Silver
Warnings/Notes None. Pre-canon, 1800s
Summary: Sapphire’s in the wrong future and Silver’s trying to guide her back.
(Prompt 89: silver & sapphire - Confession in desperate situation & Parallel universes)
***
Iron had left him with Sapphire, so Silver knelt down beside her and took her hand. She was sitting there with her eyes closed and her head at a strange angle, rather like an abandoned doll. She’d been caught at the nexus point when Elson had made his decision. Silver wasn’t entirely sure what had happened, but Iron had insisted that time had split into two possible outcomes. Sapphire’s form was here in this one, with them, but her mind had gone ahead into the other with Elson.
Sapphire, it’s Silver. Can you hear me?
There was a moment of silence in return, but even as he worried, she finally responded in his mind. Silver. Yes, I can hear you. Where are you? I can’t see you. I can’t see anyone.
Exactly where you left me, he said. I’m here with you now. However, your mind seems to have gone into the parallel reality that Elson created – he hesitated and now there seems to be one place where he died, and one where he didn’t.
Yes. That explains it.
We need you back, Sapphire. You can turn time back to that moment, and prevent the fracture.
But there’s nothing here, nothing to use as a guide. There was an edge of fear in her thoughts.
But you can hear me, said Silver, and kissed the hand that he held. Follow my voice back. You can do that, can’t you, Sapphire?
There was another pause, this one long enough to cause him to fear that they had lost her.
Yes, she said. But you had better keep talking, Silver. Iron said that something like this had happened before. What did he mean?
Oh, that was years ago. Centuries ago.
Tell me. It may be important.
Silver smiled to himself and settled himself more comfortably against the wall before beginning. Iron and Bronze were sent in, but when they arrived, they found two different versions of the same room – where the problem centred, obviously. Bronze went into one and Iron into the other.
What had caused it?
The house belonged to a man who had thought about murdering his wife –rather too frequently. So often that the other reality, the one where he had done the deed, had taken on an existence of its own, superimposed over the real world. Iron found him in there, but Bronze was trapped in the possible version.
So they sent you?
Yes. The focus point was a dagger, Silver added. I could use that, of course.
I’d have thought Iron could have… Sapphire’s thoughts trailed away, but he could feel her smile, even if he couldn’t see it. But you had a connection to Bronze, didn’t you?
Silver laughed under his breath. I suppose you could say that. Anyhow, I used the weapon and reached Bronze, but she’d been trapped in the other reality with nothing but the darkness of that idea – all that hatred and guilt – and she wasn’t herself.
What did you do?
Do? said Silver in surprise. I went back to Iron and told him it was far too dangerous and he should try himself.
Silver.
Silver waved his free hand vaguely, even though she couldn’t see the movement. Bronze in a state like that – she could have – who knows what she could have done to me?
But Iron made you go back and try again.
Yes. Silver let her share his amusement. He doesn’t change much, does he?
So, what did you do?
You sound nearer, Sapphire. How are you progressing?
I’m nearly there, I think, but it’s hard to tell. Keep talking, Silver. What did you do?
Do?
Back then. With Bronze.
Oh, that. Well, nothing, of course.
Nothing?
Silver hid a smile. Once I, ah, caused Bronze to realise where she was, nothing could keep her there. She put an end to that alternative version of the room and then all she and Iron had left to do was to deal with the source.
The dagger?
No. That was merely the focus point. The man himself, our charming would-be murderer.
Silver. You did something, though, didn’t you? What was it?
Sapphire did seem to be nearer now, Silver thought. Her voice in his mind was growing far stronger. He laughed at her question. What do you think?
She opened her eyes – still glowing blue – startling him with the abrupt movement. You’re being deliberately provoking, Silver.
“Yes, but it worked,” he said with complacency, and kissed her hand again before helping her to stand.
“What would you have done if Iron hadn’t made you go back?” She looked at him. Her eyes were gradually reverting to their usual hazel. “Left her there?”
Silver met her gaze, having to bite back laughter. “Of course not. Oh, no.”
Sapphire laughed and then kissed his head. “I could find out, Silver. If I wanted.”
“I expect you could,” he said, but he gave her a smile. “I don’t think you will, though. Sapphire?”
They moved away towards the door to find Iron and put an end to this threat to reality.
“Besides,” added Silver, as they disappeared through the doorway, “if you were to try, or I was going to explain properly, we’d need a little more time – alone.”
Sapphire took his hand. Yes. Somehow I thought you were going to say that.
***
Author:
thisbluespiritRating: All ages
Word Count: 890
Characters/Pairings: Sapphire, Silver
Warnings/Notes None. Pre-canon, 1800s
Summary: Sapphire’s in the wrong future and Silver’s trying to guide her back.
(Prompt 89: silver & sapphire - Confession in desperate situation & Parallel universes)
***
Iron had left him with Sapphire, so Silver knelt down beside her and took her hand. She was sitting there with her eyes closed and her head at a strange angle, rather like an abandoned doll. She’d been caught at the nexus point when Elson had made his decision. Silver wasn’t entirely sure what had happened, but Iron had insisted that time had split into two possible outcomes. Sapphire’s form was here in this one, with them, but her mind had gone ahead into the other with Elson.
Sapphire, it’s Silver. Can you hear me?
There was a moment of silence in return, but even as he worried, she finally responded in his mind. Silver. Yes, I can hear you. Where are you? I can’t see you. I can’t see anyone.
Exactly where you left me, he said. I’m here with you now. However, your mind seems to have gone into the parallel reality that Elson created – he hesitated and now there seems to be one place where he died, and one where he didn’t.
Yes. That explains it.
We need you back, Sapphire. You can turn time back to that moment, and prevent the fracture.
But there’s nothing here, nothing to use as a guide. There was an edge of fear in her thoughts.
But you can hear me, said Silver, and kissed the hand that he held. Follow my voice back. You can do that, can’t you, Sapphire?
There was another pause, this one long enough to cause him to fear that they had lost her.
Yes, she said. But you had better keep talking, Silver. Iron said that something like this had happened before. What did he mean?
Oh, that was years ago. Centuries ago.
Tell me. It may be important.
Silver smiled to himself and settled himself more comfortably against the wall before beginning. Iron and Bronze were sent in, but when they arrived, they found two different versions of the same room – where the problem centred, obviously. Bronze went into one and Iron into the other.
What had caused it?
The house belonged to a man who had thought about murdering his wife –rather too frequently. So often that the other reality, the one where he had done the deed, had taken on an existence of its own, superimposed over the real world. Iron found him in there, but Bronze was trapped in the possible version.
So they sent you?
Yes. The focus point was a dagger, Silver added. I could use that, of course.
I’d have thought Iron could have… Sapphire’s thoughts trailed away, but he could feel her smile, even if he couldn’t see it. But you had a connection to Bronze, didn’t you?
Silver laughed under his breath. I suppose you could say that. Anyhow, I used the weapon and reached Bronze, but she’d been trapped in the other reality with nothing but the darkness of that idea – all that hatred and guilt – and she wasn’t herself.
What did you do?
Do? said Silver in surprise. I went back to Iron and told him it was far too dangerous and he should try himself.
Silver.
Silver waved his free hand vaguely, even though she couldn’t see the movement. Bronze in a state like that – she could have – who knows what she could have done to me?
But Iron made you go back and try again.
Yes. Silver let her share his amusement. He doesn’t change much, does he?
So, what did you do?
You sound nearer, Sapphire. How are you progressing?
I’m nearly there, I think, but it’s hard to tell. Keep talking, Silver. What did you do?
Do?
Back then. With Bronze.
Oh, that. Well, nothing, of course.
Nothing?
Silver hid a smile. Once I, ah, caused Bronze to realise where she was, nothing could keep her there. She put an end to that alternative version of the room and then all she and Iron had left to do was to deal with the source.
The dagger?
No. That was merely the focus point. The man himself, our charming would-be murderer.
Silver. You did something, though, didn’t you? What was it?
Sapphire did seem to be nearer now, Silver thought. Her voice in his mind was growing far stronger. He laughed at her question. What do you think?
She opened her eyes – still glowing blue – startling him with the abrupt movement. You’re being deliberately provoking, Silver.
“Yes, but it worked,” he said with complacency, and kissed her hand again before helping her to stand.
“What would you have done if Iron hadn’t made you go back?” She looked at him. Her eyes were gradually reverting to their usual hazel. “Left her there?”
Silver met her gaze, having to bite back laughter. “Of course not. Oh, no.”
Sapphire laughed and then kissed his head. “I could find out, Silver. If I wanted.”
“I expect you could,” he said, but he gave her a smile. “I don’t think you will, though. Sapphire?”
They moved away towards the door to find Iron and put an end to this threat to reality.
“Besides,” added Silver, as they disappeared through the doorway, “if you were to try, or I was going to explain properly, we’d need a little more time – alone.”
Sapphire took his hand. Yes. Somehow I thought you were going to say that.
***
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 24 Feb 2013 01:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 24 Feb 2013 05:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 23 Feb 2013 01:22 pm (UTC)(And, man, I really need a Sapphire & Steel icon. I keep having to use this one. :))
no subject
Date: 23 Feb 2013 05:09 pm (UTC)But that icon works too, in quite a few ways! :-)
no subject
Date: 23 Feb 2013 03:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 23 Feb 2013 05:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 23 Feb 2013 05:30 pm (UTC)Cute story! I love Silver dancing around the truth!
no subject
Date: 24 Feb 2013 01:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 23 Feb 2013 06:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 24 Feb 2013 01:26 pm (UTC)