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Day 14, early morning

As the sun crept over the horizon its rays searched for, and found, a
window to escape into.  Boisterous in their wakefulness the rays burst
into the room beyond the window and joyfully announced the arrival of
morning.

Gus groaned as the sunlight penetrated her eyelids, lancing through her
brain to awaken the headache sleeping within.  She burrowed deeper into
the pillow and dragged the blankets over her head.  In response, there
was a low groan and an arm draped itself over her waist as a body in
search of covers curled close up behind her.  A warm, human body.  Gus^�s

eyes snapped open, heedless of the vicious brightness. A warm NAKED
human body.

She lay, breathing quickly, and tried frantically to remember the events

of the previous evening.  She could recall the party ^� and Dolfis^�s
announcement ^� her stomach flopped queasily at the memory ^� but after
that things got a little blurry.  She couldn^�t come up with how she had
come to be sharing a bed with^�with^� well, with whoever he was.  Slowly
she began to sort through the assorted agonies of the morning, trying to

find proof that this really wasn^�t what it looked like.  Headache, sour
stomach, mouth full of dirty socks ^� check, all the penalties for too
much wine.  Wine^� that sparked a hint of a memory ^� drinking out on the
beach with^�with^�damn. Gus growled softly and continued her inventory.
The sore feet were undoubtedly the result of those damn shoes Lainie had

insisted she wear.  The remaining vague aches were altogether too
familiar.  This was exactly what it looked like.

Great, she thought, bad enough to sell myself cheaply, now I^�m givin^� it

away?

<Could be worse,>  Loki commented, all too cheerfully.  < At least YOURS

wasn^�t singing.>

<Why the hell didn^�t you stop me?!> Gus demanded.

<You told me to shut up, you were busy.>  Loki^�s smirking could be heard

from quite a distance.

Gus winced and steeled herself to roll over and see who had benefited
from her drunkenness.  When she did, she felt the blood rush from her
face.  Dear gods, how drunk had she been?! A sudden vision of her dance
partner kissing her at midnight ^� and how her body had reacted ^� filled
her eyes and her stomach revolted.  She flung herself from the bed and
skidded into the bathroom, noting vaguely in passing that this was not
her apartment, where she was violently and comprehensively sick.

^�Are you all right?^�

Jerram^�s whisper boomed in her ears.  Gus staggered to the sink and
spent a great deal of time rinsing out her mouth ^� hoping to calm her
mind in the process.  Finally she managed to speak.

^�Don^�t reckon no one ever died from a hangover,^� she rasped out.  She
wished desperately that she^�d thought to snag the covers in her flight,
but it was too late now.  To try and cover up would be to admit that she

cared, admit that she was uncomfortable. Chin high and shoulders back,
she brushed past Jerram, who was standing in the doorway.  He hadn^�t
bothered with the sheet either and Gus hastily clamped down on the surge

of appreciation her wayward mind conjured forth.  To her dismay, a brief

but frantic search of the bedroom ^� including shaking out the bedclothes

^� failed to reveal her clothing.  She could feel herself beginning to
blush as she marched into the living room.  There, she thankfully
discovered her ^� or rather Elly^�s ^� dress lying in a crumpled heap in
the middle of the floor.  Hastily she pulled it over her head and headed

straight for the door, trying to fasten it as she went.  The shoes were
completely forgotten in her rush to escape.

Dimly she was aware of Jerram saying something, but the shame ringing in

her ears drowned out everything.  She flung herself on Loki and they
swooped the short distance to her own ledge.

Once inside, Gus hurried into the shower, only half closing doors behind

her in her flight.  She ran the water as hot as she could stand it and
scrubbed harshly at every part of her body.  The dirty feeling persisted

and she scrubbed harder, nearly splitting the skin with her efforts.

<You won^�t wash away last night,> Loki murmured quietly.

Gus sighed agreement and sagged forward, her head resting against the
wall.  What the hell was wrong with her?  First Lainie and now^�Jerram.
Gus banged her head against the wall.  She must be going nuts.  Her head

protested the banging from the outside ^� it clashed with the banging
from the inside ^� and Gus swore softly.  She turned off the taps and
staggered out of the shower.  Towelling off with great care not to
disturb her head, stomach or any other part of her that might now decide

to turn on her, Gus stared at her reflection in the mirror over the
sink.  She didn^�t LOOK any different ^� well, ok, cleaner and less ragged

but she knew that already ^� so what the hell had happened?  She
finger-combed her short black hair, thinking she should have had Evlan
cut it shorter and then remembering that it didn^�t matter anymore.  She
could grow it as long as she wanted now.

^�I aint never drinkin^� again,^� she vowed firmly, sticking her tongue out

at her reflection.  She wandered into the other room and absently picked

up the roll of bandages to start dressing.  Don^�t need those no more
either, she thought.  Delight flickered briefly before the press gang in

her head found it and beat it into oblivion.  Gus reached for a clean
shirt as a faint memory from last night reached her.  Tara at the
party^�or more to the point, Tara NOT at the party.  She might just not
have noticed ^� what with everything else going on ^� but Gus did not
remember seeing Tara anytime after the unmasking.  What if she^�d left
early? What if she still didn^�t know? Worse, what if someone else told
her?  Gus tugged the shirt on hurriedly and reached for her pants.

She was just knotting the drawstring of her pants when Jerram sauntered
into the room.  His face wore the same ^�I^�ve-had-it-about-up-to-HERE^�
look he^�d worn after the trainee^�s mudfight and Gus instinctively backed

up a step.

^�You forgot your shoes.^�  He dropped them unceremoniously at Gus^�s feet.

^�Thanks,^� she muttered grudgingly.  When Jerram still stood there, fists

clenched, Gus looked up.  Judging from the set of his jaw, there were
words being held firmly in check.  ^�What?!^�

^�Whatever happened to ^�good morning^�? Or how about ^�thanks, it was
great, we should do it again sometime^�?^�

^�The hell we should,^� Gus exploded.  ^�How about lousy morning, no thanks

and if you breathe so much as one word of this, I^�ll^�I^�ll^�^�

<Sic Selene on him?>

<Stay outta this, lizard.>

^�You^�ll what?^�

Gus tried to think of a threat dire enough, but her wine-battered brain
refused to cooperate.

^�C^�mon, you^�ll what?^� Jerram taunted.  ^�Tell me, Augusta, I want to
know.^�

Whether by accident or design, Jerram had hit upon the one weapon that
could penetrate her hangover haze.  Gus^�s eyes narrowed and she stepped
forward, bringing her and Jerram nearly nose to nose.  ^�DON^�T call me
that,^� she said through clenched teeth and this time it was Jerram who
took the step back.  ^�Last night never happened, it aint never happenin^�

again and no one^�s gonna know, got it?  Now get out.^�

Jerram stood stock still and said nothing.  Gus pretended to ignore him
as she hunted for her riding jacket and shoes.  She was trying to decide

if she was going to have to actually throw him out when he spoke.

^�Fine.^�  His voice was tight with suppressed anger.  ^�Training will be
right after breakfast. Don^�t be late.^�  He spun on his heel and left.

Gus exhaled slowly.  She just did not feel up to trying to fight him
this morning.  Nor did she really feel like facing Tara, but she somehow

doubted she was going to get out of that one.  She walked out to the
ledge and gingerly swung aboard Loki, wondering if it was really
necessary for the sun to be quite so enthusiastic.

She headed for Tara^�s office, trying to ignore what the combination of
hangover and nervousness was doing to her stomach.  Gus knocked gingerly

on the door to the Warrenlady^�s office and stifled a sigh when Tara^�s
voice bid her come in.  The warrenlady was sitting behind her desk
looking as though she^�d only just come in herself.

^�What can I do for you this morning, Gus?^�

Gus swallowed hard.  Judging from Tara^�s cheerful voice she clearly
hadn^�t either been at the party or paying attention to what happened.
Gus wiped her hands on her pants.  Damn, she hadn^�t been this nervous
since the first time she boosted something.  She cleared her throat and
tried to think of an easier way to say what she had to say.  There
wasn^�t one.  ^�Um, I guess you wasn^�t at the party all night?^�

Tara colored ever so faintly.  ^�Kay and I left a bit early.  Why?^�

^�Well, see, there was some ^�uh^� stuff that happened.^�  Gus frowned.
Really, the whole Dolfis thing didn^�t matter ^� the important thing was
she live up to Tara^�s trust in her.  ^�I guess that aint important.  But
well, I been lyin^� to you since I come here.^�

Tara looked suitably shocked, but said nothing more than ^�go on^�.

^�Remember when you give me the job of selling them gems and dolin^� the
money out? I was gonna tell you then, but^� but I was a coward.  Anyways,

I^�m sorry and I^�m tellin^� you now.^�  Gus paused, trying to marshall her
resources.  ^�Um, I aint a boy.^�

[Tag, John!]

_______

Submitted by:

Katrina  aka Gus/Loki