Corazon is not just a girl. She's Spider-girl. (beat_and_break) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-05-28 19:03:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | !complete, anya corazon (spider-girl), elaine mallory, harry dresden, nathan summers (cable) |
I wonder if the uniform will fit me now...
WHO: the Mallory Dresden Family, w/ Nate Summers
WHAT: Changes
WHEN: Continued from this
WHERE: the Summers' house
WARNINGS: more talk of physical changes, and more snuggles, still in the PG-range
After Cora had donned the borrowed clothing, she’d called her parents, and promptly headed to the kitchen. Nate was right, she was getting hungry already--and that probably accounted for some of the fuzzy, achy feeling in her head. She was really glad that she had Nate looking out for her. Now she just had to wait for her parents to show up.
Already, the smells of cooking food came from the kitchen. Bacon, eggs, toast, and juice all floated around, in various stages of cooking, as Nate stood in the middle of it all, his right eye glowing and drinking some chocolate milk. “Cora!” He smiled at her, bouncing, reaching out a hand for her.
Corazon had known, in her head, that when Nate had gained all of his memories the previous week, he had probably gained the rest of his powers (or was getting very close) but it was another matter to see them in action. Not that the sight of breakfast seemingly preparing itself was particularly disturbing, but it was a little bit surreal.
She smiled, and slipped her hand in his, giving a gentle squeeze to reassure herself that she was, indeed, awake. “I feel like I just walked into a Disney princess movie,” she said, waving a hand at the breakfast magic. “Is this the part where we break into song and dance...again?”
Nate smirked at her. “Well...” And a soft music swelled as the music player nearby played, quietly.
“The other night dear, as I lay sleeping
I dreamed I held you in my arms
But when I awoke, dear, I was mistaken
So I hung my head and I cried.”
He winked at her.
Cora smile, and twirled herself under Nate’s arm, joining in on the familiar chorus as she swept him into an improvised waltz.
“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You'll never know dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away.”
Singing it with her, dancing with her, he was laughing by the time it was done and hugged her tight. He grinned at her, eyes dancing. “Hey you.” He kissed her cheek, then nodded. “No matter what the Dreams do, you’ll always be my favorite partner and my best friend.”
“Hey.” She hugged him back, resting her head against his chest. He was still at least a head taller than she was, even though she felt like she had shot up like a magic beanstalk. But that was okay. It just meant he’d be able to sweep her off her feet if her achy, shaky legs decided they’d had enough dancing for one day. She’d hardly realized it until now, but she been worried that Nate might grow up and leave her behind. But that wasn’t going to happen, was it? And she wasn’t going to let him go, either. “It’s gonna take more than a few dreams to get rid of me.”
“Good. Because I need you more than ever now.” Nathan hugged her tight and warmly, and smiled as tears pinpricked his eyes. “If you ever need me, you know you just have to think loudly, right?” He smiled as he pulled back a little. “You’re always in my thoughts.”
Which had a lot more meaning now, but, yes.
I know. She smiled, trying not to think too loudly, with him standing right there. She felt a warm, tight, full-to-bursting feeling in her chest as she looked at him, in spite of the hollow feeling in her stomach--which started to yowl and growl like a baby wookie right about then. “I guess I should eat before mom and pop get here and I have to do all the explaining ever,” she said, sighing as she eased herself into a chair. “But it’s going to be so much easier to explain to them than to my other dad.”
Nate smiled softly at her. Good. He hugged her and smiled at her, the warmth he felt, he could see mirrored in her eyes, and then he laughed as his stomach mirrored, or echoed, hers.
“I suppose so. Come on.” And he started dishing things out. then he winced “Maybe he will... no. I’m sorry.” He rubbed his face. “If you need it... when the time comes... I can... ease his acceptance. Not hurt him, you understand, but help him... not be confused. But only if you need it.” He didn’t want her to suffer.
Cora sighed. She hated the thought of erasing her dad’s memory of her, and hoped it wouldn’t come to that. “I guess we’ll see.”
Nate nodded, and hoped so too. He hugged her and started eating, handing her a plate then putting aside food for his parents. For a few minutes there was silence, before he heard a car pull up outside.
“Ready?”
Cora ate as much as she could without inhaling the meal too quickly and choking herself. She wanted to actually enjoy the food that Nate had made, not just fill her stomach. But all too soon, her parents were arriving, and she nodded with another deep sigh. “Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”
Nate nodded and led the way, opening the door before Harry and Elaine could knock, but not before hugging Cora again. “Hello, Mister Dresden, Miss Mallory.” He stepped aside, glad the whole house was soundproofed, really. And stepping aside, he let them see their daughter.
Harry stared, then swallowed. “Cora?” He held out his arms to her, a soft, if shocked, smile on his face.
Elaine put a steadying hand on Harry’s back, just to let him know that she was there as they both stared at their baby girl, all grown up. The young woman at the kitchen table was still recognizable as Cora, but the changes were still quite dramatic.
“Papa!” Corazon threw herself out of the chair and into Harry’s arms in a heartbeat, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest. She had almost sixteen years of Anya’s memories now, but there was still a big part of her that was Cora Mallory, age eight; and the pieces hadn’t all quite fit together just yet.
Harry’s arms closed around... much more of Cora, and then he hugged her, tight, breathing her in. And she was his daughter. She smelled the same, if a little different, and she felt the same, if bigger. And he hugged her, then slung an arm around Elaine to bring her into the hug. “I think We’ll need to go shopping.”
Nate faded back toward the kitchen, staying in the room, in case they needed him, but casually reading some papers out of the way and not watching.
Elaine wrapped her arms around Harry and their daughter, kissing the top of Cora’s head. She still had a few inches to go before she caught up to her mom’s height, but unless Cora was finished growing already, it probably wouldn’t be long before they stood eye-to-eye. “Love you, baby girl,” she whispered, “I brought your red backpack, and some of my clothes too, if you want to try them on for size.”
Cora leaned back a little, looking up at her with a questioning look. “I wonder if the uniform will fit me now.” And if I’m ready to wear it. She didn’t say that last bit out loud, but it was one of the foremost thoughts in her mind.
Harry nodded. “I love you.” He grinned at her, shaking his head, mind still blown by this. She had just been his little girl! How had... the Dreams. Argh.
He blew out a long breath of air and shook his head again, then smiled at Cora. “Maybe, and you can try that on, too, if you like. Whatever you like. We’ll help you.”
Take the time to get to know the new you. Then worry about being superhero. As someone who has startled his parents a lot, Give them time to get used to this, and you too. Warmth and care tainted Nate’s mental touch. He was trying not to overhear, but some things were loud to him.
Cora flashed Nate a mental smile, even as she beamed at her dad and mom. She loved them so much! “Let me see what mom brought,” she said, hoping there were some women’s underwear. She wasn’t sure if her hips were as curvy as her mom’s or not, but anything was better than the wedgie she had woken up with. “Do you guys want some breakfast? Nate cooked.”
Harry glanced at Elaine, then at Cora. “Maybe next time. We can have breakfast as we go. I was planning on getting something at Carls. I’ve been eyeing their meal options lately.” He winked at the girls.
”Okay.” Give her a minute, and Cora figured she’d be ready for second breakfast. “Let me see if there’s anything I can wear, and I’ll give Nate his clothes back.” She hugged her parents, and took the bags from Elaine, disappearing into the bathroom to change...again.
Elaine’s stretchy workout capris were a little long on Cora, but the waist fit okay, and she didn’t have to roll anything up. The sports bra would work for the moment, and t-shirts were easy to wear. She’d miss Nate’s laundry smell, though.
She shook that thought away and came back out. “I think this will work for now. At least I won’t be tripping on pant-legs in the store.”
Harry smiled as he saw her, even as his heart pounded. She looked even more grown up in those cloths. Stars and stones. He smiled at her, his lips trembling a little as he hugged Elaine. Man, he needed a drink.
“Good.” Nate smiled as he came to see them off. And prayed he was good say concealing the fact that Cora looked even more awesome that way. “I hope everything goes well, and that we’ll see all of you later today at the cookout.”
Elaine hugged Harry, and Cora, and squeezed Nate’s hand. “”We’ll see how everyone’s feeling after the shopping trip, but we should have plenty of time to rest a little, and still make it.” And judging by the look on Cora’s face, she needed that little piece of normalcy to look forward to.
Nate nodded then. “Okay. Well, you all have a good time.,” He smiled to them, hugged Cora, shook Harry’s hand, and then smiled to Elaine, squeezing her hand in turn.
Cora hugged her friend, sighing softly as she let him go, and clung to her mother instead. “Thanks, Nate. For everything.”
Nate smiled. “You’re welcome. Now go, find your footing. Got to be balanced if you’re gonna be Spider-Chick.” He winked at her and waved at them all.
Harry nodded to him, then led the family out toward the car. “He’s a nice kid.”
Elaine nodded, studying Harry’s expression for a moment as Cora slid into the backseat with her belongings. “Cora really seems to look up to him.” She had a feeling they were going to have to have a discussion about sleepovers with Nate, in the future, nice kid or not. There was no telling how much longer Nate would even be a kid, by any stretch of the imagination. But there was time for that, later. “I guess we’re lucky she didn’t change until the end of the school year. More time to figure out placement in the fall.”
Harry nodded, and glanced back at Cora, thinking along similar lines. “Hopefully, they will both stay smart.” He was pretty sure the sleepovers per se were over, now. He was willing to bet Emma Frost would say that, even if he didn’t, which he would.
Harry nodded. “Luckily, we know a school not too far away where she already has one ally. Doesn’t Billy attend Creekside? A tutor might be in order.” He glanced at Cora again. “Cora? Did memories of intervening years come along with this growth spurt? Can you tell?”
So many details...
Elaine nodded. She knew Cora would need her friends around her more than ever, and she wouldn’t dream of trying to keep them away. Just as long as there were healthy boundaries.
Cora only nodded in response to their questions and commentary at first, her mind drifting back to the dreams, and what she had known when she was in the middle of them. She had another flash of struggling against Jaime Jade’s hypnosis, and shook her head to break free of it--reminding herself that her mom had suffered worse in her own dreams. Elaine hadn’t been able to break free of Du Morne’s thrall until Harry had been fighting him.
“I think so,” she said, “Kind of. It’s all a little fuzzy right now.”
“Okay. We’ll deal with school and that all later. For now, food and hugs and Mister await.” He nodded. Enough time to talk serious later, enough time for him and Elaine to figure out what to do, soon, and now... hugs and food for sure.
Elaine nodded, reaching around to the back seat to clasp her daughter’s hand. Everything would work out. “We’ll just have to take things one step at a time.”
Harry nodded as he drove them off. “One step at a time sounds perfect.”