#bergen_county

Siv strokes Piper's hair, eying the men in the room like she might murder them if she finds out who made her cry

"Gerd can flicker-flash. Gerd likes to surprise people. Gerd can be impulsive." Plodding along this particular track.

"Gerd's a romantic, whether she admits that or not..."

"And does a lot of flicker-flash hustle."

"Yup. She's a sap" Dirk agrees

"You don't Flicker Flash someone out of the dreaming" Jordan says "Geez, am I the only one here who knows that?"

At least one blank look, from Piper. Possibly others!

Grunt, shrug.

Poor Jordan, cursed to be the only smart one in the room (or so he thinks)

Dirk eyes Jordan "You keep talking, and I'm gonna hold you while Dagmar breaks whatever part of you keeps moving"

"Ain't like Beltaine is an event that comes as a surprise. It's the same day every year."

Jordan fights a war between smart assery, and common sense. Common sense wins and he backs up mumbling

"When did Jonas leave?"

"Forever ago" The Fiona sighs

"Before Beltaine. And before THAT he was off farting around in one of the Dakotas." Piper wipes her eyes and sniffs.

"Stupid Dakotas" Siv mutters

"You haven't spoken to him since Beltaine at all, right?"

A guilty shake of her head.

"Since before beltaine" Siv says

Slow nod. "Okay."

"But - to be clear, you do not know for certain whether or not you saw or spoke to him on Beltaine, because there are parts of the day you do not remember."

"Well if we're talking beltaine DAY, I know he was in the dreaming" Siv says, then explains to Piper "I wanted him so badly here. I knew you really wanted him. We miss him both of us .. so I bullied Vali into scrying using a piece of his hair an hour before ceremonies started. Vali said he couldn't read it, but Jonas was DEFINITELYH in the Deep Dreaming. "

"I mean, you know that we are still, like, magical fairies and impossible shit happens, right?"

A frown. "You didn't tell me that. I guess - I wasn't really in a mood to hear it. But then again, all we're going off is one guy seeing a troll in a fluffy shirt."

"Because the Dreaming does... stuff, sometimes."

"It WAS Beltaine" Dirk admits "WHich is the only reason I was so out of character, so miracles do happen and shit"

"Baffling, inexplicable, weird-ass stuff, especially if it makes for a good story."

"I like fluffy shirts" Siv chuckles "YOu know that. Lacey trim"

"How can we tell for sure?" She looks around the room, askance. "No one else saw him..."

"Maybe ask the Balefire?"

a BLINK

"That.. that could work" Jimmy observes "We could whisper the balefire and see if it answers"

"That... would make sense. But that's not really... we need Sylvi."

"Chief talks to Rivervale's fire. And the Fire, like, knows things?"

"You know, magic." Hand wave. "I'm not good at magic."

"Well, Sylvi's home from college, too."

"What about the old goat? " Dirk inquires

"Etsie?" Piper wipes her eyes. "We could ask her... but it really seems like... I dunno. She's part of things, but Sylvi is the one really bonded to the fire, y'know?"

A nod to Dagmar, also not especially savvy on the "woo woo magic" side of things.

"I, um... actually.. excuse me. I need to use the..." Looking a little green - she heads towards the loo.

"Sorry."

Siv winces but lets her go, then looks to Dagmar and whispers "It's not ANY of the guys here?"

She shakes her head.

Siv looks baffled, but knows the Gwydion is perceptive as well as bright so she trusts Dagmar's word on it "Don't know how I feel about that. "

She shrugs.

"James is the only real father I ever had."

"I get... I get wanting to know, sure, but..." She shrugs. "No reason Jonas can't be the dad, in the end."

While the guys talk among themselves, Siv whispers to Dagmar "But what if he won't be? You know how we trolls are, we... when betrayed we can be so angry. Piper's mother warned her about us, about how we might take things wrong. I love Piper and I KNOW She loves us. I just.. I hope Jonas understands. Oh I don't think he was there but I hope you're right that he was? It would solve so many problems"

Grunt, jaw-jut.

"If he won't, then, well, that's on him."