#elsewhere

"That's all the Chief wanted? Not like... a blood sample for a DNA test or something?"

then a blink. "Hey, yeah." Looking to Jonas.

"Yes. It is our home and.. I asked if she would be offended if I used it while here. She was not. I will still call her Chief on duty, naturally... " Then to Piper he actually chuffs "No no blood sample. She just wanted to ask a few things and make that offer. And again, she seemed pleased when I helped her out with a problem a dreamer in the barony was facing with a minor treasure"

"That's nice." Absently, as she digs through a drawer and contemplates the polka dot or the mermaid pattern bikini.

A thought, and she looks up. "Since when do you have treasures to spare?" Curious. "it wasn't your pearl, was it? I think those are attuned to just us..."

"Oh, it was the third treasure from my quest. I had been so surprised by the news here I forgot until SHE asked about it" A chuckle "Anyway, one of the treasures was a Dream Catcher that can help a mortal sleep in comfort and peace. Good for the baby. But May is apparently in a bad state and Brekke wondered if it might help May with her problem. I know May is a friend of Dagmar so, of course, I said yes. She could borrow it. We'll get it back in a month or so I suspect"

"Oh the quest, RIGHT" Siv remembers

A blink. "Wait - the treasure from your QUEST? Like, the quest that took you away for three months, and you almost DIED? And you just... hand it away, like that?"

"Well, it is only one out of three. There is what I sought, which I sought for Anne Marie by the way. What I might Want" A light blush at that, "And What I might need"

Siv's curiosity grows

"So, let me get this straight. " Rubbing the base of a horn. "The dreaming takes you all the way There and Back again with peril to life and limb, and tells you that "This is what You Need", and you... just... hand it over to a mortal we barely know, who lives in California?"

"Oh no" he says "She's back here for the summer!"

A smile. Problem solved

"What if it's one of those treasures that only works for a short time? Or... or it is meant to CATCH a dream, a bad dream, and it gets consumed when it does? It was for you - for YOUR need... for YOUR child, our child, and you gave it away?"

"Uhm..." He seems caught off guard

Siv's brow furrows, but the exact reason unknown

"You just give, and give!" A little flame seemed to have ignited. "When others went to college and they needed more people to patrol, let's call Jonas! When Anne Marie needs help in North-freakin' Dakota, you're on the next bus! Dagmar's dreamer needs help? Why, just take whatever Jonas just found, the paint ain't even wet! Why isn't DAGMAR questing to help her dreamer?"

"You give, give, give, but someday you'll look and have nothing left! WE need you too!"

"Now Piper," he says "Be reasonable..."

Siv's eyes widen at that. But it was too late

She is standing on her tippy hooves now. "Have Siv and I -ever- complained to you about your calls to duty? Have we?" To each other, sure, and griping, but... "Have I ever told you, NO, tell them NO, you can't go, it's your time off, we have a date, we need you here?"

"Well no, " he says "But I thought it was understood that..."

Little finger waved up at him. "I know you're a troll and you HAVE to yadda yadda, but there's got to be a LIMIT! You are going to be a DAD and you're going to need to have SOMETHING LEFT FOR US! Am I being selfish? Maybe.. YES. Well I WANT to be selfish!"

Siv is tempted to get some booze, but then remembers she had it removed from their apartment

Jonas makes placating hand motions , like tapping very very softly on bongos, "Piper, please calm down. It's just being borrowed and I'm sure it won't just poof or wear out that easily."

A hand on her stomach. "I think -we- get to be a little selfish now!"

"You're sure? Are you?" She blinks. "So you had Vali, or... or Zane or someone confirm that?"

At the gesture to her stomach he looks stung "No, but the Dreaming knows better thyan to give us cheap items. I have faith. " A worried look "You know, you went on tour with your dad for weeks and we understood. "

Siv has gotten some water

"But the Dreaming said it was for your need. Not for another person's dreamer... have you ever even MET May?"

"Once, lovely girl, veyr tall, and I think maybvve you're exagerating my generous nature. I"m no saint" Jonas assures

"NOPE" Siv sighs "She's right on that one. "

Jonas blinks "Siv?"

"You would give away the shirt on your back if someone asked, whether it was warm or cold." Piper points out. "I have other shirts!" She says, in an approximation of Jonas.

Siv sighs "You're a good man, but when we first met ,I thought you were so damned NICE and giving I wanted to brain you. Then I fell in love with you in part because of that," A look to Piper "And Piper dear, we both LOVE that about him I suspect and would miss it if he became too selfish." then to both "But we could all balance ourselves a bit."

She is facing out the window, arms crossed, and mumbles something that isn't quite audible.

JOnas is pacing "I try to do the right thing. That's all. Sometimes that means sacrifice"

"Even Anne Marie takes time off for her sons and husband, I bet." Pointedly. "I hear enough of Symon's secondhand complaints to know that's true. And she's a Knight and called to duty for the county, on top of her boggan whosi-whatsit."

"Call of the needy" Jonas answers

"Not the point she was making, Me lad" Siv sighs

"Sometimes it's okay to not answer the phone!"

"I'm a NICE Guy, and I don't mean that tongue in cheek internet speak way. It's who I am" he says "I don't judge you two"

"You told me I was slovenly about my part of the chores" Siv says

"Maybe you should, then. I know I ain't perfect."

"No your'e not but..." He says 'Look, I can't just TAKE it back "

"The point is, you have a one-way ticket to burnout town. When's the last time you did something for yourself? And NO the quest doesn't count! Took time off, went out with the boys... Or... do you even HAVE any friends you hang out with?"

"I have you two." he points out

"Don't-you-dare-say-anne-marie." She adds.

A blin, and glance to Siv. "We're your partners. It's... it's not the same!"

Siv looks worried "She's right... you don't.. geezus, JOnas. We don't mean to keep you so busy you don't have a social life without us"

Jonas frowns "Can we just go to the damned party and have fun?"