#rivervale_lodge

Gerd awakens the next morning to find Connor sitting on the foot of the bed, looking contemplative as he watches her sleep. Not in a creepy way, but just in a patient doggy type manner, knowing she will have to wake up eventually.

She opens one eye, but half way, and stirs slowly but doesn't open the other eye ...yet, "If I try to lay here too long I wonder how soon you'd start coughing or bouncing?"

He shrugs, and flops over across her feet. "A minute? A billion years?"

She opens BOTH eyes and sits up, "I'm up. Sort of"

He resists the urge to pounce the feet as they shift under the blanket. He's not some sort of CAT after all.

After a bit, he peers up at her, groggy-eyed and all, and asks in a small voice, "Were you gonna tell me?"

"Vali didn't know until hours before. I told him.. he was .." She chooses her words carefully, "He said okay. Then I looked for you but didn't find you. I guess that's when you were at the store."

"But yes, I was going to tell you" She says "I thought you'd be ..." No, nothing she can say that she's not sure won't offend or make him hurt so she just leaves it there.

He waits, patiently, and nudges her lightly to continue.

"I thought you'd be happy for me" she admits. "I mean, it's not very far and I'd still be at the lodge a lot. I didn't think you'd feel desserted, and I feel bad about that"

He toys with the hem of her bedquilt a little. "Outside the lodge, a block might as well be a hundred miles. I can't just walk over. ...I'll miss seeing you every day." He ducks his head a bit. "When I saw the box, and you said... it felt like, you were gonna just disappear. And then I'd ask, "Oh, where's Gerd?" And you were just gone."

She pulls him up for a hug, "I know. I lost family too once. And I know it was different how we lost family, but it still hurts. But I'm not lost. I'm not misplaced. And I know when you're a ikid walking that far is .. a pain, but I would be here often."

He leans into the hug. "I can't walk it alone. The dogcatcher will snatch me up." A sigh. "It feels like there would be an empty spot..." He taps at his chest. "But if you stay, then you'll have a big empty spot too. And so would Vali. And that's not fair neither." A pause, and he leans his head on her shoulder. "If my Da wanted me, I wouldn't let him get away, neither."

She pauses, "You know... maybe, if the Chief and Vali and Tiffany were okay with it, maybe you could stay with us there? Should I ask?"

He tugs at an ear thoughtfully, and hangs his head a bit. "I don't think I can. I'd have to hide in the basement all day, or put my paws on. And Jaymes... he's smart... he says I shouldn't wear that many paws. Here, I can run around outside." Connor reaches over and pats Gerd. "Margalita doesn't have any family, does she? Just Thane and Vali now. She might need a big sister, too. An... I have everyone else here."

"Not sure I even LIKE margalita.. she's a real attention hog" A sigh

"I'm a real attention dog too." He gives her a little smile. "But maybe that means she needs more of it. You gotta make sure she doesn't push Vali around."

"Maaybe," She says "But I don't want you to ... Connor. I don't want you ever to think you're deserted . I was hoping you'd like this big ole room for your own"

"I like my little room. It's a cozy den... but maybe Gerd's room can be a Get-Away room. If you need to getaway from Margalita, or... or if Dagmar needs to get away from a baby... Or... or anyone, really... it will be here?"

And he gives her shirt a little tug. "Like... on the weekends when you come to play with me and do patrols cuz' there's no school?"

"Maybe, but we can't be selfish. There will eventually be new blood in the hold again. Heck, the Twins might want it for all we know, and then what? "

"That's a then problem. I say let Later worry about later." He nods, wisely.

"I see." She says "Well, we non pooka can be a little slow to catch up, but it sounds like you might want me to have TWO rooms, one here, one there... and then I crash on weekends over here.."

"If they give away your room, you can sleep in mine, and I'll nap on the floor." He states, insistent.

"Stop being a doof," She says "You deserve your own bed, you're part of the lodge. You are Lord Howlington the First after all. "

"Lord Howlington the First demands tribute of toasts from france."

"Come on, I'll cook you some. Tyrant" She gives him a hug, and then takes his hand. "Let's go." Taking him to the kitchen.

And he follows along - a glance back at her room and that terrible box of belongings, and he runs the corner of his sleeve over his eyes quickly... but he puts on a smile for his sister, because this is important to her, and that's what good brothers do.

And soon, the toast of france, is being flipped.

She even obliges by singing french tunes.

"Can we have French Fries to go with them?" He asks, eyeing the freezer where bags of such coveted goodies await, only a short oven's trip away...

"A handful," She says, sure that Kerri will fuss if she finds out.

He beams. "And French press coffee, and french dressing?"

"NIxed. YOu abuse the privilege. Toasts and Fries are French enough, but.. if you wish, you may wear a beret. I think we have one in the closet."

"Oooh! My crown!" And, he digs into the closet.

There's a raspberry beret, the kind you find at a second hand store

He plops the hat on his head, where it promptly takes a rakish tilt between his ears. "Lord Howlington is pleased?"

"Indeed, and infact, as we are doing the French thing, if you wish, you maybe Marquis Howlington"

He tilts his head curiously, and the beret threatens to fall off. "Grand Marquis?"

"We can flash movie titles across you" Gerd says as the fries now are in the works. The poor girl clueless the influence of her uncle revealed by this joke

The joke is lost on Connor, but he giggles obligingly after all - setting the table with butter, maple syrup, and, of course, ketchup.

"Should we make some for Rover and Hearth too? The Rover has been locked away on guard for YEARS and YEARS and probably is wasting away."

"I'm gonna be so busted if she gets fries in her syrup." A sigh "Just the toast for them I think"

"Okay!" He gets out a few more slices of bread, then reconsiders the size of Olgar and adds a few more. Quite happy to be generous, as this means more fries for him.

"Need another stick of butter" she observes

"Butter, ho!" He brings this, and also searches for more milk in the fridge.

"Thanks"

"Berries? Or just tree juice?"

"Orange juice is healthier I think . Let's go with that"

He trots back and forth, carefully filling glasses.