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Back Where We Belong

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“So, wait, you weren’t actually back back until now?”

Myka shakes her head. “The way things fell out, the Regents wanted me to do a trial period. It was... sort of psych evaluation meets probationary status.”

“Right, since they didn’t actually keep you out of the field until it was over.”

They’re updating the tags on the hat aisle - something Mrs. F insisted on after Pete tried to free her, but that got pushed to the back burner by the usual mayhem - and as much as Claudia’s been having fun giving Steve the grand tour, she wanted to talk to Myka today. It’s been a while since they got a good bonding session in.

“Exactly. Part of the trial was the field work, in fact.” Myka sighs, and adjusts the new tag for Che Guevara’s hat. “I realised while we were in Seattle... I shouldn’t have left you all with a letter. I’m sorry.”

“Hey, it’s okay. Well, it’s okay now. But rest assured I would’ve hunted you down for a proper goodbye if you’d wanted to stay gone.”

“I bet you would have.”

“Myka, look at me.” When Myka turns to face her, Claudia smiles a little and says, “I can’t say Pete was wrong to feel abandoned, I have abandonment issues coming out my ears. But - I’m the only other person here who knows what a total cesspool of suckitude it is to say ‘I have to walk away from my favorite place in the universe, and I can’t ever come back.’”

“You...” Myka frowns, like she’s only just putting the pieces of a puzzle together. “That’s right, you would have had to leave here before the explosion, to be on your way to Geneva that quickly.”

“I didn’t even know there was an explosion until I got to JFK. And the news didn’t know what had exploded, of course, but it wasn’t hard to figure out. I left after you guys all had breakfast.”

“I hadn’t thought of that before. But then, I thought it was you on the video until after Artie found you.”

Claudia rolls her eyes. “You would fall for the video evidence,” she says, more teasing than not. “But... seriously, I know what it’s like to think you can’t do anything other than leave your family behind for their own safety, and even then it might not really work out.”

“Because it’s not a safe job, but you think everyone else will be just that little bit safer without you there because you might have compromised their safety.”

“Exactly. But Artie had faith in me, and we all have faith in you.”

Myka smiles. “I... have faith in myself again. And Artie’s not the only one who has faith in you.”

Claudia grins. “I think that’s enough sap for one conversation. How do you feel about re-starting those sparring lessons?”