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Jan 19, 2008 22:02:54 GMT
Post by Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford on Jan 19, 2008 22:02:54 GMT
Madeleine smiled wryly. "I don't think I want to; not today, anyway." Hearing that had been hard, she didn't think that she could cope with hearing anymore of it. Brian had told her that her name had been cried out a lot, and from what Orla had said... No. Not today. She looked up at him, meeting his gaze, and smiled. "Well, since it's question time and all - is there anything you want to ask me about?"
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Jan 20, 2008 13:21:06 GMT
Post by Kira & Lee Norris on Jan 20, 2008 13:21:06 GMT
Was there? Lee thought the question over quickly; digesting the million doors that opened to him at once. But his dream of Shaun's attack was still fresh on his mind; and as he looked into Maddie's eyes, he felt that this would be the real thing to ask about. He knew how much Maddie loved him... ... Maddie probably loved Shaun a million times more than Lee, and that was worth a lot. "Tell me about your brother."
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Jan 20, 2008 18:23:45 GMT
Post by Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford on Jan 20, 2008 18:23:45 GMT
Madeleine bit her lip, before sliding her cell phone from her pocket. As she flicked through it, she decided that that was exactly the question she would have wanted him to ask, had she thought about it. Shaun was one of the most important pieces of her life, and she couldn't properly give herself to the other most important part without sharing him. “This is Shaun,” she said, passing the phone to Lee after arriving at her favourite picture of him, beside the river at Lylis Glen. “As you can see, he’s quite – okay,” she broke off, with a laugh, “- very well built. I mentioned the bare-knuckle fighting legacy – he joined it. My dad was the skipped generation, but Shaun wanted to do it, for some unknown reason. He dropped out of Orchid at seventeen, so he could fight for Major on his own account, and do that.” Madeleine leaned back against the tree, lips pursed thoughtfully. “He was just under five years old when I was born – that was where the “Maddie” thing came from. Madeleine is a bit hard for a five year old to spell in school when the teacher comes and attacks."
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Jan 21, 2008 17:22:13 GMT
Post by Kira & Lee Norris on Jan 21, 2008 17:22:13 GMT
Lee examined the picture of Shaun; eager to replace his dream image of him with reality. Apparently, good looks ran in the family. Shaun was exactly the kind of guy Ellie would melt over. But the thing that struck Lee about the picture was the similarities between Maddie and Shaun. They had the same dark hair; the same pale skin; you obviously couldn't have seen the two together without knowing they were related in some way. Except for the eyes. Maddie's striking blue had faded and darkened to a deep, warm brown in her brother's eyes. But Lee had gotten one thing right- Shaun could quite clearly kick his ass. Shaun had biceps to rival Jack's, and Lee could honestly say that if it came down to a fight between the two of them, he'd place his bets with Shaun. Bare-knuckle fighting? Christ! Now, where on earth did Maddie get it from? "... He was just under five years old when I was born – that was where the "Maddie" thing came from. Madeleine is a bit hard for a five year old to spell in school when the teacher comes and attacks." Lee laughed, handing the picture back to Maddie. "He'd be proud of you then," he smiled, "you know; his little sister Head of the Warriors and all that..."
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Jan 21, 2008 17:59:37 GMT
Post by Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford on Jan 21, 2008 17:59:37 GMT
Madeleine smiled. "I think he would. I just ... I wish he'd been there to see it. I mean, I believe he can see it, but it's not the same thing. We were really close... he was my best friend. Constantly being on the move does that to you." She broke off, looking at the picture before slipping her phone back into her pocket. "He was really... he was always really protective. You think my dad is bad... and he had such a great sense of humour. He was really optimistic, always happy.Of course, he had his flaws - he had a temper like a bear and he cursed like a trooper" she added, with a laugh, remembering Shaun's cusses and the flashes of thunder and lightning at their last meeting, during her coma. "Shaun was the person who taught me how to throw a decent punch. I was a bit of a tomboy when I was a kid; I was always getting into fights with the boys," she laughed. "I usually won, too. When I was ten, this boy really upset me, so I punched him - broke his nose as well, right at the point where Shaun walked past me. I was terrified that he'd tell my mum, but he just laughed and told me that I had some power, but I seriously needed to work on my technique. "He also taught me how to play chess," she added, smiling at Lee. "He was really kickass at it, actually. It's not really the sort of game you'd associate with a bare-knuckle fighter, but everyone in our family likes chess - it helps pass the time when you're on the move. He also taught me the basics of guitar, and introduced me to all the bands I love. He shaped me, really." Madeleine sighed, before saying, "I wouldn't have been Head of the Warriors if it wasn't for him. I hope I was a good Warrior, but it was because he taught me so much about what we were fighting for, and he was so passionate... and when he died, I was determined that I'd carry on what he did, and I'd finish it. He was murdered because of this war, and I had to watch it. I had to watch my brother die, and I'm not about to let him have died for nothing." She shook herself, before smiling at Lee. "I really miss him, and you never forget it, but there's always other things that make you forget. And every cloud has a silver lining. There are things that happened to me that wouldn't have happened if Shaun hadn't died. I'm not saying for one minute that I'm glad that he died, but it had to happen, and so it did. There's no point living in the past, and I think that a lot of the good things had something to do with Shaun's pulling strings for me, and I'm not about to waste it. He's really blessed me with ... with so many things, when he was alive, and even now that he's gone. I just hope I can make him proud of me, to repay him in some way," she shrugged.
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Jan 21, 2008 18:33:06 GMT
Post by Kira & Lee Norris on Jan 21, 2008 18:33:06 GMT
Madeleine smiled; a strange, sad, hauntingly beautiful smile. "I think he would. I just... I wish he'd been there to see it. I mean, I believe he can see it, but it's not the same thing. We were really close... he was my best friend. Constantly being on the move does that to you." Lee felt something catch in his chest. Later, he would suppose it was the soft, mournful look on her face that got to him; or maybe it was that smile that made tears seem a pale, cheap expression of emotion. Then, she started talking about him in further detail, and as she spoke, her words filled Lee with a strange, sad, solemn feeling- and... if he was absolutely honest with himself, a sense of envy. Shaun had been her protector. Shaun could make her laugh. Shaun always was happy. Shaun's temper was short, and this temper was complimented by his extensive and colourful language. That particular fact made Lee chuckle too. "Shaun was the person who taught me how to throw a decent punch. I was a bit of a tomboy when I was a kid; I was always getting into fights with the boys," she laughed, and he felt the green snake of jealousy's fangs sink further. "I usually won, too. When I was ten, this boy really upset me, so I punched him - broke his nose as well, right at the point where Shaun walked past me. I was terrified that he'd tell my mum, but he just laughed and told me that I had some power, but I seriously needed to work on my technique." He taught her how to play chess. He introduced her to all the music she was now teaching Lee. So he'd taught her to play guitar. "He shaped me, really." Madeleine sighed; and that smile faltered. "I wouldn't have been Head of the Warriors if it wasn't for him..." She was a Warrior for him... And the smile was back, and Lee felt its miserable radiance like a slap. "I really miss him..." No kidding. Lee gulped, letting it all wash over him. Maddie more than missed him. Maddie... Maddie and Shaun were Kira and Lee. But Kira wasn't dead- The idea chilled him. Would he be sitting in Maddie's place now, if Kira had died, not Shaun? Would he be wearing that terrible, soul destroying smile? "... He's really blessed me with ... with so many things, when he was alive, and even now that he's gone. I just hope I can make him proud of me, to repay him in some way," she finished, shrugging slightly. There was a silence, as Lee's mind swelled and shrank; trying to take it all in. Something had poured out of Maddie there- a river broke free- something that must've been... hard, he guessed. It would've been hell. "I gotta be honest with you," Lee said finally, surprised at how weak his voice sounded. "I'm sort of jealous of him."
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Jan 21, 2008 18:44:10 GMT
Post by Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford on Jan 21, 2008 18:44:10 GMT
Her reminiscences were broken by those words, spoken in a surprisingly weak voice. Lee was jealous? Madeleine looked up at him, a small puzzled frown appearing on her face. "Jealous? Why so?"
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Jan 21, 2008 18:53:53 GMT
Post by Kira & Lee Norris on Jan 21, 2008 18:53:53 GMT
Why indeed? Lee smiled softly. "I guess... I guess it's just the role he got to play in your life; the role he still plays. He was lucky to have you, Maddie; to mean so much to you..." he laughed. "Reminds me of how lucky I am too." Oh. He hadn't meant to say that last part. It sounded way too stupid; what an idiot he must sound to her. Petty, too, he was willing to bet.
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Jan 21, 2008 19:06:42 GMT
Post by Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford on Jan 21, 2008 19:06:42 GMT
If Madeleine was honest, at that point, even with the sombre topic - she just about melted at those words. He had no idea... She smiled, but shook her head. "As ridiculously cheesy as this is going to sound, Lee, there's two most important people in my life - one is Shaun, and the other is you. I go into battles for him, and I come out of them for you. And as for you being lucky... that's not true; it's the other way around. I don't deserve to have either of you. I was Shaun's sister by total chance of luck, I guess - and I'm still not quite sure how I got you," she said, with a gentle chuckle. "But I know how lucky I am."
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Jan 21, 2008 19:14:53 GMT
Post by Kira & Lee Norris on Jan 21, 2008 19:14:53 GMT
It was compulsive, he guessed. Lee didn't know how she'd done it- or what she'd really said that triggered it- but suddenly, he was kissing her all over again. Reliving his favourite moment. Always made him smile. And then his lips trailed to her cheek, and rested there, just for a second, before his arms wrapped around her, and held her close. "Not luck," he chuckled teasingly. "Honestly, Maddie! Didn't you know? This is fate."
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