Closing Chapters

[Kira & Lee Norris]

ooc: This is set after 'By Firelight', on the Sunday morning.

Lee pulled his sleeping bag towards him, rolling it around his arms carefully. Deron was sleeping peacefully within Lee's tent, still tied up from last night. He'd been very lucky that Parmida had let him live- let alone sleep so near the campers. He supposed it was only because Deron knew Kira, and Parmida trusted the Heads.
Deron- for his part- seemed... well, Lee couldn't say he liked him yet, but he certainly seemed nice enough. Bit sarcastic, but if Kira found that funny, then he guessed he couldn't begrudge it. And it's not like the guy had octopus hands. Kira was probably safe enough around him. He reckoned Deron wouldn't do any... ahem... grabbing, for want of a better word.
They'd be okay.
He hoped.
"Lee?"
He jumped. Most of the camp was having a lie-in, and he hadn't expected to have woken anyone up. He turned to Chloe, who was just putting on her glasses now. She looked surprisingly alert for it being so early, and she already was changed into her tracksuit and hiking boots; her hair an artfully untidy ponytail.
Lee felt himself go a little red. He was just wearing a pair of pyjama bottoms. Thank god he hadn't come out in his boxers.
"Hey," he smiled, trying to act cool.
Chloe's eyes swept over him, and she suppressed a smile. "Want to go get a top on?"
"Please," he said gratefully, climbing back inside the tent where he pulled a baggy shirt on.
Once he was back outside, and felt decent, Chloe turned and quickly beckoned to him. Frowning, Lee followed her, dodging past the charred remains of the campfire and following her through into the density of the trees.
The sun was shining now, and they found the forest green and shady. Lee stopped to admire it, wiggling his toes in the bare, dry dirt. The earth always felt good beneath his feet- and it always reminded him of his powers. He rarely used them, but when he did... well, there was no denying it felt good. Sighing, he turned to Chloe, who was chewing her lip nervously, her finger twisting a loose strand of her blonde hair around it.
His frown deepened. What on earth was going on...?
"Chloe..." he said slowly, taking a step towards her. "Are you okay?"
"No," she murmured. "I just don't think I can do this anymore."
A little warning bell started to go off in the back of Lee's mind, but like always, he repressed it. It wasn't what he thought it could be. It wasn't true. Of course not. Forcing it backwards, he let his concern for his friend envelope it. If Chloe needed help, he would offer it.
He mightn't do a good job but... he could try.
"Okay..." he said slowly. "So... talk to me?"
Chloe shook her head. "I think you know."
No I don't. For god's sake please... no I don't... NO I DON'T...
He shook his head slowly, his heart pounding. "I don't know what you mean."
"I think you do," said Chloe softly. "Lee... we're good friends, right? We get on well, yeah?"
"Of course," he said promptly.
"I want you to be happy," she shrugged. "Except... right now... you're not happy."
"I am."
"With Madeleine."
"I..." he stopped uncertainly, then shook himself. Get a grip, man. "I am. Very."
Chloe smiled sadly- one of those rare smiles, ones he found a guilty pleasure in admiring. Despite everything, he liked it when Chloe smiled.. It made him feel good. But this time... it didn't. This time, it left him feeling cold, and scared.
So scared he was shaking. He fought it, clenching his fists and breathing deeply.
You're wrong, Lee. It's not that. It's NOT...
"You're not. But... maybe you could be."
"How'd d'you mean?" he said quickly. Too quickly. He could barely contain his nerves.
"Whatever it comes to, it's your decision," smiled Chloe. "I mean... the option will always be open to you. I just want you to be happy, remember? And if not... well, we can always be friends."
"I don't understand." He didn't want to.
Chloe took a step towards him, her arms snaking around his neck. His own hung limply by his side; numb. He felt... so cold all over now. He couldn't move. He just couldn't.
Chloe raised her head, and in a second that seemed to take a lifetime, their eyes locked. "I really like, you, Lee," she said softly, barely above a whisper.
Then she raised herself slowly by tiptoe and... she kissed him.
Just like that.
She kissed him.
And more than that, there was a terrible moment when Lee's own arms wrapped around her, and he kissed her back.
A noise behind him made him jump out of Chloe's arms, his lips burning and eyes blazing. He couldn't believe he'd done that. He couldn't believe he'd kissed her too. How could he? How could they?
Chloe stood stock still, her eyes wide behind her glasses as she watched him. "Lee...?"
There was hope in her voice. He'd done that. He'd been stupid... weak... he'd done that...
"Chloe," he said hoarsely. "I... can't."
Chloe's eyes were shining now, the sunlight reflecting off them and her soft, blonde hair. Olive. He remembered when he'd first noticed that. Chloe's eyes were olive.
And now they shone so bright. He'd done that too.
"I just can't," he continued, quickly, feeling lower and lower with each word. "You know... me and Madeleine... Chloe, you're my friend, but Madeleine is..."
"Do you love her?"
The question shocked him into silence. He didn't answer. He didn't trust himself to answer. But it didn't matter anyway. Chloe seemed to have made up her mind. She nodded once, and turned away from Lee, heading back towards the campsite, and leaving him quite alone.
Alone...
But now... now he guessed it was over. That chapter could be closed. Chloe knew where she stood with him, and he'd finally be able to give Madeleine all his affection, attention and care. She deserved that from him. She deserved a lot more. Kira was right. It was time he faced up to the fact that they were boyfriend and girlfriend.
And... he thought with a sudden smile, they could- would be for a long, long time.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

A sudden noise outside woke Madeleine with a start.
It seemed like she'd only been asleep for a minute... then again, after last night's events her mind had been whirring and she hadn't been able to sleep until dawn. Thoughts of Parmida and her attack on Deron had been swimming through her head.
Honestly, she was surprised that Parmida hadn't killed Deron on the spot. Parmida or Shia. They seemed to be taking the protection of the students very seriously, at any rate.
That was one of the reasons why she hadn't been able to sleep - one ear was listening for any noises, just in case Parmida came back to finish Deron off.
And the other reason... well, guilt had a lot to do with that.
The hair-plaiting episode kept coming back to her. She was mad at Levi - well, of course she was! She and Lee had just managed to get around to talking again - to being girlfriend and boyfriend again - and then, with one sentence, Levi had gone and taken it back to square one.
It was the way Lee spoke after that... it was more awkward than it had ever been - so awkward it was painful. Each word was like a sharp needle stabbed into her heart.
Oh, stop that, Madeleine. Don't be so bloody cheesy.
The thing was... and she never would have admitted this... it wasn't her over-romanticising things. It was true.
What had he reduced her to? The Madeleine of the summer would never have even thought it remotely possible that she could get so worked up over some guy.
And yet, here she was...
Lee was worth it, though. All of it. And after being so normal, she'd realised that there was an easy way to make this work - and after Levi's little stunt last night, it was easy for her to do it.
She was giving up all contact with Levi. It wasn't exactly a huge sacrifice, but it would make life more than a little difficult, and it meant not having an air control partner at her level, which would hold her back somewhat. But she'd do it, because Lee didn't deserve having Levi there, always the third person in their relationship.
And she'd get rid of her issues with Chloe. It really wasn't healthy - and Lee hadn't glanced at Chloe once in the whole time they had been talking, proving her suspicions wrong.
And she was going to tell Lee this, as soon as she saw him.
A female voice said something outside, muffled through the walls of the tent. Madeleine sat up, yawning.
Then, a short something was said by a male voice.
Hold on - was that Lee?
She sat up, listening intently. What was he doing up at this time? Everyone was supposed to be having a lie-in, after being up so late the night before, and with all the drama.
She yawned again, and pulled on her top and jeans - and then muffled footsteps sounded outside her tent.
Quickly, she pulled on her hiking boots and tied the laces tightly, before unzipping her tent and clambering awkwardly out.
The dying embers of last night were still smoking, sending out little puffs of wispy black smoke; a shadow of the roaring blaze it had been. It was like a reminder that things that give warmth and heat must eventually burn out...
How uplifting.
Madeleine glanced about the empty area, then spotted Lee disappearing into the thick of the forest.
Deciding on the spot to follow him, she ran over towards the thicket of dark evergreen trees.
It was a beautifully sunny morning - bright, crisp, clear and not too warm. Perfect autumn morning really.
Once she'd entered the thick area of trees, the sunlight came down in golden shafts of light, and she couldn't help but be reminded of the times when she and Lee would just sit in the forest...
A voice came from near her. A soft, very familiar, female voice.
Chloe.
Despite her earlier resolution of burying the hatchet, Madeleine couldn't help but feel irritated. So, he was in the forest with Chloe...
Her common sense was telling her to wise up, and she decided to go with that.
She walked quietly towards where Chloe's voice was coming from, and heard Lee's. She was too far away to hear what they were saying.
Carefully, she stepped over the branches and twigs, intent on not making a sound. Being small and slight aided stealth somewhat, and trying not to make a sound was working.
Though, she suddenly thought, why was she trying to be silent? What did she think she was going to interrupt?
Still, she kept on with being quiet, until she eventually heard Chloe's voice clearly.
"I really like, you, Lee."
Madeleine froze. What?
There was a silence.
Madeleine sidestepped around a tree, and suddenly, the whole scene came into view.
Chloe's arms around Lee's neck. His around her back. Lips glued.
A twig snapped under Madeleine's right foot.
Lee suddenly jumped, breaking away from Chloe.
Chloe looked up at him, lips parted, eyes hopeful. "Lee...?"
Madeleine didn't wait to hear anymore. Quickly, she stepped over the twig she'd broken, and ran back to the camp, heart racing, eyes burning.
Near the camp, she stopped, and leant back against the tree, catching her breath.
Her chest was rising and falling quickly, and a sense of nausea that had nothing to do with what she'd eaten last night was coming over her. If she'd been the type of girl to give into tears, they would have come fast and thick now.
Because it was over.
They were over.
"You know nothing's going on between me and Chloe..."
Well, it turned out that she was right. Normally, she loved being right, but this time, she would have given anything to be proved wrong.
Things that give warmth and heat must eventually burn out. It had been stupid to think that this might have been an exception.
And now, she had to stamp out the embers.