[Milliways] OOM: Flat 007

[his_sarah_jane]

Everything looks set to Sarah Jane as she stands in the living room of her Milliways flat. An old blanket has been spread across the floor in front of her. On it rests a small box (turned upside down as a makeshift table) and a collection of various arts and crafts supply that she purchased from Bar a few days ago. It's not hard to miss all the crayons or markers or stickers or glitter or glue or paper. Not too far away in the kitchen is a pitcher of milk and some chocolate chip cookies - the cookies also Bar provided.

This should be everything, she thinks to herself for the umpteenth time, also vaguely wondering why she's gone to all this effort in the first place. Sarah has never been fond of children, but something about this girl has seemed to charm her. Now, all she needs is for Allana to show up. Hopefully, she would have received the note left with Bar and found her way here.

Comments

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"Can't say that I have." James shifts his focus towards Allana, the charming little girl next to Sarah, and offers an equally charming smile. "Hello."

[hapan-heiress.livejournal.com]

Allana bites down on her lip.

James Bond is one handsome looking guy. She's going to tell him so. "You're vewy handsome," she says solemnly before standing and curtsying like a good little princess. "It's a pweasure to meet you."

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

He chuckles and makes a little bow. "Thank you. It's a pleasure to meet you as well." He peers over their creations. "Planning a party?"

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

"A tea party," Sarah fills in as she hides James' invitation underneath a new piece of paper. "I told Allana it would be much more fun to make invitations rather than buy them."

[hapan-heiress.livejournal.com]

"I wasn't gonna buy them," She corrects, sitting back down again to colour another invitation. "Just make the secretaries make 'em."

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

"The secretaries?"

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

Sarah reaches for a marker, nodding. "I did tell you Allana's a princess, didn't I?"

[hapan-heiress.livejournal.com]

She nods, humming to herself for a moment. "I am! A Chume'da, act'ly. Heiress to the frone!"


This is a very exciting life for a four year old. She seems UN-PHASED though as she colours more.

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

James sits down next to Sarah Jane. "You make very interesting friends, darling."

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

"It could come in handy knowing the heir to the throne one of these days," she teases, kissing his cheek after he sits. "You never know."

[hapan-heiress.livejournal.com]

She watches them out of the corner of her eye as she colours and she suddenly and overwhelmingly misses her mother and Jacen.

And she's a big girl, so she doesn't get visibly upset, except for a mild lower-lip wibble. Allana stands, moving around to crawl into Sarah's lap for a moment, needing a hug.

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

At first Sarah's confused when Allana crawls towards her, unable to think of a single remark that would have upset the girl. She's still confused when Allana sits in her lap, but immediately her arms go around her. Sarah hugs the girl tightly, resting her cheek in her hair.

There's a second in there where she looks at James, panic in her eyes. She hasn't had to deal with an upset child since she punched Thomas an she was only age ten at the time and too busy smirking in victory to care. She doesn't know what to do, aside from hug Allana back.

[hapan-heiress.livejournal.com]

She curls into Sarah's arms, shutting her eyes and stroking the fabric of Sarah's sleeve, comforted here and feeling safe.

Which is important. Because someone here threatened her safety and now she's just a little more scared and a little more tenderhearted than usual.

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

Sarah smiles slightly as she continues to hold Allana. What started out as awkward is quickly fading into something she can handle, if not almost enjoy.

She plants a small kiss on the crown of the girl's head. Then, smirking, Sarah whispers into Allana's ear: "James gives very good hugs too, you know."

[hapan-heiress.livejournal.com]

She cracks a smile and and looks up at James from Sarah's lap, and holds her arms out to him.

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

James shoots Sarah Jane a Look that seems to suggest "See, I told you so." As in, she has nothing to worry about as far as being a mother went. Then he leans over and hugs Allana.

[hapan-heiress.livejournal.com]

Allana hugs him back, fingers tight in his shirt as long as the hug lasts.

He feels safe too. She pulls back and looks up at Sarah, eyes wide. "I need to tell you something."

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

Allana's deceleration interrupts Sarah from her thoughts, causing her to blink for a few moments. She had never seen James looking more adorable.

Sarah Jane shakes her head as she brings her attention back to Allana. "What is it?"

[hapan-heiress.livejournal.com]

"I'm in gweat danger, by people knowing who I am," She says, sounding old for her four years once again. "People aren't s'posed to know what I look like. They know my name, and they know I'm the Chume'da, but except by those in the palace, I've never been seen by anyone."

She fiddles with Sarah's shirt for a moment. "A girl came here. Fwom my galaxy. She knows who I am now. 'Cause I was thinkin' when I told her who I was. An' I'm weally scared." She sniffles, her lower lip trembling again. "If the bad mens find me here, Jacen and Mama and DeeDee won't be here to pwotect me and I'll be assassinminated."

And she doesn't have her safety stick with her either!

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

Sarah automatically hugs Allana again, knowing just how fearful it can be to think you could possibly die. It must be even worse when you're four.

"James has plenty of experience dealing with bad mens. I promise you, neither of us would let anything happen to you, Allana. He's very good at stopping bad men from doing bad things. Besides, violence isn't allowed in the bar."

Although it doesn't stop it from occurring elsewhere. She shivers at the memory as it surfaces for only a second. Allana doesn't have to know any of this, as far as Sarah Jane is concerned.

"Isn't that right, love?"

[callitavesper.livejournal.com]

James hesitates for a moment, then extends his hand, placing it atop Allana's hair in a comforting gesture. "That's right. And if you can trust them, Security'd be willing to look after you, too. But if not, you can trust us."

It feels weird saying this to a little girl he's never met, but then isn't his whole career about protecting little girls, little boys, grown people he's never met?

[hapan-heiress.livejournal.com]

She wants to believe them. She really does. But, "I don't fink the bad mens will care about the wules. The mean lady didn't care about anything when she came after me on Jacen's ship."

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

"That's why you have us," Sarah reassures. "And Security."

[hapan-heiress.livejournal.com]

"I'm gonna cawwy my safety stick awound." She says, nodding. "And fank you."

[his-sarah-jane.livejournal.com]

"Of course," she says softly, smiling fondly at Allana. She gives the girl another hug before placing her back on the ground.

"Now, maybe if you asked James really nicely, he'd even help us with the invitations to the tea party."