darker_london | The favors (Deirdre, Flynn)

"Quinny's surgery is tomorrow," Flynn commented, glancing over to where Deirdre was leaning against the window. It was mid-morning and for most of it, Deirdre had been lying on Flynn's bed with her head on his chest. Now she was watching James play with Coco in the yard below, while sitting in a convenient and rare sunbeam which lit her red hair up like it was on fire. She turned to look at him and she gave him a sad smile.

"He'll be alright," she said quietly. "And so will I," she added, because Flynn probably needed to know. "You should be with him tonight. I'll sneak into Spectre's bed now that Thomas is gone." Thomas had apparently disappeared last night in rather a spectacular way, as Deirdre heard it. "I can come to the hospital tomorrow and wait with you if you want."

"Only if you feel like it." Flynn wondered if she should put herself through it. "His parents and Eamon will be there. And probably Adrina if she's not working. But you know I like it when you're near."

"You know I like it when you're near and I know you're just trying to be nice to me so I don't feel like I've been encroaching in on your space." Ever since Kait's death...since she could handle leaving her room anyway, she had been staying at Flynn's house. Most notably, in his bed. Flynn didn't mind, but Deirdre was being careful and he knew it.

"You know I don't think like that," he said simply. "I say what I feel." He paused for a moment, and then he lifted his grey eyes to her again. "Hey Deirdre? Can I ask you a favour? One I am totally embarrassed about by the way..."

Upon hearing those words, Deirdre actually turned to look at him, tearing her eyes away from the canine and young child bliss which had enthralled her only moments before. Flynn sounded serious. "What is it?" she asked, worriedly.

"I uhm...I really think Quinn and Eamon's parents need to live here. For their sanity. They yelled at Eamon for making them go home so they wouldn't lose their house. They think if they had been here, Quinny wouldn't have gotten so bad. His eyes wouldn't have gone unchecked for so long, or something. But they can't afford to move and I can't afford to move them..."

Deirdre watched him carefully and then she smiled. Her first smile since hearing about Kait's death from the trembling lips of Peter Kemp. "You're asking me for money?"

Flynn turned white and he groaned. "Yes..." He sighed heavily, because he felt horrible about this. But Deirdre looked happy and he knew how she liked helping people. "Quinny and Eamon don't know. Or Maree and Bob for that matter. But Maree is a teacher and if she moved here she could work at the shelter. I'm sure Bob could find something. I don't know... I don't know if they want to, but uhm...if I can somehow convince them to relocate here 'to help out the shelter' and say we can pay to relocate them...you know...then it's all handled in a delicate manner. I just...I can't actually afford to do that like Peter can..."

Deirdre rose from her spot and she rejoined Flynn on the bed. She took his hand in hers and she kissed it. "I love how you worked this out exactly so no one's feelings are hurt and no one has to feel awkward. I think they are going to jump at the chance. They obviously want to be here more than at home. And of course I can help you."

Deirdre looked down at his black and grey bedspread and she traced her fingers around in little star shapes on top of it. "You know...Kait left everything to me. Her house, her money...her freaking cars. God, Flynn, you should see the fucking cars. They were her father's and they are still in his garage in their house. I...I hope she's happy with him up there. He was always weird around me, but I want them to be happy." Deirdre leaned her head against Flynn's shoulder.

"So...people keep dying and leaving me things... My dad gave me the house, and most of his money went away but when he died I got his other house too. Dorian left me his houses and his family money which was a lot. Peter gave me some, before that. I inherited a business from Shawn...which actually does make a fair bit of money, though I just put it all back into the theatre or I paid David extra because he needed it but fucking not any fucking more. And now Kait. And you know what?! I think I have more money than Peter now and it makes me feel shitty that every single thing I freaking own except Victoria Lane came to me because someone I loved or liked, or...well, loved at the time, died in some horrible and disgusting way. ARGH!"

Flynn wrapped his arms around her and he kissed the side of her head. He had no words of comfort for her because anything he could say was banal and platitudinal. Instead he said, "I'm here."

"And thank fuck for that, Northy." Deirdre pulled away, her lips curled into another tiny smile. It was a smile just for Flynn. Right now he was probably the only person in the world who could draw one out of her. "Don't go anywhere I'm fucking serious. If you try I'm gonna make you immortal to spite you."

The very idea was detestable to Flynn, who believed that life would lose it's purpose if he could not live each day to the fullest because he had nothing to fear. He didn't judge others for their choice and he was certainly very grateful that so many of his friends were immortal, even if it hadn't made a difference in Kait's case. It just wasn't the right thing for him. He would wither and in the end he would want to die and be unable to. "I'll do my best to behave. I wouldn't want you to retaliate."

Deirdre nodded once, meaning she agreed with his sentiments entirely. "I'm a demon, my retaliating is legendary. Flynny? Do...do you think I'll be an okay mum without Kait?!"

Flynn's face melted into the picture of fondness and he reached out to take her shoulders in his hands. "Deirdre. Can't you see you already take care of most of the people you know? You're paying to have Quinn's parents relocated here. You give a home to so many people and believe me when I say that is absolutely priceless. You are going to love those babies so much. You'll be a great mother. And you will have so much help. You know I love babies, and Quinny has babyfever. He practically goes into a tizzy when he touches one." Flynn refrained from postulating on what would happen if Quinn ended up blind, because he refused to believe that was ever going to happen. "You're going to be just fine." He leaned forward and kissed her head before once again pulling her close.

"I just want my babies to be as happy as everyone else's. I was watching James and he just loves Thomas and Spectre and Mary so much... And I'm so scared my babies will be demons who hate me."

"Your babies will know they have the world's most amazing mother. Trust me." Flynn kissed her crimson hair again.

Deirdre was silent for a moment, and then she whispered, "thank you."

"No, Deirdre-Rose. Thank you." Here, today, they had both given each other something precious.