-Dance-

Life in Briarcliff gets repetitive quickly. Even with Grace around to lighten the mood a little, Kit was soon bored with the routine of medication, questionable meals, working in the kitchen, and the insufferable, always playing Dominique.

Some days Kit thinks that the residents of Briarcliff didn't come to the asylum lacking sanity but rather lost it after being subjected to Sister Jude's music choices.

But one day, while watching Pepper turn in lazy circles in a beam of early-spring sunlight, Kit gets an idea. He get up from his chair and walks across the room to where Grace sits, working half-heartedly on a needlepoint.

They had decided, since the last time they were caught by Sister Jude and punished by the cane along with a promise to send one of them to a different institution should they be caught again, that it would be best to keep their distance from each other in front of watching eyes. So Grace's large eyes grow even larger when she lifts her head to see Kit standing before her, a smile on his face and his hand extended to her.

"What are you doing?" Grace asks in a shocked whisper. Still, despite her surprise, she places her hand in Kit's.

"We are dancing," Kit says, pulling her to her feet.

Grace drops her needlepoint in her chair and allows Kit to lead her away from the others, closer to the empty space where Pepper is twirling.

"I thought we agreed—" Grace starts, but Kit cuts her off.

"It's just dancing," he says. "Not even Sister Jude could find a reason to cane people for just dancing."

Dominique doesn't have the best beat for dancing, but Kit takes Grace's hand and places it on his shoulder before resting on of his on her waist. He takes the other and leads her through a few steps, trying to find a rhythm within the French tune.

It takes a few minutes of trial and error, but the two find a routine that Grace is fairly certain no one has ever done before.

While Grace laughs, the sound catching the attention of many of their fellow asylum patients, Kit spins her around and around until he has to wrap his arms around her to keep her upright.

Pepper is still twirling, but she is laughing now, too, and clapping her hands together.

"Isn't this better than needlepoint, Gracie?" Kit whispers against her ear, still holding her up as she tries to regain her balance.

Grace is just happy to have Kit here, his warms arms around her and chasing away the chill she can never quite escape here in the asylum.

Their revelry has garnered more applause, more and more patients joining Pepper in her praise.

Kit lets go of Grace to face his audience, giving them a deep bow that makes the applause go wild. He smiles over at Grace, who takes her skirt in her hands and drops into a curtsy, getting her own applause as a reward.

The happiness is cut short when they hear footsteps fast approaching, like someone is running. Kit and Grace run back to their seats, taking up their previous activities of staring blankly at the wall and sewing.

Those with enough of their minds left to know what is coming return to their activities, too. Just moments later, Sister Jude and Sister Mary Eustice burst through the door.

"See, I told you they were fine," Sister Mary Eustice says in her soft voice. But Sister Jude's eyes are scanning the room. They fix on Pepper, still spinning and clapping and laughing.

"Pepper! For the love of God, sit down! You're going to put everyone in a tizzy!"

For just a moment, Kit catches Grace's eye and winks at her.