Two
Sarah
Before the war, Sarah loved working in the local children's library. There was nothing she enjoyed more than introducing a child to a world beyond their imagination, an escape from the growing darkness that was quickly sweeping over Europe.
When she was wee, Alice in Wonderland was her constant companion of choice, and she spent her summers searching for rabbit burrows to try and squeeze into in search of that rare White Rabbit.
His guffaws ring through her mind, "Are you serious?"
"Yes," she sniffs primly, his sheets are grey and becoming more grubby by the day, she'd need to starch them clean soon.
"How'd you not get stuck?"
"I mastered wriggling in and back out again," she says sternly, although she can feel her own lips twisting up in amusement. "One must be prepared in order to find Wonderland, you see."
His eyes twinkle with mirth, "What I woulda paid to see that."
"Sarah!"
Sarah blinks at her manager standing in front of her. Her arms are crossed primly, one eyebrow cocked at her, "I've been calling your name for a while now."
Shit. "Sorry, I was…" she fluttered a hand around her head, "...away with the fairies."
"I can see that," that cocked eyebrow drops into a concerned brow. Sarah swallows a sigh at Polly's expression, "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine," she plasters a bright smile on her face. "What can I help you with?"
"Can you tidy up the Children's Section for the end of shift, please?"
"It's…already done."
"Oh," Polly gapes at her for a moment, before shrugging, "Good work, I guess? You can head off when you like."
"Thanks, Polly."
"No need to thank me," Polly scratches the back of her head awkwardly. "If anything, I should be thanking you. You're one of the best employees we've got. If it wasn't for your Story Time, well…" the older woman shakes her head, "it doesn't bear thinking about."
"Uhm sure?" Sarah's not sure what to say. Story Time was something she'd always organised back home, it made sense to continue doing it here too. It was one of the things Wong first recommended to her when she was trying to pull together the pieces of her life, to find some comfort in the familiar.
She slowly starts to pack up her stuff as silence falls over the information desk; Polly seems distant, her attention drawn elsewhere today, and Sarah can't really fault her for that. Money is growing tighter for the smaller public libraries, and it is becoming harder to find the funds to keep the institutions running seamlessly.
"Sarah?"
"Yes?" She glances up, meeting the woman's inquisitive stare.
"How would you feel about taking on more responsibility?"
"I don't follow?"
"I need someone to manage the Children's Section," Polly says. "I want you to do it."
"Me?"
Polly rolls her eyes, "Are we only talking in questions now?"
"I'm sorry, I'm just shocked," Sarah's not sure where to look. She's pleased, of course she is, she loves the library but Wong's words bounce around her mind like that DVD menu Master Drumm showed her. 'Do not be noticed.'
"It's not much," Polly's hand flutters, "A slight pay rise, a fancy sounding title and some more say over how we manage the Children's Section. You won't need to change much else."
Sarah hesitates, "I guess…?"
"Brilliant! I'll email you a formal letter of offer, if you want to look over it and let me know if there's any issues."
Sarah nods as her manager turns on her heel to head back to the main desk, "I'll send it across later today."
"Thanks, Polly."
The sound of her heels click on the cracked wooden floor, ringing through the quiet room. This is what she wanted, right? A job she loves and pays enough for her to make rent, friends and -
Sarah gathers her bag over her shoulder, slipping out from behind the desk. She wonders if Wong will be back from Kamar-Taj this evening and if he'd be up for watching The Great British Bake Off, she managed to procure some access to the most recent episodes and she was dying to see Bread Week.
She's only a few feet from the door when someone else calls her name again, "Sarah!"
She twirls, a smile growing across her face when she spots the man coming towards her, "Well, well, well, if it isn't my favourite customer?"
"I don't think you can call me a customer in a library."
"Patron, then," she pulls the man into a tight hug, giving him a little squeeze. "Where have you been hiding, Cliff?"
"Work called me out to a last minute job, only just got back today," Cliff smiles, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. He's trying to stand normally, but Sarah's nurse eyes can see the way he favours one of his ankles over the other and the creeping stiffness in his shoulders. Curious, she thinks. "Thought I'd drop these back in while I had a chance," his gaze catches on her bag, "but I can come back another time?"
Sarah sighs, "I really should tell you to scat but I'm pretty sure your late fees are what keeps the power on in this place."
"You wound me."
She snorts, "I suppose I can take pity on you just this once. Quickly though, before my boss sees."
He raises an eyebrow as he ambles after her, "Are you hiding from your boss or somethin'?"
"Nah, but she told me to leave and I don't think she'll be happy if she sees me back behind the desk. Something about not being paid for unapproved overtime."
Sarah checks both ways, but despite the lingering smell of Polly's perfume, there is no sight of the older woman. She slips in behind the desk, booting up her computer again until it blares noisily to life.
"Jesus," Cliff jumps back from the monitor as it clicks and whirrs noisily. "Are you sure that thing is safe?"
"It's not blown up yet," she pats the top lovingly. "Now let's see, what are you planning on returning today?"
He slips a couple of dogeared children's books onto the table, "They loved the Hunger Games."
"Did you?"
He shrugs with a mischievous smile, "Maybe a little."
"Told you," she scans the books through, counting up the fees. "You owe me $30 today, good sir."
"Urgh, $30 really?" He pulls a worn wallet from his back pocket, and flips through the folded notes within.
"Yup, you're still hitting those max late fees!" She grins, "But I'll throw in another good recommendation for you if you can pay the whole thing upfront."
He slaps a couple of notes onto the desk between them, "Hit me."
"Wonderful doing business with you," she grins, scooping up the notes and placing them in the register to be counted later. Sarah pulls a book out from underneath the desk and places it between them with a grin.
"The Faraway Tree?"
"It's amazing, and a guaranteed hit with wee ones," she grins. "Bear in mind I've not read them all, but the first two are fantastic."
"Okay, I'll take it." Sarah grins widely at him as she scans through the book before stamping it. "You don't have any of those fairy things in, do you?"
"Rainbow Magic?"
"Yeah, I borrowed a few before for my lil miss and I owe her big time."
"Ehhh," Sarah taps at the keyboard, and then nods, "Aye, I just had a few returned actually, they should be…right…" she turns to the recently returned bookshelf behind her, fingers tracing over the spines, "here! Gotcha!"
She flips through the titles in her hand, "I've got a couple of the Ocean Fairies?"
"As long as it's not a whale."
Sarah cocks an eyebrow at him, but he just shakes his head, "Don't ask. What goes on in little girls' heads is a mystery."
"And you still have the troubling tweens to look forward to."
Cliff sighs, dragging a hand down his face as she finishes scanning up his books, "Don't remind me."
Sarah casts a glance over her favourite library patron, he's still favouring the other ankle, "Are you okay?"
"Who? Me?" He points at himself with a grin, "You know me, Sarah, I bounce back."
"Hm," she hums, shutting down her computer and slipping back out from behind the desk again. "You look tired."
"I have two children under the age of twelve, Bug."
"Urgh," she elbows him in the ribs with a scowl, "What have I told you about nicknames?"
"Come on, we've known each other for, what, a year now? Surely I've earned nickname rights?"
"Whatever you say, doll."
"You can use a nickname when I get to finally meet your lovely wife."
"Fine," he sighs dramatically, sliding his books into the rucksack perched over his shoulder. "At least let me walk you out."
"Fine," she mimics him, sticking her tongue out. They slip out of the Children's Section, Sarah offering Polly a brisque wave as they pass. The stern woman nods as they pass before returning to her conversation with one of the security guards.
"You got any good plans for tonight?"
"Why, Cliff, what would your wife say? Propositioning an innocent young lady such as myself?"
"You're not half as funny as you think you are."
"You're right," she grins as they approach the exit doors, "I am funnier."
Cliff rolls his eyes, holding open the door for her, "You know that isn't what I meant."
"I do," she grins, "But I didn't have anything interesting to tell you about. I got my hands on some episodes of The Great British Bake Off so that's my evening sorted."
"The Great British what?"
"The Great British Bake Off," she replies, "It's a baking show."
"I see." She doesn't think he does but it's not as if she'll ever have to explain it to him.
A cold wind nips at her cheeks and she quickly wraps her thick knit scarf several times around her throat before tucking the ends into her bright yellow coat. Cliff watches her with a smirk, standing in a short-sleeved shirt like it is blazing sunshine and 30 odd degrees outside. She supposes he thinks that it makes him look like a hard man, all tough, but the fact that she can see the goosebumps running down his arms from the cold sort of ruins the effect for her.
"You?"
"What about me?"
"You got any good plans for tonight? A cosy dinner with your wife perhaps? A movie night with the children?"
Cliff shifts and then shrugs lamely, "I'm staying in the city actually. More work to be done."
"Oh."
"I'm hoping to head back in the next few days, depending on the length of this job."
"Fair," she replies. He's trying to appear nonchalant, but she can see the tension lining his jaw, the way his fingers flex before he can stop them. "You know I'm off tomorrow, so if you're free and want to kill some time maybe we could grab some food?"
Cliff's eyes widen, "Sarah, just because I can't go home doesn't mean I don't want to- ow!"
"Don't be an arse!" She scowls, slapping his arm for a second time for good measure. Prick. " I was just trying to be nice-"
"Okay, okay, mercy! I'm sorry," he grins from behind the arms protectively shielding his face. "You know you've got a strong little punch there, Bug."
"Urgh!" She turns, stomping away.
"I'll text you!" Cliff shouts after her as she slips into the crowds that will lead her home.
"Whatever!"
His chortle follows her until she reaches the crossing. She glances back over her shoulder to see Cliff chatting to a new man. He is smirking, clearly ribbing her friend while Cliff scowls heavily at him. Sarah squints, the new man looks kind of familiar, sort of like- shit.
The crossing beeps loudly in her ear and Sarah ducks across the road quickly, bobbing and weaving through the crowd and praying it keeps her hidden from the two men at the top street.
Shit, shit, shit, she curses herself. What was the one thing Wong told her she absolutely must do above all else, on pain of death.
"What do you mean, you don't want to stay at Kamar-Taj?"
Sarah leans over Wong's shoulder as he studies the open book in front of him. A soft calming scent fills her lungs, the faint musk of dusty old tombs easing her already frazzled nerves, "I love it here, don't get me wrong. I just…I got through the war by picturing my life after it. And now it is over, I want to go live."
"Are you not living here?"
"I am, I am!" Sarah protests, "I made promises though."
Wong turns to eye her over his shoulder, his brows knit together in concern, "I want to see Brooklyn, Wong. I want to make friends, have a cat, and work in a children's library again. I want…"
"...a normal life," he finishes for her.
"Now, come on, Wong. Both of us know there's no such thing as a normal life."
Wong exhales, massaging the bridge of his nose, "Fine."
"Really?"
"Yes," he says. "But you have to promise me one thing?"
"What?"
"Do not be noticed."
Well, fuck, what was he going to say when she told him one of her new friends knew Tony Stark?