True's not entirely sure why Devon is so upset, or why it's a problem that her Dad cares about her so much. He cares about a lot of people, after all. (Prompt: 010 Cry)

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Strange Discussions

Her dad had been gone an awful long time. The glare was starting to hurt True's eyes, and she wished she'd remembered her sunglasses. If she crawled under the blankets again, she wouldn't be able to see anything. Even worse, Dad and Devon might get back and not realize she'd stayed with the Dune-Rail, like she'd been told.

She already knew her dad was going to have a "discussion" with her about stowing away in the first place. There was no need to make it worse.

True closed her eyes, which soothed the dryness but did little to cut the bright, harsh light. Where were they, anyway? It shouldn't take this long to go get Sheppard.

She'd just about decided to crawl back under the blankets anyway when she heard the gunshot. It sounded like it came from the cave entrance! True jumped out of the 'Rail, eyes forgotten. "Dad? Devon?"

No answer.

This is a dangerous place, True. If I tell you to stay somewhere, that's what I expect you to do.

But wasn't it dangerous to stay here out in the open, even if that was what she had been told to do? Yes, she decided. She should hide. She scampered for the nearest stand of rocks and crouched down, listening.

A second later, she heard voices. True flattened herself against the sand, praying she was still small enough not to be seen, but then she relaxed. It was her dad. They must be all right. She brushed herself off and was about to go out and meet them, but then she heard what he was saying.

"I know. I know, Devon. Just hang on, you hear me? Hold on. I'm here. I'm here."

That was the tone of voice he used with her when she was upset, or sick, and needed comfort. She'd never heard him use it with anyone else before.

"Hold on to me. I'm right here. I know. Hold on, Adair. We have to keep going." His tone became a little firmer. "We have to get to the 'Rail, get back to camp. Come on. You're going to make it.

Peeking around the rock, she saw her dad with his arms around Devon. She was weeping against his shoulder. Her dad's hands shook every time he stroked her hair, and she didn't understand the expression on his face.

Before she could puzzle it out, though, he turned and caught sight of her. "Go back to the 'Rail, True."

"But where's Sheppard?"

"Go. Now. We'll be there in a minute."

She went. Behind her, her dad was speaking softly to Devon again, urging her toward the vehicle. She stopped crying but seemed to be in a daze, and her dad kept an arm around her in order to guide her. When they got to the 'Rail, Devon stopped and stared. After a moment of waiting, her dad picked her up and put her in the passenger seat. "We're going back to camp. Uly's waiting for you."

"Uly?" Devon's voice was a croaky whisper.

"Yeah. He misses you."

"Uly." She began crying again, harder this time.

True's dad wiped some of her tears with a rag and then his thumb. Then he caught her chin and tilted her face up until their eyes met. After a second, Devon jerked out of his hand, and her sobs stopped although tears still ran from her eyes.

"All right." Her dad sighed and looked back at her. "Sheppard's not coming."

"Why not?"

"We'll talk about it back at camp."

True swallowed and slid down into the rear seat. She was pretty sure she wasn't going to like what her dad would tell her. The only question was whether it would happen before or after their "discussion."

It hadn't been that bad, and afterward, when she'd dressed for sleep, her dad had decided to brush her hair out. It took a while; she figured it must have gotten pretty tangled out there in the desert. It hadn't been loose, though, so she wasn't entirely sure how that had happened.

"Did she love him?" True asked as he finished.

"She says she did." He picked her up. "Let's get you all tucked in."

"Da-a-d. I can do it myself."

"I know you can, True-girl." He did it anyway, laying her down on the cot and pulling the covers up. "Just put up with your old dad tonight, huh?"

"You're going back out there, aren't you? To the dome, I mean."

He sighed and nodded.

"You really care about her, don't you?"

He leaned back and rubbed a hand over his face. "Everyone keeps asking me that lately."

"Well, you do, don't you?" She was confused. "You care about all of us. Including her."

"Yeah," he said, although the odd expression had come back to his face. "I guess I do."

"So why wouldn't it be okay that you care about her?"

"No reason, I guess." He kissed her forehead before standing up. "Good night, True-girl. I love you." As he left their tent, he dimmed the lumalight down to near-darkness.

True rolled over in the dark and pulled the covers closer, closing her eyes and replaying the conversation in her head. That had been strange.

Of course, parents — and grown-ups in general — were strange sometimes. Make that a lot of times. With a last yawn, she went to sleep.