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Chapter 8: Sniffles of Love

Mouse shivered as she approached the warehouse, moving swiftly against the cold wind. The temperature had dropped quickly over the last couple of weeks, and flurries of snow were already starting to make an appearance in New York City. Shifting her bag, Mouse coughed into her sleeve and tried to move a little faster.

She hated winter. Digging through bins was harder, especially when it snowed. And although she much preferred living with Otto than the crack house, the warehouse was drafty. She usually stayed huddled under her blankets or close to Otto's chair, as the man seemed to radiate heat. He'd taken to letting her sit in his lap sometimes, if he wasn't too busy.

Robin came and went, playing games with her and usually adding a bit of heat to the warehouse. But it never seemed to last long enough. At least her old home had been warm at night.

Mouse sniffled for what seemed like the millionth time that day, wiping her nose on her dirty sleeve. She slid into the warehouse, and sat her bag aside. The first thing she did was grab her blanket and wrap it around herself, trying to lose the chill that had settled into her bones. She climbed onto her bed, curling up for a few moments. Her throat had started hurting yesterday.

The girl had seen the worried looks Otto had sent her way when he heard her coughing. She didn't like the look on his face when he did--contemplating, as though he was trying to make a hard decision. So she had taken to smothering her coughs into her pillow and blanket, attempting to go unheard. Throwing her blanket over her head, Mouse huddled in the darkness, her breathing a bit ragged as she exhaled through her mouth, to generate a bit more warmth beneath the blanket. She snuggled Tonto close to keep him warm too. Even though her stomach was growling, she didn't want to venture out of the cocoon's warmth to eat what she had found that day.

Otto's concern for Mouse's health had increased as the temperature decreased. He was fine enough- a few adjustments to the harness rig to let the plutonium power packs shed more waste heat kept him quite warm- but the warehouse was cold and drafty no matter what he did. When she started coughing, he knew that he couldn't put off the decision for much longer. If Mouse stayed here, she would just get worse. She might die. Otto hadn't saved her from the crack house just to lose her to bronchitis or pneumonia or anything else.

He'd considered finding a more permanent home—a house or an apartment even, but he didn't want to risk it. The warehouse was one thing. It was isolated. There were no near neighbors, no nosy landlords. Getting a place closer to people would make it more likely someone would see Mouse's comings and goings, and probably his. And if anyone in the underworld managed to connect that little girl to him, and decided to go after her…he had, after all, wracked up a number of enemies over the last year. Not to mention all the paperwork and legal crap. Otto was not related to Mouse. She couldn't just stay with him. What if the police caught him? What if one of those crime lords sent a hit team for him that he couldn't handle? What would happen to her? He couldn't risk that. He couldn't do that to her. In a proper flat, they'd be too close to society that gave a damn to remain safely hidden.

There was only one thing for it. He hated to have to do it, and he knew Mouse would be convinced that he was betraying and abandoning her, but he saw no other way right now. Perhaps if they separated, perhaps if he somehow managed to clear the charges against him, he could find her again later and give her a proper home. This, though... No.

Otto went to Mouse's bedside, dropping a couple of blankets taken from his own bed over her huddled form. "I have to go out for a little while," he told her. "I'll be back soon."

Mouse pulled her blanket back from over her head to look up at him. She didn't like that look. She had such a bad, bad feeling in the pit of her stomach about that look. Reaching out, she took his hand, squeezing it. She didn't want him go. If he went, something bad was going to happen. She just knew it.

"P-p-please d-don't go, Ot-to," she said softly. Tears started to well in her eyes, though she didn't know why. There was just a terrible sense of dread in her gut. So she forced the words out. "P-please?"

She held on to his hand as hard as she could, trying to convey what she felt. If he left, everything was going to change. She just knew it.

He hugged her tightly, biting back his own tears. He did not want to go either- probably even less than she wanted him to. But he couldn't think of any other option that would keep her safe.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, stroking her hair. "I'm sorry Mouse. I have to go. I'll be back soon" Slowly, he extricated himself from her grasp and resettled the blankets around her. Once he was satisfied she was well-covered, he moved quickly for the entrance.

There was only one person he could trust to help- Father Everett, a priest who had given him shelter after the events at Pier 56. His church wasn't even far from here, and that was where Otto went. The actuators withdrew under his coat as he loitered near the back, waiting for the last few parishioners to trickle out after some late sermon.

Father Everett shook hands with his last few parishioners, watching as they left. He spotted the scientist against the wall, and nodded to him. After leaving the junior priest to clean up, he gestured for Otto to follow him to his office.

"Doctor Octavius," Father Everett greeted, once the door was closed. "How are you? I'm afraid you missed Mass, but perhaps there is something else you require?"

Otto nodded and moved towards one of the chairs, the actuators snaking out of his coat to let him sit down.

"I find myself with a problem, Father," he said. Normally, he wouldn't go to a priest for help- he had long since rejected most trappings of the faith he was raised with and had never seen any reason to go back. He viewed the religion with a heavy dose of contempt and skepticism- but he knew Father Everett was a good man, and he would probably know what to do.

"I don't suppose you're familiar with a little girl called Mouse? She's a little thing, about seven or so, and mostly mute."

Father Everett nodded, sitting in the other chair. "Neighborhood girl. Always out and about. Not a lick of supervision. If I had any idea who her parents were, I'd call social services myself. She comes by the shelter every so often for clothes. I haven't seen her in awhile." He studied the man across from him. "How do you know her?" he asked carefully.

Otto looked down at his hands. The actuators were similarly subdued, reflecting the emotions of their host. "She's been staying with me for several weeks now," he replied. "At first, only part of the time. She would come to the warehouse I've been living in to rest or eat, but one day she came in with bruises... She and her mother were living in a crack den, and some of the men there were hurting her. I... asked that she stay with me, rather than going back."

That was very close to lying to the priest, and he knew it. Worse yet, it seemed there was still enough of the old reverence for the clergy in him to make him feel a bit guilty for doing it.

The priest nodded slowly. "I wish I could say that was a rare story. But this is Hell's Kitchen. Unfortunately, a number of children here are in similar situations. Perhaps not so dire, but still."

He did not question the man, though he suspected there was more to it than that. There had been a few rumors, several weeks back, of Doc Ock sightings in Hell's Kitchen. Matthew had even asked him about it, though Father Everett had merely responded with the innocent quandary of "Didn't he die?"

Sitting back in his chair, he interlaced his fingers together. "What is it you need me to do?" he asked softly. The doctor had come to him for a reason, after all.

"The place I'm staying, while secure enough, isn't precisely the most weather-proof structure in the city," Otto explained. He'd seen the flicker of insight in the priest's eyes, and it made him even more uneasy. "It's cold, and drafty, and now Mouse is sick. I can't find a better place right now that would be safe enough for us both, and I'm afraid that if she stays with me, she'll get worse." He looked up at Everett, his expression one of deep pain. "She needs to go to social services. I can't keep her."

The priest leaned forward, frowning. Otto had clearly become attached to the girl. And it was understandable. With the exception of himself, how much human contact could he have had with anyone in recent months? And to feel so protective of a life, only to give it up...that was no easy task.

"Are you certain you want to do this?" Father Everett asked softly. "Sometimes a home is more than walls. I can get you medicine, if this is just a cold...children get sick, and they recover. She's probably been sick before this, and recovered with less help than she'd get from you. I would hate for you to make a decision based on temporary circumstances."

He shook his head. "It's not a cold, Father," he said softly. "If you heard her coughing...and we're barely into winter now. It doesn't start warming up until March, and it's only going to get colder. And... you've heard about the Ock sightings, I'm sure. I got a little sloppy, and I managed to irritate a few crime lords last year. I've gotten hints that some might be looking for me to exchange what I'm sure are not going to be pleasantries. Mouse won't be safe if someone in the employ of Kingpin or Tombstone realizes she's connected to me."

He shivered a little, remembering what he'd heard the night before. He was confident he could take care of himself and any goons coming for him, but Mouse didn't have a set of homicidally-minded metal tentacles fused to her back.

Sitting back in his chair, the priest nodded again. "Very well then. I know someone in social services. I'll give them a call, tell them she's been abandoned here at the parish. They might try to find her mother, but if she was into drugs, it's doubtful they'll find her. Or if they do, they may just arrest her. I don't know."

He looked to Otto. "How soon do you want to bring her here? It might be tomorrow before they come out, but I can keep her here for tonight if need be."

"Tonight," he said, resting his head in his hands. Everett could tell them Mouse had been abandoned here and it wouldn't even be a lie. God, he hated himself right now. "It'll be better if she spends the night someplace warmer than the warehouse. And if I ever... Father, if I ever get clear of all this, everything against me, I'll find her again. I'll adopt her. Foster her, whatever. I don't want to give her up, but I don't know what else to do."

The priest stood, and lightly placed a hand on Otto's head. "You're doing what you can for her. Probably more than anyone else has ever done. That's what's important."

He patted the man's shoulder, and went to dig through his desk for the phone number. "I'll wait for you in the back hall. She can stay in the sick room tonight...no one's in there, and it will keep her away from the other homeless in the shelter." It was the same room Otto had stayed in, all that time before. It was easiest to keep isolated, within the inner part of the church.

Otto left with a nod, returning to the warehouse to do what was probably going to be the hardest thing he'd ever done. Yes, it was best for Mouse, but that did not make him feel any better. What was more, she wouldn't understand it. She was probably going to hate him for this.

The warehouse was as cold as ever, the only sources of heat the actuators could detect being his equipment and the small bright ball that was Mouse under her blankets. He went to her, uncovering her head and resting his hand on her cheek.

"Hey, Mouse," he said quietly, fighting to keep his voice even.

Mouse blinked her eyes open. She'd dozed off after Otto left, despite the bad feelings. It was easy to do when it was cold. But she felt her insides sink at the sight of him, at the pitch in his voice.

Fortunately, she was saved at the moment. A warm breeze gusted through the warehouse, something that harrowed the appearance of Robin. The faerie walked in from nowhere, as she always did, smiling at them cheerfully.

"Hello all," she said, coming over to them. She ran a hand through Mouse's hair, and ducked down to kiss Otto's cheek. Then she caught a proper whiff of them, of the fear and loathing and hurt, and stepped back. She fixed serious eyes on Otto. "What's going on? Did I miss something?"

He did not meet the faerie's eyes directly, instead shifting to sit on the bed and pull Mouse, blankets and all, onto his lap. Why did she have to show up now, of all times? Damnit, this was hard enough as it was without complications.

"She's ill," he said quietly, wrapping his arms around the girl. "And I think there are going to be people coming after me soon. I have to take her someplace she'll be safe."

Mouse froze, feeling something like panic rising in her chest. Go? Leave Otto? Where could she possibly be as safe as with Otto? She looked up at him, torn between scrambling out of his hold and grabbing onto him for all she was worth.

Gently shifting Mouse from his lap, Robin took his arm with no small amount of force. "Can I talk to you for a moment?" she asked tersely. Walking him over to the other side of the warehouse, where little ears couldn't hear them, she crossed her arms and stared at him. "Have you lost your mind?" she asked. "You realize that you are the only soul on this planet that girl trusts. If you do this, you'll destroy her. She won't understand that it's for her own good. You are home to her. She needs you."

"Do I look like I'm enjoying this?" he demanded. His voice cracked a little as he spoke. "I pissed off some pretty powerful people in this city last year, and now they've found out I'm still alive. I got word they're going to try and take me down. I don't want her in the crossfire, and I don't know what to do. She'll be a hell of a lot safer with a foster family than she will be with me once Kingpin starts sending hit men my way."

Robin frowned, running a hand through her hair. "I've got a friend. Better healer than I am. He could take care of the sick part. And I've been out and about the city, looking for a better place than this dump. We could find you somewhere safer."

She growled, pacing around a little. "What do you want me to do? Tell me who to go after, and I can deal with them. Shift memories, make it so they don't think of you. It's not easy, but I'll do it. I just...I can't stand the idea of destroying what's left of this girl's innocence. And that's what we'd be doing, Otto."

She sighed, and tried to calm down. There was the passing thought of how she'd thrown herself into this--that no matter what was done, it would be her and Otto, doing it together. "I can help keep you safe. We can fine you a better place to live. A proper apartment, even. There are landlords who can be bribed or just won't care. No one even has to know who you are, or that there's a child living there at all." She stood to her full height. "Hell, I'm The Puck. If I can't hide two mortals in a city of this size, I don't deserve my title."

she could do it too she's a goddamn faerie

Otto dug his fingers into his scalp, tugging at his hair. Would it work? Could she really do that to the likes of Kingpin and Tombstone and their organizations? And God help him if Silvermane ever got out of prison, he had a grudge against everyone connected to OsCorp.

But maybe this was his way out. The last thing he wanted was to give Mouse up.

Two actuators darted out, gripping Robin by the wrists and pulling her close. "Can you do it?" Otto asked in a low, urgent tone. "Can you keep her safe?"

Robin stared up at him, not the least bit afraid by the actuators holding her. "I'll do everything in my power to do so," she said seriously. "And believe me, that's quite a bit of power. I'll even talk to Oberon about getting a little extra help with it. My lord can stop time with the snap of his fingers. I think we can manage to keep one little girl safe."

Though she wasn't sure what her lord might ask in return. He had been tolerant enough of Robin playing with the mortals. Now that she was devoting so much of herself to them...there were two ways Oberon could handle that. And Titania had showed some interest in meeting the child, when Robin had spoken of her...

But they could deal with that later. Mouse would be kept safe, no matter what. Robin could make that happen. She would make it happen.

Robin had never lied to him yet. He believed her. Relief surged through him, and he kissed her firmly on the mouth before hugging her as tightly as he could.

"Thank you," he said simply.

Robin returned his kiss, just as strongly. She smiled up at him. "You're welcome," she answered. Then she patted his chest. "Come on. You've got to calm the nerves of one frightened little girl. I'll call Jack, get him down here to help her. And I'll stay here tonight, help keep the place warm. Tomorrow we'll see about getting you moved."

She headed off to another corner of the warehouse, to hone in on her friend the pooka. It wouldn't take him long to get here. In the meantime, she opened her connection to Oberon, closing her eyes and mentally starting the difficult conversation of what could be done for one Doctor Otto Octavius and his ward.

He went back to the little bed where Mouse still crouched, looking hurt and scared. All he had to do was calm her nerves. Sure. He could do that. If she wasn't too upset to listen.

"Hey, Mouse," he said gently. His voice was a lot steadier now, and the actuators weren't sulking like they had before. "May I sit down?"

Mouse hesitantly nodded, but this time pushed herself back, into the corner of her bed frame. She couldn't be held anymore, not knowing it was the last time. She didn't want to be touched. So she sat Tonto as sentry between them, and wrapped the blanket around her tighter, as though it might protect her from what was coming.

The child refused to look at the man who had come to mean so much to her. She kept her eyes on the bed, feeling it shift with his weight. Her body was rigid, like a kitten bracing itself for whatever huge and unfathomable thing was coming towards it.

Seeing her move away from him drove home just how monumentally damaging his decision could have been. Otto felt sick with guilt at the thought of what he'd nearly done. He pulled off his sunglasses and looked at her.

"What I said earlier, Mouse," he began, voice very quiet, "I only thought you'd be safer if you went somewhere else. But I was wrong. Robin says she can help protect us both. I never wanted to send you away, little one. I want to keep you with me."

Mouse studied him for a long moment, staring into the brown eyes that she so rarely saw. Finally, she came to the conclusion that he really did want her, and that she was staying. She crawled over and into his lap, abandoning her blanket so that she could wrap her arms around his neck. She just hugged him for a moment, before settling down in his lap. Resting her head on his chest, she closed her eyes, marveling at the warmth that came through his clothes. Otto had explained about it having to do with the actuators. She didn't understand it, but merely accepted it as fact in true childlike fashion.

Larry came up and nuzzled her cheek, and she leaned her head into the cool metal briefly. It was strange, how her head could feel so hot and the rest of her be cold. But then, her insides hadn't been able to decide if they wanted to be hot or cold lately, and both were terribly uncomfortable. But for right now, the metal felt nice.

He wrapped his arms around her and cradled her close to his chest, mindful not to squeeze too hard. The metal harness around his midsection was more than capable of leaving bruises, as he could well attest. Otto was more than content not to move, so long as Mouse wanted to sit with him. With one hand he stroked her hair in a soothing motion while he waited for Robin to finish what she was doing.

Robin finally finished with Oberon, and came back over to the mortals. She smiled at the scene--Mouse was half-asleep in Otto's lap, and the man didn't seem terribly uncomfortable with the arrangement.

She padded over to them, squatting in front of Mouse as the child blinked and rubbed her eyes. "I've got a friend coming by--he's going to help you feel better. He's a bit strange, but he won't try to hurt you. Alright?"

Mouse nodded hesitantly, not sure how she felt about someone else finding their home in the warehouse. But a few moments later, a man with a top hat and longish hair down to the back of his neck appeared. "Well this is a charming spot," he said, looking around. He shook his head. "Really now, Puck, you used to have some class."

"And you used to have manners," Robin replied, crossing her arms as she straightened. "Jack Pook, Doctor Otto Octavius. The little one is Mouse."

Jack nodded to the mortals, smiling at Mouse. "Oh yes. Now you I've heard about." He tipped his hat to her, rolling it down one arm and back up the other before settling it back on his head.

Mouse shifted a little closer to Otto, at least as much as she could, as Jack squatted to look at her. Otto had been the first man she'd been able to trust in as long as she could remember. She wasn't sure how she felt about this character yet.

Jack just smiled kindly at her, and reached up and pulled an egg from behind her ear. In a quick slight of hand it was transformed into a dove and set free to flutter up through a hole in the roof. Mouse's wide eyes followed the bird up as Jack lightly rested a hand on her back.

"Hmm..." he pondered softly, taking in what was wrong with the girl. "You haven't been feeling well at all, have you." He shifted again, to be in front of her. "But it looks like we woke you from a lovely nap. So why don't I let you go back to sleep, and I give you my word, when you wake up you'll feel loads better."

Robin knew her cue, and had started stroking the back of Mouse's head to relax her. She released the lightest sleep spell she could—the sick child was quite exhausted already. The girl's eyes drooped closed, and her small body completely relaxed against Otto.

Otto nodded to the man Robin had called Jack Pook, a slight wariness in his brown eyes. Robin clearly trusted him, but that didn't mean he automatically did. But he was willing to let him help Mouse, since it seemed that he could.

Mouse relaxed against him as the two faeries began their work.

"What are you going to do?" he asked quietly.

"Oh, nothing much," Jack said. "But this would've felt a bit funny if she'd been awake, and Puck told me about her history. Didn't think she would do well with a strange man making her insides feel funny, even if it was just for a moment."

Otto nodded. Jack had good reasoning, and at least some sense of tact, manners or no. He certainly wouldn't have thought to send Mouse to sleep while the faerie worked.

With that, the faerie put one hand on her chest, and closed his eyes. A soft blue glow emitted from his hand, and disappeared after a moment. Mouse's breathing eased into something more quiet and comfortable, losing the phlegmy sound. She shifted in her sleep, snuggling into Otto, and settled. Jack opened his eyes and smiled.

"That's better," he said, running a soothing hand over her head to clear out the last of the congestion. He stood, dusting off his pants and looking over at Puck.

Otto resettled his arms around Mouse as she sank into a deeper slumber. Her breathing eased as Jack's spell went to work. "Thank you," he told the male faerie.

Robin nodded her thanks to Jack as well, and stepped around him to be on Otto's side. "Right then. These people you said were after you. There's only one good way of me knowing who they are to go and settle things, and you're going to have to trust me. I need you to close your eyes, and get a very clear mental image of each person. Try to focus on each one for about thirty seconds. Got it?"

Otto frowned a little. "You want me to what?" The actuators drew in around him, looking suspicious.

Robin just barely refrained from rolling her eyes. "I can't track you by scent to these people. It will have faded by now. So Jack's going to give me a boost, so that I can pull the surface memory off you. Just focus on one person at a time, for about 30 seconds. That should be plenty. Then you can give me locations and whatnot, and we'll go deal with them. That way, tomorrow, we can just focus on finding you two a place."

Jack raised an eyebrow at her, and opened his mouth to speak. Robin anticipated the action though, and turned to give him a sharp look. "Shove it, pooka." He could bitch on the road, but she didn't want him giving Otto reason to doubt her. Jack shut his mouth, shaking his head and looking around, as if pleading to a higher power. Robin turned back to Otto. "Alright?"

pull surface memory what does she mean by that faerie in our head don't like that Flo shifted slightly, putting herself between Otto and the two faeries. He waved her down.

"I like the thought of supervillains with crime rings coming after us even less," he retorted. He nodded to Robin. "Very well."

Ignoring Flo's protests, he closed his eyes and did as Robin directed.

She took a breath to steady herself, and put a hand on Otto's head. Jack came behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder. Closing her own eyes, she focused on Otto's mind, pulling the images like photographs.

Faeries didn't usually deal with people's minds, but this was a special occasion, so it was worth the extra bit of effort. They were finished quickly, and Robin pulled back, releasing a breath and rolling her shoulders.

"Okay then," she said, giving Otto a reassuring smile. "You feel alright? Not lightheaded or anything?" She watched the actuators carefully just in case one of them decided to make a move.

He blinked a little. "Yes, a bit lightheaded," he admitted as Flo nuzzled his face and shot Robin a suspicious look. He pushed the actuator away. "I'm fine, Flo." It was nothing worse than if he'd stood up too quickly from bending over, and he'd always had problems with that.

"So that's it then?" he asked, turning back to Robin now. She was quite pretty this close up, and it was easier to see her without his sunglasses or goggles to alter the image.

Robin cupped his face gently and smiled. "For you, that's it. Just stay here and rest."

She leaned forward and kissed him softly, then stood and looked at Jack. The pooka still looked like he wanted to say something, and she knew him well enough to have an idea what. But it could wait. Oberon was being generous and giving her a bit of extra power tonight. Which meant they needed to go now.

"I'll be back in a bit," she told Otto. "You just relax." She pointed a finger at him playfully. "If I catch you at that desk when I get back I'm taking away your toys."

"But I'm not tired!" he protested automatically, and grimaced as he realized he sounded like a child protesting bedtime. He was quite used to staying up to all hours working- anything before midnight or one in the morning was very early for him. It was barely eleven now, and he was still wide awake. Unlike Mouse, he hadn't been suffering from cold, borderline malnutrition, and what had probably been turning into bronchitis.

The kiss had been nice though. Robin had a knack for kisses, even if she did tend to make him feel a bit out of practice.

Robin smiled, shaking her head at him. "Just sit with her then," she said. She knew that the tiredness would probably hit him not long after she left. And Mouse looked quite comfortable in Otto's arms. "It'll keep her warm. I'll be back soon." She almost put a sleep spell on him, but he would probably know, and she didn't like to do that. Pushing Jack in the opposite direction, she turned and gave Otto a mock stern look and a wave as they vanished.

Jack turned to face her as they paused on a rooftop. "Have you gone completely mad? All of this over a couple of mortals? Oberon's going to have you trolling the grounds of the Court for this."

Robin just shook her head at him, perched precariously on a ledge, eyes roaming the city for the buildings she had seen in Otto's mind. "I'll be fine. And they're special. I want them safe, Jack."

The pooka shook his own head, rubbing his eyes and pacing. "I can't believe this. You're goin' soft! You haven't even had sex with him! What's the bleedin' point if you're not getting something out of it?"

Robin's eyes grew old as she stared out into the distance. "I don't know," she answered softly. "But...I care for them, Jack. I don't know why, but I do. They've both been through a lot, and if I can help them forge a new life together, then why shouldn't I?" She sighed, looking at her hands. "Maybe I am going soft," she said, more to herself than to Jack.

Jack shook his head to the gods one more time, then stepped onto the ledge and patted her shoulder. "Come on. Let's go scramble the brains of a few bad guys."

A few hours later, Robin returned to the warehouse, alone. She was tired, thoroughly drained of any excess energy Oberon had given her, and then some. It had been a busy night. Fortunately, it wouldn't take much to keep the warehouse warm. She adjusted the temperature of the air as she moved into the space. A ward was already up to keep the cold air out and the warm air in.

She smiled at the sight of her mortals though. It was worth it. Everything she had done, all of the consequences she would reap--they were completely worth it.

Otto had shifted Mouse so that she was tucked in bed, curled up against his side rather than on his lap, and was reading a book through Flo's night-vision camera. As usual, he hardly noticed either the dark or the gathering chill. The actuators served to shield him from the difficulties of both.

He looked up as Robin returned, noticing that the warehouse warmed up a bit as she did.

"Hey," he said, gently sliding off the bed and re-tucking Mouse in. The little girl stirred slightly and clutched her bear tighter, then went still again. "Did it work?"

Robin nodded, coming over and kissing him. Her green eyes shone like a cat's in the gloom, and seemed brighter than normal against her pale skin. "Between moving you to another location, and what we did tonight, you two should be fine." She sighed, and closed her eyes briefly, leaning her head against his chest. Then she looked up and gave him a small smile.

"You alright?" she asked. "I didn't even think about grabbing something to eat."

"Don't worry about me," he assured her, instinctively wrapping his arms around her slight form as she leaned against him. "I'm not hungry- I ate earlier."

Eyes that glowed cat-green in the dark were hardly usual, but he found them quite intriguing. He studied them for a moment, then bent his head to kiss her again, a slower, sweeter kiss than the ones he'd previously given her. With one hand, he brushed a lock of dark hair from her face.

Robin returned the kiss, slightly surprised by its sweetness. It would seem that Otto was warming up to the idea of her. She nuzzled his hand a little, and smiled tiredly at him. "Hope you don't mind a gate crasher tonight," she said, despite the fact that she'd already said she would stay.

The faerie leaned into him again for a moment, then pulled back enough to sit on a crate. It still put her at about level with Otto.

"You're but a distant memory for the leaders now. They don't even know why they were mad at you. It'll be best if we can keep you out of sight as much as possible, but the spells will hold up to a little bit of exposure. So long as they don't come face to face with you anytime soon, you should be alright. And I checked first--it doesn't seem that any active hits were placed on you yet. We'll need to be watchful, but like I said--moving you to another part of town should seal it."

"I don't mind." He took a seat next to her, raising one arm slightly in silent invitation for her to cuddle against him if she wanted. Otto couldn't even try to delude himself into thinking that he was only doing it to keep her from getting cold. He knew perfectly well that she wasn't sensitive to temperatures like a human would be. No, he just wanted her against him. He could admit that. He liked her.

Otto's got a crush Otto's got a crush

And he was ignoring Mo.

"I don't think I can thank you enough for all you've done," he said softly. "You've been incredible to us."

Robin slid into the space under his arm and smiled softly. "I don't even know why I'm doing it," she said. "Jack's accused me of going soft. Maybe I am. But then, I've always had a fondness for mortals. Probably comes from having been one."

She sighed, and watched the little girl across from them, sleeping soundly and peacefully. "Besides...it gets lonely, when you've lived as long as I have. I don't exactly have friends within the Court...not more than a couple, at least. I suppose it's nice, to have someone to take care of, even if just for a little while. I can pretend. I'm good at games, after all."

And she was the best at games where she pretended that her mortals wouldn't die, wouldn't shrivel up in such a short time. That they would be with her always.

"Well, as the man on the receiving end of your games, I have to say I don't think we could have muddled along without your help." He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "Thank you."

Robin fit very well under his arm.

too well

No, despite Flo's snide comments, just very well. He toyed with a lock of her hair as Mo curled around and rested his head in her lap, just enjoying her proximity.

Robin petted Mo, shaking her head at the strange machine. "And that's officially the last time you get to thank me," she said with a smile. She wouldn't outright admit it, but it made her a little uneasy. She wasn't used to being thanked, she was used to being scorned and cursed, for one reason or another. But then, she was The Puck. She usually deserved it.

Otto bit back a yawn and continued stroking her hair. "Sorry." He did recall something vague about faeries not liking thanks, or something along those lines, and he did not want to offend Robin.

She closed her eyes, and let her mind drift. Faeries didn't need sleep, as a rule, but they enjoyed it. And when they had used up an unusual amount of energy, they craved it, as it was the fastest way to replenish their strength. For a brief moment, the air around her cooled a little, then she remembered herself and stirred up a bit more warmth. With her plugging the draftiness, she wouldn't have to do much to the air in the warehouse itself.

He felt her relaxing against him in an almost sleepy manner, and smiled a little. "Would you rather move to a more comfortable spot?" he asked.

Robin giggled. "Sure. Although, you are very comfortable. And sitting on a crate isn't so different from sleeping in a tree. But you need your sleep too, hmm?"

She was rambling a bit, which she knew was a true sign she was tired. The faerie turned her head in the direction of the spot where she knew Otto slept. He kept it hidden, and she respected his privacy. He didn't have much, so he deserved to keep what he had.

"I am, am I?" He chuckled. Rosie had often said the same thing- those times when she could persuade him to get out of the lab during the day long enough for them to cuddle. To his deep regret, as his work had progressed, those times had become rarer. "You sleep in a tree?"

He scooped her up with Mo's help and, after a moment's hesitation, took her back to his corner. It was, after all, one of the more comfortable spots in the warehouse, and he owed her a more comfortable place to sleep than the top of a crate. His bed was really more a collection of pillows and futons than anything else, easier for him to get comfortable on than a traditional mattress, with the actuators and the harness complicating matters. Setting Robin down on it, he sat by her, returning his arm to its place around her shoulders.

Robin giggled again. "We live in the forest. Where did you think a faerie would sleep?" Granted, her lord and lady usually had bowers of their own...but she was usually quite happy in a good tree.

She snuggled against him, now thoroughly comfortable. Closing her eyes again, one hand lightly traced patterns on the top of his leg.

A rather pleasant tingle ran along Otto's spine as she traced patterns on his leg. He liked that tingle. Rubbing her shoulder with his thumb, he smiled. Now that he thought about it, there was a lot about Robin that he liked. Sitting here with her felt right.

He kissed the top of her head once more and leaned back, letting his own eyes close. Flo looked down at them both and gave what sounded like a sigh in his mind.

fine if you must keep her

Robin let sleep come to claim her, and smiled happily. Strange, that she could be so content with a man she hadn't even had sex with. She liked sitting here with him. It felt nice.

She was going to enjoy spending more time with this mortal man. She was sure of it.

Description
Chapter 8: Sniffles of Love

Mouse shivered as she approached the warehouse, moving swiftly against the cold wind. The temperature had dropped quickly over the last couple of weeks, and flurries of snow were already starting to make an appearance in New York City. Shifting her bag, Mouse coughed into her sleeve and tried to move a little faster.

She hated winter. Digging through bins was harder, especially when it snowed. And although she much preferred living with Otto than the crack house, the warehouse was drafty. She usually stayed huddled under her blankets or close to Otto's chair, as the man seemed to radiate heat. He'd taken to letting her sit in his lap sometimes, if he wasn't too busy.

Robin came and went, playing games with her and usually adding a bit of heat to the warehouse. But it never seemed to last long enough. At least her old home had been warm at night.

Mouse sniffled for what seemed like the millionth time that day, wiping her nose on her dirty sleeve. She slid into the warehouse, and sat her bag aside. The first thing she did was grab her blanket and wrap it around herself, trying to lose the chill that had settled into her bones. She climbed onto her bed, curling up for a few moments. Her throat had started hurting yesterday.

The girl had seen the worried looks Otto had sent her way when he heard her coughing. She didn't like the look on his face when he did--contemplating, as though he was trying to make a hard decision. So she had taken to smothering her coughs into her pillow and blanket, attempting to go unheard. Throwing her blanket over her head, Mouse huddled in the darkness, her breathing a bit ragged as she exhaled through her mouth, to generate a bit more warmth beneath the blanket. She snuggled Tonto close to keep him warm too. Even though her stomach was growling, she didn't want to venture out of the cocoon's warmth to eat what she had found that day.

Otto's concern for Mouse's health had increased as the temperature decreased. He was fine enough- a few adjustments to the harness rig to let the plutonium power packs shed more waste heat kept him quite warm- but the warehouse was cold and drafty no matter what he did. When she started coughing, he knew that he couldn't put off the decision for much longer. If Mouse stayed here, she would just get worse. She might die. Otto hadn't saved her from the crack house just to lose her to bronchitis or pneumonia or anything else.

He'd considered finding a more permanent home—a house or an apartment even, but he didn't want to risk it. The warehouse was one thing. It was isolated. There were no near neighbors, no nosy landlords. Getting a place closer to people would make it more likely someone would see Mouse's comings and goings, and probably his. And if anyone in the underworld managed to connect that little girl to him, and decided to go after her…he had, after all, wracked up a number of enemies over the last year. Not to mention all the paperwork and legal crap. Otto was not related to Mouse. She couldn't just stay with him. What if the police caught him? What if one of those crime lords sent a hit team for him that he couldn't handle? What would happen to her? He couldn't risk that. He couldn't do that to her. In a proper flat, they'd be too close to society that gave a damn to remain safely hidden.

There was only one thing for it. He hated to have to do it, and he knew Mouse would be convinced that he was betraying and abandoning her, but he saw no other way right now. Perhaps if they separated, perhaps if he somehow managed to clear the charges against him, he could find her again later and give her a proper home. This, though... No.

Otto went to Mouse's bedside, dropping a couple of blankets taken from his own bed over her huddled form. "I have to go out for a little while," he told her. "I'll be back soon."

Mouse pulled her blanket back from over her head to look up at him. She didn't like that look. She had such a bad, bad feeling in the pit of her stomach about that look. Reaching out, she took his hand, squeezing it. She didn't want him go. If he went, something bad was going to happen. She just knew it.

"P-p-please d-don't go, Ot-to," she said softly. Tears started to well in her eyes, though she didn't know why. There was just a terrible sense of dread in her gut. So she forced the words out. "P-please?"

She held on to his hand as hard as she could, trying to convey what she felt. If he left, everything was going to change. She just knew it.

He hugged her tightly, biting back his own tears. He did not want to go either- probably even less than she wanted him to. But he couldn't think of any other option that would keep her safe.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, stroking her hair. "I'm sorry Mouse. I have to go. I'll be back soon" Slowly, he extricated himself from her grasp and resettled the blankets around her. Once he was satisfied she was well-covered, he moved quickly for the entrance.

There was only one person he could trust to help- Father Everett, a priest who had given him shelter after the events at Pier 56. His church wasn't even far from here, and that was where Otto went. The actuators withdrew under his coat as he loitered near the back, waiting for the last few parishioners to trickle out after some late sermon.

Father Everett shook hands with his last few parishioners, watching as they left. He spotted the scientist against the wall, and nodded to him. After leaving the junior priest to clean up, he gestured for Otto to follow him to his office.

"Doctor Octavius," Father Everett greeted, once the door was closed. "How are you? I'm afraid you missed Mass, but perhaps there is something else you require?"

Otto nodded and moved towards one of the chairs, the actuators snaking out of his coat to let him sit down.

"I find myself with a problem, Father," he said. Normally, he wouldn't go to a priest for help- he had long since rejected most trappings of the faith he was raised with and had never seen any reason to go back. He viewed the religion with a heavy dose of contempt and skepticism- but he knew Father Everett was a good man, and he would probably know what to do.

"I don't suppose you're familiar with a little girl called Mouse? She's a little thing, about seven or so, and mostly mute."

Father Everett nodded, sitting in the other chair. "Neighborhood girl. Always out and about. Not a lick of supervision. If I had any idea who her parents were, I'd call social services myself. She comes by the shelter every so often for clothes. I haven't seen her in awhile." He studied the man across from him. "How do you know her?" he asked carefully.

Otto looked down at his hands. The actuators were similarly subdued, reflecting the emotions of their host. "She's been staying with me for several weeks now," he replied. "At first, only part of the time. She would come to the warehouse I've been living in to rest or eat, but one day she came in with bruises... She and her mother were living in a crack den, and some of the men there were hurting her. I... asked that she stay with me, rather than going back."

That was very close to lying to the priest, and he knew it. Worse yet, it seemed there was still enough of the old reverence for the clergy in him to make him feel a bit guilty for doing it.

The priest nodded slowly. "I wish I could say that was a rare story. But this is Hell's Kitchen. Unfortunately, a number of children here are in similar situations. Perhaps not so dire, but still."

He did not question the man, though he suspected there was more to it than that. There had been a few rumors, several weeks back, of Doc Ock sightings in Hell's Kitchen. Matthew had even asked him about it, though Father Everett had merely responded with the innocent quandary of "Didn't he die?"

Sitting back in his chair, he interlaced his fingers together. "What is it you need me to do?" he asked softly. The doctor had come to him for a reason, after all.

"The place I'm staying, while secure enough, isn't precisely the most weather-proof structure in the city," Otto explained. He'd seen the flicker of insight in the priest's eyes, and it made him even more uneasy. "It's cold, and drafty, and now Mouse is sick. I can't find a better place right now that would be safe enough for us both, and I'm afraid that if she stays with me, she'll get worse." He looked up at Everett, his expression one of deep pain. "She needs to go to social services. I can't keep her."

The priest leaned forward, frowning. Otto had clearly become attached to the girl. And it was understandable. With the exception of himself, how much human contact could he have had with anyone in recent months? And to feel so protective of a life, only to give it up...that was no easy task.

"Are you certain you want to do this?" Father Everett asked softly. "Sometimes a home is more than walls. I can get you medicine, if this is just a cold...children get sick, and they recover. She's probably been sick before this, and recovered with less help than she'd get from you. I would hate for you to make a decision based on temporary circumstances."

He shook his head. "It's not a cold, Father," he said softly. "If you heard her coughing...and we're barely into winter now. It doesn't start warming up until March, and it's only going to get colder. And... you've heard about the Ock sightings, I'm sure. I got a little sloppy, and I managed to irritate a few crime lords last year. I've gotten hints that some might be looking for me to exchange what I'm sure are not going to be pleasantries. Mouse won't be safe if someone in the employ of Kingpin or Tombstone realizes she's connected to me."

He shivered a little, remembering what he'd heard the night before. He was confident he could take care of himself and any goons coming for him, but Mouse didn't have a set of homicidally-minded metal tentacles fused to her back.

Sitting back in his chair, the priest nodded again. "Very well then. I know someone in social services. I'll give them a call, tell them she's been abandoned here at the parish. They might try to find her mother, but if she was into drugs, it's doubtful they'll find her. Or if they do, they may just arrest her. I don't know."

He looked to Otto. "How soon do you want to bring her here? It might be tomorrow before they come out, but I can keep her here for tonight if need be."

"Tonight," he said, resting his head in his hands. Everett could tell them Mouse had been abandoned here and it wouldn't even be a lie. God, he hated himself right now. "It'll be better if she spends the night someplace warmer than the warehouse. And if I ever... Father, if I ever get clear of all this, everything against me, I'll find her again. I'll adopt her. Foster her, whatever. I don't want to give her up, but I don't know what else to do."

The priest stood, and lightly placed a hand on Otto's head. "You're doing what you can for her. Probably more than anyone else has ever done. That's what's important."

He patted the man's shoulder, and went to dig through his desk for the phone number. "I'll wait for you in the back hall. She can stay in the sick room tonight...no one's in there, and it will keep her away from the other homeless in the shelter." It was the same room Otto had stayed in, all that time before. It was easiest to keep isolated, within the inner part of the church.

Otto left with a nod, returning to the warehouse to do what was probably going to be the hardest thing he'd ever done. Yes, it was best for Mouse, but that did not make him feel any better. What was more, she wouldn't understand it. She was probably going to hate him for this.

The warehouse was as cold as ever, the only sources of heat the actuators could detect being his equipment and the small bright ball that was Mouse under her blankets. He went to her, uncovering her head and resting his hand on her cheek.

"Hey, Mouse," he said quietly, fighting to keep his voice even.

Mouse blinked her eyes open. She'd dozed off after Otto left, despite the bad feelings. It was easy to do when it was cold. But she felt her insides sink at the sight of him, at the pitch in his voice.

Fortunately, she was saved at the moment. A warm breeze gusted through the warehouse, something that harrowed the appearance of Robin. The faerie walked in from nowhere, as she always did, smiling at them cheerfully.

"Hello all," she said, coming over to them. She ran a hand through Mouse's hair, and ducked down to kiss Otto's cheek. Then she caught a proper whiff of them, of the fear and loathing and hurt, and stepped back. She fixed serious eyes on Otto. "What's going on? Did I miss something?"

He did not meet the faerie's eyes directly, instead shifting to sit on the bed and pull Mouse, blankets and all, onto his lap. Why did she have to show up now, of all times? Damnit, this was hard enough as it was without complications.

"She's ill," he said quietly, wrapping his arms around the girl. "And I think there are going to be people coming after me soon. I have to take her someplace she'll be safe."

Mouse froze, feeling something like panic rising in her chest. Go? Leave Otto? Where could she possibly be as safe as with Otto? She looked up at him, torn between scrambling out of his hold and grabbing onto him for all she was worth.

Gently shifting Mouse from his lap, Robin took his arm with no small amount of force. "Can I talk to you for a moment?" she asked tersely. Walking him over to the other side of the warehouse, where little ears couldn't hear them, she crossed her arms and stared at him. "Have you lost your mind?" she asked. "You realize that you are the only soul on this planet that girl trusts. If you do this, you'll destroy her. She won't understand that it's for her own good. You are home to her. She needs you."

"Do I look like I'm enjoying this?" he demanded. His voice cracked a little as he spoke. "I pissed off some pretty powerful people in this city last year, and now they've found out I'm still alive. I got word they're going to try and take me down. I don't want her in the crossfire, and I don't know what to do. She'll be a hell of a lot safer with a foster family than she will be with me once Kingpin starts sending hit men my way."

Robin frowned, running a hand through her hair. "I've got a friend. Better healer than I am. He could take care of the sick part. And I've been out and about the city, looking for a better place than this dump. We could find you somewhere safer."

She growled, pacing around a little. "What do you want me to do? Tell me who to go after, and I can deal with them. Shift memories, make it so they don't think of you. It's not easy, but I'll do it. I just...I can't stand the idea of destroying what's left of this girl's innocence. And that's what we'd be doing, Otto."

She sighed, and tried to calm down. There was the passing thought of how she'd thrown herself into this--that no matter what was done, it would be her and Otto, doing it together. "I can help keep you safe. We can fine you a better place to live. A proper apartment, even. There are landlords who can be bribed or just won't care. No one even has to know who you are, or that there's a child living there at all." She stood to her full height. "Hell, I'm The Puck. If I can't hide two mortals in a city of this size, I don't deserve my title."

she could do it too she's a goddamn faerie

Otto dug his fingers into his scalp, tugging at his hair. Would it work? Could she really do that to the likes of Kingpin and Tombstone and their organizations? And God help him if Silvermane ever got out of prison, he had a grudge against everyone connected to OsCorp.

But maybe this was his way out. The last thing he wanted was to give Mouse up.

Two actuators darted out, gripping Robin by the wrists and pulling her close. "Can you do it?" Otto asked in a low, urgent tone. "Can you keep her safe?"

Robin stared up at him, not the least bit afraid by the actuators holding her. "I'll do everything in my power to do so," she said seriously. "And believe me, that's quite a bit of power. I'll even talk to Oberon about getting a little extra help with it. My lord can stop time with the snap of his fingers. I think we can manage to keep one little girl safe."

Though she wasn't sure what her lord might ask in return. He had been tolerant enough of Robin playing with the mortals. Now that she was devoting so much of herself to them...there were two ways Oberon could handle that. And Titania had showed some interest in meeting the child, when Robin had spoken of her...

But they could deal with that later. Mouse would be kept safe, no matter what. Robin could make that happen. She would make it happen.

Robin had never lied to him yet. He believed her. Relief surged through him, and he kissed her firmly on the mouth before hugging her as tightly as he could.

"Thank you," he said simply.

Robin returned his kiss, just as strongly. She smiled up at him. "You're welcome," she answered. Then she patted his chest. "Come on. You've got to calm the nerves of one frightened little girl. I'll call Jack, get him down here to help her. And I'll stay here tonight, help keep the place warm. Tomorrow we'll see about getting you moved."

She headed off to another corner of the warehouse, to hone in on her friend the pooka. It wouldn't take him long to get here. In the meantime, she opened her connection to Oberon, closing her eyes and mentally starting the difficult conversation of what could be done for one Doctor Otto Octavius and his ward.

He went back to the little bed where Mouse still crouched, looking hurt and scared. All he had to do was calm her nerves. Sure. He could do that. If she wasn't too upset to listen.

"Hey, Mouse," he said gently. His voice was a lot steadier now, and the actuators weren't sulking like they had before. "May I sit down?"

Mouse hesitantly nodded, but this time pushed herself back, into the corner of her bed frame. She couldn't be held anymore, not knowing it was the last time. She didn't want to be touched. So she sat Tonto as sentry between them, and wrapped the blanket around her tighter, as though it might protect her from what was coming.

The child refused to look at the man who had come to mean so much to her. She kept her eyes on the bed, feeling it shift with his weight. Her body was rigid, like a kitten bracing itself for whatever huge and unfathomable thing was coming towards it.

Seeing her move away from him drove home just how monumentally damaging his decision could have been. Otto felt sick with guilt at the thought of what he'd nearly done. He pulled off his sunglasses and looked at her.

"What I said earlier, Mouse," he began, voice very quiet, "I only thought you'd be safer if you went somewhere else. But I was wrong. Robin says she can help protect us both. I never wanted to send you away, little one. I want to keep you with me."

Mouse studied him for a long moment, staring into the brown eyes that she so rarely saw. Finally, she came to the conclusion that he really did want her, and that she was staying. She crawled over and into his lap, abandoning her blanket so that she could wrap her arms around his neck. She just hugged him for a moment, before settling down in his lap. Resting her head on his chest, she closed her eyes, marveling at the warmth that came through his clothes. Otto had explained about it having to do with the actuators. She didn't understand it, but merely accepted it as fact in true childlike fashion.

Larry came up and nuzzled her cheek, and she leaned her head into the cool metal briefly. It was strange, how her head could feel so hot and the rest of her be cold. But then, her insides hadn't been able to decide if they wanted to be hot or cold lately, and both were terribly uncomfortable. But for right now, the metal felt nice.

He wrapped his arms around her and cradled her close to his chest, mindful not to squeeze too hard. The metal harness around his midsection was more than capable of leaving bruises, as he could well attest. Otto was more than content not to move, so long as Mouse wanted to sit with him. With one hand he stroked her hair in a soothing motion while he waited for Robin to finish what she was doing.

Robin finally finished with Oberon, and came back over to the mortals. She smiled at the scene--Mouse was half-asleep in Otto's lap, and the man didn't seem terribly uncomfortable with the arrangement.

She padded over to them, squatting in front of Mouse as the child blinked and rubbed her eyes. "I've got a friend coming by--he's going to help you feel better. He's a bit strange, but he won't try to hurt you. Alright?"

Mouse nodded hesitantly, not sure how she felt about someone else finding their home in the warehouse. But a few moments later, a man with a top hat and longish hair down to the back of his neck appeared. "Well this is a charming spot," he said, looking around. He shook his head. "Really now, Puck, you used to have some class."

"And you used to have manners," Robin replied, crossing her arms as she straightened. "Jack Pook, Doctor Otto Octavius. The little one is Mouse."

Jack nodded to the mortals, smiling at Mouse. "Oh yes. Now you I've heard about." He tipped his hat to her, rolling it down one arm and back up the other before settling it back on his head.

Mouse shifted a little closer to Otto, at least as much as she could, as Jack squatted to look at her. Otto had been the first man she'd been able to trust in as long as she could remember. She wasn't sure how she felt about this character yet.

Jack just smiled kindly at her, and reached up and pulled an egg from behind her ear. In a quick slight of hand it was transformed into a dove and set free to flutter up through a hole in the roof. Mouse's wide eyes followed the bird up as Jack lightly rested a hand on her back.

"Hmm..." he pondered softly, taking in what was wrong with the girl. "You haven't been feeling well at all, have you." He shifted again, to be in front of her. "But it looks like we woke you from a lovely nap. So why don't I let you go back to sleep, and I give you my word, when you wake up you'll feel loads better."

Robin knew her cue, and had started stroking the back of Mouse's head to relax her. She released the lightest sleep spell she could—the sick child was quite exhausted already. The girl's eyes drooped closed, and her small body completely relaxed against Otto.

Otto nodded to the man Robin had called Jack Pook, a slight wariness in his brown eyes. Robin clearly trusted him, but that didn't mean he automatically did. But he was willing to let him help Mouse, since it seemed that he could.

Mouse relaxed against him as the two faeries began their work.

"What are you going to do?" he asked quietly.

"Oh, nothing much," Jack said. "But this would've felt a bit funny if she'd been awake, and Puck told me about her history. Didn't think she would do well with a strange man making her insides feel funny, even if it was just for a moment."

Otto nodded. Jack had good reasoning, and at least some sense of tact, manners or no. He certainly wouldn't have thought to send Mouse to sleep while the faerie worked.

With that, the faerie put one hand on her chest, and closed his eyes. A soft blue glow emitted from his hand, and disappeared after a moment. Mouse's breathing eased into something more quiet and comfortable, losing the phlegmy sound. She shifted in her sleep, snuggling into Otto, and settled. Jack opened his eyes and smiled.

"That's better," he said, running a soothing hand over her head to clear out the last of the congestion. He stood, dusting off his pants and looking over at Puck.

Otto resettled his arms around Mouse as she sank into a deeper slumber. Her breathing eased as Jack's spell went to work. "Thank you," he told the male faerie.

Robin nodded her thanks to Jack as well, and stepped around him to be on Otto's side. "Right then. These people you said were after you. There's only one good way of me knowing who they are to go and settle things, and you're going to have to trust me. I need you to close your eyes, and get a very clear mental image of each person. Try to focus on each one for about thirty seconds. Got it?"

Otto frowned a little. "You want me to what?" The actuators drew in around him, looking suspicious.

Robin just barely refrained from rolling her eyes. "I can't track you by scent to these people. It will have faded by now. So Jack's going to give me a boost, so that I can pull the surface memory off you. Just focus on one person at a time, for about 30 seconds. That should be plenty. Then you can give me locations and whatnot, and we'll go deal with them. That way, tomorrow, we can just focus on finding you two a place."

Jack raised an eyebrow at her, and opened his mouth to speak. Robin anticipated the action though, and turned to give him a sharp look. "Shove it, pooka." He could bitch on the road, but she didn't want him giving Otto reason to doubt her. Jack shut his mouth, shaking his head and looking around, as if pleading to a higher power. Robin turned back to Otto. "Alright?"

pull surface memory what does she mean by that faerie in our head don't like that Flo shifted slightly, putting herself between Otto and the two faeries. He waved her down.

"I like the thought of supervillains with crime rings coming after us even less," he retorted. He nodded to Robin. "Very well."

Ignoring Flo's protests, he closed his eyes and did as Robin directed.

She took a breath to steady herself, and put a hand on Otto's head. Jack came behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder. Closing her own eyes, she focused on Otto's mind, pulling the images like photographs.

Faeries didn't usually deal with people's minds, but this was a special occasion, so it was worth the extra bit of effort. They were finished quickly, and Robin pulled back, releasing a breath and rolling her shoulders.

"Okay then," she said, giving Otto a reassuring smile. "You feel alright? Not lightheaded or anything?" She watched the actuators carefully just in case one of them decided to make a move.

He blinked a little. "Yes, a bit lightheaded," he admitted as Flo nuzzled his face and shot Robin a suspicious look. He pushed the actuator away. "I'm fine, Flo." It was nothing worse than if he'd stood up too quickly from bending over, and he'd always had problems with that.

"So that's it then?" he asked, turning back to Robin now. She was quite pretty this close up, and it was easier to see her without his sunglasses or goggles to alter the image.

Robin cupped his face gently and smiled. "For you, that's it. Just stay here and rest."

She leaned forward and kissed him softly, then stood and looked at Jack. The pooka still looked like he wanted to say something, and she knew him well enough to have an idea what. But it could wait. Oberon was being generous and giving her a bit of extra power tonight. Which meant they needed to go now.

"I'll be back in a bit," she told Otto. "You just relax." She pointed a finger at him playfully. "If I catch you at that desk when I get back I'm taking away your toys."

"But I'm not tired!" he protested automatically, and grimaced as he realized he sounded like a child protesting bedtime. He was quite used to staying up to all hours working- anything before midnight or one in the morning was very early for him. It was barely eleven now, and he was still wide awake. Unlike Mouse, he hadn't been suffering from cold, borderline malnutrition, and what had probably been turning into bronchitis.

The kiss had been nice though. Robin had a knack for kisses, even if she did tend to make him feel a bit out of practice.

Robin smiled, shaking her head at him. "Just sit with her then," she said. She knew that the tiredness would probably hit him not long after she left. And Mouse looked quite comfortable in Otto's arms. "It'll keep her warm. I'll be back soon." She almost put a sleep spell on him, but he would probably know, and she didn't like to do that. Pushing Jack in the opposite direction, she turned and gave Otto a mock stern look and a wave as they vanished.

Jack turned to face her as they paused on a rooftop. "Have you gone completely mad? All of this over a couple of mortals? Oberon's going to have you trolling the grounds of the Court for this."

Robin just shook her head at him, perched precariously on a ledge, eyes roaming the city for the buildings she had seen in Otto's mind. "I'll be fine. And they're special. I want them safe, Jack."

The pooka shook his own head, rubbing his eyes and pacing. "I can't believe this. You're goin' soft! You haven't even had sex with him! What's the bleedin' point if you're not getting something out of it?"

Robin's eyes grew old as she stared out into the distance. "I don't know," she answered softly. "But...I care for them, Jack. I don't know why, but I do. They've both been through a lot, and if I can help them forge a new life together, then why shouldn't I?" She sighed, looking at her hands. "Maybe I am going soft," she said, more to herself than to Jack.

Jack shook his head to the gods one more time, then stepped onto the ledge and patted her shoulder. "Come on. Let's go scramble the brains of a few bad guys."

A few hours later, Robin returned to the warehouse, alone. She was tired, thoroughly drained of any excess energy Oberon had given her, and then some. It had been a busy night. Fortunately, it wouldn't take much to keep the warehouse warm. She adjusted the temperature of the air as she moved into the space. A ward was already up to keep the cold air out and the warm air in.

She smiled at the sight of her mortals though. It was worth it. Everything she had done, all of the consequences she would reap--they were completely worth it.

Otto had shifted Mouse so that she was tucked in bed, curled up against his side rather than on his lap, and was reading a book through Flo's night-vision camera. As usual, he hardly noticed either the dark or the gathering chill. The actuators served to shield him from the difficulties of both.

He looked up as Robin returned, noticing that the warehouse warmed up a bit as she did.

"Hey," he said, gently sliding off the bed and re-tucking Mouse in. The little girl stirred slightly and clutched her bear tighter, then went still again. "Did it work?"

Robin nodded, coming over and kissing him. Her green eyes shone like a cat's in the gloom, and seemed brighter than normal against her pale skin. "Between moving you to another location, and what we did tonight, you two should be fine." She sighed, and closed her eyes briefly, leaning her head against his chest. Then she looked up and gave him a small smile.

"You alright?" she asked. "I didn't even think about grabbing something to eat."

"Don't worry about me," he assured her, instinctively wrapping his arms around her slight form as she leaned against him. "I'm not hungry- I ate earlier."

Eyes that glowed cat-green in the dark were hardly usual, but he found them quite intriguing. He studied them for a moment, then bent his head to kiss her again, a slower, sweeter kiss than the ones he'd previously given her. With one hand, he brushed a lock of dark hair from her face.

Robin returned the kiss, slightly surprised by its sweetness. It would seem that Otto was warming up to the idea of her. She nuzzled his hand a little, and smiled tiredly at him. "Hope you don't mind a gate crasher tonight," she said, despite the fact that she'd already said she would stay.

The faerie leaned into him again for a moment, then pulled back enough to sit on a crate. It still put her at about level with Otto.

"You're but a distant memory for the leaders now. They don't even know why they were mad at you. It'll be best if we can keep you out of sight as much as possible, but the spells will hold up to a little bit of exposure. So long as they don't come face to face with you anytime soon, you should be alright. And I checked first--it doesn't seem that any active hits were placed on you yet. We'll need to be watchful, but like I said--moving you to another part of town should seal it."

"I don't mind." He took a seat next to her, raising one arm slightly in silent invitation for her to cuddle against him if she wanted. Otto couldn't even try to delude himself into thinking that he was only doing it to keep her from getting cold. He knew perfectly well that she wasn't sensitive to temperatures like a human would be. No, he just wanted her against him. He could admit that. He liked her.

Otto's got a crush Otto's got a crush

And he was ignoring Mo.

"I don't think I can thank you enough for all you've done," he said softly. "You've been incredible to us."

Robin slid into the space under his arm and smiled softly. "I don't even know why I'm doing it," she said. "Jack's accused me of going soft. Maybe I am. But then, I've always had a fondness for mortals. Probably comes from having been one."

She sighed, and watched the little girl across from them, sleeping soundly and peacefully. "Besides...it gets lonely, when you've lived as long as I have. I don't exactly have friends within the Court...not more than a couple, at least. I suppose it's nice, to have someone to take care of, even if just for a little while. I can pretend. I'm good at games, after all."

And she was the best at games where she pretended that her mortals wouldn't die, wouldn't shrivel up in such a short time. That they would be with her always.

"Well, as the man on the receiving end of your games, I have to say I don't think we could have muddled along without your help." He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "Thank you."

Robin fit very well under his arm.

too well

No, despite Flo's snide comments, just very well. He toyed with a lock of her hair as Mo curled around and rested his head in her lap, just enjoying her proximity.

Robin petted Mo, shaking her head at the strange machine. "And that's officially the last time you get to thank me," she said with a smile. She wouldn't outright admit it, but it made her a little uneasy. She wasn't used to being thanked, she was used to being scorned and cursed, for one reason or another. But then, she was The Puck. She usually deserved it.

Otto bit back a yawn and continued stroking her hair. "Sorry." He did recall something vague about faeries not liking thanks, or something along those lines, and he did not want to offend Robin.

She closed her eyes, and let her mind drift. Faeries didn't need sleep, as a rule, but they enjoyed it. And when they had used up an unusual amount of energy, they craved it, as it was the fastest way to replenish their strength. For a brief moment, the air around her cooled a little, then she remembered herself and stirred up a bit more warmth. With her plugging the draftiness, she wouldn't have to do much to the air in the warehouse itself.

He felt her relaxing against him in an almost sleepy manner, and smiled a little. "Would you rather move to a more comfortable spot?" he asked.

Robin giggled. "Sure. Although, you are very comfortable. And sitting on a crate isn't so different from sleeping in a tree. But you need your sleep too, hmm?"

She was rambling a bit, which she knew was a true sign she was tired. The faerie turned her head in the direction of the spot where she knew Otto slept. He kept it hidden, and she respected his privacy. He didn't have much, so he deserved to keep what he had.

"I am, am I?" He chuckled. Rosie had often said the same thing- those times when she could persuade him to get out of the lab during the day long enough for them to cuddle. To his deep regret, as his work had progressed, those times had become rarer. "You sleep in a tree?"

He scooped her up with Mo's help and, after a moment's hesitation, took her back to his corner. It was, after all, one of the more comfortable spots in the warehouse, and he owed her a more comfortable place to sleep than the top of a crate. His bed was really more a collection of pillows and futons than anything else, easier for him to get comfortable on than a traditional mattress, with the actuators and the harness complicating matters. Setting Robin down on it, he sat by her, returning his arm to its place around her shoulders.

Robin giggled again. "We live in the forest. Where did you think a faerie would sleep?" Granted, her lord and lady usually had bowers of their own...but she was usually quite happy in a good tree.

She snuggled against him, now thoroughly comfortable. Closing her eyes again, one hand lightly traced patterns on the top of his leg.

A rather pleasant tingle ran along Otto's spine as she traced patterns on his leg. He liked that tingle. Rubbing her shoulder with his thumb, he smiled. Now that he thought about it, there was a lot about Robin that he liked. Sitting here with her felt right.

He kissed the top of her head once more and leaned back, letting his own eyes close. Flo looked down at them both and gave what sounded like a sigh in his mind.

fine if you must keep her

Robin let sleep come to claim her, and smiled happily. Strange, that she could be so content with a man she hadn't even had sex with. She liked sitting here with him. It felt nice.

She was going to enjoy spending more time with this mortal man. She was sure of it.