“It’s a gift,” I grin.
“I think it’s a really good theory,” Raiden says. “Especially since those of us who aren’t as tired as the others didn’t use any new magic.”
“It’s usual for a new gift to tire you out more until you get used to it. It’s kind of like a muscle that you’ve never really used before. You have to build up the strength,” Doc explains.
“So it could definitely be because of that,” Reed agrees. “In which case, after we’ve had a good night's sleep, we should be back to normal.”
“I didn’t use any new magic, and I’m still exhausted,” Raiden mutters. “I’m ready for bed.”
“Wait, we have Neith’s room to see yet,” River says, as we get into the hallway and everyone starts to leave to go to their rooms.
I frown, “I think my room will just be the same as it’s always been.”
All of the doors start banging, the lights start flashing, and the floorboards under my feet lift, making me stumble in the direction of my room.
“I’m guessing that you may be wrong about that,” Raiden smirks. “And that you may have offended House by thinking he wouldn’t do something special with your room.”
“And that he wants us all to see it, just like we’ve all seen all of the other rooms,” Doc adds with a smile.
House lifts the floorboards under my feet again, making me stumble toward my room.
“Alright, alright. I’m going,” I grin as I start walking without House’s assistance, and the guys all start chuckling.
I have to admit that I’m slightly nervous to see what House has done for me, but when I open my door, I realize that I don’t need to be.
“It’s my room from my little house,” I mutter, a clog of emotion in my throat, as I look around at the familiar furniture and all of my trinkets, things that would be worthless to anyone else but that mean the absolute world to me. I grin as I notice more things, “Well, it’s mostly my room from my little house. House has given me more furniture, and although the bed appears to look the same, it’s bigger, so is the room itself. All my stuff is here though.”
“House obviously knows that you aren’t going to be able to go back for a while, and that everything in it means something to you,” Van says in awe.
“How has House got the exact things here?” Raiden asks. “I’m assuming that they are the real things and not replicas, just like my books and Ransom’s workroom.”
Raiden makes a good point. I guess the only way that I’m going to know for sure is to get a closer look at my stuff. I head over to my set of drawers. If these are really mine, and not just a copy, which, to be honest, would still be really impressive, then there should be a packet of half-eaten candy, the wrapped kind, I’m not that gross, well, not this time anyway. I’m sure that a lot of people put things down and forget where they’ve put them, and then randomly remember a couple of months later.
Candy included.
On second thought, that may be just me.
I pause. What the fuck was I doing?
Oh, right, checking the drawers.
“You’re on fire today,”I mentally mutter to myself, making the Voices cackle in response.
Well, that’s new.
For fuck sake, don’t get distracted again.
Finally focusing on my task, I pull open one of the drawers and sure enough, there they are. Grabbing the packet, I unwrap one, pop it in my mouth, and then turn around to offer the guys one.
They’re looking at me with raised eyebrows and dubious looks, so I feel the need to explain. “They’re wrapped, and still way in date.” I turn the pack around to make sure that I didn’t just lie, and grin triumphantly, “Ha! Yep, I’ve got like a year left before these get questionable. I don’t normally keep my candy in my shirt drawer, but I was eating it and then spilt my coffee down me so I needed to change my shirt, so I put the packet down while I changed, and then forgot that it was there until just then when I was trying to figure out how we could tell whether House has brought my original stuff here or just replicas.” I frown, “Although, now that I think about it, if House has replicated everything, then it could have just replicated the packet of candy, so that wasn’t a good test.”
“I think she’s tired,” River whispers dramatically, “more of her inside thoughts are becoming outside thoughts.”
I decide to ignore him and the snickers that his comment earns from the guys because, quite frankly, he’s right, but I’m on a roll.
“Oh, I know!” I suddenly exclaim, making the guys jump. Probably because I was way louder than I needed to be, considering we are all standing in the same room. “House,” I start. “If you have brought our actual things here and not just replicas, make the fireplace flare.”
The fireplace roars to life, and I grin as I put another candy in my mouth.
