Waiting For Sunrise - The Books Of Beginning AU

12. Happy Birthday Michael

Over and under and through. Over and under and through. Kate's nimble fingers twisted at colorful thread and twine, her tired eyes narrowed, her brow furrowed in concentration. She sat on the stairs that connected the first and second levels of the church, a lit candle at her side, providing her with light. She was alone - her siblings and Abigail were asleep on their cots along with all the other savages. Kate envied them; she wanted to lay down and rest badly, to not be up in the middle of the night. But she had a task to finish before that could happen, and she was not going to give up now. Tomorrow was Michael's birthday, and hell would freeze over before Kate let him turn thirteen without at least a small gift to treasure.

She had no money and no time to make some, but she was fairly handy, and so she braided multicolored thread and twine - in browns, reds, yellows, and oranges - together to make a unique bookmark for her bookish brother. It wasn't much, but it was a token of her love for Michael, and her pride in the smart and resilient young man he was growing up to be.

Over and under and through, over and under and through. Her fingers were growing sore, but it would all be worth it to see the smile on his face when he awoke tomorrow. 

"Kate?" A small voice asked, "what're you doin'?"

Kate paused weaving the bookmark together, separating the strands and holding them between her fingers. She shifted, turning around to see who had spoken to her, to see who else was up at this hour. 

In the candle-light, the quiet child looked like a ghost. Her small stature was bathed in soft glow and shadows, her messy black hair a stark contrast to her white nightgown falling to her pale ankles and bare feet. Those indigo eyes of hers' were alert and studying Kate thoughtfully - thoughtfully, but without fear.

"I could ask you the same thing, Violet," Kate replied, "you should be sleeping."

The seven year old sat down on the stairs beside Kate. "I'm not good at sleeping through the night. I usually get up and wander."

"I'm sorry," Kate said sympathetically, "I know how that feels."

Violet shrugged. "It's okay. Nighttime is quiet. It's calm."

"It is," Kate agreed. Night was when she could lay down the burden of raising her siblings, even for just a moment.

"What's that?" Violet pointed to the bookmark, which Kate had gone back to braiding. 

Kate smiled. "It's going to be a bookmark for my brother. I'm making it for him as a birthday present. He turns thirteen tomorrow."

"It's pretty."

"Thank you."

The young girl, to Kate's surprise, leaned in, snuggling into Kate's side. Instinctively, the older girl's arm went around the child, which only made Violet snuggle closer. This was a far cry from the timid and afraid girl Kate had met a less than two weeks ago, and though she had seen and spoke to Violet several times since then, she had never expected the child to become comfortable with her so fast.

"You're feeling bold," Kate said mildly.

"It's easier to be bold when it's quiet," Violet said, "and besides, you're nice. I like you."

"You just met me a little bit ago," Kate pointed out.

"Yeah," Violet replied, "but I like you. You're quiet and nice. You're like Rafe."

Ah, Kate thought, that explains it. It had quickly become clear after only a couple of conversations with Violet that the little girl was deeply devoted and attached to Rafe. She would only sit by the boy's side at dinner, and she spoke to him when she wouldn't speak to anyone else. The leader of the Savages was filling the role of father for Violet, and the child clearly adored him. It made sense that the people she would feel safe and happy around were the ones who reminded her of him.