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SIGH

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[She's half asleep when she gets the first one, and groans once she realizes it's not an emergency.

Goddammit.]

you'll be fine, saul. the spaceship's perfectly safe, i was there a lot of the time they were working on it, and jim's one of the best, he wouldn't have cleared it for flight if it wasn't safe.

it's gonna be okay.

[But she does also send him a series of audio files; piano concertos from her iPod, ones that she uses to relax after a night on patrol, to give him something to listen to during the flight.]

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[Sorry, Steph.

Saul scrolls through the files when they show up, brow wrinkling. He listens to about thirty seconds of one before sending another message:]

Thanks. That drug you used on Jesse — do you have any leftovers?

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i do, yeah.

[She doesn't want to knock him out.]

[5055034455]

Share?

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[She wants to tell him to fuck off, because things like that is how her mom started.

She just presses her face into the pillow, instead.]

you sure?

[5055034455]

I don't know how else they're gonna get me on that ship and the last thing I need is a bunch of people watching me lose my shit on the way up.

But I'm not leaving until tonight, so you can just knock me out right before they start to board. If you won't mind.

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[She minds.]

i can give you xanax equivalent. you can take it yourself before the flight.

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Are you sure it'll work?

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everything else i've gotten from my suit has worked

[5055034455]

OK. Thank you. Sorry again.

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you don't need to apologize.

but this better not become a thing, okay?

[It's not the first time he's asked her for something to knock him out.]

[5055034455]

Which part? Waking you up or asking for drugs? Or both?

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the second bit.

i can't do that again.

[She knows she's being dramatic, but she can't help it.]

[5055034455]

You won't have to, Steph. I'm just, y'know, really scared. If you have a better suggestion, I'm all ears.

Or eyes, I guess.

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i don't, i just.

this is what my mom did. she started checking out.

i really can't do this again.

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You won't have to.

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okay

[She hates how much she wants to see him, right now.]

sorry

what time's your flight? i'll drop by.

[5055034455]

[He almost tells her not to. Just reading that is enough to make his heart jump — what'll happen when he sees her?]

Late. Second to last of the day, I think.

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i'll meet you at the hold

[In public.]

[5055034455]

[Public or otherwise, Saul's not sure it matters.

How many people are left, at this point? Who'll be around at that time of night?

Very few, he hopes.

But — ]

Are you still willing to smuggle Mike for me?

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of course

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You should pick her up before that. I don't want any Initiative members seeing me hand her over.

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[No that's a really bad idea.]

leave her in your apartment, i'll go get her straight after, promise.

[5055034455]

[Welp.

He tried.]

Sure. That works.

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[He needs to stop trying.]

i'm gonna try to get back to sleep now, unless there's anything else you need?