08.26.3013: Second Word
Summary: A day in the life of the restored Mordain family. Sophia says her second word.
Date: 26 August 2013
Related: Hospital Homecoming
Ioan Rebecca 


Mordain House — Pale Horse Caravan, The Vale
This small home is quaint and comfortable. A small family room is set around a holodisplay on one wall, with well-worn chairs and a sofa facing it. A large, padded ottoman serves as a coffee table with no sharp edges. Built-in shelves on the walls are filled with children's toys, books, and tchotchkes. There is a small dining area between the family room and modest kitchen. Down a hall is a bathroom and two bedrooms, one serving as a nursery.

The entire home shows the age of the Pale Caravan in the aged walls and flooring, but it has solid bones and a homey feel. The colors are muted greens and tans, reminiscent of the Plains of Ares in Spring and Summer.

26 August 3013

Rebecca and Ioan are finally out of the hospital and home. It's early morning and Bex isn't in their bedroom, but can be heard singing softly down the hall, in Sophie's room. She's in there, rocking the child in the rocking chair that was passed down through her family, and the baby is smiling up at her happily as her mother feeds her oatmeal .

Ioan hadn't slept particularly well that night. A lot of tossing and turning, waking up in the middle of the night. A rather loud yawn can be heard from the bedroom as he stumbles out of the room in his pajamas. He's squinting and rubbing his eyes as he sits down at the table. "Hey." He says, almost mumbling. "What time is it?"

Rebecca looks over with a warm smile as she wipes the mess from Sophie's chin. "Early. Your daughter is a fan of morning, unlike her mother," she quips. Her forehead creases with a little bit of concern. "How are you feeling?"

Ioan groans as he rests his head on Becca's shoulder. "Tired, confused, angry… but happy and content as well." he says, giving Becca a sleepy peck on the cheek. "You don't have any coffee ready by chance do you?" He asks right on the heels of another yawn.

"Of course I do. Do you think I'd be remotely capable of smiling this early without it?" Rebecca retorts as she leans into the cheek peck. She watches him as she maneuvers a spoon of oatmeal back towards Sophie's maw. "Any more memories coming back? Recognize Nana Mordain yet?" she queries. She's wearing a one of his old shirts, something she's done since his disappearance.

Ioan frowns some and shakes his head, which is still resting on Becca's shoulder. "Bits and pieces… but not really." He gives a smile to the kid and lightly ruffles her hair before standing up and heading to the kitchen. He walks almost instinctively over to a cupboard, only to find that wasn't where the mugs were held. "Hey, when did you move the…" He says, trailing off. "Oh. Wait… That's where mom kept them… Where are the mugs?"

"Two cabinets to the right," Rebecca reminds him. Sophie has her last spoon of oatmeal and gets cleaned off and deposited in a playpen before Bex moves behind him and wraps her arms around him. "Have I told you today how happy I am that you're back?" she murmurs.

Ioan leans back on her just a little and closes his eyes. He lets out a content sigh and replies, "I think you did just now." He says with a big smile on his face. He lazily moves his arm two cabinets to the right and grabs a coffee mug. "have I mentioned to you today how happy I am to be back?"

Rebecca reaches past him to grab a cup for herself and pour coffee for both of them. "I wish I could get those months back for you, Ioan. I really do," she murmurs. "Maybe Lady Elodie could figure out some way to try and help with your memory. She took such good care of us when we were injured."

Ioan deflates some. "I know you do, but it's not your fault. It's just something I'll have to live with. At least you found me when you did." He smiles, trying to be positive about the situation. "I talked with Lady Elodie about it a little, she's doing what she can. She said that getting over the Red Eye is going to be rough… Most of it is just going to have to come back in time, I think." He takes a sip of coffee after taking a deep breath of it. Coffee smell makes everything better.

"I want to twist the head off every one of those bastards that kept you from me," Rebecca mutters as she slides into a chair at the kitchen table and curls her hands around her mug. "But I can let that go if it means I have my husband whole and healed and with his family again." She sips her coffee and rests her chin in her palm as she watches him. She just can't get enough of looking at him, having been without him for so long.

Ioan is still waking up some, though the coffee is helping some. He shuffles over to the kitchen table and takes a seat next to Becca. "I don't remember how many there were, but it sounds like you did a pretty good job of taking care of them." he smiles at her, sipping at his coffee again. "If you find them, wait just long enough to bring me along, we'll twist off their heads together."

"You got a deal," Rebecca quips. "It's bizarre. It's like getting to know you all over again. I wonder if this is what love at first sight feels like?" she muses.

"Perhaps, though I seem to remember falling for you rather soon after we met." Ioan says, keeping the warm coffee mug close to him. At least he remembers how they met. Smiling, he continues. "But yes, it is almost like getting to know each other again… So much has changed in the past year almost. It's exciting to see all the new changes, even if it is also frustrating to know I could have been there." He says, looking over at Sophia.

Sophie gurgles happily with a chewy rattle in her fist, shoved into her mouth. She seems to recognize her daddy despite not having seen him for most of her life. His smell, his energy, maybe his aura, are all in her instinctive memories. "We should go on a good old fashioned date," Bex murmurs with a small smile. "Rekindle ourselves."

Ioan raises an eyebrow and smiles. "Oh? What did you have in mind?" He says, eyeing his wife up and down, trying to remember when the last time he saw her in a dress. "I don't know what I would wear. I'm sure I'm too small for whatever I was in before."

Rebecca ponders. "Maybe a nice ride on the Plains and a starlight picnic out there? We used to just go out and lie on a blanket and watch the stars together. I miss that."

"I think that sounds wonderful." Ioan says, almost lost in thought. "Did we have anything particular we brought on these starlight picnics?" He says, looking around the kitchen and dining room. "Did I eat all of the fruit?

Rebecca chuckles. "Yes, you ate every last piece of fruit in the house outside of the pureed stuff we give Sophie. And I think we could bring some sandwiches and a nice bottle of wine." She spent a lot of her savings on their daughter's first birthday, and she's been managing with tight funds since then.

Ioan has a bit of a disappointed look on his face. "I guess I should relearn self control then." He murmurs. "Sandwiches and wine sounds excellent. Will Ghost be joining us?" He asks, almost pleading. He always enjoyed the company of the falcon, but even more so sense the rescue.

Rebecca chuckles. "Of course. You don't think I'd take us out there without a scout to watch for any approaching Hostiles, do you?" She reaches a hand to clasp one of his own. "I am really, really glad you're back."

"I am too." Ioan says as he clasps Rebecca's other hand and leans in to kiss her.

It's almost like kissing a stranger, yet as familiar as breathing at the same time. Rebecca has taken it very slow with Ioan to this point, because she's been worried that it might freak him out or send him into some sort of relapse. But now she kisses him like a woman starved.

Ioan is a little surprised when Rebecca kisses him back, but does not back away. He instead matches Becca's ferocity. While he might not remember everything about their relationship, the emotional connection had never died.

It might have gone further if a burst of giggles from Sophie doesn't remind Rebecca their little girl is watching them. She blushes, hotly, and pulls back, grinning. "Probably should, ah, wait for that date and a babysitter."

"Babysitter, right." Ioan says, blushing a little himself. "How soon do you think we can get one?" He says, almost grinning. "A babysitter, that is."

"Maybe tomorrow? I can call your Grandmother. Edna has been a great help with the baby over the last year." Rebecca smiles but it's strained. "I think she's really worried about you not remembering her."

"I… I know. I would be to in her shoes. I feel bad about it… It's really frustrating to look at something or someone and just /know/ you should know who it is, or what significance they hold… but not know why." Ioan says, dropping his shoulders and sighing again. "I'm sure it'll all come back in time, I'll make it up to her."

"We should send her some flowers, maybe," Rebecca offers. "Just to remind her we love her. Oh, and it's your turn to change Sophie's diaper. She's making that face." The one that means she just loaded her drawers. Rebecca grins and sips her coffee.

Ioan says, "Oh uh… I think I forgot how to…" Ioan stammers. He's never been good liar. "Alright, alright. I guess you /have/ changed the majority of her diapers." He says getting up and grabbing a diaper by the play pen. He grabs Sophie and says, "C'mere you stinker." laying her on the ground."

Sophie giggles at her father and she bonks him on the nose with her rattle. "DADA!" she exclaims. It's the first word she's said other than Horsie. Rebecca feels her heart lurch with joy and tears leap to her eyes. "Did you hear that!?" she asks.

Ioan looks surprised as Sophie says his name. He looks over at Becca, his grin bigger then she's ever seen. "She said my name!" He exclaims, almost forgetting about the diaper for a second. He laughs and says, "Say it again!" to Sophie, grabbing the wipes continuing to change her diaper.

"DADA!" Sophie repeats, laughing merrily. Rebecca has to dab at her eyes with a napkin as tears spill. "That's her second word, Ioan. Her first was 'horsie'."

"She can also understand us… she's growing up so fast, Becca." Ioan says, getting slightly choked up. "Can you say Mama?" He asks, putting the new diaper on his daughter and standing her up to face Rebecca.

"HORSIE!" Sophie declares her mother. Rebecca laughs out loud at that. "She'll get it eventually. I think she was just waiting for you to come home to expand her vocabulary, love."

"Well, that was thoughtful of you, wasn't it?" Ioan says, looking down at Sophia. "Eh, I had to try." He looks up at Rebecca, smiling and placing Sophie back in her play pen. "Do you know if they'll have me back as a scout for the Rhoven? I'd like to get back out there sometime soon…"

"I am sure they will, we need every able-bodied person in the field," Rebecca notes. She rises and moves to kiss his cheek. "Speaking of which, I have patrol soon. Need to shower. You ok with her today on your own?"

Ioan frowns. "Can't you call out or something? Say you're sick with found missing husband-itis or something." He says, jokingly.

"I would, but we're at war my love," Rebecca reminds him. "That was the biggest thing you missed out on, the Hostiles arriving early. I go to keep you two safe." She kisses him lightly and then heads for the bathroom.

Ioan kisses her back. "We'll be here, for now. We'll make sure that the Caravan is still here when you return."

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