In the Absence of Twilight Sparkle

by MyHobby


Wants and Needs

Twilight Sparkle undid her ponytail and let her hair sprawl down her back. She stood among the desks that occupied the main office of the Canterlot City Police Department, glancing to and fro, unsure of if she even had a destination. She spotted Party Favor and Night Glider seated at a table with Flash Sentry and Lemon Zest, muttering back and forth.

None of them were much more than acquaintances. Flash was slightly more known to her, being Shining’s longtime friend and fellow soldier, but even he’d only exchanged a few words with her. The four of them seemed to have a close-knit conversation going on. No need to try to break the mold.

Big Mac was outside with Applejack, talking with Shining Armor about… probably the struggle with Wallflower. Probably trying to unload the bombshell that had landed in his perception of the world. Even Shining Armor seemed shaken. Twilight had to admit that she was, too. Even if she had a good baseline for the power that magic provided, what Wallflower was able to accomplish was beyond what even Sunset had shared. Tearing steel and aluminum asunder with a single hand.

She understood what would cause them fear. But she wasn’t sure she had words for them. She wasn’t even sure she had words to comfort herself.

Sunset would know what to say.

Twilight slapped a hand over her face and immediately got fingerprints on her glasses. She took a cloth out of her shirt pocket and wiped them down. Robbed of accurate, clear eyesight, her sense of hearing took precedent. She heard herself talking not too far away. A quick deduction said it was not a recording, but a multiversal duplicate. The princess. She and Little Spike sat at a vacant desk, examining the bauble Wallflower had been wearing around her neck. The one reeking with Equestrian magic.

Moondancer would have loved to study it.

Twilight huffed as she put the glasses on her nose. She was going to be of no use to anyone if every thought of her absent friends sent her into a tizzy. She walked to where the princess was working, set her arms atop the computer monitor, and leaned her head in. When she spoke, her voice was low, so as not to travel. “So. Decided to spill the beans, huh?”

“Not all of them.” The princess used tongs to maneuver the trinket so that her skin didn’t come into contact with it. “I only explained where I come from, and that my world is likely the source of Wallflower Blush’s magic. Night Glider and Party Favor may have mentioned the school, but we have no clear connection.” She lowered a magnifying glass and met Twilight eye for eye. “I never mentioned Sunset. She, at least, gets to keep her anonymity. But if the police have no idea what we’re up against, more people could get seriously hurt.”

Twilight leaned her cheek on the ancient monitor. Its heat, mingled with the general lack of working air conditioning at the station, served to raise a sweat behind her ears. “Do you know what we’re up against?”

“Not exactly.” Princess Twilight tugged a strand of hair to her mouth and started chewing. “Spike and I looked into finding the Equestrian Wallflower—”

Little Spike raised the princess’ magic journal, open to the most recent page. “Recently moved to Our Town to practice gardening, quote, ‘in an environment suited to bringing out the best in everybody’s talents.’”

“—and of course, there’s no link between her and her double’s actions.” An uneven smile cracked the princess’ face in twain. “It’s almost like they’re completely different people living completely different lives in completely different worlds!”

Twilight nudged her glasses up. “Almost.”

“Very nearly so!” Princess Twilight waved at the magic doohickey. “This thing looks familiar, but without access to a library I’m buck outta luck. Up Shifty Creek without a paddle.” She picked up the tongs and gave the relic a prod. “I can see how it’s made. How it functions. It uses mind-altering magic on a very high level. It actively drains memories and contains them within its inner workings… like a cage. But a cage that gradually destroys what’s inside.”

Twilight stood upright, clawing the top of the monitor with a white-knuckled grip. “The memory loss could be permanent?”

“If we don’t open it up, yes.” Princess Twilight bit back a yawn and held a hand in front of her mouth. “’Scuze me. It has a spell process that takes the memories and, for lack of a better term, dissolves their magic and releases it as waste. I haven’t been able to deduce exact timing, but I’d say we have a couple of days at the most.”

Twilight Sparkle could have cracked the monitor if she didn’t let go. She clenched her fists and took a step back. “Can we break it open? Just let all the memories fly free?”

“Not an option. Not with how complex these workings are. The memories would be destroyed if their container collapsed.” The princess tapped the cover of the journal. “I have people working on this back in Equestria. Good people who know their stuff when it comes to magic artifacts. Once I have a counter spell, or a reverse switch, we’ll save Moondancer. I promise.”

Twilight crossed her arms. “Until then, we do nothing?”

“What can we do?” The princess shrugged. “Wallflower can’t be questioned. Princess Celestia is arriving tomorrow. We’ve already burned through all the information we currently have.” Princess Twilight leaned back in her chair. She went a little too far and lost her balance, arms pinwheeling. Twilight reached out and caught the chair in a vibrant shimmer of magic.

The princess kept her expression neutral as Twilight placed her upright. After a moment, she breathed a slight sigh of relief. “Thanks. That was embarrassing.”

“Maybe you need a nap,” Little Spike said. “Or, like, actual sleep, since it’s almost ten.”

“Or maybe I just need to sit in a chair that doesn’t wanna murder me.” The princess used the tongs to lower the artifact into a heavy bag. She leaned her elbows on the desk, her hands curled to approximate her natural hooves, and raised an eyebrow at Twilight. She gestured to a nearby office chair. “So… you’re coming along with your studies.”

Twilight took the offered chair and sat cross-legged. She used her sleeve to wipe sweat from her nose before rolling it further up her arm. “Sunset’s a great teacher. And… I suppose I’m a determined student.”

“I’m not going to obfuscate.” The princess shared a tiny smirk. “In the two years since you came to Equestria, you’ve made leaps and bounds in your capabilities. I’m darn sure I wouldn’t have been able to turn mind-altering magic back in my second year.”

“No…” Twilight pointed at the purple dog beside her. “You were just able to hatch a dragon egg during your entrance exam.”

Little Spike laughed lightly.

“Believe me,” Princess Twilight said, “it wasn’t due to skill or conscious thought. I was riding purely on instinct.”

“So was I.” Twilight picked up an empty manilla folder to fan her face. “You think I wanted to erase Wallflower’s memories? I was just as likely to punch her with magic and smoosh her body all over the sidewalk as anything else.”

“Right. That’s right.” The princess idly rapped her knuckles against the desk. She sent a glance at Little Spike before turning concerned eyes towards Twilight. “Self-control isn’t an easy thing to learn. I think that’s your next step. You’ve uncovered great power. You’ve explored amazing possibilities. Now, you’ve gotta get ahold of yourself.”

Twilight frowned as she looked into her duplicate’s eyes. “I’ve got plenty of self-control. I’m an adult. I don’t just go throwing tantrums everywhere I go.”

“Twilight…” The princess pressed her lips together for a moment. Twilight could practically see her thoughts assembling into organized rows. “There is a difference between self-control and self-suppression. With self-control, one can feel their emotions, acknowledge them, and then refuse to allow them to control their actions. With suppression, you refuse to feel your emotions, tell yourself you shouldn’t have them, and then let them build up pressure in secret.”

She held her hands out, palm up, towards Twilight. “When the pressure becomes too much, you burst, and people get hurt.”

Twilight let her lips curl. She pushed her glasses further up her nose. “You know me so well, huh?”

“No. I barely know you.” Princess Twilight allowed her hands to drop to her lap. “But I know myself. I know that I have had the same trouble. I’ve done some really messed-up things because I didn’t accept help for my problems. People have gotten hurt for sure, and it would have been much worse without my friends bailing me out.”

Twilight snorted. “The perfect Princess Twilight—?”

“I had an issue with mind-altering magic: the Want-It-Need-It spell. A dangerous thing in the hooves of somebody who doesn’t know what they’re doing. And even more dangerous with someone who does know.” The princess’ voice lowered to a near-whisper. “I’m not accusing you of anything. I’m not giving you any responsibility beyond what I’ve had to carry. I just want you to know that whatever problems you face, I’m someone you can talk to about it. Magic-related or otherwise. I’ve been there, too.”

Twilight didn’t doubt it. The princess had clearly seen and experienced much. The scar on her neck proved that, if nothing else. But still… There was something holding Twilight back. Something said she should remain closed off. Hidden. Out of the way. “Thank you… very much for the offer.”

Princess Twilight took a measured breath, gave her duplicate a tight smile and a nod, then turned her attention back to the computer. “In the meantime… data.”

“Yeah.” Twilight glanced at the screen. She already knew every piece of information the princess had written. It had been burned into her memory. “Data.”

Little Spike twisted his weight to swing his chair closer to the princess’. He raised his head over her back. “And everything said between you two remains in confidence. Dragon’s Honor.”

“I appreciate that.” Twilight unspooled her legs and rose, stretching her arms high. “Actually, we should probably head back to the Apples’. Make sure Sunny, Granny, and Bloom are okay.”

“I’m down for that,” Little Spike said.

“Yeah.” Princess Twilight rubbed her eyes with a curled hand. “Yeeeeah. It’s been a full day.”

Twilight moved towards Flash and the others to let them know they were leaving, and instead caught sight of Caution Tape leaving their table. She crossed her arms over her chest, but otherwise showed no outward hostility. He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “Told ’em we’d send a police escort to bring them home and keep watch. Same goes for you and yours, Sparkle.”

“Probably a good idea.” Twilight bit her lower lip. “Did you hear anything from Moondancer?”

“No updates.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Same as b’fore.”

Twilight sighed. She eased herself to the side to give the princess and Little Spike room to maneuver. The bunch of them walked toward the exit and Shining Armor’s minivan, weary and frustrated.

***

“So,” Shining Armor said to the pale man in front of him. “Where’d you get moves like that?”

Commander Skyhook bobbed his head. His body was almost invisible in the low light of the evening. His eyes reflected just a little bit brighter in the lamp light around the Canterlot City Police Department than other people’s. “Princess Twilight travels here occasionally. As Ponyville’s Captain of the Guard, I’ve got to be able to protect her wherever she goes. I lead training sessions on this world every couple of months to keep the guards at an acceptable skill level.”

Big Mac came out of his trance-like stare into the darkness long enough to raise his voice. “Thought your rank was Commander.”

“Commander is a rank. Captain of the Guard is a noble title.” Skyhook let out a chuckle as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “See, my old CO Stonewall gets the same thing, except she’s a Centurion. People were always joking that her first name had to be Lieutenant to round out the impossible rank combination.”

“Centurion?” Shining’s lopsided grin offered a slight relief from the stress constantly permeating his neck. “Now there’s a rank that hasn’t been used around here for a couple thousand years.”

“Of course, a hundred soldiers is small potatoes to me.” Skyhook’s joviality faded ever-so-slightly when he looked at the moon overhead. His expression corrected itself in short order. “If I have anything to say about it, she’ll never live it down that I literally outrank her, even if I technically don’t.”

The door swung open, and Flash Sentry sauntered his way out. He gave Applejack a nod, and she returned it before turning back to her phone and the messages she was exchanging. Flash gave Shining a grin that said he was trying to make the best of things. “Speaking of ranks, I got your old job.”

“Really? Great job!” Shining Armor clapped a hand on Flash’s shoulder. “I had zero doubts, man.”

“It was pretty grueling work trying to fit your oversized shoes. But I managed.” Flash’s smile shrank to next to nothing. “You know I’ve gotta say it.”

Shining’s own smile turned down at the edge. “Yeah. Give it to me straight.”

“There’s still a spot for you on the squad.” Shining must have let something slip past his carefully-guarded expression, because Flash pressed the point. “Even Sunstreaker of all people misses you. We were a real machine under your command, Armor. The best of the best. Something’s missing without you.”

Shining gave Flash’s shoulder an extra squeeze. “You’re still the best without me.”

“That’s beside the point.” Flash Sentry tilted his head back as several people exited the police station at once. He took a step back from Shining on his way to meet them. “Point is, offer’s still on the table. We’re ready when you are.”

“I’ve got different priorities now, Flash.” Shining Armor’s neck stress returned in a wave. He watched as Flash, Flash’s fiancé, and the two owners of the Party Favor climbed into patrol cars to be led back home. He rubbed his face with a hand, letting out a long breath into his palm.

“You miss it too, huh?” Big Mac said. He was sitting on the steps leading up to the station entrance, his forearms on his knees. He looked at Shining from beneath a weighty brow. “Bein’ part of all that?”

Shining Armor stared after the retreating police cars. He placed his hands on his hips and shook his head. “Sometimes.”

Big Mac nodded after the retreating vehicles. “You ever gonna go back?”

“No,” Shining said without thinking. “Sunset and I decided we both wanna be here, in Canterlot City. We’re staying put and giving Sunny and ourselves the stability we never had as kids.”

He didn’t think. He couldn’t think. He wouldn’t dare think about it. Because he was afraid that he would be able to convince himself to change his mind.

He and Sunset were in unity. Of one mind on the subject. It was settled.

Big Mac stood and walked to the minivan as the Twilights approached. He gave Shining a friendly slap on the back. “You’re a good man, Shinin’.”

“Yeah…” Shining Armor muttered to himself as he pulled the keys from his pocket. “A good man.”

***

Twilight Sparkle sat on the couch in the living room. Granny and Apple Bloom had long ago retired to bed. Sunny was sleeping in Big Mac’s room. Princess Twilight had passed out in Applejack’s room, where Applejack herself was getting a good night’s sleep to prepare for work tomorrow. Skyhook was chatting with the police officer who was parked across the street, the both of them keeping watch.

The scratch of Little Spike’s pen could be heard in the kitchen, where he was writing back and forth to somebody in Equestria. He was using Princess Twilight’s magic journal, and his unseen pen pal was apparently using Princess Celestia’s. He laughed softly every so often, when he wasn’t giggling like a lovesick puppy.

Twilight went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. As she poured water into her cup, she thought to ask: “Who’s your friend?”

“Oh, uh—” Little Spike blushed a deep, dark purple. He rubbed the back of his head and laughed again for good measure. “The other Apple Bloom. We, uh… we’re kinda, um… We’re dating.”

“Oh!” Twilight’s head snapped around to look at him. “I didn’t know… dragon and ponies could… um…”

“We can’t, really. We’re still figuring that out.” He tapped his pen against his lips, then scribbled sweet nothings onto the page. “But I love her. No matter how far apart we are.”

Twilight breathed a sigh, glancing out the window into the darkness of near-midnight. “Distance isn’t always physical, huh?”

“Nah, but when it is, it’s really physical.” Little Spike leaned against the table, covering his words with his forelegs. “Something on your mind?”

“You mean besides the murder mystery, the secret school, and the memory mangling?”

“Well if you wanna put it that way—”

“It’s fine.” Twilight drank deep and then placed the cup in the dishwasher. “I think I’d rather just spend these few quiet hours soaking in the stillness of night. Let tomorrow worry about itself.”

“Fair enough. Don’t let me stop you.” Little Spike quietly resumed his near-instantaneous messaging, worlds away from the one he loved. “Good night, Twilight.”

“G’night, Spike.” Twilight went back to the living room couch. She flicked on the TV and perused the available options. The Apples didn’t have much in the way of available channels—public broadcast being the be-all-end-all—but they had a subscription to one streaming service. Twilight idly flipped through the available shows and movies until she settled on a film that she had seen dozens of times. Something to put on and not take up too much focus.

She put her feet on the couch, hugged her knees to her chest, and allowed her glasses to slip lower on her nose.

The rumble of Big Mac’s truck heralded his return, alongside Shining Armor. The two of them had gone for a late-night snack run for old time’s sake. Shining came in first and gave Twilight a gentle pat on the head. He muttered goodnight and headed upstairs to join his son in slumber.

Big Mac came in next, a bag in each arm. Most of what he’d bought found its way into the fridge, but he set a strawberry soda pop next to Little Spike. He then sat beside Twilight Sparkle and set two drinks on the coffee table in front of her. “Got you one of two things, dependin’ on your mood. I got you one of those Booyah energy drinks you like in case you wanna stay awake. Or, I got you a caffeine-free tea if’n you wanna relax some.”

“I’ll take the teas, if you please.” She stretched an arm out and he set the drink in her palm. The faint hint of raspberry felt good against her throat. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure.” Mac slurped what appeared to be a blue slush. He glanced up at the TV. “Darin’ Do?”

And the Sapphire Stone.” She swirled the drink around in the glass bottle. “Just felt like something familiar.”

They watched in silence for a long while, allowing the familiar fight choreography and accompanying music to keep their attentions locked. Big Mac shifted, and Twilight could tell from his body language that he had something he wanted to say. Maybe he just didn’t know how to say it?

She didn’t know if she should pry.

“Until I get back my five thousand dollars,” Martial Paw said to Daring Do as his bar burned in the background, “you’re gonna get more than you bargained for! I’m your Go—”

“Twi?”

“—mn partner!”

Twilight looked up at the big man. That same expression returned; the one he’d had after witnessing Wallflower’s magic. Uncertainty. Fear. A hint of trepidation. He set his drink on the coffee table and leaned back in the couch. “Can we talk?”

Twilight lowered the movie volume a few notches, shifting the dialogue and orchestra to a mumble. She swiveled towards him, sitting cross-legged and sideways on the couch cushion. “What’s up?”

“I…” He took a soft breath. He rested his right arm on the back of the couch and twisted his torso to better face her. “Twilight, first of all, I want you to know that your magic is beautiful, and what you can do with it is beyond amazing.”

An ache entered Twilight’s heart, atop the negativity already overflowing its coffers. “But?”

“No.” Big Mac shook his head. “No buts about that.”

Twilight pursed her lips. “Buuuut?”

He let out a frustrated huff. “Twilight, I’ve always seen myself as a strong guy. I’ve always seen myself as bein’ able to handle everythin’ life throws at me. Ain’t always true. Needed your help to get through school, need Applejack’s help with farmwork, need Granny Smith for hundreds and hundreds of little things… An’ sometimes I feel like I need your help just to get from day to day. Somethin’ to look forward to… Somethin’ to get outta bed for.”

She felt a rosy glow touch her cheeks. She rested a hand on his, leaning her head against the back of the couch.

His eyes turned down to match his downcast expression as her fingers intertwined with his. “Today I felt helpless. There was nothin’ I could do against… that woman with the magic. I was at her mercy. Completely outmatched. Without you there, we woulda all been dead or near enough.”

His voice lowered until it was a hum in his chest. “I couldn’t do anythin’ to protect you. You had to do the heavy liftin’.”

“But I’m the one who’s been trained in magic.” Twilight Sparkle touched her free hand to his knee. “I’m the one who had the… I don’t know if you can call it knowledge, but the skill to stand up to her. It was my turn to keep you safe.” She smiled despite herself. “You do so much every day, isn’t it alright if I take care of this one little thing?”

“But it ain’t even one little thing.” Big Mac’s fingers pulled her much-smaller hand in until they were palm to palm. “There’s more than just the woman. We’re gonna be facing people just like her, an’ there’s nothin’ I can do about it.”

“It’s not your job to do anything about it.” Twilight pulled his arm gently from the back of the couch and held it close to her heart. “Even if you can’t be on the front lines, matching the enemy spell for spell, that’s not what we need you for. Mac, you’re the strongest person I’ve ever known. Kind, loyal, patient, honest, hardworking. How could I ask for more? You’re…” She dared to look in his gorgeous green eyes, cool and soothing, even if laced with pain. “You’re my safe-place, Mac. Not because you can beat up all the monsters, but because you invited me in. Where it’s warm. Where I can be myself. I…” Whatever was left of her smile fell from her face. Her hand trembled. “Can I be that for you, t-too?”

Big Mac stared at their linked hands. His expression returned to calm, collected normalcy little bit by little bit. “Of course, Twilight.”

She rose to her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck. He returned the embrace tenfold. They held each other in silence, with nothing but the muted murmur from the TV and Little Spike’s pen scratches to break the stillness.

“Also,” she whispered in his ear, “bring a gun next time. That’ll help a little.”

A single, unverbalized laugh shook his body. He pulled away and cupped her cheek with one hand. “Love you, Twi.”

“Love you, too, Mac.”

The two of them sat close beside each other on the couch, sipping their late-night drinks and watching Daring Do with the volume down low. Eventually, long after the two of them had drifted off to sleep, Little Spike covered them with a nearby blanket before heading for bed himself.

***

Shining Armor nudged the blinds aside to look across the street. He could see the cop car parked down the road, watching over them so they could all get a good night’s sleep. He could just make out Skyhook exiting the passenger’s seat and making his way to the farm. The Captain of Princess Twilight’s Guard would spend the evening patrolling the farm from every angle.

Shining remembered pulling all-nighters before. He remembered missions where he and his team were on their own, in the wilderness, with no time to stop and rest for days on end. Constantly in danger. Constantly ready for action.

It wasn’t even that long ago. Sunset and he had decided he would resign two years ago, and a year after that, he’d left the service. He’d come home to his wife and son. Some didn’t understand it, but his friends stood by him. Without the kidnapping scare, he might’ve never left. He might’ve continued on until retirement.

But neither he nor Sunset would have been able to forgive themselves if something happened again.

So they agreed to stay home.

But now he was at home, and she was the one doing great things overseas. He couldn’t help but think about it that way. He didn’t even know if he had that right, or if he was just being selfish. He rubbed his eyes as weariness gnawed at his muscles. Maybe he should mention it to Sunset. Get the feelings on the table in plain view.

Maybe mentioning it would just put undue stress on her when she already had so much to think about.

He chided himself. Wasn’t that the point of marriage? To carry each other’s burdens and thus make them easier to bear? To trust another person so completely that you could bare your entire soul? To have one person you could remove every barrier in the presence of?

He wasn’t ultimately sure.

She probably didn’t want to stay at the school for good. She’d mentioned as much before leaving. Sure, her dream was to learn and teach about magic to anyone who would listen. But his dream had been to be one of the protectors of their country. They’d both mellowed.

Hadn’t they?

“Mommy?”

Shining turned at the sound of his son’s voice. Sunny stirred beneath his super-hero sleeping bag they’d brought from home. Tears poured down the boy’s face as he called for his mother again. Shining moved away from the window and knelt at Sunny’s side.

He rubbed the boy’s forehead. “Daddy’s here, Sunny.”

“I want Mommy.”

“Yeah,” Shining sighed. “Me, too.”

He sat on the floor and rubbed the young boy’s hair. Four years old and so full of life and personality. So sure of what he wanted and how he should get it. “Mommy’s still at the new school. She’ll come home soon. But until then, we get to hang out. Just the two—” He was about to say “the two of us,” but circumstances made that a lie. “—we get to hang out with everybody at Granny Smith’s house.”

“But I want Mommy now.”

“I know.” Shining Armor yawned. He reached down and lifted Sunny in his arms. Sunny was a bit too big to carry around as much, but Shining was a strong man. He held his son tight as an stroke of genius sparked in his mind. “We’re gonna call Mommy every night until she comes home. And… I have an idea.”

“What?”

“When Mommy gets home, why don’t we have a present waiting for her?” Shining smiled at Sunny as the boy’s eyes lost their sorrow and gained a hint of curiosity. “Something special to show her how much we love her? Doesn’t that sound nice?”

“Yeah.”

“So let’s think about what to get her.” He rocked Sunny gently. Even after just a moment, he could see the boy’s eyes grow heavier. “What does she like more than anything else in the world?”

“Um…” The wheels spun in Sunny’s head. “Um…”

Shining wriggled a finger in Sunny’s armpit. “She loves you.”

Sunny shook and laughed, pushing his dad’s hand away. “She loves you, too!”

“That’s right.” Shining smiled wide. Of course she did. What did he have to worry about? “What else?”

“Magic!” Sunny’s little hand was dwarfed by Shining’s, only able to wrap around two of his father’s fingers. “She really likes magic! She’s gonna teach me when I get big enough.”

Sunny was stopped by a sudden yawn. With one hand around Shining’s index and middle fingers, and the other grasping his thumb, his face took on a serious mood. “Are you gonna learn magic, Daddy?”

Shining allowed his son to manipulate and puppet his hand around. He rocked the boy with his other hand, musing on his words. “I don’t know. Probably not.”

Sunny’s brow furrowed. “Why not?”

“I don’t even know if I can.” Shining Armor shrugged. “Maybe Mommy will teach me a little when she comes home.”

Sunny blinked rapidly. The little guy was barely holding on. “That’d… be… cool…”

Shining kissed his forehead and laid him back on the sleep mat. He tucked the sleeping bag around him. “I love you, Sunny.”

“Love you… Daddy…”

Shining Armor looked around the dark room. It was well past midnight. Big Mac hadn’t followed him upstairs. He probably wasn’t coming up at all, content to snooze in Granny Smith’s chair or the couch.

He sighed, pulled off his shirt, and lay down on his own sleep mat. Tomorrow had enough cares of its own. He’d learned early on how to get a good night’s sleep even when the world didn’t make sense.

Another glance at the clock brought his thoughts back to Sunset. She’d be waking up right about now, in her place on the other side of the world.

Shoot. She still needed to be informed about what had happened that night. Now that there was going to be a tense conversation.

But that, like most thoughts that happen just before one succumbs to unconsciousness, would have to wait.