[22:12]	* Sam	heads inside and watches as Sparrow opens up the model and tells Oinky to make sure and NOT bounce into it.
[22:13]	* Teresa	sets Eron down on the bed. More or less.
[22:13]	* Sam	steps back out into the hallway and scratches at mantle who still jellies around in her arms
[22:14]	* Teresa	steps out as well. "What did you want to talk about?"
[22:15]	<Sam>	"I lost my dad when I was younger, dunno if you knew that. It's hard, I can't imagine how bad it is for Sparrow, I just want to let you know that if theres ever a situation where we can't all make it out, you need to be there for her."
[22:16]	<Teresa>	"... What do you mean?"
[22:17]	<Sam>	"You're her mother, I'll do everything in my power to make sure you come back from every mission."
[22:18]	* Teresa	rubs her forehead. "Sam, I appreciate that but... You shouldn't be putting yourself in danger just to protect me. Besides, you're her mother too."
[22:19]	<Sam>	"Tessa, do you honestly believe I'm capable of taking care of Sparrow? I'm not responsible enough, I'm too flippant about things that are important for her life, and you know it."
[22:20]	<Teresa>	"She should have both of us, Sam. You're the one who gets her to smile and have fun, act like the kid she is."
[22:22]	<Sam>	"I'm not saying I'm going to try and get myself killed, but I need to say that you are her mother, I'm the one who gets her to laugh and smile, I'm nothing serious in her life. I can't let her lose her parent again."
[22:23]	* Teresa	sighs. "Let's make sure she doesn't lose either of us."
[22:23]	<Teresa>	"And you're selling yourself short, Sam."
[22:24]	<Teresa>	"Having someone she can trust and just be comfortable around... that's important too."
[22:24]	<Sam>	"Of course, but please if I ever tell you to leave me someplace, don't argue. Leo said that he trusted my instincts, if there's one thing I could do for the team it's let them know when to leave."
[22:25]	* Teresa	crosses her arms. "You do realize I can basically kill people with my brain, right?"
[22:25]	<Teresa>	"I trust your instincts, but I'm not going to run away from every dangerous situation when I could be helping you."
[22:25]	<Sam>	"Well, then all the more reason to protect you and make sure you aren't captured or killed."
[22:26]	<Sam>	"I never said every situation, this entire thing is dangerous, but if I ever tell you to leave. It won't be flippantly, it won't be a selfish thing, I'll be trying to help you get out."
[22:27]	<Sam>	"I can't trust any of the higher ups, they threw us at the TRE like tools, I can't trust Sparrow to them, if we didn't come back, what would they do to her?"
[22:27]	* Teresa	makes a face. "Dammit, Sam."
[22:28]	<Sam>	"Look, if we're such an amazing team it'll never come to this, and you can poke fun at me all you want when we're old and can't even do flips."
[22:29]	<Sam>	"Promise me that I won't have swore to Sparrow a lie. I told her you would never leave. I told her I would do everything I could to keep you here."
[22:29]	<Sam>	(didn't swear to Sparrow a lie)
[22:33]	* Teresa	shakes her head. "Dammit. Fine. I'll agree to go if your judgement says its necessary, but only if you agree to this: sometimes, I'm going to risk my life because I have to, because I'll be the person in the right place at the right time, and because if I abandon my friends, then I'd lose the part of myself that makes me worth anything as a person, let alone a parent."
[22:33]	<Teresa>	"So in other words, I'll trust your judgement if you trust mine."
[22:36]	<Sam>	"I respect that, but if I lose you and Sparrow loses you, I don't know what I'll do. Right when she got up today, you know what she asked? Where's Momma Tessa? She loves you Tessa, I love you, I don't want to have to watch you die while I can't do anything. I'd throw myself in harms way for any one of us, but I wouldn't hesitate to save either of you."
[22:37]	<Sam>	"That's my part, I will be a shield for you, I'll be hurt so you don't have to be."
[22:39]	* Teresa	wipes at her eyes a bit. "You know she asks after you too, right?"
[22:39]	* Sam	tries to smile to keep her mouth from trembling, "I wish you hadn't said that."
[22:40]	* Sam	reaches for a hug
[22:40]	<Sam>	"Again, let's hope it never comes to that."
[22:41]	* Teresa	holds up her hand to stop Sam for a moment. "I have something else I have to say. I know when you say you want to protect me, that you mean well, that you want to make sure Sparrow is all right. But my whole life, my parents, my family, have tried to keep me in this safe little box."
[22:42]	<Teresa>	"And then I've always had to wonder if I really succeeded at things, or if they were given to me because of who my parents are. You want to protect me because you're my friend, and to make sure Sparrow has someone there for her, I understand, I accept that. But I will not be treated like... like some porcelain doll."
[22:43]	<Sam>	"Hit me."
[22:43]	<Teresa>	"What?"
[22:44]	* Sam	points at her face or gut
[22:44]	<Sam>	"Hit me."
[22:45]	<Teresa>	"No. Not unless you give me a good reason."
[22:46]	<Sam>	"Alright."
[22:46]	* Sam	winds back and slugs Teresa in the arm
[22:47]	<Teresa>	(hm)
[22:47]	<Sam>	"Hit me, you aren't a doll. You're Sparrow's mother, you're my closest friend, you're the one who I'm trying to get to show her commitment to protecting everyone."
[22:47]	<Sam>	"If you can't bring yourself to hit me then how can I trust you to leave me if it will help everyone."
[22:48]	<Sam>	"It hurts, but it's necessary."
[22:50]	<Teresa>	"Making me hit you doesn't prove anything, you idiot, it just makes me angry with you!"
[22:50]	<Sam>	"Well maybe I am a bit dull, but I don't know how to do anything else."
[22:52]	* Teresa	grimaces. "You want me to prove I can hurt you, if I have to, is that it?"
[22:52]	<Sam>	"Yes."
[22:53]	<Teresa>	"Well, then I have a question for you."
[22:53]	<Teresa>	"You say you're willing to die to protect me, to protect Sparrow."
[22:53]	<Sam>	"Yes."
[22:53]	<Teresa>	"Who are you willing to kill for?"
[22:54]	* Sam	sets her face and tries to frown
[22:54]	<Teresa>	"Well?"
[22:54]	<Sam>	"I don't want to kill at all, but if it was to protect you and Sparrow..."
[22:55]	* Sam	stands in Silence for a few moments
[22:56]	<Sam>	"This isn't a yes or no question. I would do, whatever it takes to keep you safe."
[22:56]	* Teresa	nods. "If you've got something you're willing to really fight for, without any holds barred, then I believe you're serious. That it's not just playing the noble comic book hero."
[23:00]	<Sam>	"I would be the one to have to deal with those consequences, yes, I would kill to protect you. Just as before I hope it doesn't ever happen, but if it came down to it. I would."
[23:02]	* Teresa	nods. "I know how hard that was for you. But you asked me if I was willing to hurt you if I had to. Well, from my point of view, there are ways to hurt people a lot worse than just hitting them."
[23:02]	<Sam>	"Can we hug now?"
[23:03]	* Sam	is trying not to cry, and failing
[23:03]	* Teresa	sort of laughs, her eyes are red to. "Yeah, I kind of need it to."
[23:04]	* Sam	holds onto Teresa and sobs, "To-today sucked."
[23:04]	* Teresa	hugs her back and whispers. "It really did. But tomorrow will be better."