[God, there's so much work to do, and after the dangerous thrill of the fight has faded and the dust has settled, this feels kind of like a letdown and a chore.

Faith will see it through, though. She will make sure everyone's work was not for nothing. Things got messy in the end, but it was worth it. It was all worth it. The old Agency is gone. Rosenberg is gone. Now, things will get better, and people won't die or be hurt for no reason, and the team can rebuild their lives on their terms.

There's a smile on her face from the moment the greetinf leaves Kate's mouth. Faith turns and faces her, eyes bright -- normal bright, not with her power -- and a little bloodshot from a mostly sleepless night.]

Glad you could make it.

[She means that. Every one of them had been important to the mission, and seeing any of them now that it's over is nothing short of a delight.]

Coffee?

( She nods. This is Kate, and there are few times she doesn't opt for coffee when offered. ) From that place on Broadchurch? ( One of those few times? Is when it's not from one of her pre-approved hipster coffee shops.

(Coffee and beer, a hipster's only use.)

She slides into a chair with ease, because this place is as close to a real base of operations, a real home in the smouldering wreckage they left. (Okay, not literally. But the state of things, of Manchester, of the UK entirely, may as well have been.

Now, years later, it's alright. But the people haven't forgotten.) )

What's the deal? ( She can see the bloodshot eyes that accompany the lack of sleep they're all used to a lot of the time, but to see it when summoned usually means there's something that needs discussing. Some shift in politics or deal that's been presented. )

[Where else?

Faith sinks into a chair and bites her lip, looking this way and that in the familiar coffee shop as if there are pieces of what she has to say hidden everywhere, waiting for her to find them and put them together.

It's almost a full minute before she answers, her smile dimmed but not dulled. She's tired. It's been too long since last she'd seen Kate.]

Y'know how there's people wanting our names and addresses to be public information. [It's not a question, though her voice sort of pitches it like one.] Well. Lately those voices are loud again, like they get anytime something "proves them right". [With air quotes. Faith doesn't skimp on little gestures like that.] Or an anniversary.

Anyway. Some brilliant arse of a superhuman decided to cause a scene in Edinburgh. God. Still figuring out what to do about it. No one got hurt, but the cause sure did.

[Fucking extremists.]

( she's always a bit more open around the old gang, because they've seen her blacked out and vomiting from the sight of blood, dragged her away from the sight of Marc's body when he crumpled to the floor and her legs refused to move and her brain refused to process anything for hours. so, instead of her usual, neutral sigh, Kate presses her face into her palm and exhales.

fucking extremists indeed. things had been going oh so well last time they spoke. the government seemed to be agreeing with their stance on things, seemed to be coming around to the idea of letting superhumans run their own law enforcement again, letting faith run their law enforcement.

and now. this. ) What about property damage? ( the last thing they need are visible reminders of things like this. )

One shopfront, two cars, a bit of asphalt and pavement. [It had been such a pretty shopfront.] Media lapped it up like parched dogs. It's not as bad as it could be, but--

[It's still a setback. They'd been so close.

Faith shrugs.] It'll pass. Could use the company, that's all.

( that's.

yeah. not the worst (she can remember that time the new concert hall in york got completely flattened and that had been something else entirely. no damage the crazies had managed since had ever lived up to it) but all the same.

it's a setback they didn't need.

kate takes a sip of her coffee and hums. ) Well. Things are quiet right now. ( she just sent a shipment of sensor enchantments out to the other clinics Dagny owns and the actual problems in LA seem to be contained more to teenage superhumans having accidents than fighting or anything.

it's nice. ) Got all the time in the world.

( or at least until Jon rings. at least until something goes wrong.

she doesn't want it to. but she'll always expect. )