[video]

[horseish]

[It's just getting towards sundown, and Bobby is making her way home from the library with her backpack in tow. She's stopped to work on her snow fort a little more, propping her device on a mound of snow to start filming.]

This is my snow fort and Jinora helped me make it. Someone should come and make another and then we can have a war.

[She's packing a little extra snow into one corner when a burst of movement behind her draws her eye, causing her to turn around sharply. The snow is falling thick enough to obscure anything in the distance, but slowly a solitary figure comes into focus. Tall and heavily built, with a black top hat. No features can be made out in the semi-darkness but the distinct impression of a black suit and tails stands out starkly against the white back drop.

The figure moves behind a pillar, and disappears.

Bobby is wide eyed when she turns back to the camera, but remains calm and silent as she shuts it off.]

Comments

[horseish]

Yes please.

[She fumbles a little trying to untie her boots because her hands are shaking and she doesn't know why.]

[hulkbusted]

[Leaving the couch he considers helping her with her boots, but heads for the kitchen instead.]

Can you tell me what I saw on the network? Have you seen that guy before?

[horseish]

[She gets them loose enough to kick them off.]

I'm not positive it was him. It could have been a trick.

[hulkbusted]

Him?

[He keeps up simple domestic activities while he waits for Bobby to get her outwear off, not crowding her with his real curiosity and concern.]

[horseish]

My father.

[She drops her snowsuit by the door and climbs onto the bar stool, her face mostly calm.]

[hulkbusted]

[He sets a cup of hot chocolate in front of her while he goes about heating up some leftover lasagna.]

Would he hide like that?

[horseish]

It's not likely. Which is why I am skeptical.

[hulkbusted]

You know him and I don't. If you don't think it's him, you're probably right.

[Leaning in on the counter to pat her arm.] But you can call me any time if you're worried.

[horseish]

If he is here I think everything will be okay. I haven't told anyone else about the secret. But I need to know soon.

[hulkbusted]

Where do you think he would be most likely to go?

[horseish]

He would find me right away. I'm the most important thing to him. Then he would find somewhere to do a show. There's not a depression here so I bet he would find it right away.

He wouldn't just see me and not do anything.

[hulkbusted]

Okay, then it's probably not him.

[Fussing around in the kitchen, he decides it doesn't need to be belabored.]

You've done a good job on your snow fort.

[horseish]

Thank you.

[She takes a long sip of her hot chocolate. As she thinks.

Of course things weren't as bad with her father when she left. Without work he'd be gone for days at a time and didn't bother to make her practice all the time. But if he could shows again here it'd be like before.]