It had been a long night, but Natalie finally found her way back to the NatPack. Most of them were sitting around in various stages of intoxication and still-damp hair; some were dancing, some were talking with friends. When they spotted Nat sitting down at a table with GT and Alora, the various stray Pack members headed back to the group.
"You OK, Nat?" asked Kelly, concerned.
"I'm just fine." Natalie rubbed the back of her neck with one hand. "A little tired, maybe."
GT peered at Natalie. "I think it's time for you to get back to bed, Doctor Lambert."
Nat made a half-hearted noise of protest, but Kelly put her hands on her hips. "I agree. You look exhausted." She did; there were dark circles under Natalie's eyes that hadn't been there earlier.
"This is your first outing in a while," GT said cheerfully, slinging one arm around Nat's shoulders. She kept her tone light. "Can't have you getting too much excitement in one night."
"Then I shouldn't have all of you looking after me," smiled Natalie, looking at everyone gathered around her. Short and tall, dark and light, smiling and serious--a group of contrasts and contradictions that, somehow, made up the NatPack.
"Good point." Maureen linked one arm through Jill's. "We're pretty damn exciting."
Jill rolled her eyes. "Oh, hell, I feel a group hug coming on."
Which is exactly what happened.
Separating herself--eventually--from the affectionate mob, Linda Rose took charge. "Let's get you home," she said briskly to Natalie in her best "I'm a mother, don't argue with me" voice. "We'll need to round up some cabs..."
Nat interrupted her. "No. You guys should stay--have some fun. You've spent too much time taking care of me." She shook her head at the grumbles of disagreement. "I'm fine. Why should you miss a chance to party at the Raven?"
"I'll go home with Nat," volunteered GT. She glanced at Kelly. "May I borrow the Autumn-Wine Coloured (tm) Chevy Cavalier?"
Kelly threw her the keys. "Go ahead. Drive carefully."
GT looked offended. "Don't I always?"
"We'll walk you out," declared Mei. Arms linked, supporting each other and Natalie, they escorted her protectively out to the car and saw her safely inside.
Natalie smiled at them from the passenger seat. "Goodnight, all. Don't do anything that I wouldn't do...which leaves you plenty of room."
They watched the little car drive off. From somewhere came a sniff, then another, then another. Soon, the entire group was sniffling, and sounded in dire need of Kleenex (tm) and cold medicine.
"I need another drink," muttered Jill.
"I need two," Maureen said, propelling Jill back into the Raven. "We're not nearly drunk enough to deal with the end of a War."
"Or a bunch of Knighties," Alora grumbled. "Skinner, give us strength."
"Amen," added Amy, following them inside. "Where's the gin?"