He knew what was coming. Weeks later, Erskine would think back to this moment and realise that he had to have known what was coming, because it was much too bloody obvious for him not to. His body didn't seem to agree, though, since Rover's appearance sent Erskine stumbling backwards into the wall with all the grace of someone reeling from deep shock by... well, by stumbling backwards into walls.

The only good thing to be said about it was that Erskine could recover quickly. And recover quickly he did; he couldn't physically stop himself from stumbling, so he held a hand limply over his heart instead and deliberately quickened his breathing. "Oh, Rova!" he admonished in a very soft spoken, very American-South sort of voice. "Don't startle me like that! You very nearly gave me a heart attack!"

He'd done this once before. It had been for an entirely different reason back then, but the general circumstances were the same. He debated taking the act all the way through, but then settled for a shorter version of it instead and placed the back of his hand on his forehead. "I do feel," he said in the same breathy voice, "as if I'm havin' an attack of the vapours."

Saracen hadn't even turned his head towards where Rover appeared, unerringly and unflinchingly staring at where Rafe was striding towards, but the others were shocked enough over the sudden appearance of a stranger without the added worry that one of their Elders had gone totally and completely insane. Valkyrie in particular was pale, gripping Fletcher's hand and looking helplessly towards Tanith. "Okay," she managed, "what just happened?"

Tanith mutely shook her head. She had no idea.