075

[truth_is_cold]

[Public | Audio]

I'll resume my dinner duties whenever I'm settled. I'm greatful to whoever covered for me. [And he's considerably less angry, now.]

[Private to Friends | Audio]

I brought you some things. It has been only about a week, I presume? [They're small things. Something for Lua, Wanda, Tosh, Dylan- that he's already unfortunately delivered-, Ben, Kozak, and Perry.] I'll drop them off whenever would be suitable.

[Private to the people watching Ben | Audio]

How is he doing?

Comments

[surrenders]

You've got a world to put together, don't you. [She lets a smile slip in and takes the flowers, not yet concerned about taking care of them when he's here and she's got something to say.] How long was it for you?

[truth_is_cold]

Just a week. I wasn't gone that long. I was concerned the Admiral might skew my time away drastically. [And he would have missed several chances he needed to keep up with.]

[surrenders]

I wouldn't trust him to let me come back.

[It can wait, she's got to wait a little longer.] But you got to see your girl.

[truth_is_cold]

Yes, I did. We received your Christmas gift. [He carefully dodges the giant issue in the room.] Thank you.

[surrenders]

[She smiles, a little embarrassed.] Was hoping she'd like it. It's like something for you, if it makes her happy.

Thought she might be so cute you'd never come back.

[truth_is_cold]

She looked cute enough to remind me that I had a very good friend lose her daughter, and she's depending on me to give her back. [As difficult as it is.]

[surrenders]

That's good. [It comes out wrong, she already knows, so she just presses on further into what she doesn't want to have to say.] Listen, I... I'm sorry you had to go. [It's her own doing, telling him, she knows that, when she shod have come up with a better story. Nobody needed to know.]

[truth_is_cold]

You didn't kill yourself, and you're not responsible for him representing everything I despise. I once failed to allow an interstellar union to form because I hated those traits in a few, arrogant fools. I held my beliefs over the future of the people close to me.

That's why I left. I can't let an idiot who doesn't know what he has sway my decisions again. Don't blame yourself. He doesn't deserve that anymore. He never deserved that.

[surrenders]

Gonna make it so you don't have to worry about me anymore. After seeing what that did to enough people... [She shakes her head, more distressed about how much it's screwed up three or four other people than everything she's been hoping for being torn up.]

But I'm glad you didn't let it take you over. It wouldn't have been worth it.

[truth_is_cold]

[He's still not entirely sure of that.]

I do wish it hadn't taken him going that far.

[surrenders]

I think it had to.

[truth_is_cold]

Why did it? It's... admittedly, it's frustrating to see warnings disregarded. I know they can be wrong. Did you at least start considering the fact that he might? Were you prepared for it at all?

[He's asking genuinely. He's remembering all the warnings he gave Dylan, and how they unfortunately didn't work.]

[surrenders]

[She knows he doesn't want detail, but she can barely even talk around it still.]

I'd thought if anything like that was going to happen, it would have already. When he first met me, and he really wanted to.