Bill's still smiling to himself when he closes the door to Room 42. Really, he still can't believe the events of the past week, topped off by the events of the past 24 hours.
Life just keeps getting more and more interesting.
He turns to walk toward the stair and nearly bumps into Chloe. "Oh! Hullo. What are you doing up here? Have you moved in?"
"Mine and Fleur's, yes." He glances from Chloe to the door and his first thought is good for you, Chloe, it's about time: you're a lovely woman and you deserve this.
Then again, he's got other things on his mind. He might not be at his most perceptive.
"Who lives in there?" Surely if the room belonged to Chloe, he'd have noticed.
"Oh, it's not a problem. Chase Edmunds. We've known each other for a long time. He's around- I think. No, probably not. He went out of the bar. His girlfriend is the one I told you about. Kim Bauer. She had a mishap, was pulled into a different universe."
Chloe follows his gaze and snickers.
"The shirt is mine, sweats are Chase's. I would have used Kim's, but she's so petite."
Bill holds up his hands in a gesture of innocence. She's laughing, at least a little, so he assumes she's all right.
"I never did meet Kim: did she recover from her troubles?"
He wonders if Chloe knows how different a universe he's been in lately. Most likely not. Why would she be interested in his affairs?
Through the door to Room 42, he can faintly hear Fleur's la la la as she dances about, and that makes him smile in a genuine and very happy way. "That's Fleur singing."
He listens to Fleur for another moment. "She is happy. We..."
Bill stops, not sure that this is the time to tell Chloe. "We're very glad to be together again. And I'm glad to hear about Kim. Sometimes, truth is the best medicine."
Hypocrite. You can't have that thought and then not tell her.
Chloe's eyes grow wide. "Oh! Wow! That- that's great Bill!" A bit more shock in her voice than enthusiasism. But she smiles. Bill's happy. And that's what matters.
"But please tell me you're not getting married in the bar." She jabs teasingly.
Bill laughs. "No, no weird outfits. Perhaps dress robes, perhaps not; we've not even discussed details yet. All in good time. I don't think either of us is in any hurry. I just got back, after all."
Letting out a small laugh, he rests his arm on her shoulder. "Chloe, love, if I told you about it now you wouldn't believe me. Some other time, perhaps, when we're both sitting down and the alcohol is flowing rather freely."
Bill shakes his head; again the sound of Fleur's singing floats into the hallway and he automatically lowers his arm. "But you said 'too:' does that mean you've been able to leave? That's new."
"I've been able to leave for about a month now. But so many things have happened that I couldn't. But about a week ago I just did it. Went through the door. Ended up back in CTU, a few hours after I had left." Chloe notes the hand to arm action and smiles in understanding.
"I got to see a few people I care about. Andrew, Chase, Angela."
"Chase's daughter. She's like a niece to me. I helped him care for her after her mother took off." Slightly touchy subject, Angela's mom. But Angela, not at all touchy.
Life just keeps getting more and more interesting.
He turns to walk toward the stair and nearly bumps into Chloe. "Oh! Hullo. What are you doing up here? Have you moved in?"
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"That's your room then?"
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Then again, he's got other things on his mind. He might not be at his most perceptive.
"Who lives in there?" Surely if the room belonged to Chloe, he'd have noticed.
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He's puzzled. Bill's known Chloe for some time. "Likely if it's a friend of yours, it's a friend of mine as well. Anybody I might know?"
But he shakes his head, taking in her sweats and the trainers on her feet. "My apologies, Chloe: it's not my business. So long as you're all right."
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Chloe follows his gaze and snickers.
"The shirt is mine, sweats are Chase's. I would have used Kim's, but she's so petite."
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"I never did meet Kim: did she recover from her troubles?"
He wonders if Chloe knows how different a universe he's been in lately. Most likely not. Why would she be interested in his affairs?
Through the door to Room 42, he can faintly hear Fleur's la la la as she dances about, and that makes him smile in a genuine and very happy way. "That's Fleur singing."
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Why? Because she's his friend! That's why. But she'll be content in her ignorance for now.
"She sounds happy." Chloe laughs. "My father sang when he was happy."
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Bill stops, not sure that this is the time to tell Chloe. "We're very glad to be together again. And I'm glad to hear about Kim. Sometimes, truth is the best medicine."
Hypocrite. You can't have that thought and then not tell her.
"Fleur's happy because... we're engaged."
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"But please tell me you're not getting married in the bar." She jabs teasingly.
"And NO weird outfits!"
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Bill shakes his head; again the sound of Fleur's singing floats into the hallway and he automatically lowers his arm. "But you said 'too:' does that mean you've been able to leave? That's new."
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"I got to see a few people I care about. Andrew, Chase, Angela."
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She's the only name he doesn't recognise out of the group.
And he makes a mental note that time passes differently for Chloe outside the bar than it does for him.
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