Buildings and bridges are made to bend in the wind to withstand the world...

[shealone_stands]

A car loaded with teenagers pulls up in front of the Conrad. Finding parking in downtown Chicago is never easy, and Buffy is not willing to wait. She springs out of the car and races into the lobby - only to realize that while she knows the basement is where they keep the wanderers, she has no idea how to get there. Um.

The Doctor is wandering

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[leosarecynical]

Gray is still on leave for the shoulder, which is starting to put a dent in his jolly. He likes his jolly very much. Of course, rather than rest like a sane individual, he is wandering around the park. Again.

OH LOOK, A CASEY.

He claps his hands on the back of the bench and leans down to say, "So I banished a giant scorpion into Lake Michigan! Ask me how!"

[andwhosearmy]

Casey doesn't even turn around. In fact, she stays very still, just closes her eyes, takes a breath... She's used to Gray randomly appearing in her life and saying things like this. That doesn't make it any less insane.

"Define giant, and for the love of God, tell me it didn't sting you."

[leosarecynical]

"It was as big a pony," Gray says. This would be the part where, were he ten years younger and a little bit thinner, he'd probably vault over the back of the bench. As that is totally not becoming of a man of his station (or very wise to do with an injured arm, which is the real reason), he settles for crossing around and plopping down.

"It didn't sting me. Clawed me up a bit though. I'm on leave. And I'm bored." And his apartment smells like peaches, because when he gets bored, he starts experimenting. He's pretty sure his landlord thinks he brutally massacred a Fruit of the Loom mascot and hid the body under his floor.

[andwhosearmy]

"Oh my God," Casey says, tone much calmer than the words themselves would imply. "I don't know whether I should be happy you're getting a few days off, happy you're not dead... or slightly concerned about your safety, if this is the sort of thing you get up to when I'm not around. I hope you're not looking to me to entertain you, because I don't have any scorpions."

[leosarecynical]

Gray waves a hand and makes a pshaw sound. "No one says you can't be all three. There is no limit to emotional responses to my well-being."

He sprawls a bit on the bench and people-watches for a moment before tilting his head in Casey's direction. "Ms. Wyatt, I'll have you know that you are never required to have a scorpion to be interesting."

...That might have come out wrong. However, Gray will never notice, whether it did or not, so the point is moot.

[andwhosearmy]

Casey snorts. If that came out wrong, Casey's clearly been around Gray too long to really notice.

"Well, that's a relief, because I understand finding one could be a bit of a problem. Especially if you're going to throw all of them into the lake. Speaking of which, next time you get Rift monsters, I want in. It would be a nice change."

You know, from crucified demons and CLF attacks. ...God, when she's jealous of Gray and his Rift monsters, she knows something's wrong.

[leosarecynical]

Gray quirks an eyebrow. "Okay. Next time there's a jackalope army invading the park, I'll be sure to give you a ring." No, Gray will never let go of the jackalopes. Seriously. Jackalopes. What the fuck, Chicago?

He drums his fingers on the bench for a second, chewing on his lip with an expression that's almost grave. "Guess business is, if you'll excuse the really tasteless word choice given this city... Booming?"

But, of course. This is Chicago. When has Chicago ever not been a headache for police officials? Even when it was the normal stuff. Like bootlegging and organized crime and police corruption. Ah, the good old days.

[andwhosearmy]

Casey snorts, and rolls her eyes a little. She's still not positive he's not making up the jackalopes - after all, the only one she's seen was his little illusion trick. "You do that."

She very nearly elbows him at that question, but manages to restrain herself just because he's injured already. It would be cruel to bruise him further. "God, do not use that word. That's a little something called tempting fate, and I'd like to do as little of it as possible. Fate has a sense of humor around here." A really nasty one.

She pauses a moment, and then adds, "That angel that died in the park, that one was mine. We won't find who did it." Because no one wants to look in the places they know they want to, because no one wants to write the words angel or demon or Rift on any official report. It seems like half of Casey's cases go that way.

And today, there are dogs playing in the park like nothing ever happened here. That's comforting, at least.

[leosarecynical]

"There's always a boom tomorrow," Gray quotes slightly grim. Someone was a Babylon 5 fan.

He pinches the bridge of his nose and he nods. "Yeeeah, they pulled the footage from the news about ten seconds after it aired, but not before it half the waiting room in Stroger in hysterics. Had to convince the less informed and more freaked that it was some sicko putting fake wings on a girl to make a religious point." And that's so telling when that is more comforting to people than the thought that there are literal crucified angels in the park. It's nauseating, especially when Stroger's one of the most supernatural-friendly hospitals in Cook County.

"I'd like to banish whoever the fuck pulled that off into Lake Michigan with about two tons of concrete attached to their feet," he mutters. God, this whole bullshit grinds his gears. If it's not the CLF, then it's something else. That's Chicago.

[andwhosearmy]

"But that would be illegal," Casey murmurs, though she doesn't sound like she really cares that much, in this particular case. Not that he could even manage it in the first place without knowing who did it, and no one's going to find out who did it if they won't let her actually investigate the stupid thing in a way that's going to get any results...

She sighs and leans forward to rest her chin on top of folded hands. "Why do we still live here? We could have moved ages ago to... I don't know, San Diego. Miami. Somewhere warm and not as insane." Anywhere would be less insane than Chicago.

[leosarecynical]

Gray snorts, but doesn't say anything. It's one of those thoughts that everyone has. Boy, if I ever get my hands on the bastard that killed that kid... I'd kill the guy who did something like that to my daughter... Everyone wants to be a hero and not very many get that opportunity, given that heroism tends to get people (or other people) killed.

He actually considers that question and leans forward, linking his fingers under his chin. "'Cause we're needed here," he finally answers.

[andwhosearmy]

She can't exactly argue with that, and after a moment of consideration, she sighs. "Fine, go on and say something that makes sense. Bastard." She loves you, Gray, really.

Casey turns her head to look at him sideways. "Okay, better question. How come you get all the fun jackalopes and monster scorpions and I get all the bodies?" Yeah, she's a cop, it's kind of her job, but it's not exactly Gray's job to play with Rift monsters.

[leosarecynical]

Gray snorts. "Next time I'll say something completely nonsensical. I can't have your entire perception of me thrown off. That would be bad."

And that actually makes him laugh. He throws up his arms. "Hell if I know! Maybe I have weird pheromones."

He sniffs at his shoulder. Because that's totally where they keep the pheromones.

[andwhosearmy]

"Thank you," she says, with a slow smile. "Because adjusting my perception of you at this point would just be annoying."

She wrinkles her nose a little as he sniffs his shoulder. "At this point, Mr. Raines, I would not be surprised, because everything about you is weird."

[leosarecynical]

Gray retaliates by giving her a gentle shove, followed by a mock serious expression. "Hey now. Them's fightin' words, Wyatt." He arches an eyebrow, trying to stare at her with the amount of intensity a comment like that probably warrants.

He holds it for about six seconds before finally bursting into laughter.

[andwhosearmy]

Casey snorts a little, grinning now. "You might be bigger than me, but I think I could take you. Assuming you don't cheat and start up with the limericks." And the limericks alone are further proof that he really is as weird as she says, in her opinion.

She pauses a moment, and then nudges him with her shoulder. "You want to go get coffee or tea or something? Or I guess we could go to your place and you could share some of whatever horrendous peach thing you've been cooking..."

She may be suspicious of some of his peach cooking, but she'll take her chances. It also has the advantage of being less depressing than the crucifixion park (and she will be so glad when she can stop thinking of it that way).