And our cracking bones make noise...

[smithnjones]

Martha Jones is pacing the common room, biting her thumb nail and trying to decide where to go to find Des and whether or not, she should take someone with her. She's done about five searches of the basement in the thirty minutes its been she's discovered he wasn't in bed, going so far as up to the lobby and toward the park.

Obviously the smart

Comments

[nothingsodivine]

Never fear, Des is here.

Or rather, he just arrived, having been simultaneously smacking his best friend about the head and clinging to him like a lifeline ever since that little incident. (And here Des was thinking that maybe he could leave the hotel and not have something happen.)

He left Mathias at his room so that he could change out of his bloody clothes and fully intended to go back to his own room and pretend he never left. Something, however, urges him towards the common room.

He sees Martha, notes her worried expression, and winces. Of course, she checks his room that one time he goes out.

She's going to yell at him, and the best thing to do would be to scoot, but he doesn't want her to worry or go out looking for him, so sucks it up and strides into the room.

"Martha," he says to get her attention and coupling her name with a 'and look, I'm still alive' smile.

Don't mind the light spattering of blood on his clothes- it's not his. Really.

[smithnjones]

Martha breathes a sigh of relief at the sound of his voice, only to have her breath get caught in her throat a moment later at the sight of blood on him. It's really just a doctor's perception, first instinct is always to look for red, look for blood.

"Des." The mixture of relief and concern is rather hard to miss in the strained tone of her voice as she erases the distance between them, gaze going from the blood back to his face. "What happened?"

There's an implied are you alright? Cause it's hard to believe that smile when there's blood on you.

[nothingsodivine]

To be fair, he barely noticed the blood and most of it probably came from his frantic clinging to Mathias so it's new to him when he follows her line of sight to the splotches.

"Oh," he says, frowning. Yes, that's problematic. "Well, that's an interesting story."

Interesting in the Oh God, why do people keep dying on me even if they do come back way.

"I was outside trying to stretch my muscles and Mathias and I got it into our heads to go get a beer, because apparently I'm incapable of realizing that this city likes to find ways to suckerpunch me every time I leave the hotel."

He rubs the back of his head nervously, mussing his hair and making it stick out at odd angles. This is the part where it gets complicated. "We were attacked by something... Well, Mathias was." He swallows hard, because the memory still cares him- yes, now he really knows how Martha felt before when it was him. "He... Died."

He looks up abruptly before she has a chance to respond to that, "He's okay though. Apparently, the Rift made him... Immortal."

Like

[smithnjones]

"Oh, God, Des..."

It's amazing that Martha can keep most of her reaction steady, difficult to read, except the pained, sympathetic look in her eyes. Five seconds ago, if he hadn't come back with blood on him, there would have been a lot of yelling, but she's not sure she can manage it now.

Because she does know how it feels.

And there aren't words to describe her utter relief at finding out that the death (while it was a death and most likely an incredibly painful one for both of them) was not permanent. And she can't even begin to imagine the complications of Mathias getting what Des lost.

After a moment, she slips her hand up to his shoulder and slides her grip midway down his arm, hesitating on hugging him just yet if only so she can look into his eyes when she asks this.

"Are you okay?" There's a lot implied in that question about understanding, a layer of weight to it that wouldn't be there normally if she hadn't experienced him dying in her presence.

[theteaboy]

Ianto happens to be pulling a late night, collecting some of his notes for a variety of things into a folder. Jack had asked a decent amount of him, but he was working on it, slowly but surely.

So, when he runs into Martha, he might seem just a slight aloof.

"Ah, Ms. Jones," it's the professional front, it's not quite come down just yet. "Going out this evening?"

[smithnjones]

"Not if I can help it," Martha says with a little frown as she looks up at him. "Des is sort of missing and considering his most recent injury... it's even worse than it would be normally."

She watches him for a moment.

"And what about you? Keeping busy tonight?" Martha raises her eyebrows. "Jack had quite the list for you."

[theteaboy]

"I'll keep an eye out for him, then. If you need help, let me know."

Ianto nods and even gives a soft shrug, "As well as I can, yes. I've just closed things down for now upstairs. I've done all the research I can thus far."

At least he had something to do now. He wasn't just wasting away behind a receptionist's desk.

[smithnjones]

"Thank you, Ianto. I will."

Martha nods, considering him a moment with a thoughtful expression.

"Well, listen, if there ever is anything at all that I can help you with. I know Jack wanted us to discuss something about different amenities we might be able to add for the people down here. It's a good idea, considering it only continues to get more dangerous outside."