Boulder, Colorado - Evening
Sam
"I knew I shouldn't have let you drive," Sam grumbled without heat as she held the door from the garage to the house open for Cam, running a hand through her hair. "I think I have feathers in my teeth. Anyway, come on in, guys, and make yourself home." She glanced down as she was met by a very loud meowing and a small kitten who was already sniffing at Cam and Ray and looking up at her accusingly. "Look, Boot, you're just going to have to adjust. Think of it as just having a larger pride to watch over, okay?"
"This is it," she gestured around the small house as the cat continued to eye the two large and non-feline males suspiciously. To Sam's left was the living room, looking like, well, a living room, complete with a couch, two chairs, a coffee table, and what might have looked to the casual observer like a bookshelf and DVD farm. Most of them were neatly (and alphabetically) shelved, but a few were scattered here and there. Sam glanced apologetically at Cameron. "I swear I used to be neater, but I've already been out to the East Coast twice this week, and I've gotten a little behind. Ray'll have to be leashed in the back yard, since I don't have a fence yet, but we can work on that."
Cameron
Cameron had grabbed Ray's collar the instant he noticed the cat, keeping the dog where he was. "It's fine," he assured her softly as he scanned around the room. It felt strange being back in Colorado again, but at least it was Boulder and not Colorado Springs. Weirdly enough driving a swoopbike had actually done him some good and he felt less like a ghost right now.
Ray tugged, trying to get a closer look at the cat, but Cameron held him back. "And you need to tell me if I'm in the way or if Ray is," he said quickly.
Sam
Sure, because she was going to throw him out on the street when he had nowhere else to go, regardless of the situation. "That's a deal. We can see about getting clothes for you later, but for now, I think Jack's left some stuff here if you want to clean up and change. There's no food, but there are take-out menus on the fridge--it's safer that way." She grinned at him as she headed into the kitchen to refill Boot's food and water bowls and saw the hold he had on the dog. "Might as well let Ray loose. They'll never get to know each other if we're in the way."
Cameron
He watched Ray with some hesitation, the dog completely focussed on the cat. With a sigh, he reached down and made him look up at him. "Be good," he told him before he slowly let go of the collar.
"I can cook," he told Sam absently as he stepped over the dog to follow Sam. He shot a look over his shoulder to see that Ray hadn't moved from his spot, still warily eyeing the cat and Cameron hoped it wouldn't end in a chase around the house.
Sam
The cat was interested enough to forgo food now that there was some in the bowls and walked over closer to Ray, sniffing around him curiously, but not threatening. "I can't," Sam grinned as she watched the proceedings, "but you knew that already."
Cameron
Ray glanced over at the humans as if to decide how he should behave before he reached out his neck to try to sniff the cat, his tail started wagging, but it was still unclear as to why.
"I remember," Cameron agreed, glancing away from the animals to look at Sam, her earlier words sinking in. "How's Jack?"
Sam
Boot decided that clearly the answer was to rub against Ray's legs, claiming the dog in the name of him. There was time for pouncing later. Like when the dog was sleeping.
"He's..." She opened the fridge, hoping for a bottle of water but not finding any. Wow, there really was nothing in there except some mustard. "I'm not sure, actually. He was fine a month ago when I saw him, but it's pretty much a minute to minute thing with him. I don't expect to see him again until Rory and Anakin's wedding, if then. What about Veronica?" Not that she thought it was odd that she'd been the one to take him home or anything.
Cameron
Ray seemed confused at the leg rubbing and the dog tensed for an instant before he leaned his head down... and proceeded to try and lick the cat. It seemed like a fair exchange.
Cameron didn't see however, his back to the pets now as he figured he'd hear it if they tried to murder each other. "It's..." he made a face and shrugged. "She doesn't know I'm back," he finally admitted because there didn't seem to be much point in covering that up.
Sam
Boot hissed and arched, unhappy with the sudden wetness and fur suddenly sticking up in the wrong direction. He took a swat at Ray before running off in search of the safety under Sam's bed. For her part, Sam rolled her eyes. It would take time, that was all. "Okay." She wasn't going to push there. He'd been through hell, and it was none of her business. "I've asked for a leave of absence for a while, but I'll be in the lab most of the time--you can just tell me to leave if I'm hovering."
Cameron
Ray had jumped back, whining softly at being hit and proceeded to hide under the coffee table. Cameron let out a breath and he glanced down at his boots for an instant. "I don't think I mind hovering," he admitted, it was the quiet that he mostly minded. "I just don't want to be in your way or keep you from things that you'd normally do."
Sam
"That's kind of in flux now, anyway," she shrugged. "Besides, I couldn't stop working in the lab even if I wanted to." Which wasn't quite true, but she figured he didn't want to hear the details of what would distract her, either. "What I'm saying is that you won't be alone, and you can come talk if you need to. I've been--well, not where you are--but I know about nightmares and don't sleep much."
Cameron
He watched her carefully and he swallowed hard as he nodded slowly. "Yeah," he murmured, because he didn't want to think about it. Thinking was bad and he wasn't quite ready. "I'll... I missed you."
Sam
She went to give him a hug. "I missed you, too. Welcome back."
Cameron
There was some irony to it, but he ignored it in favour of the hug. His arms tightened around her, just holding on for a moment. "I'll cook," he promised, because it would make him feel useful in some way. "Once we've gone shopping."
Sam
"You don't have to," she hugged him tightly, "but if you insist, I'm not going to argue."
Cameron
"Better not," he murmured and there may possibly have been some clinging. Maybe.
Sam
She was mostly okay with the clinging. "When you're ready, I'll show you the rest of the house. All I ask is that you not erase any of the whiteboards, either in the study or the lab."
Cameron
He nodded, then grinned just a little. "Can I draw smiley faces on them?"
Sam
She pulled back and eyed him suspiciously. "Not anywhere there are numbers."
Cameron
"Won't. Promise. Cross my heart and hope to die," he said before he realised the full weight of the words. "I won't mess with a genius at work."
Sam
"Don't you dare," she warned him, not liking him even joking about the dying. A world without Cameron had the potential to be very dark. "Or I'll wake you up at oh-dark-thirty to go for a nice long run."
Cameron
He raised an eyebrow at her, and quite possibly ignored the first statement. "You don't think I can take it?" he asked.
Sam
Sam pulled back and gave him her best superior officer face. "No, I'm sure you can take it. Whether you'll like it is another story."
Cameron
"Going running with you?" he asked. "I seem to remember liking it just fine in high school."
Sam
"You get to run in front this time," she teased, "or next to me."
Cameron
"You'll let me run next to you?" he asked, sounding surprised as if this was a great honour. He motioned his head towards the kitchen door. "Show me the rest of the house?" he requested.
Sam
"If you can keep up," she nodded, wondering if she'd be able to keep up with him. He was much taller now and had spent two years on the run, so she had her doubts. "This way's my horribly underused kitchen..."
((Preplayed with the fantastic cater_i_am. NFI, NFB obviously as well they're off the island again. A big huge thanks to everyone who's been involved in the plot in one way or another.))