022 - video

[cauchemal]

[The man gives the camera a smile. His manner is confident and reassuring, despite the fact that he is quietly holding a lot of very strong emotion in check. Not that this is immediately obvious.Good morning. Call me Miles; everyone else does. Now, I learned twenty-odd years ago to never look at my daughter's diary, so although I know where this is

Comments

;private

[lost_undercover]

You're her father?

;private

[cauchemal]

[Miles stares.]

Dom?!

;private

[lost_undercover]

[Should have seen that coming. Costigan runs a hand through his hair.]

No, sir. Bill-- William Costigan, Jr. I'm a State Police Officer from Massachusetts. I know I share a resemblance with her.. [ex?] husband.

[Then it occurs to him that his brilliant plan to ask Miles' permission to date Mal will fail utterly, given that Mal and Dom are still married. So have some awkward.]

Re: ;private

[cauchemal]

[Miles settles his glasses on his nose and looks closer.]

I'd say you were his twin if I didn't know better. Beg pardon, that's rude of me, isn't it? So you know my daughter, then?

[He's not suspicious, exactly. But he feels faintly uneasy.]

;private - DANGER, WILL ROBINSON. DANGER.

[lost_undercover]

[Costigan appears extremely tense now, but he relaxes just a pinch at the change in attitude and he nods.]

Yes, sir. It began as a result of my looking like Mr. Cobb, I believe, but we've moved past that. We're very different people. [He emphasizes that point, hoping Miles will take that as a good thing.]

;private

[cauchemal]

Are you now?

[Miles's manner can best be described as "ambiguously pleasant": it's hard to tell, in that English way, whether he's genuinely friendly or merely being very, very polite. At least it's not "overtly hostile" in any way.]

So you know her reasonably well, I take it. Seeing as how you apparently have some knowledge of my son-in-law. [He glances away for a moment.] Beg pardon. I'm sure you appreciate how strange this all is for me.

;private

[lost_undercover]

Yeah. It was strange for her too.

[Costigan shifts in his chair, emphasizing a little how different his clothes -- a t-shirt, jeans, and his brown jacket -- and posture are from what he imagines her husband to be like.]

I don't know everything about her, no, but.. to be honest, sir, I'd like to. She's a good woman and I want to keep her safe here. I know-- I know she's married. That's not what I mean. [Except it is.] I just want to look out for her.

;private

[cauchemal]

[IA very pregnant silence. When Miles speaks, it's softly, with considerable gravity, and some grief.]

If she's anything like she was ... before. You know she's not-

[Not well, he means to say. But the words won't come.]

;private

[lost_undercover]

[Costigan nods.]

Yes, sir, I do. That's part of the reason I want to look out for her.

;private

[cauchemal]

[Miles considers him in silence for a minute. His manner shifts a little from "ambiguously pleasant" to "politely firm".]

Now listen, young man. I don't doubt your heart's in the right place and that you mean well. But I will take the liberty of suggesting, with all due respect, that you not get any ideas and that you be careful. She's a married woman with a family and ... I can only imagine that she must be a bit confused. Do not take advantage of that.

;private

[lost_undercover]

[Costigan shifts uncomfortably and he's silent for a long moment. He drops his eyes, then finally nods and looks back up.]

I won't.

;private

[cauchemal]

[Miles nods, leans back a little, going back to "ambiguously pleasant".]

I hope not.

[He's quiet for a moment.]

She was-she is very special. And I know all fathers say that about their girls, but-she really was.

;private

[lost_undercover]

Is. She is very special, I know that.

With all due respect, sir, you're telling me not to take advantage of her and what an amazing woman she is at the same time. [The conflicting nature of what Miles is telling Costigan is implied.]

;private

[cauchemal]

Put it down to an old man's sentimentality. I don't mean to contradict myself.

[A self-deprecating smile.]

;private

[lost_undercover]

What do you want from me, regarding your daughter? [He asks with a hint of impatience, trying to remain respectful despite the anxiety beginning to eat away at his consciousness.]

;private

[cauchemal]

Well, since I'm not likely to be here for long, I can't very well enforce what I want for her, and besides, she's a grown woman.

[He leans forward a little.]

But if I can make any request at all, it's this. Don't get too close. And don't get in the way of ... whatever it's going to take to get her out of here.

Make of that what you will.