003 ✚ [action, for Atlantis cast] Light it up.

[lesstalkmoresaw]

[Sweet's been around.  Gathering supplies, mostly.  Medical things were something he couldn't afford to leave behind.  He'd figured out enough in the small amount of time he'd been here so far that when the fences go down, it means something bad.  They had students to protect, yeah.  That's why they're in the bunkers.  He didn't volunteer to go

Comments

[lovewheniwin]

[Lyle Rourke had been intentionally avoiding much of the crew, with the exception of Helga, as much as possible during this whole ordeal. It wasn't that he was worried about what they'd think of him.

Santorini had already shown he wasn't exactly keen on Rourke's appearance, but the Commander knew that he could be won over. If nothing else, he'd follow Rourke because Helga was following him again. He still remembered the one or two times interacting with Audrey during his last stint and figured that she'd still be on decent terms with him. Sweet wasn't one to really hold a grudge, though he had a bit of idealism in him...came with the Hippocratic Oath. And Thatch...he might leave him to Helga. They'd gotten close in his absence.

After Sweet had set up that little circle of lanterns and much of the crew had gathered, he'd emerge from the darkness.]

Certainly does bring back memories seeing you all here like this.

[notasuggestion]

[She doesn't look up. She doesn't need to. Maybe a slight glance in his direction and a faint nod.]

Commander.

[lovewheniwin]

Leiuten...[oh yes, he's locked onto that shiner alright.]

What in the blazes happened to you?

[notasuggestion]

I wish I knew.

[She knew someone would comment on it.

After all, it was common enough that they ignored bruises and minor cuts. At least on expeditions. They knocked into things, moved wrong... Any sort of explanation.

But a bruise like that. That wasn't in their "code" to overlook. But she was going to try and brush it off as nothing that needed to be remarked upon further.

Given current company, she knew it wouldn't work.]

Have a seat.

[Worst the others could do was decide to pack up and move.

She wanted him here. They could either deal with it or relocate.]

[lesstalkmoresaw]

[Sweet could have sworn he hadn't heard that voice since Atlantis. And he would have been right. Except for when he turned his head, there was a familiar figure, standing there.]

Oh hell...

[He looked over at the Lieutenant before flicking his gaze back at that outline. He knew that shape. There was nobody else it could have been. But it can't be.

He narrows his eyes and his brow furrows deeply. He isn't sure whether to start wondering about his sanity, or to stand up and square his shoulders.]

Now there's a man I thought was dead. Dead enough that I never had to worry about seein' yo' face ever again. Dead enough to think you got yours for what you did to those people, and to your own damn Lieutenant.

[With Audrey leaning against his shoulder, he's kept from standing up.]

What the hell are you doin' alive, Rourke?

[Hell no, he is not addressing you as Commander.]

[lovewheniwin]

[So much for not being one to hold a grudge. Not that he'd let the fact that he was disappointed show in his features. Coming into the ring of light that the lanterns gave off, he stood with his arms behind his back, relaxed.]

I would think you'd be happy to know that was one less life lost, Doc.

It's a long story, but the short version is that I'm alive, and I'm here.

[lesstalkmoresaw]

[For the first time in God knows how long, Sweet was silent. He didn't have much to say to this man, and what he wanted to, he'd said already. Sure, there're damn near a hundred things racing across his mind. Like how his life could have been spared in that volcano with the way things went down. Wondering what sort of headmaster in their right mind would bring this man to the Academy. Atlantis may have been recorded differently, but Rourke had a track record. But then he thought about how most of them do. Including Helga.]

One less life lost? Yeah. It is. But it's the one death I came to terms with.

[Probably a dumb thing to say, but hell. He didn't even feel the need to hold things back. Not with Lyle Rourke walking around without a scratch.

Instead, he looked at the Lieutenant. Without saying anything, he sends her a look that says, What do you got to say about this?]

[lovewheniwin]

[Oh, but he DOES have a scratch. A rather obvious one on his arm where Thatch cut him with that shard of glass.

He gave a bit of a nod to Sweet's statement about life lost.]

Just the one? The way I remember it, there were several hundred men who didn't make it back home during that mission. I trust they haven't been overlooked or forgotten.

[lesstalkmoresaw]

We both know good men died, Rourke. You don't got to tell me that.

Damn near had one crew member die on the way back. Triple broken spine. Broken ribs. Torn muscles. Never seen anythin' like it in my career. Come to think of it, never seen somethin' so bad in my life.

[Sweet doesn't give a flying hoot about what small scar you're sporting, Rourke. He's to mad to care. So have a furrowed brow, a jutted lip and a stare while he attempts to guilt the hell out of you.]

The recovery took months. Never asked for anything when it came to pain before, I take it. Soon enough, though, it didn't matter. They asked. Pain of recovery? Somethin' unnatural. And it was by somethin' unnatural that they lived at all.

No. Not a single one was forgotten or overlooked, Rourke. Not. One.

[notasuggestion]

[Broken spine. Broken ribs. Torn muscles.

Recovery took months. Begged for pain medication.

At least he hadn't used that word. However true it was.

Helga watched the fires of the lanterns when she spoke, her voice low, calm... but there was an edge to it. She's never said this, never voiced it, and she especially never wanted to in front of Rourke. Letting him hear how much power he has over her... had... has... She doesn't even know which it is anymore.]

Doctor.

Did you ever stop to think that I wanted to die there?

[lovewheniwin]

[He knew about most of those injuries already though the spinal one was new to him...not that it was really surprising. That she'd even survived was a shock seeing how his entire intention was for her not to. Still, he'd listen in silence as Sweet described it all to him. He'd take his lumps, he knew they'd be coming. Whatever it took to get his team together again.

When Helga made her revelation, he turned to look at her. Now this was a little more surprising to learn.]

You did?

[lesstalkmoresaw]

[Sweet ignores Rourke for the time being. He's intent on addressing the Lieutenant.]

Nope. Never crossed my mind. Didn't take you as the type to give up. You think that would have made any difference if I knew you would have?

You keep goin' the way you are, and you're gonna die one day with a knife in yo' back and I won't be there to pull it out. Maybe that's the way you want it. I don't know.

[He held up his hands, briefly.]

[notasuggestion]

[Helga keeps her eyes on the lanterns, even closing them briefly. She feel the same chill running up her spine, and she can even feel the weight on her shoulder. Someone pulling her back, offering a rest. Something pressing on her, a sensation she almost wants to describe to herself as drowning. Drowning in this darkness she can feel trying to surround her, get in close.

"It's time, sweetheart."

But she opens her eyes. Her tone never wavers, never rises. She can address them both.]

Of course I did.

What did I have left?

My crew was dead. My experts had mutinied. My body was broken. My reputation was destroyed. My career was over. Everything I had worked to build-- that I'd helped build-- was in ruins.

I outlived my usefulness. [And she doesn't mean that as a stab at Rourke. In fact, the genuineness with which it's said... is almost more frightening than if she was trying to cut him with her words.]I always knew I'd die during an expedition. I figured a bullet to the head, actually. From friend or foe, I expected it either

[imadeabridge]

[Yeah, Vin shouldn't have been eavesdropping, but really? Really? He was so glad he had- because this wasn't his Lieutenant. This beaten down, defeated sounding, even piteous woman and that woman were not the same people, not by any means.

Vinny wanted his Lieutenant back.]

'Ey! That's gotta be enough of that! [Grabbing her by the shoulders without much thought, he shook lightly.] Yah know none of that is true. Yahr ah fighter, Lieutenant, and ya always have been. Ya wouldn't let sahmthing like that stop ya, not when ya still had so much ta life left ta live. Why are ya speaking like thees?

UH. I feel I need to do this before I leave.

[imadeabridge]

[Tirade over, Vinny doesn't get to see just yet how Helga has reacted to his words, because something else has caught his eye.

Is that... a bruise? On her face? The size of a bloody gorilla's palm?]

What in the...

[notasuggestion]

[Helga gave a start.

A moment after Vinny grabbed her shoulders and shook, she seemed to... wake up. Her eyes closed, then opened, wider and brighter than they had been. A bit of color returned to her face, and she frowned as she considered what she'd just been saying.

Well.

Nothing like a moment of weakness to make herself seem like a complete idiot. Especially since she couldn't deny the truth of it. She hated that she'd felt that way, but it was completely true. Given the choice? In the volcano or even a few months after then? She'd have taken death.

But that wasn't something to be admitted.

She felt the clarity her body showed. The voice in her head was a whisper again, the hands on her from behind had released their hold. She could breathe. Her voice? Sharp and sure.]

...Thank you, Mr. Santorini. I needed that.

[She pressed a hand to her forehead briefly, as if trying to drive away the last bits of a bad headache.]