Main Campfire; Sunday Evening

[bad_nose_job]

Penelope sat before the fire but her attention was on the Dreamer. He was seated not far from her, his smile faint, secretive; the same smile he's been giving her since she woke up to him yesterday morning.

She glanced back at the marshmallow she was roasting, not giving it much attention. It was hard to pay attention to anything else with him

Comments

[likes_chicken]

Four-Dee had a mission. And that mission involved finding Penelope.

He plopped down near her and smiled.

"You're a tricky girl to find," he said. "You're part ninja, aren't you?"

[bad_nose_job]

Penelope recognized the guy with Hurley last night at the bar. But she was confused as to why he might be looking for her.

"No, not even a tiny bit ninja. Why are you looking for me?"

[likes_chicken]

"Because someone has to tell you that Hurley needs a second chance," Four-Dee said. "He's... he's kinda screwing things up on purpose. Even if he doesn't know it."

[bad_nose_job]

Blink.

The Dreamer was suddenly very interested in this conversation.

"Who are you?"

[likes_chicken]

"You know Hurley's little mouse droid?" Four-Dee said. "That's me. I'm pretty awesome."

[bad_nose_job]

She raised her brows. "I see. And he sent you to tell me to give him another chance?"

[likes_chicken]

"Actually, he's probably still sleeping in his room. I maaaay have slipped him some sedatives in his dinner," Four-Dee said.

[bad_nose_job]

"You did what?!" she exclaimed, unbelieving.

The Dreamer moved near to her.

[likes_chicken]

"Hey, he used to just switch me off whenever he thought I was beeping too loud," Four-Dee. He's fine. Just taking a nap. So now I can go out and do the things he was trying to keep me from doing yesterday."

[bad_nose_job]

"Still, you shouldn't have done that. He better be alright," she warned. Though it wasn't like she could do anything about it, could she?

"You said he was screwing things up on purpose? Explain that, if you can."

[likes_chicken]

"He's so afraid of being happy that he ruins it," Four-Dee said. "It's the easy way out, and he's a total scaredy-cat. It's kinda ridiculous. It's like he wants to be a lone wolf, all sad and fat and stuff."

[bad_nose_job]

The Dreamer took Penelope's hand in his and moved his thumb slowly back and forth soothingly.

She didn't move it.

"If he wants to be alone and stuff, he's doing a very decent job of letting me know it," she said, her voice quiet.

[likes_chicken]

"Well, that's the thing," Four-Dee said. "He doesn't want to be. But he's... has he ever told you about his dad?"

[bad_nose_job]

"No... not really," she said slowly, curious about where this was going.

[likes_chicken]

"His dad ran out of him," Hurley said. "and not to get all psycho-analyzy, but I think he's afraid of... repeat performances. Which makes him dumb, and you need to go smack him and tell him you wouldn't, and then he'll behave like the teddy bear he really is."

[bad_nose_job]

"Wait... but that's crazy. One? We're in high school." Forget the fact that she had just walked away from a wedding. "Two? Hurley and I are not dating. We're not a couple. I know how he feels and I know what he said. His telling me I'm too pretty for him now has nothing to do with anyone, namely me, leaving in this situation. It's telling me that I was ugly enough before that he could deal with being around me."

Penelope had issues where this was concerned. Emotional ones.