JSA Brownstone

[caleb_z]

As the gathering breaks up, Caleb numbers among those heading towards the door. Unlike the rest, though, he lingers, and stares at the door for a moment. He lets out a sigh as he brushes his hair out of his face with a hand.

Hesitantly he moves away from the door, and drags his tired, sore frame towards the cold comfort of the guest rooms.

Comments

[caleb_z]

The talking monkey is starting to irritate him, but Caleb remains calm. He’s trying to heed Sand’s advice, and right now Chimp seems to be facilitating that. Even if he does have all the charm of Janet Reno in lingerie. I get it already, ‘I’m an ass.’

His voice betrays none of these thoughts, though. On some level, he knows he’s just being defensive. “I, uh .. you see … All my life, I’ve not had an abundance of friendships through which to learn polite social interaction. With only a few exceptions, I’ve only really worked in professional settings. Things just … they never became personal. With only one exception, I’ve never had to do both, and that person was - or is, rather - more consumed with his work than I. This is a shortcoming of mine that I shall most likely need to overcome.”

Caleb’s eyes dance between them. He knows that he needs to do this, but Tara obviously isn’t going to take the first step, and the Chimp and Sand were right. Totally, completely, right. Still, under normal circumstances, Caleb is a proud man. And with the way his life has been lately, it would seem that pride is some of the very, very little he has left.

“If I’ve been somewhat abrasive or arrogant, I ... it is not what I would have wanted.” A beat. “And I apologize.”

[green_shield]

Actually, it's amazing to finally have someone call a spade a spade here. Or in this case, Caleb an ass. Or at least to have "bwana," irritation directed at someone else for a change. It's oddly reassuring and she never knew how much she needed to here someone else finally call him on it. Her attitude with everything is significantly improved just with that little thing. she has a smile spreading across her face and she relaxes.

Then the apology...That smile is glued to her face, but her eyes are in complete shock. It takes her a good long time to make her face stop hurting, because frozen smiles after some jerk nuked your plastic muscles hurts like a bitch.

"I'm not expecting s'mores and 'Kumbya,' here." She notes with a shrug. "Just, you know, keeping the assault, battery, soul sucking, and insults where they belong. Apology accepted, but the real test is going to be time. For both of us. And I'm sorry if I wounded your pride or made you lose face or whatever, but believe that the main reason I do anything around here is that I have people to protect and patch up. Not one person - all of them." She almost looks like she's pleading. "I can't always be civil, Caleb. A lot of what I do requires standing in front of the Grim Reaper and yelling at him to back down and the guy doesn't afford me a lot of time."

She smirks. "I'm from the other side of Cape May."

[caleb_z]

He notices her relax, but holds little hope that she’ll begin to conduct herself more reasonably. To Caleb, words are just words, and most of the time they’re only worth the paper they’re written on. Actions dictate his opinions, not words.

“I spend rather a lot of time interdicting the reaper’s activities myself,” he notes. “Most of the time, it’s been against people I’ve never met, and often on behalf of people I don’t and never will know.” He pauses for a moment, carefully selecting his words.

“Despite the fact that I joined for Corrine, it would be unwise to extrapolate that she’s the only one I’ll go the mile for in the field. So long as we fight under the same banner, my best efforts are put forth.” Honestly, he’s quite insulted that someone - especially someone who’s worked with him in the field - could hold that opinion, but then again, Tara didn’t exactly get to know him during the best parts of his life. Best to just let it go.

“Still, apology accepted,” he adds. “As both Sand and Detective Chimp noted - and both with flawless logic - whatever differences we’ve had in the past, we’re going to work together.” He extends her a hand. “This team is a new beginning, and I would propose a similar arrangement for us. Bygones, and all that.”

[onthecase]

"Excellent," the chimp says, shaking his glass. "Now, live up to what you've been saying, and I can go snag another Long Island."

[green_shield]

She does shake, but it's still a wary one. It's going to take time.

"Great. Well, I have a boyfriend downstairs. See you guys later."

I mean, what else is there to say?