(Untitled)

[52_dropoff]

So this is it. The end. The final crisis, so to speak

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[realmrsreynolds]

Sallie comes out of the staff corridor to a side booth, conspicuously far away from the yellow crystal floating over the bar. She pops a pair of aspirin she brought out from her apartment and asks one of the waitrats to bring her one of the books from under the Tabs board.

She has work to do.

[52_dropoff]

Charlie spots Sallie and makes his way over to right above her. The bar looks increasingly unreal. Like a dream in some ways.

"Hey. Sallie." It's hard not to wonder if this might be the last time he sees her.

[realmrsreynolds]

Sallie looks up so fast it might have looked like whiplash.

"Charlie! Hi!" Harried, "I'm trying to work out plans for the Bound patrons."

[52_dropoff]

"Plans? There's something you can do?" That is a surprise.

He leaps down. Interestingly, he's in classic Question clothes, trenchcoat and hat.

[realmrsreynolds]

"That I don't know. Actually, I don't know anything about what's been going on, but I know I'm scared about it - and I have to do something.

"There are so many folks here who can't go home."

[52_dropoff]

"Yeah." There is a lot of worry in Charlie's face today, too. More than anyone's seen in a long time. "I...well, I figured it was the end for me. Again."

[realmrsreynolds]

"No. I don't accept that."

I won't!

"There's got to be something."

[52_dropoff]

He smiles. She sounds like a real hero might.

"You could take people with you to the ranch. But I'd fade away after a few days. I would rather go all at once myself. But the living would be okay, at least."

Charlie takes a seat. No reason to stand.

[realmrsreynolds]

Charlie's reply earns him something close to a scowl.

"I don't want you in my home just to die. I already did enough o' that, thank you."

Huff. That was uncalled for.

"I just don't like the idea of something happening to you, alright?"

[52_dropoff]

"I appreciate that. But you know that sooner or later..." He pauses. And for once in his life, he thinks before finishing a sentence.

"If you want to me to stay around, Sallie, maybe I should try to stay around for as long as I can."

[realmrsreynolds]

Wait.

"Did you just go tactful on me?"

[52_dropoff]

He stifles a laugh. "Looks like I did. Maybe it is the end of the world?

"Not many people ever said that they wanted me around. It's good to hear sometimes."

[realmrsreynolds]

"I always want you around, Charlie. Just because you confuse the gou pi out of me don't make that untrue."

[52_dropoff]

He's quiet for a moment. He honestly doesn't think that anything can stop his slow fade into oblivion, or into whatever comes next otherwise. But he also knows that Sallie is the sort who will defy fate, if just to prove him wrong.

"Then let's figure out a way to save my currently transparent skin."

[realmrsreynolds]

"Okay. Now that that's settled --

"The only idea I got that might hold some weight is the Lost and Found. Any notions on that?"

[52_dropoff]

He stares blankly. His mask wouldn't add a thing to his face, it's so blank.

"The lost and found...I would fit in a box?" He's clearly missing something.