closed;

[alaspooryork]

who: Delta alaspooryork and Sarah Connor hows_the_knee
what: Addressing the elephant in the room
where: York's apartment
when: Late tonight
warning(s): Possible discussion of insanity and torture, possible discussion of sex

Comments

[hows_the_knee]

[Sarah's been sleeping poorly lately, not plagued by nightmares so much as simply restless, lying awake for hours in the dark. John's arrival is a source of constant mental struggle for her; she's simultaneously overjoyed to see him again, and terrified for his safety in a place that she hasn't found safe at all. She's found herself constantly checking on him during the night, or just wandering the apartment, alert for any sign of disturbance.

It's during one such restless prowl that she catches sight of a green glow in the living room. She has a pretty good idea who it is, and moves closer to investigate, making sure not to sneak up and startle him. Not that she really thinks she could, but hey. It's the thought that counts.]

Delta?

[alaspooryork]

[The movement stills and--well, had it been during the day, he would have simply faded out. But that's impolite, isn't it? And Sarah didn't sound particularly angry at the moment, either.

He keeps his voice quiet.]

I am sorry to have disturbed you. It will not happen again.

[hows_the_knee]

You're not disturbing me.

[She finds him hovering above the couch, and stops in front of him, pulling her robe around himself against the cold. She hasn't seen much of him lately, and while she certainly can't blame him for needing a little alone time after experiencing York die, it's kind of nice to see him out and about again.

Not that she actually says any of that, of course.]

Couldn't sleep?

[alaspooryork]

[He fades out and then back in over the side table, in case she wants to sit down and he's blocking her. Not that his hologram can physically block her, of course, but--well, he moves.]

I do not require sleep. I was simply performing a routine maintenance check.

[...She probably knows he doesn't need to actually show his hologram to do that, though. Why had he visualized, anyway? Testing the fidelity of the local projectors? That sounds reasonable enough, if she should ask.]

[hows_the_knee]

[...is that an invitation? After a moment of debate, she decides to take it as one, and lowers herself to the couch with a sigh.]

Yeah, I know you don't.

[joke, Delta, it was a joke. She eyes him, mildly curious.]

Find anything out of the ordinary?

[alaspooryork]

[Then why did you ask, you know he doesn't get jokes. ;;]

No. Everything is within expected parameters.

[Why was she up, then? Well, from what he'd been able to tell, it was more or less normal for her. Sarah tended to sleep poorly.

...

How does make conversation.]

Would you like me to prepare any decaffeinated coffee, or perhaps bring up the entertainment selection?

[hows_the_knee]

[because she has no idea how to talk to you, delta.]

Good.

[She shakes her head immediately, dismissing his offers.]

No. Not in the mood for TV.

[alaspooryork]

Understood.

[Awkward silence. Hi.]

If you do not require my assistance, I will return.

[He doesn't want to be a bother, that's all.]

[hows_the_knee]

[oh whoops. She'd interrupted him, and it's clear he feels uncomfortable sticking around now. She shakes her head quickly, trying to reassure him.]

No - listen, you don't have to go.

[annnd then another thought occurs to her. whoops.]

I'm not in your way, am I?

[CAUSE SHE CAN MOVE and in fact she starts to push herself off the couch in preparation for making herself scarce.]

[alaspooryork]

You are not in my way.

[Uncomfortable is...a pretty good word for how he's been feeling a lot lately. It's not in direct response to anything Sarah's done as much as just thinking his presence is unnecessary, though.

There's very little he does that York wouldn't be just as good at on his own, anyway. Better, when it comes to things like interacting with Sarah.]

I trust John is doing comparatively well.

[hows_the_knee]

[She has her doubts about that, but she's pretty sure Delta doesn't lie, at least not so blatantly about such insignificant things. (Acting like he approves of her to spare her feelings is a different matter, of course.)

But for now, she just nods, relaxing back onto the couch.]

He's doing great.

[She twists her mouth up in a wry smile and shakes her head, somehow sounding both proud and exasperated at once. It's not easy to keep tabs on a ten-year-old kid suddenly let loose on a space station, especially one as strong-willed as John, but she wouldn't trade him for anything.]

Probably already settled in better here than I ever will.

[alaspooryork]

[Clearly, Sarah overestimates Delta's ability to judge the emotional state of other people. Though he does always make a conscious effort to be courteous, a lie to spare someone's feelings is a bit beyond him.

He does make a slight, disappointed "hmm" noise when she mentions how well John is settling in, though.]

Why do you believe that is so? You have had far more opportunity to become comfortable here, Sarah.

[...It's because of him, isn't it? She can't be comfortable around an AI.]

[hows_the_knee]

[Well, he's half right. But if she'd had to make a list of all the AI whose mere presence here keeps her up at night, it wouldn't even occur to her to put Delta on it. He's done more to help her than nearly anyone else here, and it's taken her months and months but she's finally started to realize it.

Sarah snorts, glancing over at him disbelievingly.]

I'll never be comfortable here. After everything that's happened?

[She shakes her head, curling her arms around herself, thinking of Ridley, smashing through the window and slamming her against the wall, laughing the whole time.]

Hell, I'm not even safe in my own house anymore.

[alaspooryork]

[Delta does still feel bad about that. If there were more he could do against a giant space dragon--apparently in another life he himself was a giant space dragon, after all, and surely he could have protected her better like that. Still.]

I know it may seem difficult to believe, Sarah, but even with the danger present on this station, York finds it within himself to be happy. We have been surrounded by danger since before I was assigned to him, yet he finds it a simple matter to prepare as well as possible and then retain minimal concern.

It will be difficult if you cannot do the same.

[hows_the_knee]

[Sarah smiles, a little self-deprecatingly.]

If only we were all more like York.

Just kind of hard to stop worrying when it keeps happening over and over.

[She glances reflexively towards the window. It's quiet and outside, as it has been since they moved in - as far as she knows, this zone is entirely deserted except for them, and yet she can't make herself stop checking.]

[alaspooryork]

It would certainly make social interaction less difficult.

[...Which is probably not something good to say out loud, come to think of it, even if it is the truth. Uh. Subject change.]

Sarah, it is normal to be concerned for yourself and others when there is the potential for danger. However, you cannot hope to become happy if you allow it to consume you. Is there nothing that can be done?