(Untitled)

[not_the_chav]

The printing on the note Martha was affixing to the bulletin board was admirably legible. Having moved aside some old fliers, she pinned the paper to the board, smoothed one hand over it, and stepped back to read it for the twentieth time that day:

WANTED: Platonic male companion for research and adventure. Must be level-headed, good under

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[29dayslater]

Whether Martha hears him come down the hall or not doesn't really matter. He's stopped by after a few days practicing at being a hermit. Sitting on the beach in front of his hut (his hut, Jesus, nothing like that's ever been just his) gives Jim a lot of time to think, time he never had back in London then driving then the blockade, and days later he still isn't sure where his thoughts are.

They're definitely not with people and panic and patting each other on the back, which he watches from a safe enough distance to gather enough information (he hasn't talked to Annie yet, but she's fine, he heard, she's fine) before retreating back down the beach and to the one place he's starting to feel safe again.

Right now, feeling a bit odd (in a good way) with a full meal in his stomach, he leans against the wall, close enough to read what Martha's notice says, and it makes him smile. A little.

"Are you mad?" he asks simply before she walks away, arms crossed over a still too thin torso.

[not_the_chav]

In fact, Martha hadn't heard his approach, and when Jim spoke, it annoyed her that she'd not; She fancied that she was rather good at things like that these days, but apparently not if he was sneaking up on her.

Her smile was ready in spite of this, and she answered, "Yes, almost certainly." How she wished she was joking. "Are you? Because I'm looking for someone a bit mad."

[29dayslater]

Jim can detail the many, many ways in which he believes he's gone mad or wishes he has. "I suppose I am," is what he settles for, and he has to be, if he's honestly thinking about this. Because getting back to people - even a small population like this one - isn't all Jim's imagined it'd be like.

[not_the_chav]

He was considering the ad, Martha could see it in his eyes. It was heartening, because Jim wasn't a stranger, and while they weren't close, they seemed to share a lot in common.

"Think you might be interested?" she asked, motioning to the board. "It won't be boring, I can promise you that much."

[29dayslater]

"I've had enough excitement for one lifetime," Jim says, though it's more offhand than anything. He means it, but it's not exactly a no. "What're you planning on doing?"

[not_the_chav]

"Research, mostly," Martha answered, which was really just a way of legitimizing her thrill-seeking, but true enough. "Cataloging the dinosaurs, their movements, a bit of topography, seeing what else might be out there. Whatever seems appropriate, really."

[29dayslater]

Oh, yeah, Jim can safely say Martha's gone off the deep end and he has too, because right now that doesn't sound too bad. Maybe he's going through steps or something, dealing with getting back into society, or maybe he really is just mad. (Or maybe he should finally stop walking past the door to what's supposed to be the psychologist's office every other day and walk in.)

Either way, Jim finally nods. "I'm shit at camping, just so you know," he adds, though it's just for conversation. Like he has to say something, make this as far from how it was with Selena from the start.

[not_the_chav]

Martha laughed then, low and relieved, because she liked Jim. As well as it was possible for her to like anyone under these circumstances, at any rate. "I don't know that we'll be doing much traditional camping," she assurred him with a knowing arch of brow. "When d'you think you can be ready?" No time like the present, she thought.

[29dayslater]

Jim thinks about it. It won't take long to run into Annie, shorter still if he actually goes looking for her. "Couple of days? I need to check up on some people. Things."

[not_the_chav]

"Sounds good," Martha agreed with a nod, quite pleased now that her plan was in motion. "Make sure you've not got anyone that'll try and come after you, okay? It might be a week or longer." Things would be complicated enough without having to rescue a civilian from being eaten by a T-Rex or something. "And don't forget the shoes," she added with a grin.

[29dayslater]

"I won't," Jim says, and he's smiling through the mock salute he gives Martha as he starts back down the hall and on his way.