(Untitled)

[bennet_beauty]

It was only fitting, Jane believed, that she would hold this party upon such an eventful day. Five years ago, she had arrived upon the island and her whole life had changed. She was no longer the young girl that she had once been and was no longer trapped in the confines of a time when her options were greatly limited. Though the date coincided,

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[dr_robchase]

Sometimes, Chase forgot how long he'd been on the island until the reminders came out in droves. Every time something weird happened, every time he had to deal with vanishings, every time there was a party, he remembered just how much Tabula Rasa differed from Jersey. Not that he minded, it wasn't like Jersey was anything to write home about.

Chase had attended nearly every one of Jane's parties and this one brought him right back to recalling how strange it was that he'd been on the island as long as he had. Sure, sometimes it sucked, but then other times, well, it wasn't half bad. He was perusing the selection of drinks, lifting up a glass of wine to keep tight to his chest as he surveyed the party and looked for the people he did know, the ones who hadn't disappeared.

At least, he was doing that until he shifted to make sure he didn't get collided into and red wine spilled all over his sleeve. His white sleeve -- or rather, his formerly white sleeve. "Shit."

[phoinikothrix]

"Don't let the hostess hear you say that," Francis cautioned good-naturedly. "Who knows what power she has to drum you out of society? Well, such as it is, here." He handed the other man a napkin to clean up as much of the stain as possible.

[dr_robchase]

"I'd say that I know her and she wouldn't," Chase said ruefully as he took the cloth, "but I think maybe she'd look at me disapprovingly until I went. Which also would take away my free babysitting for the night, so you're right, I'd better behave." He held up the napkin, smiling at the man. "Thanks. I don't think I can save it, but this helps."

[phoinikothrix]

"I've heard club soda is also supposed to help. Unless that makes it worse." He shrugged. "I never did my own laundry back at home, so I could be entirely mistaken."

[dr_robchase]

"You know, it's probably a loss, we can just pretend it's some fashionable statement," he said, transferring his drink to the other hand so he could stick out the mishap-prone one to be shaken. "I'm Rob Chase," he introduced himself. "And I take it you don't have club soda readily available?"

[phoinikothrix]

"Francis Abernathy." He suppressed a flicker of recognition at the other man's name, remembering Camilla's offhanded mentions of a certain Dr. Chase and the boastful way she talked about his interest in the terms and nature of her arrival on Tabula Rasa.

Francis wondered how much Chase had learned, and how angry it would make Camilla to have her mask stripped away.

"Unfortunately, no, just more wine," he continued, picking up his glass again after shaking Chase's hand. "I doubt that's going to do you much good."

[dr_robchase]

Chase laughed at that, dismissing the notion of another glass with the knowledge that he had work to be done in the morning and he had Nate to take care of at night. "Maybe it's a sign from above. Or just inherent clumsiness. I'll decide later."

"Is this your first Ball, Francis?"

[phoinikothrix]

"Is it that obvious?" Francis quipped wryly. "I hadn't even known there was a place like this here. A manor with a grand ballroom is hardly the type of thing one expects on a desert island."

[dr_robchase]

"I'm married to a man who serves as a surrogate father to..." He trailed off, making a face that said how complicated it was when he said it out loud. "Actually, let's stop before my life starts sounding like a modern-day soap opera. I really don't need that on top of everything else, tonight."