Friday night: Downtime (Part 2)
Who: Everyone
Where: Inside and Outside of Moe's
When: May 31, night
Invited: All play!!
Status: COMPLETE
The party was going strong. The band had taken a short break and had come back stronger than ever. The drinks were flowing, the dancing on the makeshift dance floor was only one of many 'hot spots' of the area, the second stop of a new couple ( Read more... )
Where: Inside and Outside of Moe's
When: May 31, night
Invited: All play!!
Status: COMPLETE
The party was going strong. The band had taken a short break and had come back stronger than ever. The drinks were flowing, the dancing on the makeshift dance floor was only one of many 'hot spots' of the area, the second stop of a new couple ( Read more... )
Speaking of whom, where did they go?
She took a quick look around, though things were a little wobbly. Stopping, she leaned on the muscular marine, "I.. think maybe I should go sit down?" She didn't take another swallow of her beer, but rather, gestured towards a side area. "Get some air?" It was innocent, really... harmless. She figured that they'd take a side spot, sit down on the grass and relax, maybe talk?
Alex was good with that, and nodded, a gracious smile coming to his face as he placed his hand on the small of her back to guide her off the dance floor and somewhere a little more private. Once they departed, his arm wrapped around her shoulders, a hand hanging just above her breast, tucking her in, ostensibly aiding her in walking. She couldn't walk a straight line if she was paid...
Taking a path in and around the crowds, he steered her towards a spot on the periphery, not quite as well lit as the dance floor and the immediate environs. Not too far out that they couldn't hear the music, but enough away that they were out of danger of being interrupted by a random passer-by.
Cassie was let go long enough for her to sink to the ground, appreciative of getting off her feet. She resisted the urge to pull her shoes off, but as she shifted, he lowered himself to the ground as well, and put an arm around her shoulders, guiding her in to kiss her, his hand lowering to her chest for first official grope.
Cassie stiffened, the muddle that was her head, thanks to the beer, slowing her reflexes. When she realized what it was that was actually happening, (he kissed her!?) she pressed a flat hand against his shoulders, but he had worked it such that he had put her at a disadvantage in terms of positioning. She had little to no leverage, so she couldn't do much of a crab crawl away either...
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What?
Cassie got a little purchase, but the marine was quick, making sure that she wasn't in a position where she could actually rise or get any leverage. "Alex.. let's just.. sit.. okay?" Did that even make sense? Her head was so muddled-- what was it? She hadn't had a lot of experience with alcohol back on Earth; the occasional drink here and there.. particularly in college, but the world was spinning, and she wasn't sure she could slow it down any.
"We are sitting..." Alex moved and took her hands in one of his own before he pulled her in to hold her close again. To any observers, he was putting his arm around her as proof against the chill. Cassie pulled back on one of her hands, though she had to wiggle to free it.
"No... don't.. I'm sorry-- I didn't mean..." she began again, completely believing that perhaps he'd actually understand that perhaps this just wasn't how she wanted this to go.
"Cassandra.. just.. calm down." He smiled, "I'm not going to hurt you, really..." Leaning over, he put his face just beside hers, the hand that wrapped around her rising to steady her head, but more to keep her from pulling away. He pressed in, then, against her lips, his fingers winding in her hair at the back of her head. With her free hand, Cassie pushed, but she was against some hard muscle of a man who'd been training for years, even before they'd come to Gamma.
At the kiss, and what he'd consider a token resistance, the hand that now held only one of her hands drew down to caress her throat, leading down and letting go as the hand slid into her dress' bodice. Cassie jumped, and the hand tightened in her hair while her free hand began to work on prying his away from her chest, the slurred sound of desperation hitting her tones. "No-- Alex--"
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He dodged and moved around the crowd with ease, keeping Cassie's bobbing head in sight. He followed her and her 'escort' - and Daniel did use the word escort lightly - until they ducked into a less crowded spot and once again dropped beyond his line of vision. It wasn't until Daniel reached the point where they vanished that he saw why. Cassie and her date were sitting in the grass, getting acquainted.
Daniel's first, gut reaction was to run down there and call off the pedophile. Fortunately, logic reared its head and reminded him that no matter how he thought of and felt about Cassie, she was no longer a little girl. She was an adult and she could do … those adult things that he really didn't want to think about in context with Little Cassie.
(But she didn't look completely stable on her feet,) Daniel remembered. He didn't want to embarrass her, but there was no reason that he couldn't drift down and accidentally stumble across her and make certain that she was sober enough -
And that wasn't voluntary at all. Daniel knew enough of people and body language to know what he saw when he was seeing it. He took a breath, counting to ten even as he moved swiftly and decisively forward, glad that he didn't have a 'zat on hand.
The marine never heard him until it was too late. Daniel leaned forward, one hand on the man's neck and one hand on his arm, half lifting him off of Cassie while still keeping him partially on the ground. Months and years hitting the mat with Jack, with Sam, with Teal'c hadn't been wasted.
"I'm only going to explain once what's going to happen here. You're going to get up, walk away, and stay away from her and we'll pretend this never happened." Daniel gave his arm a tug for emphasis. "Or we can escalate and I really don't think that you want to do that."
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Well, it didn't stay that way.
The marine had heard what seemed to him to be a rustle as if from the occasional breeze that kicked up, not realizing that it was 'The Geek' from SG1. Now, as most who know would explain, being the 'low man on the totem pole' on SG1 meant that he was still waaaay above everyone else. Not that anyone on SG1 would even consider referring to Daniel as such. Jack depended on him, Sam.. and Teal'c. There were those, however, who couldn't begin to comprehend that the archaeologist was a perfect fit there... and how and why.
Let Alex, at least, never wonder anymore-- if he even had realized who it was that he was with.
The arm at the headlock, the other hand reaching out for his arm and pulling him up and off was met with surprise, and for a moment, he considered fighting back. A look behind, however, caused him a moment of hesitation. Who was this-- "Hey--" came just as Cassie began to register what it was that was occurring.. and she took the opportunity to move out of the way, even if she didn't rise to her feet. She'd stumble if she stood up. Not quite a state one would want to be.. seen in? (As if this was?)
It took a couple of heartbeats before the awareness set in of at least who his assailant was, but he was off-balance, and couldn't do anything about it. Not that he could anyway. He recognized the glasses, at least.. but he'd never seen the man up close. He was in the news enough, however.
"Uncle Daniel..." While mortified wasn't quite the right word to use, Cassie had the grace to be embarrassed, and while she was still properly dressed, her arms crossed in front of her, holding herself. She had enough clarity that she knew who it was that just swooped in and rescued her. No thought, yet, at least, as to the fact that she'll never live this down.
That was pretty much the certainty that Alex was looking for, or, was hoping he wouldn't get. Looking for that foothold that just wasn't coming without Daniel's aid, he had to make his promises quickly. "Okay, okay..." Probably not a good tactic to blame the girl, but he knew the 'game' of divide and, while not conquer, at least offer a couple parting shots. "She agreed to come out here and sit down!" came the complaint, "She wanted to..."
Still, he didn't say that he wasn't going to get up, walk away, and pretend all this didn't happen-- particularly as the guy was a civilian.. a scientist! And he was -supposed- to be a marine. As soon as Dr. Jackson let him up, he'd be more than happy to leave this behind him.
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In the dim light, Daniel took in the man, memorizing his face. Daniel was pretty good with faces and his karmic luck always seemed to be that he would cross paths again with anyone involved with the stargate. The face wasn't familiar, but that didn't mean the man hadn't been trained for travel through the 'gate.
Arms folded across his chest, Daniel inclined his head at the marine in a silent 'Well? Get the hell out of here.' Though his attention stayed on the man, his voice, softer and without the harsh roughness that he addressed the marine with, he spoke to Cassie. "Cassie, are you okay?"
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At least, that was before this happened.
Alex did his best not to wince in the added pressure brought to bear, and had the moment to consider-- yeah, figures that even the scientist learned something on SG1... but at least the General wasn't around?
Getting released obviously felt a whole lot better, and the marine turned around to see the distance now between Dr. Jackson and himself... and Cassandra who was still on the ground. He wasn't stupid, nor was he drunk enough to even concider taking a swing at the spectacled man. That'd assure his spot somewhere.. nowhere near the 'gate.
Rubbing at his arms as if wiping some invisible dirt from his sleeves, Alex exhaled sharply and started out and away from the pair, though he did look back a couple of times. Not happy, but not a lot he could do about it. Who knew? He certainly didn't.
Cassie really, really wished the ground would stop moving; it was making her dizzy. As long as she remained on the ground, she had a chance of not being sick. How in the hell did the Tau'ri actually manage to drink that much and not be fazed?
Oh.. better not--
She changed her 'self-hugging' to move of a warming, consoling gesture, and tucked her legs under her. Things weren't sitting well, and it took work to concentrate on a fixed object, now, namely Daniel. She nodded, not immediately realizing that he probably couldn't see that in the dark, and so answered, "Yes." Not giving much away, but it was probably readily apparent that she wasn't the happiest of people at the moment. Of course, regardless of who in her 'family' it had been-- it probably would have been easier if her girlfriends had gone and looked for her.
Where were they--
"Uncle Daniel, are you okay?" She hadn't, obviously, been paying too much attention to realize there wasn't any altercation. She knew Marine and Uncle Daniel... and while she, too, knew him, she also underestimated him, even with the full belief and knowledge that he was just... always going to be there. Even when, well... she couldn't say that she didn't want him to have rescued her. She was smarter than that.
"I... think I should go home." Probably one of the smarter things she could say. It could also be that she wanted to avoid any speech or lecture that could possibly be coming. Of course, all that was assuming she could actually get up and walk in a vaguely straight line.
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He spat the vile taste of bile from his mouth, then moved to a sprint, only to come face to face with Daniel releasing the marine.
He surveyed the scene, from a subtle distance. "Can I help?! he asked quietly, still prepared for the marine to return, yet it was a subtle change to him.
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Belatedly, Daniel heard the offer of help and took a glance back toward Mark. A little embarrassment would go a long way to helping Cassie make a proper decision regarding moderation in the future. He was Cassie's friend, and while Daniel was no longer worried about the marine, thoughts of how to get Cassie home pre-occupied him.
Of course, that begged the question of whether or not he felt he could trust the man with his intoxicated niece.
"Thank you, but I think everything is under control," Daniel called back. He turned back to Cassie, going into a half-kneel and sliding an arm around her back. "Let's stand up, Cassie. Slowly. Take it slow."
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She heard the lilting tone of Mark, and her head dropped, her hair hiding her face. A little embarrassment, no. How about a lot?
Nodding, slowly, she acknowledged Daniel. No hope of that 'giddy drunk' response... How in the hell did Britt manage it for so long? Should she apologize? There was that feeling that she had every right-- she was an adult... but how that sounded in her head. When are you going to treat me like an adult? just couldn't ring true in this sort of situation. Add Mark to the equation?
Just kill her now.
"I'm sorry, Uncle Daniel," the voice was quiet. She could apologize for bringing him out here, certainly... though, undoubtedly, come morning, she'd be even happier he'd come. As Daniel put his arm around her, she draped an arm around him, and slowly rose to her feet. "Oh-- I..." She wobbled, and flushed, the heat coming to her face again. "Can I just.. stay here?" What she wouldn't give to just sit down again, and lie down, hoping against hope that she'd be able to keep the contents of her stomach.
"I feel sick." If there was any question whether or not the girl drank to excess in college, it was answered here. Chances were better than even that the answer was 'no'.
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Daniel exhaled heavily and nodded, though he doubted Cassie was even looking in his direction. He certainly wasn't going to be the one to jostle her if she was feeling that miserable. Better to let her lose her stomach here in the grass than back in her tent, or on the feet of some unsuspecting person on the walk back.
He stroked a hand over her head, "Stay here. Keep your head down. If you feel like laying down, lie on your stomach, understand? I'm going to go back and get you some water."
Leaving Cassie alone out here wasn't something Daniel really wanted to do, but he thought that he could trust Mark to at least sit with her. He looked around, waving the man over, "Mark, could you come sit with Cassie while I go back and get her some water?"
And some food, but he didn't say that. He'd have to force feed her a few pretzels or bread, but telling the girl that ahead of time might just force the event he was trying to prevent.
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Chalk this up to one of the worse experiences of her life. Of course, not quite as bad as some things, but in the 'kill me now' category, in the top five. And with Mark as her guardian? This was a perfect way to assure that the man would never ask her out on a date...
It was the movement, even if it wasn't sudden that caused her shoulders to heave, and rolling around and up to her knees, lost what was left in her stomach, all the liquid not yet absorbed-- yet more proof that she hadn't had anything to eat before drinking. She coughed, and groaned, and a little more came up... and gasping for the next breath, moved away from the spot, almost crawling.
That made her feel a little better; though the world still spun, the nausea abated, if only for a little while. Regardless of who left and who stayed (someone would!), she would just.. lie down over where it was clear. "I'll just wait... here..." her voice was close to a whisper, the sound retaining the sounds of her misery, though now it was coupled with the heaviness of alcoholic fatigue.
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Oh, Marcus knew and remembered the after-effects of too much alcohol consumption, that was one of the reasons that the Minbari teetotal life suited him so well.
Just as Cassie started to heave, he was at her side, supporting her, lifting her hair out of the way and also gently rubbing her back. "It's alright" he murmered in the soft Minbari tongue. "Just relax and it will pass."
He helped her move to a less... fetid area of grass, taking it very slowly until she was settled. Switching back to English he looked at her seriously, brushing hair from her face. "You needn't drink the water your uncle brings... as long as you at least wash your face, it will cool you down."
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Her head was ducked down, and she tilted it sideways so she could see her current guardian, wincing slightly as he brushed the hair from her face. It was a gentle gesture, and at the moment, she was so filled with that wrong that at the moment, he was one of Uncle Daniel's friends... remaining behind to keep any vultures that could be lurking away. She was pretty sure that there weren't, but she didn't blame him, or them, for the precaution. If she had fewer drinks, or rather, if she didn't feel quite as bad as she did, she'd protest, and undoubtedly loudly. But, she was at the state where she'd fallen into doing what she was told. Maybe when she felt better later, she'd argue?
She kept her gaze on the other man as she wrapped her arms around her chest, more than believing that perhaps she was hearing things in her muddle. Still, she'd ask-- "Mark, what language was that?" Perhaps she was more like Daniel than she'd consider?
Cassie tried not to move too much, her head was still spinning. "I just want to go..." Home? Actually, she didn't want to be alone, but there wasn't any room at Uncle Daniel's... and what if he wanted to bring someone home? That's dumb... Jack's tent was out of the question, as was Sam's. "...back to my tent."
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"Adronati" he said softly in reply. "It's the language I've been writing in." A little smile quirked at his lips. "But I can tell you more when you're feeling better."
> "I just want to go... back to my tent."
"I know... but you must wait for Daniel." Marcus knew the archaeologist wouldn't be happy if the ranger carried Cassie home, at least not without being present himself. "And while I know that it will be difficult, you will need to sit up for a while longer." The young woman in his arms looked pale as a sheet and he was certain she would be close to passing out right about now. He wouldn't let her come to any harm, that was for sure.
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Cassie knew Mark was right, that they should probably wait for Uncle Daniel, but.. she was just so tired, and she didn't want to wait, and-- she leaned sideways onto her guardian, catching some of the warmth of his body heat. "He'll be here soon," she whispered. Call it a furthering of her naitivity and trust, but she closed her eyes, and was out within a few seconds, the beginning stages of 'sleeping it off'.
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"Thank you for your help, Mark," Daniel said and he meant it. Very few would have been entrusted with the care and babysitting of his drunken niece, and Mark didn't know the compliment that he'd been given. Kneeling down, Daniel prodded Cassie gently, slowly nudging her to some semblance of wakefulness, even if it was more of a somnambulist stupor. "C'mon Cassie, time to go home. I need you to try and walk with me. Just a little bit and then if you can't make it, I'll carry you."
He didn't expect to have much luck, but he gave it a shot anyway.
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