035 [VIDEO

[worksmart]

[A few minutes off midnight and Chase is at a desk in the Diagnostics office. The papers spread out in front of him imply that he's at least been making an effort to catch up on charting but, bored and weary, for as long as the monitor has been on it's shown him doing nothing but tossing an oversized tennis ball from hand to hand

Comments

[Audio | later on ish? idek. <3]

[as_damaged]

Are you all right?

And--

Are you busy, today? If you are all right.

[Audio | later on~]

[worksmart]

[Just the usual moment of fumbling for the network device, and Chase's voice comes over quieter than normal but otherwise unremarkable.]

I'm not busy. Need something?

[Audio | later on~]

[as_damaged]

Could you--

Could you come over? This evening. If you don't mind.

[She doesn't sound anxious, exactly-- but clearly a little uncomfortable.]

[Audio | later on~]

[worksmart]

I--

[He hesitates over it a minute, wondering if he'll be giving the voice trying to draw him out of his room exactly what it wants. But not if he goes straight to Cameron's. He can go straight there.]

Of course. Did you want me to bring something by?

[Audio | later on~]

[as_damaged]

You can, if there's anything you want, but you don't have to. Just.

[She takes an uneasy breath, trying to find a way to say this without sounding too desperate or insane.]

I just want the company.

[Audio | later on~]

[worksmart]

[He just stops himself checking my company? and manages a half-hearted laugh at himself for it.]

Give me half an hour. I'll be with you.

[Audio | later on~]

[as_damaged]

[Under the circumstances it would be a difficult question to answer.]

All right. I'll be here.

[She wants at least half way to thank him, but somehow it seems awkward to frame the words]

there's a science to fear, it plagues my mind and it keeps us right here

[worksmart]

He doesn't make it on time and when he does get there he's soaked through for the second time that day. The rain tapered off mid-morning. Since this afternoon it's been nothing more than a persistent and belated april shower, but long enough in even the lightest fall has the same effect as a few minutes storm-caught. Chase looks like a wet dog, his hair slicked down and shedding droplets to catch on his eyelashes and spill onto his cheeks. His thin cotton button-down clings transparently to the t-shirt beneath, surf logo glaring incongruously through what should be work wear. It's probably not polite to turn up dripping onto somebody's mat, but he doesn't think he can take the walk back on his own again

there's a science to fear, it plagues my mind and it keeps us right here

[as_damaged]

Time is funny when you're waiting, and though she's noticed he's late she can't fault him for it, not once the knock rings out-- a closer and clearer and thicker sound than the intermittent banging that's had her spooked since she got home. The ticking is annoying; but it's a familiar annoyance, and the cat helps of course. A year in the City has her trained to be suspicious of such changes. She could go out, but she'd rather stay in.

She doesn't even try to frame it in altruistic terms; if Chase didn't want to be alone he'd find somewhere to go, someone to call. He doesn't need her invitation. But he's accepted it; and the locks on her door clatter open in swift succession shortly after his arrival.

For a moment, Cameron just stares. Maybe it was too much to ask.

"You're soaked," she says unnecessarily, stepping aside. She leans forward first to push the coat off his shoulders, and thinks the better of it. "I'll get towels."

there's a science to fear, it plagues my mind and it keeps us right here

[worksmart]

"I'm sorry. I--took longer than I meant." He shakes his head, sending a bright cascade of excess water down one shoulder and steps in after her, turning to close the door quickly with both hands pressed against the wood. Reassurance.

If she's still watching him as he turns she'll see his shoulders visibly drop on the cusp of a relieved sigh. He smiles across at her, brightening with all the sudden warmth of a parting of the clouds, for all his rain sodden appearance. Almost normal, for a moment, although with a trace of guilt at the puddles he's making on her carpet. "I can stand in the bathroom until I dry off," he suggests, going to follow her, "better than ruining your couch."

there's a science to fear, it plagues my mind and it keeps us right here

[as_damaged]

"You don't have to. There are plenty of towels." She shoots him the slightest of smiles, tentative and a little embarrassed at her own neediness-- but the tension's gone, now that it's quiet. "But you should take off what you can," she adds, with practiced, professional impartiality.

She heads towards the bathroom even though he doesn't need her to guide him, loosing a bit of pent up agitation. The cat is under a table somewhere, cleaning herself with delicate fury, her independence compromised by too much petting. She steals a glance at him, pulling a stack of clean, fluffy towels from the linen closet.

"Were you all right getting here?" she asks, turning to hand them over. "Did the rain get worse again?"

there's a science to fear, it plagues my mind and it keeps us right here

[worksmart]

He doesn't take his jacket off until he's in the bathroom, ungluing one arm at a time from it's constrictive sleeves and dropping the whole thing over the side of the tub. It's going to be creased to hell, and the odd part of him that likes to hang his shirts when he takes them off twitches over the knowledge, but at least the water is collecting somewhere designed for the purpose.

"No, it's clearing up," he says, tugging his shirt from his jeans with some effort and a squeaky argument between wet cotton and damp denim. He can't think quickly enough to give her a better reason, caught in a struggle getting slippy fingers to work open the buttons at his collar and watching Cameron's back, noting almost from habit that through she's eased up a little having him here, the tension's not quite gone.

Odd. Usually his arrival is enough to cause the tension. There are two sinews in her shoulders he's come to think of as his from the way he can make them bunch together

there's a science to fear, it plagues my mind and it keeps us right here

[as_damaged]

It's as good an answer as any, nearly believable considering where they are. She doesn't ask any further. His frustration being obvious, Cameron reaches up to lend a hand automatically, undoing the buttons that remain with the pile of towels balanced awkwardly on the other arm. Whatever mess he's in, the distraction is almost welcome.

She's glad he's here, though she isn't quite certain whether she should say so.

"I'm sure I've got something we can make for dinner," she murmurs instead, though it's not an immediate concern. Somehow the thought restores a bit of distance, and she sizes him up briefly, not sure what more she can offer.

"I can make tea? Help you warm up a bit."

there's a science to fear, it plagues my mind and it keeps us right here

[worksmart]

Chase tilts his head awkwardly to one side and doesn't let himself watch her fingers, a petulant child annoyed with himself for necessitating being fussed over as much as he appreciates it. When she's done he draws his fingers underneath the hem of the t-shirt and pulls it up, preferring to drag his arms out of both that and the overshirt at once rather than try to separate the clingy cotton. It's impossible to be unselfconscious like this, whatever measure of professional detachment either of them might profess to. He hasn't been invited over on professional terms.

With an awkward show of smoothing out the crumpled shirts he bends to fold them a little more neatly over the side of the tub than the still dripping jacket, and takes the towels for her with a soft, "Thanks."

He rubs one back through his hair, less bedraggled and more fluffy after a minute's effort. Steps out of his shoes. "I could have brought dinner. Didn't think. Have you got tea, or is it all earth goddess stuff

there's a science to fear, it plagues my mind and it keeps us right here

[as_damaged]

She makes a face at the question, solely on principle, stepping back. Feeling calmer does paradoxically make her a little less comfortable-- there's never been an easy intimacy between them, not for more than a moment-- but not enough that she regrets inviting him over.

"Plain black tea," she offers quietly.

there's a science to fear, it plagues my mind and it keeps us right here

[worksmart]

"Plain black tea," he repeats, nodding his acceptance of the offer and, hopefully, his gratitude. He'd come over for her and now look at them. Just as he's thinking that at least it's been quiet, it's suddenly not, and he looks up with a start, attention fixed on a stretch of wall by the door. Just behind there...

He's starting to understand why hearing voices is such an early sign of madness.

"I'll be out in a minute," he tells Cameron, thinking that should be long enough to collect himself again. "Then you can tell me what's up."