005 [VIDEO]

[worksmart]

[Interior: The Coliseum, a crowded bar. A slight, blond teenager pushes his way through the melee. Dressed in formal school uniform, the words Lumen Christi are inscribed beneath an insignia on his blazer pocket. He must have come straight from said school, to judge by the oversized bookbag slung across his back. The white frills of what could be a

Comments

/backdates forever crai

[as_damaged]

Cha- Robert.

Your mother isn't here, I'm sorry. Are you all right?

video: /loves forever, shh

[firedgold]

[The face looking back seems slightly unsure.]

That's five of you now. Knowing my name.

video: <3 <3 <3

[as_damaged]

[She tries to look reassuring, switches to video and offers him a little smile.]

I'm sorry, it must be a bit of a shock. I'm Dr. Cameron. I--

[She hesitates just a second. Well, it's plausible, and not even a lie really, even if it's probably not the most comforting thing she could come up with--]

I worked briefly with your father, a while ago.

video:

[firedgold]

[Not really comforting, no, but a lot less insane than everyone else's explanation. He folds his arms and looks back at her.]

Figures he wouldn't call himself. Well you can tell him I'm fine. Mum's... Mum's fine.

video:

[as_damaged]

[Well, she'll settle for less insane, in lieu of comforting. She shakes her head a little.]

He isn't here, either. And I'm not calling for him;...

[She stops as though mid-sentence, but can't think of anything to say that wouldn't seem bizarre.]

video:

[firedgold]

[And Robert dutifully waits on the explanation until the silence gets weird.]

...You were just explaining how you knew my name. Have I met you? I'm sorry, I don't remember.

video:

[as_damaged]

No-- you haven't.

[Yet, at least. And people here were used to dealing with this kind of situation on a daily basis; unfathomable. It was strange enough that she half regretted replying to him.]

Where you are right now-- it's complicated. I wanted to make sure you were getting along okay.

video:

[firedgold]

I know, it's not Melbourne and she's not here. That's what you're going to say next, isn't it?

video:

[as_damaged]

Not exactly.

[She shifts a little in the picture, crossing her arms. Impatient. What a surprise.]

It's a strange place at the best of times. I was going to say, if you need a hand getting around, let me know.

video:

[firedgold]

Oh. [And now he feels bad for making the assumption, ducking his head a little to look up at the screen.] I'm sorry, it's only, everyone else has.

You're not busy?

video:

[as_damaged]

[She smiles a bit, again.]

Not too busy to help, if you need it.

video:

[firedgold]

Caspian showed me four other, um. [Bars.] Places we thought mum might be. Where do people go if they don't have a place to go, please?

video:

[as_damaged]

[She shrugs a little. Well, at least he's in good hands.]

I'm not sure where she'd be, Robert.