IC Contact | Haha, like his handwriting is anywhere near that neat.

[cowboy_newsie]

Comments

[ Voice Mail ]

[of_frell]

[ Ella's had quite a day, so her voice sounds strangely muffled when she finally leaves the message. It's probably a little ... late. ]

Jack... it's Ella. I just -wanted to let you know that I can remember. That accident - it's, my memories are coming back.

... [ Actually she couldn't bring herself to say anything else after that, so after that awkward pause, she lets the call end. ]

voice; MAN NICE TIMING.

[cowboy_newsie]

[He calls back immediately.]

voice; *DIES* couldn't plan that if we TRIED

[of_frell]

[ She's tempted to let the call go, but after a moment where she takes a few minutes to keep herself composed, she answers. ]

H-hello?

voice;

[cowboy_newsie]

Ella? It's Jack.

voice;

[of_frell]

[ She forces her voice to lighten up a bit. ]

O-Oh! Jack! .. Hi - I um, I got the card you.. It was sweet. Thank you.

[ The gesture had made her smile, for a moment at least. ]

voice;

[cowboy_newsie]

Oh-- you're welcome. [He pauses, and then:]

What's wrong?

voice;

[of_frell]

[ She doesn't respond right away. Then, somewhat hesitantly. ]

You didn't have to, you know... I mean, we don't even -- we don't -- [ The sentence she's trying to say here, is: We don't even have a Valentine's Day back home. ANd yes, she is deliberately avoiding the question. She's bad like that.]

voice;

[cowboy_newsie]

[A slight sigh. He's not annoyed with her-- never-- but he knows what she's doing, because he does it so often himself.]

Course I did. I like you. What's wrong?

voice;

[of_frell]

I like you too, Jack. [ It's the question that follows that brings another pause. Habit tells her to say nothing, to avoid the question. ]

I...I'm [ She chokes back the 'fine'. It takes her a moment to say anything again. Please hold. ]

My friend, he... he was... killed ... today.

voice;

[cowboy_newsie]

Where are you?

voice;

[of_frell]

Sector 5... Home.

voice -> action

[cowboy_newsie]

Ten minutes.

[And he disconnects. It's really more like seven when he arrives, parking his motorbike on the rooftop, landing on the balcony and knocking on the door there.]

action

[of_frell]

[ She shouldn't be surprised, given the question, but she still didn't expect the knock. A few seconds later, she's padding out of her room the short distance to the balcony, blinking in surprise. Wha... ]

...Jack...?

[ She unlocks the balcony door to let him in, rubbing her eyes quickly. ] What... what are you doing here?

action

[cowboy_newsie]

[He steps in hesitantly, but his expression is serious when he looks at her.]

I remember what it's like, mournin' a friend. And nobody oughta have to do it alone.

action

[of_frell]

[ She hesitates for a second, awkward, and finally slouches a bit against the wall. ]

That's... I-I'm all right, Jack. Honest. It's just ... [ She tenses again, remembering the network entry, and she covered her mouth with a hand, eyes misting. Shaking her head a few times, she tries willing herself to contain her composure, her words partially muffled. ]

... He was just a boy. Just a fourteen year old boy. [ Her hand tightens over her mouth to swallow back a laugh that would have been highly out of place. ] Who would do something like ...

action

[cowboy_newsie]

You're not all right. Nobody's all right after seein' that.

[He pauses before coming over, putting a hand on her shoulder.]

And somebody-- somebody sick. Who ain't right in the head.