"Hi, this is Ned. I'm not here right now. And that's it. Really. Just...leave a message. That's it. Okay. That's it."

Ned was looking at listings. Specifically, Ned was idly looking through various commercial spaces for lease. As time had progressed, he'd gotten more and more interested in having his own space, his own shop. Working for Allie's Donuts was nice but he was just a low man on a totem pole and he had ideas and ambitions, strangely enough ( Read more... )

Last week had been...interesting. In between doings things with Kaylee, Ned had baked. He'd baked both at his job (which he still didn't like but stayed at for the money) and at his home. It seemed to be the best way to channel his energy (when Kaylee wasn't around) and it calmed him down ( Read more... )

There were documents upon documents heaped on Ned's lap today. Bank statements, loan applications, loan instructions, tax documents and applications for licenses. They covered his long legs and had piled up near his hip ( Read more... )

When the pull of Fandom, of Something, had gotten to be too much, Ned had finally listened to Kaylee and they'd gone back to the island. It felt...strange to be back. It felt strange and he felt out of place, unsure of what he was doing or what he was looking for.

( That would soon be made clear... )

Ned was dreaming. That itself wasn't out of the ordinary. Ned did dream even if he didn't remember them when he woke up in the morning. This dream was different.

Ned could see his mother. Ned could see his mother alive. She looked vibrant and energetic, moving around the kitchen and chattering to him in a lively manner while she baked. Ned ( Read more... )

Ned had a job. It wasn't a glamorous job, he often went home smelling like donuts and coffee cake but it was a job and it was getting him out of the hotel room and garnering him valuable experience working in a bakery ( Read more... )

For the most part, Ned had gotten quite used to both living with someone else and living in a hotel. There were things you had to adjust to, of course, but Ned had done so quite quickly. He thanked his time in Fandom for that, for preparing him for the unexpected and inevitable ( Read more... )

When Ned left Fandom, there were a few things he expected to be difficult. Money management, adjusting to new faces and places, missing Kaylee, adjusting to Kaylee (that wasn't a bad thing), figuring out his future and keeping his hands to himself ( Read more... )

Oh yeah, I'm doing this before the rest of those whores do. Merry Christmas, everyone!

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