(Untitled)

[hadyougoing]

By the time Ava has gone upstairs, showered, and come back down in a tank top and little sweater (aaaand the very lovely, very ambitious high heels that she found just lying there by the door), she feels generally more relaxed

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[stilljustandrew]

Come on.

You can do this.

Andrew's standing there, several yards away and out of Ava's direct line of sight.

You have to do this.

A deep breath, and he starts in her direction.

[hadyougoing]

Ava, for her part, is primarily wondering if I just wanted to say isn't an inexcusably wussy turn of phrase.

She is a little paranoid these days, but at the moment ... she's distracted.

So even though she's watching out for Andrew, she doesn't catch sight of him just yet.

[stilljustandrew]

You can --

"Ava?"

[hadyougoing]

Ava jumps, whirling around abruptly.

"Andrew!"

She claps her notebook shut and peers at him over the back of her chair.

"Hey ... what's up?"

[perpetualstate]

(Michael hadn't been having that great of a day. Fortunately, he was now out of the hospital, unlike his brother G.O.B., who had just had his index and middle fingers switched around after having had them severed during a magic show. [ cut to: buster slicing g.o.b.'s fingers off onstage, to the somewhat shocked - but pleased - applause of the crowd. ]

Needless to say, this was still one of the Bluth family's better days.)

Coming into the bar, Michael doesn't look entirely well, probably the result of having had a few too many operations for his own good, in addition to having been under a few too many sedatives. Still, he's able to recognize Ava, and he comes over to the bar, still a little shaky on his feet, but cordial nonetheless.

"Hey there. Long time no see, huh?"

[hadyougoing]

Ava glances up quickly, and smiles a very bright smile upon seeing Michael.

"Hey you! I thought you weren't coming back!"

She still has a Christmas present for him.

"I still have your Christmas present and everything ..."

[perpetualstate]

Michael does a bit of a double-take at that.

"Really?"

(The Bluths were not a religious family. A 'white Christmas' being impossible anyway, the actual giving of presents was usually restricted to Michael and his son, George Michael. The rest of the family generally just waited to receive gifts.)

"You really didn't have to."

[hadyougoing]

"Yeah, but it was fun!" Ava says, waving this off.

"Spread a little holiday cheer ... I mean." She pauses. "At this point it's not really a holiday anymore."

[hallelujahpilot]

There is a click of heels behind Ava, and slightly to the left. The heels belong to a Marine pilot who is, actually, dressed both in civvies and nicely. There is a colourful, halter top - low neckline, but nothing outrageous; the only necklace she has is the tiny gold Bible locket around the base of her neck - and an asymmetrical black skirt. Trudy also has her black hair out in all its long, curly glory.

Then again, she's also...well, annoyed, as the clicking of her (low, sensible, but nice) heels gave away.

Trudy studies the bottles behind the bar, chewing on her bottom lip and tapping her fingers against the top. Decisions, decisions.

[hadyougoing]

Ava, meanwhile, is pondering her newest page of abortive potential-note-for-Riley. Maybe she needs another drink.

She glances up to see if there's a bartender around.

... Hmmm. Hello pretty irritated lady! (That's 'pretty' as in 'hot,' not 'very.' Although maybe that applies as well.)

She is now attempting to deduce if Trudy is someone likely to know much about writing letters to boys. Where's Urquhart when you need him?

[hallelujahpilot]

The finger-tapping stops.

"Uh, sorry if I was botherin' you," Trudy offers, making a face.

[hadyougoing]

"Oh, no!" Ava says quickly, shaking her head.

"I'm just ... um ... distracted."

She frowns down irritably at her paper.

"Guys suck."