(Untitled)

[gavemea_45]

Sam ducks through the door and into Milliways with equal amounts irritation and relief, and shuts it quickly behind him, grateful for a few moments of stolen time.

He's going to kill Bela Talbot.

Yeah, it's the job, and sure, they had to both get inside the Sea Pines Maritime Museum somehow, but-- it's just not right. It's not even the tuxedo

Comments

[q_in_training]

Shortly after he gets there, a mug of coffee pops up.

A vanilla latte, in fact.

From the lady at the end of the bar, with compliments, says the note that accompanies it. It has a smiley face drawn at the bottom.

[gavemea_45]

Sam reads the note and glances down the bar -- and then breaks into a quick, delighted grin as every bit of irritation drops away.

He salutes Mac with the mug, and carries it with him as he walks over to her.

"Hey." He's still smiling.

[q_in_training]

"Hey, you," she answers with a bright grin of her own. Affecting a teasing, high-class air, "Does the drink meet the gentleman's standards?"

Mac's got a coffee mug of her own and a sheaf of papers under one elbow.

[gavemea_45]

"Definitely."

He clinks the mug carefully against hers, then takes a sip to prove it.

"How's it going?"

[ever_noteful]

"I think I'm the underdressed one this time," Meg says.

"I assume there's an occasion?"

[gavemea_45]

"Oh, there's an occasion all right," he says, dourly.

A beat, and he visibly pushes that thought aside to give her a smile.

"Hi, Meg. How's it going?"

[ever_noteful]

"I'm fine, thank you," she says.

"Should I, um, not ask what the occasion is and just offer to buy you a beer?"

[gavemea_45]

"Glad to hear it," he tells her.

"Only if you're having one too." Sam makes a face, adding, "It's for a job."

[theunsmiling]

Michael, wearing a gray T-shirt and torn jeans, looks up from her crossword puzzle.

Her mouth twitches ever so slightly. Just for a second.

Then, tucking her pen behind her ear, she stands up and heads for the bar.

"Let me guess. Waiter? Or possibly groomsman, though the lack of a boutonniere suggests that isn't it."

[gavemea_45]

"Wrong and wrong, although I wish you weren't," he returns, dryly.

"Hey, Michael."

[theunsmiling]

"I don't know, I've seen some disastrous weddings in my time."

She lets a hint of a smile curl her mouth.

"Hi Sam. What's the actual occasion, then?"

[gavemea_45]

"It's for a job," he says. "We're investigating a particular case that... just happens to involve needing to be, er, undercover at a dance."

[gavemea_45]

"Don't even start," he warns her, dryly. "It's for a job."

[gavemea_45]

Whether it is or not, it's enough to get a Seriously? look directed right back at her.

Sam puts one hand on the bar.

"... a Coke, I guess," he decides.

It's probably a bad idea to add a shot of Jack to it, even though he's tempted.

[hadyougoing]

Ava maybe has and maybe has not been practicing trying to shoot things. (Spoiler alert: She's not much good yet.)

Bela is the best!

The sight of Sam causes her to do a serious doubletake.

Maybe he's a doppleganger. Evil twin?

That would be awesome.

[gavemea_45]

He half-turns, absently scanning the room, and spots her.

Great. Just... great.

"Hi, Ava."

[hadyougoing]

Well ... he recognizes her!

That doesn't mean he's not an evil twin, but it seems to decrease the likelihood.

"Hey Sam!"

You know ... call Ava petty if you want. But right now, she is deriving some serious inner giggling from the realization that although she now knows that Bela shot Sam and stole his money, and Bela knows that, Sam himself does not know that.

"I'm not objectifying you right now," she informs him seriously.

[gavemea_45]

"... thanks," he returns, perfectly deadpan. "I appreciate it."