(Untitled)

[remindmeof_me]

The snow lay deep all around, heaped up in drifts against trees and stones, pockmarked with the skittering tracks of critters of both Earth and Xen. Shephard couldn't remember ever seeing it so deep, not even when he was a little kid and everything was bigger and tougher. Then again, he hadn't been traveling the better part of a month back then,

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[smelltheashes]

The valley is eerily silent and still. The only sound is the steady crunch-crunch-crunch of snow beneath their feet.

Eventually, they may realize that there's a third set of footsteps coming from somewhere nearby.

[g00d_d0ggie]

Something is KATHUNKing down the long tunnel toward them.

The sound is familiar, but a little off. Possibly because the droid making it is still missing an arm.

[remindmeof_me]

"What the-"

"Shit, I'd know that sound anywheres," says Shephard, starting forward. "That's my damn pace car. D0G? Hey! Hey, D0G, that you?"

There's gonna be some echo action there but he figures it's worth it.

[g00d_d0ggie]

BrrrrWEEP!

Brace yourself, fellas. D0G is about to gallop out of the shadows and give you both a one-armed bear hug.

[acts_of_gord]

We regret that we have no icons of Shephard flailing, so have a bebogglt Gordon instead. He looks like that just before the robot grabs them, anyway.

Shephard's just laughing like a n- like m- he's laughing a lot and calling the robot cheerful obscenities. When D0G puts him down he says, "Good to see you too, boy. Everyone down there doin' okay?"

[g00d_d0ggie]

Mweep! D0G puts them down and does a little happy-dance before turning to gallop back down the tunnel again.

[remindmeof_me]

Shephard grins crookedly and takes off at a trot after the robot, Freeman close behind. He's not going near as fast as his usual speed, as he's unfamiliar with the tunnel floor- but hey, he can see better now, and at least he knows they aren't alone in either direction. That's something, right?

[smelltheashes]

The tunnel slops downward, the floor giving way to poured concrete stairs. The space opens out to reveal a cramped but homey underground city tucked into the bottom of the cavern.

There's a crowd of people clustered at the foot of the steps, watching the two men descend.

[remindmeof_me]

Gordon almost falters at that. There's a certain element of stage fright to it; he's not used to having all those eyes on him at once. He's also been pretty isolated for three weeks now. This is kind of startling, to say the least.

Shephard, however, is staring at everything laid out before him and thinking: beds, hot water, and razors. For that, he can put up with a LOT of crowd attention. "C'mon," he mutters to Gordon. "Let's do this thing, okay?" And with that, he raises one hand and waves.

[a_mere_child]

For a second, there's no response. Then there's a wave from the back of the crowd, then another, and before long everyone is waving and cheering for the new arrivals.

This isn't likely to reduce Gordon's anxiety. However, the olive-skinned, almond-eyed pregnant woman standing just at the foot of the steps is a pretty powerful incentive to keep going.

[acts_of_gord]

Wow.

Who knew Gordon had figured out how to teleport all on his own? Because it's going to be really hard to find anyone in that crowd after today who can swear they saw him cover the intervening distance between him and Alyx.

[a_mere_child]

Precious few will be able to honestly say they saw the start of the kiss, either.

[remindmeof_me]

Shephard honestly doesn't begrudge the man this moment. He's gotten to the point where he can really and truly accept that. But he's been walking a long time today, so he's just gonna step around Alyx and Gordon real careful-like and see if he can find someone to point him at a latrine or something.

[smelltheashes]

Don't worry, Shephard, you don't have to feel left out for long. A waifish blond girl is running up to hug you.

[remindmeof_me]

...!

(Not that he's not gonna hug her back, because damn it's nice to have someone up and greet you like that, it's just that she kinda caught him by surprise.)

"... hey there," he finally says, when he gets his speech back. "Long time no see, huh?"

[smelltheashes]

When he speaks, Eleanor freezes, then quickly breaks off the hug and steps away, blushing a bright crimson.

"Yeah. Hi. It's nice to... hi."