shall set you free

[thedoctordances]

Something was up, and the reason Beverly Crusher knew something was up was because people were talking about it, and because she had felt...odd. When she'd run into Nancy in the morning, she'd gone on and on in response to 'did you sleep well?' with a long monologue about the dream she'd had in which monkeys had taken over the clinic and were

Comments

[heartliketin]

Cain knocked lightly on the door, reeking just a little of cigarette smoke -- but only two smokes worth. He watched Beverly for a long moment curiously before heading into the room. "Glitch has given me the official word he wants to do treatment. And he knows now, about Ambrose."

[thedoctordances]

"Okay," Beverly said, looking up and giving Cain a soft smile. "And how did he take it? I was concerned he wouldn't handle it well, did he manage all right? You had best be supportive or I'll have to get my phaser, Wyatt Cain. Dear lord, you reek of tobacco smoke, have you been smoking?" She frowned. "They do know that tobacco smoking causes cancer in that Outer Zone of yours, I hope. I don't want you or anyone else dying of cancer, not here because we don't have even primitive treatment and it's a horribly painful death."

There was a long pause, and she looked slightly stunned. "What the hell?" she mumbled.

[heartliketin]

"Shook a while, but I calmed him," Cain easily said, hands in his pockets as he watched her. "And we know what tobacco does, but there was an occasion to be had and I took Adora up on her offer," he added. "Glitch, incidentally, wants to know if I'm cheating on him by liking Ambrose. I'm looking for a third party's opinion."

[thedoctordances]

"An occasion that comes with tobacco?" Beverly asked. "Okay, I know that on Earth back in the bad old days they'd have cigars if someone had a baby, but I didn't think people always smoked them and I hadn't heard anyone had had a baby." She blinked. "And cheating. Well, no, because it's two facets of the same personality; he's still the same person underneath all of it, it's just two parts of him. But I guess the cheating part is up to you--it's a broad definition, all things considered. For ages I felt like I was cheating on Jack."

This time she clapped her hands over her mouth, eyes wide.

[milfweed]

Nancy for her part hadn't noticed anything strange yet, but then, she hadn't exactly been getting out much lately. She thought she'd caught a glimpse of red hair in the clinic doorway on her way to the kitchen, so a few minutes later she returned with an extra mug. "Coffee?" she offered Beverly.

[thedoctordances]

"Please," Beverly said, and looked away from the laptop. "Did I ever tell you about one of the admirals in San Francisco? We kept trying to get her into treatment for her caffeine addiction but it never took. I guess spending seven years in the Delta Quadrant didn't even help and if that won't nothing will."

[milfweed]

"Huh," said Nancy. "Well, my son wanted us to move to Pittsburgh, so..." Okay, she had no idea why that was relevant. "If anything, it might have gotten me off the sushi and wheat grass juice."

[thedoctordances]

"Wheatgrass juice? What the hell is that? Does it not grow in Pittsburgh?" Beverly asked, curious. "It can't be worse than Klingon cuisine. I told Worf, I said, 'I'm sorry, I don't care what Will and Geordi do, I am not eating that. I'll stick to prune juice if I have to.' Klingons adore prune juice, but not plum juice, god knows why." She smiled brightly.

[halfahead]

Glitch had been hoping she'd be anywhere other than the clinic, so naturally it was the first place he looked. Sure, it took less time, but he still found himself standing in the doorway and trying to ignore the medical-ness of it all.

He cleared his throat, and smiled slightly. "Hi Beverly. I built you a hot air balloon and I have no idea why."

[thedoctordances]

"Hi, Glitch," Beverly said. If he'd asked, she'd have informed him that it was her shift and therefore at this time she'd always be there and that it wasn't so bad, Saturday mornings.

But he hadn't asked.

"I remember why," she said, giving him an honest smile. "When we went to find Cain, you said that you'd build one and take me up in it, like being in space again. It's not quite the same but terribly nice sentiment and I think I would like being in the air again, so thank you." She cleared her throat, looking slightly disturbed at the ramble.

[halfahead]

"Well that explains my determination to make you one. It was kind of weird how badly I needed to make the thing while having no idea why you needed one," Glitch said, and took a step into the clinic, checking the corners and just about everything else he could see. Seeing there wasn't anyone else (so far), he actually walked in.

"I'm very proud of myself for that right now," he said, not even realizing he'd said it, and smiled. "Have you met her highness yet? I want you to meet my princess, doctor or not." Glitch paused, looking a bit confused. "I'm being very honest today. Everyone is. It's had very interesting results."

[thedoctordances]

"You should be proud of the fact that subconsciously you remembered to make it, if not why," Beverly said. "That's fantastic. It's almost as good as making the balloon itself." She grinned at him, an honest smile, then nodded. "I haven't met her, I'm afraid, and I'm afraid I'm stuck being honest as well, myself. I ran into Cain earlier. He said you all had an interesting breakfast; mine wasn't that interesting, it was just me."

[dale_cooper_fbi]

Because Dale passed by the clinic on the way to the Council office, he was in the habit of greeting whoever was on shift at any given time. Seeing as at this particular time it was Beverly, he not only gave her a wave but made his way into the clinic to say hello.

"Hopefully you won't be cooped up in here all day."

[thedoctordances]

"Hello, Dale!" Beverly said, almost remarkably cheerful for that hour. "It is nice weather isn't it, I thought that when I got up this morning. Did I tell you Nancy Botwin and I have a hut? Then again I'd expect you'd know that what with Council information--you gave a very good speech the other day."

She paused, looking from side to side. "Huh. It's got me."

[dale_cooper_fbi]

"Much appreciated," said Dale, and it was nice to have something good happen, since the day hadn't exactly started out well. "I did, in fact, know about the hut. Are you involved?"

[thedoctordances]

"With the hut or the Council or the talking everyone's ear off?" Beverly asked. "Because the hut is yes, because it's clearly mine, and the Council I plan to vote for of course, but I won't tell you who, and the talking, well, that seems to be Tell Everyone The Truth weekend, and I anticipate someone will probably come in with bruised knuckles or a black eye."