(Untitled)

[dr_robchase]

It was strange to have a party for the psych department, having planned it over a month back, and now that he was putting it into motion, he was missing two of his people. Chase thought that he'd gotten used to it, but palming two of the gifts that were never going to make it to their owners, he found that he was still having troubles

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[dr_robchase]

Instead of a drink in hand, Chase was electing for something a little lighter. He had juice and only that, out of some deference to responsibility to the night and maybe because he was starting to think a little harder about his alcohol intake the closer he got to his mother's age when things got...well, when things got rough.

Still, he had set up shop near the front of the bar on a stool in a good suit jacket, button-down, and jeans, and glanced out into the crowd, keeping an eye on the party as it went.

[ladyshrink]

“Dr. Chase.” Gillian approached the department head, smiling broadly. “Thank you so much for this. It's wonderful.”

[dr_robchase]

Chase smiled warmly when he saw Gillian from across the crowd, lifting up his drink to her in a mock-salute. "Well, considering I asked a couple friends for favours, it's really not like I pulled out all the stops. But you've both been doing so much work lately. You deserve it. Really."

[ladyshrink]

She gave him a wry smile. “It's more than I'm used to. Back home, my business partner was... not big on acknowledgements or gestures. His favored method of dealing with employees was with insults and derision.” The smile lingered on her lips; Cal was a pain and a terrible boss, but that was just who he was, and she'd long ago forgiven him for that.

[ladyshrink]

Gillian had worn her favorite little black dress tonight - the one she'd bought back home, the one she'd been wearing when she was whisked away to this island. Now she sat at the bar, facing out into the party. A glass of red wine sat beside her, but in her hands she toyed with the little otter figurine Chase had given her. It was nice, she reflected, to be recognized for her work and contribution to the team. And the chance to relax, given the extra workload they were taking on given the recent disappearances, was wonderful.

And yet, it felt a little bittersweet. The disappearances had left the office quiet and a little empty. And the recognition, while very welcome, made her think about Cal and his general disdain of that kind of thing. It all combined to make her just a little homesick.

Enough melancholy,, she told herself firmly. Enjoy the party; be homesick later. She reached for her wine and smiled at the person who'd just come up to the bar beside her.