Coffee might as well be Ambrosia (Closed)

[silentrunning]

Who: Chell silentrunning and Jennifer forsometimenow
What: A promised trip out for coffee and catching up.
When: Backdated to the ninth.
Where: At an unspecified coffee house in town.
Rating: Say PG for safety's sakes but I honestly don't think it'll be above a G.


[Chell had been looking forward to this since she'd been on expedition. And she had a promise to keep. So, she's sitting on one of the lobby sofas, waiting expectantly for Jennifer. It'll be so nice to catch up with her friend. It really has been a long time.]

Comments

[silentrunning]

[And Chell's the most observant. Reaching out, she tentatively lays an arm around Jennifer's shoulders in a friendly hug.]

Missing home?

[forsometimenow]

[Jennifer returns the hug, feeling her burden lightened a little. You have friends, she reminded herself. Good ones who are here for you.]

... Yeah. I am a lot. A lot of things lately have reminded me of it... home meaning Atlantis, the place I lived before I was brought here. It was the first place I really felt like I belonged, and I miss my dad, and my friends from there. Not that I'm entirely unhappy here, though. I have great friends.

[silentrunning]

[Chell nods.] Would talking about it help?

[forsometimenow]

[Looking uncomfortable again, Jennifer gave a half shrug. Might as well be honest, she told herself, though when she speaks, her tone is hesitant and halting.]

I... well... a few days ago I got... held up by someone in the clinic. She'd just arrived, and I guess she comes from a pretty bad world and... didn't understand that I wasn't going to hurt her. It scared me. Badly. And made me feel... terrible. Brought up a lot of old insecurities, things I thought I'd worked past. I just wish I had someone here from my world to talk to about it, someone who knows me. ... Not that I'm spitting on my friends here, of course!

[silentrunning]

[Chell nods. She doesn't take offense. She definitely understands that.]

I'm really sorry, Jennifer. That's always the hardest, when you think you've worked past something and it comes back to bite you in the butt when you don't expect it. I'm also sorry you got held up.

If it helps any, sometimes I wish there were still people from my world here, but then again, all the ones I knew were people testing me. But still, I miss them sometimes. I definitely understand where you're coming from.

[forsometimenow]

Yeah... sometimes the familiarity is what you need.

[She sighs and shifts in her seat, trying several different positions before finally settling again.]

I also want to just... move past it. I wish I could move past it. It's not like that's the first time I've ever been held hostage in order to give someone medical treatment, even. I got so scared, though. I just... froze up instead of fighting back.

[silentrunning]

I've read some books and things on that. I'm not sure if anything I read would be helpful... But apparently when you experience something that reminds you of something bad, or is the same situation, it can take you a while to move past it. Just don't beat yourself up. You got enough bad treatment from the person holding you hostage, I'd think.

[Chell smiles kindly at her friend.]

And you're right about familiarity.

[forsometimenow]

[Jennifer nods slowly and returns the smile.]

I'm trying not to be too down on myself, yeah. I keep reminding myself that I would have been no good to anybody if she'd ended up shooting me... or worse.

[She shudders a little at the thought.]

I did what I hoped was the smart thing and just took care of her wound as best I could.

[silentrunning]

I think that was exactly what you needed to do. I think you have a lot of courage.

I made you something, while I was out on the expedition. Remember you told me you once got turned into a turtle?

[Chell pulls a neatly folded picture out of her pocket. It's a turtle with a rainbow shell.]

I drew this and it reminded me of you.

[forsometimenow]

Well, thank you for saying so... I certainly didn't feel it.

[Jennifer takes the picture and laughs.]

Very cute! I'll never forget that- it was the strangest thing that's ever happened to me, and I've seen my fair share of strange things. I'll put this up on my wall as a reminder, though.

[silentrunning]

[Chell grins!]

I'm glad you like it. What're some of the other strange things you've seen?