IC Contact

[mouthshut]

first.last@compass.net (3) (no subject) D12 63:19PM first.last@compass.net (6) Re: Mission D11 8:01PM first.last@compass.net (12) [text] D10 9:35AM

E-MAILS

TEXTS

<span style="font-family:courier; color:#93002d;">TO:</span> first.last@compass.net <span style="font-family:courier; color:#93002d;">CC:</span> firstname.lastname@compass.net <span style="font-family:courier; color:#93002d;">BCC:</span> firstname.lastname@compass.net, firstname.lastname@compass.net <span style="font-family:courier; color:#93002d;">FROM:</span> firstname.lastname@compass.net <span style="font-family:courier; color:#93002d;">DATE/TIME:</span> <span style="font-family:courier; color:#93002d;">SUBJECT:</span> <span style="font-family:courier; color:#93002d;">MESSAGE:</span> No message.

<span style="font-family:courier; color:#93002d;">CONTACT:</span> first.last@compass.net <span style="font-family:courier; color:#93002d;">MESSAGE:</span> <span style="font-family:courier; color:#000000;">text</span>

Comments

[mouthshut]

[He keeps rubbing her back, wincing as he lets his fingers curl up but otherwise doesn't show his problems there.]

At least she would know, she would know a lot of things if you told her. I think it would do you both good if you did, I know there have been times I wish you were there for her.

[He's happy for this, happy for a lot of things, but mostly that she wants to share that with her. To have his ladies getting along, to have them talking, that's really more than he could ever ask.

It's a nice dream, even if it'll never happen. But at least it's something Catherine, to some extent, seems to share.]

[coffeebeforescience]

[She shares it, if only because of the hell they're going through. She misses her somewhat comfortable office right now. The coffee. The idle letters she wrote and never sent.]

My work was always so much more important. More urgent. She deserved to be cared for.

[mouthshut]

[He misses his bed, his couch, the warm blanket he had to curl up under. The letters he had and never sent. The drinks.]

She, doesn't understand it, many don't. She was lucky I was grounded when you brought her too me, I can't promise I'll be there in the coming years.

[He has a ship, and for the first time in a while he's realizing what it's taking him away from.]

[coffeebeforescience]

Of course you won't be. And she'll be like both of us. Too smart for her own good.

[Reaching for the pipe, now.]

[mouthshut]

[He won't even bat her hand away! He just shakes his head.]

She already is, studying old naval battles and the like. She likes museums too.

[coffeebeforescience]

[Taking the pipe from his mouth, she sighs again. The heirloom is turned over and over in her hands, passed between her fingers curiously.]

I'm guessing they're not science museums.

[mouthshut]

[He watches her play with it, keeping his hand pressed to his chest now as he does. With her he knows it's safe.]

On occasion, can't live on Luna without them being around. I try to keep her interests varied.

[coffeebeforescience]

Does she ever talk about me?

[Cradling the pipe in both hands, she holds it near her chin, inhaling the faint aroma of long-gone tobacco.]

[mouthshut]

[He wants to lie and say yes. That she asks all the time, but no, he can't and looks away.]

No, she studies too much to ever ask about anything. Except what ship I'm on. [He feels like, in some ways, he's failed Catherine in that regard.]

[coffeebeforescience]

Good.

[It weighs on her for a moment, but Jacob would do what was best for Miranda, even if that meant not mentioning her at all.

She turns the pipe over once more before handing it back to him.]

[mouthshut]

I...

[He looks down, frowning, thinking as he takes his pipe back and puts it back in his mouth, shifting it to one side.]

I've tried to raise her like I thought you would approve of. Kept her studying, focused, on everything. [Perhaps he was putting to much pressure on the girl, it wouldn't surprise him, but he wants Catherine to be proud of her.]

[coffeebeforescience]

She always enjoyed learning new things.

[Finally, she realizes she's started pulling at her hair again, and lets her hands rest on her lap. One is then moved to Jacob's knee. Again, as the first day, they're two grieving parents. Only this time they have something real to grieve. Their own failure, or perhaps success, depending upon how you view the world.]

[mouthshut]

She still does, caught her taking over the entire apartment doing it.

[His hand slides from her back to her shoulder furthest away from him to pull her into a hug, to keep her close. At least here there's no one to interrupt them.]

She'd put me to shame in some ways I think.

[coffeebeforescience]

I can only hope--

[He pulls her closer and she sighs, shuddering before she finally, finally lets herself process everything. John's words. Revelations about Jacob, about Miranda, about humanity itself. And she still doesn't know what to do but to clutch at the cloth of Jacob's pants and move in just a little closer.

She can't be alone. She's not ready to be alone, even if she tells herself she should be, should be tough, shouldn't let Jacob see her break any more than she already has.

Biting her tongue, she turns her head toward him and presses her cheek to his shoulder.]

[mouthshut]

[He doesn't know right now, blissfully unaware of his fate. Because if he knew right then how he dies, well, this would be entirely different.

But instead he just presses her closer to his shoulder, his grip tightening around her and rests his face on top of her head.]

Don't, Catherine. Just don't.

[coffeebeforescience]

[Don't? She could take that so many ways.

Don't chastise yourself.

Don't blame yourself.

Don't break.

All are true. And all of them make her want to shrivel up in a very tiny, dark place for the rest of time. This is more than she was ever prepared for, more than she ever knew she couldn't bear.

Another brief shake, and she puts her far arm awkwardly around him, hooking fingers gently over his hip as she presses her eyes against the fabric of his clothing.]

Please stay.

[mouthshut]

[He carefully rests his injured hand more on her lap, squeezing her shoulder gently as he nodded. He'll just text the others, ask them what he needs too.

So instead he just gently kisses her head.]

All you had to do was ask, of course I'll stay.

[coffeebeforescience]

[She glances down at his hand, then quietly gasps.]

Jacob, your hand...

[Now she's pulling herself back together and reaching for his hand, examining it carefully.]

[mouthshut]

[And he's groaning and tugging her closer because ugh, do not want.]

Will be fine, it's not so bad as the last time it got this way.

[But he's not pulling his hand away.]

[coffeebeforescience]

[She touches the edges of his wounds, still looking them over.]

If we find some gauze and some alcohol, I can take care of this.

[But she lets him hold her closer, eventually relenting and releasing his hand.]

[mouthshut]

[He's a little sad she lets go of his hand, he liked the touch, but he's so not showing it.]

I should be glad it isn't worse, I was afraid I'd have broken something punching the wall.

[But she's not escaping his grip now, nope.]

[coffeebeforescience]

You shouldn't have done it.

[Ignoring the wounds, she rests a hand over his. Part of her wishes she was broken, too. She only hurts on the inside, and that's almost intolerable.]

[mouthshut]

[That's partly why he had done it, he doesn't like not having physical pain to help him focus on things he can't stop.]

You're right, I should've used my other hand. This one's had more than enough abuse for a lifetime.

[coffeebeforescience]

Jacob.

[Now she squeezes his hand, and strokes his wrist with her thumb.]

We're both going to make it through this.

[mouthshut]

[He's just staring at that hand now, sighing. But he is enjoying the attention.]

We've got no choice in the matter, we have two others to watch out for, even if they don't think we should.