013 ✳ day 149 ✳ audio

[blackmagus]

[She isn't showing her face over the network, but still, Fortescue's voice sounds almost as bad as her numerous injuries. It wobbles every so often, from the abuse it's taken, and she can't even drum up the emotion to be angry about her lack of control over it. It is what is is.]

Hello, Science Center. Miss me? [Fortescue holds the phone away from her face, for a moment, to cough. She might sound dry, but she really is grateful to be back. Very grateful.] Had this place let me remember, I would have been able to return the favor.

...I don't want to inconvenience anyone, but I'm not... especially mobile, and the canteen is quite a distance from my room. If anyone feels like being generous, I wouldn't mind a snack. [Or maybe more than a snack, but she doesn't feel worthy enough, anymore, to ask for more than that. What is she, aside from a person who failed in her most basic duties as a sister?

She almost asks for alcohol, too, just for the hell of it, but she doesn't. She cuts the feed after a quick,]

Thank you.

Comments

[ video ]

[noblexcompanion]

Fortescue?! Are you alright?!

[ Worried mother hen is a-go! ]

[ audio ]

[blackmagus]

[Oh, it feels so good to hear Donna's voice again. She keeps her end on audio, but still, a bright smile sneaks onto her face. This building is a godsend to her, despite being a curse and a prison for others. She has friends here. People like Donna.

She has to take a deep breath to prevent choking up.]

I'm in one piece, and I'm here. I'm not as bad as I could be.

[Well, she's in one piece because Castiel was kind enough to put her leg back together.]

[ audio ]

[noblexcompanion]

[ Two can play the audio game, Fortescue! Now you can't see Donna's worried little face. You still get to hear the worry in her voice though. Lucky you! ]

What do you think you're playing at? Up and leaving, disappearing on me! You had me flippin' worried! But one piece is good. All fingers and toes attached? What happened? Did you go home? Or did the mad pervy scientists finally decide to show themselves?

Do you need anything? You mentioned snacks. Do you want some chocolate and some wine?

audio

[hung_garian]

Well, I don't usually do delivery, but I suppose I can make an exception just this once. What're you in the mood for, sweetheart? Chinese? Indian? [He affects a ridiculous London accent:] Bangers and mash?

audio

[blackmagus]

[Is it as impeccable as your French accent, Gabriel? Exaggerating her own accent, Fortescue retorts:]

You're a diamond, mate. [She laughs, which turns into a short cough on account of bruised ribs.] Surprise me. With what I've eaten the last few months, anything would be edible.

audio

[hung_garian]

[Oh, nothing could be quite as good as his French accent.]

Anything, huh? Oh, you really shouldn't have said that. [But in the spirit of friendship, he will resist the urge to bring along bugs or roast kitten.] Room service should be over in a matter of minutes, ma'am. Sit tight.

[True to his word, it's not long before there's a knock on the door. If she opens it herself, she'll probably be pleased to find that whatever it is he's brought is already prepared and under an old-fashioned silver domed platter - it really is just delivery, he's not planning a repeat performance of Casa Erotica inviting himself over.]

video;

[thatoldthatkind]

[ The Doctor is fiddling with something. Yes, he is still at trying to solve some sort of frequency lock on the Science Center. He's dang well determined to fine one. ]

Another one who is back, eh? You've really got to tell me how you do that coming-and-going-away-trick. It would help loads. [ He glances up at the screen with a smile. ] I've got some jammy dodgers if you're interested. Although, I'm not sure where you're at.

audio;

[blackmagus]

[Fiddling with things is pretty much the Doctor's state of being, isn't it? Fortescue frowns at her screen a little, though she's still keeping her side blank for the moment. Her accent is very much like the Doctor's, though for the practiced alien ear there might be one or two differences. Minuscule; the more subtle linguistic differences of alternate reality.]

It's a lot like going to sleep and waking up again. Except with, you know, memory alteration. It's so easy no one here can do it when they want to. [This is as close she comes to teasing, for the time being, because something within her twinges and she winces.] Jammy dodgers... all the things in the Multiverse to show up, and jammy dodgers do. Incredible. I wouldn't be averse — directions are a bit complicated, though.

[She has to limp toward the door. Her leg might be healed, but her muscles are far from happy. Fortescue pokes her head out.]

Hm. My corridor seems to have a large box collapsed in the middle of it. Cardboard. Ring any bells?

video;

[thatoldthatkind]

[ Fiddling and building and trying to save everyone. That's practically his M.O. to be entirely honest. He does pause as she talks, listening carefully. British and yet not British. But not alien! Oh, that is fascinating. He'll have to ask her about that later. When he's not trying to lock onto a frequency that changes in a milisecond. Or, just about then. ]

So, we don't actually leave. We just go to sleep with our memories restored. Or, gained. That could mean these aren't our proper bodies. Maybe, they're some sort of doppleganger body. Which, hopefully, they aren't. The Flesh tends to get a mind of its own and that is not something that we need to deal with at this moment. [ His voice and demeanor is ramble-y, of course, but there is a gentle calmness there. ] Between you and me? I've got some in my coat pockets. Never leave my ship without them.

Large collapsed box. [ His head whirls around to look down the hall, thinking. ] Give me a few minutes! I think I passed by one of those.

video.

[notaghost]

Right. Hello.

[ Clara has the video on and gives a small wave. She's new, as Fortescue would probably be able to realise by her unfamiliar face. And then there's her words ]

One small problem there. Where is your room?

[ Because she's feeling generous. And if this woman's been here before maybe she can answer a few things ]

audio.

[blackmagus]

Ah. Right, then.

[She hadn't really thought the logistics through when she'd put out her message. But in her defense, her head isn't exactly on straight. Not even a little.]

There's a collapsed box in my hallway. One of the walls looks a bit dingier than usual?

audio.

[notaghost]

Dingier hallways. Got it.

[ Because some of them were beautifully painted ]

Anything that I shouldn't bring?

[ action ]

[monticora]

[ In all the time he's interacted with Fortescue he's about a hundred percent sure that none of it has ever been in person. Loads of flirting. Loads of toeing the line, but he's never actually met the woman face to face in a real setting. Now's a good a time as any right? Right. He's going to go ahead and swing by. She did ask for a snack and he wasn't going to be completely horrible and ignore her request. He hasn't seen her on the Network in a bit which generally means things have probably gone sideways for her. This place has the tendency to mess with you.

There's a definite sharp knock on her door. How'd he find it? Fortunate for her they share a few friends. Friends that actually like Alec as well. That's an amazing thought, but he's not completely ridiculous. Generally. ]

Delivery. Keep in mind if you don't answer I kinda just plan to eat it all myself and it'll all go straight to my hips.

[ action ]

[blackmagus]

[As is true to her message, it takes her a moment to get to the door. Her leg's healed, now, but her feet are bruised and unhappy to be used. Fortescue opens the door and raises an eyebrow, smiling at the sight of Alec. She has numerous cuts and bruises, especially on her arms and hands. Being tortured for information is a bitch and half. Luckily, all her wounds are closed, now, and the worst-looking visible wound is her black eye.]

Well, your hips are skinny, love. [She draws her blanket around her a little more and stands to the side, to allow him in. A fancy dress and a blanket — all the rage in the fashion world.] But if we both eat, I'm sure we'll cancel out the calories.

[monticora]

[ And out from behind his back comes his hand which is currently balancing a plate of food on it for her. A sandwich because if Manticore didn't teach it to him than Alec didn't learn it. Which includes cooking. Though there's a chance he could master it in a day or so if he was forced to master it. Them Manticore genes do come in handy most days. ]

I'm like ninety percent sure that's not how calories work, but I'll give it to ya on account of the fact that you're just so pretty.

[ Though at this current moment she looks a little bit beat up. Worse than beat up. Not great. ] Having a rough day, gorgeous?

[Video]

[godsprophet]

Oh, wow. Are you -- [ ...okay?

Well, obviously not. Regardless, Chuck is concerned. She'd clearly gone home when she disappeared, and whatever happened while she was away hadn't done her any favors at all. Nor is he sure that returning to the Cape was any reprieve from whatever had happened in her home. Either way, she's here now, and she's asking for help. Help he can easily provide. ]

...I mean, yeah. I can -- I can get snacks. Is there, uh, anything in particular you want?

[Audio]

[blackmagus]

[She is, really, the farthest from okay that one could possibly be. But she's very good at holding herself together. Mostly. When she isn't curled up in a catatonic ball.]

I'm not picky, love. I've been living off of rations for the last... I don't know how long. Whatever looks decent. I'd even take some weird-looking alien fruit.

[Which is saying something.]

[Audio]

[godsprophet]

[ He nods. ]

Yeah, okay. I'll, uh... see what all we have, then.

[ He's sure there has to be some sort of comfort food around here.

He knows she's only using audio, but he sends a smile down the feed anyways. He might not be able to do much, but this? This he can do. ]

video »

[intraining]

Fortescue!

[ yeah no she's a video kinda girl, sorry. ]

Hey, you okay over there? You kind of sound like hell frozen over.

audio »

[blackmagus]

[It'll take some convincing to get her to switch her end, Charlie.]

Hell frozen over? [That's actually a new phrase she hasn't heard before. Religious folks are harder and harder to find in her world, and she certainly wasn't raised by any. But she can gather its meaning.] ...that's... pretty accurate, I suppose. Not really at my best at the moment. How are things with you?

[Deflecting for 200, Alex.]

video »

[intraining]

[ is this going to be a stubborn contest because charlie deals with winchesters. ]

Yeah, you know, opposite of what's supposed to be the status quo- [ she means it more to be a generality than an actual religious mention, but oh well. she'll take it if it gets fortescue talking. ]

See, that's when you're supposed to laugh and say "No Charlie, it's not that bad". Where are you?

[ not even going to reply to that conversation switch. ]

[toldinthebook]

Should I ask what happened?

[blackmagus]

[She smiles, though Emma can't see it. It's not a very nice smile. The events of the last three years play in a loop, in her head.]

It's a... long story. [Fortescue's still processing the fact that only a handful of days passed here.] Most of it not particularly pleasant.

Audio

[taserhappy]

[Darcy thinks she recognizes that voice, even though it definitely sounds different than before.]

Fortescue, right? You okay?

Audio

[blackmagus]

Ah, hello, Miss Darcy. [There's another voice that hasn't gone anywhere. Good to know.] ...I suppose that depends on one's definition of okay. [Stiff upper lip, though. Or she's trying.] But I'm... in one piece.