003 || video;

[youdontneedapictureofme]

Who: Maggie and YOU
Broadcast: yes
Action: aboard the Goldstone
When: now?

[Maggie had only been absent for what was a couple days, upon looking through prope channels to access such a thing. All the same she knows that physically she is both the same as when she left the fleet and different from when she was last home. When she addresses the network, she has one hand over her stomach, still feeling lost in the absence of the child she and Glenn had wanted. Clearly that wasn't to be any more.

Clearing her throat, Maggie pushes her bangs out of her face before speaking. Her hair was long again and would need to be cut. Perhaps a project for Enid once again, or someone else. There were still so many thoughts in her head that hair was the last thing on her mind.]

I, uh, I got to experience that whole deep sleep thing I've heard about - where some people come back different than what they were or rememberin' things that they didn't know before. I just wanted to let folks know that I'm back - specifically my crew. I'll still answer questions but I think I'll just keep my Lab work to my room for now. I... I could use some time to process, I guess. Or wake up.

[Because she still feels as if she's woken up into a nightmare, but at least she's a bit more at peace than if things had just happened. She's had time to grieve and to think her next steps through.]

If anyone needs anything important, please let me know.

Private Message: Enid

Hey. I'm sorry about before. About not knowing you. I remember now. All of it, actually.

[She takes a breath, trying to calm the flow of thoughts still circling about.]

Could you cut my hair again? If that'd be alright by you.

Private Message: Daryl

Hey.

[She takes a less steady breath than when she'd messaged Enid, feeling her eyes burn somewhat.]

Daryl, can we please talk?

[She was hoping he'd let her talk to him, so that the two of them could sort things out together.]

Or maybe I could just come visit an' sit with you a while. I haven't been able to hear how you're settling in. Sorry, I- some things happened, thanks to the Atroma, but I'm alright.

Comments

[itstheirworld]

[To say she was expecting Maggie to contact her, much less remember her would be a lie. Honestly, when Enid sees it's Maggie, she's hesitant to answer but not so hesitant to let it fall through. She lets Maggie be the one to speak first seeing how their last conversation went, and slowly but surely relief fills her heart and a smile grows to take the place of the neutral one she had been holding in reserve her former mixed feelings.]

You remember me now? That's- I'm glad.

[She wasn't sure what she was going to do, but that makes her feel less alone. She nods at the request.]

Yes. I-if that's what you want me to do. I'll do it.

[youdontneedapictureofme]

It'd be good for both of us to have a familiar face around right now, too, I think.

[Maggie smiles a bit, for the first time since she woke up and information had come rushing into her head like an avalanche of pictures and thoughts and feelings.]

I'm sorry about before.

[itstheirworld]

[She smiles wider and nods in agreement. Words can not say how much she's glad Maggie recognizes her face.]

It's not your fault. You didn't know who I was. I'm okay.

[And she'd never tell Maggie how utterly lost she felt.]

[youdontneedapictureofme]

[Honestly, Enid didn't have to tell her anything. She could already guess on her own the girl had hurt, being rejected like that.]

How have you been? Settling in, I mean. It can be strange to get used to. When Carl and I first got here I don't think I slept well for almost a week because I kept worrying about home and then not wanting to let my guard down.

[But that had been before they'd settled in Alexandria. If she'd known then what she had experienced since the days post Terminus, she would have been a little more relaxed.]

Private Message

[dirtyredneck]

[There is no response to the message. No 'yes'... and no 'no'. In Daryl-speak that was as good as an 'ok, sure' as anything else when he was in one of his moods.]

[youdontneedapictureofme]

[Maggie takes the hint, knowing full well that they needed to talk and there was no way either of them was getting around this. It takes her some time, after visiting with her crewmates and trying to get herself situated, to grab a shuttle and make her way to his ship. She brought food and supplies with her, feeling worried that perhaps Daryl might reject her if she just showed up. At least with supplies she'd have a reason to get him to talk to her.

When she finds his room, she makes her way down the ladder, the supplies slung over her shoulder. She knocks on the wall as she climbs down into the bunks.]

Knock knock - Daryl are you down here?

[He'd find she had her shortened hair, that she looked healthier than the last time he'd seen her, surrounded by their friends - two of which had been bludgeoned to death.]

[dirtyredneck]

[Daryl didn't answer, but when she turned around, she'd find him sitting on the bed. His back was pressed into the wall, pushing himself as far from the door as he could get. Legs up to his chest. Arms wrapped around himself behind them. Eyes wide as he stared at her.

He'd been next to the bed, working on his shank, trying to twist the top of it into a point so it could be used for stabbing and slashing, when the door opened and her voice came down. He dropped it immediately and retreated hoping the hallucination was only audio and it was someone like Nami coming down. But all he saw was Maggie.

Shorter hair, sure, but it was her. And she was dead. So it couldn't be her.]

[throwsdown]

[Takeshi is quick to abandon his network device and rush right to where she is. Hoi Hoi will just have to deal with being left in his play pen, because this is far more critical than play time -- no, Maggie's awake, and it sounds like things are different. Harder. Time must've passed! Takeshi's never had it happen before, but it sounds terrifying.

He stops in front of her, a bit frazzled, before walking over quickly to throw his arms around her in a hug.]

Thank you for waking up for us, Miss Maggie...!!

[youdontneedapictureofme]

[She hugs Takeshi back immediately, trying to stem the gut wrenching feeling that lingers from where her and Glenn's child should be. At least now that she'd been back for more than a few moments it was starting to lighten. His presence was making it lighten.]

Hey. [She croaks out that single word, her voice cracking while she tries to center herself. She'd already decided that she would have to be okay without Glenn, but having to be okay without their child too was even harder.]

You're welcome? [She laughs, realizing her eyes are already burning with tears. He didn't need to see her cry. She'd already done that enough whenever no one was around.]

Hope we didn't get attacked while I was asleep. [A bad joke, but that seemed to be her life - people dying right before her eyes.]

[throwsdown]

[He shakes his head urgently; he'd never want to her think anything bad.]

No, no attacks! Nothing bad. We're all okay.

[He leans back with a little unsure frown.]

Did the Atroma take your hair?

Video;

[onlyanapple]

[Crowley can pretend he doesn't care all he likes, but she's crew, and as such, he does find he care. A little. Kind of. ]

Welcome back. When you're done processing, there's a free drink waiting for you in Málum. Just one mind, don't think I'm going soft or anything.

[There will be so more than one. ]

Video;

[youdontneedapictureofme]

[It's on the tip of her tongue to say no, that she shouldn't be drinking, but the realization that she can hits her like a freight train. For a fraction of her moment her eyes widen as it dawns on her and simultaneously breaks her heart, but all she can do is gape at him over the network and nod.]

Yeah. Thanks, I- I'd like that. I'll stop by.

[She nods again, taking a breath.]

Does it ever level out? Or do you just feel like this a while - like things are overlapping.

Video;

[onlyanapple]

[Crowley realises he's probably...set something horrible in motion, but he has the decency (not that he'd CALL it that) to not go digging into it. Instead, he nods. ]

Great. I'll be sure you have a quiet seat somewhere.

[In case she deigns not to speak to anyone. ]

I have never actually had a trip back home, believe it or not. Not here, nor back in Paradisa. The last time I was home was...seven??ish years ago, right before I was sucked into Paradisa. So I can't actually give you an answer on that one.

video;;

[recipio]

Maggie, what happened?

[ CUE THE WORRIED EXPRESSION. He's been anxious the entire time she's been asleep, left to wonder if she was going to wake up or turn. It seems illogical that anything like that would happen here if someone died, but the thought rests at the back of his head. ]

video;;

[youdontneedapictureofme]

A lot, honestly. I'm glad you're still here.

[And with both eyes, even. She's glad for that too. The poor kid didn't need that on his plate along with everything else to come.]

Are you alright?

[As if he wouldn't be, but she still has to ask.]

video;;

[recipio]

[ He huffs. Of course she turns the concern away from her. ]

I'm fine. What about you?

voice;

[ahappylie]

[Well, this is good to know since Okita has been pilfering cough medicines from the Lab anytime Opal wasn't in there. With Maggie back but not "back" to work yet, he'll have to start looking elsewhere again.

But, more importantly?]

I'm glad to see you awake again. Are you hungry at all? I could bring something by.

voice;

[youdontneedapictureofme]

I could use some food, yeah.

[Something normal would be nice. She'll even take the synthetic goo if she has to.]

If it isn't any trouble, of course.

voice > action;

[ahappylie]

It's never any trouble.

[It's more like payment for all the stuff he's taken.]

Any requests? I could go by the Melting Pot, too.

[action]

[spacebro]

[He caught the video and she didn't seem like she was much up for talking and neither was he really. He'd admitted some hard truths about himself to Kara and she hasn't been interested in talking to him. But a few hours pass and he thinks about how it would be nice if someone was checking on him, so he should be checking on people too.

He gives her door a light knock.]

It's Mon-El. I brought food. I can leave it out here if you want.

[action]

[youdontneedapictureofme]

[It hadn't been easy, trying to remember that there were people here who needed her as much as those left behind in Alexandria and on the Hilltop. The sort of loss and separation she's feeling right now will take time and she knows that. Still, seeing how many among the crew of the Goldstone care about her is enough to lift her spirits, even if only fractionally. So, when Mon El stops by her room, she doesn't turn him away.

She'd planned to just hole herself in her room and hide there, until the empty feeling in her gut disappeared or she was swallowed up by grief - whichever came first - but the people around her didn't seem to want to allow that. It had been the same when Beth had died and she expected no less of these people she'd come to surround herself with in the Fleet.
Hesitantly, Maggie opens the door to her room with the press of a button. ]

Hey.

[She looks from the plate of food to Mon El again, almost nodding in approval.]

Thanks, you didn't have to go to the trouble, but... thanks.

[She shrugs a bit, shoving her hands into pockets before stepping back and inviting him in with a nod of her head.]

[action]

[spacebro]

It's no trouble. I found a book about cooking. [A cookbook if you will.] And we don't have a lot of the ingredients, but I like trying to make what I can. It's been very educational.

[He steps inside, looking around for a good place to put the plate down and finding a clear spot on the desk. He looks to her for quiet permission.]

video

[lord_wizard]

Good to see you up and about...

[He trails off, smiling, but the expression is laced with uncertainty. They aren't terribly well acquainted, but...]

I have some experience with what are experiencing. If...[She wants to talk about it, though he can't quite finish the thought out loud]

video

[youdontneedapictureofme]

Part of me doesn't want to be, honestly.

[She laughs a bit. Home had been home, even without Glenn. Now she was back in this place. Without him or their child. Without their family.]

Does this happen to everyone at some point?

[lord_wizard]

[He draws in a breath]

I couldn't say. Perhaps there is a chance for it to occur for every person, but it doesn't always come about before they leave. Between here and Paradisa I was away from home for almost six years before it happened to me.