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It turns out that Al has a lot more time on his hands now that he doesn't have Tina on them. Not that he's complaining, mind you--her voice could take the paint off a battleship from half a mile away. He is very happy to be done with her again.

While it lasts, anyway.

In the meantime, he is settled in at a table near the bar, enjoying a cigar and some coffee. His only plans for the evening involve the sign placed before him on the table, that reads simply: Advice

Go on, ask him anything. He's probably got an answer. Either way, it's free.

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"Yeah," he says, "relationships are hard. My first wife and I were married for eight years, but we only spent about two of them together, between assignments. If you're not willing to give up your work--and I can't imagine you would--you have to find someone who can accept what you're willing to give, but then... there are plenty of women who are willing to make arrangements. But you both have to be completely honest. No saying that you're okay with something if you're really not; that's just pushing trouble further down the line."

Jim nods. "I suppose you are right. And yet...

"Of all the women in my life, she was perhaps the only one I ever wanted to marry." A pause. "No, I felt that way about Antonia for a while. But I seem to recall what I felt for Carol a lot more strongly of late."

"If there's one thing I've learned... it's better to give something a good solid try and have it maybe not work out, than not try, and spend the rest of your life wondering. Especially where love is concerned."

He takes a sip of coffee. "I'd say talk to her, if you're going to be anywhere near where she is. Or write her a letter--do people in the future write letters? See if you can open up communication with her, but don't go into it thinking everything'll be the same as it used to be. You're both probably different people now than you were then."

Jim nods. "I'd say that you are echoing my own thoughts. And those of my ship's doctor. Who usually gives the same sort of advice but with a lot more...emotion?" That is, Bones gets crotchety. "Our paths rarely cross, since she's a private citizen as well as a scientist and rarely based on Earth these days. But it's not hard to get in touch with her.

"And yes, we still write letters. Though we also use other forms of communications when the distance is too great for real time conversation. I prefer holovids and other recordings myself."

He chuckles, nodding. "If there's something she likes--my third wife, Ruthie, she was a hell of a cook, and she used to collect antique... kitchen gadgets, you know? If I wanted to get back in her good graces again I'd send her one, but it can be tricky. You don't want something you can just get at a corner store, because it looks like you haven't put any thought into it, but you don't want something too expensive either because then it looks like you're trying to buy your way into her heart. That does work for some women, but I don't think you'd be talking about her that way if she was like that.

"Show her that you remember her, and that you're wondering how she is, and--be casual, that's the biggest thing."

Jim thinks. He can't see Carol collecting kitchen gadgets. Or cooking anything smaller than whole worlds.

"Carol was never big on material items. Though she did have a passing interest in first editions of old scientific works. A hobby I introduced her to, in fact. But don't worry about my spending too much money. Out economy doesn't work that way." Not that he ~~or his mun~~ can explain it.

"Everybody's got something they like. It doesn't have to be something they collect--if there's some place that was important to the two of you when you were together, you could send a postcard or something, but only if it only had happy memories there. People like knowing that they're remembered, that they're important to somebody else."

"I'll have to think about it. Right now, nothing is coming to me. But we did have some good times." Maybe there's a restaurant with some special resonance? "But it won't be a postcard. It's true that we write letters, but they are sent duotronically...electronically. The postcard went away with paper newspapers."

"That's a shame... postcards are great. Killing trees isn't, but you know, there's just something about being able to hold a letter or a note that somebody else wrote on by hand."

He nods. "It's not the kind of thing you should rush--the perfect thing'll come to you, and when it does, you'll know."

"I think so. And given that she was out of my life entirely for a very long time, there isn't a rush." It's not like anything either of them does can change what was, or bring David back.

"Anyway, I think if you are serious about giving advice, I should get out of the way. Thanks for the friendly ear, Admiral. The next drink is on me."

"Hey, anytime," he says with a nod. "And good luck with her--I think you'll do fine."

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