(no subject)

After spending the night upstairs in his room (or what was left of his room, anyway, with all his things scattered across the floor and the contents in disarray), Doc stops by the bar to write a note to leave for Sallie.

Mrs. Reynolds-

I'm sorry I wasn't able to find Mike sooner, before he ended up hurt. And I also apologize for my late re-arrival to the bar. Coyote made sure I was safe before the end came and I only have just returned as of yesterday. I hope you are well.

I wanted to talk to you about the possibility of getting an apartment in the staff hallway instead of keeping a room upstairs. After everything that has happened I think it would be good to have a fresh start.

You can respond via note or I'll be around. I don't plan on going back to my home for awhile.

Thank you.

-Josiah

After he drops the note off, he settles in at the counter with a ledger to do a bit of record keeping. He took notes earlier when he was out in the stables and needs to update his records.

[ooc: No tags except for Sallie in this post, but his one from last night (HERE!) is still open to tags!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

More mail.

"Doc?" Sallie calls after she reads the thing - she hasn't spotted him yet.

His pencil stops scratching against the thick paper of the page he's on, as he lifts his head.

"Yes ma'am?"

He doesn't see here, either.

Sallie groans, pushing through the busy round of customers towards the voice.

When Doc comes into view -- "There you are! Got your note."

"Oh, good--"

He hops up off the barstool, giving her a once-over to check for any obvious signs of injury or trauma. Glad he's not seeing any, he continues.

"--that was mighty quick, even for her."

"I've been makin' myself as available as possible."

She hasn't been home to Shadow in a long while, she means.

"So - you're looking for a staff room?"

"Yes, I was wonderin' if there were any I might work on fixin' up."

After the damage to room 25 (and the memories that still follow him around when he's up there), he wants to get some distance from the past.

"If only so's I don't have t'run up the stairs durin' another earthquake ever again."

It's a pale joke, but he made one, so Sallie does him a courtesy by laughing.

"Shi a, I think I could scare one up for you. Should be in pretty solid condition as well - not much in the Staff Wing needed repair."

"I would appreciate that," he says, gratefully.

He glances towards the infirmary door.

"Has Mike gotten any better? I ain't wanted t'bother 'im."

Sallie just shakes her head.

"No. Not just yet."

"Damn."

He should have found him sooner.

Doc glances back to her.

"And your son? Did you find him?"

"I did." Then promptly ejected him from the end of the universe.

It's a thing mothers get to do.

"He's fine at home."

"Good."

And finally, his last question for the round:

"And you, are you all right?"

Vaguest of vague: "I'm here, aren't I?"

"Well, yes. You are."

A slight shrug.

"I just...was worried, 'cause I wasn't here when it all went to heck."

"About me?"

"About a lot of folks. You included."

That's actually somewhat cheering.

"Come on - lemme get you a key."

Bar supplies one before she can ask, a 20th-century looking metal one, on a red square of a keychain with a number '4' on it.

"Hunh. We're neighbors."

"I think she did that so's you can keep tabs on me easier."

He's beginning to think this is a theme, with Bar and her tricks.

The idea of a new place is also cheering. It will be good for him to start over.

"Thanks," he adds. "I promise, I ain't loud or nothin'."

"Sure, sure.

"I'll have to have you over for dinner now, neighbor."

"So long as there's pie, I'll accept the invitation."

And of course there will be pie, because it's Sallie.

(He'd accept it anyway.)

Now he just has to pack.