(no subject)

[scurlock]

Earlier, the door opened to let in a patron, who took the relative quiet of the bar as an opportunity to slip through the main room unnoticed. After a check of the stables, which including looking in on all the stock and ordering a batch of supplies, he'd gone over some paperwork and his 'mail' at the bar (including the note from Will about the falcon residing in a quiet stall, which he probably should have bothered to check before coming across the bird on his own) and then headed upstairs.

When he comes down tonight, he's dressed warmly, and finds an open booth with a seat that will put his back to the wall and give him a relatively good vantage point of the room. The chill in the air and the few months he's spent out in the 'real world' are motivation plenty for old habits to flare back to life.

He places an order for a mexican hot chocolate and pulls a small notebook and pen from his pocket, and begins to write - though most of his focus is on the room around him, and not the words being inked onto the page.

[Open until I say otherwise, thought with being moved, I'd try to refresh a quieter voice...]

Comments

[balancingminds]

Charles' door has gone missing, which is odd, but he's not going to worry about it yet. At the moment, he's feeling cold and as if there's something just on the edges of his mind.

He's pulled on a thick sweater that he found in his room and turns to Doc, who's scattered thoughts give him something to focus on, "What are you drinking? It smells wonderful."

[scurlock]

Doc glances up and for a moment he thinks it's Will asking him the question, but then he realizes that no - the hair is wrong, and the eyes aren't right either, and then the accent...

"They call it 'Mexican' hot chocolate," he says. "But I have t'admit I don't see much about what's 'Mexican' about it. S'just ain't as sweet and some kinds y'can git here."

[balancingminds]

There's something reassuring about being mistaken for someone else, Milliways' reassuring,

"I might try it. The weather seems to have turned here."

He doesn't say an order aloud but a hot chocolate appears for him as well as a small glass of Scotch.

[scurlock]

"It feels like someone's done left a window open, we got a bit of a draft goin' through the place. Lake was awful choppy tonight, too."

He eyes the suddenly-appearing drinks, then looks back at the man's face. Still trying to place him. There's an edge of upper-crust refinement that Will lacks on his features, and not nearly enough scars or stubble.

[balancingminds]

He's also a few inches shorter than Will, "Yes and there are symbols about."

One's been drawn on a coaster and Charles starts tracing it before as he looks around, scanning mentally and physically.

[scurlock]

...okay, this guy is a little off. And Doc isn't really keen on any creepy symbols mysteriously showing up around the bar, for any reason. It can't be good.

He sips at his own drink, quietly watching the man as he looks over the bar and the patrons. Doc's thoughts wander to flashes of nightmares about the Old Kingdom, and the bone-chilling cold of the morgue they had him laid out in, the steel against his back as he was strapped to the table. This cold reminds him of that.

(He wishes he had something stronger.)

[balancingminds]

Doc's memories and the cold cause Charles to take a quick drink of his hot chocolate.

He rubs his face as none of this feels right and moves the coaster away, "I'm sorry, I think I must be coming down with something. Its probably just an unusual cold spell."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Things went amazingly well with Thor and the aliens on board the ship. Ellen's glad of that. She's also aware that she won't get that kind of luck again, and she'll need preparation for the next trip to the ship if she's going to achieve anything like the same results. Where better to prepare than Milliways? Preferably with some dinner. For her that means noodles and Cram and a bottle of Sam Adams, because some people just never get over the horrible dietary habits of their childhood.

She settles down at a convenient table with her food, and glances up, and realizes she's come down near a familiar face; she smiles. "Hi, Doc," she says. "Long time no see."

[scurlock]

Doc's dietary habits have been lacking recently, but only due to lack of funds, not lack of will. He glances up when he hears the familiar voice from a nearby table and he smiles.

"Evenin', Ellen," he replies with a nod. "How're you doin'?"

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Doing all right," says Ellen. "I've been really busy lately... er, gosh, more than lately now that I think about it, it's been a good couple of months. How about you?"

[scurlock]

He laughs a little at that response. "Sounds 'bout like what my answer is as well," he admits. "Busy. Been keepin' myself that way, at least. S'been a while since I've found my way here, it seems - last time I came through it was still warm 'nough out back t'not need a coat."

And tonight is very strange, as it seems someone's left a window open somewhere to let in a draft.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Ellen nods. "It's been cold here lately, hasn't it?" she says. "I haven't even bothered taking my overcoat off the last few times I've come here, and the thing was designed to be worn in Alaska. I'm kind of glad I didn't bring any of the cattle this time. They're not used to this sort of weather."

[scurlock]

"It has been," he agrees. "Comin' in from New Orleans, I found I had t'run upstairs to fetch a heavier coat 'fore I went out to the stables. I noticed your brahmin weren't in - are they all doin' alright, back in your world?"

[bannion_sight]

She waits until his attention lifts from the page, then smiles and waves at him from a nearby booth.

"Hi."

[scurlock]

It has been a long time since Doc has laid eyes on Kim Ford, but there is no way that any part of his brain will forget who she is, or what she means to him - so when he spots her, he smiles an honest smile that he reserves for true friends.

(She saved his life. He still owes her one for that.)

"Evenin', Doctor Ford," he says.

[bannion_sight]

"Good evening yourself, Doc," she returns. "How's it going?"

[scurlock]

"It's goin' well 'nough, I suppose," he replies. "I managed to walk in tonight under my own power, and I ain't even got so much as a limp t'require medical attention, so I'll daresay it's a good evening at that."

[bannion_sight]

Tired or not, Kim smiles much more brightly at that.

"I'm glad to hear it. And I bet you're a lot more comfortable that way, aren't you?"

[scurlock]

"I have noticed that I tend to be more comfortable when not mortally wounded, yes," he agrees, hint of a smirk toying at his face. "And how've you been?"

[wheelsy_sheriff]

Bill is sitting at a table nearby, in uniform, sipping at a glass of bourbon and working through a bowl of chicken and dumplings.

He's been outside and on his feet all day, so the alcohol and warm meal are far more welcome than the cold leftovers Kate probably has for him at home.

Spotting Doc, he gives the cowboy a nod and a tired smile.

"Doc, how's it goin'?"

[scurlock]

Re-reading the line he's just put down, he lifts his eyebrows to acknowledge that he's heard Bill's question, his gaze rising just a minute later to follow.

(Rhyming words is difficult, okay.)

"Hey, Bill," he offers his friend a smile. "I'm doin' all right, how 'bout yourself?"

[wheelsy_sheriff]

Seeing Doc's focus, Bill's expression shifts to apology when Doc finally looks up.

"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt."

Taking a sip from his glass, Bill shrugs a shoulder (his left, because the right is nagging at him).

"Ain't great, ain't horrible, so somewhere in the middle there."

[scurlock]

He shakes his head.

"You ain't interruptin' anythin'," Doc assures him. "M'just havin' trouble with some of the words I'm tryin' to string t'gether, that's all. Work been keepin' you busy or somethin'?"

[wheelsy_sheriff]

He glances down at the notebook, but can't read it of course, and doesn't ask.

"Yeah, Job's had me runnin' for awhile now. Ain't even been in here for quite awhile. Takin' advantage tonight t'grab a bite an' have a drink before headin' home."

[scurlock]

"I hear you on not gettin' here for a spell," Doc says. "I've been out longer than I'd thought as well. I'm glad I managed t'find my way back, though."

The ability to have a place to sleep that he doesn't have to struggle to pay for, as well as hot food and a shower that he can get any time is something he's very grateful for - while he's able to go without and manage well enough with odd-jobs or working off a tab for room or board, it's been tough on him lately to stay out of trouble.

"I was startin' to git worried I'd not get any of Bar's chocolate brownie pie this year," he quips.