(no subject)

[watch-wait.livejournal.com]

Bartleby didn't sleep. Angels don't technically need sleep, or food, but they're nice. They help. He spent all night staring at the ceiling in Charlie's room, with the quiet breathing of Claire near him, and the quietness of Charlie's stasised body on the bed.

He makes his way to the fireplace and curls into an armchair.

Comments

[youalleverybody.livejournal.com]

Liam is already sitting by the fire, staring into the flames.

[watch-wait.livejournal.com]

Bartleby nods to him.

[youalleverybody.livejournal.com]

Liam looks up and nods back silently.

[watch-wait.livejournal.com]

"You sleep?" Bartleby's voice is hoarse.

[youalleverybody.livejournal.com]

"No. You?"

[watch-wait.livejournal.com]

"No. Don't need to." He looks into the fire.

[youalleverybody.livejournal.com]

"Good point."

[lochiel.livejournal.com]

Lochiel walks over at some point.

"Hey."

[watch-wait.livejournal.com]

"Hi." Bartleby manages to find a smile.

[lochiel.livejournal.com]

"How are you doing?"

Which is an unnecessary question, he can feel how Bartleby is doing, but he's not sure what else to say.

[watch-wait.livejournal.com]

"Like it feels." Bartleby sighs. Death told me to get him back.

[lochiel.livejournal.com]

"I'm sorry."

He crouches down, frowning, and looks at Bartleby seriously. Are you going to try?

[watch-wait.livejournal.com]

Yes. Bartleby nods slowly. Yeah.

[gil-whimple.livejournal.com]

Just as with Liam earlier on, Gil approached with a determined stride, a tray held between his hands.

"I know," he said huskily. "You're not hungry but this will give you something to do with your hands.

Coffee and bacon sandwiches can't cure anything, least of all grief, but they don't make things worse.

[watch-wait.livejournal.com]

Bartleby smiles a little in gratitude. "You - thank you. Bacon." He bites his lip.

[gil-whimple.livejournal.com]

"I know," Gil's voice squeaks a little but he smiles. "Your Christmas present to Charlie - I helped him cook it - ate a bit of it too. He loved that so much. When he comes back I'll cook him a whole side of bacon."

He puts the tray on the table and pours coffee into a mug and holds it out.

[watch-wait.livejournal.com]

"When?" Bartleby raises his eyebrows and accepts the coffee with gratitude.

[gil-whimple.livejournal.com]

"Oh, er - a couple of weeks ago I think. You were away somewhere and I think he wanted the comfort of it."

Bartleby's hands were cold, Gil noticed, so he got up and put another log on the fire and poked it into a blaze.

As he did so he thought he was bloody glad not to be going to Purgatory. Fauns were no good at scary.

[watch-wait.livejournal.com]

"No, I meant - you seem sure of his return." Bartleby sighs.

[balletrat]

*As she did to David, Meg wanders by at some point, and leaves some scarves on his armchair, useful for crying people. Just in case Bartleby happens to need them.

It is all she can think to do.*

[watch-wait.livejournal.com]

Bartleby picks them up and attempts a smile. "What're these for?"

[balletrat]

To wipe your face with, *Meg says, matter-of-factly.* I don't cry. But if I could I would. So you must want to lots.

[watch-wait.livejournal.com]

"I've done quite a bit already." Bartleby shrugs. "Thank you."

[balletrat]

Well. *Meg looks awkward, and unhappy.* You never know when scarves will come in handy.

[watch-wait.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. Thank you," he says again, and looks up at her, and tries another smile.