What the hell?

[jez-on-wheels.livejournal.com]

"I'm not impressed, Kat. It's freezing here."

"You told me to track him, Erica. I have no control over the atmospheric conditions present wherever he chooses to lose himself."

"Very funny. A bar hardly seems like his style. Nor yours."

"But it does seem like yours."

"You're just a laugh riot today, aren't you?"

"A defense mechanism. Look at the what I have to put up with."

A snarky face in response, "where are we, anyway?"

Kat was strangely quiet. Should she admit to Erica that she really had no idea? They'd followed Trek into an alley, turned a corner, and found themselves... here. Wherever "here" was. "A bar?" she supplied, not at all helpfully.

"Right." Erica sighed, swinging her leg over the bike and hopping off. Handlebars in hand, helmet visor pushed up, and taking in as much as she could with a wary expression on her face, she approached the bar with Kat. There weren't any other vehicles outside, and she didn't want to be alone. The management could bitch at her later. "Are you sure he's in there?"

"No. But it's as good a place to search as any, now that we're here."

Erica raised an eyebrow at that, but risked entering anyway.

Comments

[prototype-karr.livejournal.com]

There aren't any vehicles outside, maybe, but there was one indoors. A big silver and black Trans Am, to be precise, with a yellow scanner blazing on its prow. Standing next to it is a skinny, black haired man. Perhaps they'll be open to some questioning? (http://www.livejournal.com/community/milliways_bar/3278747.html?thread=128353435#t128353435)

[jez-on-wheels.livejournal.com]

Erica staaaaaaaaared. Tilting her head and staaaaaaaaaring. Nah. Forget it. She pushed Kat further into the bar, looking around. Interesting place. All sorts of was that the universe exploding outside the picture window omygod! Her mouth dropped open in shock, and she nudged the bike.

She didn't even notice the car.

[pee-jee.livejournal.com]

There was also an Asian girl with purple hair who looked up as they entered-- every so often, it just paid to look up when the front door opens. Sometimes it's important. Sometimes it's funny.

Sometimes you have to duck.

But PeeJee settled for waving.

[jez-on-wheels.livejournal.com]

She bit her bottom lip, raised her eyebrows, nodded slightly before turning away and staring fixedly ahead. Right. Weird Asian chicks. Just what she'd expect in a bar like this, right?

[-trekkin-.livejournal.com]

Trek whimpered in his sleep. He wasn't shaking or moving around yet, but it was probably only a matter of time.

[katmobile.livejournal.com]

"Erica..." Kat's monitor flashed on as she spoke, zeroing in on the man sleeping in the chair in the corner.

[jez-on-wheels.livejournal.com]

"What?" She was distracted by the bizarro-world they suddenly seemed to find themselves in. Was she supposed to know weirdo-with-purple-hair? Honestly, you'd think that style went out with the eighties.

At Kat's urging, she looked at the monitor, then looked at the figure in the corner.

Oh. My. GOD.

[-trekkin-.livejournal.com]

Trek stirred. He mumbled a little in his sleep, flailing out in front of him as though he was trying to push something away.

Tears started to flow down his cheeks.

[jez-on-wheels.livejournal.com]

"Ohgodohgodohgod!" She nearly pushed Kat over in her haste, rushing to the chair and taking his face in her hands.

"Trek? Oh god, Trek..." She smoothed back already smooth hair, wiped tears away with her thumb.

[katmobile.livejournal.com]

"Don't let me get in your way."

[-trekkin-.livejournal.com]

The voices were getting louder. The room was starting to come back, and the voices weren't going away. But he was dreaming. Wasn't he? It was all so confusing.

They had to stay away. For their own good, they had to stay away. Somewhere he found the strength to move, sit up a little. There were hands on his cheeks, in his hair, and he had the bizarre feeling he knew those hands from somewhere. He forced his eyes open, even though he was so tired.

"... Erica?!?!"

[katmobile.livejournal.com]

"The prince awakens. And you didn't even have to kiss him, Erica."

[jez-on-wheels.livejournal.com]

Erica glared at the motorcycle. "Don't mind her. She's just upset that she's had to do so much extra work to find you." She turned back to Trek.

"It's me, yes. Talk to me." More smoothing back of hair, a small smile of relief punctuating the soothing tone of voice.

[-trekkin-.livejournal.com]

Trek was stunned, to put it mildly. Years of trying to figure out what had happened to him and only seeing the team from a distance, maybe in the news, had taken their toll. And he'd dreamed of being reunited with them again for so long that he had to grab her at the shoulders and make sure she was real.

"Erica... Kat?"

[jez-on-wheels.livejournal.com]

Oh great. Now she was starting in on the waterworks. Really, when had she become such a softie?

Crap. Right about the time he was taken, and she'd started to realize how much she missed him being around. Cute, funny, endearing in his own geeky way. She brushed her own tears away, angrily, and settled for nodding. "It's really me. Oh, and her too."

[-trekkin-.livejournal.com]

It was almost like old times. Especially with the expression on her face. He grinned before he could stop himself and touched her cheek. "Your eyeliner's running."

[jez-on-wheels.livejournal.com]

"You... bastard." She dabbed at her eyes, embarrassed, and swatted him on the bicep. But she was smiling nonetheless. It was good to see his grin.

[-trekkin-.livejournal.com]

He blushed, just a little, thinking of the last time she'd done that. The thought reminded him that it had been nearly five years ago, the last time she'd done that, and the tears started up again.

But he was too relieved and even happy to cry for long. It was all tears of joy anyway, right now. And being happy was a strange feeling, along with not being alone. And then it came crashing down on him, he wasn't alone anymore. So he hugged her tight, and swallowed the lump in his throat as he forced out the words he didn't want to say.

"You shouldn't be here."

[jez-on-wheels.livejournal.com]

"Shut up. Do you know the half of what we've been through to find you? You're more elusive than a cockroach when the lights are on. Just ask Kat. I'm sure she'd love to tell you all about it." She shook her head. Dumbass. Typical guy mentality.

His arms around her were the best thing she'd felt in a long time.

[katmobile.livejournal.com]

"I have the time. It may not be a bad idea at that. We should compare notes, Trek. They may yield important clues as to your kidnappers." Kat was relieved that they'd found Trek, on any number of levels. She hadn't seen Erica smile like that in ages.

[jez-on-wheels.livejournal.com]

"Some other time, would you, Kat?" Leave the poor guy alone already, geez. Couldn't she see he was... sleeping. Shit. He'd fallen asleep, head on her shoulder. Too much stress, not enough rest, not enough family to get him through the day. He should sleep. She gingerly extracted herself from his grasp and stood up, joints protesting. He almost looked like the old Trek, curled in the chair as he was. Almost, except for the bags under his eyes, the haunted look that seemed permanently affixed to his face, even in sleep. She shivered, rubbing her arms for warmth, and glanced around the place. This was a bar, surely there was some sort of liquid refreshment that would put the warmth back into her bones.

[katmobile.livejournal.com]

"I was merely making a suggestion to be taken under consideration, Erica. There is no need to become upset." Kat's voice was ever reasonable, and it grated on Erica's nerves.

[jez-on-wheels.livejournal.com]

"Take this under consideration. I'm tired. I'm hungry. I'm cold. We've been looking for Trek for a really long time, you don't have to bombard him as soon as we see him, okay?" That's my job.

Oh yeah, she's irritable. That's a nice way of putting it.

[katmobile.livejournal.com]

Could motorcycles sigh? If they could, Kat did. "If you're hungry and thirsty, I'd suggest you try ordering something. Other patrons appear to be enjoying various forms of sustenance. What is of more concern are my own fuel levels, Erica. There are open chairs near the fireplace if you have a chill. I can keep an eye on Trek for you."

Too much togetherness makes the AI irritable, also.

[jez-on-wheels.livejournal.com]

"There's nothing worse than a smartass AI. Remember that." She stormed off to the bar in a huff. Who had programmed Kat to talk back to her, anyway? She demanded restitution, damnit. No one should have to deal with this much annoyance in one day.