(no subject)

[iwasalevel6.livejournal.com]

[ oom: A day in the studio. ]

There were certain things that had no business being said, like when you lived in a world where the people you knew were in fact the opposite. They weren't your friends, they were very well your enemies and rejected you as if you had done something villainously wrong. There would be no commentary on Hollywood here. This wasn't a conflict between Tony Almeida and Hollywood--it was a conflict between himself and everything, everyone that he knew. He had had enough of being challenged. He wanted to go home.

That wasn't his call to make.

He understood this well and made a great effort not to expect Milliways behind every door he opened. He had to accept that a door was just a door, and that whatever magic brought him here was sorely missing in this world. The only sense of happiness that he knew was that one date with Elaine; that was the only moment he had allowed himself to remember that Milliways existed, and so, by extension, did the woman he loved, who he never allowed himself to forget regardless the pain memory caused him.

So when he walked up to the door of the studio, happy that the work day was over, he didn't expect to see the bar again. He expected to see a bright sidewalk, cars, and maybe some dumb starlet trying to push herself on him.

Of course, Milliways doesn't operate the same way Tony's mind does.

And he can't believe it when he does see it behind the door. It takes a few prolonged minutes of staring before he steps through the door and doesn't look back save to see if the door's closed completely.

Because he's glad to see the last of that place. Damn glad, glad, glad. It's like he stepped into some odd mixture of a Frank Capra movie and "The Twilight Zone" and as weird as it is, as weird as this place is--man is he happy to see it. He's home! He's home! And he wants to shout it out at the top of his lungs, wants to announce that he's back and so glad he could barely describe it if asked to.

He ran to the bar and put his hand on its surface, patting her gently. "I'm back," he said. "I'm back!"

Immediately, Bar produced a gift and two notes. One of which was from Bar that said, "Welcome back, Tony."

The other was attached to the gift:

Mr. Tony Almeida,

You may not ever meet me, and I may never meet you. But the friends you have acquired here, the life you have lead, and the people you have touched, has made me admire you. Please accept my gift as a token of my appreciation. Merry Christmas, whenever you return.

- Anthony Almeida

Tony opened the package carefully. His jaw dropped. Anthony had left him a watch, and why? He didn't know, but the strangeness of this gift, bestowed upon him by his double, struck him at that moment. And he laughed.

[ ooc: mun is watching Home Alone but please do tag because she is hyper and happy and eee Tony and Home Alone! ]

Comments

[red-as-rose.livejournal.com]

"You think it's funny, I think it's hot, and if you don't want it, well."

Rose holds out her watchless wrist.

This is her version of welcome home, evidently.

[iwasalevel6.livejournal.com]

"Oh, no, believe me, I want it," he said, taking the watch out of the box and locking it on his wrist. "It's just...weird, you know. Apparently my...double, I guess you can call him, he was here and he just gave me a watch. It's wild!"

[red-as-rose.livejournal.com]

"Well, damn. Now I have to get my own somehow! How irritating is that?" Rose is still laughing, though.

"I heard about that. Grapevine, y'know. Grapevine says a lot."

[iwasalevel6.livejournal.com]

"Well, you'll have to save up a lot of money to get a watch like this."

Pause.

"He didn't try to kill anyone, did he?"

[red-as-rose.livejournal.com]

"Not that I heard."

Innocent grin. "Maybe I'll have to charge admission to the year's most awesome New Year's party ever. Or maybe I'll just invite you and your wife for free."

It's an invitation disguised in a glib comment! What d'you know.

[ineedavicodin.livejournal.com]

And nearby, watching the entrance and the taking of gifts from the bar, is a one Dr Gregory House. He has his dog with him in the main bar, sleeping at his feet in front of the fire. House wriggles his way out of the chair, careful not to disturb Triumph who is disturbed anyway,a nd crawls up into the chair as soon as her master vacates the seat. House shakes his head at her and limps to the bar, cane in hand, watch on his arm, scarf from Michelle around his neck.

"Welcome back." He of course can't tell for sure just yet, but he can sense that there is somethin different. He's almost afraid to hope it's Tony, not Anthony in fromt of him. "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, or whatever."

[iwasalevel6.livejournal.com]

"Hey," he said cheerfully. He remembered the, well, odd apperances of Greg's image or Greg's name in the other world, but he wasn't sure Greg wanted his head broken for Christmas.

"Merry Christmas is fine. What's up with you?"

Meaning, "why are you being so cautious?"

[ineedavicodin.livejournal.com]

""Not much. Just entertaining my dog." He cast a glance at Triumph, curled up in a ball with her head resting on the arm of the chair. "What're you up to?" His brow arched in question.

[iwasalevel6.livejournal.com]

"I just got back from Hollywood."

[ineedavicodin.livejournal.com]

He doesn't seem as...jumpy as Anthony tended to be. But still. House's mind was running over everything, every little nuance of his appearance and how he handled himself. He just didn't seem like Anthony.

"Oh? You have business there?" He'd keep it neutral. For now.

[unique-moments.livejournal.com]

"Hi Tony!" Sam bounces up to him. "Merry Christmas. Haven't seen you around in a while."

No, she never did meet Anthony. Sadly.

[iwasalevel6.livejournal.com]

Alas, for Anthony was a nice chap.

"Hey, Sam!" Tony turned around and engulfed her in a tight hug, almost lifting her off the ground.

"How's your Christmas?"

[unique-moments.livejournal.com]

Samantha squeals at being hugged tightly. She likes hugs!

"Very, very good!" Sam beams. "How about yours?"

[iwasalevel6.livejournal.com]

"It's great now that I'm back."

[unique-moments.livejournal.com]

"Well...yay!" Sam grins. "Where were you?"

She belatedly remembers she has cookies! "Want a cookie?"

[chelleuncurled]

Christmas.

Michelle's in the bar because the thought of spending the day alone in their apartment is too depressing.

She sees Anthony standing near the Bar, amused by something, and wonders if she should go talk to him. Their meetings were not only awkward, but also only reminded her of what she lost.

She did however receive his gift, and it would only be polite to thank him.

Unconciously, she touches the new necklace as she walks over to him.

"Anthony, you're back?"

[iwasalevel6.livejournal.com]

Tony didn't have the disadvantage of doubt. He knew this was Michelle, just as he knew he was home at last. He wasted no time cupping her face in his hands and giving her a soft kiss.

[chelleuncurled]

For a moment she's stunned, her arms at her sides, mouth slightly open.

When he pulls back, she visually examines his face. Her eyes darting over every line, every feature, from his lips to his eyes.

"Tony?" she whispers.

[iwasalevel6.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, baby, it's me," he said quietly, unable to stop himself from giving her soft, quick kisses on her face.

[chelleuncurled]

He's back. He's back. He's back.

"Tony," she breathes and wraps her arms around him, holding him tightly. Her breathing is a little ragged but she's trying not to cry.

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

Jack's come over to the bar from celebrating the holiday with his family, a little surprised at the pile of gifts he receives when he simply asks for a cup of coffee. Particularly surprised at the gift from Anthony.

None of it is quite as good a present as the sound of a familiar voice down the bar, saying "I'm back!", though.

Jack turns, looking around the patrons sitting in between them. "Tony?"

[iwasalevel6.livejournal.com]

"Jack!" Tony looked up from his gifts and walked over, grasping Jack's free hand with one of his own, and wrapping his other arm around Jack's holder in a warm Manhug.

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

Jack's a little surprised by the warmth of Tony's greeting--particularly after spending a month with someone who looked so like his friend, but whose interest wasn't exactly platonic--but after a moment he recovers and returns the Manhug.

"Tony, where the hell have you been? We were worried about you," he says, grinning from ear to ear.

[iwasalevel6.livejournal.com]

"In Hollywood. They got me in a fucking suit," he said, lifting his tie. "Can you believe it?"

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"Without seeing it, no, I wouldn't. So you were in Anthony's world?" he asks.