Luke's, Saturday

[vdistinctive]

Eliot hadn't slept well since Wednesday -- not that he'd been sleeping that well this last month or so in the first place -- so once he'd finished up some paperwork in the office at Luke's, he kicked the cook off the grill and started pan-frying up some potatoes.

And if he happened to be sipping a breakfast beer while he was at it, well. At least he was only sipping it.

Today's specials
Country breakfast casserole
Oklahoma cheese grits
Home fries

Luke's was open.

Comments

Mod your service

[vdistinctive]

The servers were trying out fake southern accents.

Until Eliot glared them into submission.

Talk to Eliot

[vdistinctive]

Be prepared for him to try to sell you on some sausage gravy.

Re: Talk to Eliot

[whoisalicewhite.livejournal.com]

"I want the cheese grits. And salmon," Parker decided, for her own reasons which were going to go unarticulated. "You can keep the beer, though."

Re: Talk to Eliot

[vdistinctive]

"Shrimp's more traditional," Eliot noted, even as he signaled the cook to get her fish ready. "You want a coffee?"

Re: Talk to Eliot

[whoisalicewhite.livejournal.com]

"Mocha. Yes." Parker's manners were lacking this morning. She looked grumpy and badly rested. "...thank you." She sighed and perched her chin on one hand. Stupid dreams.

Re: Talk to Eliot

[vdistinctive]

Eliot knew that face. And knew better than to deny that face chocolate coffee, no matter how much Hardison would later pout at him for it. "Comin' right up," he assured her instead. "You doin' alright?"

Because Parker knew as well as he did how much Hardison would pout.

RE: Talk to Eliot

[spin_kick_snap]

After the interlude in the guys' room, Kathy was a little hesitant to enter Luke's. Not that she thought Eliot, Parker, and Hardison would be as angry as Anders and Dante had been...still were...whatever...But it took a lot more courage to face people she'd left behind.

So she lingered in the doorway for one breath, maybe two, looking at the dear, familiar diner and try not to cry.

How had she given this all up?

Re: Talk to Eliot

[vdistinctive]

Eliot glanced up, did a double take, and froze for a fraction of a second. That was how long it took him to process seeing her, wonder if this meant they were about to get sucked back into that hell again, and ultimately decide he didn't fucking care because she was Kathy and whatever Kathy she might be, she had a look on her face that just -- wasn't allowed. Not if he could do anything about it.

He didn't say a word, just grabbed a dish towel to wipe his hands on as he walked over to pull her into a firm hug.

RE: Re: Talk to Eliot

[spin_kick_snap]

"Oh, Eliot..." Kathy murmured, wrapping her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry.

Re: Talk to Eliot

[vdistinctive]

"None of that now," Eliot said softly. He hung on several moments longer before finally pulling back.

Just enough to look at her face. He wasn't letting her go any time soon.

"You're not from a universe where you just saw me yesterday, are you," he observed. "I'm not dead in your world or somethin', am I?"

Look, the last two Kathys he'd met were from alternate timelines. He could be forgiven for assuming that was what had happened here, too.

Re: Talk to Eliot

[crimson_sister]

Lucille was unaware that there was anything strange happening on the island as none of the people in her life that had died could in any way be considered loved and just stopped by the diner for a meal. She stopped in the entrance when she saw who was there.

Couldn't that girl just stay dead?

RE: Re: Talk to Eliot

[spin_kick_snap]

Hey now. This Kathy hadn't been on the island since she'd died! It wasn't her fault that the universe loved her enough to want multiple copies around!

Kathy turned and saw Lucille. She paused, then gave her a small nod. That was...close to polite?

Re: Talk to Eliot

[crimson_sister]

Lucille responded with an unimpressed smile. "Oh. Look who is back."

Re: Talk to Eliot

[that_oldsaying]

Radio had mentioned something about someone named Kathy being on the island and Alluka wasn't stupid, she wasn't, she knew there were probably a lot of people named Kathy in all the places there were to be.

But she'd gone looking for her anyway. Just in case.

It meant peeking into places she didn't usually go to--even now Alluka wasn't all that brave about new places--but this time, this time it paid off when she poked her head into Luke's, all big eyes, dark hair, and a question on her face.

And--there! There! Kathy!

"Kathy?!"

Hopefully Kathy didn't mind hugs, since Alluka was flinging herself over to Kathy for one regardless.

RE: Re: Talk to Eliot

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy never, ever turned down hugs, especially not from Allukas! And especially not today when she was back for so little time.

"Hi there," she murmured, pressing her face into Alluka's hair. "I missed you."

Re: Talk to Eliot

[that_oldsaying]

It was a good thing then, that there was at least time for a hug, wasn't it?

Alluka was possibly never going to let go. Kathy would totally make for a good friend to carry around like her bunny or Mr. Bubbles, right?

"Me too, me too!" Alluka said, yup, still clinging. "But, but I'm good at waiting! And you came back!"

Re: Talk to Eliot

[not_every_mage]

The meeting had been a surprise; breakfast had been quiet and strained.

After a long walk to get his head together, Anders needed to try again. He went to look for Kathy, and it wasn't much of a surprise when he spotted her going into the diner. (There were some preferences a little thing like death couldn't change.)

His smile as he came up to her was wan. "Is it time already for second breakfast?"

Re: Talk to Eliot

[spin_kick_snap]

"Isn't it always?" Kathy asked, her smile just as strained. "I mean, unless it's elevensies, lunch, tea, or...any of the others, I guess." She licked her lips. "Uhh, did you wanna sit down with me?"

Re: Talk to Eliot

[not_every_mage]

"If you'd like me to," Anders said, perfectly polite. "Unless you promised your time to someone else."

Someone who would make things less complicated, maybe.

Re: Talk to Eliot

[whoisalicewhite.livejournal.com]

Even with her last-second realization of the last time she'd had weird dreams (with rocks in them!), didn't prepare Parker for this. She stood to the side as Eliot got his hugs in first, listening and boggling, and trying to process it all. The emotional stuff was getting in the way of the logic to a point, but the main thing was: Kathy. Was. Here.

Parker was making sounds like Hardison's keyboards did when he smashed on them (which was practically never, you had to treat the hardware right). But the look on her face probably said a lot more than the random consonants did.

Re: Talk to Eliot

[spin_kick_snap]

"Parker," Kathy said when she finally stepped out of Eliot's embrace. She stood, looking as awkward and diffident as she had when her parents had visited. "Umm, hi?"

How do you say I'm sorry, I died, I'm sorry I failed you?

Re: Talk to Eliot

[whoisalicewhite.livejournal.com]

"You came back!" Parker gave her a two-second hug, which was as long as she could stand hugs. She finally got all the sounds to line up in a way that made words. "It's really you, right? Not other-you, or other-other you? Our you?"

Yes, she knew that Kathy wasn't here forever. No, she was not thinking about that, not yet. Not 'til tomorrow.

Re: Talk to Eliot

[soniaroadsqueen]

The time on the dorm roof had helped Ringo cleared her head, so now Ringo was out around town again. On ATs, of course. She didn't usually stop by Luke's, but her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she'd skipped lunch.

Of course once she stepped through the door and looked around, she thought for a moment that her brain was playing tricks on her. You know, seeing people you know in the face of strangers. But then she realized that that wasn't what was going on, and she went absolutely still.

Re: Talk to Eliot

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy had been making love to a meal with her face, in that superfast-yet-still-neat way she had. She looked up a few moments later and nearly dropped her fork.

She pushed herself to her feet, mouth forming the word 'Ringo.'

OOC

[vdistinctive]

My uncle brought that breakfast beer to Christmas this year.

Him: "Check it out, I've got beer brewed with scrapple!"
Us: *stares, looking vaguely appalled*
Him: "I mean, not just scrapple, like, maple syrup and things."
Us: *stares even harder*

That's what happens when you're the family weirdo who moved to Delaware.