✘ o7 ;; the triumphant return.

[decrypts]

[ everything had been. well. it had been something. while he really would have liked to think that things were beginning to calm down back on the mother of invention, it's really only just started, and now –

it's … funny, what you forget when you don't see a place for a while. things you don't think about, things you don't think to think about until they hit you like a proverbial ton of bricks. a smack to the back of the head that brings it all back full-force. a tidal wave.

when he finds himself on the plane again, it's the same as it ever was; the moment he steps foot across that threshold, it all comes rushing back at him, from his first trip to the beach with no water to being stabbed through the eyes because of a stupid joke, from being knocked on his ass by an alien-wash to being chased by a giant orange thing.

there's more, there's so much more, and it's come back to him in spades – all of which ends up giving him something of a raging freaking headache just for how much there is, and still, he doesn't think it'll stop anytime soon.

damn … teach me to stay away too long, huh? wonder what i've missed.

and there's another lingering thought, one that pushes and pulls and will not relent – one that involves finding a certain someone, the simple thought of which has something catching in the middle of his chest, and as he goes looking in any of the places he thinks she might be ( he can't be blamed for checking the bath house first, after all, that's where all the bonding had started, hadn't it? ) he has a feeling that she might be the one to come find him, just because she always does.

where are you, 'nara?

and thus, this would be york's triumphant return to the astral plane – wandering about as he had the very first time.

some things really don't change. ]

Comments

[vengefulagent]

[So, say that York is still near the bath house. And say that this also happens to be one of those rare times when Wash actually does take his armor off. He can't take a bath with all that stuff on--no matter how much he tries--so, it had to be left behind in a few cubbyholes on the bottom row because he didn't want the weight of it all to break the shelves.

He's just about to go into the shower area when he notices he's left his shampoo out in the cubbyhole area. So, he spins around on his heel, towel wrapped around his waist and soap container and rubber duck cradled in his arm, and heads on out--but that's when he sees a familiar figure wandering around outside the bath house.

Thank goodness his towel is wrapped and tucked neatly because he stops dead and drops everything he's carrying. He runs out without a thought of what he's wearing (and not wearing) and can't help exclaiming:]

York?! You can come back here again?

[decrypts]

[ … wash without his armor? man, things really have changed.

just wait, though. once they start telling you you can eat inside your helmet, you'll be back to never wanting to take the stuff off again.

his head snaps up when he hears someone else approaching, and when he finds it's wash in nothing but a towel he does a double-take, eyes going wide.

what a nice welcome back. ] Yeah, I guess I can – did you come out here in a towel just to ask me that?

[ wash. sweetheart. honey. ]

[vengefulagent]

[Because of Plane things, he's already taking to wearing his armor more than normal--but he does have his moments. This right now is very much A Moment.]

I--[He glances down, and very casually makes sure his towel isn't about to fall off.]--um, yes. It looks like I did. [Short pause, then he adds:] But you don't understand, I've been trying to slip you hints about this place for a while and you always looked at me like I'd grown horns or sprouted a second head!

...Kind of like now, actually.

[decrypts]

[ sometimes he really doesn't know what to do with you, man. actually, he's pretty sure he'll never know what to do with you, but … that's beside the point.

and … oh. yeah. now all of those hints are making sense, now that he's back on the plane and can remember everything properly – but still, he has to stop and wonder why he'd forgotten it all while he'd been away. has to have something to do with the machine, of course, but … ah, now's not the time. ]

Yeah, I – [ a beat of a pause, and he looks a little bit sheepish. ] Sorry about that. It looks like … I don't know. While I couldn't come here, I … forgot everything about it.

[ and that means a hell of a lot more than he's willing to divulge right this very second. ]

[vengefulagent]

Well, that makes sense, actually. If you lose access, why not lose the memories associated with it too? [That's his way of saying, "Don't worry about it, your apology's accepted," for the record.] I'm glad to see you're back.

Um...would you excuse me for a minute? Don't...go away. [He holds his towel in place and runs back into the bath house. A minute later, he's walking back out in his black body suit. He still wants that bath later on.] Okay. So... [He glances up and down York.] Probably kinda weird getting all those memories back, huh?

[decrypts]

[ the only thing about it is, you're not the only one he's going to have to apologize to if he ever lets it slip that he'd forgotten everything in his absence. not that he thinks that will happen – because you and south, you're the only ones he'd seen outside of the plan to begin with, and he might not be a very good liar but he's an excellent bullshitter, so just as long as no one asks any questions …

his eyebrows raise, but then wash is darting back into the bath house and re-emerging in his nanosuit, and he huffs out a laugh. those things might not leave much to the imagination, but at least it's better than a towel. ]

You never realize just how much you've got in your head until some of it gets wiped and then crammed back in with everything else. I'm almost scared my brain's gonna fry at the rate I'm remembering everything. [ he shakes his head. ] But at least I'm getting it back. There are some things that happened here that I don't wanna forget.

[vengefulagent]

[Wash feels very comfortable and confident in his suit. At the moment.]

Your brain won't fry. But if it feels like it's getting to be too much? Go lie down. There are plenty of beds in the mansion. And here, I think.

But...what exactly don't you want to forget? Again. [He hopes it isn't the dying thing. He'd...honestly like to keep him in the dark about that for his own sake.]

[fallbythesword]

[Jacqli isn't in the bathhouse... but she is on her way.

A lot has happened - on the Plane, in her own world. She's been pretty tied up, which would probably have been a fantastic little distraction from the thought of the loss of a certain someone... if she'd let herself do so. But of course, she won't. She always finds herself pulling out that fading data pad, checking its weight as it slowly fades away, flipping through files she's committed to memory just to see what's jumbled up or missing now. She has no idea when it will disappear completely. She doesn't want it to, but she knows it's inevitable. Doesn't matter. She will carry it around with her until its practically transparent and weighs as much as a paperclip, until the words are fully incomprehensible and she's left with only memories. And then, she's decided, she'll cling to them, too.

Though she may not need to.

She's only just opened the front door when she thinks she can feel someone else approaching the bathhouse, and she almost doesn't bother checking out who it might be. She doesn't care for people right now, she just wants to go soak in the water and pretend she doesn't have a headache from Lady Cloche's excessive whining about tent placement at the camp goddess above please help her jfkasl. Something inside her tells her to look, though, and she glances over her shoulder, fully intending to barely acknowledge them and then go about her business--

... Is that...?

She all but freezes in place, eyes wide, and slowly turns to face him. She doesn't say anything, doesn't make any other motion - she's in shock, and for once in her life, she doesn't quite know how to shake herself out of it and put herself immediately back in control of the situation. So she stands there, arms by her side, looking up at the man she wasn't sure she would ever see again. And she's speechless.]

[decrypts]

[ seems like a lot's happened for both of them. back home, for him, the arrival of a new agent has practically turned the project upside down, and no one knows where things are going to go from there. tex is the anomaly in a machine that had worked just fine without her, or, she is if you ask him. ( not that he's ever going to say as much out loud anywhere within earshot of her. he's already taken a couple of shots to the balls, thank you very much. he'd like to keep them as intact as he can, while he can.

somehow, he isn't expecting to find her so quickly. he'd thought he might have had to wander about until he found her, even with visiting her normal haunts. and even still, he doesn't have to see her to know she's there. before she rounds about and he's face to face ( well, more like face to chest, maybe ) with her.

and his stomach drops. right through the floor, right through any sort of solid fixture may have been beneath that. it's gone. because while the memories had flooded back the moment he'd stepped foot back onto the plane, he hadn't … hadn't quite expected them to be what they are.

i forgot you.

i forgot you. how could i forget you? the whole time i was gone –

he swallows around a sudden lump in the back of his throat, as hard as it may be given that it's seen fit to just constrict as tightly as it can without cutting off his air supply indefinitely. i forgot.

you sang for me. you sang for me and that's why my eye isn't as bad as they thought it was gonna be. how could i –

i'm so sorry.

york takes a breath, doesn't quite manage to keep it from choking him a little, and before he can think to do anything else the line of his mouth cracks into a smile. the one that's only ever been meant for her; subtle, undefined, holding everything in it that they've never really gotten around to saying. ]

Hi.

[ yep. that's all he has to say. give him a minute, and maybe you'll get something else. ]

[fallbythesword]

[It is him.

She continues her staring, though her eyes begin to narrow, like she's studying him. Like she's analyzing every detail she can from this vantage point. Like... like she almost doesn't believe this is true, but it is. It is him. Everything fits, and there is no mistaking that the man before her is the same one who somehow managed to lodge himself right into her life before the Plane saw fit to make him leave--

--he's here, though. She has no idea that he doesn't remember, hasn't even made that sort of connection in her mind. The point is, he's here now. That's enough right now.

Her composure returns, an expression of feigned annoyance spreading across her features as she walks toward him, arms crossed, with purpose.]

Usually, people have more to say than "Hi," after so long.

[Not that she can talk, Miss Struck Silent over here, but she's said it anyway. Just ignore the barest hint of her voice breaking near the end.]

[decrypts]

[ this is the jacqli he knows. the one that puts them all under constant scrutiny – because humans will never make sense, he knows that much, and he's more than just a little inclined to agree with her on that front – and even though her eyes narrow, she doesn't look away from him, and for the moment it's all he can ask for.

and it doesn't matter that he'd forgotten in his absence. doesn't matter that nothing that had taken place on the plane had remained in his memory in the time he'd spent away from it, being this close to her now has shame stealing over him as a tangible thing as those memories come flooding back. all-encompassing as his own posture slumps the slightest bit before he manages to pick himself up like nothing had happened.

the line of his smile cracks as he takes a few steps closer to her, hesitant as he reaches for one of her hands to hold it in his own. he can't ignore the breaking of her voice, no matter how subtle it is; he's come to know her well enough that she can't keep something like that from him no matter how hard she tries. ]

Would "I'm sorry" make a difference?

[fallbythesword]

[She lets him take her hand, too out of her depth to really think to do anything otherwise. She holds it tight, reassuring herself that he's really there, even if she's surprised she's doing so at all. It's a testament to how much he actually means to her, whether or not she'll ever own up to it on her own.

Humans. Ridiculous. Really! They are. ... Maybe this is, too.

Oh, whatever.]

It's a start. Even if isn't actually your fault.

[She's looking up at him, trying to keep her cool... but caves, gives into the desire to be closer to him. So the next thing he'll know, he'll have a tiny little Reyvateil pressed up to him, her forehead resting against his chest. Her voice is nearly muffled as as result.]

I... was pretty convinced that I wouldn't get to see you again. I hated that thought.

[decrypts]

[ he's here. he's back – and the closer he gets to her, the more it hurts him to realize that he'd forgotten everything until he'd stepped foot back on the plane. he's biting the inside of his cheek to keep from saying anything about it ( how could he, how could he when she's standing right there before him, looking as though she'd never thought she'd be able to see him again? ) and his fingers tighten around hers, hoping to give her some sort of reassurance that he isn't intending to go anywhere again anytime soon.

even if she's right, and it hadn't been his fault in the first place. as though sheer force of will could keep him there. with her. ( he's stubborn enough, machine … don't try him. )

he's about to say something when she presses herself against him. right against his chest, her ear close to his heart where he's sure she should be able to hear it beating almost a little too frantically – and he's at a loss for words. there are only a handful of times when he's been struck like this, seriously, he can literally count them on one hand, and it's all he can do to wrap both arms around her and rest his chin at the top of her head, breathing in deep, smiling lightly against her hair. ]

You actually missed me? Isn't that a little bit too much like a human thing?

[ york … don't you even ruin this moment, you twat.

there's a moment more of silence, and he presses a kiss to her temple, nonchalant and unassuming. ] There's nothing on any plane of existence that could keep me from getting back to you. You know that, right?

[grip_on_reality]

[Menzies is in the bathhouse when he arrives. thankfully, although she's gathering a towel and a robe for a planned bath, at this point, she is still fully clothed. in fact, she may look a little different than he's expecting. her hair is pulled up in a bun that's starting to come a bit loose. and while she's dressed for work in a blouse and slacks, she also has thin black gloves covering her hands]

[she turns at the sound of someone entering, and when she sees who it is, she just stares in surprise for a moment. but once her mind has a chance to catch up, she breaks out in a grin and declares:] Agent Bermuda! I wasn't expecting to see you 'round 'ere again.

[yes, she did come up with that name off the top of her head. and no, she doesn't care how awkward this might be if that's a different York who doesn't remember her]

[decrypts]

[ wow is everyone seriously at the bath house today? it's never been this busy before – but he won't complain, won't say anything about it because it just means he doesn't have to go looking for everyone he'd like to check up on and make sure they're still here asdlkh catch up with.

looks like she isn't the only one to be surprised he's able to come around here again.

york offers her a sheepish sort of smile in return, brushes a hand back through his hair. still not calling him by his – well, it isn't real, but – name, it seems, but it's just one more thing to make his coming back seem a little more normal. if she'd suddenly started calling him york, he would have thought something was wrong. ]

That's a new one … don't tell me you spent the entire time I was gone thinkin' up new stuff to call me?

[ starting out with a little humor, because it's too much to say it's good to see you? yup.

hi menzies. ]

[grip_on_reality]

[York shouldn't worry because it's clearly too much for her to say, too. she just smirks] Oh, yeah. Nothing better to do with my time.

[that said, she opens a locker, putting the towel and robe in it before she closes it and turns back to him] So, did you need something 'ere, or could we 'ead to the bar? [because she would much rather catch up with him with a drink in her hand, if it's all the same to him]

[decrypts]

[ man … he hadn't thought it would feel this good to be back in this place. sure, he'd gone through a hell of a lot since first showing up here, but the friends he's made in all that time – he'll never not want to come back to them, given half the chance. ] I don't think it's that. I think it's just 'cause I'm that important.

[ … york.

he shifts, shrugs. he'd only come here to find jacqli, so … ] I only came here looking for Jacqli … so catching up with another pretty lady seems like a nice compromise.

[ oh, right … do you even know her as jacqli? this is going to be interesting. ]

[grip_on_reality]

[she feels the same, but it's also hard watching people leave, and the longer she's here, the more that happens--but then, once in a blue moon, someone who was gone returns. that's not a gift horse she's going to look in the mouth] Oh, obviously! Couldn't get on without you, Agent Montana. [she's smirking as she leads the way out of the room]

[she gives him a curious look at that, though] Jacqli? [it takes her only a second of thought to put it together. the Greater Manchester Police didn't hire her for her looks, after all--not to mention Miwa made it clear that she was only giving an alias] Black hair, song magic? You'd better not spend much time with me if she doesn't know you're back yet! I wouldn't want to be responsible for the consequences.

[decrypts]

[ he follows, and it almost feels like they're back to normal – because they've never been able to go too long without teasing each other. it's just how they roll, isn't it?

… and here we go with agent montana. he's starting to think that's one of her favorites. though admittedly, he wouldn't be too put-out if she kept calling him bermuda. ] Thought not. I'm never wrong about that kinda thing.

[ he nods – and it doesn't surprise him in the slightest that she has to deduce who he means by a physical description. he doesn't know that jacqli isn't her real name, nor is what menzies calls her – but given how cryptic she can be even on a good day, the fact that she gives out aliases doesn't come as any real surprise. ] Song magic indeed. She fixed this damn thing up for me. [ and here is a dismissive wave in the direction of his left eye. ] She knows I'm here, though. We've already … talked.

[ more like sapped at each other, but. you know. potato, potahto. ]

[bonnypiperlad]

[Not too far from the bathhouse is a certain kilt-clad young man who looks much the same as he did the last time York happened to run into him at the bar. He's not really doing much of anything but walking right now, and when a bit of movement catches his attention he turns towards it, peering over in York's general direction. It takes him a moment to place the armor, since it's been some time since he's seen it last. And even then, he's not entirely certain he's got it right, so hopefully York'll be able to forgive the small amount of faintly puzzled staring in his general direction.]

York? Is that really ye?

[decrypts]

[ at least he's looking the same consistently; york will never forget their first meeting, nor would he want to, just for the simple fact that it had been one of his more interesting memories since first coming to the plane. ( well, okay, he might have forgotten all about it while he'd been away from the plane, but now that he's back it's all come back to him, and he can say that with a fair amount of certainty.

just don't ask him about it. forgetting all of that is a bit embarrassing, even if it hadn't been his choice. )

he perks up, looks in the other's direction and offers up a smile. ] Jamie? Yeah, it's me.

[bonnypiperlad]

[Well, consistently apart from that time when he was a beastie. Or old. Or the Doctor, or...okay, consistently at least some of the time. Enough that York recognizes him, and that's good enough for Jamie. He grins broadly, and goes over to clap him on the shoulder - not hard, though, because he likes his hand in one piece. The sentiment behind it is the same, though.]

Hey, I thought ye were gone for good for awhile there. Been busy back home, then?

[Maybe that won't count as 'not asking York about forgetting'. Hopefully.]

[decrypts]

[ you've had as much happen to you as he's had happen to him, haven't you? probably even more so, given that he's only died and then run for his life from a tabbalac that took him and menzies together to take down and figure out what to do with. ( even if it's her fault the darn thing had shown up in his reality in the first place, he wouldn't have known what to do with it without her help. )

he pauses at the question, though it seems harmless enough to answer in a way that doesn't give rise to the idea that he'd completely forgotten about everything in his absence. so he shrugs, hopefully a nonchalantly. ]

Yeah, actually. I get the feeling we're at the beginning of a shit storm, and I'm … glad that I can come back here again. Just so I can get away from it for a while. [ a beat. ]

What'd I miss here?

[bonnypiperlad]

Aye, well, recently we'd gotten pulled into other people's universes and were sort of linked with someone there for a bit. Couldn't get more than a few feet away from them, no matter how hard ye tried.

[He makes a gesture a bit like he's pulling something apart with his hands, then shrugs.]

That was a wee bit inconvenient, believe me. And then there was that business with Laith, and something else where we'd all lost our memories for a bit, and some monsters again. Ye know, the usual.

[Because when is life on the Plane ever really an escape for long?]

[decrypts]

[ his eyebrows go up, and though he isn't at all surprised, he still finds it in him to offer up a small bit of laughter. ] Sounds like a damn fit … I'm not sure whether to be glad or sorry that I missed it.

[ like he ever really wants to miss out on things that go down on the plane … whether he admits it or not. any bit of action he can see that isn't project-involved at this point, he'll take. ]

Lost memories … all of them, or just specific ones? [ because this is great small talk, man! ]