DI Patricia Menzies (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
grip_on_reality) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
realityshifted2014-10-04 04:49 pm
grip_on_reality) wrote in realityshifted2014-10-04 04:49 pm
Entry tags:
[022]
[in the library, Menzies is sitting in a chair with a book in her lap, but that is everything about her appearance today that could be considered somewhat normal. at the moment, she isn't reading the book. in fact, what she is doing right now is staring at the floor as though she expects something on it to be staring back at her. she's even pulled her legs up to curl them underneath her in the chair, like she's in the middle of one of those jokes about the floor being lava]
[anyone who takes a closer look at her will notice a number of other strange factors in her normally-neat appearance, too. she's dressed casually in jeans and a blouse, her hair pulled back, but it's partially falling out of the hair tie, her clothing is rumpled, and her expression is one of weariness mixed with frustration. there are dark circles under her eyes, too. she obviously hasn't been sleeping well, and she looks suspiciously like she might have been napping in those clothes recently]
Damnit, what is that? What the hell are you!?
[also, she is shouting at the floor. because she is quite possibly at her wit's end at this point and has apparently ceased to care whether someone might overhear. either that or she's just assuming no one is around--incorrectly, as it turns out. still, from the state of her, wise characters might not approach her today...but then again, is wisdom really a strong suit for most residents of the Plane?]
[anyone who takes a closer look at her will notice a number of other strange factors in her normally-neat appearance, too. she's dressed casually in jeans and a blouse, her hair pulled back, but it's partially falling out of the hair tie, her clothing is rumpled, and her expression is one of weariness mixed with frustration. there are dark circles under her eyes, too. she obviously hasn't been sleeping well, and she looks suspiciously like she might have been napping in those clothes recently]
Damnit, what is that? What the hell are you!?
[also, she is shouting at the floor. because she is quite possibly at her wit's end at this point and has apparently ceased to care whether someone might overhear. either that or she's just assuming no one is around--incorrectly, as it turns out. still, from the state of her, wise characters might not approach her today...but then again, is wisdom really a strong suit for most residents of the Plane?]
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[and once he's gone, she considers the sleeping pills for a bit, wondering if she should ignore his instructions and avoid them after all. but she did agree to give them a go, and she knows that, if she doesn't, he'll just want her to try later, so after a moment she sighs and pops them in her mouth. and then she settles into the bed, reading more on the news hub while she waits for them to take effect]
[and take effect they do, which is perhaps both fortunate and not in this case because she's asleep when someone tests that lock on North's door. since York wasn't requested at the training session, he's decided to play a little prank on North. what he wasn't expecting when he snuck into his buddy's room, though, was to find a woman sleeping fitfully in his bed. York is stunned at the sight, but he also has the most amazing timing because he arrives only a minute before Menzies' nightmare hits the point that she wakes up gasping]
[to Menzies, still under the influence of the strong sleeping medication, what happens next is a blur. someone grabs her and seems to try to calm her, and when she realises who it is, the first word out of her mouth is:] Bermuda? [it's only after that, at the baffled look on the man's face, that her mind connects that she's in North's universe and this isn't the York she knows. at which point she straightens up, suddenly feeling a bit awkward about the fact that she's wearing nothing but one of North's T-shirts, and very worried about what might happen next. she does her best to be as coherent as possible when he starts asking questions, but unfortunately her mind isn't cooperating half as well as she wishes it would]
[at first, York just seems curious--delightedly so--about her. but when she refuses to tell him any more than a name, he switches tactics and starts to, very reasonably, point out security requirements. and security penalties. and when the only defense that she can think of is to say that they'll blame North, too, he just says that he could always claim he found her somewhere else. at which point she, annoyed, tells him to go ahead and offers her hands]
[in her mind, she's just thinking that she'll escape to the Plane as soon as she can get him to turn his back for a second. but to him, she's just shown that she's only worried about consequences for North, not for herself. and it's that fact that convinces York that North definitely let her in on purpose and this is probably exactly what it appears to be--that he was trying to give an ill woman a quiet place to sleep (with or without possible further implications. he's leaning toward with). so it's with a bit more taunting about how he's going to find out all about her, one way or another, that York leaves her]
[once he's gone, she's not sure whether to expect security. it doesn't seem like York means to turn her in, but she's not absolutely certain, so after that, she decides to stay awake and makes a plan for the next time she hears that door. and so a bit later, when North unlocks it and enters, not knowing that it is him, she puts her plan into action. when he turns to the bed, he'll find it empty--unmade, obviously slept in, with the datapad lying on it, but deserted. Theta's sensors, however, will know that she's actually slid off on the opposite side and is hiding on the floor, ready to drop to the Plane if it's anyone other than North who has just come in]
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[Ever helpful, Theta scans the room and senses another person in close proximity.] Ah! She's still here. Over there, on the floor.
[Granted, only he can hear his AI's voice right then, but he doesn't move forward just yet. He's just relieved she's still there.] Trisha, it's just me. This probably isn't the best place to play hide 'n' seek.
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We'll be fine. It's York, after all. I'll talk to him later.
...Did he mention why he was in my room?
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Yeah, well, he was still quick enough to threaten to turn me in when I wouldn't tell 'im who I was. [she scowls] I gave 'im my name, but I didn't know what else he would believe. I don't exactly know a lot about 'ow this place works. [she sighs, still wishing she'd been able to come up with a story. bluffing her way out probably would have been a lot safer than just staying quiet]
[until North asks his question, she hadn't even thought about that. she frowns and shakes her head] No, I think he was a bit too busy grilling me. And if it's that easy for your co-workers to get in 'ere, North, I'd better get back to the Plane.
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[He glances at her, reluctant to see her go.] Maybe you're right. I want you to feel safe, and if you don't feel safe here...
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[but despite her words, the fact is that she has a very real fear of North not being safe here because of her. and so she stands from the bed, pulling North's T-shirt over her head so she can change back into her own clothing. but she tries to make her tone sound positive as she says:] You did promise me dinner. What if we do that?
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[He starts handing her her clothing while she dresses.] You know, dinner sounds amazing. Worked up quite the appetite with that training session. Got any requests? I'm buying. [He smirks at her, unable to help himself.]
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[at his offer, she snorts, accepting her clothing from him piece-by-piece as she dresses] I, ah, think we'll need to see what's on offer first. But good to know I don't 'ave to worry about starting a tab in space.
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Yeah, I don't think you want to see what passes for curry these days--military-issue curry, anyway. Your taste buds will never forgive you.
[Once she's done dressing, he holds a hand out to her.] Let's go back. But...if you're still hearing those things and need a break, we'll come back. [He gives her a look, concern in his eyes.] I mean it.
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[she takes his hand, but she sighs at his words, shaking her head] I'm all right. And I wouldn't put it past York to come looking for you later, so I shouldn't be 'ere. [trying not to sound as exhausted and defeated as she feels about all this, she adds:] Besides, I could always go back to Manchester. [not that she means to. after all, she can't work in her current state, and she's already called in once; she'd rather not have to again. but she doesn't mean to tell North that, either]
[she gives him a wan smile instead, squeezing his hand] Let's go.
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You really don't have to worry about my York. Has a good heart deep down. I'm going to talk to him and tell him what's going on, or rather, as much as I'm willing to tell him. But if you want to go back to Manchester... [He frowns slightly, his brow furrowing.] If you want me there, all you have to say is the word.
[And while he's talking, he squeezes her hand back, and drops them back to the Plane.] But if you don't, all you have to do is call me over the radio and I'll be there.
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I know he does. [she sighs, running her fingers through her hair as she tries to keep sight of which of her current worries are legitimate and which are based on sleep-deprivation] But that doesn't mean he'd take my word for not being a danger. [she pauses and, unable to resist, asks:] What are you gonna tell 'im, anyway?
[at North's almost overbearing support, she sighs again, wearily] Yeah, I know. Just...let's get dinner, all right? [because right now, she needs to take things one step at time, and she hopes he can understand that]
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Dinner it is. [He smiles warmly, encouragingly, and nudges her gently with his shoulder.] Whatever you want, it's on me.
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[she tries to match his smile with a smirk, though hers is still thin] You said that already. [and, that said, she starts walking in the direction of the kitchen]
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[His smile turns into a slightly embarrassed smirk.] I know.