I'm at the- [A pause, just long enough for her to swipe furiously at her nose. She isn't crying or anything, but, her tone pegs her as a far cry from okay.] fucking party.
[ and he is, hanging up the glass as he goes. he'd been on his way to change out of this bullshit outfit but that all goes by the wayside in lieu of the jog he takes up back into the party, scanning the dispersing crowd and making for the rovers opposite to find her. ]
[She's staying just close enough to the group to consider it a cushion of safety, but far enough away that she's hoping to pass mostly unnoticed. Ellie's weight shifts from foot to foot, both hands cupped around the piece of blackglass.
[ Once he's tracing the perimeter of the party he calls out, and while normally that wouldn't be a thing Joel would do, in times of stress it seems to be a habit he's started and can't really break. When she doesn't answer immediately, he feels his heartbeat quicken.
When he spots her, he jogs over, reaching out for her shoulders before he's close enough to actually grab her. When he does, his hands close around her biceps, steadying. ]
Hey, you hurt? What's wrong?
[ He's leaning to look in her face, looking for blood, anything to indicate
I'm fine I just- [She turns into him immediately, physically separating herself from the crowd she doesn't feel a part of for the sake of something familiar. Ellie isn't panicking so much as she just wants to go, that she knows she's still in danger and can't do anything about it but wait-
She starts talking and then the words just don't come fast enough.]
I was out at the rovers and then this stupid guy showed up and pulled a gun on me and almost clipped me in the fucking leg, and then John showed up and tried to help and I hit him in the face with a rock and he probably needs stitches. I didn't-
He's probably still out at the rovers. I didn't want to go back by myself I don't even have a gun.
Hey, hey— [ She just keeps going and honestly, Joel is starting to get used to this. The way she rambles and just goes on and on. He adjusts his grip, and catches her by the face to get her to focus on him. ] Slow down.
[She nearly shakes loose of it, the touch to her face- but it gives Ellie permission to breathe. Try and slow down her heart rate. To look up into his face and know that she's okay now. That they're both okay. Safe. She swallows, exhales, starts again.]
That alien guy, Six. John was a guy I met before we jumped. He's an astronaut.
[ Once she's looked up at him, Joel lets her go. One hand stays on her shoulder, but otherwise, she's standing on her own two feet. When she explain with further clarity, a cloud like thunder passes dark over his face. Fuck that Six guy. Joel knew he was trouble. ]
John from Earth? I know the guy. [ He's assuming it's John Crichton. It's the only John he's heard of up here, but he'll touch base with the guy later. ]
[That Ellie stands on her own, finds her center and stays there, does not escape her notice. No matter what happens, she always ends up this way.
When she's asked about Six, Ellie's gaze moves up to Joel's face. The corner of her mouth is tight, a betrayal of just how happy she is about this fact, and she nods, once.]
[Define okay would be the standard reply, and that those aren't the words Ellie defaults to is probably more telling than she'd like it to be. Her hands flutter uselessly at her sides, a noncommittal gesture.]
Yeah.
[Because she isn't physically hurt, and it seems like the thing to do. Because that's usually how they deal with these things. Bandage it and move on. She feels like an idiot. She feels like an idiot and she's scared.]
[ Yeah, he gets that. And if he's honest he doesn't much like her going back to her rover alone either. Or sleeping in it. But that'd been the first thing on his list to check when he found out they weren't allowed to choose their living arrangements. ]
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DAY 44 | evening
-Joel? Where are you?
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CALLING: JOEL
Ellie? Rover 13. Where are ya?
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Can you come get me?
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[ and he is, hanging up the glass as he goes. he'd been on his way to change out of this bullshit outfit but that all goes by the wayside in lieu of the jog he takes up back into the party, scanning the dispersing crowd and making for the rovers opposite to find her. ]
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[She's staying just close enough to the group to consider it a cushion of safety, but far enough away that she's hoping to pass mostly unnoticed. Ellie's weight shifts from foot to foot, both hands cupped around the piece of blackglass.
She just wants to be- away. Somewhere. Not here.]
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[ Once he's tracing the perimeter of the party he calls out, and while normally that wouldn't be a thing Joel would do, in times of stress it seems to be a habit he's started and can't really break. When she doesn't answer immediately, he feels his heartbeat quicken.
When he spots her, he jogs over, reaching out for her shoulders before he's close enough to actually grab her. When he does, his hands close around her biceps, steadying. ]
Hey, you hurt? What's wrong?
[ He's leaning to look in her face, looking for blood, anything to indicate
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She starts talking and then the words just don't come fast enough.]
I was out at the rovers and then this stupid guy showed up and pulled a gun on me and almost clipped me in the fucking leg, and then John showed up and tried to help and I hit him in the face with a rock and he probably needs stitches. I didn't-
He's probably still out at the rovers. I didn't want to go back by myself I don't even have a gun.
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Who shot at you? Who's John?
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That alien guy, Six.
John was a guy I met before we jumped. He's an astronaut.
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John from Earth? I know the guy. [ He's assuming it's John Crichton. It's the only John he's heard of up here, but he'll touch base with the guy later. ]
The alien still alive?
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When she's asked about Six, Ellie's gaze moves up to Joel's face. The corner of her mouth is tight, a betrayal of just how happy she is about this fact, and she nods, once.]
He had me give the guy his gun back too.
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[ It's directed at Crichton, not at her, and the way he glances away makes that much clear at least.
Okay. Okay, this made Six's position clear. And he wasn't around right now. ]
But you're okay?
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Yeah.
[Because she isn't physically hurt, and it seems like the thing to do. Because that's usually how they deal with these things. Bandage it and move on. She feels like an idiot. She feels like an idiot and she's scared.]
I didn't want to go back to my rover alone.
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Okay.