simplestgift | Thirty-Six Bells: [Written/Action]

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Thirty-Six Bells: [Written/Action]

[Written:]

In light of my new duties as first lieutenant of the LES Britannia, impending matrimony, and being bloody terrible at running a foodhouse, I shall soon retire as the owner of Cloud Nine. I'd like to continue to work a few shifts, of course, but the club will need new management. Which brave soul will shoulder the task?

-A. Kennedy

[Action only: He is enjoying the last night of the voyage, simply meditating upon the lovely roll of the ship beneath him. It's chilly out, and he can see his breath, but he doesn't mind, wrapped up tightly in his heavy wool greatcoat. Softly he sings a song swallowed by the night, evidenced mainly by the mist of it in the air around his lips.]

The maiden, oh, the maiden oh.
The sailor loves the maiden, oh!
So early in the morning,
The sailor loves the maiden, oh!
A maid that is young,
A maid that is fair,
A maid that is kind and pleasant, oh,
So early in the morning,
The sailor loves the maiden, oh!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...I don't believe I could fall in love again if it happened, Buffy. Not after everything.

...Never say never. Just because you can't love the same way you loved the first or the second doesn't mean that -- after that -- you can't love at all.

[ she's fairly certain that she will never love anything on any planet the way she loved angel. but it doesn't cheapen what she has now. it can't. ]

Edited 2012-09-19 02:51 (UTC)

After Dawn, I nearly swore it off altogether. [Romance and sex both.] I think...I would have, if I hadn't met Elizabeth. Even then, how I hesitated! She had to ask me, you know.

[ if only she'd been given a dollar for every time she'd sworn off love... ]

I believe it. [ damned forward, her. and a killer---- ]

It's not a bad thing. To hesitate. Or -- not always a bad thing.

Why, because it put off what has happened in spite of it?

It takes maturity to look before leaping. As long as we look and don't just...stare unendingly at the jump and teeter forever on the edge.

Culture shock disclaimer but...in your shoes? I would've hesitated a bit longer. [ after all, that's what she's doing right now. it'll be a whole year soon and she still hasn't answered jack's proposal. ]

[That quiets and humbles him for a moment.]

Marriage isn't to everyone's taste, Buffy, especially if you don't need to do it at all. I've always wanted it. And I've always wanted children. I knew there was a risk, of course, being in the Navy. And after Simpson...I think for years, I mourned the death of the dream of finding love for myself. As time went on, I began to wonder if it wasn't possible anyway.

I'm more than fortunate. I am blessed to have loved two women, although my faithfulness must be with only one. That two have been strong enough to love me in spite of it all. Most of the time I'm sure I must be the greatest liar who ever lived even when I am honest, or they would understand who I truly am.

...Sometimes, I wonder if my life would have been better if I'd been as discerning as you.

[ that confession comes out a little unexpectedly. she tries to recover with something a little less personal: ] Just because I dislike the whole you-marrying-liz-now thing doesn't mean I disagree with it. If you're a marrying man? Marry away. I promise I'll have nothing but love and congratulations for you on the day.

And you do Jack an injustice if you think your life would have been better if you'd discerned him right out of it. It's not every man who is so devoted to the happiness of the woman he loves.

...Trust me, Jack's not one of the ones I regret. Not that he believes it on a good day. The pair of you seem to have that in common. Go figure.

I've come to wonder if Jack is as damaged as I am. Although a lack of damage doesn't keep Horatio from similar doubts.

The man has his demons. [ and buffy's learned so many of them, now. were there any left? ] But I'd be a terrible not-fiancée if I hinted at them here.

I wasn't asking, only speculating. He hates Horatio--something I understand is someone else's fault besides Horatio's or probably even the Navy's. I don't need to know what happened to understand that much.

[ she could do some speculating of her own. horatio? well -- that one took more guesswork.

but she's certain of other demons. grandmother sparrow in particular. ]

He's been doing so well, lately. Mostly. I'm proud. You weren't here when he was at his worst for the longest span of time -- though I dare say you saw a glimpse of it around this time last year.

Most people don't know about that badness. They call him crazy like it's no big deal. Like it's funny to them.

It isn't funny. During the Seven Days, as he calls them, I certainly hope you didn't hear me call on Horatio begging him to tell me what he did when it was me in Jack's situation. I don't believe Jack is mad. It's a word many use too often to excuse themselves from action, as if he's a hopeless cause.

His mind's not always working like a healthy mind does. Does that make him mad? I dunno. But, on the whole, he's been more sane since he came back after living two years at home.

[ she keeps it vague. she isn't to tell archie that jack hears voices. or that, now, he hallucinates their impossible daughter. or that jack used to have to fights urges to kill her. ]

But I've always made it a point not to write off cases like his as hopeless.

Thank God for women like you.

If you wanna thank anyone? You can thank Hank Summers for enrolling his eldest daughter into a mental hospital at the first sign of trouble. Really teaches a girl the virtue of understanding.

[ and because -- once again -- she can't let her words hang on the personal: ] Jack will come down on your side of things. You can be sure of that. Something tells me he likes weddings. And he has an interest in seeing both you and your bride-to-be happy.

And I'm sure Horatio will be easier to convince once she is living in thirty-six. Surely he'll be half in love with her himself before long.

[ she risks another wry joke: ] Remind me to show you Three's Company sometime.

[A laugh.] I fear I've lost track of all the things I am to remind you to have me watch.

...I only mean that I sincerely hope you don't end up in a wacky comedic triangle. I am now officially living in one of those at Seven and it turns out they're not as fun as the stories make them sound.

Oh? What seems to be the problem?

Spike's moved in.

Oh. Also? Spike's back.

I saw that he had returned. I didn't know he'd moved in. Is that wise?

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