xp_logs | Nathan and Angelo, Monday afternoon

Nathan and Angelo get around to drawing up a report on what information they did manage to bring back from Afghanistan. It's just another day at the office until Nathan has another one of his TK fits and a migraine (in that order) and Angelo chases him to off to get some rest. (Guest-starring the new Elpis secretary. Any guesses on how long this one will last?)

"I'm surprised we wound up with quite this much," Nathan said, watching the copies of the documents he and Bobby had gotten from the police station in Asadabad emerge smoothly from the photocopier. "Good thing we had that day before heading out to the market, or the trip would have been a total waste in terms of information-gathering." He rubbed at his forehead, grimacing.

Angelo glanced over from where he was reading through another set of documents, frowning at the signs of headache but not mentioning it. "Well, unless you count the first-hand witness," he pointed out.

"Mmm. It'll probably come to that in the end," Nathan said, lifting the copies off the tray and going back over to his own desk. "But I think it's best we give Sooraya as much time to settle in beforehand."

"Course," he said with a smile, leaning back in the chair. "I think she's doin' pretty well, all things considered."

Nathan looked up as the door opened to admit their new secretary. Juliette Hathaway gave him a brief nod and a bland smile, then went over to her own desk and began sorting through the mail she'd just picked up from the security office.

His eyes narowed very slightly. Juliette was quiet, highly efficient, and came with all kinds of wonderful references. Rollins had sung her praises to the heavens.

Nathan didn't trust her for an instant. Every time he turned around, she was rearranging something.

"I suppose I ought to get all the paperwork in order and take it in to the GPAT office tomorrow while I'm at the UN. I get such better results when I do these things in person."

Be nice to the secretary, Angelo scribbled on a visible piece of paper, amused, not missing the look. Even if she does keep movin' things. Switching to actual speech, he continued, "That's 'cause you intimidate people better than I can. 's the height difference."

"Right," Nathan muttered, eyeing the note for a moment and then turning his attention back to the array of papers in front of him. "I should write a summary... wait, that's what I have minions for, isn't it?"

"Sure it is," Angelo agreed cheerfully. "Bobby can do it."

Nathan stuck his tongue out at the younger man, quite unabashedly. "I should ask Rahne. She writes better than the two of you put together."

Angelo cracked up, and threw the balled-up remains of his note at Nathan. "So the writin' can be her job, then."

"I'd do it myself," Nathan said, "but my typing speed leaves much to be desired these days." His arm was aching again today. It was a good sign, meant that it was healing, but knowing that didn't really help the fact that it was sore, and his head was sore, and he was not-whining only out of pride.

"Not for too much longer, though," Angelo said would-be reassuringly. "An' anyway, that's why you hired us."

"Right," Nathan said and leaned back in his chair, quiet for a while as Juliette worked and Angelo went back to the papers he was working on. He rubbed at the back of his neck after a moment, wishing that the headache would just go away...

The zone-out happened as smoothly as it had out on the deck with Amanda, and in much the same sort of way. Nathan's gray eyes went glassy, his eyelids growing heavy... and the room started to vibrate.

...oh, hell no. Shooting a worried glance at Juliette, Angelo bolted up from his chair, papers set aside, and hurried over. "Nate?"

Juliette rose from her chair, looking mildly concerned, but stayed where she was, watching Angelo. Nathan's eyes didn't open, and as his head sagged to one side in the characteristic gesture of someone slipping farther into a doze, the vibration increased sharply, until the sound of dishes rattled in the cupboards in the kitchen was audible even through the partitions.

Then Nathan jerked back upright, his eyes opening swiftly, and the waves of TK died all that once. "Gah," he said in annoyance, rubbing at his eyes. "I am not that tired. I need to not doze off at my desk..." He trailed off, realizing Angelo was standing right there looking worried.

Juliette merely arched an eyebrow and sat back down, turning her attention back to the mail.

"I... don't think you fell asleep, Nathan," Angelo said carefully. "Not like last time. Pretty sure your eyes were still open, for one thing."

"... oh, crap." Nathan rubbed at his eyes again. "I guess that means a 'no' on driving into New York..." He'd told Angelo what Charles had said about these TK fits and what they meant. The younger man hadn't looked precisely reassured.

"You go near any of the cars until this clears up an' I'll get Rahne to wolf out an' sit on you until you stop. Or maybe Bobby could freeze your feet." Despite the light words, he was deadly serious.

"Not to worry. I actually have no particular desire to wind up in a car accident - I've broken my quota of bones the last couple of years." Oh, and now the headache was coming with a vengeance, too. Nathan winced and leaned forward, resting his head in his hand for a moment.

"...right. Nathan? No more work for today. Or not before you take somethin' an' go lie down in the dark for awhile, whatever."

"Right." It was a measure of just how bad the headache was getting that he didn't even protest, just hauled himself up wearily out of the chair and turned towards the stairs. "Just make sure that summary gets written, okay? I don't want to be too long getting it in to GPAT. Sooner they have it, the sooner they can be looking into it with more resources than we have."

"If it means you'll go an' rest, I'll do it myself right now. Even drive it over to them." He wasn't following Nathan, but he wasn't sitting down yet either.

"No need to drive it there. I'll want to see it first," Nathan said with a tired flicker of a smile. He put his hand on the railing of the staircase, and took a deep breath, half-glad that Moira was in Muir with Rachel for this half of the week. She'd been irked enough at him for heading off to Afghanistan, and while she wasn't vocal about 'I told you so', he didn't need telepathy to interpret Certain Looks.

Juliette looked up from the mail, watching until Nathan had vanished upstairs, and then raised an eyebrow at Angelo. "I can proofread it for you once you've written it, if you want," she offered.

He shot her a grateful smile, dropping back into his chair and gathering up the papers again. "That'd probably be a good idea. Thanks."

"Part of the job," Juliette said, getting up. "I think I'll reorganize the bookshelves while you're doing that."

His expression changed to one of mild alarm when she wasn't looking, quickly hidden. She wouldn't use a system Nathan could object to too much... right?