xp_logs | Domino, Amanda - Saturday evening

After dropping the kids back at the mansion, Amanda runs across an old face in the kitchen. There's catching up.

With a jingle, Amanda hung the van's keys up on the hook provided and stretched her arms up above her head, getting the kinks out of her back. A good day - she'd missed doing the van run, and interacting with the kids made her feel much better about things. Not to mention the downtime with Angelo and Marie. Glancing at her watch, she decided to hit the kitchen for a cup of tea before driving back to New York and her apartment - she had work to do tonight, but it could keep a little longer. Besides, her body was still on Berlin time.

She'd stopped crashing on Nathan's couch once Moira and Rachel had returned from Muir - made the boathouse a little over-crowded, and there was no need to keep an eye on Nate when Moira was there to do it. Domino smiled a bit as she headed down the hall towards the kitchen. She'd just come from a rather nice conversation over tea with Xavier, who'd been very interested in what she was doing with Elpis.

Amanda was just filling the kettle as Domino walked into the kitchen, and she glanced up almost guiltily - she didn't live in the mansion any more, and she felt a bit forward, making herself at home. Then she blinked in surprise at the sight of the other woman. "Well, look what the cat dragged in," she said, grinning. "Ange said you were around. Hey, Dom."

Domino blinked at the - very blonde - Amanda in front of her. "Well, look at you," she said good-humoredly. "I must say I like it. Natural color and all..." She grinned back as she made a beeline for the fridge. "I was just planning to help myself to an early dinner. Being one of those guests who look after myself and so forth.... how have you been?"

Amanda's hand went to her hair, and she grinned a bit sheepishly. "'S been so long, I forgot you hadn't seen it yet. I'm good - getting back into things after a couple of weeks in Germany, doing research for your lot." The kettle full, she placed it on the stove, turning it on. "How about you? Ange says things at the Tel Aviv office are going well?"

"Busy," Domino said, sticking her head into the fridge. "We've hired twenty new staff members in the last two months... oh, they're not all working in the office, they're field people, but that means numerous new projects on top of one's own field work, which makes one very busy..."

Amanda grinned a bit at Domino's phrasing. "As long as one isn't overdoing it," she said, reaching into the cupboard for a mug. "You want a cuppa while I'm making one?"

"Sure," Domino said, reemerging with a container of cut vegetables. "Mac's a lousy tea drinker and he's got me hooked on the stuff. To think I resisted for all those years with GW..."

"Hey, don't knock the tea. 'S what keeps England running, come hell, high water or the end of the world." Amanda chuckled and grabbed a second mug. "Now I hope they've still got the decent stuff..." She poked around in the back of one of the cupboards and made a small noise of triumph. "Mac... That's MacInnis, right? The old rat bastard?"

Domino sat down on one of the stools, winding her legs around it. "We save calling him that for very special occasions these days. He's kind of mellow in his old... older age. Plus I think he sort of knows everything - or at least, everything we need to know before we go into Whatthehelleveristan, so we do tend to be nicer to him these days."

"Never pays to upset the person watching your arse," Amanda agreed. "So, what brings you here? 'S been a while."

"Checking up on Nate," Domino said easily, although a shadow crossed her features as she opened the container and extracted a carrot. "He'd been Mr. Calm, Collected, and Contemplative on the phone since he got back from Prague so naturally I figured he was putting up a show."

Amanda nodded. "I caught up with Ange yesterday - he's taking it as well as you can expect." The kettle boiled, and she switched off the stove and poured the water into the waiting mugs. "How much is Nate second-guessing himself this time?"

"Outwardly, not much at all. He's getting entirely too good at the diplomatic facade - very un-Nateish, if you ask me. I got him drunk and wow, did I get an earful, though..." Domino bite off the end of the carrot, chewed, swallowed, and shrugged. "He needs some time off. Moira claims this new aversion to vacations of his is bordering on the pathological."

Dunking teabags, Amanda frowned. "He's trying to do too much," she agreed. "But Nate's always done that."

"Nate's never scheduled every hour of his day," Domino said wryly. "Mind you, he only does that for the days Moira's on Muir - he knew she'd take exception if she found out. And she did. When I told her, after stealing Nate's little black book. I am occasionally evil. Anyway," she said more briskly, "there are measures afoot to do something about this. I figured I'd hang around a few more days - and not just because of him, mind you." She grinned. "I haven't harassed Pete nearly enough. Nate's so high-maintenance."

"Remind me to knock before I go into his office, then," Amanda said wryly. "Wouldn't want to get scarred for life." It was a relief, knowing that something was afoot for Nate and she didn't doubt between Domino and Moira, something would be done. She finished making the tea and slid one mug across the bench to Domino. "There y'go."

"Would I lead him into temptation... in the office?" Domino laughed, violet eyes sparkling. "Amanda, you must have me confused with someone with a lack of decorum. I even wear business suits these days."

Amanda rolled her eyes. "And I do the nine-to-five thing too, Dom," she said with a smirk. "Doesn't mean either of us is that different."

"No, I'd doubt we are. Nate is never going to let me hear the end of having to run out of Yemen in front of a horde of frothing mush-brained patriarchal tribesmen, for example." Domino took a sip of her tea and leaned forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I run off without backup to the most uncivilized places I can find to make up for not being allowed to blow shit up anymore."

Amanda shook her head slightly. "See? Still the same old Dom," she teased, although there was a hint of concern in her expression. "As long as you aren't running too many risks - can't get the job done if you're shot up."
Domino raised an eyebrow at her. It was a very eloquent look. "Mm-hmm. Well, you didn't blush when you said that, so I'm going to assume you're likewise taking care when you're off doing your, ahem, placid think-tank-esque activity."

The younger girl snorted. "Dom, I've got all the combat ability of a Teletubbie. I have a total of three spells I can use, and before that I spent operational time hiding behind Betsy or Angie. I'm taking care, believe me."

"Hmm, speaking of combat... what do you think of Angelo donning the leathers?" Domino's eyes were mischievous over the rim of the cup. "Ani lost fifty dollars to me on that particular bet - she's been pouting ever since."

"It was a surprise - when we were students, he was pretty sure he'd never join. But if it's what he wants to do, then..." She smiled a little. "I think he'll be good at it. I'm scared to death something will happen to him, but it's his life, and he's got a good sense of self-preservation."

"I was sort of figuring that he might start leaning that way - he's very good at what he does for Elpis and I think it's given him a taste for... well, doing good in general. Nathan is bursting with pride over the whole thing, of course. And," Domino said with another laugh, "the Sancho thing makes me grin, still. How appropriate."

Amanda chuckled. "Yeah, it is." As long as Angelo lived his own life too, but she didn't say it out loud. "And he's teaching here now too, did he say? Self defence."

Domino nodded. "Also good. He's good with kids." She sipped again at her tea. "The school seems like a much calmer place than it used to be. From what I've seen, and from what Nate's been telling me lately... nice to hear, really."

"Yeah, it's a lot different than how it used to be," Amanda agreed. "The kids are a good bunch - have their heads on straight, know when to talk, for the most part." She grinned. "I took over Pete's old bus run, did you know? They're a lot of fun."

"I'd heard." Domino smiled. "From Pete, actually. Between him and Nate and Angelo, they do keep me fairly updated on the ongoing story of Amanda. Even if I'm a lamentable correspondent these days." She paused. "I was sorry to hear about Manuel," she said.

The grin slipped away and Amanda looked down at her mug. "Yeah, me too," she said softly. "Moira said he slipped into a coma again after I saw him - they don't know if he'll wake up again."

"There's always hope. Are you okay?"

There was no immediate answer, the kitchen light glancing off Amanda's bowed head. Then she looked up and whilst there was a certain sadness in her eyes, they were free of tears. "Yeah, I am," she said, a slight hesitation to her voice. "I got to see him, at least, and it... helped, a bit. I realised I've been holding onto him just as much as he's been holding onto me, and it's time I stopped. I can't fix what I did to him, but sometimes you don't get to. You just have to pick up and move on, get on with your life." She smiled a little wryly. "Doesn't mean I'm actually dating or anything, but at least I've stopped beating myself to death over it."

"Sometimes the only closure you get is your own decision that it's time to move on. GW said that to me, once." Domino's eyes were distant for a moment, and the smile she offered Amanda was contemplative, when she re-focused on her surroundings. "I still miss him. Every day. But I go on. So I can understand, at least a little."

"Moira told me about GW, when I was down in New Orleans," Amanda said softly. "I'm really sorry it happened. I liked GW, he was a good person." Her smile was wistful as she looked around the kitchen. "He cooked for me here, once. During one of Nate's medlab stays, can't remember which one."

"After Youra. It's hard to believe that in another few weeks he'll have been gone a year." Domino was quiet for a moment, sipping at her tea. "The passage of time is such a funny thing."

"Mmm." Four more days and it would be Manuel's birthday. And two years since the mind wipe. A year since Selene. And Askani. A sudden laugh escaped her and Domino gave her a quizzical look. "I just realised," she said. "Next birthday I'll be twenty. How fucked up is that?"

Domino threw a piece of celery at her, laughing. "Hush. You're going to make me feel ancient."

"You mean you're not?" Amanda ducked the piece of celery with a grin.