xp_logs | Kaiten: Six Months (Reply)

Everyone's home from the hospital, and Angelo's keeping Domino company - if not saying much - when Nathan appears. Somehow, the conversation turns to making plans for the future.

Domino's rooms in the villa were eclectic, to say the least; the mixture of styles and colors should have been jarring. Somehow, it managed to work. She had however taken an enormous amount of ribbing from everyone who knew her at all well over the fact that so much of the decor was Central Asian in origin.

The bedframe was an antique, elaborately carved wood. The mattress, however, was modern, and far more comfortable than anything Ichilov Hospital had been able to offer. Domino smiled tiredly at Angelo. "Good to be back in my own bed," she commented. Her voice sounded a little bit more like it should, although there was still a faint breathiness and a slight slur that made it clear that she was still more or less doped to the gills.

It was nothing he didn't expect, of course, not this soon. Not with her injuries. He offered her a faint smile in return, and nodded. "Nothin' quite like gettin' home."

"The nurse... what's her name, was making fun. Of my Mongolian furniture." The violet eyes that met his were not quite focused, but there was a definite mischievous sparkle to them. "She and I are going to have issues."

It was good to see her recovering enough for that mischief, even if he couldn't quite match it right now. "Behave, Nadia. No scarin' the nurse away while you still need her."

"I don't think she gets scared easy, the old battleaxe..." Dom looked towards the glass doors leading out to the balcony. She'd had Angelo open them, and the smell of the ocean lingered in the air.

Angelo followed the glance, then looked back at her. "It'll be nice, havin' that balcony", he said quietly. "When you're back on your feet a bit more."

Her eyes moved back to him. "I'll be back running laps on the beach before you know it..." She tried to smile again. "So... what's with the... untalkativeness? I've got an excuse. Six excuses, really... I beat Nate, you know. He's never had six broken ribs at once..."

Small talk and teasing. He could handle that, even now when he didn't feel much like talking to anyone. He might not have been in here, now, if it likely wouldn't be the last chance he got for awake time with her before he and the others went back to America. "It's not s'posed to be a competition, you know", he said wryly, hoping she'd let him get away with not answering the question. Small hope of her not noticing, even drugged, but she might let it go...

"You big... avoiding avoider."

...or maybe not. He still didn't want to answer, though, didn't even really know if he could.

"Don't make me explain my excuses, Dom", he said, his already poor attempt at a smile turning more strained. Please.

The faint mirth faded from her expression, leaving behind only sadness. She looked back towards the balcony. "I'm still here because of you," she said after a moment, her voice very low. "Don't make me ignore that you're making excuses."

He swallowed, suddenly feeling more out of his depth than ever, and he'd felt just this side of drowning for most of the week. "Not even just this once? I can't..."

"I can't remember anything. About the explosion. I think... maybe, I got off easy." Her eyes were a little too bright. "Not remembering. Didn't I?"

"I think maybe you did", Angelo agreed quietly. "An' I'm glad you did." Wouldn't wish this on... most people.

There was a knock at the door, which was partially open already, and opened further as the two of them looked in that direction. Nathan smiled at both of them, the smile subdued despite the real warmth behind it. "Your nurse just asked David if the villa has a wine cellar," he said to Dom as he came in. "I think she has a sense of humor."

"Oh, very funny."

The moment passed, Angelo shifted a half-step away from the bed. Barely noticeable, really, but... "Drivin' the nurse to drink already?" he said, forcing as much lightness as he could into his voice.

"I have no idea what either of you are talking about." The somewhat-sulky mutter was spoiled by the faint twitching of her lips.

Nathan shook his head, coming around the bed and sitting down in the chair on the other side. There was no way he was going to sit on the edge of the bed and jar her, even a little. "Isabel and Vas are all settled in, too," he said quietly. "No more hospital for anyone."

Angelo just retreated a few steps further, towards the balcony doors, though he didn't intend to go out. Just to give the other two a little space to talk.

"Mmm," Dom said, gazing up at him. "You'll be heading home, then. Tomorrow?"

"Morning, yes." There was something very reluctant in Nathan's eyes, though, as he looked down at her. "I thought I'd come back again towards the end of next week. For a few days, at least."

Angelo was watching them, and for all he'd said about it being good to go home... he was finding he wished their stay could have lasted a little longer, and not only because he didn't want to leave Domino before she was all the way recovered. It would be harder to avoid thinking about things, once they got back to America. And to put off the people who wanted him to think - and talk - about them.

"Don't want you wearing yourself out, running back and forth..."

"Please, Moira does it all the time. Besides..." Nathan reached out, smoothing the hair back from her forehead gently. Dom actually rolled her eyes at him, although a smile crept out, and Nathan laughed softly. "Yes, I will get mushy, brat. Cope."

"You're a marshmallow, old man. Bring Ray with you if you're coming back next week?" I think you need to leave Ange at home, though, she thought at him, with remarkable clarity for someone who was as high as a kite on pain medication. He needs to get back to something... normal, for a while.

#I know.#

If Angelo could have heard what they were thinking, he might have objected. He'd leave when Nathan said they were leaving, whatever part of him wanted to stay, but if he'd thought he'd be deliberately left behind on a visit... all things considered, it was a good thing Nathan and Domino were "talking" silently.

"I will indeed bring the baby," Nathan said quietly. "She and my dour namesake need to spend some more time together anyway." And the house needed some more cheer, in general. Babies were good for that.

"There'll be three of them, soon enough." Domino gave him another tired smile. "Life goes on."

"When's Ani's due, again?" Angelo spoke up from his place leaning against the wall.

"July. Maybe we should all come back, then," Nathan said, contemplatively. "Celebrate life." He smiled crookedly at the two of them. "Have a party, for a lot of reasons."

"Well, you know me," Domino said, that spark back in her eyes for a moment. "I'm always up for a party."

"We should", Angelo agreed with a nod. "Let Ani show him or her off the way she'll want to."

Nathan nodded. "Then that's what we'll do," he said quietly. Dom and the others would be recovered by then, or mostly. Or as recovered as they're going to get. And it would be a good time, to stop and take stock, to remember what they'd lost and reflect on how far they'd come. "In six months."

It had the ring of a promise.