xp_logs | Doug and Bobby...

Set after Paige's meltdown on Bobby. Late last night.

Bobby leaned against the wall next to Angelo's door, Paige cradled on his lap fast asleep. Bobby himself almost appeared to be asleep, his eyes closed, but every few minutes he'd open them to check on the girl in his arms, brushing a lock of hair carefully from her face, or just watching her for a few moments before sighing softly and leaning his head back again.

Doug padded lightly down the stairs and toward the Medlab. He hadn't been able to sleep very well, so he had decided to go see if there was any change in Angelo's condition. He was nervous about the possibility of coming upon Paige, and their "petty disagreement" leading to a shouting match. But truth be told, he was worried about Angelo, and if Paige _was_ there, it was time to stop acting like a five-year-old in a snit.

Bobby's eyes opened as he heard someone approaching, ready to shush them, whoever it was. The only thing he wanted to wake Paige for at this point would be a change in Angelo's condition, and as there was no news on that front...

Doug pulled up short when he realized there were people already outside the Medlab. He bit his lip when he saw Paige, her face restful in sleep. He gazed over her head to meet Bobby's eyes. He bit his lip hesitantly. He wouldn't be surprised if Bobby had seen his little sniping match with Paige and judged him unworthy to come any closer.
But the only thing Bobby did was raise his finger to his lips, glancing at Paige. "Hey Doug," he whispered after assuring himself that she was still out. "What's up?" He had seen the sniping, but wasn't about to get himself involved.

"I..." started Doug, then he sighed and ran a hand over his face wearily. Cocking his head toward the unit Angelo was in, he asked softly, "Any change?"

Bobby shook his head, looking tired. "Not that I've heard, and I've been right here for...a while."

Doug nodded. His eyes drew involuntarily to Paige, and his entire face softened. He looked extremely tired and sad. "..and her?" he whispered.

"I finally got her to hold still for more than two minutes and..." He gestured at her prone form, lifting one shoulder in a shrug. "She's been putting herself through too much lately, I think," he added softly, his expression vaguely reproachful as he looked at Doug. He really wasn't thrilled with the boy for adding to Paige's problems, but refused to say anything about it.

Bobby was forgetting Doug's little talent, though. Doug wrapped his arms instinctively around himself in a defense against the unspoken accusation in Bobby's body language. "I know, Bobby. I know. I...there isn't an excuse for the things I said to her. And it hurts. I miss her." He laughed softly and bitterly. "How silly is that, to miss someone who lives twenty feet down the hall?"

"And I knew that this was happening to her. I wanted to _help_. And all I did was screw it up worse. And now there's all this stuff going on, and I don't have _anyone_ to talk to. And I'm so lonely. And it _hurts_, Bobby." Doug looked up, unshed tears dampening his eyes.

Bobby's expression softened as he listened, and he patted the floor next to him. "You can talk to me," he offered, not sure just how comfortable Doug would be doing so, but figuring it couldn't hurt. They all had to stick together, especially at times like this, right?

Doug wrung his hands, his whole body radiating tension. "I...I need to do something, Bobby. I need to make it right. I'll...I'll be right back," he stammered. Turning, he trotted away just short of a run.

Bobby blinked, looking after Doug for a few moments, then sighed and relaxed back against the wall, glancing down at Paige again. He felt slightly guilty now, although with Doug's mutation, there was little chance that he could have hidden his feelings, even if he hadn't forgotten about it.

After a handful of minute, the padding sound of Doug's stockinged feet returned. He rounded the corner, a large blanket in his arms, and a large thermos on top. Setting the thermos on the ground, he shook the blanket out. "Her favorite tea," he explained, nodding at the thermos.

"Ah." Bobby watched with a small smile on his face. Doug really was a sweet guy. "I'm sure she'll appreciate it." He shifted his hold on Paige carefully, trying to jostle her as little as possible while making it so Doug can cover her with the blanket.

Doug tenderly covered Paige and tucked the blanket under her chin. He smiled sadly. "She doesn't...she doesn't necessarily has to know it was me. I just...needed to do something. Make the first move. Reach out halfway. I didn't...I didn't do this for her to react to. I did this because I screwed up and I need to stop acting five years old and start trying to make it better."

Bobby nodded, repositioning his arm on top of the blanket, loosely wrapped around Paige. "All right, then. You sure you don't want to talk?" He nodded his head to the blank patch of wall and floor next to him once again.

Doug smiled softly. "Maybe later, Bobby. Surprisingly, this helped a lot, just saying some of that and doing this." He nodded at the fairly large corner of the blanket that remained, enough for a second person. "You wanna catch a little sleep yourself, man? I'll sit a shift for you. Promise I'll wake you first if anything changes."

Bobby hesitated, then smiled and shook his head. "Nah, I'm okay for a while longer. Thanks, though." His eyes drifted unbidden down the hall, toward the room that John was in. If anything had changed there, he would have heard, right?

Doug followed the path of Bobby's gaze, and recalled a conversation what seemed like an eternity ago with John. "He'll be all right, Bobby. They all will. We just have to have faith." ~And hopefully, so will we.~ He waved slightly, then turned and padded away softly.

Bobby colored slightly as Doug reassured him, but nodded silently and settled back against the wall as he watched him leave.