xp_logs | Monet and Angelo, Monday afternoon

Backdated to Monday afternoon, Monet learns that Angelo is still more than a unsettled by his experience in the dreamworld in Kyrgyzstan.

There had been enough noise outside to prompt Monet to poke her head out the open window. Looking out, she saw Angelo being very enthusiastically licked by his dog in the front drive way. Opening the window the rest of the way, Monet jumped and drifted to the ground. "She's happy to see you, isn't she?"

He peered up at her from flat on his back - he was short, and Joyita was a big dog - and grinned, turning just in time to avoid getting licked in the mouth. "I was away for more than a week. She does this."

Monet snapped her fingers at the dog. "Come here, puppy." She wasn't very surprised when the dog ignored her. "You have a good trip?"

"To France? Yeah, it was a good one. Relaxin'." He did look less tired than he had when he'd left.

"Awesome. Would you believe, Nathan has me writing up Mailuu-Suu for fucking Elpis?"

Angelo blinked. "Well, I guess someone's got to do it... we didn't really find that much in Elpis' remit, did we?"

"No. Completely crap all, to be honest. Especially since we spent half the trip running around doing... things that can't go into the report."

"Pullin' us out of the dreamworld", Angelo said flatly. "You could probably put in some of that, just t'explain where the time went."

"I can't. Not allowed to. Nathan says." She eyed Angelo. "Dude, are you still upset about that?"

He shrugged as best he could. "Not upset with you guys, you had to do it. Upset it happened, maybe, but not like I was right after."

"Good, because if it wasn't for us, you'd still be there and probably missing a kidney. Yvette and Jane and Rahne all were amazing, all things considered."

"They really were", he agreed quietly. "You all were, but those three... sorry it went sour on you."

"Dude. It's all good. It wasn't your fault, anyway."

Angelo snorted, unamused. "Wasn't anyone's fault 'cept the people usin' that kid. He's okay, anyway. On Muir, Nate says, but I didn't see him after."

"He's in a sealed room, right?" Monet asked.

"Well, he's shielded until they figure out how to help him. If they can. But..." He shrugged, but it was half a shiver. "I'd still rather stay away."

"Mmm. God, if you could bottle him, you'd make a killing."

Angelo winced. "Yeah, that's... not so much for jokin'. It'd be addictive as hell."

"It's a good thing I'm independently wealthy... God, Granddad'd kill me for saying that." Monet gave Joyita a scratch.

That got a faint snort. "I want to go back", he said abruptly after a moment. "That's why I can't get near the kid."

"Ouch." Monet sighed and settled down cross-legged on the driveway. "Well, there's probably no real harm, as long as you've got everything set up right, first. Something to knock him out or get you out, after an hour or so. That shouldn't be long enough to do any real harm."

Angelo finally managed to push the dog off his chest and sat up, shrugging. "Got no real reason to risk going to the patients' wing anymore. I can go to the castle still."

"You aren't going to break into his clean room and get you some of the good stuff?" Monet asked.

He laughed briefly, not really amused. "My dad was there, y'know. He died when I was five... but Moira'd kill me if I tried it, an' I'm sure Nate's told her. Not goin' to Muir just yet, anyway."