xp_logs | Sharon and Jean: packing up (Reply)

Sharon packs up her office in the medlab with some help from Jean.

Her suitcases were mostly packed, what she couldn't bring had joined the rest of her belongings in storage and now she had just one thing left to do: pack up her tiny office in the medlab. Bringing back two boxes, one for what she was taking with her to Muir and one which had to go to storage, she started with the photos on her desk. Carefully Sharon wrapped them in bubble foil before tucking them in the 'going with her' box.

The sound of a light set of footsteps was heard approaching before there came a knock. "Mind if I come in?" Jean said with a smile, leaning against the doorway. She wasn't on duty, so her lab coat had been traded for a flowy navy blue blouse with pink flowers and a pair of goldenrod capris with comfortable sandals.

"Of course not." Sharon lifted the final picture and blew off some of the tiny particles stuck on it. "As long as you don't mind a little dust. Guess I should've cleaned better... I hope I'm not leaving you guys in a lurch."

Jean shook her head. "You haven't seen my office lately," she said with a laugh. "And it's no problem. I know what it's like to need to get away and try something different. Moira's great."

"I've heard a lot of good stuff about her, both here and at the Claremont. And finishing my degree in half the time with this exchange... I couldn't pass it up. Never was planning on having to get my bachelors, but this way it feels right."

Jean smiled. "I can give you some good recommendations on places to eat and go while you're there," she said. She folded her arms. "What time are you leaving?"

"Flying out tomorrow evening. First to London then to Scotland and from there to Muir." Sharon moved on to her desk drawers while taking. Quickly she pulled over a trash can, now sorting things in three categories. "Didn't you tell me once you spent a lot of time on Muir?"

Jean nodded. "When I was a teenager. Felt like a lifetime ago now," she said. She shrugged. "Still, when I go back it looks just the same, like I never left. The place is old. It'll be nice to have someone with fresh ideas for Moira to work with."

"Don't think I've learned that much yet, but thanks for the vote of confidence." Sharon pulled open the next drawer where the personal medical supplies she owned. "What was it like for you there? I've read from the eye of the staff, but not much from someone who stayed there."

"Being there as a teenager was different than being there as an adult. It was...a little boring, to be honest. But it got better when I was able to leave the island whenever I wanted. It's a good place for research and learning, but not for the nightlife," Jean admitted with a laugh. "Luckily there's some places that are a short ferry ride nearby."

"I'm not really one for the nightlife though, though I like a pint here and there. It did like there would be some good exploring to do in nature?"

Jean smiled. "Oh. Yeah, lots. There's some nice places to walk or enjoy a book. A few hills for hiking...stuff like that."

"Sounds like a good start in any case." Sharon paused for a moment, then made sure to meet the doctor's eyes.. "Hey Jean, if it's ever needed, send Clarice if she can and I'll be here immediately... when I first came here, I was like... what the hell are you doing, Sharon... but this place and the folks 've grown on me."

"It seems to do that," Jean admitted. Her smile widened to a grin and she opened her arms for a hug. "Of course I'll call. Expect the occasional visit for fun as well. I always try to stop by Muir at least once or twice a year to see Moira so I've got to add you to the list."

"That'd be great." Sharon rose and quickly returned the hug. "Still gonna be weird though, leaving this place."

Jean nodded, letting out a breath. "Yeah. I'll miss you on rounds," she said. Leaning against the desk, she folded her arms. "Still, you know where we are if you ever want to visit."

"I do." Sharon agreed. "Besides..." She had to roll her eyes. "... the Claremont owes a few years of service from me for the whole degree thing. So definitely coming back to NY."

Jean grinned. "Good. The other nurses will miss you too. I'm sure they'd love to get together to get drinks."

Sharon grinned. "We're getting together later tonight actually, together with some of the paramedics I worked with. So that should be fun... but I also kinda need to get this done." She gestured to the mess around her.

"Right," Jean glanced around at the chaos. "I'll leave you to it. Unless you need some help?"

"Hmmm..." Sharon took a quick glance around. "Well... if you'd be up for packing the books on those shelves, that'd be great. They're all going into storage, so no sorting needed..."

"Books going into storage? What a pity. I'm sure Moira would let you put some on a shelf," Jean said. Still, they had to be moved somewhere, so she started to neatly put them in a box.

"Those shelves are mostly old reference books that I don't really need and a few novels I haven't read in ages... unless things were really slow in here." Sharon explained. Two desk drawers done, she pulled open the last one filled with all kinds of bits and bobs. "If something catches your eye..."

Jean laughed. "Those are dangerous words," she mused, scanning through some of the books as she stacked them spine up to make them easier to pull out. "What kind of novels are you into?" "I'm no big reader, but I like Grisham... one or two other writers like him. You?" Sharon held up two nuts and bolts and frowned as she tried to remember where they had come from, but ultimately chucked them in the trash can.

"I'm into a lot of things. Depends on my mood," Jean said. She shrugged. "I...may or may not read the occasional romance novel. Or something horror related like Stephen King or Dean Koontz. I usually don't break those out unless there's been a lot of downtime between missions."

"... why am I having sudden pictures of you with a Harlequin book from Walmart... and it doesn't really fit?" Three slightly grubby rolls of bandages joined the nuts and bolts in the trash can as Sharon smirked at Jean. Jean grinned. "Oh at least give me some credit. I get my tawdry novels from second hand bookstores. The vintage ones are the best." She eyed one of the books. "Is It okay if I take this one?" she said, holding up a copy of the Pelican Brief.

"Go ahead. It's a good one. And if you like that one..." Sharon left the drawer for a moment and quickly scanned the shelf. "... you'll like this one." She handed Jean a copy of The Firm.

Jean nodded curiously. "Thanks," she said with a smile. "I have this plan to read them and then watch the movies afterward to compare. I don't think I've ever seen them." She set them both aside then got back to work. "I find reading after a shift helps sometimes. Well...a lot of the time."

"Working out in some way usually works best for me, but reading helps when I can't. Or for a quick break." Finally Sharon switched tactics, picked out what she wanted to keep and drew the drawer from the desk, emptying it above the trash can.

Jean blinked, opening and closing her mouth before she shrugged and went back to filing books. "Can't say I haven't wanted to do that before" she said with a laugh.

"Try it." Was Sharon's succinct advice. "It just..." She struggled to convey what came so naturally to her. "You become one as you move... there is only what you are doing in the moment. No stuff that happened in the past, no things to worry about in the future. Plus... all those nice endorphins."

"But..." Jean pointed helplessly. "Useful," she said, holding back a laugh.

Sharon paused for a moment to review what she had said, then rolled her eyes at Jean. "Mind out of the gutter... or just go for it, Jean." She added a quick wink.

Jean made a face, then held out her hand for something to throw away. "I have you know I'm really going against my better impulses here."

Quickly spying a cracked stone that she once used as a paper weight before it fell and cracked, Sharon handed it to Jean and stepped back to see what she'd do. "All yours."

Eying the cracked stone, Jean looked back to the trash can. After a couple of moments she finally shrugged, tossing the stone into the can with a heavy thunk. She peered into the bin. "Well...that was nice I guess?" she said with a laugh. "That was nothing..." Sharon rolled her eyes. "You know what... don't have the time now and we should've done this before, but when I'm in town I'll take you parkouring. Then you can see it for yourself."

Jean quirked a brow. 'That's quite the segue from learning to Konimari to jumping between buildings."

"Same idea though. With both you let things go when you need to." Sharon shrugged a little. "Just need to find what works for you, I guess... even bad romance stories." Suddenly Sharon's cell started to beep. "And that's my sign I need to head out in an hour for those drinks..."

Sliding another book into the box, Jean nodded. "Okay. Sounds good. Well, if you need anything else let me know. I don't have to work tonight so I can help out with whatever."

"Wanna join us?" Sharon offered as she started moving quicker to finish up.. "They won't mind if I bring a friend and I think you know some of them. Place we go to might be a little rougher than you're used to though."

Jean rolled her eyes. "One of the places I used to get drinks from when I was with the Mutant Underground had no toilet. We had to go pee in a hole outside," she said with a grin. "I think I can handle it. But only if you're okay with it."

"Then let's wrap this and go for it."