xp_logs | log: Dani and Forge

Dani runs into non-hermity Forge (coming soon to a store near you) and asks him an Important Question. He freaks, of course. Set just before Forge finds out his father is coming.

Dani headed to the kitchen to see if there was anything she wanted to eat. Off hand, she couldn't think of anything she wanted to re-heat and making a sandwich did not sound appealing for once. Maybe some veggies. She knew they had salsa, which made everything good. "Hahkota," she smiled, seeing Forge already in the kitchen. "You still pissed at everyone?"

Forge smiled, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. "Not really. Just been one of those weeks- months, really. All that stress building up with Dr. McCoy and everything, I've been having trouble adjusting to things being... normal, I guess. Trying not to think too hard about it."

"Normal for here ain't normal though," Dani pointed out, finding the vegetables she wanted. Radishes. Ew. Taking the food to the table, she gave Forge a quick one-armed hug.

Forge did his obligatory flinch, then leaned briefly against the taller girl. "In case I've been a shit and not said it in... well, ever... thanks for being around. For helping take care of me and stuff. I kinda realized I don't say that enough... well, at all." He reached out to grab a bite of his sandwich and wipe his mouth on a napkin. "And normal here may not be normal out-there, but it's something, you know? No big crisis, no lifesaving heroics. Just ...normal."

"Aww," Dani sniffed and mock-glared at him, "Don't make me cry, Forge. But I've missed you too. I've even been sleeping in my room most nights. Your couch hates me, I can feel it plotting," She munched on a carrot idly. "Normal...don't move. Like a pond or lake. No movement. But life ain't like that, it's like a river, always trying to get to the ocean. Sometimes it moves fast, sometimes there are rocks in it, but it always moves."

Forge melodramatically clutched his head in mock pain. "No more...analogies! Metaphor... melting brain! English Comp... death of me..." With a laugh, he pantomimed falling dead on his face, then looked up to take another bite of his sandwich. "Howsh baby?" he mumbled through a mouthful of peanut butter and jelly.

Rolling her eyes, Dani laughed, "You can't die, Hahkota! I have more stories and analogies for you! And do not talk with your mouth full," Dani headed to the new fridge to get some juice to drink, "The baby is fine. I'm trying to find some names," she sat back down again, "You wanna be my lamaze partner?"

Forge inhaled sharply, then coughed as he nearly aspirated his sandwich. Pounding his chest, he took a long drink of water, then wiped his mouth and looked up at Dani. "Your WHAT?"

"Lamaze partner," she repeated calmly, ignoring the look of total panic on his face, it was kinda cute, "Y'know, breathing exercises and whatever they teach for having a baby? There's a class starting in a few weeks at Salem Center Hospital."

"I know what it is," Forge answered, "but why do you need a partner? I mean, why do you need ME as a partner? There's, like, doctors here. And... and Doc Moira! She's having a baby, too! Why me?"

Her disappointment was almost palpable, she figured he would freak out, but didn't think he'd say no, "Doctors will do doctory things. Who else am I supposed to ask, Hahkota? Sheldon? You're my best friend."

"I, um... well..." Forge suddenly realized how a mouse must feel when Catseye had them by the tail. "Yeah, okay. Just helping you breathe, right? No 'this is how to catch the baby' stuff, right?"

"Right," truthfully, she wasn't completely certain, but baby catching seemed to be a doctor thing. She would have to check the website though. "It's a 6 week class, one night a week. Thank you."

Forge tried to finish his sandwich, but couldn't bring himself to take another bite. "It's just a little weird, you know? I mean - you're going to have a baby. I'm ... I don't know the first thing about helping out with that stuff."

Snagging the last few bites of Forge's sandwich, Dani considered, it was kinda weird now that she thought about it, "I don't know either. I've never had a baby, Forge. I didn't know anything about havng a baby until I came here. And I can't just call my mom."

"Heh," Forge nodded, feeling his PDA buzz in his pocket. "I'd say call my parents, but..." he read through the email he'd just received and his face went through a quick gamut of emotions. Finally, he blinked and closed the email.

"Speak of the devil," he said. "My dad's coming this weekend."