tampered | Log; Complete

Log; Complete

When; July 1st
Rating; PG (doubt it will be anything worse...)
Characters; Abby

notapreacher
Summary; The two friends are heading down to the beach to spend time together.
Log; The gate leading to the beach is where Abby is supposed to meet Gren. But since she is already out and about, she heads there early. She has her music player in her hand and the earbuds in place as she rocks her head back and forth to the beat of the songs. Maybe she should put some of Gren's songs on here too... Well, she could ask him about that later.

Letting her ponytails swing back and forth to hit her neck, she thinks back to what's going on at the apartment.

...Tosh and Jack are leaving. Rose too even if Rose doesn't live with them. It's really sad since she isn't sure what will happen to them. But, she's supposed to take care of Ianto and Gwen while they're gone. And they will come back. She is sure of it. Not really but maybe if she keeps telling herself she is...

Still listening to the music in her ears at what is definitely an unhealthy level for anyone's ears, she turns to look out at the beach. The air is really nice today.

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One of these days, he's going to have to learn how to make more of his network posts unhackable. The last one -- during that curse -- was a mistake; he should have stayed far away from things. But more good came of it than not: Faye actually cooked for him, he met Abby, and Luke suggested that he try the beach.

Combining two of those three things isn't a bad plan at all: it's time for the beach. Abby's already at the cross gate when he gets there, wrapped up in some music, her back to the city. He's met a lot of people in his life and stubbornly, that's what he's going to keep referring to it as even though he's supposed to be dead... and Abby's one of the happiest. He doesn't know her well enough to know if she's always like that, but she has been so far.

He almost doesn't want to disturb her, but he doesn't want to keep her waiting either so he moves to her side. When she's done with her song, or with whatever she's thinking about, or with whatever's attracting her attention, maybe she'll notice him there. If not, there are always words.

Moving her head side to side, she hopes her friends will be alright. It is a huge blow to find out that they will be leaving. And so soon. Thursday isn't that far away. Frowning, she looks down to see which song is playing. It's done now and the next one is coming up.

She wonders what is keeping Gren and turns...to have her eyes widen in surprise.

Instantly the music is turned of and the buds popped out. "Gren~! Why didn't you say anything?" She give him a disapproving frown which is quickly replaced with a smile. "I got here early since I was visiting Romeo. He's in the hospital right now. I guess he was sick or something and just got better. But he didn't have anyone there to be with him. And it's not fun to be in a hospital all by yourself. How are you?"

The surprise on her face makes him laugh; he shrugs his apology. "I just got here. Who's Romeo, though, and what happened?"

The very thought of a hospital makes him shudder. He'll never set foot in one again if it's up to him.

"I just met him today. I saw his post on the Network. So, I don't really know anything about him but I just thought he'd like to have someone visit him while he's in the hospital. I guess he was sick."

And that is the complete truth of the matter. Smiling she shrugs as she stuffs the player into the bag she's carrying.

Shaking his head slowly, he turns to her, takes a moment to really study her. "You're so friendly. I mean, I'm pretty good with people for the most part, but you go out of your way to be nice. There ought to be more people like you."

And for his part, he ought to pay more attention to the network and make more of an effort. It isn't like he's that much busier here than he was on Callisto. No, he hasn't earned any respites... at least not yet.

She blinks. Sure she knows she's friendly but no one has every really pointed it out like that before. "I guess I just like people. All kinds of people." There is a pause like she's just remembered something then her hands are helping her talk again.

"I once dated a dwarf. He really was short too. I mean, I'm tall for a girl but still. Though, he dumped me because I was too tall. That was awhile ago."

"I would never dump you for being too tall." With another laugh, he gestures to the gate and they cross through to the beach beyond. It occurs to him that maybe he should have packed a picnic or something, but really, this isn't a date; Abby knows that. It's just friends, strolling together on the beach.

He can't help it if he's a flirt.

The minute they cross through into the beach area, though, he crouches down and picks up a handful of sand. "Wow, I haven't been to a beach in a lot of years. Not since I lived on Mars, and I haven't lived there for a long time. And the sand there is red, at least on the beaches I used to go to." Spreading his fingers, he lets the sand trickle through them: he's tactile.

"And the water. It goes on and on. It's so pretty."

Walking alongside him, she smiles. Especially when he bends down to pick up the sand. "You know, you always appreciate the things around you. Not a lot of people do that. It's really nice."

She walks on ahead a little bit then looks out at the water.

"Do people swim on the moons and planets? That's what I want to know. Or do they not do that anymore?" With a curious look, she tilts her head towards him.

It's a good question. His world view has always included other planets, other moons, but he knows that's not the case for everybody. "If the weather's nice and there's a place to swim, then sure." Taking a moment, he just breathes in deeply; the air smells like salt and heat. "Take Mars, for example. The atmosphere there's really thin, so they have to do a lot with climate control. They build cities and colonies and whatnot in craters, because the walls of the craters help keep in and magnify the atmosphere. Then, sometimes, they dome around and above them and do complete climate control. Most of the Martian beaches are by the equator. A lot of resorts, so they attract a specific kind of visitor. But there are also little lakes and things scattered all over the planet."

Nothing like this, though. "The oceans there... the water's mostly green, not blue, and the sand is red like clay. But that's Mars. Where I was living before here -- Callisto -- is too cold for swimming. It snows there eleven months out of the year."

She listens closely and with obvious interest. There is nothing like that where she's from. As long as there is water and isn't too cold then you can go swimming. Actually, people swim when it's too cold too. She should know. She's done it.

"It sounds nice. If kind of alien for me. Though, there are places on Earth with green waters." That thought is pondered for a moment then she nods like she's confirming it.

It feels like almost a rite of passage to take off one's shoes and socks to walk in the sand and so that's what he does next. Glancing over at Abby, he can't help but grin. "Which part sounds alien: the red sand, the snow eleven months out of the year, or the fact we're talking about other planets besides Earth?"

The grin really reaches as far as his eyes. "My mother was born on Earth and went back and forth from Mars to there a few times. I never did, and now I guess I never will. But I don't really need to, as long as I have friends to tell me about it. What was your favorite part about the planet?"

His mom always mentioned the sunsets, but she's a painter and so she would notice things like that.

"Hm...definitely the other planets part." She gives him a laugh then drops her bag in the sand and takes of her boots and socks. Leaving them behind, she walks out into the water and crosses her arms.

"My favorite part..." A concentrated frown appears on her face as she turns to look at him while still standing in the water. "I don't know. I like growing up in New Orleans. And I like the different kinds of music. There's also being in forensics and that means Gibbs and the others."

Her frowns makes her nose wrinkle a little. "My tattoo people are really nice too. So, I guess I like the people." Instantly her face brightens into a smile.

Of course: it's the perfect answer coming from her and he should have expected it. Dropping his shoes, he barely stops to roll up the legs of his trousers before wading into the water too. It's surprisingly warm. He won't swim -- he hasn't done that since before he went to Titan -- but he can do this much.

"The people are the heartbeat of any location, don't you think? Even here."

Even when they're... dead: how can that be? Well, he's not going to get into a discussion about the merits of life versus death now. The water's too nice and the company far too pleasant.

"When I was little, I used to comb through the tide pools at the beach and see what I could find. There were these crabs with bright blue claws. Little ones, that lived in equally bright blue shells. I always wanted to take one home for a pet, but it was never a good idea. They needed the ocean environment more than they needed to live in my room." He nods over to the rocks. "Wonder what kind of creatures we'll find here? Are you game?"

And she's already heading towards the rocks. "Maybe there will be little crab-like things here. Oh...Sometime we should go visit Ellington. He's at the lake. He's been living there for a few weeks now."

There are definite advantages to short skirts. Wading through water is one of them.

"Beaches have pretty shells too. So they might have those." When she gets to the rocks she starts climbing and looking into the pools.

"I have a friend in my world who makes jewelry from seashells actually. She comes the beach all day for pretty ones. Then she cleans that night and makes different jewelry pieces. I think she should sell them for more. But she doesn't. And only her girlfriend gets free pieces."

"Who's Ellington?"

She's so fearless, but he might just be projecting what he wants to see. At any rate, she's off to the rocks and as far as he's concerned, he doesn't care if these clothes get wet. They're just clothes; they'll dry. The only thing he owns that he never wants to lose or see damaged is his saxophone. It's a classic, and he's had it for years. He even paid a whole lot of money he didn't have to bring it from Mars to Callisto once it was safe to do so. Yeah, he could pick up and play any sax but it wouldn't be his sax.

It's such a part of him.

Following her up onto the rocks brings back so many memories: he had a happy childhood aside from the usual bumps and bruises along the way, and treks to the beach from the original Mars Colony where he lived didn't take so very long. The general consensus about the place is that it was a great place to live if you had enough money, but he never thought about that part until he moved away. It was just home.

But there are definitely no bright blue crabs in bright blue shells in these tide pools. He crouches over one like a little kid, running his finger through the standing water and watching the sand whirl back around to the bottom.

"Ellington is a really big tentacle creature that lived in the apartment for a little while. He's blue and he sings to you when he's happy. When he was small he could sit on your head. Then you just had to make sure he didn't inspect your ears. He really likes those."

Her hands slip into the water and pick up something that she lets slide back down. That is just a rock. Not a special one either.

"Did you find other musicians to play with for pretty girls?" She smiles up at him before looking through the water again. It's really nice to have company like this. Getting to do things with friends has always been something she loves. And she gets to do that more here. And make plenty of new friends.

"And are they good looking like you? Because it's easier if they are remember."

"Flatterer." He flicks a little bit of water her way but she makes him smile and that's not a bad thing at all. "I found lots of other musicians to play with. More pianists than anything else. One who plays a drum; she sounded like a little, little girl. A guitarist who doubles on bass. But you know how they say one thing leads to another? It's the same thing with musicians: we tend to find each other."

Just some free-form jamming on the side would be nice.

"Some of them said they might stop in down at the club. You know I love playing jazz, but that's never stopped me from playing everything else out there under the sun."

A little minnow flashes by; he watches it go. "I'm still too new there to feel comfortable inviting any of them to sit in on my set without checking with the boss first, but maybe that will happen. And... where does Ellington live?"

He'd like to leave his ears unmolested if at all possible.

Her face wrinkles when the water hits it but she shakes it off soon after. At least he's found plenty of people. Maybe she'd ask to sit in and listen to some of the sessions. With fewer cases here she has more time on her hands. That's something she's really not used to but it's not so bad. So long as Tony isn't telling her how badly she needs to get laid.

Flicking water back at him, she smiles. "The lake. That's where Blue took him. Caspian came across him yesterday. Apparently Ellington scared his horse."

Talk of Ellington reminds her about Tosh though. A subject change is needed. "Did you ever have a pet, Gren?"

"Yeah." Crossing his legs, he nods down at the tide pool. "Lots of them. I brought home every stray cat and dog I ever found. We kept most of them, too." The memory makes him smile a little bit wistfully. "You wouldn't have any way of knowing this, so I'll tell you. A lot of the colonies on Mars are cities and that's what people think of, but I grew up in the original Mars settlement. It's called Mars Colony: imaginative, right? And that was a lot more low-key than the later ones. More houses than apartments. So I grew up in a pretty big rambling house. It was just me and my mom -- she adopted me when I was an infant -- and she's an artist, so it was always open house. The place was always full of other artists and writers and musicians, and there was a really nice courtyard for the animals. So she never really minded if I brought home one more."

The sun glints off the water, and it looks so pretty. "I had this huge long-haired white cat named Snowball who slept on my pillow next to my head every night for years. He was great. I found him in a back alley on my way home from school one day. He followed me home and just stayed. He was still there when I left Mars."

"Maybe you should get a pet here." She plays with the water as she thinks about it. "There is a pet store here you know. Jack showed it to me. And there seem to be a lot of stray animals around too."

She wants a pet too of course but isn't sure if her roommates would like that. Maybe a small one though. And she could take care of it. It wouldn't be the first pet she's cared for. Nope, she took care of that dog that McGee shot. That didn't happen that long ago too.

"It would be fun to have a pet here. Lots of other people seem to have them. It's like even the people who don't like talking to anyone have pets. For the companionship. Even if it's just a fish." Giving him a smile she brings up a small crab.

"It's not blue but it's a crab."

People have often remarked to him that his hands are graceful or that his fingers are long and delicate. He doesn't ever consider it much; he's just the musician and his hands are every bit as important a part of his saxophone as the reed or mouthpiece. Playing without them would be impossible. But as he holds his hand to her, palm outstretched, he does notice.

And he's pale. Years in the cold on Callisto saw to that, and he supposes now that he's dead (but not quite gone) that's not going to change. The little crab tickles his palm as it scurries across it.

"Fish were suggested, but in the end, I opted for plants. They don't mute the clock completely, but they keep it to a dull background roar instead of something I have to think about all the time. I could just get a roommate too, but I don't think that's a very good idea."

And there are so many reasons for that; he won't be going into any of them now. Handing the little crab back to Abby, he rubs the tickling sensation out of his palm. "I don't know. I don't really want a pet right now."

It's not because he doesn't love animals and it's not because he doesn't know how to take care of them. But when he stops to think about this place objectively, he can't see a way where it would make sense. "I guess not knowing how long I'm going to be here colors that decision a lot."

On Callisto, he knew he had to stay for three years... without getting caught. And that three years was almost up. If he'd survived, he could have gone back to Mars a free man.

And then there would have been time for pets.

"Do you have other things going on you need to get back for?" If it's his choice, he'll sit here on these rocks until the tide ether comes in or the sky grows too black to see: Luke was right about the beach being a place he ought to visit. He'll have to thank him for the advice.

She shakes her head and lets the crab go. Then she stands there for a moment. Just thinking. Nothing else. And when she breaks the silence she's studying him closely. But this is a question that is spinning around in her head. It really doesn't make sense to her...

"Gren? Why is a roommate a bad idea?" A pause before she continues. "You're so nice and living here alone isn't very comforting. In fact, I think it would be really uncomfortable."

She tilts her head to the side with a small smile. "So, why can't you have one?"

Well, he did leave himself open to that question. Shielding his eyes from the sun, he looks up at her. "I could. I'd just rather not. I've lived alone for a long time, and I prefer it that way."

The curse from the night he first met Abby comes back to haunt him; instinctively, he draws his knees up and folds his arms across them. Don't. Touch. Me. His hair forms a nice black curtain around his shoulders and for a moment, he feels very... enclosed.

And he doesn't like that; he did his prison time. But when he stands to join her, there's a smile on his face. "You want to walk back to the shore with me? I think there's more beach to explore."

Worry spreads across her face as she watches him. She wants to hug him and let him know that it's alright. But then he stands with a smile. It doesn't erase the worry though she smiles back and takes his hand leading him back towards the beach. She doesn't know what's wrong but she's always been one to want her friends to smile.

"Let's go this way. There might be something to see over here." Giving him a smile over her shoulder, she continues to lead him.

The last time he held someone's hand, he was leading Faye away from a fight, probably against her will. He just didn't want her to get hurt. But that was on Callisto: that was his town, his turf, his streets, his thugs. Here, he can't lay a claim to any of it. Only to the few people he knew from before: Faye, Julia. Vicious. And though it leaves him less than comfortable, he lets Abby lead him by the hand.

Some kinds of touch are okay, right? They used to be. It's just that he really doesn't remember what that was like.

Breathe, breathe, breathe: it'll be okay.

"So. Where are you taking me?"

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