Many happy returns

[acclimatized]

WHO: John Watson and YOU!
WHERE: House #005
WHEN: 7th July, afternoon
WHAT: His work colleagues convinced John to throw a birthday party!
WARNINGS: Probably none

Today hadn't been his idea.

In many ways, John missed his old job in the emergency room. To name but a few benefits, he missed the urgency and the fact there weren't many opportunities to socialize with his colleagues down there. Being promoted to general practitioner robbed him of these benefits and threw him with individuals he had nothing in common with apart from a doctorate.

One of the girls in reception had ratted him out and John found himself reluctantly inviting his workmates over to celebrate his forty-second birthday. He would've been content to celebrate with a couple of drinks at the weekend with familiar company, some who would've received a text message about today asking for help.

There are refreshments available and a grill and a few kids running about and splashing in the pool in the backyard. Please don't leave him alone with the natives.

Comments

[boobwindow]

I'm surprised everyone still had time with the Soviet spies running around still.

[ But the shuttle is saved and she can leave the Soviets to other heroes until they start asking for help. ]

I didn't see you join the party.

[brokenteam]

You know me. I'm not the type for parties. [he's able to make small jokes now it's quite an improvement from how he just arrived]

They brought the shuttle down, didn't they?

[boobwindow]

Come on, you don't want to miss out on all the fun. John's a swell guy.

[ She nods. ]

That's what I've heard.

[brokenteam]

Good. [it's frustrating for him to not be able to do much in this incident. He's cybernetic but he can't help with the shuttle and he hasn't had any luck spy hunting]

And, well, I don't want to spoil the party. [he doesn't exactly do the smiling thing that often anymore]

[boobwindow]

Unless you're eating the cake before the birthday boy gets to it, I doubt it.

[ She can't help a light frown. ]

It's no good to stay cooped up somewhere, you know.

[brokenteam]

[he hesitates, noting the concern in her voice. While he doesn't want to brag about his job, he figures telling her about it will make her less worried for him]

I... found a job with this woman. She does parties for kids and she thought having a hero around will cheer them up.

[boobwindow]

[ It does help to ease off some of the concern. Being around parties and kids can a tremendous help for someone as cagey as Mike. ]

Kid parties, huh? Well, that's great to hear. ImPort business or local?

[brokenteam]

[it helps a lot in fact]

She's local. [is that a hint of a smile on his face? It just might be] Does a lot of charity work.

[boobwindow]

I'm really glad to hear it, Mike. You gotta get out. Soak up some sun once in a while.

[ She holds out a stack of paper plates for him. ]

And lend a hand, will ya?

[ She grins. ]

[brokenteam]

I'm anti-social. Not a hermit. [it's a mild protest as he takes the paper plates so he can discard them once he finds a suitable trash bag. He spends his off time hanging around rooftops and patrolling the streets. He totally keeps busy]

[boobwindow]

Is there a difference again? They're both recluses.

[ She laughs softly and gathers another stack of dirty paper plates in her arms, marching over to dump them into the trash bag. She flinches at the smell coming from it. ]

Definitely need a new bag.

[brokenteam]

I actually go out.

[he adds the paper plates he's collected to the pile and turns to the cupboards to find a new bag to hold out to her]

Here.

[boobwindow]

[ She carefully dumps the plates into the bag, dusting off her hands, but not yet going to the sink as there's crumbs and some condiments staining the counter for her to wipe up. ]

You doing alright otherwise, Mike?

[brokenteam]

I'm fine. The place makes me feel surprisingly normal.

[He leaves the open bag next to the one that's full so he can get to work on tying that one off. It's odd to be performing simple chores like this again, especially with the enhancements constantly reminding him of their presence]

[boobwindow]

[ Grabbing a clean rag, she runs warm water over it, squeezing out the excess before she begins to wipe away the stains from the counter. She has to run the rag back and forth over some portions where it's stickier or dried up, grunting quietly. ]

That's a good thing, isn't it?

[brokenteam]

It's not a bad thing.

[it's close enough to a very grudging yes coming from him.]

Did you know it was his birthday?

[it's an attempt at moving the subject away from himself]

[boobwindow]

[ Karen shakes her head, lifting the rag to examine the spot on the counter she's furiously rubbing at. ]

I didn't, but I'm not going to get on his case for this. John wasn't here when we arrived. He was back home... he has a wife. I feel sorry he got dragged back into this mess.

[ She runs more water onto the rag, hotter this time, then squeezes the excess out once again. ]

He deserves this day.

[brokenteam]

[Mike certainly isn't going to argue about John deserving a celebration but her words made him curious]

What do you mean dragged back? Was he here before?

[boobwindow]

Back in the City. Has anyone told you about that world yet?

[ It's not exactly a story she likes to tell anymore because of how troubling it is. ]

[brokenteam]

No, they haven't.

[he stops what he's doing to look at her properly, curious]

[boobwindow]

I wasn't there long, [ she prefaces. ] ImPorts had been ported into that world around five years ago.

But that world is... [ She winds up deflating. ] It's gone. I don't really get it myself.

[brokenteam]

What do you mean 'gone'? [nothing good most likely but it's best to get it clarified before his imagination fills it in for him]

[boobwindow]

It was destroyed by a Greek deity. Entity. I don't know what she was supposed to be.

[ She rubs the back of her neck. ]

Or most of it was. It's hard to know when we have no way of getting back.

[brokenteam]

And when that world was 'gone', you were brought here instead?

[talk about bad luck]

[boobwindow]

[ Karen nods solemnly. ]

Lachesis brought us here. The Porter from that world.