what the hell am i doing here, what do i deserve?

[coppelganger]

WHO: Sarah Manning and George O'Malley
WHERE: Nonah, #007 > Some bar
WHEN: Backdated to September 7
WHAT: A ~DATE~
WARNINGS: Language, probably. Thanks, Sarah.



[ Sarah has never really done dates. Not the kind where the guy picks you up at the door at a prearranged time, anyway. Her romantic life has always been less… structured. Yeah, that's a good word for it. God, what a joke. Even with Cal, arguably the most sane relationship she's had in a long time, things have been so hectic and filled with clone drama that they hadn't had a chance to do much of anything together before she got Ported in. And now this seemingly normal guy. He's a nurse, for god's sake. Well, surgeon-turned-nurse, anyway.

She's not sure which bar they're going to, but she has a feeling punk rock's not George's style, so she dresses a bit nicer than she might be otherwise. Better to save the real punk stuff for later. Assuming there is a later. She can't help but be nervous as she answers the door—for a lot of reasons—but she manages to hide it well. Acting's always been her thing, after all. ]

Hey, man.

Comments

[coppelganger]

I see.

[ She runs her index finger along the surface of the table, looking at him. ]

So what's this about getting married in Vegas?

[puppydoctor]

[He rubs the back of his neck and wrinkles his nose, unsure which version makes him sound the least like a freak.]

My, uh. I lost my dad. And somehow me and my girlfriend thought that running off to Vegas sounded like a really smart way to make things better. I mean, it was her idea, but I was like "Yeah, that sounds really smart!" So we got hitched in the Church of Elvis.

[He does a higher-pitched, self-deprecating imitation of himself.]

It took me two days to realize that I was really, really stupid.

... And now I'm realizing that this is probably not something I should be telling you.

[coppelganger]

Hey, don't worry about it. Shit, I could tell you some stories...

[ She shrugs, looking (and feeling) a bit awkward now, more because of the mention of George's dad than his ex. ]

I'm sorry about your dad.

[puppydoctor]

Yeah? What's the worst date you've been on, then?

[He smiles down into his drink.]

And thanks. It's, um. Thanks.

[coppelganger]

Worst date I've been on... Probably the time the guy got arrested halfway through.

[ She says it in a kind of nostalgic "kids, right?" way, though, more making fun of the whole thing than actually upset about it. ]

Wasted youth, yeah?

[puppydoctor]

Hey, I spent mine pretty well. Mathlete, officer in the D&D club...

[He gives her a joking smile.]

I was a stud.

[coppelganger]

[ Man, sounds like he'd get along really well with Cosima! ... But she really has no idea how to reference Cosima—"my sister" or "a friend"?—so she doesn't bring it up. Instead she just gives him a super serious look. ]

That is... incredibly sexy.

[puppydoctor]

[George winks and pretends to slick back his hair.]

Yeah, I get that a lot. Practically have to fend the girls off when I pull out my calculator.

[coppelganger]

Oh, yeah, I bet. Math skills are in high demand. It's got nothing to do with the fact that you're cute.

[puppydoctor]

[He's definitely not turning pink in the ears at all.]

Are you objectifying me, Sarah? I have it on good authority that I have plenty of good qualities, other than my ass.

[coppelganger]

Do you now?

[ Yeah, she sees his ears going pink and grins. ]

[puppydoctor]

[He grins back, trying to ignore his blushing ears and stupid nerves. Because Sarah is super hot and he thinks she might actually be hitting on him, not pitying him. He takes another large sip of his drink.]

Mm-hmm. I've got the whole charming awkwardness thing going for me. And I cook a great breakfast.

[coppelganger]

Oh yeah?

[ She leans back and taps at her glass with a finger, lightly. ]

Maybe I'll take you up on that, then.

[puppydoctor]

[He swallows his whiskey a little too hard and almost coughs, but he's cool, he's totally cool.]

I, um, I didn't mean to say-

[That's not to say he's complaining!]

Only if you want to.

[And then it's time for a SUBJECT CHANGE.]

So I don't think you told me, how long have you been here?

[coppelganger]

[ Oh. Okay. She didn't expect the sudden change of subject, but she shrugs and goes along with it, her body language and tone becoming more conversational. ]

About three months, I guess. Since June.

[puppydoctor]

Oh. Not much longer than me, then.

[Shit. He mentally kicks himself when he sees her shift in demeanor. He's disappointing her. But he was so afraid of pressuring her and making presumptions!!!]

I didn't think it could ever feel like any kind of life here. I just wanted to go right back out the door until lately, you know? Not that there's much back on the other side.

[coppelganger]

[ She doesn't really get what he means by that. It sounds like back home George has a pretty nice life going for him, excluding the divorce. Great job, good family. And people get divorced all the time. It doesn't mean there's nothing left for them, does it? ]

So what changed?

[puppydoctor]

[He shrugs, running his finger over the ring his glass has left on the table.]

I, uh, just. There was...

[Whats the best way to sugarcoat this part?]

This is kind of my only life now. That's why I put in for the residency. Figure I'll try to make it a good one.

[coppelganger]

What, like you can't go back?

[ She thinks she's starting to get it, but she really doesn't want it to be what she thinks it might be. ]

[puppydoctor]

Yeah. Kind of a one-way door.

[He looks down for a moment, and then looks back up at Sarah.]

So I don't want to mess anything up. Sorry if I'm a little jumpy.

[coppelganger]

[ She's just so sad for him. What do you even say to that? ]

... I'm sorry. I—

[ Just shut up, Sarah. God. She glances down at the table, going quiet. ]

[puppydoctor]

Hey.

[He reaches over and tentatively puts a hand on her arm.]

It's okay. I'm fine. I'm in a bar with a really hot girl, and that's better than most dead guys are doing. So let's just start over and have a good time.

[coppelganger]

[ She looks up when he touches her and forces a smile, though it's a bit shaky. She was just getting used to the concept of people being transported between universes when she learned about the additional concept of dead people being transported between universes—from Walter White freaking out on the network, as he usually seems to be, so not a great way to find anything out—and now learning that this guy she likes, a guy who's so young, died back home and can never go back there? It's just unfair. And it makes her feelings about the whole thing complicated, because while she'd love to hate this place, or the Porter, or whatever the hell is responsible for bringing them here... Isn't it a good thing that it brought George here, too?

Shite, this whole thing is just... too confusing and depressing. She finishes the rest of her drink in a single swallow. ]

Yeah. Alright.

[puppydoctor]

[He sticks out his hand, like he's offering a handshake.]

Hi. I'm George O'Malley, I'm from Seattle, and I'm about to go get another round to make up for coming out with my dark, twisty secret too soon. Be back in a sec.

[It weighs on his mind every hour of every day. He's dead, this is his life now, and he can't join in that collective effervescence that comes with being held captive somewhere. Because he doesn't feel like a captive. He doesn't like that the Port took him away from Izzie - he can never forgive it for that - but this is his chance at living now. And he needed her to know that about him. He's not here to be a hero fighting to get back to his own world. He's here to continue what he had to leave, and have the life his friends back home would have wanted for him.]

[coppelganger]

[ She hesitates for just a second before taking his hand, not because she doesn't want to but because this is almost exactly like a conversation she had with Cal just a few months ago, right before he figured out what was going on, right before he had to take Kira and leave the country. But that's not George's fault and she's not going to make him feel worse for trying to make her feel better, so she shakes his hand and gives him a real smile, this time. ]

Sarah. I'll be waiting, George.