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]

[ 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.

[puppydoctor]

[He comes back with two more drinks, and slides into his seat looking a bit like someone who's just quit their practical job and decided to live life on the fly. He's smiling, but reaching for assurance.]

So - tell me about the rest of your family. You said they helped you raised Kira?

[coppelganger]

[ She's also eager to get things back on track, even if that means kinda sorta lying by omission about the whole... clone... thing. ]

Oh, yeah, yeah. It's just my foster mother and my foster brother and me. And Kira, of course.

[puppydoctor]

[He has a moment of pause at hearing "foster" - he's thinking of Karev, and how devastating his childhood was to him. He hopes to the high heavens that Sarah hasn't gone through anything he heard about from his not-really-friend, but that's not something you ask about on a date. Not at all. It's all positivity from here on out.]

Oh man, I hope your brother was cooler than mine were. So many wet willies.

[coppelganger]

He's pretty cool, yeah. This is gonna sound stupid, but he's my best friend.

[ Lowering her voice conspiratorially. ]

Besides, I'm the older sister. I could take him anytime.

[puppydoctor]

Hey, that's not stupid at all. Mine were a lot older, so they were pretty much born to tease me. But it's really cool that you and him are close.

[He believes it, too. Hell, she could take him.]

[coppelganger]

You'd like him.

[ Actually she's pretty sure that Felix would take immense pleasure in trying to freak George out as much as humanly possible, but shhh. ]

He's an artist, lives in a complete shithole of a loft over on Queen Street, all of that.

[puppydoctor]

If he's anything like you, I know I would.

[That came from nowhere.]

Oh man, I bet I could beat him in shithole apartments, though. My roommate and I actually called ours the Crapartment. She stole furniture from the hospital for us.

[coppelganger]

[ She smiles at that. Such a flatterer, George. ]

Yeah? Like those waiting room chairs?

[ That's totally what she's picturing, anyway. ]

[puppydoctor]

Yeah, and worse. She tried to use a bedpan as a fruit basket.

[He gives a dramatic shudder.]

[coppelganger]

Okay, that's just disgusting.

[ She's laughing, though. ]

I thought surgeons were supposed to have money.

[puppydoctor]

Yeah, once they're attendings. We were making about $50K as residents, but it's downtown Seattle, and I was paying for the divorce, and she was out on her own for the first time...

[He shrugs, smiling fondly at being able to talk about Lexi. He's been feeling guilty about leaving her alone.]

It was good, though. And home's not about the place, it's about the people.

[coppelganger]

[ $50K a year still seems like a hell of a lot of money to her, but she nods like she gets what he means. ]

Yeah, I suppose you're right. How are you liking where you live right now?

[puppydoctor]

[He shrugs and taps at his drink, thinking about the old wood floors and white kitchen cabinets he really calls home.]

I don't know, it's a roof over my head. I've always lived with a lot of roommates, but it's not the same here. What about you?

[coppelganger]

It's not really my thing.

[ Which is her way of saying she hates it and wants to move out. ]

[puppydoctor]

Yeah? Are you going to go vigilante and live in a cave somewhere, then? Because I'd definitely visit.

[He isn't surprised, she doesn't seem like an assigned roommate kind of girl.]

[coppelganger]

I might, yeah. I ran into a guy a while back who said something about getting me a different job, but I dunno if I trust him.

[ She sips at her drink. ]

Would you really come visit me if I moved into a cave?

[puppydoctor]

Yeah, you'd better be careful there. Please don't wind up in a ditch.

[He says it jokingly, with the knowledge that she could handle herself, but there's still a bit of gravity there.]

And of course I would. I'd even bring, like, a cool torch.

[coppelganger]

Well, then, you'll be the first person I invite. To my... cave, or wherever.

[ She's getting kinda buzzed at this point. Whoops. ]

[puppydoctor]

[That's good, because usually George started feeling buzzed long before his date. Which is why he generally orders beer. But he's starting to feel a warmth in his stomach, and can't help but waggle his eyebrows at Sarah's comment.]

I would be honored to be invited to your cave.

[coppelganger]

[ She laughs, half "oh god a guy would say that" and half finding his eyebrow waggling legitimately cute. ]

Shit...