I'd Like to be Part of the World Around You [Closed]

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WHO: Chloe Price, the Doctor, and Max Caulfield
WHERE: A burger joint in Heropa
WHEN: Evening, September 10
WHAT: Max introduces Chloe to her Space Grandad.
WARNINGS: None!

It had taken Max some time to get herself together enough to finally get Chloe and the Doctor in the same place. In between summer vacay (most of which she'd spent with Chloe), registering for college, and getting settled into a new routine at her job, she felt like she'd barely had enough time to sleep. Which she did, but she wasn't about to pull a Cindy Moon and do all-nighters; she'd go crazy on her second day alone. (Really, she didn't know how Cindy managed.)

But here she was, at last, wearing her favorite pair of light blue jeans and a sea-green t-shirt with a white seashell in the middle, fiddling with her mp3 player as she waited for the others to arrive. She just hoped that Chloe and the Doctor would get along well. There was no reason she could think of, naturally, but the Doctor could get overprotective and Chloe... well, she was Chloe, all fireworks and smart remarks.

Who was she kidding? They'd probably get along fabulously.

Comments

[helpline]

The Doctor's going to be the one who sticks out like a sore thumb. Not only because he's six-foot-tall and looks to be in his fifties, but also because he's wearing a dark red crushed velvet suitjacket and is grinning up a storm. He likes Max! And, with his brief conversation, he likes Chloe. So, might as well hang out with both of them. It'll make Max happy and he'll get to know more about Chloe! What could go wrong?

Spotting Max, the Doctor gives her a wide wave. "Hullo Max! Am I late? I don't know if I'm late, I get a bit odd about time some times."

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"Doctor!" Max greeted, trotting over to give him a hug. It was so good to see him again. "No, you're not late. Chloe hasn't arrived just yet." Taking him by the hand, Max led him over to their booth. "How have you been, besides taking over the watch shop?"

Honestly, she couldn't imagine him doing anything terribly normal for long.

[helladoomed]

Chloe had actually arrived a couple minutes previously, but she'd been outside finishing off a cigarette, and came strolling in a minute or so after the doctor. She hadn't met him in person, but she'd seen him on the network, so seeing him standing near a table told her where to go.

"Yo," she said as she came up behind them, offering a half-wave. So helpful Chloe.

[helpline]

"It's...interesting. I thought I'd like running a shop cause I'd get to be the boss but there's so much paperwork." And, based on the Doctor's tone of voice, he's not a fan of paperwork. But then again, is anyone REALLY a fan of paperwork?

Thankfully, then Chloe enters. "Yo yourself," the Doctor responds, with a little nod towards Chloe. He can't help it: he gives her the dad-style look over before turning towards Max and giving her a bigger nod. You picked well, tiny Max. Chloe already seems like good people.

"So you two know each other from back home, right?"

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Max laughed at that. She couldn't really imagine the Doctor being organized - or liking it. But then Chloe entered, and Max got up to give her a hug, taking her by the hand in order to lead her to their booth. "Hey, you," she greeted fondly, nodding at the Doctor's question.

"We've known each other since we were kids. I moved to Washington for awhile, though."

[helladoomed]

Chloe returned Max's hug with a grin and a smooch on the cheek, sliding into the booth after her. "Yeah we've been bff's for basically ever." Except for that chunk in the middle where Chloe's life went to hell and Max abandoned her.

Er. No sense dwelling right?

"Reconnected just before we wound up here though."

[helpline]

"Reconnected bffs are the best bffs," the Doctor chimes in, with a little grin, as he slides into the seat opposite the two of them, not entirely connecting the dots between cheek kisses and sitting next to each other. Just gals being pals and really he's going to kick himself later for this, he's entirely too unobservant at certain points.

"Because if you're reconnected, that means you tried your hardest to keep the friendship going no matter what."

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Max leaned against Chloe contentedly. "Well, we're more than friends, now." May as well make the most of the time they've got, right? Max knew either one of them could be ported out at any time, and that just made all of this important. "Besides, she's half the reason why I've been AWOL all summer."

That, and panicking over school. Hey, nobody's perfect, right?

[helladoomed]

Chloe just snickered at that, shrugging as she slouched in the seat, resting her shoulder against the wall with Max against her other side. Was the Doctor really that oblivious or was he just being nice about it? Or not nice about it? He didn't strike her as the sort to care but...still. Not on the defensive yet, and Max cleared the air right away.

"Plus, how often can people say they hooked up in two dimensions, right?"

[helpline]

Well, yep, yeah he's kicking himself a bit now, thanks for spelling that out Chloe. They're not gal pals, they're galpals. Thanks for the clarification!

"Don't hook up in a time machine, I've got a PSA prepared already about the dangers of hooking up in time machines."

And especially the dangers of making babies in time machines. Which, obviously, he doesn't have to worry about with these two but the point stands.

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Doctor, you're missing the part where Max already is a time machine. "I think it's a little too late for that," said Max with a laugh and no small hint of a blush. Blame the innuendo on Chloe. (Or the Iron Bull.)

"Besides," she continued, "what's the worst that could happen?"

[helladoomed]

Chloe was honestly a little started by Max saying that instead of her, and she couldn't hide her wide eyes and chortled laugh. Didn't really try to either.

"Okay yeah, I kinda want to hear this too. Can't say I've sat through a time travel PSA before."

[helpline]

"Well, the long and short of it is something you two don't need to worry about. Don't make babies in a time machine, by the way. They come out...unique."

But in a good way--at least, in the case he knows of. Still, the Doctor's not entirely sure what differently could have happened with regards to River.

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"I'm not up for kids," Max responded. "At least, not yet." Maybe one day, but she was hardly old enough for that, and she'd never do it here.

And oh, look! The waiter was here! Time to stare at the menu and try (and fail) to not turn completely red. Oh, well. At least she knew what she wanted.

[helladoomed]

"...No babies. uh. Check." Yeah, at least he was right on the not worrying about it thing. Although that 'not yet' from Max made her shift a bit in her seat. The future was something she tried not to think about, not when it came to Max, since there was a very good chance Chloe wouldn't be a part of it.

She skimmed her own menu, then ordered chicken fingers because why not.

"So somebody have kids in your time machine then?" She asked once the waitress was gone. She could infer things!

[helpline]

The Doctor ordered a burger and fries because there's nothing wrong with burgers (and also because really, it's been ages since he's had a burger.) But as for Chloe's question...he can't help but frown a little bit, before sighing and continuing.

"The long answer's entirely too long and entirely too convoluted and I don't want to spend the whole day talking about time nonsense. The short answer's yes."

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Honestly, Max had been so caught off-guard by the "time machine babies" thing that she hadn't stopped to think about Chloe's reaction. Feeling a little guilty, she shifted closer to Chloe, taking her hand and giving it a small squeeze.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, Doctor." Sure, she was curious, but she'd learned that there was a difference between being unobtrusive and being nosy. It wasn't really a line she wanted to cross with the Doctor.

[helladoomed]

By the time Max squeezed Chloe's hand, the older girl was 'over' it. Much like she was over so many other things about home. By doing her best to push them aside and just never think about them. So very healthy.

And trust the other girl to give the Doctor an out. "Of course if you do want to talk about it, you'll get no complaints." She said with a lopsided grin.

[helpline]

"Nah," the Doctor responded with a grin. "You never know, she might show up here. And if she does, I want to save the good blackmail material until then."

He's such a good friend....

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"That's terrible!" Max chided, unable to help but laugh. Good thing she was a photographer, and thus much more likely to have blackmail material. "Maybe I should watch my back, then."

That means behave, you two, she definitely got adorable (but embarrassing) photos and was not afraid to use them.

[helladoomed]

"Watching your back would mean you weren't constantly a goodie-two-shoes, Supermax." Chloe teased.

And then back to the Doctor. "So you can go...whenever you want, huh?"

[helpline]

"I used to do that. My time machine's in another universe."

Not that he's bitter or anything....no, he's frowning, he's scowling, he's put out and VERY bitter.

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"I'm not always a goodie two-shoes!" Max protested. "I've done lots of bad stuff." Like not keeping in touch with Chloe for those five years she spent in Seattle, or snooping around in Crane's business.

"Don't worry, Doctor. I'm sure she'll come back for you."

[helladoomed]

"Uh huh." Bad was a relative thing, Max, and Chloe just didn't believe it. Sorry. "You're completely awful Max. Just awful." So deadpanned. So disbelieving.

"So what would you do if it showed up, Doc?" And back to the Doctor. She can't help but curious, time travel is an interest!

[helpline]

"Assuming I couldn't pop everybody back to their proper universe where they belong, I'd take turns grabbing people I like, which includes the two of you by the way, and taking you somewhere fun."

The Doctor can't help but grin, lost in the ideas of what he's going to do and who he's going to take where.

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"It's true!" Max protested. She hadn't kept in touch with Chloe, and had gotten Victoria killed by Jefferson, and a thousand other things. Turning her mind away from such thoughts, Max looked at the Doctor and smiled.

"Like where?" Or when?

DINNER

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Max happily munched on her burger. It had been way too long since she'd been to this place, and she'd missed it. Besides, she rather liked this tradition she had with the Doctor, and now Chloe was joining in on it, too.

"How is everything?"

AFTER DINNER

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Satisfyingly full, Max paid the tab and dusted herself off, taking up her guitar case. She'd brought it just in case, and even if she was still working at it, she was actually getting pretty good at the bass guitar; she just missed her acoustic. Oh, well; maybe she could get one when she was able to afford it.

"So," she wondered aloud, looking at her two companions, "where to next?"