noteasytobepink | Well it's been a while...

Entry tags:

starter,
wheelsy

Well it's been a while...

Who: Clarice, Bill, a space station?
When: Bill and Clarice's first paired mission after healing from the Wheelsy event.
What: Well, first mission, and the Timebroker has some ideas about getting Bill some powers to survive this whacky new job title.

As much as she hated to say it, downtime with the Timebroker had been a little easier than in Wheelsy, mainly he didn't panic when she did exercises, he just fussed and had higher protein things on hand. And it had been low impact enough exercises that she got Bill started on them.

Hell, they were both tenderized to a fare thee well and she was cracked besides, but he only gave a token protest in joining her. That was probably the shock, still, honestly. Not every day someone died but didn't die. Not in his reality anyway.

And gods she was so afraid for him. It was stupid, and wouldn't help anything, but she knew he felt it when she shook in her sleep and groped after him just make sure he was there and alive and...

...that probably didn't help no. This was going to be kind of an extreme test of 'once a hero always a hero' and she had faith he wouldn't die on her. She had to. She'd spent years loving him and adjusting to the idea that no, he wouldn't abandon her, and right now dying would be abandonment, but gods she didn't want him hurt.

It didn't help her insides still felt kind of crispy from dealing with grant. Pushing her teleporting to the sheer evac numbers she had, then showing up to help with that final showdown and a pinpoint portal as close to the damn sun as she could manage?

Yeah, she'd be a while recovering her teleport ability properly. She knew that from past experience, but hey adrenaline fueled panic about those bone edged tentacles going at Bill had been plenty motivating to break distance records? Timebroker had calmy smacked the back of her head for that one. Then, sniffing in an attempt at not seeming proud, wrote the distance on a chalkboard she'd probably see again in the future.

And Bill got homework. And classwork. And pretty much a lot of condensed super powered information presented in comic book format for 'ease of reading and to get visuals of usual appearances'. And he'd smacked her with a ruler when she looked like she'd be distracting Bill during 'class' time, tyrant.

Granted, the Timebroker seemed very focused on getting Bill as prepared as he could. She didn't blame the man but sometimes a girl had to pretend she was allowed to distract her reality displaced boyfriend. And to try not to wince when he held up a book with, "this is your dad? He's got feet on you! Feet on me, that's your dad..."

Yeeeeah. That was about what she expected on first sight of Mr. Creed. "He's usually more restrained than he looks?" she offered from where she'd been exiled to the kitchen, because obviously school meant he was entitled to school lunch and the Timebroker figured it would keep her busy! That, crafting a new battle dress (because again keeping busy and not just having one appear), replenishing her spikes...

...how did any girl really survive waiting on their boyfriend to get out of class? She had no idea!

Never mind the first 'worried' conversation after she'd tumbled Bill in their little corner of bedroom. Sure, vaguely parental types were suppose to embarrass family members but the 'we're going to talk about the reality of having children in situations like these..." had certainly been...

...ah.

Flaily.

Apparently Bill was getting a Talus sleeve like hers, without the mission lens, but so they couldn't be separated, and if her implant ever did hiccup or the like, well, the child would be an impossibility also tagged by their Talus that sent the kids to Between when they were in danger. So, up sides and the extreme downside of talking about kids while in bed with Bill and a worried Timebroker.

Yes.

Screw it, so be it. "If and when we ever decide," provided Bill wanted to stay with her still after a couple missions, well, "then we talk about this again," she muttered to his chest, ears certainly flushing deep pink. She'd rather have been caught on the kitchen floor by Bill's mom all told!

Speaking of, several weeks into 'healing and learning' though time was hard to tell in the sands, well, the Timebroker gave Bill a different comic. One that came via envelope from far away, favors no doubt...

...and told the story of Wheelsy surviving a second attack because an alien enemy of Grant had come in to sit and wait and save people while Bill faced off against the Terror again, and there was an empty coffin buried and plaque placed over it, but final panels were of a little girl talking to Bill's mom about the Princess going away and taking Bill away because she loved him and that was why it was okay to be a little sad but not a lot.

Well then.

She didn't even know how to talk to him after that for a little bit; he needed time to chew on that, and a little fishing pond had appeared with a pier had appeared off to the side for that purpose. And Timebroker had patted her hand and sighed softly, "it's nice when some worlds can handle a bit of truth," he admitted quietly. Most things the teams left behind didn't have such a nice bit of realization.

"She did seem a little...I mean, she was worried when I popped into her bedroom but it was almost like she knew when I teleported her," Clarice agreed softly.

"Well my dear...you are very pink. I'm surprised fewer people poked at that fact."

"It was respect to Bill mainly," she admitted, eyes tracing out to her boyfriend's back. "And probably people being afraid to poke me because I'm cheerful and bite."

"...that is rude," Timebroker chided gently.

"True, I'll drop the cheerful!" Yes, she deserved that swat! But hey, it got her moving out to just rest against Bill's back on the small dock yes. Still dating, still figuring out how they fit together with all the new info. That was...helping a lot more than she thought it would against the fear.

Her fear.

She still expected Bill to just tell her that nope, this wasn't for him deep in the hard to swallow darker parts of her mind, but living meant ignoring those parts right?

Right.

And finally, finally they were both deemed 'fit', that or stir crazy enough that Timebroker couldn't tell if it was humans being weird or if he needed to figure out more medical equipment, but there was a mission. A 'simple' one by his words, which of course made her narrow her eyes at the man.

Simple was worrisome.

"By which I mean can be handled by a two man team and a good introduction for Bill dear," Timebroker noted easily. Granted, Bill's sidearm had been upgraded more than a bit by some esoteric means of the Timebroker's, but "I still recommend that if you stumble on armor that he can work with you take it."

Yeah, he was certainly not making her worry at all! Nope!

"Ready babe?" she asked softly, wrapping her hand in Bill's.

"Of course he is!" Timebroker smiled and waved as they started fuzzing out. With luck, well, this would work out as intended?

Clarice sighed and glanced around after sliding, taking in the still, deathly quiet of where they landed and the dim, low energy lighting that slowly brightened as the room realized people were there. "Oh..." oh. "Welcome to space?" she offered softly as she looked out the observation window.

"Mission...make this world has a Fantastic Four, the wave is going to be harsher than it should be, without care they'll die instead." Well then. Still...it was always amazing to look down at a world.

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Bill was doing fine. Or rather, he was telling himself and the other two he was doing fine. Some days he was one comic book away from losing his mind.

Everything was just so damn overwhelming. Pulled out of his world, living in the sands of time, preparing to face whatever the hell was out there.

There was one being that ate planets. Another who could wipe out half of existence by snapping his fingers. What the hell was he, small town born and raised supposed to do against that?

The only thing that made it even partway bearable was Clarice. He couldn't have anything else, but he did have her and that he was grateful for.

Still, if the Timebroker wasn't in charge of everything in this place including food and drink Bill probably would've drunk himself blind awhile ago.

By the time their first mission came Bill was going stir crazy in the weird place the Timebroker lived, but he still didn't feel ready to face what was out there. He wouldn't leave Clarice though, and he had to know if he could hack this thing or not so, he went.

The sliding wasn't great, but Bill shook the effects after a short spell. Seeing where they were at and what they were looking down on took Bill's breath away more than anything.

He stared, Adam's apple bobbing before finally managing to say, "Wow."

She knew he wasn't fine, how could he be? It wasn't the same, brittle edge of 'note fine' she'd noticed with the whole Starla thing but it wasn't okay by a long shot. She hated seeing him so...displaced. She loved his confidence, honestly, even if he preferred to play it off back in Wheelsy he'd just been...sure of himself.

And she really hoped that hadn't broken. God how she hoped.

She slipped her arm in his, leaning against him as they looked out down on the earth, "we've a few days up here before they arrive." Days, finally, with just the two of them so they could rest and talk and...

...whatever.

Most days she cared for the Timebroker, but even she had been starting to get a bit aggravated yes.

Bill stood there and stared, letting her lean and using her closeness to ground himself.

The earth looked so... big. And everything beyond it, the stars and black, it looked even bigger. Bill couldn't help feeling small, staring out a window, suspended in space above it.

"Was kind of lookin' forward to experiencin' actual days an' time again," he noted. Out in the sands there really wasn't night and day, and time was loose and senseless trying to track.

Oh well though, at least there was an earth down there.

"We up here alone?"

"...most stations I've been on still have some day night cycles?" she offered ruefully. For sanity and such, "though this one is on low power mode I think." So maybe not. Who could tell really?

"Currently. Lets us familiarize ourselves with gear, layout, etc?"

"Not really the same thing," Bill noted, letting his attention drift from the window to look around the station they were standing in.

"Yeah, let's check it out. Folks aren't gonna notice we're up here?"

"I know," she admitted quietly. "Sometimes the cheerful upside thing doesn't really work, sorry." Yeah, her default wasn't always useful.

"Fifty-fifty chance. This is long enough ago that space isn't normal or cheap, likely long range alerts are only on the main access hatch?"

Bill squeezed her hand, and then stepped away, moving forward to start inspecting the station.

"Here's hopin' no one kicks up a fuss." That would make the mission harder, for sure.

"Well, considering the issue talking to someone on the radio might actually help. Still need the four here, but if they bring extra shielding that'd be nice..." she mused, watching the view a touch longer before following him.

"So you want to call them? What if they decide to scrap the mission? Or send someone else?" Bill asked, walking along, looking things over.

"...yeah, not calling them, but if a radio goes on to yell at us we'll answer?" she decided after a moment. "Sometimes the 'hi we're world sliders repairing realities' thing can actually go over well?"

"Alright, I reckon that's a good way to handle it," Bill said, nodding. If someone called they'd pick up, otherwise they'd go along like they were alone and unknown.

"Gives us some time to figure stuff out anyway," she chuckled. "Like suits and walking outside and stuff!"

"Outside?" Bill's head turned towards the nearest porthole and he tried not to gulp. "What do you plan on us doin' out there?"

She blinked at him, fingers tracing up his arm gently? "There's always one outside, usually the Thing. We may have to get him back in..." she admitted. "I'll figure out instructions alone if you prefer?" She'd never done this before either but she knew stories!

"Right, Grimm," Bill nodded. See, he'd studied!

Shaking his head Bill said, "No, I'm wherever you need me."

He had to be, to prove that he could handle this.

"We'll study together then, go out together," she smiled, trying for encouraging? "Means we both get the space walk thing and e can pop back inside if we can't handle it!"

"Alright then," Bill agreed. "Never really imagined myself as an astronaut."

"Of anyone in town..." she smirked, "who would you suggest instead?" He was the most qualified in her book!

By...more than a lot!

"Oh there's more adventurous folk than me," Bill replied. "Me, I only ever wanted to'be a cop."

"...this is being a cop Bill. Cop of a much wider place but...police ensure things are going right and okay, right?" she admitted softly.

"I'm not sayin' I can't do this," Bill said quickly, not sure if that's how it had sounded.

"I just meant, never thought I'd be a space cop."

"Plenty of room on your chest for more badges," she teased. "You're...a lot of things I'd prefer in any circumstance."

"Maybe I'll ask Timebroker for the 'space cop' one when we get back," Bill said with a smile.

"...you say that and you know he will," she laughed. "He has a very odd sense of humor!" Fair warning?

"What, I'm serious, I'd like a space cop badge," Bill replied, trying to hold a grin in check but not really succeeding.

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