12/18 Instance: The Prodigal Returns.

[littlebamf]

Timeline current

He'd done it. He made it to the front door.

Now all he needed to do was knock.

He hesitated, sighed, then knocked. What was the worst that could happen?

Turning out of the rec room, Lizzie hesitated as she heard the ominious knocking on the door and looked back at the clock. After midnight...Carefully putting her DVD down, she made her way to the door.

She could easily read who was out there if they were no real threat...No effort at - She blinked. Oh, now they were familiar. Yanking the door open she stared out in total shock.

...That. That was probably the worst that could happen. He tried for a charming smile.

"Hey Liz."

"Pete..." She blinked, her hand sliding off the door handle, and then flung her arms around him in a tight hug.

After a couple of minutes, she took a step away, brought her hand backwards then slapped him as hard as she could across his face. "Thanks for making me worry sick about you, you git!"

He relaxed into the hug, maybe things were going to turn out ok*SLAP*... Yeah, that was more what he was expecting.

"Er, sorry about that. Just thought I'd lay low awhile, just in case."

He looked past her into the apparently empty mansion. "No one else up and about?"

Shrugging, she motioned over her shoulder for him to come inside. "Not really...Yeah, lay low. You didn't have to you know, that business is all sealed and deader than a dog in the Thames..."

Closing her eyes as she shut the door, she wondered how on earth she would be able to fill him in on what'd been happening...

He looked at her with a bit of a smile. "Which is all well and good if it's only the crown that's after my head. In my time served I made a few ... international waves."

He noticed her look. "Something the matter?"

Well she might as well start with current affairs..."Some of us have gone missing again. It's so much like last year, but at the same time it isn't. Warren's one of them."

Taking him through to the kitchen, she pulled out a chair for him and started to make some tea for the both of them. "You hungry? And it doesn't suprise me you've been playing around. You should change your name to Bourne..."

He sat and nodded to the offer of tea. "Warren's missing, eh? I'm surprised you're still here, Liz."

He sighed. "Doesn't seem like this place catches many breaks."

Sighing, she tossed the teabags from hand to hand. "Well me running off in a right temper is not going to accomplish anything. We're not sure where to start, even, progress on finding them has been very slow. Remember Scott and Meggan? They're gone too. And three other people, you wouldn't have met them though."

He thought a moment. "Can't seem to see a common thread. Any guesses?"

He couldn't shake how familiar it felt to be here, though he had only stayed a short while the first time.

She shook her head, turning as the kettle boiled and fetched the teapot to the table. "Nothing really. Just feelings and guesses here and there."

Sitting down, she poured him some tea, then regarded him carefully. "So, what are you doing here?"

"That's... complicated." He took a sip of the tea, then looked up at her and sighed. "Alright, so it's not."

"I just want another chance, Liz. Get a real education, get out of the intelligence business."

He looked off to the side. "But with this disappearance business... I understand if you don't want me here. Hell, if I were you I wouldn't."

Fiddling with her cup, she looked at him. "Well...It's up to Xavier. But everyone should have a second chance. You did try and help us get out, that counts. And you came back here. That takes guts, you know? You did what you did as it was your job...But you don't want to do that job anymore, right?"

This was kind of odd, but it was kind of...Nice? To have him back. "I have sort of missed you. Because, in a weird way we were sort of friends. And I'd like that, to be friends."

"We have to put everything that belongs in the past in the past or we're just going to ruin the rest of forever, and what with everyone going missing, theres no time for that..."

"Look, let's be honest. Nothing I did for Black Air was okay, even if it was my job. I have no illusions about that."

He looked contemplative a moment. "Though, speaking of... is there anyone I should try and, y'know, avoid for a bit?"

"No, it wasn't okay. You have a hell of a lot of making up to do."

"And to be honest, most people will be a bit funny with you, if they know the history, but there's always me."

Lizzie swung back in her chair a little, fixing her blue eyes on him dangerously. "And if you dare put one foot wrong you'll have me to answer to first, understood?"

He met her eyes with his own steady gaze. "Understood."

Holding his gaze for a moment, she set her chair right. "So yes, I do think you're a bastard, basically. But even you can be redeemed and I'm a big girl now, so will try and put it all behind me."

"Redeemed? Seems a bit optimistic. I was just going for not fucking things up further."

"Although to be fair, I did try to warn people about the bastard bit."

"Well maybe I'm sick of being a pessimist and am trying out a spot of optimism," she shrugged and sipped her tea. "And to be fair you did. Gold star for effort."

He took another drink. "All the same, I do appreciate it Liz. So I guess I'll wait until the good doctor wakes up before we get a final decision?"

Nodding, she stretched a little. "So, do you want something to eat? I'm not particuarly ready to go to sleep yet, so don't mind keeping you company a while."

"Yeah, I could go for something warm. Is anyone left from before?"

Getting up from the table, she had a hunt in the fridge. "There's always leftovers around here. Or we could order some pizza," she looke dover her shoulder at him. "Before...?"

"When I was here. Am I going to recognize anyone?" He looked over at the fridge. "Anything, really."

She paused. "Well. There's Remy and TJ. They had a baby, by the way. There's Vic and Rahne, Japh, Shiro is about somewhere. Lorna, Bobby, Rae, Kitty, JP...Most people from your year really. Shaz left."

"They had a kid?" He shook his head. "Wow. Can't complain about Shaz though, that chav."

She shook her head. "No. Not the worst loss ever...There're a lot of new people, though. And the baby is called Johnny, he has his mother skin and his fathers eyes."

He looked out the window at the darkness. "Lucky kid."

"Yeah. He is actually. Hasall of us to look after him."

He looked back over at her. "So, my old room still open?" He allowed himself a small smile. Maybe he could make it work this time.

"I don't know if your old room is, but there'll be a room somewhere you can have. And oh...I think I'd best say about Tom too..." she shifted uncomfortably, feeling weird. "You'll need more tea..."

[Ferguson]

I am so strangely excited to have Pete back!

*goes off to dance*

[NachtcGleiskette]

GAH Why did I miss this? I am so retarded!

[JSherlock]

Aww! Poor Lizzie had to explain Tom by herself.

[Slarti]

Pete! How very cool!!

... and what timing.