Janders? He's back at headquarters. He trusted me to handle it and, frankly, I'm not sure where his orders came from. Maybe my dad. He sounded the kind of concerned that might kick in if I discovered something major. And now I still have no answers... but I want to keep Alice out of it.
( he just can't go back without some kind of answers. )
[She wants Archer to get his answers and she knows that Alice probably owes him something of an apology so maybe they can kill two birds with one stone.]
I'm going to send you an address. You are going to meet me there, and fill me in on your case, and I will do my best to get Alice there too, and you two can sort this out.
[And he can continue catching her up until there's a knock on her hotel room door, and she opens it to be greeted with Alice, her roommate, and the pizza boy with three pizzas.]
Look at that. Gang's all here. Hi, Lizzie. Nice to see you again.
And this one had a cloaking spell attached. Another family.
( It was a very big whodunit. Turns out, it wasn't the newest neighbors, but the oldest. They lost their oldest to a frozen lake. It was a sad story. He trembles through describing the final confrontation before a knock interrupts.
[Waverly handles the pizza boy and sends him on his way, before taking Lizzie gently by the arm and steering her towards the in-suite kitchenette.]
Lizzie, will you help me with the drinks?
[Aka give the kids a chance to talk. This isn't going to be mega privacy, because they're still in the same room, but Archer and Alice are the ones who need to talk.]
Lizzie fiddles with the coffee maker, spinning the little rack of pods, keeping small talk going before her and Waverly.
Archer crosses the divide between them. )
I was scared. And ashamed. And then, very suddenly assigned to investigate something I only recently learned you were involved in. I thought, foolishly, you might react differently. I thought about what I would say, or what would happen. Coming back together. But, I didn't earn that dream and I really slammed that hope in the bin. I recognize that.
( And... )
If I could've stayed -- My life isn't my own, and I thought about you, and thought about reaching out, but every time I did, I didn't know what I could say, that you would... even want to hear. And then one month became six. My crash and burn isn't an excuse. Neither is my fear. Or, my buffoonery. I messed up. All around. Every step of the way. And I am sorry for it, Alice.
I accept your apology. You also need to apologize to Lizzie too because she had nothing to do with this - [this being their relationship] - and you broke into her room.
[A pause.]
Because that's the thing that really freaked me out. You broke into a private space when I wasn't even expecting you and I'm sorry for ... taking it to eleven. I could have handled it better.
Do you mind if I file away that you're a Christopher Guest fan? ( He hopes. ) I like you. I liked you then for real, possessed or not, I liked you and I like you and that's why I acted like a real knob. The last thing I'd ever want is to freak you out. You deserve better.
[Oh, he does like her. She let's those complicated feelings swirl for a minute before admitting some of her own vulnerability.]
I never blocked you after you left.
[Which is neither a confirmation nor a denial of anything, but more an opening. Maybe the hope that he would reach out. That it wasn't all in her head.
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everyonelives2024-11-30 05:12 pm
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( And botched it. )
...He asked to keep you out of it, said you were on holiday. Now I know he just wants the glory for himself.
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[Waverly doesn't drop F-bombs often but this particular agent deserves it.]
Where is he now?
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( he just can't go back without some kind of answers. )
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[She wants Archer to get his answers and she knows that Alice probably owes him something of an apology so maybe they can kill two birds with one stone.]
I'm going to send you an address. You are going to meet me there, and fill me in on your case, and I will do my best to get Alice there too, and you two can sort this out.
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( He fucked up. )
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[His phone dings with the address as promised.]
It'll be okay. C'mon, I'll order us some lunch.
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( He feels enough like a bonehead. )
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[Alice may take more doing, but maybe she'll be feeling up to ripping the bandaid off.]
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( She means, personally, doesn't she? )
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[She does not like the man and she never will.]
But I can go pull them up if you don't want to talk.
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( But, he's been busy nonetheless. )
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[But she can understand the frustration.]
If you need this to be a work chat, I was also impacted by the wild magic. You can take my witness statement.
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( If she wants to know his goal for all this. )
I was on assignment since we left Purgatory. Save for a weekend here and there with my parental figures. We were in Canada.
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[She gets another ding which is Alice's agreeing text that she and her roommate are on their way over, so she'll order lunch and focus on the story.]
What were you working on?
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( and he hears it. )
A frost demon infiltrated the Toronto suburbs. I moved in as Janders' nephew.
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[And he can continue catching her up until there's a knock on her hotel room door, and she opens it to be greeted with Alice, her roommate, and the pizza boy with three pizzas.]
Look at that. Gang's all here. Hi, Lizzie. Nice to see you again.
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And this one had a cloaking spell attached. Another family.
( It was a very big whodunit. Turns out, it wasn't the newest neighbors, but the oldest. They lost their oldest to a frozen lake. It was a sad story. He trembles through describing the final confrontation before a knock interrupts.
"Hey, Waverly! Abs." Lizzie says, striding in. )
Lizzie. Alice.
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Lizzie, will you help me with the drinks?
[Aka give the kids a chance to talk. This isn't going to be mega privacy, because they're still in the same room, but Archer and Alice are the ones who need to talk.]
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She can give them the time and space they need, though.
Archer sticks his hands in his pockets, exhaling. It's the least subtle exit. )
I do owe you an apology, if you'll accept.
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Alice tries not to appear immediately defensive, not crossing her arms in front of her chest and nods slowly.]
I'm willing to hear it. We'll see after that if I accept it.
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Lizzie fiddles with the coffee maker, spinning the little rack of pods, keeping small talk going before her and Waverly.
Archer crosses the divide between them. )
I was scared. And ashamed. And then, very suddenly assigned to investigate something I only recently learned you were involved in. I thought, foolishly, you might react differently. I thought about what I would say, or what would happen. Coming back together. But, I didn't earn that dream and I really slammed that hope in the bin. I recognize that.
( And... )
If I could've stayed -- My life isn't my own, and I thought about you, and thought about reaching out, but every time I did, I didn't know what I could say, that you would... even want to hear. And then one month became six. My crash and burn isn't an excuse. Neither is my fear. Or, my buffoonery. I messed up. All around. Every step of the way. And I am sorry for it, Alice.
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I accept your apology. You also need to apologize to Lizzie too because she had nothing to do with this - [this being their relationship] - and you broke into her room.
[A pause.]
Because that's the thing that really freaked me out. You broke into a private space when I wasn't even expecting you and I'm sorry for ... taking it to eleven. I could have handled it better.
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( he'll take his lumps, though. )
Do you mind if I file away that you're a Christopher Guest fan? ( He hopes. ) I like you. I liked you then for real, possessed or not, I liked you and I like you and that's why I acted like a real knob. The last thing I'd ever want is to freak you out. You deserve better.
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I never blocked you after you left.
[Which is neither a confirmation nor a denial of anything, but more an opening. Maybe the hope that he would reach out. That it wasn't all in her head.
And then he didn't.]
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( A real, honesty apology. )
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