I'm not staying. I won't be a stranger, but I'm not staying.
( He leans in for that, lowering his voice. He doesn't thinks she means he's returned for good. She probably means when he has the time, when they want him.
For holidays, like Christmas.
He looks down at his phone, idly, just checking for messages. )
Something tells me I'm about to have nieces in my messages.
[She thinks about when conversations with her and Serena were a bit more weighted, after coming out of Chicago with only what they could stuff in her car. Their family scattered to the wind. She understands Shep's situation far more than she lets on at times, but they've had their fair amount of alcohol-induced share sessions. He knows more than most.
Speaking of Serena though:]
What do you make of that Jackson kid?
[There's a pause, and then she clarifies.]
As a person and an operative, not as Alexander's boyfriend.
[She doesn't care one way or another who the kid decides to sleep with.]
( Yeah, thanks for the clarification, because he did blankly look at her. Alexander's cool and all, but not his type? And - whomever he dates isn't his business. He's also his superior.
As for the matter at hand. )
He's getting better at playing well with others but there's a cocky streak that may never break. However, he's a good operative. He gets the job done. And he works well with Alexander.
We lost track of most of them, or they're on their own. If he wants to keep in communication, that could help in the long run. We could be there faster, or have an alternative in mind. He wants to build a witness protection program? ( He's a little dumbfounded by the idea attached to Jackson Whittemore's name. Which is why his pause is so stretched out. ) But, no, I didn't see him as the brains of that kind of an operation. Maybe he really likes helping.
She's into it. She wants me to pull the lists when I get back to see what areas we're working with and if we already have contacts in the area. See how much infrastructure we'll have to build.
[It's a project, and she'll never turn down something to keep her busy.]
I'll never say no to your help. And we could probably use a literal network.
[This kind of infrastructure requires communication pathways, so that is something Shep could help with. But before they can dig further into that, both their phones buzz with a message from their boss.
Annie sighs as she flips over her phone.
Hope you both had a great Thanksgiving. Let me know when you get back to the office.
Which is Abernathy shorthand for something's on fire and get back soon.]
( And he could be the voice on the network, just not the face of it. Jackson can be the face. Alternating with Annie and Serena. He can't be the only face.
Shepherd checks his phone. He exchanges a look with his partner, nods, and goes to say his goodbyes in the other room, starting with Lucas who gives his brother a -- stiff hug -- it's still new. But he's him. And -- their family's bigger again.
Going into the living room, he plops down on the couch laying back, legs crossing. )
How was your first American thanksgiving? Did you get the bigger half of the wishbone?
[He's home at this point, slightly buzzed and stretched out on his bed. But he smiles when he sees the text appear. He's been doing that a lot when Luke texts him. He's trying not to read into it.]
I don't think there was a wishbone. There was fancy catering, so they generally keep the bones away from things.
If there was, though, Maud would have probably fought me for it.
Nothing to fight over, you each take a side, and you break. Means good luck. But, guess I can be your good luck tonight. What's a fancy high rise law firm Thanksgiving's like anyway? Tell me, there's an open bar.
I think I read something, though, about his big family. All guys. Two of his brothers work there. Was he there? Does he need a lawyer. There's your in.
Remind me what law is your foray. I'll have a dollar in my back pocket for a rainy day.
My brother has a lot more in common than my niece than we all realized, that kind of bonded everyone. And we got the whole story. Where he's been. Why he left. My sister's happy and that's what matters. And he helped me on a job back around the time I met you, so I already had my time with him. I think we trust him as a family now.
Turkey is like the least interesting food you could set a Hunger Games around. It should be something messy, that you wouldn't want someone to watch you devour. Like ribs. Ribs Hunger Games. The copy writes itself. Also, you can picture the poster.
( sauce-stained faces. )
My Hunger Games. My hunger games would be siblings based. One victor. It's in our lore and everything.
( is he kidding? )
But, I'm holding you to that drink. And maybe if that drink is followed by dinner, I wouldn't be opposed.
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everyonelives2025-03-12 08:39 pm
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( He leans in for that, lowering his voice. He doesn't thinks she means he's returned for good. She probably means when he has the time, when they want him.
For holidays, like Christmas.
He looks down at his phone, idly, just checking for messages. )
Something tells me I'm about to have nieces in my messages.
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[She leans back with a smirk.]
But they're a lot younger than Serena is. The conversations may be a bit more ridiculous.
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( It feels weighted. )
I know they didn't live through their family's massacre, but, this family has endured enough.
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[She thinks about when conversations with her and Serena were a bit more weighted, after coming out of Chicago with only what they could stuff in her car. Their family scattered to the wind. She understands Shep's situation far more than she lets on at times, but they've had their fair amount of alcohol-induced share sessions. He knows more than most.
Speaking of Serena though:]
What do you make of that Jackson kid?
[There's a pause, and then she clarifies.]
As a person and an operative, not as Alexander's boyfriend.
[She doesn't care one way or another who the kid decides to sleep with.]
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As for the matter at hand. )
He's getting better at playing well with others but there's a cocky streak that may never break. However, he's a good operative. He gets the job done. And he works well with Alexander.
( he could communicate better. and nicer. )
Why?
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[Which is probably why Serena's involved in the first place.]
He wants to run a check-in program for the Kirsanov rescues as a test run for something bigger.
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( imagine that. )
What's Serena's take.
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[It's a project, and she'll never turn down something to keep her busy.]
But Serena's not hard to win over.
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( No, Serena's not. )
Maybe it will be a good thing for me to partner on. Keep me inside. Oversee the stuck up werekanima.
( It's -- confusing -- what to call him. But everything he is does reflect his personality. )
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[This kind of infrastructure requires communication pathways, so that is something Shep could help with. But before they can dig further into that, both their phones buzz with a message from their boss.
Annie sighs as she flips over her phone.
Hope you both had a great Thanksgiving. Let me know when you get back to the office.
Which is Abernathy shorthand for something's on fire and get back soon.]
And duty calls.
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Shepherd checks his phone. He exchanges a look with his partner, nods, and goes to say his goodbyes in the other room, starting with Lucas who gives his brother a -- stiff hug -- it's still new. But he's him. And -- their family's bigger again.
Going into the living room, he plops down on the couch laying back, legs crossing. )
How was your first American thanksgiving? Did you get the bigger half of the wishbone?
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I don't think there was a wishbone. There was fancy catering, so they generally keep the bones away from things.
If there was, though, Maud would have probably fought me for it.
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( There has to be, right? )
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Have you heard of Brogan Ford?
[Robin is not a music person, but apparently he is a person who is important according to Maud.]
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... The hot Irish singer?
( Ed Sheeran meets Taylor Swift meets Lewis Capaldi? )
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Lord only knows how he manages that. I can barely handle Maud.
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I think I read something, though, about his big family. All guys. Two of his brothers work there. Was he there? Does he need a lawyer. There's your in.
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How was your dinner? Everything go alright with your brother?
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My brother has a lot more in common than my niece than we all realized, that kind of bonded everyone. And we got the whole story. Where he's been. Why he left. My sister's happy and that's what matters. And he helped me on a job back around the time I met you, so I already had my time with him. I think we trust him as a family now.
Very not the drama I was expecting.
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[It's also much stupider, but that's America for you.]
But good. Holidays are not the place for drama.
[Though his parents never seemed to believe that.]
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People who don't do well on tests (me) are also sexy.
I have a long lost brother and you have Brogan Ford's brothers. Very different Thanksgivings.
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We did have very different Thanksgivings. But both worked out better than we expected?
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Yeah, I guess they did. And both ended pretty nicely, if I do say so myself.
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Perhaps maybe you can tell me more about yours in person? When you're back in the city?
[They've done their fair share of cute texting. Could they actually escalate to spending time together in person?]
Maybe over a drink?
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( sauce-stained faces. )
My Hunger Games. My hunger games would be siblings based. One victor. It's in our lore and everything.
( is he kidding? )
But, I'm holding you to that drink. And maybe if that drink is followed by dinner, I wouldn't be opposed.
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