Bottom of the 20th Inning

[freakinblur]

Wake up, sleepy head! You can't spend the whole day in bed.

[Scout's eyes fluttered open. The first thing he did was take in a sharp breath, deeply, in and out. It was the first time in 3 days he could breathe without immense pain. He savored it.

He sat up. There was a different drone wife in the house now. She was opening the curtains to show another beautiful spring day in Mayfield. The drone of Ema had been replaced. He saw a wedding photo of them on the nightstand next to him. It had changed, too. He turned it over.

He sat there for a moment, slowly rubbing his forehead, trying to think straight. He noticed the burn on his arm was gone as well.]

What's wrong, honey? You look like you've had a bad dream.

....yeah. Guess I did.

Well it's over now, so relax. I'll go start on breakfast.

[Off she traipsed to the kitchen. Scout still sat in the empty bedroom.

He's died before. He's died countless times in his service for BLU, resurrected and shipped back out into the battle field without even a thought. All in a day's work. He's even died in Mayfield, back on his feet good as new the next day.

Why did THIS time bother him?]

----

[Call to all non-drones.]

... has anyone else come back? The people in Westport? _Shit...

The Milkman. He was there. He was there, and he was fine, that bastard.

Comments

Phone + Action

[steel-massifail.livejournal.com]

Stay right there.

[[And Massimo hangs up, and RUNS TO SCOUT'S HOUSE AS FAST AS HE CAN because he's worried. Scout was back. Scout came back. He hadn't realized how badly he missed his dear friend, but when he realized he was already knocking on his door hard enough to re-open the wounds on his hand, it was clear that he missed his friend dearly.]]

Action

[freakinblur.livejournal.com]

[He'll answer the door looking a little... lost. But he'll still give a little smirk when you answer the door.]

Hey, Mass. Been holdin' the fort down fer me?

Action

[steel-massifail.livejournal.com]

[[And Massimo grabs Scout, pulls him close, and hugs him tightly. Not tight enough to crush bones, but it's still really tight.

He doesn't care that his hand's bleeding. He doesn't care that he's crying on someone he was trying to show how manly he was to. He didn't even care that other people might see.

None of it mattered. Scout was back.]]

You have no idea how worried I've been about you and everyone else.

[freakinblur.livejournal.com]

...so ya had ta die ta get outta there? Don't tell me that's the only way.

[bloodon-myknife.livejournal.com]

Welcome back mate.

Some of Westport has come back. Only the ones that have died though I am told. I'm guessing the Milkman sent you back the hard wasy too?

[freakinblur.livejournal.com]

... yes 'n no. I tried talkin' to 'im, but by that point I barely knew where I was. I got pretty fucked up over there. But... I think the bugger brainwashed me, man. I asked him somethin' an' the next thing I know, I'm thinkin' going to tha elementary school is a great idea. But... there was this toxic gas, right? It was everywhere, an' I had gotten a lung full of it before. By that point I just couldn't breathe anymore an', well, now I'm here.

...I'm hopin' tha rest of 'em don't need ta come back the same way. There' friggin' kids over there, man...

[bloodon-myknife.livejournal.com]

Sounds painful. I know others here are looking for a way to bridge to Westport again but can't say if they had any luck. Had my hands full dealing with the fallout here. Nothing that wasn't manageable though.

Glad to see you back though. Maybe there was a clue over there about how to get out of this place? Find anything of the sort?

[swordthrowing.livejournal.com]

"Anyone else"? Wait just a moment--were you--...

[ HOLDING HER BREATH A LITTLE WHILE SHE WAITS FOR HIS RESPONSE. ]

[freakinblur.livejournal.com]

... there was a lotta folks over there. I died an' I woke up here. I was wonderin' if it happened to anyone else.

[miss-enma-ai.livejournal.com]

[Oh hey dad's back. Ai will be wordlessly looking at you until you notice her]

[freakinblur.livejournal.com]

[He'll notice her after he's done on the phone and turns around. He stops.]

Ai. Hey, how are ya? Been keepin' this place in order while I was gone?

[pinkplumblossom.livejournal.com]

What's happening over there, anyway? Did you see Netherlands at all? How many other people came back...?

[freakinblur.livejournal.com]

… I ain't seen him. Sorry. A lot is goin' on there. Too much. I heard a couple 'a people came back cuz … we died.

[bustydefense.livejournal.com]

A number of you have. And I'm not surprised to hear about the Milkman.

[freakinblur.livejournal.com]

… do ya know who's back? An' has the Milkman been here or has he disappeared?

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

So, this is gonna sound like a really stupid question, but who the hell is the 'Milkman'?

[freakinblur.livejournal.com]

Ya new here, pally? My condolences. If ya saw him around here, don't drink tha milk he drops off. He was over in Westport too, completely fine an' makin' deliveries. I tried ta ask him questions an' the bastard brainwashed me.

[human-pretender.livejournal.com]

You are back.

[freakinblur.livejournal.com]

.... yup. You too, huh? ....How'd ya make out over there?

[hourai-branch.livejournal.com]

The milkman?

[freakinblur.livejournal.com]

Yep. Think I'm gonna wait around fer him tomorrah mornin'. See if he pulls tha same trick.

[thief-of-truth.livejournal.com]

I... never got the chance to thank you for helping me back there. I'm so sorry.

[freakinblur.livejournal.com]

Hey! Yer back too! It wasn't nothin', don't worry about it. Did ya make away okay?