strangetrip | [GP] A New Month

When Liz woke up in the morning, she didn't think anything of the fact that Peter wasn't beside her - he normally went to make muffins the mornings they spent the night tonight. Liz knew, too, that it was arrival day and she was scheduled to work so it made sense for the early morning. After she showered and dressed and Peter still hadn't come back, Liz had gone to the kitchens. Mary was doing some baking for the day and told her she hadn't seen Peter all morning. Bo was going through the stock under the bar - she also hadn't seen Peter. When Liz went to Peter's room and Alec confirmed that he wasn't there, she started to get worried. Instead of continuing her search, she went to the front desk.

"I'd like to find out what room Peter Parker is in." She took a deep breath and when the man behind the desk said there was no 'Peter Parker' staying at the inn, Liz's world world closed in around her. She stood there staring at the man blankly - she stood there for a while until Alec showed up and asked about Peter. Liz was pretty sure she shook her head, but she couldn't be sure. A few minutes later, Liz forced herself to move and find Ned.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on and Mary decided more baked goods would be better for today, again. It seemed like arrival day was turning into 'departure date' and that was troubling. Selfishly, of course, she made sure her boys were still here, including James, and even River. Once that was confirmed, she decided to take over most of Liz's duties today - she was going to be useless in her current state.

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Alec told Annie, which went over just about as well as one could imagine. After that, he dealt with his feelings one of the two ways he knew how - with alcohol. Maybe as a homage he should have beat the crap out of the vending machine, but somehow he kept picturing Peter's look and headed for the bar instead. Good luck to any new arrivals today - Alec was so not in the mood.

Clarice had been unaware of the drama at the inn, and to be honest she probably wouldn't have cared if she had heard more had left. People left. It happened. More in her life than probably others, but it was a fact of her life. It was why she never put down roots. . . . until now.

It was only when she heard who had left that she went looking for Alec. And Clarice went straight to the first place that she would have been, the bar. She slipped into the chair next to him and didn't say a word, just let him know that she was there and motioned to Molly behind the bar to bring her usual.

"The news spread, huh?" He had been aware of Clarice approaching - he was always aware of her when she came into a room. He looked down at the dark liquid in his glass and swished it around. "Shouldn't be surprised." But he was - he let himself get close and forgot to keep his guard up and then this kind of thing happened.

"Yeah." She was about to say that since there weren't as many anymore, rumors flew faster, but Clarice knew it was too soon for that.

"Okay, I'm not a glass half full person. But I am a I'll be damned if life kicks me in the teeth and I take it person." The edge of her lips curved slightly. "Another way of saying, maybe this is a way to figure out how the hell to make this place work for us."

She set her glass down and opened a small portal between her hands. "Portal girl here and Peter had to have gone through one to leave, right? Maybe we can figure out a way to use my ability and access the doorways here."

Clarice wouldn't offer that to anyone but Alec. She hadn't cared about the others leaving, but she did care about Alec and he cared about Peter leaving ... so....what the hell?

He looked up and over to her at her comment, his eyes moving to her portal for a moment and then back to her. Alec quietly considered that, his mind going over the options and outcomes. "I want to say yes." He really, really did. "But the chances of us finding the Peter that came here is pretty slim." He paused, then took another sip of his drink. "A week ago Peter and I ended up in a version of my world, but it wasn't the one I came from."

Clarice let the portal die away between her hands and then made a face at his comment. "Damn. Like the Europe that wasn't anyone's Europe? That's harsh that it's your world but not."

It would be both comforting to know that some part of you was continuing on but it would also highlight how much a part of that world you weren't.

"How did you figure out it wasn't your version of your world?"

"Well, for one, there was a slightly less handsome version of me." He looked back at her and managed a wink. "Plus, some of the details were off. Different flag for Terminal City. Manticore was still up and running." He shook his head. "I didn't notice it at first until I saw the first big difference and then it was easier to pick up on. Weird to see people you know, but don't really know."

Clarice drank from her glass and nodded. "That would suck. Knowing someone but not really. You'd notice everything that was slightly off or really off." She smiled slightly, "like a slightly less handsome version of you."

"He is distracting, isn't he?" He winked at Clarice, though his eyes were just a little duller than normally when he made a joke about Dean. Still, it was nice to feel a little normal - Clarice seemed to help ground him. "You'd have liked it there, though. Terminal City. No one bats an eye at people like us because it's all just freaks like us." Though when he left, there was going to be a war.

"Sounds like the mutant underground." Clarice actually still missed them. "Did you come back on your own or were you yanked back like the other times we left?" It would be hard to live in a world that was yours but not, but it would also be really tempting.

"Believe it or not, there was the door to our room in the middle of Manticore. We found it and just walked through." It had looked extremely out of place with the rest of Manticore's covert military underground-chic look. "Almost felt like the place was messing with us on purpose."

"Wouldn't surprise me if it did." Clarice agreed. "Did it at least appear when you needed it or probably at the worst time." She smiled slightly knowing how Fate and shit happens .... happened.

He thought about it, then shrugged. "Saw it on some surveillance pictures, but it was in the middle of Manticore which meant we had to go straight into danger to get out." It figured, really.

"Of course you did." Clarice said wryly. "I'm surprised it didn't move on you like in dreams where you approach something but it keeps being out of reach."

She made a face. "Shit, I think I just jinxed myself and that will probably happen next."

"If it happens to you, just promise me I'll be there to help you out." He didn't like the idea of Clarice suddenly leaving or even having a hard time getting out of an Otherworld. He wanted her right where she was. Well... maybe not right where she was. "Want to get out of here?" An invitation for his room or hers.

Clarice knew that she couldn't promise that, because it was out of her control. But that wasn't what Alec needed to hear. "Pinky swear, that if I'm in a shitty situation, you'll be there." She stood up as she slid her empty glass away from her and looked at Alec.

"I never say no to that." She winked at him. "Feel like continuing this at my place?" Clarice assumed that he wouldn't want to go back to his room that would only emphasize that Peter was gone.

"That sounds like the best plan I've heard all day." He finished the alcohol in his drink in one long gulp and then stood - He needed this and he needed her.

(ooc: Fade here?)

Fade!

[GP] A New Month

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