Denise's Reality. Denise's Island and Serenity's House. Downtime

[dens_extra_pups]

Serenity: *laying on her lounger with a cup of gentle broth and a few golden eggs on the tray beside her. She's feeling tired today, and the only company that she wants is that of her grouchy childhood doll, Sadie. Sonny asked her earlier if she'd like a pet other than her AI blanket, but she told him that the blanket and Sadie were enough*

Sadie: *frowns from the datapad screen* You've been laying down for weeks. I don't think you're alright.

Serenity: *quietly* I'm just tired. That's all, Sadie.

Sadie: *scowls* *shortly* Rinny, you haven't gotten up since you came back. I'm too old to corrupt and die if you tell me you're sick.

Serenity: *soft sigh* *quietly* I'm not able to get up on my own anymore, Sadie.

Sadie: *scowl deepens* Is it fatal?

Serenity: No, it's not.

Sadie: When do the doctors think you're recovering?

Serenity: There are things that I won't be recovering from...

Sadie: Did you get other opinions? It doesn't sound like those stupid*afts* know what they're doing.

Serenity: The best doctors on Cybertron tended to me. There's nothing that can be done. *quieter* I might, if I'm very, very lucky, regain some of the feeling in my legs and feet, but I'll never walk... *deep breath* I'll never walk or dance again.

Sadie: *beeps most expressively!*

Serenity: *turns her head slightly* I'm just glad to be alive, at this point.

Sadie: *sobers* *quietly and gruffly* I'm glad too. *then turns her head and tries to look toward the sound of approaching footsteps*

Serenity: *turns her head enough to look toward the door*

Sonny: *pauses and kneels*

Serenity: *small smile* Kitty.

Sonny: *softly* I got you something, Doma. I hope it will help you feel better.

Serenity: *trying to sit up*

Sonny: *rises to his feet and hurries to adjust her lounger* *doesn't manage to mask his worried look when he sees that she hasn't eaten any of the eggs, though he tries to cover the expression by gently tucking her blanket around her*

Serenity: *quietly* I'm alright, Kitty...

Sonny: *softly* Yes, Doma. Do you want the gift now?

Serenity: *quiet for a few moments, is just studying you, Sonny. Like she's been doing as of late, when she hasn't been contemplating ways to decorate the house. There's no judgment, just quiet contemplation and a fair bit of admiration*

Sonny: *waits patiently for her answer. He doesn't realize that his cheeks are slowly but steadily getting pinker*

Serenity: *small nod as she remembers that Sonny asked her something*

Sonny: *brightens and reaches into his pocket. Goes to one knee to offer the unwrapped gift with both hands*

Serenity: *will carefully reach for the offered gift, making a soft, surprised sound as she realizes that it's a high quality holograph emitter* This is...

Sonny: *bows his head respectfully* Maybe she'll be even more company now. I bought the things so that she can have her own room, too.

Serenity: *quietly* Thank you, Kitty.

Sonny: *softly* Do you want me to set it up, Doma?

Serenity: *small nod* Please?

Sonny: Yes, Doma. Should I make her room first?

Serenity: *another small nod*

Sonny: *gets to his feet with an unconsciously graceful motion and turns to walk toward the small room next to Serenity's*

Sadie: *watching what she can see of this with scowling curiosity from her screen*

Serenity: *quietly, to Sadie* You'll be getting an upgrade.

Sadie: *confused scowl* I've got all the add-ons, Rinny.

Serenity: This is something new.

Sadie: *looks around her room* ...More clothes?

Serenity: Something better.

Sonny: *back with a device in his hand* I need to get her home files, Doma.

Sadie: *so much scowl*

Serenity: It'll be alright, Sadie. *will offer the datapad to Sonny*

Sonny: *takes it gently with both hands, and then goes and sits on his mat while he carefully transfers files from the datapad to the device and to the new holo-emitter* Did you like the broth, Doma?

Serenity: It was good.

Sonny: I'm glad. Melissa Moonshadow said that it was a special formula. *rises to his feet and gives her the battered old datapad, which no longer contains the beloved programs*

Serenity: *quietly, as she accepts the datapad* I wish I was able to finish it...

Sonny: *small, encouraging smile* The cup keeps it fresh. You can have more another time. I'll go finish this now. *waits to be dismissed*

Serenity: *small nod* Alright. Thank you, Kitty.

Sonny: *again that smile as his cheeks pink slightly once more* *turns and walks out*

Sadie: *walks in several minutes later, looking around with wonder. She... is as short as you, Rinny!*

Serenity: *kind of dozing where she sits. She wasn't joking about being tired*

Sadie: *spots her and comes over to sit beside her on the stool that Rose left when she was here earlier*

Serenity: *slight twitch as she dozes*

Sonny: *a couple more minutes pass, and then he also comes in. Walks over nearly silently to take away the tray and make sure that her water tube is in reach. Brings the tray to the food storage and preparation area*

Sadie: *frowns after him, then looks back to Serenity and starts softly humming the song that Serenity has asked for most over the years*

Serenity: *soft little sound, turns her head slightly*

Sonny: *finishes in the other room and comes back chewing. Moves to very gently recline Serenity's lounger and make sure that her Super Fox doll is where she can snuggle it*

Sadie: *can SCOWL and give stink eyes even as she softly hums*

Serenity: *sighs and slips into a slightly deeper doze*

Sonny: *carefully fixes the blanket again, and then strokes it so that it purrs. This done, he watches for a moment to make sure that Serenity is alright*

Serenity: *sleeping peacefully, for now. Maybe tonight will be a quiet night?*

Sonny: *soft sigh of relief as he goes to sit on his mat. Will sit there and wait till his Doma needs him again*


Meanwhile


Mia: *coming to visit Denise. Is worried about the younger woman, since she hasn't been by the precinct to insult people lately*

Denise: *flopped on the beach near the pods, her face turned toward the sea. Is wearing a black skort with a ruffled skirt to mid thigh, and a black tank top with built-in bra. Feet are bare, and there is no sign of shoes near her* You better not be feeding eggs to that *beep* fish again, kid.

boy: *skinny little blond guy looks over from where he's paddling in the water* I gave him a crab, Warlady. *spots the stranger and hurries out of the water to stand protectively near Denise*

Denise: *sits up and cocks her head, frowning* Mia?

Mia: Who's the kid?

Denise: My kid. *scowl evens out*

boy: *shoulders go up a bit as he hears that*

Mia: Does he have a name, Denise?

Denise: *snort* He's right there.

Mia: I was asking you though.

Denise: So stop being a rude *beep* and ask him. *yup, she just said that to the most deadly woman on the force*

Mia: ... *raised brow*

boy: *looks from Mia to Denise* I'm Legacy Bates.

Denise: *scowls at Mia*

Mia: *surprised* Why not take Denise's last name?

Legacy: *puzzled look* It's hers.

Denise: *snort* And mine's just *bleep* Kalvin made up so I could go to school. *hand goes out and gently pokes Legacy* Go get that *bleep* we bought for her today.

Legacy: *confusion vanishes as he brightens. Is gone with a spurt of sand as he heads for the picnic table*

Mia: ... *to Denise* I figured you'd take on Orville's name.

Denise: *shrug* You sticking around for supper?

Mia: *considers* Well, it has been awhile... I might as well. *pause* Where's Orville?

Denise: *yes, that's a grin* He's over on the big island, helping get the meeting hall up.

Legacy: *back and offers Mia two boxes that say "KitKat"*

Mia: *blinks and accepts the boxes* Thanks...

Legacy: You're welcome. *looks at Denise and sees her jerk her head toward the water* *back into the water he goes, the fading light glinting off the frost-like pattern on his skin*

Mia: Meeting hall?

Denise: *grin returns* We went back down under and brought his tribe up here.

Mia: *boggling now* Wow.

Denise: We got another pocket, and a portal so Fat*aft* can go over whenever he feels like it.

Mia: *frown* ... But what about taking care of you?

Denise: *real chuckle* Legacy lived with Fat*aft* down there, so he moved in up here and took over makin' sure I didn't fall into holes 'n *beep*.

Mia: ...I see.

Denise: *smile fades into a scowl as she absently reaches back and tugs at the fastener on her top* You see Rinny lately?

Mia: Not since she moved out... Why?

Denise: *more scowl* We left a channel code on your linker so you could talk to her. She needs to know people care.

Mia: ... *quietly, surprised by the lecture's source* We've been busy at the precinct.

Denise: Well the kid needs you.

Mia: *small frown* Are you sure?

Denise: *surprised pause that would've been a blink if she still had eyelids that worked* The *beep* kinda question's that? You tried hauling her off as soon as she got out of the *beep* hospital. You wouldn't leave me the *beep* alone while I was in the *beep* hospital. You showed up every *beep* day after the fat*aft* got me out of the *beep* hospital*, and now you're not *beep* sure Rinny needs you? Who the *beep* are you and what the *beep* did you do with *beep*ing Mia?

Mia: She has Sonny.

Denise: And Rose has Skids. Carina has Craig. Nova has Cliff. Ford has Twila. And Deidre has Graham. You still check on them every *beep* day.

Mia: *lips pressed thin* *quietly* She seemed so skittish with us...

Denise: She's skittish with *BEEP* everyone. *pause* *suspicion!* The *beep*'s wrong with Ironhide?

Mia: *soft sigh* *quietly* He went and broke up a Powerball arena riot by hand. Roald's been staying at the hospital when I've had to go home.

Denise: *facepalm and something REALLY uncomplimentary* I'll visit his *aft* tomorrow.

Mia: *small nod* *then* Merlin's supposed to be getting back to Iacon sometime in the next couple days.

Denise: About *beep* time. *scowl turns totally black as she turns her head toward a deep-voiced exclamation* What the *beep* was that for, Fat*aft*?

Legacy: *stands up in the water and looks toward the sounds too*

Mia: *looks toward Orville as well, much frown on her face*

Orville: *walks into sight. Has a subspace box under one arm. The other one's in a sling*

Legacy: *alarm* His arm's all wrapped up!

Denise: *on her feet and over to her husband in a flash* *grabs the front of his shirt and slaps his face but good as she curses him horribly*

Orville: *tiredness changes to a wincing grin as the beating commences*

Mia: *moving to help with the box* What'd you do this time, Orville?

Orville: *as his ears ring from the last blow, which became a punch at the last moment* Fell off a roof. It's just sprained.

Mia: Fell off a... *facepalm*

Orville: But we got it done. *grunts as he's slugged in the belly, then puts his good arm around his angry wife*

Denise: *leans against him and hugs back* Well, that's something.

Mia: Good grief...

Orville: Anyway. I bought premade from the Black Dog. *nods to the box*

Denise: You get enough for Mia?

Orville: Got a lot. *grins at Mia*

Mia: What'd you get?

Orville: *more grin* It's from another planet. They call it stew.

Denise: *perk* Gravy, real meat, and vegetables?

Orville: You know it.

Mia: ... I've never heard of "stew" before.

Denise: It's good. *relieving Orville of the box and walking away confidently toward the picnic table*

Legacy: *looks seriously up at Orville, and then squeaks as he gets one-armed bearhugged*

Orville: *rumbles and shakes the little guy a bit, his face beaming behind the hair*

Mia: *slight quirk of a grin as she watches Legacy and Orville interact. Is reminded of her and Ira's children*

Orville: *small boy belly first over his shoulder, grins again at Mia, and then turns to follow his wife* What're you waiting for? The kitchen's over here.

Mia: *snorts at Orville, moves to follow*

Denise: *has found the stack of new disposable dishes in the box and is dishing up stew on three of them, her actions sure and free of hesitation*

Orville: *sets Legacy down on the end of the canopied picnic table, and then goes and pulls the cover off of something in the little recess at one end of the table. Turns this blue thing over and sets it by the plates*

Denise: *fills that too*

Mia: *curious* What's that?

Denise: *briskly* What's what?

Mia: The blue thing.

Denise: *finishes dishing and shuts the stew container* Legacy's plate. He's Driner, like me. *and she doesn't want to risk her child being adversely affected by anything in the disposable plates*

Mia: Ah. *nod* Gotcha.

Legacy: *jumps down and runs to the nearer shed* *returns swiftly with four spoons* *seriously offers one to each adult, starting with Orville and ending with Mia*

Mia: *blink, thanks Legacy*

Legacy: *uncertain at the blink. Turns to look at Orville*

Orville: Those're fine. *nod* They'll work fine for stew.

Legacy: *happy again*

Denise: *gruffly, to Mia* These're easier for me to use.

Mia: Ah.

Denise: *touches her plate and then makes a surprised grunt* What the *beep* is this, fat*aft*?

Orville: *happily* Protein plate. No starch.

Denise: *perk* Nexus?

Orville: Nope. Those're a thing from where we're from.

Mia: Huh. I'll have to keep that in mind.

Denise: *settles on her place on the right hand bench* *sudden snort* 'Hide can't eat just protein in the hospital.

Mia: He's sure as Pit trying, Denise.

Denise: *laughs. Yes, she does*

Mia: *rolls eyes* Yeah, you can laugh.

Denise: *smirrk* It's the fat*aft*'s fault.

Orville: *looks up from getting some cheese for Legacy out of the box* Yup. *grin* *has no clue*

Mia: *snort*

Denise: Bow your *beep* head.

Legacy and Orville: *obey instantly*

Mia: *ditto that*

Denise: *thanks God for the food, and asks Him to help Ira's nanobots to put him back together quickly and easily. And then thanks Him for the company for supper* *finishes and accepts the piece of cheese that Legacy gives her*

Mia: *blinks at the red stuff Legacy gave Denise*

Orville: *snerk* It's Driner cheese. With cranberry juice in it.

Denise: *just tasted that* Mmmm. *crumbles it into her lovely thick gravy*

Mia: Huh. *more familiar with cheese as a garnish on certain dishes*

Orville: See, where we come from cheese is usually pretty starchy. But the Driner cheese is like this. *offers Mia a small chunk*

Mia: *will reach for the offered chunk and have a taste when she's got it in hand* *surprised sound*

Denise: Good *bleep*, huh?

Mia: Yeah.

Denise: Try the stew.

Mia: *will do as instructed. More surprised sounds*

Legacy: *looks up* It's good.

Denise: *snorts and attacks her food with the handleless spoon*

Mia: *working on making her meal vanish* *between bites* What's the thing in the table?

Denise: *around her mouthful* Stove. Fat*aft* cooks.

Mia: *very surprised* Huh.

Denise: It's how they do it underneath.

Legacy: *nod nod* *EAT just like Denise*

Mia: Ah... *wondering to herself now how difficult it would be to learn how to cook*

Legacy: *looks up as something small bounces off the canopy overhead*

Denise and Orville: *both crack up and laugh uproariously*

Mia: *also looks up* What was that?

Legacy: *seriously* A crab tried to be a suicide snack.

Denise and Orville: *more laughter*

Mia: ... *facepalm*

Legacy: That's why the kitchen has a roof. *has no idea that in some places, kitchens always have roofs*

Mia: Suicide snacks?

Legacy: *nods* They fell on the grill and into the pot.

Mia: Ah. *will tell Ira all about that the next time she goes to the hospital*

Legacy: *offers her another little bit of cheese*

Mia: *thanks Legacy, will enjoy the rest of the meal with Denise's family*

((Written with random_xtras))