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It doesn't look anything like a pan handle. [ Kate objects to this, brows furrowing skeptically. ] Or even like the other pan handles. What the hell. But yeah, there. I drove through there, but that's it for me and Texas. You were a fan?

Sure it does. It's just like -

[ Claire makes a vague gripping motion, like she's hold the edge of a frying pan, and makes the intimations of... what? Flipping a pancake? It only occurs to her after she's done it what that might look like, and she puts her hand in lap and clears her throat. ]

Anyway, yeah, I liked Texas. It was... a lot different than California, but I grew up there. Everything was so normal, for so long. My mom bred championship showdogs and my dad was this paper supply salesman and my brother was really annoying. [ She shrugs, and since Kate's already seen it, decides on honesty. ] And then my ability manifested, and a bunch of terrible things happened, and we had to move.

[ Sucks to suck. ]

[ Kate just arches a brow at her, and says nothing. But she's clearly trying not to smile.

She eats her pie as she listens, lips quirking again at breeding showdogs and annoying brothers. It's all so incongruously normal and kind of endearing, partly because she pictures it like the tv version of perfect suburbia. And then--. ]

That sucks. [ Is sort of a ridiculous understatement in the face of it, but. It does. And she's not trying to be dismissive, it's clearly a very sincere statement. ] Did things work out okay in the end?

[ It does suck. Claire is quiet, again, for a long time. She doesn't help herself to any pie or take a drink of her soda, just chews on the inside of her cheek until she's certain she's going to start tasting blood. ]

Most of that is still pending. I - [ Another pause, and she seems more frustrated than anything, now. ] I did something selfish and stupid before I came here. I don't know how it's going to work out.

[ More than that, people have died. Skirting this close to the topic of Jackie's death, she feels bad like she hasn't in years. Responsible. It does suck. ]

[ Kate doesn't press, and though she feels a little weird about it she continues eating. She does not, however, scrape the plate with the side of her fork, which she had been considering. She takes a long drink.

Selfish and stupid has never really been her problem. Stupid, plenty, but mostly when there's no one else involved, when it can't quite count as selfish. But she also has a feeling it isn't all as much Claire's fault as she'd claim. She turns her fork between her fingertips, and considers for a while before responding.

By pushing the appleberry pie over to Claire's plate. And setting a hand on the back of her shoulder. ]

You'll figure it out.

[ For a long time, Claire thought that ending up here was a direct result of her actions, that some terrible thing had happened immediately following that swan dive that she couldn't remember and, consequently, this had been the punishment. It stank so much at the time of some kind of government involvement - and distantly she wonders whether or not Nathan has told people about that little lapse in judgment - from the tattoos on their arms to the pods they woke up in. Obviously that theory had been almost instantly put to rest but hte fact remains. ]

Thanks.

[ Claire looks across the table at the other girl and though her smile doesn't quite reach her eyes, it is genuine. She cuts another forkful of pie free from the rest of the piece and goes about the business of shoveling it into her mouth. ]

Why did you decide to go to California?

[ Kate's smile in return is small and crooked, a little rueful, and she gives Claire's shoulder a brief squeeze before taking her hand back. And shrugging. ]

Kind of a. Spontaneous vacation? I needed a break from my partner so I figured I'd go roadtrip to LA and hang out there for a while. Beach time, change of scenery.

[ Something in the way she says it suggests that it did not turn out as envisioned. ]

Oh my God!

[ Enter Darcy. ]

You started without me?

[ The hands-on-hips image is really ruined by the fact that Darcy's right arm is in a sling, her hand wrapped, third and fourth fingers splinted and taped together. The faux outrage isn't left to linger long before she's offering a smile to her friends, and sliding into an empty seat. ]

If that vodka is to share, then all is totally forgiven.

[ Claire almost chokes a little on the bite of pie she has just pushed into her mouth. She's glad to see Darcy. She's not so glad to see Darcy's arm wrapped up like its halfway to a mummification process, though Claire has to admit that the other girl's entrance has got her laughing, which has got her coughing around the sweet flavor in her mouth. ]

I don't know. [ Her voice is still a little weak, hand splayed over her chest with her fingers spread wide. ] Kate's been guarding it since we sat down, but we did save you pie.

Hey, I offered! You didn't want any! [ Kate gives Claire a faux-betrayed look, and then holds the bottle up in Darcy's general direction. There's plenty of room in the booth for her to help herself to a seat as well. ] It's for sharing, and there's plenty of pie. Is your arm broken?

Just my hand.

[ And if they hadn't picked up on it before, it becomes obvious that it's her dominant hand that's busted up, given the awkwardness with which she tips the bottle into her own glass of soda. ] Whoop! No, too much. [ A half shrug. ] Oh well! Guess I'll just be having a party over here.

[ Privately wondering if maybe she should be bartender, Claire watches Darcy serve herself a little dollop of daisy of vodka. Her grip is unsteady and a little wobbly, but she manages. She manages more than Claire had anticipated, and she feels her eyebrows raise across her forehead at each spill into the cup and a grin spread across her face. ]

Would you like some soda with your vodka? A couple more of those and you'll be goo to go.

Did you say 'goo' or 'good'? [ Kate's brows furrow and then ease as she shakes her head. ] Nevermind, accurate either way.

[ She doesn't seem especially concerned about Darcy's drinking, though she does sneak a glance out the corner of her eye to watch the pour. Or she tries, but it turns out that looking out the corner of her eye hurts, because even mild concussions really suck. So she ends up closing her eyes hard for a second and then just turning her head. ]

So, umm. [ She gestures with her fork, but can't seem to pin down her train of thought. ] Yeah.

Completely accurate. [ Enough of this vodka and Darcy will definitely be goo, but possibly not ambulatory enough to actually go. Without assistance. ]

I think that pie is the appropriate response to all life's bullshit, for the record. Pie and alcohol. What say you, Bad Decisions Brigade?

Shhh. [ Is all Claire says in response to Kate, reaching for the bottle of vodka and edging it closer to the other girl without question. ] Have some more. Also, I say that we really get on the ball about these club jackets before someone else takes Bad Decision Brigade idea and runs with it before we can.

[ No, but really Darcy, are you okay? The look on Claire's face is basically begging the rest of her to ask the question but she can't actually bring herself to do it, if only because she doesn't want to be the wet mop at the table. She already can't drink. No reason to start acting like a mom, too. ]

Pie is definitely an appropriate response to whatever bullshit we all ran into down there. I actually like to think of it as more of a reward than anything.

Whoa, hey, we're an excellent decisions brigade. We decided on pie. [ Or Kate decided on pie and then browbeat them into it; whatever. ] And pie is never a bad decision. I think we can all agree.

[ She eyes the vodka but leaves it where it is, taking a gulp of her doctored soda before cutting another bite of pie. She looks sidelong at Claire, watches her watching Darcy. ] I suppose if you can't drink you probably can't smoke either, huh? We've got to find something to get that look off your face.

That's definitely true. [ About the pie. Because for real. ] But we can't go around calling ourselves excellent decision makers, or the bar will be set way too high and people will keep expecting great things from us. And that just sounds like work to me.

[ Darcy Lewis, Over-Achiever. ]

Cheer up, Cheerleader. We're alive, and two-thirds of us are drinking vodka. And we all have pie. Everything's going to be fine.

[ Haaaaahahahahahaha... ]

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