[Jack has a lot to answer for, all things considered. He knows that his BCE conversation with Angela was unacceptable, but he hadn't really known what else to do at the time, recovering from the shock of dying and being brought back. By his estimate, he's only been absent a few days, but he knows that isn't going to matter. Angela has probably been worrying herself sick the entire time.
So as soon as he's given the clear to return to the mission, Angela's quarters are the first place he goes. If knocks on doors could be apologetic, this one certainly is.]
( angela had been waiting for this. since their text conversation... she'd overreacted a little, hurt as if they truly were dead despite knowing that they would be revived. but she couldn't help the what ifs, the uncertainties surrounding their situation. she loved her friends.
she's perhaps a little slower to open the door than usual, uncertain what he's going to say, still remembering his words.
but then she sees him and as much as she wants to be angry with him, and she is a little, she's also relieved to see him. it results in a hug. if you could feel relief then he would have )
[Jack is glad there aren’t any words—he’s not quite sure what he could possibly say. Nothing is going to make this any better, but the important part is that he’s here and alive and they’ll keep pushing forward, same as they always have. When she steps forward and warps her arms around him, he can’t help but oblige.
He’s got military formality ingrained in the very fiber of his being, but he can do this for her, at least. Jack bends a little to accommodate the height difference, pulling her close and holding her tight, his forehead resting against her shoulder.]
[For once, it isn't awkward, though after a few long moments Jack starts to strain, like he knows it's dragging on. Still, he's more than content to let her have this, after everything they've been through, so he lets Angela decide when it's going to end. When it finally does, he takes a step back but follows her inside.]
( angela prickles a little at the question. it was exactly where their last conversation had started. she doesn't push this time. as much as she'd like something from jack... it had been so long.
instead she's silent until she's sat herself down, looking up at him )
I'm the wrong person to ask. ( partly because after their deaths her presence hadn't been as large, but also her focus was different to his )
You know what I've been doing.
( keeping being patched up after the fights. even after someone was an asshole and died )
[He's a little tired of Angela acting like she's useless simply because she doesn't want to fight. Of course, watching him and Genji die in the arena can't have helped, but he knows she's much more capable than she's allowing herself to be.]
You can't sit here and tell me you're not paying attention to what's going on.
( it sends her silent for a moment. she does pay attention, angela can't deny that, though a lot of what she has are pieces rather than concrete information. she didn't like this place or its people and it had made her reluctant to get close but, as jack had said, it didn't mean she didn't know )
What happened to you on base?
( she hadn't spoken to anyone that had died and been revived. had it been like her 'coma'?
the question wasn't a refusal to answer but a sort of redirection, giving her time to get the information sorted to tell him whilst finding out what she wanted to know. her knowledge would still be there after but his willingness to talk? )
[He's going to spare her the nitty-gritty details, as even he's not sure what the process entails. All he really knows is that he was coughing up black gunk for a not insubstantial amount of time. She might be better off asking the Sergeant about the ins and outs of it, because Jack isn't sure he can properly explain.
And it's not as if he wants to, when Angela seems content to avoid his inquiries.]
( she's not ignoring it, jack, just delaying, not quite satisfied with your answer first. whether or not he wants to tell her everything he needs to give her something more. it's only his health she's concerned with )
[Jack simply folds his arms and waits expectantly, refusing to provide an answer. He knows that this is likely just going to get him in more trouble—they’re both stubborn—but this time he’s clearly refusing to budge. The disappointment on his face is fairly evident.]
( it's whispered though with an almost dangerous strength to it, a tone that jack would have rarely heard over his years. angela didn't get angry often -- frustrated certainly, mostly by him or bad patients (so him), but angry-- )
You don't get to refuse my questions. My report isn't going anywhere but this is your health. You died, Jack, and I'm more concerned about what effect that has had on you than how I felt about it.
( which is shitty, just in case he didn't get the message before )
I need you to stop pretending like you're not equipped for this.
[Every step of the way Angela has balked, and it's frustrating for Jack, who knows she's much stronger than this. He doesn't want to think about his resurrection any more than he has to.]
This was always a possibility. It was never a secret.
( though it would hurt to think that if she ever died he'd just be able to walk away unaffected from it.
she could now put on a practical head though. talk to him, assess him -- factual, if that was what it took )
Please, Jack. I need to know that you're mission fit.
( would cost have sent him back if he wasn't? unlikely but she didn't really know their technology. she wanted her own check, as brief as it likely would be. just enough to satisfy her )
[And it had taken weeks aboard BASE to ensure that fact, even if Jack might be doubting the procedure. Obviously, it was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. Combined with his natural distrust of most everything, he's less confident than he lets on.
But if he's good at anything, it's feigning reassurance.]
( angela sighs, moving to sit herself down. it wasn't as much as she would like from him but she knows better than to push too far with him
so she starts on her report, telling him what she knows about others that may have died in the arena, what she has done or heard since his and genji's deaths. it's perhaps less than he would like but that is because angela doesn't have as much -- she'd spent some time alone, or with a friend as she'd grieved at first before continuing her duties )
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So as soon as he's given the clear to return to the mission, Angela's quarters are the first place he goes. If knocks on doors could be apologetic, this one certainly is.]
Angela? It's me.
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she's perhaps a little slower to open the door than usual, uncertain what he's going to say, still remembering his words.
but then she sees him and as much as she wants to be angry with him, and she is a little, she's also relieved to see him. it results in a hug. if you could feel relief then he would have )
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He’s got military formality ingrained in the very fiber of his being, but he can do this for her, at least. Jack bends a little to accommodate the height difference, pulling her close and holding her tight, his forehead resting against her shoulder.]
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when she does finally step back angela looks up at him for a few seconds before turning around to go back into her room )
Come in.
( they had a lot to talk about )
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So.
[So, like he hasn't died and come back.]
What did I miss?
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instead she's silent until she's sat herself down, looking up at him )
I'm the wrong person to ask. ( partly because after their deaths her presence hadn't been as large, but also her focus was different to his )
You know what I've been doing.
( keeping being patched up after the fights. even after someone was an asshole and died )
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[He's a little tired of Angela acting like she's useless simply because she doesn't want to fight. Of course, watching him and Genji die in the arena can't have helped, but he knows she's much more capable than she's allowing herself to be.]
You can't sit here and tell me you're not paying attention to what's going on.
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What happened to you on base?
( she hadn't spoken to anyone that had died and been revived. had it been like her 'coma'?
the question wasn't a refusal to answer but a sort of redirection, giving her time to get the information sorted to tell him whilst finding out what she wanted to know. her knowledge would still be there after but his willingness to talk? )
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[He's going to spare her the nitty-gritty details, as even he's not sure what the process entails. All he really knows is that he was coughing up black gunk for a not insubstantial amount of time. She might be better off asking the Sergeant about the ins and outs of it, because Jack isn't sure he can properly explain.
And it's not as if he wants to, when Angela seems content to avoid his inquiries.]
Answer my question.
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( she's not ignoring it, jack, just delaying, not quite satisfied with your answer first. whether or not he wants to tell her everything he needs to give her something more. it's only his health she's concerned with )
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( it's whispered though with an almost dangerous strength to it, a tone that jack would have rarely heard over his years. angela didn't get angry often -- frustrated certainly, mostly by him or bad patients (so him), but angry-- )
You don't get to refuse my questions. My report isn't going anywhere but this is your health. You died, Jack, and I'm more concerned about what effect that has had on you than how I felt about it.
( which is shitty, just in case he didn't get the message before )
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[Every step of the way Angela has balked, and it's frustrating for Jack, who knows she's much stronger than this. He doesn't want to think about his resurrection any more than he has to.]
This was always a possibility. It was never a secret.
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( though it would hurt to think that if she ever died he'd just be able to walk away unaffected from it.
she could now put on a practical head though. talk to him, assess him -- factual, if that was what it took )
Please, Jack. I need to know that you're mission fit.
( would cost have sent him back if he wasn't? unlikely but she didn't really know their technology. she wanted her own check, as brief as it likely would be. just enough to satisfy her )
And then I'll give you my report.
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[And it had taken weeks aboard BASE to ensure that fact, even if Jack might be doubting the procedure. Obviously, it was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. Combined with his natural distrust of most everything, he's less confident than he lets on.
But if he's good at anything, it's feigning reassurance.]
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so she starts on her report, telling him what she knows about others that may have died in the arena, what she has done or heard since his and genji's deaths. it's perhaps less than he would like but that is because angela doesn't have as much -- she'd spent some time alone, or with a friend as she'd grieved at first before continuing her duties )