At the Monastery; Colorado Springs, Colorado, British Colonies:
George (to Charles): I thought I'd find you down here, Charles... What's going on? You curled up and fell right to sleep, last night.
Charles (to George): Oh, um, yes... Heh. I suppose I do spend too much time in the kitchen, don't I? I, um... I'm not sure how to say this. Umm... Mr. Tesla thinks that having Charlie and I in the same head is going to more burden than my body can handle.
George (to Charles): ...Oh. So, what does that mean?
Charles (to George): Um, that if something isn't done, the strain might kill me.
George (to Charles): That's awful, Charles! Did he offer up a solution, or a cure or something?
Charles (to George): ...There are a few options, I believe. One is that he could try to split Charlie & I up into different bodies, one of us would be an automaton, or clone. Or he could, um, merge us, somehow, but I might become someone else all together. Or I could just stay me, and Mr. Tesla is wrong about, um... you know.
George (to Charles): Wow... Those are really terrible options. What have you & Charlie decided to do?
Charles (to George): Nothing. This bloody idiot wants to just wait it out and hope for the best. <sigh> What else am I supposed to do? There aren't really two of us. I can't imagine trying to split us up would end well... And I don't want to be another person.
George (to Charles): Charlie, what do you want to do?
Charles (to George): ... It hurts to say it, but he's probably right about splitting us up. Seems the reason we split in the first place, is cuz of a combo of whatever we got injected with and Charles's own special brand of crazy. I say let the brainiac merge us. It isn't like this is the first time we've had everything shaken up and had to start from from the bottom again.
George (to Charles): But, what would that mean for you-- I mean for both of you? Would it be like what Nate & Victor went through with the merging timelines? Or something completely different?
Charles (to George): No one seems to know exactly what would happen to me, and there's a chance the procedure could kill me, or worse. It could drive me mad, or leave me in a vegetative state... Or it could leave me an awful person. Like I was before. Fuck right off with that, Charles. It's bullocks. We weren't even half as bad as most of our mates. You've gotten yourself cozy, and don't want to deal with a bit of a change.
George (to Charles): ... If you want my opinion, I think you should do it. I happen to like both of you & I can't imagine that a result of the two you merging could possibly be all that bad. But, it might just be me being selfish.
Charles (to George): ... I, um, I'll think about it.
George (to Charles): C'mere, Charles. You look like you need a hug.
Charles (to George): Thank you...
At the Jones' house; Oxford, Mississippi:
Aiden: … You leave to go to the loo & everyone does a runner. Was it something I said? Or is this some strange custom I'm unfamiliar with?
Mrs. Jones (to Nathaniel): Nate! Nate, please... Don't leave. You know how your father gets. He didn't mean it like that. We haven't even had--
Nathaniel (to Mrs. Jones): Yeah? It's real hard to figure how calling my relationship a "sham" and accusing me of shitting on "the holy institution of marriage" could mean anything else. And let's not forget the tirade he went on about what the congregation might think. God fucking forbid those self-righteous assholes might cast y'all a sideways glance.
Mrs. Jones (to Nathaniel): Nathaniel Zachariah Jones! I am your MOTHER. Do not use that kind of language in front of me, young man. ...Why don't we all just calm down? Come back in the house and we'll talk this through.
Nathaniel (to Mrs. Jones): There's nothing to talk about, Ma. Nothing is up for debate, here. Sitting down an' playing at a nice dinner isn't gonna change squat. ...I'm happy. I thought you'd love me enough to be happy for me too. An' I thought you'd wanna meet Lily. All that bitchin' you did at me about not giving you grandkids, I thought you'd be thrilled.
Mrs. Jones (to Nathaniel): Don't you dare say that to me! This isn't about us not loving you, hon. You know we love you. ...I know you didn't *choose* the events that made you gay. There's no going back and changing that. I AM happy you're with someone you care about, and your father and brother will come around to that, eventually. But you're so YOUNG, and you can't, in good conscience ask me to be happy you're exposing this poor girl to... God loves you Nate, as much as we do, and He isn't in your life right now. Think about it honestly, honey. Wouldn't she be better off with someone else? With a mom?
Aiden (to Mrs. Jones & Nathaniel): I beg both of your pardons but, I think we will be going, Mrs. Jones. It was lovely to see you again. But, I can't in good conscience expose my daughter to your type of bigotry & malice. Lilian is quite a charming, caring, intelligent & lovely child and in no way does she need to experience this.
Mrs. Jones (to Aiden & Nathaniel): Sweetheart...
Aiden (to Mrs. Jones): I am not your sweetheart, Mrs. Jones. I am the man that loves your son with all my heart, enough to come with him on this insane visit to see you, despite all of my misgivings. And, you & your husband did not disappoint. You claim to love Nate but you don't even know him. I bet you don't even know what his favorite book is or that he has a strange habit of putting peanut butter on his Vanilla ice cream or that he is the sweetest, most loyal person you will ever meet, even when he's trying to act like he doesn't care… (to Nathaniel) C'mon, Nate.
Nathaniel (to Aiden): Yeah. I'm right behind you. (to Mrs. Jones) … Bye, Mom.
A couple minutes later:
Nathaniel (to Aiden): Shit, I picked a helluva time to quit smoking. So that was a fucking waste of goddamn time... Sorry.
Aiden (to Nathaniel): … It wasn't. You needed to see it through. And, I apologize for stepping in but when I heard your mother talk about Lily and her need for a mother, I just sort of lost it. It wasn't my place, I'm sorry.
Nathaniel (to Aiden): It's alright... I'm kinda glad you stepped in when you did. It's the only thing that was keeping me calm. I'm sorry I kinda ran outta there while you were in the bathroom. I just needed some space before I hit someone.
Aiden (to Nathaniel): Heh. Quite understandable. Heh. Apparently, your father used it as a cue to leave the room, as well. I am heart-broken that I was unable to have an one on one chat with him… I wanted to ask for your hand in marriage. ;-P
Nathaniel (to Aiden): What? Ha ha ha! Man, if you wanted to have someone scream a Bible passage ridden lecture at you, just lemme know. Heh. I think I got a couple memorized I could recite for you... Thank you for coming with me.
Aiden (to Nathaniel): Of course, I came with you, Nate. Even though, I thought it might turn out badly, for your sake, I hoped it wouldn't. Either way, we're in this together. And, I meant every word I said to your mother.
Nathaniel (to Aiden): I know you did, which is why I'm one lucky son of a bitch. ...Heh. That choice of words was not an accident. C'mon. Let's get the fuck out of Mississippi.
Aiden (to Nathaniel): With pleasure.
Several hours later, at the Monastery; Colorado Springs, Colorado, British Colonies:
Una: WHO HAS BEEN MESSING WITH MY DESK!?!
Eva (to Una): Good heaven, Una. What are you doing in here? This place is trashed!
Una (to Eva): … I didn't do this. I found it this way, sister dear.
Eva (to Una): Oh dear. I suppose Mr. Tesla is working on something again. <tsk, tsk> How did that man ever keep anything organized before us?
Una (to Eva): I honestly don't know… Will you get me some coffee from the kitchen? I believe it will take me some time to get this sorted.
Eva (to Una): Of course, sister dearest. I'll fetch us some cheese and bread as well. I fear it will be a long night.
Una (to Eva): Thank you… If you discover that Mister Tesla isn't the culprit, feel free to shoot the scoundrel.
Eva (to Una): With distinct pleasure.
A short time later:
Eva (to Luc): ... Hello, Luc. Is there coffee made?
Luc (to Eva): I do believe there is, Miss Eva.
Eva (to Luc): Thank goodness! Apparently, our employer has been rifling through our papers. It will take all evening to get them in order. I can't imagine what he thought he could find that he didn't have in his personal library...
Luc (to Eva): … I imagine he's looking for information on the cloning process your mother perfected & stole from Maladori.
Eva (to Luc): ... How did you know about that?
Luc (to Eva): Heh. You didn't think Maladori left that valuable data just lying around in an abandoned lab, for no reason, did you? I believe she was hoping that someone would stumble upon it & decide to continue the research… It would save her the legwork.
Eva (to Luc): Yes. I suppose that would make sense... What a terrifying thought. My sister and I would have most likely been used for parts.
Luc (to Eva): Yes… She was-- is very good at creating that type of feeling.
Eva (to Luc): I beg your pardon. It hope I didn't make you uncomfortable.
Luc (to Eva): Not at all. If I was made uncomfortable by the exploits of Maladori, I would have curled up into a ball a long time ago.
Eva (to Luc): Oh good. I have no idea what to do with people when they get upset. They get so... emotional.
Luc (to Eva): Do they? I hardly pay any attention.
Eva (to Luc): Of course you do. Don't take me for an idiot, Mr. Vadrouiller. I may not be the cleverest one here, but I'm not a dullard.
Luc (to Eva): I certainly don't think you're a dullard... What are you implying?
Eva (to Luc): That you're much more aware of people around you than you pretend to be. And that you worry about what they think of you. At least where members of your family are concerned.
Luc (to Eva): ... Well honestly, who doesn't?
Eva (to Luc): From what I've seen, it's very common. Which is why I don't understand why you pretend otherwise. I'm being rude and far too personal aren't I? Una is constantly chiding me for that.
Luc (to Eva): Emotional attachments were not encouraged during my youth. And, the Potters are nothing but emotional. So, do you see my difficulty?
Eva (to Luc): Yes. That certainly is true...
Luc (to Eva): Have I mentioned that blouse brings out the color in your eyes?
Eva (to Luc): No. You have not. I believe that's because the blue is of a similar chromatic hue to the green flecks in my eyes.
Luc (to Eva): It's quite lovely, as are you.
Eva (to Luc): Oh... Thank you.
Luc (to Eva): You know, if you ever want a night away from this place, I'd be more than happy to take you out.
Eva (to Luc): Did my sister turn you down? I'm not upset if the answer is yes, incidentally. Most people find me rather off-putting.
Luc (to Eva): I didn't ask her.
Eva (to Luc): Didn't you? I'll admit, that's surprising. She has always been better at dealing with people than I have... I'll think about it.
Luc (to Eva): Heh... Well, that's not a no. ;-)
Eva (to Luc): No, it isn't. Well spotted. I should really see to helping my sister. Good evening, Mr. Vadrouiller.
Luc (to Eva): Good night, Miss Greymalkin.
Eva: That was certainly strange.
