They don't make jukeboxes like they used to...

[rememory]

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To reach the unreachable staaaaaaaaaar....

From the kitchen that she'd designated as the focal point for de and reconstruction, Sabine barked, "Mimi!" and then choked out a laugh that was half a sob. Man of La Mancha had always been one of Byron's favorite musicals.

"What? You can't build without music and you don't have a boombox!"

"No one has a boombox anymore. Don't make me regret manifesting you." She shook a finger at the showgirl ghost who was lounging on the back of the couch like it was a baby grand.

Unrepentant, Mimi went on singing,

To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star.

"I love that line, don't you?" Mimi teased not just Sabine but Scott, even though he was out of earshot.

"Zip it, or it's Tsura's turn," Sabine snapped, cringing at the reference to their chaste, but far less than pure love.

"What was that?" Scott emerged from the next-door apartment through the hole he'd put between them to make testing the walls for support beams easier. There were two more like it in the filthy foursquare they'd chosen to turn into a community area -- for the time being.

"Nothing. Mimi was just asking your favorite musical so she could sing for you. Isn't that right, Mimi?" Mind-to-ghost she sent #Don't even contradict me.# Forbidding it with power was the simplest of her abilities, but Sabine didn't abridge her free will.

Mimi just laughed and laughed, sticking to Impossible Dream until the next person joined them Then she started in on songs from Annie:

It's a hard knock life for us!
It's a hard knock life for us!

Sighing, Sabine shot Scott and the newcomer an apologetic look then shrugged helplessly. "It's not like she's wrong."

[ooc: Gathering post! Sabine and Scott are clearing out a group of four apartments to start with to make a communal kitchen, dining, sitting area on level D. Mimi is audible and vaguely visible as a holographic figure of a showgirl with an indistinct face. She won't interact unless you ping me and ask for her. Will, Molly, Marie, Jack, Sebastian, Nick, Porthos, Maggie, all got a message inviting them for potluck and construction. Anyone else can have heard from them or have seen the 'excuse our dust' sign and stop by. Feel free; all are welcome. Tag Sabine with a note in the subject line; all other tags are top levels.]

Comments

Re: Sabine

[rememory]

"Well, they did somehow bring me my cat and brought Scott his ruby-quartz lens in case his control blows out. They seem to want us to feel safe and at home. They did provide us with credits, private quarters, clothes, and we're not barred from any types of employment that I've been able to discover." Sabine rubbed her wrist across her forehead to scratch without getting dirt all over her face. "In my experience, the penal system is hardly so cushy. I'm inclined to believe that we're more or less free to do as we choose."

Scott was less sanguine, which, realistically was why she'd chosen an optimistic approach. They had enough to wallow in without assuming they were subject to punishment for displeasing their overlords. "I do hope I'm right. Scott really won't do well if they lock me up. He needs to be needed, or he broods."

Re: Sabine

[rememory]

Ghost whisperer. Like she hadn't heard that one before. On the other hand, it confirmed their universes had at least some similarities. Besides, what hadn't she heard before? She was the one who had named them the Soul Train, after all. "Since 9/11," she answered him, and before he could ask for an elaboration she didn't want to give, she added, "All of those angry ghosts triggered my genetic ability. Afterward, I was institutionalized."

[rememory]

"There's usually at least one of them--" Sabine glanced at Scott and back to Molly and then blushed slightly. "Oh. No. It's not like that between us. Not that I wouldn't, but it's complicated."

But since the substance of what she'd asked was less so, Sabine continued more easily to explain, "I tend not to sleep with anyone who doesn't know about them, because they're not always discreet. If I ask them to give me privacy, they will--mostly." Again the sorrow of loss swept over her, but she continued doggedly, "Byron used to play unpleasant tricks on the men in my life and he could be very resistant about leaving when he knew I'd be having sex. It's one of the only times I've ever used my power to force one of my companions out of my presence."

[rememory]

Startling Sabine tended to be the next closest thing to impossible, since Tsura had appointed herself a scout, and insisted that someone else take over if she wanted to do something else. From the other psis at the castle, however, she had learned to consider it courteous to wait until someone acknowledged her.

So when Will spoke, Sabine had already been listening for him, and when she answered, it was in a similarly low tone, but warm with welcome to offer him a respite from the noise and human presences. "I do. At home, Em, Dani, and Sarah and I are often in the kitchen when anything has gone wrong. I stress cook less than they, but enjoy cooking for friends." It didn't seem strange to speak of people and situations he didn't and couldn't know. She didn't really think of him as new to her life, not in the ways that mattered.

[rememory]

Having been warned of someone incoming, Sabine was already turning, already smiling kindly, as he finished his offer. "Honestly, we're just about done." But he looked so hopeful, like it would mean so much to him to be able to do something that Sabine suggested, "You could taste-test for me and see if this is edible?"

This, as it happened, was a vegetarian black bean and corn salad, Southwestern style Monte Cristo sandwiches, and spinach enchiladas with shredded replicator chicken and s bowl of queso on the side.

[thewinterlady]

"You're very forebearing." Molly said, wincing a little at the loss that swept over Sabine. She could understand loss like that, but it never made it easier to feel it in others. Molly was a fixer and some things just couldn't be fixed.

She shored up her defenses and smiled. "But this is good." She said, gesturing around. "What made you decide to start something like this?"

[thewinterlady]

Molly nodded, slipping up behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist for a moment before she moved to grab a heavy lump hammer and handing it to him.

"I think this level is pretty much abandoned so Sabine kinda...took it." She laughed, shrugging a shoulder. She didn't have an issue with Sabines acquisition of the space. If anyone came looking she could convince them it was a good idea to let them all keep it. "It's a good idea. I mean, I'm not gonna cook, but I can eat with the best of them."

Re: Sabine

[annnamarie]

"We were still brought her without a clear reason and a way out. Jails come in different shapes and sizes." Marie felt like she was a second away from making a comment along the lines of birds, cages, and recognizing freedom. She had been free, now she was contained. No matter how man-

"You have a cat? And it's here?" If only she had acted upon her plans of adopting sooner. She'd love to have a pet around. "And yeah, like, the Scott I knew couldn't open his eyes without blasting fiery destruction, how did this guy manage? I can ask you that, right?"

Re: Sabine

[malachai]

"I can't imagine that would be the easiest thing to have landed on your head, or maybe in your head is a better way of putting it. I'm going to guess that being sent off didn't exactly improve things?"

It was just a guess, but he'd watched enough TV to know that if you were looking for ghosts, former mental hospitals were the place to go. He couldn't imagine she'd found any peace there.

[wgraham]

Will nodded, and an image came to mind, Sabine and three other women cooking together, laughing and enjoying each other's company, finding comfort in sharing in the others' presence.

"I fish," Will told Sabine, thinking of his own escape, the place he would go when he needed clarity. "Or I used to," he amended with a soft laugh. There had been a river in Darrow, but somehow Will had never gotten there, and of course there wasn't a way to indulge in that particular hobby here on Sanctuary, at least not outside the meditative kind he engaged in mentally.

"I guess I still do, but only in my head," he said, and he knew, despite how strange it sounded, Sabine would understand.

He cleared his throat. "What did you cook today?" he asked, turning his attention to the spread Sabine was adding finishing touches to.

[lee_fallon]

"I can absolutely do that," Lee replied, taking steps to close the distance between them. "Some of it, anyway," he corrected.

"I'm a vegetarian," he explained with a gentle smile. "I hope that doesn't change your mind about letting me help."

[wgraham]

Will pressed a hand against Molly's arms when she held him, connecting with her physically as his mind was filled with her, close and comforting. He sighed in contentment as she slipped away, and he took the hammer she offered him.

"It does look a bit ramshackle," he agreed, looking around the space again as he moved in closer to the wall. "If no one else is using the space, I can't imagine anyone will mind Sabine repurposing it."

Then he turned and grinned at Molly. "It's a good thing someone around here cooks, since you know I'm not any help there either," he joked. "If it wasn't for Sabine, we'd be doomed to replicator food for the rest of our lives."

[wgraham]

"My glasses appeared here too," Will replied, and he hadn't spent much time thinking about how they'd come to be here when they'd shown up in his drawer, but he was starting to realize it was much more strategic than random or incidental.

"And something else, a personal item that I certainly didn't have on me when I fell asleep the night before I came here," Will added. "But something I'd felt remorse about having lost once I realized I was probably stuck here."

[thewinterlady]

Making a face, Molly couldn't help but agree. "Don't even joke about that. As much as I appreciate free food, that is not what I had in mind."

She looked at the pieces of wall that had already been taken down and lay scattered in shabby piles all over the floor. She hadn't tested her power much since they'd gotten here but she took a breath and squared her shoulders, pulling a shield into a small disc in front of her. It was shaky at first but it quickly solidified and she grinned as the magic flowed through her. She started gathering up the detritus, using the shield like a scoop or a brush to move it out of the way so Will and she had room to work.

"Better." She said, stepping into the empty space and setting about the wall.

[cpt_harkness]

Jack gave him a queer glance and a wide smile.

"Like run and fetch me one? Are you serious? No, just come show me where they might be," he chuckled as he slung his arm 'round Ianto and started them toward the table. "Are you meeting people? Having fun?"

[cpt_harkness]

"I'm fantastic," he beamed. "I've found the best party in the station, after all. What I'd give for some hypervodka and a little Glenn Miller, but we'll make do. Do you dance?" he asked.

[rememory]

Sabine smiled back at him, shaking her head in warm amusement. She knew his type, the type who made fun wherever he went, and in general she approved. Jack, like Remy, had a gift for lifting her out of the darkness even when they were very carefully talking about things no one had any business knowing.

"I've done a fox-trot or two," she offered with a fey little smile. "But I prefer a waltz or a rave."

[wgraham]

Will, who was facing away from Molly surveying the structure of the wall, could feel when Molly began to manifest her magic, the vibrations of it running along their connection, the ozone smell and slightly pungent taste of it filling Will's senses. He turned to watch her work, a disc appearing and flattening out so Molly could use it as a sort of plow, pushing piles of debris aside in a way that looked effortless. He felt a little shiver run through his body when she finished and her magic ceased, something like satisfaction echoing through their connection.

"Nice work," he told her with a smile, and he knew she could feel his pride and happiness at her being able to use her magic here as well as see it in his expression.

Re: Sabine

[rememory]

"A gilded cage is still a cage," Sabine agreed with a nod. "But if they're going through the motions of gilding, it would really fuck up the show to start putting chains on the bird's feet. So instead, yes, they gave me my cat."

She glanced toward Scott and then back to Marie. "It's his story to tell, but the long and short is, some of our enemies messed around with his head. The end result was that he got control over his powers along with the trauma."

Re: Sabine

[rememory]

Sabine shrugged, not awkward but not all that interested in talking about it. "I was catatonic for most of it. Juvie was worse." So had the trial where no one believed she hadn't killed that girl. No one but Bo, but it hadn't mattered. No one believed him either.

"I had 'uncanny' knowledge of where a body was buried. They though I put it there."

[rememory]

Sabine's mouth twitched in a small, sad but fond smile. "Home is Castle Kinross, honest to goodness Scottish castle. Our rooms are generous but the kitchens are shared. Whenever anything bad happens--which is often, someone starts cooking and someone else joins, and people eat and cry and talk or not talk..."

She rolled her shoulders in a slow, pained shrug. "It seemed like the sort of thing we could use."

[rememory]

"Not at all." Sabine gestured to the food she'd prepared. "The Monte Cristo has replicated turkey in it, but the cheese for the enchiladas is vegan. Corn and bean salad has nothing but the veg and the spices in it."

She gave him a gentle smile afterward and added, "If it's not to your taste, we'll figure something else out." If no one else had ever, Moira certainly had taught her, "Never turn away a helping hand." And never make someone who needs something to do feel useless. "It's a kitchen. There's always something to do."

[rememory]

"All three of us, Dani, Sarah, Em, what we do, we do with our minds. You'll never catch me saying 'only' about anything in the brain." She put out her hand for him, to take or not, his choosing, but if he did, she would only lead him as far as the counter anyhow.

"It's nothing fancy. Corn and black bean salad, enchiladas, and Southwestern style Monte Cristos. Everything's replicated except the vegetables and the spices. Sal always says that fresh veg and good spice can cover a multitude of sins." She flashed Will a quick grin. "Let's hope he's right."

Because it was Will, she decided to add, "I usually trend toward French, Creole and Chinese, but Southwestern is Scott's favorite."

Re: Sabine

[annnamarie]

Right. After three years of casual hermiting, Marie sometimes still needs some time to get used to human interaction that lasts longer than five sentences. And she isn't sure that she completely understands Sabine to start with.

"Oh. Damn." That was a tough choice to make, or appreciate. "Yes, no, it's personal of course. Just curious. Don't want to have to grab him."

[tw3_ianto_jones]

Jack's words weren't meant to admonish, but Ianto blushed anyway, his face going even hotter when Jack's arm snaked around his shoulders. He knew he used to be more confident than this, in better command of his faculties, but all the time away from home must have started to take its toll. Just having Jack here turned Ianto's world upside down in amazing ways.

"I've met some people, yes," he answered Jack's question as he looked toward the buffet to find the tray he'd brought. "A woman from UNIT, even. Kate Stewart. I didn't recognize her name, though. And, well..." he went on, flustered now in a different way. "I met a woman named Maggie. She runs a coffee shop here, and her family is Irish."