Room 406, late morning til evening.

[izzyalienqueen]

After the Perk, Isabel returned to her room, made a few handwavey phone calls and then tried to pack. If you can call randomly taking things in and out of drawers packing. Annie sat on the bed watching her, seeming to sense something was going on.

The door was cracked open.

[ooc: If you think you would have gotten a phone call, you did. I'm around but occasionally slowish due to RL through about 7 tonight.]

Comments

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

Sam hadn't gotten a call, but she'd talked to Jack the night before. Wincing slightly against the daylight, she knocked on the doorframe.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Hey Sam," Isabel said quietly, folding up a pair of flannel sleep pants.

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"You okay? Is there anything I can do to help you get ready to go?" Sam asked. She'd always hated packing alone.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel was anything but okay, but she'd locked it all down, refusing to think about it and instead focused on the task at hand. "I'm okay. As for help? What do you pack when you're heading off to another planet? It was easier when we went with Professor Harrington."

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"Clean socks and underwear," Sam said immediately, since she did have some practical experience with this, "Sturdy walking shoes. Comfortable clothes that are easy to clean and can be worn in layers. More socks. A knife. Something you can use to start a fire."

She hesitated, then added, "You'll make mistakes as a leader, Isabel. The important part is to try and make them ones you can live with. And if you can't, well, there's always a way to keep the nightmares at bay."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Heading to her dresser, Isabel started pulling out what Sam recommended. "Honestly? I don't even know that I'm going to be a leader. Max is the king, Michael's his second in command. I don't know what my role is supposed to be. Well, other then Michael's betrothed wife." She smiled wryly. "I wonder what they'll think when we say hell no."

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"You can be the voice of reason," Sam said, sitting down on a chair, "A colonel true king needs someone who challenges him and his ideas, not just a bunch of people standing around him agreeing. And hopefully they'll think that times are changing, but for the better."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"You mean it's my job to thwap him if he's being an ass?" she asked. "I think I can do that."

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"Yes, it definitely is," Sam smiled slightly at her, "I hope you're up to the challenge."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I'll do what I can or die trying I guess," Isabel shrugged, not at all certain if she was. "At least this time around I won't be sleeping with the enemy."

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"You're more ready than you think you are," Sam said, even as she broke her own heart with how untrue that was. It was important that Isabel believe at least a little bit. She'd do no good to anyone as an unsure commander--she wouldn't trust her own decisions and anyone under her would pick up on that immediately.

"You've learned important lessons while you've been on Earth, and while you've been here in Fandom. And if you can send us a line, you'll have the most enthusiastic, if disorganized, army you could hope for."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I know. It's just nerves I guess." Busying herself carefully re-rolling socks, Isabel cracked the tiniest smile. "Can you imagine that? Parker with a gun, Zero with a croquet mallet, Peter and his webs. It would definitely be different."

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"But effective," Sam said, "and you're forgotten Jack and I, who would drop whatever we're doing in a heartbeat if you called."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I haven't forgotten. Trust me. I never could." Unconsciously, she tightened her grip on the socks in her hand. "You'll look out for him?"

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"As much as anyone can," Sam smiled slightly.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"There is something to be said for the hitting over the head and locking in a closet method of looking out for someone. As long as it's not you, you know?" she asked, pretty sure Jack had probably seriously considered the option.

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

Sam coughed. "Locking someone in a closet to protect them? You don't say..."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I considered it a few times when I was back in Roswell and Michael would go off on one of his half-assed quests for information," she explained, smiling a bit at the memory. It was all so simple then.

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

Sam, of course, had never been locked in a closet. Except for that time with O'Neill, but that was different. "It's a very simple and elegant solution."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Maybe there's hope for me after all," Isabel said dryly.

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"There's always hope," Sam said, getting up and hugging Isabel. "I've been involved in some of the most hopeless, ass-backward jobs in human history, and I'm still here. Don't forgot to trust yourself, and to break the rules if you have to."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I'll remember that," she sad as she returned the hug. "I don't think they're ready for someone that learned tactics in Fandom. And you do the same, whether you go with the Time Agency or not."

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

Sam tried not to think about how fragile and young Isabel was. "I'm going to let you get back to what you were doing, since I don't have any more useless advice for you. Just...be careful, and don't worry about us."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, cause the packing of my bag is so important. I think I'm going to wind up going with three pairs of mismatched pajamas, a sweater and a leather jacket. But at least I'll have clean socks and underwear," Isabel said, forcing a smile as she gestured to where she'd packed them in her bag. "I'll worry, but it'll be easier knowing you're looking out for one another."

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"Don't forget your pants," Sam said, "and don't let us distract you. What you're doing won't be easy, and you have no idea how much I wish I could help. I want someone to be looking out for you."