Room 406, evening

[izzyalienqueen]

After hanging out in the common room and then saying good-bye, Isabel returned to her room and curled up on her bed, thinking about good-byes and the people she missed.

It never got easier.

[Expecting one, but open for all]

Comments

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

It was very, very late by the time Anders came up and knocked on the door, feeling guilty about the hour despite Isabel's previous reassurances.

He wasn't crying outright, but his eyes were definitely puffy, and he wasn't really speaking much.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel was tired, but she'd made Anders promise to come down and she wasn't going to miss his knock. Putting aside the album she'd been slowly paging through, she went to open the door.

"Hey," she said quietly.

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Wordlessly, Anders reached out to hug her and just held on, his shoulders heaving as he tried to get his breathing under control.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

A firm believer in the power of hugs, Isabel hung on, gently patting his back.

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

"Least I was able to send them off with a smile," Anders finally whispered. There were still no tears -- he was fairly certain he'd cried himself out -- but his throat was still swollen and aching, and his chest hurt.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"That's good," she said quietly, tugging him over towards her bed. "Come on, come sit."

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Anders didn't particularly resist the tugging, and soon enough found himself sitting on the bed and wondering exactly how puffy his eyes were. "Sorry it's so late," he apologized again, for the sake of something slightly neutral to say.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"It's not a problem. I'm glad you're here," she said, taking a seat next to him and putting an arm around his waist. "What can I do?"

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

"Just . . . be here. Keep me from thinking about it too much," Anders suggested. "Movies and distraction'd be good."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"That, I'm good at," she smiled. Isabel had planned ahead and the DVD player was already loaded with some inane movie Epic Movie spoofing some of the recent popular movies. It was a simple matter to grab the remote and turn it on.

Extra pillows were already piled on her bed and she leaned back, "Come on, get comfy."

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Anders curled up against the pillows, hugging himself a bit. "You're so prepared, big sis," he had to say, admiringly.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel patted her shoulder in invitation for leaning. Given the number of times she's leaned on shoulders the past few months, she knows it's comforting. "I think I've said too many good-byes lately."

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Anders didn't hesitate in taking her up on that invitation, and leaned with -- what would have been alacrity if he'd been in a more upbeat mood. "Yeah," he agreed quietly. "It's the season for that. Lucky us, though, tomorrow is when newbie season opens and we get to start introductions all over again."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Tipping her head to rest against the top of Anders', Isabel nodded. "Yeah. River and I are going to try to convince as many as we can to come to a shirtless dance party on the roof. But it's not going to be the same."

"Dammit, I'm supposed to be cheering you up here."

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

"You're here," Anders said, "watching a weird silly movie with me. You are cheering me up."

He squinted oddly at the screen for a moment then asked, "So . . . is this an actual shirtless dance party, or is that just what you're saying it is?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I think we're going to make it happen," she laughed. "Will you come and support the cause?"

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

"I suppose," Anders said slowly. "Not so sure I'll be shirtless, but I can at least go for a tank top or something."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"What's wrong with shirtlessness?" she asked with a grin. "It's a fine and respected Fandom tradition."

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

He gave her a tiny smile. "Certain very possessive people aren't around to make sure nobody tries to make off with what belongs to them?"

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"If anyone tries to carry you off, the fierce and protective big sister will look out for you," Isabel promised. "So that the very possessive person doesn't come kick her ass."

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Anders wrapped an arm around her shoulders for a hug. "They totally asked you to look out for me, didn't they." It wasn't a question; he knew they would.

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"It might have been mentioned." No point lying about it. "They weren't the only ones. Parker worries about you to."

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

"Of course she does." Someone else he missed a lot. "She was never all that thrilled by my relationship with them, but I know she was just concerned."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"The whole Bel wanting to kill us might have skewed her POV," Isabel pointed out. "She just wants you to be happy."

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

"I know. Not to mention everything I went through with . . . yeah." Anders looked down at his hands, absently rubbing a smudge of dirt off his knuckles. "I'm learning how to take care of myself. I can do it."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"So I heard," she smiled. "You saved Bel on your adventure to the Underworld?" Then her voice got a little bit firmer. "And just what where you thinking going there with him?"

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

"I was thinking that I didn't want him going alone if he was supposed to be dead," Anders answered firmly. "I couldn't talk him out of it, so I was going to go with him whether he wanted me to or not."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

Isabel really couldn't fault that argument. But for one tiny little point. "You couldn't take five minutes and call for back-up? It would have taken me a minute and a half to get up the stairs."

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

"The only way I could get him to take me along was by jumping his shimmer when he started to go," Anders objected. "There wasn't any time to call for backup!"

Okay, there had been, and he sagged. "Or maybe we just didn't think about it. I know. Phoebe gave us an earful."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"I'm sure she did. So just pretend I'm repeating it now," she told him. "It's too late to get cranky now."

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Anders bowed his head and looked penitent. "I consider myself appropriately scolded."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Then my work is done."

Isabel raised an eyebrow at the movie. "Okay, this looks amusing. I've got ice cream for later. There's comfy pillows. All good?"

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

"As good as things're gonna get," Anders said, cracking a smile at the TV. "Thanks again, big sis. I really needed this."

[izzyalienqueen.livejournal.com]

"Glad I could help," she said, turning her head and dropping a kiss on the top of his head. "Now relax and watch the movie as I go collapse into bed."