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[jumpthegun]

1201 Sugar Plum Grove

Comments

[devoutish]

Of course I haven't found something, I'm only curious. Morbidly so.

[jumpthegun]

[Alfie.]

Yeah, well. Go be morbid at someone else. I don't plan to stay here once there's a way out. D'you?

[devoutish]

I'm in that sort of mood; I'm thinking of the ones we've lost, mate. The ones who never even made it here.

[It's an opening, of sorts, albeit an indirect one. This is more than just morbid curiosity - he wants to talk about them, if Watson will accept it.]

And I do. Yes. Visiting London, but settling here.

[jumpthegun]

[Right... it's that sort of conversation. John sighs quietly to himself, but nods. If Alfie wants to talk, he's not going to deny him that.]

There are a lot who haven't made it here. Given we're from all different times, though, seems a little hard to pick out how much they might've been through if they do turn up. Anyone you're thinking about?

[A pause.]

Fiona?

[devoutish]

Among others. Do you think about her often yourself?

[jumpthegun]

I try not to, honestly. Mary's got... a lot tied up in the other version of me romancing someone else where she was before. [He's not going to mention that someone was Sherlock.] Think about the kids, mostly, if I'm honest. There were too many of them. And England.

[devoutish]

Kesara.

[He says, quietly.]

[jumpthegun]

She's a smart kid. All of them are, really. I can't imagine surviving a place like that when I was that age.

[devoutish]

She did better than I would have - me, the son of a gangster, who grew up to be what I am. Imagine who she could have been. Eh? She would have either saved the world, or brought it to its knees.

[jumpthegun]

She can still be that, Alfie. If I can get back to Norfinbury...

[devoutish]

She died, mate. Twice.

[jumpthegun]

She was alive when I've come from Alfie. I just need to make sure to get her and everyone out of there as quickly as possible. I know what's coming. I can even get a map of everything. We'll be able to get through much faster, avoid the worst problems.

[devoutish]

Is this a hope, or are you genuinely confident that it'll work?

[He doesn't sound too derisive, at least!]

[jumpthegun]

If I've got the right information, I'm confident it'll work. Won't go smoothly, but that place, our biggest sink in time has been running around to random places hoping we'll find something we need or trying to figure out different puzzles. I'd just need the solutions to those plus the map to show us where to go. We could coordinate from there. Might get thrown off by people like the Joker, but he could be kept out of the loop.

[devoutish]

Or tied up in a house.

[He's just saying, Watson.]

[jumpthegun]

[John scoffs quietly.]

Yeah, sure. Or tied up in a house. Pop his knees while we're at it, yeah?

[devoutish]

[Completely seriously:]

Yes, John, you may need to.

[jumpthegun]

[Alfie.]

I'll do what I need to. Bit less green than I once was with the whole necessity thing, y'know?

[devoutish]

May I consider that my influence, at least in part?

[jumpthegun]

Your bad influence, yes. I'm also older and a lot more tired.

[devoutish]

So m'I, mate. So m'I. Fifty years - that's a long time for men like us, innit.

Tell me, do you ever imagine retiring?

cw: mention of cancer and character death

[jumpthegun]

Not quite there, yet, myself, but... yeah.

[Especially considering Alfie's brush with lung cancer. If they hadn't had Zephyr's magic his prognosis would have been... very grim. And short.]

Pretty sure a bullet will be the thing to retire me, though. Don't much fancy going out in my sleep. But I would like it to be quick.

[devoutish]

I always figured that, for myself. You wouldn't like some rest beforehand, though?

[jumpthegun]

I like a holiday as much as the next man, but something extended? Not really. This place gets to me bad enough sometimes.

[devoutish]

Well, it wouldn't have to be here.