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Mike Weston ([info]mike_weston) wrote in [info]omega_reality,
@ 2013-02-25 09:57:00

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Entry tags:*complete, 2013 02, character: claudia donovan, character: mike weston

RP: Mike and Claudia
Who: Mike and Claudia
Where: Safe house
When: Monday, February 25, 2013
Summary: Mike starts getting to know people

Mike stepped out of the room. He was getting claustrophobic in there. There were too many people, doing too many things, everyone seemed to have a place and he felt like he did when he'd stepped into the BAU room that very first day, with one major difference He knew he belonged in the BAU and had worked hard to get there. Here, he had no idea who he was and what he was supposed to do

The cool air made him breath easier, but he had to admit, at least to himself, that he was still waiting for Joe Carroll or one of his followers to show up, even if that made no sense. It still seemed a lot more credible than multiple dimension and superpowers. He tensed up when he heard the door and turned his head. "Claudia," he said, before looking out again.


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[info]_claudia_d
2013-02-25 05:57 pm UTC (link)
"Hey there," Claudia greeted, depositing her bag by her feet as she settled at the corner of the porch. She shifted her rifle into a more comfortable position. "How's things, besides mind-blowingly crazy?"

Seeing almost-Jinky's face on another person reminded her of home, which was both good and bad. It made her miss it more but also was like having a slice of it with her now, which she very much needed after losing Eric.

Eyeballing a tree within her power range, Claudia pulled up her mental tree nymph and tried to make a peace sign out of the branches without any of them breaking.

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[info]mike_weston
2013-02-25 06:50 pm UTC (link)
Mike shrugged. "I was investigating a cult made up of serial killers, led by a psychopath able to pull the strings from a maximum security jail. This is..." He sighed. "I'm still expecting someone to show up and try to kill me and I'm thinking about the agent that went after the three that were holding a child hostage. I guess this will hit me when I stop wondering."

He smiled at her. "There hasn't been time for anything else. Ask me again in a few weeks and you'll get a different answer."

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[info]_claudia_d
2013-02-25 08:20 pm UTC (link)
"Well, someone might still show up and try to kill you, if it's any consolation," Claudia said, as the tree branches slowly bent into shape. "There's also training, which many have claimed was them trying to kill us at first, but you get used to it."

Claudia glanced at him. "So you're FBI like Derek and Emily, I heard. BSA? BUS? BBQ? Something like that. Do you know them?"

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[info]mike_weston
2013-02-25 08:49 pm UTC (link)
"It's not the same. Psychotic serial killers that enjoy seeing you suffer have a very different flavor than a SWAT team," he said, with a smirk. "I've heard the original training was based on the FBI academy course. I'm already used to that. We also take classes periodically at the BAU, and there 500 hour training period just to get at the BAU. I can deal with training."

He chuckled. "You heard? You mean when Reese told everyone on the plane, and yes I know them. We're not friends or anything, but I know who they are. We thought Prentiss had been killed by a terrorist. Garcia in a car ride. Morgan was supposedly undercover and Reid had disappeared. At least those are the official stories. I didn't know they were all here, naturally."

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[info]_claudia_d
2013-02-25 09:14 pm UTC (link)
"The original training isn't what they do now, and if it is, I'm so glad I'm not FBI," Claudia said.

She frowned slightly. "You kind of like to put people down when you speak with them, or maybe it's just me. Not cool, dude. I'm not exactly what you'd call a perfect linquist but I don't use my words as scissors. You don't get a pass just because you look like Steve."

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[info]mike_weston
2013-02-25 09:37 pm UTC (link)
"I guess I'll see," he said with a shrug. Training wasn't what worried him. Getting back was more important. Even more important was whether he'd be allowed back to his life if he ever returned, but he would worry about that when he got home.

Mike raised an eyebrow. "You think that's putting people down? And this has nothing to do with being a linguist. I wasn't expecting a dissertation on the evolution of the English language through the centuries, but we're supposed to be inconspicuous and pay attention to our environment from everything I've been told, right? So how is an adult woman speaking like a sixteen year old inconspicuous? And you were on that plane when Reese specifically mentioned the BAU and the people working there. BSA? BUS? BBQ? That's cute if you're ten, and you aren't ten, and there's no way you're going to tell me that you don't know that a bus or a BBQ are not part of the FBI. If I wanted to put you down, I could have insulted you, which I haven't and it's why I don't need a pass, but I do think that you are putting everyone in danger if they are supposed to be as secret as they claim to be, because there's no way that people aren't going to remember the redhead woman that spoke like she never finished high school."

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[info]_claudia_d
2013-02-25 09:52 pm UTC (link)
"I don't speak like a sixtten year old. I speak like I speak because it's how I speak when we're not out undercover," Claudia said tightly. "And if you were paying attention, you'd know that I was in the cockpit and didn't hear Reese say anything about your job. I overheard it later. I don't have a clue what they did, and your acronyms aren't my acronyms, and maybe I was joking with you, too. Big mistake on my part.

"And you stop moving," she directed abruptly to the tree, who'd decided to make its way closer to the house while she was busy being irritated. She needed more practice, which is why she came outside to begin with, since they were in a new environment with different plants.

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[info]mike_weston
2013-02-25 10:03 pm UTC (link)
"Which is like a sixteen year old," he said. "The bestest best friend? Look, you can speak how ever you like, obviously, but you're judged by it. It's just how the world works. Language is how we relate to one another, it's how we judge one another, long before we really get to know people. As Ludwig Wittgenstein said, 'the limits of my language means the limits of my world'. And I wasn't paying attention. I was waking up with rifles in my face and my gun missing," he admitted. "But my job is not something I joke about. I put a lot of time and energy to get to the BAU, which is the elite unit in the FBI. You don't know the acronym, fine, although if you're been around Morgan, I don't know how you don't know it, but either way, there's really no reason to joke about it."

He looked at the tree. "That's.. now that's weird. Super powers." He shook his head. "What exactly can you do?"

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[info]_claudia_d
2013-02-25 10:20 pm UTC (link)
"I'm not from your dimension, and Derek never mentioned what he did before here. Your job wasn't a joke, my job wasn't a joke, but that doesn't mean you can't have a sense a humor about it."

Claudia was touchier than, well, since Steve was killed and it was obvious that Eric's death was affecting her normal go with it mood. Probably not obvious to Mike, who didn't even know her, and she was snapping at him like a snapping turtle. She should take the change of subject and run with it.

"Manipulate plants, from seeds on up." Claudia took a deep breath and let it out with a relax of her shoulders. She showed him her thumb. "You can say I have a green thumb - side-effect, non-contagious. I didn't get it that long ago and we were in a place before that didn't have much in the way of plant life. I'm still working on getting a full grip on it, but at least trees don't chase me anymore.

"We train with our powers almost every night. You get used to the cool, scary, fact-of-new-life-ness of it. Mostly."

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[info]mike_weston
2013-02-26 01:09 am UTC (link)
Mike sighed. "Fine, okay, he never mentioned and you didn't know. It doesn't change the rest. You were making light of my unit without knowing what we do or how I would react to that. I also work for a federal agency that arrests people. We don't have a sense of humor about our job, because there's nothing funny about it."

He stared at the thumb. "Does everyone have side effects like that? No one told me about that." He looked at the tree again. "That is cool. I could see how great it could come. It would provide perfect cover without having to use anything artificial, and it'd work just about anywhere."

He snorted. "I don't know how anyone gets used to that. It's a little too cool, but then again, I never thought I'd get used to dead people and blood lost all effect on me years ago."

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[info]_claudia_d
2013-02-26 02:36 pm UTC (link)
"Yeah, I didn't know how you'd react. My reaction to stress is to joke about it. If I didn't, I'd go crazier than they said I am. Sorry about that. My good friend here died last week and I've been not myself," Claudia said.

"Lots of people get side effects, but they usually go away or you adapt," Claudia said. She looked at her thumb. "My thumb's looking more algae-colored now than moss, which is a good sign. When the power starts, you don't have much control over it, and your body is probably like 'whoa! new thing! abort! abort!'. I don't know any of the science behind it. Maura might, or April, but she's not here anymore, and the Director, of course."

Claudia dropped her hand in her lap. "Some people hate their powers. Some think they're cool. We don't really use them except in training, so we can use them if we have to, and I'm thinking we're going to have to use them more in the next dimension."

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[info]mike_weston
2013-02-26 05:18 pm UTC (link)
"Military brat with two brothers in the military. There's no joking about problems. You face them head on." He couldn't imagine anyone in his family joking about work. "I'm sorry about his dead I know what's like. A week ago, I was sitting on a kitchen floor with my partner bleeding to death in a matter of seconds while there was nothing I could do to stop it. I understand loss well." He just didn't joke about it.

"Hopefully the side effects won't be permanent, but I'll wait about that later. No sense in worrying about the things we can't predict when there is plenty to worry about," he said with a shrug.

Mike nodded. "I can see why it would depend on the type of power. Some really seem to like theirs. I don't think Troy has picked up anything since I've been here," he said, chuckling. "That's one neat power to have."

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[info]_claudia_d
2013-02-26 07:26 pm UTC (link)
"Yeah, he ended up with a pretty helpful one in the power lottery. The teaching leans more towards another tool for the job, but Troy is happy to use it for his own gain, especially when there's sports on so he doesn't have to move," Claudia said.

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[info]mike_weston
2013-02-26 07:55 pm UTC (link)
"I want what he's got," he answered with a smirk. "No? Doesn't work that way? Damn, I'd really like it." Mike frowned. "Wait, are you saying that they don't want you to use their powers unless it's in training? Or is this you not using your words as scissors? Because to me, saying that someone is using his powers for his own gain means that he's doing something he's not supposed to be doing. In fact, that language is used in a few laws dealing with abuse of powers, SEC regulations, that's the Securities and Exchange Commission. So what exactly can we do with these powers?" It was always best to know the rules before working around them when necessary.

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[info]_claudia_d
2013-02-26 09:03 pm UTC (link)
"It's frowned upon, but not forbidden that I know of, except for Nick, or Troy wouldn't be floating things around, period. The more we practice the better we get at controlling it, but I don't think the brass wants us to accidentally do something to endanger us in any way. It's one of those unspoken 'don't act stupid' rules," Claudia said. "It would apply similarily to the range, or not knowing where your survival partner is or your partner-partner during training."

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[info]mike_weston
2013-02-26 09:11 pm UTC (link)
"I can work with frowned upon," he said, "although really it would depend on the type of power, I guess. Some would be more noticeable than others. I doubt you'd have an easy time explaining why things are floating to you to people."

Mike smiled. "I don't have a problem at the range, and I can keep track of my partners." He kept track of Ryan who was doing his best to disappear. This would be so much easier. Of course that made him wonder about Ryan. Was he still alive? Did he had managed to get Joe home? "Unless I end up in another dimension, of course. Like now."

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[info]_claudia_d
2013-02-26 09:20 pm UTC (link)
Claudia grinned. "Yeah, not exactly subtle. Wherever we're calling home is usually safe enough to play, but off the property it's total professional time. We're also always undercover when we're in public. No individual personalities allowed. Easy for some, harder for others." Claudia pointed to herself as part of the others category. She could speak like they did now without problem, but she only did so when she had to do it. She wasn't going to give up a part of herself to the Borg.

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[info]mike_weston
2013-02-26 09:41 pm UTC (link)
Mike nodded. "That makes sense, although if we really move into trailer homes, there's no much privacy in those homes. Everyone knows everything in those communities, even when you are home."

He looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "You know, we all do our share of undercover stings in the FBI, nothing long term, except for a few people, but undercover doesn't mean no personality. It means picking the personality, language, clothes that fits that place and role, and in a trailer park, it's very different than an office, or a military base, or something else. As I said, the limits of my language are the limits of my world. You learn to adapt to what you have to do."

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[info]_claudia_d
2013-02-26 09:56 pm UTC (link)
"It's going to be interesting, that's for sure," Claudia said. "I don't think some of these people even know what a trailer park is, let alone have seen one in person."

She shook her head. "No, I meant that you can't be yourself. You have to be the role, whatever it is, to the fullest. Which is the definition of undercover, so duh, you already know that. And yes, I jumped all over you before - sorry again - but you're not the only one who's commented that my English is not sense-making and that why I learned how to speak like you guys do when undercover. But my normal speech pattern is as much a part of me as Savannah's religiousness and Derek's aversion to anything computerized. Your particulararity in use of words and seriousness about your job is part of you, I'm learning, and not being able to be that ever would be truly le suck."

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[info]mike_weston
2013-02-26 10:30 pm UTC (link)
Mike laughed. "Yeah, I know what undercover is, but that's exactly it. It's not just the trailer park, but who we are pretending to be at the park."

He looked at her for a moment. "You're never really yourself at work. In any job. You always put a mask. Then again, I lived on bases, all over the country, and the Navy regulates everything, even the length of the grass in front of your house, so I grew up with an external lack of individuality. The FBI isn't much better. There's a reason we all wear suits unless we're in the field. We aren't just agents, we're representatives of the government and our clothes show that."

Mike shrugged. "It's all right. Different people, different strokes an all of that. Again, you really can speak however you like, but you should expect to be judged by it, more than those things, because those aren't obvious, not unless you talk to them on that specific subject. Also whether Reese uses a computer or not, it's really irrelevant to anyone else. Words belong to everyone."

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[info]_claudia_d
2013-02-27 02:48 pm UTC (link)
"That must have sucked. Or not, because to you it was normal. To me, normal is freaky and funky and crazy, and yes I use that word a lot because it fits my life. Being plopped in a new dimension - not the craziest thing I've experienced, so that's saying something, and I'm not allowed to say more because the Director directed me not to, even though I think it would kumbaya me with others more," she said.

"And yeah, I know I get judged by the suits and the strangers, but when you make them into your friends they overlook your foibles just like you overlook theirs." Claudia grinned. "Of course, I could also tell you to talk to Sheldon, and once your head stops spinning, you'll go 'Claudia! Talk funky to me! It makes more sense!'" She giggled.

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[info]mike_weston
2013-02-27 04:30 pm UTC (link)
"No, it sucks, but you learn to deal with it, because that's what life is. Normal is what makes you fit. Normal is what gets you that promotion you want." Normal got you what you wanted even when you hated all the rules that came with normal. "Without normal, you can't have society." He snorted. "You know that if you have classified information, you aren't supposed to tell people that you have classified information, right? And I doubt that's what makes you connect. Classified is just what you know not who you are."

Mike shrugged. "Maybe, but maybe people don't even bother to see past those things and won't give you the chance. I mean here, people have no choice, but at home? Do you have many friends that you've met casually?"

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[info]_claudia_d
2013-02-27 05:11 pm UTC (link)
Claudia waved her hand. "There's classified and then there's don't tell people. We didn't know anything about John and Derek's dimension until just recently for probably the same reason. But their world shaped who they are, just like mine did me, and yours did you. Nature, nurture, experiences, the whole ball of wax makes up who you are, and for me what's defined as 'normal' is totally overrated."

Claudia shrugged as well. "True, some won't, just like some people don't talk to those who are a different race, in a wheelchair, older, younger, gay, blind, deaf, ugly, but that's their loss. I'm very much worth knowing and being friends with, and know that I'm worth knowing and being friends with, so I throw myself out there and let those who want to catch do it. I had a group in high school, a group after high school, and the couple circles I revolve in after I got my job. The number of friends also isn't as important as the quality of friends."

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[info]mike_weston
2013-02-27 05:39 pm UTC (link)
Mike frowned. "What exactly is 'don't tell'?" And god, it shouldn't go so exhausting to talk to a person.

"You know what I was just thinking? That's tiring to make sense of what you say. You can be the nicest person on the planet, but after a while, it's just too exhausting to understand what you're saying," he said. "I agree that number is not important, but you do lose the possibility of having great friends. You just said that you don't connect much, or at least that's what I think you meant by kumbaya with them. I'm sure there are a lot of good people, but most of them are cops, agents, they are matter of fact people who go straight to the point. Why should they waste time trying to figure out what you're saying? This isn't about having pink hair, wearing all black, or whatever rebellious act people have at the moment. This is about communication, which is how people related to each other."

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[info]_claudia_d
2013-02-27 07:49 pm UTC (link)
"Why should I change who I am for someone else, including how I speak? I am not a criminal, druggie, or anything that can be labeled as harmful to myself or others. I'm a good person who works hard and that's all that matters and should matter. If you don't want to waste time, then don't. It's no skin off my nose."

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[info]mike_weston
2013-02-27 08:02 pm UTC (link)
"No one is asking you to change," Mike pointed out. "I don't know you, so I have no reason to ask you in the first place. However, how you speak isn't who you are just like the kid who grew up in the ghetto and doesn't speak proper English isn't a criminal just because he speaks like one. How you speak doesn't make you good, bad, or whatever else. It does affect how people view you, though, because you can bet your ass that the kid will be end up watched by the cops a little bit more."

He shrugged. "As I said, if you're good with it, it's fine, since it affects you."

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[info]_claudia_d
2013-02-27 08:15 pm UTC (link)
The conversation seemed to be going around in circles now and while Claudia would happily talk to anyone for hours - Troy was a great source for doing that - she did have a limit when things weren't going anywhere.

"Points made, taken, filed away," Claudia said. "Blatant change of subject - anything you want to know about anything? Or are you good?"

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[info]mike_weston
2013-02-27 08:32 pm UTC (link)
"I think I'm good. It's hard to know what you don't know, if you know what I mean." At this point, having questions would mean knowing what he was supposed to do, but he was still getting used to the idea that this was for real and Joe Carroll wouldn't kill him.

"Thank you, though. I'm sure I'll have plenty soon enough."

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