The Universe's Mixer

Jonathan had called his friend earlier, and now waited for the man to arrive. He hadn't specified why he wanted to see Hannibal, simply inviting him for tear, figuring that it was something he wanted to discuss...up close and personal. He winced as he tried to reach for his teapot, instinctively moving with the hand strapped to his chest, before switching hands and opening the lid of the pot, moving to pour hot water into it, watching as the steaming liquid covered the loose tea leaves, turning it a murky brown.

He had been shot just that morning and already he was annoyed and frustrated, but he swallowed the emotions down, burying them. They weren't important right now..and he could whine to Edward about it later.

Setting the pot on a tray, he added two cups and saucers, as well as a tin of cookies, frowning at the display, wishing he could make it more...pretty, but there was only so much he could do.

The list sat on the table for a few days while other information had to be found. It was a short list with notes all over it, and it had been folded and refolded many times. There were other lists stacked under it, but this list was important. Not that the rest of the lists were any less so, but this one was the most important.

A hand grabbed up the list, folded it again, and stuffed it in a pocket. The same hand grabbed up a waiting tablet and a bag. Someone had a plan.

It'd taken Fred a few days to find Annie. Something had happened to the cyberpath. Fred didn't like the idea that Annie had been in the hospital all by herself. Of course, Annie had been in something of a coma, so...that really didn't make Fred feel better. The report Fred had found eventually said as much. She wouldn't have even bothered with looking if she'd found that Annie wasn't at her shop. It was a silly thing to worry about, but Fred did start to wonder when she didn't find people where they should be. So, Fred had looked and found.

"Yes, I'm her guardian. Or I was. I'm the closest thing she's got to family, so if you don't let me in there, you're gonna be in a world of trouble, you got me?" The brainy female was not going to give up, and she certainly had her determined face going. "And, if you ever try to keep me out again, I'll make sure you find out how many pisspots you can clean as an orderly."

Fred slipped into Annie's room, closing it quickly on the nurse before saying anything. She had her tablet and a bag that smelled like heaven, or in this case tacos.

"Hi." Fred knew that someone was going to ask something soon, so she had to move quickly. "I know you can talk to things and see if they'll work - think you could tell the City's computer that Winifred Burkle was your guardian until a couple years ago, or is that too much to ask right now?"

She pulled the moving tray table over and set the tablet on it along with the bag. "Oh, I brought you tacos." As if that would make everything right. Just look at Fred's smile.