The Universe's Mixer

What the...?

Where the...?

This wasn't New York. Which was precisely where he thought he was supposed to be. It was where he intended to go when he left the Underground, at any rate. It wasn't exactly like he wasn't familiar with the destination where he could be mistaken. No, Jareth knew New York -had been there on many occasions. It was not some place foreign to him.

( This... place. This was not New York. This was some place else altogether. )

Cameron was really sick of looking up infectious diseases. She was sick of studying when she should have been working under House. The problem was that the City did not have House, but instead supplied her with a Cannibal by the name of Hannibal, who was completely fictional and terrifying. At least there was Wilson, but Wilson could not fill in the blank that House left.

He was good at something and that was dealing with people who had Cancer. He could not be House.

After giving up studying Cameron found herself back down in the clinic and dealing with patients of all shapes and sizes. But none were that challenging. Drug users that wanted their fix - Out! Kids with the flu, as always, getting shots. Adults with the sniffles convinced they had some kind of rare disease and not the common cold.

Cameron wanted a challenge. Either that or she needed to get out more and stop working here so much. But the Hospital was at home as anything else in this city.

She missed House. She needed House. She was going to go insane.

Sir Guy of Gisborne was not in a good mood as he walked through the streets of The City. He kept shaking his right hand, pausing every few dozen steps to glare at it. He wished that either everything in this place was exactly the same as it was back in Nottingham or totally different. He hated that it was both ways.

What had set off his temper this time was a small, insignificant thing. He was starting to accept that the carriages here ran without horses and that lamps and torches produced light without flames. So why didn’t they have axes that chopped wood without giving you splinters? Guy had simply been chopping wood for the stove when he got a splinter from the axe in the palm of his hand. It really was just not fair. Just like in Nottingham, fate was out to get him.

Guy had thrown the axe and stormed back inside the cabin. Jeannie was out, so he could not ask her for help in removing the offending piece of wood. Which was probably for the best considering his mood, but he still needed help. He was so angry he barely remembered to strap on his sword before he left the cabin. Somewhere in this damnable City there had to be a physician capable enough to get the bloody splinter out of his hand.

He had almost calmed down enough to ignore the minor pain and head for home to wait for Jeannie when some idiot bumped into him. Hard. And, naturally, he had hit Guy’s hand, re-igniting the pain. Sir Guy cried out in anger and frustration. He finally resorted to using his teeth to try to grab the splinter and pull it out.

The look in the knight’s eye as he stood on the sidewalk, gnawing on his hand practically dared anyone else to run into him. Realizing his teeth weren’t doing any better than his fingernails had, Guy had just about had enough. Pulling a small, curved and extremely sharp knife from his belt, he prepared to cut the damn thing out of his hand once and for all.

Gwen had left a note for Jack before leaving the hub,"Went for supplies and to meet Allison for coffee, will bring some back for you :) " as she left the new version of the Hub. After a quick stop to tend to some matters before the cover cafe offically opens she stopped off at the coffee house from a few weeks before, having made sure to somehow stand out in a way beyond her accent (this time being bright red sneakers). But this was a small step for Gwen, finding she could make friends and have a small dose of a life beyond Torchwood. Plus maybe this would be a nice friendship, something she has missed since Tosh died.

"Hmm, hm hmm hm, hmm--hm-hmmmm..." Tabs was happily humming the theme to It's a Small World while shopping around the gift shop she found, picking up candy and flowers and possibly cake if she could find it. Just because she didn't have a boyfriend or at least a date on Valentine's day didn't mean she couldn't still treat herself, and that's exactly what she's doing.

After a good haul, she struggled with her stuff up to the front. The teenaged male clerk smiled at her in a friendly way that caused her to blush. She couldn't help it, he was so gosh darn cute! Except in that moment, she dropped her bottle of non-alcoholic sparkling apple cider from trying to put everything on the belt at once. Then, to make matters all that much better, while the clerk was telling her to move back, she slipped and sliced her hand on a piece of the broken glass.

With much shock, a hand towel and help from the employees, she was ushered to the suddenly nearby hospital. After waiting a bit, Tabs was sitting in one of the rooms on the butcher papered bed, swinging her legs back and forth while waiting for the doctor.

The hospital was relitively quiet today, which was always a good thing for her. Not that she had to take a lot of cases, but she did help out in the clinic hen she wasn't on a case. She didn't get nearly as many cases as she used to, and without House around there was no one to kill time with except Wilson. She liked Wilson, but House was House. And for all of his annoying habits, his drug addiction, and his over all 'I'm better than everyone' attitude it was too quiet.

It suddenly came to Cameron hile she stood beside the coffee pot. She hadn't met many of the other doctors here. Apparently there were more than she'd met. Wilson had said something about Dr. Lecter. As in... the cannibal. But not the cannibal. Cameron was confused about it. Simon had mentioned him as well but she hadn't seen Simon in ages.

Dr. Cox was almost like House. Cameron had to meet this Dr. Lecter and see what he was like for herself. She headed out of the longue and went to the coffee stand on the mainfloor. She ordered two large coffees, hoping he'd like it even if it wasn't something as good as Starbucks, or any of the other high end coffee shops he might have known about. She paid for them and stopped at the desk to ask where Dr. Lecter normally was. When informed where Dr. Lecter's office was, Cameron headed that way.

Of course, she didn't expect for there to be a whole diagnostics wing she'd never been on. Or that on the door to his office to claim he was HEAD of DIAGNOSTIC medicine. That made him her boss. Her boss. Cameron was beyond shocked, she nearly dropped both of the cups of coffee right there. Sure, House wasn't here, but.. her boss? Well. SHe had her own office here. And she dealt mostly with immunologist stuff. And paperwork...for Wilson. But still!

Cameron knocked as gently as she could muster on the door while holding the coffees in both her hands.

This was going to be interesting.

OOC: Some of this contains a joint post between Dean/Cameron


Dean moved through the tunnel, not sure where it was leading. His feet were soaked in sewer wetness that he didn't want to know what made it up. His body sweating in the heat even though it was spring time cool up above from where he was. The flashlight in his hand flickered a moment and Dean got his usual sinking feeling. This often occurred, in his experience, when there was a demon or spirit around.

Water dripped as Dean continued on, his eyes ever searching for any kind of movement. Shadows crept along the walls as the hunter moved. Dean couldn't be sure what was actually moving and what was caused by the flicker of his flashlight. He paused a moment, turning his head. A roach crawled along the wall. Dean was just glad not to see slime. Slime of skin that was shed. Shed by a shape-shifter.

( Read more... )

The snow was really quite lovely, it was also nearly the only thing that reminded her of home. Everything here was so strange, carriages that ran themselves without benefit of horses, people who dressed in so little as to be parading around in their underclothes and yet it was not remarked on. Women of grown age with hair as short as a man's.
It was simply not at all what she was used to but this, the falling white, it was like home. At least at first it had been. It just kept falling. Marian had taken to the street when she had trouble opening her door, she walked down the road, soon having to trudge through banks of snow up to her shin. Everywhere looked as blanketed in white as everywhere else and soon enough she could not tell from which direction she had come.
All these buildings looked so similar, with the temperature dropping and no end to the snowfall she had no choice but to seek refuge somewhere. By the time she fought her way up the steps to the nearest door the snow had piled knee deep. She had to shovel it away with her hands just to get to the door properly, leaving quite the trail behind her in the mounds of white.
Marian swung the door open calling out to the interior. "Hello? Please forgive the intrusion, but ...I simply must come in from the cold. I will not misuse your hospitality for long." Marian stamped the snow off her shoes and shook it from her heavy woolen cloak. She stepped deeper into the home and was delighted to find a blanket draped over a chair. Used to harsh winters Marian wrapped herself up and curled up in the chair, eyes peering out the window, yet more of that expensive clear glass that seemed everywhere. Beyond the pane the snow continued to fall.

Cameron thought it was a very good idea to take Wilson out to dinner. The poor newest dean of medicine was a bit overwhelmed, even with all the help she gave with paperwork. At least her charts were always filed away properly, and her records immaculate, but it wasn't that big of a help. It was just some saving grace that kept House from returning to stage a coup over Wilson. Still, Wilson needed a nice dinner and someone to talk to. Cameron had always liked Wilson, even at his worst, he was a nice guy. Maybe too nice. But then he'd accuse her of the same.

Cameron had been in a delightful mood ever since running into Dean. And now she wanted to spread that happiness. Maybe she was getting back to something normal in her life. Maybe she just thought Wilson could use a good meal and a drink. Either way, she'd told him where to meet her, the nicest little resturant she'd found in the City. They had a very good selection of food, as well as drink. She'd even dressed up. Wearing a dress wasn't something she did for everyone, she hardly did for Chase when they were.. well screwing around. But she thought Wilson would appreciate seeing someone in something beside a uniform.

Cameron was seated near the window, in a small booth. She'd already ordered a glass of wine, and there was fresh bread waiting on the table. She checked her cell phone again to check the time. Maybe Wilson was running late from work? She didn't mind it, she had a smile on her face.

House would have assumed they were having sex. Or worse. Cameron laughed to herself over it when she heard the door of the resturant and she peered over her shoulder. Hopefully he wasn't still wearing his white coat.

The actual meaning of life is in one of 10,000 books you're locked in a room with. You have time enough to check every single one, but you can't. You can only open 10 books total.

Note: All the books have normal titles. None gives a clue as to if it holds the secret

Dean looked about. His jacket pulled tight to him as the snow kept falling. It was getting deep in some areas and well, he was personally scared for his car. Not because he couldn't drive in the snow, it was the others. Leaving her parked in an alley was the best bet these days. No on skidding into her.

He passed by some kids, playing in the snow. They were screaming and one threaten to hit him with a snowball. "Oh, no, hold on kid. You really don't want to do that." He informed them. He started walking on when he was hit by the snowball anyway.

Dean felt ice and flakes going down his back and he jerked to shake it off then whipped around. The kids started running. Dean bent and gathered snow up, packing it good and tossing it. Except his aim was not quite right.

The ball of snow was a little high, sailing over the kid's head as he dashed across the street but the ball didn't make it that far as someone rounded the corner and connected with Dean's ball of frozen water.

Rincewind shook his head and spit out a rather large clump of grass. Then he groaned.

“Where am I this time? Damn it all, doesn’t it ever end? All I wanted was to get a book out of my closet!”

( He looked around cautiously )

Gwen finally ventured out of where she had been holed up during the zombie mayhem and realized something: she had to link back with Jack and get more meds. But with a blinding mirgaine looming she did the one thing that made any sesne, she was going to text Jack. So slumped against the wall of the coffee shop she was still holed up in she fished for her phone and dialed before typing out a text.

Jack, its Gwen.

I'm ok but feeling like crap. Come to this address since I have a feeling this place wants Torchwood back in business and bring meds?

As Gwen hit send she only wanted to pass out and it showed. But inside was where the real darkness was, only Jack knew how miserable she really was. During the zombie madness she was facing nightmares of how Tosh and Owen died only weeks before and she just pushed her feelings back in order to keep fighting.

Halloween.  Tony Stark's favorite time of the year.  The weather was perfect, not too hot or cold, trees around the city were changing colors.  And he had no reason in the world to complain here.  He and Pepper were together, and it'd been a blissful few weeks since their initial union.  For the first time in years, Tony could say he was happy and satisfied.

He'd sent out invitations city wide in hopes of drawing in the citizens to his home for him to have a chance to meet them.  He hadn't ventured out much since he'd been here, mostly because even if he was ever the social butterfly, Tony was too focused on fixing the once damaged relationship between him and Pepper.  Now that was all taken care of and here he stood in his bedroom putting on his costume.  He'd laid his choice of cstume out on Pepper's bed for her to put on, chosen since she'd lost to him in a little game they'd played to determine what they'd spend this night as.  It was custom tailored to fit her form perfectly, having taken the dress she'd worn for their first night together and used its measurements.

He stared at himself in the mirror, thinking that his goatee would make wearing the mask a little awkward at best, but he didn't care.  He thought since he should play the mysterious host of the night, that he should don the look of someone just as mysterious.  Taking a step back from the mirror, he attempted to twirl the cape, almost tangling himself up in it the first few times until he got the hang of it and smiled.  Affixing his mask to his face, he smirked as he gave his appearance one last once over.

The Phantom of the Opera was ready for his grand entrance.

[ooc: If you're character is showing up, feel free to start your own thread under this.  Tony will attempt to greet everyone but might not for getting sidetracked by others.  If you plan to crash the party, I will start a separate thread after a day or two to give people a chance to do regular party stuff.  Have fun, and don't be shy with your characters!  This is a very social log!]

Gwen scribbled a note for Jack so he would not worry.

Jack,

Going to the chemist to see about getting some OTC meds at least for the short term. You know how to find me

Gwen

Grabbing her bag,cell and making sure the bottle from her last round was in hand Gwen went to hunting for a proper chemist (aka drugstore). But while most would figure simple hangover her emotions had gone into overdrive and she had not mourned for Tosh and Owen, one major cause of the recent headaches. The fact she was missing Rhys was not really helping matters either along with the ongoing puzzle of how she ended up in The City.

But she also has one other puzzle on her mind, was The Doctor the one Jack had told her and Ianto about? "Well maybe I can find some coffee and see what exactly is going on while I hunt for a chemist" as she wandered into a coffee shop.

Regardless of having a full liquor cabinet at home, Tony felt the need to get out to a place where nobody knows his name. That kind of jazz. Highly doubted he could find someone who hadn't heard the name Tony Stark before, even if he was in a parallel universe or wherever the hell this is. Before heading out, he gave Salt a little of rub to the head, and sent her on her way. He trusted Pepper to not let the little thing get too lost in the house, but whenever he was in the shop or off, she stayed close by the living room. Good thing for that.

He still didn't have information on this place, and being uninformed was driving him up the wall. His GPS in his car seemed to be working, and it navigated these strange streets well enough. What he needed was a bar. One where he could keep them coming for a while. He picked a random one and headed there, hoping he'd find something worthwhile there, after all, he couldn't let his brain idle for too long or boredom kicked in and bad things happened.

He pulled up and turned on the alarm, then headed inside, his leather jacket pulled on over a t-shirt since it was a little chilly out tonight. Once inside, Tony waved to the bartender, "The best scotch you got on the rocks," and laid Mr. Benjamin down on the counter to get his point across that he'd better not bring him the cheap stuff.

[For Cameron]

Wilson leaned back in his chair, enjoying the quiet that came between patients. He loved working in oncology, especially when he could tell his patients how great their chances were after treatment. He always fought hard for each patient, even when he knew it was hopeless. He had to, it wasn't in him not to fight for them.

But it was always nice when he didn't have to fight and lose.

He picked up the file of one particular 15 year old girl. Allergic reactions to everything. Swelling. Hives. Acid reflux. Weight gain. The worst part was, other doctors had it as normal allergies and stuck her on Benadryl and steroids. Now she was allergic to them too.

It was times like this that he missed House. Wilson knew that while he was a good diagnostician, he had nowhere near House's ability to see to the heart of a problem. That was beside missing him as a friend and as a reminder that this was not, in fact, his home.

He rubbed his eyes and went back over the girl's medical records.

She was changing. Cameron had to accept that just as much as the next person. She was changing because of the people around her. While she valued their opinions, and their company, she never thought she'd change for them. She'd gotten colder. She was acting withdrawn more often. She only focused on work. Which was what was going on right now. House had decided to try and stick one of his clinic patients with a needle to 'calm him down'. The patient hadn't liked it much and was apparently delusional as well. Because they were all chasing the man around the hospital. Chase took down one corridor, Foreman another. She was suppose to check the labs. How he would have gotten in there was beyond her.

"I should be doing something valuable with my time, like trying to cure some rare disease. Not chasing someone House probably drove insane around the hospital." Said to no one in particular as the lab was empty. No one there. This was ridiculous. Cameron turned the corner and opened one of the janitorial closets, out popped the patient who had a hold of the original needle House must have had. He jabbed it right into Cameron's arm with a laugh and took off down the corridor.

"...just great." She slumped into the closet,hand on the door still. As she fell forward she grabbed the handle to catch herself. Slammed the door shut on herself and slammed into the floor. Everything went blurry because of the needle, because of hitting her head. She needed a raise.

( Hours rolled by. )