Dimensions

"Or I can pick up a phone and call you. Walking here while good exercise is a waste of time. And if you prefer to go so archaic then I can dust off a computer somewhere and email you. But since I'm already here and you aren't glaring at me yet hows this." I highlighted what I'd done since last I'd seen her as well as detailing the curiosity and general boredom Danny had been experiencing.

Veronica:

“Interesting. The behavioral annalist will what to know this. I expect you to type up a report of this. And it is not for you to decide how our meetings will go. I know you, if we were to do a phone call then you would be distracted with doing other things. If we were to do a video call then you pull something else up to look at while we spoke. And I can’t ask you questions as easily through email,” I explained.

I rolled my eyes, "Paper work. Really? Fine. It will be typed up." I folded my arms and shook my head. She wasn't wrong about all her reasoning, but I still felt like I was wasting time by being stuck here in this office. "Anything else Commandant?"

Veronica:

I slit a schedule across my desk to him. “fill out a three hour slot you want to work for four days of the week, then select another day that you will have eight hours to work. The other two are your days off. You will have no access to the DH other than the times you put down on this sheet. You will not run late nor will you start early. You may have access to your lab during these off times, but you will not have any say on what is done with the DH by others during their time slots. Do you understand?” I asked. There were five other people who needed access to her. What I was offering him was the best that I could do.

I looked at the schedule then up at her. "I have to work at a schedule? I refuse. Seven days or nothing. I also refuse to have people coming into my lab on my supposed days off. I live there, they don't. I'm not going to entertain visitors." I was being a little shit I knew and making unreasonable demands. But either she'd bend, she'd break, or she'd tell me off.

Veronica:

I leaned my elbows on the desk and put a hand on my forehead. “Tobi… No. You knew that you would have to share when she was transferred to your lab. If you cannot agree to this, then she will be transferred again and you can make the trip just like everyone else. Your lab is government property, you can’t bar them from entering on your off days.” I was exasperated with this. I knew it would be a battle, but it was still tiresome.

I frowned at her for a long moment then slowly I smiled. "Fine. Your terms are bullshit and unacceptable but going anywhere other than my lab is an unpleasant thought." Standing I dusted my hands and gestured to the door, "Anything else you want to hit me with or can I get back to work?"

Veronica:

I stood up just after he did and smoothed my hands over my pencil skirt again, a mark of anxiety. “Yes, I will be coming over later along with an inspector who will be ensuring that a couple things can be installed in the lab for some of the other scientists. I also want to Speak with Danny for a little bit. I should be able to come by around seven thirty,” I told him. The date shouldn’t last more than a couple hours… It had been a while since I had been out… Since before I was married. I didn’t quite know how things were done anymore.

"Mmm, fine. Simon will be gone by then. Let yourself in, don't disturb my work. I'm limited on time it seems." I moved over to the door and paused before looking at her over my shoulder. "You look nice Veronica." I opened my mouth to add on a biting comment to the end of my words but held it back. Better to appear on my best behavior for now.

Veronica:

“Thank you,” I said quietly as he left. Something settled in my chest that made me want to no longer go out after work. It stayed hovering there for the next several hours. Eventually I had to give myself a talk about how this was exactly why I needed to get out. The best way to get my life back together was to get out and see people. I couldn’t continue dwelling over everything that happened with Tobi.

I tried to put him out of my mind for the last hour at work. By the time I made my way to the restaurant to meet Paul, I was in a much better mood, if still a little bit nervous. I took a seat at the bar and ordered a martini while I waited. After five minutes I checked my watch. After another ten minutes without any word from my date I sent him a text asking if everything was alright and if we were supposed to meet at five fifteen, right? Maybe I had gotten the time wrong, or he was running late.

No. He wasn’t going to be able to make it after all. So sorry, he said, maybe we’ll get together another time. Maybe.

My good mood fell. I called the inspector to see if he could meet me at the lab sooner. He said he could be there by six or so. I started walking to Tobi’s place. Walking that far in the heels I wore rubbed blisters on my toes, but I didn’t care. The pain helped me not focus as much on the feeling of being unwanted. Tobi was the last person I should see in this state, he was the beginning of those feeling in the first place, but I couldn’t help the residual desire to seek comfort with him. I knew it would come of nothing. He wasn’t that person for me anymore. No one was.

I made it to the house by five fifty, an hour and a half earlier than I said I would. I let myself in and walked down to the lab. I watched Tobi work with Danny before either of them noticed I was there. Danny looked up first when I cleared my throat.

“The inspector will be here in a few minutes, I wanted to give you a heads up,” I said trying to sound as neutral as possible.

I raised my head from the chart I had been gazing at, first at Danny in suspicion before turning my head towards the real source of the sound. "For someone who so often complains about my punctuality you seem rather hypocritical when you come waltzing in before your allotted time slot. So leave before your funbags pull me away from working on the very short deadline someone gave me. Oh wait that was you wasn't it?"

Veronica:

I sighed and put a hand to my forehead. “Tobi, I’m not in the mood for your antics. What do you want me to do, go sit out on the curb until you’re ready?” I was aggravated, and unhappy. My patience for his back talk was rather thin.

“My plans got cancelled. I thought it would be better to get this ordeal over and done with rather than prolong the unpleasantness of it all.” I put my hands on my hip. The girl sitting on the counter laid her fox ears back and looked at the floor.

"My antics? I asked an innocent question. Come on, no play makes for a boring day." I glanced to Danny for a smirk then raised my eyebrow at her ears being laid back. "Oh playing poker with you would be fun." I told her then straightened and leaned back in my chair.

"Plans got cancelled. Still look good, you have that. Shame the guy missed it. All that sass in one location." I gestured for her to come into the room while I tucked my chin to my chest.

Veronica:

I took my hands off my hips. His compliments did nothing to improve my mood. What did it matter how I looked if he-or anyone-barely even looked at me? My effort this morning had been wasted. Back to black slacks and button downs tomorrow…

“Danny I need to speak to you. Please come into your room,” I said in a tired tone not even bothering to respond to Tobi.


Demi:

After hearing the name Danny for the past week I was still getting used to it. I glanced at the doctor before sliding off the counter and moving over to Veronica. I had only met her once, but she had been kind to me. However, I did not want to hear what she was going to say. I had gotten used to the doctor and Simon, I was beginning to enjoy some of the banter. But adding in more people who were going to want to look at me with a fine comb… it made my skin crawl.

"Be careful she bites." I called with a slight shake of my head. Standing up I grabbed the file and moved to a whiteboard, filing it with line upon line of equations and theories. I was working under a limited time frame, annoying, but not detrimental. Once others would have access to her there would be far less access for me to perform tests and work. The question boiled down too what could I work on while she was completely mine. Dragging over a second whiteboard I began to fill that with different tests I could perform.

Demi:

I controlled myself enough not to cry in front of Veronica. I had gotten used to being here in confinement and working with the doctor and Simon, but adding new people in terrified me. Would they treat me the same way? Would they understand that I’m not an animal to be used? When she was finished telling me what I would have to do with them, I curled up with the covers pulled over my head. Hot tears trickled down my cheeks.

Veronica:

I walked out of Danny’s room and paused at the Lab door way. “The inspector is here, I’m going to let him in.” I said to Tobi’s back. I doubted he would even notice I spoke. I walked away without waiting to find out.

"What's the inspector doing again? Lab is in excellent condition, well maintained, and all the right things are in the right places behind the right procedures." I didn't even look up from the screen I was looking at, but I did lean back in my chair and rub my chin. I didn't want someone snooping around, changing things up. But it was an unavoidable thing if I was to continue the project.

Veronica:

I let the inspector in then took my heels off and left them by the front door. There were two red blisters one on each of my pinky toes. I padded down to the basement lab after the inspector barefoot. I waited by the stairs while the inspector went into the lab and asked Tobi to leave for a few minutes while he did his inspection.

"Can't do that. How do I know you are the inspector? Yeah sure you've got a pretty badge, I'm sure you went through all the training. But what are you planning on doing, what are you looking for, and why." Turning my head from the screen I eyed the man over.

Veronica:

The inspector explained what he was doing and that he needed to make sure that some other equipment could be installed in the lab without more construction.

“Tobi,” I said, walking over to the doorway. “Just get out for a few minutes. It’s going to have to happen anyway. They longer you throw your hissy fit for, the longer it will be until we can all go back to what we would rather be doing.” What would I rather be doing? I wanted to curl up on the couch with my dog and eat a tub of cookie dough.

Sighing I pushed back from the seat and gathered up a stack of paper. Tucking it under my arm I eyed the inspector then brushed past him. "Fine. You might as well keep me company while he does his thing. And if you think about refusing me on this Director then you really will see me throw a hissy fit."

Veronica:

“Alright,” I said dully. I wouldn’t be good company, not with him. Without my heels, I my eyes were level with his shoulders. I turned away from him and went to sit on the stairs, waiting for the inspector. “It shouldn’t take long anyway.” I rested my elbow on my knee and put my chin in my hand.

I looked at her for a long moment as she sat on the stairs then shook my head. I walked right over to her, dumped my paperwork onto her lap and marched past her and up the stairs. After a few minutes I came back down the steps and plopped down right beside her with two glasses in one hand and a bottle of booze in the other. "Drink?"

Veronica:

I made an annoyed noise when we dumped the papers in my lap. By the time he got back I had stacked them neatly and set them on the step beside me. I looked up at the sound of glasses clinking. I should have a drink. I’d already had one an hour ago, on an empty stomach no less.

“Alright,” I said looking up at him. I took one glass and held it up while he poured.

I didn't speak, didn't bother bringing up what could only be a horrible day at work, or perhaps given the time something bad had happened after work. And so I poured her a drink, poured myself one and then reached over her lap to snag up the pile of papers to set them on my lap and flip through. I did this all without saying a word just offering company and a strong drink.