[001 | VIDEO]

[alittlesweptup]

[The video clicks on and the view sways sickeningly for a moment. The small light on the camera does very little to penetrate the darkness of the catacombs under the city. Once it focuses on the man holding the tablet, the light only succeeds in making him look oddly pale and drawn.]

I need medical attention. Sooner rather than later would be nice--

[So maybe it's not just the camera making him look like shit. Charlie shifts, which cues a snarled string of expletives and a jostled camera.]

--or just a hand out of these bloody catacombs. I think my leg's busted.

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[notstubborn]

[ She's not judging not at all, she's concerned very concerned. ]

Charlie, what are you doing in the catacombs?

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[alittlesweptup]

[That flicker of his expression? The slight compression of his mouth and the way he pales at the sound of her voice? Yeah, that's embarrassment and guilt if it's ever been. Elena Fisher has had enough to worry about in the past month without adding him to the list.]

Right now? Sitting in a puddle.

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[notstubborn]

[ She takes her eyes off you people for five minutes and you get yourself lost in the bloody catacombs and break you legs and sit in puddles and god knows only what else! ]

Sitting in a puddle. [ Hand meet face. ]

[alittlesweptup]

Well before you lose too much faith in me, that's not what I came down aiming to do. If that means anything.

[Oh, he can feel the judgment from here.]

[notstubborn]

I want to ask but I'm not sure I'm going to like the answer. [ Seeing as he went down there A L O N E like a complete irresponsible adult. ]

Tell me you've at least got someone to down there come and help you.

[ Don't make her come down there and drag your sorry ass out of there Charlie, because she will and it won't be fun. ]

[alittlesweptup]

Don't be fussed over it. Someone's on their way to knock me back into shape.

[He makes a placating gesture with his free hand. Besides Elena, you're awfully petite to be thinking about dragging someone his size around, aren't you?]

I was down here for a job. It's hardly my fault my ruddy leg decided to-- [What? Snap in half? Legs don't just do that.] --Anyway, it doesn't matter.

[notstubborn]

Thank god.

[ Judgement that totally wasn't there fades in favor for relief. Excuse me, she can do a lot of things, especially when she puts her mind to it. She'd find a way if she had too, but thankfully she doesn't. ]

You should've taken someone with you. [ Scolding!!! ] No, it does matter, how on earth did you break it? [ Legs really don't snap just by walking. ]

[alittlesweptup]

And split the profit? What do you me for, some kind of idiot? [The pain's obviously still there, but he manages a quick smile anyway. Maybe she's right. He doesn't belong in these damn catacombs anyway; can already feel the weight of the city over him pressing down and--

He glances sideways off the frame of the video when she mentions his leg. Shifts the tablet in a way that's distinctly a means to burn time.] I'm not really sure. I fell. Or-- something screwy is going on with the time travel nonsense; that's my best guess at least. I think I went back just long enough to hit pavement and then snapped back here.

['Snapped.' Poor choice of words, Cutter.]

[notstubborn]

Charlie. [ Of course she is right, don't even question it. Even if he didn't have a thing with small spaces, it isn't smart to go off into the deep dark without someone watching your back. ]

Jesus christ. [ Hand meet forehead again. Things were complicated on their own without time travel nonsense getting thrown into the mix. ] This is just wonderful, absolutely wonderful.

[ No, she's not concerned she might get snapped back a few years to that point where she almost died. Hahaha, what are you talking about. ]

[alittlesweptup]

Well it's not exactly my favorite thing either, darling. [He can only hope that it'll clear itself up on it's own. Surely this...slippage or whatever they might want to call it can't be permanent.]

You haven't had anything odd happen on your end, have you?

[notstubborn]

No, thankfully, things have been fairly normal on my end. [ P A U S E. ] With the exception of not hearing from Nate for a bit.

[alittlesweptup]

[If there was one thing she could say to get his attention, that would be it. Charlie shifts the tablet up slightly. Because the last time Nate went AWOL--]

When was the last time you saw him? Was he in decent shape?

[notstubborn]

During that lovely trip to Mexico. And yeah, he was fine. Head still on his shoulders and everything. [ Okay maybe not the best of words. ]

[alittlesweptup]

[What a pair they make; given the option to phrase something in the worst possible way, apparently one of them can be trusted to do so. Charlie grimaces.]

Have you tried contacting him and he's not answering or...? [To be entirely fair, knowing what he does about Nate and Elena's relationship, he wouldn't put the possibility that they've just been dancing around one other past either of them.]

[notstubborn]

I'm trying not to worry. [ She doesn't want to... well smother him. ]

I'll try contacting him again after you're alright, just ─ don't try to worry too much. Nate will be fine. [ A shame she doesn't actually believe herself as much as she's trying to convince Charlie. ]

[alittlesweptup]

[Honestly, he'd rather it was some kind of lover's spat over just... not knowing. At least if Nate and Elena were having some kind of tiff, he could be sure Nate was just skulking around feeling sorry for himself. As it is--]

I've had worse, Elena, and soon enough someone'll be along to fetch me. Make you a deal -- I'll lob you a message once I'm out of here if you go looking for that wanker while I'm down for the count, yeah?

[notstubborn]

[ Elena would like it if that were the case, lovers spats are easier to deal with them sudden disappearances. She figured (in an effort not to worry herself sick) that he needed the space but ─ ]

The moment you get out and get your leg looked at, alright? [ Christ she sounds like his mother. ] Yeah, I'll track him down. You've got a deal.

[alittlesweptup]

My word's my bond, darling. You'll be the first to hear. [He holds his hand up, as close to a scout's honor salute as she's likely to get from him. See, Elena? He's totally trustworthy.]

Now go find that wiggly bastard before he steps in it.

[notstubborn]

[ It's enough to make her smile. You're trying Charlie, that's more than good enough. ]

Alright, I'll talk to you soon. [ And off goes the feed. ]