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{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2019/07/03
|Location=Unknown
|Synopsis=Doug comes to talk with Josh about bailing at the mall. They do not get through to each other.
|Cast of Characters=1798,1126
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:1798|Josh Foley (1798)}} has posed:'''<br>Things have gotten quiet into this part of the evening at the school. The Wellness Centre is no different.<br><br>Josh is sitting at the nurse's desk. His textbooks and tablet are spread out on the desk. At the moment he is tapping away on his phone with a grin. Some downbeat ambient music is playing on the computer. The nurse is nowhere to be seen.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1126|Doug Ramsey (1126)}} has posed:'''<br>After the confrontation with the FoH, the group came back to the school, none the worse for wear. Doug is walking with purpose. As much purpose as someone in a t-shirt with a yellow fish on it that says 'BABEL' in block letters can have, at any rate.<br><br>"Josh!" He calls out, as he opens the heavy door. "...I want to talk to you." His expression is sober.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1798|Josh Foley (1798)}} has posed:'''<br>Josh looks up, startled at the sudden entrance. The grin vanishes and he puts his phone face down on the desk.<br><br>"Doug," he says. "Hey, if this is about the mall, sorry man. Wasn't cool."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1126|Doug Ramsey (1126)}} has posed:'''<br>Doug tilts his head upward, and says, "You misunderstand. I wanted to tell you, first of all, I understand why you left. You knew some of the kids in that bunch." He crosses his arms, and leans against a doorframe.<br><br>"You didn't want to have to deal with your old life. I get it." He says. Despite the lazy posture, his eyes are keen, fixed on Josh.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1798|Josh Foley (1798)}} has posed:'''<br>Josh leans back and crosses his arms.<br><br>"Sure," he says with a bit of a frown. It's an uncharacteristic look.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1126|Doug Ramsey (1126)}} has posed:'''<br>"I want you to remember something, Josh." Doug says. He gets up, and walks across the room, and then rather uncharacteristically he pours something out of a crystal decanter in the hideously expensive liquor cabinet into two glasses. He swirls the amber-colored liquid around one glass, watching the syrupy trails on the crystal.<br><br>"You can lie to the others, you can lie to yourself. But *you cannot lie to me*. It is, as far as I can tell, physically impossible for a human being to do."<br><br>He raises his eyebrows. "You were alarmed enough that you bugged out on your teammates. Your friends. You know better. You *know* better. So let's talk about it." He gestures. "Have some scotch."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1798|Josh Foley (1798)}} has posed:'''<br>"I don't know what you're on about, I'm not lying about shit," he returns angrily, offended. "You have no idea what you're talking about. We weren't on a mission, they weren't in any fucking danger. So lay off!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1126|Doug Ramsey (1126)}} has posed:'''<br>Doug raises his eyebrows, and then sits on the edge of the desk. "Well I mean, one of them DID try to pick a fight with Hisako, but we were able to diffuse it." He takes a taste of that drink, and then says, "Are you going to turn and run every time the FoH or the Reavers show up? I need to know. We *all* need to know."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1798|Josh Foley (1798)}} has posed:'''<br>"Doug, are you kidding me right now? I knew every one of those people. If they saw me, they'd call the Reavers and every single one of you would be tagged. You gonna fight off cyborgs in the street when they jump you to find out where I am, Doug?"<br><br>He shakes his head. He ignores the drink.<br><br>"It /was/ the right call. I'm not reckless and I'm not stupid, Doug. Or whatever it is you think of me."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1126|Doug Ramsey (1126)}} has posed:'''<br>"Did I call you reckless?" Doug asks. "Did I call you stupid? Those words came out of your mouth." Doug pins Josh with a stare. "I like you Josh, but you have to face the person you were and the things that you did, not just for your teammates, but for your own sake. Because yeah, you knew every one of those people--and being confronted with it in front of Kitty and Hisako and Bobby? I don't think you could stomach it. And if I hadn't *lied* to them and told them I'd filmed one of them pushing Hisako and trying to pick a fight... there probably would've been one. And where would you have been?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1798|Josh Foley (1798)}} has posed:'''<br>"You're not /listening/. They can't walk their asses out of a store without getting punched in the face? That's too bad, Doug, that's on them. Nobody dies from a punch in the head." Josh starts folding up his books. "You know what people do die from? Cyborgs. Ask Andrea, or Laura, or Mason, or anyone else who has actually dealt with them. I'm supposed to stay off their goddamn radar. So don't come in here and judge me. The fuck do you know?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1126|Doug Ramsey (1126)}} has posed:'''<br>Doug pushes himself up, and says, "I know you can't talk about this without losing your temper." He says, before he glances over his shoulder. "You've pre-loaded the notion that I'm judging you on this. I'm not. But in the clinch, all we have to rely on is one another, and the combat medic must be *absolutely fearless*." He tosses back the rest of his drink and sets the glass down. "...That's all."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1798|Josh Foley (1798)}} has posed:'''<br>Josh frowns and looks at Doug like he might be unwell.<br><br>"Doug," he says slowly. "Are /you/ telling /me/, a fucking X-Man, how to do my job? That I should have stayed there and risked having you all marked to be hunted down, tortured and killed, in case the group of you couldn't get your asses past some university age bigots in a public mall? Just so I'm totally clear on what you're saying."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1126|Doug Ramsey (1126)}} has posed:'''<br>Doug looks up, and then shrugs his shoulders. "You keep telling me what I'm telling you, Josh! I wanted to talk to you about it, because it was bothering you. I was bothered that you left like that, yes. I wanted to know why, I wanted to talk about it. But instead of talking about it you've cussed me out and put words in my mouth. Plainly I DID make the mistake of trying to talk about something you don't want to discuss, and it's your right not to want to discuss it."<br><br>He turns on his heel and walks toward the door.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1798|Josh Foley (1798)}} has posed:'''<br>"Didn't come in here asking me how I was doing, you walked in and bitched me out for leaving. So yeah, walk the fuck away."<br><br> Josh shakes his head angrily and sits back down for a moment.<br><br>"It's always the same in this fucking place," he says. "Always."<br><br>He packs his books and tablet into his backpack then makes his way out in the lobby and through the front door.<br> <br>
}}