013 - Mile-High Apple

[deadly_ned]

I'm, um.

I'm leaving.

Thomas - my inmate - he's...graduated, he's left the Barge, so I think that's...probably my cue to leave too.

I'm...terrible at goodbyes, and let's be completely honest, I'm quiet enough that most of the Barge doesn't know I'm actually here, so I doubt I need to stay very long.

That sounds terrible.

I'm sorry. Something's come up. I have to go.

[The Piemaker - nervous, clearly hiding something, and agitated - leans over to shut off his communicator. Unbeknownst to him, he'll be back in a matter of days for reasons not clearly stated in this post]

[Private to the Marquis de Carabas]

And now it doesn't matter what you know.

Good luck graduating, you....bad, bad person.

Comments

[ Private ]

[surfaceshine]

It's not the only good part. You got your deal. You got your girl. You get to go home.

These are good things, squeaky.

[ Private ]

[deadly_ned]

It still feels like I'm abandoning my duties here.

[ Private ]

[surfaceshine]

How? Ned, your inmate graduated. You're not skipping out on another.

You're done. It's good.

[ Private ]

[deadly_ned]

It doesn't feel right. Get a deal and get out? How does that impress on other inmates? One of them is already looking at me like I'm the worst person he's ever met.

[ Private ]

[surfaceshine]

So when do you stop, then?

[ Private ]

[deadly_ned]

...I don't know. If I was a better person...maybe never?

It's people's lives. You're saving lives.

[ Private ]

[surfaceshine]

[Abruptly, Dean frowns.]

I was saving lives back home.

This... I don't know. Not like I thought I did.

[ Private ]

[deadly_ned]

I wasn't saving lives back home. Not like this.


It's important. Maybe more important than love.

[ Private ]

[surfaceshine]

No. No it's not.

[ Private ]

[deadly_ned]

Why not?

[ Private ]

[surfaceshine]

Because love is something you do because it's good, it's uncompromisingly, undoubtedly, unquestionably good, when you're doing it right. When you're not being selfish, when you're...

This place? Not so much. Not always.

[ Private ]

[deadly_ned]

This place won't make me selfish. Selfish is leaving as soon as I've got what I wanted regardless of the other people here. People I could help.

[ Private ]

[surfaceshine]

[Dean stops himself, smiles a tight smile. He hadn't intended that for Ned, necessarily, but it serves to draw him back to the point anyway.]

Why'd you come here in the first place, Ned?

[ Private ]

[deadly_ned]

I came here so that Chuck and I could be happy together and so I could touch her without accidentally killing her.

[ Private ]

[surfaceshine]

Has that changed?

[ Private ]

[deadly_ned]

No. I still want to kiss her more than anything. Without using plastic wrap.

[ Private ]

[surfaceshine]

Then go home, Ned.

Go home and be happy, and make that girl happy.

[ Private ]

[deadly_ned]

I'll try my best.

[ Private ]

[surfaceshine]

Good.

[Hang up, Dean.]

Good luck.