Colin's posts

Jake didn't say anything.

He merely rushed forward and wrapped his arms around her.

And she could feel him shaking.

She had been a pillar of stability in his world, his world had crumbled without her, and now it was coming back to him.

She could sense it. He was happier than ever.

Predictably, she didn't even get a chance to knock.

She raised her hand to, when the door swung open.

And she saw how rough he looked. Bags under his eyes, his human disguise gone, his posture was horrible. He looked bad.

But right now, he was wide-eyed.

Hal just smirked a little.

"Right then." he said.

"Feel free to take the food." he told her.

"Once he sees you're really you, I think he'll want to talk to you for a bit." he continued.

"And I'll leave you two to catch up and such." he went on.

"Do let me know if you need anything, okay?"

"...might be the best chance." Hal replied.

"He never takes it off." he told her.

"...okay, I believe he takes it off to shower." he then clarified.

"But other than that? Haven't seen him without it on." he said further.

"Nobody has."

"He doesn't even leave his house." Hal told her.

"Now, from what I can tell, he answers the phone when someone calls, answers the door when a friend comes knocking, will entertain company, is eating... not as well as he usually does, but still... keeping up with the minimum nutritional requirements..." he went on, mumbling at the end.

"And he's sleeping. Sometimes too much, sometimes too little. THAT'S the big thing." he told her further.

"So it's up to you as to whether or not you want to try." he said.

"There anything you can say or do to show you're truly you?" he asked.

Hal just shrugged.

"I don't know." he said.

"I don't know, Anya." he repeated.

"He's been falling apart over the past week or so, and... nobody's sure what's really happening in his head." he admitted.

"So I can't answer that question one way or the other."

Hal just sighed again.

"Well... hm." he mumbled.

"I mean, he's... hm." he muttered further.

"Admittedly, he's been a bit paranoid about demons coming for him." he told her.

"Specifically, ones that... well, didn't like you, and want to kill him because... they hated you, and him by proxy."

"..." Hal was silent for a moment.

"He's alive." he told her.

"He's... he's still living." he said further.

"I was actually going to go visit him tonight, bring him a late dinner." he told her, gesturing to the large brown paper bag on his desk. "...or lunch. Or breakfast. Depends on when he slept. If he did. I don't know these days." he sighed.

"But maybe YOU ought to take it to him."

"....right." Hal mumbled.

"Well, good to see you're back." he told her.

"Things just weren't the same without you." he sighed.

"...a lot of people missed you, Anya." he said further.

"Not sure how much you know, but you're a big part of a lot of lives."

Hal just smiled.

"Duly noted." he said. "Don't know if I'll ever truly take advantage of that, but duly noted." he continued.

"...also, why DO you seem different?" he then asked.

"You have a slightly different presence than you usually do." he commented.

"And you seem a LOT stronger than before."

Hal was silent, almost shocked, as he beheld her, before he started to laugh out loud.

"So THAT'S what Emelie's wish turned out to be!" he exclaimed.

"You seem a little... different... than before." he commented, before rolling his eyes.

"Also, no. Not tonight, dearie." he then told her. "I... well, I was going to say I have plans, but I don't any longer." he continued. "As a matter of fact, YOU have plans." he stated.

Hal paused as he heard the knock. And the familiarity of it.

"...what...?" he muttered.

He narrowed his eyes a little, before sighing.

"It's open!" he called out.

"Come in!"

Hal looked right at her.

"I will do anything and everything to help my oldest, dearest, and best friend." he told her.

"And I mean it." he stated.

"So tell me, what must I do?" he asked her.

"Name it."

Jake looked over towards her slightly, and in that look she saw anger. Anger, sorrow, sadness, but it wasn't directed RIGHT at her. The anger was, a bit, but he wasn't blaming her. At least, that's not what the look said. She was just the nearest individual.

He then looked away, and opened the door.

"Right." was all he said, stepping through the doorway.

"Where are you going?" Hal asked him.

"...my house." Jake replied shortly, closing the door behind him, his footsteps dully plodding away.