June 2012, Geneva, Swizerland

[damncompass]

The morning sun is breaking through Joshua's windows, reflecting even more off of the five feet of snow that's starting to melt in the June heat.

Inside, Joshua is snuggled up to the woman beside him, sleeping with a smile on his face.

Comments

[timelessinventor]

To be quite honest, this is the best night's sleep Helena's had in years (over a century, if we're being honest). It lasts until something vibrates and falls to the floor, causing her to sit up; Joshua's Artifact detector appears to have made a break for it once again. She frowns, wondering what might have caused that, and turns over.

And then she sits bolt upright. "Mrs. Frederic?" Without waiting for a response, she turns to shake Joshua's shoulder.

[damncompass]

Joshua's always been a heavy sleeper. If he's not ready to wake up, it takes quite a lot to actually get him awake. He sleeps right through the ball, and somewhat through Helena shaking him. "huh? claud, lemme sleep. 'm tired."

[timelessinventor]

"We've got company, darling," says a voice that distinctly does not belong to his sister. And then its owner drops a shirt on his head. "You may want that."

[damncompass]

"What?" Joshua grabs the shirt, ironically his Compass shirt, and puts it on, flailing. "Mrs. F? What the shit are you doing in my bedroom at eight in the morning?"

[timelessinventor]

"I... do hope this isn't about me," Helena says (she wouldn't be surprised if it is; she's been contentious since she was hired, after all).

Mrs. Frederic, however, shakes her head. "No, actually. I came to speak to Mr. Donovan."

[damncompass]

"Me?" Joshua sits up, pulling the blankets around his waist. "Why the hell..." He pauses. "Wait. Are you here to take me out or something?" He actually looks a bit worried.

[k39zzz]

"If I were, you would already be dead and I'd be halfway to breakfast."
She's not one to waste her time.

[damncompass]

"Oh. But if it's not that, what do you want with me? I'm just... I'm just me." He'd be more worried about Claudia if he hadn't talked to her about four hours ago.

[k39zzz]

"My... supervisors, if you will, have decided that you would be a good fit for their end of things."
Honestly, she's quite glad they chose that over bronzing him. That would not have gone over well with Claudia.

[damncompass]

"What the shit?" Joshua just stares for a moment. "Are you crazy or am I still asleep?" Because really, those are the only two options to being handed any sort of power.

[timelessinventor]

"Oh, I sincerely doubt she's mad," Helena says. And (just in the spirit of helping him rule out the second possibility, you understand) she pinches his arm, while she's at it. "Besides, I can see it."

[damncompass]

"Ow!" Joshua winces and rubs his arm. "You've only known me for how many hours?" He's not mad, just really bloody confused. "Giving me power? That's just nuts. I'm a scientist. I just want to study things, not run things."

[timelessinventor]

"But you do study the sort of science we usually end up collecting." Then she turns her gaze to her lap and mutters, "At least, I hope it's still 'we.'"

"And you would be able to pursue certain projects in a rather safer environment," Mrs. Frederic adds, with a not insignificant glance at Joshua's desk.

[damncompass]

"Well, I study science, but that doesn't mean that I should be in charge of anything!" Joshua's now in full-flail mode. "I... wouldn't mind studying things officially, Claud's been trying to get me to ask about that for months, but that doesn't mean I should be in charge. No. Just...no."

[k39zzz]

Up goes an eyebrow. "Why do you think you're poorly suited to the job, Mr. Donovan?"

[damncompass]

"When I'm in charge, bad things happen." Joshua shakes his head. "I mess shit up, things get ruined. No. I'm not doing that to such an important place, and one Claudia loves so much."

[k39zzz]

"Whatever may have come of your prior experiences, you are not as poorly suited to leadership as you might think. Besides, you're the first person to study Artifacts since Isaac Newton. We do not waste that kind of resource."

[damncompass]

"And that's supposed to help?" Joshua sighs, putting his head in his hands. "I... I'm flattered, but I just can't. It's... no." Mostly under his breath, he adds "Besides, it's Claud's thing."

[timelessinventor]

"As though Claudia won't be glad to have you there, darling. Besides, the next closest scientist I can think of who spent time in the field is Dr. Franklin, and that's hardly going to make you feel any better. I believe he spent more time making Artifacts than examining them anyway."

While Joshua's head is still in his hands, something occurs to Helena (given the state of things when they went to Egypt, did they...?); she glances at Mrs. Frederic, who nods. Well then. That's rather interesting.

[damncompass]

Joshua just sighs, sitting up a bit and eying Mrs. Frederick. "Does this usually happen to people when they've just woken up and are in their boxers?"

[k39zzz]

That may be the ghost of a smile. Maybe. Possibly. (Twice in three days; someone should make note.)
"Far from it. However, the timing is rather delicate, for a number of reasons."

[damncompass]

"So delicate that you can't wait until after breakfast? Or at least wait for me to get up and put on some pants?"

[timelessinventor]

"In that regard," Helena says, "I believe your sister would say she's trolling you." (She has yet to understand that co-opting of the word, but it's definitely what Claudia would use.)

This is Mrs. Frederic's innocent face! It's actually quite good.

[damncompass]

"Oh, hush." Joshua sighs deeply. Pants, lady in his bed, he really wishes he was wearing some pants. "I... I just. I don't even know. I can't. I just know I can't."

[timelessinventor]

"Why do you think that, though? If they've decided to extend the offer to you rather than simply bring you in as a consultant, they have faith in you." The Regents, in Helena's experience, are better judges of character than that.