Office Hours - Thursday 8/19

[carpe_demon]

Drake was packing up his office, setting Delirium's psychedelic frogs aside for Karla and trying to decide what to do with his framed autographs from Merlin and Arthur. But the music was still cheery -- today's selection included Abbacadabra.

The door was open.

Comments

[glacial_queen]

After Karla's last class, she followed the music to Drake's door and tapped. "Kiss kiss?" she called. "I'm here--oh."

Somehow, seeing Drake packing away his things made it all seem so...final.

[carpe_demon]

"Wee blonde scourge!" Drake said. "Come on in. I'm just trying to decide what to do with some of this stuff. I don't want my autograph collection to go to waste."

[glacial_queen]

Karla wrinkled her nose at Arthur's picture. "You could always give it to someone in trust and suggest they hand it over to someone they think would appreciate it?" she suggested.

Why anyone would want Merlin and Arthur's signatures was beyond her, but who knew? People were weird.

[Apparently, pressing post is mandatory now. Whatever.]

[carpe_demon]

"Not a fan, huh?" Drake said, noting said nose wrinkling. "Hey, it's not everyday you meet literary icons. Except around here, apparently. I'm sure I'll find someone who'd appreciate them."

[glacial_queen]

"Merlin is a wonderful male," Karla said. "I'm going to visit him sometime."

Arthur...? Karla was staying diplomatically silent about him.

Oh, wait. She was Karla. No she wasn't. "Arthur is brave and honorable, for all that he's usually a giant jackass."

Okay, for Karla, that was pretty diplomatic.

[carpe_demon]

"Believe it or not, there are a lot of authors who would agree with you," Drake said with a laugh. "Sometimes he's heroic, sometimes he's a dumbass, sometimes he's a brave and honorable jackass."

[glacial_queen]

"Then they paint a much more accurate portrait of him then they do Merlin," Karla said with a sigh. "Old, occasionally dottering, and willing to help assault Igraine. That's not the real Merlin."

[carpe_demon]

"Stories get muddled as they get passed down through time," Drake said. "Go read a history book, then watch The Tudors." Pause. "Wait, don't watch The Tudors. Or don't tell anyone I said to watch it. It's dirty."

Well, not like anyone could fire him now.

[glacial_queen]

Karla did and then HER BRAIN EXPLODED

Karla just grinned at him. "First you want me to release these frogs into Professor Skywalker's classroom. Now you want me to go watch The Tudors. I'm starting to think you like getting me into trouble."

[carpe_demon]

"Someone has to pick up the slack for me," Drake grinned back. "And I'm not trying to get you into trouble. That only happens when you get caught. So...don't get caught."

[glacial_queen]

"But, Drake!" Karla exclaimed, all wide eyes and innocence. "I'm sure I don't know the least thing about being sneaky!"

[carpe_demon]

Drake snorted. "Pull the other one, wee blonde scourge," he said. "It's got bells on it." He paused with a puzzled look. "I've never understood what that phrase meant."

[glacial_queen]

"In Kaeleer, the bells are supposed to be an incentive to try again, I think." Karla said, drifting over to examine the tank of frogs. "Astral. Where did they come from?"

[absolutesnark]

Since Piper was nearby, she decided to stop by Drake's office. There were a lot of reasons, one being to inquire about his recent trip. The other being something she didn't want to think about because it would mean it was true...so she focused on the other reason.

"Hey," she greeted, tapping on the door frame. "Heard you were in San Francisco recently."

[carpe_demon]

"Hi, Piper," Drake said, beckoning her in. "Have a seat. Yeah, I had Paige take me home to meet the family. Other you says hi."

[absolutesnark]

"That's...weird," Piper said, taking a seat. "But not as weird as the time I actually met another version of me."

[carpe_demon]

"Older? Younger?" Drake said, folding his hands together and leaning forward to rest his chin on them. "This Piper was older. She's all married lady with two kids."

[absolutesnark]

"The one I met was older. Also married. Chris and Wyatt's mother. The Chris and Wyatt who went to school here," Piper replied, rubbing her head. "Never gets any less headache inducing. So you were visiting because Paige invited you?"

She couldn't help being curious.

[carpe_demon]

"Welllllllllllll," Drake said, wondering how much he should tell Piper. Her world was so different from his and his Cole's, so what would it hurt, right? "I had to do a favor for a friend."

[absolutesnark]

"Why do I have a feeling this was a favor requiring magic of some kind," Piper asked, a smile forming. There was a little bit of sadness behind the smile as she realized it was likely one of his last favors.

[carpe_demon]

"The magic of love!" Drake said with a wink. "No, seriously. You, uh, you kinda had to die. But you totally got better!"

[absolutesnark]

"As long as I got better, I guess," Piper said, raising an eyebrow. "Sounds like quite the adventure."

[carpe_demon]

"I'll let you in on a secret," Drake said. "Cole practically moved heaven and earth to make sure that your husband was able to stay with you and your boys. The Elders tried to take him away from you."

[absolutesnark]

Piper frowned. "The Elders really are useless. And mean spirited it seems. That was pretty cool of Cole. I'll have to thank him when I get back to LA. And totally confuse him."

[carpe_demon]

"It was kind of complicated," Drake said. "Things didn't work out the same there as they did for you guys here. But I'm hoping other you realizes now what a great guy the Colethazor is."