[unrecorded]

[caroflower]

Caro knows there's something wrong, but she isn't sure what. She's home, she's won the Hunger Games. She steps off the train and looks at all the people gathered there to watch. Her parents are hanging back as far as they can get away with-- that's fine. And there-- there he is, running towards her and catching her in a fierce hug. She laughs and actually lets him swing her around a little.

"Aw come on," Caro says, laughing. "I told you I was coming back." Laughing? Told who?

And then she realizes whose arms she's in, and the little part of her brain telling her something's wrong screams into overdrive. Zopf is holding onto her like it's the most natural thing in the world.

She wants to scream, but she doesn't. She's laughing and talking with Zopf, and then he looks over her shoulder and nods respectfully at someone behind her. She turns to look. It's Walter, and he looks amused in a very bitter sort of way.

She wants to get away from Zopf and ask Sullivan what the hell is going on, but her body isn't really responding to the increasingly frantic part of her that knows this is all wrong. And now Zopf is leading her by the hand towards some sort of welcome home party that no one should actually want to attend. And yet.

Time is passing in a slightly too fast blur, and then Zopf's pulling her aside to talk to her about something. No wait, he's leaning in to kiss her. This is all wrong.

Goddammit Caro, wake up.

--

Caro jerks awake, heart pounding. What the fuck was that and where is she. Okay. She's still in her weird isolated recovery room. She really did win. And... are those clothes?

Yes they are. Caro cautiously eases out of bed now that she's no longer hooked up to anything and pads over. Of course, it's a recreation of the Arena uniform. She slips into it quickly and checks her pockets out of habit, only to find...

Sullivan's note. What the hell? Huh.

She doesn't have time to ponder its presence, because just then the door slides open. Time to go, then.

Comments

[illdrinktothat]

Walter's been milling around the waiting area all morning. Truth be told, he'd been mostly milling around all night, they just hadn't let him in. It's not as if he could have slept much otherwise anyway. He'd say he probably wouldn't sleep until he gets home... but he might not anyway.

At least not until he hits the blackout section of drunk.

Now he's just quietly pacing while he waits for Caro to come out, hopefully looking like Caro and not... whatever the Capitol finds fashionable.

[caroflower]

Caro steps out into the hallway and the door shuts behind her. It's all blank walls in front of her and behind her. To her left, though, the hallway stretches a ways and ends with a surprisingly obvious door. Well, that must be it. She walks to the door and listens at it for a moment, but all she can hear is muffled footsteps. Well, here goes nothing. She opens the door to find...

her team.

She'd like to make some clever comment or do something, but all she can do really is stand there and stare. It's only been about a week since she saw them last, but it feels like a month. And also like it was yesterday.

[illdrinktothat]

Walter ceases his pacing as soon as he hears movement behind the door. He half expects it to be that Dr. Bashir again, here to argue some point or other. But it's not. It's Caro, and she looks like... her. A somewhat better-nourished her but her. And it really sinks in that she really did make it.

There's a moment or two of quiet staring on either side before he manages to crack a smile. "Hey, sweetheart. Long time no see."

Which isn't technically true. He saw her on the monitors of the mentor room plenty but that's not the same.

And that's about when he notices movement from where Weyoun's sitting.

[weyountrinket]

Weyoun's sitting calmly in a chair in the corner, looking his prim and proper self as per usual. He watches Walter pace a hole until the floor until the door swings open and - oh, it's Caro!

He grins brightly at her and... no one moves. She stays in the doorway, Walter where he stopped pacing, Garak where he is. And no one says anything. Weyoun purses his lips and suppresses a sigh. Really?

By the time Walter actually speaks that Weyoun's up and moving to Caro, because really why hasn't anyone yet? In a manner most nonthreatening of course but still. She's been through the special hell that is the Games. The least they could do is greet her properly and not just sit. Or stand, as the case may be.

He really hopes she doesn't mind hugs because hugging her is exactly what he's doing now.

[caroflower]

Caro is just opening her mouth to say something in response to W--Sullivan when she sees Weyoun approaching. She's pretty sure hugs are incoming, and-- yup. Fortunately for Weyoun, Caro has decided she likes hugs.

After a moment, she pulls back a little and says, "Sorry about your glasses. I heard from Doctor Bashir that I totally trashed them."

She does feel bad about that. She knows that it isn't nearly as much of an issue for Weyoun as it was when her own glasses got broken, but still.

[weyountrinket]

Weyoun just laughs before he can stop himself.

"Oh, no," He quiets it down into a chuckle when he gets ahold of himself. "Don't even worry about it. I have about... I'm slightly scared to count, actually."

Which is true. He's not actually sure how many pairs he really has. One for any color he might be wearing, really.

[caroflower]

Caro tries not to make too much of a face at Weyoun for that. Yeah okay. She's spared from having to bite back any remarks, however, when Garak approaches.

As he leans in to hug her as well, he murmurs "I'm glad to see your lessons paid off so well."

Caro snorts. "Me too." They exchange matching smirks as they step back.

She considers for a moment. Two hugs in one day (hell, one year) is some kind of record. Might as well complete the set, right? So she approaches Sullivan a little awkwardly. How does one initiate hugs? Well, if you're Weyoun, apparently you just dive right in. So after a moment's hesitation, she goes for it.

Hope you're okay with a hug, Sullivan, because you're getting one too.

[illdrinktothat]

Walter, for his part, mostly just standing back while Weyoun - and the Garak - hug Caro. It's touching. Really, it is. Meanwhile he's still wrapping his head around the fact she's won and she's still alive. And all the implications it includes, good, bad, and terrible. Right now maybe focusing on the good is probably a great plan. ...And one he can't really manage.

He snorts a little at Caro and her approach but accepts the hug all the same. Hell, hugs back, since it's not like he hasn't hugged her before. And, still smiling, shoots Weyoun a quick Don't you fucking even start with me look over the top of Caro's head. Weyoun mostly just shrugs, palms up, and looks incredibly amused at it all.

After a moment or two he gives her a quick squeeze of the shoulders, leans down and kisses her on the forehead. And then he steps back and gestures to the door. "Now why don't we get the fuck out of here already? I'm tired of this place already."

[caroflower]

Caro's brain short circuits a little. A little? Ha ha. Did he really just...? She stands there wide eyed and blinking stupidly until Garak takes pity on her and comes bustling up. He pulls her along, chatting amiably about her dress for the interview, which oh yeah, is happening very shortly.

Once Caro can actually brain again, she shoots Garak a grateful look. "This dress isn't as short as the last one, is it?"

Garak just chuckles, which doesn't ease her mind much.