paradisa | 127.0

[It was bound to happen sooner or later. He knew that. He'd always known that - it's what this place does. How many people--how many hundreds of people--had come here a day, a month, a year, and then left again without warning? How many dozens of people had he, personally, cared about and then had taken from him?

Nothing like this, though. Never like this.

He'd awakened in his own room, the first sign that something was wrong. He hadn't been here except to pick up the occasional supplies ever since he'd moved in with Carolina. His initial feeling of dread is compounded when he finds only her dogtags and lighter on the nightstand next to him.

He doesn't want to believe it, at first, but of course when he runs up to her room in a blind panic, it's empty and the nameplate is blank. Of course it is. Why should it be otherwise? When has this place ever managed to hold on to anyone he cared about?

It's about an hour later when he finally writes into the journal, not trusting his voice.]

Carolina's gone.

[Friends]

I'm going to be away from the castle for a while. Don't bother coming after me.

[/Friends]

[If anyone is quick enough they'll be able to find him at Kat's hangar, outfitting the Warthog for a week or more's travel. The Dead Zone's not really an option, not with Delta, but damned if he's going to stay any closer to the castle than he has to.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He's only just arrived, but the pain of Carolina's loss does strike him. Of course, maybe that's just because he knows about her relationship with York. Still...]

If you want to talk when you get back, I'll make time.

[Right, like North really wants to hear about how the castle does this to him every goddamn time he starts to care about someone. York writes in response.]

Doubt it. Thanks anyway.

I meant about something else. Take your mind off it for a while. Anyway, be careful.

[Yeah. Like he's going to be able to think of anything else. Still, it's a nice thought.]

Thanks. I'll let you know.

[Even North can only do so much. He wouldn't have known what to say, regardless.]

And come back in one piece.

[It's really not fair to dump this on North, who's only been here for such a short time. Almost four years and York still has a problem handling the departures with no warning that characterize this place.]

I'll try. Appreciate it.