Room 239/240

[notcalledlizzie]

Elizabeth is lying, curled up on her bed with a stuffed bear.

A small, neatly wrapped box is sitting on the bedside table.

She's trying to read; the same book she's been reading ever since she was in the library after Speech class.

Her mind keeps flashing back to the trip she made to Mali and the Ivory Coast. She can hardly believe how young and naive she had been. How back then she thought that she could help change the world.

She seems to reread the same paragraph over and over again

"A tumble? Oh, yes - out of the swing," said Katy, as it all came slowly back to her. "Did the rope break, Aunt Izzie? I can't remember about it."

She always reached for books from her childhood whenever she felt down.

Comments

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

Elizabeth holds out an arm. "Yeah, it has," she agreed, equally quietly.

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

Sam motioned with her head, but didn't let go of Liz. "Hey."

[janet_fraiser]

"Hey." Janet sighed. "Have any good classes today?" she asked.

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"We had a movie in Classics, Physics was cancelled, and we got to talk about offensive clothing in Advanced Negotiations. So I got to relive the blue dress incident again."

[janet_fraiser]

"I think I'll be back in Classics on Friday next week," said Janet. "I'm not going back into that class. And the blue dress? Good God, can't we forget that thing already?"

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"You would think, wouldn't you?" Sam rolled her eyes. "But no, that's all I can remember when the question came up about how clothing could offend a society to the point of violence. Thank goodness Cameron didn't know about it, or I'd still be hearing it."

"And I'm glad you'll be back on Friday."

[janet_fraiser]

"Me too," said Janet. "I think I missed the languages stuff more than I thought I would. I blame Daniel." She grinned. "Thank God there are no pictures of you in that thing."

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"For these small things, Lord, we are thankful. Daniel's always a good choice."

[janet_fraiser]

Janet sits down on the bed, leans into Liz, and sighs. "Aren't we supposed to be enjoying high school?"

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

Elizabeth wraps her arm tightly around Janet. "That's just some joke the politicians back in Washington have cooked up. It's a myth... you don't really enjoy high school, you just survive it."

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

Sam nodded. "You enjoy college."

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

"Nine years of it, at three different schools, if you're me," Elizabeth grinned.

[janet_fraiser]

"All three of us," said Janet, laughing. "We're all way too educated to be here."

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

"Oh God, yes," Elizabeth grinned. "Professor Cregg's already asked me why I'm here!"

[janet_fraiser]

"Yeah, Professor Methos is getting--" She signed. "He's smarter than he acts. Really sharp. Fair warning."

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"Brat." Sam grinned back and loosened her hold.

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

Elizabeth stuck her tongue out at Sam. "You're not much better," she pointed out.

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

"I can be. I choose not to." She made a face back.

[janet_fraiser]

"Can we all go to the same college?" asked Janet. "I really don't want to do that alone either."

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

"Depends on where you want to go. But no, I don't want to do it alone either. Professor Cregg wants me to go to Berkeley."

[janet_fraiser]

"I don't care where I go," said Janet. "We'll get in anywhere. I care that you guys are there too. Berkeley, huh? I hear the weather's nice in California."

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

"Apparently that's some sort of a myth. I was crushed to hear it.

I can tell you that I don't want to go back to Wellesley or Duke," she paused. "Nor Georgetown."

[carter-i-am.livejournal.com]

Sam looked alarmed for a second. "You're going to college? I was planning on going to the Academy again."

[janet_fraiser]

"I didn't do the Academy the first time around," said Janet, looking over at Sam. "Then again, I don't need to go pre-med now."

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

"There's no way I'm going to a service academy," Elizabeth said, wide eyed.