You were a mime? I should shoot you for that alone.

Rae drags Gabe out to a street corner, to confront him.

Rae: So what’s your gorram problem???

Gabriel Keats: “Does it matter what I say?”

Rae: Wont know till you say it.

Gabriel Keats: “Felt myself slipping again.” He keeps his words clipped, short.’

Rae: So, without a word. Nothing. You desert me.

Gabriel Keats: “It wasn’t as though I got a whole lot of warning myself.”

Rae: You got warnin’ enough to desert me, not look back. Not say a word. Time to get off my ship and sneak off somewhere, plan an escape.

Gabriel Keats: “Who the ruttin’ hell said I planned anything?”

Rae: You ain’t dead. Had to have planned something.

Gabriel Keats: “Luck.”

Rae: Luck. Luck we could have used. All those pretty words you said to me, don’t mean nothin’ do they?

Gabriel Keats glares. “Why the hell do you think I was in the bar?”

Rae: Guilt?

Gabriel Keats: “I couldn’t stay away.” He sounds angry and scared balled up at once.

Rae: Why would that be?

Gabriel Keats: “Because I--” He stops. Clenches his jaw.

Rae Overholt crosses her arms, “Because what Gabe? You were worried about us?”

Gabriel Keats: “Because I couldn’t ruttin’ well stay away from you!”

Rae: You’re an odd man Gabe. Going from trying to kill me to sayin’ the pretty words you said to deserting me to crawlin’ back.

Gabriel Keats: “I could--I could lose it, Rae; I could go gorram crazy, and I know it could. . . I know people around me--” He takes a deep breath. “And I come back, and I put you in danger.”

Rae: We already had this gorram conversation Gabe.

Gabriel Keats: “Yeah. I know we have.”

Rae: And, as a side bar, what are you wearin’?

Gabriel Keats’s cheeks turn red. “Came to Paquin ‘cause I heard you were like to come here. Was low on money, so. . . I used some of my. . .” He mumurs the rest. “Some of what I learned in theatre...”

Rae: To do what??

Gabriel Keats turns bright red.

Rae: You dressed up like Zorro to get creds to crawl back to me?

Gabriel Keats puts his hands in front of him. He presses his palms forward, as though against an invisible wall.

Rae: You were a mime? I should shoot you for that alone.

Gabriel Keats , through gritted teeth. “Street. . . performer. . .”

Rae: Uh huh. Just so you know. You get the couch in the crew lounge tonight.

Gabriel Keats: “Didn’t think I’d be allowed on the ship.”

Rae: Can’t do without a first mate.

Gabriel Keats tosses her a small pouch with some credits in it. It’s a decent amount, for busking.

Rae Overholt catches it and looks back at him, puzzled, “Whats that for?”

Gabriel Keats: “If I’m still crew. . . .my earnings go to you.”

Rae Overholt tosses them back, “Use it to buy me something pretty, or chocolate.”

Gabriel Keats takes it back with a brisk nod.

Rae: Guess we should head back so you can get out of the mime clothes and change into something real and get your spot on the couch warm.

Gabriel Keats: “Might be a good idea. Rae, I-- Those weren’t just words.”

Rae Overholt looks at him, waiting. “Why’d you leave me like you did then Gabe?”

Gabriel Keats: “Because I didn’t want to hurt you without knowing that you’d be OK afterwards.”

Rae Overholt shakes her head. “You’re stupid for a reader.”

Gabriel Keats: “I try not to read--”

Rae: But you do, and you did and you know.

Gabriel Keats: “Knowing what to do and doing it. . . are very different.”

Rae: I can’t manage this ship without you Gabe. I’m not captain material. I need that extra set of hands and eyes and ..

Gabriel Keats: “You’re captain material, whether you believe it or not.”

Rae Overholt shakes her head, “I’ve got us nothin’ but trouble since this whole thing started.”

Gabriel Keats: “and you got yourself out of it.”

Rae: Nope, not really.