001} video: if love is what you need, a soldier i will be

[theresalwayshope]

[When the video switches on, Allison's face fills the screen in extreme close-up, an intensely thoughtful look on her features as she struggles to navigate the function of her communicator.]

C'mon...are you even on? [Her voice is low and impatient...then her expression comes alive when she realizes she's on display. Flinching a little, then smiling at her work, she backs up enough to be seen, visible seated at the desk in her cabin.]

Hi. [She smiles and offers up a little wave, then pauses for a moment before laughing as she lets her gaze drop.] Okay, this is way weirder than I thought it was going to be.

[She starts talking with her hands a little, not quite speaking to the communicator anymore.] I guess...I'm just restless. Out of practice, I haven't had to move around for a long time. I haven't been assigned to anyone just yet, but I know I will be. And I just want to introduce myself, you know? Put myself out there for anyone who wants my help. And I honestly do want to help. It's why I came.

[She lifts her head more fully, looking into the communicator with something a little different in her gaze...a little less friendly teenager and a little harder, a little older.]

It's...one reason I came.

[The moment passes, the look fades, and her smile brightens again as she takes a steadying breath.]

But I'm not here to complain about myself, right? So! Um... [A hand goes to her chest as she gestures to herself.] My name is Allison, I'm from Beacon Hills, California...and if any of you need anything at all? Just let me know. I look forward to getting to know everyone!

[She shifts, and part of her body moves out of the picture.]

Now if you'll excuse me...I still have to get settled in.

[She turns around to survey the rest of her room...neat as a pin, in perfect order...not a lot to be settled, really.]

Or...not...

Comments

[imfollowinghim]

Believe me, I get that. It helps. [He also understands how you can find "your people" in a group of strangers, too - it's what had happened when he'd met the other guys of the 107th and fought beside them, but when Steve had showed up? It had kind of been a whole different story.

Sure, there are downsides of running into something stupid with your family, or your best friend or whoever, but it helps, too, to know you've got someone like that watching your back.]

Sergeant James Barnes, but everyone calls me Bucky. It's good to meet you.

[theresalwayshope]

Bucky...I like it! [She grins and giggles a little at that, reminded briefly of Stiles with the odd nickname. She's also oddly comforted by the military presence, given that so much of her own life is military in nature...and Dad dealt with a fair amount of military personnel on the job. There's definitely a certain familiarity there that puts her more at ease, and makes her feel like she's found one more person she can talk to down the line.]

Anyway, it's good to meet you, too...so do you know my friends?

[imfollowinghim]

If they're Scott, Stiles and Lydia, yeah, I do. [Probably better than you'd expect at this point, because...]

There was actually this flood a couple weeks ago where my pal Steve and I kinda swapped places with Scott and Stiles. Or thought we had, anyway. Which I guess would make more sense if you've got the talk about what a flood actually is. [Oops. Have you?]

[theresalwayshope]

...I don't, no. [Allison sobers, though, knowing that something like that could happen, that someone else has...lived it, the things they've seen and done...and been...]

What is a flood? And...can you tell me more about that one?

[imfollowinghim]

They happen every couple weeks. No one really knows why, or how, but different people are affected in different ways. One time, most of us got turned into animals. [Weird how he remembers that, but kind of has a rough time with a lot of the other details of what it had been like the last time he as here.

Not that being a dog for a couple days isn't memorable, but.]

A couple weeks ago, some of us basically switched places with some of the other people on board. I don't know how exact it was, but Scott and Stiles thought they were Howling Commandos and Steve was a teenage werewolf.

They're not always that personal.