Greta ignores everybody's stunned looks and picks up the huge sandwich Vincent had set down in front of her, biting into it.
“I hate it when you pull this shit.” Buck moans. She smiles and gives Vincent a big thumbs up, putting the sandwich down and picking up one of the fries on the platter, dipping it in ketchup with salt before sticking it in her mouth.
“W . . .why is he here, can I ask?” Eureka Jack finally manages to say. Greta looks at the ghost behind Jack.
/It's my turn to watch the two of them. And Can I tell you, it is a thankless job some days./ Owen grumbles. /I thought the bloody tosser was bad when I was alive. . ./ the fond look he gives Jack's back, like an indulgent parent who has to complain about a child's mischief but is secretly proud belies the annoyance in his words.
“He says it's his turn to watch over the two of you.”
/You cannot possibly mean to eat all of that./ Owen complains as he sees Greta take another bite of that huge sandwich. /Do you have any idea how many calories are in that sandwich, let alone fat?/
“Yep,” Greta says. “And I'll probably order another platter of food before we go.” She picks up the pickle spear and bites it in half. I roll my eyes as I cut my cheeseburger in half, pick it up, and bite into it. Oh gods, I'd forgotten how good a cheeseburger that's not from a fast food place can be, nice and thick and with all the trimmings.
Owen looks over at the other teen girl at the 'mmmm' sound she makes. /At least you're having soup to go with that cheeseburger, but I'd hate to see your cholesterol./
“ 'm already on cholesterol drugs 'cause I'm diabetic, it's in the normal ranges for a normal person but they want it impossibly lower for diabetics.” I say automatically. Everybody looks at me and I look down to where Greta's leg is brushing against mine. “As long as we're touching I can hear the whining one too.”
Eureka Jack snorts at that, a look crossing his face. Greta rolls her eyes and puts her hand over his. He blinks when he hears the familiar voice of his lost teammate complaining.
“Owen?” he whimpers, turning around, almost afraid to look.
/Well, it's about time you realized we were here Jack./ he says sourly. Jack's glad to see he doesn't seem to be in agony or torment, the old wives tales from his youth running through his head. The other man puts his hands on his hips and glares at him, no different than when he'd been alive.
“We?” Eureka Doctor asks, one hand on Jack's shoulder to hear the conversation.
/The teaboy's at school keeping an eye on the kiddies, and wasn't that a bloody shock./ Owen grouses. /Toshiko's up at Global Dynamics, she likes watching the various experiments you have going. Reminds her of being back home at the Hub./
“Why didn't I see you before now?” the Doctor asks, taking his hand off Jack's shoulder. Now that he knows the other man's spectre is there, he can see and hear him.
“You didn't expect to see him you weren't consciously looking for him?” Greta asks. “I have to consciously look for 'others', the only reason I knew he was here I could hear him and started 'looking'.” Greta shrugs and finishes off the sandwich she'd been eating, covering her mouth and belching softly. “Sorry,” she says at everybody's look.
Vincent comes up and takes the empty plate, replacing it with another one before she can even ask.
“Oh, I nearly forgot.” Stark says, looking over at Greta and Josette. “I got a call from the school, it seems the principal heard that some of our visitors were younger, she'd like you to attend school while you're here.” I blink and moan, dropping my head onto my hands, narrowly missing putting my face in the empty dish. More than one hand lands on my back and shoulders in a comforting gesture though I can hear Greta's smirk.
“Excuse me.” I say, quickly getting up and heading for the door. The 8th Doctor puts his napkin on the table and moves to get up to follow me. Buck puts his hand on his arm to keep him at the table as a loud howl of 'oh HELL NO' followed by cussing can be heard throughout town. A few seconds later, I calmly come back into the cafe and sit back down, putting my napkin on my lap as I give Dr. Stark an indulgent look, one normally associated with humoring the idiot child and one everybody in the family recognized. “Uhhh no.”
“Awww, don't you want to sit in a classroom and listen to a teacher drone on about something that you could care less about?” Greta smirks at me. “After all, you don't get to go to high school like Jack.”
“Because I want to actually learn, not be part of the 'in crowd'” I say mockingly, making quotation marks with my fingers around in crowd. “And that's not likely to happen in normal high schools.”
The 8th Doctor pats my shoulder. “At least this time you wouldn't have to board.”
“Thank god for small favors.” I mutter under my breath. “I would . . .hurt. . . somebody if I had to be around hormonal teenagers 24/7.”
Greta smirks and pats my shoulder, pretending to be sympathetic. “Aww, remember what Grandma Hera says, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.” I reach up and kick her off her seat. “Don't forget, I'm not the only one who looks young enough to be in high school.” I say with a smirk. Greta looks up at me from the floor, then slaps a hand on the floor and starts cursing when she realizes this means she's going to high school too.
“Your sisters don't like high school?” Stark asks Daniel.
“Greta's already graduated from high school and has three degrees.” Daniel says calmly as Vincent takes my empty plate. “Josette's being home schooled and is already taking college level courses in some areas. . .”
“And you still can't pass algebra.” Greta says with a smirk as she gets up from the floor and heads to the bathroom to wash her hands. I make a gesture that's considered rude on five hundred worlds at her back.