When Scott Met Annie

Chapter 8: Stain Remover

The next morning, after Annie had started the coffee, she sat down in front of Scott with Phoebe's bag, though she didn't make a move to open it. Her expression was perfectly businesslike as she looked him over before she said, finally, "There's a tub upstairs if you can make the trip."

He stared at her in surprise before his mind caught up with what she'd said and he had the sense to look properly sheepish. He hadn't even thought about how he must have looked — smelled — after... well, Hank had said it had been a couple weeks with Sinister, and then the past couple of days at her place...

He pushed himself up, first on his elbows and then the rest of the way up until he was sitting, acutely aware that Annie was watching him the whole time with her teeth worrying over her bottom lip and her breath held in her chest. He was half holding his breath too as he got to his feet, but he was, thankfully, much more steady than he'd been the last time he tried that.

It was a relief, frankly.

Annie looked like she might try to offer her help, but she was, amazingly, refraining from doing just that as Scott paced a short path just to get used to it and then headed upstairs, more than grateful for the handrail that led all the way up, before he found the guest bathroom in the hall and drew a bath.

He was surprised how worn out a trip up the stairs had him — he hadn't realized he still had that much healing to do. But on the other hand, he was grateful for the chance to get clean, and honestly, after scrubbing off a lot of the dried blood, he looked a lot less... worrisome.

That should probably help Annie's blood pressure, he thought with a little smirk when he saw his reflection in the mirror.

When he opened the door, he was surprised to find that Annie had laid out new clothes, folded in front of the door and waiting for him, so he pulled them inside and changed quickly. The jeans were a little too big and slightly too long, but he rolled them up at the bottom and tightened the belt — and did the same with the slightly-too-big shirt.

But being clean and upright and moving was already doing him wonders, and he couldn't help smiling a bit to himself as he made his way back downstairs, where Annie had already made herself some sweet tea to go with her cereal. She was seated at the table with the laptop open, her chin resting on her hand, and she looked up in surprise when he made his way to the coffee pot to pour himself a mug — now that he was up, he wanted to stay up.

She broke into a little smile his way. "You clean up well, Mr. Summers."

He hid his expression behind his first sip of coffee, since he wasn't quite sure how to respond. "Thanks for the clothes."

"I had to guess on the size. I was going off of Anton's height, but you're not as wide as he is, and I think a little shorter, but it's hard to tell, seein' as you were unconscious when he brought you in," Annie explained in a rush.

"It's not too bad," he said. "A little long."

"I wasn't sure," she said again as she pushed out a chair for him to sit with his coffee. "You look tall... but Anton's 6'6", so it's hard to gauge anyone..."

"He's got three inches on me," Scott told her with an honest smile — he wasn't usually the shorter one. "Really, I appreciate the thought either way."

She beamed at him for a moment before she pulled her chair around so that she could be closer to him, bringing her laptop along with her. "I got started on a job search locally — I hope you don't mind. I wasn't sure what you taught at the school, so I was just looking generally, but if you give me a subject, we can expand it to other cities," she said, speaking fast enough that Scott couldn't get a word in edgewise. "I'm sure Theresa could look in her area, and of course, I have a few friends from school that found schools away from the tundra that I can ask if you like..."