Tim didn't think he could stand any more mourning. To say nothing of its public face, the funeral with the bagpipes and the confused widow with the "What do I do now?" look on her face. It went against his grain to think this way.Timmy Bayliss was nothing if not a sensitive guy. A good listener, everybody said so. He wasn't sure he could listen anymore.

After he went to give blood for the injured(a person like Tim doesn't give up the nice-guy habits of a lifetime very easily) he pleaded weakness and went home for a few hours. He knew he was milking it, and maybe leaving Frank with a mess, but for once, he didn't care."He owes me for two hundred late starts already," he thought.

Later on, he had to admit that Frank had been right,that he allowed someone else to use his blood so he could live. It wasn't the same thing, but the image had caused the first blood-related freakout of his life, or at least his adult life. He could picture the young blonde lab tech sticking long fangs into the soft flesh of his neck and had to do some deep breathing before he could go inside again.
"The bastard must be psychic." Tim said, out loud, in the empty apartment. "That's the only explanation." His newly acquired habit of talking to himself is already beginning to disturb him; how long before he answers himself? He thinks, not for the first time, that he should get a dog or something.-more-

Heh. I always saw Tim as a cat guy; I actually had this conversation when the show was running and we agreed that Tim wouldn't handle the co-dependence thing with a dog well. Also, like me, Tim doesn't do well with being handed unearned love - he wants to believe he's earned it. Unquestioning love I think is way more Frank. Oh yes. Dog guy.

erika, do you realise, I don't think you've put a word wrong on any of these characters? It's blowing my mind.

Erika, I'm not chiming in much, but that's not because I don't think you've nailed a bunch of difficult voices. You totally have, and I'm chomping at the bit for each next installment.

I think erika needs to be writing for "Oz" or "The Wire", is what I think.

He is back at the squad before sunset.
"Bayliss," Pembleton says, expansively. "Just the man I've been looking for. I need a Good Cop front and center." Movie shorthand for the magic that is FrankenTim. If he wonders what happened today, he gives no sign of it.

"I can't do it, Frank.I find myself wanting to pour holy water on him to see him burn. Then I'd dance on the ashes. I don't like it when I get like that, wanting to torture people."

"He's not people, Tim. He's Memorex. So, you want to be Bad Cop?"

"Haven't you been listening?"
Forget that psychic thing, Tim thought.

"He's not people, Tim. He's Memorex."
"OK, I'm Bad Cop. And...Frank?'
"Yeah?"
"Kick his ass."

"He's not people, Tim. He's Memorex."

I think I just shorted out, that line is so good. But is it out of sequence? Is it a direct response to Tim's wanting to pour water on Angelus, and not liking himself when he wants to torture people?

I thought so. Is it not?

Right now, it's set up as a back and forth, this way:

"I can't do it, Frank.I find myself wanting to pour holy water on him to see him burn. Then I'd dance on the ashes. I don't like it when I get like that, wanting to torture people."

"So, you want to be Bad Cop?"

"Haven't you been listening?"

"He's not people, Tim. He's Memorex."

"OK, I'm Bad Cop. And...Frank?'

"Yeah?"

"Kick his ass."

But the direct response would swap them, I think. Thusly:

"I can't do it, Frank.I find myself wanting to pour holy water on him to see him burn. Then I'd dance on the ashes. I don't like it when I get like that, wanting to torture people."

"He's not people, Tim. He's Memorex. So, you want to be Bad Cop?"

"Haven't you been listening? OK, I'm Bad Cop. And...Frank?"

"Yeah?"

"Kick his ass."

Something like that, so that the "I need a Good Cop" theme flows in sequence, with "torture people" line directly and immediately responded to by Frank - and lordy, erika, that "Memorex" comment? It's so perfect, because it shows both Frank's contempt for Angelus and also that he's been thinking about it.

But, anyway. My tuppence.

Um, I think you're right. Would you believe, I've had to struggle to write males, historically? I'm not sure where this is coming from, even though I heart procedurals. Reaction to to my all Estrogen All The Time household? Would really Love the TV gigs. Seriously, when the other little girls wanted to be Brooke Shields and Princess Diana, I wanted to be Steven Bochco.

erika, I'm wondering if there's any way for you to hook up and write for TV. You have an insanely good ear for it - the structure may be all yours, but Frank's voice is Frank's, damnit, not yours. And that's not a common gift. I can't do it at all - my own phrasing wants to creep in, every time.