Fifth Experiment: [voice]

[jolting]

[Whale can't sleep, and with good reason: there's been a lot for him to process lately. He's in the clinic, not that anyone can see since he chose to leave the video function turned off. He just needs to talk all of this out; it's how he thinks]

This is a chain reaction of complex emotions. Where do I even start? An immortal man who looks like me. That packed more punch than I expected. And now all of this... Gold's son, magic beans...

My head feels like it just ate a bunch of Pop Rocks and drank soda.

Comments

[jolting]

I designed the clinic's layout, so naturally I could dictate what things were kept in the fridge. [he lifts his beer can in a toast before cracking it open and taking a sip]

video

[offtheroad]

Looks like you were planning ahead.

[ a long sip ]

So an immortal twin, huh? That one's new.

[jolting]

It gets better: his blood has healing properties. It can heal a person from almost anything.

[offtheroad]

[ he raises his eyebrows as he brings his beer back down ]

An immortal twin who heals. This is starting to sound a lot like coincidence. [ he frowns ]

[jolting]

I have his blood if you don't believe me. [he knows how strange it sounds: Frankenstein with an immortal twin. But Whale's pretty sure Adam isn't a vampire]

[offtheroad]

[ Neal gives a dismissive shake of his head ]

I believe you, that's kind of what worries me. Nothing ever goes smoothly for the people with too many coincidences.

[jolting]

It's lucky that I have a safety line in case it goes too badly for me. Even if I die, I'll come back. [thanks for that, twin]

[offtheroad]

You really think you can chalk it up to lucky? That sort of thing has its costs. [ and a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong drink there ]

[jolting]

Everything comes at a price. Magic, science... everything. I'm well aware of that. Unlike some, I actually hold value to life and death. I'm not about to throw mine away again.

[true there was a time he was willing, but things have changed. He has a reason to live]

[offtheroad]

[ ugh the family motto. Neal finishes off his beer pretty fast ]

Again?

[jolting]

I tried to kill myself... just before I came here, as it happens. Someone convinced me out of it, though. Showed me that life in Storybrooke could be a second chance.

[his expression softens as he thinks about that moment with Ruby. Whatever has happened to disconnect them, it's clear that the feelings are still there on his end]

[offtheroad]

[ Neal gives him an evaluating look. he's really not in a sturdy enough house to cast stones about anything, but he figures if it's something where Storybrooke seems like a second chance, circumstances before must have been pretty bad ]

Here's to second chances, then. [ he raises his empty beer in a toast ]

[jolting]

[well given that his entire family is dead, yeah. Storybrooke is a better alternative]

I'll drink to that. You look like you could use another, too. Good thing I stocked up.

[offtheroad]

Have I mentioned you're my favorite doctor?

[ he wiggles his shoulders as he tries to get comfortable back in the hospital bed ]

You're from the Enchanted Forest, then?

[jolting]

[he is halfway to getting another beer when Neal asks him that. Henry thankfully already told Whale that Neal is his father and Gold's son, so the question doesn't catch him by surprise]

No, I'm not. I'm from a different world than the rest of you. I'm surprised no one told you about me in Storybrooke.

[offtheroad]

[ he shrugs, then winces from a slight twinge of pain. gdi bullets. gdi. ]

Wasn't around long enough to get the town hall meeting. [ he frowns, thoughtfully ] Let me guess, Neverland?

[jolting]

Hardly. [he looks amused at the idea. Which would he have been, a lost boy or a pirate?]

Mine was a world without color. Like those old black-and-white movies.

[offtheroad]

You mean, like Dracula? Or Casablanca? Or...uh. Wolfman?

[jolting]

Dracula and Wolfman... Accurate comparisons.