Chapter 5
Tim slammed the door open to Jon's office, "Drinks Night! Drinks Night!" He sang horribly, running over to Jon and Martin, "What Night is it?"
"Drinks...night?" Jon answered confused, Tim rolled his eyes and turned to Martin.
"What night is it Martin!?" He yelled.
"Drinks Night!" Martin yelled in response.
"Heck yeah Martin!" They high fived, "Jon we need more energy!"
Jon just rolled his eyes with a smirk, "I never knew how important drinks night was, i'll make sure to bring more energy next time".
Sasha strolled him seconds later holding her and Tim's coats, "Now you know what i have to deal with every other week".
After the four had gathered up their stuff they headed out of the institute and towards a bar than Tim had said was their usual place, Jon knew they went to this place a lot but they were all so familiar with the staff it felt like he was out of the loop. Martin noticed this and reassured him that everything was fine. Jon smiled at that and went to go and sit down at the table the other two had claimed, Tim had ordered the first round of drinks and they had all agreed that drinks night had began.
"So! I need to know how the hell you two have actually gotten so close! Like no offence Jon but you're less of a...how do i put this nicely", Tim said trying to find the right words.
"A huge Dickhead?" Jon replied with a side smile.
"Your words no mine!" Tim raised his hands in defence.
"No, it's just um...I had some realisations and i just knew it wasn't right. Also i got a huge telling off" He looked to Martin at that last part.
"Oh! our dear Martin? I feel like i barley know what happening anymore, out boy is growing up Tim" Sasha spoke, wiping away an imaginary tear and hugging Tim's side dramatically.
"Oh don't start with that again!" Martin chugged the rest of his drink and the other two cheered him on laughing, Jon smiling all the while.
"Also!" Martin placed his glass down and turned to Jon, "I need to know about this steam punk obsession of yours!"
Jon's face tinted red, "Urg, please don't make me mention it".
"What's this, Mr Boss man has an obsession? and steam punk all the less!" Tim grinned like the Cheshire cat.
"Is this about that band you were in?" Sasha slipped out.
All three men looked at her, Tim and Martin in pure amazement and excitement but Jon in pure embarrassment.
"Sasha" He spoke quietly shielding his face.
"Awww, Jon! There's no need to be embarrassed" Martin laughed all the while trying to reassure him.
"You can talk Mr, 'I record my poetry on a tape recorder for a lofi-charm' Blackwood" Jon cheekily shot back and this time Martin went Crimson.
"Jon!" Martin playfully punched his arm, "I hope you know you have to talk about that band now"
"I'm way to sober for that at the moment"
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"YOU WHAT?" Sasha burst out in laughter, falling onto Tim.
"Oh yeah, Broke that box right in two. Literally had to try and improvise while they fixed it" Jon admitted with a small snort of laughter, recounting one of him experiences with a live show he performed at a few years prior.
"Oh that's amazing!" Tim laughed while holding Sasha in his arms.
"Urg! What time is it?" Martin said changing to subject.
"Sasha shakily pulled out her phone, concentrating as hard as she could on the screen. "Almost one in the morning"
"Jeez, i think this is the longest we've ever been out for drinks night" Tim said.
"We should probably head out" Jon suggested, starting to get up out of his chair but stumbling slightly into Martin who offered him a hand.
"Okay, you're getting home and sobering up as soon as we get in" Martin stated.
"We?" Tim wiggles his eyebrows and Sasha laughed.
"You two are happy to join us" Jon said sooner than he had time to think about what he was saying.
"You inviting us round for a sleepover Jon?" Sasha asked jokingly.
"Why not, I think Martin's the most sober out of us. I'd rather be fussed over all night than passed out by the side of a bin" Jon laughed a little at that last part.
"Heck yeah sleepover! Bree can you call us a cab pretty please" Tim called out to the bar where a woman in her early twenties gave a thumbs up with a smile on her face.
The four eventually managed to get up and out of the bar, back out into the fresh, early morning air. A few jokes were passed every now again until they waited for their cab to arrive, the good thing about being in their part of London was it took about twenty minutes tops for it to turn up. They all piled into the cab when it arrived, Martin giving the address and off they want. The cab ride was mainly filled with a comfortable silence, everyone was drunk and tired but the alcohol was wearing off.
When they'd arrived back at the flat Jon payed the driver and they began the ascend up to the third floor, Sasha on Tim's back while Jon was clinging onto martins arm trying to keep his balance as they made their way up the stairs. Still holding onto Martin, Jon fiddled around in his pocket to find his eye. Eventually finding it he unlocked the door and practically threw himself onto the sofa where Tim and Sasha soon followed.
"I'll get some water" Martin said as he dropped his coat over the sofa and went to the kitchen.
"Martin you're a saint!" Tim called after him.
Martin let out a chuckle before returning with four glasses of water, handing them out to each of them. He helped Jon sit up before giving the drink.
"Remind me to never let you all take me out drinking ever again" He complained before taking a of of the water.
"Oh you enjoyed yourself, quit complaining" Martin teased, pushing some of Jon's hair out of his face that had grown out a little.
"Okay maybe i did but don't let me get as drunk next time" Jon pushed himself into Martin's side as he sat down.
"I'm promising nothing" He smiled in response.
"Oh look at you love birds~" Cooed Sasha
"Oh be quiet and go to sleep"
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Soon April seventeenth came and Melanie was due in to give her statement, Jon was panicking. Not because he was scared but because he didn't know how he was going to convince her that she shouldn't go to India and better yet, not associate with the institute as a whole. He could tell her he believed her and maybe ask Georgie for help on convincing her not to let her leave. Jon sighed deeply before focusing on how he should handle this. Let her make the statement, don't compel her and try to convince her that he believes her but she shouldn't go to India.
When he got the call from Rosie that Melanie had arrived he asked if she could keep her in the front desk so he can come and collect her, she obliged happily before hanging up the call. Jon left his office and made his trek up to the the front desk waving to Martin as he went. When he arrived he looked around to notice a woman sitting on one of the supplied chairs.
He almost didn't recognise her, He'd forgotten that the first time they had met her shoulder length hair was a green with her brown roots starting to peak through. Her sunglasses sat on her face despite it not being the least bit sunny inside of the institute, she seemed to be chewing gum as well. Not out of character at all.
"Miss King?"Jon had called out to her, she looked up moving her sunglasses to sit atop of her head.
"You're Mr. Sims?" She asked, probably expecting someone more snobby. Well maybe more like old Jon would've been like.
"Jon is just fine, should we make our ways to the archive? It'll be easier to record the statement there" She noded and he led the way.
"Also i prefer Melanie" She stated on their way down.
"Understood" He led her through the fire door, through the desks and into his own office where Martin had been sorting through some statements.
"Ah Jon! I was just dropping off a few statements, do you want some tea? Oh and I'm sorry Miss..." Martin had left room for to fill in the blank.
"King, and water would be fine if you don't mind?" She responded being as nice as she could considering she didn't want to be there.
"All right, I'll get those for you both" Martin smiled and made a quick exit.
Jon offered Melanie a seat before going through his desk draws pulling out a tape recorder and a new tape, he'd make sure to cut it off right after the statement was made. He didn't need a follow up on record. Martin had came in to drop of their drinks briefly while Jon set up, thanking him and than continuing with his set up for Melanie.
"Can i ask you to please state you're name and subject of your experience into the recorder?" Jon had asked.
"Into that?" She began, "You're Joking"
John sighed, "We find it easier to keep live statements organised this way"
She gave a look of confusion and dismissal, "It's just a bit absurd to me"
"I'm sure you're more used to more technical equipment from your show correct?" Jon had mentioned. He remembered that Georgie and her had mentioned it in the past- well before.
"You know about Ghost Hunt UK?" She looked interested.
"A friend of mine, Georgie, did a collaboration with you a while back. Mentioned you were a guest on her podcast, that's all i really know though" Jon admitted despite it being a small twist of the truth.
"Well, nice know you did at least some research beforehand" She sighed, "What do i need to tell?"
"Well whatever you feel comfortable saying, i can't imagine you to be easily disturbed by the supernatural following your line of work" Jon tried to be more on her side this time, he regretted how much bad blood him and Melanie had last time.
"You got than right" She let out a weak laugh, "No one else would believe me when I told them about about it so when I heard about this place I thought I might as well give it a shot".
"I promise we'll do our best to investigate as well as we can" Jon lightly smiled.
She took a quick swig of water before she had began, "Let's do this".
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Jon had stopped the recording as she had finished her statement.
"Wow, that's a lot" Jon let out a sigh now realising how much of a fool he had been in the past to dismiss Melanie the way he did.
"You can say that again" She shivered slightly, "So, what now?"
"Well" Jon sat up straighter, "First we'll look over the footage you sent us and we'll probably send someone out the check the hospital. At the moment all i can say is that we'll do our best, and you're not crazy. I promise you" Jon reassured.
"Thanks" She had a genuine smile on her face, "Is that all?"
"Yes, that will be all for now. We'll contact you if we need more information or discover something" Jon stood up to show her out but she held up a hand.
"You don't need to show me out also thanks again for not thinking I'm a crazy weirdo" She grabbed her coat.
"Oh trust me, if you were crazy i promise there have been crazier" This seemed to get a laugh out of her.
With that she left and Martin had entered with another cup of tea for him.
"You're smiling pretty wide, that means it all went well i'm guessing" Martin placed the cup on his desk.
"Well she didn't yell at me this time so that's a huge success, she doesn't think that she is crazy and seems to actually trust me." Jon admitted.
"What about the whole India situation?" Martin asked.
"We still have some time, plus i feel like fi we keep her updated with small things we already know she may feel no need to go".
They both smiled and sat in a comfortable silence. They had managed to do something right, great! They had some more time now before another big thing was going to happen. they were going to be fine
Or at least that is what they hoped.