It wasn't long, standing out there, before someone noticed him.  Diana had, as stated before, been amidst some heavy drinking for a rather unusual drinking contest with consequences.  She greeted him and wanted to know which one he though was gonna win.

[color=f7941d]"I'm doing alright, and I dunno who's gonna win.  Never was that good at gambling, anyway."[/color]

Never actually tried, really.  Any game of chance he ever played was more of a game of skill.  Back in basic, he got this alot.  'Hey, Isaac.  I bet you can't do [i]this[/i].'  That kinda' thing.  He either could or he couldn't, and he had a pretty good idea if it was possible or not.  Sometimes, they'd try to goad him into doing something he was pretty sure was stupid and impossible to pull off, and he'd tell them that he wasn't gonna do [i]every[/i] damn thing under the sun.  He'd surprised a few people, some of the time, which is why that happened, but that didn't make him some kind of live performer for their amusement.  Everybody's got a limit and he didn't need an injury.  You see, that fucker that got him into this mess must've had a habit of pulling unwilling soldiers, because there was a rule: People who get themselves injured suddenly or play at being crazy were gonna be arrested and put in the stockades with meager rations.  And if you were found deliberately trying to avoid combat, there was a good chance you were going to get court-martialed to death.  So, he wasn't about to do himself a damage.  He had to [i]live[/i] to death first, or someone [i]else[/i] do him an injury, or win.

That was neither there nor here, in the inn and tavern.  This was a place of merriment, and he was settling down into it as he watched things progress.  For now, HE was the people-watcher, while Britta did her thing.  Yeah...he wasn't sure if it was love either, but they were at least friends who were willing to go that far.  Isaac kind of wondered if that was happening to anyone else around here.  Well, anyone from [i]their[/i] team.  He wouldn't mind even if people extended the ultimate olive branch here and a Federation soldier decided to have at it with an Imperial one.  In the Gunner's eyes, that might be the sanest thing ever done in the middle of a war.  He could imagine it, people advocating for peace in times of conflict, saying 'Make Love, Not War'.  Who knows?  Maybe it'll catch on, somewhere.

Still, he was introduced to a Victoria White, the unfamiliar soldier that he'd seen around before.  Isaac just gave her a [color=f7941d]"Hey there."[/color] in response to that.  She was busy, of course.  Victoria was in the middle of this drinking contest, and she had a helluva few words to say on the matter, because it looked like she was wearing down the competition.  Luke was down first, and then Diana, which is surprising when you think about it.  Mind you, she might've come late, because those two looked like they were at it before she even walked in.  Can't be too sure, though.  The clock on the wall said that hours had passed, but Isaac wasn't even sure when they really got started in earnest.  They were doing something [i]now[/i] in earnest, or at least in drunken-ness.  Diana and Luke had lost, so...they hadda' kiss, apparently.  And uhh...well...they really went into it.  Isaac felt parts of him heating up as this went on.  Considering the situation with Britta still being fresh in his mind, you can understand him staring and thinking...

[i][color=f7941d]Damn, is this what it looks like from the outside?[/color][/i]

Because that's what it seemed like, fresh thoughts of how it was in bed with Britta cutting across his mind.  He started looking over the place to find the silver-haired Gunner.  She'd been conversing with those at the bar while food was being prepared.  Looks like she'd managed something that looked like brunch, breakfast and lunch food combined.  Isaac didn't care.  It was food, it was wholesome, and it would feel good to have some instead of the crap they were feeding them as rations.  The surveying farmer's eyes roamed the tavern area again - kind of avoiding the bit with Luke and Diana for a moment - and then...Jean!  He'd suddenly come in, rather quietly, getting his attention by his shoulder and asking for him to follow him for a moment to talk.  Isaac looked over towards Britta, who...aww, dammit, Jean...food was ready.  She was getting it now.  There was a moment of apprehension where the NCO's face clearly said 'But...but [i]food[/i]', though that came to a halt when he really saw the look on Jean's face.  No, this really couldn't wait.

[color=f7941d]"Alright, lead the way."[/color]

Once they were away from everybody else, Jean was immediately apologetic.

[color=f7941d][i]Come on, Jean.  My stomach isn't THAT important.[/i][/color]

Really, it bothered him more that he led in with 'You are my NCO' and not 'You are my friend'.  Wasn't he listening before, when he said he had at least [i]one[/i] friend?  He wasn't gonna say that right now.  He's in a bad way, still.  He was clearly in a terrible state, what with the hallucinations and all.  Yeah, Jean really [i]shouldn't[/i] drink.  It'd turn on him.  In his current state, he'd be letting loose all kinds of bad from within, a depression to end all depressions.  And Isaac knew that had to be the case when he heard what happened next.  The Gunner's eyes widened as Jean confirmed a worry that the Corporal had given him earlier, when they were all in that house and he showed him the picture of his sister.  He tried to kill himself.  He saw nothing left in his life and wanted to end it all.  As soon as he paused, Isaac let him have it.  No, not a punch or even verbal abuse, but by god, you [i]know[/i] he was gonna interject [i]now[/i].

[color=f7941d]"Jean, I know your humanity will never break.  I don't see you as someone degenerating in character.  It's your [i]spirit[/i] that's had me worried, and I'm sorry to hear that I was right about that.  Consider that empty gun the message that you're not suppose to die here, breaking yourself in half, mind or body.  You're not coping because you have no outlet for frustration.  You don't want to bother anyone, so you don't vent that much.  I'm [i]pissed[/i].  I've just been putting that aside for the moment because I can relax and feel human again.  We [i]all[/i] are.  It's probably why everybody's so into it.  You don't seem to be trying that hard, though.  I know it's a temporary reprieve from danger and loss, but take it.  You need it.  Olivia would want you to live and try to find some happiness in your life.  Try and find some joy while you're here.  Raise a glass to your sister, remember the good times, but [i]please[/i] let her go in peace and live your life, Jean."[/color]

It was after this that he continued on and stated that if anything should happen to him, he was counting on Isaac to take up the slack and that he [i]finally[/i] said that he was a friend and sounding like he was taking Isaac's advice.  He also informed them that they would be here another two days and to make it last.  The Gunner nodded at this, and then saluted him.

[color=f7941d]"I understand, Jean.  Just be sure to take my and your own advice."[/color]

After that, they parted ways and he was going towards Diana.  Well, Isaac was a'gonna avoid that business for now and get down to a table nearby Britta, who was already eating.  Sadly, he wasn't in the same good mood that he'd been in earlier  You don't hear all that and let it slide off.  Some of that bad has to be absorbed, taken in, processed, and dealt with.  He started attacking his food with a fork, that look in his eye back into place.  He'd eventually settle, but Britta noted the serious expression on his face after he'd been talking to Jean and kind of put it together.

[b][color=ed1c24]"That bad?"[/color][/b]

[color=f7941d]"Worse.  I may end up in charge."[/color]

[b][color=ed1c24]"Well, Jean could use a brea-"[/color][/b]

[color=f7941d]"Permanently."[/color]

That cut her to the quick with sudden understanding, just staring for a moment, just imagining...  It made Britta lower her head to her meal, not exactly keen on eating it right now.  Her eyes raised back to Isaac.

[b][color=ed1c24]"We shouldn't tell the others, not yet.  Maybe not at all, unless it become necessary.  Maybe not everybody looks up to him - Not Luke, that's for sure - but he was still put in charge.  He's the center, and he's good at it, no matter what [i]anyone[/i] thinks.  We should do something, though."[/color][/b]

[color=f7941d]"I've done it, or I hope so.  I told him to use this place to make peace with himself, and try to move on.  I hope he can do it, because otherwise there'll be [i]NO[/i] Charpentiers left in the world, and personal experience tells me that that'd be a terrible loss."[/color]

[b][color=ed1c24]"I feel like I wanna set up one of the girls he likes to help him out there, but I dunno if that's appropriate.  You and I...we found a moment, and it worked.  I think we're not the only ones.  There's alot of stress being relieved here.  I hope Jean finds some way to get through what he's got."[/color][/b]

[color=f7941d]"It's alot to work through.  Frankly, I'd swear out a testimony to get him out of the war if I thought it'd work.  He needs to pick up his shattered life.  I'd fight Middleton over that one, for sure."[/color]

[b][color=ed1c24]"I believe you there, absolutely."[/color][/b]

She smiled at Isaac as she called him back to reality with a reference to the earlier promise.  Isaac Black will see it through. That's what she believed.  Maybe Jean believed that too.  Maybe that would send him out of his terrible depression.  Maybe...  In time, they would see.