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So, yeah. It's me again. And it's been about... I want to say 26 days, if we're going by Earth time.

(He has since changed out of his uniform and is wearing a light jacket, navy blue hoodie, white t-shirt underneath, at least this is what would be seen on the video feed. He had quickly begun to dress for the changing weather. Of course, he has a feeling that he will find himself missing the massive amounts of snow he was used to once winter really did settle in.

His expression hasn't changed much since - Mark is a master at taking things in stride. Besides, he's thrilled to know that there is one person he knows here and he seems to be making another new friend, at least.

That thought reminds him to tell Rick about his sort of twin running around.)

So far, so good. I mean a roof over my head and a job. More importantly a purpose - figure out what hell caused my friend and I end up here and how we can get back.

But until we figure that out - guess I'll be your average run of the mill teach. (He shrugs. He is actually not minding the idea. He figures he'll be able to get a few jokes like "You kids, when I was your age I had to walk on Mars uphill, both ways" and "Let me tell you about those Martian street gangs. They completely trashed my rover!")

I wonder if teaching the kids how to make water out of rocket fuel is a bad idea...I mean, I'll obviously test it out on my own first and make sure nothing can go wrong then. It'll come in handy to get it figured out once I get out of here...

If not, once the weather gets better, I'll just teach them out to grow things. I mean - that's sciencey enough and practical to boot...

Oh, and that reminds me...if anyone else is trying to figure this out. Mind sounding out. I think we all need to work together on this one.

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(Damn.) Fiiiinnnne, DAD. I'll leave the rocket fuel at home, but I am going to blame you when all the kids ask why we can't use it. (Not really, but come on...)

Thank God, the answer to THAT one is "No", but let me tell you...I came across the handiwork of Martian street gangs...and yeah, I'm glad I didn't.

They had a field day with one of the rovers...

Damn. You can't leave your cars unlocked anywhere these days, huh? [He shakes his head.] Damn kids, stealing 500 thousand dollar hubcaps.

You're damn right you can't. And I wish you could have seen what else they took. Damn impressive in one way...

(Mark just continues on his old man rant.)

Kids today have no respect for other people's property. Also, they have no idea how hard we had it compared to them. Like having to walk both ways uphill to get to a crater? Remember that?

You forgot about the dust storm, man. It was in a dust storm.

Right. The dust storm. Largest one on record, like a monster storm. You kids, should have seen it. Covered everything in a foot of dust. A FOOT, at least. Covered everything in red crap. And the digging...you kids whine about the snow, but just wait until you're lifting dirt with a shovel.

(Mark could keep going on and on about this if was allowed.)

And you kids don't know the meaning of isolated and pain until the wind causes an antenna from a communications dish to go into your pelvis...

Okay, okay, Watney. I got your point. Look, we're all sorry we left you there, alright?

Wait, I was just joking around...

(He frowns.) You seriously don't think I'd be pissed off at you guys for that, right? Because I'm not. At all.

You guys did what you had to do. I would have made the same call...

[Rick looks very serious for a few seconds before laughing. A lot.]

You thought I was serious? [Laughs a little more.] Trust me, man. We know. They told us how often you told them to tell us it wasn't our fault.

(Mark raises an eyebrow at the laughter, almost as if he is jokingly going "You ass. Haven't changed one bit." It is at this moment that Mark thinks he just may have missed you the most now.)

Yeah, maybe. But, now the ship could be crashing and I'm totally not going to buy it...just so you know.

(Mark listens then nods, almost smirking.) Good to know I don't know how to let things go. Besides, I kind of would have to repeat myself...because you know how everyone is. They'd beat themselves up and then some...

Someone's gotta tell them how it is. (Internally, he thinks "Note to self? Constantly make an ass of yourself to get this point across...once I get back.")

Yeah, well, they took forever to tell us you made it in the first place.

[And he sounds like he might be a little miffed about that.]

Probably because they didn't want us to do anything crazy, like we're doing right now.

(Mark is pretty damn pissed that they waited.) Well, obviously that wasn't my dumbass idea...

I'd want you guys to know ASAP. Like right as I tell them to tell you guys soon.

(But, that LAST part makes him grin again and he "hehs" at that.) Yeah, I'm sure they actually didn't see that coming. And if they didn't...then wow, they need to really pay attention the shrinks next time...

Yeah, that's probably exactly why they didn't tell us. That and they didn't want us blaming ourselves.

[Which we...did when we found out, but Mark doesn't need to know that.]

Blaming yourselves? Geez... (It would be a very wise decision to not tell him about that.) I'd seriously have to lecture you guys for that...or kick someone's ass, but I'm actually really damn sure that everyone could hand it back to me if I'd tried.

But I'm all for crazy plans and mutiny - y'know because it's saving my ass. I can't exactly be ungrateful there. Also, it'd be pretty bad ass to be able to say you were the reason for it and well, it's bad ass that you guys care enough to do it...

WAIT. You guys are going to have another first... (He might be a bit jealous at that, even though he honestly never wants to go back to Mars.

Never. Again.)

Yep. I'm the first pilot to divert the course of a spacecraft for a rescue mission.

[He grins.]

Don't worry, man. You're the first guy to have his ass rescued from another planet.

...Lucky you. You get the cool first. I'm simply the first guy to get stuck on and get his ass rescued from another planet.

(But he grins back.)

Now, I have a goal to outdo all of you in firsts and from the sounds of it, I got time to do that.

[He laughs.]

Go for it. It'll be a great story to tell the grandkids someday.

Grandkids? (Now he's going to laugh. By laugh? He's cracking up. What woman in their right mind would be interested in a nerd like him. Come on.) Oh, you mean the ones you're going to have? Yeah, I can tell those kids all about walking both ways up hill during a dust storm.

...I'll make sure it's when they are complaining about chores.

And you know, I'll tell the good stories when they aren't in trouble.

What, you don't have any plans of having a family of your own?

No, not really.

(He shrugs.)

Besides, it's more fun to spoil other people's kids and hand them back.

[Rick laughs at that.] Well, you're welcome to.

Awesome. (A grin.)

Besides, man. Where am I going to find a girl who is into guys who fix things and play with plants?

(And likes hardcore science-fiction. And Doctor Who. And the fact he curses like a sailor might grate on a few nerves.)

...Really now? If you got an answer, I might reconsider not having plans. I'm still spoiling the kid rotten, though.

[He shrugged.]

I guess that fair, but I bet there are tons of ladies out there who'd be into a guy like you.

Tons? Maybe like a dozen or less, but maybe you're right. If there are tons that'll be when I get back home and everyone's going to think there's some novelty to it.

(He's beating himself up a bit and when he realizes that, he just shakes his head.)

Anyway, I guess it doesn't matter right now. Other things to worry about...

[He smiles. He'll come around. He's Mark. He always does.]

Yeah, like those poor kids you're responsible for.

(He always does. Has anyone ever seen Mark Watney stay down in the dumps for longer than an hour? The answer? No, no they haven't. The girl/future family talk just makes him a bit more glum than messing up on something.

But he knows he's got more than enough good things in his life.)

Those poor kids? I haven't started teaching yet...I thought we agreed I had a good chance of not screwing them up too badly...

(Especially since his arm was "twisted" on the whole making water experiment. Explosions. Explosions are bad in science labs...

Well, that can wait until high school, anyway.

Also, no. No, they didn't agree on that, Mark.)

I might just surprise you, brother.

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