Break Up And Fly Away

Participants:

elaine_icon.gif magnes_icon.gif

Scene Title Break Up and Fly Away
Synopsis An apology turns into a much more serious conversation between Elaine and Magnes.
Date November 19, 2010

Siann Hall: Elaine and Magnes' Apartment


When Elaine finally returned home, she probably wasn't expecting much, who knows. But Magnes was prepared the second he knew she was coming back. There are rose petals floating around at the door, so she can walk through and bathe in the scent by the time the door is closed. And then there's candles around the coffee table, with all of Elaine's favorite meals and deserts all laid out for her, and a twelve case of Paradox Ale bottles. Who knows if Elaine's heard of it, but it's Scottish. But where is Magnes?!

Rose petals? Desserts? Food and ale? Okay, that's not the surprise Elaine expected to find coming home. She's still limping just slightly, in part because she ended up springing over the couch when Dee showed up with baby in tow, and landing on a bad knee spells more pain. So she's babying it like she'd been doing for the time she'd spent on Pollepel. But this? This was surprising. She looks around, slowly moving towards the couch where all the food is laid out. "… Magnes?"

Suddenly the surround sound comes on, an intrumental to the Lily Allen song, Chinese. Magnes walks out with a microphone, wearing a neat white casual suit, no tie, just a black shirt under. He's waying walking closer as he sings quite well, "I don't want, anything more, than to see your face when you open the door. You'll make me beans on toast and a nice cup of tea, and we'll get a Chinese, and watch TV." He takes her hand, dancing and swaying with her, while gripping the mic with his free hand. "Tomorrow we'll take the dog for a walk, and in the afternoon then maybe we'll talk. I'll be exhausted so I'll probably sleep, and we'll get a Chinese and watch TV." He keeps going, looking into her eyes the entire time, until finally the music ends, and he leans in to kiss her.

Elaine is thankfully not having a heart attack. But the look on her face of sheer shock is incredible. She watches him, leaning into the kiss as he meets her lips, then slowly pulls back. "Uh, this is a huge surprise." She's a little speechless.

"I know I'm not good at doing this often, but I figured out what was wrong with you, why you suddenly left." Magnes tosses the microphone weightlessly so it can land on the entertainment center, then reaches up to place both hands on to her cheeks. "I'm taking you for granted again, not giving you what you deserve. I can't promise I won't screw up again, I most likely will, but I want you to know that for every screw up, there will be an incredible apology." A pause, a brief kiss to the lips, and he finally says, "Because I love you, Elaine."

"This is all really sweet, Magnes. It's… it's really nice. I'm not used to people doing things for me like this." Elaine kisses him lightly. "But Magnes, the idea isn't that you try and make a spectacular show of something to make it up to me for your screw ups… you're supposed to try and change. I thought that was what we were going to do… back a few months ago… live a normal life. I thought that's what you wanted, Magnes. You can't just… make everything better with a song and some food."

"I'm sorry, you're right. And if you're angry about the costume, I was just trying to help people until things calmed down from the 8th… and being here without you has been kind of boring." Magnes slides his arms around her waist, pulling her close. "I won't take you for granted again, Elaine. You being gone so long is a part of why I did this. The feeling that you could just not be here one day, it just… I didn't like it at all. And I know that if I take you for granted, that could happen again."

"Normal life can be boring, Magnes. It doesn't mean the second I'm gone you rush out the door and play hero. Yeah, the 8th was a big thing. I can understand trying to help people with that. I went to make sure a bridge didn't blow up… the 8th was an exception to a lot of things." Elaine leans in against him, heaving a heavy sigh. "You keep hurting me, Magnes. I can't expect you to be perfect, but you don't change. There's only so much an apology does. If you don't change, you make the same mistakes over and over. You're supposed to learn from things." She lets out another deep breath. "Magnes, I don't know if I can do this."

"I…" Magnes swallows, suddenly dropping down to sit on the couch. He doesn't look at her, it's as if he's been devestated before she's even said anything. "Oh god." He hunches over, both hands sliding fingers into his hair. "I can't fix it, can I?"

"Magnes, don't…" Elaine moves, sitting down next to him as close as possible, putting her hand on his leg. "Magnes, don't. I love you, I swear I do, it's just that every time something happens it hurts and when you make the same mistakes over and over… it just makes the same injury worse. I don't know how much I can take and you're going off and playing hero again and all I'm going to do is worry. I don't like this, and I don't want to do this because this hurts too."

"I don't want to hurt you. I swear to god, Elaine, I'd do whatever you told me if it meant you'd stay. But if you think I'll hurt you again, and I can't even guarantee I won't, then…" Magnes' eyes tighten shut, tears falling rapidly to his pants, and her hand. "Go be happy…"

Elaine swallows hard, sliding an arm around him. "Magnes… no… don't cry." She whimpers, leaning lightly against him. "I don't like this. I really don't like this. I don't want to go, but every time I change my mind and decide to stay, something happens. I don't know what to do, Magnes… I don't know what I can do."

"You deserve better than me, Elaine, there's nothing more to it. No matter how much I try, I hurt you, I make you unhappy." Magnes leans over, pressing his face into her chest, holding her tightly as if to keep her from slipping away. "I thought we'd be forever, Elaine…"

She slides her fingers into his hair, petting gently as she holds him close. "I know, Magnes. I don't want to lose you. I don't want things to change. I just feel like, as your girlfriend, I'm always going to be scared and waiting to be hurt again." Elaine shuts her eyes. "This is really hard, Magnes."

Magnes is silent for a while, just holding her with his eyes closed. He doesn't know what to say, he just seems to be trying to hold on. And then, all he can manage is… "Is it over?"

"I don't know!" Elaine clings to him a little more, shutting her eyes. "I don't know because I didn't think it was going to hurt this much. I do love you, Magnes. I honestly do. I just don't know how to make it work. And if it was over, I don't know what that would look like and I don't want things to change."

"I want to stay with you, Elaine, but then I'll be afraid of hurting you. I know something's going to happen, someone might need me to save them, or the world, and I'll be stuck with the choice between my normal life, or making sure someone else can have a normal life for another day." Magnes slides up slightly, laying his head on her shoulder now. "They're making a cure, for Evolved abilities… if I didn't have mine anymore, people wouldn't need me."

Elaine shakes her head, keeping her arms around him. "Don't do that, Magnes. I honestly don't think any good would come from 'curing' it. It's part of who you are. If you need to help people… then do it, but I don't know that I'm comfortable with watching the man I love risk his life when you've come so close to death before. You shouldn't get rid of your ability. It's how we met." She slides her fingers into his hair. "I'll always remember how you just came in like that and saved my life…"

"But even if I put away the costume, even if I do what you ask, something's always going to come up, you're going to be hurt again. A normal life for me is, I think… impossible. I have responsibilities, and I'm not choosing them over you, but if children are in danger, or the world, or a friend, I can't turn my back." Magnes is in absolute tears as he explains this, sliding back down to her chest. "I'm going to miss you so much, Elaine. I'll remember everything…"

The redhead laughs. "I don't think you've found Lois Lane yet. I don't think she's a redhead and I don't get myself kidnapped enough." She's crying too, fingers still running through his hair. "I can't ask you to not be who you are, Magnes, and I think you've found more of who that is. I think you've changed enough to realize when not to charge into danger. You make smarter choices about how you do things. I heard about how you chose not to go back in time, because you didn't agree with things. Quinn told me. I was really proud. I think it was wise of you." She lets out a ragged sigh. "Magnes, is… is this the right thing to do? I don't want to lose you…"

"I don't want to lose you either, I really don't, I want to hold on and never let go." Which is exactly what Magnes is doing, eyes still shut against her chest, trying his best to at least control his breathing. "But… god, but, do you really want to keep worrying, to keep dealing with me coming home with strange bruises, the mysterious people coming and asking me for help, and wondering if it's the last time you'll see me? Do you deserve that?"

"I know, Magnes. It's hard. But I don't want my life to change. You and Sable and Quinn, the band… you guys are a big part of my life, you are my life. I mean, I don't know what's in the future but you guys have to be in it…" Elaine still holds onto him tightly. "Do you hate me for this, Magnes?"

"I'll never hate you, Elaine. I just feel like a failure. I screwed up again, and maybe I'll always be that way." Magnes sits up, wiping his eyes, then stands up and starts walking to the bedroom. "I'm going to change and then go out. I need to process this. You can be my friend, if I can't have anything else, but… I just need you to not be here when I get back, just for tonight, I can't handle it."

Elaine nods numbly, watching him move towards the bedroom. "Okay. That's fair. Just… whatever you do, Magnes, remember I love you and that's not going to change… and be careful." She reaches up to wipe her eyes. "You aren't a screw-up, though. You've done some amazing things right. Just count those. I'm one of them."

"I love you too Elaine, that's why I want you to be happy, even without me." Magnes closes the door behind him, not saying anything more. He'll put his costume on, and he'll slip out of the window without her seeing him.

"I'm trying to be happy, I just—" Elaine continues, but cuts herself off as she stares at the bedroom door. She swallows hard. It's going to be a long night.


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