Healing Old Scars

Participants:

abby2_icon.gif cassidy_icon.gif coren_icon.gif

Scene Title Healing Old Scars
Synopsis Cassidy shows up at Old Lucy's to thank Abby for saving Dutch and try to see if the woman is mad at Coren. She asks if Abby can reassure the man, and Abby ends up calling him down to the bar to talk. What ends up happening is Cassidy is healed of old scars and Coren's feelings are hurt when Abby tries to return a gift.
Date May 18, 2009

Old Lucy's

Old Lucy's has a vibrant and lively feel to it, from the dark wooden floors to the shady crimson walls lit up by neon lights and many times, the flashing of cameras from the oft-crowded floor. The mirror behind the bar reflects prices of various drinks, bottles lined up, as well as the entire saloon as seen from the bartenders; bolted-down stools line the other side, and there are loose tables and chairs placed all around, though many times they find themselves pushed back for more space within the center of the saloon. A few speakers are placed at strategic places and around a raised stage to the far corner from the bar. Above the counter, an obviously well-used bar is hung; it is this that the girls working will use should there be dancing, which is one reason many patrons choose to come aside from the drinks. Across the bar and near the back, there is a door that leads to the owner's office and just inside a stairwell that leads a apartment on the floor above the bar.


It's not a work day for Abigail. But she tends to stick near the bar on Mondays for dinner and to get some work done, homework that is. This case it's studying and she finds the distraction works. An hour previous she'd gotten called out to the front. A bouquet of flowers and a small box were delivered, for one Abigail Beauchamp. Signed only "sorry"

Frankly, there was only one person who had reason to tell her sorry. Well no, possibly two, but the second one that wasn't likely about to happen. The red head had only signed and signed for it all and was still out front, dealing with it.

When Cassidy got up this morning, she didn't think to herself 'I'm going to go see Abigail.' Nope, not at all. But as the day wore on, her conversation with Coren nags at the back of her brain. Finally, she decided she had to go. So she told her partner she was going home and left. She didn't go home, she went to see Abigail.

As Cassidy approaches Old Lucy's she recognizes the woman right away. She slows down a bit as she watches the flower delivery, suddenly less certain about why she's there.

There's a roll of eyes from the redhead, the note folded in half and then tucked away in a back pocket of her khaki skirt. They're taken to the back, the young woman's face is mostly hidden by the flowers, but she's back out soon enough, to deal with the box. Cassidy's spotted though, so there's no escaping now that she's been seen. A jut of her chin in the direction of the other woman and a gesture to a seat. "Not working tonight, just here for a meal and distraction"

Cassidy gives a bit of a grimace as she spotted, she was obviously thinking about leaving. Putting on her best smile, she moves to where she's directed. "Evening Abigail. That's good. Cause…" She unties her trench coat, before settling into a seat. She's still dressed for work, meaning her badge is still clipped on her belt, and her shoulder holster can be glimpsed under her coat. "I was actually coming to… ah…. talk to you." Her eyes flick over to the flowers briefly and then back to her and the box.

"Come by for another diet coke… oh?" Abigail and her mind for remembering what people ate and drink. A glance to the badge and gun. Had she said what she did? Something about Protection. "Someone hurt at the Precinct? I can be good to go in about five" The box scooped up from the counter as Cassidy settles onto the bar stool.

Cassidy holds up a hand to forestall her. "No, everyone is hunky dory." Yes, she knows about the healing Abigail did. "I wanted to come here and thank you for saving Dutch, even though he's part of ATF. He got a huge ego and he steps on a lot of toes…" particularly her partners. ".. he's a really good guy." She looks pretty sincere as she says that.

"Dutch?" She has not a clue who Dutch is. But when she says ATF, there's a light bulb that goes on over her head. There's also a wee bit of tightening on the red heads face. "Then I'm doubly glad I was able to save him. You didn't have to come all the way up here to tell me this. Next pay period form the NYPD, I'll probably get my peanuts cheque. Just.. Tell him not to go on that stupid island again or i'm not helping him"

A small smile touches Cassidy's lips. "I had every intention of telling him what an huge idiot he was.. But he did it to do his job, which I can't fault him for. He save a young woman from having her head blown off." She obviously has respect for the agent. "I know it cost you a lot to go out there, that's what I wanted to come here myself in person to tell you that." She takes a deep breath and add after a long moment to add. "And to make sure you are not too upset with my…." she hesitates to add. "…partner." She looks as if she expects to be slapped, waiting for it actually. "Detective Shelby."

This… was Coren's partner. That new partner. Abigail leans over the counter a bit to look her over then leans back. "He wasn't thinking. I hope he's learned his lesson" Abigail looks at the little box. "Gave me psychologist a lot to talk about today. But I'm not angry. A little, but, I'll get over it. He had a lot on his plate and I was.. I wasn't all there in the head"

Shoulders drop a bit in relief and Cassidy's face reflects that. "Oh good. When he came home yesterday, he was completely torn up about it. I've… never seen him like that. Worried me.." She looks down at her hand, where they rest in her lap. "..a lot. I mean, I know he stresses out about things and he's protective as all get out.. but, I've never seen him like that. He brought home with him a large amount of alcohol… So I'm watching him." She glances at Abigail and seems really hesitant to ask. "Maybe call him and reassure him that your fine. I know not completely.. after…" She trails off and gives a shake of her head and waving off that train of thought. "I understand that your not completely alright, but just… clear his conscious a bit?" She knows she's probably making an unreasonable request, but that doesn't stop her. He's her partner after all.

"I'll call him" There's a lift of her hand, calling attention to the box. "From him. I think. The card had no name, just 'sorry' written on it. But, he's pretty much the only one who has something to apologize to me about" Abigail offers up. "I was planning on hitting up the Precinct to ask him something" He's beating himself up again? That prompts a sigh from the Healer and she lifts a finger.

Over to the phone that belong to the bar the woman goes, digging up her little black book of phone numbers. 10 digits are dialed and then there's presumably someone on the other side. "Hello! I, think , could you please contact a Detective Doctor Coren Shelby please. Tell him there's an emergency down at Old Lucy's, that his presence is needed?" Dirty dirty dirty Abby. Mean. "Nope, nope, don't need to wait on the line, just telling him that Abigail Beauchamp is in need of him if he's not out on a case, urgently"

"Thank you." Cassidy says meaning it. "I can't even begin to tell you how hard it's been to watch him." She's feeling better about having come down until Abigail starts talking. Cassidy's mouth opens in surprise and she makes frantic motions for the woman to stops, mouthing No. When the phone it hung up, Cassidy groans and leans forward to thump her forehead on the bar. She gentle bumps her forehead on the hard surface as she says. "He doesn't know I'm here….. He's going to be pissed at me for interfering."

"He won't be. He's already faced my father yelling at him last weekend. He can be mad. It's only fair. I did shake my fist at him" Back to the bar proper she comes. "We can go cower in the back? Besides, I had stuff to ask him, his opinion on, you can give it as well" Theres a glance to a clock on the wall. "I give him eight and a half minutes"

Head rolling to the side a bit so that she can look at the woman, Cassidy says blandly. "Trust me…" She lifts her head slowly. "He won't be happy with me. Especially when I told him I was going straight home." Not her first offense by far. She glances at the clock when Abigail does. "Probably right." She glances at the woman and opens her mouth once and snaps it shut. Looking down at the bar she asks. "I.. wanted to ask… are you able to take away scars?" She asks curiously, she obviously feels funny asking.

"Give me your number…." Whipping out her cell phone. "You called me asking if I was working tonight, you last minuted thought to ask if I could fix scars and you came down. Which, yes, I can. Make em go away. I said I had free time and that you should come down now cause I didn't know if I'd have time in a few days" Plausible, yes?

Cassidy blinks at her and gives her the number before she can stop herself. "It might go over.. I mean.. he mentioned you might be able too after he saw some of mine." She doesn't exactly elaborate on the how. "I… " She seems rather overwhelmed as she blinks away tears that suddenly threaten. To get rid of the scars… all those horrible scars. She glances at Abby and smiles. "Thank you. You just saved me some major grief." She glances atthe door as if half expecting him to come marching through it.

Cassidy's phone rings, not Coren. It's Abby covering Cassidy's ass. One answer from Cassidy and it'll cover it all. "I know about scars and the grief they cause" There's a gesture to the back door behind the bar with the little box. "I can fix them though, get rid of them" The red head seems to be in an okay mood. But then, the little white pill and frankly it's Monday, Mondays always tend to be good in her world.

Gee, Cassidy must be psychic or something, because as she looks at the door, Coren Shelby enters with a distinctly worried expression on his face. That expression, however, turns to one of confusion when he sees Cassidy, and as he approaches, he can't help but ask, "Please tell me you're not turning into me and living here on your time off." He hasn't managed to look directly at Abby quite yet.

"No." Cassidy is quick to answer the other detective. She reaches into her pocket to silence the ringing in her pocket with the push of the talk button and another push to hang up. "I.. uh…remember what you said about Abigail here and I asked her about the scars." She does her best to look sheepish. "Sorry.."

That's okay that he hasn't looked. Abby's contentedly standing there, looking between the pair. The cellphone is quietly slipped into her back pocket. "I told her to come on over. I had time tonight to help her since I wasn't working" The red head offers up. The box Coren sent still held in her other hand. It's to be put down though, as a bottle of whiskey is pulled down, a lowball fetched and a couple fingers of the spirits poured for Coren and plunked down in the empty space beside Cassidy. Sit.

"Good. That would be a great tragedy and travesty all at once," Coren says, walking up to the bar and taking a seat in time for Abigail to pour him a drink. "Thanks luv," he says, taking the lowball and having a sip. "Single malt," he observes, before leaning one elbow onto the bar and reclining ever so slightly to look at Cassidy and Abby. "So, taking my drunkenly bitter ramblings seriously?" Not that he hasn't considered having his own scars removed. He just prefers not to tax Abby's ability.

Cassidy nods slowly to his question, glancing at Abigail briefly. "Yeah well.." Her attnetion is given back to Coren. "I told you how I feel about them. And you've seen some of it." She shrugs a bit and looks away. "At least for me they are not badges of honor. Their horrible reminders and disfiguring… Hey Abigail?" She motions at Coren with her head. "Can I have one of those?" Her nerves are one edge, part of her is actually starting to rethink the idea of removal.. They have been there for years.. and not to mention it's not the full truth and that's bothering her a bit.

Another frosted lowball glass and a couple fingers of whiskey is poured and the bottle capped, slid in front of Cassidy. "I can stop, before they all disappear" But that's all that the young woman is going to say as it seems to be between the two of them. She just leans on the counter, keeping herself out of the way of the actually working bartenders. "We can go in the back if you want?" where it's easier to talk and the like.

Coren nods slowly to Cassidy. It's not like he doesn't understand it. They're not entirely badges of honor for him. While he doesn't consider them so much as disfigurements, he does consider them to be reminders. But mostly they're reminders of times he failed, and uses that as his strength. At least, that's what he fools himself with on a regular basis. He turns and nods to Abigail, "That sounds like a good idea." With a brief sip of his whiskey, he takes the glass from the bar and slides off the barstool, waiting with a genial arm outstretched for his partner's shoulders to indicate that everything's fine between them.

Grimacing, Cassidy take a quick sip of the whiskey. Swallowing she nods to Abby. "Good idea." she grabs the bottle and her glass and half hops her seat, not spilling a drop. She gives her partner a grin, and leans into him briefly as his arm drapes of her shoulder. "You know an upside… I haven't worn a swimsuit for a long time… a LONG time." Actually that idea strengthens her a bit. "Tank tops.. Short sleeve shirts." She takes another sip as she follows after Abby to the back. "Not dresses though. I really do hate dresses unless I just absolutely have too.. Like Policeman Balls and all that." This.. is Cassidy on the nervous side. She is know to go on.

A couple folks get to use the backroom. Usually people with Abby or Izzy's clandestine shedda dinu group. The flowers Coren sent are in the back, along with open text books for cramming, and a smoothie. Not green for once. "Bikini even. Welcome to old Lucy's back room. Clandestine meetings of the friends variety, and cops. I've had a dew Federal agents back here when I first started working."

"They do seem to get all over everything, those federal agents," Coren remarks with a bit of a smirk. "Speaking of which, just a bit of business to attend to Abigail," he says, taking Cassidy to the side and out of earshot. "Just after you slipped off," he whispers, "We got DNA back from that envelope." He takes a step back and then drinks a bit from his glass, allowing for there to be some semblance of suspense before whispering again, "April Bradley." So long as they're not mentioning anything specific, he doesn't mind Abigail hearing, so when he speaks again it's at normal volume. "Of course, now with this little bit of information, I only wonder how long it will take for Homeland Security to come in and abscond with the case in its entirety."

Cassidy is a bit surprised as she's steered away and turns to face him when he speaks, leaning forward a bit to hear him a bit better. When he gives her the new her eyes widen and she doesn't look like she believes him for a moment. "You serious?!" she glances at Abigail as she realizes she said that louder then she meant. She lowers her voice as she gives Coren her full attention again. "I'm actually surprised.. My gut was telling me she didn't know much." She frowns a bit and takes a drink of her whiskey wrinkling her nose at the tastes. "Normally, it's not wrong…. but that's not important. What is important is we know she is definitely going to get this case yanked from us." She takes another drink of whiskey with a another grimace. She offers Coren the bottle she's been holding before turning to the other woman. "Alright.. where you want me and what do you need me to do?"

Police business, not a big deal. Abby's cleaning up her corner of stuff, re-arranging chairs so that there's two facing each other in anticipation of Cassidy saying yes. "Homeland are jerks. Who like to flex their muscles and pretend they're important" She commiserates with them. "But I know some of them who are really good at what they do and don't deserve to be vilified" Not that whatever homeland agents they're talking about absconding with cases don't deserve to be growled at. "Just sit, that's all. I'll just need a hand, your hand"

"Very serious." Coren takes the bottle. "Didn't I say she knew more than she was letting on?" he asks, moving to lean against the wall nearby the two chairs. Sure, he'll watch. Bottle in one hand, glass in the other. He takes a sip. "I'm sure there are plenty of them that know what they're doing and do it well. The only problem is that, in my experience anyway, they seem to be unwilling or incapable of cooperating with other agencies, the result of such alienation being a general sense of dislike."

With a small nod, Cassidy makes her way over to the chair and settles into it, looking a bit nervous again. She drains the last of her glass and leans a bit to set it down. "That's all?" She asks looking rather surprised on how simple it sounds. She does remove her trench coat and lets it drape over the back of the chair. She leave the shoulder holster on and holds out a hand palm up. She takes a very nervous breath and let's it out slowly. "Okay… let's do this before I loose my nerve." One of her legs bounce a bit in anticipation.

"They could be saying the same of you" Abigail points out to Coren. "The door does swing both ways" But that's enough of what Abigail's going to say on the matter as she settles into the chair. "Coren. What do you know about FRONTLINE?" Odd question, coming from Abigail of all people as she wipes her hands on her skirt and then settles them around Cassidy's palm. There's no audible prayer this time, just quiet reverence from the woman and a few moments after, the slight soft warmth and tingle comes into play. Setting about to fixing the scars and anything else that seems to need the help.

Coren places a hand on Cassidy's shoulder to reassure her. He doesn't need to feel the fact that she's nervous to know she is. There's a bit of a shrug from him, "It's possible. I'm not against cooperation, but I would prefer them to ask to be included as opposed to just being assigned to one of our cases." He refills his glass and takes a sip. "FRONTLINE. I seem to recall a substance you put on your dog or cat to prevent fleas, but that can't possibly be what you're inquiring about." He brushes his stubbled chin with his glass, "Oh, right. The military evolved taskforces. Potentially a good idea, potentially not. It's a step up from training normal military, and at the same time could theoretically open things up for corruption. I would say give them the benefit of the doubt, but I must admit I have some concerns. For all I have heard of FRONTLINE, I have heard nothing about what sort of oversight the program would have. There's been too much push for how it's necessary and too little push for proper regulation."

Cassidy's hand it a bit damp from nerves as Abigail's hands takes her's. The bouncing of her knee slows a bit when Coren's places a hand on her shoulder, taking some comfort from it. When the sensations start, her breath catches and holds as she goes very still as if she's afraid to move. What Abby would find is mostly scars, Not much internal, except old healed damage from her severe beating. Lots of small scars, mostly concentrated on her left side where she had curled in the fetal position. The worst of all is the one where a gang member had tried to split her wide open from the waist to shoulder. Only a citizen willing to help the officer had kept her from dying. Her breath quickens slightly as she relives the event in her mind, eyes closed against the memories, even as she imagines each and every scar fading away.

She can't help but chuckle at Coren's FRONTLINE comment, opening her eyes and leaning her head back shake her head. "Bad joke… and I agree. I'm a bit leary about that whole thing. There is too many potential problems especially with putting Evolved in a combat situations…" She glances down at her And Abby's joined hands. "We get enough problems with non-evolved soldiers going ballistic, let's add abilities."

So Coren gave her another question to ask. Abigail nods to that. "But look how good SCOUT has been doing. And they're just a smaller more local version of what FRONTLINE is. If there had been FRONTLINE, when I was on Staten Island, would there have been this stupidity about jurisdiction? Would I even have been taken?" Her hand stays in Cassidy's, careful with the erasure of the scarred skin, but soon enough, the woman's left with smooth skin, unmarked.

Those images flash through Coren's mind as well, only adding to the oddities he has experienced from his partner and further building up his theory on just what ability she might possess. His eyes travel down to her, seated, with a distinctly saddened look, and he gives her shoulder a gentle squeeze before nodding to her. "The issue isn't so much soldiers going ballistic, and I am not saying FRONTLINE is a bad idea altogether, but there are just certain issues that I don't think are being addressed that should." He looks towards Abigail, "SCOUT isn't just made up of evolved officers. There are plenty of non-evolved SCOUT members. The difference between SCOUT and FRONTLINE would be that SCOUT is made up of individuals given training to deal with evolved threats as well as tactical skills drawn from a variety of backgrounds, whereas FRONTLINE is a purely evolved group with advanced military training and training in the utilization of their abilities. It's no surprise that anti-evolved organizations are throwing fits."

"Maybe." Cassidy chimes in to the question, quietly. But no more is said as she realizes Abby is done and her heart stops for a moment and seems to jam itself in her throat. She carefully takes her hand back, which shakes slightly from excitement. Both her hands move to gather up the hem of her shirt and pulls it up a bit. When her eyes are met with an unfamiliar sight, she stands up and pulls her shirt up more, careful not to flash the bra, even if it is a sports bra. She moves a hands to run it over smooth unscarred flesh with wonder. The feeling of relief and joy is so overwhelming that she sinks back into the chair, hand still pressed against her stomach.

Cassidy's head starts to shakes slowly as she looks up at Abigail, eyes filling rapidly with tears. "Thank You.." Is all she manages, before her voice catches. Her hand is pressed against her mouth to stop her from gasping out a sob. Can't blame her as she thought she'd be hidious for the rest of her life. Years of frustration and pain seem to break away as tears starts to run down her cheeks.

More questions about frontline fall to the side as Cassidy breaks into tears and is feeling herself up. Worry springs to the Healers face as she looks to Coren. She hadn't expected, frankly, that. The thank you, yes, but the tears. Nope.

There's a tear in Coren's eye too as he grips Cassidy's shoulder and gives her a kiss on the top of her head, all the while smiling like it's the best thing that's happened in a long time. That's when his eyes lock with Abby's, and his eyes still scream 'I'm sorry.' "It means so much to her, more than I think she'd ever say." Which is of course the reason he had suggested it in the first place. He turns his head and sees the flowers. "You got the flowers," he says. "Have you opened the gift yet?"

Reaching up, Cassidy grips the hand on her shoulder tightly as she works to get her emotions under control again. The hand drops aways from her mouth so she can force herself to take slow steady, if a bit shaky, breaths. "Sorry sorry… " She murmurs sounding really embarrassed for having lost her composure. There is still a lot of sniffling as she wipes tears out of her with her freehand. "He's right.. I do. More then I ever realized. You get use to something." She pauses a moment to wipe at more tears. ".. and you think that you'll never be worth much to anyone…" She actually gives a bright smile despite the tears. "It's a bit of a shock to the system." She glances at the flowers as there mentioned and then looks to Abby as if expecting something suddenly.

"Nope, been busy making other people cry…" Abigail answers, though it's there with them. "Flowers are nice, your forgiven, for the most part. The gift though" She offers it back to Coren after it's picked up. "I've had more than enough gifts of late from people barely know and it wouldn't look proper, not that I know whats in there"

Coren pulls a handkerchief out of his inner suitjacket pocket an drapes it in front of Cassidy. "Keep it," he says to her as he looks up at Abigail suddenly holding his gift back at him. His smiling, happy demeanour suddenly falls rather flat, and he can't help but gaze from bottle in one hand to glass in his other. He lowers the bottle down for Cassidy to take and he swallows what's left in his glass. "You know, if I wanted to hold on to that any longer, I'd not have sent it to you in the first place. You don't want it, the trash can have it," he says sharply, setting the glass down wherever it will fit and walking out, swiftly crossing the bar proper to the exit.

Cassidy blinks at the hankerchief as it suddenly appears in front of her. She takes it gathering in her hand, murmuring a Thank you. She starts to wipe at her eyes, she the bottle appears, taking that as well. Turning in her chair a bit, she glances back at him as he retreats looking a bit confused. She turns back to Abigail, giving her an apologetic look. "This is not any of my business. So I better get out of here and go home, so that he has one less thing to worry about." Her expression softens a bit. "Thank you… I really mean it. I almost feel like I have my life back."

"Well, I'm glad you do" resignation coming off the woman, and guilt that has nothing to do with Cassidy's happiness. "You just, catch up with him and I'm sure you can both get home the same. I have some studying to do tonight and early to bed cause of everything i've done today" The little box is not thrown in the trash. If anything it's tucked into her messenger bag. Forty year old men, react much the same as 20 some year old men it seems. "Some things never change" murmured under her breath.


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