I Was Worried About You

Participants:

abby2_icon.gif cardinal_icon.gif

Scene Title I Was Worried About You
Synopsis Cardinal calls to check in and ask a question. Abby asks a favor.
Date June 3, 2009

Over The Telephone Lines


Around six or seven, Abigail's phone rings out. The number isn't familiar, but caller ID says 'Chicago Air'.

'Abigail beauchamp" Hurried voice the sounds of the city in the background. It's Wednesday and she's hurrying towards her church, getting ready for the mid week service. Fedor? Cardinal? Someone else from Chicago Air?

"Hey." It's Cardinal's voice, pausing at the sound of her harried tone, "This a bad time, Abigail? I can call back later…"

"Nope, jsut it's raining and i'm almost at the church, give me a moment Richard" Abigail murmurs, hopping up onto the steps of the church and huddling near the freshly painted front doors. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, actually," admits the thief, "I just… wanted to give you a call, see how you were doing? All things considered. I was worried about you."

There's a long pause before Abigail speaks again. "You're the first to actually.. ask me" She says quietly.
"Phoenix's a bunch of wankers," replies Cardinal roughly, "Fuck 'em. You're a friend, and I'm worried about you."

"They have more important things to worry about" She watches someone come out of the church but stays where she is huddled out of the rain. "Trying to avoid going to Staten Island again. I keep wanting to be .. there, with Flint. But I think he's upset with me. I'm.. i'm doing okay I guess"

"Again? Shit, you shouldn't go there, it's fucking…" Wait, wait, what was that last part? "…wait. With… you and… the old man?"

"Not like that" Abigail bites out. "I've tried to teach him to control it Richard. I can't let him run around like I did for four years. He's got who knows what on his tail normally. Doesn't matter, he's .. we're at odds, I think" She rubs her face with one hand. "Was thinking of going to Xiulan's tomorrow for a bit. I have a.. date with Victor at lunch in the park, or so he planned"

"Oh. Oh. Christ, you nearly gave me a heart attack…" A breath's stirred in, exhaled, "…so that's who ended up with your gift. Damn. Sorry." Cardinal grunts, "I'm sure Xiu'd love to see you, and — a date? That's great! If he hurts you I'll break his knees." He's probably kidding there.

"WHy, you think he'd make a terrible boyfriend?" He would. For abby at least. "Yeah, it was him. Don't… bug him to come heal, Please. He's not like me. You can try but, I'm trying not to let too many folks know who has it. and you won't break his knees, you've have to catch Victor first Cardinal and he's like speedy gonzalez" there's a smile in her voice, just a little one. "Any word on Tyler Case? I don't know if you've been looking or not"

"I won't. I need to talk to him soon anyway, but I… won't hassle him about that unless it's life or death," Cardinal allows, before a faint chuckle, "Hey. I can be quite sneaky when I need to… mm, I'm glad you're gettin' along. No word on Case yet. I have some feelers out, but…"

"But don't get my hopes up" SHe murmurs into the phone. "Can I.. ask you a favor cardinal?"

"Anything," Cardinal replies without hesitating, "Shoot."

"Do you still visit the Happy Dagger?"

A slight grunt from the other end of the line, "Not lately. I'm… well, why do you ask?"

"If you go back there, there's a bible, maybe, probably in the basement or wherever they tossed it. I don't know, maybe they threw it out. If you ever get bored could you.. take a tour through and look for it? Can't mistake it, it's leather with gold edging. Had my name on it. Expensive looking"

"Okay. I'll see if I can find it," he assures her, "Maybe… mm, I'll see what I can do. Ah." A pause. "I want to ask you something, but, I don't know if you just want to leave this whole business behind and go back to a normal life. Couldn't blame you if you did."

"You can ask cardinal. Go ahead" Comes across the line from the former healer.

"I was going to… get some people together, soon," he says, "Liz. Ivanov. Xiu, probably. Wanted to discuss all the information we've got just — sitting around. Don't know if I trust it to get taken care of properly. I wanted to know if you wanted to come. I'd— value your input."

"I can.. come, depending upon where it is and what time" Abigails blue eyes watch the street while she talks on the phone.

"I don't know when, yet, somewhere safe - not on the island," he assures her, "Probably somebody's apartment or some neutral spot. Restaurant or something maybe."

"two trips to the island is more than enough for me right now. Just, leave a message or I'll pick up, let me know." few more people walk into the church while she talks. 'Richard, of the folks you said would be there, only you and Xiulan know what's happened to me"

"We don't need to tell them," Richard says firmly, "Nobody's going to be getting injured during this, after all."

'Okay" Abby answers quietly. "You at Xiulan's tonight or am I safe to head down there after church and spend the night" Aka, are you making a booty call or no?

"No, no, I'm not there. You'd be welcome, I'm sure," he assures her, "Maybe I'll stop in tomorrow with coffee or something for you guys."

'Okay. Listen, Richard. Service is gonna start soon, I should go" THere's a pause before she speaks up again. "It's not as bad as the last time you visited me in the cages Richard. I promise you that. It's.. hard, but it's not like that. It's not going to break me"

"Listen, before you go," Richard says in quiet, urgent tones, "I'm sure it's hard, yeah, but… you survived all've that shit, Abigail. And you've supported a lot of people. That had nothing to do with your power. Everything to do with you. I'm not worried you're gonna break, Abs, 'cause I know you're too strong for that."
'Then why are you worried Richard?"

A snort. "You might not break, Abs," he says, "But that doesn't mean you aren't hurting. Anything you need, even just company or to chat, you just call me're Xiu, okay? I'll talk to you later. Give Xiu a hug for me."

"That which doesn't kill me, makes me stronger Richard. He has a reason. He has to have a reason, for taking it away from me. I only pray that he reveals it to me. Maybe… maybe my time with it really was up. It's probably very selfish of me to wish that it wasn't so, but it's in another's hands now for safekeeping, till god decides that he's done fuliflled what he wants him to with it. I don't know. I need to head in, I wanted to spend some time in prayer before service. I promise, that if I need company, or a chat or.. or a hug, i'll call okay?"

"Anytime. I'll see you tomorrow, if you crash with Xiulan," Richard says warmly, "Enjoy church."

'God bless and protect Richard" and with that, Abigail flips the phone closed, heading in through the double doors.


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