Talking To Myself

Participants:

sf_kaylee2_icon.gif sf_valerie_icon.gif

Scene Title Talking to Myself
Synopsis Two personalities have a chat.
Date March 18, 2021

Dance Studio - Petrelli Mansion


Kaylee gingerly picked her way through what was left of her dance studio. Grimacing as her shoes crunched over the mirrored glass that littered the studio, she can’t help but mourn it. To feel the dark cloud of guilt and depression on what led up to the damage.

“You couldn’t have gone easier on the studio? You forget who gave this to us.”

An amused sound huffs through the nose of the woman in the cracked mirror beside her, arms folded, mirroring each step and showing a lack of any remorse. “Your memories are mine,” Valerie reminded her coolly following Kaylee’s progress through the destruction that felt so long ago. The studio had been a gift from Nathan after…. Kaylee often refused to think of what had taken her dancing career…. But Nathan believed she could come back from it and had the room converted into a dance studio.

Nathan always believed in her.

“Not to mention, you’d be cranky too if you were given such a rude awakening,” Valerie continued as both women crouched, though only Kaylee gently brushes aside shards of glass to retrieve a small remote. After blowing off dirt and fine glittering particles, she looked up towards the ceiling, and pushed the play button. The result was beautiful notes of music that started to fill the space.

“God, not this again,” Valerie sighs out with annoyance. “Can’t we listen to something less… sleep inducing? Metallica? Hell, I’d take Nickelback over this.” The mild glare Kaylee turned to her reflection was answer enough. “Fine,” Valerie drawled out and flipped a hand of dismissal at the woman occupying the body at the moment.

As they both stand in unison, Kaylee turns her back to the other, though she still feels Valerie there. She ignores it and surveys the destruction, her thoughts moving beyond the visual and more into thought..

She could have it fixed, sure… but soon she’d be leaving it all behind. Her, the girls, and others would be headed to Las Vegas to find the truth. Fear of the unknown claws at her stomach making her feel mildly nauseous. What if she stayed?

But if Asami is right, then all this was a lie.”

Valerie’s quiet unsympathetic words were like a hard slap to the face. Kaylee bit her lip and didn’t say anything, arms curling around herself as she tried to shut out the other woman. Unfortunately, the silence only encouraged the mirror bound woman to continue. “Which means Nathan and our life with him was a lie,” she adds like an extra knife thrust into her heart.

“Shut up,” Kaylee hisses through teeth, clenched against angry, miserable tears. “Just… just shut up.”

“That’s the thing, I can’t. Cause I know that there is doubt in your mind and we can’t have that,” Valerie said as both women turned back to face each other, though Kaylee couldn't meet the other woman’s eyes. “I know you’re scared of what’s waiting on the other side… if there even is an otherside. For all we know we’re walking to our death and taking our girls with us.” Kaylee physically shudders at the thought and rubs her arms against the sudden chill of terror.

“I don’t know if I am strong enough to do this,” Kaylee says after a moment, turning a glance in towards where the girls were in their rooms packing a few things for the trip and getting rest. Which was what she was supposed to be doing.

A mocking laugh pulls her attention sharply back to her reflection. “Of course you are and I am proof of that,” Valerie chastises her, the words calling her a stupid drama queen without saying it. “Proof that deep down you are very much capable, but too chicken shit to believe it.”

Kaylee could only numbly shake her head, a weak argument to which the other crosses her arms in challenge.

“I thought about being reset… like Zachery,” Kaylee says with a yearning tone that gets a cautious look from Valerie. “Then I could—”

“Then you could go back to a dead end life,” Valerie snaps back.

“But—”

No.” Valerie has to hold her teeth tightly together, wishing she could reach through the mirror and give the other a good shake and a slap for good measure. “We’ve clung too long to a past and shut ourselves away from any real sort of living. Holding on to a man that died not even two years after getting married.” Valerie’s hard features soften with pity for Kaylee’s lot in life. “You and I both know you hate this life and you’re lonely. Not really letting anyone close, except Asami.” Kaylee finds herself drawn to the mirror, Valerie echoing each step until they stand within reach of each other.

“It’s time to live, Kaylee.”

Kaylee swallows and glances away from Valerie’s intense stare. Blinking away tears, she admits in a whisper, “I’m scared.”

With a sigh of disappointment, Valerie looks down in thought. “Well…” Looking up again slowly, she presses a hand against the mirror, fingers splayed. “You won’t be doing this alone. Let me help you get through this,” she says softly, almost… eagerly.

Blue eyes stare at the hand for a long moment, distrust evident. Reaching out, Kaylee’s hand hovers hesitantly. “Promise me no one will die. I—”

“I promise to get us and the girls there safely,” Valerie cuts in with a flat, impatient tone. The words almost growled. “By any means necessary,” is added coldly, her tone brooks no argument. Anyone that tries to hurt her girls will not live long.

Knowing what that promise meant Kaylee flinches away, fingers curling into her palm and tucking it against her chest.

Valerie lets out an explosive sigh of frustration. “Come on. I get it. Change is scary. Boo Hoo. But you need to pull up those big girl panties and get over it. Welcome to life, land of change and scary shit. Now… “ she slaps the mirror with her hand and gives Kaylee an impatient look, edging on angry. “Jac and Brynn need us to be strong and get them to Vegas. Let. me. help. you.”

Letting out her own sigh, Kaylee closes her eyes against that empty stare and reaches out to press her own hand to the mirror, overlaying Valerie’s own. When her eyes open again a small confident smile pulls at the corner of her mouth.

“That’s better,” Valerie says smugly, turning away from her reflection. “Glad you realized how worthless you really are. Now, let’s get this show on the road.”

Kaylee can only feel helpless to what’s to come and only hopes she doesn’t regret letting Valerie take over.

Who’s she kidding? She was already regretting it.


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