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Scene Title | So, a healer, an empath, and a psychic vampire are sitting in a bar…. |
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Synopsis | Cassidy finds herself at Old Lucy's, mysteriously, almost orders herself a glass of Scotch, and chats with Abby. Aaron is there for a short time, moping as usual. |
Date | May 8, 2009 |
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.
The bar's just opened and Abby's here for an hour, sitting, having some lunch. The redheads parked on the end of the bar, a glass of something green in front of her, a BLT, fruit, killing some time before she has to head out to the airport. Parental units are immenant. She got the call this morning and is nervous. Brenda the other redhead is behind the bar, serving drinks, her perpetual flirting storm around her and occasionally throws a smile towards the younger and possibly underaged redhead.
Cassidy hasn't slept well since she started working for the NYPD, in fact, so poorly that while correcting a report she dosed off. It was enough to convince to go home and try to catch some Zs. She did try. She laid there for sometime, but something in the back of her brain nagged her. Finally, with a sigh she threw back the covers, threw on a long-sleeved green t-shirt and some worn jeans and headed out to just walk. How she ended up there is not clear, but when Cassidy pushes through the doors and makes it about half way through the place before she pauses. There is a blink. A bar? Why did she walk in here?
Not just any bar. Old Lucy's. Word on the street, it's like Coyote Ugly, but with a nun, and not as horribly packed all the time. A scary bouncer and everything. There's no visual representation of a nun but Brenda behind the bar's certainly got the catholic school girl look down pat today. There's empty seats beside Abigail, books on British history out, sneaking in some studying while she eats and blue eyes flicker up to Cassidy as she enters. Someone took a wrong turn at Albuquerque maybe? "Welcome to Old Lucy's" The Healer calls out. yeah, that one, that's been on TV a couple weeks ago. "Pull up a seat, Brenda will be with you when she stops chatting up the stockbroker" That earns Abby a glance from Brenda but the redhead looks ready to take Cassidy's order if/when she comes all the way in.
Cassidy is about got herself convinced to turn around and leave when she's addressed. She gives Abby a bit of a sheepish smile, moving to approach the empty seat. "Ah… thanks." She still looks like she's reeling a bit. She climbs into the seat and gives Brenda look over before saying. "Yeah I'd like a Scoooooah… Um." Did she almost say Scotch? She gives her head a bit of a shake. "Diet Coke.. Pepsi whatever it is you carry." She takes a deep breath and let's it out slowly. She glances over at Abby again and studies her as if trying to place the face. Finally she offers a bit of a smile. "Old Lucy's I've never heard of it before now.. or I didn't think I did. I guess I was thinking too hard."
"Wasn't open until uhh, four? five months ago? Isabelle opened it. Think coyote ugly, if you've ever seen the movie" Brenda hops right to getting that diet coke, a wedge of lemon on the rim of the glass and slid before the officer. "Won't get like that though until abouuuut six in the evening and we close at 9. Open seven days a week" A mouthful of the chunky green sludge that Abigail has in front of her is taken. "I'm Abigail, the Nun. That's Brenda, the flirt"
Thus enters Aaron, the grump. At least, such might become a nickname if his anything-but-sunny disposition is maintained much longer. He's clothed as usual in his light blue button-up t-shirt and blue jeans. A navy windbreaker protects him from the mild weather outside in the early afternoon. His guitar is mysteriously absent, and, as he sidles up to the bar and takes a seat, it would appear he intends to be here as a patron as he says, "Hit me with the hardest stuff you've got." It might appear unusual to the cop, as he does appear on the young side, but since he has worked at Old Lucy's on and off, they know he's of age.
"Cassidy.. the, uh, clueless I guess." She says with a small chuckle. "I've only been in New York for a short time really." She glances around with an odd look on her face. "and I'm not even sure why I walked in here. I don't do the bar thing." When the drink arrives she fishes a few dollars from her jean pocket to pay, she's never been into purses. She takes a sip of her soda, before asking. "So.. the Nun?" The title is a bit amusing. "Odd title for being in a bar." Aaron's arrival pulls her attention for only a moment so that she cave give the young man a look over.
"The nun." She gestures to her cross that dangles about her neck. "I don't get up on the bar and dance and I don't dress the same" Abigail spots Aaron and offers him a tentative smile. "Afternoon Aaron" She's not so dim today, not in his eyes. Nervous, happy, really happy. Her parents are coming. "It's okay, don't get many drinks for a few hours yet. Normally we're not open till 3, but with the curfew, we needed to open earlier. But the food is a pull in for people. Abigail gestures Brenda over, murmuring to the redhead who glances over to Aaron and nods, before dragging down a bottle of something and pouring a glass for Aaron and sliding it in front of him. "On the house A. When you coming back to play?" Seems she hadn't told anyone at the bar about his.. prejudices.
"Abigail," Aaron says. He takes what's offered and knocks it back with an obvious look of distaste. Clearly, alcohol is not something he typically drinks. He usually sticks to tea and ginger ale, as anyone who's been around him can attest. "Sometime…" he says, though he doesn't seem to complete whatever thought was coming to him as he more or less stares off into space, ignoring the presence of pretty much everyone. Then he snaps out of that and looks towards Abby. His eyes are red-rimmed and watery, but when he speaks his voice gives no indication of crying, which suggests something else entirely. "I'm sorry. You've been trying to help me and I've been spitting in your face."
Happiness, even if it is the nervous kind is addictive and Cassidy can't help but have a smile. Whether Abby is showing it or not, Cassidy feels it. She glances at the necklace and ahhs softly. "Well, truth be told I wouldn't do that either. And I'm a t-shirt and jeans kinda girl. Though… enough drinks and the bar dancing might be possible." She says that blandly as if it's something she doesn't want to think about. She glances at young man when Abby addresses him again, but then turns her attention to her own thought and her soda.
"It's okay Aaron" Shut up Aaron. First rule of the evolved members club. Don't talk about the evolved members club. But Abigail just offers a smile to Cassidy then a glance back to Aaron. Brenda retreats back to the world of 'hey who's that cute guy' and Abigail closes her British history textbook. "When you coming back to play?" She glances to Cassidy. "Aaron here, plays music very beautifully. We hired him to play live a couple nights a week. Because it beats the whole only working at a grocery store for pennies thing."
Aaron, meanwhile, has retreated to staring at the bottom of his empty glass, or would be if his eyes were open. He has two fingers pinched just above the bridge of his nose and he can't help but give a snort when he hears Abby talking about him. His weary eyes open once more and he focuses in front of him rather than either Abby or Cassidy. "Sure, get me another fan…" he mutters quietly to himself.
Cassidy glances back over at Aaron, studing him for a long moment. "Really? Nice to meet you Aaron." She offers him a bit of a smile. "I'll have to see about coming down for a listen. I like good music." She takes a sip of her soda. Her eyes narrow a bit watching him, but the smile remains. "Ah.. not a fan yet. I'd have to hear you first. I don't get all fan girly easily."
"We can all use fans. Boosts the ego. Makes us feel better about ourselves. We all need someone to make us feel important, no matter how small we are in the scheme of things" The younger redhead looks over at Cassidy. "I'm a bartender, he's a musician, what do you do?"
"Musician, grocer… nineteen nineties throwback. Take your pick," Aaron says. "You'll be waiting a while, though. Not sure when I'm coming back here to play."
Cassidy glances at Abby and seems to hesitate, as many cop don't like to say what they are. Never know who you once wrote a ticket too or arrested. She considers her options and then offers. "Public safety?" She gives Abby a bit of a half smile. "Me personally, I could do without the fans. I dunno having people look at me like that." She gives a slow shake of her head. "But I imagine if people didn't like it we wouldn't have all these celerities." Aaron's words grab her attention again and she arches a brow. "Well, that's a shame, woulda been nice to have a better reason then drinking to come by here again. I think this is the first time I've been in a bar in a few years. "
"Public safety is good" Abby murmurs, though there's a glance sent Aaron's way and a soft sigh that would do Ben Fletcher proud. "You'll have to excuse Aaron. He's a little down right now. The world sucks for him and he doesn't see a way up. Only sideways or down. The rose colored glasses have been removed" It's quietly spoken, but loud enough that Aaron can hear. It's purposeful really. Some people, sometimes, they need to be poked up until they burst. Maybe Aaron's one of them?
"More down than sideways." Aaron has more implosive emotions than explosive. The not-so-subtle poke is an unnecessary and pointless jab. "And you're awfully perky today," he observes, partly through his instinct of the fact that she's seeming more like post-music than usual.
Cassidy looks a bit relieved as the subject of her job isn't pursued, her shoulders slump a bit. "Well, one of the things we learn quickly in life is that 'Life ain't Fair.' Dunno how many time my mom drilled that into my head. You just have to take the lickings and crawl back on your feet again." She gives a shrugs and a small smile. She glances between then as she talks. "If she didn't look at life through rose colored glasses she would of stumbled many times after my dad was ki… died." She quickly takes a sip of her soda hoping that it slip up was missed.
"Parents are coming. They're arriving in…." Abby looks at the simple watch on her wrist with it's worn strap. "Three hours. I got an hour till I have to leave to make it to the airport. because bus's just don't go there directly. "Up for a couple days before they're gone back home." She is fairly perky and it's not the drugs she takes every morning that's meant to keep her from lapsing into how Aaron is. "Rose colored glasses aren't that bad. I still have them. It's just… knowing when to wear them and when to not" Abigail points out to Cassidy.
"I'm sorry for your loss," Aaron says to Cassidy, the first time he even takes a cursory look at the woman. His sapphire eyes are marred by dark circles under them, and soon his gaze again rests away from everyone. "You must be close. I know a lot of people who would dread their parents coming to town."
"Oh nice. My mom won't fly, she swears that the moment she's on an airplane it will come crashing out of the sky." Cassidy rolls her eyes and gives a patient smile as she says it. "She is an odd woman." Aaron's apology is waved off. "No need. I was 9, I've had plenty of time to get over it."
"I'm dreading them coming. I'm not going to bring them here. They don't need to see where I work. But…" guilt flares up at that, but it's mostly muted. "I need them. Everyone needs their parents now and then" Shit happens and she needs her mommy. Wasn't that what she had told Teo. She needed her momma. "Momma'd love to hear you play Aaron" but that is that. "You have fond memories, I'm sure, of her, even if you were so young at the time" Brenda sidle by to offer a refill on the diet coke and the stiff drink aaron was drinking. Abigail just chugs down another chunky mouthful of sludge.
"Yeah," Aaron says, "No kidding." He knocks back the refilled drink with an equally disgusted look on his face as he had with the first glass. After running his teeth along his tongue a few times, he gets off his stool. "A pity mine got nuked." And with that, he's out the door.
Cassidy lifts a hand to stave off a refill with a soft 'No thanks'. Cassidy grins at Abby. "Yeah well, don't feel guilty about it. I would dread and be happy to see my mother too. I think it's just a normal reaction to parents." She taps fingers on her half empty glass. "But… yeah I have some good memories, fuzzy ones." Her head whips around as Aaron mentions how his own parents died, a surpsied look at his back. "Um.. Take care Aaron. Stay out of trouble." She calls after him.
Wow. Abigail watches Aaron mosey off, a frown on her face and worry plain to see. IT's still there even as she looks over to Cassidy yet again. Brenda's backed off, back to flirt with the guys. "I'm sorry about him, he's just… he's having a hard time adjusting to the whole 'oh dear lord she's evolved' thing. He's been like this for… over a week round about. He'll… get over it, or he won't" That and her pointing out that he's evolved. Guy probably still had a headache.
Cassidy watches the door swing shut and hmms softly. "Well, I know how that is, but I didn't react like that when I tested positive." Oops did she just say that out loud. It's not a secret, but like her occupation she doesn't babble it all over. She glances back at Abby and shakes her head. "Good to know that he's not always so full of sunshine."
"He's usually pretty mellow" Ohh tested positive. "Do you know what you can do yet? What your gift is?" She dips her head to the officer. "Abigail Beauchamp. Touch healing" She doesn't offer her hand and the listing of her ability probably is a false clue as to why.
Nodding in return, She offers. "Cassidy O'Shea and I have no a clue what I do." She really studies the woman suddenly and huhs. "Healing, that's got to be.. well.. a blessing and a curse." She shakes her head. "Me.. I almost wasn't hired, ccause I tested positive. They almost didn't believe that I didn't know. Everyone knows what they can do." She shrugs her shoulders and spreads her hands. "Me. I got nothing that I can figure."
"only a blessing" Abigail answers. "Ahh, I know someone else who hasn't figured out what she can do. Just that she's like you, tested positive. It'll come, you'll know it when you know it. One day it'll just POOF. Be there" Abigail shrugs her shoulders. "I picked up a bird, and… It was fixed. That's how I found out. Eight years later…." Here she is, healing anything that looks cross eye'd at her.
Cassidy arches a brow. "Only a blessing? I dunno if I could take people coming to me all the time, demanding me heal them." She gives a small smile. "But then, that's me. Your obviously a better person." Her expression turns thoughtful and she shrugs suddenly. "As for powers and them showing up. I am in no hurry. Thought the justification for the positive result would be nice." She wrinkles her nose a bit and sips her soda.
"Everything has it's time and place Cassidy" Abby grins. "Maybe try going for a swim in a pool, seeing if you can breathe underwater? Or you know, seeing if you can climb walls like Spider-Man?"
Cassidy chuckles at the suggestions giving Abby an amused look. "That's okay. I think I'll be patient." She itches at her jaw, her expression thoughtfully. Of course, she did try to figure it out for a week after she tested positive, of course nothing. "I dunno. But hey, I'm finding out that, while I might not know what I have, there are plenty of others out there as well. The good and the bad. So it's not like I'm the only one that ever went through it."
"Nope. There's a couple maybe more, thousand people out there who have yet to even know that they'd test positive" Abigail answers. "If you want, I have a psychologist, who specializes in evolveds and helping them understand and cope with their abilities. I can give you her number?"
Cassidy gives Abby a polite smile, but slowly shakes her head. "Right now, I don't think I need it, but I'll be sure to ask for it, if I need it." Or maybe it's the word shrink that makes her flinch away from the idea. "I need to know it first." She shrugs. "Maybe working around so many will help with that."
"Well, you know where I work" Abigail answers. A glance to her watch and then a frown. 'I'd stick around, but I gotta go. Sorry, want to make sure I get there in enough time. It was a pleasure to meet you Cassidy. I do hope that working around so many evolveds will help. Make yous ee that not everyone wields their gifts in a bad fashion"
Cassidy gives a brief nod of her head and a grin. "Well, I guess blindly walking in worked out for the better. It was nice to meet you Abigail. I hope your visit with your parents go well and won't be too stressful." She gives a knowing smile. Parental visits are always stressful in someway.