Participants:
| Scene Title | A Little Help From A Friend |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Nadira asks Quinn to come over for a personal favor—she needs a friend for something big. |
| Date | March 2, 2011 |
Nadira's Apartment
It had bee early in the afternoon when Quinn had received the call from Nadira. She had been someone hesitant to leave, not wanting to leave Elaine and not knowing when she was going to be discharged. But apparently, the was important, so with other people there to keep an eye on her girlfriend for the time being, Quinn took off for her friend's apartment. She knocks heavily on the door, leaning against the outside door frame with a tired look in her eyes, yawning as she waits for a response.
Nadira is at the door quickly, no indication of what she was doing before. Was she just… sitting there, waiting? She opens the door, peeking out at Quinn. "You look a mess…" She points out, hurriedly stepping aside. "I hope you are alright. I would not have bothered you with such short notice if it was not important."
"It's been a long few days," Quinn replies with a bit of a laugh, shaking her head. "But, a friend in need is somethin' I can't just turn away from. What was doing was… important, the person I was with had other people with her, so it's alright." Her jacket is unbuttoned and tossed in to a chair, Quinn spinning to face Nadira with a quirked eyebrow. "So… is something wrong? I hope not. This week needs some good news."
"I… I'm not sure it's bad news. I don't know if there is news at all yet. I just…" Nadira probably looks more uncomfortable than Quinn's ever seen her. She slides into a seat. "I was hoping to just have someone with me because I didn't want to do this alone."
That is kind of ominous. And Nadira's uncomfortable look has Quinn looking a little wary. So quickly, she follows after her, sliding into a seat next to her, a hand placed on the Egyptian's knee. "Nadira… if somethin's up, you can just tell me. I'll help however I can."
Nadira clears her throat a little awkwardly. "I-I…" She takes a breath. "I've never really worried about this too much before because I always knew what to do and I knew nothing was ever up, but this time…" She puts a hand over Quinn's. "I'm late. And… I didn't exactly want to be alone taking the test."
"Oh." There's a few beats, before Quinn's eyes widen in an almost dramatic fashion. "Oh! Oh, um- wow, Nadira!" Quinn doesn't seem uncomfortable, just extremely surprised. This is not at all what she was expecting. "Aright, well… I'm here," she says as she takes Nadira's hand and squeezes it. She offers a smile over to the other woman, a biiit unsure what to say next. This is something she's never really had experience with.
"I-I mean, it's not a bad thing, it's just… I didn't expect it to happen so soon. We had plans, but… they were for later," Nadira nods a little. "I just…" She looks to Quinn. "I'm just gonna go take the test and you can wait here and then we can wait for the result together. Griffin doesn't know about it yet and I want to… I want to be sure before I bring this up with him."
"I'll be waiting right here," QUinn replies with a quick nod. She folds her hands into her lap, watching the Egyptian closer for several moments. "I'll definitely wait with you. And I'll save any questions that require thought until you get back."
Nadira leans in and kisses the top of Quinn's hand. "Thank you, Quinn. You are a good friend. I knew you would come through for me." She pushes herself off the couch, the Egyptian woman making her way into the bathroom, the door shutting quietly. It takes a few minutes before she returns with the little white stick, flopping down on the couch and setting the stick on the table. "I'm not going to look at that until the time is up.. watching is going to make me nervous."
Quinn raises a finger when Nadira speaks, hopping up from her seat and moving towards her bag, which sits beside her coat. "I know how t' pass the time!" she remarks with a grin, pulling out her iPad before making her way back to the couch. She plops down, hooking an arm over Nadira's shoulder, pulling her a bit closer for comfort while they wait. "There's this app a friend of mine insisted I get, since I sing. You know that show Glee?" She grins, looking over at Nadira. "Feel like doing some karaoke until time's up?"
"I-It should only be a minute or two and I think I might just be too nervous to sing." Nadira murmurs, leaning her head in against Quinn's shoulder. "I feel like I need a drink, but… I shouldn't! I mean if I'm…"
"If it turns up negative, you an' I are going to have a pair of redheaded sluts and irish floozies," Quinn teases, shaking her head. "But I'd go t' the doctor even if it comes up negative an' nothin' happens in a few days. Just t' be sure." She scratches Nadira's hair, though chastely for once, letting out a bit of a sigh. The wait is killer, and she''s not even the one the test is for.
"I am not sure if I am going to be relieved either way. On one hand this is a big thing, on the other… is it strange I would be slightly disappointed?" Nadira questions, peering at the test on the table, idly checking her watch. Almost… almost…
"Not at all," QUinn says quietly, shaking her head at Nadira. "I mean,,, if kids are what you want someday… yeah, I'd be said. I know I would be. I mean… I didn't used t' really want kids, but the last year has made me really think. So… yeah, I think that's normal."
"Griffin and I have talked about it, but… I didn't consider the possibility for a while. It is a little hard given our situation," Nadira murmurs, eyes still on the stick. She glances at her watch. "Any second now…"
"I thought you weren;t going to clock watch," Quinn points out with a bit of a smirk, her hands glowing a bit as suddenly the face of Nadira's watch is blacked out. "Don't make me do that to the stick too," she replies with a giggle, scratching again. "I'm sure it'll be whatever you want it t' be."
"I know, I know!" Nadira huffs. She looks to Quinn. "I think time's up, though… it's been like.. three minutes?" She stares at the stick. "I… I don't know. I'm scared to look." She puts her face in her hands for a moment. "I feel like a trainwreck."
"I'll look, if you don't want to…" Quinn angles a look over to Nadira, before unwrapping her arm from around her. "It's been long enough. DOn't… don't feel so bad. I mean… this is kinda a big deal. It's not exact something you're supposed t' just embrace. Too much uncertainty…"
Nadira shakes her head, vigorously. "No, no, I should look." She leans forward, taking the stick off the table, then inhaling deeply before she peeks towards the white stick, peering at intently. She reaches over, fumbling for the box to look at it to make sure she did it right before she looks back to the stick. "It's positive."
The smile that comes to Quinn's face is a cautious one, reaching over and putting a hand back on Nadira's back. "I'm jealous," she admits, rubbing gently. "Guess that means no drinks. Can I get you a soda or water or anything?" She reaches down, taking Nadira's hand. "Are you okay?"
"Really? You're jealous?" Nadira laughs a little, looking at the stick for a long moment. "I am alright. It just… it is wonderful, but the most complicated thing imaginable. I don't know exactly how to get through it."
Quinn sorts a bit at that. "Does anyone know how t' get through somethin' like that?" she replies with a quirked eyebrow, smirking at Nadira. "I'm sure you'll get through it just fine. If anyone can, I'm sure it's you. Might not be able t' keep working at Tartarus, though. Peoples till smoke there even with the ban, first of all…"
There's a sigh. "Tartarus is the least of my worries, I'm afraid, Quinn." Nadira shuts her eyes as she scrubs her face in her hands. "I… I am happy. I am. I just… this is really complicated. Griffin's… well. It just causes a lot of…" Another sigh.
Quirking a curious eyebrow Quinn looks at Nadira intently. "It's all going t' work out. Trust me on this. It may make things harder, but… everything works out in the end." That's something she has to believe in these days. Otherwise she would have gone mad. "So… when are you going t' tell him the news?"
"As soon as I can, really. He's… it's going to be a big change for him. I mean, he already has a son. I'm not sure how he'll feel." Nadira chews on her lower lip. "I'm going to be a terrible mother."
"Bullshit, you are," Quinn replies with a bit of a laugh, patting Nadira on the back as she moves towards the woman's kitchen, intending to get drinks for the both of them. "You're a good person, Nadira. I think you'll be a fine mother, as long as you keep your new drink concoctions away form the kid," she says with a wink, grabbing a pair of glasses.
Nadira lets out a sigh. "Just water, please, since I suppose that's what I'll have to have." She breathes deeply. "Now I'm nervous. I don't know how to say it to him. What… what do people do in these situations? Do they just tell them?"
"Well…" Quinn fills up two glasses with water, returning with both of them to the sofa and offering one to Nadira. "I say you go t' the doctor t' make sure it's not a false positive, an' then just… tell him, m'self."
There's a quick nod. "Uh, Quinn. I have a slight problem with the whole… going to the doctor thing, though," Nadira rubs her head. "I'm… I'm not Registered. Don't they need your card to go to the doctor?"
"Oh. Right, shit…" Quinn purses her lips. "I guess maybe try another test. Just find some way t' make sure. But don't put off tellin' Griffin. He should know, definitely." Quinn gives her own nod, leaning back a bit.
"I know he should know. I just… Quinn. It's complicated. Griffin's not exactly much of a, uh, public figure either," Nadira points out. "He has the same problem I do but… a more extreme case."
"I know a lot fo people like that these days, Nadira," Quinn says, looking a bit off to the side. She still hasn't really put the pieces together on who Griffin is, though. "I don't really know what t' tell you, honestly, besides t' just have hope that it'll work out. An' hope he doesn't freak out."
There's a frown. "I don't know what I'll do if Griffin does freak out. I mean, it isn't as if he doesn't love me so… how bad could it be?" Nadira questions, looking to Quinn. "I'll keep my hopes up." She runs her fingers through her hair. "I don't know. Maybe I should get Registered. Maybe it is better that way. Or find someone who can get me a fake. I would prefer that…"
"They have databases an' stuff, the way they swipe those cards for things… I don't think a fake would work. It's not like a driver's license…" Quinn shakes her head. "Griffin'll be happy. If he loves you, at least, he will be. If he doesn't, I'll have to find him an' castrate him." ANd then she grimaces, eyes narrowing a bit. "The registration's bullshit. I wish I'd known what it would become when I did it. I never would have if I had. Don't do it unless you absolutely have t'."
"I'm afraid of the trouble I'll get into if I do Register. If I can get away with not.. that would be fine. I'll have to see if I can find a doctor who's friendly enough to deal with Evolved patients without a registration. Might take some research, so I guess I should do that quickly. Especially so I can tell Griffin…" Nadira rubs her temples, then takes her water and sips from it.
"YOu should find a way to get vaccinated too…" This is complicated, and Quinn isn't sure of what to say short of directing Nadira back to the Ferry. "I dunno. You could just… tell him, and worry about it from there. It'll work out, even if you need t' head t' Canada for a bit, I'm sure."
"Griffin's my fiancee. He's supposed to take care of me. He'd better help me figure this out," Nadira laughs. "I just… it makes me nervous. There are so many things… so many things could go wrong."
"It'd make me nervous hell. Uncertain, unsure, all a' that. But, I mean… what can you do?" Well… what can you do that Quinn feels like talking about. "Gotta roll with the punches, I guess." She shrugs a bit, looking over at Nadira. "You're my friend. One a' my best, so… if you need any help with anything, just call me. Alright?"
"Alright. I appreciate you being here with me. I know you've got your own stuff going on, so I won't keep you but… thank you. I'll try to find a doctor. I might know someone who will help…" Nadira offers, looking back at Quinn. "I'll keep in touch. And… you know, it is good news. So… at least you have something positive, right?"
"Be very, very careful, Nadira, if you're going t' look for a doctor anyway." Quinn sounds much more serious this time when she speaks. "Be careful you're not walking into some sort of trap to find unregistered people, alright?" She leans over to Nadira, hugging her tightly. "Yeah, I… should get back now. Keep in touch. Let me know if I can help, alright? I'll do anything I can." She pauses, grinning at Nadira. "I'm not the only one who has something positive. I'm sure of it."
"I'll be careful. If I'm caught… well, I suppose that solves my doctor problem." Nadira sighs softly. "Hopefully, though… it won't come to that." She smiles. "I'll call you if I need help, I promise. You have always been a good friend to me."
'Hopefully, it won't." Quinnr repeats, nodding at Nadira. "Don't even worry about it, you know? Like I said, things'll work out. No real doubt about that." She nods, stepping back, and looking back towards the door. "I'll keep bein' a good friend, don't worry about that. I'm happy for you, Nadira. I hope Griffin is too. Come by the apartment, see me sometime. ANd my roommate. She could use some bright new faces, she kinda got hurt last night."
"Give your roommate my best. I do hope she is alright," Nadira offers, gently. "I will try and drop by soon, at least let you know how things stand. Maybe sometime next week. I am sure it will take a little time to get everything settled in."
"She's strong. She'll be fine. But I'm going t' stay with her anyway. LIke t' have her around an' all, you know?" Quinn gives a weak smirk, nodding. "Alright! Just drop me a line. An' if anything goes badly… just give me a call. You'll have my ear t' talk to." With that, she makes for the door, starting on her way out.