Participants:
| Scene Title | A Thousand Virgins In Heaven |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Liz calls Abby to touch base and let her know what's happening up north and to use her as her moral compass. |
| Date | January 25, 2010 |
Telephone lines between NY and Mexico
Sitting on the steps of the library in the shadows of the huge lions, Elisabeth pulls out her new cell phone — it's one from Cat's stash of stuff that was encrypted before, but honestly she's not sure how secure it is now. Still, whatever. Abby's phone on rings on the far end.
The fourth ring is when Abigail answers, not breathless, not anything in the background of the cell phone on her end. "Abigail Beauchamp, how can I help you?" Someone didn't look at her caller ID.
"Hey, Abby," Elisabeth says quietly. "It's me." The caller ID probably didn't give it away as yet — Lizzie's got her new number. "How're things going down South?"
'Hey liz" Abigail's parked on a low cliff face, watching a sunset. In a while she'll head back to the town, contemplate making dinner. For now she sits cross legged with her shotgun balanced on her knee's staring out at a scarlet sunset. Jacket around her shoulders to fend off impending cool desert air, Heavy socks, boots, shorts and a simple shirt beneath she's the general look of someone who's camping.
"Not so good. Don't know how much longer I'm gonna stay. Raquelle's been gone from his girls two weeks and I got classes soon."
There's a faint sigh. "Sorry to hear that, lady. I had hoped… that you'd be able to work it out with him." Elisabeth's tone holds regret. "I got my new number, it's on your phone now. I'm heading out Wednesday morning to Annapolis, but … I'll be in and out of town regularly. If you need me, just call, okay?" She pauses. "The service was nice. Father Wilder included almost everyone who went with us. And the girls were great, thanks for letting us use the bar."
'Sorry I couldn't be there. I should have been there. Should have called Elias but I thought that things would be a little better by now" She hadn't yet told Deckard that Cardinal, Gabriel or Francois had died. "I figure a few more days, I'll try and give it a few more days before I call up Elias and ask for a ride home." She hears Annapolis though and there's a silent nod from here side. "that's a trek Liz, to be regular and it was my honor, really. It was the least I could do for Rich-" Abby has to hold her breath a moment, a hitch in her throat, a tickle to pass. "Richard and Francois, Gabriel and the others"
"The girls are looking forward to you getting home," Elisabeth says with a soft smile. She doesn't mention wallpaper, or what happened at the gathering. No point in worrying Abby about it right this second. It's done. "I'm looking forward to you getting home," she admits. "I didn't really call for anything except… to see how you were."
"I think I'm looking forward to getting home. Just so that I can finish off my courses and get to actually working in a ambulance and trying to do good" Abigail replies as she reaches up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Can you have the girls stock up the fridge, there's money in a safe in the uhhm house. Old fashioned, you'd be able to hear the tumblers fall into place, so. You know. Just so that I'm not without food and stuff when I get home"
The shotgun is put to the side, used as a support to get back up. "Did you know, there's very little to shoot in the desert?"
Elisabeth chuckles. "Sure. I'll tell Brenda to have someone stock you with some bread and lunch meat and milk and stuff before the weekend." She sighs heavily.
"You going to be okay liz? This frontline thing, I mean, are you okay with it? You're not having second thoughts are you?" She's up, shotgun slung over shoulder like some soldier as she starts to make her way back towards the ghost town. "I mean, i'm sure that some folks we know arne't happy with what you're doing but… is it what you want? You know if it's not, you have options"
"You know what, Abby? I want to believe that this squad is going to be what it's supposed to be — a team that does what we've already been out there doing, legally. I can't say I'm not worried. The conspiracy theorists among us are making me crazy…. but at the bottom of it all…. I have to believe in some kind of structure. There has to be something besides just our small group of friends to believe in. If there's not… I think I'm lost." Elisabeth looks around at the gathering dark, shivering in the chill of the wind outside the silent library. "My second thoughts aren't about joining FRONTLINE per se. I knew what I was getting into — I knew they were playing me. As Richard put it, making allies out of enemies. It's assimilation at its purest. I can only put one foot in front of the other and trust that the job's still worth doing."
"I believed in them enough Liz that I was going to put my face on a television ad and speak in support of them. I'll still support you, and I believe that they can still be used for good, to do good for the city and help keep more people from being hurt" She still believes if Frontline had been in place, maybe she'd have been gone from Staten sooner.
'And Richard would tell you to do what you want to do. If it's a mistake, it's a mistake and you'll learn from it, if it's not, then, you'll still learn from it and it's a landmark thing"
There's a soft chuckle. "You know… I used to call you naive. But sometimes… sometimes I think you see more than all of us combined, Abigail," Elisabeth admits softly. "What I want? Is just a small semblance of a normal life. I want…. to feel safe. I think that's… one of the things I miss most. Because in the middle of it all, he could make me feel safe — even if it was just the illusion of safety. The knowledge that no matter what, someone had my back. Would… kill to protect me, just because." She knows he would — he told her so after the Cassidy thing.
"Oh no, no, i'm naive Liz" She'll admit that. "In some aspects I am. Love being one, lust being another. But other things, the last year and change, it's kind of washed it all away. The world isn't evil and good anymore, there's degree's and a fine line between doing good, or doing something wrong and it's a constant dance with one selves and your values and your personal morals and the like to know when you've crossed that line. I don't think you have liz" Abigail murmurs into the phone. "And just because you joined frontline doesn't mean that there are those of us who won't have your back"
Elisabeth is quiet on her end, perhaps because tears choke her. "Thanks, Abby. I needed to hear that. I count on you to sort of be the moral compass… I know I'm straying too far off of center when you give me the Look." She sniffs softly. "When you get home," she says, changing the subject, "we owe Claire a spa day. Her birthday's coming up. Mani, pedi, the works. I can't remember the last time I did girly stuff."
"He called me his moral compass too. Did you know that?" Abigail smiles across the line. "He'd always call, to see how badly he was gonna go to hell for what he was doing. He'd know that what he was doing wasn't always gonna be good, but could he justify it. Before.. Pinehearst, he called" Abigail peers up at the stars and the various constellations. "He asked me if I could countenance the death of a couple hundred thousand people at the cost of one life, verses enslavement of everyone else if an individual lived"
Elisabeth drops her forehead onto her knees, curling into herself. "I didn't know that," she replies softly, somewhat muffled by her position. "He's been convinced for a long time that he's going to hell. Damn nuns," she comments.
"He's not" She sounds sure of it. "Fucker's snuck into heaven right past Saint Peter and is surrounded by a thousand virgins and all the alcohol he can possibly drink, pair of sunglasses and a shit-eating grin on his face waiting for you to turn up and ask you what took you so long" Yes, it's a lot of swear words, but very appropriate for the man being discussed.
The sound of Elisabeth's laughter is soft, but absolutely heartfelt. She pulls her head up out of her lap and looks up at the night sky, clouded over and backlit by the light pollution of the city. The parts farther from the library. It hasn't begun raining again yet. "I'm reasonably sure that in the balance book of souls, dying while saving the world cancels out killing Arthur Petrelli and the host of smaller sins the man committed. But I love the image. Thank you."
"Keep it in your head when you're in Maryland, and going through training Liz. When things get too much on your shoulders" THe brunette murmurs back. "I'm heading back into the town, I need to hang up and get my things together and figure out what to make for dinner"
"I will," Elisabeth promises. "I definitely will." She sighs. "Okay… I'm going back inside and finishing up a few things before I head home too. I might actually sleep."
"Go easy on yourself Liz" Abigail means it. "You're an important person and you'd be missed as much as Richard is. Be safe out there in training and if you come across Michael spalding, tell him there's a southern girl who thinks he's not bad for a yankee"
Elisabeth chuckles. "I'll remember the message, Abby. I think I'm supposed to meet Unit 1 when training is over, actually." She pauses. "Good luck. And I'll see you when I take my first weekend home."