Participants:
| Scene Title | All's Well |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Devon and Emily stop in to offer well wishes and apologies to Kaylee, and learn a little something extra about the telepath. |
| Date | April 29, 2019 |
Elmhurst Hospital - Kaylee's Room.
“We should've gotten the cat also.” Devon's whisper breaks the easy, companionable silence between them. His eyes tick up to indicate the near dozen assorted Mylar balloons kept under control as he and Emily approach the door to Kaylee's room. And of course he's talking about one that looked vaguely like a cat, with four dangly legs of crepe paper that played The Macarena when it was bopped. It would have fit perfectly with the hodgepodge of helium-filled happiness he towed now. None of the others that bob against the ceiling play music either.
Given the chance, he would have cleaned the small gift shop of their already limit stock of balloons. He'd insisted on bringing the telepath something to brighten up the room, it wasn't that long ago that he was stuck in one with only a window to make things cheery when he didn't have visitors.
He pauses, hesitates about knocking in the door once they've found it. Devon looks at Emily, his mouth hitches into a small smile — maybe a bit nervous, he feels guilty for being the catalyst to Kaylee's present condition — and brushes his knuckles against hers. “We could still go back and get it. Maybe a cake too.” Now he's stalling.
There's an odd twitch to Emily's brow as Devon makes his initial comment, torn somewhere between treating it with a God, no and recognizing it as a joke. It had to have been. Putting a musical torture device in the room with Kaylee didn't feel like the best apology. But then she sees the smaller motions that accompany it and she merely gives him a small shake of her head when he starts to append even more suggestions to the initial statement.
"We don't even know if she likes cake," she says point-blank in her version of a lighthearted tease. Her tone varies very little as she asks, "Besides, what if she's allergic to eggs or something?" They'd already done enough damage on accident, adding in an allergic reaction or giving her a gift she couldn't enjoy wouldn't do. Emily reaches out to tap the side of his arm in a reassuring gesture, lifting her chin in a gesture for him to keep his head up. Metaphorically rather than literally, a point perhaps emphasized by the small smile she gives him. "I'm sure she'll appreciate what you got her, Dev."
One of the downsides of staying in a hospital is the mental noise, Kaylee was being reminded of this at present. Brows furrow slightly as she tries to nap away some of the boredom. If she hadn’t left her husband, he might have been sitting there with her… reading something or talking about what the kids did with the day.
Maybe that thought was a bad idea. Tears threaten and the telepath can’t relax.
So with a sigh, Kaylee opens her eyes and reaches for the controls to left her to a more seated position. Which ends up being a good thing, since about the time she lets up on the button a pair of familiar minds slide into her field. So when they walk in she is looking right at them.
“Yeah.” There’s truth in that, they don’t know if there’s allergies to worry about. And Devon feels guilty enough as it is. He knows he’s somehow responsible for not stopping the digging before they ruptured the proverbial gas line. In some way, he should have anticipated just about anything. Still, who doesn’t like cake? With sprinkles and brightly colored frostings. It would have gone great with the balloons, especially the yellow smiley face with sunglasses, and the neon-colored dinosaur. “You’re right.”
He taps his knuckles against the door, unable to find any reasonable excuse to delay it any further. They’re there to apologize, maybe cheer up the room during their short visit. He looks at Emily, pausing for just a second after knocking before pushing the door open.
The balloons precede him, but only because he’s stuck his arm out ahead as he leads the way into the room. The other catches hold of Emily’s hand loosely. “Hey…” It’s a quiet, quasi-announcement in case the knock was missed, that tapers awkwardly when he sees Kaylee already looking up. “…Kaylee.”
Emily has none of the skittishness Devon seems to, her awkwardness settled and stowed safely away in light of his own. Her eyes roam the room quickly to search for other gifts, hoping to get an idea of who's been here and who could possibly drop in while they were still present, flitting back to Kaylee afterward.
Compared to the first time they met, she's a much quieter storm. "Good to see you doing well," Emily says softly. Kaylee is sitting up, after all— appears alert, not doped up on pain or other medication. It's better than it could be. She could still be out.
She squeezes Devon's hand gently before stepping forward closer to the bed. There's no hesitant dance of distance for her, as she knows how annoying it can be to be stuck in a bed, treated as too-fragile to even approach. "You gave us all a scare, after all. Stubborn ass." Emily pauses at the foot of the bed, her hand resting on the durable, beige-plastic frame. "But at least you're on the mend."
“As well as can be considering.” Gaze travelling from one to the other and then up to the balloons, brows lifting a bit in surprise. That wasn’t something she expected. What Emily says… that was more of what Kaylee expected. There isn’t a negative reaction to being called a stubborn ass. Amusement more than anything. “It could be said that stubbornness runs in the family, ask Richard. Though, it’s a debate who is the biggest ass.”
Shifting to sit up a little straighter and motioning to the chairs, Kaylee gives them a moment to get settled, before she sighs and gives Devon an apologetic look, “I’m really sorry for the distress. I should have ended it when I saw Adam, but… we needed answers and I ended up misjudging my… issue.”
There are no less than seventeen balloons, and it’s possible there are more than that. The way they’re packed together, held in a multi-colored mess of ribbon. The balloons range in everything cheerful, from characters — like the sunglasses wearing smiley face and neon colored dinosaur — to several different Congratulations (one even bearing It’s A Boy!), at least one Over The Hill, and multiple versions of Happy Birthday!. Devon insisted on none of the sympathetic sort, only the happiest ones would do.
The balloons are set off to the side, on the ledge near the window but not blocking the view. “I’d say Richard is the bigger ass, but only because I’ve known him longer.” He pauses long enough to sit in one of the chairs. “But also because he’d willingly accept the title as Most Stubborn Ass.”
As for Adam, and the worry that caused, Dev shakes his head. “I should’ve said something also. Jared tried to ground me for not thinking ahead.” Tried, being the operative word. And there might have been an eye-roll added to that, it’s hard to say because he’s got a faint grin now. “But also, thanks for taking the risk. Didn’t answer many questions, but it’s better than nothing.”
Emily's eyes sharpen at something Kaylee says. Speaking of misjudging her issue… "Wait—" flies from her, her hand gripping the edge of the bed more tightly. "Don't do anything to aggravate it. Jesus, Kaylee, nobody wants that to happen to you again."
“Not going to argue that one,” Kaylee murmurs in agreement to her brother’s status, “He’d wear it as a badge even.” Fingers tug the blankets tighter around her lap as she continues, “As for Jared, he’s only worrying. There is no way you could have known about this. It’s not a common thing and it’s not something I just share out there.” The telepath is pretty much bristling for the young man.
Of course, there is Emily with her warning, which leave Kaylee blinking at her. Finally, there is a bright smile and maybe even the threat of tears in her eyes. “I’m fine.” Is all she offers the other woman, but there is a deeper meaning to those two words.
“Better than nothing?” Kaylee repeats back with an arch of her brow. “We found an ally behind enemy lines and that is pretty big. No we don’t know where he is, but this is a start.” Teeth catch at her lower lip and worry it for a moment, before she finally dares to ask, “Did we succeed with uncovering the last memory?”
“Yeah, we found one ally.” Which is one ally more than they had, but access to Joy is likely next to impossible. Devon is hopeful that they'll be able to tap the mosaic eventually, but presently he's very aware of how far out of reach she really is.
His head rocks with a small nod for the telepath’s question. “Yeah. There's no reference for when any of it took place, but…” Pausing, he glances toward the door, wondering if there's spies in the hall. Probably not, but some habits are hard to let go. “I know how I got out.”
Emily listens to Kaylee insist she's fine, brow knitting slowly with an intense look over her. The telepath did look like the casual mention wasn't affecting her, something that perplexed the young woman. She keeps her silence for now, but leaves Kaylee out of the corner of her eye. All right, then. They'd not dance around what happened using obtuse phrases. But she was pulling the nurse call button if Kaylee so much as sneezed wrong.
Devon admitting what he does pulls her attention in a split, and she waits for him to explain, her hands still on the end of the bed.
“Really?” Kaylee sits up quickly in the bed, which earns her a small grimace at her stomach’s discomfort at such a quick movement. “I’m fine,” she comments quickly for Emily again, giving her a significant look. “You’re doing the thing again.” Thinking too loud maybe?
However, Devon pulls her full focus again. There is an edge of curiosity and eagerness. “So you have an idea of where you were? Or… sort of where you were? Since you said you didn’t get much, I can assume you don’t know exactly where.” It takes everything in her not to look, barely restraining. Which reduces Kaylee to waiting for Devon to spill it.
“Yeah.” Devon's initial response is slow, drawn out in thought. “Joy… she's definitely an ally.” It at least seems that way, and he's apparently willing to take the chance in believing it. “She cut me loose, gave me directions to get out…”
He leans forward slightly, elbows resting on knees. This information he hadn't exactly shared yet, with anyone. He's been trying to understand, first, before sharing it. However.
“There's a sub somewhere. That's where I was held. And a yacht.” Dev’s eyes lift and move between Kaylee and Emily. “No idea where I was. Somewhere, a few miles out from land if I had to guess. Tried to steal a raft…” And since he was found washed up on the beach, they can guess at how well that went for him.
Emily meets Kaylee's gaze with a hard look of her own, her concern prevalent. There's a contest of wills that takes place without a winner on either side, as Devon's information takes priority, causing her to look away from the telepath. Just because she's not looking her way, though, does not mean there's a quietening to her thoughts.
A submarine? What kind of cartoon supervillain bullshit… she wonders to herself, straight-faced save for a slow furrow of her brow. "The people who did this to you are stationed just a few miles out of New York?"
Compared to the way it used to be, the mention of the submarine and Adam… In the quiet of the room, Kaylee lets out a bark of laughter. Her hands covering her mouth and tears filling her eyes. “That is so Adam.” She motions to Emily, “He is pretty much that. Trust me. I ran with him when I was around y’alls age, before the curse. I remember him joking about naming the crew. What was that one name again. He never used it, but he seriously considered it. It was like League of… of something…” There’s a snap of her fingers.
“The Evil League of Evil!” What? Maybe the sub did make sense.
There is a ridiculously happy smile on her face, as Kaylee looks up that ceiling, tears threatening to fall. “God, you don’t know how good it feels to be able to talk about him and my body not try to kill itself.” Fingers brush at her eyes. “I just can’t even explain what it’s been like for the last seven years, and now that I can finally help everyone stop him before he does something stupid.” Too late really, but that wasn’t the point. There is appreciation for the two in front of her, eyes bright with tears.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Devon answers Emily's speculation slowly. It makes sense, given where he'd been found. Except none of the situation makes sense. He accepts Kaylee's account for what it's worth, his knowledge of Adam is based mostly on reports he's read in Wolfhound. But mention of the League…
…That actually earns a snorted laugh. Incredulous. It clashes with what he's read, and the few seconds he's actually seen, of the man. Memories have a way of coloring things different from reality, but what he remembered actually seems to match those dossiers.
“I'm relieved that you're doing as well as you are,” Dev says once he's mostly mastered his ridicule of the former Evil League of Evil. He'll probably still get a good laugh about it later. “You gave of a scare. Seriously, don't be that stupid again. Okay?”
Emily has turned back to Kaylee at some point, probably because she's laughing. Crying, even. There's a touch of confusion in her expression before it all starts to click into place. The supervillain thoughts are all thrown aside. Just for now. She'll sneer about it later, for sure, with plenty of derisive expletives, but Kaylee's miraculous recovery from the condition that put her here takes precedence.
"What happened?" she wonders aloud. "Did… Did you hurting yourself so bad push the 'curse' to its limit? Remove it?" Because it's obvious she's talking it through now without adverse effect, except maybe aggravating her previous injuries from laughter.
"That's…" The teen pauses, then a bit more life comes to her expression. "That's great. Could have done without you nearly dying for it, but."
“That I can’t promise,” Kaylee offers truthfully to Devon, her smile sheepish. There was no reason to hide it, but, “I’ll always try not to.”
Emily’s question get a shake of the head, “Not exactly.” Kaylee leans back in her bed again and sighs, knowing that she owes them an explanation. “What I’m going to tell you is not public knowledge and I’d really like to keep it that way…. But a long time ago, when I was young and stupid, I ran with a group led by Adam. One of his targets planted a trigger in my brain. One that would make my body would start shutting down and killing itself if I so much as thought of him.”
Not the complete truth, but they didn’t need to know the whole truth.
“Ended up being the best thing that happened to me, but lately, it’s been a literal curse when we need information.” Hands spread, but she can’t look at either of them. “When I saw Adam in Devon’s memories, I thought there might be viable information that could be useful in hunting him down and stopping whatever he is doing.”
Looking between then, Kaylee continues, “I couldn’t walk away. I have a vision of him standing over my brother with a sword in one hand and an apple in the other.” Not many know about that and now they do. “So, I couldn’t just leave well enough alone, which resulted in…” Kaylee sweeps a hand to draw their attention to the room they’re in.
“As for the how I got rid of it,” The telepath shakes her head and huffs out a small emotional chuckle. “A friend took it away. It was so fucking simple… and we never thought of it.”
“I'm not going to say you should leave well enough alone,” Devon says. That would be hypocritical, especially since his tendencies are to pick at things and keep picking no matter the hurt he causes himself. But when others are involved, he's more cautious with their well being. Such explains the warning look that follows. “But a warning would've been good. We might've been better prepared.”
He looks to Emily, trying to read her thoughts on the subject. He isn't a telepath, though, so it's really just a long stare and trying to gauge her mood by expression only.
“We really do appreciate what you've done though.” Devon's eyes tick back to Kaylee. “Richard hasn't said he's found anything or where he's looked. Or if. But this little bit helps. I can tell Command, maybe… between the groups we’ll find answers. Better answers.”
"An apple?" Emily echoes back, the image in her mind a strong one. She doesn't have a clue what Adam looks like, but nonetheless, the outline of it forms. "What, an apple like…" she murmurs for only herself. … the forbidden fruit? Some piece of knowledge?
Her gaze flits back to Kaylee afterward, too caught up to catch Devon's stare. There's little to be seen on her except that she's deep in thought. She's trying to line all the pieces up, best that she can. When dealing with someone like Richard, when coming from a person who was involved with the Company, who worked with the Vanguard, who's lived as long as they have, who's done what they have … what would even qualify as a forbidden fruit for that sort of person?
Was it what they'd done to, what they'd learned from Devon? Was it something else? Something worse?
With a blink, she reminds herself Kaylee's a telepath, not a seer like Eve is. But still, people don't just get visions, Emily.
There's a pause, Emily's gaze settling on Kaylee's. "I'm probably being loud again," she apologizes, her voice even. After the realization, something shifts in her, thoughts coating over with gauzelike netting. It muffles what had resonated from her clearly only moments before. Only after does she turn to look at Devon, her brow furrowing. Even with the care she's taken to start obscuring her thoughts, worry for him bleeds through.
"Kaylee, without you, we wouldn't know even half of what we do now. So really, thank you. We're just glad you're all right, you know?" She turns back to the telepath for only a moment with a small smile. "And hopefully we'll be able to fill in the rest of the blanks. Figure out the why with time." Her hand slides from the bedframe, reaching for Devon's. "Figure out what needs done next."
“You are,” Kaylee says to Emily with amusement. “And welcome to my world. The world many of us have been living in for a long time.” she adds after with a small sad smile, as if sorry they had to do that. Step into the world that lurks in the shadows. “I was around y’all’s age when I started into all the crazy. Just… tread carefully, especially when it comes to Adam.” Kaylee gives them significant looks, but she doesn’t tell them to leave it well alone. It was something she can’t do either.
“And your welcome,” Kaylee offers shifting the subject a bit. “It’s what I do. I kick down doors.” There is a touch of mischief with those words. “You know how to find me if you need anything else.” Kaylee glance up at the balloons with great amusement, “And thanks for those… I now have an escape plan.” Glancing past them to the door, she says quietly, “I’m ready to escape. Going, freaking crazy in here.”
As Emily's hand slides into his, Devon stands. “Don't push yourself too fast.” He can't help but include the suggestion. It wasn't that long ago he was being told the same. “At least wait until after visiting hours, when there are less people around to see you.” Sound advice, right? It's like he knows how to escape the jail that is the hospital.
With his usual, slightly lopsided grin, he looks at Emily and then to the door. It's time they should be going. “Let us know if you want anything,” he directs that to Kaylee even while starting for the door. “Even after you're free.”
Emily stays, though. There's one last thing she'd be remiss not to mention, and she keeps turned Kaylee's direction even as Devon's hand drags her along with him. After rooting herself, she says in parting, "I saw her again, by the way. It's a while back now, but I told her you were asking after her." Lips purse for a moment, and she adds, "She didn't say much, but I'm not sure she can, at the moment. If I had to guess, she's busy trying to fill those shoes she inherited."
Reaffirming her grip around Devon's hand, she smiles thinly. "But that's all I've got. Like Devon said, if you need anything, let us know."
The mention of Eileen fades Kaylee’s smile at the edges, but there is a small nod. “Thank you, Emily. All I can ask for.” The smile widens a bit more. “And thank you both for coming to see me and… you know… not yelling at me.” There is a touch of amusement in Kaylee’s words.
“I’ll see you around,” Kaylee feels confident about that.