Participants:
| Scene Title | An Introvert On The Beach |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Liz takes a moment to talk to Alia after the wedding |
| Date | August 6, 2019 |
Beach somewhere in the Virgin Islands
Deep blue tropical waters froth gently up onto moon-kissed white sand beaches surrounded by lush, dark forest. It's not a huge group of people standing there, and this is not the first time this cove has seen such an event. It is, perhaps, more rare to see it happen this way — with the moon and stars providing most of the light while torches of firelight provide the rest.
Alia is the last person one would normally find at a big party. The fact that she’s purposefully keeping distance between herself and Warren likely just makes whatever spot of beach she claims for her own at the moment is relatively speaking quiet and peaceful. After all, there’s only so much chaos a girl can take in one day.
"You doing okay out here?" Elisabeth's voice may come as a surprise, or maybe not… the party isn't really that large and people are enjoying the peacefulness and beauty of the locale in small groups. She moves to slide her hand down the back of her skirt before settling on the sand next to the technopath. "It's been a little busy today."
Alia simply -hugs- Liz. No explanation, no words, just a big firm hug. And then, in a quiet little voice. “This, much much better than alternative.” Alia has no fear of exactly what kind of people-mess she’d be dealing with if this happened in NYC.. “And, two people I care about happy? Not sure how to make it -better- than that.” She grins.
Leaning into the hug, Elisabeth smiles some. "Well…. hopefully everyone else will understand." She shrugs a little. "I didn't really want a wedding at all. I just wanted us." Looking out over the water, she's quiet for a long moment. "When it all goes to hell again, I don't want to regret things I didn't say."
Maybe that's a horrible way to think about things, but… it's been a long few years.
Alia looks out to the water at that comment, blushing just a bit, but she nods. She sighs and nods. "Regrets." She muses, then shrugs. Because she didn't have a good answer to that. Not that she herself could put in words. INstead she just frowns and stares outward. "… I… hmmm." She sighs. "Yeah."
Slanting a smile at Alia, Elisabeth says softly, "I'm glad he asked you to come. We were just bringing parents, kids, and siblings, but… you and Raquelle were the people who anchored him all those years. I'm grateful every day for both of you." And for Cassandra and another version of Felix on her own end, the touchstones of her own sanity during those years.
"That, and I'd have had panic fit, and tasked old satellites on imaging to find you all." Alia notes dryly. There aren't many people who can -stay- hidden from Alia if she really puts her mind to it _and_ knows where they started their missing persons moment from. "And wouldn't have been anywhere else." She pauses as she considers. "Most people thought me a bit… in denial."
"When …. back then?" Elisabeth comments. "I'm not terribly surprised by that. Hell, Alia…" There's a long moment where she thinks. "I wouldn't have blamed him for moving on or anything. There was no reason to really believe anything else." She pauses and then smiles slightly, looking at the other woman. "It means a lot to me that you and Harmony were so convinced."
Alia smiles. "Figure if I can stop the first nuclear mess of San Fran, you can survive an attempted black hole failure." She is showing some snark there. And she shakes her head. "As for him moving on… Maybe if someone induced amnesia in his head. Otherwise, fat chance. He might, for a while, not believed alive, but moving on? No." What can you say? Alia may know a bit of Richard's habits.
Elisabeth's eyes flicker back toward the bar where the man being talked about is chuckling at something being said by Jared. "There was a while there where even I wondered if we were dead and just… tilting at windmills." Her gaze lingers on the sight, smiling when the glance is returned. "I guess neither heaven nor hell are ready for my stubborn ass yet," she chuckles.
When she turns back to look at Alia again, she gives a gentle shrug. "It feels good to be here. Just… away."
"Yeah…" Alia agrees, with a slight smile. "No worries, just for a while?" She grins. "And likely no uninvited guests to make life… interesting?"
Rubbing her forehead for a moment, Elisabeth just smiles a little. "We're still gonna have to have a Thing. But at least I don't feel like I'm just waiting for it all to be snatched away again." She moves to get up. "I should get back. I'm utterly terrified the moms are gonna cat-fight." She laughs… but she's not kidding. Carina pushes Michelle's buttons bad.
"… If you need some help, so long as someone -else- is wrangling Warren." Alia offers, with a wee bit of embarrassment. She -tries- to be civil with him but… it's not her strong suit and she knows it!
Waving at Alia in amusement, Elisabeth just rolls her eyes. "Nah… everyone's gonna either be on good behavior or pair up. They're already doing it." And it's good by her. This is the first true moment of absolute serenity that she's found in a lot of years. "Just enjoy the quiet and the stars, Alia."
Alia gives a grin, albeit a small one, and offers, in a nervous tone. "Hey Liz?" She pauses, awkwardly, considering how to say what she wants to say without shoving her entire foot in her mouth. "… I can't say what others say. So I try to show with acts." She considers. "Stuck by him, to tear a way home for you." She grins. "That says it, hopeful?"
That catches the blonde off-guard, and it's clear from her surprised expression that she's turning the words over in her head. It sheds different light on a few things, and her reaction is lips quirking upward in a small smile. "It says it all," Elisabeth assures gently. Her hand drops to Alia's shoulder and squeezes. "Thank you." For all of it. She's not entirely sure what to do with it, but it doesn't seem to change her reactions to Alia. Her smile as she slips away up the sand toward the bar is thoughtful.
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