Participants:
Scene Title | Being Good |
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Synopsis | Joseph and Kaylee meet when a Ferrymen supply run is seen to, and talk around a few things. |
Date | October 28, 2009 |
Staten Island: McRae's Safehouse
The McRae safehouse is fairly quiet during that time not long after breakfast, when people are stuff with food and feeling a bit sluggish. A few kids play tag through the house while a watching adult shouts at them to slow down. Kaylee is busy cleaning the kitchen after a busy meal, part of her chores while being there. Use to take her forever to do the work, when she was on deaths door, but she had been too proud to ask for help. Now that she's feeling pretty much whole, except for the occasional twinge of nausea — a left over effect of the ability that had been used on her.
She hums a little to the music playing from a pair of white earbuds stuck in her ears, sounds like 'Mr. Jones' by the Counting Crows by the sound of it. Thank goodness she can at least carry a tune. She bops a bit, kind of dancing in place, as she sprinkles the sink down with Comet and starts to scrub it with a sponge, the scraping sound easily heard over her humming.
If the sound of an engine can't quite cut through the tinny tune of her music rattling in her ears, then Kaylee will at least notice the presence of a car cruising in, curving up to park near the house in a hesitant kind of crawl. A light blue Daihatsu that's never seen this place comes to a small, shuddered halt, followed by the customary sound of doors creaking opened and closed.
The sky is heavy with rainfall, although right now, the day sees a patch of dryness in the air, enough that Joseph Sumter doesn't have to run towards the door, although he appears to be somewhat rained on from prior errands during the day. A brown jacket with a woolen collar pulled over a conservative button down, over more casual jeans and boots, he is by and large an unremarkable sight as he makes crunching foot steps up towards the safehouse.
He's not alone, either. A dark haired man, slightly younger if taller and broader shouldered than Jo is moving for the trunk of the car, pushing it open.
Glancing up from the sink and out of the window, Kaylee pauses in her cleaning. Blonde brow lift slightly as she watches them for a moment, before quickly rinsing the sink and hurrying for her room that is shared with some others. There, she hurries to switch from the crappy pair of gray sweats she's been wearing, about going down when one leg catches. These are tossed aside for at least a decent pair of jeans. She scrambles to tug the jeans on, straighten the NYU sweat shirt she's wearing, and hurry back out. Shoving her feet into a pair of sneakers, she starts for the door. Just before she opens it, she suddenly realizes her hair is a mess and yanks the scrunch from it and pats her hair down.
By time they reach the door, Kaylee is yanking the door open and flashing a bright smile. "Welcome boys. Can I help you?"
"Hey," is Joseph's greeting, completely oblivious to the tornado of appearance-improving that just transpired behind the closed door, bringing up a hand to rub at his forehead, where strands of damp, dark hair cling to his skin. There's no recognition for the woman in near-black eyes, hand dropping again and glancing back towards the car, then back to her, smile remaining. "Sorry if no one called ahead, we're just bringing by some supplies— food and necessities, some medical stuff if you need it. I'm told this is McRae's place?"
He doesn't know the name, either, not really - it falls foreign to him, clearly this being his first time around to this particular safehouse. A cheery enough demeanor isn't quite enough to disguise the fact he's been recently sick, for the keen observer, pallid and underfed and overslept, whereas the other man is slightly more robust, approaching the house with a cardboard box in his hands.
"I'm Joseph, by the way," the pastor thinks to add.
If it's one thing Kaylee knows all about, it is being sick, having only just gotten over all that kind of stuff herself."Supplies?" She asks curiously and then brightens, "Wonderful, lord knows we needed it." She shifts to the side and opens the door wider for Joseph and his companion. The younger of the two getting a sly little smile, before she adds looking to Joeseph again, "And yes, this is McRae's place. Watch out though, kids are playing tag, don't want you to get tripped up." She studies the man as he gets closer.
"I should be saying my name is Ethal.. but I can not in good conscious let you associate me with that name.. So… Hello," She gives a brief jerking wave of her hand and a smirk, " I'm Kaylee. Come on in. Felicity will be thrilled to have her medical supplies replenished. Especially the bandaids. Kids are really good about scraping knees."
"Neil," is the introduction from the younger of the two, and a quick smile and, "It's nice to meet you," before he's moving on ahead of Joseph. The box is open to the elements - canned food, bread, a couple of packets that she will have to figure out later, a box of cereal, standard donation things. From the infinitely practical to the kind comforts.
Navigating his own way to the kitchen, Kaylee and Joseph are left at the door, and he invites her towards the car with a tilt of his head. "Here, help me get some of this stuff. Ethal? They pin you with that name?" He's headed for the car, scratching the back of his neck as he goes, wedding ring glinting in the hazy overcast light. "Real sorry to hear that. Kaylee it is." The car is reasonably full, as much as one of its kind can be. A couple of other heavy boxes of food and water, which Joseph reaches his hands for, tugging it out and nodding towards where a separate kit has been put together - bandages, disinfectant, bandaids, even ones with cartoons on, as well as some heavier duty things like what's needed for suturing. It's all perhaps surprisingly organised and near professional.
"We got some extra clothes, too, for those that don't got enough," he adds, because, well. You never do know when it comes to these places, and how many people are packed for the long haul and how many arrived with the clothes on their backs and little else.
Watching 'Neil' disappear into the house, Kaylee almost misses the question., "Huh? Help? Sure." She offers brightly, moving to follow the other man, she glances back at the house again. It's been a long time since she's felt well enough to flirt. She wrinkles her nose as the name is repeated. "Yes, I swear whoever made the ID for me either knew me… the guy I was running from, or just had a sick twisted sense of humor." Eyeing the supplies Kaylee looks impressed, "I have to say this whole Ferrymen outfit impresses the hell out of me. If I had known it was here.. I doubt I would have ever fallen in with bad people." She hefts a box and gives a bit of a soft grunt, she might look better, but she's still not up to par, but she bears the weight without complaint.
Shifting that box, Kaylee gives a short nod. "The clothes will be wonderful. I know when I came here, I had very little." She moves to lead the way to the house. "So Joseph… you have kids? I see your married." The ring was definitely not missed, the good looking and seemingly stable ones are always married.
"We're workin' on it," Joseph says, with a grateful smile at her words for the Ferrymen and their means. "I do my part at a sort of— " He hefts the box up, weighed as it is with water and cans, although like Kaylee, he makes no complaint. "Sort of a central supplies kinda deal. We make sure this stuff gets out to the 'houses around the city, try to make it run smooth. It's not always this simple, I'll tell you what."
Walking with her up to the house, Kaylee gets a glance as if to ask, what are you, psychic?— irony aside, there— before he looks towards where his hand is gripping the edge of the cardboard, ring there for all to see. "Kids, no. Married, kinda." The half-smile that accompanies that grows a little wry.
"Ouch… Trouble in wedded bliss central, huh?" Kaylee gives him a sympathetic look, but presses on not wanting to make him discuss a difficult topic. "Anyhow… Yeah.. I only learned about all this after I had to get away from my former employer. They stuck me in this safehouse and while I don't have everything anymore, it's been an eye opening experience for me." She glances at him and grins. "Plus, you meet the most interesting people and I admit, I have a weakness for causes. It's always a failing for me." She passes on the box of Medical supplies to a waiting Felicity, before motioning him to follow her into the kitchen with his box of food supplies.
"When Chicago Air was doing that whole soup truck thing I'd help out when I could…. at least til Adam forbid me from coming to Staten." The blonde frowns for the first time since the men showed up,"I… uh… Anyhow, yeah.. You can put that box over there on the counter." She motions to an empty space. "So how did you get all caught up in this?"Her tone a touch more subdued.
Moving as directed, Joseph hefts up the box and pushes it into place, nodding towards Neil who comes to stand in the doorway and peer in inquiringly. "Hey— wanna grab one of the clothing bags? Can have Kaylee pick through," Joseph says, which has the younger Ferrymen nodding and headed out to run that particular errand. Joseph remains in the kitchen, however, hands pushed into the pockets of his jacket as he glances out the window, towards where rain is threatening to come down.
"Failing?" is repeated, vaguely amused, before he shrugs his shoulders. "I had a church, in Manhattan. Baptist. It was kind of geared towards people like us," and he's assuming, there, "and— you know, it's hard to say how I got tied in. I was lookin' for a way to help, followed some heartell over at St. John's Cathedral, met a few organisers, an' here I am."
Leaning his back against the counter, hands coming to brace it, he asks, "You gonna be workin' with the Ferry, then? Or just hanging out for a while 'til you're back on your feet?"
"Failing, yes… I have a weakness for it all." She pulls a box of cereal out of one of the food boxes and opens a cabinet to stuff it in. She glances at the box and smirks, showing him the front. "Frosted flakes. Love these as long as I eat them before they get soggy. They get soggy.. I gag." Then the box is set in the cupboard. "A Baptist pastor?" She gives him a look over as she shuts the door, "My grandma is a baptist. Anyhow.. this kind of thing has always apealed to me, it is odd… not sure why. Since I was younger I've been trying to help others in less pleasant situations. I guess cause my dad was this big time lawyer here in New York and kinda snubbed the little guys… like my mom." She gives him a bit of a smile, before digging through the box more setting items out on the counter to be sorted.
"I'm not sure what I'm going to do now that I'm free to kinda live my life again. I kind of promised someone's mother I'd look out for him." She pauses in her box sorting looking highly amused at the thought. "But I don't know. I admit this whole thing is tempting. I'm a people person. Love people, love being around them, love helping them…. but dunno. Have to see, I'm not exactly a good girl. If I was I wouldn't be here," She give a shrug and smiles at Joseph. "It is tempting though."
Kaylee gets a nod of confirmation. Yes, a Baptist pastor. He stands idle for the time it takes for her to put away cereal, to sift through the rest of the box, before he's moving as well to help pull things out. Ground coffee, flour, tea of two kinds, brown crystal sugar. Among other things, too, such as cleaning agent, dish washing detergent, baking soda. It's these that Joseph opts to put away, locating the cupboard under the sink where it seems most likely.
"You sound 'good' to me," he says, where he rests a knee against the ground as he puts things away, making sure they're orderly. "You know, if that's what tempts you. For most people, bein' charitable is a hardship. Not because we don't want to help but it doesn't mean there ain't a need for strength in it. Maybe you should follow what comes natural to you, when it don't for so many of us."
Handing over a box to be placed in the cabinet he's got open, Kaylee gives him an amused look. "Maybe good in some ways, but… like I said. I wouldn't be here if I was all good." She tilts the box a bit and then pulls out a few more items, before tossing the box on the floor to get it off the counter. "I would still be at the university getting my degree, out partying with friends and all that." Her words trail off her smile fading away a bit at the edges. "Seems like a lot longer then a handful of months ago." Her brows drop a bit in thought and then she shakes her head, the smile returning. "Not that it matters. I'm here now. I don't know. I might see if they could use my help."
Turning to rest against the counter, the palms of her hands resting on the edge she glances into the room beyond, "I feel like I owe them my help, anyhow. When I came here, I was in really bad shape. I was actually dying." Her brows lift as she look at him. "There are people out there with some nasty abilities and I ran into one." She nods towards the other room. "They took me in without question. That's pretty cool you know?"
Sighing softly, she pushes away from the counter giving Joseph an apologetic look. "Sorry.. I sure you don't need to hear about stuff like that. I just get a bit chatty sometimes, worse lately now that I'm feeling better."
"I did pastoral counseling, back when I had a church. It takes a lot of listening, so don't mind me. I haven't been feeling so great either, lately." Scooting back, Joseph shuts the cupboard once everything is stowed away, clasping the edge of the counter so as to better lever himself to his feet. "Not anything like dying, though - sorry to hear you went through somethin' like that." That sounds genuine, with a more measured smile to accompany it.
Picking up the cardboard box, hanging it loosely in his hand, Joseph adds, "There's always need for an extra set of hands. But otherwise, I dunno - the Ferry don't ask for much in return. And you're not doing so great at convincing me," and his smile turns a little more wry, "I've met bad people. You don't slot into that category."
Kalyee gives the pastor a genuine smile. "Thanks. I learned a lot from it all though, so it wasn't a total loss. It's amazing what you learn about yourself when your mortality is staring you in the face everyday." Her eyes narrow a bit as she considers him, the smile still there. "And I'm sorry to hear you haven't been feeling too great either. Being sick sucks." She admits with a grin.
A motion to the door with her head, she adds, "Come on. I don't want to keep you from your rounds with my babbling. Let me walk you out at least. Nice to actually meet someone new. Like I said. Staying here I've met some interesting people." She motions to Joseph with a chuckle, "Exhibit A. Someone that seems to think I'm alright." She teases, with a grin.. It's obvious that she'll not be easily swayed. "Should come by again, maybe I can sway you by telling about my time with one Adam Monroe." There is a small grimace at the mention of his name. "For awhile, it seemed like people were coming out of the woodworks wanting to talk about him."
Moving with Kaylee, Joseph gives a helpless shrug. "Sorry, I dunno that name," he says, watching the ground pass by beneath his feet as they make for out, where a light rainfall has taken to coming down in spitting, barely noticeable drops of water, making needle-fine streaks of it against glass and the gleaming metal of his car. "But I could stand to get out of the tunnels sometimes. If you'd have the company, anyways. Staten Island ain't so bad. Relatively."
Neil approaches from where he'd been shifting things around within the car, a sizeable plastic bag hanging from his grip as he heads towards where the two head out. It's offered out to Kaylee with a chin up. "If there's anything in there that doesn't fit, or you don't want, just toss it in a wardrobe for whoever does," the younger man advises, before switching a look to Joseph. "We should get going, got two other places to stop before the ferry's moving out at three."
"Sure, be right with you," the pastor agrees, relinquishing the emptied cardboard box to the other Ferryman, who moves back towards the car. He swivels a step back towards Kaylee, even as it shifts back towards the car. "For someone who's been through a lot, you're doing pretty well for yourself. It's nice to see."
"Staten isn't too bad if you don't let it get to you." Kaylee admits, her tone positive. "I use to come to come to the island all the time, it was the place to come if you wanted to really party." Her smiles takes on a mischievous edge and gives him a wink. "Not that I did much partying, but some people can be amusing when they are drunk and what not. Plus, I was able to make sure they'd get him alright."
Neil gets a smile as he approaches. "Thanks for bringing the stuff. I'm sure McRae would have thanked you both himself, but he's been awfully busy. I haven't even really talked to him much." When then she gives Joseph her full attention again. "Honestly, I'd love the company. My one source of adult conversation is a moody puppeteer." Her eyes give a bit of a roll, "He's good people though." She gets a thoughtful look and holds up her finger, before slipping back into the house.
It's only moments before Kaylee slips back outside, ducking against the drizzle. When she gets close enough, she offers him a torn corner of a coloring book page, her name and phone number scrawled on it in green crayon. "I… ah…. it was all I could find in a hurry." Her cheeks actually color a bit with embarrassment. "The voice mail will say Ethal.. but it is my cell. Don't be afraid to call. Whether it's for help or you know.. whatever.. I can listen just as well." In more ways than one, but she doesn't say it out loud. No need to make him run away by saying 'Hey! I'm a telepath.'
And it might just. Make him run away, that is, but that's unexplored territory left ignored and yawning between them as he extends a hand out through the space between them to take the scrawl of crayon. She doesn't know he's a precognitive either, as much as that might mean little for the man himself. No comment, either, at Staten Island being a fun place to come party, just an amused, wider smile at the wink and a shrug to wave away responsibility for knowing what that even means.
"Thank you," Joseph says, carefully folding the paper over and slipping it into his pocket. "I'd— have one for you but the tunnels aren't hooked up like that and I don't have a phone myself. Yet."
And now it's his turn to ramble, or at least, recognise that he's on the brink of it and save himself in the nick of time. "You have a good rest of the day, Kaylee," he finishes on, with a rueful smile. "You're welcome about the supplies." And with that, he's headed for the driver's door of the Daihatsu, wrenching it open as Neil ducks into the passenger seat.
"Well, now you have a way to contact me when you have one." Kaylee points out with a small smile. "And you know… drop by… it's a good group." When he starts for the car, Kaylee lifts a hand in farewell and backs up under an eve. "Take care out there, Joseph." She calls after him, "It was nice to meet you."
Slipping into the house, she shuts the door behind her and leans against it letting out a whoosh of air she relaxes. Kaylee purses her lips a bit and sighs, her look a bit disappointed. "Figures…. Good looking… taken… and a man of God." Her eyes roll to look upward. "Your punishing me aren't you." She pushes away from the door, reaching down to scoop up the bag of clothing. Murmuring, she moves into the room so that she can sift through the clothing, "Not the type that looks twice at you anyhow."