Participants:
| Scene Title | Call Me |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Brian leaves 11 messages on Veronica's cell phone before visiting her in person, telling her Phoenix's plans to kill Arthur Petrelli, and questioning her loyalty to both Company and him. |
| Date | July 22, 2009 |
Veronica's Apartment, Dorchester Towers
Minimalist and modern without being too much like a mausoleum, this apartment is one large room — wherever one stands, one can see the other "rooms." The kitchen is sleek with black lacquer and stainless steel. The living room boasts a comfortable white faux-suede couch with black throw pillows, a black walnut coffee table, and a large plasma screen television. A black entertainment center holds many DVDs and CDs, an Ipod docking station and surround sound. The dining room is simply a black walnut table with six high-back chairs. A small hallway leads to a single large bedroom with a King-sized bed and simple white down comforter with more black walnut furniture. A bathroom in the hallway is simple — a large shower, a vanity sink, a toilet — the basics.
One missed call.
"Veronica, it's me. I know you're back. I really miss you. Call me back when you get this, I have to see you soon."
Three missed calls.
"Vee. It's me again. Have you just not checked your phone or are you not calling me back on purpose? Listen if you're mad about the Costa Rica thing, I have a very valid explanation that I know you're going to understand, okay? So just call me back."
Seven missed calls.
"Vee. This is ridiculous. You're turning me into one of those crazy obsessive girlfriends, stop acting like a child, and call me back."
Ten missed calls.
"I'm sorry I yelled on my last message. Call me back?"
Eleven missed calls.
"I'm coming over."
Three firm knocks land on the door. Fuck the Company watching the place, they can see him for all he cares right now. Brian has come a calling, dressed somewhat nice. It took him the longest on deciding what was the appropriate level of formality for grovelling to a significant other for forgiveness. His baseball hat is pulled low, to disguise himself just a bit.
"Vee. I know you're home. Answer the damn door."
Veronica's phone is indeed turned off. She didn't remember to turn it on after getting off the airplane. It's not like she had anyone to call to let them know she was safe. She was home a week early after all. She's sleeping on the couch when the knock sounds on the door, and jumps slightly, the noise rousing her. She's confused for a moment — she's been camping in the mountains and beaches of Costa Rica, and the clean, modern decor of her apartment is a sharp contrast to the lush nature she's been surrounded by.
She stands, carefully. Her arm is in a sling that's somehow gotten tangled up in her hair, which she yanks free. She heads to the door, peering through the hole to be sure it's Brian, then opens the door. "What the hell are you cussing at my door for?"
"I'm not cussing." Brian retorts quickly, looking over his shoulder to see if anyone is watching their exchange. Though it's not apparent if the presence of other people would have him stop his triade. "Now, I'm fucking cussing. Why won't you answer your phone? I called like twenty times."
Though when her frame fully fills up the door his anger melts away. His tight expression fades and is replaced with a dopey infatuation, complete with a slight cock of his head to the left. A dumb smile creeps up his lips as he looks at her.
"Hi."
Veronica's wearing just shorts and a loose peasant-style blouse, the ugly blue of her sling dark against the white fabric of the top. "Hi. I didn't even turn my phone on, Brian. I'm here six days ahead of schedule, so I didn't think anyone was looking for me yet, or worried about me. How'd you know I'm back, anyway?" she asks, stepping back to let him in, giving a shake of her head at his needless anger. "Geez. Twenty times? I told you my phone wouldn't be reachable when I was in Costa Rica. Which, by the way, was great. Why didn't you show?"
Stepping in and nudging the door close with his foot, he turns and locks it. A quick motion has the chain done and he's stepping towards her. A deep frown sets on his features and he ignores her questions for now. "What happened?" He asks, as if upset with her. He tries to step closer to examine it. Absent mindedly he answers her questions, "I was watching the building off and on to make sure you didn't have Company goons searching your place while you were gone. And.. I was going to come. I really was, and I'm very sorry we wasted your money on a plane ticket. But— some things happened." He waves a hand as if those things don't matter. "I'm sorry." He takes another step forward, one hand going to encircle her and press her towards him.
"I missed you.
She glances down at her arm in the sling and shrugs with only her right, uninjured shoulder. "Dislocated shoulder. I fell. It'll be fine. It's why I came back early." She frowns a little as she looks up into his face. She knows he wouldn't waste a plane ticket, and especially that he would not come to see her, if it wasn't something serious. "What's happened? Is your sister okay? Are you okay?" she asks, letting him embrace her and reaching with her one free hand to touch his cheek.
"Come on Vee." He moves his head into her hand, his features softening significally at her touch. His eyes close for a moment then open back up, his free hand going to intertwine with her free hand. "Can't you at least say you missed me? You know you did." He sighs at her questions. "I'm fine. Gillian's fine." A little shrug of his shoulders. "He died. The other me."
She frowns as he asks for her to admit something — she's not good at being kind, being soft and he knows that — didn't he fall for her because she was none of those things? Her eyebrows rise. "Brian Fulk?" she asks, tilting her head curiously. "How did he die? What happened? How…" she frowns, knowing the questions sound impersonal. "Are you okay? You… felt that, didn't you. You felt him die." She remembers how it felt when her temporary clones died… it hurt like hell. Her eyes fill with tears for the other him and the loss that he no doubt felt, even if he didn't know his other self. "Are you okay?" she repeats.
A little exasparated sigh escapes his lips. "I'm fine." He answers, "No I didn't feel anything. I'm Company trained, remember? I didn't even know until Gillian told me. I.. Well that's something we have to talk about." He shakes his head. "Are you crying? Vee. I'm fine. Really it's not that big of a deal. I'm still alive." His hand gives hers a little squeeze. "I'm fine. Arthur Petrelli killed him, leader of Pinehearst. I suspect it was because I refused to work for him. I'm assuming he thought Brian was me. And now.." A shrug. "He probably doesn't know I'm still around but, he blew up the lighthouse. Gillian saved the kids but.." Hm.
She nods and blinks back the tears, her face clear of its clouds once more. "I'm sorry though. That's… well, probably hard on you," she says a bit awkwardly. Sympathy isn't her forte. "What do we have to talk about?" she asks, pulling her feet up beneath her on the couch. She frowns a little in discomfort, and reaches around her neck with her free hand, letting go of his, to pull of the sling. She sighs a little with relief, then winces as her arm straightens out.
Collapsing on the couch with her, two fingers run down her now free arm tenderly. "I'm fine, Vee." He insists. "Gillian convinced me.." A breath is taken. "I have to pretend to be Brian. I've been practicing and memorizing things.. Studying his relationships," his hands help him explain as he speaks, "And.. Abigail Beauchamp. Remember her? Bartender? She's helping me get all his-my relationships sorted out."
Veronica's eyes widen. "Abby's helping you pretend to be Fulk? Why? Why not let it be known he's dead?" she asks, shaking her head in confusion. "That… sounds dangerous. I mean, you're operating under the assumption that Petrelli killed him because he was angry at you, but what if he really wanted to kill Fulk — now you're putting yourself in Fulk's place…"
"We're going to kill Petrelli. So that point is moot." Brian murmurs. "You can come if you want. Sure to be a hell of a good time." The ex-agent offers. "Might even get you kharma in CompanyLand. If you're still hanging with them." He intones gently, eyeing her for a moment. "He takes care of kids Vee. He's all these kids have." He lets that sink in. "And.. the Company isn't looking for Brian Fulk."
She listens and lifts her eyes to his, watching his gray eyes seriously with her dark ones. She gives a single shake of her head. "How?" she asks, then realizes the one word question may not be clear, "How are you going to kill him?"
"Phoenix has a plan." He gives a shrug, not really caring what the plan is. "I'm taking lots of guns." Winters murmurs, leaning over slowly he goes to plant a soft kiss on her jawline. "Anyway. How was the trip baby?" He asks, giving a little smile at his subject change, hoping she'll let him get away with it.
"Guns?" she says with a shake of her head. "You better have a better plan than that. The guy came back from the dead or something, from what I understand. I don't know much about him but… I don't think it's going to be easy, Brian. And I can't get mixed up with Phoenix. I'm still Company. If they want Company's help on it, they should go ask for it, but otherwise… I can't get caught in something like that." She glances down, waiting for his reaction — her me-time was supposed to give her some insight to her future, and apparently that die has been cast.
"So you're Company. Forever." Brian drolls rather quietly. "True to the Company?" He shifts on the couch to face her, and then places his wrists together, palms facing upwards. "If your Company, then you should be taking me away, right?" Winters asks, all mirth and humor vanishing from his features, watching her stoically.
Veronica gets up and strides to the window overlooking the street. "Some of the stuff the Company's done… it might not be right, but I don't know what else to do with my life, Brian. Goodman's gone, and Denton's a good guy… I trust him, even if I'm not sure about everything else. He doesn't lie to me, though he could," she murmurs, her back turned to him. "I'm not taking you away because they shouldn't have taken you in the first place, Brian. You weren't a threat and it was wrong to do what they did to you. That's one of the few black or white things in this gray world, Brian. Most of what happens at the Company isn't black or white. I've done things that are good — that saved lives in the long run… I know I have. And if I run away from them… I won't have any sort of life. I won't have a resume. I won't have a career. It'll be all gone."
"I won't be gone." Winters points out matter of factly. "You could always work at Mrs.Hadley's bakery." A little grin crawls up his lips as he imagines for a moment Veronica working at a bakery. It's enough to make him laugh at his own joke. "Well.. So are you saying you don't want to be with me, anymore?" Winters asks finally, after he sobers up from his laughing fit. The thought is enough to make his brows droop and lips sag.
She frowns and turns around, leaning against the window. "I didn't say I didn't want to be with you. I just said that I'm still with the Company. Is it one or the other? Are you giving me an ultimatum?" she asks, her chin tilting upward slightly as she looks up toward him, her eyes narrowing slightly as her own stoic mask begins to slide back into place.
"No. Just.. Well do you want to be with me?" He goes to get up and walk after her. Not able to stop himself from smirking as she starts to make that face. "Stubborn." He mutters very quietly. "I'm just saying.. If you're Company and you're with me. We'll have to be hiding all the time. Secret affair type deal-ie."
She frowns as he smirks, eyes narrowing further as she catches that muttered comment. "You're already hiding," she points out, and glances away. "But you know… you know I'm not the type to want a quiet little life somewhere, Brian. Would you even like me if I were that kind of girl? If I leave the Company, we both have to hide. I'd go stir crazy. I … we can try to do this, but it's dangerous." She pauses and looks up at him, her dark eyes solemn.
"You like dangerous." He notes as he closes the distance between them. "And I have a lot of lives to go before I actually die." His arms go to encircle her, though he is mindful of her arm. "So are we going to do this, then?"
She brings her arms around him, wincing slightly as her shoulder adjusts to the movement of the left. "As long as you don't hate me and resent me because I'm still with them," she says quietly. "That may change, but right now… I'm just not ready to leave, in spite of everything." She leans her forehead against him. "When do you go to Petrelli?"
Brian doesn't answer the hate or resentment comment. Instead he points her chin up with two fingers in order to plant a deep kiss on her lips. After he pulls back, "Tomorrow." The Company issue seems to be dropped. For now.
"Call me when it's done. Or when you're out of there. So I know you're okay," she says, leaning to rest her head on his shoulder. "Can you stay tonight?" she asks, in a softer voice. It's not a seduction ploy — it's the knowledge it might be the last time she sees him, if things go very badly tomorrow.
Going to set his chin on top of her head, his hand goes to rub up and down her back gently. "Of course, Vee." Winters murmurs, taking a step back to break up their embrace. His hand goes to take her hand, fingers intwining with hers. "I'll call you as soon as I can, okay?" He says in a soothing tone as he gives a little tug on her hand, leading her towards the bedroom.