Participants:
Scene Title | Changing Plans |
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Synopsis | Lynette's feeling better and Delia is home again, but plans for the 8th keep on changing. |
Date | October 31, 2010 |
Gun Hill: Lynette's Apartment
To say it's been a rough week or so for Ryans and Lynette would be something of an understatement. The course of her detox and withdrawal from Refrain wasn't easy. Fevers and nightmares, twitching, paranoia, vomiting, sweating and extreme depression were just a few among the woman's symptoms. It hasn't been pretty, either. But luckily, the worst of it seems to have passed and she's spent the past couple of days in and out of deep sleep.
Inevitably, it's the middle of the night when she wakes up and is actually alert again for the first time in a while. Not that she can't tell what time it is with windows covered and lights off and so forth. But thirst becomes the driving factor in getting her out of bed and into a robe as she makes her way along toward the kitchen. Still weak, as her stumbling steps give away, it's something of a ruckus, her getting herself to a glass of water. But she is, above all things, very stubborn, of course.
In the darkness of the living room, a figure sits in stoney silence with head propped against fingers. It's hard to make out the features of the person sitting there, but it's definitly male. It would takes a close look to see blue eyes are open and following the movement of the land lady, even as he stays perfectly still, judging her condition.
"How are you feeling?" The words rumble in that familiar voice in the quiet apartment, Benjamin Ryans finally moving to lean forward on the couch, arms resting on his knees, fingers loosely laced together. Moonlight from window, manages to throw some illumination along one side of his face, allowing her to see the concern, he is currently not attempting to hide.
It's been a rough time for him, but not nearly like what she was going through. It hurt to watch her suffer, but he knew it had to be done, so he pushed her along, supported her. Took care of her.
His hair is in need of a hair cut, as it's getting long and shaggy brushing his forehead, laying nearly to his eyes. It's obvious he's been staying on her couch, as it's in a slight disarray. His jaw is even shadowed with a stiff scruff as he hasn't really bothered to shave in the past week. It makes him look even less like the Company agent he had been.
That voice makes her pause and look over toward her couch. That he's been there with her hasn't gone unnoticed, even in the worst moments. He didn't leave. It's something that won't be easily forgotten, either.
"I'm… getting better, I do believe," is the way Lynette chooses to frame her answer, instead of saying weak and drained and shaky. She comes over, though, with her glass, to stand there next to the couch. She doesn't sit quite yet, but she does set her glass down on the coffee table. So it is with cool, damp fingers that she reaches over to brush that scruff on his chin. It's a delicate touch, and comes with a gentle smile. Where he isn't hiding his concern, she isn't hiding that she's moved that he's gone through this with her.
"Have you gotten any sleep at all?"
Back straightening a little and his head tilting enough so that he can look up at her without straining, a hint of a smile touches his lips at the touch. He doesn't stop it, or even reach out for her, somewhat guarded, more then likely with worry. "Some." Is the only answer Ryans gives her, though the dark smudges around his eyes say that he hasn't slept too well, not to mention the rumpled condition of his clothing.
"It's good to see you up and about, though." Those eyes, so observant, study her features carefully for any sign of needing his help. "It is only uphill from here," he states gruffly. "A steep hill, but you have a good start." Ben seems confident has he had been from the start.
"Not enough," Lynette says with a lift of her eyebrow. He can tell, she still needs to get her sealegs back, and is trembling a little, but it's really leaps and bounds better than she has been. "Is it alright if I sit?" She asks with a gesture to the couch.
"Is it too much to ask for a ski lift up this steep hill in front of me?" This question is spoken with something closer to her usual humor, falling short only because she's worn out from her rough week, not for the lack of the spirit behind it.
"As if you need to ask." Benjamin sounds amused that she's even asking, leaning back, which takes him out of the reach of her hand and gestures to the couch. "Sit before you collapse." Obviously, her trembling did not go unnoticed. "Won't be long before you have the strength to move around more. Then you won't need me here.
"Unfortunately, there is no lift up that hill," he muses. "Small steps and support on the journey is all you can hope for." With the 8th closing in, he's still worried she'll push herself too hard.
Bringing her water with her for a drink, Lynette does sit down, just managing not to simply drop onto the cushion. Oof. "Hmm. If that's the case, I might have to fake sick to keep you around," she comments wryly. She leans back, too, though, getting herself comfortable and draping a little.
"That is unfortunate. I hate small steps." Which probably means… he's right to worry. But, she gets serious a moment later, sitting up a little straighter as she looks over at him. "What day is it?" It seems to be a little disturbing, that she honestly could not say how long it's been.
"I believe we are heading into Halloween day," Ryans comments dryly, arm draping across the back of the couch, the other props up his head again, this time angled where he can adress her when she sits next to him. "Delia's back from whatever time journey she was on, but I haven't had a real chance to talk to her yet." His time has been mainly spent at Lynette's watching over her like a hawk and keep her on track.
"The addition to my apartment is almost done, though…" Brows furrow a little as he considers her next words. "I am starting to think we should consider evacuating the whole building." Caring for her has Ryans has been, has given him plenty of time to think. "Not sure where too, but it is an alternate plan."
It's a mixed reaction, the way Lynette's brow furrows, but somehow manages not to look too upset. "Well… we still have some time, then." She looks up when he mentions Delia, her head tilting some. "I'm glad to hear she made it back. I suppose I'll have to explain things to her soon."
As for plans for the 8th, she pauses a moment to consider. "I wouldn't be against it, except that depending on who it is that's raiding the building that night, might be coming here because of those that are compromised. And I'd hate to drop that on another safe house. But, when it gets closer to the day, I'll urge those who aren't to take cover elsewhere for a time. Do me a favor, Ben? Don't listen to the president's speech that day. Don't let your girls, either. Just… no radio… or TV… or whatever else. Play poker instead. Or something."
"What is it about the speech that worries you?" With a request like that, she can't expect the former agent not to ask that sort of question. Ryans head comes off his hand, as he shifts to look at her directly, eyes roaming her shadowed features, for some clue.
"The people that invade your safe house might be coming after my people." Ben comments thoughtfully, head turning a little as he looks away from her. "Of course, in my own vision of the 8th, I am not even here. I'm in some ally with Delia and Huruma, with people closing in on us." His chin drops when his gaze does. "I was yelling at them to go, while I was bleeding profusely." A hand lifts, draped in the glow of the moon, brows furrowing.
" I remember the gun slippery in my hands from all the blood." The hand drops again to the arm of the couch. "But I got to my feet while the others ran, ready to face whatever the foe was to keep my babygirl safe… that's… all I remember."
He then whispers, "I haven't told even a handful of people about it," as he looks her way again, his expression unreadable.
"I got a warning from a friend that… someone is going to interrupt the speech and send out a message that triggers all of it. The riots, the fires… all of it. So just… just don't listen," Lynette says, trying to keep her voice even, but there's a tightness about her features that tells of the fact that she's afraid. And because she's afraid, her mind inevitably strays to the crutch she's been using lately to deal with that fear. And because her mind strays there, her hand comes up to rub the crook of her arm, where under her robe, there's the healing injection marks.
When he talks about his vision, she looks over at him, a frown on her face. "So damn noble," she says, repeating the phrase to herself the way one might an inside joke. Except, without the amusement. "We'll find a safe place for you and your girls, Ben. I mean, who knows why they're coming here. You, me, the Ferry, the Company. Who knows. But they won't get them, whoever it is they want."
Slowly, though, she reaches over to put a hand on his knee, looking down sort of at the couch between them as she goes on. "Just… don't die, okay?"
"My girls ask that of me all the time." The hand on the back of the couch reaches to touch the golden lengths of her hair, fingers combing through just a little of it. Ryans eyes are on his own actions, rather then her, it's hard to keep the guilt of his words off his face. "But I can't make a promise, I possibly can not keep."
He looks at her now, gauging her reaction. "I will do everything in my power to protect the people I care about, even if it means…" He trails off, not needing to finish that sentence.
Leaning towards her a little, he adds gently, "It is a part of who I am and an occupational hazard." He delivers that last with a humorless smile.
"I know you can't," Lynette says, her voice much quieter now. "And I know how far you'll go. Hell, you went into space for christ sake." She lets out a little huff before she looks up at him, expression looking a little unsteady. "But I can't go with you, if you leave here. Not while there's people here I have to get out. Even though I'd like to go and make sure nothing bad happens to you that day. So. I'll tell you to try not to die, and maybe you'll keep it in mind when things start falling to pieces. I'm not sure that made any sense, but there it is."
She's silent for a moment, leaning into the touch to her hair, before she smiles just a little over at him. "Don't look so guilty about it. Damnit, Ben, that part of you is so admirable. Not everyone thinks that way. It's rare. And it's… It just… You're very unique," is what she eventually settles on, although it's obviously not exactly what she was going for.
“I know you can't.” A soft smile plays across Ben's lips, then falls away into a much more serious expression. Strands of blonde are still caught on his fingers, when he brushes the back of them against her cheek. “And I wouldn't ask you to do that, nor would I want you too.
“I imagine if anything pulls me away from this place, must be a damn good reason.” Because at this point, Benjamin Ryans has no plans to leave her to defend the place on her own, with hope some of his people will be there if he can't be. “I'll gather my team together and talk to them… maybe we should call a meeting of residence anyhow.”
Leaning back with a sigh, Ryans presses lips together in a firm line. “We need to tell them what will happen, what's been done to protect people and see if anyone has other ideas for a plan.” Rubbing fingers against his forehead, he slumps back looking tired and worn, since part of his inability to sleep has been the worry about what was coming. It wasn't worry for himself as much as for the others in his life.
"If it isn't a damn good reason, Ben Ryans, I'm going to kick your ass, just as a warning," Lynette says with a broader smile. There's a little bit of hesitation, but the woman scoots closer and leans her head on his shoulder. She's tired! It's the whole… coming off a week and a half of withdrawal symptoms thing! However, her arm draping across him, that's just affection right there. Not that she's planning on admitting it.
"A meeting. We'll do that. Call everyone together get things out on the table… we'll see about getting people who can go to a safer safehouse for the time being and make a plan for those staying." Her head tilts a bit to look up at him, though, her tone gentler as she goes on, "We're doing everything we can to get everyone through this safe, Ben. It'll be alright." She may not believe it herself, but it's hard to tell.
The arm that has been draped along the back of the couch, slides down to loop around her shoulder and draw her close against his side. Resting his head against her's wearily, mouth pressed against her blonde locks, it muffles Ryans words a little. "I'll put the word out."
He never realized how much he missed something as simple as curling up on a couch with a woman — who is not one of his girls — and just resting there, enjoying the company and the warmth of another.
But it also brings back painful memories of his Mary, so it's good that Lynette can't see his eyes screw shut tight against the feeling. Strangely enough he doesn't feel guilt for allowing himself to be close to Lynette, it's just that sensation of loss. Ben's still got a long ways to go, to being able to finally bury that part of his life.
Delia doesn't suffer from insomnia anymore, since manifestation all she has to do is think about sleeping and she's there. With Jaiden out of it for the night, Lucille the same way, she's been up thinking… thinking about how she hasn't gone to see her father since before leaving for Vietnam. There's no excuse, really, they live in the same building. On her part, it was discomfort at seeing her father back then. He definitely wasn't the man she's always seen him as, it's a really good thing Lucille was left behind.
She'd pounded on his door for a good five minutes before seeing the light peeking out from underneath Lynette's. With a liberal roll of her eyes and a heavy sigh, Delia trudges over toward the landlady's door. There's hesitation before she knocks, her father's rumbling voice muffled by the heavy wood is still unmistakable. Hopefully, she's not interrupting anything… not so innocent.
Knock knock knock
Maybe they'll pretend they're not at home and Delia won't need to deal with the woman that tried to give her to the devil. She wouldn't blame the blonde though, misery loves company and if Delia was inflicted with the same addiction then she'd have no worry about needing to stop. The redhead's lips purse into a tight grimace before she swallows whatever pride she has and knocks again.
knock knock knock
"Dad, it's Delia… I just wanted to let you know that I'm home. I'll talk to you tomorrow if you're busy." There, message delivered and the young woman is free to race upstairs to further avoid the new couple. Tucking her hands into the pockets of her flannel pajama bottoms, she turns to head toward the stairs.
Really, it takes the knock to get Lynette to sit back up again, but she doesn't seem upset about the interruption, necessarily. And when it's Delia's voice that calls through the door, there's a soft chuckle from the blonde. It seems she isn't going to get up to answer the door, but she does give Ryans an amused look before she reaches for her glass of water.
"I suppose you better get that. Before she gets ideas, hmm?" Not that the girl doesn't already have those.
The knock on the door has Ryans whole body going still, unmovable… a rock. Then a hand moves towards the side table and a revolver that Lynette might not have seen sitting there before, at least unknown til he draws back the hammer with a *click click*
But then his daughter's voice comes through the door and he relaxes, with a heavy sigh of relief, because not many people will show up at someones door in the middle of the night. "I suppose your right." He states a touch blandly, the hammer eased up and the gun set back on the table, before he pushes himself to his feet.
Delia won't get very far, before she hears the locks rattling and the door opens to show the tired and rumpled form of her father. Seems doubtful he was doing much in there. "Delia." Her name is spoken sharply, but only to get her attention, but there is a small smile on his lips. There is a touch of relief there too, but then he already knew she was back… her dad always has a way of knowing.
"Come in. We were just discussing organizing a meeting for the building." Hand gripping the door, Ben opens it a little more to allow his youngest daughter inside. "Preparing for the 8th."
The tall form of the redhead visibly cringes as her name is barked out into the hall. Ben's always had a way making the girls think he's angry if they're not looking at him. Turning slowly, blue eyes identical to his catch the smile on his face and she greets it with a rather tentative one of her own.
"Hey Dad, just uhm… checking in. I should've come by your place in the morning." Assuming he'd be there, of coruse. Her eyes drift down to the man's arms, particularly the inside of his elbow, a popular injection site. "About that… I was.. uhm… I was thinking about getting Lulu and moving to Jaiden's. A lady told me that this place was likely going to be raided and uhm.. Well Lulu's not exactly the best person equipped to deal with stuff."
The fact that her sister survived on the run for months without any help hasn't changed the younger woman's opinion of her. As she steps through the door, Lynette receives a small smile that's just as reluctant as the one she gave her father. "She wanted to go find Linderman when I got back, like we were best friends or something."
Lynette is in a robe and some pajamas, looking worn and gaunt and pale rather than something really disturbing, like sexy. But as the girl comes in, she lifts an eyebrow in response to that reluctance, the presumed bad influence turning her attention to the glass of water in hand instead of the Ryanses.
But the good news is, the apartment's actually tidy again! And there's not drug paraphernalia laying about either!
"Probably a good idea." Ryans says softly, shutting the apartment door behind his daughter. "At least til after the 8th." If they are away from there and tucked away, then he won't have to leave Lynette to Gun Hill's defense alone.
"I wouldn't have been at my place, if you would have gone there, I've been staying here for awhile." Ben glances over to the woman on the couch, giving her an encouraging smile. "Lynette's been detoxing." There is a gentleness to the words as well as a weariness. It has been a long road. "It's been easier to take over her couch." A hint to his daughter that nothing is going on in the… intimate sense.
Casting a dubious glance between her father and the woman on the couch, Delia just nods, "Couch… right. Did you get Lulu down here to help? It'd be good practice for her and she needs all she can get. She's still wearing gloves outside the apartment, which is great in the fall and winter… but it's not going to be so fantastic in the summer."
There's no mention of Delia's involvement, there was a plan but that fell to the wayside. Looking somewhat uncomfortable, the redhead rocks back and forth on her heels and toes before licking her lips and finally looking over at Lynette again. "How are you doing with that? I was going to… uhm… I had a plan that would've … uhm… well you wouldn't have suffered at all. I just don't think it's a good idea anymore."
It all has Lynette glancing about got her cigarettes, really. A psychological habit, that one. Of course, she really doesn't know where they are anymore, if they're even still here. So, she settles for taking a drink from her water before she looks over at the girl, a smirk set on her lips. Nevermind the various signs of instability, like shaking hands and bags under her eyes.
"It's fine," she says, hooking an arm over the back of the couch. She watches her for a long moment, though, after those last words, before she adds, "He's not what you think he is." She just can't… let the bad impression from their last meeting stand, apparently.
"Don't start." Ryans states flatly, not missing that look and her tone of voice. "There is nothing going on," he gently chides, Moving past his daughter, head shaking a bit, but there might be a touch of amusement there. "And no… I have not had your sister helping.
"I know there were plans in work and I was going to have you girls help." Hands moves to rest on his hips has he stands there, eyes to the floor. "But… it was necessary, even with you gone to… Vietnam." Benjamin glances up at his daughter then, eyes roaming over her looking for any signs of injury.
If there are any injuries, they're well hidden by her oversized flannel pajama bottoms and her long sleeved (again it's oversized) t-shirt. She looks down with her lips pursed, assuming that Lynette is talking about Ryans and not the giant Russian man from the dream. "Well… he's here, so I don't really know what to think he is. Anyway, good to see you're doing fine and that there's no hallucinations, pain, etcetera etcetera. Lucille can help if there is… Not by shooting you up or anything, but she really needs the practice."
On to happier topics than Lynette's personal demons though, Delia lifts her head to look up at her dad and raises her eyebrows just a touch. "So what are you planning to do on November 8th? I think if I'm at Jaiden's… I'll be where I'm supposed to be in my vision." She might be the only person in the city not trying to avoid hers.
"Not your father, Delia." And that seems to be that on the topic of the Russian, because Lynette gives Delia a mild, wry chuckle before she goes on, "Yes. You missed all the fun. I mostly feel exhausted now." Which she can't really afford to be, as things come down to the wire. But no doubt she'll worry about being tired after the eighth.
"My vision was about getting people from the safehouses to an evacuation point, with this as a stop on our Evolved version of the underground railroad. So, it seems like that's what I'll be doing. But if you can get somewhere safe, then get there. Perhaps on the seventh, even. Don't leave things to the last minute." And oddly enough, even with their very strange relationship, there does seem to be genuine worry there for the girl.
"I am not sure." Ryans says softly to Delia's question, brows furrowing a little. "I know what will happen…" trailing off a bit, he looks to Lynette, since he told her about his vision, but not his own daughter. "… just not sure how I will get to that point… if I do." Her going to Jaiden's will negate it, possibly.
He isn't sure.
Does it mean something will happen to Jaiden? Lips pressed tight together, but he doesn't share his vision or look at his girl. He doesn't want Delia to worry about what could happen to him. "I'll be here with Lynette helping her, if I can." Not that he was in Lynette's vision.
Narrowing her eyes at Ben, Delia knits her eyebrows together into a tight vee. "Dad, did you have a vision? Were you here?" They've only ever talked about hers. Looking pointedly at Lynette, her lips turn downward and her expression turns to worry. "Was my dad in your vision?"
A sinking feeling settles into the pit of Delia's stomach, the kind that happens when you're not seeing the whole picture. Her hands fidget in her pockets and she hunches her shoulders just enough to look pathetic. "I uhm… I'm… In mine I'm alone, I got separated from you and Huruma."
"You don't want to know the answer to that, Delia," Lynette says, and it's true enough! But she puts just enough slyness in her tone to give the entirely wrong impression. but when she looks over at Ryans, that expression evens out again. "The visions, frankly… don't really matter. Individually. We'll all be where we choose to be that day. Maybe things will go like we saw, but in all likelihood?" And there, she turns back to Delia, "They won't. A lot of people have taken measures to change what happens that day."
An amused look is sent Lynette's way, but there is a 'be nice' warning expression in there as well. "Lynette is right." Words gruff, it's obvious she won't get her answer. "Chances are, being at Jaiden's has already changed things. For better or worse has yet to be seen.
"A huge part of it may have already been changed, with the government taking out The Company. The visions may have driven them too it." It is a simple fact that the day changed. Ryans glances at Lynette. "My plan is to be here, but…" he trails off softly, he feels a bit torn. He's worried about not being there to help his daughter as well.
Lynette's teasing along with the cutesy look given by her father is enough to make Delia's blood run cold. "I didn't know why I was in Red Hook until I talked to… uhm.. the lady that warned me about this place being raided." The nurse just shakes her head and looks down at the hardwood floor. "I'll talk about it later, when you're not… busy. If you have the time."
Backing up toward the door, the redhead pivots on one socked foot and reaches for the handle. "Gotta go check on Lu anyway… make sure she's not planning something stupid like before." She glances over at Benjamin and gives him a really weak smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "I'll see you on the other side." By the wording of her goodbye, it's obvious that she doesn't expect to see him before the 'end of the world'.
"But. He might be needed elsewhere," Lynette finishes Ryans' sentence for him. Because she wants him to know she knows his priorities are different than hers, and should be.
When Delia starts to make her exit, Lynette looks over her way and lifts a hand in a wave. "Don't worry too much, Delia. We'll all do what we can to make sure things go as smoothly as possible."
"Delia." Ryans states roughly, turning towards his daughter, it only takes a few steps for him to reach her and grab a shoulder. "Don't go running off."
Eyes narrow slightly at her, his head tilting ever so slightly to one side to get a look at her face. "Look at me, Delia Marie." He orders softly, that hand forcing her to turn towards him. "No… I am not in her vision and she isn't in mine, but you are." His other hand reaches to grab her other shoulder, with a soft soft. "I'm not sure what to do in all this, I have no idea what puts me where I am or what would drag me away from this place… beyond you or your sister."
There is relief knowing that Lynette understands, it helps him not feel as guilty. Ryans might care for her and even have feelings for the blonde woman, but she hasn't yet reached that point in the old man's life. It's a work in progress. "If you are with Jaiden, that means you might not even need me on the eight."
His eyes drift up to her hair for a moment, brows furrowing, but then a smiles touches his lips. It's the knowing sort. "Your mother's hair was the first thing that got me to talk to her." Fingers grab a lock of it and gives it a light tug. "It reminded me of someone… from when I was a kid in the middle of a war." Looking her in the eye he arches a single brow, with that smile and lets her go.
"Get some sleep. We all need it."
"Was it the hippie that shot you in the ass?" Not a hippie but a flower child that Delia had tried to cover up as a Tokyo Rose type or Hanoi Hannah… except for the American side. A slight grin tugs at one corner of the redhead's lips and she shrugs lightly. "Yeah… well… I need to be where I am in my vision, if I'm not there someone's going to die. I wish I could get out of the city early and go camping or something… but it's not going to happen."
Which brings her to another minor point, "Dad… in my vision, I'm not worried about Jaiden. I'm worried about you and Huruma… I got separated from you both." She hasn't seen the large woman for a little while, which makes her a bit worried. She hasn't come around as often as she used to.
This is, clearly, a family moment, and Lynette's water glass is needing a refill. So while the other two talk, and perhaps to give them a little privacy, she makes her way unsteadily to the kitchen. She is, of course, downplaying how weak she's feeling right now, while she just tries to get quietly out of the way.
Plus, there's food in the kitchen and she feels a bit like she hasn't eaten in months. Which might be a little too true for her comfort.
Brows furrow and Ryans closes his eyes for a moment as he attempted to dredge up a really old memory. It's none too clear, however, age and a desire to forget some of the tragedy of that war has blurred it too much. "No… there was another one there, I can't remember her face, but I remember the red. I know she was scared and frightened. Completely out of her element."
A hand brushes over red curls. "Guess I have a face for that memory again, eh?"
Even if Lynette is attempting to be quiet, Ryans head turns enough so he can hear her moving. It's part of what has helped keep him alive so long. He's not evolved, but he knows things and is observant of the world around him. "You don't have to be worried about me, honey. I'll… be fine." It's a lie, but his face is totally neutral about it, unreadable.
"I was not!" The indignant tone of voice is fairly defensive and wavers just a little as the expression on Delia's face bends from stubborn to sensitive. "… Okay… Maybe I was scared but there were people shooting and you pointed a gun at me. AND I just fell out of a tree. I think I had every reason to be scared."
The rush of stuttered words pauses for a moment as she listens to her father just a little more, her gaze following his toward where Lynette disappeared. "Yeah… you always say that Dad, but I am worried. In my vision, I'm worried because you're not there anymore. So you'll either have to tell me what's going on or face the fact that I'll be doing a mental invasion as soon as you get to sleep."
"That's a lovely way to build trust, darling," Lynette says dryly as she appears in the doorway with a sleeve of crackers she'll be munching her way through. "Tell me or I'll dig it out of your head?" She lifts an eyebrow there, a slight smirk on her lips.
She never did promise to play nice, after all.
The threat has his head snapping around to face Delia, blue eyes narrowing. She just threatened her father and that is never a good thing. There is no answer from the old man, Ryans just gives her that hard look. It's a look the former agent might have once used on the people he hunted. "Watch who you threaten, Delia. The wrong person could get you captured or killed." The words are cold and hard, devoid of and emotion, much like those eyes.
However, he also knows what he vision was like. The blood and how the gun was slippery in his grip from it, while he tried to reload it. He doesn't want her to see that. Sharply turning away from his daughter, he takes a few steps away, back stiff and straight. "I was dying, could taste blood and it was hard to breath, air rattled in my chest… It was hard to focus, I felt weak, but I was placing myself in harms way to let you and Huruma escape. I told her to get you to Bennet's people."
Which explains how she got to the boats, that goes unsaid as he turns towards Delia again, to see her reaction.
"Well…" When Ryans turns back toward her to see the reaction, Delia's already turned her back on both him and Lynette. It's not hard to guess what her reaction is though, simply by the thick whisper, how hoarse her voice sounds. Slowly, she turns the doorknob and tugs open the door to leave. "You don't have to do that… Now that I know… I'm not going to need you."
She flits out the door, her hand scrambling for the knob on the way out. If she's with Jaiden, he doesn't have to worry. Does that mean Jaiden would die? Lucille was a nonfactor in the entire equation, does this mean she's separated from the beginning? That she's safe? At least it means that one of Delia's plans might work.
There's a slight shake of Lynette's head to all this, but she's otherwise silent. Except for the crunching. Crackers are noisy. But she's not good with emotions, see. So when Ryans shares his vision and Delia gets upset, she can only watch with a sort of tilt of her head.
When she starts for the door, though, Lynette looks over at Ryans, to check on his reaction to the girl's reaction. It's like a tennis match, of sorts.
A hand catches the door, before she can close it all the way. "You can' run away from it, Delia. You wanted to know." It's cruel, but Ryans feels the need to remind her. "I love you Lia, you are my daughter and I will do what I have to, if you need me or not." The door is released so that she can close the door and flee.
Benjamin looks completely worn down, when he turns back to Lynette, features falling into a hurt look. He never wanted to tell Delia about the vision, but the words are less disturbing then the images themselves. Being a parent is never easy.
"Love you too dad… " Delia says when she's out in the hallway, after she's closed the door. Finding out that one piece of information changed a lot of things. As she trudges back up the stairs to her own apartment, the one she used to share with him but now shares with Lucille and Jaiden, another plan is formed.
Her door is opened and closed, and when she slips into bed beside Jaiden, she shakes him once to wake him up. An unnecessary action since she could just invade his dreams, but she wanted to be in real time. "Jaiden… Jaiden wake up… We're going to leave town. Before it all happens."
With Delia out of the picture, Benjamin doesn't need to put his life on the line. By default, neither does Jaiden just by being in her proximity. Unfortuntely… It does leave one card up in the air.
What will happen to Kaylee?