Participants:
| Scene Title | Crime and Punishment |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | After getting caught pickpocketing, Koshka gets the rules and consequences laid out. |
| Date | February 18, 2011 |
The journey to Bay House had been relatively quiet, particularly with a chatterbox like Samara along. The steps up to the door of the former distillery creak underneath evenly timed paces. "So… was it Daryl?" Her eyebrows raise high as she opens the door to step inside. "Or someone else?" There's a pause. "Is this because I left? I only left to help with Ami— I didn't leave because I … ugh." She sighs deeply as she pads to the kitchen for a glass of water.
The flow of water from the tap becomes noisier as she ups the pressure and reaches for one of the styrofoam cups they'd bought earlier. They still have stuff to bring over to make the place liveable. Probably a good project for Koshka to help with. Later.
When normally Koshka would be excited over the new place, likely running off to explore and discover what secrets the Bay House would hold, she's beyond subdued. Following Samara inside, she shrugs then shakes her head. "It… no. Wasn't because you left. Or anything. It… it was just… we needed money."
The teenager, wisely she hopes, stays close by. No wandering off or looking around while she speaks. "Daryl and I …it's like a job. Sort of. Just temporary."
The water refreshes as it trickles down Sami's throat. She finishes the cup before setting the styrofoam back on the countertop. Her lips press together and her eyes narrow substantially. "What did you need money for? I'm pretty sure you're fed. I thought you were sheltered…" Her lip quivers a little, just a little as she fights back that tinge of disappointment threatening to spill over her semi-stoic demeanour. Semi. She's not that good an actress.
Her hands rub her eyes, washing any leftover emotion away as her tongue dabs at her lips. With a quiet sigh she shakes her head slightly. "Temporary." Her head shakes. "People like us can do some unbelievable things. We can make trouble. But we need to be better than they expect. I mean… someone like me for instance? I could walk into any bank vault and steal the contents. Walk in, walk out. But it's wrong. And it proves them— all of those people that hate us— right." She raises a finger to waggle, "I'm… disappointed. You're a good kid. You try hard… I…" she sniffs louder this time. It's nearly a sniffle. She twists back towards the sink, retrieving her cup to refill, quite strategically as it allows her to twist away from Koshka.
"For…" It's a good question, what she'd need extra money for. Koshka's brow knits together, one arm crossing and hand gripping the opposite shoulder. She's got her dad's money, after all, though she only uses that reluctantly. Those funds are supposed to be for emergencies and needs, anything else she'd want has to be gotten another way. "It… because… sometimes I just need extra."
With a shake of her head, Koshka sighs quietly. That's not quite what she means. "Daryl and I were just… his dad's always bugging him to get a job and… I can't really… easily… get one. It's… I'm sorry. Really sorry.."
The tap continues to run even though the cup overflows. There’s a silent nod of the back of Sam’s head as she stares at the sink ahead. Her shoulders bob with emotion begging to be released. She scowls at the single tear that rolls down her cheek. And then the next. And then the last. She takes a gasp of air, louder than she intends, but muffled by the still running water.
And then she remembers herself. She reaches forward and turns off the tap. With a sharp sniffle, the sleeve of her coat is raised to her face to catch that which won’t dry before she turns around again.
Stepping in behind the ladies, Brian is shouldering his jacket up on his shoulders. Walking past Koshka without even looking at her, Brian goes to stand at Samara's side. One hand going to rest on her hip as he leans in to plant a brief peck against her cheek. Leaning in he whispers softly to her. "It's alright. It'll be okay." And with that he's turning to face Koshka.
"Some of the kids caught the H5. So. This is going to be our safehouse for all the kids who haven't caught it. Including you. We'll be taking care of the babies at the apartment.. They can't live here. So you'll be living here." He instructs quietly. "I don't think you understand… How serious, this all is." He tilts his head at her. "If the cops would have been called today. Your life would be over.Do you know how easy it would be for all of this to fall apart? One tiny nudge, and all the kids are taken in. Me, Sam. All of us. It's not just about you. Do you understand that?" Brian asks, folding his arms over his chest.
Brian manages to soothe Sam some, even going so far to win a weak smile and a whispered, "Thank you." She leans into the hand at her hip, sliding one overtop it. Finally, she turns back to Koshka, her still-watery eyes blink fiercely to contain whatever other emotion might spill out. Her lips press together tightly and she nods slightly, silent agreement with Brian's assessment.
"We want everyone safe." she sniffles again and shakes her head a little. "It's scary. The world is very scary right now and we're not exactly above board…" her eyes trail to the floor as she slides towards Brian.
Koshka looks from Samara to Brian, eyes widening and face paling over the news. And worse. Another step back puts her against a wall, eyes going to the floor. The kids are sick and here she is causing trouble, causing Sami to cry, and putting everyone at risk. None of which she'd intended or thought would happen, certainly nothing she wanted to happen. She doesn't protest or even offer any other excuses. Hands lowering to her sides, she offers the smallest of nods.
"Now. In the conversation we are going to have. I don't want any lying. Understand?" Brian continues, taking a step away from Samara after squeezing her hand gently. "Is this in any way because of Daryl? Not that he told you to do this. But would you be stealing right now were it for him?" He asks. "Please tell the truth, Kay." Winters watches her quietly.
Sam finally turns her attention to the second cup of water she'd filled. She brings it to her lips and downs the water within. She takes a deep breath as she returns the cup to the counter and pushes herself to a sit on the counter. Her arms fold over her chest and she sighs, fatigue is setting in.
Another nod signals that Koshka won't lie. She's good at it when she needs to be, but the very thought of trying makes her feel sick. "We talked and it came up… and he thought it was cool. Only meant to try that one time…" She glances up at Brian, then beyond him to Samara. One hand lifts to rub the bak of her neck, then falls again without completing the action. "And… then we tried working together to shoplift, which worked, and… it was kind of fun and.. just… he said we could make something out of it."
Brian tips his head back, his eyes lidding. A light sigh passes through his teeth. Glancing over his shoulder at Colette, his gaze slowly whirls round to bear down on Koshka. "You're in our care. And you're a minor. You seriously breached our safety as well as the other kids in our care. As well as, you've stolen, and broken the law." How many times has he broken the law? "Sometimes. Civil disobedience is necessary. And the law has to be put on the backburner. But I'm fairly certain 'kind of fun' does not follow in those exceptions." Winters murmurs, tilting his head to the side.
"So, Kosh. What is a suitable punishment? What do you think we should do about this?"
Sam bites her thumb nail and slides off the counter carefully, being sure to do a little hop after her feet touch the ground. "It's more than that too." For her, anyways. Her eyes trail up to the ceiling, "We trusted you… I know that you're older and can kind of look out for yourself, but you were allowed to go out and do things because.. well.. you had been semi-responsible chipping in and helping out. This? This was irresponsible. And granted sometimes risk happens and it's important but this… this was just.. not good." Deflated she takes a step towards Koshka.
Again she blinks. Very hard. Pushing the tears inside her eyes again. Damned hormones. She forces a tight smile, weary and not all present.
Koshka presses back against the wall, finding it unyielding and not allowing her to keep any distance. She sucks in a breath, holding it for several seconds before slowly, unevenly, letting it out. "I don't know," she says, her voice tiny and thick, miserable. Her father would have lit into her, restrictions being the least of her worries; worse yet, the memory of her mother's boyfriend and how he'd have reacted is shied away from. Another breath is taken in and held, slightly longer, before again making it's shaking way out. "…I didn't think it was breeching anyone's safety. I just…" The teenager pauses to swallow, shoulders lifting. "…I don't know."
"Well it was." Brian lets out a long breath. "You've taken away some of the trust I had for you Koshka. So I'm sorry to say. You going out? That's not going to happen as much. If you do go out. One of me will be present. Or very near. Understand? You can call that grounded if you want? Or on probation. Or you go out with Samara. But by yourself? That doesn't exist anymore. For now." He says firmly. Tilting his head some at her.
"Okay? I think it goes without saying that you should seriously think about your relationship with Daryl. And try to make a responsible and adult decision." Winters glances over his shoulder. "We need to try and get these rooms ready.. Joe and Lance are already helping. You should be too. There's a lot of work to do."
"We care about you," Sam counters quietly. Hands disappear into her pockets as Sami chews her bottom lip. When Brian's done his piece, she tacks on, "And please just think about things before you do them. You're smarter than this… I know you're smarter than this.. You have a good head on your shoulders, but that won't do you any good if you don't actually use it…"
"Like it or not, you're an example for a lot of the others. They look up to you, you need to be a good role model. It's important." She sighs quietly. "Just be more careful. You're responsible to other people. There are other lives in the balance and you have to consider them before you get stick fingers and run off with someone's wallet… and the more people are in your life, the more careful you have to be— I know that's true of me too… just.. remember… okay?" With a pause she glances further down the hall, "I have.. things.." she points down the hall. With a crisp nod of her head, she turns on her heel to disappear into the other rooms of the house.
