Participants:
| Scene Title | Den Mother To Boy-Terrorist Wannabes |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | She's starting a collection or something, for Christ's sake. Graeme, Aric, Griffin… wtf?? |
| Date | Mar 4, 2011 |
Dorchester Towers, Elisabeth's Apartment
Heaven. The apartment and half the floor smells like heaven. Aric has been cooking for a good 8 hours hoping that Liz will come home tonight to check in on him. He has some things he wants to talk over with her and he wants to butter her up in hopes that it will make her more loose liped. He has been making black forrest cake, death by chocolate, and mocha latte's. He also made a Porter House that has been suatee in garlic and sage. He is trying out almond crusted green beans from a friend of his and his favorite, Twice bake mash potatoes with pit bits of real bacon chopped into the mix.
He decided he would calm his nerves and meditate for awhile as he is standing in the middle of the living room his eyes are closed and he is breathing deep. He is standing upside doing a hand stand with his t-shirt around his chest revealing his well defined body. The soft sounds of Michael Buble play in the background.
Well, he's in luck. Although clean-up efforts are still ongoing, about half of Elisabeth's week has been meetings. So her calendar isn't as slammed as it was during and just after the dome. When she lets herself into the apartment she's smiling just a bit. Her mood's not great, but it's definitely decent. She's holding a set of keys in her hand with a somewhat confounded look, and the sight of him handstanding quirks her eyebrow upward. He's a little on the odd side sometimes. She closes and locks the door behind her automatically and breathes deep. "Oh God… what're you doing in here? If you've got a date, I'll grab some clothes and clear out," she offers. The guest room is his to stay in, of course.
Aric opens his eyes slowly as he smiles warmly and says, "No silly. This is for you. I know how you work and the fact you have not been home for more then a few hours at a time. I bet you have not had a good home cooked meal in a while." As he comes up from his handstand, he flicks his hair up and runs a hand quickly through his hair and he blinks cocking his head to the side. "Why would you think I had a date. This is your place Liz. I would feel…odd doing that. Even to you."
Elisabeth laughs softly. "Perhaps because I am a woman of unusual lifestyle," she replies. "There are three men with whom I regularly keep company, and even the one who holds my heart usually gets the courtesy of a text just in case he's otherwise occupied." She shrugs a little. "Thank you, though — I haven't eaten much but fast food and sandwiches lately." She sets the keys on the counter, eyeing them like they're going to grow feet of their own for a moment, and shakes her head. Then she strips off her blazer and the shoulder rig she's wearing beneath it. "It smells wonderful."
Aric smiles and nods, "I hope your hungry. I made steak, green beans, taters…with the dessert I met you with on that special day." As he pushes out her chair and pours a glass of red wine, "Sit sit…take your shoes off." As he lets her move at her own pace he moves into the kitchen to begin to get the food ready for her as he talks a bit louder for her to hear, "So…I won't lie. I kind of was hoping you would be home tonight because I needed to talk to you. I met an interesting woman…and a friend of hers….well yours too it seems."
He brings out the taters and beans and sets them on the table, "Her name is Remi and his is Graeme. I met Remi while in the mall and getting some underwear. My thoughts wandering I guess and she picked up on a few things as she followed me and began to talk to me. I blocked her some yet…" He moves back into the kitchen, "Yet without my telepath I can't block her fully. She was intriqued to say the least when I did it. We began to speak and your name past my thoughts by accident and she flipped out because she knew you. She began to go on and on how perfect I would be for her friend and wanted to set me up on a blind date right then and there. I was like ummm no. Yet I offered my card to her if she needed anything because she wanted me to teach her how to meditate. Well…yesterday she called me and asked to see me so I met her at this bistro." He pops his head around the corner with a smirk on his face. He is smiling? That has not been seen in some time. "She brought your friend Graeme. The guy she wanted me to meet."
He disappears back into the kitchen, "Guy has some beautiful eyes. I kind of got lost track in my thoughts and warned her to stay out of my head. She told me about how you threaten her if she hurt Graeme. I told her she would get worse if she looked too far into my head. So I told her in my thoughts to stay out and that I was an ex-telepath and that I would know if she went in without knowing. Maybe not the best idea yet she seems…sincere yet only for her own pleasure? I don't know…it is times like this I wish I had my telepathy back." As he comes out with the steak cut into strips and places it on the table he plops down and says, "So…tell me about Graeme?"
Elisabeth listens to him ramble on, using the time to slip out of her heels and go into the master bedroom to change clothes. Because she can hear him just fine without him having to shout after all. By the time she comes back, it's in bare feet wearing a pair of sweatpants and a man's T-shirt. "Huh," she says mildly as he finally winds down.
"Remi… is one that I'm wary of in some regards. If only because she doesn't live in our world." A world where Humanis First friggin' well tortures people with impunity and the Institute snatches them off the streets without a thought. "She seems a good woman." She nods toward the counter where she set the keys. "She gave me a motorcycle — I'm trying to decide what that even means when it comes from a woman who apparently bats for both teams. Is she … like trying to be my sugar momma or something? I've told her that I'm pretty exclusively hetero." She rolls her blue eyes. "Just because Felix isn't, it's not something that goes both directions."
Shaking her head, Elisabeth helps herself to a glass of red wine while he dishes up the divine-smelling dinner. "God," she murmurs. "I could get used to being pampered sometimes," she admits. "Norton and Alec used to cook for me sometimes," she says wistfully. There is a brief sadness in her eyes. "Anyway… as to Graeme." Whew. "He has the hottest. eyes. ever. And an ass to match. But he's got a sister who could be a serious complication," she says candidly as she takes a seat at the table. "He himself…. I think he's potentially one who could fall in with our little chess club. Whether that happens or not, I appear to have adopted him." Ruefully, she adds, "I seem to collect little gay boy terrorist-wannabes. Like they're snow globes or something."
Aric smirks as he sits back and takes a green bean and pops it into his mouth, "I didn't get a chance to look at his ass." He admits a bit too truthfully, "However…the guy is hot and he seems intelligent which is something I have lacked in hot men in the past." He looks at the keys and nods, "She had told me to ask you if you got her gift yet it looks like you did." He pulls his legs up into an indian style manner, "Tell me more about him. Like…is he fun? Sane? Won't try and take me for a ride on some machine and call it his "love Machine" or something creepy like that?"
Elisabeth is just boggled. "I don't know what to do about it — I can't keep it, for heaven's sake. But it sure is damn pretty." She grins. As she picks up her fork and starts to eat, she says around a bite of tender steak, "He's sane. I actually quite like him so far. He has his head on straight. He's a teacher, pretty bright. Seems to be good at keeping a low profile, which speaks well to his situational awareness." Without really realizing it, she's slipped into an assessment of him as a soldier… it is becoming ingrained now. To determine who'll fight and who won't. "He's definitely not creepy, but he and his sister were apparently separated as children. He's just met back up with her, and — six degrees of separation my lily-white ass — turns out she's an ex of Cardinal's. She's also a member of Humanis First, though Richard seems to think that was more a situation of getting in over her head out of stupidity than any true-believer kind of behavior."
As his eyes shimmer with electricity in anger of the very mention of Humanis First, Aric's mind goes back to that event. An event he recent has experienced in Central Park. The anger…the smell of their fried flesh…their dead bodies showing no life any longer. Aric stands up and moves to the kitchen as he says softly, "An ex of Cardinal's AND a part of those ignorant…fucking bastards." He closes his eyes as he begins to take a few deep breaths the electricity pulsing down his arms. He remains out of Liz's sight for a moment as he makes an attempt to gain some control over his ability.
She can feel the hum. God, the way the sound moves through the room, even at its lowest ebb, is distinctive. A furrow appears between Elisabeth's brows and she remains at the table sipping her wine thoughtfully. She's not sure what exactly has set him off, and she waits for him to return before speaking. When he does come back in, she pins him with those blue eyes and says simply, "What happened?" Because whatever it is, it's recent and it's clearly bad.
As he walks back in with the fresh baked rolls he sets them down and looks at Liz. He is silent for a moment as he says softly, "Nothing…I just…" He sits down and makes an attempt at a subject change, "I don't want to talk about it. I just had an…challenge…and in all honest…" He pauses looking back at the woman the sadness in his eyes begins to turn to anger again as the tightness can be seen, "I think it is called Post Tramatic Stress…and well can we leave it at that. Lets talk about better things….Graeme." He takes another bite of his food as he says with it slightly full, "Remi wants to have dinner and I said I would cook. I want you there with me and…she and Graeme will be there of course."
Elisabeth grimaces slightly. God alone knows, she knows exactly what he's suffering in those terms. It's one of the reasons he's staying here and she's checking in so often. "Aric…. most of us, when we come out of the kind of things that were done to you, need help. I saw a shrink for months. And to this day, I still can't walk into the dark without nearly hyperventilating." There are nightlights all over this apartment for a reason. "I still suffer bouts of anxiety, as well, though mostly they're under control without medication now. But I was on meds for it for a year. If you need help, reach out. I've been where you are. I'll give you the space you need, and I can't force you to talk to anyone, even me. But I'm here."
Looking down at her plate, Elisabeth sighs under her breath. Her appetite has gone to hell in a handbasket. But she forks up a bite of potato so that he won't now. "Uhm…. dinner with Remi and Graeme? I… can probably do that, though I may get called out at the last minute. If you're okay with the uncertainty, just let me know when," she says quietly.
As he looks down into his lap, his hair falling into his face the veil of strands hide his eyes as he stays silent for a few moments before he says, "Liz…you have no idea how grateful I am for you and all that you have done. You friendship means the world to me. You know I would never do anything to harm you or Endgame intentionally." As he keeps his eyes down he sighs deeply, "I came upon a group of Humanis First attacking a boy. He was an Evolved. They were beating him to near death and spray painting their fucking logo over him. I…I lost my temper and released all my rage on them. Before I knew it I was standing over their bodies. Their fried to all hell bodies. I ran and ran for hours and when I finally calmed down…" His head slowly comes up as he says in an acid tone, "I was not sad I killed them for what they did…yet all I could see was the pain Tyler and Zimmerman caused me." Tears begin to roll down his face as he trembles, "I meet this guy and I was…happy for once. Happy and smiling for the first time in months. I guess the idea of making a friendship with him and the hope of something more made me feel normal again. Who am I kidding…I am fucked up. I will call it off and never see him again."
Her fork drops to the plate with a clatter and Elisabeth is out of her chair in an instant, wrapping her arms around the ex-telepath. She tucks his head under her chin and whispers, "Ssshhhh. Ssshhh, Aric. We're all pretty fucked up." Oh God. He fried people. He lost it and fried people. Oh fuck. "It's okay. It's going to be okay." Den mother to friggin' gay boy-terrorist wannabes. Shit. "It's okay," she repeats over and over, her hands gently stroking his shoulders.
The ex-telepath has been around for awhile with his ability and has gained a good control over reading people without his ability as he looks up and says softly, "Liz…" He pats her hand and says, "I am sorry I did it yet I am not gone yet. I know your trying to be loving and protective and that is one of the reasons why I love you like a sister but…fuck…I didn't kill the president. It was a group of fucking scum sucking Humantis First beating on a teenage boy because he was an Evolved. I know that does not make it any better but…I am not turning into Elle. I am not a sociopath."
Elisabeth laughs through sudden tears. "No, Aric." She steps back, giving him space. "No, you're not. You're pissed. And traumatized. And it's a bad combination — because right now you can't even feel sorry for the loss of human life." She reaches out to touch his cheek lightly. "Yes — they deserved punishment. But if you've blown so far past the line that you can't be sorry even for their worthless lives lost? You need help, Aric." This is so far outside what's 'normal' for him.
As he looks down at the dinner and sighs, "So I guess will you call Graeme and Remi and tell them I can't see them. I am gonna have to solve this my own way. I would not do well with a shrink." He stands up and takes the wine bottle and begins to take a huge swig of it. He runs a hand through his hair and sighs, "A shame really….he looked like he could have been a great conversationalist."
Elisabeth reaches out and smacks him on the back of the head. "Ass," she says softly, reaching up to wipe those tears away. If she's going to scold him, well… it can't be done crying. "Graeme's well aware of how horrible things can get. Maybe between his and Remi's friendship, you might find exactly what you need. Cutting yourself off from friendships is exactly what's causing this problem. You've only got me as a support network. And as much as I adore you — I'm not here enough. I'm…. well, I'm kind of a shitty friend," she admits. "I can give you the skills to help you fight back and make sure — or try to — that it never happens again. But you need people around you, Aric."
Aric rubs the back of his head and shrugs, "Yeah but now that I know his sister is Humantis First. I am not sure I could meet her. What if she began to spew that shit again calling me a freak and what not. That is why I have been going to the gun range to keep my anger in check." He grins as he takes another swig of the wine, "I am getting better. I might give you a run for your money in a few months or so. Remi is only interested in me right now because I am like a mystery she wants to solve I think and…Graeme." He can't help but smile thinking of those eyes, "Normally I am not all "what if he doesn't like me" type yet…what if he doesn't like me." Aric lowers his lip in a slightly sincere pout.
Pfft. Elisabeth looks at him like he's nuts. "If she ever thought of pulling that shit? Graeme himself would put her down like a rabid dog. I already warned him that if she is any kind of threat to him, she's gone. She knows too much already, and she could make a target of Richard." Her blue eyes are ice cold as she says it. "I'll put a bullet in her head myself if I have to, and he knows it." Only then do her eyes warm and she laughs softly. "Oh… I definitely think he might like you. Else Remi wouldn't have left the two of you alone," she informs him. "She's a wench, that one."
As he cocks his head to the side, Aric opens his mouth to say something yet he has seen her mind and knows all to well what Richard means to Liz. He closes his and takes a bigger swig of his wine as he burps loudly, "Yeah it would be cool to take him to the cafe and we could have dinner in my loft yet I still haven't called Jane. I have been a bit nervous too I think…still on the fence with her yet if I am ever going to get a fraction of my life back I will need to solve that issue and get the restration settled too." He sighs as he leans against the table. Hot Men. Time Traveling Men. A woman who could pass for a man. Christ!
Elisabeth nods slightly. "Jane…. is going to be far more on your side than you may believe. What happened to you has definitely given her perspective. She may be able to help you with Registration, if only to go ahead and get you Registered and get you off the hook — I don't know. All you can do is ask."
Aric nods as he says, "I will call her soon. So where can we do dinner? Here? Or you want to go to her place? I don't want to be left alone with them…Well…I nearly wanted top jump his bones when I was alone with him yesterday." He begins to laugh and it sounds good on him, "It has been a loooooooooooooooooooooong time since I have been attracted to someone. Yet I didn't want to seem like a perv-loser."
With a heavy sigh, Elisabeth returns to her side of the table. "Good friggin' grief," she mumbles. "Why the fuck do people come to me for dating advice?" The demand is plaintive as she picks up her fork to eat the delicious meal he put in front of her. "It's not like I'm any damn good at relationships!" Case in point, the festering rage at a certain shadowmorph. "Do it at their place, that way if I get called away or something you can leave and not feel guilty," she decides.
Aric smirks as he walks over and kisses her on the head, "Because you collect gay boy terrorist like snow globes and we need a sexy beautiful fag hag to keep us in check." He moves to his sit and plops downb and begins to take another swig of the wine and lets out a loud hiccup, "Speaking of keeping in check. I have not been in contact with anyone in Endgame too much. How goes the search for Tyler and when can I come back on to help get him?"
At that Elisabeth goes very still. She sets her fork down again and says quietly, "You can 'come back' anytime you want — although that's something better determined by you and how things will settle out with Agent Pak. As to Tyler… It's complicated. By a number of factors. He just made a move specifically on Richard, pretty much confirming his absolute insanity. But we've got someone seeking the location of the machine and we're almost sure that's where he's to be found." She grimaces slightly. "Eat something, please? You went to all this trouble."
Aric grins as he looks down at the food, "I have been eating all day. Yet I will nosh. This is more for you and my attempt to butter you up and get the down low on Graeme." He grins his charming smile as the wine begins to take affect, "So…why not make Cardinal's day and have a threesome with you and Remi?"
*GASP*
Did he just say that? Ok the wine is taking affect for sure!
He. Did. Not. Elisabeth stares at him. "You are a total lightweight," she informs him, reaching out to take the bottle of wine. And even were I so inclined to contemplate a treat of that nature, it sure as hell wouldn't be right now. The very thought of it makes me want to slit someone from gullet to groin. She's glad he's not currently a telepath so she's able to keep the rage in check. "Eat please," she instructs. "I'm going to finish this delicious dinner and then catch a couple hours sleep."
Aric whines as he pulls the wine close to him and says simply, "no! I can see your disappointment in me about that…well ya know and I just want to feel good." He drinks the rest of the wine and lets out a huge burp as he grins, "So…fine I guess. I will eat some." He stands up and nearly falls over and laughs. "I made you death by chocolate." He walks into the kitchen and comes shortly back out and begins to set the dessert down. He takes a spoon and begins to dig into the dish, "Its still warm." He takes a bite and lets out a pleasureful moan, "He says he likes to eat because of his ability. So I am kind of excited to cook for him."
Elisabeth just shakes her head. "Jesus," she mutters. A lightweight. Using her fork, she abandons the excellent steak for some of the gooey death by chocolate. "Well, I'm glad you'll be cooking for him cuz if you keep cooking for me, I'm gonna get fat." Not really — she still tends to keep to a really tight regimen, especially now with the armor involved. She's in better shape now than she ever was as a cop.
Aric does not drink. He is usually a health nut and hates booze. He takes another bite and grins, "We are gonna do a hiccup a theme of around the world. I am gonna make a buffet of foods from around the world. I am doing Chinese, French and Mexican. Is there something you would like?"
"No," Elisabeth replies with a grin. "Just whatever you're in the mood for." Dessert is fantastic. She's amused at the drunkenness and has a notion that she's going to be pouring a darling ex-tepe into the guest bed soon.
Aric lets out a huge burp and says, "I think I need to go lay down….the room is sideways." As he stands up he falls back down into the chair laughing, "Ya know…" He hiccups and looks over at Liz, "A shame Richard doesn't see what an amazing woman you are Lizzie. You should shoot him in the ass to remind him that he is yours and only yours." He slides down out of the chair and begins to crawl to the guest room, "I have never thought he could see what you need….he is so fucking caught up at being Batman. Ya know….BATMAN! He is all dark and brooding but has such a fucking heart of gold. And your his Catwoman!" Aric rolls onto his back and begins to laugh, "Meow Miss Kitty!"
Elisabeth smirks. "Wow." Just ….. wow. Shaking her head, she moves to stand up and help him get to his feet. "You are toast, man." As she gets him upright, there's a flash of something darker through her eyes and she murmurs softly, "And I might shoot him in the ass. We'll have to see how it plays out. But I'm not going to let him know that you think he's the goddamn Batman. His ego will never shrink again," she retorts drily as she manhandles the drunken man.
Aric looks over at Liz and leans in to kiss her on the cheek, "Your Catwoman! He loves Catwoman but will never tell her and she loves him. It is a whole messed up love affair. Know this…I love you and will kill a bitch who fucks with you." He makes an attempt to sound all Ghetto!
Laughing softly, Elisabeth says, "Well, then I guess he's not the Batman. Because he tells me that regularly." He may gut her sometimes with his actions, but that he loves her? That is not in doubt. Like all men, he has his flaws. The ghetto thing just makes her snicker. "That's too cute for words, Aric. You're so … not manly when you say that," she retorts. "C'mon!" She manuevers him around the corner of the hall and into the guest room.
Aric plops into bed kicking his legs up as he air as he begins to laugh, "I would Lizzie! I mean it. I would hit a bitch in the back of her neck with a hammer if they messed with you! I got your back." He lowers his legs and begins to hug his pillow. His eyes closing as he yawns. "I should not have not taken that power negate pill or whatever the hell it is called. I think the wine is kicking my ass." He looks up at Lizzie and says, "I know…lightweight." He snuggles his pillow as his eyes close again and he whispers as he falls into a deep slumber, "Love you Lizzie."
It makes her laugh softly…. and it breaks her heart. No one speaks those words so easily in her world anymore. And Elisabeth leans down to gently brush hair off his forehead then covers him with a blanket. She has the remains of a dinner to clean up. As she turns off the light and leaves the door cracked for him, she whispers, "Thank you."