Everything's Fine

Participants:

brian_icon.gif koshka_icon.gif samara2_icon.gif

Scene Title Everything's Fine
Synopsis It's easy to lie over the phone. For everyone.
Date April 9, 2011

Eltingville Blocks and Bay House


"Careful."

"God damnit. Careful." Brian hisses in a high pitch. His head is thrown back in complete pain, teeth bared, eyes squeezing closed tightly. "Fuck me, fuck me. God damnit!" Brian lets out a low breath, growling lowly. His arm reflexively twitches and pulls back from the young girl standing over him. Fresh white gauze wrapped over his seared flesh. Palms covered fully in the white wrapping. His upper chest wrapped in the same material that Ernesto worked hard to get for them.

Koshka finishes applying Brian's bandages and a few stabilizing breaths are taken. "Fuck me." He winces. "Jesus Christ that hurts." He whimpers lowly. Head tilted back. "Okay. I'm fine. I'm fine." Winters takes a deep breath, eyes opening up wide, water having formed at the base of his eyes. Brian instinctively backs up on the couch, peering up at his charge. Sniffing lightly. "I'm fine." He reaffirms, motioning with his chin. "Would you get Ernesto's phone? It's on the kitchen counter. We need to call Sam." He can't dial. His hands are a little.. Burned to shit.

"And.. Sorry Kosh. If you could get that picture out of the jeans I was wearing? They're on my floor in my room."

Every wince and grumble and complaint from Brian makes Koshka's efforts at bandage changing more tentative. She's trying to help and be careful about it. Honest. But burns aren't the easiest to work with and she can't find voice enough to apologize. Her hands still tremble and fear still grips at her, heaviest in her chest, but she nods soundlessly and fetches the phone first, on the counter beside the now empty revolver. Without so much as looking at the weapon, the girl is dialing in Samara's number and hitting send.

The phone is set to speaker and left beside Brian. Koshka glances up at the second request and nods again. Her retreat to the bedroom is slowed a little, rather than the typical scamper, hindered by a limp and favoring concealed burns of her own. Within the bedroom she hesitates, arms wrapping and giving herself a self-hug before her her eyes find the pants. Grasping the article, the picture is found in the pocket.

Dropping the pants to the floor, the teenager journeys back out to the kitchen, eyes on the image captured.

There's an odd quiet about Bay House. In fact, for some people it's too quiet. It hadn't been though. Sam had spent hours walking Emily and then Kasha back and forth to stop the crying. All she wanted was for it to stop. Silence has become a rare commodity in her life. And it's something she's refused to waste.

With the babies finally asleep in their respective playpens (and the children, hopefully sleeping in rooms all their own) she'd taken to sitting cross-legged on her bed, laptop open. In many respects here, in this place, she looks like a student learning from some all knowing teacher on the other side of the computer. She's been tethering with her phone for awhile now— that will certainly increase the bill.

"I feel different. I can't explain it," Sami confesses to her laptop. Her hands raise into a what can I do about it position before dropping to her sides. Whoever is on the other side says nothing, but the silence has its effect. In fact, with a dramatic wrinkle of her nose and an equally, bordering on flippant wave of her hand she shakes her head, "I'll call you later or whatever. Okay? Take it easy, and— " her phone is vibrating as it sits next to the laptop. "Look I'll just call later. Everything is great!" She forces a tight smile before snapping the laptop shut a little too quickly, if only to avoid any impending objections.

A glance is given to the vibrating phone that sits on her bed. She unplugs it from the computer and glances at the number— she recognizes it this time. Swallowing hard she snaps it open and brings it to her ear, "Hi."

With the phone switched to speaker. Brian gives a light smile to the phone. As if Samara was there. "Hey baby." He says coolly. "It's good to hear your voice." He manages roughly. Koshka gets a weak and apologetic smile, his eyes flicking to the open space on the couch next to him. He can't really use a whole lot of his body without being in excruciating pain. Scooting over the slightest to make room for Koshka, he offers her a weak whimper as he moves. Trying to mask the sound for the phone he quickly speaks.

"I miss you baby. You doin' okay?" He murmurs. And just in case Samara decides to be particularly 'mooshy', Brian adds in: "Koshka's here." It's reported quickly. "Anyways. How you doin'? We misss yooou." This time it sounds more cheery. The joy going into his voice is somewhat easy. Hearing her voice does elevate his spirits despite the burnt skin on his body.

Normally Koshka would sit on the floor, but this instance has her sinking onto the couch, pressed into the corner so Brian doesn't have to move and she won't brush against him. Edging herself carefully against the arm of the couch, teeth baring briefly as denim is brushed over bruised and burned hip as she settles herself into the seat.

Pulling one leg up in front of her, Koshka offers over the picture to Brian. Her eyes follow it, brows furrowing. But then, rather than let him take the photo it's placed carefully on his knee, her eyes flicking up to him then away.

There's a faint, very involuntary, flush to Sam's cheeks, even in the privacy of the room at Brian's first few words, a flush that brightens somewhat as her fingers tighten around her phone. "I'm o— good," the words are level, not quite their usual excitement or cadence, but level nonetheless. "Yes. Good." Scrubbing her eyes once over, almost like she expects Brian to be able to see her through the phone, she attempts to brush the sleepy tiredness from her expression. There's no doubt she's fatigued.

And after a rather pregnant pause, she clears her throat, "I miss you too," there's an attempt on her part to force her already forced smile into her tone. "I miss both of you— it's been.. it is busy. It's busy. You know everyday normal busy. Fixing the attic, working on some projects, trying new things. Taking names, kicking asses. Normal busy." She's rambling. This shouldn't be a surprise. "And you know keeping the babies peaceful because I don't actually think babies like me which doesn't bode well for the future although I think they might be warming up to me because that's what happens I once sat in a psych class when I was invisible and apparently familiarity breeds liking which makes me wonder if we only like the people we do because we're familiar with them or if there's other reasons— " if no one interrupts her, it's likely this could be the entire phone conversation.

Offering Koshka a gentle, comforting look, he turns the back of his hand and places it on her knee. The back of his hand rubs back and forward gently twice, trying to comfort his charge. He lets his hand linger there. BUt at Samara's voice he brightens visibly. Being removed from Samara, Brian is definitely a different person. More subdued, less cheerful. But at the mention of her name, and the sound of her voice. He leaps back into his old self. "The babies love you, baby." He grins a little bit. "I think I can see you soon, baby. I miss you so much."

Despite how Brian loves listening to Samara's rambling: He shows as much with his shit eating grin as he leans back into the couch. But he does have something to talk about. "I'm sure you're doing awesome. Listen, Sam. I got some heavy shit to lay on you. I think.. I think we might be dealing with a time traveller." He purses his lips. "I don't know how to tell you this. But I think Kasha may be a time traveller." He narrows his brows some at how dumb this sounds. "Koshka and I.. Well we. Found something. I mean, I could be wrong. But.."

Koshka's eyes flick back to Brian at his touch, again taking in the bandages. Going out there, while the findings were well worth it, was a bad idea. She should have talked the others out of it, never mentioned it to Brian or Sable. Brows pinching together, she lowers her focus to the picture. Her chin moves to rest on her up-drawn knee while studying each of those faces, familiar but in a vague sense. At mention of Kasha, her eyes go to that face for a long moment, then toward the phone like she might gauge Sam's reaction.

There's a curious tilt of Samara's head as her eyes narrow slightly. Carefully she slides off the bed and over to the play pen where little Kasha is sleeping. Skeptically her nose wrinkles as she examines the sleeping babe, "Really? You think Kasha is a time traveller? She's so… little. And quiet. And peaceful. If anything I'd say she could like drive people mad with her loud screams— " it takes Sam a moment to clue in. With a small shake of her head, she clears her throat, "I guess you mean in the future, right? Like she travelled backwards or something?"

Her eyebrows arch expectantly as she peeks at the sleeping baby a little more closely. "How do you figure? I mean, how is that even possible and what would she be doing here? I mean, if she time travelled… I don't know. I mean, why? Why would she do that?" Her eyes narrow a little more, "Is she in Eltingville then?" There's a pause, "Just because someone looks like her doesn't mean it's her— I mean, she's a baby. She could look really different as an adult…"

Brian clears his throat. "We found a picture Sam. In this house out past the fence. All these pictures. I have a shit ton of pictures. Delilah with her baby who's older than he is right now. Or at least, last I saw him. All this crazy shit. Or another baby. I don't know. But! There's this one picture." Brian motions to it as if she could actually see it. "No she's not in Eltingville. But there's this picture. On the back of the picture it says, Kasha, Lance, Noa, Juniper, and Joe. Like.. they're couples. And they're all grown up. And Joe and Juniper. And Lance, look like them.. a little. Just.. grown up." Brian looks over to Koshka as if for her to get his back on this. "And like.. Joe and Juniper are together. She's so much older than him. I never would have seen that one coming. Well I guess not that much older, but a little older." He takes a deep breath. Who's rambling now? "You should ask Juniper when she comes back if she thinks Joe is cute."

Clearing his throat, he shakes his head. "Anyways. The one that says Kasha? It's a woman I've met before. She's a gardener at the Corinthian. I know for sure that's her. Sam. I think you should go talk to her. And take Kasha. The baby Kasha." Brian's features screw up some.

A small nod comes from Koshka, agreeing though it goes unseen over the phone. Those are the Lighthouse kids. "Just older," she whispers, reaching out to turn the picture slightly. A better angle to look at the image. Strange seeing kids in grown up faces. Withdrawing her hand, she looks up at Brian again.

"So… " Sam's eyebrow quirks as she hmmms quietly to herself. "You want me to take baby Kasha to go meet who you think is her grown up self?" There's a distinct pause as her hazel eyes stare down at the sleeping babe. "Really? Isn't that going to be awkward? And what if it breaks time? I mean if she time travelled here couldn't that make the world implode or something— I think I saw that in a movie once. There was this guy who like saw himself as an adult and then something happened that was really really bad— "

Finally peeling her gaze away from the quiet sleeping baby, she shuffles back to the bed to sit down. "I think Juniper might spaz at me if I asked that. Teen girls don't generally share that stuff especially if she has a crush on a younger boy. I mean, I had a crush on an older boy and I was mortified when Tay found out— and it was worse with Addie found out— " her cheeks become hot with blush. "Okay. SO I'll go to the Corinthian… and what? Ask her? Pretend I'm learning to grow a garden? I can't grow things. Too much power— the moment I touch them, they die— " which really has nothing to do with having too much power, unless Sam means the power of neglect.

Well it sounds stupid-er when she says it like that. Brian is quiet for a pregnant moment before, "Yeah." That's exactly what he wants her to do. "I don't think it will break time, Sameye." He murmurs quietly. Leaning forward to peer at the phone. "I don't know what you should say. Or what you're going to say." He purses his lips. "I'm sure you'll think of something, right? Just.. I don't know. Find out what she's here. And she's probably going to deny it a lot. I mean. She didn't tell me who she was when she saw me. So.. I don't know. Just. Press into her." Brian gives a little shrug.

He glances slowly over at Koshka, then back to the phone. "So.. What you doin?"

"Okay… so just find her and talk to her… I can probably do that. Maybe." Sam frown slightly as she hmmms, "I've never been a spy and we both know I'm not that good liar, but maybe I've gotten better the last month or so," whatever that means. She shrugs again expecting Koshka and Brian to see the motion. "I'll do my best to ask questions without having her avoid me or whatever." Her lips press together tightly as she lays down on the bed.

"Um," her eyes trail up to the ceiling. "I'm just doing my thing. You know. Looking after children who run around playing games of all kinds. It's weird being the adult. You know. Nothing extraordinary going on. But mystery kid as a name, so I guess that's something, not that I've seen him since I found it out…" She swallows hard, it's moments like these that make her think she might have improved her lying. Vagueness somehow is like a lie. "What are you doing? I mean besides breaking into Kasha's house. You're both okay?" Her teeth toy at her bottom lip lightly while her eyes focus on the ceiling again.

Brian smiles a little down at the phone. "You'll do fine." He assures her, lifting his arm up slowly to gingerly place his arm around Koshka's shoulders. It causes pain at first, but if he adjusts his arm just so it doesn't hurt that bad. Resting his arm around her, he tugs her closer to him a little. Letting his arm hang over her, his head rests against the ratty couch behind him.

"What's his name?" Brian asks, arching his brow lightly at the news of the child. "If anyone can make him comfortable and bring him in, it's you, kid." Brian looks down at his bandaged form and gives a light chuckle. "We're both great. Everything's fine. Just livin'. Missing you."

Then there's a thump at Samara's door. And without waiting for an answer, a smiling Little Brian pops his head into the room. "Sam! Come here!" The manboy cries out before closing the door.

Drawn more by the tugging, Koshka allows herself to be drawn closer. She flinches, swallowing against the rough drag of denim on tender flesh as she settles again. It's not too bad, Brian is far off worse than she is, and wouldn't be if she'd run instead of giving in to a moment of stupid. With a careful exhale her eyes flick from phone to Brian, then back again. "We could use some ice cream," she puts in, her own tone lacking the joviality of Brian's, but hoping the lie will cover over the phone line.

"Salem. Not like an ordinary name, but I like it. I guess I'm impartial to the unusual though, maybe people are born into that— mom didn't like normal names," Sam's lips purse lightly only to be interrupted by little Brian. She releases a slow breath, "I miss you guys too, things are… interesting around here. And ice cream is something people can live without, sometimes. In some circumstances…" It's the most diplomatic adjective she could think of as she rolls off the bed, phone still pressed to her ear. "I'm being summoned…" it's only then that her eyes narrow. Isn't everyone supposed to be sleeping?

Barefoot steps take her to the door which she opens quietly and then closes equally quietly behind her. "What's going on?" she peeks into the hallway slowly, glancing each direction. "Is everything— is everything okay?" the smile should've been evidence, but… she doesn't trust everything she sees.

Brian pulls Koshka into his side a little more with a wince. Going to rest his head against the top of her head. He takes a deep breath. "We'll find ice cream." He murmurs with a confident smile to reassure Samara. Even though she can't see him. "Well we should probably go anyways baby. Can't stay on these phones too long. Let me know what happens with our weird time-thing." Speaking of weird. Was that him calling her? It makes him frown. But whatever. Nothing he can do.

"Everything's fine!" Brian answers from down the hallway.


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