Participants:
Scene Title | For Better Or Worse |
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Synopsis | They're married now, don'tcha know. |
Date | June 23, 2009 |
New York Marriott Financial Center
Even drunk, Cassidy's conversation with Liz left her a lot to think about on the ride home. Maybe it was Liz's words… or maybe it's the nagging in the back of her brain. There is a little smile there when thinking of that nagging. As disturbing as it was to have that man always there, it was at that moment amusing. They both now had her re-thinking her involvement with Mortimer. Were her feelings for the man even real? It was too much to think about, so she brushes it aside.
Speaking of Cassidy's partner, Coren went on a bit of a bender of his own, although he used the convenience of room service to feed his temporary alcoholism. Staying in had its advantages. If you spend a bunch of money on booze, do you really want to spend a bunch of money on a cab to drive you home? And so, Coren stayed in. That and he had been there already and there was the minibar, which has been cleaned out of course.
It was fascinating for her as they got closer the things passing between them got stronger and much more clear. Glancing out the window at the hotel, his voices was a comforting murmur of words in her head. Paying the driver, she heads inside and makes her way up to their room, not bothering to fish out her key. As she expected he had the door open for her. Thanks, partner. She does something odd and hugs him.. okay.. yeah she's drunk a bit too much. But it's not a long hug, as she pulls away and moves to fall into bed.. There is a thought or two and she's out for the night.
By the time Cassidy gets home, she's lucky Coren isn't as drunk as she is — locks are so hard to manage when they keep moving on you — and it's shock that is written all over his face when she hugs him. He doesn't say a word about it, but then, he doesn't have to.
When Cassidy wakes up, she promptly tries to will herself back to sleep. God… why did I drink again? Her stomach feels like it's protesting last night…not happy. Her head is pounding like someone was playing drums on the inside of her skull. Upside…. she can say she's been through worse, but doesn't change the fact it hurts. She groans and rolls over to bury her face in her pillow.
Coren's right there with a tray. Naturally, he doesn't speak because the last thing a really hungover person wants is someone even whispering in their ear. You know, I had to beat the shit out of this concierge, a waiter, and a cook before they'd let me use the kitchen. No, he didn't. But he thought it was funny. He takes the lid off the meal to reveal fried eggs, bacon, and plain toast, and then raises a Bloody Mary onto the tray as he sets it on Cassidy's bed. A cursory glance around the hotel room would reveal a similar tray and glass, both cleared of all their anti-hangover goodness. Clearly, he's been up for some time.
Cassidy, without lifting her head, grasps for a pillow nearby for the purpose of throwing it at him. However, last minute she just presses it over her head to block out the smell of food with a groan. You're not allowed to be cheery in the morning. She grumps at him. Was it even morning? What time is it? She pulls the comforter higher up… wait.. when dd she do that last night? I remember now why I try to avoid drinking… this sucks.
"It's eleven thirty in the morning," Coren says quietly. He holds out the Bloody Mary. It took away what little of his own hangover remained, which means it should take the edge of Cassidy's off. Oh, and work called, he communicates to his partner as he takes the rest of the tray and sets it on the end table. "Apparently your administrative leave ends today. They want you in first thing tomorrow morning. And apparently mine ends tomorrow or Thursday, since the doctor approved of my return to desk duty technically as of Thursday if I'm feeling up to it. I told them I'd think about it."
Head comes up, and the pillow kinda falls off her head as she props herself on her elbows, still laying on her stomach. What?!? She shakes her head, realizing she wasn't actually talking. "Sorry.. What? They finally letting us back?" Eyes drop to the glass and she grimaces. Will that work? She reaches to flip the covers off and rolls onto her back so that she can scoot herself up to sit. "About damn time they let us go back." Leaning against the head board she takes the concoction and sniffs at it. "I imagine they have plenty for us both to do."
Little bit of new alcohol for the body to process so it can ignore the old, plus vitamins and minerals from the tomato juice and celery. Few things compare. "With me gone for three weeks, I imagine there will be three weeks of paperwork awaiting us." Because it's a running joke that he's the only one who gets any paperwork done. "Case hasn't seen any new developments in two weeks. They couldn't keep us away forever."
Cassidy takes a deep breath and takes a sip of her drink, wrinkling her nose a bit. Ewww. "Well, true. Though I'd rather have the guy caught then to be going back cause of no leads." A worried glance goes Coren's way. She doesn't want a repeat of what happened to him. In fact, it worries the hell out of her that the man is still out there somewhere. Hard enough having to see him shot the first time. after forcing herself to take a bigger drink, she swings her legs around to sit on the edge of the bed. Glancing down at her wrinkled clothing she frowns a bit. "Seriously.. don't let me drink like that again." A look crosses her face and her cheeks redden. "Oh lord, I hugged you last night."
"It takes a little more than two bullet holes to kill me," Coren says, his hand gripping Cassidy's shoulder for a moment as he sits down next to her on the bed. "Yes, it would be nice to have this guy caught, but clearly that's not going to happen with us sitting on our hides." No, he's not arrogant enough to think he, Cassidy, or both of them are the only competent law enforcement officers. But clearly hiding around in a hole isn't going to help bring about new evidence. "If it's a game this guy wants, he can have it." He wags a finger, "Drink it all, luv." Then he gets up and steals half a slice of toast from Cassidy's tray, knowing full well she hasn't the stomach to eat all of it. He makes no comment and doesn't give much though to the hug. "Drinking's not so bad if you can hold your liquor, but I know you can't, so if I'm around and sober myself, you should be able to stay sober too."
"I guess." Cassidy grumbles a bit, but manages to give her partner a one-sided smile before he gets up. She glares at her glass, but sips at it watching him. "So we're gonna play his game now?" It's an honest question. "Guess that's the best way to flush him out." Picking up a piece of toast she bites off a corner of the slices and chews thoughtfully.
"Either that or we sit around paranoid. God knows, he ought to have had plenty of chances to off us. It's not like a hotel adds much security. If he managed to find out as much as he appears to know about me, how come he can't find us at this here hotel?" Coren gives a light shrug. "We'll catch the bugger eventually."
Giving him a look, Cassidy shakes her head slowly. "So he's got a plan.. and he's waiting for us to get back to work then?" There is a heavy sigh and she pops the last of the toast in. She's feeling a bit better, so her partner is forgiven for making her drink that stuff. Grudgngly she pulls over the tray and starts working her way through the food slowly.
Looking at Coren, she can't help but think about this 'thing' between them. "Can't let anyone know…" She's assuming he knows what she's talking about. She told Liz, but she trusts the woman. "I think that would get us tossed to the shrink faster then we can blink."
"Well I could have gotten you a glass of orange juice with a raw egg and tobasco sauce. Believe me when I say a Bloody Mary tastes far more appealing," Coren remarks as he begins to pace. Ah, mobility — it is a grand thing after so long sitting on his ass. Of course, he's still torn with regards to the thing between them. "I'm still wondering whether or not it wouldn't be smarter to register proper. There are so many ways things could go south."
Cassidy is just as much in favor of the Linderman Act as anyone.. but.. this is way too weird. "I think we're safe waiting for a time. I mean… what would you call this? We know we can't reverse it." She shakes her head a bit. "We could be looking at a lifetime like this." Sighing heavily she takes another bite. "I mean.. I'm registered as an unknown. And we know at least part of me is an Empath. I won't hesitate to register that, but how do I explain this thing." She motions between them. Regret flashes through her, proof she still feels horrible for doing this to them. Cassidy feels like she's possibly ruined his future. She tries to lock down on that thought hoping he doesn't hear it, but so far she's found she can't stop that either. No secrets.
"Stop beating yourself up over this," Coren says, "It won't do you any good to regret this, so why waste energy worrying?" He doesn't need to lay a hand upon Cassidy's shoulder — she knows that's what he would do if he weren't pacing still. "I'm just saying we have to be careful." Again, not something he really has to verbalize, but it's part of his own thinking process. It's how he works out a problem.
"You should register as an empath. At least that way, you're partially covered in case things go awry. We've been working together for a while now and I am a profiler. It should at least cover one or two minor incidents if anyone catches on. Beyond such minor infractions, I can't say I want to speculate what would happen if things got out. Of course, from an entirely different perspective, how could they keep us a part? Our thoughts intrude upon others — best we be left together as opposed to letting unrelated matters mingle together in our heads."
Nodding in agreement, Cassidy figured on doing so when she went in first thing tomorrow. There is a touch of relief at the idea abut being able to do her job again. Placing her food aside she slides to her feet and moves to the closet, to check her clothes. She frowns a bit at her selection of things. "They will just have to take jeans and a nice shirt tomorrow." Comments lightly. "And you're right. What are they gonna do… but you know how people can get about things they don't understand." An odd thought hits her and she sighs. Coren would know what she's going to say before she says it. "I need to go talk to Mortimer soon." She needs to explain things and possibly back off for a time until they can take care of this problem.
"Yeah," Coren says, rubbing his face a bit. "Best be done today if you can. The sooner the better and all. That and you start work again tomorrow, and best have all that dealt with before you start." While Cassidy is going through her clothes, Coren takes her tray and moves it from the nightstand to coffee table. "Oh, and for my sake, no hanky-panky while you're there." It's mostly meant as a joke, of course, and take make her blush. He can be devious that way.
The woman doesn't just blush, Cassidy turns scarlet with embarrassment and groans. "You are never going to let me live that down are you?" Hand move to press to her cheeks feeling the heat of the blush. "No. I don't think I'll ever be able to have sex again until I know you can't see it." Lord knows, she's even keeping her eyes shut in the bathroom whenever she has to turn towards the mirror when she showers. She's just that paranoid now. What the hell are they going to do about this? Being mentally linked to a man was the most…. The word she wants escapes her and she sighs shutting the closet door, looking at herself in the mirrored door. What were they going to do?
A lot of things are done with eyes closed these days, seeing as how closed doors don't matter much anymore. Of course, that's mostly paranoia, but that does not make it any less a necessity. "I'm sure we'll eventually figure things out or else get used to things," Coren offers. God, he hopes they get used to it. Having someone else in his head isn't the most comforting thing in the world, though it has its perks. "At any rate, you really ought to finish up your breakfast, help to knock all that alcohol out of your system so you're completely sober when you approach Mortimer."
Eyes find Coren, through the reflection of the mirror. "Not taking any chances are you?" Cassidy asks, sounding like she's on the edge of a chuckle. She turns and moves into his path so that he has to look at her. She narrows her eyes at him and arches a brow. "Do you even think it is possible to get used to this?" Cassidy doesn't feel very convinced of that. Being linked to the same gender would be one thing…. "If we can't fix this. It will take a lot of adjusting.." Case in point: her relationship with Mortimer. "This is.. huge. You may have done the whole.. married and stuff." She glances at the ring on his finger. "But I haven't even had much of a chance at any of that." So he can imagine why this is going to be especially rough for her. He's old, she's young. Okay.. well, she doesn't exactly see him as old..
Frowning Cassidy desperately tries to blank her thoughts before she puts her foot any further in her mouth.
"I'd rather not have to come with you, is all," Coren says sarcastically. No, he never had nor does he have any intention of coming with her, although he cannot help but be somewhat concerned as to how Mortimer is going to take the news. He lets Cassidy say her thing and then start thinking things that only makes him grow a bigger and bigger grin before he laughs. "Just be grateful I'm only barely old enough to be your father. It could be worse. Heck, you could be attached to a teenager. Imagine how bad that would be."
Cassidy's cheeks redden again and turns away throwing hands into the air with a frustrated sound. "Yes.. I know.. Hormonal teenage boys.. Dear god.. I'm grateful for that at least." Her arms drop to her side and she sighs, head falling back a bit. "Fuck, this is going to be tough. Not just that.. we barely understand this thing."
"Yes," Coren says, "We have no idea how deep this rabbit hole goes yet. I must admit, the idea of either of us going to work anytime soon does concern me a bit, especially since when I go back I'll be stuck at a desk most of the day. That's far too long a time being spent under the scrutinizing eyes of others." No, he doesn't want to panic either of them, but the thought did come to his mind and he feels weird about having his thoughts read, so verbalizes certain things he would ordinarily not say — only because it would be weird to have her respond to them without him having said them aloud.
"You and me both, partner." Cassidy murmurs to herself as she moves to her suitcase. "Are we continuing to stay here? Or we moving back to our places?" The young woman almost can't imagine being separated like that, kind of a weird though since they've been spending a lot more time together then most partners would. She gently tugs a t-shirt and and fresh pair of jeans out of the bag, she's fully intending to get a shower. Hmm… should she wear something nicer for Mortimer, he'd really like that… Realizing what she's doing, she quickly tries to think of something else completely and sighs.
Not that we'd really be living any less together, Coren thinks. "You go right on ahead and do what you have to, luv. We're stuck with each other, for better or for worse. That, and as we've both experienced, there's almost no point in trying to direct our thoughts elsewhere. They go where they go."
Cassidy gives him an odd look at what he says and flips her clothing to rest on her shoulder as she eyes him. "Lets avoid the marriage quotes for the time being," her tone amused. "This is all a little too freaky for those kinda quotes." Though ironically it's the perfect situation; no secrets, no lies.. Always knowing the truth. Giving a shake of her head, she turns and heads for the bathroom. "I need a shower. Then I'll see about calling Mortimer and getting a meeting." She shuts the bathroom door behind her and moves to set her things on the counter.
Catching sight of herself in the mirror, Cassidy stares at the reflection for a long time. How much of what happened to her would have gone differently if she had this connection with others. Especially, her partner that was killed. She reaches up to run her hands over her cheeks and frowns a bit. It's hard for her at times to remember she's only just getting ready to hit thirty this year. Sighing, she turns her back on the reflection and starts getting ready for her shower.