Participants:
| Scene Title | Fun Where You Find It |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Sometimes you just have to make a little time for something that's not horrible. |
| Date | Feb 25, 2011 |
Jaiden's Apartment
Elisabeth has been slam-busy since the Dome first appeared. And slam-busy since it fell too! She's struggling to find enough hours in the day to do her job and still manage the occasional meeting or phone call to her 'other' job… or the men she shares sheets with. Relationships take maintenance and she's grateful that hers are not suffering overmuch. That said, however, there's a man who does need her attention and she finally manages to find enough time to walk away from her many duties and issues to make her way to the friend who deserves a hug.
She phones ahead and then briefly knocks on the door, but you know what? She's got a key. And she uses it, just in case he's actually sleeping when she gets to his place. The door opens, and Elisabeth's voice is low as she steps in and closes the door behind her carefully. "Jaiden, you awake?"
His door is locked, as usual, but there are signs of life where until a few days ago, there were none. A bag, dropped near the staircase, deflated, it's contents dumped on a workbench near a car covered in a thin layer of dust and a half-pulled on car-cover; Jaiden's Mustang. When the dome came down, he came home. To rest. To recuperate. To get some food too, since things were getting rather dire in the Dome up until it's collapse.
The apartment is as he left it. Still decorated for christmas - a dead fir in the corner still strewn with tinsel and balls and a few ornaments, surrounded by a carpet of needles. That'll be cleaned up when he's darn good and ready. A few cans of soup sit on the counter, labels mostly torn away to hide their contents, lids up at an angle next to the bowl it was all poured into and microwaved to give the Aussie the first hot meal he's had in near a month. And speaking of the australian…where is he?
The sound of the shower can be heard hissing, steam pouring from the open bathroom door as Jaiden stands there beneath the pounding water, eyes closed, letting the heat and water wash every trace of that dome away from him. But the pictures…the pictures and the memories will remain. There have already been offers from several magazines - three weeks in the dome; a photo-journal - vanity fair and Newsweek have both made compelling offers, but that's neither here nor there. "Who's there?" He calls over the shower.
Liz is nothing if not the product of an Italian background. She comes bearing food. Though it's not homemade, it is some of the best fresh-baked bread and handmade pasta in the city in her opinion. She sets the bag on the counter and walks toward the hall, leaning against the jamb of the bathroom's door. Her voice carries gently through the room without shouting. "It's Elisabeth. I caught an hour's break and wanted to check on you in person," she replies.
A dripping-wet head peers out from behind the shower curtain, hair disheveled and in need of a trim, face clean shaven, catching sight of a shoulder and the voice it's attached to. "Oi there, Lizzie. It's bloody good to hear your voice. Give me a minute and I'll be out."
"Absolutely," Elisabeth responds. She walks back toward the kitchen to start unpacking that bag while he gets out of the shower. With the bowls of soup there she has no idea if he'll want to eat. But the food's still warm, so she'll wait to refrigerate it until he comes out.
The bowls of soup had been consumed near the instant he got home, but that was last night. Also, judging from the trail of clothes leading to the bathroom, after eating he immediately cleaned up. This shower is the second, deeper clean.
After about five minutes the water turns off and Jaiden emerges, heading for his bedroom, wrapped in a towel. He leaves his room once he's dressed - t-shirt and shorts, no socks or anything else - just what he could grab that was clean. "Came to check up on me, huh?" He chuckles, looking over at the door for a moment. "YOu're the first visitor I've had since getting out."
Elisabeth watches him go down the hall and grins. "Nice view," she teases. But she remains where she is and calls back, "I can't decide whether to apologize for that."
Jaiden rubs a hand over his still-wet hair, shaking it a little. He tried to dry it with a towel as best he could, but he had a reason to get out here quickly. "No apologies needed, Lizzie. I'd say the same thing about you if I were given the chance….oh…you mean about the visiting.' Jaiden chuckles softly, giving a shrug before sliding into one of the stools surronding the island.
She chuckles softly. And since he's seated, she does what she does best when she doesn't know what else to do — she starts dishing him up a place. Elisabeth's hands make quick work of setting chicken, vegetable, and pasta in a creamy alfredo sauce in front of him. "Eat," she murmurs. "I would have cooked but this is first time I've been out of uniform since the dome broke."
Jaiden does as ordered, pulling the plate over and stabbing a bit of vegatable with his fork, looking at it, almost studying it before taking a bite, chewing thoughtfully, slowly, savoring the flavor of fresh vegatables for the first time in a long time. "You off for a bit, then?" He jerks his thumb toward the bathroom. "Feel like a shower?"
"Only an hour or so," Elisabeth says softly. "I'd say yes, but if I get into hot water right now…." She smiles a bit. "You'll find me asleep in there in about 15 minutes. And I don't have time for that right now. Thank you, though." She brings some butter to the counter in case he wants it for the bread and leans on the far side. "Mostly I just…. wanted you to know I was thinking of you," she admits quietly.
Jaiden's plate is half finished when she says that, the man smiling, hanging his head a little, bangs hiding his eyes. "Thinking of me, huh?" There's another chuckle, Jaiden reaching across the counter to tap her hand, to give it a squeeze. "I really am happy that you were. makes me think I matter."
Elisabeth slips her hand into his and holds tightly. There are many things she could say to him, but it's not her way to butt into things. The fact that she's his first visitor… makes her angry on his behalf. But that too she keeps behind her teeth. "I'm glad you're out. I'm glad you're okay, Jaiden." She smiles a little. "I'm so far beyond sorry that you had to see the things you saw. And I hope you know if you need to talk, I'm here." She grimaces a little. "God knows, I've seen my share of awful."
Jaiden's hand is rough, but slick with skin conditioners. Apparently he's trying to work his skin into something a little more manageable after being trapped inside for so long. he gives Elisabeth's hand a squeeze and, setting down his fork, points to his camera bag sitting there. "Everything I saw is in there. All the pictures. The interviews. From the moment the wall went up until about an hour after it went down. All the death. All the triumph. All of the people reduced to their most basic of levels, scrabbling at motes to survive." His eyes close, his face showing far too many years for just a moment.
The fact that Elisabeth is his first visitor has worn on Jaiden. All during his confinement, he was expecting to come home and see Delia. Maybe not here, but at least somewhere. At least a note waiting for him. At least a call saying 'hey, I heard the dome was down. ARe you okay?' All during that time, there was nothing. Jaiden had been alone before, but during that time, he felt like the last man on Earth, and it shows. "It…" his voice cracks. "It wasn't your fault. It was Humanis and that poor bastard they gave amp to."
The crack in his voice makes Elisabeth slip back around the counter, this time to wrap her arms around his broad shoulders. She embraces him tightly, resting her head against his. "God, Jaiden, I wish you hadn't had to live that." She doesn't feel responsible — just sympathetic. "Is there anything at all I can do for you?" she asks, pretty much expecting the answer to be no but he is her friend — he is one of hers. And she can't leave him to stew in his thoughts. It wouldn't be right.
His only response is a small shrug, Jaiden's emotions locking down. If Huruma were here, she would be able to manipulate him easily, but Jaiden's facade remains strong and inert…well, at least, until Elisabeth puts an arm around his shoulders. There's a shiver as he turns, pulling her into a tight hug, his eyes clamped closed, trying his damndest not to cry.
Elisabeth won't push him, won't make him bare his masculine soul as it were. She simply holds him, offering the only comfort she has to give — her affection, the warmth of her arms, and her presence itself. She came to him as soon as she could get free to check in.
It's not that he's uncomfortable baring his masculine soul…it's just that if he breaks now, he'll be broken for a good thirty plus minutes before he'll be able to put himself back together. For now, he just holds her tightly to him, rocking back and forth every now and again, his head resting against her shoulder. "This…" he finally says. "Was worse than North Korea.
There's a wince. That's saying something. Elisabeth continues to simply rock gently where she stands, rubbing his back. She was here after Midtown. She knows exactly what he's talking about. "If anyone is going to tell the story right, it will be you," she says quietly.
Jaiden lets out a breath or two before straightening, giving Elisabeth a pat on the shoulder and leaning up to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "That's what I wanted to hear…that i'd be able to do the job properly and well. The rest I can deal with. Leaving a story untold? That I can't."
The blonde smiles for him, one hand slipping up to cradle his cheek while she kisses his other in return. "I have no doubt," Elisabeth assures him, "that your story will be done well and right. Are you going to write it, or sell the pictures and just have input on the story before it goes out?" she asks, moving just a little away to lean on the counter again and give him room to eat.
Jaiden digs back in to the plate of food, savoring the vegatables and such with relish, chewing completely before swallowing and taking another bite. Not wolfing it down in the least. "Well, I'll probably get to work on the story in the next few days. I'm sure that someone'll want the story from the inside - either as a reporter or as an anonymous evolved with the whole story." Jaiden chuckles and slips out of his chair, paddign on bare feet. "Excuse me a moment…I need to freshen up a bit." he slips into the bathroom for a moment.
Leaving him to go finish getting dressed — the food she brought isn't really going anywhere — Elisabeth goes to the counter to make a pot of coffee. She seriously needs an IV to mainline the stuff. While it's brewing, she pulls out milk and sugar to doctor the brew liberally when it's finished.
Up above, there's an intruder to Jaiden's shop! Remi has slipped in from outside, wearing her standard designer gear. A bit more glove-like and low cut than normal. Her reunion with Jaiden was interrupted by the Dome, sadly, so now that she knows he's back, she's made her way here to surprise him. A bag of food from a gourmet restaurant in one hand, and a bag of luxury toiletries in another (cologne, shaving cream, face lotion, etc.), Remi slips her way toward the back door that leads down into Jaiden's apartment.
As her hand comes to touch the doorknob, she opens her mind down toward the basement, scanning. She hears Jaiden…and another woman. A famliar mind, one she's heard before. Hmm. This will be an interesting day, won't it? She's heard about Liz from Graeme's mind beyond the meeting they've had.
Popular woman.
Standing by the counter in the apartment, Elisabeth is not expecting company. But Jaiden has the place set up to alert him to when people approach the apartment. Glancing toward the door when the security system blinks a couple of times, she goes slightly tense. Not 'omgwearebeingattacked' tense, but wary. She moves further back into the shadows of the kitchen, unwilling to be in immediate view if the person is letting themselves in.
The toilet flushed, Jaiden returns to the kitchen area, drying his hands off with a hand towel that's pitched into the hamper by the closet. A glance to the monitors shows that there's a guest, and another, closer look tells him who it is. There's a motion as he grabs the microphone - a repurposed CB handset - from the wall and talks. "Hey there, Remi. Didn't expect to see you for a bit. I'm down in the basement entertaining a friend. You're more than welcome to come along." This is broadcast to the loudspeaker in the garage, easily heard by Remi unless she's completely deaf. He looks to Elisabeth hiding in the shadows and smiles. "Old, old friend from way back when. An old flame."
Elisabeth blinks, startled, and looks at him. "An old flame?" she scoffs. Please. He can't be serious. But she's very amused.
Jaiden smirks. "Yes, an old flame. She and I had a thing a bit after the bomb. She was in france, I was doing photos. And now she's here." he chuckles. "Small world, huh?"
Both bags still in hand, Remi makes her way down into the basement apartment. She hears the conversation, and her mind is definitely open to hear surface thoughts of the two. It's definitely curious. As soon as she enters, a bright smile forms on her face. "Bonjour! Jaiden, I am so glad zat you are back!" She holds out the bags to him expectantly, waiting for him to relieve her of her burden. They're his things now, anyhow.
Blue eyes turn toward Liz, the woman raising her brows. Another greeting in her native tongue of french is offered, a look of recognition crossing over her face. Oh yes, she knows this woman.
Taking the bags from the bouncy frenchwoman, Jaiden gives her a smile before retreating and putting the bags aside on the couch. Elisabeth returns the greeting and excuses herself to the restroom, leaving Remi and Jaiden alone for the time being. "It's good to be back, Remi. How've you been holding up in the great big city?"
Remi offers a cheerful wave after Elisabeth as she disappears into the restroom. She'll have to grill her for information later on. After all, she's pretty sure this is the Liz that Graeme keeps talking about. But that's not important right now. As the room is cleared of none but Remi and Jaiden, the frenchwoman offers a bright smile up to Jaiden.
Then, she reaches up, taking hold of either side of his face and gently pulling him down to offer him a kiss. On the lips. A big one. That nice little greeting finished, she pulls back, offering a soft giggle. "I've been well, Jaiden. Et toi?"
Jaiden's eyes are a bit wide at the rather affectionate kiss, the man grinning a little as he straightens, falling back into his old habits easily. "Well, now that I'm out of the dome, I can't complain in the least. I've basically lived in the shower for the past day or so to try and get the smell off of me….you can't imagine what it was like in there, and I hope you never have to."
When she steps out, Elisabeth is still in her very neutral mood — though she smiles at Remi with a genuine smile, tired, she's also pretty much thinking six degrees of separation my ass. "My apologies, Remi. It's very nice to see you again." She smiles faintly. "I met your roommate the other night — embarrassed myself, I'm sure."
Remi grins up at Jaiden. "Well, zere are toiletries in one of ze bags." She giggles softly up to him. Then, she offers him a hug. "I'm glad you're back. I worried for you." Just as she's finishing this, Liz reenters, and Remi smiles to the woman. "Ohh, you are ze Liz person zat Graeme is always th— talking about." She almost slips up, there. "Don't worry, it's much easier to embarass him zan it is to embarrass yourself with him, oui?" She giggles.
"Oh lord…" Jaiden says with a chuckle, peering into the toiletries bag, seeing that she snagged the things that he had been wearing in France so long ago, as well as a few newer things that he would never think to buy because they were so expensive. Still, he closes the bag and gives Remi a smile. "Thank you very much…" before taking the whole lot to his bedroom, leaving the bag of food on the counter. It seems he's fully expecting to eat that too, even after cleaning Elisabeth's plate off. "Embarrass me?"
"Oh, no," Elisabeth retorts blithely. "Her roommate. But I embarrassed myself plenty." She grins at Jaiden and admits casually, "He's got eyes to die for and well, I'm a sucker…" She sighs theatrically. "It took me far longer than it ought to realize he'd prefer flirting with Felix to flirting with me." She shows no real remorse in the fact that her brain still tries to picture Graeme without clothes. Hey… a girl's gotta have her fun. le sigh, drool Besides Jaiden knows Lizzie dates like a guy, generally.
Remi giggles softly. "Non, Jaiden. I wouldn't do zat to you. It's too difficult to do, oui?" But then, she's Soleil Davignon. If anyone can find a way to embarass someone, it's her, with her impeccable skills of finding ways to do so. As Liz speaks of her room mate, Remi can't help but let out a soft laugh. "Oui, I will agree with you on zat. If it weren't for ze fact zat 'e bats for ze ozer team…well, you know. I would do more zan just cuddle up when we watch movies." A bit of a brag in there. She offers a soft giggle, nodding toward Liz.
"Speaking of Felix, I 'ave met 'im as well. Nice guy!" She smiles brightly. "And jus' between you and me…'e and Graeme 'ave 'it it off very well." A knowing smile forms on the frenchwoman's face.
Even Jaiden can read between the lines at this point, chuckling. "well whatever makes those two happy, I'm all for it. I'm sure my preferences are known to be on the opposite side of the spectrum." How did we get on this subject….lord.
Elisabeth grins wickedly. She does way more than cuddle up and watch movies with Felix, and the flash through her own head is remarkably lurid and visceral. But the happiness in her expression that the boys have hit it off is also entirely genuine. "Lord, how can you tell? Felix gives owl eyes and Graeme turns pink?" she asks on a snicker.
Waving it off, Elisabeth swats Jaiden on the butt, waggling her brows. "Of course you do." She's laughing softly. "You two should visit, though. I'll get out of here and get back to the base. I need to stop off and see Richard for a few minutes on something anyway." Blue eyes darken at that for a moment but she shakes it off. The flash of that man through her head brings far more than affection — a jumble of the kinds of exasperated annoyance and mental bitching that a woman only gets at the man held dear to the heart.
Remi giggles softly to Jaiden. Then, she turns to Liz, laughing. "Oui, zat is pretty much 'ow it goes. But…" She leans closer to Liz, grinning. "Jus' between us, last night at ze bowling alley, I spied zem getting to know each ozer up close." She promptly kisses the air, grinning widely. "It was good to see you again. Tell Monsieur Cardinal zat I say 'ello." What? Liz never said anything about Richard's last name. And how does she know Richard? What?
The telepath turns, smiling fondly up at Jaiden. "So, you 'ave lots of stories to tell me, oui?"
"A few, here and there, Remi. Not too many of them pleasant other than the happy ending of people getting out. Repairs to the area will take years, and that's not to discount the scars that the people that were inside hold." Jaiden sighs quietly, sinking into one of the barstools. "Did they ever find the guy who was the cause of this? I've been kind of out of it." This was directed at Liz.
Elisabeth is laughing at Remi, because the idea of Felix and Graeme — yeah, she can picture it. Too cute. But there is an instant, subtle shift from a little light fun to predator. "I'm sorry, what?" she asks Remi mildly, her facial expression still mirroring amusement. Six degrees of separation her lily-white ass. And even as she waits for Remi's reply, never taking her eyes off, she says to Jaiden, "I honestly don't know. Not that I've been informed, but if Humanis First or the DoEA picked him up, well…." She leaves that thought where it lies.
Remi nods slowly toward Jaiden. "I 'ope they found ze one responsible for zat. It was 'orrible, what zey did." She shakes her head slowly. Then, she turns a smile to Elisabeth, brows raising. Shit. She slipped again, didn't she? "Oh, did you mean a different Richard? I spoke to Monsieur Cardinal at one point, and 'e said something about you, too." Not really. Shit.
Jaiden glances from one woman to the other. One can almost see him scooting out of the line of fire, as it were. Thankfully his breakable bits that he cares about are in his bedroom and not in the path of Elisabeth if she ends up using her power for evil instead of good. "Yeah, here's hoping whoever he was died in the dome and didn't have to live with what he did."
She's not buying it. "I see," is all Elisabeth says. "I didn't realize the two of you were that close," she adds with a smile that doesn't quite warm those eyes. "I'll be certain to pass along the greetings." The blonde moves to kiss Jaiden's cheek lightly. "I don't know that I'd wish anyone dead for having the ill luck to get amp'd and cause a catastrophe," she murmurs. "Though I also wouldn't wish living with the aftereffects on them either." Tough place to be. She murmurs in his ear, Be careful with her. Foremost in her mind right now is concern for Jaiden's safety with Remi in the room — she knows all too well just how much lethality a pretty face can conceal.
Remi siles nervously after Liz, running a hand through her hair. "Oui…" Not that Cardinal won't tell her what's going on. Oh hell, she might as well break it to Liz. Since Richard will tell you anyhow, I am a telepath. He doesn't know me that well. This is sent to Liz's mind alone, a slightly cheerful tone to it, accompanied by a cheerful smile. I mean no harm, don't worry.
Jaiden gives a small nod to Elisabeth's whisper, stepping back and going back to his plate. Since he didn't get the broadcast, he just smiles faintly. "I'll be sure to be, Lizzie."
Yeah. That goes across about like a lead balloon. Elisabeth whips around, her body between Remi and Jaiden in a movement as instinctive as breathing. "Shit." She is not happy. Telepathy is one of the few powers that she really intensely dislikes. "You keep the fuck out of my head," she demands in a tension-laden voice. "That is an invasion of my privacy."
"I would 'ave rathered I tell you myself zan someone else." She frowns. "I would 'appily keep out of your 'ead, Madame 'Arrison, but it is not something I can actually turn off. I can ignore it, but it still sounds like a mumble, in ze back of my mind." She taps her forehead, moving to lean against a counter. "I apologize— I never asked for an ability like zis."
Jaiden rests a hand on Elisabeth's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "Calm down, Lizzie. I was there when she first manifested in France. It was a hell of a show, let me tell you, and the reason I didn't tell you she was a telepath was because I don't tell that kind of information to anyone if I know it until I'm sure the other person wants others to know. It's only polite, after all." He leans around Elisabeth to look at Remi. "Mabye we can get you a helmet or a tinfoil hat or something….that'd go over well on the runways, wouldn't it?"
Ugh… First Aric, now Remi. Telepaths in her experience are notorious snoops. One would think they would learn really fast to tune out other people thoughts lest they go mad in a city this size, but somehow Elisabeth always seems to find the ones that don't. And she has too many secrets in her head to be comfortable with it very easily. Jaiden's hand on her shoulder brings her tension down a notch, but she looks at him with real concern furrowing her brow.
She looks at Remi once more, and very deliberately thinks loud and clear — she might as well be shouting. Some of us have information that will get you killed locked up in our heads. Be very careful what you choose to let *slip*, Remi. And to whom you let it slip. I will kill to protect Jaiden… and I'm willing to kill to protect Graeme as well. Her sincerity is unmistakeable for the telepath. Elisabeth is not threatening — it is a promise.
"Because Jaiden trusts you, I'm going to assume you are better at keeping your slips to a minimum than you're giving me the impression of currently. If you're not, I'm sure we can work on that," Elisabeth says quietly, her blue eyes direct.
A grateful smile is cast toward Jaiden, Remi offering a nod toward him. "Oui, zat would go over great. 'Oo knows, per'aps I could get Davignon Fashions to design some tin foil 'ats. Protection from telepaths, in style." She offers a tiny chuckle and a slow shake of her head. If only it worked that way.
Then, blue eyes dart over to Liz, the woman raising her brow. I keep what I hear from people's minds to myself, Madame Harrison. Typically, I don't slip, but there are times when I do. I am still learning to control my ability. Remi tips her head toward the blonde woman. I would never hurt Jaiden or Graeme. Jaiden is still close to my heart, despite years of separation, and Graeme…I don't like thinking of life without him as my room mate.
Then, the redhead bobs her head in a nod. "If I need assistance, I will certainly come to you, oui?" This is honest.
Jaiden figured that it didn't work out that way. He did hear of a telepath who could hear thoughts, but if she wore sunglasses it wouldn't work. There was a hope that Remi kind of acted in the same way. "Ah well. If she slips, i'm sure it's accidental, Lizzie, and if I know her, she won't go meddling around in other folks' heads."
"Ffft," Elisabeth retorts softly. "I'm no telepath, but we know a few who might be able to teach you." Just what Remi needs… Matt Parkman teaching her telepathy. Ffft. Anyway. Elisabeth turns to stand on her toes and kiss Jaiden's cheek. "I worry more about the idea that she'll name drop where the wrong someone hears," she informs him. "Ezekial tried to have Richard killed the other day. And Claire just turned up on my doorstep stripped of her power. Permanently. Just… be careful. Both of you." She pats him lightly. "I need to get back to work."
The telepath nods slowly, running a hand through her hair and tilting her head toward Liz. "I will keep zat in mind. And…don't worry. Usually I know when not to name drop." She offers a faint smile, shaking her head slowly. "I only 'ear surface thoughts, in any case. So you really don't have to worry about me digging in your 'ead. I can't." Yet.
"She'll be good." Jaiden says, levering back to sit at the counter, reaching around to give Elisabeth a tight hug from behind, his face in the middle of her back, arms going around her waist. "And you be safe, Lizzie. Couch is open if you need a spot. Shower is too."
That makes Elisabeth laugh, and she winks over her shoulder at him. "Jaiden, it's not nice to ask a woman to stay over on the couch," she admonishes, mostly teasing. "I'll talk to you soon." And she slips out.
"Okay, fine, we'll share the bed!" Jaiden calls out as she leaves, laughing.
"Promises promises!" wafts back from the stairs!
Remi laughs softly, shaking her head and moving over to Jaiden. No jealousy there. Once she thinks that Liz is out of earshot, Remi turns, grinning up at Jaiden. "Madame 'Arrison is a belle femme." She reaches out to wrap an arm around Jaiden's waist. "A beautiful woman." She giggles softly, wiggling her brows up at Jaiden, before going to lean against him.
"I would love to see more of her…"
