Participants:
| Scene Title | Good To Be Home |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Cassidy arrives back in New York early and Coren is there to bring her home. |
| Date | August 22, 2009 |
Despite the increased airline security, courtesy first of the bomb and now of potential local terrorists and the Evolved in general, JFK International still sees a great deal of traffic. A massive number of planes move in and out of its airspace, and even more passengers arrive and depart by them. The buildings are immense structures of steel and glass, although more horizontally stretched than most in New York, which tend to the vertical mode. It is full of shops, restaurants, and people — always the people, from security guards to travelers, thronging the halls in search of food, souvenirs, and whichever place it is they're supposed to be.
One of the largest airports in New York, the JFK Airport has a large number of airline terminals. Accessible from the subway, the paths from the Jamaica and Howard Beach stations inevitably converge by the Federal Circle past Lefferts Boulevard. At the Federal Circle, located just past the parking areas, one can check in to rent cars, or get access to the Airport Hotel and Cargo Area, as well as the shuttles that run the loop from Terminals 1 to 8.
Naturally security is a lot tighter (though not infallible), so it is suggested that patrons of the airlines arrive two to three hours before their flight. In the waiting area, there are multiple rows of uncomfortable interconnected seats and several monitors that are turned onto the news stations.
The problem with crazed, stalkery serial killers is that they have a tendency to let you in on things you'd rather know nothing of. In Coren's case, it revolves around a man named Mortimer. No, he did not want to know anything of the sort about him and how he relates to his partner. The particular wording that was used… Coren's doing his best imitation at meditation as he sits awaiting Cassidy's arrival at terminal four, but it should be fairly obvious to her that something's up beyond the events of the past evening at Old Lucy's.
The trip lasted just three days before Cassidy got the call to come home. She was more then happy to book the next flight out, which ended up being the next morning. She was tired but unable to sleep really. Most nights she'd only finally doze off to sleep in sheer exhaustion. But around noon on Saturday, Cassidy finds herself back in New York. Instead of a sense of relief as the link seems to strengthen again, Cassidy realizes something is off.
As people pour out of the door, Cassidy hangs back a bit as she tried to figure out what's going on, but eventually the red-head has to move to greet her partner. There is no doubt she's happy to be home, very happy to see him again, even if she's a bit worried. "Hey partner." she says softly giving him an affectionate smile, as she sets the carry-on bag down.
In a style that can only truly be appreciated by a parent, Coren wraps his arms around Cassidy to welcome her home. This is prior to the exchange he wishes to have, but he decides to save it for the car, instead taking up Cassidy's carry-on and settling an arm around her shoulder to guide her towards the luggage terminal to get her suitcase. "Sorry to cut your trip short, but now that we know what Azrael is, it's best nobody be left to their own devices."
"It's alright." Cassidy says blandly as she leans into Coren's side, an arm resting behind his back even as his arm rests over her shoulders. "It was… awkward there anyhow. She's…." the young woman trails off, thought the word marriage slips through the link between them. "She wanted me to come down so that she could tell me she was getting married."
Glancing at Coren, Cassidy studies him. "She is marrying my last partner, Richard." The images of an older man, slides through her memory. As well as the memory of the two at the time partners talking about the evolved and the words the man said that day ring clear in her head… Bunch of goddamn freaks the lot of them. The detective sighs heavily. "I couldn't talk to my mom about my ability, or you even."
There is a gentle sigh from Coren and he squeezes her tighter with the one arm. He sifts through the various cases himself to find hers, and once he has found it, he relinquishes the carry-on. The suitcase is heavier, so he takes that up. "Let's go home," he says. "I'm sorry your trip didn't turn out as you expected." It's then that Cassidy may begin to get an idea of what he knows because there's something there on the fringe of his mind, and it seems to scream quite clearly — Mortimer.
Of course, he's immediately aware that she knows that he knows, so he silences any direct verbal or mental communication with a very fatherly look and the words, "We'll talk in the car."
Pulling away from Coren, so that she can take her bag, Cassidy almost misses that little hint in the back of her head. "Well…. I never thought mom would…." Then she get the clue and well…. all color drains out of her face. She's left rather speechless, though her brain is frantically trying to work out how he'd found out. She opens her mouth to start to say something, when he gives her that look. Her gaze can only drop away her cheeks coloring in shame. "Alright."
The arm over Cassidy's should is still just a gentle and caring as it always is and Coren reaches that arm up slightly to brush at the side of her face. But it's an otherwise silent trip to the car. Once the beaten-up, rust-bucket sedan has been loaded with luggage, Coren opens the door for his partner, and only once he's put her seatbelt on does he go to his side. He opens his door, enters the car, and closes the door.
After he buckles up, he says, "A mutual acquaintance who has taken it upon himself to play games with us informed me, in writing, couriered to my apartment only five minutes before I left to come here… Well, read it for yourself." He pulls out a folded-up piece of paper with familiar handwriting.
Cassidy's cheating on you again with Mortimer. They had sex in New Orleans. Do something about it or I will.
- Az
"Oh… my…. god" Is all Cassidy can say after she reads the note a few times. She looks like she wants to be sick. Even at that, how the hell did he know? Looking down at her lap, she folds the note again slowly and holds it there, hand resting in her lap. "I'm sorry Coren, I don't even know how Mortimer found out where I was…" she starts lamely, as she offers it back. There is no excuse for what she did, she knows it — So she doesn't try to explain.
Coren finally pulls out of airport parking lot. "He's either well-connected or is watching us," he says. Now it's his time for shame, "And I think I did something very, very stupid." Which is when Cassidy's is filled in via memory of what exactly happened the night before. Abigail's sudden dancing on the bar, downing tequila, and Coren's words: 'I'll do anything, just stop this.' A poor choice of words, though it's clear from the memory, another voice saying 'whatever it takes.' Coren doesn't know Leonard, but clearly the same thing was on everyone's mind.
A hand comes up to cover Cassidy's mouth as she catches his own memory. Part of her wants to ask him what he was thinking…. but the other part of her…. "Not stupid per se," Cassidy admits softly as she looks out of the front of the car. "What else could you have done?" It's clear, she would have said the same thing. Giving him a supportive smile, she reaches over to take his hand, partially for support, but also cause she missed the old man.
The shame of what she had done fades away into more of a nagging worry. "This is getting scary, Coren," her words a are soft. "This guy… he's seeing everything." That disturbs her the most and she voices the next question with some fear. "What's going to happen next? Especially, to you?"
"It was a poor choice of words because I let my emotions interfere with how I do my job," Coren says, as though it would be possible for anyone to not have that happen, especially when Abigail is the one he is being emotional about. "The fact that he's watching isn't lost on me, but I'm more worried about you than me. If you want to kill a person, you kill them. If you want to destroy them, you go after their heart."
"Don't worry about me." Cassidy states with a dismissive wave of her hand, even though she knows damn well he worries all the time. It's amazing the poor man doesn't have an ulcer yet. "I'm more worried about Abigail. He knows your weakness for her and your need to protect her." Fingers of her free hand taps on her jean covered knee. " I can see him going after her again," she murmurs to herself mostly as she watches the world pass by outside the car.
Even if he did have an ulcer, he could endure it! It's probably the fact that his body can endure the physical strain that stress places upon it that has prevented him from having one in the first place. Coren tightens his grip on the steering wheel. "No, I don't think he will. Liz, Cardinal, and I think her roommate. She has someone to keep an eye on her at all times. Won't stop me from checking in time and time again, though. We have to start looking out for unusual behaviour. If he starts possessing us indiscriminately…. I don't quite want to fathom what he could do."
Cassidy flashes on the memory of Megan giving her a smug smile before she died. It causes her to sit up a bit as she chill goes up her spine. "You think he'd do that to one of us?" a chill settles over her and a heavy pit settles in her stomach. "Why hasn't he done it yet?" She glances at the note and bites her lip, she holds it up. "At least we don't have to worry about this. Mortimer finally understands." Which in her head means at least one friend is safe.. and yes. She thinks of him in that way, rather then something more.
"I assume he's fucking with us," Coren says. "And quite frankly I don't like playing games, though it's clear he does." Which means they really need to be mindful of things and keep an eye out for each. "Now more than ever, we have to stay closer together. I took the liberty of moving some of your things to my apartment before I came to get you. Separation, I believe to be a bad idea. I have told Liz the same. If she has to go somewhere on her own, she needs to keep in touch with us regularly." The fact that Mortimer is only a friend actually does ease Coren a bit, not that he was really too upset about it. He didn't have to live it this time.
There is a short little chuckle from Cassidy, she can't help it she's always there anymore. "Thank you," she says softly, and he knows she means it. "Oh.. Brought you a box of Pralines. Since you know… they are big down there." glancing over at him she arches a brow. "Not diabetic I hope. or…. allergic to nuts." she muses softly, trying to lighten her mood a bit.
Coren lets out a hearty chuckle, "Like you don't already know." He gives a bit of a shake of his head. "We have to keep our heads down and our eyes open." He takes up Cassidy's hand in his right, keeping his left on the wheel. "And it's OK about Mortimer. I understand, I really do." He just wishes he'd remained ignorant. "It's becoming clear to me that he's trying to stir up trouble between us."
Taking his hand, Cassidy clasps his in both of hers, "I — I am sorry. I was hoping you'd never find out. He just… wanted answers without you there." She explains softly, turning her head where she can look at him, but she rest it against the head rest. "Don't worry. It really is done now." It takes a lot for her not to think about the conversation between them, come things may come through, but nothing bad. Her hand rubs gently on the back of his. "For a psycho and a stalker, he was understanding."
There's almost a full on laugh there. "Yes," Coren says, "If only the psycho stalker I have were as understanding or considerate as yours. We wouldn't be in the predicament we are now." There is a bit of a sigh, but he just keeps on driving. "It's good to have you back home."
A soft smile on her lips, Cassidy watches her partner drive for a long moment. Finally, she turns back to look out of the front of the car. "It's very good to be home. I don't plan to leave again for a long time." Her hands grip his like a life line, she eyes drift shut as she listens to the murmuring in the back of her mind. Very good to be home.