Participants:
| Scene Title | I'll Teach You How To Be Him |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Abigail confronts Brian on a lunch break in a quiet piece of cake bakery about the fact that he's Winters and trying to pass himself off as Brian. |
| Date | July 16, 2009 |
Winters gets lunch breaks, and so does Abby. Enough time between classes and therapist appointment, there's one upset, well not upset, more angry, blonde coming through the door. "Brian!
His legs dangling off the counter, Brian has a newspaper in his lap, and an apple in his hand. He's reading and lounging in the front of the shop as Abby comes flying through the doors. No one else is present, not very busy this time of evening. And Hadley has decided to go out for a bit. And so Winters remains, keeping the shop open. A bite of his apple is stopped short at Abby's abrupt arrival.
"Abby?" Comes the mouthful of apple chunks, trying to swallow everything down with a surprised expression. "What's wrong?!"
"You Winters, is what's wrong. Don't you play oh Abby on me. I know who you are" Abigail closes the door behind her thankful for here being no customers. "I spoke to Gillian. Your Sister"
A wide eyed expression crosses Brian's face. "I.." His lips pull down into a frown. "What are you saying? Yeah, Gillian and my real last name is Winters. Turns out we were adopted." Brian says calmly, though a little hurt comes through his voice. "What.. What are you trying to say, Abby?"
"Are you trying to pass yourself off as the Brian they all know, Winters? Gillian knows you're a company agent. But no one else does. I won't let you infiltrate them like that, even if you may be her brother" Abby's jaw is tight, nostril's flaring 'And don't you dare pull that 'you got the wrong Brian' bullshit on me Winters. I know him and I know you and I can tell you both apart"
His feet slowly touch the ground, Brian's eyes softening and melting at the hands of Abby's wrath. For a moment he just stands there, leaning against the counter, staring at Abby. Finally, he speaks. "Abby." A breath, as he takes a very slow small step towards her. "Slow down. Just look at me. Please?" It's offered rather humbly and pathetically, his hands coming up somewhat as if to stave off her attack.
"You hurt them Winter, by god I will bury you twenty feet under" She does look at him, she's done nothing but look at him. "And if you so much as think you can bag and tag that dear old lady, I will bury you eighty feet under where even the devil can't find you!"
"Abby." His hands still up, his mannerisms calm, possibly even hurt. "Please. Slow down. Bag and tag?" He tilts his head, with a confused expression across his face. "Slow down, Abby. Please. No one's getting hurt. And no one's getting bagged and tagged, and no one's burying anyone any feet under." A moment to take a breath. "Would you like a cookie?"
"I don't want a cookie" Snapped off. Abigail's arms cross, green scooter helmet dangling off one hand by it's strap. "I'm waiting. Explanation?"
"What do you want me to explain? Apparently I'm.. what? An evil bagger tagger? I haven't seen you in how long? And you come in yelling at me. I died Abby. Three times, on this one. This is a little hard for me to bear. And now you're screaming at me. What the hell is wrong with you?" Brian almost whines, going to collapse against the counter, folding his arms over his chest. "Do you want to scream at me some more, or can we talk?"
"We can talk, i'm done threatening you" The whine act, she's not buying it. It's like a imitation of what she knew.
"Well what do you want me to say? Apparently you've made your mind up. What am I supposed to do?" Brian asks, arching his brows. "Or are you just going to go ahead and bury me twenty feet under? How are you so sure of whatever it is you're saying. You haven't talked to me at all. Haven't asked any questions. All you're doing is hurting me." Brian says, watching her intently.
"Because Winters. You're not preaching at me. You're not giving me the right proper kinda heck. What did you give me a few months back?" Her eyes narrow.
"I've given you lots of things Abby." Brian answers, a little annoyed. "And I'm sorry if I'm not acting like I have once or twice." Comes the irritated apology. "How many months ago? Before or after I got shot up for you in the church?" He asks, tilting his head with an arched brow.
"What about three months ago Winters, What did you do then." She's not buying it, she's not buying it.
"Wanna be a little more specific? Three months ago.. The bridge? Before that? I was fighting Kazimir." Brian murmurs with a little sigh. "With you." His grey eyes are soft, and starting to well up as he looks over at her. "Abby, please."
God. The fight is just melting out of her. "I know, I know you're all just the same person, just copies that can live and breath on their own, but I know that you, this you. This you walked into my bar and didn't know me. That you're the one the company got their hands on. Just ell me it's not a joke or some cruel thing they're planning on doing. I can done keep my mouth shut, just.. just promise me"
His eyes fix on her, welling up, and then a tear starts to leak down his cheek as he takes a step forward. Though he doesn't sniff, or sob, he just lets the moisture drop down as he steps toward her slowly, his eyes fixed on hers. He says nothing, lips shut loosely, allowing only the breath to come in and out. But his hand touches hers, softly, ever so softly, and slowly goes to tug on it, pulling her towards him. His lips going forward to plant a tender kiss on her cheek.
"I've missed you."
"just tell me brian" Abby murmurs, starting to get wet eyes too at the planted kiss on her cheek. He never answered her second question either. "I done cried for you once already and my hearts broken over loosing Izzy. Just tell me. I don't care if you are, if your company or Pinehearst agent or George of the jungle. Just tell me, and just don't hurt them"
"George of the jungle." Comes the quick exhalation of a short lived chuckle. Brian quickly sucks back in the laughter, "Sorry." He quickly spits out after the joke, his eyes going downward momentarily. He breathes heavily, "Abby." His chest rises up and then goes down. "I know you love me, I know how much you care for me. And I need you to know, that I need you more now than I have ever needed you. If you've ever felt like you owed me a favor.." He lets out the breath. "Now is the time to repay it." His hand closes around hers gently. "I need you to be here for me.. And.. I need you to not ask that question again." A knowing look is directed at her, and a slow affirmative nod at the unsaid. "Okay?"
It's him. "I owe you more than I could ever repay Brian. I'll be there. I can't fix you, I can't take away any hurts you get but.. but i'll be there" Abigail turns her palms in his so she can grasp his back.
"Do you understand Abby? Why I have to do this?" Winters asks softly. "People need him. You need him. The kids need him. The person you think I am, can't exist. Because I need to be him." His hand gives hers a gentle squeeze. "Can you help me be the guy you and all those other people love?"
Who better to teach him, really. "Meet me after work" Abigail answers, wiping at her eyes with her free hand. "I'll teach you how I knew it wasn't… him"
A slow nod is given, lips pressing against her forehead this time. Her hand is given another soft squeeze before he lets go. Stepping back Winters gives another nod of affirmation. "Looking forward to getting to know you, old friend." He smirks, before turning to go back to his newspaper and apple.
She's going to hell. Abigail closes her eyes sighing softly before she turns away, to go off to her appointments.