Participants:
| Scene Title | If You Love Someone, Set Them Free |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Trask decides to take a step back from Elisabeth, amid other conversation. |
| Date | December 22, 2008 |
Trask is in bed, reading a book, the Tv is on in the bakcground, but he really isn't watching it. It's another day in recovery room 72.
Elisabeth has been a regular visitor to this room since the morning after the shooting. The first day, she was in a hospital gown of her own and on crutches because she glared a nurse into submission — no wheelchairs! and I'm not staying in this room! Take me to his room! — after that, it's been regular clothes. Courtesy of Abby, of course. "Hi," she says quietly as she lets herself into the room.
Trask smiles, "Hey….I see your up and walking around, is that our little miracle workers fault?
Elisabeth grins. "Always," she tells him. "How're you feeling?" She still hasn't quite gotten past the guilt factor of having it be her bullets that hit him.
Trask says, "Good…I talked to the doctor. He says I might need a cane for a bit but otherwise I've been lucky. The Captain says I'm on leavy for a month, then desk duty for 3 months after that, then a reevaluation. I should be out of here in about a week."
Elisabeth grimaces. "Christ, Norton…." She sighs softly. "I feel guilty for being all in one piece," she tells him as she sits in a chair next to the bed. "I'm on suspension for the shooting, obviously. Though since you've given your statement that I wasn't shooting *at* you, I'm likely to be cleared. Probably quickly." She pauses and watches him. "I brought the info on Volken's group to my captain, Will Harvard? He's decided that I know far more than I'm saying. I think he actually implied he knew it was Helena who gave me the info and was asking for a meet. I don't know what to do."
Trask nods slowly, "Talk to Hell about it, but…I wouldn't admit anything. If you have to, tell him you got the info from me. ODOD" He reaches his good hand for yours, "It's not your fault that you made it through. I heard on the news there was…a small riot that the president was evacuated from without incident."
Elisabeth shakes her head. "I'm not admitting anything. But yeah… I was kind of thinking that you might be a viable option as my source." She slides her hand into his and squeezes tightly. "Yeah… there's a minor uproar over the fact that Parkman's got him laying low and won't tell anyone where he's got him. But so far, they're keeping it pretty darn quiet." She pauses and looks at him thoughtfully. "The entire scene was … somewhat surreal," she finally tells him. "And Parkman's trying to tell people HomeSec isn't under order to torture people or anything, but… " She shrugs a little. "Things are probably going to get far more complicated in the long run." That's probably a huge understatement, since Parkman and Rickham are holed up in the Library and Helena has the ear of the president-elect.
Trask raises an eyebrow, then shakes his head, "Yeah well we have had a lot of surprises from the last couple of days." He bites his lip, "Elisabeth…"
Elisabeth watches him quietly. "What?"
Trask says, "I know you have some questions about…us…and I don't want this." He waves at his left side, "To be the reason you ignore them." He smiles at you, "We should…go back to being friends, maybe try again, after there is not so much…drama…involved. I love you, and I don't want you to be …with me… because of guilt, or because you think it's the right thing to do.""
Elisabeth looks startled. "Norton, *this* wouldn't be a reason to ignore anything. And I have questions, yes… " She bites her lip. "But… " She sighs. "I realize that I'm waffling on you, and I'm sorry. I'm not doing it to hurt you in any way. I want our friendship. I want my best friend. I think I'm so damn scared of losing you as my friend that I'm just…. not ready for this." She looks regretful, and just shuts up because…. damn it, this was exactly what she didn't want. "It's selfish, and I know it. Especially because I know how you feel. And I wish I knew what I felt. Everything's been very dramatic."
Trask nods slowly, "It's ok….we can let this go, like we said, If it didn't work out, we go back to the way we were. I'm good with that…it was all your idea anyway." He smiles a bit, and pats your hand.
Elisabeth eyes him, never letting go of his hand. "It was not," she says with a grin. "I was probably as shocked as I'd ever been in my life when I asked if you were asking me out and you said yes." Her eyes on him are steady, though. "I don't want you to think…. " She sighs. "Never mind…" She drops her eyes to their hands. "I can't figure out the right thing to say. One part of me is feeling…. dumped. The other part of me… isn't. And it doens't make a lot of sense."
Trask says, "Your not being dumped…Honestly…I wasn't asking you out that day…till you mentioned it…then I thought about it…and…it seemed like such a great idea, I…You are closer to me then anyone in the world, and the idea of spending my life with you…is so attractive. Your beautiful, and funny, and intelligent…and you have such a heart. You know how I feel, your not being dumpped, but…I know that your not sure…and I don't want to push you into anything your not ready for. If it was meant to be, eventually it will be."
Elisabeth nods slowly, and she strokes his hand with her thumb while she holds it. "I do know how you feel." She wishes, on some levels, that she didn't… she'll always worry now about hurting his feelings. But she looks at him and says quietly, "Thank you. For the time and the space to figure it all out." She moves to stand up, leaning over the bed to kiss him softly. "Don't think that just because we're not being all exclusively dating and stuff that we're not still closer now than we used to be." She grins at him. "Maybe it'll be just friends, maybe it'll be friends with benefits, maybe it'll be far more than that one day…. whatever it becomes, I'm in your life for always. Right up til you kick me out. Because I *want* to be."
Trask smiles, ""Well then get comfortable, because I have a bad leg, and won't be kicking anyone out for a while." He winks. "Some of us have to take the long road to recovery, no short cuts."
Elisabeth laughs at him and drops into the chair. "So…. tell me what you know about Matt Parkman," she says mildly. "I'm trying to decide whether to trust him."
Trask says, "He's a telepath, uses his powers to find out peoples secrets, doesn't hold back either, We met when I was at the Morgue, he seems to not hold back or be tentative in his uses. He was among Senator Petrelli's original people who supported the creation of the Linderman Act in the first place. Personally I am very hesitant about him."
Elisabeth looks thoughtful and nods slowly. "He seems to think that Phoenix is … in the wrong. But I have to admit that while I think maybe he's a little … idealistic. But I guess on some levels I am too, or I wouldn't be back in this game."
Trask says, "Be prepared that anything, and everything he finds out, will be in Homeland Security, and the Companies Files as soon as he is free, including every thought you have while he's around."
Elisabeth grimaces and looks alarmed. "Shit. Shit! They took him with Rickham to the library, Norton!" she hisses softly. "Hel and them!"
Trask says, "He was on Duty at the Company Holding Facility that we raided, He captured Claire and registered her, apparently only her family connections got her away. Helena knows all this."
Elisabeth shakes her head and says, "I …. don't understand, then." She sighs and pushes a hand through her hair. "I need to talk to Helena, I guess."
Trask nods, "I'm sorry…just….be very careful around him….He…can be very tricky.
Elisabeth nods and says, "Yeah… little late for that. I think he's already gotten everything out of me he needs." She sighs and asks, "Is there anything I can bring you? I was heading down to talk to Hel anyway, but…. I can bring some books, some magazines, some better food?"
Trask says, "Then he knows my secret….""
Elisabeth looks thoughtful. "Honestly… I'm not so sure of that. I guess if he rummaged around in my head deep enough, or in Helena's… maybe?"
Trask nods, "I'll be ready for them when they come, you just….keep your head down, and don't get caught.
Elisabeth squeezes his hand and says softly, "Don't panic so much, will you? You're registered, that's all they seem to care about anyway. And if he was going to turn us all in, I think he'd have done it by now."
 December 22nd: It's Everyone's Problem |
 December 22nd: Sewing Sylar's Survivor |