Participants:
Scene Title | If You're Happy, I'm Happy |
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Synopsis | Cardinal and Liz stop by to drop off a wedding present and Cardinal is roped into helping close up. |
Date | October 21, 2010 |
Thursday. Everyone's home watching television except for Abby and Brenda and whomever is in the back prepping for the friday morning commute run at Oh So Sweets. But that doesn't help the two up front who are alone - not even a lonely nerd with his wifi umbilical in the back. THe rush has come and gone at seven and that leaves Abigail and Brenda playing a game of crazy eights.
Not like there's tables to clean or much of anything to clean that they haven't already done or can't do until the place is closed. Down goes a seven of spades, Blonde hair back, pink logo shirt and a skirt, no attempt made to hide the GPS that hangs about her ankle. Cranky factor at least, has been less today.
Elisabeth slips in the front door, making the bell jingle merrily. The man behind her is getting a smile as he holds the door, and she's commenting, "I don't care about curfew anymore, I'm getting chocolate and Abby's got chocolate, and dammit…. it's time to go see her!" She stops short, realizing the aforementioned blonde is sitting at the table playing cards and flushes a bit. "Cuz I owe her an apology," she finishes lamely.
"I suppose we could use your FRONTLINE identification if we get pulled over," Cardinal replies with a roll of his eyes as he steps into the shop, letting the door swing closed behind him as he walks along within— a grin curving his lips at the sight of Abby. "Abigail. You didn't invite us?"
Funny that. Brenda seems to be gathering up the cards, plucking them from out of Abby's hand and muttering something around her cigarette that there's something in the back that needs her attention. Then with a speed that even Felix might get turned on by, she's leaving Abigail to man the front. And her friends.
"You and everyone else I know. Like I told Liz we went to a justice of the peace, signed papers and that was that. Uncertain future leads to a great desire to keep things simple."
Abigail leans into the table, tilting her head, and yes, there is a plain gold band on the appropriate finger. "We're moving to the Solstice Condominiums" Abigail straightens her back, looking around. "Welcome to oh so sweet, menu's are on the table here, have a seat"
Elisabeth elbows Richard for saying it. She told him not to give Abby shit! She did! But he's Richard — when does he listen to her?? The blonde moves forward and says quietly, "I'm sorry. I was a jerk. Again." She sighs and a rueful twist of her lips is not a smile but more a self-deprecating expression. "Could you kick me in the butt and stuff?"
"Alright, alright," Cardinal chuckles, lifting a hand to squeeze Liz's shoulder after the elbowing, "Guess I can understand that. I didn't get the chance to do the whole 'if you hurt her, et cetera, et cetera' schpiel, though. I've never gotten to do that — always kind of wanted to." Ooh, menu. He sprawls into a chair, reaching out for the menu.
"I'm surprised you didn't come bearing a wedding present as an apology" Abigail pushes out chairs for them to sit at, moving her foot quick so Cardinal doesn't park on it. "If it's on the menu, we can make it, and if you want to see what it looks like, there's the cabinet over there with it all ready to be eaten." Her own cup of coffee is on the table, now the focus of her hands. "And i'm used to it by now Liz, it's what you do. You get mad at me for keeping a secret, mad at me for doing something you don't approve of, or for not including you in stuff and then a week or so later, you come back and apologize"
She raises her blonde brows. "I'd almost say you're like some abusive girlfriend that I just can't quit, but you're not. You're forgiven by the way, if you haven't figured it out"
Fffffff. Elisabeth flinches. "Oh good," she murmurs. "Someone put a bullet in my head for that one, will you?" She pauses. "And who says I didn't come with a wedding present?" she demands. From the pocket of her jacket, Elisabeth withdraws a small velvet bag that she sets in front of her friend, moving to go slide into a chair. "I didn't really think you needed the whole household appliance kinds of things, so… I hope you like it." She didn't ask Richard about this one — though the small card attached to the bag does say it's from both of them.
From afar, Elisabeth grins. "It's a gold chain with a aquamarine teardrop on it."
"Ouch." Cardinal's forehead twitches as he looks up from the menu, glancing between the two, "Cold, Abby. Cold."
"Hey, I've known her longer than you. There have been early morning wake me up and yell at me moments" Though, abby tilts her head to the side as she takes the proffered bag. "I did deserve it that time" She holds the bag for a few minutes, realizing that her words could have been cold. 'Sorry, Withdrawal. It sucks, it's easier this time. but…" But. "You'll be back to the facility in time before Curfew Liz, don't worry. If I can make it home, you can make it home. Anything on the menu is on the house."
She sets about to actually opening the present and when a delicate gold chain with a teardrop aquamarine tumbles and slides onto her palm, the card with it reading from the both of them, there's an appreciative smile. "Thank you. I don't have much jewelry. Never really been one for more than just my cross. Much more beautiful and better than another blender you guys"
Elisabeth laughs softly. "You're welcome," she says a bit diffidently. "I wanted you to have something… special," she admits. She looks toward the case and admits, "I was thinking about your brownies. I'm dying for chocolate."
"Two orders of brownies it is…" The menu's tossed onto the table, and Cardinal brings one hand up to tug his shades down the bridge of his nose - regarding Abby over them for a few moments. "You're off the negation drugs, then…? Good. Aside from that— are you happy?"
'With some help, I will be. They were good, they helped me but, I can't stay on them. Not if I'm possibly facing time in jail. They'll want to know where I got them. So far, I haven't flared up" Which is good. Means that thing around her ankle is still the same one they put on her.
"I am, thank you for asking. Robert never gets home till late, but I'm enjoying married life. Don't know what of mine will fit into the new place, if it even will. He's only tolerating the new turtle I got in chinatown. I meant it for a neighbour but turns out his dad got one for him, go figure so I have a new pet"
Abigail leans over the counter, on tiptoes to grab two plates and snake her arm to wrangle two of the brownies. "How about you two? Liz said something about Tahiti soon"
Elisabeth's head shoots up and she eyes Abby. "Not til spring, I think," she murmurs. And she grins a little as she listens to Abby about married life, the house, and the turtle. "When is your court date?" she asks. "If you want the company… I can make a point of being there." She won't intrude if Abby doesn't want that, though.
Oh, right. Chinatown. Cardinal glances away for a moment or two as if looking around the place, then back to the two women with a rather wry look. "…I wish we had time for Tahiti. There's just too damn much going on right now." He grimaces, "What exactly's the charge— just registration violation?"
"Cat knows. Doesn't seem to be soon though. I think… I think it's not gonna happen before the eigth. But if you like, if people are allowed, you can come if you like" Nakpin, Another reach over to grab a whip cream cannister, make sure the carbon ampule is on and put some on the side for both. Next the chocolate syrup and they're soon brought over, places carefully in front of either, a glance to the front door. Still nothing, she's tempted to close early for the night.
"Let me know when you do go on your vacation, I can beg Elias to get you there. Save money on a flight and time" She takes up her seat again opposite the pair, hand coming down on the velvet bag and pulling it in to run her fingers over it. "Willfull subversion of the registration act with a undefined tier ability. Class D felony" More seriousness in her voice this time. "Cat's trying everything she can to get it down to a misdemeanor. Hospital let me go and I could loose my EMT license, possibly my liquor license. But cat is sure that she can plead it down given my oh so exemplary lack of a criminal background, the letter from the president and that it was a homesec agent who fried me in the first place"
Running a hand through her hair, Elisabeth grins at the elaborate brownie. "That looks amazing. Thank you." Leaning on the table, she picks up the fork to nibble small bites of the chocolate confection while she listens. "I'd say if anyone can argue it down, Cat's probably one of the best," she muses aloud.
As the brownies are set down before them, Cardinal reaches for a fork, "…now I'm getting jealous of Caliban, what with you making desserts like this," he murmurs, digging in swiftly. After a few bites, he grimaces, "Christ. Anything we can do to help…?"
"There's nothing. I don't think, unless, should the worst happen, Lamont Cranston of the CIA wants to put forth a character reference in the hope that it might get me back my job with the hospital. I don't know if it's the whole registration thing or the fact that when stressed, I turn into a big 'ol thing of fire that made them turn me loose. Same goes for you Liz. I would ask Sarisa but, nothing will come out of that and Parkman, if he hasn't stuck his nose in yet, I doubt he's going to. I think I'm pretty much on my own in this"
Abigail grins widely, showing gum even at the compliment for the brownies. "He doesn't eat much of them. Besides, you have Liz, and you have access to Nik, those are Nik's brownies. They aren't mine. He's back there working all the time making all sorts of new stuff for the menu. He's really good"
"Ffft. You don't even have to ask me that - of course I'll give you a reference. For God's sake, how many people have you saved?" She pauses and comments, "You might want to speak to the medical people in the Ferry too. They've got to have someone with a bit of pull over there, right?"
And then Elisabeth grins. "Niklaus made these? Lord…. they're not laced with strychnine or anything, are they?" she laughs.
"I don't think my reference would help, actually," Cardinal chuckles quietly as he takes a bite of the brownie; chewing and swallowing, he admits, "Parkman's… a little preoccupied right now. Between Peter and Carmichael, he's a little overwhelmed at the moment."
"He helped once, that's the most i'm sure, I can expect from him." OKay, she's going to steal a corner of Cardinals for herself, swiping it across the whip cream and chocolate. "After the strudel incident opening day that ended up in blown fuses and having to call an electrician and pots and pans all sticking to other metal things? He's been behaving himself" As far as she knows. They know different. "and no ones died from anything, so…" She eyeballs Liz then Cardinal. "Do you know something that I don't, with regards to… poisoning people?"
Elisabeth promptly shoves a huge bite of brownie and whipped cream into her mouth. It was intended to keep her from having to tell Abby, but sheer exultation lights her expression. Oh. My. God. Bliss. Death by Chocolate. She'll go to hell a happy woman. "Ohhhhhh," she murmurs in a soft whimper of pleasure. "Oh my god." She turns wide eyes onto Abby and just looks stunned.
"What?" Cardinal exhales a rough snort of breath, "I hope not. I've been eating way too much of his food, I'd probably be dead by now if he was poisoning people… honestly, I think he's more the 'rip someone in half' sort rather'n the poisoning sort."
"I get that feeling too. THe whole rip them in half with his temper sort of deal" She points to Liz, forefinger out. "I never got that feeling out of his food though" She smiles at the expression.
Liz swallows the bite and chuckles softly. "Chalk it up to that time," she snickers. "I've been dying for something chocolate all day." She seems actually pretty damn happy tonight, all the way around. In spite of what's coming down the pipe, this visit is exactly what it appears to be. Social and meant just because. Not because anyone needs anything, not because anyone's hurt or dying. Just friends. It makes her happy.
"Maybe we could bring some of the whipped cream home." Oh so innocent, that comment, as Cardinal digs into the brownie further, chewing and swallowing and trying not to grin around the bite.
…"Lord" Abby shakes her head, sliding the canister towards him. "Should be enough for one night, if you're… you know…" Only somewhat red in the cheeks. Elbows rest on the table, supporting her chin in both her palms, watching the two as they consume the brownie. "I'll pack up a box for you to go home"
Elisabeth doesn't even blush — instead she offers Cardinal a cheeky grin and murmurs, "Oooh! Now Abby's supplying the whipped cream!" It's as much a tease for Abby as for Richard. "But don't let us take your whole stock, Abby…. Robert might like some too," she adds wickedly.
Cardinal nearly chokes on his brownie laughing, turning his head a bit to give Liz a faux-chiding look, "Hey now. I'm not allowed to think about Abigail naked, she's, like, my sister or something."
"We're too tired and I'm usually asleep by the time he gets home Liz, don't worry. I think I can spare the cannister, just.. you know, wash it out before you return it" This isn't a reddi-whip can. "And stop making Richard turn red. How's endgame, did that new guy bring you the pastries? I think his name was… luther? Lord he scarfed down I think four things in the ten minutes I was there"
Liz giggles. She can't help it. Stop making Richard turn red? AS if the man turns red at anything. "New guy with pastries?" She pauses and thinks. "Not Aric?" Right now she can't place it… that was the same night she got called out. "I think we're…. sort of at a standstill at the moment, though the damn Ray kids are popping out of the woodwork like cockroaches."
"Luther's… living upstairs," Cardinal says with a little shake of his head to Liz's words, "That's the guy that - uh - nearly blinded me when Monica brought him in. Mostly keeps to himself. He's not actually Endgame but… I don't know." Apparently, he's just a stray. Who knew that Cardinal collected them?
"I loose all my strays, and you keep taking them in. Luther was the man." but not endgame, okay. Don't talk about fight club around him. "Kaylee told me that she had a sibling, when I talked with her last. More than one now though?" Surprising, but not. "Francois hasn't been seen back has he? Since Hiro absconded with him?"
Francois's name makes Liz get more serious. "No," she answers Abby worriedly. "And I wish Hiro'd show his ass back up, cuz Jaiden's gone again too. All we can do is sit tight." She sighs and nods to the Luther name belatedly, simply leaving that one alone.
"Christ." Cardinal sets the fork down, leaning back with a grimace, "I don't even really understand what this fucking… time war he's got going is all about. Or who this Sullivan is…"
Abigail doesn't and can't make the connection between the man out at Cony Island and the man that seems to be manipulating time and making Hiro steal all her friends. "We just have to wait, and have faith. Things are working so far. Nothing much has changed well…" Well.
"Kendall's alive. Mel struck a deal or something, and Kendall didn't die. I remember attending his funeral, I still don't quite understand it but… Mel's got Kendall back after some Messiah botch"
Interesting…. little things are changing already. Kendall, whoever that is, is alive. Niki and Niklaus's mother is alive. Elisabeth just shakes her head and finishes about half of her brownie before being forced to push the rest away — too much chocolate! Never thought she'd see the day. Her beeper pings in her pocket, though, and Liz sighs. "You've gotta be kidding."
Reaching down to pull the thing out and look at it, sure enough. Elisabeth moves to stand. "Duty calls, guys," she says regretfully. "I'm sorry. I'll try and text you with a time I'll be back, Richard," she tells the man quietly, dropping a quick kiss on his head. Then she hugs Abby and whispers something soft to her before slipping out and heading down the street at a fast run toward the subway.
Elisabeth whispers "I really am happy for you. When you wear it, remember that I love you like my sister."
"Alright." Cardinal brings a hand up to stroke down Liz's shoulder, offering her a wry smile, "Tell your boss I need to talk to her soon, alright…" As she heads for the door, he shakes his head, "I don't know how the fuck I'm going to tell her we lost her grandfather, mind you."
'Take care Liz" She'll send stuff with Richard for the woman. She waits for the blonde FRONTLINE officer to take off before looking to Cardinal. "I don't think that Sarisa will be happy, but I'm sure he'll be back. Hiro isn't about to get him killed" The rest of Liz's brownie is absconded with, grabbing a fork from the bunch that rest in the hodlers in the middle of the table. "She's not in my good books anyways. She tried to blackmail me over the formula"
"The Shark's never happy…" Cardinal shakes his head slowly, "…I told her that it wasn't any good. Even if we did have any remaining doses've the Formula, God alone knows what sort've ability Francois'd manifest."
"If Tamara didn't give her any by now, then Tamara's not about to. I told her that I didn't rightly know where to get any more, or if there was anymore, but that if she was meant to have some, she'd get some" abby pulls away a chunk of the brownie from the leftover of Liz's. "Maybe he, of all people, would get healing back" Abigail lifts her shoulders just a fraction.
Reuben has connected.
Reuben has left.
"I doubt it," admits Cardinal with a slow shake of his head, "He wasn't born with the ability either, so it's not… hard-coded into him, just like healing wasn't built into you." Another bit of brownie's broken away, and he takes a bite, murmuring, "He doesn't need it anymore anyway. You know the weird thing?" He shakes the fork at her, "There were two familiar names in that facility. One of 'em? Magnes's father."
"Magnes's Dah?" There's a quick calculation and… yup. "Well, his parents are out that way" She concede's. "Who else was the familiar name there?" A glance to his plate and then up. "You want something to drink with that. I could get you some milk or a coffee or something else of the sort if you want it"
"Coffee sounds great," Cardinal says with an easy nod over, "And… Trask, if you can believe it."
She's half pushed out of her chair, head tilted in surprise. Takes a second or two to recover, heading for the large oak bar so she can grab some coffee for the living shadow. "As in Norton, Trask, as in… always walked around Phoenix with a red scarf over his face, negator with a ten foot radius and always getting shot, Norton Trask?"
"That Norton Trask." Cardinal digs the edge of the fork into the brownie, cutting off another piece and then impaling it on the tines, "He's working with the Institute, but… he's been out've touch for so long I don't know if he realizes what they are. Or, hell, maybe he's trying somethin' on his own."
She doens't quite know what to make of that. "I want to believe that it's just something on his own. I can't think that he would work with them willingly and unknowingly. That doesn't… sound like him at all Richard. Not the Trask that I knew" Back to the table, coffee cup for the boss man and a pot of coffee. So she can fill his and top her own cup up. "Magnes will need to be careful if he goes home Richard" Not that Richard tends to do much of anything with magnes. "Has he been told yet? Or is he still oblivious"
"I told him," Cardinal says quietly, reaching out for the coffee cup with a faint smile of gratitude, "Thanks. He's… planning to head there at some point and confront his family, not so much about the Institute thing as the 'abandoning him' thing."
"That… is not going to end well" A resigned sigh, she's making the return trip to put the coffee pot back in place, start a fresh pot. "You want me to.. talk to him, I can't go with him" A gesture to the GPS, but, if you think he might benefit from a chat. He's seemed to… mellow out a bit more these days"
"I think he needs to figure this one out himself," Cardinal says with a slow shake of his head, "You can talk to him if you want, but…" He grimaces, "…he never should've gotten mixed up with Messiah."
"I think, that a great many people should never have been caught up Messiah, but they have and …" And looks where it's got them now. "I'll hold off on talking to him then. Unless he comes to me. He's a big boy, he can stand on his own two feet. And then she's across from him, sitting back down in her seat. "Lord it's dead here today" A shake of her head. "The people who run the city are just… they're choking it"
"I know… I know…" Cardinal takes a slow sip of the coffee, his eyes closing as he savours the hot beverage, his eyes closing, "The city'll survive, though. She's a tough old broad. I think things are… mostly going according to plan."
"And I'm not so worried about the city so much as the people in it and mostly, says the future killer" It's all teasing, regarding the man opposite her. "Okay, now you need to get that look off your face before a customer comes in and thinks there's something wrong with my coffee" Or want a whole carafe of it." She pushes his plate towards him to finish up.
"Hell, half the time I'm doing this shit on the fly," Cardinal points out, chuckling quietly, "Not like I've got an instruction manual, not since Edward got zapped…" He wrinkles his nose, "Yeah, yeah. Sorry. I forget how to relax sometimes."
"I think we all do. I think Robert forgets to. He's not home till eleven most nights, I'm surprised that he was able to spend as much time with me in the hospital as he did. I don't think we could have even found the time for a proper wedding. It wasn't even a white dress. Don't tell Liz that. It was cream colored." No big white dress and a church. "You're really happy for me or are you just saying it so I won't get offended"
"I'll be happy for you when I see you smiling and relaxed…" Cardinal picks up his fork again, his head shaking slowly, "Your personal life's none of my business, Abby. Shit, you think I'm qualified to give people advice about their personal life?" A snort, "Hardly. You're a grown woman. If you're happy, I'm happy."
"The day this thing is off my ankle at least, then I'll be happy and relaxed. But then, you know me, that day, I'll likely be dead and in the ground or .. oh I dunno, a bakery in like greece or something. I'm happy enough Richard, I promise. I love Robert and love is all you need. He could be a pauper and I'd be happy."
"Good." Cardinal digs into the brownie, then pauses to add, "…I'll still shoot him if he hurts you, of course."
"I know, you and everyone else. I'm sure he knows that already. Francois is first in line though. When he comes back, should Robert do anything. You know, you don't gotta stay around Richard, if you got things to do. It's dead here, I'm thinking of just closing up early and heading home. Unless you wanna come help me close up and I can give you a ride to wherever"
"I can do that." Cardinal offers affably, "I don't have anything to do right now, I mean, specifically. We're mostly waiting for a few things to pan out at the moment…"
"Endgame related stuff?" Abigail gathers plates, stacking them, wiping crumbs off the table with her palm and dropping it onto the plate. "or…: She's fishing to see if she's allowed to know or one of those things that are better off not knowing.
"Yeah. A few side projects, and I've got some people trying to figure out a way to stop the November Eighth broadcast…" Cardinal pushes himself up to his feet, reaching out for the rest of the table's scattered dirties to gather them up, "…hopefully we can pull that one off, or all hell's gonna break loose. Hopefully we can locate Carmichael too."
"Have everyone of our people and the ferry and the like wearing ipods or discmans and the like, so they can't hear anything, and just… try to… not… let it happen? Delivering Walter in a storefront isn't gonna happen. I was in the ambulance with Delilah and Trevor, and now i'm not working at the hospital anymore so, at least that's been diverted" Hopeful. "I told Delilah she needs to park outside a hospital when the day rolls around"
"We're thinking more along the lines of arranging a complete communications blackout for the city," admits Cardinal with a grimace, "There'll be small riots and some other shit that'll result, but it'll be better than the massacre that'd happen otherwise…"
"I"m worried that the Government is going to go nutso crazy Richard the morning of. I think they should cancel the speech or whatever it is that sparks this whole thing. Instead, likely, they're gonna just put the national guard out there more, and all the cops, and if anyone even sneezes, someone's going to end up just getting shot because everyone is gonna have trigger fingers." The plates are picked up heading towards the back room so she can drop off the plates to Brenda who's moseying out. A quick exchange of words will soon have red head going out the back way and heading home and the same for whomevers in the back.
"Of course they are, Abigail… that's the whole point." Cardinal sets the dirty cup and plate down on the counter, leaning against it and shaking his head slowly, "After everything goes to hell, they'll have their excuse to lock everything down. Roosevelt'll turn into a concentration camp. They'll pull the noose that they've put around our neck tight." He snorts faintly, "Carmichael and Mitchell both want it for different reasons, I think."
"Mitchell doens't much care for those who are evolved, and Carmichael… he's evolved or well was evolved, well I guess he still is. I don't understand what charmichael can benefit from this? It'll jsut make people blame those who are evolved and jsut destroy this city Richard"
Abigail frowns, grabbing a rag so she can go and wipe up the table they were at, turn the open sign around to closed.
"That's just it." Cardinal pushes his fingers back through his hair, raking it back over his scalp, "The fascism-o-meter'll slam up to ten. In the wake of the disaster, they'll start herding Evolved into camps, all sorts of shit…" He brings his hands together sharply in a clap, "…and bam we have all the makings for a violent revolution. A war. And you know what some of us can do. We'll win."
She doesn't like it. "Moving to Greece is looking more and more appealing every day. I'll we'd have to deal with is just who didn't tie the donkey up last night and hunt it down across the hillsides" Spoken like someone who's never seen Greece. "I can't get involved in anything Richard, they track me. I'll be sure to stop into church and let the lord know to watch over the lot of you and the city"
And just like that, they're closed and she's starting to put chairs up on the tables in preparation for sweeping and mopping.
"We're going to need it," says Cardinal with a sigh of breath, moving over to help put the chairs up on the tables, his head shaking slowly as he does so, "We're… really, really going to need it."