Participants:
| Scene Title | In For A Penny… |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Liz tells Norton it's time to fish or cut bait… she wants in. |
| Date | December 4, 2008 |
Elisabeth's Apartment
It's been a hellacious couple of days… With Trask working nights and unable to be actually grabbed for too much, Elisabeth has had to sit on the energy that her discussion with Teo imparted. She waited until she knew he'd have a day off, and she left voice mail for Norton to come by her place. She sounded… far less tentative than the person he's been around lately. More like the old Liz — the one he's known for two years. When he arrives and she lets him in, she's wearing a pair of sturdy jeans and a black sweater. She's also got her arm in the sling, but the cast is gone (good bit early for that!) And she's practically vibrating with pent-up words. But she says quietly, "Hey, you. Come on in." Maybe he should be scared.
Trask comes in looking at her a little suspicuously he does smile and give her a hug though, "Hey whats up? I'm sorry I've been busy at work.
Elisabeth shakes her head. "Not to worry — just … impatient." She smiles at him, returning the hug but backing out of his hands. "Okay… now that you're here, I'm not sure how to say what I need to say."
Trask looks at you and raises an eyebrow, "I would say start at the beginning? What's going on?
"You asked me on a date. Or more accurately, we sort of fell into a dating relationship. And I've been …. wiffling and waffling around trying to figure out what that means, and how I'm supposed to act, and … well, failing miserably." Elisabeth smiles just a little, but her eyes are serious on him. "I'm going back to work. I've thought about it off and on for months, but the explosion is pretty much the straw that's going to break the camel's back. I ran into Will Harvard the other day… and if I want it, there's a place on the SCOUT squad for me. It's a lot more proactive, dealing with Evolved criminals, than I've been in the past, but …. it feels like the place I need to be." Her words are rushing together fast now, as if she's trying to get it all out before he can interrupt. "It may mean registering… it SHOULD mean registering. And I've been a coward of epic proportions about doing it. I still don't want to do it. And I may not. But before I make any of these moves…. it's time. You need to bring me in, Norton. I already know too much, and I don't want your friends thinking I'm a threat. They're doing as much good as anyone else out there, so far as I can tell, and …. if we're going to remain together, it's just plain time."
Trask looks down, he swallows and seems to take a little time to process this. "Your telling me you are rejoining the force, registering, and joining the team specifically tasked with finding and eliminating my…friends…and you want me to introduce you to them?" He looks back up at her slowly, "And what are your intentions if I do….I think I know…but I want you to say it. And I know you won't lie to me."
Elisabeth looks at him and says mildly, "I fully intend to keep your friends out of the crosshairs as much as I can, provided that they continue on the path they're on." She stares back at him. "I want justice for my kids, but I'm well aware that going back to work isn't necessarily going to get it. I also know, thanks to things YOU have said and things Conrad Wozniak has said, that your friends are the people I want to work with. Given the amount of Evolved violence in this town, and the lack of ability to separate the Good Evolved from the Bad Evolved… I think SCOUT is a good place for me to be able to keep Phoenix out of trouble."
Trask nods slowly, "I have already spoken to the new leader of the organization about you. There are some things you don't know…and I am not sure if you…" He sighs and looks down. "When Cameron first founded it…he wanted a cut out…he wanted an ace in his hand in case the police infiltrated the organization, because of that most people in Pheonix don't know who I am.
Elisabeth nods slowly. "All right. So you don't want to bring me in yourself?" She looks thoughtful. "Let Conrad do it, then. Or Teo." She knows far more than Norton may have realized.
Trask blinks, "No…thats not what I meant…there are things." He goes and sits down on the couch. "Norton Trask is not a member of Pheonix, very few in the organization know I am a cop, and less know what I look like, or my name.
Elisabeth tilts her head and moves to stand across from him. "Then you better start spilling, Norton. Because your ID is safe with me no matter what…. and if you don't want to compromise it, I'm entirely up for that. I'll go in some other way. I'm not clear where the problem is here." She eyes him. "I'm assuming here that you're waffling because you've done some things you don't want me to know about…" She then moves to perch on the coffee table in front of him. "Look… you've been breaking things to me gently since the explosion. Just… lay it all on the table. Do you remember that promise I made — friends, no matter what else? It still holds. 'No matter what else' includes if we wind up sleeping together and fuck it up, or if you've gone and played terrorist for a while."
Trask says, "I…..most of my work has just been providing them with info to keep from getting caught. I havn't done anything…." He sighs. "I did help with the liberation of one of the detention camps that held evolved who were considered too powerful to allow to live by a private organization working with Homeland. But the real issue is that Most of the organization know me as Sergei…A russian agent whose face is never seen."
She raises her eyebrow at him, but Elisabeth says practically, "And?" She waits for him to look at her and asks, "How exactly is this a problem? Are you worried…. that someone seeing me and you together will link you to Sergei?"
Trask shakes his head, "No…though that is possible, it was more that you should know…because I know you would figure it out, before anything else.
Elisabeth ohs. And then grins a bit. "Well…. I guess THAT part's not an issue now, right?"
Trask chuckles, "And I would have to make a choice….if….if I acknowledge you at all inside pheonix…then that means giving up my anonmyity
Elisabeth's injured arm rests on her knee inside the sling, her good hand reaching out to touch his hand. "I'm perfectly fine if you opt not to acknowledge me inside Phoenix, Norton. It's not like our relationship is going to be integral to what we do there. If my going in another way will make it easier, I'll approach Conrad — he's already said some things that sort of indicate he'll bring me in if I want it. If you need that for your anonymity, fine. Or… you said you'd already spoken to the head of the organization about me… set up a meet with just the three of us. No one else needs to know who brought me in."
Trask smiles "I just….the reason my anomity is kept is in case the police get an agent inside Pheonix. We would need to know…and by being unidentifiable, I could find out about it, faster. but….you would be ided immiediatly, they would pick you up….I….I just want you safe, and I know thats selfish, and wrong…and I'm sorry.
There's a soft sigh, and Elisabeth's face has an expression of … turmoil. "It's not selfish. Not really. But I'm also not going to let it keep me from doing what I need to be doing," she replies gently, looking down. "I ran like a coward two years ago. My mom dying threw me for six kinds of loop, and by the time I pulled myself together, Registration was in effect. And what I saw — your story about what happened to you … it all scared the crap out of me. I've laid low, denied my talents, denied my need to help people… all out of fear. And I've *let* you treat me like some hothouse flower for the past month. And… it's just not me." She looks up and meets his eyes. "You know that, right? I'm not… this uncertain, clingy girl is just not me."
Trask says, "I know…it's not…though sometimes its feels good to be clung to for a little while. I have just been waiting for you to…recover…to come back, and enjoying my time, as your rock."
Elisabeth laughs softly, her worried expression easing. "Oh, that's not to say I don't still need my rock. You've been that for two years, Norton. That's not going to change. The dating thing? Well… guess you have to figure out if you want a girl who kicks ass and takes names or one who'll stay at home safe. If you opt for the latter…. I'm not going to hold it against you."
Trask says, "I want you….the real you. Worry that you might not come home, is a small price to pay, for what i get…a strong, beautiful, intelligent woman I can trust and share my life with, one I have no reservations about, and never will. One who I have come to not on cherish and adore, but love.""
Elisabeth actually blushes at that, startled that he's taken that leap. "I… damn, Norton." She grins at him. "You're always just jumping into these things."
Trask sighs and looks down, "I'm sorry…..I shouldn't have said that."
Elisabeth leans forward and kisses him softly. "I didn't say that. Just… give me a little time, okay? I'm still relearning what it is to be the real me. And I want to make sure you know what you're getting into. That's all." She offers a smile. "For all you know, the real me may not be something you can live with — even if you do love her. Go make whatever calls you have to make. I've got dinner in the oven, we can talk over food." She pokes him lightly. "And no, I didn't cook it!"
 December 4th: Prisons |
 December 4th: In For A Pound |