Just Read It

Participants:

abby_icon.gif conrad_icon.gif

Scene Title Just Read It
Synopsis Conrad drops off a present and makes small talk while checking up on Abby post kidnapping.
Date December 17, 2008

Alexander, Teo and Abby's Apartment


Knock knock on the apartment door. Conrad knows this place because Teo lives here. Not so much because Alex lives here. They're on good terms and all but it's Teo that Con gets along better with. It's the third room mate he's expecting to catch though, on account of him being able to hear heartbeats through walls if he chooses.

It's a minute and a half that passes before there's scuffling near the door. A little past noon. "Who is it?" Comes from the inside of the apartment, a faint scrape, and Abby's peering through the peep hole to see Conrad. Her shotgun's in hand.

It's Conrad. And he's got something in his hand in a white paper sack. "It's Con. I got something for you." he says. He's not looking at the peep hole because it doesn't occur to him that she'd be checking it. "You decent?" Of course he'd ask that. The women he's used to dealing with probably need to be asked that on a regular basis.

Abby takes a few moments again, presumably putting down the shotgun from the sounds of it before the locks all turn one after the other and the door opens for the soudnw eilding con to be let in. "You woke me up" It's not snapped out, complained or whined, but it's not sweetly spoken. When the older man is safetly in, the doors closed behind him and locks thrown again. Blue jersey and fleece lined robe overtop flannel PJ's and slippers, her hair in a braid with whisps coming out willy nilly. 'Morning Conrad"

"Sorry, kid." says Conrad, actually sounding sincere about it. He does come in and says, "I won't be long. Don't wanna keep you up." Pause. "Here." He holds the bag out to Abby. It's the kind of sack one goes shopping with at a mall and brings home. And inside it is a gift-wrapped box with a bow and everything. "Merry Christmas."

'I'm up, I won't be getting back to sleep. I should be up anyways. Coffee?" The bag is regarded as if its a poisinous snake and confusion on her face. "I didn't get you anything. but thank you" Her hand lifts to take it, holding it's handles close. "Whats it like outside?" She shuffles her feet on the floor, heading towards the kitchen. A scowl for the dirty clothes on the table and a sigh. The bag with present exchanged for the armful of clothes. 'just a moment. I gotta put these away"

Putting his hands in his pockets, Con half-shrugs and says, "Sure. Thanks." Looks around. "Man. Teo and Alex are a coupla fucking pigs, aren't they?" He conducts a quick but surreptitious check of the cushions on the couch before flopping down on it comfortably. Never can be too careful with couch cushions in guys' apartments. "It's cold. It's New York. It's always cold in New York in December. So…how you doin?"

"They're not. I just don't know why they put the clothes there. I have laundry to do today" This all spoken as she moves down the small hallway to the bathroom and tosses the clothes into there. She has not a clue who's is who's, they can sort it back. She zombie shuffles back into the main room and past conrad. The couch looks new and there's no surprises under it. The rest of the apartment is relativly clean. "Mm good. Sorry, I need coffee. No, she didn't hurt me, yes she took good care of me, no she didn't tag me, yes she turned me loose as promised. Customer ran into me in the park and helped me get ahold of Teo and Teo came and fetched me" The frostbite got healed the night previous. 'Thanks for asking though. Thanks for not running and coming to rescue me. Might have been dead if you did"

"A lot of crazy shit went down. Otherwise I probably would've been coming to rescue you. I get enough out of Liz about how Niki isn't really a bad person at all and she doesn't mean to put her fist through peoples' skulls. They practically walk into her at mach one. It's not her fault." Con says this with a roll of the eyes. "I swear the only reason anyone sticks up for her is they're sorry for her. THAT is a super power."

"I meant I might have been dead" Abby quickly suplies the clarification as she goes about making the coffee. measuring, grinding, scooping, shuting, pouring water and turning the thing on. Some things, you pay extra for. Coffee is one of them. "What happened? Teo hasn't spoken about anything, just took me out to a ferryman place to heal someone and fix up a few other refugee's and i've been heading to work to work on my bartending course"

With a sigh, Con begins to delve into this. "Did Teo tell you about Cat and her girlfriend getting kidnapped in retaliation for the Eileen girl?" Hard to believe that hadn't been talked about yet.

"no…" It's spoken carefully. "I'm not part of phoenix Conrad. I don't get told everything. Just the passwords when i'm needed, and when i'm called to heal. Are they okay? I know Eileen is back with her.. group" Abby leans against the open section of the wall between kitchen and living area. Her arms crossed and pillowing her chin. "Am I needed?"

There's a sigh and Con partly explains, "Maybe not. But if not it's because it's too late to fix it." He sits back on the couch, sprawling comfortably. Half-shrugs. "Well. I mean, we don't know for sure. Can't know, really. But I'm fairly certain this asshole demanding terms cut fingers off of Cat's girlfriend's hand on the phone, just to make her scream. And there's been some other dealing going on that I'm not privy to, and don't really want to be privy to, but it basically comes down to Eileen's people being murderers and the real deal when it comes to terrorists. So yeah. It's been lotsa fun."

"i can fix her hand Conrad. I can grow her fingers back" for lack of better description. It's not quite grossing her out and the smell of percolating coffee starts to make it's way through the small apartment. Her brows furrow in displeasure. "WHy did he tell me that he needed me to fix someones hands"

"I figured you could, Abs. But I don't think we have her back yet." replies Con. He waves a hand dismissively. "If we get that chance, good. If not…it's just more of the same old crap. Hey, I could be wrong. They could have her back already for all I know and I'm just busy with my day job so I don't get in on the meetings. How long before you gotta go to work?"

'Umm… " Abby cranes her neck to look at the oven. "I don't have to be in till 8, so I got 6 hours. less if I'm not taking off from here directly, why?" That the girls not been released, means something. But Abby's not them and they'll call her if she's needed. She can pester Teo about it later. "I'm working on a bar tender course right now, get a license proper. I have to go in to an actual school and do some of it, but for now, it's all from a book. So Isabelle just lets me work in the back and come out and work in the front when I need a break from the quiet"

"Oh. It's not like I haven't anything for you to do, I just came by to drop the present off is all. Teo and Alex don't get any because they've been naughty, so Santa Con's not getting them anything this year." Crossing his feet, he props them on the table. If they can put dirty laundry there, he can put his shoes there. "So. Seen Flint lately?"

That brings a smile to the sleepy blonde's face. Teo and Al have been naughty, but she hasn't. Conrad just called her nice. "When I went to heal the trucker who was shuffling refugees. Her and Teo were discussing.. prostitutes. Last I know, he was at one of the Ferryman hideouts. Teo took me to work after. He shaved, and he's looking decent. I promised i'd come monday and iron his clothes" SOme high pitched buzz goes off for a handsbreadth of seconds, indicating that the coffee is done and with feigned reluctance, abby unfolds her arms and sets about to assembling her cup and one for Conrad.

That was handled exactly right. Because Con isn't calling Abby nice in so many words if he can help it. "That lazy turd can't iron his own clothes? Well. I bet he can, just won't. Where's he staying now? I haven't asked him." It's like magic how Con can talk to someone from another room without raising his voice. He just sets the sound to carry around the corner.

'Ferryman place, I can't remember which one, I go to so many of them. Teo picked me up to take me, I was resting because they told me it was really bad" She pokes her head around the opening, looking at Conrad. "You brought me a present so you could butter me up and see if i'd tell you where Deckard is…."

Shaking his head simply, Con answers, "Nah I can find that out myself easy. He's right where I left him, based on what you just told me. Just when I go looking for him he's always out drinking and whoring." He leans forward, feet on the floor, and rests his elbows on his knees. "Brought you the present because you're a good kid and I felt real bad about the things that're happening to you. Around you. And thought you needed a little bright spot to show for it somewhere."

Abby just stares at him, as if trying to determine whether he's telling the truth or not. As if just by looking she could see into his mind. She must be satisfied with the number becuase back around the corner she pops her head, only to reappear again with a plate of creamers, sugars, and the two cups of fresh coffee. "Thank you" The plate's put by his feet, her cup grabbed, devoid of any additives. "I'm thinking of registering. I still don't consider myself evovled, but.. I think I might do it, and see how bad going to school to be a paramedic, if my GED is good enough, will be loan wise. Ben's looking into it for me"

Con was just about to take a sip out of the coffee cup but it stops halfway to his mouth and he just looks up at her. "Excuse me?"

You say, "There's nothign wrong with your hearing Conrad" She knows there's not. She just sits on the floor with her coffee in one hand, a careful sip taken of the poping hot liquid."

"I guess I'm just surprised to hear you say it." he answers, trying the coffee carefully with much blowing on it. "Talk to Liz. She was talking about registering too. Might have done it already for all I know. I gotta be honest with you, I may be registered but if I had the choice I wouldn't have done it. Not because it's caused me problems but just because I'm not one to bring attention to myself. In your case I think you won't have problems. My ability's good for nothing but spying on people and causing massive havoc. You can save lives."

You say, "I can't be a doctor. I can't and still have time for those who need me, and all those years in school. If you miss a class your good as kicked out. But maybe I can do that. Maybe I can do as I did in the church for brian. Can be on the scene and… kepe them alive for medicine to do the rest" She's hardly believing that she herself is saying it. "I had alot of time to think when I was holed up in brooklyn""

"Yeah. Looks like it." observes Con, using the coffee for an excuse to stop talking a few seconds at a time. And watching Abby like she's high as fuck. "You know, just playing devil's advocate here…heh…if the world has to take a break from having you lay hands on it to heal its owies because you're in school or training to learn how to do an even better job at that, maybe that's just something the world oughta suck up."

"Maybe. Maybe it's.. a way of telling people to don't take that i'll be around for granted and be more careful about getting stabbed with knives, or beat up on the street or getting kidnapped by psychopaths" Abby looks away from the studying, cheeks turning crmson and not from the heat of the coffee. "Or maybe I need to buy stock and shares in red bull and learn to manage myself better"

"People have been living and dying and healing best they can for thousands of years before you came along. You're the best thing I've ever heard of for the medical profession, but the species'll live with you for however long it takes you to make a career out of it. If that's what you wanna do." Conrad shakes his head again, looking down. "And I ain't your daddy so I'm not even gonna try to tell you which way to make that go. But I will say that if your reason for NOT getting training or schooling is because people need you, that's just a lame excuse. Get better excuses."

Abby cants her head at conrad, a ghost of a smile before she chirps "Make it work!" at him.

The look Con gives in return to that is confused. "Huh?"

"from TV. never had cable before. There's a bunch of shows that are fun. One is called project runway and this white haired guy runs around saying "make it work" as in. you know, make it work for you" But she's fluttering a hand at conrad that obviously means ignore what came out of her own mouth.

Con stares at this girl who is going insane and says deadpan, "Your brain is going places and forgetting to leave a trail so I can follow it…"

"I think my brain is still in bed conrad. My body is just working on it's own. You said that my excuse was lame, that people would would have to carry on without me while i'm busy, with school. That's why I said make it work. just.. ignore me" Back to sipping her coffee.

"Thanks for the coffee." says Conrad, non sequitir in hand. "Anyway, I hope you work something out and that it ends up good and you being thankful to somebody else instead of horrible and blaming me." He says this with one of those grins that says I'm Kidding But I'm Not.

'Cnna only blame myself for my own actions Conrad, not you. I'm waiting to see first. I promised Ben i'd wait a few days before I walked into a police station and went 'hey, my name is abigail and I can heal' to an officer" She unfolds from her spot on the floor, leaning over to pluck the plate from the table and carry it to the kitchen.

That makes Con grin a little. "Well I can tell you from experience that most times if you come to the cops instead of making them chase you, they treat you pretty cool. It's when they have to chase you down that they bring an ass whippin with them." He would know, wouldn't he? "Also, can't tell you the chances that someday DHS will come looking for any of us that're registered. Chances are…I'm thinking they won't. There are just too many of us and I don't think they have the manpower regardless of whether the political will is there or not."

"We'll see. Who knows what will happen Conrad. All we can do is keep on doing what we were put here to do" See, she's being good, not a smuch god speak. "Want me to open it now? Or save it for christmas day?" She gestures to the gift on the table before disappearing into the kitchen.

That makes Conrad grin. "You're a big girl. You decide. But wait til I leave."

There's a wary look on her face now. "Is it safe to open in front of teo without him coming for you and pounding your head in, or Brian doing the same?"

"It's a Christmas present, Abby. It's not a dildo." That at least eliminates ONE horrible possibility.

'I wouldn't put it past you" Is grumbled by the young woman

"I bet." Con says with a smirk, getting up and drinking the entire cup of coffee in one go. Apparently it's cooled down enough for that by now. Although it's not too cool, judging from the wince he does after it's gone. And the hot burp. "Good coffee." he finishes, setting the cup down on the table neatly. "I best get going. Let you do what you gotta do."

'Call when you get the other girl back, and i'll come take care of her hands Conrad. If it's while i'm at work, call there. Boss'll let me go to take care of it. She knows what I do, and is understanding if I have to take off" Thank god for small favours like that. "You take care, don't freeze out there" comes from the kitchen, though she departs from it to come unlock the door and hold it open for him. "Behave"

"Oh, I'll be fine." Con tosses off on his way out the door, grinning a little. Hands back in pockets and he vanishes down the hall to unleash himself on the streets again


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December 17th: A Little Princess
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