Participants:
| Scene Title | Kept Safe |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Delilah gets some visitors, some familiar and some unfamiliar. |
| Date | February 9, 2019 |
Although spring is slowly crawling back, it still hits dusk early in the evening; the sun is gone and the sky is still overcast as Delilah walks home. The meeting ran long, and given how invested the council can be- - well, it was a lot of stuff that they had to handle tonight rather than later. The wind makes her regret not taking the car out, but at the moment it seems weird to use it, too. Long wool coat and scarf bundle her up, skirt fitted with woolen leggings underneath. Red hair is kept tame by her knit hat, though coils of it have escaped her scarf.
She's crossed into Bay Ridge on the edge of her own neighborhood when her phone chimes, the diligent drones of the safe zone offering at least a tad more coverage.
"Is everything okay?" Delilah answers it, pausing to do so. "What? You got into a- - put his brother on." Whatever's going on has her pressing her lips flat in a rigid frown as she listens to the phone.
"He doesn't- - No, you listen, he doesn't bloody fucking steal. I'm coming over and you'll be lucky if I don't- -" No, she can't physically threaten a teenager. "I'm going to have a long talk with your mother, and let me tell you she is not going to like it."
Someone's on the shit list.
“…can’t just get there, as convenient as that would be.”
The words are heard before the speaker comes into view, and it turns out to be Miles! He’s got a bag slung over his shoulder, and he’s apparently talking to someone. Or something? It’s not immediately clear what it is, honestly. But he also doesn’t seem to be trying to keep his voice down or anything, so he must not care about anyone looking at him weirdly.
“If I know the person, that’s one way, or if I’ve been to the place, or see a photo. Or the drawing like you did.” That drawing that took for-freaking-ever, folks, by the way, as you might imagine considering Eve’s current extremely volatile state. Be glad you did not have to witness everything that went into getting that particular drawing finished. “I only have one more jump in me, probably. So let’s hope she’s around here.”
"Well maybe we should install a compass into your chest then it can direct you!" Comes Eve's airy reply as she and Miles pop into existence. Eve, who hasn't been inside the Safe Zone since her return. Like many things with Eve this was going to need to be quick, or something. Er… Anyway the former seer is dressed in a very large coat and floppy hat, big dark sunglasses perched on her nose, she's incognito.
"I am an artiste. That drawing could lead you to Delilah's very essence." Prideful in her art though the sketch was shaky at best and it's a wonder they made it at all.
Raven dark mane unruly as she whips around and scans the street clutching the coat to herself the sleeves even covering her hands as she flaps around and then leaps into the air, "Bingo, Miles you're a Grade A Bloodhound!" If a new nickname is on the rise whose to say but Eve is scurrying over after pulling at Miles burping along the way and red sparks mist into the air, eyebrows raise as she flaps at them to make them dissipate before they are seen by her friend. "Pssstt, psssst. Lilah!" Eve leans in as she prances forward to the mother.
Delilah is completely concentrated on threatening the person on the other end of the phone, so her surroundings get a backseat until her snarling starts getting cut off.
"Goodbye, Dylan, I'm coming for him." She hangs up, vaguely hoping that he heard her level of anger properly; that particular mood usually has her accent going full tilt. The sound of someone prancing up and 'pssst'ing her gets a small startle before the redhead whips her head around. "Christ- -"
"Eve?" At least there is instant recognition, though the presence of the man being towed along earns him a short study, brown eyes narrowing. "You know better than to sneak up on me. You know what happens! And it's dark! I could have toaded you into oblivion thinking you were some kind've- -" Weirdo? It doesn't leave her mouth, for once. "Mugger!"
There’s a snort from Miles, and he replies, “Thanks for your advice.” For his part, he has on a hoodie with the hood up, and while he’s not quite incognito, he’s less recognizable than someone whose face wasn’t covered from the side and half in shadow would be. Of course, he’s supposed to be dead, so it probably behooves him not to be that obvious.
He stops right when Delilah spins around, and he does not come any closer, or lean in, or attempt to engage her in anything like that. Well, except for the lifted hand. “Hey.” It’s politeish, though not what one would call warm. Neutral though with nothing objectionable about it.
"Dee! I'm being under wraps! Don't attack! No zombies here! Oh you haven't heard! Word travels slow in this world, sorry Miles." Patting her teleporting friend as if it's the worst news in the world but then she's looking over her shoulder. "I died! Again! But I'm okay now, promise." Pointedly not looking towards Miles as she says this. Totally. Fine. "Three. Three." its a tick at this point.
"Sorry to drop in on you but we have umm news. It's about Wally," then before Delilah can freak out about the younger boy, "Not our Wally here. But the Wally from the other River, My friend Miles here? Friendly Bunny as he is, saw him." There's something in Eve's eyes she doesn't know how to continue and she looks towards Miles for help. Something happens under Eve's coat because she leans forward abruptly and coughs. "I'm fineee." She rasps out.
It's a good thing that Eve clarifies, because Dee is looking to her phone with a look of abject confusion, throat tightening for other reasons. Not ours, she says, and the redhead breathes outward.
Miles, she files away since he didn't exactly offer his name. Delilah looks between the duo, pausing when she makes eye contact with Eve. That makes her even more hesitant-
-until Eve buckles, and she moves forward to try and steady her. "You sure as hell don't sound fine…" Eve's companion finds himself under a more serious eyeballing, the redheaded woman's voice just as stern. "You saw him? Here? Where?" Nevermind that Lilah is not remotely of an age to be the mother of a grown man.
“Whoops!” Miles goes to do so as well, and so they each end up sort of on either side of Eve. “Let’s not go getting ourselves all over the place.” Literally, in this case.
Once Eve has been steadied, he looks up to Delilah. “Not here,” he says, shaking his head. “I don’t exactly know how it works. He was a grown up.” He’s sussed out that there’s something wonky with Walter, but it probably doesn’t involve this version being older than his actual literal mother. “He gave me something. Sort of.” He hefts the bag over his shoulder, patting it with his free hand.
"I promise, it's fine Lilah. Least of your worries. Right as rain," She grimaces but accepts the help from both on either side. Finding a nearby bench the tall woman settles into the seat, the space around her is warm. "Miles here.. well he was with Magnes and Liz… leaping across Rivers, into new Streams inching their towards us for as long as we thought they were dead. They ran into Walter on their way home, he was with them." Eve doesn't want to seem like she's getting Dee's hopes up and the expression on her face shows, "He didn't make it. He didn't land with the others." Even though she doesn't want to give false hope the optimist in Eve can't help but look at Miles as she thinks.
"He didn't land with them either. Maybe he's somewhere like Japan, I'm so sorry Dee." Eve stops and she looks over at the mother again and lays her hand covered by the large jacket on Delilah's.
Choices and regrets, nothing Eve could have done but she wish she had known just what this price was, she thought she had it understood but really she had just gotten a piece of the picture. "He did leave something with Miles.. I think he's meant to keep it safe for you.. both." Dark sunglasses go to look at the thing the teleporter carries on his back.
Technically speaking, Delilah shouldn't know about the dimension hopping, or rivers, or travelers- - and yet she doesn't blink when Eve starts in on such things. Her breath moves out with a slight puff of white as she listens, watching Eve try to stay comfortable on the bench. The dire look and sound of her friend keeps Delilah rooted when the explanation comes.
"How did he… how did he even get there? He doesn't jump entire timelines… " Does he? As she says it, she already doubts it; Walter never really took the time to go into incredible details. Only enough to tell her what to look for, and what to teach. "He said he was taking someone home." Is her only other offering, hands balled into fists and jaw tight, brown eyes elsewhere as she thinks.
The touch disturbs one of her fists, and there is a look down to Eve that seems to melt somewhat.
"If there's anything I've learned, it's that he is impossible. In all kinds of ways- -" Delilah looks between the two, gaze settling on Miles. The crinkle of her brow comes with the wrinkle of freckled face. It's not good news, but… it's not… done. "Until I see him dead at my feet, he's out there somewhere. He's got survival in his genes." A small smile, spare but honest, passes from Delilah to Eve, and back to Miles.
"What did he give you?" Dee has a certain gentleness which wasn't there before, treading carefully now that she knows, more or less, who this Miles is. He has come an equally long way through hell and- no pun intended- high water.
Miles doesn’t interject when Eve explains, except to say, “Yeah, he could be somewhere.” He doesn’t have to say that due to the wounds Walter sustained, it’s probably not super likely. Hopefully Delilah isn’t telepathic and can’t read that in his mind.
Instead, he just shrugs, and nods, slipping the bag off his shoulder and unzipping it. He reaches into it then, and pulls out the sword. Carefully, as though it’s fragile — though it’s been shoved through someone’s chest, so it’s not really fragile. Precious, though, that’s for sure. “He probably saved my life with this,” he says after a moment, his tone a little bit quieter, with none of its usual flippant attitude.
"An impossible man that came from a woman who breaks impossibilities for breakfast." It makes sense and Eve smiles along with Delilah and nods her head, "I believe it, with all of me too." It's almost how she feels about Peter, it had been so long that she mourned him already but there wasn't that bit of hope. No body, there's hope.
As Miles pulls out the sword, Eve leans in close and inspects the blade again. "It's traveled many places. You are like Walter, you only play with the space and not the time. Space Fairy." Eve sniffs and she looks down at the ground. So much blood wasted, so much life lost. "There was such a high price to pay." To the Crossing… to end this but Eve had known this might be the beginning, the start of something horrible. The former oracle clamps down on the energy inside her, it wanted out. This wasn't who she was anymore. She wasn't ready for Delilah.. for the others to see her like that.
Miles' words don't seem confident to her. Still, alll Dee gives him is a square-jawed look, eyes following his hands as he holds out the sword. She takes it in her hands, and leaves it balanced there on both.
"Of course he did." A murmur in response to Miles. Maybe he's not so bad if he was worth fighting for, and Eve seems keen on him… With Eve rambling on, the redhead buries the look of a long-suffering friend before turning the sword out as if it still had its scabbard to draw from. "It sounded steep, or so I've heard…" She fails to say what else she has //heard/; Magnes told her enough, just to get by.
Delilah holds the sword in the evening light, watching her red hair reflected in the surface gone coppery from dried blood. She turns it around with a skillful twist, holding the grip out to Miles. Walter's not the only one with a bit of skill these days. "Be careful, it's still sharp. Best to wrap it back up for now…" She turns a long look over her shoulder before considering the two. "I hope nothing collapses in on itself because there are two of those here now. I have the same one at home."
Delilah checks the time on her phone next, brow knitting. "I've got to go get the Tiny Version, if you'd like to come. His mate's house isn't far, and you could tell me more on the way. I don't like being ill-informed, and yet I keep getting surprise after surprise lately."
Miles watches the sword as it passes from him to Delilah, then looks up at her as she speaks. His eyebrows raise briefly at the skilful turn of it to hand it back — he’s definitely not as skilled as that. He does take it back, though, with a nod, and puts it carefully into the bag again for now. “I hope not, too. I’ve had enough things collapsing in on itself to last me a while.” HIs tone is wry, and there’s a glance at Eve as he says this.
The question about accompanying her to get her son, though, gets another shrug, and a second look to Eve, as though to see what she’s going to say. Apparently he’s sticking with the only person he knows around here for now.
Watching Delilah with the sword Eve brightens at the thought of seeing Walter, the Tiny Version, "Oh I miss that cute little face yes please!" She almost forgets about her current situation almost because as soon as she says that she regrets it, what if she explodes on them? No no cannot have that, but a solution arrives in the nick of time and she gives Miles a knowing look.
"We have to go drop something off and we'll meet you at your house, I know the way." Standing up, she walks over to Miles and places a hand on his shoulder, "Come on Miles, we'll meet Lilah at her wonderful home."
===
Bay Ridge — Trafford Home
===
Eve knows exactly where Delilah's house sits, and after the woman has her personal outburst it isn't terribly far from where they were. Lights in windows here and there, candlelight and the simmer of fireplaces, the tiny trails of exhaust hitting the cold air. Bits of snow and slush clinging to trees and broken sidewalks, quaint but still reminiscent of what it used to be. No oceans, no robots, no pirates- - just people living lives. It paints a stark picture in comparison to that flooded world.
The stars aren't reflecting off of the sea now, though they still twinkle more visibly above as the sun dissipates, caught between the silhouettes of tree branches in winter. They- - and the rest- - will be turning green in just a couple of months.
Delilah's house is set apart, not one of the many brownstones but on its own little plot; it's cute, for lack of a better word. Seemingly, plenty of space. Needing some cosmetic repairs. Sturdy thing. Don't trip over the little bike on the stoop.
Luckily when they arrive she'll be waiting for them with an open door. The coat is long gone and she's in a thick sweater and jeans, slipper-socks on her feet and red hair a mane around her shoulders.
"Be on your best behavior, no funny business. We have to set a grand example for the little one," as if Miles doesn't know how to be around children, does he? Some would question if Eve did too but she knew enough to know that she had to deal with her "personal matter" before showing back up.
The long coat is still there, she threw it off in time and it had landed on Miles' head. The pale woman walks fast up the way to the open door and she waves at Delilah, as she enters the home she gives the redhead a kiss on the cheek but she doesn't go to take off her coat, remove the floppy hat or her dark sunglasses. Her eyes focus on the bike as she steps over and looks around, "It's as nice as I remember it." Eve can't remember the last time she had been too visit. Feigning a look of confusion she looks around and calls out in an exaggerated tone, "Where could he be? Hmm?"
"Is the Young Master of the house around?" A faint smile flicked in the direction of Walter's mother and Miles but there's a twitch in Eve's lips as she swallows back a stab of pain in her center.
It actually might be worth warning Miles about that. He probably doesn’t know how to be around children. Of course, who knows what his best behavior is! Hopefully it’s good enough not to get him kicked out,
He deposits the coat somewhere convenient — table, coat rack, chair back (though not floor, thankfully, so at least his best behavior includes that) — and then just steps to the side a little awkwardly, looking around as one does when one is somewhere one does not know and is slightly uncomfortable with the whole thing, and keeps quiet for the moment, especially when the younger Walter is called.
Delilah welcomes them both inside and out of the cold, letting Eve get her pecks in before she starts her verbal prodding. Once Miles hangs his coat up- she ignores Eve's eccentricities for the most part- Delilah offers him a gesture of beckoning. "Come on in, I'm not venomous, just poisonous." Whatever she means, she snorts out a laugh at herself; it dissipates as she reaches the doorframe into the living room, allowing the two in before her. Sit down, be comfortable. "Alright, let's have a chat, hm?"
True to her word, there is a sword on the mantle. It's an identical match. Also within reach of an adult.
"Eve! I'm right here!" Thump-ump-ump comes feet down the stairs, and the ginger boy comes skidding down. His arms are full of papers and presumably the pad they were torn out of. Walter stops in mid-word when he sees Miles, unfamiliar. "Oh, hi Eve's friend."
For Miles, at least, this one is also a perfect match, just… tiny. Those blue eyes with that cant, freckles everywhere, puppy brows, and hair a tousle of orange.
There's a snicker at Delilah's joke of being poisonous, the mother was truly scary if you got in her bad side. While Miles behaves, Eve makes a beeline for that sword and leans in to stare and nod at it. "Fascinating. The same in the same place but different." Before Walter is rushing down the stairs with his pages and a pad which delights Eve despite the pain that rocks in her chest. Art she encourages in every child she meets.
Crouching to grin at Walter's face she leans in and tickles him gently, "Look how big you are! Whoa, your father must be impressed." Leaning in to hug the boy tight her floppy hat laying on his head, "Give Aunt Eve a hug real quick, there we go!" But quickly, her movements are calm but her heart races in her chest. "This is my friend, Miles." She holds the grimace back, smiling with full teeth. Still she holds tightly to this form, she has manners.
And because it's Eve she has to be extra. "Would you like to see his trick?" A sly grin on her face as she settles into a seat, clutching her large coat around her.
Miles looks even more uncomfortable when Mini-Walter shows up, though he does manage to lift a hand when the child greets him, and reply, “Hey, bro.” He clearly does not know how to talk to children, and he does not try that hard, either, keeping to the side and glancing toward the wall. It’s very interesting. Certainly easier to look at than the smaller version of a man who had died in front of him a month ago.
That is, until Eve offers up his ability as entertainment. “Hey,” he says again, this time turning to look at her, “I don’t do birthday parties. This,” and here he gestures up and down to encompass himself, “is strictly high-end events only.” Though it does sound like a joke — at least, it’s much less awkwardly stated than the pseudo-greeting.
Bro seems like a perfectly acceptable greeting, as Walter just smiles back up at Miles before holding some of his papers out to Eve as she stands there at the mantle. He laughs and squirms away from her touch, only to be mashed against her when she draws him in. The arm not holding onto paper winds around hear shoulder in a spindly hug.
"Does he do something cool?" Walter looks to Eve when Miles says no ma'am, whispering. "Is he shy? Oh, I wanna show you some of my drawings! Can you look? Or is this grown-up time?" He hasn't seen her in long enough that he absolutely gives her That Begging Look which Teo lent him.
"It's grown-up time, little man. You can show her later." The boy answers this by staring at his mother and extending a piece of paper at Eve without looking at her. Of course, he listens after that, and wrangles his art on the way to the kitchen table next room over. Delilah is left just shaking her head, lingering long enough near Miles to give him a crooked smile before she sits down near Eve. "Start from the top, love."
The paper that Walter dropped at her- - is an illustration, background and all- - of a boat on a rocky ocean. It's pretty good for an eight year old. Although there is one disturbing thing about it; the stormcloud has angry yellow-orange eyes, and it appears that it's blowing those gale winds.
"Miles Dylan The First of His Name if meeting Walter here now, like this. Isn't a high end event..?!" Eve takes on the look of grave devastation as she clutches her chest and the papers that Walter has given her, "Then I wore my fancy coat for no reason!" Peering closely at Miles, she wishes she were a telepath. GO WITH IT BUNNY.
"Oh he's got something so neat it's like blinkblinkblink pow. You'd never believe it!" She's teasing of course, Walter and the other Next Generation were growing up in the Age of The Gifted, Eve would have to remember to write that down. Things like teleporting and throwing fire were commonplace to these children. Finally able to get a moment to stare more closely at the drawings, her eyebrows raise with a wide smile for the boy, "Grown up time? Pfft, who needs that." Plopping down right on the floor to go over each and every drawing. Adopting a "very serious" demeanor she coughs into her hand, "Ahem, come tell me of your drawings. Give me the artist's perspectiv-" Delilah is there to remind that she is the mother and a good one at that. "Okay okay, after grown up time I'm coming for you!"
Sitting now with Delilah, the raven haired woman is still but a plain smile is on her lips. A twist in her gut and she pats her belly. "Must have been," leaning over to cough away from Delilah her ruby eyes bulge behind the sunglasses. Thank god for knock off Tom Ford.
Miles rolls his eyes at Eve’s dramatic display, and he lets out a very put-upon sigh, but then he shrugs, and says, “Yeah, yeah.” And then suddenly he’s not there, but appearing in front of Walter faster than a thought. “Tag,” he says, tapping the boy’s shoulder, before he winks out of existence again, appearing once more next to Eve. He seems to think that’s good enough, because he sinks into a chair a moment later, leaning back and crossing his legs at the ankles. He does not answer Delilah, but lets Eve tell it, because even though he actually went through it, he assumes that she understands it better than him.
To his credit, Walter manages not to fling drawings everywhere when Miles pops up in front of his path when he moves to make his exit. Eve can look at his drawings later, and he knows she will- - and suddenly, a wild Miles appears. Walter gasps in surprise, moreso out of the speed than the teleporting(but still the teleporting). Eyes wide when the man disappears, the boy turns his head to find him.
"Mom, he's- -" A Look from Mom has Walter clamming up. "Mmf, I know, grown-up stuff…" Bummed out, he drags himself the rest of the way to the kitchen table a couple walls away.
"Do you need some water?" Dee tilts her head at Eve when she coughs, more closely studying the other woman's features. She's used to Eve being weird, though, so she isn't exactly sure what is normal, and what is odd behavior. "Take your time if you need."
"Thank you. Thank you." Eve nods her need for water but she doesn't wait to tell the story. It's a lot, "Liz and Magnes, She who moves sound as if it was water and the pizza boy. They didn't die." Leaning forward, Eve launches into a tale that hinges on fiction, navigating the waters of the story from this timeline. Mateo and Lynette how they were fated to be together and bring the Travelers home, the knowledge that Liz had along with Magnes took up strays, she takes care to not stare in Miles' direction but she snickers still and brought them back. The paintings and vision she had of the travels and the Crossing, the landing of Liz and Magnes last month.
"Something came with them, something old." She knew it, she felt it. Eve was feverish and her expression though partially masked by the shades and hat it was still distressed. "Adam Monroe sniffing around, it's back to 2010 for us dear." A crack of laughter to mask the pain she's feeling. Delilah and Eve had been through this before, immortal entities and the destruction they left in their wake. Destruction that Eve was now a holder of, chaos brought to life. "Walter.. the older Foxy. He was on my ship, in the Flooded World. I think they got along." A small smile as she tries to impart that happy memory to the mother.
"I wish I had brought the Fox home but.." gaze sliding over Miles, "Miles is cool. Could you show him to SESA?" The question is sprung upon Delilah and Miles. "Agents, badges, cells, paperwork. I just cannot see myself there, the cards have told me this." The cards told her nothing but the feeling in her gut told her all she needed to know, Eve didn't want to hurt anyone. This was a risk already but this was about family and she trusted Lilah, "You can trust Lilah, the government will help you. Keep the conspiracy theories to yourself and you're a golden goose! Richard, myself and many others have spoke on your behalf before skipped through the waters. Hopping like a bunny." Hop hop hop.
Miles has been listening along, just nodding and smiling — or really not smiling that much, honestly, but nodding — right up until Eve mentions SESA. Whatever that is. “Uh,” he says, sitting up a little straighter and looking from one to the other, “Hey, hold on. I don’t need any agents or badges. I think I had a pretend sheriff's badge once, and that was enough for me. I think I’m okay just flying beneath the radar.”
Once Delilah settles Eve with some water she settles in more fully to listen to this spun tale; portions of it are familiar, thanks to Magnes, though she doesn't mention him at all. He wanted to lie low, so that's what Dee will help him do. He'll come out of his burrow when he wants to.
It's when she gets to the Something that Delilah seems to hone in on the details, brow furrowing when Eve mentions 2010. "It better not be 2010 again…" She manages to mutter in the moments between the other woman's words.
"Of course you two got on. This is one hell of a story." There are parts that she didn't get before. Dee crosses her ankles and gives Eve a small scoff. So does that mean he's still there, somewhere? She's not sure she wants to get clarification on this, and yet… Mm? Whatever thoughts were about to take over are sidelined. "Show him to- -" The redhead laughs, eyes catching the man's initial reaction.
"It's okay, calm down." There's still a small laugh on her breath, and both hands make a reassuring gesture at Miles. Poor Miles. "I'm not going to drag you to SESA or anything. I know what it's like to stay out of people's attention. The Ferry had enough of that." Delilah doesn't seem too excited about legitimizing Miles just yet.
"If you want to stay here in the Safe Zone, your life will be exponentially easier if you went to SESA. But if you don't mind living outside of the borders, people do live there. There's Staten and Long Island, but it's dangerous. A couple settlements further out, more pastoral. So you've got options if you even want to stay." She knows all too well the temptation to pack it up and leave. "Ultimately it's your choice, mate. But if you decide you wanna, I can absolutely help."
Leaning away from Miles as if afraid he would strike her (he would never) Eve gives a nervous smile and snort, "Its okay, its okay. You're a friend, not food. They will help." Eve had labored for it to be so, sounded like a crazy woman so that the government would know these people were refugees. She allows Delilah the chance to explain with she being on the Safe Zone Council but there's a rumbling in the pit of her stomach and she looks over to Miles with eyebrows shooting upwards.
"Oooh boy, well! I'm sorry but-" the woman stops and flinches away as she gets up abruptly, throwing her arm out as if to ward off a blow, an impending danger. That was what she was now, in the literal sense. A surge of red lightning dances over her fingers and Eve winces sucking in a breath through clenched teeth her eyes track over to Delilah from behind those sunglasses and she backs up towards the door. "Try to keep my aliveness low low, I love y-" choking back a wail of pain the air a few feet around her warms up slowly and a shimmer as her leg shines slowly a deep crimson, "Miles, be a good man. I'll see ya super soon! So soon you won't even know what hit ya!"
The front door banged open and Eve hustles out, trailing red sparks behind her as she dashes into an alley. It was a close call and she knew it. Stupid Eve, stupid wanting to see her friends. She didn't even know what she was.
The last thought that Eve has before she erupts into that violent red light a few blocks away is that she needed to find out.