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| Scene Title | No Better Puppeteer |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Kaylee approaches Doyle and apologizes to him for being a horrible friend to him. |
| Date | December 05, 2010 |
“So I'll probably see you on the boat,” Kaylee says with a bright smile. “Valerie will be there, so… I guess you both will meet then.” The telepath pushes to her feet, with cigar box held to her chest. “I should get back to work. Thank you, Eric. You know – for hearing me out, letting me get that all out.” Not hard to find someone if you know where to look. When it comes to Eric Doyle, it's follow the sound of children laughing and eventually you'll find the rotund man. In the small common room often used as a place for people to congregate, Kaylee follows the sounds a small smile tugging up the corner of her lips.
With a small two year old on her hip and an old cigar tin tucked against her stomach with her other hand, Kaylee steps out into the hall, looking for the large form of Doyle.
Of course, it doesn't take long to find him, a touch of uncertainty crossing her face making her hesitate at the door. However, Emily seems interested in the laughter of the children and that keeps the telepath from turning and leaving. "Okay," she says softly to the little girl. "Lets go see what they are doing."
She lets the toddler down, who then reaches up for a finger to hold on too and pulls Kaylee along. The telepath's eyes are on Doyle as they approach the group. "I hope we're not intruding," she asks politely. "I was hoping to introduce Emily to the kids and… well…" Brows tilts upward as she asks, "And I thought you and I could have that chat?"
"No cheating!" Hailey's bossy little voice is mingled with a bit of laughter as she throws the accusation across a board game to Justin, who assumes an innocent expression, spreading his hands, "I'm not cheating!" There's fake game-money sticking out from under his knit cap, and some of it slips down over one eye as he moves.
In the spout of giggling and playful pushing over the game, the game itself is somewhat forgotten, but the kids are having fun. That's what matters. Eric Doyle's settled in a bit away at a table, keeping an eye on the children that've gathered in the room in between careful strokes of paint that smear from his slender-tipped brush over the carven wood of a puppet's head in his hand. Mala's peeking over his work, lingering near the big man as she often is. As the pair enter - woman and toddler - he looks up, a smile tugging a little bit up at the corner of his lips, if uncertain. "Hey." A pause lingers for a moment, "Sure, uh. Just— let me put this away." He gingerly sets the brush where it isn't staining anything, the head set down on newsprint. He reaches over to ruffle Mala's hair, smiling warmly to her, "Keep an eye on the baby, would you?"
Emily watches Doyle with wide eyes, stepping a little closer to Kaylee. "Hey now…" the telepath chides the little girl. "No getting shy on me now, Mr. Doyle is okay. I promise." The toddle blinks up at Kaylee, then looks at the puppeteer again. "Yes… he does look a little like Santa." She gives Eric a smile, before letting Mala, lead the blonde girl away. "Thank you, Mala."
She watches the a moment longer before move to sit near Doyle, openly studying him for a long moment. Finally, Kaylee's brows tip down slowly, before she glances away at the kids. "I'm sorry," she starts off. "I know I've been a horrible friend and no real excuse for it, except… I was — probably still am — a stupid girl." Fingers tighten around the box on her lap a little. "We're defined by the people in our lives, they help make us and shape us into the the people we are. And… I've neglected one of them and I spent five years realizing that."
Does she look older? She looks older. Doyle's been a bit out of the loop of things, but he doesn't mention it to her. He may be crazy, but he's not stupid enough to tell a woman that she looks older. Once Mala's drawn Emily away to play with the others, the puppeteer looks back to Kaylee, waving a hand to the chair she takes. "Five years…?"
He gives her a puzzled look, lips pursing in a brief line. He doesn't immediately shower her with forgiveness, either.
"Yeah. Got involved with a… well… time war? A man named Hiro Nakamura asked for my help and I gave it." Kaylee gives him a small smile, but it doesn't last long. "Saved live of people such as Lynette, when she was a little girl." Glancing down at the box on her lap, she pries it open slowly, tho the lid isn't opened enough for him to see in it. Long fingers reach in and extract an old photo, worn at the edges. This she offers to him as she shuts the lid.
"I — well — pissed off the bad guys and they tossed me back into the 1880's and left me there." The image is old, at least one hundred years old. The woman in it, Kaylee herself. "I was there for five years before I was found again. I returned, the night of the riots."
Her eyes are on the photo, hands resting on each other on the lid of the box, "I spent five years in an era where I had no one. I did meet Adam once." She gives Doyle a meaningful look. "Back then he wasn't the bitter and vengeance filled man is is now." She waves it away with a hand, as not a big deal. "It gave me a lot of time to think about what I had here. That includes my friends."
At the explanation of where she's been, Doyle's brow furrows in confusion. It's a bit much of a story, after all, but he's seen enough to believe anything. The photograph is taken carefully in hand, and he looks down at it with a frown, thumb's edge running over the faded edge. Then he looks back up to her, offering the photo back.
"Huh."
"That must've… been… interesting," he admits, rubbing a hand at the nape of his neck, glancing from the photo to her and back down again, apparently unsure what to say to it.
"It was lonely." It's a reluctantly admitted with a soft sigh. "…but… I didn't belong there." She reaches to take the photograph. "Everyone I cared about was about one hundred years in the future." Kaylee tucks it back in the box before folding it up, letting a hand puppet in the style of the time show as it sits on the top of many of those old photos and various little nickknacks.
"Back then puppet theaters were the main entertainment for children. There was especially one set up at the market, with kids sitting front of it." Kaylee carefully picks up the puppet, it's time in the box has protected it from the elements, but the silk is still fragile. "So, I had a daily reminder of you and of course… I realized what I did and… I never thought I'd be able to apologize."
The puppet if offered over with her china doll face, white as a geisha fitting with the red and yellow looking kimono. "I talked of you enough a friend handed this too me and told me I should give it to you when I saw you again." Kaylee gives him a small smile, looking a little sheepish. "I know it's not much of an apology gift… But I do want you to have it."
At the sight of the puppet, Eric's eyes light up despite himself, one hand half-raising as if to reach out for it before he pulls it back, biting his lower lip briefly. Then it's offered over, and he reaches out to cradle it carefully in both hands, looking down to it with a quiet smile.
"It's beautiful," he murmurs, thumb brushing over the faded and fragile silk, "They don't make them like this anymore…"
His gaze flickers up, hesitating for a moment before saying quietly, "You know I don't… trust easily… Kaylee."
"I know." Kaylee says slowly, nodding her head. "And I know I walked all over it." Her fingers fiddle with the photographs, the telepath unable to look at him. "I'm… not going to ask you to forgive me, I don't deserve it in most counts, but I do truly apologize for my past behavior."
Squeals from the kids draw Kaylee's gaze, Emily's face is one of delight even if she can't exactly vocalize it. "I honestly, don't know where my life is going to go from here. I've spent so many years living a rather bland and domesticated life."
Kaylee sighs softly, looking down and then over at Doyle finally. "I can't guarantee I won't still do stupid stuff you don't approve of or risk myself or associate with certain people. My situation is… so complicated…" She points to the gaggle of kids and adds, "But I would never endanger those kids, you or Joseph… the network.
"It's just as much a part of my life as it is yours," Kaylee gives him a small smile. "And I want it to stay that way."
"Nobody really cares what I approve of or who I like or don't like anyway," Doyle points out tiredly, his expression drooping in a sad frown as he sets down the puppet, "You heard everyone at the meeting. I think they're tired of listening to me… I'm just a grouchy old man to them. Heh. Old…"
The pad of his thumb grazes over the china doll face of the puppet, fine cracks from age lining the surface, and he glances back up to her with a slight nod. "I know you wouldn't," he says quietly, "It's alright, though. I don't really expect anything much from people, Kaylee."
"Well, if you noticed… most people don't think much of me either." The comment is bland, with a touch of amusement. "Partly because of what I am, but also cause of unintentional ties to some disliked government groups. Like being protected by the Institute for… whatever reason." Something in Kaylee's tone says she's not overly fond of that.
"But… I can't help any of that. Only a few people have ever really shown me any sort of… kindness and trust. You and Joseph among them and topping the list." Kaylee leans over to touch his wrist and then curls a hand around it. Her fingers are cold, but they start to warm from the contact. "I wouldn't be who I am if you were not my friend and I'm better for the friendship we have."
"I guess I'm just one more point of evidence that you have a poor taste in friends," replies Eric in equally bland tones, setting the doll down very carefully on the table, his hand turning a bit as hers rests on his wrist. He clasps her hand briefly, managing a faint smile, "Well. I guess since you were tellin' people about me a hundred years ago, I can forgive you…"
"Naw. I have excellent taste in friends and men," Kaylee states with a slight lift of her chin. Then there is a curl of her lips as she amends with a smirk. "After I left Adam's employment."
Straightening, Kaylee gives his wrist a squeeze before letting go, looking more at ease. "And I told them there was no puppeteer like you. Never did find an equal." She flashes him a smile before looking to the kids, it fading a little. "Y'all going to be okay keeping up with Emily, while I'm in the city?" She glances over at Doyle brows lifting.
"I don't plan on being gone an awfully long time, she can be a handful since she can't tell you what she wants." Kaylee looks almost reluctant to leave the little girl there without her. "She loves stories and being read too. Bet she'd enjoy some Eric Doyle brand story telling."
"Yeah." Eric's gaze slides over to the other children, "We'll keep an eye on her…" A chuckle, then, his shoulders shaking as he allows, "I'll tell her some good stories. Ones that she can appreciate at her age… or the kids'll help. Anyway, she'll probably like looking at the puppets too."
"I know she will." Kaylee says, closing the lid on the tin cigar box. There is a moment of hesitation, when she glances Emily's way, before she asks, "You think it's okay if I leave her here for a bit?" Glancing at the door briefly. "I need to get me and my little sister ready for the trip, along with the rest of my chores.
"I… don't remember if I mentioned that I found my sister?" Kaylee looks uncertain. "I ended up getting lost before I got much time with her or to introduce her to many people." The telepath's nose wrinkles a bit. "Either way, I'll make sure to introduce Valerie to you, when I get back. I found my brother too, but — juries still out with him."
"We can take care of her," Doyle affirms, watching the children with fondness as Mala picks Emily up and spins around to the sound of laughter and giggling, glancing back to Kaylee with a brow's lift. "Sure. Sure. I'll be here, probably. I'm going to stop by the mainland myself tomorrow, but just going to… check on a few things, then I'm right back."
"So I'll probably see you on the boat," Kaylee says with a bright smile. "Valerie will be there, so… I guess you both will meet then." The telepath pushes to her feet, with cigar box held to her chest. "I should get back to work. Thank you, Eric. You know — for hearing me out, letting me get that all out."
"Hey, I mean…" Doyle tries to joke it off, managing a faint smile, hands spreading a little and brows raising, "…not like I can turn down friends, y'know?"