Participants:
| Scene Title | Paris Promised |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Adam offers friendship and a shoulder to cry on. Odessa falls completely for all Adam's lines. |
| Date | September 18, 2009 |
Fort Greene - Apartment 404
Description forthcoming.
It's somewhere in the late afternoon when Odessa makes her way to the apartment. There's moving men that she doesn't recognize bringing in what looks to be finely made European furniture. A rather nice bureau there, a finished dining room table there. Adam, meanwhile, is in the very middle of the apartment in what appears to be a very relaxing arm chair. He has one leg crossed over the other with some papers and a set of keys in his lap.
With wide eyes, Odessa steps around a moving man and into the apartment. Her apartment. She approaches the armchair and offers Adam a genuine smile. "You didn't have to do all this. That furniture looks expensive." Not that she really suspects that money is an issue of any kind for Adam, but it's definitely the thought that counts. "Thank you."
Adam glance sup in Odessa's direction when she arrives. He smiles, patiently. Although the furniture itself was only expensive-ish. "Well." he says, "I did tell you I was going to provide you with a place to live, didn't I?" he questions, "How could I let you come here and then end up in an apartment with absolutely no furniture." he holds up the papers while balancing the keys on it, "These are your tenant rules and your keys. If anyone asks, you're my mistress." he says.
"Your mistress. Can't we say niece or something?" Odessa takes the papers and looks them over somewhat absently. "In Pretty Woman, Julia Roberts said she was his niece." Ah, romance films. A new guilty pleasure for Odessa since achieving freedom from the Company. She looks back to Adam, but doesn't seem truly concerned about the cover story. "Is everything in your name, or have you come up with an alias for me, then?"
Adam chuckles a bit, "Well, if I went around saying you were my niece, that would look awfully awkward if anything ever happened and I came out of your apartment late at night, yeah?" he tsks, "Can't have people talking, you're on the lay low, yeah?" his eyes sparkle a moment dangerously after that, then he says, "Well, everything's in a name. So it's all sorted out." He's non committal about whose name it is. It's likely not any name Odessa would recognize, anyway. "I'm also having some security things installed." he says, "Nothing serious, can't make it Fort Knox, but I think even Lola will have a hard time getting in if you don't want her here."
"I'd appreciate that," Odessa admits, perching now on the arm of Adam's chair. "I have a feeling your friend would like to sneak in here just to ruffle my feathers." She rests one hand on the back of the chair for balance, leaving the other to rest in her lap as she frowns seriously. "She tried to pull the back of my dress up in public yesterday. That girl is weird." Even by their standards.
Adam mms, "She is." he says. "I enjoy her company, for the most part. And she's rather attractive. But…" But, lots of things. Even Odessa is likely to understand the complexity. But, is this a long term thing? But, is this more about what she can do than how much he likes her? But, is Adam even really not looking around anyway? Still, he turns towards Odessa, "And why did she pull your dress up? That seems…odd."
Odessa understands at least a little what Adam means, so she nods. "I have no idea what her issue was. She said something about how fabulous I looked. Could you have a talk with her? I really don't want her trying to do something like that again." She pulls a face. "So, what? You're only interested in her because she could be Miss July?"
Adam tilts his head a bit at Odessa and chuckles, "She's beautiful and exciting. And when she's neither bored, nor in public, she's actually very sweet. But, I think it's clear there's also large…differences too. All I'm saying is, she's lovely. I just couldn't say right now if she's the one." of which he's already had a few dozen ones, most of which he married. "Or if I'm even looking for the one just yet, yeah?" he pauses, "What about you. Surely you've been looking for romance and adventure. Found anyone?"
Odessa's eyes cast toward the floor as she listens to Adam's explanation, turning slightly stormy when he asks his question. "You must be joking," she murmurs. "Me. Romance. Right. Plenty of adventure, though. I will say that."
Adam arches a brow as he considers her for a few moments. He's quiet for a bit before he reaches out and puts his hands on her hips and without warning, pulls her onto his lap. At which point he says, "Sounds like you've got quite a bit to get off your chest. Why don't you tell Uncle Adam all about it."
Odessa gasps as she's slid off the arm of the chair and into Adam's lap instead. That's got her attention. Her eyes get wide and she peers at him almost curiously, if a little alarmed. "Have you ever felt guilty for letting one of your wives believe you were dead?"
Adam blinks a bit at the question. Clearly that was unexpected, but he says, "Well.." he says calmly, "I've only done it twice. I suppose the first time, I felt a bit guilty, yes. The second time.." the second time she and his best friend tried to kill him for the money. Fuck that bitch, "The second time no.." he considers her, "Were you seeing a beau who you let believe you were dead?"
The woman shakes her head slowly, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. "No. Well, yes… But no? I was told he was dead…" Odessa draws her knees up to settle her heels on the cushion on the other side of Adam's legs with her back braced against the side of the arm she was settled on before. She curls up and rests her head against the man's shoulder. "It killed me. Almost literally." Telling Adam that she kind of blew up the lab she was manipulating the Shanti Virus in maybe isn't in her best interests, so she doesn't go that far. "So, I suppose he thought I had died. But I didn't know he lived until someone was asking me where to find him." She purses her lips in the manner of a furious child. It's a look Adam's seen on her face a thousand times before. "What kind of person does that?" She blinks and thinks to add quickly, "Your situation's unique. It's not like you… It's not the same."
Adam actually seems sincerely interested. Now, whether he is or not is less important, but he /seems/ interested. He even pats Odessa on the thigh in a non sexual manner, "Hey, this is a complex world." he pauses, "Have you met with him again? Tried to hash out this sort of thing? Perhaps it would be best if you could talk to him about it. Get it all out in the open." he pauses, "Or…would it be best to let sleeping dogs lie."
Odessa squirms just a bit at the unfamiliar touch of a hand on her thigh. Affection in all forms is still slightly alien to her. Has she met with him again, he asks. "Oh, yeah," she mutters, "we've met again." Though her face is turned against his neck, he can still visualise the scowl her features have pulled into. "He wore a mask and put a tranquilliser in my neck."
Adam blinks a moment at that response. That seems a tad odd to him, not exactly a romantic reunion, "Why would he…do that?" then there's a pause, perhaps there's an even more important question to ask about that, "Who was he?"
"I don't know why he did it. He was pulling this silent act and then he did this whole reveal thing as he was knocking me out." Odessa sits up suddenly, eyes glistening. "Who does that?!" Who was he? That's not a question she should answer honestly, so she takes a moment to rein in her anger. "I thought he was someone who cared for me."
Adam watches Odessa get worked up about it. He's quiet after her questions and notices her purposeful shift so that she doesn't reveal the name. Now that's important. He purses his lips a moment, his wheels turn, but he doesn't have enough data to work out the scenario. Yet. Instead, he takes a different, more patient tactic and reaches up and starts brushing her hair back a bit, "Well, sometimes it takes a moment and push and shove to find out who cares for you and who doesn't." he pauses lightly before he says, "I wish I had been thinking more clearly when you came to me the first time."
Odessa freezes up for a moment when his fingers brush her hair. "You really worried about me?" Could he have? Odessa's head says no, but her emotions just want someone to care about her right now.
Someone to understand, like she told Peter.
Odessa leans into Adam's touch. "I tried to find you so many times. I didn't know what to think happened to you."
Adam is quiet for some moments as he just strokes her hair slowly and his voice gets low. The delivery men are long gone. The apartment itself isn't set up, but it has all the makings of a nice place. But in this quiet time, he murmers, "Not at first. At first, I was just…you know…thirty years, Odessa. I had to get my mind right. And then….then I did, but by then it was too late, you just disappeared."
"I know," Odessa responds quietly. She never allowed herself to get attached to her patients when she was a Company doctor, but Adam had always been the exception. He would never die on her. Never leave her. It had always been hard for her to wrap her head around the fact that he'd been a prisoner longer than she'd been alive. She reaches out with one hand to brush a thumb over his cheekbone gently. "I know what it was like to be locked away. It must have been so much harder for you, knowing what you were being kept from."
Adam considers Odessa for a few moments, watching her quietly as he brushes her thumb across his cheek. After a moment, he takes a hand and squeezes it tightly. He suddenly brings it to his lips and kisses it gently, his eyes still on Odessa, meaningfully. He's quiet for some moments as he says, "You'll have that life too. Someday, when this is all over."
"When all of what is over?" Odessa asks in a hushed tone. Her cheeks flush a pale shade of pink when his lips brush over her hand. "I don't even know what's… holding me back anymore." Forces bigger than her, to be sure. "Do you really mean it, though? I don't think I can take it if this is just an empty promise. You can't possibly understand how badly I want to see the world."
Adam tilts his head, "You want to travel? I'll send you tomorrow. Anywhere you want." he pauses, "But I can't go with you yet. I have things I have to do here. If that's what you want, just tell me where…otherwise, it'll have to wait." but he never answers the question of what. He lets out a bit of a sigh, "If you stick with me, I'll make it happen, Odessa. I really will."
There's a sudden pang of longing. Anywhere she wants. But not with him. That isn't part of the plan in her head. The rather fragmented, constantly shifting plan that's more smoke than substance. "I've waited… twenty-six years now?" Odessa shakes her head with a sad smile. "I can wait a little longer. It doesn't have to be the whole world, but… Just promise me we'll go to Paris someday, just you and I. Please?" Her dark blue eyes are so filled with sorrow, matched only by her hope. Maybe he means it. Maybe he really did try to find her. Maybe he cares. Maybe he understands what it was like. Maybe he understands what it's like now.
Adam smiles a bit, "Paris." he says, "I have to warn you, it's a tad over rated. A bit of a tourist trap really, yeah? Full of rude people who expect tips for horrible service." he tsks, "But alright, Paris." he pauses, "I'll make it happen." he looks thoughtful, just she and he, "Perhaps we can even make it happen soon." he says, "Nothing special. It'd have to be quick… a weekend trip." he pauses as one hand falls to her side, "A bit of a taste of what's to come, yeah?"
Odessa nods her head quickly. "It'd be lovely, I just know it." He's just jaded, man of the world that he is. "Oh, I bet it's beautiful at night. The city must shine like stars." They do call it the City of Lights, don't they? With only that bare segue, she asks him, "Do the skies look different now than they did then? I know the cities drown out all the stars… It must have been beautiful before the great, sprawling metropolises and the electric lights."
Adam considers a bit. "They did." he says gently. "At night, it was lit by torch fire, yeah? But torch fire doesn't reach very high in the sky, so you could see it all. Every star, near every night." he's quiet for some moments, "Now…it's not just the smog and all, but the lights of the city themselves, sometimes they drown out the night sky. But if you get high enough…if it's a nice enough night, then it's almost like the city's lit in two parts. One from the city and one from the sky."
Odessa sighs whimsically at his explanation of the way things were, her eyes unfocusing slightly as she pictures it in her mind. "Do you realise how lucky you are," she asks after a long moment of contemplative silence, "to have been alive for so long to see the progression of things? Not all of it's bad, right? Not every change has been for the worst." Logically, that can't be the case.
Adam considers that for a moment, "Well.." luck is another word for it. People have had lifetimes, but they're able to fit in their little life lessons and wisdom into their forty or eighty years. But what happens when time drags on. What happens when the end doesn't come, do you really learn anything? He turns to Odessa and says, "Some was good." he says, "Tele is a major improvement over staring at a fire." he says with a bit of a smirk, "And..you know, there's always the chance to get close to new people." before they die and they're out of your life." goes unsaid. But he's quiet a moment before he picks that time to slip his hand around the back of Odessa's neck and pulls her close to him. He presses his lips against hers and gives her a real kiss, nice and proper. And it should be noted, that the man of such amazing experience, has certainly got kissing down to an art.
Somehow, intelligent woman that she is, Odessa never saw this coming. Surprises can be nice now and again, though. She closes her eyes and reaches up to brush fingers through the man's hair, ignoring the niggling thoughts in the back of her head telling her to stop. That this isn't right. He isn't yours, Reason tells her.
She doesn't listen.