Practicing Moral Support

Participants:

lynette2_icon.gif ryans3_icon.gif

Scene Title Practicing Moral Support
Synopsis Ryans' trip has been a rather eventful and frustrating one. But Lynette, being the giving, caring soul she is, is there to help.
Date December 28, 2010

Grand Central Terminal


His boots crunch through the tunnel debris, a hand tucked into his pocket with the other griping a flashlight, expression thoughtful. It's been a long couple of weeks off the island, with some big news on the side. The trip is winding down and Benjamin Ryans will be heading back to Pollepel island again. A part of him is curious if anything new has happened. Being on the mainland has him feeling a touch disconnected.

As he steps into the terminal, the faint glow from the lights of the safehouse, makes Ben feel comfortable enough to click off the torch in his hand. He looks a bit worn as he moves further into the living area, pulling the ball cap off his head and dropping into one of the of chairs, worn and frayed as it is. He settles back into it with a sigh, resting his head against the back and closing his eyes.

It seems he isn't the only one with the idea to drop by, although, for Lynette, it's more the councilwoman making rounds and checking up than anything else. The blonde steps in from deeper in, looking tired as seems to be the norm lately, and maybe a touch on the melancholy side. Holiday blues, perhaps.

But when she spots a certain man in the room, a hint of a smile takes it's place. She comes over to settle into a chair nearby, glancing over at him for a moment. When she speaks, it's softly. Just a whisper. "If you're asleep, I'm going to be forced to let the children come draw on you, Benjamin."

"Don't give them any ideas."

That slightly shaggy head lifts off the back of the chair, a hint of a smile there as he spies her sitting there. "Hello Miss Rowan, fancy seeing you here," he rumbles out with warmth in his tone. Sitting forward on the chair he reaches out to take her hand.

"What has brought you to the mainland?" Clearly, it can't be cause he is there. "Council business?" he asks curiously.
ORDER: It is now your pose.

"But they're so fun when they're mischievous," Lynette retorts, chuckling slightly. There isn't any hesitation in taking his hand as well, there's even a warm squeeze. "I was just checking up on how the place was holding up, is all." Not at all an excuse to come to the mainland. It's serious business.

"It's good to see you, though. How… has the visit gone?" It is possible she's been worried. Maybe.

"It's been…" He trails off a little uncertain how to really answer that question. He finally settles on, "interesting. I learned something pretty unexpected and was propositioned to help take down the government." Ryans rubs wearily at his eyes with his free hand and sighs.

"For one, I found out that I had a son with a woman I was engaged to before my wife." The hand drops away form his eyes and he gives her a somewhat amused look. "You wouldn't believe who it is either." Ben barely believe it himself. "Bradley Russo." A man the same age as the woman sitting before him.

"Oh, is that all?" Lynette asks with a gentle laugh, particularly to that bit about taking down the government. But as he goes on, she can't help a crooked smile, "Oh goodness. How many kids does that make now?" She's teasing, just a little. If the age thing occurs to her, she doesn't seem to mind. "He wasn't the one asking you to take down the government, was he? That's a little intense for a TV personality, I should think."

"No, that honor goes to one Richard Cardinal," he comments blandly. "I told him no. Or not so much no, but that it's not the sort of thing I can do lightly anymore." Ryans studies her, thumb brushing lightly along the tops of her knuckles.

"He wants me to do an interview on camera about the government's connection to the Company." Benjamin slowly shakes his head, "I might not be Company anymore, but putting stuff like that out there could hurt those people even more, plus it could bring a risk to the Ferrymen. So…" He gives her a bit of a smile, "I didn't tell him no. I told him he had to talk to my former boss first, then I'd discuss it with council.

"To say the least I'm not sure he was pleased." Not that it could be helped.

"On camera? Oh, that's nice and safe. You aren't hunted enough already, apparently," Lynette says with a little flare of what just might be protectiveness. "I think that's a fair enough answer, all things considered."

Her chair scoots a little closer, just a touch! And she shakes her head a little. "I imagine he was a bit on the disappointed side. But like you said, it isn't a no, there's just a few hoops to jump through."

Ryans says, "Video deposition." Ryans shakes his head slowly. "So it has been an adventure. Of course, Bradley thinks I'm being unreasonable about Delia's situation. Not that he's ever lived the life we do and have." He gives a huffed chuckle, but there is no humor in it, "Not sure how a relationship with my son is going to turn out, between his mother's hatred and the differences of our situations…" He trails off.

There is a moment of silence before he asks, softly, "Has Delia been in your dreams again?" The way his own brows tilt up says that he hasn't. "Getting worried about her. It's — been so long and her body seems to fragile. Hokuto hasn't shown up either, I was hoping to beg her help." Begging isn't easy for the old man either. "No word from the Institute man either.""

"It may be rough, given all that. But then, maybe things will work out. You'll never know until you give it a run, isn't that the phrase? Something like that, anyway," Lynette says with a wave of her free hand. "I haven't seen any of the dreamwalkers for weeks. But Hokuto knows there are… dangers. If she's going to help or not is anyone's guess, though. Dema… hasn't stopped in that I've noticed." That statement leaves the door open, though, for her not noticing, of course.

"I know it's hard to sit back and just wait, but you've got to put some faith in the people who can help and are trying. Believe me, I wish there was something more substantial to do for her. And for you, too." Lynette looks down for a moment, perhaps a little thoughtful there. But when she looks back up, there's a crooked smile there again. "Ben, do you happen to have a date for New Year's Eve?" One thing she can do, of course. Distraction.

There is a quirk of a brow at first at the question and then a soft chuckles, smile breaking past that neutral mask and deepens the creases of his eyes. "I do believe that I am date free for that evening." There is a tick before he adds, "Barring some disaster that needs my attention."

In their line of work, it's almost a given.

"Why?" There is the briefest glint of mischief, it's hard to know if it was a trick of light or if it had truly been there. "Are you in need of a date? So desperate you turn to an old man?" Benjamin doesn't give her time to answer that, using the hand he has a grip on to pull her forward enough so that he can distract her briefly from his tease with a kiss.

At the caveat, Lynette lifts a hand to show crossed fingers, because in their line of work… it is a given. But one can always hope.

She barely gets out the start of a chuckle at his tease, and she would no doubt keep up the banter under other circumstances, but the distraction is effective enough to let him get in the last word. This time! Leaning forward, she meets him in that kiss, her arm slipping around his shoulders. Even when that kiss ends, she stays close, her smile more genuine just now. "And here I thought I was supposed to be the trouble in this little mix."

"And let you have all the fun?" Ryans asks mildly, as close to innocent as he can manage, which isn't very. A hand presses gently against her jaw, thumb brushing along her cheek."That or I have been learning such a bad habit from someone."

Bright blue eyes study her eyes, thoughtfully that close. "How have you been?" he feels the need to ask, brows furrow a little.

"Hmm. Whoever you're picking these habits up from must be someone intelligent and alluring and irresistible…" Lynette says with a chuckle as she leans into his hand. Her own fingers entwine with his hair as a soft little sigh escapes her.

"I've been alright," she says, at first, but a moment later she adds, "I've been keeping busy. Too busy to go… shopping." Which is her new and convenient euphemism for buying drugs, it seems. "So, I've been… adjusting."

There is a slight narrowing of his eyes, but after a moment he seems to relax a little. Then he gives a small nod. "Good," he rumbles softly, giving her another brief kiss, before pulling back a little.

"I guess this means, I should stick around the city a little longer, hmm?" He starts to smile and it fades a little. "Which might not be a bad thing, I need to corner Lucille for a talk and I need to track down a girl named Keira. She's — my niece, though she was told by her mother I was her father." There is a quick scrunching of his nose. "Bradley, I believe… this one I didn't. I dont' even remember her mother." Which says a lot about the woman.

Lynette seems to accept that first look with a hint of that melancholy in her smile, but no offense taken. And she returns that kiss, too, which seems to brighten her mood a little. "I think you should. It's dangerous out there, I'm quite sure the buddy system would be much safer," she says with a grin his way, "Plus, I got this room in a terrible motel, but it's quiet and empty." Which is, of course, quite a treat after living on the island for all this time.

"Well, seems like you still have some work to do over here. How can I help? Do we know anything about where either of these girls are?" Keeping busy, indeed.

Brows lift a little at the mention of a room. "A room?" A room - even a crappy one - means a bed, not a cot that has Ryans waking with a sore back in the morning. "I know where Lucille has been, staying with Jaiden… She's easy enough to find. Keira takes a phone call and a safe secure meeting place." Obviously, not much trust there.

"She was volatile the first time I met her, this wait probably won't help none." Grimacing, Benjamin looks a touch guilty. "I need to tell her, instead of dragging my feet." Which he has been.

"Mmhmm. A room. Bed, lamp, a TV even. It's own bathroom. How's that for a dangled carrot, Mister Ryans?" Lynette laughs lightly, but it is a genuine offer all the same. "Well, good. If you want some company or… back up, as it were," in the case of Keira, apparently, "You'll know where to find me."

Her fingers brush his face softly and she gives him a bit of a smile. "Dragging your feet, well. You've had some projects that are very good at being time consuming, but she probably should know. Is she going to believe you?"

"I don't know," Ryans admits softly, a smile touching his lips beside the subject, thanks to the touch on his cheek. "But the paperwork is at Gun Hill still, if she feels she has to see the truth…" She'll know where it is. "I may take you along, just in case." Not that he can't handle a young woman like that, but…

The hand in his is lifted to place a soft kiss across the knuckles, a light brush and a teasing one at that. "As for the carrot. Lead the way and I will follow, Miss Rowan." Though for this old lion it's less a carrot and more dangling a piece of meat. "A hot shower and a bed, with someone to share it with is too hard to resist."

"Do you think they're still watching the building? We couldn't slip in and grab it and slip out?" Lynette gives him a nod, though, "If only for moral support. I'm getting much better at that sort of thing, you see."

That little kiss and teasing brush send a little shiver through the woman, although no doubt she'd maintain it was due to nothing more than the weather, and a little sigh before she smiles at him. "Well. I suppose the shower is big enough for two," she teases right back, her smile tilting into a sly grin.

"We'll manage," Ryans sounds rather confident they can make things work in their favor. He moves to stands, pulling her with him gently. "I can grab my duffel and we can get out of here." His hand slips from her's then, so he can step away, intent on heading to where he keeps his stuff stashed.

"If it is, someone like Keira might have better luck getting in and out." He glances at her, before looking towards one of the corridors. "We get caught…" Ryans doesn't finish that sentence, he doesn't think he needs too.

Lynette does stand to follow, since she has nothing to grab herself, "Risky, you're right. She's the sneaky sort, is she? Or just the type who likes to break into things?"

When she reaches him, she reaches out to put a hand on his back. "My vote is for dinner, a bad TV movie and at least one night of decent sleep before you go hunting for the niece. Out of curiosity, is there the chance of your brother… wanting to meet her?"

"I got the impression she was," since Ryans has only met her a few times, he can only assume. "And a sailor's mouth on her." He sounds rather disapproving of that fact. "Then again, I am a touch old fashioned."

The hand on his back is awarded with his arm sliding around her shoulders, pulling her close to his side as he leads the way to his cot. "And I think I like your idea. A bit of unwinding is in order," he says deep voice quiet. "What sort of dinner were you thinking?"

"Ah, she's a real modern woman, isn't she," Lynette says with a wry tone and smile to match. When his arm goes around her, she chuckles lightly, but seems to settle in there against his side quite naturally. "I like that about you. That you're old fashioned."

Her arm slides further around his waist as she tilts her head to look up at him. "I was planning on the ever decadent choice of Chinese take out. But there's also a pizza place near the motel, if that suits you better."

"Mmm." Ryans seems to think about that choice, as he guides her down the corridor. "I like the idea of Chinese I think." He glances at Lynette, giving her a small knowing smile.

"It keeps," he adds, pausing long enough to give her a lingering kiss to add to that point, before his arm lifts from her shoulder, but not without a brush of fingers in hair. "I'll be right out and then I think we should hurry on our way." He gives a bit of a wink and ducks into the room he shares with several others.

Ryans trip has definitely taken a pleasant turn for the better.


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