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Scene Title | Since I Knew You Were Coming, I Baked a Cake |
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Synopsis | Matt drops in on Molly, who is in the process of being domestic. A deal is made, and Molly will start attending a real school with real kids - someday. |
Date | January 20, 2009 |
Molly Walker may not be in direct Company care, but that doesn't mean she's without Company provided and managed protection. The facility she is housed in has all the bells and whistles one can imagine in this day and age, and a nanny of sorts is on call to take care of Molly's various needs. She may be a rebelliously independent thirteen year-old, but you can't walk everywhere in New York City.
Of course, that's assuming Matt would allow such a thing. As it is, Molly doesn't see much of the outside world without it being an affair of possible heart-attack proportions, as far as the overworked agent is concerned. That doesn't mean she is denied almost everything she wishes – she is, in many ways, spoiled. But even as somewhere, on someone's computer, stereo, or television set, the Imperial March is playing the revelation of Darth Vader as his fleet nears Hoth, Matt Parkman makes his way down the hall to the apartment where Molly currently resides. Be that as it may, the strings do not stir nor does the brass trumpet the culturally significant theme in the mind of the agent. It is an allusion that eludes the telepath. It's not like he can be in the minds of everyone, everywhere, all at the same time.
The vigorous orchestra roars up from the bridge, the brass in full cry after the incremental, suspenseful crescendo, and unbeknownst to him, Matt's footsteps keep time with the snare. The trombones and trumpets, though silent in the modern, clean lines of the hall, sing out their final fanfare just as he rounds the corner, and his hand falls on the doorknob just as the last mallet falls onto the head of the kettle drum.
Wherever it may be, the music goes silent, and Matt Parkman opens the door.
And what Matt walks in on is a young girl at the kitchen counter, stirring something in a bowl. The nanny had gone out to get more groceries. Molly Walker has her hair in a high ponytail and is wearing a dark green top and jeans, barefoot. She turns her head and looks to Matt as he enters. "Hi Matt. Lucy is out right now getting groceries." Molly says and the look she gives Matt is one of slight irritation. She hasn't seen anyone in weeks! She misses Kaydence and Cole a lot, they are two of the people she sees most besides Lucy and Matt, not to mention the various Company people. "Where have you been?" she continues stirring.
There is a light grumble that stands in for a more polite greeting as Matt stands there in the open doorway, his head almost immediately hanging slightly in shame. "Working," he mumbles as he turns to shut it. A fine reason - the only reason he ever has. But at least he isn't gone gone, right.
Once he's shrugged off his outer coat and dropped it on the couch, Matt walks across the open floorplan to the kitchen, leaning in to give the girl a kiss on the cheek before eyeing the bowl. "What'cha got there?" If there is genuine interest in the question, it's shrouded by that almost constant cloud of exhaustion that hovers around the man, as thick as soup. Even after he asks it, he moves to deposit himself at a stool at the bar-like counter that serves as a barrier between living room and kitchen.
"Cake, just relax and soon, you will have the best cake ever." Mol says to Matt and looks at him in worry. "Have you been sleeping?" Even though she has been getting upset with Matt lately, she still loves him. He's her father after all, even though not by blood. She projects her thoughts out «I've been worried about you.» Her thoughts shows how she really feels, not just that she is a young girl growing into a young woman who feels closed in but the girl that loves Matt like a daughter. She puts the batter in a pan and slides it in the oven.
Worrying said surrogate daughter is high on Matt's 'make sure it doesn't happen' list, but in cases like this, it can hardly be helped. He lies, despite the bags under his eyes and the general drawn look to his whole face. "Yeah, enough. Enough. But that's why they made coffee, you know?" He smiles, warm and honest for a moment.
"Maybe." She replies in a teasing tone. "I don't have anything better to do.. but play with a cellphone I don't use, go on the internet to surf but not talk to any friends because I have none to instant message. So I have to occupy my time somehow right? So I watch you.. often." Now what Molly actually knows about what Matt does.. well he'll have to go into her mind before she reveals that to him.
Matt's eyes widen at the revelation. He was just trying to make a joke. Still, at least she hasn't been trying to find other people - dangerous people. …Has she? Molly wouldn't need telepathy to be able to guess pretty accurately what goes through Matt's head as the muscles in his face twitch it out in almost perfect Matt-Face-Sign-Language.
"Molly," he says in a voice that almost low enough to be a whisper. "…you haven't looked for anyone else…have you? I mean, just…to entertain yourself." Matt squints, half-rising from his seat. "Have you?"
An eyebrow is raised at Matt. "I don't know what you mean? Like looking for where Michael Jackson is currently? Sometimes and Britney Spears, she isn't all that crazy now." Molly smiles sweetly, "Is it /bad/ that I use my ability? Why so worked up?" Molly's inner wheels are turning as she thinks to why Matt is acting the way he is acting.
Both relieved and, in a way, let down, Matt sighs, shaking his head. He continues with his rise and moves from the kitchen to the living room in order to flop rather sloppily onto the couch. "No, it's not bad. I just… I worry about you. I mean, I…I dunno. There's a lot we don't know still. I know you spend all day hanging out with Mohinder and all his science buddies, but…well, I dunno." Matt readjusts himself so that he can look back at Molly, eyes narrowed somewhat. "I do what I do for you, Mol."
"/You/ worry to much. I'm not eleven anymore and honestly.." Molly comes to sit on the armrest of the couch. "If I don't start interacting more with kids /my/ age, not the Mohinder's science friends that act like kids with a new toy. Then I'll become a crazy psychotic.. dog killer. Serious." Molly tries to look all serious. "I mean come /on/, I could so go to regular school."
Not this again. Anything but this again. Matt rolls his head to one side and closes his eyes before he brings his hands up. In another moment, he's holding his head in his hands, his elbows on his knees. "Molly, Molly, Molly." He says he name like a chant one might use, unsuccessfully, to calm down. "We've been //over this. Yes, you could go to a school with other kids. Sure. Fine. But you could just as easily get snatched up by-" But Matt cuts himself off, biting his lip.
See, kids? This is why eight hours of sleep every night and three square meals a day are important. Eat your breakfast.
Uh oh.. you've gone and done it now Matt. "Snatched? For god's sake! There is nobody out there to come and /snatch/ me. I mean Sylar is de-" Molly blinks and she grips the armrest hard. "Matt, what are you not telling me?" Molly's eyes are wide and confused.
"What I'm not telling you," Matt grumbles, part frustration with himself and part stress in general, "is that there are tons of people out there worse than Sylar. People that I try to keep away from nice little girls… girls like you. And families. And…well, just people." Because men, and for that matter, women, like Sylar…they aren't people. They're monsters who were people a long time ago.
Highly doubts she will find anyone that she thinks is worse than Sylar, but then again she hasn't met Kazimir. "Fine, what are you going to do when I turn eighteen? Keep me in here against my will? Tell me that it's much to dangerous? /Life/ is always going to be dangerous, Matt. No matter what we do." Molly sighs and tilts her head at Matt. "Whatever, it doesn't matter."
Matt's fingers split, revealing one of his bag-circled eyes. He watches Molly for a moment before he snorts out a single chuckle of sorts. "Right," he says, pulling his hands away from his face and slapping his legs. He can't argue with that logic…but when did she get so smart? "Let's make a deal? You want to make a deal?"
Molly looks at Matt with an expression of disbelief. "Ok.. a deal. What are the terms?" Mol is now all business and she sits up straighter, trying to look older. Which she fails at but at least she is trying!
"Terms. Right." All deals have terms. Matt stares at the floor and rubs his thighs as he thinks, squinting in his customary way. "I pick the school. And you're registered under an alias. Maybe we'll even get Kaydence to help out. You know, since she did the blonde thing." But dying hair, at her age? Matt squints again as he studies his daughter and sucks his lower lip in. "Maybe a wig. Yeah." He's silent a moment more, then looks at Molly, his head tilted slightly to one side. "How's Erin sound? Erin's a nice name, right?"
YAY! OMG he agreed! This is grea- huh? "Umm Erin.. and a wig? Ok how about.. Selene! A wig.. really?" Molly eyes Matt. "Do you think all that is necessary?" She blinks at her head and then hangs her head.
"What, like that singer?" Matt chuckles then stands, only to pace. "From Titanic?" He stops in his tracks and then turns to stare at Molly again. "…you don't know any artists do you?" Is he joking?
"No.. /Selene/ other name for Goddess of the moon and hunt? Artemis?" Molly rolls her eyes and goes to check on the cake. "I.. huh?" Molly tilts her head at Matt. "I don't know /anybody/." She says with emphasis. "None."
Matt stares a moment more, but he gives up before his brain can sort out why the name would mean anything. For now, it settles with 'Mohinder must have told her some story.' Hopefully she's never seen Titanic. A talk will need to be had with Lucy - no boat movies. "Okay. But a wig. You're okay with a wig?" Last names are easy enough to fabricate, and she wouldn't be using that anyway. Matt pauses, then finds a seat on the couch again, looking intently at Molly. "Do you have any? Terms, I mean."
"I hate the wig idea. Absolutely hate it." Molly likes her hair! Wants it to be seen! Pllleeasse. "Yes I do have terms, if I find a friend that you approve of then.. I get to spend the night at her house some weekends if I want. I doubt I'll find some friends but /if/ I do. Also, I catch the bus to school." Molly grins widely and folds her arms as she waits for the cake to be done.
"I pick the school, and public transport is out of the question." Matt is firm on this. As for friends… he takes in a deep breath and nods. Surveillance shouldn't be too hard to fanagle. "And okay. But I have to approve." Which means background checks. "I've got one more - you can't tell these friends what you do, or blow cover in any way. You'd be like a spy." A spy on what normal life is like.
Mol /really/ wants to push the public transportation but decides not too. "Ok fine deal!" Molly holds out her hand for Matt to shake with a big smile on her face. "This is going to be awesome, thanks!"
But Matt's hand, just as he extends it, turns into a warning, fatherly finger. "Don't screw it up. I reserve the right to revoke these privileges whenever I see fit, and my reasons can be my own. I do Molly Security, then National Security. You hear me, young lady?"
"Yeah yeah. Ok!" Molly leaps forward into Matt's arms. Something she doesn't do often, since her age and all. "You won't regret this! I promise!"
Rare, indeed. Matt's face cracks into a smile as he wraps his arms around the girl who will forever be little in his eyes. Or at least for awhile still. "I'll shop around, and we'll get you set up. If I don't do it by Valentine's, you can stalk me all you want and I'll treat it like punishment, okay?"
"Sounds good to me." Molly says and untangles herself from Matt to get the cake from the oven. It looks perfect. Just like Molly's mood. "Want a piece after it cools?"
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