Participants:
| Scene Title | Sounds Like Rain |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Helena negotiates with Delphine, and Gabriel fails to confirm her worst fears. |
| Date | June 15, 2009 |
A Staten Island Ferryplace
After Helena received the address, it took time for her to make some arrangements and then head out to the safehouse where Gabriel and Delphine are holed up. Even then, there are protocols to get to, and rather than bust in on the pair, they're informed of her presence and asked if they'll see her. Maybe it's only for politesse sake, but Helena will wait until she's admitted. It's not like Gabriel - and possibly Delphine - don't already know what she's going to ask for, but hopefully she can manage to do so without being excessively FAIL at it.
Helena doesn't have to wait long, as long as she's punctual. The abandoned school is its own fortress in some respects, with ruined, unusable classrooms to wade through before hitting the secure heart of the premises, with its cots, medical supplies and food rations, although she doesn't even have to make it that far. On the asphalt of the playground-turned-junkyard, two figures are walking across it, having emerged from the desolate buildings and steering past the gutted shell of a car.
One day, Gabriel will enter a scene sans injury. For now, the still healing gash at his head, strikingly reminiscent of his own work and a lot less messy than what Helena had seen, is a black line, even if it's now free of excess bruising, clean and neat but still a scar. A light sweater is slightly too warm for this weather, the loose sleeves rolled up around his elbows, and jeans fitted, ending in jeans. No trace of severe black, likely he doesn't currently have the luxury of his own wardrobe yet.
The woman beside him is, in some ways, horseish, but pretty all the same. All long limbs and torso, lanky and loping to match Gabriel's wider gait, a grey thrift-store dress with hems to her shins. Her long, curling hair is bound back, and she looks to be about the same age as her companion, and affords Helena a smile when she sees her. "Christ. Startin' to feel like an old lady around you people," Delphine says, once they near.
Helena smiles at that and offers, "I'm Helena. I don't know if Gabriel's said anything about me." She looks at him furtively, opens her mouth to say something, and then stops. Instead she asks, "Are you being seen to well? Food and everything you need?"
"Helena, nice to meet you. I'm Delphine," the older woman says, weary but genuine, and she doesn't go about offering her hand, long arms coming to fold comfortably as she glances up towards Gabriel at her side, mostly willing to allow him to take the lead in most dealings with 'these people', as if playing the role of spectator more than participant.
Gabriel nods once to Helena's words, as ever studious in the way he watches her as they speak. "You have quite the network," he says. "Everything's here. But I'm told it's better for her to remain on the move." Not him, apparently.
"Thanks, though the network was in place long time before I came along." Helena admits, and then says to Delphine with a rueful smile, "I know. I've been told a bit about you." Gabriel knows Helena to be someone who's not afraid to speak her mind, but she seems awfully shy and hesitant with Delphine. Looking back to him, Helena says, "Teo says you saw Peter and maybe you could - later. If that's alright."
Gabriel's head tilts a little at that name, unreadable, and for all the warring it seemed he and Petrelli did, there is a lack of satisfaction or any such emotion that might indicate what he'd told Teo was in any way good news. If anything, he seems uncomfortable. A subtle nod, and, ignoring Delphine's attempt at solemn and respectful silence, he asks, "What else did Teo tell you? I wouldn't want to repeat anything."
"He said that Arthur seemed to be having difficulty with using the clairsentience too much. And that we should get ready to run." Helena says honestly to Gabriel, but then she turns to Delphine. "He also said that I should talk to you, and ask if you'd be willing to help some of us." The inquiry is shockingly timid, genuinely worried that Delphine will turn her down. There's still an undercurrent of her usual determination, but it's been tied down forcefully with metaphorical twine.
It's not as though Gabriel knows Helena especially well, but timid isn't particularly a trait he'd associate with her. He doesn't glance Delphine's way, simply watches the Phoenix leader instead with contained interest.
Delphine's head tilts to the side at the gently worded request, her hands currently fidgeting with the slightly ratty ends of her long ponytail, clean but in dire need of a dream. That's what captivity will do for you. "Yeah, I was told that a few of yours got their powers messed with," she says, and glances towards Gabriel's hawkish profile for a moment. "I'm willing. Dunno how willing what I can do will be, though. It don't always— it takes a lot out of me. To fix things. You'll forgive me if I'm wary 'bout signin' up for more'n I can do. It's happened before."
Helena shakes her head promptly. "No, that's cool. In fact, if there's anything you need to make you more comfortable, we'll be happy to supply it. We have one girl, she used to need energy drinks every time she used her powers, it would exhaust her so bad. Is there anything we could get for you that would help? Honestly, whatever you need."
There's a pause, and Delphine smiles a little, gaze going down for a moment, considering. Eventually, she draws up her shoulders in a slow shrug. "If you got a few painkillers after the fact on standby, I wouldn't say no," she states, and then more seriously, she continues with, "That, and your silence. The less people know 'bout what I can do, the better. Seems like I keep running into trouble at every corner."
Helena nods. "I can get you painkillers. Do you have a preference? Vicodin? Morphine? Demoral?" She is very eager to please, but at least she manages to keep it contained. "Would it be easier to bring people to you for help here, or take you to them? I know you said you needed to keep moving."
A glance is shared between former Pancratium "employees", Gabriel simply raising an eyebrow at Delphine who's glance to him is only fleeting, her focus on the woman in front of her. Her hands come up in something of a shrug, fingers curling inwards. "I'm not stayin' here," she agrees. "So I reckon I may as well go on wee field trips, then. Secrecy, the drugs and a bite to eat on occasion— and freedom to walk away if I need to."
She smiles again, a little apologetic. "For your own sakes, to be honest. Wouldn't bring the wolves to your door if I can help it."
"The wolves may come to the door regardless, but we're trying to be ready." Helena says honestly. "I won't stop you, and I won't let anyone else stop you if I can help it." she adds. "Just let me know when you're willing to start and I'll make the arrangements, and make sure you're comfortable." Of course she totally wants to bundle Delphine up in a car and take her to Cat's, but she understands the virtue of patience in this matter and so thusly turns to Gabriel. "Can you tell me what happened?" she asks softly. "Teo says Arthur attacked you and Peter."
"Alright," Delphine consents, a hand drifting up to rub her forehead a little, and she looks to Gabriel for a cue as to whether she should leave them alone or not, and then towards Helena, but otherwise remains for the time being, a silent presence.
Gabriel nods once to confirm the statement. Yes, this is true. But supposedly, Helena is looking more than a tick in the box for truth-telling on Teo's part. "We went there because he said he'd help us, and he drew first blood. He took Gillian's ability from me, my ability from Peter. He wanted me to be locked away— " A slight head tilt to indicate the woman next to him. "— and when I ran, Delphine managed to use her ability on me, and I got my powers back. All of them."
Those last three words come out bitter, Gabriel's gaze wandering away from Helena as he speaks. "We fought, and he— took them. A lot of them. Peter got in the way, and Arthur threw him into a wall. He broke his spine, or his head."
"I'm sorry," Delphine interjects, perhaps because she knows Gabriel won't. And apparently has been told something about Helena.
Helena's breath intakes. It's just what Teo claimed, and she refused to believe." For a moment she says nothing, is absolutely rigid as she struggles to process the news. "Arthur - Peter's his son." she manages at last. "He won't let him die - he won't let him stay dead." She's clinging to the idea, because she must. "Everyone's thought he was dead before, and he wasn't. This - he'll be alright. He'll be alright." There's a low rumble of thunder, like a drumroll in the heavens.
And now Delphine gets a slice of a glance from Gabriel, and she turns her eyes towards the skies in ignorant curiousity. "Sounds like rain," she murmurs, before she takes a step back from the pair and starts her way back towards the school, sandals picking around trash and junk, moving around the gutted car.
"Arthur has my ability," Gabriel states, turning back to look at Helena, voice beneath the scraping sound of Delphine's foot falls. "It narrows your focus. Turns you into something else. He was slicing through my head when he stopped to throw Peter. I wouldn't put my trust in the fact he was his father."
A soft snort, and he adds, "I'd put more faith in the fact Peter's as bad at staying dead as I am. But I know what I saw. And I know what it's like. I've done a few things that I never intended to do either."
Helena takes a breath. The possibility of thunder still looms in the air, but not so evidently now. "It's what I have to believe." Helena says quietly. "Until he's in the ground. And even then, I admit - I'd probably still second guess."
There's a quirk of a smile at that, although he doesn't seem particularly to be laughing at her. "It's not something that should have happened," Gabriel states, somewhat solemnly, which is maybe as close to regret or sympathy as he's willing to get when it comes to the supposed death of Peter Petrelli.
He glances over his shoulder towards where Delphine's departed, and adds, "I don't know exactly how many and what powers Arthur took from me, but you may as well assume the worst. Delphine can help you. I'm— there are things I need to do."
Helena nods to this. "If you see Gillian, tell her to call me. We can set up a meet for her to get fixed." If Helena knows or suspects anything about what's going on with Gillian, it's not evident when she mentions the other woman. "Thank you for meeting up with me." And with that, she'll leave Gabriel to his plans, moving quickly to get caught up with Delphine.