Participants:
| Scene Title | Step Up To The Plate. |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Brennan pays a lunch visit to Nadia while she's sequestered at the Suresh Center, to deliver a lecture and offer help. |
| Date | October 13, 2010 |
Suresh Center: Second Floor
After yesterday's fiasco, Nadia spoke to police, and was promptly transported here, to the Suresh Center, to wait and see what's going to happen with her revealing that she can create some pretty devastating earthquakes. She also confessed to being behind the earthquake that shook Queens back in July— not a difficult assumption to come to, in any case.
She was placed in a room of the psychiatric ward, with its walls painted earthy brown colors. It's a bit more comforting to her. She has a nice window, the room is brightly lit, and it's really not so bad, being held here. She's currently seated in a chair by the window, curled up and reading a book, a worried look on her face. She really does wonder what's going to happen to her. She hopes she was better off facing the music than running…
"You know, the next room over is green. And the one on the other side is this really bright shade of buttercup yellow" Brennan comes to a stand at the door. "Marlena however, demanded to know what shade of purple was in one of the other rooms, because she wants to paint her room that color. I was never quite partial to this brown though, but I guess being a terrakinetic, you might have affinity for it"
There's coffee cups in hand with cardboard collars and a bag of what looks to be takeout. "The food here, is pretty good, but you know, sometimes, they're lacking in a bit of selection. So, I brought a nice late lunch" He lifts the bag to indicate it. "How are you doing? I'd have been here sooner but I had to work at the clinic today with my wife"
Nadia jumps slightly as Brennan announces himself, blinking up at him for a moment. Then, she smiles, marking her page and closing the book. "It's actually pretty soothing…but then, I find going down into dark underground places without a flashlight to be incredibly soothing, where most would find it rather frightening." She sets the book on the table by the bed, fussing at her hair for a moment.
"Ooh, thank you!" She smiles brightly at the food and coffee. "I'm doing pretty good. They've not treated me too horribly." She raises to her feet, moving over to sit on the bed. "I don't know what they're going to do about me, though…" A sheepish smile is offered. "I probably should have updated my registry back in July, but…I kinda freaked out after that support group meeting."
Taking the lack of any protest to his being there, Brennan steps into the room proper, extending the coffee with her name on it, out. "What happened after the support group, or during it, that made you freak out?" The bag is settled down too, inside some pastrami's on Rye and a turkey club, her choice it seems. Bags of chips as well and wax paper wrapped whole dill pickle.
The turkey club is selected, a bag of chips is snagged, and Nadia settles onto the bed, crossing her legs Indian-style, so Brennan can have the chair. "I'm not entirely sure. I just…kinda got freaked out. With the Registry and everything, I think it'd be put up that I can create earthquakes, and…well, I've heard about people reacting violently to Evolved." She frowns.
"I didn't want people to know. I thought I could control it. But then I had that panic attack, and it happened again." She rubs at her arm for a moment, before unwrapping the sandwich and peering appreciatively at it. "I can make smaller ones willingly, but…if I get hurt or freak out too much, it just happens. I mean…I've had my ability react to protect me before back when the bomb hit…but it's never made earthquakes before."
"You know how many people are on the registry Nadia?" He'll take the pastrami, and a pickle, pulling the chair away from the window and a respectful distance from the bed so he start to unwrapping the sandwich.
"Thousands, I'm sure. But people know my face." She frowns. "And my name. They could look me up so easily. And…I don't want people to be scared of me." Nadia takes a bite of her sandwich, chewing thoughtfully. She then takes a sip from her coffee. "If I had it my way, I would only use my ability to create things."
"How many people do you think, are actually hurt, because someone looked them up on the published registry Nadia?" Brennan sits back in the chair, watching the woman. "And how much negative attention had come from you being the voice and face of registration?" He gestures out the window towards the city and the river that separates Roosevelt island from Manhattan. "You're already publicly on the list Nadia, you're what a tier one? Worst, you go up to a two, none of your information that's out there will change. Not in the least.
"No, I'm already a Tier 2. I'm already on the registry." Nadia sighs faintly, taking a bite out of her sandwich. "I can control just about any form of earth. I can cut stone by touching it. I'm already scary enough as it is…I had a guy I was interested in scared off just because of what I can do." She doesn't mention that in that flash she had, she had quite literally sunken part of Staten Island into the ocean while she stood on a perfect circle of untouched pavement.
"I was just worried that I would be seen as even more frightening, I guess. But…at the same time, I don't want to be on Negation drugs, because…well, my ability is also my livelihood. It's how I create my sculptures." She takes another bite of the sandwich and chews slowly, peering over at Brennan.
That prompts a laugh. "Did you know, that my wife can calm a part of a hurricane, lessen it's severity. Or when, when I really piss her off, she can make it snow a couple inches, and that's just… the borough of Brooklyn. She did that, sometime before the snow storm from hell that we had. We were fighting over something and I negated her and she just flipped. Because she's French and she's very passionate. But the moment I stopped negating her, she just lost it. We told the Department of Evolved Affairs the next morning. Let them know that we were responsible."
The coffee cup is put to the floor. "The repercussions that could have come from that were numerous. We could be bankrupt if you think about it. All the lawsuit happy folks who would cite that they were late to work, because of the extra snow on the ground, any car accidents that occurred because of the extra snow and the dangerous driving conditions that her loosing control, created." There's another gesture towards the window then bringing his hand down to pick up half the pastrami.
"The thing is Nadia, out there, there are individuals that are in a situation like you. They have abilities that are devestating, if used wrong, or, or, they experience an event like you did. It's not you're fault that you lost control of your ability. Yes, you were wrong for not updating your registry to list that you can and have in the past, created a significant seismic event. Here's your duty and time to step up to the plate and do such. You're the face fo registration and there are still people out there, in a situation like you find yourself currently in. Their ability has altered from what they initially registered with and they're afraid to step up and change it. SO right now, you can create something with your ability. You can create further change and show support. ANd then maybe, you can go volunteer at a habitat for humanity and help dig up foundations for a new home. I mean, saves on the cost of a digger"
The terrakinetic nods slowly, chewing her sandwich as she listens thoughtfully to Brennan. Once he's finished speaking, a bright smile appears on the girl's face, and she offers a small nod. "That— makes a lot of sense, really. I hope…I hope that people aren't too scared of me after the earthquake, and that I can redeem myself." She smiles.
Then, she blinks a few times, and suddenly reaches into her purse, pulling out her keys. "Hey, Dr. Brennan…could I possibly ask a huge favor of you? I would be eternally grateful if you would accept." She puts on her charming stage smile as she turns to peer at the man.
"They're crazy if they're afraid of you" Brennan politely snorts. "I'll still let you near my kids. If it helps, I can probably stick my nose out for you to the DoEA. I'm sure that if you display a sincere effort to get your ability under further control with practice and a negator by your side, in some remote part of New York, then, you won't be running around on negation drugs. They don't like to hinder people Nadia. They actually prefer to have functioning evolved individuals out on the street. Better control makes you a better person"
There's a glance to the keys. "And I'll stop harping on you and lecturing you and stare at the keys that you have in your hands and wonder if I'm going to regret saying yes to the request of a huge favor"
"I would really appreciate that, Dr. Brennan, if you would stick your nose out for me a little bit." She smiles faintly. "I'd happily learn to control it. I don't want to be a dangerous evolved." She tilts her head. "It was a really good feeling, though, to catch the guy who made everyone scared like that. Even if I did destroy the sidewalk in the process." At least the damage wasn't much worse than that.
Then, Nadia smiles. "It's not that big. I think you're probably one of the most trustworthy people I know, Dr. Brennan, and I was wondering if you could be so kind as to take care of my dog, Holmes, until I get let out of here. He's a Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Gets along great with kids!" She offers a bright smile. "In return, whenever I get out of here, I'll make you and your family some Moroccan food."
"Tell you what, I will let the girls look after the corgi, even without the promise of moroccan food, till you are sprung from the depths of the Suresh Center. The girls will like having a dog around, we have some kittens coming soon" He reaches over for the keys even as he takes a bite out of the pickle. "No charge and you Nadia, are not a dangerous evolved. You're just a young woman with a very powerful ability. And you will do your best to ensure that there is no repeat of the Central Park incident, right?"
Nadia is smiling brightly, nodding. "He'll love the girls. Just make sure not to feed him table scraps, he gets a little sick on those. You'll find his entire setup in his kennel area." She giggles. "He's also very well trained. If you ask him to do a trick, he'll likely do it." Then, she's nodding slowly, sipping at her coffee and taking another bite of sandwich.
"Right. I'm going to do everything I can to ensure there's no repeat. The next time it happens— well, it could be worse than in the park, and I can't let that happen. I could hurt people if I don't get my ability under control." She leans back. "I'd love the opportunity to work with you, on getting my ability under control."
"Next time, when you want to stop someone who's potentially committed a crime Nadia, lets work on softening the ground that they're walking on so that they'll sink into the soil, and not open a twelve foot pit. If he hadn't fallen the way he did and perhaps on his head, he could very well have snapped his neck and died" He points out, tucking the keys away into his suit jacket pocket.
Nadia offers a sheepish nod. "Sorry. It— it seemed like a good idea at the time." She frowns. "I can't really work with pavement. I can crack it, but I couldn't change it to quick sand or anything. And anything else I would have done could have crushed him." She turns her eyes back down to her sandwich. "Sometimes, I wonder why I have this ability. An ability that can do such awful things, as well as create. I mean…I'm an artist, and I love creating things, but…" She turns, peering at Brennan. "I wish I knew why whatever causes us to be Evolved gave me such a powerful ability."
Brennan takes the peer, lifts open the lapel of a jacket and does his own peering, searchs the pocket there, looks up his sleeves and shakes his head. "Sorry Nadia, I seem to have lost the answer to that question, you'll have to save that for watever high power you believe in"
Nadia offers a soft smile and a nod. "Sorry, didn't mean to get all philosophical on you, or anything. I'm kinda frazzled still, I think." She chuckles softly, then nods toward the man. "Thank you so much for agreeing to help me with Holmes, Dr. Brennan. I really do appreciate it. Have the girls take care of him like he was their own!" She grins.
"It's okay. I deserved it. I lectured you. Just be up front. What you have counting against you is that you are the face of registration who didn't update her registration. You better be meek as hell and contrite and do whatever they say because you have quite possibly put egg on the DoEA's face over this"
"And that's the last of the lecture, lets actually eat our food, turn on some television and see how long I can hide out here before someone from the labs comes to complain about needing something hmm? Or Michelle calls about wanting a jar of pickles and some cherries" He grins at the morrocan woman. "And Holmes will be spoiled. Of that, there will be no doubt"
The woman nods slowly. "Definitely." She runs a hand over the back of her neck, flushing slightly. "I really don't have any excuse for not updating my registry. And you better believe that I'll do whatever they say." She frowns. "I'm such an idiot." She turns brown eyes up to Brennan, before sighing, as if breathing out the negativity.
Then, she's smiling once more. "That sounds good. And I'm sure Holmes will be thrilled to have two children to hang out with!"