Participants:
| Scene Title | The Pick Up |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Melissa picks Abby up from the airport, and they spend the ride home catching up. |
| Date | July 9, 2010 |
Airport
A quick phone call was all that was needed to convince Melissa to meet Abby at the airport. After all, a lot's been happening, and she needs her Abby. She even arrived a little early, just in case. So when Abby gets off the plane, Mel is waiting by the baggage claim looking…a bit different than last time Abby saw her. For one, her hair is blonde again, and now streaked with dark red, blue, purple and black. For another, she's wearing color. In this case it's a dark red tank top and black jeans. And she's smiling, despite the faint shadows under her eyes from lack of sleep.
Pink tank top, tan Bermuda shorts that in this day and age would be considered terribly conservative, pink baseball cap and sunglasses. She's walking past security, a backpack on her back and a little 21 inch roll on carted behind her. There will be no baggage to wait for, she packed light. This is how it tends to be, Abigail teleporting down, but flying back because she doesn't want to abuse her friend the TP'er.
Takes a new york minute to recognize Mel in the mess of people waiting at JFK, but it's easily enough to know when she does by the change in direction, till she's standing in front of the pain augmenter.
"Hey" Circles under eye's and nothing that won't be cleared up in a day or two. "I got kicked out. They sent me home. Said I can't stay. Something about being grown adults and capable of taking care of themselves"
Melissa looks amused at the explanation. "Well, at least you got to see 'em, and make sure for yourself that your dad was alright. How was the visit? Emergency and kicking out aside?" she asks, starting to turn, to begin leading the way to the car.
The wheels on the luggage click with each wheel, making a repetitive noise that Abby's gotten used to over time. "I saw the house, Dah's got a little more work to do, but he won't be doing that anytime soon. Maybe next time I go down I'll get to fish or the like. Hunting season will be coming around soon enough, I'll see if maybe Robert wants to go hunting with Dah and I."
Out of the air conditioning and into the heat. "Just take me home would you? I wanna sleep the rest of the day. I need to check in to work and just, check the situation with groceries. I put everything on hold" There's a momentary rest of her head on Mel's shoulder then lifts it up again. Momentary, temporary PDA.
Melissa smiles and tips her head against Abby's for that brief moment, then she nods. "I can certainly understand that. I'll even be nice and not dump everything that's happened to me while you're gone on you until you've had some sleep. See how nice I can be?" she asks with a grin.
"Hey, I ain't sleeping in the car, so you better done tell me what's all happened. It'll keep me awake at least, or well, keep me back in the loop." Abigail points out, the both of them making way through the parking lot so that they can pay and get out. Head home.
There's a laugh and a nod from Melissa. "Okay, there is that. And truthfully, some of this I've been wanting to tell someone but haven't had anyone around to tell," she admits. When they reach the car, the trunk is popped open so Abby can stash her suitcase, then it's into the car. Only then does Mel really start talking.
"First I guess is the full house," Mel says after a moment's thought. "It's kinda funny actually. Was brought here to be a fake safehouse operator, quit when I found out, now I'm essentially doing my old job. Got four people stayin' at my house right now, including Kendall. It's…bizarre. I mean, they're all nice people and all, but I didn't figure I'd be doing safehouse work again once I quit the Ferry."
"It's called taking in stray's" Abigail wearily points out. "Welcome to the club, I was doing that before I even knew of the Ferry" The sun is bright, a glance to her cellphone shows that she has to turn it on, likely give Robert a call and let him know that she's returned to the city. If he didn't already know. "I don't have so many strays now, but you're doing a christian thing Mel, not just a ferry thing"
Melissa smiles faintly. "There are plenty who would argue that I'm not a very Christian woman though, Abby. But I guess you're right. I didn't even hesitate. They needed a place, I gave it. Of course, now there's five people in the house and only four bedrooms, and I am so not giving up mine or making Kendall give up his."
There's a longer pause, then Melissa grimaces. "Apparently I've also picked up a conquest without meaning to. Like my love life wasn't already complicated enough." And she doesn't sound happy about the whole thing.
"It's called buying a hide a bed, and investing in a really good queen sized air mattress Mel. I'll teach you the secrets. That and extra bedding" And making food and freezing it. "And a … conquest. What on earth is a conquest and who did you conquer?"
Melissa gives a soft, dry laugh at the question. "I mean, that the other day I got kissed by someone who had never been on my guy radar. Apparently he doesn't love me, but he cares for me. Never mind that most of the time I'd like to punch him because he's a condescending dick."
"Who on earth are you talking about and what does this mean for you and Peter?" Abigail murmurs as they approach Mel's vehicle, method of transportation that will get her home.
Melissa shakes her head. "It doesn't mean anything. He kissed me, not the other way around. And while he's a friend, I love Peter. Even if he is being difficult and I can't quite decide if I'm mad at him right now or not. He seemed like he was coming around, then boom. Back to being afraid that he'll get me hurt." She shakes her head again and sighs. "If I can ever pin him down for an hour to just talk I think it'd be better. I mean, I've gotten hurt a lot since I got to the city. Head cut, two gunshots, fire, explosions, beat downs by Humanis First…Yet not a single injury was caused by him in any way. The only pain he's caused me is by pushing me away to try to keep me safe. Go figure, huh?"
He was doing good, then he just backed off. "We had a fight, not about you, about other stuff, some things were said… might be why. Words that I sorta wish I could take back" The pink haired medic confesses. "Week before I left. He took off after shoving some negation pills down my craw"
She should have a talk with peter, no answer to her voice mail. 'Maybe dabble, with the other man, see if… something casual can come of it. My couch will not always be open and available for company. Robert comes over more often, and then there's Kasha"
Melissa glances over and frowns. "That was about the same time that we had our fight too." There's a long pause, then she shakes her head. "I'm not sure I want to…dabble…with this guy. I've got my life almost working, Abby. It's almost good. If Peter would let go of his guilt, I'd even say it was great. This guy would just complicate things more. I want less complicated, not more."
There's a faint smile. "More than that, I don't want casual. If I did…well…I've had a couple of offers there. Friends and sex, but nothing more. I've had that, Abby. I want more. I want cuddling in the dark and watching a movie. I want to hold hands and have it be the normal thing. Hell, I've never been on a date, and I want one."
Another pause, then Melissa admits softly, "The baby sorta scares me, Abby."
"Mel, when I said casual, I meant not gratuitus casual sex" She points out. She's not like others, casual means casual dating. "And Peter's never going to let go of his guilt. It's a part of him as much as god is a part of me. you don't do what he did and forgive yourself. No matter how much you want to. So see if that guy wants to try casual dating, not casual love making"
The confession about the baby makes her roll her eyes. "There is nothing to be scared about, about a baby, an evolved baby"
"No, he won't let go of his guilt," Melissa agrees. "But he needs to move past it. Let himself have a life or he's going to burn himself out. He's already halfway there, and it scares me." She glances to Abby. "It's a baby. That's scary enough. I've never touched a baby before. They're so…tiny and delicate and squirmy."
"Everyone thinks that. Babies are more resilient than you think. She won't be with me or Huruma long. Once the light house is back to how it should be, she'll be going there. Peter's.." Not the kind to stay in a place with a baby. "besides, I'll never have one likely, this is as close as I'll ever get to being a momma"
into the vehicle they go, thumping down into place after dropping her suitcase into the back. "If the nomination to the council of the Ferry goes through, I'll be in charge of all the medical things and the children and the …. lord, so much. Kasha will be a drop in the bucket"
"Huh? Nomination? Council? Abby, you gotta remember that I haven't been Ferry in months. Which means no one talks to me about Ferry stuff anymore. Closest I've gotten was Eileen telling me some of what's been going on in the city," Melissa says, frowning and starting up the car. "And maybe babies are resilient, but it would really suck if I got nervous enough being around a baby that I lost control and hurt it." And this time she doesn't mean dropping it.
'Mel, if I haven't burned Kasha, you will not cause her pain" Simple and perhaps a bit snappily pointed out. "And before you evens ay that I have pills to take care of that, I don't take em every day. You need to have more confidence in yourself." But it's okay, it won't be happening. "They're trying to re-organize, get things working better. There's a council being nominated, people will decide if they agree, I think that will happen. But, I was nominated to one seat."
Melissa hunches down a little, staring straight out the windshield. "Medical huh? You'll be good at it. And good luck with things working better. Tell me no one nominated that jackass Scott for a seat."
"I think he already had a seat" Abigail barely replies. "Listen, Mel, they know they did wrong by you, really. At the meeting a bunch of folks made it very clear that they did not like what happened to you. They even said you were one of the best operators they'd seen and they thought you got the shit end of the stick"
That has Melissa looking at Abby, clearly surprised. Very surprised. "Seriously? I had no idea. Other than Scott, no one ever talked to me about it. And he just wanted to bitch at me and say that I was weak and undependable and crap like that."
"No, no Mel, they surely did not think that you were weak. They think you got shafted. This is part of the reason that I think the council and the like is being made. But enough ferry talk, I mean, as you can see, Eileen does care about you. Get the keys in the car woman and get me home. We have time to blabber"
"I'm going, I'm going," Mel mutters as she starts to drive, pausing to pay the parking fee, then getting out and heading towards Abby's place. "And yeah, I was surprised at the care package from Eileen. I'm just…yeah, pretty shocked. But in a good way. And if my getting shafted meant that you guys are trying to organize better and all that, then something good came out of it."
"There is always something good in anything. Takes a bit of searching, but you can always find a silver lining" Says the woman who can take even the smallest of lemons and make some lemonade. They're out, cruising down the roads till they can make their way our of the airport area proper. "Okay so, guy kissing you, house full, whatever y'all did out with Messiah as well. Not happy about that, but then again, I'm not messiah I just got half my friends in it" There's a deep intake of breath, resting her head against the rest. "Please tell me that's the extent of your busy?"
While Melissa doesn't confirm, deny or mention Messiah, she shakes her head. "I got drunk at a bar and had a couple guys beat me. Concussion and broken ribs apparently. Got healed though. But other than that, yes, it's all. Unless you count me hiring a new bartender at the club. Oh, and my newest house guest suggested that I might consider making the date auction Tartarus's thing."
"You are not getting Robret a second time, I got money but… that was an expensive dinner and foreign movie that night." It's ajoke, her fake protest to the date thing. "I assume, you didn't go to the cops then and Peter fixed you up. You okay though? " A critical eye given to the woman. "I take it, that that is why you're hair is a rainbow?"
Melissa shakes her head. "No, Peter didn't fix me up. He took me to another friend of his who heals. He wasn't sure what his healing would do to me if he tried so soon after the first time. And I didn't want him to hurt either. I'm okay though, yeah. And no, wasn't thinking Robert. Just…in general. Like people from the club that night. Whoever's there and wants to be auctioned off. And my hair's a rainbow because I wanted some color, some brightness."
"I was joking about robert mel" Though peter knows another healer? "Izzy used to do that at the bar, but with the bartenders. Magnes won an auctioned kiss for like four hundred dollars from me on New Years eve. I think it's a good idea. Not every night, but once a month. you do it too often and it'll loose it's appeal and uniqueness"
Melissa nods. "Yeah, I was thinking once a month. It sounds like a good time frame. Keeps interest and gives people a chance to get a few paychecks between auctions. Auction does no good if everyone's broke."
"Yeah, a month. Mel, I'm gonna just close my eye's, can you tell me when we get to the Rivage? You're welcome to stick around at the house, but I'm just gonna end up falling asleep." A glance over to the other woman in the car. "thanks for picking me up Mel"
Melissa smiles. "Sure. You get some rest hon. And no problem. You know I'm here for ya, anytime you need me."