Aerin Thomas: The sounds of the Hummer come from outside of the apartment, pulling up to the sidewalk and coming to a halt. Inside of it, Aerin has had several cigarettes and calmed himself down. He stops the car and kills the engine, taking a moment to compose himself, before he slips out, shutting and locking the door behind him, and moves toward the front door of the apartment. A knock on the door, to announce his presence, before he opens it up and slips inside.

Alexander Donovan: Alex is sitting on the floor, Tony asleep in his arms, singing a Swahili lullaby to Tony. He stops when Aerin comes in. "Like the ride?"

Aerin Thomas: He looks up, letting the door shut behind him, and offers a faint smile. "Not bad. I prefer my Ninja...more maneuverable. I'm a speed and stealth guy, not a power guy....they never see me coming." The smile widens a bit to a grin. "It was nice, though, yeah." He looks to Tony as he moves into the kitchen for a drink. Yes, at late morning, he's going for a drink. "How is he?"

Alexander Donovan: "Sleeping. Mostly. Though... I don't think his dreams are very pleasant.

Aerin Thomas: "I can relate." He sighs and pulls down a glass, then looks to Alex. "Drink?"

Alexander Donovan: "Soda, or water. Don't think alchohol would suit me right now."

Alexander Donovan: "I'm sorry that bothered you. It hadn't happened that bad since his withdrawls."

Aerin Thomas: He nods. "No soda...can get you the water, though." He grabs another glass and pours out some water from a pitcher. No one should drink New York City Tap water without filtration. He pauses, tensing a little when Alex brings up him being bother. "No...no, it's fine. I just..." He sighs. "Dunno." The two drinks poured, scotch and water, he moves to Alex and hands over the water.

Alexander Donovan: "Well, I learned something a bit that I hadn't before." Alex stands himself up slowly, continuing to hold Tony like he would a child.

Aerin Thomas: "Oh?" His head tilts curiously, brow raising questioningly.

Alexander Donovan: "I had thought the damage was done in captivity... it wasn't. It was before that."

Aerin Thomas: "Really." His lips purse, and he looks to Tony, his expression softening a little. "What happened?"

Alexander Donovan: "He was running from his mother. That's how he wound up there."

Aerin Thomas: He sighs a little bit, a hand coming up to scratch at the back of his neck, and nods. "All right. What did his mother do to him?"

Alexander Donovan: "Diretly. Not much. Of anything. But he saw what she did to his father... that didn't like things much."

Aerin Thomas: "Of course. Sins of the parents." He nods slightly and goes to take a seat on the couch. "Help me out here, Alex. I want to help you and Tony...but I need to know what I'm dealing with. And I know how hard that may be for you...but I'm gonna ask anyway."

Alexander Donovan: "I'll have to thank Mercury for not saying much. Guess I really didn't expect him to keep as quiet as he did. I found him in a place not unlike Limelight in some respects... but it wasn't a game there. Bodies were popping up... others weren't. He seemed about the only thing salvagable there. Long story short... I did a Sodom and Gamora. Others might have made it out before the fire... but I tried to make sure they didn't."

Aerin Thomas: His lip curls a little bit at the thought of the place, and he nods. "I see. All right. That would certainly explain the drug addiction, I'm assuming."

Alexander Donovan: "Yeah, from there I took him to an old place out in the dessert. Figured there were few enough of anyone or anything there to not be bothered. Fortunately, I was raised out there... so keeping someone hydrated was taught in our first aid classes. However, he rambled... alot... while his system purged what they used to keep him... compliant."

Aerin Thomas: "Did he ramble anything that made sense about his past?" He watches Alex with those calm, sea-green as he takes a sip from his drink. "A lot of the times, the things one says in delirium can be quite insightful."

Alexander Donovan: "Nothing I could really put together until now." Alex looks at the sleeping Tony with some concern. "Let me put him to bed..." There's more that he wants to say, but for some reason that particular act needs to happen first... but he didn't want to presume the Goldilocks bit.

Aerin Thomas: "Of course." He nods. "Use my room. Ethan's up at Gaia's Hand, and I'm not sleeping for a while."

Alexander Donovan: Alex takes Tony in, leaving his shirt behind and tucking him in carefully before coming back out and sitting down, motioning Aerin to sit close.

Aerin Thomas: He watches the two as they leave, his expression calm and sympathetic. When he motions, Aerin rises and moves to sit next to the man, expectant.

Alexander Donovan: "I've been talking with some people and reading some things that I could about what might be up with him. I think I got my confirmation today. When he curled up in my lap, he started answering to a different name. Gordie."

Alexander Donovan: Alex is speaking softly, as if the dead-asleep Tony might still be listening.

Aerin Thomas: He frowns a bit and nods slightly...keeping his voice at Alex's level. "He has D.I.D.?"

Alexander Donovan: Alex raises an eyebrow. "You're familiar with it? But yeah. I think so. From what I can tell, three. Or at least, that's what they'd admit to me."

Aerin Thomas: He nods. "I am familiar with it. I know someone who had it. A very dear friend. Tony, I'm assuming, is not the core personality?"

Alexander Donovan: "Actually, I think it is. Gordie came out only once before... during his impromptu rehab. The other seems to come out when Tony is asleep... usually. He's got... a bit of a mouth. An honest one, but without Tony's restraint. Like his strength and his weakness broke off, and Tony is a broken middle ground."

Aerin Thomas: "Gordie, from what I observed then...he would be the weaker of the two? I believe I've spoken to the stronger. And it wasn't the person I saw before I left to get your car."

Alexander Donovan: "Yeah. Though the stronger one won't tell me his name... and would only talk through Gordie. And gordie seemed... reluctant to go against his wishes."

Aerin Thomas: A slight nod as he plucks out a cigarette. "Okay. Integration is possible, of course. It would be a fairly difficult process, but it is doable. How much do you know about D.I.D.?"

Alexander Donovan: "Every book, website, or medical article the New York Library has seem to say something a bit different. I know that the process tends to be very long, and many like to use drugs to get to that point."

Alexander Donovan: "Although hypnosis is also common."

Aerin Thomas: He scowls. "Fuck drugs. Everyone overmedicates these days. It can be done without, and the last thing he needs is more Weaver-tainted chemicals overloading his system." So says the man lighting a cigarette. He takes a drag and sighs it out. "There's other ways. We have other methods at our disposal. I can help you, if you let me. I do have experience fighting this."

Alexander Donovan: Alex smirks. "Thats why I went to a herbalist to help with the withdrawls he's still suffering from. Though I'm going to need to find a replacement now. And yeah, he needs the help. Fighting flesh and blood is easy... this isn't something I can swing my claws at to make it go away."

Aerin Thomas: He smiles faintly at that and nods. "Much as you wish you could. I understand. Of all the Wyrm creatures I've fought...the hardest battle was within my own mind." A brief pause, before he shrugs. "I'm still not convinced I won. Anyway, we can find an herbalist. That's not a problem...Chinatown alone will help us there."

Alexander Donovan: Alex nods. "Good. I'm going to need to talk to Yolanda about this. The way he reacted... and details about his family. It'd be best if she hears it from me... but I don't think Tony could handle seeing her again. At least not soon. Not if just hearing the name did that..."

Aerin Thomas: He nods a little bit. "Tell me about what you know about what his mother did to his father."

Alexander Donovan: "All Ton.. Gordie remembers is that his father didn't like the situation. Tony told Mercury that he was part Cherokee... like Mercury himself. He thought of himself as a slave, being held back by his status. Male dominated society running facefirst into a dynamic with a dominant female. Saddled with a kid he didn't really want.. Gordie said there wasn't much left of him... but I'm hoping he didn't look. But I think... the strong one probably did."

Alexander Donovan: He intentionally didn't pause after the 'slave' comment, actually rushing to the next part to get it all out.

Aerin Thomas: He's quiet for a long momen, before leaning forward to ash the cigarette. "We need to get to the core problem, Alex. What caused Tony to disassociate. And I have suspicions, of course. But we would need to be sure before we started truly dealing with it. All the rest...it's bad. Don't get me wrong. But the drug addiction is on it's way...and I've handled that. Self-confidence issues...also handled that one. You've met Michelle, if only briefly. A work in progress. But until we get to that core problem, the rest is just cough suppressant. Fixing the symptoms without fixing the disease. I'm not saying that they aren't important, but Tony will never be able to exist happily until we get him to heal that main thing."

Alexander Donovan: "I'm open to suggestions. I've been told that putting someone back together is as important as being able to tear them apart, and now I'm getting a firsthand lesson."

Aerin Thomas: "A lot of D.I.D. patients have histories of abuse. Sometimes, it's things they don't remember...repressed memories, if you believe that. I, personally, happen to...but whether it's happened to Tony or not is another story." He thinks for a moment. "The vast, vast majority of DID victims were abused. Physically or sexually, usually...I would say that this is more mental, based off my first inclination, but I could very well be wrong. We're going to need to speak with him, and possibly even journey into his mind, if necessary. Which can be done.."

Alexander Donovan: Alex visably winces at that. He's had enough messing with his head in this town.

Aerin Thomas: He smiles just a hint at Alex's wince, guessing the reason. He's heard about Ness, after all. "I'm in full agreement. Tony's not the only person with horrific dreams...I haven't had a peaceful night's sleep in over a year now. I hate mind-fuckers myself..." He sighs, and shrugs. "But for now, I say we focus on the speaking part. The other can be drastic, and...a bit traumatic for all involved."

Alexander Donovan: "Good. Speaking I can handle. Even giving the words some extra push. But getting in someone's head... " Alex sighs just a bit. "Good. I've made a lot of progress with him, but.... at least now I'm a little more aware of why I'm hitting some of the walls that I do."

Aerin Thomas: "Yeah." He sighs. "I'll do what I can to help, Alex. I really will. I..." He looks back toward his room where Tony is, his gaze wavering a bit, jaw tightening. He's quiet for a long moment, before finally, distractedly... "I'll help him."

Alexander Donovan: "Thank you. If I can do anything within my power to repay you..."

Aerin Thomas: "None necessary,'" he murmurs, before he gets a little more alert. He looks back to Alex and smiles suddenly. "This is what I do, Alex. It's my purpose. I don't need anything in return."

Alexander Donovan: "One last thing to tell you about his episode. Gordie said I was the only one he really trusted." Alex holds up a hand to ward off any response for a moment while he carefully thinks about the next line. He really should do more of that early on. "Not saying that to cover my own ass, but... I've started helping him when he thought nobody would. I probably don't know as much about these things as you, but I want to stay a part of whatever you can arrange... which I know might throw a wrench in. Not everyone can get along with those that are.. well... different."

Aerin Thomas: He considers a little bit, and nods. "I'll see what I can do, Alex. I could certainly use your help...it's likely crucial. We'll get it worked out."

Alexander Donovan: Alex nods at that, a touch relieved. "Good." Alex itches at the stitches still in his chest.