Brigitte Clara Deleon: Brigitte uncurls from the
bed and steps over toward the minifridge to make herself a drink. She rubs tired
eyes with a dainty hand
William Halloran: He shuts the door after
Thomas, reaching up to run a huge hand through his hair, peeling it back against
his scalp. He looks at the door for a moment before turning around, casting his
mismatched eyes on Brigette, a sort of dullness to them. He watches her quietly
a moment, before speaking. "Sorry it took so long to get the stuff, Emm...Ouestucati."
He's still getting used to that. A sigh. "Ya have a good talk with yer friend?"
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She gives a tiny
sniffle, trying to keep her hair over her face. She bends down to get the bottle
out of the cooler. "It was fine, love. You're fine. Didn't take that long at
all."
William Halloran: His brow furrows, and he
takes a couple steps toward her, head tilting to the side. "Y'sure yer okay?
Y'ain't gotta cold from the cold bath or somethin', do ya?" It sounds like he's
pretty sure she doesn't have a cold.
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She shakes her head
and turns with a soft smile to the man. Eyes still a bit red, but not as bad as
they were. "I'm fine, my love. Really." She lies. She takes the bottle of skyy
and a short glass to the table and takes a seat.
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She fills the glass
with the chilled liquid and takes a sip, laying a fair hand to her troubled
forehead.
William Halloran: The question of her truth
is plain on his face, but he nods slightly and sighs. "Awright. I'm glad ya had
a good time, then." He moves to retrieve his Jagermeister and sets it on the
table, then moves behind her to place his hands lightly on her shoulders,
smoothing gently over them.
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She runs her cheek
over the man's hand, nuzzling. "I'm sorry I had to send you away, love. I do
hope you understand.. It just takes them a while to get to know you. Before they
talk in front of you openly."
William Halloran: "Naw, I get it." He leans
way down, daring to kiss her scalp. "S'okay, I'm cool with it." He straightens
back up and, and starts rubbing her shoulders a little bit, staring out the
window. "I'm used ta that kinda thing, anyway. People usually get 'emselves a
bit twitchy 'round me...for way different reason, though."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She gives a tiny nod,
looking down to her glass of vodka. "You don't make me twitchy, William. I enjoy
your company very much."
William Halloran: He nods. "I know. Yer
different. Think I'm somethin' other then a big, scary freak. Thank ya." The
words come out distracted, not quite all there.
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She reaches back to
run a loving hand up the man's massive arm. "Love.. are you alright?"
William Halloran: He's quiet for a long
moment, watching the cityscape as he tries to work the tension out of the
woman's shoulders. "Ouestucati...ya ever wonder if ya were doin' the right thing
by takin' a certain course o' action?" He says it quietly, sort of
introspectively. A level of thoughfulness some may not expect from the man.
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She gives a sad
laugh "Roughly everytime I inhale, my love. When you're as old as I am.. you
have a lot of decisions to think about. The course is long.. and hardly ever
pointed in the right direction."
William Halloran: He blinks slowly, looking
down to her. "How do ya do it?"
Brigitte Clara Deleon: "It requires a
great deal of thought. Inner thought. In order to choose the right path.. you
have to know yourself. I mean REALLY know yourself in order to make the right
decisions. It's not the same for everyone, love. If it were, it would be too
easy."
William Halloran: He purses his lips. "I
ain't so sure..." He shakes his head, and rubs the unshattered side of his face.
"M'tired, maybe. Ain't nothin'." He's quiet for a moment, hand moving back to
rub at her shoulders again.
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She kisses the man's
hand and gives her glass of vodka a swirl, looking down to the liquid. "You
don't have to talk to me if you're not comfortable, William. I understand."
William Halloran: "Ain't that." He shakes
his head, sighing. "Just don' wanna worry ya. Ya got so much ta worry about
anyway. My problem's don' mean nothin' compared to whatever you got goin' on."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She nuzzles her head
against the man's arm. "William.. you mean everything to me. If something's
bothering you.. it'll worry me more if I don't know about it. I care very much
about you. Maybe there's something I can do to help."
William Halloran: He's quiet for a long
moment, hands stilling on her shoulders, resting there lightly as he looks down
at her. "I...someone I cared about got hurt. Killed. 'fore I met ya. Ya know
that." He takes a deep breath, exhaling it slowly. "The people that hurt 'er...I
wanna hurt 'em back. Make 'em understand how it feels to feel that pain. Problem
is...every time I get the opportunity, I can't. They're stronger then me,
smarter. Got higher friends in higher places. People 'at'll kill me if I do
this." He shakes his head. "I don't wanna die, not while I got you here to
protect. But at the same time, I can't help feelin' like I'm betrayin' 'er by
doin' nothin'. I feel like if I'm lettin' it go, I'm lettin' 'er be dead, and
unavenged."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: Brigitte turns in
her chair and nuzzles her head in the man's chest (or the closest thing at that
height). "Well. There are a lot of things to consider. You know the girl better
than me obviously. Are you sure this is what she would have wanted?"
William Halloran: He brings an arm to rest
around her, giving an amused sort of snort. "Yeah. If the fucker's right about
anything, it's one thing fer sure...Smithy was nuts. I think she was a,
whaddyacallit. A willworker. Did all sortsa wierd shit. Thought she was in a
fuckin' video game, an' proved it to me, too with her willworkin'. She'd want 'em
fragged."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She gives a tiny
frown, looking up to William. "Love.. have you ever killed anybody?"
William Halloran: His eyes distinictly move
to avoid her gaze, and he draws inward a little bit, emotionally, going very
still. "...yeh."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She runs a loving
hand up the man's chest. "Who, love? Tell me about it?"
William Halloran: He draws away from her
for this, moving to get the bottle of Jager and take a seat. His hand dips into
his leather jacket and pulls his pack of cigarettes out. A cigarette is placed
between his lips, and he lights it. A long moment, before he pours himself a
glass, starting.
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She lays an elbow to
the table, laying a fair cheek on the back of her dainty hand. Listening. There
for him.
William Halloran: "I always been big.
Always. Was six feet tall 'fore I hit sixth fuckin' grade. My dad couldn't
handle that. Doctor's bills for macrosomia ain't easy on a poor dock worker's
salary." He shrugs. "He an' I...didn't see eye to eye most time. He was a tough
guy...hard on me, y'know?"
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She nods, flashing
him a conforting smile.
William Halloran: He tries for a return
smile. "He did what he knew. Hard discipline. Tough love. Whatever. Only time it
ever really bothered me was when my mom tried ta get in the way." He raises the
glass to his lips, pausing, before he takes a swallow. "Tried to get 'er ta
stop, but she wouldn't. Always tried ta help me. Always gettin' herself in
trouble. So I'd turn the tails back onta me...better 'n her. She didn't deserve
it."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She frowns. "You
didn't either."
William Halloran: "Yeah." He shrugs non-committally.
"But I could take it. She couldn't."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: "So.. what happened?"
William Halloran: Another swallow. "I
graduated from high school." He set the glass down. "My mom was there for it.
Dad had ta work. We got home, and I walked in. Shoulda known somethin' was up.
No lights on. Just the one in my pop's office. Didn't figure it out till I got
hit in the face with a Louisville Slugger. Things get hazy after that."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She frowns and gives
a tiny nod, extending her free hand across the table to the man.
William Halloran: "He was sayin' somethin...couldn't
hear well. Ringin'. Somethin' about a piece-a paper, and I was still a freak. My
mom...fuckin crazy as she was. She got in the fuckin' way." If he's noticed the
hand, he's makiing any indication. "He hit 'er with it, and then went after her.
I don't remember anythin' else, 'till the hospital."
William Halloran: ((he's NOT making any
indication))
Brigitte Clara Deleon: Brigitte stands and
wraps around the table. She leans against the man from the back, draping dainty
arms over his massive shoulders. "And then?"
William Halloran: He leans back against
her, eyes shutting. "Then I did six years in Attica for Manslaughter 1, and
attempted. Pinned my mom on me, too. She ain't dead, but she may as well be."
He's not even really sad at this point, more numb. "That temporary insanity
excuse ain't what it used ta be."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She gives the man a
loose squeeze, kissing his shoulder. "I'm sorry, my love. Terrible things
sometimes happen to the best people. It's because the heavenly host is a
sadistic fuck. It isn't your fault." Her words soft and calm. Motherly.
William Halloran: Another slight shrug. "S'over
an' done with. I try an' visit mom every week, 'fore my show. Don't hear me, but
I can pretend. But yeah, I killed someone before. In anger. 'cause I couldn't
save someone. Now I can't even do that."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She frowns "You may
have killed someone, my love... but that doesn't make you a killer. Going after
this person could very negatively alter your outlook on many things. If you
start to take life too casually.." She gives a tiny purse of the lips ".. well..
it's all downhill from there."
William Halloran: "Then what? Just let 'er
be dead, nothin' happen from it?" He looks up at Brigette. "'at ain't right, is
it? I might see these people on the street. In a bar. I'm s'posed to just let 'em
get away with it? Cops ain't gonna do shit. Never do."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She frowns down to
William. "I've killed someone, my love. What would you think if I were killed in
return?" Again.. she thinks.
William Halloran: He blinks, and looks up
at her. "What happened?" He says it without even realizing he's asking her
something that personal. He certainly wouldn't try and trouble her if he were
thinking clearly about it.
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She purses her
lips, trying to think of a light way to bring it up. "Love.. do you remember a
few months back.. when there was that freak storm in Harlem?"
William Halloran: He nods a little. "Yeah,
I remember. Right on Halloween."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She gives a tiny nod,
blinking sheepishly down to the floor. "I.. well I kind of.. that was me, love."
William Halloran: He blinks. It was huh?
His brow furrows, and he...oh. Storms. He looks up at her, surprised and a
little confused. "How come?" He's not angry, he just doesn't understand.
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She gives a tiny
sigh, trying to explain herself without.. actually.. explaining herself. "I..
was very upset, love. Someone very close to me had just been kidnapped. I had no
way of telling whether she was dead, alive.. in mind numbing pain.. Nothing. You
know how the water comforts me, my love. I wanted to see it rain and it.. it got
out of control. I hadn't made a storm that big since being on the surface. I.. I
didn't know it would turn out like it did."
William Halloran: He nods slightly,
considering. "So it was an accident." He looks up at her, smiling a bit,
comfortingly. "Ya didn't mean to hurt no one."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: "Over twenty people
are dead because of me."
William Halloran: He nods. "Yeah. But it
was an accident." He looks at her. "I ain't sayin' ya didn't kill anyone. I
ain't sayin' it ain't yer fault." He pauses a moment, thinking. "There was a guy
in Attica. Had a long drive home from work every night, all the way from Coney
Island ta Bronxville. Was drivin' home one night...hadn't gotten much sleep the
night before. Fight with his girl or somethin'. Fell asleep at the wheel, drove
into a bus stop, killed 15 people. Doin' thirty years for it. But I guarantee
he's doin' more time then that in his head. Over an accident. His fault? Yeah.
But he ain't deserve to suffer like that. An' you sure as hell ain't."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She frowns. "I've
lost everything I had because of it. My last host body was killed.. everything
I'd worked for was taken from me. No one trusts me.. My boys.."
William Halloran: He winces at that. "M'sorry,
Ouestucati. Wish I could do somethin' about it. Get it all back. I would if I
could. Ya don't deserve that. Not over an accident."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She frowns. "I
suppose it's just as well. It would be terribly hard to explain to a child how
Emma's their biological father.."
William Halloran: He's quiet for a long
moment, and then reaches over, pouring her some Skyy, then him some Jager. He
hands her glass up to her, and takes his. "So, then what now?"
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She takes a long sip
from the vodka, needing it at this point. She blinks out the window, staring.
"I.. don't know."
William Halloran: "Yeh. Me either." He
takes a deep breath, downing a good half the glass of the Jagermeister. "M'sorry
for what happened to ya."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She shakes her head,
meandering away from him toward the mirrorless vanity. "It's my own fault,
love."
William Halloran: "Maybe. Maybe I don't
understand things strongly enough. Wouldn't be surprised." He shrugs, watching
her as she wanders away. Half-starting to rise and follow her, but stopping.
Maybe she needs her space. "But the way I see it, punishment didn't fit the
crime."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She gives a tiny
shrug, wrapping a dainty arm around her chest in a tense stance. "I'm still
here. They could have sent me back down."
William Halloran: "Yeh." He nods a little
bit, deciding to rise and follow after all. He's never quite sure what's okay
and what isn't around her. He slowly comes up, giving her time to tell him no.
"An' I'm glad o' that. Must mean they think yer ain't deserve that much'. An' I
ain't disinclined to disagree with 'em on that. Just think that ya still got the
raw end of the stick."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She gives a tiny
shrug, looking down to the soggy carpet. "It.. doesn't matter anymore. Whatever
happens happens. I just hope my boys are safe. Wherever they are."
William Halloran: "I'm sure they are." He
comes up to her, leaning over to put his hands around her waist. "Maybe...you'll
see 'em, some day. Ya never know."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She gives a weak lean
back against the man. "I.. I don't know. It's hard for me to care anymore."
William Halloran: "I think ya do care." He
supports her lean easily, of course, stable for her. "I think ya don't wanna,
'cause it hurts...but I think ya do."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She gives a tiny nod,
curling an arm about his waist. "I love you, william. Don't leave me. Ever.
Please?"
William Halloran: "Never." He shakes his
head. "Ain't never leavin' ya, ever. I promise."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She clings tightly
to the man, nodding. "I'll hold you to it."
William Halloran: He smiles a little. "It's
a deal, then."
Brigitte Clara Deleon: She gives a weak
smile up to the man and pulls him down for a gentle kiss
William Halloran: He smiles and leans down
to meet the kiss.