chicago ♔ back into the end of harmony

[romanticidal]

♬ What Sarah Said - Death Cab for Cutie

WHO || Des, Rafael, Violet, Jade, anyone else who comes to see Jade. [closed]
WHAT || Jade awakes, and asks to see Des, Raf, and Vi...
WHERE || A hospital, Chicago
WHEN || July 4th, 2013
HOW || Actionspam

[ Today's the fourth of July, and the city is bustling with happy, smiling citizens on their way to watch fireworks tonight with their loved ones. And then there's the Corvette of people sailing through traffic with almost desperate abandon, as Des steers his way through the city with a basically heartwrenching nat 20 drive check towards the hospital. Rafael lets Violet sit on his lap in the passenger bucket seat, but he doesn't say a word as he stares forward grimly, lost inside his thoughts entirely the whole way there.

They make startling time. There's another car of Knights on the way, but lagging quite a bit behind by the time Des pulls into a spot right up front. ]

Comments

[graveflowers]

[Vi doesn't even wait for the car to fully stop before she opens the door. Which is probably more comfortable for Raf because even if he was silent the entire ride, she was the one literally shaking. Time is of the essence, right, and time... Fuck time. Time is horrible and it should stop. Where is the man of steel when she needs someone to reverse the spin of the Earth.]

Okay, that was really unsafe and I don't like it. I am pro-seat belts and the proper number of seats per occupants. And I really wish I asked Burt what room she is in. Should we... ask at the desk? I mean should I, while you guys wait in the hall since that was all on TV and I am obviously the grieving sister and who is going to let Italia in?

[She chews on her lip nervously. One of you guys best tell her what to do.]

[nothingsodivine]

[sorry, Vi. Des is already jumping out of the car to bolt for the door, without letting either of you untangle yourselves.

Because he's a gentleman. And he rolled a 19 dex.]

[romanticidal]

I would like to see them try and stop me. [ by the time he gets out though des is like AT THE DOORS ALREADY, going inside, jesus. ]

[graveflowers]

[She pauses a moment longer before moving forward into the room. She doesn't make it very far before the sight of Jade in the hospital bed just paralyzes her. Des and Raf severely overestimated her ability to function when faced with this. Her voice is a croak, raspy and hesitant.]

Hey.

[borrowedheaven]

[ it probably doesn't help that a) she looks like the living dead and b) everyone has been talking about her like she's already dead for the last so many hours. her skin is very uncharacteristically pale, her lips dry and colorless, and there's a wooziness to the way her eyes roll around the room to find the source of the voice. when she does, her lips struggle up in the smallest ghost of a smile. ] That was... fast. [ her voice breaks a bit under the weight of a cough and it's clear what an effort words are from the thin, weak quality of those few. ]

[graveflowers]

Yeah, Des drives like a maniac, as it turns out. It's really -- if we got arrested I wouldn't have been surprised. [She moves forward, hands reaching toward the edge of the bed before she pulls them back, worrying her fingers together.]

Are you... [No, she isn't okay, that is a stupid question and Vi cuts herself off.] They're outside, both of them. Burt said you wanted to see us?

[romanticidal]

[ yep and rafael is distracted from being flabbergasted by des' life by vi yay. but now he looks pale, because this is suddenly much more real. he looks over at des. it's hard to say whether he's looking for some kind of solidarity nod or whether he's thinking about how unexpected and uncomfortable having to share this moment is.

maybe both?? ]

[nothingsodivine]

[Des grants him one (1) solidarity nod and leads the charge into Jade's room, lingering about two feet from the door- enough room to let Rafael in, but not enough to get close enough to her.

He can count on one hand with most of its fingers missing the things he's legitimately afraid of, but right now? Right now he's terrified. He has to force a tragic little smile at her, pretending it's going to be okay when he knows it isn't.] Hey, Sunshine.

[borrowedheaven]

[ ♬ Torch - Alanis Morissette

Her eyes slowly settle on Des, and then Rafael stepping in behind him. There's something reminiscent of the moment when Rafael had been brought to Nightscape to see her again for the first time, when her eyes had skated right past him, her smile lighting up when she saw Des behind him - only this time, the light in her eyes seems to kindle when she looks at each of them in turn. It's easy for him to see the girl he knew in those eyes now, but the stranger is there as well, and it's hard to not be somewhat unsettled by this bizarre watercolor rendition of his memories of her.

there's a breadth of a moment where her gaze just lingers between the two of them, but then she finally fixes a look on des and says, sounding tired but every bit as cheeky as ever: ]

Didn't go back to the Ponderosa after all, I see.

[graveflowers]

[Vi tugs him right out the door, closing it slightly behind them. Because she can respect a dying woman's wishes. She positions herself in front of the door, so he can't get back in, but they're still close enough to just sprint back in if need be.]

You know, we're gonna help hold you to that promise.

[romanticidal]

[ now that he's out here, all the strength he seemed to possess in her presence almost seems to evaporate, as he all but falls against the opposite wall, staring at a point of nothing in the air ] I will not break my word to her.

[graveflowers]

Good. Because I don't think I could bear being angry with you. And you can help me keep my promise.

[shootfirst]

[ the other crew (buffy, spike, myri, finnick, and kat) heads out with less obsessive haste, after locating a blanket for spike. kat drives, and they hit all kinds of traffic (drive 11), prompting her to light up a cigarette at a red light and tap impatiently on the window ledge... until they pull into the hospital and it starts raining in her window. ]

Shit shit shit! [ she hurries to push the button to roll it up, while simultaneously trying to get one last drag before she has to toss it out the window. all kinds of class. ]

[slay]

[ buffy's riding shotgun, leaned up against the window and staring up at the sky. she's distracted and stressed and altogether everything sucks right now. jade's dying, des sold his soul to iscariot, rafael's potentially going to jail, and she's just done with this week.

there's a vague look of surprise that furrows her brow as she looks out at the rain, but she just pushes open her door and steps out into it. ]

What floor do they have her on?

[witchwoman]

[No one was surprised that Myri's got bitch seat back in the back with the boys. She's got a good hold of Finnick's hand in both of her, resting in her lap. She wants to hide her nerves, her concerns, but she's not doing a very good job.

As they pull into the parking lot, she's anxious but... stuck until someone else starts moving, so she'll just wait as patiently as possible, giving Finnick's hand a small squeeze.]

[65]

[ meanwhile, back at the barn outside the hospital room, finnick is outside the door restraining myri, which is an emotionally draining experience in and of itself. but then his elf hears hear he hears all the shit going down inside (listen nat 20), and all together it's emotionally draining enough to make him start crying. (will save 5)

YOU SHOULD HAVE LET HIM SLEEP .o. ]

[witchwoman]

[She doesn't know what to do. Finnick's holding onto her harder than he needs to- like he's afraid she's going to find her nerve again. But after everything- after all the information about the past and all the new things she's learned about her teammates... after washing her hands of Jade's blood not even 24 hours ago and feeling like even more of it was on her hands today... Myri couldn't step foot in that room if she tried.

She sinks back against Finnick just as she begins to hear a sob break from him. She should comfort him, talk to him. She can see Violet has been in a similar state for Stargods only know how long. But she can't. She can't because what good is she to them? This. This was the only purpose she served and she had failed in that. She can't cry, can't feel it. She doesn't know if she deserves to. (will 21)

She glances up just as Des walks out of the room and she knows- She knows it's over and he was right. She couldn't do anything. Her silence only makes it a few heartbeats before she breaks it, speaking over the quiet sobbing of the hallway.]

I'm sorry.

[nothingsodivine]

♬ Burn One Down- Ben Harper

[Des meant to just wander off to the vending machines and come back, but knowing Burt's hanging around left him with a sour taste in his mouth and he'd probably end up punching the bastard for one wrong word and it's best to avoid that. And since he's Rafael abd Vi's ride back, he can't just go for a drive to clear his head.

Ergo, cafeteria.

Which is why anyone seeking him out will find him at one of the tables, a stack of three plates in the corner while he wolfs down a fourth plate of hospital macaroni and cheese. Yummy.]

[witchwoman]

[The hospital isn't a small place, so there's plenty of time for Des to continue to eat his feelings while Myri and Finnick start to search. As they round the corner into the large, open space, Myri breathes a sigh of relief at the sight of him at a table.]

Thank the Stargods... [But she hesitates and looks to Finnick, suddenly not certain if he'd even want to talk to her after everything. He'd made it fairly clear what he thought about her and her ability, after all. But this is bigger than that. She's faced an angry village before, after all. She could handle one grieving lover.

She doesn't say anything, though, when they approach. Her nerve ebbs and flows, and she holds onto Finnick's hand tighter once they've made it to the side of the table.]

LATER BACK AT THE HOTEL } Closed to Isabella

[nothingsodivine]

[It's late when Des arrives back to the hotel, having driven back in total silence with Rafael. The two split paths once they make their way upstairs, just in time to hear the gunshot cracks of fireworks. Des freezes like a deer in the headlights in the middle of the room and then shakes himself out of it, muttering under his breath.]

Let freedom ring. [Ironic, considering the conversation he's about to have. He raises his voice.] All right, where's Isabella?

[savemyself]

[ gar gestures to isabella's room, and she taps lightly on the door for des as she walks by. moments later, the dark-haired woman opens it, expression full of barely restrained emotion as she glances over his shoulder. ]


... It is done, then. [ she doesn't sound relieved in any way: the pronouncement is sullenly heavy. ]

[isisagent]

[Around about 4am, Archer finally returns to the hotel.]
[I'm not 100% sure of the layout, who he might bump into, whether he's sharing a room with anyone - so feel free to be bothered by him.]
[In tow he has three Asian call girls and the four of them are all hauling a bag filled with about this many fireworks.]
[His speech is a little slurred, and drunkenly over-loud and obnoxious:]

O-ok ok. Shhshhshshsh-hhshshshs-hsshhhhhh.
Th' roomsup 'ere jussa lil more.
MAH GOD this's gunna be sweet.

[notaroundme]

[That sure does wake up Elena (listen 16), who drowsily wanders into the main room of their suite, and is promptly shoved into full consciousness at the scene she finds.]

What the fuck are you doing!? Did you just bring prostitutes into our room!?

[Intimidate 19]

Get them the hell out of here!

LATER BACK AT THE HOTEL } closed to myri

[slay]

[ when buffy returns to her shared room with myri, she's traveled well beyond exhausted and into the valley of dead girl walking. or ... something more sensitive, given the circumstances.

she's been trying to bottle it up - and she's managed, for hours. she's been the strong one, just like she told des she had to be: for rafael, for des himself, for whoever she felt needed to see someone holding it together. but, as she shuts the door behind her, she comes apart.

her shoulders slump like the weight that's on them is finally showing, and the tiredness reflects in bags under her eyes. she pulls her hair out of its ponytail and goes to sit on her bed, scrubbing a hand over her face, wondering when all this is supposed to end. ]

[witchwoman]

[Myri's been splitting her time between rooms with Buffy and Finnick- even before everything fell apart. Tonight, she's not so certain she wants to be close to anyone. What transpired at the hospital shook her confidence more than she lets on, and she's doubting each move as she makes it.

She's not tired, but instead antsy. She hasn't really talked to so many of them, Buffy included. Yes, she knew that they were all physically safe, but that wasn't all there was to worry about, after all. She opens the door slowly, cautiously, as if she wonders if Buffy might have fallen asleep. When she catches sight of the other girl sitting up on the bed, she gives her a small smile and slips into the room, closing the door behind her.

She's quiet as the walks over and takes the space at the edge of bed beside Buffy. Sitting there for a moment, when she finally does speak, it's very quiet.]

They're good people, doing what they can to help others. [She turns her head slightly to bring her gaze to Buffy's.] When we first met, just after I was squired, you told me that. That's how you saw them... us. I'm starting to wonder if it's enough.