U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, lower Manhattan
“Sorry...
Sorry means you feel the pulse of other people's pain as well as your own, and saying it means you take a share of it. And so it binds us together, makes us trodden and sodden as one another. Sorry is a lot of things. It's a hole refilled. A debt repaid. Sorry is the wake of misdeed. It's the crippling ripple of consequence. Sorry is sadness, just as knowing is sadness. Sorry is sometimes self-pity. But Sorry, really, is not about you. It's theirs to take or leave.
Sorry means you leave yourself open, to embrace or to ridicule or to revenge. Sorry is a question that begs forgiveness, because the metronome of a good heart won't settle until things are set right and true. Sorry doesn't take things back, but it pushes things forward. It bridges the gap. Sorry is a sacrament. It's an offering. A gift.” ― Craig Silvey, Jasper Jones
As she walked through the rotating doors at the center of the ground-floor entrances to the U.S. Attorney's Office in lower Manhattan, Sarah Lyell walked over to the steps facing out onto the nearby street and sat down, leaning up against the brickwork and feeling as though she'd run yet another marathon. Even with the events of three months ago still implanted on her memory like a permanent scar, she was not here to fulfill some grand wish or help solve all the world's problems; she was simply here to do the right thing, a concept that would've shocked her months ago.
But shock her it did...enough to where, after the last events of that period fresh on her mind, Sarah had spent several hours walking the streets of Marble Hill in a daze, avoiding people and just trying to keep to herself, only returning long enough to watch from afar as the authorities were sifting through the rubble and wreckage, wondering just what in the hell had happened. She knew her life from that point on was over; there was no way anyone could or would trust her with anything form that night forward....it also meant that no one could or would trust her as well; this effectively made her a dead woman walking since God only knew what the authorities would find inside what was left of her estate...
...and so, she'd walked for several hours more, willing herself with every step....one foot in front of the other, she would thing to herself, one foot in front of the other. Just. Keep. Walking. Eventually, Sarah - by some provenance of Fate - had ended up in front of her attorney's residence; after explaining to him just what had happened and why she looked a bloody mess, he had let her in and allowed her to wash off and sleep there overnight. The next morning, she explained about everything that had happened the day before and ended it by saying to him, "I can't go on like this," the tears beginning to fall from her eyes...they weren't the crocodile tears one might've expected from someone with such an evil past; they were the tears of someone who was utterly broken of spirit and who was literally resting on rock bottom. They were the tears of a woman seeking to reverse all the sins of her life, letting the chips fall where they would, with no regard for her own consequences. Just redemption for herself, nothing more and nothing less.
Thus, that afternoon, after resting some more and starting to look somewhat human, they had driven all the way down to lower Manhattan, eventually pulling into an underground parking garage underneath the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Manhattan, where Sarah Lyell - over the course of the next three months - answered every question asked of her, revealing every evil deed she knew of, tracing out the numerous criminal networks she was aware, burning and napalming every bridge between her past and her present. If it had been a performance, it would've won her an Oscar but it was no performance; as she told the AUSA (Asst. u.S. Attorney) leading the questioning sessions, "I'm not here to escape my past; I'm just here to do what is right."
...I'm just here to do what is right, she thought, as she sat against the brickwork, the thought echoing through her mind; looking up, she saw the storm clouds overhead and wondered if it was going to rain as she thought about what the AUSA had told her as the last questions were finishing up and mused, I'm going to miss Manhattan but they're putting me where again precisely? The offer was simple: in exchange for everything she'd given them, the U.S. Attorney would recommend that Sarah Lyell, former Queen of the City, be placed in Witness Protection. New life, new identity...watching as he'd slid several large files across to her and her attorney, the man said to her, "Brush up on Salem Center, New York, Ms. Lyell, because that's going to be your home. Once we start you in the WITSEC process, everything about you as it exists today - right down to your date of birth - will vanish," pausing as he snapped his fingers to emphasize the point, "and your new identity, your new place of residence...everything that is your new you, will enter into its' place. You can take it or leave it, its' up to you."
Looking back upward at the sky, Sarah remembered reaching across and opening up the first file, thinking just how beautiful the scenery was and hoping that they held up their end of the agreement. "Where will I be staying in the interim?" she had asked the AUSA. "At a place called the Xavier School," he told her, adding, "and yes, we know your sister is a professor of mathematics there; she's agreed to keep your situation there a secret for now..."
Laughing at the irony of it all, Sarah Lyell couldn't help but think of how weird it was...all this time I'd wanted Tamara's head on a platter, she mused, shaking her head as her attorney's car pulled up to the curb, and now I'm going to be depending on her for the next few weeks. Weird world, ain't it...
She came to me one morning One lonely Sunday morning Her long hair flowing in the mid-winter wind I know not how she found me For in darkness I was walking And destruction lay around me From a fight I could not win - Lady In Black, Uriah Heep
“Redemption is something you have to fight for in a very personal, down-dirty way. Some of us lose that, some stray from that, and some regain it.” ― Joss Whedon
Heading north along the Major Deegan Expressway towards Westchester County, NYStaring out the window. Ever since they'd left the U.S. Attorney in Manhattan, Sarah Lyell had sat, staring out the front passenger-side window of the Crown Victoria PI as it darted in and out of traffic northbound along the Major Deegan Expressway - or as locals called it, the "Major Pothole Expressway" for the abysmal road conditions....either way, the occasional thud and bump served as markers on a life soon to be Sarah's. She thought to herself, In about ninety minutes I'm about to come face-to-face with my twin sister, someone I haven't seen in nearly two decades...what will she be like? What will I be like in turn? What's going to happen to me? Will I become another cog in the machine of life or will I finally become a decent person? And what is a decent person, she mused, opting to leave that question blank for now.
"No, no, no, something's wrong here, this is worse than back then," she whispered as the Crown Vic finally made it to the shoulder, having just gotten to where the Major Deegan merges with Interstate 87 just outside the Bronx, "this is worse, much worse," closing her eyes and trying to use her powers to visualize whatever was happening. As soon as the car came to a stop, Sarah dashed out of the passenger side and ran some ways down along the shoulder, against the flow of traffic going by in the opposite direction. "What's happening?" she screamed out loud, now transfixed by whatever was happening back in the City. "What's going on? Will someone....," pausing as she closed her eyes and tried to reach out to whatever the source of the anger and rage she was feeling came from. I know that anger, I know...oh, gods no, it can't be, she thought, now horrified at the thought that something had happened to someone and that someone was now in a mad rage over it. Closing her eyes, she tried to reach out to the rage, trying with all her might to break through. Hades? she thought, telepathically trying to reach him. What happened? Tell me, what happened? Why are you in such a rage? Tell me, please tell me, Sarah telepathically said to Hades, falling to her knees on the shoulder, bracing herself up next to the guardrail and hoping that her message would get through to Hades...what happened, what happened, what happened.....
“Redemption is something you have to fight for in a very personal, down-dirty way. Some of us lose that, some stray from that, and some regain it.” ― Joss Whedon
Going off of Hades' post in the Terrors of Love thread....For several minutes, all of Sarah's telepathic scanning abilities were hard at work, trying to reach Hades who, given their past run-ins months ago, was likely about ready to unleash hell on earth - and knowing him, she thought in-between telepathic scans, he will. Suddenly, her whole body stiffened for a moment as if someone had zapped it with electricity but instead it was telepathic messages of assistance to Hades getting bounced back to her like a 3G signal getting rejected on a 4G or better system.. "No!" Sarah whispered aloud, "No, Hades, no!" panting for breath and looking up towards the violent black storm clouds as if they would open up and swallow whatever evil was threatening to consume the Big Apple. Hades, I know you can't hear me, she telepathically said, even though she knew he wasn't listening to her - although she had her ideas on why - but whatever you've got to do down there in the Big Apple....do it. Just freaking do it.
After several more minutes, she looked and saw the marshals standing nearby, the two who'd been riding with Sarah and her attorney; reaching out to them, Sarah was helped back up to her feet. One of them asked, "Are you alright, miss?" to which Sarah gave him a stony look, then said, "I'm alright....but the Big Apple?" pausing to look down towards the south, where it looked like the fiery pits of Hell were about to be unleashed on the Five Boroughs, "I wouldn't be too sure." Straightening herself up a little, she added, "I believe we were headed to the Xavier School, as I recall?" When one of the pair nodded his head in the affirmative, Sarah continued. "Then I suggest we keep going then; there's nothing more I can do to help," turning back to the south once more and adding, "But the gods better mercy on whoever got Hades angry 'cause he won't have mercy on anyone he runs into..."
“Redemption is something you have to fight for in a very personal, down-dirty way. Some of us lose that, some stray from that, and some regain it.” ― Joss Whedon
....And with the early dawn Moving right along I couldn't buy and eyeful of sleep And in the aching night under satellites I was not received Built with stolen parts A telephone in my heart Someone get me a priest To put my mind to bed This ringing in my head Is this a cure or is this a disease
Nail in my hand From my creator You gave me life Now show me how to live... - Show Me How To Live, Audioslave"Samantha, you ready to go?" Tamara called out from the bottom of the stairs, a large picnic basket in her hands, filled to the brims with various foods and a couple sodas' for them to drink. Since they'd first met three months ago, her and Samantha had become practically inseparable, each bringing to the other things they hadn't known existed...for Samantha, it was how to harness and channel her empathy...for Tamara, Samantha had brought out a human side to her that neither she - nor anyone else at the Xavier School - knew even existed inside of her. Tamara truly loved Samantha and would do anything for her....she thought back to their first night together; things seemed to move with an ungodly crawl but she remembered everything about that night - every curve, every touch, every yelp and hitch of Samantha's breath as they had made love that night, their bodies writhing in all the pent-up pleasure both of them felt for the other....Tamara bit her lip and looked away a moment from the stairs, remembering that afterward on that first night, she'd cried her heart out to Samantha, Tamara had been that lonely of a person at the time...
And it wasn't just on the inside, either: Tamara, her of the seemingly all-black clothing ensemble, now wore a mix of clothes that, for the first time, seemed a better, more truer sense of who she was as a person and she'd even taken to wearing a set of reading glasses, though those were mainly to help her read tiny letters and numbers easier. I have truly, completely, fallen for Samantha and there isn't anything I wouldn't do for her, Tamara thought..and it wasn't hyperbole, either. Samantha Archer had done what no other woman had ever done and that was pierce the hard shell that had once defined Tamara Lyell's being, a hard shell that was now gone and for that, Tamara would forever be indebted to her.
Hearing what sounded like thunder outside, Tamara set the picnic basket down next to the stairs and walked to the back of the house, looking out the backdoor and seeing what looked like the ugliest, nastiest storm clouds that she had ever seen in years. Thunder rolled across the skies and down onto the Xavier School like waves of hate and discontent, like someone who was very angry at something was about to unleash their wrath on the world-at-large. Something bad's happening out there, she mused, thinking about what to do if they weren't able to head over to the Professors' Quad for their picnic, and I've got no idea what's--
Suddenly, the doorbell chimed; it was the front doorbell and Tamara wondered who was outside; the row of professors' residences at the School - known colloquially as Professors Row - were off-limits to students below the age of 18 and even then you had to have permission to be on the street outside from school authorities, so to say her interest was piqued at whoever was outside was piqued to say the least. Walking up to the door, Tamara - dressed in a light blouse, jeans, hiking boots and wearing a pair of shades up on her head - looked out the side curtain and saw a pair of well-dressed suit-and-tie gentlemen standing outside, wearing bemusedly bored looks on their faces. "Samantha, I'm going to step outside a moment," Tamara called out, opening the door and stepping outside onto the front porch. "Is there anything I can help you gentlemen with?" she asked them. Both looked like crosses between Wyatt Earp and John Wayne and she had them pegged as Feds' without even having to ask them.
"Yes," the John Wayne-looking one replied. "Are you Ms. Tamara Lyell?"
"Yes, Professor Tamara Lyell, of the Xavier School," Tamara said in turn, wondering just what was going on that a pair of Feds' would....and it was at that moment that her eyes spied a rather youngish-looking woman step out of the back passenger-side of the Crown Vic parked outside. "May I ask what is going on and who..." she began before it started to dawn on her just who it was that she'd seen moments earlier. She looks older than I'd thought, but the bone structure, the face, the eyes....then, with a start, Tamara called out to the woman. "Sarah?" she yelled. "Sarah Lyell, is that you?!?" she yelled, all-but-knocking Wyatt Earp out of the way and rushing down the front porch stairs as her sister, hearing the other Lyell's voice, rushed to embrace her. "Sarah, where the hell have you been all these years?" Tamara asked, crying as she embraced her twin sister for the first time in nearly two decades, the tears flowing unabashedly. She didn't clear who saw her crying, it wasn't everyday you had an impromptu family reunion. Seeing that her sister was crying as well, Tamara - who'd always been the tomboy of the two growing up - leaned back and wiped the tears from Sarah's eyes, hugging her as close as possible and not doing anything else but just trying to imagine why, after nearly two decades apart, her twin sister should show up on her doorstep...and with a couple Feds' to boot alongside?
Last Edit: Jun 3, 2018 21:45:58 GMT by Tamara Lyell
Samantha was upstairs getting changed. Much like always she was finding it difficult to make up her mind. These last few months had been amazing. Being with Tamara opened up her eyes to a whole new side of the world she had never seen. Together they worked on harnessing and controlling her empathy. She learned to shut it off at times so it wasn't so overwelming. That alone was like lifting a weight off of her chest.
She could breathe again. She didn't have to skirt away and hide from the world anymore. She could face it head on with her head held high and a sense of confidence she didn't have before. Samantha could hear Tamara calling for her from the foot of the stairs. Samantha ignored her and continued holding up outfits in front of the mirror so she could see what she'd look like in them. She wanted to look nice for today. She wanted things to go well Tamara deserved that. She was so wonderful. She had to look absolutely stunning for her.
So she had to take her time. She decided on the the perfect outfit. Sure they were just going to the park, but that didn't mean she couldn't dress up for her girlfriend. She paused a moment to allow those, special words to ring through her mind once more. Girlfriend. She smiled and squealed and hurriedly went to put on the dress. While she was standing there in her bra and in the process of getting changed she paused to see a magazine cover on her desk.
She remembered when she took this photo of Tamara. It was the day of their first date. She snuck a quick picture of her as Tamera found her sitting on a stone bench. She couldn't help it. In that light she looked absolutely inspiring. Of course she was blown away when Tamara didn't get angry about her sending in the photo for the possible cover of next months issue of The Divide. She never dreamed she would get the cover.
The Divide loved mutants who would come out publicly. It sent a strong message to the mutant community that they shouldn't be afraid. Samantha was so proud of Tamara. She lingered on the photo a few moments more before she finished getting dressed and slipped down the stairs. She was so excited she bounded down the stairs two steps at a time. Samantha had a smile on her lips as she opened the door to look for Tamara. "Hey! Where'd you go, are you that excited to...." Samantha stopped. Her smile instantly replaced with dead serious.
She looked and there was two of her. Two Tamara's and they were hugging. She had learned how to turn off her ability. But she was hit with an overwelming sense of loss and discovery. She had no idea what was happening but Samantha started to cry on the spot. Though something bothered her. She also felt a lingering contempt and bitter hatred festering in the pit of her stomach and that really worried her.
For several minutes, Tamara Lyell held onto her long-thought-to-be lost twin sister, a person she had not seen in nearly two decades...not since those rushed goodbyes back home in Calgary have I seen Sarah, but here we are, she thought, feeling the eyes of not just both Deputy U.S. Marshals burning into them but also Samantha's eyes, as Tamara mused that, she was likely wondering who this stranger was crying in front of the house, with her girlfriend crying right there alongside. "Its' alright, Sis," Tamara whispered, trying to calm things down between them, "its' alright, c'mon," pausing to wipe the tears away from Sarah's eyes. To look at them was to see a distinct resemblance, though there were subtle differences between the Sisters' Lyell - Tamara had a broader face and was a little big bigger-boned than Sarah, whilst Sarah had a more angular, rounded-triangle kind of face and thin, bird-like features. Other than that, they carried the same DNA since they were identical twins - although, as Tamara liked to joke at times back home, I was born first, not Sarah.
Coughing a few times to get Sarah's attention, Tamara said, "Let's get inside before those dark clouds above start spewing all over us, eh?" causing Sarah to chuckle and give her another quick hug. "You always were a comedienne, Sis," Sarah said quietly, her voice almost a quiet whisper as they began walking back towards the front porch... The Divide loved mutants who would come out publicly. It sent a strong message to the mutant community that they shouldn't be afraid. Samantha was so proud of Tamara. She lingered on the photo a few moments more before she finished getting dressed and slipped down the stairs. She was so excited she bounded down the stairs two steps at a time. Samantha had a smile on her lips as she opened the door to look for Tamara. "Hey! Where'd you go, are you that excited to...." Samantha stopped. Her smile instantly replaced with dead serious. She looked and there was two of her. Two Tamara's and they were hugging. She had learned how to turn off her ability. But she was hit with an overwelming sense of loss and discovery. She had no idea what was happening but Samantha started to cry on the spot. Though something bothered her. She also felt a lingering contempt and bitter hatred festering in the pit of her stomach and that really worried her.
Sensing Samantha's discomfort as they got to the steps, Tamara motioned for Sarah to wait at the steps with the marshals as she headed up first, then turned and motioned for Sarah to come up as well, pointing towards the Marshals as if to say, "A moment's peace, please." "Samantha," Tamara said quietly, pointing towards her sister, "this is my twin sister Sarah Lyell. Sarah, this is my girlfriend, Samantha Archer," she said, hoping that whatever strange vibe was going on between the three of them would dissipate; it'd been eighteen-plus years since Tamara Lyell had last seen her sister and she wanted to know everything that'd had gone on in Sarah's life to that point, pausing to give Samantha a hug, as if she were trying to say "Everything's alright, just relax, babe..."
Samantha had only cried because the overwhelming feeling of re connection between sisters. She could pretty much control her empathy on command but feelings so overwhelmingly strong she still struggled with from time to time. Though she had gotten pretty good at blocking out weaker emotions like envy and lust and things of that nature. Love was the hardest of all to block out, and there was no purer love than a love between sisters.
Especially twin sisters. That' not what bothered her. She felt a lingering hatred and even contempt oozing off one of the body guards. It was the one standing to the right of Tamara. He hated Sarah and her twin sister. Samantha made a face at him. He was staring at Sarah with contempt in his eyes and purely worn features of disgust and looked up to see that he had been noticed. Though i wasn't his face that gave him away it was his dark heart and inner feelings. Samantha watched his face brighten and change into something a little more calm.
Relaxed. Professional. She didn't care. She had her eye on him now. Looking back at her girlfriend she was pleasantly surprised with how much she enjoyed hearing Tamara use those words. "Girlfriend." It just sounded right. After everything they had done together the last three months it was no surprise that Samantha was crashing at Tamara's place most nights. Though Samantha still kept a room at the Xavier school... She had already put a toothbrush in Tamara's bathroom. "It's a pleasure to meet you Sarah." Samantha said holding her hand out to shake with hers.
Her eyes moved to the dark storm across the way. It looked sickly, supernatural. The kind of thing that you wouldn't normally see if it was just an ordinary storm. Samantha had a terrible feeling rising in her gut. It wasn't empathy, but there was no truer a feeling she ever had in her life. This storm was something awful. It meant something terrible for the city.
She allowed her eyes to linger on the storm a moment longer before she turned her attention back to her girlfriend and her sister. "Come inside why don't you! Picnic seems like a bad idea today anyways. Come on I'll go fix us all a nice lunch while you two catch up." Samantha insisted. Leaning over she kissed Tamara on the lips and disappeared back inside and into the kitchen. All the while she shook her head amazed that Tamara had a sister.
Samantha had only cried because the overwhelming feeling of re connection between sisters. She could pretty much control her empathy on command but feelings so overwhelmingly strong she still struggled with from time to time. Though she had gotten pretty good at blocking out weaker emotions like envy and lust and things of that nature. Love was the hardest of all to block out, and there was no purer love than a love between sisters.
Especially twin sisters. That' not what bothered her. She felt a lingering hatred and even contempt oozing off one of the body guards. It was the one standing to the right of Tamara. He hated Sarah and her twin sister. Samantha made a face at him. He was staring at Sarah with contempt in his eyes and purely worn features of disgust and looked up to see that he had been noticed. Though i wasn't his face that gave him away it was his dark heart and inner feelings. Samantha watched his face brighten and change into something a little more calm.
Noticing Samantha looking at one of the marshals rather oddly, Tamara walked back out and asked the marshals to wait outside, also noticing a weird, subliminally evil vibe from one of them - the Wyatt Earp-looking marshal, she mused, deciding not to give it another thought for the time being. Rejoining Samantha and Sarah, Tamara said quietly to both, "Let's go on inside; Sarah and I have got a lot of catching up to do and we'll have that picnic indoors instead," pausing to grab the picnic basket her and Samantha had packed earlier - before those evil storm clouds rolled in, she thought - to bring with them.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Sarah." Samantha said holding her hand out to shake with hers.
"Nice to meet you as well," Sarah replied, grasping Samantha's hand with a firm yet friendly grip as they stood there, the storm clouds continuing to roil over them in evil, malevolent waves... Her eyes moved to the dark storm across the way. It looked sickly, supernatural. The kind of thing that you wouldn't normally see if it was just an ordinary storm. Samantha had a terrible feeling rising in her gut. It wasn't empathy, but there was no truer a feeling she ever had in her life. This storm was something awful. It meant something terrible for the city.
She allowed her eyes to linger on the storm a moment longer before she turned her attention back to her girlfriend and her sister. "Come inside why don't you! Picnic seems like a bad idea today anyways. Come on I'll go fix us all a nice lunch while you two catch up." Samantha insisted. Leaning over she kissed Tamara on the lips and disappeared back inside and into the kitchen. All the while she shook her head amazed that Tamara had a sister.
"Sure," Sarah replied, blushing a bit when she saw Samantha and Tamara kiss, feeling several pangs of guilt over how her own life had turned out and thinking that she'd been a fool for carrying all that hate and vitriol towards her twin sister; as the three of them walked inside, Tamara motioned towards the living room and asked if Sarah would be comfortable sitting there inside of in the kitchen. "Whatever works, Sis; I'm still...," pausing to blow out a long breath as she looked around, amazed at just how far her sister had gotten...and in an equal sense, just how far she had fallen in turn, "...still getting used to everything new--"
"What happened?" Tamara asked as they sat down on a large, leather couch - Tamara on one end< Sarah down at the other - and Sarah began to explain about everything that had transpired over the past three months - from the ungodly day and nightof terror Sarah had been put throughat the hands of what she had thought was Evil Incarnate all the way through the three months she'd spent answering question after question from the United States' Attorney's Office in Manhattan over every part of Sarah's life the past few years - from the weapons and drug smuggling to human trafficking, Sarah didn't leave one single detail out, occasionally reminding Tamara to not say anything until she was finished - all the while Tamara had the shocked face to end all shocked faces. Sarah could almost read the thought bubble in her twin sister's head and for once in her life, didn't object or snap a catty mental reply back at her.... "and now, I'm here, simply waiting for Witness Protection to drop-kick my ass somewhere in America because, by the gods of Olympus, I'm probably going to have a target on my back the rest of my life," Sarah said, getting up with a start and pacing the floor as if she were trying to wear a hole in it just by walking.
Alarmed by the depressive tone in Sarah's voice, Tamara shot up from her seat on the couch and walked straight over to where her sister - arms crossed over her chest, a severely pensive look on her face - was pacing, tears streaming down her face - and gave hug the most comforting hug imaginable, the kind of hug you gave a sibling when it seemed all hope was lost in this world. "Shhh, shhh, Sis, its' alright," Tamara whispered, trying her darnedest not to cry as well...as the quiet sobs poured out from Sarah's body, Tamara simply held on, not daring to let go for one second. "Sis...Sis, listen," Tamara whispered, "let me make a few calls and see if I can't get you some help, okay? You're safe, you're in the safest place you could be. You're with friends, you're with people who understand and who care. I've known these people here at the Xavier School for over 18 years and these are some of the nicest people around; you just gotta' have a little faith, Sarah, okay?" pausing only to continue comforting Sarah.
As they walked back over to the couch, Sarah sat back down as Tamara said quietly, "Let me make a few calls and I'll be right back, okay?" Nodding quietly and wiping away the tears from her eyes, Sarah gave a wan, faint smile and nodded again as Tamara headed into the kitchen.
“Redemption is something you have to fight for in a very personal, down-dirty way. Some of us lose that, some stray from that, and some regain it.” ― Joss Whedon
As they walked back over to the couch, Sarah sat back down as Tamara said quietly, "Let me make a few calls and I'll be right back, okay?" Nodding quietly and wiping away the tears from her eyes, Sarah gave a wan, faint smile and nodded again as Tamara headed into the kitchen.
Walking back into the kitchen, Tamara saw Samantha and said to her in a quiet voice so as not to disturb Sarah, "Samantha, can you sit out there with Sarah for a few minutes while I make a few calls? She's feeling a bit down at the moment and I just need someone to keep an eye on her, okay?" Tamara, while happy in one sense to be reunited with her sister, was now concerned for her sister's mental well-being and knew that the sooner she could get her some help, the better things would be down the road...
"Of course babe." Samantha said lightly. She was knuckle deep in her world famous pasta salad, but she slapped her hands together to get them somewhat clean before quickly moving over to the sink to wash them off. She had a nervous smile on her face. She could see the sense of worry in Tamara's face, but she didn't want to invade her privacy by probbing out emotions she didn't offer up freely. She allowed Tamara her secrets because she knew she would do the same for her in turn.
Samantha walked into the living room. The clickety clack of her heels moving across the hardwood floor. There was a smile breathing on her lips. She blinked and tried her best to appear welcoming, though the facade was cracking along the edges. She had a terrible feeling in her gut. Something was wrong. She still had that nagging notion in the back of her mind as she felt outside. The storm cracked thunder so loud it made her jump. Rain pelted the outside of the glass causing Samantha to look over at the window.
"The world's seen better days." She commented more to herself than to Sarah. Sitting down on the couch farthest from Sarah she placed her hands in her lap neatly. She wasn't wearing her leather gloves. She slept with them beside her bed in case she needed them, but she wasn't wearing them now. She wanted to reach a hand out and comfort her lover's sister but she feared what she might see when she touched her. Instead she sat awkwardly. Trying her best to come up with something in the moment to pierce the wall of silence. "I'm so sorry for what you're going through hun." She said.
It wasn't empathy or a mind game she could see the stress on her face. "You're welcome to say with us as long as you need too." Letting it slip that they were all but practically living with each other at this point. Samantha scooched a little closer. Daring to get closer to the powerful emotions pursing through her girlfriend's sister. "The Xavier school took me in. I was lost and scared in a world that didn't look kindly on mutants. I was lost hun. It brought me peace. It brought me to Tamara." Her words trailed off as another crack of thunder puncuated her sentence. "Everything's going to be okay. I promise you." She said smiling brighter.
As they walked back over to the couch, Sarah sat back down as Tamara said quietly, "Let me make a few calls and I'll be right back, okay?" Nodding quietly and wiping away the tears from her eyes, Sarah gave a wan, faint smile and nodded again as Tamara headed into the kitchen........Samantha walked into the living room. The clickety clack of her heels moving across the hardwood floor. There was a smile breathing on her lips. She blinked and tried her best to appear welcoming, though the facade was cracking along the edges. She had a terrible feeling in her gut. Something was wrong. She still had that nagging notion in the back of her mind as she felt outside. The storm cracked thunder so loud it made her jump. Rain pelted the outside of the glass causing Samantha to look over at the window. "The world's seen better days."
"No kidding," Sarah replied, joining Samantha as they sat back down on the couch. Neither one spoke, but Sarah could tell something was wrong...it wasn't Sarah, though, that she figured was the root cause of Samantha's concern but everything going on outside - the weather, the dark storminess overarching all of southern New York, like a malevolence was hanging in the air all around them. Sarah could feel it; it'd followed her the whole way up from Manhattan and she knew Tamara could feel it as well as Samantha. "Its' like someone cooked up a huge bowl of hate and discontent and decided to pour it all out in one dumping," Sarah added, running a hand through her short locks as she gave another wan smile, this one longer and with more effort to it.
"I'm so sorry for what you're going through hun." She said. It wasn't empathy or a mind game she could see the stress on her face. "You're welcome to say with us as long as you need too," Samantha said, the concern from earlier seeming to slip away as she scooted over a little bit closer to where Sarah was sitting. After a moment's hesitation - after all, Sarah didn't want to intrude into their lives but she also knew you didn't refuse someone's hospitality when offered - Sarah smiled and nodded. "I'd like that, thank you, Samantha," Sarah said, listening as Samantha continued... "The Xavier school took me in. I was lost and scared in a world that didn't look kindly on mutants. I was lost hun. It brought me peace. It brought me to Tamara." Her words trailed off as another crack of thunder puncuated her sentence. "Everything's going to be okay. I promise you." She said smiling brighter.
"I can tell; even though Tamara and I haven't seen each other in nearly 18 years, I can tell when someone's in love with another person and Tamara loves you, Samantha...and I mean that, from right in my heart; even I can see that," Sarah replied as she thought about what Samantha was saying. As much as Sarah had hated her sister for leaving as she did - especially since their parents had all but lied to Sarah about why Tamara had to leave Calgary all those years ago - she could tell that everything Samantha was saying was legit, on the up-and-up. "Perhaps, once I get settled in and all, both of you could give me a tour of the School and everything," Sarah said quietly, feeling more and more relaxed with every passing moment. Reaching over to Samantha, Sarah pulled her over to her and gave her a friendly hug - nothing more, nothing less - a hug that basically said without words, "Thank you."
“Redemption is something you have to fight for in a very personal, down-dirty way. Some of us lose that, some stray from that, and some regain it.” ― Joss Whedon
Samantha smiled lightly. "That sounds fine. I'm sure you'll like the school. They did everythang in their power to make me feel welcome." Samantha was beautiful. Not the oh my god she is so gorgeous kind of beautiful, but the classic striking kind of beauty that seemed honest and natural.
Her beauty came from within her honest and gentle soul. Being pulled into a hug Samantha closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She hugged Sarah back wishing nothing more than to relax her tired, tensed mind with the warmth of embrace. Outside thunder and lightning cracked again. Samantha didn't know what the future held, but it seemed brighter now that Tamara and her sister had been reunited.
Shifting a little on her seat she turned to Sarah. Samantha turned back to see if Tamara was still on the phone Samantha saw that she was and smiled lightly. With a playful smirk she reached out and grabbed Sarah's hands. "So tell me everythang. Tell me what Tamara was like as a kid."
She couldn't help but be excited about the chance of hearing about young Tamara. What kind of troublemaker she could have been as a kid. Samantha considered her pretty button down and straight laced. She was a beautiful and honest soul too, though Tamara leaned more towards the serious side. She wanted to know something dishy about her girlfriend. That maybe she was once a rebellious young lady. If that was the case. Sarah said they hadn't seen each other in 18 years, but maybe she knew a little something about her sister. Samantha bit her lip and listened carefully.
The storm outside was bad. It was raining like a sodding hurricane was bearing down on the city. Dylan's tan trench coat flapped furiously in the wind was he made his way across the street. He was in New York for a bit of official business. Political dealings with vicious undertones. Somewhere in New York this time tomorrow was a G.A.D.E.M. prisoner transport truck heading from the Detroit facility to the New York one. It wasn't going to reach it's destination. He had hired a few off hand mutants to attack the truck.
A group of rough and tumble sods who could more than likely handle it. He'd do it himself, but why get your hands dirty and put yourself under all that stress. He didn't give a damn about the prisoners on that truck besides one. Her name was McKenzie Montgomery. She was the daughter of the presidential candidate Bob Devin. If good old Bob here won the election. His first acting move as President was to pass a mutant registration act bill. A bill that will cause all mutants in the world to come forward and register.
This simply could not do. Dylan was a G.A.D.E.M. man, but he wasn't one through and through. He had his reasons for doing what he was doing. A mutant killed his brother. Dylan didn't realize that his brother was in fact alive! And a mutant himself. Dylan just wanted revenge and doing this political favor for some shadowy figure promised him information, a lead on his brother's cold case. Dylan didn't hate all mutants. Not really, most sure. Most were assholes, but he was doing this for his own personal reasons.
Everything he did was a mystery wrapped in an enigma. Wiping his nose a bit with his finger Dylan stopped in front of Tamara Lyell's humble little home. He shook his head and started towards the steps. Moving up them at a casual pace he was stopped by the two guards. "Woa. Where do you think you're going pal?" One of them said. "Bloaks! Bloaks! I'm here to see Ms. Lyell. Here's my card!" Dylan reached in his trench coat and handed them each a business card. They looked at them with confused faces. "Dylan Walker? Private Investigator. Agent of G.A.D.E.M.? Master of the Dark Arts?" Dylan smiled. "That last bit's actually true mates."
With a smug cheeky look of superiority he placed his palms on both of their heads and whispered "Sleep" They both passed out at the same time, like a switch had been flipped. Dylan pushed them both to either side of them. They both fell back and tumbled over the sides of the porch and fell behind some bushes that concealed them. Dylan cracked his neck and straightened his tie. He picked up the fallen business cards and stuffed them back into his jacket pocket; because, business cards were just so damned expensive these days.
It was getting harder and harder to be a professional. Loosening his tie a bit Dylan walked up the steps the rest of the way and rang the door bell. Samantha stopped what she was asking Sarah on the couch and stood up moving over to the door. She opened it to find a blond haired man who's hair was matted down in the rain. The rain continued to fall all around him but he looked content. It didn't seem to be bothering him. He was soaked to the skin. "Good evening ma'am. I'm here to see Ms. Lyell....." He said with a cheeky smile.
Shifting a little on her seat she turned to Sarah. Samantha turned back to see if Tamara was still on the phone Samantha saw that she was and smiled lightly. With a playful smirk she reached out and grabbed Sarah's hands. "So tell me everythang. Tell me what Tamara was like as a kid."
"That goes both ways, Sis," Tamara called out from the kitchen, where she'd been talking to one of the Xavier School's counselors in the hope of setting up an appointment for them to talk to Sarah; before she could hang up the phone, she heard the doorbell ring. That's odd, she started to think as she began walking back into the living room to re-join Sarah and Samantha when she felt an evil chill roll over her, the kind of bad evil one feels in the moments before something bad happens to you, the "I gotta' bad feeling about this" kind of vibe that never ends up well for anyone... It was getting harder and harder to be a professional. Loosening his tie a bit Dylan walked up the steps the rest of the way and rang the door bell. Samantha stopped what she was asking Sarah on the couch and stood up moving over to the door. She opened it to find a blond haired man who's hair was matted down in the rain. The rain continued to fall all around him but he looked content. It didn't seem to be bothering him. He was soaked to the skin. "Good evening ma'am. I'm here to see Ms. Lyell....." He said with a cheeky smile.
Focusing her telepathic scanning powers directly on the evil stranger standing at the door, Tamara strode quickly and confidently back over, standing in-between both Samantha, Sarah and the evil stranger. "Who are you and what do you want?" Tamara said with a quiet anger and fury; she'd come across GADEM agents over the years and every time it angered her that her own government - not just from her home country of Canada but her adopted home of America - would harass and attack mutants for no other reason than but for the simple fact that they were mutants. Another thought angered her - the Xavier School was a GADEM-free sanctuary, so what the hell was this guy, Tamara thought, doing here, on our soil and on our turf?!?
Repeating the question with a louder, more professorial voice, Tamara continued to stand where she did, her physical presence putting up a strong front towards the evil stranger, her telepathic scanning - and that of Sarah, who was now standing just behind her and was also focusing her powers towards the evil stranger standing on the other side of the door - while her mental presence all-but-said to the guy, "Leave...leave now; do not pass Go, do not collect $200. Turn around and leave. Leave this place and leave the Xavier School right now...."
