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Post by Jordanna on Apr 23, 2006 22:32:25 GMT -5
"I would hope not to involve Miriam in that again," Henry said quickly. "I'm worried about the way her powers have changed, and I can't see that we can learn anything useful by putting her through that trauma."
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Post by skybright on Apr 23, 2006 22:37:31 GMT -5
Daws chuckled. "I'm inclined to agree with ya, Henry, but I've seen our mutual track record for keepin' the Doc from doing what she wants." She shrugged and added "She's got as much at stake in this as any of us -- more, in some ways -- and if she takes it into her head that she needs to use her powers," Daws shook her head. "I wouldn't put money on you, me, or anyone else bein' able to stop her."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 23, 2006 22:51:06 GMT -5
"Assuming we give her the opportunity," Henry replied. "If I do learn of any--subjects, I don't intend to tell Miriam." He hesitated. "But in that case, if you were to feel that only she could learn anything worthwhile... I won't protest your telling her."
He sighed. "But all that is academic, anyway. My remaining contacts at the ME's office aren't nearly as good as Miriam was. After what happened with Spake, I'm not even sure I can trust the whole lot of them."
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Post by skybright on Apr 23, 2006 22:56:21 GMT -5
Daws sighed. "Good point, Henry. We gotta remember to be careful about who we trust -- no matter who they are." She paused, thinking of Joey Falco.
After a moment she shook her head and laughed wryly. "Jeeze, I used t'think being a private eye took work. All this makes regular snooping look like a cakewalk."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 23, 2006 23:10:11 GMT -5
"I wish there was more I could do," Henry said plaintively. "I'm only human. I haven't any such powers or talents as you and the others. All I can offer is what I've built for myself in the ordinary way: my money, my home and office."
He shrugged. "The difference between humans and mutants has never meant anything to me. I suppose I know too well that they both come to the same end, eventually. Being alive and having feelings ought to be enough for us all to have in common."
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Post by skybright on Apr 23, 2006 23:21:08 GMT -5
Daws grinned. "Amen to that, Henry. I never have understood what's so hard about that, that most people don't seem to grasp it.
"But as for what you can offer," Daws looked seriously at the older man, "You're risking everything to help stop Tiernan -- that alone is more than anyone in their right mind would ask of you. Havin' a safe haven means a lot -- and I get the feeling it'll only mean more as time goes on.
"You're as important to this thing as any of us," She concluded, leaning back in her seat.
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 24, 2006 19:28:45 GMT -5
"I can only try," Henry murmured demurely.
A few minutes later, at Daws' direction, he pulled up to the curb about a block away from her office. As she got out of the car, he leaned across the passenger seat to exchange a few final words with her.
"I'm going to be at home today. I think Miriam must be feeling terribly lonely, so I'm going to stay with her until Malone comes." Henry smiled ruefully. "Thank you for all you've done to help her, Miss Dawson."
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Post by skybright on Apr 24, 2006 19:37:43 GMT -5
"Thank you, Henry." She shook his hand firmly and donned her fedora. "Don't hesitate to call me if anythin' comes up. I'm just goin' to clean some things up around the office today -- no cases on the slate at present." She grinned and added "Except ours, of course."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 25, 2006 19:04:41 GMT -5
Even though Alex had arranged to leave the Paragon Club early, it was still approaching midnight when he pulled into the driveway of Henry Casselton's house. The undertaker met him at the door, looking less than happy to see him, but resigned to the inevitability of it.
"Good evening, Mr. Malone. Come in for a moment while Miriam gathers her things."
In spite of the uneasy formality, Casselton's dislike of him seemed to have lost its edge this evening. Alex smiled wanly and followed Henry into the house. Miriam was not in the living room, but a light was on in the study down the hall, where he knew she had been staying. He stood by the front door, waiting rather nervously.
"I... guess Miriam's parents got away alright," he ventured at length.
"Yes. They should be miles from London by now. Miss Dawson and I have seen to it they'll be able to take care of themselves."
"Good. That's... good."
After a few minutes, Miriam appeared, carrying the bag of clothes and personal items she had kept there with her since her parents' rescue. She looked empty and weary, and it was obvious to Alex that she had spent much of the day in tears. It made his heart ache with the wish that he could do something to put her fragmented world back together.
"Hello, Alex," she said in a quiet voice, extending her hand rather limply in greeting. "I'm ready."
Alex took her hand, at the same time glancing uncomfortably at Henry. "Well, yes. But... you know, if you'd rather stay here with Mr. Casselton..."
The undertaker's eyebrows raised at that suggestion.
Miriam shook her head ruefully. "If I stayed, he'd only neglect his work to fuss over me. Besides, I want to see how Tara is doing."
"Oh... she's fine." Alex relieved Miriam of her bag, giving Henry an apologetic glance. He was glad to see it returned with a faint smile and an almost imperceptible nod of appreciation.
"I'm glad to hear that." Miriam turned to hug Henry, accepting a kiss on the cheek from him. "I'll talk to you soon."
"Take care of yourself," Henry replied, squeezing her shoulders. Then he glanced up at Alex. "And you take care of her, too."
The words didn't have the edge Alex might have expected. He half-smiled and nodded, then led Miriam out to his car.
They spoke little during the drive out to Long Island. Miriam sat with her head leaned back, gazing out at the passing lights, and Alex reluctantly left her to her contemplations. His thoughts couldn't help returning to the loss of his mother and father. Although Miriam's parents were alive and safe, with the terrible uncertainty of her own future, he guessed she must have been feeling something of what he had felt then.
When they arrived at the Rosenstein home, it was apparent that Sid had only recently arrived from the Paragon himself. He met them at the front door in his shirtsleeves, his loosened bowtie still hanging on his neck.
"Glad ta have ya back with us," he assured Miriam, giving her hands a light squeeze. He glanced at Alex, then back at her, and grinned faintly. "We been busy. Got somethin' to show ya."
In quiet perplexity, Miriam followed the two men to the basement door. Sid opened it and turned on the light, gesturing down the steps with a flourish.
The space was unrecognizable as the dusty, cluttered room it had been when Miriam left. Now furnished with a bed, a dresser, and a bookshelf that housed the handful of paperbacks Daws had retrieved from her apartment, it had taken on all the characterstics of a bedroom--slightly bare, but tidy and entirely comfortable.
Miriam gasped. "Oh, Sid. You shouldn't have gone to so much trouble!"
"I didn't." Sid grinned. "Blame it on Foxy. He spent a whole day picking up this stuff."
Alex shrugged sheepishly. "It's secondhand, but it's nice and solid." He waved a hand to forestall Miriam's further protests. "All that's happened has taken enough away from you. At least you can still be comfortable." He smiled. "Besides, now I can go back to sleeping on the couch, instead of that cot in Sid's room. He snores, you know!"
He blushed when Miriam's eyes welled up slightly, and she impulsively kissed his cheek, then Sid's. "I don't deserve either of you."
"Far as I see it, you're one a' the family now," Sid replied, with the kind of laconic and plain-spoken sincerity that artfully hid his emotions in plain sight. "We're gonna see each other through this--all of us."
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