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Post by skybright on Apr 3, 2007 23:47:51 GMT -5
Daws smiled and dried her hands off on the dishtowel before setting it aside. "Aw, I'll just bat my eyes at him -- I'm sure that'll work."
She rolled down her sleeves. "You gals have a good night, then -- and have a good time on Friday." She smiled at Tara.
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 4, 2007 21:20:41 GMT -5
"Saturday," Tara corrected with a grin. "And I will, thanks!"
As Daws stepped into the living room, Sid was shambling down the stairs, now in evening dress. Alex was behind him--still clad in jeans and a polo shirt, but with a suspicion of stage makeup on his face. He grinned at Daws' double-take.
"You try making yourself pretty in an upside-down place like the Paragon. I'm lucky if I have time to put my costumes on without getting 'em backwards!"
Sid chortled. "He just doesn't want anybody ta barge inta the dressin' room and see him gettin' all dolled up."
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Post by skybright on Apr 4, 2007 21:58:36 GMT -5
Daws snickered. "Hey, I can't blame him -- I've met some of the people who barge around the Paragon, after all."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 4, 2007 22:21:48 GMT -5
Sid frowned slightly at that, but he said nothing until the three of them were in his car and heading toward the city.
"That's kinda botherin' me," he admitted. "If I go through with buyin' that mutie bar, Tony's gonna hear about it sooner or later. Somehow, he's got ways of keepin' tabs on everything I do--an' you know how he feels about mutants. I dunno if he'll make trouble, or how he could... but it's somethin' ta watch out for."
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Post by skybright on Apr 4, 2007 22:31:03 GMT -5
"No kidding." Daws frowned. "The Comancinis get too nosy, they could turn up what Tiernan's up to, or what we're up to -- or both. That could get real messy."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 4, 2007 22:42:32 GMT -5
"I dunno if it'd go that far. I'm more worried about--the kids." Sid's expression darkened. "Tony's got that twisted Cicilian family-honor thing goin'. An' whether or not we want anythin' ta do with him, he sees my kids--Caroline's kids--as the last of the Comancini heirs. If he figures my hangin' around mutants is a 'bad influence' on 'em..."
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Post by skybright on Apr 4, 2007 22:49:23 GMT -5
Daws scowled blackly at that unpleasant thought. "Over my dead body." She said, flexing her claws. "If Tony Comancini wants to try getting at your kids, he's gotta come through me -- through all of us -- and that's not as easy as it looks."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 4, 2007 23:02:53 GMT -5
Sid smiled unreflectingly. "Yeah. I know--an' I appreciate it. I just wanted ta let ya know somethin' might happen."
"I'd love to know if Tony's got the X-gene," Alex remarked, with a wicked glint in his eyes. "Sometimes I think I'd like him to know how it feels."
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Post by skybright on Apr 4, 2007 23:10:33 GMT -5
Daws grinned somewhat maliciously. "It'd serve him right."
She grew more sober and gazed thoughtfully out the window for a few moments before adding, "There's something else we might need to keep in mind about the kids, Sid -- specifically about Tara." She sighed. "If she and Joey are goin' to end up spending time together . . . I'm afraid sooner or later, she'll figure out what's going on."
She shrugged uncomfortably. "I'm not saying Joey'd tell her -- he knows how to keep quiet. But Tara's a smart kid, all the same. I hate the thought of her havin' to grow up any faster than she is . . ." Daws sighed and shook her head. "I guess all we can do it do our best to protect her."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 4, 2007 23:25:03 GMT -5
"Yeah, I know." Sid looked troubled. "I've tried a dozen times ta figure out what to say--ta work up the nerve to sit Tara down an' tell her... why things're the way they are. But I just..."
He shrugged uselessly. "How d'ya tell a kid you know who took her mother from her--an' ya can't do anythin' about him?"
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Post by skybright on Apr 4, 2007 23:32:02 GMT -5
Daws gave him a faint, rueful smile. "I wish I knew." She shrugged. "But we are doing something. Maybe it's just a little at a time -- but at least it counts for something."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 4, 2007 23:43:59 GMT -5
Sid rubbed his forehead thoughtfully. "It's... gonna be rough, if I havta face the bat in person. Ta try not ta think about--gettin' my hands around his throat."
Alex leaned forward from the back seat to pat Sid's shoulder. "Are you sure you wanna do it, buddy? We could set up somebody else as a business person who wants to buy the bar..."
"Tiernan'll check on 'em," Sid murmured. "I got the background for it. I dunno what I'll tell him about why I wanna run a place for mutants, but..."
"Well... you could tell him it's because of me," Alex suggested. "After all, he already knows that I'm a mutant."
Sid twitched slightly. He was silent for a moment before he responded.
"Just how'd he get wind of that?"
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Post by skybright on Apr 4, 2007 23:52:59 GMT -5
Daws scowled and glanced out the window. "It's my fault." She shrugged one shoulder. "Back when all of this started . . . before Caroline . . . y'know . . . that little runt George Stubbs trailed Alex to my place. Tiernan drew his own conclusions." She clenched her fists at the memory.
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 4, 2007 23:59:42 GMT -5
Sid was silent, visibly grappling with that piece of information. His expression made it plain to see the questions writhing across his mind--but he did not ask any of them.
"I guess it's not a bad excuse... fer why I'd wanna do certain things," he said slowly at last.
By this time they had reached Daws' office, and he pulled his car to the curb to let her out.
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Post by skybright on Apr 5, 2007 0:11:07 GMT -5
Daws slid out of the backseat and hesitated for a moment before she moved around to the driver's side. "Sid . . ." She held her hand out to him through the window and started to speak, then changed her mind and finished lamely, "Thanks for the ride. I'll . . . talk to you later."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 5, 2007 21:58:37 GMT -5
Sid smiled thinly, and lightly squeezed Daws' hand. "Yeah. We'll be seein' ya, kid."
Alex shot Daws a look of apology before the car pulled away.
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