Winifred "Fred" Burkle (i_figure) wrote in we_coexist, @ 2011-07-31 21:37:00 |
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Entry tags: | jack heart, winifred burkle |
Through the looking glass the morning after (Jack/Fred log)
The job had been long, and stressful, and painful, and crazy, and just not at all her kind of fun. Yet, Fred felt that there had been a lot of good done, even if what she think happened happened. Batman had finally done what no one expected him to but had wanted him to. Batman had killed the Joker, maybe. She still wasn’t quite clear what had happened; she was glad though that they got Jake. Now came the long time of healing, if there was to be any healing at all.
She found that she wasn’t as tired as she thought she’d be, but she was tired. Her body didn’t need as much rest, neither did her mind. Only, she really wanted to go home, take a shower, and sleep for a day anyway. She hadn’t thought about Eric or the blood once things really started, and talking to Jennifer had helped. Now that she was free from the chains that bound her to the computer - she never thought she’d actually wish to be away from technology - her mind started working through everything that had nothing to do with tonight. Her new found confidence, her renewed sexual curiosity/appetite, her appetite in general, her everything.
Fred’s current mental state and the lack of sleep coupled with stress created a very unaware Fred Burkle. A Fred Burkle who was a prime target for those brash criminals who hit in broad daylight, or at least the early morning hours as the sun was rising to shine on the City. Fred had spent so much time dealing with the abnormal, that the mugger, a normal person, caught her off guard.
The man wasn’t exactly quick and efficient, but he was powerful. He grabbed her from the walk and pulled her back into the alleyway. The way he grabbed her kept her from really retaliating, no matter how hard she squirmed to get free. She bit his hand, which tasted bad, and once that nasty thing was off her mouth, she screamed, yelled, anything to get attention.
----
Jack had no idea where he was. He’d gone through the Looking Glass in hopes of... well, to be honest, he hadn’t been sure what he’d hoped to find in New York. Alice, perhaps. Make sure she was okay, maybe get some sense of direction from her. She’d inspired him in a lot of ways, and a part of him just wanted that back. Particularly given that more and more, he was realizing that he hadn’t spent enough time thinking about what would happen after his Mother was dethroned. He’d been so focused on what had seemed an insurmountable task that the reality of becoming ruler hadn’t ever really occured to him.
And now what had been meant to be a quick trip to find his focus again had left him stranded in a strange City with no Looking Glass in sight.
Jack had wandered for half the night, lost and trying to gain his bearings.
That desire to gain his bearings went out the window as he heard a scream. His pace picked up and he turned a corner in the direction of the scream, only to see a man handling a pretty brunette in a manner that was not acceptable. At all. Jack gritted his teeth and flew at the pair, colliding with the would-be attacker and hopefully shaking his grip.
“Hands off the lady, you cretin,” he spat out, ready for the ensuing fight.
----
Fred got an elbow in to the bad guy’s stomach; it wasn’t the best hit, but it was effective enough to get her released or more thrown. She hit the ground, rolling on instinct. The attacker, on the other hand, turned his attention to the knight in shining armor wanna be. The knife was out before he said anything.
“You trying to save the lady? Boy, you really gotta watch who you talk to.” The attacker lept at the would-be hero. He didn’t mind getting a little bloody; he wanted to cause some damage to a guy who had no business interrupting his fun. The “lady” was going to pay for all this later, he promised himself.
Fred was a little too confused. Her mind reeled from everything, and she was doing her best to focus on the moment at hand. There was a lady? She was pretty certain she was the only woman in the alley way. She should probably look for the lady.
----
“I’m not sure that’s the smartest decision,” Jack said in an clipped tone. He was outwardly calm and confident, but he was more than a little angry at seeing this man handle the young woman in the way he was.
Jack had brought his sword through the Looking Glass, just in case, and unsheathed it, wielding it at the thug.
“Now, it’s your choice as to how much harm you wish to suffer tonight, but I can tell you that you’ll not touch a hair on her head.”
----
The attacker stood for a moment, sneering, almost snarling. He wasn’t ready for the man to pull a weapon of his own. He looked from the bewildered woman who had managed to get to her feet, if a bit shakily, and had started looking, maybe even calling, for the lady. To the man who was now holding a sword. He hadn’t expected to get a fight, not much more than what the
Fred just couldn’t get her brain to settle, to think straight, but she was able to find a rock to throw at the guy who attacked her. Her aim wasn’t bad either; it actually hit him. It wasn’t that hard a hit, but it did hit him, which distracted the attacker.
----
Jack didn’t take his eyes away from the man, but did smile as the rock hit its intended target.
“Good shot,” he congratulated the woman.
Before the man could regain his focus and try anything else, Jack used his sword to disarm him. The knife clattered to the ground a few feet away.
“Now would probably be a good time to call for the proper authorities, if possible,” Jack told the woman, wondering if there were phones in this place or if perhaps there were guards within earshot. “If not, then I’ll just have to take him to whatever prison this place might have myself.”
----
Fred stared. He wanted to take the bad guy to prison? And he had a sword? She looked around to make sure she was still in the City; people didn’t usually walk around with swords saving women. Staffs maybe, but swords?
The attacker took the moment as Jack stood there to turn and start running. Fred started to pull her phone out of her pocket, then she remembered she didnt’ have a phone. The City really was out to get her. To kill her maybe? She was aware enough to get in the attacker’s way somewhat; of course, it meant she got pushed out of the way, but it’d slow him down a little.
----
“Hey!” Jack shouted angrily as Fred was pushed down. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
He began to chase the other man, catching up with him halfway down the block. This time, Jack didn’t hesitate. He wouldn’t kill unless absolutely necessary, but he had no qualms about rapping the brute over the head with the handle of his sword. He smiled triumphantly as the man crumpled to the ground and then rushed over to offer a hand to help the lady off the ground.
----
Fred had looked round for the woman, then finally realized that she was the so-called lady. It amused her a little that anyone would ever think she was a lady. A girl, a genius, a Texan, but a lady? She looked at the hand offered her, not so much trying to figure out what he meant by offering it but to decide if she’d take it. Her eyes traveled up the suited frame, which was odd to see with the sword, but she guessed that the royals had done it..only they were usually in their military uniforms, weren’t they? She looked further up to see...the smile on her face grew as she saw the face attached to the very nicely suited body.
“Hello.” She put her hand in his, wishing she hadn’t been up all night trying to help run an operation. With a bit of repositioning, she was able to stand, maybe with his help of course. “Thank you.”
----
Jack returned the smile and helped the woman to her feet, still hanging on as he waited to be sure she was steady on her feet. She seemed a little shaky, though he certainly couldn’t blame her.
“Are you quite all right, miss...?” he fished slightly for her name.
For the first time, he was really able to look at the woman he’d saved. She was quite pretty. He did his best not to stare for too long, but instead kept his eyes locked on hers and continued to smile warmly, a surge of pity for the poor girl who must certainly be shaken up after that confrontation.
----
“Yes...” Fred had no problem staring. She didn’t care if it was rude; she rarely did. Or she did, but it didn’t matter. She just stared for a moment. “I’m fine. I just...I’d had a really long night, and then that guy, I wasn’t ready for him. Though you can’t really be ready for that sort of thing, it’s not like they say ‘hello, good sir or ma’am, I’ll be your attacker for the morning.’ I’d say evening, only it hasn’t been evening for a while.” Her accent was definitely thick and Texan. She was tired, bruised, and slightly turned on by a hero. She did like her heroes.
“I’m sorry, I get a little chatty...actually I’m always a little chatty, but I get more so when I haven’t had enough sleep or when I’ve just been attacked. Well, not always when I’m attacked, but most times when I can. Not that I get attacked a lot, or need someone to save me a lot. I’m pretty good at taking care of myself, most times.” She glanced down, and noticed they were still holding hands. She was still holding his hand; normally, she’d have let it go in embarrassment. Instead, she looked back up at him, smiling.
“Now, do you make it a habit of rescuing damsels in distress?” Her head tilted slightly.
----
Jack grinned.
“Oh yes, its something of an addiction,” Jack teased. “I see a damsel in distress and just can’t stop myself from rescuing her.”
He looked over at the unconscious man and then back to the brunette.
“Might there be a payphone around? We should make sure he’s properly dealt with.”
----
“Mmm, that could be quite an addiction to get you in to trouble, and some women do not like being saved.” Fred laughed, knowing at least two who didn’t like to be the damsels. She wasn’t exactly fond of it herself, but she did like a hero. Her fingers softly squeezed his before finally letting go.
“You don’t have your own phone?” The brainy female stepped back, glancing over to the bad guy who was certainly down for the count. “I don’t. Wish I did, but I don’t.” She walked over to the bad guy, still a little unsteady but better than before. “I’m not usually so easily...damseled.” Her nose wrinkled at the word, but she couldn’t think of a better one at the moment. It wasn’t a real word, but still. She crouched down and started digging through the bad guy’s pockets.
“He probably has one.” She pulled out a necklace, then a watch, a few wallets. “A phone that is, not all this.”
----
How to explain to someone that he’d come from a place where they didn’t use phones? Jack chose to ignore the question. He’d had to learn technology on coming to New York and had learned enough to blend in in any normal city. So, while he still didn’t know where he was, he was fairly certain he could bluff his way through until he learned more.
“That’s good to know that you’re not usually easily damseled,” he said with a small chuckle at her word. “I’d hate to have to follow you around to make sure you stayed out of distress.”
His tone was light, indicating that perhaps he wouldn’t have minded following her around some.
He looked at her in surprise as she began to rifle through the unconscious man’s pockets. When she came up with the phone, he raised an eyebrow.
“That’s quite resourceful of you.” he waited for her to make the call, wondering if 911 was the correct number here as well.
----
“Well, most people have a phone.” Fred shrugged. “And, it’s okay, you don’t have to follow me around. I had an angel do that once. I don’t know why; he didn’t seem happy about it either. Though I guess maybe he wasn’t following me, so much as he came to save me just when I needed to be saved.”
Standing, Fred started to dial the number; yes, 911 did seem to work even in the City. She waited patiently to be sent through.
“Yes, there is a man who’s stolen a lot of things from people. And he tried to hurt a woman. He is sitting in an alley. Use the GPS in his phone to find him. Thank you.” With that, Fred bent down, made sure the man was still alive, and tucked everything back into the man’s pockets. Well, she didn’t want the police to think she’d lied.
“We should go. I don’t want to go to the Hospital or to the Police Station. I’d rather just go home and sleep. Take a shower, eat, then sleep. Or maybe eat, shower, then sleep. I’m a little tired, and I think I bumped my head.” She smiled at him, taking a few steps away.
“Thank you for helping me,” she said back to him and took another step before turning to look at him. “You wouldn’t want to see me home to make sure I got there, would you?”
----
“I would be happy to,” Jack agreed, relieved that she wouldn’t object to him walking her home. Particularly in the state she was in, he wanted to be sure she made it home safely.
He offered his arm for her to take, still smiling pleasantly.
----
There was a pause as Fred giggled softly. She hadn’t expected that. Her hand fit neatly into the crook of his elbow. He was very pleasant, wasn’t he?
“Well, I suppose we really trade names. I’m Fred. You are?” Her fingers might have squeezed his arm a little, testing to see if the suit just made it look like he had muscle.
----
“I’m Jack,” Jack responded, looking her over in surprise. He certainly hadn’t met a woman named Fred before. All the same, he supposed it might be a common name for women in this city, wherever he was.
“So, Fred, do you always make it a habit of walking home alone this early in the morning?” he asked.
----
“Yes. Well, yes. I don’t go many places with other people. I’ve got friends, but I don’t have too many who walk me home.” Fred shrugged. “Jack? I know a Jack, two Jacks. One I haven’t seen in a while. The other’s a very bad man. He’s not really a man anymore.” She stopped, suddenly realizing that she had been a witness to a murder. Or she knew of one. But, it had been Batman...
“I’m sorry. So, Jack, you’re new to the City, aren’t you?” She squeezed his arm again; going home really wasn’t at the top of her list at the moment. She liked walking with this Jack. She’d never walked with the other Jack, but she probably wouldn’t have liked it.
----
“He’s not a man anymore?” Jack frowned, trying to figure out what she meant by that, and feeling a bit bad for reminding her of the other, apparently eviler Jack.
“And yes, I suppose I am new. Just arrived last night, in fact.” He could only hope that she didn’t ask for details about where he was from, as he wasn’t sure that explaining Wonderland would be a good thing to do just now. “What about you? Have you lived here long?”
----
“No, he’s dead. You can’t really be a man when you’re dead. Well, you’re still a man because unless something happens, you still have the parts.” Fred thankfully didn’t glance down to what parts she might have been talking about. “But, you're not whatever it is that makes us people. Then again, he was more of a monster than a man.” She shrugged.
“I’ve lived here a while. A few years anyway. You’d think I’d be used to it. I’m not always.” She paused at the corner, looking down one way, then another to see if she could decide which was was better. “Where you’re at ...not the actual physical location of streets meeting, but the overall place you’re at, where you’re standing, is the City with a capital C. That’s what it’s called. It’s a very strange place, filled with very strange people. There are people like me and you who are brought here, and then there are people who are born here. Not sure which that guy back there would be. I don’t think the people born here commit crimes, but there’s an investigation bureau-slash-police department, so maybe they do.”
She decided the way, and softly tugged him off the corner to cross the street. “If I seem to have lost my way, I kinda have. Things move all the time. The City does it. It decides to put you somewhere, direct you somewhere, or just likes to be mean. It may delay you; it may get you there in a jiffy. This is a lot to tell someone. I’m not really addle brained; my head does feel a little scrambled. I can’t believe I actually looked for a lady; I get confused sometimes. But, I’m usually pretty cogent.”
----
Jack frowned, looking her over with concern. Perhaps she was more shaken up than he’d originally believed? Then again, he had found New York to be bizarre and unbelievable when he’d first arrived as well.
He did let out a laugh as Fred mentioned that she’d looked for a lady.
“Well, it was kind of you to think to look for someone else when you were the one in danger back there.”
----
“Of course, you couldn’t exactly save a damsel in distress if you didn’t have a damsel. I just thought maybe it was someone else. I don’t get called ‘lady’ very often, if at all. I usually get called ‘Fred’ - or ‘plain old Fred.’” Said plain old Fred didn’t add that she was the one who usually called herself that.
“Oh, if you like waffles, that is a very good place to eat.” She pointed at a diner as they passed. It didn’t have a name exactly, but it did have a definite diner look. “There’s a pretty good taco stand around somewhere. And there’s a place that does really good pancakes.” She paused again, getting her bearings.
“Let’s see. I came from there the other day and ended up...oh!” As if she just noticed it. “There! Angel Investigations. I’m not Angel, as I said, I’m Fred. But, Angel, my boss, or my old boss, he’s not here right now to be my boss as far as I can tell. It’s really his place, but I’m living there.”
----
“Funny, you don’t look very plain or old to me,” Jack told her with a bemused smile. “I would have to say that you are the prettiest damsel I’ve ever saved.”
He stopped just short of her door, a little disappointed that their walk was at an end and a little lost as he realized that he didn’t really have a somewhere to go to after this, though he would just have to improvise.He’d certainly done that before.
----
“I doubt that. I’m sure I’m nice enough looking, but I doubt I’m the prettiest. There are always prettier girls out there.” Fred knew she could be attractive; Jesse wouldn’t kiss just any old girl, right? And this guy seemed to be attracted to her. Either that or he was really nice.
“I feel like I owe you something for saving me.” She finally stood at the door to the offices and looked up at him. Harry’s door was only a few feet away, but she ignored that for now. “Now, answer me truthfully. Are you really a good guy?”
----
“You... really can’t take a compliment, can you?” Jack shook his head and laughed.
He raked a hand through his hair and looked down at her, brow furrowed at her question.
“Well, I try to be one, anyway. I’m certainly not going out and hurting people,” he said. “And you don’t owe me anything. It was my pleasure, really.”
----
“I’m learning?” Fred smiled sheepishly while she looked up at him. Her head tilted slightly as he said he tried to be a good guy. Her eyes narrowed, and soon she nodded as if coming to a decision.
“Well, Jack. If you have just gotten to the City, you may be tired. If you haven’t already found some place to stay. I probably shouldn’t go straight to sleep, even if that’s what I really want to do. I’d greatly appreciate it if you could watch me for a little while to make sure I don’t have a concussion? I have snacks, in case you’re hungry.” She might have had a few other plans, but for now, she’d go with what she’d offered.
“Oh, and I’m a good guy, too. A good girl, mostly. And, it’d make me feel better to know that you’re not out wandering the streets.” Her smile now hopeful.
----
“Well, perhaps I shall have to make it a point to compliment you more often. Practice does make perfect,” Jack said with a smile.
He considered her request, though honestly he didn’t like the idea of leaving an injured girl alone, and he certainly didn’t have anywhere else he had to be. Not unless he could find that Looking Glass.
“I’d be happy to make sure that you don’t have a concussion,” he agreed. “Though are you sure you don’t need to go to the hospital? How is your head feeling right now?”
----
“It’s a little scrambled, but to tell the truth, that isn’t very different from what I usually am working with.” Fred laughed softly before turning to unlock the door. She opened it up and let him in before closing it behind them both and locking up.
“I would really like to not go to the hospital. They’re kind of creepy.” She shrugged with a weak smile. “If you want coffee, the machine is up here. I don’t usually fix coffee or much food down there. Angel didn’t cook much at home.” He didn’t cook much anywhere.
“Follow me, please.” She walked through the offices, coming to a pause to the way down to the actual apartment. It was strange, she knew, but it was where she was comfortable lately. “You don’t have to come down if you don’t want to. But, this is where I live.”
----
Jack did as requested, silently taking in the offices. He was a little surprised when she led him down to the apartment, but he supposed it was better for her to be comfortable, particularly after the night she’d had.
“No, it’s quite all right. As long as you’re sure you’re comfortable with that?” he asked.
After all, they’d only just met and she had asked him outside if he was a good guy, so she couldn’t have been too certain that he could be trusted. The fact that his intentions were, in fact, good was inconsequential to the fact that he had no way of proving that to her.
----
Fred smiled at him. “You’re sweet, Jack.” She led him down the steps and motioned to the fridge with the few snacks Fred kept round regularly. She got out a bottle of water just in case he was thirsty.
“I’ll be right back. I think I have blankets somewhere. Angel might have some clothes here. They may fit you. There aren’t that many colors, but it could be nice to shower and change after getting into a fight with some thug.” She smiled at him before disappearing. She actually took the time to brush her teeth a little before coming back with a blanket. “Angel’s clothes are in the dresser, sorry.”
She handed him the blanket before disappearing again to grab a pair of black slacks and a black sweater. She came back out with them and smiled again. “He didn’t wear much underwear sometimes. I think. I didn’t see any.” She held the clothes out to him.
----
Jack looked at the clothes, not all that disappointed that there was no underwear as he really hadn’t wanted to wear another man’s underwear.
“So Angel was your boss and you and he... lived here together?” He might have been fishing for information. Just a bit. “Where is he now?”
----
Fred actually blushed. “No, we never lived..we lived in the same hotel for a little while, but then I came here. The City, and I lived on my own. He was here for a little while, and he lived here, but now he’s not here, and I live here. I don’t know where he is.” She looked a little sad, but it didn’t last long.
“He didn’t think of me that way. I was just Fred. Plain old Fred. I know I’m not plain or old. But, that’s really how most people saw me. They probably still do, or they think I’m weird. Or both.” She smiled, shrugging. “So, there’s a couch...over there. And chairs.”
“I guess...that’s it.” She turned as if to go to the bedroom but soon came back to him. “Thank you for saving me.” She rocked up to her toes and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.
----
Jack’s eyes widened as her lips met his. Then he let them settle closed and returned the kiss. Her lips were soft against his, the kiss warm and welcome. It had been awhile since he’d kissed anyone, though he was careful to just put his hands at the small of her back, mindful of not wanting to come off as though he were taking advantage.
He broke the kiss a few minutes later, a grin on his face as he looked down at her.
“I just realized that I don’t even know your last name. Unless you’d prefer to go by ‘Fred the damsel’?”
----
Fred smiled up at him; Jesse had suggested she let the fellow know she was interested. Jack just happened to be the next fellow she came by she was interested in. Fred fixed some of his suit, seeing as she might have mussed it a little as they were kissing.
“You can, but it doesn’t sound quite right. Burkle. What about you?” She played with his lapel a little, tracing the edge up and down his chest.
----
Jack tried not to focus too much on the soft touches and the little tingles that were now racing up and down his chest. He did his best to keep his thoughts strictly PG, as she was someone who had just been through quite an ordeal and he didn’t want to take advantage.
“Heart. Jack Heart,” he said, despite the fact that she already knew his first name so it seemed a little redundant.
“You aren’t-I mean when you said you felt like you owed me for rescuing you-you do realize I wasn’t expecting this?” he said, attempting to broach that concern delicately.
----
“Oh, you don’t want to kiss me?” Fred looked almost innocent as she looked up at him. Her hand slid up to lightly touch his jaw then trace over the edge of his ear. “Not that I go around kissing on just anyone. Honest. Just, you’re very pretty, and you did save me. But, no, it’s not to repay you. I just wanted to kiss a hero.”
She used the lapels of his suit to pull him closer, so that she could kiss him again, keeping him from saying anything more. At least for the moment anyway. She didn’t try to get him out of the jacket, even though she had a feeling he’d be more comfortable. Fred wasn’t quite at the sleeping with anyone stage of things. No matter how she felt or what she wanted, she just didn’t think she’d ever be that type of Fred.
-----
Well, he certainly couldn’t argue with that. Jack;s eyes closed once again as his hands found her back and pulled her closer. One of his hands moved up to brush some of her hair back, his fingers entwining with the soft hair.
It was certainly a heartier welcome than he’d expected from this strange place.
----
Fred couldn’t help the soft giggle as he seemed more than willing to kiss her. She sighed softly as she finally broke the kiss, but she didn’t move too far away. Her fingers played with his lapels some more. There was something about kissing a man who was dressed in a suit.
“I should probably go.” Her voice was a soft and breathy. “I don’t want you to think less of me. I really am usually not this...forward. Maybe I have had a very long night. You too probably.”
----
Jack blinked in surprise.
“Go?” he asked blankly, “but its your apartment. I should be the one to go. And I certainly can’t complain about the forwardness,” he said with a grin. “Though perhaps I could get your number and next time I could buy you dinner first?”
Yes, now he was being forward, though he certainly wasn’t just going to leave without at least trying for the chance to see her again.
----
“I meant, go to the other room.” Fred giggled softly. She pressed a kiss to his jaw before stepping away, smiling still. “Go shower, then to bed. You are not leaving. You are going to sleep on that couch. If you want, you can shower after I’m in bed. Or in the morning. I mean when you wake up because it already is morning. I’m sure there’s a cleaners somewhere that will do your suit.” She reached out and touched his lapel again.
“I’d love to give you my ….well, you could have my pager number, but I don’t have a phone. I think me and Harry are the only ones who don’t have phones - well, his just doesn’t work. I don’t have one. You might want to check your pockets sometime to see if you’ve got one.” She took another step away, wondering if she’d really get to sleep with him in the other room.
----
“All right then,” he agreed. He reached out and caught her hand, bringing it to his lips. “Good night, Fred.” He released her hand and took a step back himself, looking down at the pile of clothes she’d given to him.
She was definitely different from any woman he’d ever met, this Fred. And he’d thought Alice was unique...