InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "VIVA LA VIE BOHEME."

Gina Renaud | Mercedes Mondego (justonefish) wrote in bellumlogs,
@ 2010-07-06 15:44:00

Entry tags:

count of monte cristo, mercedes mondego

Who: Xavier and Gina
What: "First meeting" (i.e. Gina has no clue and Xavier wants to shake her)
Where: Some place nearby that makes good cocktails
When: Friday June 25th at 7 PM
Warnings: Total obliviousness, angry thoughts, and possibly an inappropriate story or two.

By the end of her first week at Bellum Letale, Gina was exhausted. She had been at the hospital for more hours than she could count, juggling patients and the rumors of all this strangeness going on in her new home. Her time with Lucas since her arrival had been fairly limited, with both of them seemingly coming and going at all times. And so she felt a little bit guilty about abandoning him on their first Friday night in New York. However, it was important for her to know the men he dealt with. Lucas rarely included Gina in his work, which she didn't usually mind. But lately he had been so secretive that it was beginning to grate on her nerves. If she couldn't get answers from him, then she would simply have to befriend his newest associate and get answers from him instead. Besides, it was good form to be a supportive wife.

For a casual meeting, she wore a knee-length skirt with an asymmetrical hemline and a simple blouse. Her hair was straightened and styled nicely, and she put on just a dusting of "going out" makeup. She looked put together, pretty enough to please but not enough to distract. After picking up her purse, she left the apartment and took the elevator downstairs.

It stopped on the second floor and refused to budge, and so she walked the rest of the way down to the lobby. Once there, she stood quietly, glancing about the vacant room. It occurred to her that she didn't know what Xavier looked like, but it didn't quite bother her. Once she saw a man that seemed to be the appropriate age - i.e. not a child - she would ask if he was indeed the man she was looking for. If not? She'd just wait until the proper man did.

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whatbefell
2010-07-06 04:01 pm UTC (link)

It could easily be said that Xavier had spent more time worrying about this meeting than any other. Lucas had been straightforward. He was to be Xavier, who didn’t know Lucas and would continue to become friendly with the man. There was only one emotion to take care of – anger, which usually was his failing point. It was coiled up and shoved somewhere deep inside himself, waiting to be let out later. If he had to uncoil it once in the privacy of his own apartment, he still did a good job with it.

The problem with Gina was that it wasn’t just anger. There was no doubt that he was furious with her – just as much as he was with Lucas and in a way more so. But her betrayal hit closer to home. He still didn’t know if she’d helped Lucas or was innocent along the way. He’d have liked to believe the latter, but there was the simple fact that she never gave him a chance. He’d never heard seen her or spoken to her since that Christmas Eve twelve years ago. She’d never come to him while in prison or responded to any attempt he made to contact her. It didn’t matter that if he was the Count of Monte Cristo, then she was Mercedes. Mercedes had fought to see Edmond, though had been mislead. This was the modern age – how the fuck had she not been able to reach him?

The answer was simple – she didn’t want to or made an effort to. It was the only answer that made sense after all.

He didn’t get much sleep the night before, spending Friday glancing at the clock and willing time to pass more quickly. Maybe it was his imagination that made this weight worse than his twelve years. At six o’clock he changed, using both physical measures to change himself as well as his illusions. (Sam had taught him that the evening before.) He spent the remaining forty-five minutes on his couch attempting to read the newspaper to distract himself.

At seven o’clock precisely, he headed down the stairs. His hands shook as they trailed down the railing and he wet his lips as he tried to think of how he was greeting her. (Why were his plans falling apart again?) He’d already decided to not be on time – a tad late, just to throw things off a little. If he was uneasy, it would be because he wasn’t on time. He paused at the landing above the first floor, adjusting his slacks and dress shirt one last time, before forcing himself down the final stairs.

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justonefish
2010-07-06 04:17 pm UTC (link)

Being kept waiting was a little vexing, but Gina hid any upset she felt well. After all, she knew he lived on the tenth floor. It was a ways down, and maybe he just underestimated the time it would take to descend the stairs. So she stood quietly, keeping her expression pleasant so he wouldn't catch her frowning. After all, it'd be terrible if his first impression of her was an ugly scowl. That wouldn't do at all.

A sound at the stairs caused her to turn, her skirt whirling around her knees before settling against her legs. Her eager eyes fell on the form of a man as he emerged from the staircase. Straightening up slightly, she took a few quick steps towards him. "Excuse me?" she asked, smiling brightly. "I'm sorry, but are you Xavier Delamere?"

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whatbefell
2010-07-06 04:31 pm UTC (link)

He’d caught sight of her as she moved towards him and nearly froze half-way down the stairs. His hands shoved into his pockets as he took in that same brilliant smile, bright eyes, and familiar face. She hadn’t changed much in twelve years – older, perhaps. A little more tired. But it was a shock from the past, worse than seeing Lucas.

He didn’t trust himself to speak, so he moved down the rest of the stairs until he could formulate words again. For a moment, he actually considered protesting - no, dreadfully sorry. I’m Edward Hobson. but balled up that urge with his anger. “I am,” he said, accent weak. “You must be Gina Renaud.” There was a brief moment of hesitation before he stretched a hand towards her. “It’s nice to meet you at last."

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justonefish
2010-07-06 04:49 pm UTC (link)

Oh good, she had the right person! Her smile brightened as he affirmed his identity, and she shook his hand firmly as he offered it. "That I am. And you too!" Giving his hand a light squeeze before ending the shake, she took a step back, inclining her head towards the doors of the lobby. "Shall we?"

As they began their walk, she fell into step beside him. "I must admit, Lucas hasn't told me much about you. So I'm really happy you were willing to meet with me." Adjusting her purse on her shoulder, she stepped out onto the street beside him, glancing his way. "Lead the way," she said with a smile.

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whatbefell
2010-07-06 05:38 pm UTC (link)

Was a squeeze at the end there? He nearly held onto her hand, relishing the feel of it for a moment longer before she pulled away. It allowed him to return to reality as he nodded. His hands moved to his pockets as they set out, pace slowed slightly so that she could keep up.

"He hasn't?" He wasn't surprised though he faked it well enough. "He brings you up quite often." There was a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Too bitter not to. "You're lucky to have a husband like him."

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justonefish
2010-07-06 05:56 pm UTC (link)

"You mentioned that," she said with a smile. "And you promised it was only good things." Laughing lightly, she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as they started along the street. As he mentioned that she was lucky, she nodded. "I consider myself very fortunate," she said. Though she seemed perfectly in agreement with this, her eyes were the slightest bit distant. There were good things about Lucas, but there were bad things as well. And lately, she seemed to be noticing the bad more than the good. But she chalked it up to stress, hoping that soon this rocky period would end.

"So, Xavier. When did you come to America?"

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whatbefell
2010-07-06 07:58 pm UTC (link)

"I keep my promises," he assured her. Saying he wasn't a liar would be too ironic, but he was fairly good about keeping his word. He tried to at the very least. The way her eyes went off was noted briefly, but he didn't read too much into it. Even if she looked the same, she could have changed in twelve years - it was feasible. It didn't mean he still knew how to read her.

He tipped his head to the side, before saying, "Almost a month ago. I'd been meaning to come over for longer though."

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justonefish
2010-07-06 08:09 pm UTC (link)

"Only a month?" she asked. "You're brand new, then!" She smiled, tilting her head slightly to the side. "How is it so far? Is it what you expected?" Gina had to admit that she knew very little about England, most of her knowledge coming from Harry Potter. And she knew that wasn't exactly reliable.

"I've never been to England myself, but I've seen pictures and it looks beautiful. The old buildings, especially. I love old things like that. It's such a shame that here, something is knocked down if it's over 5 years old."

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whatbefell
2010-07-06 08:12 pm UTC (link)

Xavier pointed to a street corner, as they crossed the street. "We're heading down here two blocks," he said, before returning to her questions. He couldn't help but wonder what she'd say if she knew the truth. When she did. "It's loud and busy and new," he admitted. "But I've not done much outside of New York, I'm afraid. I'd like to do a proper trip around the States eventually."

He raised a brow, innocently. "You should have Lucas take you." Back to him again. As always.

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justonefish
2010-07-06 08:53 pm UTC (link)

She followed him across the street. "Okay!" she chirped in response to his command. Walking alongside him, she glanced over at him. "You should!" she said. "It's a nice country, when you get away from the huge cities. The countryside is pretty."

As he mentioned Lucas, she shrugged. "Maybe we'll go someday," she replied breezily. "Though my little sister has always wanted to go. I might go with her sometime."

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whatbefell
2010-07-06 11:09 pm UTC (link)

Xavier nodded absently, continuing to lead the way. It was difficult to not say the truth - he'd seen far too much of the United States as it was. "It's on my to-do list," he said simply

"Which one?" It came out before he could stop himself and he winced. "Lucas mentioned you had a couple, right?" Fuck, he needed to keep track of these things more. Lucas hadn't said that - hopefully she wouldn't confirm it or Lucas wouldn't remember.

They reached their destination, classy and far from where Edward and Gina used to spend their time. He knew she wasn't big on drinking, for a variety of reasons but Xavier didn't. That would be important. The man at the front ushered them to a table, off from everyone else and slightly quieter. Making plans in advance? Xavier would never do something like that.

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justonefish
2010-07-06 11:32 pm UTC (link)

Had he? That was an odd thing for Lucas to mention. However, Gina just nodded. There was no real reason to over-think it. "I have two," she said, nodding. "And it's the older one, Holly." If it meant anything. Which it really didn't. "She's interested in travel."

As they reached the place, Gina looked about with a smile. "Wow, you're right! It is nice!" She followed the host to their table, sitting down and putting her purse to the side with a smile. "So how did you choose New York? Was it business, or did the business come later?"

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whatbefell
2010-07-07 12:24 am UTC (link)

Xavier nodded absently, filing it away for future use. It had been a stupid question and slip-up - when they'd dated, he'd always done his best to ask after how her sisters were. Not that he'd liked them when he met them, but it had seemed the right thing to do.

At her compliment, he couldn't help a faint smile. He took his seat with an expression that was far too smug, taking the proffered menu from the host with a nod. A hand went to his side - tapping five, then two - before the host went off. Seven minutes to order and then the true games would begin.

"Business, entirely," Xavier said. "Like I said, I always wanted to be in the states but New York was convenient." He shook his head. "When you're abroad and people talk about America, New York City is the place people speak of. It's strange, considering it's not even the capital." He scanned over his menu, before looking up - not that he needed to know what was on it. "And before there's any arguments, this is on me."

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justonefish
2010-07-07 12:38 am UTC (link)

"I've heard many people say that it's the business capital of America," she said with a nod. Gina wasn't extremely educated in the world of business - she left that to Lucas - but she was competent enough to keep up without getting lost in the shuffle. Complete ignorance was, to her, the worst thing a person could embody. She never deluded herself into thinking she needed to know everything, but a little bit of most things suited her well.

Her gaze skipped over the menu, trying to decide what to order. Their salads looked appetizing, but she could get a main course with a side salad and get the best of both worlds. Decisions, decisions. She looked up, somewhat startled, when Xavier spoke. Mouth open in surprise, she looked at him for a moment before nodding graciously. "That's very kind of you, Xavier. Thank you." Years of being around Lucas and meeting men like him had given her a gauge of when it was smart to protest an offer like this and when it was wise to accept it. Right now, protesting would only create awkward tension and she didn't want to come across as argumentative. Besides, it was a very kind gesture.

With that out of the way, she looked back to the menu. Stroking her chin, she looked over at him. "You've been here before," she stated. "What would you recommend?"

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whatbefell
2010-07-07 12:50 am UTC (link)

"It's still not quite the same," Xavier said, though there was a smile. As she looked over the menu, he attempted to not stare at her - it really had been too long. But there was a certain guilt to it too - Xavier wouldn't stare at her. At least, he would have no reason to without it being suspicious. He settled with sneaking glances from his unappetizing menu and to her, until she agreed to let him pay. He managed to hide his bitter smile, "It's no trouble, I invited you out after all."

Granted, she owed him. A good start could have been paying for his dinner, but wouldn't it have been Lucas' money? The coil of anger tightened painfully, nearly making him miss her next question.

"Their sandwhiches are good," he admitted. "They're not very complex, but they're presented nicely." He laid his menu down on the table, pointing out a few things as they went. "They use a turkey bacon on their BLT - the fish in this sandwhich is from Canada - that's an aged cheesed on the Monte Cristo-" He winced immediately. Fuck, that might have been his usual choice for the irony but mentioning that was stupid. His hand moved to the opposite side. "Their Cobb salad is popular as well."

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justonefish
2010-07-07 12:58 am UTC (link)

The examination of the menu was a fairly routine one, but Gina liked hearing other people's opinions on a menu before fully deciding. She was always willing to try something different and knew full well that some parts of a menu would always be weaker or stronger than others. As Xavier mentioned the sandwiches, she immediately glanced at the list. "Hmmmm," she murmured, running her finger over the names as he mentioned them.

Her gaze was moving between his face and the menu, and as he said "Monte Cristo," she immediately looked down at the menu because she so often forgot what that was on that sandwich. The explanation seemed decent, but the idea of frying a sandwich made her stomach hurt a bit. Eating that might make her feel sick afterward.

"Hmmm. The Cobb salad does sound good," she said lightly before nodding definitively. "Yes, I think I'll have that." She wasn't in the mood for anything terribly heavy, so this would be a good choice. "Thanks for the recommendation," she said with a smile.

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whatbefell
2010-07-07 01:15 am UTC (link)

She seemed to miss his slip up and a low sigh of relief escaped him. He offered a small smile at her thanks, shaking his head. "It's no problem." The waiter came back a moment later, taking their orders. With a quick glance, Xavier ordered for both of them asking for the listing of their alcohol options when he returned. The waiter left and he looked back to Gina.

"So, tell me about yourself. I'm afraid Lucas hasn't said much beyond the here and now. Where are you from?" From there, he could guide the conversation onward. He had to know about her college years.

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justonefish
2010-07-07 01:24 am UTC (link)

After their orders were placed and the menus were taken, Gina looked back to Xavier with a smile. She hated these 'where are you from?' talks. Frankly, she was ashamed of where she had come from. She loved her family, even though they rarely saw eye to eye, but she didn't expect anybody else to love them. She'd be surprised if they did.

"I'm from a small town in Massachusetts," she said. "Not too far from Boston, if you've heard of it." Though 'small town' was a bit generous - it was a trailer park without wheels - it was the best term to use. "This is actually my first time in New York. I went to college in Massachusetts too, actually in Boston." She wouldn't give the name of the college unless he asked - Gina wasn't the bragging type, and Harvard to her had always meant a lot more than a name. After all, it wasn't like she went there because she could foot the price tag.

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whatbefell
2010-07-07 01:33 am UTC (link)

He knew the answers to ehse questions already, but it didn't matter. Xavier was an attentive listener, leaning forward, a hand propping up his chin as he listened. "I've heard of it. A friend I know through his travelling attended college there." One of his better stories. Chris Montgomery was his chosen alias while travelling, a bit younger than Xavier truly was and living out of his backpack. There'd been something freeing about being him; he felt closer to Chris than he did his other aliases, beyond Xavier.

"There's quite a few good schools there. Chris went to B.U." Though it was a known party school, it still had some respect. People mixed freely on the circuit and Xavier had known quite a few people in the Boston/Cambridge area, good friends with them despite not being at Harvard. "I heard Lucas was at Harvard." He gave a grin, trying not to push his luck and knowledge. "Were you at Wellesley? I heard there was a tradition of marriages between the two." Which had ended some ten years before Edward and Gina had attended. Thank you, Radcliffe for opening.

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justonefish
2010-07-07 01:39 am UTC (link)

"Oh yeah?" she asked, nodding at the mention of B.U. She had been to a party there soon after her freshman year had started. She barely remembered it now, though that might have had something to do with the bowls of "punch" stuffed with fruit slices that were more alcoholic than the drinks. "That's a good school," she said. "And yeah, Massachusetts really is a little hub of learning."

As he asked about her alma mater, she laughed, shaking her head. "No, no, that was over and done with before I started. I actually went to Harvard as well. We were friends when we attended."

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	whatbefell 2010-07-07 02:33 am UTC (link)
	Xavier nodded, just as the waiter came back with the alcohol list. He scanned it briefly before handing it to Gina. The waiter continued to stand there, until Gina was ready - Xavier quickly ordered a gin and tonic, his usual choice in recent years. It was a good point to stop as he needed to think of what he'd ask next. They were close, but not quite there yet. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

justonefish
2010-07-07 10:57 am UTC (link)

When the waiter arrived, Gina looked over the alcohol list. She was a fan of exceedingly colorful drinks that contained at least one piece of fruit, and preferably a stick with something sparkly attached. After a few moments of thinking, she settled on a tequila sunrise. The waiter took their orders and left, leaving the two alone once more.

"So where did you go to school?" she asked politely. "I'm afraid the only schools I know of in England are Oxford and Cambridge." Her voice was sheepish, apologizing for her American ignorance. "Oh!" she gasped, holding up a finger. "And Hogwarts." She gave him a sweet smile before dissolving into small giggles.

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whatbefell
2010-07-07 12:10 pm UTC (link)

The topic returning to him wasn't what he wanted and his mouth twisted for a moment. He relaxed soon after, leaning back in his chair. "It's a bit of a long story, but I was at Oxford for awhile. I dropped out around the end of Freshman year." He shrugged. "It seems to work well enough for me."

Xavier did know about Hogwarts, just barely. The first book had come out a little before he went to prison and he'd seen through the news the craze it'd been since. He managed a smile for her, not saying anything else.

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justonefish
2010-07-07 12:19 pm UTC (link)

The idea of Xavier dropping out of college was a surprise. He was so put-together, seemed so very educated. But Gina had learned that "unconventional" didn't always mean "bad." She smiled back. "Well, it's not for everybody," she said matter-of-factly. "I knew a lot of my classmates at Harvard that dropped out because they just didn't like it." She shrugged. "What matters is that you can find the thing that you do like, and that makes you happy."

Thinking of Harvard and finding her happiness brought her thoughts back to Edward, and for a brief moment her face fell. She recalled the horrific dream she had had the first night she slept in Bellum, and could still feel the pricks of his nails on her shoulders. But this wasn't the time for that. Pushing the thought away, she brought another smile to her face.

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whatbefell
2010-07-07 12:29 pm UTC (link)

"Right," he said, easily. Clearly he wasn't disturbed by his dropping out, so it shouldn't have mattered to anyone else. Or at least, that was how he intended to shw it. Everyone would always wonder and it helped with inconsistencies elsewhere. "How often did people drop out there?"

Xavier watched her face, nearly asking if she was alright before she smiled at him again. The dream from the other evening came to mind, but he pushed it aside. Fine, this was how Gina was now. Let's see her deal with it then and everything else.