InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I was hoping you would find me"

molly suresh can beat anyone at hide-and-seek (humanmapquest) wrote in colligo_threads,
@ 2009-09-25 05:18:00

Entry tags:

!closed

WHO: Claude Rains and Molly Walker
WHAT: Meeting up in order to put Molly at ease.
WHEN: Not long after this.
WHERE: Apartment #109A
RATING: TBD (not too high)
STATUS: In Progress

The first thing that Molly did before leaving the front steps of the library - where she'd returned to after realizing that the same building she'd been assigned to live in was the same one that Sylar was living in - was to check that Sylar wasn't anywhere nearby. Once she had his location, she next checked on the location of Noah Bennet. When she'd first checked, he had still been in the same place as Claude. This time, however, he wasn't and Molly knew that it was time for her to go.

Holding her PDA tightly in both hands, as though someone might very well try and take it away from her, the ten-year-old calmly made the short trek from the Grand Library to Apartment Building A, and stepped inside. She found the room easily enough but didn't knock right away. Instead, she once again checked that Noah hadn't returned and that Sylar hadn't randomly stopped by.

Only when she knew that neither one was near enough that she needed to worry did she raise her hand and knock. Her tiny knuckles rapped lightly against the wood and she stepped a bit closer to the door, glancing periodically over her shoulder as she waited for it to open. She knew it made her look a little paranoid, but she couldn't help it. She'd been hunted too many times, had her life threatened far too often, for her not to be a little nervous when in a new location. And the fact that the man she feared most in the entire world was in this city, along with the man who had unflinchingly threatened to shoot her when she hadn't even done anything, was more than enough to put her on edge - and keep her there.

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disappearingact
2009-09-26 08:12 pm UTC (link)

Claude wasn't sure exactly what to think. Fine, yes, Bennet might have pointed out that he had always been more than decent with the sprats, and that he had one willing to cling to the grumpy old man for some type of reassurance really wasn't that surprising. But still, there was this whole other element of consideration to this. Them rounding up him, Abby, and Lee was one thing. Adult threats for an adult situation, that much he could understand. But them going after children? That made them no better than the Company standard in his mind, just as disguising and twisted. And once more, all he could do was be thankful that he didn't have to deal with that whole mess here.

Opening the door at the knock, Claude smiled down at the young girl, at Molly, only a hint of tentativeness on his gesture. God, he really was getting too old for all of this.

"Did you have any trouble getting here?"

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humanmapquest
2009-09-26 08:33 pm UTC (link)

Molly smiled up at Claude, relief obvious on her expression as familiarity washed over her. Yes, she knew that he didn't know who she was, but that didn't change the fact that she knew him. And while she had known he was here because she'd been talking to him over the message boards, she felt much better seeing him with her own two eyes. As though somehow it might have been a trick before. Which, she supposed, wasn't entirely impossible really.

She squashed the urge to hug him, however, knowing that that would probably be a little much for him to handle at the moment. Instead she shook her head at his question and pulled a neatly folded map out of the pocket of the jeans that she wore.

"I bought a map," she stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "Well, actually, the woman just gave it to me. But I was going to buy it. Though I don't think it would have been too hard to find this place even without it. You can see the building from the library and most people tend to leave a kid alone for the most part."

Her lips curved upward into a private sort of smile as she admitted, eyes shining with humor, "I think they're scared I might start crying or something, if they make eye contact."

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disappearingact
2009-09-26 09:23 pm UTC (link)

Claude's smile slipped from something tentative to something much more open at her last words. All right. Now, he could certainly see why he'd agreed to help her in the first place. The kid was smart, mature, and definitely well settled for her age, and considering what had likely happened to her given Sylar's history, extremely well adjusted for the circumstances. She was tough, then. Definitely the type that he would have been protective of. People like that had been through enough in their life. They didn't need anymore heaped on top of them.

"You know how people are," Claude said with a chuckle. "Always so careful not to rub anyone the wrong way if they think they're going to be judged for it. Crowd of people watching, anyone that might so much as set off a kid bawling will be getting the stink-eye for next to forever."

A cynical way of looking at things, people avoided because it would be bad for their self-image if they tried to help and did something wrong. But that was the Claude Rains way of the world. Everyone was ultimately out for themselves and would only help others if it didn't make to big of a dent in their own plans.

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humanmapquest
2009-09-26 09:49 pm UTC (link)

Molly nodded in agreement, before adding, "And they might have to help. Not everybody likes to help. Even if it's something easy like directions." The statement wasn't a judgment of humanity but rather an honestly made observation that she'd long since accepted. She was guilty of it herself, many times. Not because there wasn't personal gain involved, typically out of fear instead, but the end result was still the same. She didn't want to help in some situations. So she couldn't blame others for feeling the same way.

Glancing around the apartment, the first thing that caught her eyes was the large machine filling up the spot where there should have been a couch. A brief frown of confusion flashed across her face before it disappeared. Whatever the... thing was, it wasn't any of her business. So rather than ask about it, instead she glanced back to Claude.

"So you really think Sylar isn't hurting people anymore?"

The question was out of the blue but that was her intention. Most people, adults especially, tended to be worse at lying when they were put on the spot. And while it was easy to type words of comfort into a keyboard to try and make someone feel better, it wasn't always as easy to do so face-to-face. So she figured, if there was any chance of Claude having possibly lied about the information he'd given her on Sylar, this was the best way for her to find out.

Not to mention, if she thought about it for too long, she'd probably lose her nerve at even bringing up the man's name to ask. She knew that was ridiculous - it wasn't as though he was the actual boogieman and could find her just by talking about him - but that didn't mean she wanted to run the risk just in case he somehow could.

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disappearingact
2009-09-26 10:21 pm UTC (link)

The question was random but not all together surprising given the circumstances and what they had already talked about. The only problem was that it left Claude grasping because he didn't really understand the full reality of the situation, only what he'd observed secondhand and heard through Noah. But Claude shrugged in response before adding, "He's at the very least making a conscious effort to try," He said, figuring that was the best that he could offer up. "And as far as I know, nobody's been hurt in the four months that I've been here."

That was something, at least. If that was the standard that he was trying to uphold, he was doing a pretty good job of it. Especially since there were plenty of people here that he could have likely gotten things off of.

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humanmapquest
2009-09-26 11:19 pm UTC (link)

Although he did hesitate, Molly didn't think he was lying. Maybe not sure how to respond, or quite how to put it - people were kinda funny when it came to wording things for kids, she knew - but he wasn't outright lying to her. Or if he was, he was a far better liar than she'd originally thought.

Still, the desire to believe him was strong enough, and the trust she had in him was also still present even if he didn't remember having earned it yet, that she took what he said as the truth. Nodding, her shoulders sagged a bit in relief. Funny. She hadn't even realized she'd been tense until that moment.

Hopping up on the edge of the... machine, that served as a couch in his living room, her hands were clasped in her lap as she confided in him in a soft, yet even, tone. "He apologized, for what he did to my parents." Her brow furrowed a bit, gaze dropping briefly to her hands before back to Claude. "He said he helped Micah, too. Pretended to be him so Micah could get away."

She sighed heavily at that and gave a light shake of her head. "I told Micah not to go. He should have listened."

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disappearingact
2009-09-27 12:44 am UTC (link)

He apologized? Well, that was something. People that were determined to hurt others usually didn't care enough to say that they were sorry. They usually weren't sorry. So that at least showed some sort of change in the man that was as good as a monster back where they were from.

"People rarely listen to the good advice that they're given," Claude said as he smiled over at her, sparing a glance towards the MRI machine that she was sitting on before crossing over and sliding in next to her, leaning back against it. "Especially if they believe that their decision is the right one to make."

Claude spared Molly another glance he managed a light smile, "That's the nature of people. Stubborn lot, all of them."

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humanmapquest
2009-09-27 07:35 am UTC (link)

"I know why he did it," Molly stated after a second of thought. Her legs swung idly as she studied her hands for a minute. "Monica is all he has left. His parents are gone and he's all alone." She peered up at Claude after a second, frowning a bit. "But just because he had a good reason doesn't make it smart."

With a soft sigh, she shrugged a bit and admitted, "But, I guess I should have stayed in India where it was safe, even if I had a good reason to leave." Admitting that both helped, as it made her feel a little less judgmental, but also hurt a bit. If she had stayed in India, she might still be there now. And as much as Molly was grateful that she wasn't being hunted for being 'special' here, she still would rather risk that than be stuck somewhere that she might not ever see what little family she did have left, again.

There wasn't any changing the past, though, so she pushed the thought aside and did her best not to look too downtrodden. With a small smile, she admitted sweetly as she peered up at Claude, "I'm glad you're here. You're one of the only ones I've been able to find so far, at least when it comes to people who haven't scared me before. And I know you don't know me really, but it was very nice of you to agree to meet with me."

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disappearingact
2009-09-27 08:42 am UTC (link)

"The good reasons, the right reasons are rarely the smart reasons or the easy reasons," Claude said, smiling over at her. She really was a good kid even if he didn't have the foggiest idea who she was or what sort of circumstances had ended up bringing them together. He was more than used to taking care of the little ones given the chance, and this situation was hardly any different than that except maybe for the fact that he was a decade or so older, a little bit wiser, and a lot less naive.

"It's the least I could do, kiddo," Claude said. Even if that was a lie. The least he could have done was pretended like he wasn't there, ignored her, sent her on her merry little way like he had with Peter at first, but he'd learned his lesson after Peter. Reaching out a helping hand when someone needed it wasn't a surefire way to get himself in trouble, no more than avoiding everyone was a surefire way to keep himself out of it. So he might as well compromise somewhere on the middle ground. Help those who truly needed it while still doing his best to keep himself off of the radar.

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humanmapquest
2009-09-27 09:06 am UTC (link)

Molly gave him a smile at his statement, before shaking her head a little. "You didn't have to," she replied softly. Her voice was filled with open honesty, wisdom beyond her years at the way the world was capable of working and insight into how many grown-ups could be when they set their minds to it. "You could have told me to talk to somebody else, or that you didn't know who I was and didn't believe me when I said I knew you."

After a second, she nudged him lightly before adding with an almost sneaky grin upon her face. "Even if you would have had a hard time hiding from me, if I'd really wanted to find you." She didn't elaborate, part of her curious if he'd already learned of her ability or not. She figured Noah Bennet would have told him what she could do, but then again, she wasn't sure of that fact. However, she was speaking the truth - she could find him, if she wanted to. Although if he'd told her to leave him alone, she would have respected that.

Feet still swinging idly, she glanced around a bit before finally deciding to voice the question that she'd first had upon entering the apartment. "So, what is this thing, anyway?" she asked, motioning to the machine upon which they were perched. "It looks expensive."

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