InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "True story."

Liz Sherman [Hellboy] (apartofme) wrote in colligo_threads,
@ 2012-09-11 23:21:00

Entry tags:

charlie mcgee, liz sherman

WHO: Liz Sherman & Charlie McGee
WHAT: Because Liz knows what it's like, and even if she's not in that position anymore, she can't very well turn her back on someone who is. AKA Liz checks in on Charlie to see how she's coping.
WHEN: September 11th; Afternoon
WHERE: Charlie's apartment
RATING: PG
STATUS: In Progress

Liz had been popping her head in every so often to check in on how Charlie was doing. She was a child, after all, here without anyone to take care of her, so the things that were necessary in life such as food beyond candy and the easy snack pack things weren't entirely within her ability to acquire for herself that Liz felt that she was obliged to provide. But it was really more than just that which drew her back to the girl's side time and time again. Even as she had kept the information to herself, motivated by the fact that her own inability to manifest her power now likely marking her as a liar if she did try to say anything and the BPRD bearing a rather striking resemblance, at least in any sense that a child might be able to grasp, to the Shop that Charlie was so frightened of, there was very much a kinship between herself and Charlie.

She knew all too well what it was like to live with a power that was well beyond you at such a young age, to have it work its way out of you when you least wanted it, when its own existence got the better of your ability to tamp it back down. Liz, herself, had gone through the beginnings alone, had only been anchored when she'd finally accepted the help and support of the people who had taken her in, and she had been much older than Charlie by that time. She knew what it was like to be afraid of herself, to be afraid of what she could do, and Liz didn't want to see Charlie have to suffer with those thoughts as long as she herself had.

If only there were a way to really show that beyond what she was able to express in just being normal old Liz who works with the homeless and sometimes brings cake when she stops by.

Speaking of. "Knock, knock," Liz called, rapping lightly on the door, shopping bags draped on her wrists and a small bakery box balanced in one hand. "Anybody there?"

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isaidbackoff
2012-09-13 04:49 am UTC (link)

At the sound of the knock and Liz' voice accompanying it, Charlie quickly dragged her sock-clad feet off of the coffee table where she'd had them propped up, and reached for the remote control resting on the couch cushion beside her. Pressing the two vertical lines to pause the movie she'd been watching, she tossed the remote back onto the couch and padded silently to the front door.

Although not before pausing near the entrance to the kitchen to glance rather mournfully at the charred remains of the microwave on the counter.

With a soft sigh and a shake of her head, she continued on her path and carefully unlocked the chain, then deadbolt, that kept people from coming in if she didn't want them there. Opening the door, she smiled softly up at Liz as she stepped aside to grant the woman entrance. "Hi!" she exclaimed, closing the door carefully behind her and once again locking it. She knew, if the Shop came looking for her, a couple of locks wouldn't really keep them out, but they sure made her feel safer so she made extra sure to use them every chance she had.

"How are you?" she asked as she eyed the bakery box that Liz held, holding out her hands in a silent offer to take it from her to lighten her load a bit. "I burnt up the microwave," she announced almost immediately after that, her tone very matter-of-fact, although also tinged with a touch of embarrassment. "I forgot 'bout a spoon I had in my bowl. It didn't like it very much."

She didn't tack on the fact that she'd then spent the next two hours trying to mimic the spark-induced fire that had erupted from the microwave due to her oversight. Sure, she liked Liz well enough. Just like Neria, the woman did her best to look out for her while trying extra hard not to intrude too much. But the fact of the matter was, no matter how nice someone was, that didn't mean Charlie was going to share everything with them. Some things were just best kept to herself. Especially when it came to what she could do.

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apartofme
2012-09-13 05:37 am UTC (link)

With the life that she'd lead, there were few things that truly upset Liz. In fact, most things that regular folk would get angry or at least exasperated over, she found amusing. So as she handed the bakery box off to Charlie, a small quirk of a smile gracing her features, she waved the exploding microwave incident off with a hint of a laugh mingling with her voice. "We'll get another," She said, sparing a glance back over her shoulder as she slipped into the kitchen to put the rest of the groceries that she'd brought away. "Really, if you ask me, they're way too oversensitive about what gets put in them. All that chemistry stuff never made too much sense to me, but attraction, reaction, it's all too finicky," She said, moving to peek back out the door at Charlie with a hint of a smile.

"What do you want for lunch? And you can't just have cake. As much as that would be nice and doesn't really hurt when you do it once in awhile, but it's better to save that for late nights or days where you don't feel all that great," Liz said, sorting through a sack of vegetables to pick out the lettuce, tomatoes, and the sack of onions that she'd gotten before turning to the bag with the various meat products she'd picked up. "I think I have the fixings for a sandwich. Turkey or Roast beef, white or rye. Whichever you'd prefer."

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isaidbackoff
2012-10-01 11:49 pm UTC (link)

The first thing Charlie did was set the bakery box down on the counter so she wouldn't accidentally drop it. Climbing up on the nearest stool so she could see what was going on without having to stand on her tiptoes and crane her neck, she began swinging her legs idly to and fro while watching as Liz emptied out the contents of the bags she'd brought in with her. "Turkey on white, please," she responded nearly instantly when asked what kind of sandwich she wanted to eat. She hadn't really felt hungry until Liz had showed up at the door, but now that the offer for food was there, she wasn't about to pass it up.

"I think I might go to the park this afternoon." The announcement was made after a few seconds of silence. Charlie hadn't been sure she was even going to say anything, part of her not wanting to tell anyone what her plans were, just in case they turned out not to really be her friend. Liz bringing her food didn't do much to earn her trust, really. After all, Rainbird had brought her food and pretended to be her friend, too. But ultimately she'd decided that, if Liz really was working for the Shop - or was bad in any other way - she would find out one way or another soon enough. There was no reason not to at least give the woman the benefit of the doubt until then.

She just wouldn't tell her everything.

"Do you want some help?" she asked instead, figuring if she was keeping her hands busy that maybe she wouldn't just keep talking about the things she wanted to do now that she could walk around freely, without worry of a Shop agent catching up with her and trying to take her away again.

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apartofme
2012-10-02 02:31 am UTC (link)

"You can grab the bread for me?" Liz suggested with a smile. She didn't quite understand why Charlie had stated her desire to go to the park only to change the subject, but she wasn't going to prod or ask about it in a way that may put the young girl on edge. The last thing that either of them needed was for Liz to upset her when she didn't mean to. "And any condiments that you want to go on it," She said, laying out some turkey before grabbing the vegetables to wash and cut up to put on it as well.

"That park is always a good option for the afternoon," Liz said, figuring that touching back on the topic gently might not hurt anything. After all, that was what you were supposed to do in a conversation when someone brought up a topic, encourage them to either continue or share your own experiences with such a situation. "Especially with the park that is in the city. I think you could travel up and down that stretch of wilderness for an entire day and still not manage to find everything hidden in it." It was a nicely groomed piece of land compared to the forest that surrounded the city, and not nearly as good an exploration grounds as said forests, but for someone Charlie's age, Liz was hardly going to touch on something like that. Not unless she ended up needing somewhere to hide.

"Do you have any plans for the evening?" Liz asked, a hint of curiosity in her eyes as she looked up at Charlie. "I was going to rent a movie, if you don't have anything else you intend to do and wanted to join me."

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