Tweak

InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "HAS ANYONE SEEN MY TAMBOURINE?"

Username: 
Password:    
Remember Me
  • Create Account
  • IJ Login
  • OpenID Login
Search by : 
  • View
    • Create Account
    • IJ Login
    • OpenID Login
  • Journal
    • Post
    • Edit Entries
    • Customize Journal
    • Comment Settings
    • Recent Comments
    • Manage Tags
  • Account
    • Manage Account
    • Viewing Options
    • Manage Profile
    • Manage Notifications
    • Manage Pictures
    • Manage Schools
    • Account Status
  • Friends
    • Edit Friends
    • Edit Custom Groups
    • Friends Filter
    • Nudge Friends
    • Invite
    • Create RSS Feed
  • Asylums
    • Post
    • Asylum Invitations
    • Manage Asylums
    • Create Asylum
  • Site
    • Support
    • Upgrade Account
    • FAQs
    • Search By Location
    • Search By Interest
    • Search Randomly

John Connor ([info]johnbaum) wrote in [info]omega_reality,
@ 2011-10-22 09:28:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:*complete, 2011 10, character: john connor, character: savannah monroe

RP: John and Savannah
Who: John Connor and Savannah Monroe
Where: Savannah's place
When: Saturday, October 22, 2011 - after lunch
Summary: John tries to smooth things over and see if they can make things any clearer.


John had been upset by the fact he'd hurt Savannah, unintentionally. While he didn't consider them particularly close, despite her insistence she'd adopted him as a little brother, he did care and consider her a friend...something he had precious little experience with maintaining. It wasn't like he'd had a plethora of friends growing up, not kids his own age. His best friend at home had been the cyborg sent back in time to protect him. Normal. Really.

It was so much easier talking to Parker, really. She didn't expect things.

And he had no idea what was going on with Sean. They were friends. But, again, John's experience with guy friends was even less than female friends. He was used to talking to Cameron, now Parker. People who knew as much about normal as he did.

Getting the email from Savannah earlier, he'd almost expected her to be brushing him off. She wasn't. So, he'd give this a chance. He was really starting to wonder if the future had it wrong, though. Maybe it was another John Connor, one who actually could talk to people without pissing them off or sounding too...Hell, he didn't even know what he was doing wrong. Brian was right. He had no idea what normal was and he was conceited enough to think he stood a chance at leading the human resistance in a few years? Sure.

And he was fidgeting as he waited to be let in, unsure of the welcome he was about to get, despite everything. If he didn't know that he never could hold on to that particular resolved, he'd swear never to try doing something right again.


(Post a new comment)


[info]savannah_monroe
2011-10-22 04:46 pm UTC (link)
Savannah had wanted to make brownies, they sounded so great, and then the smell of them was enough to put her off from chocolate for days, or months. It wasn't just chocolate. The smell of everything was enough to make her stop eating. Gosh, she hoped this didn't last the entire pregnancy or she wouldn't eat for the next nine months.

The only good thing was that she had some brownies for John when he arrived. She opened the door with a smile. "Hi, sorry for the delay," she said as she hugged him. "Come in, there's brownies and I've got milk or wine. Eliot decided that we were going to bake at 6:30," she said, laughing. "You can tell me how they came out."

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]johnbaum
2011-10-23 02:25 am UTC (link)
"Nah, it's fine," John said, returning the hug with a bemused chuckle. "I didn't mind the extra time to sleep in on a Saturday." This was a much happier Savannah than he'd last spoken to in email. But, at least she didn't seem to hate him this morning.

Stepping inside, he shook his head. "Milk's fine." He still didn't really drink. A couple times with Brian while they were out, but not much even then. "Six thirty? And you said yes?" John laughed. "He's lucky you've got the sweet nature you do. Most other people would have told him where he could stick those brownies. You're not having any? Should I be worried or grateful for having built up an immunity to iocaine powder?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]savannah_monroe
2011-10-23 02:37 am UTC (link)
"I don't mind the extra sleep any day of the week." Not that it happened during the week, but it was nice. "Sit, relax. I'll be right back."

She went into the kitchen and returned with a glass of milk for John an a bottle of water for her. "Oh goodness gracious, of course I didn't. I like the man and I like to bake, but I don't like either enough to do it at 6:30, and that's why the delay. I went back to bed and did the baking at a much normal hour."

She chuckled. "No, I'm not trying to poison you, but I've smelled enough chocolate in the air to last me through the pregnancy, thank you very much. I can smell everything. Seriously, everything. I can smell what people have been eating and drinking while I'm sitting across the desk from them. It's like a new super power, except it's not."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]johnbaum
2011-10-23 04:03 am UTC (link)
Taking the milk with a quiet thanks, John nodded. "Okay, that's good. I know next to nothing about baking." He shrugged. Charlie had cooked well. He was about the only one John had known who had. And he knew enough to know good cooks didn't always make for good bakers. "You said six thirty and I assumed you must need all that time."

Raising an eyebrow, John took a bite, then grinned. "Still breathing," he teased. Watching her for a moment, he considered what she'd said. Ever since hearing about the pregnancies, John hadn't been able to stop thinking about his mom, how many similarities in the situations he could see. "Considering what some of these people call food, you have my condolences. Does it scare you? Knowing he or she is likely to be hunted, maybe even before they're born?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]savannah_monroe
2011-10-23 04:12 am UTC (link)
"Oh no, it takes about twenty minutes to make, another thirty to bake, that's all, and Eliot is pretty fast considering that he can't see. No, he just decided to send me a message at 6:30 asking me if I wanted to come over," she said with a smile. "I decided that sleep took precedence over brownies, at least for a few more hours."

Savannah laughed. "I wasn't expecting a different outcome." She snorted. "It doesn't matter. I can't see to deal with the smell of my own food. I can cook all right, no nausea or anything, but the smell gets so powerful that I can't eat." Maybe she might have to take G up on his offer of ordering food.

Her hand went to her stomach in a protective gesture as she thought about his question. "No, I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I know the possibilities, but I have faith in myself, in Marty. We can protect our children, and if we can't, there are so many wonderful people that can. I'm not under any illusions that it will be easy." She thought about Eliot and what he had told her. "Maybe believing in God makes it easier, I don't know, but I do have faith that things will work out, that whatever will happen has to be better than not having this child. It's a life, the life of my child. No matter how short or how long our lives will be, we will have that much, which has to be better than nothing."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]johnbaum
2011-10-23 05:43 pm UTC (link)
"That makes more sense," John agreed with a chuckle. Oh, he didn't care about crazy hours for training or a mission. But, for brownies? They were good, but not good enough to warrant getting out of bed at six thirty in the morning.

"Our neighbor back home was pregnant when me moved in, few months a long. But, I've never really been around birth much." Death. He'd seen plenty of that. But, birth was something precious and rare in his experience.

Smiling, he watched her reactions, wondered if that was how his mom had felt in 1983 when she was pregnant with him and on the run from the machines trying to kill them. "I don't think God has as much to do with it as the strength of a mother. Mine never believed in God, said the influences on our life were outside His jurisdiction. But, she fought like a mad thing to make sure I was born. I think she was scared about doing it alone, though. She knew what was out there, what was coming for us and it was just her. She never said as much. But, in the months before I lost her, she started to unravel a little. She'd been fighting so long. And I saw the fear she tried to hide from me."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]savannah_monroe
2011-10-23 07:45 pm UTC (link)
"Oh yes, I like my sleep, I just never have enough," she said with a shrug. "Not that I'm not used to it. With cheering practicing, we used to get up early, go to the gym before classes and then in the afternoon."

Savannah smiled. "My sister was pregnant before I left. We weren't sure if it was a boy or a girl, not that it matters as long as it's healthy. I miss that, not having been there for her."

She shook her head. "I can't take all the credit for this. I'm sure there was God's hand in it, in making me find Marty, but even more I have a husband who wants this baby as much as me, and a wonderful family and friends that can help. Maybe I'm crazy, but I'm not afraid. I believe that things will work out. Marty says that I'm not normal. Eliot says that I'm just me. I don't know who's right; you can take your pick." She looked at him, knowing how hard it must have been. She hadn't really lost her family and it hurt. It had to be so much worse. "How long were you alone before coming here? And if you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. We don't have to."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]johnbaum
2011-10-23 09:33 pm UTC (link)
John knew what that was like, missing out, feeling like you should have been there for someone else. He reached over and squeezed her hand for a moment, not saying anything.

Biting his lip, he stared into his glass for a long time before shaking his head. "I don't mind. It wasn't very long, actually. Only a couple of weeks. I mean, my dad was killed on a mission before I was born. So, I guess that was a while. But, Mom...only a couple weeks. My uncle a couple days before, killed on a mission just like my dad. There was this guy my mom dated for awhile when I was fifteen. I thought he'd be my stepdad. Things didn't work out between them, but he still treated me like a kind of surrogate son. He was killed the day before my uncle. Home invasion. That was a couple weeks after my girlfriend's body was found like I told you before. So, I wasn't really alone for all that long. It was just a lot all at once."

Shaking his head he tossed off the melancholy mood. "They're both right. You are just you. But, you're not like most other people. You're unique. Whether that was God's doing or yours is really irrelevant."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]savannah_monroe
2011-10-23 10:03 pm UTC (link)
Maybe for most people a hand squeeze was enough, but not for Savannah, and not after listening to that story, and she stretched closer to hug him tight. She stayed liked that for a moment and when she pulled back, she cupped his face. "I don't know much about your dimension, but I can tell from what you say how much your mother must have loved you. We can't come close to giving you what she and your family did, but we- I am here whenever you want, okay?"

She let him go, pulling back. "I'm sorry about yesterday," she said with a sigh. "I should have stopped answering when I got upset, because emails don't always say what we mean, and I was hurt, not with you, but you couldn't have known that. I still disagree on your choice. It's counterproductive, but I'm not hurt by that, because people disagree on things all the time, and maybe you're right, I get a lot of training just by listening to them talk. Marty was an undercover cop, they were super agents, just being around them gives me an in that the others don't have, but I still don't think this was the way to do it."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]johnbaum
2011-10-23 11:37 pm UTC (link)
John suspected he should have known the hug was coming after that, admittedly much abbreviated and altered, version of his life the last couple months before coming here. When she pulled back, he smiled. "I know she did. I...I didn't always act like I knew it. I kind of gave her hell that last year. I didn't know she was sick. She kept it from me. But, I never doubted I was the most important thing in her world." John knew she meant well, but when he had really needed someone, Brian was the only one who'd cared. Still, he nodded. "I know where to find you."

"I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean to upset anyone. It was supposed to be a good thing." He shrugged. I don't know. Maybe I should just cancel it. I understood your point about that, though. I don't know that I agree with it being counterproductive, but I understood your point. It was the other stuff I didn't understand."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]savannah_monroe
2011-10-24 12:18 am UTC (link)
Savannah smiled at him. "You loved her a great deal, and if I can tell, I'm sure she knew regardless of what you may or may not have done. I hope one day my child will know the same thing. I don't think there much more than any parent can do for a child." She knew that it wouldn't be that easy under the present circumstances, but she would do her hardest to make sure her children knew how much she loved them. "Instead of waiting for the day when something goes wrong, how about you and Brian come over some night for dinner? He was a sweetheart with the wedding, or as he liked to call it, that archaic rituals breeders have to enslave them to each other so they can support their offspring. I'll send him an invitation so he can't say no."

She nodded. "I know, and you shouldn't cancel, not now. It'd be worse. Just be careful. I know you will, but some of the others? Keep an eye on Tim for me, please." She took a deep breath, wondering how much she should say. "It's just... Sean doesn't like how close Sam and I are, or maybe he just doesn't like me. I don't know. I've tried to help, tried to be nice, but no matter what I say I get blamed. He doesn't want me there, so it's best this way."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]johnbaum
2011-10-24 02:44 am UTC (link)
"Yeah, I did. Still do." John smiled ruefully, thinking about some of the things he'd said to his mother over those last months. "I probably would have a few lectures coming to me if she were here. I don't think you have to worry, though. I don't know anyone with a bigger heart than you, Savannah. It's hard not to see all that love when it's directed at you day in and day out, even if you don't know how to appreciate it at the time."

John laughed at her repetition of what sounded exactly like Brian's thoughts on weddings. "Dinner with the newlyweds might be a bit domestic for Brian. But, if you can get him to say yes to the invite, sure." He winked at her. "I'm not dumb enough to turn down your food when offered."

"I'll keep an eye on them," he promised, not at all sure cancelling still wouldn't be better. Her problems with Sean weren't what he'd meant. He didn't get why it was so bad to go out without the spouse. But, he wasn't going to push that. Not that he had any idea what to say about things with Sean, either. "I don't know what's going on with him. We don't actually talk much about family and things. More, projects and music and stuff. But, it kind of sounds like he's jealous. Just, do me a favor? Next time he tries to explain something about me, ignore it and just ask me? My world is pretty different from this one and, I guess, yours. So, even what seems similar, probably isn't."

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]savannah_monroe
2011-10-24 03:09 am UTC (link)
"Who says that I don't appreciate it?" she asked smiling. "I- I really like people, and I want them to be happy. It might sound stupid, but it hurts to know that people are upset, even when it's not my fault. It's why I can never stay angry with people. I want people happy, I want to help them be happy, and I may not always be successful, but I try and I will always try."

Savannah laughed with John. "Oh ye of little faith. I will find a way to make him come-" She stopped and blushed, because some words and Brian simply shouldn't be uttered together. "Not that way, and the man is a sweetheart, but talking around him or about him is har- difficult. Really, a wedding has taught me all the words that I should never mention, but I will get him here one way or another."

Savannah sighed. "I know how he sounds, John, but I don't know how to show him that I'm not trying to take his father away from him. I've tried everything, and everytime something happens, it's my fault," she said, before nodding. "He was talking about himself, mostly, and being mean about it. I was only trying to explain why I couldn't come without Marty. You get it, though, right? I mean he probably does too, but as he said, he doesn't care why or if I show up, so my explanation was just a bother to him, and it probably shouldn't upset me so much, but it does."

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]johnbaum
2011-10-24 03:30 pm UTC (link)
"No, I didn't mean you didn't appreciate it. You're the mother with the big heart in the metaphor. I'm saying with all that love, it'll be hard for the kid not to know how important he or she is to you." Listening to her, he couldn't help wondering about his world. "I hope there's a you in my world, Savannah. It could certainly use you."

John suppressed a grin as she stumbled over words to associate with Brian. At least he wasn't the only one who blushed. Although, she was a sweet, innocent girl. She was supposed to blush. He wasn't a naive schoolboy. He should be able to stop it. Still, he couldn't help teasing, just a little. "Pretty sure that first one is my job." The grin he'd been hiding came out then. He could just imagine Brian's reaction to being a 'sweetheart'. "He'll find new ways to twist other words. He takes pleasure in it. Part of his charm.

"Maybe it's not up to you to show him. It's up to Sam." He shrugged, not really understanding how anyone couldn't see that Sam would do anything for his kids. He wasn't overt about affection, maybe. But, neither had Derek been and John still always knew his uncle loved him. Sean, for all his perceptiveness when it came to emotion, just seemed to be blind to the most important one. "You can only do so much before it's all on them to work it out for themselves. You can only keep caring about them both and hope it works out. As for me, I get that you were just trying to explain. I admit, I still don't really get why you can't spend time with friends without your husband, but it's cool. Like I said, my world's a bit different. Things like that really don't matter to us. But, they do to you and that's fine."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]savannah_monroe
2011-10-24 03:50 pm UTC (link)
"I really hope so, the child part, I'm not sure how much I can help any world," she said, laughing. "I'm not sure how valuable hugs are, but since I can't stop it, I just get everyone around me to think that they are important. The more you hug them, the more they come to accept it. Even Eliot doesn't mind anymore."

Savannah made a face. "I did not need to know that. Really, no sex talk, which I understand is impossible with Brian around, or when speaking about Brian, or even mentioning him passing, but I shall invite him and make sure he shows up to dinner, and then I'll make sure that Marty doesn't kill him for hitting on him. It's going to be fun," she said, giggling. "And yes, I know he doesn't mean anything by it, as you said, part of his charm."

She snorted. "Sam doesn't show. Sam assumes that you know if he's not telling you what an idiot you are and sometimes even when he's telling you. He means well, but emotions… not really good at showing them," she said. "I keep trying to be the bridge between the two, but it only works for a short time and then we're back to the same," she said with a sigh.

She looked at him wondering if she should bother with explanations. "I tried to explain to Sean and he didn't care; he told me so, but I can explain to you if you like. It's not that I can't go out without him, it's that it needs to be the right occasion. A girls night out, then yes. Say we were at home, and it was a cheerleading thing or work thing, then again, yes. Going out with a group with guys is… disrespectful. He wouldn't say anything, but it doesn't make it right. I mean, imagine if G had a party and invited the guys, then I'd be fine. Instead if he had a party with the guys and then invites Kensi and other women and no one under twenty-five allowed, I'd rip their eyes out," she said smiling, "not that they'd do it, because they value their lives. It's just insulting, like you don't want the other person there."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]johnbaum
2011-10-24 07:29 pm UTC (link)
"It's not the hugs." John smiled and shook his head. Somehow, he wasn't surprised she couldn't see what she could bring to the world. But then, maybe that was part of her charm. It was totally unaffected.

"It's kind of his favorite pastime," John said with a laugh. "But, no more sex talk from me. Though, you did kind of leave yourself open for that one." He was glad someone else realized why Brian did what he did. "It's just who he is, really. Although, keeping Deeks from trying to kill him would probably be a good idea."

John shook his head. "That's because it's not really about you. You can try, but it's up to them to build that bridge. You can't make them see each other."

He thought about it and tried to see it from her perspective. But, he didn't really understand it. "See, that's the part I don't understand. Why you'd mind. I guess, I don't understand what's wrong with having different groups that make up the whole, different friends with different commonalities. A twenty-five and under doesn't seem any different to me than a girls' night. A woman having male friends she spends time with without her husband doesn't seem like a big deal to me. Or a man having female friends he spends time with without his wife. Parents having parents without their kids, kids hanging out without parental supervision. Maybe it's just me. I just don't see where it's a big deal. But, it's okay, really. I don't have to understand it to accept it. I mean, look at my relationship with Brian."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]savannah_monroe
2011-10-24 07:49 pm UTC (link)
"I wouldn't discount the hugs. They make everyone feel better even when they look like they are humoring me," she said laughing. "I... I just like to see people happy, you know? Someone needs to remind people that being happy, having friends and family, that's what's important."

Savannah chuckled. She hadn't liked Brian at the beginning, but they ha spent more time together for the wedding and she'd learned to deal with him. "I know, and the nicer he is, the more he feels the need to say something obnoxious and rude. I tend to hug him the moment he starts. He's been less rude with me, and he might have hugged back once or twice," she said, grinning. "He's... strange, but he's a good man. I'm glad you're happy with him."

She knew that he was right. "I still don't like that I can't help them, and I don't like that he doesn't like me, but I'll survive."

She shook her head. "But it's not a different group. It's still the same people, the same team, but you're picking age to be the cut off point. I'd be pretty unhappy with anyone deciding that they would have events not open to the under twenty-five crowd, even more if they invited Marty." Savannah snorted. "Right, not a big deal until Marty kills one of those men." Not that he'd really do it, but he'd want to, and they had gone down that road already.

She started to think about the best way to explain why she'd mind, why she wouldn't like knowing that Marty were at a party with other women, all sorts of women, even Kensi, and how he'd be there to take care of her if something went wrong, and before the idea was so wrong and upsetting, and it was a very big deal, and Savannah suddenly didn't have the words, but instead she was on fire. She jumped out of the couch. "Oh God, not again..." She put her hand to her mouth and took deep breaths, until she was back to normal. "Did I hurt you? I'm sorry, I didn't mean, too. I just started thinking of Marty and women and I couldn't control, and goodness... okay, I don't know about a man, but Marty isn't spending time with any women while I'm pregnant."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]johnbaum
2011-10-25 01:05 am UTC (link)
John chuckled. "I don't discount them. They're just not what my world needs. That. Reminders of how to be happy. That's what we need."

Fingers idly running over the necklace he still wore, John nodded. "Mm, yeah, that sounds a lot like Brian." His smile grew much warmer at the image of Savannah hugging Brian to make him stop being rude...and Brian hugging her back. In secret, of course. John doubted he'd let himself be seen hugging the cheerleader. "He's a better man than a lot of people give him credit for or than he'll ever admit to. Drives me crazy sometimes, but, yeah...I guess I am...happy, that is."

John reached over to squeeze her hand again. "I doubt he doesn't like you. He just needs an outlet for his resentment and you're an easier target than his Dad."

There were a number of things he could have said about groups and teams and just needing time away. Hell, he'd been trying to be allowed to spend time with kids his own age since forever and the closest he'd gotten was dating Riley.

But, all of that fled his mind when Savannah suddenly went up in flames and he had to scramble back to prevent worse injury than a little heat and a couple singed fingers from holding her hand that he dipped in his milk, heedless of the inevitable social faux pas it likely was. Took the fire out of the sting. Milk was one of nature's best topical anti-inflammatories after all. "I'm fine," he assured her. "It's not even enough to blister. I'm used to working around flame and move fast." John chuckled. "How about we just agree no more invitations for you or Deeks without the other and skip the details? Might be safer."

He was startled, but still able to grin at her. No harm. No foul.

John laughed. "No women for Deeks. It's a very good thing you weren't the one to fall for Brian, I think."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)


[info]savannah_monroe
2011-10-25 01:26 am UTC (link)
"I can do that. The reminders I'll just add some hugs to go with the reminders," she said, smiling.

Savannah's expression softened as she saw one of the most honest smiles she'd ever witnessed from John. "He does a good job at hiding what a good man he is. He didn't have to do what he did for the wedding. He certainly didn't have to offer. I owe him my sanity; dinner is the least I can do. Besides watching you smile like that should be incentive enough for him to accept the invitation."

Sam and Sean become irrelevant as she dealt with her little display of powers. "I'm ... sorry," she said, frowning. "I really didn't mean it. It's like back at the beginning, when I couldn't control it, but yes, no more invitations without Marty and vice versa." She chuckled at the last line. "I doubt Brian would have any problems with the 'no-women' rule. He might have a bigger problem with me being in love with him. See? It was meant to be. I have Marty and you have Brian."

(Reply to this) (Parent)

Home | Site Map | Manage Account | TOS | Privacy | Support | FAQs