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Tweak says, "In a unconventional way, yeah."

Elaine Hammond (elaine_hammond) wrote in omega_reality,
@ 2013-01-01 17:45:00

Entry tags:

*complete, 2013 01, character: bud hammond, character: elaine barrish hammond, character: margaret barrish, character: thomas hammond

RP: The Hammond/Barrish
Who: Elaine, Bud, Margaret, Doug, TJ (maybe Travis)
Where: the island
When: Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Summary: The prodigal sons return home

Elaine was as anxious as before an election. She wasn't sure why. Oh, who was she kidding? She knew exactly why. Her kids had never been far. There had been school, but that was different. There had still been the secret service and she had gotten reports daily on their activities, whether they knew it or not, and even in college, she'd known where they were and what they were doing. It was hard not to when the paparazzi made a point of following them.

This was the first time that she'd had no idea what they were up to, what they were doing. It made her jumpy not to know what was going on. Bud didn't help with his relaxed stance, and Mother was as calm as ever.

Not sure what to do, and considering the time they would come back, she decided that they would have dinner together. With the new move, the only place they could have dinner all together was the team center. She and Mother prepared things, making Bud help. When they finally arrived, they were waiting for the kids outside and Elaine went to them with a smile. "Boys, it's so good to have you home."

Doug smiled back and hugged. "Hey, Mom. How are you?"

"I'm good. You look good, both of you. Come on, we made dinner for you. We can eat and we can tell you about what's going on." Maybe that sounded a little like a briefing, but Doug would appreciate knowing what was going on, while TJ... she wasn't sure, but hopefully, he'd understand why she was doing it.

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hammond_tj
2013-01-02 01:14 am UTC (link)

"But not before both of you come here and give your grandmama a hug," Nana decreed, coming over to Doug while TJ gave his mother a brief hug.

"Hi, Momma."

TJ was darkly amused to find they really had met them practically as soon as they arrived. The phrase we made dinner for you was a surprise, though. Of course, that left him with having to decide in an instant whether to tell his family immediately about Travis and make his lover sit through what was likely to follow, or let Travis get a meal he'd actually enjoy with people who would appreciate his presence.

There was no such thing as a secret with these people and he didn't actually want to keep things a secret. But, here in front of the others wasn't the place for this conversation. Taking his turn at hugging Nana, he shot Travis a look as he stood up straight and shook his head just a little. He wasn't putting Travis through the fiasco that was likely to follow.

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doug_hammond
2013-01-02 01:26 am UTC (link)

Doug went through the motions, hugging everyone, knowing that with their family, the loving moments wouldn't make it past the first course, but he could pretend for a while that everything was okay, at least until he felt the emotions coming not from his family, but Travis, the one person he was so used to having around, and the emotions were familiar ones: betrayal, disappointment.

God, he did not want to go home with TJ.

"Did you miss us, Nana?" he said, instead, ignoring the situation. TJ would have to deal with his lover, while Doug could pretend than anyone noticed his absence, something he didn't believe for a moment. They only missed him when he had to clean up after TJ and there had been no reasons.

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hammond_tj
2013-01-02 03:54 am UTC (link)

"Every day, Sugar." Nana patted Doug's cheek. "Every day. "

TJ watched the two of them because it was easier than standing around waiting for the shoe to drop from his parents. He'd built this moment up so much in his head, now it was here and he just wanted to get it over with so he could go back to Travis afterward and try to relax.

Because he was definitely not relaxed now. And he wouldn't be until they got through this.

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elaine_hammond
2013-01-02 04:10 am UTC (link)

"Come on, let's get inside." The weather wasn't as bad as it had been, but the food was nice and warm and wouldn't taste as good cold. "We've gone some pretty good food, thanks to your father."

Doug tried not to snort and looked at TJ.

"Oh don't you to start with those looks," she said, smiling. "Your dad is a good fisherman, especially when the fish is practically jumping on the island." Elaine winked at Bud as she went inside.

The table was already set, while the other tables were empty. "They've even put your grandmother and me to work. The mussel soup is thanks to our abilities. Why don't you sit and tells us what you've been doing? Are you all right?"

Doug didn't even think as he took his spot on his mother's right, pulling the chair for her.

"Thank you, darling."

He waited for her and then sat down. Their father took the seat at the other end of the table, and on the other side there were two plates set for Nana and TJ, and for a split second, it was like they were sitting in DC and nothing had changed, and he had to remind himself that it wasn't true. "I can tell you we haven't been fishing. We've been working and training, making friends, living I suppose. It was nothing earth shattering."

Elaine nodded, keeping the smile on her face, but she didn't understand why they had needed to go away alone to do 'nothing earth shattering'. "We're glad you're home."

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hammond_tj
2013-01-02 05:05 am UTC (link)

TJ followed along quietly, wishing he'd been able to come up with some excuse to stay behind with Travis. This felt too normal, like nothing had changed. Shouldn't something have changed in three months? It felt like he'd changed so much and, yet, five minutes with his family and it was like they'd never left their world.

Holding Nana's chair in an unconscious mirror of Doug's gesture for their mother, TJ looked at his brother as he took his own seat, hoping for some sign his brother felt how strange it was, too.

It was too much the same and he needed something to have changed, something to be different, in order have any hope something had been accomplished by leaving. Or, maybe things really wouldn't ever change and they'd always be stuck in these roles. The need to not let things fall right back into the same old patterns was what finally made him speak up.

"It doesn't really even feel like we've gone all that long," he said, simply. "Things here seem pretty much the same as when we left."

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elaine_hammond
2013-01-02 05:22 am UTC (link)

"It has been only a few months. In a way it's not much different than going to school." Elaine was trying, because it obviously meant something to them. After all, they wouldn't have come back if they hadn't been called, and Elaine knew that it had to do with Marks and not them. She still didn't understand why always the same and nothing out of the ordinary required them to abandon their family.

"Things have changes, though. Four people are missing. We live on an island. We need to find our own food most times. We're preparing for..." She sighed. "Who knows, but nothing pretty. We can't go home, because we're legally dead. Vance is getting ready to move to a different dimension and we'll have to decide if we wan to follow them, face the dangers they are planning for, which don't sound too appetizing or settle here. We're unknown here, we could live a normal life. It's what you two wanted, isn't it? We could give you that. No politics, no long hours dealing with the nation's problems. We could pick a city and move there, lie as a family. If it's what you want, it won't be hard to make it happen."

She was pretty certain that they'd be relieved if they left. Three old people who couldn't defend themselves were a drain on their resources and no one cared about TJ and Doug because they hadn't been around long enough. "It's not something we need to decide tonight, of course, but it is something to consider."

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hammond_tj
2013-01-02 05:53 am UTC (link)

TJ almost laughed. The one time he made a general statement that was supposed to be read as applying only to his family was the one time his mother focused on everyone else. But, then, he supposed if it wasn't much different than school, he shouldn't be surprised. It had taken awhile for them to notice when things started changing when he was in school. He indicated the five of them sitting at the table. "I meant things here."

Nothing about these people sounded appetizing. But, though TJ heard a way out of this life, his mind focused on the idea that Travis would never be content to just settle here for the rest of his life. And anonymity had never been something TJ particularly craved.

"A normal life? What does anyone in this family know about a normal life?" TJ shook his head. "Is that why you think we left? Because we wanted to live normal lives? Be like everyone else?"

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elaine_hammond
2013-01-02 02:13 pm UTC (link)

Elaine looked around the table with a frown. She was hoping that someone would speak up and explain, because she had no clue what TJ was implying now. "I'm not sure I understand. What should have changed in three months?" she asked.

Elaine tried not to sigh, because it was a sign of defeat and she refused to do that. "It doesn't matter what we know or want, or even why you left. At this point, we can't go home and we can't be less than normal regardless of dimension. There is no way we can be in the spotlight here and in a new dimension, there wouldn't be the resources to create a backstory that would allow us to be anything but ordinary."

She might have dreamed big since she was a child, but she was a realist and didn't bury her head in the sand. "The options are to stay and live a normal life or to follow them and live a military life in a dimension that from preparation and speeches makes this island sound like a vacation. There are no other options."

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hammond_tj
2013-01-02 08:12 pm UTC (link)

"You caring why we do anything would have been a nice change, for starters," TJ replied softly. When he looked up, he stared, trying to find some hint that she even cared if they were there...if he was there. Back five minutes and everything slipped into familiar roles as if they hadn't been gone for three months, as if they were still the same people they had been when they showed up in that mall. "Three months is actually a long time, Mom. People can change a lot in three months.

"Picking between those two options is going to decide our entire futures," he added calmly, trying to keep things civil as long as possible, even if it was a futile effort. "Shouldn't what we know and want matter more, not less? Since when did this family ever just settle for anything? We can't go home because we're dead there. But, we've got an opportunity to do anything, stay the same or change our entire lives, do things we never had a chance to do, or tried and messed up before, find out what we are besides the Hammonds. What we want, what we know, that's all we have left to make the decision with at all."

Of course it had been too much to expect that they'd care why he or Doug did anything. If it didn't fit nicely into their vision, no matter how bleak that vision was, it was superfluous and ignore. "And maybe there are other things to consider, other people to consider, people whose opinions might affect ours."

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doug_hammond
2013-01-02 08:36 pm UTC (link)

Doug hadn't expect anything other than exactly this. Three months were barely a blimp when people like his parents planned for decades. Three months were just a short interval, nothing more and nothing less. To be honest, he hadn't expected them to change in three months, so he wasn't sure why the reverse wouldn't accurate, too. What he was hoping that would change would be being stuck between them and TJ, but now they were back to the same patterns and neither side would think of anyone but himself or herself.

"Can we stop? Right now, can we just have dinner and not decide right now?" he asked. "Mom, I know you. You've already planned, because you know all the fact. From Dad's silence, he's in agreement, or he'd have told us the opposite of whatever you think. Nana will do whatever you want. So instead of this song and dance, just tell us what's going on and what you've decided. TJ, I love you and I've come with you, because I believed that you needed it, but I don't need your bullshit either right now. You never consider anyone's opinion. You might make it sound more idealistic than them, but in the end, it's about what you want. Just look at why we came back. It's because you wanted to come back. Now, you're debating not based on what's best, but some idea of love, but love ends, and if it didn't, then it would have been nice to hear a 'sorry, Doug; it sucks that we have to go back', but you're just like them; you're all about the grand gestures." He took off the chain and tossed it on the table. "Keep the dreams. I just want some peace and quiet."

He got up. "You know what? You deserve each other, all of you, but I'm tired of dealing you. Fight it out, make your choices, let me know what we're doing. I'll go have dinner where I don't have to listen to your crappy arguments that are nothing but another version of the 'I want what I want and fuck you' game that you've been playing for years."

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hammond_tj
2013-01-02 09:11 pm UTC (link)

TJ stared at the necklace on the table and then looked back up at Doug, realizing he'd failed his brother once again. God, he really couldn't get this being a better person thing right at all and he kept hurting Doug in the process. Picking up the cross, he stood as well, trying to catch Doug before he could walk off. His parents, even Nana, were secondary to his brother. Always had been.

"Doug, please don't." He held the necklace out to his brother. "I'm sorry. It's too little, too late. But, I'm sorry. I didn't realize...You've left the decisions and the choices to me and I guess I thought if you really cared about one way or the other, you'd tell me. What you think matters to me; it always has. I'm trying. In all definitions of the word. But, I am trying to be better and I fucked up. Again. I do love you and I'm sorry."

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doug_hammond
2013-01-02 09:30 pm UTC (link)

Doug turned around and raised his hands. "Don't, TJ. I know I let you make the choice, because it was obvious what you wanted. I didn't want to change your mind, but it would have been nice to know that you're aware that it's not all about you and now I don't want to hear how sorry you are, because the next time there is another decision, you will think about what you want, they will think about what they want, and all of you will remember I'm alive when I have to mediate. Well, I'm done mediating," he said.

"I love you and I love them, but I'm not going to be in the middle of this, TJ." As much as he wanted to support his brother, he couldn't do it this time. The best he could do was not to take sides. "You want to decide your future based on love. They want to decide based on logic. I don't have room for love or dreams. There's only one way I could go so I'm removing myself from this discussion completely. You're on your own with this."

He turned to his parents. "Thank you for dinner, but it's best if I go. We can try this... some other night. Good night."

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hammond_tj
2013-01-02 10:08 pm UTC (link)

"Doug..." How did he always end up making things worse when he was just trying to make them better? That was all he was trying to do was make things better, to change the cycle they'd gotten into. Reaching out, he took his brother's hand and put the cross into it. "I gave this to you because I love you, Doug. I'm not taking that love back.

"And maybe this is the way it's supposed to be, anyway. Maybe this is something I need to do alone. I've been leaning on you for most of our lives and I said I was going to learn to stop, to learn to be the one you could lean on. I'm not getting off to the greatest start, but I can keep trying to change. It's not about wanting to decide my future based on love, Doug. Yes, I love him. And, I love you. And, if it's possible to have my way, I want to keep both of you in my life. But, all I was trying to get across now is that we have a say in our future. It's our choice, too. When the time comes to make that choice, I want an equal say in my future. That's all I'm trying to say."

He let go, but kept his focus on his brother. "Can we talk later? Not tonight, if you don't want to, but soon? Please? I do want to know what you want, even if I won't like it."

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elaine_hammond
2013-01-02 11:37 pm UTC (link)

Elaine got up and reached her children. She took Doug's hand. "Dougie, sweetheart, we missed you. I missed you, not because of your brother or your job. I missed you, because you're my baby. I don't want you to be in the middle of anything. Stay for dinner. We won't talk about the future, we have months to decide anyway, and you don't have to tell us about what you did. We always find something to talk about."

She turned to TJ and cupped his cheek. "And I wasn't telling you what to do, TJ. Your father and I have already decided that we'll do what you and Dougie want, because we lived our lives, did what we wanted to. It's your turn. We're not dictating anything. I know you don't think so, but we love you and we want what's best for you."

She looked at both of them. "We certainly don't want to be the reason you argue. Come on. You won't find another place to eat and Nana is responsible for handing out supplies, so you know we've got the best stuff, including a bottle of white that you can't find anywhere."

"Mom." Way to make him feel ten and whiny because he wasn't getting the food he wanted. Doug would probably be sixty and still feel that way when she spoke.

"Do it for me. Please," she said with a smile. "You can tell me what you think of the new president over dinner."

"He's never going to be as good as you," he answered without having to think about it.

Elaine laughed. "Well, thank you, sweetheart." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I missed you." She turned and put an arm around TJ's shoulder. "I missed you, too. Now, let's sit down and we can find something to discuss that won't send anyone running."

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hammond_tj
2013-01-03 01:11 am UTC (link)

TJ, who did believe in defeat, just sighed and nodded his head. "Yeah, okay, Mom."

What else was he going to do? There was no point in saying any of the things he wanted to say now. It would only upset Doug and make TJ himself look churlish now that, as usual, there was an answer for everything that made him look foolish and childish. Of course he was wrong and jumping to conclusions. Hell, it would be just his luck that they were actually being sincere and he was the only one still bothered by anything.

Except Doug, who apparently was bothered by TJ.

So, since everyone wanted normal, TJ gave it to them. As he walked back to his seat, he used what minimal control he had over his power to force himself to stop feeling, to bring that same enforced calm that had appeared when he tried to calm down for Doug's sake the day this power first manifested. It was the least he could do to give his brother the peace and quiet he wanted.

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