InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "You bought this...mansion."

Sam Hanna (sam_hanna) wrote in omega_reality,
@ 2011-03-06 23:12:00

Entry tags:

*complete, 2011 03, character: sam hanna, dead: abby sciuto

RP: Sam, Abby
Who: Sam, Abby
Where: the base
When: March 6, 2011
Summary: Sam needs to make sense of what Abby is seeing

Sam knew that G didn't believe Abby. It wasn't a shock. G didn't believe in anything divine. It was one of the many things they joked about, because no matter what their personal beliefs were neither dismissed or ridiculed the values of the other. However, that meant that Sam couldn't really talk about this with G. He needed to go to the source.

He called Abby after breakfast and went to find her to the lab. He knew she didn't like him. It was hard to miss considering that she was a terrible actress. He couldn't say that the feeling wasn't mutual. She posed a threat to the team. Personality and friendship were irrelevant when someone could put their team at risk. That person couldn't be trusted. Still, he believed that she was telling the truth about the ghost.

"Morning," he said as he went inside the lab, trying to ignore the noise that must count for music. "Do you have a moment? I wanted to talk to you about the ghost you saw."

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

goth_abby
2011-03-06 02:08 pm UTC (link)

After yesterday's expedition, Abby felt like accomplished and proud. Helping Joel crossover into the afterlife, whatever that afterlife happened to be, made her feel like she was doing something worthwhile. Not that working cases didn't make her happy. At the moment, there wasn't any new evidence for her to work with. Still, the sense of pride and happiness lasted up until early Sunday morning when Sam called. He's going to yell at me on my day off too? she thought miserably.

Abby's favorite Omega dimension band blasted from the speakers as she tried to put up some kind of defense to his verbal and possibly physical attack. When he entered, her spine stiffen and she remained looking at her computer screen. However, when he asked about Joel, Abby was highly confused.

"What do you want to know?" she asked, turning the volume down a little.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

sam_hanna
2011-03-06 06:48 pm UTC (link)

Sam had no idea what he wanted to know. Ghosts didn't exist, they made no sense if you followed Islam, but he also believed that Abby had seen one, and now he was left trying to reconcile his religion with empirical facts that contradicted it. It wasn't the first time, either, but this felt bigger than even homosexuality.

"I'm not sure," he said after a moment or two. "Did he tell you how he died? It was an accident according to the coroner. In case you were wondering." Sam leaned against one of the table. "I don't know what I want to know, to be honest. Just tell me about him, about the experience, if you don't mind."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

goth_abby
2011-03-06 07:55 pm UTC (link)

She was getting more and more confused as Sam asked her about what happened. After giving a nod when Sam told her the cause of death, she asked, "Did the coroner say how long he had been down there? Did he freeze or starved or bleed out from the injuries?" While the specifics weren't all the important now that she completed her goal, she was still curious about them. She shook her head at him.

"He didn't say and you all," she said, shrugging. "Didn't seem to want me to say much to him or I would have asked. I wanted to ask.

Wrinkling her forehead, she eyed at him. "Why?" she blurted out. He's not yelling at me and he's being nice, she thought. Is this some kind of training scenario where he's going to lull me into a false sense of security and then stab me in the back? While Abby didn't have an issue talking about it, she still couldn't understand why Sam Hanna, of all people, wanted to hear it.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sam_hanna
2011-03-06 08:08 pm UTC (link)

"He couldn't give us a precise time, because of the snow and freezing conditions, but he said that death was most likely to have occured instantaneously. He needs to do the autopsy before we'd get any certainties," he said.

Sam didn't point out that he hadn't even been near her so his desire about talking to the man had been irrelevant. She couldn't seem to separate between people anyway.

"I guess it's not that important now." Sam chuckled. "Because I believe that you spoke with a ghost, and that's... it's not something that I believe in. I also don't dismiss the obvious, so if you are speaking with ghosts, then my religious beliefs are in obvious contrast with reality and I can't ignore it. I'm not even sure what I want to know."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

goth_abby
2011-03-06 08:23 pm UTC (link)

Without realizing it, she let out a sigh of relief. In her mind, it was bad enough that his spirit had been stuck on that mountain, but to have possible been alive after the fall made Abby grateful that Joel hadn't suffered.

"You do?" she replied, her eyebrows shooting upward. However, as he went up, her brows furrowed. So, he believes that I speak to ghosts, but his religious beliefs are in contrast to that? she thought, wondering what religion he was until it hit her. "So, you're interested in hearing about Joel because you are having a slight crisis of faith?" Abby hoped that her words hadn't come out as rude, but she was just trying to clarify his reason for asking her about the ghost.

"I saw him earlier the first day we were at Bear Mountain; it felt like he was watching me, us, the Director and I. Not in a creepy stalker watching us way, just like people watching. Then when he showed up again that night, the clothing was the same as the guy I saw that morning," she said. Abby for the first time in her life was talking slowly. "That was the first time Joel, he, the ghost spoke to me. At first, I couldn't tell where it came from and the next time, it sounded like he was in my head. Even when I whispered responses, he sounded like he stood right next to me.

"When Joel stood at the window, it was the first time I ever saw him move too. He kept gesturing for me to follow him. While he never got agitated when I didn't immediately go after him, Joel was insistent. I had to go with him; I had to help him. That's when I got you and G up."

She didn't feel the need to go over what happened in the house since Sam had been there and saw with his own eyes the rest of the evening. "When there were too many people in the room, he vanished or maybe I lost the connection, I'm not sure. Loss of the connection seems more likely because I noticed that every time I blinked or turned my head away, Joel wouldn't be where he was before I blinked of turned my head. You know."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sam_hanna
2011-03-06 08:51 pm UTC (link)

"Yes, I do," he said with a chuckle. "No, not a crisis of faith," he said. "It's strange to explain. I was raised Christian, but became Muslim in college. I've had to find my own way with Islam. Nothing in religion really goes with the work I do as a SEAL or as an NCIS agent. My faith doesn't change, but some of its beliefs have to when faced with evidence to the contrary."

Sam listened to her story, and even now he wasn't sure how this would help him, but he believed her. It was too consistent to be craziness, and if someone was messing with her, there seemed to be no point.

He put the music louder again, to avoid being overheard. "Look, I know you don't pay attention to what I say, but if this is your power, and it's likely, don't talk to anyone about it. Let them believe that it's a one off. The blinking on and off might be because it's a new power. With time, you'll get used to it, at least if we go by Savannah's progress. First thing, you need to learn to recognize when you are seeing a ghost. You don't want to talk to empty air, not with people around. We'll find a way for you to test it." Going to violent murders might help, if he could sell it to G.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

goth_abby
2011-03-07 12:05 am UTC (link)

Abby couldn't have been more confused than she had been before Sam arrived. He believes me? "I understand where work and faith not seeing eye to eye," she said. "It may be easier for you to come to a conclusion if you can ask more specific questions."

After the music became louder and Sam spoke, she shook her head at him. "Hard not to hear you when you're yelling in my face while taking a swing at my head," she muttered, turning back towards her computer. "At least half a dozen people already knows that I saw something and spoke to someone."

Recognizing a ghost was easier said then done, but Abby already had a list of things she wanted to research before the next ghost caught her off guard.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sam_hanna
2011-03-07 01:04 am UTC (link)

"I wish I had more specific questions. It's like... when a theory is blown and you have to start all over, but first you have to figure out which parts of the theory were valid and which weren't," he said. "I guess how he left would be telling. Tell me there was no blinding light."

Sam shrugged. "You can hear, but do you pay attention? My job is to make sure that you can take care of yourself and your partner out there. I will never be sorry if what I teach you will save lives, whether yours or the person standing next to you. In fact, I'll be happy with not getting someone else killed."

He really didn't think that many people should know. "You were tired and couldn't sleep. It was just an hallucination. You're better now. You keep your power a secret, and we'll try to help you figure this out. I was thinking going to crime scenes, violent deaths must mean unresolved issues."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

goth_abby
2011-03-07 03:07 am UTC (link)

Shaking her, she looked down at her hands. "There was a lightness. Not a blinding light, but more of a glow. The trees closest to where is body was found glowed. Then Joel went from looking solid to fading away into the glowing woods."

Her eyebrows furrowed because so far no one had died. "Someone died? Or do you mean Dom?" Of course, Abby heard about his death from Eric during one of their long emails.

She didn't like it; not being able to talk about it with anyone. She was talkative. Even when she worked, she spoke to her machines; her babies. Staying quiet took a lot of energy. "I wasn't hallucinating and I shouldn't have to pretend that I was," she said. "And I will figure this out; it's my power. I'm the one who needs to understand it."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sam_hanna
2011-03-07 03:31 am UTC (link)

"He moved on." Except that you weren't supposed to. You were either a good man and went to heaven, or weren't a good man and didn't go to heaven. It was supposed to be that simple. "Thank you for telling me."

Sam smiled sadly when Abby talked about Dom. "No, I'm not talking about him. I'm talking about what will happen." He had no doubt that it was only a matter of time before the politicians would have a problem with them, when the criminals started to use their powers in obvious ways, they would be the easy targets, regardless of how stupid that was. "Sooner or later, they will try to kill us and we have to be ready, all of us, ready to kill back, because when those types of government forces come at your door, it's kill or be killed, and nothing in between. There won't be time to argue your wait out, wait for back up, hope for a rescue. You will have a split second to decide if you want to live or die, and my job is to make sure that you want to live and know how to do it."

He nodded. "I know that you weren't, but we all have to pretend, Abby. Our entire lives are one big pretend game until we go home. Some of us will go on on pretending when we get home. It's bad enough that Savannah exposed her, we don't need to let anyone know about any more powers. You're a smart girl, how many of us are there? What are the chances that only Savannah has powers and no one else?" He wondered how pissed she would be if she found out that there were people with powers in her own house. "The rest pretend, because not pretending puts you in jeopardy. You might want to figure it out, but people who have killed, might want to just kill you to prevent you to figure out just who did the killing."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

goth_abby
2011-03-07 04:40 am UTC (link)

"You're welcome," she said, softly.

It didn't seem to matter to any of them that Abby was not able to kill; even if they were trying to kill her. It wasn't about not wanting to live, but rather knowing that she'd never be able to live with herself afterward. Frowning at her computer screen, she said, "I'll never be able to be like you or Callen or Gibbs or McGee or anyone else who actually is an agent. I've had my life threatened enough to know that about myself."

That was the problem with this group. They've all been told to act like a team and work as a team, but every time something happens they are told to keep quiet about it. How could they possibly be a team if no one trusts anyone else? "Pretending is just another form of lying and you don't lie to your partner and you don't lie to your team. If we're a team, then the team should should know. Otherwise, we're just a bunch a liars who don't trust each other."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sam_hanna
2011-03-07 05:01 am UTC (link)

"You don't have to be like me or like anyone else. You only have to be able to kill anyone coming to kill you," he said.

"No, it's not. Pretending is another form of protecting yourself and others," he said. "It has nothing to do with trust. I can trust April, but if she were captured and tortured, she'd last about ten seconds before giving information. Will she? I don't know, but we're fighting people who can have super powers as well, it's not unthinkable that it might happen. Also if people know, then Hetty and the Director need to report it. If they don't know, they don't have to tell anyone. Besides, you know that pretending isn't lying. All of us have classified lives at home. It's not like this is the first time when we had to hide who we are."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

goth_abby
2011-03-07 05:30 am UTC (link)

"Which I know I can't do," she said point blank.

Maybe not to you, but it means something to me. "But you don't trust her and it's obvious you don't. In fact, it's obvious to me that you only trust one person and have favorable feelings towards a few others," she said. Abby could point to exactly who Hanna favored and exactly who he'd be happy to leave behind.

"All of you in OSP had classified lives; mine never was," she said. "And yes, pretending is lying. You do it for justifiable reasons, but it's still lying. Those outside of OSP never knew the true you."

And neither did I.

"Do you need anything else?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sam_hanna
2011-03-07 01:22 pm UTC (link)

"Can means the physical ability to do it, and if you can't, then you learn how: point, aim, squeeze trigger. You can; everyone can, regardless of whether they want to do it or not. You can; you just don't want to," he answered.

"It's obvious to you and you're wrong. I can trust her and know her limitations at the same time. That's not lack of trust, but assessing a person's training. I can trust her with some things, and not others. If you mean that I trust G to stay alive as opposed to April, then you're right. She wouldn't last long, while G will stay alive until I find him, but that doesn't mean I don't trust her. If I didn't trust her or the other people here, we'd be gone, and with our skills, no one would find us, but we are still here, trying to give everyone the necessary skills to survive for as long as they possibly can." The fact that she couldn't see that important fact was alarming. "I trust people to be loyal and do what their skills allow them to do, but if you mean unconditional trust, then you're right. G is my partner and I trust him with everything. I trust him to have my back and to do anything necessary to keep us safe regardless of how much he dislikes to do it, because that's what trust is in the end: knowing that the other person will make his wants, needs and principles secondary to the needs of the team, knowing that the other person will put your life above anything and everything. So yeah, I trust G unconditionally and I've never made a secret of that but that doesn't mean that I don't trust other people with different levels of trust. The only one who hasn't given me a reason to trust her is you, because you have shown time and time again that you will put yourself and your ideas before the team. It's always about what you will and won't do, regardless of the repercussions on other people. You don't care if your inaction will one day lead to someone's death. You're callous, selfish and self centered. You can't keep a secret, even though sharing that secret might one day put the people who knows in danger, because you don't care about that, you don't care if telling April or someone else could get her kidnapped or tortured to learn something about you, you only care about you and what your childish vision of the world. So yeah you are the one person that I don't trust, because I know that some day you will get someone in this team killed and putting your team in danger is the worst offense you can commit," he said, never raising his voice or changing the relaxed way he was standing.

Sam snorted. "The people inside OSP don't know the true me; only a few do, and that applies to every agent in OSP. It's how we live our lives in order to survive. It's how we survive here. The fact that you think spending a few hours with us gave you some insight in who we are shows how superficial you are. It takes months and years to know one of us, and even then you don't know all of us." Only one person really knew him complete, at least voluntarily. Hetty and Nate might know as much, but not because Sam had volunteered, and now Savannah and Deeks were getting glimpse because they lived in the same house, but only one person knew him, just like he was the only one who really knew G, and that was one of the many reasons why they worked together.

He shook his head. "No, nothing else. Have a good day."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

goth_abby
2011-03-07 03:50 pm UTC (link)

"Killing someone is never that easy," she retorted. Even trained agents have doubts and hesitate. No matter what he said to her, Abby knew from McGee's experience and Tony's experience with Ziva's boyfriend that something happens to you when you take a life, even if it was justified and for self defense.

Abby just snapped. "Stop blaming me for things that haven't happened yet! Day after day you've beaten me up and told me how worthless my life is and now I'm killing everyone because I don't think lying to my team is right. Fine, if I'm such an untruswrothy, traitorous human being then just shoot me. Get it over with. Everyone's going to die as long as I'm still living, then save them and kill me. You are so sure what is going to happen, so what is stopping you? I'm a traitor, I'm putting the team at risk, I deserve to die."

Standing in front of him, she opened her arms wide. "If my death is the only way to save them, then shoot me and save them. I'm willing to sacrfice myself for them. Save them from the people out to kill them. Save them from me. Save them from the traitor."

Tears slowly fell down her face as she stood there. Still, Abby was serious. If dying was the only way to save April and Eric and Michael, she would die without blinking an eye.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(Read comments) -