Rooms

[Group: Graham R & Shane A]
Nother one of them girls turned up dead near you. Seems Penny'll be in Bronx a spell, but you keep an eye out once she's back there. Man doing this has a real hankering for blondes that come blonde as they can be, and they don't come a whole lot blonder than Penny.

[Locked to Declan M]
[After talking some with Shane.] Honey, need you to lie through your teeth and tell work I'm sick as plagues.

[Locked to James B & Matt M]
Matt, you best be home by now.

[Public]
You get used to having comic books for newspapers?

[As Larkin W.]

What else is there to enjoy about Marvel's New York besides the plethora of crime fighting?

[Locked to Graham R]

I have a package that needs picked up. Are you available?

[Jake R]

You owe me a visit, honey.

[Graham R]

I'm back and rested up, and I think you owe me a meal.

[Cris M]

I'm going down the list and cashing in on things people owe me, I don't know what you owe me, but I'm sure it's something. So pay up.

[The afternoon after this; from the duplex bedroom, after he's woken up.]

[Locked to Graham R]
the fuck are you?

ETA: [Locked to Louis D]
[After seeing this, belatedly as fuck.]

the fuck happened?

[Locked to Sam A]
the fuck, Mug?

Who: Clementine & Graham
What: Meeting up
Where: Queensbridge Park, Queens
When: Nowishly
Warnings/Rating: TBD

Clementine was dressed in blues.

Wasn't that she had any great fondness for her FDNY "waiting" attire, but she was living out of a bag some, and least these were clean and smelled like something nice. Evie, she was real good 'bout keeping things at the firehouse that smelled nice. There were only a few women 'round Engine 26, but they all appreciated it plenty. Least, Clem sure did.

Too, she reckoned it was better to not look like she was trying hard. She didn't want to replay that diner in her head, the one where Graham sat across from her saying all the ways he wasn't interested any. This wasn't trying, and it was real deliberate. She was already wound up some over looking different than she had last time Graham had seen her, and zombies and Valentine's Day felt like years in the past. Not that Graham didn't know what she looked like, because she was right back where they'd started. Blonde, looking less like her sister, and the age God intended.

It was Spring, pretty as a picture and clear skies mid-day. Still wasn't near as nice as home, and she missed Savannah's blooming. Their small town in that big city, hers and Graham's, it bloomed like madness each spring. Azaleas every damn place, and Clem's hair smelled of them; she never did lose her love for that scent. Spring was like starting new, and she'd been trying real hard to do just that recent.

She had her bag and her jacket, and she dumped both beside a bench facing that big old bridge. Children laughed and ran all over the playground behind where she took herself a seat, and she settled to watch some. Way she figured it, Graham could go on and do the work of finding her in the big old park. Might make the man ornery, but she liked getting him fussed some.

[locked to jake r.]

[...] hey.

The ad goes up around the hotel, just a little slip of paper that could easily go ignored.

Help Wanted

General Labor

Compensation up for Negotiation

Inquire on the journals, attention Mister L

[Subway, en route to this.]

[Locked to Graham R]
Need two favors, honey.

[Later in the morning, a more decent hour - after this. A metric ton of feelings that came in the form of bacon to be ingested, one shower, an incident in said shower, and still no sleep later...]

[Clementine M]

I been laying on my couch watching old movies for three days straight, decided to take a shower after all, even Frannie was getting offended by my presence.

But I'm waiting on a phone call (a new one), so I turn my ringer way up, it rings, and I jump out of the fucking shower like a bat out of hell, pick up the phone and its the fucking cable company asking me about my Turner Classic Movies Pay Per View bill, assholes judging my TV watching, making me jump out the shower, I ripped every ring right off the curtain, and I think I broke my toe.

Feel sorry for me.

[Graham R]

You need anything over there? Groceries? Cleaning?

[Louis D]

Hi, Louis. How are you? Have you got a minute?

Well, this is quaint.

[Fuzzy timelines, post-this]

[The tent out by the lake wasn't permanent, and Graham knew that. Only lasted as long as it did because of the nazis or whoever the hell, sending Joy and Penny and Jake, and somebody else's little girl too, out to the same place. The days were hot and lazy but when it was time to go he was expecting it, yeah? Didn't surprise him none. He'd decided to move in with Penny, settle into the half of the house she wasn't using; the baby needed stable. A real house, a daddy who could provide, take care of her, and he was ready now.

Thing was, he didn't know what Shane planned on doing. He wanted him to come, so he figured he'd come right out and ask, instead of assuming. In the hotel, between the other door and Marvel, he leaned against the doorframe.] So, you coming?

[Graham R/Clementine M]

Looks like we need to vacate real quick. I can go to a hotel in Vegas if y'all want me to keep watching Joy and the other door is still a mess, Graham you can come on with me there, so can Shane. I'm sure he'd just love rooming up with me. I can get him a place. I can do whatever makes the most sense. Or if it's fine we can all go back there together, or whatever y'all want. I can do whatever. Clementine, you're there, you'll know better than any of us what's going on in the damn city. So what am I doing and where am I going?

[Jake R]

You around? We gotta go, honey.

[Locks: Clementine M, Shane A, Graham R]

Hi, I just wanted to let you know, and I'm sorry it isn't better news, but Jack isn't here anymore. The hotel did it's hotel thing I think. I'm really sorry.

I just thought his other friends should know too, in case you were looking for him. I don't know anyone else to tell, but if you do can you let them know? Or just tell me who I should tell, and I can do it if you don't want to.

Evie

[Group lock to Jake R, Graham R]
[On the elevator ride up here, and scribbled quick.]

You two just read this quick. I only got a second. Something happens to me, there's accounts at the Municipal Credit Union for Joy and you, Jake, from the house sale. Graham, you're the admin on Joy's. I got a place on 37th, small, but paid full, and I got both of you joint benefactors on that. Ain't hurt or anything, just trying my hand at being real adult and crossing my Ts.

Stay the heck out of this door until you hear it's safe again.

[Graham R]

I'm bringing Joy to you. The city is apparently falling to shit. I'm asking Jake to tag along. Where am I gonna find you?

[Jake R]

I was watching Joy for your daddy when all hell broke loose in the city, I'm taking her to him now. I'd like it if you came with us.

[Cris M]

I'm taking Joy to her daddy, and then coming back to the city. I don't know if you got called in - but be safe.

[The dreaming didn't bother him none, he'd had worse nightmares and even being a man who'd drowned wasn't so bad. Graham felt like not much could be, because he'd seen worse, he'd lived it, and now not much fazed him. Joy was left with Penny, cheerfully waving her chubby fists, and he set off to the hotel to find this Vegas door and wherever Shane was staying. He was dressed casual, but he'd misjudged (or just not considered, plain and simple) the Vegas weather; it was hot. But he caught a cab and walked the rest of the way, only getting a little turned around a couple times, out to the lake house Shane's sister owned.

It was nice. Pretty. Sweat trickled down his spine and made his shirt stick, but he could still appreciate the beauty of a place by the lake. He had a shovel and a bottle of vodka, like Shane'd asked, one tucked into a pack slung over his shoulder and the other he just carried. Graham made his way around the house to the back, looking for signs of his friend and the racetrack he was supposedly building.] Shane?

[Before going to visit Shane.]

[locked to clem m.]

[Oblivious.] you get through it okay? and i'm going to see shane, just so you know.

[locked to jake r., penny r., evie s. (individually)]

you okay?

[He was so supposed to be drunk. Fucking hotel.]

[Locked to Clementine M]
fuck you at, Peaches?

[Locked to Graham R]
you knock anyone up this time, asshole?

[Locked to Louis D + Sam A]
fucking count your limbs and tell me you're okay or whatever