Alma Wade will not give up (its_my_nature) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2012-05-24 23:54:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, alma wade, dani moonstar (mirage), roy harper (red arrow) ii |
"Be good. No more pitiful fires lit anywhere, right?"
Who: Alma, Dani and Roy
What: Dani takes Alma to Urdnot Ranch and gets her into Roy's care.
When: Last night, after Dani found Alma
Where: Urdnot Ranch
Status: Complete
Rating: PG-13 for biker clowns
Alma slept the entire way to Urdnot Ranch. It was a fitful, disturbed sleep, and she whimpered more than once. baby...give me back my baby...!
There was this overwhelming feeling of protectiveness, and Dani wasn't sure where it came from, really. She'd never been very good at protecting much of anything in her lifetime, except for her animals. She just really wanted to make sure this girl was safe.
She reached over and patted the girl gently as she whimpered again, checked her mirrors to make sure she wasn't being followed for the umpteenth time, and pulled into Urdnot Ranch's driveway.
Roy heard the sound of someone coming in, or rather, he heard a few of the kids pointing it out, since he was kind of In the Zone there for a minute, but he was also probably the one member of staff closest to the driveway so he headed up himself, after reminding everyone to not touch the nice sharp things or he'd know about it, which, with the Look he copied from his more memorable standdowns with Clint, was proving to be pretty effective, and made his way up front. "Can I help?" he asked, as he approached them.
Roy heard the sound of a car coming in, which was a little weird this time of day. Not unusual, but worth checking out, since it wouldn't be anybody they expected, and he was the one closest to the drive, probably, so he gave the group that he was hanging aroundtoniht with a little glance as he got up. "I'm just gonna go take care of that." he explained. "Do me a favor and don't blow anything up, okay?" And he gave them a Look that was, well, pure Clint, and one he'd picked up shockngly easily after having it flashed at him a lot lately, and did wonders for preemptive damage control before he trotted out to greet the arrival. "Can I help?" he asked, approaching.
Alma shifted in the passenger seat, groaning. She startled awake and looked around in a momentary panic before she remembered where she was.
"You might be able to help," Dani rolled down her window and squinted at the man who had trotted out, "Are you with Wrex? Do you work here?"
She turned toward Alma and gave her a reassuring smile, then turned back to this guy talking to her, "I've got a situation."
"Sure do." Roy offered her a nod. "Roy Harper. I teach archery. What kind of situa...Oh Alma, Hey." he said, keeping his voice calm as he gave her a reassuring smile. "Did you need somewhere safe then?"
"Roy?" Alma practically climbed out the window, so she could get outside and hug him!
"HEY there, hold on!" Dani was glad that Alma recognized the man and was eager to get to him. It made her feel generally better about the whole thing. She hit the unlock on the doors so that Alma could get out.
"No need to crawl out the window, there... I unlocked the door for you!"
Roy's grin grew a little at that, he had to admit it. "There've been a lot of us keeping an eye out for you." He told Alma, then turned back to Dani. "I'm glad you were there to pick her up." he said, really serious. He didn't elaborate but the relief there should be pretty evident.
Alma glomped onto Roy, squeezing the hell out of him, "They were always so close behind, no where was safe."
"It's not a problem at all ... I caught her out camping in the park a bit away from here. She said she was headed for Urdnot Ranch."
Dani gave Roy a look of understanding as to why he sounded so relieved, and hopped out of her truck. Doom bounced out right after her and scampered over to Alma. Dani laughed, and shut her truck door.
"If you don't mind, I want to make sure she's settled in safely."
"Oh definitely." Roy agreed with a nod. "I don't blame you at all, considering, well, you can't be too careful and all." He didn't want her being worried that this place was some kind of front after all. Was that a squirrel? Huh. "I can give you a little mini tour first of all."
"His name is Doom." She patted the squirrel while still keeping an arm around Roy, "He's farely docile for a squirrel." Whydoeshesmellgood.
"He thinks he's a cat. It's a thing," Dani shrugged and locked her truck, then nodded at Roy. He looked pretty trustworthy, and there was no denying that Alma thought the same. Still, it didn't hurt to familiarize herself with the surroundings. She was still feeling pretty protective.
"Can't be too careful these days, that's true. I'd love a mini tour."
Roy got the protective feeling. It happened after he'd been here for about, oh, maybe a week or so, and was even more developed now. So he lead them on inside, adding a few introductions as he talked a little about some of what the ranch offered. "We're basically a safe place for kids who need that." he explained. "A lot come out of the juvenile justice system but nobody who doesn't WANT to be here and nobody Wrex hasn't vetted to make sure that everybody's safe..."
Alma was forced to let go of Roy as they walked, but she stayed close to him "I should have asked you for a ride. I put other people in danger."
Dani looked around the place as they walked, nodding approvingly here and there. She liked what she saw. It was a pretty nice place and she admired the goals that the staff had in mind.
"I'm just glad that you two already know each other."
"That does make it better, doesn't it?" Roy nodded. "Otherwise, well, coming somewhere like this can be a little hard." He eyedarted a little. "I actually just came in a few months ago and getting to know everybody and how stuff worked took a while. Luckily, you pick it up." he added, to make Alma feel better, and then, well, he might as well address what else she'd said. "I get the idea everybody's more just going to be glad you're safe."
"My name should not be on any paperwork, especially digital," Alma said. She looked around, "Or at least not my real name..."
"That's probably a good idea. I know you're scared of being found. I have to agree with ... Roy?" She glanced at Roy and then nodded to herself, "I don't care about being in danger. Your safety is important."
She looked at Roy again, "This place probably has a pretty good security system if you have some kids in here from the justice system."
"Well, it's pretty good, sure." Roy agreed. "At least as far as I know. And a lot of people on the staff who know what to do if anything would happen. Some others who do other type of work for us on occasion too. I'm pretty sure it could probably be beefed up. It's worth talking to Wrex about."
Alma tried to think of a name. Only one sprang to mind, "Michelle. Michelle Beckett."
That's what the gun safes in Wrex's office were for. Yup.
"I'm no expert, I just patrol the state parks," Dani shrugged her shoulders, "I probably don't need to worry. It's not like a gang of biker clowns followed me here or anything."
"Biker Clowns." Roy shuddered at the thought. It was kind of like imagining the Joker leading some kind of screwed up gang. "Yeah, those would probably be a problem..." Biker clowns steal babies!
Alma raised an eyebrow, "Bikers do not typically come as clowns. ...or was that a joke?" She wrapped her arms around Roy again, because he smells good. Safe.
Dani laughed, "It was a joke, yes. I think it would be pretty funny if biker clowns actually showed up here, though. I mean, what would they do? Throw baloon animals at us?"
She observed Alma's behaviour and raised an eyebrow a little. She wondered if Roy was aware of how attached this child was to him. Maybe it was mutual. Maybe it wasn't really any of her business.
"I have to wonder how that would all pan out." Roy grinned. "Luckily, we don't have to find out. I don't think we have enough silly string or shaving cream in the county." He ruffled Alma's hair a little. "So yeah., not a huge concern."
Alma put up with the hair ruffling, since it meant he was touching her. For the second time today she felt safe. She needed a computer, so she could sent messages to some people letting them know she was safe, but that could wait, "They could put acid in their water shooters."
Now both of Dani's eyebrows were raised.
"Well ... technically I suppose they could, but they probably won't even get that close to the water supply here."
"Definitely not. It's pretty well protected." Roy assured her. "And, since they don't exist as far as I know, unless it's in a really bad horror movie, we should be fine anyway."
Alma had meant those little flower water prank toys. Caroline had brought one in one time and broke it down to the core components. For Science. She smiled at Roy. Her first real smile in days, "I believe you."
It was a pretty dazzling smile, all told. And kind of infectious, it made Dani smile, too.
"Well, Michelle, I think you're in good hands. That makes me pretty happy, but I might come check in on you all later this week," She glanced at Roy, "If that's alright. I want to meet your boss, too."
"Oh yeah, that should be easy to arrange." Roy nodded. "I'll let him know so we can be ready."
"Please, I want to see you again." Alma let go of Roy to hug Dani instead.
D'aww... Who could possibly mistreat someone this cute? Dani wanted to find the people that had done that and break their kneecaps.
She squeezed Alma tightly, "Be good. No more pitiful fires lit anywhere, right?"
"I once set a fire in the lab. It was an accident, but it was much bigger."
Roy had to hide a snicker at this, but he WAS grinning a little. "We'll keep her away from open flame, I swear. Nobody learns how to shoot fire until I do anyway."
Alma flushed, letting go of Dani, then shyly glanced at Roy.
"You two have a great night then. I better get back to work before they think I abandoned my post or something."
"You too." Roy gave her a little wave. "Let's see what we can do about getting you settled in then, yeah?"
"Thank you, Danielle." The girl threaded her fingers through Roy's, "Yes, please."
Dani picked her squirrel up and tipped her hat at both of them, then showed herself to the door. Her work was done here, for now. And she figured Alma wanted time alone with her friend.
And Roy led her off inside to meet people and see what they could do with getting Alma settled for the night, then made a mental note to let Kitty know she was okay now. Well, at least he hoped she would be.
Wrex would kick the ass of anyone who came here looking for trouble, that was for damn sure.
Alma would have some fun interesting dreams that night. And not all of them her nightmares.