Harry Dresden (dresdensluck) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-06-22 18:07:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, emma frost (white queen), harry dresden |
Say, Mrs. Summers, how are things going for you?
Who: Harry and Emma
Where: A cafe
What: Conversations
When: Circa 06/14
Warnings/Rating: PG-13
Status complete
“Say, Mrs. Summers, how are things going for you?” Harry grinned at her as he settled to make them both decaffeinated coffee, and to relax a little. Having her around was always interesting, and he had figured it was time for another confab, what with how things changed so often around the place.
Emma settled into the chair opposite his desk. She was wearing a stretchy skirt and it showed off the gentle curve of her stomach. She still figured it was mostly fat, but she was okay with that, at the moment. “Well enough. I’m hoping to hear no bad news from Pepper’s latest wedding, but we’ll see how it goes.”
Harry snerked. “The odds men have almost no confidence in that. I put ten on it, just in case, but I also put twenty on the idea that something would stop it before it even started.” He shook his head. “Most people were betting on sometime during the ceremony. If I win, I can donate it to those who get injured in the event.”
Emma sighed. “Yes, I’m aware of the odds.” She didn’t want to think about that, really. “How have you been?”
Harry nodded, sobering. “Fairly good. Things have been very weird as usual, but fairly good. I’m on the lookout for a new secretary, now. Hopefully one that will stay. I don’t blame her for taking off, but... I need one who’ll stay.” He sighed.
Emma nodded. “I’m sure we’ll find someone willing to help you out. I can rent you one of my assistants.” The idea amused her. Of course they’d do their job well, and she’d keep paying them their normal rate, but a detective/lawyer’s office wasn’t the same as a corporation.
“That’s fine. Never realized how much Miss Tarot did until she was gone.” Anyway.
“How are things with your family?”
“Well enough.” Emma shrugged. “Boring for now, I’m sure they’ll get more interesting. I think Scott needs more to do, he’s been a little. . . listless I suppose. He cheers up if you interact with him, but if he’s doing his own thing it becomes clear he’d rather be doing something more exciting.”
Harry nodded, and hmmmed. “Does he like quests? Investigations?” Harry pondered. “There are always far reaching cases I never can take because of business already going on. If he wanted to step in, handle some footwork, and you think he could handle it, then I would be willing to throw him a case or two.” He grinned at her.
“I think you’d have to discuss it with him, I’m not sure he’d appreciate it if I assigned him to work for you.” She laughed lightly. “Though I think he would enjoy it.”
“Of course.” Harry chuckled. “I’ll talk to him sometime, then.” He nodded and noted it down on a pad he kept in one pocket. He shoved it back in there.
“Thank you. He’s a man of action even in this world, I know he’s frustrated sometimes by how little control he has over his life, and how little he can do to solve the issue.” Another thought that kept poking at the back of her mind was that they’d moved into a relationship quickly, mostly based on their stressful lives. Relationships based on that rarely lasted very long. She could only solve one thing at a time, though, and this was the thing she could fix.
Harry nodded. “That can really suck. I hope he can find a good balance.” Harry smiled to her. “And your son? I’ve seen more of him lately. And heard more about him. He and my daughter seem to be growing closer.” He was resigned to it, and not really adverse, as long as the two avoided doing anything dumb. With any other two, he would be more worried, but with them? Not as much.
Emma laughed. “Oh yes, I imagine you are.” She shrugged. “I’ve been seeing less of him, lately, you might know better than I do how he’s doing.” She didn’t mind, he was an adult and free to pursue his own interests.
Harry chuckled. “He seems to wander a lot, around his work. I wish I had half his energy, these days.” Harry did well enough, but Nate made him tired just thinking about doing all he did.
“Yes, he barely sleeps. If I don’t see him at breakfast I’m not likely to see him all day.” Emma chuckled a little. “I suppose I’ll see him more when the baby is born, he’s promised to help out.”
“And he has been good about promises.” Harry knew that, already. The boy had helped out around the house some. And had been there for Elaine and Cora, both. Harry always would remember that.
She nodded. “Yes. He’s a good man. I wish his life was easier, but he takes it all in stride.” She shrugged.
Harry smiled at her. She was an interesting an good woman. He was glad he knew her, not only as an employer, but as a person. “It’s good to know that all parents think so.”
Emma laughed. “Yes, how is your little girl? I kind of miss having the two of them play at my house, but with Scott and I both working, it much safer for them to be at Elaine’s.” She was definitely not ready to be a grandma yet.
Harry chuckled. He had experienced similar concerns at first, but he knew the two were not remotely there yet, now. And he understood the worry, anyway. “Yes, probably so. And she is adapting to her new body, new memories, and new abilities. As are we. I have fresh sympathy and respect for you for how you two managed to adapt to Nathan’s sudden growth.”
“Or not adapt.” Emma noted with a sigh. Scott was getting better, but she was certain that was out of sheer stubbornness. “I’m sure you’ll understand when I say that I hope our child never dreams.”
“I definitely do, though I will say this... in this world, that might not be the best hope.” He sat back, and rubbed his chin. “I think it’s getting weirder here, and more cluttered with strange events. And if someone is not a dreamer, they are just someone who has to deal with events as they come. Dreamers seem... more able to interact with them, I think.” He paused, then nodded. “Both good and bad.”
“I think you overestimate the importance of powers in regards to surviving these things. I fought robots before I had a single dream, and while I didn’t do much to help, I did survive. It’s our job as powered dreams to protect the non-powered portions of the population, dreamer or otherwise.” What she did know was that her child would almost certainly have power. It just wouldn’t necessarily have dreams.
“I don’t mean the powers, actually. I just... I don’t know.” He shook his head. “The thought is half formed. I guess I should give it more time to gestate.” He nodded to her. “Very true. We stand between.” He smiled softly. “ON that we very much agree.”
“I think that if these things continue we’ll begin to see a portion of the civilian population rising up to meet these threats.” Emma paused, remembering something that had happened a while ago. “Hmmm. Or what they perceive to be threats.”
Harry nodded. “And then we’ll have our hands truly fully, and our jobs truly cut out for us. Some will see true, and some, well, invariably, some will not.” He knew that from the world and from the dreams. All too often the defenders got blamed for the offense.
Emma sat back in the chair, thinking about her run in at the cafe so long ago. “I should tell you about the first time my powers manifested. I’d been having headaches for weeks, and my body had just. . . well, undergone a transformation. I was out to lunch with Kitty, to help her get some fresh air while she was waiting to marry Xi’an. We were chatting at a restaurant when a couple mistook us for lesbian lovers. There was a bit of a fight.” Emma had the good grace to look embarrassed. She had kind of started it, but people like that made her so angry she couldn’t control herself.
“In the course of the fight Kitty used her powers. The police came to stop the altercation and. . . then every mind in the place just stopped. And a bullet.” Which had been going directly toward her chest. “I did my best to wipe the minds of the people watching the fight, but I’d been a telepath for less than a minute. I still worry about that, sometimes.”
Harry wrote down some notes, his face grim. "I'll look into it. Some things can't be avoided." He wondered about it then. And he hoped it would never be a problem. Cerberus was the thought that came to his head, and he wished it had not. " Any other incidents you can think of?"
“Not off the top of my head.” She sighed. “I’ve been having a very adventurous life these past few months.”
Harry nodded. “I’m sorry, ma’am.” He hated that others seemed tasked with endless runs of bad luck and bad encounters.
She shrugged. “If I didn’t have Scott it wouldn’t be worth it, but having someone else to share this with, and knowing that I can help him when things go wrong, makes it acceptable.”
Harry nodded again. “I know what you mean. Having Elaine, and Cora, too, makes this a lot better, and with Thomas here, too now, it is getting a lot better, even in the crazy.”
“Yes, how is Thomas doing? We spoke a little about his powers, but I think whatever their nature is it’s beyond my expertise.” Which was hard to admit. She wanted to have the power to help people. It was the only power that mattered.
“Worried, hating the curse that he is inflicted with, but dealing. Elaine and I are working on curing him, once and for all.” Harry liked Emma partially for just that reason. They shared a need to help people. “It’s taking a long time, but we hope we can finish it.”
She nodded. “If there’s any way I can help, please let me know.”
“I will. And thank you, Emma,.” He smiled to her “You’re a good woman. If I can help you and yours, please let me know, as well.”
“Of course, that is what I pay you for, after all.” She winked at him and stood. “It’s always a pleasure meeting with you, Harry, but I have a meeting soon.” She held out her hand for him to shake.
“Of course.” He shook her hand as he rose himself. “Good luck, and I hope things only get better.”
“I’d be content with them coasting along like this, really, but I doubt either of us will get our hopes fulfilled.” She smiled at him as they shook, then collected her purse and left.
~fin~