Candy Quackenbush can walk on water. (toitshour) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-08-16 02:20:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, candy quackenbush, sister jude martin |
Who: Candy and Judy.
What: Catching up.
When: Thursday afternoon.
Where: Candy's place.
Rating: PG-13.
Trigger Warning: Brief mentions of attempted murder, physical abuse, alchoholism. Nothing graphically mentioned.
Status: Complete!
Jude decided to drop in on Candy one day before the meeting. It had been a long time, practically since the Vegas craziness, and a lot had happened. She worried about the other girl, even through the fog of her own dreams. Maybe because her dreams had been so bad. She knocked on the girl’s door, hoping she or Remy would be around.
Candy was there, cleaning the apartment in cutoffs and one of Remy’s undershirts. When there was a knock at the door, she went to answer. “Judy!” Her arms went around her friend and she couldn’t help giggling. “I’m so glad to see you!”
Jude hugged the girl tightly, smiling wider than she had in some time. “Hi, sweetie. It’d been forever, I wanted to come see you. So much has happened.” Her dreams, Candy’s wedding, Roy, Oliver, everything. “How are you two?”
“We’re really great. You come in, I’ll make coffee.” Candy hugged her again, biting her lip. “How’re you and Ollie holding up?”
“Oliver’s managing. He’s still working through what happened. He and Thea are actually spending time at the ranch, so they can talk to some specialists.” Judy shook her head. “Me ... the dreams have been bad. Really bad.”
“Okay, I’ll make the coffee strong.” Candy winced. “Sit, sit.” She moved to turn the coffeemaker on. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No, but it might help.” Judy shrugged. “I dreamt all that weird stuff about being a nun? Now I’ve been defrocked. They said I killed a guard - I didn’t - and now I’m a prisoner in my own asylum.”
Candy’s jaw dropped. “Oh, god. I can’t even imagine - “ She’d dreamed terrible things herself, but that sounded nearly unbearable.
“A former patient killed the guard.” Jude could see it even now. “And then Doctor Arden - who’s here - he locked Leigh in with me in the office. And Leigh tried to kill me. After he tried to assault me, of course.” She laughed mirthlessly. “When you’ll assault a nun, that’s kind of a new low.”
“Wait, some psychopath is here from your dreams? Do you want me to talk to him for you? Is he still a murderer?” Candy folded her arms.
“Arthur? I don’t know what he is.” Judy was surprisingly calm. “Leigh isn’t here. That I know of. Arthur Arden is a doctor who, in this life, I knew at college. We don’t get on.” She told Candy the story of Arden in her dreams, including his alleged Nazi past and his infatuation with the girl Mary Eunice.
“If this Leigh character ever shows up, I’ll end them.” Candy sat and listened to Jude, scooting closer and wrapping an arm around her. “Jude, I just want you to know that you will never, ever, ever go through any of that again. I’m your friend, and I stand up for my friends. I’ll keep you safe.”
Jude hadn’t actually expected that, and it brought a tear to her eye. Everything had been so damn emotional lately. “You’re a damn good friend,” she told Candy, leaning on the girl. “It’s just ... scary as fuck, really. So much happened there that happened here, too. Especially the drinking.” And she hadn’t felt able to talk to Oliver about it - not when he had his own mourning to do.
“Of course it’s scary.” Candy stroked Judy’s hair, shaking her head. “There’s crossover in my dreams too. I didn’t drink in my dreams, but my dad still beat the shit out of me there. Still had the paranoid ‘you’re not my kid’ bullshit.” She understood why Judy wouldn’t want to go to Ollie; Oliver was having his own time of need.
“Ugh.” Well, now she felt a little bad. Being told you weren’t your parent’s kid? Jude shook her head. “Your dreams are gross, Candy. Mine are bad, but still. At least I’ve got the meetings.” She looked over at the girl, smiling a little sadly. “I never used to buy into the religious part of it, but I really do now.” The dreams had given her a different relationship with God.
“Yours are worse, they are. At least I get to fight him back in my dreams. We might be blood, but he’s not my dad.” Candy smiled, kissing Jude on the cheek. “And it’s good that you have a place to turn. Faith is a good thing when people use it right. It should elevate people, make them feel better.”
“I mean, I’m not gonna be a nun anytime soon. I’m too fond of a few things.” Including Oliver. “But it’s weird; I feel further from God, but closer to faith. Does that make any sense at all?” She wasn’t entirely sure.
“It makes sense, totally. And yeah, don’t become a nun - Oliver will sulk, and then you’ll end up messing up your vows right away.” Candy giggled.
“Damn if he wouldn’t dig that, though.” Jude had to laugh. “Maybe one night I’ll use that damn habit for something good. Did I ever tell you I got my fucking habit randomly in my closet one night? Scared the crap out of me.”
“That must have scared you. I’ve gotten a photo and a magical relic.” She was thinking of having the Atarabara turned into a necklace or something, just in case.
“Oh, yeah?” Jude looked around. “What kind of relic? Has Remy gotten anything from his dreams?” Call her curious.
“It’s a bit of paper from the first book of magic from the Abarat. It kind of makes my magic abilities go up times a million.” She nodded about Remy. “He got his bo staff. Anything else, he hasn’t told me about.”
“So like, a weapon?” Jude knew Remy’s dreams involved a lot of fighting. “You must worry about him. But tell me about getting hitched!” That would be a lot happier than what they were talking about. “When did you do it? Where exactly?”
“It is a weapon, but I don’t worry too much about him. If he fights something, I’m going to be right next to him. Always.” She hoped her husband knew that. “And we went back to the orphanage in New Orleans where he grew up. We were married by a priest with a nun as our witness, they used to take care of him when he was little. I cried so much.” Candy laughed, running fingers through her long hair.
“That’s so cute I might throw up.” Jude laughed too. It felt good. “I didn’t know he grew up in an orphanage.”
“Yeah, apparently one time he jumped on the roof of the orphanage because he wanted to show off. Apparently the nuns were fond of him. It was cute, at the wedding Sister Mary Christian thanked me for taking care of him now.” Candy showed Judy her wedding ring. “Though my name’s legally now Candy LeBeau. I feel like I should do porn or something.”
“That’s still adorable. Though yeah, that name is tailor made for stripping, sweetheart.” She smiled at the ring. “It suits you. Not too fancy.” Candy wasn’t the ostentatious kind.
“Candy Francesca Quackenbush LeBeau. Yeah, it’s ... well. My parents didn’t really help me win the name lottery. But I don’t mind it, I’ve kind of come to like proving people really wrong when they expect me to be precious.” Candy grinned.
“Judith Ann Martin sounds fairly boring compared to that.” Jude smiled. “And hey, proving people wrong is fun.” The smile drained from her face, though. “I’m just hoping I can prove a few people wrong and stick to being sober.”
“It sounds wonderful compared to that,” Candy laughed. She shook her head when Jude stopped smiling. “You’re worried about that relapse. Judy, the thing about recovery is that we’re going to be in it for the rest of our lives. You’re beating yourself up for having taken one step backward when you’ve taken a hundred, a thousand steps forward.” Candy kissed Judy on the cheek.
“I know. I do. Just, that was bad - I had to be strong and I wasn’t. And Oliver’s going through way too much to deal with me.” Jude shook her head.
“You were strong, though. You reached out for your friends.” She wrapped an arm around Jude’s shoulders. “One drink, considering what you saw? I was impressed.”
“Two.” In the interests of full disclosure.
“That’s not a big deal at all. You’ve gotten right back on the wagon. Everyone slips up from time to time.” Candy hugged her closer.
“Just feel like I should have been stronger, especially during batshittery like that.” Jude sighed. “I can handle myself.”
“You saw a monster eat someone. If I had no powers, if I’d seen that, I think I’d have just gotten a keg.” Candy shook her head. “You did what anyone would’ve done.”
“I still feel weak.” Judy could be honest with Candy in a way that she couldn’t even with Oliver. “The meetings help, though. Knowing I’m not alone is better. And I know I’m not alone with Oliver - he loves me - but he’s got so much to deal with right now.”
“I don’t think you are. I really don’t. Do you want to go out to get some food? I could fly us somewhere.” Candy thought maybe that would be entertaining, at least.
“It might do me good.” Jude had to laugh. “I haven’t eaten much at home, and when I go to Oliver’s, there’s only one thing on the menu.”
“Well, open up a window and I’ll make a glyph.” Candy’s mismatched eyes sparkled.
“A glyph?” Jude echoed, curious. “What’s that?” Jude knew that Candy had powers, but she hadn’t seen much of them up close.
“It’s a flying craft made of light. I can basically make Wonder Woman’s invisible jet.” Candy grinned, opening up a window, and sitting on the edge. “Don’t worry. I won’t fall.” Then she jumped out.
For a second she fell, but then she was surrounded by rays of light. They stopped her descend and lifted her up. Then, when she was in line with the window, she turned to sitting. After a moment, it would look like a tiny two person airplane was hovering outside the window, door open - albeit a shimmering airplane made of pure light.
Jude stared openmouthed. No, really. She hadn’t done that since she was ten, and she did it now. She’d been terrified for a split second, but now she was just amazed. “Holy shit. Is that ... really? It’s safe?”
“It’s safe. Unless I pass out, but even then, we’ll just hover.” Candy smiled and motioned Jude inside. “I once made one for a thousand or so people. Trust me, you’re in good hands.”
“That’s amazing.” Incredible. Humbling, even. “I never knew you could do that.” She stepped up to the windowsill, not sure of her next step.
“Honestly, I’m a Swiss army knife,” Candy chuckled. She moved the craft a little closer, hoping it would help Judy get in.
It felt a little better when there was less air between the craft and the window. “Jesus,” Jude muttered, gripping the windowsill. But with less dead air to step over, she eventually made it in. “Whoa.”
“I made it with doors so you’d feel more comfortable,” Candy blushed. She wondered if Jude felt comfortable.
“I do appreciate that.” Damn right she did. She could grip a locked door handle. “I don’t mean to be all scared, just, you have to admit it’s unusual.” She laughed, settling in the seat.
“Oh, of course. But I’ve been flying every day since I could. It’s just ... fun.” Candy waited until Jude was settled and pointed the craft north. She and Remy had found a cute restaurant in the middle of nowhere.
Once she was settled, she mostly forgot about being afraid in favor of being stunned. She could see the ground in a lot more detail than she’d seen from any other airplane, and it was really lovely. She barely noticed an hour flying by when they landed. “Wow, where are we?”
“Napa.” Candy smiled, stretching a little. “I make us invisible so we don’t get shot down or anything.”
“Wow. Nice.” Jude was smiling for once. “You have someplace here that you like?” This was really nice of Candy to do. Obviously, neither of them could indulge in the vineyards’ products, but still. It was a good place to be.
“Yeah, really nice restaurant. And even though we’re not wine drinkers anymore, it’s gorgeous here, isn’t it?” Candy landed on the lawn near a restaurant, hopping out and stretching. “This is how I took Remy to New Orleans on the super cheap.”
Jude did wonder how they could just pop out of nowhere in plain view, but whatever. No one had blinked. “That’s how you could get there so quick? Cause honestly, I remember you guys posting on the network, and I thought it’d have taken you more time to get to New Orleans, let alone get married.”
“Yeah. I don’t have to follow flight paths or anything.” Candy muttered some words under her breath. They’d sound like nonsense to Judy, but the aircraft shimmered out of view, and they were suddenly visible.
She jumped when she was addressed; Jude had to laugh at herself. “That’s the only way to travel,” she told Candy. “Wanna get lunch?”
“Of course. They have an olive tapenade to die for.” Candy smiled and held Judy’s hand.
She felt better already; hopefully this would be a nice distraction from issues back home. “Thanks, honey. I’ll even buy.” They headed into the restaurant.