swan (savioring) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2019-05-17 12:33:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, emma swan, veronica mars |
WHO: Emma Swan & Veronica Mars
WHEN: Recently (before Liam's bday)
WHERE: Diner
WHAT: V and Emma do a catch up with discussions on dreams and life.
RATING: PG-13
STATUS: Complete
A new job, a progression of dreams, and looking for a better apartment meant that Emma's social life had taken a nose dive of extreme proportions. It didn't surprise her, not really. She'd pulled back from a lot of things when she started working at the Godfrey company, mostly so that she could be sure that she had the time she needed to perpetually be ready for anything and everything Roman might request while keeping herself updated on what the company was doing and how she might be needed to direct things and prioritise Roman's meetings or schedule.
And it was exhausting, for sure, but in the way she needed it to be, the way that meant her dreams weren't as much of a sucker punch, before at least most nights she didn't remember dreaming anything at all. It was a double edged knife, sure, because it meant she missed seeing her son in the dreams, missed knowing how he was doing, feeling that connection, but at the same time, she was glad to not have to deal with Regina.
Her hatred for a woman who didn't exist (as far as she knew) was exceptionally worrying at times.
But with things starting to settle, Emma had attempted to wade back into the world of meeting with people again, and that came with a call to Veronica to see if the other blond wanted to get a burger, catch up a little. A lot had happened since they'd gotten coffee and Emma didn't make a point in texting V to tell her all about the dreams because Veronica did have a child to look after and Emma was aware enough to know that someone texting at all hours about dreams likely wasn't going to be 100% welcome all the time. But some burgers and chatting, that would hopefully be good for them.
---
It was easy for Veronica to get lost in her day to day life. She went to work, took care of Liam and repeat. Some days she would meet a friend for a drink, or hell just go for a drink herself after a long day on the job. Taking photos of people cheating on their spouses made for some long days. But for the most part Veronica didn’t have much of a social life either.
So when Emma called her to meet up? Of course the blonde said yes. She couldn’t even remember the last time she talked to Emma, which was bad. She really needed to make an effort to see her friends more… Well her friends that weren’t Leon. Somehow she couldn’t seem to get rid of that guy.
Veronica decided to give herself a long lunch break and made her way to the burger place where she was meeting Emma. She got there first this time grabbing a table for her and Emma.
---
Emma’d done a little bit of shopping in the morning, so she’d taken her somewhat beat up car with her to meet with Veronica, leaving her stash in the car, parked thankfully close to the burger place, and spotting Veronica at the table.
“Hey,” Emma constantly felt rushed all the time these days, even when she wasn’t, so sitting down to just enjoy a lunch would be pretty good for her to just stop for a while. “I am absolutely famished, so please excuse the insane amount of food I am likely to order.”
A bonus to having a well paying job? She didn’t need to worry that much about just what she was spending all the time. Not going crazy with it or anything, but all in all, she didn’t need to take the cheapest thing and some water. “It feels like forever since we’ve hung out you know.”
---
“Probably because it’s been forever,” Veronica replied with a smirk. But that was life. Emma had a busy life, Veronica had a busy life. The important thing was they still kept in touch and made time for each other when they could. That was what really mattered.
The server came by to take their order. Veronica went with a bacon cheeseburger, fries and a soda. Veronica could eat and she didn’t give a shit about counting calories or dieting or any of that. So really? There would be no judgements when it came to Emma’s order.
Once Emma had ordered and the server left Veronica turned her attention back to her friend. “So how’s the new job?”
---
Since working for a firm that needed her to be go-go-go a lot of the time, Emma was starting to figure out how to eat with the focus on a slow release of energy, this meant more carbs but she wasn’t overly bothered. Going with a triple decker club sandwich with a baked potato and lemonade for herself.
“Ugh, I know I signed up for this, and I know I should not complain, but God do I miss free time.” There would always be those little things here and there, issues with the training wheels, or getting used to schedules. She’d been with the Godfrey’s company for a month now, collected her first paycheck, and while that absolutely made up for her sleep schedule going to shit, it was still an adjustment. “It’s easier than I thought it would be, but not easy.”
She didn’t think it was meant to be though. “But I’m liking it, the challenge is good, the people don’t suck and I could potentially own my own property before the end of the year.” And that was the goal, right?
---
The thing that Veronica liked about running her own business? She got to make her own hours. Well for the most part. Cases did tend to require he to be at a certain place at a certain time. But still, she wasn’t at anyone else’s beck and call. Every case she took was her choice. “I’m sure it will get easier once you adjust.” It hadn’t been that long since she started after all. Everything was still new and overwhelming. “Who knows, maybe you’ll even get from free time again.”
The server brought over their drinks and Veronica took a sip. “Challenges are good. Keeps things from getting boring. Your own property?” she asked with a brow raise. “What does that mean, exactly?” she didn’t know the details of Emma’s job. That was how long it’d been since they had caught up.
---
It was just a matter of getting used to things, and figuring out what she needed to get done instantly when it hit her desk and what she could put a hold on. That and collating all the information about her boss and his preferences for things so that nothing sprang up. She was going to be a total spreadsheet queen in a matter of weeks.
“I’m working for the Godfrey Institute, and while it is still technically menial work as a PA, the incentives are amazing.” From health care to shares in a small stock system, the training that she’d get was nothing to sniff at either. “The main thing is the salary. I’ve worked it out, ten months at this rate of pay and I could potentially put down a payment on a condo or small house.”
And that was with the potential that she planned to stay in Orange County, but if she’d gotten this far through her dreams, dealt with what she had, death and murder and kidnapping, she could probably take the rest of it. “I think this might be it, this might be the time to put down proper roots.”
---
Ah. That kind of property. Okay that made much more sense now. Veronica was thinking her job was going to give her a property. But it was also surprising. That Emma was thinking that far into the future. Thinking of purchasing a permanent place to live. Veronica always took her as the type that didn’t stay in one place too long. But then Orange County had a way of doing that to a person. Pulling them in and making them stay.
“Wow,” Veronica commented. “That was not at all what I was expecting to hear from you today,” she admitted taking another sip of her soda. “But I gotta admit I’m glad to hear it. I kinda like having you around,” she quipped. “If you need someone to go house hunting with...” Veronica knew it was a long ways away. But still, the offer was there.
---
Emma could understand the comment, Emma had been nomadic for a majority of her life now, the idea of buying a home was so out of her field of normal. “I know, it’s just so new, even for me.” And even if she didn’t buy a home, the idea of having some kind of financial stability would be a weight off her shoulders too.
“This place is… it’s weird as hell, that’s what it is,” and that was putting it lightly, especially since she was dreaming about small town Maine that was just as weird, and she was considering making both of them semi-permanent in her life. “But yeah, I mean, it’s gotten normal, and I’m making friends, and you’re awesome,” which wasn’t just pandering, “but you might regret that offer, because I am going to need someone, in time, to come looking at property with me.”
Otherwise Emma would be in a trailer on the beach. And that was illegal.
---
Veronica gave a small laugh. “Yeah, that’s one way of describing it.” But really were there words for describing Orange County. Weird didn’t even begin to cover it. Even weird as hell. “But after experiencing all this.” This referring to the weird that was Orange County. “Can you really imagine living anywhere else? It’d be so boring.” And knowing all that was out there, dreams of other lives, demons that attacked, snowmen coming to life, how could anyone go back to a normal life?
“You’re not so bad yourself,” Veronica replied with a smirk as the server brought over their food. She popped a french fry in her mouth. “You might regret taking me with you,” Veronica replied honestly. “It’s been a few years since I bought a place.”
---
Honestly, she couldn’t, and that was part of it. There was something unsettling about the dreams yes, and there was always something happening in town -like when she had to spend almost a week with James because of some OC nonsense that kept them bonded somehow. But leaving meant she’d stop dreaming and everything would be mundane again.
She’d stop seeing Henry.
And it wasn’t something she wanted to think too deeply on, because he might’ve started off as just some kid she couldn’t keep, but as the dreams progressed she felt more and more bonded to him. “That’s probably why so many of us stay, right? The idea of going somewhere that doesn’t have killer snowmen is just so pedestrian?”
Picking open her sandwich to salt her tomato, Emma nodded with a smile, “Oh, so long as you don’t start talking about antique molding or yard upkeep, I’m sure we’ll be fine.” It wasn’t like Emma had high standards.
---
There was a look of… something on Emma’s face. Something Veronica quite put her finger on. But she supposed it had something to do with Orange County. What it would mean to leave. Veronica got it though. Dreaming brought on a whole bunch of feelings. She popped another fry in her mouth choosing not to press it. Dreams were a touchy subject. Emma knew she could talk to Veronica about them if she wanted to.
“Probably has something to do with it,” Veronica agreed. “For those of us that can handle it at least.” She knew this life, dealing with all the attacks, dealing with dreams, it wasn’t for everyone.
“I don’t know,” Veronica replied with a smirk. “Yard upkeep is very important to think about when purchasing a home.”
---
Probably a certain sort of person, or a certain type of dreams. Emma could feel some of her other self coming through, and while she wasn’t ready to wall up her life and keep people away from her life, she did feel like she was much more ready to deal with life.
“That’s probably really true,” and Emma couldn’t say she blamed the people who called quits and left, there really wasn’t anything wrong with bailing out on this place and the slightly crazy antics. “I mean I’m sure we’re the ones who’re crazy for staying.”
Emma had to chew through some of her sandwich before answering, “Sure, but the time for yard upkeep is a real bummer.” And if things at work got better she might have less time. “And I don’t think I’ve got a green thumb, I’m way more likely to want a nice big driveway for the car.”
---
“Probably a much better idea,” Veronica replied biting into her burger. Room for a car was much more important than a yard. Especially when you didn’t have time to take care of it. Which was probably why Veronica’s own yard was a bit of a mess. Oh well. She was busy. Running her own company, being a mom. It was a lot.
“How are the dreams going?” Veronica asked stuffing another fry into her mouth. The last time they had really talked Emma was still new to the whole dream thing.
---
Considering how often California had to cut back on water use, Emma didn’t really want to put a lot into something that would, unfortunately, wilt from time to time. And she’d never been bothered about a garden when she was younger anyway. A driveway just made more sense.
The mention of the dreams had Emma poking a little at her food for a moment, working out when they’d gotten to and what she could talk about, “It’s… They’re a mess, I barely know what’s real, even in them now.” After Graham’s death and the job at the station and Henry’s dedication to this fantasy land. “My son believes his step-mother is the Evil Queen, and while she’s a royal bitch, for sure, I’m not sure if I’m doing more damage going along with it than stopping it.”
---
Veronica pondered that for a moment. Biting into her burger while she thought about it. It was a hard question. She could only imagine how it felt for Emma. Having to watch someone else raise her son. Veronica knew she certainly wouldn’t be able to handle it if it was Liam.
But on the other hand, the woman had raised Henry for years. She was also his mother. “I don’t know,” Veronica finally said once she swallowed. “Is she a bitch to Henry? Or just to you?”
---
For all Regina’s faults as a person, in general and just her acerbic personality, Emma couldn’t really say she was a terrible mother. At least until this point. “She’s not bitchy at him but… She’s very controlling, and overbearing. He had this little playground that he liked to sit at, and it was our spot, our castle to hang out and bond while he was out of school.” And maybe him calling the climbing pen a castle was a little too on the nose considering all the things Henry said.
“But Regina had it torn down, claiming it was a safety hazard, it’s all fenced off now.” In some ways, Emma could understand how Regina was feeling, seeing someone else come into Henry’s life now, changing things, but the way she was doubling down just made Emma worry for any other time Henry went against exactly what Regina wanted. “I’m worried she’s going to keep putting him in therapy rather than address this fantasy of his. Like, it must stem from somewhere, right?”
---
“Wow,” Veronica couldn’t help but comment. “That’s a little…. Over the top.” Couldn’t she just ground the kid? There was no need to tear down the whole damn playground. “How do she have that kind of power?” Because really who could just go around getting play structures torn down anyway.
---
Over the top indeed, although Emma was glad it wasn’t just a her thing, reacting to Regina, that Veronica thought it was just as serious, “Oh, that’s the fun part. She’s the mayor.”
And she was sure it was because no one else had the guts to take her on, Emma could see that much in the town. “When I first arrived in town, after Henry convinced me to stay, she managed to get the two places I could rent a room to blacklist me.” Which was partly why Emma was so grateful for Mary Margaret too. “I’m just lucky Henry’s teacher was so nice.”
---
“Oh then I definitely wouldn’t trust her,” Veronica replied. “Mayors are bad news.” At least going off of her own dreams. But then the whole police force was also corrupt in her dreams and she didn’t hold anything against other police officers. But still with Woody, and now hearing about the mayor in Emma’s dreams. Seemed to be a trend.
“Henry’s teacher?” Veronica asked trying to keep up with all the people in Emma’s dreams. She took another bite of her burger letting Emma explain more.
---
Maybe Mayors were going to be the next butler-did-it thing, but frankly, Emma was of the opinion that power would corrupt people. “I hear you there.” And Emma didn’t see the appeal, but clearly it was about control.
“Oh, Mary Margaret, she’s Henry’s teacher and my roommate and possibly also Snow White, according to Henry and his story book.” That story book definitely liked to play tricks, but it could be eery in how spot on to stories it got. “It’s a whole big thing.”
---
“Your kid really has a thing for fairy tales, huh?” Veronica asked taking another bite of her burger. It made her wonder about her own kid. What would he end up believing in? It wasn’t exactly like growing up in Orange County was the most normal thing around.
“Does she come with the seven dwarves too?”
---
Having a thing for fairy tales was an understatement for Henry. But Emma couldn’t really explain what it was with him. “I think it’s his coping method. He’s gotten to a stage in life where he butts head with his mother, adoptive or not, that’s what Regina is. So, it’s easier to make her the Evil Queen, and the woman he doesn’t know is a saviour.” Emma pondered over it while she picked at slices of meat from her sandwich.
“I mean, there are seven… shorter people in the town?” And they all seemed to spend the off hours together, even if it didn’t seem like they should, like Leroy the petulant fisher spending time with the cheerful shoemaker.
---
That was certainly an interesting coping mechanism. But Veronica supposed it made sense. She had no idea what Henry’s life was like. But sometimes the idea of living in a fairy tale beat the real world. Especially for a kid.
“No shit?” Veronica asked at the comment about the seven shorter people. “Maybe your kid is on to something,” she joked popping another fry into her mouth before getting more serious. “But yeah that does kind of sound like a coping mechanism. Not that I’m a shrink or anything.”
---
“Yes shit,” which was just the icing on an already very weird cake. At least it didn’t seem like Mary Margaret got woodland creatures to tidy the loft or anything like that. That would just be the weirdest ever.
Sometimes, it was like Henry really did know what he was talking about, and then he’d tell her something like Archie was meant to be a cricket, and that would be the weird factor ramped up all over again. “Me neither, but he’s seeing one, and Archie tends to agree, but we can’t really tell him that. Best to go along and not upset him, y’know?”
And Emma took the opportunity to bond with Henry where she could, since Regina just kept trying to cause problems.
---
Veronica assumed Archie was the shrink. “Is that what Archie said to do?” Go along with it she meant. If that was what he said than Veronica supposed it was for the best. It wasn’t like she knew any better. Especially since she wasn’t in the dreams herself.
“You know,” Veronica commented taking a sip of her drink. “I’m surprised I didn’t end up having to see a shrink in my dreams.” It probably would have been a good idea. But at least she turned out fine… for the most part.
---
Emma nodded, mopping up some of her sauce with some of her bread, “Supposedly, denying it just makes him feel like he can’t be open with us, but if we work with the comparisons, it’ll let him grow to trust and share, and we can work out how to help him learn to use healthier coping methods.” There was a lot of mumbo jumbo that was attached to what Archie advised, and while Emma was uncertain about a lot of this, she just wanted what was best for Henry.
Veronica’s comment had Emma snorting a little, “I like a bunch of people around here could’ve done with some of that in the dreams.” Emma sure as hell would’ve been better off, but then, she hadn’t been the type to open up by any stretch of the imagination. “But I guess it’s just something a lot of us learned to cope with?”
---
“Well then, sounds like you’re doing the right thing,” Veronica replied. Though it was a bit worrisome that he thought of his adoptive mother as the Evil Queen. She could only imagine how that made Emma feel.
“Yeah,” Veronica agreed finishing off her burger. “I don’t think the dreams really throw anything at us that we can’t handle.” Even though it felt like it sometimes.
---
Parenthood hadn’t really been something that Emma had thought she’d be dealing with -at least not alone, not after this world and the dreams, the way they merged and intersected. When she started dreaming about Henry she didn’t think she’d get that invested, that involved in his development and wellbeing, that she’d worry so much about the woman raising her son. And yet…
“They sure do try to push though,” the dreams might be something that were trying to change perspective, or to add more layers. But they were hard at times. “I think it’s just comforting to know they will end.” Which she felt was a light at the end of the tunnel type thing.
---
“Yeah,” Veronica agreed. “It’s nice not having them anymore.” Though sometimes she wondered what her dreamself would be up to now. But for the most part it was a relief not having to worry about solving murders, being shot at, being set on fire. “You’ll get there eventually.”