I Moderate (i_moderate) wrote in we_archive, @ 2006-01-25 22:24:00 |
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Entry tags: | death of the endless, jesse custer |
i_seekgod End of the road
Who: Jesse and Death
What: Breakfast finally
Note: Log finished with a narrative.
Didi: She was early. Waiting. The day had been a good one, despite everything, and the universe was preparing itself for normalcy once more. Or at least, whatever could be considered normalcy on this particular plane of existence.
It wasn't long before she heard barking, and turned in time for Kojak to leap up at her arms. With a squeak, Didi toppled over into the grass, giggling as the dog nuzzled and licked her hello.
Jesse: He'd woken Max, like he promised, while kneeling beside the bed, so he could be face level, and let her know that Didi was waiting, and he'd be back as soon as he could. But if she wasn't there when he got back, he'd expect a message or something letting him know she was alright.
The moment they'd stepped outside, Kojak had been pulling. Pulling and pulling, and when Didi came into view, he yanked the jumpropeleash from Jesse's hands and bounded away. Jesse jogged to catch up and smiled at Didi.
"Did you have a wonderful night?"
Didi: When the overeager dog finally allowed, Didi nodded and laughed. "Yes. Yes, I did. Thank you." She reached her hands out for him to help her up. "And now I'm decently starving, so we better find some breakfast." Her smile again. "I was tempted with oversleeping and breakfast in bed, but I put my foot down and said, oh no, Mister Alfred, I have breakfast plans, and I won't be missing them again."
Jesse: Jesse grabbed her hands and pulled her up. "We'd better find a place that's dog friendly. I don't think Kojak would take too kindly to being left out."
He smiled at her. "I'm glad you had fun, darlin. You deserve it."
Didi: "Anyplace is dog friendly, as long as you can be the right kind of people-friendly first." She slid her arm into his and pointed. "Look. A bagel shop. That means breakfast, right? Come on, Kojak."
She started humming under her breath as they walked.
Jesse: Jesse smiled. "Bagels? You just want bagels? No gigantic omelets piled high with so much cheese and stuff that you get sick?"
But he followed her, still smiling. Watching Kojak bounce happily around her.
Didi: "It's a bagel shop, Jesse. I want an onion bagel with egg, ham, and cheese and maybe a bit of bacon. And something nice to drink. Coffee, maybe. I should try coffee." She couldn't remember the last time she'd tried coffee. A few centuries ago, at least.
"Eating is great. It's so much better than photosynthesis or regeneration or osmosis."
Jesse: He laughed. "I'll have to agree. So many flavors that you don't get when you're just absorbing things."
He held the door open for her. "That's going to be one huge bagel, darlin. And yes. Try coffee. I'm sure they've got millions of different flavors of it here."
Didi: "Well, my last meal should be nice and filling, right?"
A few people glanced up at her words, and Didi just smiled at them and waved. From behind the counter, a man got to his feet with a start. "Hey! Hey, ya can't bring a dog in here!"
Didi turned towards him, hand over her mouth. "Oh, I'm sorry! But... He's just a little dog, and he's pretty hungry. If I promise that he'll stay with me, and won't bother anyone, can he just sit with us? We'll stay in the back, and not bother anyone at all." She tried a smile, a small but incredibly hopeful one.
The man sighed, and waved them towards the back. "You jes make sure he says quiet, y' hear?"
"Yes, sir!" Didi said, saluting. She looked down at the dog. "Now, stay with me and Jesse, no begging, no barking, and no wandering. Okay?"
Strangely enough, the dog tossed his head in what seemed like a nod.
Jesse: Jesse watched in amazement. Mostly, amazement at the dog. Because well, she was Didi, and cute enough to make any man do what she asked. Especially with that cute look.
"I'm starting to wish I knew how to talk to the little beast. He seems to have interesting things to say."
Didi: "It's easy to listen to dogs. They mostly use their noses and their tails to tell you things. And most of that is about bones and scents." She pulled Jesse to a table in the back, and Kojak obediently seated himself under the table at Didi's feet. A waiter came by almost immediately and Didi repeated her order before looking at Jesse.
Jesse: "Give me what she's having." Jesse pointed. "And give the dog half a pound of bacon."
He grinned at the waiter. Probably he wouldn't let Kojak eat all that bacon at once, but having some to take home for the pup wasn't a bad idea.
Didi: The boy took the order with a surprised glance to Kojak. "Okay," he said. "It'll be just a few minutes."
"Great!" Didi beamed, one hand scratching behind Kojak's ears. "Thanks!"
The boy blinked at her, then smiled. "You're welcome," he said. "Hey, if there's anything else you need, you just let me know, okay?"
Jesse: Jesse laughed a little. "You've got a way with the boys, Didi. The poor kid is clearly smitten."
Didi: Didi shrugged. "I don't know about that. He seemed nice, though." She rested her chin on a fist. "I hope he finds a nice girl. That would be good for him."
Jesse: "If he's lucky, he will." Jesse sat back and fiddled with the smokes in his pocket. He wanted one, but didn't think the bagel people would like that too much. So there they stayed.
Didi: "Yeah. Not everyone gets lucky like that. It would be nice if they did." Her glance turned to Jesse. "Maxine is a nice girl. I'd say you got pretty lucky yourself."
Jesse: Jesse blushed a little at that. "Yeah. I do feel lucky. She's. Amazing is commonly overused, but she is. I feel blessed. Haven't felt this way about a girl since..." Jesse frowned. "Since Tulip."
Didi: Didi frowned for a moment, then looked up as the waiter came back and set a steaming cup of coffee in front of each of them, along with a plate containing a very stacked bagel, and a platter of sizzling bacon.
"Wow. That was fast!" she remarked.
The waiter shrugged a bit, smirking. "Just doing my job. Can I get you anything else?"
"No, thanks. Time to eat." Didi picked up her bagel with both hands and took a large bite.
Jesse: Jesse followed suit with the food, biting into it. Realizing that he was extremely hungry, then trying to come up with when he'd last eaten anything. It felt like days. He was done with half of his bagel, despite it's size, in moments.
He didn't speak, as he'd been raised with the idea that talking with your mouth full was rude. Jesse was not a rude person.
He picked up a strip of bacon and held it out for Kojak, who ate it happily. He gave a stern silent warning to the dog to eat slow, though he was sure that the dog wouldn't hear, or wouldn't listen.
Didi: Didi tore her way through her own bagel fairly quickly, and followed it with two cups of coffee. She rested her head against the table, finally full, and sighed. "That was the best breakfast I've had in ages. Totally worth the wait."
Jesse: Jesse nodded as he finished up his food, fed Kojak two more strips of bacon, and cleaned his hands using two napkins, just to be extra sure. "It certainly was." He finally agreed verbally. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."
Didi: She grinned, but then the clock caught her eye and a sudden pout descended over her face. "Damn. Twenty minutes until nine." She pushed herself to her elbows. "Why does time go so fast?"
Jesse: "Because we're having a nice time." Jesse sat back again. "That's the rule."
Didi: "It's not fair." Didi sighed. "Should we go for a walk, then? Back to the park? I like the park."
There was movement under the table. "Kojak likes the park too." Didi patted her pockets and pulled out a rumpled ten dollar bill and two pennies before looking up and catching the waiter's eye. "Check?"
Jesse: Jesse looked under the table. "I know he likes the park. I think he hopes Ace will be there. I doubt he will." Jesse watched the kid return and smiled. "Hey, any idea where a guy can get a guitar?"
Didi: The boy scratched his chin. "Saw a music store down past the school a few days ago. Might still be around there." He put the check on the table. Immediately, Didi snatched it up, glanced at it, and handed it back to him with the ten dollar bill. "Keep the change," she said, tucking the pennies back into her pocket and smiling at him.
Jesse: "Thanks, man." Jesse watched the exchange and when he left he muttered something about needing to find money. "Shall we, then? A walk around the park. I'm glad I get to spend your last few minutes with you."
Didi: "I am too." Didi got up from the table and clicked her tongue at Kojak. The dog got to his feet and followed them to the door. Didi, for her part, still had a smile on her face, but her steps seemed to drag a bit.
Jesse: Jesse got up behind her and opened the door again. He put a hand on the small of her back to help her through. She seemed like she was getting tired. Such a long day with no rest would do that, he supposed.
"It's a good day for the park too. So pretty."
Didi: "It is." She leaned against him a bit, and sighed. "I really did have a very nice day, Jesse. Even with everything. A very nice day."
Jesse: "I'm really glad to hear that, darlin. I really am. I'm just sorry that you had to meet the Saint of Killers. If I could do anything to change it so you hadn't, I'd do it gladly." He supported her with one hand at her back now and one at her elbow.
Didi: "I know you would. But it's okay." Her smile faded lightly as her expression tightened. It was gone in a heartbeat. "Maybe we should... sit down a minute." There was a low stone fountain at the entrance to the park, just ahead. She motioned to it.
Jesse: "Yeah, sure, Didi." Worried now, he moved her to the bench. "What's wrong, you okay?"
Didi: "Yeah. Just.. tired." She reached into her pocket and took out the pennies. "You know, back in old times, they used to put coins on the eyes of the dead. It was the fare they had to pay, to make it across the river Styx and into the underworld."
She turned them over in her hand, then took one of Jesse's and dropped them into his palm, closing his fingers over them. "There's always a price to pay. That's what makes it important."
Jesse: Jesse looked at the coins in his hand. "They still did it in Christianity well into the nineteen hundreds. I've heard about it." He was still looking at the coins. He was very very confused about what was going on.
Didi: She nodded, leaning against his shoulder. "It's the price that makes it important. And it's valuable because it ends."
Didi picked up her head and kissed his cheek, lightly. "Thank you for keeping me company," she said, resting on his shoulder again. "Just a friend... to hold on... while I fall asleep...."
From somewhere across the City, a church bell began to sound out the hours. Didi's eyes closed, and she slept.
Jesse sat in silence for a long time, thinking that she was just looking at the day. Being quiet and contemplative. She had, after all, just had one Hell of a day. She had a lot to think about. Then he started wondering if she had fallen asleep, and he smiled a little.
“Sleepy, then?” He asked quietly, and laughed a little when she didn’t respond. Carefully, he adjusted her so that she might be more comfortable. Jesse stroked the ends of her hair, petting her while she slept on him. She was so peaceful in sleep. So quiet. He’d never experienced somebody sleeping so soundly that he couldn’t even hear their breathing.
Jesse frowned. She wasn’t moving. Not even breathing movements. “Didi?” He frowned harder. He cradled her head with one hand and turned toward her. She was limp. “Didi.” He said, a little sterner now. Even looking right at her, he couldn’t see the rise and fall of her chest that announced breaths being taken. To be sure, he put his face nearer hers, trying to feel her breath with his cheek. There was nothing.
“Oh my God, Didi…” He was beginning to panic. His hand moved up to push fingertips against her throat, to feel for the pulse there. No matter how adimently he searched, he found no trace. Not even a light, thready beating. Just his own pulse, wildly flailing and filled with panic. Quickly, but with great care, he slipped out from supporting her and rested her head against the stone of the fountain. He was crying now, and people were beginning to surround him. Somebody had shouted something about an ambulance. Pushing in close. They were asking him if she was alright. But he couldn’t answer. They asked if he was alright, and he couldn't answer that either. All he could focus on was Didi. Didi, dead. Lifeless. A corpse.
Everything around him went silent as he realized what was going on. Everything in slow motion as understanding hit. Jesse nodded to himself. A woman stepped forward to give her mouth to mouth and Jesse shook his head and pushed her away. He didn’t think they got it, that she was gone, and not coming back. With the crowd pushing in on him, Jesse knelt beside the corpse of the girl who had once been Didi, but was not her anymore. He kissed her cheek softly and whispered into her ear.
“May God guide you on your journey home.” He knew that Didi wasn’t dead. Not like this. But he didn’t know what the circumstances were. If this body had been borrowed, if it’d had a soul of it’s own. He felt like it was safer to say these words than to not say them. What could they hurt anyway? Jesse looked at the coins in his hands, that she had put there. Gently, he placed one on each eye.
Sirens. Shouting. Sound. It all faded into meaningless nothing as Jesse stood and stepped away from the body. People bumping into him. People trying to save the girl. All he could do was look at her. He got far enough away to be out of the sights and firing lines of everybody who had gathered, but still close enough for questioning, so nobody would wonder if he was the one to kill her.
He sat on the ground, and waited for it all to be over with.