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Tweak says, "PLEASE DON'T HURT HIM!!!!"

Christian (i_learned) wrote in we_coexist,
@ 2012-08-05 19:45:00

Entry tags:

christian, lorne, winifred burkle

The Red Dot (Fred, Lorne)
The device that Veronica called a phone started buzzing again, and again Christian looked down and found the same map, the same red blinking dot, and the same desire to go through the streets to find that dot.

Minutes later, he found himself in front of Angel Investigations, a company that apparently helped the helpless. There was a dentist's office beside it. Christian rubbed the back of his neck, then headed across the street. He didn't know what he would find behind the door, but he did know one thing: that phone wasn't going to stop buzzing and calling him out until he went.

Pausing at the door, he wondered if he should knock or simply walk in. He opted with the walking-in.

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i_learned
2012-08-11 11:07 pm UTC (link)

"Coffee would be wonderful," Christian said, once the woman stopped speaking. It was very difficult to understand her. He answered her questions carefully, trying not to miss any of them, but certainly not sure about most of what she'd said. "I'm... new. I was led here by the phone. I don't speak to it. Should I? And I don't know what I need help with. My name is Christian. It is very nice to meet you, Ms..."

The woman looked... mousey, like she had been hidden away from people for most of her life. He softened his approach, reminding himself that maybe she just wasn't used to having people around. Was she in charge here? "What is this place?" he asked quietly, looking around.

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i_figure
2012-08-11 11:21 pm UTC (link)

"Coffee." Fred paused at his question about speaking to the phone. "Well, you could, but you don't have to. Unless it speaks to you. Then you either have a special gift or you're crazy." She gave him a slight smile.

"Christian. Nice name. I'm Fred." She'd just said that, hadn't she? "It's a detective agency, though lately and pretty much always we've dealt in the bumps in the night. Ghosts, demons, the like. Not as many demons as ghosts. Then again, it could be the people I have working with me."

Fred set about getting the coffee ready. Her head tilting a little at a new little instrument. She knew what it was - a coffee press - but she didn't remember buying it. The brainy female opted for the coffee machine anyway.

"We help the helpless." She smiled at the fellow. "Maybe the City thinks you need help of some kind. It does that. Throws people together. Sometimes I think it does it to see what happens. Other times it honestly wants to help, in its own very twisted way." She disappeared for a moment to fill the carafe with water to pour into the coffee machine.

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i_learned
2012-08-12 12:18 am UTC (link)

"Oh -- yes, yes, I'm sorry, you said that. Hello.... Fred?"

Fred was a man's name. And it was very odd to call anyone by their first name on the first meeting, but then.... Then, everyone here in this City so far had asked him to do the same. Still, Fred was not like Lindsay or Jay or Meredith. It was decidedly masculine, and she was ... decidedly... feminine. He smiled awkwardly. They had both done so much apologizing in so few seconds. He determined he would stop now, if only to reduce the appearance of the ridiculous.

"How strange," Christian mused. "I just met a lady - Veronica - who was a detective as well. She seemed more closely aligned to law enforcement, rather than... your expertise... but it is very odd that I would meet Veronica first and then be drawn to you. I don't know of any mystery that I need uncovered. I don't know why I would need... a detective..."

He nodded as she hurried into the back to tend to the coffee. Coffee would be bracing and welcome.

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i_figure
2012-08-12 12:26 am UTC (link)

"It's short for 'Winifred.' Guess I seem more 'Fred' than 'Winifred.'" Her Texan accent might have been a little thicker for the moment. There were many possible reasons, but none she'd share right off with a stranger. "Someone thought it fit a long time ago." She shrugged and let the coffee start brewing as she dug through the fridge, pulling out the small container of cream.

"I'm sorry, I don't have any thing to go with the coffee. But, I do have cream." She held up the small carton and set it by the two waiting mugs.

"Maybe you don't need a detective." She motioned to the couch. "Have a seat? Maybe you need something else. And was she blond, bout this tall.." Veronica was a little shorter than Fred. "And seemed perky, a little perky? Almost as chatty as me?" She knew she talked a lot.

"I know her. Or I knew her. If it's who I think it is." She sat on one end of the couch. Her smile was soft, understanding. "We help people here. It doesn't have to be supernatural, or mysterious. Helping is helping."

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i_learned
2012-08-12 01:13 am UTC (link)

Winifred. Well, that made more sense. He smiled and nodded.

"Thank you," he said, both to the coffee and to the seat. "Oh, no cream for me, thank you." He took off his hat belatedly and set it on his lap, then reached for his coffee. It was hot and very, very welcome after three months of hard drinking. He felt that he was only just coming out from under the cloud of alcohol. Satine's death still ached, ached in a way that he felt he'd never be free of... but he couldn't be drinking now. Not now, when he didn't know where he was, not really, and he didn't know why he was here, specifically.

"Yes, that's exactly who I met. And I suppose I could use some help understanding why I'm here. Everyone has different answers. I imagine yours will be different, too. This place, I've gathered, is somehow aware, not alive in the way we are, but still alive... and..." He frowned. "I am afraid I can't figure out much about what's going on. Do you know of an expert on this place that I could talk to?"

That would be most helpful indeed.

"I don't really.... I mean, there's not much back in France or London for me now, but... it was my home, and I think I'd like to return..."

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i_figure
2012-08-12 03:14 am UTC (link)

"I don't know if there is an expert on the City." Fred smiled, setting cream and sugar on the small coffee table. She didn't drink from her coffee, not yet. Her hands rested on her lap as she continued to smile. She wore jeans and a shirt that did indeed show that she was very feminine. Her head tilted a little as she thought about his question.

"Yes, the City is alive and aware. We were told recently that it's for something bigger. The City collects us to survive; it's not the only one out there, but we've never met another one." She lightly rested her hand on his shoulder for a moment. "And, I have to say you're stuck here. For now. Until the City returns you back to..London or France. I've been here for years."

She patted his shoulder before letting her hands rest in her lap again. She watched him carefully, still smiling.

"It's not hard, but it's not easy. Living here for so long. I'm not saying you're stuck here forever. People do come and go." Her smile faded, grew sad for a brief moment, but it quickly came back. "You get a second chance here. Some people don't want that, but most do. You get to try things you never thought you would. I never thought I'd be running things here. I always thought I'd be the employee, not the employer." She laughed softly.

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i_learned
2012-08-12 04:10 am UTC (link)

Christian listened very carefully to what Winifred had to say, and although he'd heard parts of this before, today was the first time it started to make sense. The disbelief was out of the way now. He still didn't quite believe it all, but he could accept it in the way someone who's dreaming accepts the absurd. It felt very much like a dream.

"A second chance," he murmured. It made him smile, but not in a kind way. No, his smile was half sadness, half longing. There could never be another Satine. But to live in a world where there never was a Satine was almost like never having lost her in the first place. No. No, that was foolishness, and he knew it. He tightened his grip on the coffee mug.

"Well, if I am to be here for an extended period of time, I suppose I should find some manner of employment. Veronica directed me to someone named 'Lorne.' Are you familiar with the man?"

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i_figure
2012-08-12 08:33 pm UTC (link)

"Well, I've been here years, like I said. And, I haven't touched anything that's killed me or turned me into some weird creature who isn't me - which sounds kind fantastic in the not at all good way. You know fantasy, not 'oh, wow, that's fantastic!'" Fred shook her head. "I have met so many great people, and I'm not afraid like I used to be. So, I'm thinking the City hasn't been so bad for me. I wouldn't mind it if people I knew were around - people from my home. But, I'm not going to complain about it."

She looked at her coffee then blinked, her smile brightening. "Lorne? Well, I know a Lorne. He's the only one I know. Doesn't meant there aren't others, but he's a good guy." She avoided "man" because Lorne really wasn't a man. He was male, probably, but he wasn't man or human.

"He's my friend. I really should see him more. I'm not a very good friend, and I dont' think he knows me like I know him. It's weird how that happens. So, I guess there are still people from my world here, but I just get so busy. Can you be a bad friend if the other person doesn't really remember you?" Yes, she was asking him this sort of question after having only known him a few minutes.

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i_learned
2012-08-12 08:56 pm UTC (link)

"Well," Christian hedged, shifting in his chair. "I suppose it's a matter of that second chance you mentioned. If he doesn't remember you, then you can plan to be the friend you've always wanted to be to him."

It sounded reasonable enough. He gave her a tentative smile.

"Veronica believes I should meet your friend. She thinks he might need a writer... and I've worked in nightclubs before, which I understand is his business as well. It's good to hear two people vouch for him."

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i_figure
2012-08-12 10:12 pm UTC (link)

"Maybe. I don't know why Lorne would need a writer. There is a paper in the City. Right now it has Lois Lane working for it. She's a pretty big name in writing. You could always try to write for the paper too." Fred shrugged.

"But, if you want, we can go. I could go visit him. You could see about a job. Maybe that's what you need help with." Fred smiled at him, glad she could help someone. She took a sip of coffee then frowned slightly. She'd waited too long to drink it, and she was going to have to give it up. There were always shops along the way.

"It might take a little while, but it's definitely doable." She smiled, nodding. At least she had a plan. And her phone wasn't calling anyone. And she was going to go see a friend, who was but wasn't a friend.

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i_learned
2012-08-12 11:56 pm UTC (link)

"I would like that," he said, "Thank you." And, standing, he offered her his arm.

"You know," he said quietly, as they walked in the direction he trusted her to lead them, "I'm a playwright and novelist, more than a journalist. I've been known to pen the occasional lyric, as well, but mostly my talents lie in entertainment - not information. I understand Lorne runs a nightclub..."

The conversation was easy and Fred was very intelligent. It was easy to talk with her; she really did seem like she only wanted to help. He didn't know too many people like that.

Before long, they were at the nightclub that loudly proclaimed itself 'Caritas.' And all there was left was to go in. Christian held the door.

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	i_host 2012-08-13 12:05 am UTC (link)
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