2/8 Instance: Complicated Matters

[fourpawsonthefloor]

timeline just before Parental Picnic

Remy: Remy sat on the floor, watching his son who slept, sprawled happily on his blanket. The TV was on, but it didn't bother him. Nothing much did when he was out like this. He didn't want to risk carrying him upstairs - and he was comfortable here anyways, so he left him to lay there and got up, finding a spot on the couch. "An' now Papa gets t' watch somethin' dat doesn't sing silly songs."

Tessa: Tessa came into the recroom from the kitchen, holding a cup of tea and a little plate of fruit. She wasn't two steps into the room when she spotted Remy, and turned around to go back, dropping the cup in the hasty retreat. "Oh, damnit."

Remy: He turned at the voice, trying to figure out why she was bent over with her back to him. "What'd y' drop?" Getting off the couch he took the container of diaper wipes over and knelt beside her.

Tessa: "Tea. It's fine, I can clean it up myself. Go back to Johnny." She picked up the cup and saucer and put them on a table, a little nervous at the proximity between them. She took a towel from the handle of teh stove to clean up the spill and sighed.

Remy: "He's asleep." But she was gone...probabally to the kitchen. Sure enough she reappeared with towel in hand. "I had d' wipes..." Watching her blot away at the stain he sat back on his heels. "At least it was tea. Coffee stains worse."

Tessa: "I don't drink coffee. At least not right now." She let the towel soak up the last of teh tea and sat back. "No scrutinizing looks this time?" the asked sarcastically.

Remy: He frowned. "What d' heck is dat supposed t' mean? I'm supposed t' be..." And that was about when he remembered the mall. One look and she'd clamed up...and had been quiet the rest of the day. "So? What if I did? Don' mean I'm thinkin' bad things."

Tessa: "You know all the mental shields in the world do nothing to hide that tone in your voice." She bit the tip of her tongue hard enough to make it pulse, trying to keep the bitterness out of her own voice and failing. "Why don't you just come out with it?"

Remy: "Fine." He folded his arms. "It's a fuckin' shitty situation. Y're dealin' with all dis...not havin' y're memory, bein' real sick an' all. An' den dere's Cessily who's broken hearted too. No one wins." He shrugged. "So what? I'm not allowed t' think dese things? Look at y' wit' a bit of....fuck I dunno...not regret exactly. Don' want y' feelin' like a pity case, but things have all changed for a lot of people, non? An' it sucks."

Remy: "I don' bring it up, cause it's jus' one of dem things. Know it's causin' people stress already. No point in me spoutin' on about things y' already know."

Tessa: "So you think I'm some sort of scarlet woman for that. Breaking it off with Cessily." Tessa picked up the towel and tossed it into the kitchen, landing it on the lip of the sink. "Do you think I did that to her because I wanted to, Remy? Because I'm that spiteful?" She wanted very badly to tell him exactly how it felt, and found nothing to describe it.

Remy: He blinked at her sudden anger. "What d' hell made y' think dat?" He shook his head, and got up from his croutch. "I ain't blamin' y' or anyone else. So why y' so defensive about it? Y' feelin' a lot of guilt about dis?"

Remy: He snorted, a small smile teasing at the corner of his mouth. "I may think dat y're a bit...feisty. But I don' think y're a bitch, if dat's what y're askin'. Sides which, even if y' did call it off with her, it's y're right to. Ain't like people don' do it everyday."

Tessa: Tessa snorted and shook her head, moving to sit on the couch. "This is different, you know that. I wouldn't have broken up with her if I hadn't lost those memories."

Tessa: She couldn't find the words she needed to say what she wanted. "Everybody lately has been looking at me with this expression, like I'm at fault for this. And I don't blame them for that. I don't want to have Cess hurt, but I don't want to just make it worse by staying with her when I can't give her what she deserves." She had to swallow tightly to avoid losing her voice.

Remy: "Y' ever think dat maybe d' only one around here really blamin' y'...is y'?" He flopped back in the couch. "Tessa...don' take dis d' wrong way, but sometimes its like y're spoilin' for a fight. Y're defensive as hell. An' I get dat y're jus' protectin' y'rself, but y're also causin' y'reself a lot of headaches. I know y' didn't want t' hurt her, ok? An'...it's y're choice if y' don' want t' try t' rediscover dat whole relationship. Hell...people gotta do what dey will."

Remy: "D' only thing I will say is y' know dat she's still holdin' onto hope wit' y'? Dat if she can jus' help y' wit' y're memory, it'll go back. So I guess I do have one question for y'. If y're memory came back...d' y' want dat back? Or y' moved on?"

Tessa: "Neither." She blinked and wrapped her arms around her knees. "I don't want to risk it, really. Cessily deserves something stable...and it's apparent that she can't get that with me. But... at the same time I can't help feeling something for Andreas too. But I can't get involved with him when she's still like this."

Tessa: Tess ran her fingers over the remote buttons between them, attempting to not open up too much. "I really like him, and I can remember what I've done with him. I just can't move one way or the other without hurting one or the other. I can't stay here like this."

Remy: Oh. Oh. Well that did complicate matters...seeming as Tessa and Andreas had a thing before...well at that. "So what y' gonna do den? Jus' not deal at all an' run an' hurt everyone?"

Tessa: "Do you have a better alternative?" It might have sounded sarcastic or desperate had she put enough force in it to do that. To her it just sounded stupidly morose. "There's not even a point to it anymore. Andy's family I know hates me, I'm not even sure he likes me. And Cessily has no reason to."

Remy: "Well non, Cessily loves y'. She really does petite. But y' do owe her t' explain dere ain' any point in her hangin' on t' hopes no more. Better t' rip a bandage off dan pull it bits at a time...even if it isn't y're fault she's got t' cut in d' first place."

Remy: "As for Andreas...he seems pretty hung up on y', for d' stuck up prick he can be. In fact, I think y're d' only person here he does like. An' who cares about his family. Dere all d' way over in Gemany. Ain' like y'd be goin' over for dinner every Sunday."

Tessa: Tessa sighed and seemed to shrink into herself. "I don't want to leave her with nothing. I know she has Japh, but..." She shook her head. "I'd never seen her really cry before all this happened. Not from being sad. I don't want her to have to again."

Tessa: "Andy is..." she bit her lip andfell silent for a moment. "What if the same thing happens again? Or god decides to stop screwing with me and I remember her? What would I do with him then?"

Tessa: For several minutes she quieted and thought, wondering why exactly Rogue had been so opposed to the one alternative she could come up with that might end in some relatively happy manner for everyone.

Remy: "So y're gonna live y're life on d' sidelines waitin' for what ifs? Life's jus' gonna pass y' by dat way."

Tessa: "My life has found the ability to reach out and drag me back into whatever mess I avoid thus far. I...I don't want whatever bad karma I've managed to accumulate to affect anyone else. I'm just afraid it will." She had to look up at him sooner or later and found herself surprised by the look on his face.

Tessa: "You look like my brother with that expression."

Remy: "Is dat a good thing or a bad thing?" He put his feet up on the coffee table and crossed his ankles. "Y' know, I dunno why everyone here's all worried about 'karma' an' crap lately. People shit on people who are different. Y've got a disease, an' y' got sick. It's life."

Remy: He rested his head back on the couch. "Y' don' have any bad mojo or whatever y' wanna call it. Dat's a bunch of bullshit. An' it ain't like herpes. Y' ain't gonna go spreadin' it around."

Tessa: "So explain the memory loss to me. That's never happened before. I didn't just 'get sick', Remy; and obviously it does spread otherwise half the people I know wouldn't have the issues I gave them." She fought a moment with what she wanted to say. "Maybe it would be better for everybody if I just went back home. There'd be some semblance of normality."

Remy: "I ain' Scotty. Wrong cousin. Y' want me t' explain about ten different ways t' make Andreas come dat y' haven't thought of yet, an' I'm y're guy. Dat doctor stuff I'm not good at. What I do know is dat y're scared an' runnin'. An' if y' do, y' won' save Cessily any pain, an' y'll jus' hurt more people doin' it."

Tessa: She just stared at the television, not paying any real attention to what was flashing across it. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I can work on problems I've seen efore, but this is totally new."

Remy: "Life is gonna be full of shit y' ain't seen before. If it ain't...y're gonna be bored silly. Y' ain't supposed t' have all d' answers." He shrugged. "Y' already got y're mind on what y'd like t' do. Y're jus' scared of not knowin'...an' of hurtin' people. But people are gonna get hurt no matter what y' choose. Best y' pick somethin' dat will be alright for at least some of y'."

Tessa: "I'm beginning to think that's not an option." She hesitated for a moment and revised, "No, not beginning to think. I know that's not an option."

Remy: "An' why d' hell not?" He gave her a look.

Tessa: "You're an empath. You tell me whether or not you can feel it." There was something in her tone that went very flat for those two statements.

Remy: His smile faded. "I don' do dat no more." Well, he knew he could, cause Talia and he still had that...link or whatever that was. He'd not tried to charge so much as a toothpick either, since his surgery. Just too many bad things. "But I don' have t' be an empath t' know y're bein' a stubborn silly ass. Jus' do it. Stop ditherin' about it."

Tessa: Her eyes closed and stayed that way for a while, the occasional wet drop rolling out, but never falling completely. "I tried that once and it didn't work then either. I'm still here."

Remy: He frowned. "Not leave y' twit. Go talk t' Andreas. Dieu knows dat no one else is gonna love d' homme." He rubbed her shoulder. "An' den Cessily."

Tessa: She gave him a faint and fatigued look that masqueraded as a smile, though it didn't quite succeed. "I wasn't talking about leaving. And if you want to jolt me into action by calling me names, you'll have to expand your vocabulary past twit. I've been called much worse."

Remy: "I could spank y' instead." He grinned. "Does dis mean y'll do it?"

Tessa: "Do you think it does?" She didn't return the grin at his lewd comment, which was odd. She merely tilted her head to the side and watched his face and body language.

Remy: He gave her a look, and went to run his fingers through hair that hadn't grown back yet. "Y' have t' practice at dis kinda thing? Or it jus' come natural t' y'? Y' dance around things more dan a sugarplum fairy."

Tessa: "Just another small blessing that comes with mutation. You didn't answer my question."

Remy: He narrowed his eyes at her slightly, and then nodded. "I think y' will. I think y're brave enough too."

Tessa: "I'm moderately glad someone thinks that. I have the suspicion Andreas and Cessily might not." With a small sigh she got up and went to the kitchen, searching for something in the pantry, up on the top shelf where not much was kept.

Remy: He gave a look to Johnny and followed her, standing in the hall so he could still see him. "Y' don' think dey think y're brave? Or y' think dey won't wanna hear what y' got t' say?"

Tessa: "Both in one case, and neither in the other." She found what it was she was hunting and came back down from her perch on the first shelf up, holding the bottle by its neck as she went into the kitchen proper for a glass.

Remy: He sighed and rubbed the spot between his brows. "Alright, so what does dis mean den? Y' gotta still sit wit' y're thumb up y're ass, or y' gonna bite d' bullet?"

Tessa: Tessa blinked and turned to look at him in the doorway. "You Americans and your mixed metaphors. Someone ought to buy the lot of you proverb books. This mix-and-match has got to end." She recapped the bottle and drank, at once liking the taste and trying to scrub it from her tongue. "I'll talk to Andy."

Remy: He nodded. "Good. Dat require y' gettin' shit faced first or is dat for fun?"

Tessa: "Both. Care for some?" She held the bottle out to him as she drank again from the glass.

Remy: "Can't. Ain't got cleared yet." He rubbed the back of his head. "Speakin' of which...is dat good for y're head? An' d' seizures an' all?"

Tessa: "Technically speaking, no. But try to take it from me like Rogue did and you'll have a few more bumps and bruises than you do now, once you regain consciousness." She commented mildly wheile she finished her drink. She took a look at the ingredient label and shrugged, pouring another glass.

Remy: He raised a brow. Evidently he'd have to talk to Anna. He waved his hand at her. "Fine. Y' wanna kill y'reself, dere's easier ways t' do it y' know. An' what is d' preoccupation y' have wit' beatin' people?"

Tessa: "It's just fun." That dripped with dry, cutting sarcasm as she gave him a bland stare. "If I was trying to drink myself to death, I'd've started sooner. As Rogue knows."

Remy: "Yeah, y' look like y're havin' a hoot. Smilin'...laughin'...happy." He shrugged. "Why don' y' want people not carin' for y' at all?"

Tessa: "I have no desire of the sort, to be honest. But one-sided relationships are not what I'd call enjoyable. From either side." She gave him a look that said rather plainly, 'I know from experience'. "Your attempt at sarcasm needs work."

Remy: He felt the need to pound his head against the wall. "But Andreas likes y'. An' y' like him." He said the words crisply. "So...how is dat one sided?"

Tessa: "Please, and I know this is hard for you, try not to sound stupid. You know perfectly well Andreas is not the person I'm referring to." She swallowed the remaining liquid in one go and felt her eyes water at the immensely strong anise flavor.

Remy: He grinned wide at her insult. "Well, Remy's a true bred cajun, non? Would hate t' disapoint. An' we already did dis. What y're doin' now is lettin' it be one sided. Dat's why y' should talk t' her...an' let her know how things are. Set her free from dis. Y're d' one dat isn't sayin' nothin' to her an' lettin' her cling t' dis."

Tessa: Tessa surveyed him through narrowed eyes over the rim of her glass. "I can't imagine any particular approach to the subject going over very well. I'm sure hesistation is understandable. Why don't you tell me how I should attempt this?"

Remy: "Ain't sayin' it will be easy. But I think y' should find somewhere quiet an' jus' do it. D' longer y' leave it d' more she's jus' gonna hurt. An' dat ain't fair neither."

Tessa: "I'm amused at how you think I'm unaware of this. I'll attempt talking to her, but I'm not promising anything." If everything goes terribly awry, there's always the fallback. She shrugged lightly.

Remy: "Well, consider me jus' a kick in d' pants. I don' think y're an idiot. Jus' dat y're locked in dis...not doin' anythin'."

Tessa: "So consider me unlocked." she was just at the stage of inebriation where her brain-mouth filter was slowly but steadily dissolving. "I'll go out with bang, figuratively speaking. Who knows, perhaps literally too."

Remy: He frowned. Oh great. What was this? Bobby had mentioned stuff...and that knife...and Lizzie with her damn pills. Was something in the water? "Y're about five seconds away from me haulin' y're ass down t' McCoy."

Tessa: "You really are a masochist, aren't you? Don't touch me, Remy." Tesa raised an eyebrow and huffed. "You couldn't make it down the stairs, and you'd leave Johnny unattended."

Remy: As if on cue Johnny gave a sleepy sqwack and twitched. He gave her a long last look. "Dat may be true, but it don't stop my mouth, does it?" He turned from her and went back to his son. He honestly didn't like interfering - but he didn't know what other options he had at this point. All he could do is hope that for now...she'd be safe.

[Esynthia]

damnit, Tessa. What the hell is Rogue gonna do with her? *headbook*