Summer 2018: Carol

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Svartfreja
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Summer 2018: Carol

Post by Svartfreja »

<Carol> Carol had no idea how long she'd been held captive by these creatures. She had no frame of reference - it was impossible to tell night from day and her periods of wakefulness were full of pain. It could have been weeks or days, she hoped not months.

<Carol> The Brood chattered endlessly and seemed to enjoy every ounce of discomfort they caused her. She had no idea why they hadn't killed her or where they were on this gigantic living ship or even what they were doing to her now. Despite their glee, there seemed to be some kind of purpose to whatever they were doing. The doors opened again and she tried to will herself to pass out.

<Cessily> "How much longer is this going to take?" Cessily demanded to know, waiting ahead of a group of heavily armed alien soldiers. The Shi'ar had agreed to let their mutant allies join the boarding party. Not that anything could have stopped her from coming along, anyway.

<Cessily> She was almost relieved when an alarm sounded throughout the ship, followed by a loud rumble, the floor vibrating underneath their feet. She hoped these were their own weapons firing on the Brood vessel, and not the other way around.

<Heather> Still adjusting to her new state of normal, Heather looked down at the floor beneath their feet and hoped, like Cessily, that nothing was hitting them from the outside. They'd been on the ship for weeks and she'd been worried they'd never catch up but now, walking into the cockpit, she saw the Brood ship ahead of them.

<Heather> It didn't look as big in space... until the Brood started flying out of it.

<Cessily> Too curious and far too impatient to wait, Cessily caught up with Heather, just in time to watch a ray of energy cut into a swarm of insectoid creatures, pouring out of the giant Brood ship like angry bees out of their hive, diving towards the Shi'ar flight in pursuit. "These things can even survive in space!?"

<Heather> "Looks like it..." she frowned, "I wonder if I can... never thought about it, I just assumed my powers would kick in...." she shrugged. She could probably just demand a helmet or something - the Shi'ar were practically falling over backwards to help her out.

<Cessily> Not only could the Brood survive in space, they could also manoeuvre pretty fast in the vacuum, made evident by their rapid approach. The captain barked an order in the Shi'ar language, and their ship's guns vaporised many of them with a continuous barrage - and they still kept coming.

<Cessily> "If those get any closer we just might find out," Cessily said as she could hear the hard carapaces of the Brood collide with their ship's hull.

<Heather> "If the ship blows up that might ruin our chances of getting home..." Heather chewed her lip, watching the other Shi'ar ships take up positions and commence firing. "We need to get into the Brood ship. Are we sure that's the same one that was over the school?"

<Cessily> "I have no idea," Cessily replied, searching the large ship in front of them for any details she might remember. "They all look the same to me. But it's the one we caught, and I won't let it go before searching it for any sign of Carol. Before our friends here get carried away and blow it to pieces."

<Heather> "I'll go ask if we can stop shooting and board the thing...." Heather strolled over to the captain to make her request. The effect was instantaneous - other Shi'ar vessels formed an escort and, with a boost of speed, they neared their target. Now the Brood ship was looking a whole lot bigger. Heather's shoulders and wings dropped as the weight of it hit her. Needle in a haystack was an understatement.

<Cessily> As they approached one of the openings in the living ship, the Shi'ar fleet provided covering fire that caught any Brood emerging from inside, their powerful energy weapons blasting a few more holes into the organic hull. "We better get ready," Cessily said, rejoining the boarding party as the soldiers readied their weapons.

<Cessily> "You still have time to ask for that helmet." She did her best to give Heather an encouraging smile.

<Heather> She gave Cessily a grin, "I have faith in my powers... even if they're being weird right now." She raised her hands, flexing her newly clawed fingers. "I'm hoping they'll help find Carol too..." She tucked her wings close to her back so she didn't hit anyone with them as they crammed into the doorway.

<Carol> The chittering around Carol was growing more frantic - which made the attempt to pass out more futile because she wanted to know what the hell was making them sound like that. She cracked an eye open discreetly to look for clues.

<Cessily> "Your powers are triggered by danger, right?" Cessily gave Heather a quick sideways glace. "If Carol really is inside this thing, I fear she may be in serious danger right now."

<Heather> Heather nodded, "Yeah... I just hope she's in range..." Even though she had no idea exactly what her range was. It wasn't really something she could test. "Whatever it takes... we'll find her," she offered Cessily a small smile, "I promise."

<Cessily> Cessily returned the smile and gave Heather a nod. "Thank you for coming," she said, just before the atmosphere was sucked from the large airlock and the outer door opened. The trained Shi'ar soldiers lost no time to advance, weapons blazing as their jetpacks propelled them towards the guts of the living ship.

<Heather> Heather took the initiative to grab Cessily on her way out and stayed in the pack, her powers compensating for the lack of oxygen just as she'd hoped. Inside the ship it was a labyrinth of tunnels, all crawling with Brood creatures. So gross.

<Carol> There were no clues as to why the Brood seemed more aggitated than usual, at least none that she could see or understand. She tried to turn her head and look around but was still unable to move. There seemed to be less of them around her than usual, though, and they weren't paying her much attention. Now was the time to test the limits of those restraints.

<Cessily> Cessily was thankful for the helping hand, and used her own powers to make herself stick to Heather. It was obvious the Shi'ar didn't have the manpower to contribute much to the search for Carol, focusing on holding a defensible position for their eventual retreat.

<Cessily> As soon as Heather cut through another wall leading to another network of tunnels, the chittering and hissing of countless Brood told them they were back inside some kind of atmosphere. "Okay, where to now?" Cessily asked, a thin membrane sealing the damaged wall behind them.

<Heather> "I don't know..." though that was the least of their problems at the moment as their presence had not gone unnoticed, "But... if I were a creepy space-bug with a prisoner I'd probably want to keep them somewhere in the middle of the ship so they're harder to find..."

<Cessily> "Makes sense," Cessily agreed, extending her arms into long blades to cut down the nearest Brood that came swarming towards them, while using her legs to keep herself attached to Heather. "So we just have to keep going where the most monsters are coming from."

<Heather> "Looks that way..." she felt something impact her wings, it didn't take much effort to shake it off and she launched herself into the interior of the ship with her passenger.

<Carol> Carol could feel one of the restraints at her wrist starting to give but the metal made a grinding sound and drew the attention of the Brood. The chittering got louder and the pain came again. She got her wish to be unconscious.

<Cessily> "Feels like we're going in the right direction," Cessily said while clubbing one of the giant bugs over the head with a spiked silver mace, before tossing the creature into a buzzing swarm of fellow space monsters that tried to catch up to them. "Better keep moving, or they'll simply bury us with their bodies."

<Heather> "It might be fun to let them try and see what power I get... but I guess I can do that later." She gave Cessily a small grin, tearing through another fleshy wall. "I feel sort of bad for doing this..." poor space whale.

<Cessily> "Once we've found Carol, you're more than welcome to go as wild with your powers as you like." Cessily realised that two arms alone wouldn't do against the swarms of monsters and grew several long, whip-like limbs ending in silver talons. "Just tell yourself it's probably far too big to even notice anything we're doing."

<Heather> "Probably can't be worse than what the Brood did to it...." The tunnels they were in now had an eerie familiarity about them. Almost like the basement tunnels of the converted asylum they lived in.

<Cessily> "Wow, the deeper you go, the creepier this places gets." Cessily's slashing limbs sprayed the two mutants in a rain of goo and bits of carapace. "I say we stay not one second longer than we have to."

<Heather> "Agreed... I need a shower..." Ew. She picked a chunk of carapace off her cheek and flicked it away. She felt like throwing up now. The numbers thinned out the deeper they got into this set of tunnels and Heather landed at the only closed door they found. "Suspicious?"

<Cessily> "Extremely suspicious," Cessily agreed and detached herself from Heather. She looked back to make sure no horde of angry bug monsters was about to overwhelm them. "But also our best bet."

<Heather> Heather tore through the door and was rewarded with a face full of angry Brood. "Gah!" There were only a handful of them in the room but in the tight space of the doorway it felt like a lot more.

<Cessily> Cessily acted on instinct and thrust her arm past Heather's head, the silver blade at the end piercing the open maw of a Brood before it could chomp down on them. "Maybe next time we should knock before."

<Heather> "There wasn't a knocker!" She tore one of the Brood in two, stepping past the crumpled bodies into the room. It seemed to be some kind of lab. On the table in the middle of the room there was a woman. Or there appeared to be. Her skin glowed brightly with energy and what remained of the clothing she'd once wore hung in rags from her body.

<Heather> She couldn't help staring. There didn't seem to be any sign of Carol in there though. Did they make a habit of capturing people? Her eyes swept the fabric again and caught something, finding it hard to focus past the energy, three letters remained on the upper left of the chest. ERS.

<Cessily> "Carol!?" Cessily stormed past Heather, completely oblivious to any danger the glowing shape might pose. "Carol? Is that you?" She tried to recognise any details through the blinding light, but hesitated to touch the glowing female form.

<Carol> She blinked her eyes open slowly, the lights harsh overhead. Unable to turn her head, she couldn't look and see if the Brood were still in there. The voice barely registered and she assumed she'd imagined it. Her eyes closed again - she was determined not to let the Brood see her cry.

<Heather> Heather stepped closer to Cessily but faced the door in case more Brood came, watching them over her shoulder. Even the woman's eyes glowed. If that was Carol, she was completely unrecognisable now.

<Cessily> When she leaned over the glowing woman, the blinding brightness emanating from her reflected off Cessily's shiny skin and caused a lightshow throughout the alien lab. "Carol, if that's you, please say something!" She said, not trying to hide her desperation. "We can't leave her," she added, looking at Heather.

<Carol> Her eyes popped open again. Was this some kind of trick? How did they know about Cessily? Confusion flickered across her face. "Cess?" Please be real... She had dreamed so many times of someone coming to find her.

<Cessily> "Carol!" Cessily exclaimed, her eyes filling with shiny silver tears. "Yes, it's me, Cess!" Her instant relief was clouded by concern when she looked down at her girlfriend's glowing face. "What did they do to you?"

<Carol> She tried to shake her head, then remembered she couldn't move it. "I don't know... I can't..." she pulled at the restraints again, the weakened one at her wrist finally giving way. She raised her hand to Cessily's cheek then stopped. Her eyes saw the reflection then. That was her? She looked between the energy reflected on Cessily's skin and the hand she could now see.

<Carol> "Oh my God..." was that really her hand? She moved the fingers. Yes... that was her hand. "Oh my God..."

<Cessily> Cessily forgot all caution and took Carol's hand, its bright glow shining through her silver fingers. "Carol, it's going to be okay!" she assured both her girlfriend and herself. "No matter what they did to you, we'll figure out how to fix it. We just need to get you out of here." Forming a blade with her free hand, she cut through the remaining restraints.

<Heather> "I think I can hear more Brood coming down the hall..." Heather spread her wings just in case they were surprised by a lot, in an effort to protect Cessily and Carol.

<Carol> Carol carefully sat up, rubbing at the back of her neck. "I don't feel right..."

<Cessily> Cessily managed a strained smile. "You don't look right," she said, her shiny face offering a reflection of Carol's bright appearance. "But everything is going to be fine, you hear me? We'll just have to get out of here. Can you stand up? If not, I'll carry you."

<Carol> "Yeah... I think I can stand..." one of her feet was missing a boot... she frowned down at them once they were on the floor, not noticing the hand print she'd left in the metal table she'd been lying on. Everything felt weird. Without really thinking about it, she raised a hand and fired a blast right through the wall. The shriek of the Brood in the hall beyond meant she'd hit her mark.

<Heather> Heather leaned to look through the wide hole at the mess beyond. "Wow... remind me not to get in the way of one of those..."

<Cessily> "But feel free to keep doing that until we're out of here," Cessily said, sounding impressed, as she looked at the sizable hole in the wall. "We have to hurry. We brought a bunch of new friends we made, but I have no idea how long they can hold out against this thing."

<Carol> Carol nodded, "Okay... which way?" When Heather pointed, she started blasting. Her energy attacks were doing far more damage than she was used to and she wondered if she should try to dial them back... then she remembered what the Brood did to her and the damage increased.

<Cessily> Cessily instinctively shielded her face against flying debris from the living walls and bits and pieces of space bug monster. "Wow, did they super-charge you or something?" She blinked at the large hole Carol's blast had cut through multiple walls in front of them. "Now that's how you find a shortcut."

<Carol> "I don't know... I feel super weird... but I kind of like it..." She grabbed Cessily's fortunatley maleable hand and took off through the hole she'd made.

<Cessily> "Eeep!" Cessily was pulled off her feet and dragged behind Carol, who blasted onward like a living comet. She didn't mind her mashed hand, instead looking back to see if Heather kept up with them. They turned a sharp corner and blasted down a long corridor, incinerating Brood on the way. "Woooo!"

<Heather> The wide hole was good because there was room for her to spread her wings. She wasn't as fast as Carol but she managed to keep them within sight, catching up when they reached the tunnel that her and Cessily had come in by.

<Cessily> "That way!" Cessily pointed at the hole they had made when they had entered the living ship. "I just hope the Shi'ar are still there, or this will be a very short escape."

<Carol> "Shi'ar?" She looked at Cess, "I missed something...." she landed in the tunnel, releasing Cessily's hand and looking behind them to see if Heather was still there. She was, fortunately.

<Heather> "There are some very angry bugs behind me so I think we should leave..." Heather blocked the tunnel with the span of her wings but the noise was unmistakable.

<Cessily> Holding up her squashed hand, Cessily wiggled the mangled fingers until the silver appendage looked human again. "Yes, they're aliens who helped us push back the Brood from Earth, and they were nice enough to take us along to go look for you." She was relieved to hear the familiar sound of their weapons ahead.

<Heather> "The Shi'ar are all about destroying the Brood but we talked them into letting us look for you first, is what she meant to say."

<Carol> Carol watched Cessily's deformed hand and cringed, "Did I do that? I'm so sorry..."

<Cessily> "It's okay, I'm squishy," Cessily said, shooting Carol a quick smile. "Yes, all thanks to Heather here. Apparently they believe she's their princess or something."

<Carol> "Really? That's awesome... don't mention the half-Kree part about me... they might be weird about it..." she looked around the interior of the ship, "As for destroying the Brood... I will gladly help with that."

<Cessily> "Here I thought being a mutant was weird, but now all my friends turn into part aliens," Cessily remarked, leading the way towards the sound of weapon's fire. "Everyone ready for a space adventure?"

<Carol> "I like space," Carol admitted easily, following her girlfriend and only pausing to remove her single boot. Now that she was walking around, it was annoying her.

<Heather> Heather brought up the rear, waving to the Shi'ar troops ahead to signal that it was okay to pull back now.

<Cessily> The Shi'ar soldiers retreated from their position and provided covering fire for the three mutants, trying to pin the hordes of Brood inside the corridors leading into the organic hangar space. Cessily could see bright beams of energy light up the dark of space, their ships making another approach to pick up the boarding party again.

<Carol> Carol watched Heather follow Cessily to the ships but she paused and turned back toward the Brood vessel, holding her ground. If she was going to get any kind of revenge for what they'd done to her, now was the time. She gestured for the Shi'ar soldiers to move aside.

<Cessily> Cessily noticed that Carol was no longer by her side and paused to look back, seeing her face down the angry swarm of Brood pursuing them. "Carol!" She stopped as well, ready to go back and grab her. "What are you doing!? We have to leave!"

<Carol> Carol looked over her shoulder and shook her head, "No. I have to do this."

<Heather> "I don't think we'll change her mind..." Heather put a hand on Cessily's upper arm, "Let's just get out of the way..."

<Cessily> Cessily gritted her teeth. She knew Heather was right. "Please be careful..." she said as the two of them took several steps back from Carol.

<Heather> Catching Cessily around the waist, Heather took her back toward the Shi'ar ship, the Shi'ar troops following closely behind.

<Cessily> "What does she think she's doing?" Cessily never took her eyes off Carol, watching her with a helpless expression as she allowed Heather to carry her back to the Shi'ar ship.

<Heather> "Showing them what happens when they mess with Earthlings." Heather paused at the airlock back onto the Shi'ar ship.

<Carol> With Cessily and Heather and their Shi'ar friends at a safe distance, Carol decided to test her new powers. She opened up on the Brood, blasting everything in sight.

<Cessily> The searing spectacle soon alleviated Cessily's concern for Carol, who stood amidst the onslaught of energy that engulfed the hordes of Brood, the monstrous creatures unable to even get close without ending up vaporised by the blinding blasts.

<Carol> Carol blasted the alien insects and their ship indescriminantly. The ship was some kind of living creature but, after what the Brood had clearly done to it, she was putting it out of its misery. Holes errupted from explosions all along the skin of the creature and the Brood were panicking again.

<Cessily> "She's taking the whole thing apart!" Cessily exclaimed, clinging to Heather inside the airlock. The Shi'ar must have come to the same conclusion, their ship firing its engines to take them out of the collapsing structure.

<Heather> "She'll be okay... but we should get in the ship so they can get out of here..." Heather pulled her inside.

<Cessily> The moment the airlock pressurised and the inner door opened, Cessily pushed past the Shi'ar soldiers and hurried towards the bridge, where she was greeted by the spectacular view of the giant Brood vessel breaking apart, explosions tearing away chunks of the immense ship.

<Cessily> "Please be okay," she whispered towards maelstrom of destruction lighting up the black of space.

<Heather> Heather stood with Cessily and watched the ship's destruction, the Shi'ar ships ceased firing and waited at a safe distance.

<Carol> When there were enough explosions going on to satify her that they would keep going without her help, Carol took off, exploding through the hull in a streak of bright energy. She hovered in the vacuum of space over the lifeless ship and surveyed it and the Shi'ar ships surrounding it.

<Cessily> "There!" Cessily pointed at what looked like a tiny shooting star above the wreck. "That's gotta be her! She's fine!"

<Heather> "Never doubted it for a second," Heather smiled at her, "But someone should point her in the direction of this ship..."

<Cessily> "I guess this ship doesn't come with any headlights we could flash, no?" Cessily replied, then turned towards their captain. "Do you think we could close in and pick her up?"

<Carol> One of the Shi'ar vessels started to move up away from the pack toward her and Carol flew down to meet it. She waited patiently in the automated airlock and ignored the stares from crew members she passed as she was led to the control room.

<Cessily> Once more Cessily ignored anyone and anything else around her, running past the Shi'ar guards and straight into Carol's arms. Without saying anything, she pulled her into a tight embrace and kissed her.

<Carol> Carol was surprised by the hug but she returned it with her usual gusto... which was apparently too much now judging by the sound Heather made. She released Cessily, who was now all bent out of shape.

<Cessily> "Oh," Cessily said when she looked down to find herself twisted like some kind of giant silver noodle. It took her a moment to will her form to revert back to normal. "Whatever those things did to you, it seems to have made you a lot stronger."

<Carol> "I'm so sorry...." Carol covered her mouth with her hands, afraid to touch anything else. Her eyes were wide and she looked around at the Shi'ar who were blatantly staring at her.

<Cessily> "Don't worry, I'm fine," Cessily announced, trying to calm everyone down. "I'm squishy. And that's Carol. I promise she won't harm anyone. Right?"

<Carol> "Not on purpose..." Carol wasn't sure about it really. She felt very self conscious, "Is there somewhere we can go...?"

<Cessily> Cessily nodded. "They gave us provisional quarters," she replied, taking Carol's hands. "They're not much, but they offer some privacy."

<Carol> "Then... let's go there..." she was extremely careful when she closed her hands around Cessily's.

<Cessily> Cessily offered Carol a smile and nodded again. "Alright, let's go," she said. "I'm just so happy we actually found you. Don't worry, everything is going to be okay now."
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Svartfreja
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Re: Summer 2018: Carol

Post by Svartfreja »

<Carol> The trip home had been uneventful, largely because Carol hadn't ventured out of the small room that the Shi'ar had assigned her and Cessily to. Carol had developed a fear of touching anything, however, and it wasn't getting to be any less of an issue the closer they got to Earth. The Shi'ar built sturdy equipment, far more hardy than anything they had on Earth.

<Carol> An announcement came over the comms that they would be making planetfall in the next few minutes and Carol accidentally crushed the cup she'd been carefully sipping water out of. "Damn it!"

<Cessily> "Everything okay?" Cessily asked, poking her head out of the tiny bathroom that came attached to their sparse quarters. She hadn't brought much on her spontaneous trip into interstellar space, but at least wanted to make sure her clothes were free of space-bug goo before returning to Earth.

<Carol> "Yeah...." She sighed, watching the water evaporate off the clothing the Shi'ar had given her. "I just broke something else..."

<Cessily> Cessily put on a comforting smile. "I just hope the Shi'ar won't send us a bill," she said and moved over to sit by Carol's side, leaning down to pick up a fragment of the metal cup. "Though, we might have to reconsider your furniture and room decor when we're back home."

<Carol> "Probably...." she slumped in her seat, "What am I going to do?" She watched Cessily with the piece of cup, "I'm going to hurt people..."

<Cessily> "Don't say that." Cessily put down the piece of metal junk and shifted closer so she could slide her arm around Carol's shoulder. "You just have to be careful. And I'm sure we'll figure out a way for you to adapt."

<Carol> "I'm being careful... but mistakes happen, Cess... you have no idea what it took to figure out how much pressure to use for even the simplest things when I first developed my strength... and this is a whole other level... I don't even know what the level is."

<Cessily> Cessily bit her lip. "Well, perhaps we'll just have to figure it out then," she then suggested. "You could practise in a safe environment so you can learn to judge your strength better."

<Carol> "So... somewhere that's not where I live...." she sighed heavily, "Cess... this could take months..."

<Cessily> "I know," she admitted, wearing a small smile. "But don't think I won't be there for you the entire time." Her smile turned into a grin. "After all, I'm squishy, and you're more than welcome to practise on me how to handle people."

<Carol> She nodded, frowning deeply, "I just don't want to hurt anyone... and... look at me..." she gestured vaguely toward herself, "I don't know what they did to me..."

<Cessily> Cessily wrapped her arms around Carol and pulled her into a close embrace. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, nuzzling her girlfriend's ear. "I wish we had gotten to you sooner. But I promise we'll do anything we can do to find out what happened to you. I'm sure McCoy or Broo will be able to think of something."

<Carol> She had an involuntary shudder at the thought of being poked at by Broo, "I don't know... I do know what I'm supposed to do..."

<Cessily> When she felt Carol's anxiety, Cessily tightened her hug, holding her close for a moment longer. "No matter what, I'll be there for you. I promise I'll find a way to fix whatever they did to you, even if I have to hunt those monsters down again and punch the answer out of them."

<Carol> "I know..." she carefully wrapped an arm around Cessily, wanting to hold on tightly but knowing that would just result in her squashing the other woman into an unrecognisable shape. "I think... I'm going to have to go to a SHIELD facility for a little while..."

<Cessily> Cessily tensed a little in Carol's arms. "If you think that's for the best..." she replied, leaning back to give her girlfriend a concerned look. She knew SHIELD had for more resources available than the school could ever afford, but it still was a largely anonymous organisation for her. "As long as they won't send you to Antarctica."

<Carol> "Like they could keep me anywhere I didn't want to be," she gave Cessily a small smile, "Don't worry... I know these guys. I've been assessed by them before, it's not so bad..." She rested her head against Cessily, feeling the energy from the ship's re-entry into the atmosphere. "We're nearly home."

<Cessily> "Good," Cessily replied, a smile showing itself on her lips again. "I miss my own bed." She slightly turned her head to press a kiss to Carol's cheek. "You better tell your boss that they let me visit you, though."

<Carol> Carol managed small smile but she avoided Cessily's gaze, "I miss real food...."

<Cessily> Cessily chuckled softly. "Then we should tell the Shi'ar to scan for the greasiest food in town and just drop us off there."

<Carol> Carol shook her head, "I think we're going to have to order in for a while..." It was bad enough that the Shi'ar were staring at her all the time, she wasn't sure she'd be able to handle it from other humans.

<Cessily> "Fine by me," Cessily replied, giving Carol a smile. "In fact, I think that's even better. Means we can jump straight back into our own bed while we wait for our food."

<Carol> She gave her another small smile, "Yeah... maybe then I'll be able to relax a little... But not too much that I break something again."

<Cessily> Cessily laughed. "Well, now I feel tempted to get you to break our bed."

<Carol> "I feel like that's not going to so hard..." She sighed and covered her face with her hands as the announcement that they would be landing momentarily came over the comms.

<Cessily> Sensing her apprehension, Cessily put her arms around Carol's shoulders. "It's going to be alright," she promised in a quiet voice. "We're going to find a way."

<Carol> "I don't think I can do this all over again..." She leaned against her girlfriend, "I'm a walking wrecking ball right now..."

<Cessily> "I know it may seem overwhelming right now, to feel like you're right back where you started." Cessily sighed and squeezed a little harder. "But that's not true. This time you're not doing this on your own. You have us. You have me. And we'll always be there to help you."

<Carol> "There are a lot of ways this could go really badly, Cess... I just... I don't want to hurt anyone. God knows what kind of energy I'm throwing out now... even without all the rest..."

<Cessily> "I know," Cessily replied, taking Carol's hands in hers. "I promise I'll do whatever I can to not let that happen. I have no idea how yet, but there has to be a way to help you, and I know we're going to find it."

<Carol> "What if there isn't one...?" The soft bump as they touched down on the ground startled her and she squeezed Cess a little too tightly again.

<Cessily> "That's something we shouldn't even be thinking about yet," Cessily replied, even though she couldn't fault Carol for doing so. She knew she would ask herself the same in her place. "And even... even if, we'll find a way to manage."

<Carol> She nodded, letting go of Cessily and getting to her feet, "Come on... let's go and breathe some real air...."

<Cessily> Cessily smiled and stood up as well. "I never thought I'd say that, but I'm looking forward to feeling real dirt under my feet again."

<Carol> "Me too... and my own clothes." She held out her hand to Cessily, "There's going to be staring."

<Cessily> "I know," Cessily said, still smiling as she took Carol's hand. "Once you've been shiny and silver for a while, you get used to it."

<Carol> "Then you're going to have to teach me how... because I'm not used to being noticed... sorta trained not to be."

<Cessily> Cessily laughed. "I'd love to," she said as she accompanied Carol to the airlock. "People are going to be so dazzled by us, they'll need sunglasses to keep staring."

<Carol> "Yeah..." her tone suggested the joke had missed its mark. That was a worrying fact now. She opened the airlock and stepped outside with Cessily, the SHIELD personnel that had lined up to greet the ship raised their weapons in suspicion. "... I was worried this would happen."

<Cessily> Cessily gave Carol's hand an encouraging squeeze, while raising the other to greet the welcoming committee, beaming them an awkward smile. "Hi! Uhm... we come in peace?"

<Carol> "Lower your weapons... you all know I'm bullet proof anyway." She told the agents, "I know I don't look right but you're pointing weapons at your boss and that's never advisable."

<Cessily> Cessily simply nodded encouragingly. "And you might have a better chance at shooting pudding instead of me, so... can we just talk about this please?"

<Carol> "Look... I can't show you any ID because I don't have any... but I can tell you exactly where all the scotch is hidden in my office?" she offered. The agent in charge lowered his weapon and the others followed suit, all muttering apologies.

<Cessily> Cessily breathed a sigh of relief - not because she was particularly scared of the SHIELD agents and their guns, but about how the Shi'ar might have reacted to hostilities around their ship. "Well, it's certainly nice to be home again."

<Carol> "I guess I should make some calls.... uh, can you guys make sure they let Heather Cameron get off the ship?" She tugged Cessily's hand to start her walking toward the main building. The staring was happening.

<Cessily> "And it would be awesome if you guys could not point your guns at her too," Cessily called after the SHIELD guards, before being dragged along by Carol. "Well, it can only get better from here on."

<Carol> "I love your optimism..." but she wasn't feeling it at the moment. "I'm sure they won't point their weapons at Heather - they know what she looks like when her powers are active."

<Cessily> "It's the best I can offer at the moment," Cessily replied, managing a smile as she stayed by Carol's side.

<Carol> She gave Cessily a small smile then let herself into her office - by breaking the doorknob. "... Ugh." She tossed it into the trashcan by her desk and, very very carefully, opened the drawer in her desk to extract a bottle of scotch then she decided to do the sensible thing and held it out to Cessily.

<Cessily> "Thank you." Cessily accepted the bottle and took a small sip, enjoying the flavour even though the alcohol did little for her. She looked at the knob-less door. "Well, at least no one can just walk in and bother you that way."

<Carol> "Uh-huh..." she sat down at her desk, resting her elbows on it and bowing her face into her palms, "Could you pour me a glass?"

<Cessily> "Of course," Cessily said, and fetched the tallest glass she could find from the shelf. "Want some ice cubes? Though I doubt they'd survive for long near you."

<Carol> "No ice, never ruin a good drink with ice," she managed a half smile, "Not too much or, when I break the glass, it'll go everywhere...."

<Cessily> "Alright." Cessily smiled and poured a decent sized swig into the glass, then sat down on the edge of Carol's desk as she passed it to her. "Here you go."

<Carol> "Thanks..." she took the glass very gently and put it to her lips, downing the mouthful before she carefully set the glass back down on the desk.

<Cessily> Cessily smiled and put down the bottle as well. "I'll leave this right here, just in case," she said. "And now I'll order us a big heap of takeout, what do you say?"

<Carol> "Pizza?" she suggested, very tentatively picking up the bottle so she could pour herself another glass.

<Cessily> "Whatever you wish for." Cessily grinned and leaned in to kiss Carol's forehead, before skipping off to get her phone.

<Carol> Carol sighed and watched Cess leave before she picked up the bottle and swigged directly from it. Then she picked up her desk phone and hit the speed dial for Fury.
:quicksilver Pietro Maximoff [Quicksilver]

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Re: Summer 2018: Carol

Post by Svartfreja »

<Bobby> This preparing for the new school year thing was always one of the worst parts of actually working for a living. Bobby sorted through stacks of papers in his office, pausing now and then to chug his faithful friend Mountain Dew.

<Carol> Carol was practising her carefulness again in her quest for caffeine. So far she had only crushed two of the three doorknobs between her and coffee so that was something of an improvement... although she had accidentally kicked a chunk out of the door jamb on the crush-free doorway so perhaps not.

<Carol> She was distracted by the sound of movement, however, and knocked on the door to Bobby's office... or tried to. She put a hole in it. ".... Crap."

<Bobby> "Motherfucker!" The noise made Bobby jump to his feet, icing over and ready to fight.

<Carol> "I'm so sorry!" Carol peered through the hole in the door, "Wanna open it for me so I don't break it any more...?"

<Bobby> He leaned to look through the hole. Bobby blinked. Then he blinked again. "....Carol?!"

<Carol> "Hi...." she waved, giving him a somewhat awkward half smile, "How was your vacation?"

<Bobby> "Well, it was a honeymoon, so awesome." He edged toward the door, ducking to look out the hole as their weird conversation continued. "How was your... um... kidnapping?" Was she orange?

<Carol> "Buggy... and really painful..." she pulled a face and looked away down the hall. "I might be experiencing an irrational phobia of Broo... don't tell him."

<Bobby> "Understandable." He made a sympathetic face and opened the door, nearly taking a step back. Definitely orange! And ...on fire? Bobby squinted at her head. "Um...."

<Carol> "It's not fire." She waved a hand through it, "It's just energy... not that you have to worry about fire anyway, frosty knickers."

<Bobby> "Yeaaaaah.... still." He smirked and shifted back to flesh, running a hand through his hair to resettle it. "That's...something. You had Hank look at that yet?"

<Carol> She shook her head, "No... actually that's something I wanted to talk to you about..." she stepped past him into the office.

<Bobby> Bobby closed the door, taking a quick look out through the hole before he followed her. "Yeah?" He raised his hand and waved it near the flamey-looking hair, not that he needed to with his thermal vision, but it was... reassuring.

<Carol> She nodded, gently pulling out a chair to sit down on, "I have to go away for a little while... so I'm handing over SHIELD liason duties...."

<Bobby> His hand jerked back when she sat and it took a moment to process. "...to me?!"

<Carol> She blinked at him, "Um.... yeah? Who else am I gonna hand over to? I mean... I guess Greer but she has her kid here now so... I don't think that's a good idea... and you've done it before..."

<Bobby> "I-I have a kid here too, y'know," he hedged, rounding the desk to flop into his own chair. He reached for his Mountain Dew.

<Carol> "Yeah but your wife isn't a boozehound..." she frowned a little, then shook herself, "If you'd rather I asked Fury to send someone else...?"

<Bobby> He frowned and chugged some Dew. "Who knows who the fuck he'd send... I don't think he likes us very much..." Bobby gave her a quick guilty look. "No offense." Good one, Drake. He sat up and brushed his hair back again. "I'm not even a real SHIELD agent, but if they're willing to let me do it..."

<Carol> "I threatened to twist some arms..." she shrugged a shoulder, "And I felt the same way when I got posted here... so none taken. But I like it here now... which is why I'm going."

<Bobby> That made his brain catch up. "Yeah, speaking of, where are you going exactly?"

<Carol> "I'm going to a SHIELD facility for some tests..."

<Bobby> "Does this have something to do with the... um... alien thing?"

<Carol> "If by 'alien thing' you mean that I was experimented on by space bugs for a month then... yes."

<Bobby> "No! Well, yeah... I mean, I figured that but I more meant when you told me you thought you were... uh... part alien." He needed more caffeine for this.

<Carol> "I am part alien... the other aliens thought that might be why the Brood kidnapped me instead of killing me...." she sighed, "I need to have SHIELD check me over... protocol and all that...."

<Bobby> "Yeah..." Bobby leaned forward in the chair, bracing his elbows on the desk to study her. "Can't turn it off, huh? And the hole in the door?"

<Carol> "My strength and energy powers are crazy powerful... I mean... they were before but now... I can't control it.... and I'm afraid I'm going to hurt someone."

<Bobby> "Yeah." He sighed and gave her a lopsided grin. "I get that. Been there, done that, froze the tee shirt."

<Carol> "I probably would have already hurt someone if Cessily wasn't all squishy and remouldable...." She slouched in her seat, "I'm afraid to touch other people... well anything...."

<Bobby> He nodded. "Okay, take as much time as you need. I'll... hold down the fort. Maybe. Unless the alien bugs come back or something." Bobby gave her a panicky look. "Are they coming back?"

<Carol> "They might find that hard without their ship.... or their lives... I kind of destroyed it... so I think we're good there." She lifted her head to look at him, "I don't know how long I'll be... I don't know what kinds of tests they'll want to do.... kind of more than the standard physical...."

<Bobby> Destroyed it, huh? Bobby hid his reaction and nodded. "Yeah, I understand." After a moment, he gave her a slight smile. "Yet me know if I can do anything to help, yeah?"

<Carol> She nodded, "Yeah... I'll do that..." she returned the smile somewhat half-heartedly, "I really hope they can find a way to turn this off..." she gestured at the orange.

<Bobby> "It's kind of an aggressive spray tan," he agreed with a smirk.

<Carol> "Yeah you should see it in the dark...." she wrinkled her nose, "I've broken so much stuff... I want to go and see my brother and my mom... but I can't like this."

<Bobby> "I could see where that could be a problem." Bobby heaved a sigh. "I hope they can help ya then, babe."

<Carol> "Me too... I just need to know how much work I need to do, I guess.... I remember the first go around... I broke stuff then too..." she shrugged a shoulder, "But there was less orange.... much less...."

<Bobby> "And less... none-flamey fire I assume." His nose twitched, remembering another girl he'd once known who had a similar problem.

<Carol> "Yeah... though I totally also melted things back then too... only it was less easy... which worries me a little bit."

<Bobby> "Just don't melt me, 'kay? The wife wouldn't be happy." Bobby ramped up a grin for her.

<Carol> "You get better from melting... unlike my phone... I can make no more calls. It is one with my desk. Much like my coffee machine."

<Bobby> "Awww, babe... not the coffee machine!" He would offer to get her some, but she might melt his favorite "Han shot first" mug from the sound of it...

<Carol> "I know... so then I went to the kitchen to try and make it better with scotch... but I broke all of that so I decided I should just not... but Cessily has stuff to do so I can't expect her to make me coffee and get me drunk... The next few months are going to suck."

<Bobby> He pouted on her behalf. "I'd give ya a hug, but now I'm scared."

<Carol> "Feel free... I won't hug back though - scared I'll break you..." She missed guilt-free hugs. "I kind of wish I'd have not blown up that Brood ship so fast... then I could have at least pummeled them some more until I felt a bit better..."

<Bobby> "Yeah, I know that feel too..." Bobby made a snap decision and got up, moving around the desk to give his flaming friend a careful hug. "I'm sorry this happened to you..."

<Carol> "Yeah... me too..." she leaned into the hug but didn't hug back because she didn't want to crush him. "I don't know if I can do this all over again."

<Bobby> "Sure you can. You're tough." He gave her a squeeze.

<Carol> She shook her head, "I'm really not."

<Bobby> "We're all tougher than we think we are... thankfully." He kissed her forehead and pulled away to plonk his ass on his desk.

<Carol> "Maybe... but I've had kind of a rough couple of years... not feeling too resilient anymore... honestly, I'd rather take a nuke to the face than this... at least that I could probably survive..."

<Bobby> He gasped. "Not the face, babe! Never the face!" Bobby clutched some imaginary pearls, falling naturally into his routine.

<Carol> "I have a hard head - my face would be totally fine," she offered a half smile.

<Bobby> "So not the point," he tsked.

<Carol> "So is the point," she argued, "I'd be more worried about whoever it was that fired the nuke."

<Bobby> "Why you gotta bring annoying things like reality and physics into it?" Bobby wrinkled his nose at her.

<Carol> "Because that's how I roll," she mirrored his expression back at him.

<Bobby> "Awww, yeah, see, you're fiiiiine." He nodded at her expression.

<Carol> She sighed and looked up at the ceiling, "Maybe for short periods of time... Then I do something dumb like try to open a door or look in a mirror.... and I remember I'm all wonky...."

<Bobby> "Well, hopefully Fury's labrats can do something to unwonk you? I still think seeing Hank would be a good idea..."

<Carol> "Maybe.... but there's a way of doing these things and SHIELD has a protocol that I'm going to follow... having rules to follow gives me a weird sense of security."

<Bobby> "Oooookay, if you say so. Personally, I think rules were made to be broken, but we know where that's gotten me, soooo..." He shrugged.

<Carol> "Oh hey, don't get me wrong... I like breaking rules too... just, when the weird stuff happens, it's sometimes nice to have a list of things you should do... helps with the panicking."

<Bobby> "Okay, okay, I get it." He chuckled softly and sighed.

<Carol> She raised a hand to shove him playfully but thought better of it at the last minute and sat on her hand instead, "So... you keep this place from falling down until I come back or they send someone else... and keep Cess from freaking out for me, okay?"

<Bobby> He dodged the shove that didn't come and recovered after a moment, straightening up and giving her side eye. Wait. "Send someone else? Why would they do that?"

<Carol> She stared at him for a long moment, wondering if this was the dumb or just him being too nice to think in that direction. She sighed, looking down at her lap, "If I can't control this... they can't really send me back here... there are kids around..."

<Bobby> "Yeah but... surely it can be worked out." Of course, he'd had the same fatalistic fears before, but that had worked out okay, right? "I mean, they're good like that... and there's always... inhibitors..."

<Carol> "Try it, I dare you." She held out the hand that wasn't currently being sat on. "I melted the one I tried putting on earlier... pretty sure it's some self defense thing..." She chewed her lip, "I'm hoping I can figure it out... but, you know, there's a time frame...."

<Bobby> "A time frame? Why?" He blinked at her insinuation about the inhibitor. He'd broken a few in his day too, but... melted? "Melted?! They gotta have some industrial strength ones around..."

<Carol> "Maybe they'll invent one for me..." she looked up at him again, "They're not going to wait for me to figure this out forever... sooner or later they'd have to send someone else."

<Bobby> "Well, they got me." He put on a winning grin. "I'll try extra hard not to blow things up... or let anybody blow anything up is more like it."

<Carol> "I'll settle for making sure none of the new kids freak out and go on a rampage somewhere... oh that reminds me... did someone actually read all the special requests for the new intake because we should get on those... I think someone wanted a faraday cage..."

<Bobby> "Um... yeah..." he glanced at the pile of papers on the desk. "I think I saw that... somewhere..." He grinned. "I got it. Promise. And maybe I'll get Cessy to help! Keep her busy."

<Carol> "That's a good plan," she managed a small smile, "Thanks... It's good to know someone's on top of it."

<Bobby> "I'll do my best." He smirked. "Okay, better than my usual best. We'll hold the fort down. You just worry about getting yourself fixed, okay?" Bobby reached over and squeezed her shoulder.

<Carol> She nodded, "Back to square one..." she patted the hand on her shoulder and got to her feet, "If I'm lucky, I won't get posted to Alaska."

<Bobby> He made a face and stood, opening the door for her. "Hope likes it. Don't know why, but she does."

<Carol> "She likes to kill things there and do outdoorsy stuff... which, granted, it's good for... but I like it here... here is home now..." she went to the door, "Now I have to find me-proof coffee..."

<Bobby> "Hey, the paperwork can wait a bit... I'll help you quest for coffee, 'kay?"

<Carol> She managed a more genuine smile, "I would really appreciate that."
:quicksilver Pietro Maximoff [Quicksilver]

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Hawkeye: What is that noise?
IronMan: That is the noise Pietro makes right before he's tossed out of the airlock. ~ Avengers: The Children's Crusade #6
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Re: Summer 2018: Carol

Post by Svartfreja »

<Christopher> Chris had been following his child through the halls of the school not really noticing the destruction at first until Thomas started to play with a little bit of a broken door. "Heeey, nooooo! Not for playing." He picked his son up quickly and received a little growl in protest. "Well... I wonder who did all this." He held onto Thomas, even though he was squirming around, and began searching for the cause of the destruction.

<Carol> Carol was hiding out on the roof of the admin block. She'd gotten bored of hiding out in her room, largely because she was sick of watching Cessily pick up after her when she broke something, and had decided to try and do some work. This had turned out to be a bad plan as she had wrecked a large portion of her office.

<Carol> Unable to use her own coffee machine, Carol took her last bottle of scotch to the kitchen to make herself some medicinal coffee but it broke when she put it on the counter which caused her to put a hole in the nearest cupboard and kick a chunk out of the cooker.

<Carol> Realising she was destroying yet more stuff just made her feel a hundred times worse so she fled up the stairs away from people and decided she would just camp out on the roof for a while. Cessily would find her eventually.

<Christopher> Realizing he knew the scent, Thomas worked harder to get away from Chris. He eventually got exactly what he wanted and took off towards Carol's direction using her scent to eventually find her.

<Carol> Carol turned before the door to the roof even banged open and blinked in surprise... then yelped when she was tackled by the small furry toddler. "Hey! Careful!" she flopped onto her back and let him clamber all over her because she was afraid to touch him.

<Christopher> Chris followed shortly behind the little ball of terror. "Thomas! Get back here!" His voice was frantic until he got through the door and found him climbing all over Carol.

<Carol> "Hey, come on... not cool..." She tried to catch him without touching him which was turning out to be impossible. Thomas thought it was the best game ever. "Where's your mom...?" She tipped her head back when the door opened again, "Oh... hey Chris..."

<Christopher> "Hey come here none of that." He picked Thomas up again. "Sorry... I'm not the best child wrangler yet." Chris bit his lip. "Wait... Carol?"

<Carol> "Hi...." she waved but didn't sit up. "I see Greer finally introduced you guys? That's awesome...." she managed a small smile before she looked away, attempting to stealthily wipe her eyes with the back of her hand.

<Christopher> "Yeah. I'm tryin' to make up for lost time... He's a handful." Chris set Thomas down hoping he wouldn't run off again. "Hey what's wrong?"

<Carol> She turned her head to look at him again, "... Really? You have to ask?" She 'oof'ed as Thomas plonked himself down on her stomach.

<Christopher> "Sorry... He, well I'm sure you know how he is. I'm still learning." He chewed his lip and sat down next to them. "Well I am a guy... And you know how brain dead I am."

<Carol> "I'm broken..." she sighed, then pulled a face as Thomas started bouncing up and down on her stomach. "Make. It. Stop."

<Christopher> Chris picked Thomas up. "Sorry Carol. And you're no more broken then me..." He held up his arm and let his sleeve slide down to show his arm hand transformed all they way up to his elbow. "It got worse while you were gone."

<Carol> "You want to see worse?" She sat up, "Remember my finger gun and how much it doesn't hurt? Now watch...." She turned and fired it at the bricks by the door and put a hole right through them like a laser. "I didn't even try. And don't get me started on the strength... which is why I'm not touching the kid."

<Christopher> "So yeah worse. But not broken. You're still you." He bit his lip and rolled his sleeve back down. "Tried burning it off?" Chris grimaced a little when Thomas started to gnaw on his hand.

<Carol> "I tried a lot of things... I'm stuck like this... and I'm afraid to touch anything.... I already broke most of the stuff in my room, my office, and the kitchen... which is why I'm up here.... if you see Cessily, can you please ask her to bring me some coffee? I really want a cup of coffee..."

<Christopher> "Yeah... I shred just about anything I touch with my claw. I know it's not the same but hang in there we'll figure something out... and yeah now I feel hypocritical." He sighed. "But hey now you can be all lazy and make everyone get stuff for you right?"

<Carol> "I don't want to make people get stuff for me... I can't even open a freaking door without breaking it!" She covered her face with her hands, "If my girlfriend wasn't made out of silly putty I would have killed her by now..."

<Christopher> "Am I allowed to give up?" Chris gave her his best stern look.

<Carol> "No... and I'm not saying I am... I'm just... freaking out... I'm allowed to freak out - I was in space... there were giant bugs..." she eyed Thomas, "I should probably not talk about this in front of him."

<Christopher> "Alright. I was just getting worried there. You were sounding like me for a second." He sighed. "I'm sorry Carol." Chris frowned.

<Carol> "I think I'd feel less awful if I could make a cup of coffee or something... but I can't even do that... also I melted my phone."

<Christopher> "Maybe I can figure out a more super strength friendly coffee pot? Or two birds one stone you come break the alcohol I'm trying to drink and I'll make you coffee."

<Carol> "I can break that no problem... there's a big puddle of scotch in the kitchen right where a bottle used to be." She sighed heavily, "I'm waiting for a SHIELD team to come pick me up."

<Christopher> "I've been trying to quit... For him. It's not as easy as I thought it'd be. I'd ask if they had room for a second but I think Greer would kill to keep her on-call babysitter."

<Carol> Carol shook her head, "You don't want to go where I'm going... you should stay here with him and Greer."

<Christopher> "You better not let them keep you long. I need help with this whole kid thing...." He sighed when he noticed Thomas was finally asleep.

<Carol> "It's not up to me..." she sighed, looking away over the lawn, "I've submitted myself for tests."

<Christopher> "Why...? Why not let everyone here try to help you first, Carol?" The color drained from his face at the mention of tests.

<Carol> "Because I need to be somewhere that I'm not afraid of hurting someone I care about... and that's not here..." She habitually raised a hand to run it through her hair and then remembered that the only thing on her head these days was energy flames. She sighed and let the hand drop back into her lap. "I need to know what I'm dealing with..."

<Christopher> "I get that Carol... I really do. If it wasn't for Thomas. I'd probably figure out something similar." He sighed. "If you can, try to keep in contact?"

<Carol> "I'll do my best... but I can't use a cellphone so.... not sure how realistic that'll be."

<Christopher> "Gonna miss ya, Carol. You better come back all fixed up or SHIELD'll have a pissed off half monster to deal with."

<Carol> "I don't know about getting fixed... but I'm hoping I'll get some control... I need that."

<Christopher> "Yeah, I hope they can help you. Life's pretty messed up huh?"

<Carol> "So messed up... It's going to be okay though... I have to believe that." She offered a small smile.

<Christopher> "Yeah... Same here. We gotta be strong for the ones that need us." He looked down at his sleeping child.

<Carol> "You've got someone fighting your corner too... I think Greer's got a better chance of fixing you than SHIELD have of fixing me..."

<Christopher> "Well if they can't we'll figure something out! I mean it, you don't come back I'm going on their most wanted list."

<Carol> She laughed softly, shaking her head, "If I don't come back it'll be for a good reason... but I'll call... or write... or something that doesn't involve me touching anything."

<Christopher> "They'll have to get you a secretary to take down dictation." He gave her a short little laugh.

<Carol> "That'd be more funny if that wasn't a real possibility...." she sighed, getting to her feet and brushing bits of roof off her ass, "I really don't want to be doing this all over again..."

<Christopher> "Well I do have nice penmanship, and I bet it'd be less stressful than teaching. Who should I send my resume to?" He gave her a warm smile and carefully stood up making sure not to jostle Thomas.

<Carol> "I think you have enough to worry about..." she nodded to the sleeping child, "Focus on him and getting yourself better... then we'll see whether or not I still need a secretary."

<Christopher> "I'd make some crude joke but I don't think that would be okay with a sleeping child in my arms..." He moved over to her. "Stand still." Chris gave her a careful hug with his free arm, knowing he couldn't hurt her.

<Carol> She leaned into the hug but did't return it, "Don't be offended I'm not hugging back... don't want to break your kid...."

<Christopher> "You're fine Carol. The hug was for you not me." He smiled. "Win or lose you've got people rootin' for ya."

<Carol> "Thanks..." hugs just weren't the same when you couldn't hug back. "I'm... gonna go for a walk or something...."

<Christopher> "Yeah, take care Carol. Come say bye before you have to leave.
:quicksilver Pietro Maximoff [Quicksilver]

Quicksilver: Howisshe?Isshealright?Imusetspeakwithmysisteratonce.
Hawkeye: What is that noise?
IronMan: That is the noise Pietro makes right before he's tossed out of the airlock. ~ Avengers: The Children's Crusade #6
Svartfreja
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Re: Summer 2018: Carol

Post by Svartfreja »

<Carol> Waiting was horrible. So so horrible. What the hell was taking them so long? Granted they probably were modifying a vehicle for her but still... She took another sip from her half empty bottle and cast her gaze around the hangar. Maybe she shouldn't be sitting on top of the jet and getting drunk but who was going to tell her to stop? Not anyone that wanted to keep their head.

<Rogue> Rogue walked in to the hangar, looking for Bobby, "Oh where, oh where, has mah best friend gone," she sang to herself, "Oh where, oh where, can he be?" She lifted up to check the cockpit and blinked at Carol, "Well, hi there?"

<Carol> "Hi..." she waved the hand that wasn't occupied by scotch, "There's no one else in here... I think they're more scared of me now than they were before so... bonus, I guess."

<Rogue> Rogue frowned, "Aw, c'mon, don't be too hard on yaself. It's not y'all's fault that ya got abducted by giant cockroaches..." She smirked, "Unless y'all're just lyin' f'r publicity's sake."

<Carol> "I wouldn't lie about this..." Carol took another long pull from the bottle. At least those bugs were dead now.

<Rogue> "Ah'm just teasin', sugah." She flew over to sit next to her, "Need a shoulder ta lean on 'r an ear ta listen?"

<Carol> "Need someone to open more scotch for me when I finish this..." She shook the bottle, "I keep breaking stuff..."

<Rogue> Rogue laughed, "Ah think Ah c'n handle that. How's tha booze treatin' ya?"

<Carol> "Hard to say... seems to work less well than it did before... which was also not as good as it could be... or maybe I'm just drinking more, I don't know...." She shrugged, "Want some?"

<Rogue> "Ah think ya drinkin' more." She took the offered bottle and took a swig of her own. "Not bad," she passed it back and pat Carol on the back. "Ya know, it's not all bad. Ya home safe now."

<Carol> "Yeah... for now anyway..." she shrugged a shoulder, "But it's kind of hard to see good sides when I crush everything I touch..." She was having to expend large amounts of concentration not to do that to her scotch. It was getting trickier.

<Rogue> "Ah get it. Ah've been there." She snickered, "Ah cain't tell ya how many things Ah broke'r shattered when Ah first got y'all's powers. It's a big adjustment goin' from zero ta sixty. Ah bet goin' from sixty ta a hundred's just as hard."

<Carol> "Yeah... I already went through this once... and it was hell the first time but now I don't even look like myself...." She sighed, "I can't get used to that..."

<Rogue> Rogue smiled, "Just stay away from Jamie an' y'all'll be alright." She got a bit more serious and cocked her head, "It'll get better. Rachel went through somethin' like this, too. An' whether ya do go back ta normal, or whether ya don't, y'all're still Carol. An' that's pretty damned awesome."

<Carol> "Awesomely destructive... I've kind of wrecking balled my room... and my office... and most of the kitchen... So I'm hiding out in here now." More scotch. "I'm hoping SHIELD can help me out."

<Rogue> "Well, this place is pretty safe so far. Just set up a bar in a corner an' ya all set." Rogue frowned, "What's this about SHIELD?"

<Carol> "I'm waiting for a team to come and pick me up so they can do some tests... try and figure out what the Brood did to me."

<Rogue> Rogue cocked her head to the side, "What kinda tests, hun? Y'all sure ya wanna do that?"

<Carol> "It's not a big deal... they'll take samples, make scans... or what kind of scans they can manage on me... and figure out what we're dealing with now... I've done it before..." she watched the liquid in the bottle slosh back and forth as she tipped it from side to side on her knee, "Bobby was all..." she made a face, "about it."

<Rogue> "'Course he was. All we've ever known was bad testin'." She took a deep breath, "But if y'all're comfortable with it..." Rogue made a face of her own and shrugged.

<Carol> "SHIELD aren't monsters... and I know these guys... I can't be afraid of them... I trust them... plus this is technically what I'm supposed to be doing..." She had some more scotch then offered the bottle to Rogue.

<Rogue> Rogue took a much longer pull of the bottle than last time. "SHEILD can be monsters. Just like anybody. Some people think we're tha monsters, ya know." She took another drink before passing it back, "Supposed ta, schmosed ta. What do ya want ta do?"

<Carol> "Reverse time?" She carefully set the bottle down beside her, "I can't do that... so all I have left is supposed to... and, honestly, I think it's better if I do what I'm supposed to... I don't know what else to do."

<Rogue> "Learn how ta deal with what ya got now. Maybe y'all were given these new things f'r a purpose? Ah mean, c'mon, Carol, ya cain't rule that out, right?"

<Carol> "I wasn't given them - this was something that was done to me against my will. I don't know why and I can't go and ask. I just want everything to go back to normal...."

<Rogue> "Everythin' happens f'r a reason. Maybe y'all're supposed ta use this experience ta help someone in tha future? Who knows. But ya right. Ya cain't go back. So ya gotta go forward." Rogue crossed her legs indian style, "An' if tha only way ta go forward is ta get experimented on some more, then so be it."

<Carol> "They're not going to experiment on me, just look... it's not the same..." she put her face in her hands, "I don't have any better ideas..."

<Rogue> Rogue rubbed Carol's back, "Look, Ah'm not sayin' don't do it. If y'all really do trust them, then okay. Ah'm sure they'll treat ya well. They're not psychotic like Essex'r anythin', right?" She tried to crack a smile, "But, worse comes ta worse, you'll just get a nursery rhyme'r two stuck in ya head."

<Carol> "That'll be impressive because I don't remember any," she picked up the bottle again, "I trust SHIELD... and anyway, they can't keep me anywhere I don't want to be."

<Rogue> "Ha! Well good. Don't go look any up 'fore ya leave." Rogue shrugged, "That's true. They wouldn't use an inhibitor on ya, would they?"

<Carol> "Not unless they had to... but they can't really test my powers with them on... though I melted one already trying to put it on myself so...." she shrugged a shoulder, "I wish them luck with that."

<Rogue> "No, they cain't. But they c'n keep ya under their control. An' Ah bet they c'n figure out somethin' else if they need to."

<Carol> She sighed, "Honestly? I think I'd welcome that at this point..." she dropped her hands into her lap and looked at them there, all orange and glowing with energy.

<Rogue> Rogue shrugged, "Hey, if anyone gets not bein' able ta control ya powers, it's me." She smiled softly, "It'll get better. Or it won't. But what helps is copin' with it an' figurin' out tha best way ta handle how ya act 'bout it."

<Carol> She eyed the bottle, "I guess I'm not coping as well as I could..."

<Rogue> "Sure ya are. It's still new. Gotta go through a grievin' process o' sorts. Grievin' takes time. Y'all're allowed that time. An' don't let nobody tell ya how long it takes, neither."

<Carol> "Well... probably a lot of people are going to have opinions on that... but I guess I can tell them to cram it somewhere uncomfortable... although I should maybe be careful who I tell that to..." the idea of saying that to Fury was equal parts hilarious and terrifying.

<Rogue> Rogue smirked, "Yeah... Ah'd adjust tha way ya say it f'r different people. Wouldn't say it like that ta Erik, neither." She tilted her head, "Is there anythin' that makes ya feel better? Drinkin' just makes ya numb. But, does anythin' make ya happy?"

<Carol> "Pfft, Erik doesn't scare me," she waved it off, frowning down at her hands again, "Plenty of things make me happy... but right now they're off the table..."

<Rogue> "Nah, but he's got a station deservin' o' respect, ya know?" Rogue arched an eyebrow, "So ya flyin's broken, too?"

<Carol> "I can do it... but I don't feel like I have the control I used to... like with everything else... too much power.... too fast..." She picked up the bottle again.

<Rogue> "So enjoy it! Use tha adrenaline rush from it! Y'all can handle it. Ah know ya can."

<Carol> "I don't want an adrenaline rush..." she sighed, "I want to be able to hug a friend without being worried I'm going to break every bone in their body... or microwave their insides."

<Rogue> Rogue turned to face her fully and opened her arms. "Bring it in, sister."

<Carol> Carol set the bottle down but, in her haste, smashed it into the roof of the jet. "... Damn it." She rolled her eyes, even though it was impossible to tell she'd done that now given her lack of pupils, and accepted the hug anyway.

<Rogue> Rogue hugged Carol tight. "It's gonna be okay. Ah promise. It'll all work out."

<Carol> "I hope you're right..." she was careful not to squeeze back because of her increased strength, "I just can't shake the feeling of being back at square one..."

<Rogue> "And ya may be. But that's promisin' if ya look at how far ya came b'fore. Ya know ya can do it again." Rogue gave another squeeze and pulled back, "You got this."

<Rogue> She laughed, "Hell, y'all survived me, didn't ya?"

<Carol> "Yeah..." barely. She looked at the puddle of scotch and bits of glass that were dribbling down to the floor. "I don't know if I can do that again..."

<Rogue> "But ya can." She took her hand and gave it a squeeze, "'Cause now, ya have a big ol' family lookin' out f'r ya. Family that c'n understand what ya goin' through."

<Carol> "I know... but I don't want to break anyone... I love it here... but I'm kind of worried I'm going to hurt someone... or break something worse than I have already..."

<Rogue> Rogue laughed, "Oh, c'mon. Worse things've happened ta our school than y'all's extra strength. Ah promise, it's gonna be okay. We'll survive you figurin' this out."

<Carol> "As long as I don't hug anyone that's not indestructible." She traced a finger in the puddle of scotch.

<Rogue> "So then walk around with a disclaimer on ya chest. Hell, Ah've had ta do that b'fore." She wrinkled her nose, "Not literally, 'course. But Ah hafta make sure they know what could happen. Then, after that, it's up ta them."

<Carol> "I need to find a way to tell my family what happened too... but I think that can wait until after SHIELD have tried..." she glanced at Rogue, "Can't see any of it going down well..."

<Rogue> "How long do ya think it's gonna take f'r SHIELD ta figure it out? Ya cain't not tell ya family somethin' 'r not be in touch with 'em f'r too long... Could really worry 'em..."

<Carol> "That's unlikely... Joe maybe... but I don't know what to say to him right now..." she wiped her hands on her pants, "I don't know how long I'll be with SHIELD... I guess they'll check me over like they did when I joined... take samples, ask questions... then... I don't know."

<Rogue> "When ya joined, ya knew tha answers ta those questions. They're gonna ask ya things ya don't know, then run tests ta find tha answers on their own..."

<Carol> "They'll probably want to know what happened..." Something she hadn't even gone over with Cessily in any great detail.

<Rogue> "They'll want ta know every last detail..." Rogue tilted her had, concerned, "Are you ready ta relive it like that?"

<Carol> She shook her head, "Not really... I don't know if I'll ever be ready..." She missed her hair. Hair was nice for hiding behind when things got personal.

<Rogue> "Y'all're a warrior, Carol. Don't f'rget that. Warriors get knocked down, but they always get back up t' fight f'r what they believe in."

<Carol> "What do they do when they don't believe in anything?" She got to her feet to pace the top of the jet.

<Rogue> "Y'all do believe in somethin'. Otherwise ya wouldn't be here." Rogue followed her with a turn of her head, "Do ya believe ya deserve ta control ya powers? Do ya believe people shouldn't be abused? Do ya believe ya got family an' friends who love you?"

<Carol> "None of that helps me... I can't hit something to make this go away... And I feel like a burden on everyone right now."

<Rogue> "Ya cain't use physical force ta get rid o' all ya problems," Rogue said softly. "Ah had ta learn that tha hard way, too. But trust me when Ah tell ya, sugah, you're not a burden. Every single one o' us has had ta go through somethin' similar. We're all here f'r ya."

<Carol> "I'm so frustrated... I can't do anything for myself... not without huge amounts of concentration... And I don't even know why they did this to me - that's the worst part of all of this. What the hell were they hoping to get out of it?"

<Rogue> "Who knows. Maybe SHIELD c'n figure it out. But until then, maybe tha extra concentration ain't a bad thing. It could help in tha long run."

<Carol> She shook here head, "SHIELD's knowledge of the Brood is limited to what we were given... as for the concentration not being bad... I don't see how it could be good. I can't relax... for even a second..." and it was taking its toll.

<Rogue> "Well... Maybe it'll help with future missions? Ah honestly couldn't tell ya. But ya gonna get through this."

<Carol> "I hope so..." it wasn't like she had any other option... except insanity and she supposed she shouldn't rule that out either. "Man, I wish I hadn't killed my cellphone..." she wanted pizza... and more scotch... and a Cessily.

<Rogue> "Any particular reason? Ah c'n text 'r make a phone call f'r ya, but playin' Candy Crush won't be near as fulfillin' by tellin' me which candies ta switch."

<Carol> "I'm hungry and I'm not allowed in the kitchen... which is fine because I really shouldn't cook anyway... Cessily and I have a regular order at a few places...."

<Rogue> "Want me ta call one o' those places f'r ya? Or Ah c'n order from mah favorite chinese take out place?"

<Carol> "Pizza." She said decisively, "Here..." she pulled a piece of paper out of a pocket and offered it out, "The number's on there. I keep them handy... for obvious reasons."

<Rogue> Rogue laughed and took the paper, "Alright then. Should Ah just say 'tha Cess an' Carol special'?"

<Carol> "Yeah, they know us... I'm sure my powers are preventing me from getting fat. I eat so much junk..." she walked along the roof of the jet. "But I can't cook so I have not so many options..."

<Rogue> "Ah c'n cook. Cess c'n cook, cain't she?" Rogue grinned and reached out as Carol passed her to poke her stomach, "Thanks f'r sharin' that fact, by tha way." She picked up her phone and dialed the number on the paper, placed the order and told him to have it delivered around back at the hangar. "Done an' done. Should be here in no less than twenty minutes."

<Carol> "Yeah Cess can cook... but she's an enabler about the junk food..." she rubbed her hand over her stomach where Rogue had poked it. "You should be grateful you didn't inherit my awesomely bad cooking skills with my powers."

<Rogue> Rogue laughed, "Yeah, she does love her junk. An', Ah did, actually... F'r a while. When Ah kinda... became y'all... f'r a bit."

<Carol> "But you shook it off, that's the main thing... I'm stuck with it... not that I care - I live in a world of freeze-dried military rations and terrible coffee. Everything tastes good..." she gave Rogue a small grin.

<Rogue> "Oh yeah. Ah c'n imagine how anythin'd taste good after that." She wrinkled her nose, "Yuck."

<Carol> She laughed, "It's really not so bad... you get used to it," she shrugged, "And it makes you appreciate real food when you feel like you can brave your parents' house."

<Rogue> Rogue shrugged, "Ah don't have parents. Just Sam's family. An' Ah love seein' them, so..."

<Carol> "Yeah..." she plonked herself down again, on the other side of Rogue to the puddle of scotch. "But you know my relationship with my folks... It's not so good..."

<Rogue> "Yeah... But ya mom means well, Ah think." She smiled, "But, who doesn't have a good relationship with their family here. Almost everybody has some kinda strained relationship somewhere. Ya know?"

<Carol> "Yeah... I love my mom... but she hasn't been the same since Steven..." none of them had. She looked down at her lap, "At least Joe's sensible... has a real job and everything. Not even something crazy."

<Rogue> "He went an' got himself a big boy job," she teased, then got somber, "It's hard ta lose a member o' ya family. Ah cain't imagine losin' a kid, especially. It'll be okay, though. Just like this whole new powers thing."

<Carol> "I hope so... and I know it's a time thing... but it's made going home even less of an option than before..." she sighed heavily, "God... I wish it was this easy to talk to other people... maybe it's the scotch...?"

<Rogue> Rogue grinned, "Could be. Or, could just be 'cause Ah've got you in mah head. Kinda like talkin' ta a different version o' yaself. Ah get you."

<Carol> "Yeah... it's probably that..." she nodded, "It helps... to get out of my head... but it's difficult to talk to people... uncomfortable..."

<Rogue> Rogue nodded and leaned back on her hands, "Ah get it. Ah have trouble talkin' ta people 'bout things like this 'bout mahself. But Ah've always been good 'bout talkin' ta other people 'bout themselves. Then it helps double when Ah've had 'em in mah head."

<Carol> "Works both ways, I guess..." she offered a small smile, "If you ever wanted to talk to me, I'd do my best to shut up and listen... but I can't promise I'd be as good at it as Cess is... I have kind of a unique approach to helping..."

<Rogue> She barked a laugh, "Oh trust me, Ah know." She tapped her temple and grinned. "But thanks f'r tha offer. Who knows? One day, Ah may take ya up on it. 'Specially if Bobby's otherwise occupied."

<Carol> She laughed a little and shook her head, "Yeeeeeeah, Bobby's probably a better choice than me... he's less likely to call you an idiot or throw things..."

<Rogue> "Nah, he just glares really hard an' then we spar. While he calls me an idiot," she giggled.

<Carol> "I can totally do that! That actually sounds fun..." she frowned, "There's something wrong with me."

<Rogue> Rogue snickered, "Then there's somethin' wrong with both o' us. It's fun f'r me, too."

<Carol> "I left you with all my bad habits. I'm so sorry," she laughed, bumping shoulders with Rogue - momentarily forgetting she shouldn't do things like that.

<Rogue> Rogue fell over with a loud thud to the jet and giggled like a maniac, "Not so bad, really. It's been quite helpful figurin' out how ta handle mahself in lots o' situations." She righted herself and shoved Carol playfully.

<Carol> Carol laughed again, "Sorry about that accidental shove there... forgot..." she looked over to the door, wondering how far out that pizza was, "My temper is a force of nature... especially now. Maybe I should see if SHIELD can drug me into a state of permanent happy... at least until I figure this out... safer for everyone." She nodded sagely.

<Rogue> "Not like doin' it hurt me any," she smiled. "Temper ain't a bad thing. Ah had one all mah life. What's bad is if ya react badly once it's gotten set off. Like how Ah handled Essex." Rogue shrugged, "Takes time an' testin' it ta figure out ya limits an' how ta handle 'em, ya know? Not druggin' ya inta a state o' permanent happy. That would just be too weird. Ah'd stick ya on a rocket ta go back ta tha buggy people. They c'n keep happy Carol."

<Carol> Carol wrinkled her nose, it was too soon for jokes about the Brood. "Last resort, I promise... It's mostly because I'm pretty certain they won't let me drink scotch in their testing cubes."

<Rogue> "Yeah, prob'ly not." She shrugged, "But ya never know. If ya say please real nice like, they might."

<Carol> "When have you ever known me to say please? Think real hard." She gave a small grin, "It's okay, I probably shouldn't drink in there anyway..."

<Rogue> Rogue laughed, "First time f'r everythin'. But yeah, prob'ly best if ya don't. Could mess with tha tests somehow."

<Carol> "Yeah... and we know my powers are going to mess with them enough without help." She heard a car pull up and turned hopefully to the door, "Think that's the food?"

<Rogue> "Ah bet so." Rogue hopped up and offered Carol a hand, "C'mon. Let's eat!"
:quicksilver Pietro Maximoff [Quicksilver]

Quicksilver: Howisshe?Isshealright?Imusetspeakwithmysisteratonce.
Hawkeye: What is that noise?
IronMan: That is the noise Pietro makes right before he's tossed out of the airlock. ~ Avengers: The Children's Crusade #6
Svartfreja
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Re: Summer 2018: Carol

Post by Svartfreja »

Her fourtnight in SHIELD's care had left Carol emotionally, if not physically, exhausted. From the instant it started, she'd wanted it to end. But, now that it had, she found herself craving the noise and activity of the base. She wasn't ready to go home to the school; she had a long way to go before she'd feel like she was safe to be around. But she wanted somewhere familiar.

A brief call to her brother and she got the all clear to go and stay in the family's cabin. She'd cut any attempt at actual conversation short, wanting to be off the phone as soon as possible to avoid personal questions.

Landing carefully on the lawn, she inhaled the sea air. She felt better just for being there... for about thirty seconds. Then she saw Joe's car. What. The. Hell? Maybe he hadn't seen her land and she could just leave? She turned to do just that and heard the door open.

"Carol?" Joe stepped out onto the porch, eyeing the figure on the lawn warily. She moved like his sister but she didn't look like his sister. "Why didn't you say anything?" He watched her shoulders slump and headed down the steps toward her.

"Because I knew you'd do this..." she sighed, turning to face him. "Why did you come here?"

"You didn't sound right on the phone..." He studied her face; it was the same underneath the unusual colour.

"And that I wanted to be alone for a while didn't matter?"

"No - you suck at being alone because you hate it." He closed the distance and hugged her, "Where were you?"

She sighed, carefully encircling him with her arms, "I was in space... Really far in space."

She was being unusually gentle and it worried him even more than her appearance, "What happened?"

Her mind went back there and her grip tightened involuntarily. The small sound of discomfort Joe made snapped her out of it. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay." He stepped back from her, rubbing absently at his ribs, "Come inside - I'll make you some coffee." He led the way back to the house.

Carol sighed, glancing around her while she hesitated. She wasn't sure she could handle being around anyone else while she tried to figure this out. But where else was she going to go? The door banged closed behind Joe and she startled but it reminded her feet to start moving. A cup of coffee wouldn't hurt. Then she could decide.

*

Stepping inside was like stepping back in time to her childhood. It still looked the same, still smelled the same - mostly of wood and coffee - still felt the same until she saw the photograph of the five of them on the table inside the door. She dropped her bag beside the table and picked the photo up, taking it with her into the kitchen. "When was this taken? I don't remember..."

Joe glanced up as he filled the coffee machine from the jug, a small frown creasing his brow while he tried to remember the details. "I think that was the summer you applied to the academy... yeah it was. Dad had a massive blowup and Mom decided we should come here until he cooled off. He joined us a few days later and decided to take Steven and I fishing... and then you insisted on coming with us so we all ended up going and rented a boat."

Carol smiled softly, only patchy memories coming back to her. She could see a boat in the background and Steven was holding a fish, looking very proud of himself. "Did I catch anything?" She set the photo on the counter.

"Yeah you did... but you weren't prepared to eat it for dinner and threw it back before Dad could weigh it incase he killed it." He laughed and shook his head, "I thought Steven was going to jump in after it." He set the empty pot on the machine and leaned against the counter while he waited, watching his sister, "You really don't remember?"

She shook her head, giving a half shrug, "Only pieces... Sometimes things come back to me but there's a lot still missing. Most of the time I think it's a blessing... but then I start wondering about how many memories of Steven are gone..."

"I'm sorry..." he frowned, feeling bad for upsetting her. "Maybe there's a way to get them all back... we just didn't find it yet."

She offered a small smile, "I hope you're right." Her eyes scanned the kitchen and came to rest on a basket. She went over to it and lifted the cover, "Muffins?" she looked at Joe, "Did mom make these?"

He nodded, "Blueberry and everything. I told her I was going to see you..."

Carol paused - half a muffin in her mouth - to frown at him.

He laughed at that, "Don't worry, I told her you wanted some space. She'd like you to call or drop by once in a while though.... But maybe you should make something up about being busy rather than about being in space..."

"Because she'll freak out, I know..." she rolled her eyes, helping herself to a second muffin. She was determined to eat this one slowly. "I'll try to think of something boring to tell her..."

"Maybe that work kept you busy and you've been working on the new intake of students? I'm just throwing stuff out..." Joe turned to check on the coffee.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll call. I get it." So much for eating that one slowly. Maybe third time lucky?

Joe glanced at her, "Hungry?" It was just a guess.

Carol looked at her third muffin then at Joe and shrugged, "I guess so. I haven't really been thinking about it... my powers are screwy so I don't really get hungry for a long time... I just eat."

"That's weird. Even for you... not the eating part, you're awesome at that." He ducked the half eaten muffin aimed at his head. It stuck to the wall behind him.

"... If anyone asks why there are blueberry stains on the wall, it wasn't me, okay?"

"I don't know who else it would be... but I can try and convince them a raccoon did it?" Joe offered, opening a cupboard to take out some mugs.

"I'm totally okay with you blaming raccoons. Especially raccoons in tiny little jumpsuits."

"... What?" He paused to blink confusedly at her.

"... Nevermind." She shook her head, "Get with the coffee pouring!" she gestured for him to get on with it, "Jeez, take forever..."

He laughed, pouring her a cup and passing it over, "I'm sorry I don't have the mutant powers to make coffee brew faster."

"Well you should get some!" She teased, feeling gradually better. It was easy to forget all the stress of the past few months... but she couldn't afford to let herself do that. Not entirely.

"I'll think about it," Joe picked up his coffee and a muffin for himself then turned toward the living room, "Staying long enough to sit?" He frowned at her bag having only made it to just inside the door.

"I guess so..." she picked up a less wall-embedded muffin for herself and followed him. "It's nothing personal..."

"Then what is it?" He sat down on the sofa, leaving plenty of room for her to join him. She didn't.

Carol settled in an armchair and balanced her coffee and her muffin on the arm of the chair, "While I was in space... some stuff happened... and now I look like this..." she gestured to her face, "But that's not the only thing that changed... my powers are different... stronger."

"And you're worried you're going to hurt someone." He sighed, "Carol... you can't just hide away forever."

"I'm not going to forever..." she frowned, "Just until I can get some control back... At least SHIELD checked me out and made sure I wasn't putting out any harmful kinds of energy so I have that going for me..."

"Well, I won't lie, it's great to know you're not melting my brains while we speak... but it's not good for you to shut yourself off. Forgetting that you hate it for a minute, how are you going to know if you made any progress?"

"I figured I'd stop breaking stuff...?"

Joe stared at her for a long moment while he tried to work out whether or not she was serious. When he decided she was, he face-palmed. "Please tell me you at least remember how well that worked out for you last time?"

"Um..." she frowned, thinking back. Nothing came to mind. "I'm going to guess... not so well?"

"They tried you out writing with crayons and whatever, trying to get you to learn how much pressure to use... it didn't work. You melted the crayons and broke the pencils and snapped the pens in half... or embedded them in the table."

"Oh... well fuck. Now I don't know what to do." SHIELD had suggested the same tactic.

"You do what you did last time." He was met with a blank look. "You don't remember?"

"All I remember is that it took months and sucked... and I don't want to go through all that again." She picked at her muffin.

"Yeah it did suck. And you cried... a lot. I remember finding it totally weird because I couldn't remember you ever crying before that... I mean, you must have when you were a kid, but I didn't remember... too young I guess." He shrugged, "Anyway... Steven hated seeing you hurting like that... so he just went right over and gave you a hug. And you did what you did today when I hugged you."

"Had a tiny lapse in concentration and squeezed too hard?"

"... No. You hugged back. Really carefully. It bothered him to start with but you learned really quick how much pressure to use... what it felt like. And it was better with people, practicing shaking hands and whatever, because you got feedback. They could tell you when you pressed too hard or held on too tightly. A wall can't tell you that." He watched her while she processed that information, finding her harder to read than ever with the absence of any pupils. He decided not to focus on that, though, as it freaked him out a tiny bit.

She sighed, hiding her face behind her hands. "I don't know... this isn't like before, Joe. I know what I can do now... I know how badly I can hurt someone, how much damage my energy attacks can do without any effort at all... I don't know if I can do all that and not slip up somehow. All it takes is one distraction... one flashback at the wrong time..."

Flashbacks? Joe frowned, more worried about her than ever now. He got up from his seat, moving her muffin and coffee to the table before he crouched in front of her and took her hands to move them away from her face. "Carol... what happened to you?"

She closed her eyes and shook her head, "I don't want to talk about it..."

"Did SHIELD make you talk about it?" he kept her hands but held them loosely in case she wanted to retreat again.

She nodded, "I kind of... I glossed over it..." she looked down at her lap.

"You're not ready to talk about it yet..." he sighed, giving her hands a gentle squeeze, "If you change your mind, you can tell me, okay?"

She shook her head, "I can't tell you that stuff..."

"Of course you can." He ducked his head so his face was in her line of sight, "Steven isn't here anymore. We're all each other have so you can tell me all the things you used to tell him... I promise not to judge."

Carol managed a small laugh, "Oh no, that'll never work. You have to judge the hell out of me. Steven always did." She extracted a hand and carefully ruffled his hair.

He laughed too, putting his now free hand on top of hers to still it, "Then I will judge and mock you until you threaten me with dismemberment. Deal?"

She smiled, bending down to give him a carefully measured hug. "Deal."
:quicksilver Pietro Maximoff [Quicksilver]

Quicksilver: Howisshe?Isshealright?Imusetspeakwithmysisteratonce.
Hawkeye: What is that noise?
IronMan: That is the noise Pietro makes right before he's tossed out of the airlock. ~ Avengers: The Children's Crusade #6
Svartfreja
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Re: Summer 2018: Carol

Post by Svartfreja »

For the third night in a row, Carol had woken up screaming. She was starting to feel embarrassed every time she opened her eyes to find Joe standing over her, asking what was wrong. But she still hadn't found it within herself to tell him what had happened. Seeing it every night when she closed her eyes was bad enough without going over it in detail in her waking hours.

Joe was increasingly worried about his sister and not sure what to do for her. He quietly kept their mother informed about the situation, despite their fears that she wouldn't handle it well - she'd actually taken the news better than he had once she'd forced him to spill the beans. Now, though, he was considering calling in reinforcements.

He'd already brought up the suggestion of calling Cessily and asking her to come over but Carol had refused to entertain the idea. She didn't want Cessily to see her in such a mess and, he supposed, he understood that to some extent. But he didn't think it was fair to Cessily - she was a nice girl, after all, there'd be no judgements and she could probably help better than he could. He was torn.

After she'd settled down, Carol had sent Joe back to bed and gone downstairs. She'd wandered into the den - their father's corner of the cabin - and had gone in search of scotch. She knew there was some in there somewhere and, after moving a few things around, she finally found it. Settling into her father's favourite chair, she carefully opened the bottle and poured herself a healthy measure, staring into the empty fireplace while she sipped at it.

*

It was dawn before Joe finally gave up on sleeping. His mind was too busy. Coffee. Climbing out of bed, he pulled on a robe and rubbed his hands over his face in an attempt to wake up while he shuffled the length of the corridor to Carol's room. He knocked softly on the door in case she was awake before he pushed it open. Her bed was empty.

Worried, he hurried downstairs, "Carol?" There was no sign of her in the living room or the kitchen. Not even a pot of coffee. Where had she gone? He turned on the spot, trying to put himself in her shoes. Where would she go? It was then that he saw the door to the den was ajar. He approached with caution and gave it a push.

The door creaked slightly as it swung open and he poked his head inside, eyes sweeping the room. There was a shape in the chair by the fireplace, "Carol?" he whispered. Part of him felt like he shouldn't be in here, that small part that still feared angering their father. But he wasn't here. The shape stirred but didn't reply. Maybe she was asleep?

Joe treaded carefully, avoiding boards he knew creaked, and rounded the sofa. The contents of the chair was now in view - she was asleep. There was also an empty scotch bottle and a glass on the table. He frowned. With a small sigh, he decided he would approach that subject with her tomorrow... later today when the sun was up. For now, he covered her with a blanket (even though she probably didn't need it) and picked up the bottle and the glass.

Closing the door behind her, he left her to sleep and tried to be as quiet as he could while he washed up the glass and put the bottle in the recycling before he made some coffee. The sun was mostly up by the time he sat down on the back porch, watching the mist rise and disappear. He put his coffee cup down on the table and scrolled through his contacts to find Cessily's number - he'd already sneaked it off Carol's important numbers list.

Answering machine. Of course. It was way too early for sensible people to be awake. He yawned while he listened to the recording and streched. "Hey, Cessily, it's Joe... Danvers - Carol's brother? Listen, I'm really worried about her. I know you're probably busy with the new semester about to start but I think she needs you to come here. We're at our family's cabin... call me back at a more sensible hour and I'll give you the address..." he left his number and hung up. He was pretty sure Carol would be mad at him for this but sometimes it was up to other people to tell her what was good for her and make her listen.
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Re: Summer 2018: Carol

Post by Starfish »

Oh noes, poor Carol! :( Cess must come to the rescue!
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Re: Summer 2018: Carol

Post by Svartfreja »

<Cessily> The sun had already set when Cessily arrived at the cabin, but there was still enough light outside to safely navigate the woods on her little red scooter. She couldn't spot Carol's car anywhere near the driveway, but recognised the one parked outside as Joe's. Pulling up to park next to it, she really hoped both of them were there.

<Cessily> She pocketed her keys and took off her helmet, shaking out her red hair, then walked up to the door to give it a knock.

<Joe> Joe glanced over to the stairs at the knock on the door and sighed, getting to his feet. He opened the door and smiled at Cessily, "Hi... thanks for coming.... You want some coffee?"

<Cessily> "Thanks, and yes please." Cessily returned the smile and stepped inside, opening her leather jacket. "I came as fast as I could." She looked around, her gaze searching for Carol. "How's she doing?" she then asked, her voice a little quieter.

<Joe> "She's sleeping... or pretending to be sleeping... smart money's on the latter." He raked a hand through his hair on the way through to the kitchen, "She's been having nightmares... but she won't talk about them."

<Cessily> Cessily let out a soft sigh and followed him to the kitchen. "Maybe she feels like talking to me," she said, hoping so anyway. "Did you tell her you called me? I mean, has she any idea I would be here, or is this going to be a surprise visit?"

<Joe> "She didn't want me to call you..." he poured her some coffee and offered out the cup, "I found her downstairs this morning with an empty bottle of scotch... checked on her a couple of times but I don't know if she was awake or not. But I thought calling you would be the best thing to do."

<Cessily> Cessily clenched her jaw and nodded. "I think you did the right thing." She looked up at Joe and gave him a sympathetic smile. "Though we both know Carol probably won't see it that way."

<Joe> "Yeeeeah... she's really good at telling everyone else what's good for them... and she's usually right even if her delivery could use some work... but for herself? Not so much. She's been through this before... I know, for her, it's different because she doesn't remember everything from before... I know she can do it... but she's giving up."

<Cessily> "Having to be strong all the time is eventually going to wear you down," Cessily said, an almost sad smile on her lips. "Especially when you can't seem to catch a break. She's been through so much lately..."

<Joe> "I know... believe me, I know." He sighed, scrubbing his face with his palms, "But I can't lose another sibling."

<Cessily> Cessily didn't hesitate to put her arms around him. "You won't," she promised, closing her eyes when she could feel the moisture well up in them. "I'll never let that happen."

<Joe> He returned the hug, though it felt weird. Not just because she was made of metal but also because she hugged tighter than Carol would at the moment. "It's not going to be easy... you know she's crazy stubborn."

<Cessily> "Oh, I know," Cessily agreed, releasing Joe from her embrace, a lopsided smile on her shiny face. "Did you forget we're a couple and work together." She took a sip of coffee from the mug he had prepared for her. "Now I only hope the doughnuts I bought will appease her a little. I got them on the way so they would still be fresh."

<Joe> "I didn't forget," he smiled back, "If that doesn't work, there's backup muffins. Mom keeps sending them - blueberry are her favourite." He glanced into the living area when he heard a noise from upstairs.

<Cessily> "Oh perfect, that'll be our secret weapon." Cessily did her best to look confident when she gave Joe another smile. "Okay, I think I should go check on her now." She glanced towards the stairs and took a deep breath.

<Carol> Carol followed the voices down the stairs, wrapped in a robe. She could smell coffee and she wanted it. She could also smell Cessily's perfume and she paused at the bottom of the stairs, "Cess...?"

<Cessily> Cessily raised her free hand to wave at Carol. "Hi, sweetheart," she said, putting on a smile. "I thought you could do with some doughnuts, so I stopped by."

<Carol> Carol's gaze slid from Cessily to Joe, "I told you not to..."

<Joe> "I know. But you're not thinking straight so I overruled you." He poured her some coffee, "Here..." he walked over to her and offered the cup.

<Cessily> "It's always nice to see you, too." Cessily kept smiling, hoping to somehow defuse the tension. "Don't blame him, Carol. He was merely worried about you."

<Carol> Carol took the coffee, wrapping her hands around the mug, "I guess I shouldn't be surprised..." she sighed, going to sit down on the sofa.

<Joe> Joe gave Cessily a small shrug, "I'll let you guys talk..." he went to pour himself a cup of coffee before he headed outside to sit on the porch.

<Cessily> "Thanks," Cessily said with a quiet voice and gave Joe a smile, before she turned to Carol. She sat down on the sofa as well, a little to the side, and put her backpack on her lap, zipping it open to pull out the grease stained paper bag filled with doughnuts. "I thought you might like these."

<Carol> She glanced at the doghnuts but didn't move to take one, "What did he tell you?"

<Cessily> "Not much," Cessily replied, looking at Carol. "That you were withdrawing more and more, and that you've been drinking more than usual. He also told me that you were having nightmares. And that he's worried about you and that he didn't know what else to do but call me."

<Carol> Carol sighed, taking a sip of coffee, "I just wanted to be left alone... I came here to be on my own and he was here and now you're here even though I told him I didn't want him to call you... It's not because I don't want to see you..." She just didn't want anyone to see her.

<Cessily> "I know." Cessily bit her lip. "Please believe me that I normally would never go against your wishes like that, but Joe sounded so scared for you that I simply couldn't just do nothing. Not when you're obviously not feeling well."

<Carol> "Not feeling well?" That was an understatement. "Look at me..." she put her coffee down carefully, afraid she'd break the mug. "They can't do anything for me, Cess..."

<Cessily> "I'm sorry, Carol..." Cessily briefly lowered her gaze. "I know it must feel hopeless - which is exactly why it might not be the best idea to be all by yourself right now. Even if that's what you want. Because, sometimes what we want might not be what's best for us."

<Carol> Carol shook her head, "It's okay... Joe reminded me I suck at being on my own..." she slouched in her seat and covered her face with her hands, "I just don't want to hurt anyone... and, right now, it's too easy for me to do that... I can't relax for a second... even when I'm asleep..."

<Cessily> Cessily shuffled closer on the sofa and carefully put her arms around Carol. "I know. I wish I knew how to help you. But I can say for certain that locking yourself away the whole time and drowning yourself in booze isn't going to do the trick. All that accomplishes is making you feel even more miserable."

<Carol> "I'm not drowning myself in booze!" her temper rose out of nowhere, along with the energy flames she had for hair.

<Cessily> Even though used to her temper, Carol's reaction startled Cessily. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I shouldn't have put it that way."

<Carol> "No you shouldn't!" She got to her feet, the sudden movement unbalancing her coffee mug and, in her haste to catch it, she broke the table it had been sat on. "Damn it!" The mug imploded in her grip and added coffee to the mess on the floor. She just stood there looking at it for a long moment before she turned to retreat back up the stairs.

<Cessily> Cessily sat on the couch and looked as helpless as she felt while she watched Carol head up the stairs. She was tempted to follow and try to calm her down, but another part of her worried she might only make things worse if she cornered her against her will.

<Cessily> Swallowing the lump in her throat, Cessily stood up to head to the kitchen instead, returning with some towels to clean up the broken mug and spilt coffee. For the first time during her work as counsellor she didn't know what she could do to help, and it had to happen to the one person she cared about the most.

<Joe> Having heard the crash, Joe risked poking his head back inside and saw the mess, "What happened?" Carol wasn't in there so he came back inside to help Cessily, "Here, let me do that..."

<Cessily> "Thank you," Cessily looked up at Joe and managed a small smile, before her facade fell. "I think I really upset her." She sat back on the couch and cradled her forehead on her hands. "Maybe this was a mistake."

<Joe> He shook his head, "Don't be stupid, you know her. She punches people she's mad at." He glanced at the stairs, hearing a door close, "Go after her, I got this. Second on the left."

<Cessily> The tiny smile returned to her silver lips. "Thanks," she said again and got up, taking a deep breath before heading up the stairs and following Joe's directions. She hesitated in front of the closed door, then gently tapped it with her knuckle. "Carol? I wanted to apologise."

<Carol> Carol lay on her bed, her face buried in her pillow. She sighed and lifted her head enough to unmuffle her voice, "You can come in... but I'm the one that should apologise."

<Cessily> Cessily opened the door, stepped inside, and gently closed it behind her. She smiled when she saw Carol. "Then maybe we both could apologise," she suggested, moving closer to sit on the edge of the bed.

<Carol> "You don't need to..." she shifted, reaching out a hand to rest it on Cessily's leg, "You told me to be careful... I wasn't... I did this to myself..."

<Cessily> "No, I should have been more tactful," Cessily replied. She covered Carol's hand with her own. "And you shouldn't blame yourself. Granted, you've always been overconfident, but it's not like you don't have a reason to be. And yes, maybe you should have been more careful."

<Cessily> "But that doesn't change the fact that it was those things who did this to you. There's no one else to blame."

<Carol> "I don't know what I'm supposed to do now... SHIELD can't help me... I don't have anywhere to go..." She rolled onto her side to look at Cessily, "I can't even do my job..."

<Cessily> Cessily looked at Carol and reached out to brush some glowing hair out of her face. "You could always come back to school," she suggested. "Now, I know you're worried about endangering the students, but it's a huge estate, so you wouldn't have to come near them if you don't want to."

<Cessily> "Besides, it would be much easier for our resident geeks to take a look at you. I guess if anyone could figure out what's the matter with you, it's our basement nerds."

<Carol> Carol shook her head, "No. I can't go down there." She didn't know how she'd react to being in Broo's presence. She withdrew from Cessily a little, pulling her pillow close to her chest as if to protect herself.

<Cessily> Watching Carol's reaction, Cessily nodded and decided not to press the matter. "Alright," she said, giving her a little smile. "Well, how about a vacation then? Someplace nice without any people. I mean, if you can't work, you might just as well make the most of it. And I doubt anyone would argue you don't deserve one."

<Carol> "That was why I came here... but, Joe's right... it's not helping me.... I can't stand the quiet..." she curled around the pillow, hiding her face in it.

<Cessily> "That's the problem with lonesome and quiet places." Cessily put on a lopsided smile. "Sounds good in theory, until you realise you're all alone with nothing but your thoughts. That's why I think some distraction might be good for you. Just to get you out of here."

<Carol> "And go where, Cess? Anywhere with a distraction in it is going to have people and I'm no where near ready to be around normal people right now... It's hard enough just having Joe here."

<Cessily> "I don't know, there are some pretty spectacular places to see where no soul lives." Cessily took off her shoes and pulled her feet up on the bed, lying down next to Carol. "I've always loved camping."

<Carol> Carol shook her head, "There's no point me going anywhere... it'll be too quiet or too busy and I'll be thinking too much anyway..."

<Cessily> Cessily put her head on the pillow and looked at Carol's glowing form. "Well, I'm starting to run out of ideas," she admitted with a soft sigh. "Except to stay here. With you. If you can't be anywhere else, at least let me try to take your mind off things for a while."

<Carol> "Cess... I don't think that's possible... but thank you for the sentiment..." she reached a hand out carefully and stroked it over Cessily's hair.

<Cessily> Cessily gently pushed her head against Carol's hand. "I just want to do something to help," she muttered, sounding as helpless as she looked.

<Carol> "I know... and I appreciate it..." she managed a small smile, "Things are just.... hard right now..."

<Cessily> Touching her forehead to Carol's, Cessily achieved a smile of her own. "Just promise me you won't give up on yourself," she said, reaching up to take Carol's hand.

<Carol> "I won't lie and say it's not tempting..." she sighed, "But I'll try not to..."

<Cessily> She gave Carol's hand a gentle squeeze. "Don't forget I'll always be there when you need me. Call me whenever you feel like talking, no matter the time."

<Carol> "I can't do that... you'll be with kids that need help more than I do... and teaching classes... It's okay..."

<Cessily> Cessily bit her lip. "All I'm asking is that you let me know you're alright."

<Carol> "Well... when I figure out how to use the phone again... I'll do that." She sighed, closing her eyes and hiding her face in her pillow again. "Until then, I guess Joe can keep you informed..."

<Cessily> Accepting this was the most she could get out of her at the moment, Cessily leaned closer to press a kiss to Carol's temple. "I'll make sure he does that," she said. Putting her hand on Carol's shoulder, she gave her a firm squeeze, before slowly getting up.

<Carol> "I should help with the table I broke...." she raised a hand to run it through her hair out of habit then looked at her hand and let it drop back down onto the bed with a sigh.

<Cessily> Cessily was about to suggest she rest, but then thought otherwise. "I think Joe would love to have you join him downstairs for a bit."

<Carol> "I should probably get dressed first... pretty sure he's sick of seeing me in pyjamas...." She levered herself up and climbed out of the bed.

<Cessily> "That's a good idea." Cessily smiled. "And I'll tell him to make some more fresh coffee in the meantime."

<Carol> She smiled at Cessily, "Thanks... I'm glad you're here... even though I'm not good at saying stuff like that..."

<Cessily> A smile brightened Cessily's expression. "No worries, I know." She bowed her head towards the door. "I'll see you downstairs then."

<Carol> She nodded, "Yeah... um... are you staying for a while...?"

<Cessily> "Yeah, I thought I might stay a bit, so I took some days off," Cessily replied with a smile and a nod. "Besides, this is a lovely place for a short vacation."

<Carol> She smiled again, "Good... someone needs to help us eat all those doughnuts and muffins."
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Re: Summer 2018: Carol

Post by Svartfreja »

<Carol> Carol couldn't remember the last time she'd been elbow deep in dirt. It was nice though, surprisingly theraputic. She'd laughed when Joe had suggested replanting the entire garden to make her feel better but it was kind of working. And Cessily was helping so that was nice too.

<Carol> Joe had retreated inside for a while, the heat and the threat of sunburn scaring him into the cool of the kitchen. Carol hoped he was using this time to make lunch.

<Cessily> "We should definitely start the gardening club again at the school," Cessily said as she tilled the soil with a hand shapeshifted to resemble a shiny hoe. "I forgot how much fun this was."

<Carol> Carol laughed, "Maybe I could do that instead of being the boss of everyone or teaching classes. Might be an interesting career move..."

<Cessily> Cessily paused her tilling to look at Carol with a wry smile on her lips. "You giving up responsibility? Excuse me for being sceptical, but that's something I'll believe only when I see it - and I've seen a lot of things already, like monsters, and aliens."

<Carol> "Yeah I know... I can't help myself." She sighed, straightening up and looking at their progress from her seat on the edge of the lawn. "I think it's because I'm the eldest... I'm programmed that way." She was also programmed to take the blame, something she'd been trying to stop doing because it wasn't her fault the Brood experimented on her. Not really.

<Cessily> Cessily tilted her head, her smile turning sympathetic. "Well, maybe you could start with handing off just a little responsibility at first. That might be a good start. Just so you actually have a little free time for yourself."

<Carol> "Well Bobby's acting liason at the moment... and, as I can't write anything without breaking stuff... I think that puts teaching classes out... so I think I probably have a lot of free time right now."

<Cessily> Shifting her arms back, Cessily stepped closer to wrap her arms around Carol's waist. "Then you should make the best out of it and fill all that free time with things you enjoy," she suggested, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek.

<Carol> "Except I'm the kind of weirdo that actually likes working," she leaned against Cessily, turning her head a little to nuzzle her, "I don't have a whole lot of hobbies... pretty sure drinking coffee and yelling at people don't count, right?"

<Cessily> "If it makes you happy, it totally does." Cessily grinned. "And I'm pretty sure gardening counts as work, too, even when you do it as a hobby."

<Carol> "Yeah... so basically I'm screwed." She leaned to give Cessily a quick kiss, "I'll think of something..."

<Cessily> Cessily's arms lingered around Carol's waist as she returned the kiss. "Well, I can think of something to do..."

<Carol> "Oh yeah? Is it something I can do with the door open?" She giggled, "Or on the lawn where everyone can see?"

<Cessily> Cessily's gaze shifted to the side. "Well, personally I'd say yes, but I fear the rest of the school staff might see it a little differently."

<Carol> "And your counselling appointments would get in the way... and classes." She wrapped her arms around Cessily, "Otherwise I would be happy to kill time that way until I thought of something more productive to do."

<Cessily> Cessily's happy expression was replaced by a frown. "Or right... I had totally forgotten about all that, but now I remember that being an adult mostly just sucks."

<Carol> Carol laughed and tickled Cessily's ribs while she had her captive, "It's not all bad! We can eat junk food all day and get really drunk and we don't have to sit across the dinner table from our parents' disapproving looks."

<Cessily> "Don't forget going to bed whenever we like and being able to spend the whole weekend in your pyjamas," Cessily added while she giggled and squirmed in Carol's hands. "Guess there really are good things to everything."

<Carol> "Yeah..." She ceased her tickling and pulled Cessily into her lap for cuddles. "The best thing about right now though... is you... and Joe. You've both been really great."

<Cessily> Cessily gave Carol a smile as she got comfortable in her lap, her arms draped over the other woman's shoulders. "I'm just glad that we could do anything to help," she replied. "Seeing you smile again is the best reward I could have hoped for."

<Carol> "I'm not all the way there yet... and I keep stressing out about going back to the school because I know I won't be able to just not work... I need a hobby before I go back... and lunch. I'm really hungry." She got to her feet, lifting Cessily in her arms, "You hungry too?"

<Cessily> Cessily squeaked when Carol picked her off the ground, then laughed as she held on tighter. "Shouldn't you know by now?" She gave her a grin. "I don't need to eat, but I always have an appetite."

<Carol> "I know... but it's polite to ask, right?" She cuddled Cessily and started for the house, "Besides... I don't really get hungry either but I eat out of habit. My stomach expects food."

<Cessily> Cessily laughed. "See? We're united in our needless yet satisfying desire for food. I can't wait to see what Joe cooked up for us."

<Carol> "He's a good cook, right? It's shocking, really... but I guess one of us had to pay attention long enough to not poison everyone." She opened the door and set Cessily down once they were inside.

<Cessily> Once on her own feet again, Cessily headed for the bathroom to clean the dirt off her hands. "We should totally treat him sometime, just to pay him back for keeping us well fed the whole time."

<Carol> "Yeah but not by cooking, okay?" Carol followed her, "You saw my disasters earlier this week before we started in the garden...." They'd had to remove the smoke detectors.

<Cessily> "Oh, no worries," Cessily replied and gave Carol a grin. "I was thinking more of letting other people do the cooking and we simply pay them for it."

<Carol> "I totally approve of this plan," she smiled, "But can you do that because... me and phones... or computers... or the internet..."

<Cessily> "Oh, right... Don't worry, I'll take care of all your electronic communication needs!" She beamed a smile. "You'll find I make an excellent secretary. And a sexy one, too!"

<Carol> "Very sexy... we should definitely share the office." She nodded sagely, "I need lots of distraction."

<Cessily> Cessily snickered, and promptly aimed to deliver said distraction by putting her arms around Carol's waist. "That's something I can provide plenty of. And we definitely should do that. Anything to make work less of a chore."

<Carol> "I promise to make myself scarce during your sessions because I scare the kids," she put her arms around Cessily's shoulders and bowed her head to rest it against her girlfriend's.

<Cessily> "Actually, I've been thinking, with all the rooms we have available, I could get a separate place only for my sessions." Cessily tilted her head to rest it against Carol's, her hand stroking through her hair. "It might help the students relax if they don't feel like sitting in their teacher's office."

<Cessily> "Also, it means I wouldn't have to sit in the same room where I need to listen to depressed teenagers the whole day, because eventually that's going to rub off on your own mood."

<Carol> "I think that's a great plan... hey we can decorate it to be all nice and welcoming too! With squishy furniture and stuffed animals and beanbags... or whatever it is kids like these days."

<Cessily> "Who cares if the kids like them, I definitely want squishy furniture and stuffed animals and beanbags in my workplace." Cessily giggled.

<Carol> Carol laughed, pulling her close and kissing her cheek before she hugged her, "No motivational posters though, those are depressing."

<Cessily> "I never liked those anyway," Cessily agreed. "Besides, why put them up when you can have pictures of adorable baby animals instead?"

<Carol> "I know, right?" she laughed, "Or comedy memes."

<Cessily> Putting on a purposeful sad expression, Cessily shook her head. "I never understood why people would voluntarily subject themselves to such things all day long. As if having to sit in an office wasn't depressing enough already."

<Carol> Carol laughed again, "It's the only thing that makes working in an office worth it."

<Cessily> Cessily held up her finger. "Don't forget all the free coffee one can drink," she added, leaning in for another quick kiss. "Speaking of, wanna check what Joe is going to treat us with today?"

<Carol> "Yes..." she realised then that they hadn't got around to washing their hands. She released Cessily to do that. "And then we can plan our surprise."

<Cessily> "Yesss," Cessily said and squinted her eyes in a conspiratorial manner. "He'll never see it coming, and it's gonna be totally awesome."
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Re: Summer 2018: Carol

Post by Svartfreja »

<Carol> Lying on her back in the long grass of the lawn, Carol was begining to wonder why the hell she'd agreed to this. Her main gripe at the moment was that she was being chewed on by a small furry toddler while another small child ran rings around them blowing bubbles. She couldn't see the others because of the grass obscuring her view and she wasn't sure how bothered she was by this at the moment.

<Cessily> Sitting in the grass by Carol's side, her feet crossed under her lap, Cessily had happily joined in the bubble blowing, using her malleable fingers to try herself on an especially large one. "Looks like we finally found a distraction for you," she told Carol, looking down at her with a grin on her face.

<Carol> Carol raised an eyebrow, "I don't know why I agreed to this. Why did I agree to this? ...Did I even agree to this?" She lifted her arm, Thomas dangling off it as he continued to gnaw on her hand. "And where is the other me? Did she sneak back home and leave her kid? That's not cool."

<Cessily> Cessily snickered, the bubble she had been working on wobbling back through her fingers and popping against her nose. "I always thought that was the point in getting someone to agree to watch your kids for you."

<Cessily> Her stretchy limbs proved handy when it came to keeping Maria from straying too far, gently picking up the little girl to dump her back where she had started. Of course, she quickly realized how much fun that was and began doing it on purpose.

<Carol> "I don't remember agreeing! And how does she have so much energy?" She sat up to locate Maria and make sure she wasn't eyeing up the reservoir.

<Cessily> Cessily frowned. "You know, now that you mention it, neither do I." She gave Carol a look. "I believe we were talking about it, and suddenly there were kids."

<Carol> "They tricked us." They needed revenge. "Maria! You wanna go look at the art room?"

<Maria> Maria stopped running after bubbles, distracted. "Art?! Yes! Is there paint?! Is there glitter?!"

<Cessily> "Oh yes, there's so much paint and glitter, and we've got so many different colours." Cessily grinned. "And even better, we have glitter glue sticks."

<Maria> "Take me there!" She was having trouble staying on the ground in her excitement.

<Carol> Carol got to her feet, tucking an arm under Thomas's tailed behind to make sure he didn't fall on his head if he suddenly lost interest in her arm. "This way," she inclined her head toward the building and waited for Maria to come over. She frowned as a shape appeared in the main entrance to the building. "Oh God they're multiplying."

<Cessily> "I think it was less stressful when there were only little blue gremlins coming out of our portal," Cessily commented. "Let's hope you're multiplying too and the other you isn't just chucking through kid after kid from the other side."

<Carol> Carol just stared at her girlfriend. "Why would you say that?!"

<Maria> "Mommy's here, it's okay." Maria informed them before her mother even appeared in the doorway behind the other child.

<CaptMarvel> Raising a hand to wave at her kid, Carol decided to wait in the doorway as they seemed to be on the way back up to the building and looked down at the kid beside her, "Don't stare, okay?"

<Jen> "Orange..."

<CaptMarvel> Carol facepalmed, "Oy..."

<Cessily> Cessily gave her girlfriend a sympathetic smile, before waving at the newcomers. "Hi there!" Once back at the house, she leaned forward to get closer to eye level with the younger girl. "You must be new here. May I know what your name is?"

<Jen> Jen was staring. She couldn't help it. She stepped back a little behind Carol and peeked out at her hip. So shiny! She looked up at Carol.

<CaptMarvel> "She's a little shy... This is Jen. She's Jess and David's kid." She looked down at her, "This is Cessily, she has metal for skin. Cool huh?"

<Jen> Jen nodded, reaching out a hand to touch Cessily's face.

<Cessily> "Nice to meet you, Jen," Cessily said, her silver lips forming a smile. "And not just for skin, but for everything. That's why I can do something like this." She interlocked her fingers and reshaped them until they resembled a big shiny butterfly.

<Jen> "Oooooh!" Jen beamed turning her grin on Carol.

<CaptMarvel> "Bonus points for bugs," she laughed, "Where are you all going?"

<Maria> "Art room!" Maria bounced up the steps and grabbed Jen's hand, "We'll find it! Come on Jen!" She dragged the smaller girl down the hall behind her.

<CaptMarvel> "Maria! Don't pull her arm off!" Carol yelled over her shoulder before she turned back to Cess and her other self, "So... Yeah... tiny emergency so I had to go get Jen."

<Cessily> "Oh, that's no problem," Cessily replied before her Carol had any chance to voice any objection, waving her hand dismissively. "The kids are so sweet, and we love to help anytime."

<Carol> Carol was now wearing Thomas for a hat and her expression said all she needed to on that subject. "I'm going to go and make sure they don't find their way to the chemistry lab by accient..."

<Cessily> "Oh, that's probably a good idea," Cessily agreed, her concerned expression going as quickly as it had come. "You know, I think we really need a daycare room at the school. With games, and puzzles, and colouring books..."

<CaptMarvel> "We have a daycare room on the base... they still get out." She gave Cess a grin, "We should follow them, I'm not sure other me is equipped for handling three kids by herself... especially when one of them is Maria."

<Cessily> "You're probably right." Cessily laughed as they turned to follow. "I'm definitely sure I am not prepared for my Carol's wrath if I leave her alone with three kids."

<CaptMarvel> "She'd be too tired for wrath. Even with all of this awesome... three kids at once is exhausting." She nodded sagely then stopped walking, "Wait... paint... glue... furry toddler..." She took off at a run.

<Cessily> Cessily was still giggling when she caught up with her Carol. "Dammit, I think she's figured out our devious plan for revenge." She gave her a smile. "Guess you're just too clever no matter from what reality."

<Carol> "Really? That was quick. Can she give us clues because I hadn't really figured it out either..." She slid her arm around Cessily, wondering how long it would take her to notice that there was no toddler. Probably not long now... there was a sound from along the corridor somewhere between rage and despair.

<Cessily> Cessily couldn't help but laugh. "Ooh, I think it may have worked after all." She tilted her head to rest it on Carol's shoulders, the both of them in no rush to catch up with the other Carol.

<CaptMarvel> Carol was greeted by a sight she'd never wanted to see again. And how? How?! How had this happened so fast?! There was glitter everywhere. "It looks like a unicorn exploded in here!" She covered her face with both hands when Jen and Maria pointed at each other. They would never break their silence over whose fault it actually was.

<CaptMarvel> Where was the furry kid? She lowered her hands to look around, spying a pile of glitter that was moving more than glitter was supposed to. "Oh my god!"

<Cessily> "I'm so sorry, Carol, we didn't mean to let the kids just run off," Cessily apologised when they arrived at what looked like the crime scene of a unicorn homicide. Despite her words, she couldn't stop grinning. "I'm afraid we just got sidetracked."

<CaptMarvel> Carol waded into the glitter and extracted the furry child who was now very sparkly. "How am I going to explain this to his mom?"

<Carol> It was funny. Too funny. She couldn't help laughing and, once she started, she just couldn't stop. The whole scene was just too ridiculous. They'd only been out of sight for a minute and all of this? She crumpled into a giggling heap.

<CaptMarvel> "Stop laughing! This isn't funny!" She flailed the small child at her other self, Thomas squealed and gnawed on her hand.

<Cessily> "Actually, it is pretty funny." Cessily began to feel bad for being unable to stop her giggling. Meanwhile, Thomas worked hard to spread as much glitter as possible on the other Carol. "I promise I'm really sorry. Please don't hate us."

<CaptMarvel> When Maria and Jen joined in the giggling, Carol groaned and tried harder to squash the rage. "I'm going to be finding this for weeks...." Thomas was doing a fine job of getting it into her hair and clothes. "Here, miss-non-stick..." she handed him off to Cessily.

<Cessily> Cessily took Thomas, who promptly made use of the shiny new canvas by patting his paint-covered paws on her cheek. "Now look at you." She smiled at the kid in her arms. "Aren't you a little artist. I'm sure mommy will be so proud of you."

<Carol> Carol was still giggling, "Greer's going to kill me..." still too funny.

<Cessily> "Yeah, I think it might be a good idea to clean you up a little before handing you back to your mommy," Cessily said and nodded, while Thomas managed to glue his fingers to her hair.

<Carol> "Ooooh so not it for kitty-kid bathtime...." She managed to pull hersellf together and sat up, looking around the art room.

<Maria> "We can clean up!" She promised, trying to avoid the punishment she was sure she'd get at home.

<Cessily> "Thanks, Maria, that's really sweet of you," Cessily said, giving the girl a smile while she carried Thomas over to the sink. "Actually, that sounds like a pretty fun game we can play for the rest of the afternoon - it's called let's clean up the mess we made."

<Jen> Jen had glitter in her hair. There would be questions. She flailed at it.

<Maria> "You're gonna make it worse...." Maria frowned at her friend, "We should clean up in here first..."

<CaptMarvel> "Good idea." Carol went to another of the sinks and found a few sponges, lining them up on the nearest surface. "Get to work or no one gets lunch." She almost cracked a smile when Maria saluted her but she held her ground.

<Cessily> Cessily exchanged a look with her Carol, before looking back at the other one and raising her hand. "Do we not get any lunch either? Because I like lunch."

<CaptMarvel> "I'm covered in glitter. What do you think?"

<Cessily> Cessily bit her lip, if only to hide the grin forming on her face. "Good point," she said, shaping another pair of arms, so she could keep holding Thomas while grabbing a wet cloth and some paper towels.

<Carol> "It's a shame I didn't develep teke with my shiny new powers, huh..." Carol found a dustpan and brush and started the process of sweeping up the glitter.

<Jen> "You're orange," Jen observed helpfully, "Where's your hair gone?" She rubbed her arm when Maria nudged her and pulled a face.

<Cessily> Cessily turned her head to support Carol with a smile. "I think it went the same place where mine went," she supplied, bending over to show the kids her crimson tresses. "See? It's not real hair, but all metal too."

<Jen> Jen reached out a hand to touch Cessily's hair, dusting it with glitter in the process. "Pretty."

<Carol> Carol managed a small smile for Cessily's distraction. She was still a bit touchy on the hair subject. She distracted herself with more sweeping.

<CaptMarvel> "Here..." she held her hands out for Thomas, "I'll try and clean off the worst of it...."

<Cessily> "Oh, thanks, it's no problem really," Cessily said and handed over the fuzzy little boy. "So, for how long you said they can stay here?"

<CaptMarvel> "Well... it was only going to be a couple of hours but now I don't know... and if I get called in I have to go so apologies in advance..." Carol tried to find the fastenings for Thomas' clothes beneath the glitter.

<Cessily> "No worries, we did agree to help out, after all," Cessily replied, using the wet cloth to wipe the rest of the paint out of her hair. "Besides, we love to have the kids here. Makes the place so much more lively." She looked over her shoulder to send Carol an encouraging smile.

<Carol> Carol's eyebrows went up and she shook her head vigorously.

<CaptMarvel> She laughed, "I think my twin there would disagree. Not a kid fan."

<Cessily> Cessily laughed. "Aw, don't mind her," she replied, while turning her head to grin at her Carol. "I'm certain these three will manage to change her mind in no time."

<CaptMarvel> "Yeah don't hold your breath," she giggled, "It took me having one of my own to change my mind."

<Maria> "I'm amazing!" Maria sprinkled glitter and twirled.

<Cessily> "I can see that!" Cessily laughed and beamed a grin at Maria. She then leaned close to her own Carol and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I promise I'll make up for all the glitter," she whispered.

<Carol> "You better..." Carol muttered back, tipping a pile of glitter into the trash. "Who has art now? Is it Maximoff the speedy or Chris?"

<Cessily> Cessily glanced towards the ceiling and did some quick math in her head. "I think it's Pietro's turn. Why?"

<Carol> "I feel like we need reinforcements and thank God it's him," she laughed, "A. he has parenting skills that I do not have and B. He will get this done way faster...." She gave Cessily the puppy look.

<Cessily> Cessily's eyes narrowed as she gave Carol a conspiratorial look. "Ooh, I know what you're getting at," she said, wagging a finger at her. "You want to find an unsuspecting victim to shuffle all the work onto." She smirked. "I like it."

<Carol> "I delegate. It's a skill!" One she took advantage of as often as possible.

<Cessily> "And you're so good at it!" Cessily grinned. "This is why I'm so glad you're helping run this place."

<Carol> Carol laughed, "Well, I'm not at the moment but yeah, it's the only reason I'm good at that job. I'm a strategist."

<CaptMarvel> "Me too... I was before I got powers but now it's turned up to eleven. It's super useful."

<Cessily> "Then it's even better that I have two of you around right now." Cessily put her hands on her hips and took a look around the art room. "I think we should leave some of the glitter for Pietro. Who's up for lunch?"

<Carol> Carol opened one of the drawers and tipped some glitter inside before she closed it again. "Sure, I could eat."

<Jen> "Yay!" She put her sponge back where she'd got it then went to the door to wait for the adults.

<Cessily> "Sweet!" Cessily clapped her hands and headed for the door. "Let's go to the kitchen. I'll cook and you can all help me if you like."

<Maria> Maria bounced to the door, tossing the sponge in the general direction of the sink and managing to hit her mother in the face with it.

<CaptMarvel> ".... Awesome." She finished shaking out Thomas' clothes and dusted him off before she followed the others from the room.

<Cessily> Cessily couldn't help but giggle, waiting for her own Carol so she could hook her arm around hers. "Look at the good side," she said. "At least there won't be any glitter in the kitchen."

<Carol> "At least until we walk in there...." Carol looked down at herself, the glitter reflecting the orange glow from her skin. "I don't know... I think I can make this look work."

<Cessily> Cessily looked her girlfriend all over and nodded. "Definitely." She leaned her head on Carol's shoulder. "Of course, you might also want to consider a new codename to go with the look. I suggest Captain Sparklefists."

<Carol> Carol laughed, "Oh God, I'd never live that down."

<CaptMarvel> "No one is suggesting this to anyone on my side of the portal. I won't be held responsible for my actions if this gets to Tony."

<Cessily> Cessily snickered. "Well, don't look at us," she replied, nodding towards Jen and Maria, who were giggling among themselves. "Look at them."

<CaptMarvel> "Oh I'm not worried about them. They know not to get on the wrong side of me." She let Thomas climb up onto her shoulder.

<Cessily> "No worries, our lips are sealed!" Cessily made a zipping motion across her mouth. She then leaned close to her girlfriend's ear. "That doesn't include, say, a gift card with a funny message, does it?"

<Carol> Carol wrinkled her nose, "I wouldn't risk it - I'm the type to throw you into the sun."

<Cessily> Cessily nodded slowly. "That's a convincing argument. Anyway, who's up for homemade pizza?"

<Maria> Maria's face lit up, "PIZZA!"

<CaptMarvel> "You just said the magic word."

<Jen> "Mommy says pizza isn't healthy..."

<Carol> "Your mommy is a buzzkill."

<Cessily> Cessily laughed. "Well, sounds like she's outvoted here anyway. Come on, you can pick your own toppings."

<CaptMarvel> "You can make pizza healthy, especially if you make it yourself," Carol assured Jen, taking her hand, "We'll teach you and then you can teach your mom."

<Cessily> "Great idea! See? Here we don't just look after your kids and keep them fed, they also learn really important things." She glanced at the Carol by her side. "Maybe we really should think about opening a daycare."

<Carol> "We can do that when we're decorating your new friendly squishy room.... and then entice someone here to watch all the tiny germ factories."

<Cessily> Cessily tilted her head. "Okay, as long as we don't put the daycare in my new room..."

<Carol> Carol laughed, "That would be an interesting kind of therapy." She flailed as Thomas hopped from her double onto her. "I am not a jungle gym!"

<Cessily> "I'm not sure I would call it therapy." Cessily chuckled. "Though I've heard kittens are supposed to be very therapeutic."

<Carol> Carol tried to catch the one on her head, "Not this one...."

<Cessily> Cessily giggled and decided to help Carol. "Come here you," she said, picking up the fuzzy boy. "Your aunt Carol is no scratching post."

<Carol> "He's been using me as a tree since he was able to climb things... I think Greer encourages him when I'm not looking."

<Cessily> "That wouldn't surprise me." Cessily chuckled, while she managed to keep Thomas entertained by her hair, which was as prehensile as the rest of her liquid metal body.

<Maria> "Pizza lives here!" Maria bounded into the kitchen and started opening all the cupboards.

<CaptMarvel> Carol released Jen's hand so she could join the whirlwind of destruction that was her best friend. "Point me, I'm kitchen-friendly."

<Cessily> "I think those two might have fun if they got to knead and roll out the dough," Cessily said, wrapping her hair around the kid climbing on her head to make sure there was no way he could slip off. "I'll mix it up for them, and I think you guys can get started cutting up some cheese and tomatoes."

<Carol> Carol sat down on a work surface out of the way, "I'll just.... supervise..."

<CaptMarvel> "Maria can help chop things, Jen you can do the cheese. We don't have to worry about Maria cutting her finger off." She went to de-glitter her hands, "Wash hands first... no one wants to eat glitter."

<Maria> "I learned my lesson."

<Cessily> "Better not to give them any ideas," Cessily said, giving the other Carol a smile, while she grabbed everything they'd need for the dough out of the fridge.

<CaptMarvel> "They sure don't need any help there..." she dried off her hands then lifted Jen up so that she could reach the sink. Maria needed no help because she could fly just like her mother.

<Cessily> Cessily laughed, then gave the contents of the fridge another thoughtful look. "Hm, how's that for an idea? Since we're already dirtying up everything, how about we make some more pizza, so we have enough to share with the others?"

<CaptMarvel> "You sure you want to risk me poisoning other people that didn't have a chance to build up immunity yet?" she raised an eyebrow at Cessily, setting Jen down and helping her dry off her hands.

<Cessily> Cessily turned around to the others and put on an excited grin. "How can you have a real pizza party without the risk of someone getting sick?"

<Carol> Carol laughed, "I'm for this idea... but if anyone asks, it wasn't us."

<Cessily> "No worries, that's why we have the kids help us," Cessily replied, and gave Carol a quick kiss on the cheek. "No one would blame them."

<CaptMarvel> "I feel like I should say something about using my kid as a scapegoat... but I do that all the time."

<Maria> "I'm a goat!"

<Jen> "You eat like one!"

<Cessily> "Awesome!" Cessily exclaimed, and foolishly distributed flour to the children. "Then let's get started!"
:quicksilver Pietro Maximoff [Quicksilver]

Quicksilver: Howisshe?Isshealright?Imusetspeakwithmysisteratonce.
Hawkeye: What is that noise?
IronMan: That is the noise Pietro makes right before he's tossed out of the airlock. ~ Avengers: The Children's Crusade #6
Svartfreja
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Re: Summer 2018: Carol

Post by Svartfreja »

Carol was regretting having poured glitter into Pietro's desk drawer. There had been retaliation and now she seemed to have inadvertantly started a prank war. For the glitter, she had found her room papered in post-its, floor to ceiling and every surface. She had responded to this by replacing all of his candy with fruit. For this, he had swapped all her coffee with decaff. This, to her, was actual war. So now she was in his classroom again, armed with a glue gun, and glueing everything down.

The task was taking longer than Carol had anticipated. There sure were a lot of things in an art classroom. She wondered if she should enlist a second pair of hands but then there was the prospect of this prank war going three ways and that was dangerous. Suddenly, she got the feeling that someone was coming so she ducked behind the desk she was currently glueing pencils to. There was a quiet tap on the doorframe so she poked her head into view - Pietro wouldn't knock on his own classroom door. "Jess?" she took in the hair length - too short - and the clothes - too conservative. Wrong Jess. "Um... can I help you?"

"Actually, I was wondering if I could help you." She stepped into the classroom, "But now I'm just curious. What're you doing?"

"How did you find me?" Carol was sure she'd managed to get in there without anyone noticing.

"I followed the smell of coffee and rage?" Jess leaned against one of the work tables.

Carol frowned, "Fair enough..."

"So what are you doing?" Jess eyed the glue gun in Carol's hand.

"Uh... I sort of maybe started a prank war with Pietro Maximoff... today's task is to glue everything in here in its spot."

"Fun..." Jess straightened up, "Can I help?"

"Sure," she pointed to the cupboard where more glue guns could be found, "I was just thinking I should have got an accomplice and he can't get you where you live."

"Well... he could." Jess went to the cupboard and got her supplies, "We have a Pietro too... and he would totally love this... So this doesn't get to the other side of the portal, okay?"

"I promise no one's going to know I had help," Carol held up her hands and gave wrongJess a small grin. "I can keep a secret."

"I'm sure you can," she sat down on one of the chairs while she waited for her chosen weapon to warm up. "I wanted to thank you for watching Jen the other day. She had fun."

"Oh, it's fine..." Carol checked her own glue supplies and took a seat. "She's way less high maintainence than furry kid and mini-other-me...."

"Because she's human." Jess ran her hands through her hair and tied it back out of the way. "And she told me you said I'm a buzz-kill."

"... Traitor."

Jess laughed, "Don't worry about it. I'm a mom, I'm supposed to be boring. I have to be boring - David would let her get away with murder. She's such a daddy's girl."

"I probably didn't mean it. I say things I don't mean when there's pizza involved." Carol shrugged a shoulder.

"Oh I know," Jess offered her a smile. "My version of you is my best friend and I'm willing to bet a lot of the things I know about her personality cross over with you... Which is the real reason I'm here."

"How do you mean?" To distract herself from what she was sure was going to be some kind of interrogation, Carol continued her glue and pencils campaign.

"I heard about what happened to you... from a couple of sources. Not all of it... just this part," she gestured at Carol and her orangeness. "And I was wondering how you are... I worry. It's a whole thing."

"I'm fine..." She moved onto the next desk. "Handling it..."

Jess frowned, picking up her glue gun to test it. "I've heard that before." She watched Carol for a few minutes, "You can talk to me, you know... I know your version of me is a lot younger than you so it might be weird but... if I can help, I want to help."

"You know... personal problems weren't what I had in mind when we made that deal with your Fury..." She bent and started to glue the chairs to the floor.

"Call it a perk," Jess watched her with the chairs, "Wow you're really declaring war here..."

"He replaced my coffee with decaff."

"... He's clearly suicidal and he should be grateful this is all you're doing."

"Yes he should." Carol replied and looked up at the other Jess, "You do know me."

"Told you." She got to work on the nearest desk. "When something similar happened to my Carol... she did some really... questionable things.... Not that starting a prank war with a speedster is the best of ideas."

"I have to do something with my time... I'm on leave from my job," she frowned, "... Both of them. And it's crazy boring. Boredom is bad for me..."

"Well... that you have too much time on your hands is really obvious." Jess offered a small grin, "You can babysit for us anytime."

"I can't be trusted with kids without supervision and I sure as hell can't feed them."

"Well I could help you with that too... but my point is that you should talk to people. Do you have someone?"

Carol thought about that for a long time while she methodically glued more pencils into their holders before fixing the holders to the desks. She had Cessily and she had Joe but she'd not really talked too much to them. She'd said enough and they were helping but a lot of it was just a distraction and she still hadn't talked about her time on the Brood ship with anyone but the SHIELD staff. "Not yet." She frowned, glancing up at the other Jess, "I mean... I talk to people... I just don't... I don't want to put that on them."

"I understand that... it's stupid. But I get it."

"... Do you want to be glued to the table?"

"Threats just mean I made a good point." Jess waved her own glue gun at Carol, "You need to talk through this with someone. It's important.... And you can talk to me if you want someone very removed from the situation. I promise not to judge, even if that doesn't really apply here."

"It applies in my head..." Carol sighed, leaning against one of the tables. "It's my fault this happened..."

"Ugh, what is it with you and playing the blame game?" Jess continued to glue things down while Carol was distracted. "The fault lies with the Brood for coming to your planet in the first place. You couldn't have known they'd be able to hurt you - honestly, even I'm shocked. And, if you hadn't thrown yourself at them blindly like you do and someone else got hurt instead? You'd be even more pissed at yourself. So cut that out, okay? You're a walking talking wrecking ball distraction and anyone that doesn't love that about you is an idiot." She paused to raise an eyebrow at Carol, waiting to see if she'd challenge her.

Carol mirrored the expression back at her, "A wrecking ball, huh?"

Jess nodded, "Mmhmm."

"I guess I did wreck their ship pretty good..." the corner of her mouth curled up in a smile. "I never looked at it like that before... that someone else might have gotten hurt if I wasn't there letting them chase me around..."

"See? Your particular brand of insane is good for people." Jess offered a smile in return, "You don't have to talk to me but you should talk to someone... If you want to talk to me, I'll listen. If you don't, I'll carry on helping you glue stuff to tables and you get the pick the conversation topic." She was still glueing things while she spoke because she knew being stared at would lessen the chances of Carol making a healthy decision.

Carol thought about it for a long time as they worked their way toward the back of the classroom. After a while, she let out a long sigh, "Okay... as tempting as it is to ask your oppinion on space-Raccoons... I think you're right. I need to get all of this out..."

"Coffee?" Jess turned off the heating element in her glue gun.

Carol merely nodded and did the same. They replaced the hot glue dispensers in their holders and headed down to the kitchen. Carol took a seat in the caffeteria and stared out of the window while Jess poked about in kitchen cupboards. And then, she had coffee between her hands and a version of Jess sitting opposite her that was watching her in a way that made her seem much older than she looked.

Opening her mouth, Carol began to speak and the whole sorry mess came tumbling out, from her capture by the Brood to the torture of their experiments. Her eventual rescue and the descovery of the change in her powers. The feeling of loss since she was put on leave by SHIELD and that she really really missed her hair. By the end of it, she was sitting on the floor half way under the table with no recollection of crawling under there.

Jess was with her. She had her arms wrapped around Carol to keep her grounded, both physically and mentally, holding the other woman like she held Jen when she was upset. She would sit on the cold hard floor for however long it took for Carol to feel like she could get up and carry on about her day. At least no one was going to look for them under the table. Once the other version of her best friend was all cried out, she'd make her something nice to eat and then they could talk about what to do next.
:quicksilver Pietro Maximoff [Quicksilver]

Quicksilver: Howisshe?Isshealright?Imusetspeakwithmysisteratonce.
Hawkeye: What is that noise?
IronMan: That is the noise Pietro makes right before he's tossed out of the airlock. ~ Avengers: The Children's Crusade #6
Starfish
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Re: Summer 2018: Carol

Post by Starfish »

Awwww, poor Carol! But it's good she's finally letting it all out!

*has Cess slither in to make a silver blanket*
Svartfreja
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Re: Summer 2018: Carol

Post by Svartfreja »

<Carol> Carol was wearing a small, surprisingly well camoflaged, child for a hat as she crossed the lawn toward Chris' trailer and the teacher house. As she passed the trailer, her hat shifted and she was whacked in the face by a tail. She sighed and turned back for the trailer, "Well at least I don't have to go searching but I was going to pee first..." She knocked on the door to the trailer.

<Christopher> Chris lifted his head up from the pillow and ruffled his hair. Ugh who the hell is that? He plopped his head back down on the pillow and groaned before getting up. "Yeah?"

<Carol> "I have a really pointy hat that wants you to come out and play..." Carol called through the door. "Ow... quit it...." she flailed at the small child.

<Christopher> "Pointy....?" He shook his head a little and slipped on a long sleeve shirt to hide most of his arm. "Hold on I need pants first." Chris got dressed and opened the door.

<Carol> As soon as he appeared, Carol's hat left her head and landed on Chris instead. "If I wasn't indestructible I'd look like I stuck my head in a blender."

<Christopher> Chris laughed weakly and caught his son in one arm. "Takes after his mother?" He shrugged a little. "I still have a few pairs of pants she shredded."

<Carol> "There's a mental image I did not need today..." She inclined her head toward the teacher house, "Child friendly environment?"

<Christopher> "Yeah that's fine. And I didn't say it was that, you just assumed." He stepped out of his trailer with her. "Though if he takes after both of us then I don't know a safe place for him."

<Carol> "I can't help that's where my mind goes... and you totally meant for me to take it that way." She started for the house. "You eaten today?"

<Christopher> "I have no idea what you're talking about." Chris smiled a little. "I just got up? Coffee would be amazing though. I don't think I can handle the tasmanian devil without it." He attempted to remove Thomas from himself and put him on the ground.

<Carol> "He's not big on walking at the moment... climbing everything? Sure! Running away from me? No problem! Walking like a normal toddler? Hell no!" She opened the door and held it for them. "There should be coffee somewhere..."

<Christopher> Chris gave up and let him be a jungle gym. "Good... none of that decaff shit that's been hanging around though."

<Carol> "I burned it all." She was absolutely serious. "Kitchen is that way," she pointed, "But first I have to pee." She headed for the stairs.

<Christopher> "Good! And enjoy." Chris headed for the kitchen to get some coffee started for them and something for his little one.

<Carol> Carol opened the door to her bedroom and stopped in her tracks. Her brain was having trouble processing what she was seeing. "What the fuck?!"

<Christopher> Chris got the coffee started. "Uhmm Thomas is here so I know it wasn't him. Do I want to know?"

<Carol> "I'm not allowed to kill anyone." She had to keep repeating this mantra over and over as she came back down the stairs without going to the bathroom.

<Christopher> "Please don't kill me... Greer wouldn't be happy about that, and I know you wouldn't kill Thomas. So who are we not killing?" He grabbed cups for them and poured it when it was ready.

<Carol> "Maximoff." She growled.

<Christopher> "What did he do?" Chris handed her the cup and went to look. "Oh... wow. So... should I start digging a hole?"

<Carol> "I'm not allowed to kill anyone." Carol repeated. "Unfortunately."

<Christopher> "Did they say anything about you paying someone else to do it?" He laughed a little as he made his way back to the kitchen.

<Carol> "Don't tempt me..." she sat down at the table. "I need revenge."

<Christopher> "Hmm, could completely fill his room with whip cream. Or just leave Thomas in there."

<Carol> "He doesn't live here... fancy a road trip to New Hampshire?"

<Christopher> "I don't have anything to do." He shrugged. "But I'll need more coffee and a sitter. I don't think Greer would be okay with us crossing state lines with her child without permission..."

<Carol> "Oh yeah..." her eyes fell on the kid, "How about if we took a road trip through the portal for an afternoon?"

<Christopher> "Uhmm.... wouldn't that be worse? I mean state lines not as far as a whole different world."

<Carol> "But no one can sue anyone for that because there isn't a law against it."

<Christopher> "That may be true, but I think I would be more afraid of her killing me than suing me." Chris rubbed his hand slowly, his mind drawing to the fact that someone probably should.

<Carol> "It'll be fine," Carol assured him, "It's my bad idea and we're both indestructible so...."

<Christopher> "I'm not indestructable... Just really hard to destroy. I'm one hundred percent sure she would figure out how." He bit his lip. "I guess it wouldn't be too bad?"

<Carol> "I'd offer to text her but I can't so... wanna leave her a note or something?"

<Christopher> "I'll text her. Give her a chance to stop a bad idea." Chris carefully pulled out his phone and started typing away before hitting send.

<Carol> "It's not a bad idea!" She still had to pee though. "I'm going to go use her bathroom."

<Christopher> "Enjoy?" Chris sipped at his coffee.

<Carol> "My bathroom has been contaminated by Red Sox memorabilia." She was going to recruit her partner in crime to help with the revenge.

<Christopher> "Oh hey I should probably get stuff for Thomas shouldn't I?" He bit his lip.

<Carol> "What stuff?" she picked up her coffee once she was back downstairs.

<Christopher> "Cup? Uhmm snacks, change of clothes or something?" Chris shrugged. "I'm still getting used to the dad thing."

<Carol> "Change of clothes? Are you serious? He's covered in fur..." Carol blinked bemusedly at him.

<Christopher> Chris stared at her then back at his child. "Shut up...."

<Carol> She laughed and gave him a small shove, "Dumbass." Thomas squealed happily.

<Christopher> "Are you just now figuring this out?" Chris cocked an eyebrow at her.

<Carol> "Of course not. Like I always tell you, I'm just reminding you. Clearly it's neccessary." She reached to pick up the kid, "Come on. Adventure time."

<Christopher> "Alright, but you get the wrath of the tiger if she's mad." Chris downed his coffee and set it in the sink.

<Carol> "I'm good with that.... have you been through the portal before?"

<Christopher> "Nope. But it's not like I'm too worried." He shrugged.

<Carol> "Well there's less to be worried about since they put a floating platform under it so now you don't need to be able to fly to survive the entry..."

<Christopher> "Well, I think I'd survive. But I don't like the falling part. Plus, child. So good."

<Carol> "Yeah plus the mess that would make on the pavement...." She headed for the door, "Their reality is so much cooler than ours."

<Christopher> "Oh? How's that?" Chris followed her.

<Carol> "They have a superhero team with good PR, a big floating base in the sky, so many awesome planes to fly around in..."

<Christopher> "A what?" He stared at her. "You're pulling my leg right?"

<Carol> "Nope. I could totally live there."

<Christopher> He looked down at his arm. "Maybe they could take a look at this..." Chris frowned.

<Carol> "Maybe... they have actual aliens that aren't raccoons there." She led the way back across the lawn and up to the school.

<Christopher> "Okay now it just sounds like you're on drugs... You didn't find one of my old stashes did you?"

<Carol> "I don't do drugs - random drug checks." She started down the steps to the basement and the portal. "Don't tell me you've managed to go this long without being tormented by the raccoon...."

<Christopher> "I've been avoiding everyone but my son, ex-wife, and you really. I would probably avoid everyone if I'd never found out."

<Carol> "Count yourself lucky." She opened the door to the lab, "Behold, the portal."

<Christopher> "Pretty cool. So anything I should know before we walk through?"

<Carol> "They have people on portal monitoring duty so there's probably going to be someone either waiting or with us soon. Don't freak out."

<Christopher> "Uhmm freak out? Why would I freak out?

<Carol> "You seem like the type to freak out..." she checked her hold on Thomas and stepped through the portal.

<Christopher> He rolled his eyes and stepped through the portal after them.

<Blackagar> <Goodevening friends.> Black Bolt gave them a friendly smile from behind his mask. <Obvioulsy you are the other Carol. And these two are?> He reached down to give Thomas a little scritching.

<Carol> "This is Chris and his kid, Thomas." Carol smiled at Black Bolt, "You're Black Bolt, right? Other me gave me files..."

<Christopher> <Yes it is. It is nice to meet you all.> He reached out and shook Chris' hand.

<Christopher> Chris grimaced a little as his hand instantly lit up. "Nice grip, could we go without the telepathy. Shit freaks me out."

<Carol> "Not if you like being alive and having eardrums." Carol tried to keep hold of Thomas as he wiggled and sniffed at the new guy. "So... is your Jess around?"

<Blackagar> <Sadly she is right. My voice is quite destructive.> He tickled Thomas a little. <She might be on base. But I have not seen her today.>

<Christopher> "Well shit. And I thought my power was dangerous... All I do is break shit without meaning to."

<Carol> "That is no longer an exclusive club." Carol gave Chris a grin. "Let's go check out the base - Chris doesn't know how cool it is!"

<Blackagar> <Feel free. Do you need help?> He looked back towards the base. <It is rather impressive. But you haven't seen Atillan yet.>

<Carol> "I can carry two passengers when one of them likes to be a hat," She picked Chris up and was airbourne before he could protest.

<Christopher> "Hey! Warning next time!" Chris grabbed onto her.

<Carol> "How would that be fun for me?" Carol gave him a grin.

<Christopher> "I'm starting to think you just like me grabbing on you." He tried to look anywhere but down.

<Carol> "Well, I won't lie, that is also fun for me."

<Christopher> "You are terrible." He laughed a little. "Do I need to talk to Cess? Wait no... she'd probably be all for that nevermind."

<Carol> Carol laughed too, landing on the open area of the Triskellion - the place where all the quinjets were kept. She set Chris down and caught Thomas as he attempted to leap to freedom and explore.

<Christopher> "Holy shit... you weren't kidding. I think it'd be harder to find Thomas if he got away here than at the school."

<Carol> "Probably... but I think they maybe have ways to track him that work better than ours if that happened." Still, she wasn't going to let go and risk it.

<Christopher> "I dunno don't think he could escape Greer. But she might then kill us or me. So we're looking for someone?"

<Carol> "Yeah, I need to go and get my partner in crime for my revenge on Maximoff."

<Christopher> "So we're starting an evil organization then hmm?" Chris stole back Thomas and tickled him. "And this little bugger will be our mascot?"

<Carol> She laughed, leading the way inside, "I don't think we should say that too loud, given where we are."

<Christopher> "Oh yeah right.... pretty sure that guy earlier could snap me in half. Handshake totally charged me."

<Carol> "He's stupid crazy scary powerful," Carol nodded, "But don't worry."

<Christopher> "Well good thing he's a good guy."

<Carol> "Yep. That's the important part." She offered him a smile, turning down a corridor toward the rec room which usually had people in it.

<Christopher> Chris kept up with Carol, hoping she knew where she was going. "So any ideas so far on how to strike back at Pietro?"

<Carol> "No. But it needs to be good." She ducked reflexively as a small person sailed over her head, squealing in surprise as they impacted the wall. Carol straighetened up again, "Maria! Are you okay?!"

<Maria> The girl bounced to her feet, "I'm okay!" She turned to face them, "Hi not-mom and kitten-baby!"

<Christopher> "Uhmm..." Chris just blinked at the little girl. "Employing children?"

<Maria> Maria giggled, "No, silly! My mommy works here!" She waved at Thomas. "There's still glitter..."

<Carol> Carol sighed, "Yeah... don't get me started."

<Christopher> "Oh god he got into glitter?" Chris tried to look his child over. He quickly pushed his bad hand into his pocket. "Well that's good. It's nice to meet you. I'm Christopher, kitten-baby's dad."

<Maria> "Hi! I'm Maria," she grinned, "My mom is her but not." She pointed at Carol.

<Carol> "Yeah, this is the other me's kid... and Thomas didn't get into glitter so much as Jen and Maria got into glitter and it exploded all over the place..."

<Maria> Maria just continued to grin.

<Christopher> "I'm sure it was very sparkly?" He tried not to sound upset. "Should I invest in a vacuum incase of another glitter bomb?"

<Carol> "It was hilarious," Carol informed him. "Or it was at the time..."

<Maria> "Mom didn't think so..."

<Christopher> "I'm glad he didn't come to me that night." Chris stuck his tongue out at Carol. "I'm kinda surprised Greer didn't tell me or make me deal with it."

<Carol> "Other me cleaned him up pretty good and Greer got the tape out when we took him back," Carol explained, starting to walk again as Maria bounced along beside her.

<Christopher> "Sounds like the other you is pretty awesome. Think we could trade?" Chris bumped her a little, his bad arm still hiding safe in his pocket.

<Maria> "Nu-uh! She's my mommy!"

<Carol> "The boss has spoken."

<Christopher> "Hey I didn't say you couldn't come too. I mean obviously my little guy likes you." He laughed.

<Maria> "But then my other mommy would have to come too... and dad and Natasha and Liam... and then people would be upset because there'd be less Avengers...."

<Christopher> "Okay okay I relent. We'll just have to keep our Carol." Chris made a long fake sigh.

<Carol> Carol shoved him - more gentle than she normally would have because he was carrying a child.

<Christopher> "Pfft you know we love you." Chris gave her a one arm hug as apology. "I'll get you some really good coffee when we get back to make up for it."

<Carol> "I want that in writing." She groaned and rolled her eyes as Thomas landed on her head again. "For the love of-!"

<Maria> Maria giggled, "Cathat!" She poked the end of Thomas' nose. "Cutest hat ever!"

<Christopher> "Someone loves his auntie Carol. And you don't need it in writing - you can kick my ass."

<Carol> Carol nodded, "I can do that." She adjusted her flailing hat so she could see where she was going, "So... We're looking for your Jess. She around?"

<Maria> "I saw her a little while ago... she went on a mission today so maybe she's in the shower now?"

<Christopher> "Heh sounds like I need to sign up here. Give me something to do with myself."

<Carol> "Yeah... maybe...." she frowned, starting to work on that in the back of her mind. "So we should go hang out in the rec room right?"

<Maria> "Sure! There's cookies!" She grinned and took off down the hallway, "See you there!" she waved as she whizzed around a corner.

<Christopher> "Super children... how does this place survive with so many of them under one roof?"

<Carol> Carol shrugged, "I don't know... practise?"

<Christopher> "I am not looking forward to this little monster getting old enough to cause havoc." He gave Thomas a poke.

<Carol> "Aww, I think he'll be good," she fished him off her head - something that was made easier by her lack of hair. "He's got a good support system."

<Christopher> "Well I was implying other things but yeah." Chris laughed.

<Carol> "Greer can teach him how not to shred stuff - she's good at not doing that." Thomas was rolling around in her arms while she tickled every spot she could reach that he wasn't defending properly.

<Christopher> "If he gets my side too... that could be pretty fucking dangerous. Flaming kitty from hell that gets stronger as you hurt him. The world will be at his mercy. Won't it lil buddy?"

<Carol> "You know that's basically me with claws, right?" She laughed, bringing them to a halt as they reached the rec room. "Here we are."

<Flash> Flash noticed Carol in the corner of his eye and was at attention saluting instantly. "Good evening Ma'am."

<Carol> Carol raised an eyebrow, "Uh... at ease? But I think you have me confused with.... me."

<Maria> Maria burst into giggles which mostly resulted in her inhaling the three cookies she had stuffed in her mouth.

<Flash> Flash blinked a little. It's the her from the other universe idiot. "Oh uhmm sorry." He sat back down. "A warning would have been nice, Maria." Flash used a tendril to chuck a piece of popcorn over his back at her.

<Maria> "Cookies..." Maria choked out, eyes watering from all the coughing.

<Carol> Carol laughed, "Kid has priorities."

<Christopher> Chris chimed in. "Cookies are pretty awesome." Chris went to take one for himself. "Hi uhmm person?"

<Flash> Flash rolled his eyes. "Agent Flash Thompson. Please don't break anything."

<Carol> "I know who you are," Carol gave the guy a small grin, "I read files." She sat down on the nearest sofa and dropped Thomas onto the cushioned surface for another tickle attack.

<Maria> "She wants to talk to Auntie Jess," Maria supplied, offering Chris the jar of cookies.

<Christopher> "Thank you Maria." Chris took a bite of the cookie he took.

<Flash> "Good." He flipped through a couple channels trying to stay at least a little child friendly. "Would you like me to get her for you?"

<Carol> "It's okay, we can wait. It's not like life or death or anything...." she frowned, "Well it could be."

<Maria> Maria supplied Flash with a cookie too.

<Flash> He moved his head to dodge the cookie and watched it hit the wall. "You know you will have to clean that up right?"

<Christopher> Chris raised an eyebrow wondering what was up this guys ass.

<Maria> Maria pouted.

<Carol> "I think it's your fault it hit the wall so you should clean it up," Carol told Flash, catching Thomas as he lunged for the fallen cookie.

<Flash> "She shouldn't be throwing cookies." Flash just shrugged.

<Maria> "I was sharing!" Maria protested with another mighty pout.

<Flash> "You shouldn't throw food." He stopped on a World War II documentary.

<Christopher> Chris rolled his eyes and gave Maria a pat. "It's okay I think he's just mad he didn't catch it," he whispered to her.

<Maria> Maria giggled quietly, "I could try again?"

<Christopher> "Nah we don't wanna make a mess." Chris gave her a big smile and found a spot to sit down.

<Flash> Flash eyed him for a second wondering why his hand was in his pocket.

<Maria> "Okay." She took the jar to her favourite chair and plonked herself down in it with the jar in her lap. "I like cookies."

<Christopher> "Cookies are pretty great. I'll remember to bring you some if I come back again."

<Carol> Carol got the feeling someone was coming and turned to look at the door. "Jess is coming..."

<Flash> When Jess stepped through the doorway Flash gave her a wave. "You have guests."

<Spider-Woman> "So I see." She gave Carol a wave and went to put the kettle on. Her hair was still damp from her shower and she kept fiddling with it because it was dripping cold drops down her neck.

<Maria> "How did you know it was Jess coming? She's a ninja!" Maria stared at Carol. "I thought I was the only one that could do that."

<Flash> "How'd the mission go?" Flash turned the volume down.

<Spider-Woman> "Oh, you know... more bruises than I can count but job well done..." She leaned against the counter while she waited for the kettle.

<Carol> Carol shrugged in answer to Maria's question, "Not the first time I did that this week."

<Flash> "Healing factors are the best." Flash got up and chucked the remote to Jess as he walked out. "Enjoy."

<Christopher> "Hi, I'm Christopher. Nice to meet you other Jess."

<Spider-Woman> Jess caught the remote with ease and turned the channel to Maria's favourite cartoons. "Later, Flash..." she gave him a wave. "Hi," she smiled at Chris, "Are you the Chris that's furry kid's dad?" She waved at Thomas too.

<Christopher> "Mhmm, apparently so." He smiled back.

<Spider-Woman> "He's very cute," she smiled, "Anyone else want tea while I'm here? Or I can put some coffee on."

<Christopher> "I'd say he gets it from me but I don't think that would be believable. I'm good thank you."

<Carol> "I could use some coffee - didn't get to enjoy my last cup." Carol got up to do that though, "You know the thing we did with the glue? He got his revenge."

<Spider-Woman> "I'm assuming it was really bad?" Jess stirred her tea and glanced at Carol.

<Carol> "He swapped all my Yankees stuff for Red Sox stuff..."

<Spider-Woman> She pulled a face, "Ouch. Low blow."

<Christopher> "I was wrangled into the consortium by means of child."

<Carol> "And because you'd never been here before," Carol pointed out, "And this place is cool."

<Spider-Woman> "So you came here to see if I want to help you get revenge...? I feel like this is going to bite me in the ass."

<Christopher> "I don't know about bite, though I think outa the three of us you would be safest."

<Spider-Woman> "Not if anyone here spills the beans." She eyed Maria.

<Maria> "I don't have any beans... I have cookies?" she offered the jar.

<Christopher> "And then he'd have to come over here to have a conversation with her. So I think we're pretty good."

<Spider-Woman> "Except there's a version of him here and this thing could spread base-wide."

<Christopher> "Maybe he'd be on our side?" Chris shrugged. "Or that big mother.... uhmm dude... from the portal."

<Spider-Woman> "No.... he'll be on his own side because he loves things like that... and I'm not sure Blackagar would be into pranks..." she tried to imagine him playing pranks on anyone. It didn't fit at all. She wrinkled her nose.

<Christopher> "Uhmm... well guess we're fucked if the other one finds out?" He shruged. "Oh shit bad words. Sorry."

<Carol> "Hey, it's your kid..." Carol shrugged.

<Spider-Woman> "And your other self's kid... but she's been absorbed by tv so you're probably safe."

<Christopher> "Yup I'm great with kids lemme tell you." He sighed.

<Carol> Carol gave him a small smile, "Plus side? He's not much of a talker."

<Christopher> "Yeah I can just see the conversation with Greer now. Why is my child swearing like a sailor?"

<Carol> "You can blame it on me. I'm totally okay with that," Carol offered, pouring herself some coffee now that it was done.

<Christopher> "Heh that's not very responsible of me. I'm trying this being a good person thing now. It's working okay so far."

<Carol> "It's fine, really. I'm pretty sure she'd assume it was me anyway."

<Christopher> "I don't know. I think I cus more than you."

<Carol> "But you watch it in front of him... I forget... all the time. Greer's taken to throwing things at me."

<Spider-Woman> "That probably hurts - she has a good arm on her."

<Christopher> "Yeah, I have been on the receiving end of it a couple of times."

<Carol> "I'm indestructible, it's not a problem," Carol sipped her coffee. "So... you gonna help me with my revenge plan or what?"

<Spider-Woman> "Do you have a revenge plan?" Jess raised an eyebrow.

<Carol> ".... Not so much." Carol admitted, "But I figure something will come to me."

<Christopher> "Super wax all the floors? I'm sure I could cook something up. It'd be hilarious."

<Spider-Woman> "We'll think of something... but we probably shouldn't talk about it here in case he comes in..." Jess eyed the door.

<Christopher> "And here I just got all comfortable with my cookie and kids TV."

<Carol> "Well then you can stay here and we'll go and plot somewhere else."

<Christopher> "I'm okay not getting stuck here to run into lots of people I don't know."

<Spider-Woman> Jess eyed Maria, "I'm not sure we should leave her unsupervised... I think there was a memo..."

<Christopher> "Who was supervising her before we got here?" Chris raised an eyebrow.

<Spider-Woman> "Flash, I guess." Jess shrugged.

<Christopher> "So should we find someone?"

<Spider-Woman> "I'm on it..." Jess pulled out her phone and started texting.

<Christopher> "Can we kidnap her? She gets shit done." Chris laughed. "This place is pretty cool so far. I mean random asshole aside."

<Spider-Woman> "I think my husband would have something to say about that... anyway, don't you have a me?" She slid her phone back into her pocket and picked up her tea again. "Maria-herder on the way."

<Christopher> "Uhmm we do?" Chris gave Carol a look.

<Carol> Carol nodded slowly, "Yeah..." she gave him an odd look, "You know... married to Shaw... has a kid and a dog made of metal....?"

<Spider-Woman> "... I want a dog made of metal. That sounds cool."

<Christopher> "I could make you one but it wouldn't move sorry." He pulled a face. "Damn... I was terrible before shit went down wasn't I?"

<Carol> Carol shrugged, "Eh. It's all water under the proverbial bridge."

<Quicksilver> Pietro stolled into the rec room and raised an eyebrow at the sight that greeted him. He thought about ducking but instead he caught the small furry orange child that launched itself at his head. "Um....?"

<Spider-Woman> "You don't have to watch that one too," Jess assured him, "Just that one." She nodded to Maria.

<Christopher> "That one's mine, sorry. He likes to pounce."

<Quicksilver> "Ah... well... here..." he held the squirming clawed menace out to Chris. "Ow... preferably before he tears my skin off..."

<Christopher> "Yeah he gets that from his mother..." Chris took Thomas from Pietro. "Sorry."

<Quicksilver> "It's fine... fortunately I heal fast..." he moved to the sink to wash the blood off. "So, Maria escaped from the staff again?"

<Spider-Woman> "Looks like it... but she seems pretty occupied for now... unless you have something better to do."

<Quicksilver> "Maria? Wanna go play in the cube?"

<Maria> Maria was in the doorway in a second, cookies flying everywhere, "Yay!"

<Christopher> "Cube?" Chris raised an eyebrow.

<Carol> "It's sort of like the danger room," Carol supplied. "Only with more lasers."

<Spider-Woman> "You can never have too many lasers." She gave Maria and Pietro a wave as they disappeared down the hall. "How do you like my multitasking skills?"

<Carol> Carol peered down the hall after Pietro. "Love them."

<Christopher> "I don't like lasers. Last one put me through a wall and into a hole my body made in the asphault." Chris sighed.

<Carol> Carol pulled out her innocent look for Chris' statement. "So... where are we going to plot?" Subject change!

<Spider-Woman> "Well... David went to the park with Jen so we can go to my place."

<Carol> Winning! "Sold."

<Christopher> "Don't give me that look. I deserved it but it still hurt like hell." He let Thomas start climbing on him. "To the war room."

<Spider-Woman> Jess laughed and shook her head, going out into the hall with her tea. The cookies were someone else's problem and they could watch cartoons while they picked them up. "Follow me."
:quicksilver Pietro Maximoff [Quicksilver]

Quicksilver: Howisshe?Isshealright?Imusetspeakwithmysisteratonce.
Hawkeye: What is that noise?
IronMan: That is the noise Pietro makes right before he's tossed out of the airlock. ~ Avengers: The Children's Crusade #6
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