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synthneon2023-11-01 01:57 am
outlierdirector) wrote in synthneon2023-11-01 01:57 am
oceanview || ❝ i must guide my love through the night. ❞
I cannot feel her by my side
Even in this placе inside my mind
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Have I been deluding myself this whole time, thinking that I could have something as normal as being friends with them? More, in the case of Jesse?
That realization hits him like a ton of bricks, and he has to force himself to push those thoughts away, because they won't do him, or any of them, any good. ]
Mr. Famous? Yeah, that's definitely me. That's why I hear- Never mind. You don't need to know that. Careful you don't break a hip, Dad.
[ Some of the spiciness behind those words has gone out a little bit, but Alan still makes a valiant effort to banter back at Steve. It's good-natured, of course, and he genuinely does like the ranger. Which is why he listens with such rapt attention to what Jesse has to say while holding onto her as firmly and steadily as he can. ]
Ex-military. That explains a lot. [ And makes Alan feel like a fish out of water around all of them. But that's staying kept to himself. His expression sobers as she tells him about what happened to Steve's co-pilot. Maybe that's what all of them have in common: some form of tragedy or emotional disturbance follows them all. But Alan feels as though his problems pale in comparison to Steve's, and to Jesse's, if he remembered what she told him about herself before. About Ordinary.
But then he shrugs, not to indicate a lack of interest, just... trying to process it all. ] I know he does. The FBC got a good one, with him. [ Hopefully they don't lose Steve too. Alan might not know him that well, but he can at least recognize a vital player when he sees one. ]
I'm surprised more of you don't hover. [ Given who he is and what he's done. What he's had a hand in, directly or indirectly. I get the feeling that if Jesse wasn't the Director, I'd be back in that cell. Probably with those cuffs on.
He watches Jesse to make sure she's standing and not wobbling, and then he moves his hand long enough to rub his wrist. It doesn't hurt, and the cuffs did no damage, but he can still feel the weight of them even though she took them off as soon as she could.
He's quick to replace his hand on Jesse's forearm, hoping to add what little support he can give. And then she's kissing him again, just briefly, and just like that, he gets the message that it's about time to spring into action. ]
As ready as I'll ever be.
[ The look he gives her is one of resolve, as much as he can muster up. He'd be lying if there wasn't the smallest ripple of fear, but he can't let fear control him. Not when she's counting on him to be present for what's coming. ]
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« Do I even really fit into this conversation? Not because I'm a girl or whatever. But... because I'm me. The girl with an alien in her head, amplifying said alien's power on Earth. That doesn't tick many normal boxes. Hell, it doesn't tick any boxes at all. »
Jesse nods to what he says. All of it. There's not much more she can add to it. That's when it crosses her mind that all of this is new. This hasn't happened before in a loop. The last time they even tried to fight the Dark Presence on equal footing... well, it didn't end well. Not for her anyways. She doesn't intend to bring that up ever again--unless she has to for some reason. Alan refused to even acknowledge that manuscript page survived until he had to.
« Bundled up and thrown in the bottom of his bag. Never to be seen again. He left it in the Motel--my dreams. That's how I remembered it, isn't it? It'd explain how you can trigger memories of things I technically haven't done. I wonder if he remembers it... or even remembers he left it in the Motel. Not that I plan on asking him. »
Maybe one last thing before it all goes to hell in a hand basket.
Jesse rocks herself up onto the balls of her feet. Then, she pushes herself up and stays up. Not by much, just a few inches off the ground. Enough to put her on even eye level. She presses her forehead to his and gives him a smirk. A playful smile even. ]
I could hover more. If you wanted. [ She gives a gentle forward press. Then, she realizes, he really hasn't seen most of anything that she's capable of. They've never had the chance to fight side-by-side. Him with a flashlight and gun, and her with her powers and the Service Weapon. Polaris too, of course. ] If you're lucky you may even get to see it tonight. No promises though.
[ She remembers how draining the Darkness is. She'll need to be careful and not only stay in the light, but conserve her energy when she's not in it. It's a good thing the Service Weapon includes a few new modification she gained thanks to Hartman. All they can really do is wait and see how the night goes.
The street lights turn on and Jesse takes him by the hand and leads him inside. Once she's landed, of course.
Inside the field agents present are waiting. Jesse gives the basics of what they'll need to know. What they're wearing amplifies Polaris' resonance, protecting them from anything hostile that may try to get in. Darling made them before he... left. The Dark Presence is soaked into the land of Bright Falls, meaning that eventually, it's going to realize that they took the Sheriff's Station. Scratch will realize.
And she knows that makes Alan's blood run cold.
Which means their first priority is to survive this night. She felt as if the Dark Presence was... somewhere else. Far away. Busy, focused on something else. Someone else. She imagines it isn't the best to go off of, but she isn't about to ask Alan if he can sense Scratch or the Dark Presence. They don't need to tip their hand in the enemy's favor.
The weakest point is the basement--the morgue. That's also where the power happens to be. They can fill it with as much light as possible and drain the power further, or, set two agents to protect it under one heavy beam of light. The room is oddly quiet before Steve volunteers. All he needs is one bright light and a few rounds. Jesse keeps an even gaze with him before she nods in silent approval.
Even if she doesn't approve.
Estevez will take command of protecting the outside while Jesse will work on the inside. She has her own plan that she doesn't want to mention in words. Just in case. Which leaves Alan free to move where he needs between the three spots--if he feels the need.
A rumble is heard in the distance and night finally falls. ]
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Why can't it stay like this? Why does it have to turn dark again? The story always turns dark. I know that. But just once, I wish that it wouldn't. Just once, I wish that I could turn it into something happy. No one has to die. No one has to get hurt. We could just be happy.
But it's an illogical thought, and Alan knows that. He knows that just like he knows the story has to go a certain way. It has to follow a certain track, have a certain tone. He can make edits and change things, but it all has to fit within the pattern. Go too far in either direction, and the story fails to work. Isn't that how it's always gone?
I hate this story.
The only bright spot in all of it is Jesse. Jesse and Polaris, working as a unit, but mostly Jesse. He loves her, and she makes him feel at home, even when everything around him is falling apart. Falling down. Falling in pieces into the lake. The ocean. Whatever the hell it is.
I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know what's going to come, but it's going to be dark. Hard. Violent. But I have to keep Jesse safe. Alive.
She grounds him, and brings him back to shore when the waves wash him out. It's strange to think of her as the one person who keeps him grounded when- wait. She's hovering. Literally.
He stares. He's seen this before, but where? A stray thought nudges at his mind as if reminding him of that.
Maybe she can keep herself alive without my help. But I'm still going to give it. What's coming could kill us all. He doesn't know how he knows that, but intuition or inspiration or just a brainwave is telling him it's true. The dull ache in the back of his head is saying something too. It could be something, or it could be nothing. He wants it to be nothing, but he knows better than to hope for that.
For now, he just focuses his thoughts on Jesse. It's really not that hard for him to do. ]
You know what, I do think I want that. [ He smirks at her a little even as she presses her forehead against his again. ] So, you're going to put on a show? Hopefully I'll have a front row seat.
[ He follows after her without hesitation as she leads him inside, where she begins the briefing. The game plan. But it's not a game. It's life and death.
Scratch is coming. The Dark Presence is coming. Alan's blood has run cold, and the ache in his head is growing. But if he tells anyone, they'll bench him. Maybe it's selfish. Maybe it's stupid. But he wants to fight. He wants to help. He can help. The headache won't get in the way. It won't make him a liability. Somehow, he knows that much.
Positions are decided. Steve takes the basement. Alan wonders if he should start there, and move elsewhere. Or should he start outside with Estevez? Inside with Jesse? What's the best move here?
For now, he just decides to stay inside as night falls. He'll inevitably have to move, or be drawn into a fight and be forced to move. But inside is where it's still light, and it's where he feels he can still breathe. Might as well take what he can while it lasts. He watches the various agents moving around, and spots Jesse from time to time, and when he's asked to do something, even if it's just to move out of the way, he complies. He wants to help, however that ends up looking. ]
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