That's what I'm talking about, Alan. None of these things have handbooks. Despite what we try to do at the Bureau. Your trail and error is more information and ammo than going in blind. [ She gently presses her hands to his cheeks. ] I know you don't believe me. It's obvious. What I don't know is if it's you... or what the story is making you think. But, you've beaten it before. You've won before. You can do it again. You just... need to remember you can.
[ Her head tilts slightly as he speaks. Doors and opening them. Green eyes drift to the side as they do when she's thinking but also listening. Masks--they all have them. Convoluted loops--which they definitely are. She nods slightly.
« Dylan mentioned a "Mr. Door" before... and he feels familiar. Did we meet him? Or, something related to it? It all ends up jumbled up when a new loop starts. It's hard to put it in a straight line. Hard to think about it sometimes. But, I KNOW Dylan mentioned him. What was it? "A dark man in a dark place." Worlds on top of one another. Side by side. Inside one another. »
She tugs him slightly closer at the tone change. He's sounding more like himself as they continue to talk. ]
Dylan mentioned a "Mr. Door" once. Before, well, what happened in the end with the Hiss. He met Mr. Door in a dark place... and he refused to tell Dylan how to go to other places. He wouldn't allow the Hiss to spread. [ Jesse frowns slightly. ] So, he's like some kind of cosmic gatekeeper, I guess.
[ Her eyes snap back to his. ] Back when you had me take care of Hartman. There .... [ she pauses again, shifting how she sits. ] There's a place called the Oceanview Motel, in case you don't remember me mentioning it. It's like every motel everywhere and nowhere at once. Sort of like a dream? Anyways, when you go there, there's a hallway with all these doors with symbols. When I need to get somewhere in the Oldest House through the Motel? It's through the door marked by the Black Pyramid.
But, when I was there because of Hartman? There was another door that was wedged open. Just enough so I could look through it. [ She pauses to make sure he's following what she's saying. ] And, when I did? I saw you through it. Like you looked when you contacted me over the Hotline. A hoodie, tweed jacket, jeans... not as long of hair. You were in this room? With lamps on the walls, and a T.V. to the side, and this big picture of this spiral on it. You were talking to someone too. Someone who called himself Thomas Zane, but he looked just like you.
I couldn't go in. Whenever I leaned forward, the door shut. There was one other time it was wedged open. You were arguing with whoever this "Zane" really is. Working on something with him, but, you disagreed on some aspect of it. [ Then, she presses her finger into his shoulder as if to prod him. ] I think you mentioned something about diving and deeper. Which, I think we can both tell that was probably a stupid idea now.
[ The smile stays on her face. They can fight together. It'd be nice for a change. Maybe it'd help him more, but, she can't promise anything. She feels like it went better last time... or another time. It feels like this is close to the end, but, it also feels worse at the same time. She doesn't get it.
Steve nods, gives a two finger salute to Jesse, then steps back out of the room. Jesse waits until the door closes again before letting out a small sigh. Well, their time together just got dramatically cut down. With another glance at the door, Jesse looks back at him. She presses a kiss to his mouth without warning or build up, a passionate one that she intends entirely to be quick... but most likely won't be. ]
no subject
[ Her head tilts slightly as he speaks. Doors and opening them. Green eyes drift to the side as they do when she's thinking but also listening. Masks--they all have them. Convoluted loops--which they definitely are. She nods slightly.
« Dylan mentioned a "Mr. Door" before... and he feels familiar. Did we meet him? Or, something related to it? It all ends up jumbled up when a new loop starts. It's hard to put it in a straight line. Hard to think about it sometimes. But, I KNOW Dylan mentioned him. What was it? "A dark man in a dark place." Worlds on top of one another. Side by side. Inside one another. »
She tugs him slightly closer at the tone change. He's sounding more like himself as they continue to talk. ]
Dylan mentioned a "Mr. Door" once. Before, well, what happened in the end with the Hiss. He met Mr. Door in a dark place... and he refused to tell Dylan how to go to other places. He wouldn't allow the Hiss to spread. [ Jesse frowns slightly. ] So, he's like some kind of cosmic gatekeeper, I guess.
[ Her eyes snap back to his. ] Back when you had me take care of Hartman. There .... [ she pauses again, shifting how she sits. ] There's a place called the Oceanview Motel, in case you don't remember me mentioning it. It's like every motel everywhere and nowhere at once. Sort of like a dream? Anyways, when you go there, there's a hallway with all these doors with symbols. When I need to get somewhere in the Oldest House through the Motel? It's through the door marked by the Black Pyramid.
But, when I was there because of Hartman? There was another door that was wedged open. Just enough so I could look through it. [ She pauses to make sure he's following what she's saying. ] And, when I did? I saw you through it. Like you looked when you contacted me over the Hotline. A hoodie, tweed jacket, jeans... not as long of hair. You were in this room? With lamps on the walls, and a T.V. to the side, and this big picture of this spiral on it. You were talking to someone too. Someone who called himself Thomas Zane, but he looked just like you.
I couldn't go in. Whenever I leaned forward, the door shut. There was one other time it was wedged open. You were arguing with whoever this "Zane" really is. Working on something with him, but, you disagreed on some aspect of it. [ Then, she presses her finger into his shoulder as if to prod him. ] I think you mentioned something about diving and deeper. Which, I think we can both tell that was probably a stupid idea now.
[ The smile stays on her face. They can fight together. It'd be nice for a change. Maybe it'd help him more, but, she can't promise anything. She feels like it went better last time... or another time. It feels like this is close to the end, but, it also feels worse at the same time. She doesn't get it.
Steve nods, gives a two finger salute to Jesse, then steps back out of the room. Jesse waits until the door closes again before letting out a small sigh. Well, their time together just got dramatically cut down. With another glance at the door, Jesse looks back at him. She presses a kiss to his mouth without warning or build up, a passionate one that she intends entirely to be quick... but most likely won't be. ]