synthneon | oceanview || ❝ two worlds colliding, there ain't no bargaining. ❞

oceanview || ❝ two worlds colliding, there ain't no bargaining. ❞

OCEANVIEW PATHS

but we can leave our gilded cages.

Two worlds colliding
There ain't no bargaining
No giving in without a fight CODE BY TESSISAMESS

And maybe it wouldn't. Maybe it would ruin his life. Maybe it would make yours worse. I don't think that's how your stories end.

[ And if there's one thing Alan knows, it's stories. Some instinct or flash of inspiration tells him Beth and Alan will be all right. ]

Then whose job is it? Someone has to help. I want to help, and maybe it'll turn out that I can't, but I have to do something. Maybe that's why I'm here.

[ His gaze travels over to the manuscript page again before he looks back at her, that old determination suddenly flaring to life in his eyes. It's been a long time since he felt this determined about anything, but now it's woken up and doesn't seem to want to go back to sleep. ]

Well, he did this time, I'm sure of it. Even if this is a draft of a page, I know he was thinking about you.

"Stories." You're a writer too then.

[ Beth slowly stands, making sure not to put the weight on her ankle. Then, she finally looks back at him. The manuscript remains in her hand but she fixes him a hard stare. A familiar one. One that another red headed woman has given him when her guard is up and she is warry of trusting another. ]

It's our job. Our mess to clean up.

[ A gesture is given to him. ] You're here, and you are an author like him. That means you can see. Can't you? Alan can. He just refuses to recongize it that way. Sometimes what he sees he makes stories based on... or sometimes pieces of them are in his stories.

You know what happens with the Lake then.

So, he wrote something and put me in it. Whatever is on this page hasn't happened.

Yeah, I'm a writer. Not much of one, but other people say differently.

[ He still thinks he's a far cry from being Steven King or any of the greats; maybe her Alan feels the same way. He remembers having lofty dreams of writing great novels and feeling proud of his writing, and while he's not not proud of his books, part of him thinks that dream he had when he first started is a little out of reach now. ]

Maybe, but I'd still like to help. I'm not your Alan, but I can still help somehow. Even if all you do is tell me to take out the garbage.

[ He focuses back on her when she makes that gesture. He sees no reason why he shouldn't be up front with her about who he is and what similarities he has with her Alan. ]

Yeah... I thought what I was seeing was just inspiration, ideas that came from my imagination or things I was seeing or noticing, but it's more than that. It just took me some time to really see it.

[ Then, Alan's expression darkens. ]

Yeah, I know about the Lake. I know too much about it, and yet it seems like I don't know anything about it at all.

[ Then he shrugs. ]

Whether it's happened or not, I think this page means he still cares about you and wants to keep you safe.

Now you sound like him.

[ Alan had never liked the fame trying to be personal, but he's always wanted to be compared to Stephen King. "Departure" was close, but still never seemed to hit the selling numbers of a novelist. Popular and a fan base, somewhat a household name.

I wonder if that's ever been enough. Especially after "Initiation." ]

I just want my Alan back. Even if it means we... don't stay together. [ A drop in her gaze suggests she's certain they'll have a divorce. She won't serve the papers, but she suspects Alan might. ] He'd at least be home.

[ Beth nods slowly. That's what they had observed from Alan--even going back to Hartman's research. ] So, any version of Alan could be like the both of you. Someone who can see. I hope you've figured out how you want to use it.

Sometimes we can't ever know everything about things like the Lake.

[ Beth's eyes narrow. She inhales sharply. Then, she looks down at the manuscript page that was handed to her. ]

Are we really that different? Maybe the paths split at some point down the line, but maybe we started out the same.

[ Alan's expression turns thoughtful again as he considers the problem that Alan and Beth have been dealing with. There has to be something he can do before he leaves, presumably for good. ]

What if something changed? What if it changed, and the two of you stayed together? I don't think you want to let him go, and honestly, I don't think he wants to let you go either.

[ I hope you've figured out how you want to use it. The Master of Many Worlds. All I wanted was to come home. ]

I wanted to use it as a way to bring me home. I don't want power or popularity or anything like that. I just wanted to come home. I just wanted to go back to living. If things happen because of what I can see... that's fine, but I don't want to become... a monster.

[ He's not really sure where that came from, or if it came out of some unspoken fear, but it's not wrong. He wants to be normal. He wants to live, preferably with Jesse. ]

No, I don't think there's ever going to be anyone who knows everything about the Lake or things like it, no matter how long it gets studied.

Those pages, though. I think bad things happened; of course they did. "This story is a monster." Bad things happened, and he was trying to protect you. He's still trying to protect you.

You're not denying what you are. What you can do. What's real.

[ A shake of her head as she glances to the side. ] If anything changes? It'll be after "Return" is released. Maybe even then... He's never wanted into my world. That's fine. I can accept that. But, he won't let me into his anymore. There's no place for "us." There might not be anymore.

[ How could Alan not want to let her go? It's not like he keeps her near him anyways. They live on opposite sides of the house. He brushed her off that morning when she met him at the car to wish him luck at the interview. She knows he hates interviews and public tours, but, it still felt personal. As if he didn't want to see her at all that morning. Or at all ever again. ]

You have a long way to go before you become a monster--in all meanings of the word. [ Beth has a certainty in her voice. She's sure of that fact despite only just meeting him. There's an assurance in her voice just like Jesse has. ] You should go back to wherever you come from then. You "live" there, not here.

[ Beth's gaze scans over the page once more. Her eyes widen and expression falls. Clearly, she's taken back by what is on the page. Eyes go to the top of the page and looks down it once more. The color drains in her face slightly, making her red hair stand out more. Then, green eyes immediately raise to his. They pierce through him as if trying to see something about him that he hasn't realized himself.

Then, with her free hand, she grabs his wrist and begins to drag him back into the house.

Down the hallway to Alan's study.

She opens the door and steps inside almost hesitantly. This is Alan's space--and it's quite obvious she is not to be allowed in that space. Her hand hovers on the door handle before finally gripping it and pushing it open. Once inside she moves to the bookcase in the room--purposely ignoring the typewriter--and grabs two books off the shelf.

"Departure" and "Initiation."

Beth hands them to Alan. ]

These are about you. Aren't they?

I wouldn't deny it; I've seen too much, been through too much... I've seen other people go through too much too. I know it's real, and I know there's real danger out there.

That can't be it; that can't be how your story ends. [ He's not sure why it bothers him so much that Alan and Beth seem so estranged. Maybe it's because he can see himself and Alice in the two of them. Maybe he can see something similar happening to himself and Jesse. He doesn't want that. He never really wanted to be estranged from Alice. It can't happen to Alan and Beth too, not if there's anything he can do about it. ]

There must be a way to fix this. I want to help fix this.

[ The question that remains is how. ]

Anyone can become a monster. Sometimes it takes a long time; sometimes it takes no time at all, but anyone can become one. Alan- your Alan won't become one. I'll go back eventually, but I'm not ready to go yet. There's still things I can do here, I know there are.

[ He watches Beth's reactions, wondering how she'll take the revelation that her Alan thought about her enough to mention her on the page. If he mentioned her there, then there's probably more, right? She continues to react, and he watches as the color seems to drain from her face, worrying him at first, but then she looks up at him and stares at him... through him...

Then she grabs her wrist and he has no choice but to stumble along after her until they reach their destination: her Alan's study. She walks inside, and he follows after her, suddenly uncertain about whether or not he should be here.

It looks familiar to Alan, which tells him that he and her Alan aren't too different in some ways, even if they are in others. Suddenly, though, his musings are interrupted by her handing two books over to him. ]

About me? I guess you could say that. [ The covers look the same, but he wonders if what's written in them is the same too. ]

Have you read these?

Well. It makes you different from him.

[ Beth hasn't gone out of her way to force her Alan to see the real world. It's just happened living in Bright Falls. Missing people, legends, rumors, people saying they hear an old hag whispering in the night. Things that press too far against what could be real and Alan immediately denies them. He wants nothing to do with the dark--he never has. ]

Real life isn't a story. Not everything happens on a plot line. Not everything lasts.

[ She gives him a familiar pointed look. ] You would be one already if you were going to turn into it. You've taken Alan's place. That means you're powerful. Or... [ Beth looks down. Frowns in a certain way that Alan must be familiar with. ] You're here because he left.

[ Maybe for good.

Beth watches him closely and the reactions to the books. He knows them. Which means he probably knows the Casey books too. This Alan is an author--or was an author--and can relate to hers through that. At the bare minimum anyways. They're theoretically still both Alan. That might be enough. ]

I read the completed manuscripts before he sent them to Barry to be published. He wanted me to then. [ A glance is given at the manuscript page in her hand. ] None of them had names of real people. Look for yourself.

[ "Departure" features a man who was simply looking for a vacation and wound up in a world much bigger than himself. The unlikely town hero. No love interest is mentioned--Alice, Jesse, or Beth--just a local girl who thought the world of the hero. Then, he sacrifices himself to close the doorway leaking into the town and ends up stuck on the other side.

"Initiation" is the hero attempting to return home. He meets powerful beings. People that could help him escape. A man who shifts through worlds and a woman who has an otherworldly connection who can hear him from the world he came from.

The classic hero's journey.

"Return" is supposed to bring the trilogy to an end.

Why do I suddenly get the feeling this Alan is going to want to know everything? ]

What if he wants to accept it deep down but he's just not ready to? What if... Something has to happen to make him willing to accept that the world is bigger than what we can see. I'm not talking about forcing him to; he needs to realize it on his own.

[ A look of determination slides back into place then; maybe it never left, but it's resurfacing now. ]

I know that; I know it's not like that, but some things last. The things that matter last. The relationships with people who matter... those last.

[ He feels a small sting when he says that, and Alice's face appears in his mind's eye. ]

Maybe back then, he didn't want to use their real names. Maybe they weren't 1:1 for people he knew. Maybe he made them just similar enough that they'd be recognizable if someone looked closely, but he didn't paint a big sign on each one.

[ But he does as he's told and he looks at the different books. It feels strange to him to hold the books and leaf carefully through them. In a way, they feel alive... alive and familiar, even if maybe they're not carbon copies of pages he typed out with his own hands. ]

I wonder if the versions I wanted to write would have looked like this. [ He realizes too late that that sentence probably doesn't make sense to her, and that it raises red flags... If not red flags, then certainly questions. He certainly has questions, but maybe he doesn't have the right to know the answers. ]

No. I don't think he wants to. [ Beth shakes her head. ] Nothing he's ever said or done has given any indication he wants to be apart of this world. That's fine. Not everyone does or should be apart of it.

[ Her gaze drifts to the side then. Another small shake of her head. It's obvious that she and Alan are not one of those things that are meant to last. This Alan thinks otherwise, but, Beth has her doubts. It would track with the rest of her life anyways.

Besides, she's certain there's other people he'd rather surround himself with now. ]

Maybe. You'd have to ask him.

[ An eyebrow raises at his statement. Then again, it makes some sense. If he is the Alan Wake that hers based these books on? He never got to write a successful story after "The Sudden Stop." He was trapped on the other side of the Lake.

Beth moves to speak when the door bell rings through the house. She glances at him again before gently brushing past and making her way (hobbling) down the hall way to the front door. A few locks undone and then she opens it. ]

... Tim?

"Hey, Beth. I know it's sort of last minute. Thought I'd stop by and check out Alan's interview with the two of you. If you don't mind, that is. Probably better watching it with a friend. Right?"

I mean, I wasn't going to watch it. I'm sure Barry would of wanted Alan to...

"It'll give you something to talk with Rose about in the morning. Mind if I come in?"

[ Beth hesitates before looking down the hallway. ] Alan. Tim's here to see the interview.

[ Might as well keep up appearances. Right? ]

People change, don't they? I did. I've done it- several times. I used to be an asshole, a really big one. Now... I just want to be normal. Well, I can't be normal, but I want to try and have a semi-normal life. Quiet would be nice too. I know there's no pretending that the world is just what we see in front of us. Maybe... maybe he's just having a hard time admitting that.

[ Now it's his turn for his gaze to drift to one side, and he shakes his head. ]

How would that conversation even go? I don't think we could have both of us in one room, or even should do that. Maybe I could write something for him, or call him on the phone. It's going to sound insane, but I called myself on the phone when- when I was on the other side.

[ He has more questions for her, but he registers the door bell ringing at the same time that she does, and he wonders if maybe he should leave, or wake up, or whatever the hell this is. He stays back in the hallway as Beth moves to the door to greet whoever has shown up.

The voice he hears is a familiar one though; it's one he'd recognize anywhere. The only thing that's missing is the familiar humming that he came to associate with Tim.

He can only hear bits and pieces of the conversation, but it sounds like they're discussing watching the interview, and suddenly he feels awkward about being here. And just like that, he hears her addressing him, and he can't pretend to be part of the scenery anymore. ]

Uh, hi, Tim. How's it going? [ If he just sounds cool and calm, it'll be fine, right? Right. ]

They have to want to change for that. Who he wants to be probably has nothing to do with this. [ Beth raises the manuscript in her hand before gently placing it back on the desk. ] I don't know how you'd talk to him. He probably wouldn't listen. Not unless you're Barry or...

[ Her face scrunches then she sobers. Thankfully, Tim's arrival has made it where she doesn't need to think about the other member of Alan's publishing team. Barry and Alice. The "dream team" that is behind the bestseller. It had never really bothered Beth until recently. She didn't want the spotlight. She attended dinners and events with Alan willingly.

Until he stopped her from accompanying him.

Then it was the three of them at events.

Beth steps to the side as Alan joins them. Tim regards the pair of them before offering a smile and stepping into the house. Jeans, jacket, t-shirt. He's changed out of the uniform of the job to be there informally. ]

"Oh, you know. Always busy around Deerfest. Thankfully people are behaving this year. Probably because they're excited about the new book. They're thinking it's going to bring a lot of traffic to Bright Falls. Not that I'm saying you need to be apart of it, Alan. You're probably going to want a vacation after all this."

[ Tim closes the door behind him.

Beth's eyes narrow to the side slightly. That's how we met. Alan on vacation to change the scenery. ]

"Did I... interrupt something?"

No. Nothing new. [ Beth turns and makes her way, limping once more, down the hallway to the living room. ] I'll grab drinks for everyone and something to eat.

[ Tim watches her go before looking back at Alan. ] "You know? I'm not sure who is more wound up about this new release. You or her."

[ Of course Alan knows that she's right. People do have to want to change, and he doesn't have enough information here to know whether or not her Alan truly wants to change. He finds himself briefly distracted by the mention of Barry, someone he hasn't seen in quite awhile now. ] So Barry's still around and kicking. That's good.

[ Maybe that means that the Barry I know is all right too. He'd better be all right. ]

Barry or...? [ Of course it didn't escape his notice that Beth didn't finish that sentence, and so he wonders who else she was talking about.

But then Tim speaks up again, and Alan finds himself once again distracted by what the other man says. ]

You know, I don't even remember the last time I really enjoyed Deerfest. I definitely can't remember a time when I had a real vacation, either. [ Too late, Alan realizes that maybe he shouldn't have said either of those things. But Beth knows he's not her Alan, right? Maybe he shouldn't try to carry on the ruse, but he can't help it. ]

Taking an actual vacation would be nice, wouldn't it? [ He glances sidelong at Beth, giving her a halfway warm smile. He doesn't want to overdo it in front of Tim, but he doesn't want to appear stone cold either.

Beth and Tim exchange some words before Beth limps off down the hallway; Alan can't stop himself from frowning. Just because Beth isn't his Jesse doesn't mean that he likes the sight of her walking with a limp or being upset about her strained relationship with her Alan. ]

That's not all she's wound up about, and between you and me, I'm still trying to figure out how to fix that.

Yeah. Back in New York. He's tried to get us--Alan--to move back. Probably at least twice a year since Alan moved here thirteen years ago.

[ Beth remains quiet as the two men speak--even as she moves further into the house. Setting things up like she promised. She's never been one that's good at hosting. She tries. Just... People and big social gatherings have never really been her forte. Not even before her family...

Her ankle twinges.

Dancing was just a way to have fun. ]

"Not since I've been Sherrif. So, hell, probably when you first came to Bright Falls? I'd say a vacation is overdue for both of you. Somewhere away from it all, you know?" [ Tim offers a suggestion, yet, his answer seems to also be aiding information. ] "You and I both know Beth isn't the most forthcoming person. Still, if anyone can figure her out? It's going to be you, Alan."

[ Tim follows after him to the living room where Beth has everything set up already. The television is on mute until the evening show airs. Leftovers from the night before are there with some serving dishes and Tim thanks Beth with a familiarity that would imply they've known each other for years. ]

"When is the book hitting shelves?"

The start of Deerfest. I guess. [ Beth looks to Alan to confirm. A small nod of her head to the side. They can play along and keep up appearances. ] This was the last big interview for the media tour.

Well, I'm glad to know that he's still around, at least for the two of you. The last time I saw Barry, I was saying goodbye, because I had to go. I had to go finish the story and fix the mess that I was dealing with. I don't know where he is now, but wherever he is, I hope he's doing okay.

[ Then Alan gives her an apologetic look and rubs the back of his neck. ]

Sorry, you really didn't need to know all that.

[ Somehow, having Tim and Beth here makes Alan feel... better. Of course, Beth isn't Jesse, and Tim isn't the same one he ran into all over the Dark Place, but they're familiar faces, and both of them helped Alan along the way when he found himself trapped and far from home. ]

A real vacation... That would be nice, even if I have no idea what that looks like. But don't you think it would be weird to go on vacation just as I'm releasing a new book?

[ A flash of an image, or a recollection, or something flares to life in his mind. It's just a series of images and a feeling of being able to just read Jesse and know what's on her mind or what's bothering her. Beth isn't the same as Jesse, but she has some of the little tells that he's come to recognize from Jesse. Maybe he can help her open up and somehow help her with her problems with Alan at the same time. ]

Yeah, the book releases when Deerfest starts. I- Well, I thought it was fitting, and I'm not the greatest when it comes to marketing, but I thought that having it release during Deerfest might boost numbers or something like that. [ He pauses and then he chuckles, still trying to play the part. ] Or maybe that was Barry's idea.

You should check on him once you go back to wherever home is for you. Whoever is home--if you have someone. The protagonist in Alan's books didn't have one.

[ Not that this Alan is one-to-one the same as the man in the books her Alan wrote. Something tells her that thr inspiration Alan received was whatever this one went through. How close that is though... ]

"That's why you go after Deerfest. Real quiet like. Make it so no one notices." [ Tim nods. ] "Marketing? Maybe. But, you have been one of the town's big willing promoters since you decided to settle in. At least, that's what all the old timers tell me."

[ Beth quietly sits on the arm of the sofa and Tim takes a chair. She glances at Alan, trying to communicate he can sit wherever he pleases. She isn't going to dictate what he can and can't do in the home. Especially if they have to keep up appearances.

Attention moves to the telivision once the scene changes. "The Harry Garret Show", known for having interviews with each new Alan Wake project. The Casey books, then movies, and now the latest trilogy. Mr. Garret introduces himself, the visiting band--Poets of the Fall--and the big special guest: Alan Wake to promote his new book: Return.

Tim settles in and Beth crosses her arms. Mr. Garret turns and welcomes Alan to the stage, shakes his hand, and the pair take their seat. ]

"Great to see you again, Alan. It's always good to have you on the show. Welcome back and, congratulations on your new book coming up. That makes two completed series for you!"

I've been meaning to; there's just been a lot going on since I found my way back home. I do have someone, someone who's been waiting a long time for me to make it back.

[ She's waited too long for him, and he's only continued making things difficult for her because of the difficulty he's having adjusting. He wonders what it will take for him to finally settle down and be normal again. ]

That's a good idea. After Deerfest, people will be busy settling back down after everything. They shouldn't notice if the two of us take a trip. [ As for the rest of Tim's statement, Alan just shrugs. ] Well, we moved into your small town, and sometimes people don't like the intrusion. The least I can do is try to help out somehow.

[ At least, it's not too difficult for Alan to wonder if there's a connection between Bright Falls being the home of a famous author and income from tourism. If he actually lived here, that would be one of his main concerns. Maybe Beth's Alan thinks about that too.

He spots Beth's glance and he moves to set next to her on the sofa. He positions himself a little close, neither too close or too far away.

The interview starts up and Alan's attention turns to the television. He can't remember the last time he watched an interview he gave. The "interview" with Door doesn't really count, not in his book.

The Alan on the screen smiles, at least giving the appearance of being calm and collected but also engaged and just a little excited to be there. If nothing else, he's a good enough actor to pull it off. ]

Well, it's great to be here again, Harry. Thanks again for having me. Two series already. Sometimes I can't even believe it's actually happened. Maybe you should give me a pinch just in case I'm dreaming and can't wake up.

[ "Someone."

Beth files the information away for later. Topics like this don't need to be discussed around Tim--or frankly anyone that isn't a Buearu agent. They can find a way to play along and pretend to be the Alan and Beth everyone knows. Not that it would be hard. They're estranged and everyone in town knows that fact.

Bright Falls is small. Inevitably, everyone finds out. ]

"You should look into scheduling it. The two of you deserve time away from everything here. Beth's done enough for the town, and you've brought enough people in to keep it thriving."

[ Beth glances down. She isn't going to correct Alan. Technically, she was from Bright Falls already. Her Alan was the one who decided the move here. She didn't really have an official place after her accident. She lost the sponsor, the spot, the condo in Seattle. She was literally living in Hartman's clinic. Not that this Alan would know--or should know. ]

"And playing with the surrealism in your new series. You've always been good at selling it." [ Mr. Garret laughs. ] "Well, I've read the book to be ready for the interview. Obviously I can't say much--we wouldn't want an upset agent on the show!--but, I can assure anyone who had questions on Initiation will get them answered. You really knocked it out of the park with bringing it all back around and tying everything in from the start, Alan. That's hard to do for most modern writers.

"So, let me ask you about influences. We know the whole series was inspired by your initial trip to Washington State. I imagine that continued to be the influence and driver of the setting, characters. Did anyone in particular stand out for this book? Any place?"

[ Beth begins to shift the back of the wedding and anniversary rings on her finger. Tim catches the light change from it. He glances at Alan, to Beth, then back to the television set. ]

Edited 2024-10-28 06:32 (UTC)

What do you think, Beth? Would you like to go on a trip? [ He's surprised he manages to even ask the questions without stumbling over his words, because he knows this is all a ruse. He's not her Alan, and she and her Alan are hardly in a place to go on vacation together. I'd hate to see something happen to them like what happened to Alice and me. Maybe vacations just don't go well for me... or any version of me.

His gaze shifts back to the interview. Even if he and Beth's Alan aren't the same, they do share one thing in common: the ability to ham it up for the camera and an audience. ]

I'd say it comes naturally, but that wouldn't be the truth. You don't want to know how many hours I've spent looking at myself in the mirror rehearsing interviews. Yes, rehearsing them. I think I've given enough of these now that I know the basic questions, the questions everyone gets asked. And, well, if there's a question I'm not prepared for... that's what improvisation is for.

Well, thank you for taking the time to read the book. It means a lot, really. And as for an upset agent, I think anything you decided to say would be nothing compared to the things I've said. Oh, that was out loud, wasn't it?

[ The Alan on the TV laughs, and the audience laughs with him. The Alan sitting next to Beth marvels again how easily this all comes to him. To them. It's just like slipping on a mask, and then slipping it back off when it's over. Somehow, Alan doesn't like how easily they manage it. ]

Influences. Oh boy, here we go. [ The audience laughs again before Alan continues. ] Oh, that trip was great. We saw so much, and I took a lot of notes. Too many notes, even. But I can't say anything specific about who and what stood out; imagine the stir that would cause back home. I don't know if I could even walk back into town if I said just who I drew inspiration from and who I didn't. I might even end up becoming Public Enemy #1, if you can imagine that.

[ The audience laughs again, and this time, so does Alan, before he sobers up again and adds: ]

There is one person out there who definitely inspired me and stood out, though, but I'm not sure if I should say who it is.

It'd be nice. [ Beth answers immediately. No hesitation, no sense of lying. Time away from it all with just Alan. Almost like when they first met. It would be nice. ] Where do you want to go?

[ As Alan continues answering and the crowd laughs, Beth's demeanor changes. Her shoulders lower. Her gaze drops further. It's clear that she doesn't expect herself or anything to be mentioned at all. She spends so much time out of the limelight. Alan stopped asking her to attend functions and parties. Barry and Alice went. They became the public face and support circle for Alan. She heard the whispers of people wondering if there was martial issues. Rose did her best to stamp out the talk on her website, but, she felt it important Beth knew the public perception.

She twists the rings on her finger by their back again. ]

"Oh, man. If I get an angry phone call in the morning? I'm telling you first, Alan." [ Mr. Garret genuinely laughs along. ] "I think everyone would agree in saying that not every writer is expected to be a public speaker. I'm just hoping you don't feel the need to rehearse when you've been on the show so much!"

[ He reaches under the desk and pulls a copy of "Return" out to set upright on the table. The audience reacts and he smiles. Then, Mr. Garret turns back to Alan. ]

"I hear that small towns know the ins and outs of everyone there! Best not to put lots of names to faces." [ Another chuckle from him. ] "You can't lead us on like that and not answer! It works in a story, Alan, but not on an interview. Come on. Who is the big mysterious person that acts as the largest inspiration to Alan Wake?"

[ Beth shifts on the couch again. She almost gets up to leave the room. ]

Well, that settles that. [ He smiles, but he's serious too. Or, well, as serious as he can be when playing a part. ] How about somewhere with sun? [ He glances at her ankle, as if wondering if warmth would do better for her than somewhere cold or cool.

His words trail off gradually once he notices the changes in Beth's demeanor. Worry replaces any attempts at light humor as the interview goes on. Maybe it's not his place, as he's not her Alan, but he reaches for her in an attempt to take her hand. If she pulls away or gives a sign of not wanting him to touch her, he'll withdraw. But he wants to reassure her, even comfort her if he can. Whatever it is that's bothering her, he wants her to know she isn't alone. ]

Between you and me, I don't have to rehearse much of anything when it comes to your show. But also between you and me, that's something my manager doesn't want me saying, in case it makes other show hosts jealous. How I see it, though, is like this: you've invited me to your shows several times now, and so I just see it as brand loyalty. If someone else wants me on their show, I'm not going to say no. You just get thought of first.

[ The Alan doing the interview just grins and pretends to look slightly worried, as if being afraid of what fallout he might get from Barry later, but he just shrugs that off and keeps going when the show host pulls out the copy of "Return". ]

Hey, would you look at that? You know, I still can't believe it's finally real.

But yeah, small towns are very small, and that's partly why I like them so much. Sure, word gets around, and everyone knows everyone's business, but I don't mind that. Well, sometimes I do, but only sometimes, now.

[ He smirks at the audience, who laughs in response. ]

When I say that I don't know if I should say their identity, I mean it. They're a pretty private person, you know? I'd hate for that to get interrupted because I said something in an interview. Isn't it enough that you all know I have an inspiration?

[ He fakes a nervous look as he stares out at the audience, hamming it up intentionally, although there actually is a part of him that does want to protect Beth's privacy. ]

[ Neither will help her ankle ultimately. It's an old injury reinjured. Pushing herself to be someone she used to be in hopes of fixing her marriage. If she changed even just enough, maybe... maybe her husband will look at her the way he did when they first met.

Her gaze wanders as a frown tugs at the corners of her lips. She misses that... pull. It almost felt magnetic. Gravity. Somehow they always ended up in the same room. The same area. Each other's space. Even after they were married... the Casey movies... "Departure" and "Retuen"...

Now it's like he repels her.

She must have gotten too weird for him.

I always thought I would.

After all, Alan has had stress about books. "Departure", "Initiation." They had gotten through it fine before. "Return" should be no differenr. Yet, it's more like the book is pushing them apart. Which means she must have gone too deep into her job. The weirdness of Bright Falls. He wrote longer hours so she worked longer hours. The resentment of being at her job and not being there must have started all of their problems. At least, she thinks there should be resentment. Why wouldn't there be?

Why else would he write about the Lake House... and her and Estevez...

Alan continues to speak about his relationship with the talk show and it's host. ]

Warm sounds nice. [ Her voice is far away. Withdrawn. Things this Alan may recongize from his own someone. ] We'll look into it after Deerfesf.

[ Her fingers curl around Alan's hand just enough for him to notice. So he is aware she is acknowledging the gesture in good faith. He's trying. It feels that's more than her Alan is willing to do now. Or, maybe, she's not worth the effort now.

I can't even dance for him...

Beth's eyes raise just enough the moment her Alan mentions his inspiration. Someone who is private. Her heart gives a steady beat. Does he mean her? She can still be his inspiration--his muse--despite the fact they barely talk? They hardly see one another? ]

"Well, I'd hate to ruin our good relationship. Having number one on a best selling author! Wow! In seriousness, Alan, I think it's fair to protect someone's privacy. Not everyone wants the spotlight."

[ Beth's gaze lowers once more. ]

"Let's talk about something more publicly known then. Your dream team, I've heard it called in the industry. The team behind bringing the Casey movies and books to life--and now your new trilogy. You, Barry Wheeler, and Alice Madden. The Writer, the Manager and the Photographer. I gotta say, you three knocked it out with "Return." This book cover is stunning! She really put the work into bringing that weird vibe of the forests but maybe the skyline of a city as well. Sort of blending how this follows up "Initiation", I'd say.

How did that conversation go? The pair of you discussing how to do the cover and how your manager got to..."

[ At the mention of "the dream team", the dynamics in the room shift. Beth is standing up, hand falling away from Alan's. By the end of Mr. Garret's question, she's hobbled to the back door that leads to the porch.

It slams shut behind her.

Footsteps shuffle off.

Tim holds his arm up to keep Alan from going anywhere. A level look is given to him. ]

"It's best if you leave her alone for a bit, Alan."

Edited 2024-10-31 21:35 (UTC)

[ If Alan knew that, or at least, had more than an instinctive knowledge that doesn't quite belong to him, he'd insist on doing something to try and help with her ankle. Maybe it won't ever be fully healed, but there's things that could help, right? Massages, heat wraps, heat period...

Maybe it's not his place, since he doesn't belong here, but he can't just ignore that pull he feels to help. And the existence of that pull makes him wonder why Beth's Alan doesn't feel it anymore.

That feeling of needing to do something to fix the problems between Beth and her Alan only grows stronger the more he learns and the more he hears. But what can he do that would actually make a difference?

He looks sidelong at Beth, sensing that maybe she's pulling away from him. She doesn't owe him anything, and she doesn't owe him any favors or any closeness at all. In more than one way, he's a stranger to her, after all. ]

Or we don't have to do that; I just want you to be happy, and I thought maybe a change of scene would do you some good.

[ He's about to just withdraw when he feels her fingers curl slightly around his hand, and his eyebrows lift in surprise.

But before he can do more than keep holding her hand, something seems to shift again, and before Alan even knows what's happening, the conversation on the TV turns to talking about Barry and Alice and how they work together with Alan to get things done, and that feeling of a shift grows even stronger. It's confirmed abruptly when Beth stands up and she pulls away from him, and...

She's gone, heading for the porch. Alan holds out a hand but no words come; they would have been cut off by the slamming of the door anyway, but he made no attempt to say anything, as that feeling of it not being his place grew even stronger.

Then Tim speaks, gesturing to him to stay where he is, and saying as much as well. Alan's posture seems to drop slightly, and without a word, he stands up, crosses over to the TV and turns it off. Once that's done, he returns to where he was sitting and lets out a lengthy sigh. ]

I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do here, Tim.

[ In more ways than one. ]

[ Tim waits until Alan is settled again before standing. He walks over, takes a seat to the side of the author. He sighs lightly and shakes his head. ]

Maybe you should answer the question as to why you're here. With us. [ His eyebrows raise. ] Beth would know faster than any of us... but I can tell you're not the Alan Wake that we all know. You're here in his body, I guess, but you're not him. Too many small things add up.

Like holding Beth's hand for one. I haven't seen Alan do that in... geez, a year? Maybe longer.

[ Tim sighs. ] Look, Alan. I'm guessing that's the name you go by. I'm not sure what caused all their problems. Beth would say it started with this new book. I think it started back with his last book. It didn't go well. It sold good, but feedback was all over the place from what Rose said. He probably felt pressured for the last five or so years to get a sequel out everyone is going to accept.

Plus, the Casey books were made into movies. I know that put a strain on things. They had a Christmas party during production of one of the movies, and Barry was trying hard to get Alan to move to New York or Hollywood for it. Obviously, Alan said no every time, but... well. It's probably best to ask her about it.

[ Tim leans back and gestures to the door that Beth left through. ]

I'd say start by asking what happened to her ankle. She didn't have the limp yesterday.

[ Suddenly, Alan feels uncomfortable, put on the spot. Tim's never made him feel like that before, but he's becoming all too aware that this isn't where he's supposed to be. Beth thinks he's an outsider; Tim seems to think the same. Why am I here then? ]

I would love to answer that question, but I don't know why I'm here myself. [ He expects Tim to shoot that down, saying he doesn't believe him, but Alan really has no good answer to give as to what he's doing here and why. ]

So things are really that bad between them. A year or longer? [ Alan shakes his head. He's trying to avoid drawing too many comparisons between this and his relationships, but it's hard to steer clear of it. ]

Maybe that's what I'm here for. Maybe somehow, I can help Beth and Alan figure things out. I don't think this should be the end of them, even though it's kind of not my place to think much of anything. [ He shrugs. ] There must be a way for them to work out their differences and go back to being happy together.

[ Eventually, though, Alan just falls silent and listens to Tim's explanations. It sounds to him that Alan's books and the pressures associated with being a writer contributed to stress in their relationship. The adaptations of the books into movies didn't help either. As for Barry, somehow that doesn't surprise him that he wanted Alan to move away from Bright Falls. It's not difficult for him to imagine that Beth's Alan shot that down every time.

So why did they fall apart so hard? ]

I'd love to ask her about that, but I don't know if she'll even talk to me. Why should she, anyway? I don't belong here, right?

OCEANVIEW PATHS

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject