Frame of Mind

What do you get when you throw characters from different settings together?
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Andrea Anderson
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Frame of Mind

Post by Andrea Anderson »

This life you hold so near, will fade in time..
- The Cheyenne Line


"Why are you even doing this to yourself..?"

Talking to yourself. Alone. In a house that you once shared with another, a life that could have been more. Now that felt nothing more than a memory, one which kept her lingering at the ground floor of the Seaside house. The second story was nothing more than a reminder of just that; what could have been.

At least she had something new to dwell on within these walls of bitter memory.

Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who is the most bruised of them all?

Stiff fingers brushed against the beaten skin of her right cheek. It rose to set upon the fresh swelling of black and blue appearing above her right eye. A turn of her face — the left side didn't look any better.

The once-guest bathroom looked a mess. Cosmetics, bandages, creams, she had no reason to clean up and no one to clean up for.

Andrea bit back the urge to groan as she forced her sore arm to lift. She needed to do something about these bruises. Thankfully, she could at least ease the pain. Cream scooped up with two fingers and applied directly to the pained spots. Rub, rub, a pause to look at herself more in the mirror. Rub, rub. Another pause to make sure everything had been covered.

Even now it's odd to look in the mirror. The reflected image on the other side still seemed fresh and new. How much four years could change a person, helped with the aid of an expensive plastic surgeon. Still, it didn't feel like what she had expected.

Even after all these changes. She still didn't feel different. Nothing had changed, except for the reflection in the mirror, but that's all anyone ever saw. What's inside still felt untouched; not only that — but worse.

If she told her younger self that this would be how things turned out? She had to wonder if those razor blades would have looked more inviting. Or the pills.

Andrea snorted back and let out a laugh. It's so easy how thoughts can drift when you're alone — and they usually drift to the most depressing things. It's like being reminded of the time you said something stupid to Tucker back in fourth grade and can never, ever live it down. The thought just pops into your head at the most stupid moment. Watching TV? Remember that time your friends cousin thought it would be funny to pants the autistic boy in front of the cheerleaders and you did nothing to stop it? Yes, silly, terrible things like that. Oh, how you wish things could be different, yet they can never be.

She'd at least take those thoughts over the darker themes.

At least she can stop staring at herself in the mirror now. The lights of the bathroom turned off with a flick of a switch and the door left ajar as she left it behind.

The flickering flat screen brought the only light to that gloomy living room. Filled with boxes that were half full, clothing draped over this and that compared to the few left hanging on hooks. She'd pass all that by and head into the kitchen.

Dinner to go with her bruises tonight? Wine. It made for a good dinner. Hell, it made for a nice breakfast too.

Standing there in only a tank top and shorts. Andrea lingered in front of the opened fridge and basked in the cold air. It reminded her of the comment she made to Lilith about Christmas. Another snort, another laugh. It also brought up another thought, one she reflected on while pulling out one of the chilled bottles.

"Why'd you even say that tonight?"

Honestly, I'm just happy being around you.

She recalled saying it. At the time it had slipped free without much thought behind it. At times it's easy to be honest, but living with it after the fact? Not so much.

Patio door slid open. Patio door closed, with her now standing behind it. The sounds of crashing waves and the smell of sea salt in the air. The perfect spot to get drunk, fall asleep, and then prepare to do it all over again the next day.

Cork pulled free and tossed without a care off to the side. Maybe it would find a place beside the other cans and discarded things.

Andrea set the bottle down on the small side table and eased herself down onto one of the two lounge chairs that sat atop the wooden patio.

"Why are you doing this to yourself?" She muttered quietly. The quote of the night. Her words ending after a brief look to the empty seat beside her. This time, the words weren't about her bruises or aches.

The wine glass brought to her lips for a sip, then lingered there for a little longer as her head tilted back. Nothing left inside the glass, until she filled it once more.

Nothing would be left inside that bottle when the night sky turned orange at the break of dawn. Andrea stared off quietly. Alone with her thoughts.
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Andrea Anderson
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Post by Andrea Anderson »

Finally awoken at midday to the sound of seagulls. Andrea squinted at the sun and quickly turned away to shun golden rays.

Her arms felt like bricks, her body felt even worse. The constant fighting for the past week had finally caught up to her. All she could do was sit there for the time being and hope her eyes adjusted fast enough — and the headache faded away; the latter being something she knew wouldn't be gone for a while.

It took a good ten minutes of nothing but prepping herself to finally find the will power and strength to force herself to stand. Her legs felt on fire, which is why she set herself in a lean against the patio door.

Already doubting she'd feel up to the gym on Friday. Lilith's note still fresh in her mind. The sudden disappointment creeping up on her; and it's why she found herself smiling. She was disappointed — because she knew she couldn't practice with the woman. How sad is that?

She had to laugh.

Had she really become so easily attached? Wouldn't it be easier to just walk away like she planned? Christmas was coming soon, the date she had burned in her mind, but why was she now dreading its coming?

What do you want to do?

The thought came and lingered. The obvious answer was there, it had been an instant reply, but she buried it away and opened the patio door instead.

Awkward, wobbling steps carried her into the house, and finally ending their short trip as she collapsed onto the couch.

"Idiot." the insult to herself came after a swiping hand reached to take hold of the television remote.

Might as well watch the news. Maybe a cat got stuck in a tree and it took twelve men of the watch to get it down, or maybe the marketplace exploded again.
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Post by Andrea Anderson »

Step one: drink
Step two: make mistakes
Step three: pretend you don't remember
Step four: drink a little more
Step five: I need to run dry
I need to run dry

I'm gonna take one more shot
Then I'm quitting forever
Cross my heart, cross my fingers
Cross my heart, cross my fingers
- Run Dry (X Heart X Fingers)


"It isn't so bad.." she spoke of her hair. For so, so long had she sported the dye-red look. It's what made her Apple. Now, after a brief date with some dye, she now looked upon a reflection that wore locks of black. It wasn't a moody decision. She hadn't gottend drunk one night and though `Hey. Black would go well with how I'm feeling.` No, no. The reason for this was a purely cosmetic one.

Red didn't match well with ice-white. Her theme for a dance, a prom. She felt a little pathetic for being excited about this. Why not be? She never got to go to her real one after all. That's what happens when you leave school behind and run away to the big city. All this reminiscing about the old days made her longing for something; that something being the sweet, sweet flavor of something red rushing down her throat.

Drinking at 10 AM isn't such a bad thing, isn't it? It's a mixture of happy `you're making a change!` drinking, and `here's hoping Sunday isn't a complete mess` drinking.

Let's not fool ourselves. This is just drinking drinking.

She didn't have a reason for drinking early yesterday, so it's not like she needed a reason to drink away the morning today as well.

"Can't have a Ice and Fire prom without Ice.. right?" she said to the mirrored reflection. She even added a bright smile into the mix.

It's so easy to hide feelings behind a smile.

What if she didn't go? Would that even be a problem? She could relax on the couch, watch some netflix and chill.

Fingers gripped at the edge of the sink. Andrea leaned closer to the mirror and stared at herself. "What do you want to do?" Asking herself questions now. Maybe she really is crazy.

The answer was there. It took no thought. She wanted to go, but it wasn't for the prom. That answer in itself was something that scared her. Andrea gripped some at the sinks edge and looked down at the dripping faucet; something she needed to fix but never got around to do it.

You're only going to hurt in the end.. Why bother?

Andrea reached for the wine glass then, but as she brought it to her lips - she'd pause. Then, with a turn of her hand, the wine was emptied into the sink.

She released a breath, and a laugh. "What do I have to lose?"

It felt forced. Like a smile. She told herself she had nothing to lose, but why did she still feel so uneasy? Maybe it had nothing to do with the prom or the reason she wanted to go.

Maybe it's because everything was already set into motion and she didn't want to risk involving someone else.
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Post by Andrea Anderson »

[ Connected to This Post ]

"It's some luck that you weren't there this morning.. and the fire happening so soon after winning this Barony." Watch Officer Dorothy Dewitt's heavy suspicion filled the air as she stood conversing with the Baron of New Haven just outside the Manors gated fence.

The conversation had started easily enough. Though annoying to be bothered, Andrea went through the motions with practiced smiles and easy enough words. When those words became shorter and shorter and seemed to get to the point of wanting the conversation to end; that's when the detectives voice, as well as her suspicions, changed.

Andrea had no part in the fire. No knowledge of how it even started; outside of the possibility that it could have been something electrical. She hardly visited the upstairs area and that seems to have been where the fire sparked. Faulty wiring could easily explain it.

It could. But Dorothy Dewitt had been adamant in her explanation of arson and a possible connection to another case.

Arson..

I want it all to burn.. Thoughts like that plagued Andrea's mind every now and then. The house was nothing more than a crypt of gone memories. It stood as a testament to her failure, her unwillingness to put aside her career for her family. She focused too hard on fighting, too hard on trying to create a nest egg for them to live off of after knees grew weaker and her body couldn't take the same hits as it used to.

There was no one to blame for the shortcomings but herself. The house was a reminder of that. So when she had heard it burned down -- a mixture of sadness for the loss of what could have been intertwiend with the delight of everything finally tumbling down. It was like a prelude to something more. Or at least a turn of a page to what could be the ending to a chapter.

All of this, of course, had not been said to the detective. The only thing that left Andrea's lips after the accusation had been, "I think you should go."

It sounded to Ms. Dewitt that she touched a nerve. The detective closed her notepad and hid it away inside her jacket. "I have a few more questions, Ms. Anderson, but they can wait."

I'll talk to you again. Real soon.

The departing words of the detective as the closing gate separated the two of them.
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Post by Andrea Anderson »

We are possessed
We're all ****** in the head
Alone and depressed

But if we sing along
A little ******* louder
To a happy song
Maybe we'll forget cause,

Every now and again we get that feeling
And the great big void inside us opens up
And I really wish that you could help
But my head is like a carousel
And I'm going round in circles
I'm going round in circles
- Happy Song


It took her more than a day to summon up the courage to see the wreckage.

Walking among it, taking care to step about the ruin and carnage laid out before her. All created by simple fire. How one spark could cause an inferno; one that bathed the memories of her past in flame.

Darkened photos. Broken glass. She couldn't even make out the two figures in the image that she held in ash covered hands. She didn't need to see who were in the photo, not when she knew. It was her -- and her wife. Ex wife. Another memory gone. Andrea filled her fingers to loosen up on the pressure and watched as the shattered memory fell upon stone floor where she had found it.

The couch that had been her makeshift bed these past months. The television wasn't even here. Most likely stolen from the buzzards that picked through the wreckage. Why they would want a broken, burnt, and most likely smoke damaged flat screen? She didn't know -- and she didn't really care.

The one thing that she felt a loss at had been what once hung from a mantle over her fireplace. The meteor sword Kruger had made. The outline there, but the sheathed weapon had not been. Was this another memory of her past gone? The flames may have bathed it, but it was a person who had taken it.

Maybe it will find better luck with a new owner... or wind up on a pawn store shelf. Better than a fixture above a fireplace. It was easier to think that way.

"His weapons are meant to be used.. Wasn't right keeping it up there." Andrea muttered while she turned and ventured away from the fireplace.

The wrecked path through the living room took a little longer than she was normally accustomed too. Some of the second floor had given way during the fire, it seemed, and what was held up in the master bedroom had been scattered about the bottom floor now. What she tried to hide away from had now been in her face once more.

Andrea reached out with a foot to prod at the remains of the king sized bed. She recalled the afternoon spent trying to get the damn thing up the stairs. It was far too big. Back then she worried that the springs would be damaged since she was forced to bend the mattress and bound it with rope for easier passage up the steps. Everything was fine in the end though... It made for a nice memory. But that moment didn't outshine the others spent there. The nights spent intertwined with another. The feeling of finally having someone to connect to. A reminder of something she ruined.

She sighed and leaned over some. Andrea pinched at the bridge of her nose and tried her best to quell the feeling of a migraine slowly creeping up on her. All of this was becoming too much.

She hadn't expected to spend an hour sifting through what was left. She told herself earlier to get in and get out with what she wanted. But deep down she knew it would never be that easy. There was too much here, now gone, that she was still emotionally connected to.

"At least there's one silver lining.." Came after she pushed some upstairs wreckage out of the way to reveal somewhat dented and blackened fridge. Whatever was inside had most likely been spoiled, but she didn't care about the food. It had been what was among the frozen meat and vegetables in the freezer that had her letting out a small laugh.

At least the wine is okay.

The fridge door closed and given a few pats. She'll gather the wine up before leaving. It would be a shame if she left them behind.

One drink wouldn't hurt, wouldn't it? What better way to spend time among the fire stained rubble of her former home than to pop open a bottle and toast the universe for another great accomplishment.

After. She told herself. Andrea lingered there for a few more seconds. She knocked knuckles against the freezer door once more, then finally left it behind.

Bitter pills of memories that were hard to smile. She left them at her back as she headed into the garage. Damaged, like the rest of the house, but it held something that stood the test of the flames.

Her tools: Gone. Spare parts that could have been used on her car: Gone. Even the paint cans looked to have been pilfered. What she came for though? While it looked to have suffered some damage, it still stood strong. Someone, or someone's, must have tried to break into it... but it would take more tools than simple hands to crack. The gun safe was her reason for venturing here; even if it was a mask that hid away her need to revisit the graveyard of what she once had.

The thumb reader looked damaged. She didn't even attempt to use it and went the old fashion way. A combination, once put in place, caused the door to unseal and she opened it only some seconds of delay. Perhaps there was a small worry in the back of her head that everything would still be missing, even with all the locks in place, it was only human nature to dwell and worry.

That worry fell away when she saw her possessions still nestled safely within. Someone might ask `Who even needs an AR-15?`. I do Andrea would reply. It was among her cache of other firearms, along with a good bit of ammo from the looks of it. There were important files as well, which is what Andrea grabbed for to start the packing. Box after box of ammo piled into a duffle bag -- all on top of files she had stashed away first.

This would need a few trips. She slung the strap of the rifle over her shoulder and began to turn; but the sound of something snapping in the wreckage caught her attention.

"Ms. Anderson, set the weapon down and put your hands on your head."

Andrea didn't comply at first. She stood there, half turned, with her eyes now trained on detective Dewitt. The Watch woman already had Andrea staring down the barrel of her drawn weapon.

"You're on private property.. Leave." Andrea said in a serious, yet tired tone. "Are you really that antsy for a bust? I had nothing to do with the fire.. Honestly, this is none of your business.. go play cop elsewhere."

"Lower your weapon and put your hands on your head. I won't warn you again." The detective even took a step forward and steadied her aim.

"This is my property.. I own this land. Leave, now."

She wasn't going to. The look in her eyes told Andrea everything. She didn't know if the woman was an idiot or just over zealous with wanting to find out who was sparking the fires.

Either way. It didn't much matter. She had to comply by the looks of it. There was really no other way out.

Still. To see the gun trained on her. It was like the dark alley all over again.. It was like the Armenians again. Comply? Why should she comply? Why should she be a victim again? This is her property. Her land. She owned it. It's hers. Who did this person think they were? She wouldn't let them get the better of her. No, not now. Not ever. It wouldn't happen again. She wouldn't let herself become a victim again.

**** it..

""*** it.." The sentiment shared outside of her thoughts. Andrea dropped her weapon, but only did so with the intent to draw the hand gun from her duffle bag. The rifle wasn't loaded, but what she now held is. She didn't fire first, but hers had more precision. While the detective didn't want to die, the thoughts of the other had been... `Suicide by cop wouldn't be so bad..`.

"I told you to leave.. why didn't you listen?"

Death wasn't so pretty like in the movies. The wheezing from a pierced lung and the whimpering of the dying wasn't something easily handled. It even gripped Andrea's own heart as she staggered past the fallen body of detective Dewitt. It was like the moment years ago... Back when Rayvinn told her to pull the trigger; back when she had to watch with open eyes as the life drained from another living person.

She came out alive then and she came out alive now.

Sure. She was bleeding and her arm and side felt on fire, but she was alive.

A drink sounded pretty nice about now..
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Post by Peaches »

Ring. Ring.

A mountain of blankets had made decent shelter for her, condemned to swim through the wrinkled sheets alone and in peace. Sleep was almost foreign to her now. It came and went as the tides might, the normalcy of her situation being next to zero making it hard to capture hours of shut eye.

Fingers flexed beneath the mess of the cove in her bed, pushing through layers of blankets to slap lazily at the bedside stand that was littered with things. A digital clock announcing a very late hour, wrinkled pack of cigarettes, a lighter, scraps of paper with phone numbers of no-name faces that might make for a good one night stand, some scattering of jewelry, and a very insistent cell phone that vibrated as it rang.

Ring. Ring.

"Hold on --", she half mumbled, half muttered, trying to break out of the womb of the blankets to help navigate her hand over the phone. It was picked up before it had a chance to slide into voicemail, nudged a long her face with a breathy sigh that still sounded fatigued. She had one foot in dreamland still, and one foot in the reality.

"Mmng -- hello?" Rubbing at her face, unable to really open her eyes.

The face rubbing had been infectious it seemed; as Andrea did much of the same as she sat there slouched against the bench beside the phone outside the holding cell. It was good that, as late as it was, those sharing the cell only a few feet away had decided to hush up and watch the television that hung in the far upper corner of wall.

"Peaches.." Her voice sounding quite tired and rather strained as she spoke into the receiver. "Sorry about waking you up," She winced some as fingers brushed against her bruising eye. "but I need you to go in a little earlier for the next few weeks.. You know the schedule and everything now, right?"


"Andrea?" Unable to discern the voice as her head was still in the clouds, still lounging in the comfort of bed, still drawing out her words with that thick slur that might suggest she was still, in fact, asleep. "What time is it?" Her accent seemed heavier, more pronounced, less tongue tied with teasing phrases and lapping up cigarette smoke from the corners of her mouth.

"Mm, early, yea'? Why for? Yea', I know the schedule." The red light of warning wasn't flashing in her eyes, not yet. She rose some from bed to try and snag a blurry glimpse at the clock, rolling over soon after while dragging covers closer to her mouth, stifling what came next. "Is this because I accidentally used the company credit card to purchase something? Look, I'll pay it back, yea'? Don't punish me, Apple." Bordering on a whine.

"A little after one.." She had looked over her shoulder toward the sealed clock that hung from the wall. Without her glasses she couldn't quite see it easily -- so she had to squint. In the end, she guessed the best he could. It seemed about right.

"I need you to run things around the gym for a little while.. I'm not sure for how long, maybe a few weeks or a month.. Can you do that or me?" Her voice fell silent though when Peaches' confessed her crime; but the sound of a soft laugh came. "Don't worry.. That can be your bonus for helping me out."


"One -- Like, one in the morning?" Of course it was one in the morning. Her schedule was thrown off the train tracks as she wallowed in the dark, in the quiet, taking a break from her rendezvous lifestyle for a little quality time with nothing in particular by the sheep she was counting in her dreams.

"You going on vacation or something?" Slowly but surely, the siren was being reeled up from the passive ocean of sleep to start hiking up the rocky cliffs of awareness. "Wait, where are you, yea'? You staying with Lilith or something?" Realizing that if she was home than there would be no reason for this phone call.

She couldn't quite find the best choice of words when it came to responding. The call, at least on her end, being kept quiet for a few more seconds than normally acceptable. The sound of movement came behind the phone; all due to Andrea leaning back against the cold wall and looking up at the ceiling.

"I'm.. Yeah, I'm on a little vacation, that's a good way to say it.." Shifting her jaw some after speaking. Talking hurt after being socked in the mouth a few times, but she couldn't exactly keep shut up when she had business to take care of.

"No, Lilith is.. I'm not sure what she's doing."


That's when the alarm bells started ringing. A slow burn of thought climbed the staircase of her spine, reacting to it by leaning forward with a worrying of teeth to bottom lip.

"Where are you?" That question was bold enough to sound demanding but it lacked any spears of brashness. "I mean, I can take care of the gym, yea'? But -- What's going on?"

"If any reporters come by tomorrow.. you don't have to answer them, tell them to leave the property." Not exactly answering the question as of yet. She seemed to be only adding onto them instead.

"I'm..," There had been a pause there while she rubbed a little at the bridge of her nose. "Things happend and I'm not in a very good spot right now."


"Reporters?" That will have her rattled enough to start palming back handfuls of blonde from her face.

"Andrea, what the fuck, yea'? Where are you? What's going on? Something is wrong."

She didn't even have a chance to realize that she was already getting out of bed, scooping up a shoe in the dark to try and get it on while the rest of her looked like the the epitome of bed head.

She danced around with the idea of not admitting to where she was. If she admitted to it, then there might be more problems, but she knew one way or another -- word would get out. Andrea drew up one of her legs and curved an arm about it.

"I'm at the Seaside Watch station.. or, I think it's the Seaside one. I'm not so sure.. things happened, I don't know if this call is being recorded or not -- so I won't go into details.."


"The Watch station?" Blurted, the wrestling she was doing on the other end a smattering of sound into the receiver as she was grabbing at this, or that, trying to jostle her bones awake with out stubbing her toe.

"Are you fucking kidding me, Andrea?" But deep down in the blurred lines of her psyche she knew not to ask the important questions. She had her own lick with the law and was keen enough not to exploit it over the phone.

"Oi, I'm on my way, yea'? Just -- just hold on. I'll come, yea'?"

Not bothering to switch out from the pajamas she wore, already booking it through the halls of the large estate to fumble around for the main door.

"Are you okay?" Which was the main inquiry to ask, coming out with a little cursing as she stumbled her own feet (one foot with a sandal, the other with a slipper).

"No, no. Don't come. I don't think they are going to let me see any visitors right now." With how late it had been, along with what she bad been `accused` of.

Andrea's leg slipped from the bench so that foot could meet the hard floor again. Her form leaned, which had her sucking back a little due to the pain at her side. The damage from the Shale fight, along with the new bruises to it, hadn't been something she found comfortable.

"I'm fine enough, but stay at the manor.. I know you're worried, but I'm fine." Even if she didn't sound fine. Her voice cracked some, perhaps it was a dry throat, or it had been the sudden introduction of another voice. `You're not using the phone all night, tranny. Wrap it up`, the more stern voice came from her right and most likely could be heard muffled over the phone.

"I'm almost done." came her response after a few seconds of silence.


She might have cooled down her jets with Andrea trying to coax her into staying but what was heard broke down all that stillness. She felt the anger well through her gut and spread to flush at her collar bones, paint her cheeks, bring about a grip to her phone that felt a little harsh.

"The fuck did he just say to you, yea'?"

Who knew the siren could become this infused with wrath when she constantly rode that cotton candy cloud of seeming too languid to anger?

"Andrea, I'm coming there. I'll wait, it's fine, yea'? I'll just wait and we'll post your bail, whatever."

"Nothing, he called me.. nothing." The final word of that sentence coming out a little too slow than normal. Andrea rubbed a little more at her forehead.

"Peaches, it's fine.. Stay there and worry about the gym. There won't be any bail, so I won't be going anywhere for a while.. at least not until someone looks over the case." She exhaled a strained breath. ".. You can come sometime during the day.. I might be able to speak with visitors then, I'm not sure.." She then gripped the phone tighter as a loud bang came from the same direction the voice had; a nightstick being smacked roughly against the wall.

".. I should go."


Her insides felt twisted. That drop out feeling from going from the top of a roller coaster to the bottom. But she relented. Enough to stumble back and settle at the bottom of the stair way, dropping her things to scatter about to make her hand empty so it could draw across her brow.

"Okay, okay. I'll be there tomorrow then, yea'? It'll be okay. Call me if anything changes?" It felt odd to say it, like they were just having a simple friendly chat about the weather only moments ago.

There came a sudden exhale of a possibly held breath. Andrea nodded, even though there wasn't someone to nod to in front of her. Her chin kept dipped as she spoke.

"I'll do that. thank you, and --" There came another heavy rasping of a nightstick against wall. Andrea gripped the phone; not in fear - but in anger. She swallowed back roughly in an attempt to keep herself from lashing out. "I'm sorry.. That I'm putting this on your shoulders. Try and get some rest, I'll-"

The voice cut off then as the phone was snatched from her hand. Andrea sat there in a small daze as the guard forced the phone down against its base to hang it up.



( Live play written between Peaches & Apple. )
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Andrea Anderson
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Post by Andrea Anderson »

Posted at the gate of the New Haven manor and Arena corkboard.

A Notice from the Baron of New Haven

Any members of the Watch and press will be turned away. For those who don't heed this warning and step beyond the gates - do so at your own risk.


_____________________________

[Linked to This. This post takes place a day later.]

"Are you sure you want to do this?" -- ".. if I can be honest, you should lay low right now."

"I know what I want to do. If you don't like it, you can leave." Andrea might have sounded harsh at first, but she drew in a breath - held it - and released. It calmed her briefly. ".. You'll still be employed, so don't worry about the money."

A few of the New Haven workers looked to one another. Some looked unsure, while a few of them looked rather antsy to do what was being asked of them. The latter being those who had been with her since her time at Seaside and jumped at the chance to work for her again.

"This is our castle, isn't it?" Andrea held up her hands and gestured around.

While not truly a castle, no one could doubt that the luxury and beauty of the New Haven manor isn't as stunning as one.

"I'm going to get some rest. Tell me if Lilith comes by."

Andrea headed up the stairs and left the employees to make their choice. Being a victim is pointless. Running and hiding is pointless. Not when you're in the right, not when you know you're right.

She stopped at the top step and thought for a moment. "On second thought.. fire up the grill, let's have a party. The louder the music, the better."

The manor employees stood there looked confused at first. One then let out whistle, threw up his arms, and ran to get things started. Others began to fan out and do the same. The three remaining seemed to heed the woman's earlier words about leaving and headed for the doors. Maybe they were the smart ones.

Maybe this is what ShadoWeaver tried to get across to her.

What do you have to be depressed about anyway? It's not like you're in some ditch, dead, or a kid in some third world **** hole starving.
Cut loose. **** everyone else.


She could still hear the Opal's voice in her memories. Its words from back then.

Right now? It made her smile.
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Andrea Anderson
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Post by Andrea Anderson »

[ Connected to This Event ]

Stay with me to guide this dream
before they bury me.
I'll be waiting up all night for you
in a nightmare that was made for me.
- Who Watches the Watchmen


Mistake.

Mistake.

Mistake.

Why did she risk them? What kind of stupid idea had that been? Go back to New Haven, put the employees in danger, put Peaches in danger; it had all been selfish. Selfish. Selfish. Selfish.

They were out there. Watching.

It's why they are called the Watch. They Watch. They protect. You killed one of them. A brother in arms.

Why wouldn't they Watch you?


Andrea pressed a finger to her head. The headache causing her vision to waver. Andrea was forced to lean against the wall beside that half covered window. She kept that way until the dizziness faded. Blinking, all in an attempt to register proper sight once more, then shaking her head when everything felt fine enough. Not just fine, but fine enough. The hint of the headache there, but the blame for it easily fell on the fact that she hadn't had any wine in the past six hours.

It's most likely where all the thoughts came from. It was easy to numb them out when you drink. It's not like a little voice inside her head is rambling on -- no, it's her own voice - her own thoughts. Inner thoughts that told her what she was doing had been wrong. Selfish.

She thought things would mellow out after she heeded her own advice. Leave the New Haven manor behind. All thanks to Lilith. A safe house, a place to crash, a place to stay if she wanted to. Living with someone else after all that time without Nell -- it felt oddly familiar, and it felt nice, but the nagging thoughts still plagued her.

She tried to ignore them with drinking. She tried to ignore them with shopping. These things worked, but only momentarily. A new reading lamp, a loveseat, a new bed spread, some random art piece she found on sale that she thought could `liven up` the room. They were all things to try and fill a void; but in the end they were all empty things.

Except one thing. No, a person. Lilith. Andrea had been ecstatic when the offer was made. Finally, she thought, things were looking up. But restful sleep and calm only lasted for two nights. Well into mid-day of Thursday Andrea had done the same -- as she did back at the manor, ever since the Halloween escape by fire.

She peered out the window. A parting of blinds to allow her a peek. She swore she saw someone watching. There had to be someone out there. Someone who knew. The paranoia getting to her -- and soon the headache.

Three aspirin and multiple gulps of red wine.

It was easy to collapse on that comfortable couch and be in a world of haze; watching the lights dance across the a new television playing some show you barely recognized.

Vision faded and darkness came. Sleep. It's a precious thing when you have trouble getting it. Andrea laid like that for a time. It could have been an hour, it could have been more, it's hard to tell when you didn't know the time you even fell asleep. Was it dark when she blacked out? Well, it is now. A hand met her face and kept there for some time.

Buzz. Buzz.
Buzz. Buzz.
Buzz. Buzz.

The hand dropped and felt along the floor. It brushed against an empty bottle before finding smartphone. Saliva caught in her throat and forced her to jerk up as she couched. Andrea forced herself to sit up, groaned, and hunched over. Green eyes took in the sight of the message on locked smartphone screen.

".. A party?"

Why the **** would I want to go to a party?

The thought came to her mind before she swiped the screen and tapped in a code; one she fumbled with for at least two failed entries before getting it right on the third.

The notification had been one of many. Reminders, from a New Haven manor employee, that the new Duel of Swords owners had been hosting a party. Rayvinn would be there. Andrea stared at her screen for a few more seconds then began to snicker. She pressed the phone to her chest and opposite hand to her face as she did so. The truth of it -- she didn't know why she was laughing, but it felt hilarious. Maybe because she missed the multiple reminders of the invite? Maybe for another reason. She didn't truly know.

Still. She had enough time to get dressed and throw on some make up. To go through the motions all over again. To put a practiced smile on her face, the same one that stared back at her from the reflection in the mirror, and act like everything was okay.

Last minute thing. Looks like Swords is hosting a party?
No clue why. Maybe it's a new ownership thing.
If you come home to find this, don't worry. I'll be back soon.
I don't plan to stay long.

Maybe if I'm lucky the place will catch on fire.

Ha. Ha.

- Andrea.


The note left on the fridge for Lilith to find.

It's time to go to a party.
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Post by Andrea Anderson »

She hadn't even stayed an hour. The party seemed fine. A small one, but still a fine party. She gave gifts to the hostess and her new assistant coordinator, held normal banter with Harris, she even thought Maggie looked cute in her little dress.

In actuality. She wanted to leave the second she stepped foot inside.

It felt wrong. Everything felt wrong about it. A nagging feeling inside her head that didn't let her feel comfortable the whole time she was there. Her stomach felt in knots and she hadn't been able to relax the whole time. Still, she kept up the normal act, smiled when she should, and everything appeared fine on the outside.

Four glasses of wine only helped somewhat. The walls were closing in and she wanted nothing more than to leave. So, she did just that. Excusing herself and leaving the party behind; all with another glass of wine for the road.

She wasn't drunk. Okay, maybe a little bit, but it wouldn't stop her from driving. Lo and behold, she made it back to Lilith's without crashing. Uneven footsteps lead her up the stairs and into a place where she still needed to take the time to find the light switch after entering.

An unfamiliar ceiling is what she stared at when she collapsed on the couch after tossing her heels to the side. Why'd she miss Seaside so much? It was gone, burnt to the ground with all the memories put aside. But she missed it. She missed the couch, she missed the pleasant view, she missed the faint smell of Nell's perfume that never was truly there, but she still remembered the scent.

There were no scents like that here here. But, there were others. Scents of Lilith. They weren't bad either -- and they pulled her away from her thoughts of past things. Andrea turned to her side and shoved her face into the nearest pillow.

She screamed. One that was muffled into the pillow. And then she laughed. It was funny because she wanted to cry. She spoke out loud, something to cast her mind away from the fire, the ended life of a detective, the occupation of a cell with four corners.

Other thoughts. She needed to think about something else.

"Harris is Overlord.. When the **** did that happen?" Andrea said while rolling to her other side. Arm dangled from the couch and felt around for the remote. Once found, she turned on the TV and stared at the screen. Infomercials. They will do.

".. should probably choose an alignment." Did it even matter if she did? Loyal, Renegade, did it matter? It was all a game. Did she even really want New Haven anymore? Did she even want it in the first place? The countering of Rand's test had been nothing more than a favor for G'nort; and she gained the barony through it. It wasn't something she actively sought. It just fell in her lap.

"I should," muttering to herself. Thinking over which she should choose -- but in the end it all came to the same conclusion. It didn't matter.

Politics within the realm of dueling. Baronies. Alignments. It all didn't matter.

She'll leave the choice for another day. She had seven days, right? Leave it for another day.

The headache returned and she closed her eyes. Maybe it would go away soon.
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Post by Andrea Anderson »

"Another one..?"

The question came after seeing footage from the KLIT-AM 900 building. It looked like another firebug struck, but this time he bit off more than he could chew and burnt alone instead of taking a place with him. Andrea hadn't been phased by much of the fire news. It was the talk of the town and she heard enough of it during her stay in the Seaside Watch Station. Right now, all she wanted to do was relax, but the KLIT-AM 900 part had caught her ear and forced her to watch.

There was something about the recording that caught her eye. She squinted at the screen and watched the replay as the news showed it; and even rewound the footage after the news went to commercial break. There was something odd about what she was seeing. She didn't know why, but it rubbed her the wrong way. Then again, it could just be her overthinking. The guy probably could light himself on fire and got a little carried away.

That, and the throbbing that now began in her head, had her turning off the TV all together. Andrea stood up and left the couch behind. One hand on her head, the other helping guide her along as she used the kitchen's bar to prop keep herself balanced. Pills, pills.. she thought to herself.

She had left her purse off to the right of the sink, enough away so it wouldn't get splashed, but close enough for it to be in range when she wanted to grab a bottle of something and use a hand for a quick cup of water. As she swallowed back three Advil and swallowed back some water along with it.

Back to the couch, or that had been the thought, until she came across the note she left the night before. It was still up there, right. So Lilith hadn't come back? She might have thought that -- but the smudge of black caught her attention.

Andrea's lips pursed in question. She reached for the note to give it a better look, but the buzzing of her phone stopped her. She left it alone and headed back to the couch; back to the television talking about fires and back to the lifeline to the outside world - her phone.

New Haven has been declared Loyal by the Overlord.

A text from one of the aids at New Haven. Andrea furrowed her brows some and tried to wrap her head around these new details. Okay, Harris had been Overlord for how long? Enough to have the authority to set her alignment for her -- that much was obvious.

Another report of the fires started then. KLIT-AM 900 listed as the latest attempt at failed arson.

Why did she feel so odd?
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Post by Andrea Anderson »

Sunday, Novermber 15, 2015

The feeling hadn't shaken from her yet. Even after twenty-four hours. The truth of it was — she started to feel more strange as time went on. She found herself toying with the gauntlets Lilith had specialty made for her; all in an attempt to figure out what the odd sensation in the back of her thoughts was trying to tell her.

The fretting was between visits to the window for peeks every now and then to make sure no one had been watching from the outside. She couldn't see anyone, but that didn't stop the paranoia. It became a game of sorts. The couch and watching the news reel continue, the window to look for unseen threats, then back to the couch.

Andrea sat there with a gauntlet in her lap. Fingers tapping against its hard exterior. While she still couldn't shake off the odd feeling — another thought had been plaguing her mind. It was one that caused her to set down the gauntlet on top of some papers sprawled out on the new coffee table she purchased then stand up.

The redhead stood in front of the fridge moments later and wrote another note. It was stuck against the first to overlap it.

Going to the Arena for Baron stuff.
I'll probably stay there for a few. Might not be back until tomorrow morning.


Andrea stood there with pen in hand. About to write something more. She paused, the tip of the pen tapping against the note before she finally added,

If you read this before I get back. Let's do something tomorrow.

The thought came to mind. Was she being too needy? It had her sighing out while clicking the top of the pen. "It's not worth worrying about.. Whatever happens will happen."

She told herself. Even if it didn't help.

Her coat was grabbed, as was the gauntlet she left behind at the table. She had been about to turn until an odd smell met her nose. Andrea turned to see that the papers that the gauntlet touched had turned to black; not due to being charred from fire, but something else. It was only after she took notice of this that the combustion took place.

As quick as the flames started — they disappeared Nothing. left of the paper except a scorch mark on the table.

Andrea didn't know if she should be thrilled that the coffee table didn't go up in flames, or afraid that she might have stumbled onto something.

In the end all she could do was leave. The gauntlet left behind.
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Post by Andrea Anderson »

Baron stuff turned out to be nothing more than switching from Harris's choice of Loyal to Renegade. The `I'll probably stay there for a few` turned out to be far from the truth. Andrea's trip to the Arena had been short; it was all business. Her mind wasn't on the politics of the Duel of Swords, not when so many new problems now plagued her mind.

So she drove. Most of the night had been just that. The different districts of Rhydin City playing outside the windows as she passed them by. She gripped at the steering wheel with one hand while the other cradled her cheek with a well placed fist.

What should I do?

That question had been the one of the night. Yes, she might have stumbled on something, but what if it was all a mistake? Something inside her telling her that it could all be paranoia — that she was wrong. The other, more dark thoughts, continued to prod and press the issue. It did so while she stood by the gas pump after five hours of constant driving passed. It willed her to turn into the Seaside when a familiar street began veered into two destinations.

Windows rolled down. The smell of sea air wafting in the wind. More familiar sights passing through her vision. A lonely street that led into a more private residential area. Beach houses, sparse in their placement, passing by open window; all until she came across one that looked out of place. One that was damaged. Burnt. Wrecked.

Andrea hadn't been back since the day of the shooting. The idea that going back to the scene of the crime wasn't the best idea, but maybe things have cooled down since then — and if hey hadn't? She needed answers. If she couldn't get those answers, then time among the wreckage and lost memories could do.

Yellow tape stretched across the entrance of the driveway. Andrea cut off the lights and coasted along until she parked at the curb some yards away. It was there she sat. Minutes ticking away as she stared at the rear view mirror. No lights, no movement, no reason to tell her to keep moving. She pinched at the bridge of her nose as a small bout of dizziness took place — but she wouldn't let that stop her. Nerves, it had to be that. Something in her head trying to keep her away.

Andrea reached over to open the glove compartment. The dim light inside showing her holstered gun, along with the second gauntlet. Fingers brushed against the armored glove. She tensed at the odd sensation that wriggled through her body upon contact.

A conversation with Lilith on Twilight Isle began to drift into her thoughts.

The energy within isn't static, it ebbs and flows and learns. Not like... reading your mind, I don't think, but predicts the course.

So it's not reading my mind? I was a little worried there. But, the predicting, that's good to know.

Nah, they're not sentient. But it's like how I told you to be the first one to wear them and not to let anyone else use them. They imprint to you in a way. If that makes sense.


Andrea gripped at the gauntlet and pulled it from the compartment. The crafted armored artifact slid on and set into place. Steel covered fingers flexed and curled to get a better feel to the confined space; all as a sensation of warmth began to spread. She hadn't trusted to touch anything while wearing it, so right hand reached across to open the door and allow her passage outside. But, before she left, she took hold of the gun then nudged the glove compartment closed.

I shouldn't do this.. I could leave this all alone and walk away. Andrea told herself. Her attempt at quiet footsteps up the stairs of her former Seaside residence turned into a creaking mess. Half way up and she turned her head to look down. A pause to listen for more sounds, but nothing came. Andrea closed her eyes and shook off the faint feeling of a new headache before continuing on the way up.

This had been were the fire started. The master bedroom. It's where Andrea now stood with a vague idea in her mind. Maybe she could use the gauntlet to find out what happened? It was connected to the inferno where Lilith had it crafted. It wasn't all knowing, but it acted according to Andrea's own will — didn't it?

Except... the problem was simple. How did she get it to do what she wanted? It's why she stood there within the wreckage of the space she once shared with Nell. Lost and without any clear answer of what to do.

"This was a waste of time.." She muttered. Maybe she should have listened to herself. She could be back on the road, driving, staying as far away from here as she could.

The armored digits of her left hand curled into a tight fist.

"It’s.. ing museum.. awful.."

Andrea couldn't make out the words fully; but she had heard something. It was then that she realized the air felt more warm. Not only that, but a trace of something met her nose. The smell of fire.

Phantom voices continued, but they were too distorted for her to even make out a word or two. The sensation from her left hand had her gaze turned down. Wisps of smoke slipping past tightly curled fingers. It was then that realization hit her — the gauntlet was showing her something, or trying to.

The arm began to shake. Not from the gauntlet, but because of her. She felt her heart beating rapidly against her chest. I don't want to be here, the first line of thought. The anxiety spreading throughout herself triggering her flight reflex. Andrea took a few steps back, but another sensation had her freezing in the spot. The gauntlet had been trying to pry away her fingers. Whatever will she had to keep those digits curled had been overpowered as her arm rose up and fingers splayed.

With a flash — fire began to spread. The inferno dancing about and creating a hazy orange glow. The wreckage, still visible through the haze, had a coating of what had once been dancing within the vision of flames. The bed, half of the floor that had collapsed away with it, it had all been there. Like a projection.

“It’s like a ****ing museum up there. Museums are awful, Red. Awful.”, a voice from below said. She knew the voice.

Andrea turned quickly and followed the voice. Unsure, slow footsteps carried her from the master bedroom and into the hall. Her footsteps were silent to her ears; it was as if she were in a space void of herself.

"Lilith?" She said, but there was sound.

The only sound had been, "I told you, it’s like a ****ing museum in here."

This time it came from what had once been a nursery. Andrea moved faster this time. She turned the corner of the entry way and peered inside.

There was Lilith. Or what appeared to be Lilith. A dancing glow of flickering black among the orange haze.

“Not this one. She doesn’t need this to remind her... Not really but she’s too lost to do anything about it herself... Exactly.”

The conversation sounded as if it should be taking place between two, but she could only hear Lilith. The awkward pauses for reply brought no other voice; no other vision.

The black flame-Lilith turned and looked to where Andrea stood. No, not at her, but past her. Andrea, upon realization that the image had been walking her way, took a step to the side to create a gap between the two.

"That, my dear, is a long story that I don’t want to share just yet." it said.

As flame-Lilith left down the hall, so did Andrea follow. Her steps more slow and not as sure as the visions had been. Andrea lingered out in the hall as the Lilith's image disappeared into the master bedroom. That had been where the fire started. Andrea pressed a hand to the wall of the hallway and lingered there. Something inside her head was telling her not to follow. Walk away. Do you really want to know? Wouldn't this ruin everything? Why follow a phantom of something that should be left buried?

Isn't it good everything was bathed in fire?


The sounds of crackling fire forced her back to the reality that the gauntlet had been showing her.

Andrea swallowed back and forced herself to walk forward. The heat felt as if it rose with every step she took. Her skin felt dry, she couldn't even wet her lips with a lick of her tongue. Bare hand gripped at the entry way to the master bedroom.

"Mmh. I thought you’d be all about this. It burns so nicely…"

The distorted voice of the flame-Lilith said. It was the last nudge Andrea needed, and she forced herself to look around the corner. There she saw the room in flames... and Lilith stood among it.

It ended so suddenly. The haze drew toward Andrea instead of being projected away. The redhead was forced to a wall as she stumbled back. Her back slid down the wall until she was left a sitting mess in the fire damaged hall. In a blink, the haze was gone, and she was back to reality.

It's true. She did it..

What if she did? It's for the best. You've said so yourself. She did it for you.


Something about that response had Andrea pinching at the bridge of her nose once more. She hadn't realized it throughout the memory of flames, but her head had been pounding. A taste of something metallic met her tongue and she instantly reached to feel at the odd sensation running down her lip. Smears of darkened liquid met her vision as she brought the fingers eye level. Even in the moonlit darkness of the charred beach house, she knew it was blood.

Creak. The sound from the stairs caught her attention. Paranoia now blazing. The fact that she had been bleeding from her nose was now completely disregarded so she could stand back to her feet. The constant pounding of her head and the rapid beating of her heart felt like drums to compel her forward.

Not the stairs.. not the stairs. I need to go. She told herself. There were only a few ways out, and the window opposite of where she had sat was the only answer. The creaking of the stairs continued, and Andrea stumbled as she tripped over warped floor. The sound itself seemed to be enough for whatever had been coming up the stairs to follow faster.

"Andrea! Come out, we know you're here! We're not having a repeat like last time!" The voice called. But all Andrea could hear after it was the pounding RUN that echoed in her head.

In a panic — she did just that. It was why she had been bleeding from multiple glass cuts as she hit the tall grass that lingered close by the sandy beach. She hit and she rolled thanks to the slope. Through the buzzing coming from her right ear after the fall, she could hear the sounds of yelling from above. Not only that, but gunfire. Her body was burning, everything ached. Adrenaline must have been the only reason why she got back to her feet and began to run.

She couldn't say on the beach. There's no cover. The second the got down there? They'd see her. It's why she kept low and began to creep up the grassy hill after running for a few minutes. The lights were getting closer, so she hugged that ground and kept silent. Every breath she took caused a panic. What if they heard her wheezing? She sucked in a breath and held it as she watched the lights get close enough to dance past her.

Move.. Move. she told herself after sounds made some distance. Her mind on fire. They'd most likely double back if they didn't see her soon enough, so she needed to move. Feet pressed to the ground and forced herself into a four limb crawl-run forward. Once she made it over the nature-made seawall, all she needed to do was get back to the car.

That's a stupid idea.. came through the pounding of her head. She couldn't just drive away! Andrea told herself that as she went dashing past the car; but something caused her to stop a few steps back. Andrea fell back when the sight of a Watch officer standing by their own patrol vehicle had been spotted.

She ducked low and used her own car for cover. She knew she couldn't stay here for long. She knew the road led to a dead end in one direction; so there had been only one way out. The three Watch vehicles parked along the road made sure she couldn't leave in that direction.

Think.. Think.., Andrea slammed palm against her forehead as she cursed herself. It was then an idea came to mind.

Like at the loft. Like in the vision she had seen. Andrea looked to her gauntlet, then to the car. Slowly, carefully, she reached to open the door. The interior lights lit up, but she knew that would happen. All she needed to do was pull the break. Once she did that, even with the sounds of shouting? The car began to drift back due to the slope of the road. Andrea shut the door and pressed the gauntlet flat against it right after doing so.

A smoldering hand print left behind. Blackness, which began from the print, started to spread. Andrea kept low, using the coasting car as cover, before finally breaking into a run. The blackness continued to spread until half of the car had been enveloped; but she never saw that. All she could do was run as she heard the sirens.

When she did look back? She saw as the car was about to coast past the speeding Watch vehicle. When it did? Her fingers curled tightly to create a fist with the gauntlet.

An echoing roar filled the air. What was once a dark street now filled up with a flash of light as the car exploded into an inferno of flames. The screeching of tires, the crashing of torn frame meeting hard pavement. The yelling and sounds of panic.

It was all the cover she needed to escape into the night.
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Post by Andrea Anderson »

Run. Run

"Run.." the word came more tiring compared to when it was nothing more than a thought.

Her breath ragged and wheezing. Her walking speed nothing more than a staggering mixture of momentary bursts of speed; then simply walking. Every time she found the strength to move even a bit faster, it was drained only after a mere eleven or thirteen steps.

Her eyes opened. The sight of tall grass. Her eyes closed. Darkness. Eyes opened. Pavement. Eyes closed. Darkness. Eyes opened. Woodland.

Time had been lost. In one moment where she could keep her eyes opened, it had still been dark. When they fell closed, only to reopen for what felt to her a split second later, the dawn had already come. The streets of Seaside, then the moon shading trees of what had to be Battlefield Park.

It felt like a split second had passed between location and the other — but her legs screamed as muscles ached; all in threat that if she were to stop moving, then there would be no going on.

Keep going.. she told herself.

Tired eyes fell closed again. What came to her first had been the sudden jolt of pain that met her stomach, along with the sound of whatever she had struck collapsing under her.

When her vision returned it would not be to the sight of early dawn creeping through tall trees. Andrea saw instead cobblestone streets that spoke to her as only New Haven. No longer dusk — what she saw from her collapsed position on the ground had been the sun beaming down. The sky blue instead of a misty orange of early morning.

"****.." the curse left hoarse throat and flowed past dry, cracked lips.

The metal trash can that laid parallel of her must have been what she hit. It was either that or the sky, those were the two things she could muster the strength to look at - at the moment.

It was there Andrea laid. This must have been a residential area. There had been no sounds of walking, no dogs parking or children playing. If she had to guess, it must have been sometime before mid-day. Children were at school, house wives busy inside their lavish estates, and their spouses doing what they could to afford such a useless lifestyle in Rhydin.

The pondering gave her something to do as she laid there and waited. Waited for what? Maybe for a Watch patrol to come by. Maybe to be hit by a passing bike, or used as a piss-spot for a toy dog gotten loose from its masters manor. Maybe she was just waiting to die — that was something she didn't seem bothered by.

Melodramatic.

Andrea laughed. Her own inner thoughts spoke the truth on that. The laughing made her chest hurt, and it sounded terrible with the mixture of wheezing that escaped along with it.

Get up.. you need to get up.. she told herself. The side of her right foot pushed against the sidewalk. Andrea collapsed onto her chest and let out another curse as she felt a surge of pain run throughout her body. Her left arm tensed and fingers pressed down against the pavement. The light sound of a scrape made, which had Andrea looking its way. Black armored nails scratched along the pavement. The gauntlet, she had forgotten all about it.

Her vision fell hazy. Then everything turned back...

and when she awoke, it was gone. Along with the sights of New Haven. All she saw was her bare arm resting against a white bed sheet. A turn of her head — the same for her left. It was easily made out even with her hazily obscured vision. Her head rested back and she looked up to another unfamiliar ceiling.

"You're awake?" Came a voice off in the distance. Andrea was too tired to do nothing but tense up. Even when alerted of another presence, she couldn't feel the strength to do anything more than linger there.

"The way you've been sleeping, I had thought you'd stay that way forever." the heavily accented voice said, this time drawing closer. "I've removed your contact lenses, everything must be blurry."

"What time is it?" Andrea's voice cracked.

"Right now it is.." he must have been checking a watch, she guessed. She couldn't see it - but the pause had been obvious enough. "Eleven fifty six."

"AM?" Andrea added. "PM." He corrected her. "A little disappointing. Couldn't you have woken up a little later? I had a bet with my daughter, you see.. I said you'd awaken Friday, and she said it would be any day before. It seems I owe her," — "Friday?!" Andrea's voice hadn't been much of a yell, but the inflation indicated surprise enough. She tried to rise from the bed, but in the end her lack of strength proved to be the victor. The few inches she did rise were quickly taken from her as she fell back against the pillow.

"it seems I owe her a new coat. " The man finished. A soft thump sounded out, then came two footsteps behind it. It didn't register at first, but when the man finally came into Andrea's blurred vision, she realized that he must have been old in age. The sound she heard before was nothing more than a cane.

"The young lady is alive, by the way.. The one caught up in the explosion."

Andrea said nothing. For now she could do nothing more than stared at the blurred image of the old man in front of her.

"I have poor manners. I am As'ad. And this," he rose a hand and gestured about; Andrea could at least make that out. "is my clinic. But it's my daughter you should express gratitude toward. She's the one who found you."

The change of subject and introduction had Andrea confused. ".. They are okay?"

"She's okay. The one you almost killed is a she. Not a they.. and yes, she is fine - that much the news has said. A little banged up, but fine." The correction made Andrea look back to her left arm. The one now void of the armored gauntlet.

"We cannot have you blind all night." Andrea heard from her right. She turned her head to see that As'ad had been handing her something. Squinting. A small, glass dish with something inside. That turned out to be somethings when she realized that he had been handing over her contacts.

Andrea began to lift one arm. The weight of them felt like more effort than normal. The fight to lift it became a losing battle, so she gave up and closed her eyes instead.

"It seems my daughter must have given you another dose to ease the pain.. No wonder you're so stiff, your arms must feel like they are weighed by bricks!" He even laughed. "That girl, always doting on others."

Andrea laid there with her eyes closed. She heard the old man walking away, but that only ended with the creaking sound of a person dropping into a chair.

"Will they be here soon?" Andrea said. Her eyes opening again to look toward a brown, blurred wall.

"Who?" the old man answered.

"The Watch. Will they be here soon?" She wasn't agitated. Her voice was quiet; a voice of someone who didn't seem to care what the outcome would be.

"Why would I call the Watch? I am a doctor, girl. We heal the sick and mend the broken. Calling them would be nothing more than writing what could very well be a death sentence." As'ad cleared his throat. The sound of chair rocking followed. "It's not me who will pass judgement onto you."

"But, I will ask you to leave once you've regained your strength. I've done all that I can by mending your wounds. Whatever problems you have, they are not mine and my daughters."

Nothing came after that. Only the sounds of a chair rocking back and forth, a clearing of the old mans throat every now and again, and the ticking of a clock.

"May I ask you a question, Andrea?" So he knew her name. Of course he did, he knew what she had done. Her name had to have been on the news. Along with her other secrets.

"Sure." the response came after the ticking of the clock within the silence became almost unbearable.

"You kept saying something strange while you slept.. Something of, `It's talking to her`. What did you mean by that?"

"I don't know." She replied as she gripped the sheets.

It was an answer better left to herself.

The Opal. FireStar. That's who she was talking to.
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Andrea Anderson
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Post by Andrea Anderson »

When you're well enough to walk, you'll need to leave.

At least he gave her something to wear. Andrea could be thankful for that. Sure, she was basically wearing hand-me-downs of a sixty eight year old man; but it's something.

Andrea left New Haven with her hair hidden away beneath her top and a baseball cap on her head. Thankfully As'ad had given her a scarf due to the weather. It all helped in her attempt to stay unnoticed... Even if trying to look unnoticed is pretty much asking for you to be noticed.

Her trip to the Annex that night had been to get a chance of clothing from her locket. Opportunity knocked instead. A match, a losing one, but a match all the same. Even with the pain of her bruised side burning fresh and her wrist sprained — she still fought. It felt good. It felt good to lose. It was what she told Lilith once — sometimes it's nice to lose... It reminds you that you're not as good as they say. Four Opals, two Diamonds, yet she can still lose.

It's a reminder to strive for more.

Even if that more is what ruined the life she tried to build in the first place.

And something she sought to complete the chapter — it's already ruining something else.

"FireStar.." She mutter to herself as she closed the locker in the Arena. Gym pants with white line running down the outer leg, a simple black hoodie from her Team Beat Down days. She couldn't wear the other one, not when it was plastered with the name of her gym. No, something from the past would do better. Another memory — of all the good times with Candy, with Jake, with Mur, with Lem.

It would be nice to fight with them again. To turn back the clock and be there all over again.

Because, after — she could have made the right choice. To the choice of family, of Nell, of their child. Not to bury her head in training for what she could give in the future, but for the then that had been `now`. Before she lost what she had tried so hard to prepare and work for. Family. She really is like her father. Work first. Training second. Family third.

She couldn't make that mistake again. Even if there wasn't a family, there was something close enough that tugged at her heart.

I have to...

Andrea looked at her face in the small mirror that hung from the open door of her locker. The bandages she wore on her cheek and forehead had splotches of blood here and there. They needed to be changed.

".. you look so tired.." She muttered at the reflection.

No make up made it easy to see the bags under her eyes.

"Battlefield Tower is out of commission.. It's pretty high, I wonder if it would hurt." The thought of leaping from it had been fresh on her mind.

"It'd make a mess.. Pills would be better."

It was there that she began to snicker. Her chin tucking against her neck, all before she threw her head back and laughed.

The laughter continued only for a few brief seconds, then died away on wings of a tired sigh.

"I can't do that." she leaned her head forward and pressed it to the open locker.

Eyes set themselves on the mirror once more. A fresh trail of blood had already stained a line down her lip. She didn't take the time to wipe it away. No, she let it dribble down the curve of her lips and brush along her chin. The light throbbing which came with it had been a tell-tale sign of an incoming headache.

"It's not about me anymore..." she'd admit to her own reflection, even if it started to blur from the faint pain.

That night she collapsed atop a chair inside Rayvinn's office in the Arena. At least there she knew that the Watch would stay away.
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Andrea Anderson
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Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 9:55 pm
Location: Her Twilight Isle home she shares with Lilith.

Post by Andrea Anderson »

You have three new messages.

"I know what you did... I can get the reason why you did it, so I'll thank you for that. It really was like some museum to the past, and I couldn't let go of it. Now it's gone. Just a mess of ash.

We shouldn't cling to ghosts, isn't that what you were trying to say?"


Beep.

"Your life's been rough, hasn't it? Even before the suicide. Your parents, the life you came from, did anyone ever really take your side? Or did they all walk away and leave you to hurt yourself more? Hah.. if that's true, then we're a lot alike."

Beep.

"You saved me, Lilith -- Lila. Whatever is left of me, as cliche as that sounds. If it hadn't been for the past few months... I'm bleeding again, hold on." her voice stilled and running water could be heard. "That's better..." said with a shaken sigh. "Lila, I'm going to return the favor. Take it any way you want, but my head hasn't been this clear in a long time. You told me months ago `is that what you want?`, do you remember that? Now... I want to help you. That's what I want."

What sounded like two small objects hitting and sliding along a metal surface is heard; followed by rattling that only faded as seconds passed.

"Shouldn't you be calling me Red.. instead of some stupid rock?" Her voice faded some.


The message ended.

________________________________________

"You told me months ago `is that what you want?`,"

The phone held in one hand and pressed against her ear. In the other hand, two diamonds were resting.

"do you remember that? Now... I want to help you. That's what I want."." Andrea confessed.

Steady hand turned. The pills rolled from water stained flesh and fell into the sink. Andrea watched as they tumbled about. She didn't need them. Not with her head being as clear as it is - right now - after the longest time.

"Shouldn't you be calling me Red," the cellphone drawn away from her ear and slowly lowered. "instead of some stupid rock?"

The call ended and the bathroom of the Outback left behind. Within the trashcan that cellphone sat among blooded bandages and other broken things.
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