8662/The Search for Officer Ferguson

The Search for Officer Ferguson
Date of Scene:	13 November 2021
Location:	Clarice Ferguson's Quarters
Synopsis:	Clarice and Theo find their father - but it isn't quite the happy family reunion.
Cast of Characters:	Clarice Ferguson, Raven Darkholme

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Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice was in the shared living space in her quarters - crouching down to feed some fresh greens to the piggies, who chattered at one another excitedly while nibbling away. She was dressed in jean, with a black t-shirt baring the images of the Lumberjanes on it (though whether she bought it herself, or it was a gift from Lydia, or perhaps Rahne, we a bit unclear). On her wrist was an image inducer - though she hadn't bothered to activate it - and resting on her desk was some portable scanning equipment she intended to use to monitor police frequencies - once they got to Barbados. Maybe they'd hear the name 'Ferguson' over the radio? Though that seemed a bit much to hope for.
    She also has the most recent photo of Cynthia with their father reproduced - ready to serve as proof of the validity of their search, should such a thing be needed. Theo was expected to be back from school soon - so for the moment, Clarice simply waits. And smiles at Winnie, Mary, and Sarah.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo was learning the value of caffeine, or rather re-learning. Between school, training, his music, goofing off with Pete and taking care of the murder unit, it was rare to have any time for much of anything extra. What made today different? Training and music could wait, school work was done, and Pete was sleeping. His schedule was a little different due to still being on Genosha time, where as Theo worked on New York time.

Wandering into the room, he had no pack to toss down in a random place like most teenagers, so instead he removed his coat and tossed it on the couch. Some things were required for a teenager after all.

"Has Sara started to assert herself over Winnie yet, or is Winnie still the lead pig?" He asks, walking over to give each one a scritch on the head.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Winnie's still in charge," Clarice confirms - handing over some of the greens so Theo can bribe the piggies for their affection, as well. "School went well today?" she asks casually - dangling another bit of parsley for Sarah to snatch up.
    "I was thinking of having a stake out - at a coffee shop across from one of the police stations in Barbados," she remarks casually. "Since //some people// still think the direct route is a bad idea." There's a lightly teasing note to her voice - though she wears a smile as she says it.
    "If you have other stuff, though, I can handle it - and just call you in if things get interesting?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Accepting the greens, Theo starts breaking off smaller pieces to bribe piggies with, watching them chewing with a huge grin on his face. They may not have been there long, but he already loved them and had started training Winnie to talk when asked to.

"I can go with you," he offers. "Finished my school work and today it a medical day for the team." Around Clarice, they are the team, not the squad or unit, and murderer was never mentioned.

"The only thing I have left really is to listen to a speech online, but that's like fifteen minutes and I can do that any time." He eyes Clarice for a moment then grins as he adds, "And it /is/ a bad idea."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "It's a perfectly acceptable idea, I just live with people who - somehow - manage to be //more suspicious// and paranoid than me. Just - what the fuck? Seriously." Clarice is still smiling at her brother as she says it - giving a little scritch to the piggies as they continue to happily eat.
    "You can listen to the speech while we do the stake out. It's mostly hours and hours of doing nothing. If there is an officer who looks like dad - we might have the wrong precinct, or it might not be his day on shift, or..." Yeah. There's a very real chance they're wasting their time.
    "I plan on trying to tune a scanner to the police frequency, though, to see if there's an 'Officer Ferguson' mentioned. ...and I plan to get tea and conkies."
    And really. That's reason enough to relax in a coffee shop in Barbados - isn't it?
    Dropping the rest of her greens into the pen, she rises to her feet to pick up her equipment - offering an image inducer over to Cynthia. "Incase you wanted to look more like you did in your photos...? It's your call entirely." The photos were a couple years old now, after all. And before Cynthia got his purple colored skin splotches - and cut off his hair.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo takes a little more time to pet each guinea pig, and talk to each one separately, apparently he has a different voice for each one too, then he gives them the last of the greens and stands up.

"No," he all he says to the image inducer. "I won't hide or change, any more. I know my skin is different, and I have shorter hair, but the rest is the same, so that will have to do. Cynthia doesn't exist any more."

Walking over to grab one of his battery chargers, he simply touches it and into the pocket it goes, just in case his phone decides it needs to be charged and there's no outlet available.

"More suspicious huh?" He teases back, "Try more logical Clare. We understand how the police work, where as you, willy-nilly, yo, tell me everything cause I rock... buff nails on shirt, strike a pose, I kick ass... " he starts laughing, not even able to finish the tease cause it amuses him so much.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Alright," Clarice agrees, negligently tossing the offered image inducer over her shoulder as a portal appears behind her. It disappears back into the bowels of the asteroid, back where it came from.
    "A family member looking for a loved one isn't a threat! I was going to walk in looking like //you,// with the photo!" she remarks, as if she hasn't gone over this a half dozen times. "...besides. I do rock," she adds with a grin.
    With everything gathered up, she takes Theo by the arm - the pair emerging through one of her portals a couple blocks from their destination. She ignores the strange looks her portal earns the pair, as they stroll down the street in Bridgetown. "Two orders of conkies, and... did you prefer green tea, or black?" she asks curiously.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Already having what he needs, Theo just steps through the portal with Clarice, makes a face that the person who gave the strange look, and walks down the sidewalk beside his sister.

"You do rock," he comments idly, then when they reach their destination looks around a bit before he says, "Black, more caffeine that way. Caffeine is life."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "There is a chance, however negligible, that you - in fact - also rock," Clarice remarks, giving her brother a nudge before releasing his arm and approaching the counter.
    "Wuh you want?" the woman asks casually, giving the magenta skinned mutant a once over. She doesn't seem hostile or afraid - but it's clear she's unused to seeing such an unusual looking person in the shop.
    "We wan' nuff conkies and nuff tea. Black," Clarice answers. The unusual dialect of Barbados is still a bit of a struggle for her - but the fact that she's managing to slip into it at all might indicate she's been spending a little more time around the island of late.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo stares at his sister a moment, trying very hard not to laugh at the sudden change in how she spoke. The woman he expected it from, but Clarice? No way. What was that even?

"What she said," he adds to the woman with a grin, still keeping that laughter just behind his eyes. "Clare," he then adds, "I don't rock yet, but I will in a few days, recording another song."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Oh, you are?" Clarice asks eagerly, turning back to smile at Theo - after she hands over a credit card to cover the cost. "What sort of song? Can I hear it when you're done?"
    She spots the amusement linger in his eyes before she adds, "I was //born// here you know. I should still have dual citizenship." She really should consider stopping by one of the embassies or government offices to try to sort that out - one of these days.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo just smiles more broadly as he says, "Of course you can hear it. It's just a re-do of Queen's We Will Rock You, and I plan on shooting a video to go with it, but the music comes first. One instrument at a time of course." and makes no comment about the dialect. He waits until they have their items and are headed for a table.

"I was born in Genosha, not here," he offers. "And that... I have no idea what any of that was except words."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Nuff means lots. I ordered us lots of conkies and tea," Clarice clarifies - and indeed, they were given the largest sized cups for their tea - along with two conkies each. Apparently two is 'nuff.' She slips into one of the seats, and then sets an earbud into one ear, offering the other over to Theo as she pulls out the small radio scanner. She starts moving through the different frequencies until she finds the one that the police officers seem to use - using the activity to give her tea time enough to steep.
    "I know that song," she remarks. "It's a fun song."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Settling into the seat beside Clarice, Theo takes the ear bud and puts it in the other on the other side from her so he can still hear her talking. The tea gets some sugar, some cream and stirred before he leaves it to cool a little more.

"I want to do We Are the Champions, but I need a better singer for that one," he comments, blowing on the tea little. "Pete wants me to go all out with Bohemian Rhapsody... /way/ too complicated for one person alone to do."

Picking up a conkie, he sniffs at it a little then takes a bite. He's not picky really, but you never know when something might have gone bad and no one noticed. "I want to record random people singing, "We will, we will, rock you!" then put it all together in the video, so that each time it's someone different, all kinds of people and mutants."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "That'll be fun," Clarice remarks - grinning at her brother at the thoughts. "That includes you and Pete, yeah? And that... Jedi friend of yours?" she suggests with an amused grin. "I bet Dyani would do it!" The girl was enthusiastic about... well. Just about everything.
    She takes a sip of her tea before she starts sweetening it heaveily, then she follows that up with a bite of her conkie, letting out an appreciative sound. Maybe they could keep a batch of these in a freezer on the Asteroid... For whenver they wanted some.
    The radio chatter is being recorded - though none of it seems to catch her attention yet.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
"Oh yeah, I intend to ask Irie and Mads, as well as Dyani, and a couple of the new students who names totally escape me," Theo offers, taking a small sip his tea to test the temperature. "Pete doesn't want to be in the video, so I intend to record him sleeping or something and just add it at a random time. I want to get you and Lydia singing it too. I want everyone, cause I intend to put it /everywhere/. It's my statement to the world, sort of... well partly my statement."

He looks toward the precinct as he chews another bite of the conkie. "You know it's just wishful thinking, right?" He finally says, watching a pair of beat cops walking to their car. "I was probably just seeing things."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "But you know I'm awful at singing," Clarice protests as Theo suggests she be in the video as well. It sounds like a //terrible// idea to her, "Though I'm completely in favor of slipping Pete in there somehow," she adds in an amused tone. "You sure you can somehow slip him in wearing his, umm..." She has to stop and think. "Queen... Drag queen! Yeah? Drag queen get up."
    She grins at Theo - then allows her expression to sober a little. "I know it is," she agrees. "But wouldn't it be cool if we had an Uncle we never knew about? Or a cousin? Maybe dad didn't know either."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Adding a little more cream to cool it down a little more, Theo takes another drink and nods, perfect.

"It's not about good singing, Clare," he offers with a smile. "It's about showing that it doesn't matter who you are or how you look, we're all equal and going to 'rock you'."

Another bite of conkie disappears as he watches another car pull up and two cops get out, move to the back and remove a young woman who is still screaming at the top of her lung about 'wrongful arrest, it was perfectly acceptable to be naked in her own front yard' or something like that, hard to tell with traffic.

"It would be cool to have an uncle or cousin, maybe that means much larger family we don't know about, though I don't think they'll be able to handle us."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "We won't know until we try," Clarice remarks. "And in the meantime - whether any of this pans out or not - I get to sit in a cafe, drinking tea and eating conkies with my brother. And you get to see a bit of Barbados." She glances out the window, before looking towards Theo again with a wry smile. "Even if it isn't a very exciting part of it. We'll do Kadooment next summer - you'll love it. //Pete// will love it."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo glances back to Clarice with a grin. "What do you mean not exciting? That woman was wrongfully arrested Clare, for being naked or something, that's big entertainment right there." He says all of that with a perfect straight face and excitement in his tone as if it were really entertaining, and then he manages to know and take a sip of his tea before busting up laughing.

"I have no idea what Kadooment is, but I'm sure if you're there, we'll love it," he then continues, once he's done laughing. "We had a great time at Disney because /you/ were there. Sure, we could have gone alone, but it wouldn't have been as enjoyable."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Yeah. Going to Disneyland along would have been a major let down," Clarice agrees - her smile broadening. "It was a blast, though." For just a moment, a flicker of worry crosses her features as, somehow, just mentioning Disneyland reminds her of the rift that trip had begun to repair. But- things were better now. Weren't they? She's fairly certain that they were.
    "Kadooment's the big parade festival with all the feathers and bright colors," she offers Theo by way of explination. "I'm sure I brought it up before? It was great fun - until I got lost in the crowd, but then faddah found me."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo things for a moment then ohs. "Like Madres Gras only better," he comments with a nod. "I remember now. Sounded like fun, just that word I guess. I want to call it Kookooment for some reason."

Looking back to the cops doing their thing, he figures they won't see anything but he's still enjoying the time with his sister, and away. "We never did anything like that, but then there wasn't really much to do. I think that's one of the reason I liked Disneyland so much, always wanted to go but thought I'd never get to."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Well - we can do any of those things you always wanted to do - but thought you couldn't," Clarice promises. "I figure if we're not finding the for //something// to do together once a month - we're doing it wrong. So far we've Disneyland, and the Halloween party... We'll have Kadooment in August. Which leaves... lots of stuff between then and now.
    "We could go to Christmas on the green," she muses quietly. "And listen to the concerts and have a picnic." She wears an amused grin as she adds, "I could pick out a nice, twirly dress - just like I did when I was... three. Or four - or however old I was."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo finishes chewing his latest bite before speaking again. "We have Thankgiving stuff this month, though that's not really something I'm used to celebrating. Christmas is next month, used to be a big deal for mom," he sighs a little. "Dad and I just let her go nuts with the decorations, and trust me, she did."

Another sip of tea and he chuckles, "She used to say, we don't have to believe in Christ to celebrate this time of year as the time of giving and kindness. Think of it as Winter Giving, here hang this Rudolf on your bedroom door, the nose lights up."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Any excuse for presents - right?" Clarice agrees - a fond, reminiscent smile on her features. "I remember how excited I was for Christmas - for opening up my presents, and playing with my toys." That was a long, long time ago, though. "And I loved going to the green - and dancing in my new dress, with all the other children, and playing tag, and hide-and-go-seek, and the like."
    Her gaze flicks back towards the police station as she sees a woman go tearing inside - yelling something about her daughter, and the front yard.
    "I'll be sure to get you a, err... Rudolf for your door."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo gives her a nudge with his shoulder as he says, "No frickin Rudolf, Clare. I mean it." He grins ear to ear as he says it. "Want to make Pete's Christmas? Let's get a picture of a bear in a Santa suit to hand on the door, he'll drool constantly." No, he doesn't realize she doesn't know what kind of bear he's referring to.

"You want to walk over there and ask about Officer Ferguson?" He finally says, still grinning. "I don't mean to hold up pictures or anything, just ask if he's around. They'll either day there's no one by that name, that he's there or that we can leave a message. If we can leave a message, we do that."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Why would he drool over a bear?" Clarice asks in puzzlement. "A polar bear?" What other sort of bear would they use after all?
    Finishing off her conkies, Clarice glances across the street, then back towards Theo with a bemused look. No - she doesn't really get why he thinks it's so awful to show people the photo and say they're looking for family - but it's perfectly okay to go in and simply //ask//. But, hey, if he's okay with the direct approach... "I think that's a great idea. You coming with, or waiting here?" she asks, as she rises to her feet, picking up the remainder of her tea.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo chortles, then pulls out his phone to find a picture of the sort of bear he's referring to. Once he finds a really good one, he offers the phone over to Clarice to see the guy.

"Bear," he instructs with a grin, then finished off the last of his conkie. The other one? He keeps it wrapped up and pops it into the pocket. His tea goes with him, lid back on the cup.

"I'm going with," he says as he stands. "I mean, if he's actually there, I want to meet him too."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "...that makes so much more sense," Clarice murmurs as she studies the picture, before offering it back to Theo with an amused grin. "I don't know why they call it that, though. But sure. A bear... in a Santa suit." And a Rudolf.
    She grins at her brother, then nods towards the lady at the counter as the pair make their way out - scanning radio safely pocketed, and tea in hand. After checking both ways, they job across the street, and make their way up to the desk just inside the station's door.
    "Whu gine on?" the officer at the desk greets them casually but politely as they walk up.
    Responding with a shrug, Clarice replies, "Nain much. Wuh part Officer Ferguson is?" She leans up against the desk as she asks - offering what she hopes passes for a disarming smile.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo laughs a little as he pockets his phone. The gap in Clarice's knowledge was sometimes amusing, but then when would she have had a chance to learn about burly mean being called bears? He intended to spend more time teaching her some of these things, since being around Pete... she was going to need to know.

Even though Clarice checked both ways, he does as well, then crosses with her. There were a lot of officers coming and going, it must of been the changing of shifts or something, but he stays close to his sister. He's not breaking the law, they won't arrest him for existing is what he has to remind himself.

When she speaks to the officer at the counter, he is forced to look away again to conceal the desire to giggle. He still has no idea what is being said, but how it is said it just too amusing for words.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Striking out with her food, Clarice gives her brother a nudge, without moving her gaze from the woman behind the counter.
    "Colin Ferguson? He gine main guard now," the woman replies, looking between the pair - and adding in response to the way Clarice's jaw practically fell open, "Wuh wrong wid you?"
    "Nain, nain," Clarice answers hastily. "Uhh... Main guard? Great. Thanks."
    Sure, maybe she fell out of Bajan for a moment there at the end, as she turns her gaze towards her brother.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo may not fully understand what is being said, but even he could pick up 'wud wrong wid you' as 'what's wrong with you'. He offers the woman a big, warm and charming smile, even as he says in a sweet tone, "Thanks for your help."

He can play the part of innocent kid, given his size he can even look it. Really he looks like a young high school student, but his act of 'normal' is /way/ better than Clarice's. Taking Clarice's hand now, he offers the woman a nod and heads for the door. He wasn't there, he was some place else, he was Colin Ferguson, he was their father... no one names two kids in the family the same thing. He didn't let that actually hit him until they were outside.

"Holy shit!" he finally exclaims and looks to his sister. "What is Main guard? Where is that? We're going, right now... that's /him/ Clare!"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Cheese on bread," Clarice lets out - in unison with Theo's 'holy shit.' It's the same thing, actually - though Theo has no way to know that. "I- I don't know. I've never heard 'main guard' before." She has her phone out - and tries type out 'main guard' but ends up putting 'main gard' which only causes her frustrating.
    In the end she find herself peering at Theo's phone screen instead. "Central Police Office... Oh. Pull it up on a map?" she suggests.
    once she has a location, she ports them both to an alley a short distance away.
    "I thought you said he died?" she asks with bafflement. "I- what am I going to say? How's he going to- he thinks I'm dead. Maybe I shouldn't- I- I could use the image inducer, put-"
    Yeah, logic went out the window for Claice the moment the woman said 'Colin.'

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo stares at Clarice for the hundredth time. "Cheese on bread?" He says more calmly, blinking, then just lets it go as he is whisked away to an ally in another part of Barbados.

"Clare, he got stepped on! I saw him stop breathing," he exclaims as he starts pacing around the ally. He was just as frantic as she was, only he has a little logic left in him. "I don't know, I was in pain, maybe... maybe I was wrong, I mean I had to be wrong, right?"

He stops pacing and looks at her, then lays his hand on her shoulder "Breath," he says first, looking her in the eyes. "He must think I died too, so to him we're both dead. You think an image inducer will change that?" He offers her a smile, taking a deep breath himself. "Let's just take a minute and breath, then go inside and see what happens, alright?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Breathe? Right. Breathe. Clarice follows Theo's suggestion, taking a few deep breaths in, and letting them out again. Her breathing is shakey at frist as she leans in towards that hand on her shoulder - but little by little it calms again. "Right. Right. I mean - that's dumb. Of course it doesn't make sense to- what am I going to say to him?" she asks - reaching up with one hand to wipe at her eyes - her gaze going in the direction of the police station.
    She can do this.
    "...you're ready to tell him you're Theo?" she asks.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo again blinks, looking toward the police station. "Well... yeah, I mean I have to be. I'm not going back," he states, shifting slightly. "I can't go back... so, I tell him I lived and I'm Theo, that should be great, right?"

His tone indicates he does not think it will be great, but he's still willing, ready and able to do it. There was no way he could go back to hiding the truth, it had nearly killed him. There father would have to accept, and if he didn't, well what sort of piece of work was he any way?

"We can do this Clare," he encourages, taking another deep breath and letting it out. "It's not any different then when you found me."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Okay. I've got your back," Clarice promises her brother - giving him the best smile she can manage in her flustered state. "We can do this," she agrees. Linking arms, they make their way down the street, and into the precinct, approaching the desk.
    "We wan see Officer Ferguson," she offers without preamble. "You tell he, Clarice come back."
    She glances aside at Theo, not sure what else to add. Someone, adding 'Oh, and tell him Cynthia's here too only he's Theodore now' doesn't seem like an appropriate message to send like this.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo walks quietly with Clarice, taking a few more deep breaths, centering himself, oddly wishing Pete was here. This was big, very big, and usually Pete helped with things like this, but Theo knew he could do it. It was less time for him than it was Clarice, and though he loved his father very dearly, if the man had changed, couldn't accept, or didn't believe, he already had a new life to live.

When Clarice seems to search for what else to add, Theo adds quietly, "Tell him Cynthia too." That at least will get the man to think about it as more than some kind of sick joke someone might be playing. Then his eyes follow the the desk sergeant.

"It works, right? He can learn the truth when he..." a pause, "If he gets here. He might not even be here."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice nods, offering the man at the desk the copy of the photo she'd shoved in her pocket earlier as proof - their father with Cynthia, just over two years earlier - on her fifteenth birthday. "It works," she agrees. She listens to the man's reply, before looking to Theo to translate. "He's going to go see if he's free," she explains.
    The urge to pace up and down the lobby is strong - almost overwhelming - but instead Clarice clings tightly to Theo's arm. This was what she'd wanted, right? A chance to see her parents. To apologize for never going home to them. For not being there to save them all. It was too late to apologize to her mom - but her father was still here.
    The wait seems to drag on forever - but it's actually only about five minutes before the man appears, stopping just inside the lobby to stare unbelievingly at what sure seems like some sort of cruel joke. Clarice likewise stares, strangely feeling both the urge to run towards him and to teleport away.
    The urge to run to him finally wins as she throws herself at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Faddah! I come back! I come back. I come back...."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
When the man appears all Theo can do is stare at him, comparing every feature to the man he knew as his father. Less hair, eyes darker, more wrinkles and a definite lingering of sadness, but the boxes were all checked.... that was Colin Ferguson.

When Clarice runs across the room, he stays back, blinking back a few tears and just watching. He wasn't Cynthia, so this wasn't the daughter the man was expecting... Clarice was, and she had waited a lot longer than he had.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    The man's confusion and surprise is evident on his features - mixed with disbelief - but after a moment of hesitation, his arms go around Clarice, holding the woman to him, with one hand stroking her hair. "Clarice..." His gaze drops towards her, the hand that stroked her hair, also touching her ears. There couldn't be two people in the world that looked like //this// - could there? "Buh my girls dead... Bof dem."
    "They lied. They lied," Clarice answers desperately, lifting her gaze to look pleadingly up at her father. "They stole me. We walked on the beach - you gave me flowers to chew on. You found me when I was lost at Kadooment. It's //me,// faddah. I'm Clarice," she insists.
    "Clare..." he answers, touching her cheek, and studying her electric green eyes. What do you say or do when your daughter returns from the dead after almost 18 years? For the moment, he simply bows his head, holding Clarice even tighter.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
All those years that he had remembered the lost daughter with the current daughter, it had to be racing through his mind as he held Clarice. Theo couldn't help but smile, letting a few more tears fall. Clarice deserved this, their dad deserved this. Life had seen fit to throw a huge assed canyon, not a pot hole, a full sized grand canyon in their way, but the bridges were built and here they were.

"It's really her," he finally offered, still not moving any closer. This was Clarice's moment and there was no way in hell he was going to get in the way. He'd had his life with the man, and his sister had been shafted... so he would hang back and wait. Eventually the elephant in the room, that Cynthia was Theo, would come up, until then he would just stand there and smile goofily over the reunion.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    It takes a moment for the familiar voice to register on the man. Sure, he'd been told //both// of his girls were here - but could anyone blame him for being distracted by the one he'd lost for so long? Theo may have changed, but his voice, hadn't, so finally the man manages to get out, "Cynthia," before he lifts his gaze - and it fixes on the teen, some surprise and confusion showing at the changed appearance. "Cynthia, your skin..." And her hair...
    Clarice wipes at her eyes, leading the man closer to where Cynthia was still standing - utterly ignoring the stares of others in the police station who were staring at the family reunion. "It's Theo now, faddah. Theodore."
    "Theodore?" the man repeats - his feet locking up only halfway to the teen. Mixed with surprise and confusion was something Theo had doubtlessly feared for years. "What do you mean 'Theodore'?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo knew his voice hadn't changed yet, that would require the hormones or Tara's procedure, or something... but he still sounded like himself right now, and that worked to his advantage over all.

"Vitilgo," he says, gesturing to his skin. "From... accident." He wasn't going to out his father as having been in Genosha during the attack in the middle of the police station, who knows what these people knew and didn't know?

"Hair... short, but the same, you... black all the time cause mom died it." Apparently Theo has forgotten how to word, but that's mostly because he's building up to the important thing. "I'm transgender, female to male. Cynthia to Theodore, after your childhood friend." There, he said it... time to panic, but only on the inside. Outside, he is standing his ground.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    The man's features close up, little by little, until he glances over towards the desk. He calls something over (something involving 'coffee') and moves towards Theo, taking him by the arm and moving out of the precinct. "Stop playing the fool, Cynthia, what are you on about?" he asks - only once they're about half a block down the street from the station.
    Clarice had been still clinging to her father's arm, but something about his tone and demeanor prompts her to blink out - appearing at Theo's side instead, to take her brother's other arm. "//He's// Theodore now. He's not Cynthia anymore," she asserts immediately.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo lets himself be drug out and down the street, defeated inside. It's what he thought would happen to be honest, but there had been this little hope, teeny tiny one, that it wouldn't end up like this.

Once Clarice blinks in, Theo yanks his arm from his father's grasp, almost falling into his sister when he does. "I'm not on about anything!" he snaps back, starting to cry but anger takes over. "I'm not Cynthia, I stopped being that girl a long, long time ago, but I knew... I /knew/ you and mom would never accept so I hide it." His entire body starts to shake, the fight or flight in him kicking in, and fight wins.

"I cut myself," pulling up his sleeve he shows his father the lines, numerous lines up his forearm. "I considered suicide to end the pain of being something I wasn't, and I hid it like you and mom used to hide me from everthing! I'm not hiding it any more, so you can have a minute or ten or twenty to get your head out of your ass and be glad I'm alive, or you can fuck off!"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Theo, maybe he's just confused like I was," Clarice interjects immediately. She's not at all sure that's the case - but she desperately wants it to be so. She's just found another piece of her family - and she desperately wants all the pieces to //fit// together. "I'll explain it all, and help him come around, but yelling won't help things. Right?" She looks between the two of them.
    Colin's eyes fix on the marks on Theo's arms - even reaching out to grasp the teen's arm so he can see and touch the marks himself. "When did you...?" he starts, before offering a frustrated shake of his head. "You know what we hid you to //protect// you. They would have taken you, just like they took her. We couldn't lose another daughter - it would have //killed// your mother. If she were here..."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo continues to vibrate in place, like every muscle in his body is spasming at the same time, but he stops yelling. He looks at his own arm for a moment. "Started when I was twelve," he says quietly. "I know you were protecting me, but it still... it was hard. Living in a box, and then... an even smaller box."

He looks back up at Colin, a desperate look on his face before he just breaks down crying. He never thought he'd find his father alive, but to find him and not even get a hug? He jerks his arm away from Colin and looks much like he's leaving, or trying to, without another word.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Theo?" Clarice asks in concern. She's desperately torn, looking towards the father she hasn't seen for most of her life - and the brother who's come to meet everything to her. After a moment's hesitation, though, she darts after Theo. "Hey... it's okay. He needs time, that's all. I needed time, too." Please let that be true. Please.
    Colin, for his part, isn't immune to the tears of his child - in fact, he looks momentarily striken as the teen turns away from him. "Cynthia... You're- you're just confused. You've been through a lot, we all have, you don't have to go. ...where are you staying?" He stakes a few steps in pursuit of his two daughters, but doesn't try to grab hold of the distraught teen.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo pauses to look at Clarice for a moment, listening to his father tell him he's confused. "It's not that," he whispers, refusing to look at Colin. "Go Clarice, go hug him and know him and be with him. You earned it... I mean hell, he's alive, never thought in a million years he'd be alive."

He looks up long enough to glare at someone walking by who was staring, then he looks back to Clarice, he wants to say it, what's really bothering him, but he can't. He knew his father would be like this, their mother would have to, it's how they were made. "I'll stay so you can spend more time with him," he then whispers to Clarice and does just that, stays, looking down at boots for a moment then just pops his phone into his hand and focuses on it.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I can send you home, if you'd rather," Clarice offers quietly, stepping in close to Theo, and leaning her forehead in against his. "Or I can give my number so we can arrange another time to talk. I mean, he's supposed to be at work and everything... You don't have to stay if you're not comfortable. //We// don't have to stay," she insists - even if this was breaking her heart - just a little. She was sure this was worse for Theo.
    "Where's home? Where are you going? You're //my// daughters," he insists, seemingly heedless of the pain his words are causing. A day late and a dollar short - he finally moves in for that hug. "Cynthia... We'll figure this out," he promises.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo shoves himself back and away then screams at the top of his lungs, "MY NAME IS THEODORE!" Then he calms back to a tone that isn't a yell, but is still loud. "Believe what you want, that I'm broken or confused, but I've done the therapy, I've talked to doctors, I know who and what I am dad, so one way or another, you'll have to accept that my name is Theodore, that I'm male, and maybe then, maybe... you'll be glad I'm alive for who I am, or maybe you'll just wish I stayed dead because it's too much. But I am /not/ confused, I am /not/ broken."

His phone disappears back into the pocket as he looks to Clarice, then back to their father, and says more calmly that he had been. "I already figured it out. I'm willing to give you time to adjust, to learn that /you're/ the one who is wrong and confused, but right now. I'm going home."

He looks at Clarice, "You stay." Then waits for a portal.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Colin lets himself be shoved back as he keeps his gaze locked on Theo, a frown pulling at his lips. "I'd never wish you dead, you're my- ...child." Which was the best Theo seemed likely to get - certainly for the moment.
    Clarice wraps Theo up in her arms, murmuring to him quietly, "Promise me you'll wake up Pete?" She waits for a response for him - and if and only if he responds in the affirmative, will she step away to open the portal back to their quarters on the Asteroid.
    Even then, she pulls her phone to text Pete. 'U awake?' Followed by, 'I'll come if Theo needs me.'

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Theo glances back to Colin, "I really do love you dad, I'm so glad..." he wipes his eyes. "I thought you died, I thought I saw you die. I was alone until Clare found me. Don't hate me because I'm not your daughter any more, okay? I'm still me, just... male."

He looks back to Clarice and nods, "I'll wake him up, I promise."

One more look to Colin, as if he's certain this will be the last last time he sees him, then he steps through the portal because he just can't deal with any more rejection right now. Sure, it's what he expected, but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt like hell.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Pete texts back: I'm awake, what's ... whoa, okay, I'll deal with this.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I love you, too," Colin answers - watching the drama unfold in front of him with pained confusion. How could this have happened? "I thought I was alone - I'm glad you're alright." But reaching out towards the teen again seems ill advised.
    Clarice's gaze remains fixed on her cellphone as she replies to Pete with a heart to express her gratitude - followed by, 'Srsly, I'll come if I'm needed.' Her phone is then turned off, as she turns her attention back to her dad. "Why don't we go get a coffee and talk?" she suggests. "It seems we have a lot to discuss."