9816/All You Need Is A Friend

All You Need Is A Friend
Date of Scene:	24 January 2022
Location:	Pezzini House - Brooklyn, NY
Synopsis:	Cael checks on Sara at Sara's father's house, and Sara shared the memories of the lost week.
Cast of Characters:	Raven Darkholme, Clarice Ferguson, Sara Pezzini, Cael Becker

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Raven Darkholme has posed:
The house looked older, like one that has been built ages ago but kept up over the years for families. A fresh layer of snow had recently fallen, painting it all white. For steps lead up to the the empty front porch, but the mail box clearly states in block letters: Pezzini.

A driveway leads back to the garage, which is open and inside are at least three motorcycles, two look completed, the third is in pieces. There are tools all over the place, as well as a large chest freezer, and shelves of boxes.

Sara was leaning against one of the tables covered in tools, staring at the bike that was in parts. She wore her peacoat over woolen pants, stocking cap with scarf, and holding a glass of something in her hand.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Cael pulls up onto the driveway with her Corvette - pulling to a stop short of the garage, and stepping out, Bear leaping out after her. He flumps down into a pile of snow and starts rolling in it - rubbing his back into it. Then he's back on his feet, bouncing at the snow and sending up small flurries that he snaps at with his jaws, prompting an amused smile from Cael.
    She makes her way towards Sara, remarking in a casual tone, "You've been holding out on Alis." She nods her head towards the disassembled bike, before underhanding a small bag of coffee beans at the woman. It's one of those single-source, hand-roasted, artisinal things. "I tried a cup of this. It was alright."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Accepting the bag of beans, Sara takes another sip of the whiskey in the glass, eyes still on the bike.

"My dad was rebuilding it," she comments quietly. "He never got to finish it."

Finally lifting her eyes she scans for Alis, only to find her bouncing around in the snow invisibly, not leaving any marks, then those tired blue eyes shift to Cael. "This is his house," she adds, still quiet, perhaps even sounding distant. "I don't come back here often, but I needed something... solid, something real."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Makes sense," Cael agrees. "I mean - we rented. I don't have anywhere like that I could return to," even if it was safe to go back to Phoenix. She moves closer to the bike, studying it with a curious gaze, before looking back towards Sara. "You planning on finishing it?" she asks. "I mean. He'd probably have liked that... yeah?"

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara's eyes drift back to the bike. There was still a lot of work to do on it, but the other two, he finished those and one looked much like a racing bike.

"I've considered it, all the parts are here," she gestures to the room in general. "Honestly I'm not that great at the construction of them though, always afraid I'll fuck it up."

Another drink is taken before she pushes off to walk over to one of the finish bikes, "He was building this one when I was born," she says as she runs her hand over the seat of the 1978 Harley Davidson Shovelhead. "I remember watching him work on it when I was still small, my mother screaming at him from the kitchen window."

She gestures toward the house, the first window visible containing a god awful pink flowered curtains, then just out of the blue she says, "I remembered that week." and takes a very large drink of the whiskey.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Let Alis double-check your work," Cael suggests simply as she follows Sara over to the bikes - but she doesn't touch any of them. For all she knows, that could be a practically sacreligious act to her friend - so instead, she shoves her hands deep into the pockets of her coat. "She won't let you ruin your dad's bike," she promises with utter confidence.
    The sudden change of topic confuses her momentarily - as she briefly thinks Sara means a week in her young life, with her parents. The realization of what she meant hits her a moment later. "Oh," she responds. "I... yeah. I mean, you've been so upset, I kind'f wondered if that might be true." Her eyes are still locked on the bike when she asks, "Pretty bad, then?"

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara gestures to the shovelhead as she says, "Go a head, try it on for size." Before walking over to the other bike.

"Worse than anything I could have imagined," she offers after a moment, a single tear rolling from the corner of her eye. "I talked to Jon about it, last night, I don't know if I'm ready to repeat it..." she glances over to Cael. "I'm terrified by what happened during that week, and of losing everyone near me if I tell them what happened, and losing my hold on reality because of it. So I checked out, took some leave and started riding... came right here, as if this is where I needed to be."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael climbs onto the bike when invited, flashing Sara a brief, but broad smile. "Pretty sweet ride. We should try taking it around the neighborhood sometime," she suggests, as she relaxes into the seat.
    She's silent for a few moments then, offering a nod of understanding as Sara says she may not be able to tell the story for a while. "That's fine. When you want to, if you want to, I'm here for you," she promises." She runs her hands over the handlebars before asking, "How did Jon react?"

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara takes a slow walk around the racing bike. "He bought this one as is," she states with a half assed laughing snort. "No idea where he got the money, I assume he saved up, or got it from his father... money wasn't something he talked about with his teenaged daughter."

She lays her hand on the handle bars. "Jon listened to the whole thing, every details, kept his head up, and gave me advice... then finished off an entire glass of whiskey when it was all over and done with." She shakes her head, another tea escaping her eye and ignored. "He said all the right things, that hit home, and made me think, and I know every word was from a friend, not a therapist... cause he can't counsel me, but he thinks I need a therapist, he's right, but I can't... yet."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "And he's still a friend," Cael concludes simply - flashing Sara a reassuring smile. "Honestly, that should be some indication, don't you think?" she asks, her hands coming off the handlebars as she crosses her arms over her chest, and regards Sara. "You have to trust that your friends know who //you// are - now. That's what we care about. Whatever shit there is, however dark things get... it's not like I have a clean conscience either. It's not just the B&E, or GTA ... I could have been charged with murder. Some might argue should have been, so..." She shrugs her shoulders. "You haven't turned from me."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
"Logically, I know this won't end any friendships," Sara states before moving back to lean against the table. "But my logical mind is on vacation and there is only this terror eating at me." Looking down into the glass at the whiskey, she lifts the glass to take a sip.

"I... know you'll stay my friend," she finally says after a moment of silence. "They got control of me in that week Cael, complete control. I was trapped in my own head, able to see, feel, smell everything that was happening but I couldn't stop it... and to make it worse," she closes her eyes again. "She had control of Witchblade... but oh no Cael, that wasn't the worst of it."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "...shit, Sara," Cael breathes quietly. There's sympathy and concern in her expression as she watches her friend, not entirely sure what else to say or do. How do you respond to something like that? "I mean... the closest to that I ever got was when Michael was in my head messing with... with how I felt. How I thought - but I wasn't even really myself, in those moments. Sounds like it was a very different experience for you."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Downing the rest of the whiskey in the glass, Sara throws the glass so hard against the wall that is shatters, anger and disgust ripping across her face. "You remember the twins, those beautiful, innocent, missing twins?" She bites out, real tears starting to fall. "She made me kill them Cael, but not quickly... no, no, no that cunt forced me to bleed them out nice and slow to fuel the ritual to create the impostor Witchblade, and it kept going, their parents, more kids, more parents... and I just... I did it, but it wasn't me, but it was and son of a bitch I just... I can't get a grasp on it."

Grabbing the bottle of whiskey she pulls the lid off and takes a huge drink. "Jon says it wasn't me, but the blood is on /my/ hands... on Witchblade's hands... and we both, we're trying to get a hold on this because... he blames himself, I blame him, I blame myself..."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Shit Sara..." Cael breathes quietly. She stares for a moment - and then she's on her feet, moving slowly and cautiously towards her friend. If Sara allows it, she pulls her into a hug, a few tears blurring her own vision. "Fucking monster," she breathes. Going after kids... fuck... "God, Sara, I'm so sorry..."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara doesn't really see Cael approaching until she's right there, and then the hug is welcomed. She clings to Cael for dear life actually, and cries, just all out bawling. It's the same thing that happened with Jon, no way to stop the sobs, to dull the pain, to end the madness in her head.

She remains there for a time, forcing the tears to stop so she can get a grasp on herself. "I... managed to break free of the spell for a split second of time," she finally breaths out. "I screamed through to reality and that's when Witchblade realized it all... not me, that they'd tricked him. He lost his shit, I mean just totally gone... he broke through the spell and got me out of there, but the whole time... I kept thinking how badly I didn't want to remember what happened, that I couldn't live with it... and I don't know how to live with it Cael, I have fucking idea how to... but he did that for me, to protect me, he took that week away out of... love."

She finally lets go of Cael, realizing she'd been all up in Cael's space for longer than she planned. "That's why he's keeping the copy, because so many people died to create it, he doesn't want those deaths to be in vain, and I agree with that... but... yeah, that's it..."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael stays right where she is, holding Sara and awkwardly trying to soothe her - though it slowly grows increasingly more uncomfortable for her. Not that she'd ever dare make any mention of that fact. "Yeah, pretty sure there's no easy answer for that," she answers Sara in a quiet voice. "But I'm here for you, whatever you need, and I'd bet anything that Jon told you the same thing. We'll figure this shit out together, Sara."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara knows that Cael isn't comfortable with the touchy-feely stuff, that just being there would eventually get to her. It's one of the reasons she'd told Jon first, because then Cael didn't have to deal with that initial wave of emotions... also known as losing her shit and crying for ten minutes unable to talk. This time the tears were there, but she could talk through them, she was sobbing, so Cael didn't have to get in too deep. So there was that comfort at least, in Sara's mind, that she hadn't made Cael lose it.

"Here's the final thing," she says, wiping her eyes on the sleeve of her shirt. "I asked Jon this, so I'm going to ask you... I killed those people, and the family that didn't get killed deserve some kind of justice for that. Do I turn myself, or do we get Ava von Strucker and make her pay, and this give them justice?"

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Sara... If someone puts a gun to someone's head and makes them commit a crime, or puts a bomb vest on them... they didn't commit any crime. They didn't have any choice or control. Neither did you, in a very real sense. Charging you for these crimes would be wrong. So we find this von Strucker and make her pay for what she did," she says in cold determination. "And I think if you asked Carter she'd tell you the same fucking thing."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
A small smile appears on Sara's face, and she almost laughs.

"Well, that's two for two who say that," she comments, then straightening up goes to start cleaning up the glass. "Jon said something similar, though in this case when it comes to justice... well, Jon said he's supposed to judge immortals and thinks it best to let Ghost Rider judge von Strucker. I already know he did."

Picking up the pieces of glass, she drops them in a bucket that has a few other pieces of trash in it already. "Everything that the impostor knew, I know. When he linked the two Witchblades, he linked us as well. So I was there when she popped into the room screaming about the rescuers at the doors, and Ghost Rider being one of them and judging her, and then she popped out again." Glancing over to Cael she smirks, "Who ever she is, and whatever the Thule Society really is, she's powerful."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Yeah, well, neither Jon nor I are //complete// assholes," Cael remarks in a dry voice. "That's why." She watches Sara cleaning up the glass, her eyes narrowing at the mention of the woman at the entrance to the cave. "Oh. //That// was her, huh?" Cael asks in a quiet, dark voice. "Well. ...do we do this official-like, or we going off the books?"

Sara Pezzini has posed:
The last of the glass picked up, Sara grabs a small broom and starts sweeping around the area the glass was, just to make certain she gets it all. She seems to be running on auto-pilot in this regard, as if hearing her father reminding her to always clean up after herself.

"That's the question isn't it?" She asks, collecting a dustpan as well. "On the books with SHIELD, I can see them accepting attempting to 'arrest' her, but I can tell you that won't work. She has self preservation spells that can teleport her away, even if she does unconscious. So how to you arrest and lock up someone who can just leave?"

Sweeping up the small pile she made, it goes into the bucket as well. "The other thing, Ghost Rider's judgement is death, it's always death, there is no mercy..." she pauses there. "And I want her dead. Witchblade wants her dead. So... when I do get my head together, should I talk to Carter about it, or do we just do it?"

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael frowns and remains silent, giving the question serious consideration, and clearly not coming to any conclussion that satisfies her. "I don't know Carter well enough to know how she'd react. If we do it on our own, it's an illegal act, but we have no guarantee she'd agree to a death sentence without due process." Cael lets out a heavy sigh as she considers their options. "Maybe someone we trust who knows Carter better can give some insight. Not Cap, I don't think he'd ever agree to just... taking someone out like this. Or maybe we tell Carter, have a couple failed runs at this bitch, and Carter finally comes around to seeing what necessary? But who knows what harm is done in the meantime..."
    She shakes her head, a frustrated look on her features. "I don't know, Sara. I don't know - but I'm willing to follow your lead on this."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
The broom and dustpan go back on their hooks and Sara carries the bucket to the larger garbage can just outside the garage to dump. She can hear Cael the whole time, never goes out of ear shot, but the need to clean that up was clearly deep.

"That was my concern as well," she finally says, leaning against the table counter again. "That Carter would feel obligated to try the arrests first. I don't know her all that well, and I don't know anyone who does know her. The concept of law, and I cay concept because there are some who should be held accountable to our laws, but can't be, makes it all frustrating and confusing."

The whiskey remains untouched now, instead she opens a small jar and dumps it out on the table to get a key that was mingled in there with hundreds of different sized screws. "The Chitori were murdered out right for their attack on New York, and then the Shi'ar got the same reaction. Is that because our laws don't apply to them, or because they were a serious threat that needed to be neutralized without worrying about law? Did we play judge, jury and executioner on them? How is von Strucker different? Yes, these are the things I think about, because I /am/ a cop. The angels fall into that same category, the same problem over all. Where is the line between who or what our laws apply to, and who they don't?"

Turning now to look at Cael, she offers her the key. "The seventy-eight Shovelhead key, it's yours now."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "War is different. Those were invasions - you know that's different," Cael points out simply. "This is more like... assassinating the leader of a terrorist cell which, well, gets even more complicated depending on her citizenship - and if she's on American soil or not. I don't know if we could get something like that approved if she's American, or if we have to go after her on American soil. But maybe Carter's more practical than that?" She's still frowning over that thoughtfully when Sara hands over the key, and she spends a moment staring at it in shock.
    "I- what? But- it's your dad's," she protests quietly, as she takes the key, and turns it over in her hands uncertainly. "I can't accept something like this..."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara grins far more broadly then she had been, the reaction was perfect. "I can give it to whomever I want," she states with that grin on her face. "And I want you to have it. I still have the racer and the one to put together. Besides, if you have it, it's not like I can't borrow it."

Now she starts gathering up the screws. She really had no idea why her father kept the key like that, but he did and seemed to get a kick out of it. "Right now, I'm just getting opinions, so far you and Jon, but I know me well enough to know that I likely will talk to Carter about it. I'm not using Witchblade for a while," she finally drops that bomb shell, though the 'a while' part might not entirely be the truth. She honestly had no intentions of using him again, at least that was here thinking at this time. "So, I'm just another Agent of SHIELD."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "...alright," Cael agrees quietly, though if that was in regards to the key in her hand, which she stares at, or her decision about the Witchblade was a little unclear. After finally closing her hands around the key, she looks back up towards Sara. "You're really okay with this cave thing?" she asks uneasily. "The amulet? I just... I need to be able to do more during this fight, and then I can put it back. It's not something I need or want long term."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
With the screws back in their jar, Sara turns back to Cael and lays her hand lightly on her friend's shoulder.

"I'll hold you to that 'not in the long term' part, but yes... I'm alright with it. I have my worries, but they're /my/ worries, not yours... and they come from having had to deal with Witchblade. This isn't the same as him, but yes, I worry. That just means I'll be keeping a close eye on you, and that you're going to have to talk to me more."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Good. I //want// you to hold me to it. I don't want to be... not me," Cael admits in a wry tone, the smile she gives her friend filled with gratitude. Letting out a sigh she adds, "I mean - com'on, I have worries too, and they're probably very similar to yours. I just- I think it's worth it, for this. For the sake of reality..." and for Jon. "I mean, there isn't a more important fight than this."
    Her smile turns into a wry smirk as she adds, "Goodluck getting me to talk more. But... sure. I suppose I'll try."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara takes her hand back, and another smile plays across her face. "If I started macking on you, would you talk more to me?" She says in a joking tone, clearly indicating that Cael shared more with Jon because they're a couple now.

"The truth is Cael, it will be difficult for me to keep an eye on you and ensure you stay you, given we hardly see each other any more," she says after, rubbing her hands together. It was getting cold in the garage now, might be time to go in the house. "That's my concern, and why I said that."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Ugh, no, I'd just have you committed," Cael answers with a roll of her eyes. "Honestly, should probably have Jon committed too, but I'll wait until the world //isn't// ending."
    "Jon'll help keep an eye on me too, of course. And maybe Martin too, I guess. Now that we're... friends." Accepting that someone new was a friend is still awkward for it. "It'll work out. It'll be alright."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Walking to the back of the garage, she closes the door that leads out to the backyard and locks it, then she heads back toward the main large sliding door.

"Cael, don't feel you have to stay living with me," she finally says, making sure to pull the door down and secure it in place. That left the way out as the other standard door. "If a time comes up, and you want to move, do it. I realize that probably isn't on your mind yet, but it likely will be in time, so I just wanted it out there that you won't hear me complaining or trying to stop you. I'll miss you, but I already do, so no big deal."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael follows Sara with her eyes, her eyebrows going up as the woman talks - and an amused smirk growing across her features. "Sara - he has a //family,//" Cael points out. "A husband... and a daughter," though she's fairly certain that's news to Sara. "We rescued her yesterday. That's- well, it was a whole thing. She's thirteen. I don't think I'll be moving into the middle of their //family// anytime soon - if ever."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara gestures for Cael to follow her through the door, turning off the light and locking it behind them. Of course Cael went for the obvious, it's how she thought. "Sure, they have a family that I'm pretty sure, you'll become a part of in time," she states, then looks back to Cael. "That's how it works you know. You fall in love, you get close to someone, you become family. You might not live with Jon, that's true, you might keep that from happening just being who you are... but you might want to live closer, because you /are/ going to be a part of their life, including... wait, a daughter?"

She stops there and looks at Cael, "I thought... didn't she die?"

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Lyra died," Cael confirms. "She was Martin's daughter, and they were raising her together. This is Jon's daughter," she explains. "Her name's Agnes. Jon didn't know - didn't know she was his, didn't know that... this asshole, Elias, had her. ...we got her back, and she's living at the Triskelion to keep her safe. Alis introduced her to s'mores last night. //Kid hasn't had s'mores,//" she says in a disgusted voice. "What an asshole.
    "And I'm taking her out to get her hair dyed," she adds with a mischievous grin, as she follows Sara, slipping the key into her pocket.

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Entering the house through the back door, they end up in the kitchen. The room looks like it was spit out of a 1980s Homes and Garden magazine, just aged more than they would take pictures of. The table and chairs have all been covered in white plastic, like most people do when something isn't in use. In fact, looking through the archway to the dining room and from there to the living room, all the furniture is covered. The house is warm however, so at least the heating works.

"Sounds like the kid has had a horrible life," she comments quietly, going to put coffee on. "She's where she belongs now, with two men who will love her, and with you, who will also love her in your own way."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "A pretty shitty life, yeah," Cael agrees - leaning back against the counter. "She seemed shocked at the idea she'd be able to dye her hair. Kid's been so deprieved - I say let her have all the control we can. You know, while keeping her safe."
    At the notion that Cael would //love// the girl, though, she looks simply flabbergasted. "I'm not- I mean... She's... I don't know how good I'll be with a kid that //young//."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Two mugs come out of the cabinet and gets a quick wash while the coffee brews, then from the fridge Sara grabs the cream and another cabinet holds the sugar in packets. Clearly she stopped at a store, as there is nothing else in the house food wise, literally nothing.

"Of course you don't know how you'll be," she laughs. "You haven't been around kids that age. How old is she?" Everything is set out and made ready, now the coffee needs to finish.

"You won't know until you're around her some, and it's all about trial and error, just don't give up on yourself, or her." She pauses there to look at Cael. "There was something else I wanted to talk to you about, if you're up for it."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Thirteen, I think," Cael remarks. "She's... I dunno. I mean, I've only had the one conversation with her, really. ...she loved the s'mores. We got them //everywhere.//" She continues to lean back against the counter, arms over her chest, waiting for the coffee to brew. She draws her eyebrows together before remarking, "I mean - sure. Shoot. What's up?"

Sara Pezzini has posed:
"I think I may have lost my job with the police department," Sara comments almost too calmly, given how the thought of it all in the past made her lose her shit. "With the angel stuff, I haven't been to work, I also haven't checked in or contacted my captain. There was this transition in the process, from my old position to a new one, but it never fully happened... and now it's pretty common knowledge I'm part of SHIELD, and with the Avengers."

She turns to pour the coffee into the two mugs, sliding one to Cael as she puts the cream and sugar in her own. "There's nothing official about it yet obviously, they're just as insanely busy with this angel shit as we are, but I think..." she pauses, looking back. "... I think I need to change careers at this point. I can't balance being the law with the fact that well, I have to break some of them. I'm just curious what you think on it."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael presses her lips together at this news, her expression growing thoughtful - and she doesn't respond immediately as ponders over this news. Sara's been involved with //defending reality//. Could you really fire someone over all this...?
    "Look, Sara, I want you to be happy. If you think it's time to step away from the force, then you should. I mean, I left it when I left the NYPD, and my only real involvement with the FBI these days is my work with the Avengers. Our lives are... weird, and we're doing good, important work - and that's what matters. You know?"

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Instead of using a spoon to stir her coffee, Sara uses one of those little plastic swizzle stir sticks that she'll recycle, because the silver ware are all still packed up.

"Right now," she states. "I'm stepping away from everything, including my life... I've got so much fucked up stuff in my head I just can't deal. I've taken a leave from SHIELD even," she takes a sip of the coffee, making sure Cael has her own little swizzle stick to stir with. "But I think over all my work with SHIELD and the Avengers trumps everything else, and it's still about justice, about fighting the good fight. I was curious of your thoughts on it, that's all. I can't think straight, it's just stuff running through my head along with everything else."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Since Cael doesn't add anything to her coffee - she simply shakes her head at the offered stir stick, and picks up the mug to takes a sip. "Sara, with what you just told me... you //need// to step back. Take a break, and get your head sorted out. I mean... I'd be doing the same, if I didn't feel such a strong and over-riding urge to smack Michael in his smug face with a chair," she says in a flat voice. "But I think this decision needs to be your decision, not mine. Whichever way you turn - I'm sure you'll keep doing what you can to protect people, and keep private citizens safe - and that's all that either of us really care about, yeah?"

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Both of Sara's brow lift and a smirk lands on her face. Cael just admitted she should still be taking time off and was letting the drive against Michael keep her from it. Sara never thought Cael would admit that, yet there it was.

"I'm not making any decisions right now," she admits. "I was just asking for opinion, and you gave it. I know it's my choice, in the end I have to live with what I decide."

Walking over to the door she opens it to let Alis and Bear in the house, then immediately goes to wash a large bowl and fill it was water for the dog. "You should still be taking a break," she finally says as she puts the water down on the floor for Bear. "But I get why you want to be involved, I'd love to be involved as well, but I can't. I have to stop for now, and just... not. Not be anything, just Sara."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I mean... Jon's neck deep in it - possibly a bit deeper. And there is no more important fight. And I fucking hate Michael," Cael delivers matter-of-factly. "But after all of this is done then - yeah. I'm taking a break." After delivering this news, she stoops to scritch at Bear, grinning at him as she adds, "And this guy helps keep me sane. Yeah? Who's a good boy?" The pup wags his tail happily, always delighted to receive praise.
    "I suggested Jon take a family vacation when all of this is done - with Martin and Agnes. ...he insists I'm going along as well," she admits. "He says family is what we make it," she adds in a softer voice, her gaze still locked on the dog as she scratches at his ears.

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara smiles, watching Bear and Cael together always makes her smile.

"Family is who you make it," she states with a smirk now, but her tone is soft and sincere. "I've said that to you a few times as well. You should go with them, Cael. I told you, he's planning for you to be a part of his life and his family, so do it. Go with them, be happy, have a family and amongst that happiness, we save the world, protect people, and do what we're best at."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "We'll see how things turn out but- knowing Jon... he's going to insist," Cael remarks in a wry tone. "So. Yeah. I suspect I'm going on this vacation with him, and hopefully it's not, uhh... the most awkward thing ever." It shouldn't be, right? "I mean, so far Martin and I get along fine. And Agnes didn't seem to mind me being around last night? She's excited about the idea of dying her hair, at least."
    Cael straightens, looking down at her hands, cupped around her mug before she adds, "I'm going to get one of my hands tattooed, by the way. Probably both but- one at a time. No need to have them both, you know, in recovery at the same time. That'd be pretty stupid, especially now."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Leaning back against the counter, Sara sips at her coffee. She should probably uncover the chairs, but something inside her won't let her do that yet. She remembers covering them after her father died. Her father's best friend and former partner, Joe Siry, and his wife had some over to help her. Siry had been like a second father to her, always there and for a while, before his retirement, he had served as her Captain.

"I think that's a great idea," she comments after pulling herself out of her thoughts. "Do your primary hand first, if you're waiting until after all this angel stuff, other wise do your off hand so your primary is always ready. You can always do the other hand while on vacation."

Reaching with her left hand to the space across her right elbow, on the inside, she rubs it a little, then pulls up her sleeve to show Cael the tattoo that Phoebe had done on her arm. "Not as painful as some people make it out to be."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Oh, I had a tattoo before. I had it removed," Cael remarks in a wry smile. "...gang stuff," she admits sheepishly. "And yeah, I'm planning on doing my left hand - in the near future. It really... things feel better with the drawings on my hands, so... getting at least one of them done just seems like... a good idea."
    She studies the tattoos for a moment before remarking, "That's for what Phoebe was doing, yeah? I'm worried about her. Apparently she hasn't slept since... making herself a battery for angel juice. It's- she reminds me too much of my mom on one of her binges. She's gonna burn herself out - get herself killed. And if that's all that happens as a result, we'll have been lucky."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Covering her arm back up as she nods, Sara sighs. "She honestly hadn't intended to actually use me and Witchblade at all," she comments. "So she had intended to take it all, and that would have been way, way worse. She doesn't seem to listen to many people, even regarding her own well being. She just goes, goes, goes and doesn't think about how her being hurt or having troubles actually effects the people who care about her. I don't know her all that well, but she doesn't seem to have a really level head on her shoulders when it comes to herself, and that's what concerns me about her being a leader of the JLD."

She takes another sip of her coffee, then fishes into her coat pocket for one of the large dog biscuits she carries, and it's offered to Bear. "I don't know all the details, but I know she's had a bad life. I think I might be one of the only people around who had a normal childhood... I just worry about her, and that right now there doesn't seem to be anyone keeping a really close eye on her."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I talked to her - told her to lay off it, and get some fucking sleep. She blew me off." Cael frowns as she adds, "Jon seemed to blow it off, too. I know he has a lot on his mind but- hell. Why the fuck is she going to listen to me, if he doesn't back me up on it?" she asks, running a hand through her hair, and revealing the bright rainbow hues beneath it.
    "So. Yeah. She'll burn herself out, and get killed, because no one she respects is telling her to stop. It's fucked up. She's still a kid." She lets out a heavy sigh and adds, "We talked some about our pasts - didn't go into details. But enough to know we've both been through hell."
    Despite the grim topic, s he can't help but smile as Bear eagerly devours the treat from Sara - t hen looks up hopefully for more.

Sara Pezzini has posed:
"Can't compare one hell to another, but at least you can commiserate over it," Sara comments, watching Bear with a grin. Yep, she has another one, and it's taken from the pocket and offered to the pup.

"I'm sure she has no respect for me either, I'm just another adult member of the JLD, and since she was made a leader, why should she listen to you or me? Clearly she knows what she's doing, right?"

Sara snorts at that, the amount of sarcasm used was impressively thick. "So yes, she'll burn herself out and get killed, we'll attend her funeral and move on." Another pause, this time to get the bitterness out of her tone. "I'm going to be staying here for a while. I've been meaning to go through his things, donate what I can, so I figured I might as well do that while I'm trying to... recover."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "....that seems like some heavy shit to deal with while... while you're still processing everything else," Cael remarks with an uncertain frown. She takes a sip of her coffee as she mulls over this news in her head. "You're going to be staying here alone? Or, umm...is Wade, or Johnny going to keep you company?" she asks. "I mean- do you... //want// to be alone? Is that the whole deal?" She watches Sara carefully, both hands cupped around the coffee, while Bear devours the second treat.

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara finally walks over to one of the chairs and pulls the cover off, just looking at the oak chair she'd sat in a thousand times.

"I haven't told Wade I'm not at the Triskelion yet," she admits quietly. "Or Johnny for that matter. I think I need time alone. When other people are around, I try to act like I'm fine when I know I'm not fine, and I don't want people sitting around wondering what they can do, or say, to make it better or at the very least, not make it worse."

Running her hand over the back of the chair. "Yeah, I'm worrying about other people as well as myself, another reason I thought about just staying here alone. I'm not saying people can't come by and visit, I just... I need to sort this shit out and I can't do that worrying about everything and everyone else, and you know me. I will worry."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Okay," Cael agrees. She's silent for a bit, staring at her coffee. She takes a sip, then shifts her attention to Bear, who is currently flumped on the floor at Sara's feet. Was it because she'd given him treats? Or was he trying to Do His Job?
    "...do you need to borrow Bear?" she asks a bit uncertainly. "Or... I dunno. You've been through hell, Sara. How //do// I help you with that? Do you need a dog? A cat? ...a hamster? Or just a fuck off punching bag you can use to work out your aggression on? You've been helping me through my shit, so..."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara bends down to give Bear a thorough scritching before she walks back over and picks up her coffee.

"Bear is a great dog, and a big help, but he's /your/ dog," she says with a smile. "I intend to use the punching bag in the basement quite regularly, dad put it in when I started high school, which is about the time I took up boxing."

She looks over at Cael, her smile softening, "Just be you Cael. Send me a text with how your doing, I'll do the same to let you know how I'm doing. If it gets really bad, I'll tell you and you can bring Bear by. I know this isn't your wheelhouse, and honestly I don't know what I need except time. You're always welcome here, even if you just want to drop by for no reason other than you want to. You can tell Jon I'm here, I'll be telling Wade and Johnny when I'm ready for them to know."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Okay," Cael agrees a bit uncertainly. "...if I stopped by daily with tacos or something would that be too much?" she asks with a wry smile. "Or, hell, I can send Alis over with random shit from the cafeteria. I don't think she'd mind having a way to help out, on account of nine days out of ten she doesn't, you know, absolutely hate you." She quirks a grin at Sara, perhaps hoping for a smile in return.
    Even if it was a weak attempt at humor.

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara chuckles, eyes finally showing a little light in them as she smiles, then plays right along into that joke, "Just make sure to send her on the day she's hating me the most, love to see how she could decorate this place with tacos."

Taking a large drink of coffee, she steps closer to Cael, not in her bubble just a bit closer, "You can come by every day if you want, send Alis if you want... both are acceptable. I honestly don't think I'll remember to eat, in fact I know I won't. I haven't eaten today yet, and it's already afternoon... so sending Alis or coming by might not be a bad idea."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Okay," Cael agrees, giving Sara a nod, and a smile that's only a little tense an awkward. "I'll make the time. And on those days where I absolutely can't... I'll sent Alis for sure. And, you know, I'll drop Bear off during those times when I need someone to keep an eye on him. Just to make sure he doesn't get lonely. He's just so needy."
    Bear lifts his head as Cael says his name, regarding her with cocked ears, then flumps back down onto the floor with a heavy, doggy sigh.

Sara Pezzini has posed:
Sara nods, looking back over at Bear. "He'll have the whole back yard to run around in too, it's all fenced in," she comments, watching him flump back down. "Such a hard life being the dog, eh Bear?"

She chuckles a little at that, then looks back to Cael. "Thank you. For being you, for offering to help me. Don't push yourself too hard, Alis will likely report every detail to you when she checks in, and you know she's going to check in even if you don't send her. When all this shit is over, when there is a moment of peace in our minds and the world, we can talk about the possibility of moving to this house, or you can help me find a family to buy it and start their lives here."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Bear cocks his ear back towards Sara - his tail thwapping once on the floor as he continues to relax with his pack - his family. Even if they were in a weird, new place - he was used to going to weird, new places.
    "Pft. No one in their right mind thanks me for being me," Cael says with dry amusement. "But... yeah. We'll get through this, and we'll see what life looks like on the other hand. And if you need someone to talk to, you need some help... You really need a teenage ghost to shoplift you another bottle of whiskey because there's no way her fake ID will pass muster..." There's an amused quirk to her lips as she says that, "You let me know.
    "We can always have her slip the payment for the whiskey somewhere, anyways."

Sara Pezzini has posed:
There is a moment there that Sara just stares at Cael, but for what reason isn't obvious, and then she starts laughing.

"Teenaged shoplifting ghosts," she manages to laugh out. "Oh gods, that's almost tempting to see happen... have her slide an envelope with a note reading 'two bottles of Jack Daniels are missing, here's the money' and put the cash in there with it."

She finally steps over and gives Cael a light pat on the shoulder, it's what she uses instead of hugs because she knows Cael doesn't like hugs... but in that moment, she needed physical contact. "I'm grateful for you just the way you are Cael, so suck it up and accept it. You should probably get back to your life, I know you had something going on tonight, and I think I'm going to go lay in my dad's bed and... think, maybe sleep."

Cael Becker has posed:
    As Sara puts her hand on Cael's shoulder, Cael leans into her instead, wrapping just one arm around her friend, and leaving it there for about a count of ten before she steps away.
    "I mean, it wouldn't be the first time Alis shoplifted a few bottles of Jack. It'd just be easier than it used to be," she says in a bright tone.
    She glances down at Bear, considering for a moment leaving the dog there - but she can already feel some of her anxiety starting to rise at just the thought of what she did, indeed, have planned for the evening. Something Bear seems to sense as well as he lifts his head again.
    "Okay. Yeah. I guess I better go. I'll, uhh... leave my bike here, I guess, and pick it up another time." She's silent a moment before asking, "You're really sure about that?"

Sara Pezzini has posed:
The hug is accepted, one of Sara's arms circling Cael for that count of ten before she steps back.

"You can leave it here as long as you want," she says with a smile. "I'll get you a key to the garage so you can get it when you want, and store it here if you want. And yes, I'm sure about it."

Picking her coffee up, she adds a little more from the pot. Regarding Alis shoplifting in the past, she lets that go but a grin plays at the corners of her mouth over it. "I'll also get you a key to the house, because it's perfect for crashing at when you want to just not exist anywhere else."

Turning back to Cael, "Drive safe out there, supposed to snow again."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "'ppreciate that," Cael agrees, giving Sara a brief smile as she offers the keys. She drains the rest of her coffee, then rinses out her cup in the sink, before calling to her dog. "Com'on Bear," she says simply - and the pup is on his feet, tongue lolling out cheerfully as he prepared to follow his owner out the door.
    "If you need anything... just send me a text, yeah? I don't think this thing tonight'll take long, but if I don't answer for a bit - well. That's why." She gives Sara a nod, before she and Bear make their way back out, and into the car - pulling out of the driveway and heading up the street.
    Once she's just a block or two away, though, she parks the car - resting her head on the steering wheel as silent tears start to fall, and Bear tries to nuzzle his way into her lap.
    Shit. //Shit//. Those little //twins//? Poor Sara... and that sick fucking bitch... she just needs to die.
    Shit.