(no subject)

[52_dropoff]

What are you going to do with the rest of your life?

It's a rhetorical question for some. A very important one for others. And for a good long while a meaningless one for Charlie. But now that he's alive again, it's one he's asking. And not really getting great answers for.

Therefore, it's time to meditate. In the rafters. Where meditation seems to work best.

Oh, and he's wearing his mask, because he feels like his other face might be the one that comes up with the answers instead of the question this once.

Comments

[realmrsreynolds]

Sallie comes out of her apartment to the bar, fully intent on doing some paperwork - for Shadow, for once.

On a whim, there is a root beer float that gets ordered.

[52_dropoff]

He could watch Sallie for a while and not let her know he's there. But somehow that seems strangely unappealing for once.

"Hello down there."

[realmrsreynolds]

"Oh!" Sallie looks up at the voice, hand going to her chest. "Charlie! Gorramit." It doesn't have a lot of bite. Never really does, with Charlie.

"Sorry. You just surprised me."

[52_dropoff]

"Didn't mean to. But I guess you weren't looking up much, were you?

"Give me a moment to come down. Meditation wasn't working anyway." Charlie drifts back into shadow, and soon leaps down onto a table six feet away.

[realmrsreynolds]

"What's got your head in a spin?" Sallie asks. "Unless you're meditating just 'cause. I know that's a thing."

[52_dropoff]

"It often is. Not today. Today, I'm just trying to clear my head. Trying to figure out What's Next." The capital letters come out loud and clear.

[realmrsreynolds]

"Of course."

And Sallie's been so - occupied, lately.

"I'm sorry -- I haven't been checking up on you like I should be."

[52_dropoff]

"It's fine. You must have been busy with everything here. And I don't expect you to solve my problems.

"But thanks." He presses the button on his belt to release that puff of gas to loosen his mask.

[realmrsreynolds]

Sallie grumbles a little. It's not about solving them.

Everyone is so damn stubborn.

"Can I get you anythin' then?"

[52_dropoff]

"Herbal tea and a grapefruit." He takes a seat. "How are things for you? Any developments with your powers?"

[realmrsreynolds]

"I am learning how to pick and choose my time to learn things from folk. But it is still very difficult. It doesn't take me by surprise anymore, however.

"I took a lesson from another telepath here, and Mike and Splinter are awful helpful."

[52_dropoff]

"I hope I'm not transmitting anything unpleasant. I could try to do a mental block or something." It will have to be "or something," as Charlie's training in dealing with telepathy is non-existent. "Who's Splinter?"

[realmrsreynolds]

"Splinter is Mike's ba. Also a rat, 'bout four feet tall."

The first part is more important.

"He's a good friend."

[baptizemyself]

Maybe from up there he sees Helena, sipping a coffee at the bar, staring mutinously at the door.

[52_dropoff]

"Huntress...up here." He'll be nice to her today and leave her real name of out things.

[baptizemyself]

Her eyes dart to the ceiling, looking for the source of that voice.

"Vic..." she says in a small voice. Her eyes are filled with the guilt of betrayal and she looks away quickly. Her time spent with him - and how it ended - is too fresh for her to be able to look at him for more than a few seconds.

[52_dropoff]

Ah. He gets it immediately.

He's been waiting for her to reach that time in her life. And not looking forward to it.

"No one calls me Vic anymore." Pause. "I might miss it.

"Should I come down?"

[baptizemyself]

She shrugs.

"If you want to."

[52_dropoff]

It makes talking - or not talking, as the case might be - easier.

He leaps down on a table a few feet away.

He keeps his mask on.

"Hey."

[baptizemyself]

"Hi."

She's still not really looking at him.

[52_dropoff]

"Rough few weeks for you, right?" He stays on his feet, not sure she really wants him around.

[baptizemyself]

"You could say that, yeah."

[52_dropoff]

"And I was part of it. And probably didn't make it a lot better." There isn't much he'd do differently. But he's sure that his experience with Renee taught him a few things he would have used when dealing with Helena.

[baptizemyself]

"Didn't make it better? Vic... Charlie..."

God, what the hell does she call him now?

"Without you I wouldn't have made it out in as few pieces as I did..."

[52_dropoff]

He takes a few moments to absorb that. Funny how he sees her as being broken at this point in her life, and she sees herself as being better than before, and both are right.

"Thanks. But...well, let's say I learn a few things both I die. They're humbling."