haveyouseenalittlegirl | Search Nine: Locked to Heather

_{[It's been a little while since Douglas's arrival, and although Heather had returned to the hotel room that night beaming, it hadn't taken long to pick up on the poor vibe in the place. Nor had it taken long for her to remember her father's feelings on the subject of the detective...]

[So she'd sort of stayed silent outside of the initial 'HEY SO ANOTHER ONE ARRIVED...']

[Until now, anyway.]

[The talk had to happen sooner or later...]

[She looks up from where she'd been sitting on her bed, tapping around on her 'Gear playing one of the little downloadable games you could get on there.]}

... Oh, uh... okay.

Just... let me save.

_{[Stalling tactics~!]}

[He's sitting at the table ...waiting for her.]

Cheryl.

_{[... Urk.]

[Okay.]

[Hunching her shoulders in that sort of 'I'm coming, I'm coming' way, she hastily closes out of the game and sets the 'Gear aside (where it's sneakily snatched up by a blue, amphibious flipper-- Butch the Quagsire likes sneaking off with that thing) and gets up, slowly heading over to the table with a bit of a grimace on her face.]}

[Waits for her to sit down. It's like old times isn't it. You almost expect him to ask where you were the night before.]

Edited 2011-11-17 23:05 (UTC)

_{[Yeah... THIS sure brings back memories...]

[The one comfort she has is that at least this time, she knows it's a lot more complicated than just her being in trouble for coming home at four in the morning smelling like alcohol cigarette butts.]

[... Unfortunately, that's not really much of a comfort.]

[She lowers herself into the seat with a resigned sigh.]}

[No. Not really.]

I'm sure you know what this is about.

_{[She nods, rubbing the back of her neck. Nervous tic ahoy.]}

Yeah, I...

... Are you still mad?

Mad?.....

[A pause.]

A little, yes. Considering everything that happened? Yes. I think I have the right to be.

You said he helped you and I am glad that you weren't alone. I am.

But the fact of the matter remains that if he hadn't told the Order, none of this would have happened in the first place.

_{[That's the thing... as much as Heather's let go of her hard feelings for Douglas, she doesn't.... she CAN'T expect her father to. Her father is DEAD because of Douglas... it's one thing for her to understand and forgive, but she knows that if SHE had died due to someone's well-meaning ignorance, she sure as hell wouldn't be able to forgive.]

[Which is why she can't be mad at her father for feeling this way.]}

I... I know you do.

And I know he did.

I've told him... I've been angry at him, I've yelled, I've.... I even broke some of his STUFF once.

But...

He was my only friend after that. In-- ... literally my only friend in the entire world. He stuck with me after, and...

I know Cheryl.

I'm not telling you how you should feel about him. .....And I'm not telling you not to talk to him.

I know he was tricked, but I can't trust him. And I don't like him.

[Harry after all only knows him as the man who ruined their lives. And while he does respect his daughters opinions of a person. He's a father. And when it comes to his daughters protection, sometimes you have to be unreasonable.]

I talked to him. I've told him if he's ever responsible for anything that hurts you ever again, then he'll have to deal with me this time.

_{[As he speaks, she mumbles a feeble stream of 'I know's and 'I know you don't's, looking down at the table.]

[But at that last bit, she looks back up at him, a little dismayed.]}

I-- Dad, that's not fair!

He wouldn't-- he wouldn't do anything like that! He helped me a LOT with... EVERYTHING after-- ... he wouldn't do anything to hurt me!

[Stern dad look time.]

No it's not fair. I never said I would be fair. I'd like to be. But when things involving your safety are involved. Things change.

And some things need to be said.

Do I trust him? No.
Do I trust you? Yes.

Which is why I believe you when you say he wouldn't do anything to hurt you. However I'm just making it very clear where I stand.

_{[At first she sort of just looks at him, her mouth hanging open a little bit. She doesn't say anything for a few seconds.]

[He's always looked out for her-- in ways she never appreciated while he was alive. NOW she did... more than anything else in her entire life. But... things had changed. She'd taken on the world by herself-- MORE than the world. Two years had passed.]

[She's stronger now. She survived! All on her own.]}

... Dad, I-- ... you can't protect me from my friends!

ESPECIALLY since they-- ... HE wouldn't...!

[Folds his arms and looks at her.]

_{[When was the last time she argued with her father like this? Before he died.]

[It HAD to happen sooner or later-- nobody got along all the time, even if they were a family separated by death and then reunited. But...]}

I know he fucked up and I know he hurt us! I'm not asking you to like him, but... just... why won't you give him a chance?

He wound up being there for me when no one else in the world was!

Because he's the reason you didn't have anyone else in the world!

_{[Now she's feeling defensive. She'll feel terrible for it later-- hell, she feels bad for it NOW. But for some reason, hearing him say that... after everything they've both been through...]

[It feels like an accusation.]

[Even if he says that he trusts her...]

[And Heather's never taken accusations very well. Her voice rises in volume and pitch as she pounds a fist on the table.]}

BULLSHIT, Dad! That's bullshit! That's NOT fair!

No it's not.

[Just looks at her calmly.]

But you know that everything isn't always fair.

[He sighs and rubs his forehead.]

....I don't want to fight over this Cheryl.

_{[It's really too bad that Heather's default volume when she's really upset is 'yell'. She gestures emphatically.]}

Neither do I!

But you can't-- why would you say that?! What're you trying to do, make me feel guilty for... for being his FRIEND?! Like-- what was I supposed to do? Just tell him 'Fuck you, stay away from me' and just-- been all by myself?

He was the only reason I was even-- ... I wouldn'tve even made it through high school if he hadn't been there.

Can't you understand?

[Harry tries not to wince at that.]

...No...I'm not saying that at all.

I don't want you to feel guilty either.

_{[Sob she doesn't like saying this stuff either, Harry. :(]

[There's a flatness in her tone.]}

Well, you ARE.

Fine, so I'm friends with the only reason that I HAD no friends. That's not making me feel like crap or anything.

I mean, gee whiz, he was only the one guy left who actually cared enough to tell me to stay in school, talk to the principal and even the police on my behalf, or to my last few track meets...

_{[She realizes even as she says this that this sounds like just as much of an accusation towards Harry as she felt the 'He's the REASON you didn't have anybody else in the world!' had been towards her. She doesn't WANT it to be, but... she doesn't know how else to say this.]

[It's perhaps for this reason, though, that her voice self-consciously lowers from 'angry' to just plain old 'upset'. There's that familiar croopy sound to her voice when she speaks next.]}

I mean, what was I supposed to do after that? Just stay alone?

Push away the only person who still cared about me?

I did that enough while you were alive, Dad. I didn't wanna make the same mistakes again. I didn't wanna be a stupid ungrateful asshole anymore.

_{[Even if what Douglas had accidentally brought down on them (and the world) sort of balanced out any reasons Heather could have for feeling grateful to him, it was still...]}

Edited 2011-11-18 21:54 (UTC)

[Harry just remains quiet, he's not angry.....just sad.]

No. I'm glad you had someone there for you. And I am happy you had a friend.

....You didn't do anything wrong. I don't want you to ever think that's how I feel about it.

But that ....isn't going to change the way I feel about him. I'm sorry.

I'm not asking you to change the way you feel about him... hell, part of me feels like I should feel exactly like you do.

I just don't wanna feel like crap because I forgave him for what happened.

And I'm pretty heavy with the crap-feeling right now.

_{[... Even if he didn't WANT her to, it's just... how can you NOT when you're friends with someone who caused your father to be a murder victim, and the victim himself hasn't forgiven them for what happened? It didn't seem fair or right. And it's making her feel guilty as hell even if she IS standing by her convictions.]}

.....I'm sorry. That isn't what I wanted.

[That's the last thing he wants really. But he understands why she might feel that way.]

I'm not trying to tell you not to forgive him. But I'm just saying...

[Rubs the back of his head.]

Sweetie, everything you're telling me he does for you...that's what I used to do.

I'm glad you're not alone back home. I want you to know that. I'm glad you have someone to rely on.

But it's just another reminder to me that I can't be there for you anymore.

....I'm sorry.

_{[She knew that was how it was gonna sound... but even though Harry's response doesn't surprise her, it still pierces her like a spear. Her brow creases.]}

... Daddy, he never replaced you.

NOBODY ever could or will replace you.

When I lost you, I ... I lost something forever. That's never gonna come back, back home. No matter who winds up caring about me or looking out for me. It's not the same.

_{[She's made all kinds of friends here in Johto-- including a fair few fatherly types who've all but adopted her. But even the ones she's come to consider family would never be her dad. There's only one of those.]}

[Harry falls silent, her reply....he nods quietly. He understands, but it was something he needed to hear. Even if he wouldn't admit that.]

....

Sweetie.....I just want you to be happy. And I know you. When you saw him, you were hoping we'd get along....

But if that ever happens...it's going to take time alright?

_{[Everybody needs to hear some things, even if those things seem obvious. That had been why feeling his arms around her and hearing his voice telling her that he loved her and was proud of her had been so important when he'd gotten here. It wasn't that she hadn't already known either of those things-- already been SURE of those things. ... It was just nice to be reassured sometimes.]}

That's all I want.

You don't have to like him. I-- ... hell, you can even hate his guts forever. I understand. ... And HE understands.

I just... I just want you to give him a chance, and not be... not be mad. At me. T-that's all.

[He smiles softly at that.]

I can do that.

And sweetie. I'm not mad at you. I promise.

_{[... It's a relief to hear, in more ways than one...]

[When he had disappeared from Johto the first time, it had been right after she had asked him if he was mad at her. She'd never gotten a reply.]

[It's perhaps for that reason that her brows crease upwards and mouth tightens a little bit at those words.]}

... I'm not mad at you, either.

Edited 2011-12-07 09:14 (UTC)

[He smiles at that.]

I'm glad to hear that.

... I just want everything to be okay again.

_{[... sorry kiddo, your dad was murdered and the world almost ended. Things will never be completely 'okay' again. Not even here.]}

We can always try.

[Not completely. But somewhere close to it maybe.]

Just... promise me you won't go away... okay?

_{[That isn't really a fair request... she knows good and well that nobody decides when they do or don't leave this place. But...]}

I promise I'll try.

_{[She nods. ... Then gets up from her seat and edges around the table until she's close enough to wrap her arms around him right where he sits.]

[Nothing had ever replaced him and nothing ever would.]}

[He hugs her back.]

_{[Her mumble is a little muffled against his shoulder.]}

I love you, Dad.

[Hugs her close.]

I love you too dear.

Search Nine: Locked to Heather

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