D A Y 0 4

[founds]

CHAPTER 2

Nov 3rd | 63℉☁

▸ Due to last night's storms, a quarter of Blackwell is still without power. It seems a tree has fallen on a power line, which will be promptly inspected by BWI and fixed ASAP.

▸ The worst of that storm is now over, thank god. Weather reports cloudy days from here on out.

▸ Fairweather and Winters kids are still missing. Local authorities and volunteers are resuming their search in the immediate area. Please, if you have the time, go join the cause.

▸ In a sad turn of events, the remains of Kara Samson have been returned to the family not a week ago. Details surrounding her disappearance and cause of death have not yet been released.

▸ Rumors say that the county morgue outside of Elkins was broken into early this morning, but officials decline to comment on the matter.

▸ Today's news radio is brought to you by Black Lodge Bar! Head on down to Black Lodge for their all day Monday happy hour!

▸ And now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

THE RISING IS NOT IN EFFECT

Comments

[brabble]

[ sophie has just been out of the woods by blackwell dam to take a million pictures of the tree fallen into the power line. she has taken plenty of them from various angles but she was still not in the game. there was too much going around her head from everything that was happening for her to focus. and the rumours of the break in left her unsettled. they couldn't mean the awful green bean colby and sophie fuck up. there was something else there, wasn't there?

she flicks through the photos in the camera and then sets it down, letting it hang around her neck. she looks up to the sky and sighs, turning her head to the other side of the street. she spots him and blinks. there you are. she jogs up to him (nearly slips on the wet floor so she slows down) and catches up to him, gently grabbing his hand. ]

Adam. Hey.

[bluecode]

[he's in between leads, which seems to be where he lives perpetually now as darla none too kindly points out at every opportunity. he hasn't slowed down to talk to anyone in days but it feels like months and maybe that's why he feels instantly guilty when sophie catches up to him]

Hey, Soph. [if he could barely figure a way to relate to his wife through all of this it goes without saying he hasn't made much of an attempt to reach out to his would-be family, even knowing she's had just as hard a time with it all. he stops in his tracks on his way to the car door, letting her still him with her hand in his]

You getting into trouble? [glances over her head toward the downed line, a hollow attempt at teasing familiarity for a conversation they've probably had a hundred times]

[brabble]

[ she's glad he's stopped. there was part of her that wondered if he was going to brush her off, to push her away. and while maybe she would understand, it would definitely hurt. so she's glad and her heart doesn't feel as heavy. automatically, her hand gives his a little squeeze, like she used to do when she was younger, and shakes her head. there's almost a need in not letting go of his hand ]

I thought I was too clever for trouble. [ a parroted line, probably, and she falls silent for a while, staring at their hands. she licks her lower lip and frowns, then looks up to him. ]

How're you? [ and maybe it's not the best question, but the way she says it tells more than what she says ]

[bluecode]

Getting by.

[he's not going to burden her with all of what is going through his mind at any given time, but he's perfectly aware she knows that much already. tilts his head at her anxious gesturing and makes a little resigned line out of his mouth before tugging her closer by her hold on his hand, lifting his other arm for the offer of a hug]

C'mere. I'm sorry I haven't been around for you. [he has been made acutely aware recently that he's a very selfish grieving person]

[brabble]

[ she frowns a little at that, eyebrows knitted together in that kicked puppy fashion, and she shakes her head. ]

You've always been there for me. I just want to be here for you this time. [ which is what she had said to darla but really, it's the truth and there's no need for words to put it better.

nevertheless, she wouldn't refuse a hug from him and, to tell the truth, she really does need one from him. her arms slip around his torse and she tightens them around him, mooshing up her cheek on his chest. god, it's been three days and already she misses bela, her voice. she can't begin to imagine what's it like for adam. ]

[bluecode]

[it's just fine up here in work until you drop land. returns the hug with a hand at her hair, patting it down like he used to with bela and he catches himself with a frown before angling a look down at her]

You taking care of yourself? [what are you doing all the way out here with that camera what are you snooping on it better not be something dangerous. are you eating right.]

[brabble]

[ she would prefer if he hadn't looked at her because now she's busy wiping her tears. she's an emotional mess, what can she say? it's a rollercoaster of emotions at the moment and it's hard to take a hold of one, but she's not particularly embarrassed by it given as it's adam and not just someone. ]

I should be asking you that, [ she says with a strained voice, wiping her nose on her sleeve like a six-years-old child. she frowns at him, facing his dad look and gives him a weak punch on his stomach. ]

Why aren't you home? [ with darla. ]

[bluecode]

[overreacts on purpose, clutching his side as if mortally wounded. it's not even where she hit him.]

Et tu, Sophie? [pls stop crying. you will make him cry. laugh at his lame jokes instead.] Just running some errands.

[you know the usual avenging my daughters death pick up eggs at the store and drop off a package at the post office etc]

[brabble]

[ maybe it would be good for him to cry. he'll end up bitter like oliver. we don't need two of those. she holds the camera up for explanation, figuring it should be obvious that it was about the fallen tree because it's the new gossip in town. people change subjects quickly when commotion happens. ]

What errands? Do you need help? [ she asks while wiping the rest of her tears. let her help.

like seriously you have a wife dude ]

[bluecode]

[darla's fine. she's resilient. he was home for like an hour last night.]

I was on my way to Elkins, but I can give you a ride. Home? [looks around for the silly ass bike she rides. honey get a car you're going to be roadkill someday people drive like assholes here]

[brabble]

[ it's her day off at the hardware store office, so she didn't feel the need to ride on her dinky bike. she nods, appreciating the offer and wraps the scarf better around her neck, trying to hide her sniffly nose behind it ]

I thought you didn't have to work.

[ news travel fast and she works in the local newspaper. she Knows, adam ]

[bluecode]

[purses his mouth in a flash of impatience, but he quells it quickly]

If I knew the Spanish Inquisition was in town. [dang girl what's with the third degree. get your ass in the car. he's out and about in an unmarked today because he's technically not supposed to ride in the cruiser when he's off duty, which he does anyway, but seeing as it's been surrendered to the department pending his re-installation as a deputy he doesn't have much of a choice]

It's not sheriff business. [drops into the drivers seat and glances down at the seatbelt. he'll wait. he's that guy. at least around her and, until recently, his daughter]

[brabble]

[ she looks at him with an apologetic expression but gets in the car while talking ] Actually, the Spanish Inquisition always gave a heads-up. [ there, have some useless trivia. it's what she does when she's uncomfortable or wants to change subject or alleviate the mood. and automatically, she puts the seatbelt on. stop with the dad face, adam, she's twenty six already ]

If you say so. [ look at how much she believes him. so much.

she doesn't at all, but doesn't press it either, leaning her elbow against the window ]

[bluecode]

[hi twenty six already im dad. puts the car into reverse and sets his hand at the back of her seat as he backs out into the street]

Don't worry about what I'm getting up to, that's supposed to be my job. [points to his eyes and points to her with a dweeby half-smile. you're not off the hook for that morgue stunt. he's on a first name basis with the medical examiner if you didn't think word would get back around to him u had another thing coming] Why you running around with the Moran kid?

[and touching dead bodies. who raised u, a combination of 2 strangers and a psycho hillbilly family?]

[brabble]

[ she has her eyes on him while he drives for a second and her eyebrows go up when he goes all pointy at her. it does prompt a smile out of her and she rolls her eyes in amusement, turning to face the road ahead. it's a smile that goes away quickly because he's asking about colby. of course he is. ]

I'm not running around with the Moran kid. [ not really? yeah. ] He just wanted some closure. [ sure. ]

[ y... es. ]

[bluecode]

Kids get closure these days by breaking into county facilities?

[angles a look to her like you can do better than that, but he clearly doesn't have any intentions of doing anything about it other than scrutinizing her choice of company. not usually a stickler for the rules, if it weren't for moran's proximity to lost lake going-ons he probably never would have even brought it up, but he will always go out of his way to try and keep sophie out of all of that bullshit]

[eyes on the road again, he waves to her with the hand not on the wheel as they cross over a small bridge over a stream on the way back into town-] Feet up for luck. [anyone that's known him for any period of time is probably used to complying with his weird superstitions. he doesn't even know why he does a good half of them anymore, but it's better to hold your breath past a graveyard and hold your feet up over a bridge than tempt fate. like he needs more bad luck]

[brabble]

[ she gives him a look against his own and his words. you know that's not what she meant. she turns back to the road, watching it go by as he drives the car away. too bad for him she's knee deep in all of that bullshit even before he met her, thanks to the saint-clairs. and recently there's been the sudden visits. thankfully there have been only two occurrences as of yet - even if one left a big scar. and then there's the shitty blog...

she indulges him automatically, out of habit. she never thinks about it anymore. ]

You should go home, Adam. [ quietly ]

[bluecode]

[blows out a sigh and rests his elbow on the door to rub at his eyebrow, half-pretending that he didn't hear her so he doesn't have to come up with a way to brush it of]

[brabble]

Adam.

[ adam. adam pls.

her tone is soft and not judgemental, watching him and his dismissive hand. she knows darla would want him there and it probably would be the better choice for him to, oh, you know, face his emotions and not bottle them up or bury them with not-work errands ]

[bluecode]

I know. [says too suddenly like it was the straw that broke it. drops his hand and looks across to her, softening apologetically.] I know. I'm sorry. [did not mean to snap atchu girl but he's been getting it from everyone and everything and he knows they're right but it doesn't seem to make any difference]

[brabble]

[ she flinches a little at his outburst, but she isn't hurt; she was only a little surprised. she shakes her head at his apology, as there is no need for it. she reaches for his arm and rubs it softly, in understanding. ]

I know. I just-- [ She pauses, licks her lower lip. Her hand drops to her lap. ] I worry.

[bluecode]

Well, stop. There's enough of that going around don't you think?

[leans over to pat her knee in encouragement. he's not going to have her fretting over him. he may not be a particularly traditional person in a lot of ways but there is one way that should be and that's your parents should be the ones taking care of you, not the other way around. he may not be her real dad, but he stepped into that role voluntarily and he intends to see that he does it right, maybe even moreso now that he screwed himself out of his only chance to do it right with his own kid]

[pulls to the side of the street downtown in front of the building where her studio's at, angles himself in his seat to turn to her]

Come have dinner tonight? [if you're not shacked up with somebody or otherwise engaged. look he is trying. he'll be home and make a dinner and spend time not obsessing. her sadness was super effective]

[brabble]

[ that's too bad because sophie is a worrier and will always be, regardless of how he perceives their roles. in fact, right now she is pretty sure their roles should be reversed from what they usually are. he's the one that needs to be taken care of not the only way around, no matter if he disagrees. he's the one that is hurting the most (along with darla) and the one that is showing the least.

her fingers drum on the car door as he parks the car and she forces a small smile ]

Sure. [ with a little nod for reinforcement ] Seven PM?