Alternate Timeline

((This is a private RP between Razgriz (me) and Apothecary, set in an alternate timeline of the shrp))

It had been a while since Lauren and I last spoke. The last time we had, was with me in her hospital room unintentionally upsetting her about how I wanted revenge on the bullies that hurt Amy, my friend. Since then I hadn't seen Lauren in class so I assumed she was still in the hospital. Gestalt was willing to check for me, but spying on her wasn't right. She had my number, and if she wanted to talk to me, she'd call.

As I sat on the rooftop edge of the building, the nanoepidermis covering my skin, I wondered if she ever would. She was missed.

Lauren sat on the edge of the stage, it was slowly taking shape but a lot of the heavy lifting or general work her friends or the various workers refused to let her take part in. Sighing she read through her phone, before deciding to talk to someone. She would have earlier if life had not suddenly become so busy for her.
She clicked call, as she put the phone by her ear and listened to in ring. Pick up Lauren thought silent she wasn't exactly about to leave a message.

There was a vibrating sound in my pocket, felt through the epidermis. Gestalt displayed the caller ID in my eyes, and I was surprised to see who it was. Answering before the first ring was done, my voice nearly came out panicked, but thankfully I got it under control as I said "Hey Lauren."

"Hey James." Lauren replied surprised that he answered so quickly. She thought he might have been playing a video game or something. "You okay?" She inquired glancing over her shoulder as everything was being set up for the upcoming concert.

"Oh me? Yeah, fine. Why?" I asked, standing up on the edge of the roof. The street was busy below, but I had been cloaked for most of my time there so no one would call the cops. I wanted some peace after all and me being treated like a vigilante was cutting into that.

"Yeah who else I am going to be calling up and asking if your okay or not?" She chuckled quietly. "But glad to hear that your fine." She looked around at the currently empty spot where the crowd would fill. It was not long now, soon this place would become a centre of noise, happiness and delight.

"Thanks, but what about you?" I asked. "We didn't talk much......well, at all, since the hospital. Are you okay now?"

"Yeah I am fine just sitting on the edge of the stage at the moment... Well my stage." She smiled even though he would not see it. "Okay my band's stage but as I am lead singer well it should be mine." Lauren was joking of course.

"Heh, knowing your band they'd probably argue over that.....hey Lauren, about what I said back in the hospital. About what I wanted to do.......I'm sorry if that upset you." God was I. Wasn't sorry for feeling it, but damn I didn't want to make Lauren uncomfortable. She didn't need to know there was a potential maniac within me.

Then again, wasn't there one in all of us?

"Yeah they probably would they are like my brothers and sisters... If I had any." She said grinning down the phone, catching an amused almost knowing look from one of her band mates who she promptly stuck her tongue out at.
"It's cool... Just got to be careful really what with the media yeah the other day a reporter asked my Mother what she thought of my new boyfriend." She laughed lightly. "That was an awkward conversation when I got home trying to explain I still have a lovely mansion in single town USA. It even has a swimming pool."

"Hah, you'll be the envy of everyone in Brooklyn then," I replied. "And seriously? People are thinking I'm your boyfriend already? Not just a friend?"

"Well my Mother in her great wisdom believes we are dating new's flash to me right there." She said her voice filled with amusement. "Yeah sorry to disappoint but until you ask me your not and therefore I am fair game for any prince charminings."

"Not like I was planning on it," I said defensively. "It's just not done. Gotta crawl before you run. So.....would you like to hang out sometime? Maybe later today?"

"Tonight?" Lauren echoed glancing over her shoulder for a few moments. "Erm... Well I might be able to see you briefly but I have a concert you see tonight and I have to be there to practice slash make sure everything runs smoothly." She explained to him.

"Oh.....well, that's okay. I don't mind meeting if you have the time," I responded. Smiling a little, I then said "And hey, maybe I'll come to the concert and see you there. Just in the audience though, doubt I could get anything backstage."

"Where would you like to meet?" Lauren inquired smiling happily. "I would like that and I could get you backstage if you wanted? You just have to ask?"

"I could ask, but if you give it out I'm sorta getting a free pass right? Thought you needed to earn a living," I teased at her, at the same time thinking of places to meet. "Well......where would you like to meet?"

"You could pay for entrance and then I could provide you with a backstage pass." She suggested lying down with her feet dangling off of the edge. "Hmm I was rather hoping you could suggest a place? I only know a few places and I am itching to know a bit more about New York."

"Yeah guess that could work......and if I remember correctly, your concert is only two blocks away from a cafe I know of. Good food, quiet atmosphere, and booths if you want privacy? Good place to avoid attention."

"Why? You expecting company?" She teased before saying. "Sure just give me a few minutes to say where I am going and when I should be back."

"Alright. Want me to meet you at the concert then show you to the cafe? I promise, I have no plans to kidnap you.....yet," came my joking response. Already on my way, I ran over rooftops and across the gaps between buildings, feeling a little excited. It was fun branching out, meeting new people.

"Hey if you do kidnap me you must ask for top dollar. I gotta go for a minute just need to say where so bye for now." Lauren hung up as she got up and went to find someone to tell that she was dashing out briefly.

Chuckling, I couldn't help but note how my steps seemed lighter. Gestalt even popped up n my head to talk.

You certainly seem happy. It's a decent change in your usual moodiness.

Moodiness? I ave no idea what you're saying, was my response. When I got maybe a block away, I jumped down into an empty alley to change. Chris was busy hanging with Amy, said they just needed some girl time and I was fine with it. Well....sorta fine anyway; despite my eagerness to hang out with Lauren, it didn't change the fact that Amy was my friend a lot longer than I knew Lauren, so in the back of my mind, she came first. Not that I'd ever tell Lauren that to her face.

Lauren made it outside of the building which her band had requisitioned to be their concert hall. It took a bit of talking but they finally allowed her to go, since she wasn't really helping as no one wanted to risk her injuring an arm or something.
Oh and she had to promise not to take a taxi, there was no need in her eyes you couldn't pay Lauren enough to get back in one of those yellow coffins.

Well whatever it is, it seems clear to us that you're excited for what's simply grabbing a snack.

So what if I am? I shot back, walking out of the alley in my normal look of a dark, thin jacket over a shirt and some jeans. Lauren's a fun person and doesn't let her status change her. What's not to love? As I walked down the street, I saw Lauren standing outside her building, down and across the street. I wanted to wave or call her name, but that would risk drawing attention to her. So I simply cross the street when there was no traffic and began walking to her, well in sight if she turned around.

A light drizzle fell from the sky so Lauren took a few steps backwards to shelter from it near the entrance to the structure. She pulled up the collar on her jacket regretting not taking one that had a hood. She checked her phone searching for any new messages, there where a few but from her friends mostly teasing her about the "date" she was embarking on.
She turned around and spotted James. "Hey James!" She called out to him, with a shy wave.

"Lauren!" I called back, waving my hand in a near mirror of her own. The rain felt nice, a light drizzle being my favorite over a downpour. "No umbrella?" I asked when I was a few feet from her.

"No... Apparently it wasn't meant to rain today weather forecast is always correct just like home." She sighed looking out at the street as the rain came softly down. "So where is your cafe?"

"Come on, it's this way," I said brightly. For a moment, I considered offering my hand for her to take....but felt that would be too suggestive.

"Okay." Lauren replied following.

As we walked, I kept pace with Lauren so we were side by side. "So, how's your day been?" I asked her.

"Hectic." She answered wearily. "Trying to manage three crazy friends, plus my Mother and everything else is just... A bit much. That and the latest assignment we got from our most love teacher." Lauren added the last part with a little laugh. "What about you?"

"Oh well trying to actually do a special assignment from my english teacher," I said with a small grin. "My friend Amy's recovering from her attack, so that's a plus."

"Well that's good to hear." She smiled. "Tell her that I wish her well." Lauren hoped that Amy would be okay. "Also we are apparently history partners turned up to the lesson and we got lumped together so... We kinda need to write a report or a presentation on the causes of the American Civil War."

"Seriously? Wow.....okay so uh, wasn't it something to do with the South leaving the Union and the North was all, 'No we must be one nation,' or something like that?" I asked her. We reached the cafe, a small place from the front wedged between two others. I held the door open as I spoke.

"Thank you James your a gentleman." She winked at him playfully as she entered. "Yes something like that... I don't know off of the top of my head." Lauren didn't possess a great deal of knowledge on the civil war.

"Hi there!" someone called to us as we entered. They were a woman in her thirties, blonde and looking happy despite the quiet nature of the cafe. "Oh, hey James," she said when she saw me. Her name was Maddie, and I.....kind of knew her? Kat and I used to come in here a lot and Maddie was a long time employee, so we knew each-other. "Hey Maddie," I said back, smiling a little. It was all self-seating here, and I guided Lauren to a booth, the chairs high up on the back so we were sitting almost in a box. "What do you want?" I asked, the menus on the table like always.

"Hi Maddie" Lauren echoed before letting James lead her to a booth. She seated herself, shuffling until she got comfortable and picking up one of the menus to read. She looked at the menu before deciding. "Just some chips." She stopped for a moment then said. "I mean fries why do you American have such a different version of my home tongue I will never know."

Sitting opposite her, I smirked and said "Because we can. I'll probably get a sandwich, drink."

"Once a colony always a colony." She chuckled. "Drink? You must be stressed it is too early and I think we are under age here to."

"No not beer. Just a coke," I say with a laugh.

"Fanta I'll have or any form of orangeade." She smiled happily. "Glad to hear your not having beer."

"Tried it a few times," I said honestly. "My sister....well, before she passed, wanted me to learn my limits. So if I ever went to a party and had to drink a beer, wouldn't get carried away."

"My Mother never lets me drink... I don't want to anyway." She explained. "Sorry to here about your sister passing on."

Looking at my menu and nothing else, I could all but feel my expression go grim. "Yeah....she was all the family I had left," came my whispered words.

Lauren felt her heart clench with sympathy. She didn't know what to say but reached across and put her hands on one of his. "James it will be okay you will never be alone you've got great friends, you have my band and well... Me of course." She smiled at him her eyes shining. "It will be okay maybe not now but someday it will be."

The warmth of her hand on mine was....nice. Like I was being pulled out of the depressive mood I slipped into, and I looked up at her eyes, smiling gratefully. "Thanks Lauren," I said. "It's just hard sometimes. Not just her death but.....being incomplete." I gestured with my right hand, the one that was robotic. "Arm and leg gone so I'm only half me. I can't sleep these days, too much time spent waking up in cold sweat from nightmares. Can't even be around if the police or emergency vehicles drive by, since every siren sends me back to that day....."

Shaking my head, I did my best to shake the thoughts from my mind as I said "Sorry, just hard to get over."

"But they are you just as much a microphone is part of me, they let you walk, they let you hug, hold hands, play football." She suggested just a few things. "It's fine but you will get through all of this." Lauren tried to encourage him, she wanted to give him hope. Though she could not say from his point of view, she had not lost her family to flames nor limbs.

"That's what people keep telling me," I sighed. "Knowing me and my stubbornness though, I'll get through this. So, we should probably place our order now."

"Yeah." Lauren moved her hands back, her cheeks flushing slightly as if she realised that they had been holding hands. "So do you want to order first?"