® oo4. ] closed [ ways to fall

[better]

Who: Erica Reyes | Scott McCall | Isaac Lahey.
What: Erica levels up and it triggers her seizures. Also triggers a fight with Isaac.
When: Day 302
Where: Baldr | Hel
Rating: TV MA (warning for epilepsy & seizures)



There is a definite sense of self-worth that Erica has these days. She knows that things aren't perfect, that Isaac still tries too hard to protect her. That secrets keep being laid out one over the other and that each time he expresses how it's not her - that he trusts her, that there is a sliver of doubt that comes from him. Things have been different since Isaac had come and gone. If it had been the thought that two of him here was difficult, that there was some hierarchy of one over the other, or that fears had laced through him Erica wishes that she knew. Trying to be helpful and actually being helpful are always two different things and when it's overtly clear just how little you can do to help every detail matters.

Details like showing Scott that she doesn't get lost in the city anymore. That she has a job and she maintains a routine. She has a doctor and a magician (though she's sure Merlin wouldn't appreciate that title) to help her with her epilepsy. She's better at using her power, even if she's positive that making baby animals walk won't really help out anyone at all. It matters to her though and she knows that Isaac is close with Scott, she knows that when things go to hell Isaac will tell Scott first. She knows that if she can show Scott that it's okay to trust her that maybe Isaac will feel better about it too.

Comments

[better]

[Taking a slow breath inward, she returns her focus to him.]

I sort of stood out on day one. Lost, confused, wearing a hospital gown. He recognized me. I -- I definitely was not sure what to think. Other than that it was a trick. [She takes another sip of her water.] I mean, someone comes up to me telling me that they know me - that I'm close friends with them. It's sort of right up the alley of a set-up to a horrible joke.

[teenyoda]

[Well, he'd give Isaac that much, at least. He'd gone to her instead of letting her stumble around alone.]

Have things been... okay here? I mean, other than today?

[better]

With my seizures? This was the first one. And to have just one in a month is... it's pretty good. [She takes another sip and sets the glass on her knee.]

Otherwise, I like it here. No one.. well, before today, no one knew anything about me unless I told them - or they knew before. I have friends here and I don't have that back home. [She pauses, turning her head slightly as she speaks.] Apparently, even in the future I guess I have pack, but not friends. At least, if I'm clobbering them with car parts - it's probably not a good friendship.

[teenyoda]

It's... tentative.

[He had that sort of tenuous friendship with all the werewolves, partly out of necessity and partly out of they wouldn't go the hell away. Jackson was really the only person he was around more often that he continued to dislike.]

But hey, friends here are good. That gives it a definite plus, right?

[better]

Yeah, it's a definite plus.

[teenyoda]

What other pluses are there? There has to be more than that.

[better]

I don't know, friends are pretty high up there. [She's teasing, but honestly it is a pretty serious thing for her.]

Even the people that aren't my friends -- they don't stare at me or think that I'm going to be something they have to be careful around. It's a clean slate.

[teenyoda]

Okay, I get that. I mean, that makes sense.

[He remembered hearing some of what had gone around after one of Erica's seizures. He hadn't approved, but he couldn't do anything about it after the fact. He'd only been around for the two.]

[better]

[She shrugs.]

I mean, you would've never gotten to know me. Not like this, at least. It'd be the other me. The leather wearing one and that's still different.

[teenyoda]

I might have. If things hadn't... I don't know. We weren't in the same social circles. I was with Scott and you were... I don't even know who you hung around. Maybe if we'd had more classes together or something, we might have talked, but...

[He shrugged]

I only know half the kids in school by sight. It's a big school and I'm not exactly mister popular.

[better]

I didn't hang around anyone. I avoided everyone. [She leans back against the arm of the couch more.]

If Derek takes me from the hospital, you don't get to know me. It's not like there are a few days that I don't remember in that section of my life. I'm there. That's my point of arrival here. Laying on the exam bed, hospital gown and then it's either off with Derek or off to here.

[teenyoda]

Or maybe not. Maybe you could remember enough to... say no?

[better]

[Erica takes a breath.]

How much would that change? Derek needs a pack, he's going to need someone else so if it's not me... if it's someone else - who can even say who that would be or what would happen. Someone else might die instead.

[teenyoda]

Or maybe no one dies. If you got caught running away, maybe the person he picks instead of you doesn't do that. I don't know, Erica. I'm just shooting out ideas.

[better]

[She exhales and leans back into the couch more, slouching a bit.]

I don't know, it's hard to think about things that might happen and guess how it'll change my life -- or yours.

[teenyoda]

Well, look at it this way; if we ever go back, we won't have this mental conundrum since we won't remember any of it.

[better]

[She frowns. Just a few minutes ago he had been trying to think what would happen if she did remember, but now he's gone back to her not remembering.]

Are you sure that's what happens?

[teenyoda]

Honestly? I have no idea. If you would have asked me about being brought to some weird place with gods, I would have told you to take some more pink pills.

[better]

[She's not even going to mention that she does take meds.]

It's not so bad, though, is it?

[teenyoda]

What? Being here?

I don't know. I don't like feeling like I don't know what's going on back home.

[better]

[She frowns.]

From what I've heard, I think it's better not knowing.

[teenyoda]

I can't just not know. I need to. My dad's back there...

[better]

Oh... I didn't think about that.

[teenyoda]

Don't you worry about your parents?

[better]

Sometimes.

I just, I mean, it's different for me I guess. You already told me what happens for me, so I am sure my parents just get confused about what happens. All the years of lectures and them worrying -- I like making my own choices for once.