So what now? (Katydid50 x 5Bulletproof-Marshmellows)

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Elenore placed her hands into her pockets when he was done and then slowly walked down with him, her feet hurt a bit from walking so much today in heels. As they walked, she felt like she should say something, but she didn't know what to say to him.. besides, the silence wasn't that bad. For a moment she closed her eyes and imagined something in the future.. something that probably would never happen. They were both in another place, laying down in an open field, looking up at the sky. It was completely silent there as well except for the constant chipper of the birds.

Grace blinked when she heard footsteps but stayed there, thinking that it was one of the neighbors or something since her mother usually used the elevator anyway. If she turned around the person would start asking questions about the scratches and the bruises that were starting to show. It wasn't a pretty sight but once she got a bigger jacket, most of it would be covered.

((writer's block x.x ))  

[Katydid50]

Daniel didn't mind the silence that had fallen over them. He had never been one for idle chatter anyway. That probably came from all the time he spent alone and his seemingly lack of people skills. He did have people skills, he simply chose not to use them. He preferred the blunt approach. It caught people off-guard so he could later have a laugh at their expressions but it also cut right to the chase which he found refreshing since most people seemed to want to dance around a subject for a lifetime or two before actually getting to the point. He'd endured enough of that in his previous lifestyle, thank you very much. He didn't want to have to put up with it in this one as well.

As they turned the corner in the staircase, Daniel spotted a figure ahead of them, facing away. Even still, he recognized Grace. Glancing over at Elenore, he noticed the distant look on her face that told him she was lost in her thoughts. He nudged her arm with his elbow before jerking his head towards Grace, silently bringing her to Elenore's attention. What were they going to do? Confront her or keep walking like she wasn't there? Probably the first.

((It's fine))  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Feeling something push her slightly, she looked over at Daniel, wondering what it had been for before she looked over and saw Grace. Her lips parted as she slowly stepped down to where Grace was. It was a small amount of space between them.. perhaps three feet now. Talking to her was something she wanted to do but Daniel also needed to go home and she didn't want to drag him into an argument. "Grace." she said in a low voice. She could see her daughter's shoulders immediately become tense.

"Go home. I'll be back in a little bit. We'll talk then." as much as she wanted to find out what was going on now, it would be better to wait. Glancing over at Daniel, she then continued on her way down the stairs. Running her fingers through her hair, she exhaled. Perhaps it was another school fight. Those happened every once in a while but they had been happening even more now. Why? She wasn't quite sure.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel watched as Elenore followed his gaze to where Grace stood. He stood a few feet away from the pair, watching the interaction. It was not his place to get involved so he remained silent. He watched as Elenore said Grace's name, said girl tensing at the sound of it. That was definitely Grace. He did not envy the girl, for surely she was in some kind of trouble. What other explanation could there be for why she had bolted from the apartment so quickly earlier? She hadn't expected her mother to be home and wanted to prolong the time before there would be a confrontation. He'd often done that with his father though that had been a very different set of circumstances.

He shifted his gaze from Grace to Elenore when the woman spoke, telling her daughter to go back to the apartment. When she looked at him, he simply looked back. There was nothing to say as it was not his place. He was not the children's father nor was Elenore his wife. The only place he held in this family was as Elenore's friend and that was it.

Daniel followed after Elenore when she started walking again, casting a glance at Grace as he passed her before looking back ahead. He could see the tension in Elenore, the stress. She really needed that break, possibly more than she realized.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Grace sighed when she heard her mother leave, there was someone with her though, no doubt the man that had been in the apartment. Swearing under her breath, she waited until she couldn't hear their footsteps anymore and went up the stairs to go the little place she called home. Sure, she missed their old house but she didn't miss her father, she could definitely survive without one as well.

Locking the door behind her since she guessed her mother had taken the keys with her, she noticed the empty cups of coffee. So they had been here a while.. Frowning at the thought, she went into the bathroom and started to clean her wounds. It had been a bigger fight this time.. with knives involved as well. Too bad she hadn't taken one with her.

Elenore wished that for once her kids could not get into any trouble. Just for a week. It would make her happy and then she hoped that it would continue like that but she doubted that would ever happen. She could only hope that Deserai didn't do the things Nicholas or Grace did. She didn't want to have to worry about her as she did for the other two. What if she came home to find out one of the was in the hospital? Then what? By the time she was finished with her thoughts she had reached the bottom floor and opened the door to go out. Perhaps.. perhaps she couldn't do this alone anymore but she really had no choice. She had to suck it up and push through it. Make the best of it.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel looked back at Grace once more before she was gone from his sight. There was something not quite right about her, but also something that was oddly familiar. Not about her herself but something in her manner. It would probably come to him when he wasn't trying to think about it so he purposefully pushed that thought train aside to contemplate later.

However, he couldn't quite get rid of it. His mind shifted from Grace to Nicholas. Wandering around at night in the city wasn't normal, especially not for a kid. He would be less surprise if someone Grace's age did that but a kid Nick's age? Oh no. Adults and teens didn't stand a chance on those streets -he would know- so what chance did Nicholas think he had? Then again, what had caused him to start wandering the streets?

"What kind of relationship do the kids have with their father?" he asked suddenly. It was none of his business and he didn't doubt that their situation was different than the one he'd grown up in but he was just trying to get into their heads, figure out why it was that they did the things they did. That kind of thinking had done him a lot of good on the streets and in his criminal career. He remembered his boss praising him once, saying that he had the potential to become the next boss but, even then, he hadn't wanted that. He hadn't wanted to lead anything and he still didn't. He just wanted to live his life and get through it while accumulating as few scars as possible. He'd already pretty much blown that but so long as he didn't acquire many more, he'd be content. But even that he doubted.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Hearing his question, she blinked and then looked over at him. Where had that come from and why did he want to know? Her eyes narrowed in confusion for a moment before she looked back ahead, it wasn't raining anymore. Lowering her head, she decided she might as well tell him. "Deserai has never met him. He doesn't know about her." It was easier to start with her since she didn't have a hatred for him. She knew perfectly well that Grace and Nicolas didn't like their father.. her ex-husband.

"I left before he found out about her." she said in a low voice. "Nicolas.. well Nicolas doesn't like him very much. He sent him a card once for his birthday and Nicolas wouldn't even look at it." Biting her lip, she looked up at the sky. She didn't like the fact that her children had so much hatred in them, or at least two of them did, but she could understand it at the same time. "Grace thinks he's scum.. 'a complete a*****e.'" she was quoting her words, she remembered her saying that at one point.. which is also when Elenore told her to stop using foul language.

"So yeah.. they don't get along very well with him and they don't talk to him either." they also didn't see him since Sebastian didn't know where she had gone after she had lived with Aunt Rose. It was only a matter of time before he found them but she hoped it would take a while. She didn't want to talk to him. Who knew what kind of life he was living now? Perhaps he was even sleeping with some other woman by now. Her jaw became tight and she then closed her eyes. "Is there a reason why you asked?" she opened her eyes and looked over at him.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel could see the confusion on Elenore's face with surprising ease. She was quite easy to read, for the most part. Her face was very expressive. She may not have intended it to be but it was. When she told him that Deserai didn't know her father, he wasn't overly surprised. After all, she had plainly asked him if he was her father the night he had brought Nicholas home. That in itself told him that Elenore and her kids had no relationship with the man any longer. It was sad. Not that they didn't have a relationship anymore but that they had no husband and father figure in their lives. He'd found his own father figures after leaving home but they'd been the wrong types of role models.

He remained silent as she went on, telling him that her ex didn't know about Deserai at all. At the news about Nicholas and the birthday card, he wasn't surprised. There was a lot of anger in that boy, too much for someone his age. When she moved onto Grace, he, again, was not surprised. He could see a lot of pain there too. Actually, they all had a lot of pain in them, except the youngest who seemed oblivious to it all.

He simply nodded when she told him that there was no contact between the children and their father. As he looked at Elenore, he saw her jaw tighten. She may not have carried the anger that her two eldest children did but she was certainly hurting. He wished there was something he could do for her, some way to ease her pain or at least her burden. At her question, he didn't answer right away. Instead, he turned his gaze to the sky, watching it thoughtfully as dark clouds rolled lazily across the sky. It was no longer raining but he didn't think it would take much for it to start again.

"Just trying to figure out what they're thinking," he said quietly.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

She had told herself plenty of times that it was in the past.. all of it was, but the wound couldn't seem to heal on it's own no matter what she tried to do. Elenore was busy most of the time to pay any attention to it.. she didn't like thinking about it anyway. It was hard to accept the fact that he had done so.. betrayed her like that and more than once. She had given him more than a couple of chances. The last drop had been when he had actually brought that woman into the house.

Elenore didn't regret leaving him, she never had.. she just wanted someone else to be there for her kids as well. Sure there was Aunt Rose, but it wasn't like they saw her everyday except for Deserai. Hearing his response after a little bit, she nodded her head. It was strange for someone to want to know what her kids were thinking about all this time.. not very many men cared but then again she had never really gotten to know anyone for a while and she never told them about her personal life.. her family.

"You'd make a good father." she said in a low voice. "Yeah, I know your opinion on the subject," he had a dark past as he had told her, but she couldn't help but say it anyway. "I hope you find your happiness." she added. He was a good guy and he deserved it too. If he cared about someone else' kids like that, he would definitely care for his own even more. Her eyes met his briefly before she headed over to his car, it was time to go anyway and she doubted he wanted to stand in the rain again.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel continued to watch the sky. The sun, he guessed, was starting to set as the world was darker than it had been before. Even then, he could still make out the outlines of particular clouds, where one ended and another began. He tilted his head, trying to read whether or not the clouds would release more of their load before moving on or whether they would let go elsewhere.

He was pulled from his thoughts when Elenore spoke. His head snapped around and his eyes locked on hers. Her words resonated in his mind for a few moments before he was plunged into a memory from long ago. His eyes darted around nervously as he crept into the house. He'd always been scared to go home but he'd been even more so since his mother had left a few months ago. She'd never intervened and he had hated to see her in such pain but, at least with her around, there had been someone to distract his father from him.

Trying to close the door as quietly as possible, he slid through the house, wondering if he could barricade himself in his room before his father realized he was home. No such luck. He let out a yelp as an unexpected blow hit him from the side, slamming him into the wall. He slid down the wall, landing on the floor in a stunned heap. Before he could recover, a hand grabbed his hand and yanked him to his feet. "You little s**t! Did you think I wouldn't notice it?" He cringed, at the words, at the pain in his head and at the rank stench of alcohol. He didn't know what his father was going on about now. The only thing he did know was that he was in for it now, whether he'd done something wrong or not.

Daniel blinked. Elenore was no longer at his side, instead making her way towards his truck. He followed after her, quickly before slowing his pace when he reached her. "No, I wouldn't," he said. He paused before adding, "But thank you for thinking so."  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Of course he disagreed with her. He had seemed lost in thought before he answered her though, which made her wonder what he was thinking about to begin with. "Your welcome." she said as she sighed before she crossed her arms to stay warm. Again she had forgotten a jacket and yet she always reminded her kids to dress warm on days like this, why hadn't she done it herself?

To be honest, she wondered what would have happened if she had met him instead of Sebastian. Then again Daniel could have been a different person back then. Who knew how different her life would have been. She loved her kids though, and she would do anything for them, losing them was not an option. They were something she wouldn't change even if she had the chance to.

Her eyes closed briefly as she stopped at the front of the truck, her hands in her pockets at the moment. She wouldn't deny the fact that she did really like Daniel, but it seemed as if all they would be is friends for now. It would give them time to get to know each other a bit better and then she would see how things went from there. For now she couldn't say anything for sure. She couldn't dive into something without thinking, not when she had three kids depending on her.

Elenore rolled her shoulders back and then looked over at him, guessing that he had locked his car so she waited for him to open his own door so she wouldn't look like a fool when she opened the door on the other side to find that it was locked. Then again she had already made a fool of herself more than once today.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel didn't say anything when she replied to him. She seemed to have so much faith in him being a good person but was he? He didn't know. He knew he definitely hadn't been when he'd been younger but what about now? Was he a good person? He certainly didn't do any of the things he used to. He didn't push drugs, whores, weapons or any of that other s**t. But was he necessarily good? Bringing Nicholas home had been the first nice thing he'd really done in so long. He was too much of a loner to do any real good in the world. Whenever he interacted with people, he tended to end up insulting them, especially if that person was Michael. He felt bad for that. He owed Michael so much that he felt ashamed of the way that he spoke to the older man. Michael had put up with so much crap from him over the years and he knew he hurt him, though Michael refused to show it.

When she stopped in front of the truck, he raised an eyebrow in confusion before realizing that most normal people would have locked their doors. "I didn't lock it," he told her. "No one in their right mind would steal this hunk of junk." It ran and was usually reliable and that was about it. Besides, if anyone did steal his truck, he'd hunt them down and smash their kneecaps. He may have been a changed person but no one, no one, stole from him and got away with it. He tried to be a good person but there were still some things about his old life that he appreciated, like how he'd learned to fight, to defend himself and other such things. He could protect his friends -if he had any- and, if things got really tough, he knew plenty of ways of making money, albeit illegal ways.

Walking over to the truck, he opened the driver door, hopped in and tossed the blankets into the back seat before pulling the door closed.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

She shook her head when he said that no one would steal his car. "Some people are desperate enough." she told him. At one point in her life she would have. Not many people knew that she was good at picking locks.. or breaking into houses for that matter. Her father would leave the house drunk and there wasn't a spare key, sometimes he would even fall asleep inside and not even open the door for her, but nonetheless, she would still have to find a way in if she wanted some food or a place to sleep.

It was sad though.. they didn't talk anymore. He would call on holidays but that was about it. Elenore took care of her mother's grave when she got the chance and she knew her father did too. They had been separated by grief.. and yet they were somehow united by it as well. Shaking her head, she pushed away those thoughts as she went over onto the other side of the truck and opened the door before getting it. Closing it, she was glad it wasn't so cold in here. Putting on the seat belt, she then leaned back slightly. When she had been Grace's age she didn't bother with that type of thing but once she had a kid, she knew she had to set an example for her.. and then Nicolas and Deserai.

Thinking about her kids reminded her of the fact that Daniel had told her to take a break. Biting her lip, she couldn't help but wonder when. To be honest she didn't want to go to work tomorrow and deal with Ruggles. He was only more stress and she didn't want that on top of everything else. That man was a creep and she didn't understand why other women let him treat them however he wanted. To get more money, yeah she could understand that but still. If she had some extra cash she would have sued him herself.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel didn't comment when she replied to him that some people were desperate. He was pretty sure he knew more about that than she did. There had been several times in his life when he would have stolen a car like that, but certainly not from the type of guy he was now. He hadn't seen stupid back then. He'd known better than to steal from people who would beat you into a bloody pulp for stealing from them. He wouldn't have even stolen for his old boss if the person he was stealing from was bad enough. The man had offered him big fat paychecks to steal from other gang bosses. He'd told the man that it was kind of hard to enjoy a big pay when you were dead.

Starting the truck, he pulled out of the driveway and onto the road, making his way towards the Olive Garden. He glanced at Elenore out of the corner of his eye. She seemed stressed, even more so than she had before. What was it she was thinking about that would result in such an expression? He wished he knew. Of course, how many times in his life had he wished he was psychic? And how many times had he gone on to be glad that he wasn't. For the most part, it would be a very handy little talent. But, there were some really twisted people out there whose brains he did not wish to enter.

He sighed quietly as he drove through the city towards the Olive Garden. There were so many things he wanted to know, most of them about Elenore. What was her favorite color? Animal? Season? What was her childhood like? Then again, he didn't want her to know about his childhood so did he really have any right to be wondering about hers? Probably not. But there was one thing, at the moment, that he really wanted to know. "What are you thinking about?" he asked quietly. He looked over at her. "I'd stop asking if I were psychic but, you know, I'm not."  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Once he started the car, she placed one arm along the window, her other hand was on her lap as she looked ahead. She wasn't exactly big enough to actually be able to physically threaten Ruggles so she wasn't even going to try that. Considering the fact that Daniel had called in sick for both of them, she might as well miss a few days and she wouldn't have to call in either. So far Ruggles hadn't dared to seek her out of the building, she didn't want him showing up at her doorstep. She didn't have enough money to sue him either, and he knew that perfectly well. Wonderful. Quitting wasn't an option either.. unless she took this time to find a new job but she was supposed to relax.. not think about work.

Hearing Daniel's question, she laughed slightly before shaking her head. "My thoughts aren't exactly happy at the moment." she said softly before lightly crossed her arms over her chest. "Ruggles. He's been.. well.. let's just say he creeps me out a bit." she told Daniel. She didn't know a single person that worked in the building that liked him. Clients loved him due to the fact that he treated them with respect and so forth. A chill ran down her spine. "I think I'll take a couple of days off now. You've already called in sick for both of anyway." smiling a bit at him, she then returned her attention back up front. "What about you? What are you thinking about?" she asked him, she was curious after all. He barely ever talked about himself and when he did.. well it didn't last for very long.

She would love to know more about him but how was she supposed to know what the sensitive topics were? He never talked about his family, so she was staying off that topic, as well as his past. Asking about things he liked to do seemed like a good place to start from and she would keep that in mind as well. Elenore looked over at him once more before she noticed part of his tattoo stick out from his sleeve. It caught her interest.. but she would wait to ask about it.