cautionarytale

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084

I'm locked out.

[ooc: Elle's back from her canon-update! Complete with malfunctioning powers and all that good stuff. And 'cause she's awesome, she's also locked out of her and Peter's room. So she's sitting pathetically in the hallway looking scrawny and sleep-deprived and probably not smelling great because she almost certainly hasn't eaten, slept, or showered for the past few days.

Also, she meant it to be private to Peter, but it's not. Again, she's just that awesome.]

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[Elle pulled her hand away from the wall, taking a deep breath and standing up straight.]

"I can't control it," [she admitted reluctantly, crossing her arms and looking away from him.] "I can't sleep, I can't eat, I feel like everything in me is screaming and there's nothing I can do about it."

[She leaned back against the wall.] "I just need a nap or something. Peter'll be able to give me a sedative. That'll help."

Edited 2009-11-12 20:14 (UTC)

[He actually hadn't expected her to tell him, but now she had, he actually had to spend a moment trying to figure out what he could, and should, do to help. After a moment's thought, he worked out that not being able to control it might actually be quite painful.]

"I...I'm pretty sure it needs more than that. It sounds terrible... I'm sorry." [It was a lame statement in the face of that, and he knew it, but he didn't know what else to say.] "Okay, I'll get him to come and do something about the pain, or whatever so you can sleep. That, I can do. What do you need to get back in control of it? What's it going to take and what can I do?" [He paused and thought about it for a second, not thinking she'd like his only workable suggestion for now,] "If I get your powers taken away, just for a few days, not as punishment, just... look, would it help? Would it stop it hurting?"

Edited 2009-11-12 20:25 (UTC)

"I don't know. I dunno what's wrong with me." [Elle had been hoping Mr. Bennet would know, but she'd gotten dragged off on that wild goose chase by Claire... which had landed her right back here.

When he suggested taking her power away, her eyes snapped back to him, instinctively grimacing and spitting out,] "No!" [She'd rushed into that place thinking they could take her power away, but actually faced with the prospect, she didn't want to lose it. But if she had the guarantee of getting it back...] "Maybe. For a night. Maybe, I dunno."

[He had expected her to reject him outright, but when she actually considered it, Howie realised that this was really bad.] "I didn't mean for long. Just long enough that you can get some sleep and to give us chance to figure out how to fix this. Or at least figure out what's wrong." [Not that he really had much clue, but he was pretty sure something could be worked out. Something had to be worked out, because this was dangerous, and mostly to her right now.] "It'll make it easier, I'm sure, and I do promise I will give you them back." [He was pretty sure, one way or another, he was going to have to take them, because someone would get hurt, one way or another, and it wouldn't even be her fault. Really, though, he wanted her agreement, and he was prepared to work for it.] "I just want to help."

"Whatever, can I have those paperclips?" [Elle asked, holding out her hand for them. She wanted to get inside, at the very least so she didn't have to have this conversation in the hallway.]

[He nodded, as she'd sort of distracted him from the actual point of coming down here by...well, circumstances. He fished in his pocket and handed them over,] "There. If you can't get it to work, I'll give it a go." [He was pretty sure she didn't like him doing things for her, so he'd let her do that.]

[Elle took the paperclips and knelt in front of Peter's door, fumbling for a few moments before carefully trying to drag one of them across the tumblers like Adam had taught her. She overloaded once, but it wasn't as bad as the last time - a few sparks and a soft wince were the only indication she gave that it happened.

She accidentally twisted one of the paperclips too hard and bent it.] "Damnit," [she hissed, pulling it out and trying to get it back into shape without breaking it. She didn't want to admit that she wasn't good enough at this to do it when she was this bleary and out of it.]

[He watched her, desperately wanting to help, but knowing she probably didn't want it. Or didn't want to admit she needed it. After searching his pocket again, he managed to find another paperclip,] "There." [Howie paused and shook his head, giving up on letting her do it.] "I...It's hardly fair to expect you to do it like this. I'll do it, really, it's not a problem."

"I can do it." [Elle took the other paperclip and stuck it in the lock. This time she twisted far too hard, and it snapped.] "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" [She kicked the door viciously, but the wave of anger only triggered another overload and she was forced to lean against the doorframe until the electricity subsided.]

"Okay, whatever. You do it."

[He was really quite worried that she'd got to that point before letting him help, but it wasn't an issue for right now, either. Howie took the paper clips off her and knelt down in front of the lock himself, concentrating on getting it open, very carefully twisting them and biting his lip in concentration. Something clicked, just as he was worried he'd break one of the paperclips himself and the door opened.]

"There." [After breathing out in relief, he stepped away from the door. He would have gone and got Peter, in fact, that was his original intention, really, but then he'd seen the state of her and decided it was hardly a good idea to leave her on her own at all.] "You alright? That looked like it hurt.

"Yeah, I'm fine." [Elle pushed past him into the room and ignored the dog that immediately jumped on her.] "I'm tired." [She flopped down on the bed and buried her face in a pillow. It hurt too much to sleep, but if she could just close her eyes, that would be nice.]

[On second thought, he should have seen that answer coming.] "Do you... try and sleep if you can, then. But I'm not going anywhere, I want to make sure you're alright. I will try and get some help, though, alright?" [And have her powers taken off her, because that was the most important thing at the minute.]

"I don't need a babysitter," [she grumbled, rolling over so her back was to him and settling deeper into the bed.]

"Alright." [He was reasonably, if not entirely, confident that Peter would help her soon enough, so he headed to leave, as there was little else he could do here.] "I'll go, but if there's anything else I can do...you know where to find me. Don't avoid asking, I just want to help. Get some rest, I'll see you later." [When he'd have to figure out what he was even supposed to do, as well as whatever had happened to her.]

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