Coming clean

[a_time_slip]

(This is for NYC Noir, but I don't have the brain power to make this into a proper post...  I'll probably fic it later and post it there)

Sometimes, the past catches up with you when you least expect it, and that's what happened that day at Janie's cheap hotel room.  An Agency vehicle was outside, and she knew what was inside.

So, she ran, and kept running until she realized she was at Phoenix's door.  All Janie could do was knock.

Comments

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

Both the kids are happily installed in the den, playing computer games when Phoenix opens the door.

"Hey honey." He's pleased to see her, but Janie doesn't look like this is a social call. He steps back to let her come in. "Everything okay?"

[a_time_slip]

"They found me." she said, walking inside and looking behind her. "I should have told you, I'm sorry."

With that, she threw her arms around Phoenix, not sure if she should take off, or ask his help and advice.

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

He's long had a suspicion about this. The lack of money that Janie tried so hard to hide, a few other things, but thus far, he's allowed her some privacy on the matter.

"They?" He moves his arms up a little awkwardly to hold her. "This got anything to do with that dampener you been carrying around?"

[a_time_slip]

"The... Agency." she admitted "They can't trace me if I use the dampener, if I stay under the radar..."

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

"That explains the shitty job, too." He takes her hand to lead Janie into his study. A comfortable and spacious room, bookshelves without books, but with with bits of tech lying around on them; a desk, and a sofa.

"Are you crazy?" Phoenix keeps his voice down so as not to disturb the kids, but he's clearly baffled. "Ever heard of personal leave? Or resigning?"

[a_time_slip]

Janie sits down, wringing her hands for a moment, and trying to come up with the words to explain what had happened.

"I can't." She said, finally. "Not with what happened, and the only reason why I took that job was- I just got the news about home, and then they wanted me to come back to work. I don't want to go back and work for them right now."

She reached into a pocket, and pulled out a simple pin. It was made from an iridescent metal, and consisted of nothing but four stars.

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

Shaking his head, Phoenix flops down beside her. In his own dealings with The Agency, he's always worked as a consultant, attached to the Offworld Corps of Kaldoa's own covert agencies.

"I guess I never had that problem." He stares at the pin. "What is that?"

[a_time_slip]

Janie had been an Agent for centuries, giving the Agency a good chunk of her life. That was a big part of why they did not want her to leave for any reason.

"Before... everything happened, I got a promotion. I didn't want one, but there wasn't anyone else to take it. The pin is my new rank."

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

"That's not an agency pin." He peers at the thing, wondering if they've been prettying up the accoutrements some. But something doesn't feel right about it, nonetheless.

"Are they using perception filters in those things now?"

[a_time_slip]

"It's four stars." Janie explained, somewhat absently. "they don't use perception filters on things like pins... "

She looked at it a little more closely, and smiled. "Lynn. She's looking out for me."

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

"Maybe they should... I'll suggest that in my next memo." As he looks, the pin becomes clear to him.

"Good for her. Listen, I'll do the same. This whole house and the ground it stands on, is protected by Ylaia. She can't let he wrong people find this place. You'd be safe here."

It being clear who the wrong people are, Solus Kaelen and Vahl Ravenhead.

[a_time_slip]

"You should put in a formal request." Janie said, still distracted.

"I can't. I want to, Phoenix, but I can't abandon Vito. He's done so much for me and won't take any repayment. I never should have gone to him, and what if he's in danger now?"

Janie wasn't sure if Solus or Vahl were part of who'd taken over the agency, but she knew that whoever it was wanted to make her life hell.

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

"Yeah." He sits forward, arms resignedly resting on his knees. "Got to admit, I kinda liked him. If there's any trouble, you get both your arses right over here, okay?"

Which brings him neatly to a slight beef he has with Janie. "As for you, you little chicken..."

[a_time_slip]

"He doesn't know anything." Janie said, looking at Phoenix. "All he knows about is what the people at the club did to me."

"...Chicken?" she asked "I am not!"

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

"Nothing at all about you, or the agency?" Or more specifically alien worlds and time travel. And possibly angels.

"No. Sure. I take it back, you have the courage of a lion." Slightly childishly he adds. "The one in the Wizard of Oz."

[a_time_slip]

"No, I told him I was an immigrant, which is why I took that horrible job and apartment... and he started trying to help me. And you're Lynn's father. He must have thought I was-"

"I am no coward! And I'm going to insult you soon, you. Wanker."

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

"Well, okay, I didn't tell him anything that could have been weird." He blinks at her outburst, still rather annoyed at being set up.

"Was that the insult? I'm devastated. See, I wasn't sure how much you'd told him, 'cause there was nobody there to sort of hint."

[a_time_slip]

"I wasn't there because you two could have fought! Or teamed up on me... or anything. But you had to meet him to see he wasn't horrible, and he had to meet you because of Lynn and I thought if you two met she'd be less likely to.... do what she's doing. She tried setting him up with other people, and convincing him that he's... not wanted. He's too nice of a guy for that. And he doesn't have a temper."

Janie didn't want to admit that she couldn't come up with an insult.

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

At this point, Janie has successfully distracted Phoenix by confirming something he's been worried about.

"Is that all she's been doing? She hasn't, you know... You think he's in any danger?"

[a_time_slip]

"She likes him." Janie frowned "But she's always trying to get rid of him... Lynn's only gone dark eyed for me, as far as I know."

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

"Vito told me she seemed to be having trouble adjusting. I offered to talk to her, but he said to give her a bit longer before the adults started butting in." Phoenix looks hard at Janie.

"She did? Nothing bad happened, did it?"

[a_time_slip]

"She- wants to live here." admitted Janie, "And wants me to live here too."

The time traveler averted her eyes when Phoenix asked about something bad happening, then decided to tell him.

"It's only happened when we were arguing about my old job, and when- well, about the school. Everything is fine now." I'm not a thinly veiled- um. Entertainer anymore. And she's making friends."

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

"I'd like that too." He says softly, still heartsore from the whole Vito business. "But you have to do what's right for you. And Lynn practically has her own room at mine. I love seeing so much of my daughter, thanks for allowing it."

He listens and considers the whole school thing. "Sam's straining at the leash to go to 'proper school'. We haven't talked it over with Lynn yet, but d'you think it'll help if Sam's with her? They seem real close these days."

[a_time_slip]

"I never wanted to take her from you." she blurted out, referring to the way she'd left Phoenix. This was the start of a ramble, and she would kick herself after saying everything. "I left her with my Dad, I just wanted to escape, and then she was there. So I took the first job I could find with those people. They offered me ID and an apartment and all I had to do was work for them to pay it off. And one night, I wandered into this place, and Vito did the nice thing and bought me dinner, and gave me a ride home. And he bought food for Lynn, because we didn't have any. Those bastards barely paid me because they tacked on charges for everything. Then he found a job for me, and one for Julian- and by then you were back and I couldn't just... leave him. I tried Phoenix, but he's such a good guy, and I can't let him know that- gods, I'm a horrible person. They kicked me out of my apartment during the storm, took my clothes, everything, and did you know the beast could get inside of my head? If I'd come to you that night instead of him, I'm sure nothing would have happened. But she knows, I won't come between you and her, I just didn't know what to do after I got here and realized she tagged along. You and Sam make her happy, she's calm And I'm just this terrible parent. If I could go back, I'd be with you, but I can't because that would fuck everything up again."

[ashes-ascended.livejournal.com]

Phoenix is reeling from the tirade, but he's been clinging to very word, hoping for some trace of "I want to be with you" from Janie.

"It doesn't have to be fucked up, but you need to make that decision." He gets what he's been looking for, but if Janie can't choose him over Vito, he can't bear to beg her to do it. "You're not a terrible parent. We'd be amazing together."