Sebastian Smythe crossed his legs as he studied Lawrence July, this wasn't a meeting that he ever thought would happen in his lifetime. It wasn't even a meeting he particularly wanted to take, and if he didn't play this situation carefully it could blow up all the hard work that he had managed to do within the past few years. "I don't see why you're requesting help from Titan on this, from what I gather your Templar's are perfectly capable. I don't quite see the upside to this for us. The magic-touched community is happy with us, the non-magic touched community is firmly on our side as well."
Lawrence July shifted in his seat and studied the man in front of him, there was something that he just didn't like about him. But he pushed those thoughts away, Titan was currently winning the PR war, and once again the Templar's were stuck attempting to move forward. "We believe it would be good publicity if Charlie—"
Sebastian held up his hands, of course that was what they wanted. Things had changed rapidly this past year, for Titan and more importantly for Charlie, who didn't seem thrilled with the notoriety. "Charlie trusts me. The reason that she trusts me, is because I have her best interests in mind. I make sure her bills are paid, that the people that surround her are trustworthy. I make sure her money is managed properly, that her appearances on television are short, and all the questions she knows in advance. I know enough about her to know that asking her to meet with the Templar's, an organization that abused her, is a recipe for Charlie never trusting me again. Charlie doesn't work for the Templar's and even if you could sell this idea to me and to Titan. We've made sure she's always had the ability to say no to any assignment she doesn't feel comfortable with. And she will say no to this." Sebastian shrugs. "For all we know this could be some ploy to get her back."
Lawrence made a face at this information, Titan had managed to give Charlie a level of protection that had made it impossible to approach her. It was why he was attempting to do this joint exercise. It would have been easier if Charlie hadn't announced her presence to the world half a year ago. "She stopped a tsunami, she is beloved by various world leaders, the news media adores her. She's got several blogs dedicated to her life now. We can't touch her without an international incident."
"Exactly why Titan won't force her to meet with any Templars. She's here in Europe for some publicity, the EU is finally doing the right thing and looking into starting a magical law enforcement agency—"
"Which will work in tandem with the Templars. You have forced us to modernize to remain relevant, and it would be nice if people knew that we can work together."
"The Templar's have subjugated the magic-touched since its inception, if you think six months can wipe away all that anger and resentment on both sides—"
"I don't." Lawrence stated interrupting Sebastian. "I don't think that this will be easy, but it needs to happen. If we can show that we can work together, it will give some legitimacy to your side. If the Templar's make a move to accept you, then markets that you haven't been able to enter—like in Africa and South America will open up to you."
Sebastian paused, it was a very generous offer, but he knew Charlie well enough after three years to know that she would probably say no. He holds his hand out and pulls out his phone, and dials her number. He waits for two rings before Charlie picks it up, "Charlie, I know you're about to do a demonstration, but what do you think of doing a joint exercise with the Templars for publicity—"
'No.'
Sebastian shrugged his shoulders at Lawrence, Charlie had said no, there wasn't much he could do to change her mind. And he wasn't going to push an issue that could be solved without Charlie presence. "Thanks for the—"
"What about meeting her family, at least her grandfather. It would be very public of course, in a place of your choosing."
Sebastian frowned, with Lawrence's raised voice he knew Charlie had heard him. Her family was a touchy subject to say the least and he wasn't sure how she was going to handle the interruption. "I think it's best if you go back to your—"
'I'll see Quinn. My twin, I'll see Quinn. Just her.'
Sebastian wasn't surprised when Charlie hung up the phone, she did have things to do and she still hadn't grasped basic phone etiquette. "Look, Mr. July, I know of your relation with Charlie, but she doesn't know you. To her, you're just a weird old man who worked for an organization that made her life a living hell. She is up for having a meeting with just Quinn. If you want to use your other granddaughter, to convince Charlie that's up to you. But she doesn't want to see you. Nor does she want to have anything to do with the Templars. I may however be able to convince some others so that they can see the benefit in such an arrangement. But Charlie has already refused."
Lawrence scowled when he didn't get his way. "Thank you for your time, I'll send Quinn over to meet with Charlie shortly."
Sebastian raised a brow but didn't say anything, "The offer is of course still on the table," he said standing up and adjusting his jacket before walking out. He had gained some information. The Templars would try and tempt Charlie back through any means that they could. It was a good thing that Charlie wanted nothing to do with them.
~ O ~
Quinn took a look around the hotel restaurant and spotted her twin sitting at a table watching the people hurry along through the lobby. She hesitates for a moment, she hadn't seen Charlie in three years, and the last time that they had been in a room together. Charlie had made it clear that she didn't want anything to do with her. Which made this request for a meeting odd.
She hesitates for a moment longer, before moving towards the table and pulling out the seat and sitting down across from Charlie who finally looks at her. "You've done well for yourself, I'm glad you took my advice to leave." She reaches for a menu and picks it up opening it. "Why did you want to see me?"
Charlie finally turned to look at Quinn, "Sebastian makes me go for counselling so I don't snap and go on a killing spree. We have to talk about my family, and I think I'm ready to—" the words die in Charlie's mouth for a moment before she makes a hand gesture and looks at Quinn.
"Be a family?" Quinn prompts, watching as Charlie's face twists.
"No. I don't want that. I have a family. But I think we could maybe be—" Charlie tilts her head slightly.
"Friends?" Quinn asks watching as Charlie shrugs at the term. She raises a brow at Charlie, "Your therapist suggested that we be friends instead of sisters?"
"I don't know how to be a sister, I don't know a lot of things. So, she said maybe I should start with having lunch with you, and being friendly." Charlie states after a moment and looks at the menu. She crinkles her nose at the prices and looks at Quinn. "You can start by paying for lunch."
Quinn blinked Charlie still seemed as cheap as she had been when she had worked at the bar. "Charlie, I like nearly everyone on this planet saw you stop a tsunami. You saved countless lives, and the government billions of dollars to fix the damage. There is no way that Titan isn't paying you a massive salary to make sure that you stay with the company. You can pay for your own half." She looks over at the wait staff who had approached the table and points to what she wants. Charlie doing the same and the menus were whisked away.
A small smile flitted across her face, it was probably a similar response to what Santana would give her. "They are, but I wouldn't leave Titan unless Sebastian left Titan. I didn't even know I had to pay taxes, he makes sure all that is done for me and that I have good people who help me with things I don't understand. I'm still upset he's making me talk to someone, but sometimes I don't have to talk at all." Charlie shrugged.
"Do you just talk about family?" When Charlie doesn't answer immediately, she decides to push through. "Because I don't talk to our father anymore, but we do have some good people in our family who would like to meet you. Our grandfather, he's doing everything he can—"
"No." Charlie said firmly. "You were innocent, that's why you're here. That's why I want to—try and be friends, but I don't trust Templars."
Quinn blinked and pointed to her new white and red uniform, the Templar uniform was slightly different in Europe, but she had risen through the ranks quickly under her grandfather's guidance. "I'm a Templar," she reminded Charlie.
"No one can be perfect Quinn," Charlie responds.
Quinn snorted at this, "I didn't know you made jokes now." She smiles and points to what she wants on the menu when the waitress finally returns with their food. There's a rather comfortable silence that fills the table as Charlie begins to eat quickly. "You look good, I mean you desperately need a haircut, but you look better than you did, are you happy here?"
"France is a nice place to visit, but I just want to go back to New York. Sebastian says I need to take my vacation days." Charlie is quiet for a moment. "Are you happy?" Charlie said turning the question back on Quinn. "You don't look happy."
Quinn shrugged her shoulders, hesitating for a moment. It's not like Charlie had anyone to tell, "I thought that this would make me happy, and don't get me wrong I have earned every promotion, and I'm finally at a place that I want to be. My voice matters, when I enter a room people stop and take notice. But—I don't have anyone to share it with."
"So, get a boyfriend—wait Sebastian says I shouldn't assume these things. And he'll make me go through sensitivity training again." Charlie looks around but Sebastian hasn't shown up yet. "Get a person. Or a pet. People like dogs."
"Girlfriend," Quinn corrects watching Charlie's expression. She doesn't really seem to care one way or another. "I had a boyfriend once—we were supposed to get married. I—he hates me now."
"Because you're a Templar?" Charlie asks.
"Because I like women," Quinn rolled her eyes. Charlie seemed rather hung up on the whole Templar thing. "He was a templar too. I was with him when I met this wonderful woman—her name is Rachel. She's on Broadway, like she's this massive star and we talk sometimes, we catch up but—I mean she's been with other people, I've tried dating here. It's complicated. I miss her a lot."
"Does she miss you?" Charlie asks taking a sip of her water.
"I think so, I mean I think she's still pretty annoyed that I took this job without actually talking to her about it."
Charlie nods, "I don't understand why this is complicated. You miss her. She misses you. Talk to her."
It did sound simple but with all the baggage, and she was certain that Rachel was seeing someone. It wasn't as simple as just appearing in Rachel's life again. "What about you? Are you still in touch with the person who broke into our base?"
"Santana—" Charlie paused for a moment when Quinn smirked at her. She had been tricked. "If you go after—"
"I don't give a shit if she did, but you're awful at keeping secrets. So, tell me about Santana. You two seemed close when I last saw you."
"I stayed away from Santana because I didn't want the Templars to hurt her to get to me. I didn't say goodbye," Charlie informs her. "I haven't talked to her since I left."
"Do you want my advice on how to handle it?"
"No," Charlie replied. Quinn didn't know Santana like she did, and the advice would probably be terrible. It was already clear that Quinn didn't know how to manage her own relationships.
Quinn rolled her eyes, but smiled at Charlie's reaction. It was normal, this whole conversation was relatively normal all things considered. "I'd like to do this again."
Charlie looks up at Quinn for a moment, and then back at her food. "How's your shoulder injury?"
Quinn looked up at Charlie, "How did you?"
"When we fought the last time, I could see it was bothering you, and you were favoring it." Charlie answered.
Quinn rotated the shoulder in question, "I occasionally feel a pinch, and I don't think I'll ever have full mobility."
"Titan has some okay healers, they patched me up after the Tsunami, I can take you to one," Charlie offers.
"Thank you, but I'll pass. If the Templars found out that I had unauthorized magic used on me I could get into serious trouble," Quinn answered. It was a generous offer, and she was tempted to take it up, but her training wouldn't allow for it.
Charlie nods absentmindedly and pulls out her phone and places it on the table and slowly pushes it to Quinn. "I don't know when I'll be in France again and I don't get how all those numbers work when you call people, and I don't want to pay for long distance but you can call me if it's important. Or if you need me to save you."
"I think you're misremembering our last fight Charlie, I won."
"You shot me, no one said you won." Charlie retorted before smiling. "If you come back to New York we'll settle it."
"Fine but you can't use magic, and I won't shoot you." Quinn responded as she took Charlie's phone noting the brand. It would be cheaper to video chat with her. "This isn't just for emergencies Charlie, if you need to talk to someone—I do want to be here for you. But please figure out time zones before you call." Quinn pushes the phone back after texting her number and gets up, using that moment to finish up. "I'll pay for this meal this one time but you're getting the next bill."
Charlie smiled, free food was always the best food. "I'll see you when I see you then," she said extending her hand for Quinn.
Quinn pauses for a moment before taking Charlie's hand and shaking it.
