Settling In: Chapter 3

Setting down the large paper bag on the kitchen table, I finally sat down with a sigh. Today was a good day, but a long one. I took a few moments to just rest and soak in how much I managed to get accomplished. Which was quite a bit even with helping Angela and Marcy.

Taking off my shoes and setting them out of the way, I quickly put away the few things I bought which belonged in the kitchen. Once finished I pick up my bag and headed to my room where it came to rest on the desk. Looking around I nodded to myself. This was a nice preteen bedroom with lots of the things you would expect from a normal girl. Lots of color, cute animal pictures and stuffies, although that unicorn creeped me out to no end. I swear it was staring directly at me. No matter where I stood.

A nice room, but it was a preteen bedroom. Not a teenager's bedroom, and definitely not Gambit's bedroom. At least, not yet.

First thing that had to happen, the pictures, posters, and such all had to come down and put into boxes pulled up from the basement. Next was knickknacks, stuffed animals, and various other like objects until I had everything stripped bare. I wasn't sure what was supposed to have sentimental value, and Danny wasn't here to ask, so storage in the basement for now. I needed the room. I'd ask him later what everything was supposed to mean and what to do with them then. Some of this stuff might be important or something.

Done with that, I was set to move the furniture. The single bed sitting center stage against the main wall, a small desk sitting between the door and window facing wall, and a wide dresser. Bed moved to the corner with the feet facing the door and dresser under the window next to the bed. That way it could serve as a nightstand. Finally, the desk pushed over to sit next to the closet. All this effort completely opened up one side of main wall. Liking how much space was available now, I started unloading my bag of purchases.

Various maps of Brockton Bay, stationery supplies, markers, push pins, and several other odds and ends were set aside over the dresser and bed in preparation. Nodding that I had everything just the way I wanted it, I got to work.

I was well into my project and plans pushing in a marker push pin when Danny knocked on the door.

"Renée...Renée?"

"Bonjour, Danny," I greeted absently, looking at the time. It was almost five. I'd lost all track of time.

"What's all this?" he asked, walking fully in the room and looking over the chaotic clutter I had decorating the wall.

"Fruits of my labors today," I answered. "I went exploring."

"So I see. What exactly was it you were looking for?"

"Information. Where the gangs were, where the indies were, all that. Also to get a feel for the city. Where the bad parts of town were, hot spots, interesting places, that kind of thing."

"Why?"

"To know what areas to avoid," I answered knowingly. "And what areas I want to be seen in. Take this area here. This area is mostly older homes bought by the working class twenty years ago. Most of the homes haven't changed hands much in the intervening years. The area is fine, modest, and doesn't offer anyone really anything but it's still a rough area with it's share of problems."

"Now," I said, moving my hand over two blocks. "This area is Empire territory and I think either a lieutenant moved somewhere around here, or they have some other point of interest. Either way, this is not an area for a cape to walk openly, unless you are either Empire, or looking to fight with them. So, it's a place to avoid."

"Are you sure?" Danny asked, interested. "I thought that area was ABB."

"Not according to Angela and Marcy. They live in the first area and told me that their mothers forbid them from crossing this street into this area because of the Empire. They told me they started saying this about three weeks ago."

"Who are Angela and Marcy?"

"A couple of kids," I replied with a smile. "Girl Scouts actually. I met Angela the day before I met you. Today they found me wandering around and that's when I met Marcy. I've been helping them get their Cookie CEO Badges."

"Really?" Danny asked, smiling proudly. "That's good to hear. Were you thinking of getting back into the program? I know I still have your old sash around here somewhere. You would be...an Ambassador now, if I remember right. One of the older kids who helped the younger ones or something like that."

"Not you too," I said, chuckling. Shaking my head, I explained, "Angela and Marcy have already tried talking me into taking over the troop. They spent the last half hour I was with them laughing about various ways I could stage a coup."

Chuckling himself, Danny said, "Well, getting back into it is something to consider. You used to be really into it. Well, before. And everyone should have a hobby that isn't larceny."

"Don't knock it until you've tried it," I replied smugly.

Sighing at my antics, which was ruined by his smile, Danny tapped the map with his finger. "You didn't get into the Docks much. Just this bit here?"

"Didn't have time," I said. "I had a meeting with a stylist and then I came home."

"Well, I know that here, here, and there we've had sighting of Empire gang members. Our guys hardly ever see the capes, but some of our work takes us into different territories. They usually leave us alone, unlike the ABB or the Merchants."

Making notes for those locations, I asked, "Do you remember where they were sighted? Anything with the last few months?"

"Ah," Danny said, half to himself, before pointing out several locations and naming which gangs were seen there.

As I was taking notes, Danny cautioned, "The problem with the Merchants is that they don't hold territory, per se. They're always moving around, or located deep into the abandoned sections of the Docks. Mostly leaving behind hopelessly addicted junkies and dealers for us to deal with. Now, I do know the Undersiders are somewhere in this area."

"Who are the Undersiders?" I asked, looking over the multi-block area Danny was pointing out.

"Local teen villains," he answered. "Mostly harmless, at least they've never given us any problems except for the occasional knocked down fence from one of Hellhound's giant dogs. It's because of the dogs that we have a rough idea that they are in this area. We're always repairing fences around there."

"Still a lot of area to consider," I noted. They sounded like indies I wanted to meet. A cape team that civilians thought were mostly harmless? That was something to work with. Still, in the end how they earned would make a difference on if they were worth contacting. "Do they hold territory? Protection, drugs, fencing, courier, muscle, thefts, or prostitution? I don't suppose you know their politics with the other gangs?"

"I don't know much, really," Danny answered, looking a little uncomfortable with my knowledge of gang activities. "I know they've been around for about a year. According to the newspaper they mostly rob businesses. They were credited with that software company downtown last month and I think they had something to do with a few others but I don't remember. I only know what I do because the guys keep mentioning the giant dog tracks going through our sites. Which would be there, there, there, and there."

"Amateurs," I mumbled to myself. For a moment, I thought there might have been something there. That was dashed the moment Danny said they left behind evidence which would point to a central base, much less led to news coverage with them credited. The sites Danny pointed out might still leave two full city blocks to search, but with the kinds of powers that were out there, that was a paper thin safety net. It was surprising the heroes hadn't already figured that out. Or worse, the local hardliner villains.

Still, might be worth checking out. Maybe Jess would know something?

"If you can think of anything else, let me know, please. This saves me days of work myself. I wasn't looking forward to exploring that area," I said while looking over Danny's additions. "Thank you for the information. With it I can concentrate more on the Boardwalk and Downtown areas next."

"That is still a lot of ground to cover," Danny hedged. "Were you planning on walking the whole city?"

"Eventually. Slow and easy is the key to this business, Danny," I replied knowingly. "I don't want to upset the apple cart, or gangs in our case, but I still need to stake my piece of things. To succeed, I need all the information I can get. Knowledge is everything in the game of capes and this city is very stingy, but I'm stubborn, so it equals out."

"But," I said, changing topics and giving Danny my full attention. "I'm sure that wasn't what you were wanting to talk about."

Sighing, Danny took a seat on an area of my bed I had cleaned off earlier. "No, it wasn't. First, I just wanted to apologize again for last night."

"I told you the last fourteen times you apologized, Danny, it's fine," I said reassuringly. "I understand, and I do."

"You just seemed very upset about it."

"At the time I was," I confirmed. I was actually still a little upset but... "But that doesn't mean I didn't, or don't, understand."

"I just don't want you to think it's always going to be like this," he stressed. "I honestly had no idea just how deeply I buried myself in my job until recently. It's been so routine since…"

"I know," I said, nodding solemnly. "Since I disappeared. I said I understood, and I really do. You were hurting, work helped. You are also very passionate about your work, very dedicated, which is something I also understand."

"I'm moving things around," Danny said. "My coworkers are not used to what they consider the 'extra work' but it has actually always been part of their jobs. Just, one more week, alright? It shouldn't take longer than that to get everything reshuffled."

"Danny, really–!"

"No. Look, I know this probably sounds like platitudes and bullshit, but I mean it. One week and I'll never be home past six again. I promise."

Dammit. When I was alone, before I'd met the Street Rats, and even for a long time while I was with them, I'd dreamed of someone wanting to be there for me like this. I was again struck by how much I'd missed. By how much had been taken from me.

How much better would my life had been, if I'd never lost my memories? I certainly wouldn't be here, stoically trying to hang on to my self-made identity. I'd remember which stuffed animals held value. Which pictures were worth remembering. Maybe have a boyfriend - or ex now - who didn't secretly want to take over everything I'd built...

"Thank you, Danny," I said, touched. What else was there to say, really? "But everything doesn't need to be about me, as flattering and proper as that is."

My joking tone earned me a chuckle from him before Danny continued. "Which brings us to the main reason for me coming up here. Other than seeing my daughter to apologize."

"Again. For the fifteenth time," I added helpfully.

"Right. So, do you remember when I told you about Emma and her family?"

"Of course."

"Well, the thing is, ever since I told Alan about finding you, they've been been hounding me, or us rather, to come over for dinner."

I nodded seeing where this was going. "But with your scheduled during the week, and us having so little time, you've put him off. I take it he knows you generally have weekends off?"

"My schedule really hasn't changed much in years," Danny agreed. "But yes, he does."

"He must have figured you were in today when no one answered the house phone then."

"Yeah, I'm apparently very predictable that way," Danny tried joking.

"Tonight?" I asked concernedly looking at the clock.

"That was what he was hoping when I talked to him earlier."

"This is rather short notice."

"Well, if we could make it, they wouldn't expect us until seven."

"That is my point. Short notice," I said, frowning. At best that would only give me a little under two hours to get ready.

"I can tell him not tonight, Renée."

"But this something you would like to do?"

Danny shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. I'm not as close to Alan as I used to be. It's been a very long time since I've actually seen him. We talk once in awhile, maybe once a month or so. He was one of the people I told about finding you again when we got back.

"But we sort of had a falling out after Annette passed away, then you disappeared. Since then I've been fairly isolated aside from the union and, well, a few other places. But once upon a time, you were over at their home as often as you were here. Emma used to be your best friend. Once they were as much a part of your life as Annette and I was."

Well, that was a mixed bag. "You told them I've...changed? They understand that, right? That I don't remember anything from back then, yes?"

"Of course," Danny assured me. "I wouldn't put you in that kind of position, Renée."

"Good," I said, nodding. "I suppose this is one of those things we should sort out before too long."

"Not if you don't want to," Danny said earnestly. "I don't want you thinking I'm pushing you into something like this. I will admit that part of me hopes your memories might return if you were exposed to people and places that meant something to you back then. However not at the risk of what we're working on between us."

"And they are old friends of the family," I added knowingly. Thankful to hear of his consideration of our fragile connection. It was nice to know this wasn't one sided, even though I knew he was trying. "It would be wrong to disrespect them whether I remember them or not. Alright, but if we're doing this tonight, I need to start getting ready."

"It's just dinner at a friend's house, Renée," Danny chuckled.

"To you, maybe," I said shooing him out the room. "But this will be the first time I meet them and you do not get a second chance for a first impression. So, go. Get ready and be warned I'm taking over the bathroom in ten minutes."

Warned and banished, I opened my drawers and closet. Not having a comprehensive wardrobe for socializing on this level, I called the one - and only - person I could think of who knew enough about this stuff to make what I had work. Penny.

Following her instructions, as she knew my non working wardrobe better than I did, I laid out a pair of black knee boots, a pair of skinny jeans I set aside for times when I was in areas I needed to fit in while not being Gambit, and a plum peplum top to go over a body hugging black long sleeved shirt. From there, a quick shower, putting my contacts back in, drying and working my hair into something other than a tangled mess, and finally my makeup. Which proved to be slightly difficult as I wasn't trying to make myself look older, but my actual age. By the time all of this was done, Danny was long ready and pacing downstairs seemingly frustrated and amused at the time my preparations took.

Fixing an emerald and silver vine themed dangling earrings to my ears, I gave myself one last look in the mirror and deemed myself presentable. Really, I would have appreciated having more time to do something with my hair, but the clean pony tail and hair clip was about all the time I could give it. Finally, a bit of perfume from the hand-cut glass bottle, and I headed downstairs.

Danny was dressed about as I expected. A nice set of slacks, shirt and a striped tie that at least went with his outfit. His playfully exasperated look when he turned to me instantly changed. His mouth opened with whatever comment he meant to say, and stayed opened silently as I descended the stairs.

"Imagine what I could do if you gave me the proper time to get ready," I chuckled, reaching over to close his mouth for him.

"You...my God. Dressed like that you look so much like your mother," he finally whispered. "For a moment I could have sworn that was Annette walking down the stairs."

"Then she had good taste," I said, smirking. "But I can't take the credit. Most of my clothes were stuff Penny got for me that I never wore. Back in New Orleans I spent more time dressed as Gambit than I ever did as Renée."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," Danny chuckled, seeming to get over his shock. "Did you get new contacts?"

"No, just tips from a stylist my lawyer put me in contact with. Are you ready?"

"Half an hour ago," Danny mumbled jokingly.

"Well, then, what are we waiting around here for?" I asked innocently. "We're going to be late if we don't leave soon."