Ch. 41

Laurie had to admit that she missed crime fighting. She had become quite attached to her second life, and lying around not being able to do anything was very frustrating to her. She couldn't believe she had only been back from the hospital for two days. Just a week before, she had been running around without a care, taking things for granted. Lying in bed the morning after Walter left with warnings about Agent Orange, Laurie realized something. She could have died that night she was stabbed. She felt foolish for not thinking about it before that, but she had been preoccupied with so many other thoughts, it wasn't until things were still and she had a moment to herself that she came to the realization.

Laurie had almost died, and so easily, at that. Of course, she had feared for her safety fighting in the streets prior to the incident. However, it never occurred to her that it would be this bad -- sort of a strange sense of invincibility, she supposed. Being injured like she had been was something that happened to other people. Being injured like that had only been a concept in her mind. A bad concept, but something that wouldn't apply to her. Then of course it happened, shattering any illusions she had about the world.

Laurie looked around her room and wondered about everything she took for granted. Her home, her parents, her life, even Walter. She loved them, sure, but did she tell them that enough times? Did she appreciate her life enough? Laurie thought of all the things she was grateful for; feeling a little selfish looking at events, people, herself, the way she used to see them. Lifting up her shirt, she studied the slowly healing wound that had been given to her. The stabbing was bad, but it could have been worse. Laurie paused and tried to remember the night, but it was all a blur to her now. Walter had saved her, hadn't she? She hadn't stopped to ask him or anyone about the events that transpired that night. She had distorted memories of it, sure, but she hadn't asked for someone else's perspective on it. She made a point to ask Walter or her father about it later, and got out of bed.

Blake wasn't home, so Laurie ate breakfast by herself. Afterwards, she called her mother.

"Laurie," said her mother, sounding incredibly happy to talk to her. "How are you doing, sweetie?"

"I'm fine," said Laurie. "I was just kind of... wondering about Dan."

"Just kind of?"

"Well, I was worried about him, that's all. Is he okay? Have you heard from him?"

"I was actually about to visit Hollis' place... he's there."

"Oh."

"Do you want to come with me?"

"Mom," Laurie gasped. "If Walter finds out--"

"--then he can deal with it," her mother finished for her. "Come on, Laurie, we're visiting him, not making a marriage proposal."

"I suppose you're right."

"Walter will have to get used to the fact that you can talk to other men like any normal person does."

"I guess so."

"Come now, Laurie," said Sally. "Come with your mother. Spend some time with her."

Laurie sighed.

"All right."

"Good. Why don't you meet me at Hollis'?"

"Okay, Mom."

Laurie hung up and felt a little guilty. Her mother was right, though, and she just wanted to see for herself if Dan was okay, that's all. If she didn't see him now, all she would remember of him was how he looked after her father had finally torn Walter off of him. All she would remember was that look he gave her just before he turned and left the house. Laurie showered and changed and stepped out, feeling the morning sun on her head and enjoying it. It was good to be alive -- she needed to remember this moment so that she would appreciate life more. Laurie made her way through the commercial streets, looking around at the people around her that looked so ambivalent about the fact that they existed. Laurie wanted to shout to them, push them into traffic if it would show them, wake them up so that they would see how wonderful it was to just be here. She briefly looked into Walter's old work place -- the dress shop -- before she remembered he worked in the Upper East Side now. She hadn't been around that area, because Walter had told her nothing about it. Laurie frowned. She really wished Walter would tell her where he worked, where he lived. She couldn't believe she finally had a boyfriend and she didn't even know where his home was, let alone his last name.

Laurie stopped. What was Walter's last name? Had she ever asked him? She scratched her head, feeling peculiar about this whole situation. How long had she known Walter? Three and a half years? Oh, well. Laurie wasn't going to think about it too much and let it ruin her day. She was going to focus on the good things in life, enjoy her time with her mother and just have faith that Walter would come around eventually.

"Excuse me, Miss," said an ordinary looking man who seemed quite familiar to Laurie. His green eyes were very piercing and strangely artificial in the bright sun. "Do you have the time?"

"Oh," said Laurie, looking down. She didn't carry a watch, so she shrugged apologetically at him. "I'm sorry, I don't."

"That's quite all right," he said, and made a gesture to leave before he paused. "Say -- don't I know you?"

Laurie frowned and tried to place the face. She did feel like she had seen him before, but she couldn't remember where.

"I... don't know," said Laurie. "Maybe."

"Oh wait," the man laughed. "I remember now; I delivered those flowers to you at the hospital."

It all came back to Laurie now. (Mister...S. Miles. Funny. Gag gift?)

"Right," said Laurie, nodding. "I remember."

"How are you feeling?" he asked her. "Is that an odd question to receive from a stranger?"

"Well, I'm feeling better," said Laurie. "Can't lift heavy objects or go cycling, but I'm recovering one day at a time."

"That's good, I'm glad." The man nodded. Something about the way he looked at her chilled Laurie. It was the way it seemed his eyes had nothing behind them. And did he even know why she had been in the hospital to begin with?

Laurie didn't seem to have to worry, however -- the man seemed satisfied with their conversation and started to move away.

"You take care of yourself," he told her. "Don't want something like this to ruin your day."

Laurie stared after him for a long time after he had disappeared around the corner. She shivered and continued on to Hollis' house. Laurie worried that she might get there before her mother, but she needn't have bothered -- her mother was waiting for her at the doorstep. Sally was smiling.

"I looked down the street and saw this pretty young lady walking this way," Sally told her, "It took me a moment to realize that it was you, Laurie."

Laurie blushed.

"Mom," she said, and hugged her.

Sally put her arm around her daughter and rang the doorbell. Hollis came to the door and brightened.

"Sally," he said, hugging her. Then he nodded to Laurie. "And Laurie. What a surprise."

"Hello Hollis," said Laurie, feeling a little shy.

Hollis let them in, and Laurie looked around. Her eyes went to the corner of the sitting room and she realized Dan was there, watching her with a horrified expression on her face.

"Oh God," said Dan, standing up. He had a neck brace, and his hand was bandaged up -- not to mention the plaster on his nose and the bruises and cuts he had.

"It's okay, Dan, it's just me and my mom," Laurie told him.

"Hello Da-- my goodness, he really did a turn on you, didn't he?" Sally gasped.

Dan let Sally fuss over him while Laurie watched, unable to look at his injuries but at the same time unable to look away, too. Laurie sat by while Hollis, Sally, and Dan talked. Sally would refer to Laurie sometimes, and Hollis would ask her a few questions, but Dan avoided her entirely. Laurie felt bad. Afterwards, she excused herself and made her way back home. She walked around the park, missing Walter, missing crime fighting, and missing the times when everything was so much simpler than all this. Sitting next to the pond and looking across the water, Laurie contemplated on her life. What was she going to do? Would she get a job? As much as he hated her, Laurence hadn't written her out of his will entirely. He also had left her a trust fund that she had had access to since she had turned eighteen. What would Laurie do, then? Being a veterinarian seemed silly, now. And what of Walter? Would he want her in his life for years to come -- or was he going to back out on her? And what of her father? Would he tolerate her living at his house forever? Laurie thought maybe she should move out soon -- her twentieth birthday was half a year away; had it been that long? -- but she didn't really want to live alone.

Laurie sighed and made her way back home. She was hoping her dad would have returned, and was happy to find him in the garage.

"Hey," said Blake, smiling and looking up as Laurie stood in the doorway.

"Hi Dad," said Laurie, clasping her hands in front of her as she watched him.

"Trying to figure out which tools will be the best for making your armor," he told her. "That, and looking through materials, too."

"That's good," Laurie smiled.

Laurie continued to watch her father as he scanned boxes and pulled out various implements. He glanced up at her after a while and stopped.

"You okay?" he asked her.

Laurie shrugged.

"I don't hear an answer," Blake said, putting a hand to his ear. Laurie laughed.

"I saw Dan today," she told him.

"Ah." Blake looked away and started to fiddle with some sheets of what looked like leather.

"He kept looking at me like I had the plague."

"Well, Walter made a point and he'd be an idiot not to listen to it, wouldn't he?"

"I guess."

Laurie looked down and sighed.

"Okay, what's really bothering you?" Blake set everything down and turned to her, leaning his back against the table with his arms folded.

"The fight."

"Ah."

"I don't know, Dad," Laurie sighed. "I guess I've never been in that state of mind before, but what is it like losing your temper like that? Do you ever look back on what you did and regret it? Do you ever try to stop?"

"Of course," Blake said. "But it's hard to stop things like that, at least for me -- guess it helps to try not to let shit get to you in the first place."

"I suppose I'm just trying to see it from... that point of view," Laurie said. "I wish I knew how to show Walter that he doesn't need to be like that."

Blake studied her for a long moment.

"When you're used to controlling something within yourself," said Blake, "And suddenly you are extended far beyond what you're used to, you try to force even more control onto it. Never works."

Laurie focused on looking at her father and absorbing the meaning behind his words.

"He's not an idiot," Blake pointed out. "But he's also a man, and as one man speaking for another, I would like to note that we are very appreciative of women who tell us what's acceptable and what's not."

"Not that we want a nag or anything," Blake said, turning away and fiddling with the things on his desk. The back of his neck was red. "But we don't read minds, and if you find something we're doing that's not okay, you put a stop to it the soon as you see it."

"So what do I tell him?" Laurie asked, folding her arms. Her father was embarrassed, and she was too, a little.

"Tell him -- hey, back off on the jealous shit, I don't like it," said Blake, pointing at the wall. "Well, something like that, anyway."

Laurie laughed.

"Thanks, Dad," she said. She felt a little relieved, though she couldn't imagine how she would ever have a conversation like that with Walter. That made her incredibly sad.

"Hey, no problem."

"Since we're being embarrassing," said Laurie, suddenly, "Are you going to ever get together with Mom?"

Blake paused for just a second.

"I guess that's up to her," he said. "Always was."

Laurie gave Blake a surprised smile.

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To be continued...