#agentbr

Finn: ::hugs her back:: thank you.

Hazel: Good flight?

Finn: Yeah, Johnny Storm came to pick me up.

Hazel: Was he polite? :;grins and ushers her in:: He's been warned.

Finn: Yeah, he was fine. ::smiles:: I think Hank said something to him before I left. So he was on his best behaviour.

Hazel: ::chuckles:: It's a miracle the man hasn't been hurt yet. He's rather sassy. So come on in, relax, put your bag down...how are you?

Finn: ::sets down her bag and sits on the couch:: I'm good. Things have been going really well. You?

Hazel: Just fine! Are you hungry or thirsty or anything?

Finn: Um... may I have a glass of water?

Hazel: Of course!

Finn: Thank you.

Hazel: ::she goes to get it from the kitchen:: I'm sorry I couldn't get the door. I just finished vacuuming and straightening...putting laundry away...::still a pile of books on the coffee table, the tv on to the news feed::

Finn: ::the TV catches her attention... they're honouring someone for their work in the community. Mrs. Evelyn Asher, dead at

Hazel: ::brings her a glass of water::

Finn: ::stares at the TV, sick feeling creeping up...starts shrinking back in to the couch::

Hazel: ::frowns:: Finn?

Finn: ::they're interviewing people she worked with, singing her praise...a pillar of the community...helped hundreds of children. Worked tirelessly::

Hazel: ::glances from her to the tv she's locked on to::

Finn: ::The Atfield Home for Girls...::

Hazel: ::blinks and...stares at the screen for a moment::

Finn: ::half whispers, half mumbles:: Will you excuse me, please?

Hazel: Of...of course. ::steps back::

Finn: ::doesn't wait, stands up and all but runs for the bathroom::

Hazel: ::frowns and follows:;

Finn: ::curls herself in to a ball and sits in front of the bathroom cabinet::

Hazel: ::hesitates and knocks lightly at the door:: Finn? Sweetie...are you ill?

Finn: ::tries to sound like she's not crying, fails:: I... I'm fine...thank you.

Hazel: ::pushes the pocket door open a little and slips in, shutting the door behind her as she sinks down next to her on the floor:: Hey. Hey, sweetie, talk to me. What's happened?

Finn: That... that... woman.... ::spits out the word like a bad taste::

Hazel: The one on the news?

Finn: They're honouring her... for her *good* work. ::wipes her face with shaky hands::

Hazel: ::puts a hand on her hair and strokes lightly:: <q> What do you know of her?

Finn: The Atfield Home for Girls...Atfield...I know her *good* work...

Hazel: That's ...your name.

Finn: No... it's the name they put on my birth certificate. It was where they sent me. Mrs. Asher... ran the home...

Hazel: ::frowns more and listens, a dull tightness of anger starting::

Finn: ::in a voice Hazel had never heard before, raspy, bitter, and unloving:: "Punishment is good for the soul. In suffering you will find the way to God".

Hazel: ::starts at that and sits up, staring at her::

Finn: "We will drive the wickedness from you, child. You bear the mark of the devil and I will not abide it."

Hazel: Oh, Finn. No.

Finn: ::shakes, chin quivering::

Hazel: Sweet girl, you...are *not* that. ::slips her arms around her and hugs her::

Finn: I... I know all about her *good* work.

Hazel: ::snuffles and hugs her tight::

Finn: "Take this time in the dark to remind yourself of why you seek the light" And they're honouring her...a statue...a monument to everything she's done...

Hazel: :;leans back and holds her at arm's length:: Finn. ::shakes her head:: Finn, they don't know what she did.

Finn: No... they don't... Because no one ever asked.

Hazel: How long were you there?

Finn: Six years. "You are a freak. An abomination under God." And that's all I was to any of them...the social workers wouldn't listen... or didn't care...they called me a liar.

Hazel: :;flushes and has a moment of murder in her eyes::

Finn: And they'd leave... and she... she...the closet at the end of the hall.... they'd tell her what I'd said...she'd be so angry...I was supposed to be grateful.

Hazel: ::looks furious and heartbroken all at once::

Finn: ... locked in the closet to consider what I had done. Until I was ready to thank her. For allowing me to stay.

Hazel: ::shakes her head again::

Finn: And she gets a staue...no one will ever know...no one wants to hear about how a pillar of the community broke dozens of children... especially not freaks.

Hazel: You just told me.

Finn: It doesn't change anything.

Hazel: It might.

Finn: She's dead...

Hazel: True. It won't change *her.* But it might help others like you. That's a terrible thing to happen and you can't be the only one.

Finn: No.

Hazel: Maybe ....you can work to make sure it doesn't happen again.

Finn: ::defeated:: why would anyone ever listen to me?

Hazel: Hey. Because you're going to tell the truth.

Finn: And they have dozens of people... *normal* people who are singing her praise.

Hazel: Here's the thing. I'm sure that she did help a lot of non-mutant children. But the people who protected *her*...are still around.

Finn: ::stares at her::

Hazel: It took more than that one woman to let that happen to you.

Finn: ... yes.

Hazel: Which means they're still in the system with other mutant children. ::sets her jaw::

Finn: ::feels a bit sick::

Hazel: And...you can help them.

Finn: How?

Hazel: There are mutant anti-defamation and aid groups out there. Tell them your story. Let them start checking into it.

Finn: ::nods slightly::

Hazel: Finn. That woman was *wrong.*

Finn: ::curls up again and cries, shaking::

Hazel: Oh, sweetheart. :sighs and curls up with her, pulling her into a hug:: She can't hurt you anymore, she can't hurt anyone anymore. You're in a good place, with friends and people who care about you, who *like* you...no more abuse. I'll thrash anyone who tries.

Finn: ::Looks up at her, looking more like the broken child she was than she has in a long time:: Thank you.

Hazel: I'm serious. I will come in with cricket bat, badger and assistance.

Finn: ::forces a weak smile::

Hazel: You...are a good person, you are not a freak, not some unholy thing. You are sweet and smart and gentle and have an amazing talent. And I love you.

Finn: ::more tears spill over::

Hazel: :;snuffles a bit herself:: Do you know...if that woman had been kind to you...I would never have met you. I would rather she had been kind to you.

Finn: Just don't ask me to thank her.

Hazel: Never. I'll visit her grave sometime and thank her, and tell her how well off you are. Let her chew on that.

Finn: You'll forgive me if I don't join you.

Hazel: Of course I will. ::strokes her hair and kisses the top of her head::

Finn: ::quietly:: thank you.

Hazel: They say that the best revenge sometimes is just to live well.

Finn: There are a few things I'd settle for that aren't "best" then.

Hazel: I'm sure.

Finn: I'm sorry... I shouldn't say that.

Hazel: You can say anything you want. Following through is where you need to be careful.

Finn: I don't need to follow through. She'll be locked away in a box forever.

Hazel: ::nodding, sighs soft:: I...I wish there was something I could do.

Finn: It's okay...it's not your fault.

Hazel: Doesn't change my wish. :;wraps her arms around her::

Finn: Thank you.

Hazel: You think of anything, anything at all, you let me know.

Finn: I will.

Hazel: ::sighs and ...blinks as the badger climbs up through the floor nearby, eyeing them warily::

Finn: I'm sorry... I came for a visit and... this is not how I meant for it to go.

Hazel: Oh, sweetie. You do *not* need to apologise for anything.

Arthur: :;crawls up and waddles over to them, worming his way into the tangle::

Finn: ::pets his head::

Arthur: ::growly purr, 'lo shifty-gurl....dun be sad...::

Hazel: I tell you what. Let's go back in, turn *off* the fecking news...throw in a stupid movie and relax a bit, mm?

Finn: ::nods::

Hazel: And if that doesn't work then we'll go do something.

Finn: ::slowly gets up, wiping her face::

Hazel: ::helps her, and scoops up Arthur:: If you want to wash your face, there's a cloth there for you.

Finn: Thank you. ::wets the cloth and wipes her face::

Hazel: ::opens the pocket door and sets Arthur down again...watches him waddle back out towards the living room::

Finn: ::folds up the cloth and follows Hazel::

Hazel: ::leads her out, the TV...off....already...huh::

Arthur: :;curled up on the couch by the remote::

Finn: ::curls up as far in to the corner of the couch as she can get::

Hazel: ::hands her the glass of water::

Arthur: :;creeps over and curls up against her::

Finn: ::strokes his head:: Thank you, Arthur.

Hazel: ::smiles a little and sits, pulling up Wall-E::

Finn: Hazel... I... Uh... Thank you. No one ever believed me before.

Hazel: And that is their terrible mistake and loss. But...you're welcome. Very welcome. You're stuck with me now by the way. ::grins a very little to her::

Finn: ::smiles:: I think I can live with that.

Hazel: Good. Tell me...how fond are you of your surname.

Finn: ... It's a name. It's not really "mine".

Hazel: :nodding: Aye. But you could change it if it bothers you.

Finn: ... Change it? To what?

Hazel: Something you want. Something that won't drag you back to that place every time you see and hear it?

Finn: I... I don't know...I've never really thought about it.

Hazel: Well. You've got time to think on it now. ::smiles crookedly and starts to speak....then thinks better of it::

Finn: What?

Hazel: Me being selfish.

Finn: ::confused::

Hazel: ::smiles gently and shrugs:: I...personally think you would be an ideal Brompton.

Finn: ::looks like she might cry again:: I...I... ...Really?

Hazel: ::nods and manages a smile::

Finn: ::whispers:: thank you...

Hazel: No, lass...thank *you.* I mean it. I love you very much and ...I'd do anything for you.

Finn: I love you too, Hazel.

Hazel: :slides over and hugs on her::

Arthur: ::HEY HEY HEY BADGER IN THE MIDDLE HEY::

Finn: ::hugs her back::

Arthur: ::squirms and escapes::

Hazel: You can be the daughter I'll never have. ::soft chuckle::

Finn: ::smiles:: I'd like that.

Hazel: ::grins and puts her head to hers:: And we shall rule with an iron fist.

Finn: ::holds up her fist, clad in an iron gauntlet::

Hazel: ::laughs::

Finn: ::chuckles::