#thread: lee

New York seems to have a strange draw on people. The lights, the wealth, the crime, the atmosphere– whatever it is that dazzles the millions of people who dream of moving to the Big Apple is utterly lost on Valerie. It wasn’t broadway or the pizza or the lifestyle that stuck out in her mind, but the trash. A filthy city fit for its filthy people. 

So, it’s not by choice that she finds herself in the giant dumpster fire that is New York, but necessity. Where the Syndicate calls her, she goes. 

Plagued by jet lag ( on top of an already inoperable circadian rhythm ), she’d abandoned her new apartment in search of the one thing she knew to be worthwhile in this city: Lee. 

She lets herself into his apartment with the key she’d naturally made a copy of during her last visit, puts the kettle on, and waits for her brother to materialize. When he doesn’t, she navigates to his bedroom to find him sprawled across his bed in a deep sleep. The sight of it makes her smile. Even at 51 years old, even after everything, he still looks so innocent and childish in his slumber.

Valerie crosses the room and hops up onto his bed, startling her brother out of his sleep. Her wide smile falters a bit as she notices the state of his face even in the dim light. 

“Christ, what’s happened to your face?” Delicate nose wrinkled in distaste, she brushes his hair back to peer at him closer through the dark. “You look like shit.” Her smile returns, and she hands him the mug of tea she’s just brewed, leaning forward to press a greeting kiss to his forehead. “Happy birthday. Sorry I’m a bit late.”

Joanna had admitted to herself that she had been avoiding most people in Lakeview and, as much as she adored her friends, that included them. She had barely wrapped her head around having a baby on her own and the idea of discussing it with the same people who had supported her when she thought she couldn’t have them was making her more uncertain. Still despite this she wasn’t surprised when someone started knocking on her door and as she opened the door a crack she definitely wasn’t surprised to see it was Lee waiting there. The bag they were holding certainly intrigued her though.

“Do you have a plan?” A loaded question. Her gaze is somewhat off, bright green eyes somewhat hazy, a pond darkened by a film of scum. She retreats further into her head with each minute of uncertainty, already preparing to flee after her brother into the darkness. “Parking garage on the corner. Saw a pair head over about five minutes ago.”

Bonnie knew that her spouse would be very busy with everyone descending on the school but after a few hours of setting up some of the food from Bonnie’s she’d gone in search smiling when she stepped into their office.

It had been years since Joanna had felt the need to knock on the door of the Madsen household, just as she expected Lee or Anya or even Bonnie to feel comfortable to walk into her own home she didn’t hesitate to let herself in, talking already as she walked around to try and find Lee.