#v8w2

[TEXT: Hey there! Are you free soon for that coffee?]

Caitlin lingered on her phone a moment after sending the text before setting it aside. In an uncharacteristic moment, she’d had no problem sleeping in this morning, so she had done just that. Her coffee date with Peter hadn’t been far from her mind once she’d woken up, though. Even if she had to keep reminding herself that ‘date’ was not the proper word. She distracted herself by transplanting the fern she’d bought into a pot, frowning occasionally at the negative news channel running on the TV.

Caitlin was feeling rather positive today. So much so that since Katherine was doing her own thing, and she had the time off, she thought she’d try springing a lunch invitation on Peter. She was founding she felt like her old self - in a good way-- around him the more they talked. She wasn’t going to think too hard about that or the past or the future. Not right now.

The good mood lasted all the way to Fortis and up the elevator until the doors opened and she was face to face with an angry blonde. She recognized Claire from the TV, of course. Caitlin almost greeted Claire but in an instant the woman was in the elevator and hitting one of the buttons, practically steaming. She had a few seconds to slip past and escape but opted not to, curious and a little worried. “...You look like you’ve had an awfully bad morning,” Caitlin ventured gently.

Caitlin had taken an early walk to clear her mind and distract from her poor sleep, but it hadn’t been very successful. She was still thinking about the explosion and Peter and the possible registration consequence. It shouldn’t linger on her mind like it did. She wasn’t special, she didn’t have an ability. So really, she wouldn’t be affected.

But she’d been in a world so awful that she could’ve been. Why then couldn’t she offer anything from that? Caitlin turned on the sink to wash her bowl when Katherin walked him. “Can I ask you some questions and perhaps bounce ideas off you?” She said, more eager than usual. “...About the parallel world?”

Thereze closed the door behind him with a click before taking a moment to press her forehead against the cool wood. Her smile dropped. She was glad for him, this was a big step in the right direction, but for now she could stop pretending she wasn’t also sad.

Jacob was off to spend time with his son, Jamie. It was practically a miracle given the mother’s feelings toward him. But Thereze knew that was precisely why the tentatively set 2 weeks might end up running much longer. He was fantastic with kids and he loved his son, no matter how little time they’ve had together so far. She wouldn’t begrudge him this. She would only wait.

How long had he waited for her to come back around?

Pushing off the door, she strode to her desk and folded into the seat, feet under herself. A fleeting moment of cautious paranoia had her checking the street below through the window. No one out of place. Thereze opened her laptop. All those other frustrating emotions aside, there was a heavy amount of relief in all of this, too.

Relief that Jacob would be safe in a place relatively unknown to Albert, far from her, far from being found out about if Albert were to scour this city enough to find their apartment. And, especially, safe from any fallback that might come thanks to her alliance with Jenny. She could stop hesitating now and follow through with the plan.

When Caitlin returned to the building’s lobby, managing to get to the front desk after a minute, everyone in a flurry of busy anxiety. The receptionist gave her fast-spoken directions and just as quickly turned her back to the direction of the elevators. She crossed her arms, mildly confused. All she’d been searching for was information on volunteering in literally any way; apparently they didn’t have a packet for that.

Her confusion grew a minute later when the doors opened to a floor she remembered well. This was where they’d drawn her blood and run a dozen tests on her to check for the virus. Definitely was not Human Resources. She sighed and stepped out. Almost as quickly as she had gotten to a cross hallway, Caitlin spied a man in a lab coat. “Excuse me, sorry,” she said, quickening her pace to meet up him. She bit her lip. “I don’t suppose I got the right directions and Human Resources is on this floor too...?”

Caitlin hadn’t heard of the mall explosion until she went into work yesterday afternoon. She’d managed to miss seeing Katherine since the morning and subsequently hearing any news. It was a shock when she went into the bar and found it was the only programming on the TV, no matter what channel was flipped to. The explosion, the deaths, the backlash. Because of someone with an ability.

Waking earlier than usual the next day, her feet carried her to Fortis. The negativity and hatred in the bar had grated on her nerves. She had kept her mouth shut, loathe to be the only one to want to give the benefit of the doubt to the whole group of Specials, but now she just...needed to do something. To help.

How she would do that was a separate question she didn’t have an answer to and it was why she found herself loitering, again, outside Peter’s office. His assistant recognized her by now at least. That and the ringing phone at her desk got Caitlin a pass. She did a quick knock on the door before entering. “Am I interrupting?”

Richard was having an exceptionally average day. In fact, he was starting to feel restless. The toll of having to live this mundane persona instead of just pretending. His recent encounters with a few random and inconsequential people with abilities had been fruitless. No one with an easy opening to manipulate, or reliable enough so he didn’t have to work much for the chaos.

There was Miss Bennet, but her traveling left him like a sitting duck.

He was in the back office with photographs spread of various painting collections across the table when Michelle walked in. “Good, you’re here. Did you get the sale?” As he asked it, Richard lowered his gaze back to the potential acquisitions instead. He’d hired her not long after opening the shop. Young, passionate, and ready to work. And with no discernible ability. All the facets to make a good curator for him that wouldn’t be a distraction.