Catching Up

[Saiketsu]

The night that he had taken her back to Awelfor Manor, there had been an unspoken agreement between them that he would visit from time to time to check on her grieving process. The first time he had visited, she was nearly silent, so enrapt in one of many paintings of Nadia that she hardly acknowledged him. Damien had frowned, but let it go, leaving with an unease that made him wonder if she were truly finding her way back. He reminded himself of the day he lost his family and allowed her the space to grieve.

The second time he had visited Odessa, she was more aware of his presence, though still quiet. Again, Damien let it pass, his visit with her short and awkward, time still missing from her mind. As he left, he was at a loss of what to do - should he seek some alternative method of returning her to herself? Should he try to mentally move her? Should he seek out Nadia and end Odessa's nonsense? He decided, upon the suggestion of Rachel, who spoke to the deep part of him that didn't want to have significant concern over the Ancient's horrible decisions and madness, to let Odessa find her way herself. Damien cared for Odessa, of course, but since attacking him, Nadia, and Pierre, he hadn't been able to accept that she would be capable of sanity for sustained periods of time. There were too many moving pieces in Damien's life to make Sonya a priority. It was a terrible feeling on the one hand, but a relief in the other. Odessa had become a lot to care for.

He was supposed to have visited her last week to check in on her as was his habit, but something important had come up. Now, as he drove up the road towards Awelfor Manor, he called the Ancient to see what state she was in. As usual, there was no answer on her cell phone.

Damien parked in the driveway behind an enormous black SUV that Odessa's driver used. He stepped out of the car and knocked on the front door just as it opened by itself. "Odessa?" He called out to the Queen of the house.

[The Cedar Witch]

The past few days since removing the bullets from Decker's flesh were relatively uneventful by comparison.  Though she grappled with her protectiveness of him, feeling that the short time they'd spent together warranted no such attachment.  It was a fruitless battle, especially so soon after sharing blood--that was like a mark of ownership in some circles.  Worse, still, she couldn't outright claim that she disliked it.  In another lifetime, she might've worked harder to separate herself from the possessiveness, replace him with someone else.  Warm necks were ripe for the picking if one were to venture out into the city.  But she found herself wanting him.

When Damien called she had just returned from dropping the completed cityscape off at its new home, not bothering to answer the phone in her pocket as she entered the house.  She went straight to the kitchen counter to connect her phone to the charger and leave it until she needed it.  Her mind went to Decker again, thinking of calling him later, thinking that wasn't a good idea if she were trying to be less attached, thinking that maybe she didn't care as much as she ought to have.  Her fingers reached for a cigarette from the silver case atop the piano, mainly to prevent them from firing off a text to the human.  Holding it between her lips, she lit the tip on the way out the back door.

Anna was distracted, not expecting any visitors, much less any that would call her Odessa.  She stood frozen against the deck railing for a moment, processing the shift from one identity to the other before she'd even recognized the presence at the door.  Damien, of course.  It had been almost three weeks since he'd come to check on her (not that they hadn't been in touch on the phone throughout the month).  Hastily, she tapped the cigarette into a glass ashtray on the railing and brushed mentally against him in light greeting before going into the house.

"Damien,"  Her smile was strained for composure--he'd interrupted her brooding after all.  "It is good to see you."  Somewhere she meant it, though her mind was buzzing with what she wanted to tell him.  That she'd found someone for his job opening.

[Saiketsu]

He felt her greeting and responded in kind, allowing her the privilege first. As she came in from the deck, Damien reached out for both of her hands, held them in his own, and kissed her lightly on her tepid cheek. So she had fed recently. That was good. Perhaps she was improving after all.

"How have you been, my dear Odessa?" He held her hands casually for a long moment, smelling the traces of cigarette smoke in her hair and seeing the distraction in her beautiful eyes. He smiled down at her and released her hands, silently noting their stillness.

[The Cedar Witch]

There was comfort in the affectionate gesture between them, and she scrambled for it.

"Ah--well, good, in fact."  A hint of bashfulness edged into her voice as her mind ran over memories of being significantly worse off.  She'd kept herself distracted, taking small steps toward a routine, trying so desperately to keep her mind from...

"Tell me, have you heard from Nadia?"  Her voice was hopeful, though unsure.  The paintings of her daughter that he'd walked in on her working on had long since been stowed away, save for one hanging in the front living room. 

[Saiketsu]

Damien's smile faltered for a brief moment, though he recovered quickly. "Nadia is just fine." He hesitated, unsure of what information he was allowed to give his old friend on Nadia's behalf. "She and Pierre have been keeping very much to themselves lately, reconnecting I believe." One of them would probably have something to say about Damien saying so much after Nadia's intentions were made so clear. Damien pushed it from his mind.

"Tell me about what's been happening for you. I am very interested to know. It's been a few weeks since I've seen you last and there's been some large developments happening. Have you been keeping up with the newspapers?"

[The Cedar Witch]

She was visibly crestfallen at his admission on her daughter's whereabouts, but truly she expected nothing less.  His haste to move on to another topic was not lost on her, but she did not press him for more despite the aching tightness in her chest.

At least she is well.  At least she is happy.

"I have not," she sighed softly.  "Let us move somewhere more comfortable to speak, I hate to have a conversation in my foyer."  She smiled politely and led him to the living room just a short walk from the door.  After taking a seat on one of the black leather couches, she resumed the conversation.

"I've been keeping the company of a human,"  her expression was carefully controlled, lest any slip betray the fierce possessiveness that had been ebbing over the past couple of days.  "And I know you are in need of someone to look after Rachel in the daylight hours."  She watched his expression carefully, offering a warm smile at the mention of his lover.  "I understand you are having difficulty filling the role with someone a bit more, how do you say it, sturdy?"  Her laugh was light and airy.  "A human is not ideal for the role, as I am aware,"  she examined her nails idly, "But I can say that he is otherwise more than qualified."

[Saiketsu]

Damien sat near her on the same couch, their knees almost touching. He was astonished to hear what she had to report, the information so readily available. He gave her a questioning look at all of the information she had to share.

So she had a pet? A lover? That was good! It was like she was back to her normal self on that front, not holding out for that brat who almost ruined her. Nikolai then seemed like the last thing she would remember. Good. Perhaps she would forget all about him altogether.

At the mention of Damien's hunt for a new bodyguard, he raised a suspicious eyebrow at her. Damien wasn't quite sure he would trust anyone that Odessa would be able to find as a lover. He had met her lovers in the past - weak, fickle men with deep pockets and an adoration of her and no loyalty for anyone else. It was certainly not the person he wanted guarding Rachel when he couldn't be there. "I'm not sure about this, Odessa. Humans are too vulnerable, too slow." He aimed to let her down gently, his misgivings plain in his expression. "What kind of work does he do to make him qualified for this line of work?"

[The Cedar Witch]

She shrugged, unaffected by his hesitation--it was expected.  Though, the right human could pose a serious threat if they were well-equipped.  Hunters have demonstrated that well enough, but she wasn't about to argue the point.

"Some sort of protection work, I gather."  It was an educated guess, based off of what little she had to go on.  She wouldn't make an effort to hide her lack of concrete knowledge from him.  "Quick, on-the-foot thinking.  Comfortable with firearms.  Discrete, respectful, resilient..."  Listing off traits at random was not something she'd wanted to do.  This was bordering on the praise of a doting mother.  It felt like pulling phrases from a resume that she had to make up on the spot.  The grimace on her face was enough to indicate her distaste. 

"Ah, well, I could go on but I cannot speak for him.  Consider an interview, at the very least, if you find yourself short on other options."  She gave Damien a reassuring smile. 

Odessa abruptly changed the subject.  "Tell me what is new with you." 

[Saiketsu]

The truth was that Damien did find himself short on options. Greg, the shifter that they had hired nearly three weeks ago, was proving himself to be much less efficient than he was originally claiming. So far he had challenged Rachel's only human friend in public, made passing sarcastic comments about Damien's nature, and had shown up late to a call twice. And that was all that Damien had witnessed or that Rachel had told him. They had a short, tense conversation about finding another bodyguard last week, though Rachel wouldn't volunteer any other reason why - not that he needed one. If Rachel wasn't even comfortable with this guard, there was no point. Still Damien kept him on the payroll, knowing they needed a replacement before firing the mountain lion.

As he listened to Odessa speak of this new human of hers, he was confident at least that Odessa would never suggest anyone who would reflect poorly on her. If she were vouching for the skills that he had, then he must have had them. "Alright," he replied reluctantly, knowing there was no other real option available at the moment.

The abrupt change was welcome, the bodyguard topic being unexpected and fast. Her mind seemed frantic, clingy somehow. Damien couldn't quite put his finger on it and frowned. "Well there is a brand-new Academy for supernaturals in the city. It's named after Kerr Galvin - you remember him, yes? It's being run by his two fledglings Ben and Ichabod. I've taken on the role of a professor at the school. I teach a class about securing finances in order to build a strong lineage and a practical class on identity documents and maintaining secrecy.

In addition, the floors of the new medical facility are being put in finally. Remember I told you of this briefly?" He didn't know if she would remember, all this information being dumped on her while she refused to speak or acknowledge him in their meetings before. Now, however, it was good to see her interacting. Perhaps this human was truly a good thing for her. Damien hesitated a bit longer, unsure of how to proceed with the biggest bit of news, uncertain of how she would react.

"There is also going to be an election for the Central District Leader position in the city. Ben Samson and Jake McCloud - you remember Jake McCloud? The vampire oligarch? - they will be running in opposition." Another pause. "I have chosen to be McCloud's campaign manager."

[The Cedar Witch]

Face unexpressive, she remained quiet while he spoke and offered no nods of acknowledgment when he asked if she remembered this or that.  Internally she was a flutter of embarrassment and the longer he went on the more panic tightened at the base of her throat.  Kerr Galvin?  The Luminary?  What did the Luminary need a school named after him for?  Damien a professor?  The classes he described teaching were very Damien-like, but beyond that, it all sounded so nonsensical.  There were districts now?  Immortals running for office?  How preposterous!  Whatever became of the Oligarchy?

Why hadn't she bothered picking up a newspaper? 

Confusion showed plainly on her face as she attempted to piece together what fragments of city politic she recalled. 

You remember him, yes?
Remember I told you of this briefly?
You remember Jake McCloud?
Remember?
Don't you remember, Odessa?

Hands fists in her lap trembled delicately against the desire to press her palms flat against her ears, squeeze her eyes shut, and drown out his voice.  She kept a tight-lipped smile and pin-straight posture.

Polite, composed Odessa.
A mask that no longer quite fit.

"It sounds as though you have your hands full," she responded softly after a short moment had passed. 

[Saiketsu]

It was her lack of response that reminded him of her forgotten time. She had missed only the past two years while she was in the ground, but the madness with which she returned brought a gaping hole in her memory. When they pulled her from Stakes and Sticks, she was missing almost a hundred years of time. Damien had searched her mind and tried his best to bring the years back, to put her in the present. In the end, missing ten years was better than missing a hundred, and Damien had left it alone.

His smile faltered and he took one of her balled hands in both of his. "Yes, I have. But everything is moving forward well. Just quickly at the moment." It was painful to see her struggle like this and he was happy that he had to bear it alone. He hesitated before asking quietly, "Would you like to... try to remember anything?"

[The Cedar Witch]

There was a sharp inhale when he took her rigid hand, but she allowed it.  His words were far away and she was scrambling to come back to the surface.

"I'm remembering fine," came her quick, firm reply.  She forced her hand to relax in his.  The last thing she wanted now was for him to go back into her mind.  Reflexively she began to wall off, though she knew he would not do anything without permission.   

[Saiketsu]

Her response was uncomfortable to witness and hard to move away from unquestioned. Odessa had always been proud, stubborn, with a touch of madness. True, they all had their kinds of madness, the old ones who had real tastes of immortality. It was to be expected when the body stayed the same but time passed on. He had the madness too, he knew. But this... this was different.

Damien lamented for his old friend silently behind a wall that Odessa might never be able to top again. Holding her hand in his, Damien sighed with a wistful smirk. "You're getting better every night, Odessa. Just give it some more time.

"I am going to be running the campaign of Jake McCloud, who currently sits as the leader of Central District," Damien explained with patience. "He is around two hundred, bold as bold can be, and impetuous to a fault. He's running against an even younger..." he tried to find the right word to describe Ben Samson, but had to substitute with "...politician, who hasn't been dead for twenty years yet. His track record is significantly more impressive, but again the boldness of these young ones, Odessa. I remember when it was the old ones who led. No longer. Hmph.

"But enough of the city," he said at last with a kiss on her hand before releasing her. Damien lounged back against the sofa and crossed his legs, angling his body casually towards the elder. "Tell me of this human of yours. Anyone who can capture your attention so quickly must be someone fascinating."

[The Cedar Witch]

Just give it some more time.

Her expression darkened, recalling the last time he'd said something like that to her.  About Nadia.  But that was all she could give for anything like this--time.  There was certainly plenty of that to go around.

Grateful for the change in subject, she fixed her attention on Damien's explanation, finding that she cared less about city politic than she used to.  That much she could remember.  Something about a Masquerade party--ah, yes!  The Luminary had been drunk, knocked into Pierre...  That was a night.  She nodded along with his words, laughing lightly when appropriate.  Yes, yes, the young ones now--so presumptuous.  Perhaps they should go back to territorial squabbles, let the strongest come out on top. 

When Damien navigated the topic of conversation back toward Decker, her expression faltered.  Somehow she hadn't expected him to ask such a personal question and fidgeted slightly in her seat as her hands went back into her lap.

Decker had nothing to do with Odessa--not any more than Damien had to do with Anna. 

But she had brought him up, it was her own fault for mixing the two worlds.  Damien didn't need to know anything Anna did.  That wasn't what he was asking anyway.  "Yes, I suppose he is," she offered, slowly regaining the cavalier expression that would be more familiar to him.  "I met him in the art gallery,"  Her smile twitched as she recalled the interesting evening that was her first real night back in the city after her recovery.  "He plays guitar and has a lovely voice."  There was the flicker of something almost girlish in the way she described him.  "Perhaps you'll see for yourself soon enough."  She stated with a note of finality that indicated that she would not be going on about him. 

She inhaled rather suddenly before speaking again.  "Tell me, how is Pierre?  The burn, how is it healing?"  Her expression as quizzical, though guarded.

[Saiketsu]

As familiar as he was with Odessa's patterns of praise, he was amused to see her describe this mystery human so openly. Her words offered him little, but the tension in her voice and her lack of condescending language gave him pause - Odessa had never had a very high opinion of men, certainly not of the ones who found themselves drawn to her. The few details missing scorn gave him enough to know that something was very different about her, something less proud. Damien found it bittersweet.

As she changed the subject to Pierre, his guard went up. Pierre and Odessa had never truly gotten along together - Pierre always bitter about the missed opportunities with Nadia and Odessa always disdainful towards Pierre for his love of Nadia. They interacted cordially enough, as Damien expected of him, often times with Pierre, the younger, leaving the room when Odessa's nature became too much for him to handle. Of course Damien would hear of his displeasure after Odessa was gone, his remarks often turning nasty towards the ancient. It was Damien's place to stand between the two of them and protect his son from any unwarranted attack.

"I'm impressed that you remembered that. He was attacked only a few years ago, so it will linger for a time still. But he is healing and it will still be several years more before the burn no longer affects him. But he makes do, as we all must."

[The Cedar Witch]

She nodded and the twitch of an almost sympathetic gaze touched her features as Damien spoke.  On the surface-level, she cared for the well-being of Damien's only fledge.  It never extended beyond that.  Pierre would always come between herself and Nadia, and she would never truly forgive him for that.  Air softly passed through her nose at her exhale. 

"It is good he is healing,"  her voice was soft and cold and she fidgeted in her seat.  Pierre wasn't who she wanted to ask about.

"Has--"  she looked up with a pained expression.  "Has she said anything to you.  Since I..."  She wanted so desperately to reconnect with her fledge, grasping at anything that could possibly indicate that she was forgiven, knowing that was likely unrealistic.  Nadia could be as stubborn as herself.  Pain seized her chest at the thought of never speaking to her again.  And she'd spent the past weeks keeping as far away from those thoughts as she could bear.  But with memory trickling in, she wanted--needed the stability of something familiar. 

[Saiketsu]

Damien shifted his position into something more withdrawn unconsciously, the muscles more tense beneath his clothing. He pressed his tongue to his top teeth and made a small tck before speaking. "You know that she and I have never been close enough for such things. She remains polite and respectful to me as she always has and keeps mostly to herself on the very rare occasion I see her. Mostly, she interacts with Pierre as I've said." It wasn't entirely a lie, as Nadia had said nothing but greetings to Damien since the night she and Pierre helped bring Sonya into the house on Alcott Road.

"You must take comfort in her distance, Odessa. I know it is hard. Like an unruly child, she will return when she's taken her time to think and be." Though Damien didn't truly believe that Nadia was anything like an unruly human teenager. He suspected that looking into the madness of someone whom you loved dearly was too painful to accept - best to amputate the hand lest it poison the rest of the arm. "We are capable of such love as rivals any distance, you know this."

[The Cedar Witch]

There was a frantic look in her eye and the slightest quiver to her lip, but she contained it all with a sharp nod and a plaster smile. 

"D'accord."

She wasn't naive.  She knew this wasn't Nadia being an unruly child.  This was distance wrought from pain caused, and she was frantic to learn how deep the hurt had settled.  There was nothing that Damien would be able to learn.  The only one now who knew anything about what Nadia was thinking or feeling was Pierre--and he'd never say a thing to her about Nadia. 

Healing wasn't the only thing the passing of time was capable of.  Grudges thrived in it if one was of that temperament.  And if Nadia was as much her daughter as Odessa knew her to be, then this risked never being repaired.

"What else do you have new to tell me?"  Her voice was soft, twinged with defeat as she sought his gaze.

[Saiketsu]

Their conversation continued on eggshells - polite words with little to no consequence, passing through topics in poised volleys. The distance between them was maintained on both sides and after several minutes of it, Damien prepared himself to leave, winding the exchange down with an excuse of business as usual that needed monitoring, a lesson plan to be constructed, a dog to be groomed. Odessa, ever-obedient to the rules of decorum, nodded, agreed dully, and walked him to the entrance.

Once again he took both of her hands in his and kissed them respectfully. "Goodbye, my dear friend. Keep yourself well for me, yes?" He offered her a hopeful smile. "And do give my information to this human suitor of yours. I should like to meet him." Damien took his leave of the ancient, casting her one last glance as he pulled out of the driveway and drove on towards home.