2007-02-13: Insomnia

Starring:

Elena_icon.gif Eric_icon.gif

Summary: Unable to sleep, Elena climbs up the roof of Eric's apartment building to think. Eric finds her later, and both attempt to regain some semblance of normalcy in their lives by……talking about Star Trek?

Date It Happened: February 13th, 2007

Insomnia


Eric Walker's Apartment, High Rise Apartments, Greenwich Village

She couldn't sleep. Even when Eric offered her the bed, and she took it, she tossed and turned until she threw off the covers. It was well into three in the morning and she still hasn't heard anything from her father. Closing her eyes and rubbing them….at least the headache is subsiding now, Elena crawls off the bed. She almost stumbles over one of the unpacked boxes left on the floor, muttering. Just how long ago did Eric get his place anyway?

She opens the window and looks out, clad in a pair of women's boxers and the tank top she was wearing all day. She had showered earlier, but this little sleepover wasn't exactly planned. Pulling her hair into a loose twist, she scrambles out into the fire escape, and climbs up the roof of the building to get some air.

The boxes are all odds and ends. The clothes are up in the closet, the furniture is there, the game systems and the wide screen HD TV, along with the computers…those are the cleanest parts of the place. A typical bachelor pad. Though…oddly enough there is little in the way of family things. Or knickknacks from the past, there is also an obvious lack of lights.

Eric was asleep on the couch, he offered his room, his bed and his pile of clothes for her to choose from. He also said she can go back too her place tomorrow too get clothes. However right now, the muttering and the thumping he grumbles himself before he sits up and blinks as he notes the window is open. He blinks once, then again. Yawning slightly he has a t-shirt and pj pants on before he walks too the window, without having any problems with the darkness. "Elena?" He calls softly as he sticks his head out the window.

"Hi," Elena says, her voice drifting from the rooftop as the young woman finds a clean spot on it to manage to sit down….and drop on her back to stare at the sky, or what she -could- see anyway. City pollution didn't really give much in the way of stargazing. All she sees is fog, and lights from the city that always stayed awake reflecting off the particles. "I'm up here. I couldn't sleep." She folds her arms behind her head. She wasn't brooding, damn it. She was thinking.

Apparently she already knew everything she learned tonight, but re-learning them all again, Eric's darkness manipulation. Drake's Matrix-esque powers. She didn't know how much shock her brain could take. And her -father-. Where was he?

"Have you heard anything?" Probably the dozenth time she's asked this within the last couple of hours.

Eric blinks a moment as he looks around. "…I don't think I've ever been out here," He says after a moment before he ducks his head back in. She can hear him rummaging around quietly in his room before slipping out the window after her. When he comes up he's got a coat and a thick blanket, he hands her the coat before settling down next to her, folding his legs under her and seemingly not bothered at all by the darkness.

"…no," He answers honestly, not looking towards her at all. "I'm sure he's fine though, he'll call as soon as he can."

"Thanks." Elena takes the coat, sitting up and shifting it on her shoulders. It was way too big on her, but it was warm - and it was February. It was quite cold, though oddly enough she doesn't feel it as much as she should. She hugs her bare knees and leans against the brick wall of the roof escape leading down to the main hallways of the top floor. "Look, for what it's worth, I'm sorry me and my dad dragged you into this. I mean, I'm sure he didn't mean to but when it comes to stuff like this, I guess he can't trust a lot of people." She runs her fingers through the loose strands of her hair. "God, I'm tired, and my head feels like it's the size of a melon, but I still can't sleep."

"Welcome," Eric says with a slight sigh before he shakes his head. He hesitates to put an arm around her, JUST FOR WARMTH! NOTHING ELSE! He pauses a moment before he sighs slightly and nods once. "It's not problem," Eric says with a slight shake of his head. "I mean I was the one that rushed headlong into it all, I could have just ignored you and Drake if I really didn't want to be involved." He gives a slight laugh as he leans back against the bricks. "…I don't know who any of us can trust either."

She hunches over, resting her chin on her knees, lashes falling half-closed over her eyes. "You've always been such a good guy, though," Elena says. "Always helping people out. You're a TA for god's sake. For -Calculus-. That's like a one-way ticket to Sainthood or something." She looks at him sidelong. "But thanks a lot, for all the help. I mean…it looks like even Papa trusts you a little bit, and he doesn't usually trust guys my age."

Eric has the grace to blush at that, looking down for a moment before he shakes his head. "…I'm not that good," He mutters, glancing out of the corners of his eyes at her before he chuckles. "…if I was I would be able to figure out some way out of this mess." He says as he shakes his head slightly. "…and Cal isn't that hard." He quips before he blinks and glances at Elena. "…he does?" Pause. "Well maybe he thinks I still think you're gay."

The last causes her to laugh, Elena's head throwing back a bit at the sudden display of mirth that surprises even herself. Her hands come up, planting on her face and burying it between her fingers. "Ugghhhhh! I'm NEVER going to live that down. I can't believe he -told- you. I can't believe you -told other people-." She pulls her hands away to look at him. "What are you trying to say though? I mean, HOW could you believe him? Do I come across a lesbian to you?" she says in fits of laughter.

"Hey now! I just said my boss's daughter was gay, I didn't even know it was you back then," Eric says with a smile, his eyes brightening up as he looks up and towards Elena. Its good to hear her laugh again it is, and actually smile. Her face was built for that, not for frowning. "…and I only told one person! Who said…" Pause. Mick said that means she had to be hot. "…nevermind." A cough before he blinks, finding himself looking right into her eyes again and he swallows. "…er…no! But I didn't know who you…I mean you don't come across as a…I mean you're attractive enough to get…I…" Pause before he ducks his head and smirks. "…yes, you've found my dark secret. I babble when flustered."

She laughs, her head rolling back into the brick wall and looking up. "I'm sorry. You've been trying so hard to help and I'm mercilessly putting you on the spot," Elena says, her laughter subsiding into a quieter fit as she lifts a hand to rest on her chest to try and calm herself. She looks over at him and nudges his shoulder with her own. "Well, we've got enough dark secrets tumbling out of the woodwork in the last forty-eight hours, I'm sure another one's not gonna kill you." She winks. "If it makes you feel any better, I won't tell anyone." Pause. "……just a hundred of your closest frat-buddies."

"At least you're smiling and laughing," Eric replies at the sudden nudge as he looks back towards her. He laughs a moment and shrugs lightly. "Well as far as dark secrets go, I suppose that one isn't all that bad eh?" He asks after a moment before he laughs and shakes his head. "…mine really is a 'dark' secret isn't it?" He says with a ghost of a smile as he looks back towards the young woman. "…mmmm…sorry, that was a really bad pun wasn't it?"

"That was terrible. Absolutely horrible. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul," Elena remarks dryly at the pun, but she smiles, just a faint quirking of her lips as she toys with one, loose tress of dark hair between her fingers. "But yeah….not bad at all," she murmurs. "I mean, as far as secrets go, it could be worse. You could be a Justin Timberlake fan. That's about as dark and soulless as it gets."

"There we go…" Eric says with a smile towards her. "That’s the look I was missing," However he pauses a moment before running a hand though his curly hair. He makes a face then before shuddering. "If I was I think that’s one think I wouldn't ever admit, I'd admit I'm a Star Trek geek before that." Pause. "…and I do like Star Trek." He adds with a slight quirking of his lips. He falls silent for a moment before he sighs. "…he'll call tomorrow, I'm sure of it."

"Eh? What look?" Elena wonders out loud. She wonders if there was something different about her face just a few seconds ago. But when he shudders, she grins. "Oh yeah? Kirk or Picard?" she inquires, a brow quirking in a mock-inquiring way. "Choose your answer wisely, Red Shirt." But at the last, she glances down at her fingers. "I'm sure he will. Papa can survive anything. He's kind of like a cockroach. I won't be surprised if he outlives me."

"The one that makes one corner of your mouth twitch up. Its like you can't decide weather to smile or not," Eric says almost without thinking before he blinks and coughs, coving his mouth with one hand. He can't believe he just said that before he shakes his head. "…Kirk." He answers, thankful with the subject change. "Mostly because the doctor always make me laugh." A smirk then as he looks back towards her. "And who says I'm the Ensign that’s the cannon fodder in this show?" Then a pause before he nods. "He'll be fine, he seemed like he can handle himself…he has a really fierce stare. He quieted all the suits right down on the last job we had."

"….just how many hours have you spent eyeing my face to determine -that-?" Elena asks with a sudden laugh. "You know a facial twitch isn't going to tell you whether I'm gay or not." She shakes her head, but she's still laughing, trying to quell it with a deep breath. At the last, she inclines her head. "Kirk? Oh COME ON. Kirk's -Canadian-. If anything that alone ought to dock some major points," she says. "And true….I really can't call you a Red Shirt….I mean, you have a last name." At the last, she nods. "Yeah. The closest thing that came to destroying him was when Mama died," she says, an absent tone returning to her voice as she looks up. Finally, she exhales, and gets up on her bare feet. "We should try to get some sleep. Despite all the excitement, we still have to show up for class tomorrow."

"…not long, I'm just good with details," Eric says quickly before he ducks his head again and laughs towards her with a smirk. "But he's /funny/," Eric says with a laugh as she protests. "And The rest of the cast with Picard seems so damn bland when you look at them." Then a pause before he blinks once. "…yeah…I do don't I?" He pauses a moment though when her smiling face seems to fall and he sighs. One arm reaches across and around her to pull her against him in a quick hug. "It'll work out," He murmurs comforting before he lets her go and coughs. "Er…sorry…didn't mean too be too forward." He says softly before he nods. "Alright, take the blanket in case you're cold though."

"….alright I'll give you that. Shatner's hilarious," Elena says with a smirk, conceding this round to him. "And I don't know, I didn't think Data was bland. And Whoopi Goldberg as a Space-Age bartender had her moments." The brunette tugs lightly on a single tress hanging from her temple, just as Eric pulls her in for a hug. She blinks a little, surprised. Eric had always been the 'strong and silent type' at school. Oftentimes, he was so imposing she didn't even know whether he knew how to hug. But apparently he does. After a moment, her hand comes up, fingers curling loosely on the fabric of his shirt on his back. "I know," she says, her voice quiet. And when he lets her go, she lifts her brows at him, and she laughs. "So you're human too. Big deal, Walker. It's not like I'm gonna think you're a stalker just because you hugged me." She grins at him cheerfully, and reaches down to pick up the blanket. "And thanks a lot, Eric….I mean it."

Something amuses him to no end when she calls him Walker. At least judging from the laugh that shines in his eyes and the slight twitch of his lips. He pauses a moment though before he smirks slightly. "…yeah, well…maybe I'm human. We all have our faults." He says with a slight shrug. He stands when she does, waiting easily until she grabs the blanket. "…you're welcome Elena, sleep well."

"You too," Elena says with a smile, knuckling his shoulder gently as she turns to head down the fire escape and back inside Eric's apartment, complete with blanket. Before she goes over the edge, she looks over at him. "You think if I toss the blanket over my shoulders and spread my arms out with both ends you can use your powers and make me look like the Bat Signal for just a few seconds?" she asks, grinning. "…..aaah, we'll figure that out some other time." And then, she scales down the ladder, disappearing from view.

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