Starring:
Summary: On the train, Benjamin and Niki get in trouble with Lachlan for two very different reasons. Megan tries to stop things from escalating. Octavia… has her own problems.
Date It Happened: June 26th, 2007
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
The subway, somewhere in Manhattan
Trying to hide his exhaustion as best as he can, only to have it not work very well, Benjamin's on the subway. Normally he doesn't need it when commuting, but he and Niki are on their way to conduct business. The knot of his tie has loosened, as well as the collar of his shirt. Beyond that, he's a vision of the commuting businessman in his suit with briefcase. A pair of seats have been claimed for the pair, to which the former accountant is sitting in, gratefully and chugging from a bottle of water.
A few stops down, the subway slows down and the doors slide open with a mechanical hiss. Into the same car steps Megan and Lachlan, who knows where they're going, but Megan is obviously in the middle of a story. Her cheeks are already a bit red, but that could just be from the heat of being underground and waiting for a train. "—yer friend's a bit off, Lach. He. He was really into a beer bong'r sommat. 'S no' always like tha', is he? I mean, I know 's Irish, but I dinna think they were /tha'/ crazy."
The woman next to Benjamin is an unlikely companion, at least to the perception of strangers. Instead of business, or even business casual, the blonde sitting next to the accountant is just wearing casual. It's not exactly a typical business meeting they're going to, and it's just the two of them. Niki has on a trim, ribbed grey tanktop, a pair of black skinny jeans and high heels; her legs are crossed neatly as she sits back against the seat. The woman's hair is back in a slim ponytail. She looks pretty exhausted herself, but it's borne of world-weariness today. Rather than chatting with Benjamin, she just stares across at the empty seats across from them, swaying now and then when the subway stops and moves.
"Nah, he was pro'ly just a bit knackered s'all," grunts Lachlan in an offhanded manner. Who knows where they're going? Wherever it is, the taller, maler version of the Deatley pair is carrying a bag of groceries and … and a book? A book. Yes. Lachlan James Deatley is carrying a book. A book called Angels and Visitations. Don't worry, it's probably not for his perusal. The world is not yet ending. He doesn't spot Niki and Benjamin just yet, having only just stepped onto the train, but it's inevitable that he'll spot them.
A stop after Megan and Lachlan arrive on the train, the doors open and allow Dr. Octavia Cutler access to the train car. In spite of the fact that the platform is reasonably thick with humanity, only a handful of people get onto the train at the same time… And all of them are getting into other cars on the train.
The 'Good' Doctor moves to take a seat, just two down and across the aisle from one a homeless man mistook for a urinal. She does not seem, at first glance, like the sort to fulfill the role of 'Piss Seat Warner' as she should, due to her proximity to it.
Benjamin is turned towards Niki so that he can converse with her, so misses Lachlan and Megan getting on board the subway. Not that much conversing is going on. He's just feeling too damn drained and feeling like he's been dragged through a ringer. Which is probably good, seeing as Niki doesn't seem up for chatting either. He's not good at small talk under the best of circumstances, so this is just as well. They can't talk about business anyway..
"'D say more'n a bit," Megan replies almost under her breath. In the loud clacking and clanking of the subway, it's possible that her older brother missed what she said. "Benjamin said he gave ye 'is number for me ta call 'im," she also adds, just in case Lachlan was planning on doing it this trip and it just 'oh-so-conveniently' slipped his mind. "Asked me out fer coffee. But…'m no' sure if he'll remember he did it, the way he was." As in, very, very drunk. "What's the book for? Tryin' ta look smarter? Impress the strangers on the subway?"
It's only because a vaguely familiar voice reaches her ears, and solely because that voice, however vague a memory, is distinctive that Niki looks up at all. She leans ahead ever-so-slightly and cranes her neck to see around Benjamin. When she spots her ex-employer's boyfriend in the train, there's a moment where her expression is just… blank. Like she doesn't realize that this chance sighting is important or that she even heard it in the first place. It's just that: a moment, fleeting, because then the woman's eyes widen and she sits up straighter. Maybe Lachlan doesn't know a thing. Maybe it doesn't matter. She doesn't really know the guy. Either way, Niki, without saying a word to the quiet man beside her, stays particularly still and gets noticeably more edgy.
The way he was? That actually surprises Lachlan. He didn't take Benjamin for the type to get rip-roaring drunk like that. In fact, that's the only reason he really agreed to give Megan his number — except he didn't do that because, uh. Well. Things. And, well, that really rather unnerves the Scot. His eyes narrow and his expression grows into a bit of a scowl, but then the question about the book draws his attention to it, and he smirks. "Nah, s'fer Cass. Only thing I need ta look smarter is ta stand next ta ye." He bumps his sister's shoulder with one elbow, careful to avoid skin-to-skin contact.
… but whatever grin he was wearing quickly dies off when he happens to glance up in time to see Niki's face peeking around Benjamin. He doesn't really notice the latter, because instantly, his entire focus becomes the woman — and it's not a happy sort of focus either. Leaving Megan's side, he starts to move toward the other pair. "Oy!" he barks. "You!"
It is at this point that Octavia looks up from her staring blankly into the floor grating. The woman turns her head slowly toward Lachlan and Megan, then by extension toward Benjamin and Nikki. She arches one eyebrow but remains silent for the moment. Under her breath she mutters something to the effect of:
"Under-evolved chimpanzees."
In the middle of taking a swig of water, Benjamin just happens to look back in the direction of the doors.. and.. *SPRAY* Water is choked on and he makes a mess. Oh brownies! Hoping he didn't make too much of a spectacle, he turns back around so that hopefully Lachlan and Megan won't see him. Facing the blonde with him, bright red in the face, he says, "So uh, Niki, uhm, do you like peaches?" Did we mention how bad Benji is with the small talk? Particularly under duress and embarrassment? "Lady Liberty!" he calls out and turns around to face the angry Scot as he barks. "I swear I didn't mean for anything inappropriate to happen with your sister and I'm sorry for embarrassing myself in front of her like that. I don't make a habit of getting drunk but it was a special occasion.. and I'm really sorry about that, I didn't want to make a bad impression on her! Cause she's really sweet and I'm gonna shut up now!" Wow. Ramble on there as he obviously thinks Lach means him and not sweet, innocent Niki.
"Har har," Megan gets bumped against, but she doesn't hit back. She might accidentally hit him wrong and that's all sorts of badness in a public subway. "No' even I can help ye with lookin' smarter." She's about to add more when her happy joking brother has suddenly turned into an angry and yelling brother. As soon as Lachlan's standing up, Megan is only a few steps behind. And that's when she notices who he's talking to. Well, Benjamin. She doesn't know Niki, so she can't know that's who he's actually mad at. Benjamin's little ramble isn't helping matters at all, either. "Oh! No, no, no, he dinna do anythin' /wrong/, Lach. I mean, there was some shirtless stuff an somethin' about a gunshow, but it was jus' the alcohol! Jus', siddown, please." Stop making a spectacle of yourself in the subway. However, her embarrassment is waylaid by something else. "Ye think 'm sweet?" She blinks owlishly at Benjamin, her cheeks turning pinkish.
Niki stiffens. For an instant, her breath catches; she stops breathing. She clutches her seat, her palms on the edge of it pushing her shoulders up tensely. He knows. The woman's blue eyes shoot from side to side, a trapped animal…
…and then Benjamin… happens. She just stares, frozen, bewildered, and— and… she looks from the babbling man beside her to Lachlan to Megan to Lachlan to Benjamin. Staring. And let's face it, gaping a little. Do you think anyone would notice if she just snuck away?
In her seat, Octavia rolls her eyes toward the dim, yellow-tinged overhead flourescent lights for a few moments. She huffs derisively at the drama unfolding and rests her face in one hand. The Doctor tries not get involved, but… But there are chimp-men posturing and preening over what sounds like a scullery maid. Surely she should get involved and… And what? The belligerent one looks much too tough for her to handle…
Benjamin though. She suspects she could take Benjamin.
Wait, what? What? What?! What the hell is all this about drunken Benjamin and shirtlessness and gun shows?! Lachlan just came over to lay the smackdown on a blonde! This? This is totally not what he was expecting, by any means. The more people speak, the worse it gets, and the Scot can only stand and stare — gawk — for a few seconds after everyone has just stopped. His gaze whips between Benjamin and Megan — and then he shakes it off. "Nah, nah, tha's no' wha' I'm bloody here 'bout," he growls — but rest assured, he'll get to that. Raising his free hand, he points at Niki. "'M talkin' 'bout her." Nope. She can't sneak away. "Ye think yer cute, huh? Sneakin' inta Cass' shop all nice an' shit, an' then tryin' ta kill 'er? 'Re ye the one tha' planted the bugs too?" Not a happy Scotsman, by any means.
"I was drunk, really drunk and I swear I didn't .. well.. I did touch her but not like that! I mean the last time I was that drunk I got a girl pregnant but not this time! And.. hey.. at least I didn't invite her to the pants party!" Benjamin then realizes he's said too much, shuts his mouth and looks from Lach to Megan. The red flush of embarrassment still upon his face he nods to the younger Deatley, "Yes.. I think you are." Aw, how cute. ANYWAY. DANGER. Not stranger danger exactly, cause he kindasortainaroundaboutway knows Lachlan. Then… wait.. Lachlan's not about to lay into him? He was ready to defend with his briefcase.. but.. then.. He looks from Lach to Niki then back again, gaping. "Huh? Niki? Kill someone?" The idea is simply too ludicrous to comprehend, so he laughs aloud and points at his companion, "Niki? No way, you've got to have the wrong lady! Niki's too nice for such a thing!"
This situation is only getting worse and worse. What can Megan do to diffuse the situation? There's not much. Worriedly looking between her brother and the two people who he looks like he's ready to throttle, she hems and haws. "Lach," she reaches out to try and take a hold of his elbow - making sure to take hold where his shirt still is. She would be swooning and blushing a lot more about Benjamin's continued statements of her cuteness if he wasn't about to get brained by her brother. "Let's…this is'na the place for this." Also, glancing at Niki isn't exactly like looking into the eyes of a killer. She just looks like a scared and embarrassed woman. "I think mebbe ye go' the wrong woman."
Niki only half-hears what her unlikely accountant friend is saying (which is probably for the best), caught up as she is in eyeing Lachlan warily - and with good reason. "It's not what you think," she tries to defend herself from the get-go, even though Benjamin, sweet, well-meaning Benjamin, beats her to it. She purses her lips into a frown - much like her brows, which pull together as she looks up at Lachlan. She slowly, tentatively stands up, laying a hand on Benjamin's shoulder as she does: a 'don't worry, stay out of this' gesture. "I can explain, just— " She looks around the subway car. "Not here."
"Oh good. The sub-sapient ape is a woman-abusing troglodyte."
It takes Octavia several seconds to realize that she said that aloud. Apparently she monologues enough that it takes some time for the reality of the situation to settle in in her mind. When it does, she facepalms loud enough to make a random other passenger jump.
"… I feel as though I've just fallen into a Saturday morning cartoon show."
By the look of things, it's probably a very good idea for Benjamin to just stop talking. And by the sound of things, too, because no sooner has the man put the exclamation point at the end of his latest babble when Lachlan turns on him with an irritatedly snapped, "Will ye just shut yer bloody hole?" Were it not for Megan and Niki's interventions, he likely would've skipped the verbal part and gone straight into the 'punching-Benjamin-in-the-face' part. And then where would they all be? Jail, for one. Octavia's interjection isn't helpful in the least (nevermind that he doesn't understand most of it; it sounded insulting) and he whirls on her too. "Oy, piss off." Then it's back to Niki. "Dunna have the wrong woman; I know 'zactly who she is an' I know she's the one tha' did it. S'no' wha' I think, huh? Then wha' the bloody hell is it?! B'cause the shit I had ta clean up around the shop sure as hell looked like the real thing."
Benjamin nods in agreement with Megan. Fervently even! "Yeah, wrong woman! Definitely!" Which isn't exactly a lie.. cause .. gee.. Niki's just a confusing woman with her issues. He rises from his seat and tries to move more or less in front of the blonde. Surely a brave, well meaning move, not to mention stupid. At the touch on his arm, he looks to Niki with surprise on his face. "He's got the wrong woman." Has to be. He starts back a step when Lach tells him to shut up. The man blinks in startlement and confusion before clearing his throat. "She said… not here.. and I trust Niki.." Not a good source, cause Benji trusts a lot that he shouldn't.. "So if there's been a misunderstanding, I believe it."
Just as Lachlan is wheeling around to deal with Octavia, Megan is, as well. Flushed with anger and fear for her brother, she glares at the other woman. "Ye dunna anythin' about what yer talkin' about. So why don' ye shut yer mouth and go back ta yer 'Menopause Weekly' so I can deal with m'brother." Then, she turns back to her brother and then looks at Niki. She trusts Lachlan and she trusts his instincts. If he says that this woman is the woman who tried to kill Cass, that's who she is. Her eyes narrow at Niki. "Well, then what /is/ it. M'brother doesna lie 'bout something like this." She spares Benjamin a glance, but she's too angry right now to say anything kind to him.
There isn't anywhere to go, in a train, that doesn't involve getting in the way of everyone else when you want to run. Niki backs up into her former chair, holding up a hand - the left, with its delicate wedding ring - in front of her in some vain gesture to calm Lachlan, and now his sister, down. Niki, for one, doesn't spare a glance at the woman making commentary nearby. She'd rather no one was listening, but she can't stop them. Her mouth is open to reply, somehow, when she pauses and looks to Benjamin. The expression on her face is… pure apology. "I didn't want to hurt them," she says as she turns fully to Lachlan, keeping her voice low. It almost sounds strangled. "I wasn't… I wasn't in control. I wasn't… it wasn't me. I know how it sounds, but you you just— you just have to understand…" This is going to go over so well.
"/PISS OFF/? Why you insolent, sub-intellectual man-chimp. How /DARE YOU/ tell me to /PISS OFF/. Why don't you go roll around in your own f-"
And then Megan intercedes on Lachlan's behalf. The Scientist shuts up, staring at her for several silent seconds where, if she could, she would /WRING/ Megan's pretty little neck like a soiled sponge through sheer force of will and hate alone.
Then, when everyone's attention is off of her, Octavia stands up and picks up a half-empty Starbucks cup and strolls back toward that hobo-pee seat. There's a flicker of something faintly unhealthy and, for just a moment, it seems to get cooler and drier in the subway car. She promptly goes about attempting to scoop hobo pee into the cup.
Mysteriously, the cup does not appear to be spilling from the cup and into the puddle of hobo urine.
Absolutely. It's going over fantastically. Lachlan is totally buying it. Yep. Except not really. He scoffs, his lips curving into a sneering, wry, disbelieving smile. "Yeah, righ'. Was yer evil twin, righ'? S'tha' wha' yer gonna tell me? 'R were ye possessed?" HAHAHA, Niki so funny. No, seriously. "Ye ever get anywhere near Cass again, I'll make tha' store look like a bloody clean hospital room when I'm done with ye." He's not the forgiving sort, especially when the betrayal is so shocking. Niki might very well not have been so kind to him during his rough patch with Cass, for all the warmth and willingness to listen that he shows.
Benjamin gapes at Megan for the little turn in attitude. Sweet to .. wow. Bite. Octavia is flashed a brief smile of apology.. as if he had anything to do with the Deatley's behavior. When Niki speaks, his attention turns to her, although he doesn't really make much of a move away. He knows Niki's strong, he saw the restraints she had to wear.. "So… did you go all She-hulk or something? If that's the case, I'm sure there's a good explanation and this is just a misunderstand—" His words trail off as Octavia now fully enters the fray. A hand raises and he pinches the bridge of his nose. "Look.. can we not fight or talk about this here? We're upsetting other people.. and I'd really hate to embarrass myself by trying to stop everything and failing."
Knowing a lot about not being in control and Lachlan's mention of being possessed seems to snap Megan into a different emotion very quickly. All of the sudden, she looks scared as she looks at Niki. Because Megan certainly knows about not being in control. And she certainly knows about strange things. Octavia and whatever she's doing is totally forgotten, pushed out of her mind by this whole incident. Benjamin is right. This is something that is quickly getting out of control. And she has no idea how to resolve it. She knows her brother and his temper. And while she doesn't know Niki or even Benjamin all that well, nothing they say is going to calm him down. So, instead, she lets her hand that's still trying to keep a hold of Lachlan slip down a little so that it's actually taking a hold of him and not his shirt. And she keeps it there, despite nothing happening at first.
"…Something like that," Niki murmurs bitterly under her breath to Lachlan, although it might as well stand for an answer to Benjamin too. As it is, she just frowns wistfully at him before her attention, naturally, turns back to Lachlan. Swiftly. Bad idea to take one's eyes off the angry Scotsman for periods longer than two seconds. To her credit, she doesn't back down an inch in the face of the man's threats; maybe that's because she can't back up any further, or maybe the firm look she gives him now speaks a little of her strength. "I wanted to see her. To apologize. I know it's not much, and I'll stay away if you want me to — hell, it's probably safer," she shrugs, and keeping her voice low, she continues. "But can we… not… do this here? People are staring," It's an imploring sort of suggestion rather than a command, paired with a glance around the train. Hi, everyone.
Don't mind Octavia. In spite of her significant intellect, years of education, and years of experience in delicate micro-machinery assembly, scooping hobo urine into an apparently empty (how is still a mystery) cup from a seat is beyond her abilities.
No. That angry noise in the background is her, not Lachlan's brains boiling over and whistling the pressure out his ears. She has apparently splashed herself with hobo urine.
But Lachlan? Lachlan doesn't care about people staring. He never has, honestly. "An' wha's wrong with tha'?" he demands harshly, his voice raising as though trying to garner more attention to this little spat. "Ye scared tha' everyone'll learn tha' yer a lyin' bitch wha' doesna care 'bout anyone but 'erself? Tha' it?" He's too absorbed in his conversation to realize that Megan's made skin-to-skin contact. If he were aware of it, he'd yank away, knowing what it can do. But Benjamin's She-Hulk comment gets him a look — a confused look. And then the commotion from Octavia's side of the train gets his attention. He stares. Blinks. Then snorts derisively. That's what you get for using big words.
"Lachlan.. please.. Just calm down, okay? Yelling and being an ogre isn't going to resolve this matter any." Still pinching the bridge of his nose, Benjamin's eyes are closed and he tries to focus. But it's hard. He's been well, sort of smacked around, but pushed, prodded and well, the exercise and training is tiring. He's also still no good at this.. but he tries to focus on Lachlan, maybe to make the guy feel too tired to fight anymore. "Niki's not a lying… witch.. She's a hard working woman who's been through a lot and she has a child to care for. So let's just take care of this .. somewhere else. Please?"
Having a tight grip on Lachlan, Megan isn't about to let him actually try to hurt someone. She also doesn't want him to pull away. It would be easier if she had a power like Benjamin's that could make the /other/ person faint, but all she can hope for is a distraction. Speaking of Benji's powers, she suddenly starts to feel very very sleepy for no reason. The grip on Lachlan's arm gets even tighter as she tries not to keel over or sink to her knees sleepily. Her eyes droop and she gives an expansive yawn. "Wh-why'm I so tired?"
Niki stands up a little taller, a little more defensively, staring up at Lachlan with a harsher, slightly affronted glare. "Look. I know what she… what I did was wrong — more than wrong, it was … horrible. I'm sorry. You have… no-o idea. Yeah, it's my fault. I deserve it. But I'm not gonna stand here for you t— " Like Megan, her eyes suddenly get heavy, she sways, blinking, but she overcomes the bout of tiredness, glancing quickly to Benjamin after it passes. "Just leave me alone," she forces her teeth to Lachlan.
To make villainous matters worse for our villainess, Benjamin starts doing things. Octavia snerks softly, head slowly pitching forward to bonk into the back of the hobo-pee-seat. She jerks upright again, fumbling with the cup for several seconds before catching it again and starting to nod off backward again. Again she manages to catch herself… But she's really not sure how much longer she can keep this up.
After all, she's only had three pots of coffee and a half-liter of Mt. Dew today.
Unlike the others, Lachlan isn't feeling a bit sleepy. Ironic, really, since he was apparently the target of the sleepiness. Ah well! The fact that Megan is starting to get drowsy brings his attention to her — and then to the fact that she's got her hand on his arm. Lachlan withdraws his arm quite quickly from her grasp and moves it around her waist, in case she decides to faint. "Jesus, Meg. 'Re ye a'righ'?" A glare is shot toward Niki, then Benjamin. Yeah, he remembers the last time something like this happened. "Yer no', huh? Wha're ye gonna do, then? Ye gonna try ta strangle me like ye did Cass? C'mon, then! Let's see ye try!" With one arm around a bag of groceries and the other around his sister, it doesn't look like he's really geared up for a fight, but when has that ever stopped him?
Benjamin stops trying what he's doing immediately when the wrong people start to get drowsy. A /very/ apologetic look is flashed towards Lachlan.. well Megan too, but mainly for Lachlan, please don't hit me. I wasn't aiming for her! "… Lachlan… please.. Let's talk about this like rational human beings." Wait. Blink. "Or at least pretend to be rational. I sincerely doubt Niki would hurt anyone without just cause. C'mon.. let's go find somewhere else to talk about this."
The feeling of wooziness and being sleepy starts to fade and Megan attempts to just stand on her own two feet without Lachlan supporting her. "'M fine. Really. Just…fine." Slowly the sleepiness fades away and she's able to support herself. "Lach…c'mon. We can jus' get off at the next stop and we can all talk about this somewhere else. Please." Everyone is trying to placate Lachlan and find a place to relocate, but it doesn't seem to be doing any good.
*krnk*
That would be Octavia finally passing out in a heap on the floor of the subway car. Fortunately the chair she's using as a pillow is not the one covered in hobo pee.
This is the train that never stops. If it would just stop /right now/, Niki could just get out of here. No such luck. "No!" she replies, shaking her head in vain. Frustrated and a touch insulted, even apologetic all at the same time, she rolls her eyes underneath those vexed brows of hers. "I don't think he wants to talk." That's for Benjamin. Niki doesn't much want to talk to Lachlan, either. In fact, what she wants to do is vacate, which is what she tries to do; it may not be the best place to find solace, but she tries to sidestep and back down the aisle. The woman falling on the floor gives her pause, but she's not too worried — she just gives a sympathetic look to Benjamin. Speaking of not being in control…
Actually, Lachlan's reached the point of being at his most rational, as hard as it might be to believe. Having vented, his mind's a little clearer and he even grunts at Megan in a strange and cold sort of acquiescence — but then? Then Benjamin says something that would imply Cass deserved getting strangled, and that sets him off all over again. Megan can support herself, and so the Scot takes his arm from around her waist and steps forward. That arm whips out in an attempt to catch Benjamin by the lapel and yank him forward. "The bloody hell'd ye just say ta me?!" he demands in a snarl. "Ye sayin' Cass deserved wha' happened? Huh?" Shake!
Benjamin realizes a wee bit too late that he phrased his words incorrectly. Which.. could be easy to do and to be misunderstood around Cass's choice in neanderthals to date. Although, he's briefly distracted by Octavia passing out over there, "Almonds and pistachios, I have to learn better control," is muttered under his breath before Lachlan has his undivided attention again. Being grabbed by the shirtfront tends to get one's attention. His eyes bug open as he gapes, and makes no attempt to fight back. "W.. wha… NO NEVER! I /like/ Cass. She's a good and nice lady! You misunderstood me! I'd /never/ want anything to happen to her! I just mean.. Niki wouldn't be violent to anyone unless she /had/ to be!" He looks pretty darn panicked with a plsdontkillme look on his face.
Unsure of what is going on and scared that Lachlan will actually hurt Benjamin, Megan doesn't know what to do. This time it's not even a distraction technique when she reaches forward to try and grab Lachlan. It's an attempt to pull him away from the accountant. "/Lach/. /Stop it/. Ye know he dinna mean it like—" But that's when she finally gets a hold of him and her power - latent before - comes to the forefront and she crumples to the ground. This time, at least, she sort of knows what is happening to her. It's scary and terrifying, but the view she sees is through Lachlan's own eyes. She can feel his anger and the gripping of Benjamin. But, she's trapped inside Lachlan and unable to help in any way other than hoping and hoping that Lachlan will calm down and let Benjamin down.
Just as soon as she's started to backpedal away, Niki is rushing back to where she was. It was almost fine. There was almost a civil ending, or as close to one as they could have gotten. Not now! "Cass didn't do anything to deserve it except be in the wrong place at the wrong time." Unaware of what's truly going on now that Megan has crumpled to the floor (she easily mistakes it as Benjamin's power going amok), the blonde reaches out to plant a hand on each of the mens' shoulders, just trying to push them away from each other and break it up.
"An' yer sayin' she had ta be violent ta Cass?" Lachlan's grip tightens on Benjamin's shirt and, had he not a bag of groceries in the other arm, it's not unlikely that he'd be putting a fist through the other man's face. Fortunately, Megan's intervention, intentional or not, manages to be enough. Niki doesn't have to really try hard to break them apart, because as soon as Megan crumples, Lachlan releases Benjamin and drops to one knee to catch her with his free arm. "Bloody— !" Damn it all, Megan. He sits there a moment, trying to juggle the grocery bag and his sister at the same time. It's not as easy as it sounds.
It's easy to forget just how strong Niki is. Just.. right now.. is not the case. Not that Benjamin provides much resistance to Niki's pushing, not with Lachlan having a grip on him. Megan hitting the floor doesn't go unnoticed, "Megan?," he calls out. He too thinks it's his own power going schizo. "Oh no, wake up, I didn't mean.. it was an accident.." Ulp. "And.. yeah.. with Cass… I mean NO! She didn't have to be! Wrong place wrong time maybe.. yeah. I never meant to imply she deserved whatever happened! Never!" Despite his protests and being let go, he's torn between wanting to help with Megan and maintaining a safe distance from Lachlan.
All the stress and the violence and the trying to stop Lachlan from being arrested means that it takes much longer than normal for Megan to wake up again. Still technically viewing the scene through Lachlan, she feels both scared for herself (through Lachlan) and a large sigh of relief now that he's let go of Benjamin. Now that the crisis is averted, though, she wants to wake up and get back to her own body. Unfortunately she has no idea how to do that willingly. So she just kind of stares intently at herself and mentally tries to make leaps. It's a process and it might take her a little while to wake up.
As Lachlan drops to tend to his sister, Niki holds onto Benjamin's arm and urges him away from the pair - who she does look at with a bit of worry, since Megan's still down. "Is she gonna be okay?" It's mostly Benjamin who she asks, unsure. Her grip finds its way around his arm, gentle but encouraging him to come with her way from the siblings. "Our stop's up next," she murmurs. In other words, whatever the next stop is, they're taking it.
If the question's even remotely directed at Lachlan, he doesn't seem to notice. He's managed to put down the grocery bag, freeing up both arms so that he can pick up Megan and set her across one of the seats, grumbling something foul under his breath.
Benjamin doesn't shrug off Niki's urging. He's easily led away, even if he wants to help. (But he also doesn't want to be hit.) "I… she should be.. I can't get her to wake up.." And he's /trying/. "I'm just.. useless.. even with practice right now.." He keeps his voice low, murmuring in return to Niki. He's too distracted to even correct Niki that no, the next stop is not where they get off the train.