2007-10-24: Living In A Material World

Starring:

Elena_icon.gif Nathan_icon.gif Peter_icon.gif

Summary: Bored, loopy from NyQuil, and a little crazy from cabin fever, Elena and Nathan do something they've never done before together….play Dance Dance Revolution. After his phone call to Niki, Peter checks out what his brother and girlfriend are up to, and just why the heck there's Madonna playing in the house. Things turn a little more serious when they talk about the latest events, from Nathan's campaign, to Cass's sojourn in Texas.

Date It Happened: October 24th, 2007

Living In A Material World


Petrelli Mansion, New York City

It's promising when the medication you're taking discourages you from drinking more than three alcoholic drinks beforehand. Discouraging when half of it is gone. But then again, in a house full of sick people, this can be expected. A dose of NyQuil is followed easily by a glass of scotch (one down, two to go) and Nathan finds himself camping out in the lounge. Unlike his stay in the labs, he's actually dressed as if he intended to go out for the day, in nice slacks, a tucked in button-down shirt - no shoes to speak of, though, because he isn't actually going anywhere. No, instead, he's going to sit here, and swirl the melting ice at the bottom of his glass, and contemplate— it. Better than contemplating the big Q, but only just.

The rec-room was her destination. No more than a few minutes when Nathan drops into a seat on the couch, Elena arrives with a few boxes laden with questionable, -technology looking stuff-, and a wadded Kleenex in one hand. Dressed in a pair of black yoga pants and a tanktop, she's got her hair pulled back in a ponytail, and she's hacking and coughing still. She buries all of these in her kleenex, however, to prevent the spread of germs. "Hey, Nate," she tells him - cheerful, but sickly, even as she lugs her boxes towards the adjoining rec room, where the bigger TV was. And…oh dear. Is that….a Playstation? What evil has she brought this house?

Elena gets a wordless 'mm' in greeting, Nathan looking up— then looking again when it's not just 'Elena wandering through the house'. It's 'Elena wandering through the house with unfamiliar items'. Downing the last dregs of now watery scotch, Nathan places the glass down and gets to his feet, despite really wanting to just sort of curl up and never move again, obviously feverish despite the way he's dressed. "What're you doing?" he asks of the girl, moving to stand by the entrance way to the adjoining room. It's either go watch Eastenders with a handy box of Kleenex, or see what Elena is up to, so.

"I'm going insane," Elena tells Nate flatly. "So I'm going to indulge in my cabin fever madness. I can't go to the dance studio without possibly contaminating the place with my germs because I'll be sweating. I can't jog around the park because children will be there. I'm even too scared to walk the dogs because they might accidentally bite or scratch me and leave contaminated biological material all over the place so I had my brother lend me his Playstation. If I can't dance in a studio, I'm going to dance here." Pause. "…..with a videogame which is incredibly dorky but that's besides the point." There's a pause. "…..I don't think the NyQuil's kicking in as well as it should." She looks over at Nate….and griiiiiins. "Wanna play?"

"Uh." The last time Nathan ever played a video game was in an arcade with Simon at some Jurassic Park themed shoot'em up style game, and his son won. But to this day, Nathan claims to have taken down the T-rex, although it's a disputed issue. Goes without saying he's not really hip with the times when it comes to any kind of computer-ish game - hell, he's not even that great at Monopoly. Nathan decidedly side steps the question of whether or not he'll play, lingering still in the doorway and leaning on the frame. "You're gonna dance to a game?"

"Yeah. I think this must be the videogame industry's answer to combatting obesity in the country or something. Neutralizing the condition it helped create," Elena jokes, looking over her shoulder and grinning a little maniacally at Nate. Oh. Wow. Either the NyQuil HAS kicked in, or she had been serious about the fact that she was going a little crazy in the quarantine. So when she hooks up the pads, and fires up the console, the flashing lights and the perky announcer can be heard through the speakers:

DANCE. DANCE. REVOLUTION!

Hopping on one of the styrofoam pads, she taps her foot down the controls, and sets the Difficulty level to Average. "It's more physical than your standard videogame. The arrows are supposed to simulate dance steps, but it's mostly a test of eye-foot coordination than anything else. It's fun if you're more into active stuff and not just…you know. Sitting there pretending to shoot at undead."

Nathan glances over his shoulder towards the backroom. Peter must be busy upstairs, he's pretty sure Heidi took the kids out for a while. Because the NyQuil is definitely kicking in and he's almost tempted. But maybe it has nothing to do with NyQuil and its big fucking Q. Maybe it's to do with the fact that he can't do anything when he should be, he's been doing the same thing for days now (which is sit around and feel sick) and— well let's face it, it's NyQuil. As if wary of intruders, he glances again, then teeentatively makes his way towards the second pad of arrows, eyeing them suspiciously. They are brightly coloured, and it looks simple enough. You step on the arrows, he supposes, when it tells you to step on the arrows. He mimics Elena's stance on them, glancing her way. "If I break something, I'm relying on you to call 911," he says.

"Hey, I'm pre-med. You don't trust me?" Elena says, giving him a pouty face. Yes. She's being a brat, and more incredibly so now that the NyQuil was kicking in, and her metabolism has been so sluggish thanks to the virus that it was actually affecting her some. The way she grins at Nathan is a little loopy too. "…then again if anything Peter's around, if you break anything he can heal you." Though when Nathan wanders over towards the pads to actually get on it and peer at the arrows, she stares at him, somewhat slackjawed. Oh my god. He took her seriously. This….might be tragic or hilarious. Maybe both.

So she turns back to the screen. "Alright…..now we have to pick a track." She scrolls down the choices. "……..Madonna? Britney Spears?" She sliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiides a glance at Nathan. "Meatloaf?"

It's going to be AMAZING, Elena. That's right. Nathan kind of blinks across at her, then grins, finally showing signs of his own loopiness. See, there's an explanation for everything. "I thought the shared humiliation might bring you kids together," he says, smoothly, then squints at the screen. "You're on your own if you pick Madonna. …I don't even recognise— any of these. Does it matter? Oh, that one." He points as she scrolls. How helpful.

"…..you're lucky….I have a sense of humor," Elena ribs Nathan. "I actually thought it made the evening much more colorful. Peter was so apologetic, but I also thought it was hilarious." There's a pause. "Though the cake with the female to female symbols was dirty pool. You should be ashamed of yourself, your own brother. He touches you as much as he touches me, you're not one to talk!" She blinks at Nate when he points to a track. She stares at him. "…are. Are you serious?"

Pause.

"Okay. That it is," Elena confirms, tapping on the arrows with her feet and starting the track. The good news is, this song isn't -too- fast. It's a little tricky. But not too fast, especially for a beginner like Nathan. Since he used to be a fighter pilot his coordination must be pretty high up anyway.

The music however…

She's a brick— house!
Mighty mighty, just lettin' it all hang out
She's a brick— house
The lady's stacked and that's a fact,
Ain't holding nothing back.

"….was this your theme song in the seventies?" SHE HAD TO ASK OKAY.

"I'm always serious," Nathan says, with a slight glare. He's standing on the arrows. Don't make him think this over again with logi— what the hell kind of song did she pick. He listens to the lyrics for a moment before leveling a look at her. "In the seventies— how old do you people think I am? Pick something else." Then, her earlier words occur to him and he looks over at her, blinking rapidly. "I— severely hope he doesn't touch me as much as— Jack said— just pick a new song before I hurt you."

She bursts out laughing. It sounds a little unhinged as Green Death Flavour surges over her unprotected systems like the Tasmanian Devil smelling something edible nearby and consuming it like a beast. "I don't know! I figured anyone my father's age grew up in the seventies! And don't look at me, you pointed at it so I clicked it! You picked it, not me." It doesn't matter that he was actually pointing at an AC/DC track and her NyQuil-induced loopiness made her misjudge what he was talking about! So she escapes out of the choice, and she starts scrolling down the track list. "This one?" she asks, tapping an arrow.

… 'Cause we are living in a material world
And I am a material girl
You know that we are living in a material world
And I am a material girl

She shoots the puppydog look at him. It's MADONNA. During the cone years! It's a classic!

But it's Madonna. Madonna. During the cone years. But at least he knows the song. Nathan stares at the screen, then his shoulders slump. "Fine. I get to pick the next song. And for the record, I wasn't old enough in the seventies to have a theme song, thank you."

'Cause we are living in a material world

And I am a material girl~

"Jesus. AC/DC, next round," Nathan says, almost warningly. "And if Peter gets word of this…" He trails off, because there are no words for the amount if pain Elena will be in as a consequence. Considering this is the man who sic'd Mehtloafio on her, it could be reasonably painful.

The…puppy dog look….worked? Elena stares at Nathan as his shoulders slump and he stares at the screen. Wait. Does that mean that she has leverage?? She grins cheekily at him, and she nods. "Deal," she tells him. Because….well. She loves AC/DC too. That, and….while she might be banned from telling Peter about this forever, Nathan didn't tell her to keep this from JACK forever. Hee hee hee. So when the arrows come up, she's watching Nathan DDR to Madonna…and she can't help it. She starts laughing all over again. The picture was priceless, and her arms come around her torso. Sure, she's playing the game poorly now in fits of laughter, and the NyQuil is certainly not helping any, stomping on the arrows like a drunken monkey. But she's having fun. She just can't stop looking at Nathan as he attempts this, not wanting to miss a moment.

Oh god why did he consent to Madonna. Nathan winces as the music starts up again and then— ARROWS OH GOD THEY BEGIN. He misses quite a few at first, still trying to really understand this system— then stomps. Once. Hey, it worked. He stomps on the next. Victory! He glances at Elena, and knows she is laughing at him. That's— to be expected. He'll just have to win now. Nathan smirks back and starts rather systematically conquering the arrows as they scroll by, arms out as if to balance himself. Oh god this is going to come back and haunt him some day but it's so much better than dying of cold symptoms in bed. AHHH MORE ARROWS. Stomp stomp stomp.

She gets better when the air of challenge is presented…but come on! She had to relish this! So when Elena watches more arrows come up, she gets her bearings and stomps on the arrows with him. DDR is not like real dancing…it's more like a race trying to get your feet in the right buttons and the right arrows.

Boys may come and boys may go
And that's all right you see
Experience has made me rich
And now they're after me, 'cause everybody's…

Living in a material world
And I am a material girl…

When the song ends…. naturally Nathan wins, because laughing at him has cost Elena DEARLY. She's…so not getting beat by a newbie. "…that was a fluke," she tells him. EXCUSES EXCUSES. "AC/DC this time."

Nathan frowns at the screen, then glances at Elena, and then back to the screen. "…I won?" he says, then smiles. "I won. Wait, lemme…" Now that he's actually figured out how this thing works, he starts scrolling through the music instead. See, Elena… don't let Nathan drink NyQuil, then scotch, and introduce him to DDR. This is how bad habits are formed. The scrolling stops on…

Some days I pray for silence, and somedays I pray for soul
Some days I just pray to the God of sex and drums and rock 'N roll…//

He shrug across at her. "You offered first." Meatloaf, that's right. It is ON now.

Oh god. She's cursed this house. Elena, you Enabler. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? When Nathan makes his music choice, she stares when the words MEATLOAF: I WILL DO ANYTHING FOR LOVE (BUT I WON'T DO THAT) flashes on the screen. Her jaw drops. "……you…" she says weakly. "You're mocking me. You're mocking me!" She points at Nathan accusingly. "Oh that's it. THAT'S IT. You're going down, Petrelli!" She turns around the screen. But seriously? NyQuil plus not a lot of food consumed? Plus all the flashing lights on the screen? Yeah, they weren't helping at all. But she's having fun. When the arrows scroll upwards on the screen, she starts stomping on them.

Some night I lose the feeling
Some nights I lose control
Some night I just lose it all when I watch you dance and the thunder rolls!

"…..you know I used to like Meatloaf until you ruined it for me," she mutters to Nathan.

Maybe I'm lonely!
And that's all I'm qualified to be!

"…….There's just one and only, the one and only promise I can keep!" ….that doesn't stop her from singing along in a hamtastic manner though.

The pretty colours are a big help. Flashing lights, yay. They seem to only help the NyQuil induced silliness, and so Nathan is ready this time when the arrows start scrolling, rather than stuttering over the first few moments. "Of course I'm mocking you," he says, calmly, as it begins. "It's a preemptive strike." Hey, he's ex-military, don't question.

And it begins. STOMP STOMP STOMP. Unlike the real pros at DDR, there is absolutely not real grace in Nathan's movements - just stomping on the right arrows when they come up, on occasion slipping a little and cursing when the mat shifts against the carpet, arms held out to prevent himself from falling on his ass - but he's still hitting the arrows. He's not about to sing along, though, and when Elena starts, he has to stop and rest his hands against his knees, breathlessly— chuckling. Manly chuckling. Not at all giggling. Just close to it. AHHH. "Meatloaf can only be appreciated when ruined," he states, before attempting to resume the stomping.

Click. Clickclick. Click. Peter walks into the sitting room, holding up his cellphone and clicking a few pictures. Of the both of them. He took the time to get dressed, but he's not showered or anything. He's both pale and flushed, still obviously feverish. But the good thing about cellphone pictures? They make not a sound. But the laughter that he can't quite supress? That makes a sound. Maybe not loud enough to be heard over their stomping, but, it's possible. If they look fast enough, they'll catch him red handed. His phone, actually, IS red.

"Preemptive st— oh it's on. It's so on. It's on 'til the break of dawn," Elena mock-growls from her own pad. And this is how Peter will be finding them, and taking pictures, with Nathan doing a rhino on his DDR dance pad, and his girlfriend stomping away at her own DDR controls with all the grace of a drunken elephant trying to catch up with all of the arrows scrolling at the screen. And then, Nathan's laughing. At her this time…namely because in this state, she can't carry a tune to save her life. Between the two of them, Peter was a far better singer. "Oh be quiet like you can do any better!" Yes, Peter. They're squabbling.

Though at the familiar laugh, Elena gets distracted. With all the pretty colors, the medicine, lack of food and overall crazy thanks to her restless cabin fever, she turns to look at Peter and flashes him the wibbly eyes. "Peter your brother's being mean to me!" As if she never taunted Nathan at all about Brick House being a themesong and how he was a pot calling the kettle black about the Petrelli touching. All this as she tries to stomp on the arrows, flailing her arms this way and that to try and catch up.

"I probably could," Nathan fires back, eyes on the screen. Up arrow, down arrow, AHH UP AND LEFT ARROW AT THE SAME TIME. Madness!!! But he manages it, and sure, with a THUD, but manages it all the same. It's a wonder he can hear Peter over the sound of his and Elena's stomping, but he does, casting a glance back at Peter, especially when Elena whines to him.

This is so not an ideal situation. NO ONE WAS MEANT TO SEE THIS. But he also can't let Elena win. "You. I'll kill you afterwards," Nathan says, only slurring slightly. Stomp stomp stomp, arm flail, stomp stomp. "So stay right there."

"So I see," Peter responds to said girlfriend, and he can't help but smile just a bit at the threat. There's few things that can make him smile these days, but these two have somehow found a way— even if he's getting a death threat over it. "You've already killed me three times. Isn't that enough?" he asks, closing the phone and tucking it away into his pocket. The worst he could do is send the photos on email over to someone else, but he chooses not to. They'll stay in his phone. Until later. Moving further into the sitting room, he settles onto a chair and leans into it, still smiling. "Sorry to interupt. You look like you're having fun."

What the crap?! How can she hit the right and up arrow at the same time and then the down and left arrow immediately after it? With a helpless cry, she tries to do the best she can, Elena laughing so much she could almost cry. Especially with Nathan flailing like he does, and when he threatens to kill Peter for witnessing the entire affair. Finally, when the last arrow hits the indicator, and both stomp at it, Elena leans forward on her knees, panting raggedly. "…this game's hard on the knees…" she wheezes. She's warm now, driving the fever away a bit (though it'll probably come back later), and she's trying to take several deep breaths… though she looks over at Peter and smiles impishly despite her breathless state. "You're not interrupting, we were just bored is all," she explains.

The Scoreboard appears.

Player 1 (Elena): C
Player 2 (Nathan): B

Her jaw drops. "Wh…WHAT?! -WHAT?!-" she cries, appalled. WHAT?

As the game stops, Nathan— tries not to look as exhausted as he feels. He stands up straight, hands coming up to rest on his hips as he looks at the scoreboard— then just starts laughing as Elena makes her exclamation. "I won, didn't I? That'll learn you," he says, then moves away from the arrow mat. "Now excuse me while I have a heart attack." Because that particular muscle is going at an alarming rate. He is too old for this. Or he hasn't been working out. Something. Either way, it calls for cardio. Leaning against a piece of furniture, Nathan undoes the top button of his shirt, taking a breath, then leveling a glare at Peter. "Those better stay on your phone," he says. "And I haven't killed you three times." … "Just twice."

"He beat you?" Peter asks with a smile, looking amused at the screen from where he's sitting. It's a genuine smile, probably one of the first in a few weeks now, but it doesn't last too long, since his brother looks so exhausted. They both do. "And you two got on my case about not resting…" he says, shaking his head at the both of them. They're both going to sit down, so at least there's that. But then, "No, you…" He trails off. Oh right. "Sorry, I'm still a little feverish. You're right, just the two times," he says, shaking his head yet again. "You guys were dancing to Madonna earlier too, right?"

"Yes," the young Gomez girl grumbles. "And yes," Elena says with a laugh. Ooops. Busted. Oh come on, like he wouldn't know, Nathan. She casts the older Petrelli brother a smile, and moves to deposit herself on the couch next to Peter, dropping on it heavily and rolling her head back so it rests against the cushions behind her. She seems to be in a much better mood than in the last few days. Maybe because of all the endorphins after the exercise. The fact that Peter returned to the room a night or so ago to let her know that the woman and the man who had killed Nadia had been recaptured by the Company could have something to do with it too. So with them put away, and Sylar put away, and the Evolved that could amplify powers safely hidden away and/or neutralized, the world can keep revolving on its axis, right? It was over, right? She can be hopeful. "Otherwise I was just taking NyQuil and eyeing the e-mails from work. My boss is thinking of putting together some Halloween gala to drum up last-minute support for you before the first week of November," she tells Nathan.

Left to it's own devices, the music scrolls and randomly starts playing "California Dreamin'". Just as Nathan is about to open his mouth and protest the dancing to Madonna, but Elena gets in there first. Oh, well. Nathan moves to collapse into the nearest armchair, a cough erupting from deep within his chest for a moment before subsiding - but not late enough that he doesn't catch Elena's words. "He's what?" he says, a little drowsily - NyQuil causes drowsiness (re: five year comas), remember - and frowns. "I'll be surprised if we can make it to any sort of party by November the 6th," he points out.

"Still haven't heard anything from Cass yet," Peter says, rubbing his hand over his face. "Not getting any worse— not getting any better… At least those villains are in a cell again." That's the most he can look forward to right now. "I'm glad the two of you are getting to spend some time together, but if you're going to knock yourselves out, you could choose to wait until you're not ask sick." The cough from his brother seems to earn the longest concerned glance. "I doubt we'll be better in time for Halloween, but… we could always show up in hazmat suits."

California Dreamin'. At least that was a track she and Nathan could agree on. Elena closes her eyes and quirks a small smile as she listens to the strains of music. "I didn't think we were going to be either…I was thinking of just passing on the invites to my friends and just beg them to take a lot of pictures," she admits. "It's not like we could risk…you know." However when Peter suggests what he does, she stares at him, and then? She bursts out laughing. "That might work," she enthuses, nodding. "And if anyone asks, we'll tell them that we were Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Spacey, and Renee Russo from Outbreak. Or other things. Nate could go as an astro— " And then, a coughing fit seizes up her throat, turning her face away so she could cough into the inside of her elbow the way she had been taught volunteering at a hospital for so long.

"An astronaut," Nathan finishes for Elena, and just shakes his head. "I remember the last Jaden Cain party, thanks. If I'm not able to drink my way through it then it's probably a good idea I stay home." And it's hard to drink through a helmet. Heidi had trouble with a lion's head, remember? It's a circle of concerned looks, however, as this time, Nathan glances at Elena during her coughing fit, but really… 'are you okay?' is officially the stupidest question one can ask in this house. "That's nice of your boss and all, but it's a little late."

There's not really anyone in this room who's okay. Peter does reach over and put his hand on her thigh, a comforting gesture, or at least an attempt to be so. "I was kidding. It's probably not a good idea, unless we're cured by then." He's already broken quarantine enough times since it started. Even if it's a bad idea, he can't help but add after a moment, once she's not coughing into her elbow, "But if you really want to go— make an appearance at least, I'll go with you," he does say, "I'm sure we can get a couple biological suits." His brother, though, earns a mildly concerned look at that last comment, one that stays on him for a time. "It's okay if you don't win, Nathan. You're still… the brother I look up to whether you're a Senator or not." Just don't turn into a Logan.

"I don't really want to expose anyone else to this…I don't want to risk anybody, even if it could be fun. Now that I know most of my friends are….like us." Mikhail and Nadia had really been the only ones aside from Cass who she thought were normal. But Miki proved that wrong the other day when he wielded a potentially dangerous (and extremely creepy power if given to the wrong person) power to help himself and her in an incident. At the hand on her thigh, she flashes Peter a reassuring smile, Elena's fingers dropping down to rest gently on his knuckles. Though when Peter turns his attention to Nathan, she nods towards him. "If not…it's not like you lack options." If the virus doesn't render them all incapacitated anyway. "But it seems like everything's getting squared away anyway. The criminals who escaped the Company were re-caught, Sylar's locked up in a bunker somewhere maybe, the innocent who caused other people's powers to go haywire the other day is being kept safe and under control. All we have to do is somehow get rid of this pesky sickness and I think we'll be alright. …I hope." It DID seem like it was the only thing left on the list to tackle and be done with.

It's true. He doesn't lack options. It's not like his inheritance is going to run out any time soon, so he doesn't even have to jump on the first thing that happens. Nathan just— might end up losing. Publicly. Nathan, still, manages a hint of a half-smile at Peter for the sentiment, nods to Elena in acknowledgment, and says nothing more on the subject. Doesn't want to talk about it.

"I hope so too," Nathan says, instead, elbow resting on the arm of the armchair and head against his hand. "Any word from Cass?"

With the hand on his knuckles, Peter's hand shifts so that he can grasp hers a little more firmly, moving his fingers between hers and holding on. Everything's squaring up. He's nodding at each of her points, quietly agreeing with her, glad to hear all of that. And then Nathan asks a question he'd already answered— but everyone in the room has a fever, so he does it again, "Not unless she called while I was asleep, but I don't think I saw any voice— " Suddenly he cuts off. His eyes blink a few times and he looks over at Elena. "Innocent who caused other people's powers to go haywire?"

"Peter hasn't heard from her….if Cass found anything, she would've called him first. I haven't heard anything from her either," Elena supplies to Nathan, looking a little worried at that. She knows Cass didn't go to Texas alone. Peter mentioned Dr. Suresh was going with her, but what if something happened? "….I should call Lachlan though and see if he's heard anything from her," she decides, squeezing Peter's hand lightly when his fingers curl over her own. "If there's anyone she'd call just to check in, it'd be him." She rubs her eyes, and when Peter blinks at her, she stares at him…. and then colors, the feverish tinge on her cheeks deepening. "I…well. During the incident I saw Mr. Winters walking away. I knew he was Company now, so….when I came back the weekend that woman attacked you." There's a frown there at the memory. "I went to his place in the morning and asked him if he knew what happened. Someone caused us to lose our hold on our powers, he said. An innocent." Just like Evelyn. "Who didn't even know he or she's got that kind of ability. He said they have the person and it's under control. And I don't think they'd be dumb enough to hold that person anywhere near Sylar."

Right. Yes, they would have told him if Cass had called back with news. The name 'Lachlan' brings about the subtlest of eye rolls, but that's about it as Nathan lapses into silence, gaze drifting back towards the colourful screen of an impatient DDR waiting for people to pay attention to it once more. To think he even had the energy for two rounds. But he does listen to Elena, having not been caught up either on this part of the story, and raises an eyebrow. "Well that explains how it even happened," he adds.

That does explain a lot. Peter looks over at her, not looking upset about not being told— even with all the delay. It isn't as if they could have done anything about this while sick, anyway. "Or anywhere near me, for that matter." He says, running a hand over and through hair that's been growing out for the last couple of weeks— still not anywhere near long, but growing. "I was a little afraid— that it could have been because of the virus. That maybe…" he trails off. "It's just the whole thing with Evelyn in the future. She's the only one of us that got sick, as far as I know— and in the end she lost control of her ability and nearly wiped out the city." Which… "I was worried that might end up being the final stage of this… and if it's not just her… it'd be even worse for the city." If it were him.

"Yeah," she tells Nathan. "But that's all I found out. I didn't want Mr. Winters to be placed in a position where he'd have to send…..someone to make sure I didn't remember anything I said. I just asked him to tell me enough so I'd know what to watch out for." She still looks a little sheepish, but there had been so much going on. He had already been succumbing to his symptoms. The day she found out was the day he got killed three times. Elena didn't have the heart to burden him with any more facts and figures and discoveries. "I'm hoping whoever it is, they're watching him or her," she says simply, closing her eyes and rubbing her mouth. "That sort of power in a city where people like us are gathering like in Dezi's predictions….that can't be good." And they were almost ground zero again at the time. She was going to chair him in the face. "…I'm sure Cass'll come back with some news. That's better than nothing." And if they can get rid of this problem…then everything'll be okay and they can breathe easy and it won't have to be Peter's fault.

"Any news, at this point, would be good," Nathan mutters. "I'm tired of this." It's certainly derailed their lives for a while, Nathan and Elena's especially, with an election and a scholarship that have both gone neglected. Then again… "Of course, if she comes back to inform us we're just gonna end up like in your dream," he adds, now pulling himself up to stand, balancing a hand against the armchair, "I can stand to wait a little longer." And on that note! "I'm only one into the limit of three alcoholic dreams allowed when taking NyQuil," he states, wryly. "I need to catch up. Anyone want anything?"

"Yeah. Whoever it is is better off not in the city— we seem to be popping out of the woodwork here." And Peter is not exaggerating about this, either. Her friend Mikhail? This kid that Niki mentioned as he started to hear Madonna playing? He shakes his head and squeezes her hand, then looks over at Nathan standing and… going to get drinks. There's a hesitation. Girlfriend is underage, and future version told him to stop drinking. He looks between them two, before he finally says, "All right, count me in. But if there's any Madonna or clothes coming off, I'm taking my girlfriend and going upstairs."

"I could use something," Elena pipes up. "….though…I suppose it wouldn't do well for your public image if you were getting me liquor, huh?" she adds to Nate sheepishly. Sure, it was in the privacy of his own estate, but with the election just a week away, she didn't want to take any chances either. She doesn't seem to mind Peter taking a drink or two - she only had an issue with it if he turned to the bottle and binged when things got rough. Though at the last comment she stares at Peter. "….I….what sort of parties did you guys have before you knew me?" she wonders out loud. …but did she really want to know? Though at the promise of saving her by carrying her off in case things with Nathan got drunk and weird, she squeezes his hand back, and pecks his cheek lightly. "I think we're safe so long as there aren't any cones accessible," she tells him with a grin. And then she pauses. "…unless…." She directs her gaze pointedly towards the window. Where Thomas and a lawn gnome buddy is standing in sentinel outside. And their cone-shaped hats.

Nathan looks to Peter. Looks to Elena. Then looks out towards his gnomes. That have now been sullied by Elena's Madonna-cone associations. "You know what, why don't you crazy kids just finish off the NyQuil and I'll enjoy my last two drinks for the next twenty-four hours in sanity and solitude," he suggests, taking a step back towards the den.

"It's not healthy to drink more than one dose of NyQuil. And I just woke up. I think I'll stick to DayQuil," Peter says, squeezing his girlfriend's hand, and not stopping his brother from retreating. "Good night, Nathan." Since— it will probably lead to sleep eventually. But he does pull his girlfriend's hand up enough to kiss her knuckles gently, spreading his germs around in an affectionate way. He didn't get to touch his brother. By god he will touch his girlfriend. "I was kidding. If Nathan went through a wild stage, I was too young to be a knowing witness to it." Though he did steal scotch from dad that one time and hid it in the tree house and made his brother drunk for the first time, but that's neither here nor there. It was hardly wild. "I do need to take a shower, though."

She grins and waves her fingers towards Nathan, though she frowns at him too. "Not too much of that," she says, mothering him a little even if he doesn't need it. Though when he leaves the room, Elena sighs quietly….and her hand lifted. Feeling Peter's mouth brush over her knuckles, her gaze returns to him, smiling ruefully. "Far be it for me to keep you out of the shower though. I can stand to do some homework." She stands up slowly from the couch, tugging Peter gently upwards. Looks like they're going upstairs after all.

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