2007-06-06: Nearly Naked At Nine

Starring:

Jane_icon.gif Elle_icon.gif Peter_icon.gif

Summary: Elle gets a view of her roommate she neither expected nor wanted.

Date It Happened: June 6th, 2007

Nearly Naked At Nine


Forrest-Bishop Apartment, Greenwich Village, Manhattan, NYC


Nine a. m., on the day after D-Day's sixty-fourth anniversary. Jane's awake and in the kitchen, making a pot of coffee. It's been a while since the roommates had contact, what with her being busy around New York, making her music wherever she saw fit and doing the lawyer thing on Ali's behalf, though the latter hasn't consumed so much time. It's turned mostly into a holding pattern. No, she's been mostly out and about, challenging other guitarists she meets, singers too, and upstaging them without mercy as best she could with no regard to lacking the need for such actions.

Now, Jane being in the kitchen after waking up isn't an unusual thing. What's odd is that while preparing the dark brew, she's only wearing a pair of lacy pink panties.

Elle comes out of the bedroom. Early. Blondes do not like the early. She's in her long sleeping-t, hair rumpled, and bleary. She smells the coffee brewing and long before she comes into line of sight, asks. "Is there breakfast?"

"Not yet," the brunette answers, "just coffee. I can make some breakfast, though, if you want. I'm an awesome cook." Okay, she really isn't. Her food is tasty, good, but awesome? That's a stretch, to compare herself against four or even five star chefs. Or whatever else one's definition of awesome food might be. Jane gets out the milk and sugar, then two mugs, getting ready to pour cups when the time comes.

Elle stops as she comes around the corner. Doubletakes. Pause. Rub eyes. Okay, nope. She looks back at Jane, and asks, "Jane…why are you naked?" Isn't there just a badness for naked in the kitchen? There's health rules or something!

And it's awkward when a man stops by. There's a knock on the front door, and a certain young Petrelli brother stands outside, dressed in light colors today, blues mostly, with his hair looking a little done up with gel.

"Oh, that," Jane replies, looking down at herself with a shrug. "I slept this way, and just haven't felt like putting anything on yet." The coffee finishes, she takes the pot and pours those two cups. It's like this is the most normal thing in the world, by her demeanor. One cup is lifted and held briefly toward Elle, while the other gets a dose of milk and sugar. "Morning, Elle. You want this?"

Elle blinks. "But, I…" Knocking. "Umm, yes, love coffee, but getting the door!" Confused Blonde is confused. "Toss on a robe or something!" Or a bra. Anything! Elle heads for the door, and (unlike normal) looks through the peephole. "Ack! It's Pete! Definitely toss on that robe!"

"Oh." Jane's reply is lazy, like she's really not bothered if he sees her like this or not. But she moves down the hall just the same, and goes into her bedroom. The door closes, and inside she pulls out some clothing to cover her top half with. Modesty? No, but Pete is here. Not displaying herself before him is more loyalty, in that she won't do that to Elle.

Elle looks relieved, and THEN yanks the door open. "Peter, hi!" she says with a smile, if sleepy.

Unaware of the comedy act going on inside, though aware that it's taking longer than normal to open the door, Peter looks only a little surprised when the door finally comes open. He heard voices, though not exactly what was being said. "Morning. Did I stop in too early?"

It doesn't take so long. Jane's door reopens seconds after Pete is greeted, and she wanders back toward the kitchen. Her clothing is minimal. A miniskirt and a red t-shirt featuring The Clash which barely reaches her navel, but does have a bra under it by some miracle. "Hey, Pete," she calls out in passing, as she goes for that coffee mug left waiting for her return.

Elle gives a slightly sheepish smile. The world has gone surreal. She smiles apologetically. "I just woke up. Jane was just getting dressed. We're just slow getting going today." She leans in to give him a kiss. "What brings you by?"

Moving in, Peter touches her arm and returns the kiss, having to lean down a bit considering the height difference. "Nothing special. Just— thought I'd stop in before I get caught up with anything else today. "Hey Jane," he says in response, moving inside and closing the door behind him. "I don't need to stay long, unless you want me to."

"Hey!" the brunette calls out in reply, laughing. The concept is just ridiculous to her, apparently. "I'm not slow. I'm at exactly the speed I want to be, Elle." Jane takes up her cup and moves to the main room, adding "It's good both of you are here, actually. I've got a bit of a legal case I've been working on. I'm gonna totally solve the thing and prove the water lines were tampered with. There's some questions I need to ask you both as part of it."

Elle brings Peter in, and closes the door. She pads out kitchenwards to get her own coffee cup, and says "Sure, I'll help whereever I can. I'm not exactly a water expert, though, beyond "getting hit by it's bad".

"Water lines?" Peter asks, following towards the kitchen and looking rather surprised at this mention. He waves a hand and denies any coffee cup that might be offered, but… "I don't know anything about tampered water lines."

"It concerns the party where your nephew was hurt, Pete," Jane replies, moving to sit and sip from her mug. "Ali, the woman who staged the party, tells me spoke with your sister in law and was told someone tampered with the water lines they were using. I left a sealed note for Nathan at his headquarters, but haven't heard anything back about it."

Elle frowns. She thinks about it a moment. "Wait…one of Peter's nephews was hurt? I haven't heard anything about any of this. What's going on?"

"Monty, his arm was broken," Peter explains, but— it sounds as if he's not sure about the rest of what Jane said. "Would've told you, but I got distracted." He often gets distracted around her. And he didn't know much more than that. As he just says. "I don't know anything else about this than that, Jane. I didn't even know it was at a party. Just that Heidi thought something about it was strange, dealing with people like us. And she was debating whether to tell the boys or not. But I don't know anything about there being tampering."

Elle is looked at first, Jane seeming puzzled. "Ali told me you and she talked, you're helping her out with the Company angle, she's afraid it might get you into trouble. She's got criminal charges against her, it looks like she may be able to plead to misdemeanor counts, pay a fine, and do community service, but it could also be more serious. In any case, if there was someone, a woman, messing with the water hose that blew and caused the injuries, that person is still out there and might hurt other people. I was hoping someone could ask Mrs. Petrelli what she saw and share it with me. But… she told you something was strange?"

Elle looks back, and nods. "Well, I was going to pull some strings, make sure she doesn't get in trouble. I mean, it's Ali, we can't just let her go to jail or get fired, you know." A remarkable amount of concern, given Elle's normal outlook.

"She said it looked like the water hose— either disappeared or turned to water itself. I'm not sure exactly." Peter explains, having not been there he's dealing with word of mouth. "I'd personally rather leave her out of this entirely. She's got enough worrying her right now. And I doubt she'd be able to help beyond that."

Her reply starts with a slow and concerned nod. "Damn," Jane remarks. "That stinks. We can't actually tell the DA that in Ali's defense. Your sister-in-law doesn't need to be involved at all. But, there is someone out there with an ability messing around and getting people hurt." She turns her attention back to Elle, nodding briskly. "You're right. We can't let Ali go down for this. Sure, she should have gotten a permit to hold the party and permission for the equipment, but the disaster didn't happen, it was caused. She won't go down, there won't be jail time or loss of job. She's got friends, and she's got the most awesome lawyer ever. Me."

Elle frowns just a little. "Are you feeling okay, Jane?" She looks to Peter. Jane is acting a little uncharacteristically today. "You sound kinda like you OD'd on pep pills or something."

There's a nod, though Peter looks a little odd at their mentions of this Ali woman. She seems to have gained their loyalty /really fast/. It might not be so odd with Jane, but Elle… And the ego thing. It does seem odd. Standing off to the side, he places his hand on the counter and watches them both. "You guys are both acting weird. How long have you known this Ali woman?" It's like she came out of nowhere…

Looking at Elle as if she had two heads to suggest such a thing, Jane replies "I'm all good. I'm just the most awesome lawyer ever. Why shouldn't I say it? It doesn't make any sense to pretend otherwise, y'know." Then she's looking at and addressing Pete. "Alyssa McAlister, she calls herself Ali. Midnight McAlister when she was a DJ with WNYU. I… I can't prove it, and she wouldn't use it to do anything bad, she's totally trustworthy, but I think she has the power of suggestion and doesn't even know it. Hell, she refused to believe me when I told her what I thought. We met her at NYU, last month, it was…" she glances over to Elle, "… the 25th?"

Elle considers. "A couple weeks ago now? The day I told you about when someone was shadowing me." She looks back to Jane. "When did we meet Ali? A couple weeks ago, right?" And then a blink. "Wait, you think it's -Ali-??"

Power of suggestion. The same day he went into a coma. Peter doesn't think there's any connection other than… there's not much time between now and their meeting. Almost two weeks. For Elle, that's still a short time to have a surprise best friend. "If she doesn't know it— she might not be aware she's doing anything," he says quietly, frowning a bit even then. "You told me you started saying things that you wouldn't say around her. And now you're both… acting odd. Not that I don't think you'd protect people— it just… I don't know. I've never met her."

"I do," Jane replies confidently. But then again, does that really mean anything? Today just about everything she says is confident. "I started thinking about it when I ran into her again a few days later. It isn't like you to share things with someone who doesn't have an ability. But you did. Of course," Jane is sure of this, Ali can't possibly know what she's got and have used it on purpose, she trusts the woman completely, "there's no doubt she's unaware of her gift. She even refuses to believe it. And I. am. not. acting weird. What's so weird about me telling the truth, that I'm the most awesome lawyer ever? For that matter, I'm a better guitarist than Eric Clapton, James Page, Jimi Hendrix and Nancy Wilson all rolled together!" Yes, she's starting to become indignant that anyone would say she's being weird.

Elle scowls. "It can't be Ali. Ali doesn't have a power." she says, with utter confidence. Why, yes, I would like a perm with that brainwash, k thanks. She looks back to Jane. "Jane, in all the time I've known you, you've never been out cooking wearing nothing but you panties. Plus you're just…being way over the top!"

"It's one thing to have confidence in yourself, it's another thing entirely to proclaim yourself the best at everything," Peter says, looking between the both of them with an odd expression. Then he shakes his head. "I know you're good, Jane, but no one is perfect. And there'll always be someone better. She was saying stuff like this the other day too," he explains to Elle. It /is/ weird. Even if she's insulted by that. "And if Ali doesn't have an ability, than there's no problem with me meeting with her some time." He's really wanting to meet this friend that she made in a single meeting.

Yes, she was talking like that the other day. It started during the guitar lesson she was giving a person who only shared one name. Jane starts to laugh, as Pete and Elle both make their comments about her behavior. She's right about Ali, she knows, and she doesn't really need to convince Elle about it. Being right and knowing it is enough. "What's wrong with getting out of bed and making coffee the way I slept? I mean, you're not a lesbian, Elle, I don't have to worry about you hitting on me or something. Just us straight women living here. When a man came to the door, I covered up, didn't I? I'd never show myself to your boyfriend." But she's saying all this with laughter. She knows all she says is true, it's only natural others won't believe it. Humorous even.

Elle frowns a little. She looks to Peter, and says "Can you look in her head? See if someone is messing with her? Because you're not acting normal, Jane…"
"I can try. Most I can do is see what she /thinks/… and if she thinks exactly what she's saying I'm not sure how I can tell if she was tampered with," Peter frowns, but he does consentrate, trying to hear her thoughts. "I'm sorry, Jane, but she's right. You're not acting like yourself."

First and foremost in her thoughts is a simple theme: Stop being so modest. It seems ingrained into her mind, it pops up just about every time she refers to herself or her abilities, or even thinks about them. 'Go ahead, Pete, read me. Take a good look around. Enjoy what you hear. I'm everything I say, there's no need at all to be modest about the truth. It's a shame you won't believe me, but then again, you've never encountered anyone with as much confidence as me before. I just had to stop being so modest.'

Elle's suggestion she be mindread is greeted with a confident smirk, and no spoken reply.

The blonde looks over with some concern to Peter, and then back to Jane. "Jane, don't you realize you're not acting normally?" She reaches out to put a hand on her roommate's shoulder. She actually -does- look worried. Yay for progressing sociopaths.

"She doesn't realize it, Elle," Peter says, soaking in her thoughts quietly. All the practice he'd had is paying off, because he doesn't even get a headache from this single use, but he also closes it off as soon as he sees enough. "In fact you're practically broadcasting to me. Something's definitely not right. Can't— tell what it is exactly. I'm not sure what it is." Looking towards Elle, he adds, "She thinks this is perfectly reasonable— that there's nothing wrong with it. That it's all just her confidence and she's…" What was the words she used? "…just stopped being modest."

She looks at the hand on her shoulder and raises her own to rest on and clasp it, a calm smile on her face. "I'm perfectly normal, Elle. You don't have to be worried about me. I don't know why this makes you so concerned. I mean, you're pretty awesome too, you know? Haven't you ever wanted to just shout it all out? Stop hiding what you have?" And her eyes slide back to Peter. "You too, all the things you do. Why be so modest?"

The blonde frowns. "Even if I -did-, Jane, there's a difference between modesty and…well, an -utter lack- of it. This just -isn't you-. It's like someone did a personality transplant on you." And whoever it is? Yeah. Painful death.

"..Wait. Didn't," There's a sudden blink as Peter recalls where he heard those exact words before. He suddenly glances over towards the living room. "Didn't that girl who you were teaching tell you to stop being so modest?" Coincidence? Considering the utter lack of coincidences… there's a strong chance it's not.

"Of course this is me, Elle," Jane replies, not understanding at all why she would say such a thing. "My personality hasn't been transplanted." And her eyes shift to Pete. "No," she answers. It's in her head, but she doesn't remember the command. But that was the point when she started like this. Showing off, talking herself up, playing those scales so incredibly fast.

Elle frowns as she looks at Peter. "Wait, what girl. Do we know who's behind this?" Does Elle have to smackabitch? She's completely unaware of her own odd behavior, apparently.

"There was a girl here, getting guitar lessons. I could have sworn she told Jane to 'stop being so modest'. It— didn't seem weird at the time, but…" Peter trails off, frowning. She'd not turned her ability on him, after all. He does remember her saying it. But the problem now? He's not sure he remembers her /name/. "I'd never met her before."

"Lyndsay? You think Lyndsay did something to me?" Jane laughs. Apparently, to her, that's entirely ludicrous. "She's a goth girl, well partly, I met near a pizza place in the East Village. I bought her a pizza, we talked, and I agreed to teach her guitar."

Elle frowns. "Goth, Lyndsay…do we have anything else to go on? Something I can track her down by? Name? Number?"

"She didn't give a last name," Peter says, unhelpfully. But at least it's an answer. "Dark hair— young, probably just in her twenties. Couldn't tell you much else, there." She'd not been around long, and he most certainly didn't get a phone number. Jane's more likely to have.

Leaving the room, going to her bedroom, Jane's after her phone. She takes the coffee cup with her, and still has it when she returns, flipping it open to look for the number which corresponds with the time of Lyndsay's call arranging the guitar lesson that morning. "You want to talk to her, go for it. But no attacks or shocking my student." Because she just doesn't believe this could be true, and they'll see it when or if they talk with her.

The blonde nods in reply to Peter, and she takes down the number when Jane finds it. "I'm just going to find her." she says. Once she has it, she takes her own phone, and dials another number. "This is Agent Bishop." She says, sounding oddly professional for a girl with tousled hair and in a sleeping t. "I'm going to be there in 30 minutes. I need a physical location for phone number <insert number here>, and any surveillance we might have had from…" She checks the time of the call on Jane's phone, and then rattles it off.

Raising his eyebrows, Peter watches his girlfriend take charge, but he's not sure how much he can say on the matter. Looking between the two, he stays quiet, watching her work, even if he's not sure he likes this.

"You're making me tired," Jane states as she observes. "All this talk of me not being normal, when there's nothing wrong with me." Her head shakes a few times and she starts walking toward her room, leaving the coffee cup behind. "I'm going back to bed." She's plotting in her mind to prove her awesomeness, by sending out emails and challenging people like Eric Clapton to guitar duels.

Elle hangs up her call. "Okay…" she looks to the others. "I gotta go check up on this." She moves to Peter, and leans in to give him a kiss. "I'm going to get changed then head into the office."

From the look on his face, Peter's not exactly pleased with what's going on either. Even if he's the one who blew the whistle on this whole thing— in fact, it might be because he was. Returning the kiss, though, he nods. "I understand. Just… I'll see myself out. Call me when you're done." He reaches up to touch her cheek gently, still looking a bit tense, watching her go to get changed— at which point he will show himself out.

And the bedroom door closes behind Jane, inside her room she resumes her immodest choice of dress with no witnesses.

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