New Gotham, Robinson Park - Friday evening

[blondecanary]

After a Thanksgiving spent with her entire family-- none of whom had gone missing yet-- Dinah had needed time to process the disappearances, trying to separate out the feelings, trying to remember what happened. She finally had to give up on 'investigative' mode and just sit and think, on top of the Gotham Metropolitan Museum of Art. Mourn a

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[heromaniac]

Momoko was updating her notes. More negatives, more questions. Names, dates, theories... the only thing she didn't have? Answers.

Okay, so she was staring at the screen, trying to will Warren's name out of the "People gone" column. Shut up, he was still totally close to her heart.

She reached for her phone, texting only because she wasn't sure if Dinah was... available.

Another ex-Fandom resident gone. Warren Peace. Tuessday.

[blondecanary]

Dinah closed her eyes. She'd only talked to Warren a couple times, but she knew he and Momoko had been really close. She took a second to climb up to the building next to One Police Plaza, and called.

"Hey, Momoko. I'm sorry."

[heromaniac]

"Dinah... it was..." There was a pause while Momoko swallowed hard. "I was on the phone with him when... when it happened."

She gave a small choking laugh, then. "Which I guess is totally better than how I found out the other time he died on me."

[blondecanary]

"Momoko." God, this was breaking Dinah's heart. The other time would've been zombies, she thought she remembered. "Sweetheart--" She shook her head. "Do you want to talk about it?"

[heromaniac]

"I don't know? I've never had someone to talk to about it before."

She had her head resting in her hand. Not crying, just tired. "Last time, I called his phone and yelled at the answering machine. I was mad because he'd gone out alone with all the zombies and never called me for help..."

"He called this time, Dinah. And I still couldn't save him."

[blondecanary]

"I know how that feels." God, did she know. She'd never have wished this feeling on Momoko. "I wish... was there anything new?" she asked, voice soft. "We're going to change this. We have to. Somehow."

[heromaniac]

Momoko took another breath. "He had powers. Fire. He could shoot fire at people and set parts of himself on fire. He wasn't a superhero, but if there was something he could do he would have. So, whatever it is can't be stopped with fire."

This helped, this kind of 'talking about it'. She could pretend better, this way.

"And the way he described what he saw totally matched Priestly's photo."

[blondecanary]

Dinah's jaw set. "Always good to rule out ridiculous cosmic coincidence," she said, breathing shallowly. "Places are going missing here, more often now. We have enough metas that someone must've tried to stop it, but... I'm. Glad? No. It's-- I'm sure it helped. Calling you. For him, I mean." Horrible as that had to be for Momoko to hear.

[heromaniac]

"Totally good to have confirmation. With all the differences. And to know what won't work when we finally find it."

She shook her head, not sure how to explain what she was feeling. "Warren was... He still means a lot to me. Even after the way he left. He was always there for me when things got bad, you know? And he had the most awesome smile."

[blondecanary]

"Of course he did. He was smiling at you." Dinah tried to smile, not quite managing it. "I'm keeping busy here. Trying to keep things safe. It's all I can do."

[heromaniac]

"He didn't smile enough." Momoko could totally picture the last look he would have given whatever attacked him. It would be a glaring scowl, defiant, a tiny bit scared but he wouldn't let it show more than maybe an eye flicker. Like a flame.

"Ah. Sorry. I know, with... with Priestly and Jak..." Dinah totally understood what Momoko was going through, twice over. Momoko suddenly felt bad that she was reminding her friend of it all over again. Time to pick up on the subject change. "So. Yes. I was spending all my time pouring over notes and trying to figure this out, but with all the police gone, that's totally going to have to change."

[blondecanary]

Dinah couldn't help a sniff that escaped her, then she clamped down on her emotions again. "Did you find out anything? Anything that would hint what's behind all this?"

[heromaniac]

"Nothing. Although none of the stuff we've found out matches with any demon or spirit that the Professor's computers can find. I sent everything to Karla and Jaime, though, in case it's because my world is affected."

"Well, and I totally still hate coffee, but it's easier to drink with lots of sugar."

[blondecanary]

Dinah found herself laughing, and let go of a breath. "When this is all over, we're going to Wired. For a really good cup of coffee." She sighed. "Dean Winchester's gone. I talked to Sam last night. He was on his way to Fandom." She was quiet. "Maybe you should think about going there already. Grab the other girls, your family, the Professor... and just go."

[heromaniac]

Momoko was silent for a while at that.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Dinah, I have totally thought about it. But people need me."

How could she live with herself, leaving people behind for... whatever.

[blondecanary]

"I know." Dinah's voice got quieter. "But-- maybe we can help more from there. I'm not leaving my family. I can't. And... God, Momoko, I don't want to leave New Gotham. I can't stand watching pieces of it go." She took a breath. "But if it gets down to the final minute, we have to be ready."