[TM] Boston: Things Never Change

[justa_messenger]

If Eve was to write up a what I did over my weekend in New York report, she wouldn't have the first clue where to start. Writing up book reports were skills learned in elementary school. Eve never got to put a laminated painbrush with her name on it into the pocket shaped like a bucket to allow her to play with the sandbox. She never got a report

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[justa_messenger]

Leaning into his touch she shut her eyes for a moment, almost willing to just forget it all... forget what she knew, what she had done, everything she had risked... to end up with nothing in the end. Looking into Joe's eyes she could see the worry in him, and the wear that had taken its toll on him.

"You look like hell," she replied honestly, "I should have called... sooner, more often? More than once at least. I could have stayed... Harry just got to New York... he's not any better... and neither am I for that matter."

Sighing she leaned up and pressed her mouth to his, needing to just kiss him because in that moment it could have been the one thing that she knew above everything else was exactly what she felt and why it made her feel that way. It was something that felt safe, and known to her. Eve knew the way her hand ran through his hair, and how the other pulled him in by the shoulder. The familiar roughness of a days worth of stubble grazing across her chin, and the heavy scent of soap and a hint of the beer he had been drinking before flooded her senses.

This was what she knew, this is what she had... and for the moment she had a thousand things to be sorry for running through her mind, but the moment quelled their need to fall from her mouth.

Pulling away from him once more she ran her hand across his cheek, "I needed to run, but I don't think my reasons were exactly well thought out."

Glancing around she smirked, "So... can I come in? Or you got a girl over?"

[2sidesofthecoin]

The remark about having a girl over made Joseph smile as she drew back from the kiss...Jesus, just kissing her again was almost more than he could handle...

"Yeah, actually...I sorta do." he admitted. "In fact, she's living with me now."

Before Eve's features could crumble too far, he turned his head and called out. "Yo, Connie! Front and center!"

A moment later, an audible thud could be heard as Connie leapt off the counter and trotted over to the door with a subdued 'mrrowr' of curiosity. When she arrived, Joseph released Eve and bent over to scoop her up with a grunt, lifting the cat to eye level.

"Yer fuckin' heavy, ya know that?" he grumbled. Connie simply hissed at him in reply. Rolling his eyes, he gathered the kitten into his arms and earned a rolling purr of forgiveness by rubbing her chin.

"Meet the new woman in my life." he quipped to Eve with a small smirk. "Black Iron Falcon's Wing...Connie's her call name. She was all set to be the next CFA champion, but she's already too big for her breed standard. Connie...this is the girl I been telling you about."

[justa_messenger]

Eve knew she had been gone for almost a month, but didn't really expect to come back to find Joe moving on with someone else, and as the confusion washed over her a bit trying to sort out how exactly he could greet her the way he did only to have someone else there Joe called out for this new woman to meet her. The thud in the background wasn't expected either, but at the moment Eve was trying to prepare herself for anything.

Thankfully it was a cat. A pretty big cat considering, which Joe noted to the feline and it seemed she actually responded to his comment. "So there are rumors of me being fed to this cat? How fantastic." Eve teased as her hand moved to scratch behind the cats ear, earning a slight lean into the contact from Connie. "None of it's true Connie."

"So, I'm still in the doorway here, and I've met the woman so unless she doesn't approve? I'd like to maybe make it into the place at some point tonight," Eve smirked up at Joe as he moved aside to let her in. As she passed him with Connie still in his arms she leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek, "Thank you."

[2sidesofthecoin]

Joseph kissed her cheek in return, while Connie favored her with a firm nuzzle against her chin that nearly knocked their heads together.

"Hey, don't thank me...thank her." Joseph grunted as Connie's purring renewed in intensity. "She's lettin' you in...bitch thinks she rules the roost now."

Connie simply shifted in Joseph's arms, gazing at him blandly as if the fact were a given.

Leading Eve into the apartment, he dropped Connie on the floor, where she trotted back to the kitchen to finish the remains of her chicken. Joseph turned to face Eve again, wrapping his arms around her with a contented sigh.

"So...better now?" he asked simply, peering into her face. He had no doubt that she was far from okay...but she'd run for a reason.

He just wanted to know she wasn't going to run again...at least not for a while.

[justa_messenger]

Her laugher was light, almost hollow as she was pulled into his arms, she was far from the girl that had left almost a month ago. Far from okay as well, but she had a feeling Joe knew that deep down. "Not really better... but I'm here, it's a start."

She buried her head into his chest inhaling deeply as she felt his hands run against her back lightly. She wanted to explain but really at the moment she had no clue how to even start that out. Her own thoughts were a mixed up mess of doubt and fear and most of it was using something else as the excuse. Pulling back from the warmth a bit her face had worry on it, before she spoke.

"I had to go back into Wolfram and Hart... to fix the contract on Lindsey... from before, when he was hired. Ryan took a hit out on him, off books... I couldn't let it happen. So I went to the New York branch with a friend, and ended up in front of Ryan trying to make a deal with her."

She knew the words were coming, and she hated that she was going to ruin their reunion with the anger that was surely going to come from him when he learned the truth. She just couldn't keep it from him. All the years she lived with secrets, she just couldn't do it anymore.

[2sidesofthecoin]

Joseph bristled at hearing that she was helping Lindsey...but he held his tongue with a force of will that surprised even him. Maybe this was just one more part of love...biting one's tongue even if one had to bite it in half to keep from hurting the other person.

Fortunately, Joseph was no stranger to pain, or the taste of blood.

But facing off with Ryan...making a deal with that bitch...that he could get angry about. Not angry with Eve...just angry. Any port in a storm...

He rested his chin atop her head with a testy snort, still rubbing her back gently. "I'm gonna kill that fucking cunt." he rumbled peevishly. "Even playing field...I'll fucking kill her with my bare hands. What kind of deal did she want?"

[justa_messenger]

The anger that came from Joe, pushed her away from him. She went through everything to make sure that Ryan didn't die, and even after everything... even knowing what Ryan had done...

"I wanted the deal." Eve met Joe's eyes with sincerity, "I could have just let it lie, told Sylar not to take the deal and watch her just hire someone else to go after Lindsey. Lindsey would have found out and he would have gone back to finish what he started... I... I might hate her Joe, but I know what it is to only know what you're told, to think the way they want you to think. No matter what she does, I can't fault her for what she's been taught."

Standing there she brought her hands up to run through her hair, clasping her fingers at the base of her neck, "I went to her to trade... me fixing Lindsey's contract. Taking him out of the firm, so that she wouldn't try to kill him again... in exchange for your contract." She couldn't even meet his eyes for a moment, trying to figure out how to word it all... she knew that this was going to make one more enemy for Joe... the timing... everything was just not right for anyone.

"The firm doesn't hold your contract anymore Joe, your dad does."

[2sidesofthecoin]

Physics wasn't one of Joseph's best subjects, but he did enjoy it. The harder it got, the more he liked it, because it flexed a muscle he didn't have much reason to use, given his work: his brain. He liked the feel of thinking hard, of working through a problem step by step until he vindicated himself with an answer.

He'd never much understood the stuff pertaining to relativity and time, but he was working through it in his classes...but now as he stood here, listening to Eve, he finally grasped the concept of stopping time.

Joseph hung suspended in the moment, watching as Eve finished the final word, watching him expectantly for a reaction. He felt no need to breathe, no will to move...he was certain his heart no longer even beat. He was immortal and invulnerable in the truest sense of the word, and for an instant he knew she was wrong...Dad didn't have his contract. He couldn't...nothing could hurt Joseph now.

I'm going to die.

Time started moving again as the realization crashed in on his head, jarring him so hard he had to suck down an abrupt gasp of air, realizing that he needed oxygen again.

For a moment, he said nothing, simply trying to work through the disaster area his life had just turned into. He knew his father was either going to kill him, or bring him back into the fold...and Joseph would put a bullet through his own skull before he let that happen.

But if he was going out...he was going out free.

He was proud of himself for not faltering as he moved across the room to grab the cordless phone and dial his work number. It rang three times before the voicemail system picked up. Pressing the extension he wanted, he waited for the greeting to play out.

"Hi, you've reached Arnold in Personnel. I'm sorry I can't take your call right now, but if you leave your name and number, I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you for calling Wolfram and Hart, Attorneys At Law."

Waiting for the beep, Joseph spoke. "Yeah, it's Joe. I quit. Don't like it, take it up with Wolfe, you fuckwad. And let the Partners know that I got ties to six of the ten most powerful demon clans in this fucking city, and by the time I'm done? All of 'em are gonna bite your dicks off instead of sucking 'em, and leave you shitheads with yer pants down. Have a nice fucking day."

Hanging up the phone, he set the receiver down and turned to drop bonelessly into a nearby chair. "I got...a lot of shit to do." he murmured out loud, still reeling. "I got no idea how much time I have..." He trailed off, glancing up at Eve again. "How long's he had my number?"