Dark Receiver

[DeathsKnight]

Glen knew how to handle an angry man, it was easy, make him angry enough, then throw an iceberg into the furnace. But a level headed woman? He straightened his jacket from having to dodge the fists aimed at him. Then held out a hand,

"Then let us proceed forth into you abode."

It was only about then that he realized that under his jacket he wore the company's name, the same name that would have been given to Claire's parents as the buyer of their house. He stepped in last, closing the door behind him, the lock clicking softly in place, Claire's father led the way into the living room,

"Coffee? Tea?"

Glen shook his head,

"Water will be just fine, unless you were about to make something then I'll have some of that."

He was offered a chair and he took it, Claire's father stared at him for a few moments,

"What happened?"

Glen recounted the whole tale, how Claire saved the young man and how he survived the brawl. Claire's mother returned during the tale and sat down to listen, the tray placed on the coffee table. The two of them looked at each other, Claire's father was the first to speak,

"We cannot allow her into the world, she is a good girl."

Glen nodded his understanding,

"But still you can not keep her cooped up, she has dreams and ideals too. Why not just let her out into a controlled environment where she can live her life?"

"And who will be this control? You? You already lost a cast member."

Glen gave a grim smile,

"One who could and should have be dead, but isn't. All things happen for a reason and I am very certain that keeping her cooped in will only make her rebellious. I may not be a parent, but it can't be that hard to give her just a little bit of leash, no matter what you do and how much you hurt her, she will always love you, you are her parents, should you not love her too and give her a chance at happiness?"

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Claire watched the reaction of her parents to Glen nervously. Her father was obviously angry and made no attempt to hide his hostility. Her mother, however, was a soothing force and invited Glen inside.

"It'll be fine, you finish packing,"

She told her daughter so that with a last anxious glance in Glen's direction as he followed her mother into the kitchen she turned and headed back to her room. Even though she continued packing, Claire found herself straining for the sound of raised voices, but heard nothing. She hoped that things were civilised and that her parents wouldn't somehow change Glen's mind about her as an actress or a lodger, or indeed change any personal interest that he had so far just hinted at.

Even though her case was only half full, Claire could stand the suspense no longer and leaving her bed strewn with clothing she headed downstairs and into the kitchen only to be met with a wall of silence from each of the three seated there.

"What?"

She asked, looking at each in turn.

"Did you sort things out...?"

She queried, sensing something seemed ...wrong ... somehow ...

"Mom?"

 

[DeathsKnight]

Glen could see the uncertainty, the hesitation, the doe-like eyes, the open face...how could you not help her? He understood what her parents' trepidation was, but she deserved to have a life as well.

"We're on a truce basis now, why don't you come take a seat and let's get the living arangement out of the way?"

Glen's request was a request, nobody could find fault with his tone or the words, her parents of course shifted a bit, of course the living arrangements was another new development to them.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"We're on a truce basis now, why don't you come take a seat and let's get the living arangement out of the way?"

It was Glen who answered her and despite the 'truce' Claire did not miss the reaction to his comment about living arrangements. Silently she nodded and pulled up a chair, but positioned it beside him on the side where her mother sat. She glanced at her, but did not make eye contact with her father.

"I don't see that there's anything to discuss about living arrangements,"

She commented hesitantly.

"As I've left home, I can stay where I please ... "

She didn't want her parents to interfere and knew they would jump to conclusions if they knew she was staying with Glen.

 

[DeathsKnight]

"True, but I think it is best that your parents at least have some inkling of an idea what the plan is."

He knew that it would be murder to say that she lived with him for now, but then again he had one final Ace up his sleeve,

"For now you have no set living arangements, a fact we are well aware of. But since you are contracted to Kane Productions, you will be given the option of your own apartment."

He glanced at her parents,

"That is if you do not accuire any other living arrangements."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"True, but I think it is best that your parents at least have some inkling of an idea what the plan is."

Claire didn't agree, but she couldn't prevent him from continuing.

"For now you have no set living arangements, a fact we are well aware of. But since you are contracted to Kane Productions, you will be given the option of your own apartment. That is if you do not accuire any other living arrangements."

The fact that her parents were present suddenly held no importance to Claire, instead she was stunned at his words.

"... you want me out?"

She asked him certain that all this aggro had somehow changed their relationship, as she had feared it would.

 

[DeathsKnight]

"Now did I say that? I believe that you would want your own place to stay."

He shrugged,

"What I did not ass was that the apartment will only be available in at least 10 months, perhaps longer."

"Claire where are you staying now?"

From her father's tone, the answer was sure to set off fireworks

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"Now did I say that? I believe that you would want your own place to stay.
What I did not ass was that the apartment will only be available in at least 10 months, perhaps longer."

She had no idea what he was thinking or meaning, but before she could ask him he father interrupted.

"Claire where are you staying now?"

She turned to look at her father for the first time.

"Right now, dad, I'm not actually sure."

She shot a look at Glen.

" ... but like I said ... I left home and I'm an adult so what I do or don't do is really my own business."

She was confused and annoyed and figured that she'd burn her bridges all round rather than be pushed round by her parents, or even Glen.

 

[DeathsKnight]

"She is staying with me and will be free to stay there for as long as she wish."

He allowed this part to sink in before he continued,

"And like Claire stated, she is old enough to make her own decisions, if you do not approve, then that is that."

He sat back, waiting for the eruption, strangely enough the first reply came from her mother,

"Well then, it seems like you have it all planned out."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"She is staying with me and will be free to stay there for as long as she wish."

She was reassured hearing his words, but she had not wanted her parents to know.

"And like Claire stated, she is old enough to make her own decisions, if you do not approve, then that is that."

There was silence as Glen's information sank in. Though her mother spoke, Claire did not respond and turned to Glen instead.

"If I'm old enough to make my own decisions then I'm old enough to decide that I did not want my parents to know where I was staying. That information as for me to tell them ... or not ... "

She told him, her voice quiet as she did not want to fall out with him right there with her parents watching, but she was clearly upset with him.

"You know ... I'm sick of decisions being made for me."

She told all 3 of them.

" ... and there's something .. something going on here ... "

She looked at each in turn, their expressions confirming her suspicions.

" ... I thought I'd gotten away from all that, but ... "

She looked at Glen disappointed that somehow she seemed to be thinking more of her parents' feelings than her own.

"Fine. You just sort things out and tell me where you think I'll be living, what you expect me to be doing."

She turned to her mother.

"Do you ever think I'm going to be allowed to plan my own life, mom? 'cos right now, I doubt it?"

 

[DeathsKnight]

He sighed and leaned back into his seat, this family was in real deep mud, the fact that Claire have been kept in the dark for so long and it seemed that there was so much that they still wanted to keep from her. He ran a hand over his eyes,

"Sure, but since you feel that you are being deliberately held in the dark, ask why and not when."

He sat forward and poured himself a cup of tea, adding sugar and stirring it before taking his seat again,

"In my opinion you are a few years overdue the explanation."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"Sure, but since you feel that you are being deliberately held in the dark, ask why and not when."

She had no idea what that meant, but had a growing suspicion that whatever was going on, Glen was in on it somehow?

"In my opinion you are a few years overdue the explanation."

And there it was, confirmation!

"So this ... big secret ... "

Her eyes went to each parent in turn.

"It's fine to tell Glen, who you can hardly stand, dad, but you can't tell me?"

She shook her head incredulously.

"And you,"

She turned to Glen.

" ... you actually know what's going on here and yet ... yet you let me walk right back into all this crap again .. ?"

That was what hurt most of all.

"I thought you were my friend, that you actually cared about me ... "

She told him sadly.

 

[DeathsKnight]

"Actually if you remember I told you my hypothesis about it not too long ago, your father only confirmed my suspicions right now. I am your friend Claire and I have been nothing but honest with you from day one."

He took a sip of his tea,

"Now that I know I was right, I think your parents need to tell you the truth."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"Actually if you remember I told you my hypothesis about it not too long ago, your father only confirmed my suspicions right now. I am your friend Claire and I have been nothing but honest with you from day one."

She frowned trying to recall what he had told her.

"I don't remember you saying anything about whatever this is ... "

She sighed.

"Now that I know I was right, I think your parents need to tell you the truth."

She got up.

"If they had something to tell me, they'd have done so by now."

She walked to the door.

"I'm going to finish getting my things together. If the offer of a place until I get properly sorted holds, then I'll be ready in 10 minutes, if not ... "

She hesitated trying to formulate a plan B.

"I can get a taxi and make other arrangements ... "

She concluded then headed upstairs without another word to her parents.

 

[DeathsKnight]

The look her parents gave him, would have shrivelled up any person or at least made them feel guilty. Glen just crossed his legs and sipped on his tea,

"Are you happy now? You have upset her even further."

Glen shrugged,

"If you had sat her down and spoke to her about this, I would not have been forced to these extremes."

Her father leaned forward,

"What is your plan with our daughter?"

Glen arched a brow,

"To provide her with a work, steady income and to allow her to study in the direction she wish. Basically your plans, without the over reactive protection."

Further argument was cut short as her mom started to pour more tea, she glanced at Glen,

"We only want what's best for her. We may have done her a great harm by not telling her, but she is our daughter."

Glen nodded,

"I know, then you can see that she is not happy. Did she not prove that minutes ago?"

The two looked at each other and back at him, he finished his tea, placed the cup down on the tray and got up.

"Do yourselves a favor and tell her the truth. I'll show myself out."

He walked out of the room, opening the door and closing it behind him, he stood outside for a while and then walked to the car. He sat on the bonnet, hands in his pockets as he waited to see what Claire would do.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

She had her case packed. She even had the formal outfit laid on the top of it, but rather than head downstairs, she sat on her bed with a heavy sigh. She was bewildered. She tried to recall what Glen had said to her, what his reasoning had been, but her head was spinning and she was just weary of it all.

"Claire ... "

She looked up and saw her father stood in the doorway of her bedroom.

"No more, please dad ... I've had enough of all this ... "

She asked him.

"Whatever you have to say, it's not going to change my mind about leaving home, starting to live for once ... "

She told him as he stepped towards her.

"I think it might ... "

He told her solemnly.

 

[DeathsKnight]

Glen waited outside, as the sun set, it brought on a cold wind, along with more clouds. He looked at the house and wondered what was happening inside. After fifteen minutes he took out his phone and called to cancel the reservations, it was of course something he didn't want to do, but in the end there was no other way around it. After the silent repremand he was certain that she wouldn't want to go anywhere that evening.

The minutes passed and when it struck the half hour mark, he knew that they have sat down with her to have the talk that was so long overdue. His phone beeped, it was a text from Elron, he replied and placed his phone away again. When it neared the hour mark, he got into the car, the breeze too cold for him.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

She tapped on the car window prompting Glen to realise that she was stood beside his car.

"I thought you'd gone."

She told him simply.

"I wouldn't blame you in fact ... "

She shook her head and wondered not for the first time in that past hour why, if Glen had realised the supposed secret he had even bothered to get involved with her.

"I packed my case, but ... under the circumstances I left it back in my room."

She was beyond shell shock and still refusing to believe that what her parents had said was true ... and if it was ... then that potentially changed everything...

"I need some space ... to think ... to ... "

She didn't know what she needed to do or how she was supposed to deal with this.

"Can I still come back with you and stop over.. after that well ... I just don't know ... "

 

[DeathsKnight]

He knew it had to be hard for her, it was news that nobody ever would want to hear,

"I said you're free to stay as long as you want and with those clouds rolling in, I didn't want to chance you having to walk back."

He unlocked the doors, a clear invitation for her to step inside if she did choose to doe so, but judging from her words she would want to...at least for now. He let out a sigh and leaned back into his seat, staring out at the clouds forming.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"I said you're free to stay as long as you want and with those clouds rolling in, I didn't want to chance you having to walk back."

She heard the doors unlock and slid into the passenger seat.

"You're helping me again."

She told him.

"Why would you risk doing that time and time again?"

She wondered. Surely if the story were true, someone like Glen wouldn't put himself and others at risk.

"I don't even believe in all that stuff... "

She said dismissively.

"This is just another parental thing, right?"

 

[DeathsKnight]

He looked over at her, with a slight grin he started the engine,

"Like I said after your dad came in when I had to stand in for Elron, when you help somebody, they can help you. So everybody in the cast and of course numerous others are safe. But back then it was just a speculative theory, I had no idea that it could be real."

He had one hand on the wheel, the other animated, talking along with him,

"I know that you're upset with me and that you have had a whole ton of bricks mingled with ice water dumped on you in there. But I know that you can live a normal life without having to get locked away."

He shrugged,

"But it stays your decision."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

She listened to his reasoning and realised that impossibly what she had been told was true.

"I know that you're upset with me and that you have had a whole ton of bricks mingled with ice water dumped on you in there. But I know that you can live a normal life without having to get locked away. But it stays your decision."

She sighed.

"I'm not upset with you Glen."

She told him clearly.

"But I don't see that I can be anywhere near normal without putting people at risk...I really need to think things through .. "

 

[DeathsKnight]

He was driving back into the city as they spoke, he ran his fingers over his chin,

"True, but given the right support, you can live a near-to-normal life. You really don't have to go through this alone."

They stopped outside the coffee shop near the theater,

"Come on, I want one of their coffee's and we can grab something to take home to eat."

He got out and walked over to her side of the car

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

"True, but given the right support, you can live a near-to-normal life.
You really don't have to go through this alone."

She really couldn't imagine what support would be the right type for her.

"Come on, I want one of their coffee's and we can grab something to take home to eat."

She realised that they were parked close to the theatre. She didn't really feel like facing anyone and she could only hope that she wouldn't cause any trouble by going into the coffee shop. Realising she was a walking jinx was going to take some getting used to.

"Ok... I guess I could use a cappuccino...."

She agreed.

 

[DeathsKnight]

He led the way, opening the door for her and walked up to the counter,

"Take-away jumbo coffee, black, one sugar and I'd have a slice of tripple threat chocolate cake. How about you Claire?"

He took out his wallet, leaning on the counter as he looked at Claire, she had the look of a person who really had no idea what to do, eggshells and all that jazz. He leaned closer and stage whispered to her,

"Relax, you've done this loads of times."

He nodded towards the staff,

"They're still all here."