[Annie lets out a frustrated huff, because she knows that now isn't the time. They don't have the time.
All she really wants is more time.]
Fine. Tell me what you need to tell me.
[This can't be a conversation, so just spit it out. She'll start looking too, shuffling through the boxes as she listens (2). But she is listening, so she doesn't get very far.]
("It's us or the key. It's simple. And there isn't a choice here. Find it and go back to Serena," he says, not helping, but not hindering.
She starts her search, so he resumes his, for real this time, voice be damned. (13) but, apparently, everyone is coming up the same damn number and he has a ways to go. )
[Annie does better this go round (12), but still not enough. She just wants to talk to her brother, but she knows there's business to attend to. So she does her best to stay focused.
Patrick, on the other hand, is going to slide over and continue to be a distraction. "So is she your new sword to hide behind? The person you want to protect you?"]
( He turns toward the wall, moving to rip off the posters on the wall. Maybe there's an opening behind them. He wants to tear at something. He can't stand the sound of Patrick's voice. )
If you even cared about protecting me, you wouldn't have treated me like your sword. Your maguffin to bring back your ex, who's probably a psycho.
( Another poster rips. He starts pulling books down to the floor. )
["Maybe not. But you were certainly content to hide behind me for a while." Patrick can't help but keep goading him into a reaction, wanting to cling to these last vestiges of life before he becomes nothing more than a ghost again. "I was just extracting my fee."]
Keep running your mouth and it's gonna get hit.
[Annie is still struggling with finding anything (6), mostly because she is also sick of the sound of Patrick's voice.]
I don't know the rules of this curse, but I'm really good at loopholes.
[Patrick smirks as his attention is drawn. "What did I say? Always looking for a shield to hide behind."]
[The book does fly right through him - the benefit of being a ghost. But Patrick goes full muppet face as he nods, impressed. "Not bad, Shep. Not bad at all."
Annie, however, wheels on her brother and grits her teeth.]
You've been dead too long to pretend to know what my business is. I came here to help him. I actually like helping. And maybe if we had asked for help when we needed to, things wouldn't have ended the way they did.
[But no, that's not what the Chens do. They pull in on themselves and try to solve it without making it messy by involving other people.
She pulls out another drawer and the key rattles into view in front of her.]
(Well, that is in their culture, too. Would you rather you and your brother and sister were raised differently. Brought up with different values. It doesn't mean he didn't love her, or Annie.
Shepherd charges forward, body checking Patrick. He leans down past him to pick up the book he felt the rattling inside. Swiping it up, he opens the hollowed out book and finds the key. Turning back to Annie, he holds it up.)
You have anything else to say to him, now's the time to say it.
( The front door glows and then shifts, turning from a clear glass to stone, with a handle on the right.
"You're angry. You should be. Don't lose that. I always admired my sister's fire.")
("Tell her I love her. And I'm sorry." Because what else can he say. Move past this. He knows she's thriving. She's doing good. She and Annie have found a new family.
Shepherd leaves Patrick, stalking past Annie and Bennett, planting himself by the door. )
[Nobody's okay, but they'll figure it out anyway. They both turn their keys together, open the door and slip out into the bright light waiting on the other side.]
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everyonelives2025-07-26 07:05 pm
no subject
All she really wants is more time.]
Fine. Tell me what you need to tell me.
[This can't be a conversation, so just spit it out. She'll start looking too, shuffling through the boxes as she listens (2). But she is listening, so she doesn't get very far.]
no subject
She starts her search, so he resumes his, for real this time, voice be damned. (13) but, apparently, everyone is coming up the same damn number and he has a ways to go. )
no subject
Patrick, on the other hand, is going to slide over and continue to be a distraction. "So is she your new sword to hide behind? The person you want to protect you?"]
no subject
( He turns toward the wall, moving to rip off the posters on the wall. Maybe there's an opening behind them. He wants to tear at something. He can't stand the sound of Patrick's voice. )
If you even cared about protecting me, you wouldn't have treated me like your sword. Your maguffin to bring back your ex, who's probably a psycho.
( Another poster rips. He starts pulling books down to the floor. )
no subject
Keep running your mouth and it's gonna get hit.
[Annie is still struggling with finding anything (6), mostly because she is also sick of the sound of Patrick's voice.]
I don't know the rules of this curse, but I'm really good at loopholes.
[Patrick smirks as his attention is drawn. "What did I say? Always looking for a shield to hide behind."]
no subject
Take two steps back.
( "Annie. You know better. Pay this man no mind. His business isn't ours." Bennett grimaces. "Yours." )
Shut up. ( Shepherd turns, launching a book at him. It, and the key rattling around inside, careens toward Patrick out of anger. )
no subject
Annie, however, wheels on her brother and grits her teeth.]
You've been dead too long to pretend to know what my business is. I came here to help him. I actually like helping. And maybe if we had asked for help when we needed to, things wouldn't have ended the way they did.
[But no, that's not what the Chens do. They pull in on themselves and try to solve it without making it messy by involving other people.
She pulls out another drawer and the key rattles into view in front of her.]
no subject
Shepherd charges forward, body checking Patrick. He leans down past him to pick up the book he felt the rattling inside. Swiping it up, he opens the hollowed out book and finds the key. Turning back to Annie, he holds it up. )
You have anything else to say to him, now's the time to say it.
( The front door glows and then shifts, turning from a clear glass to stone, with a handle on the right.
"You're angry. You should be. Don't lose that. I always admired my sister's fire." )
no subject
Are you sure there's nothing you want me to tell your daughter?
[Anything at all?]
no subject
Shepherd leaves Patrick, stalking past Annie and Bennett, planting himself by the door. )
no subject
You good?
[Because this isn't over yet, and she wants to make sure his head isn't somewhere else now.]
no subject
( He slides his own key in his lock, blocking out everything else. He keeps her gaze, turning when she does. )
no subject
[Nobody's okay, but they'll figure it out anyway. They both turn their keys together, open the door and slip out into the bright light waiting on the other side.]