intofireforever | ~017 - [VIDEO]

~017 - [VIDEO] - all grown up

[The video feed turns on to show Laura standing in front of a mirror. This mirror reflects not only Laura, who appears to have aged up considerably, but a very nice bedroom as well. There's a framed photo on the bedside table that she hasn't noticed yet--it's of this older version of her and Miss Parker, smiling and posed together with a little girl. Oh dear. Feel free to point this out, anyone who notices!

Laura touches her face incredulously, and when she speaks, it's in a whisper.]

I got...old.

[After a little while of just staring in absolute shock, she picks up the communicator and starts exploring the house. The next room she stumbled across...is a child's. A little girl's, by the decor. Now she's really confused and more than a little troubled.]

Miss Parker...? Paddy...?! [She picks up a teddy bear, looks at it, and then just...lets it fall to the floor. She's having trouble processing the fact that she has, quite impossibly, become an adult, and a parent to boot.]

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[Parker had been in the living room, staring at framed pictures on the wall. Each and every one of them said "Ms. Parker's Class" and a year. In each of them she was standing with a proud and happy smile so different from her own that Parker had thought that it might have been Catherine's rather than her own. Quickly she reached out to touch the photo, but the clothing was far too modern for that.

When she heard someone shout for her, she quickly called out, but her tone was distracted.]

Yeah!

[Oh thank god, a familiar voice. Laura follows the sound a little desperately and comes across Miss Parker in the living room. She looks at her and then the photos she's examining, confused.]

What...what's going on?

[Further along the wall, there are pictures of Laura with children--some of which are also in the photos with Miss Parker, some of whom are new. Then some kind of college degree with Laura's name on it, that she's too shocked to puzzle out.

Then the family photos. Her and Parker, with a little girl. Oh fuck.]

Ah...ah-- [She taps Parker on the shoulder and then gestures towards these, trying to say something but just babbling incoherently.]

My guess? Some kind of fucked up kind of flood.

[Parker stared at the pictures, and she moved onto the family photos and frowned even harder. Well, this was not how she had fucking imagined her day to be going.

She had a moment of angry panic herself, and then she turned her attention back to Laura who definitely looked older and like she was going to fly off the fucking handle any second.]

Fuck me sideways. It's going to be all right.

[Uhura came in on the tail end of that, her hands on her hips, just above her BRIGHT PINK tutu.] You know, you really shouldn't talk like that with a child in the house.

[She didn't know too much about her surroundings, as she had been spending most of her time in her room, but she could tell that this...was probably a safe environment to be herself, as they seemed just as confused as she was.]

Miss Parker, are we...

[She fights to think of a way to say it, then just shrugs and gives a panicky laugh.]

...together? Is that our kid?

[And then oh god oh god, it's the kid from the pictures. Her daughter...and Miss Parker's daughter, if things were as they seemed. Their daughter. In a tutu, because the universe had apparently decided this shit wasn't weird enough yet. Laura bends down to be eye-level with her and gently grasps the little girl's shoulders.]

Please tell me you're from the Barge.

[When she heard the voice tell her not to talk like that in the house, Parker quickly twisted on her heel to see the little girl in a hot pink tutu and then she groaned audibly. One hand wrapped over her forehead, and it was official, this was some kind of fucked up hell and all she wanted to do was have a drink or kick something.

Probably both.

Parker was certain the kid was from the Barge in some way, because the two of them both were, and fuck them all if she wasn't.]

They're together--we're not.

[Boundaries. Yeah, let's get those out of the way right fucking quick.]

[Uhura wasn't expecting to be grabbed, but it wasn't rough, so she relaxed after a moment. Miss Parker. Of course. Uhura officially hated her life.]

I know, Parker. It's me, Uhura.

You're Paddy's old warden? Thank god...

[Some of the fear melts visibly from Laura's posture and expression, and she releases her gentle hold on Uhura's shoulders to rub some life into her pale face. She wouldn't have known how to react if the child had thought she and Parker were her parents.]

I'm Laura. Paddy's inmate.

[Parker... laughed. She just put her head back and fucking laughed. It was absurd, that the three women in Paddy's life were all in a house together without him. This... well, it made her want to shoot the Admiral in the foot.

After a moment, she rubbed her neck and turned her attention back to both of them. They could handle this. Really, they could.

...she was a mom and a teacher and fucking Uhura was her kid. Also, she was gay. Go figure.]

It's not going to be forever, it'll be fine.

Yes, well, you're right about that. But in the meantime, there are certain things that you two probably should do. [She could tell Laura was upset, so she just...ignored the nagging voice in her head that urged her to tell off Parker.]

I should probably be at school soon, for one.

[She nods at Uhura's suggestion.]

Oh damn. We need to play along, don't we?

[Uhura having determined that aready, Laura turns to look up at Miss Parker.] Then you should be at there, too, right? Since you're a teacher and all. I'll hang back and try to figure out what it is I'm supposed to do...unless I should come along with you two? It looks like I'm involved with the school, too, judging by these photos...

[Parker scowled at Uhura for a moment and then took a deep breath.] The first thing we need to be doing is god damn research. We can't just fucking wander in anywhere when we don't have the facts.

I'm a teacher. Kindergarten, I'm in room 14.

I bet you work at the school too.

What's your first name, Uhura?

Nyota. [She took a step back.] I'm seven years old and in the second grade. My teacher is Mrs. Harris.

[She got that much from pawing through her backpack.]

And that research isn't going to help you too much just standing there.

[Laura closes her eyes and holds her hands up.] Please, guys. Can we not fight? This whole thing is stressful enough as it is.

[She stands up straight again (and what is with the pain in her knees when she does? Oh hell, she really is old), and gives the living room a once-over.]

I think I should start digging around. You know, to see what else I can find out about this "me."

[Parker... was torn. She was torn between getting into a shouting match with Uhura and the fact that Uhura was currently seven years and apparently named Nyota and that she reminded Parker rather uncomfortably of Debbie.

Taking a deep breath, she looked at her watch, and found that it was cheap, plastic and apparently had Mickey fucking Mouse on it.

Groaning, she looked to Nyota again. Damn fuck damn. But there wasn't time to worry about it. Keeping her tone as neutral as it got for her, Paker asked quickly.]

Laura can you drive? Did you ever learn how?

[Uhura glanced back to the hallway.] Look, you two...I'm not going outside in this. [A tutu...really. Did the girl sleep in it?]

You two figure that out and I'm going to get ready for school.

Okay. [She nods to Uhura before turning back to Parker.]

Yeah, I can drive. Do you want me to drop you off at the school or something? I have no idea where it is...

[Or anything else, as a matter of fact. If Laura had any idea what a GPA for cars was, she'd be crossing her fingers to find one in whatever vehicle this family used.]

Go get ready for school. Maybe you had morning ballet or something. Stranger shit has happened. [There was a pause and Parker rubbed the back of her head.]

Fuck Language.

[Parker looked to Laura and then sighed inwardly. At least she was dressed for school... Dressed in a dress with some horrible floral pattern and 'sensible' shoes. It was like being in the twilight zone.]

I ask because I think you need to be at the school and I wanted to make sure you can get there.

I'm here. No trouble.

...[he's staring, trying to figure this out]

What's going on? Why am I old?

[Then, more panicked:]

Do I have a kid, Paddy?!

Who is...

Laura?

[Laura starts to cry. Not being recognized by Paddy feels pretty bad--she's not in the body of a totally different person. It's her own, just...aged up a whole lot.]

You couldn't tell? Do I really look that different?

Edited 2011-01-21 02:39 (UTC)

Jesus, sorry.

No... not really.

I mean. Can you tell Nathan and me are pretty much the same bloke? Same kinda thing right. You're a load older.

I know, I know, it's just...I'm sorry. I'm being dumb.

[Laura nods and wipes her eyes on her sleeve. This is a lot to handle.]

Where are you?

S'alright, Laura. You okay? I didn't mean...

I'm in the pub. There ain't many around here, and I am the barman at one.

I'm fine! I think I'm fine, I mean. I'm not hurt or anything...

I'm not sure who I'm supposed to be. A mom, I think--but do I stay at home, or do I have a job? Am I a single mother or do I have a husband?

[Oh Laura. Neither. She laughs, and it's high and panicky.]

I'm not supposed to have this kind of life!

There's all sorts of evidence floating around here and there, just take it easy and start looking through shit.

And... what do you mean, you ain't supposed to have it? I mean... sure, you never got to have it, but that don't mean you ain't supposed to.

[Awkward]

Oh, and Laura, if you need me, I'm in the local pub. Easy to find.

It wasn't meant to be.

[She rubs her face.]

I'll come see you. Later, okay? Once I've figured things out.

Alright, love, but don't leave it too long.

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~017 - [VIDEO] - all grown up

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