What an odd phone call. Captain Angry Pants called, personally, to arrange a meeting. Not only is it a meeting, but he has a favor to discuss. This is extremely odd to the mentally ill young woman, but she is unable to deny his request. He may cuss, a lot, but he did help her out after all. Oh! Maybe he wants to thank her for her homemade card. That sounds like a fun time! So off Rose goes to meet Ivan in a completely neutral environment.
She walks into the local coffee house looking far different than she had the last time she met with him. Her hair is worn down and curled and she's even wearing a bit of makeup. She's wearing a brown and white long sleeved dress with a low neckline. It covers the marks on her arms but not her neck. For these she wears a brown scarf. Add in brown knee high boots and she looks like any other woman of her age.
Rose walks up to the counter and places her order with a smile before pulling some change from her adorable shoulder bag. Nope, no insane people here.
Ivan wouldn't have noticed Rose if he wasn't actively looking for her, that is how different she looks. Perched upon a side-table and scanning the crown periodically, the man immediately straightens up once he catches sight of her, eventually slipping out of his seat in order to great her. "Rose! Rose, there you are." She is granted his brightest, most amiable smile - one he tends to offer people who he feels he needs to suck up to. "It's good to see you! C'mon, let's go sit down. Are you doing well? You look alot better then you did before."
Her drink gets to her before Ivan does, which is a good thing since the man appears to be so impatient. Rose turns as she hears her name to see who exactly it is. With recent developments she's learned not to assume anything. When she notices Ivan she offers him a hesitant smile. This all seems off to her. Then again, she's not exactly an expert on people. Look at her friends.
"Uh, hi there." Eventually she calm down and smiles back, giving him her best and brightest as well. She's just friendly, that's all. Her attention diverts slightly to a man she finds looking at her. He's given a smile and a wave before she looks back to Ivan. Sadly, Rose doesn't realize why he's looking at her. To her, everyone is just a friendly face. "I'm actually feeling a lot better. Thanks for asking." Again she looks around, this time for a place to sit. "Lead the way, Mister Fontane."
Ivan notices her hesitation - he'd be a crappy politician if he didn't. Instead of ushering her to the table, he pauses, screwing his face into an expression of clear concern. "Hey…you alright there? What's wrong?" After offering this bit of care, he proceeds to lead her back to his waiting cup of java. "Anyway, that's really good to hear. So - I was right, huh? Your sister wasn't trying to hurt you, was she?" This idea prompts an easy smile on his face. "That's what family is for, you know. To take care of you. I got your thank you card, by the way. You're welcome."
Blink. Blink. This is odd. "I'm alright." She has to have more confidence in herself. That's what her protector has said, so Rose takes a breath and speaks her mind. "You were very angry the last time that I saw you. I'm sorry if I've caused you trouble, but hopefully you can see why I'm a little surprised to hear from you." There! She said he! He'd be so proud.
Following him back to where his own drink is waiting, Rose takes a seat nice and proper like. It honestly is hard to tell that she's a mental patient at all, especially to those who don't know. If she were interested she could likely find a date. "Well, no. She wasn't trying to, but there's always the chance that she'll get upset with me." This is said as Rose removes the scarf from her neck, revealing the bruises and the bite marks. He has every right to see them and she's going to make it happen. A genuine smile does emerge once he mentions her card. "I wanted to do something nice for you, for the trouble, but what could I possibly do for a man like you?"
Ivan frowns slightly at how perceptive she happens to be, and judging by the way he scratches the back of his neck, he hadn't counted on it. "It wasn't that I was…well, maybe. It was /frustrating/, that's for sure." He admits, smile turning wry as he slips into the seat across from her. "It was my first day off in two months, and I got twin sisters in my apartment…and neither of them were remotely interested in me. You can't really blame a guy for being put off and on edge, can you?" He attempts to interject some humor into the situation.
However, when he is granted the sight of her neck - her bruises, the small puncture marks… "Jesus," Ivan breaths out, furrowing his brows as he leans forward in an attempt to catch a better look. "Rose - Rose, what happened to you? Did you…did that happen at that place? The clinic?" Beat. "I'm sure your sister will love you no matter how frustrated with you she becomes…"
His favor can wait a bit until he gains her trust once again.
"I'm a frustrating person, Mister Fontane. Being clinically insane does that to a person." She's surprisingly being completely open and honest and not at all sarcastic. It's a step that she's trying to make. Embracing the problem is hard, but worth it. "And sadly, you met me at a particularly bad time. Still, you helped and that was more than you had to do." Oh, wait. He's trying to be funny. Rose does chuckle slightly, but perhaps not for the right reason. "If you're looking for a twin to be interested in you, my sister is far from what you want."
His reaction is a little more than she's used to but not unexpected. "Almost all of it comes from Green Oaks." There's a bit of pain to her when she mentions it but Rose shows exactly how strong she is: on the outside. To her sister she'd be sobbing by now. "The other was what prompted it all, in a way. I have a theory on where it happened, or who did it, but I don't remember anything." A knowing glance is given to Ivan. There will be family issues. She's just not going to get into it.
"I…yeah. I just wasn't prepared for it, that's all." Ivan comments, arching his brows slightly in an attempt to put the topic aside and continue on, without guilting her uncomfortably for her condition, and him for his reaction to it. "Huh? Oh! Heh. Yeah, well, she didn't seem like my type at all, so it works out. Too prim and bi-…mean." The censorship is a courtesy, offered with a sheepish smile.
But then, he sobers almost immediately. Furrowing his brows, he licks his lips before dropping all pretense and reaching over the table to attempt to run his hands over the two puncture marks on her neck. Except there is nothing flirtatious about this - it's all business. "Vampire fangs. You were bitten? Did you know about that?" Beat. "Wait - you're trying to say that Green Oaks abused you because of those marks? I…I understand." He comments speculatively, turning quite thoughtful as he slinks back into his seat.
She already feels guilty, on a daily basis in fact, but she's been told to have more confidence in herself. "I actually get that often on a normal day." It's uncomfortable but she's managing as well as she can. It's all an attempt to function like a normal human being. Her laugh becomes more genuine as he nearly calls her sister a bitch. "If you think she's bad, you should see me when I get angry. Or used to. I think." There goes that joke. Missing and altered memories are such a pain.
Next thing she knows he's trying to touch her. Rose's eyes go wide but she doesn't actually move. As much fear as there may be in her expression she holds her ground rather well. It's just testimony to what all she's been through. "Supposedly I was bitten. I was the last to know." She's not joking. "I have no memory of this but Hope saw it and went to talk to the nurse. Next thing I knew I was going through, well, you know." He may not actually know but her bruises do tell a story. Rose doesn't think that he understands but she's not going to say that. "Rumor has it that I'm a vampire magnet."
"She wasn't bad. Just…paranoid and…" Ivan drawls, clearly disinterested but keeping up with the charade to keep her calm, relaxed. The touch does not linger long. Sooner rather then later, his hand falls away from her, only to scratch the side of one scruffy cheek. "Your sister was just alerting them to the breaching of their security. I'm sure she didn't want to hurt you. I'm sure she had no idea of the horrors that would follow. I have to believe that. But…I have a proposition for you, Rose."
Suddenly, his watching her with the cool, crystal clear eyes of an expert, of a politician. It's not that they are cold - but rather focused and determined. "What if I told you that, with your help, I could make Green Oaks pay for what they did to you, Rose? What if I told you that all I'd need you to do is show up, and we could bring those people to justice, maybe even shut it down. So that what happened to you never happens again, and never happens to anyone like you again."
He can keep her talking all he'd like. She can talk about anything, and likely will before he's done at this point. He'll regret it sooner or later. "Uh-huh." The funny thing is that she's insane, not stupid. Ivan's about as interested in her as she is interested in going back to Green Oaks. Once he pulls away from her she runs a hand through her hair. She must act normal, she tells herself. "Hope didn't mean anything by what she did. She's more concerned for me than my own parents, and has uprooted her life just to be near me. I don't blame her for what happened. I just know that we'll have issues later."
And here it comes! This is why he wanted to ask her here? Rose listens to everything until it seems like it is her opportunity to talk. "Mister Fontane, please help me because I'm confused." A deep breath is taken as she looks about. There's no telling who may be listening. "You don't seem like a lawyer or a police officer. I'm already involved with the police. Green Oaks is already under investigation." These are all facts that she thinks that she remembers. "So how is it that you plan on helping me?"
Ivan crosses his arms over his chest, brows furrowing as he stares at the table, attempting to puzzle out exactly how to proceed. Eventually, he lets out an easy sigh. "I work for the mayor, Rose. Mayor McNaab. I have friends in high places. And in fact, one of my friends just happened to request information on the escapee." Beat. He shifts around in his seat, pursing his lips slightly. "He didn't know that I met you. Hell, I couldn't even believe it myself, it was so…almost, perfect. He has an interest in that place. He seems to suspect them of malpractice - for the obvious reasons. Now, I've spoken to him - all he'll need to do is examine your…marks. Bruises and such. I'll be there, the entire time, though I doubt he'd hurt you. So. I guess the real question is…"
His eyes flash up to meet with hers with surprising alacrity. "Do you trust me?"
The young woman just sits there, watching him closely. It doesn't make sense to her at all. The mayor means nothing when they already have all the evidence that they need to shut the place down. "Let's get something straight, Mister Fontane," Rose replies. Her voice is low, calm, her features unreadable. "You know what happened to make me the way that I am. If you don't, I'm certain that any public record can tell you that. On top of that I've been surrounded by vampires, claimed by one, bitten by another and physically and emotionally abused by the one place that was supposed to help me. This doesn't mention that high amount of drugs pumped through my system to keep me so sedated I couldn't even stand up on my own, as you saw."
Rose allows all of this to sink in before she leans forward, the tiniest bit, just to further her point. "Do I trust you? Not at all." Slowly she leans back, sitting as prim and proper as her sister would. A smile appears, though. "Am I afraid of you? No. I know you want something. I know I don't understand if what you want is what you say it is. I won't even be able to tell you if I'll remember this in the morning." At this point she hasn't mentioned if she'll do it or not.
"Well then, you're already familiar with the presence of vampires. That shouldn't be a problem." Ivan points out, arching his brows slowly. And then, under the impression that he should grace her with the truth - after all, casting illusions on a mentally unstable person is just slightly to unethical for Ivan's liking (for now, at least - he folds his hands before him. "The Sheriff of Dallas approached me to request a meeting with you, Rose. If you don't know what that is, it's the boss of vampires here. Like, the Mayor. He just wants to help. If you'd like, I can negotiate a reprieve for you. I can meet with him again, as him to protect you from all other vampires. He has the authority to do that - place a restraining order on everyone. All I need is your cooperation."
When she continues on, the man clenches his jaw uncomfortably. "You should trust me, Rose. I had no agenda when I saved you, hell I didn't even know who you are. I kept my word and kept you safe. I promise you your safety, I promise no one will find out if you don't like, and I promise to get you home, nice and easy. But…I need this, Rose. Please. Please help me."
"I'm familiar enough to know that aside from those I call friends, I'm deathly afraid of them." Perhaps this part should have been mentioned before he was level with her. Because now the poor dear is nearly hyperventilating at the thought of meeting the boss man of all vampires. "Why does he want to meet with me?" At least she's being as brave as she can be. She can handle this without calling upon those that she shouldn't. "I do know how protection works. It was explained to me last night. Apparently I'm already under the protection of a vampire in that sense. Do I need more protection?"
Now she feels bad about what she's said and lowers her head. "I'm sorry, Mister Fontane. I didn't mean to be so rude. It's just that my trust has gotten me into some trouble in the past few weeks and I don't think I'm exactly of the right mind to be making such decisions." When she raises her head again to look at him it's all she can do not to cry. So much for being strong. "You know that my sister will be upset if I agree to this." There's a pause, but just enough for him to possibly think that she's going to say no. "And I'm not sure why this is so important to you, but you did keep me from possible death."
But she was doing so well, too! She was being so strong. And so, Ivan is taken aback by her sudden freak out, his cool demeanor halting slightly. For a moment, he bites his lip, before risking his face to pause. "Are you…alright? And…well. He is the most influential, important vampire in Dallas. I would think his protection would be more…I don't know. All encompassing? Better." With a nod, he furrows his brows here, trying to return her to the task at hand. "He doesn't want to see you in particular. He wants to see who escaped from the clinic - and that just happens to be you. You'll be alright. You have my word on it." When she mentions Hope once again, he frowns contemplatively. "Hope doesn't have to know. She wont, it wont be on record anywhere. It'll just be a meeting, like this. Me, you, and someone else. That's all." When she agrees to go with him, he can't help it. His lips split into a broad, warm kind of smile, and he bows his head slightly. "Thank you, Rose. I'm going to make sure to win your trust, I promise you. This is important to me because it's crucial for me to build a better world, Rose. You…you don't know how much you're going to help me."
He shouldn't be taken aback by anything when it comes to her. He knows that she's being treated for an illness that she just can't control. These things are bound to happen. "I don't know." The answer comes from his inquiry as to if she's alright. Her hands reach for her temples as she calms herself. "I don't know if I'll ever be alright. You just have to deal with it." A deep breath is taken and she steadies herself. She will be strong, if for nothing more than bragging rights. "You're asking me to face the biggest fear that I have based off of something that I'll never remember for something I don't understand. It's just hard, and if I didn't feel like I owe you, I wouldn't do it."
Trust is something that she's willing to give, all too easily. She's trying very hard not to trust him. "I'm already keeping so much from my sister at this point. This is huge, Mister Fontane. Do you realize that she's my doppelganger?" As professional as she is, she just can't help but slip back to old habits. "What if something happens to her because of me?" Another deep breath is taken as Rose throws it all on the table. "You've promised protection, to help me and gain my trust. I hope you realize just how big of a task you're taking on."
"I…I understand. And I appreciate it. Again, Rose, you'll be doing much for me. I'll be there every step of the way, alright? I'll hold myself personally responsible for you." But as she continues, he finds that he doesn't know exactly what to say. With a weak smile, he runs his hand through his hair, before glancing away from the woman.
"Big task, huh?" Ivan echoes, inhaling deeply. "Well then. It's a good thing I'm prepared to. I…I don't know why I'd tell you this, really. But hell, why not? Maybe you wont remember it, after all…I'm destined to do great things, Rose. To save people, and to listen to them, and try to change things for the better. That's why I work in politics, you know? I've just…I feel it. In my bones. It's my calling. And this world is so fucked so…So, I'm pretty used to taking on near impossible tasks. I wont let you down."
He doesn't realize how extreme things can be. She can just feel it in her bones. She can see the change in his behavior when she mentions things. He may be personally responsible for her but that won't do much if she dies. "You did save me. After this? We're even. I know you don't like me, right down to the sight of me. I can get over that. I just don't want you pretending to care when you don't." Everyone's out to get her it seems. Rose is just a bit jaded these days.
"Please don't take this the wrong way, but you don't look like you're ready to deal with any of this." She'd almost prefer to have London of all people on her side, and she doesn't even know that she's a werewolf. "Is this something that I have to keep completely hush? Meaning I can't tell some of the others that I know?" Rose is already keeping it from the only family she can remember. The young woman leans in to the table again, a hand almost trying to seek out one of his. "You aspire for good things. This is good to know and as long as you keep your path true you will." She hesitates. There's always a 'but'. "Don't stray. Don't be selfish. Don't try to change the world to better yourself." It's almost as if she can see the future.
Ivan blinks. Not once, but twice. Speculatively, he ends up pursing his lips as he stares at Rose, confusion and something unplaceable in his gaze. "Who said I didn't like you? I'm…I'm confused." Beat. "Whatever gave you that impression? Yeah, I was annoyed that day, and I'm not going to lie and pretend as though I have some undying affection for you, but when you're not threatening to jump out of my window, you're a nice, good enough person. Cute, too. I care as much as I would for anyone I know."
Although, when she comments on how non-threatening he looks, he can't help the wry smile that appears on his face. "Ah…none taken, I suppose. Although, I'm not as cute and cuddly and helpless as I look. I know, I know. I'm too charming and handsome to be scary. But, I'm a tough little bugger - you're just going to have to trust me on that too. Besides, I'm smarter than they are." He says this with no hesitation, a bit of his pride showing. As to her warning, he offers her a nod of recognition. "Yeah, well…maybe I'll have you to warn me if I start stepping off my path, huh?"
She leans back once more, sitting comfortably in the seat across from him. It's now her turn to not look at him. "I think you may be confusing concern for the ill and caring for someone. You can me concerned about my situation without actually caring for me as a person. It's okay. I'm used to it. Especially once people learned that I can see the future." His compliments don't even seem to be recognized at the moment. The poor young woman has just too much on her mind.
What breaks the awkward feeling that she has is a chuckle, primarily at what he says. "Am I supposed to respond to that? Because I'm not the best person for that." It's true. Rose wouldn't know what to do if someone walked right up and kissed her. "I guess you're cute. You're better looking than Wit, and you actually have a pulse." That one comment gets to Rose so she finally looks to him. "The one with protection over me? He's pretty smart. You must be a genius." This isn't said a an insult, more of a confused comment. It could be that she really believes it. "We'll see how this meeting goes. If you can survive this and stay true, then you can likely survive anything."
"I - what?" Instead of deny her complaints further. Ivan settles back, looking at her thoughtfully. "I suppose I shouldn't really say anything. You've already set your mind, and have decided what I am feeling and thinking for me. Nothing I can offer will change your mind." Instead, he lets the topic switch over to the other, his lips splitting into a broad grin at her laugh. "Nah. You're not supposed to respond, you're just supposed to agree. Is all. And I am. A bit of a genius, that is." At least, he likes to think of himself as one, so it can't hurt if she does too. "Ah. Well…yeah. We'll see. So…I'll call you? With the time and information?"
Rose points to her head, stressing her next words. "I can see things," she points out. "You may not think that you dislike me now, but you will." She's completely pulling this out of nowhere but don't tell her that. She's convinced that she can see the future. "If you prove me wrong, then I'm fully willing to admit that you were able to change the course of events that you're setting out on. Forgive me for thinking what I do. I just see it."
"Oh. Well, then, I agree?" She doesn't sound so sure of herself but then again she really isn't the best person to talk to about these things. "I don't know how I keep running into such well educated people. You must really get tired of dealing with people like me." Rose is about to offer him her phone information when she realizes that he actually already has it. At least she caught herself first. "Sure. I'm supposed to be back home by nine at night. Remember that. If it has to be later, be prepared for the wrath of Hope."
Ivan cannot help it, one eyebrow hikes upwards in disbelief. But slowly, he shakes his head to dispel himself of his cynicism. Not so that he can believe, but so that he wont offend her. "Alright. We'll just have to see. I can see where we're heading towards too, you know. And it's a bleak future. I'm throwing all my cards in the ability to change it. All." After pausing, he glances over to his now cold coffee, smirking dryly as he moves to take a drink of it. "Mhmm. Curfew, hm? I'll make the necessary arrangements, then. And, if not…then, I'll handle your sister. And you'll just have to get ready for the Birds and Bees talk, since she seems the sort to lecture you about things like that."
And, finally… "Thank you, Rose. Sincerely."
Of all the things that were said, she finds the need to comment on one of them, and one only. "The Birds and the Bees talk? Eww." When Rose last had her memory, she was only starting to mildly be interested in boys. And the one that was interested in her got his throat ripped out before her very eyes. "Everything always comes back to that. I don't even know what to do when someone actually does hug me and stuff." Poor Hiro. And now she knows that he's actually a vampire so things will be much different next time around.
Rose looks down at the coffee that she's not even touched. She fidgets with it slightly before she reaches for her scarf and puts it back on. People are starting to stare, after all. "I do owe you, Mister Fontane. Hopefully you can save the world."
"It's all about sex, babe. Sex and war. That's all this world is, sex and war." Ivan drawls, his lips curled in a smile that looks quite playful. "The sooner you understand that, the closer you'll be to succeeding in life. Anyway, I think you'll learn. One day. Maybe your puberty was stunted." With that bit of a joke, he laughs, before sliding out of his chair. "Anyway - I'll be in touch. I should probably get going, I've got a lot to organize, and very little time. I've got to save the world and all that jazz, huh? Heh." With that, he reaches over to place his hand upon her arm amiably, offering it a quick squeeze before turning on his heals and heading off.
