Medical City Hospital
Bright, wide lights hang from the ceiling, casting the clean and sterile surroundings with brilliant light. A reception area sits centered before the door where people can check in, or ask for directions to other areas within the hospital. Past the desk is a small hallway with elevators leading to the upper floors, and signs that point to radiology.
Two large metal doors to the left of the entrance lead outside to the ambulance loading dock. The doors are marked 'EMERGENCY ONLY' in large red letters.
Once proper measures are taken to ensure only the best for Mister Nigel, a trip is made to the hospital. There's very little information to go on, the professor soon realizes, but thankfully a first and last name are all that are required. A friendly nurse points her in the correct direction and before long she's arrived at the room of Paige.
Unlike the last time that they ran into each other, Quinn is not dressed in her professional best. Slacks have been traded in for jeans, her button down and blazer replaced by a baby-doll tee. Even her hair, even though worn down, seems more relaxed. About her shoulder and slung off to one of her sides is a leather brief that looks almost more like a messenger bag.
A knock is made as she stands just at the doorway, unsure if she's actually welcome at this point. Despite her doubts, she still has Skylar's words fresh in her mind.
—-
Paige is, once again, out of her bed, and seated in her wheelchair at the window, enjoying the sunlight streaming in from the outside. Likely enjoying it more because the air conditioning counters the savage heat of the Texas summer. It's one of the few things the woman is fairly sure she'll never grow accustomed to about living in this state. She looks quite as, as it happens. The bruises are faded and they seem to have removed all of her visible bandages. Save for the one on her neck. Even her body, under the robe covered hospital gown looks less bulky, the thicker bandages having been exchanged for lighter ones to as her ribs repair themselves.
The knock does bring her head up, from the pad and paper where she's working, and there's more than a bit of surprise in her expression as she sees the woman, who, well, is little more than a stranger to her. Still, she is Skylar's friend, and so, Paige answer the knock with polite friendliness, "Hello. Come in, there's no one here but me." As she has no idea what the woman's name is, well, she can't really tag that on to the greeting.
—-
The surprise isn't all that unexpected and honestly her reaction could be far worse. A few steps are taken in at first as Quinn, stone faced as always, assesses her current state. "Skylar stopped by on his way home, or work. Or both." He needs sleep but she's fairly certain that won't happen. "He told me what happened so I told him that I'd stop by." This is said with a bit of unease as she honestly is not well practiced in dealing with those she's not already familiar with.
Eventually Quinn moves closer, stopping just as she gets that same familiar feeling. She then takes a tiny step back, trying not to make anything worse. "Paige, right? I'm Quinn." Introductions should at least be made, even though it's taken people a lot longer to get that far with the Niveus. The bag is shifted slightly as the uncomfortable feeling persists. "I realize you're not well as you're here, but aside from that, how are you doing?"
—-
"I asked him to speak to whomever he felt he needed to, whomever was connected enough to him for the vampire to connect to me." Such is the cost of having people close to you, friends, family or otherwise. "Even if I were out of the hospital, I would not be able to protect him, should anything happen. At least for the next little while." Paige has always had a knack for speaking to people, when the needs requires, and she's comfortable enough in her own skin to express that confidence in her voice, in the way she holds herself.
And the feeling is there. As strong from Quinn as it was the first time Paige encountered it. From Paige, not as much. Like her body, her magic and her connection to it, damaged, burned down by the attack, is rebuilding itself. "It's good to be able to put a name to the face." But Paige isn't one to overlook the feeling of discomfort she's getting from the woman, "Not a fan of hospitals? I certainly don't blame you. Just don't let them give you the pudding." As for how she is, she shrugs, "Tired. Hurting. Angry. Well, pissed off might be a better phrase. But I'm still alive. And the next time, he won't be."
—-
Her version of why the contact was made and his are two completely different things, which cause the professor to blink. "He didn't contact me because he was concerned for me, or really even himself. He contacted me because of you, Paige. He's worried about you." These are mere facts so she is comfortable speaking of them. "I make a living knowing things about certain subjects, vampires being one of them." There will be no mention of hunting, either. "Although I also wonder if he merely called because he needed to talk to someone about how upset he was."
The weaker feeling is noted, but Quinn remains where she is for the moment. She honestly isn't attempting to dominate the woman in the wheelchair and is considerate of how she may appear to be doing so. "I think I knew your name based off of conversation with him, but formal introductions are always best."
Her eyes shift then, as if attempting to locate this mystery pudding. She then shudders at the thought of it. "I've just been here all too many times. Had I known they were giving you the soft food diet, I would have at least brought some that isn't growing legs and walking away." Something Paige says causes Quinn's expression to soften somewhat, possibly showing concern. "How familiar are you with them? I mean, if you plan to hunt him, do you know what you'd be getting yourself into?"
—-
"He should be. Concerned for himself. I am not an unskilled witch, though I was not, admittedly, using the sphere that comes most naturally to me," no point in lying about that, when they can both clearly feel what the other is, "And I was barely able to fight off the vampire that attacked us. What chance would Skylar have against him?" Of course, she was also suffering from a concussion, bangs, bruises and a few broken ribs, but hey. "It's not that I don't appreciate his concern, or feel touched by it, but I have resources available to me that he doesn't. And that worries me. Vampires are no different from any other predator, in that respect. They cull the weakest in a herd first. Though, I am glad that he had you to talk to."
A hand rises, moving to indicate the chair paige set aside, in favour of her wheelchair, "Please sit, there's no reason for you to be more uncomfortable in this place than you have to be." But whether Quinn takes the seat or not, Paige continues, "Fighting vampires is certainly not my area of expertise. But I've been working on a few spells that might come in handy. But I promised Jed that I wouldn't go looking for him. I did, however, make a promise to the vampire to kill him if he came after Hugo or Officer Winters again. I think he's angry enough at me, though, that it's me he'll be coming after, and not either of them. And if that's the case, I plan to make certain that he has to come to me on my ground. Where I'll have the advantage."
—-
At least they have some sort of common ground. The other woman could hide it all she wants but the fact that she agrees with the standing woman is comforting. "He doesn't think like that, of which I'm certain you're aware. All he could see was how he could make things better and keep you safe. The man is no stranger to fighting, and is very skilled with a blade but that means little when he'd be up against something as fast as a vampire." She's told him that, too. "The way things were explained to me, I wasn't sure what resources you did have, and that's why I'm here."
Paige is given a look that borders on a stare, as if she has a third eye in her forehead. Even though this is the case Quinn decides to sit, if only to try and not be as uncomfortable, at least so openly. "Jed? So you've already been in contact with the tattoo artist, I'm assuming? I was going to suggest that to you, honestly, even though I've never met him." Things get around in the witch community, after all. Quinn then reaches into her bag and removes a decent sized case, the kind designed to house jewelry sets. Flat but long and wide. "I picked this up for you as well, if you were interested. Jewelry made by another of our kind that will glow slightly when danger is near, and will hopefully offer some protection." The box is offered to Paige to see if she'll take it.
"This creature that attacked you? I have to wonder how long he'll survive without being hunted by his own kind. They normally don't take well to laws being broken so openly. But if I were to place bets, I'd think it would go after you first. That's why, like you said, you have to pick your battlefield. Although I'd gladly look into this creature more for you, if you'd like. You're injured, Paige, and you really don't want to deal with what could happen if you /did/ kill it, aside from what would happen if you didn't."
—-
"Of course he doesn't. He's a man, to begin with, so thinks it's his biological imperative to protect a woman, southern to continue with, so thinks it's the sort of gentlemanly thing to do, and caught up in his work and his fancy for the days of yore to end with. Which is sweet, and engaging and makes him completely charming. But we're not living in the age of knights and damsels in distress." Paige frowns, pausing, clearly from her expression apologetic, "Please, don't mistake me as trying to put him down. He's just…innocent. Too innocent. At least as it applies to the world he might now very well be pulled into.
Paige rolls back, away from the table, moving back to a satchel of her own, pulling out a trio of very old, very well cared for books. "I have these. They were my great grand-mothers. The books I first learned from, and added to as I got older. And I have Jed. I've known him since I moved to Dallas, he's the closest thing I have to family. The hospital thinks he is family, so I'd appreciate it if you went along with that. He's my uncle. And he's told me, in no uncertain terms, that he's putting me under the needles as soon as I get out of here. He's been trying to contact those he knows in the city." But Quinn would no doubt know that neither Paige nor Jed have any coven connection of any kind.
Her hands reach out, accepting the box, with a bow of her head and a warm, "Thank you." It might not be much for Quinn, she has no way to know, but for Paige, a woman who has spent most of her adult life being purposefully avoided by most witches, being offered a talisman, which are never easy to either make or acquire, is a rare gift, and she opens it, looking to see what's inside, "Thank you is not enough."
Quinn's comments on the vampire, and the likelihood that he's be hunted brings a smile to Paige's lips. And for a while, the smile isn't friendly, or sweet, but that same hard vicious expression she had with Skylar. "Oh, I'm counting on them hunting him. A vampire I know came to visit me, yesterday, wanting to know what had happened. Out of concern for his own interests and not at all for mine, I assure you. But I made sure to point that the vampire had not only threatened to turn the humans against him, but the covens and the local wolf pack. He agreed to make certain that the people who handle such things among his kind would know what had happened." And then, a nod, "I would appreciate whatever you can find. I do not know his name. And Hugo isn't…in a position to talk about it yet. Perhaps if I see his sister again, I will ask her. She might have some information. I only know that he's old, or at least not new, if he could still fly after I boiled off most of his blood, and he was egyptian. I'm thinking that he might be from New York, if he was really there just for Hugo, as that's where he's moved from." Paige finally pauses, "If I kill him, I will either be killed myself, by the vampires, or thrown in jail by the police. If I'm found out. But I made a promise, and I don't intend to break it."
—-
There is no immediate argument about Skylar's position of a man. "There's nothing wrong with living a life of swords and swordplay." Quinn isn't too far off, even if her play is somewhat different than his. "I wouldn't assume that you'd insult him. You two are close, right? Obviously, if he was so upset. You're right, though. He is innocent. Too small town for any of this." She moves over much conversation about Skylar's take on Paige or herself, because it's such an awkward situation. "This world is not what he's used to. I'm trying to explain a few things to him about his past, to make sense of them for him, but he doesn't deal with them well. He shouldn't be involved with this, but he won't listen to me." Here she is, sitting with a total stranger, and forgetting for a moment how much she hates everyone she doesn't know. If she's willing to do this, he doesn't need to risk his life.
Any conversation about the tattoo artist is kept until after the jewelry is taken in hand. "Made by Scarlett. You know, she wanted to talk to you. Well, she wanted me to talk to you but my people skills are beyond lacking so I was going to have her do it. She and I were both a part of covens, large yet opposing, and we broke out. Here in Dallas we're alone, looking to start our own group. It isn't much, but even if you don't join, we'd like to help if we can. You and Jed if he wishes, but rumor has it he isn't one much for joining in on things." Rumor is a deadly thing. "For all I know, he is your uncle, and that's satisfactory for me. I'm just glad that there is someone for you to fall back to, and those books for reference. I had brought one of my own in case you were in need."
The smile isn't ignored, but it isn't commented on. That is a smile she's used so many times before. "Then let them take care of their own kind. It isn't safe for you. While I normally don't care about anything, I do care about anyone losing their life over something like this. I can help keep you safe, we all can, and I'm positive the creature will be dead before long. Even if it's by my hands." The way Quinn speaks it seems as if she's done this before. "I might talk to this Hugo to find out more, but before then I might try to poke around in other areas. I would rather stab a vampire than talk to it, at all, but there may be one or two that I can actually talk to." If she can keep her temper in check. "Just think of the people that will be harmed if you do go after this thing. That's what I've had to do. I'm not used to having that situation, but now that I do? Just…" She takes a deep breath. "Your life is more important. They are more important."
—-
"No, there isn't. But we don't live in a world where the only things that can hurt you have a bladed edge." Paige moves her books aside and the papers she was working on, and opens the box, carefully removing the necklace that's lying inside of it, "We're friends. I think, most of the time we are, at least. But that's all that we are. It's certainly nothing that's ever come up. I fairly sure his interests lie elsewhere," at that, Paige lifts her eyes from the necklace, looking pointedly at the witch sitting across from her, but there's no 'OMG jealous, going to hate on you OMG' look, just a look that says, 'I hope you realize that.' "And I think, even if I don't want to admit it to myself, and probably won't ever act on it, mine do too." Yeah Paige, not really the sort to tell a guy she might like him. "Relationships aren't really my area of expertise."
But that's neither here nor there, as she returns to the more serious business at hand, "I'm afraid I've never met her, though I've heard the name, runs a jewelry shop in town, right? To tell you the truth, I've never been a part of a coven. I worked with one, but I think I was a little too black sheep for them. I'm not even sure what it means to be part of a coven, to tell you the truth. And the book would be appreciated. Do you do much elemental magic? It's my secondary line, but a few of the basic spells I learned came in pretty handy.
"That's the plan. To get the vampires to do the work for me. That's why I played things up as much as I could. I have no idea what the vampire wanted, besides Hugo, but it didn't hurt to create a bit of doubt as to his intentions, the potential for him targeting vampires trough their mortal contacts. I'm not fool enough to think that I have the power to take on the vampires of this city, and I certainly don't want to end up in jail for killing a corpse. How ironic is that, when you think about it?" But at mention of Hugo, her face falls, obviously concerned, "He's hurt bad, Quinn. Almost complete memory loss, he hardly even remembers that I was in the car with him. He doesn't recall the vampire attacking him at all." Paige shakes off the worry as best she can, "I'm not going to do anything stupid. I might be willing to sacrifice my life to get this done, but I'm not willing to sacrifice anyone else, and being foolhardy would be doing exactly that."
—-
A point, but not one she normally listens to. "This is true, but there seems to be little fun to running around with a hand cannon." Yes, a gun. "Besides, it's easier to fight with something that doesn't require aim and distance. Though that's beside the point. As good of a fighter as he's proven to be, even if he did have a gun, he wouldn't stand a chance." She never meant to really push this into the conversational direction that it is going, so Quinn suddenly gets the urge to leave. The look causes her eyes to widen slightly before they focus pointedly on the bag she's digging through. For absolutely nothing. "I think he's too damaged to get involved with anyone. Not that I would know. I'm not exactly someone who is good at those things, either. Or has ever had one. Or wanted one." Now she has a damn bunny to care for, too. Everyone sucks. "But anyway, that friendship is still important. He stayed up all night for you."
Oh, good. Conversation to keep her from leaving. "She does, yes. She's actually quite good at what she does. I think we're all around the same age, if I were to guess." It is difficult to always know by looking, after all. "I also can relate to being a black sheep, not that it's all that important." Quinn, still digging in her bag, finally pulls out book that has seen the same age as those already in the possession of Paige. It's then offered to her. "I'm afraid I'm a one trick pony. When I play, I go all in, but I've never made it out of one particular area. It's a great way to feel useless, which is why I almost never use my powers." She pauses, and then looks to Paige. "Do you use illusion, then?" Illusionists are the only one's she's really felt like she does.
It seems like a solid enough plan, but something that is said brings back a particular memory. "So this vampire, the one that attacked you, had you seen it before? It's not that fourteen hundred year old vampire your friend with a careless mouth was talking about?" That might sound harsh but said person really did cause quite a bit of damage with her words. "It is ironic, and by all accounts I'm a murderer. Serial, if you ask Skylar." Not that Quinn has ever /asked/ for his opinion. It's not hard to see that reaction about this Hugo and it actually pulls at /her/ heartstrings, which is very difficult to do. "I'll leave him be, then. I just don't see why people have to argue with me as they do. I get grief for what I do yet things like this happen? The priorities in life are often askew, it seems. I'm sorry to hear about his condition. Though the fact that you both lived might make things even worse for this creature. He was careless enough to leave witnesses." The final words receive a nod in reply. She'd speak more, but her mind is already turning with possible solutions.
—-
"I wasn't really referring to guns. I was more referring to the fact that, with a vampire, for example, he might try to strike it with a sword, but it won't do any good if the vampire glamours him, or gets its hands around his throat and snaps his neck. Hell, the vampire that attacked us took two shots to the head and just kept on coming. "Even people who are damaged want a chance to heal, even if it's hard for them to admit it." Lord knows, Stephen taught her that. But, seeing the upset in Quinn's sudden digging in her bag, lets it go, "Actually, he did fall asleep, for a little while. That's when I snuck up to see Hugo, make sure he was alright. But I got caught." Damned hospital and blacksmith security details.
Careful, reverent hands accept the book, not opening it yet, but rather, setting it down beside the jewelry case, "Thank you for this." And then, a nod, as she returns to the topic of more import, "Illusion is my primary. I can do the usual tricks, disappearing, making myself look like someone else. The littler things, smells, sounds, never really worked with tastes, though. Although, when I was first learning to cook, boy, that could have come in handy. But some work with elemental magic might be help for you too. I have a ball of light to blind the vampire. That's air and fire for me. And I used water to heat his blood. And those are the simplest spells I know, ones I learned just to help me survive the winters. They might help you. I'd be willing to teach you, once I'm back to myself again."
"No, that wasn't the same vampire. The one you're referring to, I do know him, and I had known he was old before, just not that old, until Desiree couldn't keep her mouth shut. I honestly. I worry about that girl. But you do what you're called to do, just like I do. We all came at it for different reasons. Even Jed doesn't understand, not really. But growing up in Nome, I was raised to be a watcher at the door. I can't just hide my head under the sand and hope that someone else takes care of everything for me. I'm quite certain you've had a similar motivation, something that drives you to take the fight to them. And I doubt, unless someone has lived in your shoes, that they would understand you either. Not completely. "I will keep going in to see him, if I can, see if I can get any information from him, and I'll pass it on to you, whatever I find out."
—-
It's uncomfortable, knowing things that others do not. Should she speak, or should she let it go? "I believe his past dealings with vampires has caused him not to care, not all that much. I still believe that he's a fool, but I don't think he'll believe that. I just don't know how to make him realize how dangerous it is for him." Especially considering his special ability. "Sometimes admitting something to yourself is the first step." This seems like something she can speak from personal experience about. "He likes to make things difficult. Although it likely was a good idea that you were caught. While you may be on the mend, I believe this friend of yours could use some more time."
"If it is of any help to you, then it has done its purpose." She's already studied it many times over. Again she's faced with an important decision and decides, this time, to say something. "Illusion work I can do well. Very well. A word of advice, however; be careful around Skylar. It's best not to use any against him." Not unless she wants to live through the same horrible mess that Quinn has had the pleasure to. "I've tried to learn elemental with no luck. It could be different now, that I'm older. We'll see about these lessons." Quinn removes something else from her bag. A little silver card case is opened and a business card for SMU is placed on the table. Contact information can be helpful, especially if Quinn can help her at all.
Again the woman becomes stone faced, the whole situation more than she originally thought. "She needs to learn. She can complain all she likes; call me mean and cold and point out the /obvious/ about me not having friends. None of those are insults to me. I still believe, as do you it seems, that she's going to get herself or someone else killed. Perhaps then she'll actually listen to reason." Desiree is clearly not a popular person in Quinn's mind, yet still she concern's herself with her wellbeing. The further speak of vampires brings a nod, her expression still grim. "We all have our reasons. Few see with open minds. I keep mine closed as much as I can, for example, but even I can't ignore reason. I would think that he, of all people, would feel strongly, considering his past. Men." Yes, she said it. Men are stupid. "Just don't push him. You both need to recover. I don't mind doing leg work in this. I promised that I would help and I will." At this she doesn't seem forced, which is a step for the professor.
—-
"My Oma used to tell me, you never keep your hand out of the fire till you get burnt." Yes, that's exactly the word she used. Burnt. "I guess he needs to get burned. Which won't be pleasant, but you can;t make someone see, if they want to live with blinders on. I can only hope that seeing what happened to me will make him more cautious." Though she seriously doubts it. "They moved him out of ICU, if I got the report correctly, I'm going to see about going to see him after dinner, if I can. But he's been pushing his pain meds a lot, and he doesn't really think all that clearly. I've kept the truth of what happened from him as much as I can. he doesn't need the stress of knowing what really happened."
Paige frowns, obviously curious, as Quinn goes over her skills, as well as her admonition about Skylar, "Well, I try to make it a habit never to use my magic against anyone, unless I have to. And certainly not illusions." Which are essentially, well, lies. There's a thankful word, as she accepts the card, digging into her own purse for herself, which is hardly official at all, since it's one of her 'paranormal investigator' cards from the show, "It might well be. When we're both free and I'm back to myself, let's try. I mean, if nothing else, if the electricity in your office ever goes out, you'll still be able to make yourself a pot of coffee." And she remembers grad school, the teachers were wired on the stuff.
"The problem with Desiree, I think, is that she really doesn't get it. I tried to talk to her about it. But even if she says that she understands that he's a vampire, she can't get past the fact that he's an old family friend, that he seems to care about her, that he makes her feel like a person. She's so completely infatuated. She can't even consider, for a moment, that he might well be using her. That no matter what he looks like, or what he might feel like, that he's not human. he doesn't think like a human, reason like a human or live like a human. She sees him as harmless, a friend and lover no different than," here Paige pauses, about to say a name and then thinks better of it, "any of her others." But Paige isn't going to wave off Quinn. She knows her lights are out, so to speak. She needs every friend and ally she can muster, "I won't. My primary concern right now, is just getting him well again." Not that she can do anything about that, it's all up to the doctors, but, well, when it's your friend hurt, you always try, "Thank you. You don't know how much I appreciate it."
—-
Burnt is a good descriptive word, actually. "There's a time and a place for rose tinted glasses. I personally will never wear them, but I suppose that others can benefit from them." She's actually getting frustrated, more at their agreement than anything. "Maybe if we both tell him, he'll actually listen. Though honestly I'll not hold my breath." The update to Hugo's condition leaves Quinn looking about the room, studying it. "I think that may be for the best. His memory will return eventually, or he'll be better off without it. It's still a heavy load for one person to carry when the other is kept in the dark."
"It's good for party favors, or escaping, but that's about it. I rarely tend to use it, myself." Yet apparently she has, if she's aware not to use it around Skylar. The card is taken and looked at. Something on it warrants a small smile out of Quinn but she's far from willing to point out what that something may be. "It's worth a shot, I suppose. If it's before the school year I could use it to kill time, especially." Boredom really is a killer, especially in her case. She wants to smile at the mention of coffee and very nearly does, only she restrains herself. "Coffee on demand. I could get used to that." Yes, the same holds true for this professor.
Desiree. If she'd picked up on the name earlier, she certainly hasn't remembered it. This time, however, it's nice and locked in place. "It's a dangerous game. I don't care who or what she sleeps with." Yes, that's the impression that Quinn has after this conversation. "And I honestly don't care enough about her to try and explain things to her. If she wants to live so recklessly, that is her decision in the end. I rather doubt, however, that a vampire that old actually cares about her like she thinks. But manipulation is key. For all I know, he might have messed with her mind to make her think these things." It can happen. Skylar is the best proof of what glamouring can do to a person. "Honestly? I'm just glad you're accepting the help. After the fact that he was so unwilling to let me get hands on, I was afraid you'd throw something at me." Not jealousy, no, but if she was a vampire fan like Desiree?
—-
"I have a feeling, sad to say, that words aren't going to carry much weight with him. And that's a shame. But I think we can deal with that when we get to that bridge." Paige shakes her head, "I care about him, even if we don't always get along. If I can carry the burden for him, until he's ready to carry it for himself, I'm willing to do that." Because that's just what you do, for the people close to you.
"I tend to use it more when I'm working. Creating the ghosts and lights and such. I've done my best to try to keep the crew away from the things that are really waiting for them. When I was a little girl, I used to use it to try on different hair colours." There's laughter there, before she continues, "You sound like me. When we're shooting or producing, there aren't enough hours in the day. But once everything's over, there are too many, and I go crazy looking for things to do."
"Well, I do. Only because I care about one of them. Her vampire I could take or leave. I don't, well, I couldn't say I hated them, any of them, before this happened, and I'm certainly not going out there with a vendetta against them, but they are what they are, predators who want nothing more or less than to use us for food. We will never be their equals, we'll never be anything more than their walking grocery stores. And right now, there's a rabid dog on the loose, and it needs to be put down." Pure and simple. A shake of her head, "Skylar is Skylar. Whatever he does, I can't influence him in any way, I've learned that lesson very quickly. Perhaps you're having better luck. But I don't turn away help and protection when it's offered to me."
—-
"This is far more conversation than I'm used to having with anyone." It isn't that she's being rude, but she is simply stating a fact. "I'm not certain if I'm ill, getting soft or actually enjoy this." If it's the middle, she blames Scarlett and Skylar. "But that's what people do for their friends?" The accentuation on the word 'friends' indicates that she has an issue even saying it. In a way, that very thing is what Quinn does with everyone. She'll take on the world so that everyone else can live in peace, and it is part of the reason she's always so angry. "Either way, he'll not hear a word from me. This is for you two to discuss."
That is irony. Quinn knows very little about the show, but knows more now than she would have looked into before. "I wasn't even magically inclined until closer to twenty." A poor witch, perhaps, or simply delayed? "I might have tried that when I was younger, though. I never had anything that I honestly wanted to do by time I was older, other than to be invisible." That's exactly how it all happened, too. She became invisible. "It's difficult to try and help people and still make it through grad school. After that? I feel like I waste my days."
Well, they are friends, so it shouldn't surprise her to hear such things from Paige. "Hopefully you'll get through to her. He'll continue as long as she allows it, and likely even longer than that. And it honestly only takes one bad experience to show the true colors of these demons. I've studied them my whole life and come to the conclusion that I'm sick of everyone romanticizing them. Tell me how that rabid dog would fit into a trashy vampire love novel." Quinn's pulling no punches about her feelings, but that's because she has nothing to lose here. "Initially I came because he asked, but in the end I'd never turn down anyone who could use my help, especially like this. But I should go get in touch with Scarlett. I might try to bring her by, if you're still here when she's available. I know that she'll want to help, too."
—-
"Well, to be truthful, my Oma always said my tongue was hinged on both sides. So it might be more you than me." Paige wheels away from the table, pushing herself over towards the water, pouring two glasses, one of which she'll offer to the professor. "You already have more practice in carrying the burdens of other people than you realize, I think, Quinn. You said you hunt vampires. I'm assuming you're not doing it just because you want to make a necklace out of their teeth. That's a pretty heavy burden right there. It's no different for me, with this, with Hugo, except in this case I'm carrying a burden for a specific person." There's a moment, as she takes her sip of water, "It's hard, letting people into your life. Sometimes they stay, sometimes they go. God don't I know that. But it's still worth it."
"I was about twelve, when my powers manifested. Hide and seek. And I made myself disappear. It's the only magic I can do just my thinking about it, that doesn't need a spell. The other things came out of me sowing my wild oats, as they say." As for wasting your days, well, "Maybe you need a hobby. What about crochet?" There's a smile there, in Paige's eyes, on her lips, as she heads back to her table to set down her cup, and Quinn's too, if the other woman didn't accept it.
"We all want a little bit of danger in our lives. We all want to feel the big bad wolf breathing down our necks. Some of us just now how to tell the different between fantasy and reality. And when to cut our losses and run. I'll do what I can for her. But as I told her, my powers aren't limitless, and at the moment, they're dormant. In the end of all of it, she's going to need to save herself." And then a smile and another nod, "Of course, Quinn. I'm sure you still have quite a bit of business you need to take care of. And if I'm not here when she's willing to see me, if she is, you know how to contact me. I'll either be at my house, I'm in the phonebook, or I'll be at Jed's. Probably Jed's." What better place to be in than the home of a man who specializes in protection?
—-
Paige has unknowingly just made the list. It is a special list, reserved for those people who know Quinn better than she'd allow them to under normal circumstances. All of these people are hated immensely, even if she does speak with them as if they are friends. At least for Paige's sake she isn't commenting on it. That will be reserved for the next time that they speak. "People die." Yes, Quinn, they do. "It's better to be alone." This is exactly what she tells everyone, but the way she sounds doesn't imply that she seriously believes it. She's getting weak.
Twelve? That makes her feel worse. "It would seem like we have some more in common, even if the circumstances were different." They both vanished first, at any rate. The mention of crochet earns Paige her first official glare. GLARE. "Yes. I'll also buy a pet, and settle down, and have seven babies." This is said as a snap, traditional for Quinn, but at least she appears in a decent mood which may through off her tone. The drink isn't really accepted, but it is politely declined. She's afraid to touch some things about the hospital to this day, even the water.
"Desiree." The name is said, echoed, as she considers it all. "She is lucky to have you. I'd have walked away from her ages ago." In fact, the Niveus will walk away from her, unless the elder vampire is around. The business card from Paige is stowed safely before Quinn stands. The bag is adjusted bout her shoulder as she nods for her departure. "You have my cell. Any time of day that you need anything, any time at night, let me know. I'll do what I can. And I'll talk to Scarlett, and to Jed if need be. We'll see that this ends the way that it should." She then begins backing up as she's not one for prolonged goodbyes. "Until then, rest. Heal up. You might need it."
