Wednesday Conversations

[abetterlie]

„Let’s go through this one more time, Mr. Riley. You just happened to show up at Mario’s because…?”

“I wanted to apologize for the incident the other week.”

“Where you pulled a knife on Mr. Osborn and Mr. Wayne.”

“I didn’t pull a knife, I used one of the knives of the table to cut a pizza and used too much force because I was upset, so it went into the table.”

“…naturally. You went there to apologize on your own instead of going with Mr. Osborn, whom you happen to live with, and who had left for the same destination only forty five minutes earlier.”

“I did not know that.”

“Naturally. And then you arrived and found Mr. Ribisi dead, Mr. Osborn bleeding and the culprit gone.”

“Yes.”

“But you did not check for other survivors.”

“I saw Harry was bleeding and in a bad condition. He needed medical attention at once. So I took him to the hospital. I didn’t have time for anything else.”

“Hm. Guess Mrs. Ribisi and the others were lucky that Spider-man just happened to drop by only a few minutes later…. You really expect us to believe all this?”

“Yes.”

****

“Look, Connor, I don’t know how to put this, but – well, you shouldn’t take part in the demonstration on Saturday. We just might get tv coverage this time, and some of the papers. And it would be just typical if they spotted you and asked whether psycho boyfriends who are suspects in murder cases are a really good argument why same sex marriages should be allowed. No offense, buddy, but with that article – no. Just no. We can’t risk it.”

****

“Mr. Riley, Mr. Osborn is sleeping right now. He doesn’t want to be disturbed. I’ll tell him you were here when he wakes up.”

“I can wait. I have brought some books along, so -”

“Oh, I don’t think so. There were more than enough visits for one day.”

****

“… let’s go through this again. You have no idea who the man in his late forties whom Mr. Ribisi and the others saw pulling a gun on Mr. Ribisi was?”

“No.”

“Mr. Riley, we just got an interesting fax from Las Vegas. Seems a young drugged woman was handed over to ambulance by someone matching your description. Guess whom she described has having drugged her in the first place once she recovered? A salt and pepper haired man in his late Forties. She claims to have some vague memories of driving around with you and him in a limousine. Any comment?”

****

“Mr. Riley, you remember the purpose of summer classes? As in actually attend? You are late again.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Any additional explanations?”

“Maybe he beat up his boyfriend again. Or stabbed another restaurant owner.”

“Nobody asked you, Mr. Elias. Mr. Riley, sit. Now, where were we? The Hittite period…”

****

“Let’s go through this again. You were at Mario Ribisi’s because….?”

Comments

Phone call to Connor

[not-a-eunuch.livejournal.com]

Angel debated between driving to New York or calling once Connor had time to settle things. He knew his son would be busy handling things, and given how things had been between Connor and Angel since Connor visit to Boston, he wasn't sure visiting would help. If anything, it would probably add to Connor's stress. That said, he wanted to check in with him so he opted for a phone call. If Connor wanted him to drive up, he would be able to tell him too.

He dialed his son's number and waited.

[abetterlie.livejournal.com]

It was early evening; the police interrogations were done with for the day, it seemed. Connor was taking Bailey out for her walk, both because she needed it and because the guilt he felt about having cost Mario Ribisi his life and having endangered Harry made him believe that the staff of the penthouse thought the same thing everyone at the university did. They hadn't said anything, but how could they not believe it? It was true, just not in the way the cops thought.

Bailey and Connor were half way through Central Park when his cell phone rang. He didn't check the caller ID and hoped it might be Harry, wanting to see him.

"Hi."

[not-a-eunuch.livejournal.com]

"Hey Connor, it's Dad," Angel says, not sure if Connor realizes who has called or not. Angel never checks caller id on his cell phone. Mostly because he hates cell phones.

"I was calling to check in. How is Harry?" He asks, because he heard Connor's voice when he called to tell them what was up the first time. Angel read the papers too. It sounded like the Osborn punk took it pretty bad from the vampire. "How are you?"

[abetterlie.livejournal.com]

His father. And the whole convoluted mess of emotions his father evokes engulfs him, just like that. Connor signals Bailey she can sit for a while and stands very still.

"He's out of danger," Connor says, practising sounding matter-of-factly and suceeding with neutral with a touch of brittle. "The doctor says it's really just a precaution, keeping him there for the full 72 hours. He'll be home then."

Mario Ribisi's burial will take place then. Connor doesn't know whether Harry wants to go. Can go. Will be able to go. It's not a question of physical condition. But that is one of the things he can't ask Harry, not when Harry doesn't want to talk about it yet. He won't push. He'll get it right this time. Remembering how Angel during their training hour had said it was always about Connor, not Kara and not even Harry, his determination to be whatever Harry needs hardens. That is why he hasn't mentioned the cops, either.

But this is Angel, and "I'm fine" isn't going to cut it. "A good man died. And Harry nearly did."

If Connor hadn't come to apologize, Harry would have. Would have been like Holtz, a corpse to be found, and his mind refuses to go there.

[not-a-eunuch.livejournal.com]

"You didn't kill him," Angel says in an even tone. He can hear more from the words that Connor doesn't say than the words he uses. This is part of being in the demon fighting business. The innocents you don't get to in time haunt you much longer than you feel satisifaction over the ones you save.

This one hit close for home to Connor. Harry's in a hospital and the man who died was a family friend. It stings the worse, but it's also a wake up call to his son not to take stupid chances. Unfortunately the stupid chance gene comes straight from Angel.

"Is there anything you need? Anything I can do?" Because it sucks to be a parent sometimes when your kid is no longer a child. You have to let them fix things on their own, despite the desire to find a way to make it all better. "I wasn't sure if you wanted your mother or me to drive up or not."

[abetterlie.livejournal.com]

When Emily had left, he had remained with his parents, had let them in for the first time, and it had helped. (Helped at Kara's expense, though, which proved Angel's old point, didn't it?) This was different, though. Losing Emily had not been his fault in the same way this was, and Emily was alive; she was going to a place where she could be safe, among her own people, or as close as it could get to being with her own. Whereas the current situation with Mario and Harry could be traced directly back to Connor going out to find a vampire to fight one evening, not to save a victim, but because he was in a temper.

"No," he says, in reply to Angel's question, and it's not just because having caused the situation, he has to deal with the consequences without parental help. The rule of crime and punishment which probably all his fathers would agree on. There is another reason.

"Dad, I don't know how much Gus and Elizabeth and the others guess about just why their friend died and what happened to Harry. But if there is just a chance they have figured it out, the last thing they need to meet is another vampire. And I think Harry wants to deal with as few people as possible. He'll be home soon."

It's the second time he said that. It's his mantra. The thing he told himself through the interrogations. Speaking of which...

"Could be that some cops show up in Boston."

If they follow up the Las Vegas thing, they know with whom Connor was staying in the Pyramid Hotel. It suddenly hits him: except for the middle aged, grey hair part of the description, they could assume Angel was the murderer and/or Connor's accomplice, and age can be faked. Because it is a sudden idea, he can't mask the worry in his voice in the next sentence.

"So perhaps you and D-, and Mom should make another journey with Kara. Just, you know, until things have settled."

[not-a-eunuch.livejournal.com]

"What's going on with the police, son?" Angel asks, and he doesn't use the term son often. It's a clear signal he's concerned. Angel isn't one to keep up with gossip and tabloids, but the thing about Harry and the man who died had managed to make it on the news. They didn't mention a suspect, just that they had some leads they were following.

He also used to be the ceo of an evil law firm. If there was one thing he learned during his time there was that you always needed a lawyer. A good lawyer.

"Connor, call Alan Shore. You need representation and your mother and I trust him."

It's true. Out of every lawyer that Angel could think of, Alan was at the top of his list. If the cops are really going to come down on Connor for things that can't exactly be explained, he's tempted to give Lilah a call. But for now, he'll hope that Connor takes his advice.

"I'll talk to Darla and Kara and see what they want to do," Angel says, and he has picked up on his son's mantra, but doesn't know what to say to it. The kid will be released from the hospital soon and he'll go home. But if the staff is giving Connor grief maybe he should leave New York for a little while.

[abetterlie.livejournal.com]

"They're just being thorough," Connor says, trying to make it sound as harmless as possible on his own account, because otherwise Angel will come to New York. "I was the one to bring Harry to the hospital, someone at the restaurant told them about the the evening with Wayne, so of course they have to check it out. I'm lucky because the description the restaurant people gave them of Chilton really doesn't sound like me, but it sounds a bit like you. That's why I thought maybe a trip would be good."

As for lawyers. Well, Angel is lucky that Connor can't read his mind, because otherwise, he would have pointed out that the last time he saw Lilah he was menacing her in her flat and threatening unspeakable things if she did anything to Cordy or Cordy's baby, so even leaving the whole Wolfram & Hart history aside, Lilah Morgan is a less than ideal candidate for legal representations. Alan Shore, on the other hand, has the advantage of not only being a non- W&H lawyer, but actually having helped before, back when the Rileys needed to be convinced of a cover-up story involving Todd Campbell, and of course he also settled the aftermath of the Todd versus Harry incident involving golf clubs. On the downside of things, the most recent thing Connor has seen his name on were the documents Bruce Wayne had prepared, which meant that he worked for Bruce, which might mean he would refuse to help altogether.

The thing is, Connor basically doesn't want any lawyer representing him. He has the occasional moment where he thinks of Faith and what she told him about her time in jail, and wonders whether this isn't what he should do. But then he remembers that Harry needs him. Out of jail. So he probably should have legal help of some kind, if the interrogations continue.

What Angel gets to hear of these thoughts is just:

"Does Alan Shore know about vampires?"

[not-a-eunuch.livejournal.com]

Now it's a good thing that Connor can't read Angel's mind. Otherwise he would be scarred for life as Angel thinks about the Halloween night that he and Darla spent with Alan. Yes, that is something neither Kara or Connor ever need to find out about.

As for Connor going to jail, Angel isn't going to let that happen any more than he would let that happen to Kara. It would be a good thing to remember Angel has a history of making very stupid deals to save his kids. Darla will line them all up and systematically strangle them if things get that far out of control.

"Yes, Alan is aware of vampires," Angel says in an even tone that reveals none of his previous thoughts. "I can provide an alibi for the night of the incident if I need too. Let's get you straightened out with the authorities first before any family trips are planned." Which is Angel's way of saying that as long as he thinks his son may be in legal trouble, he's not getting any further away than Boston.

"Harry was there for the attack. Hasn't he cleared you?"

[abetterlie.livejournal.com]

Now, the truth is that the cops, in true police fashion, are indicating that Harry said all kind of things, but Connor has seen enough tv shows to know the tactics and besides, he knows Harry. Even if Harry had decided he absolutely hates Connor now and wants him out of his life, he wouldn't do this. See also: Harry keeping Peter's secret after finding out who Spider-man was.

However he has no idea what Harry did say. Because that would have involved asking Harry point blank, and after their first brief conversation, he hasn't done this. Not when delivering the clothes Elizabeth packed, and today, well, today Harry was asleep. Probably. Perhaps.

It doesn't matter.

"The doctors wouldn't let the police question him yet. He's on tranquilizers. And what's he supposed to say? He can just tell them I'm not the one who attacked him, but he wasn't there when Mario Ribisi died. And he can't say I staked the killer, can he?"

It's good that Angel has an alibi, though.

[not-a-eunuch.livejournal.com]

"Has he told them that you were not the one who attacked him?" Angel is trying not to jump to conclusions. The truth is, he has a hard believing that Harry wouldn't go to great lengths to protect Connor. Even if he will never like Harry he has never been left with the impression Harry would turn on Connor. But he did screw Kara over...

Then it occurs to him that maybe Harry Osborn isn't ok. He is a troubled kid and he's been through a lot lately. A vampire attack can shake anyone. Very few people live to tell about them.

"Connor, I can get a number for a shrink that deals with people who have survived demon attacks if you think Harry needs to talk to someone. I doubt he can speak to his usual therapist about the details, and chances are he will need to speak to someone."

[abetterlie.livejournal.com]

Connor, who hasn't spoken to a psychiatrist in his life (or make that lives - and doesn't it show?) but knows Harry was in therapy for pretty much all the time since he was 15, is rather dubious that one more therapist would help Harry. It would not make Mario any more dead. But on the other hand, if you take psychology at college, you do get told a lot that having a neutral party to talk to is a good thing in any kind of crisis situations, and "crisis" was putting it mildly for "have just survived vampire attack which is only the latest but not the first case of someone screwing with my life".

"Yeah," he says. "It would be good. If he had someone. Just email me the phone number."

He'll give it to Harry. Though he is afraid that will come across as patronizing and just plain wrong. Hey, I know you nearly died because you're stuck with me as a boyfriend, but here's a shrink to talk to, he'll make it all better for you. But if there is a chance it will help Harry, Connor is willing to take the risk of looking as even more of a jerk.

Bailey looks at him, impatient. She wants to continue the walk. Connor looks at her and remembers what Holtz told him about Angelus and puppies nailed to a wall. He can imagine Chilton doing that, and Harry finding Bailey. He can imagine the next vampire doing that, if he doesn't manage to conceal his identity better. If he continues to fight. Stopping is an option, of course. Not a surefire guarantee there won't be any more craziness, as he knows only to well, but a chance to reduce it. Except he has so many deaths on his conscience already, everyone whom Jasmine killed, the dead girl, and now in a way Angelus' and Darla's victims because he could have stopped it in Ireland, in the past, and not using what he has been given by a freakish quirk of nature to save other people would be unforgivable as well.

There is another option, but he can't bear to think about that now. Harry will get home, they'll work on everything, he'll do whatever it takes to make things better. Including organizing shrinks, if he has to.

"Thank you," he adds, because he knows Angel doesn't like Harry, and the fact Angel is trying to think of ways to help him isn't something to be taken for granted.