4/30 Issue: Plan B... Possibly C

[Slarti]

Timelined a couple of days after This is Fine Too.

Carol: It had taken a couple of days to get her stuff together in case there was an emergency but now that was organised, Carol was in search of a safe place to hide out from Rogue until... maybe forever... or at least up until Fury ordered her to get her ass back to Boston. There were a couple of options but at a lot of the good options there were children and she wasn't going to add to her list of problems.

Carol: So, the most sensible option other than a SHIELD facility which would be boring and... more like work than work, was in New York. She sighed and prodded the doorbell, glancing at the street as she waited then down as she felt something nudge her leg. "... I told you to stay in Boston!" "Mrrow," Chewie blinked at her. "Shut up. I don't need a babysitter."

Shinobi: Inside the house, Obi was working. There wasn't much else to do in the empty home, so he'd thrown himself into a case. It wasn't a particularly exciting case. Most weren't, to be honest, since his specialty in corporate law was fairly boring by most standards. Unlike his wife, he felt like he'd already had enough adventure for a lifetime.

Shinobi: He startled a little when the bell chimed, then looked at his phone to see who was there. "Huh..." After a moment, he answered her through the security AI. "Give me a sec and I'll get the door."

Carol: Well someone was home so that was good. She wasn't sure who she'd prefer to explain the situation to so either way it was going to be awkward... Obi was probably the better option because Hope was prone to reactions that were not smart. She adjusted her bag on her shoulder and looked down at Chewie, "Don't scratch the furniture, okay?" "Mrrrrrr...." Chewie seemed offended.

Shinobi: He phased through the floor and to the door, ordering the AI to open it just as he arrived. "Carol! Hey. What's up?" He looked down. "Carol and space kitty," he corrected.

Carol: "She invited herself," Carol frowned at the space-cat before looking up at Obi, "Hi," she smiled, "It's a complicated story... can I come in?"

Shinobi: "Sure," he said, moving aside to let her in. "I'm afraid it's just me home today," and for the last week, but hey. "Want some coffee?" He started toward the kitchen after closing the door behind her and Chewie.

Carol: "Sure, I'll never turn down coffee." She set her bag down in the hall and followed him, "Hope back in work mode again?" Chewie wandered off to explore.

Shinobi: He gave the bag a questioning look, but didn't ask. "Hope's beyond work mode. Her and David went on a quest." He made it to the kitchen and started the coffee machine.

Carol: She raised an eyebrow, "A quest? Where did they go?" Also... Fuck.

Shinobi: "They're looking for Viper. David is convinced she's alive and Hope... was being Hope. She wanted to go with him." He poured out coffee grounds and tried not to think about Hope too much. "They've gone dark, too."

Carol: "What they think she wasn't gonna tell Jess if she was still alive?" She shook her head, "Who knows?"

Shinobi: "I told mom and dad, and Hope told Tony, but otherwise..." He shrugged. Stark Industries is on autopilot for now."

Carol: "So... she's coming back, right?" She turned to lean against the counter.

Shinobi: "I... assume? It happened kind of fast, so we didn't talk about it a lot." He frowned at the coffee machine.

Carol: "I feel like this is a thing that some talking would have helped..." She sighed, "Are you okay?"

Shinobi: "Probably, but it's Hope, you know." He sighed and looked over at her. "Yeah, I'll survive." He straightened up to look at her as the machine ran. "What's up with you?"

Carol: She looked down at the floor, "I did a thing... and Rogue probably wants to kill me again so..."

Shinobi: He cocked his head to try to see her face. "What did you do?"

Carol: She glanced at him and sighed, "Remember how I was not drinking? I shoulda stuck with that. Sorta fell off the wagon and crashed and burned..."

Shinobi: "Oh shit." He made a face and sighed. "What happened?"

Carol: Why was it so hard to get the words out? Probably because there was no alcohol. "Bobby."

Shinobi: "Drake? Bobby Drake? What?" He made another, more confused face, then realized. Oh. Oooooh. "Really?"

Carol: "In my defence, I told him to cut me off."

Shinobi: He frowned. "Was he drunk, too?"

Carol: "Pretty sure I remember him forgetting how to count at one point... and he was a math teacher so.... yes."

Shinobi: "So you guys were beyond drunk," he said, huffing out a chuckle and shaking his head.

Carol: She nodded, "Yes, that's a fair assessment... that coffee ready yet?"

Shinobi: "Oh, right..." Obi turned to get cups. He'd forgotten he was making coffee, since he was picturing Carol and Drake now. He'd like to say he was surprised, and he was - about Drake, anyway. "So, I guess he's definitely getting divorced, huh?"

Carol: "Oh yeah, he's been served with papers and everything. That was awkward... And Sebastian's all offering to pay for Paiges expensive lawyers and get her a good one and everything... which I don't think is fair... so I offered to help Bobby if he wants it... this was... before..."

Shinobi: "Surely he can afford a lawyer, he works for SHIELD." He'd been off recently, due to his personal issues, and now with Hope gone... "Actually, he may not have a job if Hope doesn't get back soon..."

Carol: "Also I have that responsibility thing kicking in and what the fuck else am I gonna do with all the money SHIELD and the Air Force pay me? It's not like I even pay for an apartment."

Shinobi: "Okay," he said, pouring the coffee for both of them and handing over her cup. "First of all, why does Rogue want to kill you now? Because you... had a moment? With Drake?"

Carol: "I don't know that she does... but I know that she knows because Bobby told her because of her stupid powers. So now she's gonna think I did it on purpose to get back at her or some nonsense. I don't know... maybe I'm overreacting but honestly, having her show up at the rally out of nowhere messed me up and I am not ready for more drama."

Shinobi: "Rally? Oh, that thing on the news?" He stared into the cup in contemplation. "It looked like a shit show. You're lucky it wasn't worse though, with the Osborn people being... overly enthusiastic."

Carol: "Yeah, we're lucky no one noticed her or it would have gone ass up real quick..." she shook her head and took a sip of coffee, "The blow up Tony has an Instagram now."

Shinobi: Obi laughed. "Oh shit. Hope would absolutely follow that. Hell, Tony might, too."

Carol: "And that's the reason I let Beth keep it. I figured Tony'd get a laugh out of it," she gave Obi a grin. It was easier to talk about the ridiculousness of the job than her personal life implosion.

Shinobi: "I'll have to check it out," he chuckled. "Draw it to Tony's attention if he hasn't already seen it."

Carol: "Please do. Beth'll love it if he comments," she sipped her coffee, "Or if he wants to do a photo shoot with his twin..."

Shinobi: "Oh shit, he might just go for that," he laughed. "I'm sure the Osborn supporters would just love it, too."

Carol: "Then we should definitely arrange a photo shoot. I'm sure Beth would be happy to bring it to whatever location he wanted so he wouldn't have to go to the asylum if he didn't wanna."

Shinobi: "I'll bring it up when I call him... I should tell him about some documents that were sent here for Hope since she's ....adventuring, or whatever. He's the only Stark around now."

Carol: "If you need someone to drop them off, just ask..." she offered, "Fury's letting me 'work from home' for a while..." she did the air quotes. "So I can hide out someplace I consider safe and not lose my mind from lack of sleep."

Shinobi: "So not at the asylum?" He looked up at her curiously, thinking of the bag he'd seen her carrying into the door. "Are you going to stay with mom and dad again?"

Carol: She shook her head, "Noooo, I decided to not be around kids... I was kind of hoping that Hope would be here and I could stay here... but I guess now I need a new plan..."

Shinobi: "Ahh." He glanced toward the door were that bag sat and then back at her with a rueful smile. "Yeah, don't we all wish Hope were here..."

Carol: "Yeah... but your reasons are different than mine," she pointed out with a smirk of her own.

Shinobi: "Most definitely." He chuckled and took a drink. "Well, I would assume," he amended.

Carol: Her nose wrinkled for a moment then she laughed and shook her head, "Not my type."

Shinobi: "That's a relief." He laughed, trying not to think about how apparently he was her type.

Carol: "She's also taken," she pointed out, "So she's safe from even a drunken me and a crazy impulse."

Shinobi: "Drake is still technically married though, right?" He gave her side eye with a bit of amusement.

Carol: She armed the finger gun, "That is a legal grey area at best and a 'no' if you ask either of them so..."

Shinobi: He held up a hand in surrender. "Hey, as a lawyer, I'm all for legal gray areas. Just sayin' is all," he chuckled.

Carol: She feigned blowing out the energy at the end of her finger gun and holstering it. "I know, okay? I already said I shoulda stayed on the wagon. Alcohol and bad decisions go hand in hand with me..."

Shinobi: "On the wagon seems a safer place for you, yes," he agreed. "You gonna hit up my folks now?"

Carol: She sighed, looking down into her coffee cup, "I don't know... I guess so..." she shrugged a shoulder, "I'm not exactly on good terms with your dad right now..."

Shinobi: "Why, what'd he do this time?" He wasn't terribly surprised since his father's one gift was efficiently irritating people.

Carol: "He took sides in the whole thing with Bobby and Paige... to the point of paying for everything and kind of making it insanely one-sided... sent her on a vacation to Hawaii with the kids right after she found out... which is ironic considering that if she'd have just taken a vacation once in a while with Bobby they could have avoided all of this." She rolled her eyes.

Shinobi: "Like if Hope would have taken more time off with me instead of running off with David things would be better here?" He snorted a bit and went for more coffee. "Not that I'm bitter."

Carol: She gave another shrug of her shoulder, "I guess so... maybe that's why I'm on Bobby's side so much... or maybe it's because I know how much only thinking about your job can fuck up a relationship and Paige and Hope should know what they're throwing away..."

Shinobi: "I can't speak for Paige, but Hope is... this is just her. She gets so sucked into her projects she can't see anything beyond the work at hand." He shrugged one shoulder and offered her a refill. "I know she's like this and I still love her for it."

Carol: "I know you do..." she held out her cup so he could top it up, "And I feel bad for you because that's never gonna change..."

Shinobi: "No, it won't," he said, giving her a half smile as he refilled her cup. "I'm okay with it. She always finds her way home in the end."

Carol: "I hope the wild goose chase she's on with David doesn't end in a mess... last thing we need is anyone kicking the Hydra hornets' nest... they've been super quiet since Viper blew up that island..."

Shinobi: "Hope might want to go in with guns blazing but David wouldn't let her, so there's that."

Carol: "I hope so..." she wasn't sure about that where Viper was concerned. She frowned at her coffee before taking a sip, "So... I guess I should finish this and then call your mom..."

Shinobi: "I suppose if you need a place to lay low for a few days I have plenty of free room here, but Tony knows Hope is gone, so Rogue might know too." He smirked. "I don't think she's scared of me."

Carol: "She's not scared of Sebastian either but she does hate him a lot so that's why it's a good back up choice," Carol toasted this sentiment with her coffee, "If you don't mind me staying for a while... then I'd rather stay here... less judgy in this house... also less guinea pigs."

Shinobi: "No, no guinea pigs. Not that mom hasn't tried." He shook his head. "I don't mind. It'll be nice to have someone around instead of just hanging out with the Ais."

Carol: "Do they sass you? I feel like Widget sasses me but I don't speak droid."

Shinobi: "Hope created them, of course they sass me. Only mom speaks Widget's kind of droid."

Carol: "Witchcraft," Carol determined, taking a drink from her mug, "At least you'll get some entertainment listening to me sass the AI right back and yell at Fury from time to time..."

Shinobi: "Sounds just like home," he said, then cocked his head. "Which, it is, so hey."

Carol: "Then this works out well for you," she gave him a grin, "I'll stay and yell at things ineffectually until you get sick of me or I feel like the danger time has worn off. How's that sound?"

Shinobi: "Sounds like a plan," he agreed, nodding his head and holding the cup up in salute. "I can practice my arguments on you for when I have trial."

Carol: "Hey I might actually be helpful, you never know."

Shinobi: "You might be at that. At least you'll give my assistant a break from listening to me rattle on about corporate procurement procedures."

Carol: "I'd say your assistant owes me scotch but..." she shrugged a shoulder, "Guess I need to think of a new all the time gift."

Shinobi: "Yeah, it definitely sounds like it," he sighed, shaking his head. "Maybe go for cheesecake or something."

Carol: "I don't know... that might ruin cheesecake for me..." She thought about it for a moment then a terrible idea came to mind that she had to share because of the funnies, "Your assistant hot?"

Shinobi: "You channeling Hope? Because she asked me that too."

Carol: She laughed, "I think maybe she was worried she'd have competition."

Shinobi: "Probably, which is why I hired a middle aged soccer mom. I am not an idiot."

Carol: Carol considered this for a moment then decided she didn't care, "Question stands."

Shinobi: Obi's eyebrows went up. "You're into middle aged soccer moms?"

Carol: "I don't know yet, depends if they're hot or not."

Shinobi: "I'm gonna say no, because it's inappropriate for me to say anything else about my valued assistant." He took a sip of coffee and muttered. "Like I said, I'm not an idiot."

Carol: "Because the AI spies on you?" She guessed with a laugh, "Can't even give an objective opinion?"

Shinobi: He glanced up at the corners of the room, then looked back at her with a grin. "That is objective. She's definitely not hot, but don't tell her husband that."

Carol: She laughed again, "Damn, another idea down the drain. Guess I'm gonna try and get fat on cheesecake."

Shinobi: He cocked his head. "How do you feel about peanut butter cookies?"

Carol: "All good words especially when combined."

Shinobi: "Well, we've got a peanut butter ban in the house, but maybe we should hit Starbucks for some better coffee and some cookies."

Carol: "You gonna tell me you don't have better fancier coffee than Starbucks in here? How do you live?"

Shinobi: "Easy. I don't make coffee here very often so I'm not great at it. I get it at the office or, yep, Starbucks."

Carol: "Well we're gonna have to fix that... I know I'll drink terrible coffee but I try to only do it when there's no other option."

Shinobi: "We can pick up some fresh beans and I'll let you make the coffee," he said, waving a hand toward the coffee pot.

Carol: "Good decision," she nodded in agreement, "Also, do you cook or do we need to order takeout?"

Shinobi: In answer, he walked to a drawer and opened it, revealing the collection of menus inside. "I learned to cook from my father."

Carol: "That was a stupid idea. You shoulda learned from Jess." She moved to look through the menus, "At least you did all the tedious part of finding all the good places already..."

Shinobi: "I should have, yes," he agreed. "Hope learned to cook from him, too, so yes, we collected all the best in that drawer."

Carol: "Maybe when she comes back you two should take some classes together... bond over your mutual suckage."

Shinobi: He laughed. "That's a good idea. For now though... my menus are your menus."

Carol: "Good because I don't know New York well enough to have a regular spot with a regular order..." She held up three menus for him to pick from.

Shinobi: Obi pointed at one. "Oh, we've hit them all. Sometimes we let the AI pick for some variety."

Carol: She laughed, "You guys should really try to get out more."

Shinobi: "Well, she's getting out now," he sighed.

Carol: "Yeah..." she frowned and reached to give his shoulder a squeeze, "I'll keep an eye out for anything that sounds like them in the reports I get if you want..."

Shinobi: "Yeah, I'd appreciate that. Thank you." He gave her a faint smile and reached up to squeeze her hand.

Carol: "It's the least I can do... honestly, I'd rather just go after them and drag them back here..."

Shinobi: "I don't even know where to begin looking for them," he said, shaking his head.

Carol: "Logically the first place to look would be the last place they know Viper was..." she shrugged a shoulder, "After that? Who the hell knows."

Shinobi: "Yeah, so they were probably already there and gone. I don't know." He sighed and shook himself, straightening up and taking the selected menu from her free hand. "So, in the meanwhile. Dinner and better coffee."

[Esynthia]

Rogue isn't scared of anybody