[IC] Be my Sanctuary

[LuckyBlackCat]

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

"Ah! S-Sorry!" Jess blurted out, cringing back from the flare of irritation. She'd pried too deeply, and Roxy wasn't exactly in the mood to deal with much else... including an overapologetic empath, she chided herself. Plus, considering the way things were starting to look, she'd have to learn to be stronger than this, for Roxy's sake as well as her own. "Yeah... it, um, doesn't seem like a good idea for anyone to get on your bad side."

When she had no idea what to say to help, the empath thought, maybe it would be best if she shut up. Falling silent, she trailed behind Roxy, taking care to keep up. If the shield slipped again, that wouldn't improve the situation any.

[KatherinWinter]

Roxy ignored the comment about her bad side. Some people thought all she had was a bad side. But that wasn't true. She had a softer side, maybe not alot softer but it did exist, she just kept it buried. Life had taught her that the soft didn't survive. Roxy was all about surviving. She was a fighter through and through. It would take time for her to let her guard down and let Jess in. But she knew that she had to. From what she had read it was the only way to protect the other woman completely.

She opened the door to the cafe before looking around. She glared when she spotted the man assigned to watch them. She knew she had felt eyes on them. But she hadn't dared show it. The last thing she wanted was for Jess to know just how much danger they were in. Luckily for the empath Roxy was an actress. She was an expert when it came to hiding things. She had been doing it all her life. No one, other than maybe Jess, would see past the mask she wore. She just had to make sure that the empath didn't give away anything.

[LuckyBlackCat]

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

Given the situation, Jess had little appetite, although she had no choice but to follow Roxy to the cafe. Having lunch with someone else should have been a joy after all those years alone, but this world she'd been dragged back into was nothing like what she'd expected. Throughout the walk, she made sure to stay close by Roxy. The anchor remained silent, keeping that morass of emotions as tamped down as possible - until she opened the door.

As soon as she stepped inside, Roxy gave off that spike of fear and anger again. Jess flinched, glancing in the same direction the other woman glared, then averting her eyes. That shady-looking man... Had he noticed her reaction? Did he know she was on to something?

And if he did... What would that mean?

[KatherinWinter]

The man saw nodded when he saw the empath spit him. He hadn't been sure she would be able to. But he had been able to verify her ability to feel emotions. Especially Roxanne's. The boss would be glad to know that the information that Howard had gathered was good. His daughter had been paired with an empath. Unfortunately the woman wasn't very strong. Having the shield imperfect was a double edge sword and too dangerous. So they would wait.

"Let's go." Roxy growled indicating for Jess to go inside. There was no way she was going to leave the empath exposed while she went in. She might not be able to always protect the younger woman but she would do her best. Which meant getting the other woman out of the sight of their watchers as quickly as she could. The less they saw the better.

[LuckyBlackCat]

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

Five years ago, Jess hadn't imagined satisfaction could make her skin crawl. Now, though, that triumphant feeling was someone else's, and it was surely for the wrong reasons.

She glanced at the man again in time to glimpse a nod. Another telltale sign. Without a word, she disappeared after Roxy through the crowded room. Keeping a look out for any other suspicious-looking people, she drew closer to the anchor. Large groups were something she still had to get used to, and would have been unsettling enough even without the threat that shadowed her and Roxy.

On the surface, it was a perfectly normal scene. People sat gathered around tables, the smell of coffee and the buzz of chatter filling the air. Yet for the two of them, things were anything but normal. And, with a sinking feeling, Jess acknowledged that her reaction just now could have made everything a whole lot worse.

[KatherinWinter]

"What do you want?" Roxy indicated to the menu. The place wasn't busy. She tried to plan lunch between the cafe's rush and her own. But it wasnt always possible. She figured they would order and take the food back to the garage. Some quiet time would do them both good. Not that it would last long. The owner of the place spotted her and started making her usual. Roxy nodded a hello. Casual relationship were the best she could do. Anything else was too dangerous.

The people of the neighborhood general liked Roxy. They were curious about her but they respected the lines she drew. They kept their distance out of respect. If they thought she would welcome them they would have made her part of their community. But as long as Roxy kept her distance they would keep theirs. But that didn't mean they wouldn't help if they thought she needed it.

[LuckyBlackCat]

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

In truth, Jess didn't want anything. The smells of food around her made her feel sick. It wouldn't do her good to go without lunch, though, especially if she had to keep her wits about her.

"I'll... I'll just go with a toasted cheese and tomato sandwich," she answered, hoping they could take the food to the garage instead of eating here. She took another glance around for anyone who may be watching them, like a mouse keeping alert for cats. The only person who looked their way was someone Roxy greeted a little more warmly that usual. Someone she seemed to know. Putting on a faint smile, Jess murmured her own greeting.

Did such a standoffish person as Roxy have people on her side? Could she let others in after all? But if so... Would whatever was going on affect more than just the two of them?

[KatherinWinter]

What was going on in Roxy's life could affect alot of people. It was one of the reasons that she was careful to keep people at a distance. She knew what she was up against and they didn't. Roxy paid for the food before accepting it from the owner. Then she turned and headed to the door. "We'll eat at the apartment." Roxy told Jess. She figured the woman could use some quiet time. The apartment was the best place for that.

She lead the way back to the garage. She had no desire to be around anyone else. Jess was all she could handle right now. She ignored the man watching them. He wasn't going to go away any time soon. It was better if Jess didn't know the man was there. Roxy didn't want to add to the empath's struggle. She knew the other woman was having a had time adapting. She was trying to help but she knew that she wasn't doing that well.

[LuckyBlackCat]

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

"I... I'm good with that," Jess replied, nodding as she held the warm paper bag. Not even having food in front of her brought her appetite back. The smell of oozing cheese and the sight of grease patches turned her stomach.

Lapsing into silence again, she followed Roxy. She wished she could be the kind of person to take initiative, to have made the suggestion for both their sakes instead of leaving it to the anchor to deal with this mess, but her confidence hadn't grown any. Maybe it was a good thing. If she'd said anything, that would almost certainly have been another hint she knew they were being watched.

Even now, she had to suppress the urge to glance about her. That scrutiny, whatever the reason for it, wasn't something they could easily escape.

[KatherinWinter]

Roxy lead the way to the garage. She opened the door. She held it open for Jess. Once the empath was inside she headed towards the stairs. She figured that the other woman would be more comfortable upstairs where they would have alittle more privacy. She wanted Jess to relax. Roxy knew that her emotions were making it hard for the empath to relax. They needed to fix the shield so that the only emotions that Jess experienced were her own. But that meant trust and unfortunately that would take time.

Roxy set Jess food on the coffee table before taking a seat at the breakfast nook. She was trying to give the other woman as much space as she could. She doubted that that Jess wanted to talk. Especially after the visit. The woman probably wanted some peace. The best way to give her that was to put as much space as she could between them.

[LuckyBlackCat]

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

Jess had assumed she might feel safer once inside, away from any watchful eyes, but for some reason she didn't. That paranoia still nagged at her. Was it her own, or Roxy's? It was most likely a mix of both, but where did her feelings end and Roxy's begin?

It didn't matter, or at least it shouldn't. They both had a reason to be afraid, after all. Something else, though, stirred through the tumult of fear and anger. Concern. As much as she worried about the other woman, Jess was sure that the feeling wasn't entirely her own, that it was mutual. She'd been able to do hardly anything for the anchor, except somehow land her in more trouble than she could begin to imagine - and yet Roxy still cared.

Taking a seat, Jess kept her eyes on Roxy even as the other woman distanced herself. "Roxy... please," she said. "What's going on? That guy, in the cafe just now... I saw how he looked at us..." Her voice wavered. "I-I felt how pleased he was about something. Like things were going to some kind of plan."

She fell silent, biting her lip. How much would the the anchor be willing to talk about? Jess didn't know, but she couldn't just pretend nothing was happening.

[KatherinWinter]

"Stay out of it Jess. The less you know the safer you are. Seriously. I can handle them." Roxy told the empath. She had mixed feeling about Jess asking. She didn't want to pull the other woman into her dark world. The empath deserved better. And there was no way the empath could pull her out. She had been in the darkness too long and Jess wasn't strong enough. The Empath couldn't handle normal life. Maybe someday. But Roxy doubted. She had met few people who weren't born in her world that could handle it. She didn't blame the other woman for being weak. In fact she was relieved that Jess wasn't stronger.

"You just focus on adapting. I'll keep them away from you." That's the best she could handle the minions. As long as the man in charge or her father didn't show up they would be find. And it wasn't likely they would come down here because it would attract too much attention. As long as Jess was fragile they were fine. Empaths were too valuable for them to take any risks. They would wait and watch. That gave Roxy time to find a way to protect the empath. There had to be a way to keep the other woman safe. She would find it. Even if it meant giving up the freedom that she had fought so hard for.

[LuckyBlackCat]

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

A chill ran through Jess. This was exactly what she'd suspected, but that didn't make it any easier to hear it confirmed. Roxy was in danger because of her.

It all made sense. The knives. The tough attitude. The way Roxy tried to keep her distance as much as possible.

Questions raced through the empath's head, but didn't leave her mouth. There was no way Roxy would answer them, not if she thought it would make things worse... that was, if the anchor really thought it would. How would not knowing keep her any safer?

Finally, she settled on one. "Please, tell me... Is there anything I should know about this? Anything at all? I mean... You say I'll be safer this way, but will you?" She winced, knowing her words could be taken the wrong way. "Uh, I know you're not one to mess with, but even so..." She couldn't put all the responsibility on Roxy, not if there was some way she could avoid the threat herself. Even if she tried to stay out of it, as the anchor wanted, it seemed too late for that.

[KatherinWinter]

"Don't worry about me Jess. I can handle them. The less you know the better for both of us." Roxy reassured the other woman. Which was true. It was only the empath's fragile state was giving them alittle freedom. She needed to keep her father and the others as far from them as possible. That would only happen as long as they thought it was to their benefit to do so. Which meant not fixing the shield too much.

Roxy didn't like that part. She didn't like Jess having a link to her emotion. She preferred that the other woman not know anything. She didn't want Jess in her dark world. It was better if the girl knew as little as possible. She didn't want to contaminated the empath. Jess had already been through enough she didn't need to deal with more. She was determined to keep the other woman safe.

[LuckyBlackCat]

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

Jess let her gaze drop to the table, deciding not to pry further. Roxy wasn't going to let on any more, seemingly for good reason after all. Despite the anchor's insistance she could handle it, her stress spread through the air like a winter chill, a sense of resignation hanging about her as if she'd have to do something she didn't want to do.

Without a word, Jess stood up and slowly made her way across the room. She reached out, resting a hand on Roxy's shoulder with the lightest of touches - then withdrew it. She'd meant it to be a gesture of comfort, and in a way, an apology for landing her in this mess. Now, though, the empath knew the reason for the distance the anchor put between herself and others, or at least part of the reason. And she couldn't blame Roxy for wanting to keep that distance.

[KatherinWinter]

Roxy flinched when Jess touched her shoulder. Touch wasn't something that she had ever enjoyed. The empath had no idea what was going on and it was important that the other woman never know what she had gotten herself into. Jess deserved better than she had gotten. If it wasn't so hard to match an achor to an empath she would have refused to accept the match. But she knew that the other woman had already spent years alone.

"You should try to eat. We have alot of work this afternoon." Roxy said picking up her sandwich determined to eat as much as she could. The job she had agreed to do would be in as soon as she reopened the shop. She pushed the thought away. If she thought too much about it she wouldn't be able to eat. If she didn't eat than Jess wasn't likely to eat and the empath needed to eat.

[LuckyBlackCat]

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

"Sorry!" Jess backed away as Roxy flinched. She should have known the gesture wouldn't be taken well. Silent once again, she retreated to the other side of the room and sat back down, picking up the rapidly congealing sandwich. She nearly gagged at the yellow goo that dribbled like melting plastic from the edges, slimy with tomato seeds and wilted basil leaves that reminded her of pondweed. What was usually comfort food now repulsed her.

She had to eat, she told herself, but her stress-tightened stomach clenched harder at the thought. She glanced at Roxy, who struggled to force down her own sandwich. That explained part of the lost appetite. Jess took a bite of her meal, the cheese lukewarm and rubbery in her mouth, grease trickling over her fingers. Guilt made it even more difficult for her to eat. Roxy's tone, as well as that pang of anxiety, had made it clear the job she'd mentioned wasn't going to be like the work they'd done this morning, before that man had appeared.

She should have stayed, the empath thought as she tried to finish her lunch. She should have waited for another match to come along, instead of selfishly tagging along after a reluctant anchor. Now, it turned out that reluctance was even more justified than she'd thought.

[KatherinWinter]

Roxy wouldn't have allowed Jesse to stay in isolation even if it had been an option. While having the empath around wasn't ideal she would never left the other woman alone. She knew too well what it was like to be alone. She watched the other woman to make sure Jess ate a decent amount. She could understand why the woman might not be able to eat much but it was important that she eat as much as she could.

Once the empath was done eating they headed downstair. Roxy tried not to think about the special job that was coming in. They would keep simply. They wouldn't push too much to start. But the fact that she was doing jobs again bothered her.

She stormed to the front door. She had barely flipped the sign to open before another man in a suit walked in. This one was nervous. His eyes darted around the room. "The boss said you would fix my car."

"Tell your boss he's a moron. If he is going to send me jobs he needs to send people who blend in or someone will get suspicious. Give Jess your contact information and I will call you when it's done." Roxy growled as she headed to the repair bay to open the heavy doors. It was a simple job. It wasn't the worse things they could ask her to do. Technically it wasn't illegal but that didn't make doing it any easier.

[LuckyBlackCat]

Jessamyn "Jess" Bailey

Not wanting to keep Roxy waiting - she'd done enough, after all - Jess finished her sandwich. She'd probably have found it more appetising in different circumstances, but at least food had cleared away some of the haze in her mind, brought on by stress and lack of sleep. Right now, it would be especially important to remain alert, with that job coming in.

She didn't want to think what the job might be, or what kinds of people they'd be faced with. Judging by the agitation the anchor gave off, like static electricity building in the air around her, neither question could have a good answer.

The customer Roxy opened the door to, though, took Jess by surprise. She'd just taken a seat at the desk when the man walked in, not intimidating and cool-headed like she'd expected, but jittering, eyes darting around as if he wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

"Uh... good afternoon," Jess said as he approached, that tense smile stretching across her face. Keeping calm and focused would have been far from an easy task around such a sketchy person, even without the extra nervousness she took on. She reached for a notepad and pen, nearly knocking over a stack of paper as her hands shook. "May I... May I ask your details, and the job you're having done?"

He probably wouldn't let on everything, just what he needed doing to his car, or rather what he claimed he needed doing.

[KatherinWinter]

Roxy felt bad leaving Jess to deal with the man. He was so nervous even she could almost feel his nervousness. But she had to get to work. The job that had to be done would take some time to complete. She hoped that the empath could hand the moron. She knew she didn't have the patience to do it.

"All you need to know is that I am being charged for a buffering and repainting job. You can call me at this number." The man growled. He handed her a business card that had his name and phone number."Make sure that you shred that card." He told her. It was clear he didn't want there to be a record of what was really going on.

Roxy went out and brought the car in. Once it was on the lift she climb out. There didn't appear to be any thing wrong with the car. She popped the hood before closing the door. Then she went over to the shelf and too out a long metal file looking tool.