BACKLASH

Delilah Buress​
Somehow, despite not expecting it, Delilah wasn't as surprised by the kiss as she expected to be. Fisher had always been less impulsive than the rest of them, but when he made a decision he generally did not waver on it. It was, decidedly, one of his best traits, albeit occasionally frustrating.

So when he leaned in and his lips brushed her own, she could only conclude in her mind that it was the best decision he could think to make. That... Or she was completely wrong about him and he was acting on utter impulse.

Either way, she relented to it, and while it was neither passionate or practiced, chaste, even, it was also Fisher. Her Fisher. Who she had been so sure was lost... Who she had finally found again. Her Fisher, who grounded her, carried her... And apparently, loved her.

Her mind warred over the feelings within her. To push into the tension, to give in to it... To run. To run, because no matter how desperately she didn't want to admit it, she wasn't enough for him. She'd never be what he deserved, she'd never be what he saw in her. To cower... Because if Solomon knew, he would murder them both. To cry... Because maybe she didn't love Nick... But she had cared about him, deeply, and he deserved better, too. His memory deserved better.

These feelings and more roiled in her mind. And for the first time in her life, Delilah ignored them all. She cupped his cheek and brushed her across it, and when be pulled back, she let a smile curl at the corner of her lips, her forehead coming to rest against his.

For a long moment, she said nothing, and her eyes remained closed as she filtered out the fear and the guilt and the confusion... Filtered them until she found something worth clinging to.

Her fingers curled through his and her head dropped to his shoulder with a soft sigh, "We have to stop him Fish. But I think the only chance we have... Is to do it together..."
 
Fisher Hawkins

The mess of emotions inside his eyes faded as he closed them and leaned into the kiss. He'd loved Delilah for so long. It was almost a crime how well he had shoved that emotion into a suitcase and packed it away even though it didn't close. He loved her and he found her again and though everything in the world was pulling them apart he knew they needed to stay together.

And it was the most peaceful moment of his life. Within him the turmoil had calmed and he could see himself clearer.. with one suitcase unpacked he could begin sorting out the others. Whatever they were.. he wasn't going to let Solomon tear them apart. Never again.

He longed for her touch even after she pulled away, but the smile that stayed on his lips replayed the moment over and over and he squeezed her hand tightly. Right now, Fisher felt safe, even though they were the farthest thing from it. He felt loved, and whole. But it had to be put aside until Solomon was stopped, because they could never be like this while he roamed free.

"Guess we shouldn't have thrown out that folder." He said with a sigh, the smile still pulling on the edges of his lips. "Who else… who else hurt us and Solomon?" Fisher stared ahead at the blankly painted wall, wishing for its yellowness and scrawled messages. "It's who he's going after.. so who else is on the list?"
 
Delilah Buress​
As he opened his eyes, she could see the clarity returned and relief flooded her. However long he'd held on to the secret, it had been too long, and this... This was where they needed to be. This was better...

"No offense, Fish..." She mused with a gentle teasing air, "But the folder was kind of useless, anyway. I think maybe we need to go back further. Before John. Before everything went wrong."

They had been together so long, it was hard to remember a time they weren't... Three times they had been homed together. Three separate times and all of them a mess in their own right.

"We've got two choices. The Bridge family or the Havershimes. I don't think... I don't think there's anyone left after that."

Anyone but them...
 
Fisher Hawkins

"Hey," Fisher said with a prideful puff of the chest. "I did a good job, mind you. It's a very good foundation." It was true the folder contained info that the both of them mostly knew, but Fisher wasn't going to give it up.

He looked forward and furrowed his brows, thinking about those two families. It had been a while since he'd thought about them at all, actually. The Havershimes… Fisher shuddered. An overrun foster house fueled by a drug addicted couple who wanted the cash. It was like a rat's nest, and their terrifying dogs kept all the exits in check. Yet another scar Fisher had earned. Thankfully, that scar was also what had gotten him out of that house.

The Bridges weren't as bad. Mostly, they just didn't bat an eye in the children's way. Another house where they were fending for themselves. Only when the husband got into a minor car accident and broke his leg did they send the kids on their way. He'd been drunk driving too, but what did that matter?

"He'd want to save the best for last." Fisher said sullenly. He hated how he knew it was true. "The Bridges… he'll be there first. What do we do?" He smiled sadly. "How good are you with your powers?"
 
Delilah Buress​
Watching him work through the solution, she knew the thoughts revolving around in his mind. She remembered it all too well. The dogs, starved for attention and beat half as bad as the rest of them. Angry beasts, fit for one thing. Keeping them in and the world out. Fisher had braved it, braved the dogs, so that they could all get out... It was probably the first time she had realized that he was the best of them. That he was different, and would be something great someday.

Frowning softly, she shook her head, "It's been a while. Probably a little out of practice, but it's sort of like riding a bike, right?" She'd never had much need for them, her powers. In truth, she hadn't embraced them the way that Fisher had. She had never really found a use for them, and it was just one more reminder... one more vivid, neon reminder that she wasn't like the rest of the world around them. That she was different... Another thing that made her unlovable...

"We could always call them..." She added with a small, dry smile, "Warn them?" But she knew what the outcome would be. Even with the news stories about Solomon's actions rampant these days, the Bridges wouldn't even remember the kids they had fostered. They would never take the warning seriously, "When do you think he'll strike? Probably won't wait too long. I'm guessing his appearance at the funeral today was the hint that my grieving period is over."
 
Fisher Hawkins

He laughed hopelessly at her suggestion to call and warn. Oh, that was funny. Fish couldn't think of a single instance where the Bridges had ever snapped to attention. Oh, wait. There was one time. When Solomon let the stove catch fire. Fisher grinned at the memory and then shook it away. That was a different time.. A different person.

"Yeah," He mused. "Yeah, like riding a bike. You never forget." He glanced towards the side and inhaled through his nose. "I guess.. I guess it's worthless to come as Knockout. He must know." Another shiver ran down his spine. So Solomon could expose him, too… wonderful. "I'll at least need some sort of suit.. Makes for better defense.

We'll have to get there before him. I'm assuming he'll do it as soon as possible… land another win to trip us up. We can't let him." Fisher finally stood, glancing around the apartment nervously. "Still.. If we don't show up masked, what are the Bridges gonna do? Arhg." He shook his head, growling at all the complications.

"We could do the whole socks over our head thing," He said hopefully. "Or.. you just keep it nice and foggy?"
 
Delilah Buress​
Chuckling softly, Delilah watched him, shaking her head as he tried to think of a plan. It reminded her far too much of their cartoons as children, drawing ridiculous costumes and plotting their missions. He had always been so structured, and Delilah had driven him mad, refusing to plan out how they'd rescue her stuffed bear, or the GI Joe stuck in the mud at the end of the slide. She was so much more instinctual, and Fish needed a blueprint...

"I'll keep the fog thick enough to give us cover, without choking you out. I think our best bet is displacing them. If Solomon can't find them, he won't be able to get them. They won't come easy, so it might be better if we just... I dunno, drug them and toss them in the truck. I know a place outside the city where we can put them, and we'll just make sure they stay there, until we've..."

Pausing, she lowered her gaze. Until they what? That was the problem though, wasn't it? You couldn't plan for everything. Solomon, he was out of his mind. There was no way that he'd come quietly, sign himself into a police station and live out the rest of his life behind bars. They would need to stop him... and if that meant permanently, she wasn't entirely sure that Fisher could go through with it. Hell, she wasn't sure she could.

Looking to Fisher again, she shrugged, "We'll figure it out. For now, we need to get the Bridges somewhere safe."
 
Fisher Hawkins
"Drug them?" He balked, turning to her with a surprised look on his face. It seemed a crazy thing to do, and he wondered if they were even worth it. Fisher sighed. She was right.. it might be the only way. They didn't truly know how to fight Solomon, how to contain his blasts.. their only choice would be to keep him from reaching his targets.

And then there was thing the thing that hung over their head; what next. What the hell were they supposed to do with Solomon? Suspend him from the ceiling so he wouldn't blow shit up? He was untouchable, and it was terrifying.

Exhaling a shaky breath, Fisher shook his head, giving up his insistence on a plan. "Right.. we'll figure it out. I don't.. think I have anything to drug them with?" He winced at the words. "And where would we take them?"
 
Delilah Buress​
"It's not a pretty plan, but I don't think asking them politely is gonna work, Fish. And we can't wait for something better to come along. If we can get something airborne, like an anaesthetic... I can generate it into a gas and send it through the house."

Frowning in thought, she turned to Fisher and bit the edge of her lip, "You... you gonna be okay doing this?" There was an air to her question that suggested she was asking more for own encouragement, and edge of anxiety to her town. The Bridges had not been as dark or depressing as most of their other homes together, but the sense of isolation and loneliness that Delilah had experienced there had been profound... and the thought of revisiting that, of helping the people who had put her in that position, hurt…

Shaking her head, she raked her fingers through her hair, shaking out the ginger curls that had long since lost their bounce from that morning, "Guess it doesn't matter. We've got no real choice. He's gotta be stopped, and this is our best bet at roping him into a corner. Question is, when? You think he's gonna go there tonight?"
 
Fisher Hawkins

"I guess we can stop and get some.. anaesthetic..?" He murmured, becoming less and less confident with what they were doing. He wasn't too thrilled about what they were doing, and he hated he couldn't think of any other way.

"I.. I think so." Fisher started. It was going to be strange, that was for sure.. strange and uncomfortable. The time spent in that house was.. it was hard to describe. Harsh on his young mind. It was a strangle isolated house.. at the back of a dead end, a shady neighborhood.. if Fish had reasons to leave he wasn't sure he'd have wants too. It was almost manipulative, how the house had come to be a safe haven only because it was a safe place in a mess of a city.

"No other choice." He said a little bit more surely. "I mean, as long as there aren't dogs.." He smirked. "I think we have to go as soon as possible.. get them out of there quick. Doesn't matter when Sol shows as long as we get there first."

Giving her one more, longing look, Fisher stood. He was sad the moment had to end but they had work to do. "So do you want me to find some socks to put on our heads?" He said with a small laugh.
 
Delilah Buress​
"Not exactly something you pick up at CVS... Which means we might need to get creative. I..." Pausing, she looked at him and for a moment, she seemed frozen by indecision. There was a lot about her life that Fisher didn't know... those seven years that they had been apart had not been easy, and there was a lot that she wasn't entirely proud of... a lot that she'd had to grow past.

But their relationship was fragile as it was, and keeping secrets had never served her with Fisher in the past, "I know someone who can help us out. He was my... my dealer. He's not cheap, but I can get in touch with him and he could probably get us what we need pretty fast." Biting her cheek, she shrugged, "I know it's not what you're used to, but I don't think we can do this by the books. Not entirely, anyway. Not when Solomon isn't gonna play by any rules we know."

Her eyes shot over to him again as he continued and her lips fell in a frown, "Don't joke about that. I still can't..." Looking at his arm, where she knew the scar was, she shook her head, "Still won't go near them. I just... I see it in my head. What happened and I can't shake how awful it was. You got a hell of a lot of scars, Fish, but you know I hate that one the most." He'd sacrificed himself to get them out, and a part of her would never forgive herself for letting him.

Meeting his eyes again, she managed a small, weary smile, reaching out to ruffle his hair, "And no socks. You can't handle the hat head."
 
Fisher Hawkins
His mouth fell partway open at her words. He had never imagined Delilah.. that she... He couldn't even find the words. So many of the homes he had been bounced too were filled with users, abusers. He had become repulsed by the mere notion of it. He could never imagine himself using.. and much less her.

Fish began to wonder what she had gone through during those seven years... it had been simple for him. Thrown himself into another life, a life that he never had to think twice. It was all about justice, about doing right, so he never wondered if he was on the right track. Maybe he wasn't. And everyday he was becoming desperately more sorry that they hadn't stuck together.. that he'd really run away from the one person that mattered.

He winced as she ruffled his hair, turning away with lips curling into a frown as he patted his hair back down. "It wouldn't be have been like that if I left you. You wouldn't have had to do that." He murmured. "I'm sorry, Lil. I was being selfish." His fists clenched in anger. How stupid he had been. All the pain that she had to endure, alone. It was his fault.

"That scar's the best one." He insisted suddenly. "Marks a time I finally stood up for who mattered."
 
Delilah Buress​
"Hey..." Frowning, Delilah turned back to him, reaching for his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze, "Don't do that. Don't make this your fault, okay? When I found you again, I know what I said about you leaving, but I angry, Fish. I was angry because you... you had everything together, and I just wished... I wished I could get there, you know? I was close, but I just could never... I couldn't push myself over that edge."

Stepping closer, her free hand raised to brush his cheek, "But that's not your fault. The decisions that I made, and the mess that I got myself into, was not on you. I was dumb and bitter and I took a few wrong turns, and I paid for it. But I got past it. And it brought me here, and maybe the road was bumpy as hell, and I definitely would change a few things, but I'm not mad that this is where we ended up. And that scar?"

Gesturing to his arm, she shook her head again, "That's just a reminder that I didn't stand up for what mattered to me. I was scared and I let you take the brunt of it, and I didn't even realize until just now that I never thanked you for it. That's the sort of person I am, Fish. I let people get hurt for me, and I don't even..." Breathing in sharply, she pulled away, "...God. What the hell would you ever... Why would you care about me the way you do?"
 
Fisher Hawkins

"I just wish I could've been there for you," He whispered, cupping his hand over hers as it fell across his face. "I was angry too. I wish we could've gotten through it together." He dropped his hand and his gaze, staring at the hardened flesh, where teeth had broke skin.

"You're not that sort of person." Fisher said, voice stronger. "You cared for us, cared for me.. you were always so brave. I was just dumb as hell," He said with a grin, a grin through sad eyes. "I was dumb as hell and I cared too much for the girl who had been through everything and still put on a tough face. Nothing broke you, and it was inspiring."

He was filled with such love for her and it was clear in his eyes. "I cared about you before I even knew what it meant." He admitted. "You gave me hope to keep going and I don't know who I would've been without you. This scar's about.. us."

"It's about how much you meant to me because you were just.. strong. No one compared to you."
 
Delilah Buress​
The tears came, unbidden, but she didn't try to stop them. As much as she hated it, crying... sometimes it was necessary. Sometimes, it healed. And they had a lot of healing to do between the two of them. They had been hurt, and hurt each other, and there was so much in the past that sometimes it seemed like they would never escape under the weight of it.

But she had already come so much further than she had every thought possible, and Fish had done that. And no matter what she felt about all that had happened, she couldn't ignore the sensation he built up within her - something she had never acknowledged... something she had never even understood, until that moment. She did care for Nick, and the loss of him hurt... it hurt like hell, still. And it would take time before she was past it - it sank in and it burned and the impression it left couldn't just be brushed away.

And a small part of her felt guilty for the way that she had moved forward... because in truth, she knew the way it must have looked. But the truth of the matter was, it had always been there, and without Nick, it never could have come to the surface, she never would have let it. He had helped her heal, too... and that was something she would never forget or allow to die with him.

Looking to Fisher, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand, she nodded, and leaning forward, she wrapped her arms around his waist as she rested her head against his chest, the words whispered almost too soft to hear, "I love you, Fish."
 
Fisher Hawkins

As she fell into his arms Fisher felt his heart stop all over again. The words that fell from her mouth left him breathless, wide eyed. A part of him was filled with guilt. It was too fast. Too soon. Under all the wrong circumstances, all of them. What about Nick, what about Solomon?

He brought his hand to her cheek, and with his thumb he wiped away the tears. He knew. They would never be perfect. They would never be in the midst of a Hawaii getaway after a job promotion and a new puppy. Their life was a mess of bad circumstances.. Fish knew that they had no choice.. No choice to do it except whenever the could.

"I love you too." He whispered, pulling her into him, wrapping his arms around her tightly, resting his cheek on the top of her head, breathing her in. He'd loved her forever. A love he couldn't understand back then, but now he finally did.
 
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Delilah Buress​
And that was it. Cards on the table, no more secrets, no more lies... And the world didn't crumble, Delilah didn't fall apart or burst into flames. Fish didn't dissolve away before her eyes. All was silent and still for a moment, the only sound his heart beneath her ear, a steady, solid drumbeat that revived in her a spirit she thought had died so long ago.

The tears still, and gingerly, she pulled away, looking up at him with a small, simple sigh, "...Okay. Let's do this. I'll call my contact, and we'll get started." Because as much as she hated it, the idea that they were cutting short what should have been a deeply moving moment, the sooner they did what needed to be done, the sooner they could stop Solomon and move on... finally move on. To better things. Bigger things. The sooner they could live.

And she wanted to. Live. She wanted it now, more than she ever had. It made her heart swell in her chest to think of what life could, together with Fisher. What it should have been all those years ago - what they were denied by too much hardship, too many moments that just... sucked.

Smiling dryly, she crossed the room to where she had discarded her purse and fishing out her phone, she looked to him, "Ready...?"
 
Fisher Hawkins

And then it was over. She pulled away and the moment was gone. He desperately wanted to be left alone, with her… left alone just to embrace her for all the times he had missed the chance. So much was crashing down on them and he just wanted to run away from it all. But no, they were calling her goddamn drug dealer.

Fisher moved over to the couch and sat down, immediately returning to his nervous twitches as his leg began to bounce wanted to live, too. He wanted to buy that white picket fence house and live without worrying about.. About murderous brothers blowing up buildings.

"Yeah.. ready." Fisher mumbled, gnashing his teeth together. No, he wasn't. He really didn't want to see this side of Lilah.. The side of her he never imagined existed. But he loved her with all his heart, and if this was a part of her past, he wouldn't let her go through it alone. He loved every part of her, even the ones he had never expected.
 
Delilah Buress​
Delilah's eyes shifted over to Fisher as her fingers pressed the numbers on the phone and a small frown formed as she took in the expression on his face. She could practically feel it radiating from him, the anxiety, the discomfort, and admittedly, she was entirely surprised by it. It wasn't a phone call she wanted to make, either, but at least she was used to it... but to Fisher, it wasn't exactly common ground.

Smiling dryly, she lowered the phone for a moment, "I mean... if you want, we could skip all this. Call Solomon instead, and see if he's not willing to but plans on hold for... you know, a night... or a year. Whatever." If only. If only they had time - any indication really, of what Solomon was planning, or when. If they knew anything at all about his next move, they could have some idea of what to do. No guess work. No scrambling.

Shaking her head, she pressed send on the phone and put it to her ear, waiting as the ringer rolled over, until the click.

"Leon? Hey... It's Lil. Yeah, I know. Long time. No, listen... I need a favor. The kind I'm hoping isn't gonna cost me too much?" There was a long pause and Delilah grimaced as she listened in, "I know, Leon. But I'm not running with Murphy anymore. No... I know. Long story. No, what I need's different. Anesthetics, actually." Chuckling softly, she rolled her eyes, "Yeah, Leon. I know it's not easy to get. That's why I'm calling you. But listen, if you can't do it, I'm sure Lucky J...."

There was another length pause and the smile brightened on her lips as she looked to Fisher, nodding, "Yeah. Thanks, Leon. That'll work. 20th and Peidmont. We'll be there. See ya."

Hanging up, she set the phone in her lap and breathing out, nodded her head again, "We got it. One hour."
 
Fisher Hawkins

Bringing his fingers to his lips, Fisher watched her dial the number with unease in his heart. He had seen so many lives lost.. others ruined. Some people doing the ruining. He hated it with all of his soul, Hated what it did. Hated every part of it.

A strangled laugh fell from his mouth. "Oh, sure. Let me just pull up his contact." He fumbled for his phone in his pocket and pulled up the dial box. Fisher angrily typed in the numbers 666. "Here we go! I'll just press call." His voice was teetering on a high pitched yelp, and it was clear despite trying to make a joke, he was quite tense.

As she answered the phone Fisher bit off his nails. Every time a name was passed over he looked up, trying to put a face to the name. Leon. Murphy. Lucky J? Fisher shook his head and continued to gnaw. What a world Lilah had thrown herself into.. meanwhile, he'd made home in an autoshop and drank beer every Saturday. How different they had ended up..

It was only 'till she ended the call that Fisher realized he had been holding his breath.

"Oh." Fisher murmured. "Great. One hour. Fun." He scratched the back of his neck. "Um. So.. you gonna tell me anything about that life I missed?"
 
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