cutting_edgex23 | (no subject)

(no subject)

It's a cool night, and maybe that's what drew X to the lake.

She's seated crosslegged on one of the bigger rocks, eyes half-closed and focused on what should be the far shore.

Her breathing is slow and very steady.

Blame the meditation. It happens.

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At the moment, Elle isn't smashing any rocks over the lake for practice. Or her amusement. She might be considering it, as she takes one unsteady step along the rockier edge of the shore after the other.

That is, until she sees X.

Rather than calling out, or waving, Elle only watches. Her head tilts, and there's a look of dim curiosity on her face.

X just keeps breathing.

Then the wind shifts.

Half a moment later X opens her eyes, gaze fixed unerringly on Elle.

And --

"Hello."

Elle doesn't look startled.

"Hi."

She looks down, and after a moment's consideration, steps out of her shoes, and pulls herself up onto the rocks.

X tilts her head fractionally, though she stays seated.

"You are okay?"

She shrugs one shoulder as she settles on a rock near X.

"I might go back soon."

She shifts position very slightly, just to lessen the angle of her neck as she watches Elle.

"It is for a mission?"

"No."

Elle sounds rather certain (and not too happy) about that.

"I just have to - finish stuff."

"Oh."

X absorbs that.

"It will not be problematic?"

She worries. Sometimes.

"I don't know."

She'll still have to deal with Suresh.

But it's... Suresh.

"Not a lot," she decides.

"That is good," X says.

It is only a little bit of a question.

"And then you will come back? Here?"

"If the door comes back."

With a half-smile that doesn't have much mirth, "I won't try to stay out there."

"I could try to find you," X offers.

"If you are gone for long."

"I'll be at home."

Her voice is even, not quite a warning, but - she's saying it for a reason.

"And I usually come back."

X could protest that she would be careful. Because she would be.

But --

"Okay."

Beat.

"I do, too. Come back."

"I know."

Beat.

"Did you go back?"

"Home? Yes."

Beat.

"The mission was delayed."

"Oh."

Elle's eyes go out onto the lake, but after a few moments, she seems to decide that she needs to ask -

"Is that - okay?"

X considers that question for a moment.

"Nothing is being deployed."

Beat.

"And no one is dead."

This pause is a little bit longer.

"It is okay."

"Okay."

She doesn't look back to X for the moment. Her hands move down to her sides at the rock, and she leans back slightly.

"What about in here?"

"I talked to Sylar."

Beat.

"With Alanna."

This does make her look up. Sharply.

But she sounds almost casual when she asks, "Did he do it?"

"He cannot fly," is what she says.

"But he stole the knife. And looked at West's brain."

This pause is longer.

"He knew how West died. The autopsy was uninformative."

"He did it after he was dead?"

Now, her voice is casual. And maybe a little disappointed.

"Yes."

Beat.

"West's neck was broken. But his skull was not fractured. Before Sylar got there."

Her eyebrows raise slightly at this, but. Well. That's about it.

"He could've fallen?"