Scene 2 - November 1st

Interior MLED Compound, Continuous

Quinn Kaufmann

I stumbled into the common room a few minutes later, finding Holly and Abe both there along with Simone, who was dozing quietly as she lay across one couch.

No, not quietly, I corrected myself as she let out what was obviously a snore, but in eerie silence. Holly had just magically silenced her snoring.

“Quinn!” the illusionist cried as I entered. “You’re awake!”

“Yeah,” I said, finding a chair and collapsing into it. “I guess I am.”

“Are you alright, kid?” Abe asked. He was wearing Canaveral’s white jumpsuit but had the cowl down, as it seemed he often did in the Compound. “Holly told me what happened...”

“...Quinn? Quinn!” Abe snapped his fingers in front of my face again. “Come back to us, kid!”

“Sorry,” I said, blinking as the world came back into focus. “I spaced out a bit there, I guess...”

Abe stood up straight again and exchanged a worried look with Holly, then said, “Holly and Simone brought you back to the Compound after the doctor called them. They didn’t think you should be alone right now, and I have to agree.”

I nodded. “Yeah, that... thank you,” I said to Holly.

“It was the least I could do,” she said quietly. She clearly hadn’t gone home - she was still wearing the same sweater from last night. Simone, however, had at some point changed out of her costume into something more casual.

“Do you know what you’re going to do next?” Abe said, seeming to choose his words carefully.

“I... I’m going to have to find where dad left his will, I suppose,” I said. “He knew this was coming, so he’ll probably have left something somewhere. And then... I’m going to join the Journeymen. If you’re still have me.”

They exchanged another look. “Are you sure?” Abe asked. “You shouldn’t make any snap decisions.”

“I’m sure,” I said. “I promised...”

“...well, if you’re sure,” Abe was saying. That time, I thought, had only been a few seconds.

“They’re sure,” Holly said firmly. “And...” She trailed off, then glanced at Canaveral and said something that failed to enter my ears.

“Please don’t talk behind my back - not right in front of me, at least,” I said. “I’m not going to shatter if I hear something bad right now.”

“Really? Because you look like a wet paper towel right now. We just don’t want to hurt you more.”

“I’m already broken,” I said. “How much more damage can you do?”

Holly sighed. “I was just saying that even if you’re only joining to get a little support, that might actually be the best thing for you right now.”

I nodded. “You’re... not wrong,” I said. “Either about that being part of the reason - although not the whole - and... about me needing it. I...”

I felt myself begin to cry only when the first drop fell from my chin to my lap. “I’m sorry,” I gasped. “I don’t know what...”

“It’s okay, Quinn,” Holly said, sitting next to me. “We’re happy to give you the support you need.”

I didn’t deserve this kind of care, I knew. I had done nothing to earn this. But I couldn’t bring myself to protest.

Holly was incredible. But I couldn’t... whatever I had promised my dad when he lay there dying, I...

...I couldn’t inflict myself on her. Not now.