fourth ( video ) afternoon 45

[gleans]

[ The feed comes on to show a tired-looking - but alive! - Galen. Someone's had a haircut. He smiles a little and waves his free hand sleepily, then props his chin back up on his palm. ]

Hey, so, false alarm? Since I guess some of you heard I was gone. I'm, um -- I'm back. Looks like you can't get rid of me.

[ A good-natured little smirk, which fades a bit just as he switches the communicator back off again. ]

Comments

[private]

[afallenstar]

Are you alright?

[gleans]

-- Anna. Hey. Yeah, I'm okay, thanks.

[afallenstar]

Are you sure? Where did you go?

[ Because asking a series of questions is so the same thing as admitting she was worried, right? ]

[gleans]

[ He rubs a hand over his face, under his glasses. Ugh. He's already tired of talking -- and that's not something he ever thought he'd think. ]

Home. I went home, and I was there for a few weeks.

[afallenstar]

And while you were home, what changed?

[ Nice and to the point, of course. There's no point in sugar coating it, it's not hard to see that something is different about him. Weeks though, that's interesting, and she's heard of angels sending people forward in their timelines but their captors...she's pretty sure they're not angels. ]

Are you certain that what happened in these weeks was real?

[gleans]

Just -- some stuff happened. Personal stuff. And I'm positive it was real, because Jesse's lived it already. And -- I have a pretty good idea of what is and isn't a dream.

[afallenstar]

So it couldn't have been a hallucination then.

[ She's not sure if that's a relief or not. It means it's probably not someone on her side meddling, but...it's not someone on her side meddling. The dream comment though, that's certainly no relief. ]

What does that mean?

[gleans]

No -- I have a question, actually. Where were the concerned angels when this was happening to me? [ S-sorry Anna. ]

[afallenstar]

[ That definitely shuts her up, because it's not like the point is invalid. She's silent for a moment, and when she answers it's a lot less driven. Hit a sore point there, Galen. ]

I don't know if we even exist in your world, at least the same way we do in mine. But even if we do...we're taught not to intervene.

[gleans]

Right. [ He sighs. ] ... Sorry.

[ He doesn't want to talk about it. But Anna saved his life once, and she's worried. Even if she couldn't help then... well, this is possibly his first and only chance to talk to someone about the truth. Not some made up bullshit to keep him out of the psych ward. He rubs at his face with his free hand and sighs. ]

Can you come over? Pretty sure the attic bedroom is a quiet place to talk.

[ bloop => action ]

[afallenstar]

It's okay. [ And really, it is. She gets it. She wasn't any more comfortable with that answer than he evidently is. She fell for reasons, after all. ] I'll meet you up there.

[ At least she have him warning this time? She shuts off the feed and waits a moment, gives him time to compose, and then she takes herself to the attic. When she gets there she looks around a moment, then folds her arms as she hovers near the bed somewhat awkwardly, waiting for Galen to appear. ]

[gleans]

[ He's already headed up, so only a few seconds later his head peeks up over the steps and he smiles tiredly, slightly surprised. ]

Never gonna get used to that, man.

[ He shuffles in, eying Clint and Natasha's left behind belongings, chewing at his chapped lower lip. ] Anna... if you're not allowed to interfere out there, why are you helping here?

[afallenstar]

[ That gets a slight smile in return, but she's a little more affected by his question than she'd like to admit, and it doesn't last long. ]

Just because its what we were taught, doesn't make it right. [ Because she should have started a long time ago. She takes a moment to observe him carefully, a lot easier now that it's in person and not through the communicator. ]

I don't take my orders from Upstairs any more, anyway. Helping people won't get me in any more trouble.

[gleans]

[ He peers at her -- not judging, or anything, just curious and maybe a little confused. ]

Wait, so... what does that mean, for you? Like, as an angel. If you're technically rebelling, or whatever.

[afallenstar]

I...rebelled a long time ago. I've done worse in their eyes, helping humans won't change my fate.

[ But this getting off topic, Galen, and Anna's getting visibly uncomfortable. If there's one thing she really doesn't like talking about, it's the repercussions of her rebellion. She lets out a soft sigh, and then smiles quickly as she shakes her head. ]

You wanted to talk, though.

[gleans]

[ He likes knowing, because he likes knowing about his friends. He can tell she's getting uncomfortable, though, so he nods and wanders over to the high attic window. ]

Something happened when I was home, Anna. Something really fucked up, and I can't stop feeling like it was my fault, y'know?

[afallenstar]

[ This she can understand at least. She's no stranger to harming the people around her, the Milton's were clear examples of that, and after a brief moment of silence she takes a few steps closer to him. There might be a slight hesitation there, but she does eventually rest a hand gently on his shoulder. ]

I...doubt it would have been your fault, I really do. But, you can tell me. If there's anything I can do to help, I will.

[ She can start to make amends for all the people she didn't step in for. ]

[gleans]

[ For once he hears those words and feels relieved, because this time he doesn't have to lie. And maybe Anna isn't a shrink, but she's an angel, and he's hopeful that that's even better.

Galen chews at his lip for a moment more, trying to think of where to start. ]

When I went home, I, um. I stopped dreaming. And when I should've been dreaming, I was in other people's dreams, instead.

[afallenstar]

And I'm guessing everything didn't turn out happily ever after?

[ Anna's just full of the quick retorts today - shame none of them are coming out as such and just sound soft and worried instead. She's no stranger to dream walking, but it's not something she's seen humans do very often. Whatever this is that's happened to him, it doesn't sound like he's setting up for anything good. ]

You were in other people's dreams. What happened then?

[ Meanwhile she's just going to keep that hand resting lightly on his shoulder. It's supposed to be comforting, whether or not it's doing it's job. ]

[gleans]

[ He sighs. It'e helping a little, but there's only so much that can be done. ]

Something -- in the dream... I don't know, dream realm, whatever, something bit me. And it got into my head. I was still like... aware of what I was doing, I remember it all, but it was like this fucking driving force fucking up my judgement.

I forced people into nightmares. I thought I was helping. I -- I think I killed someone.

[afallenstar]

[ Okay, so it's a little worse than she had initially anticipated, but at least she knows. Beyond the slight furrow at her brow she doesn't let on her surprise though, just keeps her hand at his shoulder and nods quietly. ]


Killed someone in a dream, or in reality? [ It's an important distinction to make, okay? ] Are you still having these problems now, is this thing still lurking around you or are you more in control when you sleep?

[ It might be past the time where she could have offered help. Maybe now all she can do is offer a hand on a shoulder and a slightly stilted attempt at comfort, but she can't move forward without finding out first. ]

[gleans]

[ Galen carefully turns and leans back against the wall, so he can face her, but drops his eyes to the floor. He hasn't said this out loud to anyone yet, and thinking about it makes his chest twist and hurt. ]

My bandmate's grandfather died of a heart attack. In his sleep. And -- I didn't know until recently, since I'd never met him, he... he was one of the people I attacked. [ His voice starts shaking a little. ] I scared him so fucking bad his heart gave out. [ He swallows, moves on quickly: ] It's -- it's mostly gone, there's a little left, I dunno. It's still fucking -- lurking.