Serious Talkings

[dee_lorean81]

Set shortly after her trip to the Nexus and shortly before Doc's call to Clark.

Dee's back from her little sojourn to the Nexus, with new parts, new PINpoints, and new information. Information that she feels ought to be discussed. She reenters the apartment she shares with her father (Doc's sectioned off a portion of it to serve as a bedroom) and looks around. "Dad?"

Comments

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

Doc's on the couch, reading a book. He looks up as he hears his name and smiles. "Hi Dee. How are you?"

[dee-lorean81.livejournal.com]

Dee's honestly not sure how to reply to that. "Weird," she finally settles on. "I, uh, went to the Nexus. To -- talk about stuff."

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

Doc frowns. Dee seems unsure about something, and that worries him. He knows he's not her "father"-father, but surely she can talk to him? "What's wrong?" he asks, setting aside the book and crouching down in front of her.

[dee-lorean81.livejournal.com]

Dee sighs. "I was asking why you were so weird about working on me," she admits. "And then Farley came along and -- kinda told me why."

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

Oh. Oooooh. Doc stares at her a moment, suddenly feeling extremely unsure himself. A faint breeze blows up , flickering in different directions. "I -- see," he says slowly. "How much--?" He and Marty told Dee a little of what had happened to them -- abducted from their worlds and had to escape another dimension -- but they were deliberately vague on the details. After all, she's only six. And a car.

[dee-lorean81.livejournal.com]

"He -- he said--"

Dee suddenly throws her arms around him, heedless of the PINpoint she's carrying. She just really, really needs to give her Dad a hug. "He said this Faerie Andrew hurt you and put all those metal bits in. And that it -- it's still -- bad."

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

Doc hugs back, squeezing his eyes shut to head off any threatening tears. He is not going to cry in front of his adopted daughter, damn it. "That sounds about right," he mutters. "Yes, that's exactly what happened. Andrew's the one who -- who made me like this." With its usual spot-on timing, steam jets out of his back vent. "And not very nicely, either."

[dee-lorean81.livejournal.com]

"I know," Dee sniffles. "Is -- is that why you're so weird about working on me? Because really, it doesn't hurt, I don't feel a thing when I'm a car and I really want to be fixed--" She's not trying to speed up the process or anything here -- she just wants him to know that he's not hurting her when he fiddles around in her car form.

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

Doc pats her back. "Yes," he confesses. "Intellectually, I know that what I'm doing has nothing whatsoever to do with -- with what Andrew did to me. On an emotional level, however. . . ." The wind picks up briefly as he shudders, then dies down. "He did a bit of a number on me, Dee, I won't lie to you," he continues softly. "And with my weather powers responding to my emotional state -- well, do you really want your insides wrecked by a sudden downpour because I got upset?" This is a legitimate question.

[dee-lorean81.livejournal.com]

"I know -- Farley showed me a bit of what happens when you end up really sad," Dee nods seriously. "I don't want you to get all upset, rain or no. I -- I wish I could help you." She really does, too. She just has no idea what to do.

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

"He did?" Doc arches an eyebrow, wondering if he should talk to Farley about what's actually appropriate to show his kid. Now's not the time, however. He gives Dee another hug. "You do help," he assures her. "Having a daughter and a time machine -- it makes me feel a lot better, I assure you. I'm sorry about leaving you unfixed for so long." He takes a deep breath. "I -- I just need some time to really come to grips with the situation."

[dee-lorean81.livejournal.com]

"Yeah -- it was depressing," Dee admits. "I'm really glad you got away from him." She pauses, not wanting to ask this next question. "Did -- did they -- what happened to Marty?" Because she KNOWS he was in that hell with her Dad, and though he seems okay. . . .

She perks up a little. "It's okay, I can wait," she says. "And actually, you don't have to do as much anymore."

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

Doc sighs. He knew this question was coming. "They took him for his guitar skills," he says. "Marty was basically driven to the point of exhaustion, then drugged to stay awake and keep playing. And his Keeper did -- hurt him more conventionally sometimes." Doc's blood boils just thinking about it, leading to a rumble of thunder overhead. "We got away though," he says, just as much to himself as to do. "We survived with our minds intact, and we gave those bas -- those jerks the slip."

Doc arches an eyebrow. "Huh?"

[dee-lorean81.livejournal.com]

Okay, Marty gets all the hugs too, next time she sees him. "That's awful," she says quietly. "Those faerie people are worse than Tannens." She nods at his next statements though, brightening slightly. "That's right, you did. And now we're all together as a family."

"I met Clark there too! And he knows about cars, so he fixed up the regular damage! The fuel injector manifold and stuff! And he got me these." She shows him the PINpoints. "The watch is for girl me, the pane of glass thingy is for car me, and they've got his number. That way, if something happens, I can get to the Nexus or call him."

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

Doc and Marty generally do need all the hugs, yes. "I would have strongly preferred Biff, Griff, and Buford compared to what we went through," Doc nods. Then he smiles back at her. "That's right. And I made some great new friends in my adventures, so -- it wasn't all bad." He has his kids now, and that's -- that's good.

"Really?" Doc examines the PINpoints and finds Clark's number on the glass pane one. "Great Scott, that was nice of him. I'll have to call him and say thanks."

[dee-lorean81.livejournal.com]

"Hafta talk to Farley too," Dee says, passing over the slip of paper with Farley's Nexus e-mail on it. "He asked to know."

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

"Right," Doc says, noting Farley's e-mail. He looks back at his daughter. "Are you okay?"

[dee-lorean81.livejournal.com]

"Just wish your life wasn't so awful all the time," Dee says, giving him yet another hug.

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

"Trust me, we all wish that," Doc says, returning it. "But things will turn out fine. You'll see."

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

"Everything all right in here?"

Victor's peering around the ajar door at the pair, frowning slightly. This scene looks a little too heartfelt to be the product of just plain old happiness.

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

"Fine," Doc assures him, not wanting to worry Victor or poke any more at the old wounds. "Just discussing the issue of Dee's future repairs. We're okay."

[deadgirlsliekme.livejournal.com]

Victor smiles. There's something just a touch off about it. As if it's not quite Victor smiling. But it's still friendly enough, as is his tone. "All right. So long as you're fine." He continues on his way.

[dee-lorean81.livejournal.com]

Dee watches him go with a frown. "Dad? Is it just me, or is Victor acting just a little weird lately?"

[clockwork-doc.livejournal.com]

"I've noticed it too," Doc admits. "Maybe it's a side effect from Wonderland. We'll talk to Alice about it later. Right now, why don't you show me what Clark did, then we'll work on contacting people, okay?"