pineslog | The slow simmering anger of a mother scorned

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The slow simmering anger of a mother scorned

Who: Jiaying and YOU
Where: Here and there: see prompts
When: March
What: A little counseling, a little teaching, a little slice of life. There's potential for characters to secretly 'talk' to each other about things related to their past if they wanna avoid cameras.
Warnings: None that I can think of.
[Open]

School
Jiaying has taken to teaching in the local school though the subject itself is curious for a town this size. Who would have use for Mandarin? But between all the prep work that goes into teaching and her other duty as school counselor, she's kept busy. Five days a week for about half a day, she can be found in the teacher's room or the small office she can call her counseling room, usually marking papers or coming up with teaching material. Being the only Mandarin speaker in town has its downsides.

Counseling + secret notes
After school hours, she takes on regular counseling sessions by appointment. She appears to be a holder of a psychology degree but she has no memory of taking any such courses. She tries to keep her sessions casual anyway, focusing on making her clients feel comfortable. While she has an office nestled in half of the second floor of a building in Main Street with a small plaque that barely qualifies as a sign, she also pays house visits and allows visitors in her shared home with Emily Grey.

She puts on a good act of playing along with the rest of the residents of the city. She doesn't talk about her past. She doesn't question things. Not openly. Some time near the end of February (after the intense snow), she begins to slip small written notes to clients she knows to have awoken in the hospital and are just as confused as she is. Short and succinct, they are handed out to the people she has gauged to be trustworthy, a moment passed off as a friendly grasp of the hand for the cameras.

The past isn't dead.
Burn this after reading.

Hospital and wild card
She still visits the hospital whenever she can. She doesn't bother the nurses anymore but she can't help but wander past the children's ward to check in on the babies, hoping against hope that she can catch a glimpse of her baby daughter. She usually leaves quickly before she overstays her welcome but the look of loss, sorrow, and angry determination is one that gets harder and harder to hide.

She can also be found shopping or dining around Main Street. She doesn't cook so eating out is common. The groceries she does buy are related to baked goods. She is especially fond of the book store.

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[ They're all somewhat unwitting specialists these days. Granted, Steve's job at the school is a little more broad, and he'd been able to find some reference materials at the bookstore and in his own classroom (he knows he's supposed to think he put them there himself; he also knows he did no such thing. He's not yet sure what to make of the past assignments he's also found stored away from students both past and present). Still, he makes his own lesson plans, the ones already in place largely done away with. He's not sure he can trust anything more than a month old, and so he'd started from scratch.

He has no degree, either; he'd never finished art school, and with the war he'd been looking down a much different path, even before Rebirth. He knows there's no wholesale knowledge in his head that wasn't already there, but he can't say the same about some of the specifics that come to mind. He tries to confirm them with real memory or books, but sometimes he simply teaches and the knowledge is there; he has to be able to trust himself enough to say them out loud sometimes, as with all things he knows to be true.

For the past couple weeks he's been staying late at the desk in his classroom to do his lesson planning; Bucky's usually still at work by the time school lets out, so with Natasha keeping her distance, he'd be going home to an empty house. He's getting little done today, though, mind wandering and feeling the emptiness of the classroom just as keenly, so he decides a change of venue is in order and heads to the teachers lounge. He spots Jiaying as soon as he opens the door; he's seen her around the school since they met at the hospital, and they'd both made some small talk, though it's always been in view of other teachers and students and therefore nothing more than surface level. ]

You, too, huh?

[ He puts his papers down on the table and nods toward the coffee maker even as he walks over to it to start a fresh pot, the whole contraption ancient and likely on its last legs even by this decade's standards. ]

Can I make you a cup?

[Jiaying looks up when she hears the door open and smiles warmly in greeting, resting against the back of her chair to casually track his movements.]

No, thank you. [She already has a cup on her desk though the tea is cold.] There aren't many reference materials around. I have to make my own. How have you been?

[It seems the perfect opportunity to catch up after their accidents. Even though this room is also under surveillance, as are many others.]

Can't complain. [ It's wry and contained; he means it literally. He dumps the old coffee grounds into the trash with a shake of his hand. ] You?

Likewise. [She tilts her head slightly, hoping to share a glance with him and a smile that doesn't reach her eyes.] I do run a counseling business after school hours. If there's anything you feel like you can't share openly, you're free to visit and chat.

[There's a strange emphasis in the word 'openly'.]

[ The suggestion takes Steve by surprise enough to turn his head from the machine to her, and so he does catch her expression. He doesn't necessarily need it to understand, but at its face value it still prods at a part of him that both misses Sam and never quite settles at the group meetings he's taken to attending with Bucky. The latter's no less for appearance's sake than her offer. ]

Not sure there is such a thing. [ Nowhere with four walls, anyway. He finishes setting up the new pot to brew and moves closer to her again, taking his seat. It's an armchair, an ugly off-yellow thing, and that's before the discoloration of past stains. It's comfortable, at least, but he doesn't feel like relaxing into it. ]

[She smiles an almost sly smile] Humans are very adept at communication. [She looks back at her papers, idly marking away at this week's homework.] Don't you think so, Mr. Rogers?

[She doesn't slouch or relax into her chair either, sitting straight and regal, giving herself a bit of a presence with her posture.]

Sure.

[ What a sight they must make then, in the teachers lounge late in the afternoon on a school day, sun murky where it slants through the blinds and illuminates the chalk and other considerable dust in the air: neither of them quite relaxed, both straight-backed, her knowing and regal, Steve contained and almost always with something of the commander in him. ]

I could do without the necessity, though.

I take it you're not fond of sharing. [Her smile grows warmer, her tone gentler and more earnest. It always helps to slowly build a stronger rapport. And there's something about the way he carries himself that Jiaying thinks is vital to 'recruit'.]

Ah. [ Steve huffs a quiet laugh, caught, glancing down at his papers on the table in front of him. ] Some people are better at that part than others.

[she ducks her hide, hiding her smile politely] But no one's ever good at it to start. It takes a lot of courage to speak from the heart. If there is one thing the human psyche is good at, it's protecting itself from feeling vulnerable.

It's not that. [ His expression is turned somewhat inward at the denial, even if the lingering smile on his lips is more or less genuine. The kindness of hiding her own isn't necessary. ] You know, I thought we were speaking metaphorically. You're good at your job.

I try. [She says, modestly. She picks up her pen again and starts to make some adjustments to her lesson plans] It's strange. I have no memories of studying for my practice or Mandarin. And yet here I am. Coming up with lesson plans beside the the most handsome teacher in town. [She makes no attempt to highlight the compliment, just tosses it out as a passing remark.]

[ Off-hand or not, it's not something he's ever really had a great handle on, though today it makes him exhale a soft huff of a laugh, only slightly awkward.

For all the good that's done him. ]

I could say the same thing.

[ He means the memories, but if it sounds like he means the other— well, he's got eyes. ]

[That's very cute, Rogers.]

Seems we're one of the few to actually voice these concerns.

[A quick glance at the camera then she's looking back at her lesson plan]

[ He doesn't need to follow her gaze to know what she's looking at. ]

They'd have to show their faces to stop us.

[ If you go for that sort of thing. ]

[oh my]

You're not worried they'll make us forget again?

We got 'em back once.

[ His reply is immediate, like it's something he's thought about before. ]

And we've lost them once. It seems more like they're holding our very selves hostage. That, all this, [she gestures vaguely] is something we should be content with.

[Upon saying that, she looks back down at her lesson plans. Has she pushed her limits? She supposes she'll find out.]

[ Damon has had a week.

This is as true of his first week as it is of his fifth, but he has. With the arrival of the amnesiac Katherine Pierce, dynamics shifted.

Damon isn't always one to talk, not like that about his feelings. When prodded, he finally opens up in a burst of emotion admitting something both parties in the conversation know to be true.

Between the before, the past and the mess made by the Phoenix stone, the heretics and now Rayna, and whatever is going on in this town, the cameras, and Katherine's return, he has a lot on his mind. Caroline's appearance ruffles his feathers less because they're at least amicable at this point and she doesn't remember her killing them all when he made it out of the stone. But, Stefan and he are still not mended. Their fence remains shoddy and held together. Right now Katherine acts as glue of sorts. On some days he feels a kinship with his brother and on others, that guilt has only risen.

He remembers Jiaying from his first day, luckily those memories just slot right into place along with ones from Mystic Falls, but passing her practice one day after lunch triggers a series of separate memories outside of the hospital. Counseling. She was his therapist. Peering up at the building, an idea forms in his head, one his brother might not approve of, and definitely a page out of Damon's old playbook. But, this Damon won't be cruel about it and thanks to the signs, he won't torture either. He heads in, remembering protocol he's never abided by in his life. Usually one to barge, he knocks on her door, before taking a seat in one of the chairs, waiting patiently, like he used to.

Except, he never has. And he knows this.

[The memories that fall into place are strange. According to her book, she has many patients - some off the books and most not. However, memories of each one is shoddy at best. Sometimes she remembers when reading a note about it. Other times, she draws a blank. It makes staying professional a difficult task but she perseveres.

She's working on sorting through paperwork that she doesn't remember creating. She stops upon hearing the knock and neatly shuffles the paperwork away, tucking them in a drawer so that her desk appears clear. A wooden desk with a table calendar, a table lamp, a paperweight, and a couple of stationary - pens, pencils, and an eraser. A soft woven cloth sits across the middle of the table, stretched out length-ways. Everything in the room is wood and made to appear somewhat homey, rather than clinical.]

Come in.

[She calls out, clasping both hands loosely on the table as she waits. Damon would be greeted with a warm smile as memories of past sessions click into place in her mind.]

Damon. It's been a while.

Edited 2017-03-12 09:43 (UTC)

[ Up again, he turns the handle to her small office, letting himself in. ]

Recovering from the accident seemed to have spoiled my routine. [ His eyes go wide at that, doing what Elena always called his eye-thing. ] And how is your husband and baby daughter?

[She just smiles at his question though it doesn't reach her eyes.]

I was confused. They aren't here. [The moment passing, she gestures to the chair across from her.] Please, sit. What can I do for you today?

Shame.

[ That stings, as does her reaction, but she wouldn't be the first person. Damon's daily life could be described as 'confused.' Not missing a beat, he takes a seat in a chair he's more familiar with, light memories of doing this before bubbling to the surface again. ]

I just wanted to see if you've resumed your sessions. Even now memories can't quite catch up in a timely matter. It's good to see you back there again. [ He has no thought toward it whatsoever, but go figure. He's doing the friendly thing. ]

It is. [She lets the look of hurt and anger creep into her face for a moment before dutifully filing it away to focus her attention on Damon. Warmth returns to her features and she nods]

It passes the time. And I enjoy helping others. What kind of difficulty have you encountered since your accident?

[ He feels that, too, among a host of other things. ]

Other than reintegrating myself into a life that doesn't quite fit, it's been a scream. [ He slowly leans his head back, evaluating where they are, what he can say. ] It's safe to say that you've resumed your sessions with everyone else as well? All your town usuals?

Edited 2017-03-16 22:57 (UTC)

You can say that. There hasn't been a huge showing as yet. I let people come to me.

[She's not about to reach out by phone to ask people to come for therapy. It has to be a choice.]

When you say 'fit', are you referring to some kind of dissonance? [Because it is nice to know she is not the only one]

[ A lot has happened, including but not limited to his and his brother's estrangement, his and his brother's handling of first Elena and then Katherine's arrival and he could do well to talk to someone about it, someone with zero consequences, someone who won't go and share it after.

Leaning forward, his eyes dilate as he catches hers, his tone staying friendly. ]

You're going to take doctor-patient confidentiality extra seriously with me. Anything discussed within this room will stay in this room, or until I say otherwise. You don't tell anyone about this session, about what I am, or what my brother is. Anything I say that might be out of the ordinary for you, will just be another day in therapy.

[ And then, he breaks that gaze, continuing as if nothing's happened, shifting in his seat. ]

I am, Jiaying. I'm referring to just that kind of 'fit.' But, more to the point, I don't need to fit in here. I've never been a person who's needed to fit in. So, it's not that much of a problem.

[She falls under the compulsion without missing a beat, especially since it's not a request that's too far out of the ordinary]

Of course. I value my clients' privacy.

But something does still bother you. [another attempt to coax him to open up.]

[ That, he looks up at her for, arms on the arm rests. ]

In this town, everything bothers me. [ Not even in this town. ] But, you mean right here. Right now. Where can I start. Someone my brother and I both know, someone who practically made us who we are today arrived here, woke up [ He corrects ] in the hospital, memory-free. [ And his eyes find Jiaying. ] Do you think that absolves someone of their sins?

No. [she says firmly, without knowing where the solemn conviction in her tone comes from.] I don't think so, especially when those memories aren't lost forever.

Well, I set all the naughty feelings, and the desire to rip her heart out aside. It seemed unnecessary when she did things like help and apologize. [ He's disgusted by the way. ]

But, we're about to go -- beyond the scope. I think we can take this somewhere more private, don't you?

[ And without asking,

The waves crash upon a sandy, sunlit beach. Damon and Jiaying now perched on nice, wooden beach chairs. Luckily, compulsion won't make this out of the ordinary and he can continue. ]

It's a trick we vampires have. With cameras in every crevice we have to be able to talk about what's real, and what's this freaky deaky town.

[ He looks over, lifting his sunglasses.

Does Jiaying appreciate the sarong, though? It seemed disrespectful to put her in a bikini.

And thus begins a tale regarding a selfish, narcissistic vampire who picked on two brothers and loved them both, while lying to the both of them about that. Because of Katherine, they're vampires, something Damon asked to be, and Stefan never asked to be. He promised his brother an eternity of misery because of it and until a few years ago, they all thought she was trapped in a tomb with other vampires. But, fret not, she'd escaped, faked her death and she was on the run. It was a turning point for Damon, when he had to admit he felt things. He'd loved Katherine all that time. Now, he felt betrayed. ]

And that's just the beginning, Doc.

[The sarong is much appreciated though she really would have preferred to not have bare shoulders. She looks out at the beach for a moment but returns her full attention to him as he speaks again, telling her a story that seems as wild as it is real. If she only remembers her own history to compare. Still, she doesn't seem too shocked to learn about his identity as a vampire, the knowledge of it stirring a small look of surprise that quickly turned into acceptance. Somehow, something tells her, inhuman abilities are something she's more than familiar with.]

What happened next?

[She asks, eager to listen.]

She surfaced. She came back for Stefan. [ He really only pauses for dramatic effect. ] But Stefan was with Elena. Katherine's descendant and a picture perfect cut-out. That's a longer story my brother can go to therapy for. Suffice it to say, she made all our lives a living hell for half a year. Katherine's always about angles and boy did she have one.

[ He's on his side now, using his elbow to prop himself up. ]

Turns out, the vampire that was after her, an old piece of work who liked to possess bodies and move the chess pieces around from afar [ Also Katherine's MO. Also his. ]. Klaus.

[She frowns, reading the significance but not understanding it. She sits up and turns, sliding her legs off the chair so she can sit proper and face him.]

Klaus? Was she using you to avoid him?

[She guesses. After all, why wouldn't one use a cut out if it's available?]

The opposite. She thought if she lined us up like so, she could bargain for her freedom. You see Klaus really is a special snowflake. He was an untriggered hybrid. A half vampire, half werewolf, and he wanted very much to unlock that side of himself. Cut back to when Katherine was human and Klaus needed her blood in a ritual to do just that. He didn't take kindly to Katherine turning herself and getting away.

[ Damon, too, sits up, bare feet finding sand, continuing his story. ]

Elena, like Katherine, had the same blood - family. It's called a doppelgänger, but you pay by the hour, so, just know they look the same and their blood has lots of surprising properties. [ Like he's going to pay :') ] Anyway, in this ritual, Klaus needed to sacrifice a vampire and a werewolf. Enter Katherine into our lives again. She turns Caroline Forbes. You may have seen her around, she's here now, too. Or, back, from her accident. She's blonde. A lot to take, but, I have a bit of a soft spot for her. Now. Never ask about me.

[ .. ] Where was I?

Katherine's angle. And Klaus.

[Jiaying accepts that demand to not ask about him further. And while she does imprint these names into memory, she's not aware she won't remember this conversation once it's over.]

Right. Katherine's angle. Riddling the town with new vampires and werewolves to ensure Klaus had everything he'd need, enough to grant her freedom. If Katherine Pierce does anything, it's has plans A, B, and C, and it's getting rid of her loose ends. Katherine is the worst. She looks out for herself, surviving is always her number one priority. And now she's here. And she remembers nothing.

Edited 2017-03-25 05:08 (UTC)

[There's something about his description that resonates with a part of her she has yet to remember. But it feels familiar and very very cold.]

If either of us are anything to go by, she will. With time.

And then I'll stab her.

[ Again, in nonchalance. ]

[She looks briefly surprised but comes to terms with it abnormally quickly. She looks around them.]

In this world?

[After all, the sheriff is watching in the real one]

In any. She deserves far more.

You'll need a plan.

[Straightforward and matter of fact.]

I doubt our local law enforcement would approve.

Law enforcement wouldn't know what to do with me. [ But, she has a point. ] All I'll say, is every room has its blind spots.

And every town has a black sheep. [It's said so casually that a very small part of her is startled. A part that is quickly silenced however.] I mean, as long as suspicion isn't cast on you.

A goal I'll work to maintain. Though, that is my specialty usually. Loose ends when need be. [ Doing what's necessary. ]

[A bit more solemnly] Be careful. I'd hate to lose you, Damon.

[ A nod in return. It's probably about time he end their session. But, he'll return. ]

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The slow simmering anger of a mother scorned

school; first week of march

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counseling

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