reminiscence of what was

(1)
• • •

The phone rang, breaking the subdued silence of night in the nuclear district of the Outskirts.

"...Hello?" was mumbled tiredly into the phone.

"Clough?" It was Chardyn. Even in the dead of the night, there was no escaping that thick accent. She was whispering, and there was noise in the background from the end of her line. "Are you awake?"

He rubbed his eyes tiredly and sat up, looking at the digital clock mounted on the wall. It read 3:17. "Yeah, 'sup?" he still spoke in a tired mumble.

"She's doing it again," She whispered. He couldn't quite place the emotion in her voice.

"So make her stop, Char, talk to her. You're eighteen, for fuck's sake. She's seven."

There was silence for a moment and he had a feeling that she was shaking her head. "She won't listen! She's throwing things and screaming, and I think she's going to wake our father up. He came home an hour ago and went to bed, muttering something about no breakthroughs at the cube... Il était faché."

He understood that the situation could get very ugly very fast, not only for Helena but for Chardyn as well if their father woke up in a foul mood. He got out of bed and grabbed his jacket and gloves, sticking the phone in the crook of his neck so he could dress. "Alright, Alright. I'll-"

He was cut off by a loud crash on the other end of the line. "Helena!" she heard Chardyn say in shock.

"The hell was that?" He muttered, grabbing a pair of jeans from the floor and quickly stepping into them.

"Sh-she just broke a window..." The voice on the other end went quiet.

He quietly snuck downstairs, not wanting to wake up his father or his brother.

"Fuck," He muttered. "Look, I'm about t'leave now. I'll be there in five min-"

He was yet again cut off by a noise on the other end of the receiver. This time, however, it was a whimper from Chardyn. "Merde... She woke him up. I can hear him walking around upstairs..."

He cursed quietly and silently opened the front door. "Keep her as quiet as y'can. I'll be there in two." He hit the 'end call' button with his thumb and tossed the phone into a shoe by the door before jogging out into the night.

xXx

No more than ten minutes later, he was quietly walking back into the house, carrying an unconscious seven year old over his shoulder. He considered himself lucky he knew what pressure points to squeeze to knock someone unconscious.

He opened the door to his room and turned on the light. Kicking aside papers strewn about and the occasional article of clothing on the floor, he lay Helena down on the bed before walking back to the doorway. He patted Chardyn's cheek and gently pushed her towards the bed. "Get some sleep, yeah?" He reached into the closet by his door and tossed her an extra blanket. "I'll be down on the couch."

(2)
• • •

It happened very suddenly and at the worst possible moments, like every time.

He was working on a story, if not for the city's paper then for the hidden newspapers they called 'whisper sheets' that went around the skirts. He felt like he got a lucky break, this time. This story was something everybody wanted to hear about, something about the toxicity in the air and whether or not the particles could be melding themselves together to create a chemically induced strain.

He was sitting on the couch, watching the news and sifting through notes, when the phone rang. He removed the pen from his mouth and grabbed the phone. "O'Leary."

"Are you busy?" The speaker had a thick french accent that he knew could only belong to Chardyn.

"Just workin' on a story, why?"

"I was wondering if you could watch Helena... I have an interview at the cube to see if I can get a promotion from delivering mail."

He sighed. "Char, for god's sake, she's thirteen. As paranoid as you can be, she'll be fine alone for a couple hours." As soon as he finished speaking, however, he heard a stomping noise coming from her end of the phone. He sighed. "She's at it again, ain't she?"

"Mhmm." The noise was almost a whimper. "I can't leave her because she'll break things, but I want to at least try for this-"

He set the pen on the table and stood up. "I'll be there in five minutes, Char. Go get ready." He hung up the phone and debated putting on his jacket before dropping the idea. It was way too hot outside.

"Can I go?" His brother asked hopefully from the chair by the TV, looking up from his homework.

"No." He packed up his papers and put them in a desk drawer.

"Aw, come on, Clough...! Why not?" Ardal whined.

"Helena's cycling, You're not done your homework, you didn't eat all your supper and your room is a pigsty. I don't think so." He walked to the door and opened it before leaning against the doorframe and watching his brother pout. "I wouldn't take you anyways because you'd trip over that damn lip on your way over there." He watched Ardal's pout turn into a scowl and he chuckled. "Dad'll be home here soon, anyways. Wouldn't want him to think we got kidnapped."

He heard his brother laughing as he left.

xXx

He walked in without knocking and went straight to Helena in the living room, sneaking up behind her and taking out her legs, pinning her to the floor. He felt a breeze and noticed two of the front windows were missing in the room. "So how're you this fine evening?"

"Fuck you, Clough," she growled in anger, and aimed a kick to his shoulder that he easily blocked by holding her foot with his right hand.

"Clough!" Chardyn came half-running down the stairs. "I'm so sorry I asked you to watch her, it's just that, when she's like this-"

He shook his head and leaned back on Helena's legs, pinning them. "'S fine, Char, seriously. I daresay I know what to do with kids in a situation like this." He grinned a bit, despite what was going on.

"You will make a woman very happy someday, Clough, with all your experience in dealing with kids," she smiled. "Thank you so much." She felt terrible for leaving him with Helena when she was like this, but she needed to try for that promotion. She waved a a goodbye and left, jogging to get there on time.

Helena struggled against him, trying to free her legs. "'Make a woman happy'? Who could ever love a thing like you?" She spat as she punched his right arm with both hands, so many emotions flashing in her eyes.

He knew she was 'cycling', as they called it, and he knew she didn't mean it, but he couldn't help but feel it true.

He sighed a bit and got off of her, moving to sit on the couch. He pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and placed one between his lips before placing the pack back in his jeans and pulling out a lighter.

By that time, the girl had already recollected her mind somewhat and was beside him, sitting on the floor beside his left knee.

"Clough... Clough, I'm so sorry.... I... I didn't..."

He said nothing as he light the cigarette and inhaled. He blew out smoke and didn't look at her. "I know."

She rested her head on his knee and bit her lip. She didn't mean to say it, she didn't even know where the thought came from. She certainly didn't think it true. A tear leaked out from her eye and ran down her cheek as Clough put out the almost unsmoked cigarette and ran his fingers through her hair with his left hand.

She was cycling, that he knew.

And that's why he forgives her.

(3)
• • •

The party was slow tonight.

Clough had managed to get someone to look after his cargo while he met up with Helena.

"Bastard! What took you so long?" She laughed, sitting up from where she lay on the ground.

He tossed her a pewter flask of alcohol. "Yer not in one of the most known places o' the party." Which was true. She was outside of the house, leaning against what looked like a water well.

"Eh, I needed quiet. And I needed guys to stop grabbin' my ass." She took off the cap to the flask and tossed it to him, sniffing its contents before taking a small drink. "Where the fuck did you get whiskey? You're selling beer tonight." she muttered, taking another sip with one hand and patting the ground next to her with the other.

He pocketed the cap and sat down next to her, resting his forearms loosely on his knees. He shrugged. "Some guy who's sellin' it. Homemade, so no one's buyin' it. Apparently the girls get it free so it's probably laced with GHB."

She paused in her drink. "Seriously?"

He rolled his eyes and smirked, taking the flask from her. "No not seriously, you fucking ditz. Buddy next to me gave me some, I gave him a couple beer in return."

She scowled and took the flask back, taking a drink. "You're an asshole."

"And you're as gullible as your sister," he laughed, reaching for the flask. "How's your night so far?"

She shrugged and took another drink before handing him the flask. "Eh. We've been to better."

He nodded and took a sip of whiskey. Considered the taste. Handed it to Helena and leaned back on his forearms. "See any guys?" He murmured with a grin. He knew she wasn't one to go around trying to get picked up.

She sipped the whiskey. "Plenty," she said, grinning back and passing the drink to him again. "None of 'em worth it, though. See any girls?" She knew he wasn't one to go around picking up.

"Plenty," he said with an eye roll as he took a drink. "Maybe a couple I'd go for, if they're not shit-faced 'n mauling me by the time I'm ready to go, which, given how much beer they've bought from me already, I'd give it an hour before they're dancing on tables.." He passed the flask to her, raising an eyebrow. "None of 'em are ever worth your time, are they?"

Helena upended the flask and took a deep breath as the liquid set fire to her throat. "Not yet, no. But by god, Clough, you can't expect me to find someone decent when everyone's drunk or baked as fuck." She tossed the empty flask to him.

He drained the dregs from the flask and put the cap back on. He stood up and pulled her up with him. "True, but ya can't expect to find someone when you're beatin' the shit outta them." He winked and laughed and began to walk back to the party, beckoning for her to follow.

"Touché," She muttered as she followed, punching him in the arm.

He laughed and they melted into the crowd of partyers, filling up the flask for her before returning to his cargo.

• • •