Goodbye Patsy
February 7th, 2024 – Wednesday: 10:32 AM
Garrick woke up this morning to a small cooler just outside the ring he’d made with the sheets. There was a post it note from Katherine:
– K
Smiling about how sweet that was he soon let his team know he was awake when he gave everyone the info dump about Patsy’s Millennium Station version of Jake Thompson. “On her world “Murder Master” is that world’s Jake Thompson! It is highly likely that version of Jake has walled off this dimension. Which makes sense that only Jake could stop Jake. With this knowledge hopefully our Jake can begin researching the correct way to undo his evil self.” The real Jake, as far as Garrick was concerned, decided to help on the principle “Murder Master” was a stupid name so he had to stop him.
12:43 PM
Early afternoon Patsy wakes up. She’s confused and embarrassed about being in Garrick’s bed. She’s even more embarrassed when she realizes she’s been changed into different clothes. As the situation is explained to her (and that Katherine changed her) she relaxes a bit.
Now she looks sheepish and guilty. She can’t believe Garrick had to save her again. She doesn’t remember much after walking away from the Wayfarer and finally calling the sword. Snippets of memory. The spirit within slaying the gang members who came after her because they didn’t like that she had been snooping around. A magical circle of… communication, she thinks? And waiting for… a group to arrive. Allies. Then Garrick and the others interrupted, and freed her.
She tells of how she researched Garrick’s sword and found it had been declared lost during transit after an auction. A similar sword, she discovered, had also been purchased and shipped. She figured that could be what was in the other box! She began to investigate the gangs around the museum, and searched pawn shops all around the area. She was surprised to actually find it in a pawn shop. It was sold there some time ago. People didn’t seem to want it for some reason so it just sat there. Patsy eagerly spent the money on it, intending to bring it back and show Garrick. But once it was in her hand it started talking to her. It implored her to call upon its power, to help him continue to keep the world safe.
It said… a lot of enticing things to her about the power it could give her. The power it could return to her, which she so desperately craved. This frightened her. Not that it was offering this power, but that she was so tempted. By the time she returned home Garrick was still out. She had decided she would keep the sword’s secrets for now. Once she accepted that it transformed into an ordinary bracelet on her arm.
He would talk with her sometimes, imploring her to call upon him. Aaziakel. He would offer to share the secrets of his magical knowledge with her. He would offer to give her the power to matter again, to be noticed, special… She can’t believe she’s admitting all this but it’s so upsetting that she screwed up in such a big way. It was when Aaziakel offered to give her the power to fight Katherine, and Katherine heard his voice too, that’s when Patsy realized she needed to redouble her efforts to get home and reconnected to her former powers. The temptation had become so strong. The promises so alluring… And then finally meeting The Wayfarer and learning that he too was trapped… but Aaziakel said he knew why the world was this way. He could show her why, and he could help her. That’s when she finally…
She trails off. It’s taken a while to get this story out of her. She looks at Garrick finally and says she needs to move out. She thanks him for everything he’s done but she needs to go be on her own. She’s managed to get a passable fake ID so she has an identity in this world. She’ll never be able to thank Garrick enough for what he’s done for her. But she needs to accept that there’s no easy solution to her dilemma. She’s stuck, and it’s time she accepted it and moved on, making a life for herself here.
“You’re status as an “indefinite guest” will remain, I will move your access to the room on the first floor once you find a place and have everything moved over. Through some poor communication on my part to my partner something might have become unclear at one point. Kat and I are beginning to date, and you know enough about me to realize I have A LOT of questions being virgin or undiscovered country here.” He looks around for a few seconds and continues, “Can you step out of my room for a second so I can get something?” About 60 seconds later the doors pop open, “Now, I won’t take no for an answer, but here is $1,000 in cash, $500 to help with a down payment on a car, and $500 to help with any living deposit you might need. All I “ask” is that you let me drive you to your new place so I know you got there safely and the genie Ali Baba didn’t get you.” he attempts to laugh at his own bad joke.
She tells him she’ll take an UberLyft. She wants a clean start and hopes he can understand that. She takes the money but tells him she won’t use it since she already owes him so much. He begins to grab his phone and starts a text to Zeau.
Her phone vibrates and she checks it as he’s talking about the last of his Shorties leaving. The message reads: I might not have the courage to say what my heart is screaming, in another time, in another place, in another world even. May this picture convey how I feel since this is my memory of you. Be your own soul Patsy “Hyperia” Palmer. Just know if you’re ever in need I will find you and come for you, now and forever.
5:27 PM
Kat leaned against the air conditioner on the building’s roof like a trained sniper. Yet no gun was in her hand, she was armed with a caring heart for a man who wore his upon his sleeve. She’d been quietly watching Patsy move out boxes and luggage from a few buildings away. Two of the bags were embroidered with Garrick’s company logo on the side. Looks like he will need to get new bags for the gym. The trips outside to set things down were fairly regular. Nothing seemed out of ordinary there. By the time she’s ready to go it is nearly 6 PM. Kat has already texted Garrick back trying to give him time to say goodbye. In truth she was just trying to play along since she knows it’s important to him. She had taken some of the time to get a few extra things and clean her place before she moved out officially. She decided she could be patient since Patsy was moving out and soon she’d be able to have nothing else pulling on his heart strings.
While moving out her stuff, and her research about the area, Patsy had to stop looking at Garrick. He was sitting at his work table downstairs. She had spied over his shoulder one time and saw all kinds of research regarding how to weaponize an Einstein-Rosen bridge to break through a dimensional barrier! Still his last message to her rang in her head. …if you’re ever in need I will find you and come for you, now and forever. Patsy knew how far he had come to even phrase a statement of devotion, of love to anyone. She was so proud of the progress he had made and yet he gave everything of himself to everyone. When she came in from her last box waiting for the UberLyft. She saw him reading Kat’s text reply and his back was turned. She decided that since she wasn’t living here anymore then his rules about showing affection had to be gone as well. It was now or never! She seized the momentary advantage of the distraction to close with him unexpectedly. Seconds before he could react badly he turns to feel her warm body press up against his and kiss him.
It’s a deep, longing kiss. She left him near paralyzed with that “Kiss” and he’s not sure he’d have stopped anything further. He felt equally as weak kneed as with Miss Amazing. Then she walks out of his home to the waiting UberLyft to leave. For now. There is a long and cold shower between her departure and Katherine arriving about 30 minutes later.
8:17 PM
That night Garrick after an amazing dinner which had no second helpings because of the Shorties. Garrick finishes making sure all of Katherine’s things are on the second floor. Room authorizations are updated with Optimus. Katherine glances in his head and there is some worry he’ll never see her again, but a reminder she wanted this and he has to honor it. Garrick brings Katherine into his room and using a bowl of hot water he washes her feet mentioning he found this idea looking up things boyfriends should do. Then using light oils, he massages them slowly and methodically. Kat playfully asks if this is some sort of fetish? She’s not opposed to it if he enjoys it. She ends up enjoying it more than she expected, and it turns into a rather enjoyable evening for the both of them.
Art by: AZ_Artisan