TIME WARP: A Sad Gathering

[Adrianna Carstyn]

((OOC: For people who knew Adrianna))

July 3, 2013
In Memory of Amelia Harley
R.I.P. April 2, 1974-June 29, 2013

It had been a very long month. For the past few weeks, Amelia had been only getting worse. She was beyond a cure at this point, she had stopped responding to treatment and it was only a matter of time before it all ended. Adrian had spent just about every day in the hospital to be with her mother. It was rough on her, she was just out of Hammel and that's when things started going downhill. She had been called by the nurse to come back to California for a while because of her mother's condition. Talk about a wake up call.

It happened so fast. Adrian didn't know how to react. She had gone to get her mother a drink and when she came back, she had been pushed out of the room by a nurse. She didn't know what was going on, but she wasn't allowed in and was forced to wait in the waiting room. Adri was sitting in one of the chairs with her head in her hands. All that was going through her head was madness. She couldn't think straight at all. No one was there with her, she had no family, no friends, nothing.

The doctor came out with his head hanging. He walked up to Adrianna and put a hand on her shoulder. That was it. Her mother was gone. No one was there to comfort her. She fell to her knees and screamed out in agony. Why her? What had she done to deserve this? She didn't understand.

She didn't have much to do with the funeral because her mother had planned it out from the time she had gotten sick until a few days before her death. It was exactly how she wanted it, now Adrian just had to make it happen. She had made a few calls trying desperately to find someone to help her. She needed a friend. A shoulder to cry on. It was just too difficult to handle alone.

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The day came and Adrianna was sitting in her living room. Her hair was pulled back in an intricate braid and she wore a single-sleeved black dress. She waited. The funeral started at three and it was only one. Her support group were to arrive any time. She stared blankly at the wall, where before had hung pictures of her mother, but now was empty of all memories.

[Robbie Wilkes]

Robbie had never been to a funeral. He never thought he had to. But he knew enough to know that Adrianna probably didn't want to be alone so after a quick phone call to Adrianna, Robbie drove to her house and let himself in to find the girl staring at the wall.

Straightening out his jacket, Robbie approached the girl and placed a hand on her shoulder. They were good friends, the least he could do was offer a shoulder to cry on. "Hey Aid," he called out to her softly, letting her know he was there.

[Adrianna Carstyn]

Adrianna felt a different power fill the atmosphere. She knew exactly who it was because only one person she knew had weather control. Robbie. She didn't move however, she was just drained completely. Her emotions were running high and she was too stressed to do anything else. So she just stared at the wall and waited for him to come in. What would he say when he saw her? It had been only a few weeks since they last saw each other and yet, she looked older. All the stress got to her and made her face more detached. The dark circles from lack of sleep, the stress lines and a permanent frown on her lips.

She heard him come in and she took a shaky breath. He sat beside her and put his hand on her shoulder. She crumbled beneath his touch. Her eyes filled with tears and she put her head in her hands to hide them. She wouldn't cry in front of people. She couldn't. It was weak and she had to be strong.

"Hi Robbie," She said in a broken tone. Her voice alone leaked all the sadness and stress. She looked up at him. Her face was streaked with make up and tears.

[Robbie Wilkes]

Robbie didn't handle crying girls well. It broke his heart when he had first experienced it with Desi about two years ago when he got into a fight with their parents. He didn't like it then, he did not like it now. Especially when it was a good friend like Adrianna.

He turned her around and wrapped his arms around hers, pulling her into a hug. "I'm so sorry, Aid." The weather manipulator rubbed the girl's back soothingly, pressing his lips on the top of Adrianna's head. "She's in a better place. I'm sure of it."

[Adrianna Carstyn]

Adrianna was a little surprised at the hug. Maybe it was because she felt as if she was completely alone. It helped to know that Robbie was still there for her. She needed him more than she liked to admit. He was one of her closest friends, besides Ash and Lucah who both had complicated family matters to attend to. She understood that, but no one else had showed up. It hurt to think that she really had no other friends, but she knew that it was still early. Besides, it was nice being with Robbie alone so she didn't feel like she was crying in front of a crowd of people who would just gawk at her.

"Thank you Robbie. I'm glad you're here," She said quietly as she hugged him back tighter. Adrianna closed her eyes and tried desperately to stop crying. She didn't want to make him uncomfortable with a sobbing girl.

She looked up at him and smiled slightly, "How have you been? I feel a little bad for not talking to you much since graduation and all..." Adri was thankful she had gotten better control on her voice so it didn't sound as pathetic.

[Robbie Wilkes]

"Of course I'm here." Robbie frowned slightly. Why wouldn't he be? Just because he didn't have the same friendship with Adrianna as he did with Estelle, didn't mean she was any less important.

As she looked up at him, he cupped her cheeks and wiped away her tears with the pad of his thumbs. "I've been okay." He brushed a lock of hair that had dropped to her face. "Dude, it's no big. We got busy." He shrugged and tugged her down to sit.

"Besides, it's a two way street. I should have called you myself." He remarked. "Were you here? When she passed?"

[Adrianna Carstyn]

Adrianna nodded slightly. She knew she shouldn't have been surprised. He was one of her best friends, of course he would come. It was just that no one else seemed to care. Talen, her ex boyfriend, hadn't shown up and she figured he would be the first one. She didn't mind though. It didn't matter.

Adri felt much better when she was with Robbie. It wasn't a romantic feeling, it was just a brotherly feeling she got with him. He was always there like the sibling she never had. She looked up at him as he spoke and she shrugged as she sat down. "I guess so. I have been pretty busy lately."

She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed when the questions started. "I was in the hospital, but I wasn't in the room. I feel like such a bad daughter for not being there when she passed." New tears started forming in her eyes. "I should have stayed the whole time, but I had gone to get her something to drink and when I came back..." She stopped. It was hard talking about what happened after. The chaos that had surrounded her.

[Robbie Wilkes]

"Estelle and I just moved to our new apartment two months ago, still haven't unpacked so it's a pigsty." Robbie joked to lighten the mood. Just like they had planned, Robbie and his best friend had moved into an apartment near U of V and were sharing rent with Estelle's boyfriend [whom Robbie suspected would be much more in time to come] Henry.

"So I've just been busy with that. That's why I haven't been able to call you." Robbie shrugged, leaning against his arm on the table beside him. His eyes were fixated on Adrianna as she blamed herself. "No, Aid. No. You can't start blaming yourself. It's not your fault, seriously." Robbie shook his head lightly, taking her hand in his and rubbing it soothingly with his thumb.

"Did Talen come?" The weather manipulator asked. He knew Adrianna had broken up with the dark haired biological manipulator awhile ago but it really shouldn't stop him from visiting. "Ah, never mind. Don't answer that." He shook his head and sighed.

"Wanna get out of here? The service won't be for another couple of hours. You need to breathe."

[Adrianna Carstyn]

Adrianna nodded slightly. She still couldn't smile. It was just too soon for that. "Well that's good. Do you like the apartment?" She asked trying desperately to keep her mind busy. Adri was genuinely curious even though she seemed so distracted. She couldn't help it. "I understand," She too had been busy, even before her mother got sick. She was planning on going to U of V, but still hadn't had much time to prepare.

"It may not be my fault, but I wasn't there Robbie. I left her when she needed me," Adrian said brokenly. She relaxed a little when he took her hand. He was one of the few people that could actually make her feel better in such a rough time. She was glad she called him.

Adri winced slightly at the mentioning of Talen. She had left him a message on his phone, but there was still no word from him. "No, to answer your question. He didn't come. I didn't talk to him, I talked to his voicemail." She sighed, part of her was angry that he didn't come, but the other part didn't care.

Adrianna nodded, "Yes. It would probably help to get out of here. I can show you around Cali," She smiled slightly. She could take him to one of her favorite restaurants that she had gone to when she was younger. There were a few meta's that worked there, she soon found out after a visit.

[Robbie Wilkes]

Shrugging, Robbie made a non-committal noise at the back of his throat in response to Adrianna's question. "It's an apartment. It's near campus and it's in the center of the town so everything's pretty close by. It's all right."

When Adrianna looked to be breaking down once more, Robbie moved closer to her and soothingly rubbed her back. "You couldn't have known. You're not a telepath. You couldn't have known Aid." Robbie reassured her repeatedly. He wasn't good at giving sympathy but what he gave, he gave with all he had. Especially now. After all he had been through at Hammel, he was finally coming to terms with the fact that his emotions didn't completely govern his abilities. He was beginning to allow himself to feel.

"Eh, screw him. I'm here, don't worry." Robbie shrugged and stood up when she agreed to go outside. "I'll set my phone alarm so we won't miss the service." He said before pulling her outside, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

[Adrianna Carstyn]

Adrianna nodded slightly, "I guess. I mean the only reason I'd really like an apartment is because I'd be able to call it mine. I've never really been on my own. I'm kind of scared to be..." She said with a small frown.

Adri took a deep breath and looked down, "I should have though. I should have known and I shouldn't have left her for any reason." She wrapped her arms around Robbie's torso and buried her face in his chest. This was a side of him she rarely saw. He wasn't one to be emotional, the sympathy was surprising to Adrian, but she knew he had it in him. That was one reason she invited him. She knew, despite how he usually was, that he'd be there to comfort her.

When Adrian heard Robbie's response to Talen's absence she smiled slightly. She bit her lower lip as she thought about actually leaving. She couldn't miss the service. And she knew he wouldn't let her. She nodded and followed him outside. "I have a good place to go, you'll like it." She smiled a little wider, showing a bit of her old, happy self.

[Robbie Wilkes]

"Well," Robbie paused a bit to consider his next offer very carefully. "You could always stay with me, Henry and Estelle. I'm sure splitting the rent four ways would make it less of a burden. And it's a huge place anyway. So you know...you won't be alone." The weather manipulator had a crippling sense of protectiveness. He had little sisters he needed to take care of. Because he couldn't do so with his own siblings, he had looked for other people to brother. He was just glad none of them was getting sick of him.

Robbie patted Adrianna's head and made soft reassuring noises to calm Adrianna down. He knew it would be hard to convince her not to blame herself so he just concentrated on calming her down at least. True, it wasn't every day that Robbie doled out comforting anything but he had been seriously re-evaluating his life and hie emotions really were the last thing he should be worried about.

The smile on Adrianna's face allowed Robbie to offer his own. "Okay, okay good. Come on." He let the girl lead him out.

[Adrianna Carstyn]

"Robbie...I wouldn't want to be a burden. I mean I can probably handle being on my own. Besides I doubt Henry or Estelle want me there. I'm just some random person to them..." Adri said quietly. She would take Robbie up on his offer, if it didn't make her feel so guilty. Just because her mother died, didn't mean she wanted to mooch off of everyone else. She wasn't that type. Adrian was kind of happy he offered it though. If it wasn't for the guilt, she would have definitely taken him up on it because he would be there to help her. He had done a pretty good job over the few years she had known him. He was like an older brother in some ways...even if he had his immature moments. Not that everyone didn't have those moments, he just showed them a lot.

Adrianna was definitely comforted by Robbie. He was better at comforting than he gave himself credit for. He was a great friend to her, one she'd hate to lose. That was what made the fact that they hadn't talked in so long worse. She almost did lose him.

Adri took his hand and pulled him across the street. She had to remember how to get there first. It had been a while since she walked there, driving was easy. "Have you ever been to California Robbie?" She asked looking up at him as they walked.

[Robbie Wilkes]

"Well hey now. Henry was a random person to me too at one time." Robbie shrugged but decided not to push Adrianna into making a big decision. Besides, the girl should know that the offer still stands. He would definitely not turn her down if she needed the help.

Oblivious to her guilt, Robbie let the girl pull him behind her. One hand slipped into his pants pocket and pulled out his phone, setting an alarm for at least half an hour before the service. That would give them plenty of time to get back.

"Nah. I've been in Vermont since I graduated from Hammel. I haven't done the whole backpacking through whatever countries just yet," he grinned sheepishly. Sliding, both his hand in his pants pocket, he looked around where they were walking. "Where are we goin'?"

[Adrianna Carstyn]

Adri nodded and shrugged, "I don't know. Lemme think about it, I mean I still have to go through all my mom's stuff and deal with the will and all." She frowned at the thought. It was going to be a long emotional trek for sure. And she would be doing it all alone. One would think after hearing about the death of his wife, whether it be ex or not, the father would come back to help. Well Adri just wasn't that lucky. She had heard nothing from either one of the men that had been in her life at one point. Not that she expected the first to show up, he obviously didn't care.

Adrianna walked through the 'small' town she had called home for the first half of her life. It wasn't small by any means compared to Pilot Ridge, but in California, it was considered small. She knew her way around though. It just took a while to get where she wanted to go.

"Well this is a smaller town in California, my mom always wanted a small town thing going for us. She would have loved living in Pilot Ridge, but she refused to move because she had history in California. I've only been here and Vermont. To be honest, I prefer Vermont." She smiled slightly and looked up at him, "So are you planning on going backpacking? My mother did when she was young and said it was the best part of her life...before me. She'd always add that." Adrianna cut off and looked down. She couldn't help herself. She was just so used to talking about her mother. She expected it to hurt more, but it was nice talking about Amelia when she was healthy and happy. Adrian cleared her throat to force back the tightness, "You'll see. Actually you're the first guy I've ever brought to this place, friend or otherwise. Expect a little bit of questioning. That's all I'm gonna say," She giggled lightly as she continued walking.