Fourth Floor Common Room | Sunday Evening | January 10

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

Hayley was, thankfully, not making a giant mess in the common room again. This time she just had a bowl of popcorn sitting mostly untouched on a coffee table. Hayley herself was draped over a couch, debating if she should call some of the people that'd left her messages yesterday back again.

Yeah, no one had told her those weren't intended for her.

For now, she had a 'Man vs Food' marathon on the TV, though it was mostly unwatched. She kept dozing off. The couch was just that comfy.

[ooc: Open!]

Comments

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"I can cook fairly well," Helen admitted. "But I would not be averse to ordering out."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Well, I don't have much money," Hayley said. "But what would you want?"

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

Helen waved a hand. "Money is of no concern. I made sure the priests gave me a generous allotment when they forced me to come here."

She considered. "Pizza is always good. Or Chinese perhaps. I have not tried much of the other options."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Priests made you come here?" Hayley said, intrigued. "Me, I got here to escape from nuns."

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"They did," Helen said grimly. "Apparently, once I had fulfilled my destiny they saw no further use for me."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"You had a destiny?" Hayley said. "And you already finished it? I thought those things were for life."

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"I was to bring about the Wider Times," Helen explained. "And I believe to rid the worlds of Them - a demon race that was controlling the worlds. I did so with a number of the other Homeward Bounders. Now the priests feel they have no more need of me."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"The wider times?" Hayley said, snickering. "What, people were supposed to gain weight?"

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

Helen looked away, to try and control her temper. "Many good people died bringing these things to pass. The Wider Times refers to when the worlds speak again, when they work together instead of against one another."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

To Hayley, Helen was just speaking gibberish.

"Well, good thing you did it then, I guess."

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

Helen nodded shortly and looked down, suddenly missing Jamie so much it hurt.

"It was," she said quietly.

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"...gee, I hit a nerve, didn't I?" Hayley said, feeling bad about it, now.

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

Helen shrugged, trying to hide her feelings. "I... I lost friends and my home, unpleasant though it was. I suppose I'm homesick."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"...you're missin' something unpleasant? And people think I'm crazy," Hayley said.

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"It was all the home I knew," Helen said softly. "And while it was not a pleasant world, at least I felt I had a place there. That I belonged and could contribute. Here... I'm nothing."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"That's just crazy talk," Hayley said. "The only reason anyone is nothing is cause they ain't doin' nothing."

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

She shrugged. "I study all I can, learn everything I can, but I have no place here. And I am less and less sure that the priests will ever let me return home."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

Hayley shook her head. "Well, maybe the reason you have no place is cause you seem convinced you don't have one."

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

She shrugged. "Perhaps."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Every time I start thinking like that, Karla smacks me for it," Hayley said.

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"I'm afraid I have no one to do such a thing," Helen admitted. She wasn't sure it would help, but it might have been nice.

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"No one?" Hayley said. "Well obviously, you need to find some good friends."

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"I'm afraid I'm not very good at this..." she waved a hand between them. "I am trying, but I have far to go."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

Hayley nodded. "Sounds like it," she said. "And that'll go a long way into you feeling like you'll fit in."

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"I hope so," she said, ducking her head.