••Party Till Dawn

[Elliot Taylor Mercer]

Elliot was exhausted. After the week she’d had, it was a wonder she didn’t fall asleep at her desk! But then, she had always thrived during weeks like this, when everything was in the final stages before presentations. She was working with a new studio on a new pilot. Elliot had always loved science fiction movies and shows and they were her bread and butter. She knew everything about them that she could get her hands on. She had always had a passion for art but it had taken until high school to really find where she wanted to be specifically. When she had finally found her passion in high school, recreating those iconic characters for school projects and coming up with a few of her own for the school plays had been the highlight of her high school years. And every day she woke up to thank that teacher for doing what she had. Without that extra push, E.T. knew she wouldn’t have been where she was now. That teacher got her the apprenticeship that started it all.

And what seemed like a few short years later, having climbed the ladder rung by rung, she was running her own team within the special effects studio and working with so many production studios throughout the city. They were the best, and everyone wanted the best. Elliot would work through the weekend at her house on the final touches to the pieces before the meeting on Monday afternoon, showing the producers of the sci-fi pilot just what they were getting by choosing Elliot Mercer and her team. But tonight, she was going out. Before she’d even left the studio, she was in the mood to dance, and when a mood like that struck, well, Elliot just couldn’t deny it. She had the music basting in her car as she drove home, turned it on again when she got into the house and unpacked her latest projects.

She would worry about them in the morning when she really got down to work. But until then, it would stay forgotten on the table in her home studio. She hopped in the shower before cooking herself something to eat between rummaging through her wardrobe and shoe collection for something to wear out. She has quite the collection and was only half dressed when her food was ready and she took the time to eat. But within an hour, she was downstairs checking her makeup once more while the sweet, old doorman hailed her a cab. A short cab ride had Elliot walking through the doors of the Marquee. She took a minute to adjust to the booming sounds of the music and the flashing lights by the bar while she waited patiently for the bartender to deal with a particularly annoying pair of blondes who looked about ready to be set on the coffee.

Tag || Kai! <3
Words || 480
Clothes || Party Night
Music || You Won't Find This - -Carrie Underwood
Notes || <3

[Kai Edvard Falkenberg]

Kai didn’t exactly enjoy nightclubs and rarely was he caught hanging out in them when he had the choice. However, tonight was a celebration for his little sister and she had made it very clear that she was having none of Kai’s frowns when she dragged him along to The Marquee. It was a night to celebrate her promotion, and with the daily texts to remind him, the tall detective had been wishing that Friday would just come and go already. Coincidentally, this had all happened on the week where his Saturday and Sunday weren’t to be spent in the precinct or with the badge hanging around his neck.

It had been a busy week, as usual, for him. More cases came in, existing ones were solved and the paperwork on his desk was starting to look like a small fort by the time Friday morning had rolled around. Scrawling his name on reports and dealing with the fine details was how he spent most of the day. The rest was spent questioning a new suspect that they brought in and then discussing the case with his partner. Life as an NYPD detective was extremely different to the life he had lived in the Navy, but it was still something he saw as more than a career. Anyone who tried to take that from him would not come out of the situation entirely unscathed. Kai was passionate about his work, and as much as his sister teased him and his mother worried, it was not something that would probably change. He lived to serve and protect and all he had really done was swap one form of that for another, and the ocean for land, though he still had the battle scars to remind him of his life and his naval family.

He wasn’t allowed to talk about that tonight. Even when people who hadn’t met him before had asked him, Astrid had cut him off after “I’m a detective”. She knew how her brother could get and she didn’t need her friends doing goldfish impressions at him. He also had a feeling he was there to play the role of the designated driver for the evening. His car was parked just down the street and Kai had never drank alcohol or partied or done anything associated with the idea. He had just never seen the point in it and when he had a good time, it was always without something intoxicating like that. Right now though, there were two missing from the group and it was the two who Kai suspected would be in the bathroom or in a cab within the hour. Standing up, he caught a glimpse of them leaning against the bar, probably more for support than anything else. Weaving through the crowd, he approached them and gently placed his hands on their arms, mumbling to the two of them about returning to the small booth they had and he’d bring the drinks to them there. With more giggling and stumbles they left and Kai shook his head, leaning over the bar slightly to cancel their order with the bartender. If he had anything to say about it they wouldn’t be drinking anything else tonight. Kai didn’t mind driving everyone home when this was done and over with, but he wasn’t about to spend his weekend trying to air his car out because someone had overdone the vodka. Turning around, he saw a brunette waiting and he didn’t need his badge to know the Olsen Twins of nursing had held her up. “Sorry about that. They got a little carried away on shots earlier.”

[/color] He elaborated, though he didn’t really need to. It was just in his nature to apologise for inconveniences and offer explanations when there was a situation happening around them.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! E.T! <3
WORDS! 638!
OUTFIT! Dashing Detective!
LYRICS! It Ain't Over Yet - - - Bryan Adams
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Elliot Taylor Mercer]

Elliot worked hard through the week, and most weekends. She didn’t get out very often because she was so dedicated to her work. It wasn’t just a job for E.T., it was her whole life. She had known when she was fifteen years old that she was going to spend the rest of her life as a monster maker. At that age, E.T. didn’t think there were any other options, for her. It was design for movies and television shows, the occasional video game and some rich blue bloods Halloween makeup or nothing at all. As much as she loved tattoos, and her skin proved it, she didn’t want skin and ink as a canvas at all. E.T. much preferred the latex and body paint over everything else.

Part of Elliot was afraid to think about what her life would have been like if she hadn’t found this particular art outlet, or if she hadn’t been on that train when it crashed. Would she still be as obsessed with tattoos? Art? She didn’t know. Chances of her following the same path was actually pretty damn good since she’d always excelled at drawing and creating these monsters and creatures. Maybe without that accident, she might not have fallen for tattoos, but she would still have found herself doing what she did now. Elliot wasn’t like typical girls. Horror movies and books didn’t scare her like it did some; she thrived in the darker side of the movie world. She spent more time trying to recreate the masks and headpieces, the makeup techniques to be afraid of the mood the film was trying to achieve.

Tonight wasn’t about work in anyway. Tonight, E.T. wanted to unwind, relax, and have a couple drinks and dance until the early hours. With her hours, she didn’t get out very often unless it was for a work function. Since she was the team leader she had plenty of work to do. And even though she trusted her team to get their jobs done, she didn’t like letting things leave the studio without her looking over it first. It was her name leaving the shop when a piece went out and if it wasn’t up to her high standards, it wasn’t leaving the shop until things were fixed. Having to wait at the bar to get a drink didn’t bother Elliot. She was in a good mood and short of something absolutely terrible happening; nothing was going to bring her down. “Hey, it’s cool,” She said, grinning. “Celebratory shots usually get out of hand.” She waved her hand towards the retreating backs of the girls. “I overhead enough of their conversation to piece it together,” she elaborated, shaking her head. “Can I get you a drink, for the help?” she asked when she noticed the bartender walking their way. When he stopped by them again, E.T. ordered her drink, Gin and Fresca and looked up at the man next to her expectantly. It was the least she could do since he saved her from the drunk girls.

Tag || Open!
Words || 510
Clothes || Party Night
Music || You Won't Find This - -Carrie Underwood
Notes || <3

[Kai Edvard Falkenberg]

If Kai hadn’t been out for Astrid tonight, he’d have been at home, relaxing with a book or he’d have been at the gym, squeezing in another workout to keep his active mind quiet and to keep his fitness level up. He was one of those people who didn’t really know what to do when he had the free time on his hands. Sometimes he took his niece to give his sister a break, but even that he did to keep himself busy and to bond with the happy-go-lucky little girl. He had never been one for parties or weekends full of drinking and craziness. Kai had never touched a drop of alcohol in his life and while he didn’t hold anything against those who did, nothing would change his opinion on that matter. He just preferred to be in control of his actions and to be able to think straight. Plus, in his life he had met too many people who blamed their mistakes on intoxication and it was an excuse Kai just couldn’t accept.

If things had been different, if he hadn’t felt like he had to return home for Astrid, Kai would probably still be in the US Navy. There were days when he missed it, when his job as a detective just didn’t quite fill that void that had appeared when he gave it all up. His mother relaxed slightly now that he was back in the city and only a drive away from the old family home, but Kai knew that she still had about a million reservations about him being with the NYPD. She worried about her children, always had done, but both had been hurt in ways no mother ever wants to see and it made her extra concerned. There were nights when Kai would get home to find missed calls and messages on his machine from her and all because there had been something on the news that had made her panic and reach out to check on her children. They reassured her, but Kai knew that for as long as he had a badge and a gun, the calls would continue.

At least for tonight no one had to worry about anything like that. Kai would make sure everyone got home in one piece and then he’d head back to his own apartment and pass out. Dinner would probably bring them back together again later over the weekend, but that was another time when all work related concerns had to be left at home. Kai even got shouted at if he stopped by with his badge around his neck and his gun holstered at his side. Those were the sort of thing he wasn’t allowed to think about tonight and if his sister suspected it, she’d make sure he quickly forgot with a swift stiletto to his shin. Teaching Astrid to fight might not have been the best decision Kai had made, since she frequently turned those tricks on him when he annoyed her. “They got out of hand about half an hour ago. At least.”

[/color] Kai commented, throwing a glance in the direction of the booth where the celebration was happening. Being tall meant he could see over most of the crowd, which did settle his nerves most of the time in situations like this. “Just a lime and soda for me, thanks.”[/color] A bit of a break from the giggling and dancing of his sister’s friends might be a good, necessary thing.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! E.T! <3
WORDS! 585!
OUTFIT! Dashing Detective!
LYRICS! It Ain't Over Yet - - - Bryan Adams
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Elliot Taylor Mercer]

E.T.’s life practically revolved around her work and the studio. So when a mood struck her, she followed through to give herself a break from the fumes and give her fingers a rest from the tools she frequently used to mold the masks she made so well. Dancing moods hit her few and far between but they were there. Usually she just blasted the music and danced around the studio with her crew and their props for a laugh. And to think, there was no alcohol involved! But there was always plenty of sugar and caffeine for sure. E.T. liked having a clear head about her. After the accident, she was even surprised she allowed herself to lose even a little bit of her control; too afraid some well buried memories may surface. But she figured as long as she only had a couple, she was okay and wouldn’t be putting herself in any danger of repressed memories.

Like any parent, Jessica Mercer worried constantly that her daughter’s work would somehow wake up those memories and throw her little girl or her son back to hospital, pumped full of medications and constantly in rooms with doctors with clipboards and notebooks. Even now, after all these years, Jessica and Brandon woke up in the middle of the night just to call their children and make sure things were good with them. Since the accident, E.T. didn’t get much more than four hours a night anyway, so she was usually up when one of her parents called. Her brother was the same and more often than not, when those parental check-ins were through the siblings were calling each other up to talk. As far as Elliot knew, neither of them remembered much from the train crash but Jordan was good at keeping things to himself but he could never quite keep a secret from Elliot. She knew him too well and he always ended up ratting himself out. Family was everything to Elliot now. Before she had been fifteen and couldn’t have cared less if she skipped curfew or got grounded because of this or that.

E.T. laughed, shaking her head. “Girls will be girls.” She thought aloud, grinning over in the general direction that the young girls have stumbled back to. They might have been young and probably a little bit foolish but they were allowed for a time. She’s been that young but she’d already seen too much by then to be naïve. She put her feelings of rebellion into tattoos and school. She never took a train again and always joked that she needed to work hard to have the money for taxis everywhere she went in the city. Elliot nodded, turning back to the bartender to make sure he got that as she pulled the bills from her bag and pushing them across the bar as their drinks were set down. “Cheers.” She said handing his drink over and lifting her own in salute. She took a sip before setting it on the bar top, keeping her hand over the rim habitually. “So you get to play DD tonight, hm?” she asked, grinning. “I’m E.T. by the way.” She said, finally remembering she hadn’t given him her name.

Tag || Open!
Words || 540
Clothes || Party Night
Music || You Won't Find This - -Carrie Underwood
Notes || <3

[Kai Edvard Falkenberg]

Kai pretty much lived for his job. It had been that way for ten years already and it didn’t look like he was going to stop any time soon. If he really did need to switch off and relax, he was usually found at Gotham, enjoying one of their comedy shows. They ended at a decent hour for him to get back to his apartment to rest if he had an early shift the following morning. Those evenings of desperate escapes only ever came after a rough week, a bad case or when something really touched close to home for the generally stoic detective. Some people commented that Kai was too serious at times, but then most of the time he was around people he was working. He wasn’t a complicated or miserable man, but he had seen enough that he just didn’t like to talk about and people didn’t see that about him because he never told them. It was a sort of Catch twenty-two scenario, but Kai wasn’t all that upset by it.

Sometimes it still seemed as though Kai was stationed far away from home. He had the occasional nightmare, had been delivered bad news about former naval brothers and sisters and there was still so much that he kept to himself. His family would try to get through to him, but it was rarely successful. He had the scars of war both physically and mentally. Happiness, an amazing future and a retirement in the sun wouldn’t change that. He didn’t want to forget though. They had been the proudest moments of his life, even if they weren’t the easiest. Now, he still longed to protect and watch over both his family and the strangers of the city he called home. It was why he did the job he did, why he put in the extra hours and why sometimes he was practically forced into going home when he would rather clear his desk or push on chasing leads.

“I guess they will.”

[/color] He sighed, knowing that as much as he longed to protect Astrid from anyone ever harming her again, she would continue to make choices he didn’t like and leave him worrying. They could both be hobbling about on walking sticks, with terrible eyesight and silver hair, and he would still be trying to make sure that his baby sister was safe. Nothing could ever change that, just like he couldn’t change how she lived her life. Although he was overprotective at times, Kai did his best not to interfere. He’d pick up the mess and make everything better if she made a mistake, but he wouldn’t try to rule her life. Smiling and thanking the brunette, he raised his glass to his lips, savouring the taste of the non-alcoholic beverage. “I always am. I don’t drink.”[/color] He explained casually. Some people were shocked when he made that admission, but Kai didn’t think it all that big of a deal. “Good to meet you, E.T. I’m Kai.”[/color] The girls seemed occupied and out of trouble for now, so he could relax at the bar for a bit. They were more than old enough to take care of themselves, but as always, Kai felt like he had to shoulder the responsibility for them all.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! E.T! <3
WORDS! 551!
OUTFIT! Dashing Detective!
LYRICS! It Ain't Over Yet - - - Bryan Adams
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Elliot Taylor Mercer]

Elliot wasn’t by any means a shy person. She was the complete opposite of shy. She was the first to jump up on a table and dance or grab a random guy as she made her way to the dance floor because her favourite song was playing. She wasn’t stupid about it though, she checked as she walked by, made sure he wasn’t with a girl; she did not need some hot headed drunk girl yelling at her and threatening to put her in the hospital over a dance. E.T. definitely didn’t need that liquid courage a lot of people needed. She also didn’t need or agree with drugs, even though she referenced a quite a few pieces she’d made as things to be seen on acid trips because they were that freaky. Her work was good and extremely detailed, she put everything she had into each piece going out, but some of the pieces she was hired to create had her scratching her head about the people who would watch those movies.

E.T. may have had a past that would scare even the toughest of guys and similar scenarios to what she went through had been used more times than she would care to know as plots and subplots to add to the danger factor but Elliot wasn’t about to let her forgotten memories run her life. That train crash happened thirteen years before and if those memories were ever going to come back, they would have a long time before now. She didn’t have any nightmares like she probably should have. Though she didn’t get more than four hours of sleep a night so there wasn’t much time for nightmares to form. And whenever something did happen, she called her brother up and talked to him for hours about it after apologising if she woke up his girlfriend.

“Oh, like you haven’t done something stupid with your friends before? I find that hard to believe.” E.T. said, teasing. She didn’t know this man from the next in the bar but she also wasn’t about to be anyone other than herself. She could have been polite, make small talk and flirt a little. He was attractive and obviously sociable or he wouldn’t have run off the second he shooed those girls away. She was a pretty girl but she was also covered in tattoos. If those hadn’t scared him off from even speaking to her, she was sure a few sarcastic or teasing remarks wouldn’t break him or send him off crying. He seemed to be made of tougher stuff than that. "No? You've a hell of a lot more self-control than I ever will." She said, laughing. It was easy for her to admit that she needed a drink every once in a while, even if it was just a glass of wine while she soaked in the bath. It was just another way to unwind and with the work she did, there was a lot of mixing and mingling, drinks handed over without the chance to decline them and no place to set them down until she’d already finished the glass. “Pleasure, Kai. Nice name, I like it.” Elliot said, smirking as she lifted her glass to her lips.

Tag || Open!
Words || 542
Clothes || Party Night
Music || You Won't Find This - -Carrie Underwood
Notes || <3

[Kai Edvard Falkenberg]

Kai was a quiet man and usually the kind to linger on the edge of social circles. He wasn’t shy at all, but he was more of a listener and he didn’t really have much to add when it came to small talk and general pleasantries. Nothing anecdotal happened to him when he went out for groceries and his time in work was hardly the sort of thing people liked hearing about; the same could be said for his time away with the Navy. People often started out interested and intrigued by his life choices, but it seemed to be more about the strangely romanticised ideals of those choices, rather than the very harsh reality of them. The very instant Kai brushed upon those moments, people seemed to change their attitude. Being a detective and being in the Navy were not glamorous and they were both jobs that had a lasting effect on Kai. He had always been protective, but he was so now more than ever. Night clubs like this made it impossible for Kai to let his guard down, though he did try. He just had too much of a need to play the knight in shining armour for him to completely let go.

It was a good trait and yet one of the sides to his personality that didn’t always do him favours. His guard was rarely ever down and Kai couldn’t switch off all that easily. The only person to break him away from that was TK when he was babysitting. His niece had him wrapped around her little finger from the second she was born and Kai was so far away. He would give his life for her, but her big eyes and innocent smile chased even his darkest shadows away. It wasn’t easy for him, his mother was forever pointing that out, but Kai was the kind of guy who would always put the lives of others before his own; no matter the cost. The marks down his body was evidence enough of that, though he had been lucky that they had healed fairly healthily compared to some war wounds he had seen. He had his health, his family and now a whole city to serve and protect for as long as that remained a possibility for him. His parents would probably like to see him look at life from a different angle, but Kai was focused and dedicated and burdened nobody but himself with problems. It did keep him slightly distant from other people, but so far he had seen nothing wrong with that.

Laughing quietly, Kai took a moment to think before shaking his head. “Nope. I’m sorry, but I don’t think I have any stupid stories to tell.”

[/color] There had been a few pranks and jokes here and there, but Kai had always shouldered the responsibility for a group and if anything wild had happened then it was usually when he wasn’t present. All he could think of were athletic challenges and a couple of poker nights that had led to dares. The rest of the time he was the one called to help get someone home after too many tequila shots had left them passed out. Right now a break from the table was probably a good thing. They were getting closer to drunk than Kai would like and that was usually when they either tried to rope him into dancing with them or began asking too many questions. “Maybe. I also get to be the one the next day who remembers everything.”[/color] It was often how he tormented friends with hangovers while trying to pick them up with caffeine and greasy breakfasts that Kai would rather not touch. If a tough day got to Kai he took his stresses to the gym and worked them off there. “Thanks. I’ll be sure to pass the compliment on to my parents.”[/color] He joked with an easy smile.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! E.T! <3
WORDS! 659!
OUTFIT! Dashing Detective!
LYRICS! It Ain't Over Yet - - - Bryan Adams
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Elliot Taylor Mercer]

All things considered, E.T. grew up better than expected. Her childhood had been one full of carefree adventure. She had been lucky in that aspect. There hadn’t been anything scary happen where she lived, she’d had plenty of friends and it was starting to look like she was going to have it all when she’d gotten on that train for Miami. When her world turned upside down and she woke in hospital everyone thought she’d been a goner, even though her vitals had been well and there wasn’t hardly a scratch on her compared to Jordan. Her brother had it so much worse but they both pulled through and now they were both doing what they’d wanted with their lives. Elliot went on to do as she pleased, just with more colourful hair dye and tattoos than she’d previously thought and Jordan took a new look at the world and changed his major when he went back to school, becoming a doctor to save others in critical care. She’d had a harsh reality thrown on her but she made it what she wanted. She volunteered with sick kids, teaching them how to draw and giving them the supplies they needed for it. The older kids, she got permission from doctors and parents to take to her workshop to tour. She wanted to help in any way she could and sometimes money just wasn’t enough.

It was nights like these and clubs like this that gave E.T. all the alone time she needed. She could never just sit still and home and let her mind wander. It never went anywhere good, or particularly useful. Whenever she was left alone with her memories, they always tried strolling down the lane marked with warnings. Even after all these years, she still had no clue what happened that terrible day but she also didn’t want to know. She did her time on the shrink’s couch, she didn’t want to remember had go back there. But this was good, it was loud enough that she couldn’t hear herself think and when she needed to really relax, places like this were what the young monster maker needed. Her nightmares were enough to scare grown men but she was lucky to be able to turn her night terrors into faces on the big and small screen. There were plenty of people who weren’t as lucky.

“No stories at all? Now, that’s a shame, I love a good story.” Elliot said, smiling. She wasn’t a very well versed flirt but she wasn’t terrible either. She could hold her own well enough, and she thought she was doing well, keeping up a light, flirty conversation with this man. She had plenty of stories from her college years. But she wasn’t about to open her perfectly glossed lips to tell any of those tales, especially to a relative stranger. “So there is a silver lining.” E.T. teased, lifting her drink to take a small sip. Alcohol wasn’t high on Elliot’s list of fun things but she did enjoy a drink from time to time. Never enough to black out but still a couple drinks on a night out didn’t hurt. “Mm!” Elliot said swallowing the gin and Fresca. “I love this song. Dance with me?” she asked, though she really didn’t give him a chance to actually answer her. It was a pity she had barely touched her drink before the song came on. It was a waste of money but she wasn’t about to drag a grown man and her drink to the dance floor. There were just too many people swarming around and too many chances that drink will spill all over her pretty dress or her new friend. She set her drink on the bar to be forgotten and reached for his hand. She didn’t pull because if he really wanted to sling shot back into Kai.

Tag || Open!
Words || 650
Clothes || Party Night
Music || You Won't Find This - -Carrie Underwood
Notes || <3

[Kai Edvard Falkenberg]

Kai’s childhood had been carefree and pretty wonderful. He grew up in the house where his parents still lived and there were no real problems to complain about. The biggest twists and turns came in adulthood, after his deployment and in the life of his little sister. Most parents got to stop worrying about their children so much once they were out of the family home and legally allowed to make their own choices, but Kai’s had been the opposite. They had probably found more to fuss and worry about since Kai and Astrid had moved out and began chasing their own dreams. Even now since he had returned to the city there were still plenty of moments when he’d see that crease appear in his mother’s forehead after he told her about something, or when she caught a glimpse of a news report where she could see her son in the background doing his job to keep the streets safe. If he didn’t check in frequently enough then she panicked, especially if she knew he’d been working on a big case that could be potentially more dangerous than most.

He preferred to keep busy. When his boss drew the line and sent him home Kai was usually at the gym, sparring, or with his family making sure that they were all safe and well. If he had a night in to himself then it would involve books, cooking and then probably some kind of strength training. He liked to keep fit and stay in shape. It was a hobby for him as well as a requirement. Injuries were usually what put him in his foulest of moods since they stopped him from doing his usual exercise and workouts. Luckily for Kai, injuries came few and far between, so the foul moods could often be kept at bay or sweated off during an intense swim or sparring session with his old Navy buddy. The pair frequently met up for a session and then grabbed a snack in the café by their gym where they could talk about their lives, with Kai’s friend recently talking non-stop about his girlfriend’s pregnancy and his excitement to be a dad. Kai didn’t mind listening. He knew he had prattled on enough about TK when she had been born and he was only her uncle!

Shrugging, Kai let his grin grow. “What can I say? I was a good kid.”

[/color] He could tell stupid stories of his friend’s antics and how Kai had bailed them out, but they were hardly his tales of life. His had more focus on intimidating Astrid’s boyfriends and then joining the Navy right out of high school. There wasn’t exactly much time for teenage craziness and nights out that people couldn’t remember. “I guess there is. How often is there a guy who can explain why the traffic cone came home or how someone managed to break a pedestrian crossing light.”[/color] Both had happened in his experience and both times he had been the one to explain it. Although the latter did come with a warning of “do it again and I’ll put you in the drunk tank if I’m on duty or not”. Kai was finishing off his drink when E.T grabbed his hand. Laughing, he shook his head, but moved all the same. “I don’t dance!”[/color] He shouted over the music, following her anyway. Astrid would give him hell if he played Mr Grumpy all evening anyway, and she forever thought her big brother was being grumpy if he wasn’t doing something “normal”. He had no idea what the song was or who it was by, but awkwardly stood in the crowd, towering over most.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! E.T! <3
WORDS! 657!
OUTFIT! Dashing Detective!
LYRICS! It Ain't Over Yet - - - Bryan Adams
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Elliot Taylor Mercer]

Elliot’s parents were never going to stop worrying about either of their children. After the accident, they were lucky if they were let out of sight. Friends had to come to the house, hang out there and Elliot at least actually had to ask if she could walk down the street to the ice cream parlour. And even then, she had to make sure she had her phone with her and replied to any and all text messages from either of her parents within two minutes or they were calling her. Needless to say, her dating life plummeted into obscurity after she returned to Virginia Beach. It had taken all the sibling’s skills to get their parents to calm down when Jordan decided he couldn’t put off school any longer. It was just as bad, if not worse when it was Elliot’s time to go off to school. It was amusing, they treated her like she was some fragile doll but it had been Jordan who’d taken the worst of it back then. He’d been the one stuck in that hospital bed longer, with worse issues than his little sister. Maybe it was just because she was the baby that they worried just a little bit more but it had always had the same effect; a very confused monster maker.

The makeup artist was sure her parents thought she would run off and join a gang or become some sort of rebel when she left home and went off to school. But she hadn’t done anything too crazy in her four years of school or the six so far after it. She was constantly adding to the art on her skin and in her own books but that was where her rebellious stage began and ended. “If you aren’t giving your parents grey hair before their time, you’re not doing it right!” Elliot said chuckling. She had been giving her mother grey hair plenty before the accident. Her father had taken his only daughter’s antics rather well and usually only had a shake of his head ready when she sported a new colour in her hair or showed him a new mask design she wanted to try out. Afterwards, it was really a miracle either of them had any hair left at all! It was a traumatic experience to say the least.

E.T. tossed a wicked grin over her shoulder and the man she was dragging onto the dance floor. "You do tonight!" She called back, spinning around when she found a good place on the floor. She was hardly a superior dancer but she move to the beat of the song and not like the rest of the women on the dance floor who were using the song playing to basically dry hump the men they were all over. Elliot wasn't about that. Smiling, she stepped up to the tall man she was with and set her hands on his shoulders. "I’ll teach you!" She said, over the loud music. She stepped side to side, saying encouraging things. She was hardly going to be a contestant on some dance show but at least she could pretend like she knew what she was doing. “That’s my foot not the floor but close.” Elliot said before dropping her head to Kai’s shoulder, laughing. “I think it’s time to get you off the dance floor before you become a hazard to someone else.” She added, teasing.

Tag || Open!
Words || 574
Clothes || Party Night
Music || You Won't Find This - -Carrie Underwood
Notes || <3

[Kai Edvard Falkenberg]

By the time he had started giving his parents cause for grief, Kai had been too old for them to really interfere in his life. Not that they would try. His parents had raised both Kai and Astrid to follow their dreams, no matter what. He just knew that his mother, more than his father, would have preferred it if he had found a nice quiet job and lived a regular nine to five life. That had never been Kai though, but if anyone had told him when he was ten that he would join the US Navy then he probably would have laughed at that, too. He never regretted it though, not a single moment of it. Coming back to New York and moving to the NYPD was something that took a while to get used to, but again it was something that Kai wouldn’t regret. His mother probably wished he would, just so he might choose a safer idea of a future, but Kai was one of those people who lived to protect and serve. There was nothing and no one who would be able to change that about him. Although, he fussed and worried about Astrid probably more than their parents did. She was his baby sister and the way Kai saw it was that it was his job to protect her. After she had been attacked it was something he took much more seriously, which was why he insisted on picking her up from clubs after nights like this if he wasn’t already out with her. Right now, Astrid and TK were his priorities along with work and letting his parents know that he was alive and not out dicing with death, as they seemed to assume his job did.

Still, Kai supposed he would rather that they worried than not care at all. His incident with the IED had come shortly before his short leave, so for most of that he had his mother fussing over him and fretting about how worse it could have been. His buddy had been worse off than Kai that time, but both men were back and doing their job for their country once they had been cleared by the doctors. “Oh, I’ve done that, definitely. It just wasn’t when I was a teenager.”

[/color] He remarked with a ghost of a smile that time. Every time he came home she seemed to cling to him a little longer as though verifying that he was real and he was on one piece. Although, even several years on, he still saw his mom pull a face and look upset whenever she caught a glimpse of the scarring. It was usually in the summer when he was helping his dad outside or when they took TK to the beach as a family, but it was almost as though she could only see the mess it had been when he had first come home after it, bandaged and sore.

Kai didn’t go to nightclubs unless it was a friend’s birthday or Astrid dragged him. Even then he was usually by the bar or in a booth for the duration unless he was needed to rescue someone. He never took to the dance floor, had no real like for the music and was often seen to appear more awkward than he actually was. Kai had always put that down to being one of the few sober people in a club who wasn’t part of the staff. “This isn’t ending well.”[/color] He warned. Athletic he was, unmatched in water, but he was also born with two left feet, as though they balanced out the rest of his physical achievements. His hands rested gently and safely on E.T’s waist and he tried to move with the rhythm, but he spent more time clipping his own foot with the other and laughing at himself, but finally he managed to find her foot instead of the sticky dance floor. “Probably a good idea!”[/color] He agreed, nodding his head before leading E.T away from the dancing crowd and back closer to the bar. “Let me get you a drink to say sorry for my clown feet.”[/color] Kai smiled, reaching for his wallet and leaning against the bar.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! E.T! <3
WORDS! 748!
OUTFIT! Dashing Detective!
LYRICS! It Ain't Over Yet - - - Bryan Adams
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Elliot Taylor Mercer]

Elliot hadn’t been a disruptive child. She was more the type to throw paints than a hissy fit but that wasn’t to say she didn’t throw one when she wanted a paint set and her parents said no. Like any child, she had her moments, but her brother was usually there shaking his head and telling her it wasn’t good behaviour; not that she listened to him all that often either. It wasn’t really until high school that she started to listen to anyone and by then it was already too late for anything to “fix” her. She was set in her ways already. Stubborn to the core, creative in more ways than one and had a serious love for the rock and roll vibe. Little of that changed after the crash, Elliot was still stubborn, still loved the rock and roll vibe and her creativity was how she managed to cope with everything. She was stuck in a hospital bed for so long because of internal this and internal that, there wasn’t much she could do. Talking didn’t help much because she couldn’t remember anything at all. The only reason she knew she was working on a project was because when they found her sketch book, the page it was still opened to had obvious smears and tears through, blood covered the page and a few others. But most had been catalogued properly, thanks to Elliot’s OCD when it came to her work. She had to have all her designs drawn up in black and white and colour, there had to be pictures taken and stored in a binder at her desk with a list of everything she would need to bring the mask or whatever it was to reality.

And after, when she was back home, she was quieter if anything else. She didn’t close herself off but she didn’t talk about what happened either. It wasn’t just because it was too traumatic, but she honestly couldn’t and didn’t know where to start even if she could. Her friends had been good though, not letting her get down or too into her own head. The school had given her quite a bit of leeway but she hadn’t accepted it. There were times when she just couldn’t be in class and she walked out without a word and no one said anything because it couldn’t have been anything but PTSD. Occasionally it worked to her advantage. No one usually said anything when she was in the art room when she shouldn’t have been and if she was late for class or missed a day, no one questioned it like they would have for anyone else. But she wasn’t about to let the accident rule her life. She used it as an excuse when she really needed to but other than that she did what she was told. Her parents had become lenient with chores, but she still did what she had before. She wasn’t going to let some bruises and broken bones tell her what she could and couldn’t do. E.T. narrowed her eyes, looking up at Kai, as if doing so would have her understanding which age he’d caused the most trouble. “Older then.” She decided, relaxing her expression into an easy smile.

Elliot enjoyed nightclubs and dancing but she usually dragged someone along with her so she wasn’t there alone. She may have done some crazy things but she didn’t have a death wish. Surviving that train crash was more than enough for the brunette. She may have the lives of a cat but she wasn’t willing to toss them around like they weren’t worth anything at all. Being on the dance floor went well, until Kai actually moved his feet. From there it was laughter mixed with sore feet. She’d brushed off his warning but now she was thinking she should have taken him at his word on his dancing skills. “That sounds like a great apology.” Elliot said laughing. When the bartender approached them, she happily stayed silent to allow Kai to order. She wasn’t particularly choosey when it came to her drinks. She liked to try new things so often enough her drink orders were not the same each night out; though she did always go back to her gin and Fresca.

Tag || Open!
Words || 747
Clothes || Party Night
Music || You Won't Find This - -Carrie Underwood
Notes || <3

[Kai Edvard Falkenberg]

Kai had never been a troublemaker. Astrid had landed herself in trouble more often than he did and she had her brother constantly bailing her out of bother when they were teenagers. Kai hadn’t been some know-it-all academic kid during his time in school, but he had been athletic and it was well known that no one got near his sister without him having something to say about it. Breaking six foot when he was just sixteen also did him favours when it came to scaring people off from challenging him or trying to cross him. His life when he was younger had been swimming and keeping his sister from landing herself in too much trouble. It became a sort of thing in their school; people knew when she had done something because Kai would start speaking really fast and in Norwegian so that no one else could listen in to their conversations. It was quite funny since for a number of years none of their classmates had even guessed at their European heritage and then one day Astrid and Kai were just overheard arguing in the language their family spoke. People had been amused and confused by it then and questions came from every direction until they learnt that Norwegian meant something big had or was going to go down.

Back then it had been silly things like sneaking out to parties or dating a guy Kai didn’t approve of. Since then things had changed for both of them and both siblings had seen their dark times, although Kai would always say Astrid had been through worse. If Kai ever found out who TK’s father was, he feared what he might actually do to him. He prided himself on keeping cool and staying calm, but that would be the one situation where he could guarantee he would lose it completely. Neither of them spoke about it, or about Kai’s time in the Navy. The family knew he had seen things, lost friends and gone through something they could never understand, but they never pressed him for details. Kai was the kind of guy who would rather deal with that on his own and just let it all work out silently. He didn’t like the people around him worrying. There would always be deaths, the occasional nightmares and horrific scenes embedded in his mind. He was a detective now, living a life only slightly less dangerous than the one he had previously had when he was working to defuse bombs and handling live explosives under treacherous waters. “You got it.”

[/color] He said, choosing not to elaborate any further. He wasn’t one to boast or share stories just for conversational purposes.

Kai was the guy who got everyone home safe from a night out. There was never anyone left behind and he had even taken friends home with their flings or “new friends” as some of them put it. He would rather do that than risk having anything else happen. It avoided fights, problems and he called it a way of keeping his desk clean. He doubted he would ever have a clean desk working in the centre of Brooklyn and being a detective with the SVS, but he could hope. On nights out he couldn’t even switch that off. He often caught himself scanning the crowd as though he was looking for a suspect. Right now though, he had a distraction and there was no reason to be worrying or playing the knight in shining armour with his badge. “I had a feeling you’d like it.”[/color] He grinned, before turning his attention back to the bar. Kai ordered E.T a cocktail he knew his sister was particularly fond of. He didn’t know how it tasted or the specifics of what was in it, but it was Astrid’s go-to and so one he could easily remember. In his whole life he had never even sipped a taste of alcohol and it was entirely his own choice. He ordered himself another lime and soda, handed the cash over and then passed the purple drink to E.T. “Enjoy. Although, you’ll need to ask my sister if you want the details.”[/color] He admitted, gesturing to the drink now in the brunette’s hand.
[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size][/justify]

• • •

TAGGED! E.T! <3
WORDS! 748!
OUTFIT! Dashing Detective!
LYRICS! It Ain't Over Yet - - - Bryan Adams
NOTES! <3 <3 <3

[Elliot Taylor Mercer]

Elliot had been an artist from the time she picked up that first pencil. At least, that’s how her family remembers it, and had never hesitated to tell her. Jordan also never hesitated to remind her how good she was academically, barely scraping by with low seventies for most grades; even with tutoring. Her mind was all art all the time and Elliot, despite her parent’s complaints about not getting into a good school, couldn’t muster up enough to care. She loved arts, all aspects of it, even if her pictures turned out blurry because she hadn’t adjusted the focus or whatever. And by the time she was finished high school, she hadn’t used any of that science or math or half the things she learned in English anyway. All the universities E.T. applied to cared more about her art skills anyway and had done little more than a passing glance at the rest of her transcripts.

Art and her friends had kept Elliot out of trouble, for the most part. There were times when it was just innocent fun that took a bit of a turn but her parents had hardly scolded or punished; especially once they found out the entire story and felt the same about it all as their daughter did. Jordan had been a little more devilish and they all knew it. He was the jock, the one with the basketball friends and rugby friends. If there was a party, he was at it, and after some time, Elliot tagged along simply because she could. There had been no harm in any of it and she hadn’t touched a drink she didn’t pour herself so she felt confident in keeping a clear head about her. And after the accident, it just seemed awkward to be at the parties, whenever she could actually get away from her house for them. People gawked, and whispered about her, about the scars they could see, about the tattoo she got to cover one up, then another until she’d left for school. Her social life took a dive her final year of high school alright, but the petite brunette had certainly made up for that in university and afterwards.

Elliot smiled but rolled her eyes. “I’ve had a fantastically busy week and I am in need of a little unwinding.” She said with a shrug as if that answered everything. She could have done with a glass of wine and a nice hot bubble bath with some music in the background or something but that usually meant wandering thoughts and after the week she had, she didn’t want to end it with a phone call to her brother to talk about it all. She couldn’t rely on the man for the rest of her life to deal with those haunting non-memories, she had to figure it out on her own and crowded places like this helped her; a lot. “Cheers!” She said accepting the drink. She took a tentative sip of the purple concoction in her hand a little wary of what she would be drinking. It was good, a little on the sweet side for Elliot’s liking but she didn’t dislike it either. “Does your sister have a sweet tooth?” Elliot asked with a light laugh.

Tag || Open!
Words || 546
Clothes || Party Night
Music || You Won't Find This - -Carrie Underwood
Notes || <3