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Post by Carver on Jun 9, 2006 13:12:04 GMT -5
Carver followed Lilah into her office. "Security problem. It seems Angel and Elder have decided to get Faith back. They've disappeared into the hell dimension we've been keeping her in. I have men keeping guard over the opening."
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Lilah
Bad Ass Demon Slayer
Legal Eagle
Posts: 318
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Post by Lilah on Jun 9, 2006 18:53:52 GMT -5
Lilah simply poured a glass of bourbon as Carver appeared in her doorway to deliver the latest round of bad news. She turned toward him, leaned against the shelf and thoughtfully swirled the dark liquid over the two ice cubes in the glass. "It never stops, does it?" she muttered.
She cleared her throat and shifted back into business mode. "Right, well, Angel and Mr. Elder will certainly find a less-than-warm reception when they arrive in the hell dimension. And Faith...who knows what state she'll be in. Likely to drive a stake right through her savior's heart. And wouldn't that solve all our problems?" She mirthlessly laughed.
"I see the way they look at me," she said softly, staring into the glass. "Marcus, Kate, all of them. Making a mental inventory of every time I've screwed up. Bethany Chalk, Darla, Billy. They're just waiting for me to make another mistake. And then I went and doubled Cordelia so hey, that's two times the mistake." She downed the rest of the drink and slammed the glass on the table.
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Post by Carver on Jun 9, 2006 19:00:24 GMT -5
"And yet...you're still alive. If Lawrence or someone else messed up as much as you think you have, they would have been terminated." he said. "You haven't. The reason is because, while you have messed up, you've succeeded more than twice as much."
He stepped closer to her. "And for the times you have failed, you did everything you could. Chalk, Darla, Billy Blim, all things that others wouldn't touch. You have ambition, intelligence, ruthlessness, and I...the Senior Partners like that, you're valuable. You're more than valuable, you're...extraordinary."
He looked at the ground, and back up, annoyed that he'd probably embarrassed himself.
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Lilah
Bad Ass Demon Slayer
Legal Eagle
Posts: 318
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Post by Lilah on Jun 9, 2006 19:12:26 GMT -5
She shook her head. "I'm far from extraordinary," she scoffed. "You, you're the one with the blood of the Senior Partners flowing through your veins. I'm just...trying to keep my head above water. I'm allowed to live as long as I'm useful. And I'm running out of ways to be useful."
She gave him a slight smile. "You consider ruthlessness a positive trait? 'Cause being an uber-bitch isn't exactly winning me any popularity contests."
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Post by Carver on Jun 9, 2006 19:19:42 GMT -5
I'm far from extraordinary," she scoffed. "You, you're the one with the blood of the Senior Partners flowing through your veins. I'm just...trying to keep my head above water. I'm allowed to live as long as I'm useful. And I'm running out of ways to be useful."
"The only other people with my blood running through their veins are that idiot Eve and that ponce Hamilton in the other branches. A family like mine, you'd wish you were dead. And if you're running out of ways to be useful, that just means you can find more ways. You're good at that."
"You consider ruthlessness a positive trait? 'Cause being an uber-bitch isn't exactly winning me any popularity contests."
"Oh, no, who cares about popularity? Keep the uber-bitchyness. It's one of the few things that scare me." he said, smiling.
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Lilah
Bad Ass Demon Slayer
Legal Eagle
Posts: 318
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Post by Lilah on Jun 9, 2006 19:31:38 GMT -5
"And if you're running out of ways to be useful, that just means you can find more ways. You're good at that."
She smiled and looked down at the floor. A supportive and encouraging comment was such a rare commodity. Mostly, everyone was too busy trying to slit each other's throats, only sometimes metaphorically speaking.
"Oh, no, who cares about popularity? Keep the uber-bitchyness. It's one of the few things that scare me." he said, smiling.
"Well, I have gotten rather good at it," she agreed. "But it's never my intention to scare you. I mean, you might be the closest thing I have to a friend around here. Let's take stock, shall we? I have my apartment, my job, my checking account, and...you."
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Post by Carver on Jun 9, 2006 19:35:32 GMT -5
"Pretty much the same for me. Apartment I barely live in, money I don't need, brother and sister who I hate and wish death upon, and then you." he said, smiling warmly. "So, putting all that together....not bad at all."
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Lilah
Bad Ass Demon Slayer
Legal Eagle
Posts: 318
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Post by Lilah on Jun 9, 2006 19:49:53 GMT -5
Lilah stepped closer to him with her arms folded across her chest. "Well, we really are a couple of sad individuals, aren't we?" she observed. "Apart from poor feral Faith. And even she has someone to come to her rescue." She inhaled and swallowed hard. "Um, I know that you've gone to bat for me, on more than one occasion. You didn't have to do that. Most people wouldn't. So...just know that I appreciate it."
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Post by Carver on Jun 9, 2006 19:53:01 GMT -5
"It's nothing. Partners like me. Parental issues, I suppose." he said.
He sighed slightly. No point beating about the bush any longer.
“Lilah…” he began. “By now, you know how I feel about you. Hell, the whole building probably does. I'm not asking for anything from you now, I don't want to be pushy, I just want to know if I’m wasting my time, or not.”
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Lilah
Bad Ass Demon Slayer
Legal Eagle
Posts: 318
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Post by Lilah on Jun 9, 2006 20:06:53 GMT -5
She looked into his eyes. Such refreshing sincerity. She just needed to feel something, anything, other than terrified or incompetent.
"Not," she finally answered, taking his head in her hands and hungrily kissing his lips. "But if you tell anyone about this," she interrupted breathlessly, "I will kill you."
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Post by Carver on Jun 9, 2006 20:08:55 GMT -5
"And I really believe you." he said, ecstatic, but not allowing it to show on his face, kissing her back aggressively.
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Lilah
Bad Ass Demon Slayer
Legal Eagle
Posts: 318
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Post by Lilah on Jun 9, 2006 20:18:01 GMT -5
"Well, I'm glad we can finally agree on something; management will be so pleased," she chuckled, planting kisses along his jawline and fumbling with his tie and shirt buttons.
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Post by Carver on Jun 9, 2006 20:23:06 GMT -5
"I don't think I need to tell you how long I've wanted this." he said, becoming more and more aggressive, kissing her more strongly as he let her fumble with the buttons on his shirt that were usually loose anyway.
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Lilah
Bad Ass Demon Slayer
Legal Eagle
Posts: 318
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Post by Lilah on Jun 9, 2006 20:34:46 GMT -5
She moaned gratefully as his kisses became deeper and more passionate. She pushed him against the wall and ripped his shirt open, running her hands along his muscular chest. "It is ridiculous how long they make you wait to qualify for fringe benefits around here, isn't it?" she whispered in his ear, nibbling at the lobe.
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Post by Carver on Jun 9, 2006 20:38:14 GMT -5
He chuckled lightly, and then resumed fiercely, saying, "Do we really have to keep on talking?"
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