Dictated [Baby Plot]

[beastisbeauty]

Um. I found an egg in my room. Not a normal egg...apparently it's a baby. I-I need to find Nita Callahan? I'm sorry, but apparently the child is hers as well. Has this ever happened before? This is not like last year.

Comments

Re: voice;

[beastisbeauty]

No! Sorry, I just...that isn't a good idea. The baby isn't hatched yet. There's the m--other person to consider. This Nita Callahan. She might not like that and, well, she'll want her share of time with the child.

Re: voice;

[wishmadeinfire]

Nita... oh, I think I met her once. She is a young girl, very nice, and enjoys dancing whilst making breakfast.

Re: voice;

[beastisbeauty]

I don't know her. I'm glad she's nice. I just...this whole thing is too strange and cruel.

Re: voice;

[wishmadeinfire]

Strange I grant you, but I do not think it is cruel.

Re: voice;

[beastisbeauty]

You don't think it's cruel to partner a young girl with a middle aged man in caring for a child of unknown origin, leaving us to become attached, only to snatch the child away again?

Re: voice;

[wishmadeinfire]

Compared to everything else? No. I look at it as an opportunity to get to know someone else in the Castle you might not have before.

_{[ Even though it might feel cruel to be paired with his former lover. ]}

Re: voice;

[beastisbeauty]

Well, I do. [Bruce answers shortly, his shoulders tensing.] Just because other things are worse, doesn't make this acceptable. If I want to meet new people, I can chat over the journal.

Re: voice;

[wishmadeinfire]

Whether or not we find it acceptable, it is happening. As you no doubt know by now, the Castle does not seem to give two wits what we think.

Re: voice;

[beastisbeauty]

Yes and I'll make the best of it, especially for the sake of the girl and the child. That doesn't mean I have to like it or pretend it isn't utterly horrible.

Re: voice;

[wishmadeinfire]

If I were you? Pretend. If not for your sake, then for the girl, as you say, and certainly for the child. It might have been thrust upon you by the Castle, but it is a child, Bruce.

Not to mention if you cause it harm, the Castle shall make your life difficult.

Re: voice;

[beastisbeauty]

[Bruce stiffens, shock and horrified at the suggestion.]

Y-you think I would do that? Hurt a child? Any child? That's not...God, no! The child is as much a victim of the castle as we are! Hell, I wouldn't be so upset, if it was just messing with me.

Re: voice;

[wishmadeinfire]

I did not think you would cause the child physical harm, Bruce. I hardly think you or Hulk capable of that.

But at the least pretend like the situation is not as emotionally distressing as it is. Else you will have quite a few sleepless nights with your child here, hmm?

[beastisbeauty]

I can handle it. I've learned pretending doesn't really help me contain my emotions. It's easier for me, when I admit what I'm feeling. I'm not going to lose control or do anything foolish. I'll take good care of the child and damn the castle for every minute of it...especially once the castle takes the child away.

[wishmadeinfire]

That is the hardest part. Such a short time with them, but...

Well, I take comfort and think that the Castle cares for them well, in our absence.

[beastisbeauty]

You either trust the castle far more than I do or are far better at lying to yourself. [Bruce chuckles grimly.]

[wishmadeinfire]

It takes such pains to make sure we do no harm. And the children never seem hurt or unhappy when they come to us. So in this, yes, I have faith.

[beastisbeauty]

That doesn't mean the castle cares or takes care of them. It just means it takes them from people who probably do.

[wishmadeinfire]

Or it means it cares for them. We simply do not know. For the sake of myself and the child, I choose to believe that. Until I am proven wrong, I shall believe it.

[beastisbeauty]

Well, more power to you, but I can't just chose to believe something, when all the evidence says something else. I haven't observed anything about the castle to suggest it cares about us or anyone else.

[wishmadeinfire]

It seems to care very much for the things it thrusts upon us. I think that says something about it.

[beastisbeauty]

Would you like to give me an example? I haven't seen it display caring.

[wishmadeinfire]

The children are the prime example of course, but you've seen what it does with things like the mistletoe. You cannot tear it down or make it go away. Not everything it thrusts upon us is so benign as the children, but it does seem to care that its.... Creations are not harmed.

[beastisbeauty]

No, that doesn't prove anything. It doesn't care about or protect the mistletoe. The castle just makes sure we can't protect ourselves from it's games by removing whatever it's using to toy with us. You haven't offered any proof that the castle actually cares for the children...just that you choose to have faith that it does.

[wishmadeinfire]

And sometimes, Bruce Banner, that has to be enough.

_{[ Like he had to have faith that what he was doing back home was right for his people, that it would turn out as Fai had said, as he hoped it might. He had to have faith and he chose to believe that about the children too. ]}

[beastisbeauty]

Well, if you can manage it, I'm happy for you. I'm a scientist. I need proof.