Log: Marius and Jennie, Thursday

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The quest for Jennie's parentage continues, and Marius delivers on his promise to drag escourt Jennie to her father's building. It doesn't go very well. But what did you expect?



There are second thoughts, aren't there? I sense second thoughts."

Jennie threw Marius a Look. There were indeed seconds thoughts. She started having them the minute they left the mansion. "I don't think I can do this. This is a really bad idea."

Her friend arched an eyebrow at her. "How's that? Let us pursue that line of thought for a moment." Marius steepled his gloved hands, giving her a measuring look. "You go in there, an' what's the worst that can happen? You get thrown out, it's over, it's done with. So there's that. Now, on the other side of it, if you never go in there you spend the rest of your life riddled with angst an' torment about never knowing what might have been an' that. Also an attractive option, an' of course then you get to legitimately expand the amount of black in your wardrobe." Marius cocked his head thoughtfully. "So I guess the real question here is: do you want the angst and torment? Think about it. Because you know sooner or later the school'll reach quota, an' what with all the villainous relatives and evil paramilitary organizations swimmin' around this lot I don't like your odds with a simple claim of unresolved paternity."

Jennie sighed. She really hated when he had a point. Plus, she would become a giant fucking hypocrite when it came to Amanda. "I hate you." She said evenly to Marius. "You know that, right? Pure unbridled hatred here." Squaring her shoulders, she strode off purposefully towards the building that Forge gave as her father's New York address. Crossing the street quickly, Jennie eyed the doorman. He wouldn't do at all. A small flash of red light later, and he was distracted by the pigeon that just crapped all over his uniform. The two teenagers slipped in unnoticed behind him.

Marius grinned and leaned over to her as they cleared the door. "That was barely ethical. I'm so proud."

"Ah, it'll wash off." Jennie said dismissively. Another red flash and the man at the desk was distracted when his coffee spilled all over his lap. Jennie looked at Marius apologetically, "Not even first degree burns there..." The pair came to the elevators. Jennie's hand glowed white when she hit the recall button. The doors to their right pinged open and they ducked inside. Jennie hit the button for the 25th floor and relaxed against the wall. Then she caught Marius smirking at her. "What?"

"Did I say something?" Marius smiled and spread his hands. "Your power comes in useful, no reason not to exploit it. Any port in a storm, I always say. Besides, we're doin' quite well so far. I am of course a loyal supporter of mayhem, but there's a time and a place."

Jennie shook her hands nervously. "Yeah, I just wish I could influence my luck with people. Objects and random happenstance are my forte, with the rest I'm a bit screwed." She patted the bag that contained all the pertinent information in regards to her birth and parentage, just in case she had to provide hard evidence. The elevator was taking forever, leaving her stomach somewhere around the 11th floor. She turned to Marius. "What the hell do I say, again?"

"'Hello, my name is Jennifer Stavros, daughter of one Penelope Stavros, and I have some rather important information I feel I should share with you' to get your foot in the door, then put forth your case. Forge has happily provided the relevant visual aides, yes?" At her nod Marius patted her on the shoulder. "There you go, then. Just let the evidence take you through it. Easy as that."

The elevator dinged as they reached the 25th floor. Jennie swallowed audibly and grabbed Marius by the arm. "And you'll provide backup in case everything goes Fubar?"

Marius tsk'ed. "Jen, Jen. Did I not already fly to an entirely different continent in order to stand between you an' your disapproving relatives in your hour of need? I'm wounded by the insinuation I would do any less." He paused to scratch at a patch of dry skin beneath the seam of his glove. It wasn't the only one; Marius wondered if he were getting some sort of rash. Then again, he had just burned off his skin two weeks ago. Healing factors aside, there were bound to be complications associated with that. Shrugging it off, he dropped his hand. "No worries. I present quite an impressive distraction when the need arises, an' if the situation becomes truly irritating I'll throw my father's name out there. That could be quite entertaining. It's ridiculous how many American newspapers he owns."

Jennie gripped his shoulder in wordless thanks. "I owe you so much now, it's ridiculous. I'm looking at a lifetime of low-cut shirts, aren't I?"

Marius nodded gravely. "Yes. A veritable eternity of continued moral support. Although perhaps I'll allow Sundays off. I am a godly man, you know."

Jennie giggled nervously. They had arrived at an impressive set of double doors. "2505, this should be it." She extended a hand, and then paused. "Wait, do I knock, or do they have a buzzer-thingy?"

"Buzzer and intercomm," Marius said, indicating the panel next to the doorframe. "Many of the posher suites have them. A simple knock so rarely reaches the other side, you know."

Jennie deflated. "Right." She hit the buzzer. Seconds passed and Jennie threw an uneasy glance at Marius, an elderly female voice answered.

"Yes? Who is it?"

Jennie pressed the button again. "Um, I'm here to see Aristotle Niarchos?"

"He's not here at the moment." The voice replied curtly. Jennie cursed quietly. "Now what?" She hissed to Marius.

"Leave him a note at the front desk," Marius replied promptly. "No worries about your message not bein' delivered then, eh?"

"A note?" Jennie stared at Marius. "We came all this way just to leave a fucking note?"

"Oh, perish the thought. The note is just insurance. You're goin' in anyway." Marius leaned forward into the intercom. "Good morning, madame. Would it be at all possible to trouble you for a few moments of your time on Mr. Niarchos' behalf? I believe it's a matter of some familial importance, and if nothing else I think you'll find we'll provide you with at least five minutes of suitably amusing entertainment in a day that has doubtless been otherwise uninteresting."

Jennie looked at Marius, panicked. "What are you doing?" She was about to throttle him when the doors clicked open and swung inwards.

"I'm in the living room." The voice replied.

Marius grinned at his friend. "What, you're tellin' me you'd've been satisfied legging it without at least a quick scan of his flat? We did 'come all this way,' after all." He bowed, gesturing towards the open door. "Ladies first."

Jennie rolled her eyes and walked inside. The suite was spacious and furnished sumptuously. "Holeee..." Jennie murmured. "I've never been in an apartment with an echo before." Ducking around a paneled wall that bordered the front door, she saw the living room. It had an extensive view of Central Park, and was furnished completely in white. Sitting on one of the expensive white leather sofas was a woman whose blonde hair was graying elegantly. She sipped brandy out of her glass delicately before setting it down on the table with a clink.

"Well?" She lifted one silver eyebrow.

"Um." Jennie said intelligently.

"This stunning bloom of young womanhood is Jennifer Stavros," Marius said, coming up behind his friend to lay one hand on Jennie's shoulder, "and I would be her tragically platonic yet trusted associate Marius Laverne. Also stunning, as you can see. May I ask to whom we owe this honour?"

The woman's lips twitched into a smile. "I am Patience Greenwood. Ari is my son-in-law. What business did you have that couldn't be taken up at his office?" She said, without a hint of warmth.

Jennie turned to Marius and mouthed "Stunning bloom?" Before turning back to Patience. "We, ah, we couldn't get into his building to see him. Plus, this is sort of a personal matter rather than business." Plunging ahead, Jennie pulled a file out of her bag. "He and my mother had, um, a thing back in the late eighties, and I believe he and I are related. Like, as in he's my father."

"Oh?" Patience replied, looking rather bored. "Is that all?"

Marius' hand tightened slightly around the sudden slump in Jennie's shoulder. "In my experience, most people appreciate all claims of heretofore unknown paternity be delivered in a private setting," the boy replied cheerfully. "Call it a professional courtesy, in deference to your son-in-law's reputation as a fine, upstanding pillar of the community an' that. Terrible thing to taint, a reputation." Privately, he made a mental note to ask Jennie how big of a stain she would prefer after this encounter was over. Patience was not impressing him.

Jennie straightened under Marius's hand. She waved the file. "I have tax records here, wherein my mother lists a significant amount of gift income. All coming from your son-in-law, up to five months before I was born.” She had decided to not bring the DNA evidence, that wasn’t technically legally obtained. “My mother had also informed me that Aristotle Niarchos was my father, before she passed away in March." So a little white lie wouldn't hurt. "I would like you to give this to him when he returns, which also contains my contact information."

"Sweetheart, why would I do that?" Patience said derisively. "If I sent every little harpy that claimed that the Niachos family owed them *something,* Ari would be up to his neck in lawsuits. No my dear, I think you should leave." She hit a buzzer that sat on the coffee table.

"Wait!" Jennie reached out. "I'm not asking for anything, I just want to know if it's true or not."

"Actually, I think leaving would be an excellent idea," Marius said to Patience in a conversational tone. Dipping his head to Jennie he added in disgusted whisper, "No use windin' yourself up here, Jen, this dizzy bint is obviously spinnin' galaxies away from little things like 'common sense' and 'reality'. In-laws tend to be rather less forgiving of their so-called family's little foibles. Time an' a place, eh? I say we leave that note, an' then we pay a visit to him at his place of business. A vocal one."

Jennie clenched her jaw and nodded. She held up the file again. "I'm leaving this along with a note at the desk downstairs. You can tell him or not, it's no skin off my ass."

Patience shrugged. "Do whatever you want dearie, as long as it gets you and your scruffy boyfriend out of my home."

Marius shot her an unimpressed look. "Ah, no, not my manly pride. Quickly, Jennie, away before we are pierced by the rusty soup-spoon of her rapier wit." The boy favoured the woman with a final roll of his eyes as he took his friend gently by the elbow, guiding her back towards the door. As much as he would have loved to stay and demean Patience's idea of witty repartee, Marius didn't want to subject Jennie to the trauma of being ejected from her father's building by security. She'd had difficulties enough with this venture, and that was the sort of experience it was better to work up to.

Jennie on the other hand, was starting to feel the slow simmer of her temper. It took a lot to get her going, and woe to those that finally incurred it. "That blue-blooded bitch." Jennie growled when they were safely in the elevator. "If that's what I'm related to then they can take this file and shove it up their ass. Did she honestly think that I was some sort of gold-digger?"

"Somehow I don't see any sort of thought goin' on up there whatsoever," Marius replied, leaning against the wall. He tossed his head to flick the hair out of his eyes. "'Scruffy'. Clearly even the art of simple observation is beyond her capacities. Happily, she'd only be your step-grandmother or some bloody thing. Which does not bode well for Mr. Niarchos' homelife, but miracles have been known to happen." He sighed and crossed his arms. "I'm sorry, Jen. I know this could've turned out a bit better."

Jennie rubbed her head. "We did what we came to do." She shrugged. "Honestly, I'm just gonna leave this stuff at the front desk. I'm not even going to try his business. There's probably a stupid amount of security there, and I don't want to embarrass myself in front of a bunch of suits." The elevator slowed and came to a stop. "Still, thanks for coming anyway. Since we're here, you up for a bit of shopping, or gelatto?" Shopping was a guarantee to help with Jennie's suddenly foul mood.

The boy's face spread in a broad grin. "Of course. You know my fabulous taste and I are always up for surrogate-gay-boyfriend duties. How's this: I'll help you pick out something pretty, an' then you can wear it for me." He was still pondering the practicality of hiring a private investigator to demolish Patience Greenwood in some small but significant way, but if Jennie preferred a simple distraction Marius was more than happy to oblige. It was good to just be out again, doing normal things, getting back to his normal life. Despite the complications, the entire day had been more of a relief than he cared to admit.

Jennie grinned. "Yes, and I do owe you a lifetime's worth of ogling." She went to the man at the desk. "This is an important package for Mr. Aristotle Niachos. Can you be sure that he gets it?" Her hands glowed faintly white as she handed it to him. In lieu of cash, a little luck never hurt. She nodded to the confused man at the desk and then stepped out into the sunshine. She linked her arm through Marius’s. "So, my completely-heterosexual-gay-buddy, where to first?"