10271/A Long Walk Home

A Long Walk Home
Date of Scene:	01 December 2019
Location:	New Lots, Brooklyn
Synopsis:	Vanessa gets a safety escort from Andre after she leaves the charity event. American Ninja Warrior draws praise. Of course!
Cast of Characters:	Andre Jackson, Copycat

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Andre Jackson has posed:
    Happy to be heading out from the Charity Ball, though as he saw that Vanessa was leaving alone, he quickly ran and caught up with her. "Mind if i walk you home?" he asks. He quickly calls his aunt to let her know he will be over in a little while. Though all he gets is her voicemail. "Figures, I swear they are like teenagers." he says as he hangs up his phone. He places his phone in his pocket, "So did you have fun?" he asks Vanessa.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle was true to her word, managing to get a meal's worth off the refreshment table, though in a few small trips so it didn't look like she was totally raiding the place. With a freshly sated hunger, and a few glasses of champagne in her to boot, Vanessa went to the door, getting her jacket which the coat check person helped her slip on.

She walks outside and starts down the sidewalk, pulling the jacket a little tighter around her. The sound of footsteps causes her to turn and look, and it takes her only a second to recognize Andre even in the dim light. "Walk me home?" Vanessa says, her face lighting up in a smile. "I'd appreciate that. Though you have a long way to go to get home to Gotham. Are you sure it's no problem?" she asks him.

"I did have fun. I almost didn't go. Just figured... it might be stuffy or... something. Last thing like that I went to was this REALLY ritzy art thing in Central Park. I went mainly because Diana Prince was going to be there and I'm such a fan girl for her. Got to meet her too. Not even just meet. She stayed and talked to me for awhile," Vanessa says, her face lighting up beautifully at the memory.

"Glad I went to this one," she says. "I didn't mean Diana Prince, but I met someone else I think is pretty great too," she tells him.

Andre Jackson has posed:
    "Nah, I have a aunt who lives here in New York, she let's me crash in her spare bedroom. Though lately her and her girlfriend be acting like teenagers if you know what I mean." he says to her as they begin walking. "So don't worry, it's all good." he says to her. "I don't go to things like this honestly, this was my first time honestly. I just wanted to see if it was on the up and up, granted I feel it may have been something else, but I'm glad people came and donated for the kids and honestly glad Andrea and Yana spoke with that politician, though I don't trust politicians truthfully." he says as he looks to Nessa.

    Shaking his head, "I'm glad you had fun if you did." he smiles to her. "So who else did you meet that you thought was great?" he asks. he knows it's not him, though he did have to say it was nice meeting Tim and seeing Andrea again and her friends. Though he was just glad he didn't get kicked out.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa gets a charmed smile as she hears the bit about Andre's aunt. "Well, good for them," she says with a warm laugh. "Just hopefully they don't have thin walls," she says, flashing that warm smile over to Andre.

The talk of the politician draws a deep breath from Vanessa that she lets out in a rush. "You know, I should probably be ashamed to say I don't really follow politics. I don't vote except for President. And even then not all the time. But... hearing him just made me feel like... it doesn't really matter. THere's nothing we can do to keep likes that out of office."

She walks along beside Andre. "Which, I'm not a ditz. I know. Voting is how we keep him out. But is the other guy any better?" I'd never known unless I got to meet them too. Well. It is what it is I guess."

Vanessa peeks over to Andre as they make their way along the sidewalks, heading in the direction of the projects and low income housing that are New Lots. "Oh, I thought you met them too. Was really nice. Kept me company when I didn't know anyone. Introduced me to people." Vanessa will loop her hands around Andre's nearest arm if he allows it. "His name was... Andre something," she says with a grin.

Andre Jackson has posed:
    He sighs a little bit, "That is the way of the world now adays." he says to her. "I know people vote, I vote every once and a while, only if I feel the person is genuine. What I've found out is that most politicians say one thing and do something else." he shrugs. "That is the world we live in."

    When she takes her hand around his arm, he moves in closer to her letting her do that. "Hey as people we all have to do our best to do right by one another." He looks around as they get closer to her home, he knows what to look for and to her Dre feels comfortable in these area. He smiles when she mentions him, "Oh well, I'm glad I helped and honestly I'm happy you came over to speak with me." he tells her. "This made the night even better." he says as he looks at her. "You are pretty cool, good looking as well, but you have a good head on your shoulder."

Copycat has posed:
The compliments make Vanessa's smile grow warmer. "Thank you for that," she tells him, glancing over to shine the soft smile to him. "I don't know about a good head. But I manage to keep going even with... well..." Vanessa says, glancing over where a kid, probably only sixteen, is on a street corner. Slinging rocks, standing and waiting for a car to pull up to make a purchase, or maybe someone on foot. There are others nearby, one to take the money, to hand off the drugs. Others for protection.

Vanessa keeps going with Andre on past. "Anything you can do, keeping your kids away from that stuff? It's such a good thing you do," she tells him. "So your aunt lives here. Do you have other family in the area?"

A cold wind blows down the street, sending stray bits of paper and trash skittering across the pavement, and doing its best to get in under the bottoms of coats or down into the necks to send chills through those still out late like this.

Andre Jackson has posed:
    Dre does see what Vanessa sees, his eyes narrow though one of the guys look towards them, he gives a quick up nod. The other man does the same and they go back to doing what they are doing. He moves Vanessa closer to him, he knows the streets well. "You are a good woman Nessa." he says giving her a nick name. "You do what you need to, and as the scenery changes slowly. "I try, I've gotten kids out of gangs, and from slinging rock or trying to join gangs." he says to her. "Some took a lot longer to handle." he says to her.

    "Yeah she does, but she is all I have, my grandfather went back to China, my parents are in Gotham." he says to her. "I'm grateful for what I have and what I do. I know there is a lot my parents can't do at thier jobs to help people, which is why I do what I do." he says to her. He still looks around.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa walks along close to Andre, hands looped about his arm and gently leaning against his side as they make their way through the mean streets. There are also a few times that people look over and seem to give Vanessa nods of recognition. At one point two working girls down on a corner give an emphatic wave. Vanessa gives them an up nod back before her eyes come back to Andre.

"My building is just up here," she says. "It's... pretty bad. But it's cheap. The rent. Rent controlled. Do they have in Gotham? So it's a fraction what it would cost to get a new place these days. But the super, he puts as little money into it as he can. And then only when we got to the Housing Commission and they make him," she says.

Ahead is the building she speaks of. It has a cage on the door for security. There's graffiti tags on various spots along the walls. "It's kind of cold out here. Would you like to come up and warm up? Maybe get some coffee?" she asks Andre.

Andre Jackson has posed:
    Seeing the working girls, he smiles as he watches Vanessa and it makes him feel good about just seeing her in the element. The mean streets are mean, though if you understand the streets allows you to be, sometimes. Looking ahead as they headed to her apartment, and as she speaks about the landlord and how things are with her building. "If you want something better, I could always speak with the people at the building I stay at and get you something better." he says to her. "I don't have money, but still the people there are good and do what they can to help." he says as he looks at her.

    He listens and he looks to the building and the cage, "Yea I wouldn't mind coming up to spend some time with you." he smiles. "I don't drink coffee, you got some hot cocoa and cinnamon?" he asks as he looks to her as they begin crossing the street.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa smiles, eyes looking to the side as if she's mentally going through her cabinets. "Hot chocolate, I think so. Cinnamon might be more dicey. But we might be able to borrow some if not," she says. She motions with her head for Andre to follow her as she pulls out keys and unlocks the safety gate. "Thankfully this is one of the few things that's always been in good working order," she says of the door.

Once inside, she takes him past the elevator with its "Out of Order" sign that someone has written, "AGAIN!" on beneath it. Over to the door to the stairwell. "Sorry, elevator works maybe a week a month, if that," she tells him. There are lights that are out in the stairwell, Vanessa pulling out her phone to light the way. "One of the boards gave way this summer," she says, motioning towards the stairs. "Older woman's leg fell through. WOoden splinter drove right into her. It was bad," she says, shaking her head. They continue on up to the third floor.

Andre Jackson has posed:
    As they get to the gate, he opens it and let's her through first. Once inside, again Dre listens as she speaks, "We don't need cinnamon. Just a hot glass of cocoa will suffice." he says to her. He chuckles about the elevator. "Hey this sounds like Gotham." eh laughs. Still as they begin going up to the third floor, "Ouch, I hope she is doing alright now." he says as he looks over at Nessa as he still has her hands unless she let him go. He is still looking around to make sure they are alright, he didn't like this, she deserve better. He smiles as he looks towards her, "Are you happy here Nessa?" he asks.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa keeps one of her hands in Andre's, the other holding her keys, and when needed for light, her phone. Though the burned out bulbs are mainly near the bottom. They make the third floor and head down the hallway. The carpet has two big torn spots, and there are marks on the wall from mildew or just someone banging against it here or there.

Vanessa pauses at one of the doors, leaning back against the wall beside it and facing Andre as he asks that question. "Am I happy here? I guess people are pretty resilient. I mean, we figure out a way to get by and try to be happy wherever we are," she says. "Which, maybe it's self delusion, I don't know," she tells him, eyes lowering a moment before she looks back up to him.

She pauses a moment, and then finally turns back to the door. Unlocking it and letting him in. Inside the apartment actually looks very nice. The furniture is modestly comfortable, but cheap. However the walls look like they have a fresh coat of paint. "So there used to be a big hole, the super's plumber made it getting to the pipes and never patched it. RIght there. And... cracks over here. But someone really nice sent some people to repair it. Even painted it and all," she tells him as she closes the door behind Dre and removes her jacket.

Andre Jackson has posed:
    He listens and as she looks at him fully, as she speaks then looks down. He brings his hand up to lift her head up. "I mean no disrespect, please understand that." he says as he looks at her. "You are resilient, so I'm glad you said that." he chuckles to her.

    As she lets them in, he closes the door behind her. He looks around as she points out things to him and he nods his head. "I like it." he chuckles to her. He walks around as they are now inside of her place. "Thank you for letting me come up to hang for a bit." he says letting her know this.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa had looked down, and Andre's fingers gently bid her to look up, her eyes finding his, and a soft smile growing at the guiding touch. "I didn't think that you did," she tells him when he lets her know he didn't mean any disrespect. Vanessa smiled then, and led him inside.

Inside there are three locks on the door. Two deadbolts plus a chain. Vanessa locks each of them and sets her keys on a small table near the door. "Make yourself at home. You can take your shoes off if you wnat. Here, I can take your coat," she says, moving to do so.

Vanessa's own coat comes off, leaving her in the green dress, though she slips off her heels. "Now, hot chocolate," she tells him as she heads for the kitchen. "The heating isn't the best, but it's usually better than the air conditioning. Worst part of summer I had to go crash at my friend April's place," she says. Vanessa starts some water going in the microwave and pulls out a container of hot chocolate mix. She looks over towards Andre. "Thank you for walking me home," she tells him with a smile.

Andre Jackson has posed:
    He takes off his shoes and hands Vanessa his coat. He does walk around and sits down on the couch. He leans back into the couch and get comfortable. He smiles twoards her as she begins to make them cocoa, he was glad she understood about outside her apartment. "Well as long as you have extra blankets, you will be alright." eh smiles. "So how long you going to stay up?" he asks as he watches Vanessa in her green dress as she gets the hot cocoa started.

Copycat has posed:
"It normally takes me awhile to get to sleep," Vanessa Carlysle admits as she pulls the hot water out of the microwave. Cocoa mix goes into two mugs and then she adds water and begins stirring. "I'm kind of bad about it. A lot of the time I end up on the couch, watching one of the movies that help put me to sleep," she tells Andre.

She carries the mugs out of the kitchen, but stops by the door, setting a mug down to free up a hand. She unlocks and then relocks each of the locks, one by one, before picking up the mug and moving over to Andre. Her expression a little self-conscious though she doesn't otherwise mention the matter.

She takes a seat beside him on the couch and passes his mug over. "Careful, it's kind of warm," she tells him. "I usually end up watching Jedi. Puts me to sleep faster than anything. Wizard of Oz works too. Sometimes Casablanca but that one I love enough I sometimes fight to stay awake to hear the quotes," she admits.

Andre Jackson has posed:
    Watching as Nessa as she moves around the apartment and relocks the door. He quirks a brow at her and when she comes to sit down beside him, he takes teh cocoa as she gives it to him. Dre chuckles a little, "Hey everyone sleeps how they sleep, but sometimes, I need to play music or run a fan when I sleep just to have the noise." he smiles.

    He leans back and sips his cocoa, it's pretty warm and it's enjoyable, "Whoa, this is really good." he smiles as he looks at her. Looking at Vanessa, "SO what are you going to do after I head out?" he smiles. "Watch a movie and chill?" he asks.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa gives a little bit of a nod, her eyes rolling about as if at herself, being judgmental of herself. "I've always had some issues with it. Just need something to relax me enough to sleep usually. Exhaustion works too, but is a little less fun than a movie," she says, looking back down to Dre and giving him a small grin.

"Probably, yes, nothing too exciting. So for you, is getting back early a bonus or do you like to sneak in after your aunt and her girlfriend... ah... have run out of steam?" she asks. Vanessa's lips quirk, and she's trying not to to grin too terribly much about that situation. But she can't help grin a little bit, and it shows in her large, expressive eyes.

"It was really nice of you to walk me home. This isn't the safest area, but I've found having a man with me goes a really long way towards avoiding issues," she tells him. She turns to sit on her side a bit more, one leg crossing over the other beneath the green dress as she faces Andre more directly.

Andre Jackson has posed:
    Dre nods his head, "Exhaustion does help quite a bit, working out and well other things." he chuckles. "Well yes that would be way more fun than watching a movie." he says to her. ONce Vanessa turns ot face him more, "As for my aunt and her girlfriend...." he blushes. "They are loud and no shame." he says as he looks to Vanessa. "Her girlfriend is a hottie, but no." he sighs.

    He looks at Vanessa, "Sorry, single guy here." He sees her grin at him, "your messing with me." he says with a wink. "Hey I'm glad I was able to catch you before you left. You're right it's not safe here and I couldn't. Besides, I wanted to talk more with you seeinga s we didn't get to talk as much at the party." he smiles. "Besides, you are killing dat dress."

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa lets out a soft laugh, her eyes flashing at Dre with a bit of mirth. "Well," Vanessa says at the loudness of his aunt. "I mean... good for them that they are taking the zest out of life." She gives a little shrug as if she's trying her best to put a good face on it. "Right?" she asks.

Vanessa leans her head against the back of the couch. "Single? That surprises me," she says without explaining the comment further. "Immerse yourself in your work too deeply? Don't make time for socializing? You seem very open and approachable. And, nice to talk to," Vanessa tells Andre.

His comment about the dress draws a pleased smile from Vanessa. "Yeah? Thank you," she says, voice warm as she looks down. "I haven't worn this in awhile," she says, reaching down to gather a bit of the fabric of the skirt between her fingers. "I was considering asking if you minded if I went and changed quick, but now you're making me want to keep it on if I'm going to get nice compliments for it," she says with a laugh.

Andre Jackson has posed:
    "They really are, I mean...." he pauses for a moment. He shakes his head a little bit not even want to think about what he will see. "Why you seem so surprised I'm single?" he asks as he looks to Vanessa. He smiles at her, "Thank you, I appreicaite that. No I'm not always busy, just not really found that one yet I guess." He smiles not really seeming to be taken off guard.

    When she smiles about the compliment, "You could, but you're home, go get comfortable, I'm sure what you wear next will be just as good, but I can't judge until I see you in it." he laughs. "So what about you?" he asks.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa smiles over to Andre and gives him a smile along with a little single shoulder shrug. "Easy to talk to. Charming. Care about others enough you work at a shelter. And attend charities at other shelters. Kind of charismatic." Vanessa's eyes glance down Andre, without really making any attempt to hide the look. Her eyes lift back to his. "Fit and... pretty darn handsome. I'd expect that you'd be fending interested parties off with a stick," she says.

Vanessa takes a sip of her hot chocolate, then gives a laugh about not being able to judge. "Now you're going to make me self-conscious about whatever I put on," she says, giving his shoulder a gentle poke, not enough to make him spill his hot chocolate if it's in hand at the moment. "Ok, I'll just be a minute. If you want to flip around the TV or radio or something, feel free," she says. "Or if you want to surf, my laptop's there," she tells him, moving over to get it and unlock it where it sits nearby on the end table. "I'll just be a minute." She heads into the bedroom then, glancing back at Andre and smiling before closing the door.

Andre Jackson has posed:
    Dre is a bit spellbound at what she says about him, he looks flattered at her words. "Thank you Nessa." he says as he looks at her. He can't hide the smile on his face and as she looks at him, he likes it and he looks her over as well, "I will have to say the same to you as well, Sexy, smart, street smart, fit and good hearted." he says. "Things that makes you even more special, you have a good head on your head and someone I could definantly see you making a man happy or woman."he smiles.

    When she speaks about her clothing he smiles, "Come on, you look good, can't help a guy for noticing." he say as he looks at her sipping his hot cocoa. He nods his head, he does turn on the tv and looks for something for them to watch, but he doesn't see anything so he turns it off. He leans back in his seat and waits for Vanessa to come back.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa smiled from the doorway to say, "I'd be /upset/ if you didn't notice," she tells him with a grin. She heads into her room then to change. It isn't all that long before she emerges again. She's put on a pair of boxer shorts and a sweatshirt with a faded Cleveland Browns logo on it. It's faded to the point of barely being readable, as if it's an old favorite. And way too big for her so the neckline hangs down and leaves one shoulder bare.

"Ok, now granted, this is, sitting at home at night clothing. Not going out meeting people at fancy charity events attire," she tells him as she walks over to rejoin Andre on the couch. "Find anything interesting on the TV?" she asks as she retakes her seat beside him. "And are you warm? Want another hot chocolate? Or a beer? There might be juice, or wine," she says, looking at her kitchen uncertainly.

Andre Jackson has posed:
    Dre looks towards her as she speaks from her door. "Happy to not dissappoint." he says as he looks at her. Though when she dissappears into her room, he lingered than looking back to the tv, sipping on his hot cocoa until it was gone. When she comes back he looks back at her and sees the old Browns sweater and her boxer shorts. "You still look good girl." he says to her.

    As she comes and sits back down next to him, "Nope. Though I've already have something that has my interest, her name is Vanessa." he grins at her. "I'm fine, besides you're nearby to help keep me warm." he winks at her. "I'm good for now, what about you? Can I get you something to drink?" he asks.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa glances to the TV. American Ninja Warrior. A fit young woman is just starting the course, jumping back and forth from one platform to another. She makes it past that, and then grabs hold of some giant log that rolls down an incline. She starts to lose her grip but then manages to swing her legs to the next platform before she falls. "Ooo!" Vanessa says. "The women never make it very far. But I'm glad they don't have a female version that is less challenging. I like seeing them test themselves like that," She tells Andre.

It isn't long though before the woman splashes into the water on the next obstacle. "See," Vanessa says with a sigh. She rises and moves over to turn off the overhead light, letting the TV, and a strand of Christmas lights strong along a wall, provide the illumination. "Now, see, keep up the flattery and it's like feeding a stray," Vanessa warns. She picks up the remote and flips it while American Ninja Warrior is on a commercial. "I'm good though," she says, smiling over at Andre.

Andre Jackson has posed:
    Dre leans back and as Ninja Warrior is on, he gets comfortable. Watching as the woman goes through course but fails to finish. "That's true, there are only a few who I've seen did make it." he says. "Though there are not a lot of guys who make it far, though they tend to make it to the more." he says as he looks at her. At the mention of compliments are like feeding a stray, he raises a brow, that throws him off a little.

    "Alright, well lets enjoy us some Ninja Warrior." he says as he looks at her. He looks to Vanessa as she smiles at him, he stretches out fully and relaxes finally, he looks around the room with the Christmas lights, he smiles as he looks back to her. "I wonder if this is a marathon?" he asks.

Copycat has posed:
Vanessa glances over in time to see the raises brow at her comment. "Feeding a stray," she clarifies. "Makes it keep coming back hoping for more. Giving me compliments has the same kind of consequence," she tells Andre with a quick wink.

Vanessa flips back to Ninja Warrior, but it's still a commercial. "I don't have any of the streaming services I'm afraid. Just what comes over the air." The streaming services cost money, and the prices have just climbed over the years. She pauses the channel on a few teens who are moving through a cornfield. The suspenseful music suggests it is probably some kind of horror movie. "Oh come on, in a moment like that, you go into a cornfield?" She complains. "Why not hide in the shed of chainsaws?" she asks, citing the one commercial that Geico is STILL playing every year around October.

Vanessa turns back to Andre as she sets the remote down, leaving it on the horror movie. "So besides working at the shelter. And... covering your ears around your aunt's place, what else do you do?" she asks him.

Andre Jackson has posed:
    "AH ok. I was worried you were getting tired of me." he laughs. "Well compliments will keep coming than." he grins as he leans over to shoulder bump her bare shoulder. "Besides, I don't think I can't stop keep complimenting you."

    As she flips through the channels. "I can take care of that for ya." he says to her. "Believe me, I pay for all of mine, and I only share with my parents, so I got ya." he grins at her. "Give you something better to watch at least." he laughs. Dre laughs, "That commercial is hillarious." he says. "I think this is Children of the Corn." he says, "I dont know which one this is though." he says as he looks at the tv. But when Vanessa turns to him, he turns to face her, bringing his knee up to rest on the couch and he turns so that he's facing her. He thinks, "I train in martial arts, try to keep the area around my rec center and apartment is clear of thugs and gang bangers." he says to her. He looks her in the eyes for a long moment than down to her lips. "I haven't gone out in a while, but tonight has been a pretty damn good night so far. WHat about you, what do you enjoy doing for fun?" he asks as he leans in a little closer.