12176/30 Pieces of Truth

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30 Pieces of Truth
Date of Scene: 14 September 2020
Location: Harry Dresden's Apartment, Kingston Falls
Synopsis: A sleepless night gets Karrin and Harry into their worst fight yet. Eventually, some truth comes out around the edges of an argument.
Cast of Characters: Karrin Murphy, Harry Dresden




Karrin Murphy has posed:
It's late. Somehow, the last few weeks have been rather quiet for the couple. They've gotten into a good pattern -- Karrin waking early to cart all the way up to Gotham for work, none of the headaches of her previous position surfaced there. Harry with his normal smattering of scraping by jobs. No one has tried to kill them. No friends have called for help. Life seems strangely normal and comfortable. So, it's strange that Karrin's not in bed. They went to bed an hour ago, maybe two? Quiet kisses, the normal mutterings of drowsy conversation, and Karrin managing to make herself infinitely taller in bed as she definitely takes up half the bed and then some despite her far shorter frame. Or maybe it's because Mister now has a habit of making certain he's directly between their thighs and takes up a chunk of 30 lbs cat on bed as well.

But she's not here. And as Harry starts to come awake, there is a taller, more elegant form sitting on the edge of his bed. Lash watches him, that quiet smile on her lips as she stares at the missing person shape on the pillow. "I guess you're not...quite that comfortable." She murmurs once his mind is half conscious.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Oh. Great." Harry mutters to himself as he looks around in what he assumes to be his subconscious mind. "What do you want, Lash?" the wizard asks annoyed as he moves to sit up in the bed to stare at the fallen angel. "Can't you see I am trying to sleep. I thought I told you not to bother me when I am sleeping."

Hary looks around the bedroom, expecting to see his goateed subconscious self around as well since he usually uses this time to make an appearance as well. "Did other Harry put you up to this?"

Karrin Murphy has posed:
No sight of his subconscious self at all, just that lovely, dark eyed woman perching ever so elegantly on his bed. She's in a night robe that, somehow, drapes to JUST cover anything that would make a movie get a higher rating, but shows most everything else. She gives him innocent, quiet eyes. "You woke up... I was just here. But... I thought you might want to know she left. Was talking to someone too, before she did...Guess you're not the only one in her dreams."

Of course, this means somewhere that Harry's subconscious mind heard it, because Lash is living there, right? She can't be making things up. But she seems honest about the matter and Karrin's body is definitely not in bed. Though her cellphone sits across the room on the little dresser she's claimed and all the other small trappings of 'woman lives here now' are still obvious in his dim bedroom lit by the single gas lamp they leave going as a night light.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden frowns, moving to sit up in the bed now as he realizes he is actually awake and this isn't one of his subconscious dreams that like to mess with his head. "Alright. I'll bite," the wizard says as he slips out of bed and places his feet on the cold stone floor, standing to move out towards the other room. "Who was she talking to?"

Karrin Murphy has posed:
Dark eyes flicker towards the open door that leads out into the front room. Probably where Murphy disappeared. Her robe is gone from the back of his door as well, but with her cellphone there, she's probably still in the apartment. Lash gives a slight, elegant shrug, "How am I to know? She was not on that little box, thing..." She motions to the cellphone across the room. "So...some man of her dreams. Something about charms and protection. Usually your expertise."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden says, "If you are trying to make me jealous, it isn't working," comments Harry with a smirk as he makes his way out of the bedroom and towards the living room. "It will take much more than that to even come close."

Even so, Harry doesn't announce his presence as he wanders into the living room in search of Karrin, stifling a yawn behind a cupped hand as he shambles into the roomi"

Karrin Murphy has posed:
The nice, or annoying thing, about being on the bottom floor of the house is that the floor is concrete, not wood. So there's no annoying creaks to give his steps away as he's wondering upstairs. Karrin isn't in the living room or the kitchen, but the hatch to his lab is thrown open. That's absolutely strange. She's hardly ever down there without him. Maybe never. And the quiet sound of her voice can be heard, a little distant. Maybe still half asleep? It's strange.

"It should be easy... as following these steps. No... I... I don't need it. I told you."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Ok, now this is odd. Harry can count on one hand the amount of times Karrin goes down into his lab without him, and including this time he would still have four fingers left over. "Karrin?" he calls out quietly as he makes his way down the ladder. "Is Bob trying to get you to take your top off again?" Harry jokes quietly. "Because if he is, I am going to bury him in the backyard for a week."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
*Bob*. Karrin generally knows he's there, but had been still so half asleep. Everything feels like a strange bit of a dream. But she hadn't remembered that tonight. Was he in the lab? Upstairs? She doesn't know. She turns drowsy, blue eyes up from the basic charms book that she'd pulled out of his shelves and was looking over. She's got that slightly hazed look of her of someone who was maybe sleepwalking, or didn't entirely realize she was awake.

She also looks a little guilty. "Hmm? No... no. I don't... even know where Bob is. Though now I wonder if I should be worried..." She's wearing nothing but her robe and her sleep t-shirt beneath, so Bob maybe got a show when she passed. "I... I was just talking to myself. Couldn't sleep. Thinking about that trip with your brother. Thought I'd... I don't know... Pitch in on the charms prep."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry looks from Karrin to the book and back, walking over to the small table and checking to see what the book is, and what charm she is researching. "You're not a wizard, Karrin. You don't have any magical talent, and it isn't something you can just learn. You have to have some hint of it to be able to do anything." At least as far as he knows, because that is how he has been taught.

"What don't you need, Karrin?" questions Harry as he slides the book back over towards her, "What charm is it you want to make? All you have to do is ask and I can make it for you, you know."

Somewhere in Karrin's peripheral, the silhouette of a figure in the shadows of the corner chuckles. "You're useless to him, you know. Not without /some/ power."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
It's easier to ignore when she's more awake. The full shape of that figure was something she mainly saw in dreams, when her mind could fill in the rough edges of the shadow, or maybe when it was less able to fight back against what shouldn't be there. But even now, she couldn't ignore that faint shadow. Her blue gaze flickered to the side, trying to catch sight of that thing she could barely see. The voice there. She's stiff and quiet for a heartbeat too long, ignoring the temptation to bite back with words.

Harry had said something to her. He is awake and she's been caught in his lab. She's got to answer. She pulls her gaze from that corner and back up to him, drowsy, strange smile coming for a moment. "... I know you can make it. But you make enough and... there isn't much I can do to help with a gun sometimes. I just thought... I don't know." She sighs, shutting the book. It's on a page about protection against dreams, but she's quickly hiding that.

Lash is suddenly down there with them, her form full color and beauty, as ever. She's been around too long to just be a shadow. In the lab, she always seemed more sharp. More alive. She's perching on one of the tables, her long, bare legs crossing as she watches them both. "...she's hiding things from you already. Did you ever think maybe she's here for the information, and not you?"

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Uh huh..." says Harry as he glances down at the book once again while she closes it. "Are you having bad dreams again, Murph? Because I thought we got rid of those. Kravos is dead, we made sure of that. He can't come back. Not again. If you really think you need a charm though, I will make you another one. No problem."

His eyes flicker to his own shadow sitting behind Karrin, a snort escaping from his nose as the fallen angel attempts to make an absurd accusation. "I mean, you can come down here and research if you want Karrin, but you need to be careful. Some of these books contain things that could be an issue."

Karrin's shadow smiles, brilliant white teeth in a Cheshire grin in the darkness, "See, even now he patronizes you. You can't do this, only he can. Show him he is wrong. You don't need him. I'll give you some of my magic, show him what you can really do. Show him you are equals, that he isn't better than you."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
Something was making her tense. More tense than normal. Where as she was looking in that corner, across his shoulder, a bit too long, now she refuses to look towards it *at all*. Which is a little hard because it means she can't look directly at Harry either, lest she see that strange white smile across his shoulder. She shakes her head again, a little more firmly this time, as he asks about Kravos.

"No, no... Those dreams are well gone. I promise, you'd know if they were back. I just couldn't sleep and was thinking about this family affair of Thomas'. I don't know. We... we should go back to sleep. Come on." She says nothing more about the books. The research. Nor is she meeting his eyes. She now seems almost desperate to escape that lab.

"She won't even *look* at you. Am I really that far off the mark, Harry? How many nights do you think she's snuck down here without you?" Lash shifts off the table and saunters up behind him, all-too-real feeling fingertips daring to trail across his shoulder. It's a more tender touch than Karrin's give him since he woke up. There was no gentle greeting kiss, no tired brush of her fingertips, no contact what so ever from the tired cop since he found her awake in his lab.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden frowns as he looks to Karrin, "Murph, I've known you long enough to know something is bothering you. If it isn't Kravos, then what the hell are you researching sleep charms for?" confronts Harry as he steps in front of that little latter that is the only way out of the lab. "What family affair with Thomas? What are you talking about? Why are you really down here?"

Harry's eyes flick to Lash and then back, his anger at the fallen angel starting to read on his face, which could be easily misconstrued.

Namshiel pokes his head out of the shadows over Harry's shoulder, that white grin all toothy. "See? He he thinks he is more powerful. He is going to use that power to stop you. All you need to do is accept my offer and you will be as powerful...no...MORE powerful than he is. Beat him at his own game. BURN him with fire."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
He's cut off her exit. And he's mad. Karrin's not certain if he's mad at *her* but there's nothing else around to be mad at, ignoring that white grin across his shoulder. Blue eyes jerk up to his, wider than before and a touch angry themselves. "The convention. Splatter!Con. Thomas wants us to go. He gave us badges and VIP passes and everything. I... " Had she forgotten to tell him? Was the thing in the back of her head getting that distracting? "Shit, I... I mean tell you but I got home so late. It's put on by one of his cousins so... we're going as body guards as much as going to... Go."

She cannot avoid looking at the thing across his shoulder, practically screaming at her now. Little makes Karrin scared and, well, she's not exactly scared. But there is a slight wince. A shying away from that area. Maybe it was from him? She's breathing a bit too hard, adrenaline up, shoulders tense. Finally, gritting her teeth against speaking to the thing again, she breathes out to Harry. "...Let me out of this basement."

"And now she's talking to your beautiful brother more than even you... Harry, she's hiding something. You know she is. You can see it. At least I don't hide from you..." Her fingertips are the most gentle, soft touch through his hair in compare to the temper flaring cop in front of him.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Are you fucking Thomas?!" Harry accuses, his eyes showing both hurt and anger. "Because if you are, just tell me."

He lifts his hands up in surrender and just moves to the side of the ladder, "You know what...fine. Whatever. Why don't you just go to his fancy fuckin' apartment with his shower and money and whatever. Just go."

Harry glances off towards his own fallen angel eyes narrowed in anger, "I hope you're happy."

Namshiel on the other hand just laughs loud and hard. "Mighty wizard. Ha. You can take him. Do it. Burn him. You have the power, just will it to be done."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
The accusation comes like a slap across the face, especially combined with the thing across his shoulder and far too much sleep debt. Murphy stares up at him, expression shocked and raw. And then she delivers the physical equivalent to it, a rough snap of an open palmed slap across his face. It happens before she even realizes what she's doing. Her hand jerks back a heartbeat later, some of that hurt on her face now turning to guilt. "... Harry, I've fucked up a lot of marriage but I've never... Never once cheated. Fuck you."

And then across his shoulder, seemingly speaking to NOTHING, she hisses, "And fuck *you too*. Whatever you are!" That is definitely not to him. She's then fleeing the scene, too hurt and feeling a little too guilty, or perhaps tempted, to stay in that room. Trained arms take her up the ladder as quick as her toned body can go with slightly shaking hands.

"...Guess I was wrong." Lash utters in a more quiet, more innocent voice.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Stunned, Harry stands there for a moment reaching up to his face to feel the heat of the slap before a dawning of realization comes over him, and he mutters "Oh...fuck you.."

But he isn't looking after Karrin, he is looking pointedly as the fallen angel in front of him. He can't see Karin's but he can see Lash and she gets the evil eye as he realizes what just happened. Lack of sleep doesn't lead to good judgement, and even though most the time Harry might be able to get the best of Lash there are times she wins a battle, and this was one of them.

Harry rushes up the ladder after Karrin, "Karrin, wait... I'm sorry." he calls out making his way towards the bedroom. "It's...not you."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
At least she's not packing a bag. That's a good sign. She is, however, pulling an extra blanket out of the closet by the dim light of that gas lamp, and grabbing her pillow off the bed. A night on the couch is something she's done more than once in her life. Generally, it's the beginning of the end. But it wasn't the end. Not yet, at least. She's keeping her eyes away from him in efforts to hide that faint glimmer of tears behind them.

"It... it's not you either, not... Really. I just... Fuck, Harry. I fuck up a lot of things but... not that. I just... I need a night." And she tosses the beddings down onto the couch. Not that it looks like she's likely to get any sleep tonight now.

Lash has not deigned to come up the ladder after him, perhaps content with her win for the night and not wishing to push matters too far.

Harry Dresden has posed:
"No..no..if anything, I'll take the couch." Harrys the chivalrous martyr says as he takes Karrin's pillow and starts to bring it back into the bedroom and grabs his own. "That was...I have no...shit. I can't even begin to tell you what is going on in my head. Maybe it is lack of sleep, I don't know. Normally I wouldn't fall for something like that. I...I'm just tired."

But then something clicks and Harry cocks his head, "Wait..were you talking to someone else down there as well? Whatever you are...? What is eating you, Karrin? Are you sure it isn't Kravos again? This has ALL the earmarks of that...even though it can't be true."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
A little groan escapes her lips as she sees him take her pillow and bring it back to the bedroom. Were they really going to do musical pillows? Most likely, knowing them. Karrin sighs and follows after him, reaching up to stop him from taking his pillow out yet. Now that the thing wasn't screaming at her, though her eyes dart to the corner with the most shadows again. That's where she often sees the outline, the rare times it fully comes. Then she's looking back to him, fingertips coming up to rest momentarily against his chest. "No... stop. We... neither of us need to take... The couch." 'The Couch' is said in a heavier tone, something about it holding far more weight than a simple sleepless night for her.

Then her eyes narrow, head tilting as well, "...What do you mean... fall for something like that...? I didn't say anything..." But he's asking questions. Pointed ones now. She stares back into his gaze, expression torn, but she's not yet pulled away. She shakes her head at the question of Kravos. "...N-no. No. I'm almost certain... not. There's been this..." Her gaze trails into the shadows again, almost searching for it now. Daring it to come out, "...shadow. With teeth. I don't see it a lot but... it's there. Sometimes. Telling me it could... give me magic. That I'm useless to you without it. Some nights...it makes a lot of sense."

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Wait, what?" Harry says as he sits down on the bed to be able to look Karrin in the eye as they talk. "What do you mean shadow with teeth?!" Not much makes Harry go pale, but this seems to cause all the blood to drain from his face. "You only see it in your periphery? A reflection? In a shadow? What does it look like? Did it ever give a name? Like 'He who walks behind' or anything like that?"

Harry reaches up and grabs Karrin by the shoulders, "Tell me!? Did it give you a name!?"

Karrin Murphy has posed:
The confusion on Karrin's features is thick, because her threat assessment of this shadow is clearly far, far lower than Harry's. She reaches one hand up, wrapping over top of his almost uncomfortably tight grasp on her shoulders. She shakes her head gently, sending unruly, bobbed blonde hair everywhere. She really needs a hair cut soon, it's getting long. "No. No... name. Definitely nothing like that."

She takes another breath, genuinely thinking it through, her hand rubbing up and down the back of his palm, trying to give some earnest reassurance to him that she is safe, fine, and here. She knows protective panic when she sees it. "No name. It's not in mirrors and sometimes I can fully look at ... Him. Just not usually. More in dreams, or when I'm half asleep. I...honestly don't remember going down to the lab tonight. But then I was there and I was talking to him..." She sinks down onto the bed next to him, but doesn't leave his touch.

"...I... think it started happening after... After the last fight at St. Mary's."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden seems to relax, if only a little, as Karrin starts to disprove his original thought about just who is lurking in the shadows. He starts to let out the breath his was unknowingly holding in a slow steady stream as Karrin continues to speak, his breath catching as she continues to talk and Harry's head turns slowly to look at her. "Did...does it want you to take up that coin?" He continues without waiting for an answer, "But, you gave that coin up to Forthill, didn't you? You don't still have it, right?!" Hypocrite, thy name is Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. "I mean, if you gave it up it shouldn't still be in your head!?"

Karrin Murphy has posed:
As he spills into those questions, still half in a panic himself, Karrin shifts her body on the bed to fully face him. She reaches her hand up to his cheek now, fingertips cupping there, her thumb gentle brushing against the scruff of his 10'o'clock shadow. "Harry. Harry. Take a breath. It's fine. Yes, yes... I gave the coin to Forthill. I don't have it. I know the procedures and I know how to follow them. I wouldn't be near stupid enough to let one of those coins remain in the world." She gives him a reassuring smile, utterly clueless as to his stupidity.

But then there is a trace of guilt in her eyes. The one bit of information she didn't tell him for so, so long. "...but... I did touch it. Just a moment. The box opened. It fell out. I put it right back in. I handed the coin over... I did. I swear I did, Harry. Those things are powerful and... it's just a shadow in my head. It's... all. I just have to remember that. It'll... eventually fade. Right?"

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry flushes as Karrin speaks, clearing his throat and looking away for a brief second as he flushes hot. "Good, good..." he mutters, "I'm glad you gave it over, those things are not to be trifled with. Though if you willingly gave it over to Forthill, I am surprised you still have a shadow in your head. I thought the act of relinquishing it would stop it...I will have to ask Sanya. He would know better than anyone. I'll try and give him a call."

Harry looks up and around, nodding as he lets out a quiet sigh, "It will go away in time, it has to. In the mean time, I can try and help you build up mental walls to try and block it out. Remember, it is a shadow in /your/ head. It can't control you, only try and manipulate you into doing its bidding."

Karrin Murphy has posed:
The flush on his face and his turning away from her gets a look. A long look. Karrin's dead quiet, even as he gives her those reassuring words. There is something she's missing and she can't quite figure out what it is. "..Harry... Why do you look like you're a kid caught with their hand in the candy jar?" Karrin asks quietly, her instincts screaming at her about something. But maybe it was just too late. Maybe it's just paranoia.

She gives his hand a bit of a squeeze, those blue eyes still boring their way through his skull, but she doesn't push too much. It's a relief just to hear that she's not going insane. "...I'll just... wait it out, then. I usually can ignore it. Some times are just...harder."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Harry Dresden sighs. Damnit. Those eyes boring into him do more damage than any Denarian, vampire, or demon.

"Because, Karrin. I've had one of the coins for over a year."