15925/Meeting with Bob

Meeting with Bob
Date of Scene:	28 December 2023
Location:	Harry Dresden's Office, Kingston Falls
Synopsis:	Willow slips into the lab to talk with Bob about some things when nobody else is around.
Cast of Characters:	Harry Dresden, Willow Rosenberg

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Harry Dresden has posed:
The place is quiet. Mouse and Harry are off chasing the whispers of another coin in upstate New York. The Denarians are borderline obsession for obvious reasons.

Willow has the keys to the door and the wards. Living here mostly, the neighbors greet her with waves and nods. Once in a while someone will say hi since she is prettier, more petite as opposed to looming and kind of scary since folks know he calls himself a wizard.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow always says 'hello!'. It's just part of her makeup. Even now, she smiles and waves.

Too bad she hasn't told them she's a witch? Then again they must have an inkling, seeing as no one has pulled her aside and had *The Talk* with her.

This time she actually was glad that Harry wasn't home. She and Bob needed to have a chat so that they were on the same page. Or in the general vicinity.

Putting her books down, she descended the basement stairs to the lab. Whereupon she flung off Bob's covering and stared. "Well? We've got to talk."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Mister walks past her and heads into the office area giving her about as much regard as he gives most, though he does at least brush her leg. It's a start.

The trap door open, the lab is dim, so when she removes the cover and the eyes glow he is really standing out. There is a grumbling as Bob mutters,"Really Harry. I was almost there. Jared was taking Sarista's panties off and...."

Somewhere along the way his brain catches up to the voice. The eyes widen and then narrow tightly,"Miss Rosenberg. What brings you here...and without Harry. I do hope you don't mean to entice me with....well I mean I would be fine with that, but..." Some things never change.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Ew? Even if I wasn't with Harry.. ew?" Willow makes a scrunched up face. "Besides, I have too many things to argue about that. Harry could be getting home any minute now, and I wanted to talk before he does."

"You've been quiet around me. Why?"

Harry Dresden has posed:
Bob settles again, quiet once more. He studies her for a long, quiet moment before he finally replies,"You seem to have encountered someone out there that Harry didn't realize." he replies finally.

"Something you said had Thomas wound up as well." Studying her for a long moment he adds,"Harry might not see it, but there is more to your new hairstyle than hair dye. He is a fool and sees you through a lover's eyes right now."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"And what difference would it make if I did? I'm not doing anything that would have him in trouble. I'm tired of people like Thomas thinking that I am too innocent to be a part of.." And here Willow makes a gesture that is broader in area. "Everyone wants to protect me, but not for the right reasons. So I found someone who would show me without judgement, or being protective, or, as you said with a lover's eyes."

A hand creeps up, ostensibly to hide the black streak. And then Willow lifts up her head and pulls her streak out, as if to taunt him to make mention of it.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Bob studies her for a long time and mutters,"I would appreciate you not bringing him trouble. Harry trusts you, counts on you, and that just doesn't happen. Even Murphy was only given so much space before he would step in."

He sighs and adds,"Everyone wants to protect you Miss...Willow. You don't see what others see. You are powerful in heart and magic. You have an inner light that you don't see, yet everyone else does."

That last statement makes his pause and he looks at her for a long time,"Anger dims the light. I know because mine dimmed. I will tell you straight forward. You are like that character Harry talks about...that Skyhopper kid, Anakin Skyhopper or something, you are right on the edge and could either be a power for healing and goodness or fall to something sinister and destructive."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
"Skywalker. Anakin Skywalker. And that's just a movie."

But that cut close to home. Didn't Xander warn her about using Force Lightning?

Immediately, Willow changed the subject. "They don't care about my inner light. They don't. And besides I have no intentions of hurting Harry. He's been the most wonderful person. I'm really happy we took a chance. At first I thought of him like Thomas. Looking down on me."

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Life imitates art Miss Rosenburg." he replies steadily. There is no judgement, he just seems concerned, more for his own skin than hers. He's like that though.

He has no interest in arguing or debating with her about it,"Harry care about the light in you. He cares about you. It is one of the more disgusting attributes, seeing the good in everyone. I am happy the two of you took a chance and found each other. You are definately a step up from those in the past."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
For? That was a compliment.

She already was feeling guilty - after all Dracula was.. well.. Dracula. And by right she should have turned him away. ..then, again, she summoned him. Albeit with a coin he had 'gifted' her years ago. Maybe he was playing a slow game?

The damnation of Willow Rosenberg.

But almost all her teachers had been on the morally wrong side of the grays. More black than white so to speak. Could she help it if nobody on the lighter side of grays wanted to show her anything new?

Harry Dresden has posed:
Bob waits. Listening if she has more to say. Sometimes he should leave well enough alone. However, he never does. Flirting is common for him, disaster being the key.

"You know the darkness is touching you. I can see it. If Harry looks closer he will see it. There are ways to...conceal it." Bob suggests,"For a price of course, but it is possible." Always the hustler.

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Her first response should have been the politer version of 'go fuckyourself' The fact that she didn't should have told him plenty.

That she didn't tell him outright to fuck off should have worried him.

But the fact that Willow cocked head to one side, and queried, "What are you thinking of?" should have had ripples down his proverbial back.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Bob is in his element and thus making a deal is his second nature. He hmms softly and tells her,"My paperbacks are getting uesd. I have read many of them multiple times. Bring me more books, the trashier the better. If you do that I will tell you. If you can convince Harry to let me out for a night with Mister, I will show you the spell and teach you how to do it, including how to make the blessed water. Not holy water, blessed water."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow snorts. "I can bring you dirty novels any time. And blessed water I'm sure I could figure it out. The one part that leaves me scratching my head is why Mister? You know very well if I tried to ask Harry for that he would know something was up."

"So.. why him?"

Harry Dresden has posed:
"Mister is the common vessel." Bob replies,"If you asked him to put me in a person, then he'd be suspicious. Leaving in Mister would merely make him wonder what sort of nonsense the two of us were about. You could tell him it is the price to help find something you need, like the strange creatures that have been plaguing. He knows if I know something very important, that is the usual price for something important."

He chuckles softly and tells her,"Oh you could eventually find it I am sure. You just have to purify it in the sun for all day, then recite the proper incantation in the right tempo, and then know what time of day to pour it to do the spell. How long could it take?"

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
Willow thought about that.

"It could work. Especially if I timed it right." Yes, Willow didn't say it, but she very much implied that post sexy time would be the correct way to go. "Of course you could always help me with narrowing the monsters we are looking for. Then there would be no lie. Just a sin of omission. For that I could get you some really risque novels."

"Your choice, mind you."

Harry Dresden has posed:
Bob is thoughtful a moment and then tells her,"I think the creature is wendigo. A Native legend. Harry and I have talked about it some, but he isn't convinced."

"None of the creatures in question make sense when it comes to them reaching into your dreams. There is something else at work there. If you suggest it too, that might be it. I can give you some ideas on how to convince him."

Willow Rosenberg has posed:
By this time all sides of Willow were intrigued.

The good Willow wants to solve the mystery. Of course. After all, she was a Scooby, and besides which her first impulse was to help. Especially supernatural stuff.

It was the darker leaning Willow that was interested in what comes next.

And furthermore isn't Bob being just like all the teachers in the past who were not so nice when it comes down to it? The difference is, finally Willow was catching on.

"Okay, you've got a deal."

Harry Dresden has posed:
"All right." Bob tells her,"Books and a ride out of here." he tells her,"That is the deal. The wendigo are known cannibals, they are emaciated skinny and are never not hungry. One act of cannibalism sets them on their path."

"They are nearly unkillable to my estimation and the only consistent lore I can see is burn out their heart. They tend to be solitary, but you never know."