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[livemoore]

Who: Liv Moore + You
Where: Inside the mansion
When: 10-1
Rating: PG-13, talk of people dying.
Summary: Liv is on the chopping block.
The Story:

[ When Liv re-arrives in Wonderland, the timing is incredible. Not because she overly loves being stuck in this place where she can't control the things that happen to her (but when could she these days, anyway?) but because she is literally up for execution. Turning people into zombies when there's a brain shortage is a capital offense these days, but letting people die of incurable diseases? That was worse to her than any punishment and well worth the risk.

Hands and legs handcuffed and mouth taped shut, her eyes widen as she lands in the foyer. Of course it couldn't be her room. She has to sort of hop until she finds someone, hope they recognize her, and decide to help her. It's as she's trying to scoot along that she remembers: she had unfinished business here, and now, in her urgency she falls over, groaning as she hits the floor.

Turtle-ing would be far more embarrassing, so she just sort of rolls to her side, trying to somehow get herself free. ]

Comments

[livemoore]

I'm not sure. And even if I did, Claire has a thing about protecting patient's right to privacy.

[ Even if there are no laws about it. If he did turn out to be her murderer, well, maybe it'd be a different story but Liv truly doesn't know. As they make their way to the clinic, Liv just shakes her head. ]

Whatever happened, however it happened, it can't happen to anyone else.

[outstandingbalance]

I think we're a little outside of HIPAA's jurisdiction, but I respect the ethic behind it.

[She respects the impulse behind it a great deal more than she does Fitz's privacy, in fact.]

Claire doesn't think he did it?

[livemoore]

She does.

[ Liv opens the door to the clinic, not surprised that Claire isn't there, and leads Natasha to an exam room. ]

She didn't feel right going public because of the same reason we're here now: she has no proof. You can see it, and know where it happened and know how she and I think it happened. But it's circumstantial.

[outstandingbalance]

Circumstantial isn't such a bad thing. At least, it's a start. You get enough circumstantial evidence, you can put together a narrative.

[Arms crossed, Natasha glances around the room, taking in the layout.]

So your suspect was on the exam table?

[livemoore]

No, he was in the chair. Claire was at the counter.

[ Liv has her arms wrapped around herself now. ]

She was hit in the back of the head first, she fell, and then her neck was broken. I found her on the ground, and Fitz was laying on top of her.

[outstandingbalance]

[That would make it easier—as a third party, Natasha would have gone for the target in the chair first, but that wasn't conclusive.

And Fitz...

She shakes her head.]

What kind of condition was he in when you found them?

[livemoore]

Um...some head trauma, I think. Abrasions on his face, a cut to his head. He told me he was attacked, but he never said by who or gave a description or said where they went.

[outstandingbalance]

Any other notable injuries?

[That doesn't make a whole lot of sense. If Claire was the target, it would make more sense to incapacitate the potential witness first.]

[livemoore]

Abrasions on his face. A head wound that looked like someone hit him with something hard. Heavy. Nothing that would kill him, though.

[outstandingbalance]

And no sign of what did either? [That would be too easy, wouldn't it? Still, she has to ask. At the very least it would help determine if he could have staged the scene alone or if he'd have needed an accomplice.]

[livemoore]

No. No weapons other than the scalpel that was used to stab Claire. No, for him it was like his head was...slammed against something, not just sliced open.

[ Liv doesn't know if she's making a case for Claire's accusation or not, but she's giving as much information as she can and idly opens a cabinet, taking out an ice pack, activating it, and putting it against her bruised face from the injuries she managed to get at home. ]

Whoever it was left the guy in the chair to watch, killed Claire first, then left Fitz as a witness to it all, alive. But he hasn't given a description at all as far as I know.

[outstandingbalance]

[Natasha chews on her lower lip. She doesn't question that she should get her hands in this. She already chose that when she told Michonne she'd keep an eye out.]

You know who's talked to Fitz about it? I wonder if getting another cook in the kitchen would do any good...

[Which isn't to say she won't investigate. Just that she wonders if investigating personally would be worth tipping her hand to Fitz.]

[livemoore]

As far as I know, no one but Jessica. And that didn't go well, I think. I was so focused on Claire, I just...I zoned out. I sat with her until she woke up again.

[ Liv closes her eyes for a second, then looks at Natasha. ]

I don't know if while I was gone anyone talked to Claire, or talked to Fitz. But what's the next step from here? I mean, what do we do next?

[ She knows if this were a real police investigation Fitz would be brought in for some kind of questioning, but this isn't real-world standards. It's Wonderland, and who knows. Maybe that means there's no digging beyond this and whoever did it gets to walk. ]

[outstandingbalance]

[Natasha isn't looking to take the lead here, but she won't shy away from it either. She projects a certain level of confidence and calm.

And she didn't just get dragged back from some kind of messy situation in her own world either. So there's that.]

We touch base with Michonne. [That's an easy one. Natasha said she'd bring any information to her if she found it; this certainly counts.] And we see who else might have some insight into Fitz's behavior, what he may be up to. I can think of a name or two.

[livemoore]

The only person I could have thought of, left.

[ Great timing on Jemma's part, apparently. ]

Michonne was...doing patrols, right? Looking for anything weird?

[ It's so hard to keep everything straight when it feels like you've been gone a long time and yet it was only a week. ]

[outstandingbalance]

There's other people here from the same world, other people who've spent a fair amount of time with him here too. [Pausing, considering stopping there. It's not Natasha's way to be open with what she knows. Being cagey is baked into her nature. But giving a little can go a long way. She adds:] I'd already brought up his behavior seemed off with Peggy. I'll probably talk to her about it too.

[It's not much, but something before Natasha answers the actual question.]

Michonne's been patrolling. As far as I know, she hasn't turned up much so far.

[livemoore]

I don't know what else I can do to help. I want to, but now there's...stuff from home, and I think...I think if I leave again I'll die for real with no...you know.

[ Her thoughts are a little scattered; she cares about Claire, more than almost anyone in Wonderland, but she's also reeling from a lot at home. ]

If you do need me for anything, I'll help. I'll help however I can. You can let Michonne know, too.

[outstandingbalance]

[It's a little surprising to have this drop in her lap like this, then have Liv back out. It makes sense though.

She knows how it can be when people come back—and it seems like whatever's going on back home, it's a serious distraction.]

I'll let Michonne know. We'll be in touch if we need anything. You take care of what you have to.

[livemoore]

If you think there's anything else I can help with, whatever it is, let me know?

[ She's not trying to back out, she just isn't sure what good she is. Back home, she eats a brain, gets some visions, solves the case. She didn't eat Claire's brain, she couldn't. So she feels useless; the one time she needed to solve something, and there was no way she could have cut into Claire's skull to do it. So, she's short on what she normally brings to the table and besides that, her boyfriend was just murdered.

It's been a long day or two. ]

And thank you. For helping, for caring. I think Claire was starting to believe no one really did, before I left.

[outstandingbalance]

I'm sure a situation like this, a place like this, it's easy to start doubting your own experience.

[There's no judgment. This whole situation is strange.]

We'll take care of this. One way or another.