Test scene dc_nation

[tora_olafsdotter]

When most people said their life has been a whirlwind lately they did not mean it literally. For Tora Olafsdotter however that was just implicitly the case. She'd been bandied back and forth in a death that was not her time, sent to hell for apparently short term keeping, her freedom won by her friends and then, due to an excess of love on Bea's part, sent off to Valhalla.

 

That alone would make mere mortals head spin, but Tora had taken it in stride, being dead of course helped. She spent her time in the halls of Asgard and came to be as adored there as she had been on Earth. Her gentle kindness that belied strength, her giving nature, her willingness to help others without them even asking had garnered her such favor that it was deemed she deserved the chance at the life which had been so cruelly stolen from her.

Odin, and all father gifted her this one thing, return to the flesh. So she had been found a fragile looking nude body adrift in the snows of Norway. No national hero is so quickly forgotten and her return was heralded to the Justice League, veterans familiar with her trekked to see if this was indeed the once demigoddess turned heroine. After tests and interviews there could be no question Tora had returned, and was warmly embraced.

Her return was not so easy for the maiden of ice though, her mind adjusted slowly and then only with the help of friends. Many had come to see her or she had tagged along with others. Particularly interesting was today's venture with Ralph Dibny. He had always been a kind hearted man with a sense of humor less ...worrisome than that of Booster and Beetle. Tora looked forward to spending some time with him. Only hoping her own death would not put him off the chat.

She had just set about making herself a cup of tea when she heard the arrival. Smile brightening her face like sun glinting off a snowbank. She all but ran to the door, opening it to greet an old friend. "Ralph!" As with everyone she'd seen of late, regardless of how close they had been previously, he was recipient of a tight and heartfelt hug. She was just about sweet enough to cause cavities. "Wont you come in?" She released him and took a step back to invite him inside.

Comments

[itsastretch.livejournal.com]

One thing Ralph has never had a problem with is taking oddity in stride. Its practically second nature. At least this particular oddity hasn't set his nose twitching.
After a one armed hug, which is nonetheless a good and proper Ralph-hug, the benefit of being able to get an arm around pretty much anyone, and having no uncomfortable bony bits and all, he steps back, offering over flowers with his other hand.
"Tora, its good to see you." he replies sincerely. "You've been missed."

[olafsdotter.livejournal.com]

"Oh thank you, they are lovely!"
One never had to worry with false complements from her, it seemed often enought hat lying or deception was simplynot in her abilities. But there was no need for either here, an old friend was a joy to see and she welcomed him inside.
"I was making tea, would you like some?"
She knew hed been asked to see her, but she also knew it had been his choice to do so or not, so amny friends, so much time, so very much to cacth up on. She'd been lucky in her former life to have known so many wonderful people.
"Did you see Bea? She jsut left a little while ago, but she tends to stand outside a while, I think it's hard on her that I'm back."
Bit of saddness in her then, she wasnever oneto want to cause pain to those she loved.

[itsastretch.livejournal.com]

"It would have been very difficult to not see Bea. She flashed me on her way to her car." he replies, stepping in and having a look around.
"I'd love some tea, thank you. As for you being back... well, I imagine its going to take some adjustment on a few people's part, and they'll deal. But at the moment, that's something else entirely. Right now, the important question as far as I'm concerned is how are /you/ doing with everything?"

[olafsdotter.livejournal.com]

There was the blush, a rising tide if red that washed up and over her features at the mention of Be as behavior. Well that as certainly in keeping with her rather more vivacious friend. Tora cleared her through and made an expression as if to say oh? As if this had not been so deeply blush worthy.
"Well that's Bea, she was probably.." Faltering to come up with an explanation. "...warm."
Epic fail in the excuse department, this was Fire they were talking about. But thankfully Ralph had the good graces to move on however the subject of her own adjustment caught her up short. Tea sat down, tray with milk and sugar, she herself just had lemon and honey. Absently she stirred the cup and force a cheery smile.
"Me? Oh I'm fine. I mean..I'm back. I'm here with friends and alive. It's al great really

[itsastretch.livejournal.com]

He extends a hand across the table, resting it on her shoulder as he prepares his tea.
"Much as I'd love to make a joke and get on to small talk, there'll be plenty of people doing that and trying to gloss around the issues. In the last not so many years, I've buried my best friend, plus a handful of other friends, some of whom came back, some of whom didn't. I buried my wife and unborn daughter on the darkest day of my life... and then had them return. It happens in this business, somehow... but its never certain... Barry has never come back... and either way, its always hard. I'm overjoyed to see you, Tora. I've missed one of the most genuinely beautiful people I've ever known, inside and out... but its going to be hard on people, and its going to be hard on you. Sue and I have been in touch with the Norwegian and American embassies. We've taken care of all the paperwork that doesn't need your signature, and gotten all your documentation reinstated with the JLA... but it goes way beyond that." He takes a sip of his tea, giving her shoulder a squeeze with his other hand.
"You're definitely right about one thing... a lot may have changed, and it'll take adjusting... but you /are/ among friends. And if you need absolutely anything at all that we can provide, you have our number, and our door is always open. Ok?"

[olafsdotter.livejournal.com]

No one thus far had broached the subject to her like this. She had a feeling perhaps none of them could. Surely not Bea who was so overly protective in desperation to keep Tora safe that she barely let her out of the house. So many others who hugs her and cried and told her how wonderful it was that she was back. But..she couldn't tell any of them, how could she? Once Ralph posed it to her though the damn burst and she began to speak quietly.
"Ralph," She began, a slight trembling those super sensitive finger pads could sense. "It's not like coming back from a trip. You...you know. I died, I felt myself die and then there was nothing. And I never knew nothing could hurt so much! I felt empty inside like I never cared for any one or anything in my whole life. And then I saw Bea and Guy and.... and I remembered what that felt like and all that nothing was filled up.. I felt whole and complete and loved."
Their time in Hell had been more or less well documented, as had the results from it, memories having the white haired girl ducking her head down and tears threatening to spill over from her eyes.
"And then it was gone again. I went to Valhalla and things were perfect, but perfect because you could remember feelings and never had to have them again. And it was as bad as being empty because it felt like none of it was real. And now.... now I'm back again and...."
Tears did fall, splashing down her cheeks , hands coming to cover her face in shame.
"And now I'm afraid of it happening again. I don't want to be here just to lose it all over again Ralph, I... it's too much. And I can't tell anyone, I'm scared to be alive and...I don't know what to do."

[itsastretch.livejournal.com]

He more or less liquifies to shift from his seat to move himself over to sit next to her, hilding his old friend close, letting her lean her head on his shoulder.
"First thing you do is cry all you need to, all you want to. When Sue and Allanah came back to me, I was like a baby for a week. And I'm not afraid to admit there's still a few moments every day where I remember losing them, losing my whole world, the same way I used to think about Barry every day, and I still have nightmares. I'm terrified of losing them again, especially in this world with so much danger to all of us. Losing, dying.... is hard. Including on the living. But the part they never mention in the manual to life and mourning and recovery is that life is at least as hard, sometimes harder."
He pauses, squeezing her gently before continuing.
"As soon as you're out of tears, for the moment, I want you to consider coming and staying with us for a few days. So you have someone to answer questions, screen your visitors, so there's a shoulder to cry on handy whenever you need it, and nothing is expected of you except that you be among friends. We have plenty of room. That way we can also help you catch up, bit by bit, at whatever pace you're comfortable with... And I'd love for you to come meet Allanah."

[olafsdotter.livejournal.com]

In that way that Ralph has, his ability allowed him to be one place one second and beside her the next. He eased her into him and she gratefully wrapped an around his neck and let her tears fall. She hadn't been able to express her worries and fears with the others and they came flooding out all at once now.
The pain, the uncertainty had all been held inside for weeks and this release was not going to be quick or easy. Blessedly he seemed to understand. Having suffered so much so of those so dear to him he knew how to deal with what she was feeling and his ever compassionate heart opened to her.
Some might think him funny or silly, but Dibny had been a devoted husband, true friend and valued teammate for all the years she'd known him, there were few who could ever be the sort of man he was.
A nod, as she could not offer a more vocal response just yet between the softly heavy sobs of her tears. But she nodded and tried to dry her eyes with the back of her pale hand.
"I..I wu..would like that."
Fragile as a snowflake at the moment, she seemed to curl into him, thankful for the kindness of old friends who knew what to say and when to let her simply cry it out.
"Tha-thanks Ralph."

[itsastretch.livejournal.com]

Elastic powers sometimes seem a little bit lacking compared to a lot of the JLA, but they're fantastic for comforting hugs. He lets her partly melt into him, wrapping his arms around her a couple times over, gently.
"Tora, in addition to being one of the sweetest, gentlest people I've ever known, you're also a friend. I knew this would be tough on you, and it seems the least we can do. You're welcome to stay with us as long as you like. Sue's already given her blessing, and Allanah has been really excited that she'll have someone else to show off her stuffed animals to and play video games with... feel free to tell her no, she can be pretty persistent." he replies, after letting her cry a few more minutes.

[olafsdotter.livejournal.com]

He was comforting, and trust no one could offer a warm embrace in quite the same way. Tora cried until she ran dry of tears. Poor Ralph's shirt was dampened and her hair clung to her face in white stands like spiderweb.
She was alive, and here was a chance to be around life, to be in a family where she could feel safe and maybe even happy. She beamed, as much as one can when looking puffy and red faced. Even a laugh knowing full well she looked a mess but he hadn't cared. That was a true friend.
"I'll let Bea know, I can start packing today. I cant tell you how much this means to me, you opening your home to me. Thank you, thank you so much."
She hugged him once again, feeling a bit of that weight lifted from her, less of the oppressive sense of doom and oblivion hanging over her head. She had at least a direction if not yet a journey, and that was a astart.