Neptune, Friday Afternoon

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

Callisto pinched the bridge of her nose and rubbed her eyes.

Finding a shop that sold the kind of herbs she was looking for had been easier than Callisto had expected, but trying to get the plants she was after from a air-headed woman who seemed to think crystals were the answer to all of life's problems was proving harder than she expected.

[For Parker]

Comments

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

*riiiing*

Time to check up on her favorite semi-demented semi-Spartan non-seraph.

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

Muttering a string of Latin obscenities under her breath, Callisto answered the phone. "Cal."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Parker. Hey. How is your Friday going?"

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

Callisto rubbed her eyes again, and considered several painful ways crystals could solve at least one of her problems. "Same old, same old."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"What are you doing right now?" Parker asked, hoping it wasn't 'making a voodoo doll of Logan.'

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"Shopping," Callisto replied non-committally. "I needed some... things."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Cool," Parker said, relieved. "Where are you? And what have you got so far?"

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"Nothing yet," Callisto said. "This lunatic keeps trying to press crystals on me instead of what I need."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Crystals," Parker said in a flat voice. "Please tell me you're not trying to buy hemlock or something?"

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"I wouldn't be in this kind of shop if I were," Callisto replied. "Fresh is more potent, plus it also grows wild."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Mmmmmkay...." Parker paused, then had to ask. "You're in a New Age shop, aren't you?"

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"That's what the airhead refers to it as, yes."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Facepalm. "You can't buy voodoo dolls there. Okay?"

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"Why would I want a voodoo doll?"

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"If you don't know, I'm not explaining it. What are you trying to get?" Parker asked, curiosity finally forcing her to be direct.

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"Just some things I need." Vauge much?

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Like?"

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"I thought it would start getting better once the drugs were gone," Callisto said quietly. "I was wrong."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"How is it getting worse?" Parker asked, dreading the answer. "Can I help?"

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"I doubt it," Callisto said, not answering the first question.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Would you tell me anyway? Please? Maybe we can get you those drugs again, if you want them. But I didn't think you did."

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"I don't," Callisto said, resting her forehead against a nearby shelf. "They made everything muzzy, I couldn't focus, couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't." She sighed. "Couldn't dream."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"That's a not uncommon side effect," Parker said slowly. "Although I think you dream more vividly after you go off sedatives, to make up for it." After a moment, she quietly asked, "Is that the problem?"

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"I could deal if it was only vivid."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Ah." Parker's been down this road enough nights of her own to know the drill. "Were you trying to get something to help you sleep?"

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"There are plants," Callisto replied. "And drugs you can make from them."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Natural stuff." Parker's not sure how useful they'd be, or if they'd make things worse; but she can't stop Cal from doing anything but yelling at some New Age store owner. "You want a health food store. They'd be more likely to have what you're looking for. The crystal-pusher might know where you can find one."

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"Only in the sense that we don't have labs back home to cook the stuff up in," Callisto replied. "I'm not sure what I'm looking for would be classed as food."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"No, but they carry a lot of herbs, vitamins, raw ingredients. Some fresh, but some not. The stuff you're looking for might be dried, but it'll probably still work." Parker paused and asked quietly, "What are you dreaming?"

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"You really don't want to know Parker," Callisto said.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker suspects Callisto is dead on about that, but doesn't know what the right answer here is. "Maybe not. But I'd be willing to listen." She rubbed her eyes, uneasy at this turn in the conversation. "Have you talked to Veronica or Piper about them?"

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

Callisto shook her head. "No, I haven't."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"It might help, you know. To talk to someone," Parker suggested. "They'd help if you'd let them."

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"I can't, Parker." And yes, that would be fear in Callisto's voice. "They might want to, but they...I can't."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"Why? What do you think will happen?"

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

Mouth suddenly dry, Callisto licked her lips. "It's... hard to explain."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"I have the time," Parker coaxed. "Just think about it."

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

Callisto's grip on the phone turned white-knuckled. "There are some things that you're better off forgetting."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker sighed. "Okay. For now. But if this keeps up? I'm asking again." She lay back on the bed, and stared at the ceiling. "I'm going to call on Tuesday. But if you want, you can call sooner. Okay?"

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

Callisto relaxed slightly. "Okay."

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker shook her head. "I have to get ready for the dance. But I'm glad you got out of Veronica's place for a while, like I asked. Thanks. Do me a favor? Talk to Piper and Veronica a little? It doesn't have to be about the nightmares. Just... talk."

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"I'll try," Callisto said.

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"All I can ask." Parker sighed. "Sweet dreams, Cal. At least I hope so."

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"You and me both, Parker."