2019-09-23 - Where is Billy?

It had been the craziest of days but the plan was to meet up. Erin had gone home to take a shower and discard of the brain and blood covered dress she'd been saving up for a special occasion. Now, though, she's at home and expecting people so she's redressed. Wearing a pale cream colored dress that does wonders for her darker complexion, she has left her hair down instead of the usual confines. However, her feet are bare. Sue her. She's comfortable. The door is left open. Things feel safer now and she's taking advantage of it. She alsi has a fridge full of whatever anyone wants to drink. She's already started on tequila. The liquor is on the island. Have at it.

Lilith did some text finangling and because she doesn't have a problem imposing so long as she gets to know what she wants to know, she volunteers Erin's new house without a second thought as an alternative to her loft. But really, she figured the woman would want to be home and not traveling, so it kind of works out and maybe it's a good opportunity to show the new place, at least. Despite the subject matter that's about to be at hand. So at some point, she pulls up as a passenger in Byron's fancy car. When she gets out, her hair has been arranged with curl, her makeup is done, and she's wearing a little fit and flare cream miniskirt with heeled anklet boots in black that are as inky as the button and tucked blouse she's wearing.

Apparently she dressed for success on principle, today. That or she was fidgety and didn't have a lot else to do while waiting on her ride to the location prior to the exorcism. Either way, she looks nice, but she's kind of dragging and not as snap to with step and posture and stride as she usually is. Nevertheless, she seems proud as she comes into Erin's place to meet up with others. Up until they're inside, two of her fingers are kind of latched to Byron's in surreptitious holding that lasts til they hit the porch and she reaches for the door instead.

"I heard a ghost-busting babe lives here."

The familiarity of the voice is a more than welcome one and Erin places the tequila on the counter and greets the other woman with a warm hug, welcome or not. "We did it, Lilith! I just kept remembering what you said in your loft. When we broke the chair. The whole envisioning it. I went inside him and I found the bonds that linked him to Thomas. Thank you for teaching me that. We severed them and he was boxed." As far as she knew. "I'm sorry." Erin steps back and smiles at the two. "Please come in. Drinks in the fridge or liquor on the island. Take your pick and make yourself at home."

So far it's been smooth sailing once that Wraith pulls out of the GHPD parking lot. Replaying some of that news back in his mind, Byron's tries to keep his attention focused on the road. There's a lot of thoughts fighting for prominence in that head of his and not all of them are pleasant. There's this quiet tension that begins to build, but he's been weary as of late, so some of that may be rubbing of on him. Once they pull up to one of those fairy tale cottages on Bayside Road, the one right next to the Gilford's, he puts the car in park and turns to look silently on Lilith before pressing the button that begins to smoothly open the both of their doors simultaneously.

This is not the first time that he's been to this place. He helped Erin find it to begin with. That doesn't mean that he doesn't give it another look, though this is the house next to his best friend's place of residence. It's obvious that something important is on his mind, his expression serious, almost grim despite the good news. He's dressed in a full suit and tie in grays and maroon. The atmosphere may be joyous, but there's probably something heavy lingering in the air. "Congratulations are in order then." He says a mostly genuine smile on his lips, before that dour expression returns. "This means that we need to work quickly." He remembered what was said. What would possibly happen once Gohl was separated from Thomas Addington.

August is slow to arrive, a bit after Byron and Lilith, as he stops by Eleanor's place to reassure her he's alive, as is everyone else, and while there takes the opportunity to change the hell out of his suit. He also takes one hell of a shower, since despite not being hit by any of the truly gross things he saw, he sure as hell feels like he still needs one. He's tired, shaken up, and what's worse, he thinks he's coming down with something. But hey, William Gohl is finally stuffed back into a box (after a fashion) and the only person seriously hurt (physically) is patched up. His suit didn't even get destroyed. So it's mostly a win? As such he puts on something comfrotable: gray commuter pants, a dark purple, slub t-shirt, and a simple black shell jacket. Anyone who didn't see him in the suit will have to hope someone else took a photo, it's back in the garment bag.

He arrives in one of the work trucks--the smallest one, Little Jenny--since his own car is still out on loan. Not for much longer now, though. A knock on the door, then he comes in. "Erin?" he says, but his attention immediately falls on the interior. He blinks, steps in and shuts the door, taking in the walls.

She has spent most of the day in swinging states of bone-deep lethargy to high, pulse-pounding activity, keeping her internal landscape in enough of a flux that when Isabella arrives, dropped off by Alexander and Easton before the two drove off to check something, she is bright-eyed and alert. And unlike her two fellow brunettes, she isn't dressed in anything too stylish, forever entrenched in that median between functional and fashionable; jeans, boots, a jacket made out of reddish-brown leather thrown over a loose spaghetti-strapped top with a modest neckline and her moonstone pendant swinging against the fabric, its superior adularescence soaking up ambient light and leaving it with a faint, iridescent blue glow. Her hair is naturally wavy without the application of heat, and she hasn't had the time to do that today, leaving it twisted and secured at the back of her head with a claw clip and a few waves to curl against her cheeks.

She had hoped that the first time she would see Erin's new place would be during the housewarming party they chatted about just a few days ago, and whenever she steps through the threshold of the new residence to find the Addington alive and whole on the other end, her sunkissed mien - devoid of makeup save for the application of moisturizer and a touch of clear lipgloss - is downright evocative in its relief. "Sorry to invade," she tells her, and offers a quick hug should Erin accept it. "But we were told to meet here, I was with Alexander and Easton, but they've got my Jeep to check something. I'll just fill them in later." Green eyes draw further inside the house, catching sight of Lilith, Byron, and August, also. That look of relief only increases in visible intensity - the news might be bad, but considering that several of the group are present, she can't help but hope for good news.

When she steps further inside, she takes a moment to appreciate the way the new residence is set up. It's certainly much bigger than her houseboat.

There is a look thrown toward the nearness of the familiar housing next to Erin's out of the window on Lilith's way to get a drink as invited by the lady of the house. But not before pausing to grab on a hug with rock back and forth into it with the other brunette, "Good, good, good. Tear it all down." Then she makes a click of tongue at herself on drawback from the squeeze, sighing some to herself, "I would say that, though. Tch. Don't listen to me all the time, August's way is prettier and has less fallout, I bet."

Given they're some of the first inside, she takes a path straight to the drinks after the hugging and smiles some at August coming in the doorway with a hint of congratulatory pride for going through as supplement to the Three. While at the drinks, she lets Byron wander or seat himself and she takes care of those with call his way, "What do you want to drink, Byron? I've got it." If she's irritable and whiny, she's hiding it, but maybe her straight shot for the liquor is a subtle indicator she wants to fuzz or drown something that feels 'ugh' away. She's sniffling a little bit and does, at least, go to wash her hands at the kitchen sink before actually getting at the bottles to pour for herself and the suited guy.

When she goes to set back up for pouring after the handwash, she spies Isabella entering too, "Hey August, hey Bella."

Ruiz is one of the last to arrive after having grabbed a (long, hot) shower at the precinct, and changing into civvies before heading over. He's still fairly sure he's got bits of brain and bone in his hair, but he's even more certain that that's purely his imagination, after how long and hard he scrubbed it. Said hair is still looking a little damp and askew as he shoulders his way inside. Social gatherings aren't precisely his thing, but after what they've been through, he'll at least pay his respects and share a drink or two before slinking away.

Attired in a dark grey tee shirt, dark jeans and combat boots that come off at the door, he angles inside slowly, looking about for some sight of the lady of the house.

Byron doesn't settle into a seat for now, simply lingering around near the seating area. His muscles may feel weary, his mind a little light-headed but this news, among other things, keeps him from actually relaxing. There's only so much pretending that he can do, but seeing Lilith being all warmth and light, the way she does, he'll muster up putting on, at least, a cordial face. He used to do it all the time. "It worked, Bella." His voice sounds strained, but lighter than when he made mention of what needed to be done now that this part was over. He won't let anyone forget this, however, "Which means, if we were told correctly, that Gohl's spirit should be... loose." This is why he look at Erin, perhaps, knowing that she was One of them.

That's why he watches the young Addington with an observant eye, perhaps trying to catch anything that may be amiss. To Lilith's inquiry, he'll murmur, "Just bring me what whatever you're getting." He's not really in the mood for drink. Then August appears and Ruiz as well, but he's slow to let his gaze drift from Erin. "Good work on putting Gohl away. We were a little worried there at first."

Right behind Lilith is Byron and Erin offers him a warm smile despite his serious look about him. "We have a funeral to attend now." She toys with the wedding ring of her parents she'd been wearing on her right hand all day. "Please go on and get yourself a drink. As each of them enter, she hugs them, maybe not so much Byron or August, cause that'd be awkward. But Isabella for sure after Lilith. "Hi August, drinks are in the fridge and the heavier alcohol is on the island." She nods to Isabella about Alexander and Easton. "I'm so glad you're here," she says softly to Isabella. She moves further inside with everyone. Then Ruiz joins and she offers a wave, walks over and pours him a glass of tequila, bringing it to him while holding her own. "Take a load off. Are you feeling okay?"

Hearing Byron, Erin shrugs. "I honestly don't know. He was boxed and he didn't want to be. What is your opinion?" Asking August and Ruiz.

Erin is a little frazzled, not necessarily the smoothly composed Addington she usually is. Certainly not the unfazed party planner from prior.

August nods at the others in a greeting, lingering a moment on Ruiz to gauge how well he's looking, then goes to the fridge and fetches himself a root beer. No drinking for him tonight, not with how weird he's feeling. He smiles faintly at Lilith to hear her say that. "She did fine," he confirms. At Erin's question, he tilts his head. "I think the point of Itzhak being there was to create a container Gohl couldn't escape, which could hold him. Hyacinth forced him into it, and Erin," he nods at her, "cut the ties holding him to Thomas Addington. That was your Three." He sighs, runs a hand over his face. "I guess, in theory, he's not loose. But I won't pretend to know how any of that works." He takes a drink of his rootbeer, settles a hip against the island. He gestures with the rootbeer bottle. "Nice place, by the way," he adds around another drink.

Is he feeling okay? Ruiz studies Erin for a while after she asks that, then his brows knit slightly. Then smooth. And he curves a quick smile. "Fine." Everything's just fine. The glass is accepted, and he takes up a lean against her kitchen counter while tipping it back for a much-awaited sip. Which draws a pleasant little sigh from his throat. "My opinion on what?" he murmurs after he's swallowed, idly watching August root around for.. root beer. As if he wants to say something to the man, but isn't quite certain how to say it.

Lilith stands for an indecisive moment and decides on wine to start, pouring two glasses of red to carry over to drop down into a sit with. She puts one of them on the table for Byron to pick up and nurse or forget about, dropping down into a sit with a tiny sigh of fatigue as she listens to the others with lapse into silence, despite the little smiles for greetings. Once down, she slumps back into the cushions and crosses one leg over the other to absently play the fingertips that aren't nursing the wine glass at a bare knee in absent fidget.

"Did you even get Thomas into the precinct? How did all that go down and happen?" Lilith is maybe a tiny bit impatient and expectant with her prompt to know how it went from start to finish. Her mind is for pieces and details a lot of the time, so she likes to hear things in order a fair bit. Though she seems to be leveling it at whoever wants to actually pick it up to explain while she drinks from her glass and considers the piece that August explains with a hum to herself.

"Lilith." Said in tones that more sounds like thank god than the woman's own name, and Byron's words has the look on Isabella's face twisting in abject relief. She would have sunk into the nearest chair, if there had been one, but Erin's hug inspires her to stay on both feet. She gives the taller, but younger woman a warm squeeze. "I wouldn't miss it," she murmurs back. "Easton and Alexander would be very relieved, we were ready to go on a warpath when Lil told us that the rest of you got pulled in a Dream and that nobody made it to the precinct. Did everyone...?" Her voice trails off, looking for that final, but most important reassurance - that everyone who crossed over made it back.

August's succinct breakdown of the situation has the archaeologist nodding gratefully in his direction, before she finally moves to retrieve a drink, though considering how on-and-off sleepy she has been in the last few days, she, too, is reluctant to imbibe anything alcoholic. She manages to find an orange soda in the fridge, cracking it open and taking a swig. Curiosity lights up her eyes at Lilith's query, before she wanders over to lean against the nearby wall - she has spent too much time today in bed. There's also a quiet glance at Ruiz's direction, the look he gives August.

Andy apparently missed the party. He was around much earlier, more or less, but when Erin headed out in good company it seemed like a good opportunity to go get something to eat. So when he comes back and finds the door wide open and the place filled with partiers he ambles on in, a box from the second worst Chinese restaurant in Gray Harbor in one hand, chopsticks at the ready in the other. No brains or blood here except that which is safely contained in his skin. What a square. He lifts the chopsticks in salute as he passes through. "Ms Addington. Cap'n." He squints at Isabella, the look of someone trying to get something to click, then says, "Ms Reed. Others." Then he disappears through a door to the back yard. A series of excited barks follows him as he walks back in, a pair of dogs in his wake. A big German shepherd missing her front left leg and a bigger Chinook, what looks like a Golden Retriever with a brown muzzle, excitedly tail the detective sergeant until he delivers the goods in the form of a box of boneless pork ribs. Looking over the crowd and then back to Erin he says, "Things went well, then?"

When Lilith returns with his drink, setting it on the table beside him, Byron looks on it for a brief moment, before finally reaching out to take a small sip for taste. None of the other Three were here right now, so he only has Erin for reference. However, when both Erin and August mention sealing the spirit away in this box, that does have Thorne thinking, "Do you mean that his soul won't attach itself to the Three then? Like we were told?" Despite the wary tension in his tone, there's hope to be found. He allows himself to take a deeper sip from his glass, his brows lifted, "Let's hope so anyway." He knows that they still need to go through with the funeral and thus his eyes look to Isabella just as he takes a third sip.

Lilith brings up Thomas Addington, while Bella brings up something else that had been on his mind. "From what I've seen, it didn't look like they left the precinct at all-- which meant Thomas Addington--" Then someone else arrives, with a dog too. Not one that he's familiar with, nor is he familiar with the dog, even if he has a passing familiarity with some of the Gray Harbor police, mostly the old guard. "wasn't there." He completes his sentence.

"Is he still in the violin case?" Erin hadn't paid much attention to that at all. Once back, she had been more concerned with Ruiz burnt and bleeding body. Which has her over near him getting a closer look at him since he was fine. The Captain gets a somewhat gentle hug, careful because she knows the condition of his body back at the precinct. She's worried, sure, with his bloodshot eyes and sniffles and red nose. All Erin had to show for it was a tiny round bandaid at where her jaw meets her neck. An almost throat slicing. She tilts her head, "Yo don't look well, Javier."

There were so many questions though and Erin faces the others, standing by Ruiz for the moment. "Everyone is alive. I don't know where Billy is now. I don't know anything about my great uncle except I severed the bond between them like Lil taught me." A quick smile is cast August's way. "Thank you, feel free to check out the backyard. That's where I'm wanting ideas from you for landscaping." At Andy's entrance, she notices the name on the box of his food. "I should give you Maria's number." Laughter in her eyes. She watches him go through to check on the dogs and when the come back, she motions towards them all. "This is Sergeant Andy and his besties, Saga and Fable." She lets everyone else introduce themselves, hopefully. "So far so good. We'll see. Just trying to figure out if Billy is where he should be."

August gives Andy an upnod, glancing at Erin for the introduction. One of his own is forestalled to address various comments. "Far as I can tell, he's not...attached, to any of them. A thing folks like Itzhak can do is make a container that can hold things. Out of anything, really. In this case, it was for Billy. But," he shrugs, "again, I'm not exactly a ghost expert. Maybe Alexander or Ellie could sort out a way to figure that out, make sure he's not left some sort of mark on them."

He smiles at the dogs Andy lets in, watching them for a bit before he continues. "We didn't leave the precinct. Itzhak said he felt us get pulled over the border." A pause while he looks down at his rootbeer bottle. "We were Over There. In that Asylum some people have been in." His mouth flattens. "It was as bad as they say."

Ruiz doesn't need to introduce himself to the Sergeant, obviously; he gives the guy his marching orders at the precinct. He does tick two fingers off his temple in a lazy salute though, paired with a quick curve of his lips that roughly approximates a smile. The captain's a fairly buttoned-up sort in uniform, so it's doubtful Andy's even seen him slumming it in jeans and a tee shirt, much less smiling.

Murmured to Erin when she moves in to hug him, "I'm getting a little old for this shit, is all. I think I need some time for my body to catch up to what's happened." His arm slides around her waist, a little squeeze given.

Lilith tips her head into a nod at Andy with the introduction, then takes to listening to the others keenly in quiet attention state, making pretty quick work of her wine glass with a few back to back, lengthy sips. Her eyes shift to consider Erin for a long moment, as if she's trying to see anything different about the woman to signify a subtle marker, though... given what they just did, any natural response to those kinds of things right now would leave a person drained and frazzled or what have you. It's not a good time for baseline gauging, she knows that enough. And she takes a moment to look at the Captain and August for a beat too, because hell, they were around, they could have got jumped as well as Erin, maybe.

After knocking a hand back through her hair and piecing things a little bit together, Lilith looks aside at Byron for a moment, then the others before deciding, "So he's boxed but we don't know if he smeared his ghostly curse on anyone. All the more reason to get the funeral done as soon as we can. Which means everyone needs to decide what to give when attending." If there's other options to help mitigate some of that among Byron and Isabella, she's not bringing them up herself, she still thinks it pretty goddamn far out there to agree to. Plus it's not like she was totally privvy to certain actual conversations to know the real details.

The quick and sudden closeness between Erin and the Captain is one that she has noticed for a while now, and while Isabella hasn't commented on it, there's a slightly curious glance towards their interaction, before green-and-gold eyes move towards the newcomer who slips through the door with his chinese food and dog. Surprise flits over her features, recognizing him instantly, if not just because she had met him only very recently. "Mister Geroux." She returns his greeting, though there's a curious look flashed at the Addington woman's way. She hadn't known he was an officer, that hadn't made it in their conversation on the beach.

With Saga and Fable nearby, she is unable to resist, getting down on one knee and beckoning the dogs over so she could scritch their ears and scruff. She especially recognizes them, as they were the ones who spurred her to talk to Andy in the first place.

Mentions of the spirit being trapped in the violin case has her pausing. "When we held the seance, the man flipped his shit at the idea of being trapped in a box again. If the team was successful, we can probably count on him being annoyed at best and extremely furious at worst." The last is a murmur, but she falls quiet when August informs them all that it had happened in the asylum. Her jaw sets upon hearing it. Lilith gets a nod at her last remarks. "So before anything else can happen, I'm in full agreement that we should bury the sonuvabitch right away. I know Alexander's set with his sacrifice, it fits the criteria. I know Easton is as well."

If the captain can slum, then that means everyone below him in the chain of command can super slum, thus Andy's t-shirt advertising Kepler, WV's Amnesty Lodge and a pair of those cargo shorts that Old Navy made cool for a hot minute in 1998 but now just scream indifference to life in a very 'today's the day I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at the mall food court' sort of way. When it comes to conversations about ghosts and weirder things he unsurprisingly has no input, though he doesn't seem particularly shocked by the topic. Either Erin apprised him of the weirdness or else the townie in him, despite having been in storage for a decade, is dusting itself off in the most blase of ways. The dogs look to Isabella, both of them way too excited about seeing someone who is definitely their new best friend? because they are very friendly and good doggos? though the three legged shepherd hangs back, a little more wary of the crowd. Still, if Isabella isn't careful she's apt to end up with boneless pork rib glaze on her, and that's harder to wash out than blood or brains.

"You trapped Gohl in a violin case? That's far too classy for the likes of him." Byron's making a joke at least, he even smiles at this point. "Like I said, I hope that you're right about this and that he hasn't attached himself to any of you like we were told that he wo-- might." Some people don't like it when they're told that they looked rough and things of that sort, so Thorne didn't pay Ruiz much mind despite hearing that the man was injured through all of this. With the superior healing power of their.. healers, Maybe what was said has really put his mind at ease now, but he seems to be in far more decent spirits than when he'd arrived. But then there are dogs, that could be it. "I'm glad that everyone came back in one piece." De la Vega included.

Then the funeral is brought up, not that this hasn't been on Thorne's mind at all. "Right. That." He then gives another look towards Isabella, "We've been looking into ways to try to alleviate or lessen the sacrifices that would need to be made to put Gohl to bed for good, because, If I'm gonna be honest, not all of us have something significant to give up."

"He was angry. He was so angry he tried killing me. But Itzhak had the case and Billy couldn't resist being summoned into it. He was begging, crying, pleading not to be boxed again. Itzhak cried for him. With him? Hyacinth let him know she was taking great pleasure in sending him back and ensuring him he would have his funeral and be buried. I just watched. I couldn't feel sorry for him. Not after what he had done." Again, she fiddles with the wedding ring on her right hand, her mothers. "I know what I have to give when the time comes. I don't have to like it, but I am prepared for it." This.. this here is when the anger is burning bright, even to look at her it's in her eyes, the hatred. But for what and who? Billy getting the sacrifice of her mothers ring? It's what she indicated.

Hearing Ruiz, Erin just watches him a moment before offering a quiet nod. "Everything will be fine."

August frowns a second, looks askance at Ruiz, studying him. He seems about to say something, doesn't. He looks down at his bottle. "Mine's taken care of. Sacrifice, I mean." His voice is low and contemplative. "Hyacinth Addington's supplying the casket. And Itzhak's got his sorted. So." He sighs heavily. "The more people provide something significant, the better, but I don't think that means we need to worry that some people's will mean more than others." He looks up at Byron. "It has punk stickers on it and it's carbon fiber. If that helps." A small, wry smile, then, "Some of us don't put a lot of stock in personal effects. That's okay. Find something that means as much as you can." Another sigh, and a nod at Isabella. "Yeah. A soon as we can. And we should probably take it seriously, so everyone has to show up dressed...appropriately." He grimaces. That means a suit. Probably the good one. "It's bullshit, but if we want this to stop, well, that's what's required."

Lilith sits quietly a little longer while listening, then tilts her glass to look into the emptied vessel and the red blood-wine droplets rolling around within as she tips it back and forth to play with, especially when Byron is talking. She pulls in part of a breath, as if she's about to say something, but then she decides to hold it and take advantage of the just-listening bit to rise up and wander around the sofa, back to the island to pour herself an overfull refill of red wine into the glass. After drinking it down some to a more acceptable level for carrying around, she wanders back to ease herself bonelessly back into sit where she was with legs crossed.

Then Lilith pipes in with her own bit, "I think I'm covered twice over, just in case." Then after listening to August, she nods her head one solid time in agreement.

Ruiz has kept fairly quiet, thus far, about what he intends to sacrifice. And continues to do so as the others discuss things. Eyes downcast, mind a million miles away, he absently watches August when the other man studies him, then returns his gaze to his glass of tequila. A sip, a swallow, and a shift as his phone buzzes, so he can slip it out of his pocket and reply to a text. "I wanted to apologise, Miss Winslow, if I.." He flicks his eyes to her. "Startled you. Or Mr. Thorne."

When his arm is taken from around her, Erin turns to walk into the kitchen. Her glass of tequila is summarily poured down the drain and she rinses it out to deposit it in the dishwasher. Reaching into the refrigerator she gets a Pear Cider in a dark green bottle and opens it as she walks back around towards the living room. She hesitates by Andy, "As soon as we make sure he's well and truly captured," a light shrug and lopsided smile. "We can decide on further action." Squatting down just a little, since Saga was large enough it's not far, she gives the dog some attention. It does wonders for her mood. There's a glance towards Lilith. "Twice over?"

There's a glance at Lilith when she says that she is covered twice over, and the generous pour within her wineglass. The prompt from Byron has her nodding also. "We'll do what we can," Isabella says. "Though thanks to some of you, I've had to rethink what I was about to offer." There's a wink towards Lilith and August there, before she slowly rises from her crouching position next to the dogs. There's a smear of barbecue rib sauce on the right thigh of her jeans, thanks to Fable's enthusiastic greetings, but she doesn't seem to care much, only absently wiping it with a bandanna before it is returned to her pocket, and checks her phone - only to seem to remember something now that it's in her hand.

A quiet grouse, before she ups the volume on it for some reason, the better to hear voice notifications, before shoving it in her pocket.

"I'm glad everyone made it out alright," she murmurs, especially after Erin's words that Billy had wanted to kill her. She takes a last swallow of her orange soda. "I think we can get the show on the road once Hyacinth tells us that the casket is ready. But if anything strange comes up in the interim since this was something that hasn't been attempted before, let's update one another on it and continue checking up on the group. Itzhak, especially, if he has the case."

"Good, you shouldn't feel sorry for him. Not after what he did to you and your family." Byron says almost sternly to Erin, but his features softens, remembering other things Erin had said about her own attack. He, however, won't touch on that right now. His gaze follows each and every person who mentions that they already have a sacrifice in mind, almost as if he were taking a head count. His eyes linger on Lilith for a moment, taking in what she had said, before he looks to August, still uncertain if he has anything that holds /that/ much significance to him. He'll then say, "I was told that we could give up memories instead of things." He doesn't look at Isabella when he says this, but he's informing the group. "It was something I had considered, but I'm considering all of my options as from what I've been warned, giving up a memory is one of the more drastic things a person can do." He doesn't look at Lilith when he says this part. When Ruiz addresses him, the Captain gets a brief look and a nod. "There was some concern, yes."

August smiles at the familiar pear cider bottle, cuts a conspiratorial glance at Erin. He finishes off his rootbeer, sets the bottle on the island. "I agree," he says, nodding at Isabella. "I'll keep tabs on him in the mean time." He narrows his syes at Lilith's comment, shifts that same look to Isabella. He frowns like he's trying to sort out what that might mean, shrugs.

His tired nonchalance eases a notch towards concern. "Memories? Shit, no, don't do that." He says this like Byron's just talked about sawing off a limb, checks himself a second later. "I don't see how losing a memory wouldn't alter your personality. Maybe ireverisbly. Do not give this bastard something like that."

Andy just listens to the talk of ghost murderers and magic vessels and all that sort of thing while mostly-silently shoveling grease blasted lo mein into his face with chopsticks handled with more confidence than expertise. He doesn't drop anything, but the way his dogs look expectantly toward his feet strongly suggests that it's not at all off the table. He actually puts down the chopsticks and makes like he's about to contribute in a way other than the greasy smells he's brought to the party, but then his pocket vibrates and John Oates sings "listen to this!" It's from the song You Make My Dreams, except it's just that three words and it's hard to imagine it not quickly becoming the most annoying noise a phone has ever made. Andy digs it out, makes an expression that's sort of a grimace turning sharply toward frown, then he says to Erin, "I'm glad things have so far gone well. If I can be of any help, let me know. I need to, uh, take this, though." He glances back to the dogs, then says, "Thanks for letting them stay here. We'll get out of your hair soon enough." Then he's headed to the door, offering a raised hand to everyone else, with the exception of a nod for his boss, because nepotism.

"Can't really be helped, I imagine, the way it comes through." Lilith says to the Captain after sitting quietly for a moment because it had crossed her mind, in brief, maybe he was being intense on purpose just to give the presentation of a surly or dangerous hardass. But she dismisses it because bigger things and manages tactful reply for the offered apology and sentiment, and doesn't point out exactly what it felt like, "Needed to be done." She finishes with a little finality there, then when Erin pipes up with question and she gets a look from Isabella and August like she's possibly overdoing, she explains, "It's... they go together. Not any worse off with both things gone, just resonates a little better and... it fits that way."

Of course, Byron is looking at her too, but then he goes talking about memories going poof and that makes her flush some with visible agitation and ire. She makes quick work of her next glass and immediately pushes into a stand to go look out of a window with focused stare while seeming to be listening to the others. But outside... a whole chunk of garden rock that's yet to be re-landscaped breaks apart while she stares out and sips and sips and sips from the wine to whittle it down.

Ruiz looks up from his phone as Erin dumps her drink down the drain and wanders off. His brows knit a little, but he doesn't say a damned word. Just finishes composing his message, and his screen lights up with another and then another once he's sent that one. Must be someone chatty. He tips his glass back to drain it to half, and continues to fiddle with his phone while the others talk, save a few clipped words in farewell to his departing Sergeant.

Something about the way Lilith answers him causes his eyes to slant a little in irritation. Is she throwing shade at him? Or is he looking for insult where there isn't any? It's possible they're all a little on edge right now. "I'm working on control. So I wanted to apologise. Excuse me, Erin, I think I'm going to get some air." He pushes off the counter, headed not for the front door but the back. A pack of cigarettes comes out of his pants pocket as he goes.

August winces at Lilith's reaction. Well, it's not like he couldn't have predicted that. He makes a low sound as Ruiz leaves as well, flicking a glance between him and Lilith. The entire day is catching up with August at top speed. "Okay. I'm going to bed. Please think your sacrifices through," he gives Byron and then Isabella significant looks, "very, very, carefully. Erin, thanks for the invite. Good work today." He pauses as he turns to go, eyes on that shattered rock. He stays like that a handful of seconds, poised, and the rock's pieces shudder, pulltogether, and refuse. "Night all," he says over hius shoulder, and heads out.

The sudden explosion of rock outside finds her ears, and Isabella's eyes draw towards Lilith concentrating her ire and agitation there. There's a look towards Byron, and then the departing Captain. After a moment, she lifts her fingers to scrub the side of her face.

"Alright, I'll ask Hyacinth to update us on the casket, or at least leave her a message to ask her to let us know when it's finished. Thanks, August." On the man's pledge to keep an eye on Itzhak and the precious violin case that contains the spirit of a serial murderer. Re-shouldering her bag, she discards the soda can in the proper receptacle. "With luck, this'll be over soon."

August gets a wiggle of her fingers, smiling faintly at his look, before she, too heads out.

Then both cops are the ones leaving the room. Erin watches Andy go and the dogs find their way back to lay in a circle together on a rug near the fireplace. She imagines they miss their Master, but she'll make it up to them later. Peanut butter seemed to do the trick every night. It's Ruiz she watches head out the back, his phone alternately flashing him his texts as he does that has the Addington closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Or three. Finally she opens them again and catches that look from August about the drink. She tilts it towards him in silent salute before taking a drink of the pear cider. "Be safe, August. I hope it's over but there are no guarantees." Lilith's response gets her a nod but she doesn't know what the two are. She doesn't ask. Some things were personal.

Byron was only informing the group of other possibilities for people like him who own a great many things, but in the end, that's all they are. Things. August can be outraged all he wants about this idea of losing one's memory. "I've had this conversation with Tobin recently. It's one memory, we're not wiping people from out of our lives." No matter how much he'd like to. But he's heard this all before from Lilith. It's most water under the bridge or so he'd assumed, but then the sound of that rock breaking right outside of Erin's new house does catch his and everyone else's attention.

To Byron, it just meant that everyone else didn't understand what he had to go through. Rather than say anything more about it, he just drains the rest of his glass and moves to set the empty thing into the sink. There goes August with his words of warning again. He knows his options and in truth, he prefers one over the other. There's this twitch at his edge of his lips that almost makes him look like he's smiling, this intensity within his dark eyes, "I'll think on it. Thanks." August knew what he was going to sacrifice, so of course he'd say that.

However, it looks as if everyone were planning on departing, so it's a good thing that he only had that one drink. "Looks like the parties over." He'll says with a faint smile, walking over to retrieve Lilith despite her little blow up. He can ignore it for now. "Again, I'm glad that you and everyone are okay and that this was successful despite, well, I can't say that we weren't thinking that the worst had happened." He knows that Ruiz is still lingering about, but he'll ask the hostess anyway, "Will you be alright tonight?"

There's a look towards the backyard where Ruiz had disappeared to before Erin smiles. "He will likely have to go tonight but I have Saga and Fable here. Andy will likely be parked outside for the night, like usual. I'm not sure how much longer circumstances will necessitate me taking perfectly good policemen from their jobs in order to make me feel safer. With everything settled, it should be fine. I just want to make sure things are settled." Erin tells Byron. "Thank you for thinking of me. I support you in anything you decide, but do remember, he has taken so much. Anything important to you will suffice."

Lilith looks at the back door where the Captain stepped out to smoke after the look she got, but she at least waits until he's gone to shoot a bit of a residual frown that way, briefly appearing uncertain. Apparently she'd taken enough agitation out on the rock and it blew apart into so many small uniform pieces so beautifully. But then August (she suspects it had to be him, not Erin) goes and fixes her violent results with pulling and knitting of stone back together with a final snip and crack of noise. Her jaw goes a little slack and she doesn't look like she knows if she should be stubbornly mad about it and break it again on principle or just appreciate the handiwork.

Considering the rock doesn't break again and her jaw fixes itself, she must have leaned toward the latter. When Byron comes her way with the wrap up for the day words denoting their coming departure, she carries her emptied glass to drop off, probably close to three glasses in by now given how hefty those pours were. She's flushed with it, but at least wine seems to have left her semi-pleasantly buzzed, despite the moment of temper temper and frustration outlet on the not-so-sly. Once she's near his arm, she takes it to hold with both of her hands and leans on Byron a little with affection and laze, telling Erin, "It'll be done as soon as we can manage it. I'm proud of you. Hang in there, girl."

Ruiz doesn't look to be departing any time soon. Unless Erin kicks him out, that is. The glow of his cell phone partially illuminates his face as he prowls a slow circle, and a shower of ash from his cigarette peppers the ground when he flicks it with his thumb. He completely misses the fact that Lilith and Byron are headed out, of course.

Byron had huge decisions to make and he needed to decide soon. It's quite overwhelming for him, especially in light to what others have brought up and it doesn't help that his throat was burning now and his head, despite just the one glass of wine, was making him woozy. Still, he gives Erin this supportive smile, his eyes turning to look at Lilith now when she clings onto him with affection after collecting her things. "Good to know. You have a good night then. I hope that you're able to sleep better tonight than you've had in months." With those parting words, he reaches into his pocket for his keys and leads the way. He's not really in the mood to talk about sacrifices. He's probably not even in the state of mind to drive wit how heavy his eye lids feel now, but there wasn't much time to put this any of this off. Maybe tomorrow.

Erin had nothing to do with the rock mending itself. Nothing more satisfying than breaking things when one needed to. Since she had forgone the alcohol completely after all, she's sipping the pear juice but she does notice Lilith's condition. "Thank you Lilith. I'm ready for it to all be over. I just want peace." The look from Byron bolsters her some. "Sleep well, both of you." Watching them a moment before exhaling a breath. With Ruiz on the phone she leaves him his privacy for the moment.