BatIM AU: Henry's Path (OLD - rewrite in progress/consideration)

Act 1, Scene 3: Unwanted Answers

Edgar

Edgar woke up relatively earlier than normal. Possibly because she was excited to be with Henry more. She left her room with a smile and began making herself breakfast. She could hear Wally's deep snores and Henry mumbling to himself in his sleep. She saw Sammy when she came, but didn't want to bother him because of his upset look. He was frowning from under his mask, eyes closed. He was hunched over, hands held together at his knees. Edgar rethought about helping him, setting her plate down on the counter.

Edgar sat next to Sammy and acted like she didn't care, but Sammy looked over at her and stared. Edgar looked back and smiled meekly.

"I know what you're trying to do," Sammy scolded. "It's not going to work."

Edgar frowned and drew her eyes to the floor. She drummed her fingers on the ground in impatience. Sammy growled and got up to move somewhere else, leaving Edgar alone in the corner. He stopped for a moment near Wally and Henry's room, then continued to the doorway of the safehouse.

Edgar shrugged and sat back down at the table, eating her stale cereal solemnly. Wally's snores could still be heard from across the room, becoming louder each minute. She could have sworn she heard Henry yell at him, then Wally stopped and flipped to his other side. Edgar snickered under her breath, nearly choking on a cereal flake.

It wasn't until an hour later when Henry and Wally woke up. They stayed in bed for a while talking to each other before getting up to eat. Edgar had already set out bowls for them, leaving out the cereal box. Sammy still sat in his secluded corner with his arms crossed. He watched them with a grave expression, his eyes narrowed slightly.

Edgar finally finished with her breakfast and sat down at the table next to Henry. He smiled warmly. She made a couple hand gestures. Good morning.

"Good morning," Wally replied with the matching gestures. Henry observed and rubbed his chin.

"Complicated stuff," he said, narrowing his eyes.

Edgar made more gestures. Feeling better?

Wally elbowed Henry softly. "She's asking if you're feeling better."

"Oh. Uh, yeah, sure. I'm getting a little used to it."

Edgar smiled. Good to know.

"She says 'good to know,'" Wally explained.

"Gosh, you need to teach me this. I can't just rely on you to tell me everything she says," Henry said.

"Well, it's a little difficult, but we have all the time in the world to teach you."

I'll be happy to help.

"She says she'll be happy to help," Wally repeated. Henry nodded.

After a couple hours of trying to teach Henry sign language (with a bunch of angry outbursts and complications), Sammy had called them over to talk. Edgar knew what was coming. She'd been prepared for this for a long time.

Sammy was standing near the entryway like he was guarding it from something. He was clutching one of the old axes from storage.

"You're not going to like this," he said. Wally put down his head. Henry had his arms crossed. Edgar just stood casually. She'd been hearing bad news so much lately that she had become used to it.

"I'm already hating it," Henry said to himself softly, but Edgar caught it and shot a glare at him.

"He knows about what I've been doing. He knows that I hid you two away," Sammy continued. Edgar grunted. "I wasn't there for yours, remember?" Edgar just shrugged and looked away. If you say so, she thought.