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31_days2012-05-14 12:08 pm
insaneladybug.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2012-05-14 12:08 pm
[May 14th] [Perry Mason] Trying to Slip Past Her Defense
Title: Trying to Slip Past Her Defense
Day/Theme: May 14th - And I'm afraid it's you
Series: Perry Mason
Character/Pairing: Hamilton Burger, Mignon Germaine
Rating: K/G
Part of the "Missing Scenes from The Broken Ties" series.
Takes place during the break between chapters 7 and 8.
By Lucky_Ladybug
Hamilton went to visit Mignon the day after Perry and Della re-met at long last. It was not an especially pleasant meeting, but it was necessary. And regardless of need, Hamilton badly longed to find a way to repair the damage Vivalene’s spell had done to his dear friend. He had mainly come, he admitted to himself, because he was trying desperately to show her that he was not the ogre she seemed to think he was from her false memories.
Her eyes flickered with surprise as she opened the door. Hamilton hurried to speak before she could do so first. “Hello, Mignon.”
She held on to the edge of the door. “I’m sorry, Mr. Burger,” she told him. “I didn’t find anything in my remaining books. And today I asked several friends of mine. Not even they seem to know anything about such a spell or a box.”
Hamilton flinched. She had started to refuse to even call him by his first name. It hurt every time she addressed him more formally, as she was insisting on doing.
“. . . I see,” he said at last. “Well, I guess that’s not much of a surprise, really. But that’s not really why I came.” He looked at her pleadingly. “Mignon, won’t you at least listen to me? Won’t you give me the benefit of a doubt? You believed right away in the idea of the spell over the county. That sort of thing is right up your alley.
“But I thought our friendship was important too. I didn’t think you’d throw it away like this, especially if you truly think there’s a spell. Part of what it’s doing is making everyone forget the ways things really are. You’re letting yourself be controlled!”
Mignon looked away, clearly feeling guilty. Her hand loosened its grip on the door, but she did not pull it back.
“It’s true, Mr. Burger,” she admitted. “It’s easy for me to accept the idea of a black magic curse over the county. But it’s much more difficult to rid myself of the memories of what happened between us.” She looked back to him. “As I remember it, I wasn’t the one who threw away our friendship. I’m afraid it was you.”
“But it didn’t happen!” Hamilton cried. “Mignon, think. In the last day, have I acted like the monster you think I am?”
Mignon shook her head. “No, you haven’t. But it would be just like you, to forget it all and try to make me do the same. You never apologize when you’ve done wrong.”
Hamilton slumped back, overwhelmed. “That’s not true,” he protested, even though by now he knew he was speaking in vain. “I always want to apologize and set things right if I know I’ve hurt someone.”
Mignon sighed. A flicker of sadness and regret went through her eyes. “Mr. Burger, I’m sorry. You’re correct in that if everything you say is true, what I remember right now never happened. But I can’t abandon those memories just like that, any more than you could bring yourself to believe in black magic right away. Those memories are hurtful. They’re painful. But they’re part of all I have, in this life or any other. To abandon them is to abandon my identity.”
Now Hamilton sighed. “I understand,” he said quietly, resignedly. “I won’t pressure you.”
Mignon nodded. “Thank you.”
At last she held the door open wider. “If you want to discuss what to do next, come in.”
Hamilton took a step forward, then hesitated. “. . . Do you have any ideas?” he asked.
“At the moment, no, I do not,” said Mignon. “Perhaps the best thing for now would be to wait and see what develops between Mr. Mason and Miss Street.”
“I agree.” Hamilton started to turn away. “I don’t think we have anything more to discuss right now, Mignon.”
“I don’t believe so, either. Goodbye, Mr. Burger.” Mignon started to shut the door.
For a brief moment she hesitated and Hamilton looked back. Was she wavering? Was she regretting sending him away?
If she was, she was not going to do anything about it. The door closed in the next moment.
Hamilton sighed, trudging down the steps.
Behind the curtain at the front window, Mignon watched him go. She had felt an ache in her heart since encountering him last night. It was all the stronger now.
But she did not call him back.
Day/Theme: May 14th - And I'm afraid it's you
Series: Perry Mason
Character/Pairing: Hamilton Burger, Mignon Germaine
Rating: K/G
Part of the "Missing Scenes from The Broken Ties" series.
Takes place during the break between chapters 7 and 8.
Hamilton went to visit Mignon the day after Perry and Della re-met at long last. It was not an especially pleasant meeting, but it was necessary. And regardless of need, Hamilton badly longed to find a way to repair the damage Vivalene’s spell had done to his dear friend. He had mainly come, he admitted to himself, because he was trying desperately to show her that he was not the ogre she seemed to think he was from her false memories.
Her eyes flickered with surprise as she opened the door. Hamilton hurried to speak before she could do so first. “Hello, Mignon.”
She held on to the edge of the door. “I’m sorry, Mr. Burger,” she told him. “I didn’t find anything in my remaining books. And today I asked several friends of mine. Not even they seem to know anything about such a spell or a box.”
Hamilton flinched. She had started to refuse to even call him by his first name. It hurt every time she addressed him more formally, as she was insisting on doing.
“. . . I see,” he said at last. “Well, I guess that’s not much of a surprise, really. But that’s not really why I came.” He looked at her pleadingly. “Mignon, won’t you at least listen to me? Won’t you give me the benefit of a doubt? You believed right away in the idea of the spell over the county. That sort of thing is right up your alley.
“But I thought our friendship was important too. I didn’t think you’d throw it away like this, especially if you truly think there’s a spell. Part of what it’s doing is making everyone forget the ways things really are. You’re letting yourself be controlled!”
Mignon looked away, clearly feeling guilty. Her hand loosened its grip on the door, but she did not pull it back.
“It’s true, Mr. Burger,” she admitted. “It’s easy for me to accept the idea of a black magic curse over the county. But it’s much more difficult to rid myself of the memories of what happened between us.” She looked back to him. “As I remember it, I wasn’t the one who threw away our friendship. I’m afraid it was you.”
“But it didn’t happen!” Hamilton cried. “Mignon, think. In the last day, have I acted like the monster you think I am?”
Mignon shook her head. “No, you haven’t. But it would be just like you, to forget it all and try to make me do the same. You never apologize when you’ve done wrong.”
Hamilton slumped back, overwhelmed. “That’s not true,” he protested, even though by now he knew he was speaking in vain. “I always want to apologize and set things right if I know I’ve hurt someone.”
Mignon sighed. A flicker of sadness and regret went through her eyes. “Mr. Burger, I’m sorry. You’re correct in that if everything you say is true, what I remember right now never happened. But I can’t abandon those memories just like that, any more than you could bring yourself to believe in black magic right away. Those memories are hurtful. They’re painful. But they’re part of all I have, in this life or any other. To abandon them is to abandon my identity.”
Now Hamilton sighed. “I understand,” he said quietly, resignedly. “I won’t pressure you.”
Mignon nodded. “Thank you.”
At last she held the door open wider. “If you want to discuss what to do next, come in.”
Hamilton took a step forward, then hesitated. “. . . Do you have any ideas?” he asked.
“At the moment, no, I do not,” said Mignon. “Perhaps the best thing for now would be to wait and see what develops between Mr. Mason and Miss Street.”
“I agree.” Hamilton started to turn away. “I don’t think we have anything more to discuss right now, Mignon.”
“I don’t believe so, either. Goodbye, Mr. Burger.” Mignon started to shut the door.
For a brief moment she hesitated and Hamilton looked back. Was she wavering? Was she regretting sending him away?
If she was, she was not going to do anything about it. The door closed in the next moment.
Hamilton sighed, trudging down the steps.
Behind the curtain at the front window, Mignon watched him go. She had felt an ache in her heart since encountering him last night. It was all the stronger now.
But she did not call him back.