One Shot - Superheroes... Or Something
Jun. 22nd, 2007 01:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Title: Superheroes... or something
Author: Mara
Fandoms: The OC/OTH/Gilmore Girls (In the Early Edition Universe)
Rating: R
Warnings: Language. Violence.
Summary: Ryan Atwood's life is rapidly coming apart at the seams when suddenly he starts getting a very special newspaper...
Note #1: So okay, during a little discussion about 'Friday Night Lights' and how I should totally watch it, the conversation took a little side track to Kyle Chandler and his role in the show 'Early Edition', which led to me suddenly thinking that we all know what Ryan would do if he was in that situation. This is the result.
Note #2: The short version of what 'Early Edition' was about: A man named Gary Hobson (Kyle Chandler) mysteriously started getting the next day's newspaper, and while initially he used it to make money, he soon realized just how much good he could do with it and started saving lives.
Note #3: If it's bold, it's a newspaper headline. If it's italics, it's a newspaper article.
Superheroes... or something
Ryan always went for a jog that started just before the sun came up and led him through the park before taking him back to his apartment above the pub where he worked. While he liked the fresh air and the adrenaline rush he got on the run, he also liked the fact that usually, part way around the park, he was joined by a brunette who offered him a small smile before jogging beside him about a mile and a half, then another smile as they parted ways. He didn't know her name, but after the hell his ex-wife had put him through with their divorce, it was nice to have someone who seemed to at least think he was attractive. The only thing was, he couldn't quite work up the nerve to actually say something to her, so they always just ran then went their separate ways. Except for this morning. This morning she spoke.
"This is ridiculous, 6 months of jogging together, and I don't even know you're name," she said as it came time to split up.
"Ryan."
"Brooke," she replied with a smile before turning and continuing on her way.
Ryan watched her go, smiling, then turned to go back to his place.
Ryan was still smiling as he ran up the stairs to his place, but it turned to a confused frown as he spotted the newspaper leaning against his door with a cat pacing in front of it. He didn't subscribe, but he wouldn't be surprised if his parents hadn't gotten him a subscription as a hint to find a job other than the bar. Sandy and Kirsten weren't as subtle as they thought they were. The cat... well it must be a stray that snuck in.
Ryan smiled slightly as he stooped to pick up the paper and scratched the cat behind it's ears. "I think I have some tuna..." he suggested as he unlocked the door and the cat just walked right in and jumped up on his couch. He dropped the paper on the counter and grabbed the can of tuna, opening it and scooping a forkful onto a plate before setting it on the counter and tapping it with the edge of the fork to get the cat's attention. After covering the rest of the tuna and putting it in the fridge, Ryan grabbed the paper and took a look at the headlines, frowning when he saw the story about peace talks failing. Peace talks that weren't even due to start until that day.
Before he could put much other thought in it, his door swung open and his friend Jess walked in and flopped down on the couch. "So, what's the plan?"
"Besides you keeping your feet off my coffee table?" Ryan replied, glancing up then glancing back down at the paper. He flipped through the pages until he came to an article that stopped him cold. "What the hell?" he whispered. It was her, the brunette from the park, wearing a tailored jacket and smiling for the camera. With a headline that read 'Designer Found Dead'.
"What?" Jess asked, getting up to look over Ryan's shoulder. "Who is she?"
"The girl in the park," Ryan replied. "The one I go jogging with every morning."
"Oh man..." Jess said. "I'm sorry, Ry, I know you had a thing for her..."
"That's just it, Jess," Ryan said, still staring at the paper. "I saw her no more than 15 minutes ago. I talked to her."
Jess frowned, then plucked the paper from his friend's hands and started reading.
The body of 23year-old fashion designer Brooke Davis was discovered in the late evening hours of Sunday morning by joggers going for an evening run. Davis appeared to have been stabbed multiple times, and as of yet the police have no leads in the brutal slaying...
"It's a joke, Ryan," Jess said. "Today's Sunday. Somebody besides me know you've got a thing for her, and they're trying to freak you out. Maybe Marissa and her little boy toy are at it again."
Ryan shook his head, looking at the rest of the paper. "I don't know, this seems elaborate, even for them."
"Their both twisted fucks," Jess replied with a shrug as he grabbed the TV remote and turned it on to the news, where a reporter was talking about the high hopes for the peace talks.
"They're gonna fail," Ryan whispered. "The ambassador's are gonna get in a fist fit and that'll be that."
"Yeah, sure," Jess said, snorting. "I believe that when I see it."
<><><><><><><><><><><>
Once Ryan went down to work for the day, he got busy and completely forgot about the newspaper and the things it said. At least until Jess came in, looking pale and shocked.
"What the hell, Ry?" Jess said.
"What?" Ryan replied.
Jess leaned over the bar to grab the remote and changed the channel, ignoring the regulars who grumbled as it was put on CNN, where the reporters were talking about how a fist fight erupted during the peace talks, which had now been cancelled. "Like the paper said."
Ryan stared at Jess for a moment, a chill going down his spine, then he grabbed for the paper he'd left underneath the bar and turned to the article on Brooke again. "Early reports estimate Ms. Davis' time of death at 8:30pm, an hour after she was last seen leaving her building dressed for her usual evening run," he read.
"It's already 8," Jess replied.
"Paulie!" Ryan yelled to his boss as he took off the apron he had on. "I gotta go, emergency thing, life and death. I'll make up the hours later."
"Come on, kid..." Paulie began half heartedly.
"I'm serious, Paulie, I gotta go," Ryan repeated as he shoved the page with the article into his jacket pocket and ran out from behind the bar, grabbing Jess' arm as he went, both men leaving the pub at a dead run as they headed for the park.
<><><><><><><><><><><>
"This is insane," Jess said as they reached the empty park. "It's just a coincidence..."
"That the paper was exactly right?" Ryan replied, scanning the park for any sign of Brooke. "Come on..." he whispered to himself. And that's when he saw her, jogging with head phones on, completely oblivious to the man moving quickly towards her. Ryan took off at a run again, and as he neared her, Brooke looked up and smiled, then frowned in confusion as he barrelled towards her, tackling the dark clothed man just as he grabbed Brooke's arm.
"What the hell?!" she yelled, turning and staring in shock as a knife clattered from the man's hand and skidded across the concrete. "Oh my God..."
"You okay?" Jess asked as he reached them, staring as Ryan hit the man with one solid punch and knocked him out cold. "Hell of a right hook, Ry."
"Cage fighting," Ryan replied, looking up at Brooke. "Are you okay?"
"You just saved me life," Brooke said.
"You don't know how right you are," Jess replied, staring at Ryan with a stunned expression on his face.
"I'm never going jogging again," Brooke said as she leaned against the railing that overlooked the bay.
"That was intense," Ryan agreed as he pulled the article out of his pocket, staring at it for a moment, then passing it to Jess, who read it in the twilight, then looked up, stunned.
"It changed," Jess said.
'Serial Killer Captured By Hero Bartender'
<><><><><><><><><><><>
The next morning, Ryan slept late since he had no plans for jogging after a night spent giving statements to the police, but he woke to the sound of someone knocking on his door, and stumbled out of bed to answer it, surprised to find Brooke on the other side. "Hi," he said.
"Hi," Brooke replied. "I got your name from the detective, and then tracked you down."
"Okay," Ryan said. "Why?"
"I never said thank you last night."
"You don't have to."
"How did you know?" Brooke asked. "What was with the news paper?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Ryan replied just as there was a thump at his door, followed by the sound of a cat meowing. He walked over and opened the door, the cat running in and jumping on the counter to look for tuna, then he stooped down and picked up the paper, reading over the new headlines. "Oh shit."
"What?" Brooke asked, walking over.
'Explosion Rocks Downtown, Leaves 153 Dead'
"I passed that building on my here, it's fine," Brooke said.
"It won't be in 6 hours," Ryan replied, finding the time of the explosion.
"What's going on?"
"Yesterday I got a paper that said you were gonna be found dead, killed at about 8:30pm in the park. It also said the peace talks were gonna get cancelled for a fist fight. When the fight happened... I headed for the park."
"You've got a magic paper that tells the future?" Brooke asked.
"Sounds crazy, right?" Ryan said.
"Prove it."
Ryan flipped through the paper, searching for something, anything, and found it.
A sudden hail storm that began at 10:45am left the city buried under almost an inch of ice.
Ryan glanced at his watch, then out the window, just as the hail began to fall.
"Holy shit," Brooke whispered, looking back at Ryan. "What are we waiting for?"
"What?" Ryan asked.
"We've got an explosion to stop."
"Wait, you... you believe this? Believe me?"
"I already called in sick, I've got nothing better to do."
"Hey, Ry, did you..." Jess began as he walked in. "Why, hello there, Ms. Davis."
"Shut up, we've got work to do," Brooke said, taking the paper and holding it so Jess would see the explosion headline. "Since you were there last night, I take it you're in?"
"What, we're gonna play superheroes now?" Jess asked. "I was thinking more of checking the winning lotto numbers, the sports page..." He paused, looking between the two. "What the hell. But I'm not wearing tights and spandex, let alone my underwear on the outside."
"Thank god," Brooke replied. "Now why are we still standing here? We've got 6 hours to stop an explosion that's gonna kill 153 people," she added, grabbing
"Give me five minutes to get dressed," Ryan said with a sigh.
"Can we stop for coffee on the way?" Jess added.
Brooke rolled her eyes. "Of course, you can't save the day when you're not caffenaited," she said.
The End
This was just a one off that I wrote the night of that conversation, but have been mulling over ever since. I like how it turned it... lol
Author: Mara
Fandoms: The OC/OTH/Gilmore Girls (In the Early Edition Universe)
Rating: R
Warnings: Language. Violence.
Summary: Ryan Atwood's life is rapidly coming apart at the seams when suddenly he starts getting a very special newspaper...
Note #1: So okay, during a little discussion about 'Friday Night Lights' and how I should totally watch it, the conversation took a little side track to Kyle Chandler and his role in the show 'Early Edition', which led to me suddenly thinking that we all know what Ryan would do if he was in that situation. This is the result.
Note #2: The short version of what 'Early Edition' was about: A man named Gary Hobson (Kyle Chandler) mysteriously started getting the next day's newspaper, and while initially he used it to make money, he soon realized just how much good he could do with it and started saving lives.
Note #3: If it's bold, it's a newspaper headline. If it's italics, it's a newspaper article.
Superheroes... or something
Ryan always went for a jog that started just before the sun came up and led him through the park before taking him back to his apartment above the pub where he worked. While he liked the fresh air and the adrenaline rush he got on the run, he also liked the fact that usually, part way around the park, he was joined by a brunette who offered him a small smile before jogging beside him about a mile and a half, then another smile as they parted ways. He didn't know her name, but after the hell his ex-wife had put him through with their divorce, it was nice to have someone who seemed to at least think he was attractive. The only thing was, he couldn't quite work up the nerve to actually say something to her, so they always just ran then went their separate ways. Except for this morning. This morning she spoke.
"This is ridiculous, 6 months of jogging together, and I don't even know you're name," she said as it came time to split up.
"Ryan."
"Brooke," she replied with a smile before turning and continuing on her way.
Ryan watched her go, smiling, then turned to go back to his place.
Ryan was still smiling as he ran up the stairs to his place, but it turned to a confused frown as he spotted the newspaper leaning against his door with a cat pacing in front of it. He didn't subscribe, but he wouldn't be surprised if his parents hadn't gotten him a subscription as a hint to find a job other than the bar. Sandy and Kirsten weren't as subtle as they thought they were. The cat... well it must be a stray that snuck in.
Ryan smiled slightly as he stooped to pick up the paper and scratched the cat behind it's ears. "I think I have some tuna..." he suggested as he unlocked the door and the cat just walked right in and jumped up on his couch. He dropped the paper on the counter and grabbed the can of tuna, opening it and scooping a forkful onto a plate before setting it on the counter and tapping it with the edge of the fork to get the cat's attention. After covering the rest of the tuna and putting it in the fridge, Ryan grabbed the paper and took a look at the headlines, frowning when he saw the story about peace talks failing. Peace talks that weren't even due to start until that day.
Before he could put much other thought in it, his door swung open and his friend Jess walked in and flopped down on the couch. "So, what's the plan?"
"Besides you keeping your feet off my coffee table?" Ryan replied, glancing up then glancing back down at the paper. He flipped through the pages until he came to an article that stopped him cold. "What the hell?" he whispered. It was her, the brunette from the park, wearing a tailored jacket and smiling for the camera. With a headline that read 'Designer Found Dead'.
"What?" Jess asked, getting up to look over Ryan's shoulder. "Who is she?"
"The girl in the park," Ryan replied. "The one I go jogging with every morning."
"Oh man..." Jess said. "I'm sorry, Ry, I know you had a thing for her..."
"That's just it, Jess," Ryan said, still staring at the paper. "I saw her no more than 15 minutes ago. I talked to her."
Jess frowned, then plucked the paper from his friend's hands and started reading.
The body of 23year-old fashion designer Brooke Davis was discovered in the late evening hours of Sunday morning by joggers going for an evening run. Davis appeared to have been stabbed multiple times, and as of yet the police have no leads in the brutal slaying...
"It's a joke, Ryan," Jess said. "Today's Sunday. Somebody besides me know you've got a thing for her, and they're trying to freak you out. Maybe Marissa and her little boy toy are at it again."
Ryan shook his head, looking at the rest of the paper. "I don't know, this seems elaborate, even for them."
"Their both twisted fucks," Jess replied with a shrug as he grabbed the TV remote and turned it on to the news, where a reporter was talking about the high hopes for the peace talks.
"They're gonna fail," Ryan whispered. "The ambassador's are gonna get in a fist fit and that'll be that."
"Yeah, sure," Jess said, snorting. "I believe that when I see it."
<><><><><><><><><><><>
Once Ryan went down to work for the day, he got busy and completely forgot about the newspaper and the things it said. At least until Jess came in, looking pale and shocked.
"What the hell, Ry?" Jess said.
"What?" Ryan replied.
Jess leaned over the bar to grab the remote and changed the channel, ignoring the regulars who grumbled as it was put on CNN, where the reporters were talking about how a fist fight erupted during the peace talks, which had now been cancelled. "Like the paper said."
Ryan stared at Jess for a moment, a chill going down his spine, then he grabbed for the paper he'd left underneath the bar and turned to the article on Brooke again. "Early reports estimate Ms. Davis' time of death at 8:30pm, an hour after she was last seen leaving her building dressed for her usual evening run," he read.
"It's already 8," Jess replied.
"Paulie!" Ryan yelled to his boss as he took off the apron he had on. "I gotta go, emergency thing, life and death. I'll make up the hours later."
"Come on, kid..." Paulie began half heartedly.
"I'm serious, Paulie, I gotta go," Ryan repeated as he shoved the page with the article into his jacket pocket and ran out from behind the bar, grabbing Jess' arm as he went, both men leaving the pub at a dead run as they headed for the park.
<><><><><><><><><><><>
"This is insane," Jess said as they reached the empty park. "It's just a coincidence..."
"That the paper was exactly right?" Ryan replied, scanning the park for any sign of Brooke. "Come on..." he whispered to himself. And that's when he saw her, jogging with head phones on, completely oblivious to the man moving quickly towards her. Ryan took off at a run again, and as he neared her, Brooke looked up and smiled, then frowned in confusion as he barrelled towards her, tackling the dark clothed man just as he grabbed Brooke's arm.
"What the hell?!" she yelled, turning and staring in shock as a knife clattered from the man's hand and skidded across the concrete. "Oh my God..."
"You okay?" Jess asked as he reached them, staring as Ryan hit the man with one solid punch and knocked him out cold. "Hell of a right hook, Ry."
"Cage fighting," Ryan replied, looking up at Brooke. "Are you okay?"
"You just saved me life," Brooke said.
"You don't know how right you are," Jess replied, staring at Ryan with a stunned expression on his face.
"I'm never going jogging again," Brooke said as she leaned against the railing that overlooked the bay.
"That was intense," Ryan agreed as he pulled the article out of his pocket, staring at it for a moment, then passing it to Jess, who read it in the twilight, then looked up, stunned.
"It changed," Jess said.
'Serial Killer Captured By Hero Bartender'
<><><><><><><><><><><>
The next morning, Ryan slept late since he had no plans for jogging after a night spent giving statements to the police, but he woke to the sound of someone knocking on his door, and stumbled out of bed to answer it, surprised to find Brooke on the other side. "Hi," he said.
"Hi," Brooke replied. "I got your name from the detective, and then tracked you down."
"Okay," Ryan said. "Why?"
"I never said thank you last night."
"You don't have to."
"How did you know?" Brooke asked. "What was with the news paper?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Ryan replied just as there was a thump at his door, followed by the sound of a cat meowing. He walked over and opened the door, the cat running in and jumping on the counter to look for tuna, then he stooped down and picked up the paper, reading over the new headlines. "Oh shit."
"What?" Brooke asked, walking over.
'Explosion Rocks Downtown, Leaves 153 Dead'
"I passed that building on my here, it's fine," Brooke said.
"It won't be in 6 hours," Ryan replied, finding the time of the explosion.
"What's going on?"
"Yesterday I got a paper that said you were gonna be found dead, killed at about 8:30pm in the park. It also said the peace talks were gonna get cancelled for a fist fight. When the fight happened... I headed for the park."
"You've got a magic paper that tells the future?" Brooke asked.
"Sounds crazy, right?" Ryan said.
"Prove it."
Ryan flipped through the paper, searching for something, anything, and found it.
A sudden hail storm that began at 10:45am left the city buried under almost an inch of ice.
Ryan glanced at his watch, then out the window, just as the hail began to fall.
"Holy shit," Brooke whispered, looking back at Ryan. "What are we waiting for?"
"What?" Ryan asked.
"We've got an explosion to stop."
"Wait, you... you believe this? Believe me?"
"I already called in sick, I've got nothing better to do."
"Hey, Ry, did you..." Jess began as he walked in. "Why, hello there, Ms. Davis."
"Shut up, we've got work to do," Brooke said, taking the paper and holding it so Jess would see the explosion headline. "Since you were there last night, I take it you're in?"
"What, we're gonna play superheroes now?" Jess asked. "I was thinking more of checking the winning lotto numbers, the sports page..." He paused, looking between the two. "What the hell. But I'm not wearing tights and spandex, let alone my underwear on the outside."
"Thank god," Brooke replied. "Now why are we still standing here? We've got 6 hours to stop an explosion that's gonna kill 153 people," she added, grabbing
"Give me five minutes to get dressed," Ryan said with a sigh.
"Can we stop for coffee on the way?" Jess added.
Brooke rolled her eyes. "Of course, you can't save the day when you're not caffenaited," she said.
The End
This was just a one off that I wrote the night of that conversation, but have been mulling over ever since. I like how it turned it... lol
no subject
Date: 2007-06-22 07:23 am (UTC)Your thoughts on:
Ally Mcbeal?
Will and Grace?
Roswell?
no subject
Date: 2007-06-22 07:41 am (UTC)Didn't watch much of Ally McBeal...
Will and Grace? The first thing that pops into my head is Seth = Jack... lol...
Roswell... ooh... that one has possibilities... lol
Ryan = Max or Micheal (Ryan's got the stuff to be a leader, but he's also a rebel/bad boy)...
Seth = Alex
Summer = Isabel (I'd say Liz, but Liz was so weak willed near the beginning)...
Marissa = Liz (Although that's mean to Liz... lol)
Luke = Kyle (So obvious it hurts! lol)
Sadie = Maria (The kinda eccentric hippy-chick-ness... lol)
I could actually do something with this... of course I'd twist around the story, but... it could so work... lol... damn you... lol
no subject
Date: 2007-06-22 07:52 am (UTC)My friends always tell me that my mind is made up of six persona's. Will, Grace, Jack, Karen, Pinky and the Brain. that is because I was a serious Will and Grace (really Jack and Karen) addict. Will and Grace is dead, long life Will and Grace! Jack 2000!
no subject
Date: 2007-06-22 07:58 am (UTC)I'm at the moment figuring out a basic plot... and I discovered that if I again crossed over The OC with OTH, I cna so very easily figure out who's who... lol
The Humans:
Brooke (Liz)
Seth (Alex)
Luke (Kyle)
Marissa (Maria)
Sandy (Sheriff Valenti)
Karen (Liz's Mom)
Julie (Maria's Mom)
The Aliens:
Nathan (Max)
Ryan (Micheal)
Summer (Isabel)
Peyton (Tess)
I wouldn't of course hold strictly to the pairings of Roswell (Ryan and Marissa would neccesarily be paired jsut because Micheal and Maria were, Nathan/Brooke are neccesarily paired jsut because Max and Liz were...), but the characters really do fit so well with making it a crossover... lol... I might change my mind and do it strictly with The OC, though... I'll ahve to sleep on it and figure it out tomorrow while waiting for the DSL installer guy to come... lol
no subject
Date: 2007-06-22 08:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-22 08:13 am (UTC)I think, though, that the strongest reason I casted as I did was because I dislike Maria (I liked her for a while, but by the end of the show I really didn't like her at all), and I adore Micheal/Liz and Micheal/Isabel... lol... but my story would follow Roswell exactly, obviously, so it's not like everyone will be exact...
no subject
Date: 2007-06-22 08:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-23 04:23 am (UTC)My new version of the list (Although it's very lose and there would be major differences between the characters... this is just who is in a role similiar to the Roswell characters...):
The Humans:
Brooke (Liz)
Seth (Alex)
Luke (Kyle)
Peyton (Maria)
Sandy (Sheriff Valenti)
Karen (Liz's Mom)
Julie (Topolsky?)
Dan (Agent Pierce)
Oliver (Nicholas, the teenage looking Psycho!Skin...)
Volchak (Khivar)
The Aliens:
Nathan (Max)
Ryan (Micheal)
Summer (Isabel)
Marissa (Tess)
no subject
Date: 2007-06-22 02:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-22 11:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-23 04:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-27 10:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-23 09:13 am (UTC)The End?
Date: 2007-06-24 01:56 am (UTC)Wish there was a continuation to this, lol.
But great job on this