Fancy Seeing You Here

[LIAM AVERY]

Liam had been holed up with Flynn the past few days and he wanted to get her out of the house; not that he hadn’t been enjoying his time. Flynn was as curious in the bedroom as she was in every other area of her life, and Liam had been more than happy to satisfy her curiosity. He’d said the words, “I love you,” more in the past few days than he’d said it in his entire lifetime up to this point. Bliss didn’t describe how he felt—he honestly didn’t think there was a word to encompass everything he felt when he was with Flynn. Though by human standards his sleep was still fretful, he’d slept much better than he had in those first couple days after the darkness. Flynn’s mood was improving, but he knew being cooped up in their love nest wasn’t going to put her right. They dressed warmly and he escorted her out of the house to her favorite little tea and soap shop.

They walked to Sunshine’s Too, Liam’s arm around Flynn’s waist so he could keep her warmer. It started to snow as they walked and he looked up at the dark sky with a frown. “Don’t people usual refer to a cold day in July as a day when impossible things become possible?” It was a quiet and contemplative question, though in truth he was actually amazed at the sight. He’d never seen it snow in the middle of July in Oregon. It was incredibly bizarre. “I actually happen to like the snow, though. It makes everything look clean.” He looked at her with a smile and a small shrug. “That probably makes me sound OCD.” As they continued, he tucked her closer to his side and planted a light kiss on her cheek. Flynn was the only one who could make Liam feel that public displays of affection were acceptable. “This is perfect weather for hot beverages, though.” Liam noted that the snow wasn’t sticking to the roads though it was beginning to accumulate elsewhere. That would minimize the accidents that came about because of the weather, which he was grateful for.

“How are your wings today?” he asked gently, letting his concern show on his face. The past couple days, Flynn’s feathers had begun falling out more rapidly than normal and she had mentioned them feeling a little weaker. He figured the lack of sunlight must have been what was affecting her, just as it was affecting his stone form. Liam wondered how much worse it would get for her as time passed with the pervading darkness. It wasn’t getting better today, that was for certain, but Flynn was always positive and cheerful. He loved that about her. He loved everything about her.

When they arrived at the shop, he held the door open for her and admired again the pleasant aromas that filled the shop. He hadn’t been one to go to these sorts of places before Flynn, but now that he was with her, he was learning to appreciate them. The younger generation would probably call him whipped; he liked to think he just liked seeing Flynn enjoy herself. They got in line to order drinks and he ordered a Columbian roast blend and let Flynn make her order before a vaguely familiar voice piped up behind them. “Oh my goodness, it’s Flynn and Liam!” He turned, surprised to hear his name and found two friendly faces that made a pleasant smile of recognition come to his face. Marius and Abby made a fine couple even dressed casually.

[ABIGAIL JAMES]

Abby frowned up at the sky as she climbed out of her Prius. She was going to have to call her dad and make sure it would be okay to take some of her plants to his greenhouse with the weather like it was. He had plants of his own, but he would probably have room for one or two of each of her plants. It was just such a hassle to dig up all her plants and put them in pots, not to mention transporting them. But she had to do what she could to protect her livelihood from destruction. Summer was supposed to be the time everything worked best for her business! It put her in a bad mood to think about all the money she was going to have to spend to get the pots from the store after her coffee break with Marius. They’d agreed to meet at Sunshine’s Too for his lunch break to get some hot drinks in this cold weather. It was even snowing! Thankfully it wasn’t sticking to the roads, but it was such a damn inconvenience. She hated the cold when it snuck up like this cold did. The upside was she got to wear her favorite cute teal scarf and gray peacoat. Cold weather fashions had always been her favorite, if she was being honest. Her eyes roamed the street, looking for any sign of Marius. She found it about a block away, seeing his car parked there and him climbing out of it. Just the sight of him cheered her up and she smiled wide, moving toward him.

When she was close enough, she cocked her head to the side, her knitted floppy beret slouching slightly to the side on her head. “Good afternoon, doctor!” she greeted cheerfully. The man could make a paper bag look good. She had to be the luckiest girl in the world. Her arms came up around his shoulders as she reached him, standing on tiptoe to give him a kiss. When she tried to pull away, he leaned back in and kissed her again, making her giggle against his lips and hold on tighter. She loved how playful he was with her. As she came back down to her heels, she smiled wide up at him, taking his hand in hers as they walked the rest of the way to Sunshine’s Too. “How’s your day going?” she asked, genuinely curious about how crazy things were at the hospital. Things were weird everywhere these days, and she wondered if he’d gotten any calls for special cases too. She didn’t want to directly ask if he’d come across any guardian cases out in public, though. Perhaps she would ask him later. She liked listening to Marius talk about his day, though; working in a place like a hospital was fascinating to her. He asked about her day and she shrugged, frowning a little down at her feet. “It’s been okay. I have to get a bunch of pots to put my plants in today before they freeze to death with this crazy weather. My dad has a greenhouse I can put them in, but it’s such a hassle to dig them up and pot them. I’m saving the hard stuff for tomorrow.” She gave a smile up at him and another small roll of her shoulders. “I think I’m just feeling lazy because it’s summer. Well…it’s supposed to be.” She looked up at the sky to indicate the snow and shook her head with a smile. Snow was pretty but it was pesky.

They came to the shop and Abby walked in ahead of Marius. She was itching for some nice calming tea, when she saw a couple familiar faces standing in line. The tea was all but forgotten. “Oh my goodness, it’s Flynn and Liam!” she exclaimed excitedly. Liam smiled back at her and Marius and Abby grinned from ear to ear at the way Flynn lit up. She went forward and hugged Flynn like they were old friends. “Fancy seeing you guys here!” Her whole face was brightened happily, looking between them with wide eyes. They were still adorable, even in everyday clothes!

[FLYNN YOUNG]

The last few days had been some of the best days that Flynn had spent cooped up in her apartment. She wasn't usually such a homebody, preferring to be out in the open and in the fresh air. But with the weather and everything that had happened she just couldn't find the strength to even open up the windows of her little apartment. But Liam was there with her and that was what made it special. No matter how down she was he managed to lift her spirits and she wasn't going to be a sourpuss when he was there. It seemed they spent most of their time napping or discovering one another. In between those times they managed to eat and read a few books that were stacked around the apartment. But they had to get out eventually and when they decided to go out for beverages Sunshine's Too was the perfect spot to do so.

Bundled up nice and warm they pair of them headed to the little shop. Flynn was looking forward to the familiar scents that would waft through the air of the store and knew that would be a sure pick me up! "I actually happen to like the snow, though. It makes everything look clean." Liam was right, everything did look beautiful covered in a sheet of snow. Even if the sky was dark it lightened everything up. "That probably makes me sound OCD." She giggled and shook her head in response knowing that she thought the same thing. If only she could forget that it was July and it shouldn't be snowing in the middle of July then she'd be a little more bubbly about the weather. "This is perfect weather for hot beverages, though." She held tightly to his side and leaned into him as they walked. "Mmhm. I love hot tea when it's chilly!" Of course it was much more than just chilly.

"How are your wings today?" Liam wasn't the only one who had been affected by the strange weather hanging over the city. He hadn't turned to stone since he'd come to her apartment and although it was lovely having him around all the time she couldn't keep herself from worrying about it. At least he was able to get some sleep here and there, though he still looked tired a lot of the time. Flynn's wings had been molting like crazy and it exhausted her when she'd try to stetch them out to their full length. It made her anxious and she found herself relying on that darn inhaler. In fact, she had it tucked into her purse just in case being outside became too much. But so far she was doing fine without it. "They're okay in the harness.. usually it bothers me but today it actually feels nice to have them bound."

Once inside the cute little shop Flynn found herself wrapping her arms around Liam's waist and hugging herself close to him almost like she was a shy child. It wasn't too crowded but it felt strange to be around other people after being cooped up for so long. Just after she ordered a red tea blend she heard their names being spoken and popped her head up to look over Liam's shoulder to see two familiar faces. It was strange seeing Abby and Marius there in plain clothes since they'd only met them once at the ball and they'd all been all dolled up. She couldn't help but light up though at the sight of the other couple and a bright smile came over her lips as she let go of Liam just in time to wrap her arms around Abby, but shifted a bit when the girl hugged her, almost as if she was bit conscious of the fact she might accidentally touch her harness and cause her wings to shatter. She was very self conscious about her wings these days and you couldn't be too careful in her mind.

"Fancy seeing you guys here!" The two of them were all smiles and Flynn couldn't help herself as she started to laugh playfully. "It's so nice to see you both! How silly, I forgot that you said you liked this place too!" She directed to Abby before she gave a little wave at Marius who in turn nodded his head and said a pleasant hello.

[MARIUS DAKANIS]

Marius almost had to call Abby and reschedule their lunch date when a patient came into the ER covered in burns from a kitchen accident. But fortunately he was able to patch the poor woman up and ease her pain well before lunch rolled around. Not that he would have rushed the job, if he had to reschedule then he was sure Abby would have understood. He wasn't one to do a half ass job with patients, especially when they were in the amount of pain that woman was in. But after applying a cooling solution, wrapping her up and getting an IV drip going she was set to be escorted to the burn unit. He still didn't understand why she wasn't transported there first but he wasn't going to let that put a damper on his lunch plans.

When he climbed out of his car he realized he still had his white lab coat on. As much as he loved people coming up to him and asking him to look at different parts of their bodies and ask him if a blemish looked infected, he'd rather just have a quiet little lunch with the girl he was seeing. After shrugging off the coat and tossing it back into the car he pulled out a jacket and quickly threw it on before he locked it up with the fob and spotted Abby heading in his direction. His expression changed from serious to a wide happy grin upon seeing her. It was adorable the way she tipped her head to the side and then commented, "Good afternoon, doctor!" he chuckled and drew her in close when her arms were around his shoulders. The first kiss wasn't enough and when she went to pull back he went straight in for another good smooch before he reluctantly released her.

"How's your day going?" He told her all about his morning at the hospital, leaving out all the gory details and anything that may put a damper on their lunch, and answered any questions she had. He'd only gotten one special case and that had been earlier in the week, someone who didn't want to admit that they were 'different', but it was obvious. How else could someone get their hand stuck in an animal trap and need to be rushed to the emergency room. Naked. Of course he'd treated them silently and they probably thought he was none the wiser. So either he'd been a Therian or he was a nudist who liked to stick his hands where they didn't belong. Either way that was the only case he'd gotten so far.

When he asked her about her day he was glad to hear she had a lot to say. "It's been okay. I have to get a bunch of pots to put my plants in today before they freeze to death with this crazy weather. My dad has a greenhouse I can put them in, but it's such a hassle to dig them up and pot them. I'm saving the hard stuff for tomorrow." He hadn't even thought of that. Her plants were going to freeze and die if she didn't get them into a warmer climate. And although he wasn't a plant enthusiast he knew how important they were to her and he wanted to help. "I think I'm just feeling lazy because it's summer. Well...it's supposed to be." You'd never guess it were summer in Scriptor Bay with all the snow. In fact, his nose was going numb from the chill in the air. "Well if you can hold off until tomorrow I'm off. I can come by and help you get the plants out of the ground and into pots?" He'd love to spend his day off helping her out. He'd grown up around farms and he knew how to do labor work. He didn't like it as much as being a doctor but he also didn't mind it either and would gladly get his hands dirty if it meant he would be able to spend a little time with this beautiful young woman.

When they got to Sunshine's Too he held the door open and allowed Abby to go in first while he ran a hand over his hair trying to brush loose any snow that might have fallen on his head. "Oh my goodness, it's Flynn and Liam!" Abby had seened the pair before he did and it took him a moment before he spotted them at the front of the line and smiled just as the other couple spotted Abby and himself. "Fancy seeing you guys here!" He watched the two girls hug and was amazed at how they looked like they'd been friends for years even though they'd only met them once. "It's so nice to see you both! How silly, I forgot that you said you liked this place too!" Flynn gave him a wave and he smiled and nodded at her saying a little hello.

"What a small world. I just left the hospital so we could get a bite to eat. In all the gin joints in all the world, huh?" Marius teased and reached up to give Abby's hat a playful little tug so it would go lopsided. "How are things?"

[LIAM AVERY]

Liam had been enjoying the way Flynn clung to him, his arm wrapped around her shoulders protectively, but he was glad to watch Flynn and Abby greet each other so enthusiastically. He was still amazed at how friendly the two of them could be when they were still practically strangers. It was sweet to see two people who still had the same enthusiasm as two school girls. While the girls greeted each other, he gave Marius a friendly nod and received one in return. “It’s so nice to see you both! How silly, I forgot that you said you liked this place too!” Abby waved her hand, assuring Flynn that she had forgotten as well. Liam noted the difference in the way the two of them interacted and spoke; Flynn was much quieter but with an almost innocent, shy excitement. Abby was obviously very outgoing with a much more direct excitement. As a psychologist, he liked to observe the little things in the way people interacted with each other. Flynn waved to Marius, and the man nodded and greeted her kindly, which Liam was naturally grateful for.

“What a small world. I just left the hospital so we could get a bite to eat. In all the gin joints in all the world, huh?” Liam grinned and nodded. It really was a small world if the four of them could run into each other on a day like this. Abby gave a soft giggle and then reached up her hand as Marius tugged on her hat, holding it in place while she nudged him playfully with her elbow. He had thought the same at the masquerade when he met the two of them, but they seemed to have been together for a very long time with how relaxed they were around each other. It was sweet to see two people who were able to be so playful and at ease in each other’s company. Before Flynn, it would have boggled him. Now that he was with her, he understood more how two people could find a connection like that. He was playful with Flynn, but it was in a subtler capacity. “How are things?” Liam smiled and glanced down at Flynn with a nod. “Good. We’ve been kind of holed up with this bizarre weather, though.” He smiled at the other couple, giving a shrug. “Who wants to be outside when it’s snowing in July? But we decided to stop being hermits and venture out for some fresh air.” Abby laughed. “Yeah, that was pretty much my sentiment today. And I felt Marius needed a real break from the hospital.” Liam could tell how infatuated they were with each other just from the way they smiled at each other.

“How are things for you guys?” Liam inquired, genuinely interested. “I think the word would be hectic.” He grinned at Abby’s playful response. “I’ve got to dig up my garden so my plants won’t die because of this weather, but luckily Marius has volunteered to help with that.” She smiled up at him again and Liam had to wonder if Marius had really volunteered or if Abby had cunningly coerced him into helping. From what he could tell, Marius seemed the type that would actually volunteer. “Things have been crazy at the hospital for Marius too, so some fresh air is nice.” Liam gave a pleasant smile before Marius elaborated somewhat on what had been happening at the hospital. Liam had heard some strange things, all related to Therians, in the past few days, but he didn’t want to mention it directly in public. He looked at Abby curiously as she leaned to the side and looked behind him. She smiled and pointed and Liam turned to see what she was pointing at. There was the girl behind the counter pushing their drinks toward them and Liam turned around to take them, handing Flynn’s to her. He paid for the drinks before turning back to Abby and Marius with a friendly and inquiring look. “Would you two like to join us once you’ve gotten your drinks?” The young, dark-haired woman agreed for the two of them and Liam nodded before moving toward a table with four seats so they could get their drinks. “They’re a nice couple.” The comment was very quiet and meant for only Flynn to hear, smiling because he knew she would agree.

[ABIGAIL JAMES]

Marius’ tug on her hat confused Abby at first and instinctively she reached up to grab it, but then smiled up at him when she realized what was going on and she nudged him. When she had first met him in the hospital, she hadn’t expected he would be such a playful guy, but she was glad he was. She was a playful girl, after all, so it worked out well. As he started conversation with the other couple, she laced her fingers in his at their side. There was a quiet comfort in knowing she had Marius close to her. She’d become quite attached to the handsome doctor in the past couple weeks. Liam commented on the weather and how he and Flynn had been holed up together for the past few days. Abby couldn’t help but wonder how long they had been together to spend so much time with each other. The way they seemed so comfortable standing beside one another and the loving looks they gave each other, Abby would guess they had been together for at least a few months. It had to be longer than her and Marius for certain.

“But we decided to stop being hermits and venture out for some fresh air.” Abby laughed, liking the hint of humor Liam was letting them see now. She’d talked more to Flynn the last time they had all been together, so she didn’t have a good feel for Liam other than he was quiet and kind; now she could add humorous to that list. “Yeah, that was pretty much my sentiment today. And I felt Marius needed a real break from the hospital.” Abby turned her smile up to Marius briefly, swinging his hand very slightly. She’d been stuck in the house for the past few days working on her painting and hoping the weather would let up, but it didn’t, and she had to concede that it probably wouldn’t for a while. Plus, Marius had a lot going on at the hospital, and she really did want to cheer him up some with a lunch break outside of the concrete walls. An ER doctor always needed a break, right? “How are things for you guys?” She smiled and gave a little sigh. “I think the word would be hectic.” Her reply was playful and she giggled a little, going on to explain what they were going to do with the garden and inviting Marius to talk about everything that was going on at the hospital. Well…not everything, but just some generalizations of what was going on at work.

As they talked, though, Abby noticed the girl come back to the counter behind Liam and set two cups on the counter. Abby leaned to the side and looked at the cups to catch the couple’s attention, and Liam turned to grab their drinks. He paid and Abby took a moment to consider what she would get. Definitely tea, but which one? “How would you like to join us once you’ve gotten your drinks?” Abby smiled wide at Liam. “Sure! That sounds great!” She gave Flynn a smile too and then stepped forward toward the counter so they could put their orders in before they went to join the other couple. As the two walked away, she said softly to Marius, “They’re so nice.” At the counter, she ordered a black tea and peppermint blend and a turkey sandwich before Marius went and ordered for himself. They waited for their order at the counter, Abby swinging Marius’ hand gently as they did, bobbing her head lightly side to side to the rhythm of the Sinatra song playing quietly over the speakers. It made her hat flop more and she giggled, reaching up to make sure it didn’t fall off. “Enjoy this time off, Dr. Dakanis. I’m working you to the bone tomorrow.” Her warning was playful, and she grinned wide at him to show that.

[FLYNN YOUNG]

If there was anything that would surely get Flynn to cheer up it was surrounding herself with others. That was why when Liam was around her mood was lifted even in the gloomy haze that was the city. It wasn’t forced in even the slightest of ways but genuine happiness. And with Abby and Marius’ smiling faces it only made things better. Still she kept a hold on Liam, whether it was around his waist, holding his hand or even just threading her fingers through the loops of his pants she had to be touching him in some way as if he was what really kept her grounded, not the weak wings on her back.

The girl must have zoned out during the conversation a bit, though she kept the smile on her face she knew she missed most of what was being said because before she knew it Liam was placing her hot tea in her hands, bringing her back to the present. ”Would you two like to join us once you’ve gotten your drinks?” Oh, that was such a wonderful idea! Maybe if she had been paying closer attention she would have asked, but she was glad that Liam beat her to it. She didn’t want to be too inviting if he wanted them to be alone and having a quiet drink together. But then it was because they’d been cooped up together for so long that they decided to go out in the first place. So interacting with other people was just what they needed and Flynn was glad that it was going to be Abby and Marius since they were such a delightful couple.

With their beverages they got out of the line, making way for the other couple to order their drinks while her and Liam went to go fetch a table. ”They’re a nice couple.” She nodded with a big grin on her face knowing it to be true. They were nice! “I like them,” she agreed and sat down beside Liam and crossed her legs at the ankles before tucking her feet underneath the chair and leaning forward on her elbows. “I like that we’re making friends together,” she confessed while they were still alone and looked at Liam with a big, beaming smile. How had she gotten so lucky to bump into him at the tree?

She let her eyes wander around the store to see if anything had changed since the last time she had come here. There were a few new products on the shelves that she noticed, most of them were teas and she wondered what they were, but they were on the other side of the store and she didn’t want to get up and go find out. Not yet anyway. Her eyes roamed over to the front windows of the store. Sometimes the owner had a sign she put up that Flynn found to be silly and she assumed that it was when she got upset that she put the ‘NO KITS’ sign up in the window. But when she looked for the sign she didn’t see it, spotting something else instead. She couldn’t make out what it was though since it was taped facing out the window instead of in and there wasn’t enough light shining through for her to see through the paper. No matter, once again, she could look when she got up.

When the other couple came to sit down with them Flynn sat up a little straighter, not noticing until just then that she had started to slouch her shoulders forward. “I can’t believe it’s snowing outside, can you?” She started out saying and noticed Marius look outside and shake his head almost as if he wished he could will it to stop. ”It was really coming down last night,” she heard Marius say and wondered how he knew. It wasn’t like rain where you could hear it hitting the roof and windows unless it was pouring down snow. Flynn didn’t recall hearing anything last night and she’d been very adamant about keeping the blinds shut in the apartment so that she wouldn’t be reminded of how gloomy it was outside. When she looked out the window again her smile faltered a bit. This was the type of weather that would allow her to spread her wings and take flight on Megsy Isle.. if only her wings didn’t ache.

Again, Flynn had drifted off into her own thoughts and she blinked several times and looked around the table once more at the others. She hoped she didn’t miss out on too much this time, but from the looks of it they were still on the same topic.

[MARIUS DAKANIS]

If Liam didn’t offer the invitation to go sit together and have a nice chat then Marius surely would have brought it up. The pair of them were fascinating, polite and friendly. You didn’t find a lot of people like that these days and if Marius and Abby had to find people to hang around then he was glad it was Liam and Flynn. Even if they didn’t know them that well it was only a matter of time before they were calling each other up making double dates, he was sure of it. He just got that vibe from the pair and it seemed Abby felt it as well since she agreed for the both of them that they would in fact join join them once they ordered.

”They’re so nice.” He made a little noise in agreement, nodded then leaned into the counter as he ordered a plain black coffee. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the fancy coffees but he hadn’t had much time to look at the menu because they had been talking to the other couple. That and the fact he had to go back to work after he didn’t want to be weighed down by all the carbs and junk that was in the frou frou coffee drinks. Without the whipped cream and all the fatty milk, a black coffee would keep him alert and on his feet. The toughest obstacle Marius found himself with each time he worked was trying to stay on top of his game and not growing sluggish. It was hard when you worked twelve hour days.

”Enjoy this time off, Dr. Dakanis. I’m working you to the bone tomorrow.” He raised a brow at her and gave her his best ‘is that what you think?’ look before he released her hand and put his arm around her shoulders tucking her in close to his body while they waited for their drinks. “Are you now?” He asked her in a playful, soft voice and rubbed her upper arm with his hand like he was trying to create friction to keep her warm. “We’ll just see about that,” he would be glad to help her out around her house. He lived in a condo so he didn’t have things like yard work to do. To some that would be a bonus but Marius actually found the lack of a yard to be dull.

When their beverages came up he handed Abby hers and then guided her over to the table that was picked out for them. ”I can’t believe it’s snowing outside, can you?” Marius looked out the window and his lips thinned and tightened as he watched the snow. He gave a shake of his head, “It was really coming down last night,” he said and wished it would just stop already. The roads were growing slick and covered in ice making it very difficult to drive. Not only that, but he’d worked the night before and they had a lot of patients coming into the ER because they had accidents that occurred because of the snow. The hospital had turned into such a chaotic place since the Therians started shifting. She’d found out a few of the nurses were Therians and he’d done his best to ease their anxiety at being found out. But instead of bringing everyone down and talking about his hectic job he decided to continue on with the snow, “It’s a shame there aren’t any mountains around these parts. We could have gone skiing.” He leaned back in his chair and brought his leg up to rest on his knee, bouncing his leg a bit while it was suspended in the air.

[LIAM AVERY]

Liam smiled wider as Flynn nodded enthusiastically at his comment. “I like them.” He knew she would agree, but he was glad to hear her say so out loud. They came to the table and took their seats, Liam sitting close to Flynn so she could reach out to him if she wanted to. He liked that she was so eager to hold his hand or wrap her arm in his or around his waist. It was sweet and he liked knowing she was close and not flitting off somewhere. He was so happy he’d found her, he didn’t ever want her out of his sight. That was part of love, right? “I like that we’re making friends together.” He couldn’t help but smile more at the wide grin she gave him. “Me too,” he agreed softly, patting her knee under the table. It made him feel like he was such a part of a couple to be around another couple. He took a sip of his coffee and admired the bold, full flavor. Flynn let her eyes wander around the store, and Liam was content to sit beside her with a hand on her knee and looking to the window. It was coming down harder than before and looked like full blown winter out on the streets.

It didn’t take long for Abby and Marius to join them and Liam smiled at them invitingly. “I can’t believe it’s snowing outside, can you?” He looked to Flynn and everyone seemed to shake their heads, Abby giving a bit of an exaggerated frown as Marius looked out the window. “It was really coming down last night.” “Oh really? We’ve had the blinds closed so I didn’t notice,” Liam replied contemplatively. “Yeah, it really was! I was glad I didn’t have to go anywhere with what the roads were starting to look like.” Abby’s response made him glad he and Flynn had decided to walk to the café instead of attempting to drive. Though he would definitely brush his car off when they got back so the snow wouldn’t pile on top of it too heavily. “It’s a shame there aren’t many mountains around these parts. We could have gone skiing.” Marius’ comment made Liam smile and shake his head. “I wouldn’t be much good at it. I’ve never gone skiing before and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be balanced enough for it.” That wasn’t the only reason. Generally he was only alive at night, and he was pretty sure it was unadvisable to ski in the dark, no matter how good his vision was at night.

Abby’s pleasant laugh rang out softly, and he turned his eyes to her. “There’s some mountains and ski resorts about two hours from here; obviously further inland. My parents took me there when I was ten to ski for the first time and I can’t even tell you how many times I fell. It had to be upwards of fifteen. By the end of the first day, though, I was doing pretty well! Until I skied right into a snow drift and covered myself in snow from head to toe.” Liam pictured a big-eyed ten year old girl disappearing into a drift of snow five feet over her head and he had to laugh at the image. The others joined in too and Abby shrugged. “It’s really not so bad if the snow is soft.” He nodded his head appreciatively. “If the snow were falling two hours away, that would be a fun trip. But I’m pretty sure this weather is a Scriptor Bay exclusive.” He smiled at Flynn to make sure she was doing alright. She tired easily these days, so he didn’t want her to push herself, though she seemed to be doing better in a group setting.

[ABIGAIL JAMES]

Abby giggled at the look Marius gave her at her warning to appreciate his time off, and then grinned from ear to ear as he tucked her in close under his arm. If ever she had the warm fuzzies, it was when Marius pulled her close to him like this. “Are you now?” His hand warmed up her arm and she snuggled in close. “Mm-hmmm!” she replied playfully, grinning up at him. “We’ll just see about that.” He could take her lightly, but it wasn’t easy work digging up a garden. Then again, he grew up on a farm in Romania, so he was probably well aware of that. Just remembering that little detail made her marvel for the millionth time that she had found, for all intents and purposes, the perfect man. She giggled and gave a soft sigh, her arm wrapped about his waist until the drinks arrived. It didn’t take an awfully long time, and she noted that her tea smelled wonderful. Peppermint tea went perfectly with snow. She let Marius guide her over to the table, loving how gentlemanly he was. Liam had his hand on Flynn’s knee, but it wasn’t inappropriate. In fact, Abby saw it as a very sweet gesture and she smiled at the couple as they came up to the table.

“I can’t believe it’s snowing, can you?” The corners of Abby’s mouth turned down dramatically, glancing out to the window and then back to Flynn as she shook her head slowly. It was ridiculous really, all this snow in the middle of July. “It was really coming down last night.” She nodded, remembering the way the snow had just blanketed everything and soaked the roads the night before. Marius had dealt with some of the accidents that came into the hospital, but thankfully not too many people were seriously hurt. “It’s a shame there aren’t any mountains around these parts. We could have gone skiing.” Abby loved the sound of that! She loved skiing and had gotten reasonably good at it over the years, though she was far from being an Olympic champion or anything. Liam shook his head as if he doubted this plan. “I wouldn’t be much good at it. I’ve never gone skiing before and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be balanced enough for it.” She could remember the first time she had gone skiing and all of the mistakes she had made on those perfect couple bunny trails. A soft laugh left her as she remembered the silly mistakes she had made trying to get comfortable with skiing. “There’s some mountains and ski resorts about two hours from here; obviously further inland. My parents took me there when I was ten to ski for the first time and I can’t even tell you how many times I fell. It had to be upwards of fifteen. By the end of the first day, though, I was doing pretty well! Until I skied right into a snow drift and covered myself in snow from head to toe.” Abby laughed as the others did the same, giving a playful shrug afterward. She knew a little girl covered in snow was a pretty humorous image, and she thought it was hilarious herself, but she could still remember the way the snow burned slightly.

“It’s really not so bad if the snow is soft.” Liam nodded and she wondered if she had convinced him that maybe someday, he could actually try skiing if he really wanted to. “If the snow were falling two hours away, that would be a fun trip. But I’m pretty sure this weather is a Scriptor Bay exclusive.” Abby nodded enthusiastically. “I think you’re right. It’s weird, but I think two hours away, the weather is probably completely normal for this time of year; no snow or anything. It’s probably normal just fifteen minutes out of Scriptor Bay, even.” She was positive all of the bad weather centered around the tree, but how could she say that in front of two perfectly normal people? It would traumatize them to find out that the legend was real, so she just kept those thoughts to herself. “Maybe the weather can delay some of that silly construction going on like crazy outside the city. I hate when unnecessary buildings are built in perfectly good wild space. What do you think they’re building out there? The news hasn’t really gone into details about what the buildings are for and it really makes me wonder what it is out there.”

[FLYNN YOUNG]

It was funny listening to Abby explain how she had steered herself right into a mound of snow and Flynn even giggled at it. Just like Liam she had never gone skiing, but she assumed the reason why he hadn’t gone was because he couldn’t during the day. But what was stopping him now? Though, if they were right and if the weather changed fifteen minutes out of the city, then would he be forced back to stone if he left the city? Would her wings grow strong once more? It was a curious thought and she was going to sit on it for a while. Maybe they could take a little trip out of the city as sort of an experiment to see what would happen.

She placed her hand on top of Liam’s which was on her knee and gave him a big smile, though her eyes were softer than usual. The girl was tired but she figured that was just because she hadn’t been out of the apartment in a while. The longer she stayed out the more she would be able to get out of the funk that she’d put herself in, she was certain of it!

“Maybe the weather can delay some of that silly construction going on like crazy outside the city. I hate when unnecessary buildings are built in perfectly good wild space. What do you think they’re building out there? The news hasn’t really gone into details about what the buildings are for and it really makes me wonder what it is out there.”

Flynn knew of the construction that Abby was talking about, but from the look on Marius’ face he seemed to be puzzled. ”What construction?” She watched him look at Abby for answers but Flynn piped up since she had been quiet for most of the conversation. “It’s just outside of the city where the old hiking trails used to be in the woods? Back before they made the new ones closer to the city because of the animal attacks that were out there.” Flynn had taken the old hiking trails with Griffin several times, but that was well over ten years ago that the new ones had been created. She didn’t like the sound of them building something out there, knowing full well that it was so close to where the Avisailles went to fly and some of the Therians went out there during the full moon to run wild and free. If they were building in the woods then what would happen next? Would they try to expand it and get rid of the woods entirely? She certainly hoped not!

”That seems like a strange place to do construction. What are they building, a factory?” Marius asked and Flynn looked over to him and shrugged to show that she didn’t know. She’d seen that there had been construction out there on the news and that if anyone was planning on using the old hiking trails that they were in fact shut down for good and to steer clear because with all the construction it could potentially be hazardous.

She reached for her tea with her free hand and blew into the cup before taking a cautious sip, not wanting to burn her mouth like she did so often because she was too anxious to wait for it to cool down. While she was sipping her warm tea she thought more about what they might be building out there when her eyes roamed over to the paper that was on the window again and it dawned on her. “You don’t think it has anything to do with that virus, does it? Did you two get a notice in the mail?” She had gotten one and she’d shared it with Liam, assuming he would have gotten one as well at his place. They had to go get their vaccination shots in the next couple of days and she was dreading it since she knew Liam had to go to a different place than her to get it. Maybe she could ask Claire to go with her since she was in the same building..

[MARIUS DAKANIS]

Marius couldn’t keep the smile at bay when Abby mentioned her mishap when she’d gone skiing as a girl. He laughed along with the others and imagined a smaller version of her with wild hair and eyes, half of her body sticking out of the snow and just staring off like she couldn’t believe what just happened before laughing at herself. Abby was one of those women who he knew without a doubt that if she made a fool of herself she would just laugh and brush it off. That was one of the things that drew him to her. Nobody was perfect, but some people managed to embrace their imperfections while others tried to hide them. If you were going to be imperfect you might as well just enjoy it and have a laugh at yourself.

When Abby mentioned the construction he gave her a puzzled look. “What construction?” He hadn’t heard anything about it. Then again he’d been working the last two days straight and when he wasn’t working he was finding time to eat and sleep. His schedule had been a little topsy turvy as of lately and he was doubling up on shifts. They could have been at war with Russia and he wouldn’t have known. It was Flynn who answered his question, “It’s just outside of the city where the old hiking trails used to be in the woods? Back before they made the new ones closer to the city because of the animal attacks that were out there.” He’d never actually gone to the “old” trails and hadn’t known of them either, but that was no surprise since he didn’t grow up in Scriptor Bay.

Even still, if it was out of the city there was something odd about it. ”That seems like a strange place to do construction. What are they building, a factory?” He hoped it wasn’t a factory. The last thing this city needed was a factory polluting their air. “You don’t think it has anything to do with that virus, does it? Did you two get a notice in the mail?”

He had gotten a notice in his mailbox about water contamination. And the virus that it was talking about was extremely dangerous. “I did, yes. In fact they were asking hospital staff if they would volunteer to help administer the vaccinations because they didn’t have enough staff for the entire city. So I volunteered.” It was no big deal, it just meant that instead of having a day off he would have to go down to one of the testing facilities and do the injections of the vaccine. It would be easy as pie.

[LIAM AVERY]

Liam was intrigued by Abby bringing up the construction outside the city. He had heard snippets of information about it on the news and on the radio, but he hadn’t paid much attention to what was being said. It confused him why they would build something so far out from the city, but he didn’t think it was of any consequence to him. Abby seemed to have some strong feelings about unnecessary construction, though. If she was a green thumb like Marius claimed, then it would make sense. Marius looked confused as he looked at his girlfriend, Abby catching his eye. “What construction?” The young woman looked like she was about to answer his question, but Flynn jumped in ahead of her. “It’s just outside of the city where the old hiking trails used to be in the woods? Back before they made the new ones closer to the city because of the animal attacks that were out there.” Liam doubted Marius was aware of those old trails since he definitely had an accent, albeit a weak one, and the new trails had been established a few years back. Abby nodded like she knew exactly what Flynn was talking about, looking from the Avisaille to her boyfriend. He wondered if Abby was a Scriptor Bay native. Perhaps she was a guardian as well. He wondered only briefly before Marius looked inquisitive. “That seems like a strange place to do construction. What are they building, a factory?” Abby seemed very displeased with this idea, her brows knitting up and her lip pouting slightly. “I certainly hope not! Everything I’ve heard is nonspecific about details, though. Have you heard anything, Liam?” Her brown eyes were fixed on him and he shook his head. “No, it’s been the same for me. I haven’t heard any specifics.” Now that he thought about it, not releasing what was being built was strange. Wouldn’t the media release some information on what was being built, even if it was a cover? It made Liam suspicious for the first time.

“You don’t think it has anything to do with that virus, does it? Did you two get a notice in the mail?” Now that was a thought, one Liam hadn’t had. He looked to his girlfriend and nodded. “Yeah, I did! That virus sounds awful.” Marius was next to chime in. “I did, yes. In fact they were asking hospital staff if they would volunteer to help administer the vaccinations because they didn’t have enough staff for the entire city. So I volunteered.” Abby grinned and looked at her boyfriend as if she were impressed. “Oh, did you? How humanitarian of you.” Her tone was playful and Liam smiled, amused, as she grabbed his hand. Liam gave Flynn’s knee a light squeeze, smiling at her too. Something about being around another couple made him very grateful to be part of one as well. “It would make sense if it has to do with this virus,” he pitched in, looking from Flynn to the others. “The construction only started a couple weeks ago and it’s been going nonstop since then. Perhaps it’s a treatment center. If the virus is that dangerous, the city wouldn’t risk putting them in the same vicinity as other sick patients in the hospital. They’ve probably known there was possible outbreak for a couple of weeks and began construction right away, but they didn’t want to frighten the public until they isolated the source of the virus.” Abby’s eyebrows were raised as she looked at Liam.

“Impressive powers of deduction!” Her praise made him smile a little bashfully, but he shrugged off the compliment gracefully. “That happens when you work for the police long enough. Not to mention it helps you understand how the government works.” Liam had learned a great deal from his job, though he’d already had the mind of a master puzzle solver. He glanced to Flynn, smiling at her gently. “I’m going to stop calling you Liam and start calling you Sherlock.” Abby’s joke made him chuckle a little and he took a sip of his coffee before glancing to Flynn. “Only if Flynn gets to be Watson.” The woman across from him laughed, making him smile more from Abby to Flynn, pretty sure Flynn would get the joke since she read so profusely.

[ABIGAIL JAMES]

“What construction?” Abby was a little surprised by Marius’ question. He watched the news all the time! She was certain he would know what she was talking, possibly even know better than her. Apparently, it was a wrong assumption. Before she could answer, Flynn was doing it for her, explained where the construction was going on. Marius still had a confused look on his face. “That seems like a strange place to do construction. What are they building, a factory?” Abby’s brows knitted up and she pouted a little, hating that idea. “I certainly hope not! Everything I’ve heard is nonspecific about details, though. Have you heard anything, Liam?” She gazed across the table at the pensive but handsome man. Not as handsome as Marius, of course, but he was still strikingly good-looking in a boy next door sort of way. His very blue eyes looked up at her before he shook his head slightly. “No, it’s been the same for me. I haven’t heard any specifics.” Abby slumped a little, with a small, “Hmm…”

“You don’t think it has anything to do with that virus, does it? Did you two get a notice in the mail?” Abby hadn’t even thought of that! “Yeah, I did! That virus sounds awful.” A brain-eating virus that could kill you in days? No thank you! She wondered how it ever ended up in the city’s water supply. “I did, yes. In fact they were asking hospital staff if they would volunteer to help administer the vaccinations because they didn’t have enough staff for the entire city. So I volunteered.” This surprised Abby and a big smile broke over her face, as she looked at him. “Oh, did you? How humanitarian of you.” It was a playful tease and she grinned at him as she reached for his hand. A humanitarian on top of every other perfect trait this man had. She was so incredibly flawed, it made her wonder what he saw in her; but she was glad he saw it just the same! As she felt like just kissing Marius for about the millionth time, Liam’s voice brought her back to the table and she went to sip her tea. “It would make sense if this has to do with the virus. The construction only started a couple weeks ago and it’s been going nonstop since then. Perhaps it’s a treatment center. If the virus is that dangerous, the city wouldn’t risk putting them in the same vicinity as other sick patients in the hospital. They’ve probably known there was possible outbreak for a couple of weeks and began construction right away, but they didn’t want to frighten the public until they isolated the source of the virus.” Abby’s eyebrows shot up. It was the most she’d ever heard Liam say at one time and she found the way he spoke to be very eloquent. Not to mention it was a solid theory he had. She had a feeling the man was smart but he had just proved it beyond a reasonable doubt.

“Impressive powers of deduction!” Liam gave a modest shrug and smile. “That happens when you work for the police long enough. Not to mention it helps you understand how the government works.” He had a solid point of course, and she smiled at the way he looked and smiled at Flynn. “I’m going to stop calling you Liam and start calling you Sherlock.” Her announcement was playful and she wore a big grin, finding the nickname to be more than suitable for the man. Liam looked amused too. “Only if Flynn gets to be Watson.” Abby laughed, liking that he was playing along. “Naturally!” she replied cheerfully. She took a sip of her tea and when she lowered it from her lips she nodded. “That sounds like a good theory, though.” She turned her eyes to Marius, curious. “Is this virus dangerous enough to make the city do something like that? Build a whole new building?” She figured a doctor might know better.

[FLYNN YOUNG]

”Yeah, I did! The virus sounds awful.” “I did, yes. In fact they were asking hospital staff if they would volunteer to help administer the vaccinations because they didn’t have enough staff for the entire city. So I volunteered.” “Oh, did you? How humanitarian of you.” Flynn giggled a little at the exchange between the other couple and a glance at Liam made it obvious that she wasn’t the only one who found it amusing. And when he gave her knee a squeeze she gave him an even bigger smile. She was a very touchy person and when he made little gestures like that for no reason it pleased her to no avail. ”It would make sense if it has to do with this virus,” Liam started and went on to explain why he thought that may be the reason why. She had to agree with Abby, his deduction skills were superb! She couldn’t help but feel a little proud and happy that she was with someone so smart!

”I’m going to stop calling you Liam and start calling you Sherlock.” Flynn even thought that was a smart idea! Liam was so very much like fictional character from the Sherlock Holmes novels. ”Only if Flynn gets to be Watson.” Her eyes widened curiously at the thought and brought her tea up to sip at, hiding the silly grin that she had at the thought of it. She could be his Watson! ”Naturally!” she heard Abby say and then giggled softly into her cup of tea before setting it back down. Everybody had such a cute sense of humor and she was glad they had gotten out!

“That sounds like a good theory, though. Is this virus dangerous enough to make the city do something like that? Build a whole new building?” Liam had said that they might not want to overpopulate other buildings and the hospital with the infected and that could be it.. but why not just put up large tents the way that the Red Cross did after natural disasters. They didn’t just build a treatment facility, they pitched tents and made due with what they had.

”“I suppose it could, yes. Well.. it’s a bit tricky. If it is naegleria fowleri like the notice says, then there really isn’t much you can do. It forms from unfavorable conditions like unchlorinated swimming pools or water near an industrial plant. But I suppose with how the weather has been lately that could have caused it to inhabit our water supply. I don’t know much about that particular virus because I’ve never had to treat anyone with it before, but the death rate is very high.. in the ninety percentile.” That seemed a little steep to Flynn and she wondered why they would try to give vaccinations if it was so commonly fatal. “It wouldn’t make sense for them to take all this time to make a new building for a short period of time. Unless.. I like what you’ve said, Liam,” Flynn turned her attention to Liam to see his reaction, “They didn’t want to send everyone into a panic, but maybe instead of a treatment center it could be a lab. Or they could be making a new plant to direct the city’s water through.”

There were endless possibilities and Flynn wasn’t sure which one she liked better. “We’ll find out soon enough I’m sure. When they’re done they’ll let us know what it is.” She said and reached her hand behind Liam and rubbed his shoulders and upper back gently with a little smile, just admiring him sitting there with her. But the sight of the snow caught her attention out of the corner of her eye again through the window. “It’s really coming down out there,” she said and nodded towards the window, giving it all of her attention suddenly. Because the city was so close to the coast it rarely ever snowed. Usually you had to either go to the mountains or towards eastern Oregon to be in the snow. Flynn grew excited and wanted to go out and play in the snow like a child. So after taking another sip of her tea she set the cup down, leaned towards Liam to plant a kiss on his cheek, then stood up and walked around the table, reaching for Abby’s hand. “Come on!” She chirped playfully, egging her towards the door. She figured if anyone would want to go out and play in the snow with her it would be Abby!