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Alexi Harte made her way into the hotel room, dropping her bags in a corner with a THUMP and looked around.  The silence before the storm. Without even a moment more to think about that, Cate O’Connell and Constance Nelson followed, having shared an Uber from the airport, dropping their bags next to their best friends as well.   Normally, traveling would have left the three worn out but they were in Chicago, they weren’t working for once and there was a comic convention that was starting shortly.   The plan was to hit up the convention for at least a couple hours as Friday nights were a great way to get a look before the madness of the event really took hold over the weekend!  The best friends for years were excited enough to see each other and what the weekend would hold that they pushed away their travel fatigue and started to...No wait… that is all boring and unnecessary. Let’s start over. 
Later that night
Three best friends shuffle into the hotel bar at the hotel, tired from traveling across the country and walking around the comic convention floor for hours, but satisfied with the day and looking forward to the rest of the convention weekend.  Alexi managed to convince them at least one cocktail was in order before heading up to the room for the night. The trio settled onto bar stools with their drinks, surveying the bar and lobby of the decadently modern hotel.  The mirrored ceilings, polished metal and lights lent an almost futuristic feel with a heavy nod to a decadent Chicago past.“Who wants to bet on who we see first? Because you *know* all the top guests are staying here,” Cate offered with a raise of her glass and a wink towards the door.“Nahhh.  I doubt it,” Constance sighed, “I mean, what are the chances?  I don’t care anyway! I’m just so glad to be here with the two of you!”“Me too, beyotches!” Alexi proclaimed as the three of them clinked glasses in a toast before taking hearty sips of their fancy-pants martinis.  She was already in her happy place, having had a couple 50ml’s Constance had managed to smuggle in with them. “But before anything. I am finding the women’s room.  Convention bathrooms were not happening,” she flounced off happily, humming a little tune.Constance and Cate took the opportunity to catch up on various gossips in between squealing and looking forward to the weekend and all the planned photo opportunities with their favorite actors. They took a couple of advantageous selfies with the bar as the backdrop and were laughing about obscure 80’s music references when Alexi returned, wide eyed and looking like she had seen the resurrection of Christ himself as she sat down.“Oh, my goodness, are you ok?!” Constance said, filled with concern.“Guys!” Alexi breathed slowly, her hands fluttering absently from her face to her neck to her martini and back. “Guysssss,” she drew out the s for some time.“What the hell?” Cate demanded, tapping her friend’s face lightly with her fingers, “are you having a stroke?”“GUYS.” Alexi took a deep breath, “I swear.  As I was leaving the bathroom I ran straight into Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberpatch.”“Cumberbatch isn’t here,” Constance corrected the actor’s last name delicately. “I think you’ve had a little too many drinkies.”“I’m telling you.  Cumberhotness is here!” Alexi’s conviction was obvious and she was serious, tapping her finger on the bar for emphasis, “he’s here.  They were talking about something he was filming but I wasn’t paying attention, looking at my phone to tag us on Facebook and I ran right into his fucking chest!  BOOM.”Cate’s eyes narrowed as she craned her head up and around to get a better view of the bar. Decades of experience working in the music industry gave her the confidence to know where and what to look for. Actors weren’t any different than musicians when it came to choosing a place to stay and hang out frankly, they just wanted a nice place to sleep.  “Which way were they going?”“I dunno, I dunno.  I think back in here.  I thought I heard them saying something about a table,” Alexi whispered hoarsely, paranoid the actors may hear their planning even if they were 100 feet away and the music would drown out most other conversations.“HOE.LEE.SHIT.”  Cate said solidly, grabbing the top of Constance’s hand.  “Look. Look. 3 o’clock at that table.”Constance peeked over her shoulder, squinting her eyes before turning back to her friends nervously, beginning to believe. “I had to take my contacts out this afternoon after we arrived because they were bugging me. I can’t tell.”“Oh, it’s them.” Cate nodded, “and then some. Chris Evans is sitting there,” she gestured over her shoulder.  “Oh, and your elf guy who was in the Guardian’s movie,” she smirked at Alexi who was frantically trying to get another martini from the bartender.  “It’s like a goddamned Avengers Universe reunion. So that’s what’s got security looking so shifty.”“Ohh my gawwwwwwwwd,” Alexi whispered, taking a big gulp of her martini as the bartender dropped another one in front of her with a shake of his head.“Did he SAY anything to you?” Constance leaned forward to Alexi, taking a decent sip from her own drink for courage.“We slammed into each other pretty hard. Knocked my phone out of my hand,” Alexi pulled out her black lace hand fan and furiously waved it at herself while trying to at least look nonchalant. “I was about to curse at him as he was bending over to pick it up but then I saw who it was and, and, and, shit you’d be proud of me.  I didn’t just blank out like I normally would have.”She took a breath and blinked at her friends in shock for a moment before she continued, “he put his hand on my arm and apologized profusely when he handed the phone back to me.  Then he asked me to turn it on and make sure it worked and then he stood there watched it to confirm everything was ok. Tom was laughing like it was the fucking funniest thing ever. I said something sarcastic, I’m not even sure what, and Cumberpatch smiled at me and his eyes were all twinkly, and, and, what the hell!”  Alexi flapped her fan back and forth in agitation.“Cumberbatch,” Constance corrected again in an awed whisper.“Holy shit.  Holy shit,” Cate was repeating quietly like a mantra.  “Wait a minute,” Alexi put her hand up in Cate’s direction to stop all conversation. “Did you just say, ‘elf guy’ is over there?”“YES.”“As in Lee Pace?”“YES.”Alexi’s head flipped in that direction for a look, lifting her butt up a couple inches for the perfect view before settling back in her seat. “I can’t even, you guys.  I can’t even. I,” she stopped and stared off into space for a moment. “Wow.” She looked down into the empty glass in her hand, “where’s my martini?! How is this even possible.  Guys. I don’t know what to do. My imaginary celebrity boyfriend touched me for real and held my arm and now he’s sitting over there with my imaginary best friend boyfriend. And, and, and, Loki, and, and, what the actual fuck.”“I told you they'd be here!  I don’t know why anyone doubts me anymore,” Cate whispered harshly before turning back to look at the celebs table. “And, oh look. They've brought their friends.”The three girls turned their heads as one, wide-eyed, to watch as the group welcomed two more to their table: Chris Hemsworth and Chris Pratt for a nice Infinity Wars nod.“We've got all The Chris’s. I repeat, all the Chris’s have arrived,” Cate giggled to herself. “And a nice assortment of beards they are all sporting too!”  She tipped her glass in a mock salute to their impressive facial hair.Constance found herself giggling along and gave Cate a shrug when the dark-haired friend tipped her glass at Pratt and gave the wiggle brows.  Constance wiggled her nose in reply and tipped her head towards Evans instead. “Aww, c'mon!” Cate pleaded incredulously. “It's STARLORD!”“You can,” Constance stopped suddenly eyes squinting tightly.  “Wait who just walked up?” She tilted her head to the side in a vain attempt to clear her vision but really, she already knew those shoulders, she’d recognize them even without her glasses!“Um, that would be Karl ‘Fucking’ Urban, Ms. ‘I-Don't-Have-A-Type’,” Alexi said with an unladylike guffaw.“That’s so random,” Constance marveled out loud.“No, it’s not.  He was in Ragnarok.  I mean, come on,” Cate shrugged, taking in a deep breath and shook off her nerves.   She was calm, she was cool, she was collected .  After all her years of dealing with annoyingly cocky rock stars as their tour manager or just show hopping she was more than able to cope with a handful of Avengers.  “Ok something big must be going on.  Bigger than the convention, for sure,” Alexi whispered. “I mean, obviously.  I don’t know if it matters but I’m trying to distract myself from the huge table of hotness over there.”Laughter could be heard from the other table as another round of drinks was passed around.  “There’s no way in hell I’m going over there,” Constance said before anyone could suggest it.  “There’s not enough alcohol in the world.  I couldn’t do it.” Alexi tittered into her drink as the alcohol now started to go to her head and she could relax a little.“You don’t have to.”  Cate said evenly, forcing her voice into a normal range as she cleared her throat and tried to appear casual. “Alexi’s ‘boyfriend’ is walking right toward us.”“WHAT?” Alexi said too loudly, eyes wide at Cate before she forced her face into a semblance of a normal expression that was almost comical.  “Shhhh behind you here he comes act like we’re hilarious.” Cate chuckled delightedly, putting her hand on Alexi’s arm and then Constance’s arm and tilting her head back with a laugh, “I remember that!  Oh Alexi, as usual you’re so funny!”Alexi and Constance laughed along and Alexi began to wonder if Cate had been pulling her leg when a polite clearing of a throat behind her caught her attention. She glanced up over her shoulder at Benedict who was waiting politely for the laughter to subside.“I don’t mean to interrupt,” he drawled in his terribly charming accent. “You see, we had, well, the management had ensured the bar would be private tonight for our event.  I’ve insisted that’s terribly rude of them as you ladies were here first. Not to mention that I nearly fatally maimed this lady here in the hall earlier,” he put his hand on Alexi’s shoulder casually.  “So I’m here to invite you to join us at our tables so security doesn’t attempt to toss you out.”“Ohhh a private event!” Alexi found her voice and smiled brightly, deciding on the fly to pretend she had no idea who he actually was.  “Are you sure we wouldn’t be intruding? What kind of event is it? Did you all go to University together or something?”Alexi ignored the sound of Cate’s light cough as she barely managing to not spit out the mouthful of Cosmopolitan she had just taken. Benedict looked concerned but after a moment's hesitation, tilted his head to one side studying her curiously.  He apparently concluded, hopefully Alexi thought to herself, that it wasn’t she was crazy and more likely that in America perhaps people didn’t recognize him if he didn’t have a Doctor Strange goatee.“Something like University,” he said with a half-smile. “And you’re not intruding at all.  The least I can do is treat you and your friends to libations. Full disclosure, our ‘University’ is actually footing the bill, but feel free to assume it’s me.”“That’s so nice of you!” Cate said, already standing and picking up her purse while nudging Constance to do the same. “I bet it’ll make Alexi’s whiplash from the incident feel so much better.”Constance looked wildly around. This wasn’t happening. This could not be happening!  Squinting towards the table and then back towards Cate who was now giving her ‘The Eyebrow of Certain Pain’, Constance’s head started bobbing like one of those little dashboard toys. “Oh yes. It’s certain to make her feel better. Won’t it Alexi?” Her voice pitching higher as she rambled on.“You have to excuse our friend she gets a bit flustered at ‘University’ functions,” Alexi winked at Benedict before giving a low and throaty laugh that had him focusing in on her intently.“Well then ladies please, allow me to escort you to our table,” Benedict was smiling down at Alexi as he held his elbow out gallantly towards her.Alexi gave a quick flash of serious WTF-side-eye to Cate and Constance before putting her hand in the crook of his arm like it was the most normal thing in the world and walking across to their new table, “well then, names are in order,” she said to Benedict.  “I’m Alexi. That is Cate,” she said point to her dark-haired friend. “And this is Constance,” she gave a push to her auburn hair friend sending her moving along towards the table with a laugh. Alexi looked at Benedict expectantly and it took him a moment to decide why.“OH!  Benedict.” He gave a little laugh, realizing she must not know, as they approached the three tables that had been pushed together to accommodate everyone, Constance’s knees went a little weak with the reality of the situation.  There was only one open seat between Karl ‘Fucking’ Urban, as Cate had so delicately pronounced his name, and Chris Evans. With her now in the lead, she spotted Karl waving his hand at the seat, flashing her a welcoming smile and she thought she might pass out.  “Please! Have a seat.”One of the security detail was kind enough to bring two more chairsover for them as well, one he set between Tom Hiddleston and Hemsworth, the other he passed off to Benedict who was holding his hand out for it.  Cate easily settled into the spot now between the Thor stars, like she belonged there, giving them each a bright smile.  Benedict placed the last chair next to his, assisting Alexi into with a gallant hand wave.  Looking between Benedict and her new seat mate, Lee Pace, it was everything she could do to keep her feet from dancing under the table in excitement.Cate cleared her throat to get the attention of the table, as she lifted slightly on the bottom rung of her chair. “Good evening gentlemen, I’m Cate,” she held her hand over her head.  Swiveling it across to her friends in turn, “Alexi and Constance. Sorry to be crashing your reunion but Benedict doesn’t want a lawsuit for nearly killing my friend so, drinks on all of you!”Tom chuckled at that while Hemsworth raised a glass with a hearty, “I’ll toast to that!”Everyone raised their glasses, the sound of glasses hitting each other abounded, Alexi stood up to reach each glass, even the glasses at the very far ends of the tables.  “It’s a rule. We must get everyone.  Don’t want to mess up the fabric of the Universe like Cate did that one time.  It’s a Universal Decree,” she insisted with a sharp nod of her head as everyone else followed suit.She sat back down with a huge grin and glanced at Lee.  “You look so familiar. Do I know you from somewhere? Have we met or,” Alexi squinted playfully at him?  “Maybe I’ve seen you in something?”“He was in that movie you like Miss Pettigrew something.” Cate waved her hand in the air, playing along with Alexi’s ridiculous game of being clueless about the table full of Avengers.“That’s right!” Alexi’s eyes went big with delight, at last having some outlet to pretend to be half as excited as she actually was. “How did I not realize that?  I just love that movie! Frances McDormand, she’s one of my favorites. You were so charming in that film.”“That’s incredibly nice of you to say,” Lee’s eyes twinkled with amusement at being the one to be recognized at the table, putting both forearms on the table and leaning toward her. “What are you drinking? You deserve another one.”“Gin and tonic, splash of Crème de Violette please. So, what’s it like being famous at a University reunion?  Do all your former classmates ask for autographs and selfies?” she said seriously, focusing on him intently, with her chin in her hand.Across the table, Constance’s right knuckle was now firmly planted between her teeth as she fought to keep the laughs from escaping, while her left hand tightly gripped the side of the table to keep her from sliding off her chair.  She nearly jumped when the lightly accented voice of Karl Urban caught her attention.  “You look like the cat that ate the canary.  What’s going on?”She turned nearly white as she tightened her fingers on the edge of the table.  She really hoped that it would keep her from melting off her chair and onto the floor as she slowly looked to her right.  Karl’s face was only inches from hers now and she realized she could smell his aftershave as she took an involuntary deep breath, and it was magnificent.  The half smile he was giving was so enchanting, clearly, he wanted in on her private joke and her mouth was moving before she could even think about stopping herself.  “She’s just pretending not to know who every single one of you at this table are,” she whispered, pulling her knuckle from her mouth and leaning over to cup his ear to ensure no one else would hear.“Really?” he said with a chuckle, leaning close enough to Constance’s ear that his lips moved her hair. “She should be an actress. I’d never have guessed, but now I feel like I’m in on it with you ladies.”Evans glanced at the two of them with narrowed eyes and a smirk, “you two look thick as thieves.  I’m almost afraid to ask what you’re up to.”Karl cleared his throat and drawled, “I’d tell you but then she’d have to kill you.”  Constance’s eyes swung to him, the perfectly deadly serious look on his face made her blink in surprise.  Just as she was about to protest though, Karl broke his staring contest with Evans and gave a wink, sending her stomach into freefall.  Grabbing up her water, she felt the flush on her face and prayed she didn’t do something stupid, like throw up or pass out, because that man was going to be the death of her!Cate sipped her drink as she looked around the table, giving a soft huff of laughter as she watched Karl ‘Fucking’ Urban send her friend into a tizzy.  She knew how much Constance had loved Urban for years and this was like every one of her Christmas’ happening all at once.  She was happy for her friend, just this chance to talk with the handsome man would make Constance happy for years to come!She eyed her other friend for a moment as well, hoping that Alexi had reached the right amount of alcohol to keep her social but not so much that she made anymore decisions like the one to pretend that she didn’t know who Cumberbatch was.  She wanted to shake her head at that choice but then, it wasn’t the first time Alexi had flown by the seat of her pants and it usually worked out to her benefit.   Alexi was most definitely a blessed soul, she thought with a smirk.  Cate had to admit even with all of Alexi’s usually blessings though even this seemed hard to believe. Sure, Cate had expected that they would run into someone connected to the convention at their hotel but there was no way she could have imagined THIS. This all seemed just a little too perfect, a little too arranged, if she really thought about it.  She gave a small sigh as she took the last sip of her drink, considering how she could get a refill when Tom stood from his chair and politely excused himself, saying something about the ‘loo’.  Looking around for the server she had just managed to catch his eye when the chair that had only been empty for a total of ten seconds, screeched slightly when someone else plopped down into it.  Cate side-eyed the space to see Chris Pratt staring at her intently, giving her a smug smile.“Heyyyyy,” he drawled with that familiar swagger. “I saw you from, you know, over there where I was sitting, and thought I should come over.  You know since that other guy left and I well I should have been sitting over here earlier anyway.”Cate turned her head to look at him directly, one of her brows raising slightly with curiosity.  “Really?” She deadpanned, testing him and hoping he passed because he looked mighty fetching with this 3-day scruff.  “You should have been here earlier?”Pratt looked at her, his smile growing slowly. “Oh yeah,” he let himself slowly answer as he leaned on his elbow as he eyed her up and down.Cate frowned slightly, “and why would that be?”Pratt smirked, “cause you and me.  We were meant to meet, I can see it in your eyes.”Cate heard a ding on her phone and as she continued to look him in the eyes, picked up her phone and swiped it open, dropping her eyes to the screen.  She saw that their group chat had an update from Alexi and mentally sighed at the disappointment that cheesy line had brought.
OMFG Group Message:

Alexi: Quick! What’s Benny doing?  Is he jel?

Cate: … he’s being very British.

Alexi: What’s that mean??

Constance: He’s pretending to listen to and be amused by Pratt hitting on Cate but he’s totally listening to you and Lee.

Alexi: yezzzzzzzz

Cate: Now he’s looking at you and wondering what you’re doing.
 Cate, looked up over the top of her screen giving the eyes of death to Constance who was smirking at her as she dropped the phone back down onto the table and looking over at Karl with a huge smile. Cate heard Alexi suddenly over the din of the table conversation and wanted to loudly laugh.“So, tell me, Mister Benedict, how long are you in Chicago for and what’s the plan for your stay?”
OMFG Group Message:

Cate: oh fuck she’s in top form tonight.  GO GIN!

Constance: IKR?

Cate: How’s your stomach holding up there Lil Camper?

Constance: *errr…*  *puke emoji* If I throw up on Karl please apologize for me after I die of embarrassment.
 “Oh, here for the weekend, I have, umm, I’m heading to see a friend on Monday.”  Cate looked up to see that Benedict was looking over Alexi’s shoulder at Lee and wasn’t that a curious look on his face.“Our, umm, the plans for the weekend?” Benedict squinted his eyes a moment, rubbing his chin slowly as he seemed to be debating exactly how to answer that.  ‘See Marvel, there are some of your people who can keep a secret,’ Cate thought with a smirk to herself.   “Well,” Benedict finally decided on an answer she guessed.  “Tomorrow evening our ‘class’ will be attending an offsite function,” he gave a chuckle at that.  “It’s all very secretive because you know how reunions can be, especially with this lot.  But I believe it’s a private screening of some of our... home movies?” Cate met Alexi’s eyes and they both rolled their eyes at that before Alexi turned back to the actor.“Private screening for a reunion, hmm?” Alexi chuckled at that, “exactly what kinds of ‘home movies’ did you guys make?  Is that code for something,” she lowered her voice and put her hand under her chin? “Nefarious?”Benedict sucked some air through his teeth, looking a bit embarrassed as he leaned in closer to her. “Regretfully, I think you could call them that.  Nefarious, that is.” He mimicked her pose as he drawled out the word slowly, resting his chin on his hand and not breaking his gaze from hers.
OMFG Group message:

Constance: holy shit.

Cate: she’s gonna lose it

Constance: but she hasn’t yet. Look at the little camper go!

Cate: I’m impressed.  She’s only turning three shades of red instead of ten.
 “What’s happening?” Karl whispered with all the excitement of the office gossipConstance nearly dropped her phone when she realized that Karl was leaning against her reading over her shoulder.   She couldn’t help herself though as she realized he was enjoying this as much as she was, she found herself giggling almost uncontrollably. Force herself to keep it at a volume that wouldn’t attract the stares of the entire table she scrolled back up to the start of the recent conversation and let him catch up.  She pointedly ignored her sharp eared friend though, when Cate’s head popped up and looked directly at them. Fighting off her blush she put her phone down and tried to pretend that she and Karl hadn’t been looking at it. Nope, not at all! “A pretty lady like you, ignoring a guy who's trying to impress her, could give a fella a complex,” a low rumbling voice broke Cate’s stare across the table. Going completely still, Cate’s head slowly turned to the voice.  Her eyes going wide as the full meaning of his words connected in her mind and when she saw the new addition to the group. Ryan Reynolds?!  Where did he come from?!   “I’m, sorry?” She finally managed to push out of her lips.Hazel eyes stared intently at her a moment before they started to crinkle up in mirth, his lips slowly pulling up to the side in a smirk as the new comer stared her down. He leaned over causally as he continued to eye her.  “You don’t need to be sorry. I’m not,” he brought the neck of his beer to his lips taking a drink. “Cause you are worth every moment I’ve watched you sitting here,” he slowly drawled.Cate spluttered in surprise before suddenly feeling very warm, did they turn off the air conditioner in here!  Shifting her shoulders and sitting up straighter, she snatched up her drink and brought it up to her mouth, pausing. “I don't think you can handle more than looking here, pretty boy.”  Slowing tilting her drink against her ruby red lips, she watched him reflexively swallow and his eyes widen as took she one sip and then then another. Carefully placing her drink back down on the table she looked back to the table. “I’m not just some pretty thing in a bar, sir .”Reynold’s dropped his beer to the table in front of her and stood up straighter to emphasize his height.  “Oh sweetheart,” his hazel eyes dancing with excitement. “I can see you aren’t.”  He let his chin tip forward as his broad shoulders swayed ever so slightly towards her.  “You’re a lady,” his voice low and rumbling as he stared at her like a lion on the hunt. “All smarts and sass,” he dropped a large hand onto the back of her chair, the warmth crossing to touch her while he continued to respect her boundaries.  “But a lady can have a little fun now and then can’t she. She can want to let her hair down with her friends. Go out for a night,” his words were nearly a growl as he leaned close from behind her, “and meet some new friends maybe?”Her heart raced as she continued to eye him out of the corner of her eye.  Cate quickly took another drink and steadied herself. She could do this. I mean really, she’d faced down much more ‘deadly’ intent than this, but as she spun sideways to tell him what she thought of his little moves. She found herself snared in the dark intensity of his eyes.“Names Ryan. Reynolds.” He gave a posh lilt to his words before breaking into a chuckle.  “And. Don’t tell me, you’re ‘Just Too Good’ for the likes of me!” His grin was wide, bright and just a hair maniacal.  He tapped Hemsworth’s shoulder before leaning in and whispering something to the other actor’s ear. The Aussie frowned, tilted his head in consideration and then nodded before standing to give Ryan his seat next to Cate.  Ryan slid into it smoothly. Constance realized her mouth had been hanging open at that point and she snapped it shut. What was playing out in front of her was just too good as she watched the two handsome men flirting with Cate.  And apparently from the look on Pratt’s face he was none too happy with the new competition for Cate’s attention.  The distraction playing out across from her was just enough to keep her from losing her mind with the fact that Karl ‘Fucking’ Urban was sitting so close. She could feel his presence almost as surely as if he were touching her.  Every time he looked at her she felt it and she resisted looking back only because it was so overwhelming.“I have to say,” Evans, who she had forgotten was sitting on the other side of her, spoke up, a smile playing on his lips. “You and your friends have completely changed the tone of the evening.”“I hope for the better?” Constance glanced at him, silently thanking the heavens for his neatly trimmed beard.  She loved the beard.“A few of these characters can be pretty testy. Egos and tempers.  Old grudges. Like siblings, really. That’s partially dispersed at the moment.”  He gave her a full, pearly white and dazzling smile then, blue eyes twinkling even in the low light of the bar.  “Constance, right? I’m Chris.”“Yes,” she whispered but cleared her throat so humans could actually hear her. “Yes.  Constance. Oh, I know who you are. I-,” she giggled quietly at herself. “Well, I love the whole franchise and they really couldn’t have cast Captain any better than with you. I didn’t know what to expect but you really brought the character to life in a relatable way I wasn’t sure was possible.”  She gulped, wondering how she managed to get all of that out and she was pretty sure she sounded eloquent.Evans seemed genuinely flattered and she could sense her words made him warm up to her considerably.  As he began chatting with her, she focused on his moving mouth since his eyes were just too sparkly to look at without swooning.  She heard her phone buzz and her hand lazily flopped about on the table in front of her feeling for it without removing her gaze from him.  After several seconds of floundering, she pulled her gaze away to glance at the table to find the damn thing and stopped in confusion when she didn’t see it where she had laid it down.  She felt the blood drain from her cheeks and flipped her gaze to Karl, who had her phone and was typing on it intently, a huge and mischievous grin on his face.
OMFG Group message:

Constance:  Oh Benny. He’s so dreamy.

Cate:  huh?… whatever, I don’t see why Alexi’s all over that but I guess he’s totally her type.  Pasty and British. Do you see what is going on here? This guy is so full of himself.

Constance:  Deadpool? Yeah. Ryan really doesn’t act for that movie. Watch out for that one.

Cate:  Seriously but come on… like I have to watch out for anyone EVER.

Constance:  Karl is much funnier than that dude anyway.  Hey Alexi psssst. How’s it going with Strange?
 “OH MY GOD!  What are you doing?” Constance whispered harshly at Karl, her voice catching in her throat, unsure if she wanted to scream, laugh or cry.  As her hands flailed at his he leaned away just far enough to still hold onto her phone giving a deep chuckle at her inability to get to her phone.  Constance glanced over to Alexi who was now staring at them wide-eyed with the realization of what was going on and she looked over to Cate who was now looking at her phone as well.  Constance looked back at Karl and started swatting at him, trying to quietly beg him to please give her back her phone now!
OMFG Group message:

Constance:  Your secret safe with me. Pls tell Constance to stop hitting at me.

Alexi:  No.
Constance:  Hitting me is making me spill.
Alexi:  CONSTANCE! STOP HITTING HIM.

Cate:  Oh. You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into, Urban.
 Karl pointed the phone screen at Constance and pointed, “look.  Your friends said to stop hitting me.”The sound of Evans chuckling behind her was lost on Constance as she completely freaked out about Karl, stealing, her, phone! She swatted his heavily muscled arm with each word in her thoughts.  Pausing as she squinted at the screen as she read the chat.  “Under duress.  I don’t think that counts.”Movement from the corner of her made Constance look to Alexi, her friend shoving her phone deep into her purse made her sigh.  Looking back at Karl she narrowed her eyes and held out her hand, “fine, you give it back I’ll stop hitting you.”Karl smirked at Constance before shooting a look over to Alexi with that same arrogant look and then actually had the nerve to loudly laugh when the blonde pointed with two fingers to her own eyes and then at him, a frown on her face.  Turning back to Constance his amusement dancing in his eyes handing her back her phone, “well now that wasn’t so hard was it.”Constance huffed and rolled her eyes at him as she tucked her phone close to her side and then pointed a finger at him.  “You Mister are way more trouble than I would have ever expected.” At Karl loud laughed again, Constance realized what she’d said and slapped a hand over her mouth in shock.   What the hell was she saying! She was seriously sassing Karl ‘Fucking’ Urban.  She was in so much trouble!  “Wait!” Pratt spoke up cutting across all of the conversations, dinging a fork against his glass.  “I need a snap of this for my IG.”“Pics or it didn’t happen.” Ryan snarked at Pratt, who ignored him entirely as he stood up and stepped forward a couple feet to get as much of the table as possible in the shot.  Ryan glanced at Cate and leaned in until their cheeks almost touched. “Gotta make sure we’re in the frame.”“Naturally,” Cate said as dryly as possible.  Then their cheeks touched and she wasn’t sure she could say anything else until she regained her composure.  She raised an arched brow in preparation for the photo. “GUYS!” Pratt demanded, “Right now there’s three of us, the tops of some of your heads and some of you aren’t even existing.  I need some cooperation here. Get in the frame!” Karl stood up and looked down at Constance who seemed hesitant.  “Oh, no no,” she waved her hand. “This is a you guys thing.”“Nonsense!” He insisted, grasping her hand and urging her up, “you're here with us.  Here, stand in front of me so they can see you.” Karl shifted to allow her to slide around with him taking up directly behind her. Suddenly Hemsworth shifted into place behind them and they were being pushed forward so Karl was pressed solidly against Constance’s back.  Constance let out a little squeak as more of the group gathered into the space, Evans on her left leaning in so close she could smell his cologne.Karl’s right hand grabbed her waist so she didn’t topple over, “Don’t worry, I got ya.”Constance wondered if he’d still have her if she passed out or died because her knees were seriously feeling weak.  Thank god she was pressed against the table for support. Thank god Karl was pressed into her back. Holy shit he was pressed close against her back and he felt like a brick wall.  Lee, who was 6’5” towered over everyone, so he slipped into the back letting the smaller and average sized in front of him.  He shifted over behind Hemsworth and only barely managed to keep his laughter in as Pratt looked over his shoulder at Benedict.  “Oh no you don’t,” Pratt pointed at the man who was seated off to the side of the group.  “You’re not doing that thing,” he grumped accusingly.“What ‘thing’?” Benedict feigned ignorance“That not playing along thing .  This is required!” Pratt looked at Lee, “right man! It’s, it’s like a contract thing, right?”Lee pretended to frown as he looked from Pratt to Benedict and then solemnly nodded, “oh yes. A ‘contract thing’.” His lips twitching as he finished before he broke into a smirk. Benedict giving him a narrowed eye look at his support of Pratt.“Aww,” Alexi added quietly, glancing at Benedict innocently. “You should really make new memories with your classmates.  To look back on for your next reunion in 20 years.”“You know,” Benedict nodded, touched his hand to his chest as if taking that advice to heart and stood, motioning both of his hands for her to do the same.  “I think you’re absolutely right. I hadn’t quite thought about it that way.”“Oh sure,” Pratt groaned dramatically. “We ask him and nooooo, but the chick asks him and suddenly he’s all over it.”Benedict glanced at Alexi and gave a shifty eyed look to her.  “How ridiculous do you care to look for this,” Lee overheard him even with all the noise of the bar.“So ridiculous,” the blond gasped happily.  Lee watched as she tried to keep her voice low, and looked up at Benedict with wide eyes, her movements overly exaggerated from her obvious inebriation.  When she gave a clap of her hands together like a kid and looked at Benedict with gleeful admiration Lee knew that his friend was enchanted by her. When she said, “all, the, ridiculous.”  Lee knew that Benedict had found a fellow troublemaker and they were all in trouble.Lee looked down with a momentary frown as he heard Benedict excitedly reply, “all the ridiculous it is.” Lee wasn’t sure why his stomach suddenly tightened uneasily but as he looked up to see the Brit was moving his head from one side to the other and shaking out his arms as if preparing for a brawl, he hoped it was just too much alcohol.  The sound of Alexi’s giggle of glee, made Lee look away in frustration.  This was all absurd and he could care less if the woman was one of those giggly women types, this was just a night at the bar and they’d all had quite a bit at this point.  Shaking his thoughts and his shoulders to physically push those thoughts away he looked back up and put on a small smile.“ALRIGHT!  Gang's all here! Positions,” Pratt ordered, positioning the phone as everyone posed.  “On three… two… one”Karl planted his chin atop Constance’s head and though she managed to keep her smile relaxed, her eyes went round.  Cate somehow managed to look calmly sardonic with one brow raised despite her cheek partner. While Benedict and Alexi, despite not having agreed to what ‘ridiculous’ consisted of, both managed to make very similar faces in the background. Heads tilted to the side, tongues hanging out absurdly, while making claw fingers with their hands over the heads of the people in front of them.Once the picture was snapped Pratt seemed terribly impressed with himself for making it happen until he glanced at his screen. “Ooohhh man! You two suck!” Turning and giving Benedict a disapproving smirk.  “Hey if that’s how you want to play it. Then fine! It’s going up anyway and I’m tagging everyone.”“Thankfully, I can’t be tagged.” Benedict waggles his eyebrows as he smoothed his hands down shirt front delicately.“What’s your IG?” Pratt looked at Cate and she thought about it a moment before shrugging and spelling it out for him.  Constance hesitantly looked at him for a long moment before finally giving doing the same, when he typed it out furiously and turned to Alexi he finally hit resistance.“Oh.  Um,” she looked uncomfortably around her before shaking her head.  “No.”Pratt looked confused, his head tilting like a dog to the side. “You don’t have one?”“Er,” Alexi felt the amount of alcohol running through her system as her brain came to a grinding halt and refused to give her a reason to not let him tag her.  What if they saw one of her posts gushing about how amazing Benedict was or some of the other Avengers, they’d know she was lying all night and she didn’t want that.  But her brain was only allowing her to freak out about of this insane lie and not give her mouth something plausible to get Pratt to leave her alone, of course.   “Madeup4Real, that’s with the number 4,” Cate piped up, a knowing smile upon her face.  Alexi looked over to her friend with a grateful smile and wanted to kick her brain for not remembering their joint IG account that was currently Avenger and actor free that they were using as a possible launching point for some of their creative endeavors.  Though they had just been discussing earlier the possibility of changing that this very weekend at the convention with the photo ops that they had planning to attend.  Something that Alexi knew now wasn’t going to happen for her.  “That’s our creative page,” she waved her fingers towards herself and Constance.”“POSTED!” Pratt did a little dance that was almost endearing before looking at his phone again and clicking on his tags.  “Make4Reeeeeaaaaalll huh, what's that all about?”“Madeup4Real,” Constance corrected but was drowned out by the conversation around them.“Chill out, man,” Ryan piped up. “You’re not coming across as cool at all right now.”“What?!  I’m just curious because I’m more than a pretty face!  I have a curious mind going for me, too! As well!” He puffed out his chest like a peacock.  “Oh lord.  Here he goes,” Karl said to Constance, giving her waist a gentle squeeze as he finally stepped back from her. “Every goddamned time.”Lee pulled out his phone to take a look at the photo on Instagram. “Gah! What is my hair doing?” He complained, running a hand through it and making it stand up on the side before pointing the screen at Benedict. “Funny, man.  Funny.”Benedict took a peek and chuckled with a broad smile as he looked at Alexi. “Same expression!  Impressive.”“What are the chances?  We’ll never know.” She laughed at some inside joke he didn’t understand, “just imagine if we planned ahead of time.  Then everyone would really be in trouble.”“World domination,” he solemnly intoned as he raised his brows at her.  “Total domination,” she said with a decisive nod of her head before laughing softly up at him. It was so nice to look up for a change , she thought before pushing that thought away. A shifting beside her drew Constance from her amusement with Alexi and she turned her head slightly to see that Tom Hiddleston was slipping into the chair that Evans had vacated.  She tried to keep herself from making any sound, or blinking, or breathing in case she woke up from this amazing dream.He looked over with a half smile as he leaned his elbows in the table. “Well I have to say this turned out to be a surprising twist to the evening,” he casual gestures to the table.  “I expected a mostly quiet get together of, well the usual I’m sure,” he smirked at her as she continued to stare blankly at him. “You might want to take a breath or two,” Tom watched as Constance did that and chuckled as she gasped in a couple of times before flushing bright red.“Ex, excuse me,” she managed to finally get out as she looked across to the table in hope to help from her friends. She was unfortunately hopelessly out of her depth in this, but both her friends were completely engaged with their own conversations and she knew she was in her own. “I’m sorry I don’t mean to be rude and stare,” bit her lip anxiously.“Don’t worry,” Tom said with a wave of his hand. “We’re just as human as the next person.” He gave a small chuckle and was relieved when she echoed it.“Oh no, it’s all people not just the famous ones that freak me out,” she mock whispered and then jumped in her seat as a glass was set next to her hand suddenly.“Hiddleston,” Karl’s warm rumble behind her had her blushing as she looked over at him. “Thought you could use a new one,” he took his seat on the other side of her with a raise of his eyebrow.“Oh, yes, thank you,” she grabbed the glass up and took a quick sip. Her eyes darting between the two men.“So Constance, what brought you to Chicago or are you a native?” Karl leaned on his elbow and eyed her.Constance felt the flutter of something in her chest as she fidgeted with her glass and shook her head. “Oh no, LA girl here. We’re on our annual ‘Get The Hell Out Of Town’ weekend,” she gave an absent gesture towards her friends.  “We decided the convention here sounded like fun since it would let us hang out together and check out some of the recent art work and stuff,” she finished suddenly feeling a bit lame as she had started bouncing around in her seat excitedly.Tom leaned forward catching her eye, “oh you’re here for the convention are you? Anyone in particular that you’re looking to see?” His eyes dancing behind his glasses and Constance squirmed in her seat as she gave a huff of laughter.Flushing she looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “Well we do have a few pictures with several of the guests,” she hedged.Tom winked at her, “well I do hope I’ll get to see you then.”Constance was so flustered she nearly spilled the drink and decided she best put it out of reach reach before she did. She nodded and then started to reach for her phone for something safe to hold when she realized once again it wasn’t on the table. Looking to her right she saw that it was once more in Karl’s hands. “Again?” She exclaimed a bit louder than she had meant.He looked up for a moment before going back to the screen, “is this your work?”“What? Oh gawd what are you looking at?” She tried to one again take the phone from him but as before he easily kept it out of her reach.  Instead turning the screen so she could see that he was currently at the layout project she’d been toying with for Alexi’s website. “Oh! No that’s for Alexi.  She’s putting together an online portfolio of her design work,” Constance settles back in her chair as she warmed to one of her favorite topics.“I’m helping her catalogue her art work so that she can set up an online gallery, sort of a ‘this is what I can do’ type of thing for future work,” Constance relaxed and pointed to a corner of the phone.  “I found this great app that lets me transfer back and forth between my desktop and my phone so I can work on coding and layout, the basics ya know, when I have a spare moment here and there. It’s amazing,” she tapped and swiped through a couple of the versions she was currently playing with while Karl held her phone for her.“So you’re a programmer?” Tom interrupted as he leaned over looking over her shoulder to see the phone. “Web designer?”Constance laughed and shook her head, “oh no! This is just a hobby. Something I do in my free time, I want to help her get a jump on the competition you know and I’ve always tinkered around since the 90s with website coding so I figured I’d put something together for her. My day jobs waaaay more boring,” she sighed. “I’m a PR minion for an Ad Agency.” “Oh that doesn’t sound boring? You work on marketing campaigns?” Tom asked eyes bright with interest.“Sadly no, I’m a fact checker who makes sure all that scrolling fine print keeps our agency from being sued,” she sighed heavily. “Snnnnnnoring!”  She popped back up though and smiled bright, “but I have to say whoever the genius was that came up with Brit’s Makes The Best Villains, is my HERO,” she gave a dreamy sigh.  “Seriously shook the car ad industry up.” At Tom huff of laughter she suddenly rushed to add, “and you were great as well!”“Thank you that’s very kind,” he gave a wave of his hand in self deprecation. “It was a fun time.”Karl was once more looking through the pictures and templates, “so how come you don’t work on this if you don’t like your job?”“Have you lived in Los Angeles,” she gave a snort of disgust. “Bills man, bills,” she heaved a sigh. “And *that* doesn’t pay them.”  She shrugged. “But it's a great time killer and I love to tinker and learn, just can’t make a living is all.”“Wait,” Karl stopped swiping and lifted the phone closed to his face.  “Is that *you*?” He chuckled and gave a low whistle.Constance suddenly scrambled for her phone.  “Oh gawd no what are you looking at now?”Karl turned the phone screen toward them but kept her from catching it. And Constance dropped her head to the table defeated. “Yes alright. I CosPlay, whatever mister!”“No no, these are great Constance,” Karl chuckled. “Like the Wonder Woman one.” He turned the screen so that Tom and Constance could see what he was looking at. “What’s this though? A Victorian lady?”“Oh my that’s a well done Missy,” Tom said and held his hand out for the phone. He zoomed in and out after Karl handed him the phone. “Excellent detail,” he made appreciative noises as he swiped to the next one. Which was from an outside series of poses of her in the costume.“Missy?” Karl looked over at her with a frown of consideration.“Doctor Who, the Doctor’s nemesis The Master regenerated into Missy in his 12th incarnation,” Tom absently replied as he finished looking the costume over closely. “Very impressive,” he handed her the phone this time and smirked when Karl growled at him. “And our apologies for rifling through your personal photos,” he shot a look at Karl before looking back to Constance.“Thank you but I have this strange feeling it’s going to be a thing now,” she gave a huff of laughter as she looked to Karl out of the side of her eye.“Alright,” Evan’s spoke up, gathering the attention of most, his Captain voice coming out. “Early day tomorrow at the convention.  Some of us actually work for a living and have to be up at a reasonable hour.  The rest of you,” he looked around to the table.  “I will see tomorrow evening at the screening.”Hemsworth stood as well and paused when Tom and Lee glance over at him. “What?  I have to work out first thing in the morning or my day doesn’t feel right.  Early to bed it is for me.”“Well, I’m going out dancing!” Pratt said defiantly, looking down at Cate who was still seated.  He waggled his eyebrows at her and did a little shoulder wiggle. “You coming?”“God no,” Ryan said with disgust before giving Cate a coy sideways glance. “Not that I speak for the lady here but I have a feeling I know what she’ll say too.”Karl glanced at Tom who was still settled in on the other side of Constance with a polite smile. “Aren’t you doing the convention tomorrow?” Karl asked him,  “Shouldn’t you be off to get your beauty rest.”“OH!  I’m fine actually. Managed to rest on the flight from London, between that and the time change I’ll be up for a few more hours no matter what I do.”“Really,” Karl said with clenched teeth. He was a bit surprised to see how close Tom was leaning in to Constance’s side and raised an eyebrow at the other man. They had developed a friendship filming Ragnarok but that didn’t mean that he wanted competition from the other man.Tom smiled back pleasantly, but his eyes were definitely sparkling with amusement. “Really,” he looked over at Constance. “And I’m more than a little intrigued by the new additions to our group.”Karl’s eyes narrowed at him then, “that’s great.”“Isn’t it,” Toms grin widened, that hint of mischief dancing in his eyes.Constance felt her eyes bouncing back and forth between the two men and couldn’t say a thing.  She was sure that she’d either fallen asleep in the bar hours ago or she’d passed out during the picture because frankly this was unreal.“I can’t believe they’re closing down the bar already.  You’d think they would keep it open for us.” Ryan smirked as he noticed the bartender wiping down all surfaces.  “Chicago doesn’t seem quite as hip now.”“Ugh!” Alexi scowled to herself, glancing at her phone.  “It’s only midnight. Are they Mormons?”Benedict glanced at the bar, frowning at the inopportune timing, then with a look to the woman next to him.  Leaning over he tried to whisper into her ear, “If you’d like, we can go up to my suite for a nightca-”“HEY!” Ryan who had been watching Benedict carefully suddenly perked up as if remembering something, “Cumberguy has a suite!  I bet it has a sweet bar! We can all go up there!”Benedict straightened, looking somewhat perturbed.  “How could you possibly know that?”Ryan smirked at him, “Oh did I mention I lip read? No? Well there you go,” he chuckled to himself.“What?  Wait, they gave you a suite?” Karl interrupted, in surprise. “Damn it! I need to have a talk with my manager.”“Very well then you should go do that,” Benedict said briskly with a slightly put-out sigh.  But at a look across the table to Lee who had been quietly watching everything for some time he gave a huff.  “Fine, yes then, everyone is coming up to my suite.”  “At least we’re all in the same hotel!” Constance chimed in happily as the remaining group gathered their things and began to make their way to the elevators.  “Short rides home and no worries about DUI’s phew!”  She glanced at Karl playfully, “don’t feel bad.  We don’t have a suite either.” Then she turned bright red at her boldness, still flummoxed by the entire evening and wondering when she’d wake up.  Even as Karl chuckled at what she was saying, Constance couldn’t believe this was her life.  As the elevator doors closed with all eight of them squeezed into it; she looked around her and thought perhaps they had all fallen into a surreal parallel universe.  Squinting her eyes to try and take in every detail of the moment she was determined to remember everything!  On one side of the cabin, Benedict was quietly whispering something with Alexi’s ear and the two were chuckling together about whatever funny thing it was and lost in their own little world in the moment.  Alexi easily touching his arm and whispering something back that caused him to give a full head-tilted-back laugh.  Lee who was standing just behind Ben, alternating between looking a little lost and confused and then irritated like he’d forgotten something but couldn’t quite remember what as he looked between the pair.  When he noticed Constance looking at him thought, something shifted about him, his whole body seeming to change but not move as he gave half a smile to her before letting his face go peacefully blank.   Ohhhhh, he’s good , Constance thought and quickly turned away from the trio.Against the back wall in the center, Ryan was singing the lyrics that should have gone along to the elevator ‘musak’ of “Islands in the Stream”.  Cate was leaning back against the rail, doing her best to look nonchalant and cool, and succeeding Constance thought as her friend rolled her eyes at Ryan when he turned his body towards her and started singing directly to her. Cate gave a slight flush as the man’s full attention focused on her and that was when Constance realized that her friend was an excellent actress as well.  Cate’s cool facade slowly cracking and thawing from the attention of the charming actor.Constance turned her eyes up to the floor display then, knew that while others were award winning actors, she wasn’t.  She was working on not getting overwhelmed by the fact that her arm was brushing against Karl’s and she could smell Tom’s cologne from directly behind her.  She noted both details as if she were writing them in a story but she refused to get caught up! REFUSED. She’d lose her mind. The elevator reached the top floor with an elegant “ding” and they all followed to the appropriate suite door.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

CHAPTER TWO
 
ALEXI POV 
“Swank!” Ryan said approvingly as they all walked into Benedict’s suite.  “I mean, I have a suite too , of course , but the layout is a little different.”  The living area opened up into a group of modern art styled furniture, a long low slung blue couch with several metal and leather chairs that were scattered around in a semicircle, all this backed by a wall of glass that looked out over the lake in a breathtaking view.“What?!” Karl said with ( mostly ) mock annoyance. “You too? I think I might need to be looking at new representation,” he growled at Reynolds.“Well, old man,” Ryan snarked as he made his way to the couch and dropped comfortably on the end. “I’m in demand now, you know with that merge thing and what not. Gotta keep the talent happy.  What can I tell you? Maybe if you mention Star Trek then they’ll jump higher,” he smirked as Karl’s mock outrage turned to glacial.“Make yourselves comfortable,” Benedict interrupted the impending explosion and waved his hand toward the bar area.  “I think there are leftovers from room service in the refrigerator.”“Ohhh!  Let’s see what Benedict eats when no one is looking!” Ryan jumped up from the couch, giving Karl a wide berth, and sauntered over to the kitchenette area.  Benedict glanced sideways at Alexi who was staring at the somewhat maniacal man bouncing around from spot to spot. “Yes.  He’s always like this.” he said dryly.“I told you he wasn’t acting for that role.” Karl chimed in as he led Constance over to the couch and waved a hand for her to have a seat. “I’ll grab you something to drink,” he smiled at her, letting his annoyance with Ryan slide away.Ryan flung the fridge door open dramatically, peeking inside before glancing over the top of the door at the others.  “Eggs, Benedict? Really?”An entertained guffaw escaped Cate’s lips despite herself.  Benedict rolled his eyes but smiled good-naturedly anyway, despite hearing that joke from him several times already. “Well,” Benedict spoke from the side of his mouth as if confiding a secret to her.  “Ryan is well, Ryan, after all, and somehow he ends up being likable, well, most of the time.” He looked over to her with an expression of ‘what can you do?’ Causing Alexi give a snort of laughter. ‘Gah, he is so adorable,’ she thought to herself. A barely there brush against her arm, pulled Alexi from her contemplation of Benedict to see the very broad shoulders of Lee making his way towards the bar and dropping onto a bar stool.  She was surprised by the warm flush that flashed through as she raised her eyes to find him watching her with heavy lidded eyes and an enigmatic smile on his face.  She gave an involuntary shiver at his stare and had to give herself a mental shake to get her thoughts of him. The warmth of the room and all the people were starting to overwhelm her, or maybe that was all the martinis? Whatever, there was a solution for that , she thought to herself as she eyed her two friends quickly and plastered a big smile on her face.  “I’mmmmm going to fix my lipstick,” Alexi hummed, gliding over to Constance and gave her friend’s hand a tug up, while eyeing Cate on the other side of the sofa with a tilt of her head.  “Come help me.”Cate immediately understood the request and moved quickly towards the pair, adding her hand to Constance’s and giving the necessary tug to get on her feet and headed towards the master bedroom with its private bathroom.  “I’m convinced women have to go to bathrooms in groups,” Ryan piped up from the kitchen.  “But I still haven’t figured out why.”“To talk about you and your awful puns,” Alexi heard Karl snark at they made their way towards the doorway.“Any press is good press I always say!” Ryan quipped. Alexi dragged her two friends through the master bedroom, past the jacuzzi, that her mind made note of for possible use later and slammed the bathroom door behind them.  She leaned heavily against it, panting slightly and having a difficult time keeping her feet under her. Her eyes were wide, bright and kind of frantic as she stared at her friends.“Holy shit,” she whispered harshly.  “YOU GUYS. Ho….. lee…… shit,” Alexi gasped out each syllable in shock.  “How is this happening?!” She heaved her body up and away from the door, diving in front of the mirror, before giving a gasp of horror. Dropping her purse on the countertop she started digging through it frantically.  “You didn’t tell me I look so oily. Why do I look so oily? OMG my lipstick is a mess. What the hell?” She found her compact and began quickly redoing her face.“Not that it matters or even would have,” Cate rolled her eyes, peering in the mirror and pursing her pillowy lips to see how her lipstick was holding up. “You look *great*, Benedict can’t take his eyes off you and if he has his way, he’s just going to take it off of you shortly anyway.”“No he’s nottttttttt!” Alexi’s turned spooked eyes on Cate, lightly shaking her head at her friend, who was having none of it and gave her the come-to-Jesus-child look that only her friend could give.  “Ok.  Well,” she dragged out. “Maybe? I mean,” her voice was starting to warble as she really thought about what Cate said. “I suppose, I was making him laugh a lot,” Alexi conceded before glancing at Constance’s reflection in the mirror.  “Like Constance was with Kaaaaaaaarl.”Constance turned fifty shades of red and hid behind her hands.  “I can’t.  Don’t. No, No talking about it,” she stuttered. “I may throw up, on you.  I mean,” she threw her hands up in the air.  “Ok, let’s  just pretend everything’s normal. Alright?”  Her friends laughed at her as she finally just gave up and leaned her shoulders against the wall behind her. “Or better yet! Let’s talk about Deadpool finding his real life Vanessa,” she gave Cate a smirk. “Hmmm?”Their dark haired friend narrowed her eyes at Constance, raising her finger to point at the smaller woman but her cheeks were flushed and nothing came out as she just waved her hand dismissively causing the other friends to giggle at their usually calm and confident friend.Alexi smacked her newly reddened lips together and then her mouth dropped open.  “Look at that shower. Oh my gawwwwwwwwwwwd. The thoughts,” the trio glanced at the large, slate tiled shower that probably could hold 5 or 6 comfortably and gave appreciative hums in unison.“Ok breathe,” Constance said dragging the three of them back from the gutter.  Looking Alexi in the eye, she took a deep cleansing breath, grabbing Alexi’s hand to encourage her to do the same with her as she let it go and took in another one slowly.  Alexi took one in and one out and they stared at each other through several of those.“You’re going to make yourselves hyperventilate.” Cate said, tousling her raven curls one last time in the mirror.  “Let’s get back out there and play this cool.”“But wait.  For real,” Alexi said putting her hand in the air to grind everything else to a halt.  “What if,” she lowered her voice as much as she could. “What if something does happen?  I mean what if,” she paused and tried to take a deep breath and failed. “What if he touches me or something on the shoulder or just about anywhere and I literally have a seizure?” Alexi’s eyes were round and showed a little too much of the white in her panic.“I’ll call 911,” Cate deadpanned before she leaned back against the sink.  “Or maybe,” she cackled lowly at her friend. “We can just have him give you mouth to mouth,” Cate dragged out the last few words slowly causing Alexi’s mind to simply shut down as it tried to imagine just that.Constance slapped a hand over her mouth but couldn’t stop her giggles. “Don’t worry sweetie,” she patted her friend’s arm reassuringly and dug her short nails into the fabric of Alexi’s coat.  “I’ll be right there next to you on the stretcher! I mean Karl was pressed up against my back and, and, he kept taking my phone?!”She stopped suddenly slapping her hands against her side and her pockets and gave a sigh of relief when she felt her phone.  “Yeah right, so I’m totally fine. Totally! Oh did I mention that Tom Hiddleston talked to me? I mean, taaaalllked to me! About normal stuff!  And, and, Ungghhhhhhhhhh.” Constance gave a full body shiver and rolled her eyes back in her head as she pretended to have a seizure, making her friends laugh.  Alexi appreciated her friend’s attempts at reassurance but she still felt dazed thanks to Cate’s mouth to mouth visual.“Alright ladies!”  Cate suddenly barked at them. “We’ve been gone long enough. Pull. It. Together. Now! It’s time to get back out there.”  The three of them exchanged silent looks and with a long slow inhale nodded their agreement and turned as one to the door. Alexi scanned the room as they heading back out into the suite.  She felt the butterflies in her stomach try to take hold of her again as she spotted Lee leaning against the bar, staring at the doorway like he had been waiting for them to return.  Which, weird, she thought but her hands fluttered at her sides as a thrill of excitement raced through her.Music was playing quietly now, something vaguely familiar that Alexi couldn’t put her finger on and as she tried to work out what it was she was startled by the sudden loud POP of a champagne cork.  Looking over she saw that Karl was holding the bottle as it foamed up too much and he had rushed to get it to the sink, managing, Alexi noticed to shoot some onto Ryan and Benedict as he passed them with a chuckle.  “Just consider it a festive touch!” Karl said, catching the rest in the sink.“Did you shake it before you opened it?” Benedict groused, grabbing a napkin and brushing stray drops off the front of his shirt with a fair amount of good-natured annoyance.“Great.  Now I’ll smell like beer, whiskey AND champagne.” Ryan sighed, sucking some stray champagne drops off the back of his hand.  “Not hot… or is it? I can’t keep up with what’s in at the moment.” Alexi looked over with a chuckle to Cate who was staring at Reynolds with a badly suppressed smirk on her face.Karl, who had managed to get the remaining champagne into glasses and began passing them out, starting with the three women as they approached the bar.  Alexi turned to look at her friend after taking the offered drink, vastly amused by the cheeky smirk and slightly embarrassed air that Karl wore. His focus though was solely on Constance as he carefully handed her the glass, “don’t worry.  I have it all under control now.”“Do any of us truly have it all under control, as you so confidently claim?” Tom said quietly.  Alexi frowned as she took a sip, poor Hiddles , she thought.   Someone seems to be a bit down .  As though he had heard that, Alexi was suddenly snared in his startling blue eyed gaze and froze.  It wasn’t until he gave her a tight smile that she felt like she could breath again and she quickly took another sip looking away.   Woah! Those Hiddlestoners weren’t joking, he really can suck you in with a look.  WTF was that? Avoiding getting snared in Hiddleston’s gaze again, and avoiding any eye contact with him altogether, Alexi saw that Constance was frowning into her drink.  She knew that look and Alexi gave a nudge to her, “go on. It’s just a little champagne, no biggie.”Constance looked at her with wide eyes and a hushed whisper, “I haven’t had this much in a while. I don’t want to get stupid ya know,” she gave a quick dart of her eyes around at all the people.  Alexi snorted, “you’ll be fiiiiiine.  I’ll tell you if you’re not fine, trust me.  I mean, look, I’ve had about a dozen martinis already and it’s all good.”“Actually, possibly half a dozen for you.  At least four downstairs,” Constance sighed.  “At least, but I know, I know.  You’re a professional.  I’m not good at this.”“Believe in yourself like I believe in you!” Alexi put on her best inspirational voice, “you can be good at anything you put your mind to!  Just look at me! Champagne after martinis and I’m excelling!”Constance gave a little chuckle.  “You’ve always been the happiest and most cheerful of drunks.”“That is how I make all my friends,” Alexi said, eyes narrowing as if she remembered suddenly where they were and that she had a mission, giving a pat to her friend’s arm and deciding it was time to make her move to Benedict.  Sidling up to the bar near Benedict, trying to be completely nonchalant and worrying for a moment if she was being too obvious, she pushed those thoughts away, After all where else was there to go and who was she to say no to fate giving a girl an opening?! Benedict was looking into his glass as she settled next to him.  “I think I’m ready for a smoke,” he said suddenly looking up at her and catching her eyes.  “Care to join me?”“Suuuuuuuuuure,” Alexi said under her breath, quickly finishing off her glass before reaching for another one and following along to the sliding doors to the balcony.   Alexi’s mind started to race with thoughts and questions. She wondered if she should mention she doesn’t smoke but then again she didn’t really care in the grand scheme of things.  What did that really matter if she didn’t? Maybe fate wanted her to start.She then considered telling him she had read he quit smoking but, right, she was pretending to have no idea who he was so that would be a bad call. Then as they stepped out onto the balcony and a brisk wind picked up around them, she remembered that it was October, in Chicago, and they were 30 floors up on the water.  But again, what did that really matter?Benedict turned to face her, leaning back on the rail slightly as he pulled off his jacket and swung it around her shoulders in a very matter-of-fact way, smoothing it out carefully before reaching into the inner breast pocket to pull out a silver cigarette case.  She tried to keep her composure but they were standing so close facing each other it was dizzying. So she concentrated on watching his fingers as he pulled out a cigarette, giving it a tap to the case and then lifting it to her lips. She had been so focused on her breathing and his hands that it didn’t even register what he was doing until it was in her lips and he pulled out a lighter.  She almost protested, before deciding to throw caution to the wind!  She wanted this, this moment, this experience of him lighting a cigarette for her.  Going with the flow, taking a careful drag on it so she didn’t erupt into a fit of coughs, she smiled slowly athim. Reaching up carefully she took the cigarette out of her mouth, letting her red lips causally pull away as the smoke drifted out of her lips.  Damn, she wished she did smoke.  There was something so therapeutic about the actual smoke, she looked up as it dissipated.  Well, this was all somehow terribly romantic although incredibly out of vogue and so reminiscent of old black and white movies she had always been obsessed with.  Definitely something with Clark Gable or Cary Grant in it. She’d be Carole Lombard, naturally, because she had been witty and hilarious and married to Gable at some point so Benedict would have to be Gable.  Her brain began stumbling over vague years in her head to figure out if Cary Grant would work. Of course he would, she’d have known that right away if she were sober, Lombard and Grant had starred in “In Name Only” together at least but still, Gable it would be.“I don’t smoke,” she finally laughed quietly, reigning in her scattered thoughts with a light shake of her head. “But that seemed so elegant, I just went with it.”  “And then you got lost somewhere.  What were you thinking about?”“Oh,” she shrugged slightly.  “Sorry. I didn’t realize I’d been bouncing around in my own head long enough for you to notice.  You’re observant, aren’t you? I was just thinking about,” she laughed at herself for even considering telling him and shook her head. “Nothing.  Just old movies. Really old ones.”She paused at the curious look he was giving her, uncertain what was behind it but was quickly distracted by the play of city lights on the wet drops on his cheek.  “Oh, you have champagne on your face,” she ran her thumb on his cheek to remove it, taking her sweet time and having no fucking clue where her nerve was coming from except for the martinis earlier.  She was suddenly so very thankful for gin. The drink of the gods!  If not for gin she may never have been oblivious enough that he nearly plowed into her downstairs at the bar and then they would never have met!  She wiggled her finger delicately, pulling his attention to the hand with the cigarette and then carefully lifted it to his lips. While he easily opened his mouth to her Benedict’s eyes narrowed momentarily as he intently studied her.  Taking an extra long draw from the cigarette as she continued to held it up to him, she realized he had made the decision to let her do this. That he was showing her that he wanted her hand there, that her touch was welcome, as her fingers just barely touched his lips.Her brain bad take up a chant in the back of her consciousness, Shit!  We are having a fucking MOMENT!! This is a fucking moment! However all that was promptly cut short when his hand cupped around hers, tangling briefly as his long ones wrapped and twined with hers to take the cigarette from her.  He glanced to the side, exhaling the smoke slowly before focusing on her again. He was so quiet she wondered if she should say something in the silence. Why was he looking at her like that with those icy eyes?  Oh no, martinis weren't helping her now .  She was losing her nerve to do just about anything the longer those clear sharp blue eyes stared at her.She shivered slightly, the chill in the air suddenly more noticeable.  She moved to cross her arms over herself but before she could manage, his free hand slipped under the jacket on her shoulders, traced along her waist to the small of her back and pulled her against him, she still held the flute of champagne in one hand put her other rested on his chest and she wasn't sure what to do with any part of her body at the moment.   "Oh," she barely managed to get out, feeling like a huge idiot and having not genuinely expected this to really  happen. She had thought the entire night there would be some mild flirting and she, Constance and Cate would have several hours of giggling later in their own room.  Then they'd go to the convention tomorrow, giggling away, and go home with some wild and fun memories. Now the hand on her back was tracing languidly up and down over the fabric of her shirt and he leaned in, his lips barely touching her cheek, instantaneously creating a trail of goosebumps up her back.   The hand on her back flattened, pulling her in closer as his lips traced along her cheek ever so lightly, his warm breath in sharp contrast to the chill outside moved along her jaw, nudging her face aside until his lips were at her ear, planting there several times until the low rumble of his voice skitters across the soft skin.  “Please don’t think me rude but I could not resist you another minute.” The champagne glass she had forgotten she was holding slipped out of her fingers and clattered to the stone flooring, shattering into what sounded like a thousand pieces.  Neither one of them bothered to give it a glance. Instead, he flicked his cigarette over the railing to free both hands to clasp either side of her face and turn it toward him again, planting his lips upon hers.   All earlier thoughts she had were thrown over the rail with the sparks of the cigarette.  There was no room in her head for anything else now, not even Lombard and Gable. Her now free hands slipped up behind his neck to trail through his hair before sliding back down and grasping onto his collar for dear life as the kiss deepened.   She couldn't breathe!  She pulled back slightly to catch her breath, "ummm.." She let the sound vibrate around a bit in her throat, nearly a moan and yet not quite.  Lowering her eyes because she didn't know how to match the intensity of his gaze at the moment.  She bit her bottom lip, both his hands slipping under the jacket again on her back pulling her carefully against him. Truthfully it was probably the only thing keeping her upright at this point so she nuzzled her face into his neck. Oh he smelled deliriously good.   "Did I overstep?" He asked, knowing full well he hadn't.  She laughed quietly into his neck which he seemed to enjoy since his hands on her back squeezed firmly and the encouragement prompted her to plant several feathery kisses there.  The sharp intake of breath he took egged her on more and she opened her mouth, letting her top teeth carefully trace along his skin. He cleared his throat suddenly, removing his hands from her back to clasp her wrists and look her in the eye.  "Suite is full of guests,” his voice low and rough as he spoke slowly and with some effort. She smiled wickedly, slightly delirious by this turn of events.  "Isn't it." Laughter from inside flowed out from the still open balcony door and someone turned the music up.  "Doesn't sound like they will be leaving any time soon either." "Well, I'll just have to work on that." He stood up straight, ran a hand through his hair and straightened his collar before heading back inside, determined to politely find a way to disperse his guests.  Alexi followed along, trying not to grin like an idiot which meant she was biting her bottom lip quite firmly as she got back to the bar and picked up a new glass of champagne. How was she going to keep it together when Cate or Constance even glanced in her general direction.   "Welcome," Karl trailed off a moment as he glanced at Benedict and tilted his head to one side curiously. “Back?” he slowly finished.Karl’s hesitation drew Ryan's attention from the bowl of corn chips he was crunching his way through.  "Red's your color." Giving a snort of laughter with a mouth half-full of chips.Karl swallowed a guffaw as Benedict snatched up a napkin from the bar sighing as he realized what they were talking about. He casually wiped with that calm air of British air of unflappable dignity while around him Constance slapped her hand over her mouth firmly and Cate let out a loud  chuckle.“Do you need a mirror?” Lee smirked, one eyebrow raised. “You’re missing some of it.  There’s still some,”   he pointed at his own neck to indicate the spot Ben should be catching himself.  Alexi pulled out her compact, slipping just behind his wide shoulders, pretending she hadn’t noticed what was happening.  It was all vastly entertaining for sure but a part of her was quite embarrassed, so she was happy to leave all that  attention to Benedict, while she cleaned up her lips.  Glancing over the top of the mirror to see if it was safe to stop hiding behind it, she saw that Constance and Cate were still in fits trying not to laugh. Ryan’s attention was back in the chip bowl, Karl was wetting a napkin for Ben who was insisting he not bother, so she was about to close the compact when she noticed Lee looking right at her in a most peculiar way, studying her intently like, what?  She snapped her compact closed and tilted her head at him in question.Lee’s eyes crinkled up at the edges in what she thought was amusement but before she could ask again out loud there was a piercing, pulsing siren that erupted from the hallway.  They all looked at the door, startled.  “Oh Christ,” Benedict swore with annoyance, throwing the towel he had been using into the sink. “Not again.” He shook his head with a disgusted look in his face, “every time!”“Ohh!  The Cumberbitches found us!” Ryan announced loudly, shoving a couple more chips in his mouth before patting Karl’s back, leaving a trail of orange crumbs.  “And now it’s time for the hotel evacuation.”“It’s maddening!” Benedict groaned.  “The past three times I’ve been in the States.  I don’t know how they - she - they find me.”“Ahhh, yeah we’ve seen this sort of thing before,” Cate nodded sagely.  “Fans. I mean, what messes, amirite?”“Maybe we can just stay here.  How would anyone know?” Alexi offered, giving Cate a healthy dose of side-eye for bring up fans but Cate seemed not to notice or was simply unphased.   “Nah.” Karl glanced at his phone which was vibrating madly.  “That’s my manager and I bet these two are getting the same calls about now. We’re going to have to go down.  Liability. They worry about those sort of things.” “Cumberbitches?” Alexi said innocently, remembering her ruse. “What’s a Cumber-” “It’s a long story.” Benedict waved his hand in the air.  “But maybe after all of this I can explain.” 
CONSTANCE POV 
They headed out of the suite and were met in the hallway by security who were just coming out of the stairway. Fetching the men, they moved them quickly into the stairwell for the long trek down 32 floors.  It wasn’t more than two floors later that pushing, grumbling, irritated guests, swarmed into the stairwell with them. Most had been awoken from their beds, all were in various states of dress, some even in bathrobes, but all of them confused and anxious to get out of the building.  As they made their way down, it wasn’t long before the girls began to be pushed away from the men and they clutched tightly to each other, afraid of getting lost in the press of bodies.By the time they were nearly to the bottom floor and the lobby it was a madhouse; stumbling, bumping people, calls and curses floating through the cramped corridor as they all wondered what was going on and where they were going.  Constance was suddenly knocked into from behind and she lost her grip on Cate and Alexi. And just like that she found herself yanked off and around a corner into another corridor the herd of people still shoving and moving her along with them.   As she tried to get a look over her shoulder to find the girls, she realized she had somehow lost everyone now and in that moment her chest grew tight and her skin begin to itch with panic.   I need to get out of this, she chanted over and over as her brain began to fill with static.  I can get out of this. We are going to get out of this. Forcing herself to breath, slowly and deeply just like her counselor taught her.  She got the static to quiet but as the herd of people came to an oppressive halt in the hallways she felt the panic raise again. No, no, no panicking!  80s songs! Favorites! Think, think, think! She practically shouted at herself as the spots started to dance at the corner of her eyes.  You are all right, she told herself.“Constance!” Someone called her name loud enough that it felt as though it echoed in her head as a large hand landed on her upper arm and she was tugged out and to the side of the milling group.Looking up she saw that it was Tom and for a moment she could have sworn there was something oddly intense about his eyes. But in the dim pulsing lights of the hallway she just as quickly dismissed it. Besides this was all giving her a headache and she still hadn’t been able to get her breathing back under control.Tom leaned down close, catching her eyes in the flickering security lights and frowned.  “Constance are you all right? Are you hurt?”“Lost,” she gasped as her chest began to tighten again, though this time from embarrassment as well as panic. “Lost. Girls. Everyone,” she kept gasping and Tom gave her a nod of understanding.  His large hand was warm and she could feel his concern as she fought to get herself under control.  With a gentle smile and a reassuring squeeze of his hand, Tom straightened up looked back to his security guard.“I want to know where the others are and where her friends are now!” His tone surprisingly imperious as he stared down the other man.“Sir, we really need to keep moving,” the man attempted but must have seen something on Tom's face as the guard snapped his mouth closed and gave a tight nod. Lifting his radio, there was a quick back and forth discussion while Tom turned back to Constance wrapping an arm around her shoulders and shielding her from sight.  “They’re in the lobby sir, that way and by the left side of the front doors.  If you’ll follow me,” the security guard gestures to a small side corridor and began politely pushing through the people to cross the hall.  “We’re not sure, umm, where the ladies friends are sir, that wasn’t part of the parameters for the evacuation,” the man delicately stated. Obviously not wanting to upset either Tom or her with that bit of information, he rushed on to finish. “I’m sure we can sort that out though once you’ve joined the group.”Pushing open a small wooden door, they all stepped out into the lobby and Constance nearly recoiled back into the hallway at the noise and commotion that suddenly engulfed them. She felt Tom looking down at her and quickly straightened her back.  She was already embarrassed enough, no need to make it worse, she chastised herself. He paused though watching carefully until she raised her chin and gave him a sharp nod. His hand dropping to her lower back and giving it a reassuring pat before they started into the lobby mayhem.They had made it halfway across when Cate spotted them and called out over the noise. “They're over there,” pointed off to the left. “But it’s a madhouse right now and security is surrounding them so I really can’t be bothered to push through that.”Seeing Constance's face, Cate reached over and pulled her friend to her, wrapping her into a tight hug. “Hey it’s ok. You’re ok and look at that Loki can be the hero afterall.” Constance buried her face in the shoulder of her friend but she managed to flash a smile of gratitude to the man before that. Tom simply shrugged and adjusted his glasses with a humble air.“There you are!” Alexi gasped, grabbing onto both of them from behind as the sirens finally stopped.  “Well this quite the adventure, isn’t it?”“Don't say that word!”  Constance protested with a wheeze from under the tangle of limbs wrapped around her. “We’ve been cursed enough tonight don’t you think.” Or she  tried to considering it was still a bit tricky to breathe.“Cursed?” Alexi looked completely baffled at her friends vehement and raspy response. “Tonight’s been fucking epic.”“Come ladies,” Tom said with a wave of his hand towards the group. “Let’s get this sorted shall we.” As they all started to make their way over to the other group, a man rushed his way to the group, looking at the men and the head of security who was still holding off anyone else from approaching.  Constance leaned heavily on Cate as she guessed it was probably the hotel manager, and that he was assuring everyone there was no fire and it had all been a false alarm. The head of security immediately began to herd the men towards the elevators at that point, motioning to another his people to immediately grab control of one of the elevators.  Tom called out, but in the noise of the lobby it wasn’t heard and he excused himself to catch up to them and let them know that the girls were there and ok. The trio tried to keep an eye on him and the moving actors, but even with those long legs he was swallowed by the mulling crowd quickly.  Constance looked up at Alexi, “can you still see him?”Alexi shifted slightly and tried to spot him over the all the moving bodies but she looked down with a shake of her head. “We could hang out for a few, I mean,” Constance gave a wheezing cough to clear her throat.  “I mean we’re not going anywhere anytime soon anyway. Unless you guys want to climb the stairs,” she said the last with twist of her lips and a prayer to anyone listening that they wouldn’t.“Let’s wait a few moments,” Cate said with a nod, though she was eyeing Constance with a bit of concern.  “I mean I don't have anyone’s number. You guys?”Constance reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, opened up the contacts and hoping against hope that someone who couldn’t keep his hands off her phone earlier might have thought to put his number in her contacts.  That was reasonable right? Sure, she told herself.  But as she opened up her contacts and did a quick scroll she didn’t see anyone new in the directory. With a heavy sigh that ended with a bit of cough, she shook her head.The two friends looked to their last hope, Alexi, but she was shaking her head as well. “I mean it was on the what, was that, umm, 29th floor right. We could go back up,” she looked at the other two.“It was the 32nd floor, “ Cate chuckled.  “How do you find your car in the mall parking lot? I swear I thought Constance was terrible with directions.”“Hey! I have an app,” Alexi said with a small chuckle  And then shrugged, “I was kinda caught up in other stuff, ya know.  I was hoping you or Constance was paying attention,” she smiled and the three women laughed.  This was not the first time they'd had this conversation.Cate looked around, “five minutes.  If they don’t send someone to us or The Hiddles doesn’t return then we are going upstairs and calling it a night.”Constance and Alexi nodded in agreement but she could see that her friend was just as disappointed as she was.  I mean really, they would see Tom and Lee at the convention tomorrow but how likely would it be that they would see Benedict or Karl again.   ‘Hey,’ she told told herself.   ‘You had a great evening, a magical evening and you take that girl and be happy,’ she chastised herself.   ‘But it is a bit of a let down after everything,’ she conceded to the teenager portion of her mind.Five minutes passed and the crowds were finally starting to ebb, Cate looked at the girls and shrugged.  Alexi gave one more scan of the tops of the crowd but saw no one familiar and they decided it was time to head for up.  Cate looked at the other two, “it’s late. We should really call it a night. Im *sure* we will see them tomorrow.,” she tried to cheer up the other two.  “So, let’s get out of here and gets some comfy clothes on!” Cate pointed the other two towards the elevator bank, “we can squee about this AMAZING night and the AMAZING things that will happen tomorrow for sure!” The other two tiredly agreed and Constance finally gave in and started rooting around for her inhaler as they got in line with the rest of the returning guests.Shuffling in with a small crowd that we’re pushing their way to a newly opened elevator car, the three friends barely managed to squeeze onto it, spinning round to face the closing doors. Alexi grabbed Constance’s hand and squeezed it, knowing being squished in a small space with a bunch of strangers wouldn’t be her favorite thing and considering everything that had just happened it was more than likely to set her off even quicker. The door was on its way to closing when a thump against one of the sides caused everyone to jump and give a start.  A dark head of hair, pushed around the closing side of the door as, Karl leaned forward from the hall, planting both hands on the doors and then opened them all the way for a moment, causing the elevator to give a delicate chime of protest.  “Ladies!” He said, though he was looking right at Constance. “So glad I caught you.  Look, I’m not going to fit in here but the fellas and I were talking about tomorrow’s screening and we all agreed we’d like you to come with us.  Do you want to come?”A female voice from the back of the elevator gasped quietly, “oh my god that’s Karl Urban” followed by giggles from three or four others.  “Yes,” Constance nodded, looking up at him.  The way he was standing with his arms spread out the way they were he seemed larger than life and she was trying not to be too distracted by the broadness of his shoulders and the smile that was playing on his lips.  She cleared her throat and smiled at him, “Yes! Definitely.”“Great!” He seemed extremely pleased, the elevator still chiming in protest.  “Meet us down here tomorrow. 7pm.” Karl’s eyes were twinkling and slightly crinkled at the corners as he stared intensely into Constance’s.“Ahem,” Cate interrupted their moment. “Dress code?” Cate spoke up, ever the practical one thankfully.  Karl blinked, breaking his gaze from Constance to look at Cate a bit confused.  He raised a shoulder in a half shrug, “Dresses? Wait,” he paused suddenly alarmed at that response.  “Um, sorry, is that sexist? Uh, pants? Pants are ok too. Just, whatever you want.”  The elevator door gave a particularly alarming chime and he made a slight grunt in protest as it made another attempt to close on him.  Looking back at Constance once again with a bright smile, he winked and then stepped back from the door.  “Here, tomorrow night! Seven o’clock,” he called out loudly as the doors finally slid shut.  Alexi squeezed Constance’s hand hard and Cate squeezed her other one, as Constance let out a peel of giggles.“Girrrrrrrl,” the woman in the back whispered in awe as the elevator moved upward.  “I wish I was you.”Cate looked back with a smirk while Constance buried her burning face into Alexi’s side.  “Oh sweetie you don’t know the half of it!”Alexi burst out into laughter and looked back and forth between her two friends, “what a night?!!”  Causing all three to fall into hysterical laughter.Before anything more could be said, their floor chimed and the three pushed their way out.  Laughing and stumbling their way to the door, they quickly slammed it shut and stood in their room staring at each other in shock.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

CHAPTER THREE

ALEXI POV

Saturday dawned with groans of exhaustion and a squeak of horror. After arriving back in their
room,
it had taken nearly two hours for the girls wear themselves out to the point where sleeping was actually an option. As late as it had already been when they got back to the room, it meant that in truth they managed perhaps an hour, maybe an hour and half of actual sleep.
However,
this was nothing new for them, years of shared adventures and
odd professional hours
had left them able to actually get out of bed when their alarm sounded.

Well, Constance and Cate we’re getting up, Alexi was attempting to find the inner landscape of her pillow in the hopes that it would with either suffocate her or provide her with and answer to WHY?!  “Whhhhhhhyyyyyy,” she called again for the fifth time through her pillow.

“Such are the mysteries of life with you, Alexi,” Cate called from the bathroom. “But I’ll tell you this, if you don’t get up I’m gonna dump cold water on you.” The maniacal cackle Cate followed that with had Alexi quickly abandoning her pillow and stumbling up out of bed.

When Cate poked her head out of the bathroom, her long raven tresses up and braided regally around her head and her eyebrow up in challenge as she smirked at her friend. Alexi glared back, crossing her arms defensively over her chest. “Get moving woman!” Cate called as she went back to the mirror to work on her makeup the Evil Queen's coronation cosplay that she was doing. The gold intricately pleated dress hanging in its protective cover on the door still. About the only thing that made Snow White and The Huntsman bearable was the amazing Charlize Theron’s Queen.  And there was no one who could pull that off like Cate!

Constance looked blearily at the pair of them as she laid out her costume on the bed. She’d had a change of heart and decided to go with her Missy outfit, which
originally,
she had planned for Sunday, after telling the girls what Tom Hiddleston had said about it.
However,
that change and her lack of sleep was making it a challenge to get everything done in time for them to leave so she shrugged helplessly at Alexi and began to hurry to get herself ready.

“I’m never drinking again!   And,” Alexi announced suddenly. “I’m not going to the convention!” She let herself fall back on the bed, her hands fluttering over her throbbing forehead in an attempt to block the light and make the pain stop, “I can’t go there after playing dumb all last night. I just can’t!”

Cate stepped out of the bathroom and waved to Constance that it was her turn. Constance looked between the two suddenly unsure if it was a smart idea to leave the two alone. They were both very strong willed and it could get loud when they refused to back down on something they set their minds to.

Cate saw Constance hesitate and shook her head, pointing to the bathroom. “I’ve got this, you have a lot to get done, move it!”

Constance’s eyes snapped wide and she gave a quick nod before rushing towards the bathroom. Just as she was stepping in, she heard Cate say, “alright give it to me. What has your mind gotten you all twisted up about.”

Constance quickly closed the door and turned the water at the sink on, she had makeup, contacts and hair to tame this would take a bit. Nearly
twenty-five
minutes later, her makeup still not done but her hair in place and her contacts comfortably in
, Constance
opened the door to see Alexi pacing back and forth
. Her friend was
waving
her arms about
wildly as Cate stood leaning against the dresser her arms crossed
over her chest and
her face still set in stubborn
lines
.

Constance dodged around Alexi and
slipped past Cate without meeting her eyes, to her bed
to sli
p
her dress on and wriggle it into place
.  Just as her head popped up through her top
Alexi flew into the bathroom and then popped back out moments later.

“Look,” Alexi rifled through her suitcase, looking for the eye cream she was certain she was just holding five minutes before.  “All I’m saying is,” she paused and threw her hands up in frustration. Stomping back to the bathroom to look at the sink as she raised her voice so they could still hear.  “Why I decided to go for that stupid plan of pretending to not know who the hell anyone is, I’ll never know. Wait, I didn’t even decide to do that. I just did it. On a whim. I shouldn't do things on whims. Why did you two let me do that?! You’re supposed to be my friends.”

“
Oh, stop it!
Just come to the convention,” Cate gave a heavy sigh as she pushed off the desk and looked over her outfit in the hall mirror, giving a little tug to the high metal crafted shoulder work and then shifting a couple of the pleats of the skirt into place.  “It’ll be fun. Who cares what you said last night. Today’s a new day,” Cate sounded like she’d said the same words a hundred times already as she adjusted her tunic top and gave a nod to herself.

Alexi’s head popped out of the bathroom doorway, rubbing the found eye cream over her eyes too liberally, “
w
ho cares?
!
 Who cares, Miss Cool-As-Ice-Cate?  I care! Though apparently you don’t care about me and how they are all going to hhhhaaaatttteee me because I’m just a lying liar,” she gave a dramatic huff and stomped back over to the bed. “Not all of us can be confident and assured about how amazing we are like you,” Alexi crossed her arms in a huff and stared out the window.

“Hey!  I care!” Cate protested but when she spotted her friends Princess Huffy face, ended up laughing.  “I am! Oh, don’t be that way! I was almost moved to tears of happy joy last night to see your lipstick all over
HumperPatch
last night.  They were just internal joy tears.  And I’m as pissed as you and the
Cucumbersnatch
are that the fire alarm was pulled and you didn’t get to use the hot tub.”

Alex have a small hum of agreement before turning to look at her
friends
. “OH. M. GEE. Me too!,” Alexi scowled. “Damn those Cumberbitches.”  Alexi fretted a moment dropping forward to stretch out across the front of the bed. “I know you think he won’t care but I can’t. I juuuuuuuust ccccaaaaannnn’t!”

“I understand your inner turmoil,” Constance spoke up.  “I don’t know what I’d do in your shoes. I’d probably hide forever.”

Cate spun towards Constance with a glare as she pointed at her with a brow pencil, “you’re not helping!  If you don’t want to look like a Xzygone, you will zip it or help,” Cate whispered harshly.

“
Oh
, my godddddd,” Alexi wailed flopping over into her back.  “That’s it! I’m going to go hide at the spa. I’m going to have a facial and try not to shrivel up and DIE.”

“That might actually be a great idea,” Constance chirped happily side stepping Cate who mimed stabbing her with the pencil. “You go relax and, and,” she
gave
a pleading look to her other friend who was tossing makeup in the bag and pretending to dust her hands. “And then once you’re there you’ll see everything will be just fiiiiiiine. And no one will hate you and Benedict will of course find this all hilarious. Cause I mean, come
on
Alexi, you
’re
adorable and funny and sweet and he reeeeeaallly has the hots for you,” she looked at Cate with a pleading expression.

“I mean there’s no one you are just dying to meet today anyway. Well that you didn’t meet already last
night,
right?”
Constance gave a little smile to her blonde friend who was still hiding her face from the world.
Cate sighed at her and pulled out the makeup again pointing at the chair for her to sit
, making Constance clap with glee as she hopped over to her.

“I
on the
other hand *have* to go to today because I need photos with the Doctor, it’s Eleven!
” Constance gave a heartfelt sigh.  “
And well, I don’t care what anyone
thinks
about it
for it
.” Cate dropped her hands and glared at her, silently saying

Really? You really had to say that?!

Constance just shrugged and closed her eyes to wait patiently for her friend to finish her makeup.

“You two have fun,” Alexi waved from the bed as she scrolled through her phone to find the booking info for the spa.  “I’m just going to pretend I wasn’t a colossal fool who ruined all my chances of happiness last night.”

The pair were just finishing up their preparations to leave and Constance ran over to the bed, throwing herself beside her friend and giving her a half hug. “I’m sorry,” she whispered in her friends’ ear.

“Oh Con, it’s fine. Really,” Alexi patted her friend on the back. “I’m gonna go to the spa. I’ll be great by the time you guys get back. And if you want,” she gave a mock sigh of impatience. “I suppose it will be ok if you FaceTime me during the day and show me your awesome pics. That Doctor dude is gonna be blown away.”

Constance sat up and looked carefully at her friend before accepting what Alexi said. “Ok. And I’m gonna! And text too!  And you better give an occasional answer or I’m coming back to make sure you haven’t run off ok!”

Alexi gave a laugh and swat at Constance’s arm. “
Yes,
mother I’ll answer my texts
,
occasionally.” Alexi sat up, scooping her long blonde tresses into a messy ponytail. seemingly to be slightly more resigned to her fate, “I’m gonna do that and figure out a way to come clean tonight.  If they hate me, they hate me
and I’ll be fine with that.  If

he

hates me, well,
I’ll become a nun or join the circus or something.”

Cate pulled the door open, dragging Constance along and pushing her out the door. Turning
back,
she looked
at
Alexi and waited for her friend to look at her. “There’s no men and no gin
allowed
in the convent, just remember that won’t you.” She cackled as she dodged the pillow Alexi threw, letting the door click shut behind her.
 
Constance POV

Saturday was a busy
convention
day for Constance, she had pictures with the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond up first and it was an exciting moment for her as she stood waiting with Cate to go in for this photo.  Constance twirled the parasol in her hands nervously and she looked over to Cate with a tense grin.

“Oh no,” Cate looked at her with narrowed eyes.  Straightening up to her full height she looked imperiously down her nose at her friend.  “You will not chicken out! You will do as your Queen decrees, get in there and show that Doctor how badass you are!”  Cate raised her hand slowly and pointed toward the opening in the curtain as the security guard watched on in a mix of horror and amusement.

When the guard motioned them forward, Constance stared forward, frozen until a firm hand in her back sent her forward and into the photo area with a laugh. And that was the trick needed for the morning to turn from tense and uncertain into fun and giggles.  They were both complimented on their cosplays and Cate was recognized for her Evil Queen by a bowing Doctor welcoming her to
the
realm as long as she behaved herself. This sent Constance into evil cackles and that had The Doctor making her promise to behave as well.  Laughing their way out of the photo op, Constance demanded that Cate come with her to the rest of the day as well because They Were Officially Awesome.

They sent off pics and recaps to Alexi as they made their way around, taking pics with a Tardis and a giant Infinity Gauntlet as they explored the convention floor. They were having a blast sifting through a
vendor’s
classic comics when they were asked for pictures by several other convention cosplayers and at one point decided they needed to post a couple of the pics on Instagram and Twitter. Constance particularly enjoyed the one of her looking over her shoulder as she stepped into the TARDIS
titled –

Well that was a snap, someone forgot to lock the door!

And the one of Cate
eyeing
the stones in the Infinity Gauntlet, titled -

Shopping for my next tiara?!

Constance and Cate were sitting down to eat a bite for lunch when her notifications tone went off for Instagram and she opened up the app
,
curious to see what had been liked.  She gave a gasp and nearly dropped the phone when she saw that Karl had re-grammed her TARDIS pic with the caption -

All of Time and Space, can’t wait to see what’s out there, Missy!

Cate looked at her with a frown until Constance turned the screen so that she could see and she let out a loud cackle.  “Oh Constance, he’s got it baaaaaddd,” Cate said in a sing song voice. “Are you gonna thank him, hmm, hmm?” Cate tried to grab at her phone but Constance was not letting *anyone* touch her phone after last night’s fiasco.

“No, why would I want to do that?” She looked down at the screen and found herself smiling dopily at it for a moment.  “Oh hell! Of
course
, I am I mean, Karl ‘Fucking’ Urban, re-grammed my pic!” Constance giggled as she hit comment and left a blushing face emoji, hands clapping and a heart before closing her app and putting her phone in her pocket.

“So,” she picked up her soda and took a big sip.  “Are you gonna get those comics? I particularly like those two that you were looking at.” She blinked rapidly and smiled, pointedly changing the subject.

Cate took a bite of her sandwich, giving her friend the eye as she slowly chewed, making Constance squirm in her seat.  “Suuuure, we can change the subject,” she chuckled. “And
yes,
I like that model you were eyeing, the steampunk TARDIS, it’s cute. Would look great in your office, I wonder how long it would take your coworkers to figure out what it is?” Cate pleasantly chatted on, her eyes dancing as Constance continued to twitch and fidget.

“Nope! We are not talking about *that*,” Constance huffed and refused to look at her friend.  “I mean it. We’re not.”
Knowing that Cate was just teasing her by letting her not talk about Karl’s post.

But she couldn’t deal with that, I mean, he re-grammed her picture?!!

Cate just laughed lightly and continued with her sandwich. “You know,” she finally said when Constance was very nearly ready to bolt. “I think it’s great that you met Karl last night.  I know how much it means to you,” she put her food down and looked at her friend solemnly. “And I’m really glad that it was a good experience. I mean that,” Cate put her hand on Constance’s arm.  “And I know you probably don’t believe me but I really do think he’s into you,” she gave a squeeze. “Don’t pass up a chance with him Con,” she smiled gently at her. “I know how scary that all might seem to you, but don’t let it stop you ok.”

Constance blinked at her friend in surprise and then gave a shy smile, “I think it was just a fun night. A magical night for sure,” she gave a huff of laughter. “And I’ll enjoy tonight and that will be that,” she shrugged.  “I mean that’s sweet of you to say but what could *he* want with me?” She shook her head in disbelief, “I mean I’m just an office minion. Some girl who got lucky and bumped into him on a night where he was probably bored and hey, that’s great! He really is a nice guy,” she smiled wistfully.  “But I’m not going to delude myself I’m not *that* girl. I’m just,” she stopped, running out of words for a moment. “
I’m
just me,”
she
finished quietly with a shrug.

Cate shook her head at her friend, “you’re an idiot.  But I love you anyway.” Cate reached
an
arm around her shoulders and gave a tight hug. “Now.  Enough of that, let’s get going it’s almost time for the Tom Hiddleston pics, woo!” Cate clapped happily, drawing a giggle out of Constance.  The pair hurried to clean up, check their makeup and then headed back into the security line for the photo ops area.

A quick check of the board showed that the girls were actually headed to their Chris Evans and Tom Hiddleston dual photo op first and the pair hurried to their designated line.  As they waited, Constance’s phone rang for a FaceTime call and when she looked it was Alexi. Smiling
brightly,
she answered, bringing up the much more relaxed face of their friend the girls chatted for a few moments before Alexi interrupted the gigglefest.

“Soooo, Missy,” the trio giggled.  “I saw that someone got a re-gram,” she smirked at her.

Constance rolled her eyes, “whatever.  Yes,” she gave a shy smile. “And you’re late to the party Cates already given me grief,” she couldn’t help but roll her eyes again.

Alexi snorted, “like that gonna stop me. But that’s not why I mentioned it, I need to know what color you’d like more, blue or deep green.”

Constance frowned in confusion, “what? Why?”

Her blonde friend just continued to smile mysteriously at the phone. “Deep blue or deep green.  I’m thinking green, think hunter green, but if you’d rather do blue, that’s doable too.”

“Umm, blue?
 Yeah, deep blue,
” Constance slowly replied.  “What are you up to?”

Alexi gave a laugh, “oh you’ll see sweet pea.  You’ll see. Is everything still on time? You’re still expecting to be back by 4pm right?”

Cate looked over Constance’s shoulder, giving the strong eyebrow and eyed Alexi for a long moment.  “Yeah we’re still on schedule and we should be back on time. Why aren’t you asking me what color I want, hmm?”

“Because,” Alexi sing songs.  “You and I aren’t as interested in color as Constance.  I know what you will choose,” she smirked. “Now, off you two go.  Alexi has
magic to
work,” she cackled and rang off before the other two could ask
any more
questions.

“Why am I nervous? I mean she wouldn’t do anything awful, but I’m nervous now,” Constance turned to look at her friend.

Cate shook her head and laughed, the line now starting move and she just gave a push to Constance’s back again.  “Worrying about what Alexi is up to is pointless, she’s going to do what she wants to do. Let’s go see Cap and Loki and we’ll see what she’s up to in a bit.”

As the girls entered the photo op, this time in a much more relaxed state, they were greeted with a cheerful, ‘Hello’ for Tom.  Chris was off to the side and gave an apologetic wave of his phone, “I’m so sorry one minute please.” The girls were more than happy to let him take care of whatever it was and waved hello to Tom as well.

“Oh, this is the costume I saw the pictures of last night, yeah?” Tom stepped back to look at her outfit.  Constance blushed and nodded yes, at that Tom made a twirling motion and she did as he asked, letting her skirt flare out and tipping her parasol up onto her shoulder as she did.  “Oh, my that is quite impressive, the details are lovely,” Tom hummed happily as he held out his elbow to her and slipped her hand into the crook.

He gave his attention to Cate then with a bright smile as he noticed her cosplay, “as is yours, Your Majesty.”  He gave a regal bow of his head to her and Cate gave a slight dip of a curtsey.

As she straightened up, Chris Evans rejoined them and was wowed by Cates outfit.  He paused and put this hand over his heart, giving a bow as well. “May I,” he asked as he made a motion to look at her dress fully, Cate raised her chin and gave a sniff, “you may.”  Evans moved to look at her dress all around and was blown away. “Hemsworth is missing out man!” There was a cough from one of the minders then and the men looked over a bit surprised and gave a nod.

“So sorry,” Tom said to the girls.  “How would you like us?”

Cate’s eyes gleamed with mischief and Constance could only laugh and shake her head, “oh Tom you’ve asked for it now.” Tom looked over with questioning eyes but she could only shake her head and point to Cate.

“I hear that your rather big on Disney, Prince Charming,” Cate drawled with a raise of her eyebrow and Chris with a loud laugh instantly dropped to his knee before the Queen.  “You hang out with Loki as you will,” Cate said with a dismissive wave of her hand. Oh and we have two pictures,” she looked at the woman behind the camera who had become distracted and amused by the show in front of her.

There was a moment of flurried activity as Tom and Constance stepped to the side, but still in the pic, locked arm and arm as they both watched with amusement as Chris gave a look of adoration up to the Queen.  And when the woman called next, Constance suddenly found her spun in front of Tom as he dropped to his knee before her and put on the most amazing Loki face that she had ever seen outside the movies. No matter that he was wearing his glasses and a beard, there was no mistaking that look and she found herself gasping and raising a hand to her chest in a flutter, smiling brightly as the picture snapped.

And with that the minder was instantly there pulling at the girls and giving the two men the look to get moving with the other guests.  The girls happily called out their thanks as they were leaving, laughing hysterically as they turned the corner, nearly falling on each other as they stared hurried to get their photos.  “Our lives, once again!” Cate called out as she laughed hysterically. “How is this our lives?!”

“I don’t know but Cate, I don’t want it to end,” Constance twirled around with a hysterical laugh.  Cate tugged her along and they hurried to finish up and get their pics so they could head back to the hotel.
 
ALEXI POV

The minute Alexi had walked into the hotel spa, she had let go of her worries and concerns.  There was something about letting another person take care of her and just relax that could instantly soothe her anxiety.  So, going all in, she spent the next hour and half being primped, pampered and completely de-stressed and it was worth every penny.

Though she didn’t really want to admit that it didn’t end her guilt, no matter how wonder the hot stones and Swedish massage had been.  What it had done though was allow her to get a little bit of perspective and acceptance. She would come clean to Benedict and he would either forgive her or he would wouldn’t and that was out of her control, though she still wanted so much to pretend this wasn’t happening at all.  But she was a big girl and she would face this and move on.

Once she had finished the spa, she knew what she wanted to do next and with a few texts and a couple questions to the concierge, she was quickly able to set her plans in motion.  It was amazing to her how helpful people could be and that wasn’t even counting the portions that involved her paying them to be helpful. No it was always a reminder to her that she had a good reputation and that people honestly liked working with her when she could call in a favor with no issue.  It reminded her that she did have allies to call on, if, when she might need them.

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, Alexi checked the time and smiled happily, 3pm, an hour ahead of her friends return, oh yeah, she was goooood. Stepping in to the shower, careful not to mess up the hair that she’d had done downstairs as well, Alexi quickly cleaned up and then waited for the girls to get back.

“Laaaaadies,” she purred when they came in. “I took the liberty of shopping for outfits for you today.  Don’t even bother asking how I know they will fit because, please, I

know

and all your stuff is in my hands, I made some calls, pulled in a couple favors and frankly the concierge here is *amazing*.  I know none of us brought outfits for a charity get together, but we are still gonna look amazing! No, I take that back, we are going to look like fucking goddesses!”

For herself, Alexi had chosen an art nouveau inspired sheath dress, nude underneath with a layer of black silk chiffon overlaid with the deco design that ended mid-calf.  A matching sheer dolman shrug lined at the seams with faux fur to top off the look. Not generally one to have her hair up, she decided the dress called for a loose bun set off to the side but held together with two ornate hair sticks to keep it from looking too casual.

Constance’s dress was what could only be described as something a Greek muse would wear in a deep jewel-tone blue.  Floor length skirt and drape sleeves that reached to the hem as well, it flowed everywhere except the bodice which crisscrossed about her waist and provided a delicately attractive shelf and frame for the bosoms.  Upon seeing it Constance had protested, thinking it would be too much but once it was on she wasn’t certain she’d ever take it off.

Alexi held up the garment bag for Cate with a smirk and waited for her friend to take it. “
Oh,
I know you’re gonna like this,” her friend simply said as she dropped on the end of the bed with her arms crossed.

Cate took the bag, hanging it from the bathroom door and slowly lower the zip on it. “Oh, my,” Cate said with an awed whisper.  Inside was a floor length silver metallic spaghetti strapped dress. The soft slinky dress seemed to sliver and shimmer as if it were breathing while hanging on the door. “Oh Alexi, it’s, it’s,” Cate trailed off at a loss for words as she stared the siren song of a dress.

“Ha! I knew it. The minute I saw that I knew it was for you!” Alexi smiled and then popped up.  “But now we’re on the clock ladies. Let’s get moving, we have a deadline and some handsome men to knock out!”
 
CATE POV

The trio spent the next hour getting ready which in truth didn’t seem like nearly enough time but they managed. It was their gift, Cate thought as she
looked
herself over. When time wasn’t on their side they could always manage to pull something together.  And boy-o did Alexi pull something together.

Cate loved the outfit even more even on her, but then that was no surprise, Alexi’s eye for fashion was always spot on. The soft feel of the liquid metal fabric made her feel as though she were wearing nothing at all. The clinging nature of the dress leaving nothing to the imagination and so it was body glue and magical tape that would keep any wardrobe malfunctions from happening tonight. In deference to the cold of the Chicago night (not to mention the Children's Charity that would be attending
), Alexi
had found the softest cashmere pashmina in a delightful charcoal that made the silver of the dress stand out even more. Pulling out a half moon onyx choker on a black velvet ribbon she topped off the outfit. Stepping into a pair of strappy silver heels she did a quick pose in the full length mirror and laughed.

Fuck

yeah,

I’m a goddess alright!!

Looking over at Constance as her friend shimmied into the Grecian styled gown she had to admit it was lovely on her. Hiding what her friend always picked at while floating ethereally around her. It was just the look for her pixie friend. If they could just get her to let go and not worry about every little thing like she normally does. Hopefully the man of the hour for her tonight would be smart enough to pick up on it too.

Cate was sure that Chicago was going to be something special for them all, she’d just had that feeling for ages, since the moment Alexi mentioned it as a possible get away destination in fact.  It had just pulled at her, whispered to her
about
the possibilities.  
So,
when they had stumbled on the men in the bar and everything began to happen last night
Cate had
known that what she had been waited for was happening.

“Here,” she interrupted Constance, swatted her hands away and took over straightening out
the
top so that her long drape sleeves fell evenly. “There now, don’t fuss at it,” Cate nudged the small hand that had started to creep up to the neckline. “Here let me fix it.” Stepping back Cate nodded happily.  “Lovely, this is amazing Alexi,” Cate looked over her shoulder to their blonde friend who was just stepping out of the bathroom.

“I know right! You look beautiful Con,” Alexi grinned happily. “Knew that would work on you.”

“Here,” Cate pulled something from her carry on bag.  “Hold out your wrists and hands.” As Constance did she sprayed a slightly spicy scent across her hands and up her wrists.  “Inhale,” she directed putting the cap back on the bottle.

“What is it?” Cate brought her cupped hands up to her face and inhaled.  The scent of something citrusy and sweet now filling the room.

“Rub your hands and wrists together,” Cate simply said.  Once she was sure the scent had soaked into her friend’s skin she smiled. “It’s to help you relax a little tonight and let your inner sassy self out for a change.” At the look of surprise on Constance’s face, “oh stop! It’s just some essential oils.  Something I picked up from that shop I like in Colorado last pass through Red Rocks,” she smiled. “This is to help Constance. You need to relaaaaaxxx,” she patted her friends arm before turning and dropping the bottle back into her bag.

Alexi passed by giving Constance a sniff, “yum smells good.  Who knows maybe someone else will wanna sniff toooooo,” she teased as gave a tug to Constance’s pixie cut and danced out of reach of the swat that came right behind it.

“Alright, alright, whatever you two.  Shouldn’t we get moving soon?” Constance bit at her bottom lip as she looked from one friend to the other.

Cate looked over at the clock and gave a nod, “yep let’s get moving so they aren’t left waiting.  And Constance, don’t chew your lipstick off,” she chastised her friend as she gave a small pat to her friends back.  “It’s gonna be great. He’s gonna be great. Who knows maybe you’ll get-.”

Cate was stopped by a hand from Constance over her mouth, “do not, say, another, word!” Constance glared at her.  “That is crazy talk and nothing like that is going to happen and don’t you dare put that out into the Universe.”

Both women laughed loudly at Constance as they all headed out the door and towards the elevator.  “I don’t know about you Con, but I’ll definitely take a little of *that* being put out there,” Alexi winked at her as she confidently sashayed her way onto the elevator.

They tumbled out into the lobby at 7 o’clock on the nose, drifting over to a spot between the elevators and the front door and settled in to wait.  It was nearly 10 minutes before Constance started to fidget and Cate immediately started to distract her. Asking about the current project that she’d been working on and if there were templates available for her and Alexi to look at of the proposed website. Which worked like a charm and their smaller friend immediately perked up, pulling out her phone and scrolling through some of the images.

They were all debating about the possibilities of layouts and pictures when a warm deep voice with a pleasant British accent interrupted them.

“Well, well, well.  Three ladies all dressed up for a night on the town and yet still waiting in the lobby for,” he seemed to pause at loss for words but quickly continued on. “Well, who would leave any of you waiting in a lobby? It’s a travesty.”

Cate looked up and over her shoulder, to see a face she immediately recognized
!  Tom
Ellis, Lucifer himself, stood a few steps away from them, dressed all in tailored black, expertly tailored and proving exactly why he had been casted for the lead.  She’d discovered the show after searching for something, anything to watch on the long, lonely nights of traveling. Bless the person who invented Hulu and Netflix! And then when they saw him listed on the Convention attendee list, Cate felt like Fate was pointing the way.  He had become one of the girl’s favorites to Skype watch as well, once Cate convinced them they should get on board. The couple weeks of cackling over the deliciously well done writing and clever concept, had them unanimously declaring him a new favorite.

As she met his eyes, it was all she could do to forcing herself to hold on to her pretend indifference. “What is a travesty,” she managed to keep her tone aloof and even. “Is that you could possibly think we’d be left in the lobby.” She watched as the man took in her words, his outpouring of charm slowly pulling back and the twinkle in his eyes dim for a moment. “We’re waiting here for our friends, they’ll be down any moment,” she finished about to turn her back on him paused as something else flickered in his dark eyes.

“I’ve offended you,” he said solemnly, placing a hand on his chest. “That wasn’t my intention. I’m simply baffled to see you here looking resplendent and so much like ethereal beings that my words escaped me.”

“Ohhh my,” Constance whispered.  “He’s gooood.”

The sound of giggling between Alexi and Constance made Cate shift slightly turning more to face him, seeing him rebound from her rebuff made her very curious about him. That was until her small friend continue
d,
“how nice of you!  We are on our way to a screening but -.”

Cate spun back to Constance, murder in her eyes and instantly silenced her well meaning friend.  Although surprisingly Constance continued to smile very much the cat that ate the canary as she mimed zipping her lips.

Maybe that was too much spray for her little friend

, Cate thought with disgruntled sniff.

“Sorry to be late,” Karl’s voice carried over to the group, interrupting anything more that could be said.  Cate turned to see him casually stroll up behind Ellis and pausing to give the stranger the once over. A small frown dented between his eyebrows as he looked over to Constance in confusion, however whatever he had been about to ask was forgotten. “My god.  You are, you look,” he shook his head ruefully and smiled lopsided at her, making the young woman blush and smile happily up at him. “You look absolutely beautiful,” Karl tired once more. He shifted and laughed, “and that wasn’t awkward, at all.” He glanced at Ellis again with a polite nod, “and you are?”

“Tom, Ellis,” the lanky man replied with a polite smile.  “But it’s of no consequence. I was simply admiring the view,” he turned back to the women but his eyes were only on Cate.  “It has been a lovely view. Thank you, ladies,” he put his hand to his heart again and gave a slight bow to her.

Karl continued to cautiously watch him before he looked over at Constance, “ahhh the others are all close behind.  We can head outside for our ride, if you’d like?”

“Good night then, ladies,” Ellis said as they headed toward the front doors, meeting Cate’s eyes once more for what should have been an uncomfortable amount of time but she couldn’t bring herself to look away.  “We’ll meet again,” he smiled at her with a bow of his head then turned and headed off to the bar.

Cate watched him walk away and what a view that was, she thought to herself.  The small cough beside her though told Cate that it was also probably written on her face as well.  Turning her head slightly as she finally lost sight of the other man, she blinked furiously. “What? I’m fine,” she said defensively as Alexi continued to look at her with that knowing smirk. “
Oh,
shut up!”

“I didn’t say anything,” the blonde protested as they turned and headed towards the front doors behind Karl and Constance.  As they reached the valet area which was overrun with darkly tinted Escalades, one of the valets in a generic black suit opened a door for them, speaking into his handheld to call to another dark suited young man to get into the driver’s positions.

Alexi pulled back on Cates elbow, allowing Constance to climb into the first, followed by Karl. The
two friends
sharing a knowing look between them. Cate was relieved to see the man was indeed being very attentive to her friend and so far aside from a bit of nervous plucking, Constance was more giddy than anxious.

Cate
nodded happily to herself that the evening was playing out very nicely.  She cringed though when she heard the familiar voice of Chris Pratt and with what she thought was a nod to Alexi to follow her, she hurried towards the SUV and jumped into the open door.

As she
squeezed in the back row by Karl,
s
he peered out the window and spotted Benedict, Lee, Pratt and Ryan approaching but they were being led somewhere else
she realized with a happy sigh.
Ryan
has paused looking around the area and she
was
sure he was
looking for her and she
had to
smile.
As goofy and very much like Deadpool as he was, he was sweet and they had a fun time the night before.  A sudden flash of dark hair and eyes though made her pause as she looked once more towards the lobby bar where Tom Ellis has disappeared into. Now that was also an intriguing development too.  Laughing at herself and her ridiculous thoughts she shook herself from her contemplation,

t

his weekend was going to be one for the books

that was for sure

.

She
suddenly realized the tall blonde hadn’t followed her into the SUV and looked out the window again. She spotted a flash of blonde through the front window and over Lee’s shoulder
in the SUV directly behind them.
She contemplated for a moment hopping out and joining her but then she spotted Pratt behind her and turned to face forward quickly.

A flurry of activity and suddenly Hemsworth and Evans were sitting in the row ahead of Constance and Cate with Hiddleston filling up the ride in the front row. The smooth whooshing sound of the door closing with a soft ‘click’, the driver speaking into a headset
with
the status update and then they were on their way.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

CHAPTER FOUR
 
CONSTANCE
The scent of expensive leather filled the interior of the SUV as if it had just been driven off the lot.  Constance had chosen the back row and planted herself next to the window. There were three seats to this row and she was as excited as she was relieved to see Karl easily slid into the one next to her.  It was also in that moment that she finally noticed what he was wearing and her mouth went dry.He was wearing a knee length black suit coat, heavier than usual she was sure to help with the brisk air of the Chicago night.  Under it was a crisp white button down with the collar open and the first few buttons undone, baring his throat and collar bones.   And wasn’t that a tempting look, she thought as she forced herself to stay, in, her, seat!  Constance’s eyes trailed down, she saw he was wearing nice black jeans with what she thought were leather boots.  Swallowing hard to get past the lump, Constance had a moment of panic as she tried to remember if she had ever publicly posted her love of Karl in not just a suit but a black and white get up?  She didn’t think so, after all her office was full of gossipy snoops and she’d made sure to lock up pretty much anything that might have them poking at her. No, she was pretty sure that it was more likely that she just hit the Universal Lottery. And damn had she hit the full jackpot with this! Behave, and do not make an idiot of yourself damn it! She told herself firmly.“Have you ever been to one of these?” Karl interrupted her quiet inspection of him and she looked up startled, missing Cate getting into the seat on the other side of Karl as Hemsworth and Evans hopped into the middle seats and Tom took the front passenger. “It can be fun but if the photographers start to bother you just let me know.  They can be a bit overwhelming.”“On the fan side of the ropes, oh sure tons of times,” she replied absently. Then startled to realized that not only was the SUV in motion and they were on their way to the venue, but what exactly it was that he was referring to. “Oh! No, not in the middle of it, no,” she was shaking her head with wide eyes. Something else dawned on her though as his hazel eyes seemed to shift between brown and something lighter in the dim light of the interior. She began to feel anxious with the dawning understanding of what they were about to encounter. “Wait,” she breathed out slowly and forced herself to slow her thoughts and her heart. “How? How did you know?”“Know what?” His eyes dancing as he watched her, like he was studying her, discovering everything he could about her and it was as unsettling as it was oddly comforting.“That,” she flapped her hand at herself as she stumbled to make her point clear.  “I mean, to think of telling me that ,” she stuttered out as her hand now reached over to his arm.“I was paying attention last night,” Karl replied gently and took hold of her hand between his.Constance felt like she was going to either implode or melt completely into the new leather seats at the thought that he really had been watching her and not just amusing her the night before. Pulling herself together she tried for nonchalance, but wasn’t entirely sure that it really fooled him, “oh? Really?  Umm wow.”“It’s only a screening for a charity event with a few drinks, representatives from the Charity and several of us ‘actors.” His invisible air quotes forcing a laugh from her and the tension in his brow to ease some. “You met those other idiots last night, but there will also be some industry people along with the press milling around for first part of the night.  It’s not the same as a premiere so it shouldn’t be too over the top, however, at this point I’m sure word has gotten out - on purpose, really.  The studio likes the publicity, you know? Which means it will most definitely be loud on the carpet.”She could totally understand that and nodded to him, however as he continued to rub her hand back and forth between his warm hands, she didn’t hear the words for some time because all she could focus on was the pleasant tingles radiating out from where his hands were on hers. It was frankly more than she could process all at once. She simply nodded along with a half smile to show she was listening and everything would be great. When his mouth stopped moving and he was looking at her expectantly, Constance finally snapped out of her trance, blinking several times, as she realized that he’d asked her something.“Oh!” She gasped, flashing him an embarrassed but bright smile, “sorry.  What?”He gave a deep chuckle with a shake of his head, “no worries.  Just checking you’re still with me.” He patted the top of her hand with his and returned to his gentle rub.  “We’ll be there shortly.” 
ALEXI
Alexi found herself somehow not only separated from her friends but sitting in the middle of the second SUV, in one of two captain’s chairs.  Feeling suddenly incredibly awkward and wondering how in the hell this had happened, she really couldn’t even put her thoughts together enough to sort it, it was just one moment standing next to Cate and the next being settled into the seat next to the window that she was now in.She had honestly been counting on having at least one of her friends beside her when she finally told Benedict the truth.  Sometimes just knowing they were nearby even if they were talking to other people was enough to keep her grounded.  Now they were in the SUV ahead of her and Alexi felt a bit like she was free-falling and second guessing every little thing she’d done.  Add to that, the fact she was stone-cold sober, made her want to break the window and climb out of it before anyone else got in the SUV. Sure, in everyday life she’d go weeks sometimes without having a glass of wine but this wasn’t everyday life and she didn’t think she had the poise or confidence to pull any of this off.  Benedict settled into the seat closest to her, and the thought of jumping out the window left her. Thankfully, there was a gap between them because at that moment just the thought of him close enough to bush against her made her want to burst into flames.  Looking up at him shyly, the guilt weighing down her thoughts she was relieved that he smiled at her, but then he immediately pulled out his phone and began to stare at it. What was he looking at?! Was he wishing she wasn’t there? Regretting his behavior, the night before?!  Silently cursing Karl for inviting everyone in the world when he should have just asked Constance?  She fought the urge to fidget and instead took out her phone to take a peek so at least she would be doing something.  432 new Instagram followers. Funny how that happens when Chris Pratt IG’s a photo of you and a group of Avengers. Speak of the devil, she thought to herself as Chris Pratt and Ryan Reynolds nudged their way in, scooting themselves into the back seats with more ruckus than was necessary.  Reynolds complained at a lack of Cate in the vehicle but it was suddenly broken by Alexi’s gasp when Chris was jostled into the back of Alexi’s chair. As Alexi was bumped forward she felt the delicate shrug around her shoulders pull backwards, catching herself from moving any further, she held herself very still, in absolute horror.  Looking back over her shoulder, she saw that Chris’ watch had somehow become ensnared in her shrug and it took several moments for him to finally finagle himself free, the whole time Alexi held her breath in terror of it being destroyed.“Thank god!"  Chris exclaimed as he got free and pushed himself back into his seat. “I thought you broke my watch!”Alexi stared at him wide-eyed and incredulous. She decided that it wasn’t worth explaining to the idiot what he’d done, she inspected the shrug’s sheer fabric carefully, she confirmed that everything was ok. Satisfied, she glanced up with some relief and noticed Lee was in the row ahead near the driver, and looking directly at her, once more.  She blinked in surprise, finding it curious he wouldn’t even politely look away upon her noticing and then she wasn’t certain what to do. Stare back? Look out the window? Say something?   She crossed her legs carefully, smoothing the skirt of her dress over her knees.  Lee’s gaze followed her hands movements before reconnecting with her eyes briefly, the dark of the SUV shadowed him and she couldn’t grasp what it was she was seeing on his face before he abruptly turned himself forward in his seat.   His broad shoulders seemed tight and stiff, the air around him annoyed somehow. Alexi frowned to herself, going over what she remembered of the night before trying to work out if she had said something unintentionally awful to him at some point but only came up with a blank. Letting that go, she couldn’t worry about that now, there were more important things she had to deal with.   Dropping her phone into her lap, Alexi took in a slow deep breath, it was time to get this settled.  Resting her arm on the arm rest and leaning toward the center of the vehicle, she looked at Benedict in the dim glow of the overhead light. This had been bothering her all night and day and it was best to just get it all out in the open now. If he hated her then he hated her but she couldn’t stand it anymore.  He noticed she was leaning in to say something and met her halfway.“So,” she said quietly, keenly aware Pratt and Ryan were right behind them and Lee was right there in the front seat.  From the corner of her eye, she even saw Lee’s head tilt slightly as though he were listening but she assured herself she was being paranoid at this point.  “You know how last night I was curious if you were having a University reunion?” She lowered her voice as far as she possibly could.“Sorry, what?” Benedict looked up startled and letting his phone drop into his lap.Alexi gave a strangled sigh before clearing her throat to try again.  “Last night, when I first asked you about your University reunion,” she reiterated painfully, at a slightly higher volume, leaning as close to his ear as she could so she couldn’t be overheard.“Mmhmm.  Oh right, we should discuss that,” he said too loudly with a nod.  Clasping his hands together in front of him like a professor awaiting his delinquent student once more attempting a lame excuse for late homework.  She was suddenly so nervous she worried she’d start sweating. What did he mean WE SHOULD DISCUSS THAT? Oh god, oh godohhhnooo! “Well,” she drew that word out for as long as she could, trying to pull her thoughts back into order and get her courage back once more.  “I think my,” she fidgeted with her hands now, knotting her fingers together and apart as she spoke. “Comments, umm last night, were slightly,” she let out a heavy breath and took another quick shallow one in as she screwed herself up to finish this.  She couldn’t look at him as he now seemed to be concerned, the little lines between his eyebrows becoming prominent. “Well, misleading and I want to apologize for that,” she rushed on that last of that and looked down at the floor in guilt.Benedict shifted in his seat, leaning closer to her and dropping his head down so that he could attempt to meet her eyes.  He paused for what seemed like a very long time, until finally she looked up and met his intense gaze. “Do you mean you don’t actually want to see my classes home movies tonight?”Alexi blinked several times, confused.  What? Why, why was he still playing along? What was he doing? He took in a long, exaggerated breath as if preparing himself for something awful he didn’t want to do, “alright.  I’ll come clean as well. Last night, I’m afraid I misled you too, so we’re in the same boat.  This lot is not comprised of anyone from University.  Let’s be honest. Can you imagine all of them in University?  No. And Lee is from Texas, for heaven’s sake.”“Not completely accurate but I’ll let that slide,” Lee said quietly from the front, not looking back.  “I’m Canadian, eh,” Ryan spoke up from the backseat.“Virginia!  I’m from Virginia!” Pratt said too loudly. “Or Washington, and I lived in Maui for a while which was interesting.  Wait, why are we doing this?”“Noooo,” Alexi said, ignoring all of them and getting flustered. Was he apologizing for playing along with the University thing?  This wasn’t how this was supposed to work. “I mean, I was being facetious when I brought it up to begin with last night.”“Oh thaaaat!” he said, waving a hand in the air flippantly. “Yes, I know that.  Though, I didn’t at first when I started playing along.”“Was I that transparent?” she frowned, going over in her head where she had slipped up.“Not at all.  In fact, I’m impressed by your commitment and I probably wouldn’t have guessed it at all, but Karl told me last night.”Alexi gasped incredulously, sitting up straight and narrowing her eyes.“Karl!  That fuc-,” she stopped herself only barely from cursing. “-uuuuuuny guy,” she scrambled to save herself and then bit her lips in frustration.  That bastard promised! “In his defense, he only told me because I was feeling a bit guilty about letting you believe we were going to see old home movies tonight.”“We’re seeing home movies tonight?” Pratt suddenly chimed from the back, obviously confused.“Ah god, close your mouth, Chris,” Ryan rolled his eyes.“If I’m going to be completely honest,” Benedict said ignoring that pair .“I’m disappointed you decided to tell me now.  I was looking forward to seeing how you would keep it up once we got into the screening.”Alexi’s mouth fell open, flabbergasted.  “That’s, that’s just wicked,” she scolded him in a hushed voice. Feeling the blood rush to her face with a mixture of relief, embarrassment and with the effort it took not to laugh or cry.  She could see that he was attempting not to laugh directly at her and it just made that much worse, this was awful! She’d been such a fool! She turned away quickly towards the window trying to get herself under control and not embarrass herself even more.  As she looked out slowing her breaths, the SUV came to a gradual rolling stop in front of the small theater and the door was pulled opened immediately for them.  Quickly checking her reflection to make sure that her makeup was still in place, Alexi put on her battle mask and turned back to see Benedict watching her, this time the laughter gone, replaced by a solemn look of apology.  Alexi blinked in surprise at that and Benedict gave a lift of his eyebrow in silent request for her forgiveness and she felt herself melt, a short reply of acceptance and the bright smile was back on his lips. Benedict stepped out first and reaching back to help her navigate over the seats and out onto the curb with steady hands and she found herself pausing just for a second as she gathered herself against the loud onslaught of noise and people that suddenly cried out when they realized who was there.  A momentary block of that noise helped and she looked up to see that Lee was standing next to her on the other side, between the crowds and the SUV. She gave him a small shy smile that he simply returned with a smoldering look of intense study.   Gah, he was so confusing! Flash bulbs went off but she was fairly unphased by that aspect except to find it entertaining.  There were so many other things to internally freak out about. Now that a huge worry was removed from her shoulders and she didn’t feel as though she was navigating through minefields of deception, she felt like a new woman. She glanced ahead to see Cate and Constance only about ten feet further up since their SUV had arrived only seconds before.  There was a flurry of activity seemingly everywhere. Security for the venue, security that came with the actors, managers, ‘minders’, assistants, photographers, and far more fans on the other side of the ropes than most had expected, likely compounded because there was a convention in town.She deliberately stood back from Benedict, not daring to be the least bit presumptuous and knowing no one wanted her in the shot anyway, she slipped behind him and snuck up several feet to Constance who was grasping Cate’s hand, and tickled her sides.  Constance gave out a squeak and turned around with a look of happy relief. Karl’s back was to them as he spoke with an interviewer.“No big deal, huh?” Alexi said nonchalantly with a little shrug of her shoulders to her two friends.  “There is so much Eye Candy in a twenty foot radius,” Cate whispered. “And so much crazy on the other side of that rope. Just take a glance over there and see how many daggers are aimed at our heads.”Alexi wasn’t able to help herself and complied. How bad could it be?  She was a fan herself.  She, Cate and Constance had all been on the other side of ropes like that through the years and they weren’t evil death wishers.  “Oh, you’re exaggerating, Cate.  Most of them are just having fun and being giddy. I understand th-,” she stopped in place like a rabbit being spotted by a mountain lion.“Ohhhh, wait,” she swallowed at the absolute hatred that radiated from two women standing about fifteen feet from them at the front of the metal barricade. “That one, the dark haired one and her mouse haired companion, oh yeah they pretty much want to kill us!  Ohhh,and look she lips reads too, wonderful,” Alexi snarked with a half smirk at the pair before turning her back on them. “Don’t look, Constance.  Just ignore them.” She caught her small friends shoulder just as she was about to turn to see what Alexi was talking about.Constance frowned up at her friend for just a moment, but at the nudge to her side from Cate, swiveled her head back to Karl who at that moment was looking back at her.  As he caught her eye, he gave her a casual wink before turning back to the interviewer.“Whooooo the hell cares about anything else?” Constance said wistfully, a shiver running down her spine she managed to keep from shaking her whole body.  “Besides, we know that’s rule number one, wherever the eye candy goes, The Crazy follows,” she said with laugh before slapping a hand over mouth. “Oops was that out loud? Could she see me say that?”“Yes, and we’ll be lucky if they don’t kill us just for that,” Cate said with a dry voice.   
CATE
Turning to their friend, Constance and Alexi saw that she was eyeing them with an arched eyebrow and a frown.  But it gave way quickly and she started snickering, “how is this happening?” Cate gestured to everything around them with a bit of a shell shocked look on her face.  As she peeked around Alexi towards the group of well dressed gentlemen a few feet ahead of them and her eyes connected with the twinkling hazel of Ryan Reynolds. As his mouth slowly turned up into a large grin, Cate would swear she saw the moment something clicked in his head and she knew they were all about to be in trouble.Cate’s head spun towards her friends, eyes wide and maybe just a little scared.  “Oh no! No, no, no,” she growled just above a whisper. “We have to leave. Right now, now!”Constance looked a little baffled at Cate, “what’s wrong? Are you ok?” She was leaning toward her friend, concern overriding her confusion.  And then she heard it, or should she say someone, as a deep but pleasant voice, rang out over the noise of the carpet. 
I'm gonna take a little time, a little time to look around me

I've got nowhere left to hide, it looks like love has finally found me
 Cates eyes were frantically looking anywhere but behind her, having turned her back completely on Ryan. 
In my life there's been heartache and pain

I don't know if I can face it again
 He was now walking towards them and Cate started to attempt to frantically scramble out of the tight hold that Alexi had onto her arms.  While Constance’s face lit up with glee as she watched the approaching train wreck. 
Can't stop now, I've traveled so far, to change this lonely life
 Ryan stopped in front them, in full on power ballad mode now, dropping to his knees as he sang. 
I want to know what love is, I want you to show me

I want to feel what love is, I know you can show me
 Cate was bright red as she stared down at him and shook her head. “You really are completely insane!”Ryan grinned brightly while the cameras flashed and people ‘awwwed ’ around them. “But the good kinda insane, right!”  His eyebrows waggled up and down.“I will eviscerate you and wear your intestines as my jewelry,” she said through clenched teeth and the smile she had plastered on.“Oh sweetheart, you say the cutest things,” he gave an over the top happy sigh as he stood up and wrapped the hand that he had taken hold of, around his arm.  Tucking her in close to his side. “Let’s blow this red carpet and get some drinks before the show,” his face turned towards her in complete adoration.“Oh,my gawd, how is this our lives?” Cate sighed and Ryan practically bounced with excitement as he gave a little tug and the two were off down the aisle quickly. 
ALEXI
Alexi was laughing so hard at the spectacle she had to cover her mouth to try and not sound like a mad hyena, which then set off Constance who had managed to only giggle up to that point.  The pair gave up on dignity for the moment, leaning against the other and laughing like loons. Between the moment with Ryan, their lack of sleep and the fact that their lives had definitely taken a surreal turn to the left, it was little surprise really.“We’re on a red carpet.  Reddish, anyway,” Alexi gushed quietly in Constance’s ear. “Ryan Reynolds just serenaded Cate to all known entertainment media outlets in the Universe and Karl ‘Fucking’ Urban is looking at us like we’ve lost our minds, holy crap, I am going to die laughing right here and now!”“I don’t know if I can stop,” Constance gasped for breath, eyes getting watery as she leaned against her friend to keep from curling up in a ball on the ground.  “My cheeks hurt!” Alexi put both hands on them, “oh my god they hurt.”“Well, don’t think I’ve seen him do that before,” Karl’s voice chimed in over their laughs as his hand came to rest on Constance’s back.  “But I’m not surprised,” he shrugged. “At least he’ll be fun to hang out with tonight, that is unless your friend ends up murdering him.”“That is a possibility,” Constance hiccupped slightly through a chuckle as she tried to force herself back under some control.  “We’ve had to help her hide the bodies on more than one occasion.”Alexi nearly howled with laughter at that, the look on Karl’s face as he paused, obviously wondering if there might be an ounce of truth to that before shaking the thought off.  “We can head inside out of this madness,” he announced.  His hand on Constance’s back gently nudging her in the right direction toward the open doors of the venue as he waved his free hand for Alexi to come with them.As they began to move forward again, the trio passed the reporter who had been interviewing Karl and the woman reached out and shoved her microphone into Alexi’s face.  “Are you with Karl tonight?” she said in a simpering voice.Alexi paused, pulling the remnants of her laughter under control, her carefully groomed eyebrows jumping up into an arch as she eyed the woman.  Giving a look over her shoulder to Karl, who had paused as well a few steps away.  They shared a look for a moment before Alexi turned slowly back to the reporter. “Do you really think I’d be over here while he walked with his arm around another woman if I were here with him?”The reporter tittered at her as if Alexi had said the most amusing thing.  “Well perhaps,” she said with a smarmy voice. “So,who are you? How did you come to know him?”Alexi frowned slightly at her before wiping her face clear, she knew this reporter’s kind.  Years in the LA and New York entertainment scene had her crossing paths with many of these types, out for a scandal or a sound bite that they could twist into a titillating story.  The worst of gossip mongers, frankly they were lower than TMZ really in her book.  “Oh,Karl and I? Oh no, you’re barking up the wrong tree,” she smirked at the reporter.  “Waaaay up the wrong tree.”The reporter seemed to startle a moment, realizing she had been caught out, before casting her eyes over to Karl and Constance.  Frowning, the reporter stared at them and back to Alexi and then back to them, the confusion on her face clear.  Karl stared silently back at her, his arm resting comfortably around Constance as he waited for the reporter to connect the dots. At the look of dawning understanding on the reporter’s face, Karl gave a huff and turned himself and Constance away walking calmly towards the front door.“Ah there you are, love,” Benedict’s distinct voice carried even over the carpet noise. “So sorry to keep you waiting,” he said as he settled at Alexi’s side with a bright smile. 
CONSTANCE
Constance was a bit surprised by what had just happened as she was swung towards the door, but figured in the end that it was just Alexi and Karl having fun with the reporter.  They were just a few steps away when she heard the rumble of Benedict’s voice behind them and felt relieved to know that they hadn’t abandoned Alexi to that vulture.As they were just about to reach the door, Constance heard the reporter simpering titter as she gushed over Benedict before apparently thinking it was a good idea to ask Alexi who she was wearing followed by a long sigh from her friend and a slightly sarcastic “Really?  I don’t know. I think this was eighty bucks. Did you ask Benedict who he was wearing?”   Constance chuckled again, as Karl lead her inside and she heard him give a laugh as well.  A heady rush of happiness that left her mind spinning and heart pounding, but in a good way.  A really, really good way as she took in all the excitement around her. It wasn’t until that moment that she really allowed herself to accept this was all real and it was happening to her ! She didn’t know how long this amazing treat was going to last but she was going to enjoy every second of it that was for sure! And she would forever appreciate whatever it was that let this happen!She was pulled sharply from her wandering thoughts as they stepped into the theater proper, stunned by the vintage beauty of it.  It was small, as most very old theaters were, but the rich, redwoods and intricate details in the ceiling were breathtaking. Even the popcorn machines were the antique free-standing kind.  She felt like they had stepped back in time to the early 1900’s as she looked around in amazement.The charity that Marvel was supporting had set up displays and small booths where the attendees could see how their donations were being used and meet some of the people involved with it. Constance managed to stop herself gawking at the architectural details long enough to read a couple of the displays and found herself tearing up at the stories of success thanks to the generous donations.  She pulled her phone from her pocket and quickly swiped it open, with a peek at her checking app she confirmed her paycheck had been deposited in time and then brought up the charity’s website.“What are you doing?” Karl looked over her shoulder as the website was loading a drink in each hand.Constance smiles up at him brightly, “donating a little something.  Look at all the wonderful things they’ve done recently!” She missed the tender look that crossed his face as she was once more engrossed in the screen and finding where she could donate.“Ah ha!” She flashed a quick smile at him. “I’m sorry won’t be more than a moment,” she paused as she was tapping quickly. Biting her lip as the page was slow to load, “sorry terrible reception.” She gave him a quick look of apology.“Take you time sweetheart. No rush,” he said quietly.Constance paused her frantic typing, looking up in surprise and blinking several times in a sort of stunned silence.  Karl shook his head at her, nodding down to the phone in her hand. “You going to finish that?”“Oh! Right, yes, thanks,” she finished softly. “For understanding.” Karl just gave a warm chuckle.  Constance felt her toes momentarily curl at that sound and she had to force herself to finish her banking info before she turned into a puddle of goo. “There!” She gave a triumphant wave of her phone as she hit submit.“Hold on, leave the page up,” Karl leaned over so he could see her phone. “Here this is for you,” he passed her the wine glass he’d been holding. “Lemme see,” he waved the fingers of his now free hand.Constance looked at him a moment, uncertain, but in the end handed it to him. Karl bent forward and dropped a kiss to her cheek. “Thanks for reminding me to be a good person,” he took her phone and started tapping away at the screen.Constance blushed bright red but couldn’t wipe the smile off her face and then it seemed seconds later that he was looking at her as he handed her phone back. “Am I going to need to add you to my phone?” She cracked as she slid it back into her purse.“Nah I took care of that last night,” he winked at her before offering his elbow to her.Constance looked surprised but then laughed, b ecause really? Like he’d add himself to her phone but not put in his number. That’s absurd!! The lobby was filled with only about a hundred people, including several other actors in the Marvel Universe that had only come in for the event and were flying out again.  The rest were made up of the charity representatives and some industry folks milling about, grabbing cocktails to bring in with them and mingling with the ‘stars’.  Thankfully they would be playing Captain America: Civil War instead of Avengers: Infinity War , Constance would more than likely have had to bow out of watching that one again.  There was no way that she wanted to watch everyone die and end up sobbing all over Karl for the rest of the night.  At least with Civil War she would only cry over Peggy and could mostly enjoy the rest of the movie.Karl and Constance headed into the seating area as soon as he grabbed their popcorn and they picked their seats right in the center, the perfect distance from the screen.  Karl draped his arm along the back of her chair as they sat, tilted the mouth of the popcorn bag toward her as the lights flickered to announce that the movie would be starting soon.  “Truffle popcorn,” he offered as he leaned in close. “You have to try it.  Oh,and by the way, this is much more fun if we do it Mystery Science Theater style so I hope you don’t mind me talking in your ear.”“I love MSTK,” she whispered back, tossing some popcorn in her mouth, happy that her brain hadn’t failed her.  Between the smell of his musky cologne and his arm weighting warm and solid on her shoulder she was simply glad she wasn’t staring at him like a dope again.  She knew someone had a seat on the other side of her but didn’t notice who until the long, lanky arm reached over her and into Karl’s popcorn. She followed the arm up to the face and Tom gave her a cheeky grin.“So, kind of you, Karl,” Tom raised his shoulders with mock innocence before turning his focus back to Constance.  “What do you think so far?”“The credits haven’t even started,” Karl chided him in a harsh whisper.“Oh!  Are we going to do MST3k like we usually do?” Tom looked at the other man, eyes going wide with boyish glee though he didn’t wait for Karl’s reply before looking at Constance again. “I love that.  Let’s do it.”Giving a nod of agreement to Tom, the lights dimmed further and the Marvel theme started up. Constance sipped furiously from her soda to keep herself from falling into another bout of cackling, as the men both shifted in their seats, leaning in towards her began their commentary on the ‘Avengers’ as the movie began. 
ALEXI
After they had entered the lobby, Alexi found herself separated from Benedict as he was approached by one of the Marvel people with a question.  Apologizing to her, he stepped away to take care of it but promised he’d be back as quickly as possible. Alexi gave a nod and small wave of her hand to shoo him towards his duties.  Looking around, thinking she would just join one of her friends she saw that Constance and Karl off to one side where her friend had unsurprisingly had become engrossed in the displays.Not wanting to interrupt the couples, Alexi wandered a bit admiring the architecture before spotting the bartender and making her way there quickly.  Ordering a martini with a happy smile, she turned and looked around the milling people. She found herself looking for Benedict but couldn’t see him for the moment.  Leaning against a pillar as she took small sips, a man in a three piece suit and an obvious fake tan, stopped next to her and began to drone on and on and fucking on at her about ‘the business’ of all things.   Why was he talking to her about this when the music was starting in the theater and almost everyone was already in there?  Did he think she knew him? Wait, did she know him? She squinted at him a moment but nothing familiar about him.   Did he think she cared? Why did these types always find her?    In fact, the more he talked the more her brain and patience shriveled up into husks of burned charcoal but at least she had managed not throw her drink in his face. So, there was that.  Besides, that would be a waste of good gin and she didn’t want to embarrass any of the generous hosts that brought them along to this thing. Downing the last of the martini in one gulp, she decided that if she had to listen to any more of this drivel she was going to make the most of the open bar and get another martini.  “Hold on,” she put the empty glass on the first flat surface she could find in arm’s distance while the exec blinked at her with surprise that she had downed it so fast.  She made a sudden face as the liquor hit her, shaking her shoulders delicately. “Let me just grab another of these and you can continue talking at me.” She turned quickly to step to the bar and gasped as she ran straight into Benedict who obviously had been heading their way and he planted his hands on her arms to keep them both steady.  “We keep running into each other,” she quipped.“Indeed,we do,” he smiled quite warmly at her, squeezing her arms as he glanced over her shoulder. “Lenny. The movie’s started.  I suggest we head in there. We can chat afterward, of course.”The executive waved his hand in the air, blabbing on about “of course, Benny, of course, we should talk about blah blah blah” and his voice got smaller as he headed into the theater but Benedict didn’t make any move to follow him.  Instead he was watching Alexi’s expression until she couldn’t take it any longer and rolled her eyes in grand dramatic fashion at the sound of the man’s voice still drifting in the distance until the theater door closed behind him and it went quiet.  “Thank you, I was about to jump in front of a bus,” she sighed happily.“He gives me the same inclinations,” he said, glancing about them to ensure everyone had already headed in besides a couple staff members.  He turned, grabbing her hand to follow him and strode toward the exit sign far off to the side of the main entrance.“What are we doing?” Alexi gasped, “Don’t you have to be-”“I hate watching myself on screen,” he waved his free hand flippantly. “It’s bad enough I have to actually sit through the premieres. No, nope, not now.  Besides, no one will notice if we disappear and show up again as they are all leaving.”“I feel like I’m ditching school,” she said as they slipped through the exit which deposited them onto a much smaller side road than the entrance, looking side to side for anyone that might see them but no one looked twice at them.“Act natural,” he said pulling her along by the hand. “If we run they’ll sense it even around the corner.  It’s uncanny. I’ve never seen the mirrored bean thing before. Shall we go do that?”“Sorry.   Mirrored bean thing ?”“Oh,you know, the big oblong shiny object everyone takes selfies with that you have to see while in Chicago.  It’s only a couple of blocks that way.”"Ohh, Cloud Gate, I think is the proper name but Bean Thing sounds so much classier," she said, lengthening her stride to keep up with his pace.  Once they traveled a couple blocks from the theater, he slowed down a bit and he stopped looking behind them to see if anyone was following.Alexi hadn't been expecting such an excursion from the theater and wasn't dressed for the weather but the clandestine excitement of it was keeping the cold at bay and she felt elated as they entered Millennium Park.  The sun had already been down before they left the hotel so the park itself was only lightly peppered with people, many of whom seemed to be heading out of the park. Being used to the noise of Los Angeles, this part of Chicago seemed eerily quiet in comparison, the clicking of her heels on the stones under them reverberating all around them.  "That way," he pointed through the trees to the large flat expanse of marbled tiles, in the middle of which sat the shiny, silver sculpture which reflected the Chicago skyline back at them.  "I'm surprised there are so few people here," she whispered as they headed that way, unsure why she was whispering except that it was so quiet in general and she had the most peculiar feeling of deja vu. Not because of the sculpture at all but, the evening, the company, something she couldn’t put her finger on but was distinct enough to send a shiver up her neck that wasn’t from the cold.Benedict looked around with a relieved smile, “here, we need a pic. Got your phone?” He turned her to stand in front of him as he snugged in behind her, The Bean shining in the night lights behind them. Benedict took her phone from her hand and holding his arm up high, he angled it so that the two of them were in the frame and counted off.  “One...two...cheeeese.” The pair gave ridiculous grins as the flash filled their vision.  “Lemme see,” she grabbed the phone quickly. “Ugh, no! Let’s try again,” she said as she returned to her spot and he automatically pulled her in close again.   She had lied about the picture but she wanted to keep that for herself as he had looked so adorable and *they* had looked so, so, well it was all so perfect.“Right, let’s try this one more time then,” he purred in her ear.  Setting the pic up again, he counted down, “three… two… cheeese,” this time he was looking down at her with a smirk as the phones flash lit up the evening.He didn’t need to be asked and simply handed the phone to her this time.  “Oh!” she gave a small gasp of surprise at the look on his face. “Ummm, well, uh,” stuttered in surprise.   This pic was even better than the previous one!  “That terrible?” Benedict leaned over her shoulder to see the pic.  “Oh,you look lovely in that I’m not sure what’s wrong but if you need another I suppose we could do one more,” he said with mock exaggeration.  Alexi gave a small chuckle and started to shake her head but Benedict was already sliding back around her and raising the phone up.  Leaning back against his chest, she looked up through her lashes with a half smile as Benedict counted off again and the light flashed brightly in the night.  “Oh! That’s good,” Benedict says as he pulled the phone close and then hit the photo button in the lower bottom left corner and with a wicked laugh selected the Instagram button and typed a quick message before hitting send. “There that should be fun right?”“Hey!” Alexi was stunned at what he had just done. From what she had seen, she liked the photo but that he had just sent it off to IG with the message, “off to a great start for the night!” Well that just took her brain off line frankly!“Yes,” Benedict smiled at her smugly.“I didn’t see that,” she finished lamely.  “And which account did you post that to? Wait, you don’t have any social media how do you even *know* how to do that?!”Benedict tilted his head down at her, his face shifting in the dark with shadows moving across his face enough that suddenly all she could think of was his portrayal of Khan. “Magic,” he rumbled lowly. Turning around to look at The Bean, he nodded to himself.  “Well that was fun while it lasted.”  Looking at her though he frowned, “it’s cold.  You look nearly frozen!”Alexi gave a shiver at that, suddenly aware of the cold air and that her outfit really wasn’t meant for this.  “Thanks for that reminder,” she sassed.Benedict instantly took off his coat, wrapping it around her with a satisfied smile. “We need to get inside,” he said as he ran his hands up and down her arms.  Pulling her close to his chest as he wrapped his arms around her waist.  “I don’t want to go back to the hotel though and I’m not interested in the movie either.” He made a low humming sound deep in his chest as his hands rubbed briskly up and down, spreading his large hands across nearly the entirety of her back as he let the warmth soak in through the fabric.Alexi shivered from a combination of the receding cold and the tension building low in her belly at his touch. “Well we could go to the 360 Observation deck,” she suggested as took a moment to revel in the warmth of his body and the warm spicy scent of his cologne.  “The girls and I were thinking of doing that Sunday but it was just an idea, nothing concrete.”Benedict paused his rubbing and looked down at her with wide eyes, “that sounds interesting but is it outside?”“No all indoors encased in glass, Constance says it’s one of the best views of the entire city,” Alexi dutifully repeated part of her friend’s speech on the sites of Chicago.“Well then let’s go!” Benedict pulled his phone out and was pulling up a rideshare app.  It wasn’t more than a few minutes as the two stood waiting on the corner that their car arrived and the pair happily hopped into the backseat.She watched the lights playing over his face as they flew up to Michigan Ave, her phone had started pinging and she looked down in surprise.  Opening her screen, she had 25 notifications from Instagram! And it had only been 6 minutes!  Looking towards Benedict from the side of her eye Alexi saw that he was watching her as well.  When their eyes met though the pair broke out into laughter and she turned her phone so that he could see the list of notifications.He seemed to watch her cautiously for a moment but whatever he had expected her to do or say didn’t happen and he seemed to relax, leaning slightly against her arm as he tilted his head towards her ear. “Well it is a lovely picture.”Alexi felt the laugh burst from her before she could even try to stop it.  Shaking her head at him she closed her phone and just gave him a raise of her eyebrow, but she couldn’t get rid of her smile.  “Well at least I turned off comments last night. Not that I care frankly,” she gave a nonchalant shrug. “You?”He shook his head, “I wouldn’t have put it out there if I did.”“Then why hide from the internet,” she snarked.“I suppose I haven’t had anything that I particularly wanted to share until now.  Or at least not anything that I thought needed my announcing it personally,” Benedict gave her as slow smile that made her belly flip and her whole body tingle.“Oh? There’s something you have something to announce?” she sassed at him, trying to hide that her heart was beating so hard she could swear everyone in the car could hear it now.Benedict just gave a mysterious smile and a low hum as the car slowed and pulled up to the curb.  The couple hopped out with a thanks to the driver and headed quickly for the lobby of the John Hancock building.  The lobby was open and bright and they had to blink to get their eyes to fully adjust as they made their way to the ticket window, Benedict shouldering his way to the front and taking care of their tickets.As they took the elevator up to the Observation Deck, they gravitated towards the other, Benedict leaning back against the wall and reaching towards her.  Alexi smiled shyly at him but as he took hold of her wrist and tugged her forward, she happily went into his side, leaning against it and looking up into his face. “Hey,” she said softly.“Hey yourself,” he replied.  “You know,” he started to say and then stopped.“Hmm?” She waited him out not wanted to spoil the moment by saying the wrong thing.“I’m surprised,” he finally said.  “I don’t really buy into something like an instant connection before now but then I met you. And I don’t know,” he stopped again looking down at her with a slightly baffled but sweet look on his face. “Even though I don’t know you and really you don’t know me,” he looked at her seriously for a moment.  “In the same breath, I want to say that I feel as though I have known you always, not just twenty-four hours,” he frowned finished. The elevator bell rang though and he shook off the moment, smiling once more as the doors opened.Alexi managed to keep the smile on her face as her brain raced away with what he said.  She’d felt the same but then she’d had a crush on him since the first time she saw him in Sherlock so to hear him say that he felt as though he’d known her always, it was breathtaking.  They stepped out into the open floor and began to wonder slowly around the deck looking at the different views and the plaques around them.“So, tell me something,” Benedict said as they looked out over the twinkling city lights.Alexi looked at him surprised and a bit confused, “what?”“Anything, something you’d like someone to know but haven’t told them?” Benedict offered as he turned to look at her.Alexi stared at him a long moment, as the question had locked her brain down and she couldn’t even think of her name let alone some grand secret.  But then, slowly it loosened up and she looked away to the city, to the dancing lights and shadowy streets. “I’d like to try to develop my own creative design house,” she finally admitted softly.  “I’ve worked for a long time in theatre both in LA and in New York but it’s been small time.  I feel like I’ve answered to other people long enough though and I’d like to expand out.  See if maybe I could put my own designs and creations out there.”Benedict nodded along to what she was saying, “why haven’t you before?”“I suppose,” she stopped biting her lip suddenly uncomfortable. “Well truthfully, it’s scary.  I mean I have a good reputation, I get steady work, but if I strike out on my own, will it work? Will,” she paused searching for the right words and looked away from him.  “It can be hard on women in this business, you can start out with a good reputation but if someone decides to be an asshole, you can lose everything overnight.  All it really takes is one person who is jealous or even just having a bad day to, say something to another person in a position of power and boom! That’s the end of my career.”Benedict sighed, moving closer so that he stood behind her, putting an arm around her waist and pulling her back against his chest. “That makes perfect sense.  I hope though, that one day you feel comfortable enough to go for your dream.”She stared at his reflection and felt a wave of something, something like affection, but she put it down more to appreciation as they really hadn’t known each other long and she was determined to at least make the attempt to remember that.  “Thanks. I’m getting there, Constance is helping to build a website for my work and I have wonderful friends who remind me constantly that I am good at what I do.”Alexi’s fingers traced over his hand that was resting on her stomach as she watched their reflection in the window, he was gazing down at the streets below.  She felt a bit like a voyeur, watching him as he seemed unaware but couldn’t help studying him. Finally dragging herself back from the contemplation of him she managed to find her voice again. “Yeah, this is better than a movie,” she sighed happily.  “Good call, sir.”His eyes shot up, meeting hers in the reflection again from under his brows, his arm tightening around her waist and pulling her firmly into him.  Her breath hitched slightly at the sudden intensity of his attention.“What?” She whispered curiously, forcing herself not to break eye contact in the window.  Refusing to give in to her embarrassment by looking away as she was inclined to do when that much focus was directed at her.Watching her closely as he brushed a stray lock of her hair away from her ear, he leaned in carefully, “I like that.” His voice was as warm as his breath against her ear and she let her fingers slide in between his on her stomach.“What do you like?” Her brain raced over what she had just said.  Surely the mention of a movie wouldn’t have garnered such a reaction from him.  Her brows shot up with sudden understanding. “Ohhh. Sir?” His fingers squeezed hers in confirmation and she gave half of a chuckle. “Well, aren’t you full of surprises?  I’ll have to remember that. Right now, your turn, tell me something else.”"Oh. Hmm." He looked surprised at the request and thought for a moment, resting his chin on her shoulder which was easy enough as in her 2" heels she was very nearly the same height as he was.  "I have two middle names."She rolled her eyes dramatically.  "Lame," she sighed."That doesn't tell me anything.""Timothy Carlton?""Really?" she deadpanned, giving him heavily lidded annoyed eyes.  "Why don't I just go look you up on Wikipedia?"He gave a delighted chuckle before growing thoughtful again for some time. "Alright," he said finally with a deep breath."This is probably pertinent information you should-""No wait." She said suddenly, spinning around and putting her index finger over his mouth."You know what?  This isn't quite fair.  This field is already so skewed with me knowing so much about you thanks to the internet.  You don't really have that luxury." She frowned, "luxury?  Curse? I don't know which one it is.""Of course,I do," he scoffed through her finger."I internet stalked you last night after the fire alarm fiasco.""Pfft!  That doesn't count,” she rolled her eyes at him.  “Oh wait, did you find my LinkedIn profile? Did you find that absolutely fascinating with all sorts of insight into my psyche?" She gave a disdainful sniff at the idea of him even thinking that her pitiful amount of information could even come close to all that was out there about him.His eyes seemed to twinkle as he stared down at her, “well I did find it a fascinating read. But no you’re right there isn’t much in there beyond the bare facts.”“Exactly! So no, it's not fair of me to poke and prod you for,” she widened her eyes and deepened her voice. “The deep dark secrets of your sooouulll.”  Benedict chuckled and dropped his head down, leaning his forehead on hers for a moment.  “Thank you,” he said quietly.Alexi reached up a hand to his cheek, “don’t be silly. You don’t have anything to thank me for,” she stroked his cheek softly.  Enjoying the feel of his smooth skin giving way to the hint of scruff coming in on his jaw.He turned his head slightly toward her hand and brushed his lips against them, shivers shot up through her hand and into her arm at the touch and Alexi felt her breath catch in her throat.  His striking blue eyes met hers as he leaned back, looking deep into her eyes. It felt as though he was looking into her soul in that moment.A sharp trill broke the moment then and the pair jumped back from each other, laughing as they realized it was the sound of an alarm on his phone. “Oh damn!” he said looking down at the screen and silencing the noise. “I’m afraid it’s time to head back,” he gave a heavy sigh.  “I would like to say forget it and we stay but unfortunately I do have to be seen for a little bit after the movie.” He gave her an apologetic look.Alexi straightened up and shook her head, “no of course! I understand,” she smiled softly at him.  “Believe me I get work obligations,” she gave a small laugh. “We’d best get moving! I can’t have you getting in trouble over me now!”Benedict laughed softly and wrapped an arm around her waist as he turned her towards the elevators.  “Oh, I don’t know, I think you might be worth a scolding for,” he winked as she looked up at him in surprise.  “Oh, is that so?” she felt her face flame up at the smoldering look he was giving her.“I only have to be there for a bit,” Benedict said as they step off the elevator, making their way through the lobby as he stared at his phone to order up a ride for them.  He stopped just before the doors, not wanting to go outside before they have to.“You said,” Alexi eyed him with a half smile.“I’m hoping we aren’t done for the night?” He said looking up and snaring her eyes with his.  “I’m not ready to let you go just yet.”Alexi gave a small gasp at the desire that raced through her at his words.  Giving a quick swallow to clear her throat she nodded quickly as her mouth was suddenly dry. “I’m, I’m not either,” she whispered as she watched his eyes fully dilate.  The chime of the phone breaking the moment once again. “Let’s get this over with then,” his voice low and husky as he pushed open the door and reached back to her. 
CATE
They were about a quarter of the way into the movie and Thaddus Ross as monologuing on about his (evil) plans for the horrible Avenger Vigilante’s, Cate felt an unfamiliar phone vibrate in her hand bag.  Stuck between Chris Pratt on one side and Ryan Reynolds on the other she wasn’t sure how she was going to get to it and considering she didn’t really recognize it she mentally dismissed it.  It wasn’t that her handbag was out of reach or anything, more that every time even twitched both men would begin fussing over her and Cate had about reached her limits.The red carpet episode had left her unsettled and it had made their short stay in the lobby before the movie even more uncomfortable.  She knew there was a part of her that was deeply flattered by the ridiculous man, but she also had a low threshold for being embarrassed.  While some might be thrilled by being serenaded by Ryan Reynolds, in fact she was more than sure that some fan had probably dreamed of that moment.  She however had long dealt with ‘personalities’ and she held little belief that beyond this moment it meant anything to either of them.As handsome as he was, and she could definitely enjoy looking at that face, Cate could already see that he was going to be high maintenance. That level of energy was high enough that it would rarely turn off, in private or public.  And that was a road she had been down already, a couple times. And she just wasn’t that young and foolish anymore that she wanted another trip down that path. Nope, she was done with that.  Working in the music business for most of her life had left her with a low tolerance for the drama, sure it was fun for a little while.  And if he was good in bed, oh yeah it could be a good time. But that faded quickly and it left her with a bad taste in the end. After her last relationship ended, a long running, on and off drama Cate decided enough was enough.  She was tired of the handsome face and the charming lines, empty promises and ridiculous mood swings. So, she walked away, washing her hands of the absurd and swearing the next relationship would be more than just a pretty rollercoaster.The small overplayed moment between Pratt and Reynolds, bickering about who would get to escort her into the theatre, in the lobby just sealed her decision.  There was nothing more with either of them, than a quick roll in the sheets and they’d be off the next morning. There was no way the sex would be good enough to warrant that and frankly she didn’t it that bad.The sound of Constance giggling in the row behind Cate, brought her back to the moment. She was truly happy that her friend was having a good time and if anyone deserved it, Constance did.  But at this point all Cate wanted was a drink or two and some peace and quiet. Between the loud explosions on screen, the two idiots on either side of her and the giggling threesome behind her, it was all grating on her nerves. Though a part of her could appreciate the sarcastic commentary over the film and she’d been known to join in with her own biting thoughts a time or two, tonight she felt off kilter. Like something was missing and she just couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was.Cate’s purse vibrated once again and this time she realized it was a different pattern, it was the familiar chat vibration or the one to indicate one of her friends individually.  Unable to stand it anymore, she carefully pulled it out, keeping it low so as not to disturb anyone around them. Cate tried to shield the light of the home screen as she tilted it back up towards herself with her hand to keep from being too noticeable.  As expected though, there was instant movement from both sides of her Chris leaning close and trying to read over her shoulder as Ryan turned fully in his seat towards her to watch.“Do you mind?” She hissed, holding the phone screen to her chest as she glared at him with narrowed eyes until they backed off and pretended to not be paying attention to her.  She peeked at the screen slowly, putting her hand over the top so neither one of them could see.
INSTAGRAM
[Madeup4Real]: new photo posted[Madeup4Real]:75 new likes for your photo
OMFG Group Text:

Alexi: PHOTO ATTACHED

Alexi: Your Avengers movie is overrated.
Cate held a finger to the group chat notification and then swiped it open her phone.  She was stunned to see that it was a photo of Alexi and Benedict slightly overexposed as it was a night shot on a phone, but it was still a great shot!  They were both grinning, with cheeks touching and the mirror bean behind them.  Cate stared at it in shock as there was an explosion on the screen. Not even giving that a thought, she furiously started typing.
OMFG Group Text:

Cate: WHAT?! I thought you were in the back!  You HO! You left me? To go have fun with him?! How could you!

Cate: BTW you two look disgustingly cute.  I HATE U BOTH
Cate heard the buzz behind her and knew that Constance was getting notifications but she was more interested in what else had been posted.  Opening up Instagram she was met with another version of the two traitors and growled lowly. Yep disgustingly happy!  And now 125 likes! Jeez, thank god they turned the comments off , Cate thought.“Oh! Bennie-Boo played hooky did he?” Ryan was leaning close,nearly touching her, to look at the photo.Cate narrowed her eyes at the other man but he seemed to enjoy her frustration entirely too much,so she quickly blanked her face and gave a shrug of her shoulder.“Apparently he was the smart one,”she replied drily.Ryan gave a chuckle, “can’t argue with that!” He held out the bag of popcorn he had been munching steadily through since the start of the movie.“No,you can’t,” Cate grumbled quietly to herself and then waved her hand dismissively at the bag of popcorn.  Ryan gave a shrug and returned his attention to the movie now.The phone vibrated in her hand and Cate looked down to see that Constance had responded to the chat with several indecipherable lines of text.  Shaking her head,she couldn’t help the half smile at her small friends’ enthusiasm and silently agree as well.Cate fought off the sigh that wanted to escape, she was happy for her friends but this wasn’t looking to be anything more than another night of sitting on the sidelines while her friends had all the fun. A flash of memory to earlier in the night had her fully smiling though as the face of Tom Ellis popped up.  He had been a handsome surprise, but then he’d wandered off and left her to this and this time she didn’t fight the sigh.   Oh well why should I be surprised , she thought to herself and tried to give her attention to the screen for something to distract herself.   He’s more than likely just another pretty face looking for a bit of fun anyway. Cate was surprised suddenly when the credits music started and she realized she had been lost in her thoughts for the last third of the movie. Relieved, she started to gather herself and her things, she made a nudge to Chris Pratt’s knees, she just wanted out and she wanted out now.“Wait,” he whispered harshly as he looked at her in surprise. “The post credit scenes haven’t happened yet.”Cate stared at him with a dark look that he couldn’t mistake, she was relieved when he quickly moved to the side, letting her go passed him with little more than a grunt as she shoved his knees further back.  Making her way quickly up the aisle, she saw that Constance was engrossed with the two men still and there was Benedict and Alexi in the last row, but at the other end of the theatre from her. She had a moment where she considered going over to them, but she heard the sound of movement behind her and quickly hurried along in case Ryan was following.Turning right as she exited the theatre she spotted a rest room and ducked into it quickly.  She hadn’t noticed anything about the lobby around her and at this point didn’t care frankly.  She just wanted some peace and quiet!

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

ALEXI
 
Alexi came out of the ladies room, having taken a couple minutes to freshen up after the movie had ended with she and Benedict just barely making it back into the theater from their excursion. And of course, it had been just as easy as he’d said it would be, which made her wonder how many times he’d done that before.

Truthfully, most of her bathroom time was spent staring at herself in the mirror with quietly whispered,

what are you doing?  What are you doing? This is crazy.  Get your feet back on the ground, idiot. You cannot be developing feelings for him

already

!!

The little jaunt away had been unexpected and delightful beyond words but, why was there always a but?!

BUT

- her brain so helpfully interrupted -

she was already completely smitten with him before she had ever even met him, so she was at a distinct disadvantage

.

This was a situation that was so foreign to her and she wasn’t entirely certain how to navigate it.  Even her thoughts turned against her and refused to give her anything more than metaphors, song lyrics and sometimes poetry; that would happen on occasions when she felt out of her depth.  At the moment, all she could think of were metaphors about oceans and small sailboats.

“Alright, enough of that,” she firmly chastised her reflection.  Which her mind simply answered with one of her favorite Queen songs, leaving her humming quietly to herself.

One wave short of a shipwreck, I'm not my usual top billing.  I'm coming down with a fever, I'm really out to sea. This kettle is boiling over, I think I'm a banana tree.  Oh dear.

She chuckled to herself, feeling a little better.

Thanks, Freddie.

Walking back into the lobby, that sensation from the night before, on the balcony, returned. It felt like stepping back in time as she looked at all people dressed in fine form, the crooning from behind the piano that filled the air with old melodies she felt as if she’d forgotten until that moment.

She glanced over to the corner where the piano was set up and laughed to see Cate giving, wait was that Tom Ellis, a death glare that Alexi knew was more a defense mechanism than real anger.  You would have to know Cate well though, to be able to tell. If she was reading things correctly from Ellis’ face, he seemed well aware of her friend’s true intent.

Well. Well,

Alexi smirked.

Her heart fluttered looking for Constance and she spotted her standing with Karl, and lookie there too!  What a nice embrace that was. It looked like they had known each other forever as he leaned in and whispered something in her ear, causing Constance to crack up laughing.  Alexi smiled at that, it was good to see her usually reserved friend having such fun. Thinking of fun, Alexi started to look around for Benedict and then chastised herself, she wasn’t going to be one of

those

women, all desperate and clingy.

Nope she would just wait here and he’d come back,

she told herself,

and if he didn’t that would be fine.  Just fine.

She’d deal with it like a rational adult and go back to the hotel and watch a horror flick - or three.

"I hate these things too," a deep voice came from beside her, making her start slightly as she hadn’t realized anyone was standing there.  "Sorry," Lee said, leaning against the deep mahogany paneling. "I'm trying not to attract business suits over here in the shadows."

"Oh god," she groaned with understanding. "One of them leeched himself to me earlier tonight.  It was awful. I don't know how you put up with it without killing someone."

“Who say I have? Maybe I just got skilled at hiding the bodies," he said, half a smirk on his lips, pulling himself off the wall to stand shoulder to shoulder with her.

“It looked like you were pretty comfortable when I saw you earlier,” she snarked back at him.  It had been a nice break to get away from his intense stares, she told herself. She wasn’t sure she was ready to deal with him again.

"Actually," he grabbed two drinks off the tray of a server who was walking by and handed one to Alexi.  "This is fortuitous for both of us."

She was forced to crane her neck upward, for a change, he was so tall and gave him a moment of side-eye, before give a nonchalant shrug, "Oh?" Taking a quick sip of the drink, thankful to have something to do with her hands.

"Yessss," he drawled out the ‘sss’ at the end like he was plotting something. As she watched him from out of the corner of her eye, he downed his drink in what seemed like only a gulp but then he was so tall she supposed that sort of made sense.  It
was
probably nothing to him.  "Your shadow Benny,” he interrupted her chaotic thoughts. “Is over there distracted by some redhead so that works out in my favor because this song is amazing. Let's dance."

Alexi's mouth dropped open with surprise at his comment and her head swung around to where Lee had waved.  She could see the redhead Benedict was talking to across the lobby and she was now trying
really
hard not be one of those women.  The other woman was stunning, annnd now she was making Benedict laugh!

Oh hell

, Alexi could feel her face turning red.

Embarrassed at the sudden jealousy that reared up despite her best efforts, Alexi gave herself a firm mental shake and pulled her attention back to Lee and his request. "Um.  Dance?" She asked dispassionately. "Hmm, this song is a ballad not really my type of ‘dance music’. I don't-"

"Yeah, yeah, you don't like to dance." He dismissed the sentiment, sliding her glass out of her hand and dropping it on the nearest surface, but his eyes didn't leave hers.  "It's not true though."

"I was going to say," she corrected him curtly as he took her left hand in his and slipped his right hand behind her waist, "I don't know how to dance.  To a song like this. This slow thing. Wait. We can't do this right here. No one else is dancing."

"I realize we don’t know each other but you don’t strike me as someone that cares about what anyone else is or isn’t doing. Relax, there's nothing to it," he crooned as he traced the tips of his fingers down over her shoulder.  He pulled her up against him and pressed his hand flat against her back as they swayed to the music. "See? Fairly pleasant, no?"

She gave a reluctant shrug of her shoulder, hesitant to move at all considering this sudden attention from him, when he’s spent the last twenty four hours playing hot and cold with her.  Sure, she loved much of his work in film and television but the extremes he was throwing at her were making her head spin and apprehensive about his intent.

"You're overthinking," he said, and she felt his chuckle as it rumbled through his chest. "Close your eyes,” he said smoothly.

She glanced up at him like he was crazy, "Wha-?"

"Close. Your.  Eyes," he enunciated carefully.  "Don't look at me like that. There's a reason."

She let out a sound that was half laugh and half guffaw at his presumptuousness as he intently focused on her. “Come onnnnn,” he mouthed to her. Alexi, who felt beyond ridiculous, rolled her eyes at him, but finally gave in and closed them.

"Good," he sounded pleased.  "Now keep them closed and tune out everything but, the music and,” he moved her hand which had been resting on his arm to circle around his waist.  “This,” returning his hand to rest on her back, the fingers of his left hand entwined with hers. He arched his head down to talk into her ear, "this is the easy part. I'll move with the music and you'll feel it.  Just go with it. Oh,” he paused but she could feel another rumble of laughter roll through him. “And it helps if you breathe."

Alexi let out an embarrassed laugh against his chest.  A faint blush creeping up her neck and painting her cheeks softly as her stomach fluttered at his touch.

"Keep your eyes closed," Lee insisted, barely swaying to the music but his persistence was paying off as they became more like one unit instead of two strangers awkwardly pressed against each other.

“See you

were

overthinking it and now you’re not.  It’s like riding a bike. You never forget.”  The low rumble of his voice flowed through her like the music that surrounded them.

“Difficult to forget something I’ve never done.” She retorted, but mostly under her breath as her mild distrust of him was abating and she had no intention of awakening it at the moment.

“Oh, come on,” he scoffed, “Don’t tell me you’ve never had a slow dance before. I don’t believe that for a second.”

“Really?  How often do you think this sort of thing comes up?  Off the top of my head I can think of weddings, proms,and oh, of course cheesy rom coms.  All of which I’ve managed to avoid so far in life, thankfully,” she opened her eyes and looked up at him.

He studied her a long moment, his face falling quiet and somber, like he was attempting to root through her soul for something.  Or maybe,she began to wonder to herself, he was back to that strange area with him where he would prefer to glower at her from across the room instead of dance or talk to her.  Surprisingly when he finally spoke again, he sounded genuinely curious. “Just a cynic or a genuine misanthrope?”

Her brows knotted a moment at the unexpected question before an earnest chuckle erupted from her, “a realist.”

“That’s what all cynics say,” he gave a half smile.
“Maybe that just shows cynicism is the most realistic point of view.” She gave a long sigh and a softer, sympathetic smile, “look, don’t try to figure me out, Mr. Pace.  I can hate the world one moment and want to save it in the next. It’s just how my life is.”
“Save the world,” he mused quietly.  His eyes taking on a far-away look to them that she hadn’t seen before as he looked down at her.

“Well, I mean, I’m- not, well, not Mother effing Theresa or anything but, you know,” Alexi shrugged helplessly as she fumbled for the right words.  He was driving her to distraction though by the way he just continued to stare at her.

What

was

his problem?!

“I like the feel of you,” he leaned in and growled softly into her ear.  “The sway of you against me is everything I imagined,” he huffed out a breath that Alexi could have sworn was a moan and she found herself swaying close to him as her knees wobbled for a moment.

Shocked and incredibly turned on by those words, Alexi was suddenly very aware that they were not only at a public event, but at a charity event and that they were more than likely the center of attention right then.  She glanced around the general vicinity and was relieved to see most were too busy in their own worlds and conversations to notice, though she was disconcerted to see Hiddleston standing fairly close by and when they made eye contact he gave her half a smile and looked away with a slow nod as if delightedly sharing in some grand clandestine affair.

He was Benedict’s friend, why would he be so obviously entertained by her dancing with Lee?

What was that all about?  This was insane!

She had just been standing next to Benedict a few minutes ago laughing and enjoying their adventure away from everything and now suddenly she was standing in the arms of another man. Dancing.

And horny thanks to his mere presence. What the hell was happening!

Not to mention that up until a few moments ago, she was sure that Lee disliked her based on the odd looks and angry glances that he had been giving her since the elevator ride last night.

As she tried to pull back from him, get some distance and hopefully some sanity, she felt his chuckle reverberate through his chest they were pressed so close together. “I’m sorry was that inappropriate?” He hummed to himself as he looked down at her, the vibrations shocking her like a current everywhere they touched making her gasp at the sensations flooding her.

“Yes,” she finally managed to gasp out.  “Yes it was and, and I think, we need to stop.” She felt her feet trying to tangle them up as she became more and more flustered. “I think this all needs to, to stop,” she breathlessly whispered but found it impossible to look away from him again.

“Hmm,” he hummed again. “I don’t think that’s really true. I think you are more than happy right here and right now. And that this, this is just the beginning. Don’t you?”

Alexi’s eyes widened as he spoke, his arm that had wrapped around her waist to steady her had tightened and drawn her even closer.  Staring up at him at a loss for words she gave a surprised huff when he slowly turned them, putting his back to the crowd and using his large, broad shoulders to block any view of her face from the crowd as well.

Bringing her hand, that he held clasped in his, up to his chest and laid it flat against him. Pressing firmly with his hand atop hers in silent command to leave it there. When she blinked up at him once more, he let his long fingers reach up towards her jaw, brushing his fingertips across the soft curve of her jaw, before tracing them up towards her cheek. As they continued to softly sway them side to side, his large hand slipped up along the curve of the back of her neck and over the soft platinum tresses still held up loosely on the side with hair sticks and wrapped his long fingers around the back of her head.  His whole hand now cupping the delicate bones of her skull and letting the warmth of his body and hands pull her closer to him.

His other hand made a separate dance across her lower back and hips, his eyes staring down into hers with a burning intensity that took her breath away. Fingers twisting lightly in the loose strands at the base her neck, he traced patterns against her skin before leaning down close to her cheek, letting his breath skitter across her skin warmly. “I would like nothing more than to take you away from here right now. And explore the mysteries of your skin and mine, would you like that?”

Alexi hadn’t realized until that moment that not only couldn’t she see her friends or even the crowd anymore but that they had somehow drifted into a small alcove in the back of the room. She shook her head, slightly breaking the spell that had seemed to grip her so tightly and saw that the dimly lit area was lined with plush covered chaises and wall benches.  The music faded far into the background and the air was so quiet and still it seemed to close in around them. Her thoughts tossed and rolled in her head, once again, in an attempt to grab onto something else that would pull her out of this whirlpool.

“But no man moved me till the tide

Went past my simple shoe

And past my apron and my belt

And past my bodice too,”

Alexi had unconsciously begun to quietly recite the stanza of one of her favorite poems, using the grounding it brought her to straighten her back and firm her footing.  Lee tilted his head at her, and was about to ask her what she had meant but she cleared her throat defiantly, a sound that seemed abnormally loud in the new environment. “Thank you for the dance, Lee.  Honestly, it’s been compelling but I really have to get back to B-”

Only to be interrupted by a low and now incredibly familiar voice behind her, reciting the next stanza to the poem she had started.

“And made as he would eat me up

As wholly as a dew

Upon a dandelion’s sleeve

And then I started too....”

Alexi’s head swiveled quickly spotting a causally sprawled Benedict sitting on one of the chaises.  “Rather insightful, Alexi. I wouldn’t have imagined how fitting Emily Dickinson could be in this moment.”

“Because of course you would know it’s Emily.” Alexi said with a sigh that was somewhere between frustration and surrender.

Well, there goes any attempt at remaining levelheaded.

Giving her the barest hint of a smile at her acknowledgement, he paused, perhaps for dramatic effect but he seemed to be dwelling on the meaning of the poem before slowly turning his gaze to Lee, “I should have guessed you were up to something when I saw you hadn’t left early like you said, Lee. But then she is a lovely reason to stay, isn’t she?”

Lee’s arm tightened around her waist, his hips giving an involuntary nudge towards the soft warmth of her body. Alexi looked up, shocked and saw the slow easy smile that spread across Lee’s lips and her head whipped back towards Benedict, whose eyes had narrowed, rendering them unreadable from where she stood, but his lips answered the smile back with a mildly vexing version of its own.

“Oh god what have I gotten into,” she whispered out loud accidentally.

Benedict gave a low dark laugh as he leaned back even further, letting his legs splay open and out as he eyed the pair. “Oh, sweet Alexi, I’m sure we can sort that out.”  Looking to the man still holding her tightly, letting his eyebrow raise in question. “The three of us. Together I’m sure can sort it all out,” he slowly drawled. “If that’s amenable to you, of course.”

The low rumbling growl that came from Lee’s chest made her legs go to jelly and her thighs clench in anticipation. And she wasn’t entirely sure but the answering low and mischievous laugh that Benedict gave back left her overwhelmed and clinging to the thick and powerful arms that held her.

“Shall I take

that

as a yes?” Alexi thought she heard Benedict say from much closer than he had been before.

She was suddenly and ridiculously easily swung up and into Lee’s arms, before being dropped carefully onto a section of the wall bench behind them. Looking up from her sprawled position Alexi saw that Benedict was now standing next to Lee and they were both looking at her like she was their last meal and they were starving.

Benedict had left his coat draped over the chaise where he had been waiting for them and was now, as she watched him breathlessly, slowly unbuttoning his shirt sleeves and carefully rolling them up. As he bared his forearms, Alexi had to lick her lips, as they were suddenly bone dry, at display of strength and beauty she saw.  She had always had an inexplicable fascination with well defined forearms and she couldn’t help but stare at them, she imagined as men did in the late 1800’s when they caught a scandalous peek of a woman’s ankle.

He was looking at Lee, his scrutiny drawing his brows tightly together and down as he asked in a quietly confidential tone, “what are you doing?”

“I wanted to find out for myself why you’ve been so preoccupied.” Lee’s gaze met the other man’s, a rumble of accusation in his words.  “It was only going to be a dance but,” he gave an unapologetic shrug. “I got a little caught up.”

Her eyes darted to Benedict once again whose demeanor seemed tense and she had a sudden revelation.

Oh shit.

She bit down hard on her bottom lip.

Were they together?! How together were they?  Was she an unwitting relationship wrecker? She hadn’t anticipated this at all but this did explain a few things.

A low hum drew her attention from Benedict to Lee, who was eyeing the other man with a playful smirk that appeared to soften Ben’s stance. “You,” Lee said as he eyed him blatantly up and down. “Are entirely too put together,” before reaching out and carding his hand through the straightened dark hair, tousling it and letting the waves free of their styling. “Mm so much better,” he purred as he cupped the side of Benedict’s head. Leaning forward slowly, Lee let out a happy huff before giving a sharp tug and slamming their lips together.

Just that quickly, they were a snarling heap of moans as the two men pushed and pulled one another.  Notably a scene they were both deeply familiar with, each silently demanded that the other give in, let go, and hand over their control to the other.

It was a thing of primal beauty,

Alexi thought with a sigh. As it escaped her she realized it sounded more like a moan and she slapped a hand over her mouth to hide her indiscretion, but it was too late. The two men broke their kiss and turned their heads as one to look at her. They panted heavily as their hands gripped each other tightly and dark eyes echoed their mounting desires.  Lee tilted his face down to Benedict, whispering something inaudible that elicited a deep chuckle from the other man.

“Oh darling, have we been neglecting you?” Benedict leaned back from Lee, though his hand was still tangled deep in the other man's hair. “How awful of us. Aren’t we awful for neglecting this beauty, Lee?”

Lee shifted slightly dragging Benedict in front of him as he wrapped his arms around the other man’s waist. Leaning over his shoulder, Lee raked his eyes over her body and returning to her face.  “Hmm, we are shameful. To waste all that and leave her wanting,” Lee pushed with his hips against Benedict’s back making him shift towards her. “I think you owe her an apology, don’t you Ben? You owe her as well, an apology for neglecting her and leaving her alone to my,” he paused and growled as he ran a hand up and down Benedict’s chest. “My tender mercies.”

Another shuffling step and Benedict dropped to his knees in front of her. “Oh, I do beg your forgiveness,” Benedict looked up at her through his wavy fringe with a tilt of his lips.  He reached out laying his hands on her legs and gripped them tightly but carefully and gave a tug, spinning her forward and towards him.

As he leaned forward towards her, slipping his hands down her legs and then under the hem of her skirt.  Warm, long strong fingers stroked the backs of her legs as he caressed her silky skin. Reaching up pushing the dark fabric as he went, bunch it up and finally, finally getting to her knees. Still holding her eyes with his, Ben arched upward towards her, catching her lips in soft kiss before pulling his lips away to speak.  She let her forehead drop down to touch his lightly.

“Is this alright?” He murmured, his voice etched with care as his hands paused at her knees and his eyes were so close to hers they blurred into a watercolor of blue and dark shadows.

“Yes sir,” she tried not to sound as eager as she was or as delighted to use the ‘s’ word.  His response though brought a smile to her face as his fingers tightened around the backs of her knees.

“Ohhh, my darling girl,” he moaned with a satisfied approval. ‘You have no idea,” the last word trilling upward with an undisguised amount of giddiness as he leaned back.

She watched as his eyes flitting from her lips, to her legs, to her hands and back up to her face before the dark haired actor lifted his hands carefully up towards the back of her head.  Reaching around behind, Benedict pulled first one hair stick from the loosely held bun near her ear and then the other, watching as the long tresses lazily fell out of their barely held shape.  He ran his fingers through them, and up along her scalp until the hair fell about her shoulders and framed her face in a way he found pleasing before he dove forward to her again.
Their breath mingled as he moaned against her lips, the vibrations tingled against them and she gave a gasp, parting them.  As his tongue invaded her mouth, his warm fingers, having returned to her knees, continued their exploration up the side of her thighs creeping higher and higher until he reached her hips where he wrapped them firmly around her tugging forward until she was close and snug against him.Slipping between her legs as he curved up against her, Benedict let his lips and tongue trail down her jaw, giving her chin a nip as she let her head fall back on a moan. Another hand cradled the back of her head then, as he drifted lower and lower over her neck and collarbone.
“Someone is going to walk in,” she barely managed to sputter out.  Alexi was surprised at how little she genuinely cared about that and yet still felt compelled to mention it, perhaps out of a vague show of propriety.

“No one is going to walk in,” Lee’s deep voice came from somewhere above.

Alexi’s eyes fluttered open to see Lee kneeling next to them, looming over her. Once he caught her eye, he gave a slow smile as he leaned in to kiss her deeply.  The feel of his lips and his overwhelming presence robbed her of any thoughts and she could only give him as her eyes fell closed. Her eyes flew open nearly immediately though when his large hand tangled in her hair and gave it a sharp tug.  Alexi gave a loud moan trying to twist, to get away or perhaps to get closer, she wasn’t entirely sure, but she found herself snared deep in his gaze. Their cat and mouse game becoming a little less playful.

She felt as much as heard the chuckle from Benedict as he continued to move down over her belly, as his hands pushing her dress up and over her hips. Once it was out of the way he opened his mouth and breathed warmly against her skin.  Just as his lips left a warm, wet, press against the bare skin of her hip, Lee gave another firm tug of her hair, keeping her eyes on him.

Pressing his lips to hers again, Lee stole her breath, his touch searing a path across her skin as his free hand roamed across as much of her as he could reach.  A rumbling, more like a purr than a hum of satisfaction, reverberated through her. “You are perfection,” he said as he broke off the kiss. “If you could see yourself now,” he growled.

Benedict’s hands which had been running up and down her legs as he held her down, stilled as she squirmed desperately against the unyielding pressure in an attempt to get some relief.  Her moans grew louder with every kiss, every touch of the men, as the growing, swirling warmth that was building low and quickly in her belly, was beginning to steal her sanity. She could see nothing in the dimly lit alcove but she could
feel
everything. A nip of teeth at her hip, a shift of long deft fingers dancing across her belly, the warm breath of a moan in her ear, all acted together to increase the growing ache between her legs.

“Please,” she murmured against Lee’s mouth.

“Are you close pretty? Is he driving you mad? As mad as you’ve driven him with your soft skin and lovely cries?” He buried his nose in her hair and inhaled deeply, exhaling with a rumbling moan.

She could only moan inarticulately now all words were gone as Benedict’s fingers slipped into her wet folds and her hips jerked against him. His warm mouth moving across the top of her mound as his tongue lapped, against her slick nub, alternating between short flicks and long strokes, his nimble fingers worked their way deep inside her.  As they worked in a counter rhythm in her and around her, she lost herself, unable to pull more than shallow breaths as she jerked and mewled at the spiraling pleasure.

Above her, Lee sealed his mouth to hers, thrusting his tongue in time to the pulsing push of Benedict’s fingers, driving what little air she had from her as the men drove her higher and higher.  A warmth spiraling out from her belly and taking over her limbs as Benedict’s fingers pushed her higher and tighter until suddenly the liquid warmth over took, and sent her flying. The world shattering around her as the dark took her, body and soul.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Chapter Six

Constance
Constance shoved her phone back in her bag after sending her text to the group chat.  She was trying to pay attention to the movie, but with Karl and Tom being complete hams, it was all she could do just to keep from laughing so loud they were thrown out.As the final credits ran and she forced the pair to sit with her all the way to the very last post credit scene, Constance felt a bemused excitement flowing through her.   This was the most incredible night of her life , she thought as she tried to surreptitiously rub her aching cheeks. She couldn’t remember the last time she had laughed so hard, so many times, in one day.Since this was a movie that everyone had already seen before, they ended up being one of the last few to leave the theatre, Tom still cackling about the stupidity of the Avengers as they made their way up towards the exit. Just as they reached the doors the ridiculously tall actor turned and gave a low bow to her, a move that would have seemed dramatic for anyone else but somehow came off very naturally for him.  “I thank you for a most enjoyable evening’s entertainment, my lady.”As he stood straight again she was smiling brightly up at him, giddiness trying to take over. “No, no, I must thank you for your witty commentary, kind sir,” she broke off in a fit of giggles at their mutual gallantry.  “But wait,” she frowned as she unconsciously leaned towards Karl’s solid warmth.  “That sounds like you’re leaving. You can’t leave, not yet!”Tom gave a half smile, his eyes trailing over to the right of her slightly before returning to her face. “I have to give my regards to a few people that I missed on the way in but then yes, I think I’ll be heading back to the hotel. It’s been a long day and I’ve another one just like it tomorrow. Although, I hope I’ll see you again tomorrow at the convention?” His brows tilting up above his glasses as his eyes danced behind the lenses.“Oh! Well yes,” she pushed the pout off her face and nodded happily. “We have another set of pictures starting around mid-morning? I think? Damn, I have to look at our schedule, but I know we are there tomorrow too!”“Wonderful!”  He gave a strong clap of his hands together, quickly bent forward and placed a soft kiss to her check. “Until then! Night, Karl,” he tossed back quickly as he turned and headed through the doors.It took a moment for Constance to realize that they were just standing there, her staring into space while Karl eyed her cautiously. Her head slowly turned to him and she blinked at him in shocked surprise. “Hmm?”Karl narrowed his eyes a moment before blowing out a huff of air and rolling his eyes. “Damn you, Hiddleston. I swear he does that on purpose.”“What?” Constance felt herself flushing as she realized what had happened and looked up at him nervously. “Umm.”Karl laughed at that, “come on, you. It’ll wear off faster if we walk around.”  She started to try and apologize again but Karl simply turned her towards the doors and gave them a push open. “Drinks. We need some drinks,” he chuckled. “Though maybe just water for you for a little bit,” he mumbled quietly as they headed into the lobby.When they came around the corner and into the lobby, they found the afterparty was in full swing.  People were milling around mostly but there were a few who had moved towards the back of the room to watch as a jazzy sounding band were playing.  The tall, dark and willowy singer crooned along beside a grand piano on the little stage.Constance came to a complete stop the moment she realized who was singing, causing Karl to run into her from behind and wrap both arms around her to keep them both from falling over.  “Oh. My. Gawd,” she choked out in a surprised whisper. “Oh, my gawd! Where’s Cate?”She started to spin around only to realize that she wasn’t able to as a pair of strong arms were wrapped around her. Looking up and slightly behind her she gave a sheepish grin up into the handsome face staring down at her.  His hazel eyes held a twinkle though his face was blank and his eyebrow raised. “Oops. Sorry,” she laughed softly as she found herself unable to look away.“Uh huh. You could have just asked for me to hold you,” he murmured. “No need to nearly take out my future family prospects.” Karl chuckled as the blush flushed hotly across her face.“That’s, that’s not!” She floundered for words as she felt his laugh vibrate robustly through his chest and into hers. Blinking to try and clear the haze that was attempting to take her mind. “Hey now! I’m sorry,” she laughed and gave a small slap to one of the arms wrapped around her still. “But seriously! We have to find Cate!”Karl gave a small sigh and looked at her with a sharply raised eyebrow. “Why? Why do have to find your friend? And I’m assuming right now?”“Because I need to see the look on her face when she sees who’s singing.”  Constance’s face was lit with an unholy glee as she jerked her thumb towards the stage behind them.Karl looked over her shoulder, pausing a moment to place the face and then it clicked.  His face morphing from confusion to understanding. “It’s that Ellis guy from earlier isn’t it?” As he looked back down to her, “I take it she might like that bloke on stage then?”Constance snorted loudly, “oh yeah she’s trying to hide it, but she definitely likes him. You should have seen her when she saw him in the hotel lobby earlier.”  Constance sighed happily and giggled. “Cate’s not really one to show her emotions, she very protective of herself. And I don’t blame her, she’s had a couple rough relationships,” she sobered and shook her head sadly.  “But while she might appreciate a handsome face, she needs a brain to backup that face,” she smiled brightly. “Cause woo-boy if you can’t keep up with her,” she trailed off with a sideways look towards a mournful looking Chris Pratt who was hanging by the bar looking around at the crowd.Karl shook his head, “yeah I’ve gotta agree he was way out of his league with her.  He means well, usually but -” He leaned sideways towards her, knocking her shoulder before wrapping his arm around her comfortably.  “So, what about Reynolds? I mean he’s been hounding after her since last night, seems interested.”“Oh no!” Constance cackled.  “Oh, that’s not gonna happen at all.  Though maybe it might have last night, maybe, hmm, no,” she shook her head vigorously. “After the red carpet, nope that’s off the table. Soooo off the table.”“Really? Looked like she was enjoying it,” Karl looked a bit confused.  “I know you and Alexi enjoyed it. I haven’t heard cackling like that since… well never mind.”Constance have a maniacal laugh at that. “Let’s just say, one really important thing to know about Cate, is the moment she goes still and quiet you either duck or get out of her way. And boy, she was vvvveeery quiet.” She gave a waggle of her eyebrows up at him and Karl chuckled along with her, his face going sort of soft and his eyes crinkling.Scanning the crowd around them as the song transitioned into a slow ballad version of Highway to Hell, Constance saw that Cate was just entering the room.  Ryan swaggered along beside her, his chest puffed out as he seemed to be parading Cate on his arm. Within moments, Chris Pratt spotting them and heading quickly from the bar towards them. “Looks like the fun is just about to start,” Karl gave a devilish grin to Constance and turned her towards her approaching friend.  “And we have front row seats,” he chuckled into her ear as he pulled her back against him, winding his arms around her again and made himself comfortable.For the umpteenth time, Constance found herself with too much input to keep up with.  Karl had her practically curled her up into him now. Trying to find something to ground herself she reached back with her left hand, curling her fingers around his forearm, forcing herself to recognize the warmth of his skin contrasted with the soft texture of the edge of the rolled up sleeve.   She was here in the moment, she told herself. Taking a long, deep breath, she squeezed it lightly and then chuckled to herself at how absurd all of this was.  But still her head spun a little at how surreal it all was too.Returning her attention back to Cate’s face as she fully stepped into the lobby, and finally took in what was happening around her. Her friend’s eyes were huge as they looked at Ellis near the piano, crooning to the crowd like a professional lounge singer.Constance looked back to the stage and saw the moment the singer spotted her friend and her grin felt like it was breaking her face. The scene in front of her with Ellis crooning at Cate was absolutely hilarious and she wished there was video of it for posterity it to at least so she could torment her friend with it for an eternity. Cate was staring up at the singer in surprise as Chris Pratt continued to attempt to get her attention with no luck.  To her great disappointment and a bit of surprise too, Cate seemed to shake off her thoughts and turned her attention back to the two men she was with. Frowning, Constance couldn’t help but wonder if Cate was upset about something regarding Ellis, but couldn’t think of why or even what he could have done to upset her.It wasn’t long though before Cate was fed up with the prattling of Chris and with little more than a few words she finally put her foot down and made him leave her alone. The actor retreated quickly and Constance shook her head at the kicked puppy look that he continued to shoot at the other pair.  She felt kind of bad for the for the guy. After all, he had no idea what he had been getting into. Cate could be truly merciless, especially to the unsuspecting.“Well that was surprisingly quick,” Karl murmured.“Cate doesn’t suffer fools,” Constance said with a huff of amusement. Then looked away as Cate and Ryan headed out onto the dancefloor, twisting and twirling through the melodic tunes.  “And that looks like it’s going to blow up soon as well.”The longer they stood there people watching together, the more she felt like it was the most natural thing in the world. Whenever her brain tried to start questioning and analyzing things, she refused to let herself get caught up in it though for the time being.  Of course, who knew if that would still be the case at 3am in the dark of her hotel room,but that was a thought for later as well.For the first time since that moment in the bar where this all began, Constance felt herself relax in the midst of all the chaos.  Partly out of physical necessity, her body demanded she calm the fuck down or it would knock her the hell out. But more than that it was also, in large part because of Karl and his unwavering interest in her which really surprised her."I wasn't supposed to be here this weekend," Karl paused after a lull in the back and forth stories. "I came on a whim because Tom talked me into it. Hiddleston.  Not that Lucifer guy, Tom. I am really,” he paused for a moment to emphasize the word.  “Really glad I came."Hearing the tone of his voice turn serious, made goosebumps run up her arms.  She really wanted to believe she was hearing what she thought she was but it just seemed too impossible and she’d be far too embarrassed if she misread his intent. "Oh, I'm glad you came too," she chirped, keeping her voice light and airy and hoping it didn't sound shrill.A flurry of movement from a corner of the lobby had both Constance and Karl looking closer and stopping any conversation. Constance was surprised to see Alexi leave from an alcove of the side of the lobby in what seemed like a hurry with Benedict and Lee; causing a flurry of photo flashes from outside as they exited the theatre.  She raised her hand and tried to call out to Alexi to see if everything was ok but Karl grabbed her fingers and pulled her arm back down.Looking up and back at him with a frown, “huh! That’s weird.” Constance starting to dig in her purse. “She didn’t even look over here to say anything.  I better text her to make sure everything is ok. Do you think she looked upset? She looked off somehow. Her hair was a mess!” She gave a tsk and shook her head with concern over what sort of crisis could have caused that and her brain spun in a hundred directions.  “Do you think she fell? Oh god, I hope she didn’t drink too much and got sick that would be horrible.”“Err,” Karl grabbed her hand softly once again, stopping her from opening her phone screen and chuckled. “Pretty sure she’s in good hands and you’re worrying over nothing.”“Oh?” Constance looked at him curiously and he raised a brow at her.  He gave an amused sigh and her eyes grew wide with uncertainty but a moment later, “Ohhhh! Wait! Whaaaaaaat?” she gasped quietly, like being handed the juiciest piece of gossip.  “But?” She looked at him with an amused smile.“I can’t explain it.” Karl shrugged, it was as though they were reading each other’s minds and responding to unvoiced thoughts.  “But it’s sort of a ‘thing’.”“A thing?” Constance could hear the air quotes around thing as she stared at him a bit confused as it just seemed so out of left field.  And yet, the more she thought about it, the more it seemed to just make sense too.“Well I’ve not seen them take anyone with them if you know what I mean. So that’s new.”“Ohhhhh wow,” her eyes were like saucers now. “Wow, ummm.” Her eyes lost their focus for a moment as she got caught up in her thoughts, “rawr!”  Her hand flew up to her mouth with surprise as Karl nearly lost it with laughter.“AH HA!  The saucy minx I knew was simmering under that quiet surface finally starts to show herself,” he lowered his voice to a delighted grumble.“I-,” Constance laughed, his laughter was contagious but she felt the hotness of her cheeks and knew they had to be hot pink. “I really didn’t mean to say that out loud.” She gave an embarrassed huff and fanned her face with her hand as she took a deep breath.  “Oh! Umm, what’s Cate up to-,” she started to say but Karl’s hand planted on her shoulder, guiding her around to face him.“Stop worrying about your friends so much,” he pleaded. “I mean, it’s sweet but they’re fine.  I want to know more about Constance and I’m beginning to wonder if she’s avoiding me.” He ran his fingers along her cheek to push a stray strand of hair back behind her ear, leaving a trail of shivers where his fingertips touched soft skin.  His dark hazel eyes searched hers curiously, trying to read her.Constance gave a little gasp of surprise.   How could he think such a thing when he’d been the only thing she’d been able to think about since the previous night?!   "Avoiding you?" she said quietly, surprised at how steady, even and put-together she sounded. "I'd never do that.  I'm just trying not to be so utterly caught up in you that I just end up forgetting anything else in the world exists.  So, I latch onto any little distraction to keep that from happening." She gave an embarrassed huff as she shrugged her shoulder, trying to dodge his eyes now that she’d just admitted that.Karl’s lips twisted up into a half smile, as if that was exactly what he had been waiting to hear. His fingers that already hovered at her ear, threaded softly through her hair on the back of her head and pulled her lips to his.  She gave out a soft yelp of surprise that was lost in the kiss, his other arm encircled her waist to hold her firmly against him.She pulled back slightly, his breath against her cheek was maddingly distracting, as his eyes searched hers."Everyone is watching," she whispered, both her hands planted flatly on his chest which she realized felt like a brick wall. Her fingers traced along his shirt of their own volition.  "No, they aren't. And if they were, I wouldn't care," he planted several feather light kisses along her cheek and the corner of her mouth."I don't care either," she groaned, throwing all her cares into the wind. "Holy crap, I so don't care."He gave a low chuckle into her ear, "what do you say we get out of here?" The sound of his voice resonated through her and he tugged on her soft ear lobe with his teeth before glancing sideways at her for her thoughts.  She nodded enthusiastically, wondering for a moment if she'd actually be able to walk anywhere.Karl gave her a quick nod, now anxious to be away from the crowds, he planted his hand on the small of her back so they could navigate to the doors.  Karl maneuvered them this way and that to dodge certain people who would have only slowed them down and making quick work of it when this executive or the other managed to stop them momentarily.  He only really paused long enough to grab their coats from the coat check and then pushed her carefully along to the front doors.The outdoor air was a much welcome relief, though a bit chilly in her dress.  There were still several photographers around though she noticed quickly they were the pushier ones.  Karl noticed too and with nothing more than a slight nod and smile, he kept his arm firmly around her, keeping them moving forward to the waiting SUV.  The Pap's pushed in closer to them, a couple of them shouting to get their attention. One of them was suddenly in Constance's face, asking for her full name and how long she and Karl knew each other. Another shouting, “hey sweetheart you two going back to fuck now?”  Constance’s mouth dropped open with surprise as her head swiveled in the direction of that question instinctively.  She regretted it instantly as the smarmy smut peddler gave her a very self-satisfied gloat.That was unfortunately the last straw for Karl and with a push to get her in front of him he swung around to the leering paparazzo.  "Hey. Back off," Karl snarled holding his hand up towards the jerk by stopping just short of touching him. But that seemed to only egg the group on more, obviously hoping to either get video and pics of the actor hitting someone or some other TMZ worthy drama. They almost got it as Karl started forward but thankfully a security detail stepped in, quickly creating a path and asking him to keep moving into the awaiting vehicle.  Karl saw the wisdom and in that and spun back to Constance who had frozen completely at the frenzy and was staring, thankfully towards the SUV with wide eyes.  Catching her elbow Karl’s easily moved them forward and into the open side door. As the door slid closed with a whoosh, the shouting and clicking of the Pap’s was finally muted and the vehicle quickly moved away."You alright?" Karl moved into the seat next to hers, though they were separated by a console for this trip.Constance nodded, eyes still round.  She wasn't overly fond of crowds in general and that had been overwhelming. “I’m, I’m sorry,” she whispered. She knew as well that Karl was the reason her reaction, as embarrassing as it was, hadn’t been exponentially worse.  Knowing he was there gave something for her to anchor to and at least she only froze. She’d have to take that and be happy right.“Hey, no,” he leaned forward catching her eye. “You have nothing to apologize for! Nothing at all. That was,” he stopped and gave a frustrated growl.  “That was so below the belt,” he managed to get out through gritted teeth.She'd never been the subject of paparazzi focus before and she kind of hoped she never had to be again, but she could instantly understand how awful it must be for him and it shook her out of her internal worries.  "It must be difficult doing that all the time.""Oh, you get used to it.  But then again most of the time that's not really an issue. I don't see that when I'm going grocery shopping or just everyday things, you know. It's usually only around events like this, that they can get bad like this.""It wasn't so bad with you there I suppose," she said, biting her bottom lip a little lightheaded from everything. The thought that she could feel comfortable enough to tell him that taking her by surprise a little bit before settling warmly in her belly.  Wishing there wasn't so much space between the captain's seats in the second row of the SUV, she suddenly wanted to feel his arms around her again.  She looked away from him when she blushed at the ridiculous thought of climbing into the backseat with him when it was only the two of them. As she watched the slowly passing lights and traffic of the city Constance heard him shifting in his seat, the rustle of clothing and then suddenly, out of nowhere, his hands were on her knees.  Her head pivoted quickly back around to find Karl was on his knees in front of her, reaching up to take her face into his hands, pulling her to meet his hungry kiss.Constance instinctively pulled back from Karl's lips with a gasp of surprise.  Only to realize as his hands slid from her face to the tops of her legs, that he looked concerned, maybe even worried as his beautiful hazel eyes searched her face. As her senses came back to her, she smile wide as she reached out and pulled his face back to hers, kissing him with a fervor that was the equal of his, all caution and trepidation thrown to the wind.The large hands that rested atop her thighs squeezed firmly in response to her kiss.  The feel of his warm lips and breath as he gave a low moan made her thighs clench under his hands, falling open easily at the gentle nudge as he leaned up and forward into her. Inching forward between her legs, Karl pressed his body flush against hers.  Constance was thankful her blue dress was free flowing as it offered no resistance to her legs encircling his torso.  His hands moved up the outsides of her thighs to her lower back before pulling her sharply forward. As she tipped off the edge of the seat and landed on top of him, straddling him, Constance gave a soft groan of approval as their mouths explored each other."Hey um," the young driver called back timidly. "It’s, um, required by law that you wear seatbelts, when the car is in motion.  Umm guys,” he tried again to get their attention. “It’s, it's my first night, please. I’m pretty sure if anything happens to you guys I’ll be in deep shit? You know," he pleaded from up front.The couple ignored him completely, Karl's hands cupping Constance's bottom, pressing her into him, as he moaned loudly into her mouth. Constance gasped at the feel of his pressing against her, her hips unconsciously rotated against his erection as the warmth in her belly grew. Karl’s fingers dug into the soft flesh of her bottom at her response and he deepened their kiss as if he planned on devouring her whole.  The driver cleared his throat nervously., "Um, guys?  Please? Ma’am? Mr. Urban?""Aw hell," Karl growled, pulling away from Constance's lips regretfully and loosening his grip on her bottom. "This kid is going to have a seizure. To be continued, yeah?" He planted a soft kiss on her lips as his eyes flashed with the promise of much more soon.Constance nodded, a playful smile on her lips as Karl sat up and lifted her back onto her seat with so little effort she may as well have been made of air.  Carefully, she smoothed her shaking hands down her the soft material of her dress back down over her lap and past her knees. Sitting back up Constance chuckled softly as she watched Karl take his seat and with exaggerated movements buckle his seatbelt and wave his hands in a dramatic flourish at the driver.Constance couldn’t help herself and gave a snort of laughter, slapping a hand over her mouth when Karl slowly turned his head to her. His eyes dark with intensity that she couldn’t stop the moan that clawed its way out of her.  A heavy warmth settled low in her core and she found herself squirming as he continued to stare at her with a dark hunger. Breaking the stare, she knew she was only seconds from throwing herself across the console and into his lap. Clearing her throat, she tried to calm herself and took a couple deep quiet breaths, reminding herself that they were still in the car and not alone.Looking back to him, Constance found his eyes locked on her chest, the intensity so strong it felt as if it he was physically touching her. A bright flush spread down her neck and into her cleavage as she tried to catch her breath. The memory of him under her only moments ago made it impossible to stop her squirming, her fingers flexing in the folds of her skirt with need.  Her breath caught in her lungs with the ghost memory of his hands and all that muscle he was hiding under that suit.A cough from the driver’s seat made her jump and give a small squeak as her head snapped to the front.  She could see he was giving more of his attention to them than the road it and alarmed her suddenly. “Yes?” She managed to ask through her dry throat.“We’ll be, um, we’re almost there,” the young man stumbled over his words as he met her glare in the rear view mirror. “I can um take,” he instantly shut his mouth as Karl interrupted.“Don’t finish that sentence if you want to see the morning,” his voice was low and almost sinister in the quiet darkness of the SUV.Constance broke out in a wide grin and caught the driver’s eye again, “you really don’t want to push your luck with him.”  The glee clear in her voice as she nodded her head to the road. “Or mine. I know things,” she said slow and cheerfully. “Some. Very. Bad. Things.”She saw Karl’s head suddenly dip forward as she said that, but didn’t break her gaze with the driver.  She saw the younger man give a sudden swallow and knew he understood her completely when he yanked his eyes back to the road finally.Looking out of the corner of her eye at Karl, Constance bit her lip hoping she hadn’t done anything wrong.  It had just slipped out and he was so hawt when he got all angry and protective her brain just melted. As she tried to make out his face, leaning a little towards him, as her night vision was terrible without her glasses, she saw his shoulders shaking. Frowning she bent lower trying to catch his eye and gave a silent sigh of relief she realized he was laughing, though he was trying to hide it in the shadows.“Hey!” she quietly exclaimed.Karl straightened up, pulling himself together and finally looked at her. “You know bad things?” He mouthed at her.She gave an indignant huff. “You bet I do mister!” She hissed quietly. “And you better shape up or you’ll find out firsthand,” Constance wagged her finger at him for emphasis.Karl sat up very straight in his chair and gave her a respectful nod but she could see the laughter fighting to come out.“Oh Constance, I think this is the start of something very fun, and very exciting,” he winked at her and she had to look away to keep from bursting into laughter herself.“I certainly hope so,” She exhaled with a happy hum.   The start, hmm?   Considering how on edge and excited she’d been all night let alone since she’d met him, s he was extremely pleased he had finally caught up with her.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

CONSTANCE The remainder of the ride back to the hotel sped by in what seemed like seconds as Constance and Karl shared longing looks and random bouts of laughter.  Once they pulled to a stop, the driver hopped out in a flash, opening the door for them and stood nervously waiting for them to exit. The poor boy was flushed brightly and avoided any eye contact as the pair exited.  "Bad things," Constance whispered in his direction as she passed the man, giving him a narrow eyed expression."Constance," Karl dragged her name out, calling her attention back to him as they were about to enter the lobby. "I'm enjoying your wicked side."  He wrapped his fingers around her arm to hold her back from the entrance and scanned the open area just inside. He pulled her back with him out of sight of the glass doors when he spotted a handful of female fans hanging out in a corner beside the elevator bank.  "Ok, I don't want you to think I’m That Jerk about the fans but I really don't want to sign anything now," he looked towards her. "Forgive me but we don’t need that tonight."Constance looked up at him with a soft look of understanding, her hand resting on his arm, giving a small squeeze to it before she shook her head.  "It's ok. I understand. And no, I don't think poorly of you.""So," Karl nodded to himself as he spotted the side walkway running around the perimeter of the room. "We will go to the elevators that way," he looked down at her.  "We will not stop, we will not acknowledge anyone and we don't stop for anything, yeah?”She gasped with raised eyebrows, "ooh, I've never outrun fans before!  I know they aren't mine but still this will be fun!" She nodded her readiness as he grabbed her hand and they made their way across the expanse of lobby at a quick jog.Constance's dress floating out behind her in a billowing ethereal cloud with the breeze from the speed of their movement.  Looking back over her shoulder at it, she instantly thought of the mythical goddesses of Waterhouse and Moore's paintings. She had loved and dreamed of them since she'd first seen Boreas and Silver.  And in this moment, she could swear she had stepped into one! The elevator doors were just closing as they approached and Karl hollered a protest, throwing out his arm before they were able to shut.  Forcing his body through the opening and dragging Constance with him, the pair managed to squeeze in. Once they were inside, he immediately began slamming the door close button repeatedly hoping to close it before the fans realized they were there.  Constance found herself cackling with laughter as the doors slid shut.  Exhilaration zinged through her veins, bubbling brightly in her. She felt as though she were an overflowing champagne flute and the urge to move over took her.  Spinning around in a circle, the blue gauze of her skirt, floated and danced in the air around her legs and ankles."ALEXI!" She declared then paused as she realized they weren't the only ones in the lift.  Her friend was leaning against the back rail of the elevator next to Benedict and it wasn't hard to see the pair had been talking about something fairly intense as neither noticed anyone else until Constance exclaimed her name.Lee crossed his arms, his back thumping against the elevator wall as he leaned back and nodded at the newcomers.  He didn’t seem pleased to see them and at last Constance understood what Alexi had tried to explain earlier that day about him.  He was a dark enigma that refused to let anyone in that he hadn't deemed worthy, the red hair decided.The stunning blonde snagged Constance's attention when she flashed a familiar, unguarded smile.  It was the type of smile that was reserved for giggling and carrying on with girlfriends. The type most people never saw, a private and unreserved smile that true friends shared from years of shared hopes, dreams and secrets.  It was a surprise to see, but it told the redhead in that moment just how far the trio in front of her had connected. She put her hand over her mouth to stop the giggles that wanted to escape with that realization.  Looking to the left of Alexi, she saw that Benedict was completely enraptured with her friend as he still hadn’t taken his eyes off the blonde. And a gut instinct told Constance that he wasn't even aware that she and Karl were there, his whole being was so directed at Alexi.  "Are you okay?" The younger woman asked playfully.  It was obvious to her from years with Alexi, that the three of them were intoxicated and that they had more than likely been drinking a good deal before leaving the theatre.  Although that seemed odd when she thought about it because she couldn’t remember her friend spending much time in the lobby after the movie.And while her friend appeared happy to be there, it was a habit of Constance’s to verbally check in on her friends.  To make sure she really did want to be there for safety reasons. It was the intensity pouring off Lee from the corner that made her the most unsure.  It was nearly a living thing it was so strong and clear, but she couldn't decide which way it flowed. Was he happy? Was he frustrated? Was he angry? Was he preparing to devour Alexi and Ben? She couldn’t get a clear read on him. She could see why Alexi was drawn to him though, that unknown energy both attracted and repelled in the same breath.  "I am so ok," Alexi hummed a tune that only she heard as she repeated herself. "So okay! And Constance.  You look like a fucking goddess.  Seriously. Right now. You're glowing."  Alexi leaned forward, trailing her fingers out around her face and then down over her arms and finally along the flow of the gauzy skirt, letting the back of her fingers draw over the fabric."Oh, staaaaaaahp it," Constance playfully swiped at Alexi's arm, dismissing her thoughts about Lee for the time being.  Giggling, the copper haired woman swished her hips so the fabric floated about her legs and feet once again. The rich tumble of Karl's chuckle behind her tickled something deep in her and she took a stuttered breath.  "It's true," Alexi said, in a way that Constance would have expected to only hear if she were talking with her and Cate.  Surprised, Constance looked back up at her friend, swaying slightly towards the blonde as a bright smile emerged.As she met Alexi's eyes, the red head sensed a deviation around them, time changed, the air shifted around them and life slowed.  Constance's racing brain calmed, her thoughts crystalized and the moment imprinted on her. Everything from the tint of the light, to the soft background music, to the warmth of Karl's voice as he attempted to engage Lee in talk, to Benedict who was still staring at Alexi's profile. The world had narrowed down to this point in time and space, perfect and detailed.
DING!
The moment was broken with the sound and Constance knew it was their floor as the doors opened.  Turning to say goodnight to the trio, Constance felt the long slim fingers of Alexi's hand wrap around her wrist.  With a quick tug, Constance was pulled her over to the blonde, as Alexi lowered her head and softly planted a lipsticked kiss on Constance. The gentle warmth lingered for several moments leaving the pair lightheaded and intoxicated as they leaned into each other, lost in the moment."You're magnificent," Benedict’s voice floated to them with undisguised admiration. Constance imagined it was the same tone of voice he would use after a long afternoon in bed and she had suddenly been pulled into it with them.Constance eased back, her mouth hanging open as she gasped for breath.  Before she could say anything though, Karl made a tortured, strangled sort of sound and grabbed Constance's hand, pulling her into the hallway.  The elevator doors closed and Constance stared at them blankly for a second before looking at Karl. "Holy crap. What did they do to Alexi?" Her voice a breathy whisper.“What did she do to you?” His chuckle echoing off the walls as they walked toward his room.  Constance followed behind him, her eyes trailing over the swaggering broad shoulders, down his strong back and towards his butt.  A boldness that she didn’t normally have, took hold of her, leaving her oddly liberated. For a change the circular thinking and doubts were quiet, and she felt more than ever she was reading everything clearly and correctly. As if all the stars had aligned, and the Universe had granted all her Christmas wishes at once. And if she was dreaming she really didn’t want to wake up from this one.As he swiped his key, the door opened, and Karl motioned for her to enter.  "I upgraded after seeing someone had robbed me in the room department." The tall Kiwi looked back at her and gave a wink, "I couldn’t have you thinking less of me for not having a suite.""Ohhhh," the small red head looked up at him with wide eyes.  "So, you thought I would see your suite then?" She said playfully, looking over the large living area and the gorgeous Chicago night sky framed by the wall of glass."I was planning for the best possible scenario," Karl countered as he stripped off his blazer and laid it across one of the bar chairs. "And look at what happened. The Universe was kind."Constance felt her belly flutter with those words. Amen to that, she thought. The Universe was most definitely being kind to her!  A moment of her usual concern tried to it rear its ugly head.  They were after all alone now, in such a private space. What if, what if he didn't really like her? What if, this was a joke? What if, whatif, when he saw her fully, she repulsed him?  Constance took a deep breath and pushed away the nagging doubts, this was her moment and she would not let the doubts stop her! This was one of the best nights of her life (thus far) and she would live it to the fullest in that moment.  A very witty and charming thought occurred then to her, something that she was sure would turn him to putty in her hands. The petite redhead straightened her back with determination and gave a graceful turn on her heel towards him, pretending she was very much like a goddess who could do no wrong!However, Constance hadn't expected to find Karl striding toward her already, crossing the expanse of the room with surprising speed and long fluid steps.  He made her think of a jaguar approaching her as though she were his prey and he had planned to have her for dinner.   She let out a startled gasp as he reached her and slid his arms around her waist to pull her up against him.  Her hands settled on his upper arms and she resisted the instant urge to squeeze them with admiration at their solid size.  They were far firmer than she had ever daydreamed they would be. All of him was.He studied her for several long moments, his powerful gaze leaving a blazing path across her face and neck, stealing her sanity as it did. No one had looked at her like that before! The red head watched as the hazel of his eyes were swallowed up in the black desire of his pupils.  The intensity of his passion clear even in the low lighting of the room.Karl ran his large, strong, hands up her back, over her shoulders and wrapped slowly around the base of her skull. Letting out a breath in a long slow groan, he let his fingers tangle in her hair.  “Constance. I can’t,” his voice low and rough, his Kiwi accent growing stronger with his desire. “I can’t wait any longer,” he stroked his thumb down the side of her face. “I need you.  I want you,” he growled out.  “Do you want me?”Constance blinked up in surprise and nodded as much as she could while he held her face.  “Yes!”Karl slipped in closer to her, his smile crooked as he continued to stare into her eyes, “I want to spend the night with you. Make love to you over and over. Would you like that?”Constance moaned loudly and her breath caught in her throat as the heat of her desire flooded through her body. Swaying towards Karl as her legs felt like jelly.  “Karl! Yes. Please. Yes.”Karl breathed in heavy through his nose a tremor in his hands. “Almost there,” his words a harsh whisper. “You, you know,” he swallowed thickly.  “You know I’ll stop the moment you say. Or if you don’t want to do something we won’t, right?” He rushed to get out the words as his eyes devoured her.“You are the sweetest, most unreal man I’ve ever met,” she gasped out.  “And I got it. You want me to have as much of a good time as you right?”“God, yeah baby,” his mouth hovering over her.“Then what are you waiting for?” Her moan smothered deep in her throat, as his lips slammed down on hers, and that seemed to be the last that he could take as his hands slid down her back, over the curve of her bottom. Bending his knees slightly, Karl clasp the backs of her thighs, lifting her feet off the floor.  Constance quickly wrapped her legs around his waist, her dress falling back and away from her body like a waterfall. Karl took a couple strides forward and she felt her back come in contact with the wall and the kiss was broken momentarily.  Tightening her grip around his shoulders, she managed to hitch herself slightly up to give her better access to his lips. Panting softly she hoped to show her continued approval of the situation by nipping at his full lips, silently begging for him to resume kissing her.Karl's mouth explored her mouth as his tongue entered to mingle with hers, his hips pressed into her more persistently, the solid bulge under his belt pushed against her center.  Flustered, her hips wanted to move against him with pure instinctive desire but couldn't with her pressed so tightly against the wall. There was only the smallest of movement that she could make and it caused a series of small gasps to leave her as the tiny thrusts sent a spark of desire through her.  When Karl, finally, began to move, grinding in counterpoint to her thrusts Constance threw her head back against the wall, a loud moan ripped from her with the warmth pooling in her belly. Taking his time with the languid rocking motion, rubbing his hips against her, Karl’s breaths sped up, blowing across her still wet lips as he stared into her eyes."God," he moaned, closing his eyes a moment before opening them to catch her gaze again. "I swear I don't make a habit of doing this.  I'm not one of those asshole entertainment types.""I, I didn't think that at all!" she protested earnestly, letting her lips trail along his cheek, towards his ear. The scrape of his five o'clock shadow on her lips making her shiver with the different textures. "I like that you're not one of those asshole entertainment types."Karl let out a little groan at the feel of her lips on his jaw, "I don't date in Hollywood, I don’t want to deal with the hanger on types.  You've been this light in a sea of vacant faces that all look the same- ah shit. Shut up, Karl," he told himself as his mouth found hers again.What was almost a delighted giggle from her was dashed aside at the feel of his mouth and tongue devouring hers once again. He kept one hand tangled in her hair as his other trailed down her neck, fingertips leaving a shivering trail over her chest, the swell of breast and down to cup a delightfully plump breast, caressing it through the blue silk of the bodice.“Karl” she whimpered into his mouth, trying to shift closer to him and his still grinding hips.  The hand on her breast cupped it carefully at first but then with more purpose, kneading it gently, he pulled his lips away from her, resting his forehead against her cheek to look down at her body and what he was doing to it.  His fingers became more focused in their attention, from cupping her breast to focusing in on the center and the nipple that was now prominently making itself known through the silky fabric. His fingers rested upon it softly at first but then clasped at it playfully and he glanced up to her to see her reaction.“So beautiful,” he said earnestly, the rumble deep in his chest. Running the tip of his tongue along the line of her lips, tickling herbut not a tickle that made her want to laugh, this was unlike anything she’d felt before.  Forcing herself to keep his gaze and not close her eyes, it was glorious the way he was looking at her. The intensity of his stare made her want to melt into a puddle.Constance had always found him fascinating, but she was blindsided with the thought she could fall for him.  Now was not the time for those thoughts,she firmly told herself.  Enjoy the night and the weekend!  Stay here in the moment, don't get ahead of yourself girl! Don't ruin this with losing track of the fact that this was all a dream come true and not some grand plan to give you a soulmate!The sensation of his fingers as they traced along the top of the hem of her bodice, yanked her out of her thoughts and back into the moment.  Strong fingers weaved back and forth over bare skin and silky fabric before they dipped under the barrier and pulled her top down and out of the way.  Once he had freed one plump breast from its cage, he cupped the exposed flesh in his warm palm as he panted into her neck with pleasure.“Did you wear this dress just to make me insane?” He growled out as if he were trying to force something coherent out. Bending his down to take her hardened nipple into his lips before flicking his tongue back and forth across it delicately.  With a hum of appreciation deep in his throat, Karl sucked the nipple deeply in between his and pressed the flat of tongue against it dragging it slowly over the sensitive bud.She gasped with the feeling, her hands bolting up to grasp at his short hair on the sides of his head as her hips gave an involuntary thrust against him.  A heavy pool of liquid warmth grew low in her as the flush of desire crawled over her entire body. “Had I known, I’d have worn it yesterday,” she gasped as his mouth on her breast drove her beyond reason.Karl trailed his lips back up over the soft skin of the swell of her breast and up higher, running them along her collar bone, up the side of her neck and found her lips again.  Taking her bottom lip between his teeth, he gave a gentle nip, then licked across it and into her open mouth. Pulling her off the wall, his hands curling under her buttocks to keep her situated where she was about his hips, Karl turned and made his way to the couch.  The sudden drop to the couch, made Constance gasp as she lost contact with his hands and mouth.  It was cut short though as his weight settled atop her and she realized she had closed her eyes. Opening them she looked up into his face as it hovered over her and she gave a delighted giggle, squirming happily as he let his hips rest heavily on top of hers.His hand trailed down between them, pulling her long skirt up inch by inch as the other one supporting his upper body weight didn't crush her.  Dark eyes locked with hers and he studied her face closely. As he reached the hem of the dress, his bare fingers tracing from her outer leg and down to the inside of her bare thigh.As she bit her bottom lip, her legs trembling at his touch Karl paused, laying his palm flat on her leg a moment. "Hey sweetheart," he took in a slow breath.  "It's ok." He gave a quick peck to her cheek and leaned back again his gaze warm."Sorry-."Karl pursed his lips with a shushing breath, stopping her from apologizing.  "No, we take this at your pace. This is for us both to enjoy right?" He watched her closely but without any irritation or judgment.Constance gave a small huff of breath, "oh I'm enjoying this."  She felt herself flush. "It's just a bit overwhelming," her voice little more than a whisper."Touch me," he said softly. "Come on, sweetheart.  I won't bite," his eyes crinkled in the most distracting way as he smiled at her.Constance reached up her hand and stroked the back of her fingers over his cheek and she felt herself calming though the desire and building warmth in her belly was still strongly there.  "Yeah," he moaned as she let her fingers slide through his hair. "That's it."Her fingernails scratched lightly against his scalp and his eyes fluttered closed for a moment.  A rumble that reminded her of a purr once more made her think of the jaguar in the jungle again and her nerves settle even further. Stretching up slightly, she pressed her lips to his in a chaste kiss that quickly devolved as he opened his lips to her tongue.  Sucking her tongue into his mouth as he rubbed his against hers, Karl lifted the hand that had been sitting flat on thigh. Trailing his fingertips once again to the inside her leg, running the tip of his index finger along the edge of her pantie, tracing the elastic before slipping just under it and sliding along her bare skin.  Her eyes dropped closed with the overwhelming sensations."No, don't go away," his heated voice came to her and they flew open to meet his intense gaze. "Yes, like that. Stay with me."  His fingers slipped further under the silky covering and dipped down into the hot outer folds of her sex. Karl paused again to watch her reaction carefully, before resuming his movement when she gave a quick nod.  Long fingers softly explored the slick folds, the warm moisture of her desire allowing easy movement as he slid deeper into her.Her thighs shook once again, but this time, as her hips raised up toward his fingers he didn't stop his movement.  The redhead gave a moan but somehow kept her eyes open and locked with his, as the tip of one of his fingers dipped lower and deeper into her core, pausing to rub gently just outside the entrance to her. Constance panted, her hips jerking upward at the sensation, allowing just a small bit of it to slip into her. She moaned loudly with that sensation, "please. Please," she pleaded as a tightening in her belly made her clench internally against the digit.The feel of her gripping his finger seemed to just spur him on even more.  Karl leaned in and took her bottom lip between his teeth carefully, kneading it softly before sliding his tongue into her mouth as he slipped a finger up and deep into her.Any thoughts of freezing with nervousness melted away as he fingers moved slowly inside of her.  His thumb ran through her slick outer folds, before sliding up and against the nub of her clitoris.  A shuddering gasp escaped her as hips moved on their own rhythmically with the dual sensation of his fingers and thumb as it rubbed in slow circles.  Pulling his fingers out solicited a groan of protest from her, her eyes growing round in surprise.  Karl smiled at her before leaning back on his knees, reaching both hand up her legs and hooking his thumbs into the elastic of her panties. He paused again to check with her and she flushed brightly but nodded again.  He gave a wiggle of his eyebrows and then dragged them down and sliding off her legs, he perched back on his knees to get them away from her ankles until she was free. He let them drop to the floor as one of her feet slid off the side of the couch, Karl took hold of the other, pulling it up against his chest, he tilted his head to kiss the inside of her ankle.  Her foot twitched with the sensation and his kisses travelled up her calf, one hand holding onto her ankle while the other followed just ahead of his mouth, tracing her calf and the tender area behind the curve of her knee.  She squirmed, attempting to keep still but finding it impossible the further up her leg he traveled, his lips landing where his adventurous hand had just been. The side of her inner knee, the sensitive and soft back of her thigh, her silky inner thigh, higher and higher, until his mouth reached her glistening sex.  "Please, Karl, don't stop," she cried out.His tongue slipped through the outer folds, his eyes looking up to her but she didn’t see, she arched up as her head was thrown back at the delirious sensations. Her hand though of their own volition flew down to clasp the back of his head, fingers tangling in his hair as she pushed her herself toward his mouth.  "Oh god," she gasped. "So, good," she tried to get the words to come out of her mouth. "It’s-," she trailed off unable to continue speaking.He hummed against her, burying his mouth into her, his tongue exploring her with intense appreciation. The coil of warmth in her belly tightened sharply in that moment, she sensed herself losing control and her orgasm was building quickly.  "Wait!  I, can’t yet! Too soon-," she gasped but her protests only encouraged him. His hands slipped around her hips to keep her in place as his mouth and tongue working against her more quickly and she cried out, her entire body shaking as the sensation took over, pushing the warm liquid sensation out of her lower body and into her arms and legs.  Wave after wave washed over her, her hips pushing up against his arms futilely as a throaty moan escaped her. Her whole body suddenly going limp as she melted back into the couch, gasping for breath.He pulled back with a raspy growl, grabbing her upper arms to pull her up against his chest, and he felt back against the back of the couch. Constance found herself on top of him, straddling his hips as he worked through the long silk yards of her skirt fabric until he managed to push it out of the way.  His hips thrusting up against her still throbbing sex and he settled his hands on her hips and pushed her down against his crotch. She could feel the twitch of him, solid and swollen in his pants, making her moan low again.She looked down at him, his hair disheveled, and his face staring back at her with an intense desire.  There had always been something starkly primal and utterly masculine about him that drove her to distraction.  To see him now under her and her body thrumming in time with her heartbeat. There was no one else, or anywhere else in the world that she wanted to be.Her fingers shot out, unbuttoning his dress shirt with surprising speed and deftness considering they trembled. The dark-haired Kiwi splayed his fingers out, wrapping them around her hips and giving a squeeze as his own hips thrust up under.  Constancefelt the friction of his jeans against her bare folds and shivered as a low deep throb reignited the ache in her again.  As she imagined the feel of him inside of her, Constance moaned and shifted above him, grinding down against his erection.  Getting his shirt undone, she brushed it open with her hands.  Flattening her palmsas, she slid her handsthen across the warm, muscled skin of his chest and down his stomach.  Her finger tips curling down slightly so that her nails could scrap against the taut sculpted abs of his stomach.“Working out for a role,” he gave a huff of breath that could have been a chuckle. “They don’t always look like that.”Her eyes shot up to his. “Uh huh, wow, um, I don’t care,” she whispered almost reverently as her hands still slid over his skin.  Memorizing as much of the feel of him as she could before moving to the waist of his jeans, unbuttoning them and thrilling at the sharp intake of breath he took through his teeth.  His desire for her was evident and that realization made her dizzy and far bolder than she imagined she could ever have been.Pulling the remaining buttons free, Constance's fingers dipping into the opening expecting to run into the cotton of his briefs and instead was surprised to find he was wearing none. Instead her fingers met hot, bare, flesh anda hint of crisp curls causing Constance to moan as she slippedher fingers around his shaft.  Carefully maneuvering it out of his jeans, she bit her bottom lip at the heavy feel of it in her hand.  She could admit to herself that she had fantasized about him, of course she had, but fantasies were nothing compared to the reality of this moment. The feel of him thicker, then she imagined, the warm skin was even softer than she'd have thought when it was stretched so taut and firm.  She was shaken out of her contemplation when Karl’s hands squeezed her hips, pulling them forward eagerly.  She gave a small squeak and felt a sudden spike of nerves strike her despite the desire that was coursing through her.  As he lifted her up, bringing her hips close to his now freed erections, Constance felt the brush of the tip of him brush against her wetness and her eyes shot up to his, biting her bottom lip.  "It’s been a long time-," she started and stopped, starting to over think a bit.  "I’m not sure because, well," she stuttered suddenly. "You’re so, I-," she broke off.“Hey now. We can take it slow,” he ground out, his voice raspy as he tugged on the front of her bodice with one hand, pulling her down until their mouths almost touched and their breath intermingled. “Kiss me,” the words vibrated against her lips and she gave a sigh of surrender, letting their lips meet and part, their tongues slowly exploring the other.Her hips lowered half an inch and hovered there, the tip of him pushing at her folds and she feltnerves grow a bit more, suddenly embarrassed by the fact that she was having second thoughts while her body was giving the exact opposite signal.  She was, to her mind shamefully wet as his shaft easily moved across her folds. She nearly pulled away until she looked again at the man beneath her, Karl’s eyes dilated fully and his cheeks were flushed brightly with arousal.  There was nothing of uncaring indifference that had nagged at the back of her mind. There was none of the rushed arrogance that demanded she get on with things so that he could get off already. Instead he was beautifully engaged and obviously turned on.  It was that realization that he truly desired her and that she was worrying for nothing that finally made her relax as she leaned down and kissed him deeply.  Constance gave a shiver as Karl reached down between them to grasp himself, shifting himself counter to her hips as he coated himself in her wetness, pausing to ease the heavy top of himself against her achingly, swollen clit.  She planted her hand flat onto his chest to keep from falling over as she leaned up and looked down at him, “I, I don’t want to go slow,” she ground out.Her entire body begged to have him inside her and to wait any longer was torturous.“I’m, I’m clean and I have an IUD so, so we don’t have to have protection, if you don’t want to,” she stuttered slightly but was very proud of herself for managing to get those words out.  And as he looked up with a look of amazement on his face she found herself flushing darkly.“I’m good, I mean I’m clean,” he moaned.  “God woman you’re going to kill me,” he growled lowly as she tilted her hips back and letherself ease down atop him. Her hips twisting and easing back and then down again over and over as Karl moved his hand out of the way to allow the full length of him to finally seat fully within her.  A long deep moan was driven out of her as her head fell back at the overwhelming pressure and pleasure that filled her along with him.  His hands grasped her hips tightly, both for balance and to give him an anchor as well.  “So, so good baby,” a strangled sigh brought Constance back upright as she looked down at him.  His eyes squeezed tight and his lips pressed tightly told her that he wastrying to keep himself from exploding quite so soon in his excitement,and she couldn’t help but shift her hips forward every so slightly.  Karls eyes flew open at that, narrowing down at her as she smiled brightly above him.  The sense of power was heady and she gave another grind of her hips then, the warm poor of desire flickering to life in her belly.“Woman,” he gasped lowly, warning in his body and voice but she didn’t care.  The feel of him so deep within her and the flickers of sparks in her belly drove her on, the need for him growing with each breath.  He ran a hand up from her hip to her breast, cupping her with a gentle squeeze. Constance felt her muscles clench deep within her as she gave a stuttering breath.  A small moan accompanied her as she shifted up and then back down with a small bounce as he pinched her nipple between his fingers. She lifted up once again and let herself fall, again and again as he pinched and stroked her skin.  She felt her desire growing higher and tighter as she moved and ground against him, panting with the need for him that grew tighter and tighter in her belly. As she looked down at him, catching his eye she found herself pausing a moment as the look in his eyes.He shifted then, his arms encirclingher and in one graceful move she was on her back again as he pushed deeper inside of her.  His dark eyes met hers, “let me make you feel good sweetheart.  I wanna make you cry out for me again, you feel so good,” he groaned low in his throat as his hips began to rocking faster and just a bit harder between her legs.  Sliding almost all of the way out of her and then pushing in, filling her completely and pausing as she squirmed under him with a gasping sigh.  “So gorgeous,” he breathed stroking a broad hand down the side of her face. “Wrap your legs around me,” he rumbledas he watched her eyes grow wide and the darkness swallow what was left of the brown.  He gave a slow smile as he felt her legs slide up his legs and then wrap around her waist.“Oh yeah,” he growled and let himself slide fully back into her.  The warm wet heat engulfed himand her inner muscles gripped him tightly as they held each other’s eyes.  Her hips canting upward and her panting groan matched his once he was fully buried in her and he dropped his forehead to hers.  “I, I can’t believe how good you feel,” he swallowed through a suddenly throat and gave a small twist of his hips.  Her panting gasps turned into a small keening sound. “You like that yeah?”She was past words though, the fill of him so hard and so full within her.  There wasn’t anything beyond the feel of him, the smell of him, the feel of him, taking over her so completely that she could only tightened her legs around him.  She could not get enough of him. An inarticulate plea left her lips and moments, seconds, hours later she couldn’t decide, he began to finally move.Pulling back with a slow slide only to return with a hard thrust that moved her a little backwards with its force. Grippinghis broad shoulders Constancecould only hold on and let him take control as the warmth was filling her once again.  The slow build of earlier was gone now though, this was fast and rough and oh gawd she needed it to never end.  His hips thrusting deep and hard into her, driving her higher and higher as her body coiled tighter and tighter.  She thought she could hear him, sweet words mingled with curses as she tightened her inner muscles to hold him tighter to him until she couldn’t anymore.  The coil snapped and she cried out loudly as she instinctively thrust to match him, clawing at his back and shoulders as the warm bliss flooded her senses.Dropping, back to the couch she blinked slowly in the liquid afterglow, drifting happily as she felt him,solid, safe and sated lower himself down on top of her.  A happy sigh escaped her lips as she felt cocooned and loved.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Alexi sat in the center back seat of the SUV, Benedict and Lee in the captain chairs in front of her leaning over to talk to each other.  She couldn’t make out everything they were saying, but she wasn’t trying to. Instead, she enjoyed how the city lights played and flashed off their profiles or created a twinkle in an eye.  The pair were cinematic, she imagined, reminded once again of the classic black and white movies she had so beloved all of her life. She had even thought once or twice about going into film as a possible director instead of costume and design, but who wanted to handle temperamental actor egos at that level? She smiled to herself, trying not to laugh out loud at the irony.A flash of silver caught her eye and Alexi looked over to see Lee had pulled a small flask out of his jacket and was taking a swig.  When he leaned over to Benedict, the other man met him halfway across the aisle.  Their lips locked for some time and she presumed they shared whatever had been in the flask.  Letting out a long, quiet breath at the sight, Alexi hoped to calm the building flare of excitement.They were startlingly beautiful to watch, and it was difficult to keep her composure.  Her belly fluttered and warmth settled low in her again.  She would have laughed if she didn’t know it would draw their attention. This was more sex than she’d had in a year since she had spent so much of her life these days focused on work and getting a career off the ground.  Now, she was in a car with two handsome men, on the way to the hotel for more.  She wasn’t sure how this had happened but was glad it did!Those thoughts came to a grinding halt as the two of them turned to look at her. The intense and penetrating stare of Lee had returned, and she watched him pass the flask back and forth between his hands.  He was deciding something she was certain though what exactly was a mystery to her.“Do you trust me?” He asked after some time, his tone pleasant and easy enough to draw her suspicion.Ahh, so he’s made up his mind, she thought with amusement as the passing lights flashed across his smile reminding her of the Cheshire cat.  She let out a huff of laughter followed by an unceremonious, “absolutely not.”His brows furrowed and mouth fell open in mock offence as Benedict laughed with delight.  “I told you she is smart.”“How do you not trust me?? It’s not-,” Lee gave a huff of protest before slowing down. “I’m not going to poison you.”“What is it?” she asked, curious to begin with but entertained by the fact she caught him off-guard for a couple seconds.  She felt that was rare.“Perfectly safe.  It just makes everything, feel, more,” he enunciated with care.“More what?”  Alexi stared at him with narrowed eyes, suspicious of what was in the flask.“Just. MORE.” Lee gave a huff of frustration and Alexi fought the urge to laugh and pat his hand in in comfort.  It seemed obvious he had expected her to go along no questions.  Perhaps she might have done in the past but now, she decided it was time to make him have to work to get her to go along. It amused her for some reason.Alexi glanced at Benedict, “will I regret it?”“No, you won’t. I promise.” He gave her a subtle wink and rested his elbow on the armrest, chin in hand to see what she’d do as Lee took another swig from the flask.“Weeell, alri-.” She started to tease out but before she finished, Lee’s hand wrapped around the back of her head.  Pulling her forward, he squeezed into the space between his and Ben’s seats. Lee’s lips locked with hers, insistent and demanding and when hers parted, the liquid from the flask filled her mouth.  It was pleasant, sweet and something akin to an old port wine, she thought.He pulled back from the kiss with a satisfied smirk, his eyes raked over her before dropping back into his seat. In that moment, Alexi realized she wasn’t yet sure if she liked him or disliked him.Maybe destined to be both.  Wasn’t that referred to as a classic love/hate relationship?  She had never given much credence to such things until now and at this point it wasn’t worth debating she supposed.  She was shocked though at how quick he had moved for someone so tall and broad.Swallowing the last of the drink, Alexi looked to Benedict.  He was once again discussing something with Lee.  She couldn’t hear the conversation but saw the small sliver of blue from his eyes that told her he was watching her as well.  She hinted a smile to the men, just enjoying the moment and the view they granted her. Curious at what was coming but happy to let it come to her and them.  Twenty minutes later, they reached the hotel.Alexi stepped out of the SUV onto the solid ground and it confirmed her conviction there had been more than port in Lee’s flask. The hotel lobby lights were bright but delightfully so, in a way she hadn’t seen when they arrived the other day.  They twinkled and flickered like a postmodernist winter wonderland display. How had she not seen that earlier?  She stopped in her tracks, looking up at them, utterly captivated, when an arm slipped around her waist and guided her toward the lobby.  She knew it made little sense, but it seemed as though she were floating, she was moving after all and she wasn’t putting any effort into it, so certainly levitation was the most reasonable explanation.  Looking down, she saw she was walking.  How disappointing.  Her feet and legs moved along with a pair of long legs next to her. Glancing over to see to whom the legs belonged. Not disappointing!  “So glad it’s you,” she said to Benedict with affection.  His eyes looked mesmerizing in the lobby lights and the half-smile he gave her made Alexi’s heart pound so hard she wondered if anyone else saw it beating out of her chest?  She looked down to be sure it wasn’t visible.  Surely everyone saw it. Phew. Everything looked normal, or at least, she thought it did.  Laying her free hand over her breast just to be sure.  Ahh solid.  Probably.A fond hum beside her told Alexi that Benedict was amused with her again. Peeking over, she sensed the warmth that radiated around the tall Brit.  Sparking blue and green waves moved around him in complex tides and patterns before smoothing out and flowing back to a new eddy. Oh, happy swirls, she thought as she gave an answering hum.As the three of them made their way inside and through the lobby, they were stopped suddenly when a group of several fans rushed over to them, stopping in front of them to ask for selfies.  Alexi stepped back out of the way instinctively, the buzzing voices and flurry of activity too hectic for her raw senses. The lights of a nearby art display captured her attention, and she found herself admiring the diversity of the alternating lights.  The longer she studied them the more they moved in time with her breaths and she wondered how the artist had made them do that.  It was the perfect distraction.“Oh good.  It’s kicking in.” Lee’s voice came so close to her ear it seemed to fill her head. She tried to keep up appearances and act like everything was perfectly routine but everything was in slow motion like an underwater ballet.  She glanced at him from the corner of her eye.  A wickedly charming smile greeted her as if he read what was going on in her head before his expression sobered again into a stoic mask. An incredulous huff erupted from her, “you’re good at that.  But I see right through you.” While she tried to keep her expression placid her pulse sped up at the dark veil that dropped over his gaze.  Why did she say that?  She didn’t understand the first thing about him.  Why did she need to bluff like that?  “Do you,” he stated rather than asked.  One corner of his mouth tilting up minutely with forced amusement which didn’t reach his eyes, she noticed.  A pulsing eddy surrounded his head and beat in time with the energy of his stare. Lee put a hand on her shoulder, inching it further until the tips of his fingers brushed against the side of her neck. As he leaned into her ear and whispered, “I think, Little One, that you do not understand what you’ve gotten into.”Trying to show him no weakness, Alexi only barely kept from biting her bottom lip, as an overwhelming need almost overtook her.  Flashes of his touch, his taste, his smell, singed her with the white-hot blaze that swept through her as his words, at those two words.  Little One.  With supreme effort though, she kept her blank face, giving him only a subtle raise of her brow at him. She didn’t know how to explain it,even to herself, why she wanted to find his buttons and push them.  Perhaps it was his unflappable cockiness but as she pondered, she decided she wanted to know what was under that stony facade.  She saw movement under there, churning undercurrents and whirlpools of watercolors. That was all she caught, just little hints and glimpses of the real man underneath and it was driving her the smallest bit mad.Blinking that image away, she decided that what had been in that flask made her deeplyintrospective.  Instead, she directed her attention to Benedict again. The energy Lee was emitting threw her off-balance.  It was as though he were some barely contained beast wearing his finest human suit while traveling in front of the locals and only she recognized it.“Ohh, ignoring me now,” he purred, this time openly entertained. “You can play that game if you want but you won’t be able to for much longer.” Giving her a look down his long regal nose, for the briefest of moments, Alexi wanted nothing more than to drop to her knees before him.  She imagined begging him as prettily as she could for him to show what was really going on behind those glacial eyes.The impulse dissolved as someone approached them then, asking Lee to sign the large poster they were holding.  That was when she saw the face of the performer, the humble actor, the talented liar, as with little effort he demurred to the fan, pleading exhaustion and a demanding schedule the next day.  It was truly Oscar worthy,Alexi thought. Holding his hand up with a shake of his head while his other was sliding under her elbow and taking a firm hold,he apologized, “so sorry, gotta go.”  Lee was already tugging her with him as he looked toward the gathered crowd around Benedict. “Ben. Gotta go,” Lee called out. “Now.”  The other man glanced over with an acknowledging nod and apologized profusely to the throng of admirersas he broke away from them and headed toward the elevators. “Wow!” Alexi laughed out loud as Lee pressed the elevator button, “you are terribly bossy.” Benedict leaned against her from behind and chuckled in her ear.  It was like a series of fireworks went off across her skin and Alexi gave a hum of happiness.When it arrived,Alexi settled against the railing of the elevator, the world expanding and contracting in the most amazing and absorbing ways.  She felt Benedict‘s gaze and looked up into his face. In that moment, they were speaking without words and it was exquisite.Everything for the next few minutes though were a blur of sensations, fireflies and familiar soft scents. Drawn to the patterns and scents that drifted by, Alexi wanted to keep them close, tuck them into her pocket and holding them tight. She loved moments like this where everything moved in harmony and sensation.A blink and the blur solidified, and it was Constance.  Ahh sweet Constance, she thought.  Then in the blink of an eye, Constance left and with her some of the softness of the moment.  The whisper of a breeze trailed across Alexi’s neck and shoulder as Constance was tugged away and out of the elevator. When the doors closed, her eyes were back to Benedict.  Swaying ever so slightly next to her, the light of the elevator rearranged his face into infinite patterns with the play of shadows around the cheeks and eyes. She was readying to lean in for another kiss of those ruby lips when a voice in her ear and an arm around her waist stopped her.“Enough,” Lee growled.  His lips and breath ghosting along her ear and she broke out into goosebumps. “It’s my turn. You’re kissing everyone but me,” he turned her in his arms so she leaned back against his chest with her body but her head was easy facing him.Alexi gave a small laugh of amusement as she looked up into the chiseled and somber face. “You had all of them at the theater.” She reached up with her free hand to trail along his jaw.  “Aww my bossy grumpy face, don’t be sad. You can have more.” she finished breathlessly as his intense stare bore into hers.As she leaned her face towards him, Lee brought his lips down on hers, snatching the breath from her and invading her mouth with another purring growl of his. She couldn’t stop the whimper that escaped, and she cursed at herself mentally for it. She let him get away with far more than she would have tolerated with any other man.  Oh how she enjoyed it but now he mustn't think he could continue that way unchecked. Her hand wound around from his jaw to the back of his neck, letting her fingers twist into the short hairs at the nape.I’m Alexi Harte, she reminded herself.  Sure, I can be pleasant enough if I have to but I’m not a pushover.She enjoyed the kiss for a moment and then curled her fingers tightly through the longer strands a couple inches up and gave a hard yank.  Lee reared back in surprise, his eyes wide, his pupils fully dilated to turn his eyes black. “What?!l” he demanded.“Bad boys who take and pout without consideration for others should be punished. Don’t you think, Sir?” She purred, directing the question just over her shoulder as she continued to watch the brooding and intense man that held her firmly against him.Warmth from behind enveloped her.  Her senses filled with Benedict’s cologne as he draped himself over her back and leaned his head in between the two. “Oh darling. I knew you were brilliant the moment I saw you.”She put a hand against Benedict’s cheek.  He was so very dear to her in a way he didn’t comprehend yet.  She couldn’t even explain it in a rational way to herself but she loved him madly.  Whatever Lee had given her was helping in analyzing her typically scattered and uncertain feelings even.  Everything was crystal clear in this moment and she relished it instead of being swallowed by it. Turning her head to glance at Benedict with a soft smile of mutually understood admiration, she was about to be lost in his presence again when the elevator doors opened once again with a soft ding. The three stared at the open doors for a moment before she took initiative and stepped forward into the hall.  Turning to them inquisitively, she asked, “So?  Are we going to Benedict’s suite again?”“Our suite,” Lee corrected, narrowing his eyes at her.Ben stepped ahead to lead them and as he walked down the hall to the suite door, Alexi spun around.  Glancing up to Lee as she walked backward, playfully challenging him with her eyes. Sheshifted her shoulders at him, making herself taller as she swayed ever so slightly as she barred his entrance.  Lee stopped, his brows tightened, hands buried deep in his pockets.  He glared back at her in challenge, the eddies around him growing and expanding as if he can push her back with his presence alone.As Benedict was unlocking his door, Alexi put her hand on Lee’s chest before they crossed the threshold, stopping him.  “You thought I would be helpless.” she intoned, looking up at him with grey eyes fringed with dark lashes.  Trailing off as she waved a manicured finger at him, she tapped it upon his chest again to make her point. “I think it’s you that doesn’t know what you’re getting into.”  He frowned almost imperceptibly, but otherwise kept his face blank.  If she had to guess, and she’d bet she was right, he was projecting disdain at her as these whirls were dark and stormy. “Hmmmm, you need to give me a little more than the silent treatment, Mr. Grumpy Face,” she snarked at him.  “Use your words, Lee, or it doesn’t count.” she said, lifting her chin with defiance, as she shrugged at him.  When he remained silent, Alexi inched her way backward into the suite.  With her hand up to tell him to stay as her fingers trailed through the pulsing dark waves of his contempt as she did.  Alexi held his eyes and smirked at him as he ignored her and began to prowl forward. Lee nudged the door closedbehind him with a casual backward swipe of his foot, his hands still in the pockets of his jacket before his gaze driftedtowards Benedict. The murky intensity spiked a moment at something he saw there before returning his gaze to her.  His stance was that of barely contained strength and radiated off him in a very tangible way.  She fancied he looked a bit like a stalking cougar pacing a cage and just waiting for someone to leave the door open. Smiling to herself at that image, she turned to the bar that Benedict was behind pouring them all something to drink.  Alexi spotted the monitor in the wall and gave a hum of happiness.  She’d seen one of these before and knew it would connect to Bluetooth on her phone. She pulled it out, syncing it quickly and leaned over, pressing the wall screen several times until the music came out of the speakers in the ceiling. “Yes!” She said, giving Benedict a triumphant smile as she shimmied her shoulders and put her arms above her head with glee.  He pushed a glass across the bar to her and she picked it up gratefully.  What Lee had given her was making her thirsty, and she turned around to lean her back against the bar, singing the first line of the song.  It stunned her into silencewhen the wall ofmuscle that was Lee suddenly shifted from standing directly behind her, to right in front of her.  He was now so close, enough that the front of his jacket brushed against her arms as his eyes bore down into hers.  As she lifted her glass to take a sip, his fingers brushed against her breast as he wrapped his long fingers around the stem.  Taking it from her hands, he set it on the bar behind her with a slow shake of his head. “Lee,” she whispered, almost inaudible over the music that played around them.  She reached up to trail her fingers along the lapels of his blazer before slipping her hands under them.  Laying them flat on his chest like he had insisted at the theater, sherested themthere for a few moments  Alexi continued quietly, “don’t forget what I said in the elevator.”   Curling her fingers inward, she scratched his chest lightly.  “You are being so difficult, aren’t you?”  She pushed against his chest without warning and with enough force to catch him off guard enough that he had to step back to keep his balance.Benedict put his own glass down on the bar, watching with rapt attention as Alexi turned toward him, putting her back to Lee completely.  She grabbed her glass to take a long sip just to prove a point. Lee glanced to Benedict who was across from her chuckling about something she was saying.  Lee was too wrapped up in what was actually going on he couldn’t listen to any of it.  Ben glanced up at him, pausing a moment to hold his gaze, curious what Lee was thinking before turning his attention back to the woman.Lee stepped forward, pressing the front of his legs against the back of hers.  Her back straightened and whatever she had been talking about with Benedict cut off as she glanced over her shoulder at Lee. “What are you doing?” She said with a flat voice.  He ran his hand up her back along the spine, squeezed her shoulder and then the back of her neck, threading his fingers through the long hair at the base of her skull. She opened her mouth to say something else to him and his fingers tightened, tangling the hair in them in a firm grip.  Directing her face forward as he bent over her back, he pushed the glass she had been drinking from out of reach and bent her over the bar.“Time for your undivided attention,” he ordered, tugging on her hair enough so she squirmed against him which he found incredibly satisfying. “No drinks, no kissing girlfriends, no more singing or dancing,” he enunciated each point with a tug of hair.“Fascist,” she whispered with a forced chuckle, but the breathlessness of her tone gave away more than she intended.  Amused with herself, from the corner of her eye, she saw Benedict was equally entertained. Enough that he leaned his elbows on the bar across from her so they were eye to eye, his expression like someone settling in to view their favorite sport.“It’s cute you want to play,” Lee said in her ear as he bent over her, his voice composed, eerily so. “But playtime is over.  So is my patience.”“I’m so proud,” she gave a little clap. “You found your voice,” she snarked, only for her breath to hitch in her chest and freeze. His warm, moist lips on the back of her neck stole the thoughts from her.  The dim world around them pulsed and sped up with her heartbeat as he breathed across the damp skin spilling goosebumps and heat in its wake.Benedict hummed with approval, moving out from behind the bar to join the other two.  He reached over, letting his fingers trail behind Lee’s lips across her neck. Caught between the two men, a moan escaped her at the mere thought. DAMN IT!  I was doing so well and one kiss turns me into slush, she chastised herself.  You can’t give in that easy!  Make him work for it, at least!  Their warmth flooded her from all sides and she could have melted but they once more were supporting her as they trailed lips, fingers and breaths over her skin. Drawing her away from the bar, the three moved as one towards the bedroom.  Just as they reached the door, Lee paused, his eyes glinting with dark amusement as he turned her to face him and looked down at her. “You are sure you want this, Little One?” he growled lowly.Alexi looked at him, surprised again by the pet name, being as tall as she was no one had called her little in years.  Her mouth opened to say so but Benedict’s warm arms encircling her from behind. His hands, large and firm as they caressed her stomach and up towards her breasts had her moaning again.“Lovely as that is,” Lee breathed across her cheek as he leaned down to her face.  “I need your words,” he chuckled. “Use your words or it doesn’t count,” he chuckled as he turned the tables on her. She snapped her mouth shut impulsively as her gaze met his, clamping her jaw in mutinous form. Words.  He thinks he’s so clever.She would do no such thing on command.  He would gain far too much satisfaction from that.  The playing field was too skewed in his favor and she needed to level it.Lee’s eyes glinted in the low light, shifting from hers to over her shoulder.  Benedict’s hands instantly paused where they were on her body and he became so still she felt his chest expand and constrict with each breath against her back.“You-” she started but stopped short, snapping her mouth shut again.“You?” He raised an eyebrow at her in question.  “Hmm, what? What am I?  What were you going to call me now?” His enigmatic gaze bore into hers once again with a heady mix of severity, gravity and genuine amusement.  He placed a hand on her cheek and his thumb traced over her bottom lip.  He gave a lopsided smile, “it doesn’t matter. We can discuss that soon enough but only if you answer my first question.”You bastard!  She yelled in her head, her chest filled with the urgent desire to say that, but more preferably to say yes.  Yes most of all.  But now her throat was tight because she knew if she spoke her voice would betray her. It would be clear just how badly she did want it.  Him. Benedict. Them. The intensity overwhelmed her with need and it mortified her.“Lee,” Benedict protested, a strangled sigh that brushed against the back of her neck as his arms tightened their grip around her.“No.” Lee snapped at the other man impatiently, his stare not leaving Alexi, “I want to hear. her. say. it.” Her face grew hotter than she ever remembered it being in her life and she was clenching and unclenching her hands with the dogfight of conflicting thoughts erupting through her.  Lee lurched forward pressing his body flush against hers.  He brought his lips down to hover near hers as he wrapped both hands around her cheeks. “You’ve got him wrapped around your finger already don’t you, Little One?” he stared into her eyes as if he could read her soul. “You even found his weakness,” he smiled softly.Lee’s thumbs rubbed tenderly back and forth for several strokes as their breathing slowed and sync’d. The icy blue of his gaze gave way to a softer blue as he continued to watch and breathe with her.  Just as she thought they had become the blue of a warm summer’s afternoon, his head dipped and he broke their stare.The warmth of his breath washed over her cheek and down her neck.  His hands followed that breath, cupping her jaw and then coming to rest on her neck.  The long tips of his fingers curled up and just behind the delicate shells of her ears as his thumbs came to rest in the middle of her throat.  A gentle press of those fingers just below her windpipe brought a stuttering flutter of her breath and a corresponding throb between her legs.“But I’ve learned something about you, Little One,” his voice low and soft as he leaned his mouth to her ear.  “I know you want to be a bad girl,” he breathed.  “You want it so bad.”Alexi’s eyes flew wide, and she realized only then they had closed and she was swaying ever so slightly towards him.  The throb between her legs had grown so strong that it was in time to her heart and his breath, unable to stop herself she moaned quietly.Lee didn’t laugh though, he answered her with a low primal moan of his own, his tongue darting out to trace just the bottom of her earlobe before giving it a gentle press of his lips. “But you’re not a bad girl are you, Little One?  You’re a good girl,” he growled. “All you want is for us to let you be such a good, good, girl,” he dragged out the last two words and Alexi felt the matching throb correspond to them, her hips desperately shifting from side to side with the ache of it.Benedict’s low breathy moan from behind her made her heart pound faster and her belly tightened low and warm.  As Lee’s hands gave another pulsing barely there squeeze, he turned his lips to the soft skin behind her ear, “say it, Little One.”  His moan reverberated through his chest and into her body. “Be a good girl and say, it,” he sank his teeth into the skin with that and gave a sharp suck.“Yes,” Alexi said sharply, louder than she wanted to and accompanied by the rush of breath she had been holding.  At the sound of her voice, Lee straightened, the tender expression of unmasked bliss that crossed his face as he closed his eyes caught her off guard.  Her hands flew to grasp onto the lapels of his jacket tightly as she dropped back againstBenedict whose hands urgently resumed exploration of her body accompanied by a crooning hum of approval against the back of her neck.“God yes,” she reiterated, drawing the words out languidly against Lee’s lips as he dropped them down to hers.  Saying it the second time was effortless, having accepted surrender. Their breath mingled for seconds that seemed to stretch out to days until Lee’s sudden moan vibrated through her from head to toe as their mouths opened and his tongue caressed hers.  Benedict’s hands kneaded at her breasts, sending waves of tingling excitement straight into her core as her hips swayed back against him rhythmically.Pulling at her, Lee backed into the bedroom and moved them towards the bed.  His hands moving up and into her hair, long fingers scratching along her scalp with his fingertips.  Slow deliberate circles on her scalp as his tongue moved in and out to match the pattern.  Lee groaned at the sensations and brought his body tight to hers.  Ben stepped back a little, slipping the shrug off of her as one of Lee’s hands dropped from her head and continued his circles down her neck and her spine.Ben unzipped Alexi’s gown, letting her dress slide down her hips and pool on the floor at her feet.  Leaving her bra for the moment, he stepped to the side, reaching towards Lee and between the two to get at the buttons on the other man’s shirt until it hung open, exposing his lean torso.  The cooler air blew down Alexi’s back along with Lee’s touch and she shivered at the sensation.  Benedict chuckled at the goose bumps that danced across her soft pale skin, dropping his lips to her shoulder. Benedict’s tongue ran across her shoulder and around to where Lee’s fingers were spiraling down her back.  Dropping to his knees behind her, Benedict laid kisses and nips around her back and spine, sometimes following Lee’s fingers and at others leading the way for the other man.  The dark-haired man paused as he reached the dimple just above her bottom, a soft little hollow in her lower back, that beckoned him on as she gently shifted under his touch. He opened his mouth above it, set his teeth in her skin and gave a sharp nip, making her jump.  The soft gasp of her breath at the spark of pain a siren song in the quiet of the room. He planted the flat of his tongue against it giving first a rough lick and then a soft slow series of kisses as she moaned and swayed to his ministrations.  She was only barely aware he had slipped her panties down to her ankles until he nudged one foot and then the other to free them completely.Benedict’s large hand swept up her back, holding her in place as he leaned around her hip toward Lee.  Nipping along her hip as he shifted towards Lee, reaching out with his other hand to rest on the other man’s hip.  Leaning forward, he planted a kiss on Lee’s hip, looking up towards the other man from his spot on the floor through his lashes.  Lee paused and looked down to see Benedict staring up at him with hungry eyes.Looking over at Alexi, he smirked.  “I think, Little One, that someone wants something, what do you think?” His rumbling voice causing both Ben and Alexi to shiver with the dark spikes of pleasure that shot through them.Alexi gave a delighted huff as she looked down and nodded, “yes. Oh yes he does,” she said breathlessly. “Go on then,” Lee coaxed her, and her eyes widened with understanding as her shaking fingers inched forward to gingerly rest upon the buckle of his belt and then froze.  Lee nudge closer into her and growled, “Faster.”  The intensity flowing around and off of him was dizzying but her fingers acted on command, seemingly on their own accord, flipping open his belt and releasing the buttons underneath until the trousers could fall freely to the floor. Uncertain if it would please him more for her to leave his briefs onor remove them, she opted at removal, her thumbs hitching in the waistband pushing them down. Her eyes closed during the movements, her hand reached out blindly but managed to land on Benedicts head, her hands tangling in his curls.  His hand on the back of her thigh squeezed firmly, in thanks or with reassurance she wasn’t sure, it gave her the fortitude however to open her eyes once again.Lee brought his hand to hers in Ben’s hair, tangling their fingers as he pulled the other man’s head roughly towards his hip. As the Brit rested his forehead in the sculpted crease of the taller man’s hip, it was as if the moment strung tightly between the three.  It finally snapped when Benedict gave a deep exhaled moan as he trailed his lips and tongue up between Lee’s hip and leg.He gave a happy groan as his tongue snaked out from between his lips to taste the salty skin before shifting and settling into place between the pair.  His tongue shooting out to run up and down the length of Lee’s shaft as the pair watched and ruffled his curls.  Lee turned just enough that with Benedict’s next swipe of his lips, the other man could open his mouth and fully take him in. Lee let his head drop back at the overflow of sensations, moaning as his hips canted back and forth in time to Ben’s drag and pull.  The wet warmth of his mouth made him gasp and his fingers tighten down on the curls in his fingers.Alexi watched the pleasure flitting across Lee’s face and smiled softly.  Running her free hand up Lee’s chest and to his neck, her nails scratching across his skin leaving a reddened trail.  Leaning forward, Alex dropped a kiss on the skin over his heart and moaned at the brush of Benedict’s curls across her lower belly and the tops of her thighs.  Lee’s eyes opened and tipped his head towards the blond, a slow smile on his lips, “he’s fantastic isn’t he.”Alexi only sighed heavily in reply as Benedict had paused a moment and turned his head fully to her. Dropping licks and kisses along the top of her mons, his breath tousled the curls between her legs and made her shiver at the cool breeze the moisture there created. Lee’s dark chuckle had her opening her eyes, which had somehow fallen closed again.  Alexi leaned forward, kissing Lee roughly as Benedict’s tongue shoot in and out of the cleft of her mons.  Her hips wriggled back and forth with his tongue as she gave a desperate moan.Lee pushed Benedicts head backwards suddenly, with enough strength to send the Brit to the floor, staring down at the man with an impassive face.  Looking to Alexi the smile softened, “help him with his clothes won’t you sweetheart?” Gently, wrapping his hands around her neck and giving a small squeeze before pushing her towards the floor.  “I think he’s going to need your help,” he commanded.Alexi went easily with the push and dropped on top of Benedict’s legs with a small laugh. Her eyes dancing as she reached for his belt, pulling roughly at it and then sliding it through the loops.  Benedict the whole time watching her with dark eyes and shallow breaths. His erection tenting his pants as she pulled the zipper down and then straddled his legs to tug at his pants. Finally, Benedict took pity and lifted his hips so she could pull them down past his hips. Lee took up a spot, Alexi, running his hands through her hair and down her neck and to the shoulders, before bringing them back up and doing it again.  She could feel the warmth of his body behind her as he watched them. “Get up on your knees, Little One,” Lee directed her, giving her shoulders a little push forward. Alexi leaned up and onto her knees, scooting forward at another push by him again. She paused and leaned down a little pushing the shirt that Benedict was still wearing up and away from his hips.  Her fingers trailed down from his belly and down into the curls above his penis and then wrapped her fingers around the base.Lee dropped a kiss to the top of her hair and nudged at her again, “I want to watch you ride him. Will you do that for me, Little One? Hmm would you be a good girl and ride him?” The rumble of his voice above her settling heavily around her as she moaned and felt the instinctive need of his command.Alexi couldn’t fight the need that now took on a life of its own with Lee’s direction. Her hips shifted as she looked to Benedict, meeting his intense stare and then the happy bloom of warmth that washed over her as gave his nod of approval. She scooted forward, balancing herself above him as she gave a slight lift of her body so that warm long fingers slid up her hip and around back to her butt easily.  Her eyes fluttered closed a moment as Benedict’s fingers slid along the crease and between her cheeks, teasing themselves slowly through her wet folds.  Benedict’s loud groan of appreciation at her wetness made her thighs clench and she let her head tip backwards as his hips nudged up and the head of his penis slid just inside her. Alexi’s eyes snapped back to his with that sensation and she gave him a half smile while lowering herself just a bit more. Pausing to enjoy the fullness of him, just inside her, Alexi fought back the urge to come as her eyes fluttered from the feel and pressure within her. Lights pulsed behind her eyes like fireflies in the twilight’s dark, while she panted for breath. Teasing her hips down a little more, her moan shook through her and she eased backup, gasping for air and any little shred of sanity she could grasp onto. Her thighs shook with the effort of not giving in to her growing orgasm and the effort it took to drift down a little further before sliding back up once more.  Over and over she slowly took him into her until he was finally fully seated in her. Her hips pressed down at the soft skin of his lower belly as she clung to his shoulders.  The muscles of her inner walls quivering with the need to give in to her desire and the indescribable feel of him so deeply buried within her.Three deep moans filled the quiet of the room as she finally rocked herself back and forth, her wet clit slipping and sliding against his pubic bone sending sparks of pleasure through her over and over.Lee’s hands caressing her hair before wrapping the length of her tresses around his fist and tugging backward.  “Oh, Little One, look at you on him. Look how well you took all of him into you,” he panted as she looked down on both of them. “She’s so tight,” Benedict groaned happily as he looked up at them through hooded eyes. He groaned as Alexi gave a twist of her hips and then froze so close to the precipice she couldn’t even breathe for fear she would fall over it. Lee tightened his hold on her hair as he watched her, “such a good girl Little One,” he brushed a hand over the top of her head and down towards her neck.  “You’re doing so good not to give in,” he pressed a kiss into her temple. “I’ll guide you now, sweetheart.” He slipped back slightly from the pair, letting his hand flow through her long silken tresses, calming her. “That’s what you need isn’t it?” He chuckled lightly as he reached into her hair and wrapped it securely around his fist.  “I know what you need, Little One, let me give you what you need.” Lee began to slowly guide her back and forth by the tug and press of his hand in her hair. Benedict gave a loud groan of pleasure at the feel of her walls clenching and unclenching as she moved up and down.  Lee dropped to his knees beside them raining warm kisses over her neck and shoulder. The ghost of his teeth nipping in counterpoint to the kisses as he continued the tugging and pulling. Alexi’s head fell back as she gave herself perfectly over to his will.  She let her body be pushed and pulled as Benedict surged up within her, swept her along, taking her over from the inside out.  The feelings and sensations overwhelmed her rational mind, swamped her soul and stole her mind. She simply let herself be as the tingling and feelings of her orgasm washed through her.She heard in the distance as Benedict gave a loud groan and the wet, warm sensation of something splashing on her hip from Lee’s direction.  As the darkness reached up to take her once more she felt the release of her hair as it fanned out across her back and the sharp grip of hands tightening around her hips. With the exception of the faint music echoing from the other room, silence fell over them like a blanket.  Alexi wasn’t sure how long she was laying on Benedict’s chest, her face in the crook of his neck and her legs still straddling his hips.  It must have been some time but she still protested as she was lifted away.  The room shifted, as broad hands lifted her, adjusted her in solid arms and moved her through the world somewhere.   Through the fuzziness of her lashes, lights from the city created shifting dark shadows across the ceiling before she closed her lids tight. She didn’t want to wake up fully.

Then she was being lowered and she clung tightly to the muscled arms that held until the softness of the bed greeted her. The rustling of the down comforter as it was pulled up to her chest and then a roughly stubbled cheek brushing against hers as pillows were adjusted under her.

“mmm Lee,” she whispered melodically, eyes still closed but knowing it was him anyway.  She reached out for his hand until she found it and pulled on it, expecting the rest of him to follow and join her.  She was disappointed though when simply he squeezed her fingers and slipped away. The sound of hushed voices carried to her in the quiet of the suite.  And while Lee and Benedict triedto be quiet, she was well aware that she was the source of their discord. Unable to break her hazy slumber to ask them to stop, she drifted in the cocoon of comfort and softness that surrounded her until sometime later the tilt of the bed and an arm draped over herbrought them back to her and she could finally let sleep completely overtakeher.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The sound of laughter and glasses clinking almost drowned out the soft music from the piano as the party wound down. People drifted off into small groups or partnered up for the next portion of the evening’s entertainment. While the band had finished its official set a bit ago, the dapper, raven-haired singer had settled behind the piano take personal requests from the engaging, brunette femme fatale perched on top.Cate laughed at Tom, she didn’t believe such an ordinary name captured the full essence of this charismatic man looking up at her with a twinkling smile.  Perhaps she’d call him Ellis if the need arose where she had to refer to him at all on a regular basis.   He could charm the Devil himself, she pondered with a giddy bubble in her chest.  “You are a captivating and I think terrible influence, Mr. Ellis,” she said with a smirk.“Why darling,” Tom gave a flourishing peel of the keys before feinting back and placing a hand over his heart. “Your understanding of the real me wounds me! I had hoped I might fool you a while longer? Say a week or two,” he winked at her before dropping his hands down and drifting them across the keys in a faintly jazz sounding melody.Cate couldn’t help herself and threw back her head in a laugh before wagging her finger at him. “I’m on to you.”She was convinced the evening would be a bust earlier when mid-dance Ryan had stopped, spotting a long-legged, beautiful honey-brown haired woman across the room and high tailed it after her.  It was a humiliating moment. She thought she might cry with the sting to her ego when a warm, low voice behind her whispered in her ear, “what a fool to jilt a beauty like you for a mediocre shiny toy of the night!”Cate looked over her shoulder with a narrow-eyed glance.  Instantly putting up her shields to protect herself from yet another, attractive man who appeared out of nowhere.  As she locked eyes with him, something shifted around her. A sense of change and yet something fitting together as though always meant to be.  Like that little bit of popcorn stuck between your teeth that at long last slipped out.Between one blink and the next, as she turned to face him, the clarity of the moment solidified around his face.  Something froze the air, the light crystallizing around them and the noise of the evening faded away. Time slowed and there was no way to ignore it this time, her long-awaited sign was delivered.   They had answered her request.With the next blink, she inhaled and broke the moment.  Cate looked away, the wind knocked out of her in surprise, but she quickly found her feet. “Well I suppose it’s to be expected?” her voice gave a small quaver of uncertainty.“Only someone so stupid would be so careless,” Ellis said with a restrained growl of disdain toward the careless man.  “If I might have this dance?”Cate looked back, schooling the bewilderment from her face and gave a half smile. Instead of an answer, she took the offered hand and just like that, an arm wrapped around her waist and he spun her into a graceful twirl.  Cate watched him lay her hand on his chest, letting her eyes trace up his neck to his dark eyes, locking onto the face of the actor/singer. The band took a short break and now some soft recorded music playing over the speakers.“He’s a foolish man, with little attention for what is in front of him, it would have been a poor night of pleasure for you,” he stared into her eyes with a sober expression and she sensed the acumen in those words.  “May he be unable to find pleasure for himself or anyone as the punishment for abandoning such a lovely woman as you.” Ellis gave a small bow of his head but his eyes flashed with mischief and a hint of malice.With a shift of her shoulders and lift of her chin she spouted, “sounds like someone likes to dip into his character from time to time.”  Her eyebrow lifted into a high arch as she smirked at him, “besides, that seems a rather harsh curse for anyone.”Ellis gave a raucous laugh as he swayed her from side to side, twirling her around once and slowed back to a sway.  “But we both know he deserves it don’t we,” he gazed into her eyes.“Welllll,” she drew out the word as the burn of humiliation returned for a moment.She gave a delicate shrug as she shook it off, “I try not to let the undeserving take up anymore of my time or energy then what is necessary. But yeah maybe a little,” she giggled as she looked up at him through her lashes, “does that make me a terrible person?”“Oh darling,” he purred with a heavy accent. “I don’t expect there is anything you could do to make me regard you as a terrible person.  One as lovely as you, terrible? No. But a bit devious? Oh, I hope so,” and with that he whisked her off and around the room.The next however long, she lost all track of time by then through a blur of songs, dancing and laughter. when Tom went back up to do another set, he settled her in a chair at the side of the stage near the piano. Throwing her loaded looks, winks and more smiles than possible to count, the night sped by until the last set finished and the backing band were packing up.  Cate found herself coaxed up onto the stage then, Tom lifting her with little effort on top of the piano and asking her to pick a song, any song. That turned into the ridiculously talented actor playing some of the most amazing versions of songs she hadn’t even thought he could pull off on the piano. Somehow, he even made the Nickelback song she threw out as a joke sound marvelously classy, much to the entertainment of many lookers-on.A roaring sound filled her head, like wind through a sea cavern, taking all her senses along with it.  Pain slammed into her skull, piercing her mind with lightning quick speed and then gone. It left her impressions so vague and yet she felt as though she should know what was told and shown to her.   A windswept beach.  A jagged rocky cliff.  An empty club. All overlaid with that roaring whisper. There were words.   Words she should know and conversations she should remember but, in this moment, nothing more than a jumbled blur.  “Darling?”  Ellis looked up at her with a frown.  “Are you all right?”Cate’s head fell forward as she shook off the after effects of the vision.  Blinking rapidly to clear her mind but still jumbled, off center, out of sorts. “Umm, yeah,” she pushed out through lips numb from the pain.“Cate,” Tom leaned up, putting a hand on her knee as he tried to catch her eyes with his.  “I don’t think,” he stopped as she met his eyes.“I’m fine, really,” she smiled as she dropped her hand down on top of his.  It was like a bucket of cold water washing over her when he touched her. She found she didn’t want to let him go as he anchored her to reality and the pain was subsiding.He still looked skeptical but left her hand under hers as he settled back on the piano bench, putting his other hand on top of hers.  “It’s getting late, love. Maybe we should consider calling it a night?”Cate blinked in surprise at his consideration but shrugged it off, “It’s nothing.  Honest. Just a-,” she waved her free hand airily. “Well I don’t know what, but it’s gone now,” she gave a wide lively smile.Tom tilted his head and raised his eyebrow at her, “well if you’re sure.  Who am I to not take a lady at her word?” He winked at her before giving her knee a squeeze and pulling back, “perhaps though, come down here where you’re closer and I can catch you if something were to happen again.”Helping her to slip down off the piano, he settled her beside him and after a moment let his fingers dance across the keys once again.  The tinkling melody chimed away in the background and it should have driven her a bit crazy but instead it seemed to settle over her, calming her frayed nerves.  It was a pleasant, somewhat familiar tune but she couldn’t put her finger to it.  Honestly, she didn’t want to, she found she only wanted to enjoy the moment and let it wash over her.A realization caught her then and Cate paused looking around in shock. She sudden ly that she hadn’t seen or thought of her two friends all night!  She’d been so caught up in her excitement over meeting Tom Ellis that she forgot how important this evening was!   How much there was to do!  So much to make sure happened no matter the cost. A cough from beside her caught her attention, and she looked over to Tom who was watching her with a small smile, “they both left early. Sorry I assumed you realized.”Cate frowned, that wasn’t like her friends to just up and leave with her.  They weren’t like that. Not to mention her forgetting about them when tonight was such an important night!
Who had they left with?  Why had they left her? And why hadn’t she realized anything was happening?
Her head tilted to the side as she eyed the actor.  A familiar melody came from the piano she couldn’t quite put her finger on made her pause when her thoughts drifted away from her once more.  Pressing her nails into her palm, she noticed the odd heaviness lift and her eyes went wide in realization.“I put a spell on you, darling,” Tom hummed among to the melody and she recognized the song from a commercial she’d heard recently.“Aren’t you funny, Mr. Ellis,” she gave a forced laugh concerned that perhaps that was exactly what happened.   But that was ridiculous, he’s an actor.  While he may pretend to be the Devil that didn’t mean he was, she chastised herself. Besides, if that were the case then two could play at that game. While the tinkling of the piano continued in the background, Cate fought against something she hadn’t felt in many years. The sense of another bending her mind to theirs was something long left to her novice days though she’d never experienced it on a level like this.  It made her reconsider the man, the actor, in front of her. Staring into those penetrating eyes, a sense of something large, and expanding, felt as though it were reaching for her. Blinking, her eyes going wide with curiosity, “perhaps you have.”Her body remained relaxed as she turned towards him, her mind spun back over the evening and she wanted to smack herself. From the moment they first met in the hotel lobby there had been something different, some intangible pressure.  No, pressure was the wrong word, she mused . No this was a vibration, a frequency that seemed to move and shift around everyone sliding in and out.  Like a dowsing rod searching for water and at the moment it touched her, it hummed to life. “There was a notification chime on your phone earlier,” Tom whispered, snapping her out of her thoughts.  “Perhaps they sent you a text?”She realized that her phone was sitting ahead of her on the piano and it surprised her to see it there.  She must have been lost in her own thoughts. Under his spell, a small voice in the back of her mind whispered. Reaching out her hand, the flash of pale flesh made her pause, something tickling once more in the back of her head.  
Long skeletal fingers in the pale moonlight, a silver knife flashing bright in the night.
But before she chased more of the image and what it might mean, it evaporated like smoke in the wind.  Wrapping her fingers around her phone and lifting it, she locked eyes with the man beside her. He gave her a slow, toothy smile, and she smiled back in answer but it was, off, different.“You’re dwelling too much on this,” he said, his voice low and melodic.   Hypnotic! And wasn’t that an odd and random musing?   She almost wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of the moment, here was an actor who played Lucifer, acting rather like the Devil himself.  And yet this wasn’t the Lucifer of the show, that Devil was more charming playboy and this, her thoughts trailed off on her.“What would make you speculate words written by another would accurately reflect the personality of the Devil?”  Ellis gave a quiet chuckle.Cate felt as though they had been having a conversation and she forgotten the first half as she considered his dark eyes.  “Well you seem to like taking on his affectations,” she raised her eyebrow at him in challenge. “If you aren’t pretending to be the Devil, then who are you?”The soft tinkling of the keys stopped on a minor chord at that question.  He leaned toward her, his hands dropping to rest of his legs and his head cocked to the side. “Who do you think I am?”A breathlessness took Cate, and she found that she couldn’t answer.  Blinking at him, unable to grasp that this was a conversation taking place out loud.  She didn’t even know how to start a reply to that question and was so very unlike her, it left her shaken as she stared at him.  Ellis gave a bark of laughter at that and straightened his shoulders with a firm clap of his hands. “Oh love, you are fun. Now then, might I entice you to have a quiet drink with me back at the hotel?”The loud clap startled Cate out of her stupor and from one blink to the next she felt as if she’d woken from a dream.  “A drink? Why sir, of course I would,” she said with a coquettish smile and he helped her down from her perch. Looking down at her phone she had the sensation she needed to do something but couldn’t remember what that was.Looking up to Tom, she gave a puzzled frown, and he smiled brightly at her.  “I wonder if your friends could use a little proof you’re all right for the night,” he gave a wink and twirled her. With her back against his chest, he wrapped one arm around her waist and with the other, took control of her phone. Opening the camera up and tapping it with his thumb to flip to front camera, he dropped his head down towards her ear, “now say ‘The Devil Made Me Do It’ , Love.”Snapping a few shots with little difficulty, Ellis then opened the group chat, attached the pic and typed a quick message.  All this took mere seconds and Cate was too stunned to do more than be a bystander to the action. “Drinks?” Ellis gave a cocky half smile down at the stunned brunette and he put her phone back into her hand.“Oh yes, umm sure drinks,” Cate’s head spinning from the whirlwind of the moment. It was closing in on three in the morning and Cate couldn’t sleep.  Three in the morning. The witching hour. Her mind was a maelstrom of thoughts and images and tangled emotions. This trip was supposed to be something magical and, in a way, you could say it was. But, what kind of magic? And how had she gone so far off course from her intended plan? Cate struggled to find a comfortable spot in the unfamiliar bed as she flopped over with a huff.  Try as she might the bed was still too large, too empty and her swirling thoughts still clung to her.   And wasn’t that the surprise to trump all surprises!  Tom Ellis. Tom Ellis??! How the hell did that happen? And why, why the hell did he have to be such a damned handsome, charismatic bastard of a gentleman?! Flipping over to her other side, she saw Tom’s watch sitting on the side table along with his cufflinks.  He dropped them there before giving her a toe curling kiss and leaving her the bed while he took the couch .  How the fuck was that real?  She knew he was interested in her, oh ho there was no question of that!  He’d made it quite clear over the hour or more of heavy necking and petting, how much he was interested in her. But then that bastard pulled the gentleman card, swept her into his bed and left her alone! That was not how this was supposed to go!  And yet there was a part of her, the rational, not sexually frustrated part of her, that found it charming as hell!  A part of her she firmly continued to tell to fuck off. Geoffrey wouldn’t have done that.   That thought stopped her cold in her tracks.  That voice in the back of her head she had spent the last several years having long, in depth and soul crushing arguments with, reared its ugly head in the dark of the night. Geoffrey would have shagged her stupid before they even left the elevator.  Oh, who is she kidding! That ass would have screwed her in the bathroom, given her a backhanded compliment and still convinced her she was meant to come back to his place, after.
Geoffrey.
The whole reason she’d put this plan in motion in the first place.  And somehow it backfired and now she was with Tom Ellis? But is that such a bad thing?   Another voice whispered.   Wouldn’t you rather have something good, something rewarding instead of punishing the one who had hurt you over and over again? Cate sat up with a gasp, staring around her in the dark, eyes scanning the shadows in the corners as her heart pounded in her chest.   That voice.  That voice reminded her of the ‘shaman’ she’d met in Colorado.  The one who had ‘shown’ Cate a way to have what she wanted. The one who had helped her plan and set things into motion.  Never once had the ‘shaman’ discouraged her from seeking a way to get Geoffrey back and to make sure he never left her again.  The image of the jagged rock facing sprang to Cate’s mind, and she groaned dropping her head in her hands.  Of course, that was where they had met to perform the first ritual. Cate could see the wind swept rock face as clear as if she were standing in the desert again. The open sky filled with all the stars of the Universe, clearly visible even with the roaring bonfire, thanks to the lack of civilization around them.  The ‘shaman’ standing in tattered layers of clothes and robes looking like they had just stepped out of some child’s grim fairy tale.It was ridiculous in the light of day and yet, Cate had felt it so strongly in her soul, that any sacrifice was worth getting back her one true love, she continued on with the plan and followed every instruction and step the old ‘shaman’ had uttered. She’d performed the two additional rituals with each of the new moons and made sure she set the talismans up in both Alexi’s and Constance’s apartments. She’d even dosed both of them that night with the special potion the ‘shaman’ had given her.And yet now, she sat on Tom’s bed, not Geoffrey’s. She had Tom’s attention, not Geoffrey’s. Why? She’d asked for Geoffrey damn it!   Cate had wanted to make him come back to her, on his knees, to repent for all the anguish and hurt and every little thing that bastard had done to make her feel less of the strong woman she was.  There was nothing more she wanted than to hold his heart in her hands - figuratively or literally with some preference to the former - and make sure that there was never a chance he could walk away again.  He was supposed to feel that way she felt every time that fool chased after some younger, prettier, little bimbo. He was supposed to realize what he had thrown over every time he hurt her and walked away. That’s what she’d wanted.And the ‘price’, her sacrifice, for that power to reclaim her love back, had seemed ridiculously simple. The ‘gods’ didn’t even ask Cate to give up something of herself as she would have expected from her past teachings and experiences.  Long years of practicing magic had shown Cate many things, some incredible, some disappointing. It was like anything in life, if you gave it enough of your faith and self then there was a good chance you could get what you wanted out of it.No instead, according to the ‘shaman’, she was to give Alexi and Constance to them, ‘the gods’.  And in return ‘the gods’ would be happy to give Cate, her heart’s desire, her true love. Even now Cate gave a small snort of laughter at how easy a sacrifice it was to make.  ‘ Give them to the gods.’ What did that mean?  It was ambiguous at best but considering she hadn’t been told to perform a Blood Sacrifice and the ‘shaman’ hadn’t given her some gory ritual instruments, she didn’t need to concern herself with the minor details.   Why sweat the small stuff, she shrugged.  And the energy behind a sex ritual would be powerful enough to give her what she wanted.  Or at least she had thought so before she realized she wasn’t getting her Geoffrey back. But is that such a bad thing?   The ‘shamans’ voice whispered again.   Couldn’t it be possible they have rewarded you with something far greater than a mere mortal fool?  You asked for your heart’s desire, your true love. They granted your request. Cate bolted upright in bed, staring in shock, into the darkened corner for several long minutes.  Nothing more came to her though it was as if her were an empty cavern, hollowed out and blown clean by the winds.   You asked for your heart’s desire, your true love. They granted your request. It was then she realized that while she had wanted Geoffrey, that his image had haunted her for years and drove her to this point, never once had she mentioned his name to the shaman. She had never once specifically stated her heart’s desire was Geoffrey. These ‘gods’ had rewarded her?  H er frustration and indignation rose with that thought.   They’d taken her vague request and handed her, what? Tom Ellis? They thought he was her heart’s desire?!  Why? And yet, chimed in her rational side of again, he was a charming gentleman bastard, who was a very, good, kisser.  He’d treated her kindly when he could have easily taken what he wanted and called it a night, much as Geoffrey had done for years to her. Ah fuck off brain , she sulked with a flop back on the bed.  “This is why you always read the contract word for word, Cate.”Giving up on sleep, the brunette threw herself out of bed. Making her way to the door she eased it open to peek out into the living room area where the actor was stretched out on the couch.  There was just enough light to see that his dark hair artfully tousled over his pale face from the balcony window but not so much as to disturb his sleep.She made her way over to him, settling onto the coffee table next to the couch and stared at him.   He was handsome that was no lie .   But he wasn’t -, she put a stop to that thought. Apparently, she would have to accept the fact that her days of chasing after Geoffrey were over.  The Universe had given her an upgrade.  Reaching out her hand but stopping just before her fingers touched him, Cate gave a shuddering inhale as she trailed her hand over his shoulder and down his arm. Naturally, Alexi and Constance would be happy about her and Tom , she gave an unflattering twist of her lips at that thought.   Of course, they would, they’d hated Geoffrey from the start.  So yeah, they’re gonna be thrilled she’d landed herself a handsome, engaging, actor. And they will expect that she slept with him too , she almost sighed as she pulled back and wrapped her arms around her waist.She wasn’t sure how she would explain that they hadn’t though.   It’s not like she was a shrinking violet like Constance. She was a take what she wanted type of woman, she didn’t sit around waiting for her prince to ride in to save her day like that dreamer Alexi.  No, she was no damsel, she took her pleasure when she wanted it and who she wanted it from. Which left her in a spot now. There was no way to explain not sleeping with Ellis that didn’t make her look like a failure. Especially considering she was positive that the other two women would have slept with their dates.  And if they did it, then there was no way she couldn’t and not hear the end of it, particularly from Constance, that brat.  Cate almost growled out loud at that idea and she stood in a rush, striding away from the sleeping actor to the window.   Not to mention-, she stopped as she stared blankly out at the night.   She didn’t complete the ritual. Oh gods, she didn’t complete the ritual. If the girls had sex with their intendeds but she didn’t, then the ritual wasn’t complete. And if the ritual wasn’t complete, what exactly did that mean for her end of the bargain? It was like she had been dunked in ice water with that realization.Looking back over her shoulder to the couch, she blinked in surprise at the possibility she might have to give him up already.  It didn’t matter she had been arguing with herself for the better part of an hour about how he was never her intended to begin with, now that she might lose Tom, she didn’t want to.  Spinning back around to the window, she fought to get her breathing back under control and calm herself.Calming both her mind and body, she set herself to listening. If she didn’t sleep with him and the ritual wasn’t completed on her end, was the spell broken? She tried to calmly repeat over and over in the night, both wanting and dreading a reply.  But all that greeted her was silence. Right, fine, she thought.   But what was the point of all this if it was broken?  Why have these memories, these ‘responses’ earlier if the spell was broken then? Why would she be forced to accept this change to her plan if it was simply to fall away to dust with the morning light? Right?   The night remained calm. Fine!  Then I will take that as an answer, she snarled up at the darkness. “And you better keep up your end,” she hissed quietly.So, that decided. Her next thoughts were of what to do about her friends.  She needed something, something that would shut them up and give her time to finally get him to sleep with her.  Eyes wandering sightlessly over the city as she tried to think of something, she shivered slightly in the cool air that rippled off the glass. And then it came to her, spinning back around she bit her lip as she studied the sleeping man again.   Oh yeah this was perfect, she told herself with a definitive nod.  Moving quickly back into the bedroom, she snapped up her phone and swiped it open to the settings and turning off the sounds to her phone.  Next Cate brought up the other app that her business partner Alfie had turned her onto last year that allowed her to kill off the shutter sound on her camera app.  Smiling to herself, she selected night filming mode on her camera to also help to keep from waking Tom as she eased back to the living room again.Pausing to make sure he was still asleep, Cate dropped beside him and eased her arm up over his, curling it around his chest.  Arranging her arms so that her very distinctive bracelet was visible, she lined up the shot to show the bottom of his jaw, down his bare chest and then their arms. Quickly snapping several photos, she eased herself back and away from him.She held her breath for a few heartbeats and waited to make sure he still slept before hurrying back to the bedroom and gently closed the door once more.  Falling back on the bed with a hand over her mouth, she fought back the adrenaline rush laugh that tried to escape. Checking her phone, she held it over her head as she scrolled back over the pictures, finding one she liked the most and with a huge smile added it to the group chat.  Perfect.As the adrenaline ebbed from her, for the first time all night Cate welcomed the call of sleep.  With a stretch and a yawn, she set her alarm, crawled under the blankets again and let sleep claim her.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

SUNDAY
Constance rolled over glaring at her phone as it blared its obnoxious wake up call.  With a groan, she finally stopped the beeping and flopped back onto her pillow face first.  She froze as a warm hand trailed up her hip across her back and over her shoulder, into her hair.“Morning,” rumbled the rough and lightly accented voice behind her.A soft squeak escaped her as he slipped fingers under her head and cradled it in the palm of his hand, turning her onto her side so she faced him as his other hand traveled over her belly and around her waist to wrap her up.  “I’m still asleep,” she whispered as she looked into the sleep heavy eyes of Karl.“Then I never want to wake,” he replied with a slow smile.  Before she said anymore he quickly twisted them and she was now laying under him as he bracketed his arms around her head. “I’m done with my obligations as of last night, I don’t have any plans for the day. What is your day like?” He lifted one of the shoulder length coppery section of her hair between his fingers and watched it cascaded out over his arm.Though he pretended deep concentration in that, she easily spotted the sliver of hazel that peeked at her from under his lashes and she thought her heart might explode at the cuteness of the moment.  Her shock ebbed as she remembered everything that had happened the night before and she couldn’t help but smile, relaxed and most certainly comfortable.  Though, his question caught her off guard and reminded her she had left her two friends’ last night to run off with Karl.“Hey now,” Karl looked down at her directly now, games pushed aside at her distress.  “What’s wrong?”Constance’s eyes were wide with worry. “I went off last night and left Cate at the theatre without even telling her where I was going.  She was all alone and, and-.”Karl dropped a finger over lips to stop her ballooning ramble.  “Hey, it’s all right. I hope you don’t mind but I borrowed your phone while you were changing last night,” he gave a half smile at the surprised expression on her face. “I set my thumb the other night in the bar.” The Kiwi chuckled at her indignant squeak of protest. “I told you I didn’t need you to add me,” he dropped his head and looked up at her through his lashes.  “I didn’t think you were serious,” Constance stared at him wide eyed.  “Why would you want to, I don’t, I mean, sure you,” she stammered and stopped, pressing her lips tightly together.“I didn’t do it for anything nefarious I swear,” he breathed, brushing his fingertips across her temple and down the round of her face. “I was, I admit deeply entertained by the chat you girls had going on.  And I swear I read nothing beyond Friday night.” Looked down into her face, his hazel eyes seemed to change from brown to a light coppery color and back to brown as he watched her closely.“There was something,” he continued, “Friday night when we were sitting there and you couldn’t seem to get more than two words out until you talked about your work.  I realized in that moment I wanted to know more about you.  I wanted to make sure I could get to know more and so I saved my print into your phone.  Along with my contact info too,” he smiled softly at her.Constance couldn’t help but return his smile.  It was odd sure what he’d said and what he’d done but she felt his honest sincerity.  He had meant no harm by it and it was rather endearing that as soon as Friday he wanted to be part of her life. “All right, I’ll forgive you this time,” she said with a huff and a roll of her eyes.“You can delete me if you want,” he said solemnly.  “From the reader that is! The rest I’m hoping you’ll keep though,” he rushed to add quietly.“Well now, I have to keep you,” she said with a burst of laughter as she wrapped her arms around him for a moment.  “Right?” she blushed when she realized how that might sound.“Yes, you do,” he waggled his eyebrows at her and butterflies threatened to take over her insides by force.  “So, what did you do last night and what did you find when you snooped through our chat then?” she laughed at his sheepish grin.  “So, I sent Alexi and Cate a message to let them know you were ok and well,” he paused a moment remembering something before rolling his eyes. “I’ll let you find that response from Cate.”Constance groaned and flushed red as she tried to cover her face. “Oh, gawd I’m not sure I want to know,” she had to give a huff of laughter as he leaned comically to the side trying to see around her hands.  “No, no, she got back to the hotel fine, she said.  But she said that she’ll have words for you later,” he chuckled as she continued to hide from him. When he caught her eyes once more, his grin was wide and his eyes were dancing. “I’ll leave the rest for you to read, or should I say see,” he winked. “I have to preserve some of my innocence,” he chuckled loudly as she suddenly grabbed the pillow from beside her head and smacked him with it.“Oh ow! You wound me, woman,” he moaned dramatically rolling away to the side but easily taking her with him until she was straddling him.“Innocence? Yeah, I’m not that gullible,” Constance laughed as she lay forward on him so she could prop her head on her arms and gaze down on him.Karl reached up to push her hair back and cupped her face, “so you didn’t answer we. What are you up to today? Plans?”“Oh, um well,” she stumbled over her words slightly blushing at his touch and the thoughts it prompted. “Well, I’m supposed to have a couple photo ops and an autograph at the convention,” she trailed off as she realized today was their photo and auto sessions for Lee.   They had bought the photo op’s months ago and now after the last two nights, what exactly did that mean?  He had run off with Alexi last night along with Benedict, she remembered.  A heavy warmth flushed through her at the memory of The Elevator.“Huh,” she mumbled, brushing the recollection off as she caught Karl staring at her with twinkling eyes and his damned eyebrow cocked at her. “You, you stop that right now.” She couldn’t hold back the giggle that bubbled up. “My life is crazy,” she said, with a shake of her head.  She leaned forward into the fingers that were still stroking the side of her face. “Today was our ‘Lee Day’,” she sputtered out. “And Tom’s panel. But, I mean I don’t have-,” his finger dropped over her lips.“Don’t be silly, you paid good money for all of this,” Karl said with a small frown. “What would you say,” he looked a bit nervous but pushed on.  “What if I came along? With you that is,” he added with a tilt of his lips. “I’ll carry your bags and whatever and we can spend the day together?”“You’d really want to do that?” Constance looked at him shocked. “You’d want to spend your day trooping around a crowded conventional hall with me?”“Yes. I would. I enjoy these things and I would like to spend time with you. So yes, if you would let me join you I’d love to spend the day beside you at the convention.”“What about the crowds?  Fans?  Won’t that cause problems?  It’s not like you’d blend in.” Constance felt her mind whirling with excitement, nerves and a lot of mixed emotions.  But the opportunity to spend more time with him was not something she would turn down.“Well, it’s funny you mentioned trooping. I’m thinking more Mandalorian than Trooper.  I think I’d blend in just fine.” he winked at her.“Mandalorian,” she puzzled out loud and her eyes went round.  “You-,” she blinked at him and flashed him a beaming grin.“That is if you wouldn’t be embarrassed?” He gave her a sly smile and a lift of the eyebrows again!“No,” she shook her head excited. “Though perhaps a slight change in my outfit might be needed,” she mumbled to herself as she rolled off him and headed for the edge of the bed.“Wait, wait, where are you going,” he grumbled into her neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against him.“So much to do and that was my late alarm,” she looked over her shoulder at him. “I still need to get back to my room and get my clothes.  And you,” she looked pointedly around the room. “Unless you have you armor in stealth mode?” She looked back at him with a smirk, “you still have a call to make.  And I’m sure he’s already starting his very busy day as well.”“But I thought we could have a little more fun time,” he winked at her and she almost gave in. In fact, she wasn’t certain where her willpower not to just roll back in beside him was coming from.  Perhaps she was just that excited to see him in that bounty hunter costume.“Nope. Naked fun times are for later,” she slipped out of his arms.  Then froze, suddenly uncertain she should assume something like that. “Please?” She looked away with a furious blush.  The warm laugh behind her had her peeking over her shoulder. “Most definitely,” he rumbled as he caught her eye. “Now you have things to do, you said?”Constance nodded quickly grabbing up a T-shirt that had been tossed on the chair beside his bed and quickly pulling it on, “you don’t mind, do you?”  Glancing over at him as she pulled it down over hips, letting it drop around her thighs. She had to laugh as he dramatically flopped backward on the bed draping a hand over his eyes.“Woman,” he growled.  “Out with you now before I make you change your mind,” he peeked out from under his hand at her, eyes twinkling. “And I don’t mind at all but you’re going out there in only that?”Constance had just draped her dress over arm and looked back over at him as she bent carefully down towards her shoes. “You’re next to the stairs.  I can be crazy sometimes but that’s not my brand of crazy!” She snorted, tucking her shoes into the crook of her arm. Besides, I’m two floors down so easy trip.” She halted, “at least I hope it is.” Frowning slightly, “well it shouldn’t be a problem right or am I missing something?”Karl pushed himself out of bed a smirk on his lips, “no you’re right you should be fine. But just to be safe,” he reached into a bag and pulled out a pair of track pants. “This completes the outfit nicely don’t you agree?”  He winked at her as she grabbed the pants and quickly pulled them on as her face flamed bright red. “Thanks,” she wouldn’t look at him suddenly embarrassed and unsure.  She began to wonder what her ratio of blushing versus normal skin tone was around him.   Did he even know what her normal complexion was at this point? Warm hands wrapped around her shoulders, turning her to face him and pulling her against his chest. “Hey, this isn’t the end,” voicing the unspoken thought had been hanging in the air. “We’re just getting started, I promise you that,” his voice a soothing rumble in his chest as her hands wrapped around his waist and gripped tightly.“I want that. A lot,” she whispered. “But I might need to hear that a few more times,” she kept her face buried against his chest.“I’m happy to repeat myself.” He said before running his hands up her back and cupping her shoulders for one more squeeze. Then stepping back just slightly he spun her around towards the door. “Now room number?” He leaned over her shoulder.“6210,” she said with a laugh as she dipped down to scoop up her bundle that had fallen to the floor during the hug. Headed across the living area to the door she was fighting the slipping clothes in her hands as he reached around her and opened the door for her.  “Expect your escort in an hour,” he rumbled as he held the door open for her so she easily slipped through.  “An hour?!! Then I have got to get moving,” her voice distracted as she muttered the list of things she needed to complete to herself.“Hey,” he caught her arm as she stepped into the hallway.  With a look back at him distracted and with a raised eyebrow, Karl dropped a kiss on her lips. “See you shortly,” he smiled softly at her.  She paused looking up at him a huge grin on her face for a long moment before turning back toward the stairwell door. She heard him on his phone as she pulled the door open, “yeah, hey Tom, I need a favor mate.” ~^~^~ “Anyone here?” Constance called out as she pushed open the door.  The stillness of the silence that greeted her was all the reply she required.  She shrugged as the door slid shut behind her.  She hadn’t expected anyone to be there, but it remind her she needed to check something as she dropped her things on the end of the bed and dug around for her phone quickly.Swiping it open, she cackled with glee at the sight that greeted her.  Karl had left it open to the message app and there was a wide eyed and happy Cate staring up into the phone camera with the handsome raven-haired actor wrapped around her from behind, she was pretty sure his arm was around her waist as the other was holding the phone high up.  His chin nestled into her shoulder as his lips pursed into a kiss he was giving right behind her ear.  The wicked delight in his eyes hinted he knew a look of shocked delight graced Cate’s face.Scrolling up she saw that someone (Karl thankfully) had texted to the group chat she was with him around midnight.  Followed shortly after by the picture of her up on top of a piano, her head thrown back in laughter (most definitely not taken by her). Then sometime around two AM Cate (at least she thought it was her) had texted that she was happy for them both but there would be words in the morning since she wasn’t coming back to the room either.Constance has to give a happy giggle though when she scrolled to the next photo to find another one of the two taken snuggled up together looking innocent.   Ha! Yeah not buying what you’re selling there Cate!   However, she could admire the long arms on the handsome devil of an actor, cause that was a nicely framed selfie.   It was the final reply to the chat that had her doing a happy dance though, one final snap was the most current in their chat.  T aken a good hour and a half later, of the pair in an obviously much more private and intimate setting now that she was looking at it closer. And in typical Cate fashion it showed the pair curled up together in what Constance was sure was a very blissful afterglow. Finally looks like we can close the door on that asshole Ex! Thank the Universe on that! She thought with a sense of profound relief.All right then enough of that ! Constance thought with a mental shake before dropping her phone on the bed and rushing to get herself cleaned up.  ‘ Clock’s ticking,’ she told herself. Just as she was about to step over the threshold of the bathroom, a new chime sounded but the petite redhead decided a hot shower was more important at that moment.A dark part of her mind that had been quiet for the night woke up and whispered sinisterly that hopefully it wasn’t Karl coming to his senses and telling her he wasn’t coming after all.   Shaking off that thought, she forced herself into the shower and ignored the whisper.Twenty minutes later, Constance stepped out of the steaming bathroom wrapped up in a fluffy towel and spotted the phone laying on the bed. Snatching it up with a heavy sigh she swiped it open.
OMFG Group Message:

Alexi:  Dang. Cate is taking risque pics with Lucifer.  FuckingUrban is responding on behalf of Constance.  I’m just going to sit here having tea by myself in our room while my friends of questionable repute flounce around Chicago.

Alexi:  Hoes.

Cate:  Wait. Are you serious right now?  You are alone?? What about last night?

Alexi:  …

Cate:  I can’t tell if you’re serious right now.  We will have to talk. You better have gotten laid.

Alexi:  I’m just imagining FuckingUrban reading all this right now.  I hope he’s amused and not horrified.
Constance gave a chuckle as she typed a quick response.  Her friend must have been looking at her phone because the response came almost instantly.
OMFG Group Message:

Constance:  You’re here in the room?  Hiding under something because I don’t see you.

Alexi:  Shit. WHERE AM I THEN?!

Constance: haven’t we talked about this? Really missy strange men and strange rooms = stranger danger *winking emoji*
A quick glance to the clock on the bedside and Constance piped out a groan of protest.. Time was running out, and she still had to get her hair done, makeup on, and oh yeah! Get dressed!  Tossing her phone to the bed she made quick work of drying off and putting lotion on. Giggling she spotted the bruise on her hip and stopped to let her fingers glued across it once and then twice that’s a fingerprint.  That’s *his* fingerprint, the air whooshing out of her as her lips curled up in surprise. Holy Mother of Hotness!   She’d slept with Karl MotherF-ing Urban!  And he now he wants to spend the day with her. Fuck! This has to be a dream, she thought.  Pinching her arm, she frowned as it hurt really bad.   Nope still dreamin’ , she emphatically declared. She froze in place as the overwhelming realization of what had happened last night; she slept with Karl!. S he had freely and willing given herself to him and she had enjoyed it, a lot.   The preaching of her zealot father tried to rise up but she quickly shut that down.   She very much enjoyed last night and she *really* hoped that they would repeat it, soon and maybe often?! Which lead her quickly to the feelings and the fact she could easily develop them for him! That thought screeched through her mind and she had to grab the chair next to her to keep from falling over.No! She couldn’t develop feelings for him, because she was already developing feelings, she realized.  All the air left her lungs and she could feel the cold wash of panic crawl up her back and over her shoulders.  Shallow breaths escaping her lips. Oh god she was already falling for him, how could she be that stupid?!  NO! No, none of that! They just met, and she was nothing more than some little fan getting way more than she could have dreamed!  This was a weekend fling and getting feelings for him, now, that was stupid! Stupid. Stupid. Stupid! The hiss of those words made her nauseous, and she had to dig her short nails into the fabric of the chair as she wrestled for control of herself.Shaking her head, and finally pushing those thoughts away, she grabbed up her dress and headed back to the bathroom. If she considered this all a dream, refused to look at the thoughts and feelings about the night, then she could do this.   Since it was a dream, then she could just relax and enjoy it because reality sucks and there was no way this was real.  So yeah. Enjoy it. Every minute and then come Monday when she woke up she would deal with whatever came. Resolute, she pulled on her black sheath gown, and wondered if she should change things up a little since she suspected that Dream!Karl had called Tom Hiddleston to borrow Dream!Tom’s rumored Boba Fett outfit.   And there!   There was another bit of proof that this was a dream. A very realistic dream but still a dream.  I mean, why would Tom have his Boba Fett armor when he’s working the convention, and it’s not like everyone didn’t know he had worn that years ago to wander around a convention thanks to an interview.  I mean that wasn’t a reality that was a dream, her brain making up some wonderful images to keep her happy. Yeah. Dream. Ok then, back to getting ready. Looking around she spotted the jewelry case that Alexi had pointed her at after they arrived on Friday.  As she made her way to it, she stopped, seeing the small bottle of essential oils that Cate had sprayed on her to help with keeping her calm yesterday.  Her eyes went wide, and she gave a cry of relief, quickly grabbing it up and giving two spritzes to her hands and inhaling the scent.  A sense of calm quickly settled over her and she continued to breathe in the fumes slowly and evenly.  As she dropped her hands after a few more inhales Constance gave a happy hum and stood still enjoying the quiet calm of her mind again.   Right, gotta finish getting ready girly , she thought and dropped the bottle back on the bedside table and took the box back to the mirror.Sifting through the many pieces, she tried to find something that could really make her look perhaps more alien Princess/Queen than the inspired elf she originally planned and gave a squeal of glee.  Carefully lifting out the tiara of ruby red crystals set in a soft gold band, Constance turned it this way and that as she looked it over trying to decide how she wanted to wear it.It wasn’t a typical Alexi piece that was for sure which made her think Alexi had picked it up because she thought it would work for one of her friend’s cosplay at some point.  Turning to the mirror Constance looked at her damp hair with a frown and put the tiara down, grabbing up her brush and the hair dryer and got to work smoothing it down and straight.  Satisfied with the more elvish styling to her shoulder length hair, she pulled out the elf ears that were waiting in their container and glued them on.Smiling brightly as she smoothed the hair back in place, Constance then tried to remember everything her friends had desperately tried to teach her over the years about makeup. She felt in the end that she did a decent job, rimming her eyes in thin black cat eye style and adding a gold shadow that seemed to sparkle in the morning light, she took up the tiara again.Turning it upside down so that the jewels looked to be hanging from the band down onto her forehead, she settled it in her hair with a smile.  Quickly grabbing up several hairpins, she gave a twist of her head to one side then the other with a happy clap. Pulling a few scraps of red and gold fabric from her bag she made a quick braid of them and then tied them around her neck for a choker that then draped down the back in long floaty tails.  Pleased with the look Constance was just finishing with her lipstick when a knock on her door made her jump and her stomach flip around.Hurrying over, she opened the door as she called out, “Karl?”A muffled rumble made her laugh as she looked at Boba Fett standing before her.  “Oh! You get in here now!” She tugged his arm, and he lurched forward into the room. Stepping back, she eyed him up and down as he gave a sweeping bow to her.“Well, I’m really hoping you’re Karl under there, cause otherwise this dream is about to take a funny twist.”‘Bobba’ straightened back up and took off his helmet to show he was indeed Karl. “Dream?”“Yep. I’ve decided this is all a dream,” Constance said turning back to the mirror and quickly checking her makeup one last time. Her heart trying to pick up its pace, but with a deep inhale and the hint of her friend’s scent flowing in to her, she calmed and continued.  “My life this weekend is a dream. It’s all just,” she gave an absent wave of her hand. “Well, you know what happens in dreams, stays in dreams right?” she gave a slightly manic giggle that trailed off into a breathy exhale.“Huh,” Karl mumbled as he watched her a few moments.  He looked as though he was about to speak a couple of times but stopped himself, his expression seemed to be one tumbling thought after another, before finally settling on one, a pleasantly bland smile. “Well, let’s enjoy the time we have then.”  He cleared his throat and pulled the mask back down over his face, “Elves,” he said in his best Boba voice. “I’ve heard of your kind. I bet Jabba would pay a hefty bounty for you.”Constance giggled absently, turning from the mirror and satisfied with her preparation for the day.  “Oh, are we going to do actual role play? That’s fun but I don’t think I really know any elvish.”“You have until tonight to figure out how to say ‘yes, Boba, right there!’” Karl said, chuckling to himself as he took her hand in his.  He stood straighter, “come with me, elf. We’re going to the bounty hunter gathering and I’ll find out what you’re worth.”Once downstairs in the lobby, Constance was beyond delighted to spot Alexi waiting just inside the front doors of the hotel, staring at her phone.  She ran over to the blonde in a rush of barely contained glee, knowing she couldn’t gush about everything she wanted to in the limited time they had but the necessity to say something at least was overwhelming.  “Alexi!” Constance whisper shouted as she grabbed hold of her friend’s free hand.  The blonde gave a startled gasp and then sighed when she realized it was Constance.  Looking over her friends shoulder her brow furrowed slightly when Karl nodded to her and then stepped through the doors heading for the SUV.  Alexi looked slowly back at her friend, eyebrow raised in surprised.  “Constance,” Alexi whispered before shifting herself and her friend so no one could see the look on her face as they talked. “Is that Karl-fucking-Boba Fett in that suit?”“Yes,” Constance squeaked, barely keeping it together and had to snap herself out of it before she panicked again.  The redhead slowed her breathing, letting the smile growing her lips as her eyes glazed over momentarily.   When Alexi rapped her on the cheek with her fingertip, she realized she’d zoned out a bit and blinked to refocus, “we’re going to the convention together and cosplaying!  What are you doing?! You’re not all dressed up again.”“OH, there is a big ‘discussion’ about that this morning,” Alexi’s eyes got big as she tilted her head towards the glass lobby doors, where Benedict and Lee were talking outside. As she turned back to her friend, she leaned forward and gave a sniff.  “What is that? Is that the stuff that Cate sprayed on you last night? It’s still going strong after all this time?”Constance shook her head, “what? Oh yeah, I used a little after my shower,” she looked a little wide eyed at Alexi.  “Why? Are you ok?”Constance shook her head sharply and her eyes were unnaturally wide so Alexi dropped that line of questioning and gave a distressed sigh.“This convention girl, I mean,” her hands shot upward but then she quickly dropped them back in front of her.  “Lee’s going because he’s billed today. He wanted Benedict and I to go,” she stopped and gave a significant look to her friend.  “Though,” she gave a heavy sigh. “Maybe he just wants Benedict, honestly, I don’t know at this point. Lee is,” she stopped again flustered her hand rubbing a moment at her temple. “Well, he’s complicated, and it’s been a strange morning. I can‘t tell sometimes if he wants to run screaming at the sight of me or he’s planning ways to dissect my organs and display them in some artwork?!  And then suddenly he’ll stop and give me the sweetest smirk," She shook her head with bewilderment.“Anyway, Ben insists he can’t go to the convention because it would be disruptive and Lee will be busy, so it’s pointless. That makes complete sense, but Lee’s not really seeing it that way,” her hand swayed in the air again only to drop again as she tried to keep her hands still.  “They’re out there arguing. Oh sorry, Benedict calls it discussing things ,” she stopped making air quotes with her fingers.  Her eyes darted back and forth between Constance and the men talking before giving a heavy sigh of frustration again.“Holy shit,” Constance drawled. “So, my imagination about your night is probably right?”  Alexi nodded solemnly, “I don’t think your imagination would touch on it, actually.” She grimaced while a strangled sound attempted to escape her as her emotions were being pulled into thirty different directions.  “Maybe I should use some of that spray of Cate’s it’s just all,” she shook her head though and then grabbed her friend’s hand tightly. “I can’t wait to tell you, honestly. It was fantastic. It’s just right now I’m feeling like a troublesome third-wheel so I’m all over the place in my head.”“Ohhhh,” Constance said, her brow lowering with concern, placing her other hand around the one her friend was clutch and rubbing over it reassuringly. “I’m sure that’s not the case, really.”  She cleared her throat, “you know The Universe-”Alexi gave a little chuckle and shook her head, “no, no.  Don’t get all momma-bear and spiritually deep on me. We will not have the talk of Universal karma, fate, witchy stuff, and whatever else anymore. You know that.  It’ll be fine, one way or the other.  The show must go on,” She painted on a brighter smile and her eyes sparkled with delighted interest for the next question as she lowered her voice. “However, we can talk about what went on with you and Karl mrrrrrph?”Constance shifted happily, barely able to keep her feet in one spot on the floor. “I’d like to say I do not understand what you’re implying. But I do. And oh my god, all right yes, yes we did,” her eyes wide and dilated as flashes of memory from the night before ran across her mind.Alexi gave a delighted chuckle as she reached out and gave Constance’s hand a squeeze of support. “Well, about damn time girl.”Constance gave a smile and was just opening her mouth to how this was their lives now, because seriously how?!  It was taking everything in her to now simply implode at this point, but a shift of light caught her eye and she snapped her jaw closed suddenly.  He was approaching! Her mind screamed. Benedict was approaching!  Her eyes went wide as they darted back and forth between her friend and the tall Brit. She was impressed frankly at how well her friend kept her look of serenity on as Benedict’s hand landed on Alexi’s shoulder.  Always poise under pressure.  Constance peeked around him to see Lee getting into the SUV and Boba waving at her to let her know she needed to join them.“Good morning, Constance,” Benedict nodded to her with a polite but somewhat strained smile. “You look every bit the vision.”Constance giggled despite herself, twirling the bottom of her dress about her ankles and feeling like the most beautiful woman in the world.  “Oh, you!” She said, slapping his arm playfully as she headed toward the door. That was some potent British Charm for sure, she thought as she pulled her thoughts back together and called out over her shoulder. “Take care of her.” -^-^- As she climbed into the SUV, Constance heard a familiar voice from the very back seat, “well it’s about time.” With a laugh and a wave to Cate, Constance also realized Tom Ellis was sitting next to her, and she quickly dropped into her seat beside Karl as a furious blush lit up her face.  “Hey.  I had to make myself pretty!” Constance called back as she buckled herself in as the SUV bolted forward.  She gave a quick peek over her shoulder to see that Cate was leaning against the Lucifer actor as he sat with a wide smile on his face beside her.  Just as she was about to ask how the night had been but when she met her friends’ eyes, Constance immediate snapped her mouth shut. She could see that Cate was stewing on something, despite the bright (fake) she had plastered on.  Spinning back around quickly, she looked towards the front and spotted Lee in the front passenger seat and was surprised to receive a polite nod from him as he looked at both her and Karl.   Woah! That’s some serious mood up there .  She couldn’t help the thought as it crossed her mind although she really hoped it didn’t cross her face too.  Dropping her face to her lap she let her fingers twist around in the fabric of her skirt and tried to keep herself calm, maybe she should have grabbed more of Cate’s spray before she left. The ride was a quick ten-minute blur to the pier, pulling up to an underground private entrance, the door opening when it came to a stop, several security guards in their official uniforms greeted them. The first of which reached out to assist Constance out of the tall vehicle. Her brain swirled with the surrealness of the moment.  She felt like a Rockstar or a famous Hollywood actress.Karl joined her and it was a flurry of activity around them as Cate, Ellis and Lee stepped out as well.  “Follow me, please,” the head of security said. “We’ll take you to the staging area before the first panels and photos.”  He glanced at Karl and Constance, “I can’t say I’m thrilled with what you plan to do but if you run into any issues, our team won’t be far away.”“Yeah, yeah,” Karl said with some irritation. “I told my manager earlier this isn’t necessary.  No one will mess with Boba Fett.”“You know as well as I do there are some crazy ass people out there,” Cate interjected. “Pfft.  I’m not even famous and I know how quickly things can turn,” she crossed her arms as she eyed the pair.  “You, know how they can turn,” she narrowed her eyes at her petite friend.Constance looked nodded at her friend and was about to speak up when suddenly Cate’s arms dropped and she stood straight up as Ellis slowly dropped his arm down her back and settled it around her waist.  The shiver that shook Cates thin frame, followed by the side eye she shoots at the tall actor spoke volumes to Constance about what just happened and she broke out in a wide grin.“She has a point,” Ellis nearly purred with his smooth British accent.  His eyes glued to Cate as he smirked at her. Suddenly looking up as he’d just remembered that there were other people there, he grinned brightly at everyone.  “Isn’t she delightful?”“Yeah, delightful,” Karl grumbled before shaking his head and glancing over Constance. “This way, ELF!  We’re going in!” He lowered the mask back onto his head and grabbed her arm and gave a tug.Constance gave a startled squeak and then couldn’t stop the laughter as she stumbled after him a second later before she straightened her shoulders up and giving him a defiant lift of her chin. “Mercenary,” she hissed with disdain. “Know your place,” then glided off in front of him a few steps before a snort of laughter escaped her and she glanced back over her shoulder at him.  As the pair rounded the corner toward the hallway that would lead towards the main convention entrance, Boba cocked his head towards her and she turned back forward, his hand coming down possessively on her shoulder and they disappeared.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Well then,” Ellis smiled brightly at the rest of the group.  “I think we’d better get moving just in case those two manage to cause some real chaos?”  He smirked down at Cate as he gave a slow caress of her back again, tugging her up against his side.  “Perhaps we can offer a bit of distraction, buy them a little more time,” his eyebrows danced up and down as he looked down at Cate. “Shall we my sweet?”Cate paused suddenly and looked at him with narrowed eyes, “and what exactly is it you had in mind Ellis?”Tom gave a sharp and biting laugh at that, clearly amused.  “Well this time,” he winked. “I thought perhaps we might do a bit of an appearance, I believe there is a balcony?”  He looked over to the security head who gave a reluctant nod.“Oh lovely! That would do quite nicely don’t you think?” He raised his eyebrows at her and Cate swallowed tightly.“That,” she stopped and cleared her throat. “That would all depend on what exactly you were thinking of doing on that balcony?”  She raised a challenging eyebrow at him, her heart thumping a bit harder in her chest.“Oh, don’t worry darling, nothing like that fellow,” his face softened.  “Simply a bit of sight seeing so to speak. Scoping out the terrain as it is,” he gave a bright smile and popped out his elbow. “If the majority of eyes are up for a bit perhaps they can blend into the crowd a little easier.”Cate gave a reluctant nod of her head at the logic. “It might work.”“Don’t worry I shall leave the proclamations of Shakespeare to the expert there.”  The pair turned to see that Tom Hiddleston and Chris Evans were stepping out of the SUV that had just pulled up. “We are merely drawing a few eyes up and away from the love birds that’s all.”  He paused and eyed her, his smile turning a little more predatory and his eyes smoldering with promise that she felt down to her toes. “For now.”The morning had been a bit awkward to say the least and Cate had thought for sure that everything had been a total flop when she first stepped out of his bedroom that morning. Seeing the actor stretching, hair tousled and sleep still more in control that clarity, her heart had given a flutter.  He was even prettier in the morning light and as his head had slowly turned towards her, she could feel a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.  But when his eyes met hers and there was nothing familiar in them for a moment she thought it had all failed. It failed and she had lost everything.Warmth had flooded his eyes though, from one heartbeat to the next and that smile, gods that smile, slid across his face and she breathed. Her fingers twisting unconsciously to sign her thanks as he stood and slowly made his way to her. Stalked his way to her, is more like it, the voice in the back of her head helpful chimed in.“Well aren’t you a vision of loveliness this morning,” he purred as his eyes roamed from head to toe.  “I have been blessed,” he said softly under his breath.  “Though I suppose it’s not something one wants to show off the morning after hmm,” he gave her a wink that made her flush.Before she could open her mouth though, he was sliding past her into the bedroom and she heard the rustling of clothes.  “If you would do me the honor,” he said coming up behind her. “I have a little something you could borrow,” he dropped a kiss on her exposed shoulder and the odd sense of immobility passed.Spinning around she took the bundle of fabric from him and unfurled a T-shirt that made her burst out in laughter.  “Well, well, is this yours or do you pass this out to all the lucky ladies,” she smirked up at him as she held up the shirt in front of her to judge its fit.  “I’ll have you know that’s from my personal collection,” he gave an offended sniff. “I don’t just pass those out to anyone.”She bowed her headslightly as she pulled the fabric towards her. Looking up through her lashes at himher lips curled in a half smile, “thank you Tom.  This is very sweet of you.”  Her eyes danced with unapologetic glee though, there was no way no she was going to back down so soon into this, this, whatever this was.“Yes well, I have a feeling it will suit you nicely,” he smiled toothilyat her, almost as if he knew her thoughts and was more than happy about them. From there it was a blur as Ellis got ready for the morning session, Cate ran up for a change of clothes and finally scurrying downstairs to their ride over.  It was a point of pride and amusement to her that even after waking late and running back and forth from her room to Ellis’ room, she still managed to beat Constance downstairs and into the car.  That girl had no real concept of time, she thought with an exasperated roll of her eyes.“Is there a reason we are waiting here instead of inside?” Hiddleston interrupted Cate’s musings and drew her back to the moment.Lee looked over up from his phone screen and gave Hiddleston a nod of greeting, “they’re debating an entrance to distract from Urban who just headed down onto the floor.”“Is that something that’s necessary?” Hiddleston looked confused between the group and the head of security who was still hovering on the edges.Lee raised his eyebrow with a huff to the Brit before shaking his head with an indifferent shrug. “No.  It’s not.” he said pointedly, not even glancing in Cate and Ellis’ direction. “I’m gonna grab a juice and a moment I think,” he turned toward a small dark haired woman who appeared at his side. “I’m in your hands today?”  When she gave a bright smile, bouncing with barely contained excitement as she nodded. Lee straightened to his full height, gesturing towards the door with hand, “then I’ll follow you.”As he turned to follow her, Tom reached out a hand, not touching but enough to make the larger man pause. “You’ll join us for lunch?”  His face calm but the concern in his voice was clear.Lee tilted his head at the Brit, going still and even quieter as he looked into his face. With a blink Lee’s whole body shifted and he appeared release some of the coiled tension around him. “Yeah. Sure,” that one word seemed more a question then confirmation though.Hiddleston gave a small nod and a huff of a laugh this time as he reached out to the American, he let his long fingers wrap around his shoulder and give reassuring squeeze, “of course.”  He adjusted his glasses with his hand that he’d pulled back. “See you then.  And if you need-,”Lee’s shoulders gave a twitch as if he were about to do or move or something before he sagged to a more normal height. “Yeah, yeah, old man. I’ll send up the flag if I need ya,” his tone was softer, more personable than any of the group aside from Hiddleston had heard to date. With a quick clap of his large hand on Tom’s shoulder he slouched off after his handler. Evans who had also been tinkering around in his phone, paused at the movement and gave a quick look and twitch of his head towards the door to Hiddleston before calling out for the pair to wait up and followed after them. “He’s gonna pout all day isn’t he, the big grumpy face?” Cate said with a sigh as she watched him walk away. She’s watched the interaction between the two surreptitiously, something unsettling her as she watched the ease with which the two interacted.“I’m not sure I’d call it pouting,” Tom Hiddleston turned toward her with a thoughtful look on his face. “He’s rather uncomfortable at these things. Still not sure of his place in all of it I think. But then he’ll try quite hard to hide it from the fans,” bright eyes studied her from behind the flashing lenses of his glasses.“Oh yeah I’m sure,” Cate tried to wave Tom’s apparent worry away. “It’s just,” she tapped a finger against her lips a moment. “He seems like a good guy. Under all that broody, frowny,” she waved her hand toward her forehead. “Ya know.”Tom gave a soft chuckle. “He rather is, but without Ben around he can fall a little too far into that mask,” Tom gave a shake of his head.“Ben?” Cate stuttered with some confusion.  “Benedict? I didn’t realize they were that friendly.”“Well, I wouldn’t want to presume to categorize them when they’ve not done it themselves yet," Tom said placidly but his gaze was sharp. And Cate only just managed to keep her expression passive when the realization of what he was implying hit her.  No!  The situation was so much more complicated if Benedict was in a relationship.But wait! Cate’s mind whirled with this new information as she tried to quickly sort through everything. Shit.  Where had Alexi actually been the previous night? She hadn’t been in her room.  Earlier, Cate had been certain Alexi was with Benedict all night based on the group text but if he and Lee were an item…  perhaps her friend had been with someone else entirely that she hadn’t thought of.  She cursed herself for not paying closer attention the night before at the theater.  Damn Ellis for being so distracting.Hemsworth? Handsome obviously but no, not Alexi’s cup of tea.  Evans? No, too all-American.  Reynolds?  No. Pratt?  No.  Had Robert Downey Jr. shown up and swept Alexi off her feet?  She didn’t think so.  Did it matter?!  It would be a disaster regardless of who Alexi had been with.  Wait, Hiddleston? She glanced at him side-eye, wondering if he looked like he had gotten laid the night before.  Hmm.  Possibly.“You look bright-eyed and ready for the long day,” she said cheerily. “You must have slept well. I’m envious.  I hate hotel beds.”“Like a baby,” he sighed. “As soon as I got back to my room actually.  I suppose you get used to it after a time.”
Ok, so not Hiddleston unless he was bluffing.  He didn’t seem to be. 
“Maybe that’s what Lee needs.  A full night’s sleep,” she chirped, hoping her joviality wasn’t coming across as too forced but her mind was whirring.  All the options she could think of just weren’t feasible.“No doubt he does need some sleep.” Tom smirked seemingly to himself but he cleared his throat with a shake of his head, casting a glance toward her that was instantly more guarded.  “Ah, ignore me.  Anyway, it’s a very busy day and I’ve got Evans in a bit,” he started looking back and forth towards where Lee had disappeared and back at his photo-op area with a concerned frown. With a subtle click only audible in her own head, things suddenly became clear.  From the SUV that very morning she remembered seeing Alexi and Benedict heading off to spend the day together.  Lee’s attitude this morning was erratic at best and he kept checking his phone.  Oh no.  She had work to do if it wasn’t already too late. “Oh! Well I could help!” Cate said forcefully with a pat of Hiddleston’s arm. “I mean it’s my job to look after moody talent, some say it’s my super power,” she gave a breezy laugh. “I think I can handle a mopey actor,” she smiled brightly up at him. “Besides I’m not doing much beyond being arm candy,” she flashed a toothy grin over her shoulder at Ellis who was eyeing her with curiosity.  “Really, I got this. You are already stretched thin enough. Go do your magic Loki. I can handle this.” She gave an airy, unconcerned wave of her hand at him.Tom looked at her a long moment before letting out a breath and a sense of unease crawled up her back. “Thank you. But really, I think he’ll be fine. And if he’s still down at lunch then perhaps you can try.”His smile was a little restrained and for a moment Cate felt, something.  Something different about the air that surrounded him and itgave her pause.  Unease flooded through her, every muscle in her body going tense and on alert. And then like that it passed and she felt as though she could breathe again.“I think I shall head in, a good day to you all,” Hiddleston gave a pleasant smile to them and followed his assistant into the hall.Security at that point began to hustle them along to the balcony and as they stepped out, Ellis slidhis hand herback.  “So, do you mother hen your friends as well,” he chuckled and looked down with a cheeky smile.Cate gave a slight shrug, “someone has to look after them. And as I mentioned it’s basically my job as well, occupational hazard that I’ll try to help those who look like they need it,” she gave him a sheepish smile at that and then leaned her hip against the railing as they looked down over the large conventional hall.Whipping out her phone and quickly scrolling through Facebook, she gave a small exclamation of “yes”, after only a few moments.  Spinning to one of the convention people waiting patiently behind the group.  “See this girl,” she held up the screen of her phone. “And this one,” she swiped through to another face. The handler nodded slowly as they looked from the phone to her.  “Good they have morning autographs with Lee,” Cate put on her most authoritative voice. “These two need to be given a few moments longer, they will definitely cheer him up and he really needs that right now. Got it? Good! Now pass it on, chop, chop!” She flapped her hands at him. That should keep him distracted for a bit and maybe even give him something else to chase after, Cate grumpily cursed at the man.Turning to see Ellis watching her, Cate gave a curious look back. As the raven haired actor just shook his head.  “It’s better to ask forgiveness than permission.”“Isn’t the saying that it’s easier? Not better?” Ellis gave a nod to the handler who was waving for him to follow her.“Not for me,” Cate gave a haughty toss of her hair as she took his arm and the pair headed down the stairs.  Cate sat back in the photo area in a director's type chair behind the photographer where he had settled her after they entered. Ellis was only fifteen minutes into his photo ops with fans and she had found herself flipping back and forth at least a half dozen times on how she felt about them.  And his behavior with them, she added with a mental sigh. She had busted out laughing three times at the humor of some of the fans, was moved by the emotion and joy of others, and cringed twice at the creepiness of others.  He was so kind to all of them, giving them as much attention as he could in the few seconds he had with them.  She couldn't help but admire his dedication, but equally as much admire nearly everything about the man in the black slacks, blazer and heather grey Henley.  She strongly felt theincomplete link though, it grated at her nerves and made her feel at times like an unsecured line in the whipping wind.  Her thoughts didn’t always feel her own and she knew that was something she should be very concerned with. They would drift back to last nights revelation no matter how hard she tried to stay in the moment.So, he was her intended, her gift from ‘the gods’, so what. They didn’t finish the ritual and so now she was feeling raked over hot coals just being near him, seeing him look adorable and gallant and everything she could possibly want in a mate. And yet there was something more at work as well. They seemed to be drifting in an orbit around the other.  Looks, gestures, smiles, all seemed to be a constant occurrence.  And while they had only been apart a short time in the hotel, minutes or so while she changed into her T-shirt and jeans. And it had been what, 20 minutes?  Sitting here now, there was this itch, this need, to move closer. To make him pay attention to her and that, that was something that Cate simply could not abide by.Give up, he who should not be named ever again? Fine.  But she’d be damned if she was going to follow Ellis around like a lovesick puppy begging for his smiles and attention!  No. She refused to be *that* girl!  Standing suddenly, she looked around blindly as a moment of indecision overwhelming her. She ran her hands over her face and up through her hair with a strong thought to rid herself of these maddening thoughts, that sensation of a pulled string, that had plagued her since they arrived, loosened and she lifted her head to see him approaching.Ellis gave a quick wave to the photographer for a moment's break before gliding over to her. The look of concern on his face told her that she needed to get herself under control.“Is everything alright love?”The uneasinessradiating off him surprisingly soothed her. And Cate let go the tension she was holding in her shoulders as she looked up into his dark eyes. “Yah, umm,” she found herself tongue tied and embarrassed for some reason all of a sudden.Ellis slipped his hand down her arm, loosely wrapping his fingers around her wrist, before raising her hand to his lips. “If you need to move, get up, or justwander a bit? Perhaps see your friend? Please don’t feel chained to me,” he purred.  “I adore the view don’t get me wrong,” he pressed his lips against her knuckles giving a nip before raising once again. “However, I understand how claustrophobic this can be if you’re not in the middle of it.”And like that, the tightening coil that had been beckoning her, tempting her, driving her mad, the need to be near him, evaporated. And she felt able to move and with it the desire to roam disappeared as well.  Her thoughts quieted and she found herself and little tired suddenly. “I’m, I’m fine, thank you,” she eyed the chair and dropped back into it again.“If you’re sure. But if you change your mind, take a security guard with you please?” He looked down at her with an eyebrow raised in inquiry. Cate nodded her agreement and he smiled brightly at that. “Well then back to work hmm,” he slipped his blazer off and draped it over the back of her chair.  The warmth from it wafting up and seemed to wrap itself around her shoulders, carrying his scent with it.  He gave her a slow wink before turning back to the curtain and his mark.The tingle that raced through her this time wasn’t the itching need for him to be next to her, this was familiar and completely alien in the same moment. There was something that clung to her, wrapped itself around her and gave comfort while quietly fueling the slow simmering warmth in her belly.  Blinking in surprise she dropped her head forward, hiding her face, she needed to think.  She needed to know. But then didn’t she already know? A soothing hiss from the dark reaches of her mind replied.  Didn’t she already recognize?  Like seems like does it not?  Oh. Oh!  As handsome, charming and dare she say perfect as he was, she had to admit that he didn't seem human.  With that realization came the thought that,he got the role for Lucifer for a damned good reason.Followed quickly by the thought that it was absurd the think that Tom Ellis was Lucifer.  Absolutely ridiculous.  He’s an actor and sure he can channel his character but anything else was just too far!The sensation of wind and roaring waves took her over for a moment before it faded back out and she was sitting once more in chair.  It still made no sense to her, why would a beach matter when she looked at him? What was that supposed to mean to her?  After almost an hour, Cate reaches her limit of being able to watch and slipped out of Ellis' photo booth.  He was right,much as she was loath to admit that this early in, well whatever the hell this was that was going on.  There really was only so much sitting around that one could stand.Not to mention staring at people, other women, hissed that dark voice.  Yes, fine all right, watching other woman in a seemingly endless line of fans pawing all over her man. She heaved a mental sigh at herself for that thought.  'Her man'.  Itwas finally starting to sink in that he was hers, that she might be able to count on this and that everything was beginning to work out for her.  It didn't matter that it wasn’t -,she stopped at that name. She needed to let that name and all of her previous plans, wishes, dreams, just everything go.  Those days were gone now.Regardless of what he was or wasn't now, she didn't care for sharing, never had and never will, it one of her past issues.  And while it was terribly sweet how he doted and hammed it up with fans she couldn’t take it right now. Not when things were still incomplete.  So! Time for a change of scenery and a break from her darker thoughts. Shelooked around and nodded towards the exit as Ellis caught her eye.  He gave her an understanding smile and blew her a kiss.The dark haired woman made her way back behind the curtain, taking a moment to stretch out her lean body, getting the kinks out of her joints from being stuck in one spot for so long.  Long years of being on the road had given her enough experience with the hectic moments that turned static.Now she needed to let her moping go, she chastised herself.  It was time to reaffirm at least some of her plans had come to fruition and make sure at least nothing else interfered.  Gentleman manners aside, there really couldn’t be anymore complications to the rituals as the window was closing and tonight was crucial to seal the spell.Right then, she gave a shake of her shoulders and a quick straightening of her shirt.  Let’s get on with this.  Cate meandered to the next booth, still surprised at how easily she was able to move around with her escort, sure she had spent years handling talent but it was job.  Being on the receiving end was a nice change.She poked her head into one of the curtained booths to discover it was Tom Hiddleston's, apparently not his dual shoot just yet as he posed with a couple Lady Loki's.  He greeted her with a curious tilt of his head and polite smile which Cate returned as she straightened and stepped back into the small walk way that had been created.She was amazed at how much effort he put into posing and acknowledged to herself that it seemed everyone in the world had more patience than she ever would have in their shoes.  However as much fun as it was to watch him with his fans she had work to do and so she spun to her helper. “Is Lee around here?”  The young man gave a short nod and pointed down to the end of the row. “Great! Thanks,” she gave a toothy smile and marched off towards it. As she entered the booth she found him leaning against the table by the photographer and was staring at his phone in between photos.  She was a little surprised to see that his helper wasn’t there at the moment either. Leaving hers by the entrance with a wave, she started forward.He glanced up at her with a polite half-smile and nod, before returning to his mark and the next fan.  Cate had been thinking of how to handle him for a bit now and it was obvious that even with her trying to distract him, that wasn’t going to be enough to break his ‘feelings’ for Ben and the more than likely obsession he was developing for Alexi either. Everyone was always obsessed with Alexiof course, she gave a mental huff of frustration.  And while she felt sure that at some point last night Alexi and Benedict had slept together, Lee was going to cause an imbalance and she couldn’t have that!  Things were already shaky enough as it was!She was not going to let him ruin this for her again!  Cate paused in confusion for a moment.  What? Wait? Where did that come from?  Shaking her head and letting go the confusing thought she got back down to business.  So, there was only one option left, time for Plan B.Considering how often some idiot or another was sniffing around her friend, Cate made sure to always have a couple compulsion spellbags with her.  Surprisingly effective little bits of magic they were.  And whether her friend was willing to admit they or not, Cate had never had one let her down yet when she needed to get rid of an unnecessary complication.  Really Alexi should be thanking her for all that she’s done over the years,Cate rolled her eyes at the thought of her clueless friend. At least Constance had been predictably easy and uncomplicated. She could always count on her simpler friends naïveté for a smooth compulsion.So, she focused her thoughts onto the small bag in her palm. Alittle compulsion that Lee needed to move on from Benedict and maybe a few whispering doubts in the back of his mind about his ability to satisfy her friend and voila! Balance would be restored with Benedict and Alexi for theirportion of the ritual. She still found herself amazed at the luck that had granted her Benedict and Karl as the perfect partners for her binding spell. It was if all the stars aligned to grant her irresistible mating partners for her friends. Well that’s something at least!  Thanks Universe!She was running out of time though, things needed to be in place for later tonight, she thought with a glance to her watch.  This should have enough time fully take effect, as long as she could keep him close while it settled into him.Cate pulled the small sachet from her pocket, palming it as she weaved around the chaos of the area and over to Lee’sthings. Spotting his coat, she slid her hand into the inner pocket quickly dropping the spell bag into it.  As she released it from her fingers Cate muttered softly over the coat and stepped away from it."Are you done?" Cate leaned casually against the table as she watched the last two women complete their photo. Looking around pointedly at the empty entrance, not seeing anyone else coming in. "For now. There's a second group in an hour or so. I don't have quite the crowds Hiddleston and Evans have,” he shrugged as he stepped over to the table, lifting his coat and folding it over his arm."Yeah, I’m sure.  That’s cool." Cate nodded, she watched closely as he drew the garment close to his chest and then raised her hand, her fingers quickly weaving the placement spell and giving a flick of her fingers towards him.The sense of it settling into place made her smile brightly up at him as she gave an airy wave of her hand back towards the booth she’d come from.  "Come hang with me and ‘Lucifer’.” She gave a bump of her shoulder to his arm and a tug with her other hand at his waist.  “His ops are almost done too.  We can all do lunch.  Isn’t that a Hollywood thing to say?" Cate kept up the easy banter, drawing on his spirit with the compulsion spell and winding it closer and tighter towards her voice and her will.“Ehhhhhh-” he started but she shook her head at him, watching as her will slipped in the cracks and settled heavily around his shoulders. “Well I suppose, just uh, let me run my things to the back room and I’ll meet you in Ellis’ booth.”Cate was having none of that though, she needed to make sure that he stayed within her sight for the time being.  She knew the spell was only in the beginning stages of setting and she might even need to reset it.  No, he needed to stay with her for the time being. And she needed to keep his mind off Alexi and Ben so that he didn’t undo everything she’d set up.“Come on now,” Cate smiled prettily at him easing her will against his stubborn nature. Lee slowly blinked at her twice his face set in a mildly baffled expression before easing back into a smooth blankness as he finally nodded in agreement. “You know what, I think we can be friends. In fact, we should definitely be friends!” She said in a saccharine sweet voice.  “We can be great friends don’t you think,” she pushed her will at him and his brows creased ever so slightly before easing out once again as he gave a nod. “Wonderful!” Cate gave a happy clap and turned them both towards the other actor’s booth.As they entered Ellis’ area, she saw that he was still seeing fans so Cate moved the pair of them towards the back.  With a nudge towards the chair the brunette watched as Lee settled in, staring off at nothing in particular.  Much better, she gave a mental sigh of relief.  Patting his shoulder as he complied and using the touch to gauge the strength of the compliance spell and how well it was working, Cate settled her hip against the table and relaxed a little bit. A familiar laugh drew her attention to the doorway and Cate spotted Constance entering the photo booth followed by ‘Boba Fett’. Well at least that was one thing she got right, the the connection between the two singing even if it was a bit discordant. Narrowing her eyes, Constance better not have messed things up with her anxiety or there was going to hell to pay, she swore.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

As Alexi and Benedict watched the SUVs full of their friends pull away to the convention, he had turned to her and proposed a breakfast boat tour of the city. Even as conflicted as she was about the night before, Alexi didn’t want their time together to end so she agreed and the pair headed back to their rooms to get changed for the day.  In her room, the tall blonde decided as she looked over her reflection in the mirror that this was going to be the fastest she’d ever gotten ready to go out for anything.  If it weren’t for that sweet smile and those devious eyes, she wasn’t sure she would have rushed this much for anyone else. How was she supposed to say no to him?Staring down into her open suitcase, Alexi gave a frustrated sigh.  Considering this weekend was about embracing their dramatic side, she had brought little beyond what she planned to wear at the convention.  So now faced with a daylight trip around the city, her clothing choices were limited. Trying to find something that was more ‘casual tourist’ and less ‘imaginative geek’ would be tricky with what she‘d packed for a comic convention.  Not that she would have more alternatives at home considering typical normal/every day wasn’t her style.  A quick glance at the bedside clock and Alexi grabbed some clothes out of her suitcase, telling herself the handsome actor was just going to have to appreciate her, or not, as her everyday self.  As she was pulling out a top, her fingers brushed against her steel-boned corset. Oh yes, this is exactly what I need, she thought with a smile.  It had been two days since she had donned it and that was far too long.  It made her feel so much more put together and confident to have it on even if no one else she was wearing it.  Being in costume design she appreciated the smooth, clean line it gave to almost any outfit, especially something tailored, as nearly everything she owned was created by her own hands.  But what she enjoyed most was the sense of invincibility it lent her.  Constance had referred to it as Alexi’s version of a thunder blanket, a warm hug and uncompromising support even if the world around her was going to hell, like it usually was.Laying out her clothes along the end of the bed, giving it one more critical overlook and she had to laugh. Black it was, she gave a small shrug. Well, he‘s an actor, so he can‘t expect me to look like some typical Kate Middleton clone now could he.  Could he?  Ugh. I hope not.  Quickly heading into the bathroom for a cleanup, she hummed to a tune that popped into her head before breaking out in song as she was often prone to do any any given moment. 
To a room with some lace and paper flowers

Back to the gypsy that I was to the gypsy that I was

And it all comes down to you

Well you know that it does, well

Lightning strikes, maybe once, maybe twice

Oh, and it lights up the night

And you see your gypsy

You see your gypsy....  
Ok yeah I can definitely channel that goddess. She thought to herself with a huge smile as she pulled out her lipstick, sliding it across her smiling lips.   Damn right I can do casual post-apocalyptic gypsy Stevie Nicks with a splash of Elven Steampunk.   She slipped her arms into her thick velvet coat, pulling her oversized sunglasses out of the pocket and looked herself over in the mirror next to the door.   Blending in was boring, she reminded herself as she blew her reflection a smooch. She was a take it or leave it gal and that included her wardrobe.  It wasn’t her aim to ‘fit in’ before, so why start now?She was reaching for the door handle when the young woman spotted the spray bottle that had tipped onto its side by Cate’s bed in the reflection.  Turning back she walked over to the nightstand, picking up the vial and righting it. Staring down at it for a moment, she debated if she needed it.  It had done wonders for Constance the night before and she couldn‘t lie to herself that she was nervous about this, whatever it was, with Benedict. A flash of memory from the night before in the elevator had Alexi lifting the bottle up to her face, it was like her quiet friend was a different person, in fact.  Giving it a sniff, she found the lingering scent was pleasant, citrusy and sweet, not really her scent profile truthfully. Musky and densely earthy was far more up her alley.Setting it down on the night table she decided she could always find a cocktail if she needed some extra courage.  Instead, she dabbed a couple drops of her favorite scent behind her ears, sandalwood and something else she couldn’t quite remember putting in there.  A remnant from when she used to mix her own essential oils for more esoteric purposes, way back when she didn’t avoid such things.Dismissing the rest of her thoughts and knowing the clock had run out, Alexi hurried out of the room so they could make the breakfast cruise. Benedict and Alexi had settled up on the outside top deck as the tour boat lazily cruised up and down the Chicago shore.  She peered at her iPhone screen as she scanned it along the skyline for a panoramic shot as he went to get them something warm to drink.  A picture from the water was perfect and despite the brisk wind blowing around her, the sky was a clear blue and the light from the sun rising in the East sparkled off the glass of the skyscrapers. This would make a great memory photo later .  
The great prow of a wooden boat, she stood barefoot on the wooden planks; the wind rushing around her, through her. A call behind her, her name she was sure but was all garbled.  Turning back, she saw Constance, though she looked different, watery like through an old fashioned stained glass pane. Her friend waved to her, laughing at her. Probably telling her she would get sick if she didn’t come in from the storm.  She always worried needlessly! The gods had plans for her and illness would not touch her, nor would the waves crashing upon the deck.
Wait. What?   Alexi shook herself and looked around to see that she wasn’t standing on a wooden ship and there was no storm.  Oh, man. “Stupid lucid dreams,” she growled out loud to herself, to convince herself that’s what it was.  Never mind, she wasn’t sleeping. Perhaps waking lucid dreaming was a ‘thing’.Luckily it was off season and too cold for the average tourist to be outside for the tour so, she and Benedict had the deck to themselves and there wasn’t any worry about fans spotting them.  Most of the other guests had wisely opted to stay warm inside and gawk at the water and skyline through the large windows. That was fine with Alexi, there was a freeing sense to the wind and cold that called to her deep inside and she really didn’t want to share it with anyone.  
Well, that wasn’t true.
She was surprised that Benedict had thrown caution to the wind and enjoyed the outside with her.  It spoke to something she wasn’t entirely ready to think about yet but she liked it.  It gave him bonus points too that he wasn’t some wimpy, afraid of a little chill guy and she was sure that Lee would be out here with her too. And that’s the end of those thoughts, she forced herself to step away from that prickly thorn of an issue. But you’d like him beside you too, whispered the traitorous hopes from the depths of her mind. Beside you, behind you, wrapped around you-.   Ok enough! She squashed the swirling memories that threatened to derail her. Swiping open her phone she desperately looked for a distraction.
OMGWTF group text:

Alexi:  omfg you guys.  We NEED to have a gush session.  PLZ? I’m dying inside.

Cate:  u got that right, sister.  Holy fuck.

Alexi:  I really don’t think you understand.  I got it bad bad bad so bad.

Constance:  .....

Alexi:  ok, maybe u understand

Cate:  and just where the hell are *you*?? *Again!*

Alexi:  OH! I’m on a boat.  --- Heh. Heh. Heh.

Cate:  what?!?!?! Why??

Alexi:  I’m on a boat, motherfucker, take a look at me

Constance:  Straight floating on a boat on the deep blue sea!

Constance:  BRAINSHARE!

Alexi: Brainsharrre!

Cate:  I hate you both.

Constance:  About to have pics with Chris and Tom and Boba Fett.

Alexi:  .......!!!

Cate:  I really don’t get what you see in Lee..  Shit, he’s moody. So glad you stuck with Benny. He’s perfect for you!!!
Alexi stared down in surprise at her screen for a moment.  The words shocked her deeply; it wasn’t like Cate to be so negative.  Acerbic, sure. This though was something much darker. Her friend knew Alexi appreciated Lee and his body of work for some time and of course she’d fangirled many times over Benedict as well.  But this, she could feel the contempt coming from Cate. It made her uneasy, and it made her suddenly doubt her growing affections for both of the men. Was Cate right, should she be having feeling only for Benedict?  Were the feelings she knew were already developing wrong?  Was it just Benedict that she was meant for? Did he only want her?  No, that wasn’t true, she realized. She had seen it on his face when he talked about the man.  He might not be able to say it, however Alexi was no slouch at reading body language.   And she was certain they had it bad for each other!  If Cate was right, what did that mean about the feelings that Benedict had for Lee? Maybe she had read him wrong? Maybe this was only a weekend thing? A momentary fling for the Brit to get the urge to sleep with a woman out of his system? But wait, then what about Lee? What did that mean that he had joined them? Maybe they just wanted something to spice up their night? Maybe- “Here have some of this,” Benedict’s warm voice interrupted her increasingly insecure circle of thoughts. “You’re looking a bit pale and cold standing here.”Glancing up, Alexi looked at the paper cup he held out to her, his long delicate fingers wrapped around it.  Those are deceptive hands, strong and capable fingers, her mind supplied her with memories of the night before and she felt a glow of excitement stir low in her core.  Pushing those thoughts away as well she lifted her eyes to meet his and gave her brightest smile as she took the tea. “I’m pretty sure that’s just my normal look,” she offered a contented sigh as the warmth penetrated her hands.He tilted his head to the side as he studied her with mock contemplation.  “Yes, point taken, but I think perhaps with a little less blue tint around the lips and eyes.”  He traced the air above her cheek and up towards her temple with that long finger and Alexi looked away from him with a smirk and a roll of her eyes.A muffled ping sounded and Ben pulled his phone out to glance at it.  His face softened and his eyes crinkled around the edges before he clicked the lock and dropped it back in his pocket.  “Lee says hello,” Benedict’s light blue eyes darkening as he gave a small smile.“Oh, does he?!” she chirped with forced optimism. “I find that hard to believe.”   Considering how he’s only stared at me with full blown Admiral Eyebrows mode since we woke up, she mentally tacked on.“It wasn’t you that irritated him this morning,” he shook his head and watched the skyline a few moments.When he looked back at her, the early daylight painted across his cheeks and forehead sharply in alternating shadows.  He was gorgeous and Alexi felt herself ache to not touch him, so she carefully tightened her hold on the cup in her hand. Taking a slow sip of tea, she welcomed the nearly scalding heat as it helped to ground her and stopped the flow of her ridiculous thoughts from pouring out of her mouth.“You’ve not asked one question,” Benedict‘s curiosity clear in his voice as it snapped her out of her staring. Finally!  Alexi had been wondering how long it would take him to stop dancing around things and just ask her what was really on his mind.  “About what?” she inquired, giving him a small smile from behind her teacup.“About Lee and I.” There you go sweetie, she congratulated him but wasn‘t ready to let him off that easily just yet. “What about you?” She smirked.He opened his mouth, shut it, frowned slightly with a perturbed sigh, “you’re really going to make this difficult for me to explain.”She tilted her head to the side, becoming more serious, “you don’t have to tell me anything.” Leaning forward and putting a hand on his arm as she looked up into his eyes with an earnest expression she continued, “now, if you want me to ask because you need to talk about it that’s a different story altogether.  I’m more than happy to listen. Anytime.”“Well, I don’t,” he broke off as he got flustered and refused to look at her. “No, no. I don’t need to. It’s just complicated because-,” he stopped and frowned.  “This is all very unexpected, it’s only been a few months now and, and, it’s a bit-,” he trailed off.  Benedict continued to search wildly around them and he refused to meet hers for several long minutes until finally he calmed, taking a couple deep slow breaths and letting them out.Alexi patted his arm making him finally look at her again, “I understand, I really do. Careers.  Expectations. Media. Etcetera,” she calmly ticked off the list that everyone in the business knew.  It wasn’t hard to see why he was tied up in knots. What she couldn’t understand was why he thought the need to make some grand confession to her?  It was just one night. One really amazing night, sure. But he didn’t owe her anything now though a pang of melancholy echoed inside her with that thought.  She could see, watching him now he was the type who needed handholding to make him reveal his ‘deeper feelings’, but she didn’t want that to be something he felt forced to do.Squeezing his arm, she decided to cut through all the double-speak and receive a simple answer and hopefully make him relax a little.  Alexi leaned back and looked him in the eye. “Ok, I just have one question, that’s really none of my business,” she let her lips lift into a half smile.  “It’s just, well I’m a hopeless romantic and in the long run it is important in relation to all the other concerns.” She shrugged her shoulder before putting her now cool tea down.  Hands free, the blonde slid them into the front pockets of his coat and gave a tug towards her. Tilting her face up at him as they leaned against each other, she smirked at him, enjoying the spark of fire that lit his eyes.  In a low, soft voice she asked, “do you love him?”Alexi felt the hard flinch of his body as the words rippled through his mind.  Studying him closely as he leaned back from her a bit, she looked past his blank facade and watched his wildly stormy eyes instead.  She wanted to feel sorry for him but then again, he apparently was the type who needed to be shocked into making realizations, what with his head buried in the sand a little too much for her comfort.With a heavy sigh, he sagged slightly back toward her but kept hold of her eyes with his. “I walked right into that one, didn’t I?  Look-” he hesitated, swallowing thickly as his face scrunched up like he had tasted something distinctly unpleasant.  But then he paused, his head tilting down as he studied her again, “oh you. You’re laughing at me, aren’t you?” He leaned forward, letting his forehead drop against hers as he huffed out a breath. “You,” he stopped rocking his head side to side against hers, “you are a troublemaker, aren’t you?”She breathed out a laugh of her own, “the good kind of trouble though, right?”  As she leaned away a little and looked up with a demure smile.  Alexi saw the soft blue of his eyes and let her lips curl up a little more and gave him her ‘you know you like it’ look.Benedict brought his hands up over her arms, wrapping his hands around her shoulders, his fingers tightening around the curve of them for a moment.  Breathing out slowly, he slid them up until they were cupping the delicate bones of her face in his large, strong palms. “I,” he smirked at the quirk of her eyebrow in surprise. “No, we, are looking forward to all the trouble you can bring.  It’s just that some of us are more vocal than others about it.”  He drove his long fingers then up into her hair, enclosing them around the base of her skull before he began to slowly caressed his fingertips along her scalp easing both their tensions as she relaxed into the motion.She gave a reluctant huff before growing more thoughtful as she enjoyed the feel of him surrounding her.  “I’m not sure about the ‘we’ part. Nor am I certain you understand what vocal means,” she cocked her eyebrow at him with a half smirk.  When he offered her a sheepish duck of his head, she decided to let him off the hook.“Here’s the thing,” she paused a moment as Benedict’s entire body stiffened at those last three words. “No, wait hear me out.  I don’t want to be a point of contention in your relationship with Lee even if it is just for the weekend.” She watched the shift and slide of emotions on his face and marveled at what a complete idiot he was about his feelings. Men, she mentally sighed. Alright then Mr. Crumpetdoodle, let’s get this sorted!  Just as she opened her mouth though, Benedict swooped down and kissed her fiercely.  Her momentary protest was ignored, his lips pressing insistently down on hers until she melted, rendered breathless.  With that he softened the kiss, tenderly sliding his lips against hers. He wrapped her up closer as she shivered and pressed tighter against him until she let out a quiet sigh of surrender.“Ah there’s that noise,” he purred against her lips before he pulled her back to him again, this time pressing them hip to hip as he wrapped himself around her tightly.  “I rather like that sound,” he moaned into her hair just below her ear, dropping small kisses on her skin before trailing the point of his tongue down the curve of her earlobe. “I crave that sound.”Alexi’s body hummed with pleasure and heat as he made his way around her jaw to capture her lips again in a kiss. Finally forced to pull back to catch her breath, she rubbed her chin against his cheek with a small purr of her own.  “A woman could get used to this,” she unintentionally whispered.“Oh now, I can assure you that’s something We would both like to hear more of as well,” he grinned down at her, eyes dancing with excitement.  She giggled despite herself, turning in his embrace so her back faced him and she could watch the passing sights.  “Enough making out in public,” she whispered over her shoulder, trying not to sound overly giddy. “We’re getting some awkward glances now.”“I had no idea you were so proper,” he teased her.  “How dare you call me names,” she deadpanned as she squeezed his arms that were now crossed over her chest.  The chuckle he gave against she side of her head made her head spin.Some time later, they had settled a bit ago onto a side bench, Benedict tucking her in against him after they had finished breakfast.  The morning had burned off to a slightly warmer early afternoon when the boat had curved back towards the Navy Pier. Benedict’s phone pinged again and he shifted to check it.“Ah!  There I told you he wasn’t upset with you,” Benedict turned the screen towards her to see the text messages that had been going back and forth between the two that morning.  
AdmiralLee:  Let’s take her to dinner, let her get to know us outside the bedroom?  Both of us.
Alexi read over the text, fighting the urge to peek at the ones up above it but, she really didn’t want to be nosey.  She turned her head away from Benedict’s phone to look out at the water, quietly amused at the ‘AdmiralLee’ moniker from Ben.  “Yes, to dinner.  Of course, I want to spend time with you.  And Lee if you’re sure he’s not just being polite.”Alexi felt the shift in his mood then, a happiness that poured over her like the warming sun above them and she couldn’t help the pleased smile that spread across her lips.Slowly, quietly, he talked, resting his chin against Alexi’s shoulder, comparing the view to some of his favorite sights along the Thames, “I’d really love a chance to show them to you,” he murmured in her ear.  “I have free time for the next two and a half weeks. And of course that’s presumptuous of me but, I have managed to convince Lee to take his break with me in London too. He has another week of shows to finish in New York and then we were planning to fly back to London.  And well I hope you won’t think us too boring but we had both hoped to just hang out and relax around the city.”“Don’t you think it would be better to ask Lee if he wants me to crash your little get away?”  She felt Benedict shifting, attempting to turn her towards him so that he could see her face but she refused to be moved, holding herself tensely against him.  She wanted this, wanted them, but this was all moving so fast. There was so much that she had going on in her life and suddenly adding this, whatever this was.  Made her suddenly feel overwhelmed and panicky. And then there was Lee. No, he can’t go around making plans like that without Lee‘s input , she firmly told herself. It’s not fair. Benedict finally gave up trying to move her, leaning over her so that she was engulfed in his arms.  “I'm absolutely certain he’d be fine with it,” she could clearly hear the hurt in his voice. “He was just asking about you getting to know us, you saw that,” he sounded like he was almost begging now.  “And what is better than a little peace and quiet at my house?”“London’s quiet?”  Alexi’s mind whirled desperately at the sound of his pain.  She didn’t want to hurt him but really, he wasn’t seeing this clearly she thought with an uncomfortable swallow.  It wasn’t that she didn’t want to, Alexi stopped those thoughts and pulled herself back to the moment.Benedict huffed out a sigh that sent shivers through her, “it has it moments, for a large city.”  She sensed some of his hurt easing and gave a small breath of relief.  Taking a minute and a deeper breath to get her confusing roller coaster of emotions back under control she turned slightly in his arms, the sensation of his hands rubbing up and down her arms then over to her back comforted her further. “Well, I’ve been to London, sort of ish, but it was years ago and um,” she stuttered off into silence.“Actually, I live in one of the outer districts of the city so it tends to be a bit less hectic. I have a house in Mayfair, so we’re close enough that a quick trip on the tube will take us anywhere we’d like,” he sounded a little nervous as he spoke.  Alexi turned toward him to reach up, putting her hands on his cheeks, giving a small scratch of her nails to the light stubble on them.“Hey that sounds lovely,” she replied with a soft smile.  “I just, well this is a surprise but a happy surprise. I have to wonder how you can be so sure that Lee is going to like that plan too?”And that was when the ping sounded, bringing them out of their bubble and back to the world. “Why don’t we see what he has to say hmm,” his eyes twinkled brightly.  He quickly swiped open the screen and stopped, peering at the message for a long moment in bewilderment.“Is everything ok?” Alexi’s stomach did a flip flop at the expression on his face.Benedict shook his head, slowly looking up, she saw a shadow behind his eyes, the blue shading into a duller gray as the fire in them dimmed.  Reached towards him, the blonde softly asked, “do you mind if I look?” He relaxed his grip and let her take the phone and turned it toward her.
AdmiralLee:  I feel like Italian.  Found a good sp

AdmiralLee: This isn’t gawsetdsw.  I’m dwsaydhsye. Good bye.
Alexi stared at the message with a frown, well that made no sense.  Literally, she thought. What the heck was that? Peering up at Benedict, she saw that the shadow was growing, and she knew she had to act quick.  “I like Italian,” she blurted out and then wanted to smack herself.  “And maybe, well maybe,” she stumbled to a stop. “Look that was gibberish, and I, bet something interrupted him and he put it down.  I think you should just ignore it,” she let him take it back.Benedict looked down at it, his brow crinkled deeply by his frown.  “It is really odd and not like him at all.” He glanced over to at her, a small spark appearing now, “this is probably nothing.”“Exactly!”  She patted his chest gently.  “Either he got interrupted or maybe he put the phone down and someone is playing around.”  She watched the thought settle in his mind as he haltingly nodded and the frown eased.“If I don’t hear from him in a bit I’ll call,” he said slowly as if to himself.“Excellent,” Alexi smiled softly at him, letting her hand rub reassuringly against his chest and up towards his shoulder and back down again.Benedict nodded and seemed to accept that, letting go of his worry as he focused back on her.  “You’re right it’s probably just someone joking around.”“Probably Fucking Urban,” she crinkled her nose accusingly and was rewarded with a hint of a smile from him. “Maybe if you are so worried you should call him? Just to be on the safe side,” she suggested.Benedict seemed to consider doing that for a long moment and she found herself curling in towards him in concern.  Finally, he shook his head, “I’m sure he’s still involved in his duties. They’ll be breaking for lunch soon and I’ll call him then if he doesn’t call or send me a new text.  I don’t want to interrupt him while he’s working.”“If you’re certain,” she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist.“Thank you darling, it’s very sweet of you to cheer me up.  I’m sorry for that,” he said softly as he bent his head, resting his cheek on top of her hair.“No, don’t be silly, it would concern me if I got something like that from Constance or Cate,” she gave another squeeze of her hand.  “But you’re right you can wait until their lunch and talk to him. I’m sure he’ll clear that right up and we can go back to planning our dinner at that Italian place he was mentioning.”As he pressed his lips twice against the top of her head, Alexi smiled to herself.   Crisis averted.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After being open for an hour and a half, the buzz of the convention hall was growing louder and
busier
as the day got underway.  
Mingling discreetly
with fans, cosplayers, friends and the curious,
Boba Fett and his captive elven queen
wandered around the vendor section. Constance found it amusing when someone would stop Karl and ask for photos with him because they merely thought they were asking for a great Boba cosplayer photo.  The mask disguised his voice just enough it would be difficult except for the most hardcore fan to recognize it.

Even though he wasn’t especially chatty during the photo interactions, the actor was certainly comfortable playing up the part of Boba Fett.  As she watched, Constance let her imagination run with it and now she
felt every bit the
Elven Queen on another planet held captive by Boba Fett.  Actually, the sci-fi space theme
was almost
more believable than her current reality when she really thought about it.

She laughed nervously to herself and stopped to peer at some artwork she noticed that was particularly nice of various Marvel characters.  Karl had gone to get them both some snacks as they hadn’t had a chance for breakfast. She found herself relieved to have a moment to gather her thoughts and maybe set up a plan for the rest of the day.  Pulling out her phone to look at her photo schedule, she once again tried to figure out how to handle this surreal
dilemma
.  She had decided it might be best not to go to any of the ones that included people she had been hanging out with the night before.

Because -,

her thoughts stuttered to a halt in in anxiety.

Because, maybe that would be weird?

She wasn’t sure but seeing how uncomfortable she was in this moment she was going to take weird

.

Not having been in this situation before and without Cate around to ask considering her experiences, the red head really wasn’t certain what the protocol was.

How does one act around those who you had paid to meet and greet?  And then accidentally ended up hitting the fandom lottery, meeting them, hanging out and even more in some respects, before the event?

It was starting to give her a headache truthfully.

A pop up on her lock screen showed that she had new followers and unread messages on her IG account.  Constance’s head gave a serious throb of pain as she looked down at the phone.

Damn it! I thought I turned off the comments?

She swiped into her account and promptly cursed Chris Pratt for tagging her in the photos from the last two night's activities.  Thanks to him, she now had 500 new followers (?!) and she didn't even want to know what the message count were sitting at.

Gawd her coworkers would be merciless.

That however was something to add to the growing pile of ‘Things to Deal with Monday’.  Hitting the turn account private Constance felt herself alternating between flushing and cold sweats.  While Cate and Alexi loved being tagged, Constance found it weird, even if they were great shots. With a swipe to close IG she was now back on her schedule and had to decide on what to do.
The young woman felt eyes on her and glanced up into Boba’s
plastic
eyes.  “Oh,” she waved her hand, “I was contemplating the photo ops still but I don’t know.”

“You have to!”  He said, lifting the helmet so he could see her phone and read the carefully prepared list she had.  “

We

have to, actually.  Let’s go to all of them.”  He peeked to her with a playful smirk, “pretty sure we can skip to the front of the lines.  Looks like Tom and Chris are first. Let’s go.”
A quiet gasp caught their attention and Karl glanced up to see a woman dressed as the Eleventh Doctor, fez and all, staring at him wide-eyed.  He gave a wink as he lifted his finger to his lips and the delighted fan flushed brightly before miming a zip of her lips. Karl let the helmet fall back over his face and wrapped his gloved around Constance’s upper arm, again in character as the pair headed for the photo op areas. 
-^-^-

Constance gave a shy wave to Tom Ellis as she and Karl entered his photo area.  She found herself unable to stop the giggle as the dark haired Brit offered an exaggerated bow to her.  Looking towards the back of the curtained section she saw that Cate was tucked into a rear corner and waved to her too.  Next to her friend though, Constance was stunned to see, sitting sort of hunched over and staring absently at wall was, Lee Pace!

What was he doing there?!

Just as she opened her mouth to ask that, the photographer called for them to step up to the mark for their pictures.  Sliding in between 'Lucifer’ and ‘Boba’, the Elven Queen wrapped her arms around theirs. Folding her elbows so she could put her hands on her cheeks in mock surprise, she looked to the photographer as they snapped the pic.Tom smiled as he turned to the pair, obvious mischief in his eyes. “Do we get another?”  
Constance nodded and before anyone could say another word,
Ellis
spun her away from Karl to his other side.  Dipping her slightly back in his arms, with an expression of utter glee on his face,
he
gave a wide toothy grin to ‘Boba’.

“The elf maiden is no longer yours
,
Mercenary,” he announced out as he curled around her but still allowed for her face to be seen.  Karl had immediately pulled his ‘rifle’ up and gone into a fight stance the moment Constance’s hand had slipped from his elbow.
“Got it,” called the photographer as Cate’s laughter carried over the space along with Constance’s giggles.
Ellis straightened her back up but was standing between the pair, eyeing ‘Boba’ who had dropped the rifle downward but stood stiffly.  The British actor studied the other man, a series of quick emotions flashed across his face and
rapid
disappeared.  “Well then. Everything good?” He asked out loud but Constance knew he was actually asking her.
A confused look towards ‘Boba’Karl and then back to Ellis, Constance put on a bright smile.  “That was wonderful thank you for being so nice!”
Tom turned himself towards her, giving her a swift once over and smiling softly, “magnificent then, see you at lunch I’m sure?”
Constance was bouncing in place at that point as Karl moved around the other actor to her side.  “Oh yes!” She beamed up at him as he held out his elbow to her again.
Just as they were about to leave though, Ellis caught her free arm and leaned towards her ear whispering.  “Oh love
,
you have to put him out of his misery.”
Constance froze at his words and looked back over her shoulder to him with a frown of confusion. “What?” Karl gave a tug of her arm and security was now barking at them to move along but as she locked eyes with the Lucifer actor, she froze in place as the surrounding whirlwind seemed to fade out.
“He’s confused
,
dear. You need to tell him or let him go,” the voice surprisingly gentle. “Of course, you didn’t mean to, but he doesn’t realize that yet.”
It was as though a longer conversation had been happening as a white blinding light filled her eyes and the sudden rush of sound and movement nearly threw her back into Karl.  Pain clamped down on her skull as she turned toward the exit and they left the photo area. Stepping through the curtain, a second pulse of pain caused her to stumble into Karl at that point.  Things shifted around her at that, speeding up and slowing down.  When suddenly they were in the side corridor and people rushed by them, Constance found the streaming activity took her breath away.  She lost track of where they were as she and Karl were funneled along towards their picture pick up. The roar of so many voices in the cavernous space deafened her and flash of cold sweat trickled down her spine and into her palms.  
Despite the noise and activity around her, Constance still clearly heard Ellis’ words on repeat in her mind,

‘you need to tell him or let him go.’

The smooth deep British voice morphing and twisting though, into something more familiar and sinister, something she fought so hard to keep at bay.  This time it wouldn’t be ignored.

She can’t!  She can’t let him go, it would be horrible to lose him again.

A voice that reminded her of Alexi answered back,

bad things will happen if you let him go!  You can’t let him go!

Movement around her body made Constance’s head start to spin.  The shift in sound from confined and somewhat enclosed became open and loud.

Too much, too much!

Her chest tightened painfully.

What had once been the actor’s voice had now easily morphed into those horribly familiar ones of late nights and long therapy sessions.

‘You need to tell him or let him go.’

She gave a wheeze of breath as the whispers in her mind began an all out battle back and forth.

Bad things will happen if you let him go! You can’t let him go!

Her friend chanted at her.

Too much, too much!

This was all too much for her, she did not understand where to go or what to do to make it stop.  Any plans developed over the years to help her through moments like this blew away like ashes in the wind.  The swirling vortex of conflicting thoughts and feelings reached up and swallowed her whole while they raged at her to make her choice.
No longer was she in the convention hall, the darkness was quickly swallowing her up, dragging her deep into her mind.  There was a fleeting sense of strong arms holding her up against a chest and Karl’s face looking down into hers. “Hey now, breathe, it’s alright, just breathe,” his rough voice calling to her but she couldn’t seem to connect to it.
She wanted to believe those words were real.  She wanted to believe she wasn’t hallucinating his face or only imagining the feel of his strong presence there with her.  She wanted so bad to believe he would help to anchor her in her mental breakdown but,

it’s so loud and why would Karl Urban want to deal with this?

Everything was narrowing back and away from him as the battlefield of her mind devoured her.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled but her lips were feeling heavy along with her legs.

And all the noise, how did it get so loud suddenly?  And all these people, crowding in on her from all sides.

“Sorry, sorry,” she pushed past her teeth. Embarrassment flooded her as she realized she was having a panic attack and there was no soothingly scented spray or contingency plan that would stop this one.

You always were such an embarrassment Constance!

The tall, willowy form of her stepmother loomed over her.

Why can’t you be more like your sister? God, Constance. Speak. Up.

You can have him if you want him.

Alexi’s voice morphed to a dark slithering thing from the shadows.

He’s totally your type!

Cate floated from the dark, her smile tight and too wide as her eyes burned darkly.

You’re so cute together!

Sinners burn for their sins Constance.

Her handsome, austerely dressed father swam before her, his pulpit bright and terrifying as it had always been to the child in her.  His eyes bright with a zealous fire as his hand slammed down upon the wooden lectern.

There is no free meal and you will always be held accountable for your sins! Always!

Keep him!  Keep him!

The shadows danced around, twisting and turning with the hissed words, Cates face wavering in and out over her as she grinned bright and manic.

I love him!

She cried back at the surrounding darkness.  Her voice echoing back at her,

I love him!  I can’t lose him.  Please, I don’t want to lose him again!

And then it was quiet. She realized the dark slithering shadows had disappeared.  There was definitely fewer people and less movement around her.

Yes, this was better

, she thought as her brain seemed to catch up to the moment.  Gone was the battlefield, the hectic, painful deep of her mind was gone.  All replaced with the sensation of warm, strong hands as they gliding up and down her arms.  The quiet no longer felt frightening instead it seemed comforting as she leaned against a warm, broad chest.  The soft fabric of a t-shirt against her cheek instead of the plastic armor from earlier. It was definitely Karl, she’d recognize that warm woodsy scent anywhere.

Safe place,

her brain told her.

Those thoughts snapped her from her mental prison and her hearing returned.  The soft sound of humming reverberated from his chest, sending a tingling sensation through her even as she realized that he was chanting

‘breathe in and breathe out’

to his hum.  She also felt his chest expanding and contracting in time to his words and exhalations, encouraging her to do this along with him.
Her hands tightened involuntarily against his back and then relaxed.  The ability to use her words out loud still wasn’t there yet but she could sense herself settling back into her body fully and heavily.  One of his hands stopped its gentle stroking and glided across her back and up into her hair. Karl’s long fingers gave a soothing scratch against her scalp as he continued to steadily breathe in and out with her.“Hey there,” he softly murmured after a few moments.  “How are you doing?”Constance tried for words but they still didn’t want to come out and she felt the frustrated prickle of tears at the back of her eyes.  Taking a small shuddering breath out of sync to their rhythm she tried again. “Sorry,” she croaked out.“Shh, no.  Don’t apologize.  It’s going to be ok, you’re going to be ok,” he soothed. “Let’s try a drink of water though ok,” he brought a cup with a straw up towards her lips.  “Just a sip.”The cool water helped a lot and made her also realize that she must have been wheezing through most of the attack for her throat to feel so dry and scratchy.  After another sip Constance breathed out a long shaky breath, “so embarrassing. I’m sorry to do that to you,” she whispered.“Hey now, stop that. You have nothing to apologize for,” he hugged her close again. “That was pretty bad though. I’m willing to bet that doesn’t happen too often?”Constance shook her head against his chest suddenly unable to look up.  She realized that he had peeled off the top of the costume and was sitting on the concrete floor with her cradled against him in his lap. 'Pretty bad’ was starting to seem like an understatement.  And apparently a rather long one too, she realized as she shivered.
The sound of shuffling to the side and then the heavy warmth of a wool coat was draped over her back, the crisp clean citrus scent drifted from the collar.  “I’ll keep the others distracted a bit longer,” Tom Hiddleston’s voice came from behind her and Constance’s eyes went wide as she realized that they weren’t alone.

That Tom Hiddleston had seen her fall apart too!

And had just put his coat around her even after.
“Thanks man, we’ll catch up in a bit,” Karl’s voice rumbled against her cheek as she squeezed her eyes shut tight.

Holy crap!

Her mind screamed at her and she started to breathe quickly again.

Holy crap how bad had it been?  Had she made a scene? Oh gawd!

“Hey!” Karl’s voice broke through the jumble of thoughts. “Hey, it’s ok.  You’re ok. Shh, come on now breathe with me, yeah,” he tightened his arms around her again.“Oh, gawd I’m so sorry!  I didn’t mean to make a scene.  I’m sorry,” her voiced muffled but still panicked from the cocoon of his arms and the warm wool coat.“Shh, you didn’t make a scene.  It’s ok. Let’s slow your breathing back down ok,” the pair were quiet for a few moments as she tried to get her breathing and panic back under control.Once she was again in control Karl told her what happened.   “You and I had just come from the photo area and you leaned against me, at first I thought nothing of it but then you stayed there and I realized you didn’t seem yourself.  You were all pale and your eyes were a bit off so I had the security guard bring us to the back hall. We were just about here when you began to have trouble breathing,” he murmured as he pulled her a little tighter to his chest.  “It was scary I’m not gonna lie, but I have seen other panic attacks and recognized it. So we hurried into the back here and they cleared everyone out.  It was just you and I. It’s ok I'm the only one who really saw anything,” he soothed her as he talked. “It’s been about twenty minutes. Tommy had popped back a few minutes ago to get some water.  He was worried for you too, but it’s just been you and I, as the staff has kept everyone else out.”
“I’m,” she didn’t get to finish as he leaned her back a little to look her in the eyes.

“Don’t. Don’t apologize, I’m just glad I was here to help you,” he growled before give a fierce kiss to her forehead.  “You said

‘too much’

when you came out. Was it all too much, were

we

too much?”  He looked down anxious and concerned
“Oh!  Well no, not that but, yeah kinda?” Constance stuttered out.  “This is all so unreal to me. Wonderful and unforgettable but I can’t seem to grasp it all,” she said as her eyes blurred with tears.  Emotions overwhelming her now completely. “I, I really like you. I mean more than some celebrity that I’ve liked forever. And more than this amazing, funny, charming man who is incredible in bed and out,” she blurted out through the tears. “I just can’t believe I only met you a couple days ago and I feel like this incredible, unreal connection to you.  How does that happen?”Karl gave a huff of laughter and pulled her tight against his chest.  “You really like me huh?” He sounded relieved as he gave a gentle side to side rocking motion of them.“Well, yeah,” Constance said with a sniff.  “How could I not? You’re, you’re,” she stumbled to a stop.  “You’re you,” she gave a small shrug and then leaned fully against him again.  “You’re sitting on a cold concrete floor holding some crazy stranger woman and making her feel like the most important person in the world.  I’d have to be the stupidest person on the planet not to like you!”Karl gave a true laugh at that as his arms wrapped tightly around her, one hand reaching up to cradle her head against his shoulder.  “You’re not crazy. Or at least no crazier than me. I rather like you a lot too,” he said as he kissed the side of her head. “I thought this morning when you said ‘nothing was real’ that you meant you were pretending and didn’t want to leave the fantasy.”
“What?”  Constance jerked back and looked up at him.  “No! Oh no, no, no. I meant I couldn’t believe how lucky I was because stuff this amazing never happens to me. And oh, my gawd!  No! I don’t want to let this weekend go, but that’s because I’m not ready to let

you

go,” she bit her lip as she looked at him with wide ready eyes.  “I’m really not ready to let you go,” she whispered. “Like ever.”
“Me either,” he grinned brightly at her and tugged her tightly against him again.  “I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear that sweetheart!” Pulling away again, he kissed her fiercely.They sat quietly for several moments before Karl lifted his phone up and opened the messaging app.  Constance didn’t want to seem nosey so she turned her head slightly, resting against his chest again and just letting herself be in the moment.
“When is your flight tomorrow?” Karl asked after a couple messaging beeps.

She thought a moment, “10am.  Why?”

She felt the rippling of his muscles as he texted something.  “What airline?”

“Erm. Delta?” Constance felt a little bubble of excitement start to build but tried to rein it back just to be safe.

He texted again and then put his phone down wrapping both arms back around her.

She found it impossible though to keep her curiosity at bay and so she gave him a poke in his side gently and then giggled when it made him twitch suddenly. “Ah ha! I’ve found you out now,” she laughed softly and then gave a happy sigh as he squeezed her once and then let his hands run up and down her back comfortingly.  “Why did you ask?” Clearly, he was up to something Constance thought.

“I don’t like to fly alone.” Karl chuckled and dropped his mouth down to kiss the top of her head.  “So, I had my assistant, Allison, change my flight for me. Luckily, you and I are going the same way, aren’t we?”

Constance leaned away from his chest, looking up at him with a huge smile.  “Yes, we are!” Her heart skipping a beat as he leaned forward, his eyes not losing contact with hers as he paused only inches from her face before coming in, his lips brushing against hers.

“All the same,” he whispered as he pulled back slightly, his breath warm on her lips. “We can pretend tonight we won’t see each other for a while and I’ll make sure you won’t forget me while we’re parted.”

Constance giggled and gave an incredulous sigh, “oh you’ve already assured forgetting you would never happen.”

Karl reached up with one hand, cupping her cheek as he looked down at her, “what do you say on Tuesday night I cook for you? At my place,” he tilted his head to side at her when she didn’t answer right away. “I’m not a bad cook.”

“I don’t care if you make me oatmeal,” she said shifting enough to bring both her hands up and cupping his face, marveling at her good fortune after everything. “I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

Karl kissed her again as he wrapped her up tightly in his arms.  Breaking the kiss when they both began to lose track of where they were, he tucked her head back against his chest, “it’s just about lunch time.  We should get some food, you really need something more than that pretzel in your stomach I’m sure after the morning you’ve had.”

“Yeah lunch sounds good,” she gave a squeeze of her arms and then eased herself off his lap.  Looking up at him as he popped up from the floor she shook her head in amazement. “I’m going to need your help.  I’m not nearly as limber as you apparently.”

Karl gave a low chuckle as he held out his hands to her, “oh sweetheart.  I found you more than flexible last night. I think you’re selling yourself short.”

Constance was halfway off the floor when he said that and turned bright red. Swatting at his chest as she stood before him, she ducked shyly away from him, letting her head fall to his chest again as she gave a laugh. “You are terrible.”  Making him laugh even more as he pulled her close and held her tight.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The sound of his cell phone ringing Sunday morning surprised Tom though he had already been awake.  The Boba Fett request from Karl however, had him laughing and took little more than a phone call or two to secure the costume.  He had to admit that there was something about the combination of Constance and Karl that caught his attention so he was happy to help out his friend. The evening prior, Tom had left the charity event unsettled. There had been an odd quality to the atmosphere all around.  Overall, he’d enjoyed the evening a great deal but as the movie ended something had changed. Initially he chalked it up to being tired and in a strange city but the more he thought about it, the more he knew that wasn’t the issue. In fact, he’d woken in the early hours of the morning fully aware that something had happened. Something wrong.  It was as if the very fabric of life was askew and slipped out of sync ever so slightly.  He’d tried to tell himself that it was the lack of sleep, just his overactive imagination even, but a restless stirring in his mind nixed that idea as well. Unable to quiet the swirling thoughts he had made himself go for a run, hoping that might ease the restlessness but when he’d returned to the hotel and received Karl’s call, the current of concern that had been running along his skin had spiked and he’d known clearly that it at the least included the couple.As the morning unfolded and everyone around him seemed odd. The worrying curl in his gut grew. Spotting Ben on his way to the lobby with a rather agitated Lee and the blonde woman, her name escaping him at the moment but she was a friend to Constance, his worry had spiked.The trio looked decidedly out of sorts.  He spotted them leaving the night before and was sure that it had been a good evening for them.  In the morning light it was like all three were trying to figuratively reach for the other but kept missing over and over.  Not wanting to intrude in their personal affairs, he let them go by and resolved to check in on Ben and Lee later.No, what was repeatedly calling to Tom was Constance and Karl.  It had started that first night in the bar as just a way of tweaking his friend who was obviously attempting to pick up on the pretty young woman.  But Tom had found himself intrigued by the red head as she spoke so passionately about her friends and work.  He would never make a move on someone his friend was interested with when they had bumped into each other again Saturday night, the idea of a fun evening with the duo was perfect. No matter that the ever present voice in the back of his mind whispered he needed to be vigilant.  Caution!  And while he was tempted him to ignore that thought, there were moments when he couldn’t.Now was definitely one of those moments, Tom acknowledged. As he left the back room and returned to the hallway that lead out to the convention floor, he schooled his face back to its normal relaxed cheerfulness. But he knew he couldn’t ignore his growing concerns anymore. Things were simply too far off, too disjointed and strained.Stepping back into the convention hall, he found his thoughts once again consumed with Constance.  It was a relief to see that the young woman more herself than when he had initially found. But it was unsettling to see the degree to which her panic attack had been.  When he first saw her, the skeins of something unnatural coiled around her in angry reds and violent pulsing purples.  Tangling tightly about her, pushing and pulling at her body and mind.  Tom shuddered as deep within him, he recognized that angry coil an energy he hadn’t encountered in years. It had taken all his strength to keep him standing there next to the couple. Shaking off the memory and his dark thoughts, Tom nodded to his assistant and decided he would give some deeper contemplation to what he had witnessed later. He headed back to his booth only to freeze just as he began to enter the photo area.  The familiar prickling sensation travelled up his spine and made him come to a complete halt.
Vigilance!
Around him Tom watched as young men and woman rushed back and forth, fans headed out of the different booths, happy and giddy with the moment they had just experienced.  As he scanned their faces expecting to see within them watch had caught his attention, he realized it was the space in front of him, this one photo booth that caused the tendrils of trepidation that traveled through his mind.A sense of connection to what he had experienced in the back area with Constance once more climbed up his spine.  Broken space, slithering darkness, fractures of something he couldn’t quite put his finger to.  He was sure that she had stood here, that what had touched her earlier and was now dissipating from her aura, had happened here.  Spinning slowly in place he let his senses open and came to a stop. Reaching out to push aside the curtain in front of him and his eyes connected with Ellis’ surprised gaze.Magic. Very old and profoundly dark. Caution! Whispered the voice.The revelationon Ellis’ face was all the confirmation that Tom needed.  As he eyed the other ‘man’, he took a step back to take in the full scope of what stood before him.  A sense of something other filled him and he shivered at the depth of whatever it was there.  The whispers quieted suddenly, a recognition of something alike and yet different. 
Myths and Legends.
As he pulled back to wrap himself in wards and protections, once more Tom thought of Constance.  That shocking moment as he’d entered the backstage area and had seen her, curled tightly against Karl, her wide eyes vacant, tears streaming down her face, as she fought to catch her breath.  The frantic expression in Karl’s eyes as he tried to comfort her nearly broke Tom’s heart. Tom met Ellis’ eyes and pushed that image held forward.The mask that was Ellis’ face flashed with distress and guilt as Tom watched the other man’s eyes flare wide his before dropping his head in shame.  A whisper of surprise crossed Tom mind and the urge to know, to move, to connect to this being propelled him forward into the booth. The dark haired ‘man’ looked back up at him, eyebrow raised with a questioning look in his eyes.  With a small twitch of his glasses, a simple adjustment to anyone watching, but it allowed Tom to send a small investigative tendril of his energy towards the other actor. Listening closely to the whisper for any warnings it relieved him to sense nothing.  There was nothing threatening in the other man though the need to be cautious still radiated around him.  Ellis’ face showed to Tom in that moment that Constance’s reaction had been something unexpected and the other man hadn’t meant to be harm her. Tom eased back then, settling his weight to his heels and gave a nod of understanding to Ellis. He was just about to turn and head back to his booth when again the dark slithering tingle raced through him, freezing him to the spot as ‘DANGER!’ clang loudly through his mind.Moving only his gaze, Tom surveyed the back of the booth and was surprised to see Lee in a chair in the corner.  A heaviness about the American that wasn’t normal as the he stared off into nothing.  Perhaps you could think it was simply him lost in thought but Tom’s senses were on high alert now and he knew that his friend wouldn’t have lost himself so deeply to his thoughts when surrounded by strangers.A delicate cough took his eyes from Lee to the woman next to him and Tom only just managed to keep the surprise off his face.  Cate’s dark eyes watched him closely, making the hair on the back of his arms stand up in concern.  Calling forward all his charm on to the woman Tom gave a smile as he inclined his head towards her.  “Good afternoon,” he gathered his thoughts protectively to himself. “I wasn’t expecting to run into you both here,” he let a smile widen across his lips, his eyes darting to Lee who still sat silent as a statue.Cate gave a loud bray of laughter and an overly bright smile up at him. “Oh, didn’t you hear this is ‘the place to hang?’”Danger!  The voice hissed at him again and he carefully tightened his shields around him.He looked down at her straight into her eyes, holding his best smile, “I understand there is a lunch break coming up?  Is this the gathering point?”  He watched Cate closely as he spoke, catching the slight hitch in her breathing and the twitch of her eyes towards Lee.As Cate gave a mocking pout, pretending hurt about his not joining in her banter, he supposed. Tom could see the calculation behind the mask on her face.  She was moments of red rage and brittle glacial light that let him deeply concerned about any who came in contact with her.  He was shaken from his contemplation as she finally answered him.  “Yes, lunch is almost up.  I wondered where you’d disappeared to,” she eyed him curiously but shook that off with a smile.  Tom saw the strained edges around it and wondered just what she was playing at. “I tried to find you to let you know,” her voice high and cheery but under it there was more, something discomforting, like a rustling in the shadows. “I took a small break,” he gave an offhanded wave of his hand as he strengthened a carefully concealed protection ward outward and around himself. “Ah,” her smile widened so much that her eyes pinched painfully at the edges.  “Well, all we need now is to grab two more of my strays and then we can go,” she smirked from Tom to Lee and back again.  “And yes, of course, you are all mine,” she laughed happily as she leaned back in her chair. A rapid rise of denial from the depths of his mind forced Tom to immediately clamp his mouth shut to keep the words from escaping.  Now is not the time or place, he told himself.  Once he’d finally regained control of himself, he’d casually asked, “oh, are you looking for Karl and Constance?” He let his eyes roam over the energies radiating off Cate and was surprised by the peculiar energy spike when he mentioned her friends name.  That was an odd curiosity.“Yeah, she’s not answering her phone,” Cate gave a sigh and a dramatic roll of her eyes. “She’s probably off playing ‘with her new love’,” she snarked.  “And completely ignoring her friends as usual.” “Oh, well actually,” Tom interrupted what he sensed was going to turn into a rant from Cate.  “I saw them in the back.  She’s not feeling well so they’re taking a break from the noise.” Cate’s eyes shot to his, surprised.  “Goodness aren’t you just the fontof information this weekend,” she gave another of her contradictory laughs.  But he saw the shift of thoughts behind her eyes and another itch of Danger climbed his spine once again. “I wonder what’s wrong this time?” Cate started to rise from her chair, “I better go check on her.”Tom held his hand up, instantly suspecting it would not a good idea for this woman to see Constance like this.  No matter that she was supposedly her best friend, the young red heads vulnerability sprang to Tom’s mind and he was certain things would not end well.  “Karl’s with her.  She’s just relaxing a bit and he’s promised to make sure she’s alright,” he dropped his eyes away from her, adjusting his glasses with his long fingers.  “They asked for some privacy for a bit.”Cate hummed with discontent as she shifted in front of her chair but realizing something, most likely that she didn’t really have an excuse to go back, Cate’s shoulders dropped her shoulders as she frowned. “Well I’m sure we’ll see them at lunch. I’ll check on her then,” she sounded reluctant as she unhappily fiddled with her phone.  She appeared to be mulling over a something more before finally looking back up at him with a tight smile. “You’ll join us for lunch of course?” He had the distinct impression that she was both pushing him to join as well as hoping fervently that he would leave.  Tom eyed her and then Lee, who had continued to be uncommonly quiet beside Cate.  Without question he knew he needed to keep an eye on her and Ellis so he nodded his agreement. “I would be most honored, my lady,” giving her a gallant bow.  A snickering gasp rang out in the booth as one of the women who was getting her picture taken with Ellis currently, caught the moment.  Knowing that he had to keep his cover, Tom turned slightly and gave a wink over his shoulder to her along with a wide cheeky grin.  He leaned against the table to watch the last few people complete their moments with the other actor. As Ellis finally finished with the last of his fans, the small group made their way out of the curtained area and across the convention floor towards the stairs.  Cate was at the front of the group, Ellis only barely trailing behind her as Tom and Lee brought up the rear. Tom heard the calls of his fans and waved to them with a smile before catching something out of the corner of his eye. Looking up he spotted Constance and Karl as they waited on the landing at the top. A quick glance told him that she was definitely improved, and he felt a whisper of relief at that thought.  Though he could see the strong desire to protect her still in Karl’s stance and grip on the young woman.  He wondered if the pair were aware of the attention that they drew, leaning as she was on him.  “Get a room, nerds,” Cate’s voice echoed up the stairs even over the hall noise. Constance looked over to Cate and gave a weak smile to her friend. “But then we wouldn’t get to watch,” Ellis purred with a smirk, the couple coming to a stop at the top of the stairs. Ellis glanced between Karl and Constance, his smirk dropping and an oddly remorseful expression taking over.  Constance however barely noticed as she refused to look to the actor, instead shying back against Karl.  Tom couldn’t blame her."It’s lunch time kids, let’s get moving," Cate announced, a hand on her hip as she looked Constance up and down. “And I hear from a little birdie someone isn’t feeling well?  I’m sure once again you’ve been skipping food so yeah let’s get moving now chop, chop,” she clapped her hands loudly at the young red head. “Yeah, sorry,” Constance said with a whisper.  Looking up towards Karl the furrowed between her eyebrows deep and kind of painful looking. “I’m feeling better now though.” Karl smiled gently at her, “lunch sounds good. We could both use some food at this point.” “Yes lunch,” Hiddleston spoke up as he came to stand next to Karl partially blocking Cate from Constance’s view.  “How are you darling?” he asked quietly as the others chimed in their agreement and Cate turned to Ellis with a huff. “Much better thank you,” Constance smiled genuinely as she flushed in embarrassment.  “I have your coat too, thank you for that,” she said turning slightly and pulling the coat from where it was resting on the railing. "Hope you two don't mind trending on Twitter," Tom nodded his head towards the convention floor below as he took his coat from the red head. "Hmm.  I changed my accounts earlier to private and I think I’ll just take a break from social media for a while," Constance quietly mused, though she straightened up and unwinding her arms from about Karl’s waist.  Well now that’s a relief, Tom thought in passing.  She’s not out for the attention.  But then he hadn’t really thought that after their earlier interactions.  Confirmation was nice though and he found himself giving a gentle smile to the pair as Karl pulled her back, slipping his arms around her and brushed his lips across the top of her head. “Forget them,” he heard Karl quietly murmur as the tall Kiwi turned so her back was to the open area. “Shall we move this indoor,” Ellis drew everyone attention from the convention floor and back over to the group.  “Not that I don’t enjoy giving a good show, but,” he gave a small fast glance towards Constance and then away. “Some things are no one else's business hmm.” Cate scowled down at the people and then immediately began to usher everyone towards the entrance of the back area.  “I’m starved, it's been an exhausting morning,” she mockingly said as they all began to move again. “All this fangirling it’s so tiring,” she pretended to swoon and Ellis was instantly there, tucking her up against his side. “Oh, dear my love, we must do something about this immediately then, I can’t have you swooning on me, again.” “You’ve had enough swooning from everyone else today,” Cate said, pressing her hand against his side, pretending to push him away but not putting actual effort into the push, “God, your head must be huge.”“God has nothing to do with it, love,” Ellis purred at her, pausing a moment when he realized Tom was studying him carefully, and had moved to walk between both couples.   “Food sounds about perfect right now,” Constance broke in.  “Where are we going?” “They’ve sectioned off a bit of a restaurant for us,” Tom spoke up. “Not to worry, though, it’s accessible through a back entrance so we should all have some privacy at least.”  He nodded to the security that met them in the hall to lead the way. As the group moved down the hall, Tom watched Lee and felt his concern grow even more.  His friend seemed sluggish and distracted, his hand occasionally twitching towards his pocket and then stopping.  He looked to the left of Lee and saw that Cate was still hovering close to his friend. For all appearances she seemed to be engrossed in Ellis but Tom quickly noticed that her glance would stray to Lee after every twitch of his hand. Stepping out of the back hall and into the brisk sunshine of the early afternoon, Tom shifted himself next to Lee, reaching out a hand and dropping it on his friend’s shoulder effectively cutting the woman off as he slipped between them.  He smiled brightly as he caught Cate’s disgruntled huff just as they were entering the restaurant. First strike achieved. Tom quickly gave himself a mental shake at that thought,this is not a battle and this not the time for those types of thoughts.  Using the doors as another chance to shift the group around, Tom gave a tug to his friend’s arm and shifted them behind Ellis and Cate allowing the couple to take the lead in their seating arrangement.  He watched as Constance and Karl settled themselves to one side, their heads bowed toward each other as they chatted quietly.  Thankfully, Ellis took hold of Cate’s hand, tugging her towards the seat opposite the other couple, although Tom felt a small worry that the other man was still watching Constance so closely.  Shaking off that, he allowed Lee to slip forward and watched his friend as he made his way to the table.  As the tall American approved the dark haired woman’s chair, Tom saw him pause momentarily, the smallest of stutters before lurching forward once more and continuing past.  Tom held still at the furrowed look on Cate’s face before quickly slipping passed her, taking the seat on the other side of the table next to his American friend.  The loud rattle of Lee dropping his phone on the table and the scraping of the legs of his chair as he pulled it drew everyone's attention to him momentarily.  “Hey there Grumpy Gus, whatcha thinking?” Cate pushed Lee’s phone towards the center of the table as she gave him a smirk.Lee’s gaze dropped to his phone for a few seconds before shifting to Cate, his brows narrowing as his shoulders straightened. Holding her gaze, the tall man reached out slowly, his long arm crossing the distance easily. Dropping his hand onto it, Tom caught the slight tremor to it though and the hesitance for only a brief second before he markedly dragged his phone back to rest in front of him and then turning it face down. Tom couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen the other man so tense, if ever, and had the distinct impression an unseen struggle was occurring directly across from him.  It left him distinctly uneasy and increased the restlessness that had been growing in the back of his mind since he’d seen the younger man in Ellis’ booth. Clearing his throat drew both pairs of storming eyes to him. Taking a sip of the cold water, they had just set in front of him Tom put on a wide smile as he leaned forward, putting his forearms on the table and instantly felt the growing tension settle back. “This is a nice break, isn’t it? Days going well for the most part, yeah?”  He looked around to the table catching Karl’s eye.  Karl leaned back with a quirk of his eyebrow as he dropped his arm across the top of Constance’s chair, “oh managed to keep to your schedule for a change then Tommy?” Tom gave a chuckle and a look of chagrin, “there have been several lovely fans today. But more or less,” he smirked at the Kiwi.  “What about you Lee any pleasantsurprises?” He was curious to see Cate shift in her seat with that question and found himself wondering just what else she’d been up to. Lee’s shoulders visibly softened as he leaned in towards Tom, his fingers still tracing along the back of his phone before absently sliding it even closer to himself and away from Cate.  His fingertips tapped there absently for a few seconds in an almost nervous pattern.  Tom moved his attention from that peculiarity up to Lee’s eyes which were dark under the thick brows and for the umpteenth time that day Tom was sucked into a whirlpool of apprehension.Tom kept his expression and tone light, raising both eyebrows in animated fashion.  “Where’s Ben off today?  Will he be joining us?”  Lee’s eyes darted to his phone again, his expression momentarily bewildered. “Oh! He’s off gallivanting with Alexi,” Cate chimed in leaning back towards the two men as if sharing something in confidence with them. “Apparently, they are on one of those ridiculously romantic day cruises.”  She rolled her eyes dramatically, opening her mouth and pointing her finger into it with a gagging effect.  “Really, it’s almost nauseating.  I should be surprised but after knowing her so long I’m not.” Lee tilted his head down for several seconds, as if attempting to restrain himself before giving up and with a quick, loud push of his chair, he unceremoniously lurched to his feet.  His chair made a clatter as the back of it hit the wall and he spun on his heel, leaving the room without a glance back. “What’s up with him?” Cate’s eyes went round with surprise. Her hand fluttered about her neck tensely. “Did I, was it something I said?” A powerful urge to reach out and grasp the woman by the neck flowed over Tom. But he barely managed to restraint himself as he took a long breath. Closing his eyes as he did so to ground himself he pulled forward his calming mantra and chanted it several times to himself.  Not an appropriate impulse. This is not the time and place. Flattening his long hands on the table and giving a slight push to ground himself until his equilibrium returned. “Excuse me,” Tom gave an apologetic smile to the group, all eyes upon him after Lee’s abrupt display.  He waved a hand in the air, considering giving more explanation but deciding it wasn’t necessary as he followed his friend.Tom stepped out into the hall and instantly spotted Lee leaning against the opposite wall his phone to his ear.“Yeah. I don’t know what that was either.  Sorry man. I guess,” his voice was heavy with frustration. “Maybe someone got a hold of it yeah. I mean I didn’t write that, that, whatever that was,” Tom could hear the plea in the other man’s voice.Shifting so that Lee spotted him, Tom made eye contact and then tilted his head to show he was stepping away but would be nearby. Lee gave a distracted nod and then curved his upper body away, obviously wanting to protect whoever he was talking to, Tom thought. Stepping to the side so that he was out of hearing range but able to see Lee, Tom surreptitiously eyed his friend. There.  There it was again, he thought as his nose twitched at the stink of something and absently reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose in an attempt to make it go away.  Just as he had smelled in the corridor at the convention hall and again when he crossed paths with Constance and Karl during her attack an overwhelming scent of something off and bitter.  Yet familiar and enticing. Magic. Danger, the voice in the back of his head hissed at him. Dark magic. Continuing to rub the side of his nose absently, the curl of tension at the base of his skull tightened. This is neither the time nor the place, he absently chastised himself. It was a moment before the tension eased and he took a deep cleansing breath again. A peek towards Lee saw him straightening and pushing off the wall, a good deal of the anxiety that Tom had seen for the last twenty minutes had eased from his face. Benedict then, good he obviously needed to hear from him. Tom gave a relaxed smile as he made his way over to Lee.Making eye contact and before Tom could say anything Lee shook his head with a frown, “I don’t know what that was in there.”“What do you mean?” Tom watched him attentively, “Is it the convention?  I know you aren’t fond of the crowds.”“What?  No, no. That was fine as far as-,” he waved his hand in the air to dismiss that thought.  “That was fine,” Lee’s distracted smile solidified for a moment before shoving his hands into his pockets. The taller actor began to pace back and forth across the hall. His face sliding back and forth between confusion, hurt, frustration and a bit of wonder as he obviously attempted to piece together the many loose ends of his thoughts.  Coming to a stop suddenly in front of Tom, “I don’t know what it is.  I feel like, felt, no feel,” Lee’s words as disjointed as his thoughts as he brought both of his hands up to hover near the side of his head, splaying his fingers out for emphasis. “I think I’ve lost my mind.”Tom let his hand hover towards Lee a moment as he assessed the other man. “We all do that at some point,” he felt the words leave his mouth and wanted to pull them back.  Instead he let his hand drop with a half smile, “well, this has been a most peculiar weekend,” Tom said softly.  “All sorts of the new and,” he paused a moment searching for the right word. “Unfamiliar.”  It was a relief as he watched Lee begin to unwind further, his frantic pacing slowing until he came to a stop.“Yeah.” Lee nodded as if Tom’s previous words had finally reached him. “Forgive me for intruding,” Tom prodded gently. “Would this have anything to do with Ben and the woman?”“What?” Lee’s neck craned back with some surprise, “No. No. Well,” he floundered for words.  “No, I don’t think so. YES.”  A strangled sigh escaped him as if the mention of it stirred up something manic in him once again.“No. Look, I didn’t think anything of it and there’s no way I was going to jump into whatever Ben was up to last night. I was just going to, you know, look the other way for the weekend and let him have his kicks.  I thought, vapid blonde Hollywood type, you know what I mean.” He gave Tom a meaningful look and then shrugged. “Then I got curious and made the mistake of talking to her,” he ran a hand over his face in frustration as he breathed a quiet laugh. “I don’t, didn’t, hate her.  But then I didn’t expect to not hate her, I was just, you know, indifferent. And then suddenly, I find myself, I don’t know,” he huffed out a breath looking up at the ceiling a moment. “Actually, I think I like her.” An incredulous huff escaped him at that absurdity as he patted at his chest suddenly, looking for something and reached in his jacket and sticking his fingers in the pockets.  “Do you have some gum or mints or something?  I’m dying.  Anyway, this morning it just hit me.  It’s all too much.  He’s too much.  She’s too much.  How am I supposed to do that?  It’s ridiculous.  I can’t. I won’t!” Lees hands flew up and around in agitation before fluttering down his sides as he seemed to lose all energy.Tom shook his head, uneasy but simultaneously fascinated by the tidal wave of words pouring out of his usually serenely private friend. Lee’s face brightened momentarily as his fingers touched on something in one of his pockets and pulled it out, frowning at the small satchel that clearly wasn’t gum.  Tom’s sense of smell assaulted him and he only barely managed to keep his expression placid.“What the fuck is this?” Lee scowled, tossing it aside without a second thought.  He took a deep breath to continue his streaming tirade but his brows relaxed, inching upward from their scowl.  “What were we talking about?”“Something about your reservations with Benedict and-,” Tom said absently, moving his pointed shoe forward and flicking the discarded satchel further away from them with an easy move Lee didn’t notice.“Oh, right,” Lee shook his head and ran a long hand through his hair as if releasing cobwebs, “I need to make reservations.  I found this Italian place I think Ben will like that has vegan options and it’s always packed.”  He finally made eye contact with Tom again, paired with an embarrassed smile that said all it needed to Tom, namely let’s forget about that little meltdown we just experienced and pretend we were talking about dinner instead.Tom gave a nod of his head, “that sounds good mate.  You, you really want to get to know her then?” He carefully tried to edge around the previous outburst but still wanted to make sure that this was Lee’s thoughts not anyone else.Lee paused and gave a small half smile, “her name is Alexi.”Tom gave a nod and a answering smile, “Alexi.  Lovely name for a lovely woman,” he said as he watched his friend closely. “Well then let’s get some lunch, shall we?”Lee started to nod and then froze, his eyes going to the door to the restaurant and then back to Tom, “yeah umm.” Lee’s face had set into a stony blankness as he looked back to the door.“I was thinking of having my assistant grab me something,” Tom interrupted Lee. “I'm in the mood for a bit of quiet and there's a back room that would be perfect.”Lee relaxed his shoulders and gave a half smile, “yeah that sounds good.  It’s been,” he stopped as they turned a corner and headed outside and the long way around the restaurant.  “It’s been a weird day man,” Lee ran a large hand over his face tiredly.“It never fails to amaze me the things that can happen at these types of events,” Tom replied with a look of commiseration.  “But then it’s never dull,” he gave a half smile and a nudge of his shoulder. And that is the concerning part, whispered the back of his mind. “You got that right,” Lee growled before shaking off his darker thoughts and slouched comfortably as the pair headed back towards the hall. “Thanks man. I appreciate it.”Tom looked up from the text he was sending to his assistant but Lee was looking forward, his face still a bit troubled, but more relaxed then he’d seen him that day. “What are friends for?” He replies quickly turning his attention back to his screen and hitting send. “But you might want to wait and see what your sandwich is before you thank me,” he said in his Loki voice and was rewarded with a low chuckle from the American beside him.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“I think love,” Ellis interrupted her circling thoughts.  “That you and I should have a bit of quiet time. Don’t you?” he glanced towards her with a wide smile.  “Lunch shall be here shortly and then I have another hour left here at the convention.”

Cate looked up at him, unable to hide her surprise, “um quiet time?”  Her pulse jumped and blinked trying to keep her excitement in check.

Ellis took her hand, dropping a kiss on her knuckles, “there are a few things we need to talk about.”

“Oh?” Cate batted her eyelashes at him.

Ellis turned her hand over, dropping a kiss to her palm as he glanced up at her through his lashes. “Yes,” he murmured. “I’m curious about what you’re up to with your magic,” he smirked.  “And perhaps if I might be of some assistance.”

Cate froze, stunned silent by his statement, her brain unable to process what he said at first but then as it did, her heart jumped into her throat.

“Really darling,” Lucifer draped his arm along the back of her chair and leaned close to her ear. “You are getting wound up for nothing.  There’s no need for it. We’ll have a little lunch, I’ll finish my duties and then we’ll sort out what you’ve gotten yourself into.” His voice was soft, soothing even warm as he spoke and Cate could feel herself leaning in and soaking in each of his words.  “Yes, there we are. Eat up now. I think you’ll need your strength later.”

Cate, her heart jumping with the possibilities of what lie in store, lifted half of her sandwich and took a bite, as Ellis settled back in his chair and ate his lunch.
 
_^_
 
“I was wondering love,” Ellis handed Cate a glass of red wine.  They were finally back in his hotel room, the duties of the day done and now it was time to chat.  All afternoon, a sense of detachment held her, the knowledge of the impending talk made it an ever present conscious thought.  Yet, any time her panic and worry surfaced it would simply float away.

The brunette swirled the glass in her hand, pretending to studying the heavy red as it sloshed up and around the sides in fascinating patterns. Using the moment to get her thoughts together, struggling to figure out something to defend herself and her actions.  But as it had happened since lunch, her thoughts only floated from her.

“What is it you desire?” Ellis dropped onto the couch, taking a sip of his wine as he watched her.

She gawked at him a long moment as her theories coalesced with precision. “That one won’t work on me,

Lucifer,”

she quirked her eyebrow and gave a wry smile in case she was wrong.

He smiled with a little nod, “ah well then, indeed.”

Despite her moment of clarity, she still gawked at him in surprise, “you’re actually going with that play?” She leaned toward him for emphasis. “You want me to believe your-?” She drew out the last word as she looked at him with confusion.  When he said nothing, Cate narrowed her eyes at him and gave a small huff of disbelief. “You want me to accept you are The Lucifer, don’t you?”

Ellis broke then, giving a low, sensuous laugh, “didn’t we settle this last night?”  When she startled with surprise and a dash of comprehension, he shook his head. “You’ve been tossing around magic for a couple days now but you can’t trust who I am?”

He raised an eyebrow at her as she stared into his eyes, “what exactly

is

going on?”   Cate glared at him as she continued to grow frustrated with his evasiveness.

Taking the wineglass from her hand and setting it on the table in front of them he responded, “I think you know, if you will just let the memories come.”

Cate gave a skeptical huff but ultimately closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the sofa.

Memories

, she reflected.

Hidden memories no less

, it took everything not scoff out loud.

The roar of an ocean, the smell of sea spray and suddenly everything unlocked.  The memories had been shouting inside her brain all weekend and yet she didn’t realize it until this moment. The beach, the cliffs, the wind.  Shift. The dry heat, dusty rocks, howling predators in the desert. Shift. Evening skies over open plains, chanting rituals, driving desires.

Echoes in her mind pointed her toward the sounds of shouting over the wind and the sounds of the waves crashing below, the aching need to get everything right. The frantic workings and obsessive practicing all while hoping the shaman would hear her, grant her the power to make her heart’s desire finally become hers.  And when she turned her inner eye towards the shaman, his voice drifted over her memories, the words were soft and warm in her ears. And she realized it sounded familiar.

Her eyes popped open, and she sat up. “YOU!” She breathed out slightly accusatory. “You were the shaman?”

“Ah, there we are,” Ellis nodded and gave a little half bow. “At your service.”

This was more shocking to her than the realization he was actually Lucifer, playing at being an actor called Tom Ellis, who was playing at being Lucifer. “I don’t understand,” she said with a shake of her head.

He shrugged. “I like to moonlight. It’s so tedious doing the same thing century after century as I’m sure you know,” he said with a wink at her.

She rolled her eyes at that. “Ooh sure, obviously,” her words dropped with sarcasm before taking a quick steadying breath. “But why? I don’t understand why?”

He grinned at her and reached out to take her hands, toying with her fingers, alternating between twining them with his and the stroking them.  “I’m not omniscient but I recognize there are people, gifted and interesting people, and I make it my business to track their business even over the eons. You’ve long intrigued me

Catharine

. When I noticed the state, you were working yourself into and then you sought a teacher, a real teacher,” he gestured towards himself with his wine glass.

“Naturally I knew the best man for that job was, well, the best ‘not precisely’ man.” Her looked into her eyes giving her a wide self satisfied grin as he relaxed back into the cushions.

Cate looked down at their entwined hands a moment while she processed what all that meant. He had taught her, which meant that he recognized her darkest desires.  Which also meant that when they crossed paths, the other day in the lobby Ellis had known who she was. And as she let the logic of her thoughts fully tease out this to its end conclusion, he knew she’d be at the convention as well. She raised her eyes to him, “so what precisely does this all mean?”

He leaned forward with an impish grin. “Darling it means that we are going to raise Hell. Possibly quite literally.”

Her mouth dropped open into a perfect moue of ‘O,” before it snapped shut when he followed with, “though my dear, you have been terribly heavy handed. We really must work on your technique before you ruin everything.”

Cate pulled a face. “I haven’t been ‘heavy handed’,” she ground her teeth at the insult. “I just,” She started and then paused a moment going through the last couple days in her mind and then gave a sharp shake of her head. “I was being thorough and trying to make sure nothing went wrong. That’s all.”

“No need to get defensive my dear,” he gave an affronted sniff but the twinkle in his eye let her know he wasn’t upset. “However, the fact remains you have been a wee bit noticeable and there have been reactions to your magic. Along with the unexpected reactions to myself as well in one case, unfortunately.  Leaving it all a bit too obvious to the general population at large and that’s something that concerns me. Hiddleston, for one, is becoming suspicious. He senses something is wrong but he can’t put his finger on it just yet.”

Not wanting to dwell on her actions she latched onto that thought. “Yes, okay, I get what you’re saying,” she waved her free hand absently.  “But have you noticed that something is off about Hiddleston as well? I mean, he tries to hide it but I’d bet anything there is a lot more to him than meets the eye. Like,” she paused a moment to search for the right word only to find it slip away and she gave a frustrated shake of her head. “I dunno, maybe he’s not what we see on the surface? OH,” her face lit with excitement. “Is he’s like you?!” she leaned forward eagerly her mind starting to spin with possibilities and ideas.

“There is no one like me darling,” he flashed a shark like smile and dark glimmering eyes his whole presence altering, stretching and then shifting back after a moment.

“While there is definitely something to what you say about Hiddleston, we’re not talking about

him

right now,” his head tilted down at her as he gave her a look that said he knew exactly what she was trying to do.  “We’re talking about you and your magic,” he gave a slightly exasperated sigh. “Did we not go over the subtle art of spell casting back in the desert?”

His voice held all the chastisement of a parent to a toddler and it set Cate’s teeth on edge. Throwing him a huff of annoyance and a roll of her eyes she settled back against the couch cushions deflating slightly.  Her mind racing back through their conversations both here and from the desert, Cate straightened back up in defiance.

“I don’t know

Lucifer

, is ritual dark magic supposed to
be
subtle? Bloodletting and sacrificing your friends’ souls to get what you want,” she halted, her mouth snapping shut as for the first time those words sank into her.  Forcing away those thoughts she quickly returned to her original point, “that sort of magic doesn’t lend itself to being shy and retiring does it? No, no, it doesn’t,” she swiftly answered before he could, a look of ‘so there’ on her face.

When it didn’t appear, he

would

say anything after all she continued on.  “Besides, I am,” she uncomfortably contemplated her thoughts and emotions for a moment. She was not the type to admit when she was wrong even to herself let alone out loud to this powerful man.  “I

was

in a bad place, mentally,” she congratulated herself on finding a better way of saying her true feelings.  “So. Yeah, things have changed now right?” She folded her arms over her chest and silently dared him to rebut her brilliant defense.

Lucifer regarded her for a long moment, and there was no doubt in her mind that’s who sat opposite her right now. His inscrutable face seemed to search through her soul and her mind for several long moments before reaching a decision, apparently. His face softened and a slow smile graced his lips, “well now, surely you realize that you can reach your objectives without having to be so obvious. I mean, you have your answers, you have your heart’s true desire,” he gave her a cheeky smirk as he spread his hands wide open. “And you now have the best teacher there is at your beck and call,” he winked at her.

She stared at him with narrowed eyes, refusing to give in to the flutter in her chest.  “Do I now? I don’t remember asking for The Devil even though that’s what I ended up with.” She gave a soft sigh knowing her words had come out a bit insulting. Looking away from him she bit at the inside of her cheek, obviously she got way more than she asked for and if she was honest, she got so much better than what she had thought she was asking for.

But did she truly have him? Did she genuinely want him?

Well yes, she did honestly want him, because just look at him! Tall, dark, and handsome was a phrase obviously invented for him. And everything about him so far was so much better than,

she brought her thoughts to a screeching halt.

She would not think about -

him.

The other man was now off limits,

she reminded herself severely

.

Any desire for the ‘that guy’ that might have been the driving force behind what she had thought, conceived, connived and let’s face it, total betrayed those around her for, was not something she wanted to consider anymore. The harder she tried to think about that and ‘him’ the more it slipped away from her.  She startled to realize that the only feelings she had for the “that guy” was of disgust and disappointment, mainly in herself. The thought of letting him go was starting to feel possible finally.

An amused chuckle snapped her out of her reverie. “There she is,” Ellis murmured. “That’s the woman I’ve been waiting for. So lovely to see her returning.”

“Oh, so you read minds now too, do you Lucifer?” She gave a disgruntled sneer.

“Who needs to read minds when you humans and your motivations, your emotions, are so plainly writ on your faces,” he gave a chuckle and waved his hand as if dismissing that train of thought.  “But really darling, you got me. I’m what you’ve been looking for, calling for, begging for,” he purred as he stared into her eyes with a wicked smirk on his face. “Deep down we both know this has been what you’re asking for all along,” he smiled lasciviously at her.  “And I have to say I am oh so pleased to oblige you.”

Cate, bit her lip against a wave of fierce desire, hope and longing as she whispered, “do I actually have you though? It’s only been two days.”

“It’s been much longer than that, something you’ll see in time,” he gave another dismissive wave, brushing aside her concerns. “And yes. Really.”

Cate pondered that for a moment before giving a nod of her head in acceptance.  Letting a sly, flirty smile crossed her lips as she thought of something more. “I believe we have some unfinished business though.”  Fluttering her lashes at him as the warm bubble of excitement filled her chest. “Aren’t we supposed to seal this deal,” she purred at him.

He growled low, “oh darling.  I’ve been waiting for you to ask. There are so many things I’ve wanted to do with you.”

“You mean all I had to do was ask?” Cate purred as she scooted closer, his heat drawing her in along with an enticing spicy scent. “Is that why you didn’t sleep with me last night?” She inhaled deeply as she jutted out her lip in a pout.

Ellis gave a chuckle that reverberated through her as he traced a finger over back of her hand. “Well darling, I had to make sure you hadn’t changed your mind.  After all, the first time will be the one as you say, that seals the deal. I didn’t want to hear about it later if you had a sudden change of heart and wanted to cancel the deal. Or say return to your former heart’s desire,” he looked up at her through his lashes, eyes flashing diabolically in the afternoon light.

A dark thrill raced through her as she smirked back at him, her heart speeding up with excitement as she inched closer.  She knew she couldn’t have resisted him for much longer even if she had changed her mind. She also felt that something had made her mind up for her some time ago.  She couldn’t deny that if she were honest with herself there was a level of guilt over her intentions and the steps taken to see them through, but those feelings vanished the moment she felt his hand brush against the top of her thigh.

“Oh, I find it hard to believe I could ever have a change of heart,” she gave a flutter of her lashes at her as her hand reached for his face.  “Who could say no to the Devil,” she gave a shivery laugh.

“Humans.  You always say that,” he gave a dark laugh of his own. “But we shall see if you’re different darling.  I rather hope so,” he leaned slowly towards her catching her lips in a kiss.

He kept one hand on her thigh as he brought the other up to the back of her neck to hold her there while he deepened the kiss.  Images formed behind her closed eyes that she tried to push away. The shadowy figures that spoke to her of long ago were too ephemeral and misty but they left a clear sense of being both ancient and formidable.  Warm lips and a swipe of his tongue across the shell of her ear though pulled her from all thoughts but those of this moment, with him. She squirmed a little to get closer to him as a low throb of heat and want thrummed through her.

Cate vaguely noticed him maneuvering her on the couch then, stretching them out so they could lay next to each other.  She let her fingers move of their own accord, sweeping up across his leanly muscled back and around his shoulders. Enjoying the feel of his solid body beneath her before she unbuttoned his shirt and pulling it out of his waistband.  She slipped her fingers under the cloth, resting them upon the solidness of the buckle before pulling the leather out of the clasp to reach the buttons under.

So, caught up in the moment of discovering him she didn’t quite notice he had also been undressing her.   A sense of thrill and desire raced through the pair reducing their reactions to a blur of limbs. Their combined passion filling the surrounding air with groans and sighs as they each explored the other, trying to find what the others pleasure zones.

As his fingers brushed against her lower belly, sliding between her thighs and then deftly slipping inside her, she gasped and pulled back from the kiss.  Her back arching up and against his firm chest as she felt every bit of him deep within her. She felt herself flushing warmly as she realized that if only his fingers were bringing her this far, this fast, that once he was fully seated within her, she wouldn’t be able to hold anything back about herself.

Warm fingers stroked against her, the friction building along with the heat within her.  She moaned against the press of his lips as he pushed her back down into the leather couch, her hips pushing back against his increasingly hot hands as they slid through her wet heat.

“Open your eyes, darling,” he growled as she felt the pressure growing in her belly.  “Open your eyes and meet your fate with bravery,” he moaned as he nipped at her shoulder bone.  Lifting his eyes to hers, they met, and she panted through parted lips as she wrapped her small fingers around his wrist, tugging his hand away.  Tom shifted then, bringing himself over her and nudging her legs apart.

Cate reached into his pants, wrapping her fingers tightly circling the hard, velvety heat she found.  Stroking up and down once, she gave a squeeze, before pulling him down and toward the wet heat of her core.  Slowly placing the damp head against her wet folds, the brunette held her breath as he gave an involuntary twist of his hips against her, groaning loudly and lustfully at the feel of her wrapping naturally around him.

As he thrust fully into her, their eyes met again, their pupils turned completely black, so that each of them reflected in the other’s eyes.  As he moved in earnest Cate’s head filled with sounds, with suggestions and dark emotions. Her mind felt as though something split in that moment, recognizing outside factors while something took the rest of her over with desire and the increasing building need within her.  It was obvious to that shrinking part of her logical mind that the last part of the spell had begun and there was no turning back now.

The sensation of a secondary layer over then, around them, the sense of slippery forms around their bodies as the two of them moved in rhythm.  She saw colors behind her eyes, red and silver, pulsating in time with Tom’s thrusts. The air around them grew dark and cold though she wasn’t aware of it physically.  Her warm breath in the iciness danced in front of her before mingling with his fevered breath into one swirling cloud. The sounds in her head grew more distinct with an ancient chanting in languages she didn’t know, yet felt some connection to. She felt her lips move and heard the words come from her mouth but she didn’t know what they were saying.

As the intensity between them built to its crescendo her thoughts spiraled down to a sharp focus on her intent. She dropped her head back with a smile knowing all was exactly as she had planned; that they had planned together. She reached up to cup his face and stare into his eyes as they came together. The air suddenly crackled with electricity and then a white light burst behind her eyes, dropping all pretenses and masks, leaving them bared completely to one another as they waited for their breathing to normalize.

It was done.

Cate languidly reached over to the side table and pulled her phone up in front of her face. She read through the increasingly annoying texts from Alexi and Constance in the group chat inquiring as to her whereabouts and breathed out a long sigh.

OMFG Group Text:

Alexi: COME ON BEEYOTCH! Where are you?

Constance: Did the Devil kidnap you? *crazy face*

Constance: Come on Catey Cat, where are you? Why aren’t you answering our messages?

Alexi: I’m not sharing any details with you until you bring your ass to this room ASAP!

Alexi: I mean it.

Alexi: No SRSLY NOTHING

Constance: She’s not serious ;-)

Alexi: CAAAAAAATTTEEEEEE!! You better be shagging the ever loving fuck out of him!?  You are! aren’t you?!@!@!

Cate: You guys are so annoying

.

I’m about to eat dinner upstairs and no Constance I don’t need company ;-0

Cate: but where are you guys going to be later?

She tossed her phone back onto the table while she waited for one or both of them to reply. She laced her fingers together and pulled her arms back behind her head to stretch out the kinks she’d developed during the ritual. She cocked her head back and forth and her neck popped satisfyingly.

Not for the first time in the last thirty or so minutes she wondered if something enhanced the sex because of the ritual.  Or, could it be, would it be that mind blowing again? Would there even be a second time? Why was she so confused over her relationship with Tom? And how could she consider it a relationship??

Any further thoughts were cut off by Ellis walking back into the room pushing the room service cart.

“Yes, my dear, a second round would be most welcome,” he said with a wriggle of the eyebrows.

“Stop that!” she scolded.

“I am not reading your mind, I thought perhaps you were reading mine?”

“You’re doing it again,” she replied with a raised brow. “And it's creepy,” she gave a smirk at his faux pout.

“I was simply going to say it would appear that we merely seem to be on similar wavelengths.” And with a flourish, Ellis removed the domed lids from their plates in tandem.  “Voila, Mademoiselle, our dinner has arrived,” taking up one plate he set it down in front of her. The steam rising from the steamed vegetables and the scent of perfectly cooked rare prime rib wafting out to her, and she gave a happy hum.

Just as she and Ellis were finishing up their dinner, Cate’s phone finally pinged with the familiar group chat notification. Picking it up and she quickly read it and then with a hum, she typed something in before dropping it back face down once more on the table. “They’re all going to some club after dinner.”

Tom raised an eyebrow in interest, “what kind of club?”  Cate easily heard the excitement in his voice and accepted that more than likely they were going out for the evening.

With a small sigh, she picked up her phone again. Looking over the chat again she found the information and something way back in the deep recesses remember hearing Constance nattering on about the historical significance of the place.  Though she couldn’t remember more than a lot of chatter, it was Constance after all, and that she had tuned it out after a few minutes for sanity’s sake. “It seems to be some old speakeasy on New Orleans street,

The Drift

, no Drifter.  And apparently everyone is going, including Hiddleston.”  She gave a raised eyebrow to Ellis. “You wouldn’t happen to know

anything

about

any

of

that

now would you?”  She let the skepticism ring clear in her voice.

He stilled briefly, an unnatural thing for him she realized as she eyed him up and down.  He had paused with the last bite of food halfway to his mouth, his eyes going dark and cold briefly before like the flip of a switch on his cool composure and animated self, returned. “Yes, actually I think I may have visited it once before. Nice place if I recall correctly. I think you’ll like it, it’s got a lot to offer.”

Cate smirked at him, “I’ll enjoy it you think? Well then, this should be a lot of fun, yeah?”

Returning to the chat she typed ‘

Sounds great, we’ll be there with bells on. BTW Ellis = OOOOOOOOOOF and then some.’

She tossed her phone to the side. “Done. I’m looking forward to this.” She cut into her steak, smiling as she took a bite. “If you don’t mind, I will run to my room as soon as we’re done here and get ready and then meet you back down here.”

“Or I could get ready and accompany you to your room? You know, in case you need help with your zipper or something?” his eyes twinkling.

Cate shook her head “No, and for a very good reason, a girl needs mystery, especially with someone like you.  And,” she held up a finger as he opened his mouth. “And, I think your presence would be counterproductive to getting the clothes on.” She tilted her head at him and gave him a stern stare.  What she didn’t add though, was that she wanted just ten minutes to breathe. A moment to get her head clear and that seemed impossible around him.

“You are quite possibly correct.” he nodded and sipped his wine.

Fifteen minutes later she stepped back in the elevator as the doors slid shut and let out a long sigh. Her head hurt with all that was going on. Her brain felt crowded and full of archaic images and compulsions. Ancient. Primordial.

A small, logical part of herself whispered that maybe this would not end well. That thought was soon drowned out by a strong feeling of expectation, and excitement. She suddenly felt very, very excited, almost giddy, about going to this ‘club’ with everyone tonight. When the elevator doors hissed open, she nearly bounded out and to her room.

When she stepped inside her senses were assaulted by the ephemera left behind by Alexi and Constance. She could feel them getting ready and laughing and talking.  Their presence felt as strongly to her as if they were physically there with her. She walked over and picked up the spray bottle she’d left behind and frowned slightly as she could feel Constance actively choosing to ignore it. She shook her head,

no matter, everything was irrevocably set into motion now, so it didn’t matter what Constance did or didn’t do.

She suddenly threw her arms out to her sides and spun around laughing out loud before grabbing her things from her suitcase and heading in to the bathroom to change.

The sight that greeted Tom Ellis when he answered the door to her knocking literally took his breath away. Cate wore a black sleeveless top with a plunging cowl neckline, tight black leather pants tucked into black knee boots. Her hair was a riot of black curls and her eyes were rimmed heavily in black kohl liner. Over her arm was a faux fur jacket. Her face a mask of sardonic amusement.

She reached up and wrapped her hand around the back of his neck to pull him down into a deep kiss. “You look pretty fucking amazing yourself” she whispered. She stepped back again to admire the cut of the slate grey suit he wore, her pupils turning large and black and then shifting back to normal again.

His grin widened as he watched her, delighted by everything about her.  Offering her his arm he said “Ah Catharine, my little demon. Shall we head off to the glory of the evening?”

She took his arm and gave him a positively wicked smile. “Definitely my dear Lucifer. Definitely.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Constance and Karl walked along the pier towards the Ferris wheel after lunch as Cate and Ellis headed back into the convention center to finish up the day.  “I’m still trying to wrap my head around all the stuff they’ve managed to fit on this place,” Constance said with a laugh. Her eyes dancing with excitement as Karl steered them towards the ticket booth.  The Pier was sparsely populated in the chilly afternoon, a welcome break from the noise and crowds inside. “You aren’t going to make me do this are you?” she stared at him with wide eyes.

“I’ll hold your hand, don’t worry,” he rumbled as he dragged her laughing into the line and up onto their seats.  Settling in beside him, Constance wrapped her arm through his and clung tightly as she laughed and buried her face in his shoulder.  “Hey now you’re gonna miss the best part,” he brought his other hand over rubbing her arm.

Constance peeked out as they rose slowly up and above the pier, the cold breeze blowing her hair back behind her and filling her with exhilaration.  Turning towards him she looked up at him with a bright smile and wild eyes, “this is amazing!”

Karl chuckled and pressed his lips to her forehead, “it’s one hell of a view.  We should try parasailing sometime!” Constance turned to him, a look of horror on her face and he broke out in a loud laugh, wrapping his arm around her tighter and pulling her in close.  “I’m kidding. Unless you might-?” he paused and continued to chuckle as she burrowed into his side. “No? Oh all right. No parasailing. But how about hiking in Topanga Canyon?” At the feel of her melting into his side, he dropped a kiss on her forehead.

“Hiking sounds great,” she smiled up at him and looked back out at the view as they began their second rotation.  Eventually the couple hopped off the Ferris Wheel and wandered back up towards the end of the Pier once more. Where they ended up sitting on a bench about half way the Pier talking about anything and everything for some time.
Constance’s cheeks ached from all the laughter and smiling she was doing.  Not that she let herself think too much on all the different topics or even secrets they were sharing after such a short time, she reminded herself to enjoy the moment and gift given to her.
Ready to move again the couple headed back towards the top of the Pier, holding hands, swinging them between each other leisurely as they enjoyed the time together.

Thankfully, the sun made the chilled air tolerable and Karl even unbuttoned the dark pea coat his assistant had swapped out for him for the Boba costume before lunch. Constance admired the scruff on his face from not shaving all weekend.  It gave him a rugged air she’d always found difficult to resist. There were times as they walked along that she had to deliberately pull her eyes away from him she found him so enthralling.

As they approached the huge ship anchor at the end of the pier, Karl pulled out his phone and tucked Constance up under his chin and resting against his chest.  Turning them both so the anchor was behind them he angled the phone for a proper selfie. She turned her face into his chest, a shy but sly half smile on her face as he rested his cheek atop her head and took the photo.

“How do you feel about me Instagramming this?”

“Oh um, wow!” she twisted a little in his arms to look up into his eyes.  “You really want to do that? So soon?” Her eyes were wide, and she was sure they were telling him everything in her head at that point. “I mean I’m fine if you do. Yeah sure go ahead,” she beamed at him, giddy with his suggestion.  “I’ve already made my accounts private thanks to the other night,” she gave a roll of her eyes.

Karl dropped a kiss on her forehead and tightened his arms in reassurance.  “Don’t worry about all that too much,” he said clicking through a few screens and posting the pic.  Leaning back so he could look at her from under his brows as he growled, “anyone bothers you, they’ll have to come through me first.”

Constance’s face flushed despite the cold at the flash of desire that raced through her when he sounded like that. However, before she could say anything a high-pitched squeal erupted behind the couple, followed by the sound of running steps. Seconds later arms wrapped around Constance from behind in a bear hug.  She would recognize that squeal anywhere and was already turning towards Alexi with a laugh as she squished into her friend. The cascade of light blonde hair on her shoulder was just confirmation as she got her arms around her friend’s tiny waist and squeeze.

Alexi planted a solid kiss on her friend’s cheek.  “Fancy meeting you two here.” Alexi had run halfway down the pier to catch up with them and panted to catch her breath.
Constance looked around her friend to see that Benedict was jogging up to them,because as usual Alexi had taken with no explanation the moment she spotted something she needed to see. “Well, it looks like you had a nice morning?” She looked back to her friend with a huge grin.
“Obviously not as much as you,” her friend pinched her cheek lightly before looking over at Karl. Alexi narrowed her eyes at Karl with a devious grin, “Hey, funny guy. I’m Bogarting your girlfriend for a bit.”

Karl chuckled as he held his hands up in defeat looking towards Benedict with ‘what can you do’ shrug before taking the two steps towards the Brit.

Alexi gave a triumphant smile before linking arms with her friend and calling over her shoulder, “you boys play nice while we have a little girl time.  Byyyyyye!”

“Aleeeexxxxiiiii,” Constance laughed as the pair of them set off down the boardwalk for the hotel.

“Cooonnnssstttance,” Alexi gushed, trying to keep her voice down as Benedict and Karl followed them a short distance.  She tugged at her friend’s arm to pick up the pace until they walked ahead of the actors several paces. “I can’t even begin with all the ‘What The Fucks’. I know you know. But I want to jump on some hotel beds. God. There better be music on the docket tonight. I need to dance around and get some of this out.”

“Well, we can head back to the hotel now,” Constance offered as they walked. “The others should be done with the convention in a couple hours and honestly, I want a nice hot shower.”

“Yes, please. And I want to look extra chic tonight,” Alexi bounced lightly, vibrating with excess energy. “So, yes, extra time to get ready.”  She paused a moment, looking over Constance’s
shoulder and then back to her friend, “Constance,” Alexi squeezed her friends’ upper arm as she whispered.  “The way Karl looks at you. Holy fucking hell.”

“Karl and I are on the same flight tomorrow,” Constance chirped in a quieter voice to ensure she wasn’t heard by anyone but her friend, enjoying the moment to get some thoughts and emotions she had bottled up so tightly, out into the air. She almost snorted with giddiness but only barely kept it quiet enough.   “He changed his flight to be on mine.”

“Oh, ho ho nice work there girl!” Alexi hip checked her with a wide and giddy grin on her face. “Nice work indeed.”  Locking their arms together the blonde looked back at the men, “hotel time, guys. We have to make ourselves pretty.” She led Constance back up the pier toward the city, the guys tagging behind several feet.

“Constance,” Alexi whispered, “Just in case you weren’t aware, Karl Urban and Benedict Cumberbatch are following us.”

Constance put her hand over her mouth to hold in giggles.  How she had kept it (mostly) together for most of the day was beyond her now that Alexi was there again and they could let out some glee.

The hotel was an easy fifteen minute stroll.  Alexi and Constance stayed arm in arm the whole time, whispering into each other’s ears and occasionally looking back to see if their counterparts were still there. As the group entered the lobby, the girls parted with the guys promising to meet up in a couple hours for dinner and went up to their rooms.

Alexi flounced to the bed, hopping onto it and bouncing there on her feet.  “CONSTANCE! CONSTANCE!” she waved her hands about, “CONSTANCE!”

“Oh.  I

know

you have stories.”

“I can’t even TALK about it without cackling!” Alexi threw herself down on the bed with her face firmly in a pillow and let out a shriek.  “Take your shower, dammit. I need one too and then we are getting ready and we will look amazing! Cate needs to get her skinny ass here too. I’ll text her while you get clean!”

Constance happily hummed her agreement, calling out for Alexi to get some tunes going while she was at it and quickly got herself into a nice hot shower. Enjoying the heat and pulsing water, she tried not to linger too long, but it was too nice after the rollercoaster that had been her day. When she shut off the water her skin was pink and just getting wrinkled.

Drying off, she was happy to hear Alexi had put music on.  Racking her brain for what to wear she decided that she would go with the dress she had planned to wear home on Monday.  She had packed it when she saw that one of her projects would need her to give a final review on Monday afternoon.

It figured of course, there was no real free time in her job these days b

ut she
also assumed
she could just stop in on her way home for an hour or two and be done with work.  So yeah, her green knit cowl midi dress would be acceptable for dinner and with the knee-high boots she’d packed at the last minute
she’d be able to dress it up.  Ma
ybe Alexi’s magical bag might help her find something to give it a bit of extra oomph too.

Wrapping her hair up in the towel, Constance got a move on, heading out back into the bedroom so that her friend could have a chance at the amazing shower as well.

“Remember this one, Constance?  I made this a few years ago for that trip to New Orleans,” Alexi hummed absently with fond memories as she ran her hands up and down the front of her fitted and tailored black velvet blazer.  The dark iridescent plumage that adorned one side created a stark contrast with her pale skin and hair.

“I remember that woman following you around for the night asking you to ‘give a feather for a friend,”Constance cracked up at that memory.  “Whatever the hell that was about. Man, that was a great night though. She looked over her shoulder to see Alexi reaching up to adjust the high collar that almost brushed the lobes of her ears, their eyes meeting causing both women to burst into laughter again at the memory.

Constance admired the ornately beaded epaulettes.  Its long split tail made it a jacket that could pair with a gown or skirt and worn for any awards ceremony.  Tonight with the leatherette leggings and stiletto brocade boots that came just below the knee, the outfit became more eccentrically Avant Garde.

Perfectly Alexi.

“I don’t even care if I’m overdressed,” Alexi pushed her long pale hair over her shoulder and gave a wave of her hand up and down her outfit.  “I feel good.”

“You’re not overdressed,” Constance sighed. “Isn’t this just your typical Sunday night outfit?”
Alexi huffed with a good-natured scoff.  “I swear you and Cate think I sit around my apartment dressed like this, which is ridiculous, of course.”  She nudged Constance with her elbow jokingly as she slipped around her friend to grab something from her suitcase.  “I don’t wear heels at home. Speaking of,” she gave a sweep of her hand down towards her feet. “These are four inches, which means I should be a little taller than Benedict with these on. So delightful!” She lifted one foot up behind her and then the other, admiring her long legged reflection.
“Well, based on the fact he likes Lee, I’d say he likes them tall and willowy so you’re spot on.” Constance eyed her reflection, giving a brush of her hand across the midi length dress, smoothing at nothing with some uncertainty. ‘I wish I’d brought more than my office clothes. At least it has a little flair with the boots. They look ok?” She eyed the knee high black suede boots.

Checking out the scrupulous lines of her liquid eyeliner one last time before turning to her friend, Alexi fluttered her hands as she reached out and gave a tug down on the large cowl neck of Constance’s dress.  “You look amazing. Seriously. Amazing but show some skin, woman! There. Now it doesn’t even look like an office dress and the boots are just-,” she kissed the tips of her fingers and splayed them into the air to show her approval.

Constance laughed as she batted her friend’s hands away but left the drape Alexi had made to show her neck and a hint of her right shoulder.  Turning again to the mirror, she stopped a moment and appreciated the fact her best friend had such an eye for these things. Constance had to admit to herself the one alteration made all the difference.  The outfit changed from day to night, adding just enough flirtatious cleavage without being too overt.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that,

she chuckled.

“Where is that girl!” Alexi spun around to grab up her phone again to glare at the screen and lack of texts from Cate.  “I mean sure hot times with the Devil are all well and good but I thought I’d at least see her for a couple minutes before dinner!”

When her screen was still blank despite staring at it with exaggerated annoyance, she gave a huff and threw it back down. “Well, I guess it will be the club then. Whatever!”  Turning to look at Constance, “you have the address in your phone yeah?”

Constance was bent picking up her coat but managed a wave of her phone, the image of The Drifter website visible on her screen as Alexi eyed it and gave a pat to her friend’s bottom.  “Good girl,” she laughed at Constance squeaked and jumped up a little. “I’d say 9
pm
is still plenty of time to eat and relax a little before,” she raised her eyebrows at her friend.

“Oh yes!   We can dance and forget about the crazy of this weekend,” the small redhead laughed softly as she eyed Cate’s spray bottle on the table, deciding against it this time though. Sure, she was nervous about the upcoming evening.  However, the after effects of the panic attack and the afternoon with Karl had left her relaxed, like a whistling tea kettle taken off the open flame.
“Yes! All the dancing!” Alexi gave a shimmy as she smirked at her and with a quick tilt towards the door, she knew it was time to get moving.
Dropping her phone and key card in to her clutch she smiled at her statuesque friend, “let’s go woman!  You don’t want to keep
those hotties waiting,
do you?!”
Linking their arms together, the pair headed out the door. They couldn’t help joking and poking at each other on the elevator ride down to the lobby, much to the other occupant’s amusement.  As they tumbled out into the lobby, they spotted Hiddleston and Karl chatting by the door and headed in that direction. 
“Ah. ladies, aren’t you visions this evening!” Tom gave them both a huge smile, his eyes dancing behind his glasses.  “Ben and Lee headed over to the restaurant,” he turned to Alexi. “They asked that I pass on that they didn’t want to rush you. But left a car for you to take over as soon as you’re ready.”  He gestured out towards the waiting loop in front of the door.

“That’s great thanks,” Alexi gave a relaxed smile back but then her posture stiffened.

Constance looked over towards Tom and saw that his head had tilted like he was inspecting Alexi and it gave her an odd shiver.  The sense of an overprotective parent inspecting their teen’s prom date for the first time was what she was picking up from the man.

How odd.

Sweeping her eyes back to her friend she felt the waves of discomfort roll off Alexi as her statuesque friend straightened her shoulders and eyed the tall actor back at his sudden scrutiny.

Years of being around her friend through pretty much any incident had Constance feeling as though she was party to the dozens of flashes of unspoken communication that were exploding around her.  What surprised her was that not only did she feel she knew what her friend was thinking but also the tall Brit opposite them. She felt she ‘heard’ much of it as if they were speaking in a flurry of subtle of body language and auras moments.

Why is he looking at me like that?

She felt Alexi’s hefty amount of indignation as the thoughts rolled off her into Constance’s consciousness.

Is he trying to intimidate me?  That’s weird. Why? I’m not shriveling up under that, no matter whatever it is he does with his eyes, like the rest of them do.  I don’t care who he thinks he is-

While an undercurrent from Tom sounded off to her.

Is this woman also up to something?  Are they conspiring together? What exactly are her motives?  What are Ben and Lee getting into? She doesn’t seem a threat. Certainly doesn’t stink of danger, but perhaps she’s covered her tracks.  Ah, there, now she senses I’m measuring her.

The tone of his internal voice changed timbre in the most peculiar way Constance found oddly familiar.

She’s glaring at me.  What does that mean? Is that a challenge?  How dare-! Who is she to think

she

can challenge

me

?

While the volley of thoughts continued racing back and forth between the two, Karl slipped around Tom and come over to Constance.  Wrapping his arm around her waist he bent down and dropped a kiss on her cheek before pulling her into his side. “Would you mind if Tom joined us for dinner? I was thinking the restaurant here would be nice?” He looked a little uncertain as he watched her face closely.
Constance blinked several times up at him, trying to shake off the strange empathetic moment, though she continued
to
sense a growing conflict between the other two.  So
,
hoping to distract from the mental battle that looked to go verbal any second Constance cleared her throat, drawing all eyes to hers.  Cautiously meeting Tom’s eyes across from her, he gave her a
startled glance
as the dark shadow over his eyes retreated, leaving brilliant blue in its wake.  She couldn’t help but frown in question, only for him to drop his gaze away as he took a
n audible
deep breath.

“Yes, well,” Karl looked at his watch
he huffed out a frustrated breath.
“Our reservations are in two-and-a-half minutes
thankfully
just across the lobby.”

Constance
turned
to Alexi
at that revelation however
the blonde
was already shaking
off the moment.  H
er excitement danced in her eyes as she gave a conspiratorial smile to Constance.
Though, with
a second look
it appeared forced at the corners and that worried
the petite woman
.

As she was about
to ask her friend if she was ok, Alexi bowed down, wrapping her arms around
Constance’s shoulders
and squeezing
quick and tight
. “Go on then Lil Camper,” her voice full of faux
emotion, making Constance laugh as it always did.  Alexi straightened
and gave a wink, “I’m sure you’ll be in good hands,” she arched her eyebrow at the man over Constance’s shoulder. “And I have a reservation of my own to keep,” she narrowed her eyes briefly at Tom and
with a
wave over her shoulder, she breezed out of the lobby. “Laterzzz!”
“Constance?” Karl’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.  She shook herself out of the odd melancholy that had grabbed hold for a moment.
“
Yes?” She looked confused a moment until she remembered what he’d asked before.  “Oh right!
Dinner here, with Tom?  Yes, that sounds great,”
as she looked towards
Karl
, the world seemed to click back into place
and everything returned to normal in her head.  Putting a bright smile on she glanced to Tom. “Seriously. It’s great!”

“Well then let’s go in,” she heard Karl say
as
the glinting reflection
of
Tom‘s glasses
drew her eyes. An odd jolt in her stomach made
her pause
, but only a moment as Karl gave a gentle tug to her elbow
.  “I don’t know about you two but I’m starving,” Karl steered her towards the restaurant.  “Now, tell me about this club you ladies are talking about tonight.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t call it a club
, well maybe a tiny club, it’s small but more than just a bar
but it’s definitely a highlight of the trip,” she excitedly explained.  She and Alexi had been discussing it since they decided Chicago was this year’s getaway.  It was the perfect blend of gothic, steampunk, historical decor that called to Alexi and fulfilled all of Constance’s obsessions with renovated historical sites.

“The Drifter is small and intimate from what I’ve read
i
t’s in the basement of the Green Door Tavern, have you ever heard of that?” She couldn’t help how the excitement bled into her voice, she loved stuff like this too much.  “It’s pretty cool in
its
own right!  Anyway, The Green Door was built just after the Chicago fire.  Hmm. I think in the 1870s.” Her brain worked a few seconds on various dates before deciding the exact year wasn’t that important.  “The Drifter came about in the 1920s with prohibition. Tons of atmosphere what with all the history and Chicago had the most notorious gangsters!”
“I’ve always wanted to visit an old speakeasy.” Karl piped up as they entered the restaurant.
“Me too!” she nodded enthusiastically, excited because he knew at least a little about 1920s Chicago and didn’t seem to be out of at all by her excitement or history obsession, not that she’d let herself get too carried away with it yet.  “And there‘s a small stage down there with performers. Maybe there will be burlesque! Or jugglers!”
“Or both!” he chuckled good naturedly. “I’d like to see that act.  That would be some serious talent.” Constance held on to the arm he had tucked through her elbow and smiled up at him as the bubble of happiness grew in her chest.  Everything but his dancing eyes pushed away to the back of her mind. She was simply in the moment.
They led the trio back into the modern style restaurant, with its clean lines and geometric shapes edged in gold and blue neon.

Alexi would love this.

Constance mused as she glimpsed a couple peeks at it while their server led them outside where the patio was sectioned off for them.  The heat lamps kept the night’s chill at bay and lit the area in a warm glow. The lake was still as glass across from them, reflecting the bright moonlight lazily on the black surface with otherworldly beauty.

Karl slipped around to the back of the table, pulling out the chair and waving his hand at it for Constance.  As she drifted into it, he leaned over her shoulder, “
by the way
you look great.” The hairs on the side of her neck stood at attention with the feel or his breath on her skin and she gave a twitch of her shoulders to make the energy dissipate as he took the seat next to her.  The twinkle in his hazel eyes told her he knew well what he’d done, and she rolled her eyes at him but couldn’t help the pink blush that crept up her cheeks.

Karl passed the menus around with a chuckle as Tom chose the seat across the table from them. From the corner of her eye, Constance watched as he sprawled comfortably in the chair, draping himself over all the available surfaces he could reach and appeared to be looking over his menu.

There was something tingling at the back of Constance’s mind, it had been like a soft warning ping since, well since that, that,
whatever that
was between
Tom
and Alexi
in the lobby
.  She almost felt
as if there
was someone else sitting with them.   
As she let herself contemplate that feeling she knew it wasn’t
the kind man from earlier
either.  The man
whose concern had left her flustered but appreciative
felt softer, warmer to her mind.
 No this was something sharper, darker, and
as Constance
gave quick peeks towards the Brit hoping she could sort it out or
maybe
wake up
from the unexpected nap, she must have taken after her shower.  The sense of, well the itching, jittery sensation of
something about to go wrong
hung heavy around her shoulders
.  Deciding that once again her imagination had gotten the best of her, she shrugged it off and gave her attention back to the menu.
“Sheesh mate, Feige really does know how to cast to type.” Karl was watching his friend with a smirk.  “How’s it going your Highness,” he winked as Tom looked up a little startled before relaxing back and laughing along. “Having one of those nights again yeah,” Karl leaned back dropping his arm around the back of Constance’s chair.  
Karl’s words caught Constance’s attention from the menu she had been pretending to study and she looked up, curious about what they were talking about.  As she looked across the table she realized that Tom’s green eyes were already laser focused upon her as if he had been awaiting her attention. This was what she had been sensing she thought fleetingly as she noticed the change about him.  His shoulders were straighter and more angular as he leaned forward toward her on strikingly long arms bent up to rest his chin on in obvious study. His keen eyes bore straight into her from under his brows, his expression austere and utterly terrifying in its familiarity.

Her eyes went wide as she saw it and the truth hit her like a freight train.

That wasn’t Tom Hiddleston sitting in front of her.  Oh no. That was Loki, Prince of Asgard, rightful heir of Jotunheim and, and, holy crap!

Her brain blanked for a long moment and she was more than aware he knew that fact.

A slow smile spread across his lips, tight lipped at first but then with an expansive flash of brilliantly white teeth.  She knew that look; the look captured in social media gifs from the movies. Some of which she herself had used a hundred times over.

Mischief, trouble, sly and conniving.  The ultimate trickster.

Her breath left her and dropping her eyes back to her menu, Constance tried to keep everything about her in that moment, very still and very small.

Sure, you could say that he was a brilliant actor who had been in and out of that character for ten years.  So sure, of course, he dredges up the air and affectations of Loki at a moment’s notice. But why would he, Tom wasn’t a cruel person to tease like that?

That

, that, was not what she just witnessed.  Holy hell that was-.

Once again her brain froze up, refusing to admit to what she had seen all the while subconsciously placing the puzzle pieces together in the back of her mind.
“Hey! Constance? What’s going on in that head of yours?” Karl‘s voice shook her out of her thoughts and she blinked up at the two men who were watching her.  “Are you cold sweetheart?”
That’s when she realized she was shivering. “Oh, umm yeah sorry,” she scrambled for some plausible reason that wouldn’t have Karl running for the hills.  
Karl gave a soft huff of breath as he slipped off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.  “Nothing to apologize sweetheart. Do you want to move indoors?”She gave a shake of her head, snuggling into the warmth of his coat. “No. Its, this is fine,” she said with a quick peek towards him. “Actually, I just, well I just realized that seafood is a big portion of the menu and,” she trailed off looking sheepish dropping her eyes down to the menu as if it were the most fascinating thing she had ever read.  She desperately wanted to look at Tom again and prove to herself that she was being crazy. But there was too much of her mind that screamed she would only confirm the truth if she looked.“Hey now,” Karl shifted his arm around her shoulders and leaned over closer.  “You’re not a fan of seafood, huh? No shame in that. Is Italian good?” He sounded worried, and she found she couldn’t let him feel bad.“Oh yes though I really shouldn’t.  But then, we’re on vacation, right?!” She gave a shy smile up at him and laughed when he brushed a kiss against her cheek.“Exactly.  No worries on vacay,” he chuckled.  “And I promise not to hold your lack of seafood appreciation against you. Unless it’s an allergy, you’re not allergic, are you?” His face showing his sudden concern at that.“No, just not interested in most seafood,” she scrunched up her face.  “You enjoy though. Trust me, I’m the outcast of my family for my disinterest in seafood.” She gave a mock shudder.“As long as you don’t hold it against me,” Karl chuckled and then reaching over pointed at a couple dishes.  “How do you feel about meat and cheese?” He gave a waggle if his eyebrows and Constance relaxed once more as she shook her head at him.  “It’s a necessity, of course,” she solemnly replied.  “So yes, let’s do the CHARCUTERIE + CHEESE,” she was smiling brightly as she finally peeked over at Tom.  Momentarily forgetting what she’d seen, her breath caught in her throat as their eyes met. Brown to blue. She let out a small sigh of relief. “We could all share of course,” she shyly said.Tom seemed to hesitate a moment before relaxing and a more familiar, gentler smile gracing his lips.  “That sounds lovely.” his body shifting in the chair, seeming to fall back somewhat in on itself. The shoulders softening and his hands loosening to drop onto the table with a tap and shuffle as long fingers toyed with the cutlery in front of him.Karl gave a nod and signaled to their server.  After a quick order of drinks and appetizers he settled back in his seat and glanced over to Tom, “hey man, did you mention the other night you’re headed to LA from here?”Tom’s attention shifted to his friend, and he seemed to relax. “Oh yes, I have a couple meetings I’ve put off for a bit and a stop at Marvel too.”“Well hey, since you’ll be in Los Angeles for a few days why don’t you stay at my place?  I bought a house so I don’t have to fly back and forth so much if I’m filming. It’s by the ocean and not Hollywood-ostentatious by any means but it will be more secluded than a hotel.”The Brit eyed him a moment, shifting his hand against his glasses as he looked to be considering the offer.  “You know, I think it sounds perfect. It seems like I’ve gone from one hotel to another of late.”Karl nodded with understanding, “nothing like a real bed and the peace of a home, right.”
Tom nodded, “after this weekend I’m ready for something a little quieter.”  Constance saw a shift in his eyes, a small flash towards her before his attention returned to Karl.  “Though, this weekend had brought along with it many unexpected surprises.” He turned towards Constance with that.

And there it was again.  Something just under the surface swirled about and Constance realized that it was true.  S

omehow, some insane way, there was more to Tom than Tom Hiddleston. And that something was Loki Odinson.

Constance’s head spun, and the world shifted out from under her.  
Much
like it had earlier that day but this time instead of panic and darkness claiming her, this was more

simple madness. Stark raving madness

.

The twinkle to Tom, no, Loki’s eyes, told her he was quite enjoying himself and the fact he was causing her to doubt her sanity.

Well of course he was,

she thought snidely.

This is exactly the sort of game he would love.

“This is great,” Karl mused to Tom drawing his attention back. “I bought the place a few months ago and I’ve only spent a couple weeks in it.  I haven’t even had company over yet.” He glanced at Constance, “and now I’ll have a house guest and I hope you’ll be over just as much.”

From the corner of her eye, Constance saw the shift of Tom across from them.  He was leaning forward once more alert it appeared. “I, I would love that,” she said, a bit breathless, excited by the offer and
yet
terrified by the intense scrutiny of Loki?!  
“Hell,” Karl leaned a little closer to her ear.  “Come make a vacation of it, Constance. You mentioned how work was stressing you out.  Take more time off and we can pretend we’re at a beach on an island instead of Southern California.”Constance did the math in her head and she said with a sigh, “I would love that. Honestly.  However, I have a project that has to be signed off on before I can take anymore time off. I have to head straight from the airport to the office tomorrow for a short client meeting.  But if it’s an open offer?” she batted her eyelashes at him.Karl chuckled low, and she shivered, “oh the offer is definitely open.”
Movement from the corner of her eye had Constance looking towards Tom, and she relaxed a little when the man across from her looked a lot more like the kind and familiar actor she remembered.  She wondered though,

what was it that had him shifting over to Loki?  Was it Alexi? Why would my friend upset him so?

She frowned as she took a sip of wine.

Oh, my gawd I’ve lost my mind.  I’m sitting here debating how the imaginary Prince of Asgard is having a tantrum over my best friend going to dinner with the actor who portrays him, best friend.

Her thoughts froze.

Oh! OH!

Constance looked up suddenly at Tom, her head tilting as she looked him over.

It was common knowledge that Benedict and Tom were longtime friends.  So it wasn’t a great leap then to conclude perhaps he was being overly protective of his friend.

Her face softened at the idea.

Ah!  So sweet,

she thought.  
Sharp eyes swiveled her way, a sheen of light flashing across the lenses of his glasses giving the impression of green eyes instead of blue.  But instead of freaking out again, Constance empathized with him. He was trying to protect his friends and that was something she could understand well.  She felt a rush of sympathy and the need to show him he didn’t need to worry about Benedict and Alexi. She opened her mouth to say something but shut it when his eyes narrowed at her and she gave a little squeak of surprise at his vehemence.Karl looked between the two in surprise.  After a moment he narrowed his eyes at Tom, “hey, your highness.  Problem?”
A ping sounded Constance to jump, her phone giving a little buzz on the table and she apologized for the interruption as she quickly picked it up with the hope it held and answer to the crazy standoff that was occurring.  Unfortunately, it didn’t, and she sighed again, grabbing up her wine glass that had been refilled.

Really, Cate? She glanced

again at the two notifications on her screen to make sure she hadn’t misread.

OMFG Group Text:

Cate: You guys are so annoying

.

I’m about to eat dinner upstairs and no Constance I don’t need company ;-0

Cate: but where are you guys going to be later?

Nope, not a misread.

She decided she hadn’t had enough to drink at this point for that messages she clicked her screen off and took another healthy swig of her wine.  As her eyes lowered, she caught the spark of green across her and stopped, swallowing to keep from choking as she set her glass down.

“No, of course not why would say that?” Tom purred and Karl shifted beside to her.  She peeked
out
the corner of her eye at him and saw he was studying Tom closely, an odd expression on his face.

It was as though he might be seeing what she saw,

she wondered for a moment.

But then that was ridiculous.  Right?

Tom looked straight at Karl though, leaning his elbows on the table and leaning forward, towards the Kiwi.  Constance quickly grabbed up her glass and finished it.

This is not a night for sobriety,

she thought.

I can’t deal with this if I am sober.

“She means well,” Constance butted in.  “Cate, she means well.”Loki turned his head slowly, his face settled into a blank and stony facade.  “Pardon me?”
Constance swallowed tightly and decided it was time to do this, besides the wine would kick in soon right?  It usually did. Right, then. Out loud, Constance girl. “Cate, she’s been through a rough patch lately. She’s not,” Constance paused a second. “She not in her right mind, I suppose. Well I mean I know she
’s
brusque and she can have little patience for things that get in her way.  But down deep she’s a good person. Swear,” she leaned her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her hand as she stared at the very obviously angry god in front of her. “I’m not sure what she did to upset you but she means well.”
“I’m not sure if you’re obscenely optimistic or horribly naïve,” Loki slowly replied staring at her, his face morphing from its icy blankness to fascinated horror.“Hey now mate!” Karl growled at him.Loki sat back, his hands up in rising briefly in a slight wave of dismissal.  “No, no, you really believe that about her don’t you.” He took up the bottle sitting on the side of the table and poured her another glass.Constance frowned, “well yes. I mean I’ve known her forever.”  She gave a small huff, “Alexi and I met back when we were in high school but we’ve all known each other since college and we’ve been through,” she stopped waving a hand and then taking up the glass.  “Well we’ve been through everything together.” She took another huge swallow of the wine, the heady warmth kicking in and it left her with a sense of relief.The man across from her, looking like a cross now between Loki and Tom was shaking his head at her.  “You have no idea then. What your friend really is? You are terribly and possibly fatally optimistic,” he sneered.Constance gave a gasp at that, it had felt like a slap and she opened her mouth to refute his obviously wrong assumptions but her mouth snapped shut again in silence.  Frustrated tears pushed at the back of her eyes and she quickly lifted the glass towards her mouth, wanting to hide behind it, to drown all this madness in the bottom of it.Warm strong fingers wrapped around her wrist stopping the glass from reaching her lips.  Looking towards Karl she saw the soft look on his face and nearly let the tears fall because of it.  Quickly swallowing back the lump though she let him take the glass and put it down, handing her a glass of water in its place.“Look mate, I don’t know what’s going on.  You aren’t yourself and you’re upsetting Constance and me too,” Karl sighed and set his elbows on the table to stare back and forth between them both. “So, either get your shit together, apologize, or we’re calling it a night and we’ll see how things go in the morning,” his voice holding disappointment and frustration.  Loki heaved a sigh, leaning forward onto his elbows as well, letting his hands cover his face for a long moment as he breathed slowly.  When his head lifted, he wasn’t looking at either of them as he reached over, taking up his wine glass and sipping from it in silence.Finally, he looked up, half his glass drained in one go, “you’ve chosen one who is going to be more than a simply bit of fun, my friend.  She’s too kind for her own good, too naïve for anyone’s good and stuck on the impossible view of finding the good in everyone.” His lip curled slightly at that and he shook his head.  “It is against my better judgement to simply leave you to your fate. To leave you both to your fate,” he growled at suddenly and finished the glass of wine.Dropping it to the table he huffed out a breath and turned back to Constance, “I am very sorry that my actions and words that have caused your distress.”Constance blinked in surprise but gave a slow nod of her head as she quickly took another sip of her water.  She wasn’t entirely sure she wasn’t dreaming all of this at this point, seriously was this a trippy dream?
“I’m sorry if any of us have done something to offend or upset you,” she blurted out suddenly,
hoping she didn’t sound like Star Lord attempting to speak to Thor
only to end up
sounding ridiculous.

“You should not apologize for others dear Constance.  They and
only
they are to blame for their actions,” he looked at her with such a fond exasperation she blinked in shock.  “You have a good heart, I know that. But you’re also blinded by it and I fear it will see both you and others I care for hurt in the process.”
“Hey!”
“Yes, yes, I know you are an adult and capable of making your own choices,” Loki gave an eye roll and a shrug.  “But you aren’t fully aware of the depth of things happening around you either Karl and,” he stopped
with a sigh
.  He waved towards the hovering waiter and pointed at the bottle as he tipped what little was left in his glass.

“Well why don’t you try telling me,” Karl snarled back at him.  Then let out a huff, “god you are an ass when you get in this mood,” he dropped his voice though as the server approached and brought the new bottle of wine and
refreshed
their water as well.  When the woman had finally said their main dishes would be out shortly and backed away Karl watched her closely to make sure she was out of hearing range. “Now what spit it out, what’s crawled up your ass man. Oh, excuse me, your highness.”
Loki laughed at that and actually relaxed back in his chair, “I’ve always appreciated how refreshingly honest you can be Karl.”“Whatever mate,” Karl rolled his eyes but was reluctantly relaxing as well, though he had kept his shoulder leaned towards Constance the entire time. “Just get on with whatever it is you mean to say but feel like you can’t.  Whatever it is, you’re my friend ok. We’ll sort it out,” Karl seemed to give a tired sigh at that and Loki eyed him sharply for a moment.Loki looked at Constance, “sincerely I wish to apologize.  Not for telling you that your innocence and optimism are a curse as much as a blessing but for having distressed you when you have had an already difficult day.”  He paused, eyeing her as though he were studying her soul at the same moment. Finding or not finding whatever it was that he was looking for he gave a tip of his head to her as if that was a stamp of approval or something, she wasn’t sure anymore what the hell was happening.
“That’s it?” Karl sounded uncertain as he looked at Tom.  “That’s what’s eating at you? Come on, that’s bullshit,” Karl
stopped
abruptly as the server approached again with the trays with their food.

Everyone sat quietly waiting as the server settled plates in front of them and then thanked her before she quickly retreated, realizing it wasn’t a good time to linger.  Karl watched a moment longer and then leaned forward pointing a finger at Tom and opened his mouth to yell at him some more when Tom shook his head and held up a hand.

Looking at Constance, “do you think he can handle the truth?”  He seemed to chuckle at that statement, “I think it might be a bit much for him to take, but you, you understand, don’t you?  Even if you can’t seem to be able to see past the need to comfort
others
,” he rolled his eyes at her but it wasn’t the level of condescension of earlier.

No, this was like comradery, a shared secret

, and she supposed that is what it was.
“Fuck off man,” Karl snorted and looked over at Constance.  “This is Tom being a dick,” he huffed. “I know he has the internet fooled that he’s some amazing gentleman all the time.  Surprise he’s a troll when he’s bored.”Constance couldn’t help it, between the wine and the absolutely surreal show going on in front of her, she burst out in laughter.  “I, this, oh gawd, this is all so insane!” She laughed a bit hysterically until Karl leaned over pressing a reassuring kiss to the side of her head and then pushing her water glass into her hand again.
“Drink up a little more
water
sweetheart, then try to eat something hmm?”  He shifted his chair a little so he butted
up
beside her and could easily lean her against him as she still gave an occasional giggle but did as requested and drank the rest of her water.

“Excuse me,” she murmured and quickly dig into the pasta in front of her.  She gave an appreciative hum as the first bite of the pappardelle pasta, her eyes closing happily.  As she swallowed and opened her eyes,
her gaze met
a blue-green pair of inquisitive ones staring back at her.  Flushing a little but enjoying her food an
d
the fact that the wine had fully kicked in, Constance shrugged.  “Authentic Italian is a blessing,” she said with a
n appreciative
sigh.  Karl’s warm chuckle had her look up towards him.  The soft light around them danced in his eyes and she couldn’t help the goofy grin she gave him.  Quickly turning back to her food she dug in, a little embarrassed but still unrepentant.
 
For the next hour or so
Constance
enjoyed the bantering back and forth between the two men, occasionally commenting when she was comfortable enough.  A couple pings on her phone sounded but she was mostly happy to enjoy this moment and
between the wine
(sue her, it was good and seemed to never end)
and constant small touches she had received from Karl through dinner,
Constance was the most relaxed she’d been all day
.

Enough so that
by the time their plates were being removed Constance
had
decided she could
completely forgive Tom
(
and Loki
)
for the bizarre start to their dinner.  
And while he seemed to slip back and forth between personalities with
little
effort, she realized that for the last little while it had been Tom they were talking to.  It reminded her of the fun that they had at the theatre and on impulse she decided he needed to join them at the club.

“So

Tom

,” she said with a half smile. “We’re going to this little club tonight, meeting up with the others, including Benedict, Lee and Alexi.
” She gave him what she thought was a significant look before continuing on.  “
It’s called The Drifter, it’s in the basement of the Green Door Tavern.  Wanna join us?”
“The Green Door Tavern,” he appeared to be testing out the words. “Would this be what you were discussing earlier?”“Yep,” she answered with and exaggerated pop to her ‘p’.
“All of you?”
Tom
said with a curious lilt.

“
Uh huh
,
that’s what
Cate
texted earlier
,” she
gave a vague wave of her hand
.  “
To confirm s
he and
‘The Devil’
are heading over to the club and will meet us there.”

Tom shifted in his seat
then
, sitting up straight and lean
ing
his head towards her with a sharp expression.

Oh boy Loki’s back,

she thought to herself
but thanks to the wine and Karl’s warmth next to her she felt impervious to him this go round
.

Not again.

Loki’s eyebrow arched sharply at her over Tom’s glasses before he seemed to let it go with a shrug of his shoulders.
“Yes I would like to attend with you both,” he said in a clipped tone.

Karl frowned at him, “everything ok there, mate?”

Loki
’s head turned slightly towards Karl but his eyes hadn’t left Constance.  “Of course. I’m rather curious about this,

club

,” he paused on the last word as if he were looking for the right word.

Constance nodded, her body relaxed and her mind slowed by the wine.  She found herself oddly comfortable around the God of Mischief though he looked more the Lord of Grump right now.  
She watched him
narrow his eyes
with that musing
and
couldn’t help the soft snort of amusement that escaped with both herself and him now
. “Do you read minds? Are you reading my mind?” She
blurted out.

“Don’t be ridiculous, mind reading isn’t real,”
Loki
 scoffed.  “Your thoughts are clearly written on your face anyway.”

“Sure, sure,” she gave a bold wave of her hand.  “Anyway yes, it is the speakeasy club I was telling Karl about earlier.  
So
you
’re gonna
come?” she leaned forward on her elbows, staring at him.

He narrowed his eyes at her teasing but didn’t seem upset, more like he was humoring her.  “Yes, I think I shall. Your glowing review has captured my attention,” he smirked at her and Constance
beamed
, ignoring his attempt to tease her.

“Then we should blow this pop stand,” she leaned towards Karl with a happy sigh.  
“Don’t you think?”

Karl gave
her
an indulgent smile.  “Why don’t you have a little more water before we head over, hmm?  We still have some time.”

She looked down to see he had her phone in his hand,
the group chat up on the screen
and gave a laugh.  “Yes, yes I’ll have more water because I once AGAIN missed you stealing my phone Urban,” she gave a mock growl before picking up her water glass and take a nice swallow of the cool liquid.  
Karl just chuckled and went back to texting in the chat.

“Well then,” Tom
interrupted the couple
.  “
This
sounds fascinating and worth a visit at least.”
Constance nearly spat out water out as she shook her finger at him.  “None of that now, Loki,” she got caught up once again in the absurdity of it all. “You behave!”“Never,” the man across from replied with a smirk as their server returned and they prepared to leave.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Chic and modern, the Italian restaurant was set in tones of blacks, white and greys with warm lighting to lend a welcoming glow.  The hostess, already expecting her, was especially gracious when Alexi walked in and obviously more than a little star struck by the table she was taking her to.  She was trying to keep her giddiness under control and remain professional as she walked the blonde through the restaurant and upstairs to a small private dining room that overlooked the rest of the restaurant below.“Thank you,” Alexi said quietly, her eyes taking a few moments to adjust to the dimmer candle-lit area.  Benedict and Lee were already there as expected, standing near the windows overlooking the rest of the diners below. “Sorry I’m a few minutes late,” she apologized as they turned nearly in unison at the sound of her voice.  The effort it took her to keep her expression nonchalant was Herculean as both of them were dressed for the finest of nights on the town.  Not as formal as the evening before at the charity event but tailored. Benedict was wearing slacks with a dark almost midnight blue shirt, his sleeves already rolled up to his elbows and the collar open just a hint.   That’s cruel , she thought with a mental sigh.   He’s doing that on purpose .   Lee was wearing black slacks and soft blue button up as well, though his colors were lighter and for the moment, he was still buttoned up.   They were like flip sides of a coin, one all hidden away while the other flaunted his skin.  Frankly she couldn’t decide which was worse. No, that’s not true, it was infinitely worse to hide , she decided then and there.   These two were going to be the death of her! “Nonsense,” Benedict scoffed.  For a moment she thought he was responding to her internal conversation with herself about their clothing.  But as they all converged on the small round table and he pulled out a chair for her, Alexi realized he was responding to her comment a moment before.  “Didn’t Tom tell you we didn’t want you to feel rushed?  I know you were looking forward to some time with your friend,” he smirked at her with a lifted eyebrow.  “Besides, you’re only three minutes behind when you said you’d meet us, hardly late.”“Yes, but that’s really late for me,” she allowed him to help her into her seat, his hand resting a moment on the back of her chair before it slid to her shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze.   Alexi looked up a little surprised but smiled softly at the warm blue of his eyes that smiled down at her. “I’m usually fifteen minutes early to everything. At least.” She glanced at Lee, carefully trying to size up his mood or even just a stray thought as he settled into his chair.  She was surprised when he tilted his chin down, meeting her eyes through his lashes and giving her a coy smile.“Nice location choice, Lee,” she greeted him with a low voice, her red lips twisting up on one side.  She was determined to hold fast to her confident sass in front of his broody eyebrows and soul stealing stare.   Unlike the previous evening, she was going to maintain control, thank you very much. “You were missed today,” she said without thinking.  Instantly she regretted the remark. What if it reminded him of his morning irritability?  She could have face palmed at that realization that was until she met his eyes and saw that they were warm and his eyes had just a hint of crinkles at the edges.  Her stomach gave a little flutter at the sight, well there goes any hope of maintaining control of anything. “Good,” he said definitively but with a touch of humour as if he was a mind reader.  “I’ve enjoyed the pictures on Instagram during the day when I was in between things.”  He frowned a moment, “today was an interesting day. I have to say I’m glad it’s over and we’re here.”  He seemed to shake off his thoughts as he reached over to the place setting and picked up the linen napkin.  He dropped it onto his lap as Benedict stepped to the side speaking to the sommelier about the bottle that arrived to the table and glasses were then filled.  Alexi found herself studying Lee who seemed to be weighing something as if it was confusing as he watched Benedict across the room.  Just as she was going to ask about it, he looked back to her, his eyes shifting color as he gave her a pleasant smile. “Ben was telling me you work in costuming.”
Oh god, small talk.  Small talk is the worst.  THE worst. So bad at it. So awkward and if he starts talking about the weather I may jump out the glass window to the first floor onto unsuspecting patron’s tables.  That would be so messy. I’d probably end up with lasagna all over myself. I can just imagine Benedict and Lee’s faces...
Don’t panic, her brain screamed.   No, no.  Calm your tits.  This isn’t water cooler talk.  This is good. You know this particular topic.  You love it. You’re good at it. Just let it flow, girl.    “And set designing,” she said with what she hoped was a lively smile and not a hysterical grimace.   “I’ve worked in a bit of everything behind the scenes of course. But I love designing most.”Lee leaned forward in his chair as he tapped the screen of his phone and a picture popped up, a picture from the website that Constance had been working on for her. “This is your work right?”Alexi nodded agreeably as she took a sip of wine, the butterflies taking flight in her chest suddenly.   He was looking at her work??!   She was used to such things.  Her work was literally made to be looked at and to have an audience.   So why did it seem to her when he looked it was as if he had been reading her private diary and all her inner most thoughts?   “Yes, it’s for a production that’s I’m doing now, actually.  I’m overseeing the set and costume work for a small theatre production, it’s something of a pet project to me.”  When he gave her a nod and a wide smile, she returned it with some enthusiasm.“These are the sketches for the set work?  Yours as well I’m sure?” Lee flipped to the next picture.Alexi sipped on her wine again, initially it had helped drown the frantic butterflies in her stomach because the little bastards wouldn’t listen to her and settle.  But that was completely forgotten now that Lee was opening up some. The last thing she wanted to do was fuck anything up and have him retreat behind a wall again but thankfully her words were coming so naturally that she was able to tossed that concern to the side.   He was intense, yes, but a sensitive soul underneath all that.  It was an enthralling contrast to Benedict’s even keeled demeanor with the dry but silly sense of humour. Lee was tapping through a series of hand drawings that she’d worked for months on to get just right and the stomach flutters turned to a warm glow in her chest at his obvious interest. “Yes, it’s a period piece, an adaptation of a work that an old theatre friend from New York has been trying to get off the ground for years.  I’m seriously excited about it,” she proudly smiled at it, setting down her glass as she pointed to the phone screen to indicate she wanted to show him something.He nodded and pushed the phone towards her, Alexi swept her hair over her shoulder and out of the way as she took the phone.  Benedict was watching the pair of them, a half smile on his lips as he caught her eyes with his. The interest in them was sincere, and she felt a giddy bubble grow at the thought that these two handsome men, both professionals that she admired were interested in her work.  She gave a little shimmy of elation in her chair as she pulled up the two set scenes that Constance had set up beautifully with the dress boards beside them.  These would be the costumes and main set of the play that they used for 70% of the production. Really the only pieces that they had managed to get approval and lock down on thanks to the temperamental lead that the director had chosen.   She quickly pushed that thought away and returned to the picture happy to show them off.A knock on the door, followed a moment later by their server entering interrupted them, leading in two others with a series of steaming plates of food onto the table.  Alexi was also relieved to see that they also placed another bottle of wine as well. Once they were finished, Benedict thanked them and took his seat on the other side of her.“I hope you don’t mind,” he said with a smile.  “I thought it might be easier if we did a series of dishes and share from the tasting menus.”Alexi blinked in surprise at the statement but with a look over all the wonderful smelling dishes she could hardly argue.  “Oh, well no. this looks amazing, thank you,” she smiled graciously. There was something in his demeanor, a strength and steel to him that was surprisingly comforting.  He was different from earlier when it had been the two of them, different and yet not. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it but it didn’t particularly bother her either.Benedict gave an approving smile as he poured himself a glass of wine and settled back in his chair, “don’t let me interrupt please.  I’m very interested.”Lee smirked at Benedict and then nodded in acceptance.  “I’m curious to hear more about your inspiration behind this design, it’s really thought provoking.”  He tapped another screen and Alexi quickly swallowed the sip she had taken, looking over at the image and smiled brightly.  “Oh that! Yeah that’s one of my favorites!”The pair easily spent the next hour swapping stories and imagery that they found profound and inspiring or just simply amusing that covered centuries of costume, fashion, theatre and film.  It amazed her how easily it was to talk to him and how much in common they really had. Alexi glanced over to Benedict and she couldn’t help but smile at the look on his face as he watched Lee animatedly reminisce about working on his movie ‘The Fall’.  The ingenious director and his gifted use of color, the visual costumes and storytelling had made a striking impact on the actor, quietly Alexi could absolutely agree with Lee.  It was the look on Benedict’s face that made her think of the internet memes - ‘find someone that looks at you the way so and so looks at X’. Yeah, those were her love goals, definitely to have someone look at me the way Benedict looks at Lee. That thought filled her with a dichotomy of unexpected emotions that didn’t mesh well together, a confusing mix of happiness tinged with something bittersweet she couldn’t place.  But something was missing. What that something was though escaped her.  Was she just a bit envious?  No, it wasn’t that. So, then what was it?  Hmmm. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she took a much larger gulp of her wine to get that confusing mess out of her head.   Small distractions were good. She shifted her gaze back to Lee only to discover he had stopped talking and was watching her patiently, a hint of a smile on his lips.  “Sorry,” she gave a throaty laugh at herself. “My head is in the clouds a bit,” her hand flutter slightly, fingers tapping at the stem of her glass.  “And the wine,” she gave a nod. “It’s in the wine, too. I swear I was listening. I love that movie and you were just talking about the wedding scene.  God, the details in her headpiece alone were amazing. Those are some design goals.”Lee reached out unexpectedly, catching her hand that had been dancing and fluttering like a lost bird as her nerves reared up.  Placing it in the palm of his large and strong hands, he covered it with his other, dwarfing her slender fingers within the calming warmth.  Gently shifting his hands, giving a delicious friction over skin he leaned forward, drawing her eyes up to his face.Alexi tilted her head at him, curious at his attentive gesture that seemed to come out of nowhere.  She began to say something but hesitated just a moment and he inclined his head towards her, close enough that his breath whispered across her neck, making her shiver.“I was rude this morning,” he rumbled lowly for her ears only.  “I would like to ask that you forgive me but I don’t think I’ve shown you enough of myself to have you believe I am sincere.” The whisper of his skin as it brushed against her cheek, the slide of his hands back and forth over hers, all seemed to slow and sync to his breathing.  The silence of the moment stretched tightly between them, not in anger but in a growing, throbbing anticipation.Locking eyes with her, Alexi noticed the flecks of brown within his blue eyes it felt as if she eased deeper into him with every breath. “I would like to make it up to you,” he breathed out in the quiet of the moment.  “But more so than that I would like to start again. If you would be amenable to that?”As his words washed over her, Alexi blinked in shock and cursed her brain for leaving her with so little to work with in this moment.  The blood rushing from her face didn’t help her tied tongue. “I, I don’t, I’m not sure what you’re saying,” she finally managed to force out and then wanted to smack herself at the bruised look that crossed Lee’s face. “No wait!  That came out wrong,” she hurried to add, leaning forward into his retreating space.She turned her hand up into his so she could thread her fingers through his, wanting every anchor she could to keep from losing him again.  The intense stare was back, but in it she could see more now. As Lee brought her fingers up to his lips, an easy wry smile growing on them, she watched the swirling emotions calling to her as he raised his eyebrow a challenge and a silent promise.“No, no!  None of that,” she huffed at him as her stomach did a flip flop and she felt the need to squirm in her seat. “No.  You need to stay how you,” she stopped speaking, words flying from her as he kissed first her fingertips and then her knuckles.  A sudden flash of the night before as he had crawled up her body, slowly and thoroughly mapping it as he kissed and caressed her.  Flushing hotly as the blood returned to her cheeks like a tsunami, she shook her head to try to clear it.  “Go back. Go back to the polite and cordial man of moments ago, please,” she whispered, nearly pleaded.“I don’t think you’re interested in that man,” his breath blew across her fingers catching the hint of wetness that he’d left behind as he spoke.  “I think perhaps you’d like more of the man you met last night, hmm?”Benedict leaned in then, joining the conversation.  “We both enjoyed the man we met last night Lee,” his voice dropped low and husky as he spoke.  “But we could also use a few more words before he makes another appearance. Just so that we all know we’re on the same page?”Lee met Benedict’s eyes for a long smouldering moment before he gave a dip of his head in acknowledgement.  “It’s been pointed out to me. Repeatedly,” he darted his eyes toward the other man again before returning his laser focus to hers.  “That I have misread the situation and that words can be helpful, or so a wise woman informed me last night,” he hummed low in his chest with a smirk.Alexi gave a huff of amusement, feeling the tightening tension crest finally and air start to enter and leave her normally again.  But as she tried to take back her hand, a twitch at the corner of his lips was the only warning she has as he slowly drifted the top of his tongue across his lush bottom lip.  The soft pink of his tongue drawing her eyes and all the air out of her lungs as she watched.Overwhelming emotions flooded her and a warm throb of desire started low in her and began to climb up her spine.  “Well,” she found herself breathless as she managed to drag her eyes up again and taking a sharp inhale, steadied herself.  “I suppose it worked out well in the end, but words are always helpful,” she managed a smirk at him as a flash of heat raced across his eyes.In the blink of an eye, Lee exhaled, and the contrition was once more there front and center. “No, you are right, I, I’m not sure how to put this all and well,” he fumbled slightly, and it was his turn to grasp her fingers to keep her hand between his.  With the obvious look of support from Benedict he continued.  “Alright. I admit, I was concerned. You blew in out of nowhere.  Absolutely nowhere. The way you grabbed his attention. It put me in a mood and I’m sorry,” he humbly dropped his eyes to her fingers but continued to hold them, gently rubbing them back and forth in his hands.“You’re apologizing to me?” She said incredulously, lowering her voice to a whisper though no one else was in the room at the moment save the three of them. “I’ve been going over and over in my head all day about if I should be apologizing to you.  Tortured by the thought I’d done something unforgivable, unintentional as it may have been. I didn’t know when this all started about the two of you.”“I know.”“I wouldn’t have pursued him.  Or you, if I’d had even an inkling,” she fervently looked up into his face. “And if my being here in any conceivable way is unwelcome by you, then I don’t want to be here.” The last words tumbled out quickly with one rush of breath, aware of the possibility dinner could be ending very differently than she had hoped because she meant every word.  Well, as much as she could mean it when there was nowhere else she would rather have been.“There is something here,” he growled slowly looking back up and snagging her eyes.  “Between us, you and me; Ben and I; Ben and you,” his voice was a low velvety rumble in her ears.  “And I want to know more of it. I want to know more of you, both of you.” He brought her fingers once more to his lips and kissed them, giving a sharp nip of his teeth as he let her fingers drop away from his lips and his lips brushed up against the shell of her ear again.  “You’re not going anywhere.”She shifted uncomfortably and crossed her legs tightly under the table, disturbed at the effect his voice had on her and the images that flashed through her mind’s eye with those words.  Images that would likely make many grown adults gasp with embarrassment. She hoped she didn’t look as shaky as she felt. She bit the inside of her cheek hard to ground herself as her eyes drifted to Benedict.  He had ignored his food completely in lieu of watching his two companions with captivated bemusement, his arms folded across him as he held his wine glass to his lips absently as if he’d forgotten it was there.His eyes locked with hers from across the table and then a flicker of an expression that would have been lost on anyone else, an almost imperceptible nod that, she acknowledged, may have been more sensed than actually seen.   Had she been waiting for his blessing without realizing it?  She knew he had already given that many times over .   He wanted the scene in front of him, invited it, pushed for it.  So, a blessing couldn’t have been what she sought.
Permission?
Falling upon that answer as sharply as she did, she caught her breath as she would have a physical blow.  This was puzzling, and she wasn’t certain how to come to terms with the fact she was so quickly and easily falling into this place.  She would normally have been humiliated at the strong throbbing pull between her legs at the realization she was seeking his consent.  She was more headstrong than that. Asking for permission wasn’t something she did. Ever. And yet here she was with shaking legs at just the thought of it.This newly discovered weakness in herself annoyed her but the irritation was short lived as she focused back on Lee, leaning into him as she glanced up at his chiseled features.  Reaching and she traced his lips with the tips of her fingers before stretching up and pressing her lips against his in a feather light kiss. “Then, I’m not going anywhere,” she firmly agreed, thankful she could speak at all or breathe at this point.His heavily lidded stare caught her, burrowed into her like a barbed obsidian arrow.  Her body responded immediately with the demanding throb of her pulse in her throat and she instinctively tightened the fingers still threaded in his.  He pulled his bottom lip in between his teeth and then released it, running his tongue languidly across it, as if searching for any wetness she had left there.  She was fixated by the motion, so slow he seemed to be at half speed but despite that the distinct knowledge under the surface he writhed with palpable energy. A rapidly tightening coil that could snap at any moment.  With any movement. She shifted in her chair, his stare made the hold on her composure in a precarious position.  She averted her gaze to the table and toward Benedict, the impulse to check with him too heady to resist but suddenly the bottom half of her face was cupped in the vice of Lee’s impossibly long fingers.  He pulled her face back to face him, the demand in the force of it clear as he squeezed almost uncomfortably.“Now that’s rude,” he disapproved, his tone deliberate and precise.  “What are you looking for over there?” He leaned in, pulling her face closer to him at the same time so they nearly touched as his voice softened to a whisper.   “He does come across as a safe space when he wants to, doesn’t he?” The brush of his cheek against hers with two days of scuff was a stark contrast on soft skin while the long strong fingers of his hand kept her chin immovable.  As he inched back enough to stared into her eyes, his voice tinged with tenderness, “Alexi.” A quiver of want throbbed through her as he breathed out the last syllable of her name. “Oh, sweet little one, he’s thrown you to the lion and much like Nero, he’s going to enjoy watching the match.”A breathless moan escaped her at that moment, her eyes widening with the understanding and a flash of his face from the night before, those words reverberating through her with a deep ache.  As she tried to catch a breath, she became distantly aware of Benedict leaving his chair and heading to the door but Lee kept her eyes on him.Mesmerized by the softening of his blue eyes, the flecks of brown that seemed to expand and contract with his pulse as the moment stretched .   A small part of her brain was still able to acknowledge the sound Benedict’s voice across the room, the words indecipherable, followed by the solid click of the door closing again.   Did Ben leave her alone with Lee?!   Alexi watched a relaxed smirk graced Lee’s lips, is he reading her mind?  That small still functioning part of her brain was swamped by the growing knot of emotion forming in her throat; a mix of anticipation, turmoil, and thrilled excitement with a tinge of nervous panic that took hold her and tried to overwhelm her. Don’t lose your brass now.  Just because he’s cocky doesn’t mean he can do whatever he wants.  Actually, that’s precisely the reason he shouldn’t. Her eyes narrowed with renewed fortitude.  Challenge accepted, Lee.   Her fingers glided upward to swipe his hand off her chin.  She wasn’t certain why she felt such a need to prod at him but his surprised expression was extremely gratifying.  The idea of butting heads as they had the evening before seemed the finest avenue to follow.She opened her mouth to say something incredibly witty, but it was cut off by the hands that landed on her shoulders, giving a gentle but firm squeeze.  “I have to agree with Lee,” the low and pensive voice murmured above her. Her mouth snapped shut as Benedict’s hands slipped forward to the button at the neck of her jacket, opened it and then moved down to the next one.  “You’re being very insolent, darling girl.”Alexi watched as Lee sat back in his chair with a full-force smirk, crossing his arms over his chest imperiously.  The feeling of Benedict sliding her coat down and over her arms and the brush of velvet against her skin as he draped it over the back of her chair.  Not having expected to remove her coat that night Alexi had kept the inner layer light so she wouldn’t overheat. It was a silk spaghetti strapped black blouse with a deep cowl neckline in both the front and the back so her bare shoulders and arms made her feel somewhat vulnerable suddenly.  As the warm skin of his palms returned, rubbing up and down her shoulders and upper arms, the unease lessened and a warmth radiated out from him through her body.As it did though, embarrassment of a different source grew in her, the sense of his disappointment seemed to transmit through his hands, stealing her breath and making her shift uneasily in her chair.  Her triumph morphing into chagrin at her behavior to Lee. “Sorry,” she managed to push out, only barely audible.“Hmm?” Benedict enquired from behind her, leaning in as if trying to hear her.  “I almost made that out.  I believe you are attempting to apologize but I’m not the one that you should be directing that to.”Lifting his hands, a sudden cool breeze brushed over her exposed shoulders again, she shivered with the absence.  An ache spearing her at his loss was eased when the tip of his finger traced softly over the shoulder strap of her top, pressing it so that it once again lay flat. Breathing out a barely audible ‘O’ as he continued down to the back cowl, tugging softly at the fold into the drape at the center of her back.  The back of his fingers brushed inward, finding the top of the corset that peaked out from underneath and slipped one finger just under the tight lacing he found. As he gave a small tug, Alexi felt the warm brush of his breath across her neck and the gooseflesh that followed in his wake.“That’s unexpected,” he leaned in closer so she could just see him in her peripheral vision, his approval purring through his words. “Very nice.”“Thank you,” she said politely, somewhat concerned at how much pleasure she gleaned from his appreciation.  “But I digress.  You’ve distracted me.  We were discussing your behavior.  So impolite, especially directly after Lee was so contrite.”“I do apologize,” she huffed reluctantly but glanced at Lee through her lashes, wondering if she batted them a little if he would find it charming.  The deadpan stare he returned her brought her heart up into her throat. Oh god, he was still so confusing.  He hated her again, certainly.Lee’s gaze moved up and behind her as he gave Benedict a frown with an utterly unimpressed shrug before settling back upon her again.  Though his expression was stony, she could easily see his eyes dancing with barely contained satisfaction at the spectacle in front of him.  “Lee isn’t convinced,” Benedict tsked and then drew a long put-out sigh.  “You’re going to have to try harder. Come on, then.” he drummed his fingers along her shoulders for emphasis. “Drop to your knees, darling.”Her head swiveled abruptly to the side as she looked up at him with round eyes. “WHAT?”“Now, now don’t look at me like that,” Benedict said patiently as if he were talking to a prized student who was suddenly acting out.  “If an apology isn’t accepted, one must beg. And when one is begging for forgiveness it’s done, as it should be, with one on their knees.  Everyone knows that,” his voice calm and instructional.She gasped incredulously as her eyes turned back to Lee.  He was watching her just as closely, arms still folded across his chest, as one hand rested across the bottom of his chin.  Her eyes trailed up to his mouth where his long fingers rubbed distracted over his lips, evidently trying to hide that he was laughing as he eyes burned with a fire over Benedict.  Upon seeing her attention back on him, Lee cleared his throat and straightened up slightly, appearing to regain control of himself and nodded his firm agreement of Ben’s assessment.Alexi narrowed her eyes at Lee, not wanting to show her amusement or attraction as she firmed her lips.  Unbelievably, this seemed to only served to embolden him further. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he waved his open hands at the floor in front of him in invitation.  An indignant noise of protest came escaped her throat at that.   
Who does he think he is?! Pointing at the floor like she’s-.  
Instantly, all thoughts screeched to a halt in her head at the touch of Benedict’s hand on her back.  Quiet filled her mind as his fingers threaded through the thick upper laces of her corset and a gentle pressure warmed the fabric under them.  He gave a light yank, just enough to fully draw the breath out of her lungs and lead every nerve ending in her body to his command. Her spiraling apprehension was gone, her mind calm and her attention tuned to his desires.“Don’t think,” he crooned at her, leaning down to press a kiss to her temple. “I don’t like to repeat myself. Just do as I say, my darling girl.”  Everything about him called to her every sense, enveloping her completely. The richness of his voice flowed through her a Siren’s call. The scent of his aftershave enticed her to breathe deeper, to slow her heart and take more of it in. The brush of his blazer against her bare back sending tingles across her skin.  The sweep of his black oxfords over the of the wood floor under her grounded her to his presence.When his fingers in her corset laces threaded further into them it was as if her body was already aware of what he desired and she swayed as nudged her forward.  Her bottom easily slipped from the chair and she let herself settle to her knees on the floor. She heard Benedict ease into the space she just vacated behind her and with the release of her laces she let out an audible sigh.   How was it he had the uncanny talent to make everything so much easier? With an exaggerated sigh of abdication, she glanced up at Lee, who was still leaning so far forward seemed to tower over her.  “I’m-,” she started to say but a light nudge on her upper inner thigh startled her and she twisted her head back around. Benedict was sitting in her previous spot, legs crossed elegantly, using the tip of his free foot to tap at her.  She glanced down at the polished shoe, absently noting it was very well made and probably Italian. The pointy tip slid between her thighs then, just below her butt, and rested there a moment. Her eyes rose to meet his, praying he didn’t actually notice her legs clench tighter but abandoning hope of that when his right brow shot up curiously.  “Interesting,” he drawled word out, discovering something unexpected he found curious but he shook it out of his head, “We can explore that later.  But not now, darling. STOP distracting me. You have a task.”  He pulled his foot back and tapped the back of her leg again.  Directing her full attention to Lee, she inched forward until she was flush with the seat of his chair.  She placed both hands on either of his splayed knees and was surprised when she looked up at him that he placed both hands on either side of her head in the most tender fashion.  His eyes were dark with an intensity that caused her to stutter a moment before her mouth caught up with her thoughts. “Ahhh. I am sorry, Lee,” she pleaded earnestly, her heart flying up to her throat and her pulse beating in her ears.  He was so still she wondered if he was breathing as his gaze tore into her, pulling her apart one thin shred at a time. Her eyes watered with indecision. Was he testing her?  Did he want her to return his focus or did he expect her to look away?  Her hands involuntarily squeezed his knees, trying to keep herself steady while irrationally needing to ensure he was real, that this was real.His hands trailed from the sides of her face, one to rest on her shoulder while the other, taking considerably more time, inched down the side of her neck until it came to rest just at the base.  His long fingers splayed toward the back of her neck as his thumb settled into the hollow of her neck. The room was so silent, the sharp intake of breath Benedict drew from behind her was clearly audible and enough to break Lee’s gaze to look back at the other man.  Thus, began what seemed to be a silent conversation between the two over her head that stretched out unmercifully with Lee gleaning direction from Benedict through glances she couldn’t see.  His knees closed in on either side of her, pinning her between them securely as he smirked over her shoulder, so it must have been directed from there. She couldn’t take the silence anymore, it was excruciating, and she squirmed with an impatience which only made Lee legs to tighten more.  She was sure he was silently telling her to be still but with his attention still focused behind her, it only inflamed her need for his focus more.She clenched her hands more firmly on his knees. “Lee,” she whimpered, the impatience in her tone impossible to hide and the temptation to get up from her spot itching from inside her.Lee glanced down sharply at her, his face morphing into a look of contrition though his eyes burned with dark fire. “Oh sweetheart, are we neglecting you?  Again.”Alexi was suddenly thrown back to the night before and her gasp was audible at the memory. But this time, Lee took a more hands on approach and she realized they had indeed switched places. Letting his hand that had been on her shoulder, trail back over and down, warming the bare skin that he connected with, he watched her as though he were about to devour her.   FINALLY!   Her mind cried out, and she swayed towards him with the small amount of room available between his legs and moaned at the heavy press of a shoe upon the back of her foot as it slid forward in time with her.“Beg sweetheart, beg for me,” he moaned lowly as he hovered over her, inches from her lips. Oh, this is impossible, she screamed silently.   I don’t beg.  I don’t beg for anyone or anything.  There’s no shortage of men throwing themselves at my feet.  Why aren’t you?! She bit her lip stubbornly and Lee sighed with painfully threadbare patience, leaning in closer so his breath caressed her cheek.  His hand left her back, reaching up to trace along her jaw, under her chin and trace feather-light touch down her neck. She leaned her cheek into his and his heavy breathing brushed against the finely sensitive baby hairs behind her ear.  Her hands finally left his knees, scratching up the outsides of his thighs to grasp onto his finely toned hips. A low growl vibrated through him, reverberating through every inch of her.All pretense of control left her with that sound and she rested her lips against his ear for a moment before finding her voice. “Please, Lee,” she breathed out quietly.  And was rewarded with the expression on his face as he reared his head back momentarily, his eyes resting on her briefly bright sparks under lids heavy with desire. He leaned in again and softly, “He’ll want to hear it too, little one.”This time with no reservations or thoughts to the contrary she raised her voice so Benedict would hear as well, drawing out the first word like a swan song. “Please, Lee.”As his mouth engulfed hers, heavy hands landed on her upper arms, squeezing tightly to pull her up from her knees and settle her on one side of his lap.  She hadn’t expected that. At all. Her mind was definitely elsewhere, back on the floor and unzipping his pants, but his kiss was so demanding, his hands pressed against her back and pinning her to him were so aggressive, there was no room for her to protest.  She slipped her hand along his chest and intoxicated with the solidity of his frame hiding under his clothes, she nudged down further between them until her hand came to rest on his crotch and cupped him.Now dizzy with need for him, she groaned into his mouth and pulled her face aside to rest against his neck.  Her breath against his skin was quick as her fingers took on their own life, encircling his erection as well she could despite the fabric between them and giving a tenacious squeeze.  “Please, Lee.” She reiterated against his neck, her lips brushing against the skin as she begged and drew out his name as long as she could while her fingers gave another squeeze and she ran her palm along the length of him above the fabric, searching for the zipper.  “Enough,” the simple word spoken quietly from above both of them but the rich baritone quality of it reverberated enough to almost be felt physically.  Alexi pried her face from Lee’s neck as her hand froze its search, glancing up at Benedict standing just behind Lee’s chair and was met with an impassive crystal blue gaze.  “Now isn’t the time to go any further.”Alexi gave a whimper of protest and Lee’s hand flattened against her back securely, the tips of his fingers digging along one of the steel bones of her corset for traction.  The tension already radiating from his body spiked at Benedict’s words. The moment stretched, the pair on the chair remained motionless though the pressure from Lee’s embrace increased to the point Alexi felt breathless.  Her mind spun in a hundred different directions and her first inclination was to tell Benedict just where he could go… and he wasn’t going to like it. As Benedict studied her expression, his hands came down to rest on Lee’s shoulders but his eyes didn’t leave hers.  “I said, enough.  What did I say about repeating myself and yet what am I now doing?” he enforced and she was stunned by the aloofness in his voice, an entirely cutting yet disconnected tone that unbalanced her.  There would be no compromise with him that was abundantly clear. She pulled her hand up from between her and Lee, fingers trembling with uncertainty. Benedict’s severe focus eased a fraction at her compliance, a hint of tenderness peeking through.“You can’t leave her like this.” the low growl from Lee pulled Ben’s gaze away from her. “That’s cruel.”“Her?  Or you ?  Why are you this wound up after our bath this afternoon?  You were utterly spent earlier,” Benedict cut back, his voice steely as his eyes shot back to her. “Anyway, she shouldn’t have been so rude to you.  Perhaps next time she’ll be sweeter sooner when she misbehaves and not have to pay the price, hmm?”Alexi sucked in her breath at the immaculately restrained intensity of his words and Lee’s fingers on her back spread out, moving up to rest on the bare skin above the corset in a gesture of consolation.  “Benedict.” Lee’s voice still a rough, almost angry growl, “she doesn’t know better.  You’re asking too much. Too soon.”Benedict leaned in at the accusation, bringing his head down far enough to lean his temple against Lee’s, his eyes still solidly on the woman.  He traced a long, slender finger along her jaw. “Oh sweetheart,” he hummed entirely too sweetly which was almost worse than the severity of moments before, his finger trailing down her the back of her neck and her back until they met with Lee’s and entwined. “Am I being too much?  You don’t really think that of me, do you, darling Alexi?”“No, sir,” the words fell out of her mouth instantly and her heart pounded with the smile he graced her with, her turmoil beginning to ebb.“You see, Lee?  She’s an apt pupil.”  Ben shifted and pressed his lips against her forehead affectionately.  He stretched back up to his full height, caressing Lee’s cheek for a moment before stepping over to fetch Alexi’s coat, shaking it out and holding it open in preparation of her.  “Come, darling. Your friends are waiting and we wouldn’t want you to be late. I know how you hate that.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The cold concrete of the sidewalk reverberated the noise of Constance’s sharp boot heels as she shifted from one to the other, gave a small shimmy of her upper body and then started again as she tried to keep warm in the freezing Chicago air.  She had been waiting with Tom and Karl outside the Green Door Tavern for five minutes for the rest of the group to arrive so they could head into The Drifter together. “We can meet them down-” Karl started for the third time but she interrupted him with an emphatic shake of her head.   “Nooooo.  We all have to go down together!” she stomped her foot for emphasis. “Cate made us promise we go together,” she gave a pleading look to Karl. “It’s important,” she wasn’t above playing dirty as she stuck her bottom lip out and fluttered her lashes at him. “Alright, alright!” he put his hands up in surrender with a chuckle. “Gods woman, you can be hard-headed when you want to be.” She smiled merrily, leaning up on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on his bristly cheek.  The wine still warmed her insides if not her feet and hands which were buried deep in her pockets while she did her little dance on the pavement, so much so she didn’t even care that someone might see her bold move.  “Not much longer I promise, they are on their way. Alexi just texted- oh look! That’s some of them.” An Uber pulled up, spilling out her blonde friend along with Benedict and Lee. “I’m not accustomed to apologizing for being late and here I am doing it for the second time today,” Alexi huffed, smoothing out the front of her jacket from the ride as the men greeted each other.  She eyed the sidewalk around them and stepped over to Constance, “no Cate yet, hmm?” She reached into her beaded clutch and pulled out her compact, eyes growing wide upon inspecting her lipstick before pulling out her favorite red to reapply. Constance giggled at the implication and Alexi raised a brow at her friend.  “Good Uber ride, huh?” Constance snorted. “You know, I’m thinking Chicago has the best Uber rides.” Alexi deadpanned, patting her finger lightly over the newly applied paint.   The smaller woman reached out to thread her arm through the crook of the blonde’s arm, squeezing against her for warmth as Alexi slipped her mirror away and leaned her head atop her friends. “Constance,” Benedict turned back to the women with a wide smile. “It’s my fault we’re late.  I do apologize.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek like they were old friends and Constance beamed up at him as he stepped back.  She blushed and tried to keep her giggles in as she watched him take off his gloves in anticipation of heading inside, he had great hands but she’d been listening to Alexi drone on about a leather glove appreciation for years so now Constance couldn‘t help but be aware of them.  Her eyes drifting over behind him to see Lee watching her closely, something in his eyes said he’d caught on to her turn of thoughts and she flushed brighter, turning her face into her Alexi’s arm to bury her embarrassment. There was a pause for a moment before Benedict gave an amused huff, “how long have you two known each other again?” “A thousand years,” Constance managed as she twisted slightly so she could peek out from behind Alexi’s coat.  She thought for a fraction of a second she would freeze at the way he was looking at them. His pale blue eyes could have that effect, but she was handling this, and she gave herself a mental pat on the back.  She was totally getting the hang of this being around hot celebrity men thing! Eyes turning back to the tall Brit, “maybe more but I’m terrible with dates and numbers.” “Shhh,” her friend leaned slightly down, patting her cheek a moment in comfort.  “He still thinks I’m not a day older than 200,” Alexi mock whispered and Ben gave an indulgent smirk. “Are we waiting for someone else?” He asked Constance. “Your other friend right?  Perhaps we should just meet them in-.” “NOOOOOOOO!” Constance wailed her eyes going round and sad. “We have to go down all together!” He dramatically leaned back, wide eyed, and a bit surprised by her response but he smiled then and gave a good-natured nod.  “Of course! Of course, what the lady says, goes. That’s my motto,” giving Alexi a wink and a quick squeeze of her hand, he then turned to have a word with Tom who was chatting with Lee. Constance turned to Alexi to whisper, “God, he’s so polite and sweet.  How’s he ever going to keep up with you?” Alexi sputtered loudly, attempting to keep her laugh quiet but failing miserably.  Surprised by the reaction, Constance pulled back a bit from her friend. As she was going to ask what was so hysterical, a honk of a horn drew her attention to a Prius that pulled up to the sidewalk in front of them.  “Cate!” She excitedly called out and started forward to hug her other friend who had just stepped out of the car. She grabbed Cate‘s arms excitedly and bounced a couple times then moved out of the way as Ellis glided up beside her with a cheerful greeting.   Dodging back, she kept the smile on her face but ducked her head to the side, eyes sweeping the sidewalk rapidly as she wondered where Karl was suddenly. “We’re here,” Cate interrupted her thoughts as she posed, hip cocked to one side and raised her hands in the air with a flourish. “The festivities may begin.” Alexi gave a slow clap and then dropped into an exaggerated curtsey to the newly arrived couple, “your Majesty. It’s about time,” she snarked as she stood and linked her arm through Constance’s, drawing the smaller woman back in close again.  The pair of them laughing as Cate tipped her chin up, looking down her nose as she pretended to give them a queen-like wave. “Yesssss!  Great! Let’s get moving then,” Constance announced as she bounced on her heels, spinning around to head to the doorway and the warmth that no doubt waited.  She spotted Karl and gave him a shy smile suddenly worried that he might think she was ignoring him for her friends. He gave her that cocky half smile in return and she knew he was happy and all was good.  With a wiggle of her fingers at him, it relieved her when he slid in beside her, twining their fingers together as he reached for the door and pulling it open. The group made their way single file along a narrow side hall towards the ‘secret’ door that opened for them.  They made their way down a ‘rickety’ looking, though sturdy feeling, stairway into the underground bar. The music wafting up to them from below immediately adding to the mysterious ambiance.   “Roxy Music,” Constance whispered back over her shoulder towards Alexi.  The blonde’s hair the most distinct thing in dim light before she flashed a pale hand in the jazz hands sign. “Nice!” Turning a corner to enter the main room, they were greeted by a place that was a heady mix of design.  The early 1900s, a splash of 1930s, hints of the 20s and here and there a piece of modern steampunk but not enough to take away from stepping back in time.   Granted, a racy step back and not typically a piece of history that one would see in the glamorous movies from the period, instead this was more the gritty and dirty part of the Prohibition Era. True to form for the time it wasn’t a large space, and the ceilings were low, adding to the impression of nefarious characters and secrecy.  There were dark, secluded booths that lined the outer edges of the room that drew attention to the bar at one end. The bare old fashioned Edison bulbs strung from one end to the other lent a warm, yellow hue to the space.  A tiny stage in the corner opposite the bar currently hosted two burlesque dancers, done up in fringe and feathers. It was still early in the night, and along with the fact it was a Sunday, this meant it wasn’t particularly crowded.  Constance noted only a handful of patrons and they might even have been employees. She couldn‘t quite tell. Stepping up the bar, still rubbing her hands to bring warmth to them, the red head eyed the bartender.  She noted the unusual smile on her face to greet new guests, something between a familiar welcome and a hint of dark menace. Wow apparently some employees were into their characters, she thought a touch nervously.   A strong hand between her shoulders and the warm scent of spice made her relax and an involuntary smile popped up as she turned to see that Karl was leaning against the bar beside her.  His eyes solely on her, were mischievously dancing. Oh this would be a fun night!  Especially if he kept looking at her like that, she bit her lips to keep the giddy bubble in her chest from escaping. “Welcome,” the bartender interrupted the couple.  She set the glass she had been drying on the bar to give a wave at the empty seats at the bar.  “What libations can I prepare for,” she paused a moment. Eyeing over their shoulders as the rest of the group joined, her bright smile faltered as something seemed to surprise her, but she pulled herself together.  “Well my goodness what a motley crew we have tonight. How may I serve you all?” Alexi had taken the seat on Constance’s right completely in her element as she let her eyes drift over the bottles on the glass shelf before looking to the bartender with a bright smile, “what absinthe do you have?”   Constance smiled as she watched her friend happily fluttering beside her, her hands as animated as her voice and she realized she must have had a lovely dinner date.  Her eyes drifting over to Benedict who had taken up a spot behind her chair while Lee took the stool on her other side. “I love your jacket,” the bartender gasped and Alexi preened, stroking the feathers on the collar and doing a little shimmy on stool. “This works,” Ellis growled as he and Cate settle at the end of the bar behind Karl leaving a few spots open. “This indeed works. Constance, darling, you’ve outdone yourself with your recommendation.” Constance gave a nod of her head in his general direction, not making eye contact and gave a hum of appreciation at the compliment.  Her change in demeanor caught Karl’s attention and his brows dropped low in silent question. The last thing Constance wanted though was to talk about what happened that afternoon, so she shook it off and tangled her fingers in the sleeve of his coat with a small smile.  Karl studied her face carefully, and it wasn’t until the slightest brush of a warm presence at her shoulder caught her attention she realized Tom was standing in front of them. Oh, wait that’s not Tom, she realized when she saw the flicker behind his glasses.  Oh, welcome to the club Loki, she thought at him with a lift of her lips.  Long fingers brushed her shoulder, his reassurance passing in to her.  Blinking back her surprise she gave him a half smile of appreciation and watched as he took the seat between Ellis and Karl.   Constance caught a familiar soft squeal of excitement and looked over her shoulder at Alexi.  Her friend was giving an animated and detailed lecture on one of her favorite passions, absinthe.  The bar carried an expansive collection of both prohibition and modern absinthe, stateside and from overseas.   “All of which have different properties, flavor notes and mouthfeel,” Alexi was explaining to Lee, Benedict and everyone in the vicinity who would listen. Oh Alexi, you and your love of absinthe are a treat, Constance thought. A shift of black from the corner of her eye made her stomach tumble and her heart speed up as she turned her head back.  She had to squeeze her eyes shut and slowly open them back up because she swore that, just for a moment, she saw Karl in a black suit and tie with a fedora.  No, he was sitting and talking with Loki in the same thing he wore at dinner. She frowned to herself and did a double check to confirm, dark blue button up, black leather jacket and dark wash jeans with his boots. Yep. Still the same clothes as dinner, so why was she getting such a strong impression of a three piece black suit and him rockin’ the gangster hat? Ooookay that’s weird! Giving her attention back to her friend, she noticed as she turned that the bartender was setting up a row of glasses.  Her face was oddly blurry, and the lighting seemed to dim. Looking at her friend to see if she had noticed, Constance blinked in shock to see Alexi’s outfit was completely different, gone were the coat and pants and in its place a thin silk sheath dress that draped over her leaving little to the imagination.  Too, she was dripping in long pearl necklaces and several strands wrapped around both wrists as bracelets as well. Atop her head was an amazing feathered headpiece that reminded her of the collar of the jacket her friend was wearing. She knew she was looking at her friend but this woman was not her Alexi; her head thrown back in laughter, a drink in one hand and a long filtered cigarette dangling from the other.  A glimpse to the right showed her, Benedict in a smart grey three piece suit that shimmered in the light, shifting and smoothing out looked oddly wrong only to return to the suit. On their left was Lee in suspenders with a white rumpled shirt, unbuttoned at the neck as though he had been working in the back, his hair tousled, staring down at Alexi with a look of adoration on their faces. The moment blurred and then clarified, the fancy dressed images faded and she was back in the current moment as the bartender poured three absinthe drinks and grab a box of matches.  Constance was cold and shaky as she watched Alexi put her hand over the tops of the cups. “Noooo,“ she said reverently to the bartender. “Lighting them on fire is for movies and amateurs.” The red head stared in shock as the bartender gave Alexi a half smile of approval. “Good to see someone remembers these things.” she said, putting away her match and heading towards Constance, Karl and Tom.  She hesitated a moment, seeming to give Tom a long side-eyed glance before pulling out a glass and pouring a brown liquid with one large ice cube into it.  She slid it over to him in a smooth motion as she solemnly stated, “Jameson circa 1905. This one is on the house.” “Delilah,” the bartender said, pointing to herself.  “In case you’re curious and need to know later. You,” she tilted her head as she studied Constance for a moment.  With a hum to herself, the bartender reached down, pulled out an intricately carved crystal glass. “Elderflower liqueur, a touch of gin and plenty of ice.” Constance tilted her head back in surprise, taken aback that this stranger happened to know one of her favorite drinks.  Accepting the drink, she stared at it a moment before taking a sip and giving happy sigh at the familiar liquid. Her lips curved in a half smile to the bartender but she caught the look of narrow eyed distrust from Karl beside and quickly lifted the glass to her lips to keep anything else from escaping. “Just water,” Karl spoke up sternly as Delilah looked at him with a smirk.  Constance could see the agitation in his jaw and ‘knew’ he was sensing something was going on, but he wasn’t sure what and therefore he trusted none of it.  A shift on the other side of Karl told Constance that Tom was aware as well of the growing unease with Karl. The thump of glass on the bar top brought her eyes back as Delilah slid a glass of water to him, followed by another glass.  “Hennessy Cognac,” she said, “for when you get bored with the water.” Karl looked disturbed and his brow furrowed as he took a sniff of the cognac glass, frowning.  “I love cognac,” he said out of one side of his mouth to Constance. “How the hell did she know?” Constance looked at him with wide eyes, and just pointed at her drink as she shrugged helplessly.  Karl gave an unhappy grunt and pushed the glass away. She heard Delilah give an amused snort as she moved down the bar to Ellis and Cate.  The bartender put her hands on the bar, studying Ellis. “You. Well, you’re more difficult because it depends on your mood, doesn’t it?  So diverse,” the bartender paused, searching, before snapping her fingers in excitement. “I think tonight may be a dry gin martini, am I right?” Ellis smiled, nodding his approval with a slight tilt of his head as she prepared it and slid the glass over to him before giving a small curtsy, lowering her eye with a reverential air before turning her attention to Cate. “And now you,” she gave a slow curving smile her voice a husky whisper.  “You deserve a good strong drink,” her hands reaching towards the top shelf and pulled a clear glass bottle down, the recognizable Grey Goose label etched into it next to the Elit stamp.  She poured it over a large cube of ice, “my Lady.” “You have a fan,” Ellis said, sliding his arm around the back of her chair. “Or, another one,” he said with a low chuckle as Cate hesitantly took up the glass.   “This is my favorite label,” she replied, swirling the liquid around the cube.  Cate brought the glass to her lips, taking a sip and then gave a slow exhale, approval lighting her face.  As she took another, she looked over the rim to see that the bartender was still eyeing her. “Nice choice, thanks, uh, Delilah.” Setting the bottle in front of the couple with an obsequious bow, Delilah stepped back and eyed the remaining guests.   “So then!” Ellis gave a cheerful clap of his hands, spinning the stool around so he looked out at the rest of the club. “What does this fine establishment have to offer us?” As if on cue, one employee stepped out from behind the curtain to the small stage and settled in front of the piano. He ran his fingers up and down the keys for a moment and then played a ragtime song as the curtains opened and two dancers stepped out in flapper costumes and began to dance. Constance let out a laugh as she looked at Karl, “dancers!” “Now we just need the jugglers,” he winked at her as he wrapped an arm around her. Cate hopped up from her seat, “I think we should grab something more comfortable don’t you all?” Constance noticed then that there were more people drifting into the club.  Where things had been empty just minutes ago, there were now a dozen or so people now scattered around the room, talking, drinking and enjoying the show. Alexi looked up at that, her drink paused as she brought it to her lips, “oh yes. Let‘s.”  She looked around and seemed to be as surprised as Constance at the influx of people. “Let’s get a table while we can, I think!” popping up she quickly headed for a large comfortable leather semi-circular booth.  She looked over her shoulder and paused a moment, surprised that Lee was still hovering near the bar. Holding out her hand to him, she gave him a bright smile while she wiggled her fingers at him. “Lee? Coming?” He looked up from the glass he had been staring into, his eyes drifting down the end of the bar and then over to her, his lips curving up at the corners as he looked over to her through his lashes.  At her soft laugh, his face lit up and he pushed off the wood, making his way to her. He took her fingers in his hand and kissed the tips before tucking them into the crook of his arm, “always for you.” Just as they were about to slip into the large booth though, Lee froze his eyes on the opposite end.  He spun towards Alexi he held out his hand to her, “would you like to dance?” “FINALLY,” Alexi exclaimed taking his hand. She turned back to Benedict with a coy smile, “don’t think you’re getting out of taking me for a spin.” She winked and let Lee lead her to the dance floor as Benedict took a spot on the end of the booth with a laugh. Ellis and Cate who were watching from the other end of the booth, settling into their seats, with raised drinks to Benedict as he watched his pair hurry to the small ‘dance floor’ by the stage. “How lovely, there’s all sorts of fun to be had here isn’t there, darling?” Ellis looked at the woman beside him.  “Would you like to dance too?” His eyebrows lifted in exaggerated excitement. Cate raised her eyebrow back at him, “I haven’t had enough to drink to do that.” Cate snorted. Ellis gave a laugh, “my apologies darling.  Perhaps later? Until then we’ll just enjoy the show, shall we?” A chuckle from next to her jolted Constance from her drifting thoughts, and she looked from the booth to Loki.  Oh boy!  He was standing tall and straight-backed as he eyed Karl for some reason.  She felt a bit of an intruder at the moment, they were deep into a discussion about something and she didn’t want to interrupt, so she looked  into her glass before taking a slow sip of the sweet drink.A nudge into his friend’s ribs made Karl jump enough for her to notice and she saw from the corner of her eye that Karl was giving Loki a very impressive stink eye.  That however seemed to have no effect on the other man as Loki’s eyes drifted towards her and then dropped to her unconsciously tapping foot. The hearty sigh above her made Constance’s eyes dart back up to meet warm hazel ones,  “sweetheart, would you like to dance?” Constance barely held back her chuckle when she darted a quick glance to Loki, who was giving an exaggerated roll of his eyes, and instead turned to Karl with a bright smile.  She dropped from the stool with an eager bounce and looked up at him with a nod as he took her small hand in to his large. He swept her off with a low rumble of amusement. With a twirl on the small dance floor as a bright old rag time song played out from the piano across the small room from them,  Karl spun her out at arm’s length. She laughed delightedly as she flung her arm out in exuberance before he drew her back in to him with another twirl.  She gave a shimmy of her hips as she settled back close in his arms looking up at him unabashed glee. “You’re a great dancer,” she said breathlessly. Karl smirked down at her as he swayed them side to side, her hands clasped in his between them. “Why thank you little lady,” he said in a ridiculously over the top southern drawl. Constance’s eyes went wide as she blushed and laughed, “oh Doctor I didn’t know you’d come to visit.”  This time she winked at him and he let his head fall back with a deep-throated laugh. And like that, in the blink of an eye, he was the black suited man again.  His eyes sparkling blue and then green and then brown like the light off a disco ball.  With each layer there was something different and all together familiar at the same time.  He stared down at her, a sharp intensity that made her stomach erupt in butterflies and her heart pound with anticipation.  She was laughing still, but like peeling the layer of an onion, she felt a separation in herself. The tingle of something unnatural traveling over and through her like a bolt of electricity. She felt trapped, a peeled off outer layer now brittle and dried up as underneath her layer after layer separated and pried up from her core.  The helpless sense of power racing through her, tearing at her body before it came for her mind, reminded her of earlier in the day. Oh please not again! I beg of anyone, anything out there please don’t let it do this to me again! Yet as she realized then, here in his arms she was safe, grounded and she would get through this.  With supreme will, Constance felt as though she were dragging herself along through quicksand as she tried to reach back through the layers, to pull them back together, to keep her mind and soul intact.  If she could stop this, she could have herself back, she thought as the images of torn sheets of paper on the wind took her breath away. No, she would not let go, she would not lose herself! Finally, she thought she had managed to wrestled enough control of herself back to drag her eyes from the slow motion image of Karl, throwing his head back in laughter.  Her head still refused her demand to move, stuck in the physical moment of laughing up into Karl’s face, she thought made out something from the corner of her eye distantly.  There was someone, she thought, someone moving on the peripheral near her but she couldn’t tell much more than that. As Constance stared, willing the image to clear, the hazy blur clarified more the harder she stared at it,  to show the more familiar version of her friend, only to be overlaid with the blonde of earlier. The obvious 20s flapper gown and jewels once more draped her as she laughed and frantically danced to unfamiliar jazz music. Constance made the connection that the man with her was Lee.  He too was overlaid with unfamiliar clothes, he was now wearing a long heavy cotton work shirt with suspenders over it and while it wasn’t the dapper jazz man’s outfits of the roaring 20s, she knew he was of that time. Constance watched as he clapped in time to her dancing with a besotted expression on his face. Constance tried to call to them, but her lips were heavy and frozen, a sensation that reminded her of suffocation. She tried even harder to escape the paralysis of the moment that held her tightly with no success.  That was, until a tall and broad shouldered woman in a grey silk flappers dress jostled her. The ornate beading of the dress made it sway and shimmy with a life of its own. BENEDICT!  Her mind screamed although that made little sense.  The woman seemed to stare right through Constance as her head swiveled in clear response to her call.  This familiar stranger only paused a moment before continuing on her way towards the other couple. Constance watched as the woman reached Flapper Alexi, giving her a quick hug and a buss on the cheek. The side of her face once more towards Constance again and she watched as Benedict‘s strikingly familiar cheekbones overlaid onto a softer, ever so rounder feminine face.  Instead of Benedict’s short dark wavy hair, there were now long light brown curls swept back into a faux bob. Wisps of hair were breaking free to soften the stronger features which made her look alien and yet so similar to the actor it sent a shiver down Constance’s spine. Stark dark eyes, like the night sky nearly met Constance’s as she mentally cried out again but the woman had already turned her attention back to her waiting lovers.  Benedict, Alexi!  Please! Constance desperately tried to fling herself toward the trio to cry out anything but all she managed were desperate strangled cries.  Silent pleas for someone, anyone, to please pay attention to her. “Constance.” She thought she heard a familiar voice call out to her, but it was far away and the music was loud a cacophony of competing noises.  The sounds of a tinkling piano and shrieking horns from a live band intertwined with the overhead sounds of ragtime jazz on the PA. Whispers, always whispers of something, somewhere that she didn’t comprehend or acknowledge.   Constance! The voice was closer this time.  Her eyes focused everywhere at once, snapshots of images from the world around her.  Tom Ellis was standing, looking shockingly as he had from the first moment she’d met him.  There were no layers upon him she realized, which was strange enough, but then she realized that the person next to him most certainly did.  He was standing with his arm around a statuesque light brown haired woman, she was nearly as tall as he was.  Her jaw strong and proud, the stance of a warrior leader with her strength mapped out in her shoulders and ramrod back, this was no mere hanger on to her companion. The layers shifting and sliding showed her then, it was her friend Cate.  How she knew these things were a mystery to Constance, but she put it aside as it was the least worrying thing happening to her. Constance! This voice finally caught her attention as its command was unmistakable and unbreakable.  The air left her lungs when a shimmer to the left revealed a tall, dark cloaked figure making their way to her.  From within the depths, familiar eyes flashed with emerald fire. They called to her to look deeper, seek answers, that within their depths were the great mysteries she had sought over the ages, that they had gazed upon over the long ages.  A promise of ancient knowledge learned and lost with the many generations they had witnessed that would be hers if she only surrendered. Long purposeful legs made their way through the crowd towards her with ease and a sense of safety settled in her shoulders.  They were safe. This wouldn’t end like last time. Her hands involuntarily clenched and unclenched against the arms that were shaking her now.  The man shaking her, Karl, her Karl. Her Charles, her Karl. Relief called to her, they were safe now, the last time was over, she had him back.  And, the cloaked one, he would keep them here and keep them safe. It would be all right now. As the figure came to a stop beside them, the calling of her name, had become a chant, over and over.  Louder and clearer with each call, the repetition drowned out the whispers and the surrounding distractions.  As the hooded figure leaned forward, a dark curtain of hair fell around Constance brushing her cheeks and shoulders as it drew her into intensely shining green eyes bore into her. Constance. Wake! A rush of air forced its way into and through her causing her to gasp.  As she took an involuntary breath and much needed air into her lungs, her head spun with the breaking of the spell.   But her deprivation had been longer than she realized as her lungs spawned and she coughed. Two gasping breaths and she stared up into Karl’s worried face as he shook her arms. “Constance what’s wrong? Are you ok? Constance, answer me damn it!” Karl growled as he gave another small shake of her shoulders. “I’m ok,” she managed finally.  But her head hurt and her body wasn’t fully responding to her mind yet.   “I think it’s time for some water and a little quiet don’t you,” Tom interrupted as he quietly appeared beside them.  He laid a hand on each of their shoulders in calm reassurance, “it’s been a busy day for everyone.” His words held something of a ring to them and the couple gave small nods in return.“And you,” he tsked at her. “You are determined to push your limits.  Another flaw you can’t seem to help, hmm,” his eyes flashed behind his glasses as he stared down into her face, and while these were blue, she couldn’t help but think they’d be just as lovely in green. Tom gave a shake of his head at her thought and he looked to Karl, squeezing his friends shoulder once more.  “There’s an open booth over there,” he straightened and gave a nod of his head behind him. “Come now,” he ushered the couple in front of them.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The Ladies’ room doesn’t seem much updated from the 1920s

, Alexi mused as she entered it.  The small room was dimly lit with a single bulb above the slightly warped mirror over a free-standing porcelain sink.  She ran her fingers along the ornate black and white tile work on the wall.

Yes, that has to be original with all the slight imperfections that gave it a certain charm

.

It surprised her; the place had to get heavy traffic these days with savvy tourists looking for unique places to go.  In fact, she had read about often hour-long waits just to get into

The Drifter

.

How would such an outdated restroom keep up, let alone still look relatively new?

She side-eyed the single toilet that required the pull of a chain to flush.

Yes, they must have a plumber on-call.

She amused herself.

Typical, Alexi.

Pondering the bathroom tiles and the fact that mirror looked authentic while in the other room all the real fun was happening.

She took a moment to gather her wits which still felt shredded and scattered since dinner.

Settling her clutch on the edge of the sink precariously, she grasped the sides of the sink for support so she could lean into the mirror. She studied her reflection, taking several deep breaths of contemplation.

Ok, it threw her for a loop and things took an unexpected turn this evening.   Well, not a huge turn but based on the evening before she had no idea Benedict would step up and be so domin-

Was that rustling?

All thoughts silenced and her head swiveled to glance behind her.  Eyes narrowed, she flitted her gaze from a dim corner to even dimmer corner searching for, something, anything before shaking her head.

No, there wasn’t room for anyone else, let alone any

thing

else in the tiny space.  There wasn’t even a stall so nowhere for anyone to hide Alexi girl so pull it together!

Closing her eyes and ignoring the racing of her heart she gave a nod of her head in emphasis.

Perhaps rats in the walls.  This was a basement in an old wooden structure after all. Rats are a logical conclusion.

She shuddered and opened her eyes to look once more at herself in the mirror.

Where was she?  She pulled

herself back to her inner pep talk.

Oh yeah, Lee and Ben!  Of course.

The ride to the club from dinner had differed completely from dinner with the two of them chatting her and each other up, discussing upcoming projects and architecture they happened to pass by. Benedict even ended up in hysterics at an inside joke with Lee she didn’t quite understand but his laugh was so contagious she couldn’t help but join in until they were all gasping for breath.  Inevitably with that atmosphere everything ended up becoming funny.

She wished she had a few moments to steal Constance and Cate away.  The need for their support and happiness to listen to and then wipe away all her worries and fears was particularly strong right then. Even just a moment to tell them everything, to say it all out loud would soothe her jumbled thoughts in all this, though she wasn’t entirely sure she could tell them everything.

Argh!  There was that jumble of just everything again!

She felt she drifted in a bubble, nothing seemed real, more like a waking dream than anything.  As delightful as it was in that vacuum with Benedict and Lee, she couldn’t help wonder if she was losing track of the real-

Something brushed against her shoulder and she jumped with a startled gasp.  Spinning around to give whoever it was a piece of her mind, she blinked in surprise to see, once again, there was no one there.

Of course not, silly you’ve been through this already!

Alexi shuddered at the frosty chill in the air and a pool of dread formed in her stomach.

Oh! No, no, no. This is

not

happening!

She swore to herself years ago she was done with this and she wouldn’t allow this sort of interference in her life anymore!  She had shut down all aspects of that life and

those

energies and successfully too, turning her back on anything that wasn’t solid in front of her.  Yes, she acknowledged there were many energies out there, but she closed this part out, and for good reason.

This was the first instance, since making that determination so long ago, that something was getting through.

And your timing can’t be worse,

she groaned with a huff of frustration. The chill crawled up her spine like a slithering snake, winding up to her neck and spreading goosebumps in waves over her.

Eager to leave the space, she turned back to the mirror with more focused intent and dug through her purse for her eyeliner.  It was so trivial for her be considering, sure, but that is what she wanted. Trivial. Mundane. Something to hold in her hands so she didn’t bolt out the door and acknowledge something rattled her.  Expressing that weakness only further opened other types of doors she well intended to keep shut.

Just a small touch up and she could get ou-.

She gritted her teeth at the new interruption.
A tapping sound to her left that sounded like an impatient woman’s shoe on tile had her give up her search and close her clutch with a snap.

Forget it.

She spun on her heels and grasped the brass doorknob to leave but it only creaked with a wobble for her effort.  Alexi fiddled with the leaver that must be the locking mechanism but it wouldn’t budge either. She put her hands on her hips, straightening her shoulders with defiance as she took a deep breath.

Don’t panic. Don’t let it see you panic

.

“No,” she said, simple but firm, letting it be known she expected an immediate retreat.  She waited several heartbeats and tried the door again with no avail. Her fingers ached and trembled in the room’s chill.  “NO,” this time with more emphasis as her jitters turned to anger.

This will require defensive measures.

She closed her eyes, slowing her breathing into a steady pace, imagining a bright white light forming in her chest.  The light grew as she breathed, spreading throughout her core, then onto her limbs and out to her fingers and toes, and finally up through her scalp.  The cold slinked back and away from her flesh, though she still felt as if someone, or some

thing

, stood just behind her.  Twisting the doorknob one more time, it popped open without trouble and she bolted out of the door before it even opened all the way.
She gave a loud and undignified squeal when she careened into a hard muscled chest and looked up to find Tom Hiddleston standing, for some unknown reason, barely a foot from the door and in the middle of the hallway. He looked as if he had been staring at it for some time and he seemed complete enraptured by it.
“What the FUCK, Tom!” She pushed herself back from his immovable frame and glared at him.  The fear and anxiety of what she had just gone through in the restroom boiling over onto him since he was the most convenient target.  Her nerves were shot, and she thumped his chest again with her palm in frustration. His eyes went from her to the open door behind her, watching.

What was he doing?

“That’s the Ladies’ room,” she huffed, running her hands down the front of her jacket so she had something to do with them besides hit at things, “Why are you standing out here?  Were you staring at the door? That’s just,” she floundered for a moment before throwing up her hands. “That’s fucking creepy.”
His intense focus came back to her though he seemed nonplussed by her swearing or indignant tone. She had a difficult time determining his exact expression, somewhere between intense scrutiny and curiosity.

Vigilance

.  The word came to her though she wasn’t certain from where or why.  
“What were you doing in there?” his tone suspicious, almost accusatory, and he ignored any of her previous questions as he placed both his hands on either side of the door frame she still stood in.  Her brow furrowed as his hawk-like attention as he leaned forward to inspect her and she tilted backward, unwilling to step back into the room that still swirled with palpable dark energy. Clearly the actor had no sense of personal space.
“Excuse me?” she sputtered, trying to incredibly hard to pull herself back and be polite.

Don’t swear at the actor anymore, Alexi.  You know they have delicate feelings.

“It’s the Ladies’ room.” She gave him a look that expressed how ridiculously she thought his request to be.
“Yes, but what were you doing?” he insisted, his words clipped and precise.  It reminded her of earlier that evening in the hotel’s lobby and his confounding scrutiny then.  “What are YOU doing?” she straightened her shoulders; never mind they would be glaring so closely at each other.  She pointed her finger at him in warning and took a step forward, expecting him to move or flinch but he didn’t and now she was entirely too close for comfort. “Look.  I don’t care what gets you off, Hiddleston, but that’s none of your business and you shouldn’t skulk around doorways trying to intimidate people.”
“Is that what you think I’m trying to do?” he said, his eyes narrowing in the most disquieting manner as he leaned forward and his eyes flashed strangely behind his glasses. “Oh, if I wanted to intimidate you,” his voice dropped low and melodic as he stared at her. “You would know and you

would

tremble.”  
His lips lifted in a familiar half smirk but then his eyes darted over her shoulder and it was like a switch had flipped.  Tom straightened back and his whole demeanor was one of dismissal. “I have more pressing matters to get to the bottom of though right now.” His attention now once more on the space behind her.
She raised her finger to say something, snapped her mouth shut and closed her eyes for a long inhale again.

Remember the light. Stand within the light. Concentrate on defense, don’t lose your shit.  Protective calming white light surrounding me.

She let out her breath in a slow, calming exhale before opening her eyes again and with a poised and tranquil voice, “I have my hands full enough now, Tom. I don’t need another Dom in my life so, please, excuse me.”
Without another word or glance, she turned sideways, dropped under his arm and squeezed past him. Moving down the hall while continuing to mentally chant,

I am in light. I stand within the light. Jerk!

She couldn’t help tossing back over her shoulder though.
When she had gone several paces, relieved she didn’t hear him following her, she took a glance back.  He still stood where he had been but now with his arms crossed staring into the restroom, brow deeply furrowed.  She shook her head with confusion at how weird he was acting.

Could he be drunk already?  The night was still early. Would alcohol even do that?  LSD? Bath salts maybe?

Her steps slowed to a halt, and she chastised herself for being the selfish jerk now.

What if he wasn’t being a creeper and had taken too much of something? Or worse what if someone slipped something in his drink?

She sympathized with that.  Her head fell forward, and she gave a long, frustrated sigh.

I know this will come back to bite me in the ass, but he is Benedict and Lee’s friend.  I can’t just leave him.

So, she turned around and shuffled back, careful not to get too close to the open door of the room.  Tom however seemed not to notice her presence at all he was so engrossed in his study of the door. So lost in his thoughts he leaned so far forward he was practically pressing his nose to the wood.  “Tom,” she said quietly, keeping her tone warm and gentle. “I’m sorry, I should have handled that better.  Maybe. You startled me before and,” his lack of reaction concerned her and she reached out. Hesitating before settling her hand on his upper arm, “are you alright? Tom?”
His gaze swept to her fiercely and her hand shot back as if she had touched a hot stove.

Defenses

, she thought. The light coming much more naturally to her call now, almost unconsciously and with the barest expense of energy by her.

Second nature,

the thought slithering through her mind.  His eyes narrowed again, as they swept over and around her, as if he knew of what she was doing.

But that’s ridiculous!

“So that wasn’t you,” he tilted his head toward the door but kept his dark and intense stare on her.  “Ohh,” he sounded as if something was just becoming clear to him. His eyes swept back to her as he squinted at her, studying her.  “But you felt it, didn’t you?” Tom studied her with an invasive intensity as he looked down into her face, all but physically holding her in place.  “I knew it,” he muttered. “You’re not completely in the dark. How curious.”
Alexi fumbled awkwardly for several seconds with the tug of war in her own head.  On the one hand,

let’s pretend I don’t know what he’s talking about and play stupid because I’m misinterpreting his question anyway this is absurd.

On the other,

tell him everything, he knows and feels it too.

Oh, yet another unexpected player in the brain-space,

oh he knows but I don’t need to say anything because talking about it will open it all up again after I’ve tried so hard to shut it down.

She gave him a nod of her head which was all she was willing to acknowledge at the moment. Her cheeks puffed full of air and she let out slowly through her lips as she wondered how to proceed.

Fuck it.

The words came out in a rush, “ok. I’m going back to the bar now but not until I know you are actually alright.  If you are communing with the bathroom entity that’s fine and dandy but if you’re high and need me to help you puke or something I’ll stay. Maybe we can go to the men’s room, though?”
His edges seemed to soften at that and a low chuckle escaped him.  “I couldn’t at all understand before but I can see now why Constance is fond of you.  You may go for now.”
“I’m,” she fumbled yet again. “I’m not entirely sure how to take that.”  She raised her eyebrow at him in consideration a moment. “Screw you? Thank you?”  She laughed out loud at herself then, pleased to see a smile of genuine amusement spread across his face.  She relaxed.

Crisis averted.  No puking or face slaps yet tonight.

“Ok.  So, you’re as good as can be expected then.” She sucked in a long breath and turned back towards the bar once more, shaking off the residual emotional chill of the restroom as much as possible.  The music washed over her as she stepped back into the main bar and her eyes scanned the handful of new people that appeared to have arrived since she had been gone.“They are over there,” a voice whispered out from the shadows of the hallway.  
“Thank you, Delilah,” Alexi said, her own voice holding a strange disconnected quality but the bartender didn’t seem to notice and handed her another glass of freshly louched absinthe that still swirled languidly in the glass

.

~^~^~
 
The dance floor filled with swaying couples and all around it patrons stood with drinks, laughter and loud conversations that threaded through the music.  
Lee leaned back into a wooden support beam while he and Benedict discussed Chicago history.  Then drifting on to the topic of prohibition and how that fueled crime and corruption in the city.  Alexi had contributed at first but a fuzzy tranquility had settled over her after the second drink she downed to calm her nerves after the strangeness earlier with Tom.Now, she listened to the conversation, enjoying the peaks and valleys of their voices as she leaned into Lee, resting her cheek on his chest as she watched Benedict.  She reached over with her hand that wasn’t around Lee to tuck her hand into Ben’s hand and he absently pulled her fingers up to his mouth, planting them against his lips for several moments while he attentively listened to Lee before he entered the discussion again and let their hands drop but kept her fingers in his.

Bliss

, she concluded.

I don’t even think he recognizes what he’s doing.

She ached with the realization that

this

, this moment now, is what she had been thinking of, yearning for in truth, at dinner.  That little taste of what she saw between Benedict and Lee and yet with that insight came the awareness they wouldn’t share this openly, publicly.  That was probably the saddest of her realizations. The public, the media was still a cruel place to those it deemed different, no matter who you were.  She understood that completely, hiding their true feelings from everyone and avoiding labels.

But maybe,

she stopped looked up through her lashes at Benedict, a small smile creeping across her lips as she thought of something.

Leaning back on Lee, she took up one of his hands, the long strong fingers wrapping around her smaller hand, dwarfing hers as he stroked his thumb against her palm.  Turning her eyes back to Lee she saw the softening of his face, his eyes crinkling around the edges and
felt
him next to her,
with
her in the moment.   As she looked up at Lee, her smile growing wider, she reached back, taking up one of Benedict’s, his long fingers causing a flutter in her chest as they enveloped hers.  She
knew
in that moment, the expression on Benedict’s face, she didn’t need to see it, the relaxed face, the happy glint of his deep blue eyes.  That his lips lifted on one side as he looked down on both Lee and her, the love on his face.

In this moment, what she wanted them to do, hold one another, share that love without judgements or repercussions.  She had said before that she stood between them and it hadn’t been a good thing but this, this growing idea within her,
this
could be a good thing.  A sense of joy, happiness, a lightness flooded her soul, filled her with the sense of rightness and purpose as she let her eyes fall closed.
She hadn’t allowed herself this type of meditation in quite some time, not since she that moment.  The last time she found herself locked in the dark side of things, the things she didn’t want to see.  The things she didn’t want to know and so she had pushed it away, pushed it all away.However, she hadn’t forgotten the light and the good that can come in these moments too and that held its own sadness.  But this was important and something about this location called out to her, lent something to her.The floor wavered under her feet like sand being sucked out with a retreating wave. The music and voices around her rose momentarily to a deafening crescendo before fading to the background. Her breathing synced with the in and the out, the exhale and inhale, her expansion and retreat.  The sense of Benedict and Lee grounding her with their connection, she rose, and she sank back and forth, over and over again.
She felt a little lightheaded.

Or maybe that was the absinthe. How many glasses had she had now?

Ben’s long fingers squeezed hers but she thought nothing of it besides a sign of affection so she continued in her meditative musings.  Fingers tugged lightly at her again, this time requesting her attention. She opened her eyes, her head popping off of Lee’s chest with a start.  The eyes looking into hers that should have been Benedict’s appeared different, dark, and the hand holding hers softer, more tapered.But the eyes were so familiar still, despite their nearly black hue in the dim club lighting.  The curve of a smile that played on the woman’s lips profoundly recognizable, she had seen it before many times.  The tilt of the woman’s head intimately known as she studied Alexi with a curious expression.
“Ben?” Alexi said with confusion.   As soon as the name left her lips, she was certain she was correct but somehow missing the mark.

How could that be?

Her voice didn’t sound like her own and had a faraway quality to it, as though it travelled through water.   The woman laughed, a deep husky sound, as she leaned her face in closer, inspecting Alexi attentively.

“Who is Ben?”  The woman asked,  the simple words enough to confirm to Alexi that this other woman was exactly that.

Benedict

.  Alexi’s mouth opened, but no words wanted to form in her addled state.  The woman glanced up at Lee, her tone playful but with an underlying sharp edge, “is she cheating on us, Joe?”    
“Never,” Lee’s chest rumbled under Alexi. “It’s probably just the opium.  She mentioned she was tired of gin earlier.”Alexi put her hand on Lee’s chest, using all of her will to push her shoulders back to look at him.  She was thankful her head followed instruction as it all seemed a Herculean effort. He came in and out of focus and she squinted to will her vision to comply. “Joe?”  She forced the name out of her and he gave her a side smile, one that was and at the same time wasn’t Lee, on a face that also was and wasn’t.“See, Bernadine?  She’s fine. She always is,” he said, rubbing Alexi’s shoulders briskly.“Ave, really,” Bernadine, or was it Ben, said with an exasperated sigh. “You worry me sometimes.  You don’t know where this stuff comes from in places like this.”“Places like this,” Joe sputtered with mild annoyance but obviously high himself. “You say things like that but you’re here every other night like you own the place.”“I don’t know what she sees in it but someone has to protect her from the vultures,” Bernadine bit back but with just a trace of a wry smile on her lips.  “I don’t mind being the street smart one.”Joe chuckled to himself, “street smart?  Hell, even the mobsters steer clear of that look when you get it. Yes!  That exact one, right there.”
Bernadine laughed at him, her hand stretching out slip under the draped beading of Alexi’s dress to brush along the exposed skin of her back as she pressed her lips against her bare shoulder.  Their eyes caught each other and the other woman’s eyes narrowed impishly as Alexi had seen Benedict’s do before.

Bee.  That’s what I call her.  Bee.

The realization overwhelmed Alexi.

Of course, it was Bee.  How could she

ever

have forgotten that?  How strange! It must be a particularly strong vision.  Unless

she had passed out on Lee and was now in the midst of a vivid dream.

No, that wasn’t it at all.

She wanted to right herself and take everything in but she couldn’t even feel her legs and her arms were like weights.  Besides, it was comfortable where she stood in Joe’s arms with Bernadine doting on her, enough so sleep pulled at her eyelids but fought against it.  Bee’s eyes were captivating, dancing as they did so close while she continued planting kisses before a playful bite. An amused hum left Alexi, and she smiled at the other woman, threads of memories of her floating in and out of grasp.

Alexi pivoted her head to the side, the familiar bar still there, little changed from earlier in the evening though the crowd was completely different.

Ok, not completely,

her eyes came in and out of focus.

Some of them familiar from earlier but, certainly dressed differently now.

She heard Bernadine from somewhere near, “I’m not so sure, Joe.  What makes you think she can handle this? She’s not built like you, and with your tolerance, no less.  You should have talked to me first.”Joe’s placating voice, slurring around the edges but so pleasantly soothing and vibrating through his chest on the side of her face, “It’s fine.  I got it special. The best they said. Charles even knows the guy.”
“It’s fine, Bee,” Alexi repeated Joe’s sentiment, but she wasn’t sure her words made that much sense.  Her tongue was numb and cumbersome and the simple assurance took more effort than she would have thought.

So this is what opium feels like.  It’s not altogether unpleasant, I suppose, but not too fond of this melting into the floor thing going on now.

The floating while sinking was disconcerting, almost as much as not knowing what exactly what going on.

A fortune teller caught Alexi’s eye in a booth in the corner.

She had been in the club before.  Before? Then? Now? Later? She wasn’t sure.  Ok, the fortune teller was in both places.

At the booth as well, Alexi noticed a petite woman with a smooth impeccably groomed straight bob with perfect bangs.  Ruby red bowed lips engaged in a serious conversation, she wore a purple velvet blazer topping wide-legged cream silk ladies’ trousers.

The man she sat next to, dressed in a fedora and a full suit black as night, except for the red rose in the lapel and a white silk tie, tapped the woman’s arm and gave a nod in Alexi’s direction when she looked up

.  The bright wide smile and sparking eyes were all Constance!  Even if the face seemed all wrong, she knew Constance.

A small frown started in between Constance’s eyes as her friend stared at her and then suddenly she was standing and pushing away the confused hands that were holding her back, rushing across the floor, to her side

.  It was like a jittering slideshow of her friend moving across space, and time too,

Alexi thought.  The same panicked, worried, sometimes frightened look and other time, a furious face, as she hurried to Alexi’s side.
A kaleidoscope of colors and odd clothes, the dark skins and pelts of a much more primitive time; the silks and satins of a deposed royals’ court; plain spun muslin covered with the long years of offerings and faithful prayers and now the gay and roaring silks of the beginnings of the fight for women’s voices to be heard as they had so long ago been.

The loyal follower, the vocal supporter and the ferocious defender of her mistress, her priestess, her mystic seer.

Alexi’s head spun with all the input and it made her fall forward limply against Joe/Lee’s chest again, the effort of keeping her head up too tiresome.  The certain knowledge she and Constance had lost each other for some time after this night, this life. The realization it would many decades before they could make their way back to each other washed over her with an aching sadness.

Wait, all of them.  All of them were torn apart after this.  After what?

Delicate, cool hands patted her cheeks and Alexi opened her eyes not realizing she had closed them, to see hazel eyes tending more towards brown in their fear and concern, leaning over her.  “Awww don’t - so worried Constance - gonna be ok,” she slurred out.The little furrow that Alexi was so familiar with, grew deeper between the other woman’s eyebrows, “Constance?  God, Joe! How much opium did she smoke tonight?” She growled over Alexi’s shoulder at the man who was even now simply stroking her arms with his fingers.  Alexi could see his face too in that moment, the dismissive nonchalance and the similar blown pupils of another who was as high as she was. His lips lifted in a half smile.  That lovely face with its brilliant and agile mind, lost and rotting in an age of decadence.“It’s fine,” Alexi repeated herself but it was clear Constance either didn’t hear or didn’t believe it.  Frankly, Alexi was wondering herself as the surrounding room began to slowly tilt and rock around them.
Hands were suddenly shaking her; her body a limp rag doll, as people called for her, names familiar and unknown to her brain all echoing and swirling around her.  She tried to lift a hand to push off the others, to get a little air as it was just so suffocating. Something wet was falling on her,

were they outside in the rain?  Swimming out of the moment

, it felt as though she could see something above her.

The sky?  No, they were in a club.  A very pretty and familiar club too.  Did someone throw a drink in her face?

This felt right and wrong at the same time.

Why was Constance crying?

“Dun cry my Lil’ Con,” she thinks she told her.  But the world was sliding around her, dark and light.  Colors and shadows. There and gone.
A warm hand slid across her back, a strong arm supporting her as she felt like she was floating.  It wasn’t bad to float, just a bit lost, she thought a time or two she had caught a familiar strong hand but then it slipped away.

Then and now

, Alexi felt.  She felt her face in that moment and blinked.  Benedict stared at her, his head tilted in question and she could feel the strong arm of Lee/Joe at her back, his fingers tightening to a near painful level in her side as if he were desperately trying to hold on to her.   She let her eyes drift up and found he was looking down at her with wide pain-filled eyes. Alexi let her head fall against his chest to give him a gesture of comfort but she felt and heard his strangled rumble and suddenly she was being held upright in front of him.  Painfully strong hands gripping her upper arms as he looked at her in stark terror. The equally frightened face of Benedict crowded up against Lee’s back as he peered at her over the man’s shoulder. It was obvious in that moment that even if others were watching, proprietary were nowhere on his mind.

“Alexi!” Benedict gasped and his face overlaid with the woman from the 1920s calling out

‘Ave!’

Her eyes shifted to the side, and she saw the lifeless bodies of Joe and Ave, his hands loosely wrapped around her waist as she leaned back against his chest.  Constance and Bernadine screamed and cried over them and a ghostly pandemonium broke out around them all.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Karl slipped into the round booth beside Constance drawing her into his side with a nod of appreciation to Tom as the other man waved over a server, asking for waters and snacks.  As he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, Karl noted that it was time for her to switch to water, maybe they should all switch to water.  He’d noticed that Constance wasn’t a heavy a drinker their first night, though he wouldn’t say she was a lightweight, just that she didn’t have the high tolerance that her friend Alexi did and had noted to himself to keep an eye out for her going forward.  He smiled down at her as she wiggled on the bench seat and looked around with a slightly dazed expression. Karl knew that this was fast, all of it, and perhaps even weird.  Alright, this entire weekend was weird, however it had also brought Constance into his life and he was looking forward to seeing where things with her went.  Her bubbly personality had been what first caught his eye but the depths that lay below that, held it.  Her creativity and the dry humor that peaked out when she finally became comfortable, all spoke to him, spoke to something deep within him, in a way he hadn’t felt in some time.  The night before had definitely been a good one, one that he was looking forward to repeating in a few hours.  As long as she sobered up some.  He’s wasn’t ‘that guy’ and he would never take advantage of her in her intoxication.   As his friend took the seat on her other side, Karl frowned, that was something he couldn’t quite place either.  While he was relieved on several levels to have Tom here, it was oddly comforting, he’d also like him to get lost so he could continue his date with Constance.  It was a steady back and forth in his mind right now. But every time he opened his mouth to explain to his friend to let him have alone time with her something stopped him.  Or something peculiar happened, he considered with a mental sigh.      Like earlier when he had been enjoying a nice dance with her.  It was an ideal moment with the two, her in his arms, the delightful warmth of her skin and the intoxicating scent that was pure Constance to his mind.  He spotted Tom on the edge of floor, with an expression on his face as he watched them that Karl couldn’t quite put a name to. It was one of those moments where he had wanted to tell the other man to buzz off.   However, as he started to do so there had been that odd tingle across his skin, a disquieting sense of panic creeping up from his chest and towards his throat.  When he looked down to Constance, a growing need to get her away overtook him when he found her frozen within his arms. Her usually lively eyes lost and unfocused, her face slack with an unsettling emptiness as her small hands clung to his forearms.   He was certain in that moment she was there in body only that the woman he looked at was Constance but not fully his Constance.  There was something not quite right, something ever so slightly different from the woman he had come to know this weekend.  It hurt his head to dwell on it and he brushed off that memory for the moment.Tom’s appearance at their side seemed to snap Constance out of whatever that was, breaking the frightening moment.  A sense of profound gratitude swam up, along with the overwhelming urge to run, to wrap the small woman up in his arms and never let her go again.   Again.  Why again? He wasn’t sure, but he ached deeply at that simple notion. As the server returned with waters and snacks, Karl nudged one glass towards Constance and couldn’t help the twist of his lips as he noted that Tom did the same.  Sure, he could be a troll at times with those who he truly cared for, but Karl was aware how much of a heart Tom had.  He appreciated that the Brit had come around to liking Constance, possibly accepting her into their inner circle. Karl took a sip of water and relaxed a little into the booth, the music was quieter here and it sequestered them away in their own space.  His eyes drifted around the room and he frowned when the bartender Delilah walked past their booth, catching his eye and giving a wink.  What, why was Delilah wandering the floor? Just then she bumped in the side of an extremely tall man, Karl realized she had brushed past a scowling Lee who was stalking away from the dance floor and to the bar.  Looking back towards where he had come from Karl spotted Benedict and Alexi who huddled together and it looked as though they might be arguing.  No, definitely arguing, that can’t be good.   Was that what had Lee so upset? No wait, Karl’s brain was an iron weight in his skull and everything was wrong.  On a fundamental level he knew this was a fact.  Something didn’t sit right and the questions swirling through his mind fragmented and turn into a growing sense of unease. A spark out of the corner of his eye caught Karl’s attention.  It was like the flash bang of an explosive and it grabbed his attention from across the room.  Blinking the stars out of his eyes he realized he was looking at the booth from the earlier and saw that Ellis and Cate were still sitting there.  Around them and the booth was a substantial layer of smoke that even in the dim light of the area was noticeable. The couple looked to be having a good time, numerous people hanging around the table and Ellis’ words as he told some entertaining story. Huh that’s odd, when did indoor smoking restrictions get lifted in America? Karl distractedly thought.The longer Karl sat there, the more the sensation of something in his eyes grew.  The already dim lighting of the club deepened, a gloomier haze settling across his vision.  Rubbing at his eyelids, trying to remove the sudden fog, he realized this wasn’t the first time this had happened to him since they had arrived.  He looked down to his water, the clean liquid swirling on its own in the glass slowly. Yanking his hand away, he reached for Constance’s glass and shifted it away from her.  He looked up to see Tom eying him closely a tilting of his head to one side in a question. “There’s something wrong.  Something is going on and it’s wrong,” Karl muttered.  He felt foolish saying it out loud but an element of relief flooded him when Tom gave a nod of understanding. “I sense that as well,” the Brit said with a critical inspection around them before putting down his own glass. Slowly opening and closing his eyes a couple times Karl studied Constance, tucked against his side, the barest hint of the dimples in her cheeks as she looked up at him.  Her eyes were free of that frightening haze he’d seen twice that day and it made a tightness in his chest loosen to have her here, with him, alive and warm. And it made the need to protect her that had been growing in his chest blossom to life.“What? What is it?” She asked, her eyes growing shadowed the longer she stared at him.He tried to answer her but his eyes were growing foggy again and his throat tight.  A throbbing in his head to the beat of the loud music that played made the growing panic take on a new twinge in his chest.  The music is so much louder than moments ago, brasher and closer, but that made no sense. Why would, wait, is that a live band? Karl turned his head forward to the stage, astonished to see three musicians up there. A trombone, tuba and one with an acoustic guitar and a microphone belting his raw, jazz infused voice into it.  A woman was up on the stage, dancing and she looked familiar. He realized with a blink it was Alexi.Why was she up there dancing? How did she get up there?  And she wasn’t wearing the same thing and didn’t quite appear right either.  Karl struggled to get his mind to clear, but it was full of static.  The more he focused the more he found everything slipping away from him.  He looked back to Constance to ask her what was going on, his heart gave a jolt to see a woman looking back at him, a question in her eyes.  She was pretty with perfectly penciled thin brows, her wide eyes lined with black kohl in a way that made them seem even bigger, and her painted red bowed lips stretched into a smile. “Well, Charles,” she nudged him with the flat of her hand and her East Coast accent was difficult to miss.
Charles?  
“Why are you looking so surprised?  I told you I would get her to come dance here.  Ziegfeld Follies-bound or not. We just can’t let her manager in on it, all right?  She’s new to all of that nonsense and has to keep up appearances.” She glanced through the crowd around the bar, “Kitty’s gonna be tickled.” “When you put your mind to something you are a little hurricane,” he heard himself say but from somewhere far away.  “I always liked that about you, Edie.Edie? “Like?” She huffed the word, putting both hands on her hips, “you’re lucky I’m not a sensitive broad.  You better damn well love me by now.”He chuckled then, the surroundings of the club solidifying and coming into crystal clear focus around him.  He still held a glass, but now with brown liquor in it and looking down at himself, at an impeccably tailored black suit, white silk tie held into place with a gold clip, a red flower in his lapel.  Edie stood from the booth and turned tail from him, shoulders straight but playful, she glanced back at him with a wink as she walked off with an over the shoulder explanation of finding Kitty.  A task that proved easy enough as the owner and curator of the establishment was in rare form tonight, dressed to the nines in a black floor length satin gown that adhered to every curve, the bell sleeves hemmed with thick black furs.  He could make out some of their enthusiastic exchange, Edie when happy was very excited and expressive and tonight she practically glowed with excitement.  Charles watched as the two walked towards him, Kitty giving him her usual once over the penetrating gaze in her eyes sharpening her features.  Sure, she was an attractive lady, but Charles knew from experience she was no one to trifle with. Not if you wanted to keep breathing. Apparently, he was about to be on the business end of her disapproval because Edie had told her about them dating. “I don’t enjoy mixing my business with personal,” Kitty said, tilting her head toward Edie with a dark scowl on her face.  “Kitty!” Edie stomped her foot, “just because Charles provides your gin doesn’t mean he can’t see me.  Come on now, don’t be like that. Not tonight. I told you because I’m happy,” Edie wrapped her hand through Charles arm as she smiled up at him.  Kitty huffed before giving a half smile to Charles, but he knew that it was for Edie’s benefit as her eyes held frosty grey shards of ice.  “Fine. Fine,” she gave a dismissive wave of her hand to the young woman.  “Then let’s talk business,” her scowl deepened and Charles felt an uncomfortable shift in the surrounding air. “I’m having Joe bring up some of today’s shipment. It better be a good one - better than last week’s bathtub swill.  I gotta a reputation to uphold,” the Irish in her slipped out in her anger.“Hey, I made good on that,” Charles protested, straightening his back so he looked down on her. “Even included an extra case this week of the good stuff.  You aren’t going to be disappointed I got my reputation to protect too ya know.”Kitty looked to the bar, her eyes narrowing, “JOE!  Haul up the new gin! Joe, what’s gotten into you? Stop watching the stage!  You’d think you’ve never seen dancers before. What’s gotten into him?” She mumbled the last bit before excusing herself to march over to the bar where Joe was staring toward the stage and completely mesmerized.Edie smiled up at Charles proudly, tickled her found talent was a hit. “I need to get into show business more,” she preened. “I’m good at it.  Imagine me taking charge of the talent. Maybe I could open my own theatre someday,” her eyes grew wide with excitement. “Hell, maybe before then I could do a little dancing of my own.  What do ya think?”“Sure, you could,” he grumbled as she moved her shoes on the floor to show some of her skills. “But that dancing like that,” nodding his head towards the stage to make his point.  “That ain’t no way for a proper lady to make a living so you just need to run a place.”“Proper lady,” she huffed. “There’s nothing proper about me,” her hand on her hip as she looked offended by his comment.“Alright, alright,” he put his hands in the air as if she pointed a gun at him. “Wrong word. I’m just saying there’s no need to resort to those measures when I can take care of both of us.”Her mouth flattened into a straight line and her eyes narrowed.  Charles knew he had stepped into another mess with her.“What?!” He protested. “What’s that face for?  Most women would love to be taken care of in a decent fashion.  Why is that so bad? Look, if you want to still work in a theatre I’d let you.”“Let me?!”She said out of one side of her mouth. “Just you try to stop me! You, you old-fashioned pill.”Charles gave a heavy sigh his shoulders dropping in defeat, “come on doll don’t be such a bearcat. You know I’m dizzy about ya,” he reached for her hands, lifting one to his lips and kissing her knuckles. “I just wantcha to be my happy Sheba, hmm?” He leaned towards Edie, letting his chin drop so he looked up towards her with a half smile.She continued to give him the eye for a long moment before exhaling and he watched the fire soften and just the barest hint of her lips ticking upward for him.  She wrapped her arm around his as she leaned against him. “You really are the handsomest palooka and I suppose ya mean well.” He watched the fire flare up a moment and braced for her spitfire but it flickered out into the warm burn he was familiar with.  He’d survived this one.“That mouth of yours Charlie,” She hummed in worry. “It’s gonna get you into serious trouble one day. But, I’m still your number one squeeze yeah?”Charles looked down at her in surprise, “babe. You’re my only dame. I told ya I’m dizzy for ya, just dizzy!”  He leaned down and kissed her forcefully until she melted against him.Charles felt a tap on his shoulder but didn’t want to break the kiss.  At the second tap he spun with a growl towards the person, “hey buddy you mind?  My dame and I are having a moment.”Edie looked around Charles shoulder, “Joe? Is something wrong?”  Joe stood fidgeting slightly and shook his head. “Then what ya dope fiend,” Charles growled out.Edie smacked his chest in chastisement. “Whatcha need Joe?” She let her voice soften.“I hear you know the hoofer up on stage?  I want to meet her,” Joe let his eyes drift to the stage, adoration lighting his face.Edie looked from his face to the stage where Ave danced a crowd at her feet with just the same expression.  Her eyes trailed to the side of the stage where she could see Ave’s friend and partner watching the mayhem. “Oh Joe,” she bit down on her lip.  Charlie watched the conflict dance across her face and knew she was too soft for this world and was trying to come up with some way to let the fella down easy.  But suddenly she gave a shrug, “she might not be interested ya know. She -,” Edie stopped and with a shake of her head continued on. “Ya know, who knows.  Sure, I’ll introduce ya.  In a bit though.”Joe nodded in excitement and was already back to his rapt appreciation of the new dancer.  Just as enthralled as everyone else in this club,Charlie thought with a dismissive shrug. Well except him and his girl,he couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips.He caught Edie’s eyes, his brow quirked up. “Setting the sap up for failure? Something I’d do for entertainment but not usually your game.”“He’s a nice guy, Charlie, despite everything else,” she waved her hand in the air. “He’ll figure it out on his own. Maybe it’ll be good for him to be distracted a while, ya know?”“You have a heart of gold,” Charles said quietly, his eyes warming as he tightened his arms around her again. “A heart of gold with the smile of an angel. Someday I’ll make sure you’re dripping in ice and furs.”Edie sighed, “when are you gonna get it through your thick skull?  I don’t need all that fuss. Only you.”Charles leaned down to kiss her again wishing he could get her out of the club and away from all the noise and commotion.  He had a long day travelling from Milwaukee personally to make sure the shipment arrived as promised.  Not to mention, he was itching to show Edie his new ride.  He had splurged earlier in the week on a brand new 1924 Cole Sedan. Not only did it have more seats than his old roadster, which only seated two, but it had a fully enclosed cab, something he wouldn’t have cared about so much on his own but Edie deserved it.As Edie’s arms encircled his waist this time they brushed up against the gun he kept holstered under his blazer at all times.  Charles felt her stiffen in his arms as she always did when she remembered it was there. “We talked about this,” he said against her lips.  “It’s just ‘til I get enough socked away we can get that place on the shore.  You and me and our little white picket cottage. Then I’ll hang this,” he gave a tap to the holster hidden under his coat. “You say that like you think you know what I want,” she gave a small huff and turned away.  “But all I want is you Charles and running gin for the mob ain’t gonna get us nowhere good, mark my words.”“Ah dollface,” he sighed as he dropped a kiss to her temple. “You gotta have some faith in me.  I’m gonna make us a perfect life.”“Oh Charlie,” her soft voices faded and broke up like bad reception on a radio.Karl gave a startled jolt falling forward he reached out, grabbing at the table top in a desperate attempt to keep himself from falling.  His heart pounding so loud in his ears he couldn’t hear anything else, but he realized that the air tastes different suddenly. Opening eyes he hadn’t realized he’d closed, he saw that the club itself was once more the one he had started the evening in. Turning he saw an anxious Constance (Constance!) staring at him. A swirl of confusing and mixed emotions over took him, love, loss, grief, madness, elation. She was here!  Here and alive! An unfamiliar part of his mind cried out in relief.Before he could stop himself, Karl reached out cupping her face in his hands and crashing his mouth down on hers.  All he heard was, She’s here! She’s alive!An elated mantra that thumped in time to a pain twinge of grief and fear.  Echoes, he mused distantly.  The lost past of another that he keenly felt. They had been Edie and Charles. This was Constance.  His Constance. His Edie, echoed the whisper.  He broke the kiss and panted for breath as his eyes traveled her beloved face. “You’re here,” slipped out without his meaning it to.“Of course, I’m here,” she whispered back her eyes glazed still from the kiss.Trailing his fingers around the side of her face, the odd elation withdrew from the front of his mind. He took a breath and closed his eyes warily, he refused to let go of her though.  “I, I don’t know what just happened. But, something,” he stuttered to a halt and opened his eyes looking down into the dark brown ones that he now thought should have been a pale green.  “Edie?” He whispered with a confused frown.Constance’s eyes went wide and round, “Charles?”“Ahhh,” Toms voice carried across the table, breaking the moment.Karl’s eyes shot to his friend, and he blinked in surprise.  Tom wasn’t Tom, his frazzled mind stated. He was, wait that’s not right! Karl frowned in confusion as he stared at the man with the shoulder length dark hair and striking green eyes.  When did Tom have time to put his Loki wig on? How long was I … where ever that was?!“All of your veils have been lifted,” Tom solemnly intoned in that damned Loki voice.“I don’t,” he stuttered our shifting forward in his seat again so he could study what was in front of him. “What the hell is going on? What are you playing at mate?” Karl blinked furiously trying to clear the weird vision from his sight but every time he looked again it was still Tom looking like Loki.“Someone needs to tell me what the hell is going on.  Right now,” he let his eyes drift to the side and saw that Constance was warily watching both of them, her eyes bouncing back and forth and somehow, he wasn’t entirely sure how, but he knew that was her guilty face.He kept a wary eye on his friend though because damn it all! He sensed the two of them knew what was going on, but they weren’t telling him. Their little, whatever at dinner was one thing he liked that they might have an inside joke between them already, it boded well for the long term.But now, now he felt helpless, much as he had in the hall that afternoon as Constance had her panic attack and it wasn’t alright to do this. He raised a shaky hand to his temple and gave a rub.“Do you remember that night on the Gold Coast?” Tom interrupted his increasingly darker thoughts.Karl looked up in sharp surprise. Very aware of the night Tom was talking about and confused for a moment as to why he would bring it up.  None of them spoke about it after all was said and done and it had taken on a semi hazy after thought to him since then.  Now as he stared at his friend, he wondered why were those hazy memories important. It wasn’t a surprise that things were hazy considering how much they had all drunk hoping to ease a friend’s heartache after Tom’s last girlfriend had left him.  A night out with the boys, himself, Hemsworth and even Goldblum had begun the night with them at that little dive bar on The Gold Coast near the hotel.But his memories of the rest of the night and the handful of bars they had roared their way through after were a blessed blur. Or so Hemsworth had repeatedly told him. “Tom, mate,” Karl started, but the Brit shook his head sharply.   And he’d believed the story Hemsworth told too. Or he had until just a moment ago, Karl realized with a start of shock. It was like-. He groaned as his head throbbed once and then twice, laying his hand over his face.  As he anxiously scrubbed at the odd sensation of something like a cobweb rolling off his face, he realized that’s exactly what it was. That he was pulling something from his face that had sat there since that night.“You have been a good friend to me, Karl,” Tom’s voice still held that odd tenor, that Loki tenor he was placing now. That voice he used sometimes that had reminded Karl of Loki enough he’d jokingly begin referring to him as Your Highness.  And a flutter in his stomach, an unease that spoke of something he was refusing to connect, that he had refused to connect before now, but he was going to have to face very soon.“Uh huh,” Karl continued to eye him warily.“To both Thomas and myself,” the Brit said with a regal expression, something about the tilt of his head, the shift of his shoulders that added to the weight of those words.A sensation flashed through his body ~ The cold, unbelievable cold, not the usual one expected after a series of storms along the Australian Coast.  Unnaturally cold.~“What the-,” Karl stopped as everything that his friend had said over the last few minutes sank into the spaces of his mind and a shift in his mind and memories settled. Like it had rattled something in his mind.  ‘The veils have been lifted,’ Tom had said. “What are you playing at mate?”“I do not play,” the words clipped and reminiscent of another.  “If you take a moment.” Karl himself ensnared in Tom’s gaze. “To reflect on this,” the words fell like a tap to the forehead one after another.  “You will realize exactly what it is I am telling you.” ~ You’re not my brother! ~Familiar words echoing with something more personal more immediate in Karl’s mind.  It was as if those words were something, Karl thought.  It’s always words with Tom.No, whispered something, someone else.  Not quite.And then it fully settled, the rattling stopped and the memory played out to him like an old fashioned movie only it wasn’t a movie. The cold, unbelievable cold, not the usual one expected after a series of storms along the Australian Coast.  No this was more like a Northern Cold, after the deep frost had set in. No, worse than that, Karl had thought.  Unnaturally cold. The last few days had been difficult to watch their friend go through. But Tom was ever the consummate professional and had soldiered on with no complaints, but still the pain was clear to everyone. It had been days of trying to get the Brit to let go of Loki, step out of the character and just rest.  Trying to get the man to stop his ‘work’ and lay down the Prince so he could grieve the end of his relationship.  It wasn’t until Hemsworth had convinced him that a Guys Night out was just what he needed, what they all needed.And it had seemed to work.  They had enjoyed themselves, trawled their way through a couple smaller bars and drank away the pain. And then, then something happened.  Even now Karl wasn’t sure what it was or how it happened.The flash of darkness and then they were standing on a jetty, in the deepest dark of night and they were all spectacularly drunk.  Why the hell were they standing here? This has got to be one of the stupidest moments of my life, Karl had at least enough mental captivity to realize in that moment. Climbing out on a jetty to prove, to prove, to prove something?  A shift of a shadow ahead, long lean lines and pale flesh that caught the barely visible moon over head.  They were all going to die.  Gawd why do I do stupid stuff for my friends?  Why?Then there was the bulky form of Hemsworth beside their friend, taking hold of Tom’s upper arm.  Karl can almost make out words.  Why can’t he hear them?  They’re right there.
You’re not my brother!
Well hell here we go again, Karl remembered.  They really should have locked Tom in his room when he started that rant about, about…“What the hell Tom!” Karl jerked back in the booth as his memories clarified from the ‘drunken haze’ that he had thought they were into a reality that he wasn’t sure he was ready to accept.  “Look,” Karl huffed out a breath of frustration.  He reached a hand out and tugged Constance closer to him suddenly uncomfortable with her so far from him. “Tom, I’m not sure what you’re up to but after the weekend I’ve had, we’ve had,” he waved towards Constance. “I’m not up for playing games.“Good,” Tom leaned forward, dropping his arms on the table and staring harshly at the pair. “Because I need you to be fully aware of what is going on here Karl.  There is something afoot and we are all in danger. Your veils were removed, all of them and if you don’t accept that and the truth before you we won’t survive this.”“Alright enough. I can’t deal with this anymore,” Karl was furious as he stared back at Tom. “I’ve had it with all this, this, whatever this is. We’re leaving,” he turned to Constance who was watching them with wide frightened eyes. “You need to come with me right now Constance. I think something’s been put in the drinks.”“I’m most certain you’ll find that impossible.  Leaving, I mean.” Loki interrupted him. “Look,” he waved a hand towards the dance floor which was now crowded with people, people that hadn’t been there moments before. “Watch how he has to fight to get to them,” Loki’s head nodded towards the bar where Karl saw Lee over the top of the crowd thanks to his height.  The tall man pushing people who kept stepping in his path as he made his way the short distance to Benedict and Alexi.“Time is not moving linearly and there is a concerted effort to keep you all here and apart, to now keep all of us here.  Do, you, see, this Karl,” the cold sharp words drove out of Loki like daggers.Karl’s gaze swept back and forth from the bar, to the other trio who seemed to moved jaggedly around each other and back to the table, to his friend Tom who wasn’t his friend Tom?“I am as much your friend as you have been mine Karl,” the voice of another softened, but still sat wrong for the face it came out of.“So,” he finally let himself be in the moment. “Loki,” Karl gave a hand wave at him. “And now you’re telling me we’re trapped.”  Karl looked at him like he hoped the man would bust out in laughter and tell him he was just kidding, but already he knew. This was all too real, and he had felt it the moment they walked in.“I’m afraid so,” Loki put his elbows down and leaned his chin on his hands as he looked between the two.  “And it appears that at the very least, whatever is behind this is interested in your new love and her best friend,” Loki gave a brief casual wave of his long fingers towards the dance floor.  “I have asked myself this weekend what is going on and why. I would say we are about to find out,” his eyes narrowed.Constance seemed to snap out of her back-and-forth trance and straightened up, “me? Are you saying something is doing this because of me?  And Alexi? That’s, that’s?” she trailed off as her brow furrowed.“You’re ok with Tom sitting here saying he’s Loki but the idea of something after you isn’t possible?” Karl looked down at her with confusion.“Hmm, oh!  Well,” Constance looked up at him with wide eyes and then stole a glance to Loki. “Umm well yes,” she mumbled out. “I mean really Karl, look at him,” she gestured toward the other man. “I mean, really look at him, it’s obvious.”She shrugged as her eyes trailed between the two of them and looked back up at Karl.  “You said yourself, he’s a troll. But everyone knows Tom Hiddleston is the epitome of a kind and sweet gentleman,” she snickered as she gave a quick glance over and back.  “So really,” she held her hands open is supplication. “What other option is there?” She bit her lip a moment looking guilty, “and besides, I hear him,” she muttered.“I’m sorry? What was that?” Karl looked down at her with narrowed eyes.“I, hear, him,” she squeaked out.  “I mean I hear lots of people at times.  Maybe hear isn’t the right word I mean it’s not like I read minds or something,” she rushed to add.  “I mean he said that’s not possible,” she waved distractedly at Loki. “But you know,” she shrugged.“No Constance I don’t know,” he sounded exasperated as he rubbed his hand across face. “Ok hold on lets backup a little here, ok sweetheart,” he looked over his hand at her trying to soften his tone and face.  He knew that he probably looked angry to her, she didn’t know him enough yet to discern the difference between frustration and anger most likely, he’d been told that before on more than one occasion.  And he wasn’t angry, he was exceptionally frustrated, and he was scared but he didn’t want her to think he was angry at her.“Have you ever looked at two people and you just known what they’re saying to each other?” she bit her lip nervously.He shrugged.  “Sure, kinda, body language tells a lot about a person and what they are thinking,” he nodded slowly.“Ok, well let’s just say I’m really, really good at reading body language,” her eyebrows popped up in a hopeful look.“Ok I’ll give you that, but there’s more isn’t there?” he tilted his head down at her, his face saying he would not take half measures even as he reached out with his free hand and rubbed the top of hers.Loki gave a sharp laugh at that drawing both their attention.  “Oh Karl, of course there is and you’ve known it all along so why are we playing around with simple, obvious answers when we need to be discussing the more important things happening around us.”“Such as?” Karl snarked back.“Such as why your girlfriend, a rather intuitive enough witch, has ignored the curses thrown at her by one of her supposed ‘best friend’.”“What?” Constance and Karl exclaimed in unison.Loki gave a sigh, eyeing Constance now with a shake of his head. “I have told you that you are too forgiving.  And I told you that you are naïve and will see those I love harmed because of it, we are now in a situation where your naivety and forgiveness will doom us.” He waved off Karl’s protest but never took his eyes from her, “I will do something now which I rarely do. I will beg of you Constance Nelson.  I need you to open your eyes to what is happening and make this stop,” he growled low in his throat but let his face soften as he leaned towards her.“The child is not nearly as aware as you would believe,” a voice from the end of their table interrupted. “Nor does she possess the power needed to stop this as this time Loki of Asgard.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Air entered Lee’s lungs as he inhaled, the intake jagged and accompanied with an uncontrolled gasp as if he had held his breath underwater too long.   The music of the club assaulted his senses, unbearably loud as it scraped him raw and left him feeling overexposed as his eyes struggled to distinguish anything beyond outlines in the dim lighting of the bar. The corners were too dark, filled with swirling voids of fog and haze when something bright sparked out of the corner of his eye.  Looking towards the movement, he spotted the flash of Ben’s blue eyes as they landed on him followed by a brilliant pop of the white of Alexi’s hand as she reached back and up to rest it upon his cheek.

As she still lay pressed against his chest, the slight weight of her and the familiar warmth was eerily reminiscent of what he had just seen.

No, not only seen, but what he had felt and the loss he had just experienced!

And now that aching loss sent his heart into a stuttering stumble of anxiety.

He moved uncomfortably under Alexi as the urge to get away became too demanding to ignore.  Pulling his shoulders back, forcing himself to feel the wooden beam pressing into him and grounding him in the moment, Lee breathed in and out slowly.  Alexi’s head moved with his breaths, in and out, in and out and he thought he might be finally calming as he stared down at the top of her soft blonde head.  He sensed that she was saying something to Ben, though the club was too loud to tell what and turned his eyes up to and over to the Brit. His head started to give that slight spin and the wobble of too much alcohol in his system.  Trying to get his equilibrium back Lee studied the other man, Ben was staring into his glass with a bewildered but increasingly heated expression. That was a somewhat familiar look and it struck something deep inside his mind.

Simultaneously Lee realized several things;

one, that the three of them had just been part of a collective experienced, the body language alone of his companions showed him that.  Two, Bee would certainly attempt to deflect it all, blame it on the absinthe, perhaps even accuse the bartender of something nefarious. Three, Ave was-

His thoughts came to a crashing halt with that.

No not Bee, Ben! And not Ave, Alexi!

He must have spoken that last bit out loud though, as she the blonde shifted so that she was now looking up at him.  Her hand reached up to rest on his cheek, long pale fingers gently softly stroking it.

“Lee,” her voice somehow cut through the music like a knife despite its tender tone and it was more than he could take.

He thrust himself straight up and off the beam he had been leaning against, shaking her off in the process and took several steps back.  Running his hand through his hair anxiously, he felt as if he as the world around him were spinning too fast and all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room.  A glance toward Benedict showed the other man staring fiercely at him now, the line between his brows deepening in annoyance and Lee knew that his lover was about to start demanding answers to what was going on.

Alexi eased towards Lee, her pale skin a stark contrast to the darkness all around them made her look as if something was lighting her from the inside.  He wondered irrationally,

if that is why she had decided to covered herself head to toe tonight, so nobody else would see that luminescence, the purity of her-.

All thought was silenced though when once again she reached out for him.

Lee shied back from her though, roughly shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his coat, to keep himself from reaching for her.  His heart ached at the look of confusion on her face and the cloudy uncertainty that filled her eyes. Stepping back several paces, the overwhelming need, no compulsion, to put distance between them make him uncaring who he careened into.  He only knew he couldn’t let her touch him again.

“Lee!” She attempted to follow him but Ben grasped at her trailing arm, holding her back. “Stop, stop.  Wait, please,” her voice strung tight with emotion and pain.

“YOU!” Lee shouted as he removed a hand from his pocket to point at her almost accusingly.  However, it quickly curled back into his fist as it he wasn’t really angry with her. Shoving it back into his pocket again as his conflicting thoughts and emotion crashed over him like a wave.  The paradoxical need to run pounding against the desire to pull her into his arms and hold her tightly and never let go warred in him.

“You can’t be anywhere near me,” he insisted finally getting his words out. “No!” He shook his head forcefully and out his hand up and towards them in defiance and plea as he continued to walk backward, away.  Unable and unwilling to turn away, this was his conflict. He couldn’t be near her and yet he couldn’t let her out of his sight despite his declaration.

He bumped into several others as he made his way from them, his head starting to sway slightly, probably from all the alcohol as much as his need to get away.  It wasn’t until two strong hand landed forcefully in the middle of his back that he came to a stop and broke his sight on the two he loved most. Turning his head, he found himself in front of Tom Ellis.

“Why, Lee!” The other man said, a wide accommodating smile upon his face, “you look like you’ve had quite the night my friend. A little too many libations, I gather,” the dark haired Brit gave a wink and a laugh as he patted at Lee’s shoulder. “Come, let me help you with that.”

Lee’s eyes darted away, searching for Alexi, expecting any second now she would grab his arm again, but only saw the other milling patrons, some of whom were watching him with curiosity.  His gut lurched.

No, she shouldn’t be anywhere near me.  I meant that but I have to make sure she is safe and if I couldn’t see her how will I know?

Ellis’ warmly chuckled over his shoulder, pulling his attention back.  His voice was strangely warm and inviting, “it’s quite alright, Mister Pace you haven’t been abandoned.  Come sit with Cate and I over here. I haven’t had the pleasure of your company,” dark eyes stared into him.  “Come, come tell us what has you in such a state?”

Lee looked at him baffled, he felt the urge to go with the man, to get away from, from what he’d just seen. And yet-.

I can’t leave her alone. I can’t leave her unprotected.

“Ahh, don’t worry about her,” Ellis’ voice clear and sharp in his ear, even with the noise around them. “She’s with Benedict, right over there.” A pale, long fingered hand gestured out of the corner of his eyes.

Lee turned his head following the gesture and saw the back of Ben’s head above the crowd. He’d recognize him anywhere and he thought too that he spotted a flash of light next to him, Alexi’s light and Ellis’ words soothed the worry in his chest.

She’s not alone. She’s protected.  Ben is with her. I just, I just need a moment.  A chance to sort this out. Get my head straight, then I’ll return,

he told himself.

Turning back to Ellis, he saw the charming white smile and over his shoulder, the table where Cate sat.  He frowned, a sense of panic arising with the thought of being near the brunette and he started to shake his head.

“No. Of course you’re right,” he interrupted Lee’s thoughts.  Waving a hand towards two empty spots at the bar. “Perhaps a moment at the bar?” Ellis offered.

Lee gave a sigh of relief, his shoulders dropping slightly as he looked at the bar with a nod. His thoughts churned with disjointed images and sensations and yet when the Brit touched him there was an odd quiet and stillness.  He couldn’t help the slight flinch though as Ellis slapped his shoulder companionably, ending with nudge towards the stools.

As they took a seat at the bar, Delilah approached a bright smile on her face.  Placing a drink before Ellis and turning to Lee, “another Absinthe for you?” Her voice slithered easily to him over the noise and commotion around them.

Don’t!  Don’t do it!

And oddly familiar female whisper drifted to him over the busy club noise.  The clipped English tones reminding him of someone, someone, he couldn’t fully put his finger on it.  But the tone and the sense of urgency reached, shaking him to the core.

Lee’s eyes were wide as he shook his head. “No!  I’ll, I’ll just take a beer, whatever’s on tap is fine,” he ran a hand through his hair anxiously before dropping his fist down on the bar top.  His body reflexively curling inward as if to protect himself though he couldn’t tell what it was, the ‘danger’ of moments ago was gone and he was free of from Ben and Alexi for the moment.  Before he questions that thought, Ellis interrupted them again.

“Goodness it’s been quite the night I’d say,” Ellis took a sip of his drink, watching him over the rim of his glass.

Lee took the bottle that Delilah set in front of him looking at it a moment before taking a swig from it.  Setting it back down, “yeah it’s been quite the

weekend

.”  Lee shrugged and started to say something, anything to make the dark intense eyes that were staring at him go away.  But nothing came to him, well that wasn’t entirely true. He had the urge to tell this man what he had seen, all of it and that, that didn’t sit right with him.

No, I don’t know this guy and I don’t need to tell him what I’m thinking,

he took a long slow pull on his beer to avoid the feeling.

You need to leave this place.

That familiar, yet alien voice hissed through a static haze to him again.

A chuckle beside him almost drew his eyes but with an insane amount of will, Lee kept them trained blankly ahead at the rows of bottles behind the bar, the mirror and reflections behind them.  It hurt though, and the amusement from beside him seemed to grow with the discomfort. A slithering darkness gathered around the edges of his sight. Whispers creeped up on him from behind and he fought the urge to look at those as well.  The throb behind his eyes was in time to his heart and growing faster and harder with each beat.

“Well isn’t that interesting,” the low rumble to his left had him turn this time to face Ellis.  There was no escaping it. He met the dark, nearly black eyes that were inches from his face.

Curiosity.  Fire. Need. Ice.  Endless desire. Darkness. Aching need. Madness.  Clawing yearning. Nothingness. Despair.

Lee flinched back and he would have fallen off the stool if not for the tight grasp on his arm.  Ellis met his brief gaze but the sensation to tell all was gone, there was now only silence, but Lee twisted away anyway just to be safe.

“You

have

had the night,” Ellis’ voice was different, something echoing just out of time with the words like a badly synced voice over.

Lee took another swig of his beer for a chance to breath and break the contact.  He shrugged off the hand still holding his arm.

“You’ve always been the tall brooding type,” Lee heard him settle back on the stool but kept his gaze on the wall. “Yet, so eager to do right,” Ellis sounded as if he were the one brooding now.  “So eager to keep them safe, but really what is safe for our kind,” a dark chuckle with overlaying rustling sent a shiver and a spike of worry lancing through Lee.

“I’m not sure how or why,” Ellis mused and the sound of rustling grew and subsided with his breaths. “But you seem to be waking.  How fascinating, though utterly pointless in the end I’m afraid. What are you seeing?”

Lee found himself spun in the stool to face the other ‘man’ as if were nothing more than a child.  He couldn’t look anywhere but into this face, this face he thought he recognized but it was twisting and flickering, like a bad aerial connection on a tv.  And behind him, over Ellis’ shoulder a lineup of other faces, the bartenders, the witch Cate, the doorman, the dancers in the stage. They all bore this face, this static twisting inhumane face.  It stole Lee’s breath.

But there was something else behind him, a low pulsing white illumination, a lightness of … of something he wasn’t sure what.  It was reaching out in his peripheral vision, calling, beckoning, promising him familiarity, home, his heart. The call of life.

Alexi.

Ben.

Love.

Shoving up from the stool and onto his feet with a heavy ringing thud, Lee found the ground, the bar under his hands and knew, behind him was all he needed.  Behind him was his welcome duty. His sacred duty. He stood between this darkness, this slithering, rustling, aching, grasping madness. He had always stood between it and it was once more time for him to decide if he would continue to stand between it.

Leaning forward, into a coldness, edged around him crackling with ice and frost, he looked into and past Ellis’ gaze.  “I will always stand here,” he ground out though he didn’t really know where these words were coming from. He just knew they were the truth, “I will always hold my ground.”

Wrenching back
,
he gasped hard for breath, as if he were in a vacuum that was stealing all the air from around him.  “Thanks for the beer,” he stared down with narrowed eyes at Ellis, no, whatever it was sitting on the stool and shook the last tendrils of dark energy around him off.

“I don’t know what’s going on but stay away from us,” he rumbled darkly. “You and your witch.  Back off.” Lee blinked in surprise at the sudden rush of animosity for Ellis that flowed through him.  Until this moment Lee thought he had only barely known the other actor, enough for some pleasantries, nothing more.  However, he realized now that unexpected veil had been pulled away from his mind, exposing all manner of mystifying layers.  Straightening to his full impressive height, he gave a nod of his head, turned on his heel and headed back towards the dance floor and the pull on his soul.

Pushing his way through the crowd, Lee was shocked at the number of people that now crowded the small bar.  He couldn’t believe that this didn’t exceed fire limits somehow as he tried to be polite at first. But by the time he was halfway back he gave up and began nudging people aside using his considerable height and shoulder strength to move people.  Some turned away from hi, somewhat easily while others pushed back and even shouted obscenities at him as he made his way.

By the time he caught sight of Alexi’s bright hair, Lee found himself shoving and pushing people out of his way with little regard for what happened or was said to him.   Around him the people were obstinate, defiant, outwardly hostile but setting eyes upon Ben and now Alexi’s upturned face made the struggle worth it.

They were standing where he had left them thankfully under a single bare light bulb hanging above them from a cord.  It created a pool of light around them, a bright sanctuary from the dark, seething mass that writhed and twisted around them anxiously. As he came to a stop at the edge of the light, he saw however that the pair didn’t seem to notice any of what was going on around them.

Benedict stared down at Alexi, his face full of aggravation as they argued.  It wasn’t a surprise to Lee, between what they had experienced earlier and the growing tension that hung in the atmosphere around them, he could feel the tangible shift in the energy.  The air seemed to vibrate with a near audible hiss that grew more and more agitated with every second. It was as if their very surroundings were dragging them all towards something, something very angry and very dark.

Alexi raised a hand to stroke the feathers at her neck, her hands fluttering about them with uncertainty, a motion he was so intimately familiar with now.   She closed her eyes tightly, turning her face away from Benedict so he couldn’t see she what she was holding back. And he knew he needed to stop this now before someone ended up saying something unforgivable.

As Lee stepped under the light, the surrounding ruckus faded into the background immediately.  He felt a deep sense of rightness, of being where he was meant to be all along. Even in the rolling turmoil of Ben’s impassioned denial and Alexi’s frenetic unrest, being near them again eased his nerves.   Alexi’s eyes opened, settling upon Lee’s as she blinked forcefully, holding back whatever moistness they carried as she focused on him. He gave her a small half smile letting the contrition shine in his eyes.

Lee directed his attention to Ben’s gaze, as the Brit’s eyes flicked upward toward him sharply.  Lee knew that he was looking for a target besides the woman who was now refusing to look at him in the moment, her face closed off and her arms wrapped around herself defensively.

“Well, I see you

finally

came back,” the sharp clipped tones of Benedict carried clearly to him.  “Thanks ever so much for running off on me,” the Brit said dryly, the underlying cut of his tone indicating only threadbare patience remaining. “Leaving

me

here to deal with the hysterical woman.”

An indignant gasp escaped Alexi’s lips as she spun towards Benedict, “I

told

you I am

not

hysterical.  Stop saying that,” the strength of will she was using to keep her voice down and even was clear.  Her arms dropping and hanging rigidly at her side, “you’re being a judgmental jerk. How can you ignore what just-.”

“It’s a bit concerning you equate being rational as being judgmental,” Benedict interrupted her with a snide tone of voice.

“Why you, stubborn son of-,” she started but Lee slid one arm around her waist, catching her hand that struck out lightning fast towards the Brit.  Clasped firmly in his, he could feel the blonde’s agitation unmistakably as she squirmed against him and twisted her hand repeatedly within his grasp, until he gently stroked her palm with his thumb, drawing her attention.

Her eyes softened for him and her body slowly stilled, leaning into him once more.  “And you,” the worry clear in her words. “You’re not going to pretend everything is fine too are you?  Attempt to act your way out of it by playing dumb and calling it logic?”

An unbelieving scoff came from Benedict’s direction at her words but Lee kept his attention on her, a tumultuous kaleidoscope of thoughts and input swirling in his head it seemed impossible to even address it all.

“Don’t engage him right now, Alexi,” he said, hoping he could appeal to her, to slow the train wreck that he could see coming.  The simple sound of Benedict’s derision though had her once again squirming and pulling at him again in frustration.

“Don’t engage?  What is that supposed to mean?” Benedict countered but Lee kept his focus on her. “Because I’m the only rational one in this vile place I’m in the wrong? Really?” His dark brows arched elegantly up, “don’t engage?”

He knew that Benedict wasn’t going to listen to him anymore.  There was no point in trying to explain any of this when the man got this far into his righteous indignation.  The only thing that he could do at this point was to try to diffuse as much as he could and pray that no one said something that couldn’t be forgiven later.  He was walking a tightrope between them and he felt any step could throw everything into chaos.

Alexi gave a frustrated huff as she looked back and forth between them a moment, her eyes narrowed as she studied Lee’s face a moment and straightened up, putting her shoulders back and her chin up. “I see,” she growled and with a sharp pull, yanked her hand out hand from his grip.

“Stop. Wait, listen to me,” he implored her as his grip tightened around her retreating fingers and he grasped her other wrist with his free hand.  He leaned in until his gaze grabbed hold of hers again, “I know.” Her gaze faltered slightly so he repeated himself slowly and carefully. “I

know

.”

With a strangled sigh of relief, she threw herself at him, burying her face into his chest with muffled expressions of gratitude.  He placed one hand on the back of her head as his other arm encircled her back and looking over head he didn’t miss the blatantly disgusted eye-roll Benedict delivered.

“Oh, come on,” the Brit said incredulously at such a treacherous act. “Not you too.  Why are you feeding into this delirium?” Benedict’s eyes tore away, looking through the crowd, “where is Tom to talk some sense into the two of you?  Unbelievable. It’s obvious what has happened and the fact you can’t see that something was slipped into our drinks is beyond me.”

“Not now, Ben,” Lee breathed, hoping if he juggled things just right he could smooth some of this out or at least placate Benedict for the time being before he did too much damage.  Lee knew the man well enough by now to have experienced how acerbic he could be if a situation spiraled out of his control.

Lee closed his eyes a moment to gather his wits and emotion.  Burying what he knew and felt about the shared moment that they had all, he rested his chin atop Alexi’s head breathing in the feel and scent of her and feeling himself settle back into himself once again.

Opening his eyes slowly he met Ben’s, “how about we work on getting back to the hotel for now alright?  We can sort things out there?” He was proud of himself for a moment for staying calm and collected and then suddenly his mouth opened and acted without his input.  “And until then Benedict, maybe you could pull back on dick-mode a few notches, we’ve had a few drinks too many tonight.” He swore at himself in his head,

well, that wasn’t what he intended to say, where the hell did that come from?!

It surprised him when Ben didn’t say anything and instead pursed his lips while he considered Lee’s words.  Ben took a deep breath of concession, raising his hands in front of him for emphasis, “noted. You’re right, Lee.  Noted.” Lee thought he had reached him finally, but then his expression changed. A new purpose spurring him on and his expression shifted away from anything familiar into, into something Lee didn’t recognize as Ben looked out over the crowd. “I’m taking this up with management.”

Lee groaned at the suggestion but Benedict had already scanned the crowd and decided on the best course of action.  He raised his hand over his shoulder as he left them, indicating to Lee he would be back as Lee threw a verbal protest that was solidly ignored.  He watched the crowd envelope Ben and every part of him screamed with discord.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Benedict weaved his way impatiently to the bar, trying to catch the bartender’s eye over the crowd.  His hand waved to her every time he thought she turned his way, but she wasn’t seeing him and the people jostling him back and forth was only making him angrier as they slowed his progress. He finally managed to make it to a small clear spot at the end of the bar and clung to it for a moment as he tried to catch his breath.This place is a madhouse,he thought with a frustrated growl.  When did all these people get here?  Maybe this was a bad idea. We should have gone back to the hotel.  We should have just taken her back, had a bit more fun and then we’d never have fought.  We’d never have seen, seen whatever that was!  We’d have been much happier if we’d just never come here in the first place!A deep well of sadness filled him, regret over his harsh words to both of them settled like a heavy blanket on his shoulders.  What the hell came over him?  We need to leave, he decided.  Screw all this, we just need to go!  Why did I leave them in the first place?!  Shaking his head to remove the confusing thoughts, the room seemed to give that familiar little drunken tilt and he remembered why he was there, why he had left them.“Ahhh Mr. Cumberbatch,” a dark voice rumbled from behind him as a warm heavy hand landed on his shoulder.  “A wonderful establishment isn’t this?” Tom Ellis slide around and into a suddenly open spot next to him at the bar.  With a lift of his fingers over his shoulder, “looking for a refresh?”Ben frowned and shook his head as the bartender appeared in front of them, her face lit oddly in the bar light but he could swear it almost glowed with a sense of expectation. And there was something strange about her eyes.“No. Thank you,” he felt an uncomfortable flutter in his stomach. “Not my cup of tea.  None of this is really,” Ben lifted his hand, giving a sloppy wave to indicate the entire room before swinging his head towards Delilah.  He blinked slowly, she had ignored him, bringing up the familiar bottle from earlier.  “No,” Ben slipped his hand over the top of the glass in front of him staring darkly at her until she backed away, putting up her hands in response he knew he had made his point.  Straightening up, he decided it was time to get this whole mess cleaned up so he, they, could get out of this place.  “That’s not why I’m here. In fact, I’d like to speak to the manager.  Now.”Delilah gave a pleasant smile, tilting her head to the side.  “Oh, that’s simply not possible.” “A manager?” Ellis’ dark chuckle beside him rang clear in the noise club.  “That’s a bit dramatic, isn’t it?” Ellis interjected, as he twirled his finger toward his glass to Delilah for his refill.  “Surely that’s unnecessary, on a night like this. Perhaps what you need more is a good scotch, Delilah darling, get Mr. Cumberbatch, something single and aged won’t you.”  Ellis have a wide toothy grin to him.  “I don’t, I don’t need something to drink,” Ben slurred a little in frustration.  The thunk of the heavy crystal glass on the wooden bar top made his head spin slightly and before he’d realized it, the glass and its warm, peaty contents were at his lips.“If I may be so bold, you look a bit,” Ellis leaned uncomfortably into Benedict’s space and looming over him.  “Peaked.” The word caused an uncomfortable roil through Benedict as if the word itself had triggered something with him.  As he met the other man’s eyes a deep urge took hold within him, a need to confess his inner turmoil to this man as he continued to speak.  “Rather like you’ve seen a ghost?”  The low rumble of Ellis’ laugh and the proximity of his head to Benedict’s ear made an odd shiver slide through him. “Old places like this, I believe they are full of them, don’t you?”A new sense flooded him then, the need to scream, to shove, to fight, or just do something, nearly overtook Benedict, and he leaned his upper body back, glaring defiantly at the dark eyed man. “As a matter of fact, I don’t,” he snarled at Ellis.  “Do you mind?  I need to speak with some in charge right now, not you.” Turning his attention back to the woman behind the bar only to find she had already stepped down to assist another patron.  Several people behind jostled him against the bar and he nudged back as politely as he could manage but his patience was wearing thin.  “This is maddening.” He sputtered an exasperated sigh as he looked back to Ellis who sipped at his glass without a care in the world.“Relax, old man,” Ellis purred, draping one arm across Benedict’s shoulders like a trusted friend. “You’re going to be here a very long time so you may as well make the best of it.”Benedict’s gaze traveled along the invading arm before twisting his shoulder just enough to be out from under its drape, his annoyance growing to include the other actor along with everything and everyone else in the vicinity.  
Old man?  Who does he think he is?  If he calls me Benny next, I’m not responsible for my actions and he may not live to talk about it.
“Ohh, you and what’s her name, uh Cate,” he gave a condescending twist of his lips.  “You two have a grand time until the wee hours if that’s your deal. I’m happy to say I’m calling it an evening.”  He pushed away from the other man and gave an absent apology to the person who he had bumped into as he pulled his phone out of his pocket, uncertain if he would call his assistant first to hunt down the management of the club or to call a car back to the hotel.  It didn’t matter, either would be a step in the right direction and a step away from this place.He swiped and stared at the dark screen for several seconds before making out the cracks in the glass. How the hell had that happened? “Fucking hell!” He slammed it down onto the bar.  Yet another disaster in what had started as a promising evening.  “Ah, excuse me, so sorry for my language,” he lowered his voice as he humbly apologized to the older woman who had been staring at him for some time and was now crushed against his left arm because of the growing crowds.  “Ah, tsk.” Ellis’ voice floated over the music and surrounding conversations.  “Looks like I was right, as usual, I’m afraid.  Have a seat and make yourself comfortable so we can have a chat.”Benedict gave the other man a sideways glance.  He barely knew this person so why was Ellis displaying a sudden disconcerting interest at the most inopportune time?  The last thing he wanted to do was stay another minute in this place let alone have a seat and chat.“Er… no,” letting the full weight of his displeasure at that idea come through in his voice.  “I have to head back,” Benedict haltingly got out before giving his head a definitive shake.  Holding on to what hint of manners remained within reach of his already shredded reserves he turned away from the bar, ready to find his loves.  He stumbled back slightly with the push of milling patrons, his foot catching on the rung of a bar chair enough so he sat on its edge once more. Snapping his mouth shut before another curse escaped Ben found himself internally cursing his life.  Why had they come to this appalling hole in the ground? He couldn’t even remember whose idea it was. A hazy dimness tried to overtake him and Ben fought to keep himself together as the righteous anger finally left him, the last thing he needed was to make a drunken fool of himself.His gaze scanned the crowd, resigned for a moment to sit where he was and get his feet back under him before making another attempt. He curiously scanned the crowd for Lee and Alexi wondering where they could have gone to since he left them in such a state.  It surprised him when he couldn’t catch sight of Lee anywhere, with the man’s impressive height, Ben should have been able to easily spot him anywhere but he couldn’t.Perhaps they are already gone, a foreign yet familiar voice hissed.“Excuse me?” Ben said to Ellis with a turn of his head.The other man’s eyebrows shot up innocently, “I didn’t say a word.”Ben pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose, attempting to release some tension forming there.  Wonderful my hangover is already starting.What an utter fool you are.  A raspy and vaguely feminine voice ranted again in his head.  The resentment it held resonated throughout his body as it continued:Your hearts desires were within arm’s reach but you walked away.  I would have given anything. Pay attention now, I’m taking you for a ride.  When was the last time you went to the theatre? ~^~^~Bernadine took an extra-long drag on her cigarette, held onto it for several moments before letting the smoke slowly escape from one corner of her mouth.  She leaned against the wall at the speakeasy and made quite the sight to the casual onlooker.  A statuesque brunette with porcelain skin, her dark eyes looking down a long elegant nose were usually enough to keep away most of the riffraff. Whatever stragglers tried to hang on were chased off with acerbic British wit.  Ave bounded off the stage in a flurry of movement, beaded fringe from her barely there dress flying about her in a whirlwind, sparkling like stars even in the dim lighting and accompanied by the tinkling sound of beads hitting together and an almost breathless giggle of self-satisfaction.“I do hope you’re having a good time,” Bernadine sighed dryly. “Because if this place is raided and we get nabbed here, you won’t be going to New York next month.”“Oh Bee,” Ave panted dismissively, working on catching her breath after her performance as she pulled out a fan and waved it at herself furiously to cool down, her pale cheeks flushed with color.  Ave smiled slyly at the other woman then, bolting forward and pressing herself against the other. “Where else but a place like this can we be so close without my manager finding out?”“My flat.” Bernadine tried not to smile but lost the battle with Ave’s feather kisses along her cheek, the public display beyond uncharacteristic, “alright.  Alright. But just because we’re blending in at the moment with those of questionable intent doesn’t mean they’ll appreciate-.”“Oh pish-posh. You’re the one always in a tizzy I have to pretend you’re my cousin from England.  I figured here at least…” she lowered her eyelids imploringly with just a hint of a pout. “Don’t you want to kiss me, Bee?”“That’s part of the problem, isn’t it?” Bernadine handed her cigarette to one of the musicians exiting the stage, freeing her hand to trace along Ave’s collarbone, then her neck and to behind her head where her fingers threaded into her hair. “I always want to kiss you.”She pulled Ave’s lips to hers, parting the softness with her tongue, unsurprised to meet the taste of strawberry taffy.  It was Ave’s favorite candy of the moment and she was never without it, the taste a stark contrast with the bitterness of the cigarette she had given away.  With a pleased squeak, Ave deepened the kiss, melting into Bernadine until a gruff clearing of a throat just to their left interrupted the moment.Bernadine gave a narrow-eyed look of exasperation at the culprit, a broad-shouldered, chisel-featured man with eyes as dark as hers with about the same tolerance for bullshit - none.  She was about to give him a tongue lashing anyway when she recognized the woman standing beside him. “Edith,” Bernadine gave her a slow nod, “I hope we’re not-.““Oh Edie, thank you so much for thinking of me and bringing me here.”  Ave, immediately distracted as she so often was, dove forward and gave Edie a hug. “This is such a treat!  A real-life speakeasy!”“It’s downright nefarious,” Bernadine said dryly, amused by her girlfriend’s naïve enthusiasm.  Ave’s expression of awe over even the smallest of things taught Bernadine a new appreciation for the mundane.  It was one of Bernadine’s great delights to watch Ave throw herself into the world around them and all the exciting options it laid at their feet.  And it was only just beginning. Soon they’d be in New York with all the delights and entertainments that it offered.  Ave dreamed of the bright lights and face stage and screen.  Bernadine, well, she was a woman of means so her goals were far less ambitious.  In truth, she hoped Ave would grow tired of her Hollywood ambitions and instead come to London.  Bernadine was eager to head home and New York was one step closer.The meandering of her musings were pushed aside as there was suddenly someone else with them, being introduced by Edie.  Another young man with stars in his eyes after seeing a show. Bernadine was used to it by now, coming to tolerate it quite well, but the way Ave looked at the newcomer, no, the intruder, gave her sudden pause.   ^_^ “Benedict.”The scene in his mind’s eye flickered at the outside interruption, shook with uncertainty but then continued, the sound catching up again to the moving images after a moment of warped and disjointed music.  “-name is Joe,” the newcomer was saying to Bernadine, stretching out a long arm to clasp her hand.  She always insisted on a handshake and not all that hand kissing. She didn’t know where their mouths had been and wasn’t about to be pandered to.^_^“Mister Cumberbatch,” the interrupting voice again.  Yes, and this time the 1920s film in his mind’s theater came to an abrupt halt as the current Drifter came back into focus before him.  “Oh, my, isn’t that interesting,” the voice hummed from beside him and the distrust and disgust that filled him made him want to run.  Another cigarette materialized in front of him, lit and he startled again.  But as it touched his hand, Ben relaxed his concerns eased and simply lifted it to his lips, taking a deep inhale.  “Yes, that’s better,” the dark velvety voice soothed out the last of his worried.  It eased his concerns with each inhale.“Tell me Mr. Cumberbatch, where did you find her?”Ben blinked in surprise, turning his head towards the voice.  “Find her?” his mouth only sluggishly responded and an odd static pulled at the edges of his mind.  Time shifted around him slowly, a tug of something behind him, another tug from in front of him.
Fool!  Don’t listen to him. You must not listen to him!
A throb of pain centered behind Ben‘s eyes as he took another deep pull on the cigarette.  “You need not worry about that,” Ellis said. “She’ll pass soon enough,” a low and unsettling laugh reverberated through his body. “Yes now, deep breaths,” Ellis hissed in his ear.“I thought you quit,” the familiar voice of his friend cut through the angry static in his head.  The tugging sensation ceased and as Ben looked up, he thought he saw Ellis falling backward from the bar but with a blink of his eye the other man was gone and it was only his long-time friend Tom in front of him.  He was surprised to realize Tom was looming over him as he stared into Ben’s eyes.Ben looked down, a brief flash of surprise to find the cigarette, but the smoke in his lungs and the buzz of nicotine in his blood reminded him of the reason he started this habit years ago.  Raising the cigarette towards his lips he gave his friend a one-shouldered shrug, “seems like a good weekend to revisit bad habits.”Tom gave him a peculiar look as he took up the seat beside Ben, his eyes flashing oddly in the dim lighting of the bar.  “Hmm, an interesting choice. I suppose that is a lesser evil in the long run,” Tom gave a guarded chuckle.Ben paused a moment, studying the other man. “That’s an interesting thing to say.”“Just an observation.  You know by now I see everything.” Tom smirked as he leaned against the bar, looking out at the dance floor but then quickly away.Ben gave a bitter huff and then a heavy sigh, “you see too much, I agree.  It’s late, must be somewhere around 1am and everyone’s had too much of everything, haven’t they?  I’m sure I’ll wake up tomorrow wondering why I felt so off.” He dropped the cigarette into the crystal tray that had appeared on the bar in front of him and mashed it down angrily.“Benedict.  Listen to me, Benedict,” Tom’s voice was melodic and the once loud and abrasive noise of the club receded completely as he spoke.  “Enough of this. Time is of the essence. You must return to the others. They need you,” Tom clipped, precise voice reminded him of something.   Ben shook his head, pointing his thumb back at the bar behind him and he could hear himself speaking though he wasn’t thinking about the words themselves.  An urgent need to do something taking control of his mouth with no input from his brain. “No, I can’t just yet.  I have to find the manager.” Ben frowned as he heard himself speaking, “this place is a disaster.”  He tried to stop the words but his throat ached with the need and the words came flying out anyway.  “I’m still trying to figure out how we ended up here.”“How about I find the manager for you,” Tom said smoothly. “What is it you need to tell them?  You know no one can say no to me,” he gave a small chuckle. “Come now tell me your problem and then you need to return to Lee and Alexi. Hmm?”  Ben nodded absently at that.  It was true.  Tom had that knack to the point where it was baffling and a bit enviable. He opened his mouth to tell Tom what was bothering him and drew a blank.  His mouth snapping shut as he tried to remember what sent him off to the bar with such urgency.  It seemed to be something that had happened with Alexi and Lee and yet, now that he’d had a moment away from them he couldn’t remember why he had been angry.  This place, this weekend had been so odd.  He shook his head slowly, “I, I don’t.”  Looking up at his friend who was watching him with a sympathetic expression.  “I’ve had too much to drink. And I think someone might have slipped something into it.  Yes, that it!  I think the bartender is spiking the drinks,” he felt himself losing steam though.  A bit of unease and uncertainty growing in him. “Ah, I see. I’ll speak with the manager,” Tom’s voice was gentle and coaxing.  “Now why don’t you head back to Lee and Alexi hmm. I’m sure they could use your company about now?”Ben stood with a nod and was already walking away before he even realized he hadn’t said goodbye to his friend.  The thought floated away though as soon as it reached his mind, the unease at being away from his, well from those he loved was overtaking him.  Quickening his pace he pushed through the crowd, slipping between the milling club goers in a desperate need to be with them.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Cate and Tom -

No.

Lucifer

,

she reminded herself with a little smirk as she happily made her way over to their booth.

Dark energies eddied through the room twining and curling around their scattered group.  Cate’s eyes followed their twisting paths eagerly with a renewed sense of purpose flowing through her.

It is all coming together as something meant it to be,

hissed a whisper in the back of her mind.

As she dropped into the booth beside him with a pleased sigh, she nodded to herself in agreement.  Taking a sip of her drink, a heady sense of accomplishment filled her, all the months of planning and rituals had led them here.

Why though?  Why her as well as the others?

Lucifer turned to her with a bewitching smile, almost like he’d read her thoughts.  “Why darling, would you look at that,” he gestured toward the stairs. “I believe some old friends of yours have joined us, how lovely!”

Cate watched as a slithering, twisting, coiling column of dense fog made its way down the stairs breaking off from itself into thinner shafts one by one as they touched the final step down into the club proper.  She counted nine separations that fanned out from the stairs while a heavy rustling and hissing filled her mind.

A pulsing darkness flickered through the small column that seemed to match the rhythm of her heart.  Cate was a bit breathless with it all, unable to tear her eyes away from the magic unfolding before her eyes.  With one strong pulse the fog broke and nine women now stood, steadfast, imperious, all donning their identical ceremonial robes.

Cate’s eyes were round with surprise to see the familiar faces of her coven.  It had been ages since she’d last seen them! An unbridled joy took her, and she practically hopped up from the booth in her excitement.

“Now, now love they have some work to do before you all have your time together,” Lucifer’s hand clamped down tightly on her wrist.  A slight tug had her tumbling back down into the booth and she gave a disappointed laugh.

Pouting up at him, she batted her lashes prettily, “but it’s been so long!  I haven’t seen my sisters since, since,” she faltered a moment.

Dark sky, new moon dark.   Rustling leaves. Creaking branches.  The sweet sound of chanting voices carrying over the snow covered ground.

Screams.  Awful grating screams filling the night.  The taste of burnt innocence heavy on her tongue.  The flickering fire light twisting and distorting a familiar blonde face.  Alexi! The hunched shoulders of another familiar soul as she tried to protect, to comfort their screaming friend.  Oh Constance! Ever you, Constance.

Twisting suddenly as the flickering images broke apart, Cate looked around the room.  Oh, there she was, the one that had lead them all to the truth and the great Chaos.

Sister!

She felt her chest blossom with excitement and joy at the reunion.  But then she gave a frustrated twist of her lips. Looking over to Lucifer who was watching her with a rapt look of excitement on his face.

“If Constance sees Melody there’s going to be a problem.

That night

,” Cate shook her head. “Constance is small but she can be fierce.  Alexi likes to pretend it never happened. But Constance is a dog with a bone.  If she spots Melody it could go wrong,” Cate looked forlornly towards her long lost coven sister.

“Well it’s not likely the little mouse can really do anything.  But you’re right. It’s still too early to take anything for granted,” Lucifer have a solemn nod.  Raising his hand he gave a distinct snap of his fingers and like that Melody was a puff of dense hazy smoke.  “There now. That’s settled,” he took a drink. “Oh now! None of that. You’ll see her again, soon,” he crooned to her with a twist of his lips.

“I suppose you’re right,” Cate have a heavy sigh.  The ache at having lost even one of those from the good old days, no matter that she knew they would all soon be reunited, still sat heavy in her gut.

It became nothing more than a fleeting thought to her though as a small shadowy flicker caught her eye and Cate looked up towards the stage.  The increase of shades had been growing with the passing minutes, she noted along with ‘strangers’ who had been wandering down the stairs.

She’d think they were patrons of the club but she could see in their aura’s that it was something more than that.  The need, no compulsion that had drawn her friends and their mates had a faint echo surrounding these people as well.  Cate knew now this was exactly where she needed to be if just to make sure that all the pieces fell into place as It needed them to.  She didn’t even have to think, all the things she needed to know and to do were just there, opening up to her like a flower in bloom.

The shifting shadows solidified into a pair of dancers on stage and a three piece jazz band to the side as a haunting far away tune grew in strength and volume.  The normal sounds of a busy night within the club, voices gently rising and falling in a lapping waves of sound like water on the beach mixed in with the old time music as they sat back and enjoyed the rising magic of the night.  Cate heard the ragtime piano music and her eyebrow shot up, her head turned slowly toward the man next to her and had to laugh as he eyed her with a mischievous look. “Oh, don’t let me stop you,” she gave a salute with her glass to him.

Ellis quickly stood, slipping out of the booth and striding quickly to the stage he joined the other musicians with a bright smile.  His fingers danced across the keys in a melodic warm up. Settling into the moment, he let his fingers find their own path and joined in with the ragtime jazz.

Cate watched from her seat with a smile, the music had a familiar feel to it though she couldn’t place a name to the melodies.  Her hand began absently tapping on the table along with the tune and she took another drink. Looking down in surprise she saw that her glass had refilled.

Oh, never ending refills.  How lovely!

Her eyes traveled around the bar and she spotted Constance and Karl in their little world on the dance floor and wondered if Constance was picking up on the ancient vibe that now permeated the club.  Cate knew that if any of them would see the other here, the other times, it would be Constance. Sure, Alexi could recognize the magic of the moment as well but it was highly unlikely that the other woman would accept the other forces at play considering how deeply in denial she was these days.  Cate rolled her eyes at the thought and then gave a smiling wave of her glass to Lucifer as he looked up towards her over the piano.

A spark from the corner of her eye pulled Cate’s attention back to the dance floor, and she smirked to see the swirl of shadow and energy coalesce around Constance and Karl.

Oh dear, something was looking to attach itself to the young woman, how interesting.

Leaning back and enjoying the colorful show she knew that if Constance wasn’t careful, she’d break from the strain of the vibrations and energies.  Without Alexi to protect and focus on Constance really had done nothing with all the power she had in her.

Such a waste

, she thought with a distracted sniff.

Karl though, was getting on her last nerve.  His overbearing vigilance and protectiveness towards Constance seemed a bit overdone.

They’d only just met!  Sure, Constance was great at giving out the helpless urchin vibe but come on!

He was always there, always looming over her with that scowl on his face and his hand on her back.  One little panic attack on Constance’s part and he swooped in like a mother bear.

That’s what happens when you don’t use the gifts you were given,

she rolled her eyes.

Ah well, it doesn’t matter in the end.

Smiling to herself,

that was precisely what they needed, Constance not using her innate talents.  It would make it easier for them to retrieve her soul that way.

Cate gave a small jerk of surprise.

Retrieve her soul?  What? Where did that come from?

No worries

, a rustling hissing whisper replied.

Drink up love, there is nothing to bother yourself about.

Her mind eased back from its questioning and she took another long pull of her drink.
 
The surrounding air shifted and Cate took a sharp breath as the world bent and heaved with the tempo of the music.  From one blink to the next, Cate’s stomach gave a sharp drop and then bottomed out, as if something dropped her onto the chair and yet she was still sitting in the same place she had been.  Opening her eyes slowly, the ragtime playing deviated loudly, and she gave a cough at the smoke, warm bodies and heavy perfumes.

There was a man playing away at the piano but it wasn’t Lucifer, it was someone else.  She narrowed her eyes for a better look and yep this was not 2018 Chicago; she knew. She realized she was now back at the start of this, all of this. The beginning that should have also been the end.  She wracked her brain a moment for information but oddly it was empty, or at least the hum of the incoming knowledge of before was gone and it surprised her.

Blinking at the arm that rested on the table in front her, the hand wrapped around her glass and realized that was not the arm she had been looking at moments before. Looking down, Cate marveled at the long sparkling dress, champagne in color, and the stunning large strings of pearls around her neck.

A slightly larger hand than she was used to, with vibrantly red painted nails, reached up to touch the pearls and the sensation of it, the realness of it shook her out the hazy of uncertainty and grounded her to the moment. It startled Cate from her comparing and contrasting when a stoop shouldered woman appeared next to her suddenly.

“Mrs. O’Rourke madam,” the woman’s accent was terribly thick and something middle European.

The woman bobbed up and down twice, her eyes darting around the room but not meeting Cate’s, no Mrs. O’Rourke she thought with amusement.  Finally, the woman pulled herself together enough to speak again with one last look towards the stairs that led up out of the club. “Mrs. there is a man asking to see you, but he didn’t know your name,” she twisted her hands around and around together as she waited for Cate to say something.

“What does he want?” she asked.  This moment playing out with her both as a participant and an observer.  “Well? Come on, woman! Spit it out!”

“He didn’t say, Mrs. O’Rourke.  He just said he wanted to talk with this owner and to go get them for him.”

Cate frowned and stood up, pushing the woman out of her way before a hand snatched at her arm and pulled her to a stop suddenly.  She looked over her shoulder to see the big shouldered, blonde henchman that her ‘husband’ had saddled her with and glared at him.  The hulking brute of a man stared back at her blankly for a moment and then let go of her arm. “Where you going Mrs. Kitty?”

“Mrs. O’Rourke, that is to you,” she growled angrily, and the brute dropped his head in shame.  “I have business to attend to and you need to leave me to it,” she continued with narrowed eyes.  “My husband may pay you to sit here but you touch me again and I’ll see to it your hand touches nothing again.  Understand?”

The blonde gave a sharp nod and sat back in his chair away from her.  “Good then. Have a drink, stay put and enjoy the music while I take care of my business.” She made her way across the room to the bar, fierce and focused.

I’m surrounded by idiots.

Kitty O’Rourke had just rounded the bar when she spotted a tall, dark haired, dapper dressed man leaning back against the bar as he stares out at the dance floor.

This must be the man looking for me

, she eyed him carefully a moment.  Cate startled in the stranger's mind when she realized who it was. “You looking for something?” Kitty settled behind the back of the bar, her hand draped low and resting on the butt of the shotgun they kept for any overly rowdy customers.  The man turned to her, his smile bright and charming as he eyed her. Kitty bristled at his overt behavior.

“I was looking to speak with the proprietor of this lovely establishment, but I must say you are a welcome distraction.”

Kitty gave a huff of irritation at that, “I’m the owner of this bar and I’ll thank you to treat me with the respect I deserve.”

“Oh, my! You? You created this blissful den of sin and debauchery?  My, my, isn’t this delicious?”

The man smirk at her in a way that Kitty was more than familiar with.

Of course, he didn’t believe her, men rarely believed until she taught them otherwise, the fools.

Kitty scoffed at him and leaned back easing her hand off the trigger, she knew that he wasn’t the type she’d need to use the gun on, no this type was all about proving his brilliance. “What do you need Mr.?”

“Morningstar, Lucifer Morningstar,” he said with a laugh underlying his words.  He reached out and took up her hand dropping a kiss on her knuckles.

“Morningstar,” she raised her eyebrow.  “That’s a mighty powerful name for one to take on,” she pulled her hand from his grasp and crossed her arms defensively.

“Well thank you,” Lucifer said with a smirk.  “I see a woman as smart as you knows a good deal when she sees one, am I right?”

“Oh, I know a good deal when I see one indeed.  But I also know a sham when I see one too,” she snarked at him and turned to pull a bottle from the shelf and a glass as well. “What makes you think a good Catholic woman like myself needs or wants a deal with the devil,” she reflexively made a sign of the cross over her chest before grabbing up her glass and taking a sip of bourbon.

“Oh, pish posh that,” he chuckled at her as he turned to look out at the floor a moment. “Well, I do love a good gin joint,” he gestured around them.  “And you have an excellent one. But it could be more, I could help you

be

more,” his dark eyes stared intently at her.

Cate felt the unease that was growing in Kitty’s mind as she watched this strange man in front of her.  She wanted to laugh at the absurdly naïve woman who clinging to a useless religion and had started to ‘pray’ fervently in her head as she reached once more for the butt of the shotgun again as she scowled at him furious. “You think, I

need

a man?

You,

to be something more?”

She shifted herself again, getting her feet firmly under her and shifted the shotgun out from under the bar.  “You think I built this bar from nothing, dealt with the coppers and other gangs, to create one of the best gin houses in the state.  On my own no less. That I need

you

to be something

more

.”

She brought up the gun level with his chest and smirked, “yeah Mr. Morningstar, I don’t need the devil or some pretender to be great. I already am,” she growled.  She cocked the shotgun and there was a sudden silence in the room as everyone turned to watch.

Lucifer stood slowly from where he had been leaning, surprise etched on his face.  “Well now Mrs. O’Rourke, there’s no need for that,” he stumbled a little as he slowly raised his hands in defense.  He gives a small laugh, “it was an honest misunderstanding.”

“Well then, I think you’ve had your drink and your fun and it’s time for you to move on,” Cate said as she gestured slightly towards the door with the gun.  “You should move on now.”
 
As she looked out on the smoky club, Cate could sense a shift, something parting and then a warm hand was on her back.  “Come now, do we need to dwell on the past? I’ve learned from my mistake, that you in your own right are a brilliant mind and I was a fool to believe anything different.”  Lucifer leaned over the back of the booth, his body molding itself to hers as he could and whispered warmly in her ear.

“Come back to me Cate, come back to us now love,” he murmured, and she felt the tug.  Both of time and his magnetic pull to her. “There’s so much more fun to be had here for us love, come now.  Come back.”

With one more blink she gave in to the pull and let it take her.  A whoosh of air and a pull of space around her and once again the bottom dropping out of her belly to feel her landing once more into her seat.

A fair amount of time must have passed though because the growth in magic was considerable around them.  The band had disappeared, shifting back into their shadow form and the music playing now was simply recorded and piped over the speak system.  Cate felt the warm presence of Lucifer pressed up against her side and his strong arm wrapped around her shoulder. He dropped his chin to the top her head as he continued to quietly call to her, drawing her back to her body and to the connection of their entwined fingers and hands and this time.

“I’m, I’m,” she had to cough slightly against the dryness in her throat.  “I’m here,” she finally managed and Lucifer picked up the bottle of water that was sitting on the table.

“Drink this love,” he lifted it to her lips.  “You need a bit of water, there that’s it,” he encouraged her as she took first one sip and then another.

Lucifer cupped her jaw with his hand, caressing the spot behind her ear with the tip of a finger as he let her come to grips with everything she’d seen and felt.  “Just let it all settle in then, you’ll be just fine. We’re here, it’s finally your time to shine. We’re here now,” he stared into her eyes, her soul. “Ah, there we go, you’re back with us,” the warm, pleased time rumbled through her.

“I’m fine,” she sat back away from his hand blinking several times to clear the fog.  A nagging sense of something, something she was supposed to remember clawing at the back of her mind.  But his touch, his taste drove away the sensation, and she happily gave herself over to it. The past was the past.  She had been a strong woman then, and she was a strong woman now.

Taking up her glass again, she quickly drained it and then with a tap of the rim, watched it refill.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she gave a thrust of her chin up at him. “I always shine. Then and now,” she rolled her eyes at him and downed her glass in three satisfying gulps. “And I hardly need any of your little,” she flicked her fingers at him with a huff of laughter. “Tricks.  I don’t need your tricks to see that either. I know what I can do,” she sat back against the booth and crossed her arms.

“Oh love,” he gave a hearty chuckle. “I know exactly what you can and can’t do.”

His white overly toothy smile made the itch flare, and she narrowed her eyes at him angrily.  “So, then what’s with the FlashBack Theatre?” She demanded, a sense of unreasonable anger growing in her deeply.

Lucifer straightened as he appeared to realize she was actually upset.  Shifting his eyes across the room, Cate followed his gaze to the booth where Constance, Karl and Tom Hiddleston we’re sitting.  Only as she squinted against the dim haze, she realized there was someone else there as well.

Apparently reading their cards?  How rich for the non-believers,

she thought with a mental sneer.

Not that there is going to be a happy ending for them,

a dark whisper slithered forward from the back of her mind.

“Well isn’t that intriguing,” Lucifer muttered to himself.

Cate leaned towards him with a frown, “what?  What’s intriguing? They’re getting their cards read.  Please, parlor tricks!” She dismissively leaned back against the cushions once again because she couldn’t be bothered to watch the ridiculous amateurs.  Not because of any sense of discomfort that rattled her mind when she was too close to him for some reason now.

No. That’s not likely at all.

Lucifer turned towards her, his back to the room at large as he stared at her.  “That was not my doing. There are other forces at work and apparently, they sneaked in past me somehow.  It’s quite shocking really, didn’t think they had it in them to be that underhanded. Not that it will mean anything, in the end.”

Cate shook her head with a growing frown, “what are you babbling on about there, Beelzebub?” She gave an uneasy smirk at him, amused at her wit but a little unsettled at the thought of ‘other forces’ that could slip by Lucifer, The Lord of Darkness’.

“Oh darling, you are good for one’s ego.  I think I was right to keep you with me,” he gave a huff of laughter.  Lucifer rolled his eyes and appeared to be considering something for a moment before shrugging, “oh why not.  Did you sort out why you’re here my darling? Hmm did

they

help make that clear or was that not the purpose of their trip down memory lane for you?”

Cate tilted her head to the side, confused by his sudden change of subject.  “I’m here because you’re here. That’s obvious.”

“No, my little acolyte,” he heaved a heavy sigh of condescension.  “You are here, not so much because you were chosen to be here, but because that night you were here.” The dark eyes stared meaningfully back at her, before he shrugged and sat back against the booth cushions.

The heavy weight of his state bore into her mind and she could feel the truth to his words.  “But, but that doesn’t make sense. I’m here as your student.

Your

chosen one,” she hesitated as the feel of those words on her tongue were jagged and painful.  “You told me you came to teach me. That you saw my potential.” She felt a sense of panic settling around her, “you

chose

me.”

Lucifer gave a small indifferent shrug as he stared at her.  “I did say that didn’t I. And I do suppose in time we’ll get to that,” his voice was distant as if he were contemplating the possibility. “If you can survive the night.  And love, I

do

hope you can,” he smiled.  “But well you

saw

,” he gave a wave of his hand to reflect his room.  “You were

there

, they,” he gestured out towards the other shadows of the room and the odd stranger milling about.  “They were there. You’re all touched by that night and you’ve all become entangled with it and

Their

magic.  So, you’re here tonight.” He waited patiently for her to draw the rest of the points together for herself.

Cate stared at him in shock, the memory of the, the well flashback playing once more in the back of her mind.  The sensation of something sitting in the back of her mind, calling to her, demanding she pay attention and listen.  The echoes of panic and desperation of those long lost days. “How?” she finally gasped out.

Lucifer looked a little confused and then with a mew of understanding, “oh how did you all end up locked here?”  He chuckled at her as if she was a great amusement. “

That

great oaf, of course,” he smirked as he pointed towards Lee who seemed to be wrapped around Alexi currently.  “He killed your friend that night, and while that should have been the perfect opening to allow

Them

to enter and have their way

finally

, somehow he blocked it.  He blocked everything.

He

is the reason you are trapped to this place and these others' souls,” he gave a disdainful sniff.

“His guilt for those lives,” he flicked his fingers towards the other.  “He destroyed much that night and managed in the end to block the inevitable conclusion as well.  But you,” he turned towards her with a bright smile and gleaming white teeth. “You turned out to be our, oh what's that saying?  Our ace in the hole?” he gave an amused chuckle. “You gave

them

the access they finally needed and you my darling brought back all the scattered souls and their magic to one place in one time so we can

finally

end this all.” Lucifer ran a long pale finger down her cheek.  “So, in exchange for my assistance, in payment for services rendered if you will, I asked for you.”

“Payment.  For services rendered,” she repeated flatly.  “I’m payment for your assistance?”

“Yes,” he gave a cheerful nod of his head. “Well partial payment, “he chuckled.  “Besides solving my slight problem of being dragged off at a whim back to Hell as well.  No, from this night forward I shall no longer be forced to reign only over Hell. No, after tonight I shall be King here and you, you shall be my Queen of this great new world.”

Cate blinked in shock.  Her discomfort shifting at that sudden revelation,

she’d be a Queen.  With him. At her side, oh she could really enjoy that.  His long lived wisdom, her brilliance and power. They would be AMAZING.

The slow toothy grin that spread across her face was apparently what he had been looking for as he nodded sharply and gave a loud clap of his hands.  The rustling of his hands as the friction built in his palms were a signal as well she quickly realized. The eight coven shades that had been hovering at the edges made their way into the crowds, their gliding steps in time with the back and forth motion of his hands.

“Oh, is this where you

finally

show me something impressive?” She gave a challenging tilt of her chin.

Lucifer laughed, something that resembled all the ones she’d heard before and yet, this was more.  So much more. That small part of something that had been calling desperately for her attention since she’d ‘woken’ from her past life was now cowering in fear.  The surrounding shadows shivered and trembled like a child in its first thunderstorm. And the room shook with the release of

His

power and magic.

Breathless with excitement, Cate leaned forward, dropping her hand to his forearm as she looked around in amazement.  “You have

got

to teach me that!  As soon as possible.”

Lucifer gave her an affection look and patted the top of her hand with his, “survive this and I shall little human.  I shall show you soooo much more,” he drawled in a melodic voice. “But for now, pay attention hmm? There might be something you see that you are capable of making work on your own.”

Lifting his hand, he gave a wave of his fingers; it was like a ripple opened up in front of them that settled into a reflective surface. Cate watched it, thinking it reminded her of something like a high definition TV screen except 1080p had nothing on

this

.  It was clear as crystal and yet the images on it were as lifelike as if she were in them.   While still giving the ability to see the room behind it if she wished. As she blinked once she saw the image and then as simple as a thought that she wished to see the room behind it and it shifted the image to become transparent once more.  She found herself amazed and amused by this as she would blink to see one view and then the other back and forth, back and forth.

Amazing!

“Yes, quite entertaining, but if you’re finished learning this simple interface, I need to work now darling,” he smirked at her but the look in his eyes spoke to the displeasure at her games.  Sitting back, she quickly lifted her drink and took a sip while she waved at him to continue.

Watching over Lucifer’s shoulder, the images of something like the club and yet not entirely so came to life on the screen seemed to flip through images, spinning through a picture gallery of, of moments?  She realized with incredulity.

He was, flipping through moments in time!

“Only of this space,” he said distractedly.  “Thanks to the hulking brute over there, time and space in this location are fractured.  However, thanks to you darling, we are all here to see that everything is set to right and what should have all those decades ago will now take its natural course.  Destiny is a bitch darling, trust me I know her. And she’s past due her time and we’re here to make sure that she gets what was hers all along.”

“And is it Destiny who is this

great and powerful

puppet master that’s pulling all of our strings?” she snarked at him.

“No one is pulling my strings darling,” he growled low and dark. “But the Great Darkness is most certainly pulling yours,” he chuckled menacingly.  “I can walk away. Remember that won’t you?” Cate shrank back from him in worry as he turned back to the slow spin of images and color before him and tried not think about what he’d just said.

The Great Darkness?  What the hell was that?

She wondered for a moment but as her unease grew, she decided she didn't care as long as she kept her feet under her and Lucifer from walking away before she could even learn what she wanted from him, she just didn't care what else was at play.  Moments later Lucifer smiled brightly and gave a happy clap of his hands pulling her from her thoughts.

“Ah yes there we go that shall work nicely to start things off,” he rumbled like the incoming warning of a storm.  “Yes
,
very nicely.”

Cate realized she was looking at the club, present time she thought.  The current image showed Alexi heading down a hallway towards the ladies room.  And then she was coming out, pale and definitely freaked out. Lucifer’s cackle beside her told Cate that he had done something but what that was she couldn’t exactly tell.  There was an odd haze now, not the familiar type she had seen all evening now, and then a flash of green. Lucifer angrily slammed his hand on the table before sliding through the images again and again.

“Damn it,” he huffed.

“What?” she asked quietly not wanting to have his anger turned on her again.  “What's happening?”

“It would seem,” Lucifer looked up and over the dance floor to the table where Constance, Karl and Tom Hiddleston were sitting.  “Someone has made up their mind. Well, that is a surprise isn’t it? I would have thought Chaos would side with Chaos, but ah well.  That is what it is and it's not really an issue. He isn’t one to stand in my way. None of you are, really.”

Cate’s brow furrowed in confusion.  “What are you talking about? What's happened?”

Lucifer was ignoring her at that point though and had gone back to his images again, spinning through them.  There was the dance floor and Constance again, another odd flash of green and haze before Lucifer was spinning towards another.  Lee at the bar, angrily pointing his finger at Lucifer before a haze seemed to grow over the moment. Ben at the bar suddenly showing as once more the odd haze and a flash of green settled around the tall Brit’s shoulders.  Lucifer became angrier with each moment and then with a great laugh, spun it back to Lee, this time clutching Alexi to his chest as he appeared to be fighting off something and like that the moment vanished along with him.

Cate rolled her eyes, the drama of this all was getting a bit tiresome.  What he has to teach me had better be as awesome as I’m hoping.

Of

course,

Alexi would be wooed by

two

famous men.  Of

course,

they were in a secret relationship with each other but were so bowled over by her beauty and wit and charm that they both just

had

to have her as well.  Cate rolled her eyes so hard at that notion that her eyes actually hurt.

She would be so glad to have this done with so she could get away from these souls that had been stuck to hers for decades if not longer.  She could see the coming nightmare and welcomed it gladly.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“The child is not nearly as aware as you would believe,” a voice from the end of their table interrupted. “Nor does she possess the power needed to stop this at this time Loki of Asgard.”Looking up, Loki let his eyes roam over an old woman dressed as mortals typically expected what they called a ‘fortune tellers’ and yet he was instantly aware that she was not what she pretended to be, either a fortune teller or a seer of futures.  Meeting her expectant stare, he was in no mood to play whatever game this ‘woman’ was attempting and simply raised an eyebrow, while remaining defiantly silent. He was long accustomed to holding his tongue and letting those around him give up their secrets and he sensed she was no different than any other in his past.With an unamused hum, the female slipped into a spot at the end of the table, laying a deck of cards on the smooth wood with a small flourish of her hands over them.  Turning towards Constance, her lips lifted into a welcoming smile to the young mortal, “it is good to see you child.” A weathered hand reached out to scoop up the stack of cards and began to effortlessly shuffle them, as an odd glow emanated out of her hands.  “Leave your troubles at the wayside,” she instructed.  “When you are ready, cut the cards into three stacks as you see fit,” she pushed the cards towards Constance.“Stop,” Loki’s voice holding a strong command that easily cut across the surrounding noise.The old woman blinked in surprise and turned her eyes towards him.  The glow that had surrounded the cards now pulsing within the depths of her dark eyes as she tilted her head ever so slightly to the side.  Loki could clearly see now the impression of something less than human breaking through the mask she had been wearing up until now.  The sense of warning clearly meant to frightened him but Loki wasn’t held strong. With a huff of breath, the being settled back into her form.  “If you wish for an awakening, there will need to be a price paid,” she calmly replied.  A movement from the side of the table caught Loki’s attention and he let his attention break from the being and looked to the side.  He wasn’t surprised to see Karl having a momentary struggle with Constance, as the young woman fought against his hold, trying to reach for the cards.  Large hands wrapping around Constance’s wrist, tugging her hand back from the table and the cards she couldn’t seem to stop reaching for.  Loki looked up from her grasping fingers and into the young woman’s face, her eyes were clouded over and her face was slack with the power of whatever it was the old woman had cast on her.“Do not allow her to touch that,” Loki snapped as he met Karl’s weary, but clear eyes.  The other man nodded his understanding and Loki felt a small measure of relief to know that he could trust him.“Who are you?” Loki returned his attention back to the old woman.The ancient being, for there was no mistaking that with the swell of power and magic that it contained, looked at him a moment before dismissing him and turning back to Constance with a small smile.  “Leave your troubles at the wayside,” she repeated in a voice that even Loki felt ring within himself. He gave a disgusted snarl, compulsion, of course. He watched as Constance tried once more to reach for the cards but thankfully Karl’s grip was strong enough to hold her away from them.“No,” Loki growled holding a hand up and easily pushed the couple down the bench and away from the cards. Karl’s arm tightened around her in surprise and nearly pulled her into his lap as he looked back and forth between the other two.The old woman affected a sigh from her spot at the table, “Loki, Prince of Asgard. You are not where you belong.”Karl gave a start at that, “wait a minute! You buy the Loki, no, no never mind of course you do,” he stumbled over his words.  “Look lady, I don’t know what game you’re playing but we’ve-,” his voice suddenly cut out and the Kiwi’s eyes went wide with anger and surprise.  The old woman slid her gaze to Karl and slowly lets her lips quirk up, revealing a toothy smile with too many teeth.  “Oh Son, that mouth of yours,” she made a tsking sound. “It gets you in all sorts of trouble. But it’s about to get you into more. So, I’m warning you now, be careful who you sass.”“Interesting,” Loki murmured as he flicked his fingers towards his friend and Karl let out an audible gasp.  “You pretend knowledge, power even, but you do not name yourself.”Karl looked at him, a little desperation showing in his face. “Tom,” he cut himself off, gave a shake of his head and started to speak again but Loki held his hand up to stop him. Snapping his mouth shut angrily, Karl could only watch the two as he silently prayed to anyone that would listen for help.“I need no name,” she replied with a casual shrug that looked off somehow.“All things have a name,” Loki challenged. “You utter mine and yet claim ignorance.”“There have been titles, all poorly given and only partial adequate.” She lay her hand in the deck of cards, letting on finger tap three times slowly against the paper. “You who demand an understanding of another being should know how unwelcome false labels are.”Loki gave a condescending laugh as he rolled his eyes at her, “nameless power is useless. Directionless,” he sneered.  “No wonder you would violate those of weaker minds to obtain your desires.”“What would you not do to direct these weaker minds?”“I wouldn’t attack the innocent,” he growled his hand coming down forcefully on the table. Shaking his head and taking a deep breath, he leaned back against the cushion and quietly contemplated the being.“Well, that is encouraging to hear.” She picked up the cards once again, small wrinkled fingers working nimbly with the stiff cardboard.  “Quite the change of heart from times gone by hmm?“She gave an odd sound, as if she were trying to chuckle, or at least what she thought was a chuckle.  “Yes, quite encouraging, it would seem your time upon this earth has influenced you. Perhaps for the better at that,” the old woman’s mouth quirked up on one side.Loki’s eyes narrowed at her and his face shifted behind Tom glasses into something frightening and unfamiliar as he straightened up into his full regal bearing. “What do you know of my time on this world,” the icy words flew out with a clipper precision.The Nameless One shrugged as she lay the cards down once more, between them now. “Little more than what you show me.” A small wave over the cards and she gave a tilt of her lips and a huff of breath.  “Ah yes, it is promising what you’d done here.  Dare I say, She would be proud.” The being looked up slowly, leaning forward as she stared him in the eye.Loki stared at her in a rage, his face draining of all emotion as the words sank into him. Breaking her stare, his eyes dropping to the table he refused to allow this, whatever it was, to break him like a useless child. Calming himself and his emotions took what seemed an eternity before slowing raising his head once more.  He let himself relax as he dropped back against the seat once again to look at her blankly. “And why should I help you when you know nothing and offer nothing in return?”“Oh, there is much we are aware of, and we have offered some of it freely this night,” she gave a sly smile and a flick of her eyes towards the couple. “But now we are here,” she tapped the table.  “And time runs out for all.”Loki eyed her cautiously, this all seemed too familiar and yet this was not his world or his dimension and so he knew not to count on that sense of familiarity.  “And your price? For your knowledge,” he rolled the delicate stem of the wineglass between his fingers.A small pleased smile touched the old woman’s lips before she gave a nodded to herself.  The dim shadows pulsed as she appeared to shift and curled in the odd light of the booth. “The price was paid at admittance,” she intoned. “We hold no sway in that.”  “Then it is collection of some kind that you look for assistance with?” Her admission surprised Loki.  “We are not the ones here to collect,” the old woman continued to stare blankly at him and said nothing more.  The Nameless One’s hand stretched out toward the cards, her palm turning up in supplication as her face morphed slightly into a look of expectation.Loki eyed her warily before turning his gaze on Karl and Constance, his eyes dropping to her fingertips that had been dancing lightly on the edge of the table since the old woman had laid the cards back down again. It was only because Karl has such a tight grip on her wrists that she hadn’t taken the cards up yet he was sure.Meeting Karl’s eyes once more he gave a heavy sigh, knowing he had made his decision and let his finger stretch out, taking the cards up into long gaunt fingers. It was obvious to him already the damage that was being wreaked upon them and he couldn’t allow that to continue. Keeping his eyes on the pair instead of the woman, he deftly shuffled the cards three times, a soft spark of something blue and green swallowing the cards and then absorbing into them as he dropped them back on the table.“The child is not ready, nor her companion or even the priestess,” the Nameless One said as she pulled the cards towards her.  “You do not wish to harm innocents you say, so you have made your choice.”“Choice,” Loki rolled his eyes at her.  “There was no choice I saw offered.  But in this case, I will accept your terms.  You will not harm them,” he gestured towards Constance and Karl. “And I will play thisgame with you.She nodded once, sharply and decisively and began to lay three cards, one in the center, one across that and the third below them and in front of her. Her finger reached up and tapped each one a single time, the air around them shivering with each tap as if it brought them to life.  “Where things stand, what are your obstacles and how we got here,” she looked towards Karl a moment, before giving a condescending sniff.“I am limited by what I can say. We have but one main tenet, we are not to interfere, it is not our way,” she solemn said as her fingers tapped the top of the deck three times again.“And yet here you sit,” Loki smirked at her. “Your interference would appear to be great considering that.The old woman’s face smoothed out as she gave an empty smile. “And yet here I sit indeed.”Loki made a motion with his hands for her to continue, his long fingers giving off a small spark with an ever so light golden hue before settling back again. An unfamiliar hue to his magic, but not his moth-, he stopped his thoughts from going any further. This was not the time to think on her, to think of any of them that would come later.“Here we sit in a fracture,” Nameless One finally admitted.  “Brought about a great deal of time ago to these humans.  But no more than a blink to us,” she shrugged causally.  “However, the cause and its effect have had long reaching consequences.” The Nameless One turned to look at Constance who was now still, almost unnaturally so.  Both Karl and Loki stared at her as well, her face blank and her eyes clouded nearly gray as she looked at nothing in particular before her.   “The cause,” Loki growled turning back to the old woman. “Do not try my patience I have little of it for your kind.” The soft sound that came out of the old woman might have been another attempt at laughter but instead it was a chilling noise that made Karl instantly wrap closer and tighter around Constance while turning his gaze on Loki.  The look on his face clearly showing his concern and fear as he uneasily ran his hand up and down Constance’s arm, Loki however had no time to reassure his friend now he could feel the revelations to come as if they were on the tip of his tongue.“Of course, Mischief Maker, god of Chaos,” she gave a dark smirk as she said this.  “The Great Darkness, some whisper,” she appeared to roll her eyes at this and the oddity of it struck Loki, though not nearly as forcefully as that name. “Forces, great forces of a more,” she continued pulling his thoughts back as she paused tilting her head in concentration before continuing. “Let us call them something you are more familiar with then, chaotic nature perhaps.”“What you’re trying to slowly say,” Karl angrily interrupted.  “Is some bad guys want to do some bad things, yeah we got that earlier.” “Good and evil, such limiting concepts,” the Nameless One sighed with an unamused side glance to Karl.  “You cannot afford to be so rigid in your conceptualization it will only serve to destroy you,” she intoned with an unnatural stillness. Karl startled the apprehension clear on his face as he looked between Loki and the old woman.  A long pale finger reached across the table, pausing before the couple and drew something that briefly flared and disappeared just as quickly, a flash of blue and green shimmering over their faces.  The old one straightened up and give her attention back to Loki at that display, her eyes narrowed dangerously at the Trickster. “How sweet,” she watched Loki a moment with mild interest.   “But it will only keep them safe for a short while longer.  There are much darker things at play now and you would be wise to save your tricks and charms for those more deserving of it.“Then. Tell. Me. What. I. Need. To. Know,” the tall man leaned forward menacingly.“As I said we cannot interfere, however it is not in the interest of balance to allow tonight to turn towards its expected conclusion either.”“So, you wish for a third party to do what you cannot,” Loki sat back with an amused half smile.  “Of course. Go on,” he gave a flick of his fingers towards the woman. The nameless one gave a disgruntled twist of her lips before tapping the card in front of her. Her agitation expressing itself in sparks that scattered off the cards, “and as I was saying, the fracture must end tonight, here. You sense this I am sure,” she briefly looked to him before looking down at her deck. Before she could pick it up though Loki held up a hand. “Tell me, what it is you think I can do.”“These forces have set their eye on all that are here, they have made several deals of an extraordinary nature to bring about the end of their wait.  All that stands now between it and the darkness that awaits you all, is now, this moment, and the choices you make.” “That’s not ominous,” Karl muttered under his breath.Loki raised his hand to his chin, crossing the other arm over his chest as he rubbed slowly at the bottom of his jaw. “You said everyone here is doomed. And yet, you seek me out,” he stared at her but she remained silent. “That would mean I wasn’t expected here tonight,” he slowly teased out his thought. “And if I were to try to leave, I might be able to,” he contemplated out loud.“You might, you certainly don’t have the strings of connection that bind the others together so tightly. But only you,” she cautioned. With a huff of acknowledgement, Loki went silent for a moment, staring at the cards as if they would speak to him, as they had spoken to Her.  However, for all the time he spent at Her side learning they gave him little more than silence and concern at this moment. Giving a final tap of his finger along his jaw and shifting back upright. “So, in your benevolence and neutrality you wish to play an unknown variable in your little battle,” he smirked. “You still haven’t told me anything but vagaries and half-truths.  What price must we pay for all this,” he scoffed.“Balance, that is what we seek,” the woman laid out a crowning card to the three initial cards and gave a hum.  “We stand for the natural balance and order of existence. Nothing more and nothing less,” she said with an airy wave of her hand. Loki growled at her continued evasion. He opened his mouth to curse her but the Nameless One looked frustrated and with a shake of her head finally admitted, “failure will bring about death. That is not the price we require it is the inevitable outcome. Success will see the fracture sealed and the Darkness stopped.  Success in this case will be all that we can hope for,” she eyed him carefully. “And we can offer something to you perhaps to ease your concerns about taking our side.  A sign of good faith.” Raising the deck in her hands again, she slowly pulled out one card, then another, stacking them above each other to the right side of her pile before she paused and looked up with an understanding light upon her face. “Their visions,” she gestured off handedly to Karl and then the dance floor. “The truth of the moments that brought you all here lie in their memories.  We have been able to give those but that is all.” She pulled another card and laid it down by the final in the neat column and stared intently at them for a second before nodding to herself. “Yes, it’s all there in the past. You see it,” she looked up at Karl. “You feel it.”The old woman looked at Loki, “the strings of fate and faith tie them tightly. The one who’s mistake and sacrifice may have saved them to this point, will damn them if he cannot awaken enough to break from the past and stand against the dark.”“And me? You say I could play a part in this? How?” Loki frowned as he looked out over the dance floor to see Benedict and Lee mixed within the crowd. “You are naturally an agent of Chaos and yet you are not bound to it.  Nor are you it’s servant. You have,” she paused in thought a moment. “You have a certain amount of freedom and unpredictability in all this.  There can be power in uncertainty, you know this,” she smiled at him coldly. “But more than this, is the fact that not one of them,” she gestured towards Karl and Constance and then gave a flick of her fingers towards the dance floor.  “Can do this alone. Not even you Trickster, powerful as you are, would break this curse alone. It will take all who have stood against this darkness over and over as one, to stop that which is attempting to come forward to this world.”Loki looked at her in surprise before slowly turning towards Constance and Karl. The young woman still seemed to blankly stare off into nothing while his friend held onto her in concern, looking back and forth between the old woman Loki.   “Their minds,” the Nameless One gesture absently.  “Must adjust to the things that they learn and see. It is human nature, is it not,” she tried for an innocent look but fell flat. “You are not endearing me to your point of view,” Loki gave a disgusted huff as he leaned towards Constance and gave a small wave of his finger against her temple. She gave a small jerk and gasp before limply leaning back against Karl.  Blinking several times, Loki watched the haze clear out of Constance’s eyes, satisfied with her progress he raised an eyebrow to Karl. “Oh, uh no,” Karl stuttered a little as he reflexively cradled Constance against his chest. “I’m, I’m fine. Great, no worries mate.” Loki watched him a moment more before give a nod of understanding, this was all a bit much for his steadfast friend. “Enough, you’re doing damage and I won’t stand for it,” Loki imperiously stated.  “Whatever it is that you feel they must learn, share it with me and I shall pass it on.” “There is not time for that,” the nameless one stated flatly. “We already have lost much time here.” Loki frowned as he looked around him, he spotted the cracks on the edges of the darkness, but he also spotted the lie of her words. The tell-tale markers of his handy work and the way around her declaration. Turning his gaze back to her slowly he gave an amused snort, “you request my assistance and yet you do not grasp the full scope of my abilities. You are more reckless than I had thought.”The Nameless One’s eyes went round with anger but then she caught the subtle shift of his long pale fingers, her eyes darting towards the bar, the hallway, out onto the dance floor and finally coming to rest across the room on the other trio huddle together. “Well then it would appear you have chosen.” “Things can be undone, time is not linear here, for whatever reason that is.  And while I can choose once, there is nothing that says I cannot choose differently another,” he said with a wide and menacing smile.“That is true,” she said slowly.  “However, I do not think you care so little for your friends as you pretend.  However even with your gift, this time is not infinite. And so, in the interest of moving things along,” she waved a hand towards Loki.  It felt as though he were being slapped with Thor’s hammer in the face. A pulsing throb and the electric tingle of energy and great power courses through him.
Ice and fire, screams and old forgotten words cried out to the dark skies. A small hunched woman, cloaked in scraps and furs hovering over the fire as she hums low. Another group of faces peer out of the darkness, the looks of expectation clear.

^_^

A small wooden ship tossed about upon the violent seas.  Whipping winds and angry crashes of thunder. A young woman, barefoot and soaked to the bone cries out defiantly at the sky. Another woman restrained by a companion as she calls out encouragement behind her.  A large wall of water growing as the energy within the air crackles with a life of its own.

^_^

Simple spun cloth, a setting sun and again two women at opposite points of a fire.  Two others in the dusky twilight lending support and encouragement. The bright smiles on all their faces as the flashes of fire turn from orange to blue to white and explode upward into the indigo sky as the last rays of light slip below the horizon.

^_^

Five bodies in silken wrappings and scented perfumes stand around a fading fire.  The nervous energy on the air settling like a heavy blanket upon the gathering. Loud cries sound in the distance as the group hurry to complete their incantations. Pounding footsteps and the high-pitched whiz of projectiles flying by. A pained grunt as one of the males drops to his knees on his point. Grasping his chest in pain, blood pours through dripping on the chalk and soaking the trampled grass. The Priestess cries out sharply but remains standing her hands held to the heavens as she cries out to gods of old.  A great flare of powder swirls in the air, stirring the embers back to life and sending them shooting up into the night sky triumphantly. The other woman at the southern point spins towards the invaders, knife in hand and teeth barred in anger as the Priestess crumbles to the ground in a pool of blood. ‘Burn the witches!’

^_^
 Loki pulled in a deep breath, his lungs ached with the loss of air but he held himself still and collected as he breathed slowly and deeply. The images and more that he could just sense off to the side in darker shadows flitted through his mind and he had to admit to himself that he had taken this from his friends.  Their minds would have broken under the weight of so much knowledge so fast. And all to tell them that they had been connected by much more than Lee’s impulsive choice some seventy years ago.Slowly straightening himself, Loki could feel Tom squirming around in the back of his consciousness. The obvious need to comfort Karl, to find Ben and then get the hell out of this place.  But he was no longer running this ship, Loki’s lips gave a slight twist of amusement before focusing back on this moment. No, Tom wasn’t the one best suited for this and Loki knew if there was a chance to get them out, all of them, he would have to be the one to do it. Rather interesting twist that was. The Universe, this and so many others, must be having quite the laugh. Locking eyes with The Nameless One, Loki’s narrowed. Understanding unfurling in his mind, they were all intertwined and these beings who believed in balance and order were unwilling to get involved beyond a simply push here or there.  They would interfere but would not intervene, he thought with a contemptuous sneer.  He was done with Their interference now, it would only cause more issues down the line.  No, it was time for them to go, his eyebrow raising slowing as he stared down his nose at The Nameless One.  As for their offer, he paused as the wisp of memory rose to the surface.  Home. Well that was a rather powerful incentive.  As well as bait.  But the ability to finally cross back to his world, his home.  That was something worth helping for.  But not for Them.  No, he would do it for these foolish mortals he’d come to call friends somehow.  The look upon the Nameless Ones face told him that she had heard his acceptance, the slow twist of her lips upward into a smile as her eyes glowed with a smug confidence though pushed him to breaking point.“Get out,” he coldly stayed. “Now,” he added when she simply continued to sit and stare. Letting the dark rage that lay under the surface of his polite mask to surface he leaned menacingly towards her. The old woman’s head tilted slightly to the side, one last long look before she gave a sigh and with a blink was gone. “What the ever-loving hell was that?!” Karl burst out his head swiveling back and forth from the now empty spot to Loki. Loki held up a hand as he surveyed the room quickly.  He instantly spotted the shifting shadow beings that surrounded them now, easily sorting the miscellaneous souls that had been caught up in The Moment those few years back and then the bright flares of the powerful souls that had started this all. If he hadn’t known what to expect he might have looked away thinking them light fixtures in this odd place.  But knowing all now and having some experience with magic and powerful beings, he recognized Alexi’s flame bright powerful for what it was. The fuel that mayhem and madness, The Great Darkness and Powerful ‘God’ Chaos, would crave so deeply. He would know having that same craving himself.  So that was what this all amounted to, he felt a weariness seep into himself.  Some powerful beings craving for more power. The reluctance that overcame him then was something rather unfamiliar in times like this and he recognized the competing energies for his attention, his allegiance. He had felt it, seen it even, in the visions The Nameless One had imparted to him. More of that unending tug of Chaos and Balance with mortals and lesser gods once more their pawns and playthings.“Hey,” Karl interrupted his thoughts and he slowly looked towards the other man. “Hey Loki, mate,” his voice a low rumble in club but still clear.  Karl burned with a deep inner flame, an amber to the cool sharp blue of Alexi but a compliment to Constance’s verdant green.  As they sat beside one another it was a please blur if their energies and Loki found himself relaxing and letting himself enjoy it. The sharp snap of fingers in front of his face though, quickly brought him out of the trance and he silently cursed at the simple trick that had taken him. Frowning at Karl who took his hand away quickly but was intently watching him. “Are you gonna tell me what the hell is going on or am I going to have to guess again?”Loki quickly surveilled the room before leaning close to the couple.  Reaching a hand up he let his fingers drift over the side of Constance’s face. Taking quick measure of her health and was relieved to see she was starting to return to herself. Sending a small pulse of golden energy at her, Loki looked up at his friend. “There is a battle for your souls and the inherent power you all care within you,” he answered blandly.Karl narrowed his eyes at him before giving a huff of frustration.  “Are you shitting me? Come on man! There’s been enough bullshit tonight, tell me the truth!”“You’ve seen a great deal tonight, Karl.  But you won’t believe this is a battle for your life?” Loki eyed him curiously.  He knew from experience the man had a limit to how much he could tolerate before refusing to accept any more, no matter if it was staring him in the face.Karl looked down at Constance who was rubbing her hands together as she stared at the table with a furrow between her eyes. “I know you’re right,” he admitted softly.  “I mean, what the hell?” The hazel eyes that met his suddenly were filled with worry and confusion. “You’ve been gifted with surprising amount of knowledge, my friend,” Loki tried to find a way to explain that Karl would accept without a great fight. “Your lives,” he stopped and pointed over his shoulder towards the other group of their friends.  “All of your lives have long been entwined. And this is not the first time you have battled this enemy,” he watched Karl carefully.The other man seemed to be taking this statement in as he wrapped his arm around Constance’s shoulder once more and pulled her back to him. “Yeah, I saw this place, and Constance only it wasn’t really her.  Hell, it didn’t even really feel like me even though I knew it was somehow.” “Yes,” Loki nodded his agreement.  “But there is more that connects you all then just that. Those days were just the most recent encounter.  And thanks to Lee apparently, the most profound as it’s brought you all here once more.”“So, what do we do now?” Karl’s eyes wandered the room and Loki wondered how much the man truly saw.Loki felt a thrill climb his spine at those words.  An inherent challenge that the other man hadn’t realized he’d tossed down. A slow wicked grin spread across his lips as an idea came to him.  “Well my friend,” his voice a low rumble. “Now we have a bit of fun,” he eyes bright and the razor wire danger sending his mind into a whirlwind.“Oh. I know that look. Mate, no, whatever you are thinking,” he stopped as Loki only looked even more manic.   “You sound like my brother,” Loki gave a roll of his eyes. “Don’t be so dull Karl,” the dark chuckle having the intended effect as he watched Karl raise a hand to his face and give a heavy sigh.Swinging his head towards the dance floor, he his teeth flashing a bright white in the dim light of the club. “I think it is time to bring a bit of havoc to this dreadfully boring plan.”  He looked at Karl and then to Constance, “get some water into her. She will be needed soon.” Giving her one more assessing look, “she is waking Karl. Yours will come with time I expect. If we live through this,” he smirked at the man.  “Comfort her for now. I shall return shortly and then the real work shall begin.” “Return? Wait, what? You can’t leave us?”Loki could feel the pressure behind his eyes, the presence of the man whose body he currently had control of and he refused to let go. The mortal simply wanted to comfort his friend and there was no time left for those things. Holding this thought in the front of his mind, he felt the mortal once more recede as he stood from the table.“I do not have time to teach you magic Karl, I’m sorry for that. But listen to your lover and trust me,” he said with a twist of his lips.  “We need you and what you can contribute. Hold strong to that and we may make it out of this. Possibly,” he gave a one shouldered shrug. “Now excuse me I have to throw a bit of question into the Agents work.”  His bright grin and the dangerous excitement of the moment taking hold before he disappeared.