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Reality Fault

Curiouser and Curiouser...

The picnic in the park is extraordinarily pleasant, doubly so considering Croaker's quiet and almost glowing joy. Diana's much pleased with her nice, long, leonine new tail, and has a great deal of fun playing with it, trying to tickle Jason or tease Croaker with it. Joe turns up later to give them their ride home, and is congratulatory to Diana, which also pleases her.

Beatrice, back at the bar, is delighted, and she and Diana hug, squeal happily at each other, and dart upstairs to see what needs changing in Diana's wardrobe. The three men are left downstairs in the dim, empty bar.

As Joe's slowly polishing the bar, the silver moon-phase bracelet on his left wrist gleams faintly in the dim light. Now Jason's looking, he notices a few other things too. The faint glow of a mark at the point of Joe's left jaw and, curiously, a small gold band on Joe's left ring finger. Joe nods quietly to Jason, "Glad you came along, son. You're good for her... and that's good for my honey."

Jason gives this amused look to Joe, leaning on the bar. "Your 'honey'?" he inquires, absently noting the ring but making no mention just yet.

Joe smiles calmly, "My wife, Beatrice. Is it so improbable we're married?" Croaker quietly pulls three beers and sets them up on the counter -- one for each man there -- then moves around the bar and sits on a stool to drink his. He can't seem to stop smiling quietly to himself. He gives one long, contented, gusty sigh... then sips his beer.

Jason blinks and is, in fact, most surprised. "I... I had no idea," he murmurs. "I thought... well, in fact I thought that you cared for her, but there was no..." he gestures vaguely, "Reciprocity. Of that kind."

Joe and Croaker both chuckle quietly, then Joe says, "How're you definin' reciprocity?"

"A relationship of the intimate kind. In fact, from what had been said I thought the charm was superficial only... that she'd never fed from you. Did I misunderstand?" Jason clarifies.

Joe looks at the bracelet, then smiles faintly, "Ah, that just shows who she needs for that phase of the moon. She's... unique that way. And whenever no one's available, I'm there to cuddle her." He and Croaker exchange a slightly rueful smile, and then he adds to Jason, "She needs lots of reassurin'."

Croaker rumbles, "Tell Joe your idea about a different... environment now Diana's almost ready to leave, Seer."

Jason folds his fingers together on the bar. "Croaker and I are... concerned, Joe. Diana's had to deal with a lot of negative energy from those she's been feeding from. I want to talk about... pursuing alternate sources. Sources that might be better for her." He explains carefully, watching Joe's reaction. Knowing that Joe's married to her... that changes things a little.

Joe leans his hips comfortably against the back of the bar, polishing a glass and thinking. He nods after a moment, "Yup, 's been worrying us both who she hangs with. Problem's how to convince her of that." That same small, rueful smile crosses his lips as he adds, "She's a very strong willed woman, and very determined to take care of her family. What're your suggestions?"

Croaker rumbles quietly, "Jason, I do not think Joe sees what she does as 'feeding.' I am not completely convinced he can 'see' -- he's simply very pragmatic and calm."

Jason spreads his hands. "As to what to do... for a start, I'd encourage her to be more social in generally friendlier environments. Forgive me, Joe, but... this isn't exactly a magnet for the sort of people we have in mind. You should consider taking her out to places and activities more oriented towards..." He searches for the words. "Lighthearted fun, I suppose, is the best way I can put it. But you bring a valid point... getting her to give it a chance is more problematic."

Joe nods, "I thought about asking Mike if we could come along to some of the plays and concerts he's been taking Diana to. When Beatrice is tense, though, it's hard to get her to leave the building sometimes."

Jason smiles ruefully. "Yes, well... I do have one thought about that... she's likely tenser now than she's been in a while because of recent events... I think maybe we need to encourage her into some 'quality time' right here at home to loosen up..." he explains. Joe and Croaker both look curiously at Jason, waiting for his suggestion.

Jason laughs. "What, do I need to spell everything out for you? A roman... oh, wait." He frowns. "She can't eat. Hmm. Okay, so maybe a candlelight dinner is out." His brow creases. "What does she like to do, anyway?"

Joe and Croaker look at each other, then think a bit. Joe murmurs, "Been a while..." Croaker nods, then rumbles, "Music -- she likes singing and dancing." Joe looks up at the sound of Croaker's rumble, watching Croaker form what appears to be AmSLan with his fingers, then nods, "Yep. Used to take her to the Starlight while it was still open. Hm... pretty dresses, being the center of attention... what else..."

Croaker sighs softly, murmuring, "She's been getting... a bit tireder recently. Harder to get her to go out. Used to walk the promenade with her in the evening, long while ago before Joe came along."

Jason Looks around. "So... we do it right here, then. Close the bar down. Put on the right music, the right dress... a little private time together." He smiles.

Joe looks up and around the dim, dusty bar, then says thoughtfully, "Well, now, this old place could probably use a bit of a face lift too, actually. It's been what, 10, 15 years since the last makeover?" Croaker tilts his head thoughtfully, also considering, then rumbles, "She might like redecorating, true. Perhaps some lighter colors of paint and some new fixtures..." He looks at Joe, still using sign language, and adds, "Will the books cover that?" Joe laughs, "Oh, yeah! They never buy anything for themselves. That might be just the thing, Croaker -- take 'em shopping! Ladies like that, right?"

Jason laughs. "It certainly couldn't hurt... and proposing a facelift would certainly be a good excuse to get her out of Dante's if the prospect of shopping wasn't enough."

Croaker and Joe grin conspiratorially at each other, and Joe cheerfully says, "Sounds like a plan, then!" Croaker laughs, and relates the story of the admiring young men playing frisbee out at the park, which makes Joe hmm thoughtfully, then pull out an old and battered leather-bound book to make some notes. When he's done he puts the book away and grins at Jason, "Son, think you've done us all a favor! Where you goin' to school?"

Jason smiles wryly. "Just UCSF... right now. We'll have to see where I land..." He looks at the door to the upstairs thoughtfully, absently wondering if he might need to give Beatrice a nudge in the right direction.

Joe chuckles, "Ah, I'm a Stanford man myself. Law." He catches the look and smiles, nodding towards the stairs, "Go on up. They won't mind." Croaker nods -- then gets a thoughtful look. A moment later he tosses back the rest of his beer, nods politely to Joe, and rumbles to Jason, "I'll come with you if you don't mind. I have something to show you." Jason blinks and nods, gesturing for the minotaur to lead on.

Croaker heads up the stairs and down the hallway towards the end, where unused rooms are. He glances into Diana's room (from which comes excited birdsong), and smiles, then opens the last door on the hallway and gestures into the room, "This is my room, Seer. We use it for storage. Is there anything here you'd like?"

The room is an archaeologist's dream -- or perhaps nightmare. One corner has a huge and ancient bed on the Persian-carpeted floor, complete with neatly folded quilts and pillows. Aside from that, though, the room is chock-full of things collected through the years, rather like a family attic which has been unemptied for over a century. Clothing in garment bags, antique furniture, rococo statuary, rolled up carpets and tapestries, boxes and boxes with a variety of identifying labels (everything from "table settings for 12" to "ugly jewelry from admirers")... the room is packed.

Jason blinks, looking around. "Do you have the Ark of the Covenant in here?" he asks half in jest, taken aback by the sheer mass of stuff."

Croaker apparently does not get the joke, as he considers for a moment, then rumbles, "I don't recognize that. I don't think so?"

Jason laughs. "Never mind... it's a generous offer, Croaker, but I'm not really a man of many possessions... well, except for my books," he explains, idly looking around at the different labels. "Unless you think Diana might prefer some more ornate... decoration?"

Croaker smiles and shakes his head, "They both have all they want from here, as far as I've seen." He pauses, looking oddly uncertain as he twines his fingers together, then adds slowly, "I... wish I had some thing, some way to thank you, Seer. You've given me my heart's desire, and -- and all I have to offer is material goods you don't really want or need. I... feel... feel I have somehow wronged you."

Jason blinks and rises to put his hand on Croaker's shoulder. "Good god, man, no... sometimes giving a gift is its own reward, Croaker. I gave you what you wanted out of compassion, not with any expectation of remuneration... never mind that Diana is not mine to give. All I did was... push you in the right direction."

Croaker sighs softly, his expression troubled... then finally just smiles slowly, "Then... I should return your graciousness by accepting your generosity graciously." He reaches one huge hand to lightly touch the mark on Jason's jaw line, and rumbles softly, "But still... if ever there is aught I may do to aid you, my lady's Seer... you have but to ask."

Jason shakes his head. "Just continue to look after Beatrice, Croaker... I have a feeling she's going to need you more once Diana's gone," he murmurs, and actually embraces the beastman. Croaker smiles contentedly, returning the hug with careful warmth.

Spending the night snuggling with Diana is a lovely and sensuous experience. Even though they're both tired, she still looks lovely, smells delicious, and enjoys herself gently running her hands, tongue, tail, and much of the rest of her body all over Jason -- which feels more wonderfully relaxing than anything else, oddly enough. Her soft, contented purr is rather peaceful to listen to, and she tends to lay herself comfortably all over Jason if he doesn't mind, with her head tucked up next to his. Curiously there doesn't seem to be any sexual 'pull' happening at all -- it's as if her system recognizes they're both tired, and is taking time to recharge. It's quite possibly the most relaxing, refreshing sleep he's had since childhood.

Jason is almost relieved that the night is less about sex, and more about just being together. As much as the first time had been wonderful, he can't afford to go missing another two days. It also gives him a chance to do something he's wanted to do since he started noticing girls: just to lay there and smell her hair. A woman's hair is generally very pleasing, even without shampoos or other treatments, and Diana's is even more so. Before finally succumbing to sleep, his hands wandered over her body continuously, as if memorizing it, that he might know it with his eyes closed...

There is almost no disconnect between dream and waking. Dreams, once a bastion of wonder and often strange joys, can almost not hold a candle to waking to that contented purr, Diana's body like a warm coverlet over him. He almost doesn't want to move, but his cell phone is protesting that it's time to get up, its alarm not unlike the succubus's birdlike speech, except far more piercing and annoying. One hand flops over and shuts it off... smiling, he brushes Diana's hair back from her face and bestows a kiss to her lips before gingerly trying to get out from under her...

Diana makes a small pleased noise at the kiss, then murmurs in faint protest as he starts to slide out from under her. She snuggles up more closely, nuzzling her face against his neck, then sighing peacefully. Jason makes an amused sound. "They have to invent a succubus crowbar or something..." he mutters, being a little more forceful as he slides one leg out and then the other, trying to worm away. If he's going to make sure their relationship is a healthy one, he's got to be able to resist her occasionally.

Her tail flips out and coils around his knee, the fluffy tip trailing higher along the thigh. Jason rolls his eyes... he's sure this would look awfully amusing to an outside observer. He should consider taping this and sending it to 'World's Funniest Home Movies.' "You're making me pull out the big guns, Di..." he warns her before his fingers dig into her ribs and start tickling!

Diana blinks groggily, making a small, "Oof!" sound, then mumbles, "Don' push, you c'n have th'covers!" She rolls her hips to lie by his side, loops one leg over his, then comfortably layers her upper half across his chest. Her hair cascades silkily across his face and she sighs contentedly again, running one hand slowly down his front... then purrs dreamily as she falls back to sleep.

Jason stares at the ceiling. "I bet Nightcrawler doesn't have this happen to him. What I wouldn't give to be a mutant teleporter..." he groans. Diana feels warm and soft -- and very unconscious again. Her tail twitches slightly in her sleep. It's a surprisingly erotic tickle against his skin. Jason muses, suddenly, the possibility of a frictionless pair of pajamas... but no, that would be bad, he'd slip out of bed. He groans, feeling that tail acting up...and then gets an idea. Reaching down, he feels for the tail... and gives the tip a firm rub, testing if it's still sensitive...

Diana purrs softly in her sleep, her fingers curling slowly where her hand is lying on him, low on his stomach. He can feel her warm breath on his chest, and her fingernails pressing gently against him for a moment before her hand relaxes again. Jason shakes his head. "Okay, that would be no..." He muses again a moment... and then tries to be all quick, suddenly lunging out from under her!

Just before he does so, the thought occurs to him that he could simply stay there, and Diana would doubtless do wonderful and naughty things to him when he woke up. Alternatively, he could stay and do wonderfully naughty things to wake her instead, which would doubtless lead to an extremely pleasant time to be had by all...?

Jason takes a deep, bracing breath. He wants to stay, but knows he really shouldn't -- it's a little too seductive an idea. A moment later he's out, the blankets tangled around him, on his hands and knees on the floor. Diana has flopped flat on the bed, one smooth arm falling over the side, followed by a silky cascade of ravens-wing black hair. She blinks groggily again, her golden eyes half open, and murmurs confusedly, "Jason? Whatcha doing, lollipop? You have a bad dream?"

Jason can't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of this situation. He shakes his head. "No, I'm just... trying to get to class..." he explains finally.

Diana's scarlet lips curl up in a slow, bemused smile, and she pushes herself upright enough to push that lovely rippling mane of hair back. The covers slide down a bit, revealing the long graceful curve of her smooth back. She yawns, her tongue curling out from between her fangs and extending a remarkable length, revealing its forked tip before it curls back into her mouth. Then she makes a small wistful sound, like a kitten, as she curls back up facing him, "Mmm... is it already time to get up, sweetie?"

Jason untangles himself and makes some effort to put the covers back in place, giving Diana another kiss. And another, just as a reminder of how tasty her lips are to get him through the day. "For me it is, love... the last few days have been magical, but I have responsibilities which need tending to now..." he replies, stroking her face.

Diana purrs contentedly, rolling to lie on her back to face him and curling an arm around his neck. At the second kiss he can feel her starting to respond warmly... and as he's stroking her face she pulls him closer, nuzzling against his cheek, her tongue teasing his ear. Jason's knees get weak, but he finally pulls his head back. "Later, gumdrop," he promises, half-teasing... it's a silly pet name, but as long as he's candy too...

Jason's classes seem to go without event: he's not teaching today, but several folks from the previous day, even those who aren't in his classes, seem to just 'happen' to bump into him, and ask after Diana -- one of them being the embarrassed born-again girl from the day previous, who doesn't speak to him but just turns scarlet and flees from his amused look. One lunch later, and a more thorough shower, and he sits on his bed pondering the last 72 hours. Fingering his cell phone, he finally lays back and speed dials Mike.

The phone picks up on the second ring, and in a slightly absent tone Mike says, "Yeah?"

Jason breathes a sigh of relief. "Mike... it's Jason. Are you free?"

There's a pause, then Mike says, "Jason! Yes, hold on..." Jason hears some typing noises, then Mike's voice again, "Okay, you got me. What's up? Everything okay?"

Jason suddenly giggles. "Yes? No? I'm not entirely sure... I feel like I'm living with my skin off, and I don't mind a bit..."

There's a moment of silence, then Mike says worriedly, "Jason, are you all right? You're taking time away from her, right?"

"Finally, yes... let me explain..." He then gives an overview of the last three days, including the first mark, Beatrice's revelation of him being a 'succulent,' and the night out and subsequent events, including the plan for Beatrice. He leaves out the dream, and only lightly sketches over what happened with Croaker at the park... the explanation is far too lengthy as it is, and it involves private things anyway. Mike is silent, listening carefully. He continues, "Meanwhile, my life is a little topsy turvy as I'm trying to arrange to become mobile... and I'm maybe a little nervous knowing now that I'm going to be a target no matter what I do... but it's better to know than not, hmm? Which brings me to a question: you don't have any idea if the supernatural is hurt by mundane weapons, do you?"

Mike is silent a bit longer... then he takes a long, slow breath. "Okay, Jason, you're not planning on attacking anything, are you?"

Jason snorts. "Oh, come on, Mike...who do I look like, Tom Cruise? I just... I guess I'd feel a little better if I felt I didn't have to depend on Diana for protection. It's not like I'm planning on changing my name to 'Buffy' or 'Van Helsing' or something..."

Mike chuckles softly, "Okay, just checking. To answer your question: no, I don't know if mundane weapons work, but I would guess not. However, I'm certainly willing to try tracers or armor-piercing bullets in the clips. Also, I'll be out your way in... about a week or so. From what Diana's said to me, she'd like to leave thereabouts."

Jason nods, staring at the ceiling. "I know... I'm calling in every marker I've ever had trying to expedite leaving the university. Any idea where we're going from there?" He pauses, then sits up, startled. "Wait... you have a gun?"

There's a smile in Mike's voice, "Yes; it's a nice large pistol with a bit of stopping power. And yes, I have a legal concealed carry permit. And also yes, I would be happy to show you how to use it. Past that though, no, I don't know where precisely she wants to go -- just that she wants to go eastwards, towards where she first remembers."

Jason is still hung up on this revelation. "Why would you need to... oh. Oh. Right, never mind... demonic dogs and all that." He waves it off, not wanting to dwell on it. "Where she first remembers... what, her home with her mortal father?"

Mike's voice is wry, "'Fraid so on the first, and I'm guessing yes on the second."

Jason plays with a chest hair. "Any idea what to expect? I mean, it's been a while, but... she's likely told you more of her past than me..."

Mike's silent a while, then says thoughtfully, "Not... really. My guess is she's going to try finding other supernaturals, try to talk to them maybe? Keep heading east and see if anything jogs her memory or she meets someone who knows something? I know she's very curious about how the supernaturals got here, although Beatrice hasn't really let her explore that... and I think she's hoping to find some like her, although that's speculation on my part. Why do you ask? Did she say anything noteworthy to you?"

Jason shakes his head, forgetting Mike can't see it. "No, that's the first I've heard of it... the only explanation I got had to do with too many content supernaturals in one area seeming to act like a magnet for others... with the implication that I might not be entirely human either..."

"'Content'? Hmm, I didn't get that -- just that enough adult ones draw attention, like putting enough magnets together pulls others toward them, until you get a real mess." Mike pauses a moment, then adds softly, "I... don't know about the incompletely human stuff, though -- that's a first to me."

Jason purses his lips, brow knitting at the tone in Mike's voice. "I don't think it's you, Mike... I'm special somehow, being more..." he makes a face, "-nutritious. It's not really a good time. I don't like the idea of being contested over that way."

Mike says quietly, "I suspect we're all going to be... 'touched' in one way or another. You just have it worse than I do... now."

"We'll figure this out together, Mike, I promise. All we've got is each other..." Jason assures the older man. He grins, "Meanwhile, you can worry about what Diana has planned for your first night here..."

Mike chuckles softly, although the humor sounds a touch forced, "Can't be any worse than my second wife. Aside from that, how're things going? It sounds like you're handling the strangeness well so far?"

Jason makes an amused sound... he has no idea. But he will. "I keep feeling like maybe I'm in delayed shock, and at some point it'll hit me and I'll become a raving lunatic. But there's nothing so far..."

Mike chuckles again, and this time it sounds more natural, "So far, so good, then. Okay, what can I do for you, aside from listen -- anything?"

Jason scratches his chin. "Actually, I was hoping you could give me more information about what you found out about Diana's father."

Mike sighs softly, "Uhm... well, actually I fibbed a bit to you. Remember how I told you people knew of him from over 50 years ago?" He waits for a sound of assent then says carefully, "They actually had record of him... from over one hundred years ago. If he's the one I think, he was recorded in the church files as being married there -- over a century ago."

"That would be consistent... Diana remembers San Francisco before the Bridge was built," Jason says evenly. "Anything besides that he lived? Like where, and how he died? Don't hold back, Mike; give it to me straight. I'm fumbling at a loose end here."

There's silence for a moment, then Mike says calmly, "All right, I can see we're going to have to trade information soon. But later. For now, Alu's father, let me see..." He's silent a moment, then continues, "Samuel Hezekiah Frasher, who I think was a Sooner. His family settled well outside of what we'd now call Norman, Oklahoma, and he's recorded as marrying a Beatrice Perdita in 1850, and having a daughter Alu Mikajah a year later. Um... what do you mean about loose ends, though? Is something worrying you?"

"Not worrying, precisely. But I hate untidiness, and I'm just trying to follow one of the Boy Scout Mottos... leave things in better shape than they were," Jason explains. "Now, what's a Sooner?"

Mike is silent for a long moment. Finally he murmurs, "Man, you're taking this a whole hell of a lot better than I did!"

"Mike, at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if Amelia Earhart showed up at Dante's right now. Besides, I didn't grow up with the same kind of trauma as you," Jason says patiently, smiling.

Mike laughs softly, then sighs quietly, "Okay. A Sooner... the US government sponsored several 'land rushes,' especially in the Oklahoma area. The most famous one was in 1889, but generally any settlers that sneaked in the night before to place their claims on the choicest plots, before the official land runs were opened, were called 'Sooners.'" Dryly he adds, "They were cheaters in the land lottery, in effect."

"Gotcha. So this Samuel fella put down roots about a century and a half ago, and appeared to wed our budding Beatrice. Now, here's the 64 dollar question: when did he pass on, and did you get a cause of death?" Jason muses.

"Uhm, yup... he's recorded as dying two years after Alu was born." Mike pauses, then says, "No record of the other two past the record of the marriage and birth, though."

Jason does feel startled now. "Only three years? I thought..." he trails off, brow knit. "Well, it could have been more than that, but not likely much... I can't..." He's silent again, musing over that. "Well, that puts things in perspective, doesn't it?" "Uhmm... yeah..." Mike hesitates, then adds, "I... think I found his gravestone, though. It listed his name and birth and death dates, and... and a single comment carved below that. I think... it was a bit blurry, but from the rubbing it looks like the comment was, 'Romans 5:20.'" Mike's voice gets blurry for a moment, "So I looked it up... moment... here we go." His voice is clearer now, "Romans 5:20: The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more."

Jason blinks. "That's about as clear as mud, Mike. Do you have any idea what that means?"

"Well, um, no. But from what I've been able to gather, their leaving him was... traumatic. Have you seen the blurry old daguerreotype? The one with the singed edge? Apparently there was a fire or something, and that was all they were able to save from the house. So... why would they not have time to pull more out of the house, you know?" Mike adds, "I'm hoping we end up in that area at some point. I'd like to do more searching."

"You're saying he died in a fire?" Jason queries.

"Nnoooo, not according to A- er, Diana. I'm wondering if the woman and the infant were driven out by the neighbors."

Jason rubs his forehead. "Wait, you're saying this was a rubbing that Diana had, not that you got yourself. And that it was damaged in a fire sometime after they left this Samuel."

Mike chuckles, "No, no, Diana has the daguerreotype. I made the rubbing off the gravestone." He's silent a moment, then adds quietly, "I've not yet quite had the nerve to show it to her and ask about it, though."

Jason says, "Wait... so what's the daguerreotype of? I don't think I have seen it..."

Mike's voice is quiet, "A couple... who appear to be very much in love. There's an older looking man with his hair going white, and a young woman... with wings. Bat wings. I'm pretty sure it's Beatrice. The curious thing is, if the rubbing is correct, when Samuel Frasher died he was only 24."

Jason is glad he's on his bed when he finds this out, as his legs go weak. "Good god. It happened that quickly? She never said..." He's speechless, then. He tries not to think of the implications for him: surely they've worked out the issues by now. But just pondering the ramifications on Beatrice... "It must have been hugely traumatic. She left him to save his life and he died anyway."

Mike sighs softly, "Yup."

Jason stares at the wall blankly. "I don't... I don't know if I can fix that, Mike. I thought it was something like this, but I never... I never guessed..."

There's silence for a moment, then Mike says quietly, "Fix what, Jason? You can't change the past. Don't saddle yourself with that."

"I know I can't change the past, Mike. But Beatrice is going to have another blow to her system, and I've got to do what I can to cushion the blow. She's had Diana for over a hundred and fifty years, Mike... without her, what's she got left?" Jason says plaintively. "To live forever... now there's a hidden punishment if ever there was one."

There's silence for a long while on the phone, finally followed by a quiet, "Crap. I didn't think of that." A moment later he snaps his fingers, "Phone! We can get them both cell phones."

Jason nods. "That is a good idea, Mike, to keep them in contact... but it's more than that. Diana's been an ameliorating influence on Beatrice. Kept her in touch with... well, her humanity, for lack of a better word. But she's... well, to use a metaphor, she's been eating unheathily. To save herself the pain of losing those she might care about... to her feeding, or simply to age, she chooses vile examples of the male gender to feed off. But like begets like, Mike... it's the equivalent of living off Big Macs. Worse, because it's an emotion she's feeding off... some of these men have spite and cruelty and all the worst possible personality types she could have chosen. That's got to be affecting her... changing her in ways she isn't even aware. Is it any wonder she's disdainful of humanity?"

Mike murmurs dryly, "Man, don't go starting out with anything small and manageable, okay?"

"I didn't start this fire, Mike... but that doesn't make it any less my responsibility. She's family now," Jason says firmly. He pauses, then adds, "You're family too. Do you think I'd do any less for you?"

Mike draws in his breath... then says slowly, "You're... really into this now, I take it." At Jason's question he's silent a moment, then answers just as slowly, "I... Jason, I... don't know what to say. Yes, I'd do as much for you, but... Diana's at least part human. I don't really know Beatrice, but what I've seen was... pretty terrifying. Honestly, I'm glad we're getting Diana away from her without her getting angry about it. I'm usually quite willing to face my fears, but Beatrice is a whole 'nother category of frightening. Have you seen her knock people down?!"

Jason abruptly realizes he hasn't told Mike the whole story. "I've... I've felt it, Mike. I almost didn't come back from it," he says softly.

Mike sounds incredulous, "You've felt it, and you still hang around her?!"

Jason groans, falling back on the bed. "Mike, no it wasn't... I just caught the fallout. One of her regulars was acting like a complete ass -- he is a complete ass, and more -- and Beatrice was so torqued she unloaded on him, and I wasn't smart enough to let Diana shield me..."

Mike murmurs, "Holy crap." His voice sounds rueful, "You're either the bravest or the stupidest guy I know, Jason. Sorry."

Jason chuckles wryly. "I think I'm a little of both, Mike... but what happened only drives my point home. She's a ticking time bomb, and I've got to do what I can to defuse her. For the sake of innocent people, for Diana's sake... hell, for the sake of my own conscience. I have got to try and turn her around. There's no one else that can."

"What about Joe? Or Croaker? Well, okay, not Croaker -- he won't cross her."

"I'm already setting things in motion with Joe... but that's not enough. He loves her, and that means he doesn't see the inherent danger, and won't till it's too late. If anything, the fact that she scares me works in my favor... I won't forget what's at stake," Jason explains.

Silence... then Mike says slowly, "Okay... what are you going to do, then?"

"That, I'm still trying to figure out. For a start I want to try and get Beatrice out of the club. She needs to find better... partners, and she won't do that at the club. It's like working at a fast food restaurant, for her," Jason explains. "Joe's planning on renovating the club, which will be an excuse to have her go out and mingle... from there, the trick is to steer it right, mingle with the right people."

Mike sounds thoughtful, "Well, I'll help however I can, Jason, but how long is this going to take? We've only got a week, maybe two, tops."

"Well, obviously we can only set things in motion. And we can't stick around to monitor it... but maybe, just maybe, we can set up a positive domino effect that Croaker and Joe can keep going." Jason muses, remembering his earlier thought about having a conversation with Beatrice. "But maybe I need to give more than a little nudge..."

Mike says immediately, "Jason, be careful, guy. Diana will be devastated if you get hurt by her mother, and Beatrice has a short temper."

"Mike, she's put her mark on me now. Beatrice should know if she hurts me that Diana will know too... and I think it should be clear to her by now that I'm more than a passing craze. I'm completely safe... I think." A seed of doubt wells up in Jason's brain. "Besides... I'm not going to attack her. The trick is positive reinforcement, not negative reinforcement..."

Mike sighs, then says, "Well... okay. Remember, though -- the marks aren't shields. So... what's your planned positive reinforcement?"

Jason snags his phonebook from the table, the flimsy idea he had from earlier becoming a roaring flame. "Reinforcements," he asserts, grinning fiendishly. "I'm going to see if I can make my newfound fame work for me..." He starts flipping through pages and circling names...

Mike says dubiously, "'Newfound fame'...?"

Jason chuckles. "Let's just say a friend caused quite a stir when he found out about Diana... I'm a hot topic on campus now..." He circles Alan's name and puts stars on it. "Croaker will have to look the other way, but that should be easy..."

Mike is starting to sound warily amused, "Jaaa-son? What are you planning...?"

Jason can't stop grinning now. "If Mohammed won't come to the mountain, I bring the mountain instead..." And he starts to outline the plan...




Last modified: 2006-May-08 18:17:17

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