No Man's Land (Private)

[WolfumsTheGreat]

Lizzie smiled up at Danny, glad that he could help, for he was tall and could see over the crowd, not that Sera was still in the marketplace anyway.
"Thank you," she told the tall man with a grin. She thought it odd how he knew about Sera and had met her though.
"Yeah, she's like that with all men. I was tryin' to help her break out of her shell, but that shell's tough," she giggled, knocking at her own head as if to show.
Sera had made it back to the underground vats only to find that they had closed for the day, something about inspection. This was actually why Lizzie was looking for Sera in the first place.

[Muffinsquire]

Danny only nodded, seeing Bowen off before he took to following after the young girl. She was young, cute, vulnerable, an easy target. He was sure that Sera wouldn't want her getting into any trouble and he didn't wish that for the young girl either.
"We can check around the market once more before heading in another direction," he suggested. "She might still be around and we just missed her."

[WolfumsTheGreat]

Lizzie nodded with a smile to Danny.
"Alright, do you want to split up? Or can I sit on your shoulders so I can see over the crowd?" Lizzie asked, wanting to sit on his shoulders. Actually, under Lizzie's cute cover, she liked hitting on guys, even guys up to twenty years older than her. In the perverted world that she had grown up in, although she was around ten, she knew all about guys. It wasn't uncommon for people up to twenty years of age difference to get married, so Lizzie had no problem hitting on older men.
"Your shoulders look very muscular. Can I sit on them?" she tried once more.
Sera had been told that Lizzie went home with one of the workers. She was told that she was going to spend the night with Caroline. Caroline though had allowed Lizzie to go off by herself to tell Sera. Sera, feeling utterly defeated that day started home. She couldn't believe that Lizzie would just leave without telling her. Did she really want to be rid of her that badly? She knew she was rather overprotective, and sometimes acted like a stick in the mud... but she did it out of love for the girl...

[Muffinsquire]

Danny raised a brow, peering down at Lizzie. He was most certainly old enough to pick up on her obvious attempts at being flirtatious with him, but in his opinion she was just a playful little girl, perhaps a little spoiled and ignorant. He just rolled his eyes, still smiling though before nodding.
"I don't see a problem with it," he said, scooping her up and setting her over his shoulders. "You'd probably be more likely to spot her anyway." He had only just met Sera the day before so, of course, he would still be unfamilar with her appearance and mannerisms.
They made a few rounds about the market before deciding to move on, Danny being instructed where to go by Lizzie who might know Sera's favorite spots better than he would.

[WolfumsTheGreat]

Lizzie led him around a little more, but finally Caroline spotted her. Lizzie sighed, knowing that she needed to go with Caroline. She told Danny to just let Sera know later that she was spending the night with Caroline. She thanked him greatly for his help, and before she was set on the ground, she kissed his cheek and played with his hair a little bit, letting her hands touch the back of his neck.
But once on the ground, she took Caroline's hand to walk to her shanty-town home.
Sera on the other hand had gotten back to the apartment only to find that she had locked the door and left her keys inside. Finally, with no one around, Sera broke down and cried. She leaned against the door, knowing that the landlord wouldn't be back until later to open her door for her. She held her face into her hands as she cried, but everytime she sobbed or cried out, she pressed her soaked hands against her mouth to shush herself. Nothing had gone right today and she felt as if she were slowly losing what she had. She felt like she was losing Lizzie, losing her job, and now, she had practically lost her keys.

[Muffinsquire]

Danny saw Lizzie off since they had ended up near the apartment. He thought her a little strange, but only guessed she was copying what she saw. His own little sister liked to try and be flirtatious at times. After making sure she was safely off with her friend he started into the apartment up to the room to help Bowen put things away and start up some lunch.

Meanwhile Bowen had been catergorizing all their groceries into the cabinets and icebox when he thought he heard heavy sobbing through the thin walls. He went to the door and peered out the peep hole to see if he could spot the source, then he heard heavy footsteps coming up the stairway. This situation seemed a little awkward so maybe whomever this was could take care of it instead.

Danny ascended the stairs, surprised to spot Sera crying on the floor. It was rather awkward and he didn't know the best course of action to take. He supposed the most confusing part was why she was sitting outside instead of doing this in her apartment. In any other situation, having delt with crying girls before, he would just give her her space, but he couldn't just abandon her on the floor, so in the end he knelt down beside her.
"What's the matter," he asked, not touching her but looking in her direction.

[WolfumsTheGreat]

Sera hadn't noticed Danny come up, probably because she was so loud in her own ears and slightly distracted. But whenever she heard Danny's words and watched him kneel down by her, she felt utterly mortified to be caught. She didn't know how to answer him. Why would she ever tell a man, let alone a stranger that she didn't know, why she was having an episode in the hallway of the apartment.
She sniffled a moment, trying to cover her mouth momentarily.

"I-I think I-I'm on the v-verge of losing my j-job, I think L-Lizzie i-is ge-tting t-tired of l-living with m-me, I-I c-can't p-pay my b-bills, a-nd I-I locked m-y k-keys in my ap-apartment," Sera finally answered him, figuring that just telling him would be better than just not answering him. She didn't like being rude to him, for he obviously was being nice. She had brushed him off several times, but he came to see if she was okay or not, so that certainly said something about his character.

[Muffinsquire]

"One of those days, huh," Danny inquired. He knew if there was one thing he was bad at, it was helping people feel better. He had learned this with past girl friends, but he really did try. "I'm sorry it's been so troubling for you."
He was quiet, considering for a moment any possible way he could help her. He supposed the floor was much too high to get into her apartment from a window, although he was more than confident he could pick her lock. He just didn't think she'd been to thrilled about that. He supposed it was worth a try. He fished in his pocket for a bobby pen, something he always kept on his person for these reasons specifically.
"Well...can I at least put your mind at ease at one point," he asked, as he moved around to the other side of her where her door handel was. While she was distracted he began prodding the inside with his bobby pin. "Lizzie came lookin' for you ac'ually. She wanted to tell you she'd gone to stay the night with a friend. I ran inta her on the way and we looked all over town." He paused for a moment to concentrate, certain he had almost had the door open. "But you shouldn't let yourself get so discouraged over her. I have a little sister, 'bout that age too. She's young, she's adventurous, she's ign'rant. They all have their phases. Sometimes you just have to let them get burned so they'll learn their lesson." With a brief click the door handel turned the the door came open.
"There," he said, before standing to his feet and offering Sera a hand. "She'll better learn to appreciate her blessin's in life as she gets older."

[WolfumsTheGreat]

Sera listened to Danny, but seriously didn't believe he would be able to open her door. She stayed on the floor, moping really while he tried to pick her door lock.
Whenever she heard the 'click' she lifted her head to see the door swing open and let out a small sigh. Why hadn't she thought of that? She was more than certain that she had bobby pins in her bag.
She didn't take Danny's hand though, but tried not to be too rude to him. She just wasn't comfortable with touching him.

"Thank you," she said softly, her eyes downcast, searching over the floor for a moment before peering to the open door. She had been told that Lizzie was staying with someone else whenever she went back to her job and met a few people she knew pretty well whom informed her.
She sighed softly though, not knowing what else to do in order not to make the scene too awkward.

[Muffinsquire]

"No problem," he replied, suddenly biting his bottom lip. It was a habit, something he did whenever he felt that maybe he had said too much and hadn't been very helpful. He tried to recooperate with something that was perhaps a little more practical. "Would you like me to make you some hot spiced tea," he asked. His mother had taught him a secret recipe to make it and it was normally what she made whenever someone was feeling down.
He stood away from her door anyway so she could just go in if that's all she felt like doing.

((tired...gone to bed...love you heart ))

[WolfumsTheGreat]

"I wouldn't want... to inconvience you..." Sera said very softly as she moved toward her door. "Thank you anyway... and... thanks for the door... and looking after Lizzie for me..." she said, moving on inside her door before he had the chance to retaliate.
Whenever she was safe within the confines of her own room she let out a sigh of relief.
Her door was shut and she could see, over on the table, were the keys she had left.

[Muffinsquire]

"Um...sure..." Danny replied as she disappeared. "Well...I feel dumb," he muttered to himself after a moment before taking a few steps down the hall in order to enter his own room.
But as soon as he opened the door he was met by a very ecstatic Brigit who leapt into his arms, sticking her furry face into his. Her robotic leg struck him hard in the shoulder, but she didn't mean any harm. Brigit didn't like being stuck inside all day without him, although she had been good and she hadn't made any noise except for a little mournful whining.
"I missed you too, girl," he chuckled before setting her down and closing the door.
"Who was that crying in the hall way," Bowen asked. He had finished putting everything up and had made himself something to eat by now.
Danny briefly explained what had happened as he bustled around the kitchen to make himself lunch as well.
"I would have helped," Bowen told him. "But crying women make situations awkward and I'm not very good with awkward situations. I thought it better to just leave her alone."
"I doubt I was any better," Danny assured his friend.

[WolfumsTheGreat]

Sera stayed in her room, fixing herself some hot milk, for that always made her feel better after she was upset. Lately she felt as if she had been in a permanent depression anyway. She hoped that it wouldn't last too much longer anyway. Maybe if Lizzie just went ahead and left to go live with someone else she would have an almost instant emotion lift. She thought this horrible that she thought this way, but perhaps it would be for the best.
She could hear talking, for normally, during this time of the day no one was in their normal apartments, so if anyone spoke, it was easy to hear. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but she knew who it was and probably what it was about as well.

Sera plopped herself on the couch, snuggling down to try and rest although she doubted she would rest. She tried, but in teh end, she felt guilty for just leaving Danny after he had helped her so much today without her really even realizing it. She got up and found the pot of stew she had made the previous day, but it was only half gone.
She warmed it up and then finally plodded on over to Danny's apartment and knocked on the door.

[Muffinsquire]

Danny had ended up making himself a sandwhich as well, since it was the easiest thing at the moment. When someone came knocking at the door his hands were full so Bowen moved to answer instead. Opening it, he readjusted his glasses and was a little surprised to see that it was Sera outside.
"Hello," he said. "Can I help you?"
"Who is it," Danny inquired leaning around the corner in order to see. He too was surprised to see Sera, actually expecting it to be Lady Trena, but he smiled. "Come in if you like."

[WolfumsTheGreat]

"Oh um... no ... no," Sera replied timidly. She held the pot forward to Bowen though.
"I um.. had made this yesterday, but Lizzie... doesn't really care for it... and I have more than enough. I thought... that you two might... could make good use of it," Sera told them very softly, waiting for Bowen to take the pot if he wanted it. She was already getting tired of eating stew and knew if she tried to finish off the pot by herself that she would end up getting sick.