Welcome to Gaia! ::

Sleep? What was that? Anya surely had no real clue. Since both of her parents had gone missing the girl had barely left the manor, instead opting to go through every single data packet that her father had collected on everyone. Criminals, heroes, it didn’t matter. Someone was responsible for the disappearance of every single one of them. She had thought perhaps they had been thrown into another dimension, but still things like that left a trace and no matter how minute the residual residue might be… a Wayne would always find it. Currently she stood pacing in front of her father’s super computer a mutter escaping her, incoherent, near garbled. Most likely it was so quiet because she was cursing under her breath. ”Run it again. All of the files. Run them again.” Her voice held no inflection of emotion, anger or otherwise but Anya actually felt distressed. Her father never left without telling her where he would be off too. At first she had thought that perhaps he had just decided to go break up some drug ring or something of the sort but hearing that other people were missing? No, none of it was right and that bothered her immensely. Anya liked to know exactly where everyone was and what they were up too. She was more her father’s daughter than she would ever admit. The computer seemed to grumble at her before it obeyed her command and began to run through its sequences again.

She would have been more than satisfied to sit there for another twelve hours if the intercom hadn’t buzzed. “Ms. Wayne, you were supposed to meet Mr. Queen today weren’t you?” Of couse what Allen would hear was a soft groan escape the woman via intercom. She hated going out but she knew that if she didn’t keep Alex on his toes then his mind would drift to darker thoughts. She couldn’t let that happen to him, he was the closest friend she had… okay he was the only friend she had but he had been all she needed all these years. ”Yes Al, thank you. I’ll drive myself today.” She had turned off the intercom then and had slumped in the large chair that had served as her father’s for so many years. She had never felt so damned lost before, she had never wanted to see her father as badly as she did right that moment. ”Don’t know what you got, till it’s gone.” She spoke those words quietly as she stared at the computer processing the data over again. After a few long moments she stood up and headed towards the elevator that would lead her to the upper floors of the manor.

She took a hot shower, those slender shoulders slumping slightly as she found herself unwinding beneath the powerful pressurized water spout, it was like a mini massage honestly. It was almost enough to ease the tension in her body… almost. Too bad Anya was so wound up right now. She was good at hiding it but those who knew her best would notice it. She’d dried her hair, allowing soft curls to fall almost carelessly over her shoulders, (likely the only part of Anya that was allowed to be free and unconfined.) before she’d wandered into her walk-in closet to peruse her selection of clothing. Alex would have a fit if she wore business attire and he’d about had a heart attack at her last choice of ‘casual’ clothing. Frustrating boy. If she didn’t care for him so much she might have just dropped him off a bridge herself. She was pretty sure he wanted to throw her off a bridge from time to time. ”Dress down Anya. Something that won’t have him trying to throw me in lopsided watermelon shirts or awful baggy khaki’s” Sigh. She’d picked through the massive closet before coming to a few articles of clothing she had that weren’t too bad… at least not in her opinion! Finally she selected a pair of dark brown jeans, which were paired with calf high beige boots, a white tank top with a cream colored jacket and a few random accessories and she was good to go! Sure Anya didn’t really get the concept of everyday casual but she was trying! She’d snatched up her phone on the way out of her room and fingers were flying over the flat surface as she typed a quick message to him.

To Alex:
From: Anya
Lost track of time.
Still alive.
Meet where? –A

”Al! I’m heading out. Don’t wait up!” She knew he would. He always waited for her. He was a Pnneyworth and they took their jobs seriously! She had headed out the front door to where her Lamborghini Murciélago sat waiting for her. If there was one thing she and her father had in common it was the love of their toys. Be it gadgets, cars, boats or any other item that they deemed fun. Not planes or helicopters though. Anya preferred to keep her feet planted firmly on the ground. She’d zipped down the winding drive and towards Gotham City. It was usually a decent drive, but Anya loved the curving roads and couldn’t help but gradually put her foot upon the pedal, a slight smile as the thrill of excitement coursed through her.

Though she hadn’t taken up a life of fighting crime like her father, she was surely just as big of a danger seeker as he was.

It was hard to maintain any sort of clarity when everything else seemed so dismal… shy had stared at her phone for a long moment as she willed herself not to break it, she could almost hear the plastic cracking under pressure and finally she just relaxed and placed the poor piece of technology back down on the table. She didn’t quite trust herself to pick it up just yet… palms had gone to rest upon her lap and she shifted slightly before she glanced about. It was half tempting to just grab her food and go. This place was getting rather crowded and Shy… well she didn’t do well in small cramped spaces… Her brows were knit in thought her fingers twining through a lock of red as she found herself starting at the table.

Her thoughts were definitely elsewhere when the scraping of a chair being pulled back and a voice met her ears. Sorry to bother… startled blue-green eyes had risen to stare into hazel ones. For a moment it looked as if she couldn’t comprehend what he was trying to say. Had she taken his usual chair? Did he want her to move? Her mind felt absolutely slow and she had no idea as to why. He didn’t want to come off as one of those guys? There was a look of confusion that marred delicate features. Mostly because she didn’t know what sort of guy he was talking about, most of the men she knew were rough n tumble, hard working and honest.

Stunning. Her head had actually tilted slightly, mouth pursing a bit before she… looked behind her as if wondering who he was talking too. Thankfully he had kept the thought of wings to himself as Shy would have probably been a bit freaked out… considering. “A.. uhm.. are ya talking to me?” That southern drawl that betrayed where she was from had escaped and she had cleared her throat softly as eyes met his own once more. It wasn’t that Shyana was not used to being called stunning or beautiful…. It just usually only happened when she was done up in makeup and posing in some ridiculous outfit. People generally judged her by her work, not by what she really looked like.

She appeared a bit flustered as she realized that he was talking to her and those eyes were once against peering into his own. They said that eyes were the window to the soul and she half wondered if who ever came up with that quip was correct. There was just something about him that spoke volumes. His smile was disarming, his nature open and fairly down to earth. His nervousness suggested that he didn’t go off flirting with just any girl who happened to be sitting by herself and a quick glance around told her that she was not the only woman without a companion here, the fact that a city boy was sitting in front of her giving her compliments? Yeah color her surprised.

He was continuing… sorry not sorry, sorry… sounded better in his head and finally the corners of her mouth had curved upwards, a sweet smile offered that blush deepening a bit, she didn’t want him to feel any more awkward so she spoke finally... “My name is Shyara, friends call me Shy. It’s nice to meet ya.” She had offered her hand to him at that moment and if he took it he would notice a firm grip, an underlying strength hidden behind a gentle façade. She was strong, even if she did not look it. “I’ve been in Gotham for a few months, learned that this was the best place for breakfast other than home of course.” She actually preferred to cook, but it got lonely doing the same thing by alone every day. Of course she didn’t embellish on that as she had just met him.

As if on cue one of the servers brought her muffins, burrito and coffee and she’d thanked the lady. This was actually a far smaller meal than what she’d eat on the ranch but she almost felt as if she over-ate here. Nearly all the women she saw barely ate and when they did Shy noticed that they always seemed to be unable to finish their meals but still had a look of hunger about them.. She’d leaned in towards James then, her voice soft. “Tell me somethin’… why does everyone I order food from look at me like I’m eating a whole cow by my lonesome?” She never understood the concept. To be fair the woman never had problems with weight, she was simply well built.

She wasn’t sure what the protocol in this town was for eating when your guest had no food so she’d slid a poppy seed muffin towards him, a little smile upon her face. “Where I’m from everyone gets something, no one goes without at least a small meal when coming to our table.” She was distracted a moment later by her phone trying to skitter across the table as a text message came in and she’d grabbed at the phone quickly, a flicker of hope in her eyes... maybe it was her mother?? She scanned over the message quickly, that flicker of hope dying out. Not that it was terrible news, one of their prized mares had given birth and their foreman had wanted to give her the good news... a quick thank you had been typed back to him. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me. My horse gave birth and the foreman wanted to let me know.” Still… it took a moment for her to place the phone down as gently as possible. “I keep rattlin’ on, goodness if my head weren’t screwed on it would just take off some days I swear. “

She had decided to focus upon her muffin for a moment. “It’s poppy seed. It’s not bad but homemade ones are better… along with pancakes, bacon and sausage links. My mom always said that a big breakfast would keep you full of energy for the start of the day…” She sure talked a lot when she was nervous didn’t she??

She was pacing… mostly because he was late, and when he was late it usually meant bad things. Red tinted mouth pursed slightly as she leaned over to blow out a few candles that had been lit and were now burned down to stubs. It wasn’t like him to not at least call her. Heeled shoes took her towards the center of the mansion the clicking of her heels sounding rather lonely in the large place, her arms wrapping about herself in a hug. She felt… lonely, when he wasn’t around. It was almost as if some darkness came to swallow her up and Alex was that light that kept it at bay. It bothered her that he made her feel so… human… no.. human was the wrong word. Vulnerable… her need to have him near was almost addictive. Like he was her personal drug though… Anya would never admit it to him directly. The girl was extremely stubborn when it came to matters of the heart… and while Alex clearly had it in the palm of his hands… he didn’t know it… and she refused to admit it.

He was her closest friend, currently her only friend… one made when she was a stupid teenager who was trying to prove that she didn’t need her daddy’s help. She hadn’t, because he had been there to catch her each and every time that she stumbled or fell. Their first meeting had always left an impression upon her, the way his fingers brushed against her lips to silence her as she stubbornly told him that she could handle anything. He had silenced her in one move and she had been far to startled to even protest.

She had been a stupid girl that he had managed to keep out of trouble more than once… and then she had turned herself around, leaving the streets behind and joining a very relieved father at his side. She had become a shining example of a bad girl gone good, even if no one but herself and her father knew it… and she had been fine for a time.. her thoughts often going to her guardian angel, but her place no longer in the slums of Gotham.

The surprise had been on her though when he had simply walked back into her life as the son of one of her father’s very good friends. Alexander Queen… oh the recognition was there but she hadn’t confronted him until they were alone and walking the gardens away from the loud party that ensued within. She had sputtered and fumed at him and once again those fingers were upon her lips, his body leaning in close so that their brows nearly touched. “Shhh.”

Anya knew what it was like to have a heartbeat then, because hers was hammering so loudly that she thought… she was almost sure that he would hear it and tease her about it! He said nothing more though, only that it was a secret and that he trusted her to keep it… and she would. It took Anya a moment to escape her thoughts, her head tilted slightly as she listened. Still nothing. “Oh Alex… where are you?” A mutter. The food had definitely gone cold and she thought perhaps he had simply gotten busy with his… other job. She was climbing the sprawling staircase after a few moments, a look to her right giving her view of the wing that her father usually stayed in. He was gone though; she hadn’t heard from him in a few weeks, his tracker had gone offline. She hadn’t a clue what to think of that. She moved towards the left wing. It was her place of privacy and calm, and she’d shut the doors behind her before fingers moved towards the intercom on a wall. “Al. Please clean up the dining room. I think my guest has cancelled upon me.”

She wasn’t angry, no… but the concern was there. She’d gone towards her bedroom, fingers moving to struggled with the zipper at the back of her dress. It hadn’t been anything too showy or flirtatious, but it was well tailored and fit her nicely. She’d left the dress on the floor and wandered to the closet to pull out a long black shirt. A little “hmph.” Escaped her then and she’d wandered towards the doors leading to her terrace which were opened to let in the cold breeze. She’d turned her back to the doors then and fingers were sliding over a shoulder, a smattering of freckles touched. “Anya Wayne security code 47322, archives journal 172. ‘He is absent tonight and it bothers me more than I like to admit.’ End.” She’d add more to it later of course but for now that would do. She had picked up her phone to check it for messages. Nothing. She had already sent him a few herself but… he hadn’t responded, and her phone calls had gone straight to voice mail. He must have had a pretty crazy night. He never left Anya hanging.

Eyes had glanced towards the clock. 11:07. A soft sigh then as she grabbed at a pack of cigarettes on her desk and headed back outside to sit on the balcony. She was trying to quit really, but with Bruce gone and the amount of stress she was under… well... old habits die hard sometimes.

He had brushed off her comment about dying and Anya felt that sinking sensation. Jokes like those really bothered him. She should have known better. While losing her father had been difficult enough, Alex finding his parents after so many years of living on the streets and then losing them again had been devastating. There were sides of Alex that not many were allowed to see, in fact they were extremely alike aside from the way they coped with everything. Family was everything to them and protecting those they loved came above all else. Alex had thrown himself into his only outlet for the anger and depression he felt. He fought. He fought a fight against people who would take advantage of their city while other heroes were snatched away while Anya threw herself into her work in her laboratory trying to figure out how and where their parents had gone. She’d taken his hand and his fingers had laced with her own. “I’m sorry Alex. It was a poor joke.” Her words were soft, her fingers squeezing his own gently even as he tried to protest his injuries. Yeah, Anya was one of his more observant friends.

They were in the bathroom shortly and he made his mom comments which she brushed off because it didn’t bother her to be compared to someone as outstanding as his mother. She had known Alex for years and it wasn’t until recently when he had spent the night that he had let her see the extensive scarring on his frame. He hadn’t spoken of the when, how or why and she hadn’t asked, but she had memorized each scar. She would know when a new one showed up…

“Should I get a cute little nurse outfit for moments like these?” It was her retort in an effort to bring his mood back up. She never really liked seeing Alex upset or down. When their parents had been physically present things might have been a bit more awkward due to Bruce not wanting his daughter dating…. Well anyone, but all in all their families were close. Bruce trusted the Queens enough to let their son actually be around Anya. Occasionally she was able to spend time with other JL kids but those were far and few between. Perhaps it was the economical circles they ran in that made it more possible. Who knew?

“I know who her parents are. Everyone has the opportunity to break free from the molds they are forced into. Arleen… “A shaking of her head… Anya knew that it was easier said than done. The children of the villains who had plagued Gotham for so long probably had it worse than most. How could the combat being thrown into such a dismal upbringing? A biting of her lip for a moment before she spoke. “Is there any way to help them?” Arleen’s mother had been rehabilitated once upon a time. She had been released from the asylum… but had been put back in there shortly after because of people and their terribleness. It had brought the monster back out of Harleen. Some days it just seemed so hopeless. She had finally just moved on to ask about poison and Alex eased her mind. No, no poisons. “It seems to be a clean shot. Went right through which is good as… I don’t want to dig another bullet out of you just yet.” She was hurting him a moment later with the antiseptic and she’d placed her free hand upon his face for a moment, almost as if she were trying to sooth him, though she’d removed it a moment later to continue her work.

His name escaped her lips before she even realized what she was doing, and they way she said his name… his hand was suddenly upon her own, which caused startled hazel eyes to raise and stare into his own, the blush was definitely there and she’d ducked her head in an attempt to hide it. “I… can’t lose you.” She had blurted that out suddenly. “I-I mean… you’re my best friend. I would be lonely.” Yeah Anya, super lam reasoning and Alex could probably read right through her attempt at stonewalling him but… too bad! She’d never admit anything!

“It’s good public relations for the Queen Industries and Wayne Enterprises. We have to maintain a show that nothing is amiss. If we don’t it could cause discord.” Most thought that Bruce Wayne was on safari in another country and had left Anya in charge of the family business while he was off traveling the world. A test of her leadership capabilities to run and maintain Wayne Enterprises if something should happen. At least… that was the story that had been released to the presses, which thrust Anya in to the spotlight… which was something she did not enjoy. She was smiling a bit at his complaints but she knew he would relent.. which he did moments later. [ “I’ll make it up to you. Anything you want… except for me putting the dress back on…” She was leaning up to kiss him on the cheek then and raising from the bench to head downstairs after casually mentioning her dress.

Al of course awaited him at the bottom step. “As you wish Mr. Queen. Have a good evening.” There was a slight pause in the android before he looked towards the blond. “She worries about you.” Al had been built by Bruce in an effort to keep Alfred with them always though he had built the android Alfred had insisted that he be allowed to help with the programming which allowed for a far more humane artificially enhanced intelligent life form. Nearly human, only machine. As he padded in to the kitchen Anya beamed up at him. “Yes I did, I’ve been spending time learning how to cook. I was thinking of opening a restaurant. I mean… It could be a good place to spend our time between the club , here, your place and the lab… oh and the office.” Anya really did have a full plate when it came to her responsibilities from her business currently.

His had had gone to rest upon her lower back, his mouth finding hers briefly, and she couldn’t help but lean upwards into that kiss for a moment. Of course she had told him about her plans to race a moment later and the frustration upon his face and his withdrawal from being near her had been immediate. “I’m not... trying to upset you Alex. It’s just that I haven’t raced in six months. I can withdraw from it if you really want me too.” Her brows had knit together slightly and she found herself chewing on her lower lip. He had told her she could race a moment later, though under his terms. Sure he was being a bit.. over dramatic about the whole thing but… “We could find something else to do that weekend… together if you want. I mean… I can always race another time.” It wasn’t like Anya didn’t have a lead foot as it was. Because she did! She would drive fast no matter where she was… race track or the curving roads that led from the manor to the city…. Perhaps she was feeling a bit selfish. She couldn’t very well turn the tables on him, after all when he put himself in a dangerous situation it was to protect the city… not to get some sort of adrenaline rush…

It was the heat that woke her, along with the door to her room shutting. The good doctor had left for the morning and Isa simply sat up in her bed that creeping bit of panic slipping its way into her heart. Hot. It was too hot in here, to be fair the temperature could be 50 degrees and Isa would only be content. She loved winter and the cold immensely. Summer was her worst nightmare, and her nightmare was here. She could feel the sweat upon her forehead, and she shivered uncontrollably before she threw the thin sheet off of her. It felt as if the air conditioner was broken in her room. Yet again. Her hand had swept out to touch upon a gel ice pack, it squished beneath her fingers, but the feel of it was cooler than the rest of the room. It would have to do for now. That cool blue plastic was held to her throat for a moment, giving her temporary relief from the heat, though she knew it wouldn’t last long. There was really only one option right now for her. Isa slipped out of her bed and wandered barefoot towards the bathroom, a quick glance about let her know that she was indeed alone. Isabelle generally refused to get out of bed unless the room was empty. She didn’t like people that she did not trust about in the same vicinity as herself.

She left the bathroom door open and moved towards the bathtub, there was no hesitation in plugging the tub and turning on the cold water. No hot water necessary. In this heat any bit of warmth would be shunned by the pale complexioned woman. A bit of jasmine had been added to the mix and she was returning to the bedroom she shared with Dr. Noella to choose her outfit for the day. Something light and airy… the last thing she wanted was to be hot and miserable. She foresaw this happening but she didn’t want to add to her aggravation at all. She’d stood in front of the closet on her side of the room and stared for a while a slight slanting of that mouth in a frown. She would have been content in staying in her room all day in the most minimal of clothing possible to stay cool, but no. Being overly anti-social in this place only got you in trouble. There was no way that Isa was going to spend hours in therapy discussing why she did not want to leave her room. Eyes had finally landed on an outfit that was acceptable to her. A lace over shirt that would pair nicely and discreetly enough with her undergarments, a pair of lace high waisted shorts and some leggings, she’d top it off with a sun hat and a pair of shoes. It was enough to keep her protected from the sun but not restrict any sort of cool breeze that might soothe the crappy weather this place was currently going through. Mentally she was counting down the days to winter.

She had finally snapped out of her thoughts about winter and grabbed her clothes to set them upon her bed. Surely the bath had finished filling by now. She actually couldn’t wait to get in it and just soak before scrubbing off in a cold shower, she was tempted to take a look at the thermostat to see if it had been turned up but she had a feeling that no matter what she wanted it wouldn’t happen, regardless of what her condition was.

She wanted to clear her mind and the best way to do that was to get her morning ritual done. Generally submerging one’s self in frigid water caused shock or discomfort, but Isabelle felt comfortable and at ease. If she could she would lay in the miniature pool of water all until she was forced to get out. She’d stayed in her bath until the water no longer felt cold to her, her temperature had dropped, adjusting to the degree of the water she had been settled in, and finally with a sigh she had pulled the plug, the sound of the water draining meeting her ear. On to the shower then, another cold and brisk spray of water over that slender frame as she scrubbed herself clean. That one did not take too long as she realized she was seriously wasting quite a bit of time. She had turned off the water and toweled dry before pulling a robe over those slender shoulders and heading into the bedroom, long platinum strands would be woven into a loose side braid before being tied off with a bit of ribbon. Did she feel like make up today? She had scrunched her nose before shaking her head at her reflection in the mirror. Nope, not today. Sunscreen, clothes and her iPod and she headed out the door.

She had to head to the kitchen. Not the ginormous one that everyone and their mothers went too, but the small communal kitchen that was barely used on their floor. She waited patiently for one of the aides to check her into the small space and she’d grabbed a yogurt and a container of pre-sliced fruit before settling at one of the tables. Isa had a grocery store deliver her preferred choices of meals weekly. Someone told her that she was well off once. Apparently it was true as anything Isa was allowed to have and wanted… she got easily. She never asked where the money came from, and the flow of it never seemed to cease so she never really cared.

It was quiet here in the communal kitchen and she liked that. There was no telling what Isabelle would do today. Likely she would search out one of the trio later on. Definitely avoid the girl who kept claiming to be her sister and stay out of the way of the staff. Vision had moved to a small soft lunch box that had her name printed in bold lettering on the side. She’d have to fill that with her ice packs as well. One of the nurses had always been thoughtful enough to make sure that the freeze was loaded with ice packs for the young woman, and getting chipped ice or some sort of frozen item to chew on throughout the day was as easy as visiting the main kitchen. She enjoyed her moment of solitude as she had her breakfast but ultimately decided that she should make an appearance in the main areas of this place.

Brows knit as she considered her options. She wasn’t sure who was up yet, or where everyone else was at this hour… even at this hour she knew it would be hot and she knew that being outside was out of the question. It was half tempting to sneak into one of the walk in freezers and stay in there as long as possible but… she knew that wasn’t a real option. If one of the staff found her she’d likely be in deep s**t and she did not feel like having to deal with that either! “Sometimes I feel I’ve got to run away, I've got to get away from the pain you drive into the heart of me. The love we shared seems to go nowhere and I lost my light for I toss and turn I can't sleep at night.” Her mouth had opened and the lyrics had escaped before she even thought of it. Running away from this place and heading to the Northern climates of snow and solitude seemed so tempting. She wasn’t even sure why she was interred into this place. So her memory wasn’t too great and she had a few issues but really... who didn’t? She wasn’t dangerous or anything. “Yeah Isabelle, keep convincing yourself. Maybe everyone else will actually believe it too.” A quiet huff as she stared at her the empty containers that once held her food. She was stalling and she knew it. Slowly she got up from her seat and threw her rubbish away; she filled her bag with her icepacks and then signed out of the kitchen. For now Isa would just wander around and try to find a cool temperature area to spend her next few hours in.

Moving in? It had been easy, because Charles had taken care of everything. It was something he always did…. He took care of her… he always had. The room they shared looked like some five star hotel meant for celebrities and consulates... and bed so soft that when you lay upon the mattress it was as if you were lying upon air. She had been silly giggly when she had been offered the job at Citricos and Charlie had picked her up and spun her around before placing her on her feet gently. He had told her to pack up her things because she was no longer going to be staying in the small apartment they had rented in town while she had waited for news on the job.

It had taken a bit due to clearances and all, and she missed Charlie during his work weeks. The weekends were something she looked forward to while he was working up at the asylum. She had spent most of her weekdays working part time as a dance teacher for a small ballet school. It gave her a bit of money and kept her busy while he was away. Not that she wanted for much. Charles made a very good salary at the asylum; it was a huge change from all of the scraping by that they had done. Now though, with both of them working for a decent salary and free room and board things could only get better in her opinion!

Victoria woke up slowly, slender body stretching beneath the coverlets. Her arm had stretched out towards where Charles would usually be only to find the bed empty… Instantly those delicate features scrunched into a bit of a pout… she hated waking to an empty bed. It was early, the sun not even peeking over the mountains yet. Fingers had moved downwards and towards her left leg. It was aching today… a frown had worked its way onto her face. She would not let this bring her down. Nope! She was going to have a wonderful day today…. It was after all her first day on the job technically. She had spent the last week or so signing paperwork and preparing her room and office for the start of her work week, Charles also spent some time showing her around so that she wouldn’t get lost. He had been so helpful to her really. Half the time she wondered what she would do without him.

The door to their suite had opened suddenly and Victoria turned towards it… her entire face seemed to light up as he came through the door balancing a tray. Breakfast in bed for her. “Oh Charles…” A soft voice as she shimmied into a better sitting position. Had her hands been upon that leg of hers? She wasn’t sure. Charles would worry if he thought she was in pain today… still though he was offered the brightest of smiles even as the tray was set upon her lap. Her favorites all piled upon separate little plates. Strawberries, pancakes and a few slices of bacon. “You do too much for me Charlie!” Of course though she was more than willing to share and for a few moments it was just the two of them, her feeding him little tidbits of food from her plate and him simply accepting. They had been together for so long that this? This was natural. They had beaten the odds together. He had also sacrificed so much for her. It was more than any average person would do for another.

Breakfast was finally finished and she was moving, the tray balanced carefully in her grasp as her feet touched the floor. It would be set upon the table and she would be turning back to him to give him a chaste kiss upon the lips before heading for the bathroom. She had to get ready for the day! It never took Victoria long to get ready as she wasn’t one to primp and fuss too much over herself but she did like to look presentable. “You aren’t going to be late for your post are you?” The last thing Victoria wanted was for Charles to be late because of her!

It took a quick shower and a hairdryer and all of fifteen minutes for the petite red head to be ready for the day. She was nervous! She managed to gather her things up and was relieved that Charles had waited for her. She didn’t speak much as they headed down the stairs and towards the room that she would be doing her work from and she’d taken in the softest of breaths as she pushed that nervousness from her. “I’ll see you for lunch if you’re not busy okay?” She was offering a bright smile at him then, fingers reaching for his and holding on for a moment before she slipped them from his grasp. She had a lot to prepare for today! She thought perhaps she should head to the cafeteria after setting her things up to meet some of the patients and the staff. All in all Victoria was not going to let anything ruin her day.