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Owle had run over at much the same time, but Taka already had the situation well in hand.

Rand squatted back on his haunches in the dirt. "Do they die?" he asked the other angel. He obviously didn't trust his mother in such matters.

"Oh," Rand said, making a long face. He seemed apologetic.

"An elephant!" he exclaimed, when the spout was pointed out to him. He ran over and grasped the watering can, then came running back. Gleefully, he started pouring water over the dirt, fit to drown the poor plants.

"Okay," Rand said, tilting the elephant back up. "You're sure they don't need more?"

He was having fun here.

Owle smiled, too. She was leaving Rand in good hands...maybe she shouldn't have been so worried.

"Rand, I want you to promise me you'll listen to Miss Taka and Miss Sarielle, okay?"

Rand blinked up at her. "Okay."

"You promise?"

"Promise."

"Good. I'll see you again tonight...but I'm going to need you to stay here for a while. Mommy has something very important to take care of, and won't be around to look after you for a while."

Rand nodded. He probably barely heard a word she said.

Owle stood up with a heavy sigh. Her face was pained when she looked at Taka. "Take care of him. Please." And she turned to go.

"Okay!" Happily he went running off, pouring water on everything in sight.

He was used to his mother changing shape every now and again. After all, when he'd first met her, she had been changing from the tall, auburn haired lady to the short, purple haired lady. And sometimes she was a cat. He just assumed that everyone in the world could change shape, and one morning he might wake up looking like a cat. He'd learned to recognize his mom by something beyond looks...though the child couldn't have told you what that was.

"Well, adopted mother, at least," Owle amended. "Thank you," she said gratefully.

woefulinfinity>

Sarielle had gone to sleep on the couch again. Ever since her office had shut down, she'd been working tables at a restaurant in the city. The hours were long, and by the time she walked to and from the bus stop each day, she was totally exhausted.

It wasn't like they had much to say to each other, anyway.

The woman didn't even stir as the sharp knocks penetrated the living room so suddenly Taka jumped. The teen threw a sidelong glance at her guardian; the last time they'd gotten a visitor, Rand (who was currently colouring in front of the TV) had ended up staying with them.

The only ones who ever visited they knew had been Shayna and Blood, and they'd been gone a long time now...She'd half a mind not even to answer the door, but as usual curiosity got the better of her.

"Hello?" Taka called through the door, unwilling to open to a stranger this late at night.

"I'm looking for Sarielle?" It was a man's voice; the intonation suggested he wasn't at all sure he was at the right place. Still, the tones were low and pleasant, with a summer-evening warmth to them. Switching on the porch light, Taka slid open the door.



His smile was angelic. That was the overwhelming impression she got, even before she took in the rest of him. Cornsilk curls framed a fair, good-humored face; and the brilliance of his blue eyes, even in that lighting, rivaled that of her own. Eyebrows formed quizzical half moons. "I'm sorry, am I...Is this her house?"

"Yyyyeah," Taka drawled, still taking in his appearance. A guitar case dangled from long, strong fingers. His hands were lovely, just as you'd expect a musician's to be. "She's asleep on the couch."

"I'm sorry, I'm being rude. I'm...Angel." There was the slightest hesitation before he gave his name; but it fit him so well, Taka hardly noticed.

"Taka," she responded, taking his proffered hand; but he hadn't offered any information about how he knew Sarielle, so Taka didn't extend him the favor, either.

The living room was lit only with the flickering light from the television, casting moving mosaics of light and shadow across their faces; and while Taka couldn't be sure, she could have sworn a fleeting expression of tenderness as those sapphire eyes fell on her guardian.

He lifted an arm to wake her, but Taka spoke up first; who knew if this was even someone she liked?

"Sari, you have company." Her voice was loud and far too shrill for the drowsy peace in the room, but it served it's purpose: Sarielle started, and sleepily pushed a stray strand of hair out of her face with a clumsy movement of her hand.

Her eyes rested first on Taka; but following the young girl's gaze, they lit on her visitor. And Taka saw something she hadn't seen in a very long time: excitement on Sarielle's face.

The slim woman laughed aloud as she sprang energetically from her seat. She threw impulsive arms about his neck. He warmly reciprocated. "Oh, I've needed to see you for so long, Angel," she told him, still shaking her head a bit as though she couldn't believe he truly stood before her. She'd called him Angel; but somehow it sounded more like a petname rather than his actual name coming from her lips.

"I'm sorry I've stayed away for so long."

A glance passed between them. It held significance, Taka was sure, but what? Sarielle had never even mentioned him.

Sarielle's head moved up and down, the barest whisper of a movement. Her eyes never left his. "Yeah," she said softly, with an edge of regret. "Me too."

Taka couldn't stand it any longer. "So, how do you two know each other?"

The moment broke, the suppressed energy dissipating into a thousand unseen, electric sparks.

"He found me when-"
"We've been friends for-"

Words jumbled and jostled each other as they both spoke at once; and with a short laugh, Angel motioned for Sarielle to continue. "When I had no memories, Angel helped me fill in some of the blanks. I wouldn't know my own name if it weren't for him. We've been friends for a very long time now." Her eyes drifted to him once again; it seemed as though she couldn't long keep them away. "It's so very, very good to see you again."

The words were simple, but pregnant with meaning.

Taka almost asked why her guardian had never so much as spoken his name before; but then again, she hadn't spoken of her past at all, had she?

"I see. Well, nice to meet you." She said nothing else. Her face was closed, its usual expression in repose. There was more to all this than they were saying...but she'd find out what, one way or another. She didn't have to know right now. Direct questioning seldom worked as well as circumspect observation, anyway.

Angel's smile was warm. "It's nice to meet you too." He hadn't even blinked to find two real angels in the room; but his eyes flickered back and forth between Taka and his "old friend," noting the similarities in looks.

"But I think you and I, Sari, have a lot of catching up to do," he quipped, quirking a mischievous eyebrow.

Sarielle threw her head back and laughed, correctly interpreting his half-serious tease. "We do, that is for certain. I'm looking forward to it. You are staying for awhile?" Her face was eager, hopeful, and at the same time ready to be disappointed. She reminded Taka vaguely of a dog she'd seen once; eager for affection, willing to be friendly, but half expecting to be kicked. She frowned. It wasn't an image she liked.

Angel tipped his head to the side, as if considering; but Taka suspected he'd had his mind made up before Sarielle ever asked. "It would be nice to settle for awhile," he said.

"Good!" Sarielle's smile even reached her eyes. "I'll go ahead and air out the guest room for you. It's been cleaned, but it's probably a little stuffy."

"I'll help," he offered, dogging her footsteps. "And then...we need to talk."

Sarielle's smile was still there, but laced with sadness now. "I know," was all she said.

Sarielle's head poked out of the guest room; this knock she'd heard.

"Owle's sister, I bet," she commented with a sigh. Taka had already warned her about the woman's possible return. "Well, might as well get this over with."

Bare feet padded across shiny wood; Sarielle's progress was reluctant, to say the least.

"Unwelcome company?" It was obvious, but Angel asked, anyway.

"She's nuts," Taka muttered acidly. "She left Rand here with us." A swift tilt of the head indicated the child, who was colouring on...himself??! "Gah, that's what paper is for, Rand!"

The blond man's eyes followed Taka's movements, but he really wasn't interested in Rand. He said nothing more, but he did emerge from the back to plant himself near the door.

"Yes?" Wow, Taka had been right, Sarielle mused, staring into this stranger's face. The likeness to Owle was uncanny!

"Well, I'll find you some more, but for heaven's sake, don't do that to your clothes," Taka said, clearly exasperated. She shot Sarielle a sour look. She was the adult here...shouldn't she be the one who was making sure Rand didn't spontaneously combust or something?? From what she'd seen so far, even that wouldn't have have surprised her.

"Er...yes, yes, Taka told me," Sarielle murmured. Owle's sister had seemed to recognize her...but she could just be working from a description...

"I'm sorry, I don't think we've met," Angel said, thrusting himself forward with sudden alacrity, while dragging Sarielle backward at the same time.

Sarielle just looked at him with that "what-is-wrong-with-you" expression. Was everybody going nuts?

Taka rolled her eyes at Angel as she went for more paper. He was no more normal that Owle's sister.

"Angel," was the man's swift response, but he didn't extend his hand. His smile, too, was slight, and lacked its former golden warmth. His arm had snaked around his hostess in what, for all appearances, was an affectionate gesture. But his grip was vice-like, and Sarielle chewed her lip to bite back a wince.

"It's really no problem for us to keep him," she managed, even though her lack of air. She cast a lightning glance at her captor, but both faces remained unreadable. "Would you like to come in and say goodbye?"

Sarielle reached up to take hold of Angel's lapel. If he didn't let her go soon, she was going to either cry out or faint, she wasn't sure which.