Welcome to Gaia! ::

Remi vaguely entertained the thought of what would happen if Gavin could fly, and then banished it from her thoughts as she didn't want to imagine having to chase after an airborne toddler. Though, he was a hawk-blend and would probably learn to fly one of these days. She just hoped it was when he was much older, and a little more controllable.

Remi felt a slight twinge of guilt as Eve hurridely asked Natalie if she needed help. Usually she would help with these things, but it involved cooking which was not her forte.

"I'm with Carver on this one, I'd completely wreck your whole kitchen if I even walked in there."

Remi then laughed at Carver being nervous. She had to admit, at the beginning she was too. The routine was a very difficult one to get used to, taking care of a toddler, but after a while it became second nature to her. Though, she did find that neighbors helped the process along.

"Well, there's Ary," Remi started, trying to list off everyone she knew. "But she doesn't live on the compound. She visits a lot though, so I'm sure you'll see her. Then there's Marc over at the building by the labs. Marc...er."

What could she possibly say about Marc? I first saw him naked in a towel, walking out of a shower with another man? That obviously wouldn't work. She put on a sheepishly innocent smile.

"Marcs, well, interesting."

Having received her orders, Eve made her way over to the boxes that Carver had only recently stacked, and began opening the topmost ones gingerly in an attempt to find glasses. "I do find it a little strange," Eve confessed, standing on tiptoe to peer into a box's contents. Picture frames and a few books - next! "I'm sure you'll make a wonderful guardian and all that, but you're so young... Though if you need to attend classes or anything like that, I can babysit if need be."

Eve herself hadn't gone to college, but she understood how hectic one's schedule could become. Poor Natalie. She seemed nice enough, but something quiet and old-fashioned spoke to Eve through the pit of her stomach, which tightened and knotted most horribly in sympathy. A young girl like that shouldn't have to worry about a child. Especially ones that promised to be so difficult! They weren't normal humans after all.

With a triumphant "A-hah!" Eve found a box full of plastic cups and glanced back quickly to count her companions. Carver, Remi, herself, Natalie - four. Pulling out four cups, she moved to the kitchen sink and began filling them with tap water.

"I'm with you there," Remi agreed with Natalie's comment on why they were chosen as guardians. She was so close to living in a cardboard box when she received the letter. Why the heck was she chosen? She didn't like to think about it, just be glad that it happened.

She took a cup from Eve with a genial nod of thanks, and Carver announced a toast. She liked this man and the way he thought. She raised her own glass.

"And through toddlers being toddlers," she added. She needed that one especially.

Eve lifted her glass to toast as well, giggling slightly as she did so. She added nothing to the toast save a soft "cheers" but she seemed amused by the notion nonetheless. Toasting parenthood. Oh dear, she really was in this thick, wasn't she?

She turned to Natalie, fixing her with a quiet smile. "No problem at all," Eve replied, waving a hand dismissively at Natalie. "I love kids. If you don't mind me keeping an eye on - on whoever it is you get, I'd be more than happy to really." That, and it was a better option than leaving a small child alone in an apartment!

Eve sipped her water lightly, drumming her nails absently on the cup. "Do you guys have any guesses? I mean, what the kid will be like, things like that. Names?"

She did, though it was somewhat embarrassing. Picking names out this early! Well, an ex-girl scout was always prepared she supposed.

Remi took her own bowl and utensils. She had never even tried instant noodles before. When she was near broke, she still refused to fall to the level of buying the six pack of ramen for a dollar. If it ever came to that, then she really was hopeless. But now that she actually took her first forkful, maybe it wouldn't have been so bad. In fact, she'd probably end up buying some of this stuff on her next shopping trip.

Names. How had she picked Gavin again? She vaguely remembered sifting through a name dictionary, though most of the names were blurred in her memory. How could there be so many names that started with 'F' ? She only got half-way through before she couldn't tell the difference between an I and a K. Gavin had stayed in her mind, for whatever reason.

"I really wasn't sure about a name myself when I received Gavin. His name just seemed to fit when I blurted it out. However, I do not recommend reading an entire name dictionary to try and find the perfect name, like I tried to do. That method doesn't work at all."

For a moment she realized how different all them seemed to be. Natalie was younger than even she was, Eve seemed to have a strong motherly sense around her, and Carver acted like a worrisome, overprotective father. In fact, she felt quite boring compared to the rest of them.

"So what did you all do before you came here?"

Eve took a bowl and moved back to the couch, setting it gingerly on her lap and keeping it balanced with a few fingers. Twirling a few noodles around her fork, she listened quietly as the others spoke, seemingly mulling over the food rather than reply. It was good, as all ramen was, but she couldn't help the guilty twist that knotted itself into her stomach. So much sodium - so bad for you. Oy.

Swallowing her mouthful, Eve smiled sweetly at the others. "I write for a cooking magazine, and contribute to cookbooks. Used to be a chef at a rather fancy restaurant, though," she said brightly. Eve loved what she did; cooking was just a complete and utter joy for her. "Remind me that I owe you a meal, Natalie, as this is very good."

Actress, cookbook journalist, and ex-military officer. Why did she have to have such a lackluster career--if you could even call it that--compared to the rest of them? Their jobs did explain the general feel she was getting from these people. Each one fit them perfectly, like a glove.

"You'll have to teach me how to cook something edible one day," she smiled to Eve. "These noodles are a gourmet meal compared to what I usually eat at home. Speaking of which, they are delicious Natalie. Where do you buy these?"

She turned to Carver when he asked what she did without Gavin around. When was she without her toddler? Oh yeah, either before six in the morning or after ten at night.

"Well, technically I'm an author," she replied sheepishly. "Whenever I can get Gavin to sleep, I write. Either that or collapse on the couch out of exhaustion."