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Alba nodded, stirring his coffee idly. "More than I know, I'm sure. I helped him clean that room some when I first moved in, so most I can say is that he's messy." And that Lucas owned guns, but that probably wasn't suitable conversation for this place. "Oh, that looks great. Thanks." That part was said in response to their meals arriving. He'd managed to relax a little more by now, and was starting to realize just how hungry he had really been.

"Heh, no comment." He twisted the noodles around his fork with the help of his spoon, being careful to not gather too much. Somewhere behind him, someone else entered the restaurant. "He'll open up eventually, I'm sure. I guess we all start getting skeletons in our closets at some point," he said after chewing and swallowing. This really was good! He could almost completely forget earlier. Happy with that realization, he went to tear off a piece of the garlic bread that had come with the meal.

"Skeletons in closets, hmm?" commented a silky smooth voice from next to his shoulder. A well manicured hand pulled the bread from the hand Alba had raised halfway to his mouth. "Well, you would know all about that, now, wouldn't you, Taylor? Oh, this bread is delightful. Budge over, dear, my feet are killing me."

Alba, meanwhile, had paled again and stopped breathing at the sound of that voice. No. NononononoNO! His eyes slipped closed for a second as he complied, and the woman in the red sundress from before sat on the edge of the booth seat. She removed her oversized sunglasses with a smile that might've been considered gorgeous, if Alba wasn't busy feeling nauseous. The Skitty was no where in sight. In a carefully controlled voice of his own, as though meeting with a disliked but necessary business partner, Alba answered, "Hello, Sam."

"Is it such a crime to want to say hello to my favorite hubby?"

Alba almost choked on air, but at least he returned somewhat to his senses. "Favorite-? Was there any time in that entire-" he struggled to find the word, "charade where you weren't running off with someone else behind my back?"

"You always did take things too personally, Tayl-" Sam had reached for another piece of bread, but was halted when one of Alba's hands bolted out and grabbed her exposed left wrist. The diamond on her ring finger was much more high-end than he could have ever afforded.

"Are congratulations in order, Mrs. Thompson?" he asked calmly, his voice low. Sam stared at him, cool and even, but Alba was barely holding in the hurt rage that had come over him. "Samuela Thompson, huh? I'm sure there's another disease I can relate that too. You're both con artists, and you deserve each other."

Sam and Alba alike jolted at the noise of the spoon, and looked to Claire as though they had completely forgotten her. Well, Sam had, Alba had been trying to block that fact until after he could get rid of the vulture. He gave her wrist a push away from him, which she massaged as she turned to Claire.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I caught your-"

Alba inhaled deeply. Arceus, give him strength. "Don't even start, Sam. You don't need to know her name, and you can forget mine."

"Oh, Taylor, really, you used to be such a gentleman." Oh, gods, no, she was loosely holding his arm and putting on the innocent act now. "What would the girls think?" Alba's mind visibly clicked off for several beats, and he looked as though he had just been physically slapped.

Sam laughed cheerily at Zeus. "Really? A little mouse is going to escort me? Cute. Taylor, your friend is absolutely hilari- AHH!" Alba blinked at his now freed arm. What just happened?

"OH! You- YOU!" Though she didn't hit anything, Sam was outraged! And everyone was looking! Grabbing her dropped purse, she pulled out a Pokeball and enlarged it. "Skitty!" The evil furball from before appeared a her feet as she crawled away a very short distance. "Skitty! Use-!"

"Hold it!" Human and Skitty alike stopped at the distraction. Alba slipped out of the booth to stand beside it. "Sam... just leave." He hoped that would be enough, even though he knew it wouldn't be. So when Sam looked ready to retaliate, he unclipped a lone Pokeball from the left of his own belt and held it.

The desired effect was instantaneous. "You- you have a Pokemon?!" Sam's face could have been compared with a child being told that Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Toothfairy were all fake all at once. This just couldn't be! "You never kept Pokemon!"

Alba sighed and shook his head sadly. "Things change, Sam. You would know all about that." He bit his bottom lip. "You should really be going. Now."

"He wouldn't dare," Sam all but hissed.

Alba lightly tossed the Pokeball in one hand a few times. "See... that's the thing, Sam. There was a time when I'd agree. But, then again..." he crouched so that he'd be closer to her eye level, "does anyone really know just what I'm capable of?" His face took on an almost comical look, like he'd just realized something amazing. "Or, oh! Maybe there's something you'd like to admit on that matter? Everyone loves a good secret, you know."

The ex-couple fell into a staring/glaring contest, but it was short lived. "...Skitty, return." Sam pulled her legs closer on the floor as the Skitty disappeared with a confused cry. Without being asked, Alba reached out and held an arm to steady her as she stood, though she jerked the arm away as soon as she was up. Her hateful glare swore retribution. Alba's calm stare said he didn't care. He just felt numb.

Without another word, a spot on Alba's existence walked out of the door, and disappeared into the crowds.

Alba let out the breath he'd been holding in, and glanced around. "Uh... heh heh... Sorry, everyone. Sorry. Enjoy your lunches!" He plopped down on his bench and offered an embarrassed grin. "Well, it worked, didn't it?" Claire had guessed correctly, too. The next moment, Spook was standing on the table next to Alba's bowl of pasta.

"Ing?"

"Eat up, Spook. Just don't make a mess of it." While the Chingling gave a cheerful chime, and started trying to figure out how to combat the elusive noodles with a fork, Alba grabbed a slice of bread and disappeared behind the table. He needed to lay down for a moment, and so he did just that by stretching out on his back on the bench. "I know I'm saying this a lot today, but, thank you. Again."