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It had been a little bit since last Lydia had gotten in contact with Grant, but it had also been a little bit since she had opposable thumbs or the ability to to check her voice mail. She was human again, thank ******** god for that, she was finally able to get back to the civilian side of her life. Sinking down into her computer chair she plucked her phone up off the desk and poked the home button to light the screen up, then stared down at the number of voicemails that were waiting for her.

There were four, and since the only other people that ever bothered to call her all knew where she had been the last week, she knew exactly who all four were from. "Aw, baby.. I'm so sorry."

In retrospect she probably could have gotten a hold of him, had Veer dial the phone and then prop it up for her, but there never seemed a very good time amid the mild panic, continued patrolling, and what all now seemed like rather comical battles. Looking back, there hadn't been all that many highlights over the last week.

She hadn't had a good time to get a hold of the young man, but she still felt guilty. And this was a guilt she was actually willing to acknowledge, unlike some.

She tapped the screen to make the messages play back, smiling at the first and his request to meet up for lunch at the deli, but the smile slipped when the second message rolled, him asking again to get together, though it was obvious he didn't know what to think about her having not called him back. It vanished completely by the end of the forth. Him wondering where she'd been, but hoping she was having fun with whatever she was doing, requesting she call back when wanted to. The guilt grew, and sighing she poked at the screen until her contacts flashed up and she could tab at Grant's name to start the phone ringing.

"Please be there," she pleaded quietly, adding a silent and heartfelt hope that he wasn't upset with her for having not called sooner. He probably wasn't, he never was, but she wouldn't have blamed him if he was.

Lydia was, admittedly, mildly horrified when Grant didn't pick up the phone on the first ring, but that quickly faded into worry that rested in a knot in the pit of her stomach when it continued to ring unanswered. She knew he liked to pick up on the third, but as the chime died in her ear she felt a little panicky.

He picked up on the fourth, the tail end of it, the the young woman let out a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding. It trailed off in a light chuckle as he greeted her. "Has anyone ever told you that you are very formal?" Surely she'd mentioned a time or two, but she wondered if anyone else eve had. Probably.

It was a relief hearing his voice though, despite her being unable to resist a gentle tease. It always seemed to ease some small worry when she talked to him. Possibly still some lingering worry that he would just up and vanish, that he really had died for good up there that battlefield, and her having run into him back here on earth was just some elaborate and cruel dream.

Now that she had him in the phone she wasn't entirely sure what to say. Sure there was the obvious, and she did offer that, a soft, vaguely guilty hello, but what else?

Fidgeting in her chair, she tucked her legs up beside her, slouching down. An apology was probably in order, not just for not calling, but for making him worry. "I'm sorry I haven't been very accessible lately, we've been dealing with some stuff here at the apartment, and time kind of got away from us." She bit her lip. "How have you been? Didn't catch you at a bad time, have I?"

He had apologized for making her wait, maybe he was in the middle of something?

She could nearly hear the relief washing over him, and once again she was struck with a small stab of guilt for having cause him do much worry. Lucky it seemed he wasn't upset with her, but then again he never was. Her shoulders relaxed as she cradled the phone against her ear, a peaceful grin sliding along glossed lips as she listened to him. "It's merely an observation, not a critique." She chucked, making it obvious she'd been teasing.

At the mention of shampoo she blinked, pale brows dipping curiously as she pondered how exactly he'd managed that particular feat, then grinned, slow and broad. "Why Mr. Caudwell, are you in the buff?" She'd interrupted his shower.

All teasing and innuendo aside, she was glad he'd picked up the phone, the sound of his voice was a comfort she sorely missed, though hadn't realized how much until right that moment. Odd how that worked sometimes.

Returning to the topic at hand, Lydia shifted the phone to the other ear so she could free her hands up, then proceeded to pick at the chipping nail polish on her nails while she spoke. "More frustrating then serious really, but everything's worked out now." The offer to help had been expected, but the crisis was already over. "We don't need anything," she assured him.

A second or two later she added, "what are you doing today?" Because she really wanted to see him after having been cut off for him for so long.

Maybe they could watch a movie, or even just grab a bite to eat. She didn't care what they ended up doing, not so long as it was relaxing and they were doing it together. After a week and some change as a cat, she felt she was due some down time and calm.

"Hmm.". It was amused little sound, and of he knew what to listen for there would be that unmistakable hint that alluded to ones mind wandering to dirty places. It had been well over a week with no real physical contact of that nature, and she was human. You could hardly blame the poor girl for her imagination running wild. "Only a towel?" Mentally she kicked herself, and then kindly moved onto another topic.

If he caught on at all to her hints and flirtatious then he'd have no doubt been blushing up a storm, and if not she was simply wasting both their time.

When he said he had the whole of the day free she sat up straighter, then got to her cert completely as he asked her out. Eager boy, she liked that. "Yes I would." Cross her room, she took a seat on the edge of the bed, then fell back against the comforter.

He had answered, he wasn't mad, and they were going out. The afternoon was taking a dicided turn for the better.

"How about you finish your shower then head over here, and we'll figure it out from there?" She still didn't know what they'd be doing, but she didn't want to wait to see him until they'd decided.

Was it a good thing or a bad thing that Grant seemed so blissfully unaware of her attempts to raise his blood pressure? Lydia hadn't decided yet, but it should be fun finding out. She laughed faintly as he confirmed her question, allowed her mind to wander once again, then said her goodbye after he guessed the time it'd take him to get to her door.

Fifteen or twenty minutes? That gave her time to take care of the sorry excuse for nail polish still clinging to her nails. She removed it, selected a new color to suit the season(a nice soft green that did wonders to bring out the color in her eyes), then moved on to some last minute primping. She was already dressed rather nicely, a pair of skinny legged jeans and a long sweater that clung in all the right places and hit her mid thigh. It was a creamy tone with white snow flakes knitted into the pattern, even a pocket in the front like a hoodie.

Ginger curls were seperated into two loose tails, one draping over either of her shoulders. She was still running her fingers through the left side when the knock sounded at the appartment door.

Quinn was out, so Lydia didn't have to worry about getting to the door first, but that didn't stop her from hurrying. Eagerly she padded down the hall and out into the living room to grab the knob, yanking it open to reveal the young man on her welcome mat holding a small bundle of flowers. Paper flowers?

"Oh Grant," she chuckled, head shaking gently, then grabbed his arm to pull him across the thread hold. She was on her tip toes and catching his lips in a fond kiss before the door had even finished closing. There'd been plenty of pecks on the cheek and. Longing hugs up to this point, but neither seemed sufficient in this instance.

Paper flowers in hand, she drapedan arm around his neck as she kissed him, leaning in as her other hand slid up his arm. It was his company she enjoyed; not the origami, but she had to admit the gesture was sweet.

He was still for a second or two, then he moved to rest a hand against her arm, fingers raising to brush along her cheek. It made her smile with her lips still pressed against his, humming her delight at his presence before reluctantly drawing away so her heels were once more flat against the floor.

It was nice to hear that he'd missed her. Sure she had already assumed, but it meant more since he said it. A confirmation that he truly cared, and not just some exaggeration on feels she preseived from his overly generous nature. "I missed you, too."

In truth she had considered running to the young man when she'd been trapped as a cat, sure he'd have given her the sympathy and attention she'd so desperately wanted, but how does one go about explaining that sort of situation? She lived a double life, there was no getting around that fact, and Grant was very firmly placed on the civilian side. The cat thing? That had fallen under the magical warrior side. Why? She wasn't sure really, but it did.

She wasn't a cat anymore though, and he was here. Leaning into his touch, she brought the flowers down for a better look. "These are lovely, did you make them?" it was beyond her how people managed to fold flats pieces of paper into such intricate shapes. The best she had ever been able to manage was a a crane, and only because they had made them as a class activity in grade school.

'Friendship' hadn't been the right word to describe what they had going on between them for a while now, least not for Lydia. Not since she'd asked him to accompany her to that Halloween party. Sure they'd been on dates prior, but that one held felt different, more official. Of course for her, this whole thing had been going on a bit longer, back to when they'd met in Leo's kitchen up in the surrounding. Whatever feels she had for him had had time to grow even before he'd taken her to that first movie.

There was no one else quite like him. It was almost unreal how unselfishly nice he was.

"They really are pretty, I'd be sad if they wilted." In way the paper blossoms were simple, but they had their charms. Lydia couldn't recall having gotten a lot of flowers in her time, and she was actually happy for it. They were a temporary gift, pretty at first, but they withered and died in days. The folded ones in her hand would never wilt, they'd stay pretty forever. "I love them." They were going in a vase in her room.

She looked up when he said her name, a gentle smile echoing his own. A flush actually rose to her cheeks at the compliments and the sincerity in his voice, and she felt a soft flutter in her chest. It was an admission, and though she'd already known he had feelings for her it still made her giddy to hear it.

Squeezing his arm she stepped away for a moment so she could lay the flowers on the island a foot or so away. She wanted her hands free. "Is that so?" Catching his arm once again he stepped into him even as she pulled him closer to her. Guiding his hands down to her waist as she rose up to curl her arms around his neck. "Well I think you're amazing."

The second kiss was quite a bit firmer then the first.