Ceremonies of Innocence

by Persephone

Three nights later.

Cat tugged at a lock of hair as she poured over the page before her then glanced ruefully at her reflection in the window. It was strange to see her once long hair now barely grazing her shoulders. A restless urge had caused her to have it cut and the color darkened to a deep Egyptian red. In all honesty, she wasn't sure that she liked it; it was certainly different. And different was what she had been hoping for--after all, she felt different, why shouldn't she look it?

She had to admit that she had been viewing the world through new eyes since meeting Angel. Just walking down the street had taken on a new meaning. Before she had been more concerned about being trailed by government thugs or mad scientists or possibly even Immortals and now she spent her nights watching for vampires! She looked back down at her book with a rueful shake of her head, not just vampires but anything that fell under the dominion of the supernatural. This particular tome she had uncovered whilst unpacking a crate of books for the antiques store. To say the least, Conner had been a little surprised by her sudden, rather forceful aquisition of the volume. He had teasingly asked her if she was planning to become some kind of 'ghostbuster.' Cat rolled her eyes at that. Honestly, her uncle might be over five hundred but there were times he was even more immature than she was. Then again, she reflected, if you made it to five hundred, you were more than entitled to a bizarre sense of humor.

A shadow fell across the table. She raised her head.

Angel.

"Isn't that a little heavy reading for a coffeehouse?" he asked casually. As usual, he was completely gorgeous even in just a t- shirt and leathers. Cat tried not to snicker as the eyes of nearly every woman in the room alighted on him and threw visual daggers in her direction.

She shrugged, "Consider the company."

He smiled at that. Cat noticed that even when Angel smiled, it was melancholy. She wished there was something she could do to change that, but she was glad that he was at least making the effort.

Sliding down in the seat across from, he studied her, observing, "You changed your hair."

Feeling suddenly self-conscious, she absently tugged at her hair again then glared at her hand in disgust, "It seemed like a good idea at the time," she sighed, "I dinna ken. Lately, I've just felt like a change was in order."

He nodded. "I like it. Really."

Cat chuckled, "Thank ye for trying ta be a gentleman, Angel. I'm just glad that the dye is only a temporary wash. I'm already regretting it and...is this not the most inane conversation we could be having?"

"Inane is good," Angel said, with a twinkle in his eye, "Inane is unexplosive. Quiet. I'll take inane over danger any night of the week."

"Ye're the only person I ken ta ever get excited over an 'inane' conversation, " she managed to keep a straight face, "How do ye do it?"

"Practice."

"Angel!" she exclaimed in mock-surprise, "Ye made a joke. Do ye need ta lie down or something? Are ye feeling all right?"

He tried to give her a stern glare but failed. So instead, he picked up her book gingerly, then cocked an eyebrow at her, "'An Interpretation of the Supernatural and Maleficium'?"

"Research," she replied helpfully.

"Cat, you know that not all of these books are reliable let alone even occasionally on target?"

"Gee, really?"

Angel sighed. Taking pity on him, Cat reached over and patted his hand, "Angel, I'm not naive. Nor am I an idiot. I ken ta take everything I read with a grain of salt. Besides, that's why I have ye here: ta help me interpret and wade through this rot."

"So basically I'm a textbook with arms?" he asked, sarcasm evident.

"Well, I dinna like ta think of ye in those terms exactly but..," she teased.

"Oh, thank you," Came the reply but for all his sarcasm, that twinkle hadn't diminished. If anything, it had grown over the last few minutes. It gave her a warm feeling that made her want to grin and jump up and down. Instead, she took a sip of her coffee. Then glanced back at Angel in embarrassment.

"I'm being rude," she replied in chagrin, "It isna polite for ye ta sit and watch me scarf down food when ye canna have any yerself."

"That's not exactly true," he admitted, "I can take liquid sustanance without any trouble. I don't really like eating but I can, if I have to."

"Really? I wouldna have thought ye could have managed anything besides--," her voice lowered, "Well, ye ken."

Angel shrugged, "I don't get anything from it other than the taste but I can eat and drink. Though less on the eating side--I'm on a strict liquid diet these days."

Before she could even form her next question, a female voice rang in her head, /Cat?/

/Yes, Jade?/ Cat tried to keep her face normal and the irritation out of her thought query as she focused on the other Tomorrow Person.

/I finished the book you loaned me. I'm bringing it by right now./ Jade thought at her, oblivious.

/Jade!/ Cat knew it was too late to stop the other girl even as the thought rang in her head. She slapped her forehead in irritation. 'Great,; she moaned silently, Jade meeting Angel? This promises ta be one of the highlights of the evening. Especially after Jade's inital reaction to him. Mooning over him then fleeing in terror. Great first impression.

The door to the coffeehouse swung open with Jade blithely strolling in. She spotted Cat right away, heading straight over to their table. Obviously, the blond girl hadn't seen Angel yet for there was no sign of a faltering step or any distress. No, that was coming though. 'Oh, please not another scene,' Cat prayed.

"There you are," Jade began before she had even fully reached the table. "I tried your place but Conner said you were--"

At that point the blond girl turned her head towards the other person at the table. Then paled. Cat pitied her; she probably had been expecting Adam or Megabyte.

"Um, Cat?" Jade did not look like a happy Tomorrow Person. In fact, she looked like she had swallowed several piece of silverware. A glance toward Angel revealed that he was equally uncomfortable.

'Defuse this,' Cat thought, 'defuse this situation fast.' As brightly as she could managed, Cat said, "Jade, ye are so very the person I wanted ta see right now."

Reaching out, she caught the younger girl's hand and dragged her forward, "This is Angel, Jade. He's friend."

"Really?" Jade blurted out. Cat wanted to wince.

"Really," it was Angel who answered. "Why don't you sit down? Any friend of Cat's..."

Jade glanced between the two of them then gave Angel a shy, tentative smile before she proceed to slide down next to Cat and appropriate the conversation. Watching them, Cat had the feeling that things were going to work out just fine.

For now. But then she would just have to cross that bridge when she came to it. Right now, all she wanted to do was sit back and enjoy the company.

After all, who knew what tomorrow would bring?

~End~

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