Before Dusk((lock))

He smiled.

"I'll be back before you know it"

A few minutes later, the sound of the jag could be heard.

((Aron out))

Rachyl started with the "chow mein" and also helped herself to some of the sesame chicken. "I don't quite think I've ever seen chicken cooked with sesame seeds on it before," she commented to no one in particular.

Another spoonful, this time of fried rice, made its way onto her plate, and she began to slowly sample this brand new cuisine.

After a few moments, she realized she didn't quite care for the chow mein, but decided to finish it nonetheless. The sesame chicken was quite good, and while she wanted more after the few pieces on her plate were finished, she decided to save room for some of the other new treats.

Meegan leaned on the closed door for a moment, breathing in the scent of her...'Lover? No he's more than that. Boyfriend? God that is such a childish word. I have no idea what to call what he is to me. How insane is that?' Sighing softly she pushed away from the door and crossed back to Rachyl.

"Sorry about that. Aron is going out, and didn't want to disturb us." She picked up her plate, and pushed her food around with her chopsticks, finally picking up a bit of General Tso's chicken and chow mein.

"So how do you like chinese fast food. I should warn you, this is not the real thing, just an american fascimile. This is the stuff you get when you want something completely bad for you that's good in a disgusting sort of way..." A small grin curled her lips. "Like Easy Cheese and snowflake-shaped Ritz crackers."

After swallowing a mouthful of chicken, Rachyl was able to keep her voice neutral and yet happy as she said, "You don't have to apologize to me for your significant other, hon. I am probably intruding, I know."

She leaned over and gave Meegan a gentle hug, trying not to dump her plate. "I'm very glad for both of you." Her free hand took Meegan's and gave it a gentle squeeze as her eyes looked into her taller friend's. Happiness and caring floated in her heart; any pain Rachyl might have been feeling wasn't evident in those orbs.

The smile faded from the corners of her lips, as the chopsticks, that had made it only half way to her mouth, lowered back to the plate. Setting the plate on the table, she stood and rubbing the heels of her hands down back of her hips, crossed to the fire. Her mind whirled as she moved.

'Did I say something to make her think that is what he is. Significant other is the worst possible label. It's worse than boyfriend. Was she really glad, I mean why would she say that? Oh God, I hope she doesn't think I'm going to marry him. I can't marry a vampire. Can I? No that would be rediculous. I...good Lord, what do I want?'

Her left hand went to the mantle while her right went to her forehead. The middle two fingers and thumb resting in the middle then pushing out ward, as though she was trying to push the thoughts from her mind.

"You're not intruding, Rachyl. This isn't exactly the way I wanted this to go." She sighed and dropped her hand to her side. "This is going to sound trite, but... Mind if we forget about this for now. There are way more important things you need to know, right now."

The shiny-happy feeling of being near Meegan again evaporated as the smile did off of her friend's face.

Rachyl watched with something akin to panic, hoping she hadn't said something wrong. She too set her fork down.

When Meegan turned back to her and stated, "There are way more important things you need to know, right now," she requested, "Okay. But bring the log-shifter prybar thingy from the tools near the fireplace, so I can pry my knee and thigh from my mouth first."

She lowered her head, but kept her gaze upon Meegan, and hoped the other woman knew she was very sorry for overstepping some line she hadn't known existed.

Meegan gave Rachyl a sort of half smile, and returned to her chair. She sat on the edge of the plush cushion, putting her elbows on her knees. There was so much she had left out and it was high time Rachyl knew the truth. Though Aron's secret would be his to share. It was not her place to tell Rachyl that. She pushed the whole Aron's place in her life thing aside and took a deep breath

"Do you believe in vampires? Not that it matters if you do or not, they are real. The man and woman that attacked the studio are vampires. The woman, wanted to kill me, that much is true. But it was her that killed the guards, by draining them. Those wounds on their throats were not made by a screwdriver.

The man, gave himself away by healing. Never had I seen something heal like that. It didn't take a genious to figure it out. Especially knowing what I do. When I figured it out, I called Aron. The two of them sort of circled each other like dogs, then Panos left. No there's more." She held up a hand to stop Rachyl's words, and continued on.

"I do not know how large the vampire population is, but I do know that there are three clans of them, and that they own or control almost all of the city. I would argue that they do not control Gothic-ah, but I have loans at the city bank, my guess is that that is theirs and so in a sense they do."

That pretty much covered it. She just had to answer Rachyl's questions as best she could, and now Rachyl knew why this was much much bigger than some guy stalking them.

Rachyl stared quietly at Meegan. Flashes of the vision-dream she'd had just a few days ago (had it only been two days?) blinked in her memory. Aloud, she said, "Of course I believe in vampires." She finished the little bit of chicken in her plate and crossed her legs, ankles atop her thighs, right leg on top. "And not just because I saw the surveillance video, either."

Setting the plate on the table, her hand reached out for her water. She sipped, swallowed, then gulped almost three quarters of the glass down, finishing it. "Half wish I had a beer or some wine, but I think water'll do, so don't go asking Jeeves for anything else right now."

Rachyl angled her body more towards Meegan. "A few years before I graduated high school, I worked for four extended summers at the Indian Reservation near my home. My duties included cash handling for the trinket vendors, horse tending and grooming, art creation, things like that. It was rather rewarding, meeting some people who were distant relatives... I'm sure you know I'm quarter American Indian by blood." At Meegan's noncommittal nod, she continued. "It's where I get my cheekbones from. Or so Mom had said." She giggled. "Got my breasts and hair from the Irish three quarters, so I'm not complaining. Anyway... The son of the chieftain invited me to a dance commemorating the summer solstice. I received my Indian Name shortly there after, and apparently had so impressed the chieftain, his family, and the tribe, they offered me an open invitation to return whenever I wished."

Meegan looked a little confused at that, Rachyl thought, and she held her hand out, palm up. "Wait, wait, that's not even the interesting part." She stretched her legs out, recrossing them, still ankle-atop-thigh, but left leg on top. Rachyl took a moment to think on how much she should tell Meegan. After all, the mystical secrets of the tribe were not her own to share. "I was shown... Some very interesting, mystical things, not the least of which included faeries and wisps, and sat at the feet of the tribe's witch doctor for certain blessings. I ... felt power, I felt connected to the earth in ways I'd never imagined or only read about in books. Did you ever read the Meredith Gentry books by Laurell K. Hamilton? No? Very interesting fantastic fiction. The woman protagonist is half-faerie and is able to touch the earth mystically, to feel its magical nature and in a small way affect nature in a local sense." She saw Meegan's look of "but what does that have to do with Vampires?" "But I digress... Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. And while many people would find the possibility of vampires to be quite frightening or even a hallucinatory experience... I believe different. I... knew when Panos touched me, when he got near, even when watching him on tape, that something about him was very wrong, very different."

Rachyl gave a pause, and figured Meegan should know. "Kind of like the feeling I got, a feeling of being different, but not necessarily as wrong... that night at the mall when I first met Aron."

Meegan had reached forward and poured rice wine into the two glasses, Jeeves had brought with their meal, when Rachyl had mentioned wanting wine. She'd taken up a glass and inbetween the nods and confused looks she had drank nearly half her glass. She set the glass on the table next to her half eaten plate of chinese.

"I can't, and won't tell you why you felt that with Aron, it's not my place. It's all well and good to believe and not be frightened, not in the wreath of garlic, crucifix sort of way, but Rachyl...you should be scared of these people." She picked up her glass and sipped the nearly crystal colored wine. "And all that garlic, holy water, stake through the heart stuff, is all myth. It doesn't work."

"You don't need to tell me, Meegan," Rachyl stated, head lowered. She raised it and shrugged. "I'm not even sure he needs to tell me. He can if he would think it would be an inroad to honesty or something, but... I already know."

She reached out and picked up the wine glass and just stared at the liquid, swirling it gently. Suddenly smirking, she looked at Meegan. "I suppose it's too much to hope for a Buffy the Vampire Slayer style rescue, huh."

Meegan gave a small chuckle."Yeah, that is totally out of the question." Laughter began to bubble in her throat, she pushed it down for a moment, but it was impossible not to give in, and before long the room was filled with her tinkling laugh.

Rachyl looked almost askance at the near-choking sound Meegan made, then when laughter erupted from her friend, she couldn't help joining in.

It made her feel very, very good to have made Meegan laugh.

Meegan's laugh slowly died into a bubbly chuckle, and she found herself with an akward lack of words. What was she supposed to say now? Maybe they should talk about work, she hadn't been in the office in two business days, things should be fine, but it was a first for her not to go in at all for that amount of time. She hadn't had a vacation since Gothic-ah went live.

Well at least they could talk about something other than vampires, stalkers, and psycopaths. Or if nothing else they could sit in akward silence, staring at the fire. She ran her hands down her thighs, smoothing the pale yellow cloth of her skirt.

"So...ah...do you want to see the new designs I've come up with?"





((Sorry for the delay, it's been a rough week))

Rachyl did her best to feign looking stricken. "You give me all this wonderful chinese food to eat, and then take it away? So mean." She heaved a theatrical sob, then after a moment, winked at Meegan.

"Of course I do, luh... silly, but can we finish eating first? I've barely gotten through my first plate, and if all chinese food is half as good as this, then I dare say you've got a lifelong addict brewing in the seat next to you."

Rachyl smiled, and spooned Meegan some more food, as well as some for herself, and they ate in companionable silence.

Which was suddenly broken with an explosive belch - which actually sounded more like a painful hiccup - from Rachyl.

"Okay, remind me not to mix wine with chinese soup. Just doesn't work." She hiccuped.

"Excuse me."

Meegan gave a soft snicker. Rachyl has been the only person she had ever known to actually let bodily functions loose in her presence. She had never been offended, mostly and oddly charmed. Being brought up in a world where a blech was so frowned upon, that she hadn't done so out lous since she was an infant. It had never occured to her that they were simply something to be laughed at, if it was funny or go red cheeked over if it were in front of a member of the opposite sex. And so when Rachyl hiccuped or burped or let out that strange combination of both, Meegan found herself charmed.

As she set down her empty plate Jeeves entered on his usual curt knock and began to clear the mostly empty platters, dishes and their plates. When he was finished he started for the door.

"May I get you anything else, Ms. Meegan?"

Meegan thought a moment and ran her hand over her too full stomach."Not at the moment. Though we might like some dessert or something later. Could you check back in a couple of hours?"

"My pleasure, m'lady." He gave a sort of half bow over the tray and let himself out of the library.

Meegan stood and stretched her arms over her head, before smoothing her dress over her sides and hips. When she first seen this dress, she had been struck with the image of early morning sunshine filtered through a window, captured, turned to liquid and fashioned to pour down her body, surrounding it in perfect warmth. She had purchased it with out further thought, along with the matching sandels and a purse of the same spun sunshine. It made her feel feminine and sexy and warm. The memory made her smile, as she crossed the room to where her drafting table had been set up, and waited for her like an old friend. Patient enough to be there when she needed it, and took what she gave with out asking for more.

Rachyl stood as Meegan approached the drafting table.

When the woman had stood and sinuously stretched, the shorter woman couldn't help but stare and appreciate the designer's curves. A tiny corner of her mind was remembering those curves against her own, her eyes staring deeply into the sparkling green...

She closed her eyes for a moment, quietly suppressing the ardor she felt building inside, and stood to join Meegan near the table.

Quietly, but not whispering, she said, "You look great in that sundress. You look like you're wearing a sunrise."

Meegan turned and smiled at her friend. "Thank you." She found herself having to look down at Rachyl, and the two inch height boost her sandles gave her was suddenly not so nice. She toed off the shoes, and her smile grew just a bit when she could look into Rachyl's eyes.

Her hand brushed a stray lock of hair behind Rachyl's ear, then let her hand cup the smaller woman's jaw.

"Are you terribly heart broken? It would kill me to know that in the midst of endangering your life, I broke your heart as well."

Grass green eyes became shiney with tears that may not even need to be shed.

Meegan's hand brushed a stray lock of hair behind Rachyl's ear, then let her hand cup the smaller woman's jaw.

"Are you terribly heart broken? It would kill me to know that in the midst of endangering your life, I broke your heart as well."

Grass green eyes became shiney with tears that did not fall.

Rachyl was silent for a moment or two.

"Terribly heart broken? Terribly. Heart. Broken? Aye ah blpbibb murmle..." She clamped her mouth shut as anger welled up in her chest. Catching her lower lip between her teeth, eyes squeezed shut.

Her chest heaved as she took a couple deep breaths. Then two more. Then two more again. Her jaw finally relaxed and allowed her lip to slip out. It was bruised; she'd almost bit through the skin. With a final exhalation, she opened her eyes.

"I don't know which angers me more, the fact that you would ask that, or the fact that I'm worried it could be true." Rachyl looked up at Meegan. The anger showed in her eyes, as did all the affection the Jersey girl had for the Virginia designer. "I do not believe I am 'terribly heart broken'. Yes, it hurts to know I can't be yours. And while I know Aron is someone you've been looking for for quite some time, I am happy that you've found the one you truly need. While it may take me some time to get over the fact that he is now yours, I would die to lose you as a friend. Every moment I spend with you is amazing, whether it's at work or at my place, yours, the mall, the museum, no matter what we're doing."

Slowly, tenderly, Rachyl raised her hands to Meegan's face and lovingly placed her palms against the taller designer's cheeks. "I know you'll worry about me, the same way you have for the last two months, the same way you have the last couple days. I don't want you to, but we both know how well you listen to me sometimes."

Words failed Rachyl as her eyes started to water. She leaned up on her tippytoes, used her hands to steer Meegan's face, and placed a soft kiss on Meegan's forehead. Then as the tears started to flow her hands slipped back over Meegan's shoulders, her head against the designer's left cheek. Her left hand reached behind Meegan's head and tangled in the nearly strawberry tresses there, and tucked her lover - no, now ex-lover's - head against her neck.

Meegan pressed a gentle kiss to the tender skin of Rachyl's neck. Slowly she pulled away, before her body began to remember just exactly what usually follows that kind of hug. Perhaps it was selfish of her to need to hear that Rachyl was happy for her. To settle herself she pulled tissues from the box at the top of her drafting table. She handed several to Rachyl, then began to dab at her cheeks and nose. Blowing her nose was another one of those things she didn't do in front of anyone. If it got too bothersome, she would step into the hall, but for now, she'd dab and sniff daintily.

She gave Rachyl a smile and was about to reach out to her, when it occurred to her that if she continued to dwell on this, she may very well do something she would regret. Meegan called herself a great many things, but unfaithful was not among them.

Instead she turned and began to pull out her four finished designs, that were labeled and ready for fabric and patterns. She set them on the table two in one row and the other two beneath them.

"I've just two more designs left." She cleared her throat slightly, hoping her brush with awkwardness did not show. "A men's night wear and the wedding dress."

Meegan sighed and scrunched up her nose."The pajamas will be easy, I can always just throw some silk boxers with the jolly roger on them and a robe together. Or perhaps dragons, I haven't done dragons in over ten seasons." She leaned over and jotted 'dragons' on a note pad. "But damn, I hate the wedding gown."

Rachyl rubbed the Kleenex against her nose and wadded it into a ball. She watched as Meegan dabbed and sniffed... and something struck her as odd. "You don't like blowing your nose in front of people, do you. You know, you're human, and, like me, have bodily functions that need to be dealt with... I won't think any less of you if you need to blow and all, but I understand there's some things you just don't do in front of people..."

She stopped speaking and bit her tongue. She was rambling. She tended to do that in Meegan's presence...

Then she saw Meegan almost reach for her. Rachyl so desperately wanted to be held, comforted, feel protected in the designing woman's arms.

But, Rachyl thought, Meegan wasn't the type to be unfaithful...

And the tiny devil's advocate corner of her mind piped up, "But she was unfaithful with you, sleeping with that vampire."

She blinked mentally and told that harsh little voice to shut up, and surprisingly enough it did.

Then Meegan showed her the designs, and she couldn't help but be impressed; they were some of the best work Meegan had done out of the office. "These're great! Just a thought, but in addition to the robe and boxers, you could, if you're going for the pirate theme, add some sort of vest or sleeveless shirt. And as far as wedding dresses go... well I'm kind of out of the loop on those."