Bridgette watches the cabal-mates file out of her room in Balador after everyone had given their vote on where they wanted to go. She watches Joe go back into his room and close his conjoining door, and she sighs. So everyone's going to be parting ways. Well, almost. She and Joe will be returning to England, and she'll be telling the Order in London that they have another member on his way to join up, and the Order will be ecstatic. Then Christopher will come and fine her and she'll be like a jellyfish again, and be trapped as his wife until she dies. Something like that, she's sure.
She sits down on the floor and starts to cry. Then her eyes spot the lingerie-items over by Joe's door and it makes her cry even harder. 'WHO SENT THOSE??' she thinks in frustration in her head. She always thought it was her evil cabal-mates, but now she's wondering if it's that Marianne-person, because Marianne AND all her employees all lied, AND she/they put she and Joe's rooms together! But...why?? Why do THEY care??

Joe closes the door to the room and leans against it. He exhales and looks down at the floor. The lingerie is still there. Who the bloody blazes sent those? He knows it certainly wasn't Bridgette...probably Ben! That's who, the wee git. He shakes his head when he hears something from the other room. Like a woman crying. He presses his ear against the door. "Bridgette? Bridgette you alright?"

Bridgette jumps nervously, and then hastily wipes at her eyes, smearing her eye-make-up everywhere. "Fine, fine!" she calls, trying to sound bright and cheerful, but then she bursts into tears again. Holding it inside for so many years has turned it into this giant force that won't be shoved back down again! She grabs the edge of the comforter and pulls on it, yanking it over her head to hide her face.

Joe opens the door and comes in. He sees her with the blanket over her head and raises an eyebrow. He sighs and sits down on a chair and pulls out his pack of cigarettes. He lights one and takes a drag. "Alright, out with it, what's the matter?"

Bridgette lets out a little muffled moan when she realizes Joe's in the room. She tries to get her crying under control, and very clearly her subconscious asks her, 'are you finally going to tell him then?' She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, and then pulls the blanket off her head-- revealing her now-tussled hair and black-streaked cheeks. She looks up at Joe, and then over at his conjoining door. "Is your door to the hallway closed?" she asks in a quiet voice.

Joe nods. "Yeah, why?" he asks looking back into his room. "Afraid someone might come in?"

Bridgette nods silently, and then runs her fingers through her tangly short waves and curls. Then she sighs again. "Everyone seems VERY preoccupied with...with..." Bridgette waves her hand in the air, trying to come up with the right word. "YOU know...getting us together..." she says, sounding tired. "Even the owner of this place." Suddenly Bridgette's eyes spark. "That woman is horrid! I asked her who sent those things, and she STILL insisted we sent them to each other! *I* know you haven't left your room, and I certainly have not spent a dime in here since we arrived! She KNOWS we didn't send them! I...I do NOT understand the joke!" she sputters, her eyes getting shiny again.

"Probably our cabal mates having a bit of fun, Gette. Nothing to get all upset over. You know they says if people didn't have a bit of fun with you they wouldn't love you eh?" Joe says. "Look don't worry about it. I know you didn't send it. I just enjoy banterin wit you sometimes."

Bridgette looks down at her hands and her eyes fill with tears. She remembers when she first opened the box the thought that flitted quickly through her mind...that she really wished it WAS Joe who sent it...even though she knew he never would have done that-- unless it was a joke. A MEAN joke.
She finally looks up at Joe. "Why do you hate me so much, Joe? If...if you knew me...really knew what I do on my summer vacations...how I spent my growing-up years...you wouldn't ever say that I sit at home, or spend my time taking drives in the country in fancy cars. Don't you know that I would rather kill myself than be sentenced to that fate??" she asks, tears falling down her cheeks. "That woman you keep describing when you're making fun of me...that isn't me at all!" Bridgette puts her hand on her forehead and cries softly. "Although Christopher seems to think that's me, as well..."

Joe looks at Bridgette and sighs. "I'm sorry, Gette. I just banter with you. You always call me low class an all. I thought you knew it was all in fun. I know you're really doin things. I mean we're mages right? We got books stuck in our faces an up our arses. So if'n you wasn't having you're nose in a book well you're not much of a mage eh?" Joe says shrugging.

Bridgette looks at Joe incredulously. "You weren't bantering! You really hated me! Don't you remember our first conversation the first day we met at school? You hated me on sight! Normally I would stand there looking shocked, but...I just couldn't stand there and take it, could I?" Bridgette rubs her forehead. "Here I thought YOU were the one sitting around at home doing nothing, because I never hear what YOU'RE doing to help the Order on your time off!" Bridgette closes her eyes and continues massaging her temples. "I only called you low-class because I didn't know what else to say in response..." she says softly.

"Bollocks," Joe says taking another drag. "I don't hate you, Gette. You're a smart one you know. Our cabal would be in trouble so many times if you hadn't pulled us out of the fire right?" he says. "So why would I hate you? Nah we just bicker...all in fun yeah."

Bridgette lets out a loud laugh. "ME?? Hahahahahaaha! No one's ever told me I was SMART before! Well...Daddy has...Sir Robert has...but they meant book-smart. Everyone else thinks I'm an air-head!" Bridgette's suddenly covers her face again and cries. "Why did you do it, Joe?? Why did you go and marry her??" she wails.

Joe looks over at Bridgette. "Well I ah...I married her alright...and then she left me with me son. My da has him right now. I haven't seen Matilda for two months now. I actually came to New York to try and find her." he says. "Sorry...there's me confession."

Bridgette's hands drop from her face and she stares at Joe in complete shock...and then feels guilty...just a bit...when relief flickers in her eyes. "Well I TOLD you she was no good, didn't I?" she says gently. "Wow, Joe...I...I'm sorry that happened to you. I really am. Why did she leave? Why did she go to England with you? Was it...was it because you got her...you know...you got her p-pregnant during the school year?" she asks, the question that had been on her mind this entire time.

Joe shrugs. "That's what me da said. He said us Constantines are bad luck with women, he said. I'm beginin to think he's right." he says. "Well look I'm through lookin for her. She left me and the boy and that's that. So I guess I need a change and when we get there I'll look to see what the Order can do for me."

Bridgette stares up at Joe with large eyes as he explains this to her, still reeling from his big confession. Suddenly the universe doesn't seem quite so black as it did 5 minutes ago.
Bridgette gives Joe a firm nod. "That's right! Don't you give her another thought! I thought she was trouble right from the start! I'm sure when she heard you were from England she imagined that you must live in a castle somewhere with a moat and a field of horses! Then she gets there and discovers you're living the same lifestyle as she lived here, and her little fantasy drops away! Oh Joe...there are a hundred cigarette-girls...but there's only...there's..." Bridgette's cheeks pinken, "...well, there just are. And there are a hundred Christophers, too. They're all the same, aren't they?" In that moment Bridgette decides that she WOULD rather die than marry Christopher, and a sense of peace settles over her.
"Listen...Sir Robert and his colleagues are always looking for young Order-members to come learn from them and take their places. That's what I've been being trained to do all these summers. If you come to London with me they'll set you up with a mentor...a really nice flat-- all paid for-- and give you honest hard work! Not manual labor, either! And not having your nose stuck in a book! We deal with the now! What's going on all over the world! What things are being discovered...what cultures are out there and what truths they've discovered! We study newly-found artifacts to look for the Prime energy-- all of that! We're putting the pieces together...patching all the truths that other cultures have already found together to make the giant map-work of the universe!" Bridgette cries, her face flushed with passion, her hands clasped together at her chest.

"Wow...quite exciting work that." Joe says. "Alright done and done...but wait, I won't get to travel and all. What about Jake? I'll have to stay and watch over him. But that's alright. I don't mind books at all really." he says. "I'd be rather good at that."

Bridgette suddenly comes out of her passionate trance at the sound of Joe's voice, and listens. "Well yes...of course! That would work as well!" she nods in agreement. "There's never a shortage of work! Some of us will come back with the new finds...you know...just borrowing them for the night...and someone like you could document the find and try to find references to it already in existence...cross-reference them...things like that!" she beams. Wow! She and Joe are finally connecting and talking like two Order mages-- not two people from two different sides of the tracks!
"Maybe....maybe your boy will be like us, then, by growing up around the Order! Sir Robert says sometimes that's all it takes to Awaken! Just being around magic all your life...never questioning its existence!" she smiles hopefully.

"I hope not," Joe says shaking his head. "You think I want this life for me son?" he says taking another drag. "Runnin for his life, never gettin the chance to just relax. People shootin at you all the time. No thanks." he says. "Jake is goin to live a normal life and have normal problems like, where do I work and who do I ask to senior prom and like."

Bridgette frowns. "But I thought wondering where you were going to get work was your biggest headache!" She ponders. "Oh well...don't worry, Joe! With your new career he won't have to want for anything! He WILL live a normal life!" she beams happily.

She studies Joe again. "Why do Constantines have bad luck with women?" she asks quietly.

"Oh we just do, Gette. My mum left me da a few years ago too. It's a curse. Women never stay long enough eh?" Joe says shrugging. "But that's alright. I've got Jake and that's all I need. He's a good lad. He smart too, he could roll over before anyone else yeah?"

Bridgette gives him a little smile. Hearing about Jacob isn't nearly as torturous now that Cigarette Girl is out of the picture!
"That's wonderful, Joe!" She fidgets with her hands, and then remembers her mother's voice calling, "Fidgety Bridgette! Do hold your hands still!" and tries to hold her hands still.
"Not all women are that way, Joe. Why, my parents have been together for 30 years and are still very much in love! And it's NOT the money, if that's what you're thinking! Why, you wouldn't BELIEVE all the women in Northampton who do naughty things when their husbands are away! I expect it's because they're bored stuck at home! And the sad part is, I think their husbands half-expect them to be doing it!" she exclaims. "I don't want that silly life!" Then her face pales a little when she remembers Christopher. She's still going to have him to deal with at some point.

Joe nods and leans forward in the chair. "Too right, Gette. That's what I'm saying high society. It's crumblin as we speak. They've let their money get to their heads. They believe they can get away with anything."

Bridgette's eyes light up and she nods energetically. "Oh YES! Let me tell you what happened this summer!" she says, sitting up on her knees. "As I told you, I don't live at home anymore. I live at the University of London. My mother made a fuss about me moving out, so I came home to visit for a week on the condition she didn't tell Christopher I was coming, but the very next morning there he was! In his fancy, shiny new Rolls Royce! He demanded I come with him for a drive, and I just couldn't stand up to him! I tried to put him off, but he just ordered me around, and for some reason I just couldn't tell him what I was thinking, and I did what he said! Oh I HATE that!" Bridgette fumes, clenching her fists.
"Anyhow, he demanded I pick a date for our wedding! Well! He has NEVER officially asked me for my hand! NOR asked my father! And he never gave me a ring-- nothing! So I told him to let me finish school before we talked about it, and he got so angry! I finally told him I didn't want to marry him and I thought he was going to hit me! He told me that if I DIDN'T marry him he was going to ruin my father! I was so frightened, Joe! I made his radiator overheat, and then jumped out of the car and ran home, and then stole my mother's car and drove to the train station and went right back to London, I did!" she says, her cheeks flushed again, but her hands are visibly trembling.

Joe laughs and claps. "Good for you, Gette! Grow some ballacks did you!" he says slapping his knee and laughing. "Spot on, Gette. Bloody brilliant ifn you ask me. The nerve of that Christopher. He must have some balls to show up in New York to come lookin fer you."

Bridgette's face turns white-- completely ruining Joe's concept that she'd "grown some ballacks!" "He...he showed up in New York?? You saw him??" she asks, glancing around the room as if paranoid he's going to suddenly appear behind her.

"Nah Gette you said he was goin to come to New York for you. After what Grace an I put him through last time he has some balls." he says. "Crikey you're really afraid of him aren't you?" Joe says looking at her face drain of color.

Bridgette bites her lip and nods quickly. "And he's so stubborn that whether or not he really has any feelings for me he WILL make me marry him-- however he can! It's a matter of pride for him now! That's what I'm terrified of! That if I CAN stand up to him he'll either hurt me badly, or go after my father! And if I CAN'T stand up to him, I'm stuck as Mrs. Wentworth!" Bridgette grimaces as if she just tasted something bitter. "Oh Joe, what do I DO?" she wails.

Joe shrugs, "Want me to do it?" he asks. "I know a few blokes who could put the dissuade on him. Make sure he leaves you and your da alone." he says. "Bang him up a bit..." he says with an evil grin." Joe takes his last drag and stamps the cigarette out. "Hey it might be the only way he'll leave you be yeah?"

Bridgette watches Joe stamp out his cigarette on her expensive-looking carpet, but it doesn't provoke any reaction in her. She quickly looks back up at him with a hopeful look on her face. "Really?? You think it'll work? Or do you think it will just make him want revenge?" she asks, slumping again a little. She sighs. Then she looks up at Joe with an almost dangerous spark in her eye that he's never seen before. She opens her mouth to say what she's thinking, but then chickens out and slumps again.
"Perhaps first we see what happens when he comes after me...IF he comes after me-- although I think it's quite certain he will. Maybe he'll have met someone else in the meantime. Hmm...but his taste in 'girls on the side' are certainly women who are mistress-material, not wife-material. He needs to marry up or marry evenly in our society." Suddenly Bridgette's eyes widen. "Maybe he's just after Daddy's money!" she whispers.

Joe nods and sits back. "Right, you sure you want him to come after you yeah? I mean what if he gets violent. You keep saying he almost does. What if this time he doesn't stop. You going to be safe?"

Bridgette holds her head in her hands and shakes her head. "No..." she says in a small voice. "Maybe you'd better send your friends after him, Joe..." she says. Suddenly she looks up. "This is the longest conversation we've had without a single fight!" She gives him a toothy grin. Then a quizzical look crosses her face. "Did you and...HER fight very much?"

Joe rolls his eyes in exasperation. "Crikeys all the time after moving home to England. Nothing but piss and moan you know, 'Joe we need money, Joe get another job, Joe I need a ball gown, Joe why don't you spend time with me, Joe get a fourth job!'" he says. "I swear to god if she wasn't bitchin she wasn't happy yeah?"

Bridgette feels another lift of relief, followed by a tiny stab a guilt, followed by elation!
"Wow..." she says, wishing Joe had been more honest with everyone from the beginning about Cigarette Girl! She shakes her head. "She sounds AWFUL! Hmmm! She actually sounds perfect for Christopher!" she exclaims, and then starts giggling. The giggles turn into full-blown laughter, and suddenly she's holding her sides and laying on the floor laughing harder than she's ever laughed until she's crying.
"I'm...sorry...Joe!" she manages to get out between laughter.

Joe looks at Bridgette and raises an eyebrow. "Thanks," he says shaking his head. "I'm glad me misery can make someone laugh." he says. "I'm glad she left actually. I was worried I'd find her here and she'd come back with me, to be honest." he says and then laughs a little. "I hope she's selling cigarettes in a really bad easy."

This makes Bridgette shriek with laughter until she's on her stomach pounding on the floor and kicking her legs. Finally when she realizes Joe is looking at her like she's crazy she rolls back over and brushes her hair out of her eyes and gives him a toothy smile. She wipes the tears out of her eyes and takes a shaky breath.
"Sorry, Joe..." she says again, straightening the top of her dress and brushing down the skirt. "I wasn't laughing at your misery-- honest! I was just...oh, I don't know WHAT set me off...everything, really! All this tension and stress and all that's been thick around here!" She realizes she's sitting on the floor and quickly scrambles up to sit on the edge of her disarrayed bed, hands on her lap, nice and proper.
She bites her lip and looks at Joe again. "Have you...well..." she pulls on the collar of her dress as if it was suddenly tight. "Have you...had a lot of girlfriends?"

Joe smirks and lights another cigarette. "I've had a few. Yeah. A bit of fun when I was a lad I'd say. Nothin serious. Not till Matilda...but right as rain I'm back in the game right?" he says with a wink. "So what are you goin to do after Christopher gets out of your life?"

Bridgette blushes the brightest red she's blushed yet! "Well, er, uh, hee-hee!" she giggles, hand to her mouth.
'Bridgette Fairbanks! Stop this right now!!' she thinks to herself incredulously.
She puts her hands back in her lap and tries to give Joe a serious expression. No one ever takes her seriously when she's stammering!
"Well...see..." she says, her face getting a little hot. She takes a deep breath. "There is this...this certain person who I've...secretly been hoping would...you know...would..." Bridgette covers her face with her hands again.
'You're stammering again Bridgette! Good god, get a hold of yourself!!' she thinks desperately. She lifts her face up from her hands and looks at Joe with a pained expression on her face. "Don't you know, Joe??" she cries. "How much I...how much I fancy you?" she asks, and then makes a squeak-noise and hides her face in her hands again. Then, to top that off, she pulls her comforter back over her head again.

Joe stops in mid-light of his cigarette and looks over at Bridgette as she pulls the cover over her head. "What's that about then? You said you fancy me did you?" he says. "You sure about that? I mean...I don't know what I mean I mean..." he stammers. "Right well...ahhh...well when we get back to London we'll ahh...yeah see how things go right?"

Bridgette slowly pulls the comforter down enough that she can peek at him from under the blanket, her blue eyes wide with surprise. "Really?" she asks in a soft voice. "You'd...you'd be seen walking down the street with me? Your friends wouldn't tease you? Oh you aren't just saying that to be nice to me, are you??" she cries, comforter still on her head.

"Not at all," Joe says. "I mean yes I'd be seen walking down the street, and not I'm not being nice...I think that's what I meant." Joe says lighting the cigarette. "Right so ahh let's take this slowly and see where it goes eh?" he says nervously.

Bridgette watches his every movement, trying to discern if he's lying to her or not. She slumps a little under the comforter. "You're acting scared of me..." she says in a dejected-sounding voice. "Why?" she asks, her voice tiny and sad.

"Scared of you?" Joe says looking at her with a raised eyebrow. "I'm not scared of you. But let's face it...it's kinda nerve-jarring to date someone who could turn you into a frog if things went sour eh?" Joe says with a laugh. "Know what I mean?"

Bridgette pouts, her eyes sad from under the blanket. "I couldn't do that...that's not my field." She gives a sad sigh. "I find it MORE terrifying to date a Sleeper because they would never know the WHOLE me...the REAL me...and my life is dedicated to magic...in my society a woman like me has to be a wife and live in a big house and sit there rotting. No, there is no dating anyone BUT another mage. I realized this a couple of years ago. Besides...as you can see I'm quite harmless. I couldn't...couldn't even get up the nerve to punch you when you said you'd gotten married over the summer, even though I wanted to SO badly!" she sniffles, pulling the blanket back over her face again.

"You wanted to punch me eh?" Joe says with a snicker. "You'll have plenty of chances now won't you?" he says. "Right well I'm glad we cleared all this. And here I thought you hated me guts to be honest. Always calling me low class."

This isn't going the way Bridgette had dreamed...but at the same time it also didn't go the way she'd feared, either. He hadn't rejected her outright. But he didn't sound thrilled, either. She doesn't know WHAT to do!
She decides that the FIRST thing she needs to do is get this stupid blanket off her head!
She pulls the comforter off and looks at Joe. "I only said that because you started in on the "rich-girl" ridicule first! I could care LESS how much money you have! Actually, I like you better WITHOUT money! You won't be another Christopher, at the very least! Besides, I can't help who I was born to, or how I was raised, can I? And why should I apologize for my father's hard work?" she sniffs. "Everything he has he earned himself. He works for the Order, too! My mother...she's another story! But I assure you, you'd love Daddy, and Thomas! That's my older brother." she explains.

"Glad to hear that really. Tell you what, when we get back to London and settled an all that, the two of us should go to one of those moving pictures. What do you say eh?" Joe says taking a drag. "And then maybe off to a pub."

Bridgette watches Joe. She feels like he's still putting her off. "So you...didn't fancy me, too? Not at all...never...all these years? Everyone else seemed so sure...the girls...they tormented me...trying to get me to admit it..." she looks down. "You said you could 'read me like a book,' but you really didn't know...did you?" she says almost to herself. She thinks back to the girls cornering her and trying to get her to admit she liked Joe.
'Stupid lot...' she thinks to herself. She wishes she had that stupid teleporting-skill mastered for the 100th time this year.

Joe looks at Bridgette and smiles a little. "Yeah...I fancy you enough," he says. "But don't let that get to your head right. I mean I just got out of a marriage a few months ago right...no rushing to anything right?" he says. "Yeah I didn't know...not a clue really."

Bridgette frowns and gives a tiny nod, looking back down at her hands. Boy is she feeling humiliated right now. At least he's suggested they go out together. She doesn't know if he's just trying to get her off his back, or if he means it, though. She wonders-- also for the 100th time-- if she looked like a cigarette-girl if he'd be acting a LOT more different right now. He comes on to every pretty girl they pass! Then it pings in her head. She's just not pretty-- that's what it is. She knew it. She sits there thinking hard in silence for a little while. Then she glances up at him again.
"So if all I wanted was...ahem...sex, then you'd be acting different right now, wouldn't you. You'd maybe be up for that, wouldn't you? I mean...ever since school started this year you've been the same you-- married or separated or not-- still looking at the girls...still flirting. Then you look at me like I'm some kind of axe-murderer or something! It's because I want something more than just a one-night shag, isn't it! Or am I just not pretty enough? I mean, you married the cigarette-girl, right? Do I have to look like that before you'll stop being afraid of me? Look how far you're keeping yourself!" she points at him, a sad frown on her face.

Joe looks at her in astonishment. "Crikeys you're a thick one aren't you?!" he says. He stands up and walks over to his door and slams it. "That's it! I stay on my side you stay on your side and we'll finish this talk in London!!" he says furious.

Bridgette stares at the slammed door in surprise for a moment, and then grits her teeth and jumps up from the bed, stomping over to it.
"FINE, Joe! But if you ask ME, I don't think there's a Constantine-curse at all! I think you Constantines go for girls who you KNOW deep down are going to leave you, and you pass up the good girls who might actually stay around! That's what *I* think!" she shouts at the door, hands on her hips. She looks down at the floor. "And you forgot THIS again!" she cries, pushing the G-string under the door again.

"I bloody well did not!!" Joe shouts through the door. "There is a curse and you don't know a bloody thing about it right?! Maybe I want to do this but I think we should be careful right!" Joe says kicking the door.

Bridgette jumps when he kicks the door, and then stares at the door in surprise when he says he wants to do this...and that...maybe...he thinks it's worth being careful over??
Bridgette continues staring at the door in surprise for a moment, and then finally says, "Oh...!" in a rather high-pitched, surprised voice. "Well...all right, then...that's a rather good idea, isn't it." she says, finally sounding calm. Then she takes a deep breath...holds it...and lets it out slowly. She stands up straight and tall and clenches her fists. "I...apologize." she says after much effort.

"Right! And another thing...wait.." Joe says looking confused. "Did you just say you apologize?" he says. "I...I don't think you've ever apologized to me. Thanks," he says his voice softer. "Right well it's best to be careful right? I mean rushing in will only cause problems yeah?"

Bridgette nods. "Right. I agree. Because we've both been tied to other people for a few years...people who have disappointed us and let us down...so we BOTH have to start from the ground up on this one. No baggage from the other person, right?" she calls, feeling much, much better now.

"Right...I mean...yeah right." Joe says though the door. "So ahhh...what now? I mean ahh...say call a chair to this discussion before anything...happens you know. I mean hey it's nice but ahh...things are turning down a path here."

Bridgette's eyebrows go up. She's trying to figure out what "call a chair" means, and then suddenly she realizes that Joe thinks...thinks that something might happen right now! Here! In one of their...eeee! Rooms!
Bridgette's face turns bright red and she brings a hand to her mouth to stifle her tiny squeal. It takes her a minute to compose herself, and finally she clears her throat and nods again.
"Right." she calls back. "Joe? Do you think we should...you know...tell the others, or just keep fighting in front of them? Because on the one hand, if they know they'll stop trying to get us together. But on the other hand, if they know they might start pressuring us to...you know...er...well...be a couple and all that...right now..." she says, her face turning red again.

"Right well after our last demonstration I think the silent treatment would be good and not tell them, right?" Joe says. "Don't want them to think anything but we've had a fight and that we're just not speakin to each other. How's that?"

Bridgette beams and nods. "Of course! That would be best!" She fidgets for a moment. "Well...I think I'll get ready for bed then...'call a chair,' and all that!" she calls with a nervous little laugh. "Good-night, Joe."

"Goodnight, Gette. Sweet dreams...err...don't let the bed bugs bite...all that. Fuck." Joe says as he turns away from the door. "Sounded like a prat there." he says. "Right then goodnight!"

Bridgette giggles again with her hand over her mouth, and then skips away from the door to get ready for bed, humming to herself. After all her toiletries are done, she comes back into the bedroom and her eyes fall on the rumpled red lingerie-set still on the floor. She looks both ways guiltily, and then quickly snatches it up and shoves it into her undergarments drawer.

Two weeks later...

Piccadilly Circus is bustling with Londoners. Barkers on the streets call out to them, casinos, picture shows, real live girls, dance halls. All manner of offers are called and some of the seedier patrons walk in while other pass by on their way towards lighter fare. Two of these people are walking arm in arm. Joe Constantine looks over at Bridgette and smiles.

"Bout time we took in that picture show. Sorry Gette about being so busy an all. Chantry business...I wonder if we'll always be this overworked, you think?" Joe says, his breath visible in the night air.

Bridgette laughs light-heartedly. "Oh YES! But isn't it lovely?? I mean...not lovely that we haven't gotten any time to talk, but lovely to be busy...to be needed and doing important work, rather than rotting in a mansion!" she laughs, her breath puffing out. She squeezes Joe's arm and smiles up at him with shining eyes.
"So...have you heard back from your father...about bringing Jacob here?" she asks, a touch of shyness in her voice. She's never met either Joe's father or his son yet, although Joe's now met HER father! And her mentor! And they both like him MUCH better than Christopher! Oh these last two weeks have been so delightful!

"I have. Little Jake will be here in a week. Lovely innit?" Joe says smiling. "You'll like Jake. He's a good kid." he says. "Yeah it's alot better here than I thought. I never thought I'd be a Chantry man, but I guess I was wrong eh?"

Bridgette laughs and nods. "Oh I knew you'd be so much happier here! I figured that you were always grumpy because of that awful job in the mines! Now your talents aren't being wasted anymore, and you don't have that horrid dirty, dangerous job! Oh-- not to say that miners are horrid or dirty or anything...it's just...hard, dangerous work! Hmmm...then again, my work is hard and dangerous, too...and sometimes dirty..." she rambles on thoughtfully.

"You like it though eh? I mean out in the field doing important work. Maybe I should come with you," Joe says. "I'd hate for something to happen out there. One thing I've always hated is feeling useless you know." he says. "Thanks for givin me the chance to come to the Chantry, Gette."

Bridgette beams at him, looking up into his eyes, and feels a weird feeling come over her...like she wants to...kiss him. She chickens out. She lowers her eyes demurely and smiles. "Of course, Joe! You're one of us! And you've always been really good at what you do. And..." she covers her mouth and laughs. "Most of the Order are old, stuffy gentlemen. I'm so used to your joking...your down-to-earth casualness...I would...I would have missed you dreadfully...being here without you." she finishes, her cheeks pinkening a little.

Joe smiles as they continue to walk. "Yeah right now I'd be stuck in the mines all grimy and dirty and alone. I always hated that. Not one of me co workers could talk magic you know. They were all, 'oh did you hear the queen on radio today, oh did you see what Arsenal did over the weekend' like."

Bridgette smiles and nods. "Oh I know what you mean! Imagine being a proper young lady invited to tea at one of the neighbor's houses! The most DREADFUL, BORING conversations you've ever heard! And here you are, pondering the secrets of the universe while they're pondering the secrets of Lady Maribelle down the lane! You feel just as alone surrounded by 10 ladies as you do in the mines! Might make you wish to be back in the mines! *I* think I'd rather be in the mines than to tea!" she giggles.

Joe laughs and pats her hand. "Right sounds like the voice of experience so it does." he says. The two come into view with the theater. "Look," Joe says pointing to the playbill. "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari." Looks scary, you up for it?"

Bridgette looks at the playbill with wide eyes, and then nods her head excitedly. "Oh yes! Let's! After seeing the horrors of Balador-- including a VERY nude Jareth running down the halls-- I challenge "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" to frighten me!" she grins, standing up straight with her chin in the air.

Joe laughs, "That would be a frightening experience." he says. Joe looks around and points to a line. "End of line right there. If we get in line now we can get into the eight thirty show." he says. He walks her over to the line and then he smiles at her. "Who'd a thought this would happen eh? Me and you standing in line to see a show."

Bridgette laughs. "They may have envisioned bodyguards standing with us if they envisioned it happening!" she smiles a toothy smile. "Oh but truly-- who'd have thought Janice and Alex Burgess running away to San Francisco together!! Janice-- a STUDENT! I wonder how THAT'S going over at the School of Magical Theory!" she laughs. "I wonder if she'll ever tell him that she was sent to kill him when she accepted a dance from him! Or tell him her REAL name! Or any of it! And AMY! Deciding to stay in Balador with that...that MAN!" she exclaims. "I hadn't the heart to write to her Order to tell them yet!" she giggles.

"They'll find out soon enough, I suppose," Joe says laughing. "So did you like Balador? I didn't get to see much of it, but you know it seemed nice enough." he says as the line begins to shrink.

Christopher is walking down the street. His hands shoved into his pockets, he came to the city a week ago and still hasn't found her. The last time he saw his Bridgy she made a complete fool of him. Her parents talked to his and made terrible accusations. He was scolded and forbidden from ever seeing that girl again. How dare she.

Bridgette rolls her eyes at the mention of Balador. "It was a frightening place to wander around alone! I went down the wrong hallway once and had to run away from a number of strange naked men! I went to the ballroom to try to hide with sophisticated company, and was ogled by a satyr! I suppose there is much to be learned there just by talking to the interesting beings who reside there, but...I just wasn't in the right frame of mind to handle it, I suppose. Ooh but the spa was VERY lovely! I wish you would have left your room for a moment to visit it! The most divine massage I have ever received! Come to think of it, the ONLY massage I have ever received!" she grins toothily. "Did you ever end up meeting Marianne?" she asks curiously.

"I didn't." Joe says shaking his head sadly. "But that's alright. We can go back sometime if you like." he says. He opens his mouth to say something when a man who looks much like Christopher walks by in Bridgette's field of vision.

"Hmmm...perhaps...if you promised to escort me around and not stay in your room!" she laughs, and then some warning-bell in her head makes her glance over. First she stiffens-- her face the picture of terror-- and then she lets out a whimpering-sound and runs behind Joe, holding onto his upper arms with a vise-like grip to keep him from moving-- using him as a human-screen.

"What is it?" Joe says seeing her face stiffen. A concerned looks plays across his face. "Are you alright? You look sick."

The man stops dead and then turns to look at her. It's Christopher!

"Oh god oh god oh god...what is he DOING in Piccadilly Circus??" Bridgette whispers in a high-pitched voice. "It's Christopher!! Does he see me?? Oh tell me he's moving on!!"

Joe blinks for a moment. "Christopher...isn't that--" he starts when the man shoves him aside.

"Bridgy!" Christopher says with a beaming smile. "So good to see you. What are you doing here in the Circus?" he says.

"Oi! What are you doing there eh? The lady is with me." Joe says shoving Christopher. Christopher smiles back at him. "Take you filthy hands off me cretin or I shall call the police." he says with a smirk.

Bridgette stands there with her mouth open, speechless for the first few seconds-- feeling like this is a surreal dream. Then when Christopher threatens to call the police something snaps in her head and she regains her senses.
"Christopher-- this is Joseph, the newest member of the Board at the University, and he is correct. I am with him. So I believe you owe him an apology for shoving him and speaking rudely do him, or shall *I* call the police?" she asks as calmly as she can, but her heart is racing like a deer's. She puts her arm through Joe's and clings to it-- he can feel her trembling as she tries to hold her face steady and confident.

Joe smiles smarmily at him and cocks his head. "Indeed she's with me...if you know what I mean eh? Jack the lad an all that me old china." Joe says. "So now that we've determined everything is jake--"

Christopher's face begins to turn an ugly red. He straightens himself and collects his thoughts a moment. "With him...my fianc�e is with...a ditch digger with an accent that makes him as common as mack. You're slumming then Bridgy?"

Bridgette's face turns red with anger. "Slumming!?" she sputters. "He's more gentleman in his pinky than you are in your entire body!" she cries. "For your information, he ASKED if I'd like to accompany him out tonight-- he didn't demand! It was quite refreshing!" she sniffs. "And I've known him for years! How long did you know the last trollop you were with this season?" she asks, and Joe can feel Bridgette cringe against him as if waiting for a blow to fall.

"Bloody whore!" Christopher shouts at her. Several of the people in line turn around and begin to mutter. "How rude, what's his problem" are among the titters.

"Right there it is then," Joe says and suddenly lets go of Bridgette and pulls back his fist and hits Christopher square in the face. Christopher reels to the ground clutching his nose.

"There you are, in the filth like you types belong. Get on up then and get some more medicine." Joe says rolling up his sleeves. The line people clap and shouts of "Good show!" start.

Bridgette gasps, hands to her mouth and eyes wide above her hands. She'd always fantasized doing that herself, actually! She wonders what is going to happen now!! Her voice seems to have abandoned her, but she looks at Joe with eyes that sparkle with something more than just admiration. She brings her hands away from her mouth and gives him a warm smile, clasping her hands together at her breast.

"You broke my nose!" Christopher says as blood runs though his fingers, still clutching his face. He skitters away from Joe. Joe however takes a few steps forward.

"I'll do worse than that if you ever touch her again, Chrissy. Now tottle off and let the grown ups alone or else you and I will have grown up problems to solve." Joe says.

"My father will have you in jail by the morning you know that?" Christopher says regaining his feet.

"We'll see, Chrissy. But I wouldn't do that." Joe says looking at him dangerously as a dark look crosses his face. "I'm one holy fucking terror, Chrissy and I'll tear your life apart inch by inch...we got that?"

Bridgette feels her knees get weak when she sees what a man Joe is! Normally she'd act scandalized by his language, but not anymore!
She finally finds her voice and puts her fists on her hips. "He's right, Christopher. Let us alone. Go back to Northampton and find a nice obedient, gossipy tea-sipping money-grubber who's too stupid to know what a royal ass you are!" she cries with her chin tilted up, and then her cheeks blush a little when she realizes she swore!

Joe looks back at Bridgette and smiles. "Too right." he says. With that the people standing in line start clapping and jeering at Christopher. He humphs and dusts himself off.
"You don't know what a mistake you've made, Bridgette."

"You're going to have another mistake if you don't leave right now," Joe says taking a step.
Christopher holds up his hands and walks away. Joe smirks and turns back to Bridgette.

"Right then, you don't have to worry about him anymore." he says walking over and taking her arm. The crowd look at him and one of the older fellows shakes his head.

Bridgette gives Joe a look of determination, reaches up, takes his face in her hands, and pulls it down to hers, giving him a fierce kiss.

Joe blinks and then kisses her back just as fiercely. The crowd roars with approval and applause. "Good show old boy!"

The kiss breaks and Joe looks at her with a smile. "Right...that was nice. Care to do again later?" he asks sighing hopefully.

Bridgette blushes a little, smiling ear to ear. "I would!" she says a little more enthusiastically than she meant to! She puts her hand to her mouth to hide her smile as the crowd titters. She looks up at Joe, touching his cheek gently. "I would." she says softly.

Joe smiles warmly and genuinely at her. "Great!" he says. "Yeah that'd be great..." he says. "Ah...actually I'm hungry now. Care for a bite? There's another showing--" he says pointing to the playbill. "--in an hour. We could eat before then."

Bridgette smiles and nods. "That would be lovely! I think I'd be a little too distracted to pay attention to the movie just now, anyhow!" she blushes again. She puts her arm through his, and then links her fingers through his, too, giving them a little squeeze.
"Thank you, Joe-- for what you did to Christopher. You were...you were just amazing!" she exclaims. "I didn't know you could hit like that! It was..." she shakes her head slowly. "It was just...incredible!"

"That's what us low class fellas learn early is how to scrap." Joe says with a smile. He squeezes her hand and smiles brightly at her. "Well that was great it was. It felt good to knock that tosser about." he says. The two start walking towards a restaurant. "Right I'll pick up the tab. I mean it is a date right?"

Bridgette laughs. "Well I'm glad you learned to 'scrap' then!" she teases him.
When he says he'll pick up the tab she gives him an impressed nod. "Of course you may! I mean of course it is!" she laughs, fingertips to her mouth. The two walk, and she glances at him shyly, not quite sure how to ask what she wants to ask him. She finally gets up her nerve.
"Joe? Where...would you like to...to go somewhere after the movie...to...well...to...to "do it again later?" she finally gets out all in a jumble. Her face lights up again in a furious blush.

"Maybe," Joe smiles and winks at her. "Or maybe walk you home, get a good-night kiss and see you again tomorrow night. How's that?" Joe asks hopefully. He doesn't want to rush this by any means. He's actually surprised by himself. He's sure this...this could mean something.

Bridgette's smile lights up even more and she nods her head. She's not very experienced at this sort of thing. Well...she has ZERO experience, to be quite literal!
"That sounds perfect! Oh! Perhaps we could go baby-shopping for Jacob! He's going to need a crib and some dear little winter clothes if he's going to be living here in London now! Ooh! Some tiny boots and a fleecy little coat! What do you think?" she asks excitedly. "Perhaps a pram to push him in for walks...oh and a high chair to sit him in for supper!" she say, counting things off on her fingers. "Then your father will see how cozy and well-prepared your flat is for him and not worry a moment longer about saying good-bye to his grandson!" she beams.

Joe laughs and puts his arm around her. "Spot on! Brilliant! I say we do it, Gette. You and me baby shopping. Why if you told me this a few years ago I'd call you crazy but here we are talking about it and tomorrow we're off baby shopping," he says with a chuckle. "Hard to believe isn't it?"

Bridgette laughs. "Especially if it were for our OWN baby!!" she exclaims without thinking, and then her face explodes in a blush again. She lets out her little squeal noise and covers her face, laughing. "Oh look at me! Open mouth, insert foot yet again!" she cries. Then her laughing tapers off and she gives Joe a serious look.
"Joe? If...SHE came back...what would you do?" Bridgette asks quietly. Now that they've taken care of the question of what to do if Christopher came back, Bridgette realizes they haven't addressed the OTHER important question.

Joe curls up his lip. "I'd tell her to step off and bugger it." he says with a firm nod. "She abandoned me and Jake and that's how it's going to stay. I've already gotten full legal custody so there's nothing for her to do."

Bridgette exhales in relief and nods her head. She's quiet for a moment, and then glances over at Joe with a smirk. "Want me to 'scrap' her for you if she does?" she asks with hopeful eyes. "Because oh boy would I EVER!" She clenches her hands into fists and makes feinting little jabs at Joe's arm.

Joe laughs and squeezes her shoulders. "I think I'd pay to see that. In this corner wearing the baby blue tights, weighing one hundred five pounds, Bridgette, the Jet Fairbanks!" he says and starts to laugh. "I can see it now. Matilda down in the first round."

Bridgette laughs loudly. "Down in the first three SECONDS is more like it!" she nods firmly. She squeezes Joe's arm and they approach the diner. "And with that, we banish thee Matilda and thee Christopher forever from our minds!" she cries with a little flourish of her hand, and then exhales in relief. "Done and done! Now let's get something hot to eat! I'm suddenly ravenous!" she beams. "And I don't want us to be late for the picture-show!" A new energy and excitement seem to fill Bridgette as she holds contentedly to Joe's arm.

"Right you are miss!" Joe says as they stride arm in arm towards the eatery. Joe looks over at Bridgette and smiles. He sighs contentedly and squeezes her arm. This is going to be a beautiful relationship.