John wakes up near the other side of the bed. He blinks and rolls over to see Kassandra sleeping soundly on the other side. He sighs and gets out of bed and walks to the door. He looks at Kassandra one last time and opens the door and walks out. He heads into the kitchen to find Ric sitting at the table drinking tea in his bathrobe.

"Ah good morning John. I see the lady stayed the night. Did we make a mistake dear boy?" Ric says eyeing him over the newspaper.

John pours himself some coffee and shakes his head.
"No, not that again, Ric. I made a promise see."

"Good. Because I would hate to see you break the girl's heart," Ric says looking back at his paper.

Kassandra opens her eyes slowly, a smile on her face. She just had the deepest, most relaxing sleep she's ever had! And WONDERFUL dreams!! She's in a great mood!
She looks around, and suddenly wonders where she is. And why she's still wearing her dressing-gown over her nightgown. She raises up a little, forehead furrowed, and then realizes this is John's bedroom. She flops back down. Is she still dreaming? She yawns and rubs her eyes, and then spots her car keys on the nightstand next to her. Then everything comes back to her. The long talk they'd had...how she'd finally said all the things that had been bottled up inside-- or at least MOST of the things-- and how much better she'd felt afterwards...how John had let her cuddle up beside him and had held her so she could fall asleep...
Kassandra closes her eyes and exhales, smiling. No wonder she'd slept well! She doesn't realize it was actually Hope's doing from the night before when Hope had literally wished her pleasant dreams, she thinks it's because she'd gotten that heavy weight off her shoulders that she'd been carrying around-- her frustration at being treated like a kid and left out of everything, and her idea for how she and John's relationship should evolve. And even though John had turned her down, he'd been so gentle and considerate about it, and his reasons hadn't hurt her feelings, that she'd had an epiphany and realized the REAL reasons she'd wanted to go from being his student to being his lover, and that it wasn't a crush she was going to have to suffer through for ages before she got over it! She'd just wanted him to be closer to her than all those 'wankers' over in England who were always pulling him away from her-- like some kind of trans-Atlantic tug-of-war! But he'd finally explained some of what he's been involved in across the sea, and it had helped set Kassandra's heart at rest.

She reaches over and touches John's side of the bed and finds it still a little warm-- a trick she uses to see if her snakes slept with her in bed when she wakes up and they're not there-- so she knows he must have just recently gotten up. She stretches, and then gives a little laugh-- wondering what Ric is thinking right now! Hmmm...the mischievous side of her wonders if she should play this up and see if she can embarrass John! She doesn't know where this naughty little impulse came from, but it must be her mother's fault! It's something SHE would do!
But then the little "angel" alights on her other shoulder and lectures her about how she shouldn't make John regret letting her sleep with him. He was very trusting to do that. Angel and devil war back and forth with each other for a moment, and Kassandra finally gets out of bed and walks over to the door, opening it and walking out into the kitchen.
She sees John and Ric sitting at the table-- John drinking coffee and Ric drinking tea. She pulls her dressing gown around her a little more tightly, realizing how much busom the nightgown underneath shows, and smiles at the men a touch self-consciously.
"Hello..." she says, running a hand through her long, black tangles.

"Tip of the cup the Lord has blessed us with," Ric says picking up his cup in her direction. "How lovely you look this morning, Kassy. I'm sure our besotted friend here has had nothing to do with it?"

"Nice Ric." John says grumpily into his cup. "Hey Kassy. Need a bit of breakfast before you run? Ric was just volunteering his considerable skills in the culinary arts for that very reason."

"Why John," Ric says looking over at John hurt. "Are you questioning my ability in the kitchen, or my misguided attempts at impressing the lovely lass with my soda and egg strategy?"

"Take your pick." John says.

Kassandra's glad she didn't listen to her "inner devil" when she sees how grumpy Ric made John by insinuating the same thing her "devil" had told her to insinuate!
"Soda and eggs??" Kassandra asks wrinkling her nose, her culinary skills affronted. "What's that?" she asks Ric. "Mind if I get some coffee, Uncle John?" she asks John, trying to soothe him by calling him that so he knows she's not taking any lower meaning from him letting her into his bed.

"What's a soda?" Ric says looking from Kassandra to John and then shaking his head. He folds his paper and stands up. "American culture indeed. It seems our cousins across the pond have forgotten the simple language. A soda, my dear, is sausage." he says walking over to the refrigerator and pulling out eggs and sausage. "And you will have some today."

Kassandra covers her mouth and laughs. "Oh. Well in that case, sure! Thanks Ric!" she grins. "You don't want to know what I was picturing!"

"Yeah, Kassy. Go ahead," John says motioning to the coffee pot. "Sleep well?"

Kassandra nods. "Oh yes! I don't think I've ever slept so well in my life! Either you've got the most comfortable mattress in the world, or else it's true what they say about getting things off your chest...how it lightens your heart and all that..." she says cheerfully as she bustles around John's small kitchen-- trying to stay out of Ric's way while she finds a clean coffee cup and makes herself a cup of coffee.

"Ah confession is good for the soul so it is." Ric says digging for a fry pan. "I have found that if one confesses certain sins, it not only lightens the chest, but lightens the wallet and morals as well. Wonderful thing confession." Ric muses.

"Thinking about a particular altar boy, Ric?" John chuckles.

"May the lord bless and keep you, John," Ric says as he gives him the finger.

Kassandra laughs hard as she stirs a little cream and sugar into her coffee. She KNEW it must be fun hanging out with John and his friends! She wishes she could do that more...be "one of the guys."
"So do they have special 'confession prostitutes' for that, or something? Mom says there's a prostitute for just about everything now days..." she muses with a grin. "You sure you're in the right religion, Ric? I mean, I can think of a few that might suit you better..." she grins over the top of her cup as she sips.

"Oh no. I am certainly a priest. John here must have been spreading lies about all the good works I do. Indeed I lead my parishners into the light of heaven every Sunday." Ric says righteously.

"A little thick, there Ric." John says shaking his head.

"Whatever do you mean?" Ric says appalled.

"Just get back to the soda and eggs and quit the preaching. She's not impressed." John says turning back to his cup.

"Ah John Constantine the ever optimist. Always seeing the silver lining behind every dark cloud. What indeed would the world do without you?" Ric says. "And to your question, there are indeed confession prostitutes. Quite popular in London. Who wouldn't want to shag their priest?"

Kassandra lets out a little shriek and laughs hard again. "So you lead them into the light of heaven, or you SHOW them your 'light of heaven?' I remember hearing that song...'this little light of mine...I'm gonna let it shine!"" Now Kassandra is almost falling out of her chair laughing.

John chuckles. "Little light..." he says into his cup and then finishes his coffee in a gulp.

Ric sighs. "Oh lord, the fools I must suffer in this life. John you are positively corrupting the poor naive little girl. You mustn't listen to everything he says." Ric says shaking his head. "The light of the lord is long and powerful...one could almost say its girth--"

"Shite Ric we're about to eat right?" John says standing up to get some more coffee.

Kassandra can't even take a second sip of her coffee she's laughing so hard. "Maybe *I'M* in the wrong religion..." she giggles. Her eyes fall on the bathroom door as she takes a sip of her coffee. Then she glances at the kitchen clock.
"Hey Uncle John? Could I take a quick shower while Ric's cooking? I'm actually not going right back to the chantry from here-- Dad's meeting Hope at the shop at 10 so I need to get there a little before then." She neglects to mention what her purpose for going there will be, hoping they assume she's meeting her father there.

"Sure, go ahead," John says as he picks up the paper. "Hurry up, he's almost done."

"That I am, Kassandra. I'll save yours for last." Ric says starting the eggs on the fry pan. "Hope...Hope...I have heard that name somewhere before..." Ric says muttering to himself.

"How about as in 'I hope you're going to figure out a way to get that stuff for me.'" John says looking over his shoulder.

"Oh worry not. I have all things in plan, my dear boy." Ric says.

Kassandra finishes her coffee as she stands, and then glances curiously between John and Ric. "What stuff? Or is this another one of those times where you torment me by talking code in front of me and then refusing to explain yourselves?" she asks, folding her arms and raising her eyebrows-- a look her father has given her and her mother many times over the years.

"Dragonsbreath, my dear. Our boy John wants dragonsbreath. For purely research purposes I'm confident." Ric says. "Although he knows that it is very difficult to procure said item since it doesn't exist anymore in any form but liquid flame. But still he relies on the Lord to find a way I'm sure." Ric says smugly.

Kassandra raises her eyebrows. "Dragonsbreath??" she asks in surprise. "You mean like from a real dragon? Gods! What do you use THAT on??" she asks in a hushed-sounding voice.

"Any bloody thing that gets uppity." John says looking over the paper at her. "Take your shower, Kassy."

"Almost done, Kassandra, dear. You may not have time for a shower," Ric says as he turns the eggs. "And now the sodas." he says taking out the package of sausages. "How many?"

"Three," John says taking a sip of his coffee.

Kassandra sticks her tongue out at John while he's sipping his coffee, and then nods to Ric. "Three's good for me, too. And with that, I'm off!" she says, hurrying over to the little duffle bag she'd dropped in the living room the night before and carrying it into the bathroom with her. She closes the door and exhales, looking around. She's glad John wasn't reading her intentions...he might have tried to stop her...she's not sure.
She looks around the bathroom, seeing it as if for the first time even though she's been in here a million times. This is where she was born. She slowly takes off her clothes while gazing at the bathtub reverently. If they were telling her the truth, this is LITERALLY where she was born.
She reaches in and turns on the shower, butterflies in her stomach, and then gets in. She closes her eyes and lets the warm water beat on her chest a moment while she meditates and gets into a good mind-set.
After a moment she raises her arms in front of her face and opens her eyes slowly. She concentrates on her snake-tattoos as she slowly moves her arms in a mesmerizing pattern�willing herself back in time�back to the day she was born. She concentrates and uses her sheer will to make this happen, and then suddenly the room shimmers and she braces her hands on the tile wall beside her as suddenly she disappears and seems to be watching the room from outside her body.

She hears voices outside the door-- lots of voices-- all talking frantically, and then a woman's voice yells, "stay away from me!" It's her mother's voice. Suddenly the bathroom door flies open and her mother staggers in. She looks exactly the same as she does now�she hasn't aged a day. She's wearing a long black gown that's clinging to her wet legs, and as she enters the bathroom she's pulling at it, her face pale and scared-looking. She finally manages to get the gown off over her head, and then slams the bathroom door behind her and yells for everyone to keep out.

Vanessa's lower body and legs are wet with both amniotic fluid and blood, and she finishes pulling the rest of the clothes off, and then clutches her stomach and bends over, strain and pain on her face. Kassandra feels a chill come over her. Her mother's stomach is perfectly flat. How is this possible?? Shouldn't she have a big, pregnant stomach??

Vanessa looks around in a panic, and then finally sees the tub and gets into it. Another spasm wracks her body, and she quickly goes down on her hands and knees and moans. She closes her eyes and grits her teeth, and then pushes. The pushing seems to go on for a long time, and then Vanessa sags a little, resting her forehead on the edge of the tub. Then suddenly another contraction hits her, and she's bearing down again, her hands clenching the sides of the tub tightly.
And then Kassandra sees it!! Her own tiny baby-head emerges from between her mother's legs, and then the rest of her body follows! Her mother quickly reaches down and catches Kassandra in her hands, and then holds her up-a look of complete astonishment and amazement on her face�her eyes wide in wonder.
"What�?" she barely whispers. "A�human baby??" she stammers.

Kassandra's elation at seeing that she WAS born naturally is suddenly shadowed by the surprise her mother is exhibiting at having given birth to a human baby. Kassandra feels a little weak as she watches this. What else did her mother EXPECT to have given birth to??

Baby Kassandra lets out a shuddery little wail, and Vanessa quickly brings the baby to her chest instinctively, the wide-eyed surprise and terror in her eyes never abating.

A man's voice calls through the door, "Vanessa�is that a baby??"

Vanessa doesn't answer, she just keeps staring down at the baby in her arms�speechless. She tentatively reaches down and wipes the blood from her daughter's face, and as she gazes at the face, a maternal look fills her countenance.
She looks up at the door. "Leave�all of you." She calls, but not angrily. Just commandingly. "Not you, John, of course�" she calls as an afterthought. "I mean it�everyone else leave."
Then Vanessa notices the umbilical cord trailing out of her body and has another moment of panic. She looks around the bathroom hurriedly, and then notices John's straight razor on the sink counter. She quickly reaches over and grabs it, and then cuts the cord as close to Kassandra's pink little tummy as she can, pinching the end off with her fingers. Then she closes her eyes and pushes, and the placenta and rest of the cord falls out and lands in the tub-- which is beginning to look like a grizzly murder-scene.
Vanessa is starting to look a little wobbly, and quickly finds a towel and starts cleaning Kassandra off. She turns on the water in the tub and uses it to clean her daughter. Once Kassandra is clean, she finds another towel and wraps her baby in it. She makes a pile of towels on the floor beside the tub, and gently lays her wrapped-up baby on top of the pile. Then, still kneeling in the bloody tub, Vanessa brings her hands to her heart, closes her eyes, and murmurs a prayer of thanks to Ayida Wedo and Damballah. Her words are so heart-felt, emotional, and touching that tears run down Kassandra's cheeks where she's standing in her own time-period in the same tub.
Then another cramp clenches Vanessa's belly, and she hunches over again. After it passes, she reaches between her legs and picks out a piece of�eggshell? Kassandra isn't sure, but she THINKS that's what it looks like. Her mother sits there thinking for a moment, and then suddenly shimmers and transforms into her giant snake-form.
And then in this snake-form Kassandra sees a sight that will impact her like nothing has before. She watches as her mother regurgitates the remains of a giant, rainbow-colored eggshell.

Kassandra feels reality tipping on its side. She claws at the tiled wall back in her time, blindly trying to find something to grab onto but not finding anything, and then loses her balance and falls down in the tub, hitting her head a little on the side of the tub. She lays there stunned for a minute as she starts to lose contact with her magic, barely hearing the 22-year old John's voice calling, "Alright, Sunshine?" to her mother back in the past-bathroom. Then she lets out a loud shriek and curls up into a ball with her arms covering her head, the shower water pelting down on her.

John tosses the paper down and he and Ric take a look at each other before suddenly dashing towards the bathroom. Both he and Ric pound on the door. "Kassandra?!! Kassandra!!!" they shout. "Move back...move back!!" John says and kicks the door open. He rushes into the bathroom. "Kassandra!"

Kassandra is curled up in the tub in fetal-position, a small trickle of blood running from the back of her head into the drain. Her eyes are clenched shut and she's holding her face, crying and letting out little shrieks.

John shuts the water off and grabs a towel. He wraps it around her and moves the hair from her face to see if she is hurt. "Just a bump..." he says. He pulls out his lighter and flicks it open, lighting it. He waves it in the air a few moments to see into her mind. "Shite..." he sighs. He closes his eyes and sorts through the scene slowly closing it like little books into her head.

Kassandra finally stops shrieking and cries quietly. She opens her eyes and sees John there, and then closes her eyes again and covers her face with her hands.
"What AM I??" she moans through her hands, and then starts sobbing.

"You're human. You're a woman." John says. "Other than that," he says catching his breath. "I don't know." He lays back against the side of the tub and lights a cigarette.

"Well obviously you two have something to talk about so I'll get back to my cooking," Ric says and turns to leave.

"Why did you do that?" John says looking over at her.

Kassandra cries a little longer, and then covers her eyes with her hand. "I wanted to know the truth. And I was trying to do it by myself...without having to bother other people anymore. I wanted to...to..." she sighs and draws her knees up to her chest, resting her forehead on her knees, her wet hair falling down around her legs.
"My parents have been keeping secrets from me my whole life. I think I always knew, but I just accepted their answers and was content with them." She sits there quietly for a moment, and then finally looks up at John.
"An egg?? A fucking EGG? I was...was hatched from an egg??" she exclaims, her eyes incredulous a little angry for some reason. "How can I be human??"

"No no...not an egg, Kassy. You were a human baby. End of fucking story. That egg was how it was transferred that's all. You know this voodoo stuff your mom's into right? All the snake worship and all that. Don't worry you were not an egg. " John says.

Kassandra sits up slowly, wincing a little and touching her head, and then turns and rests her back against the tub next to John. She sits there staring off into space for a moment before speaking.
"So mom was...was what she is now since before I was born...because I saw her turn into a snake after I was born...so the loas...put me into an egg inside of her because...because her body couldn't support a baby on its own...so the egg was like a protective shell...it was colored the same as Ayida Wedo's scales..." she says mostly to herself as she tries to work all of this out in her mind. Then she closes her eyes and covers them with her hand again as she tries to absorb all of this. "No WONDER you'd be scared to have sex with me after seeing that..." she mutters. Then she sighs. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it...I'm just upset right now..."

"Oh for fuck's sake," John says getting up. "Would you get off the sex shite! Jesus you just saw how special you are that a fuckin force of nature put you in the belly of your mother and all you're worried about is having sex. You fuckin daft??!" John says looking exasperated.

Kassandra looks up at John in complete shock, her mouth open and her eyes wide. Then her bottom lip starts to tremble and she rests her forehead on her knees again and covers her head with her arms, crying. Her mind is a big jumbly mess right now. But part of what he said sticks out clearly like a neon sign: she was a miracle-baby given to a barren mother by the loas in a special, beautiful protective shell that they designed themselves that gave her all the nourishment she needed for 9 months. She doesn't know HOW her father enters into this equation, but she knows he's her father because there are undeniable facial features that they share...as well as personality-traits. But why couldn't they have told her this when she was a little child and the world was filled with fairies and wonder and it wouldn't have been so hard to swallow? Wait-- what is she saying?? The world IS filled with faeries and wonder, and she's seen the loas perform miracles...it's not hard to swallow at all.
"Don't yell at me..." she says in a quiet voice, head still resting on her arms. "I'm not worried about having sex...that's not what I meant at all, John. I was just feeling...like you must think I'm a freak...that's all...I mean...how would YOU feel if you'd just seen this and you were me? It's a little shocking to find out about, isn't it?" She sighs, still hiding her face in her arms.

John simmers down and nods. "Yeah...you're right..." he says. "But you're not a freak. You're a miracle and that's that right?" John says sitting back down. "So...you're not going to tell your mum that I told you right?" he says.

Kassandra lets out a shaky breath and lifts her head up from her arms. "No, I'm going to tell her that I found out on my own, and tell her how I did it. No more secrets. Tonight I'm going to sit my parents down and make them tell me everything. I want to know everything about them, and everything about me. I hate the new way Dad's been treating me when I call home-- trying to get off the phone with me when I ask too many questions...making up lame reasons for why he has to hang up. That really hurts my feelings that my own dad is doing that...I thought we were better friends than that..." she sniffles, wiping at her eyes. "And I don't want you to have to be stuck in the middle like this anymore. That's not fair, either."
She suddenly gives a little laugh. "Wow...I feel sorry for anyone who wants to get serious with me! Most girls take guys home to meet their parents and hear about all the daughter's accomplishments...not expecting to hear that their girlfriend was created by loas and hatched from an egg!" she exclaims, and then starts giggling. Then the giggles turn to loud laughs, and then she's laughing and crying at the same time-- emotions coming out in a big jumble.

John looks at Kassandra and takes her hand. "This is no laughing matter, Kassy. This is dead serious. You tell no one. No one what you saw in there. Not your friends, not your cabal mates, you hear me?" John says with some urgency in his voice.

Kassandra looks at John in surprise, and then slowly nods her head when she sees the seriousness in his eyes.
"OK Uncle John..." she says quietly. She doesn't have to ask why. "What happens if one of my cabal-mates sees my mom or dad...you know...really SEES them...whatever they are. We've run into Dad a couple of times now on accident. What do I tell my friends?" she asks seriously. "Andell saw Dad and said he knew what Dad was...I wish I could have my friends over for dinner sometime...poor Dad never gets to cook for big groups of people much..." she sighs and rubs her temples.

"Well don't get yourself into situations where that could happen right? No addresses given, nor phone numbers. Make sure your mother and your dad know to avoid you on the street if you're with your friends. Make sure you remember that too." John says. "There are ways if you're sneaky enough to avoid them."

Kassandra nods her head slowly, listening as he speaks. "It's too bad, too, because my cabal-mates have all told me how much they like Dad!" she sighs regretfully. "Ah shit...I used Kyril's computer to order a package and have it delivered to my house! I hope the address isn't saved in there somehow! I don't know much about computers!" She sighs. "Well...I don't think he's the social-type anyway...he'd be the last person to go there uninvited."
Kassandra sits there quietly for a moment, staring into space. She goes back in her mind to everything her parents have told her about her miracle-birth...what they've told her about themselves...and...they really never lied to her. They just gave her bits and pieces. She'll hear them out...be patient. They must have good reasons for not giving her the whole story. She shakes her head slowly when it finally starts sinking in what the loas did. She has SO many questions now!
She looks at John. "Remember when you were telling me that people with your talent for seeing things that other people can't see are pretty rare and they stick together? I guess I'm in a category like that, too. I wonder if they've created other children like me...or if I'm one-of-a-kind..." she says softly. She looks at John for a moment. "Did you have a hard time growing up with your talent? Did you feel like you were the only one...stuff like that? Did anyone ever find out what you can do and give you a hard time about it?" she asks curiously.

John takes a drag while he considers the answer to that question. He blows out the smoke and nods. "I did. I was taken from one therapist to another and all of them said I was having deep rooted problems and tried to have me committed. Yeah, I felt alone an all that, but I had me grandmum and she was great." John says.

Kassandra nods. "Your Grandma Bridgette..." she says, remembering some of the stories about her. Then sits thinking for a moment again. "Can I ask you a personal question?" she asks quietly. "And don't worry...it doesn't have anything to do with me asking you...you know...that stuff last night." She clears her throat.
"Have you always traveled, traveled, traveled your whole life, or did something happen to make it so you can't stay in one place for very long? And do you like this kind of life, or do you wish you could pick one city and stay there?"

"I like travelling, but yeah sometimes I just want to kick up me feet and set some roots down." John says. "But it's alright. I've always traveled, Kassy. Always never in one place for more than a few years." he says. "You haven't traveled much but when you do you either love it or hate it."

Kassandra nods. "Yeah...I've never been outside of San Francisco! I wish I could meet your friends in Britain someday. I always picture all of you sitting around laughing and talking and drinking, and it sounds like a lot of fun." she smiles wistfully.
"My other question is also not related to our talk last night, but I'd really like to know...so I can understand other people's viewpoints. I want to be a more open-minded person, and figure out what I want to do, too. Anyhow, is the reason you've never had a steady girlfriend because you're always travelling, or have you wanted to find someone and settle down? And when you sleep with different people but don't have relationships with them-- you know...one-night-stand-type-things-- does it make you sad when you leave the next day, or relieved because you're alone and free again? Are you worried you might get hurt if you get serious about someone, or just haven't met anyone that would make you want to settle down?" she asks, her eyes intent and serious.

John shrugs, "I just haven't met the right person." John says. "I don't feel sad because we both knew going in that it was a one-night-stand. No illusions of a relationship right. They know I'm gone in the morning." John says. "I don't feel sad or relieved. Just eh it happened."

Kassandra listens and thinks. "OK, so here's another question then. Is sex like a magical fixer-upper that makes you feel great and in a good mood the next day...helps clear your mind...like, the effects last a long time after the sex...or does it just feel good in the moment and then the next day everything's back to feeling normal again? I mean...are there noticeable benefits to getting a sex-fix every once in a while, or does that only happen to people who are in relationships and are in love and stuff?" she asks, hoping she's making sense!

"Yeah everything is back to normal afterwards. It's just an in-the-moment thing." John says nodding. "All these question about sex...I mean what's that about Kassy?" He says with a wink. "You thinking about having an in the moment...moment?"

Kassandra blushes and looks down, picking at the towel she's wearing nervously. She grins. "Well...remember when we were talking last night and I said I thought what I really needed was just to get laid once and then I'd be able to think again and stop being so rash? Well I was just wondering if that works or not, but it sounds like it doesn't. But...right now I don't know if I'm ready for a relationship. My life and my family are a little complicated...I've got this baggage I'm carrying around from...from HIM...I have those 'episodes' we talked about...someone would have to be CRAZY to want to put up with me, right?" she sighs. "And I don't want to have to keep my history or my family a secret from someone. But I DO desperately want someone to hold and cuddle with at night...someone to make love to...but...that sounds like a relationship, doesn't it? I mean, you'd have to hold and cuddle a different guy each night in order to get the comfort without the relationship, right?" she sighs and holds her head in her hands, looking defeated.

"Yeah and it's not a lifestyle I think you'd like, love. You have to find the right men and be with them and them alone. Don't worry you're still young and all that. You'll find someone. Turst me." he says. "Now I think we best eat breakfast now."

Kassandra nods mutely, still trying to figure out what she wants. She glances up at John. "You sound like Papa Ghede..." she half-smiles. "Not about breakfast-- about the first part!" she laughs. She looks down again. "I'm sorry about your door...really sorry...I know someone who can fix it..." she say in embarrassment. "Thanks for coming to my rescue again. It means a lot to me that you care...and I don't mean that in a crushy-sort of way. I mean that sincerely. Because we're family...like you said."

"That's right," John says standing up. "Now get dressed and come to breakfast," he says as he walks to the door and closes it....at least as much as it can close. He walks over to the breakfast table and sits down.

"Everything sorted then?" Ric says finishing up the cooking.

"A little bit. Breakfast ready?" John says looking down at his plate.

"When she gets out it will be."

Kassandra sighs and scrambles to get up off of the floor, awkwardly wrapped in a towel. She winces again as her head throbs, so she takes a minute to heal her head-wound before drying off and getting dressed. She towels her wet hair and brushes it out, and then puts on a little make-up-- all of it taking less than 5 minutes-- and then carefully pushes open the door and steps out.
Suddenly the door falls flat onto the floor with a loud bang, and Kassandra lets out a little yip and jumps, dropping her duffle bag. Her face heats up in embarrassment, and she awkwardly struggles to lift the door and set it back in the frame. Then she hurries over to the table and sits down, letting her long hair fall in front of her face a little to hide it. She glances up at Ric.
"Sorry...I hope I didn't ruin breakfast..." she says, nervously tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. She just realized that both men have now seen her naked, and flushes a little again...unable to make eye-contact with them.

"Of course not. I'm used to young women being late for breakfast. It seems it is some sort of rule, so I have perfected the art of the late breakfast." Ric says as he serves her the food. "Not too hot not too cold just as if they came off when they were done." Ric says with a smile.

"Count on a priest knowing how to make a woman breakfast." John says shaking his head.

"One of the perks." Ric says.

Kassandra grins and glances up at Ric, feeling a little calmer. "OK, I have a question for you! Is there a reason you haven't settled down with anyone? Is it because you're not allowed to, or because you don't WANT to, or because you haven't found the right woman?" she asks curiously.

"Oh no. I'm a priest, dear girl. The church frowns on such behavior." Ric says. "A holy man is a chaste man, and thank the lord in all his wisdom that I am neither." Ric says serving the food to his plate and sitting down. "No settling down for me."

Kassandra laughs and picks up one of her sausages, biting into it. "You know Uncle John, sometimes I wish I'd asked you to teach me mind-magic so I could just walk into a room, scan the guys, and be able to tell which ones were the good ones, you know? And do you have ANY friends who AREN'T players?" she asks with a raised eyebrow, shaking her sausage at him.

"Only one." John says. "And he's quite buy at the moment." John says shaking his head.

"Ah Brendan Finnin may the lord bless and keep him five minutes before the devil knows he's gone." Ric says.

Kassandra bites her lip, looking down. Oops.
"Sorry..." she says softly. She looks down at her plate, and after a minute continues eating again. "You're not bad, Ric..." she comments. "Not a bad cook, I mean." she adds. "Especially for an Englishman!" She glances up and smirks at him, and then goes back to eating...and wondering how she's going to spy on her father while he's in the shop...

"Ah another jab at English and it's skill at cooking. I see." Ric says. "Has the world not have enough detriment towards the English and yet has to say one more thing about it's cooking." Ric says exasperated.

John looks over at Ric and shakes his head. "Little Melodramatic aren't we?"

Kassandra grins, and then the broken eggshells sitting in the carton on the counter catch her eye, and her face suddenly goes serious. She glances down at the eggs on her fork and slowly lowers her fork. She sits there thinking for a moment, and then looks up at John.
"How is it possible that Mom's stomach was perfectly flat right before she gave birth to me?" she asks, trying to put the final pieces together in her mind.

John and Ric look at each other and then Ric pipes up.
"Considerably good genes and luck. I have even known women who didn't even know they were pregnant until the waters broke."

"He's got a point. Remember Cheryl? She never looked pregnant with Krista, kept her figure all the way till the end. Just a slight bump in the tummy." John says eating his toast.

"Ah Cheryl, the apple of many a man's eye, yet she married that toofter Jerry. What she ever saw in that man..." Ric says.

Kassandra raises her eyebrow and then looks back down at her eggs. She senses they're covering up for her mom...but it's OK. She saw how her mom looked at her right after she was born...how she thanked the loas for their miracle...whatever her mom is, Kassandra loves her and she knows her mom loves her, too.
She finally looks back at the men. "It's OK, guys...I appreciate what you're doing for Mom and Dad...I'm glad you're protective of them. You're good friends to them. And I won't be mad at you or them when I find out what they are. I guess I've known all along that they were leaving information out when I'd ask them questions about themselves...I think I was trying to pretend that I was a normal kid with a normal family. But you know what? Deep down I loved that I was special and had something important I would have to do one day...and I guess I would have gotten a big, swelled head if I'd known the truth about how I came to be...so it's probably better that I'm just finding out now." She gives a little laugh. "I can just see myself at school, bragging about hatching from a rainbow-egg and trying to impress everyone!" she smirks.

"Right you are dear. And besides, children have big mouths and you would have told anyone who would have listened." Ric says stuffing his face with eggs.

John nods and turns to Kassandra. "There's a lot you'll have to talk to your mother about so it would be better if you stopped fishing, Kassandra. Just talk to them. Let them fill in the blanks." he says.

Kassandra nods. "I'm going over tonight after Mom's up and I'm going to sit them down and ask them to tell me everything, and I won't go until I've heard it all. I have a feeling this is an important part of my progression in magik." she says. Then she glances over at the kitchen-clock and her eyes get wide.
"Shit...it's 9:53! I have to get over to the shop!" she exclaims, wiping her mouth on her napkin and standing up hastily.
"Thank you for breakfast, Ric, and for letting me in last night...and thank you for everything else, Uncle John..." she says, hurrying around the table to hug Ric and John. She gives John a quick kiss on the cheek, hoping it helps convey just how much gratitude she has for him letting her stay with him, and for talking to her, and for how he came to her rescue in the bathroom. She knows he can read minds, so that's convenient when words just won't do.

"No problem, Kassandra," Ric smiles watching her leave.

"Good luck, squirt," John calls after her.

"Now why can't you find a nice girl like her?" Ric says finishing off his plate.
John looks over at Ric and gives him a look of annoyance.
"When I find a nice girl like her...that'll be the day I stop practicing magick."
"Never going to happen," Ric says shaking his head.

Kassandra hurries down the stairs, smiling, and runs out to her car. 'Good-- it's still here and no one fucked with it!' she thinks in relief. John doesn't exactly live in the best neighborhood in San Francisco!
She gets into her car and drives as quickly as she can to The Raven, but parks down the block in a place where her father won't see it if he comes from either direction. Then she gets out and runs as fast as she can to the back of the shop. It only takes her a minute to enter the realm of Spirit, and then she's watching the front of the shop for her father's imminent arrival.

Armande's black Cadillac pulls up and he steps out carefully looking around. He looks the front of The Raven up and down for a moment and then opens up his trunk. He pulls out a covered pan and looks it over as well, stalling for time. He finally sighs and starts walking for the door.

Kassandra's heart-strings twinge a little with love when she sees her father, and then notices that he looks really nervous and hesitant to enter the shop! That surprises her...everytime she's talked to her father on the phone about Hope he's sounded really up-beat and relaxed!
She steps into the shop, staying close to the wall in case someone senses her and wants her out, and watches the front door silently.

He walks up to the door and reaches out slowly to touch it. He brings his hand back for a moment and then opens the door and walks in. He closes the door behind him and turns around.

Hope stands there by the bar smiling. "You haven't changed, Armande Grimaldi."

Armande turns around to see her and nearly drops the pan of buns. He blinks. "Sister? Sister Mary?" he says feeling tears well up into his eyes.

"Ah my little Prince of Thieves." Hope says with a kindly smile as she folds her hands together over her lap.

Kassandra's eyes are as wide as an owl's as she watches this scene unfold before her. She brings her hands up to her mouth when she sees her father's eyes fill with tears. They DO know each other! And Hope called her father "little" when he's anything but! She MUST have known him when he was a child, then! But 'Prince of Thieves'...how did he get that THAT nickname??

Armande looks at Hope as the memories come to him. He blinks the tears from his eyes and lowers his head. "I'm sorry." he says in a small voice.

Hope smiles kindly upon him and waves her hand. "For what, dear child. You have done nothing to warrant that. Your redemption has come. The life you were meant to lead is at hand. Take it for what it is, a second chance. Not many get that you know." Hope says.

Armande nods and slowly looks into her eyes. "I know...and I will. My-"

"Your daughter is the start, now it is up to you to finish." Hope says. She walks forward and takes the pan from him. "My favorite...you remembered."

Kassandra stands there, hands still held to her mouth as she listens breathlessly...eyes shining with tears at seeing the tears in her father's eyes. She can't remember ever seeing him cry before. But...what is her father sorry for? And what redemption does he need?? He's the nicest, sweetest, most caring and generous man she knows! What does he have to do??

"I did..." Armande says. "Why...why how did you find me?"

"Quite by accident. I have not been following you, Armande. It is just coincidence. That is all. You and your family are in no danger from me." Hope says. "I like your family very much, your wife and your daughter. Take good care of them Armande, family is all we have."

Kassandra feels relief and happiness at this news. She likes Hope very much, but wasn't quite sure what Hope thought of HER! And Hope likes her mother? Wow...she must have met her recently, then, because when Kassandra talked to Hope the night before she hadn't met her mother yet. Maybe her mother came by last night to meet her after she woke up. That sounds like something her mom would do! Her mom's always checking up on people and places to make sure they're safe for Kassandra!

"I will, Sister, I will." Armande says. He turns towards the door and walks out slowly.

"Goodbye Armande. I shall see you again one day. My little one," Hope says with a smile.

Armande opens the door and walks out into the sun. He looks up at the sky and smiles a little. Filled with hope and a dream from childhood he smiles all the way to the car. He gets in and drives off.

Hope watches him go with a slight smile on her face. She sighs contentedly and turns to the pan of buns. She takes off the plastic wrap and smiles as the fresh baked aroma wafts out of the pan. "Open your bakery, my child."

Kassandra's head spins with how fast that visit was! He'd only just arrived-- the steam still rising from the buns! Then she hears what Hope says and her eyes fill with tears again. She KNEW her father wanted his own bakery! Or restaurant! She and her mother both knew it! They'd told him SO many times over the years that he needed to do something with his talent...that it was being wasted with him stuck at home and only Kassandra to cook for! Oh she hopes he does it!
She stands in the shop a little longer, watching her dad's car drive off through the front window, and then steps backwards out of the shop so she standing in the side-alley again. She walks in a daze back to her car, and then steps out of the spirit-realm in a concealed place and get into her car and sits there for a minute in silence.
Kassandra doesn't want to go back to the chantry yet...she has a lot of thinking she wants to do. Instead she spends the day driving around San Francisco...parking and getting out at various places that she feels inspired to get out at, and just walks around or thinks...buying food from vendors when she's hungry.
The day passes quickly with Kassandra in her metaphysical trance, and soon Kassandra's standing at the end of a pier, watching the sun set. It's beautiful, this time of the night...this point between day and night. She guesses that in her family symbology she's like the sunset...her father is the day and her mother is the night. She bridges them...brings them together. How can it matter what either of them is? Other children with "normal" parents...that doesn't guarantee that their parents love them or treat them well or are good people, just because they're "normal." And...it makes them quite ordinary, really.

Kassandra takes a deep, cleansing breath, and then walks back to her car. It's time to go home.

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