BtVS: Alternate Lives

Who:  Mouse, OT Marlowe and anyone else
Where: Chloe's Sugar Shack
When: Saturday evening


Mouse loved her job. Seriously. It gave her a MUCH better income than most waitressing jobs would, she got all the free drinks and food she wanted, she was allowed to take some home for her family (which helped because of how destitute they were), and she adored her co-workers. But today? She was still wearing the proverbial grumpypants. Because in order to make a little extra money, she'd volunteered to work a double-shift, having started at opening at 7am, and working straight through until close at midnight. So right now? She was EXHAUSTED.

Wearing the typical waitress outfit of the Shack (a red and white striped skirt and blouse, reminiscent of the old diners from the 50s), she still tried to wear a bright (if not tired) grin, as she brought a tray of Sugar Fairy Shooters and donuts over to a small group of college kids who'd been using the sugar to cram for exams or something.

Who: Gwen, OT Marlowe
When: Friday night
Where: Avarice


Signs that things were getting back to normal? Well, for one... Gwen was at a bar and WASN'T blitzed off her ass. That was a good sign. She also looked healthy. Her color was back, she was dressing like she gave a damn again, and the best part? That smile, the one she thought would never return... was back.  Wearing a pink leather miniskirt and a black tank with a pink spiked heart on it, her favorite clunky black combat boots finishing the ensemble, she played a little with the pink streak in her hair, just watching the others dancing and enjoying themselves.

Who: Marlowe and Mouse(Open to Continuation)
Where: A restaurant in downtown L.A.
When: Evening, Friday February 5th

It took some persuading, alright A LOT of persuading on Marlowe's part to get the cute, little timid mouse from the Sugar Shack to go out on an actual date with her. Parking the pickup at the curb Marlowe hopped out dressed for the evening in a pair of black leather pants, a long sleeve black top that hung down over one shoulder exposing the strap of the leopard print tank worn beneath, and black leather boots. Making it up to the girl's front door Marlowe knocked soundly before taking a step back to wait for someone to answer.

Ughhhh.... Kaitlin REALLY didn't want to be picked up at home. She was terribly embarrassed about how and where she lived. Her family was broke as the proverbial joke. So when Marlowe knocked, the bashful girl literally opened the door JUST a crack, and slipped out through it, smiling with a blush. She was dressed conservatively, in low-slung beige cargo pants, a clingy light blue t-shirt, and her red hair pulled into a tight pony. She'd been pleasantly surprised to find out, last time, that Marlowe wasn't half the letch she'd seemed to be, and, in private, was actually rather nice. Giving a shy little wave, she cleared her throat and looked at the other girl.

"Um... heh. Hi!"

( Read more )

Who: Wesley, and Open to anyone that would be in his house so early (Marlowe, Gwen, maybe Liz?)
Where: His Home
When: Tuesday, Jan 5th, about 5 a.m.

Wesley woke up when his alarm went off and all but stumbled out of bed. Even though he wasn't the late riser that some people who lived in his home were, he still didn't usually get up as early as this. No, there was a reason that he was getting up so early today. He was working on something of a late Christmas present for Gwen: a training area just for her so that she wouldn't have to go to the Sugar Shack if she didn't want to. It was going to be in the basement, so it wouldn't be huge, but it would be hers, which is what he wanted.

He sleepily walked into the kitchen, flicked on the light, and started to run the tap so that he could make some morning tea in hopes of waking himself up. He had switched it on and turned away with out looking at it to get the kettle that he had. It was when he turned back around that the sound of a kettle could be heard clanging against the ground when he dropped it.

The water coming out of the faucet wasn't coming out clear like water should. It was coming out red: blood red.

Who: Marlowe and Mouse
Where: Chloe's Sugar Shack
When: Sunday Morning - Jan.3

Coffee was a much needed thing this morning for Marlowe. Skipping breakfast she could handle, but denying herself an infusion of caffiene was nowhere near an option. After leaving Wes' house and procuring herself a morning edition of the L.A. Times, Marlowe made the drive to Chloe's Sugar Shack. Sure she could have enjoyed a cup back at the house, but Marlowe tended to job search more easily sitting by herself then surrounded by people who'd end up trying to draw her into conversation.

Pulling into the lot of the coffee place Marlowe found a spot to park in, and after cutting off the engine and grabbing her bag the girl headed on into the place.

Who: Marlowe and Gwen
When: Late Morning
Where: Wes’ House

Marlowe was sitting at the kitchen table in conversation with her father and working on that second cup of coffee she rarely had in the morning. Wesley had made himself scarce a bit earlier that morning and it really hadn;t been Marlowe's business to inquire as to where he was headed off to. The more major concern for her was Gwen and since the other girl hadn't gotten out of bed yet that left Marlowe waiting til she did decide to drag her ass out from beneath the covers. Hence why she chose to pass some of that time catching up on things with her dad who was as usual somewhere out on the road trucking something from one destination to another.

Who: Patience OT Pat, Ash, Gwen, Bella, Damon, Lucy, Kevin (+1?), Chloe, Nica, Marlowe, Jack, Louise, Mere, Devon
Where: Pat and Patience's house
When: Thursday night, Thanksgiving (November 26)


The timer on the oven dinged at exactly 7:45 PM. When she'd invited everyone over, she'd been upfront that dinner wouldn't start until after eight. Given the fact that certain invitees had a particular, um, sun allergy, she wanted to give them ample time to do…whatever they needed to do…before showing up. Hey. She wasn't well-versed in the ways of the vampire. They had sharp fangs and they drank blood. That was about the sum total that she really needed to know.

Also, the later they had dinner, the more time she had to actually prepare it.

This was the first time she'd ever attempted to cook a Thanksgiving dinner. Pat seemed overwhelmingly supportive of her domestic endeavors. It made her feel a little bit like that mom from Leave it to Beaver or something. Like maybe he wanted to come home to find her wearing her pearls and high heels while she was vacuuming. Then again, he'd probably love if he came home to find her in only that.

He wasn't hovering, per se, but she knew he was still worried about her. She hadn't suffered any more episodes like the night when he'd raced her to the hospital, but she still hadn't been in top form. She was okay tonight, though. They'd woken up early to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade – just the three of them curled up in bed: Pat, her, and Beast. The puppy was still the cutest thing she'd ever laid eyes on and she was horribly protective of him, especially when Pat tended to make fun of him. Still, he'd gotten a little too rambunctious earlier and she'd had to kick him out of the kitchen. (Not literally, of course. She'd just gotten Pat to take him back down to the basement.)

Oddly enough, there weren't any burnt smells wafting from the kitchen. It all smelled…like what she assumed Thanksgiving dinner should smell like. Grabbing a couple of potholders, she opened the oven door and pulled out the pan containing the turkey. The bird was golden brown and looked juicy, but everything she'd read on how to cook a turkey said to let it rest once it was done, so she resisted cutting into it to check. The vegetables that had been roasting in the pan looked tender. She could only hope it was all good.

She tented the pan with aluminum foil and then checked everything else she had going on. The potatoes had finished boiling and were just waiting to be mashed and mixed with butter and cream and fresh cracked pepper (she'd resisted making them from a box…okay, Pat had forbid her to make them from a box…which really just made her want to tell him he could fucking make them himself…but a part of her wanted their first Thanksgiving as husband and wife to be perfect…so she hadn't), the stuffing and the green bean casserole (which was a staple, right?) were still in the oven, the cranberry sauce and the green salad were in the refrigerator, and the rolls were waiting to be popped in to warm just before it was time to sit down and eat. Out on the table in the dining room, she'd set out a cheese and fruit tray, a few bottles of wine that had been chilled, and the desserts were being kept out of sight for fear that they'd disappear with some of those Van Warrens around.

Had she gone to a lot of work? Hell yeah. She felt like freaking Betty Crocker or some shit. But she just wanted everything to be nice. Normal. Traditional. Like an actual family holiday dinner. Making new, good memories about family and tradition could only help her and Ash.

Hearing voices from the dining room, Patience untied her apron, draped it over the counter, and paused to smooth out the skirt of her pewter colored dress before heading out to see who'd arrived.

Who: Marlowe and Wesley
Where: Wesley's Home
When: Monday Afternoon, Nov. 16

What an insane week. Between what happened to Benjamin Bale, Skylar actually calling him and asking for help, and having to have Liz basically run off in the middle of an evening together made for a confusing time. Now, however, from what Liz had told him (Skylar didn't' seem to call unless she needed something), Ben was doing much better and would more than likely be going home today. Good for them, he supposed.

He walked into the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea when he saw Marlowe in there. While he had said that she could stay with him and Gwen, he actually hadn't had much of a change to talk to her. Something that he had continuously kept meaning to rectify, but things had gotten busy quick. "Hello, Marlowe," he said to her as he walked in.

"Hey Wesman." Marlowe returned with a grin glancing up from the sandwich she was in the process of making while seated at the table. She seemed to have settled in and made herself quite comfortable in the man's house, but that was something she was hoping to rectify with finding employment soon and another place to live.

( For a little intervention )

Who: Ash, OT Marlowe
Where: wesley's place
When: Tuesday morning

Why Mr. Giles decided he trusted Ash so much, the boy would never know. He suspected it was a mix of all he'd done in Salacia, and perhaps seeing a bit of himself in the young warlock.

But this new project showed that not only did Giles trust Ash... but he also knew how dangerous the boy could be. And Ash knew that he knew others who could be just as dangerous. Thus? His reason for being here at Wesley's house. But he wasn't here to see Gwen today. No... his target for today was a certain spunky firestarter.

Ringing the doorbell, he prayed the girl was home.

Who: Neely (OT Marlowe, or Mars Bar, as Neely would no doubt call her)
When: Backdated to Thursday afternoon, Nov. 5th
Where: Chloe’s Sugar Shack


Neely, ever the coffee addict, found herself back at Chloe’s Sugar Shack, topping up on her favourite beverage. She didn’t intend to ‘accidentally' bump into Rachelle, since that was pure stupidity, she was simply there because the coffee was good and she needed an energy boost. She sat down at an empty table and flipped open a notebook, jotting down a few notes for her new job. Her awesome new job.

Who: Marlowe and Ash
When: Saturday Afternoon(October 24)
Where: Wes' place

Gwen's little drunken speech at the wedding, while amusing, had worried Ash greatly. Deciding to check on the girl, Ash walked the short distance from his small home to Wesley's place. Wearing a sharp black suit, his growing blonde hair framing his face, he straightened his tie and rang the doorbell.

Unfortunately for Ash neither Wesley nor Gwen were in at the moment as would be much apparent when he found the door being open by a dishwater blonde who he was unfamiliar with. Marlowe could have ignored the ringing of the bell, but seeing as she was staying at the house for the present time she didn't feel any apprehension in answering the door. "Hey." Marlowe greeted with a smile to the blonde guy on the other side of the door.

Ash knew one of Gwen's friends was staying with them now, hell, Patience had called the girl. Still, it was a bit awkward as he'd never even met the girl.

"Marlowe, right? Hey, I'm Gwen's friend Ash. Patience's brother. Gwen around?"

( the two of us could kick some major ass together )

Who: Patience and Pat OT Wedding Guests
Where: The Grove @ The Ephemeral Gardens
When: Saturday night, directly after the wedding (October 17)

Once the ceremony was over, Patience wanted to speed through signing the marriage license and taking a metric fuck-ton of pictures with the bridal party. Not that she didn't love everyone for being a part of this, but it was done. She was officially, legally, Mrs. Patrick McConnell. Nothing else mattered except kicking off her shoes and dancing the night away underneath the stars with her absolutely amazing husband.

All right. Maybe she'd have some food and do a few shots, too, but the bottom line was that she wanted to PARTY. It was amazing to her that nothing oh-my-god AWFUL had happened during the ceremony. It didn't feel completely real…until she looked down at the wedding ring on her hand and then it all hit her. So, yeah, she kept staring at it. That didn't make her a freak or anything.

She'd pulled Pat into another borderline inappropriate kiss once they'd joined the guests – not that anyone should have been a stranger to seeing them all over each other. Laughing and smiling – happier than she could ever remember being in her life – she'd taken his hand as they moved to the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife. Going with the Beatles theme, they'd agreed on Ozzy's cover of "In My Life" - and funny as it could have been, she simply thought it was utterly romantic.

Who: Gwen, OT Marlowe
Where: Wesley's place
When: Saturday morning

Going out with Faith had helped Gwen, for a bit. Losing herself in the booze, the dancing... honestly, Gwen had gotten too drunk to know of anything else had happened... it felt good while it lasted. But then? She woke up. At Wesley's. Alone.

It felt like the last two years had never happened. Except that they had. And she felt like she'd taken a gunshot to the heart. She hurt, and felt like shed never feel better. She managed to pull herself out of bed, and puttered down to the kitchen in her pajamas, pouring herself a glass of black coffee, silently drinking it as she wondered how the hell she could go on now.