Morningstar Manor

Roxy was in the gym, running on the treadmill as she contemplated Spencer and his working late. She knew he had the responsibility of the whole store, but feeling like second place didn't sit well on her shoulders. It wasn't like she was expecting a whole lot, just some time with him after work to unwind and relax... At least it didn't sound like a whole lot of expectations when she mulled it over in her head.

*~*
Logan was sitting on a patch of dirt in the gardens, not really doing much of anything. He had a trowel and a flat of pansies beside him and Appa was napping in the shade. A bit more out of place was the white envelope on top of his backpack. It was regarding college and for now, he didn't want to open it.

~*~
Travis was taking in the sights of summer as he sat in the Mocha, laptop open as he pretended to put the finishing touches on his final paper for art history class. Truthfully, it was done; he'd finished it at Macy's after they'd discussed several of the pieces he had to include. She'd helped him quite a bit and for that he was grateful because this art history crap was boring to him.

*~*
Eve had today off and decided to spend it by the pool. She'd already gone for a swim so her hair was damp, but her body dry. That was the advantage of comfortable loungers, she thought as her eyes opened and she moved gingerly, hoping she hadn't gotten sunburned while she'd napped. Satisfied at the non crispy feeling, she sat up and ran her hand through her hair.

~*~
In the mail room, Tristan was contemplating how incredibly wrong the contents of his mailbox looked. He'd separated the junk into one pile, bills and other correspondence into another and stacked the magazines. Currently the latest issue of Parents was layered between Smashing and Maxim... With a chuckle he added Cosmo and thought about how that should make Rhiannon laugh when he got the mail to her. Hopefully she thought it was funny.

*~*
"Oh thanks, you're such a doll." Erin said with a broad smile to the doorman as she juggled a tote bag of groceries and Amelia's leash. "Come on hun; don't trip over your ears now." She said to the dog as she tried to hurry along. Callan would be home soon - if he wasn't already - and she hadn't so much as started dinner yet.

~*~
In the garage, Chad was juggling his own groceries as he listened to the message on his voicemail. He sighed as it ended, and he dropped his phone in the process of trying to close it up. "Damn." He swore lightly. Not because he'd dropped his phone, nor because he had to put things down to pick it up, but because Logan's grandparents had requested to have him for the summer, reminding Chad that the boy would be going off to college soon and he'd be on his own again. Chad wasn't sure if he was ready for Logan to be gone.

More coffee. Except the cretins who shared her office never never refilled the machine. Andy snarled quietly to herself as he topped up the grounds then filled the tank.

"While you're on your feet ..." Courtnall said with a grin and waved his mug at her.

"In your dreams," Andy said and rolled her eyes when she saw someone else approaching. "Not you too?"

Olivia had gone home to her parents house for Thanksgiving and while she'd wanted to bring Chad and Logan along, after much deliberation she'd decided to go alone. She didn't want her parents assuming the things that they would if she showed up with the both of them and making Logan uncomfortable, because while she and Chad had talked about their relationship she didn't know what Logan was aware of and with her brother being home from rehab things had been tense enough.

But, she'd just gotten home and she wanted to see him. It was a little late, but when she knocked quietly she was hoping he was home.

Saturdays, in general, were somewhat lazy days. The day of the week most Manorites were bustling about, getting done what was pushed off during the week. In that nature, there were quite a few residents milling around.

Memphis had taken his basket down to the laundry, dumped his clothes in the washer and fled off to the game room where he set up the pool table.

Travis was sitting in the Mocha, attempting to study a video lesson for his ASL class.

Also in the Mocha, turning the pages in a book, sat Chad. He looked like he was reading. Honestly, he was thinking about several things.

Logan and Appa were playing outside, taking advantage of the piles of leaves.

Just down the hall, Erin was in the process of collecting her mail.

Roxy had taken off to the roof, to lounge about in the hot tub and have a bit of a lazy afternoon.

In the garage, Eli was scrambling to get everything out of the trunk. He'd gone out and gotten groceries, to include dog food, which was a pain in the butt to juggle.

Between the elevators and a truck, Tristan was commanding a moving crew, overseeing the process of merging his and Rhiannon's apartments. Some things were going to storage Rhiannon had set up, other things were being moved to a storage room at his club. He made a mental note to follow up with the TA within the next week.

"Oh 'scuse me." Eve said to one of the movers as she slipped past with a messenger bag strapped across her shoulder. Figuring she should probably stay out of the boss's way, she went off to the back corner of the lobby to open her laptop and check her calendar for DeRossi appointments.

Ashlynn was humming softly to herself as she ran on the treadmill. The gym was not a place she'd ventured to often the last time she lived here, but it was pretty nice and quite convenient now.

Memphis was out in the garage, looking over Lucy. He could have sworn there was a scratch on it the last time Travis had brought it home, but now it was gone. Something was either messing with him, or the boy had gotten it fixed. Either way, the scratch wasn't there now and Memphis was looking for evidence.

Travis had indeed scratched the precious red fender on Lucy, though his brother had taught him touch-up work at least. He'd fixed it out in Macy's driveway while she sat on the hood and talked to him. Once in the elevator he hit the button to take him up to the pool, though he was more interested in the roof, where Charlie had taken him previously.

Erin sat in the Mocha, curled up on the couch by the fireplace and reading a book. She was waiting for Callan to get home. He'd had some shoot to do at dusk and she didn't feel like being in the apartment alone since he'd taken Amelia with him.

Tristan was in the process of wading through business emails in his office when Dave tapped on his door. Once inside he handed Tristan a purple envelope and left again. Contemplating just exactly what this could mean, he set it aside. Picking up his phone he texted Rhi. When's the next baby appt again so I can make sure to go?

Chad was frustrated with the way everything had seemed to come down on his head. There had been another body found, a gruesome one that had been left for a while, and now the press had gotten hold of the story. He'd spent his afternoon taking turns being yelled at by the higher ups and being screamed at by worried City residents that called the station.

Logan had been down to get the mail and take Appa outside. He saw his father walk across the lobby as they came in. Knowing the look on his face, he decided it might be best to let him have space for a bit. But a nagging feeling crept over him and he headed off to Olivia's apartment. Things just weren't right around here and he was curious if she'd want to listen.

Roxy had been downstairs doing laundry this evening. Until the lights had flickered on her and gone out. Remembering what had happened the last time the lights flickered, she left everything where it was and went upstairs. From the lobby she texted Spencer to let him know she wasn't there anymore and went into the Mocha for some tea.

Eli was looking over some websites on his little laptop. It was a bit embarrassing for him, to be researching low sperm count and how to fix it, so he was in a back corner of the library. He kept glancing up periodically though, hoping that if somebody did come up to him, he wouldn't have to share what he was researching.

Olivia had one long and taxing day in the studio with some first amendment lawyers fighting some fines she'd received for maybe sort of calling Glenn Beck a stupid cunt on the air for his 'reclaiming civil rights' fiasco.

Ooops.

But, it was all over now. Her voice overs were recorded for the week, and after a valiant effort, she was home and relaxing in the jacuzzi. It was hard to sit there and not think about what had happened to her brother in this very spot, and all the things that had snowballed from that one, tragic accident. Maybe alone time was for the birds after all.

She dried her hand off and picked up her phone to send Chad a text.

Boyfriend of the year joins his girlfriend in the hot tub ASAP.

Memphis was in the garage, giving Lucy a bath while Travis carried their bags of groceries inside. While he was on the way past the elevators, Erin was on her way up. She had stopped into the Mocha and grabbed treats for later, so her hands were a little full. Tristan was on his way out, and had come down the stairs or else he would've held the door open for her. He ducked into the Mocha to grab coffee before work.

Meanwhile, Logan was out in the garden with Appa and contemplating what to do for dinner. He got out his phone and texted Chad, who happened to be in the mail room, to find out if he was on his own or if Olivia was coming to dinner. It was a safe assumption, Logan figured, after the third night Chad had come home after midnight.

Eli had been checking the mail as well and when Chad's phone sounded, he checked his as well. Finding nothing on it he shrugged and tucked it back into his pocket.

Chad was sitting in the laundry room, watching the clothes go around. He'd debated on going to see Olivia a few times, but hadn't made up his mind yet. The latest case in the department had him more concerned about her safety than before.

While he was downstairs, Logan and Appa played in the gardens. Logan was trying to teach the puppy to fetch. It seemed to be a one way road though. The puppy didn't ring the ball back. He'd chase it though, so that was a good start, right?

Travis was out in the garage. He had a bucket of water and some soapy sponges, giving Lucy a bath. It was usually Memphis's job, but if he could show his brother he was seriously taking care of the car, maybe he could use it? He plotted and planned taking Macy out again as he worked, whistling lowly.

Memphis had gone out to shop some in Vine Square. Currently he had a bag with some colored pencils, a sketch book, and a few different paint swatch booklets from the hardware store. His next stop was the book store, where he intended to pick up some magazines. If Jane wanted to work on the apartment, he would make sure she had material to work with.

Roxy sat in the Mocha, reading a letter from her sister. She sighed as she picked up her tea and sipped. There were soft pokings in the letter about children and Roxy didn't like that idea. Her sister wasn't her mother, and she'd live her life without dictation on what needed to be done.

Chad had called Olivia and Logan while he was on his way home from work. They'd met up in the lobby then they were off again. He navigated the car downtown, puling in to a parking lot and stopping the car. "Okay Logan. You presented the evidence and supporting details, so here you go." He said, sounding all official like, in Olivia's words, as he handed Logan a dog collar.

Logan's grin spread from ear to ear. "So I can get a puppy?" He asked, just for clarification.

Chad nodded. "Providing you find one you like." Then he popped open his door to get out and go inside the store.

In the bowels of my closet, I have found a set of cheek chillers...

He'd called and they'd set a time to go to the lake tonight. It would be a good night for watching stars, he'd decided, as he tugged on his hiking boots. He told Logan where he was going, grabbed his cell phone and car keys then made his way down to the lobby to meet her.

He couldn't make sense out of the recent body bits being found in the City. Well, he knew enough that there was a killer out there, but the thing he didn't know was the target. If they knew where to expect him to strike again, they could maybe catch him.

Trying to unwind from his day, Chad grabbed some tea and sat in the Mocha, people watching.

Serving lunches was just about over and Gil was looking forward to taking a breather. Meantime, at the very least, they could all have a soda. Cooking was hot in this weather.

"Lucas," he called as he headed for the fridge. "Want a Coke? Pepsi? Seven-up?"

Olivia stood in the lobby in a white dress and strappy heels, waiting for Chad to appear. She'd called a cab, just in case either of them wanted to do any drinking, and of course cab's were as inconspicuous as she could get. Arriving in something extravagant would be sure to draw attention, which she did not want. 

Tapping her heel on the floor, she stared out the doors of the lobby as she waited, her mind a million miles away.

Chad was sitting in the Mocha, trying to get his bearings again. He had to go back to work tomorrow and something was nagging him about the cash Logan had found. He picked up the paper left on the table, looked at it, and put it back down. When on Earth would the tabloids ever stop gossiping about how it was always drug usage making people skinny.

~
Logan was in the library, getting the last of his paper finished for school tomorrow. He just had one more paragraph to type out and then the bibliography page, if the battery on his borrowed from the school library laptop would hold out. He hoped it held out.

*
Travis was downstairs, doing the last of his laundry so he had clean clothes for tomorrow. Now that he was out of school, he had picked up some more hours at Moray Records. Sure it was just running errands and getting the guys' lunch, but a job was a job, right?

~
Memphis had just gotten back from getting groceries.He let Demon out of the car, snapped his leash on, then carried three bags inside. Days like this, he was glad to use the elvator, even if it did make him lok like a lazy ass. One floor up was a lot of steps, especially when being drug by the dog.

Logan wasn't sure what had been going on this past week. All he remembered was being on his own a lot. It wasn't out of the ordinary, yet he felt like it had been. What had worried him, though, was the wound up wad of cash in the freezer. It sat on the counter in front of him and his bowl of rocky road ice cream as Chad walked through the front door, smile on his face. "Hey buddy, what's up?"

Logan looked at him, raised his brow and picked up the money. "Dunno, how bout you tell me... Where've you been?"

"Working kiddo." Chad told him as he walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge and took out the milk carton. "Hey, where'd you get that much cash? Been saving for a while, huh?" He took out a glass and a spoon, then helped himself to the ice cream in the freezer and made a milkshake of sorts.

Logan's jaw dropped and his eyes widened. His father thought this was his money? He didn't know where it had come from nor had he put it in there. He never thought about putting money in the freezer... "No, I found it. In the freezer."
( Read more... )

He had the pass tucked away in his pocket as he walked through the carnival, hands in his pants pocket, close to his wallet. Even though he knew these people knew who he was, he didn't trust them to not try taking his wallet.

Chad wound his way through the people, watching the couples play silly games for stuffed animals and seeing children traumatize goldfish with ping pong balls. What he was after was past all of this. ( Read more... )

Sunday morning the park had appeared as it always had: fresh and green and full of growing things, but by the time the nearest residents had settled in for the night its transformation had begun. The trucks and trailers roared into place and a veritable anthill of human activity swarmed over the grounds. Monstrous metal skeletons rose up to pierce to the sky, tents fluttered into shape, lights flashed and flickered....

The Cirque du Rêves had come to town.

The residents worked tirelessly, readying for the Monday morning opening.

Not a one of them seemed surprised when the dizzying strobe of red and blue announced the arrival of local law enforcement.

One even, a young dark woman, seemed to have been waiting for it.

She broke away from securing a tent attached to the backside of a truck and moved closer, watching the uniform climb out of his vehicle with the same wary, mistrustful eyes one might see on a feral dog.

She knew what he was here for.

Chad was throwing darts while he waited for his laundry to finish. Things had been a bit routine, monotonous, and that was starting to bother him.

Logan had holed himself away in the library to study for finals and not thinking about not going to his prom.

Memphis was bringing some groceries in from the garage. Enough to fill both hands and make the door a little troublesome to open, but if he needed he could handle it.

Erin had gone out to the gardens, laid a blanket down by the angel statue and opened up a new book. She laid in the sun reading until a shadow fell over her, then looked up.

Travis had gathered some things and gone into the Mocha. He was dreading the next two weeks and knew a little time to de-stress wasn't going to kill his grade point average. Or at least he hoped not.

Knowing that Harvey was better and Rhiannon was supposed to be resting, Tristan went to check his mailbox. He whistled as he sorted, then just shrugged at the purple envelope. It was about time... He thought to himself as he actually opened it.

Since today had been a nice day out, Roxy was coming in again from going out on a run. She'd stopped in the lobby to tie up her shoe when she felt a little dizzy and decided to sit instead of stoop.

Chad was where he was on every other weekend, sitting downstairs in the laundry room listening as the washers and dryers went 'round. This time though, he didn't have his notebook with him. There had been a break, tough it was small, in the cases he'd been working on and he decided to take a day off from it.