The Universe's Mixer

Dinah was a good friend. Fred couldn't remember her, but Fred could tell she was a good friend. There was something nice about knowing she had more than one good friend in the City looking out for her. She hadn't expected that, not ever. It was nice to have a friend, and it was wonderful that her friends both wanted the best for her.

In this case, her friend had gotten her outside. She needed to be outside or at least out of the hospital room. She sighed softly as she settled on the bench; the sun was bright and warm. She was in normal clothes again, and she was even enjoying a coffee. A yummy danish and a cup of coffee. Sure, it may seem like she was an old lady the way she liked her danish and coffee, but she wasn't going to apologize for it.

The sun made her too happy to care. So did the coffee and danish. Of course, she was a little concerned that there might be a shooter out there looking for her, but she could forget that for now. Or at least for the moment.

Fred sat in bed and stared at the ceiling. She'd been in the hospital for a while, and she was more than ready to go home. Her head felt like it was still attached, and she could keep names and events in it. The doctors weren't sure she'd ever get her memory back fully, but the brainy female was sure whatever happened things would be as close to okay as they ever got in the City.

Jack was always around, and it was sweet how he looked after her. He'd only told her that they were friends, but Fred wondered if Jack wasn't the kind of guy who'd look after any head trauma victim this way. She believed him, yet he just seemed a little more champion than friend. She did look forward to his visits. Though, she was beginning to wish he wouldn't agree with the doctors about keeping her in the Hospital. There was no guarantee that whoever had shot her and burned her home down wouldn't come for her here. She was a target no matter where she was. At least outside she didn't have the nightmares.

The brainy female hadn't been overly sharing on the nightmares because she didn't want them to think she was crazy. She had small snippets of dreams that felt so very real, and she didn't like them, not even a little bit. They made her wonder about her sanity, and she'd only just gotten it back. Or gotten a step closer to it.

So, there she sat, wishing for some sort of outside contact yet not knowing anyone who could come "rescue" her. It seemed that none of the people she had known before were around anymore.

Jack stared at the TV long after the news report had finished. He couldn't have heard right, could he? But he had. And he'd recognized that building.

Fred.

They hadn't said that they'd found a body. Just that they thought she might be dead. Was there more to the story? Did they have a reason for thinking that she was dead, beyond that she'd lived in the building?

There were, perhaps, people he could call to get answers to these questions. He wasn't ready for that yet. He wanted to cling to the little sliver of hope that Frank and Candy were mistaken. That Fred was still out there.

He went down to his car and started to drive. He didn't realize it at the time, but he started to head in the direction that he'd last seen the Angel Investigations building. Maybe he just needed to see it for himself. Or maybe he really did think that he would find her if he scoured the area.

Everything was ready. She had programs running through her tablet that connected her to the Tower computer room; it was still hard to be in there for very long. She had books around her, and she was waiting for more information. While she waited, Fred thought she’d get a little side work done. A favor for a friend while she was saving the world, that was okay wasn’t it?

So, she had settled down at the receptionist desk, seeing as it had a little more room on it. The book was open before her, and there were notes everywhere as she worked on a translation. There were also a few other books that were assisting her in the texts.

“Only when it’s complete?” Her nose wrinkled as this didn’t seem to make sense. Not hollow, not empty. Full. It made sense, but it didn’t. She tapped the pencil against the notebook. She wasn’t sure why Dean had her looking into the book, but he wanted it translated, or the bits about Alastor translated.

( ---- )

Fred sighed as she stood in the City Courthouse hallway. She stared at the subpoena, not the way she planned on spending the day. The brainy female glanced up at the lady justice then back at the piece of paper. She was being sued. She’d been summoned; she’d shown up at the right time without complaint. She should have thought about it before showing up, thought it through just a little bit - say like bringing along a lawyer. Now she had been through the meeting, and was looking at paying a hefty fine. She wasn’t sure how things worked, but this felt a little not right.

She didn’t know what to do now. Fred didn’t want to upset anyone by sharing her current issue. She didn’t want people to know she needed money, maybe. She really did not want to find a lawyer to help her out. The only lawyer she knew wasn’t one she could just trust. Could she?

“How?” the brainy female sighed again. She really should have thought everything out better.

( ---- )

The stone blocks that made the walls of Maxie's Bistro and Wine Bar were large and ancient, showing signs of centuries of use. The wooden beams interspersed throughout were just as scarred. But the decoration - rich golden-framed art, warm red velvet upholstery, fantastic stained glass - kept the place from seeing like a cold, converted castle. It was comfortable here, soothing even -- a place his father would have enjoyed.

Christian followed the serving girl as she wended her way through various rooms until they arrived in a somewhat private nook. A small round table nestled inside a 3/4 square alcove lined with red velvet benches and padded with throw pillows. The wine list was waiting, and with a cursory glance, Christian ordered a bottle something that seemed reasonable - a chardonnay touted to carry apricot, oak, and hints of floral. Those bread knots he'd mentioned before to Fred appeared shortly before the wine carafe.

Some of the cares etched across his face seemed to ease in the muted, golden light. He glanced across the restaurant, then back to Fred. It was empty tonight, save for an elderly couple across the room. A crooning male voice sang in Italian in the background over hidden speakers in the wall. "Well," he said. "What do you think?"

He had been so very deliberate, so very careful. It was quite a feat to travel half across the City with such fragile cargo as his own, but he arrived at Fred's with the absinthe set perfectly intact. At her door, arms full, he kicked as politely as he could in hopes of simulating a proper knocking. And then he waited.

It was Saturday night, and he suspected that Fred had settled in for the evening a few hours ago. He'd been a wretched friend, locking himself up for a week.... It'd been hard. It'd been hard to feel betrayal again, this time true betrayal. At least Satine hadn't meant her own. At least, when it counted, Satine had called him back to her.

"It's Christian," he called through the door, hoping it would help.

Fred was feeling good. Or pretty good. She had felt very happy for her friend who'd found a way to make light more than just a pretty show. It made her very happy. She wanted to share the happy, but currently she wasn't sure how to. Or who she should share the happy with?

She was reading through the paper when she saw the usual picture of the City's Mayor in it. She flipped through the paper to finish reading, and finally the idea came to her. Of course, she supposed she should have thought about it long ago, or at least when she found out.

With that in mind, the brainy female stopped by a donut shop to get sweets and coffee before she headed toward the Town Hall. She didn't think she'd have much of a problem getting into see the Mayor; she'd never had a problem before. Then again, she hadn't tried in a while. So, with a little cajoling, a few giggles, and babbling, she was standing outside Jack's office.

"Knock, knock." She didn't stand outside the office for long.

Had he not replaced all of his facial hair with fur, Hank would be fully bearded by now. He didn't want to admit that Baba's marriage to Eric had bothered him that much, but even with the invitation to the wedding he hadn't been able to make himself go, and he'd quietly immersed himself in a new phase of an old project; interactive holograms.

He'd barely left the lab for weeks, almost indifferent to the passing of time. He was absorbed in his science, and could block out everything else. The usual weight loss that accompanied these marathons was countered by his muscle and fur, but the food wrappers and coffee grounds overflowing in the trash were the same. As was the whirlwind of mid-project tools, parts, and notes that blanketed the whole lab.

Hank still didn't really notice this, too busy sitting cross legged in front of a floor device that was emitting a glow, holding a large touch screen control panel and typing in commands as he worked out what he wanted to create to test his final adjustments. He was dressed in nothing but sweats and a sleeveless undershirt, hair brushed straight back and glasses perched precariously on his nose.

He paused, then typed in some quick commands and smiled slightly as a Greek style column faded into view, roughly ten feet tall and a foot in diameter. He reached out into the light and put a finger to the side, smiling as he felt firm resistance. He withdrew his hand and started making modifications to the commands. The end was in sight, he was nearly there... that was always a reason to smile.

Where there should have been compassion and remorse, there was nothing
but drive for Sam. The time since he'd been returned to life had been
better than any period that remained in his memories. He certainly
retained those memories, minus the emotional connection to them and
the people that frequently featured in them. Instead, there was simply
the hunt. Killing things, doing his job. And of course sex. A human
didn't need a soul to enjoy sex. In fact, Sam found it more enjoyable
without the emotional attachment and that ridiculous feeling of owing
the girl in question something that his former self had always had.

The time since Dean had been brought back into the fold had been a
careful dance at first. Keeping the secret, pretending to care. After
Dean had found out, it had been easier to just be as he was, even if
his older brother suddenly had demands and expectations.

Sam knew that the other shoe would drop eventually, if Dean ever found
a way to try to recover the soul. When that way was discovered, Sam
did what any being would do-he fought to survive. He went after Bobby,
attempting to make his body uninhabitable for the soul.

Instead of succeeding, he found himself in the middle of a strange
city. Sam blinked and frowned as he looked around. He didn't feel any
different, so Dean hadn't succeeded in shoving the hated soul back in,
and he couldn't be dead. Souls went to the afterlife, not... whatever
was left without the soul-not whatever Sam was now.

----

Fred was feeling pretty good about herself. Sure, she hadn’t heard much from Christian, and she still felt too awkward around Jack to just check on him. She wasn’t ready for that. But! But! She had helped Dinah, and maybe made Annie another friend. It was a good thing. It was a very good thing.

The tablet was held close as she read over the latest report, looking at the figures. The business was actually doing rather well, and she’d be proud if it weren’t for the whole people needing to be protected and put down and all that. All happiness came at a cost, didn’t it?

She would have continued on in her own little world, where she normally existed, but she saw someone she knew. Probably.

“Sam! Sam!” It had been a while since she’d seen him.

----

Sam looked up as he heard his name called. A small smile spread across his lips at the woman approaching him. She was hot, in a sort of naughty librarian way. He also didn't recognize her, which might not mean all that much. Since he'd been brought back to life, he'd indulged in the pleasures of the flesh more often than not and he didn't usually pay attention to pesky things like names or personal stories of those who'd ended up in his bed.

He still didn't know where here was or why he would know anyone here, but he'd been in stranger situations... Maybe, possibly. Hadn't he?

He wasn't going to tell her that he didn't know who she was. After all, he didn't have much patience for drama or that sort of thing. So instead, he flashed a charming grin.

"Hey, how's it going?"

Dinah was really fed up with getting dirty picture messages from a certain vampire, and more fed up with the fact that she couldn't find a phone store to change her number, nor could she simply lose her phone.

That was why she was glad that Fred seemed to think she knew someone who could help. She trusted Fred's judgment and hoped that her brainy friend was right. She really hoped she was right.

Dinah followed Fred as they walked through the City looking for Annie's shop. She glanced over at Fred as they walked.

"So how did you meet Annie?" she asked.

Eric was pleased.

Not just because there was going to be a party, to which they'd invited every single person in the City, but because it was for him and Baba. But to top that off? It was in their new home, Castle Dracula.

He would retain his sleeping place, and she would - of course - retain her cabin. Both would be used for various things, but their main residence was going to be the castle. Eric was in love with the building. The rich history, the fact that it belonged to living relic, every aspect of the castle was glorious to him. Baba had warmed to the place.

It was decorated with the red and black that they had decided on for colors. Tastefully done, but very gothic. The front door was wide open, welcoming all visitors. From the front gates to that open door was a pathway of red roses, to guide people inside.

The castle held many rooms, but only the ones on the ground floor were open to wandering. The stairs leading to the levels below and above were cut off by large men and velvet ropes. Strict instructions were given that only himself or his wife were allowed to pass. Even with these restrictions, there was more than enough room to fit every citizen, should they choose to show. Plenty of room to poke around.

In the great dining hall stood large tables laden with many kinds of food and smaller tables with chairs for people to sit at. Tables had been placed in other rooms, too, for people to take their food, drink, or company. Catering staff roamed with hors d'oeuvres and took drink orders. There was a large room filled with art and two fondue stations - chocolate and cheese. A room with a nice, even floor and a grand ceiling which also held the orchestral quintet he had found. Once the sun set, the grounds around the castle would be lit up with tiny fairy lights.

There was to be only one truly scheduled event, and that was when he and Baba would make their appearance and introduce themselves to the rest of the City as Eric and Red Northman. This would happen closer to sunset so that the other vampires could attend. The rest of the time, the people would be allowed to do as they wished when they wished to do it. Eric had spared no expense to get this rolling along. He wanted his new wife to have a party that nobody would soon forget.

Fred smiled to herself as she walked along. She had reconnected with someone who could be a friend, even if it was awkward. Maybe it wouldn't always be awkward, which she hoped was the case. It had been awkward for a little while with Dinah, and Fred knew it was all in her head; yet, they were friends now. She did need to check on her friend soon. They weren't close like before; at least, their buildings weren't anymore. The City was back to normal after all. She'd also made a new friend, who was going willing to let her be his guide to the new and exotic-y future. She had friends. She wasn't alone anymore; they weren't living in the same building as she was, but they weren't too far off. And, Lorne seemed to be hugging her these days, which helped. They also knew how to use the smartphones; well, most of them did anyway. Things were good.

Things were so good, she thought she'd take a risk and get a new tablet. It wasn't like the one she'd left behind in the not-German German place for her other self; this one wouldn't be made by someone she cared about for her specifically. There were some days she regretted it, but it was all she had that she could leave behind to help. She couldn't not leave it. So, she was going to find a replacement, even if it was probably inferior. Of course, she could go to Annie to see about getting upgrades, and she could make adjustments of her own. This could be very good.

The brainy female paused in front of the store, her usual go to City citizen-owned tech store. Right beside it stood a very nice consignment shop, nothing too expensive but all very nice just the same. There was a jacket in there that looked like it would have pockets, or could have pockets, on the inside. She looked at the two stores then nodded; she'd get the tablet then hope that the jacket was still there. It seemed like a very good plan for a somewhat quiet day.

The night had not gone at all like she planned. Then again, Fred knew better than to expect everything or anything to go as planned. She couldn't exactly complain; it'd been education, entertaining, enlightening, and - though the word didn't begin with an 'e' - interesting. Very interesting.

She'd put her dress in the closet that night, and just as she expected, it was gone when she opened the closet the next day. She just shrugged off the dress disappearance, pulling on a t-shirt, light hoodie, and a pair of jeans. Tennies finished everything off.

While she'd been up for a few hours, she hadn't had coffee yet, and she did like to have her coffee. Fred knew she could make do with the stuff she brewed, but there were a few City shops that she favored more. So, out she headed to find one of those shops and get a regular cup of joe. Even if she did have to order it in such strange size names.

It didn't take her long to find one of her favorites, and she headed inside, humming something from the night before. The drinking song to be exact. The tune had gotten stuck in her head; imagine her surprise when she realized she was at least somewhat familiar with the music.

Opening night for Verdi's La Traviata ran as smoothly as the City Opera House manager designed it. He allotted a certain number of complimentary tickets to be distributed by high-performing members of his production. Those lucky enough to receive these tickets were placed on a special guest list and personally escorted by the house staff to their box seats. The manager himself claimed a seat in Box 5, which was otherwise empty.

Tonight, the crowd glittered and shone brightly under the warm glow of the opera house. Attending the opera was as much about high art as it was about being seen. With every playbill this night came an invitation to the opening night celebration following after the performance. There, all would get their fill of the glamor brought out by opening night.

When the lights in the auditorium dimmed, so too did the chatter. Then began the orchestra, casting its spell with rich, full-bodied music. The pianist, one Hannibal Lecter, would be remembered by musical types for his mastery. But there was limelight enough for others, as well. The production's Violetta, Ms. Christine Daeé, sang soprano with a curious and heady combination of seduction and fresh youth, while the Flora of the opera, Ms. Enigma, carried the darker mezzo-soprano with an expert's touch. And when the lights came up, it was to the roar of an audience recognizing the triumph it just witnessed.

Once the curtain calls were done, the crowd began filtering down the staircase and into the Grand Foyer, where the night was just beginning. The wine flowed; the violins hummed -- a triumph indeed.

Zatanna was at the Justice League meeting, which meant that Jack was on his own for dinner. He'd had a strange craving for tacos and there was a place that Fred had shown him. He assumed that since the meeting was on, he didn't have much chance of running into Fred and her boyfriend. That was a good thing, since the encounter hadn't gone all that well the last time.

Jack had paperwork with him to keep him busy while he enjoyed his dinner. He was almost always multi-tasking unless Zatanna was around to get him to put his work away. It was just that there was so much to be done. The work involved in being the mayor seemed to be never-ending. Though that was leadership, wasn't it?

Jack didn't mind doing things for the good of his City-yes, he had come to think of the City as home. He took his responsibility to the City and its people very seriously, even if he didn't always do things that pleased absolutely everyone. There never was a way to please everyone, but that didn't stop Jack from trying to do what was best. Even if it did mean looking over new legislation that had landed on his desk for approval while trying to eat his dinner as well.

The device that Veronica called a phone started buzzing again, and again Christian looked down and found the same map, the same red blinking dot, and the same desire to go through the streets to find that dot.

Minutes later, he found himself in front of Angel Investigations, a company that apparently helped the helpless. There was a dentist's office beside it. Christian rubbed the back of his neck, then headed across the street. He didn't know what he would find behind the door, but he did know one thing: that phone wasn't going to stop buzzing and calling him out until he went.

Pausing at the door, he wondered if he should knock or simply walk in. He opted with the walking-in.

Fred walked quietly beside Dinah for a moment. She'd left her tablet behind for the other Fred; she'd put it under some books, and left it there. It wasn't that she was sure it would stay because she didn't know she was going anywhere, but she had put it under some books and did her best to forget about it. It was one of the last things from Jensen, and she didn't partly wonder if she'd intended to leave it behind because it was one less thing to remind her of her heartache. She didn't think so. She went to the Tower and that was covered in Jensen.

Finally, she decided she'd have to speak. "So, I'm dating Dean's brother in the other world. I'm having sex with Sam Winchester. Which makes us girlfriends in lust one world removed." She was trying to make a joke. It was the only way she could get her brain around it, and it didn't really work.

"Sorry. I just don't get it. It's got to be events; they work out certain ways leading to certain outcomes. We get to see how we end up in different situations. The other me is kind of nice. A little spacey and talks a lot, but I guess that's me." She laughed softly and shrugged. "Are you okay?"

Fred hadn't been in hiding since the strange meeting at the bookstore. She'd meant to check on Errol, but the check-up hadn't gone at all how she'd planned. Not that she'd had anything planned in particular, but she was certain that she would not have planned what happened had she been allowed to plan anything. Or admitted to planning anything.

She was glad to see that Errol was working with someone, rather than sitting all alone in the bookstore. He needed companionship, someone to remind him that he was human and it was okay to smile. Beauty seemed very much the right person for that, what little Fred had been able to gather from the odd brief meeting. She smiled - Beauty had - which was a good thing. And, she was soft in a giving way; Beauty'd only wanted the best outcome, hadn't she? She cared, again another plus in Fred's opinion. Of course, this was all going on a very short brief meeting and way too many assumptions. Then again, Beauty worked in a bookstore, not a strip joint, so surely she was that sort of bookish Beauty, not the other kind? Not that there was anything wrong with strippers; Fred just hadn't met many.

The brainy Texan continued this sort of inner dialogue, working out what had happened as well as throwing in a few items from her day job; she was starting to wonder if they didn't need an accountant or insurance. Angel Investigations wasn't a huge money maker, but sure, she could make the money that did come in work for her somehow.

The City allowed her time to think during her walk. She had a destination in mind, a purpose, and she hoped that she was going to get good answers. Annie could help; she just knew the technopath could. That's what mutants were for if they weren't trying to take over the world and subjugate the human race, right?

( OOC )



Bookmark Books.

Beauty stood on the sidewalk the morning of her first day back, bag of warm croissants in one hand and a letter in the other, and let out a satisfied sigh. She was still feeling a little bit under the weather from her unexpected inebriation the night before and the subsequent sleeplessness it brought -- but if she looked just a touch less rested than normal, it was obscured by her excitement to be back at work.

It felt like home.

When she pushed the door open and heard the little bell chime, she couldn't help herself; she laughed. It was a wonderful sound, that bell. Traipsing into the used bookstore, she took a deep breath and filled her lungs with the scent of book glue and old pages and... coffee. The scent caught and tugged at her center. She smiled so widely, her face ached. "I brought croissants!" she called toward the back of the store, where her co-worker was undoubtedly unboxing books to shelve... or, more specifically, reading selections of the new arrivals as he unboxed them. She couldn't stop smiling. Part of her -- the part that had stood before the mirror for longer than needed this morning -- was nervous/excited/nervous to see him. But the other part was still so grateful that he was even here in the first place that she could hardly wait to lay eyes on him again.

Sliding the letter behind the register in the front of the store, she set the croissants by the coffee, found the stash of small paper plates she kept, then set two of the pastries on two plates and turned to bring them back into the store. The tiny bells around her ankle chimed as she moved.

Today, she had visitors coming, which was enough to put an extra spring in her step. Eric and Lestat had both promised to stop by, and she should let Errol know. The rest of the day stretched itself in front of her, filling her imagination with possibilities and excitement. Oh, she really couldn't wait! For now, though -- croissants. And then books. Books! She was bouncing on her toes and it wasn't even 9 a.m. yet.