The Universe's Mixer

The past few days had been filled with quite a lot of hubbub. Fred's memories were back and she'd been able to identify her attacker. Jack hadn't had much time to talk to his ex-girlfriend about the attack or how she was feeling now as they'd had a superhero camping out to make sure that Fred was safe. And then it was all over and supposed Sam, the man who'd attacked her, had been 'fixed.' Jack wasn't too sure that he bought that nonsense about him being without a soul or that he trusted the hunter, but he supposed he didn't have a choice for now.

He did recognize that there were stranger things in this City than he'd ever imagined possible, but he didn't just want to assume that Fred was safe now. Even if Dinah seemed to believe that she was.

He still had to go to work every day and he still came home later than he was comfortable with. He'd also back off on the security detail at Dinah's urging, though he didn't back off entirely. He still didn't feel as though the brainy female who was his temporary roommate were safe and he wanted to make sure that she was protected.

On this particular day, he stopped to pick up tacos on the way home. He was familiar with her favorite foods and he thought that she'd been through enough already-the least he could do was pick up some comfort food. He let himself in to the apartment and looked around for any sign that she was home.

He supposed that at some point she would want to look for a place of her own, but he wasn't planning to push her out the door.

"Fred?" he called as he closed the door behind himself and set his keys on the table in the hallway.

While Fred showered, Dinah made two calls. The first was for food delivery. She knew that Fred was hungry and thought that they’d all be better off if there was some sort of food available. Though she was pretty sure that Dean might not want to eat when she said what she had to say.

She just hoped that Dean wasn’t with Sam right now. The important thing was that Sam wasn’t tipped off that they might be onto... whatever it was that was going. While Fred was washing up, she picked up the phone and dialed, pacing the apartment and trying not to worry too much about his safety while she waited for him to pick up.

After all, if Sam wasn’t Sam, there was a chance that he would try to hurt Dean next. Then again, she knew full well that Dean was going to be hurt by this in one way or another. Even if that hurt might not be physical.

( The truth is out there. )

Fred needed to see Dinah. She couldn’t go straight to Dean; she didn’t even know how. She thanked Jesse before leaving. He’d helped just by being there.

Once she was out of the Library, she walked a block before making a quick call for a cab. She was soon racing to a certain flower shop. Well, racing may have been an exaggeration. The cab driver wasn’t one to speed through the City; he preferred driving at the mandatory speed, set by the City authorities. Fred didn’t push him to go faster though because she needed to decide what she needed to say.

Jesse had offered to do more without saying as much, but Fred couldn’t let him, partly because she wasn't sure what to ask or how without stepping over some unspoken boundary. She had to figure this out on her own. She needed to. She sighed softly once the cab got where she needed, and she was glad that the City was being nice enough to put the cab fare in her pocket.

She hoped Dinah was by herself, and to make sure, she slipped to a nearby alleyway and sent Dinah quick text.

Are you able to talk? Alone?

She probably should have done sent the text before leaving the library. So much for trying to think ahead.

( ---- )

Fred ignored the looks she got from some of the patrons who were still in the Library, or were they just arriving? The lack of sun was really playing havoc with her inner clock, but she supposed that was bound to happen. The fact that she'd spent time in the hospital with a strange schedule didn't help. She had decided to give in and listen to what her body said, even if it meant possibly going to bed only a few hours after waking. She read once that someone had made a good life of four on and four off type situation, or maybe she'd seen it in a movie. She wasn't sure.

She quickly washed her hands, enough to get to the phone. It was strange having it. She hadnt' had one before; tech always seemed to disappear when she tried to get it. Now, she had an amazing phone that could do so much. Jack had been nice enough to explain how it worked, or at least how to get to help. She'd found it fascinating, and it did keep her still for a little while.

Now, she was using it for a very serious reason as she continued to wash up in the Library's bathroom.

"Yes, there was an attack. No, no, I'm not hurt." She didn't know if she was or wasn't. She was going to say she wasn't for now. Her head did hurt a little; she believed she might have banged it somewhere along the way. "I'm fine. But, an officer is down. Her name's..." Fred didn't blank on the name, at least not the first part. She didn't know the woman's last name. "I don't know her last name." Her voice was shaky, and she had to swallow against the tears. Someone had died to save her.

"Caroline's her first name. She's dead." Fred gave what information she could before she reached up with a wet hand to end the call. She wasn't thinking, and sent the phone into the sink. A soft gasp escaped shortly before the sobs. She felt guilt, sadness, and a fear that refused to be named. It wasn't that she could have died; she'd been faced with that many times. It was something else. Somewhere inside, she asked whatever Power That Be who that was listening to send her help. She needed it. She was happy that Jack and Dinah existed, but she felt so very lost and alone again. So very confused.

Fred seemed to have relaxed a little since she was finally let out. The lights weren't coming on, and she was a little concerned. Yet, the City seemed to be working normal other than that. It was probably another test. She was aware enough, remembered enough, to know that the City liked to test the captives.

She had bought the cop, who was pretending to be her friend out on the town, a cupcake on the mayor's dime. Fred didn't have any dimes, so she was agreeing to borrow a few of the mayor's. She would pay it back because those dimes were more the City's dimes than the mayor's? Plus, it was her friend Jack, not the mayor who was letting her borrow the dimes. But, a few dimes to get a nice woman who was working a strange shift by guarding a near nobody a cupcake wouldn't hurt, right?

The plan had been to get more clothes, some shoes, some night things. The quick trip out with Jack had gotten her enough to cover two days if that. There was only so much washing clothes should take after all.

"Thank you, Caroline. I really appreciate-" Anything else she was going to say was cut off as something bum rushed the brainy female, taking her away into a poorly lit alley. Caroline who had drawn her guy was the next attacked and whisked down the alleyway.

By process of elimination, Jack had become the person that was notified of all of the goings on with Fred at the hospital. This was partially his implied leverage due to his situation in the City and partly because she had no family or next of kin to fill that role. He was glad that he was in a position where he could keep an eye on her, though he hated that he couldn't be there more often. He was almost always worried that whoever had tried to kill her would make a second attempt, so he'd asked a few police officers to keep watch outside her door. Undercover, of course.

Keeping watch over Fred was about to get a lot more difficult, since her main doctor had contacted Jack to talk about the possibility of discharge with regular outpatient check-ups as they tried to help her regain her memory. The doctors had already mentioned that there was just as much chance that it would come back as there was that it might never return.

More pressing at the moment was the fact that Fred was being released and yet her building was still destroyed. There were cases when the City saw fit to rebuild a building, as it had with Jack's office after the fire a few months ago. But in this case, nothing had been restored.

Jack took a half day at work on the day when Fred was set to be released and stopped outside her room, knocking to announce his presence. He had a few options for her as to where she could go next while she continued her recovery. He just hoped that she agreed to at least one of the choices he gave her.

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.