Low Tide

The sun was high in the sky and the horizon was blue without a cloud in sight, with the temperature hovering in the high seventies. In other words, it was a perfect Spring day in Key West.

Isabelle Shaw grunted as she struck the volleyball back over the net to the opposing team's side and into the sand between the other two women. One of the few things she had in common with her previous incarnation here in Key West was a love of beach sports. Back in her earlier dimensions she'd had to play beach volleyball in sand pits or on the shore of Lake Michigan, here she had one of the best spots in the world to play the game. Her doppelganger had been more of an expert than Izzy herself was before waking up in Key West, the air-headed version of herself hadn't had the distractions of a real college course load and the heavy research schedule after graduation that Izzy herself had experienced.

Fortunately though, those upgraded skills had transferred between the two versions and the witch was putting them to good use today.
( make for dull days )

"I'm leaving for my lunch break now, Ian," Mallory said after wiping a streak of dust from the bottom shelf and tucking the cleaning rag back behind the counter. "I should be back in about forty-five minutes. If Chad decides to grace us with his presence today, tell him he can break down the boxes in the back because I'm not doing it this time." Chad was the new hire, but the redhead doubted he'd last long since he seemed to have the work ethic of a sausage. Never mind. More hours on the paycheck meant more money at the end of the week.

The roommate search was not going well. She'd interviewed four candidates thus far, and the only girl who'd proven acceptable as far as being employed and semi-responsible turned out to be allergic to dogs. The next step was to put up a notice on Craigslist and see what happened there. Other than that, life seemed to have smoothed out at the edges a little. She was glad she'd decided to have lunch with Izzy this afternoon, if only for something to take her mind off of things.

At least the morning sickness had subsided. She hadn't barfed today. Thank God for small favors.

Izzy checked her watch as she walked as quick as she could in a business skirt and heels without actually running, since she'd been delayed by a last minute phone call from a customer wanting to book a restaurant reservation for when he and his family were in town next weekend. Spring Break was starting up soon, and the relative quiet at the hotel would be a pleasant memory for the next several months.
( chit chat and surprise offers )

Isabelle Shaw wasn't the sort of woman who was used to being ignored, in any universe. She didn't consider herself snooty (though she was reasonably sure the version of her that had been here before had been) but when she gave a guy her phone number or email, the last thing she expected was the sound of silence. Granted, Izzy hadn't been in the habit of handing out her number to men that often, but when she did she usually got a call back. So not hearing back from Hayden had been something of a shock, and she'd fully intended to call him sooner than this, but then a certain vampire had used her for a late night snack.

That memory still rankled, and the witch intended to do something about it, eventually. Hayden could help her with that, but she was interested in more than just brushing up on her voodoo. The man had been a good friend to her in the other universe, and Izzy wanted to get that friendship reestablished. The future was wide open here, after all.

So, considering herself sufficiently healed from the vampire bite that she wouldn't have to answer any awkward questions, Izzy had decided to go on the offensive. Which was why she stood on the porch of Hayden's house and knocking on his door.

( A Talk That Goes in Unexpected Directions )

Note: this takes place before the events of 'hunger pangs'

It wasn’t often that Jenny got time off work, her hours were hectic, her free time was spent sleeping or catching up on the important things she had missed. She didn’t get much of a chance to just go out and do things that interested her, particularly since at the moment her brother was crashing down at her place and she needed to get some time away.

Granted, standing in a large bookstore, perusing the medical section and looking at other text books. Her finger ran along the spines of books like Med School Confidential and Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment 2010. It went from the technical books that would make her spin to Medical Terminology for Dummies which she picked up and opened, flicking through idly to see what was inside. She had never read any of the ‘for dummies’ books before.
( fancy meeting you here. )

"No, Mark, there's nothing to discuss." Izzy bit her tongue and counted to ten as she walked to her car after work, almost wishing her ex-fiance was in front of her to drop kick instead of only having his voice on the phone. "I've told you before, we're done. We want different things and you obviously don't think enough of me to respect my wishes. Goodbye." She hit the 'end' button a bit more savagely than she probably should have, but he just hadn't been getting the message. The witch wondered for the umpteenth time what her other self had seen in him. For a supposedly smart man he was remarkably dense.

This called for a night out. She didn't have to work tomorrow and she deserved some fun after dealing with her ex.

John had awoken that night with a brutal headache, which was partly due to a tequila hangover and partly to thirst.

( An Excuse to Talk )

With the temperature not even sixty degrees and a good northerly breeze, Izzy didn't even contemplate her normal ocean swim and settled instead for a jog along the streets of old town instead. The witch consoled herself that if she were still in Chicago this time of year she'd be dressed like a mummy in multiple layers rather than a windbreaker and running pants. Sounds of Sympathy for the Devil leaked through her earbuds as she jogged along to the Rolling Stones on her iPhone.

Connor had taken to riding his motorcycle around the island before it got dark, familiarizing himself with landmarks and street names for the purposes of getting around. Navigation wasn't that much different than tracking, but he wanted to replace his alter's memories with his own just in case. And the traffic was much lighter here and easier to deal with. The Destroyer rounded the corner, leaning with the turn as he headed towards Old Town. He could get a quick sandwich and then head back home. The holiday break was almost over, which meant he'd have to see about this school thing. He couldn't wait to see how that went.

"Izzy, hey!" The witch was just jogging past, and he raised his voice a little so he could be heard over the music she was listening to. "Is winter exercise a new thing, or from before?"
( Comparing past lives )

Izzy entered Bull & Whistle after the end of a very long and trying day at the hotel. For whatever reason, it seemed most of the guests hadn't figured out what they wanted to do when they got to Key West. Izzy had been running ragged all day, setting up last minute reservations for this activity or that on top of helping those who were doing their planning in advance.

Why her alternate picked hospitality management, the witch had no idea, but she knew if she'd stayed any later, there might have been a homicide. At least now the workday was done and she could relax, and she'd changed out of her work clothes before walking over to the bar. It was crowded, but not oppressively so, and there was even a spot open at the bar, score! Izzy slid into the open seat and ordered a margarita, letting her fingers tap on the bar in time with the music from the band playing on stage.

The Bull and Whistle was a long-time fixture of the island. The first floor was dark, rustic, and open-air on two sides. The walls it did have were painted in murals of famous Key West personalities. On the second floor, the windows and balcony overlooked Old Town. On the foliage-heavy roof, clothing was optional.

( Rubbing Elbows )

Sometimes life just wasn't fair. Izzy had come to that conclusion years ago but recent events served to reinforce it.

Christmas had been a disaster. She'd gotten a family in this dimension, one where her previous self had grown up in wealth and privilege, but one that was completely dysfunctional.

The witch tried not to think about it too much as she stood in line at her favorite coffee shop for her daily mocha and muffin. There wasn't anything she could do about her family right now and if she kept thinking about it she would only get depressed.

Jenny, too, felt more than anything that life wasn't fair. She was late getting off on her lunch break and as such she was rushing to get to her favorite coffee shop. She could have waited at the Starbucks outside the hospital, but she really didn't like the way that they made the coffee, or their cakes, for that matter.
( The mage and the mind reader )

Up and down the streets of Key West, people hosted house parties for New Year's Eve or got glamorous and headed to one of the professionally-planned celebrations. Since most holidays, the latter only ended up in trouble, Rhiannon and Connor turned over a new leaf and stayed home, inviting new and old friends (and friends of friends) to join them. If the world ended, they could always grab weapons, drive a few blocks, and show up in time to save the night, right?

The house they rented was a small, one-story cottage with a screened front porch, a small back stoop, and a modest yard inside a picket fence. A fire pit had been dug out and could be used, if the temperature dipped low enough -- meaning the 60s. A charcoal grill was lit for burgers and hot dogs. The kitchen counters were full of snacks and drinks. One of their computers supplied music, and a variety of cards and a few board games had been set out, just in case anybody wanted to get into that. On the back porch, a few packages of fireworks and sparklers awaited midnight.

Mostly, they just hoped for company. New Year's was a great way of starting out fresh in Key West.

[Thread: Open to Rhiannon, Connor, Purity, Izzy, Whistler, Hannah, Destiny, and anybody else who's brought along or, hell, even wanders by on the street and decides to drop in or gets dragged in. :) ]

Christmas Day, 2009

Christmas had always been Izzy's favorite of the Christian holidays. While she'd never been all that religious growing up, her mother had tried to make Christmas a special time for her daughter. They'd always had a tiny tree and decorations, and on Christmas Day her mother had cooked up a traditional dinner, one of the few times a year she actually had the time to spend on elaborate meals or cooking in general. Presents had been mostly practical items: clothes, school books and the like, but usually there were one or two small frivolities to open and enjoy.

That was in her old life though. In her stepfather's household the tree was an enormous thing nearly brushing the ceiling, and the witch thought the decorations alone had to cost a small fortune. Stockings for all family members hung from the mantle of the fireplace, and a cackling fire provided both heat and a cheery glow to the room.

If only the atmosphere was as cheery as the appearance suggested.
( Can't choose family )

[Note: The Characters of Geoff, Frances, and Bobby were written by Stargazer]

Bobby was off to Gainesville to finish his business trip, his court date for drug possession scheduled for sometime next year and Izzy had put the incident out of her mind for now. Stewing on it wouldn't do anyone any good, and the blond had her own life to live after all. She would deal with it later, there was time.

Now though, the witch was standing in front of the house Rhiannon shared with Connor. She wasn't sure if either of them were home, but it had been a few weeks now since she'd seen the Slayer and they'd promised to stay in touch. There was the matter of Joseph to be brought up. Izzy could imagine what it would be like if Rhiannon were to encounter her former fiancee in this reality unprepared for the fact that he wouldn't remember who she was. It wasn't something she would want for herself, and she wasn't going to let it happen to Rhiannon if she could help it.

When the knock came, Rhiannon looked up from her computer, a fine-tipped marker clenched in her teeth. She was seated at a small desk with a flexible light. Art supplies and a laptop crowded the surface. She flexed her shoulders and pressed save, though she wasn't sure it was necessary. The graphic she'd scanned into the machine wasn't getting any better with digital enhancements. She had half a mind to draw two stick figures lounging in a hammock and email it to her boss, along with a message. 'It's Key West. C'mon. What do we really have to advertise?' But that logic put her out of work.

( Bombshell )

( Men in Swimwear )

Izzy wasn't sure which emotion toward her brother was stronger at the moment: anger or disappointment. She hadn't been able to believe her ears when he'd used his one phone call, drug possession of all things! It brought all the old demons of her childhood back that she'd thought safely left behind in this dimension.

So here she was, in the station, waiting for them to bring him out after she posted his bail. Posting Bail! Two words she'd never thought she'd put together with her brother in this dimension, but yet here she was sitting on an uncomfortable plastic chair in the front of the building.
( Sibling rivalry )

[Note: The NPC Bobby Shaw was written by Stargazer.]

Izzy finished scrubbing the paint away from her face, then returned to her bedroom from the bath to look over her handiwork with a satisfied air.

The overdose of pink had finally been too much for her, and the witch had spent the past day transforming her room into something more adult with a few coats of white paint. Whatever she had been before the re-alignment, now she was something very different and having a bedroom that looked like something out of a Disney princess movie was more than she'd been able to stand for long. White walls were a good first step.
( Stranger at the door? )

[Note: The NPC Bobby Shaw was written by Stargazer]

Bare feet quietly crossed tile and into the tiny patch of soft grass in the back garden as Izzy made her way from the house with only the light of the full moon overhead to guide her. Her housemates were sound asleep, and the witch had made certain none of them would wake up before sunrise with a few judicious castings and a silencing charm. A privacy fence around the back and thick vegetation in the garden eased any worries that the neighbors would see or hear anything they shouldn't so that was covered as well. Only the hum from the nearby pool and the chirping of crickets in the distance disturbed the stillness and were easily tuned out.
( Asking a lot )

Coming back to work after a few days off sucked, even if your family was rich and you worked in paradise. That was the conclusion Izzy quickly arrived at on her first day back since Thanksgiving. The normally bustling resort was dead, people sticking close to home over the month-long period in between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and there was almost nothing for the customer service staff to do. At least her shift was almost over. Maybe she'd call Rhiannon and see about going over and working on that set of binoculars for the Slayer, she'd need to swing by the house and change out of her business suit and grab her tool kit first but it would be good to get her hands dirty again.
( Awkward encounter. )
( text to Rhiannon )

Thanksgiving Day, 2009

Izzy smoothed the fabric of her dress and ignored the butterflies in her stomach as she came down the stairs to the main floor of her parents' home. 'Isabelle' had known these people all her life, and everything had gone swimmingly when they picked her up at the airport. There was no reason to think that her family would think there was anything too different about their daughter, so why did she feel like everything was too good to be true?
( Home for the Holiday )

[Note: The NPCs Geoff and Frances Nealson were written by Stargazer.]

November 22, 2009

Now what the hell do I do? Izzy Shaw stared at the tiny piece of jewelry innocently sitting there nestled in its box. It was just some gold and diamonds, nothing that should cause her the least bit of trouble, so why was she looking at it as if it would jump out and bite her?
( Big impact from a tiny item )

Izzy wondered if everyone in Key West had decided to go grocery shopping at the same time. The local Winn-Dixie was packed with locals stocking up for Thanksgiving, and most of them seemed to have arrived before the witch. Queues of shoppers and their overflowing carts stretched out from every checkout lane and the blonde resigned herself to a long wait, not willing to give up and have to come again later and start over.

She'd taken one look at the contents of the refrigerator, mostly just restaurant leftovers and a few staples, and declared she was going to the store. The one housemate who was there had just rolled her eyes and declined to come along, and Izzy wasn't sure what to make of the response. The tech-witch knew from both the diary and what memories had survived from 'Isabelle' that she'd frequently dined out at the many restaurants in Key West rather than try and cook herself, having few cooking skills. That was another of the many things Izzy didn't have in common with 'Isabelle': she'd had to learn to cook in self-defense, otherwise she'd have starved as her mother had worked so much Izzy had to fend for herself a lot of the time.

( Not an Airhead )

The sense of strangeness had followed Izzy all through the rest of that first day and into the next. There had been no escaping her housemates, but she'd managed to keep them unaware of her change of personality so far. It had been easier than she thought, so either she was a good actress or they didn't care. She wasn't sure which.

She'd gotten a call from someone called Mark, and she'd let it go to voicemail. The witch had gotten a strong sense that the 'old' Isabelle had been deeply involved with him. That was something she had no idea what she was going to about, yet. Hopefully something would come to her. Maybe he was actually a good guy, but so far everything she'd seen of her old self was rather shallow and she didn't know if her taste in men would be the same. Her family seemed to approve of him, that much she knew for sure.
( Searchlight in paradise )

It had taken some effort, but Izzy had managed to convince Sheryl to let her go on her own after sitting in the shade under her watchful eye for a little while and guzzling a bottle of water she’d found in her beach bag. It was like the other woman didn’t trust her to walk and chew gum at the same time, let alone fend for herself on what she’d found out was Key West, Florida. Whatever her other-self had been known for, common sense didn’t seem to be it.

( deja-vu all over again )