Choices 5C/?, CSI Miami, Calleigh/Natalia, NC-17

[sinjenkai]

Title: Choices 5C/?
Pairing: Calleigh/Natalia
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I don't own them, but I spend a lot of time with them. This is gonna get really dark folks, so consider yourselves forewarned. Archiving: P & P, DuVista, women_in_kevlar, all others please ask. Next in my series. Many thanks to Soul_Caged aka Complete_Machine for being my new writing partner. This is not beta’d so all mistakes are ours.


When they pulled in front of the Warehouse, all Calleigh said was, “Next time, I get to drive.”

“Maybe if you beg...” Grayson smirked climbing out of the car, walking over to the blonde’s side, she ran her hands over the clean lines of her car, she even leaned down, and kissed the hood lovingly. “Mama loves you baby...” She opened the blonde’s door.

“It’s ok, I kiss my guns too.”

Grayson smiled. “I can’t kiss my punching bag...” Helping the blonde towards the elevator, she pushed the button for the third floor. There she had workout clothes, towels, and a chair for the blonde to sit in.

Sliding the doors open once reaching the top floor, Grayson pulled a comfortable chair up into a corner that was away from a window, and any of the speakers from the massive stereo system.

She excused herself into the small bathroom to change into workout attire, which included a black racer back sports bra, the volleyball shorts from this morning. She kept her workout clothes simple, basic black at all times. She walked out of the bathroom, picked up the remote for the stereo and tried to find something to pump her blood up. Settling on rap music, she started to wrap her hands, her nodding to the beat vibrating through the speakers. She dropped down onto the floor and proceeded to do some of the most intricate and elaborate stretches simply in pursuit of being limber.

Calleigh watched in amazement at the positions Grayson put her body through. There may have been a time that she had been limber, but there was no way that she had been THAT limber.

After finally limbering up, she stood up on her toes, and began bouncing until finding a speed that was easily manageable; she began to shadow box, punching lightly at the air in front of her. She did that for a few minutes, then moved onto the acrobatics, she couldn’t’ name how many times a flip had saved her skin. She reached and pulled a steel pike off the weapon wall. Grayson put her feet flat on the ground, and leaning down into mid crouch, she proceeded to try every kind of flip, somersault, turn, and slide with hands and sometimes without, always twirling the pike and using it to parry her strides.

After finally warming up, Grayson made sure the wraps on her hands were tight enough to withstand serious punishment. She moved the massive punching bag to the end of the pulley, and made sure she had the entire gym to work the bag until the other end of the pulley. She took a deep breath focusing herself for a moment, she started out with a right hook, the bag shook slightly. Next was a vicious mid thigh leg kick, the bag moved three feet down the line. She let loose a volley of punches, kicks, and elbows, the bag moving at a continuous pace down the line. Grunting in effort, and when grunting wouldn’t suffice, she started punctuating each punch, kick, elbow and knee with a loud “ha!”. At the last ten feet, Grayson jumped up wrapping her hands around the chain attached to the top of the bag and kneed her way to the end of the line until the bag creaked to a halt unable to move further.

Grayson dropped down to one knee panting, sweat dripping down her body.

“Damn Kiddo! I’m worn out just watching you. Do you do that every day?” Calleigh asked in amazement.

Grayson looked up from behind sweat soaked bangs. “Every day for three hours starting at 4 a.m.” Standing up, she unclipped the bag from the pulley, letting it hit the floor with a loud SMACK. She then picked up, hoisting it over her shoulder, and did lunges slowly all the way to the end of the room, then worked her way back down the room towards Calleigh.

Shaking her head, Calleigh threw up her hands. “Ok, I’m speechless.”

Smiling after hooking the bag back up to the pulley, Grayson leaned on it a little taking a break, she walked over to pick up the water bottle next to Calleigh. “When one of my targets throws me through a plate glass window into a granite statue, I have to keep getting up. Punish yourself to punish others Calleigh.”

Reaching out to take a wrapped hand into her grasp, Calleigh started to say something, but she stopped, and shook her head instead. “Never mind.”

Tossing the water bottle to the blonde, she ran down to the end of the room, leaping into the air catching the chin up bar in her hands, swinging loosely from her arms stretching them out. Taking a deep breath, she went through 10 sets of 10, then moved onto doing chin ups with one arm apiece. She dropped to the floor, and went through the motions of pushups, then did them one handed on each wrist, finally rolling over onto her back, her entire body on fire, she just laid there staring up at the ceiling, silently gasping for air.

After several long moments, she sat up, and walked over to sit next to the blonde, doing her stretches, cooling down her muscles while gulping down copious amounts of water. “Never mind what?”

Quietly, Calleigh started. “I’ve seen you hurt, and realized that you can both take, and deal out pain. I’ve seen you shoot, and you’re deadly. I’ve seen what you put your body through, and can’t even imagine anyone else doing it to that extreme, but at what cost do you do all of this? Is it worth it? Will it be worth it in the end?”

Grayson folded her legs beneath her, and stared out the window for a long time thinking. When she finally found her voice to speak, she had no idea how many minutes had really passed. She still however refused to look at the blonde when she spoke. “I know what Jordan told you. I’m sorry I wasn’t brave enough to tell you myself. You ask if it’s worth it, would it worth it in the end? In my journey to this monster, I am now... things became blurry a long time ago. At first, I killed men who deserved it; hurt someone’s wife.. raped their daughter. Things like that, then it turned into men who’d stolen money from the mob, then it was sending a message. In the end, yes it is worth it. There is nothing left of me to lose anymore. I’ve lost all I can, and I’ll never get it back. I would gladly pay this price again and again if I received the end result of destroying the man who killed my parents. When I finally find him and take my revenge, I won’t hesitate, my hands will be swift and sure. I will put an end to this, I swore it to my Grandfather.”

She turned her gaze back to the blonde.

Calleigh realized how hard it was for her to admit what she had, and she searched for something to say that could probably just make it easier for herself to accept what she had just heard, but all she came up with was honesty. “I don’t know your grandfather, and I mean him no disrespect, but it was his blood, his son who was killed. It should have been him doing the hunting. You and Jordan had your whole lives in front of you, and now that’s all gone.”

Grayson took several long moments to answer, looking down at her hands. “Youth has its advantages. I’m ten times more efficient, and deadly than my father was. I am the pride of Italian Families in New York. My name is mentioned with fear, dread, and panic. I used to love the power I held over people, the fear, now..” she sighed audibly looking at the window once again. “Now... I don’t know what I want anymore. This bloody life of mine cost me the one thing in the world I would of stopped for...” She smiled sadly, putting head on her knees, staring out the window for a long time.

“What was that?”

“Her name was Quinn.” Was the only reply she received.

“Where is she now?”

Shrugging, Grayson’s voice was little more than a whisper. “I don’t know, when I moved to Miami... I had to leave her behind. It was too dangerous to tell her about my life, and subject her to all the dangers in it.”

“How did you meet her?”

Grayson turned to look at Calleigh. She wondered when she’d started to trust her cousin’s wife, and her cousin for that matter. “At a martial arts class, she was my instructor. I was her star pupil.”

“Was that her job? She was a martial art instructor?”

“She was teaching her way through law school. She comes from a family of doctors, lawyers, good honest people.” Grayson’s voice was becoming sadder and sadder, she could feel the tears pricking the backs of her eyes. She stood up, and walked to a window trying to hide her expression from Calleigh.

“Yes.” Grayson leaned her head against the window, letting the cool metal temper her flaring skin. She squeezed her hand tight around the metal as a lone tear slipped down her right cheek, out of view of the blonde thankfully.

“Did she pass the bar exam? Is she a lawyer now?” Calleigh quietly continued to ask questions.

“I don’t know, I cut all contact with her, I was afraid he would find her, like he always finds me. It’s why I wanted Talia to keep our relation a secret, I’d rather have him come for me again and again then bear the pain of losing you, my cousin, Jordan , or Quinn.” Grayson wiped the tear away out of sight, moved away from the window and walked around the speed bag, punching it a few times half-heartedly.

“What does this man look like?”

“Honestly I’ve never been able to tell. He’s had plastic surgery over the years. Every time we tangle, he always looks different... I’m hoping one time I actually get lucky and nick a major artery.” Grayson sighed, watching Calleigh walk towards her. She met the blonde half way, and attempted to steer her back towards the chair. “You need to rest Shorty.”

“I’ve been sitting long enough, what needs to happen now is, you need to go take a bath because you really stink, and then we are going to go to my favorite place for lunch. I want a triple BLT and a large, cold beer, and I’m buying.”

Grayson searched Calleigh’s face for any kind of judgment. She’d spilled pretty much everything about her life that was unsavory. Well, except for her training, and obscure tutoring, which she doubted she would ever share. “I know they say to conserve water, and shower with a friend, but I’m not into sharing chicks..” Grayson leaned backwards, doing a slow motion back bend, and then lifted herself into a handstand, stretching out her toes and back. “I don’t drink though, food sounds delicious..” She pushed herself back onto her feet bouncing and held the elevator open for the blonde.

“You don’t have to drink, but you do have to shoot a couple of games of pool with me.” Calleigh walked into the elevator, and waited. “I guess I’m in a shooting mood.”

Grayson walked in behind her, and shut the elevator gates closed, then leaned past the blonde, pushing her sweaty arm all over hers just to annoy her and hit the button for the second story so she could go shower. “I noticed. Pool hmm? I’ll play a few games.”

“Ok fine, so I’ll wait for you here, and you go take your shower. There’s no rush. If you want, you can asked Jordan if he wants to go. I don’t know how much sleep he needs though.” Calleigh waited until they reached the second floor before she got a paper towel to wipe off her arm.

“He needs more that I do, but I know that he’s always hungry. Excuse me please.”

Grayson walked off in the direction of her bedroom and bath, while Calleigh wiped herself off. Then listening carefully for the sound of a shower running, she reached into her pocket for her phone. “Hey Darlin’, how are things going...? No, I’m fine... Do me a favor.... Look in the New York City Data Base in the Bar Association for a lawyer by the first name of Quinn. Should have passed the Bar within the last two years.... No, I don’t have a last name, but she used to be a martial arts instructor.... Hmm, I’d say mid to late twenty’s.... No, I’ll tell you about it when I get home.... I love you too... Bye.”

Grayson appeared moments later dressed in board shorts and a white t-shirt, with Jordan close behind where khaki shorts, and a black polo shirt. Both stomachs were growling at the prospect of food.

Both of the twins were wearing flip-flops, just trying to enjoy the weather. Jordan pushed Grayson slightly, who in turn shoved him hard enough to make him grunt. hitting the wall, smiling back at her. “Your such a hoss... Hoss.” Grayson flipped him the bird, grabbing her over the shoulder purse and sunglasses. Both of them tried not to coddle their in law into the elevator, but failed miserably.

Finally getting down to the ground floor, Grayson unlocked the Rover, and helped the blonde into it, knowing eventually her morning painkillers would wear off. In no time, they were pulling into the front parking lot of a restaurant bar called Del's.

Finding a table near the pool tables, Calleigh sat down with her back against the wall, sighing as she relaxed. Here was a familiar place that she could let her guard down, and not worry about anything. Her and Natalia were well known here.

Jordan slipped in front of his sister, parting the crowd for her with his massive frame, while she just trailed behind, appearing indifferent behind mirrored sunglasses, however the subtle turn of her head indicating her eyes were flicking to every new face. Jordan pulled out a chair for his sister, who turned it around sitting the wrong way, her legs hanging over either side, her chin resting on her hands on the top of the chair, Jordan leaned the chair back, and slid into the booth behind her next to Calleigh smiling.

“Nice..” Jordan looked around appreciatively.

Calleigh grinned as the twins took up flanking position on either side of her. Hell, the only person who could get through that just happened to be at work. She smiled as she thought of how quickly these two would move out of the way if Natalia walked in right now.

“Thanks, we come here a lot. They have the best stacked sandwiches around, and they keep track of all of the regular’s likes, and dislikes.” To prove her word, a waitress walked up with an icy mug of beer, and placed it in front of Calleigh.

“Are you friends ready to order Cal?”

“No, give ‘em a few Sonia.”

Motioning with her head, Calleigh bade them to order anything they wanted.

Grayson waited until her brother had a chance to run through the menu before she looked at it, that way one of them was always watching Calleigh or the crowd. The female Cerano had a pair of brass knuckles in her back pocket as usual, taken from Calleigh’s stove earlier that morning, and a silenced 9mm in her purse. Jordan had his size and his fists. Finally decided they were ready, Grayson hopped up off her chair, and went in search of the waitress at the bar. Leaning against it, she placed their orders while the waitress smiled, and bit her lip, obviously flirting with her. Grayson smiled back in return, and winked back at her, before returning to the table, sliding back into her chair.

“So do either one of you shoot pool?” Calleigh asked.

Jordan smiled easily at the blonde, putting a hand on top of her head, tentatively squeezing it for ripeness. “Depends on who’s asking..” He laughed at his sister, whose eyes flickered to the pool table a few feet away, and then the wolfish grin that appeared on her face, which of course was tarnished by the split lips and black eye.

Laughing, Calleigh rephrased the question. “Ok, let’s try the question this way. Do either one of you use the table in the manner that it was designed for?”

“Yes” Grayson replied, holding Calleigh’s beer mug against her tender lip, then kept it playfully out of her reach waiting to see what kind of threats would be tossed her way.

“If you really wanted a beer, all you have to do was ask? Try not to warm that one up too much please?”

“I don’t drink on the job, DuVista.”Grayson groused; handing back the beer mug, disappointed at the lack of reaction. “You’re a spoil sport.” Jordan roared with laughter, his arms wrapping around his sides.

Taking a swig of her beer, Calleigh drawled. “Darlin’, you already told me that you didn’t drink. I just wanted my beer. Once again, engage brain. I think that ties the score.”

“Foiled again... Curses.” Grayson playfully shook her fist at Calleigh, a mock villain accent deep in play. She stood up, and flicked the end of Calleigh’s nose with a fingertip, dancing towards the pool table. “Come whoop my ass at something else...” Jordan shot Calleigh a look. “Please go shut her up.”

Slowly standing, Calleigh made her way over to the table, catching the waitress’s eye, winking and nodding her head towards Grayson. Sonia didn’t have a steady girlfriend, but loved to flirt, so Calleigh wasn’t worried about her getting too attached, and down deep she know that Grayson wouldn’t start something while she was on the job, so to speak.

“Rack ‘em Kiddo, and make it nice and tight. I hate loose racks.”

As much as Grayson wanted to insert a dirty comment about Calleigh and her cousin, she held back, it was too easy. She quickly racked the balls, making sure each number was in its correct place before removing the triangle. She walked over to the wall, and rolled cues to the side checking their weight before settling on a 19 oz stick, and pulling it down to lean against like a staff watching Calleigh. “Ladies always break.” was her only reply.

Lining up the ball, Calleigh leaned over, quietly hissing as her ribs protested. Bringing back her cue, she let loose with a solid hit, scattering the balls effectively and sinking two; one from each sort. With her eyes darting around the table, she took the solids, and sank two more, before missing.

Sonia walked over to lean across the table to ask Jordan if she wanted a refill on her drink, affording her a view down her chest.

“Damn, start callin' you Sharky... on account of the fact you’re trying to use me to mop the pool table with.” Grayson sounded ridiculously grumpy, not to mention she was pouting horribly, implying that Calleigh was a pool shark was probably a bit over the top. Grayson kept her eyes to herself, but she noticed Jordan’s face when his eyes bugged out of his head. His expression told her all that she needed know, apparently, Sonia had a nice chest.

“Hey Calleigh! Are you going to introduce me to your friends?”

Hiding her smile while taking a swig of beer, Calleigh answered. “I’m sorry Sonia. This is Jordan, and his little sister Grayson. They’re friends who are visiting us for awhile.”

“Technically speaking, I’m the little brother, and she’s the big sister. Grayson is eight minutes older than I am; she fought, and won her way out.” Jordan smiled widely, offering his huge hand for the stunning waitress to shake.

Sonia’s hand was enveloped in Jordan’s grip, but she was still staring at Grayson.

Jordan noticed, as usual, that the woman was staring at his sister. He rolled his eyes, and flipped his sister the bird behind the waitress’s back. Grayson pretended to ignore her brother, but she was secretly laughing, their inside joke was that her patience and alpha female sensibility had let her be born first. Grayson smiled at Sonia, politely offering a hand to shake. “Nice to meet you ma’am...”

“Oh, it’s very nice to meet you Grayson. Is there anything that I can get for you? Anything at all?”

Grayson’s smile widened, she turned her head at Calleigh, her eyes telling the blonde what she thought of the waitress. “Depends on what your offering sugar..” was all she said, letting go of the waitress’s hand, and leaning down to take her shot, she sank three balls before missing her fourth shot, offering the table to Calleigh with a nod of her head.

Sonia bumped her hip against Grayson’s as she sauntered away. “Anything that you think that you could handle.”

Eyeing the table, Calleigh sank four more balls before missing her last one. Swearing slightly underneath her breath, she sat down to watch Grayson.

Grayson bit her lip, watching the woman walk away, particularly certain parts of her. Turning to her brother who was enjoying the same view, she laughed. “Damn, as much as I hate to see you go.” Jordan in turn leaned back in the booth sipping his glass of water Sonia had left. “But I love to watch you leave.” They both smiled, and looked at Calleigh, cracking up. Grayson missed the eight ball instead scratching, and losing the game, she begged for a rematch.

Shaking her head, Calleigh declined. “That actually hurt me more than I thought it would, but you two go ahead.”

Jordan slid out of the booth, and picked his sister up in his arms, squeezing her tight in a bear hug until her back cracked loudly, accompanied by a yelp, and a hard slap to his chest once he’d put her down. “Don’t hit me you midget... it’s why you lost... you’re tense.” He smiled goofily at her, she gave up on the pool game, fishing in her pocket for some change, and she pushed him towards the Juke Box.

Smirking, Calleigh added her two bits in. “I think that Sonia might be able to help you in the tense department.”

Grayson took a sip from Jordan’s glass of water, her eyes drifting over to the waitress. Her eyes then slid back to Calleigh’s, she thought for a few moments. “What makes you think that?”

Sonia then walked over with their food, setting everything down. “Brought you some extra wings, in case you were still hungry. If that isn’t enough, please let me know.”

After Sonia walked away, all Calleigh did was to raise an eyebrow. “That answers that.”

Grayson’s smile widened at Sonia’s extra plate of wings, she turned to look at Calleigh. “Friend of yours?” She shoved a hot wing in her mouth, and waved at Jordan, motioning their food was there.

Shaking her head, Calleigh muttered. “She can’t see what right in front of her face. So sad.”

“I ask because it would be tacky to give her my own phone number... If you knew her, you could do it for me...” Grayson trailed off watching the blondes face, carefully smiling.

“Darlin’. She had your number the instant you walked in here. Look at your napkin.”

Grayson looked down at her napkin that was under her drink curiously. Picking up the napkin, she found a card with Sonia’s name and number, underneath it.

“Damn...” Was all she could say as Jordan plucked the card from between fingers? “Why is it everywhere we go, women just gravitate towards you?” Jordan growled at her. “Probably because Calleigh shoots them covetous glances when we’re not looking.” Grayson stared at Calleigh with an arched eyebrow, but a smile on her face.

Grayson was loathe to admit, even to herself that she’d never seen the cute waitress place the card at its location.

Calleigh smiled as Sonia caught her eye and waved something at her. “Well, you see. I met Sonia a few years back, when I picked her up for pick pocketing. It was her first offense, and I felt that she really didn’t deserve to be branded with that label for the rest of her life so I sent her to school, to study restaurant management and now she owns the place.” Looking at Grayson, she asked. “Would you mind calling Natalia to see if she’s going to be getting out on time? I left my phone in the Rover.”

Grayson, went to pull her phone out of her shorts pocket, but couldn’t find it.

Walking up, Sonia smoothly dropped it into her hand. “Now I really do have your number.”

Calleigh continued to explain. “Sonia helps me out from time to time with information. You might want to keep in touch with her.”

Taking the phone from the owner, Grayson slid out of the booth, and around Sonia, sliding a hand around her waist, ghosting it along her hips. She moved her out of the way, to get more napkins. She smiled, adjusting the collar on the girl’s shirt. “You could have more than my number if you wanted, sugar.” Winking, she walked back with extra napkins, licking the hot sauce off her fingers, keeping eye contact with the waitress, Jordan stared at both of them in awe.

Then he looked at Calleigh, trying to gauge just what was happening in front of him.

Calleigh just smiled, watching the show.

Sonia reached out to grasp Grayson’s wrist, pulling her back towards her. Bringing Grayson’s hand to her mouth, she licked some remaining sauce on her palm.

Looking towards Jordan, Calleigh laughed. “Should I find someone for you too?”

“Damn Cal, she’s good with her mouth, and her hands. You’re not single, are you?” Grayson pulled out the southern accent, she’d spent the last three years in New York, but the twenty-three before that were spent in the Deep South. “Thanks for lunch honey.”

Grayson smiled, leading Sonia away from Calleigh and Jordan, leaning up against the bar top to talk privately, she lowered her voice a few octaves. “Would you allow me the enormous pleasure of an evening of your company?” She smiled warmly at the young woman.

“Well, sugar. We'll just have to see whose pleasure it will end up being.”

Grayson smiled politely. “How does Sunday night at seven sound? Dinner? Call me and I'll pick you up.” Sonia was incredibly beautiful, and any woman who could pick her pocket, and not be caught, was kind of hot.

Leaning forward, Sonia whispered her address into Grayson's ear, twirling her tongue against her ear lobe before she pulled away. “I'll see you then.” Before turning walk away.

Staring after the woman in complete shock, she covered the now burning red ear with a hand and made her way back to Calleigh and Jordan, blushing furiously. Mumbling to herself, and stuffing her mouth with food to avoid talking, even though her brother was watching her like a hawk.

Calleigh just smiled, and said. “Food is a great substitute, I hear.”

Jordan turned to look at his cousin’s wife, a little confused. “Substitute for what SS?”

“SS? What exactly is SS?” Calleigh inquired. “And please don’t say Short Stack.”

Neither Grayson or her brother uttered a word, instead just turning to look at each other, almost telepathically, and then turning back to the blonde just smiling.

Crossing her arms, Calleigh just waited.

Grayson didn’t say anything without looking at her brother first, and then burst into laughter while Jordan just smiled. After gasping for breath, she looked at Calleigh. “Don’t take a big gulp of hater-aide or anything, you said and I quote ‘and please don’t say Short Stack.” She smiled eating a French fry.

“Ha ha. Come up with a different one Kiddo.” Grabbing a French fry off of Grayson’s plate.

Grayson snatched it back before the fry made it half way to Calleigh’s mouth shoving it into its rightful owner’s mouth. “How about Slow Poke? Or Old Woman? Keep your hands, and feet away from my mouth when I’m eating please.”

While Grayson was concentrating on the fry on Calleigh’s right hand, the blonde was swiping another with her left. “You should really try the fries with mayo. It’s great.” Smirking, she continued. “Not bad for a Slow Poke huh?”

Grayson laughed at Calleigh, nodding. “Not bad.. for a cop.” Grayson smiled, and clinked glasses with Jordan who smiled warmly, letting Calleigh know they were just teasing her. Grayson swirled a French fry in mayo, then mustard, and waved it at Calleigh. “Mayo’s cool, but I like spice.”

Looking down at her watch, Calleigh reached into her pants pocket, and pulled out her phone. Quirking an eyebrow at Grayson, she called her wife. “Hey babe.... Are you about ready to go?... Cool, we’re on our way... Love ya.”

Looking around, she caught Sonia’s attention, asking for the check.

“You know, it wouldn’t hurt to ask Sonia to keep an eye out for Delko. We could use all the help we can get.” Jordan admitted, shooting a look at his sister. “I agree Jor, this is getting bigger than I thought.”

“Not a problem, I’ll ask her when she gets here.”

Grayson turned to watch the curvy waitress walk in their direction. Clearing her throat, and busying herself with finishing her meal, Grayson managed to look elsewhere when Sonia arrived. She didn’t want to seem too interested, lest she seem to eager and desperate. She pulled out her cell phone, chirping the correct people making sure her cousin was still under watch.

“Thanks Sonia for a great meal, and for the extra wings. Hey, I have a favor...If you don’t mind, could you let us know if you hear anything about Eric Delko? You remember him don’t you?” Calleigh asked.

“Yeah, he’s come in here a couple of times.”

Clearing her throat, Calleigh continued. “Well, could you just let me or Grayson know if you see or hear anything about him. I’d really appreciate it.”

Sonia looked at Calleigh, nodding. “Not a problem Calleigh, if I see him, I’ll be sure to give you a call. I want my phone calls with Grayson to be about something other than boys.” She brushed her hand against Grayson’s, taking the check off the table, smiling flirtatiously, and walking away while Jordan grabbed his sister in a headlock.

Calleigh shook her head as she headed out of the bar. Slowly she made her way over to the Rover, waiting patiently for the playful twins to catch up with her.