After

[stefan_d]

Maddie's gone and Taffy's back, and it was one of the most horrible nights of my life. I didn't expect it to be like that. Like she was bein' ripped out of the fabric of the world, torn away, and Taf was bein' ripped out of the place where she was to replace her. They were both screamin'.I'm just numb right now, I think. Maddie's someplace

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[cassie_newton_]

I'm out walking again, it's nice out. Dad's still upset about mom, and he's started his drinking early tonight...not that big a surprise. So I'm out. Again. I notice a man sitting on a park bench, and he's one of the ones I see flashes about right away. Bad things going on in his life. Though...don't need to be a Seer to figure that out. He looks like someone just ran over his puppy. I walk closer towards him, and stop to pick a buttercup along the way. When I'm close enough, I hold it into his line of sight.

[stefan_d]

I glance up, seein' a blond girl who's prob'ly about Maddie's age. How ironic is that? I eye the flower she's holdin', and, not really interested, say, "Pretty." My tone is flat, and I drop my gaze. She'll be movin' along any second now.

[cassie_newton_]

I smile though he doesn't see it. "It's for you." I say, not holding it further into his personal space, but keeping it offered. "You look like you could use something simple and pretty right about now."

People forget the simple little things. I try to remember them.

[stefan_d]

I look back up at her, reachin' for the flower, not wanting to be rude. "Thanks," I say. I sigh, trying to keep it silent. "It's not safe to be walkin' around at night," I tell her. She might already know that, but she might not.

[stefan_d]

"UC Sunnydale's a pretty good school," I say. I twirl the flower she gave me absently between my fingers. "I moved here a little over a year ago. Somehow I ended up stayin'. Most of the time, I like it."

[cassie_newton_]

"Really? Only a year? Wow. And you already know that it's not safe to be out on the streets. Must have been a crash course." I say, tone light. "Most of the time it's a nice place." I agree with him. I have my moments when I don't like it either, obviously.

[stefan_d]

"Yeah, it was a crash course, all right," I say dryly, thinkin' of the little jaunt to the 1800s. "Mainly I stay here now 'cause I've made a few close friends, ya know. My family drives me nuts when I live too close to 'em, anyhow."

I glance at her again. "Just you and your dad?"

[cassie_newton_]

"Right now it is. I was living with my mom but she's away on business and my dad doesn't always do so well when he's left alone for too long, so I came back early to keep an eye on him." I say with a little smile. "Mom and dadjust weren't really meant to ever speak to each other, and she keeps calling. I think she feels a little guilty about being away before I went to school, like she suddenly realized that her baby's moved out already when she wasn't looking or something." I say, laughing a little at the situation.

[stefan_d]

I hesitate, tryin' to decide whether or not I wanna say anything. Maybe the Cliff's Notes. "It's one of those complicated things that's weird in the same way this town is. Let's just say I've done somethin' that's made my best friend have to decide if she still wants to be my friend or not. I'm just waitin' for her to figure it out."

I'm not goin' into the whole thing about the threesome and the spell and the ghost and Maddie and Taf switchin' places. That's too much to inflict on this girl who's prob'ly barely legal.

[cassie_newton_]

I nod. "That's never a fun situation." I say. "I'm sorry. Anything I can do to help?" I ask genuinely. "Put in a good word for you somewhere...get you more flowers?" I ask, ducking my head down a little to catch his eyes again.

[stefan_d]

"Nothin' I can think of," I tell her. "I think it's one of those situations that's just gonna have to work itself out." Nice of her. Nice kid. I guess all of 'em aren't snotty brats. I think the high school might've ruined me for ever likin' teenagers for the most part.

[cassie_newton_]

"I thought so." I say with a sigh. "But thought I'd ask anyways. Let me know if you can think of something I can do to help." I say, noticing my shoe's untied. I pick up the laces that have strawberry short cake on them, and retie the bow. "It's a small town. You'll probably see me again."

[stefan_d]

"I don't believe in that past life shit," I say. "I think it's just a heavy dose of bad karma from this life." My expression is rueful. "Nah, it's just that I keep screwin' up without meaning to."

[cassie_newton_]

"Aww." I say, reaching out to pat his shoulder. "I hope you get things worked out. Maybe you've paid your karmic debt and things'll start working out right."

[stefan_d]

"I hope so," I say. "I guess we'll see, huh?" I stretch my arms up over my head, wincing as my shoulders pop. "So I think I'm gonna head on home. You want me to walk you anywhere?"

[cassie_newton_]

I stand up and stretch as well. "Only if you want to." I say. I live over on Oak, if it's on your way, sure." I say.