Getting employed was exciting, but it was also hard work, particularly as his employer had not given him the easiest of job descriptions. After a long day at work Richard was looking forward to getting home to his apartment, cooking himself a nice meal, perhaps he might have a glass of wine, or a finger of whisky to unwind. Tomorrow he would look for a climbing gym in town. Climbing always helped clear his head. He got into his his Golf GTI and began the commute home.



The weather, it seems was a bit schizophrenic. It should have been the start of spring. But without warning, it had turned from sunny from overcast, the temperature had dropped and it began to rain heavily, Cold wet rain began hammering on the roof of Richard's car. He was thankful for heated seats and waterproof cars. He was still driving on autopilot crusing slowly homeward when something fimilar jolted him out of his reverie. That hair, it was fimilar, that gait. It was margo! He pulled ahead of her and found a spot she would pass by. Should he call out to her? Was she crying? or was that moving of the shoulders shivering from cold. Richard could not tell. Were those tears running down her face or was her face just wet from the rain. One thing was for certain she did not look happy nor did it look like she had had or was having a good day. He rolled down the window and yelled. "Margo, you ok? Need a ride?" He gestured with his head for her to get in and popped the passenger side door. She looked chilled to the bone and no friend of Richard would be allowed to stumble about in the rain shivering with cold (at least that was what it looked like).

"Margo, you ok? Need a ride?"

Margo blinked, recognizing Richard's voice. He'd pulled his car over to the side of the road just in front of her. Under normal circumstances, she'd have politely declined. Dark night, guy, car... what a story. But seeing as they were friends- at least she hoped- and it was freezing out and pouring rain and he'd already slid open the passenger door and the inside would soon be soaked if she didn't take action quickly, the girl scooted in.

"Hey," she said simply. Thing was, she'd not had the best of days; and that was before it had started raining cats and dogs and she'd been caught in the middle of it, without so much as an umbrella...for heaven's sake, wasn't it supposed to be spring? "Thanks, I hope I'm not too much trouble."

It seemed that Margo was a little lost in her own thoughts as she took a second or two to hear Richard. She seemed to hesitate for a second then hopped into his car closing the door.

"Hey! Thanks, I hope I'm not too much trouble." She said water miserably dripping from her nose and trickling like melting icicles to the floor of his car.

"Too much trouble? Too much trouble?" Richard's voice was incredulous, "Margo, you are soaked to the skin and I am guessing that slight bluish tint to your lips is not a trick of the light or make-up. I worry that you are going to catch yourself a death of a cold and on top of that you look like you have not had a really good day. I offer you a ride and you wonder if you are being too much trouble? You really are a very rare and selfless person you know that?"

If ever there was an example of being too polite this was it. Margo seemed to be amazingly selfless. Perhaps a little too much so. But it looked like she needed a little TLC, and Richard was more than ready and happy to do just that.

"Right young lady, pardon me while I step into a slightly bossy older brother role, but unless you have a more pressing appointment elsewhere you are coming with me. Let's get you warmed up, get you some hot tea, or coffee if you prefer that and then I will cook us a bite to eat as I have not had dinner yet and you look as if some food would do you good. How does that sound?"

Richard enjoyed playing an older brother, and felt slightly protective of his young friend. to be honest he could be accused of being too trusting but at the moment he did not care. he turned up the heater in the car and directed the vents to gently waft warm air in Margo's direction. pointed out that her seat had a seat warmer built in, checked that she was buckled in and then pulled away from the curb. Smoothly accelerating towards his house. he hoped he was not being too overbearing and that he was not scaring her. You see underneath all that intelligence Richard was rather tender hearted.

"Too much trouble? Too much trouble? Margo, you are soaked to the skin and I am guessing that slight bluish tint to your lips is not a trick of the light or make-up. I worry that you are going to catch yourself a death of a cold and on top of that you look like you have not had a really good day. I offer you a ride and you wonder if you are being too much trouble? You really are a very rare and selfless person you know that?"

"Oh, no way," said Margo, rather embarrassed by this time. "Me? No way. Look, I'm dripping all over your car, and I do think you're exaggerating." Richard sounded genuinely incredulous, and it embarrassed her even more. Did he seriously think she was rare or selfless? "You're the rare and selfless one," she replied, shaking her head. "We met, what, two weeks ago? Do you know how many people would stop and offer a ride to even a close friend on a night like this?"

"Right young lady, pardon me while I step into a slightly bossy older brother role, but unless you have a more pressing appointment elsewhere you are coming with me. Let's get you warmed up, get you some hot tea, or coffee if you prefer that and then I will cook us a bite to eat as I have not had dinner yet and you look as if some food would do you good. How does that sound?"

"Aren't you overstepping this a bit?" Margo protested half-heartedly as he pulled away from the curb. All the same, she rather liked the idea of an older brother role, even a slightly bossy one. And it was lovely and warm inside the car, and the seat even had a built-in heating feature. "Sounds good," she said quietly.

"Oh, no way," Margo said looking embarassed.
"Me? No way. Look, I'm dripping all over your car, and I do think you're exaggerating. You're the rare and selfless one We met, what, two weeks ago? Do you know how many people would stop and offer a ride to even a close friend on a night like this?"

"I would hope that close friends would not hesitate to offer a ride, especially on a night like this." Replied Richard, what type of experience had Margo had, Richard wondered. Were people in New York really meaner that elsewhere? "And as for my car, don't worry aobut it, the upholstery is weather proof, some derivative of Gortex or the like."

"Aren't you overstepping this a bit?"
"Margo, if at any point you feel that I am overstepping and feel uncomfortable, just say the word and I will let you out." Said Richard seriously. He was all for helping people but would not even think of forcing help upon those who did not want it. So he was relieved when she quietly said "Sounds good."

"Alright then." Said Richard, smiling, and continued driving.

On the ride to Richards house, Margo seemed lost in thought. Richard wondered what she was thingking aobut, and what would drive a seemingly bright intelligent young girl like Margo to be out in the weather like that. They soon reached Richards house, a modest two story condo with a garage underneath. Richard parked the car and closed the garage door. "Come on in then." He said as he opened the door. "Shoes on the mat if you don't mind."

Richard led Margo through the living room, the walls were painted a warm color, there was a fireplace in the corner surrounded by two comfortable looking sofas between which stretched a while sheepskin rug. Aside from the tall windows, most of the wall in the room was covered by floor to ceiling book shelves, half of the wooden shelves were full of books, the other half were currently empty. There were some framed pictures of the mountains scattered on the walls. Richard next led margo to a corridor. "Hold out your hands please," Instructed Richard. He started listing items as he placed them into Margo's hands. "One soft towel and matching flannel, one fuzzy and warm dressing gown, that is my favorite dressing gown so please take good care of it, sweatpants and black cotton t-shirt. There are spare slippers in the bathroom, which is over there. Feel free to use the shampoo, conditioner shower gel and anything you need in there." He paused for a minute wondering if he had missed anything. "That should get you warmed up, feel free to hang any wet clothes above the radiator, they will dry quickly. Now do you prefer tea or coffee? Also what sounds good to you for a spot of dinner? I have been deliberating between pasta, a Chinese meal, soup and noodles or congee. I cannot decide."

Richard was enjoying himself here, he liked playing host and helping people, although he was loathe to admit it out loud to anyone.

"Margo, if at any point you feel that I am overstepping and feel uncomfortable, just say the word and I will let you out," he said seriously.

"Richard," she parroted, "if at any point you get tired of me, feel free to kick me out." Then, grinning slightly, "No, seriously. Whenever."

They soon arrived at Richard's house. "Come on in then," he said, opening the door. Margo left her shoes on the mat as he instructed, and did so. Richard led her through the living room, then into a corridor. What a nice place he had- on the smaller side, sure, but so cozy. She noted bookshelves and framed pictures of mountains.

"Hold out your hands, please," instructed Richard. She complied, and he began to pile the items into her arms, listing them as he went. "One soft towel and matching flannel, one fuzzy and warm dressing gown- that is my favorite dressing gown, so please take good care of it- sweatpants and black cotton t-shirt. There are spare slippers in the bathroom, which is over there. Feel free to use the shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and anything you need in there." He paused for a moment, seeming to be enjoying this immensely- as opposed to Margo, who, although grateful, was feeling like a charity victim. How could she ever thank him enough? "That should get you warmed up, feel free to hang any wet clothes above the radiator, they will dry quickly. Now do you prefer tea or coffee? Also what sounds good to you for a spot of dinner? I have been deliberating between pasta, a Chinese meal, soup and noodles or congee. I cannot decide."

"Tea, please. And I guess any of those would be fine. I mean, I did sort of eat already, so whatever suits you, or whatever is easiest...And I'm just going to apologize in advance for the hair that'll probably get all over the place," she added, before heading off to her shower.

She ended up putting on the black t-shirt, which was rather like a baggy tunic on her, and her own capri jeans, which had dried after a couple minutes on the radiator; she pulled Richard's dressing gown on over that. Then she hung the rest of her wet clothes up to dry. And brushing her hair as best as she could with her fingers, she went to see what Richard had been up to.

"Richard, if at any point you get tired of me, feel free to kick me out. No, seriously. Whenever." Said Margo, grinning.

Richard grinned right back at her. "Don't worry, I will!" He said smiling.

"Tea, please. And I guess any of those would be fine. I mean, I did sort of eat already, so whatever suits you, or whatever is easiest...And I'm just going to apologize in advance for the hair that'll probably get all over the place,"

Richard laughed a hearty laugh. "Margo, that is fine. Haha, I grew up in a family that did alot of hosting so this is nothing, really, I mean it." He smiled. Seeing Margo head towards the bathroom and reassured that she would be increasing her core body temperature and lowering her chances of catching hypothermia or getting ill, Richard headed off to construct the aforementioned heated beverage and create tasty sustenance.

He decided on the chicken pesto pasta. It was quick and easy. He sang as he worked, his bass voice filling the kitchen. He really did enjoy hosting and this was the first time he had had someone over for dinner since he moved to New York. He opened a bottle of re d wine to let it breathe before starting on the main course. He had just finished preparing a small fruit salad for desert when Margo reappeared complete with wet hair and dressing gown looking a lot warmer and less miserable than before. She looked nice and slightly endearing in said fuzzy dressing gown.

"Good shower?" Richard asked. "By the way there are combs and a hair dryer I think in one of the cabinets in the bathroom." Richard said as he gestured to the pasta in the pot and a steaming cup of tea on the bench. "Help yourself. Mind if we eat by the fireplace? This is probably one of the last nights I will have an excuse to have it on."

He took a bowl of pasta and a small glass of red wine and ensconced himself comfortable on one of the sofas in the living room. After a few minutes and a few mouthfuls of food and a nice sip of wine, Richard sighed with contentment and turned to Margo. "So aside from getting rained on, how has your day been?"

"Help yourself," said Richard, gesturing toward a steaming cup of tea and the pot of tasty looking chicken pesto pasta he'd prepared while she showered (he'd been quite busy, by the look of things), "Mind if we eat by the fireplace? This is probably one of the last nights I will have an excuse to have it on."

"Sure, yeah," Margo replied, and they did so.

It was rather cozy by the fireplace, cozy and quiet. Richard tucked in to his dinner, and Margo sipped from her hot tea thoughtfully, gaze wandering around the room. There was a brief lull in the conversation for a few minutes at least, and the girl absentmindedly observed Richard and his drink. She'd never seen her father drink before...but then, she never really saw her father at all, so she didn't know. He probably did, at all those fancy conferences and dinner parties he must attend. But her thoughts were interrupted by Richard, who, with a contented sigh, turned back toward her:

"So, aside from getting rained on, how has your day been?"

"Good," Margo shrugged. It was the generic answer she always gave, whether her day had been absolutely terrible or amazing. Today had not been a good day, to be honest. "Not really," she admitted, "It was an okay day, then things just started going downhill, I guess. It was actually more like things just suddenly fell off a cliff." Really, the question was why she had been outside in the pouring rain in the first place. "Yours?" Please, please, talk about yourself and don't ask about me.

(OCC sorry for it being a little short. Work is a litttle crazy of late)

It appeared that a hot shower and warm food had raised her spirits and she looked like she was more relaxed, which was always a good thing.

"Good, Not really. It was an okay day, then things just started going downhill, I guess. It was actually more like things just suddenly fell off a cliff. Yours?"

"Um, mine was long. New job, new city,new responsibilities, learning so much more about my self as well. I am learning so so much. It is overwhelming at times. Also it does get slightly lonely at times. I am currently the only engineer at my workplace. Although I must say I am delighting in the challenge. At the end of the day it leaves my head feeling like a block of wood." Richard smiled, his eyes twinkling as he did so. His job was challenging but he enjoyed it. He enjoyed stretching himself, a good challenge, and the job that Danny had set before him certainly was that.

"Sorry to hear about your day, care to share?" He asked genuinely wanting to know more. He had grown a certain fondness for Margo and was starting to think of her more as a little sister than as a friend who he had just recently randomly bumped into at a coffee shop. "No pressure, only if you want to." Richard would did not like forcing people to share.

"Um, mine was long. New job, new city, new responsibilities, learning so much more about my self as well. I am learning so so much. It is overwhelming at times. Also it does get slightly lonely at times. I am currently the only engineer at my workplace. Although I must say I am delighting in the challenge. At the end of the day it leaves my head feeling like a block of wood."

"Aw," Margo smiled, "I can't say I know the feeling. That is, of enjoying the feeling of a head of a block of wood." Wasn't this great? Anything was better than talking about herself. "I'm sure everyone at your workplace appreciates your, um, skills as an engineer. So what sort of things do you work on?" She was genuinely curious, as she was with most things.

"Sorry to hear about your day, care to share? No pressure, only if you want to," he added quickly.

"Are you sure your wooden block of a head can handle it?" She said, raising an eyebrow. She had no intention of telling him. But after a couple moments, she relented. He was such a good friend (understatement of the year), and Margo almost thought something more- best friend, heaven-send, a sort of big brother figure. It had been so long since she had actually talked to someone about these things. It would be good for her.

"It was your typical, boring old day at school," she said, "Anyway, as you obviously know, it was a rainy evening. As you probably don't know, I love the rain. I'm just weird that way. So it starts to rain, and I'm actually sort of happy, but I resist going out because it's pouring pretty heavily and I don't want to, um, get into the situation that I end up getting into anyway. Like you found me. So I'm thinking and I remember another rainy night," she paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. Was Richard bored yet of this? Well, it didn't matter, because she couldn't stop now. She traced the pattern on the armchair with her finger. "I read something once about a guy who would have terrible migraines, and he would bang his head repeatedly against the wall when that happened. It's sort of like that. You want to externalize your pain, you know? So when I remembered my mom passing away 7 years ago on this date- you know I'm so forgetful? Like most of the time I can't even remember the day of the week?" Margo threw that in there just to cover the ache that suddenly caught in her throat at this memory, "When I remembered, I just needed to get out and be alone and...drown it."

The girl hated herself so much at that moment. She was so pathetic- spilling her guts and she couldn't even do it right. There were no tears in her eyes, and she hated herself for it. What was wrong with her?

"Aw, I can't say I know the feeling. Tht is, of enjoying the feeling of a head of a block of wood."

Richard smiled at this.

"I'm sure everyone at your workplace appreciates your, um, skills as an engineer. So what sort of things do you work on?"

"I have been hired to design and build armaments, military type contracts." Richard was not sure how specific he could be about his job, if she perused more he would probably tell her but not if she did not pursue any further.Anyhow now she was on to sharing about her day so Richard listened attentively.

"It was your typical, boring old day at school, Anyway, as you obviously know, it was a rainy evening. As you probably don't know, I love the rain. I'm just weird that way. So it starts to rain, and I'm actually sort of happy, but I resist going out because it's pouring pretty heavily and I don't want to, um, get into the situation that I end up getting into anyway. Like you found me. So I'm thinking and I remember another rainy night,"

"I love walking in the rain too!" said Richard while smiling. "You are not weird at all. But do go on." Richard urged, he had a feeling that Margo was about to share something deep. He watched as she traced patterns on his armchair.

"I read something once about a guy who would have terrible migraines, and he would bang his head repeatedly against the wall when that happened. It's sort of like that. You want to externalize your pain, you know? So when I remembered my mom passing away 7 years ago on this date- you know I'm so forgetful? Like most of the time I can't even remember the day of the week? When I remembered, I just needed to get out and be alone and...drown it."

There was a moment's silence. Then softly Richard said. "Margo I am very sorry to hear that." He paused, collecting his thoughts. "You see, I happen to know exactly what you are talking about. My Father passed away when I was fifteen. At that time both my mother and sister cried on my shoulder, and overnight I had to grow to become the "man of the house". There was no one for me to turn to so I used to cry myself to sleep every night against the concrete wall." He paused for a minute remembering. "My world imploded, shattered, collapsed. I fell into depression and even contemplated suicide. Anyway, that is in the past. I have made peace with it, I still miss him. And like you, once a year on the day he passed I get really depressed for no apparent reason, until I recall the day." Richard was sitting forward, elbows on knees, hands loosely clasped, head slightly bowed, eyes looking down at the carpet as he shared. He rarely if ever shared this memory unless peopled had experienced similar. Otherwise people just did not get how it felt.

"We all vent sorrow in different ways, so that is perfectly understandable. IT would be far worse to try to hold it in, and stuff it. The human mind is sometimes like a high interest bank. You try to contain sorrow and bottle it up and you just make it more intense and when it is finally let out, it is all the more painful, believe me I have been there." He paused, then on a slightly lighter note said. "Still there is a time for mourning alone and there are times where it is best Not to be alone." He smiled and looked up at Margo, sympathy and understanding in his eyes. "Thank you for sharing with me, I am honored by your trust. If you ever need to or want to talk about it, you have my number, and my door is always, always open." He said sincerely. At that moment he reflected on the rapidly deepening connection between them.

"Margo I am very sorry to hear that," said Richard softly, in his way, "You see, I happen to know exactly what you are talking about." This Margo seriously doubted. Her finger slid along the pattern of the armchair, tracing from the opposite direction this time as she listened.

"My Father passed away when I was fifteen. At that time both my mother and sister cried on my shoulder, and overnight I had to grow to become the "man of the house". There was no one for me to turn to so I used to cry myself to sleep every night against the concrete wall. My world imploded, shattered, collapsed. I fell into depression and even contemplated suicide. Anyway, that is in the past. I have made peace with it, I still miss him. And like you, once a year on the day he passed I get really depressed for no apparent reason, until I recall the day."

"What does it mean to make peace with something like that?" she wondered aloud, pausing for a long moment. "It was so long ago, and I thought I had. But that's what's so scary, if you know what I mean? The thought that maybe the reason I could make peace with it meant that I... that maybe I don't love her anymore...because I don't feel the hurt as deeply as I did years ago."

"We all vent sorrow in different ways, so that is perfectly understandable. It would be far worse to try to hold it in, and stuff it. The human mind is sometimes like a high interest bank. You try to contain sorrow and bottle it up and you just make it more intense and when it is finally let out, it is all the more painful, believe me I have been there." He paused, then on a slightly lighter note said. "Still there is a time for mourning alone and there are times where it is best Not to be alone." He smiled and looked up at Margo, sympathy and understanding in his eyes. "Thank you for sharing with me, I am honored by your trust. If you ever need to or want to talk about it, you have my number, and my door is always, always open."

"Yes," said Margo quietly. "But thank you. Thank you."

Well, that conversation had gotten depressing rather quickly. But not sure how to change the subject, the girl just silently contemplated this...friend of hers, who was somehow becoming, with every second that passed, so much more.

(OCC sorry for the short post)

"Margo," said Richard, "I also wend through a similar struggle as what you described, but after a time I came to a conclusion. Death ends a life not a relationship. For me making peace with the passing of my father means that though I still miss him, I choose to remember what he gave me, the joy he brought me and not the sadness of his passing. It does not mean that I love him any less. It is sort of how we are wired. We are wired to heal from emotional wounds. Sometimes I think of it like a tattoo, although I have never had one. The pain from the inking fades but not the mark it has left. I hope that helps."

Just then a brilliant flash lit the sky. As first lightening then thunder struck followed by rain. "Come," Richard said and lead the way out to a covered back area with a railing and two deck chairs. "I love watching the rain, especially when there is a good thunderstorm." Gently he rested his hand on Margo's shoulder. He hoped she did not mind. More and more he was tempted to call her sis but did not want to push things too far too fast. Also he was not sure if she felt comfortable enough around him for him to start treating her like a little sister. Although he had to admit she was succeeding at tugging at his heart strings more and more. He looked at her with genuine affection. 

Just then in the background gently wafting over the radio came the words to a song by third day.


When the rain comes it seems that everyone has gone away,

When the night falls you wonder if you shouldn't find someplace,

To run and hide,

Escape the pain,

But hiding's such a lonely thing to do.



I can't stop the rain,

From falling down on you again

I can't stop the rain ,

But I will hold you 'til it goes away........

"All is well," Was all she said, softly quoting the poem of the same title.

A brilliant flash of lightning lit the sky as Richard finished his explanation, followed by the deep rumblings of distant thunder. The rain intensified. And as Margo finally looked up at the guy, she wondered at him. She was struck, as she had been at their first meeting, at his unfathomable goodness, his honest insight. A tattoo, she thought with a small laugh. Leave it to him to compare a tattoo to a tragedy. In any case, it was just about the best thing she'd heard all year.

"Come," said Richard suddenly, startling the girl out of her reverie. He led her to a covered back area with a lovely view, a railing, and two deck chairs. "I love watching the rain, especially when there is a good thunderstorm."

"What, not afraid of being struck by lightning?" She teased. She did love the rain.

He rested his hand on her shoulder in an almost brotherly fashion, and she could practically feel the warmth of his gaze on her. Margo didn't know quite what to think of this gesture. It was awkward, but...nice. And just then the gentle strains of a song she hadn't heard in a while came on the radio. So she closed her eyes and listened and that moment, right there, was perfect.

As it ended, she smiled. "Isn't that quite the promise."

[OCC sorry for it being short, just really wanted to hear more of Margo's thoughts before proceeding. Hope that is ok]

Richard had nothing to say to that. He felt that in that moment any response he could make would somehow ruin the moment or convey the wrong impression. Resting his hand on her should had been a bit of a gamble. He sincerely hopped she was not creep-ed out by it. He hoped that it was not too much too fast. He was an intense person, he knew that and had scared away friends in the past. After a while he removed his hand from her shoulder and leaned next to her on the railing. Enjoying the smell of rain.

Meeting Margo had been a random event. Discussions with her had probably been the deepest he had had in a few years. Add to that the loneliness of moving to a new city, getting a new job and Richard was craving friendship/ companionship. On top of that he had recently discovered that he was a mutant and going though all the turmoil that that brought. It was during that silence that the internal debate fired up again.

Should I tell her I am a mutant? Should I not? during their last meeting a few weeks ago at the coffee shop he had cautiously broached the topic and they had casually given vague answers about how they felt etc. When was a good time to inform someone that one was a mutant. How would she react? Would she push him away? Would she?? He did not know. To be honest he disliked rejection and had a rather tender heart that could be easily hurt, especially by someone like Margo.