Booker really was having the best time. Unlike their first dinner date, this one didn’t feel as wrought with complications. He wasn’t scrambling to find the right words, nor was he worried about how she would react to him. Rather he was just allowing himself to get swept up in the moment, smiling broadly, chuckling, and laughing as he listened intently to the stories that he and Juliette shared. It was a good second date: calm, relaxing, easy going, everything that Booker could have wanted a date to be. It was almost too good to be true, but what was that anecdote about looking a gift horse in the mouth?

Not that Juliette was a horse. She wasn’t a horse. She was a human. Okay, he was side-tracking himself. Pulling himself back from that derailment, Booker instead refocused entirely on Juliette as the pair of them finished their meal.

He was delighted to see that she seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. A glance at her plate showed that all the food he had was essentially gone, except for a biscuit that she was tearing apart into little bits as she regaled him with her story. Much like himself, she was dipping the bread in the remnants of the butter sauce that he had concocted, and the two of them happily munched towards the end of their meal.

Taking up his wine glass, he took another small sip, just savory the flavor at this point before he set it back down, its contents briefly catching the light. A cascade of rainbow twinkled upon the table top, as Booker took another bite of his biscuit, grinning and shaking his head at Juliette. This really was a good night.

After another tale concerning a fairly obvious misdiagnosis, Booker accused the nurse of making up stories and warned her against such dealings.

>>"I'm not kidding…Thankfully, the woman was nice enough not to sue, although she was a little angry that he thought she was pregnant. The doctor's yet to live it down, though; every once and a while, someone will come up to him and point at whatever he's holding and tell him to make sure that he has the right one before using it."

Booker laughed heartily, again, feeling both guilty for making fun of the man’s now branded label and elated by the story. With a chuckle, Booker popped the last of his biscuit in his mouth, chewing it as he stood up. Their meal was gone, now, and so it was movie time. He started to gather the plates, sharing a smiling glance at Juliette as she folded her hands underneath the table. He gathered up her plate, set it atop his own and piled the silverware. Dishes could be washed later. For now, they just needed to soak.

>> "So do you have any crazy stories from work?"

He snorted. ”It’s the New York Public Library. If I didn’t, I would assume something was wrong.” He carried plates back into the kitchen, the faint sound of a sink coming on filled the air as he answered her question. ”Well I don’t think I told you this but last year we discovered a woman was living in the library rent free.” He wandered through the kitchen, putting food away, the sounds of storage containers and plastic bags filling the air. ”She was a college student. Living with her girlfriend, when they had some massive fight and broke up. BUT, the apartment was in the girlfriend’s name and she kicked her out. So this student, who was in the library all the time study, had figured out the security walks and came up with some elaborate system for propping open a disabled back door, pretending the leave, and then coming back when she knew that security wouldn’t be passing through and camped herself out in one of the storage rooms.” He appeared a few moments later, drying his hands with a dish towel, smirking at her. ”I gotta tell ya, I never heard Ms. Washington scream so loud as when she stumbled into her bathing in bathroom.”

The image of his colleague, Ms. Washington, the same woman whom he was working at the counter with when Juliette had gone to visit him, screaming at seeing the younger nude student hand bathing herself with sponges was probably the funniest sound he could recall. He shook his head, chuckling, as he tossed the dish towel onto a counter before returning to the table, hands on his hips. He gave her a wide smile as he nodded over to the television set and the large comfy couch sitting in front of it.

”Soooo…” he smiled, his hands hooked into the pockets of his jeans. He looked rather awkwardly and shyly again. It was odd how he felt around her, especially since they had already danced and kissed. And yet sitting together on a couch, side by side, for some reason that made him blush a little. ”…um…ready to movie?”

With their dinner finished, Booker started to clear away the plates. He didn't seem to be particularly bothered by the fact that he needed to clean up, but Juliette didn't really like to just sit and watch while he did all the work. Dishes couldn't set on fire, and there was no cooking involved, so she wasn't worried about helping out a little. Surely she wouldn't be able to destroy anything there.

While he walked away with the plates and silverware, Juliette began to take serving plates, the wicker basket, and the wine glasses to the kitchen. She was far better at balancing things in her arms than she was at anything else in the kitchen. She followed after him and placed them down on the counter top, making sure that nothing fell off and smashed on the floor. That was no way to continue a date; cleaning up glass from tile.

Juliette listened quietly as he told her the tale of the university student that squatted in the library for a time. She rolled her lips in and raised her eyebrows, imagining the scene. Living in a library didn't seem like the best scenario, but she did know from personal experience that having to flee a living situation after a failed relationship. She was just thankful that she had someone like Rebecca who was willing to take her in so she didn't have to result to any extreme measures like that.

As much as she empathized with the girl, the idea was a little absurd, and she was picturing it from Booker's perspective as well. It was a little bit of a crazy tale. She stifled a laugh as she pictured her bathing in the washroom while Ms. Washington, the little old lady, of all people, walked in. There was probably quite a bit of confusion and yelling for a little while. The idea was kind of crazy, and definitely a great anecdote. By the end, she was chuckling rather than stifling a laugh. She would have liked to have seen that in person.

She quite liked talking with Booker, actually. There didn't seem to be any awkward pauses or dips in the conversation, and he was a great conversationalists as well as a great listener. If date went on for far longer than she was anticipating, then she wouldn't really have minded. She could have just sat there and talked to him for hours.

After her chuckle had stopped, Juliette was hit with a thought. "Do you know what happened to the student, though? I would hate to think that she ended up with no place to stay..." The story was funny, but it would have a sad ending if the girl was stuck out in the cold. It could have very well happened to her if Becca wasn't as good of a friend as she was.

With dinner (mostly) cleaned up, the second part of the date was looming closer. Juliette eyed the couch and the television in front of it before meeting Booker's eyes.

>>”Soooo… um…ready to movie?”

"Ready," Juliette nodded with a grin. He was cute when he looked nervous.

She was a little nervous herself, but not nearly to the same degree. They'd kissed twice and danced very close, so she wasn't too worried about sitting close to him for an extended period of time. Plus, she was getting very comfortable with him, so there was really nothing to worry about. Besides, they were going to be watching one of the greatest movies of all time. There was absolutely nothing to be nervous about.

Out of the corner of her eye, she eyed the snacks that she'd brought. They definitely seemed silly after the amazing meal that they'd just had, so she didn't bother grabbing them. Perhaps later after the food had had some time to settle.

Her grin still stuck on her face, Juliette grabbed Booker's hand and pulled him lightly toward the couch. "Come on, before the man in black catches up to us."

Booker was pleasantly surprised when Juliette got up and started to help him put most of the dishes away. Truth was that he didn’t ask her because she was considered a guest. He never allowed guests to help him with dishes, if he could help it. However he had a feeling if he tried to throw his weight around like that that she nurse wouldn’t all-together appreciate it. Therefore he kept his comments to himself and merely gave her a smile of gratitude as she started to bring in the serving plates, basket, and wine glasses. She set them down, carefully, upon a nearby countertop, surprisingly not setting any of it on fire before she retreated and listened intently to his story.

It was rather silly with a tinge of sadness to it. they both had been in that predicament where they suddenly weren’t in a relationship anymore and didn’t have anywhere to go. Juliette, well, he wasn’t entirely sure what had happened with her but he wasn’t going to pry. In his own case, at least he had his sister to take him in. He still would owe her until his dying day for that one.

But he digressed.

His story came to its conclusion, a small chuckle on his lips about it. He wasn’t so much laughing at the student’s misfortune, but at the Ms. Washington’s reaction to her. It really was extremely funny but the sadness was still there. What does one do with their life after something like that? Juliette seemed to latch onto this idea as she smirked but inquired on that very thought…

>> "Do you know what happened to the student, though? I would hate to think that she ended up with no place to stay..."

God she was sweet. Booker nodded. ”Oh she’s fine. She was arrested for breaking and entering but the library didn’t press charges. Last I heard she had moved back home with her parents and took a break from the university.” He shrugged his shoulders. ”We’ve all had those times,” he laughed.

Once everything had been set aside, Booker returned to Juliette, his hands in his pockets as he quietly asked if she were ready to watch the movie? He knew he must have looked like a child at that point, hands in his pockets, shy look staring down at the floor. Thankfully she didn’t judge him too harshly and simply nodded her head. He was about to get the snacks when he thought better of it. They had just eaten and if Juliette didn’t want any more, he wasn’t going to make her feel guilty for laying them out when she wasn’t hungry. Maybe in the middle of the movie they’d want a snack? Yeah, he’d prepare them then.


>> "Ready,"

”Good!” he beamed happily. ”Theeeeen…so am I.” He was about to make his way over to the couch when he was stopped by Juliette as she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the couch.

>> "Come on, before the man in black catches up to us."

He genuinely smiled and chuckled at that. It was such a sweet, nerdy, and all-together oddball thing to say that Booker just couldn’t help but feel real joy from it. Again, he counted his lucky stars that he had managed to find someone like this. She was sweet, sexy, and she loved one of his favorite movies! What else could he ask for? With a sudden brave look on his face, Booker nodded in agreement.

”OH No! We better get going.” he said as he rushed towards the couch, holding her hand just a little tighter. ”It’s probably the Dread Pirate Roberts.” he pretended to gasp before he whispered to her. ”I hear he doesn’t take prisoners.”

He covered his mouth in shock before he smiled and turned back to the couch. As he approached he took a seat, picking up the remote and waiting for Juliette to claim a seat of her own. The couch was quite large, to behonest, and extended large enough for four people. He wasn’t sure where Juliette was going to sit, but, taking a center cushion, Booker sat forward, pulling the remote up and tapping the Binge button. With only a little bit of scrolling, he found the film already queued up on his watchlist before he sat back against the sofa with a sigh.

The title card for the movie, “The Princess Bride”, came up as Booker turned to glance at Juliette, giving her a smile. His nerves started to melt away again; this was good.

With the confirmation that the student was indeed alright, Juliette felt a lot better laughing at the situation. Like she, along with so many others, had experienced, the girl was just going through a rough period, and living in the library had just been an unfortunate consequence of her experiences. Juliette hoped that by now, she was back on her feet and living either with her parents or somewhere on her own. Stories that had hopeful endings were always so much better.

"That's good to know," Juliette replied with a smile. She was glad that Booker was the kind of guy to know that kind of thing and not get lost in the hilarity of the situation. He was a good person, and he had clearly bothered to follow up on her afterwards so she could get an answer about where the girl had ended up.

Still, she could see where it would have been easy not to worry about such things. Imagining Ms. Washington screaming like that after walking in on the scene... well... it was a deep, dark hole.

With the prospect of the movie in sight and a clearly nervous Booker, she had pulled him along toward the couch and referenced the film. While Juliette wasn't a hardcore nerd, there were things that she got excited about, and that movie just so happened to be one of them. The reference had rolled off of her tongue, so she was glad that he answered in kind.

>>”OH No! We better get going. It’s probably the Dread Pirate Roberts. I hear he doesn’t take prisoners.”

She chuckled and shook her head as she continued, "I guess we'd better hope he takes well to 'pleases', then." They were facing the couch, which was built for four people (more, if you packed them in right), and Juliette suddenly realized that she didn't know where she was supposed to sit. The last thing that she wanted to do was make him uncomfortable by sitting too close.

He took the centre cushion, so she followed closely behind and took the one to his left, making sure not to sit too close, but still close enough for them to be considered sitting 'together'. She sat back into the couch and readied herself for the movie as he got it ready. There were few experiences like rewatching The Princess Bride.

As the title credits rolled, she let herself drift slightly closer to him, even slightly resting her head against his shoulder. Perhaps it was the fact that they were watching one of the best romantic movies of all time, or maybe it was just the fact that Juliette was really enjoying herself, but she didn't notice as her head moved. It just sort of happened naturally.

He didn’t know why he found this just the tiniest bit awkward at first. Now that he was sitting on the couch with Juliette, it seemed that any of his fears were completely and utterly groundless. Why would he be worried about this? The two of them had chemistry. The dinner they just shared was amazing. They had fun talking to one another. Hell, they had slow dance and kissed before! So why was it that he was nervous about just sitting next to her?

He had several theories on the matter. The most prominent was that it was because the two of them had such a fantastic time before that he was worried that the simplicity of the evening would prove too boring. They both knew that it couldn’t be little romantic restaurants and dancing in central park ALL the time. They needed to see what one another was like it far more basic settings. Dinner and a movie at home was the perfect experiment for that, but considering how much Booker actually liked Juliette, he inherently feared that she would be scared off.

Thankfully that wouldn’t prove to be the point. As he sat back on the couch, his legs stretched out and crossed, he glanced to Juliette as she claimed the seat to the left. He gave her a small, encouraging smile as he turned his attention back to screen and conducted his search for their film for the evening. He didn’t want to suggest that Juliette could sit closer, just on the off chance that he didn’t want her to feel like he was pushing things too fast. Instead he just leaned back and rested his left arm along the length of the back support.

He still grinned a little, thinking about all the references the two of them had been dropping concerning the film. It was clear that they were both fans and that was a big A+ in Booker’s mind. There were some things that could be forgiven but if it had turned out that she absolutely hated this movie, then he certainly would have found that to be a tragic happenstance. But that wasn’t the case and two of them seemed like they could have been pleased with just an evening of quoting an excellent film; even better was the fact that they got to watch it now.

The title card appeared on the screen and Booker found himself already grinning. He knew this movie inside and out and still, every time, he was utterly enraptured by it. However, for this particular time, things were somewhat altered. He didn’t notice when Juliette scooted closer to him. All he knew was that at some point he felt a small addition of weight to his shoulder. A glance and he found that Juliette was resting her head upon the joint, smiling as she watched the film.

Moments later, again not with him realizing it, Booker had wrapped his arm loosely around Juliette’s shoulders, his hand finding a spot upon her arm that he slowly began to caress with his thumb. It was such a natural move and they clicked together so easily that Booker didn’t feel awkward about it in the least. Seconds passed and apparently Juliette didn’t seem bothered about it either.

Well alright…

---

”Assssss youuuuuu wiiiiiiiiisssssshhhh!” The Man-in-Black shouted as he rolled down an overly large hill, shoved by his Princess Buttercup.

Booker chuckled heartily at that moment. It was one of his favorites in the film, something that the man could suddenly recall in the middle of a day, with absolutely no reason, and find himself chuckling at it. This really was one of the best and most romantic movies that he had ever had the pleasure of watching and being able to share that with the woman next to him was something that he simply couldn’t believe. How lucky was he?

Watching as the princess rolled after Westley, Booker turned to slightly to check on Juliette. She seemed to be enjoying herself, the smile on her lips was encouraging and the look in her eyes was that of something who was being entertained. He smirked a little, watching her for a second. He was about to turn back to the screen when he caught her gaze. As Westley and Buttercup embraced their reunion, Booker found himself getting lost in Juliette’s warm and caring eyes.

Wait…wasn’t he supposed to be watching the movie?

Probably the best part of The Princess Bride was how well the campy props and dialogue blended so seamlessly with the genius plot. As the movie rolled forward, she couldn’t help but enjoy herself, just as she had all the other times she’d seen the film. Only, it was a little different, considering the fact that she had some pretty great company.

The weight of Booker’s arm around her shoulders was definitely welcome, and rather comforting. It made the movie that much better to watch it with him like that, and it was a little cozier, too. There was never any harm in getting a little snuggly while on a date. Somewhere along the line, her hand had migrated to rest on his thigh, close to his knee.

It seemed like they enjoyed all the same moments, too. Every once and awhile, Juliette would find herself unable to keep from mouthing certain lines, but found that when she looked to her right, he was often laughing or quoting things as well. Things just felt right.

So right, in fact, that as she watched Buttercup tumble after her prince, she couldn’t help but look back at Booker. When she did, she was surprised to see that he was already looking at her. She met his eyes and flickered back to the movie for a moment, before she came to the conclusion that as much as she did love that movie, there were better things to look at in the room.

Juliette stayed locked on him for another minute, just holding her breath while she searched his eyes. A second later, she moved one of her hands up to his shoulder, and the other to his jaw. Quickly, she shifted so that they were at a better angle, then pressed her mouth to his. It was gentle at first, then more passionate as the seconds passed.

Kissing him felt good. She didn’t want to stop, not even to see Westley and Buttercup encounter the R.O.U.S.s. She moved even closer, so soon enough she had her back to the television and her legs on either side of his.

They were supposed to be watching a movie. Not just any movie, but one of the best movies that had ever been created. That was no small feat either, but there was something just so beautiful, campy, and romantic about the whole thing that it was difficult to not fall in love with it. Those that didn’t either, A.) didn’t get it, or B.) didn’t have a soul. At least that was Booker’s opinion. He was just thankful that Juliette actually enjoyed the movie as much as he did; but like himself was distracted by the other matters.

Throughout the film the two of them seemed to be having a grand time. They watched the moved closely, their eyes rarely lingering except to look at one another in amusement, like sharing an inside joke. Both of them seemed to know the movie inside and out that it was just too easy to slip into quoting lines or needing to share a laugh. But there was another aspect of this adventure that was happening at the same time.

They easily fell into more comforting and cozy positions. His arm draped around her shoulders, his thumb running up and down her arm while she rested her head upon him. As the seconds ticked away, their comfort grew even more, Booker’s caressing her arm as he hand found its way onto his knee. Neither seemed to think anything was wrong with it so they continued on, laughing and chuckling and watching with rapt awe. But all that would change once the dread pirate and his princess bride re-enacted their rendition of Jack and Jill.

Booker turned, his eyes seeking Juliette’s. When she turned to face him, the two shared a small, silly smile. They knew they should be watching the movie but in that moment it seemed as if neither of them cared. Cautiously he started to lean down towards her, just as she leaned up, one of her hands finding his jaw as she turned him so their lips could meet.

It was tender, sweet, caring. Booker moved, just as Juliette did, the both of them at a better angle as his hands upon her hips as she pushed closer to him. The movie continued on the in background, drowned out by the passionate that started to pound in his ears. His heart racing a bit faster, Booker felt himself falling into the sweet embrace of this woman as she edged closer and closer to him. There was no turning back now – not that he would ever want to; he would have been crazy if so…

Seriously.

At some point Juliette found her way up, straddling his lap as she pressed her lips more firmly against his. Booker responded in kind, pressing his lips to hers, his hands moving up the outside of her thighs, over her hips, and up her lower back. Through closed eyes, Booker lost himself through the sensations, the scent of her perfume swirling about him, so close it was intoxicating. It seemed almost as if he had been waiting forever for this moment, and now that it was actually here, he couldn’t be happier.

Nothing could ruin this…

Booker had been happy, and as a good sister, Vanessa was appreciative, even if he was the most obnoxiously happy person on the planet. The younger sibling always considered herself low-to-medium energy. She liked being active and going dancing on occasion, but she was usually controlled. She was convinced their mother had little energy left to dole out when she was born, because Booker took so much with him on the way out.

Happy Booker was endearing, but he also filled the apartment with unprovoked song, and she had been grabbed and twirled on at least three occasions since his date. It was wonderful he was so happy, but she hoped to some higher power that he would balance out after the honeymoon phase he was clearly enjoying.

She heard a lot about the date because when Booker was happy, he was hard pressed to shut up about why he was happy. He was enamored with the nurse who, up until recently, had a boyfriend. When they shared a kiss behind the guy’s back, Booker came to Vanessa distraught and plagued with guilt. It was not his best look, given what Vanessa had endured at the hands of Becca and Agnes, but she did what she could to be the supportive sister.

Now that the woman, “Juliette,” was back in the picture, Vanessa was skeptical. She wanted to be happy for Booker, but there were facts to consider. They met once in the hospital, then in the library (when they shared their clandestine kiss,) and by their third meeting, the woman had left her relationship and Booker took her on a date. Booker thought Juliette was the sweetest person on Earth, but to Vanessa, she had all the makings of a woman who moved fast, was not sure of what she wanted, and left men in her wake.

Booker’s dating history was… well, checkered was a good word for it. Some gems (like Shelby and Chloe,) and some evil beings from the nether (like Chris and Spencer.) Booker had been the one to protect Vanessa so often growing up, but she made the effort to be there for him, particularly when it came time for him to pick up the pieces of his broken heart. She was defensive of the notion that a woman who proved she had the capacity to cheat was now going to be in his life, but she would behave herself for the time being. Booker really liked the new girl in his life, and Vanessa had to work on not jumping to conclusions.

Vanessa was pushing the concerns out of her mind for one night, because she was meeting Gina for drinks, followed by a night crashing at the Honeycomb. Booker gave her fair warning that Rebecca was going to visit the apartment. Something about talking over details for a video on Pixel Hearts, along with some friendly gaming. Naturally, Vanessa moaned and groaned, but she told Booker he could be friends with whoever he chose, and he had an ace in the hole when he invoked the recent Spencer incident.

Staying out for the night seemed like the right course, or it would have, if she had not forgotten her phone in her room. Who did that in the current day and age, seriously? Lacking a phone at work was annoying, but she could not go straight to the club like she originally planned without the device. Coordinating with Gina would be a challenge if they could not settle on the right place and meeting time.

It was going to be a brief moment where she would see Rebecca, try not to grimace, retreat to her room, and get out before things got awkward. It was going to be a good night once she made it out, so the last thing she needed was an awkward interlude.

Vanessa arrived at her apartment door and turned the knob, because at the end of the day, it was her apartment, so why should she have to knock and announce her presence?

The answer, of course, was her brother on the couch with a woman straddling him. So much for avoiding an awkward interlude. The lighting in the room was dim, and for one heart-stopping second, Vanessa’s brain was trying to convince her Booker was somehow making out with her ex-girlfriend.

”The hell?” She muttered softly to herself, before her eyes really focused on what she was seeing.

Booker was making out with his new girlfriend, (she assumed,) after invoking Rebecca’s name to scare Vanessa away for the night. The depth of trouble her brother was going to be in with her was precedent-setting. This would possibly become the new bar she held all other sibling anger against going forward.

”How goes the video planning?” she asked flatly, making sure she was loud enough to get Booker’s attention. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and her expression was one of unamused. ”You know, with the evil ex-girlfriend you told me would be here.”

It might not have been her fault, but Juliette was not getting off on the best foot with Vanessa. There was something else, though… it was hard to get a good look at her yet, since she was on top of Booker and mostly facing away from Vanessa, but she could have sworn there was something familiar about Booker’s new love interest…

There were hands on her body and her hands were moving freely up and down his chest, toying with the hem of his tight shirt. She had her eyes closed, savouring every second that they were close. The fact that he was matching her movements only spurred her on further.

In the background, Westley and Buttercup had made their way out of the dreaded Fire Swamp and had been greeted by Prince Humperdinck’s men, but neither of them turned around to watch it. Nor did they turn to watch when Westley was put in the pit of despair. There was no one to watch the albino warn him about the machine, but neither of them minded. It felt right to be like that, to be in that position, like they had both been waiting for it. Juliette never wanted it to end.

Of course, wishing rarely ever worked out, and the moment was just a little too good to be true. Her lips were pressed to his when the door creaked open, but she ignored it, figuring that it was just the wind or a phantom noise. Perhaps she was just desperately hoping that it was, and that they weren’t about to be interrupted or stopped.

However, as soon as there was a female voice behind them, Juliette knew what was going on. Apparently, Vanessa had come home early and was surprised by the fact that there was a stranger straddling her brother in the living room. It wasn’t like she could blame her; it was a bit of a strange thing to walk in on.

Her voice had made Juliette jump, though, which ended the kiss. She made worried eye contact with Booker for a moment before she lifted her leg over his lap and sat on her own next to him. Quickly, she wiped any lipstick that had strayed from her lips and felt herself blush before she looked up at the newcomer.

”You must be…” Juliette trailed off as she looked at Booker’s sister through a furrowed brow. There was something distinctly familiar about Vanessa. Even her name…

Oh! Oh, ****.

Vanessa “Nessa” Bookman, aka the ex-girlfriend that Rebecca had left in the dust in favour of Agnes. While Juliette loved Rebecca and tried to support her through everything, she hadn’t really agreed with the way that she’d strung Nessa along (because she had so much room to judge), but she didn’t know until after the fact.

If Nessa was a sane person, then she likely had some kind of grudge against Rebecca, and therefore anyone associated with her. Juliette wasn’t sure if Nessa knew that they were close friends, or about the fact that she was currently living with the redhead after fleeing the relationship that she had just ended.

Juliette looked back at Vanessa through wide eyes, suddenly hyper aware that there was probably still lipstick around her mouth. She couldn’t possibly have any good thoughts about her or the fact that she was just on top of her brother. ”...Nessa…” she finally finished quietly.

Most conscious thought had left Booker now and he was living only for this single, perfect moment. What had started as an evening of just watching a rather amazing movie, with some amazing company, had quickly descended into something that was far more fiery and passionate. In the background he could hear the movie being played: an altercation between a pirate and a king, an albino warning a prisoner that he shall never escape, and while some of these were Booker’s favorite scenes of a much beloved movie, they weren’t enough to pull his attention away from what mattered most right now…Juliette.

A few tender kisses soon became much more as they found themselves getting lost in the sensation of one another. Juliette maneuvered herself so that she was straddling his lap, a position that he in no way was bothered by. His mind was on fire with the fact that he and this woman were together, that they were actually doing this. For some reason it felt like they had waited an eternity for them to reach this point. There had been tension since they first met and they were finally going to get to release those muscles.

His hands slipping just under the back of her shirt, roaming over the bare skin, Booker could feel her playing with the hem of his shirt. He smiled a bit in satisfaction, his kissing growing more passionate as he made to remove his overly constricting shirt. However, just as Booker was about to, there was a sudden shift in the air. He ignored it at first, believing it just to be a gust from an open window or something, but instead he noted that the sensation only got thicker in the air.

Something was wrong. Like a storm hovering over the horizon, he felt as if danger had arrived.

>> ”How goes the video planning?”

The sudden, and familiar voice, cut through the air, causing Juliette and Booker to both jump. Juliette half turned in confusion, while Booker tilted his head to look past her shoulder. While his mind was still a little foggy with the fact that he had been interrupted from something so sweet and amazing, the man suddenly felt any libido he had collapse, despite the absolutely gorgeous woman who now shifted herself to climb off of his lap.

>>”You know, with the evil ex-girlfriend you told me would be here.”

F*************************k… he could hear it in the tone of her voice. Oh he was so in for it. He had crafted some elaborate tale that Nessa’s ex, Rebecca, was going to be dropping by to discussing show and gaming stuff. While he was sure that Nessa would have cleared out if he was truthful, he knew one very important and undeniable fact about his baby sister…her tendency to be a brat.

The last few weeks Booker had been on cloud nine. Since his first day with Juliette, the man had been singing and dancing his way through the apartment. While Nessa tolerated this, he could tell that there was another part of her that was suspicious. Considering how Juliette and he met, he could only guess what Nessa thought about her, which was a rarity since Nessa had always been one to speak her mind. The fact that she was quiet on the issue only made him all the more suspicious of her.

”Ummm…” he started to say.

>> ”You must be…Nessa…”

He was thankful that Juliette managed to jump in, however meekly. Booker himself was preoccupied with carefully grabbing a nearby throw pillow and ever so subtly moving it onto his lap, to hide certain reactions until he calmed down. Awkwardly he cleared his throat, trying to be a little upset at his sister but knowing that he didn’t have a leg to stand on.

Really, the only excuse he could think of was a play that Nessa had used on the morning she walked in on him with Svetlana. ”Ugh…plans…changed?” He offered, his very Booker-like grin upon his lips. However he knew he couldn’t leave it like that so he glanced over to Juliette, making awkward eye contact with her before he turned his gaze back to his sister. ”I…thought you were going out with your friend after work?”

Vanessa’s opinion of Juliette started in a bad place and never had the opportunity to improve. She was the girl who used her brother to fill whatever gaps were left behind by her relationship. Those opinions did not improve when she realized how exactly she knew Juliette.

It was not a common name, and as large as New York City was, she still should have known how fate worked. Juliette was, in fact, Rebecca Grey’s best friend. She was with Rebecca for months, and naturally that meant conversations about the important people in their lives, as well as friends commenting on MyFace and Speedigram. Booker was dating her ex’s best friend, and that did not help the impression Vanessa already had of Juliette as an indecisive cheater.

The way Juliette’s voice dipped at her name, it was clear Vanessa was not the only one connecting the dots. They recognized one another, which was good. They had something important to discuss, and that would be easier if they could skip over introductions.

Booker was the only one not yet on the same page, because he was preoccupied with the mortification of being walked in on for the second time in recent memory. (In Vanessa’s defense, it was not like she was seeking these moments out!) He offered the most meager excuse for why Rebecca was not there, but her reaction was stony. They both knew exactly what “plans” he had for the night, and she was none too pleased to be manipulated out of the way.

”I left my phone in my room,” she replied tersely, not feeling it particularly necessary to defend why she might drop by to her own apartment. ”You can relax, I’m not staying,” she assured him in the world’s least reassuring tone.

Vanessa did not move from where she stood, choosing to eye Juliette. She was annoyed with Booker’s presence more than the attractive brunette’s, because while he was in the living room, she could not get a “read” on her. Still, it was a rare opportunity, and she was in a pissy enough mood to have the leverage to make a conversation happen. ”Booker. Could you please give Jules and I a moment.” It was a deceptively worded sentence, because nothing about her tone implied it was a question. ”I was hoping to have a chat with her, girl to girl, before I left.”

She turned her gaze to Booker, eyeing him with utmost seriousness. ”Now, please.”

Juliette recognized Vanessa and Vanessa recognized Juliette, which just meant that Booker was out of the loop. He didn’t seem to notice, though, since he was more worried about covering himself with a nearby pillow. An awkward air hung in the room and Juliette really didn’t know what would come of it. How weird would it be to walk in on a sibling like that? It was just good that she had walked in when she did, because judging from the way that things were progressing, a few more minutes and it might have been a lot more awkward.

She made quick eye contact with Booker again, trying to give him a pleading look. She really didn’t know what to do. Was she supposed to speak? To leave and let them hash out some sibling stuff? She was in weird, murky water.

Booker started to speak, and she was hoping that he would be able to convince her to leave so that they didn’t have to confront things in that state, but he clearly didn’t have a lot of grounds to do so. Despite the situation, Nessa was the angry one, and she was going to have her way.

Maybe she was just going to get her phone and leave. That was probably the best case scenario. Then, it would just be the two of them again, and they would be able to find their stride again.

Fate had other plans. The worst possible thing happened: Nessa sent Booker out of the room so that she could talk to Juliette alone. She clearly already didn’t like her and she was pissed off, which was a combination that made the woman a little scared for her safety. That was not where she saw the evening going.

It was too late to make a break for it, so all she did was stand up and fix her shirt in the back where Booker had moved it. She gave him a slightly petrified look as he left the room and then did her best to settle her nerves. Everything that Rebecca had told her about Nessa during the first part of their relationship had been good, so she probably wasn’t violent. Hopefully. Dear God, she hoped.

”I get that you’re probably mad at Rebecca,” she started slowly. There were no pretences here; she’d just dropped her nickname that only certain people used, so she’d probably heard it from Rebecca. She started with the obvious, mostly because didn’t know where else to start.

They were out of Booker’s aura, which meant that, on top of everything else, her power was hitting her like a ton of bricks and she was a bit woozy after not absorbing anything for a time. She really needed to sit down, but it probably wouldn’t look all that good in that moment, so she stayed standing. Her head was racing, trying to figure out how she could make Nessa understand that she wasn’t there to hurt anyone (especially Booker) and trying to figure out if she could absorb some light without her noticing anything.

Okay. So Booker was a little embarrassed. It was not the first time that Nessa had technically walked in on him with a girl. Svetlana had been a last minute thing, something that Booker really hadn’t expected to happen. What made the situation worse, though, was that this evening had been entirely planned. He planned to scare off his sister, he had planned to spend the evening entertain Juliette with a movie and good food. Did he expect it to go as far as it almost did a second ago…not necessarily, though in the back of his mind he knew the possibility was there. Still, that was not an excuse to exile his sister from her home.

Now it seemed as if Booker’s hubris were about to come crashing down on him. Both he and Juliette seemed more than embarrassed at being discovered in this most compromising position. Added to the fact that a few more seconds and things would have gotten even more compromising, only made the whole situation a whole a lot more awkward. Still, at least they managed to avoid that little faux pas.

Like a teenager caught by a parent, Booker didn’t want to meet Nessa’s eyes. Instead he awkwardly turned to Juliette, seeing the panic on her face as Nessa gave them both the most scathing of gazes. When she brought up the “evil ex” that Booker had mentioned would be being here, he couldn’t help but toss back a little of the commentary she gave him when she ran into Svetlana.

It did not land well.

>> ”I left my phone in my room…You can relax, I’m not staying,”

He was not relax. In reality, Booker was probably the farthest from “relaxed” as he should have been. He was caught, in his own lie, making out with a woman that his sister didn’t entirely trust. But while it was true that Booker had made some mistakes this evening, Nessa was hardly one to be throwing stones. The realization of that started to make him just a little irritated.

>>”Booker. Could you please give Jules and I a moment… I was hoping to have a chat with her, girl to girl, before I left.”

He eyed her closely. This wasn’t a good thing. Nessa only wanted personal time with one of his paramores for two reasons: to steal them or to read them the riot act. Considering Nessa’s feelings concerning Juliette thus far, it was painfully apparent that it wouldn’t be the former. He sighed a bit as he looked between her and Juliette. He didn’t want to leave Juliette to his sister, but he also didn’t want has this out in front of the woman either. Frankly, he was getting annoyed.

Besides, it wasn’t as if she had the best track record either.

>> ”Now, please.”

She was holding herself together. The same could be seen in Booker’s face. While he got that he lied about this, there was no reason for Nessa to be acting this way. So with a grumble the man stood up, smoothed down the shirt that Juliette had disheveled moments before. Gave Juliette a small smile as he said something along the lines of, ”I’ll just be in the kitchen.”

Straightening himself up, Booker moved to pass his sister, easily towering over her. The two side by side looked almost comical, but their relation was oddly clear. Still, Booker didn’t fully pass Nessa as he moved, instead he stopped directly by her side and stood there for a second. Taking in a soft breath, he tilted his head down as he whispered to his sibling.

”I know you’re pissed off at me right now. Every right to be.” A pause. ”But you and I can hash that out later.” A breath. ”I really do like her, Nessa. Please remember that.” Reaching up, he gave his sister’s arm a squeeze as he moved past her, a sigh on his lips. He glanced at Juliette and mouthed a silent “You’ll-be-fine” and gave her a sweet smile. With that Booker disappeared into the kitchen and busied himself with washing dishes that needed to be cleansed, all the while praying that Nessa stayed civil.

Vanessa was slightly taller than the average woman, but she still came nowhere near the hallowed six-foot mark of models and athletes. What she lacked in height, she made up for with an intimidating stare and an imposing presence. She was rightfully accused of “resting b**** face,” but it was nothing compared to her active b**** face. When her temper flared, she could harness it well, and Booker recognized that.

He was not pleased with her, but they already had their own issues to hammer out at a later date. Begrudgingly, he agreed to clear the room, giving Vanessa the ten feet she needed to properly talk things out with Juliette. On his way out of the room, he stopped to have words of his own with her. It was a smart move; Vanessa needed the reminder that, regardless of her apprehensions, Booker really did like Juliette. She was not going to make this easy for the woman in her crosshairs, but maybe she could remember the woman was not a war criminal. Just a cheater.

Once Booker was out of the space, Vanessa stepped closer to Juliette so she could get a good look into her eyes. Thoughts were available to her, meaning she was far enough to use her abilities. Juliette knew exactly where some of Vanessa’s concerns were coming from, though they were slightly off the mark. There was even a concern that Vanessa could get violent. She was not going to, but far be it for her to correct an unvoiced thought.

Juliette was very attractive. She could see what Booker saw in her initially, but Rebecca was also pretty. This was not about her physical appeal.

They wasted no time, with Juliette mentioning Rebecca so they could get the topic out in the open. Vanessa shook her head, holding up her hands. ”No, no, this is not about Rebecca. Though I never knew the redheaded cheating virus was contagious,” she added. Okay, it was harsh, but they were dropping pretense, and Vanessa’s concern with Juliette came from her dating history and the decisions she made therein.

”I want you to understand, Jules,” she began, speaking her nickname sharply, ”I’ve already had to pick up my forlorn big brother off the ground once already because of you. I hope you can see where I get a little concerned here.” Technically, she had to get a mopey Booker off the couch, but the ground made for better imagery.

Her eye contact was unbroken, because she did not want to miss any stray thoughts. ”That boy can be a goofball and a romantic fool, but he’s been there for me through… well, the s****iest experiences in my life. I don’t know what your deal was with whatever guy you dropped along the way, or if you dropped him because Booker’s the new flavor of the month.” It was also harsh, but she was fishing to find out if Juliette ended her relationship to pursue Booker, or if she had justifiable reasons to move on. She may have a sore spot for cheating, but even she could respect some cheating came from a more conflicted place. ”But I want to be clear here: if you intend to hurt or use my brother, we will have so many more problems than your questionable friend selection.”

Before leaving, Booker had stopped to say a quick word to his sister, though it was too quiet for her to hear. She stood awkwardly, her arms crossed over her chest while she waited. She gave a small smile to Booker as he mouthed that she would be okay, even though she wasn’t sure if she believed him.

Man, what a weird date.

He’d left the room, meaning that Juliette was at Nessa’s mercy. They were standing alone in the living room, making eye contact. The height difference was slightly intimidating, and the fact that the whole family seemed to get very good genes didn’t help, but Juliette stood her ground, trying to make it seem like she wasn’t the least bit nervous. Her mind was a little more of a mess, though. She was very worried about what Nessa thought of her.

She had started with Rebecca, the elephant in the room. Juliette had thought that by getting that out of the way, they might be able to talk openly and maybe even reach an understanding. Sure, she was a little biased, but Juliette didn’t think that she was that terrible of a person, and maybe if she understood where she was coming from a little better, then she wouldn’t look at her with that gaze of utter contempt.

>>”No, no, this is not about Rebecca. Though I never knew the redheaded cheating virus was contagious,”

Juliette winced visibly. That stung. She hadn’t intended to cheat, but then, that was usually the way of things. It had gotten out of hand, and before she knew it, she wasn’t the person she used to think that she would be growing up. ”I probably deserve that,” she admitted quietly, lowering her gaze.

Little by little, Nessa gave her a glimpse into what she was thinking about the situation. She took each and every opportunity to rub salt in the wound that she could, and by the time that she was done speaking, Juliette felt as though she’d been slapped. She’d stayed silent, thinking over how exactly things had gone down.

Yes, she’d made some s****y decisions, which she was then picturing, and yes, she had moved a little fast after the breakup, but she wasn’t the type to move from person to person. Usually, she moved quite slow. In fact, her relationship with Booker had moved the fastest out of any that she’d had before. It was a weird, new experience for her, and she was there being blatantly reminded why she usually took her time.

Juliette hadn’t broken eye contact for a few moments, preferring to stand her ground while she was questioned. She did recognize the fact that it would be easier to think if her head wasn’t screaming and the room wasn’t still spinning. The conversation was a tough one and she needed more strength in order to say something without losing her train of thought. Mostly, she was just banking on the idea that Nessa would have the same opinion of mutants as her brother did. She had dated an X-Man, after all.

She bent slightly lower and absorbed whatever light she could from the lamp near the couch. It made her feel a little better, but still not one-hundred percent. She needed more, but it would do for the moment.

When she’d straightened back out and let the new energy settle, she focused back on Nessa, still thinking through exactly how to address her concerns. ”I’m… I’m not here to just screw your brother and then leave, if that’s what you’re thinking. My last relationship ended because of some hurts and differences that couldn’t be resolved, but that’s my business, and I would like it to stay that was for now, if that’s alright.”

With the most pressing matter out of the way, she could focus on some actual matters that needed to be cleared up. ”I’m sorry if you have issues with my being here. I understand, I honestly do. I know I probably haven’t come off in the best of light here.” Probably the worst time possible for an accidental mutation pun. ”But I really, really like your brother. If there’s something that I can do to come off as less horrible, I’m willing to try it.”

She had taken the higher ground, even though one part of her wanted to shout mean things back and another wanted to go run and cry. Hopefully, she would have gotten through to her and they could move past some of the misunderstandings.