"Strawberry or strawberries." Jacen repeated just for confirmation. There was no way he was going to be so strict as to hold Lee to not being able to use the plural of the word since it often fit into conversation far better than its singular counter part. Glancing over at Tarin, it didn't take a genius to read the other man's expression. He was still upset about Lee going in like this but he was doing his best to hold it in and be supportive. Without even realizing it, the man was deffinately gaining more respect in Jacen's mind.

"There's a cab outside waiting for you Lee." Jacen said quietly as he turned his attention back over to the woman. There was no question about why he had been attracted to her that first time in the park and even though she was already taken, he still couldn't believe he was asking her to go into a situation like this. Sure it was old fashioned, but it was just something about how he had been raised. This was man's works and it was never fun to involve a lady. "Tarin and I will take the car. We'll be right behind you. The receivers have a range of 2,000 feet so we're going to be able to hear anything you say. Alright?"

***

A few minutes later Jacen found himself driving the car with a very concerned Tarin sitting right next to him. "She's going to be fine Tarin." Jacen said quietly as he kept his eyes fastened on the road instead of looking over at his passenger, "If things start going in a way you don't like, we'll pull her out. You're in charge."

Jacen wasn't sure if that was really the best choice but he knew that he had to give Tarin something. The other man was allowing his wife to risk her life in order to help Jacen and not even that, he knew Lee far better than Jacen did. Tarin would make the call if it came down to it.

***

The bar was packed as Jacen and Tarin made their way through the door in the same direction that Lee had already taken. Along with the stereotypical teenager girl band followers there were also plenty of young men and slightly more hard core drinkers spread out. The bar itself was full and every table near the stage contained packs of giggling females. A few booths along the edge of the room were still vacant but Jacen really didn't want to sit down although he had to admit standing might look a little suspicious.

"There's a table in the back corner." Jacen murmured to Tarin, giving the man a quick nod in the direction of the darkened table, "We should be able to have a pretty clear view from there unless you want to get closer."

Tarin gulped when Lee picked out her safety word. Why did she have to pick that one? It was something distinct though, something they’d be able to know for what it was immediately. He nodded, and looked at Lee, swallowing a million different things that sprang to mind that involved trying to convince her not to do this. Then he looked at Jacen. They’d agreed to do this, to help, Tarin took a deep breath and steeled himself. Lee was more than capable, like she’d said, and their plan was solid.

Jacen pointed out that a cab was there for Lee, and Tarin’s jaw clenched slightly as Jacen explained more of the plan. They were going separately, it was smart. Drawing attention by walking in together would just be putting Lee in more danger. Tarin snagged her hand before she left though, pulling her close for a tight hug and a whispered, ‘I love you’ before she was gone, a quick squeeze of the hand Tarin's last contact with her as she walked out the door.

He almost dropped the object that Lee had pressed into his hand and he turned his hand over to look, then cursed quietly, it was Lee's wedding ring. She was planning on playing for real, into Tarin's pocket the ring went for safe keeping, it was far too small to fit any of his fingers.

A few moments later, after Tarin moved far enough away from Jacen to enlist the help of the spirit from before, they were on their way. Tarin had let the spirit know that he wouldn’t be able to see her or talk to her, but that she was to stay close. The girl understood, and was even eager to help. That was good, and soon enough they were in the car.

Jacen spoke up as they followed the cab and Tarin cast him an apologetic look, “I know she is. I just can’t help it, I can’t hack it without her anymore.” Jacen was putting the proverbial reigns in Tarin’s hands as far as pulling Lee out, though. Tarin appreciated it more than the other man could possibly know, and he nodded his head in response, turning Lee's ring over and over in his fingers, “Thank you.”

The crowd in the bar where Pulse’s band was playing was something to rival the crowds a person saw in New York on a Saturday night. It confirmed even more, that this was the way that things had to be, they’d never have a chance at Pulse if they didn’t get him away from this group. Jacen suggested a table in the back and Tarin nodded his head and was half way there before he realized that wasn’t going to work out.

“We have to split up.” He said softly, “I can’t see the spirit when I’m this close to you.” Tarin’s eyes scanned the bar and found Lee, then spotted a table far enough away that he wouldn’t look too suspicious. “I’ll sit there.” He said, then moved to slip into a seat and order a drink.

He wasn’t there five minutes when someone slipped into the booth across from him. The girl had to be younger than Lee, but she was displaying more than her fair share of cleavage. “Hi.” She said, “Nice work.” The second was accompanied with a gesture at his tattoos. Tarin tried to hide his irritation and look interested in what the girl was saying while simultaneously sending a mental command to the spirit to tail Lee. He could see her in the back of his mind. This would work fine, he smiled at the girl.

“Thanks.” He said, holding out his arms to better display the work and hoping this would get over and done with fast. Then the first chords played, at exactly the same time his drink arrived. Game on.

Lee blinked when Jacen asked whether 'strawberry' or 'strawberries' was going to be her safe word. She had to get that specific? "Could we just do either?" Lee asked. "I'm not going to be talking about them at all, so it's not like I'd slip up if I'm not in trouble."

And there was already a cab waiting for her. Lee stayed where she was for a moment, just staring at Jacen. She hadn't realized she'd be going there alone. Walking in by herself, yeah, she'd known that was going to happen, but she didn't think she'd be heading to the bar on her own. She'd thought she'd have a bit more time before she had to actually leave Tarin.

Lee was just turning toward her husband when she felt him grabbing her hand and pulling him toward her for a hug. Tarin's arms were already around her waist as she was raising hers to circle his neck.

And that's when she saw it, the glint from her rings on her left hand. That was definitely not going to work. There was no way she'd be able to pull this off if Pulse caught sight of those rings on her fingers.

Scrunching her eyes closed as she heard Tarin whisper in her ear, Lee pulled the rings off her finger. She couldn't wear them, but at the same time she couldn't part with them. Even in Columbia, the only time they'd actually been off her hand since the day they got married had been to make sure she had gotten all the blood and dirt off. Not before, not since, until now.

So Lee made a compromise. She slipped her engagement ring back onto her right hand; it was small and simple enough that on that finger, it just looked like a normal ring. Then, after her own whispered 'I love you', Lee pressed her wedding band into Tarin's hand and turned, making her way out the door before she could see his reaction.

Ok, Lee, you can do this, she silently told herself as she made her way out of the hotel and down to the waiting cab. You have guys hit on you and flirt with you all the time, even with Tarin around. And you know to be on guard, know to watch out, know what's going on. Plus, you'll have more than enough energy by the time you get him to take him down without siphoning, and Tarin and Jacen are going to be there.

The pep talk wasn't really working, Lee was still nervous and worried as she saw the cab pulling up to a bar. Great...she was here already. "Just relax," Lee murmured to herself as the cab came to a stop. She knew that if she could at least look calm, she could pull this off.

Handing the money over to the driver for the short trip, Lee took a deep breath then got out of the cab. It didn't take any time to get into the bar, just a quick smile at the bouncer; she at least looked of age, unlike a number of the other girls that Lee saw both outside, and in the bar.

The bar was crowded, far more crowded than Lee was used to bars being since she and Tarin normally went out more during the week than on Fridays or Saturdays.

Making her way through the crowd, not the hardest thing to do since with a slight smile or tilt of her head she was normally able to convince at least the men to move out of her way, Lee made her way up toward the front. She couldn't get one of the tables right up front, those were all taken by chattering, giggling teenage girls, but Lee did find a small table fairly close to the stage, though off to the side slightly. It looked like the side that the band would be heading up onto stage on.

There was music playing in the background, Lee noticed as she turned a chair closer to the stage and sat down, crossing her legs. It was hard to tell what it was, it was merely background as people waited for the band to get on stage and they were all talking above it.

Lee was glancing around the bar with a smile on her face when she saw Tarin and Jacen enter. Oh good, she couldn't help but think, and her smile came just a little bit easier as she saw them. Then Lee heard a voice in front of her, and turned to see a waitress standing there. Quickly ordering a beer, Lee's eyes started roaming again, first to the stage, then the areas beside it, trying to see if the band was out yet. And, while Lee did see a few people milling around there now, very slowly growing larger, she didn't yet see Pulse.

Then Lee let her eyes roam the bar again quickly, seeing Jacen toward the back and Tarin sitting closer to her. With another girl sitting there looking at his tattoos.

Just then, though, Lee's beer was dropped off at her table. "Thanks," she said, handing money over for the drink before taking a small sip. "And it figures," Lee continued after the woman walked away while she watched the band finally coming up onto the stage. "I've barely left your side, and you've already got women falling over themselves to get to you."

And then Pulse walked up onto stage. Even if Lee hadn't of seen the picture of him, she would have known it was him by how the girls around her reacted. Apparently they thought he was a big deal, though Lee didn't think he was all that good looking with his long, messy hair, even up on stage.

Almost immediately, the music started, the first chords from the guitar filling the bar with sound. And, by the time the first song was over, Lee could already feel her heart beating faster, harder. Sure, that might have been because of the bass pounding through the bar, but she wouldn't have counted on it knowing what Pulse's powers were.

Then, as the second song was starting up, Lee saw Pulse glance in her direction. Lee smiled at him, hoping he'd see it as flirty and inviting, and not see the nerves she was feeling. The music was actually rather good, and complex, that helped Lee quite a bit. Even though she wasn't the least bit interested in any of the men on stage, the music itself was interesting, and she was able to draw on that.

As the set continued on, though, not only did she feel her heart fluttering, pounding, throbbing along with the music, she also saw that Pulse was looking at her more and more as the minutes progressed. She knew that this would work, knew she'd be able to pull this part off. Especially since the majority of the people here screaming after Pulse seemed to be teenagers.

Almost before she knew it, the set was winding down. Now Lee felt her heart starting to pound, though she was sure that it was entirely her this time. Had she made enough of an impression that the man would come over? If he did, would it be now, between sets, or would he wait till after the show when there'd be more time?

Lee was almost panicking behind her smile as the applause and cheering started as the last song of the set came to an end.

(OOC: Continued In Game On)