It really was starting to get cold in New York City. Kealey crossed her arms and pulled her coat closer around herself as she made her way down the street that led to her apartment building. It had been a long time since she’d been there, and it was always good to check on things to make sure they were okay. Kealey wondered sometimes why she kept the apartment, she practically lived in the Mansion and she could have been saving money instead of using it on rent. Something about the little place called to her though and she just couldn’t give it up. Besides, Kealey thought, her closet at the Mansion wouldn’t have appreciated the influx of items moving would have entailed.

A cool gust of wind blew by, and as Kealey walked from the bus stop, her mind wandered slightly. It was always that way when she came into the city after a long time at the Mansion. There were too many emotions to concentrate as well as she would have liked, and she had too many other things on her mind try. She wasn’t really in the city to visit her apartment. Nope, she was really there to visit her landlord/neighbor.

It had been a while since Kealey had seen Ghost, and she hoped that their interaction would be as easy as it had been when they’d done the Pokemon tournament and when they’d helped foil that hostage situation. That would be necessary. Kealey was asking a lot.

When Shin had asked her to go to Japan, Kealey had been thrilled. He wanted her to meet his parents and see where he was from. That was a big deal. You didn’t do those sorts of things unless you were serious about someone. Kealey had already known that was the case. Emotions were a great indication, but it was still nice to know through the traditional means as well. There were problems though. Problems that Kealey couldn’t really talk to Shin about. It wasn’t that she doubted his ability to make her feel better…but they were things it just didn’t seem right to question him about. There had been a breakdown of understanding when he’d gotten that email and Kealey couldn’t help but go back to it every time she opened her mouth to ask him a question. Maybe Ghost could help? Kealey didn’t have many girlfriends…but she definitely counted Ghost among the ones she did have. Shin had said that the other woman knew some Japanese and Kealey had seized the opportunity to set up this meeting. If nothing else, maybe she’d learn a bit.

She reached the building and moved to go up the back stairwell Garrett had shown her when he gave her the first tour of the apartment building that would be hers. The hallway that housed the apartments looked the same as always and Kealey smiled slightly as she walked past the door that she knew was hers. She’d come back later to check on things. Past the doors Kealey went, stopping at the one that housed Ghost, her husband, and their adopted son. She rose her hand.

Knock knock.

Under Ghost's watchful eye, Jude was doing his homework at the table. Her materials were all laid out. Blank flash cards, pencils, lined paper and a few children's books. Her kettle had whistled some minutes ago and her first pot of tea sat steeping on the counter. Jude in his impatience had already poured himself a watery cup and seemed to be enjoying the warmth if nothing else.

She was... excited. Nervous? Ready to see a friendly face her own age that she trusted enough to... ask about some things.

The light raps at the door couldn't have come sooner. Ghost just about jumped out of her chair and left her book at the table. She hadn't really been reading it anyway. More just looking at different parts of the same paragraph without absorbing its contents.

"Kealey!" As if it would be anyone else. "Come in. Would you like something to drink?" Ghost motioned to the kitchen table where Jude sat looking incredibly studious. It was after dinner so she probably wouldn't be hungry, but there were thin lemon cookies set on the table anyway set in a lovely pattern that was slightly lopsided on Jude's side of the table.

"I don't have any teaching material, but... I have a few children's books. I hope that's okay. Okkyo-chan to Kappa for starters. Okkyo and the Kappa, do you know what Kappa are?" Because that was a little hard to explain. At least it was a children's book with lots of pictures.

”Hello Ghost!” Kealey had to smile when the other woman opened the door. She knew that Ghost’s real name was Maya, but for some reason ‘Ghost’ seemed so much more natural. The apartment was so much different from the one that Kealey lived in just down the hall and she took a moment looking around.

Ghost and Sebastian’s son sat at a table, working on what appeared to be homework and the entire thing emanated such an intense emotional aura of comfort that Kealey had to let out a happy little sigh. She could see a little pot of tea on the table, and when Ghost offered Kealey said that she would indeed love a cup of tea when it was ready. Tea was a helpful study aide.

Kealey came further into the apartment, shedding her coat and hat and making her way to the table where Ghost had set everything up. The pale woman bemoaned her lack of teaching materials and Kealey shook her head, turning a grateful look in her direction. ”No no, anything you can do to help will be so appreciated.” Kealey took a deep breath and let it out.

”I don’t know anything about Japan…or meeting parents.” Kealey may have paled a little. ”So yes…any help you can give will be greatly appreciated. As far as Kappas are concerned…I only know what I learned in Harry Potter. ”

"I kind of lucked out on the parental front..." The air elemental ducked to hide the curious dimpling smile. She really had gotten off the hook. When she decided to marry, she didn't have to ask anyone's permission. Though wouldn't it have been interesting to meet someone from Sebastian's past?

She motioned a pale hand toward the table and went about pouring tea and refreshing Jude's tea. Jude emanated a work-full attitude until he must have finished his thought or problem. He peeked over his book at the curly haired blonde and tried to weigh her in his mind. Nice. One point. Harry Potter fan. Two points.

"Those Kappa are based on Japanese folklore just as these are so they might be a bit different, but most of what J.K. Rowling put down won't lead you astray with this book."

"You must love him to go so far." His guttural r was like a rough English h and pegged him as a tiny Frenchman. His words pegged him as a tiny romantic. Five points for Kealey. Jude preferred someone more sassy like his Svetty, but Kealey could be a good to learn from. Unfortunately, he really did have to get this homework finished. "I will wizdraw to my room for zis." He wrinkled his nose grabbed his tea, a cookie, all his books and papers and left with a precarious stack.

The door shut behind him. "Well, the first thing you need to know is the writing system. They don't use an alphabet like you're used to it's all syllables." Ghost was proud of Jude and his maturity and so she honored his sacrifice by launching straight into the lesson. Soon she would have a lined notebook laid out and start Kealey on tracing some Hiragana symbols.

Kealey nodded and sighed a bit when Ghost mentioned that she’d lucked out with parents. ”I always used to laugh when I saw people on TV, or read about books where girls freaked out about meeting parents…but goodness….all I can do is worry.”

Kealey looked at the little Frenchman seated at the table and gave him a broad smile. He was sweet, and he was emanating weighing, but friendly, feelings towards her. Kelaey gave a little wave, then turned back to Ghost as she explained that the Kappas were at least similar to the ones Rowling had created. That was a bit of a relief. She knew something.

The little Frenchman spoke up again and Kealey turned to regard him seriously. This was serious business. Very serious business, especially to the one of Jude’s tender years. ”Very much.” she said, then smiled as he gathered up all of his paperwork and made his way out of the room.

”He’s an old soul, isn’t he?” Kealey said as he retreated, ”He doesn’t feel like many children his age. He’s very sweet.”

Ghost directed Kealey to the papers on the table, and as the blond sat down she fought down slight panic at the overwhelming nature of the things laid out in front of her. At least if she’d had to learn French or Spanish, the letters would have looked familiar. Ghost explained that the letters were actually syllables, and Kealey nodded, pulling her notebook from her messenger bag and scribbling down a quick note.

”So each symbol is a syllable?”

An old soul didn't quite cover Jude's place in life, but it was close enough. "I think there's a reason why new moms start with a baby and work their way up to a pre-teen." but there was likely no one better to understand Jude's unique view on life and therefore no one better to help him continue to grow up.

But more on task, "Yes. Every syllable is the same set of 5 vowels A, I, U, E, O. In fact, let's start by tracing those symbols." Ghost flipped through her book until she found an example of each one so that Kealey could copy them down in her notes. She traced a light version of each vowel character in large and careful way.

"After that it's just a consonant added to that vowel. The vowel always sounds the same. That's the easy part. Di you have anything that you might want to learn how to say specifically? We can go over the sounds, learn how to write it..." She shrugged. There was no way that Kealey was going to master an entire writing system in this sort a time let alone the vocabulary.

Kealey didn’t pry anymore about Jude. Ghost was his mother, regardless of the fact that he’d only joined the family recently. ”Well, he’s a wonderful little guy. Let me know if you ever need someone to stay with him. It’s the least I could do.” Jude was probably nearly old enough to not need a babysitter, but Kealey thought they’d get along well.

Ghost spoke and Kealey listened, copying down anything she could manage while the other woman spoke. The vowels seemed to be the same and Kealey watched raptly as Ghost pointed each one out and copied them down. Kealey traced them twice into her notebook. Those were easy enough…and a consonant syllable simply got added. Vowels always sounded the same.

At least the concept was simple. Kealey avoided thinking about the fact that there were probably hundreds of millions of words in the language. When she did that, she started to panic.

Ghost asked what Kealey needed to know specifically, and Kealey took a deep breath, letting it out and dissolving into helpless giggles.

”Besides, ‘I don’t speak Japanese?" she said, then looked back at the notebook page that was already filling up with notes.

”Maybe we should start with, ‘hello’ or ‘it’s nice to meet you.’ Something simple and polite? Maybe how to find a bathroom? You know, the important things.”

So they started with the basics. And then Ghost took a step back and went with the über basics, spelling things out with english letters and then phonetically so that Kealey could remember how to pronounce things.

"You know, they sell lots of phrase books with all these kinds of basics. I know this girl... she owns this bookstore. I bet she could hook you up for a discount or something."

So Ghost leaned back in her chair and filled Kealey in on a few phrases that wouldn't be in the books. Phrases that would help her get to the cheap stuff or gifts for friends. Things she could say to potential parents-in-law. Then it dawned on her. "You're not only here for lessons are you?"

Having seen the bottom of her cup too long, Ghost decided to refresh their tea and give Kealey a moment to provide a proper answer to her question. Also she could use a stretch.

All of the phrases were helpful and Kealey scribbled them down dutifully, phonetically, and thoroughly. She had the phrases. All the phrases. All the phrases that would help her buy cheap things at the market in Japan. Now those were helpful phrases.

Ghost pointed out that she knew this girl who owned a bookstore. Kealey grinned and chuckled, ”I also happen to know a librarian with access to a rather large number of books.”

Ghost suggested that maybe Kealey wasn’t there just for help with Japanese. Considering the fact that Kealey was going to Japan with her boyfriend who was from Japan to meet his Japanese family. It wasn’t that much of a stretch. As the other woman refreshed coffee, Kealey looked at her just a little sheepishly.

”Maybe…” she said.

”I’m…uh. Scared about some stuff and I wondered if you could help. I…I don’t have very many girlfriends and I think I need some advice.”

This had changed from a learning session to sacred sister soul sharing ground. This is where, in the Lifetime TV rendition, the soft piano music would start playing. She took her seat carefully. The next words she said would be the touching ones that Kealey would remember for the rest of her life.

"Uhm. More tea?" She really wasn't the memorable sound byte type. And she had to work up the right words and a little courage of her own.

"What are you afraid of... specifically? I don't want to belittle your feelings at all, but if Shin was raised by these people and Shin loves you... wouldn't it stand to reason that they would love you too?

Maybe it's kind of weird, but I kind of feel like a proxy mom for Shin, Aurum and the rest of my employees. Shin is also a team member and friend... I love you Kealey, not only because you're Kealey, but because of the look in Shin's eyes when you're around. And the look on his face when you're not."

She shrugged her thin shoulders. "Plus you're a blonde. Japanese love a blonde."

Ghost got it. Ghost got it better than she should have. Kealey was the one who was supposed to know emotions here. She was the empath! How was it that the people closest to her always seemed to be able to read her emotions even more clearly than she read theirs? It was something she’d have to figure out. For now, though, she listened.

Ghost talked, saying things that Keaeley suddenly felt like she should have already known. They were still nice to hear though. He looked a certain way when she wasn’t there? Kealey reminded herself to bring that up at some point…or maybe sneak a peek. She wasn’t jealous of the bond Ghost claimed to have. It wasn’t in Kealey’s nature to be jealous like that, plus she was glad. People needed people, and Kealey wasn’t arrogant enough to believe she was all Shin needed. The insight was good.

She dropped her head and looked at the notebook, suddenly embarrassed.

”I know…It’s not that. Don’t forget, I know how he feels.” she said, tracing the things she’d drawn on the notebook paper with her finger, ”Sometimes it’s hard not to let the ‘what ifs’ get a food hold though…has that ever happened to you?” Kealey hoped so…somehow it would be better. Ghost, who was so serene and so…ethereal…if she had doubts sometimes, maybe everyone did.

As to Japanese liking blonds, Kealey simply had to laugh and smile a slightly knowing little smirk. "They sure do, don't they?"

"Don’t forget, I know how he feels."[/color][/i]

Ghost nodded and cracked enough of a smile that she felt her dimple. Yeah. Kealey if anyone knew, but she seemed to be in a bit more serious of a mood than Ghost was in. So she tried to take Kealey's next comments as seriously as Kealey was making them.

'What ifs'? She rolled her lips together between her teeth. "Yeah. I've battled the 'what ifs' before. In Romania. In France. In England. In the courthouse before I married Sebastian... " She could trace a long line of those buggers. The scariest of which were in Romania. Just thinking about it made her... well, unhappy was a mild way to put it.

"Does it make you feel better? Knowing that you're not the only one who's insecure?" Because if Ghost feeling this way made Kealey feel better than it would be worth it... maybe.

So many doubts. Kealey could almost feel the memories as Ghost checked them off one at a time as examples. Staring at the almost ethereally pretty woman in front of her, it was nearly impossible for Kealey to imagine her worrying about anything. Ghost’s words rang true, both in sound and emotion though, and Kealey had never known the other woman to lie. That meant she had to be telling the truth.

Kealey nodded her head and a slight smile lit her features as Ghost asked if it made her feel better. It faded with the emotions behind the question though and Kealey nodded with all the seriousness the matter suddenly demanded.

”It helps a lot…” the blond paused for a moment, twisting an errant strand of hair around her fingers and trying to work out her words before she spoke them.

”I have so much going on in here..” she said, tapping the side of her head, ”That sometimes I question things that I should be absolutely sure of….I mean there’s things that I always know, but it’s hard sometimes.”

She frowned now, but softly and in a concerned way. ”I hope I haven’t been rude Ghost. It wasn’t my intention to bring up something uncomfortable. It’s just…there aren’t many girls I can call a friend, at least not outside you.”

She rolled her lower lip between her teeth and shook her head. "You're not rude." Kealey never was. "And I like that we're friends— friends enough to share." She was just... uncomfortable. These were avenues of thought she almost never ventured down and so they made her entirely rattled.

"I-uh. I'm not the most self-aware person." Her shoulders started to hunch upward. "So I don't always know what or why some things make me so squidgey. Romania... I get."

She ran her hand along one of the pages of Japanese in front of her. The paper was clean and she could feel the paper, though she didn't have the tactile sensitivity to feel the tooth of the paper anymore it wasn't something she had really noticed. She was more concerned with how pristine the papers were. She loved books. She had to in her position. When she was cut off from all that...

"I think the worst part is not knowing. If you know, then it's something you can face. When it's not, I always fill in the blanks and not always with realistic options." She shrugged and that helped her let go of a bit of the tension that had been pulling her shoulders up and in.

"It was kind of scary-exciting to visit sites I visited in the future... and to meet Jude. He's only sort-of the person I knew. Sometimes, when he's at play, he's a kid through and through. And then you get him near things he shouldn't yet know or like and he's... not." Jude was a much more comfortable topic. It was her natural inclination to steer conversation away from what made her feel so helpless.

Kealey was reassured when Ghost absolved her of any perceived rudeness. Kealey hated it when her powers led her to curious questions that were sometimes over the line. Maya continued, and Kealey smiled, all warm and fuzzy from the friendly feelings that the woman expressed. It really was nice to have someone she could share her troubles with. Shin did a lot, and Kealey felt bad sometimes for everything she pressed on him.

Ghost continued speaking, though, and Kealey watched her thoughtfully. This conversation had quickly gotten serious. She said she wasn’t very self aware all the time, and it made things difficult. There were feelings behind the words, though, that belied the off-handed way in which they were spoken. Also, squidey was a good word…Romania came up, and Ghost got the same look in her eyes that Shin always got when it came up. They’d been there together, and Kealey knew how difficult the situation was. She didn’t press.

The other woman kept speaking though, and Kealey listened raptly as she pointed out that it was better to know something so a person could face it. Kealey nodded, she could definitely understand that line of reason. ”I know exactly what you mean. Nobody wants someone in their head all the time, and I feel so many things. I always want to ask why a person feels the way they do about something…but I can’t very well run around doing that, can I? Unanswered questions are definitely the worst…the imagination can do great and terrible things all at once.”

The topic of conversation switched, and Kealey wondered if she shouldn’t press Ghost a bit more about her feelings. There was something in the other woman that struck Kealey as tense and worried. They were friends, and didn’t friends dig a little deeper? This information about Jude was good though…the future? She listened for the moment, planning to ask questions once Ghost was finished.

”The future? You’re saying you knew him…in the future? I long ago reached the point where things surprised me outright…that’s stretching it though. But in this case…I was right…he is an old soul.”

Kealey paused for a moment, then made a decision, ”There was something bothering you before. Do you want to talk about it? I’ll completely back off if not…but…I thought I’d ask.”