He touched her and that was okay. It really shouldn't have been okay. This was their first date and somehow they were in a hotel together wearing only robes. She was oddly okay with it so far. His fingers brushed her hair to the side and she caught the rest of it up and twisted the bunch before pulling it over her shoulder in a movement that earned her freshly exposed neck a quick kiss.

They already had a strange level of intimacy and now was the time where she either freaked out or tried to roll with it.

The second option sounded a lot less stressful. "Can we take this slow? Like, millions of years of evolution slow?" Noel believed in Intelligent Design, but the illustration suited the moment.

She turned and made an effort to fit herself next to him where she could still see the TV and manage to be comfortable while keeping her toes exposed to the air. It took a fair amount of wiggling, but she ended up with her legs draped over his knees and her shoulder next to his where it met the mattress. "This place has HBO, let's not waste it."

The remote came out and she flicked through channels like an ADD chipmunk, hardly pausing long enough on any one channel for much to register.

"Can we take this slow? Like, millions of years of evolution slow?" Noel asked Lucas as he leaned into her.

“Of course we can. It can be nice to take your time and enjoy the moment.” He answered with a smile.

“Dammit!” His inner voice screamed out in frustration. Sure the relationship was new and seemed to be picking up speed at a meteoric pace but to throw the breaks on like that could give a guy whiplash.

On the other hand, if Noel wasn’t comfortable with how things were going, Lucas didn’t want to push her either. He could wait until she was ready to move forward and this was probably a good thing when considering everything involved. He needed to let the woman beside him lead a little bit at her own speed. It would take time to really get to know her and hurrying things would only make that tougher.

Noel turned into him and pressed her shoulder against his, draping her legs over his knees and getting comfortable on the mattress. "This place has HBO, let's not waste it." She said as she pulled out the remote and began to flick through the channels.

“So what did you do last night Lucas?” his inner voice said sarcastically “You got some mouth watering beauty up to a hotel room, sent every piece of clothing either of you had out to be cleaned and then cuddled into a big queen sized bed and watched Bill Maher rant about politics for an hour. Smooth move playa. Don’t go bragging to your buddies.”

Lucas held a chuckle in as the thought crossed his mind. He was actually fine with the outcome of the evening. He couldn’t have dreamed he would be where he was right now when he got up from the cold cement near Canal street. Life had a funny way of delivering the unexpected into your lap. It was what made it such an interesting ride. Here he was, lying beside an attractive woman that inspired his imagination. He was pretty lucky the way the day had turned out and couldn’t really complain or think of somewhere he would rather be.

Looking over, he studied her face as she watched the images fly by on the TV screen. He couldn’t see any sign of the fear or nervousness that gripped her a moment ago. She seemed calm and relaxed now as she pushed the buttons on the remote. Her honesty was refreshing. With all the games girls had played with him in the past, it was nice to be with a woman that knew what she wanted and was not ashamed to say it. He owed her that same courtesy.

“At what point in evolution did a guy putting his arm around a girl come about? Is it more of a dinosaur thing or renaissance era?” he asked playfully.

"About the same time women started laying half ontop of men, I'd suppose." She smiled distractedly and wiggled her legs where they lay draped over his legs just so he would be sure to understand that a little snuggling was just fine in this stage of their evolution.

"You should tell me everything about yourself. If you tell it to me often enough, I might remember some of it." She glanced at him without turning her head before resuming the channel flipping. It didn't always go over well when she told someone that she wouldn't likely remember anything they said, but that she wanted to hear it anyway.

Some took it to be a waste of time. Noel knew that even if she didn't remember the details, it helped her feel out things in her head the next time she was around that person. She might not, for example, remember that his favorite color was rainbow, but she might start wearing rainbows and not know why.

Having cycled the channels three times without really settling on anything, Noel left them on the scrolling TV guide just in case something interesting popped up. Looked like there was something with vampires in it coming on later… that had potential.

“Everything is a pretty tall order.” Lucas said as he reached out his arm and snaked it under Noel’s shoulder blades. Pulling his arm up and around, he easily rolled her smaller body up against his side and positioned her head upon his chest. She felt so delicate in his arms. It was a nice feeling. “It isn’t the greatest story ever told but I’ll try to fill the time until something good comes on.”

Everything was a very tall order for the young man. There were parts of Lucas’ past that he wasn’t comfortable sharing with anyone and had locked away deep inside. Sure, she might forget what he said, but he feared that telling her those details might put a bit of a dark cloud on the evening. Obviously, honesty was important to her so he needed to weigh both sides of the coin carefully but some things weren’t ready to come out. Taking a breath to steady himself, he started from the first things he remembered in his childhood while gently petting and playing with Noel’s hair.

Lucas talked about his mother and his father when he was young and the important roll his grandmother had played even then. The fact that they were poor didn’t bother him but he didn’t come out and say it. He left it to Noel to figure out based on the details of his tale. He mentioned going to the gym with his dad in happier times as well as Christmas, birthdays and other events that had been memorable. The nostalgic feelings made him a little sad. The wounds had scarred over long ago but to talk about it openly was still difficult.

When he got to the day his dad left, he had to pause for a moment. He couldn’t find the words to explain what had happened as he still didn’t really understand to this day. His father had left them and it resulted in the slow decline and death of his mother. How do you tell a girl you had just met something as painful as that? Instead of sharing, he skipped those four years of his life, only letting Noel know that he had gone to live with his grandmother and that she had become the main caregiver from then on. Lucas didn’t give any real explanation why and felt a bit ashamed for holding back but he just didn’t know how to express this traumatic part of his life. Everyone had skeletons in their closet and he wanted to tell her but couldn’t bring himself to do it. It was just the first date; maybe he would have better luck telling her another time.

Continuing his story, he talked about friends and finding a passion for boxing as a teenager. He told her about his coach and how the man had taken him under his wing for a while before he left the gym. The time his coach broke his ribs and Lucas healed him was another tricky spot for the young man but he told Noel anyway. Talking about his power and how he had discovered it was something he had never shared before and it felt uplifting to hear himself admit to his mutation. It was a deep dark secret but the woman in his arms would understand. Her powers were both a blessing and a curse as well.

From here he talked about his grandmother. The years when it was just the two of them as well as her slow declining health. It was another tough subject for him but relevant to their relationship in a way. Lucas wanted Noel to know that he had dealt with memory loss before and wouldn’t run because of it. He tip-toed around the rougher times and focused on the bond they shared. Explaining their closeness seemed to make his move to being a part of the staff at her home make more sense. Lucas told Noel about their talks. Grandma’s time in New York had been some of her happiest moments and she loved to share that part of her life. He also brought up the times they laughed, went for walks or just watched the sun set from the window in her room.

Eventually, he told Noel about his grandmother’s passing and his decision to move to New York to make his own fond memories. He mentioned his first month in the city and the difficulties he had experienced getting started as well as his hopes of pulling himself from the hole he had fallen into. Telling a girl you are homeless isn’t that romantic but he needed to let her know. Noel deserved to understand what she was getting into so she could understand the bad as well as the good in him.

“And then I met this beautiful woman on Canal street, and here I am.” He concluded.

It wasn’t a complete biography but it was the essence of his past. He had shared more than he had with anyone as far back as he could remember and felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest. Looking over to the clock radio on the mantle, he saw that almost an hour had passed. The sun had long since set and it was starting to get late. Lucas closed his eyes and focused on Noel’s breathing for a moment, trying to figure out if she had fallen asleep while he had told her about his life.

Everything ended up being a lot to chew over. Curled as she was against the soft fibers of his robe, the beginning of the vampire flick passed without her even noticing.

He had family. Then he didn't. He had a grandmother. Then he didn't. She squirmed a little and chewed her lower lip. She had family. But she was convinced that it was better that they didn't know her as an adult. She wasn't ashamed of them. And she wasn't exactly ashamed of herself. The two lives just didn't mesh. It all came back to her mutation being a burden. That was something Lucas seemed to understand well enough.

It seemed that their finacee fantasy had clicked into place and held for so long because of the similarities in their pasts. Noel always forfeit her memory, Lucas was used to helping someone remember. They were both alone and now both homeless... with pretty painted toenails. "Maybe we should move into cardboard boxes on the same street and start a hobo salon." The idea made Noel smile.

On a more serious note, she wanted to ask him about where he might live after this, but... she didn't want to be misunderstood and accidentally ask him to move in with her or something like that. This was still their first date. Sort-of.

"Tomorrow I'm going to report to the bureau in person. I'm just not that great on the phone." Though she couldn't remember why exactly. "I don't know how long that will take or what exactly that's going to entail." She hadn't switched departments in several years, but when she did last time she remembered interviewing with different sections. She tried to remember what her options would be, but figured they would have changed by now anyway.

"Will you... stay here? Or, how am I supposed to find you?" Her statement was punctuated with a yawn that she rolled into the robe on his chest instead of disentangling her hands to cover. Lucas was as of this moment, the person she knew best in the city. If she needed a point of reference, he would be her best bet.

It was a good question. Lucas had been so busy living in the moment that he hadn’t really thought out the specifics. At some point they had to come back to reality and work out the logistics of how things might work between them. He knew he couldn’t stay in the hotel. The city was only covering the bill for the night. After that, it was up to Noel’s insurance to pay for a place to stay. Mooching off New York seemed ok somehow but using Noel or her insurance for a place to live was another matter entirely. It was definitely time for him to get his life back on track. Not for a woman, but for himself. Instead of following her to the bureau like a lost dog, they would probably part company, at least for a little while. It would give them both time to pick up the pieces of their lives.

“If you don’t need my help with the bureau or dealing with your apartment, I might head off tomorrow after breakfast. We can pick a time and place and meet up then for our second date.” Of course, somewhere he could get too easily and they could find each other seemed like the best bet. “How about next week at noon, battery park beside the eternal flame? Would that give you enough time to get your work and place squared away?”

A slight pang of doubt hit him right after he made the suggestion. A week was a long time. Sure, she could take notes but would she really remember him then? Would it be awkward? Probably. What second date isn’t? Lucas decided not to amend his offer. If a relationship between them had a chance, he couldn’t baby or smother her. Problems were bound to arise but he could address them then. There was no point making it difficult. Simple was best. If things didn’t work out, it would be unfortunate but the alternative guaranteed failure.

“We can add a note to your map tomorrow during breakfast. Tonight, we can just sit back and watch....” Lucas hadn’t been paying attention to the TV but now that he was, the scene surprised him. He had never had the chance to watch HBO and a show like True Blood can be an eye opener when you don’t know what to expect. It Seemed Sookie needed more than just protectin’.

“ and watch soft porn.” Lucas realized suddenly. Awkward.

"As nice as it would be to have you there, somehow I don't think it would make the best first impression." Noel was nervous about tomorrow, but worrying wouldn't help anything at this point so she tried not to. "I have no idea what to do about the apartment. If I had my phone maybe..." All she had was out for cleaning or in her apartment. Her cell must have been funded by RUPERT if she was parted from it.

Noel was clearly more interested in their conversation. Her position curled against Lucas' chest was not conducive to watching the television, vampire smut or not.

As for meeting at Battery Park... "Its as good a place as any. In the movie, it was the Empire State Building and a wedding soooo Battery Park for a second date sounds just about right." She would have to have him write it down, but he was already remembering the map.

"If I'm not there, I'll try not to be crippled." That was really the best she could offer at this point. A week was a long time. The thought of what could happen in the meantime brought dark rain clouds to her thoughts.

"We could just go to sleep too." Noel tried to peek over her own shoulder to see what had so captivated Lucas on screen.

The initial shock of the scene gone, Lucas quickly rolled into Noel's body and pushed her onto her back, trying to block the woman’s vision from the TV. He moved his hand from her hair down and put it over her eyes. He knew it wouldn’t stop her from figuring out what was happening on the screen as the sound made it abundantly clear but it was fun to tease her a bit.

“Oh no. You are way too young to be watching this kind of filth.” He joked in an exaggerated voice. “Good girls don’t watch this kind of smut.” He contemplated kissing her lips as they stared up at him invitingly but didn’t want to push her back to being scared again so dismissed the notion. She needed to feel secure if she was going to sleep well tonight and she had already asked him to back off. It would be pretty rude to ignore the request now. Lucas removed his hand and dropped back down again, ending the childish game as quickly as it began. “It has been a long day, if you want to turn off the tube and get some sleep, I am fine with that.”

Lucas didn’t really want to let the day end but he was feeling pretty tired. It had been an eventful afternoon and his eyelids had felt heavy for a while. He could keep fighting it but if Noel wanted to sleep too, he would see her in the morning. They still had a few hours together tomorrow before they parted company and Lucas would try to make the most of it.

Turning to face the woman lying next to him, he studied every inch of her face again. The pout of her lips, the long lashes and dreamy eyes, the scar across her cheek and the blush under it. He wanted to remember every bit with this mental photograph. There was no guarantee that she would remember him tomorrow and if that were the case, Lucas would rather keep the Noel that was happy and comfortable beside him as a memory.

She squealed appropriately and smiled up from under his hand, her dark mood whisked away by the teasing and rolling. Somehow she zeroed in on only one thing. He said she was a good girl. Admittedly he he was joking, but still... his words resonated in a part of her that longed to stay on the side of the good guys. He believed that she was a good guy! Err, girl. She wriggled her hand free to lift up his palm from her eyes even as he was moving it. Noel ended up catching his hand just because she could.

He said that it was okay for them to go to bed, but what he didn't say had been just as loud.

"I don't want today to end either, but it's got to sometime." She ended up pulling his hand back to her cheek. She fit his fingers along side her face like the first time he had kissed her, his hand eclipsed her scar.

His eyes danced around her face stopping only briefly before darting on again. She felt a little scrutinized, but at least with his hand over her scar he would remember her whole. Besides. She decided that she liked the brown of his eyes. It was a warm brown. She felt herself smiling stupidly.

Embarrassed, she pulled his hand back over her eyes. She didn't want something drastic like a kiss to happen. Nope. "Yeah. Let's just get some shuteye." She was an independent woman. She didn't need to notice that the brown was something between sticky buns and toffee. She didn't even really like either of those things. She should be noticing that she was in a vulnerable position and with a man she hardly knew. If she had been in her right mind, she would not have let any of this happen.

She tensed when someone on screen made a sound that could only be one thing. One really embarrassing thing. Noel sat bolt upright and scrabbled for the remote with a loud cough. As if that would mask what was happening on screen. She glanced and—Geez, she didn't know that many people could bend in that many different... "Ah. bedtime. Yep." She rolled her lips together and only let them free once the TV had powered down.

Cough.

Noel went to go find a free toothbrush.

Watching Noel make her way to the bathroom was a pleasure. There was a subtle, sensual sway to the way she walked and she probably didn’t even know it. Lucas enjoyed the one woman parade until the attractive woman disappeared through the door.

Getting up, the young man made his way over to the desk and picked up the pen and pad that were there. It might be a rough morning if Noel woke up first so he decided he would leave her a little reminder just in case. He bent over the desk and began to write.

“To Noel,

To be read in the morning if you wake up first.”

Tearing the paper from the pad, he flipped it over and continued.

“Good morning Noel,

Hope you slept well. The guy in the bed beside you is Lucas Monroe. He’s safe and there is a picture of both of you in your ankle pouch for verification. Other than cuddles and a few kisses, nothing happened last night as you have let him know to take it slow.

You met him yesterday afternoon and ended up spending the day together. He likes you and looks forward to sharing breakfast (which should be out in the hall by now along with both of your clothes). You invited him out for a second date last night and he accepted for next week. The picture in your pouch says friends right now and it is up to you if/when you want to add an update.

Lucas

P.S. I clearly stated you should read this in the morning, not now. Caught yah! ”

He figured that curiosity might take hold while he was in the bathroom so couldn’t help add the last line for a chuckle. Pleased with himself, Lucas got up and placed the note upon the nightstand on Noel’s side of the bed. He folded it so it stood up and the instruction portion would be clearly visible from the pillow when the women would awaken. He considered writing a second note and putting it with the gun telling Noel not to shoot him but that felt like overkill. One note would be enough.

Lucas rolled across the mattress to his side and melted into the bed as he waited for his turn. His mind fed back the replay of the day and Lucas closed his eyes, enjoying the simple comforts the room provided. He had taken these things for granted for most of his life. He doubted he would again after the past few weeks. It was definitely time to pull himself off of the street and get back on track.

She brushed her teeth. She found a comb and yanked it through her hair. She did just about everything she normally would do except without her own stuff. It wasn't all that bad. She fiddled around with the depth of the v in her robe before shaking her head and closing the whole thing tight enough to make a nun proud. She even said her prayers.

Eventually there was nothing left to do but go back out.

Lucas was there and the look on his face made her realize just how long she had been in there. In response she only shrugged and offered a lame excuse. "Well, I am a girl." No matter how much she denied it around the guys at the office, she was deep down (now, don't tell anybody else this, okay?) a girl.

She plopped herself onto the bed and spied the note. A quick glance told her that Lucas was taking his turn in the restroom so she snatched it up and read it. Did she feel guilty when she got to the PS? Not in the least. What if she didn't wake up first, hmm? It would have been a wasted note. Just the same she arranged it back on the bedside before arranging the bed for a nice, good old fashioned sleep over.

The mound of pillows in the middle got arranged into a straight line that divided the bed evenly. One side for her, one for him and a pillow for each of their heads. Really, this was nothing personal... maybe she should write a note of her own?

She decided that would do nicely.

Lucas,

If I didn't like you, I wouldn't have to go to such great lengths to keep myself from jumping you. being bad. Maybe I'm stupid, but I want there only to be one. Ever. So

She tapped her pen on the pad. So I'll see you next week? This was stupid. Noel pulled the note off the pad and crumbled it up and threw it away. He would figure it out eventually... if there was an eventually.

Noel grabbed her gun and put it under her pillow, safety on. Not the safest way to sleep, but it was her safety blanket. She pulled the covers up to her nose, moved her hair up and out of the way so that none of it was touching her neck and tried to just plain old go to sleep.

Staring into the mirror, Lucas vigorously rubbed the toothbrush against his back molars. The angel and devil were busy debating the merits of chivalry as he cleaned his mouth. The young man already knew the correct answer but entertained both arguments while he got himself ready for bed just the same. A quick spit and rinse later and he was ready. He managed to prepare himself in a fraction of the time it had taken Noel earlier. Well, he was a guy. Squashing the devil back down, he strolled out of the bathroom to hop back into bed.

As he turned the corner, Lucas noticed the Great Wall of China had been erected in his absence. Could it be that the Mongol horde had planned to invade the Best Western at some time during the evening?

“You building a fort?” Lucas asked as he made his way to his side of the bed.

He noticed Noel was curled snugly under her covers and seemed to have fallen asleep already. Lucas winced unconsciously, fearful he might have woken her. “That was quick.” He thought with a shrug. As quiet as a mouse, he lifted up the covers and took his time sneaking in under them so as not to shake the bed and disturb her further. He lay down on his pillow and faced away so as not to stare at the white cotton of the pillow wall until he fell asleep. The tacky beige coloring of the room wasn’t much better and his mind began to wander again. Could she really have fallen asleep that quickly? It was doubtful but possible after such a long day.

While wandering, the devil from his shoulder came back up from his previous squashing. It reminded him how Noel might not know him tomorrow. If he wanted to kiss her again, now would be his last chance. The angel made an appearance and began to protest the idea but changed his tune when the devil put him in a headlock and began to administer noogies. What could the harm be? It’s just one kiss.

Rolling back the other way, Lucas studied mount pillow in an attempt to figure out the best way to scale its perilous heights. He didn’t have a lot of experience climbing such dangerous cliffs but the reward far outweighed the risk. Deciding the quickest route was best, Lucas reached out and picked up the pillow, moving it out of the way. Had Genghis Khan been as resourceful during his raids on China?

Lucas reached a hand out and gently placed it on Noel’s shoulder. He slowly pulled her onto her back and into no-man’s land at the center of the mattress before leaning over her in the darkened room. She was only a shadow beneath him in the dark and he strained to see if she had woken. Just then, his angel broke free of the headlock by applying a reverse reach-around wegee to Lucas’ devil. As the forces of celestial power battled over his soul, the young man found himself at a crossroads. He desperately wanted to kiss the woman beneath him but had given his word to respect her wishes. Good won out again.

“I would really like to kiss you one more time before we go to sleep, if you’ll allow it.”

The devil and angel stopped fighting instantly, listening to hear how Noel would respond, if at all.

Was this really okay? She feigned sleep in hopes that he would leave her alone, but... was that really what she wanted? Noel gripped her gun under her pillow and decided that for now it had to be enough.

There was silence for a time, but tension thrummed around the room. Surely he felt it. Surely he heard that drumming sound that had her whole torso pounding.

Sure enough Lucas moved quiet and slow.

She was asleep. Asleep, dang it!

He moved the pillow, her barrier! Alert! Alert!

He touched her shoulder and pulled her slowly onto her back. Her head rolled onto her pool of hair. There wasn't any point in pretending anymore. She wasn't asleep. The creases on her forehead would have given her away even if her uneven breathing hadn't. In the dimness of the room she could just make out his eyes as darker spots on his face, just make out his lips... One hand hand tightened on her gun, one hand reached up to draw him down to her mouth.

He had stopped to listen, but she didn't have anything to say.

She moved her mouth against his and thought her cheeks would burst into flames they were radiating so much heat. Was there etiquette to a kiss? If there was, Lucas had it down. He didn't try to drown her or trap her, like he was waiting for permission for anything more. If she wanted this to go further, she would have to take her hand off the gun. And she couldn't. Not yet.

Their lips parted with a soft sound and Noel had to clear her throat in order to speak.

She meant to say that she slept with a gun in her hand, what came out was a quiet, "Good night, Lucas Monroe." Noel rolled over and pulled her legs in close to her body. She didn't bother to rebuild the Great Wall of Pillow.

She had kissed him. A subtle difference that meant the world. The night could not have ended better. Her lips had felt so soft as they found his in the dark, letting him know that she was attracted to him too. It gave the young man a warm glow all over as he lay back down on his side of the bed. He felt like a giddy teenager as his eyes closed and sleep overtook him.

*****

The intrusive light bore through Lucas’ eyelids and forced him back to consciousness. It was early, too early for any sane person to awaken. Taking a quick peek, he tried to see what had happened. The curtain, left open from the night before, remained so and the morning light poured in through the window. He tried to close his eyes and ignore it but it was too late. He was awake.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had slept so well. Lucas felt fully rested and relaxed as if he had slept an entire week. The former wariness of his body had been erased in a single evening, like magic.

The events from the other day returned with consciousness, reminding Lucas of where he was. At the other side of the mattress, he saw the still form of Noel as she slept. Her back was to him and her body rose and fell in harmony with her quiet breathing. During the night, Lucas’ arm had reached out subconsciously and the back of his tattooed hand gently rested at the base of her spine, barely touching her robe. Trying not to wake her, he extracted the arm and began to lift his end of the covers so he could get up.

Raising his head and carefully rolling to the side, Lucas got to his feet and tried to creep around towards the window. He focused on each footstep and tried to breathe as quietly as he could. Every sound he made felt like a cannon shot and each slight vibration an earthquake as me made every effort not to wake her. Once there, he reached up to the curtain bar and gently tugged the top to draw the ugly brown fabric over the window and block out the light so Noel could sleep a bit longer. His task complete, he turned and made his way to the front door.

As silently as he could, Lucas unlatched the chain and opened the door. A two shelved cart awaited him there. On the top level sat a silver coloured cover which was meant to maintain the warmth of the breakfast inside. Plates, cups, cutlery, coffee, juice and the morning paper all greeted his eyes. The lower shelves were decorated with the couple’s freshly cleaned clothes and some new towels. Everything they needed to start their day. Lucas reached out and slowly rolled the cart into the room, taking his time to avoid any wheel squeaks or other unexpected noise.

Once the cart was safely in the room, he closed the door with expert care and relatched the chain. He pulled his clothes and a towel off the shelves and entered the bathroom. With Noel still in bed, he could take his time with his shower and getting ready for the day.

Noel woke to the smell of coffee. That wasn't strange, she had an automatic coffee pot. She was pretty sure she hadn't changed out the filter, though. Waking up was possibly her least favorite thing to do. Ever.

She slept on her stomach, arms extended under her pillow, both hands loosely gripping her gun as if in her dream she was laying low under fire but still returning bullet for bullet. She hadn't been dreaming about a fire fight, though. She dreamed about picket fences made of limousines and full grown men the size of babies wrapped in robes.

Needless to say, when she sat up she was feeling groggy and confused.

She scratched her cheek with the hammer of her 9 millimeter and yawned. Noel remembered the hotel, the note (though she read it again anyway) and Lucas. But first, coffee.

The gun may as well have been a part of her hand. She did not seem to notice that she juggled it as she poured the coffee, stirred in too much sugar, and peeked under the cover to the eggs, bacon and biscuits beneath.

This was the best.

She took a simple moment for herself to drink and wake up.

Then, clothes. She glanced at the bathroom which was occupied and decided she could probably beat him even if she dressed like she was in a locker room.

She wiggled into her suit pants and had to settle for a dark colored band tee since the elbow of her button up shirt was ruined yesterday. Noel had to adjust her shoulder rig, but her gun needed a home. Once it slid into place, she felt fully dressed.