Lumen was humming along almost silently when she heard Paul chip in his voice beside her. That surprised her. She was thrilled to have him with her but she didn't expect him to participate. She smiled. Paul was turning out to be a pretty all right guy. Or maybe, one seriously desperate for a lady friend. But she seemed to really think the former.

She joined her own voice. She wasn't much of a singer but she could carry a note and a tune. She found music to be almost meditative at many different times. If she was meditating and didn't have a headache she'd often enjoy playing something classical in the background.

Lumen felt completely alive in her senses. The sounds of music and children and people, the smells of incense, holly, christmas trees, peppermint, and cinnamon, even the taste of those things in the air. She took in the sights of the people all around and felt calm and at peace. Yes, after the week she had she needed this. It was even better to have someone by her side.

The mass went by in what felt like the blink of an eye. The music, the readings, the psalms, and an excellent talk by the priest on the importance of keeping the Christmas spirit all year around. Lumen thought he handled himself well considering so many of those in attendance were not usually church goers. Some of them may actually feel comfortable and welcomed enough to come back. Lumen knew she wasn't a perfect person and far from holy but the real idea at the root of Christianity was that everyone was that way, all the same. She liked that.. and even playing field.

The last song was being sung, Hark the Herald Angels Sing and some of the families were sneaking out the back. She remembered those days when she was a kid barley lasting for the whole service and her parents sneaking she and her brother out just a wee bit early. It didn't hurt that they usually beat the traffic that way too. The song ended, and people started shuffling out. "It be nice to wait a minute, if you don't mind.' said Lumen. She always was one of the last people to leave. She didn't like ending church in a big mess of noises and people. She liked to stay and think a moment, enjoy the environment a heart beat longer, and leave at her own pace. "It's going to be such a mess out there with all these people, less of a headache to wait a few moments. We wont get a cab for a while anyway."

She sat back down and invited him to do so as well. "Thanks for coming Paul. How did you find it? A bit long I know..." she stifled a yawn. It was well past midnight.

Meanwhile the bald man was waiting at the back of the church. He was confused that the woman was sitting back down. And aw, shit she had some guy with her. He thought hard for a moment. They seemed to be lingering and the place was emptying quickly. There'd be no witnesses. But this was still a house of God. It was one thing to go out and do his work in the world but he could always come here and be made new every time. So he stood in the lobby, nodded to the Father, the gaggles of kids rushing by. He contemplated.

The service was... interesting. Having not been a church goer for many years Paul wasn't sure exactly how a service was supposed to start, proceed, or end. It was like a new experience to him and while he might not have liked every single thing, as a whole it was a decent experience. The priest's talk was a very simple without to much religion mixed in and fit well with where Paul was currently. Finally though, after an extended time, the service came to a close and people began to move for the exit. Paul was about to fall in step behind them when he felt a hand stop him and then Lumen gave her reasons.

It seemed a little odd to just be sitting in the church without some sort of service taking place but since this is what she wanted to do then that was what they were going to do. "It was a nice time." Paul responded honestly, "Obviously I'm not sure if I necessarily agree with everything but the talk was encouraging, uplifting, and maybe even a little bit inspiring. Of course, as something of a cynic, I can't help but wonder how many people were truly listening and are actually willing to try to do what was said."

Unfortunately, from Paul's experience, religion didn't help everyone. Sure, it worked for some people but others wanted nothing to do with it. If the world was really going to change then it would probably take more than just religion. Perhaps a combination of many different things? For years Paul had been looking for that one uniting personality but maybe it would take several different people all acting at once in different areas. Perhaps a religious personality combined with a few others would be what it took. It was a thought that Paul had never really considered but it was also something he would have to research in the future... when it wasn't so late.

"But over all, I enjoyed it. Of course, I'm sure it was helped along by the fact that you were here to keep me company." Was it wrong to flirt in church? Probably someone would be against it but Paul couldn't see the harm in it. A little harmless flirting wasn't going to hurt anyone and it might even help Paul and Lumen in some way... right?

"So are you ready to call it a night or would you like to get a night cap somewhere?" He was willing to go along with whatever she wanted but the tone of his voice made it obvious that he was hoping she would want to continue the evening for at least a bit longer. Going back home to his empty apartment was not very inviting and he wasn't ready for the evening to end. The crowd was thinning out more and more and a decision needed to be made soon.

The church was now emptied and the priest who'd recognized Lumen from an earlier service gave her a wave to let her know he was heading out but she was welcomed to stay. The church was locked from the inside, so once she and Paul left no one else could get in. She was sure some cleaners would be coming at some point since the candles were still burning.

"Well, Im really happy you came" she started. "I felt the same about his talk. It was nice but I wonder how many people really listen. I can't even claim that I listen all that often but I try." Her work didn't give her much of a chance to practice but in her heart and mind Lumen did want to be a good, balanced person. Sometimes though, she really just came to church for the peace. She'd zone out while the priest was talking and look at the stained glass. Her eyes flickered to one piece in particular and she took Paul by the hand and led him over to show him. She left her jacket, Stanley, and her phone in the pew.

"I think we should keep going." she said with a devious smile. Maybe a little flirt in her voice. "I feel calm, clear minded. I don't think another drink would hurt..." she wondered how to suggest they simply skip all the rest and find a room or maybe his place. She looked up at the window. "I think this is my favourite one I've seen since coming here." she motioned. It was a stained glass piece with mostly blue, violet, and yellow colours. A woman was being pulled into the sky with angels all around. "The assention of Mary." she explained. Catholics believed that Mary didn't die, but rather was taken into heaven because of the great responsibility she did for God. "She's lucky. Really the only person in human history if the Catholics are right, that didn't have to die." Lumen wondered what it would be like to simply walk right up the sky into heaven and avoid death all together. Death frightened her. She'd never admit it, but it was part of the big reasons why she just wanted to run when it came co confrontation. Lumen liked living far too much.

While she stood chatting with Paul trying to think of the next place they would go, the bald man moved from the shadows silent as a mouse. He had to be quiet. He'd seen the white haired girl in action and see was sharp. Too sharp. He'd tried to follow her twice before and she'd caught on so he had to pretend to be an average passer-by. He didn't think she was a mutant- she never used any powers on Charlie. But he should be quiet all the same. So he quietly moved in and out of the shadows edging closer to a tapestry he was aiming to crawl behind. They were talking, he'd have to take the man out. Didn't feel right killing a man he had no beef with... maybe if he could just get close enough to only get him in the shoulder or leg... just enough so he wouldn't interfere with the blond. For all he knew this man could have a wife and kids. He wasnt fond of offing fathers. The blond had no one. Nancy knew that all along. Nancy had little birds too. The blond was sharp, but Nancy was sharper.

"I mean really, the hotel bar isn't so bad Paul. It might be a.. ah.. convenient place-"

BANG!!!!

Lumen tackled Paul to the ground with cat like reflexes before she even realized her ears had just registered a gun shot. In another heart beat she was back on her feet seeing the ripple in the tapestry she sent all her power from her eyes at it as hard as she could. Her heart fluttered in her chest and skipped a second which brought her back to reality and she reeled the power back. It was still enough to flatten the tapestry and Lumen could see the shape of a man struggling with it. She didn't dare take her eyes off him and she reached for her phone but she wasn't wearing it. She wasn't wearing her belt either. Lumen had no weapons, no phone, nothing. "It's just one. We need the police." Lumen barked, eyes darting across the pews trying to identify the one where she'd left her coat and phone. Then she looked down at Paul where she'd just knocked him. "Oh my God... Paul." she dropped to her knees and momentarily forgot the bald man.

The bald man was struggling in the tapestry. He'd tried to hit the man in the shoulder but got him more in the chest. He had to get out of here, and fast. He was too slow on launching the second bullet. Too slow for the blond. She was on to him, she knew where he was standing, and she was planning to call the police. But this damn tapestry had somehow pinned him to the wall and gotten all tangled. Finally he worked his switch blade free and sliced a tear through it. The flap of fabric blew loose and he moved and caught the nearest candle. It must have been old because the thing started going up fast. Yeah, he needed to get the hell out of here but he needed to off the blond first.

Lumen was pressing both hands to Paul's wound and blood was oozing out between her fingers quickly. It was warm and sticky and she could still hear the shuffling of the man trying to free himself from the tapestry. "Paul. Paul. You're going to be okay but we need to get back to the pew and get my phone. Unless you've got one." she could smell smoke and she looked up. Flames. She sat then keeping both hands pressed firmly to Paul as the blood spread across his nice dress shirt. Her eyes were giving off a faint glow she was unaware of as she watched the tapestry. The man inside was almost free and she knew he had a gun. "I've gotta get you up Paul and we need to run."


ooc: Feel free to take over the man and gmod to get us where we need to be, and also to fill in dialogue

Lumen flirted right back at him and that made Paul's smile widen. Not only was she flirting but she wanted their evening to continue. Was it even possible for their evening to get any better? His mind was going over all the possibilities until he and Lumen came to a stop in front of the window she had been leading him to. It was a beautiful piece of artistry depicting a women rising up to what the artist most likely meant to be heaven. It was quite beautiful though Paul did wonder whether it could have been inspired by a mutant from years before. Perhaps the artist had witnessed a flying mutant and used that as a depiction of Mary rising into the heavenlies?

Suddenly what Lumen was saying clicked in his mind and he turned his eyes away from the glass to look at her. A part of him was tempted to reveal that the Catholics were wrong on at least one of those counts... there were at least three others who had not and possibly might never experience death. "Death is what everyone in the world runs from. Though they might not admit it everyone fears it in some way or another." Paul murmured quietly, his eyes never leaving the blond, "And she was lucky. She didn't just avoid death but she was taken into a place of beauty and joy. Imagine if she had lived forever here on earth... then we wouldn't consider her so lucky."

Slowly their conversation moved away from the serious to the more flirtatious as they tried to decide where they wanted to go. Their speech was filled with innuendos that made it quite clear what was on both of their minds. The drink would be good but the entertainment immediately after would be far better.

Lumen was mid-sentence when Paul suddenly felt like a horse had kicked him right in the chest. Mere seconds later he was on the ground with Lumen on top of him, apparently trying to save him from what had just happened. As she rose back up to her feet to face whatever menace had come upon them, Paul felt his mind changing. Thoughts of pleasure and enjoyment were replaced with the cold analytical mind of experience. From the way his his chest hurt and the breathing was hard Paul knew that things wouldn't continue to respond for long. He had been through the process to many times but there would be no hurrying it as he had done when facing Lori... first he had to get Lumen to a safe place.

Gritting out one single curse, Paul was about to try to get up when Lumen was suddenly on top of him, hands pressed against the bloody wound. She didn't realize that she was holding him down, keeping him from rising back up to his feet. "I'll... be fine." It was hard to talk through the pain, but not impossible, especially since this was a road he had taken before. Struggling to his feet, Paul's mind continued to curse inwardly at how weak he was already becoming. Even after just these few moments he was force to have an arm over Lumen's shoulders in order to support himself.

The idea of getting Lumen's phone was a good one, great even, except for the fact that it meant crossing through a lot of open space that made them a great target for their attacker. No, Lumen's cell phone was out and Paul didn't carry one which was something that he'd have to correct in the very near future.

"Confessional!" His voice was strained and getting somewhat weaker but with plenty of fight still left in it. Thanks to the flames and smoke there was plenty of cover to get where they were going but just as they were opening the door, Paul noticed something else. Gripping Lumen's shoulder tightly he stopped her and nodded toward another door back behind and to the side of the platform. A small door with one simple word emblazoned on it. 'Basement'

As they turned to go, Paul shoved the confessional door closed hard enough that even over the sound of the crackling fire it could be heard. Hopefully it would provide a good distraction for the shooter to investigate while they were safely tucked away in the basement.

***

The bald man had been forced to circle towards the back of the church and then come back up the center aisle in order to avoid the flames that were growing as they licked up the tapestry. Sweat was pouring down his face but the reassuring feeling of the gun in his hand game him all the courage he needed. He had seen that the man was hurt bad, a pity but at least he wouldn't be a witness, which meant he only needed to take out the blond which was going to be easy. It was somewhat cliched really. Didn't people hide in the confessional in every movie ever made that contained a catholic church? He had heard the door close as he moved toward the back of the church and with no other sounds it was quite clear where they must be. This time she wouldn't get away!

***

Paul sat down heavily on the stone floor with his back up against the wall. The basement was half filled with various equipment and old files while the other half was still relatively bare and empty. "Lumen... listen..." Paul had to get this out before things went much farther. She might not understand but he still had to tell her what needed to be done. "One hour... things will be OK... one hour. Stay hide... safe..."

It was a jumbled mess of words but hopefully it was enough. Hopefully Lumen would get the message even if she didn't understand. His body didn't matter, even if the shooter decided to look in the basement. As long as Lumen remained hidden she would be fine and in one hour Paul could help. She just had to wait one hour.

"Bye..." He whispered at the last moment before his eyes glassed over and he slumped heavily back against the wall. The clock had begun ticking.

(OOC: The hour is yours, to do with as you like. )

ooc: sorry for the typos, I was rushing when I posted, I should have waited! I went back and fixed a few. Hope they make more sense. lol

ic:

Lumen nodded helping Paul to his feet when he suggested the confessional. The shooter was free but lost in the smoke and crossing the church to get to her phone made no sense. At least if they were hiding somewhere someone soon had to come because of the flames. How long could the man try and hunt then when the police and fire department would be on the way?

She could feel her power surging with ferocity with every step she took. It swam through her body like a current and pooled in her eyes. It was all she could do to spread it out again with every step. She couldn't handle a blinding headache right now. She was strong but it was still hard work helping Paul and then before she realized what was happening he was slamming the confessional and pushing her to the basement. Lumen was upset she wasn't on her game! But usually she only had to take care of herself. She couldn't feel bad knowing she was keeping Paul safe.

They stumbled down the steps and she leaned him against the wall.
" Oh God Paul... the blood... there's so much blood. I think it hit an artery." she was feeling her face go pale, but not as pale as his. She searched the room to find something to staunch the bleeding. She could hear the person upstairs kicking, pacing, muttering, and slamming things. He fired I warning shot into the air. It lodged in a concrete pillar.

She found an old vestment and brought it back to Paul pressing it into his wound and picking up his cold hand and making him press it. He was babbling about an hour. Something about an hour? Lumen's skin was burning. "We have to be quiet... shhh... he'll hear us my love.". She called Riori her love. She called her mother her love. That's what they said to her. It was intimate- not in the sexual sense, but in the caring very much for someone sense. Right now Lumen cared more than anything that Paul did not die from the gun shot wound so obviously meant for her, and that the shooter didn't make it in.

She was shaking, and Paul's hand wasn't responding. His eyes had drooped, he was slumped.
"Paul?" she bit her lip feeling her power surge through her skin. They hadn't turned on the basement light. Why hadn't it occurred to her to turn on the basement light? Why wasn't it pitch black? "...Paul?" she gave his shoulders a shake. She could tell right away he wasn't breathing. "Paul!" she laid him on the floor and began chest compressions. His heart had stopped. "Please Paul Please."

Upstairs the beams of the church were starting to fall. The shooter could hear sirens outside, the police and the fire department. He ran towards a door- likely the basement, but a pillar tumbled and blocked it from opening. "shit!" he turned back around trying to make his way across to the main entrance but he'd be caught coming out that way. He was sweaty, there was ash on his face. He wiped it like it made a difference.

Lumen was glowing full throttle now but nothing seemed to matter. Hot tears spilled down her face.
"Please Paul please don't do this to me. Not on our first date." she pounded on his chest feebly but it would not rise. She fell down on her hands and knees sobbing. It didn't matter that she was losing her cool, it didn't matter how light was on full power, she didn't care if anything or anyone saw her like this. Paul was dead, and it was her fault. All because she wanted to go to Christmas Eve mass. All because she reacted too slow. All because she wasn't smart enough. All because she wasn't strong enough. Just like when Riori was taken.

She sat like that- she didn't know for how long- just sobbing. Sobbing for Paul. Sobbing for Riori. Sobbing for her lost childhood. Everything. She was blinded so much by her own light, by her own tears, she could hardly see when she stumbled up the stairs to try and open the basement door. She could hear sirens. Someone was coming, but they weren't coming fast enough. Worse yet the smoke was seeping in. She tried to open the door but it wouldn't budge, so she sat on the stairs just looking at Paul.

Her light had never been this bright before. She just let it out, full cap. Her heart was slow and her body was motionless. Her power was being fuelled by every ounce of her emotions and it felt better to let it all out through her light than to sit there and cry. So she just sat, staring at Paul, glowing, feeling her heart slow. It would be easy to let it all end. Sometimes she flirted with death when she let her power go. It would be easy to just go to that dark place and forget about Riori, forget about herself, and all the things important. Paul was dead. He wasn't coming back. She was trapped in a burning church basement with no phone. Worst. Date. Ever.

Whenever he had died before, he had been descending into darkness but this time the room seemed to be getting brighter. As he slowly drifted away he saw a glowing light filling the room with a bit of blond hair just visible at the edge of the light. It was wondrous but it wasn't enough to hold him.

"...my love." The soft whisper seemed to echo over and over. It had been years since anyone had really cared about Paul. Ashley had said that she loved him and then she had died leaving him alone. Now, a woman that he barely knew but one that he wanted to know better had called him 'my love'. If he was capable of conscious thought while dead then he would be thinking about just how nice those words sounded. He would be thinking about how sorry he was that Lumen had been forced to watch him die with being able to really explain what would soon happen. He would have been thinking so many things, but was thought even possible in that place?

Upstairs an earthly fire blazed, consuming fabric, wood, and anything flammable. It lapped away, trying to fight through the block and brick to the little room below even as smoke continued to seep through the cracks in the door way.

Below, a bright glow filled what should have been a pitch black room. Up against one wall, Paul's former shell lay devoid of life but then somewhere deep inside a spark suddenly came back to life. The spark roared to life in mere moment, as though fueled by some strange accelerant, the body was consumed and blazing away in an almost supernatural way. It was the work of only a few seconds and then the flames slowly died away, leaving a large pile of ash. For a brief moment nothing happened and then the ash moved and began to fall away as Paul slowly moved back up to his feet. For a brief second he was disoriented, not only by the restoration of life but by the bright light that shone directly in front of him. For a second it looked like an angel and Paul had to ponder whether he had finally made it to heaven. Had he finally died for the last time? But then the acrid smell of smoke filled his nostrils and his eyes adjusted to see that his angel was actually Lumen, glowing with some sort of celestial light.

"Lumen!" He ran to her, momentarily forgetting his nakedness and the shock that his resurrection was probably having on the young woman, "Get down here! You have to stay below the smoke!"

Lumen was slowly succumbing to an unconscious state as she let her power continue to seep. She was barley aware of the momentary burst of flames in front of her. Somewhere in the back of her mind she figured the fire had caught up. She didn't register it was coming from the wrong direction. All she could hear and feel was the slowing of her heart beat. It would stop soon and in this lucid state she was fine with it. The regular Lumen would never given up. The regular Lumen wouldnt have cried, she'd have tracked the shooter down and shoot him back. Regular Lumen wasn't here right now. Leave a message after the beep.

But suddenly strong arms against her shoulders shaking her back to life. Her eyes drifted to the person's face in a dream like state. She didn't register what she was seeing at first, or rather, who. "Paul?" she stood up but the smoke was too much so she crouched face to face with him. "But you were shot. You were dead... I didn't feel a heart beat. Did I die?" the words rolled out almost lazily. Until she realized she could see Paul. Her eyes started to widen. "You're.... you... you are alive! And ... And... you're naked... AND I'M GLOWING!" and with that statement the lights went out for a second.

Before she'd turned herself off Lumen had made eye contact on the nearest light bulb. It was only dark for a second before the light bulb flickered on and she saw just how much smoke really was filling the room. "Holy crap you're right we gotta get down!" she crouched down still shakey from using so much power. She could hear voices outside.

"There's people in there, move the debris we need to break down the door!" She could hear the shuffling of items but knew it would take a few men a bit of time to move the debris and chop down the door. Maybe the smoke would stop soon though, if they made it that far surely they had put out some of the flames?

She sat, half cross legged and was quiet for a moment. Focus, Lumen needed focus. Lumen needed clarity. That's what she got. It took all of 5 seconds but it washed over her like a waterfall and it all made sense. She turned to Paul apparently not very aware of his nakedness. "Paul..." she began "We're both mutants."

(OOC: Loved the 'Leave a message after the beep.' line! lol.)

Lumen seemed to be almost in a stupor when Paul began to shake her and for a moment he thought she might have passed out but then she seemed to snap back to reality. Suddenly she was asking questions and making statement as her mind tried to process the reality of the situation. Yes, Paul had died but yes, Paul was once again alive. Thankfully the nudity issue didn't seem to matter at the moment, perhaps because they were still in a life or death situation. Suddenly, as though a switch had been flipped, the glow turned off and the room was cast into darkness that was broken mere moments later by the soft glow of a light bulk suddenly flickering on. Paul wasn't sure how it had happened but at the moment he didn't care. The important thing was getting down off the stares and as low as possible so that they could continue to breath until someone rescued them.

"There's people in there, move the debris we need to break down the door!"

And apparently that rescue was not far away. That wasn't really a surprise either. After all, an hour must have gone by since that was how long it took Paul to resurrect. "That must have been some fire..." He murmured to himself as he and Lumen made their way down the stairs and then crouched down where the air was a little less smoky. Suddenly, Lumen seemed to focus on the obviousness of the situation.

"Yeah..." He said slowly, "About that..." He hadn't told her up front about his being a mutant, but then she hadn't shared her ability with him either. That meant they were still even steven, right? Of course, she also had the advantage because she had now seen him naked... which was something that needed to be remedied before their rescue. Being in the headlines as a mysterious naked man rescued from a burning catholic church was not exactly the sort of fame and fortune that Paul had ever desired to have.

Quickly moving over to the storage boxes, Paul hastily dug through one after another, looking the one item that he hoped had been stored away. If he had been a believer then he might have actually cast a prayer toward the heavenlies as he looked. Finally, After a few minutes of frantic searching, he found what he was looking for. A used cassock, obviously somewhat old and worn but without holes and still in relatively good condition. It was rare to see a priest wearing a cassock here in New York City but in other places around the world it was still a common sight. Thankfully, there were a few stored away, one of which Paul was going to use. After all, if there were a god, he wouldn't want Paul running around stark naked would he?

"Lumen," Paul began, now comfortably covered and ready to deal more with the matter at hand, "I'm as amazed as you that we're both mutants but we should wait to talk about it. The firemen are almost here, let's get out of the building and after they check us over go someplace where we can talk properly. Why don't you come back to my apartment. It's private and I'm sure it'll be a safe location."

There were lots of things to talk about. First and foremost would be a discussion of who the shooter was after. Lumen was the more obvious target but there was still the possibility that they had been after Paul. Enough things had happened since his arrival in New York City that he had to have made at least a few enemies.

ooc: sorry for the delay, had our last little day with family before they all flew off! then had mega sugar crash, lol
IC:

Lumen was slowly retracing her mental steps while Paul searched for something to wear. The shooter. Who was the shooter? She was thinking back to all the work this week... she'd done everything elegantly and the cases she was involved in were either solved or progressing. Unless he was some henchmen of one of the people arrested. That had to be it. Someone in connection with the M stakeout.

She could hear the chopping of an axe as the firemen worked their way through the door. There was only a little smoke seeping through so she had to hope the fire had been extinguished. "This is an old church, it's no wonder if it burnt right up." She commented as Paul rejoined her looking an awful lot like a fryer.

He brought up her captain obvious moment about mutation and suggested they go back to his apartment. Was that really a good idea right now? She furrowed her brows, she couldn't be certain. She felt wired in some respect- she wanted to get back to her hotel room, get clean, and get access to her laptop. But if someone had a hit out on her it wouldn't be a good idea to be alone. Since Paul apparently couldn't die from a bullet wound maybe he would be the best choice to be around despite getting him shot the first time. "Okay, yeah. Maybe we should go to your place. I think they may have been following me. But I still need to stop at the hotel and grab some things. Probably some new clothes..." she looked down at her ash covered threads.

"Hey! There are people down here, hurry up!" called one of the fire fighters as he pulled his body through the door. "Miss, Padre, are you both all right? It was a smart move heading into the basement." he gave them both an oxygen mask. Lumen darted her eyes to Paul to actually take in how he was dressed. She grinned. Yep, a Padre. For sure.

"We're fine, mostly." she explained. "The fire was started by an unknown shooter. He remained in the church after it cleared out while we were... ah.. praying. The Padre here was giving me confession." she motioned to Paul.

The fireman nodded. "Breathe into this please. We've got EMTs standing by to check you over, and you'll need to give your statement for the police. The fire's been put out but there's still a lot of smoke. Please hang on to each of our arms and breathe only through your mask." Another fireman came in behind the first and they both offered arms to Lumen and Paul. Lumen secured the oxygen mask and followed the fireman out.

Once outside Paul and Lumen were sat in the back of an ambulance with EMTs shining lights down their throat and nose, checking for smoke damage, making them breathe into little machines, and patting them down for wounds. Lumen answered all of their questions as well as the police. She hoped Paul had the smarts to stay quiet- this wasn't her first rodeo. Yes, they'd been in confession when the shooter open fired. No, she didn't know who he was and No, he didn't seem like a mutant. Her Padre was not a member of this church but a visiting family friend from France who'd come with her to Christmas Mass. No, they didn't think the shooter had anything specific against them, just a simple act of random violence. (she wasn't about to tell the truth on that one) Yes, they had somewhere safe to go.

Just as she was finishing a fireman came out with an armload of things. Lumen's charred jacket, a surprisingly okay cell phone, and an ash covered little bear.. "Stanley!" Lumen exclaimed surprised to see the little Polar Bear had survived the flame with minimal damage. She took him from the fire fighter and shot a bright grin right at Paul and held Stanley up for him to see. Well if that wasn't something!

It took another 45 minutes but Paul and Lumen were finally cleared to leave. "I need to hit my hotel first." Lumen instructed.

(OOC: No problem. The holidays are always hectic for everyone. )

"It's an old church but I bet it's still pretty sound. There was a lot of wood trim and wall hangings to burn but the main structure itself is stone." Paul responded as he glanced around at the basement that had once again withstood yet another test, "I bet a few months work, maybe less, will get this place back up to code."

For a few moment, Lumen seemed to be thinking about his invitation to come back to her house but then she accepted it. Paul was under no expectation that the romantic side of things would continue once they got there. Being shot at and almost dieing in a burning building were not the sort of things that drove people into the bedroom, even if the movies disagreed. And apparently Lumen felt like she had been the target which meant that she would be pretty keyed up for the foreseeable future. But they needed to talk... definitely they needed to talk.

But for the moment, all thoughts of conversation were thrown out as the firemen finally broke through the door and into the basement. He was being called Padre and felt absolutely no need to correct the man. Better to be called a priest than asked question about why he was in the basement sans clothes. "Thank you, my son." Paul murmured as he took the oxygen math and began to breath though it. For the next hour or so, everything was a circus. After being escorted outside they were immediately checked over by the EMTs. It was something of a laugh to hear the paramedic try to sort out exactly how Paul was in such good condition. His blood pressure wasn't high, his lungs seemed completely clear, and he seemed to be suffering absolutely no ill effect. Lumen didn't seem to be in bad shape herself but it was almost as if the Padre hadn't even been in a fire at all. "I am blessed from on high... the Lord is my protector." Paul answered, doing his best to give the kindly smile that so many associated with the priesthood.

When it came time for the police report, Paul stayed relatively silent. Lumen seemed to have everything handled quite well and he saw no reason to but in. Besides, her cover story that he was from France and was just here for the holidays worked quite well. He would have even been covered if one of the police officer actually spoke French, which none of them did. But of course, Lumen already knew that from their past meetings. She was shrewd... even more shrewd than he'd been giving her credit for.

The fact that the little bear had somehow survive the blaze was in itself a miracle. Paul had discounted everything upstairs as a total loss but somehow it had lived. Perhaps it had been covered and protected by her jacket which was charred rather nicely. However it had happened, it seemed to make Lumen happy and Paul couldn't help but smile at her delight. After being shot at and watching a friend die and then come back to life she was reveling in a little stuffed bear.

Finally they were in a cab and heading for the hotel. "Make sure to grab the essentials too." Paul reminded her when the vehicle came to a stop outside of her current residence, "I'm sure you'll want a quick shower to get the ash and smoke off of you. Then, once we're cleaned up we can sit down for that talk."

***

A little less than an hour later the cab pulled up in front of the bakery, above which was the apartment that Paul rented. Because it was so early in the morning, the bakery was closed but already the smells of dough rising and ovens warming were wafting through the air. It would be long because the scent of baking bread took over the whole area.

"I'm right up these stairs and the second door in the inside hall." Paul spoke softly as he led her to the stairs that ran up the side of the building. He was purposely being careful not to make to much noise just to make sure he didn't wake up his landlord in the next door apartment who also happened to be the owner and operator of the bakery downstairs. "It's small but it's enough for me."

Paul's apartment was a shotgun style room with a tiny kitchen off to the left, a small living room, and a single door of the right that apparently led to the bedroom and bathroom. The room was also relatively sparse. As someone that died over and over again and burned up anything nearby when he was reborn, Paul had come to limit the personal items that he carried. There were no pictures of people anywhere in the apartment. Instead there were two or three tasteful pieces of art depicting New York City at different times of the day. A comfortable looking sage color couch was up against the far wall facing the average sized TV that was actually right next to the entry door. A small coffee table sat in front of the couch and next to the couch was a slightly worn looking gray recliner. There was absolutely nothing extravagant about the space but it was homey and comfortable which counted for a lot.

"Why don't you take the shower first?" Paul offered once they were inside with the door locked and he could speak normally, "I'll fix us some drinks and maybe a snack. There are extra towels under the sink in the bathroom." He was doing his best to try and make this as easy on Lumen as he could. Sure they had been through a life and death situation together but she had also discovered that he had been holding back a very important part of who he was. Did she really trust him? Here she was in a strange apartment with a man she still didn't know that well. It was best that he try to put her mind at ease as much as possible.

ooc: lol I love the padre stuff, have me laughing out loud for real

Ic:

Lumen thought Paul did an excellent job portraying the priest but she had an internal belly flop when he suggested they talk. The way he said talk sounded like a parent. Since Paul apparently didnt die, she found herself wondering exactly how old he was. What did she really know about him anyway? Part of her was suspicious he might sparkle in the full on sun.

When they stopped by the hotel she ran inside and up the stairs to find her essentials. A backup battery for a phone, a utility belt, clean clothes and scent free soap, her tooth brush, laptop in a laptop bag, and a good strong book bag to put it all in. She left Stanley on the night stand and took one more longing look at her red string map. Tomorrow she told herself.

When they finally arrived at Paul's home she wasn't surprised to see it looking so sparse. She was a little surprised he lived above the bakery and wondered if the running was all a cover so he could eat as much of the stuff downstairs as he wanted. Again she found herself feeling suspicious. There were no family photos. Nothing specific about the place. All rather generic. She put her belongings except for the clean clothes down on the couch. "Thanks" she replied when he offered the bathroom first.

She slipped into the bathroom and started peeling off her charred and stained clothes. She flipped the fan on- hopefully it would do more than just clear out the steam but maybe the lingering smoke smell as well. Her hair looked grey and black in some places from the smoke. Her eyes were red and blood shot, her skin smeared with ash, and her clothes stinking. She put them directly into the waste basket garbage bag that she then tied up so the smokey smell couldnt get out. She stood for a moment looking at herself nude in the mirror. She looked like she gotten some weird grey tan, all covered in 'tan lines' where the smoke and ash didn't penetrate.

She'd seen Paul naked. At the time, it didn't seem to make a difference. She was so in shock and in such a whirl of emotions. She banged her fists down on the sink. Her behaviour was unacceptable. The melt down, the crying, all of it. If she truly thought Paul dead she should have worked to find a way out of that basement and tracked down the shooter. Now she was going to have to re-open the case with no one footing the bill. Figuring out who he was was all going to come from her own pocket and it needed it be done in order to secure her safety.

She turned the water on and stepped into the shower. The water ran blackish brown for a few moments before turning to clear. She smoothed the water through her long hair and used the bar of soap on her skin and hair. She never used scented products or perfume. She wanted to smell like she did when she last saw her twin, so when they found each other again there would be something familiar.

The hot water felt nice, but it also let her know how tired and sore she really was. Lumen hadn't let off so much power in years and the effort of it left her feeling like a regular old human. There was no power twitching under her skin or fighting for control behind her eyes. It had been reduced to a dull flicker at her core. On the plus side she probably wouldnt have a headache for days.

Finally she stepped out and wrapped herself in a towel. It didnt take her long to dry off and become presentable. She braided her damp hair and it slid down her back like a twisted white snake, longer than it was dry. She cleaned the bathroom up the best she could for Paul. He said she could have the shower first but she wasn't sure if he'd actually need it. He looked as good and clean as he did the moment they started the date. His body showed no signs of surviving a fire or dying. Curiouser and curiouser.

She came out of the bathroom and noticed it was nearly 3am from the clock on the oven in the kitchen. She found Paul and sat herself at the smallish table. "Merry Christmas." she said in a toneless voice. "Are you going to tell me you're a vampire who sparkles in the sun now?" somehow, she didnt think the movies got this one right.

The shower water was running and while a very small part of Paul's mind pondered about the sights and sounds contained within the steam, the rest of his thoughts were focused on the situation that he now found himself in. He needed to explain himself to Lumen and since she now knew about his ability he needed to come clean on the lies that he had told her. Thankfully there hadn't been a lot, just a little bit of misdirection in order to hide his real age. "And I thought this was finally going to be a nice Holiday." He grumbled under his breath. It probably would have been a good idea to get out of the priestly garments but since Lumen was in the bathroom which happened to connect to the bedroom, he simply remained in what he had on. In just a few minutes he had started some coffee brewing and then set out a bottle of bourbon along with two glasses. On most days he wasn't much of a drinker but since he had died and his resurrection had then wiped all remnants of alcohol from his system, he figured he deserved it.

Abruptly the sound of the shower ceased and Paul found himself fighting off a touch of nervousness. How was Lumen going to act now that she had had time to process everything that had happened? Was she going to hate him for lying to her or would they still have the friendly banter that had made their evening so enjoyable?

The toneless voice gave Paul his answer and it wasn't the one he had been hoping for. It was disappointing but he had become somewhat used to disappointment over his life. "Happy Holidays..." Paul responded carefully as he struggled to come up with the appropriate answer. Exactly what was Lumen looking to hear?

"To start... no, I'm not a vampire. I don't drink blood, stalk virgins, or turn into a bat. I'm just a mutant with the ability to come back from the dead. I grew up while tensions were rising in Europe and my family split apart when World War II started. I've been on my own since I was 24. After I died for the first time, I was stuck. I didn't understand what had happened, I no longer had any papers, and I had no money. I became a thief and over the years became quite good at it. I could handle anything from your basic pick pocketing to more difficult heists. Eventually I was caught and forged into the French military. I killed and eventually was killed. I found my way to America in the 60's and went to California in the 70's. I met and fell in love with a woman named Ashley Sullivan that died from Leukemia. I grieved and tried to take my own life but as always, I came right back. I ended up coming back to New York to get away from the memories. Even now I keep my ear to the streets and along with my landscaping I still work on the occasional... less than legal project."

It was all coming out so quickly but even this was just the synopsis but it was what Lumen deserved to hear. She had the right to know the real story to the man she had once been thinking about taking to bed. If she felt like walking out his door and never seeing him again after that, well that was her choice, but she had the right to choose.

"From what little I know, I'm something like a phoenix from mythology. I do and am reborn in flames that come forth from my own body. When I'm reborn, though outwardly I look the same, I seem to have the strength and stamina of a young man."

Reaching over, Paul opened the bottle of alcohol and poured a little in both glasses. After taking a swallow of his own drink he stared at the glass for a few moments and then lifted his eyes to once again focus on Lumen. "I'm sorry I lied to you. It's become a habit in order to protect my identity. I'm no saint Lumen, never claimed that I was, but I was honest with you when I said that Mary was lucky. She avoided death and didn't have to keep living here on earth." The last statement laid completely bare the sort of pain that Paul was forced to carry. He was used to it but that didn't mean that, on occasion, he didn't bring it out to relive it and maybe even wallow in it a little. His ability was truly both a blessing and a curse.

Lumen sat reclining in the chair with her elbow on the table and her hand propping up her head. Her face was a stern mask that portrayed no emotion as she absorbed Paul's story. It made sense too much sense but she couldn't fault herself for not being able to figure out his mutation. She was mildly annoyed she hadnt figured out he was a mutant. She knew there were secrets from the way he spoke, but at the time she'd been grateful that she wasnt the only one with secrets. They mutually and silently accepted there were secrets. It was nice, for a chance.

>>To start... no, I'm not a vampire. I don't drink blood, stalk virgins, or turn into a bat. I'm just a mutant with the ability to come back from the dead. I grew up while tensions were rising in Europe and my family split apart when World War II started. I've been on my own since I was 24. After I died for the first time, I was stuck. I didn't understand what had happened, I no longer had any papers, and I had no money. I became a thief and over the years became quite good at it. I could handle anything from your basic pick pocketing to more difficult heists. Eventually I was caught and forged into the French military. I killed and eventually was killed. I found my way to America in the 60's and went to California in the 70's. I met and fell in love with a woman named Ashley Sullivan that died from Leukemia. I grieved and tried to take my own life but as always, I came right back. I ended up coming back to New York to get away from the memories. Even now I keep my ear to the streets and along with my landscaping I still work on the occasional... less than legal project."

She was shocked he was telling her so much. A simple explanation of his powers would have sufficed but it seemed Paul, like herself, didn't have much of an opportunity to talk about the trials of his mutation. She was afraid of her mutation. Down to her very bones she was afraid. Nothing terribly bad happened to cause the phobia but she feared irrationally none the less. It seemed Paul had every single reason to feel afraid.

She took a sip of the alcohol infused beverage and it chased down her throat like electric wires. She welcomed it. She felt cool, calm, and calculating. She pondered what to say and do next. Paul obviously had a lot of issued when it came to his identity, and she could just imagine how the IRS would flip finding someone like him. She felt a pang of sympathy for him. How was he supposed to live if not in shadows?

>>"From what little I know, I'm something like a phoenix from mythology. I do and am reborn in flames that come forth from my own body. When I'm reborn, though outwardly I look the same, I seem to have the strength and stamina of a young man."

That made sense now. The whole vibe she was getting from him, young yet wise, a flirt but almost a father figure in some regards. Lumen could appreciate a man with experience though, both in life, love, and mutation. Her mind was whirlling but her face showed no trace.

>>I'm sorry I lied to you. It's become a habit in order to protect my identity. I'm no saint Lumen, never claimed that I was, but I was honest with you when I said that Mary was lucky. She avoided death and didn't have to keep living here on earth."

She inhaled deeply, crossed her arms and pressed the back of one hand to her mouth in a thinking posture. Then, she focused on the mug in front of him. Her eyes began to glow, her pulsed slowed and the mug raised into the air. The lights flickered for a moment in the background before she set the mug back down.

"You lied to protect yourself. Same as I do. Never apologize for self-preservation." She took her own mug and had another sip. Her eyes drifted around the room taking in the sights. "My mutation is annoying at best, it doesn't often help me in my work and causes more problems than it's worth. It would be convenient in my field to withstand bullets and walk away some time later like it never happened. Im not so sure I'd be willing to pay your cost however." They sat in silence for a moment. It wasnt awkward, but it wasn't comfortable either.

"It seems to me you could do with a roomate. Someone who was good with computers, someone who could help you achieve a new identity if needed. Someone skilled at finding and changing information. It so happens, I know someone who probably shouldn't be alone until she discovers and eliminates the threat of a certain unknown shooter. Someone small enough to fit on that couch." she pointed for added emphasis.

Now she supposed it was her turn to tell a bit about herself. But really, what was there to tell? Hi I'm Lumen, I have a borderline incestuous obsession with my missing twin and Im in New York chasing an apparent unicorn man? she didn't imagine that would go over well.

"I started being able to move things. With my eyes." she began "Then the energy became too much and I started to shine, really shine. My mother helped me keep it under control. That was all before my twin was taken. He could move people and objects too but he was stronger than me. I think that's why the mutant terrorist group took him. I think now he must have had the gift of future seeing too because he knew they were coming and knew what would happen if he didn't go along quietly. He was only 6." she paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. "You were right, Im here mostly because of him. but Im working with the boys in blue to get to the bottom of some missing people, mainly kids, and M trafficking." that's all she could share, she couldnt think of anything more. She had no lost love to tell of, no real lost family beyond what he already knew. She hadn't lived for damn near 90 years

She turned her face to him "Im sorry for your mutation. A blessing wrapped right up in a curse. It must be painful to keep living while those around you parish. But I have to admit, Im mighty thankful you came back to life when you did. It still wasn't the worst date I've been on" and then, she finally cracked that smile.

Could it really be called self-preservation when it seemed impossible for a person to die? It was an interesting thought but also one that he saw no reason to voice out loud. Why start a debate when none is necessary? At least she seemed to be taking the news well, though Paul missed seeing her smile. Really, it was a sad ending to what had looked like a promising evening. Not as bad as it could have been of course but somewhat sad none the less.

"Someone asked me once if I would keep this ability if I had the choice and with the life I've led, I'd have to say yes. I died for the first time when I was only 25. Without this ability I would have never had the opportunity to experience much beyond the pain and agony of war. There are a lot of down sides but I've been able to live which is something that I shouldn't have been able to do." He offered quietly. The price was most definitely steep but wasn't it better to live through more pain in order to experience at least a little love instead of having died with less pain but having never experienced true love? But those were questions for philosophers of which Paul was not a part. Maybe in his next manifestation and identity he would try that but not now.

The room was silent for a moment and then Lumen suddenly began to talk about how he needed a room mate. Raising an eyebrow ever so slightly, Paul remained silent as he listened to her reasons. He really wasn't that bad with computers, though he was probably not as good as she since most of his experience was with security systems not the Internet. Finding and changing information was a skill he had never needed but perhaps they would be useful. The damsel in distress, or at least in a small bit of trouble angle was an interesting argument and actually did tug at him a little though it wasn't enough for him to definitely say yes. The real question he had to answer was... did he want another person living with him and seeing the types of things he actually did?

That was the question that circled through Paul's mind over and over while Lumen gave a description of her ability as well as a brief history. This was a woman that was connected to the police with whom he really didn't want to be connected. Was she willing to look the other way if he came across a job that he didn't want to pass up?

"I'm glad that our date wasn't the worst ever." His own face split into a slight smile as relief rushed over him. For this brief moment, Lumen's smile was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds. Not because he was in love or anything but because he honestly didn't want to be the cause of more pain for her. Thankfully she seemed to be getting over what they had gone through together. "I would... enjoy having a flat mate but are you sure this is what YOU want? I already mentioned that I don't always follow the letter of the law. Won't that be a problem for you since you're working with the authorities?" Paul wasn't holding back on who he was but neither was he apologizing for it. He had lived this life for long and he wasn't going to change just because he had met an attractive blond. Ashley might have been able to change him but until he met another woman like her... well, in ninety years a person becomes rather set in their ways.

"I dont have much choice in the matter, at least for the time being." Lumen replied when he probed into the idea of a roomate. "Hate to inconvenience you, but it was rather coincidental they found me in that church. Too much so. I dont think I'd need much more than a week to sort things out if you could bare it. I'm quiet and clean." you got shot on me buddy, if you weren't there I wouldnt have stuck around and if the shooter did strike I could have fought back.

With that she sat her mug down and stood up to stretch. It was just an innocent stretch, but if giving Paul a little glance of her figure didn't stir up a little more sympathy she'd be damned. "I use the police not the other way around. I choose what jobs I do so it's of no consequence to me what you do or do not do. Especially if I'm none the wiser." she hinted. "I almost became an officer back home but the police are just as corrupt as anyone else. It's just hidden behind agendas and falsehoods much better"

There was a tension in the air. Not an entirely un-sexy one. There was something about escaping death, and letting go of a few secrets that could get the blood boiling. Mixed in with the deliriousness of being tired and losing a little too much power. "You are who you are Paul," she began trying to do that female mind reading thing that was really just women knowing how men think "I can't change that, nor am I interested in it. Im sure I can handle myself on my own though- if it's too much. I might just relocate a little quicker than I anticipated." as in like, right after a nap. Baddies didn't tend to do much skulking in the early rays of morning sunshine after all the skulking late into the night. If she needed to she was fairly confident she could sneak back to the hotel unnoticed to gather up her red web and relocate. She may have to settle for a more expensive flat than she'd hoped but she could make it work.