Sarah woke up earlier than truly necessary for her day but let it go. With a quick shower and small breakfast, the brunette was on her way to work. She kept her regular clothes simple because she knew she'd be changing once she arrived at her work place. She had even left her ball cap in her apartment.

The streets were crowded, as usual for the city, and people bumped into her without notice. Sarah took her time walking to watch the sky above her. She immediately noticed the cloudy sky, indicating there would be rain later on. Once her short walk was over, Sarah went through the back door to the changing rooms.

"You're early," one of the other waitresses commented as Sarah changed her shirt.

"Woke up early," Sarah shrugged. "No need to sit around when I can help set up."

The other two opening girls laughed as they finished changing. Once Sarah was in her white shirt, black skirt, and low black heels, she walked into the kitchen and out into the actual seating area to help set the tables around the restaurant. With everyone working together, the early work was finished and the doors opened.

'Now all we have to do is wait for customers,' Sarah thought as she made a pitcher of tea.

Sam was out in the city once again with his pile of questionnaires. He had quickly discovered that the study of sociology was as much leg work as analysis of data, mainly because if you did not do any leg work you would not get any data to analyze. And he had also quickly learned that people really did not like filling in questionnaires about their life styles. That and a lot of people took one look at him and his Asian features and found that they really needed to be somewhere else fast. Good thing they did not know that he was also a mutant.

Now he was in some random part of town and it was lunch time; fact that his stomach had certainly not failed to remember. Luckily for him there was a small restaurant up ahead, it looked inviting enough although there were only a few customers. He approached and read through the menu, hamburgers, pastas, salads all the usual stuff was there and the prices were reasonable. Urged on by one last grumble from his stomach he pushed the door and let himself in.

As he entered one of the waitresses signaled that he should pick any table, so he went across to a reasonably isolated table in one of the corners. As he put down his paperwork he was glad that he was eating alone, there would not have been room for the papers and someone else. The thought made him smile; this was probably what they called being married to your work. He picked up the menu on the table to confirm his choice while letting the music from his ipod keep him company.

Sarah had just gotten back from her lunch break, taken in the back of the kitchen, when the head waitress told her about a customer that just sat in her area. The brunette smiled as she walked to the front room. She looked around her deserted, brightly lit area to find a single male in the corner table. As she walked over she noticed the abundant of papers sitting on the table.

'Must be a walker,' Sarah thought. 'Wonder if I can help out.' The twenty-three year old could remember her mother taking surveys and questionnaires as they walked in Seattle. Sarah often took them as well, usually when she was people watching.

Sarah arrived at the table just as she took her pad out. She glanced at the many papers before turning to the male. He seemed close to her age, maybe a little younger, but around the same area.

"Can I get you a drink?" she asked with a slight smile. "The list is on the back of the menu, at the bottom."

Hamburger, cheeseburger, bacon burger… the Americans sure liked their burgers. Although Sam had to admit that the British were quite willingly following in their footsteps and the next time he went home for a visit he firmly expected all of the inhabitants of London to have gained at least 10 pounds.
This assumption was based on the fact that he expected it to be years before he would next be invited home for a visit. As he was pretty sure that his step dad would want to forget about him as fast as possible. He sighed; there was no use dwelling on things you couldn’t change; what you could dwell on however was which of the long list of hamburgers to have for lunch.

As he had finally narrowed down his decision to a normal burger or a cheeseburger a figure stepped into his light. Looking up he saw that it was the waitress come to take his order, she was saying something to him but with Big Bang’s fantastic baby blaring in his ears he could not hear what it was. He hurriedly put down the menu and removed the ear piece nearest her so that he might hear.

“Sorry didn’t catch any of that.”

He gave her a shamefaced smile and finished putting away his ipod. He laid it on the table next to the pile of papers to be sure not to forget it. Then he picked up the menu again and opened it at the burger page. Pointing at the vast list he decided to ask her for her professional opinion.

“You have so many of these, I can’t choose. Which would you recommend?”

There that took care of the choice of his meal and he hoped that by asking her opinion the waitress would forgive him somewhat for his rudeness earlier.

When the male took out a headphone, Sarah felt like she could laugh. She hadn't even noticed he was listening to music. "It's alright. I just asked what drink you wanted," she told him softly.

She smiled back at him when he smiled at her. She watched as he opened the menu to the burger section. She held back the need to roll her eyes. He boss had a problem with liking burgers. She still hadn't gotten used to how many types there were. When she had asked another waitress, one who had been there much longer than the dark skinned woman, she was told that the owner liked to give people options.

'Yet he only has two different types of salad,' Sarah laughed inwardly.

She then focused back on the customer, who she realized had asked her opinion on the selection. As she cursed herself for being distracted, she looked over the selection herself, seeing a few she knew and others that were newly placed on the menu.

"I honestly don't like burgers. I'd probably get a plain one, if I have to choose. Sorry, I'm not much help," she smiled sheepishly.

A loud cough pulled Sarah away from the male. She looked around and saw one of the waiters covering his mouth as he coughed. She nodded to him before turning back to her customer.

As the waitress passed the weight of the burger decision back to him Sam could help but feel a little disappointed. Normally the restaurant staff had some kind of opinion regarding what was on the menu, even if it was only feedback gleaned from the customers. He looked up at his waitress once again and wondered if she was a new hire here because that would explain the lack of opinion. Whatever else she was she seemed nice and friendly enough so he decided not to keep her to long and to just pick something.

“Ok how about a cheeseburger and a coke then.”

He reckoned that you couldn’t go far wrong with that kind of choice because this place would have to be really bad to screw up a cheeseburger. Although now that he looked around there were very few other customers here which possibly did not bode well for the food quality. He turned his attention back to his pile of papers and started to sort through them. One pile for the already completed surveys and one for the blanks; as he finalized the two it was plain to see that the completed pile was looking a little worse for wear.

However as he worked he could not shake the feeling that someone was watching him. Turning slightly in his seat he glanced over in the direction the oppressive feeling had been coming from and stood in the entrance to the kitchen was one of the waiters. When the man noticed that he had been caught staring, instead of turning away and doing something else he shot Sam a grim smile. A chill went up the illusion mutant’s spine and he decided to return to his papers but the knowledge of the ill intentioned stare made him feel seriously uncomfortable.

Once he had told her what he wanted, Sarah wrote it down. She then looked up at him from her pad. There were other things she needed to know before she could put the order in.

"Would you like anything on it, or plain? And do you want the usual fries or a different side?" Sarah asked as she had been told.

Sarah knew her opinion on things in the restaurant needed help, but she would give what advice she could give. She made a mental note to try some of the burgers on her next few lunch breaks.

When she had the information she needed, Sarah headed back to the kitchen. The lunch cook would like to be able to do something since they were having a slow day. On her way in, she noticed one of the waiters watching her customer. Her forehead scrunched up as she tried to remember the waiters name, but she didn't remember meeting him.

After placing the order in and getting his drink, Sarah left the kitchen. The unknown waiter was still watching the male when she walked past him. She walked over to her lone customer and set his coke on the table. She noticed that his papers had been moved around.

"Do you need another one of those filled?" she asked as she pointed at his papers. She only had to wait for his burger to be done, but it would be a little bit and she wanted to help him out if she could.

Sam was saved from his uncomfortable predicament by the return of his waitress. She brought him his drink and provided a welcome distraction. As he was trying hard to ignore the ever present stare, he forced himself to study the girl as she stood by his table. She was not all that tall and slightly older than he was. She had dark skin and he could not help but wonder if she had some Latino or American Indian roots. And the thing he liked most about her so far was the open honest expression.

When he finally looked away from her he was relieved to notice that she had not been paying that much attention to him, she was busy glancing at his papers. He was just about to try his luck and broach the subject of the survey when she spoke.

"Do you need another one of those filled?"

His eyebrows rose in surprise. No one and he really meant no one Volunteered to fill in a survey. At least no one he had met so far. He was so taken aback by her question that it took him some time to find his voice again.

“Sure. I mean… you don’t mind? People usually hate these.”

He knew he was stuttering and if he did not shut up right now she might change her mind. So he forced himself to be quiet and picked up an empty survey sheet. He held it out for her in a hesitant manner, the last thing he wanted to do now was make her feel pressured. Gods knew he had only gotten eight or nine of these filled today, it literally was every single one counts.

“If you need a pen I have one.”

As he said it he realized how silly that statement was. After all she was a waitress, she had just taken his order with a pen.

Sarah waited for him to answer her. She was used to people being shocked when she, or anyone it seemed, asked to fill out whatever it was.

>>“Sure. I mean… you don’t mind? People usually hate these.”

The dark skinned woman smiled before answering him. "Of course I don't mind. I'm the one who asked right? I actually find surveys fun to do."

Sarah glanced towards the kitchen door quickly. 'What is that guys problem? He needs to find something else to do besides stare at people.'[/color]

The slightly annoyed waitress took the offered paper. She looked over the questions she would be answering. Though honestly, her mind was more focused on the waiter that wouldn't stop staring. He was starting to freak even her out.

>>“If you need a pen I have one.”

Sarah nodded her head lightly. "That's great," she smiled. "All I have writes in a bright purple, and I'd rather not use it for this."

The brunette knew it was a lie. Her pen wrote in blue, but she didn't want him to feel bad about asking. She figured it was an automatic response and didn't want him to feel bad for it. He already seemed freaked out that she wanted to fill one out.

"Do you mind if I sit down while I do this?" she asked him.

As she asked if she could sit down he quickly nodded his head and indicated the chair opposite him. Once she was settled he fished out his pen and handed it to her. Not that it would have mattered if she had filled it out in bright purple. He would probably be the only one to read them anyway and with that thought he decided that she was at least entitled to know what the survey was for.

“I’m sorry if I’m bad at this whole survey thing. It’s my first time… And bright purple would have been fine, those are for my own survey,” He posed for a second and then decided to add a bit more detail. “I’m a sociology student.”

There he had at least explained the context to her and it had helped him relax a bit; although he could not help but glance over his shoulder every now and then to check if the other waiter was still staring or not. The guy was seriously giving him the creeps.

“Umm, Have I done something to bother your colleague? He’s been staring a hole in my back for a while now.”

He didn’t know why he asked the question and was pretty sure he would not like the answer. It would probably be something along the lines of “he hates Asian people” or even just “can’t stand people that harass you with surveys”. Well whatever it was the guy clearly had it in for him, he was starting to get worried that the guy would actually come over here soon.

Sarah sat down with ease. She actually felt like her feet were killing her. She was still getting used to working in heels. After taking his pen, she started filling in the easier questions. As she did she listened, though half-heartedly, to the male across from her. She felt herself smile as he told her that purple would have been fine.

"Better to be safe than sorry," Sarah smiled. She gave more attention to him, so that she wouldn't be rude.

>>“I’m a sociology student.”

She smiled widely at him. It was shocking to hear him say that. 'I almost was a sociology student. Strange how I could have been in his shoes if Brother hadn't told me I was a good artist.'[/color] Sarah mentally shook her head to keep her mind focused.

>>"“Umm, Have I done something to bother your colleague? He’s been staring a hole in my back for a while now.”

Sarah looked over to the kitchen door. The waiter was still watching him. Now though, she could see a hatred in his eyes that wasn't just directed at her customer. She could feel the anger coming towards her now, but she wasn't too sure as to why.

The brunette shook her head sadly. "Sorry, I don't know. I'm still new and learning everyone's quirks. However," Sarah paused as she caught another waitress giving the male by the kitchen a strange look, "I honestly don't think he works here. If you want I can go ask the chef; he knows every one of the staff."

Sam watched as his waitress glanced past him and at the man in the doorway. She frowned a little and seemed equally perplexed by his attitude. He gave her a minute to study the situation and come up with a possible reason for the hostility. But he did deduce one thing from her momentary silence… whatever this was it was not usual.

"Sorry, I don't know. I'm still new and learning everyone's quirks.”

Well that was ok, although she had been kind when she had defined the staring as a “quirk”. He guessed there were intolerant people everywhere but it still surprised him to find someone like that in the midst of New York City. This was not some small backwater town where few foreigners came to settle, it was a huge multinational city that welcomed people from all over. He was about to express this surprise to his companion when she continued somewhat hesitantly.

“However, I honestly don't think he works here. If you want I can go ask the chef; he knows every one of the staff."

Her words sent a chill down his spine. What was this man doing here acting like a waiter if he did not work here… Whatever it was it did not bode well. He knew that whoever ran this place should probably be warned of this but he did not feel that sending a girl past this guy was a good idea. They had both glanced in his direction and he had to know that they were talking about him. With an effort he made sure that he looked straight at the waitress and tried to keep her attention on him.

“Well if he doesn’t belong here then he probably means trouble… So unless there is another way to the kitchen than through that door he is leaning against, I suggest you wait here.”

He glanced down at the survey she had half filled in, trying to return her attention to it rather than the man.

“I reckon that he has spotted our not so discreet glances by now and just strolling past him would not go well.”

Sam kind of felt trapped by the whole situation and what was sure was that he had most definitely lost his appetite. As he saw it they could wait and see how the situation evolved, try and contact the owner or he could leave and hope that the other guy left as well. But that last option was dangerous because if he was followed he had no way of defending himself if things went south and if the other guy stayed here then he might go after the girl.

Sarah noticed that the male across from her was focused on her again. It looked like he was almost forcing himself to keep his eyes on her. The action was a little unnerving, but she figured he had his reason.

>>“Well if he doesn’t belong here then he probably means trouble… So unless there is another way to the kitchen than through that door he is leaning against, I suggest you wait here.”

And there was his reason. She smiled softly. "There's a back door, but I don't think either of us can get to it. Not from here."

She could see his eyes land back on the survey in front of her. She still had about half to go and she knew she'd need to finish it.

>>“I reckon that he has spotted our not so discreet glances by now and just strolling past him would not go well.”

She nodded at that. She knew he was right. Instead of looking back up, like her mind wanted, she went back to writing in the answers. She was in the middle of one when a thought came to her.

"It would look bad if I didn't go get your meal," she stated. "I'd have to go past him to get it one way or another."

She wanted to get some help. She knew that she'd have to go past him eventually. He didn't seem ready to leave, and it would seem weird if the male across from her left before eating.

Sam was glad that she followed his hints and kept her attention glued to the survey that she was now almost pretending to finish. A small part of him felt a bit disappointed that the only person who had actually volunteered to fill in his survey had been so rudely interrupted, but he did not have the time to dwell on that feeling.

"It would look bad if I didn't go get your meal, I'd have to go past him to get it one way or another."

Sam knew that what she said was right but it annoyed him anyway. Why should she have to keep up appearances and do things properly when that guy was breaking all the rules by camping out in a hostile fashion? He didn’t like the idea of letting her go past him but he could not see a way around it for the moment… well that was not entirely true. There was one way around this, all he had to do was confront the guy and then he would be sure that he would endanger no one but himself.

However Sam was not the hero type and finding a plan B was prominent in his mind. The scanned the room looking for some way to distract the guy. Then an idea came up, it was not a classy one or anything like that would it would help to see who this guy was after.

“Ok, how about this: you go to the kitchen and get what I ordered and I’ll get up and head to the restroom. We can see who he follows, if he follows. Who knows maybe he just likes staring?”

The door to the rest room was only a few meters away from the one to the kitchen, on the same wall, which meant that even if the guy made a move on the girl Sam would be able to intervene.

She had finished the question she had been working on and started on another. She felt bad that she wasn't too into doing the survey. She promised herself that she'd finish it after things settled a little.

>>“Ok, how about this: you go to the kitchen and get what I ordered and I’ll get up and head to the restroom. We can see who he follows, if he follows. Who knows maybe he just likes staring?”

Sarah felt a small laugh leave her after he suggested that there wasn't a problem. It would have been quite funny if that was the case. It would mean both of them had been worried for nothing.

"That sounds like a good idea. It won't look to strange." Sarah glanced at the clock, which was positioned on the wall in front of her. The burger should be done in a minute or so, she figured. "I'll go check on your meal after I'm done with this one.

The restroom was close enough to the kitchen that they really wouldn't be far from the other. She realized that fact was used to create his plan. With a few words, she finished the question. She smiled as she stood from her seat and made her way to the kitchen. As she passed the staring man, she kept her eyes away from him.

"Sarah!" she heard the old cook call out. "That meal's almost ready, just give me a second."

Sarah smiled and nodded. She wasn't in a rush. She turned around to check to see what the man by the door did, only to find him inside the kitchen. He was only a few feet away from her. She knew he could easily reach out and hurt her.

"Hello there. Who's your friend?" he asked her. He was smiling at her with a cruel look in his eyes.

"Just a customer. I don't even know his name," she told him.