>> "Must have been some night."

Nate returned for a moment to the spiders and the darkness and Maxine and kissing his first New Yorker. He could not help but smirk. "Oh yes. Yes, it was."

>> "I do believe Parker is beginning to grow on me. And yes, everything is okay. I guess... Well, I have a horrible fear of spiders. Have since I was little."

"I know the feeling," he assured with a nod. "Well, I did. Creepy crawlies used to get to me, but Parker's kinda calmed me down around them, obviously." He considered asking her if she wanted to pet him, but deemed it ill-advised.

>> "This may seem strange of me to ask, but are you okay? I forgot to ask you earlier, but you seemed a bit, well, sad."

Seriously? He must have been leaking melancholy and misery if even Sarah could pick up on it. However she noticed it on him, and she was not wrong. "Yeah, life's treated me better, I'll admit." He did not want to dump his problems on such a nice stranger. That was what whiskey was for.

>>"I know the feeling. Well, I did. Creepy crawlies used to get to me, but Parker's kinda calmed me down around them, obviously."

'I'm sure living with a giant spider would do that for someone,' the brunette thought. She lightly wondered if that would help her, but tossed it away with the intent of never trying it.

>>"Yeah, life's treated me better, I'll admit."

Sarah nodded in understanding. He didn't seem to want to talk about it. She wouldn't pest him then. They barely knew each other anyway.

"Life is hard to deal with," she stated. "I try to remember that it could always be worse. It may seem rough at the moment, but there could always be something worse."

She wasn't sure if she was making sense. She always told her friends, whenever they were having a bad day, that it could be better, but it could also be so much worse. Of course their days usually involved hangovers, guy troubles, or every day annoyances. She wasn't sure if her usual advice would work for him.

"At least you don't have to worry about Parker now," she smiled.

>> "Life is hard to deal with. I try to remember that it could always be worse. It may seem rough at the moment, but there could always be something worse."

Nate did his best to imagine a worst case scenario he was not yet in. Well, he could have told his girlfriend he was a serial killer instead of just a con artist. Yeah, that would have been worse at least. Sarah was being genuinely considerate, and he appreciated it. He also appreciated her respect of his privacy.

>> "At least you don't have to worry about Parker now."

Nate grinned. He was a fan of Sarah's clever humor. "Oh, I always have to worry about Parker getting in trouble. The next time he makes a run for it, at least I know where to look." Nate tugged on the leash, noticing Parker was inching closer to Sarah. "He'll probably just be trying to get you to play fetch."

He had a big spider that liked to play fetch. That was his life.

>>"Oh, I always have to worry about Parker getting in trouble. The next time he makes a run for it, at least I know where to look."

Sarah took a step back as she too noticed Parker was inching towards her.

>>"He'll probably just be trying to get you to play fetch."

Sarah smiled then. It must be strange to explain the spider. It shocked her that he told her the truth about Parker. And she was sure that the mutant thing wasn't a lie.

"So long as he doesn't jump on me like before, I think I'll be okay," she stated as she looked at Parker. "If I have fair warning, I shouldn't freak out too much."

The brunette looked around and noticed that the group of kids that had been playing were walking towards them. They were laughing about something, but there were enough of them that Sarah was sure they would see Parker. She began to wonder if they should move so that the kids to get scared. There were quite a few girls in the group.

"Think we should move?" she asked as she motioned towards the kids.

>> "So long as he doesn't jump on me like before, I think I'll be okay. If I have fair warning, I shouldn't freak out too much."

Nate had half a mind to accept what Sarah obviously never intended to be a challenge. He could have easily given her a two word warning and release Parker to nibble on her toes, but the girl did not deserve that. He would behave, as would Parker.

Sarah was not the only one to notice the kids approaching. Parker was hit or miss with kids. Sometimes young ones would handle him surprisingly well, focusing on his size and playful nature over his spidery nature. Unfortunately, when Parker was a miss, he was a big miss, and there was no need to risk sending children running. No adult male wanted to put himself in that situation in public.

>> "Think we should move?"

Nate gladly nodded. "Lets." He led them away, not entirely sure of their next destination. "Are you here on your own? Or are you here with family or a boyfriend or something?" If it was an earlier point in Nate's life, the last comment could have easily been construed as fishing for information, but now he had little reason; he was done flirting (until Quin finally gave him the axe,) and he had nothing to steal from her. No, he was now just a curious person, and Sarah was nice enough to talk to for a short while longer.

Sarah was happy when they started moving. There was no telling what would happen with the kids and she didn't want Nate to have anymore to think about.

>>"Are you here on your own? Or are you here with family or a boyfriend or something?"

Sarah smiled. "Are we talking about the park? Or the city?" she asked jokingly. She felt much better now that she wasn't in fear of hyperventilating. She shifted her bag to her other shoulder before actually answering.

"My family actually lives in Seattle. I just move to the city a few weeks ago, so I haven't really had time to find a boyfriend. I'm here on my own." It was probably a little more information than he really needed, but she was okay with it. If they ever met again after this it would be surprising. The only people she really saw more than once, and remembered, were her coworkers and some people in her neighborhood.

Sarah glanced at Parker. 'Unless he really does like me. Then I might need some way to contact Nate, if Parker does find me again.'[/color] It had a very slim chance of happening, so the woman wasn't really worried about it.

>> "Are we talking about the park? Or the city? My family actually lives in Seattle. I just move to the city a few weeks ago, so I haven't really had time to find a boyfriend. I'm here on my own."

So Sarah literally came to New York on her own, starting anew. Nate could still remember arriving in the city for the first time on his own, admittedly under different circumstances. "You'll meet plenty of new people just fine, I'm sure."

They still had no destination, but walking through a park, one was not entirely necessary. They could just continue a leisurely stroll walking Parker around, and maybe he would offer to pay for an ice cream or a hot dog if the came across a stand.

"New York has a way of surprising you sometimes. I was barely here a week or two before I stumbled my way into a relationship with my girlfriend." Despite complete radio silence, Nate still called Quin his girlfriend, (especially in front of other women,) if for nothing else than to stay optimistic.

>>"You'll meet plenty of new people just fine, I'm sure."

Sarah smiled. Nate's words reminded her of what her brother had told her before she left. It was somehow comforting, if not a little strange.

"If everyone has pets like yours, I have no need to worry," she joked.

Sarah briefly wondered where they would end up but decided it didn't matter. They went where they went. The spirits would guide them. With that thought she shook her head. She was getting to be dependent on her Native American roots.

>>"New York has a way of surprising you sometimes. I was barely here a week or two before I stumbled my way into a relationship with my girlfriend."

Sarah smiled softly at hearing about Nate's luck. She wanted to ask about his girlfriend, but she had a sneaking suspicious that his sorrow was coming from said female. She didn't want to pry. She'd follow her instincts on this conversation.

"So you're not a native to the city either? What made you wanna come here?" she asked. It seemed a safe enough question. Something in common that probably wouldn't cause him to have to talk about his troubles. She hoped.

After she had spoken her question, she felt a slight rumbling in her stomach. She'd need to eat soon. She had skipped breakfast and it was nearing lunch time. She'd have to eat if she wanted to be able to clean when she got home.

>> "If everyone has pets like yours, I have no need to worry."

Sarah had a point. Nate recalled meeting Agnes thanks to Parker's appetite. He also remembered meeting Megan, but just as quickly banished the memory from his head. Not everyone Parker dragged him to was nice, but at least they were all interesting.

>> "So you're not a native to the city either? What made you wanna come here?"

Nate chuckled at the first question. It was not often with his accent that people accused him of being a New York native. "I reckon plenty of the same reasons most come here-- needing work and needing a change, and New York's good for both."

Just as Nate predicted, they were approaching a hot dog stand. "Any chance you want an authentic New York hot dog? My treat, assuming you ain't a veggie." Hot dogs had to be the bane of a vegetarians existence.

>>"I reckon plenty of the same reasons most come here-- needing work and needing a change, and New York's good for both."

Sarah nodded. She'd come for work opportunities herself. It was one of the things that made her want to move to the city. Work was always needed somewhere.

>>"Any chance you want an authentic New York hot dog? My treat, assuming you ain't a veggie."

She felt another laugh coming, but ignored it. She'd laughed enough today. She'd probably be called crazy if she did again.

"Meat is one of the things I can't live without," she told him. If she became a vegetarian, she'd never be able to go camping again. "I can pay for mine though. You don't have to."

Now she just needed to find her wallet in her bag. Last time she had it was before she left the bench. She had slipped it into the side pocket when she grabbed her things. She silently hoped it hadn't fallen out when they bumped. She didn't remember picking it up so that would be a problem.

>> "Meat is one of the things I can't live without. I can pay for mine though. You don't have to."

For some reason, it always made Nate happy to hear that someone was a proud carnivore. "Good to hear. Though you best be putting away any silly notion of paying. You'll offend my gentlemanly sensibilities." Nate was good at filling many stereotypical roles, but he enjoyed "Southern Gentleman" more than most.

He asked the vendor for a coney dog with the works and waited for Sarah's order before paying.

Once the food was in their hands, Nate quickly chomped on his hot dog and enjoyed the combination of flavors contributed to the meat, coney island sauce, onions, and mustard. "I find vegetarians all around city's like this these days, so I always ask. I could never imagine giving up my spot on the food chain, though."

Handing the second hot dog to Sarah, he noticed she was looking rather determinedly through her bag. "Everything okay, hun?"

>>"Good to hear. Though you best be putting away any silly notion of paying. You'll offend my gentlemanly sensibilities."

Sarah smiled at that. After he gave his order she asked for a plain dog as she continued to sift through her bag. She had finished looking through the outside pockets. All that was left was the main compartment.

She heard Nate talk about vegetarians and nodded, though she really had no idea what he said. Her wallet wasn't where she put it.

>>"Everything okay, hun?"

She looked up at that. How would she explain what was going on? It would seem rude to run off to find it, but he might think it was his fault. Both were things she didn't want. Finally she sighed.

Taking her dog she smiled weakly. "I think I lost my wallet. It was there before but I can't find it and... well it has everything I need. My money, credit card, identification, keys. They're all in it." She took a bite of her hot dog to try to calm herself. She was in a world of trouble if someone stole it. "I really need to find it."

>> "I think I lost my wallet. It was there before but I can't find it and... well it has everything I need. My money, credit card, identification, keys. They're all in it. I really need to find it."

Nate felt a moment of unexpected guilt. It was most likely that if she lost her wallet and it was in her bag, it fell out of place when they collided before. It was one of the rare moments when someone lost money and it was his fault and he did it unintentionally. "I'm sorry... it must've happened when I bumped into you."

The girl was nice enough, and she already assisted him, so it would be rude not to return the favor. "I'll help you look. After all, without you, I'd still be looking in trees for Parker."

Nate started towards the bench he originally met Sarah in front of. "Maybe the wallet will still be there?" It would be a problem if someone inconsiderate found her wallet, and in New York, the odds were about fifty-fifty.

>>"I'm sorry... it must've happened when I bumped into you."

Sarah smiled warmly. "I still say it was a combination of both of us hitting each other." She was going to stick to her idea that they both caused the colision.

>> "I'll help you look. After all, without you, I'd still be looking in trees for Parker."

A small laugh came out of her lips as they started walking back the way they came. The young woman took a bite of her hot dog as she hoped Nate was right about her wallet. She hoped it was where they had bumped into each other. It would make her life so much easier.

"Thanks for buying this," Sarah said after she had swallowed. "This is going to sound really weird, but you remind me of my brother. And that's not a bad thing!"

Now she felt awkward. It was true though. Nate reminded her of Eric. There were some serious differences, but the overall time she spent with the man made her think of her older brother. Though now that she had said something about it, she felt rather silly.

>> "I still say it was a combination of both of us hitting each other."

The girl was definitely polite, which was not exactly an asset in the big city, but refreshing nonetheless. "We'll have to agree to disagree," he joked. He was much more inclined to blame the event on himself, since he had made quite the habit of bumping into women in New York.

>> "Thanks for buying this. This is going to sound really weird, but you remind me of my brother. And that's not a bad thing!"

She was not lying about her comment being weird, but it was not weird in a bad way. Being like a brother usually meant someone thinks you are safe and caring, and as a man who was not looking for a date, that was probably the best option. "Well then, if I'm gonna be a good brother-figure, I darn-better find that wallet."

There was, of course, the possibility of the wallet being gone or taken, and there had to be a plan B. "If it's not there, my girlfriend is in the police, so I can help you with putting in a report if need be." Of course, he would not actually go to Quin; probably just one of the other policemen or women he met through her. No need to interrupt Quin's "time to think" for something like this.