The Morning After

Ronnie nodded and kissed him once more. "Okay", she said, lingering for one last moment before reluctantly leaving him to dress.

She found the robe near the bed and one red leather shoe near the window. It took her a few minutes longer to find the second shoe, which had been kicked behind the television. Her yellow panties were still on the floor near the chair where they had been abandoned. Of her dress there was absolutely no sign. To be honest she couldn't even remember for sure if she'd been wearing it when they returned to the hotel.

Her long hair was an absolute mess and she gave up on it after trying and failing to run a hotel comb through it a couple of times. It would have to wait.

She pulled her spider-eye amulet out of the pocket of her coat and stared at it for a moment, but she didn't yet activate it. She knew she should call them, tell them what had happened... At least she should let them know she was alright. But she knew that as soon as she heard their voices it would make it all real.

Reality asserted itself regardless, as a brisk knock on the door came just as Indigo was pulling on a shirt. Ronnie, standing by her coat, was closest, and he nodded to her, pointing at the privacy latch.

Ronnie jumped when the knock came. She quickly tossed the amulet back in her coat pocket and slid the copper-colored trenchcoat around her shoulders. She looked ridiculous wearing it over the robe, but right now safety had to come before fashion.

She unlocked the door and pulled it open as far as the safety latch would allow to look out.

Danya eyed her critically through the slit in the door, then turned her head to address someone Ronnie couldn't see.

"Find some clothes for the girl." Her exotic accent was still quite thick, though she'd apparently been in the US for several years. She smiled severely at Ronnie. "Please, dear. You must let me in."

In the background, Indigo nodded, sitting at the table and pouring a glass of wine.

Ronnie closed the door without a word and sighed.

The girl has a name, she thought, but she kept her mouth shut as she unlocked the safety chain and opened the door for Indigo's entourage. Tensions were already high and an argument wasn't going to help anything.

As she turned back she glanced back at Indigo, already pouring out a glass of wine and immediately she thought of Nils.

"Do you think that's the best idea right now?" she asked him, trying to sound as non-confrontational as possible.

"Yes," he answered, taking a sip as Danya swept inside. She was alone at the moment - likely Sophie was looking after the others. If he was going to have to hear about how someone he'd cared about had been violently murdered, then yes, he felt entitled to his wine.

"It is not the same for him," his manager declared, almost imperiously, eyeing first Indigo and then Ronnie appraisingly, and finally nodding, then leaning over to kiss her on the cheek. "The blessings of his father are with you. What is your name, girl?"

It was strange, but Ronnie did feel... better somehow. She wasn't sure about 'blessed', all things considered.

[all willpower and legend restored, plus feeling more physically rested]

[Holy crap!]

Ronnie blinked.

"E... Esperanza..." she said, quietly. She cocked her head slightly to look at Danya. A moment ago she had been annoyed, worried, tired... but that had evaporated the moment Danya kissed her cheek.

"I... I'm sorry" she said, not sure which of the two she was apologizing to, "What can I do to help?"

"The police may have questions for you as well, though we can see you spared from that attention. It is probably not attention you will like. But I do not know - what can you do to help?"

Indigo shook his head, pouring another glass of wine, and passing it to Dayna as she came over to him. "Tell us what happened."

"It is not clear. They say she came back here with some man." The disdain in her voice was almost palpable. "Poor foolish thing. But her balcony was broken into - from the third floor. Broken in. This is not some mortal problem. She was stabbed, it is terrible, but we will find them and they will suffer for it." She knocked back the glass in her hand, making a face as she did, then turned to Ronnie.

"Is this some problem you have here? These murders? Or is it something that has followed with us."

"If it's something... someone from around here, it's one we haven't seen before." Ronnie said, choosing to ignore Danua's Implications, "Have you?"

Esperanza wanted to trust Danya, but something inside her was telling her to be cautious. Better not to tip her hand just yet and see how much Danya was willing to share.

She was watching Indigo, tapping her finger against her chin thoughtfully.

After a moment, they both spoke, almost at onces.

"It could be," Danya admitted.

"Rachel," he chimed in with guilty misery. "Fuck!"

"There are many things different about this, you cannot jump to this conclusion just yet." She gave him a half hug around the shoulders - a possessive, maternal, gesture of comfort. He stared down into his glass.

Ronnie wanted to comfort Indigo, and her hand twitched for a moment as if to move towards him, but Danya's presence was overpowering and Ronnie knew that it was no longer her time to comfort him.

"I should call my friends..." she said after a moment, "They can help. Whatever is going on, we'll figure it out."

"Tell me about these friends," Danya demanded, checking her watch as she set down her empty glass.

"They're like us." she said with a quick sidelong glance at Indigo, "They're good people. They'll want to help. And no disrespect, but this is our city. If your gonna be hunting a killer, human or otherwise, you'll need us."

"Hmm. Yes, that will do. It is best that you do not go anywhere alone."

Indigo smiled thinly, running a hand through his still-damp hair. He'd expected Danya to send her off packing. His mind was still reeling, and he has a lingering sense of apprehension. He wanted to apologize, again, or thank her, again, but Danya's presence, as always, complicated things. There wasn't much to do other than run her course. "Now what?" he asked her.

"Now,-" Now another knock at the door interrupted her. She strode over to admit Geoff, Luke, and Irene, who had a sundress draped over her arm. "Now, you will come and make your statement, and the rest will stay here."

Esperanza was beginning to get annoyed again already. There was something about Danya that spoke of arrogance, of haughtiness. She had to remind herself that right now was not the time to confront her. Someone had just been murdered. There were more important things right now than to start a pissing contest over Indigo.

She sighed and nodded resignedly. She didn't want her time with him to end this way, but there didn't seem to be much choice. Whatever else she may be, Danya had an impressive force of personality.

She moved towards Luke, Geoff and Irene and reached out to accept the dress.

"I'm so sorry about Candace." she said to them sincerely.

"Thanks," Irene said as she passed it off before going over to give Indigo a hug. She seemed tired and somewhat drawn.

"Sorry for the rough wake up," Geoff added. Luke stayed quiet, keeping close to his boyfriend as though he also felt somewhat out of place in the scene.

Indigo let Irene go with a kiss on the temple - a gesture of familiarity - while Danya waited impatiently by the door. He turned to Ronnie, holding open his arms. "I'll be back....soon, I hope."

Ronnie stepped into his arms and hugged him briefly but firmly. It was strange with everyone standing around watching them, but she was not going to let that stop her from offering him what little comfort she could.

"Call me if you need anything" she said quietly, "I'll do everything I can on my end."

Indigo had fewer qualms about acting in front of an audience, and kissed her briefly before slipping away. "Thanks. Be safe."

He gave Geoff a little hug as well before taking off with Danya. After they'd gone, Geoff turned to her, gesturing vaguely at her get up, and the dress she had in hand.

"We can just stay out here if you want a little privacy, or... I don't even know what you've been told? Or, what you, ah, know?"

"I know as much as Danya just told us. I know that something horrible happened to someone you all loved. It's something I'm a little too familiar with." she said exhaustedly. Now that Indigo had gone it was as though all of her energy had gone with him. She felt tired. Lost.

"I should get changed and call people. I'll just be in the bedroom." she added, "If that's okay."

She knew that they were staying there for her protection (although the for-once-reassuring weight of the revolver in her pocket made her question whether she was as in need of protecting as Danya seemed to think), but she couldn't help but feel a little bit like a prisoner.

"Pfft. Dayna." Geoff scowled, but shrugged when Irene gave him a look. It was clearly an old argument. He plunked himself down on the couch against the wall, Luke curling up beside him. "You do whatever you need to," he said more seriously.

"If you need anything else," Irene added, sitting down in the chair and closing her eyes. "Just let me know."

Ronnie smiled.

"Thank you", she said, "Are you guys ok?"

"Pretty shitty," Luke replied, lifting his head off Geoff's shoulder briefly.

"Angry" was Irene's reply. Her eyes were closed, but her fists clenched despite her clear fatigue.

Ronnie's felt a little stupid. It was a dumb question to ask. Of course they weren't okay.

"I'm... sorry." she said again, knowing that however much she meant it, it wouldn't change anything. She stood there for a moment awkwardly before turning and heading to the bedroom. Right now the best thing she could do for them was to give them room to grieve.

Once in the bedroom she took off her coat and changed clothes quietly. It seemed wrong to her to be here without Indigo. She needed to get out of this suite before she went crazy. But they were right, she probably shouldn't go alone.

She sat down on the bed and dug out her amulet, running one slender finger over the spider eye as she looked into it.

"Aimee? Nils? Anyone?" she said quietly, hoping they were wearing their amulets.

[I assume this is where we'll pick up on Monday?]

(that works, it will give a chance for those less boardly-inclined to answer