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Colin had called Sarah to get together.

Colin noticed Sarah as she got to the bleachers and found her a nice place near the press box. He couldn't speak to her much during the game, because he was busy taking photos along the border of the field to follow the game. Well, until he inadvertantly banged into a Proviso West player. He shouted against Colin so much the young reporter thought the boy was about to jump on him and eat him alive. There was something wrong in his eyes, and Colin thought better to go back to the press box. He nearly arrived there, when the game exploded. In the ensuing chaos, he managed to take some great photos, but he didn't really took joy in that. Another thing around him was falling apart. He wondered if Vandross was watching at this too, and if he was enjoying the show. Finally, after the most worried parents managed to grab their kids and go home, he found Sarah again and walked with her away from the stadium.

"Are you still in the mood for that walk?" he asks her.

Sarah is just finishing a phone call to her mom when Colin comes up.  "No Mom, really I'm okay.  I just wanted to give you a heads up because this stuff is going to be on the news and I didn't want you thinking I was in a hospital somewhere.  I'm leaving right now so no worries.  I'm with Colin.  Yes mom Colin is a boy.  No....  Yes... I know.  I will.  Mom!  Okay.  I love you too.  See you later."


"Yes.  Even more in the mood to walk.  Preferably in a straight line away from here.  I was just letting the rents know I'm alive and well.  Did you want to call your mom?  I'm thinking that football is done for a while.  I bet a lot of kids are going to end up suspended.  What a disaster."

"Chris heard it first on the radio and already called to check on me. You're right, it's just that, a disaster. I wonder if it could have been foreseen... We had a couple players that had been quite violent in the last few games, but I would have never thought... I can see how hard it can be to resist it, superman I mean. It just takes away all the pain, and makes you invincible... and then you're not yourself anymore."

Colin thinks of the evening before, when he was too scared to touch the Talisman that killed Rory. It most likely wouldn't have changed anything, but it doesn't make him feel any good to think that he could do something to stop Vandross and didn't. All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing, he remembers reading. Maybe he still has time to make up for it, though. He decides to ask Chris as he gets home.

"I promised to show you something beautiful. Our first stop is just a block away, then we can go have that pizza." Colin leads Sarah along a street, then around a couple corners to a small house with a well kept garden to the front. There's an elderly woman knitting on the porch, wearing half-moon glasses, ans she looks up from her work as they approach.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Rosenbaum."
"Colin? Is that you? Oh dear, I nearly didn't recognize you, without your glasses and your bike. Who is the young lady with you?"
"She's Sarah, a friend of mine. Sarah, this is Mrs. Rosenbaum. If we don't bother you, madam, I was hoping I could show her Laika."
"Oh, no, it's no bother. I think she'll be happy to see you. She's just over there, and hse hasn't come to greet you as usual because she's a little busy at the moment."
Colin opens the little gate and brings Sarah at the foot of a reddening maple, where Laika is lying. Laika is a female golden retriever a little on the plump side, and at the moment she's busy nursing four adorable puppies. She lifts her head as Colin comes near, and pats her tail on the ground, so Colin squats and ruffles her behind the ears.
"Laika, this is Sarah. Sarah, this is Laika and the rest of the family. I'd tell you their names, but they haven't got one yet."

"It's a nice to meet you Mrs. Rosenbaum."  Colin hurries Sarah through a gate and she just smiles and waves to the elderly woman on the way past.  When she sees the mother and the little bundles of fur nestled against her... "Puppies!" Sarah squeaks.  "They're beautiful!  So cute!'

She kneels down near the mother and lets her sniff her hand.  Sarah waits until the dog seems comfortable with her before stroking one of the nursing puppies.  She grins up at Colin after a while.  "This is a wonderful surprise.  Thank you."  She turns and looks at Laika, "And thank you to Laika.  Your children are beautiful."  

She sits on the grass next to the little family and asks Colin, "How did you know about these puppies?'

Colin tries to hide how satisfying Sarah's reaction is for him. It's exactly what he hoped for. Since he saw her and Pip together for the first time, he knew she would have liked them.

He looks down, to a puppy that's nibbling on his fingers.

"You're welcome." he says softly. Then as if escaping an uncomfortable topic, he answers in a more normal voice. "Mrs. Rosenbaum in on my paper route. I bring her the Tribune and two monthlies I think. You may guess them too, one is about gardening and the other is about knitting. Anyway, I pass in front of here every morning, and Laika always greets me. Mrs. Rosenbaum saw me petting her, so one day we talked about her. Laika is wonderful company, but Mrs. Rosenbaum doesn't always feel well enough to take her do the exercise she needs. So she asked me if I could take her to the park and play with her sometimes, and I gladly accepted. It looks like either her mistress or me (Mrs. Rosenbaum tends to blame herself) got distracted, and she came home with a little surprise. So soon we'll have to find a home for these cuties."

He realizes how that may sound, so he's quick to add "No, I haven't brought you here to guilt-trip you into accepting one. You already have all those ones at the farm to take care of." he grins for a moment. "I'd take one myself, but neither the cats nor Mama Walters would appreciate it. And we have no garden."

Colin pets Laika one last time. "Your turn to lead now. Are you hungry? Where would you like to go?"

Sarah sits listening to Colin, petting the puppies and their mama and just relaxing in a moment of quiet.  "I wish I could take them, they are so cute but I'm not around enough to give them the love and attention they need.  Maybe I'll get a dog when I'm all old and grownup like twenty-five or so."  

She looks to the street at his mention of where next.  "Well... I know a decent pizza place a few blocks away.  Come on."  Sarah hops up and offers Colin her hand to help him up.  On the way back through she smiles again at Mrs. Rosenbaum.  "Thank you so much ma'am.  They're beautiful animals.  I hope you find good homes for all the puppies.  I can ask around if you like?"

After wishing farewell to Mrs. Rosenbaum Sarah leads Colin off to Geppetto's for some pizza.  Along the way she keeps glancing at him a bit nervously.  "That was really nice you know.  Way better than dead flowers or chocolates.  I bet you could probably take me to see something wonderful nearly every day of the week."  Sarah turns her head and looks at Colin as if trying to determine the truth of her own thought in his face.  "It's like you see things differently than anyone else I know."  The obvious stupidity of her last comment causes Sarah to blush and add, "Well duh.  Sorry just another moment where my mouth was talking without any prior discussion with the brain.  I meant to say... You don't take the world for granted.  You still find a way to experience wonder while most of us are off playing video games."

Colin reluctantly accepts her help, paying close attention not to let his hand linger around hers any more than necessary, which is much less than he'd like.


"Oh, dear, thank you. As much as I like them, I really can't keep all of them. Let Colin know if you find someone who can take good care of them. Where are you going now?"

"To eat something. We were at a game and we didn't have lunch. Goodbye, Mrs. Rosenbaum."

"Oh, goodbye and have a nice day."


The "way better than flowers" comment for a moment makes Colin feel a very bitter taste in his mouth, since the false Sarah told him the same thing. Then fortunately she goes on and blushes and makes jokes, looks at him and feels so real, the feeling goes away and he feels all warm inside. He wishes he could tell her that what is really wonderful for him is being there with her. He idly wonders if it's something one could get used to. He doesn't believe it could.
Colin looks into her eyes as she talks, but about the same time she blushes, things get a little too intense for him too, and he looks down.
"I don't know. It's a matter of luck too. I'm just used to go around and look out for something beautiful. It's not that hard to find though, when you're in the right mood. It's like tuning on the right radio station. Maybe I have an edge because I am - well I was - shortsighted. When you're wearing glasses like mines you know you're always missing something to the sides, so you have to take another look. It's when you take another look that usually beauty appears. And if you're ready, you can catch it too. That's why I always carry around my camera. What good is finding something beautiful if you can't share it?"
He narrows his eyes and little wrinkles appear beside them, in what Sarah may have already figured out it's his equivalent of blushing.
"Nah, it's just that I suck at videogames, probably. I'm not that special."

They get to Geppetto's, and Colin opens the door for Sarah. They sit down and order. Colin takes his pizza with peppers. As they wait, he asks her "So, have you made any progresses with your mysterious friend?"

"My friend?  Oh Morpheus!" Sarah rolls her eyes.  "He picked that name out of my head I think.  I certainly wouldn't have chosen it for him.  I mean it's appropriate in a mentor kind of way but.. well there's worse things than having Laurence Fishburne's voice in your head.  Now if he can only teach me to dodge bullets.  I guess that gig is already covered by Velocity though.  Maybe he landed in the wrong head?  That would be funny."  Hey speaking of funny... your rambling on again!  Sarah closes her mouth and takes a breath letting her brain get into the conversation, "We had a talk.  He's a .. oh what did he call it?  An' Zhanti.  He said it means peace keeper.  He called himself a disembodied consciousness and told me his kind are drawn to different people across the galaxy.  So he's around for advice and maybe a little assistance from time to time like when he helped me find the death ray."  

"I thought he taught you to bat bullets out of your way. Isn't that enough?" Colin asks with a grin.

"An' Zhanti... So he came from across the galaxy to choose you. That's really cool. So no major trauma, magic ring or book of prophecy for you. You chose encounter with with aliens." he quotes what she told him at the phone were the most likely causes for one to discover paranormal abilities after puberty.

"Does that mean he gave you your talents, or they're just your own, and he came to help you out?" he asks then, more seriously.
"And a peace keeper. I like that. This planet could use a little peace. And I think a galactic cop uniform would suit you." he jokes, then he gets serious again.
"Are you... fine with it all? Being chosen and everything? Did he tell you why he chose you?"

Sarah glances around the restaurant making sure everyone is out of hearing. Unless they have superhearing.  Oh good paranoid much?
"I still don't know where the powers came from.. maybe just a bad box of Captain Crunch.  I don't know.  Morpheus said he didn't give me the powers.  He didn't choose me.  He was just drawn to me.  Crazy stuff.  I don't really know what intergalactic cops wear these days.  Maybe I could start a fashion trend?"  As long as we leave out the part about protecting him.  Then he'd think I don't even like him.  Just that I'm there to guard him. 

Sarah bites off some pizza and downs a drink of Coke.  "What about you?  What have you been doing?  Did you ever talk to Chris?  Tell him how you feel about him and your mom?  I've barely spoken to you since the party.  Oh and the drycleaners got out that nasty mess from my mom's dress can you believe it?"

"He was drawn to you from the other side of the galaxy? Well that still makes you very special. One could say that you must be really attractive."
It's another joke, but his eyes have those wrinkles again.

"Well, actually, I followed your advice immediately. I told them, just before being shot... Maybe I should just start from the beginning. The morning after the party I called Bobby, and we met again. He said some awful and unrepeatable things about me, some of them quite true, and then he gave me the first real explanation of what's happening to me. He also gave me a new cellphone, saying I would have needed it. Mom and Chris came with me this time, because I guess they didn't trust Bobby after what happened at our... lunch together, so I sat with them a bit, and then I told them. They were actually very happy, but just a minute later two cars full of drug deales turned around the corner and let out a volley of bullets. Chris jumped on us to throw us to the ground, he was great, but I was hit anyway... only the bullet hit my old cellphone and remained stuck there. They couldn't believe it... Bobby just explained me how my guide and my powers can't tell me everything, because it would make things worse. They can only give me just a nudge in the right direction. Bobby knew what was about to happen but he couldn't tell me, or I wouldn't have been there, and maybe that bullet would have killed someone."

He takes another slice of pizza, and drinks his orange juice.
"So, I began to follow Bobby's advice on how to awaken my ghost sight. He said everything would come after that. At the beginning I could only see auras and... whatever it is I see in reflections, now I don't even need glasses anymore. I can talk with my spirit guide, though he says that language is an imperfect form of communication, and, now that I'm beginning to understand him a bit, he's really helpful.
Basically, I am to be a sort of... ambassador? Bobby said a marriage counselor, between our world and the spirit world. My "powers" actually comes from the spirit doing things for me, like giving me clues, or giving their energy to heal someone. There is a balance though, so I must do something back for them. It's not something I wouldn't do anyway, basically I have to help others, and fight the dark forces of the world. My guide says that with time, the spirits will learn to trust me, and one day I'll be able to talk with them too."

Another pause to eat something.

"The difficult part is that I don't know how to do anything. My subconscious maybe does, but the whole thing answers to my emotions rather than my brain. So it's all quite confusing."

He pauses again, this time not to eat, but to look at her.

"I'm really glad I have someone to talk of these things with."

She grins at Colin's compliment.  "Yes my brain is in pinup magazines halfway across the universe.  I'm Miss July."

Sarah just stares in wonder, "Shot by drug dealers,  you meet someone with gifts like your own and finally start to get the hang of your abilities...  Wow."  Sarah shakes her head in wonder at Colin.  "All I've managed to do is get sick and leave you to get setup by a bunch of nasty b.. witches."

She sips at her coke


"It sounds like you have a few people to talk this stuff over with.  I think you're pretty lucky.  As for me, I'm always glad to listen.  Don't forget, the next time you want to run off and be heroic you can give me a call to tag along.  I know I can't do much besides return a few tennis balls but you never know when you might get attacked by an evil tennis pro bent on destruction.  Of something like that.  As for me, I haven't worked up the guts yet to talk to my parents about this stuff." 

A force as inescapable as gravity leads Colin's thoughts away from pictures of galaxies far away to a vision that involves a beach, palms and... a bikini. It catches him so much by surprise that he nearly chokes himself to death with a bite of pizza, and when he finally regains breath, the wrinkles around his eyes don't give away only his embarassment to everyone who is able to see, but his guilt as well.

Maybe it wasn't a good idea after all. These are not the kind of thoughts one should have of his friends.


"Well, Bobby's gifts aren't actually like my own. He's a demon hunter. A warrior. And I think I don't envy his job one bit. I'm just a... I don't know. A medium? For the moment at least.
And we don't know yet if you got sick on your own or you were... helped with that. The timing is suspicious to say the least. And I shouldn't have fallen for that anyway. It's not your fault."

He takes another sip of orange juice, since his throat is still a bit sore.

"Actually, if the witches really put a jinx on you, it's my fault to begin with. As if having to face a giant snake-man wasn't enough. I've only been a big trouble for you so far."


Colin thinks for a moment what to tell her.

"Why... ehm... would you like to talk about it?"

"It's not your fault those girls are total witches.  They saw a way to take advantage of us and use you like a tool.  They were looking for something and they figured out what you can do."  She looks into his eyes, smiling a little sadly and places one hand over Colin's, trying to reassure him.  "There are lots of bad or just nasty people in the world.  These just happen to have access to some magic and it doesn't make them any sweeter.  A lot of the journals I've read have discussed the psychology of powers.  They say that in many known cases they magnify an already identifiable trait of the possessor whether for good or evil.  In some cases it allows them to fulfill hidden desires."  Sarah lets go of Colin's hand and takes another swallow of soda, "And powers given to rotten little entitled self important highschool girls is just asking for trouble.  Powers should go to people who could do the most good with it."  Her face lights up for just a moment at the thought of what could be done if all the strange powers in the world were only given to the best people.  But the clouds of doubt return quickly, "Instead of ending up with people like me."

She waves her hand at Colin to stop him from protesting her unworthiness.  "I'm serious.  I've wanted powers most of my life but that doesn't mean I should get them.  Look at me... I'm not smart or even particularly clever.  I'm not brave or even all that honest, though I fear you're rubbing off on me with that.  I'm a B- student on my good days.  I don't work in a soup kitchen or.. or.. volunteer for anything.  I'm nobody and to top it all off I'm a total whiner."  Sarah grins at her own expense.  "I'm not a complete loser and I'm not bad or even mean.  I'm usually pretty nice but nice doesn't save children from a burning house or freeze villains in there tracks." 

Sarah shrugs and eats a bite of pizza. 

"But I can't deny that I have this gift and that someone from somewhere ...Morpheus contacted me and helps me and thinks I'm worth something.  It's funny.  I take a mysterious voice in my head more seriously than my friends.  I mean... my friends will always tell me I'm worthy or deserving or whatever but when a stranger tells you the same thing.. it can mean more.  They don't care about you one way or the other.  They don't want to make you feel better."

She smiles again, more brightly this time and reaches for Colins hands once more.  She holds them both in her own, a little greasy from pizza but warm and reassuring.   "But I really appreciate my friends telling me it all the same.  I know I'm not exactly making life easy for you either.  I don't mean to drive you crazy but I'm still figuring out who I am.  I don't think I can be fair to anyone right now with everything going on.  And I really couldn't live with myself if you dove at some nasty piece of work ahead of me and shouted something brave and foolish again.  I can take care of myself."

Colin flashes Sarah his trademark giant smile, and leaves his hands where they are... because they just feel good there.

"I know you can take care of yourself. You do that much better than me actually. But I can make no promise about shouting something foolish becase... that's what I do. I know you don't need anyone saving you. You're a superhero after all, what could happen to you?" he winks at her as he says this.

"You're not driving me crazy. I know you need time and space to figure everything out. To find out who you are. That's what I want you to do as well. Let's pretend for a moment that what you said about yourself is true (though it's not). There's no one keeping you from becoming what you want to be though. It's not like in Matt's comics that one day one gets his powers and the next one he's already a big time superhero. Here everything is confusing and we have to go through a lot to make it have even a little bit of sense. I'm sure though that, little step by little step, we're gonna find out why this happened to us and no one else, and that you'll become the person you now don't believe you can be. The person that really will do the most good with it. Not now though. Now is the time to learn. For both of us."

Colin now stiffens as if is what is about to say is more difficult than what he just said.

"And... to be completely honest... there are... things... that I would like to learn... with you. But they can wait. I hope... they'll just be more beautiful if we don't rush them. And that when you'll be ready... you'll be looking for me."

It takes him a minute or two to stop trembling, during which he slowly takes his hands off her own, and finishes what remains of his pizza and his drink in silence.

"I asked Chris to find someone to teach me some self-defense. Would you be interested as well?"

Sarah sighs a little when Colin pulls his hands away.  She doesn't know what the right thing to say to him is but she pushes it to the side a moment later. 

"Self defense?  Really?  That would be amazing!  I can probably scrounge up some money to help pay for a trainer or something.  Not a lot but it might help.  And I don't think I take care of myself that much better.  I mean, I know how to tumble and move around okay but as far as fighting... I don't know if I could hit you with a punch on a hundred dollar bet.  My staff... it just kind of finds it's way without my muscles getting it into trouble."

"I'll let you know what he finds out then."

He waits patiently for her to finish her lunch, then he pays his bill and stretches his shoulders as he gets out of Geppetto's.

"So, are you ready for our next stop? This one you probably heard about. It's pretty famous."

He brings her north, in a rather elegant part of the town. Just between a boutique and a hair stylist, there a little, well kept blind alley. A confectioner's shop gives onto the alley, and Colin grins as they approach its window. Half of it is occupied by a magnificent representation of the ending of Moby Dick. There's a stormy brown sea, a sinking Pequod, an overturned launch, with sailors still clinging to it, Ishmael on the coffin, and the white whale with a black Captain Ahab on top. It's quite detailed, and it's very impressive, considering it's all made of chocolate. The shop has a french name, elegantly written over the door on a wooden sign. Chez Rocher. Sarah has probably seen its ads somewhere, but few know where it actually is.

Colin looks at Sarah, waiting for her reaction with a slight grin.

Sarah stares through the glass amazed that anyone could make something so detailed with food.  Especially hot drippy chocolate.  "Wow, that is pretty cool.  I never knew this place was here.  I think it might be illegal to eat something like that though.  What happens to that chocolate art when it starts to get... I don't know, old or dusty?  Is it real.. I mean is it edible or did they coat it with something so that it wouldn't get ruined?"  

Sarah pulls her phone out of her pocket and takes a dinky little picture of the chocolate work.  She stands back up and stretches.  "Thanks, that was neat.  Where to next?"  she asks, apparently oblivious to any possibility of entering such a store.  Still holding her phone she points it at Colin and takes a fuzzy little picture of him as well.  It is blurry and of sadly low resolution but still clearly Colin Crow.   "There, now I can see you when you call me.  Did I ever even give you my cell number?  555-5334.  Remember that.  Or do like I do and just type the number in quick and store it in memory.  I don't even know my home number.  It's very sad.  Sadder still is I know at least four IP addresses for local game servers as well as the direct IP's for Dave, Greg and Rob's machines.  I wish I had a decent phone.  They make phones with bad cameras... Couldn't they just make a good camera with a phone?"

"Well, i think the counter is closed and refrigerated. And I think they make a new one about every two weeks, so it doesn't really get old either. I like it more when it isn't near a holiday. I'm sure they'll make a Halloween themed one soon, and then a Thanksgiving one. When there is no holiday instead they make something out of a book or a movie. I like those ones the best. The "Lord of the rings" themed ones were really cool."


"Next step in my plan would be to get you in a park for... about an hour, while the last stop in Colin's guided Tour to Oak Park gets ready. Is that fine for you? Did you like to go on swings?"


Colin chuckles. "-I- know your home number. Photographic memory and all that jazz. Or kinetic memory. I remember what my fingers drew on the buttons when I called you. I'll remember your cell number as well."

He gets out his camera and offers it to her.

"Here, try this. I like my cameras to be cameras and my phones to be phones. And possibly bulletproof." he says with a smile.

Sarah grins, "Swings are good.  I don't know if I can swing for an hour but I'd love to go hang out in the park."   She decides to let Colin keep his secret about the next stop on the tour.  He really thought about this.  All I did was make sure I brushed my teeth and am wearing the same colored socks. 

Sarah studies Colin's camera for a little while, figuring out the basics and tries taking another picture of the confection and then one of Colin.  She turns it around and grins while she presses the button one more time for a picture of herself.  She studies the camera a little more, feeling its weight and wondering.

Afterwards she hands Colin back his camera.  "Thanks.  Hopefully you don't end up with three pictures of my thumb."

"Do you think you could show me how to take a few decent shots?  I was talking to Megan last night about wanting to get into some activities at school.  She suggested the Constitutional Debate club but I think she must have mistaken me for someone who can think in a straight line.  My middle name should have been Tangent."  Sarah smiles a little at her self depreciating comment.  She looks shyly down at the camera once more.  "But I thought, maybe I could, I don't know, try and take photos for the newspaper or the yearbook or something."  Sarah looks up a little worriedly and adds hastily, " I don't want to cut in on your stuff though." 

"Well the good thing with digital cameras is that you can check immediately if your pics went well."
He takes it for a moment and shows her the photos she's taken in the small screen.
"Well, you get a general idea, actually. It's only when you upload them into a computer that you see how they really came. That's why I usually take three or four pic of the same subject with it. A normal camera is different. that is about single stroke and you have to try to make them as perfect as possible before you take the picture."


"I wish the school had a gymnastic program so you wouldn't have to ask me this. Sure, I can show you the ropes, if you think you'd like it. First you'd better try it for a couple weeks, and then decide if you really want to join the newspaper."
Colin suddenly has a strange idea, and thinks about it for a moment.
"What if we turned what we are doing into an official club? Like the Detective's club or something? It could be realated to the newspaper, doing "investigations" for it. It could also be a front for some of the weird things we do. What do you think? Good or awful idea?" he asks Sarah, as they slowly walk towards the park.

Sarah gives a small shrug as she walks.  "I don't know if its a good idea or not.  I think that might draw a bit too much attention to us.  If it's a club.. well it's open to everyone.  And if the point of the club is investigation then somebody besides one of the usual suspects might start hunting around after one of us.  Start noticing how you or I or one of the others always happens to be around when some vigilante justice goes down or something like that.  Maybe take a picture, bring it to the principal or put it in a real paper. 

I was kind of thinking along those lines though.  Yearbook pictures... they get taken all through the year.  Most are goofy and some are from sports events, some are from all the other clubs and thats not including all the standard bunch of pictures they take at the end of the year.  It would be a good excuse for someone to go poking around school most any time of the day or evening as long as there was some event going on somewhere at the school.  Plus it might keep me from going nuts sitting at home only to hear the next day my friends talk about being attacked or fighting drug dealers or being shot by them." 

"Ok. Awful idea. Forget about it."


Colin smiles at her. He has a hard time believing she really wants him to explain what is probably his greatest passion.
"Very well. Take the camera. First lesson: the camera see things quite differently from your eyes. Give it a try. These wheel is to zoom in and out. Try to look at something you like. Take a pic of it. Look at the differences. And most importantly, have fun. If you're not having fun, you'll never take a good photo."

Sarah plays with the camera the rest of the way to the park and lets Colin show her zooming, lots of different settings, action shots, light levels, modifying and erasing pictures until she at least has a basic grasp of the device. 

""This is kind of cool."  She takes pictures of cars, buildings, Colin, random people, her sneakers, her hand.  "Oooh macro can see all the little lines in my hand!  I have to go take a picture of a bug!"  Sarah gives Colin a huge grin.  Her cheerfulness is evident and is clearly as happy as a kid with a new toy.     

Colin eyes gets a strange, intense expression. He wants to take in every single detail of this day, of this happiness, and never forget it again. He looks at Sarah as if she was the most precious things in the world, as she has fun with the camera.

"Second lesson: light. Our eyes react to the light much more efficiently than the camera. You see how this pic is dark, while that car wasn't dark at all? It's because you let too much direct light into the eye. What gives real, bright colors is instead reflected light so, for now at least. Try to keep the sun, or your light source, always behind you.
And those are the swings I talked about."

Oak Park takes great pride in its parks, and this one is very well kept. The swings are half hidden behind some fir trees and all around there's no moss, but little white pebbles and a soft blanket of dry needles. There are a couple children chasing each other up and down a slide, while their mothers enjoy a little chat on a wooden bench. There are three teenager sized swings, and they're all free.

"Here's your bug." Colin says, noticing a rather large ant on a tree. "What's the matter with your parents?" he asks her again, softly, after she takes the pic.

*Click* "Ooh!  Antsy!"  Sarah studies the picture a little bit more.  "Creepy.  Maybe taking pictures of bugs was a bad idea."


"My parents?"  Sarah thinks back to the restaurant.  "There is nothing wrong with them.  They are good parents I guess... I just don't know what they would think if I told them about my powers.  I wonder if they would freak out.  I didn't tell them everything about my life before I had this power... and now?"  She shrugs noncommitally.  "Do you think I should talk to them?"  Sarah looks at Colin hoping for the right answer... whatever it was.

"Maybe they are so little for a reason." he chuckles.


"Nobody tells his parents everything he does, or who are all his friends. That's normal. But your talents are not something you do, they're something you are. You are Sarah Rollins, you are 14 years old, you are a dreamer, and you have red hair and a mind able to work wonders. Little wonders for now, like summoning a staff of light, maybe someday there'll be more. Anyway all those things are true, are part of you, and none of them should make your parents freak out. Now, what you do with your powers could make them freak out. If you're going to tell them that now every night you'll put on a mask and a mantle and will wander on roofs chasing criminals, they likely won't be ready, and might reasonably freak out about it a bit. But not about what you are. It's not like you did something wrong, it's just what you are. There's more. You are likely R-factor positive. You know better than me that this rarely comes out of nowhere. Maybe you inherited, or improved upon, a talent that one of your relatives has too. Maybe you have a relative that could help you, and your parents never mentioned it because they would never think of you as a paranormal."

Colin thinks about it some more.

"Don't you ever go to your mom or your dad when you feel like you need a hug? Do you think them not knowing would make that hug warmer or colder? I told my mom because I need her to be with me and understand me when things go dire. Maybe your parents are different, and you don't think they'd be of help. I... I can't tell you what to do. But if either way you feel the need to vent, you know where to find me."

He lets his swing take some speed.

Sarah swings.  Back and forth just like her life.  Back and forth.  Happy, sad.  Hopeful, forlorn.  "I think I'll tell them.  But what can I tell them?  If I just say I have powers they might think I'm behind the trouble or they'll wonder if I'm one of the vigilantes they read about.  They wont want me telling my little brother, that's for sure.  If I have a power then no doubt he'll be positive that he has a power.  He wont wait around for it to show up either.  He'll be throwing himself off buildings and anything else he can think of to make his powers come out.  He's a really good kid but I don't think he'd be very patient."

Back and forth.  Back and forth.  Back and forth and touch the sky. 

"Could I tell them about you?  Most people think about powers and the picture people blasting each other or destroying buildings.  You have the best powers ever.  Everything you do is about making things better."

"Uhmm. First thing, don't call them powers. It's true, "powers" makes people think of mask, capes, throwing cars, and laser rays shooting out of your eyes. Just tell them you have a... skill? A special ability. A talent. I like talent, myself. Then tell them it's for your defense. It's true after all. You don't go around bashing someone's head in with it, you used it on people... mmm things actually... that attacked you first. Tell them of the first time you called upon the staff. It'll make them glad you have it."

"And yes, try to make sure Mart doesn't overhear you. Though, if half of what you say about him is true, he's got to already have some superpowers to still be in one piece." he grins.


Colin thinks about her last question for several swings, back and forth. He gradually accelerates to match her speed.

Making things better. Tell Rob that and see what he thinks about it. Or Rory.
Nah, that's not fair. Everything in my power. I tried. I really tried.

"It's not that I don't want you to tell them. You can. Well, tell them also not to go around telling everyone. And no mention of the blackbird. No, it's just that it's not true. My talents are not inherently good. Bobby said that how I use them, for good or evil, it's my path to walk. So is yours. You've got a weapon. That is not good or bad, it's just a tool. A policeman and a bank robber could use the same gun. It's what they do with it that makes the difference. And you've a spirit from halfway across the galaxy coming here because you have the potential to be a peace keeper. That's gotta say something about you. You know what the blackbird tells me most often? To have faith in myself. So should you."

He takes a look around, and lets the swing slow down.

"It looks like it's a bit earlier than I expected. A few more minutes and we can go."

"Skill, not power.  That's a good idea.  I'll have to remember that.  The defense thing is a good idea too.  I might not be here without it.  That might make them feel a little better." 

Back and forth, back and forth.  "The thought of Mart with a power um a skill... is a little frightening.  Though I suppose he would say the same thing about me."
Sarah thinks about that.  Mart does bounce back from all his craziness pretty fast...  Nah.  If he's got a power it's the ability to put the most stress on Mom and Dad's insurance.

"I'll talk to them.  I think I've been working up to it for a while now but I just needed to talk with someone about it.  Thanks Colin."

"You're welcome." he says, meaning every bit of it.

He jumps down from the swing and offers her his hand to do the same. He leads her across the park, then across the street, then to the next block, and he heads straight for a building. Sarah immediately recognizes it.

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Oak_park_library.jpg/450px-Oak_park_library.jpg)

Colin senses some hesitation in her friend and grins "It's not what you're thinking."

He spurs her in where he shows his card to the receptionist who takes an absent-minded look away from the latest Danielle Steel bestseller and lets them in.

Colin gesture Sarah to be quiet, and has a naughty look in her eyes. He goes upstairs to the second floor, urges her across an unfrequented area, probably where newspapers are kept, and through a nondescript door. There's another, smaller flight of stairs that leads up against a fire door. Colin opens it, let's Sarah through and puts  a rock under it so it just stays slightly open.

They are now in a small balcony on the roof of the building. The library is far from being the tallest building in town, but it 's the tallest around for a few blocks, so one can have a quite nice view of Oak Park from there. More importantly, though, there's nothing near to block the sight to the west, where the sun is about to set. There are several birds flying low and calling each other, and the thin clouds in the western sky are beginning to turn red, golden and purple.

Colin takes a few steps toward the rail, then turns to enjoy the look on Sarah's face. The sunset light make her hair burn even more red, and she looks really beautiful to him. He takes a photo of her, then gives her the camera back.

Sarah looks around the rooftop with a smile.  I am seriously outclassed here.  I've been tricked into a date... no matter what Colin says about it.  Not that I mind.  He probably figured out the only way I was going to go on one was if I didn't know about it.

She turns her head slowly to take in Oak Park.  Her home for the past few years.  She turns and looks back in the direction of Chicago and the warm sun at her back.  Can't live in the past forever can you?  Sarah finishes her turn around the roof and faces Colin and the sun once more as he takes her picture. 

"It's wonderful up here.  You've given me a day to remember Colin Crow."  

When he hands her back the camera she puts her arm around his waist and leans on his shoulder.  Sarah looks into Colin's eyes and says, "Say Cheese."  She holds the camera up high and takes a picture of them together.    After the camera clicks her arm drops but she just keeps staring up into his eyes, amazed that someone so wonderful is interested in her and she holds onto Colin because she doesn't want to push him away.

Colin looks in her eyes too, as if frozen, tension drawing small lines on his forehead.

You made it a day to remember. God and Great Spirit, can I stay like this forever? It's... I should make up a new word to say what it is. Can you feel it Sarah? Can you feel what it's like for me? Why are you looking at me this way? You said you were still figuring things out. Are you sure you don't want to drive me crazy? Oh, who cares, if this is going crazy I love it. She's not moving. What should I do now? What?

He feels his smile stretching, and in a desperate fear of be looking like an idiot, he blinks a couple times, trying to regain control of his face, but he doesn't move an inch away from her.

"Sarah..." he whispers. "Sarah, I promised you... Only when you'll say you're ready..."

He can't look anywhere else but in her eyes, and his eyes are... begging, though if it's to let him go, to stay like this, or to move even closer, Sarah can't be sure. Colin isn't either.

Sarah watches a quick movie play across Colin's face.  Hope, fear, anguish, hope again.  The thought that she was sending the normally so calm and composed Colin through this roller coaster ride saddened her.  I didn't tell him to feel this way about me!  And I never told him not to.  I didn't push him away because I never wanted him to go.

She breaks eye contact to glance at the setting sun as it starts to sink below the horizon.  I can't even remember the last time I watched a sunset.  "Just want you to know that this is real.  We're both ourselves and we are really here together."

Sarah looks back to Colin with a grin.   "So you better kiss me quick in case I'm wrong."

Colin grins for a moment too, looking up, and when he looks back at her, his eyes are different. It's like something else washed away his fears and doubts. He looks at her as if there was nothing else else in the whole world, as if she was so beautiful that everything else really did disappear. That she looks back at him, that she even aknowledges his existance, is amazing. Colin is sure he never felt like this. The other time wasn't like this. This time it really feels... right.

Ever so slowly, he reaches for her hand. His hands are so warm that hers feel quite cold, so he takes just a moment to caress them, to warm them up. Then, if she doesn't resist it, he pulls her close, slowly, softly, as he takes a last look at the red sun disappearing behind her. He keeps her for a moment in a hug that is tight without being forceful, savouring the feeling of her body against his own, of their chests breathing together at the same, slightly rushed pace.

He pulls her slightly apart to look at her face, to dive again into the wells of pure bliss that are her eyes, and he slowly moves a lock of her hair away from her eyebrow. If she doesn't stop him or pulls herself away, he leans his to kiss her forehead. He bits his lips, and he kisses her again, this time on her right cheek. It's like he's gathering courage, and giving her time to stop him, if she changes her mind.

He strokes her hair, slowly, sloftly, in silence, a slight smile never leaving his lips. There's just nothing he could tell her that she doesn't already know. He leans forward again, his forehead touching hers, the he slides down and this time his lips just brush her own, as he gives another peck to the corner of her mouth.

If at this point, she has done nothing to discourage him, he finally can't hold back no longer, and, with some urgency, he pulls her even tighter, holds his breath, closes his eyes, and lays his slightly parted lips on her own.

There is an explosion of light and sound, like steel claws on a blackboard.  The light inverts, going from bright to dim and with it images form. 


With a sound like water running down a drain the world is sucked away into nothing, and Colin is looking up at the twilight sky.  Sarah is looking down on him.

OOC: From Sarah's point of view, they kissed and then Colin lurched back, grabbed his head and fell down.  His eyes were completely black and he was staring into the sky.  Then his eyes returned to normal and his breathing started again.

Sarah smiles and closes her eyes while Colin kisses her cheek.  She soaks up the warmth of his body and wishes the moment to never end.  When she feels his lips brush the corner of her mouth she turns towards him, lifting her head and meeting his kiss.   A soft and perfect kiss....  that isn't there anymore?
Sarah opens her eyes to see Colin falling backwards, his eyes gone black. 

"COLIN!!!"

Oh god, I killed him!

Sarah drops to her knees and checks for Colin's pulse with out any concept of how to help him.  A moment later she is saved from her ignorance by the return of Colin's breathing and his eyes opening to a terrified Sarah. 

"Colin!  Colin!  Are you okay?  What happened?"

"He's had a vision.  He's looked into the black of possibility, so he might not be able to tell you.  He also might not want to tell you."

Colin gasps. He frantically turns around with a look of utter terror in his eyes and takes air in just as if he was about to let out a scream. Then he gets his bearings, he recognizes where he is, and recognizes Sarah. Sarah...

He nearly jumps up to reach her, to cling at her, to keep her as close as possible for a moment. Sarah feels him trembling as he has never before, his breath is labored, and he is not able to talk yet. He just hugs her tight, and strokes the back of her head. It takes him several minutes before he calms down enough to be able to think straight.

Oh, God and Great Spirit. It happened. This was... from the future. A future that must not come to pass. I can't let it happen. Not to her. I can't. What did Bobby say? What did Bobby say?!!!

Colin takes a deep, slower breath, and clears his mind enough to recall that morning.
"Free will, cause and effect.  Get used to them.  Also, get used to not being able to tell people the whole story, and not having the whole story told to you.  Too much information can cause things that are supposed to happen to not happen, because you become obsessed with one thing and forget that there is a big picture.  You see a future event, you make a decision based on it and it you're not careful you make it come true in the effort to stop it.  Recognized patterns of force.  You have to learn to ride your instincts, follow your hunches, and lie to people."

Ok. If I'm careful, it won't happen. Don't panic. I can stop it. I just have to be careful and trust my insticts. It won't happen. It can't happen. Oh, Sarah.

Colin lets her go, to look in her eyes again.
"I'm sorry-" he says, but his voice sounds quite broken, so he swallows a couple times.
"I'm ok. I'm sorry that I scared you. I have no control over these things. I guess they just come. This one was quite bad, and came at a very bad moment. Well actually the moment was really perfect, if it wasn't for this."

He gathers his strength and feebly smiles at her, but she can see there's something wrong, and he's holding it back.

"You... You made me very happy today. I hope this... thing doesn't ruin it for you. Do you think we can forget it happened and resume from where we left."

He takes him a moment to realize what he just said. The familiar wrinkles appear.

"No, I didn't mean it that way. Though, I must admit, it was... an interesting topic, and we weren't done with it, were we?" he offers with a slightly more convinced smile.

Sarah holds tight to Colin before sitting back.  Colin was worrying about her feelings so that probably meant that he was okay.  She sits on the ground leaning on one arm and smiles with relief.  "No we can't forget it... but it doesn't ruin everything.  For a couple of seconds I thought I had killed you or something.  Your eyes went all black and you'd stopped breathing.  Must have been one whopper of a vision."  And it was when we kissed so maybe it was about us, or me. 

She grabs Colin by the shirt with both hands and pulls him close.  "But I do want to know whether you're going to black out every time we try and kiss.  So brace yourself."

Sarah leans forward with no more warning and presses her mouth to Colin's.   No visions, No visions, No visions... she wishes quietly to herself with her eyes shut tight.  After a long moment if nothing else bad happens she opens one eye to peek.

Colin welcomes her in his embrace. His body is slowly warming up again after the vision and soon he doesn't tremble anymore. He tries to push what he saw in the back of his mind, but it still makes him quite tense, and his fear to lose her shows. He kisses her as it was their last time, keeping her face between his hands. Well until his sensations, his feelings carry him away, then he just forgets everything else, the universe is empty but for the two of them. He takes her lower lip softly between his own for a moment, then he does the same with her upper lip.

Then he feels her opening her eyes, and, quite reluctantly, breaks the kiss.
"Wow" he whispers, always looking in her eyes, and for a moment that is all he is able to say.
He feels this moment burning like a firebrand in his heart and his mind. He knows that, no matter how much time will pass, he will always be able to remember it as if it was yesterday.

"You are magic. You are wonderful. You are the best thing that ever happened to me."
And I will save you.

A warm, tender smile appears on his lips. "Not that I can find anything to complain about... this, but you know what they say? That third time's the charm?"


EDIT

OOC: I've been told I can go on so here I go. Then it's your turn, though.  ;)

The gallons of adrenaline in his blood after the vision, and the sheer thrill of having her just there, in his arms, after he dreamt about this since nearly the first time he saw her, make Colin quite braver then he would normally be.

He leans in to to softly lay his forehead on her own, and looks straight into her eyes. He backs away just to rub playfully his nose against her own. He's torn between telling her again what he feels for her, and waiting for her, doing things at her pace, so in the end his lips say the three magic words again, but his voice cannot.

He kisses her again, and this time he tries, rather awkwardly, to do what he always heard the other boys talk about, and couldn't figure out how it was done. He parts his lips slightly, and tries to reach out with his tongue for hers. He desperately hopes he's doing it the right way, though it feels... weird. A good kind of weird.

Sarah rolls her eyes comically and grins.  Oh man am I seriously this cutesy?  A quick flash back to 'Puppies!' reminds her that yes she does have a cutesy side.   


Sarah leans forward into his kiss, eager and willing.  She closes her eyes... because that's what you're supposed to do and ends up scraping her tongue on Colin's tooth.  Ow!  Son ofa.. is he a cannibal or something with sharpened teeth? Yeeouch!  So much for this being smooth like on TV.  Hey... this isn't bad.  Pretty fun once you get into the rhythm.  Must be impossible with a headcold.  Blargh I think he just tried to steal my tonsils!   Brain: Sarah?  shut up.  : oh.  right.

After a minute of false starts and minor mishaps Sarah finds a way to compliment Colin's efforts and enjoys a happy quiet personal time while the sky turns orange and purple and slowly darker. 

Some time later she leans back with a soft, half sleepy smile.  He's wonderful!  He's fantastic.  He's Super Colin!

"That was awesome."  Real words escape her in the awkward moment after their first kiss.  She knows there must be something to say that would be just right but she has no idea what it is.  Instead she takes Colin's hand and helps him up from the dusty floor.  Sarah twines her fingers in Colin's and just keeps smiling. 

Eventually the growing darkness reminds her that home is still quite a ways away and she hadn't told her parents she'd be out after dark. 

"Can you walk me home?  I don't want to go.. but I'm totally busted if I don't get there soon.  Can't save the world if you're grounded." 

As Sarah break away Colin doesn't open his eyes for a few moments. If this is a dream, he doesn't want to wake up ever. He wants to feel her in his arms, her softness, her fragrance, her taste forever.

But he notices her silence, he feels her look upon him, so he opens his eyes, to give her an expecting glance, before lowering them in embarassment. With them both silent the moment is quite awkward, and he begins to worry. He's about to say he's sorry when she finally speaks.


A smile as bright as the sun that just set blossoms on his face, her comment sending him straight into euphoria.

"Oh, yes, it was. God and Great Spirit it really was."
THAAT ---- WAAAS ---- AAAAAWESOME!!!!!!!


Colin gets up at once. In this moment she could ask him to jump down the roof, and he'd do it without asking. Her pale hand keeps feeling cold in his tanned one, he gently caress it to warm it, then he draws it to his lips and kisses it softly on its back.


For an instant Colin looks at the darkening sky with what seems like terror, then he turns to her again.

"You getting grounded is the last thing I want. Let's go. It's time anyway."

Colin opens the door and kicks the rock that kept it open out of the way. He gestures her to be silent as they go back to the library's second floor. Colin makes her run across the floor to the main stairs. As they go down, giggling, they cross a librarian that looks at the quite suspiciously, but doesn't say anything. They just get out as fast as they can and then Colin bursts laughing.

"They go up there when they want to take a smoke. That how I found out about that place. Two minutes later and he probably would have caught us there. We have to stop meeting like this." he says before laughing again.

He would like to hug her just like that on the street, to grab her by the waist and lift her up high into the air, he would like to dance with her for hours, skating on a frozen lake. He can only cling to her hand, but she can see all those dreams in his eyes whenever he looks at her.

He takes a look at his camera, and for a moment he's quite torn. Then he takes it off his neck and gives it to her.
"Keep it for now. Remember the first two rules. You'll give it back to me when the memory card is full, I'll show you the pictures you've taken on my computer, or at school paper, and tell you how to do better next time. Just... be careful not to erase any picture we've taken today. I want to print them, and keep them. They're special."

As they walk home, hand in hand, Colin thinks to ask her what they would do now, what's gooing to change between them, or when they'll be with their friends, but he decides he's not the case. He would have been contented to have her as a good friend, now he's happy beyond his wildest dreams. Every now and then he gives her hand a gentle squeeze, just to make sure she's real. When they get to the Rollins' house they stop, but he can't get himself to let her go, or to say anything. He just waits for her to do something.

Sarah looks at the camera longingly but hands it back along the way.  "No.  I mean I'd love to borrow your camera but I don't trust myself enough with one yet.  Mart has a bang around camera that takes pretty good pictures.  It's digital and he only ever uses it when he's documenting just how awful he gets hurt.  I don't want to use it unless you're around to supervise.  At least until I get better at it.  But thank you.  It's really sweet." 
Sarah kisses Colin on the cheek and smiles.  "I could get used to this I think." 

Along the way she chats sort of aimlessly.  "Someone told me why not see what happens.  About you I mean.  Well I hadn't specifically mentioned you but you in a general sense of being a boy interested in me.  Um... anyway, I thought about it.  And I've thought how for the last few years I haven't done anything!  I've just wasted time on the sidelines, playing video games and nothing much else.  I've sat on the floor reading my stupid magazines wishing for something to happen to me.  I guess it finally occurred to me that nothing much can happen to you when you're sitting on the floor of your bedroom reading magazines."

Sarah chatters on just enjoying this strange feeling of closeness to someone.  Her shoulder brushed against Colin's as they walk and their pace was matched. 
At the door of her house she smiles up at Colin one more time.  "Thank you.  Thank you for everything today.  It was a fantastic day.  I'm even home without having to make up excuses for being late."

Her cell phone rings suddenly.  She pulls it out of her pocket and shows you the ID on the screen.  'Mom & Dad'  "Perfect timing." 
She answers the phone.  "Hi Mom, no, I'm fine.  Uh-huh.  I'm not running late.  Nope.  Seriously.  Peek out the front window.  Love you Mom."  Sarah disconnects and watches the window.  A moment later the curtain moves and she waves to the face peering from inside.  The curtain closes again after a little wave and a smile from her mom. 

"I should probably  head in.  Keep your eyes out for witches.  Especially if they look like me!"  She hugs Colin tight one last time.  "But they can't fool you that way again now can they?"  She gives Colin a wicked grin.  "You know how the real me kisses." 

She rises up a little on the balls of her feet and plants another quick kiss on Colin's mouth before cutting and running.  The door is half closed when she stops and looks back.  "Be safe Colin.  Call me tomorrow?"

Hey, I trust you with my heart. The camera is nothing.

"You're welcome. Well, I was planning on getting your name on the register so you could use one of the school's ones, but this is better. Really though, you should try it when you are on your own too. Practice makes perfect."

Mmm, I wonder if it applies to kissing too. Can it get even better?


Colin just smiles bashfully.

I could get addicted to this. I probably already am.


Whoever you are that told her that, thank you! I owe you big time!

"It doesn't have to be wasted time. In the games you played you have always been a hero. Did they really gave you no clues on how to be a real one yourself? Also, you could put it like this... before a butterfly can fly, she has to spend some time wrapped up in herself. Maybe you just needed some time on your own before opening up to the world. And if you ask me, you make for a magnificent butterfly indeed. Mmm, no, you're better than that. Butterflies usually don't kick as much ass as you." he grins.


Colin just soaks up her chatters, sometimes replying, sometimes just reveling in everything she says, even the smallest things, just because they come from her, and he could just listen to her voice for hours.


"Ehm, isn't she going to... ask questions... seeing us here together?" he asks a little worried.
"And Sarah?"
How can it be that I love even the sound of her name?
"I... I didn't plan for this. I meant to share some nice things with you, but this... this is way more than I expected. It's really been a fantastic day. But I'm the one who has to thank you."


He feels deeply ashamed when she mentions the witches, but her kiss makes it go away. He's stunned for a moment by how  her kisses really make everything better.

"Which witches? Oh, you mean those pathetic wannabes? They can't even hold out a candle to the real Sarah. Of course I'll call you, my princess. See you."

Colin sighs deeply as the door closes behind her. But after a moment the euphoria starts again. During all the travel he just sings to himself , whistles, and shamelessly improvises little dances on the sidewalk. It's only when he gets home, and closes his room's door behind that the dread of the vision hits him like a maul again.

Blackbird! he mentally shouts, running to the window to open it and let him in.
What I saw... It's just a possibility, right? I can change it, it doesn't have to happen, right? What should I do? How am I supposed to use what I saw?

"The future is not set until it happens.  How you use it is up to you, warn her or not."

"Yeah, I know it is up to me, but Bobby warned that I must be careful, or I can inadvertantly set in motion the veyr thing I want to avoid. But careful to what? I know you probably can't tell me anything else about this specific case, but in general? How do I know when it's a good idea to warn people or not? How do I know when I have to try not actively prevent something from happening, and when I have instead to let it play out and just stop it at the last minute?"

Colin sighs.

"You too are going to tell me to trust my instinct, aren't you? It's just that... It cannot go ' oops, it didn't work, it'll go better next time', it's Sarah we're talking' about here."

Sarah closes the door and leans on the back of it with a happy sigh.  Maybe this year will be better than I thought.

The smile on her face lingers for a moment more before Colin's last comment catches up with her.  "Princess?"  Sarah's face crunches up in disgust and her tongue sticks out like she had a bad taste in her mouth.

"You have to learn to do what you think is right for the people involved.  Subtle things when possible.  It's when you become obsessed with stopping something that you are doomed."


Colin sighs.


"You can't save everyone.  Sometimes you might see something and misread it, or be seeing it for a reason you can't fathom.  Sometimes the meaning of a vision will not become clear until after the events you see."

OOC: but that's what 'Sarah' means. :) I thought Sarah would know. She's perfectly entitled to that reaction anyway though. :)




"Learn to do what is right for her. Be subtle. Don't become obsessed."

Colin grits his teeth.

"I'll try. Blackbird, my friend, how much do you know of love?"