"What's this?" asked Veronica, staring with both doubt and curiosity at his car.

"Ahhh," he said, the syllable warbling awkwardly, "A car."

He rubbed the back of his neck, knowing that the two words hadn't been adequate. Balthazar had had to take his arm off of her shoulder to do it. The other was holding Horvath's cane, which he had found on the way there. The blue jewel had been removed from the top, but the other rings were still there. He unlocked the door and put it in the back, quickly enchanting it so it would stay hidden.

Wrapping the coat tighter around herself and raising her eyebrows she said;

"Which is?"

Balthazar searched for words. He knew he shouldn't be skirting around her question and at least try to explain the car for what it was. Veronica had always been smart and looking to learn, God it was good to have her so near again, but he was also extremely tired. Still, he decided to make a good effort. Opening the door for her he said bluntly;

"A machine that helps people travel; powered by utilizing the forces of friction and controlled explosions."

Realizing how that last part must have sounded to her, her eyes did get rather a bit wider, he quickly added;

"But it's perfectly safe."

Looking at him skeptically she tentatively got in. He was in for an ordeal. Her inquisitive nature gave him a glaring problem; he hadn't really thought about how to explain to her the intricacies of modern life. The last time he had thought about explaining anything at all was back when Richard the Lionheart had become king. After that it had just been too depressing to think too much about the details of an after.

It wasn't like the question hadn't tiptoed into his mind rather strongly over the last week or so though. There had just been so much going on and he'd had to concentrate on training Dave. When he had finally allowed himself to indulge in thinking about freeing her, it had been to scribble a note and gently place a necklace on a counter.

Now he found himself vaguely wondering about their future. How he was supposed to explain something like, say, a T.V? The problem was only compounded when he helped her buckle in. The seatbelts had never been part of the car, but after the tumultuous drive with Lacy and Robin seventy-one years earlier he had felt the need to install them. It wasn't as though anyone used them though.

"Are you afraid I'm going to run away?" she asked, amused, as the buckle clicked into place.

"It's just for safety," he explained.

Upon starting up the car he felt her jump.

"A little weird right now, I know," he laughed, "But really, you shouldn't worry about it. They all do this."

Veronica's eyes narrowed. Balthazar wasn't sure what caused it; the suspicion that he was lying to her or the laugh. Eventually her eyes returned to their normal size. Her hand came to rest on his shoulder soon after. He had to utilize all of his very substantial willpower not to drive into the curb.

"You aren't concerned about him?" she asked absently.

"Who?"

She laughed.

"The Prime Merlinain of course. He did leave so soon."

"What, Dave?" he asked skeptically.

"Dave then," she laughed again.

"Nah," he answered, "the fact that he could get the eagle to take off at all means he'll be fine piloting it. Landing'll probably be kinda hard though…nearly broke my leg first time I tried it and I made the damn thing."

"So I suppose that flying metal eagles are not as common as cars?" she asked teasingly.

"God no. The air traffic would be horrendous."

"Air…traffic…?" she asked, "There are other things that fly?"

"Another time."

Veronica tilted her head.

"I know that a lot has been going on," she said slowly, "I don't mean to ask so many questions. But it's hard not to…so many lights…it was never this bright at night no matter where we were, magic or no…"

Trailing off she turned and looked outside of the window. Eager to reassure her Balthazar answered honestly;

"I'd be a little worried if you didn't. Things tended to creep its way up on me, so I haven't really noticed how different everything is. I can't imagine what it's like for you. Right now though…right now I'm just glad to be hearing your voice again."

She smiled at him and he felt something inside him melt. All that time fighting powerful sorcerers and searching the world had hardened him. He had felt every one of his thirteen hundred years weighing down on him. It was strange how all it took was one smile to make him feel young again.

"So am I beloved," she murmured.

There was so much that she didn't know about, so much that he took for granted that would be strange to her. He had to fight a sigh until he felt her delicate fingers start to creep from his shoulder to his neck. Balthazar shook his head and smiled faintly. Those questions would have to wait. For right now he needed to do something that he hadn't done in over a millennia; live in the moment.

After driving for a little longer he stopped in the parking lot of a Holiday Inn. It wasn't exactly glamorous, but he needed something fast and didn't have a lot of options. Balthazar, despite appearances, had a good deal of money. Interest rates had accumulated when he hadn't been paying attention and he'd been putting money aside since the whole mess started. At the time he had seen it simply as something that had been necessary for transportation. Now he was glad he had; it was something for them to have now.

The real reason they were there though was that there was no way he was bringing her to Dave's lab. Even though he'd been sleeping there for the past few days there was an obvious lack of decent bedding. Also, with one thing and another, they had never really cleaned it up after the fight with Horvath and Drake. If he had the strength, the energy, the will to do one thing that night; it was to make sure that Veronica didn't spend her first night of freedom in a busted old subway turnaround.

The hotel clerk did look at them a little oddly when he came in. By the time he got to the counter though she had the odd plastic look of every hotel clerk. There it remained while he rented a room. However, she was probably used to getting strange guests at two o'clock in the morning. Balthazar booked a room with ease, using a credit card with his most normal name; Nicholas Smith. Despite what internet might say, how many people did you run into that were actually named John Smith?

Veronica kept silent about the elevator that they climbed in. He would've taken the stairs, but now every joint ached. She did stumble a little when it started but quickly regained her composure with an air of studied indifference. He smiled a little as he drowsily counted room numbers until he found theirs. Taking the key out of the pocket he slipped it into the slot and used it to get into the room.

The next few minutes were a murmured explanation of light switches, a vague warning about remotes, and generalities of the bathroom faucets and facilities. He spent the most time there. It was the most practical, since she'd probably need them first. She watched with interest as he turned on the tap and water came out, if not a little wary. Nodding to show understanding she moved off to look at the rest of the room. Balthazar went to follow her before stopping.

Cautiously he looked around at his reflection and winced. He looked like hell. Deciding to at least appear to be somewhat human he splashed some water on his face and dried it off. A proper shower would have to wait until later though, as would a change of clothes. Balthazar reexamined his face skeptically in the mirror. Perhaps he'd have a shave too; he had all but forgotten about that for a long time indeed.

He left the bathroom to see Veronica folding up her dress. She was only wearing the necklace and the chemise that had been underneath the gown, and he felt his ears grow hot. By modern day standards the chemise was a modest gown in of itself…but he couldn't help but keep some of the standards from the middle ages. Cocking her head towards him she smiled again and put her dress on a chair. One of her fingers traced the silver and lilac cloth tenderly.

"It's been so long, but it's still intact," she said vaguely.

He wondered in that moment if she was remembering Morgause, her second mother who had made the dress and died creating the prison for Morgana that she'd shared. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Veronica's fingers continued to trace vague patterns on the cloth.

"She was the only woman other than Mary that I told how I felt about you," she said, "The dress was meant to be our betrothal gift. It came a few centuries early I suppose."

Balthazar gripped her tighter but didn't say anything. This was the first that he had heard about either of those things. She maneuvered away so that she could look back at him. Veronica smiled briefly before escaping his arms and proceeding to untuck the bedclothes. Mildly she looked back at him.

"You must be tired," she said, pulling back the comforter.

"Uhhh," he managed.

Veronica sighed and got in.

"There's only one bed," she said, "And it's rather late at night to play the gentleman my love."

He shrugged helplessly and removed his fingerless gloves. From past experience he had learned that his vest was uncomfortable to sleep in so he took that off along with his shoes. Feeling extremely odd he crawled in beside her. Veronica smiled again, this time a little more tiredly, at his actions.

"All this time," she murmured, inching closer and tucking her head into his neck, "and you still get so…nervous around me…"

"I can't help it," he said, trying to keep his breathing even, "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen you know."

The corners of her mouth twitched upwards as she snuggled closer to him. One of his arms lay across her back and pulled her as close as possible. The other rested on her necklace, fingering it and thinking how beautiful it looked on her pale skin. It suited her, it really did, and he felt pleasure from his choice and the meaning behind it.

"Did you honestly think that I'd say no in the park?" she asked sleepily, "You should've seen your face…when I first saw it."

"Not exactly…but still," he smiled, "I have to admit, before you moved your hair for it, you did scare me."

"So did you," she replied, sliding her hand onto the middle of his chest, "There wasn't a beat here. Can you…do you know what that felt like?"

Balthazar was quiet. Leaning his forehead into hers he said;

"Once upon a time I said I'd never leave you," he said, "I still stand by that."

"I know," she mumbled.

Veronica sighed and tucked her chin under his head. Tenderly he kissed her forehead. Her skin felt cool under his lips, just like he knew that his skin must feel hot to her.

"Good night my love," she murmured, her voice drifting off.

Balthazar kissed her lightly on the lips before closing his own eyes. It had been a long night, and they had both earned their rest.