I want to make a couple of notes first. This story takes place a few years after Mortal Coil, assuming the following books, Death Bringer and Kingdom of the Wicked, never happened, and Ghastly is still a tailor, having declined being an elder. This is because I have not yet read those books, and I doubt I will get a chance to in the near future. So I guess that kind of makes this an AU? Anyway... In this chapter you will be introduced to... Christine! Garth's roommate and best friend!

Chapter 2

General POV

Ugh. Garth entered the flat, flicking on the lights, and after placing his bag and sword by the door, made his way over to the couch and wearily flopped down face-first. It had been a LONG day, the kind that deserved to be in all caps. In fact, it had been one and a half days almost. Being just a regular back-up agent for the sanctuary instead of a detective, he was working in the holding cells processing an influx of mages who had formed a gang and terrorized mundanes (A/N mundanes are people w/o magic, I couldn't remember if there was a canon word for this or not) with magical pranks. Most were harmless, but more than a few ended up with broken bones and bruised egos. There had been way to many people in that group for a single gang. The whole thing was ridiculous. And it had come just before his shift ended, too. He hadn't been able to meet his roommate at the bus stop. He couldn't even text her, he was so busy. She would be angry with him in the morning.

He groaned, and shifted his head on the couch to look over at the cracked bedroom door, his mousey hair falling over one hazel-green eye. She was probably already sleeping. That girl never seemed to get enough sleep.

He quietly got up from the couch and treaded lightly over to her bedroom, the only one in the flat, and peeked inside. It was darker than black, so he opened the door a little wider. the light spilled into the room, illuminating a shapeless lump nestled in the comforter. He smiled to himself.

"Goodnight, Christine," he whispered softly. She didn't stir or make a sound. He beamed inwardly and withdrew his head, closing the door until it was just slightly cracked. He then returned to the couch, and after removing his shoes (GOD, his feet positively reeked) he unfolded the couch into a futon. He removed a blanket and a pillow from the closet, then removed his scarf, jacket, and pants. He flicked the lights off and stumbled back to the futon, where he slept the next 5 hours away in a black t-shirt and his favorite pair of purple boxers.

Garth's POV

I grunted as I woke up, laying face down and feeling a heavy weight that completely covered my body. Christine was angry at me, and she was showing it by trying to crush me in my sleep.

"Chrissy, please... I would have texted-" I managed to croak.

"Nope. Not gonna listen. You'll just have to lay there and suffocate until I forgive you," Christine interrupted me. I could hear some humor in her voice, though. She had sprawled out on top of me, her head propped up on her hands while both her elbows jammed into my shoulders. I could barely see her out of the corner of my eye, due to my unfortunate position. I sighed deeply. Then, before she could react, I easily rolled over, flipping her off of my back onto the futon beside me. My magic as an Adept gave me increased strength, which could rival that of a man three times my size, and allowed me to occasionally take on vampires that had shed their skin bare handed. Unbalancing a 120lb girl was cake. I turned on my side to look at her. Christine was in a baggy t-shirt with a cartoon sheep on it, with equally baggy sweats. Her dark, waist-long hair was mussed from rolling off of my back, and although she tried to scowl, her dark, almond-shaped eyes hid smiles. We both giggled at our antics and I got up to prepare breakfast. She curled up with my pillow.

"Could you make scrambled eggs today, Jeeves?" she called after me.

"Sure, anything else?" I replied. She called me Jeeves sometimes because I did most - no, all the cooking for us. I still think it's really weird her mom never taught her how to cook.

"I'll just have some toast with them, thank you. Oh, and I'll make the toast, I don't want you to burn it again." I'm ashamed to say that I can't make toast. I don't think it's really my fault, toasters everywhere just have it out for me.

I cracked several eggs into a bowl and whisked them with some milk while she retreated to her room to get dressed, with my pillow held hostage. I let her sleep in the bedroom, but we both kept our clothes in there.

Once I finished cooking and she was back out, it would be my turn to get ready for the day. Christine dressed in dark skinny jeans and a creamy yellow and white cardigan with navy blue stripes. I dressed in my work clothes for the Sanctuary, which were all a Bespoke design. A dark gray, fitted, military-style jacket with sleeves rolled up to the elbows, charcoal-colored jeans, and a pair of black shoes that looked casual, but were perfect for walking, running, and kicking people's faces in. I usually saw action at work, more often than not chasing petty criminals while detectives were busy elsewhere. Yesterday had been a slow day of guarding the holding cells and playing security guard. The Cleavers stationed there had been needed elsewhere. Probably another case with that Skeleton Detective and the young woman who was his partner. Her name escapes me, at the moment. Calorie? No, it was more like... something else.

After consuming breakfast and rinsing the dishes, we grabbed our coats and our bags, I picked up my sword, and we marched down to the bus stop. Neither of us had a car, and I hadn't even gotten my driver's license for this country yet. My American one was invalid.

"I'll do my best not to be late tonight, but if I am I will definitely call you," I said to her. She turned and hugged me, and I put my arm around her.

"Alright, I'm going to hold you to that. if you do make it back on time, though, what should we have for dinner?" She moved back to look at me as she asked this.

"We have some tortellini pasta in the freezer, does that sound good?" I retracted my arm. "Yeah, that sounds fine," She replied with an easy smile. We rode the rest of the way in companionable silence. The bus arrived at the Sanctuary first, and we hugged goodbye before I got off. While I worked at the Sanctuary, she spent her days with a man named Ghastly Bespoke. She helped him around his tailor shop, making notes and reminders for him about appointments and orders, and when they both had free time he taught her elemental magic, one element at a time. She was almost done with the last element, fire, and would soon come to work at the Sanctuary with me. I can't wait for her to join me. It will be harder to keep her safe, but I know she'd love it, and all I want is for her to be happy.

I know, this chapter is really wordy, I tend to get wordy when I write. I'll try to avoid it in the future, however. R&R please?