Hello all! It's been awhile but I'm back with the start of a new school year and more ideas. I want to give a shout out to VizeerLord and B-Dub33 for their reviews. Thank you for the ego boost! Pepper is pleased. Now what am I forgetting… machete, books, provisions… Oh right! Role Disclaimer!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Jane and Talin… and Fred the cat. Other than that I am just a poor retch who has a love obsession with dark chocolate and Pepsi.

Thank you all and now on with the show!

Chap. 4

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At an obscenely early time in a diner off of the Michigan mile two wizards drooped over their table waiting for the chipper waitress to come back. She obliged with a little pink note pad and matching pen just as their eyes began to give in to gravity.

"Well, what will it be today?" she said. Jane tilted her head up from her intense examination of the table and menu. The women was one of those morning people that pop up every few generations… Jane groaned to herself.

"Coffee. Just Coffee" said Harry attempting to make up for Jane's unresponsive head.

"Tea and pie please" mumbled Jane trying to sit up straight. It had taken her all night to get Fred to calm down and go to sleep. He really was far too over protective of her, the role of servant had blurred into bodyguard over the time they had been bonded. In one of her more violent trips to the Immortal lands a fellow prisoner had even commented that he looked like a witch's familiar, hell bent on her survival, as though it meant his survival as well…

"Sorry, we ran out of tea. Marty's out to get some but since you look like you need some caffeine, we have Pepsi products or coffee." said the waitress brightly. Jane sighed.

"I hate coffee, I'll try a Pepsi then." she told the women's pencil and notebook. The women smiled another dazzling smile and all but danced away to the next table.

"You hate coffee?" said Harry as the women materialized next to him with the blackest coffee he had ever seen. She was a god sent.

"Too strong for me. I've never had Pepsi, is it like tea?" she asked wrinkling her nose at his steaming beverage.

"Not remotely. You have a very narrow education of present day don't you?" he asked sipping the drink of the gods in front of him. The day was already starting to look better.

Jane gave him a sidelong glance; Granny Rose had given her a brief and highly improvised description of what she had missed while she was away. The layline in the basement, an original street corner in the Old Chicago, most of which was now an underground tourist spot, had ensured that most electronics were useless in their house. A stack of best sellers and wandering around listening to radios and tv's in the stores had been the best teachers thus far.

The waitress returned with a bubbling glass of Pepsi and a caffeinated Murphy. Jane raised her eyebrow at the bubbles but when Murphy shot Harry a small smile at her hesitation Jane's resolve hardened and she took a large swig of the concoction. It was oddly delicious, sweet but with the consistency of champagne as it flooded her mouth. Murphy broke out in a rare smile and glanced sideways over at Harry who looked over at her. Sharing a moment of parental delight they watched as Jane drained her glass with a look of wonder. This was broken when Murphy felt and heard her phone go off in her pocket. Jane stared over at her for a moment then began to tear up sugar packets and adding them to her new favorite drink. Pulling out her phone Murphy stabbed the green answer button and slipped a little ways away from them before she answered.

"Murphy. What have you got for me?" she said all business. The static on the other end made her walk further away from the two wizards.

Noticing from Murphy's posture and sporadic nodding it was going to be a long conversation. Harry took the opportunity to ask a few questions of his own.

"So, how confident are you that you can get this guy to talk without losing a limb?"

That's not what I'm afraid of she thought remembering Talin's warm eyes and other pleasant parts of his anatomy. She shook herself.

"How confident are you that you can get me some armor?" she asked instead.

He gave her a look of endearment.

"About as confident as you are." she told him. He raised an eyebrow.

"Then we are in for some serious sh-" he told her.

"You know the bargain. I'm not going in there without some faerie proof clothing, that's the deal."

"I think I know a family that might let you borrow a set." He held up his hand when she scowled.

"I said I would get you some armor, whether it's owner lets you keep it is up to them." he said. She crossed her arms and glared at him.

"And here I thought I had left Faerie…"

That was how Murphy found them.

"What did you do now?" she asked him taking note of Jane's pouting.

"Nothing I didn't say I would" he said for Jane's benefit. "What have you got on the samples?"

"Hard to tell. The lab didn't find anything unusual about the water in the victim's lungs, if it came from a beach in Hawaii. The water had tropical level plankton counts but the leaves where from a rare water lily found in the Great Lakes."

"Correct me if I'm wrong but that's not exactly in the proper geographical location for these is it?" said Harry. Jane sat up straighter in her booth.

"Not even in the same ballpark." her eyes watched Jane's transformation. From pouting child to determined hellion she gripped her glass as the air around her vibrated with pent up energy.

"Easy there tiger. Summer's not playing by the rules again are they?"

"We are near the border to Winter's territory. Summer had thought they may have a gate into the heart of Winter's realm, with all the iron work that is done near the lakes from the automotive plants no fae would dare go near it to find out. They must be gathering forces in the tides there." she said breathing out harshly.

"Why? Why only in the waters there? What does that have to do with our vic?"

"It's just a short swim over to Chicago…" muttered Jane to herself stirring her drink. Looking over the strange glass's design made her think of the blood-in-a-cup that the Red Court vampires had been drinking. She pushed the cup away feeling slightly ill, and then it hit her.

Harry watched her carefully as her eyes went wide for a moment then she turned to looked over at him with a spark in her eyes. Somewhere in his mind it clicked.

"They need help."

"Who?" asked Murphy perking up. Jane thought that from this angle she looked like a golden retriever being told she was finally going on a walk.

"If that exchange we saw over at Mac's holds any weight then the vamps would be their land support. It makes sense for Summer to concentrate their forces in the water to keep clear of the iron and cut off a retreat. The only way out would be through that portal back into NeverNever where they probably have a trap set."

"Did something else happen with the vampire courts to make them seek out Summer aid?" asked Jane.

"Nothing but a little blackmail, murder and intrigue." he said recalling his brother and their fight against the White Court King.

"Nice theory, but its kind of a big leap even for you Harry." said Murphy. "Getting paranoid in your old age?"

"It's the paranoid one's that make it through the fray." said Jane.

"What?"

"Just something an old bullfrog told me. I think this might be a bit bigger than we originally thought."

"So, we're in over our heads?" said Murphy.

"Not yet we're not." said Harry standing.

In through the door came a figure backed by the bright light of day in a flannel shirt carrying a gym bag over one shoulder. He was classically handsome with kind eyes and a warm smile.

"Saints above, who is that?" asked Jane sitting up straighter.

"Nice choice of words." said Harry extending a hand to the newcomer.

The broad shoulders and confident tread lead him to their booth were he sat the bag down and clasped hands with Harry.

"Good to see you Harry. I found myself here while I was on my way home, God found a way to make my trip worth while it seems." said the man.

"So he did." said Jane trying to figure out what it was about him that made her immediately trust him. "And you are?"

"Jane, this is Michael Carpenter, Molly's dad . His wife is about your size and said you could borrow her set of mail." said Harry smiling at his old friend. When Michael talked about God he spoke as if he had just had brunch with him earlier and when someone sneezed he responded with a warm "God bless you" from the heart. Sometimes it was hard to believe the guy would sink if he stepped off a dock…

"Nice to meet you" said Michael extending his hand to her. She clasped his forearm and watched his brows knit together for a moment.

"Fae" he said with a trace of a frown.

"God's Knight." she breathed smiling up at him. "A Knight of the Cross. This makes two now since Avalon." Michael sat with a quizzical look on his face as the waitress returned with Jane's pie.

"Somebody want to explain to me what the new plan is?" said Murphy taking the sugar packets out of Jane's reach. Jane pouted at her and started on her pie.

"The plan is the same, level up, make allies and save the world." said Harry talking a long drink from his mug.

"Harry, you only have to ask and I'll give you a hand." said Michael looking at Murphy and Harry. They shared a long look then turned back to see Jane answer for them.

"The armor will suffice. Keep clear of this, what we hunt is after the young and innocent." she told him pointing to his wedding ring. "I gave my word to help these two you have nothing to gain and much to lose from helping us."

"If it is God's will, I will do all I can to help you. That was the promise I made by taking up the holy sword." he told her trying to meet her eye. A soul gaze would only emphasize his claim and after seeing his daughter's soul she could only imagine what his was like. She averted her eyes and stared at his hand that rested on the table, the ring gleamed in the rising sun's light.

"Knock and the door will open, ask and ye shall receive. We're not asking." she told him icily. Another father would not be lost because of me she thought, the memory of Molly's soul pulling at her. She looked up expecting to see Michael look taken aback. She was disappointed however.

"It sounds like there is more that meets the eye. Just know that if you need me I'll be there" he told her calmly.

"If we need anything we'll give you a call." said Harry pulling on his duster. "We'll drop by to see Charity and grab the mail in a bit."

Murphy stood and followed his lead. Jane reluctantly stood and immediately felt bad as he extended his arm to her with a smile. Clasping arms they wished each other luck and just as they went out the door Murphy asked "What's the plan if this one fails?"

Without a pause in her step Jane turned "We go swimming."

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ShadowsandDreams- I'll give a free cyber cookie to the one that can tell me when Mr. Butcher will be coming out with a new book, two if you know the title!