This chapter is dedicated to Transmute Jun… the inspiration for this part of the story…

Chapter 4

Madeline sat alone at the restaurant table; her mind was wondering what could be wrong. It had been over an hour and she still had no word from him… She had tried to call him half an hour before, but had received no response.

They had only decided to go out for dinner that morning, to her favorite French restaurant Le Malakies, so she expected that he would not forget. He must have had a sudden emergency… She didn't need to look at her watch to know he was not only late, but probably not even coming. Where could he be? she thought getting more frustrated by the moment.

Feeling a little depressed at again being stood up by him, she reflected over the last few weeks since the theatre…

Their schedules didn't meet up for almost a week at one point and because she was missing him, and at the same time didn't want to appear needy of him, she dropped in to see Jun at the Snack J. Jun wasn't at the bar when she arrived, so she assumed she was at Ken's. Jinpei wasn't around either but that was to be expected of a teenager.

She ordered a drink and a meal anyway, since she had driven all the way out there, and sat down at a table to wait.

She was feeling a little down even then. She knew that he said his new job would take him away and put him all over the place with schedules, but she felt maybe he was taking on too much. She did need to talk to him about that, between the commitment he said he had with racing and this road side assist job, it seemed he had no spare time left at all.

She had to stop herself short at times, avoiding the topic of money. If he needed money, and that was why he was taking on extra work, surely she could help him out. But she knew a man's pride at times would not take that, and she thought it would provoke an argument in the little time they seemed to be spending together.

Madeline looked at the clock on the wall again and let out a long drawn in breath.

She sat there, still waiting….

Jun and Jinpei arrived as she was paying for the meal. Jun had spotted her before Madeline had seen them. "Madeline" she cried out to her, and Madeline looked up into her beaming face and kind green eyes, instantly feeling better.

She returned her smile and the two women embraced each other. Jinpei gave her a warm smile and an unexpected kiss on the cheek followed by a cheeky grin and said something along the lines of "if Joe saw me do that, he'd smash me." She laughed and told him she'd come to his defence. "Do you have time for a hot chocolate upstairs" Jun asked her. Madeline nodded; she always had time for Jun.

Almost as soon as they were upstairs and Jun had made three hot chocolates, Jinpei began tinkering on his drums. It was early in the afternoon so he was not disturbing too may patrons downstairs. Then Madeline spotted the electric keyboard in the corner of the small lounge room. "I can play keyboard you know" She said looking at Jun with an invitation in her eyes. "Really, I thought you only played the flute?" Jun quizzed her. "I went to the conservatorium of music in France and England. I learnt four instruments and touched on two others, the flute is my favorite." She responded as Jun plugged in her amp.

"My father bought me my flute when I was only five, and he used to take me to lessons until he went away." She looked back at the keyboard to hide the grief she felt at even that small mention of him, and walked over to the keyboard whilst regaining her composure. She looked at Jun and Jinpei with a smile "Want to jam?" She asked, before Jun before she could ask her questions about her father. "Why not" was Jun's response, and Jinpei gave her his biggest grin as he began a beat a rhythm out of the drums, Jun got out her new electric guitar and they began to tune it before they started to experiment with tunes.

The waiter came over to see if she would like to order anything. He offered to bring her an appetizer, but she shook her head. She looked back down at the table with tears forming in her eyes, her fingers playing with the napkin on the table.

It was such a wonderful afternoon…

She connected well with Jun and Jinpei; picking up tunes and running with them. Jun had even begun jotting down song lyrics as they went. Madeline committed the key and melody to memory to write down later. She had forgotten how good it felt to just play for the fun of it, and not to someone else's schedule. She enjoyed the simple company of two other people who were enjoying the time as much as she was.

An hour later Ken came up the stairs quietly and observed them playing, he was followed closely by Joe who momentarily seemed surprised to see her there, but recovered quickly. Ryu was next up the stairs and already looking for food in Jun's small fridge in the Kitchen.

Ken went over and gave Jun a light kiss on the lips. But Joe was not the kind of man to greet his lady that way, he went over and stood next to her running his fingers through the back of her curly copper hair and tilted her face up to meet his for a long passionate kiss that bought a blush to her face. How brazen he was in front of his friends. "Hey, are you guys coming up for air sometime this afternoon" Jinpei teased them, looking more at Joe than her. "Take notes small fry" was Joe's response making her blush even more.

He pulled up a seat beside her and looked at the keyboard, declaring he had never touched a musical instrument in his life. She looked at him and took up the challenge, then gave him that smile she reserved only for him. She took his fingers in hers and begun to guide his hands over the keys explaining how they worked and pointing out key notes as she went. After a few minutes she realized she had his complete attention as they began to play a simple tune together.

It took a few moments for them to realize that they were being watched by the other people in the room. Suddenly she felt a little uncomfortable with the intimacy she was experiencing with Joe… But then Ryu came to her rescue…

While Madeline had been distracted in tuition with Joe, Ryu had gone downstairs to find food. At that very moment he came up to the loft with a big bowl of potato wedges, sour cream and sweet chili sauce; Sporting a big grin on his face at his find. He also bought a visitor with him. "Look who I found wondering around downstairs" and he pointed to Jay who was following him. Jinpei by this time had put on the TV, just in time for the news.

The main story was about the Science Ninja Team and a battle they had fought against the new threat of the Galactor syndicate earlier that day. There had been a lot in the news about them of late. Apparently the God Phoenix had been shot down in an attempt to stop the attacks a few weeks before. There had been rumors that the Condor had not been on the ship at the time it was shot down. Why he was not with them no-one knew.

It seems Galactor was not letting up this time.

The news team seemed to have gotten some rare close-ups of the team this time, and it caught her attention as she move closer to the TV. "Ohh he's so cute in that bird suit" Jay was saying as he came to stand next to her. "Which one" she said "Ohh the Condor of course, such a good body I just want to hug him" he said to her and gave a cheeky wink. "Do you think so?" she said taking a closer look at the pictures they were showing. "The Eagle looks pretty good" she observed.

Madeline was still watching the TV oblivious to what was going on behind her. Jay seemed to think again as another close up came to the screen. "Well you know the rumor, that apparently they are both gay and possibly in a relationship. But you know rumors." He said with a finger to his chin looking at her and she nodded and responded. "Well they are not always true; I heard that the Eagle and the swan have something going. I can see chemistry there between them" she said as she was pointing to the Eagle who was helping the swan on the wing of the new ship called the Gatchaspartan.

"I do think the Eagle is more my type really. The Condor does have a mean look about him" Madeline turned at the sound of Ken spraying a mouth full of beer over Ryu who had gone to sleep on Jun's lounge. He woke temporarily at the feel of moisture hitting his skin, muttering something like "Oh, we're not going out again are we?" and went back to sleep.

If looks could kill Jay would have been dead in an instant from the expression that Joe was giving him. Jun and Jinpei were almost in stitches clutching their sides from laughing too hard.

Madeline was wondering what had gotten into them all.

Joe turned and went down stairs muttering under his breath "I'm gonna KILL him...I'm gonna fuckin' KILL him..." over and over.

Madeline had gone down to the bar a few moments later to see if he was alright, he was drinking a beer with a shot glass of spirits dropped in it. He looked a little calmer, so she sat down next to him and he put his arm around her and pulled her head onto his shoulder. "Let's go back to your place" he said in a tired voice.

She nodded, and a few moments after they said goodbye to the others they were on their way. He fell asleep on her lounge just after they got in the door and she cuddled up next him and fell asleep herself.

It was such a wonderful day…

She paid the bill for her drinks and headed out the door. If she could not contact him tomorrow she would call the two Roadside assist companies in Utoland, and ask if she could speak to him. She didn't know if it would do any good though; they probably didn't have a mobile phone, and he may not be in the office… at least, he hadn't told her that he had a mobile?

She was getting fed up.

The rain that had treated to fall all day started to come down in fine drops as she walked to her car. It served to hide her tears…The only two men she had loved in her life seemed to walk out on her.

The rain was getting heavy and she felt her makeup begin to falter, she felt the black mascara run as the heavy drops of rain echoed how she felt, and the mood she was in. She stood at her car door. Her dress was clinging to her and with her long thick hair soaked and dripping, she turned and leaned against the car and bowed her head in her arms.

Would he disappear one day on her too…? Just like her father did?

Tears ran down her face, but she could not feel them from the cold rain that pounded on her shoulders…