Okay, I have a confession to make... I am experiencing a mild case of writers block on my other stories, but I am fighting through it. They are being worked on little by little until I can get past this horrible phase. In the meantime, here's a little something for my Lauren fans to chew on.
I do not own Gargoyles, only Lauren.
Here's Chapter 11!
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The next morning when Owen came back into her room, the night before seemed surreal to Lauren. Almost as if it had all been a dream. It was only when Owen said something that it confirmed it had all been real.
"After you went to sleep last night, Goliath went to the Labyrinth to see if the mutates and clones could be persuaded to aid us in the event Lord Oberon decides to take action. Talon is hesitant, but said they will come to the castle tonight to discuss the issue."
Lauren's head jerked up hearing this. Definitely wasn't a dream, in that case, she thought. She wasn't sure if she should be disappointed or not. On one hand, it meant she no longer had to conceal her powers, but on the other... it meant that Oberon would soon know that she existed, and take who knew what action.
And then there was Puck... who was currently Owen and bustling around her room as he had every morning she had woken up here. She couldn't help but look at him for several long moments, comparing him to his Elf-self. About the only similarity she could see was their eyes... and the rare occasion that Owen smiled, she could see the mischief hiding beneath the surface.
"Miss Lauren?" he asked curiously.
Her eyes went huge and she quickly looked downward, blushing now. "Omigod, I was staring! I'm sorry!"
Owen smiled then. "You were comparing my current form to that of my alter ego?"
She nodded a little guiltily. "It was rude of me..."
"Quite the contrary, it is actually very understandable. You have nothing to apologize about, Miss Lauren. I understand that you will need some time to adjust to everything that you've learned, and you are naturally curious about my part in all this."
She finished her breakfast quietly, still contemplating everything they had told her the night before. Once she had finished eating, Owen wordlessly took her bowl and left the room, giving her the privacy to change. Once she was done preparing for the day, she exited her room and made her way down to the dining room as usual.
Considering how late in the morning it was, Lauren was surprised to see her uncle sitting at the table along with Fox (who was holding Alex in her lap) and an unidentified older man with a white beard and hair.
When Lauren walked into the room, all of them looked up and her uncle broke into a smile immediately. "Ah, good morning, Lauren. Please, have a seat and join us." Once the girl had taken a seat across from the bearded man (who was regarding her curiously), her uncle continued speaking.
"I would like to introduce you to Lennox MacBeth, former High King of Scotland."
Her eyes went huge as she looked at the man. "You're... the MacBeth?"
He smirked and nodded, extending his hand toward her. She shook it a little dubiously. "That I am, m'lady. It is a pleasure to meet you. Mr. Xanatos has told me a great deal about you." She took note of his heavy Scottish accent.
Her uncle looked at her. "I asked MacBeth to come down here to ask for his assistance with our little... problem with Oberon. He has some experience when it comes to dealing with the Children of Oberon and given his many years of experience, I am hoping he may be able to help us out."
The former king sighed heavily and took his cup of tea. "While I am flattered that you thought I might be able to help you with something of this magnitude, Mr. Xanatos, I fear I'm out of my league. I have only ever dealt with the Weird Sisters, and never have I faced them in battle. I don't know what help I can be. And in fact, I even have to question the wisdom of going up against Oberon himself in the first place."
Xanatos shook his head. "Your years of experience alone would be an asset to us. And as for Oberon, I've stood up to him to protect my family before, and you're damned right I'll do it again for Lauren!"
Macbeth had a sip and placed the tea back onto the table. "Mr. Xanatos, I understand your reasons behind wanting to stand against Oberon, especially considering your last encounter with him. However... The circumstances surrounding the last time and this time are very different. The last time, you were fully within your right to try and protect your son. Oberon had no claim at that time. However, this time you seek to keep him from his daughter. As much as I hate to tell you this, Oberon does have a legitimate claim this time around."
Fox frowned at him. "The only difference being... where the hell has he been for the past seventeen years? How can he try dragging Lauren with him to Avalon when the two of them have never even met before?"
Xanatos glowered. "How can he have any claim on her when he didn't even so much as poke his head into her life?"
Lauren tried not to look uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going. As much as she hated to admit it, MacBeth did have a point. Whether she wanted to be or not, she was Oberon's biological daughter and so he did have every right to see her... however... As her uncle had said... how could he try dragging her off to live with him on Avalon when he hadn't even cast a glance in her direction in all her seventeen years? Surely a man with his power would have been able to do something to let her know he was there. And wouldn't it have been so simple for him to see her situation and get her out of it? She shook her head inwardly. It was obvious he hadn't peeked in on her or her mother even once. No father would be so heartless as to stand idly by as his daughter was treated the way Lauren had been.
Before either of her godparents could respond, Owen walked into the room. He formally filled their drinks for them before giving them a silent bow and leaving the room once more.
MacBeth shrugged. "I was simply making a point about the difference in the circumstances." Then he took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "While I don't know what help I can offer you, Mr. Xanatos, I will do what I can. You believe this encounter will happen within the next few days?"
Xanatos nodded. "I wish we had a more specific date for you, but a few days is all Coyote told us he could give us."
He frowned now, looking deep in thought. "With your enemy being Oberon, we'll want to be as prepared as we possibly can be when he arrives. But since we have no idea on exactly when he will be coming, it makes sense for me to be as close to the battle ground as I can. With your permission, I would like to bring my Aircraft here and reside in the castle until the time has come."
The billionaire breathed a massive sigh of relief. "I would only be too happy to have you. I will arrange for sleeping accommodations for you."
He nodded. "Very well, then. I will head for home now and make the preparations. I should be back before sunset."
"Excellent. I cannot thank you enough for your help, MacBeth."
The immortal smirked. "No thanks are necessary, Mr. Xanatos. This just gives me something else to think about aside from my next lecture at the University." He got to his feet then. "I'll be off now." He gave Lauren a formal bow. "It was a pleasure, my Lady." He said, and then left the room without another word.
Fox looked at her husband. "Okay, I talked to daddy, MacBeth just left... who's next?"
As if on cue, Owen entered the room once more. "Detectives Maza and Bluestone have just arrived." He stepped aside, letting the two police officers inside the room. Then the servant joined them sitting around the table. It didn't escape Xanatos' notice that his assistant sat right beside his niece.
Lauren resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow. It almost seemed as if her uncle was trying to amass an army to go up against Oberon. It felt strange knowing that all of them were going to be fighting just so she could stay in New York... especially when she had never even met most of the people who were going to be fighting for her.
Elisa didn't look too happy about being there when the gargoyles weren't awake, but considering the history between her and Xanatos, it really shouldn't come as a surprise.
"Okay, Xanatos, what's the big emergency?" she asked, trying not to sound too annoyed at being called to come there.
The billionaire smirked. "It's complex, detective. And we need to bring your partner up to speed on some things... such as the Children of Oberon."
Matt blinked. "The who?"
Elisa frowned slightly now. "What does this have to do with them?"
Lauren cleared her throat a little guiltily now. "Um... there's something... I never showed you guys..." She opened the palm of her hand and the cup of tea slid across the table and into her waiting hand. "We... need to talk," she said, not looking up.
Elisa looked at the girl in amazement, while Matt's jaw was half to the floor.
"Um... okay, explain, someone?" Bluestone said somewhat numbly.
Xanatos sighed and indicated the table and chairs. "Take a seat. It's a long story."
The police officers sat down a little dubiously and settled in for a long telling. Part way through, Owen transformed himself back into Puck to give Bluestone just a small demonstration. When they were done, Matt pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Okay, I officially have a headache taking this all in... but I think I have the gist of it..."
Fox smirked. "You think you're overwhelmed? Think of how Lauren felt when she learned all this."
Elisa was deep in thought now. "I take it that you're hoping Matt and I will be able to help when Oberon shows up?"
He nodded. "Any and all help would be appreciated, detective."
She sighed heavily. "Oh man... the last time I saw Oberon, I almost became a permanent fixture on Avalon. I wasn't even awake when he was in New York to get Alex because he put the entire city to sleep. If he comes again, who's to say that he won't pull the same stunt? Some of the allies you get might wind up completely useless!"
He nodded. "I'd thought of that. That's why I'm inviting anyone who is willing to help us against Oberon to stay here in the castle. It would only be a temporary stay."
She grimaced now, liking this idea less and less, but at the same time... She looked over at Lauren who was seated right next to a currently serious Puck. She saw he had her hand firmly in his and she almost raised an eyebrow, but shook it off. She had to agree that she thought Lauren would be better off with Xanatos (never thought she'd say that!) than on Avalon. Being born and raised in New York, and considering her history, Elisa knew that tearing her away from her newfound family would do nothing but hurt Lauren more.
She sighed heavily. "Okay, I'm in. Just let me get Cagney and pack up a few clothes and I'll be back in a few hours." She looked at her partner. "Matt?"
The man looked around the table for a long moment, and then let out a sigh of his own. "I can't believe I'm about to agree to go into battle with an almost all powerful fairy who wants to drag his daughter off with him to never-never-land..." He shook his head. "I may be out of my mind, but I'm in. Like Elisa, I'll just run to my apartment and pick some stuff up."
The two of them got to their feet, before Elisa stopped and looked at Lauren.
"I'm curious about something now... you didn't really have a black out during the attack, did you? You know exactly what happened, right?"
The girl fidgeted a little uneasily as she nodded. "I do but... it's not something I want to remember..." She felt Puck tighten his hold on her hand.
The NYPD detective gave her a small smile. "Well... whatever really happened, not only was it in self defence, but I have a feeling it was a complete accident, so it doesn't change anything, really. We'll see you again in a few hours." She looked at her partner. "Let's head out. If we hurry, we can get settled in before we have to start our shift tonight."
He nodded. "Right." The two of them walked out without another word.
David and Fox exchanged a look. "Can you think of anyone else?" the former asked.
Fox sighed. "Well, I was considering Dingo, but with him being in Australia and allied with the Matrix... I don't know if it would be the best idea to bring him here... or if he'd even agree. I don't know who else we could call in for this. The mutates are coming over tonight, though. If they agree to help, it'll bring up our chances."
Puck shrugged. "Well, I've given you all the advice I can think of that might help you out against Oberon, Mr. X. Will you be needing Owen in the next little while?"
He thought for a moment and then shook his head. "Not that I'm aware of. Why?"
He smirked now. "I was just thinking it would be a good idea for Lauren and I to continue with our talk. We got... sidetracked by a flying lesson last night."
Xanatos almost frowned, but then fought off his overprotective side. Lauren hadn't objected to anything Puck had done thus far and he knew that the Fay would never hurt his niece. And besides... the other night he had made Lauren laugh. Something that nobody else had been able to do.
"I see no harm in that. I'm sure she still has questions that need answers, and would appreciate another opportunity to spend some time with you. That is... as long as Lauren has no objections?"
The girl shook her head immediately.
He smiled. "Okay then. I'll let you know if I happen to need Owen, Puck, so just keep that cell phone of his close."
He grinned broadly. "You've got it, Mr. X!" He held his hand out to Lauren once again. "Shall we?"
She gave him her small smile and nodded, accepting his hand.
Once Puck had led his niece out of the room, Xanatos shook his head. "I wonder if Puck would start calling me "Uncle X" if anything official happens between him and Lauren?"
Fox snorted. "Well, I'd be Auntie Fox, and..." She rose an eyebrow. "Does this mean he would start calling Oberon "Dad"?"
Resisting the urge to shudder, Xanatos shook his head. "I don't even want to think about that. Let's just get back to work, shall we?"
She nodded, an amused smile on her face. She pointed at the blueprints in front of them. "Okay, now it will take about four days to get the force field up and running again, and we don't even know if we have that much time. Not to mention we have to alter the design somewhat so the field extends below the ground this time..."
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Puck grinned at her. "I would suggest going outside, but your uncle called in repair crews this morning, and I don't think me going out there would go over very well..."
Lauren had a brief mental image of the expressions on the construction worker's faces if they should ever see Puck, and she felt her smile grow a little. "That's okay. So... where should we head to, then?"
"Have you been in the atrium yet?" he asked.
She shook her head. "Aside from the elevators and the underground parking lot, the only place I've been in is the castle. The atrium's just one floor lower, right?"
He nodded. "And it's privately owned by Mr. X, so we don't have to worry about unwanted visitors."
She smiled. "Sounds good to me."
Giving her a wicked smile, he nodded and led her to the elevators. Moments later, they were in the atrium and Lauren couldn't help but be a little in awe at the sight of it. Full grown oak and cedar trees were growing from small hills of green grass. There were flowering bushes, hawthorns, and plots of blooming flowers everywhere she looked. She was also more than just a little surprised to see a few small birds flying around within the space.
"Wow... it's like the outdoors are indoors..." She walked up to a large oak tree and sat down beneath it, relishing the feel of the grass between her fingers. She almost wanted to lie down. "I think I've officially found my favourite area in the building..."
Puck had no reservations about laying down and putting his hands behind his head. "It's my favourite area, too. It's peaceful and due to the air filtration system that's installed, you actually breathe in unpolluted air."
Lauren blinked and took in a deep breath through her nose. Her eyes widened a little. "Wow, I just noticed now that you mentioned it. I don't think I've ever smelled unpolluted air before... Well, there was the time we drove out to Colorado, but even there the air's not as fresh as here..."
Puck raised an eyebrow and glanced at her. "What were you doing in Colorado?"
She shrugged. "We went there to visit Grandma Johnson when she was sent to the old folks home about four years ago. Her mind was deteriorating though, so it wasn't the most eventful visit."
He propped himself up on one elbow and looked at her. "So... growing up, the only family you were aware of that you had was your mother, step father, and your grandmother from your step father's side of the family?"
She nodded. "Yup. I almost fell off my chair when Morgan told me who my uncle was. Until last week, I didn't have a clue. I thought I was about to go on a trip to the local orphanage. I have no idea why mom didn't tell me about David Xanatos being her brother but..." She shook her head. "Well, I guess there's no point in dwelling on it now."
Puck's expression turned curious now. "I hope I'm not overstepping my bounds here, but... why don't you seem to want to talk about your mother? Every time she comes up in a conversation, you sidestep the issue and change the subject. Even Dr. Gordon is concerned about you not discussing your feelings toward her..."
Lauren's head whipped in his direction. Her expression strained for a long moment, as if she was stuck between wanting to run away and hide, or blowing her stack at the Fay.
Thankfully, she did neither. Instead, she let out a heavy sigh and laid herself down on her stomach, her elbows holding her up and her head being supported by her hands. "The truth is... I don't know how I felt toward her. I know that sounds like a terrible thing for a daughter to say, but I can't help it." She started picking at some of the blades of grass. Puck was now just regarding her silently. "At the funeral, everyone was talking about how sweet, happy and full of life she was." She shook her head. "I never knew that woman. I wish I had, but Craig killed that part of her a long time ago. I don't know how I felt about her... and I have no idea how she felt about me."
Puck put a hand on her shoulder now. "She was your mother. She loved you," he said as sincerely as he could.
Again, she shook her head. "I have to wonder if she really did. Not long after the beatings started including me, when Craig finally got it out of his system and left... there were times that she would just cling to me and start crying and talking. She would go on, sometimes almost for an entire hour, about how much better her life would be if she'd never gotten pregnant with me in the first place. It felt more like I was the one comforting her instead of the other way around." She slowly sat up again. "Sometimes it was as if she didn't want me to exist in the first place. The first time anyone ever told me they loved me was when I came here and first met Alex. I honestly can't remember the words coming from Mom or Craig."
Her head jerked up slightly when Puck cupped her cheek and she saw his sympathetic expression. "Your mother was a broken woman, Lauren. I have no doubt in my mind that she loved you as much as any mother loves her child, even though she had lost the ability to express that love toward you."
Lauren was a little surprised to feel the tears start making their way down her cheeks, but she didn't question them. Without saying a word, Puck pulled her in close and held her, letting her cry.
It seemed as if once the tears started, they didn't want to stop. Before she realized it, she was clinging to the front of Puck's clothes and it was all coming out. He said nothing, but he held her, rocking her gently and running the fingers of one hand through her hair. She relaxed into his hold, and after a good half hour, her crying finally tapered off.
She slowly pulled away and couldn't bring herself to look at him. "I'm sorry..."
He shook his head and tilted her chin up so she was looking at him. "Don't apologize. I think you were holding that in long enough and it's a good thing you got it out now. Pent up emotions can be a dangerous thing to have when you possess magic, because those emotions can rear their ugly heads at any time and cause you to lose control."
She blinked. "Like when the Quarrymen attacked... It was like I was running on cruise control. I couldn't control what I was doing."
He smirked. "That's exactly what I mean. You were enraged, so your magic took over to protect you because you're not sure how to use it effectively yourself yet."
"In other words, I should try not to blow my stack?"
He nodded. "That's right. That's why I taught you how to access your magic last night. If you can get yourself to the point where you can call it forth at will, the chances of you losing control will be greatly diminished." He cupped her cheek and had to resist the urge to smirk when he saw her turn red. "You're a gentle soul, Lauren, and I know you didn't mean for the incident with the Quarrymen to get out of control as it did. And I know you certainly didn't mean to kill Craig. I don't think either one of us wants to see those things happen again."
She couldn't help but lean into his touch a little before she nodded. "You're right."
He leaned in closer to her, placing his mouth by her ear. "Well... what do you say we put this depressing topic behind us, and move on to something else?"
She smiled in relief. "I would appreciate that."
Puck nodded and then got to his feet, offering her a hand up. Lauren took it wordlessly. "Now, how about we get in a few more magic lessons?"
Her face lit up immediately. "Sounds great!"
"All right, what would you like to learn first? We covered flying last night, and you should practice that when you have the opportunity so your body gets used to it."
She thought for a minute. She wasn't even entirely sure what she was capable of, and she had only seen a few pieces of magic over the past few days. "Well, you and Coyote mentioned teleporting..."
Puck smirked. "That is a little advanced for you, yet, I think. Teleportation requires a tight control over your magic and intense focus. We should focus on simpler things for now." He thought for a moment and then smiled broadly. "I have just the thing! Let's see if you can cast a spell!" He looked around himself for a moment, taking in his surroundings. Seeing two small boulders that Xanatos had put into the atrium for decorative purposes, he nodded to himself. Taking her by the hand, he led her to the boulders. "Now, watch and listen carefully." He lifted his hand toward one of the boulders.
"This rock is dull, barren and cold,
Let's change it to a pile of gold!"
As Lauren watched, her jaw dropped when the boulder flared green and then morphed into a literal pile of gold... coins, bars and jewels. She couldn't help it when her mouth opened and the words came out.
"Holy shit! You mean... I can actually do that?"
He smirked and nodded. "Oh, absolutely. Such a spell should be fairly easy for you, actually."
Lauren snorted slightly. "Wish someone had told me I could do that before I was rich," she muttered. Then she took in a deep breath and let it out. "Okay, let's see if I can do this..."
"Okay, a quick test for you... you observed what I did, and now... can you tell me what you need to do to cast the spell?" Puck asked.
She blinked and thought for a moment. "Well... you told me last night that in order for me to do things like this, I needed to be able to feel my magic, so I have to bring it to the surface again..." He nodded. "You held your hand out toward the rock, I'm guessing to help direct your magic?" He smiled a little now and nodded again. "Then the words, of course..." She frowned a little. "I can't think of anything else, but I have a feeling there's a little more to it, isn't there?"
He grinned broadly now and nodded. "You're right. You have to focus very intently on what your goal is. Picture it in your mind, and direct your magic to specifically accomplish that goal." He came up behind her. "All right, let's start this one step at a time. First, just as you did to fly last night, bring your magic to the surface."
After a few moments she successfully did so and awaited further instructions. She could feel as Puck stepped a little closer so only inches separated them.
"Alright. Now focus on your goal, and when you have it firm in your mind, raise your hand toward the boulder and repeat the spell I espoused earlier. 'This rock is dull, barren and cold, let's change it to a pile of gold.' Can you remember that?" He asked, his voice lowering slightly. She nodded and turned bright red when she felt his hands settle on her hips. Deciding to try ignoring this for a moment, she focused on the goal of changing the rock into a pile of gold as Puck had. She tried holding the image of the boulder undergoing the transformation in her mind, but she found it was harder than it sounded.
Especially when Puck laid his head on her shoulder. She felt her face get hotter.
"Puck... you're distracting me..." she said, finding it impossible to actually get annoyed with the fay.
Puck smirked, even though she didn't see it. "Am I really? That's actually a good thing. In most situations where it is necessary to cast a spell, you don't have the time to sit quietly and focus like you do right now." He leaned forward a little more, so his chest was now against her back and her mouth by her ear. "Just do what you can to put all your focus on your goal. Try pretending that I'm not here."
Such a task was easier said than done, especially when she felt his long, slender hands making their way up and down her sides. She didn't think she could get any redder, and wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Lauren was actually a little surprised at just how much... attention Puck was giving her... though she certainly had no objections. Well, as long as he didn't take it too far too fast. She had never received this type of attention from anyone before and wasn't entirely sure how to take it, so she just decided to go with the flow unless it made her feel uncomfortable.
Realizing her mind was drifting again, she quickly focused on her goal once more, trying to stubbornly hold the image of the transformation in her mind. When she thought she had it, she decided to give it a shot.
She held her hand out toward the boulder.
"This rock is dull, barren and cold,
Let's change it to a pile of gold!"
When she saw the boulder flare green, she smiled broadly, but Puck stiffened from behind her. Before she knew it, she was on the ground, Puck shielding her, as the boulder exploded. Once he was sure that there was no more debris flying through the air, he let her up.
The girl's eyes were wide as she looked at the pieces of rock now scattered in the area. "Um... that... wasn't supposed to happen..."
Puck raised an eyebrow, looking at the scene for himself. Then he smirked as he returned the scene back to its original state with a casual wave of his hand. "I guess I was distracting you more than I thought. I'll give you a small hint... Don't lose your focus until the spell has successfully accomplished its task."
She blinked. "You... just waved your hand... No words this time?"
His smirk widened. "Spells don't necessarily need words to go along with them. It just helps with the focus. Changing inanimate items to their original state requires almost no effort at all." He shrugged. "I've used that one many times over the past few years as well, ever since I started teaching Alexander. I have to clean up after myself, after all." He casually picked a blade of grass out of her hair. "Would you like to try again? No distractions this time, I promise."
Before the girl could answer in the affirmative, the unmistakable sound of a cell phone ringing filled the air. Puck sighed and hung his head for a couple seconds.
"Duty calls..." he said with a long sigh. One flash of light later, and Owen Burnett was standing before her once again.
The stoic man reached into his suit and pulled out the cell phone. "Yes?" A pause. "Very good. I am on my way." He hung up the phone and looked at Lauren. "Detective Maza has arrived, along with Detective Bluestone. I have to show them to their guest rooms. It should not take long. Would you care to take a small break and join me, or would you prefer to remain here?"
Lauren blinked. "I'll go with you. I don't know if I feel confident enough to practice magic when I'm by myself yet... except for the telekinetics, anyway..."
He nodded. "Understandable, especially after a few of your experiences. Well, let's be on our way then. We mustn't keep the detective's waiting."
Nodding herself now, she quickly fell in step beside him as he left the atrium.
They made it to the elevator just in time for the doors to open and the two detectives to step out. While Matt carried only a suitcase, Elisa was struggling with a suitcase, an animal carrier, and a fabric bag. Owen immediately came forward to relieve Elisa of her suitcase, and a somewhat mournful meow emanated from the animal carrier. Lauren perked up immediately.
"You have a kitty?"
Elisa smirked. "Yeah, my own personal shedder, but I love her."
Lauren turned a little red. "Um... can I hold her?"
The detective's smirk turned into a smile. "Sure. As soon as we're in my room, I'll let her out."
Owen led them down the halls to two doors that were across from one another. "These rooms are reserved for you both. Please, feel free to make yourselves at home. If you have need of anything, you can feel free to contact me and I will do what I can to accommodate you."
Elisa nodded and entered one of the doors and Matt entered the other one. Lauren followed Elisa into her room and, once Owen had ensured the door was closed so the cat wouldn't escape, she opened the door to the cat carrier.
Lauren almost squealed when the cat slowly came out of the enclosed space and she gently picked the animal up. At first the feline seemed to stiffen, but when Lauren started scratching behind her ears, Cagney relaxed and started to purr.
Elisa smiled at the sight. "You almost look as if you're having your first experience holding a cat..."
Lauren smiled as she continued to cuddle the purring ball of fur. "Well, first time in ten years. Craig was allergic. When I was seven I brought stray into the house and..." She hesitated. "We'll just say that it did not end well. I haven't held one since then until now."
I have a feeling I don't want to know, Elisa thought. The officer put a hand on her shoulder. "Well, any time you want to visit with Cagney, you can feel free to come into my room, even if I'm not here. I haven't seen too much put a smile on your face, and if Cagney does, then you're welcome to see her."
Seeing the way the young woman was reacting to the cat, Owen made a mental note to mention it to his employer.
Lauren seemed very happy to hear Elisa's offer as she cuddled the cat for a moment longer. Then she let it down with a barely perceptible sigh.
Owen bowed to Elisa. "I hope you find the accommodations to your liking, Detective Maza."
She snorted. "Are you kidding? This room alone is twice the size of my apartment. I think I'll be fine."
He nodded. "Very well. I will go check on Detective Bluestone now and leave you to get settled in. You are, of course, free to wander the castle as you wish. Good day, Detective." He turned and left the room, Lauren on his heels.
Matt was currently rummaging around in his suitcase and pulling out some clothes for his work that night. He blinked when Owen and Lauren walked in.
"Are the accommodations to your liking, Detective Bluestone?"
The man looked around his room with a look that said 'You need to ask?' before turning to the servant. "Yeah, everything's fine for me." He kept casting little glances at Lauren for a moment before he sighed. "Okay, Lauren, this is going to sound totally off the wall and maybe a little childish but..."
She blinked when he trailed off. "But?"
He sighed again and tried not to look too eager as he asked. "Can I see you use that telekinesis again?"
She snorted. "I should have known that one was coming..." She looked around the room. Seeing a small flower vase sitting on one of the windowsills, she lifted it with her mind and had it float over to the wide eyed detective. He slowly took a hold of it and Lauren stopped using her ability, letting a tiny smile cross her features.
Matt shook his head in awe. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing that..."
She almost rolled her eyes. "Well, after seven years, I'm used to it by now. But anyway..." She turned to Owen. "Do you have any more duties to do as Owen?"
"I don't believe so, but I will contact Mr. Xanatos just to be sure." He stepped off to the side as he pulled out his cell phone and started dialing. As he did this, Elisa entered the room. When she saw Matt holding the vase of flowers, she shook her head and smirked.
"Sorry, Matt, I'm already taken."
He rolled his eyes and set the vase down on the dresser. "Lauren used her power when I asked her and she brought it over to me..."
The woman sighed. "Matt, she's not here for your entertainment, you know..."
He shook his head. "I know that, I just... I just had to see it again! I mean, the gargoyles are one thing, but with what I learned..." His head made the back and forth motion again. "It's still blowing my mind..."
"Boy, are you going to be in for a shock if and when Oberon shows up..." Elisa muttered. In that moment, Owen hung up the phone and came forward once more, his gaze falling on Lauren.
"Mr. Xanatos has given me permission to continue with our talk until Mr. MacBeth has arrived. However, as he undoubtedly has a great deal more at his disposal than the Detective's, his arrival will probably not happen until shortly before nightfall."
Lauren looked at her watch. "Great! That should give us a few hours!"
"Would you like to return to the atrium, Miss Lauren?"
She nodded and gave him a small smile. "Sure! Then we can continue with the lessons!"
Elisa blinked. "Lessons?"
Owen cleared his throat slightly. "My alter-ego has taken it upon himself to teach Miss Lauren how to better control her abilities."
Elisa remembered how she had seen Puck holding Lauren's hand earlier in the dining hall and then shrugged it off. Hey, if she could have a relationship with Goliath, then there was no reason why she should find it odd for Lauren to do the same with the fey.
She gave them both a smile. "Okay, then. I guess I'll catch a few hours of sleep in my room before I have to go in to work tonight, so I'll see you two later. Have fun." She walked out of the room without another word.
Matt sighed. "Well, I'm going to finish unpacking and then do the same as Elisa. Fridays are the worst."
Owen nodded. "We will take our leave then. Have a good sleep, detective." He inclined his head toward Matt, and then he and Lauren left the room.
The second the majordomo closed the door behind them, he reverted back into his alter-ego and grinned at Lauren. "Well, let's get back to business, shall we?" He held out his hand to her and she accepted it, her small smile in place.
"Sounds good."
They were making their way toward the elevators hand in hand when Xanatos and Fox rounded a corner and spotted them. While her uncle raised an eyebrow seeing the two of them holding hands, his wife merely smiled knowingly.
"On your way to continue on with your talk?" Xanatos asked, trying to keep a smirk off his face.
Puck answered in the affirmative while Lauren just gave her uncle her small smile and a nod.
His smirk widened now. "Well, before you two run off to do that... I'd like to have a moment of your time, Puck."
Fox grinned now from beside her husband. "And Lauren, I'd like to have a word with you."
Fey and Halfling both exchanged a look now, Puck's expression suggesting he knew what they wanted, while Lauren didn't have a clue, apparently.
Before either of them could respond, Xanatos had Puck by the hand and was dragging him into a room, while Fox did the same with Lauren.
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Puck tried to keep his irritation at bay when he and his boss were finally alone. He saw that Xanatos' expression hadn't changed one iota... that knowing smirk of his was still right in place.
"Well, Puck... do you have any idea why I asked to speak with you?"
He sighed now. "I have a sinking sensation that I do. I take it Fox is talking to Lauren about the same thing?"
His smirk widened. "I can't fool you, now can I? Very well, then... I won't waste time with formalities then. To put everything out in the open right now..." He cleared his throat. "Puck, what are your intentions toward Lauren?"
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Mr. X, I can assure you, my intentions are honourable."
Xanatos raised an eyebrow. "Never thought I'd hear you say that..."
Puck looked up now, looking a little annoyed. "Did you think that I'd say anything different? Especially considering what she's already been through? A trickster, I may be, but never malicious. All I want is to make up for the seventeen years of neglect and abuse that she experienced and show her just how worthwhile she really is."
His employer shrugged. "Sounds fair enough to me. I just wanted to make sure that we were on the same page, is all. You seem to make her happy, and as long as that doesn't change, I have no reasons to object." Then his expression flattened somewhat. "Just make sure that Lauren has no objections to anything you do."
Puck nodded immediately. "Of course. I would never do anything without her consent, Mr. Xanatos. I will only treat Lauren with the greatest of respect."
The billionaire smiled broadly now. "Well then, we shouldn't have any problems then. Now, let's go wait for the ladies to finish with their chat, shall we?"
The two of them exited the room and started waiting patiently in the hall.
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Once the door was closed behind them, Fox turned to Lauren and the girl fidgeted slightly at the expression on the woman's face. Her smile was bordering on being a smirk, and the mischief in her eyes was unmistakable.
"So... Lauren. Do you have any idea why I wanted to talk to you?"
The girl blinked and shook her head slowly.
The older woman smiled and let out a sigh. "Okay then, I guess I'm going to have to come right out and say it..." She looked squarely at Lauren. "Your uncle and I have noticed a few of your... interactions with Puck. We just want to make sure you're not uncomfortable with what's going on."
Lauren turned beet red immediately. "Oh... okay..."
Fox put a hand on her shoulder and urged her to sit down in a chair. Once the girl was seated, she took another chair for herself. "Okay, let's start with this, then... Have you ever been in a romantic relationship before?"
She shook her head, trying to keep her face from getting any redder.
"All right... and... how far have you and Puck gotten?"
The girls head jerked up. "FOX!"
The woman laughed. "Come on, it's only a simple question. And the sooner you answer, the sooner you and Puck can be on your way."
Lauren let out a long sigh. "We've held hands and... some minor cuddling. That's it so far."
Awwwwwwww... Fox couldn't help but find this adorable. Lauren was so obviously inexperienced in this sort of thing, and Puck, from what she had seen, was keeping that in mind as he made his moves.
"And how are you handling the attention?"
She hesitated and she seemed to by playing with a fold in her shirt. "Well... I... kinda like it. I mean... it was surprising when he first did it, but... It feels nice to have someone treat me like that. He's always gentle, and I know he would stop if he started making me uncomfortable..."
"And... it doesn't make you uncomfortable?" she asked slowly.
Lauren shook her head. "No. As I said, I kinda like it. And I trust him enough to know that he won't go overboard."
She hesitated. "Just in case... you are aware of the... preventative measures that sometimes come with being in a relationship?"
She turned a blazing red immediately. "Yes... I know about... that stuff." Fox smirked again.
Poor thing probably thinks she's about to get the sex talk...
"Well, it seems that everyone is on the same page, then. I think we're done in here for now... but, if Puck ever does anything to make you uncomfortable, or if you have any questions, don't be afraid to come to me or David."
She nodded wordlessly, trying to get her skin back to its original color.
"Erm... are we done now?" she asked.
The former celebrity nodded. "I think that should just about cover it. I'll let you and Puck get back to what you were doing before. David and I have work of our own to get back to. We just thought we'd get this out of the way."
Lauren got to her feet and the two women quickly exited the room, finding the men standing in the hall. Xanatos came forward smoothly.
"Has everything been figured out, my dear?"
She nodded. "Things are looking good from all sides. But enough about that... Let's get back to work."
The two of them went down the hall, vanishing behind a corner.
Lauren sighed, still trying to fight off her mad blush. "Was all that necessary?" she asked.
Puck snorted. "I guess to their minds it was..." He shrugged. "Oh well, at least Mr. X kept it short and to the point."
She rolled her eyes. "Lucky. I was getting the impression that Fox was about to give me the sex talk."
The fey started roaring with laughter. "It's a little early to be thinking about that... But anyway..." He held his hand out to Lauren. "Let's continue on, shall we? We have our own business to take care of."
Nodding, Lauren accepted his hand and they made their way back toward the atrium.
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Okay, there you have chapter 11! Please leave me a review and tell me what you think! I have no promises on when the next chapter is going to be up, but keep your eyes open for an update!