When Romey came in to the bar Abe could tell something was wrong; the girl looked like a kicked dog. Deep down he knew the answer as to who had caused it but the unkempt man still asked.

"What happened, Romey?" He asked as he cleaned his spectacles on his overalls. "Thought you'd have been in post book store bliss."

"Never got that far." She tossed her bag and leather jacket down on the black top bar and snatched up her apron so she could tie it around her waist.

Abe slipped his the oversized eyeglasses back on. "okay, so we've gone from Diane to Carla in under a second. Come on, what happened?"

"Why don't you ask you friend, Manx. He's an assuming dickhead by the way."

Her fellow Strong Creative chuckled. "Yeah he is. What he do?"

Abe wasn't dumb, he knew Charlie had taken a shine to Andromeda and because he wasn't dumb he'd known it wouldn't end well.

Romey sighed. When she spoke again her tone was far less hostile. "I lost track of time at the library so I never got to the book store. Then when I got back to my motel he was just sat there in the dark like some sort of stealth Sloth." Abe snorted. "He freaked the crap out of me, demanded my life story then basically called me a whore, broke my lamp and stormed out."

"Charlie has always been a bit temperamental."

The green-eyed beauty flashed the elder man a look. "Putting it a bit mildly there, Abe. I mean what is he even looking for?"

Abe paused. "I shouldn't tell you, he wouldn't appreciate it, but it looks like his interest in you is over. That's actually good."

Andromeda leant on the bar and ran a hand through her long raven hair. While somewhat distracted Abe took the opportunity to look her over, he could understand why Manx had instantly been drawn to her what with her porcelain skin, piercing green eyes lined in black and slender frame. Abe had to admit he himself found her stunningly attractive though he'd never touch her. The way she'd matched her blue boots to her lipstick amused him as well, she always had some bold color on her lips but it never seemed too much.

"Why are the cute ones always nuts?" She grumbled more to herself than her boss.

Abe breathed out a laugh. "You think he's cute?"

She flashed him that look again. "You've seen him, Abe, he's all tall, dark and handsome. His voice is deep and sort of intoxicating. And I thought he was rather gentleman like until the whole defiled whore rant."

Women always fell for Charlie easily, for all the reasons Andromeda had listed but none of them ever stayed when they really got to know him. In truth Abe felt bad for the immortal but at the same time it was better he left Andromeda alone, after what he'd done to Jolene and soon Vic as well Abe didn't really want him around Romey; that girl didn't deserve such a fate.

"I told you to stay away from him, Little Lady."

"Yeah, kind of can't if he shows up where I live."

In a very un-Abe-like move he wrapped an arm around the teenager and brought her head to rest on his chest. He'd half expected her to fight him but no, Andromeda went willingly, in fact she actually settled against him as though she appreciated his touch.

"Thanks, Abe." Romey's voice was soft as slik.

"I won't tell you what he's looking for but it's something very specific and both times Charlie has thought he's found it something happens to rip it away." When the hell did he take this girl under his wing? "You've not done anything wrong, Little Lady, he's just frustrated."

Romey breathed out a laugh. "Or the aforementioned dickhead."

Abe roared with laughter, she heard it through his chest, a deep rumble that reminded her of Duvall. The older man smelt faintly of beer and something she could only describe as bar smell but in a way Romey had come to find it comforting.

"Come on, Little Lady, let's get to work. That'll soon take your mind of Charlie. We've got stuff to prepare for."

Andromeda rasied an eyebrow as she peered up at him. "Prepare? You make it sound like we're going to DEFCON 1."

Abe shrugged. "We kinda are. It's Halloween in two weeks and this place gets crazy around them. Imagination runs riot on Halloween so Strong Creatives get more active."

"Oh yeah?" She finally stood up straight and tucked a stray lock of raven hair behind her ear little feather earrings. "How long before Krusty the Clown comes in?"

"Be nice." He mock cautioned and then the two set to work.

~X~

A couple of days had sailed by since The Incident as Romey had mentally dubbed it. Manx hadn't made an appearance at her motel room nor at Parnassus and things had settled back into her new normal. In fact if things kept going the way they were Andromeda might have been able near enough money for a tiny apartment. Okay, that was an exaggeration, maybe a nicer motel room was a more achievable goal. Even better was the realization that she didn't have to go back to fucking Kansas; nice place, terrible memories.

Still, if she wanted a better place to call home she'd have to save which meant no treats, certainly not like the ones on her feet. Andromeda hadn't ever been an overly materialistic person but goddamnit the shoes were cute and she'd wanted them. They weren't anything too grand, simple really. Black platform stilettos with cute little lace up bows on the back. They matched her black dress with Peter Pan collar too well to say no. Romey might not have been a materialistic person but heels could be her weakness; a weakness she'd not discovered until she'd had a regular wage.

She sat watching Supernatural in a slightly dark room thanks to Manx's little lamp murder fit. Romey had found herself nodding off though. She'd had a long day at Parnassus and the heat had been sweltering, now that the sun had gone down and the hour had grown late Romey just wanted some sleep. Since the teenager had started working regular hours the fact she didn't sleep all that often had finally caught up with her.

Just as Romey started to debate getting up, taking off her make-up and going to bed she heard a thud come from next door. It had sounded like something dense smashing into the paper thin wall. The green-eyed teenager knew that noise well, it had been her own head many times before curiosity of her father so Romey was well acquainted with that horrid sound. Yes, her neighbours yelled at one another on a regular basis but not once had either of them struck the other.

With caution she got up from the bed and stepped towards her motel room door, there she paused. Romey wanted to check on them but at the same time she wasn't sure if her intervening was a good idea. The raven-haired beauty must have stood there a good thirty seconds with her hand on the doorknob while her mind went through a list of pros and cons, however, in the end, she'd thrown caution to the wind and stepped outside; there was a little girl next door.

As soon as Romey turned to her right she saw something that forced her to a halt. Parked with headlights facing her neighbours' door was The Wraith. Manx had his back to her as he ushered the little girl into the back seat and for a moment it Romey had no idea what to do.

"Mister Manx, what's going on?" She asked before fully realizing she'd spoken.

He spun around to face her but when the headlights lit his face she found an elderly man staring back at her rather than the handsome Charlie Manx.

"Oh, sorry, I thought you were someone else." She glanced at the car and then at the blue coat the elderly man wore suspiciously. "Where did you get that Wraith?"

"A closely guarded secret, Andromeda."

Her eyes went wide. "How do you know-"

"Your name?" He finished for her. "Do not let my current appearance fool you, I am still Charlie Manx."

"How?" She stepped a little closer, her heels clacked against the concrete.

"You need not know that. Just go back to your room, defiled one."

When he'd first called her defiled she'd been upset, hurt even, but after a few days of it settling in she'd managed to push it away. It seemed Romey had been wrong and instead of pushing it away it had just settled into anger. Her eyes darkened as she moved closer still and suddenly shoved Manx, she'd not meant to but Romey was sick of being told she was worthless, or a whore, or whatever other name her father came up with for her, she'd not let Manx start as well.

It had been little more than a shove but the sudden surprise of it and his elderly frame gave out. Manx tumbled down to the ground before his Wraith and when he looked up he found the sight beautiful. Andromeda Dixon stood above him in completely impractical but sexy as hell heels, a dress that only worked to show of her chest without actually revealing any cleavage, bold eyes lined in black and a rich green lipstick. He'd thought of other words to describe Romey but this was the first time powerful came to mind.

"I'm not defiled!" She hissed at a volume loud enough to be considered yelling but not so loud that it would draw attention from the other residents. "I'm a virgin, you jumped to conclusions."

Manx raised an aged eyebrow as Romey's face fell.

"Virgin." He said to himself.

Just as he made to struggle to his feet Bing marched out of the motel room with a deep frown, clearly the noise had drawn his attention. He took one look at his boss down on the cold floor and one at Andromeda then he just launched. Before Romey could so much as take a step backwards Bing had her pinned against the wall by her throat, she tried desperately to push him off of her but it was no use, Bing was just too big and strong. She scratched at his chubby hands but the bearded man didn't budge an inch. Her head throbbed, if it was the lack of blood getting to her brain or where her head had bounced off the cold brick wall Romey didn't have the metal capacity to figure out in that moment. The cartilage in her oesophagus crackled and screamed; a noise that reverberated through her ears agonizingly.

"Bing! Put her down!"

The bearded man's grip wavered as his head snapped down to an elderly Manx who still sat slumped on the floor.

"... But, she pushed you. She's bad." Bing tried to reason but Manx fixed him with a stern glare.

"Now, Bing!"

The sharp tone startled Bing into dropping Romey in an instant, he stepped back like a child who had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Andromeda landed on her stilettos where she stumbled but managed to stay upright while clutching her throat as she coughed. Bing cautiously helped Charlie to his feet, it took a second but soon the aged man had righted himself and found his dark eyes locked on young Romey while she continued to cough.

"Forgive, Bing." Began Manx as he stepped towards her. "He can be a little overzealous at times."

Romey coughed. "No kidding."

Bing frowned at her sarcasm. "Pretty girls aren't what they seem. They're ruthless, evil and mean."

The teenager just glared up at him, her hand still on her throat.

"You're couplets need work, mate." Her attention turned back to Manx who stood in the glow of The Wraith's headlights; out the corner of her dazzling green-eyes she could see the little girl in the back seat. "Where are you taking the kid, Mister Manx?"

Now she'd calmed down a little Romey sort of regretted pushing him – been a bit childish – but at the same time he'd had it coming. Still, the raven-haired beauty didn't want to think about it so she did her best to shove the subject to something else.

"To Christmasland of course." He looked so proud and pleased with himself. "Annabel will be safe and happy there, I assure you." Manx stepped closer. "Forgive my assumptions, Miss Dixon, it was impolite and unfair." At least he had the decency to look somewhat ashamed of himself. "We must away now to Christmasland. Goodnight, Miss Dixon."

Bing rushed towards the old Rolls-Royce and slipped into the passenger seat quietly. Manx offered her a small smile before he too went to the car, he paused at the open door and turned back to the teenager.

"I hope to see you again, Miss Dixon."

With that Manx was gone and driving away. The sound of the engine faded until everything fell silent; or would have had it not been for a rather chatty owl up a tree behind the motel.

She stood there a time in the quiet, no one stepped out of their room, no curtains twitched, the yelling hadn't drawn any attention whatsoever. Something told Andromeda not to look inside her neighbours' room but after a moment to get her breathing under control Romey ignored her mind's caution and stepped to the threshold; her heels clacked gently on the uneven ground.

There green-eyes found the drug dealer flat down on the ground and a pair of legs sticking out from behind the messy bed. Manx couldn't have done this, not in his current physical appearance – and didn't that come with a boatload of questions - so this chaotic horror show had to have been the bearded giant, Bing.

Silently Romey left the motel room and wandered back to her own where she didn't speak for the rest of the night, just calmly took her make up off and went to bed.