Disclaimer: All Dark Angel characters featured in this story belong to James Cameron and Fox except for additional X5's and transgenics which I created myself from scratch. I.e.…Talia, Tolka, Rav and Tank.
The young man appeared shy as he approached the dancing blond girl.
They had both been at the club for well over 2 hours now and although his eyes hadn't left her since she'd arrived, it was only now that he felt as though he had mustered up enough courage to attempt conversation.
As he ambled his way through the herd of dancing bodies the blonde girl stopped dancing and turned to face him. If it hadn't been somewhat near impossible for her to have heard his approach over the blasting music, the young man could have sworn she had.
'"Buy you a drink"? He shouted. The music instantly drowning out his words.
Great. If I can't even hear me what hope is there that she will? He thought.
If the music had ruined any hopes of her hearing him the girl showed no signs of it. She just smiled, nodded and headed toward the bar.
"I'll have a beer," the young man told the bartender who nodded in approval.
"And what for the young lady"? The bartender asked, directing his question towards the blond girl and giving her a wink.
"Same as always Lou, scotch on the rocks, but I think this time you'd better make it a double since it's my last night in town"
Lou nodded and smiled again, but this time his smile was forlorn and as he turned to fix the drinks, the young man noticed that he looked upset.
Just my luck Thought the young man.
I'm here having drinks with the most beautiful girl I'm ever likely to lay eyes upon and it's her last night in town. Typical.
"So what's your name"? She asked, interrupting his self-pity.
"Uh…" the young man stumbled, as his mind worked over time to piece together what she had just said.
"Just so I know who to thank for the drink," she said, laughing softly and flashing him a perfect smile.
God, you're beautiful the young man thought dreamily as he stared into her cool granite grey eyes, which twinkled as though lit with the lights of a thousand stars.
Her hair's like spun gold…and those lips…. like the buds of the most beautiful rose…such utter perfection He continued to stare. Her physical beauty astounded him, rendering him dumb.
"You do have a name…don't you"? She asked still laughing
"Paul" he managed, slightly snapping out of his trance.
"Well Paul, thank you for the drink, and for your company, but I really must be on my…"
She continued to speak but Paul's mind rested on her last words
'Thank you for your company'? ' How odd. He thought, they couldn't have been sitting down for more than…
Paul glanced up at the clock hung behind the car and was stunned to see that they had infact been sitting here for over 20 minutes.
He was even more stunned to find that once his eyes returned to the girl, she was already half way to the door.
"Wait" Paul called out desperately and maybe a little too loudly because Lou looked up from his conversation with another customer.
"At least let me know your name" Paul said.
The girl looked blank as she considered his request. Over this past year she had been to many clubs where she had met many men, but to none of them had she ever told her real name. She had always thought that her life kinda depended on her remaining a shadow, an enigma…but tonight…tonight was her last night in this city…by morning she would be long gone…she'd be back in the city she had grown up in…the safe city…what harm could it possibly do?
"Talia" she replied cautiously but with great relief.
"It was nice to meet you Talia" Paul said.
To hear her name being said nearly brought tears to her eyes.
It's been so long Talia thought
No one's called me that since…since…. She could not bear to say his name.
"So that's your name eh?" chuckled Lour overhearing her.
"I always did wonder what it was, you look after yourself kiddo you hear me"? He added
"No need to worry about me Lou" Talia replied and although she masked it well, Paul sensed great uneasiness in her voice.
"Goodbye again Paul" Talia said. And with that, she was gone.
Beautiful girl, definitely troubled, but beautiful Paul thought as he returned to his unfinished beer, staring into it as though he expected it to answer the mystery that was Talia.
She seemed so tense, almost as though she was hiding something Paul brushed the thought aside
What could a girl like that possibly have to hide?