Rowan bolted into the restaurant and nearly bumped into a waiter. He blurted out an apology receding back into the thick bogger* accent he was born with, an accent he normally masked. The waiter sneered and turned, muttering under his breath, "Knacker*." Rowan held his breath for a moment. There was a time when he would have called the waiter some filthy things for that remark but he knew no one would have his back. Fish out of water- even the playground had had a fence and friend in it.

Instead Rowan turned and scoped out the restaurant. He didn't seem to be too underdressed for his age group. Finally, off in a corner, he spotted Gabe standing on his seat, hand shielding eyes from the glare of the harsh glare of the mood lighting of the restaurant, the soft glow peppered with lit cigarette butts. Rowan picked his way between tables and dodged platters of food and drinks until he reached the table. Gabe prepared to jump into his arms for a hug but Jasper crunched that idea with a crisp, firm, "Sit." Evidently after 3 hours with Gabe Jasper had become a disciplinarian. That was a new record for Gabe, especially as he must have been asleep for part of the time.

"Hey 'ope you don't mind but we took the liberty of ordering for you," said the man Rowan guessed was Billy aged 11 years.

"Yu huh!" said Gabe, who thankfully, was sitting. "And we gots you Coke!"

"And a glass of wine," said Jasper. "We figured since this might be business you should be treated like an adult."

"As apposed to?" Rowan looked at Gabe who drank his soda slurping and smiling as the bubbles tickled the back of his throat. Rowan just smiled and nodded, question answered, turning back to Billy and Jasper.

"And if this turns into pleasure, wine could do as well," joked Billy. Rowan smiled. Billy seemed to be the same as before. Good naturedly Billy reached out and ruffled Gabe's dirty blond hair. Rowan remembered when it was his dark brown hair under the calloused hand, and Sara's darker hair too. Strange, he thought, with each kid my dad 'fathers' the hair gets lighter and more shot with blond. Weird. "So how is Ireland treating you? Feel strange?"

"Some of the houses and shops changed and one or to roads seemed to have given way to new neighborhoods- the buskers have found new locations I'm guessing. One can only see the same guitar player before just taking it for granted I guess."

"And I never thought I'd see you with piercings. When did you get those?"

"A year or two ago. I had others, a tongue stud, eyebrow ring, but I took them out. I had most of each ear pierced at one point but most of those have closed up."

"Will you take them out for the performance?"

"Sure. I know how that works- I'll take them out for practice too."

"Well someone's giving. So Jasper has filled you in on pay and lodging?" Rowan nodded and took a sip of his soda. His manners might not be worthy of high company but he knew he should at least wait for the food to come before attacking the wine. "Did he tell you that if you fit the company and if I still like your style then once you're able to you've got a permanent spot?" Rowan couldn't say anything but glared at Jasper. "I'll take that as a no. But it's up to the company. Some of them remember you or your legacy."

"Yeah legacy. I was 6 years old."

"You were and are a prodigy." Jasper put his fingers over Gabe's straw and pinched it so the air that Gabe was blowing no longer made bubbles. "Partly your father's doing and partly your own skill." Rowan stopped smiling. He had hoped no one would go into this.

"Speaking of your father are you going to visit-" Billy stopped when he realized that Rowan was shaking his had for him to shut up. Rowan discretely motioned to Gabe who was silent and watching them.

"My dad? Are we going to visit him?" asked Gabe, looking between the faces. Billy's was embarrassed, Jasper's struggling to think and Rowan's pale, each was waiting for the other the other to speak first.

"Um, I don't think so Gabe," said Rowan quietly. Gabe started to question but Rowan simply said, "He's not a very nice man." Gabe nodded his head solemnly and went back to slurping on his soda. Rowan had heard the sigh and knew he'd have to explain a few things to Gabe later.

Thankfully the food arrived and conversation turned back to what Billy had done since Rowan had exited Stage Ireland. Gratefully Rowan sipped his wine. God he couldn't wait to get back to Pat's- beer and music and beer and fags** and beer. Beer would be good- maybe he could get properly sloshed enough to think of a good reason to tell Gabe why they couldn't visit Daddy Dearest with out mentioning anything about their father's personality or where he was.

The evening passed and Billy left, off to his own home and Rowan turned to Jasper and Gabe. "Pat invited me over to have a beer or-"

"Seven?" jumped in Jasper.

"Yeah well I was going to say you're invited but me and Gabe can do just as well."

"Pat?" asked Gabe, looking up, confused.

"A friend of mine that me and you are going to visit."

"Don't count me out so quick!"

"Well you know, maybe your old age is catching up and you need to go to bed. Heck, maybe your liver is going to start failing soon so you better cut back on the alcohol."

"I'm turning 30 in three years, not three months."

"Should I buy you some old people's diapers?"

"Shut up and start walking." With Jasper heading off, Gabe thrust a sticky hand into Rowan's and began to pull.

"What's going on?" he asked, looking back at Rowan.

*- Traveler (aka Gypsy) **Cigarettes