"Seeking Favor"

By Dragonwriter

Notes: You're right Princess death. Not that I was trying to keep it a secret. This is the 2nd version of this chapter.

Disclaimer: All the glory be to L.J.Smith, And I don't own anyone. Except for my own characters Laurel Astrea and Amanda who needs a last name. (In this chapter at least) warning some spoilers from 'Soulmate' Please review, and don't throw any tomatoes! I'm trying really I am!

Chapter 2.

~ This is how you remind me of what I really Am, It's not like you to say sorry, I'm always waiting on a different story…. "Are we having fun yet?" ~ (yes it has very little to do with THIS story, but I love the lyrics^-^)

"All right allright, I'll do it! Just stop looking at me like that!"

"Most girls LIKE me looking at them like this." His voice was so suggestive that it made her laugh.

Ash was one of those people that it was nearly impossible to say no to. Besides what he was suggesting would be fun. So when he used his winning smile, crafty as his currently green eyes were, she agreed to play go- between. No one was as good at manipulating people as Ash was, joining Circle Daybreak didn't change that about him. It was useful.

They were at the mall. Shopping, something that Ash enjoyed way more than she did, and SHE was the girl!

"Allright, Roses are a must, Think she might like girly candles and bath stuff?" Ash asked purposefully while counting the gift ideas on his right hand.

"Depends, what kind of stuff is she into?"

By this point Ash was only half listening, his mind wandering off on a tangent, Mare in a bathtub, her clothes on the floor, bubble bath, sweet smells, and flickering candles, her dark hair…

"Ash? Hello?" Laurel waved her hands in his face.

"Hmm? Oh well Mare's into astronomy."

"Really?" Laurel seemed interested, as that was one of her hobbies as well. "Does she have a telescope yet?"

"Yah."

"What kind?"

Ash attempted to describe the telescope.

"So…. She might want a new lens, this one store has this lens that greatly improves the clarity, and this cool astronomy textbook with some awesome color photos of nebula, got to get that." Later at the Airport, Ash finally added his sisters phone number address; map etc to Laurel's little black book. The flight to Salt Lake was short and uneventful, arriving in the late afternoon. She took a taxi to the University of Utah. ((Boo, hiss bad U of U!)) Clouds covered the sky. It felt like 30 degrees, which was warm for a Utah winter. This is where her contact lived.

"Hey! Amanda, where's my car?"

Amanda smiled.

"Don't you want some supplies first? "

"Where did you get the nettlesroot infusion?" She asked lifting up one of the bottles.

"Harman store had a sale going."(( In Utah there are a chain of stores called this :0 ))

After getting some special herbs and some of Laurel's other stuff, Amanda returned her car keys.

They walked across campus, avoiding the ice and piles of snow.

"Not a scratch on him, I was careful with Tama," Amanda said, leading her away from the dorms. A tour group passed by them, all perspective students. Laurel stopped and turned around with premonition, pretending to have dropped one of her bags so that she could eavesdrop. In the tour group was a petite girl with green cat-eyes and short, dark hair (Chess).

"I still don't know why you want to live in Utah of all places," she said. An old soul perhaps, but not important enough for this weird feeling. Her friend answered, and that eerie feeling Laurel got when some part of her older and more powerful, knew that it was seeing something significant. Amanda looked confusedly back at Laurel, and said, "High- schoolers do get younger looking every year."

The girl standing next to the brunette was tall, blonde, and had old gray eyes. Too old for this to be her first life.

"It has a really good Archaeology program, that's why, but you don't have to go here if you don't want to Chess."

Chess snorted. " Like I'm going to abandon my best friend to a school like this."

The blonde smiled, "Well I also have that scholarship opportunity here."

Two old souls that knew each other, but that couldn't have been the significance.

"And this is Van Cott Hall." The tour guide rattled on. The blonde turned with the rest of the group, and that was when Laurel got a better view of her face. The birthmark. A brand? A sign? It was a strawberry mark that slanted down from her cheekbone. Significant! Her brain screamed, heart starting to race.

*Blink* Pink birthmark. *Blink* running down an infinity spiral staircase, darkness, death, red, black, screams, A sad face with dark eyes, sorrow lies so strong were the emotions they were almost palatable. *Blink* "Always been a victim." *Blink* Cave, end of staircase, like beginning. Crimson eyes, an important decision, ages pass, time. * Blink* birthmark fading-bad, but it is a sad sign. * Blink * a bat, a cat, shift, wood, silver cord shining brighter 2 silver strings in the form of DNA. ~End cycle~*blink* "Game over." A dark voice echoed in her mind * blink* Back to reality. Trip-y. Okay that was Definitely a vision. So what the heck did it mean?

"Hannah, come on, are you okay?" Chess leaned over to her friend who had stopped walking with the tour group and was holding her head.

"Sure, I'm fine." Hannah tried to sound encouraging.

Laurel felt like her blood was pure sugar, such a high, visions often did this to her. She felt giddy.

((Dragonwriter- In Soulmate, it specifically says that Hannah was planning on going to University of Utah on a scholarship, with the same degree. It's there I'm not making that part up, Prospective students check out there schools right? ))

All right, Hannah and Chess, remember those names, and perhaps we can get a repeat of this vision and see what the heck it means, and why I had it. Who do I know that it would affect?

But not now, I have a favor to repay.

Tama was a dark purple sports car with a black and red leather interior, a gift from her rich lamia dad.

"I think you're crazy for driving to Oregon, you could easily get Elder Thierry to fly you to Portland instead."

Laurel shrugged vaguely. "I like to drive." Mostly a lie but Amanda didn't have to know that.

" Rii-ght."

"So, am I taking you up to Idaho Falls for that game or not?" Laurel asked impatiently, tossing her stuff in the trunk.

" Only if I'm driving."

"Considering it's six hours up to Idaho falls- I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Oh? Well leave it to me and my 'Devil May Care driving and we'll cut it down to four hours!" Amanda grinned while Laurel made sure her seatbelt was firmly fastened, reminded herself she had airbags as she took her place in the shotgun.

Laurel pulled out her cell phone, dialing the three sisters phone number.

"Hello? What do you want?" A bored voice answered probably Kestrel.

"Hick towns that boring eh, Redfern?" Laurel loved to tease people. Kestrel's voice quickly became alarmed.

"Who IS this?"

Laurel played Mock horror and shock. "Aww Kes, don't tell me you forgot your Extra sister."

There was a pause on the other end.

"LAUREL?!"

"The self same." (A very Ash influenced response)

"How in HELL did you get our phone #?"

Laurel heard Kestrel talk to someone on her end. " Jade it's not Mark, so go away."

When she could tell that her favorite Redfern sister was back on the phone, "Ash told me."

"He told you?" Monotone.

"He did and from what he told me about you guys I guess I can tell you that both of us are part of Circle Daybreak now."

"My brother is not a witch so he *can't* join a circle." Kes said derisively.

Amanda was a CD contact, so that much was safe for her to hear, however, she also had a huge crush on Ash. Typical-ly stupid. So mentioning the location of Ash's soulmate wouldn't be smart. Amanda was rather determined when it came to things she wanted.

"Okay, I'll explain it all to you later-"

"Nuh –uh. Now." Kes demanded

"Will you let me Finish?!"

Silence on Kes's end.

"All right, you see I called you guys because 'I miss you all violently'"

Kestrel snorted. "And I'm coming to visit."

"When?"

"As we speak, so if I'm lucky, by 9:00am tomorrow."

Rowan had taken over the phone, must suck to have sisters that could read your mind. - No secrets.

"I think you've been hanging out with my brother too long, you're picking up his short notice habits." Laurel could just imagine Ro's frown of disapproval.

"Hey I just today got your phone # from him." She defended. "I can still come right?"

Rowan seemed to calm down a bit.

"We'll be expecting you. It is very considerate of you to take time out to visit us."

Typical Rowan manners.

"Thanks."

Laurel hung up relieved. Part one of the plan had worked. For all the shady dealings I 'm going to have to do- you're going to really owe me Ash.

Laurel snuggled up with a pillow against the window.

"Wake me up when we get there."

"Sure thing."

Laurel threw out of her mind the many errands she had to do before reaching Briar Creek. Falling into the depths of sleep.

" The things I do for my friends." Muttering into her pillow.

End chapter 2

~~ review! Please! I need suggestions! Where should Ash and Mare meet again? In Seattle or at Thierrys?