River looked over at Ian when he walked down the hallway into the living room. The blonde cadet still had his arm around Cassie, who was blushing brilliantly – making Ian wonder absently what smooth line he'd been using on her to make her so red. Not that she seemed to mind, though.

"What? Did you get lost from the sidewalk to the door and need directions?" River asked.

"I can't believe Jack loaned you his truck..." Gina said, smiling a hello of her own from the couch where she was sitting next to Shawn, who was putting shoes on. Next to Gina was a man Ian didn't recognize, but who stood up and offered the cadet his hand as soon as Ian walked into the room.

"Ian? I'm James Adams. It's a pleasure to meet you."

His voice was deep, but it wasn't the same voice that Ian had heard in his dream – as he'd almost expected when he saw the man sitting there. He shook James' hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir. Shawn's told me a lot about you." Which wasn't a lie. Shawn talked about his family a lot – so did River. Ian was the only one who rarely mentioned his family – but Ian also hated small talk, even with the few people he considered his friends. So that wasn't a big surprise.

"I was asking Ian about the truck," Dotty said, smoothly. "Since it won't hold all of you, I told him you guys could take the Jeep if you wanted to so you could all go together."

"But I told her it's okay," Ian said, unwilling to allow Dotty – or anyone else – to manipulate him into doing anything, even something as small as going to the movies in a different vehicle than the one he'd arrived in. Besides, he liked driving Jack's truck.

Dotty frowned, but Ian ignored that. Just because she was lying, didn't mean he had to do what she said. He had no reason to trust her, after all – although he didn't actually dislike her, either. He was unsure of her – and that meant he didn't allow himself to be put into any situation she wanted him in. The only reason he would have left the truck was to have the opportunity to come back and discuss the whole dream thing with her, but he still would have had the audience, and she could have brushed him off. He'd find an opening, eventually.

"We'd better get going," Shawn said, standing up and grabbing his jacket. He was still curious about what had occurred between his mom and Ian, but he had all night to find out and the movie started in less than an hour.

"Cassie? You want to ride with me?" River asked her with a smile as he let her go so he could get his coat on. "I'm a much better conversationalist than Brooks is."

Cassie smiled, but shook her head. She'd ride with Ian, because he'd need directions to the theater.

"I'll stick with Ian," she said. "He might need help finding the theater."

"He can follow us."

"I'm his co-pilot," she said, shaking her head – although she was pleased that River had invited her to ride with him, and was actually trying to get her to change her mind. It was flattering and he was cute enough that she almost did. But... "He needs me."

River made a huge, mournful sigh, but he shook off the regret immediately, proving to her that he wasn't as broken up as he was acting.

"We're going to the 6-plex," Shawn told her. "You know where it is?"

Cassie nodded.

"We'll meet you there."

"Dinner's at 7," Dotty said as they all headed for the door. "If you're late, you get leftovers."

"Yes, Ma'am," Shawn said, snapping her a salute. She laughed, and shooed them all out of the house. Gina, River and Shawn headed for the Jeep; Ian and Cassie went to the truck.

"Race?" River asked.

"No chance in hell."

Like he'd risk wrecking Jack's truck – or hurting Cassie? If it was his car, and he was alone, he would have, though, and River probably knew it.

"Chicken."

"Whatever."

Ian was too distracted by his introduction to Shawn's mom to really be offended enough to dredge up a good comeback – and it amazed River that he hadn't told him to go fuck himself or something.

"You okay?" The blonde cadet asked his friend as Ian held the door for Cassie.

Ian nodded.

"I'm fine." He slammed the truck door closed. "Drive safe, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah."

He flipped Ian the bird, and got into the Jeep, and Ian snorted, distracted from his distraction long enough to reciprocate. River's grin was all the answer he got, and Ian got behind the wheel, looking over at Cassie.

"You set?"

"Yup."

"How well do you know Dotty?" Ian asked as he pulled the truck into the road and headed the direction that she indicated.

Cassie shrugged.

"Not very well. I've seen her a few times – she was at Sam and Jack's wedding. We don't hang out or anything, though. Why?"

It was his turn to shrug.

"Just curious."

"Does River have a girlfriend?" Cassie asked.

"Not as far as I know." He looked over at her. "Why? Interested?"

She shrugged, flushing a little.

"He seems like a nice guy."

"He is a nice guy."

"Yeah?"

Ian shrugged.

"I haven't seen him torturing small animals or anything like that..."

"How old is he?"

"Nineteen."

"You're nineteen, too, right?"

Ian nodded.

"And no girlfriend, either..." she said, more to herself than to him, but he nodded anyways.

"Right. Because-"

"You're an asshole," she said, smiling. "I remember."

He smiled, slightly, but kept his eyes on the road.

When he didn't say anything, Cassie debated whether to continue that line of conversation or not. He didn't seem to mind answering her questions and she was pretty sure he'd tell her whatever he knew about River – who was just as cute as she'd remembered him being. But she was still trying to figure Ian out, because she was pretty sure he wasn't quite as bad as he seemed to think he was. Not as far as she could tell, anyways.

Greatly daring – at least to her – she reached over and rested her hand lightly on his leg.

"I don't think you're an asshole."

"Well, you're wrong."

Stung, Cassie started to move her hand, but Ian reached down and caught it, putting it back where she'd had it and then pinning it under his. He didn't say anything else, and neither did she, but the ride to the theater was an enjoyable as any Cassie had ever taken.