To even someone experienced in the formalities of a relationship it was often difficult to fake intimacy. For Cassandra, who had only ever been with one other person and struggled with communication anyway, it was a nightmare. She couldn't let Connor know they hadn't clicked on a romantic level, he felt like one of the last precious friendships she hadn't mucked up yet. So Cassandra tried her hardest to hold his hands when they walked together and kiss him whenever it seemed like it had been too long since she last had. Connor gave her that kind smile he always did and sometimes ran a hand through her hair. She didn't dislike any of it, but none of it came naturally. Even with the girl before, with zero exposure, her instincts guided her well enough.

At least once, Cassandra caught an odd, somehow knowing look from Mia as she and Connor held hands over breakfast one morning. She only identified it once, but wondered if it hadn't come up before.

Connor kissed Cassandra on the cheek and said, "Excuse me." He rose from the small table in the kitchen and headed into one of the large, adjacent hallways, probably toward a bathroom.

Cassandra was left alone with Mia as she swallowed another handful of pills and half of a glass of water. Lian was probably still fast asleep.

"Do you just stay for her?" Cassandra still felt suspicious of the pills Mia often took. "From the Titans?"

Mia heaved a sigh. "It's a couple of things. I've got this bug, probably will the rest of my life. It's usually pretty under control, but some days are worse than others."

Cassandra chose not to question Mia further. Though she suspected something was not being said, it felt wrong to pry any further.

A week after their first kiss, Connor suggested they take a trip into the city to go to one of his favorite restaurants, along with the assurance, "They serve meat there too." At most, Cassandra hoped she could cut loose a little. At worst, she had to at least maintain her façade.

Toward the bottom of her suitcase was a little black dress Stephanie had picked out for her months ago she never got the chance to wear out. She supposed then was as good a time as any. Cassandra wanted to believe she just had to give things more time, but the insistent thought the journey had been an abject failure loomed over her.

The restaurant Connor had talked up was a white tablecloth joint that sat directly next to the bay called Greenery. The floor to window ceilings allowed for an impressive look out at the ocean and the bridge lights across the water. Inside the lighting was intentionally dim with a candle set on every table. The patrons that night were almost exclusively couples save for a large group who laughed toward the back of the establishment. Yet another hostess recognized Connor as soon as they walked in, and with a little talk he secured himself and Cassandra a table right next to the window, close enough to hear the water lap against the docks.

"I've heard the catch of the day is very reliable," Connor said as he mused over the menu. "In case the list gives you any trouble."

Cassandra nodded in silent appreciation. Her reading abilities were still stunted enough, she was in no place mentally to try figuring out how "edamame" was pronounced.

"How do you like the view?" Connor stretched out a hand and set it on top of Cassandra's.

"Like it a lot," Cassandra said. She looked toward the bay and clenched the hand Connor wasn't touching. She had hoped the evening would be a chance to catch her breath, but every action from Connor just frustrated her more. He really was being so good to her, so why wasn't she able to enjoy herself?

Their perky waitress with a chestnut cropped hair and a red tie stepped over and flashed them a wide grin. "Good evening, how are we doing tonight?"

Cassandra answered purely with instinct. "Catch of the day." When she saw the waitress double-take, Cassandra went a little red. "I'm sorry."

"Oh—oh no." The waitress laughed it off and pulled a pad from her belt. "Have you been here before? You seemed very excited."

"Yes." Cassandra wasn't listening, she just wanted to distance herself from the remark.

"Well, I'll be sure to get an order for that in. Can I get either of you something to drink?"

"Water," Cassandra said. "Just water."

"Iced tea," Connor said. The waitress assured them she would return with their drinks and some bread in a few minutes. Once she was out of earshot, he asked, "Are you all right?"

"Wanted to get it right," she said. "Didn't work."

"It's okay." Connor patted her hand. "You're doing fine. She'll probably have forgotten by the time she gets back."

Cassandra clutched Connor's hand, raised it to her mouth and kissed it. "Thank you." Internally, she demanded ever-louder of herself why she took so long to take the action.

"Is everything going all right back in Gotham? Have you heard?"

"Talked to Dad the other day," Cassandra said. "Quiet. Maybe too quiet."

Connor nodded. "Things cycle around here. They will probably pick up again as soon as one domino gets knocked over, unfortunately. But we're pretty well staffed around here."

"What's wrong with Mia?"

Connor's eyebrows raised for a second. "What do you mean?"

"Said she was sick. With what?"

Connor slipped his hand from Cassandra's and held it over his mouth for a moment. "It's a blood disease. Very rare, she doesn't like to talk about it."

"She okay?"

"Usually. Like anything long-lasting, she just has to keep it monitored."

"How did she begin? Find all of you?"

He took a deep breath and a long exhale. "It's a long story. Not a good one for a night out like this…. She probably wouldn't tell you, but you'd understand. You two actually have a lot in common."

Cassandra tilted her head. Appearances could be deceiving of course, but Mia didn't look like she'd been raised to take on anything especially dangerous.

The waitress returned, set down their drinks and a basket of bread. "You still want to go with that catch of the day? It's Pacific Snapper tonight."

"Yes. Thank you."

"And for you sir?"

"Mushroom and spinach filo tonight, I think," Connor said.

The waitress wore the same, dimpled smile the whole time she wrote down Connor's request and told them she would return soon. Cassandra stared at her as she walked away and lowered her look to a glare. She asked herself, as honestly as she was able, if anything seemed appealing to her about the woman. There was still a mental wall to push past, but she allowed herself to consider the idea, if only for a moment.

No, Cassandra didn't feel interested at all. She'd certainly felt something for another short-haired brunette who wore men's clothing, so why wouldn't she feel a similar sensation? Even when she tried to push past her denial for the purpose of an answer she still got nowhere. Her own mind was leading her in infuriating circles.

"Hey, still doing okay?"

Connor's voice snapped her out of her intense stare. "What?"

"You were looking off. I don't know about what… are you crying?"

Cassandra frowned and touched one of her eyes. Even she didn't know it was wet. "Seawater," she said. "Should wipe them. Bathroom?"

Connor nodded and pointed toward one of the corners. Cassandra slipped past tables and couples toward the bathrooms in the corner and down a short turn, walked in and splashed some water on her face. She hadn't realized she was breathing deeply either, but needed a few seconds to stabilize them. So not only would her brain not decide who she was supposed to be attracted to, her body wouldn't even tell her how obviously upset she was. She was ready to pull her hair out if that wouldn't make Connor again ask if she was all right.

She was a warrior. She endured pain and hardship all the time, it was in her job description. And as unpleasant as her early years were, she had been raised to never show any feeling. She was going to go back out there and have a nice dinner with Connor. She had to.

Cassandra made it a few steps outside the bathroom, froze and dodged back behind the hallway. Two tables from the passageway, she could clearly see Lupe in a floral green dress and a man her age, Emilio, surely, seated, eating and laughing. His chuckle was loud enough to reach her and the grin beneath his black moustache was visible even from her distance.

Star City had over 800,000 residents. How were they somehow in the same restaurant?

Though she didn't know why, an anger ran through Cassandra. There was the woman from the chocolate shop. How fortunate she was, to have someone she could be so close to. How nice it seemed easy for her to shrug off her Catholicism. It didn't look all that complicated, so why did it seem so far out of reach.

Over one of their bouts of laughter, Lupe excused herself, rose and headed toward the bathrooms. Cassandra swallowed. She didn't want a confrontation, that was all that could make things worse. She slipped her hands to her sides, dropped her head and attempted to walk back to her table.

With her gaze dropped, she didn't noticed when her shoulder knocked into Lupe's arm.

"Oh, excuse me—Cassandra?"

She swallowed hard and looked toward her.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" It was the same enthusiasm she gave her back at the store. And it just bothered Cassandra more.

"Out," Cassandra said. "Dinner. With Connor."

"Oh that's great, this is a really nice place." Lupe put a hand on her half-bare back and directed her toward her table. "I'm here with Emilio. You remember, I mentioned him the other day."

"Yes." Cassandra attempted to talk a step back toward her table.

"Do you want me to introduce you? He's a funny guy, I promise. He gets along with everyone."

Cassandra pulled Lupe's hand from her back and said. "No. Have to go."

It was just as Emilio looked over that she trudged off. After what felt like a long trek across the restaurant, she sat down again across from Connor.

"Get that taken care of?"

"What?" Cassandra remembered her excuse then. "Oh. Yes."

"Good," he said with a nod. "Good."

Cassandra looked toward the bathroom again. Lupe hadn't gone into the bathroom yet, but she was about to and her back was turned. There was no way to know if she'd reacted to Cassandra's sudden exit or not.

She set her elbow onto the table and rested her chin on her open hand. Now that was one more thing to feel bad about. She would have to apologize the next time she stopped into the shop.