A/N Hey! Sorry it takes me so long to update! I've been really ill recently though - won't go into detail - so I have an excuse! I'm hoping to be finishing off some of my other fics so that I can spend more time on ones like these - also Liar Liar and Unrequited. Please please please don't punish the late update and not review! Please review!

Chapter 6

Marco closed the door. The rush of cold air slammed into my face, and beside me, Lily materialised.

"So?" she said, excitedly. "How did it go?"

Behind the door, I could clearly hear Susannah giggling, and masculine grunting. "I think that may give you some idea," I said, and I turned and marched straight down the corridor.

Lily frowned, but tottered behind me hurriedly. "So you're just going to give up?" she asked, sounding annoyed.

"Yes," I said. "Its obvious she can't stand the sight of me anymore."

I felt Lily's hand grasp my shoulder. I spun around. "What?" I snapped.

"Haven't you got any pride?" she asked. I softened.

"What's pride got to do with this?" I asked. She ignored me.

"She was... probably just a little surprised to see you. Let her get used to the idea of you again. She'll come around, you'll see."

"Yeah, yeah," I said, but I pulled Lily into a hug. "Thanks, Lil."

"Its Lily," she replied stiffly, but she patted my back all the same.

xxx

"I remember breakfast," said Lily pleasantly, as I sat at the table the next morning. "But it only used to consist of bread and lard in my day."

"Hm..." I said, but my gaze was fixed on the other side of the room. One glass table seated five, conservatively-dressed people. A few smoked cigarettes daintily, others sipped their orange juice. Amongst them, I saw Susannah. I could see, under the table, her hand was caressing Marco's leg, who was whispering something in her ear. She laughed aloud, and her humour rang clear across the breakfast area.

Lily followed my gaze. "Give her time," she said, slipping her fingers through mine, squeezing my hand sympathetically. "Stop staring."

I shook my head, and Lily let go. my hand tingled. It wasn't meant to do that. I ignored it, and spread butter on my toast. I took a bite.

"What a... dear she seems," said Lily reluntantly. "She appears very comfortable expressing her affection for that gentleman."

"That gentleman," I said. "Is Marco."

"Oh," she replied carefully. She studied my profile slowly, then turned to look over at Marco. Eventually, she appeared to come to a decision. "I think you are the more handsome," she said. "His nose is quite obscure."

I laughed, and downed my juice. "Come on," I said. "I want to show you something."

Lily pursed her lips curiously, and I pulled her firmly by the hand to our - my - room. I saw Susannah glance in our direction as we left the room, so I hurried us along. I didn't need her to do my mediating right now. I had enough problems.

"What is it?" Lily asked excitedly, as I was unlocking the door. "Come on, Jesse, you can tell me. Come on!"

"Nuh-uh..." I said, guiding her in slowly. "Close your eyes..."

I shut the door behind us and opened the curtains. "Open your eyes!"

Lily lifted her lids and gasped. Her fingers squeezed mine as she observed the sparkling waves of the Pacific.

"Its so beautiful," she whispered. "I've... I've ne'er seen the sea before! Its just so... endless. Big. I-"

I pressed a finger to her lips. "Ssh," I said, opening a window. "Just watch, and listen."

xxxx

"I think this is a bad idea," I said, as Lily pushed up my tie.

"I don't," she replied. "If what you say is true - that flirtation in public is accepted in your society, then I see no flaw. You with another female? It will drive Susannah wild with jealousy."

"Yeah," I said, swatting her hand away. "But the problem is... there is no female."

"You're an attractive man," said Lily. "It should be no problem. Now... do what you have to do. Strut your stuff, is what they say, no?"

"Yeah," I repeated, staring at my unsure reflection. "But-"

Lily pressed a finger to my lip - returning the same motion I had done only hours earlier - and grinned. "I'll have no buts, Mr De Silva," she said. "Now hurry along."

"You're not coming?" I asked in surprise.

"Good gracious, no," she replied. "I will complete ruin your style. Everybody knows that a supernatural sidekick is out of fashion."

I smiled. "Don't wait up."

I closed the door behind me, and wandered down the corridor and followed it to the bar. Sat at it were many a woman, all dressed up in their seductive glamour, each pout painted with shiny gloss. They all looked so appealing... to anyone but me.

Still, when I heard Susannah's laugh - she was sat on Marco's lap on one of those lounge chairs - I knew my mission was clear. I had to get her back. There was no other alternative. We belonged with each other. Of course we did.

"Juice," I said to the bartender, then turned my back to scan the room calmly. Blonde or brunette? Or redhead?

"What kind?" asked the bartender nervously, behind me.

I turned around and narrowed my eyes. "Whatever," I said. "It doesn't matter."

I was about to return to my current occupation, when I felt his fingers tap my shoulder. "Sir?" he said. "I need to know. Orange? Apple?"

I sighed. "Do you not know the meaning of nonchalant?" I hissed. "Orange!"

I spun around crazily in time to see Susannah shoot me a look of - well, I guess - pity. She massaged Marco's shoulders with her fingertips and kissed her way from the nape of his neck to his ears. I rubbed my forehead. She sure was making this hard.

"You're funny," said a girl who had recently taken a vacated barstool beside me. "But I sense you're not from Cairns. Or Austrailia, even."

"No," I said, with a smile that showed all my teeth. "I'm from sunny CA. Carmel."

"Carmel!" she exclaimed. "Wow. That's up North, yeah? My grandfather owned a house up there. I spend every summer up there."

I raised my eyebrows. The red herring had been found.

"Really," I said, turning to face her. Time to turn on the charm. "I wondered if I recognised your pretty face somewhere."

Could there be a cheesier line?

I shook my head, and tried again. I turned to the bartender. "My treat," I said. "Get this lady a -"

"-Chardonnay," she finished. "To match my name."

Chardonnay. Wow. I didn't know you could actually christen a kid that. I thought that was just for T.V.

"Chardonnay," I repeated, calmly. "Well, that's...different."

"Isn't it!" she squealed excitedly. "What's your's?"

"Jesse," I said, without thinking. Damn. I had meant to give a fake name.

"That's soo... sexy," Chardonnay coaxed. She put a hand to my cheek. "You know? I think that if I had you on paper, I'd pin you on my wall."

I gulped. Okay, back away slowly...

I glued my eyes on Susannah, who was calling a waiter over, and ordering them someone. Probably a specially-sophsiticated margherita to go with her specially-sophisticated boyfriend...

Chardonnay drew a line down my chin with her thumb and leant her head forwards. "Back to my room?" she whispered in my ear.

"Uh," I said. "No. Sorry." I couldn't do this. Flirtatious was hard enough. "I... I've got a migraine. Suddenly. I get them like that."

I left some spare cash to pay for the drinks then got out of the lobby as fast as I could. I was heading up the stairs when someone shouted my name.

"Mr De Silva?" came a low voice behind me.

I turned around. "Yes," I replied.

"I have a message for you, Mr De Silva," he said. I suddenly realised it was the guy that Susannah was talking to. I guess she hadn't been ordering a margherita. "From Miss Simon," he added.

"Yes," I urged him hurriedly. "Yes?"

"Tomorrow," he replied timidly. "She requests you meet her in her room at 11 am. That is all."

Wow. Who would have though it. Old Lily was right, God bless her.