Theo is the first to admit he's not very observant. Not when it comes to people, anyway. It takes three trips in and out of the kitchen during the twelve thirty six lunch rush before he realises the girl taking his orders isn't Fran.

In his defense, with her hair up and hat on they're not unalike, and he's expecting Fran. He's sure she was on today's rota.

He takes Casey from the dining room, leaving Lily to handle the customers, and goes back to the kitchen. The strange girl is rinsing plates, quickly and efficiently, loading them into the dishwasher.

"Hi," Casey says easily, bracing his arms on the counter. Theo hangs back, near the door, watching.

The girl glances briefly over her shoulder. "Hi. Jarrod, right?"

"What?" Casey straightens, tensing. "No."

"Oh." She turns, wiping her hands on a towel. "Is...I'm sorry. Theo, Lily and Jarrod, I thought."

"Jarrod's...not here." Theo shifts, but he won't contradict Casey. "I'm Casey."

"Lauren."

"Who are you, Lauren?"

"I'm RJ's niece."

"He hasn't mentioned you."

"No, he wouldn't," she agrees.

Casey tilts his head towards the stairs. "RJ? Got a second?"

"Anything for my staff!" RJ calls back, but it's a minute longer before he comes down the stairs.

"Uncle RJ," Lauren says brightly, executing a perfect Pai Zhua bow.

He pauses a couple of steps from the bottom. "Niece Lauren. What's going on?"

Casey frowns. "You have a niece, RJ?"

"We're all family," RJ says vaguely. "Lauren?"

"It's your turn."

"Not a good time."

She glances at Casey and Theo. "Because they're Rangers?"

"Hey," Theo protests. RJ waves in what's probably meant to be a reassuring way.

"My father was a Ranger," Lauren says, directly to Casey. "Years ago, but still a Ranger. I've been living with Pai Zhua masters, but..." she turns to RJ. "Dai Shi's out. The Masters are in hiding. I can't go home yet."

RJ considers her for a long moment, unusually solemn. "It isn't safe here. Dai Shi knows where we are."

"Safer here than at home. And maybe I can help. I can fight, you know that."

"You can't fight with us," Theo says immediately.

"Not fight, spar."

Lily comes in, takes in the situation and slots herself in at Casey's shoulder without asking any questions.

RJ comes down the last couple of steps. "Can you make pizza?" he asks seriously.

Lauren smiles. "Yes." Glancing at Theo, she adds, "There weren't any complaints, right?"

"No complaints," he agrees.

RJ turns to Casey. "I can probably find somewhere else for her," he says quietly.

"Why are you hiding?" Casey asks her.

Lauren swallows. "My father didn't destroy our enemy," she says clearly. "He slowed him down, but he'll be back. I'm training to defeat him, but he has followers here and if he knows I'm alive..." She trails off.

Casey glances at RJ, who nods very slightly. "Well, we can always do with another worker," he says lightly. "We do have to run out on occasion, after all." Lauren smiles, relieved, and he adds, "That's Theo and Lily. And Fran works here too, but she's not in today."

"I guessed there was a Fran, that's what Theo called me," Lauren agrees, smiling innocently when Theo glares at her.

Something crashes in the dining room, and Lily grimaces. "Nice to meet you, Lauren," she says quickly. "Theo, I think we're needed in the dining room." She drags him out, overriding his objections.

Casey turns back to Lauren. "Is anyone looking for you?"

Lauren shakes her head quickly. "Only a couple of people even know I'm alive, and none of them will look for me here. Your team's safe. I wouldn't have come here if I didn't believe that."

"Good." Casey glances at RJ. "Welcome aboard, Lauren."

"Thanks."

Theo shouts an order through the oven; Casey grimaces, turning to the counter to start work. Lauren passes him a ball of dough, grinning, and turns to start pulling ingredients from the fridge.

"Harmony is a beautiful thing to see," RJ says solemnly, watching them work together. Casey laughs, working easily away; Lauren fits around him, passing him ingredients as he needs them and clearing away utensils as he finishes.

RJ watches them work together for a moment before nodding in satisfaction and turning to head back upstairs.