Chapter 3

"Are you sure?" A disembodied voice asked.

"Almost positive, that's why I haven't told the boss yet." Another answered.

"Is that her?"

Someone lifted a picture of a girl with shoulder length, wavy brunette hair, light blue/green eyes, and fair skin. "Yeah that's her."

"Well Zaria Barnes..." The first one started as the click of a high power camera could be heard. "What kind of friend have you just made?"

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Zaria laughed as she patted Steve's arm. "I can't remember the last time I went to a movie theater."

Steve smiled as he shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. "Yeah me neither. Did you enjoy the movie?"

Zaria smiled back. "I enjoyed the company." She sighed as she stretched her arms over her head. "You've been coming around a lot." She noted.

"Is that a bad thing?" Steve asked confused.

She shook her head as she huddled into one of the new jackets Steve had convinced her to let him buy for her. "Not at all, I'm just a little confused as to why someone would want to spend so much with me."

Steve pursed his lips as he thought about an answer. "Well, didn't we say this was how you would pay me back for the jackets?"

Zaria huffed and crossed her arms; he knew her too well it seemed. "There is no way I can make that up."

"Then you're just going to have to join me on the other excursions I'm considering doing." He smiled playfully.

Zaria blushed as she shot him a sour look. "You're much less reserved now than you were just a day ago."

"I could say the same thing about you." Steve answered innocently.

Zaria grunted as she looked at her old watch.

"Need to be somewhere?"

Zaria shook her head. "I'm just not use to not being at work right now." Sighing she rubbed her cheeks to warm them up. "Honestly, losing so many days makes me concerned about money. But, tomorrow is the weekend and I can get a lot of tips if I make the drinks right so hopefully that will make up for it."

Steve nodded and made a noncommittal noise in response. He didn't seem to like the idea that she worked in a bar; or so that's what Zaria thought.

"You know..." she started as she looked up at him. "You should come in on Monday when we're slow and meet the regulars. I think you'd like a lot of them." Puffing out a steamy breath she cast a sideways glance at Steve to see that his hands were still stuffed into his pockets making her feel suddenly crestfallen. So she continued speaking to take her mind off of it. "Having an entire day off of work is really rare for me."

"Is it?"

"Mm-hmm..." She answered. "Normally if I have one day off from one job I still work that day at the other one. When I have days off at the museum is when I try and get my laundry down and days off at the bar are days I try to get groceries. It works alright I guess... Crap!" As she had been talking she hadn't been paying attention to where she was walking which caused her to step on a frozen puddle on the sidewalk. Her foot went out from under her and she was on her way down when Steve's strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her close.

"Careful." He said as he pulled her to a standing position with her head against his chest. "You don't want to twist an ankle on the ice there."

Zaria flushed. Wrapped in his arms she felt safe for the first time in a very long time. And with her cheek to his chest she felt comfortable; happy even. "I, uh... yeah... Don't want to twist an ankle." She repeated as she lifted her face to look up at him. Suddenly she had the overwhelming need for him to kiss her. She wasn't sure why, but standing there with her face lifted to his, she needed him to kiss her. To feel that spark of life she was sure she would get from that connection with him; the zing that would go all the way to her toes.

Steve looked down at her, his arms still encircling her, holding her, embracing her, and it was like she knew he would do it. He would kiss her, just like she wanted, needed, him too. His head dipped lower, the gap between them closing, as his eyes flickered, uncertain, to her mouth. He stopped, she could feel him hesitate, and yet he was so close that if she just pushed up onto her toes she would reach him, but she wouldn't do it, she wouldn't scare him away if that was really what was happening.

A wind kicked up and her short hair blew across her face breaking her eye contact with him and the spell was broken. He straightened and stepped away from her leaving her confused and disheartened. It was just like before, like the first time they had stood facing each other on those steps of the museum and the evening spell that had made them talk to each other ended and they were just strangers in the daylight.

Zaria blinked against the burning sensation in her eyes as she turned away. The utter loss and defeat she felt when he pulled away from her was overwhelming and she didn't understand it. They had known each other for only a few days. Yes, they had spent those few days in each other's presence for hours on end, but it was still only a few days. The emotions raging inside didn't make sense to her. How could she feel so strongly towards him? She didn't believe in love at first sight.

I would have to argue that with you. Joe's words echoed in her mind and some part told her she had known him for much longer than these last few days as images of her "secret" project flashed in her brain. She had known him long before she had met him.

"As if..." She muttered to herself.

"What?" Steve asked.

Zaria flushed as she realized she had forgotten that Steve was still standing there. "Nothing. Was there something else you would like to do now that the movie is over?"

Steve looked at his watch. "I think I should get you home so you can have a full night's sleep before going into the museum in the morning."

Zaria nodded half-heartedly as she led the way back to her apartment.

They walked in silence and parted way nearly as silently before she turned in for the long weekend of work ahead.

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"Hey, gloomy. I need another round of beer for table three." Molly's voice broke through Zaria's funk.

She shook her head, slapping her cheeks and grunted. "Sorry Mol." She said as she poured the pints quickly and slid the glasses across the bar top to the waitress.

"If you keep that up you won't get very many tips." She commented as she picked the glasses up and put them on her tray. She wandered off only to be replaced by another waitress.

"Hey Amber, what do you need?" Zaria asked as she cleaned the bar top.

"I was thinking it might be time for a little light show." Amber winked her false eyelashes. "Light up the bar and do some stunts of yours; Joe won't mind."

Zaria pursed her lips. "Nah, last time I did that Harvey came out of the kitchen and had a conniption."

"Bob's in the kitchen for another half an hour so you're safe."

"You know I don't like getting up on the bar by myself. Besides," Zaria nodded to the back hallway. "I hear Harvey's voice already.

Amber pouted her hot pink lips. "Fine, fine. After this round I'll get the other girls on the bar and we'll split our tips from that with you."

Zaria laughed as she filled a glass and sent it running down the bar top to the man who had his hand raised. "I don't think Jenna and Susan would agree to that."

"Well Jenna and Susan wouldn't have a job if you didn't stick up for them so they'll just have to deal." With that Amber spun around, flicking her salon colored blonde ponytail behind her as she sashayed to the tables.

"She's a smart girl." One of the regulars commented. "And real sweet."

"Yeah," Zaria answered as she mixed up the woman's favorite cocktail. "Not sure what she's doing here though."

"I'd say the same about you." The older woman said as she took the drink.

Zaria huffed. "You know why I'm here Ellen. It's not like I had much of a choice."

"You're a smart girl you could have gone anywhere."

"I may be smart but I don't have a college education." Zaria nearly snapped as she tried to distract herself by handing out beers to the crowd that had just rushed the end of the bar.

"No, but I wouldn't really say that was your fault. I blame that shitstain known as Jimmy." Ellen said as she started coughing. "Ah, these smoker's lungs of mine aren't what they used to be."

Zaria stilled at the name of her former boyfriend. "We don't talk about him..." She answered coldly.

"I know, I know I'm sorry." Ellen said as she patted the girl's arm. "But one of these days I want to come into this bar and not see that pretty face of yours. I want to ask Joe where you've been and hear that you've moved on to greener pastures like you deserve."

Zaria gave Ellen a sour look before she finished up the drinks for the newcomers and handed out several drinks to the waitresses. Afterwards she huffed and scrubbed at the bar top to clean up any beer residue.

"Good you have the bar clean!" Amber chirped as she pranced up to the bar with the other girls.

Zaria blinked, confused. "Huh?"

"Bar dancing, duh!" She responded as she hopped onto the bar and began pulling the other girls up. "Alright ladies and gentlemen! It's time for the bar dance!" She shouted across the room.

Susan and Jenna gave Zaria a bitter look before the music changed to one of the dances they had all learned and the crowd started cheering.

The girls made good money when they did their bar dance and they had several of them they knew so the regulars weren't bored by the same ones. The "Weekenders" as they all liked to call the crowd that only came on Friday and Saturday, whistled and hollered away in their drunken excitement; and they probably threw away a lot more money at the girls than the regulars did.

With the song done and the girls off the bar Amber bounced around the the back where she pulled out a wad of bills. As the youngest of all the waitresses, and the one who applied the most, and yet most tastefully done, make up of all of them she usually ended up with the largest of the hauls. Smiling brightly she counted her tip up and split it evenly, sliding one chunk to Zaria.

"Tada!" She sung.

"Amber, I can't take that much from you." Zaria answered with shock.

"Relax, this is just from the bar dance. I won't try and split my entire tip with you, I know you'll totally disagree to that. Besides, you know as well as I do that Jenna and Susan are going to short change you so I figured this will make up for that."

Zaria shook her head and hugged the young girl. "You're crazy." She muttered before she pushed the girl out from behind the bar. "Go make your rounds and earn some more tip."

"Just remember if it wasn't for you none of us would be where we are today; Jenna and Susan included. Whether you want to admit it or not you've helped us all out, so let us help you out when you need it."

Zaria shook her head and began working through the rush after the dance; the girls had recommended one of the specialties for the day so of course many of the guys were willing to try it. As she slid another drink down the bar top out of the corner of her eye she saw a face she had hoped to never see again; Jimmy was back in town.

"Well hello Zippo." He drawled as he sauntered up to a vacant bar stool.

"Get lost Jimmy before you get thrown out of here." Zaria snapped as she moved further away from his seat.

"I'll go in a minute I just wanted to give you some friendly advice."

"I don't want to hear it." She gritted out. Several of the regulars at the bar had noticed the change in her demeanor and were attempting to move around the bar unnoticed by the unwelcomed guest.

"Oh I think you do. You see someone important has taken interest in you and I've heard that if you don't step off you're going to get in trouble."

"You're little gang doesn't scare me anymore Jimmy. None of your little friends are going to be able to hurt me."

"See that's where you're wrong. I'm not with them anymore. I'm with someone much more important. And I think you know exactly who that someone is."

Glass shattered and Zaria realized she had been gripping a pint glass in one hand that had now shattered, cutting open her palm. "He doesn't exist." She muttered darkly.

Jimmy stared at her bleeding hand knowingly, all too knowingly, and gave her a dark smile. "Oh I think you know better than that. Just remember, if you don't take a step back into your little hole where no one noticed you you'll be just fine, but if not..."

He left it hanging as he smirked once more just before a heavy hand slammed down on his shoulder.

"It's time you leave buddy." Someone said as they, and several others, escorted Jimmy out of the building.