For returning readers and new ones, this is a completely new chapter. For any questions or ideas, check out visit-the-moon .tumblr .com, and please enjoy.

"Excuse me!"

Lucy rubbed her arm, staring after the large man who'd rammed into her. She frowned, sure she'd have yet another bruise the following day. She resumed her course, clutching her bag as people continually bumped into her. She'd once worn heels in an attempt to be more visible to the taller commuters around her, but had discovered that heels led to more bruises than people.

"Cavorting with a god?"

A quiet voice startled her from her thoughts. Her head jerked up to see the person who'd whispered so close to her, but all she saw were New Yorkers paying no attention to her.

She had the unnerving sensation of eyes on her. She turned and caught sight of a woman watching her. She was beautiful, but her flawless features were sharp and cruel. Long silky black hair framed her face and dark eyes glinted as they met Lucy's. Her lips curved upward in a malicious smirk.

Lucy opened her mouth to say something, but a businessman obstructed her view for an instant. When he passed, the woman was gone. She turned, wildly searching for the woman, but to no avail. Biting her lip, she reluctantly told herself that she must have imagined the woman. As for the whisper, that hadn't made sense at all, and she dismissed it.

She continued to her destination, her worries quickly pushing the woman and the whisper from her head.

Her phone rang, making her jump; the people beside her on the sidewalk raised their eyebrows at the strange girl.

She opened the phone and answered.

"Hello?"

"Hello Lucy, how are you?"

She relaxed. "Oh, hi Marley."

"How was the appointment?"

"Haven't been yet. I'm on my way now."

"Oh." The woman on the other end of the phone sounded worried. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Lucy frowned.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course." Her voice shook slightly. "I'm just cold, you know," she explained.

"Mm-hm." The woman sounded unconvinced. "Well be sure to stop by the café when you're done. I'd like to talk to you."

Lucy sighed. "I guess."

"That wasn't really a request, Lucy."

"Marley, I don't need looking after," she said softly.

"Maybe not," the woman said placatingly, "but I need someone to look after. Indulge me that, at least."

"Fine."

"Good luck, honey."

"Thanks."

She ended the call, slipping the phone back into her pocket slowly. The girl glanced around, pulling her coat tighter around her as she walked through the dead forest. Getting to the street on the other side of the park, she ran a bit to catch up to the bus that was just pulling in to the bus stop. The bus driver stared at her without interest as she gave him the fare. He turned forward without a word and she carefully made her way through the aisle. It must have been her lucky day, because she found an empty seat.

Sitting carefully, she pulled out a worn book and attempted to forget herself in the novel.

Unfortunately, all too soon the driver announced their arrival at the hospital, and Lucy reluctantly slid the book inside her bag and stood.

While the hospital corridors were warm, she decided she'd rather be outside in the bitter cold than walking through the well-lit hallways. She stopped outside a much too familiar door and knocked softly.

"Dr. Nakamura?"

The door opened to reveal a tall Asian woman in a clean lab coat. She smiled at the girl.

"Hello Lucy. Please come in."

She sat in a chair next to the doctor's desk. The woman pulled up a file on her computer. She gestured to the scale, and Lucy removed her shoes and stood dutifully on it.

"Have you had any new symptoms?"

The girl shook her head. The doctor tutted at the number on the scale, but wrote it down.

"Have you had any difference in your appetite since last we talked?"

Lucy avoided the doctor's piercing stare. "No."

The doctor sighed, but said nothing, and measured her height next.

"Any change in your sleeping habits?"

Another soft "No."

The woman pressed her lips together, placing the blood-pressure cuff on the girl's skinny arm.

"Well, I have told you my recommendation, but I assume if I tell you again you will not listen any better than you have previously."

"I can't do that."

"Miss Harrison, there are ways to pay for the treatment. You need not shoulder the costs."

"I don't need to." The girl's voice was determined. "Thank you, doctor, but I can take care of myself."

"Yes…" The woman looked at her doubtfully. "Well, there is nothing more that I can do."

Lucy gathered her things and stood. "Thank you, doctor."

"Goodbye, Lucy."

The doctor sighed as her patient left the room. Someone really needed to take care of that girl.

Lucy arrived at Marley's café while the woman was serving a customer. Catching sight of the girl, Marley shot her a look and nodded to a seat next to her. Lucy ducked under the counter and sat, waiting patiently as Marley gave the customer his coffee and turned to the girl, her hands planted firmly on her hips.

"Hi Marley." Lucy smiled meekly at her. The woman shook her head.

"What am I going to do with you, Lucy?"

"Kick me out?"

She frowned at the girl's suggestion. "No. Here, eat something."

Lucy shook her head. "I'm not hungry," she said softly.

The girl and the woman were arguing quietly when the bell announced a new customer. Lucy looked up and gasped. Marley followed her gaze quickly to see a tall young man walking forward. Her eyes flitted between Lucy and the young man.

"Hello," the man said cheerfully. His glance was directed at Lucy. She wore a shocked expression.

"Why—why are you here?"

The young man looked confused. "I wanted coffee?"

Lucy blushed. "Oh."

Marley frowned. "I'm sorry, do you two know each other?"

The girl stammered. "Oh, this is Harry, I met him in the park the other day."

Harry smiled charmingly and extended his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Marley shook his hand hesitantly. "Yes, you as well." She looked between the two, trying to determine what was going on. She gave Lucy a glance, but the girl didn't meet her eyes. She was staring at the young man with confusion. He smiled at her.

"Could I, perhaps, talk with you, Lucy?"

She frowned. "Sure."

Carefully ignoring Marley's cautioning expression, she ducked under the counter and followed the young man outside. The two left her view and she was wiping the counter before she realized something.

He had never ordered anything.

"You don't seem happy," Harry observed, watching Lucy. She wrinkled her nose.

"You asked me to spend time with you. You never said I had to enjoy it."

"Well that was the unspoken assumption."

She said nothing, and he sighed.

"What can I do to make you happy?"

"I'm guessing if I say 'go away,' you wouldn't listen?"

She raised an eyebrow at him, but was only half-joking. He ignored the other half and grinned.

"Nope."

She rolled her eyes.

"Why am I not surprised?"

"What's your favorite type of food?"

She looked taken aback at the sudden question. "Why?"

"Just tell me." After a moment's consideration, he added, "Please?"

"Um, Italian? Why?"

"It's lunch time."

She frowned. "So?"

"So, I'm hungry."

"Is this your way of asking me to eat lunch with you?"

He thought, then nodded. "I guess."

Lucy bit her lip. "I don't know…"

"Why not? It's lunchtime, I'm hungry and offering to pay for any food you want. What else is there to know?"

She looked up at him, a crease between her brows. "I don't want you to pay for me."

"Why not?"

The girl looked away, muttering something.

"I don't care if you pay me back."

Her gaze flew up to him in shock. He grinned.

"Yeah, I could hear you."

"I'm still not going to lunch with you."

He moaned and flung his arms out dramatically. "Why ever not?"

She ducked out of his way and he beamed in triumph when he noticed the small smile on her lips.

"I'm not hungry!"

"I am!"

Her reluctant smile widened. "Then go get something to eat by yourself," she suggested.

"Lucy," he whined, a pleading look on his face. She crossed her arms, but sighed.

"Fine."

He bowed and led her through the park. "You know," he remarked, "I don't think this is going to work out if I have to keep begging you to do things."

She shrugged, her hands in her pockets. "That's your fault."

He looked at her. "Why is it my fault?"

She looked up and her eyes met his. "You're the one who insisted on coercing me into spending time with you."

He gazed into her eyes and smiled gently. "So I did."

Disconcerted by his expression, she frowned and looked away.

"So what do you do?"

He glanced at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

"You know," her eyes flitted up to his, then back down to the sidewalk. "What job do you have? Or do you go to college?"

He thought. "No, I'm not in college. I'm a…business man."

"That's specific."

"I specialize in trade and messages."

"So like the post office?"

He grinned. "Something like that. Except I have a much more exclusive clientele."

She looked up at him inquisitively. "What do you mean?"

His face tilted up to the sky and he looked as if he were enjoying a good joke. "Let's just say they're greater than mere mortals."

When she sensed that the cryptic sentence was all he would give her, she huffed in irritation and loosened the scarf around her neck. He looked down apologetically.

"Sorry, Luce. That's all I can give you."

She made a face at him. "Whatever, let's just go to lunch."

He immediately brightened. "Yes!"

Lucy couldn't help but smile in exasperation. He offered his hand and, after a moment's hesitation, she gingerly took it. Her gloved fingers curled between his and he tried to hide his beaming smile.

"Where are we going, anyway?"

"An Italian place."

"Do you even like Italian food?"

"Sure, Rome is practically a second home to me." He couldn't keep the mirth from his voice and she frowned at him.

"Stop doing that."

"Doing what?"

She gestured at his face. "You say something and then look like you're telling a joke that only you get."

He immediately sobered. "Oh."

Her eyes had widened at his sudden change in emotion. "Well you don't have to become completely serious."

"Yeah," he agreed distantly. Her scarily perceptive observation had reminded him of exactly how risky it was for him to be there. He really shouldn't be there.

She frowned at his bizarrely solemn mood and nudged him. "Hey, don't be like that."

"Like what?"

"All somber like that. I'm not used to you not being infuriatingly cheerful all the time."

He grinned. "Oh, sorry, didn't know I had to prescribe to a single emotion forever."

She sighed. "I regret saying that already."

"Look, it's the food!"

Lucy followed his finger and saw the restaurant. "No."

He looked down at her stubborn face. "Why not?"

"It's too expensive." She let go of his hand to fold her arms across her chest.

"Why are you complaining about what I have to pay?"

"Because someone has to care, and clearly you don't." She frowned in disapproval.

He made a noise of frustration. "Fine. Where would you be okay eating at?"

"I don't want to eat."

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the girl, who blinked innocently.

"At least let me buy you a pretzel. You cannot possibly find something to argue about that."

She thought and shrugged. "Guess not."

"So is that a yes?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes. If you'll stop bugging me about eating, then yes."

He brightened. "Excellent."

Lucy shook her head in amusement at the odd man who walked eagerly toward a nearby food cart.

He handed her the steaming pretzel. She looked up at him as she pulled off a piece and popped it in her mouth. He smiled at her but sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"I kind of wished I could have bought you something a bit more elaborate than a pretzel."

She regarded him suspiciously. "This isn't a date."

He raised his eyebrows. "Isn't it? It's just you and me, no one else, and I bought you food. Albeit simple food, but food nonetheless. What else would it be?"

She frowned. "Not a date."

He shrugged. "Whatever you want."

Her frown didn't lessen. "Mm-hm," she murmured doubtfully.

They walked through the park, each eating their pretzel and casting sideways glances at the other.

"What do you like to do? In your spare time?"

Lucy looked up in surprise. "What?"

He couldn't help but grin. "It was a simple question."

She blushed. "Oh. Well, I draw, read, listen to music."

"Can you play any instruments?"

"Piano," she said softly. "What about you?"

"Hmm…" He exhaled as he thought. She grinned.

"Have to think about it?"

He made a face at her. "No. I run. I do a lot of athletic things, actually. I play music—"

"What do you play?"

He arched an eyebrow at her interruption and she blushed. "A few different instruments." He couldn't very well tell her that he could play any instrument ever invented, even ones that didn't exist anymore.

She persisted. "Like what?"

"Guitar, violin, trumpet, among others."

"Piano?"

He nodded. "Piano. But that seems like your thing."

She frowned. "It's not my thing. I haven't played in a while."

"Why not?"

"Don't have a piano." She shrugged. "Don't have time."

"But you like playing?"

"Of course."

"Then you should make time. There are plenty of music stores in New York City, aren't there?"

She tilted her head. "Are you telling me I should buy a piano?"

"I'm telling you if it makes you happy, you should do it."

She laughed ruefully. "That's not really how it works here on Earth, but I'm sure in whatever perfect little world you live in…"

He started when she said 'here on Earth,' but relaxed when she finished her sentence. She would unknowingly say something innocent and remind him how dangerous it was for him to be there. And make him wonder why he was. But the amused smile on Lucy's face answered that for him, no matter how unclear it was. And he had to assume that he would be staying.

When do you think Hermes will tell Lucy who he really is? Do you think he'll ever tell her?

Also, heads up on the next chapter, since this is a rewrite of the original and it's a rewrite in progress, the other chapter WILL NOT make sense in the story line, but if you want to read it anyway, the basic gist is that Hermes asked her out on a date (to a fancy restaurant) as apology for being away for so long without warning. This will of course change as I rewrite, but that's how it worked in the original version. Thank you for your patience as I attempt to make the story less painful to read!