Marius sat at his dining room table, his hand moving over the sketch pad in front of him, he frowned absently as he studied the design closely, before sweeping his pencil down again as he adjusted the neckline minutely. He was only vaguely aware of Cat coming down the stairs and moving into the kitchen where she began shuffling around doing things. A short time later he started as a steaming cup of coffee was put down beside him.
"Whatcha working on so intently?" asked Cat as she sat in the chair beside his.
Marius blinked, slowly coming out of the self-inflicted daze he was in, like many artists he sometimes became so involved in his work that things like time, food, sleep, and other people, got left by the wayside.
He grabbed his coffee gratefully and smiled at Cat, "Just something that came to me after I got home yesterday, I thought I'd get it down before I forgot what I was thinking."
"Please tell me you haven't been at this all night, have you?" she said in shock.
Marius smiled and yawned, "No, only since around three thirty this morning."
"Marius, you need more sleep than that! Now show me, I want to see what's kept you up half the night."
Marius handed over the sketch pad and Cat grabbed it eagerly; she loved seeing her brothers' new designs. Marius watched her, curious to her reaction, this design was a little out there, even for him.
A sly smile spread over her lips as she glanced at him, "It's gorgeous, kind of like a cross between Grecian Goddess and Zena Warrior Princess." At Marius' raised brow she added, "It's a show with a couple of kick butt, take no prisoners woman as the leads." She adds before saying, "But I couldn't help but notice the model . . . anything I should know?"
Marius frowned in confusion taking the sketch pad back to see what he'd done. His mouth popped open in shock because instead of the usual "non-face" he usually used, staring back at him was Steffy Forrester, or a remarkably good resemblance. He felt his neck reddening as he immediately remembered the dream he was having about her last night, the one that had woken him up and sent him straight to his sketch pad, he must have subconsciously added her features as he'd drawn.
He felt the heat making its way up his cheeks as he tried for a dismissive shrug.
"After yesterday, and everything that happened, she was on my mind. I think I must have unconsciously been thinking of her when I started to sketch. Which reminds me, we should be getting a better idea of how the fashion world is reacting when the big bloggers start to release their views in an hour or so."
Cat stared at her brother for a moment, she had seen the light blush and his - rather good- attempt to cover his embarrassment, but she was his sister, she knew her brother far to well to be fooled by his attempts at refocusing the conversation. For the first time in years, she had been surprised by him. Marius never let woman become close to him, he never let anyone bar her and brother Antonio into his heart, this seemingly reluctant interest in Steffy Forrester was fascinating.
"I think you should go see her this morning, so you can check the results together," she said nodding to herself.
"What, Why the hell would I do that?" he asked perplexed.
Cat's lips formed into a perfect moue as she stared at him. "Oh, for goodness sake Marius, even I saw the news of you two walking out together – laughing! I should imagine the press will be in a feeding frenzy over that, along with everything else. You really should see her to work out a plan of how she might want to handle it, besides, I should imagine she's very vulnerable right now, and hurting like mad, she needs someone, she needs you!"
"She has her family, Cat! And I imagine she'll be getting a visit from that ex-husband of hers at some stage too."
"All the more reason for you to be there, Marius," she said as she looked at her brother earnestly. "Sometimes it's just to damn hard to talk to your family when you're hurting or scared, it's embarrassing, and it can feel shameful, especially to someone who has always seen themselves as strong. Sometimes a friend," she gave Marius a calculating look before adding, "or lover, is far easier to confide in, trust me, I know."
Marius raised an eyebrow at her words, he knew she had suffered greatly after what she had thought was the death of her daughter, when he'd finally got the truth out of her, he'd been devastated that she'd gone through that by herself without anyone to help, what was worse, she still wouldn't tell him the name of the miserable toad who was the father of her daughter. The thought of Steffy going through similar pain had every protective instinct in him rising, last night he'd seen her at her most vulnerable, he didn't want her to go through that again, especially not alone.
He hadn't been able to be there for his sister, but perhaps he could be there for Steffy. Or are you just using this as an excuse Marius? After last night's pervy dream about her, are you hoping for a bit of the real thing now? He thought to himself.
"Go grab a shower and get over there, oh, and take the sketch, it'll give you a legitimate reason to be there if you think you need a reason," said Cat interrupting his thoughts as she smiled at the look of budding interest on her brother's face.
"But what about you, Cat, will you be alright by yourself." He asked with concern.
Cat sighed. "Marius, I'm perfectly fine, I've been fired, we both expected that, but as I told you last night, I got what I needed before I left, and all I can do now is wait. The results should hopefully be back in a couple of days, until then I just have to be patient . . . and try to figure out how to tell our father if we're right."
Marius nodded and let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, he then jumped to his feet and hurried upstairs to shower and change.
Cat watched him go, she hoped she'd done the right thing in encouraging her brother, she looked at the sketch again and smiled.
"Oh Marius, if this is the woman you're interested in, then you might just be in way over your head." She murmured.
The sketch stared back at her with a defiant gaze, as if in total agreement with her assessment.
As Steffy moved to her laptop her phone rang yet again, she sighed noticing it was the front gate again. Couldn't everyone give her a little space? She picked up the phone ready to tell the gateman to send who-ever it was packing, that was when she heard his say Marius' name. After her thoughts of just a moment ago she was surprised, and if she were honest, a little excited. She shook her head – stop it you slore – she thought as she gave herself a mental slap. If it hadn't had been for Marius and his help last night she didn't know where she'd be, besides that, it had only been just under three months since Finn had left her high and dry, destroying yet another of her relationships, panting after another man, no matter how sexy, was just wrong. Despite her thinking she quickly told the guard to let him in.
She heard a car pull up outside as she caught site of herself in the mirror, damn it, why the hell am I wearing my comfies? She thought in dismay.
"No, this is me, and this will put up a nice little barrier, I won't be so keen in the light of day, and he definitely won't." she said to her reflection sternly.
A knock on the door sounded and called for him to come in, as he entered she was already moving to the kitchen, unconsciously finger combing her hair to try to make it a little more presentable.
"Would you like a coffee?" she asked.
Marius nodded, "Thank you, black, no sugar."
"Have a seat, I was just about to check the online blogs."
Marius walked over to the couch where the computer lay and took a seat, laying his sketchbook beside him. "Last nights results were outstanding, but so far they've just reported, I haven't had a chance to take real note of the social media fallout, that's why I popped over."
"To check on me?" asks Steffy as she hands him his mug of coffee and sits down.
Marius purses his lips thoughtfully, "Actually it was Cats idea I come over, she insisted we both needed a plan of attack, especially given we walked out together, she implied we looked like a couple and that the press are going to be all over us."
Steffy smiles, "I guess that's what happens for walking arm in arm with a handsome man, people finally notice you." She sighs dramatically.
After a brief hesitation Marius starts to laugh at the joke, just as he'd made her laugh the previous evening.
"It's a curse," he says as his mirth sunsides.
Steffy has an almost irresistible urge to pat his cheek, she quickly grabs her laptop as she finds her hand inching forward on its own accord.
"Okay, let's see what damage I've inflicted shall we? Let's start with Fashion explosion and work down, biggest to smallest."
An hour later both of them are sitting on the couch, rather speechless.
"Well, I didn't expect that, "says Steffy as she turns to Marius. "Did you?"
Marius shakes his head, "I thought most would support you, but to that degree . . . never. It's like every man and woman who has ever had something bad happen to them have all gone out of their way to comment. It's, well, astounding!"
Steffy starts to cry and Marius immediately puts his arm around her.
"It's okay Mia Bella, you've got this."
As Steffi's tears ease Marius glances at his sketchpad. "I have something for you," he says with a gentle smile.
Steffy wipes her eyes and looks up, "You have something? What?"
Marius reluctantly takes his arm away from her and hands her the sketchpad.
"I thought of you as I made this, proud, beautiful, unbending, warrior!"
Steffi's eyes widen at the sketch, "this is amazing." She looks up at Marius, "You honestly see me like this?"
At Marius' nod Steffy looks back to the sketch as she says a tremulous, "Thank you, I needed to hear that, and see it."
Marius smiles, just as her phone rings yet again. She picks it up and frowns before saying, "She's alone? Okay, send her up."
She turns back to Marius. "It's Hope," she takes a deep breath, "I need to see her alone."
"You're sure? You do not want me to wait?" asks Marius with concern.
Steffy looks back at the sketch he's just given her, "No, I need to see her alone, I think it's high time Hope and I had an honest face to face little tete-a-tete, this has been overdue for years."
She looks up at Marius again. "Thank you Marius, this," she holds out the sketch, "has reminded me of exactly who Hope Logan is dealing with, I needed this more than you'll ever know."
Marius stands, hesitating a moment before leaning down and giving her a quick kiss on her forehead, the same as he had when he'd left her in her car last night.
"Take care Steffy, and if you need me, please call, I'll be back at the office."
He turns and leaves, just as she hears his car pulling away, she also hears Hopes pulling up. Unconsciously touching her forehead where Marius has just kissed her, she turns her gaze to the sketch once more, her eyes narrow.
Oh yes, it was way past time her and Hope had a talk, because then, and only then, would it finally be over.
"Bring it on Hope! You have no damn idea of who you're dealing with, but you're going to find out!" she says to the sketch. She looks up as the door opens, Hope enters and stands in the foyer, she looks at Steffy with a hatred and rage that is palpable.
Steffy smiles.
"Hello Hope."