Topic: Playing Telephone

Lelah · Date: 2011-04-09 18:16 EST

How many times since he ran into Lelah in the bakery had Rhys almost called her? If it wasn't once, it was half a dozen times, each time dialing and hanging up before it rang. Here it was Saturday night, and he had nothing to do but get drunk alone or go somewhere to get drunk in a crowd. Riley was married, Kellie was gone, and his prospects were limited. He'd felt some kind of connection with Lelah, but he wasn't sure if it was just wishful thinking or if there was something there. There was only one way to find out, so after hemming and hawing for the better part of an hour, he finally dialed her number and let it ring.

After three rings, an out of breath female voice wheezed out, "Hullo?"? There was loud music in the background - ?Mortal Kombat!? - and a funny little noise that sounded like a small child laughing.

Rhys thought for a moment that he dialed the wrong number and he glanced at the phone to make sure he'd dialed right. "Lelah?" he asked, uncertainly.

The music died down, but the odd noise didn't.? "Yeah, that's me.? Oscar!? Down!? Shaddap!"? The odd laughter stopped and Lelah took a deep breath.? "Who's this?"

"Are you babysitting or something?" he asked, mistaking Oscar for a child from his side of the phone line. He was pretty sure she didn't have any kids. She didn't mention any anyway.

"What?? Oh, no."? She laughed and there was the scraping of a chair or something against a wood floor.? "That was my dog.? Is this Rhys?"? It had to be Rhys.? She hadn't given her cell number to anyone other than Jon and Rhys, and she was pretty certain Jon wouldn't be calling.? Besides, she'd recognize Jonny's voice any day.

"That depends. Do you want it to be Rhys?" She could probably hear the smirk in his voice. He switched the phone to his left ear and wrapped a hand around a bottle of Bud.

"No, actually, I'd prefer that it was Matthew McConaughey."? The smile was obvious.? There was a gurgling noise as she apparently took a drink of something.? "But I suspect that it isn't, so yeah.? I'd be okay with it being Rhys."

He rolled his eyes. He had more macho in his little finger than McConaughey had in his whole body.? "What do women see in him, besides the Texas drawl?"

She bit down hard on her bottom lip to stifle the laughter that threatened.? The chair or whatever it was scraped against the floor again and then the soft sound of a door opening and closing.? "Can you hang on a second, Maybe Rhys?"

"Yeah, I can hang."

"Thanks.? Just a sec."? There was a soft thud, then the sound of running water, drawers opening and closing and soon after, Lelah's voice once more.? "Thanks.? I had to change and wash my face."? A distinct squeaking of mattress springs then, "How are you?"

Lelah · Date: 2011-04-09 18:17 EST

He was furrowing his brows on the other end while he listened, trying to imagine what she could possibly be doing. He had to chuckle a little when he heard her excuse. "You had to change and wash up for me? I can't even see you!" As long as he'd been with Riley, he was still pretty clueless about female bathroom rituals. He'd always thought women spent way too much time in there.

She chuckled.? "I was working out before you called.? I was all sweaty and gross.? C'mere, baby," she suddenly cooed.

He smiled, thinking she was talking to him. "Well, I could, if you really want me to."

"No, no.? Oscar, not you.? Though, if you wanted to..."? God, what had caused her to say that?? She was suddenly glad he couldn't see her face, which was buried in one hand and blazing red-hot with embarrassment.?

"Who's Oscar? My competition?" He felt a sudden inexplicable wave of jealousy, something he hadn't felt in a long time, and it surprised him.

"Oscar's my dog."? She smirked.? "You'll be lucky to come in second, Romeo."

"Oh," he said, feeling a little sheepish. "Dogs hate me. It's not a poodle, is it?"

"Nope.? He's a Basenji."

"A what?" He couldn't pronounce that, much less spell it. He'd never heard of a Basenji. He knew a lot about monsters, though; it almost sounded like a monster. The dreaded Basenji. He had to stifle a chuckle at the thought of that, clearing his throat hide the laugh.

"A Basenji.? They're African hunting dogs, who can't bark.? They laugh. Sometimes they yodel if they're especially excited about something."

"Oh, like a hyena? Does it look like a hyena?"

She snorted.? "Oh, my god.? No, he looks nothing like a freakin' hyena.? He's very elegant and graceful.? Aren't you, baby?"?

"Well, no one's ever really put it that way before, but yeah, I guess I am sorta."

"Oh, lord.? Save me," she groaned.? "Does that work with other girls?? 'Cos it ain't gonna work with me, you know."

He wondered if being an ass when he hadn't even had a real first date yet was a good idea, but she might as well see the real Rhys. He laughed when she saw right through him. "Sometimes yes, sometimes no. This time, no."

"Yeah.? You learn fast."? She laughed and then there was the sound of mattress springs again.? "So, is this the date call?"

"If it was a date call, would you be inclined to say yes?" he asked, a little uncertainly, not taking rejection very well. He hadn't asked a girl on a date in... He couldn't remember when the last time was. Usually it just kind of happened.

Lelah · Date: 2011-04-09 18:17 EST

"I suppose it depends upon where and when and...who's paying."? She hated bringing up the money thing, but considering she was being blackmailed into paying 5,000 crowns to get construction under way on the studios, she was pinching every penny until it was black and blue and gasping for breath.

"I'll pay. It wouldn't be right to ask you on a date and then expect you to pay for it." He took a swig of his beer and switched ears again, leaning back in the chair and stretching his legs out in front of him.

"And where are we gonna go?"? She, too, stretched out on her bed, crossing her legs at the ankles and tugging her oversized t shirt down to mid-thigh.? Oscar snuggled close to her, laying his head on her thigh and sighing deeply as he relaxed and fell asleep.

There was the big question. Where did you take a woman like her on a date? He'd been over it and over it in his mind. He wasn't a fancy dresser. The very thought of wearing a suit made him cringe, though he had sucked it up for Riley's wedding. And he didn't really have the money to take her anywhere fancy, but he did have a thought. "Well, I was thinking... There's a movie complex not far from the city. They're gonna be showing classics all month, and I thought you might like to do that. You know like Frankenstein, Gone with the Wind, stuff like that."

She grinned.? He had balls, taking a movie star to the movies.? "That sounds really nice.? Will there be popcorn and Junior Mints and a raspberry Icee, too?"

He chuckled, feeling a little relieved. She hadn't said no and was asking about refreshments, like a girl after his own heart. "If there isn't, we'll sneak it in."

"Perfect.? So, it's a yes, then.? What're we gonna go see?? Not Gone With The Wind, by the way.? I've seen it a bajillion times."

His stomach did a flip flop when he heard the word yes and he was for a moment dumbfounded. Yes? She said yes? To him? "I...uh...? He assumed she wouldn't want to see Frankenstein or anything like that. Maybe something romantic? What did they call them? Chick flicks? But which one? "Um, hang on. Let me grab the paper."

"Sure," she said and leaned back against the headboard, closing her eyes and imagining his face.? His brow would probably be furrowed, maybe those luscious lips might be pulled down in a little frown.? She smiled at the image.

There was the sound of the phone being set down on the table and then silence as he wandered off to find the paper and the movie listings. There was a little muffled cursing from the other end, but after a short while, he finally returned. "Sorry, I couldn't find it." He really had to clean the place up. He'd let it go a bit since Kellie had left.

"It's okay," she said, her eyes still closed, his face still on the big screen in her mind. She sat up and gently pushed Oscar's head off her lap. "Wait. Before we decide..." She hesitated.? Should she tell him that she hadn't had a date let alone a boyfriend since she'd entered rehab five years ago. "Listen, I have a confession.? And after hearing it, if you don't want to go out, I'll totally understand.? Really.? No hard feelings or anything."? Well, not many, anyway.

Okay, that got him wondering, the wheels in his head turning. There was silence on the other end and he could almost hear his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. What was it she wanted to tell him? She was married? Had kids? Had a boyfriend, a lover? A hundred possibilities suddenly flooded his head, but his only response was a quiet, "Okay."

Lelah · Date: 2011-04-09 18:18 EST

"I haven't, well, I haven't gone on a date or had a boyfriend or even a lover since I was 19."? She held her breath, waiting for the click of the phone as he hung up.? Hopefully, he'd laugh after hanging up and not before so she could hear him.

Her confession was met with silence for another moment as he took that in. "That's it?" He breathed a slow sigh of relief. She wasn't married or taken.

"Uh, yeah.? Isn't that isn't that sort of a big deal?? I'm practically, you know, a virgin."? The last word was whispered, like it was dirty.

"Yeah, that's horrible, Lelah," he replied sarcastically. "Usually most women confess to having a boyfriend or a lover. Or a bunch of kids. You have a dog and you're practically a virgin. I think I can handle it. You think that would scare me off?"

"Maybe a little. And I'm a spoiled princess movie star.? Don't forget that part."? She smirked, thankful and relieved that he hadn't freaked out and hung up on her.? "You know, we're kind of in the same boat.? A little.? Maybe.? I mean, there's the mom and you're still getting over her and that makes you kinda awkward around me and I haven't been with anyone since I was a doped-up teen-ager."? She broke off, not sure she was making things better or worse.

He sighed on the other end, wondering if he'd just blown it. "Are you trying to talk me out of this date? Christ, Le, it's just a date. I didn't ask you to marry me." He wondered if she was feeling as lost and alone as he was. A big movie star like her, she must have all kinds of fans and friends fawning all over her, just waiting to spend time with her and yet here she was on the phone with him. "Since we're sharing confessions, you want mine?"

She quirked a brow.? "You mean there's more?? Besides the demon hunting thing, the lost child, and the ex who still haunts you?"

Lots more, but he didn't want to tell her everything at once. "I'm kinda on the rebound. This girl I knew... she left a few weeks ago. We had a... I don't know what we had. I slept with her once. I haven't slept with anyone since. Before that, it was Riley. I can't seem to hang onto anyone for very long. I either scare them off, or I get scared."

She sighed and left her bedroom, padding bare foot through the dark house, Oscar following along at her heels. She moved to the couch and sat down on it.? "See?? Kinda the same boat. So...we should take it slow, right?? Be careful and all of that?"

He propped an elbow on the table and leaned his head against a fist, swapping ears once again. "I like you. I like you a lot. I feel like... I don't know, like I can really talk to you. I haven't met anyone like that in a long time."

"Me, either," she said in a very small voice.

"So, do we roll the dice and take a chance? You don't scare me if I don't scare you."

Lelah · Date: 2011-04-09 18:18 EST

She bit her lip, glanced down at the hand she'd twisted in the hem of her shirt, pictured his face again.? He probably looked earnest, like a little boy with a bouquet of flowers for the girl he liked.? She smiled and nodded.? "Yeah, I think we should.? Take a chance, I mean.? Why live if you're always careful, right?"

That brought a smile to his face. She was right. What was the point of living if he was always so careful he never really lived? Maybe that was what Riley had been trying to tell him all along. "How about lunch? I'll bring the paper and you can look over the movie listings."

"What about now?? I'll make dinner.? Lamb, new potatoes, asparagus."? She blurted it all out and she wished immediately that she could take it back just as quickly.

"Now?" He glanced at the window, seeing it was already dark, but not that late.

She was silent, wrestling with the obvious way he was trying to say no in a manner that wouldn't hurt her.? "Well, no.? I guess that's kinda silly. It's late."? There.? An out, should he need it.? She'd said it first and he shouldn't feel bad for jumping on it as a reasonable excuse.

He was tempted, so tempted. He closed his eyes, visualizing her in his mind. God, he'd be stupid not to go, but he didn't want to take advantage of her, especially after what she'd told him, and it would be so easy to do that. He remembered that single kiss she'd given him. Despite the brevity of it, he had enjoyed it and hadn't been able to get her out of his head, no matter how hard he tried. It was why he'd finally called her in the first place, giving in, despite his better judgment. "What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Um."? She sighed, wondering if she should tell him the truth about the blackmail or make up something else.? They'd been so truthful with each other so far, it seemed cheap to change it up now.? "Well.? I have some stuff to do for the studios."

"Oh." It was his turn to sound disappointed. He considered silently a moment. "Are you sure it's not too late for me to come over tonight?"

"No.? Not really, no.? It's only a quarter 'til ten.? Unless you turn into a pumpkin at midnight, I don't think it's too late. You don't have to stay for long. Just long enough to have dinner."

He laughed. "I won't turn into a pumpkin or a frog either. I'm kind of a night owl. This is early for me."

"Well, then.? Um.? Let me give you directions."? What a weird roller-coast kind of night. She gave him directions to the carriage house, telling him to park in the drive. They said their good-byes and hung up. She stood up and went back into her bedroom.? What should she wear?? Jeans?? Sweats?? A dress?

((Thanks to Rhys Bristol for this scene.))

Lelah · Date: 2011-04-27 23:54 EST

Three weeks later...

Lelah found herself sitting at her computer in her new office at the Plaza de Troyes, staring out the window over the town.? From her aerie, she could see clear across the river, into WestEnd.? That made her think of Rhys and she realized that she hadn't spoken to him since she ran out on him at the gelato shop.? She stared at her phone then.? Should she or shouldn't she?? "Oh, hell, Leelee.? Put on your big girl panties and make the call," she chided herself and then dialed his number, listening to the sound of the phone ringing as she waited for him to

It took him a while to answer the phone, as he was dead to the world, asleep in the middle of the day. He'd been up late the night before searching the apartment from top to bottom for the book on demons to no avail and had finally concluded that Kellie must have taken it. He fumbled around for the phone, reaching blindly for where he left it on the nightstand, cussing when he knocked it on the floor and continuing to cuss as he retrieved it and answered with a mumbled, groggy reply.

As she waited, she leaned back in her swivel chair and closed her eyes.? She was exhausted, bone-weary tired.? She'd been running on 11 since she landed in Rhy'Din and needed a day off, packed with mindless fun. When he answered, her eyes popped open and she sat up.? "Rhys?? It's Lelah.? Did I wake you up?"? She frowned and glanced at her watch.? It was 3:30 in the afternoon.? Surely he hadn't been sleeping?

He shoved his fingers through his hair, assuming it was probably Luke on the phone or someone wanting him to look at a leaky gasket or some crap. He could probably make a decent living on Rhydin as a mechanic if he ever really wanted to. "Lelah?" It took a moment for his brain to start functioning again. He rubbed an eye and yawned. "What time is it?"

"It's 3:30.? In the afternoon," she added after a short pause.? "You were asleep, weren't you?? Sh*t, I'm sorry."

"3:30. Crap. No, it's okay. I had to get up anyway." He moved to his feet and shuffled into the kitchen to get a pot of coffee going. "What's up?" He had a feeling she hadn't called just to shoot the sh*t.

"Uh," she bit her lower lip and picked up a pencil, tapping the eraser end against the blotter in the center of her desk.? "It's been a while since we talked.? And um...? I was just calling to see how you're doing."

"I'm still alive. How are you?" he asked as he turned the water on and filled the pot, tilting his head sideways to hold the phone between his neck and shoulder. He was aware she hadn't taken him up on the offer of dinner yet, though she'd accepted, but he didn't want to push.

"I'm...okay."? Hopefully he wouldn't notice the little pause as she debated telling him the truth of her situation.? She hadn't lied to him yet; to do so now, would be to set a dangerous precedent.? "So...um...? That movie is Friday night."? She let the statement dangle, wondering if he'd pick up the thread.

"Yeah," he poured the water into the pot and opened the can of coffee. "Are we still on for that or... Did something come up?" Ball in her court.

"No, nothing's come up.? I just..."? She sighed awkwardly, decided to throw it all in, and said in a soft, surprisingly vulnerable voice, "I've missed you."

He arched a brow, a little surprised. He knew she liked him. Hell, she more than liked him, but he was surprised, all the same. "I've missed you, too," he admitted after a short pause.

She smiled, a great rush of relief flooding her and making her head feel a little woozy.? "Found me a car yet?"? She sat back in her chair again, propping bare feet up on the edge of her desk and inspecting her pedicure.? Her polish needed refreshing.

"Cars are hard to come by in Rhydin, much less something as specific as a yellow convertible Beetle. I need a little more time. I can probably get my hands on a sweet little Mustang, but it'll cost you."

"A Mustang?? What year?? What color?? Is it a convertible?"

"Uh, '72, I think. Blue. Interested?"

If he listened carefully, he could probably hear her nails as she typed something on her computer.? "It's not a Mach 1, is it?"

"It's a Coupe, two door. White vinyl top. Needs a little work."

"Hmmm," she said thoughtfully.? "I think those are too big.? You gotta realize that I've never really driven myself, Rhys.? I need something small and easy to handle."

He was finished with the coffeemaker and took a seat at the counter while it did its thing. "Never driven? Like ever?" he asked, incredulously.

"No, no.? I can drive.? I learned, but...? I haven't done it a lot.? I had a driver in LA and when I lived in the City, I took the subway everywhere."

"Yeah, I used to take the bus." But that was only recently in Brooklyn. He'd had a car, but had mostly kept it in the garage and taken public transportation. But that was a story for another time. "Okay, how much are you willing to spend?"

"I have $2500, but I'd really rather not spend all of that.? Otherwise, I may starve."? Her office door opened and a pile of paperwork was thrust at her.

"2500 dollars?" he echoed. "No one cares about dollars here, Lelah. How much do you have in silver or gold?"

She sighed, both at what he'd just said and the staggering amount of paperwork she went through on a typical day.? "Hell.? I don't know.? Let me think for a moment."? Alain had said that 300,000 was roughly equal to $750,000, so...that was almost half.? So... Half of 2500 is roughly...? "I think I have like 1000 gold."

"Okay, let me do some digging and I'll see what I can come up with."

Lelah · Date: 2011-04-27 23:54 EST

"Thank you."? She paused while she signed a bunch of things and added them to her outgoing pile.? "We never went to dinner.? Remember?? Suit, tie, dress, heels?"

He grabbed a pad of paper and scribbled himself a note to look for a car and how much she had to spend. "Yeah, I remember, I just... I didn't want to seem... too eager."

"Are you?? Eager?"

There was a brief silence on the other end while he considered. He was and he wasn't. Mixed feelings. While he had feelings for her and wanted to see her again, there was the whole issue of her safety. The issue that always made him keep his distance. "Are you?" he countered, wondering how she felt about it.

She took his silence and counter question as a signal that he wasn't and she suddenly felt like all of the air had been let out of the room.? "Oh," she said softly, worrying at her lower lip again.? "I...um...? Yeah."

"I thought maybe you forgot about me," he admitted quietly, though he'd been just as guilty of not calling as she had.

"I've been busy."? It sounded like a rather flimsy excuse, but it was certainly the truth.? "I opened offices for the studios and - " have been flirting with two different men, her brain supplied unhelpfully and traitorously.? "And this guy fell into my driveway last week and..."? She trailed off and fell quiet.? F*ck.? She was screwing this whole thing up.

There went that eyebrow again, arching in surprise, as it always did, though she couldn't see it. "Fell into your driveway?" He was a little confused. "Is he suing you?"

She laughed.? "No, he literally fell out of the sky and landed in my driveway.? I guess he went through that Nexus thingie and that's where it spat him out."

"I see," he said, though he wasn't sure he did. He'd come through the portal in the inn himself. All he could imagine was an old David Bowie movie he'd seen on late night TV one night.

"He's a wizard.? Name's Ori.? He's nice.? From New York."? She stopped talking suddenly.? The conversation had become strained, stilted, uncomfortable.? She pressed two fingers against the middle of her forehead and closed her eyes.? "I should go," she said softly.? "I have some more work to finish before I can go home."

He caught the hint of strain in her voice and wondered if he'd said something wrong. "Lee, what's wrong?"

She paused and thought how to answer his question.? "I don't know.? I just feel like there's this weird tension between us that wasn't there before.? Like something happened, or I did something, or said something that I shouldn't have, and you're too nice to tell me that I f*cked up."

"You didn't f*ck up, Lelah." He sighed again. If anyone f*cked up, it was most likely him. "So, this date. Are we on or off?"

"On?"

Lelah · Date: 2011-04-27 23:55 EST

He breathed a sigh of relief, as that question was out of the way. "On, okay. What time?"

"Eight.? Is that okay?"

"Eight is great," he replied, smiling. The smile was almost audible in his voice. "Don't worry so much, okay? I'm just trying to go slow like you wanted me to."

She snorted.? "If I didn't worry, I think I might fall apart.? But I'll try to keep it to a minimum."

He didn't dare admit that he'd actually pulled away a little, afraid of getting hurt or afraid she'd get hurt. "Lee, I'm serious. I... I'm dealing with some sh*t here and... I just don't want you to get hurt."

She nodded, realized that he couldn't see it, and said, "Okay.? I understand."? But some small part of her wondered if he wasn't using his job as a way to let her down gently.

He'd turned serious and honest, painfully honest. He'd managed to push just about everyone he knew away from him, and he didn't really want to push her away, too. If you let something go and it comes back, his brain echoed. "Lee, I lost someone dear to me once. A long time ago and..." He paused, licking dry lips. "I don't want that to happen to you." Hell, he'd lost more than one someone, but he was thinking about Jessie. It always went back to Jessie, for some reason. The first love. The one he couldn't save.

"It's okay, Rhys.? I get it. You don't have to explain."? There was a small amount of irritation creeping into her voice, irritation born of the feeling that he was letting her go without coming out and saying straight to her that he wasn't interested.

"No, I don't think you do." He switched ears. "Do you think I want to be alone?"

"Look, Rhys.? I know I've said some things and done some things that are really crazy, possibly bordering on psychotic.? So, it's okay if you don't...? If you want to put the brakes on.? I understand.? Hell, I'd do it if I were in your shoes."

"It's not that, Lelah. It's not you. Christ. I'm just scared, okay? I'm scared that if I let you get close, if I let myself care, something horrible will happen to you and..." He trailed off, his voice breaking, haunted by memories of a tragedy he didn't want to repeat, and yet, not wanting to be alone anymore. The hardest part was that he already cared.

She sighed deeply and shook her head.? "How about this, then?? When you get your...? When you're..."? Sh*t.? She sat up straight in her chair, opened her eyes and stared out her window.? "When you take care of whatever it is that you need to take care of, give me a call, okay?? Until then...? Maybe...? Maybe it's better that we don't see each other.? I don't want to be a distraction."? She could feel tears pricking at her eyes and squeezed them shut, trying to banish them before they fell.

"You're not a distraction. You're..." God, she was so much more than that. If all he wanted was a distraction, he could have had that from anyone. "I care about you, okay?"

"It's okay.? You have a lot going on.? Demons and stuff.? I'm going to be busy soon, too.? We're going to start shooting at the end of this month and I need to find my actors and start rehearsals."

He sighed, shoving a hand through his hair, wondering if she was the one who was trying to push him away now. "I'll see you Friday, okay? Eight o'clock."

She swallowed, hesitated.? "Are you sure?" She was giving him the opportunity to back out now with no repercussions.

"Yeah, I'm sure," he said quietly, heart aching with longing, afraid to hope.

"Okay.? Eight o'clock then.? You coming for me or are we meeting there?"?

"No, I'll pick you up.? Are we going casual or..." He only had one suit.

"Not casual.? I want to see you in a suit and tie."

"You already did at the hanami. I only own one, but I can do an encore, if you want."

"That was for Riley, though.? I want it...? I want it for me, this time."? She glanced at her watch.? "Sh*t.? I have to go.? I'm late.? Eight o'clock, Friday night.? See you then."? She hung up, grabbed a folder, and scurried out of her office, headed down the hallway to the conference room.

((Thank you to Rhys Bristol for this scene.))