Gavilean met Katie at the door of the apartment house and she let him in, having recognized him from the several times he has walked Des home. He walked up the steps and knocked on the La Fontaine's door.

Hearing the knocking Des jerked her head toward the door and shoved herself to her bare feet. Holding on to the furniture as she stumbled toward the door she called out. "Whosh there?" Drunk might have been an understatement. She was wearing one of her husband's shirts and that was all. She latched onto the door knob and flung the door wide open then leaned slightly forward trying to see who had come calling while bracing herself with the other hand on the door frame.

His smile ran from his face when he saw Des' condition. "Des? I...I just thought I'd stop by to see how you are doing. You okay?"

An over exaggerated wave that overset her balance invited him in as she recognized her caller and smiled to him. "Gav! I'm just peachy!" She giggled at her own joke that he didn't know she made. She had been drinking peach wine coolers since she had returned from seeing her beloved French Pirate off on his two week journey. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying since the moment he had taken the first step out of her arms toward that dang blasted ship of his too.

He walked inside and shut the door behind him. He saw that Des was only wearing Jean's shirt, and he wondered if he should be here at all, but he also knew that he didn't want to leave her alone while she was in this condition.

"It must be difficult for you," he said, empathizing with what she was going through. "I just thought I would come and keep you company. Would you like me to make you something to eat?" She looked like she had been doing a lot more drinking than eating.

"Food? I forgot about food." She leaned toward him with a little grin. "I'm decortative not funcshional ya know. Can't cook." She shook her head to emphasize that point, tumbled curls flying all around her shoulders as her entire upper body shook with the motion and the shirt slipped down one shoulder.

Gavilean smiled and walked toward her. "C'mere, Des. I need a hug." He would always want a hug from Des, but he guessed that she might need one too. He took her into his arms and held her tight, his voice was soft, "Jean will be back before you know it, darlin'."

He shouldn't have done that because as soon as his arms went around her she grabbed him in a death grip and the tears started up all over again. She buried her face in his shirt. "I feel losht."

His hand stroked her hair; his own long, dark hair touched her face. "I know, sweetheart, I know." He held her and wasn't about to let her go, partly because they both needed hugs, and partly because he was afraid she'd fall, and that shirt wasn't about to cover much if she did. "I'm not a great cook, but I can fix you a nice omelet."

"Ain't had coffee either." She was truly feeling pitiful and vulnerable and totally helpless and was clinging for all she was worth to him. How she hated feeling this way. She was always strong for everyone and even in her own right and not even twenty-four hours had passed and she had already fallen apart just because her husband had gone on a business trip. If this ever got out she would never live it down. "Pleashe."

He kissed her cheek and helped her to her chair at the kitchen table. "Okay, Des, you are in for a treat!" He tried to be positive for her. "They don't call me Mr. Omelet for nothing." He gave her a wink and soon had the coffee brewing and several eggs cracked in a bowl, added a bit of milk and some of Galloping Gav's special spices and whipping it up; and then slicing some cheese as the one side of the omelet cooked. He danced around and wiggled his butt for her, then added the cheese and folded over the omelet as the cheese melted.

Sitting at the table she leaned both arms on it for balance and watched him as slowly but surely a smile curved into place at his antics. Eventually she even chuckled then laughed. The smell of coffee brewing had her dying for some and she started to get up to get herself a cup but a spinning head had her just as quickly sitting right back down where he had put her. "Luvsh you!"

He tossed his hair back and looked over his shoulder at her. "I love you, too, Des." He poured the coffee, added the half-and-half, and put the cup in front of her along with the sugar bowl. In no time at all he had the omelet on a plate and set that down in front of her with the salt and pepper. He couldn't help but notice how sexy she looked in that shirt. He stood behind her, massaged her shoulders for a second and kissed her cheek. "There ya go, my love. A meal fit for a queen."

The intoxicated cowgirl smiled over her shoulder to him, one that reached her eyes, then picked up her fork and began to carefully eat; managing to get it in her mouth without making a total mess by lowering her head very close to the plate. She did love him that was a fact and not something she had told him before.

Also not something she would have probably said if she hadn't been drinking so much but now that she had said in words to him in a way she felt better. "Youse a good cook. I may keeps yas." She grinned to him as she stirred sugar into her mug then took a sip and sighed blissfully.

He sat opposite her and thought to himself 'I should be so lucky'. He watched her eat, "Hope it's okay, love." He could see how red her eyes were. "You were missed at the Inn tonight. I didn't see you so I thought I'd just stop by to see how my best friend is doing. Except for the messy hair, and the red and swollen eyes looks like you're doing great." He winked, "I'm glad I came over."

Immediately she ran both hands through her hair in an attempt to tame it into some kind of order that would not be maintained in it's current state after her hands had been ran through it in distress for most of the day.

"Nah. Have only been here. Glad ya came by because I could have drowned and no one would have known it until the place started to stink." The coffee and food were sobering her up finally and that was a relief since she hated the feeling of not being in control of herself. She chuckled warmly and winked back to him.