April First
Westside

It was late, just before midnight, and she was heading home with Sherry and Mackenzie, who was clinging to Sven, in tow. The show had been wild and so much fun. Instead of a regular night they had added paint to their show again. Race didn't seem particularly fond of the idea or rather the cost it was to clean up. But what was better than free?! The girls and a couple of the guys did it after the doors closed. People had been invited to hit on paint surfaced drums, throwing paint everywhere, or throwing paint filled water balloons in designated areas of the Ampersand. It had been fun and the paint was glow in the dark making it all the more fun when the lights dimmed and the music played. The show had been spectacular and what was more awesome was the fact they had a full house!

She should of been paying attention to what Sherry was saying but all she could think about was getting home and taking a shower. She had paint up her skirt and all over the place.

"Hey, Ser, you listening?"

"Hmmm?" she blinked to Sherry. "Oh yeah! Sure!"

"So you don't mind if we borrow him for the night?" Sherry grinned at Serah.

"Borrow who?" Serah looked to her friend curiously. The grin Sherry wore was scary!

Sherry looked over to Sven before looking back to Serah. She gave a wink, "Me and Mack want to borrow your stud for a few hours."

"Stud." Oh dear Etro. She laughed and shook her head. "That is his call. I just plan on taking a shower and going to bed so he won't be needed once I get to the loft."

"Sweet!" Sherry exclaimed excitedly and gave Mack the thumbs up.

She almost felt sorry for Sven. Sherry and Mack were going to wreck him but by the look of the way he was grinning he didn't mind all that much.

"Unless you want to come with us," Sherry offered to Serah.

"Huh? Heck no! I am not into sharing." Serah shoved at Sherry's shoulder and once at the apartment building she buzzed to let herself in. She waved to the trio and smiled. Sven looked like he was trying to detach himself from the women now clinging on him but she shooed him off. "Go have fun. I'll cover for you." She snickered and pulled the door closed before he could argue.

"Damn. Would of been fun." Sherry called out just as the door closed.

"What is it with women hitting on me." Serah shook her head and started her way to the elevator, the gate pulled up so she could step in. A quick press to the button and the gate was pulled down into place before the elevator went into motion upward. "Swear I get hit on by more women then men." She snickered to herself and she shook her head.

A happy little sigh spilled from her as the elevator stopped and she pulled the gate up to exit out. A few steps had her to the loft's door which she opened after fishing her key out. Her coat was dropped at the door, the narrow pathway that was the hall avoided as she opted to slip into the joint room.

Moving into the small bathroom she took the cellphone out of her pocket and placed it on the sink's edge. A few flicks of her fingers against the screen had her checking the messages before she shimmied out of her clothes and after it was a puddle at her feet she started to take off her jewelry. Earrings, charm bracelets, and necklace placed in a little marble jewelry holder on the sink with care, she sighed, and as the steam filled the small room she swept her hand back and forth along the mirror so she could see herself.

There was paint everywhere but she wasn't complaining. It had been so wild! Giggling to herself she drew her fingers through her hair, plucking out pieces of paint as she did. She wasn't even sure how half the paint got on her! There was so much going on and so many bodies dancing to the beat. She was actually surprised she didn't come home with multi-colored hair. Oh wait she did! But that was chalk, not paint!

She had barely combed through half her hair when she heard the front door close. "Kaleb? The bathroom is occupied!"

There was only two people she knew that had a key to her door and Sven was busy elsewhere so that only left Kaleb. Now normally she would have issues with giving someone a key to her place but it wasn't like Kaleb left a huge mess and destroyed stuff. He came, he showered, he left. Maybe raid the fridge but it isn't like she told him he couldn't.

She heard the bathroom door open and close. Geez Kaleb was being a brave lil demon. Grabbing a towel she covered her front up and turned to scowl him but who she saw was not Kaleb. Her mismatched eyes rounded wide in fear. "Y-You!" she choked out as she stumbled back into the glass door of the shower. Clenching her teeth she hissed at him, "How the hell did you get in?!"

She knew this man. He haunted her dreams and was the reason for her nightmares. Human, most likely. Dark hair and towering over her by at least a foot. He, along with his companions, was the reason she had been kidnapped some time ago and brought to a warehouse. Tortured for information, raped for fun, and lashed for the hell of it. Weeks had gone by and nobody had noticed her gone. Somehow, and she still wasn't sure how, she managed to kill off three of the four and flee for her life. But ever since then this man had been the reason why she looked over her shoulder. Why she couldn't sleep well at night unless in some company. And here he was in her bathroom blocking the only exit!!

She made a dash to grab her phone but he had reached over and snatched it. Before she could even blink the phone had been on the phone was tossed across the room with force. Before she could even react he was upon her her, his large hand capturing over her mouth seconds after the words had left her. A cry was muffed was given from the girl as he leaned his weight into the hand that was was over her mouth.

"Shhh now. It has taking me quite a time to get here so let us not ruin it with your screaming." he grinned at her face, "It seems you remember who I am. That's good. Very good. I wonder if you remember," his other hand tore away the towel and tossed it to the side before his fingers started to trace up the bare flesh of her thigh.

Her skin crawled at the feeling of his touch and both of her hands went out to catch at his wrist and lower arm. Terror filled her eyes as she tried to wiggle away. His hand continued traveled up a bit further to where thigh met hip and there was a pinch against her flesh as he jabbed a dart into her flesh. Yelping against his hand she stared at him. She knew what that feeling meant and his grin didn't help ease her concerns.

"Oh yes you know what that is don't you." the dart was tucked back into the pocket it was drawn while he waited for the chemical mixture to take its effect. It not only paralyzed the body but heightened senses, causing a person to be more physically aware. The way he took time in kneading flesh under his rough, calloused hands. The sudden pinch against the sun-kissed flesh probably felt several times as bad as it really was. He waited long enough for the effects to take. "Did you really think after what you did to my bros that I would just let you go about living your life without payment? Your life is mine, girl. It has been since the day we took you."

Tears filled her eyes and she shook her head slowly against the grasp of the man's hand, yelps and whines sounding under the palm. She didn't want to relive this! Her flailing and kicking soon faded from her, limbs so heavy they felt like she had just had the very strength from her sucked out. She knew what came next. He knew she knew and he could see it in her glistening eyes.

He made sure to take his time during the drug induced period to remind her of times when she was first taken and made that seem like a pleasant trip. He reminded her how now, just like then, she was helpless to stop him. He took extra great care in making sure not to bruise or cut into her during this period. No, his only want was to enjoy one last tasting of her flesh before finishing his business with her.

After what seemed like hours of indulging himself with her body she was left to slide down the wall of the shower until she was a crumpled mess at his feet. The hand that was once covering over her mouth had moved away to turn the shower on the girl who was trying desperately to find breath.

"Well that was fun. Always was with you," he chuckled as his boot suddenly came down on her left palm, pinning it to the ground. She moaned out at the pain but still she couldn't move to resist. "Now for the real reason I came." He grinned as he tilted her head so that she had to look at him. "I plan on this being our last meeting, pet."

Well that didn't sound good and she stared at him. "Whh- what do you plan on-" Her words cut short when she noticed that his other hand was sporting a thin razor blade. She tried with all her might to pull herself free of him but her body simply wouldn't listen.

"I plan on doing this," he answered while one hand clamped over her mouth while squatting down so he could be in reach of his target. The blade was jabbed into her arm and sliced into the flesh straight down to her wrist.

She shrieked and watched in horror as he did the same, albeit less deep, at the other arm. No! No, no, no! Was that really his plan?! Just to leave her to bleed and the water just sweep it away?

Using the washcloth that was just hanging from the facet he wiped away his prints from the blade before tossing it to the bottom of the floor. "While I admit that this is less fun then killing you outright for what you did to my bros this also is going to be fun." He made sure she was listening as he tucked the washcloth into his back pocket. "I am sure by now you've noticed how I made sure not to leave any markings on that pretty little body of yours up until now. Even now the water is washing away any evidence of my being here. You get to die knowing your friends and family will think you took your own life. How disappointed in you they will be. Such a coward you are." He snickered at her and drew himself up but that dark grin of his remained steady on his face. "Don't worry though. You get to dwell on that for the next twenty minutes or so. Depends on how fast you bleed. Maybe an hour?" He planned on being long gone by then.

In five minutes time he had cleared any sign of his even being there. Well all except the girl that was slowly bleeding to death in her own shower. She watched him as he moved about, the world blurry, and distant. It was like watching something from afar even though it was right there in front of your face. She tried to form words but none would come. It was difficult to even think. She did not want the last thing she saw was this man's face so she slowly closed her eyes.

"That's right girl. Just let go." his voice filled her ears. Even that sounded so far, far away.

Eight minutes later

He didn't bother with the door this time, instead stepping through the darkly shimmering tear directly into the bathroom of Serah's apartment. He'd left her at Riverview, appearing in their triage and thrusting her straight into the arms of a startled-looking nurse who'd nearly run right into him. as he materialized. He'd stayed only long enough to explain her condition and that he'd stopped the bleeding, but she was still going to be dangerously low, probably in need of a transfusion. Fortunately the blood link didn't change her blood itself, not enough so that a normal transfusion would be harmful.

He'd given them Serah's name and told them she had a sister, though he'd forgotten the sister's name, or even if Serah had ever mentioned it. By that time, he was beyond worry and plunging headlong into a cold fury, a need to do something about this. Once he was sure the people were at work on her and their attention was focused, he'd shifted from the emergency ward and to where he now stood.

Whoever had done this had gone to great lengths to make it look like she'd killed herself, had not left a mark on her that one could see, had even skillfully manipulated the blade to make it look like Serah had done it herself, one cut deep, the other shallower, as it would be when the first slashed wrist was weakened.

There were other things, however, things that would only be uncovered when it was too late to do anything about them. Things the ordinary senses would miss.

But he was as far from ordinary as it got.

And his senses caught the one thing that made it a lie, the one trace of himself the man couldn't have hoped to erase.

Scent. The scent of dark perversions worked on innocent flesh, the scent of the pleasure taken in the twisted act, the scent of evil intent. The scent of murder.

Demons know those scents well.

Anger bloomed within him, and he could feel the demon, already wakened and aware, chuckling within him, a mental image of clawed hands rubbing together in anticipation.

And for the first time in many years, he and the demon found themselves in complete agreement.

Turning from the bloody scene, he followed the scent, the anger a hot, burning thing in him, a fire seeking fuel to feed it, hungry and consuming, threatening to set his very soul afire in its need for release.

The man - whoever he was - had at least twenty minutes of a lead on him, perhaps more. For anyone else, that might have been a problem. There was a satisfaction in the scent that he could sense, one that thinks he would go undiscovered, judging by the path it followed, the lack of any fear in the scent.

It wouldn't have mattered. He couldn't have moved any faster scared, compared to the speed a demon can move when it's p!ssed off.

The scent led towards the docks, a place he was intimately familiar with indeed, and he followed it relentlessly along them. He found its end - and owner - at the brightly lit pier where men were loading supplies in preparation for a night launch, a load of cargo bound to what could be anywhere.

He stopped and observed the man for a moment. Bigger than himself by a bit, perhaps a head taller, definitely more muscular. Dark hair, a smug look, watching the loading proceed, undoubtedly waiting for either the time to board the ship or for someone with whom he could arrange to buy passage.

The cambion stepped from the shadows. The man didn't know it yet, but his time was already up.

The man didn't even notice Kaleb until he was within arm's reach, turning to regard him.

Kaleb knew what he would see. A young man, dressed in a black t-shirt and blue jeans, looking fairly unimpressive, even with the dried blood that covered one arm up to the elbow. Kaleb was by no means very big - in fact he was fairly unassuming in his size and stature...as a human. He came to a halt, the golden eyes glimmering in the light from the ship, before he spoke a word. "Ah wanna know yer name."

He saw the man's eyes drop to his arm, then back to his face, comprehension dawning, then amusement. "And what are you going to do? Tell someone? By the time you found anyone that would care, I will be long gone." He reached under his coat, grasping a weapon hidden there and tugging at it. "And you shouldn't have come straight up to me, b-"

The cambion let things go that far. His movements were almost casually swift, reaching up with both hands - one to grab the arm reaching under the coat, the other grabbing the man's neck, squeezing with superhuman strength on the former. There was a sharp double-snap! as the radius and ulna broke simultaneously from the sudden, titanic pressure he put on the bones.

The man's scream was instant and almost womanly in its pitch, and brought a grim smile from the cambion as he looked up at the man, hearing shouts from the dock workers. "Oh, ya might wanna save yer breat', mon ami...de fun is jus' beginnin'."

He didn't give the man time to contemplate that before he focused his mind and opened the gateway. Inside him, he felt the demon looking on, and could sense it was impressed.

Some part of him wasn't sure how he felt about that. The rest of him was bent on vengeance, lost in its fury, and didn't give a flying *****.

With a step backwards and a hard jerk on the now-broken arm, he pulled the man into the plane with him. He felt the broken bones grinding together in the arm in his grasp, and the resulting scream of agony from its owner, for just an instant, before both of them crossed the threshold and sensation was snatched away.

Well, it was snatched away for him. For him, this part was much like crossing a room that was so brightly lit that it seemed it had a small sun inside it. It went swiftly and usually fairly easy, though it took some concentration to find the door on the other side, which sometimes seemed to move around.

To his passenger, however, it would be a wholly different experience.

When they emerged out the other side, it was into an abandoned rooftop at the other side of WestEnd. No one occupied the buildings around it for many blocks, save for those that would not bother to investigate what was just another nightly occurrence here.

What he had dragged into the dimensional plane with him was a man. What he let go of to sag onto the rooftop was barely recognizable as such. Limbs bent and twisted, clothing melted or burnt or seared such that it blended with skin and muscle underneath, the facial features burned and melted and blackened to expose muscle and bone underneath. Deep slashes and tears in what used to be his skin oozed blood, its limbs twisted and broken and useless. A hoarse, gurgling scream rattled from its partially crushed neck, and it could be seen to still be breathing in rapid, painful breaths.

He looked down at the man, caught between fury and pity and guilt now, feelings clouding what he felt he should do next. He could just leave this broken, twisted, bleeding mess here, let it die or live, if fate was kind. He rather doubted it, and even if he did live, he would never be able to hurt anyone ever again, that much was certain.

Perhaps he'd just do that.

He'd turned away when he felt the demon surge within him, a single thought that was self-serving on its behalf, but one whose logic he couldn't refute.

Is that a chance you're willing to take with your life? Or Serah's?

Fear. And anger. And...there was still a need...a want to make this man suffer, everything Serah had suffered. It all mingled with a disgust he couldn't explain, a loathing that he didn't want to confront.

Let me be your instrument.

The screams had died down to whimpers behind him. The thought that the man might be thinking he was done was enough to trigger something, a deep, horrible need to inflict more pain. It was a part of himself he regularly tried to deny existed within himself, and there were even moments he believed it might be true, that it was all due to the demon.

But they both knew the truth.

And for the first time in a long time, he embraced that part of himself.

And the demon burst forth in all its fury. The man's screams redoubled as the beast, a twelve-foot-tall monstrosity of stone, lava, hellfire and pain, came back to him, one huge clawed hand grabbing him by the head to lift him bodily off the rooftop. It heat was such that the skin sizzled underneath it, a smell of cooking meat filling the air for a moment as he was lifted up to eye level with the demon.

"And now, maggot, the real party can get started."

The following morning

What was found in the middle of an intersection near the middle of WestEnd was very clearly a message.

The charred remains of the bones and what little flesh remained rested in a neat pile in the street. The only things left intact were the head and a piece of flesh that could vaguely be identified as a set of male genitals, both perched atop a pair of bones that had been sharpened into spikes (later identified as a radius and an ulna).

Of the one that did this, there was no sign left in evidence. Almost as if it had all been burned away.

April 13th

"You going to be okay while I am gone?" Sven asked Serah who was covered from head to toe in paints. It had been nearly two weeks since the hospital incident and Serah had been diving head long into finishing her new place. It was nearly done but she kept changing her mind about small little details.

"Yes I will be fine!" Serah insisted as she swiped a paintbrush in Sven's direction. "Don't forget to get my new phone on your way back."

"I'll grab it before my meeting with your sister."

"You are still going to tell her?" Serah turned back to the wall she was coating a sort of orange-red so that when the sunset light hit the wall it would blaze.

"Yep." That was all he said as he left. He didn't like leaving her without some form of communication so he had plans on making a hurried trip. That meant making sure that the meeting with Claire didn't take for hours on end.

It took him about forty-five minutes to get from Serah's new place to the phone store than to the Owl where he was suppose to be meeting Claire. It was a good thing he got there early. He was able to get a quick bite to eat and down a few beers before she showed up.

At last, she had committed Sven to an actual in person meeting rather than fleeting phone calls and cryptic messages. To say she was unhappy was quite the understatement. But for now, she put it behind her and shouldered through the Sassy Owl Saloon's front door. She could guarantee privacy while still being on somewhat neutral ground. Plus there was beer and beer makes almost everything better. A smile, though thin, was given to the new girl behind the counter and as she passed the kitchen window, she waved to Garett before heading for the curtained booths in the corner of the restaurant. "I'll take a Mediterranean lavash and a pint of Badsider, tap not bottle. Then whatever Mister Bergheim'll be having when he gets here." If he wasn't already there.

He was already there and seemed to of claimed a table. There was a bag at his side as if the fella had done some shopping. It wasn't for him and he'd readily claim that. When he saw the boss lady enter he slid out from the boot and raised a hand to the air. Dressed simply in a double-breasted blazer and some slacks, he wasn't looking to stand out in a crowd of people. "Hey boss lady!" She was heading for a different booth so the bag and his drink were collected and he headed her way. "Got here a little early so I could stuff my face." He grinned lopsidedly.

Let her get a beer in her hand and she might consider smiling. Being unable to reach the two people she considered family had that affect on a person. But once the server had brought over her meal and her beer, she took a seat across from the incoming tiefling and set her elbows to the table. "So." She began before immediately pausing to pull her Badsider up for a sip. Perfect. That was a bit better. "Not a problem. It's... good... to see you."

"Yeah sorry about not getting to you before. Your sister has been keeping me busy with stuff at her new place. She apparently thinks I am a cabana boy as well as a painter, maid, and personal servant." He settled in on the opposite side and left his half drank beer within reach. The bag was left on the table top. It appeared to be from some local phone store. He'd let the boss have all the drink she wanted. Hell he'd pay for it if it meant not getting chewed on.

Another gulp of cold Badsider settled her nerves further, gaze settling on the bad that had been set on the table top. "Work phone on the fritz?" She knew hers had issues often so it only made sense. "Or... Serah's maybe?" One brow rose to go with the question. That would make more sense for why she couldn't get ahold of her. "How's she doing, how's the new place?"

"Nah my phone is all good. Your sister on the other hand dropped hers and it is ka-put. Told her I'd get her a new one since she hasn't been feeling quite up to leaving her new place. She is doing good just kind of a homebody." His arms folded across his chest and he looked over to her seriously. "There is something that she doesn't want me to tell you but I've already informed her that I don't feel comfortable with not telling you. I think she's been keeping me so busy so it would just go away."

"I swear, that girl goes through more phones than anyone I know." She chuckled quietly and picked at the lavash, pulling a piece of Mediterranean chicken off and popping it into her mouth before washing it down with a sip of beer. When his demeanor shifted and he moved on to more business than smalltalk, she lifted her gaze to meet his. "Mm, I'd hope you'd not keep it if it's important. I'm trusting someone very important to me to your care. Whatcha got?"

Right on to business and he was all business man when it came down to the nitty gritty. "About a week ago she dismissed me after a show. Claimed she wanted to take a shower and go to sleep. Told me to take off and have some time to myself with some friends of hers. I did take a sweep of the building before I left and everything was secured." His arms unfolded and both hands were clasped on the table in front of him. "I returned in the morning to find the door closed and her gone. Old blood was scattered on the shower floor. Of course I went looking for her and found her at the Riverview clinic." He paused to let her soak that in. "I tried to contact you but I couldn't get a signal inside and didn't want to leave her so I waited for her to wake. She said something along the lines of having a vision and ended up at the hospital. We don't know how she got there and she what wounds she had apparently had been healed upon her arrival to the hospital. The nurse said some young man brought her to the hospital in a hurry and claimed she needed a blood transfusion before fleeing the scene. She didn't want to tell you because she says she is fine and there is no reason to worry."

There was a steady progression to her expression as he explained, going from a somewhat relaxed and slight smile to a flatline of her lips then to a frown and finally settled on a full on scowl, forehead creasing and all. That's how you get wrinkles. But there she sat, scowling at him something fierce. "A vision... but blood and grievous enough injuries to need a transfusion. But someone took her to the hospital..." She repeated, trying to process it all. It sounded off, really it did. "Anything damaged in the shower that would cause such a thing? Think this guy had something to do with it? Because I swear to the gods..." She trailed off with a shake of her head. "No...if he'd intended to harm her, he wouldn't have taken her to the hospital. Oh gods...she doesn't want me to know because it was some kinky bow chicka bow wow gone wrong. Oh godssssss." She groaned, putting her head in her hands. "I'm still going to worry. How is she?"

There was no way in hell he could keep a straight face when she said that. He tried. Gods know he tried! But there is only so much a man can do without his imagination running wild and Claire had kicked that flame into high gear. His hand worked over his lips to try and wipe away the hint of snickering that threatened. "She might of slipped and hit her head on the edge of the shower. That is all I can think. Maybe it was some wild thing gone wrong. She seems fine. All smiles and sunshine. Hasn't had any visions since and keeps herself mostly busy with painting and arranging her new place the way she wants it." Now he couldn't shake the thought of some kinky bow chicka bow wow gone wrong and eventually a little laugh left him. As long as she didn't think he was the cause of the kinky gone wrong he could laugh a bit!

Hey, so long as she had put those mental images there for him too. It was probably less pleasant for her though. "Nnnngh. Once she gets her new phone, can you have her call me? I... have something I need to talk to her about. Dunno if it's related to that fall... or her not having visions anymore... but it's really important. Really." Trying to wash the worry away, she lifted the pint glass and sucked down a gulp. "We may need to consider adding a second detail, at least until I can get a better idea of what happened. Some random due shoves my sister off on Riverview and she's in desperate need of a transfusion, well that's an issue. Hmmmm. Do me a favor. Track down the guy she calls Mach. Actual name is Elitia...Eli Turner. See if he knows anything and get back to me as soon as you know, yeah?"

"I am not sure how she will react to a second detail, Claire. She barely tolerates me and I have caught her numerous times trying to sneak out from under my watch. Maybe talk with her before going through with that." He shifted a bit as he spoke, "Maybe the guy she was getting it on with was a vampire? Whoever he is I plan on questioning him if he shows up again." A brow slowly went up when she spoke of Mach. "The alley cat of a man that has been lingering around her door during some nights? Sure I can see if he knows anything but doubt he does. From what Serah's told me he does tend to keep his plate rather full with women." Still he would do as the boss lady requested. "I'll have her text you tonight if she's not asleep when I get back. That okay with you?"

"Until she can prove that she isn't going to randomly keel over in her shower, she may just have to deal with it. I've got a few feelers out, but I don't trust this damn city and... I... with things as they are in Lucis, I just... could use the peace of mind." She had started confidently enough but as her words trailed off, they fell to nearly a whisper and she was quick to tip the glass back and finish it off in quick order. A harder than usual thunk to the table was enough of a signal to the server to bring another while keeping their privacy and the refill was sipped from a bit slower. "Or that other guy she mentioned if Mach doesn't pan out? Um, the one she was going to bring to the party on the Overlord's Isle. Cale? Kyle? No...that was Superboy. Umm...Kaleb!" She snapped her fingers. That was it. "Mach's a skeeze but if he hangs around at the right times, who knows what he knows." Moving on, she finally nodded. "Yes, that's fine. Just the sooner the better. Tell her Hope needs her to contact either me or him, that may make more sense."

"Kyle?" this wasn't one he was familiar with. "Superboy. Do I even want to know? And from what I have observed about Mach, and what Serah has told me, he isn't the sort you can tell if he is being honest or not. Lies like the wind and doesn't think twice of the harm it could possibly cause." He frowned at Claire as he spoke, "It is like watching Diritas happen all over again though I will grant at least this Mach fella is open about his fooling around and is at least not yanking your sister by her emotions." His brows went up. "Right. Kaleb. The boy she gave the key to her loft to. I have been keeping an eye out for him because of all the people she knows he is the only person who she's given a key to her place to. You don't think he is the one who was the kinky fun, do you?" She was having all the fun with the drinking and finally he took up his drink to join her. At least one of them is going to get drunk damn it! "I'll make sure to tell her that though I think I'll have her contact you out of the two. If only to ease your mind more."

"Superboy, you know, could fly and stuff. Smarmy little shit but a hard worker, not too bad of a guy. Dunno where he went though." She shrugged one shoulder and took another drink. Comparison of Mach to Diritas got a frown, her lips pursing. "He helped me out with her one night after a... particularly bad fit. But yeah, I can see that." Sighing, it was an unfortunate truth and an easy observation based on even the minimal interaction she'd had with the man. "He has a key to her apartment?" Her brows rose, this was news to her. "Track him down as soon as possible then. I don't care if it was the bow chicka sort but if he hurt my sister or he knows anything about it, I need to know." Getting drunk was a terrible idea for her or else she'd be sitting at the Sassy Owl all day until she sobered up. "I'd prefer that. I can always pass info on to Hope but it's important. And yeah, I could use some peace of mind lately."

Still didn't know who this superboy was. "Yeah she gave him a key. I was really surprised and asked her if things were serious between the two of them. She gave me quite the scowl for asking. Said they were just friends and that he needed a friend to lean on. The key was so the guy could pop buy and use the shower as he needed." They both seemed to be on the same page with finding Kaleb and asking him some questions. "Well then maybe I should head off and get to her before she fall asleep. That way you can get a little peace and find some sleep yourself?" He winked and pushed up to his feet. Downing his drink he grabbed at the bag. "Unless there is something else you want to talk about?"

"There's a million inns with a million showers around here... you don't give a dude your key so they can shower unless there's more to it there." She shook her head, still not quite sure about the whole thing. But so long as they were on the same page, she didn't feel the need to beat a dead horse. "Stick with her even if she tries to shoo you off. Until we can determine her status, figure out what happened, and also answer Hope's questions, I cannot afford to let her out of anyone's sight." Back to business it seemed. She was downing the last of her Badsider and sliding for the booth's edge to get up. "If you need a break, call me and I'll take over. Bring the twins or something, nobody can say no to drool monsters." The half smile was wry, half joking half serious. "Any info get it straight to me. That's all."

"I don't exactly agree with that. Specially if she is trying so damn hard to be his friend. The guy, from what I have seen, has issues with letting people close. Trust issues maybe? I haven't asked." He listened to her as she gave her orders and he craned his head to the side. "You got it boss lady. I'll hurry off then to go find her for you so you two can get that communication going. Hopefully this phone she won't be able to break too easily." He grinned at her and gave a firm pat to her shoulder.

"If the dude's got trust issues and a key to her shower is the solution then I'm gonna put more money on him being the sort that just can't pee in a public bathroom or something. I don't know. It's weird and I have questions with no answers. Either way." She shrugged and set out a tip for the server on the table. "I appreciate it Sven." There was a nod and a faint touch of a smile, thin as it was. The worry was there, etched plainly across her expression. Here's to hoping things improved sooner rather than later. "Thanks for meeting up, see you around." She needed a moment to check in on the kitchen so she would let him go ahead and head out rather than doing the say goodbye then awkwardly walk out together thing.

He snickered. "I don't think the key to her shower is what she was going for, boss lady. An olive branch of sorts maybe?" He shrugged at her hand shook out a wave. "You owe me some money for the new phone by the way. These damn things aren't cheap!" He was out the door before she could argue!