Sleep was a fitful thing for Daniel most of the time, full of nightmares and too-alert senses waking him at the slightest noise or scent.? Last night had been a good one, though.? Being in a Safe place, with the comforting scents of both David and Riley all around him had placated the Leopard, letting him sleep in.? When he finally awoke, he felt well-rested and content.? His nose told him that both Riley and David had left at least an hour ago, probably to go teach their classes.? It also told him that someone had cooked eggs and sausage.? His stomach growled, and he slid out of the bed, throwing on a pair of shorts and a sleeveless shirt to pad downstairs and see if there was any left.

There was, and he wasted no time wolfing it down.? It took the edge off his hunger.? He glanced at the clock; 10:30 am.? Then he remembered that Lelah had invited him to lunch with her at noon today; he was to meet her at the Plaza de Troyes.? Not much time to get ready.? He hopped up from the table and headed upstairs to jump into the shower.? Fifteen minutes later, he stepped out, nice and clean, and went to the bags of clothes Riley had bought for him to find something to wear.

He settled on a pair of khaki slacks and a white Oxford shirt, along with a pair of brown leather shoes.? Nothing too fancy, but not a lounging-around-the-house outfit, either.? A Cat had to look good, after all.? He went back downstairs, and found a key sitting on the table next to the door.? The corner of his mouth curled up; it felt good to be around people who trusted him, and whom he could trust.? He pocketed the key and went out, locking the door behind him and carefully checking it before setting off down the road.? The Plaza wasn't that far away, but he took his time.? He didn't want to be all dirty and disheveled for their lunch.? It was about a quarter to twelve when he reached the Plaza.

Lelah, meanwhile had been at work since 7:00 that morning, balls to the wall busy.? There was only a week left before they began filming and everyone was utterly freaking out and stressed, worrying over whether everything would be ready.? Lelah had spent the majority of her morning hidden away in her office, going over the script...again.? It seemed like every time the actors got together for a reading, she spent half of the next day fixing things and changing things.? She promised herself that today's revisal would be the very last.? It was time to leave things well enough alone and let the script and the actors' performances stand on their own.

At 11:50, Jenny buzzed her to say that she was going to lunch and was there anything she could bring Lelah?? Lelah thanked her but told her that she was going to meet someone for lunch and that she might not be back until late that afternoon.? Then she closed the script manuscript, checked her hair and makeup in the mirror behind her door and then set out for the lobby. Today was casual Friday, so she was dressed in a Burberry miniskirt, a bright red, long-sleeved, V-neck t shirt, and brown leather sandals with red detailing.? She'd left her hair down, leaving it straight and unadorned.? As soon as the elevator doors opened, she stepped out and smiled at the new receptionist, Paige, before looking around the lobby. She spotted Daniel by the doors and walked over to him, taking her time, letting him see her first.? He seemed a little jumpy last night and she didn't want to startle him.? Her heels clacked loudly against the floor and even if she'd wanted to sneak up, she wouldn't have been able to.

At the first sound of heels on the floor, his head snapped around.? It was her.? She looked completely different than last night, conservative and professional.? It didn't take anything away from her beauty, though.? She was coming towards him, so he went to meet her.

When he saw her, she put on that thousand watt smile that she was famous for and picked up her pace a bit.? As soon as he was close enough, she reached for one of his hands and pressed a kiss to his cheek.? "Hi," she said.? "Hungry?"

The saying that her smile could light up a room seemed appropriate here.? Leopard approved of the way she touched him immediately.? It was almost feline, her apparent like of physical contact.? A faint purr rose out of his chest in response to both the touch and the kiss, and he nodded.? "Always."

She chuckled softly, wondering about the purring noise that always seemed to be around him.? She filed it away to be pursued at a later time and tucked her arm through his.? "Italian, right?"?

"Yes," he replied.? "Do you have somewhere in mind?? I know a great place if you don't."? He couldn't help brushing his shoulder against hers as she linked arms with him.? He inhaled, taking the scent of her in.? Pears, orange blossoms, and vanilla.? Good enough to eat.?

"Yeah, there's this little place over by the bank.? Caruso's?? Davito's?? Something like that.? The owner's this big guy, straight out of The Sopranos.? He sings opera and waits tables and the chef's his wife.? She makes the most amazing alfresco I've ever had."

"Carito's," he said, lips curling up at the corners.? "That's the place I was talking about, too."?

She smiled as they left the lobby and entered the lunchtime craziness of the Marketplace.? "Really?? I go...went...there quite frequently for awhile.? Amazing food."? Thinking of her regular lunch dates with Ori made her sad and wistful.? She sighed softly and then stuffed down those feelings, forcing herself to focus on today's date.

I used to go there a lot, too."? He glanced over at her as a wave of sadness rolled off of her.? "Did you go there with someone special?"?

She nodded and ducked her head, brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face.? "Yes," she answered softly and paused for a moment before saying, "My...well, I suppose he's still my boyfriend, though...? I don't know for how much longer."? God, this was awful, trying to explain what had happened between her and Ori and Gideon and still paint herself in a flattering light.

She arched a brow at the sudden change in his voice, wondering if it had been an accident that had caused his voice to sound so growly.? He didn't seem to be a smoker or a big drinker, so neither of those things were possible causes.? Another thing to file away for later exploration.? "That sounds good, too.? The problem with coming to places like this is that everything sounds - and smells - so good that I cannot decide."

"Yes, indeed.? That's why you have to come here many times, to try everything."? He was going to have to tell her soon.? He didn't like to hide who and what he was, though he worried it would scare her away.? It would be hard to hide the obvious sign of his too-sharp teeth when eating, though.? Nor was it fair to keep it from her.

The waiter came and took their orders, leaving behind a bottle of their delicious house red and a basket of breadsticks and a small bowl of olive oil simmered with fresh herbs.? "Wanna know a secret?" she asked as she poured herself a glass of wine and held the bottle up to him in query.

He slid his glass over towards her, willing to have? a glass or two with her.? "If you tell me, it won't be a secret anymore...but I won't share it."?

She poured him half a glass of wine and then waved her hand, unconcernedly, dismissing his comment about it not being a secret anymore.? "That's okay.? It's not really a secret-secret."? She plucked a breadstick out of the basket, broke it in half and dipped half into the oil.? "This is the reason I come here."

"Ahh, I see," he replied, lips curving into a real, if small, smile.? "They are rather amazing."? When she'd taken her breadstick, he reached for one too.?

She nodded readily and finished her bread before speaking again.? "Tell me about you, Daniel.? Otherwise, I'll just talk your ear off and you'll be chafing to get away from me."? She flashed him a grin and took a sip of her wine.

"On the contrary, I enjoy listening to you."? He tasted the wine, found it to be surprisingly good, then tilted his head, watching her.? "What would you like to know?"

She shrugged a little and matched his head tilt.? "Your favorite books and movies and music.? Where your scars are from.? Why your voice is so rough.? If you're seeing someone or married.? That kind of stuff."

Easy questions and hard ones, mixed together.? But where to start?? "I'm not married, nor seeing anyone."? That seemed like a good place.? He tore off a piece of his breadstick and ate it slowly, giving himself time to think and decide how he should explain to her what he was, and where those scars came from.

She nodded, sitting back and cradling the wine glass in one hand, the stem hanging down between her fingers.? She watched him intently, as if he was the only person in the entire world and every word he spoke was as important as the secret to life.

That kind of rapt attention was both flattering and slightly unnerving.? Leopard took it as his due, of course.? "To answer about my scars, and my voice," he began.? "There's something I must tell you first."?

Her brow arched and she glanced around the room, noting that they were pretty much on their own...and she was wearing ridiculously tall shoes that would completely inhibit her running.? "Okay," she said cautiously and carefully set her wine glass back on the table.

"I'm afraid it might scare you," he said quietly, and indeed, he was already scenting worry and concern from her.? If he waited, though, it would be all the worse.? He was assuming they would see each other again.? Confidence is a feline trait. Even for a shell-shocked Cat.

She chuckled nervously.? "Well...you're not helping me feel any less scared with this big build up.? How bad can it be?? You're unemployed because you just got out of prison?? And you were in prison because you raped and murdered a girl?? If it's not that, then I think we're okay."? She paused for a moment and then said in a panicked voice, "It's not that, right?"

A tiny chuckle sneaked out of his mouth, and he shook his head.? "No, no.? Nothing like that.? I've never been to prison, and I've certainly never raped anyone."? Was it murder when you were fighting a war?? Maybe, especially when it was an unofficial war.? They'd called him a hero, but murderer might be just as fitting.?

"You left off murder," she said in a small voice.

He nodded again, looking down at the table, toyed with his fork.? "I've fought," he said softly.?? "I've killed men.? Many times.? Some might call it murder."? Images flashed across his eyes; men dying with throats torn out, bellies ripped open.? Men dying riddled with bullets, torn by explosions, impaled on blades.? He squeezed his eyes closed, trying to wish the images away.? They were part of him, though.

She chuckled softly and picked up her fork once more and dug into her meal.? "You'll notice that I put the wine glass and fork down before you launched into your confession, right?"? She grinned wickedly.

"I noticed, and appreciate it.? I don't want to have to pull a fork out of my face."? He cut off a piece of steak and popped it into his mouth, offering a brief glimpse of too-sharp teeth.? When he'd swallowed, he spoke again.? "You must have questions.? I'll try to answer them."

She ate in silence for a while, trying to figure out exactly what she wanted to ask.? "Is it like in films?? You know, like An American Werewolf in London?? You have to change at the full moon and you become this crazy monster who runs around killing and eating people indiscriminately?"

"No.? Not for me.? Or for Riley.? We're Alphas.? We have control.? Control over when we change, or even how much we change.? And when we change, we keep our minds."? It was obvious he was much more comfortable now that he didn't have to hide who he was.? He even looked somewhat relaxed, though wary eyes still marked and tracked anyone who came within ten feet of them.

"Well, that's good, right?? I don't need to lock you up in the basement or anything at least."? She gave him a game smile and ate more while she formulated more questions.? "How did it happen?? Were you attacked?"

"Not unless you're into that sort of thing."? No reticence or embarrassment there.? "For most, it is the result of an attack.? That's how Riley became Lycan.? It was different for me, though.? I was born this way.? Like the song goes."

"She's my idol, by the way," she admitted with a grin.? "So, what do you look like?? Are you a big, grey wolf?? Like a timber wolf or something?"

He blinked in surprise, and then an expression of distaste crossed his face.? He controlled it quickly, though.? She couldn't know.? "Not a wolf.? Not any kind of canine.? I'm a Cat.? A Snow Leopard, to be precise."

"Oh,right," she said softly.? "Rhys did say that Riley was a jaguar.? And you're a snow leopard."? She was silent again as she finished her food and drank the rest of her wine.? "So, if you can control it, does that mean you can change whenever you want to?"

He ate while she did, giving her time to think about what she'd just learned.? He gave another nod at her question.? "Yes, whenever I want.? Although it is harder not to when the moon is full."

"Will you...will you show me sometime?"? She asked this question in a soft, hesitant voice, almost as if she were asking him to show her some state secret.

"I can show you a small Change right now, if you want.? Not the whole deal, though.? People might react badly."? He was more than a little intrigued by her interest.? This woman had potential.

She nodded excitedly, her face like a kid's in a candy store.? "Would you?? That would be...well, it'd be awesome."

He couldn't say no to such enthusiasm.? He lifted the hand he'd slid halfway across the table and willed it to Shift.? Grey, white, and black fur poured from the wrist up towards the fingers like time-lapse photography, even as his nails lengthened into hooked claws.? He held that hand perfectly still, letting her examine it as she wished.

She gasped softly, her eyes growing wide with amazement.? She reached out with soft, tentative fingers and stroked the fur that had poured forth from his skin.? It wasn't like stroking a house cat.? The fur was thicker, not as soft.? It sort of felt like touching a bearskin rug...only it was warm and alive.? "That's...that's just f*cking amazing," she said in an awed, hushed voice and then looked up at him, delight dancing in those kohl-lined, dark chocolate eyes.

A soft purr started rumbling in his chest when she touched his hand, and grew as she stroked the fur.? He leaned forward a bit more, staring into her dark, dark eyes.? Leopard paced in his head, wanting him to touch her, to kiss her, to take her.? Leopard wasn't complicated, like people were.? He saw an attractive female who was interested in him, and wanted her.

"That purr...? It's you, isn't it?? It was you last night, too, huh?"? She sat back, reluctantly letting go of his hand...paw?...and poured herself another glass of wine, holding the bottle out to him.? There was exactly enough for one more glass in it.

"That is a very feline attitude," he murmured, running his fingertips along the side of her hand.? "I see something I like...do you?"? This was almost his old self, before the fighting and the killing.? He marveled at how easily she brought it out in him.

The waiter chose that moment to bring the big martini glass full of custard and berries and Lee's espresso back to the table, forcing Daniel and her hands apart.? She sat back, eyes on the dessert now, and nodded.? "I do see something I like," she said with a naughty little grin.? Then she picked up a spoon and handed it to him.

He was unfazed.? Cats are known for their patience, too.? Sometimes the hunt was the best part, but sometimes the results were better.? "You'll love this," he promised, taking the spoon she offered and dipping it into the berries and custard, then held it out towards her before she could pick up her own spoon.

Eyes locking onto his, she sat forward more and opened her mouth just wide enough to allow him to slide the spoon between her lips.? She closed her mouth around it and licked the custard and berries off the spoon before moving her head back and letting the spoon slide out of her mouth.? She made an obscene sound, one that brought to mind silk sheets sliding over satin skin.? "Wow," she whispered in a husky voice.? "Like sex on a spoon."

Talk about a turn-on.? He could feel himself reacting to her actions, growing aroused.? He leaned closer to her, less than a foot separating their heads now.? "Would you like some more?"? His voice was a definite growl now.? Not a growl of menace, but one that rolled intimately around the ears, and much lower places.

"Mm, I think so."? She gave him a smile and then darted her head in, pressing her lips against his in a kiss.? She parted her lips and ran her tongue against his mouth gently, softly probing before forcing it into his mouth, sending it to dance alongside his.

There was no hesitation in his manner as he responded to that kiss, tongues meeting in a very personal ballet.? The rumbling purr swelled until she could feel it vibrating through her.? His hand rose, touching her cheek, then dipping into the silken mass of her hair.?

The purr was...different.? Exotic.? Erotic.? She made a happy little noise and reluctantly pulled away from him.? She whispered, "I have to go back to work soon."? Then she sat back, eyes still locked into his, and helped herself to a spoonful of zabaglione and berries.

"I'd like to meet you after work, Lelah," he said softly, drawing out her name slightly.? He couldn't tear his gaze away from hers.? He could still taste her on his lips, in his mouth.? He licked his lips slowly, savoring her sweetness.

She nodded without a moment's hesitation.? "Yes, I want that.? Do you know where New Haven is?"

He nodded slowly, never moving his eyes from hers.? "I do."

"I live there.? The road that runs straight past the Red Orc Brewery?? It dead ends at the beginning of my drive."

"When?" he asked simply.

"Nine tonight?"

"I'll be there.? Shall I bring dinner?"

She nodded.? "Yeah.? Whatever you want.? Oh."? She frowned softly.? "I have a dog."

"I don't mind."? He thought of Finn, wondered if her dog would take his presence as calmly.?

"He's...protective.? Growly."

"I will behave."? Unspoken, but clear in his eyes was the rest of that sentence.? 'Unless you don't want me to.'

She chuckled and signaled for the check.? "Oh, he'll make sure of it.? He's tiny, but mighty."? She finished her espresso and sat back with a soft sigh, hands folded over the flat of her belly.? "I'm glad I got stood up last night," she said.

"So am I, very much.? Though I have to wonder at the sanity of any man who would stand you up."? Their meeting had been pure chance, the kind of thing that only happened one in a thousand times.? Sometimes you threw the dice, and they came up sixes.

The waiter brought the check back and she handed him a card without even looking at the total.? "He's a piece of work, all right.? English, though from London.? Entitled, snobby brat."? Yet...she still wanted him.? She sighed softly and swiped her finger around the rim of the martini glass that their dessert had come in, licking the last remainder of the custard off her finger.

He caught a burst of longing, of desire in her scent, and wondered at it.? There was something there that was more than an attraction.? Almost a need.? Maybe he would ask about it sometime.? But not now.? "No sad thoughts, remember?? Happy ones."

"Right," she said and nodded.? The waiter brought back her card and she signed for a hefty tip before slipping the card back into her bag.? Then with a reluctant sigh, she said, "I should go back to work.? We start filming in a week and I swear everyone will have kittens if I don't show up and put out fires."

Have kittens?? The comment surprised a little chuckle out of him. He wondered if she even realized what she'd said. "Go back to work," he said softly.? "Put out your fires.? I'll see you tonight, and maybe we'll light one."? A wicked little wink came with the words.

Her brows rose and she gave him a little smirk.? Then she rose and held her hand out to him.? "Thanks for lunch.? It was...educational," she said and the smirk grew.

"For me, as well."? He stood with her, taking her hand.? This time, he didn't hesitate to lift it and rub his cheek softly over the back of her hand.

She flushed at the gesture, feeling heat in her belly, then curled her hand around his and led him to the door.? "What will you do until tonight?" she asked as they left the restaurant and went out into the hustling bazaar.

"Visit the market to buy ingredients, wait impatiently, then cook.? Do you like Indian food?"? He hoped so.

"I love Indian food.? Is that what you're going to make?"?

"Yes.? My specialty."

She smiled and leaned into him, kissing his mouth softly.? "I'm looking forward to it."? They were at the entrance to the Plaza now and she reluctantly let go of his hand.? "I'll see you tonight.? Nine o'clock."

He ran his tongue lightly across her lips, and nodded.?? "Nine o'clock," he repeated, and watched as she went back into the Plaza.

((Many thanks to Daniel Tej's player for this scene.))