Well, Daniel thought as he stood in the doorway of his new apartment; his new and completely empty apartment. Good thing I haven't any problems sleeping on the floor. Since that was where it looked like he'd be spending his time, at least for a while. Once he had a bit of income flowing in from the Cafe, things would change. Assuming the Cafe got any business, of course. That's a whole separate issue, Danny-boy.

While he'd spent plenty of time working in diners and bars, it was always a temporary job, something taken simply to build up enough money for the inevitable next journey. Certainly, he'd never had a business of his own to run, and no management skills to do so. About the only thing he had going for him was an above-average ability to cook, which, granted, was rather important for a Cafe. Well, no matter. He'd just have to pick it up as he went along. How hard could it be, really? First things first; he needed to get the place up and running, and try to draw in some customers. The best way to do that would be to make sure his prices were lower than other places nearby. Prices...hell. I'm not even sure what this place uses for money, let alone how much to charge for a bloody meal. Daniel sighed and turned away from the doorway, closing the door behind him. Time to hit the town and start learning the way things worked in this crazy place. It looked like he had a long way to go.

Daniel awoke, stretched long and hard, and looked around at his empty room. The time had come for a bed. Now that the cafe had been doing excellent business for a few days, Daniel figured he could afford the luxury of a place to sleep that wasn't the floor. He dressed quickly, and headed out the door. He'd see if he could find a second-hand shop that sold furniture, first. Even a cot or futon would do, he didn't need much yet.

Two hours later, he came back down the street toting a semi-new fold-up futon and cushion. He dropped it off in his apartment, then decided now would be a good time to get the furniture Mindy had very sweetly found for him.

After he picked up the furniture, Daniel set about preparing the lunch he'd promised to cater at Mindy's book club meeting. A couple vegetarian sample platters, a couple non-vegetarian sampler platters to start. Then a big tray of several types of naan. Appetizers and sides done, he turned next to the main course; Lamb Bhuna, Shrimp Vindaloo, and finally, Shahi Murgh. That ought to be enough for the group. Well, almost. He decided to throw in a mango mousse pie, too, in case they wanted something sweet to end the meal. Satisfied with his efforts, he carefully wrapped everything up for transport and loaded it onto a cart. He hoped Mindy and her friends would enjoy the food. She'd certainly earned a good meal, and more, for the help she'd given him already.

She merely chuckled, knowing that if she invited him, she'd be late for her class.? Twenty minutes later, dressed in loose-fitting, low-slung black yoga pants and a brightly-patterned sports bra, she emerged from the bathroom, wet hair slicked back in a tight braid and feeling refreshed and slightly more awake than before.?

Well, if he couldn't join her in the shower, he could at least go over and give her a long, deep kiss when she came out. A short eternity later, he reluctantly broke the kiss to say, "I'm going to hop in the shower now, then head over to start. I'll see you after your class?"

Her fingers curled through the hair at the base of his neck and held him close as he kissed her.? When he moved away, she slowly opened her eyes and nodded.? "Yeah," she said, her voice rough with lust.? Painfully, she tore herself away from him, picked up her bag and left the loft.

"Have a good one," he said softly as she left, knowing she'd hear anyway. He didn't move until the door closed behind her, then turned and went to take that shower, which would now have to rather colder than he'd originally intended.

After drying off and getting dressed, he headed out of the loft and up the stairs to his place. Inside the apartment, he looked around, and couldn't help chuckling a bit at the sadly mismatched state of the furniture.? The Cafe had been doing very well ever since opening, so he certainly didn't lack for money anymore, yet he'd never bothered to put any of it into better furniture. Of course, most of that was because he spent virtually all of his time downstairs with Riley, anyway.

"First things first," he said out loud, going over to take the picture off the wall and scooping up the mini bar in a globe. He carried them downstairs and set them down in the living room. He'd let Riley decide where she'd like to hang the picture. Then it was back up the stairs to begin moving everything else down and outside to the front.? He set the futon to one side, and, after a moment's thought, added the patchwork quilt and the reading lamp that was missing a shade. He nodded; those seemed like they'd be useful to a street urchin, even one who couldn't read.

He piled the rest of his furniture a foot or two away from the futon. With so few items, it was only about a half hour's work to get it all outside. The last thing to do was close and lock the door; he'd give the key back to Riley when she came down from her class. He sat down in one of the chairs, there by the side of the street, to wait. He didn't want anyone running off with the furniture for Oliver, even if the rest didn't matter.

Daniel smiled, keen ears picking up the conversation even from across the street. He felt absurdly good for helping the kid.

She smiled and then informed Oliver that she and Mr Tej would return momentarily with the futon and the quilt.? Then she turned and went back to Danny.? "Okay.? Let's go," she said and grabbed the quilt, figuring he could handle the futon on his own.

And he could. The weight was pretty negligible, really, though the futon was awkwardly long. He settled for hoisting it onto one shoulder like a lazy fireman's ladder, and set off across the street behind her.

Oliver was hovering just inside the ruined building, his eyes growing wide with shock when he spotted Daniel.? "Corblimey, but he's a strong 'un, ain't he?" he whispered.? Riley gave the boy a lop-sided smile and nodded.? The boy blinked and headed deeper into the building, leading them through a turning, twisting, labyrinthine path to a secret room in the back of the building.

Daniel grinned, but didn't say anything, for fear of scaring off the skittish urchin. It took some doing to negotiate some of the turns he was lead through while carrying a futon; in fact it would have been all but impossible for someone without lycanthropic strength and agility. He managed to avoid banging the thing into walls and door frames fairly successfully, though. Only a an extra scratch or two on it, and he doubted Oliver would care, even if he noticed.

The room that Oliver led the two Cats into looked nothing like the rest of the building.? For one, it was spotless and orderly.? For another, none of the smoke or fire damage seemed to have touched it.? The walls were a pale robins-egg blue and covered with collages of pictures clipped from fliers and posters and magazines and newspapers.? There was a small nest, made of clean, though ragged and thread-bare blankets, a shelf that contained three books, a small statue of a long, spindly legged deer missing an ear, and a pretty rock, and a single, large iron cauldron on a stand, which had been settled over a hole in the floor.

Daniel stopped in the doorway, looking around the room in surprise. Not at all what he would have expected from a street kid. Though, it made sense when he thought about it for a minute; when you had almost nothing, you took care of it.

Riley, too, was surprised at the cleanliness and order of the room.? It made her heart ache just a little more to see this secret haven amidst the chaos of the surrounding building.? "Where would you like your new bed, sweet-heart?" she asked the boy.

Oliver looked around, a bit of a confused frown on his face.? "Uhm...I guess you could put it here," he said as he scrambled to move his blanket nest.? Riley nodded and glanced over at Danny.

Daniel stepped over to the indicated spot when Oliver had finished clearing it out and settled the futon carefully into place. Then he nodded to the boy and gave him a bit of smile before moving back to the doorway of the room.

Oliver smiled, a lightning-quick expression that was no less endearing for its brevity.? Riley held the quilt out to him and he tentatively took it from her and hugged it against his chest.? "Thanks," he said, studiously avoiding eye contact with either of the adults.

Riley reached out and laid her hand gently on his forearm, pushing through the instinct to draw away from him when he flinched.? He looked up at her, his hazel eyes soft and full of gratitude that he had no words to express.? "You're welcome, sweet-heart.? There's some other stuff out front, if you'd like to come look."

The boy shook his head and stepped back, moving out of arm's reach.? "N-n-no."? He looked back and forth between Riley and Danny, then added as an after-thought.? "Thank you kindly, though.? I'll repay you somehow, Missus."? His voice was full of painful pride and Riley had to smile softly.

"Of course.? I might have some other messages for you to carry soon.? Can I let you know?" she asked, knowing better than to give the boy any kind of charity.? He nodded and she gave him another sweet smile before waving and leaving his sanctuary.? She slipped her hand into Danny's and sighed softly, sadly.

She chuckled and took the key from him.? "I don't know.? But, I have a feeling that whomever it is, will be very happy here."? She kissed his cheek softly as they entered the building.? They passed Mr Cheung, and Riley handed the key to him with a smile.? He glowered at her and gave Danny a respectful nod.? Riley frowned and shook her head.? "I don't get it."

"Authority figures," he whispered, and snickered quietly after nodding back to the super. "Or maybe he's intimidated by tall women." He chuckled some more, making a show of looking up at her.

She stuck her tongue out at him and then dragged him up the stairs.? She paused in front of her door and made a big show of taking a key off the ring she pulled from her pocket and handed the newly-separated key to Danny.? "Welcome home, Mr Tej."

"Why thank you, Ms. O'Rourke," he replied, grinning like a fool. He put the key in the lock and turned it, nodding when the lock clicked open. He held the door and made a grand gesture to her. "After you."

She grinned and slipped inside.? "Where shall we hang the monkey?"? She picked up the mini-bar globe and stuck it next to the TV.? She chuckled at it again and said, "That thing really is so freaking cool."

He stepped over the threshold and paused a moment, wondering if it would feel different. It didn't; it just felt good. "How about the corner above the treadmill?" He nodded toward the bare-looking patch of wall there. "Glad you like the mini-bar." He laughed. "I don't think it was ever used at my place."

She nodded and then fixed him with a slightly squinty-eyed glare.? "When did you ever have people over?? Hmmm?"

He shrugged. "Never, I don't think. You always wanted to come here, and I wasn't about to complain. Your place is lovely, and mine looked like a rummage sale's aftermath."

She giggled and then flopped down on the couch, stretching out her legs in front of her and crossing them at the ankles.? "So.? How shall we celebrate this momentous occasion in our relationship?"

He stretched out on the couch, laying his head on her lap and grinning up her. "Whatever madam wishes," he answered in his best Jeeves accent. "I'm in your hands."

She grinned wickedly and shifted over on the couch to straddle his lap.? She kissed his neck and his jaw and whispered in his ear, "Not yet you're not."