alderwitch

She lifted her eyes up to meet his, lips curving in a small smile. Taylor had never thought of herself as the blushing type but her cheeks pinked just a touch as her pulse lept. Inwardly, she was pleased that her hands didn't shake. When she'd agreed to return the favor for Jack tonight, this wasn't exactly what she'd had in mind. She certainly wasn't about to complain. "It's a date," Taylor agreed, hoping it didn't come out as breathless as she felt. Her smile kicked upwards into a grin, "As long as you promise to understand that if something comes up, it's work and not cold feet. I'll promise you the same in return. I won't go all wierd on you if things come up, we'll just reschedual."

Not sure. Can we get an updated turn list?

"If I can ever catch one, I'm going to take it to Elena and have her search out what the little beasties are looking for. You'll be my first phone call once I know who's directing the little monsters. I have a feeling that who ever is behind it is probably long overdue for a solid thumping of one kind or another." She tilted her head back to laugh up at him, "I've been told that one needs to find more ways of investigating then the whole threatening people routine but go with your strengths, I always say." Out of costume, she could laugh at herself, even if it was all too true. She had worked hard to have a look and demeanor that struck fear into the hearts of people but it was so very neccesary when out of costume, she would likely come up to an average size man's chin. If the fear factor saved her even three minutes of fighting it was well worth it.

She turned her head to follow his pacing and lifted one shoulder in another of those half-shrugs. Taylor had the bad habit that most mystics seemed to possess of giving half-answers so if she was on her game, Jack probably would have gotten some vague answer about endless possibilites. Tonight, however, she was enjoying a quiet night with a handsome man so she gave an honest response. "No idea, I'm afraid. I doubt its anything big and they don't seem to be causing any problems for anyone but me. I've ticked off my fair share of entities at this point in my career." Taylor made a face and shifted to free one hand so that she could twist the Eye of Heshem while she spoke. "Honestly, everytime they pop up I just fire off a bolt of power and 'poof'. Imp smoke. I can handle it, I think. I just need to work on my automatic responses to threats just a little bit."

She watched his face as he spoke, rather detachedly really. It wasn't very difficult to put this together with his earlier strong feelings about keeping her family in the dark and realize they had moved into sensative subjects. Taylor leaned her hip against one of the low planters that served as occasional decoration, bracing her hands behind her for balance. It certainly didn't seem an avenue of conversation to pursue at the moment. "Can't remember the last time I went to an Applebees. Or even the college cafeteria for that matter," Taylor mused, moving the subject away from family for the moment. "But it has been a busy month. Imps, mostly, since the last time I saw you. Vile little things. I've almost had my whole 'secret identity' thing blown a couple of times. Fortunately they're not really dangerous. Just irritating."

"I am lucky although it was hectic as a kid as there was always someone around. On the one hand, there was always someone to talk to. On the other, it was always a hassle to try and keep your stuff from getting relocated all the time. And, being the youngest, there was always someone to offer advice. That part, at least, hasn't changed," She reached up to tuck a rebellious lock of hair back out of her eyes quickly. Her expression softened as she spoke about her family. It was so rare to have anyone to talk to them about. Even if she and Jack had disagreed about the secret identity thing when it came to the family, he at least knew about both aspects of her life. "You were an only child?" Taylor asked curiously at the opening provided. Jack was so close-lipped about anything like that and she didn't want to pry but that seemed a safe enough question to ask.

Back in her room, Alex snuggled in a little deeper to the covers and relaxed with a contented sigh. She didn't transmit words back to say good-night, instead she just projected her emotions at him: that giddy-happy feeling, bone-deep exhaustion and beneath it the steady presence of her affection and support. The connection didn't close so much, as Alex simply stopped transmitting accross it to curl up and finally close her eyes.

8/8 - Avenger and Angel finals added, list updated.

She laughed, twisting towards him to follow and said dryly, "No one's ever accused me of being overly likeable in costume either. Or approachable. In fact, you may well be the first. Not to mention it was stressful for all of us. Stressful for me, certainly. I hate full-blown dictator gone mad invasions of the multiverse." Taylor shook her head fell into step with him as he retreated from the windows. He was a good bit taller than any of her relatives, and Taylor was on the short side among them. Youngest and shortest was a heavy burden to bear sometimes. "No one minds at all, and trust me, you missed nothing special. At least nothing special in an exceptionally edible way. I love my mom to death but she's not the greatest cook, especially when going creative. I would be getting pestered with more phone calls about you if my older brother hadn't gotten himself engaged to his longtime girlfriend. Not Jackson, the other single one, so my mom is in full tilt wedding mode."

"I think if anyone gets into this business to make friends, they're severely underestimating what they're signing up for," Taylor said wryly, tilting her head up to look at him. She let her hand fall away from his sleeve and reached up to the amulet once more to twist it idly on the chained links. She smiled, her lips quirking up at him with a moment of genuine mirth, "My folks were charmed, you know. You're welcome back anytime, and I certainly enjoy your company." She turned her face back to the windows, chin still lifted slightly to watch the skyline. "I do like you quite a bit, Jack."

All I ask is the attempt is made to put everything back where it belongs, Alex replied in amusement that bubbled through his thoughts before she gentled and asked words that Mike had heard often, You're okay? We're okay? It was so very easy to forget how exposed she was to everyone's emotions, sometimes. Alex was so stable, so very grounded and her moment's of asking to lean on others was rare to the point of non-existance. Except for these nightly chats, of course, because she knew that Mike would never mind. He would never hurt her when her shields went down. It was safe, utterly safe, so she reached to his thoughts for the reassurance that things were alright out in the world because all too well, Alex knew things weren't often very right at all.

Mmmmhmm, Alex agreed in a sleepy murmer, If you could talk 'bout your baggage, I'd suggest that as a good place to start. S'easier to talk about your issues after someone else is vulnerable first. Alex stifled a yawn with the back of one hand and snuggled deeper into the nest of soft blankets. Also cuz if you're not willing to have your issues poked at, s'not nice to poke at someone elses. No matter how golden your attentions. If you can't have a chat 'bout it, just say sorry and let it go. Whatever you do, don't give an appology and qualify it, like, 'sorry I hurt your feelings but...'. Cuz those never make anyone feel better.

Well, you're never going to reach her until you understand what gave her that point of view in the first place, Alex pointed out with her usual pragmatism as she collected her battered stuffed animal from the corner of the bed. She snuggled it against her chest as she rolled over again to her side. You've got different experiences but that doesn't make either of your opinions more valid. I dunno if you'll ever agree on things, but I know you'll keep butting heads 'till you can get each other's perspective on stuff.

Mostly I think her feelings were hurt. Erin has a really hard time seeing things from any perspective but her own. She seemed to get the impression that you were saying she wanted to hurt that kid, deep down. That you thought she was that kinda person. The response filtered through his thoughts, careful not to reveal Erin's past through their fluid connection. She's calmed down a bit though.

Yes, well, I don't really see myself going that far with it. I mean, can you? Laughter bubbled through her thoughts. Alex was nothing not a notorious planner. Sides, the best of plans will only get you so far. Sometimes you have to just go with your gut instinct. In the end you have to be able to trust yourself, you know?[/color=#008080] Her thoughts meandered and trailed off, sleepy from the long day and deeply content for the moment. She sent the emotions along to him out of habit in an attempt to soothe his anxieties.

She blinked, startled by his admission but very flattered. Her lips quirked ruefully at his list of reasons before her smile softened at his question, "I can't tell you why you have all the friends that you do have. I'm not a telepath. I can tell you why I'm fond of you and I imagine it's not all that dissimilar reasons for the other people who've come to care about you." Taylor took a step after him, automatically stepping to the side so that he could see her in the window's reflection. It was an unconcious movement of someone who never put herself in an ally's blindspot and she didn't even think about it when she moved to his left side. "You've answered part of the question with why you called me. I know what it's like to be 'on' all the time, to not have a normal life to go back to. I don't make friends easily and I treasure those few that I do have. As for the Avenger part of your life, you proved I could trust you at my back in a fight the first time we met. As Avenger, you might be seem rough around the edges - and your tactics are often brutal - but you're a stalwart ally and all too often a voice of reason. Of rough gravelly reason, but reason nonetheless." Stepping up alongside him, she touched his arm once more, "For the man behind the mask, you came and did me a favor despite whatever issues were hounding you that night. I don't know what they were, but I know it wasn't easy to help me. You did, and you never complained. It's a simple answer in the end to a complex question. People care about you because you care for them, and it shows. No matter how many masks you wear."

She blinked, automatically tilting her face away as the lights came on, only turning her face back towards him once there were no more flashes. Before she could ask her question, she paused for a moment to just look around with an expression of wonder at the observation deck. Pivoting slowly in place, Taylor took it all before she spoke again, "This is such an amazing city. It's easy to forget sometimes." Taylor looked back at him, remembering her question finally. She stepped back towards him, "You can ask me anything you'd like. I just wanted to ask, why did you call and ask for a favor?"

Her laughter bubbled through his thoughts cheerfully, No, I mean. Most teenagers don't worry about whether or not the person they're dating is compatible for longer term things like kids and careers and all of that. I do. It's just my advanced brain making me act like I'm thirty instead of sixteen. I've always tried to enjoy my childhood but there are things I just don't think of, you know? Its okay for us just to go out and have fun. I've always worried about tomorrow. I'm trying to a little less, now. Does that make sense?

She stepped into the room after him, one hand going to the amulet in a gesture of pure nerves. It was a good thing that Taylor never played poker as she had some definate tells to her mood. As Phantom, the gesture usually passed off with the whole mystic look but standing there without artifice, it looked a good deal more vulnerable. "Better than most as I spend most of my time out at night these days but not in the preternatural range." She admitted, glancing towards the windows automatically before she flicked her gaze up to his face. She hesitated then asked curiously, "Can I ask you a question?"

Taylor's eyes widened slightly and she was almost positive that her heart flipped over in her chest. So much for her mantra. Really, so much for her ability to form a coherent thought. Okay, so it's a date. I can do the date-thing. Right? Right. If I can get my mouth to start working again, that's probably a good place to start. She moistened her lips, finally breaking eye contact but not in time to hide the rather charmed smile, "Okay, it's been a long time since I did this, but I'm pretty sure that the first date comes before meeting of the parents. I could be wrong. It has been a while."

He's sweet... Alex hesitated only a moment more before old habits took over and she was sharing her thoughts with him on it all. Not so much the Mark angle but Erin's words on her life which was sort of confusing as Mike had obviously missed large swatches of that conversation, Erin just says I should try and live in the moment, you know? I mean, I always am planning for ten years down the road which is good for, like, big things like careers but not so much for enjoying our childhood. I'm trying not to get so tied up in making the absolute right choice and in just chosing to act to the best of my abilities. You know?

I bet you're in some classes with Mark. She said helpfully, keeping the bubbly emotions to an impressive trickle. Deciding that Mike wasn't going to bring it up, after a moment, Alex thought she should. Better to know now if he was going to be moody or wierd. The date went really nicely. We're going out to the movies on Friday. It was a tenative tendril of a thought.

"I'm so sorry, Jack." Taylor said, looking pained and she reached out to touch his arm gently, "So very sorry. It sounds as if you have the weight of the world on your shoulders." She left her hand in place, fingertips curled around his bicep as she tried to give the question an honest response, "Do I think it's more trouble than worth to me? Often. I know how important what I do is, better than just about anyone could. Do I wish when things are truly hard that I could just pass the mantle on to someone else and hide under my pillow? Sometimes. Its like trying to hold back the ocean with bare hands and a prayer that not even you fully believe in." Taylor kept her gaze steady on his profile. The least she could do was not shield her expression away, even if the topic happened to be a difficult one. She knew that her expressions tended to betray her emotions. There was a reason why almost all of Phantom's face was covered. "Even if I could, I wouldn't be able to go back. I can't unsee what I've seen, or change what I've done. I can't go back and I'll be damned to have sacrificed this much only to give up now. A friend of mine told me, recently, that its about finding a balance. Finding the peace - the normalcy - when and where you can." After a moment's pause, Taylor added with a reluctant smile that dimpled her cheeks, "But, all that said, all I've discovered is I really, really suck at finding it."

"I'm very likely the most likely to resonate with magic here," Phantom said and looked at these people with utter candor, "I've fought with Dark Star before and we function very similarly but he outstrips me in a fight by a good margin. That should give your tactician a reasonable estimate of my skills. Either of us could move the children. He will be better if it comes to a fight, either of us will be just as noticible as they've had a chance to gauge his powers as well." Having comitted to throwing in with this group, Phantom was more than happy to let them work out the details of co-ordinating a group attack. I have enough trouble just keeping myself all in once piece usually.

She fell in next to him easily and smiled, "Neither do I. As I'd like to keep some modicum of dignity, I won't tell you when the last time I wore anything like this was. Suffice to say, I had to do some digging in my closet." Taylor unconciously took the outside. If she'd ever had a fear of heights, they were long since gone. Before she could start to fiddle nervously with the amulet, his commentary on a difficult month distracted her and she looked up with genuine concern, "I'm sorry to hear that. Truly. Anything you'd like to talk about? I've just been busy." The last she said with a downward twist of her mouth. She was currently sitting at six exploded imps and not one bit closer to figuring out why they were thick as flies. Must learn to stun first.