After the Fire: Part 3:
The Next Morning
The Barge
Bray woke up with a start as Lane grabbed her ear. She sat up taking the little girl in her arms, "How'd you get here?" she asked with a smile. Just then Richie walked around the edge of the bookcase.
"I told you it would work." He called back to Methos. Richie had been topside watching Cat and Methos spar and workout. "We decided that you are going to get up early and go with us to see the city, since we *missed* it last time we were here." He said with a devilish grin.
Bray laughed, "Ok. It'll be educational for Lane and I can go shopping." She said as she got out of her bed and began getting dressed.
"Shopping?" Mary asked sleepily from the couch. "I can go for that."
"I can too." Cat said as she came from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her hair. "That and I can use a haircut. It's getting to be a big mess."
"No!" Bray said. "Don't cut your hair, I love it long. Why cut it?"
"Because it's almost to her ankles and she lost our spar because she tripped on her ponytail." Methos said with a grin as he brought a pot of coffee and placed it and some mugs on the table. "If you girls are going shopping, I think Richie and I need to hide our credit cards!"
"Too late. Bray took mine ages ago." Richie said as everyone laughed.
Within the hour, the gang had Lane dressed and everyone was ready to go. They started off at the Eiffel tower where Cat politely declined and went to get her hair cut. Even though she'd been there since her return, she had new memories haunting her, and she didn't want to spoil everyone's fun. Afterwards, they split up and hit the boutiques for shopping.
The three women set out on a shopping mission on the Champs d'elysee while the guys, with baby in tow took off in the other direction.
"So how was the tower trip?" Cat asked running her fingers through her newly short hair.
Mary laughed, "Brays' afraid of heights!"
"Richie kept teasing me about my fear of heights" Bray said. "He kept pulling me towards the railing. It was horrible. So, finally I hit him." she said with a smile.
"It was great! I laughed so hard." Mary giggled. "You'd think someone like Bray could deal with heights."
"You should have heard the stories of Amanda and Duncan's escapade up here." Cat said as she smiled. "They tangoed and talked about jumping."
Bray shivered, "No thanks."
"I wonder how Amanda's doing?" Mary asked as she frowned at the thought of never seeing Duncan again.
Bray smiled, "I haven't seen her since I came back from Ireland the first time."
"She's probably here in Paris somewhere." Cat said. "She always stays in Paris."
"It's her kind of town." Bray added and then she stopped in her tracks, "Look at that dress." she said pointing to a window two stores down from them. "I want to try that on!"
"Richies' going to love that on you." Mary said as they entered the store.
Cat gave her a strange look, "So much that she won't be in it long."
Mary blushed. "What's the big deal. Men are just people the same as we are."
Bray giggled, "No they're animals."
Mary shook her head. Sure these two women were older than she was, but they acted so much younger. Cat looked the age she acted. But Bray, on the other hand, was like two separate people. One minute she was the mother figure taking control and the next she was the single 21 year old causing the trouble. Bray was more than she seemed and she had death to thank for that. Death started her life, made her immortal, gave her Lane, and took Meg. It seemed to haunt her every move.
As Bray and Cat were trying on clothes, Mary looked through the rack by the window when she noticed someone staring at her. He was tall, with mousy brown hair, and emerald eyes. She continued watching him and didn't even realize Bray was talking to her.
"Mary? Earth to Mary?"
"Huh? oh sorry."
"What's wrong?" Cat said as she came out of the dressing room.
"Nothing." she said as she turned around to face the two. "You look great Bray."
"This is the same outfit I had when I came in here. Mary Lindsey, will you pay attention."
"Sorry guys. I'll be back in a minute." she said as she walked out of the store. The guy she had seen moments before was gone. She looked around, and walked into the alley next to the store. There he was smiling. "Can I help you with something?" she asked.
"Your breaking the rules you know. You shouldn't be with them." he said in an American accent.
"I don't know what your talking about." she said.
"I'm Chance Portmore. I'm Brays' new Watcher." he said as he extended his hand to shake hers, purposely showing the Watchers tattoo.
"I'm Mary Lindsey. Currently unassigned."
"I know who you are. But your still not suppose to be with them."
"Look, in case you haven't realized it, there is a war going on, and this is a time for us to be allies with Immortals." she said with a slight attitude.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to insult you. I was just warning you. Look, maybe we could be friends. Bray seems real nice and I've only been assigned to her for a few days. Maybe we could get together and you can fill me in on a few things."
Mary took a deep breath. This guy was getting slightly annoying. "I don't know. I'll have to think about it."
"Well here's the number of where I'm staying and my cell number, call me." he said as he turned to leave. Mary walked into the store to find her friends waiting by the entrance.
"So who was that?" Bray asked as she smiled. "We saw you talking to a *guy*."
"Mary and so and so sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Cat sang. The two Immortals busted out laughing.
"He's a fellow Watcher ok!" she said getting defensive.
Bray turned to Cat and faked sobbing. "Our little Mary is growing up." The two started laughing again.
"Grow up will you." Mary said. "You guys are worse than Megs." She said without thinking. She turned around and walked out of the store and next door to the cafe. Within minutes, Cat and Bray came out and sat down at the table next to her.
"We're sorry." Cat said as she hugged her. "We're just having some fun with you. You need to loosen up."
"You guys know how I feel about dating. I'm not looking for anyone right now. I have more important things to worry about than men." She said as she took a sip of her water.
"Look, why don't we just forget about this and go back to do more shopping. We have a special night planned and I don't know about you two, but I have to have something to wear!" Bray said as she smiled.