FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

~The next chapter in the on going saga! I appreciate all the favs and comments on the last two. I'm glad everybody is enjoying it so far! I'm working intermittently on this story and lately my progress has become increasingly slower. I'm also writing later parts of the story before others so some future chapters are already done! As always, love any feedback!~

Three

The wailing klaxon the alarm clock emitted was not met happily. It received a solid smack on the shut up button and wisely went silent. Darren sat up, stretched, groaned and proceeded to scratch his head. He patted his mussed hair flat and reluctantly slid out of bed into the uncomfortably cool air. The sun was barley peeking over the horizon by the time Darren was dressed and downstairs in the kitchen.

Milk sloshed into a large bowl of cereal which Darren ate with an equally large spoon. The strong, musty smell of black coffee permeated the air. A fresh brewed cup of coffee joined him in his office, placed precisely upon a cork coaster. It would be another fifteen minutes before Darren's hired hands arrived to start the day. He felt more chipper than usual, sipping the coffee with renewed vigor. It was just cool enough to not burn the tongue. Perfect.

He blamed his improvement in mood on yesterday's events in recollection with a smile. The previous day played in his mind, exaggerating the good parts while downplaying the negatives, as memory is oft to do. He hadn't almost hit her. The car had been a mile away.

When the door into his office opened he almost didn't hear it, so lost in his wonderful daydream. His two foreman sat in their usual chairs and the three of them settled into the back and forth banter of business. The pair exchanged several questioning looks at Darren's unexpected enthusiasm throughout their discussion. Both of them had been working with and for Darren for over ten years. They knew he was only this chipper when something good had or was going to happen. He just wanted to get everything done well in advanced of the afternoon. There were some modifications he had thought up while smoking the previous evening to make to his car. Now he just needed to get everything done early to ensure he could get out and, hopefully, encounter Reza again.

It was really all he had to look forward to. Unfortunately, the day dragged on like most days tend to do when you want them to hurry up and be over with. Thank god it was Friday.

As soon as he sat in the car, eight hours later, he couldn't stop thinking of what he was going to say. What was compelling him to try and meet her again was there, but he just couldn't reach it. Two sides of him were at war. One said these feelings and dreams were wrong, sinful even. The other said there was no wrong, to do what made him happy. What each was telling him were several orders of magnitude in difference. The attraction he felt, the desire that burned in him was as alien as she was. Oh, he'd felt them before, for others, but like everything else in his life, bad things happened to them.

What would his mother think? He couldn't help but laugh out loud. All she had wanted was a nice, strong willed and pretty girl for him. And several grandchildren. That was a glaring impossibility with Reza. The naysayer in him screamed in horror that the thought had even crossed his mind. He would have to be around her more before he could decide if she fit at least two of the other three.

A pretty girl, well, she had an alien beauty to her. Unfortunately her rack was smaller than his but, she did have a very nice ass to make up, despite the large, protruding body part. The tail was certainly different but there was an elegance to the way it flowed with her ever step. Maybe he could justify not being weirded out by it. Humans had their coccyx, leftovers from millions of years of evolution. Perhaps part of his genes remembered having one. He shook his head, speeding between the rows of corn, trying to escape the train of thought.

What the fuck was wrong with him?

It seemed wrong to be thinking about her as a potential candidate. She wasn't Human, he should feel no desire for her, no interest. What would people think if they saw them strolling down the sidewalk, hand in hand, or even kissing in public? How would that even work? He could convince himself that all the arguments were valid and firmly based in reality. However, nothing about his emotions felt wrong.

That was why he hadn't already turned around, why he was still driving to where they met, spectacularly, the day before. He set all the reasons against aside. He knew that they would come up again in the future. Hopefully he could find somebody to confide in. Instead, his attention shifted gears, back to just how he was going to word his proposition.

From now on, everything was untrod territory. Not even a vague indication of which direction to move forward in. He wondered if she would be offended if he asked her out to dinner; was the proper method to bow and present a strange creature as an offering of his affection? They hadn't started fighting upon their first encounter; maybe they weren't terribly different after all. There had to be common ground somewhere and, hopefully, it was on the perceived meaning of inviting her out to dinner.

The road began to twist and turn in a familiar pattern and he knew only a few more remained. When the destroyed patch of corn field came into view his heart sank. Reza wasn't there. The cornstalks still looked as pitiful as the day before, covered with a light layer of dust. He pulled into the impromptu layby and killed the engine. Without the harsh thrum of the engine it was deathly silent, his own nervous breathing was all he could hear. It was times like this that he wished he hadn't ditched the stereo and speakers in the name of weight reduction. He checked his watch but he really had no idea the time they had run into each other the day before. Judging by the pink hued clouds he should be close, give or take an hour. Sitting amongst the wreckage, for an hour, like an idiot, without seeing her, did not sound enticing.

Cool air encircled him as he climbed out of the car, leaning back against the freshly closed door. No longer enclosed in glass and metal, he could hear the rustle of leaves and the day's last remaining birdsong. Someday, he wondered if he would give up this life, sell the farm and move out of the country. He promised his father he would keep fighting, keep the farm in the family, but he was slowly losing the will to continue.

There were close relatives that had expressed interest in the farm, perhaps they could take over, instead of selling the land. In truth, he didn't want to wash his hands of the responsibility but he had never truly wanted it in the first place. His heart wasn't in cultivating the land and talking the business of buying and selling seed. It was in the road, enclosed between steel tube and aluminum sheet.

A shattered cornstalk lay at his feet and he picked it up, peeling off strands from a ravaged end. He cast a sidelong glance at his car. His real dream was to resurrect his former racing career that had so suddenly ended. When he thought about why his career ended the dream returned to dormancy, as it always did. He cast the cornstalk across the road, landing amongst living brethren and began to till the soil with his foot.

Darren sighed, rubbing his forehead to soothe his brain. Most of the time life made sense to him but so suddenly that was not the case. It could be a good thing. His life had been lacking excitement and wonder for far too long. Feeling nervous and excitement together, again, was wonderful. Mystery was an important spice of life and he was enjoying, somewhat reluctantly, the flavor again.

Disappointment was something he feared almost as much as death.

A new sound penetrated the ambiance, rescuing him from his internal monologue. The crunch of gravel under swiftly moving feet, joined by strained exhalation. It was close and quickly growing nearer. Secretly, he was relieved when the familiar Naerian came around the corner, but resisted any external indicator. A different kind of adrenaline flood his veins. He was almost shaking he was so nervous. She instantly recognized him and approached at a jog.

"Hello." Reza breathed in response to Darren's awkward wave. Her attire was essentially the same, save for a different, green shirt. "What are you doing out here?" Was her next question, one she assumed she already knew the answer to.

"Oh, I was just in the neighborhood and thought I would pull over and enjoy the fresh air." Her confused look threw him off balance, obviously she didn't know the joke. "Just a humorous figure of speech." Reza smiled and stretched her hands into the sky, her shirt going with and revealing her midriff. Darren caught himself being instantly drawn downward and noted how her scales appeared even more sleek and supple. His inner caveman craved to touch them.

"So, Darren, have any plans for this evening?" Darren's eyes snapped to hers. Was she asking him out on a date? More importantly, had she caught him staring? This girl was turning all his learned conventions onto their head, then throwing them into a deep, dark well and sealing it shut.

He leaned back against his car nonchalantly.

"Actually, I do," he almost felt bad when her expression turned to that of disappointment, almost. However, playing games was something he very much enjoyed, "I was planning on asking you the same question." The transition from sad to ecstatic was instantaneous, she was practically bouncing on her odd, digitigrade feet. He certainly hadn't expected her to be so excited; then again he hadn't been expecting her to proposition him either. Darren was all sorts of turned around.

"I'm glad we think so alike. I enjoyed yesterday. After the excitement wore off." Embarrassment crept into his cheeks. She stepped to his left and mimicked Darren's posture. "Going to tell me about these plans of yours?" He thought he'd dodged a bullet when she asked him what he was doing. His mind raced, trying to think of what kind of food or activity might interest her. Nothing came to mind and he didn't want to sound like an idiot, blurting something random. He did the only thing he could think of. "You first."

He wanted to slap himself. Reza chuckled.

"Alright. I thought about seeing if you wanted to get some food." Darren nodded.

"That was the same thing I was going to suggest." Darren motioned for her to get into the car. He caught her pained expression and smiled. "You will be pleased to know that I swapped the passenger seat for a larger one. You should be more comfortable now." He opened his door and slid into the bucket seat and started the car. It gurgled to life, awaiting Darren's next command. Reza folded her body to fit into the car, sinking easily between the new seat's bolsters. She was pleasantly surprised to find that the center of the seat bottom had been carved out for her tail. The concave excavation could stand to be a little deeper, but the seat was far more comfortable than previously.

"I hope you didn't spend too much time reconfiguring this seat just for me." Darren waved it off with a smile. "It took no time at all. Better comfort and a lot more safe than not buckling in."

Darren helped her with the harness, treading lightly with the buckle to make sure he didn't do, or touch, anything inappropriate. He tightened the straps until they were snug and put the car in gear. A cloud of dust chased after them as he pulled onto the dirt road. "I assume you would like to stop by your place and change?" Reza nodded and they sat in silence for the rest of the drive to the Institute's dormitory. She seemed content and he couldn't think of anything worthwhile to talk about.

Darren found a parking space and backed in. The car was perfectly in between the two white lines. He was ready to sit and wait in the car but Reza insisted that he join her.

When the pair walked into her apartment Darren was surprised to find that it was so, mundane. He had been expecting strange alien furnishings or exotic colors. There was nothing he wouldn't expect to find in any normal, Human dwelling. It was, however, distinctly cooler inside than out in the hallway. It felt like the heat wasn't even on. Reza walked ahead into the small kitchen and reached for a cupboard. "Would you like something to drink while you wait?"

"Water is fine, thank you." She smiled sweetly and retrieved a glass. The water gurgled into the glass from a pitcher, sourced from the refrigerator. Her tail danced side to side as she served him the drink, swaying with the rhythm of a pendulum behind her as she disappeared into another room. Not content to stand idle Darren walked around the living room, sipping from his glass periodically. There was not a wide variety of things to peruse but, one particular object stood out.

In the corner of the room was a small half round table with the bust of a Naerian. A small spotlight sat on a long boom, aimed down, casting shadows across the facial features. It appeared to be realistically sized. The snout was shorter than Reza's and more square. Two horns protruded from the top of the skull, curving gracefully all the way around and to the side of the head. They curled into themselves but did not touch. It reminded him of hermit crabs shell if it was partially unwound. The jaws looked powerful compared to Reza's and the shoulders larger. Darren figured it must have been somebody important, maybe a historical figure or relative and obviously male, even to his untrained eye.

He didn't want to offend Reza but was curious what it was made out of and carefully touched it. It made him feel like a child in a museum; touching an exhibit surrounded by 'do not touch' signs. The surface was cold and metallic. It was too dark to be bronze and felt soft enough to be malleable to the touch. Black filled the cracks between each meticulously placed scale. Upon closer inspection he could see small imperfections and blunders in the metal. Nothing other than living hands could have crafted the bust. Miniscule details made the eyes look almost alive. He could feel emotion coming from the statue's expression. Every detail was scrutinized and Darren could find nothing left out. There was certainly no expense spared in its creation.

While he turned his head this way and that a glint caught his eye. He moved closer to examine the source and found two thick, metallic bands at the base of the horns. The color was completely unlike the rest of the statue. They did not look like they were made as part of the bust. He gently touched one and found it to be surprisingly warm; most likely from the radiated heat of the lamp he supposed. The metal's color was a brilliant mix of red and orange that appeared to swirl as the viewing angle shifted. It had a lustrous sheen, giving it a freshly buffed look. His finger had left a smudge and Darren quickly used his shirt to buff it out. He realized that he hadn't seen a speck of dust anywhere on the bust.

Reza must constantly clean and polish it.

Darren finished off the rest of his water in one large gulp and made a mental note to compliment Reza on the piece.

He turned and froze. Reza was leaning weakly against the couch, using it as a support, staring through him meekly. He feared he'd committed some sort of sacrilege. Darren stepped away from the statue and she appeared relieved as soon as she could see it again, intact. He felt like he had ruined the evening before it even got started.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know it was off limits." He moved to the nearby coffee table and set down his glass. "If you want me to leave-"

"No, please, stay." She glanced at the statue and back to Darren. "You did nothing wrong. He is just, was, very important to me."

"I'm very sorry. Accept my condolence. I was only going to comment on how beautiful it is."

"Thank you, Darren." She continued after a long sigh. "This night is not about reliving memories but for enjoying new ones." Her eyes wandered to the illuminated bust. "Someday I will tell you about who he was, but, for now, let's go." She opened the front door and waited for Darren to follow her lead. He was curious who the bust was of and thought it might be her father. She locked the door after them and Darren was frantically trying to think of something to brighten their moods.

He didn't know what kind of Human cuisine she might enjoy but a small, hole-in-the-wall restaurant seemed more appropriate than an upper class joint. He was only wearing jeans, a long sleeved shirt and a jacket. Reza wasn't much better in a shirt clearly designed with a female Human in mind, adjusted to fit her and pants made of a synthetic fiber that fit in a rather pleasing to the eye kind of way. Some place casual was definitely in their future. That was when it hit him.

"Ever had Thai food before?" Darren asked as they crossed the parking lot beneath a chilly, clear sky. Reza thought for a moment. "Not yet. Tell me about it."

"Well, if you like spicy flavors, noodles, meat and leafy vegetables I think you'll like it." Darren hoped it sounded appetizing, he really had no other ideas.

"Foods that tingle the tongue are fun and I'm open to new experiences. I know what I can and cannot eat, so you don't have to worry about poisoning me." Darren wasn't sure if it was bad that he laughed at her remark. She made no indication.

They arrived at his car, quickly climbed in and he cranked the heater. She laughed as he vigorously rubbed his hands together. "Cold, Darren?" He smiled and blew into his hands before slotting the leather shift knob into first with a solid clunk.

"Only a little bit. The cold doesn't bother you?" Reza shrugged.

"We evolved in cooler climes so this doesn't bother me. In reality, the temperature you consider pleasant is slightly too warm for my tastes." Darren sheepishly turned down the heater from full blast. Reza chuckled and leaned her head against the headrest, nearly scrapping the roof.

He pulled onto the highway and headed for town. The headlights of the car scything through the dark, illuminating the way. Fifteen minutes later the twinkling lights from the town came into view over the crest of the large hill that lead down to civilization. It wasn't small, by any means, but the town was very quaint. The kind of town where everybody knew your name if you were a local. Reza was drinking in the sights like a dehydrated man who just found an oasis.

"You act like you haven't been here before." Darren said playfully. Reza looked at him, ashamed and he couldn't help but laugh. "Really, you haven't been into town before?"

"I have been here once before but not at night. I've just never had any reason to come out here again." She watched the Humans going about their business as they passed, going down the main road through town.

"Look at it from my perspective. If you were on my planet, walking around a city where you were the only Human, and everybody stared at you. Their stares mostly curious but some malicious. Some of the locals meet you with disdain while others merely tolerate you. Not necessarily an experience you would seek out, would you?" Darren looked out his window and nodded. "I never really thought about it like that."

"Even at the Institute, a place of higher learning, educated people act like bigots. It is frustrating having to deal with it on a daily basis. I suppose I could try and improve relations by venturing into town, until I'm as common a sight as a passing car. That would be the proper ambassadorial thing to do but, I'm not a masochist."

"I don't blame you. I wonder how long I would last before going crazy around your people." Darren replied off-hand. Reza looked at Darren for a moment, trying to gauge his expression, before looking back to the town. "I think you would be just fine. After the culture and future shock wore off."

"Future shock?" Reza laughed and shot him a quizzical look. "Have you ever been in space, experienced zero gravity, seen your own planet from thousands of miles away or traveled on a starship? Living in a fundamentally different civilization is not as easy as one might think.

"You may understand the concepts but experiencing them is vastly different. Imagine living during your Medieval period and suddenly finding yourself transplanted into today's world." Darren tried to look at the things he was doing through the eyes of an ancient knight, riding into battle inside a metal stallion. "Coming to Earth, no offense, was like going back in time thousands of years."

"Going to your home sounds like a trip to the promise land." Reza heard a hint of sarcasm in his tone. Had she offended him? She supposed that it had been crass to make it sound like coming to Earth was like going back to the Stone Age.

"I never said it was perfect, just, very different. I enjoy Earth, it has just required varying degrees of adjustment and lots of patience." Darren slowed, signaled and parallel parked against the curb. The restaurant was right next to them and Reza looked up at the large, bright yellow sign.

"Thai Tom?" She asked curiously.

"Yup, this is the place." Reza unbuckled herself after a moments struggle and climbed out of the car. Darren arrived at her side and she commented on how small it looked. The place was sandwiched between to other shops and was only about twelve feet wide. Darren opened the door for her and she stepped inside, greeted by oppressive heat and powerful, sweet scents. She could do without the temperature but the smells were wonderfully intoxicating, her head swam with them.

A bar style counter surrounded a stove spitting flames at the ceiling, worked by a small, brown skinned man. Reza was always surprised how heterogeneous Humans were. Naerians varied in size, scale color and manner but there were not nearly as many, vastly different, cultures. The biggest cultural difference for her species, besides the artificially engineered genetic split, was accent and lifestyle. An equally small, brown skinned female stood, glaring at her behind a primitive register, clutching two menus engraved into wood protectively to her bosom. The woman's stare shifted to Darren and visible softened. It was abundantly clear the lady didn't care for Reza's patronage.

Darren motioned to an empty stool at the bar and she sat. He slid onto the seat next to her and the taut faced woman approached the pair. She spoke quickly and English was clearly not her first language. "Aah, Mr. Farmer, welcome back. I see you have brought guest." She visibly paused before 'guest.' Maintaining her focus solely on Darren.

"You know I can't go without your delicious food for very long, Mrs. Lee. " Reza noticed how her mood was improving, he was trying to flatter her, maneuvering her focus from Reza. She smiled imperceptibly. What a clever male.

"It has almost been week! You look skinnier than last visit." Mrs. Lee scolded, waving her finger at him. Darren put up his hands in defense.

"I promise, I'll come twice this week to make up for it. I've just been busy with work." The woman seemed placated by the excuse. She reached under the counter and came up with a glass filled with ice and a light brown liquid. In her other hand was a carton of some sort of cream. She poured the contents of the carton into the glass and stirred the mixture with a long spoon before sliding it to Darren. Reza thought he looked very content after only one sip.

He looked at her, noted her interest and slid the glass in front of her. She looked at him and back at the glass. A fat, lime green straw stuck out of the murky concoction. Reza utilized the straw and carefully sampled the drink after a hesitant sniff. It was sweet, pungent and delicious; before she knew it the glass was half empty and Darren was staring at her, extremely amused. "Sorry, it's very good." She stuttered in embarrassment and returned the drink. Darren asked Mrs. Lee to make one for Reza.

She did so, reluctantly.

The Asian woman walked towards the back of the restaurant and Darren excused himself. He walked to the back and acquired her attention. "Mrs. Lee," he started in a low voice, "can you please try being nicer to my guest?" Her face scrunched into a scowl. "It's very important for our business relationship. If this meal goes well, I could afford to come here three times a week." She eyed him suspiciously.

"Three times you say, why your guest so special? How you know they can be trusted?" Darren had the odd feeling that she was trying to be motherly to him.

"Please?" He grovelled, eyes pleading. She sighed loudly and leaned against the counter. "Fine, but you'd better get good deal. Three times a week and we be rich!" She chortled and Darren returned to a suspicious dinner partner. Mrs. Lee shuffled up, before he could defend himself, and blurted, 'here,' placed a fresh glass of Thai Tea in front of Reza, a sprig of mint leaning over the lip of the glass, and retreated. Reza eyed the drink and then Darren. "Did you threaten the little Human woman?" Darren blinked in surprise before chuckling.

"No, no, I didn't threaten bodily harm. I swear." He leaned towards her, cupping his hand next to his mouth. She lowered her head to hear what he whispered. "I told her that you were an important business partner and that if she treated you well, I had a better chance of closing a big deal. Plus, I told her I would come here to eat three times a week." Reza snickered and whispered back.

"What were the terms of the deal? I hope it's something I can fulfill on my end." Her cool breath caressed his ear and he involuntarily blushed. This was a very flirtatious female. The smirk she wore told him all he needed to know. Darren wondered if her entire species was this openly amorous.

"I'm sure we can come to an agreement once we start hashing out the terms." Reza sipped her drink without reply.

They ordered their food and chatted. Flames erupting from the gas stove whenever Mr. Lee spooned a new oil into the well worn woks. Despite the flames being almost unbearable from their position, a few feet away, Mr. Lee wasn't even breaking a sweat and he was directly behind them. On the rare occasion that he spoke, it was in his native language and to one of his children that hustled about, preparing the raw ingredients.

Their little restaurant had been in town for six years and Darren had been coming since the first week. The food was always of high quality for the price point and he had established a good rapport with Mrs. Lee. Mr. Lee even attempted to talk with him in broken English on occasion; something he had never seen him do with another customer.

Their plates arrived in front of them shortly and they both examined the dishes with ravenous eyes. Darren had ordered the Swimming Rama; noodles and chicken piled on a bed of broad leaf spinach, drowning in thick, homemade peanut sauce. Level three spicy out of five. Upon Darren's recommendation Reza had ordered the same thing with extra chicken, substituting the thin noodles it normally came with for the thick rice noodles that slithered down your throat on the way to the stomach. She had sampled the level four spice and decided level five would be more appropriate for her palette. He had tried to talk her out of it but she insisted. Your funeral, he said.

She certainly hoped it wouldn't kill her!

Reza asked Darren to teach her how to use the two sticks he called chopsticks, but it proved too difficult for her four-fingered hand. They were more like twigs to her. The fork proved just as useful. After a careful taste test, which proved to be scrumptious, she devoured the food. At one point both of the Lee's had stopped to witness. The spiciness didn't seem to bother her at all but Darren was taking a drink with every bite. When she was almost done she slowed, savoring the bouquet of flavors as originally intended.

By the time Darren had finished there were three empty glasses surrounding his oblong plate. Reza sighed, content, not the least bit bothered by the copious amount of hot peppers that had been mixed in the sauce. Mrs. Lee was wide eyed, expecting cries for mercy from the heat where none existed, and Mr. Lee actually spoke to Reza. "Sauce not hot?" Reza looked at him like it was a strange question.

"It was delicious. The spice was perfect." She cooed, sipping her tea. The Lee's argued heatedly in their own language. They carried on for a couple of minutes and both turned to Darren, looking none too upset. "You bring this one back again. We make new super spicy recipe." Mrs. Lee made it sound like there was no choice in the matter. They both agreed and Mrs. Lee removed their empty plates. While she was gone Reza whispered nervously to Darren, "Are they angry with me?"

"No, I think you just set them out on a quest to create something that will make you beg for mercy. The food wasn't spicy at all?" Reza gave a Human shrug.

"My mouth tingles a little. The food was excellent. There were some flavors I've never tasted before." Darren shook his head and leaned back from the bar. "You have a much stronger will than I. I tried level four one time and cried like a baby, it was so hot." Reza's grin sent a chill up his spine. "You? No." He rolled his eyes. By then Mrs. Lee had returned and Darren reached for his wallet.

"You no pay tonight, Mr. Farmer. No one has challenged husband's spice in long time. One condition! You bring this one back again, soon." Darren looked at all three of them and shrugged helplessly, he couldn't deny her request after a free meal.

"You've got a deal, Mrs. Lee. Thank you for dinner." Reza stood and walked to the door. Mrs. Lee called for Darren just as he stood. She beckoned him to lean closer and whispered to him. "I hope you not get cheated on deal, this is a very strong one. We like taking your money. Good luck." Darren smiled awkwardly as he retreated to the exit, following Reza out into the soothing cold.

"What did she say to you back there?" Reza asked, folding into the passenger seat as Darren held the door. He walked around and climbed into his respective seat. "She told me to make sure you didn't cheat on our deal and take me for everything I'm worth." She smirked as she buckled herself in, a predatory glint in her eye. "I'm too honest to cheat but, you still might get taken."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Darren asked as he started the car. Reza took advantage of the arm rest, chin resting in her palm. "I don't know, Mr. Farmer, you just 'work' on the farm so you can't be worth that much." He froze and looked at her, forgetting he hadn't told her who he was last time.

"I still work on the farm. It just so happens that I own it and that, maybe, I left that little detail out." Reza laughed easily and leaned into the seat. "Ellie will be jealous after she hears about this."

"Who is Ellie?"

"A friend of mine. She saw me get out of the car with you yesterday and was rather jealous. She thought you were too handsome to be wasted on the likes of me." Darren scoffed at the compliment. "Don't worry, I'm not going to start any rumors about you being a womanizer."

"I am not! Shit, you're the first female I've been on a date with in," he paused to think, "two years." He wasn't happy about the figure but it was the embarrassing truth. In honesty, he hadn't felt capable of a meaningful relationship, up to and including now. Too many bad things happening in too short a time.

"So, this is a date then?" Reza asked in amusement. Darren had backed himself into a corner and sighed. "You win, Reza, we're on a date."

She smiled happily and said nothing more. Darren pulled out of the parking spot and did an illegal u-turn in the middle of the street, tires squealing in protest at the gratuitous use of throttle. He was giddy from the sudden burst of g-forces. Reza didn't seem phased at all. She certainly seemed to enjoy sudden acceleration almost as much as he did.

He had no other ideas on what to do after the stunt and it was only eight o'clock. The drive back to the Institute was quiet, despite that, Darren enjoyed it. It was nice to have another person in the car for company, even if they weren't talking. They both were lost in their thoughts, about the day before, about tonight and even tomorrow. Reza was already scheming what she was going to do to surprise Darren. Darren was thinking about projects to occupy his copious free time to keep from going stir-crazy.

They arrived at the dormitory and Darren pulled up to the curb. Reza unbuckled herself and smiled sweetly at Darren; he couldn't help the big smile that split his face. "Have a good night, Darren." He moved to unbuckle himself to walk her to her door but she shook her head. "Don't worry about it, I can manage."

Darren wanted to protest, to be the gentleman his father had drilled him to be. "You as well, sleep well." She climbed out of the car, turned around and looked back in. A sense of Déjà vu overcame Darren and he almost missed her cryptic comment. "I'll see you again, very soon." The door closed on his question and she was already walking away. Her tail swayed hypnotically. The way she walked made it impossible not to follow her until she was out of sight. More questions flooded his weary conscious as he pulled away and headed home.

He could sort them out over a good cigar and celebrate his first date in two years. Perhaps he could live with her not being Human after all. The voice of the naysayer was growing quieter. He shrugged to himself. Time would tell.