Snowflakes and angels

In which books are picked randomly and an angel wing is cut, and mended.

Larissa enters the library, seeing Lorne and the girl she has seen with him and another, Ethan many times sit and smile at her in the semicirle of chairs and greets both:

"Morning."

The girl she barely knows, but seems sweet nods as she looks out. "Yah...morning." Her heart seems to sink a bit at the sight of the rising sun.

She recalls her name is Brit, and she is asked if she would like to join them. She feels uncomfortable, glancing at the two, then looks at shelves. "I just came to fetch a couple of books"

Brit says to Casey, "I'm Brit. Just fill out the application and i can get you a card." She gives Casey an old library card application.
Casey Chemistry: Thanks...

Larissa returns with some books under her arm. Lorne looks to the books and back "Will you help us?"

Larissa is trying not to look at Lorne, but she is blushing a bit. She turns to Brit "How are you today."

Bridgette pulls her legs up and lets her chin rest on her knees. "I am way good. I cannot sleep so well during day time though." She shrugs slightly and glances to the books that Larissa carries. "Lots to read?"

Larissa Starostin looks at the books, surprised. "Oh, these. Yes." The titles are quite randomly picked.

Bridgette Plunkett 's mossy green eyes read over the titles that she can see. Her mouth moves slightly as she reads. "They have too few pictures for me....I can never read books like that."

"Well, I am glad you are well."

Lorne watches Larissa's expression, swimming in something unexpected, but supressing it as he observes Bridgette watches Larissa sensing something unusual or different. She looks to Lorne and shrugs before opening her book and coloring on a page.

Larissa has hard time not to look at him. She is standing from one leg to another, unable to leave, but not really in the mood for conversation. Finally she turns to the fireplace.

Bridgette traces the crayon where she has draw. Her finger runs over it carefully as she remembers small details and adds them in.

Lorne watches the fire on her face, a small hint of dark amusement on his even expression.

Bridgette loses interest in the book and gazes out of a window. She stares at the warehouse and then up to the sky. With a hint of a sigh, she seems to daydream.

Lorne Harlequin leans a little to catch a better look of her eye, smiling broader at the glow in the back of them, white and ominous, and he turns to Brit, smile dropping.

Larissa Starostin finally looks at Lorne for a short second, and sits on the ground as her legs weaken.

Bridgette Plunkett smiles slightly at her daydream. Her mind envisioning what she knows will never be. She thinks of Ethan in sunshine when he was mortal. She wonders how differently he may have looked. Again, she gazes back toward where he rests and back up to the sky with a slight sigh.

Lorne does not turn as he feels her legs give way, simply watching Brit daydream, strangely strengthenned by Larissa's presence and present condition. His mouth moves, though only a hint of sound comes forth. He turns away from Brit, looking to Larissa "You feel it growing, don't you?"

Larissa looks at him, startled. Then looks down with a sigh. "It hurts."

Bridgette shifts in her chair and becomes obviously disoriented for a moment. With a soft lisp, she whispers, "Many are near."

Lorne Harlequin leans over, reaching out to lift her chin, that he can look in her eyes, tilting her head one way, then another, admiring the fire deep in her eyes. "yes..."

Hearing Brit's words, he releases Larissa, turning, and pausing a moment...slowly, he begins to sing a solumn tune Larissa trembles as he touches her skin. A bit relieved when he releases her, but much calmer. She is rocking back at forth at the sound of the tune.

Bridgette watches the windows cautiously as she feels more and more appear close to the library. Surrounding it. Her attention seems more and more fragmented as more people near. She blinks struggling to focus and seems to not hear or see either Lorne or Larissa at the moment. With the solemn song, she seems to calm.

The demon sings in a language no human tongue can carry, closing his eyes as each unusual syllable quavers across the air. Slowly, the windows seem to frost over, the sound and even the feeling of the outside world all but slipping into silence Bridgette curls up on the chair and watches the wall. She feels herself lulled into the song.

Larissa stares into the fire, searching the random patterns.

Lorne places a hand over Brit's, squeazing it slightly, eyes veiled, then he turns those shadows to Larissa again, looking past her skin, and watching her search the fire.

"...sit closer, my dear. You can help us cut out snowflakes and angels." Turning to Brit, he smiles at her calmed demeanor, and patting her hand. "What kind of paper do you think?"

Bridgette blinks out of her daydream at the touch of her hand. She blinks a few more times to focus and lisps, "Oh....um...I have some paper." She scampers across the library and returns with some old yellowed paper. It has a few spots on it from age and toxians in the air. She lisps, "It will be good for this, I think."

Larissa looks up, confused. Then smiles. She close to them looking at the papers, gently touching them. "Angels and snowflakes then."

Lorne Harlequin picks up a few pieces of paper, holding it out infront of him, his other hand over his mouth. Looking up to Larissa, eyebrows raising, he holds them out to her "Do you think you can make this paper white again?"

Larissa looks at him, surprised. "Do you think I can?"

Bridgette distributes the paper and gets out scissors, string, glue sticks, crayons..

Lorne Harlequin smiles darkly "Not the way it once was, but I know you can manage an approximation...show me" and he holds the paper out again.

Larissa closes her eyes as she sees his reassurance. She remembers the snow of long distant mountains, as she touches the paper, feeling the patterns of it and the memories of the patterns. She traces the paper with the tip of her fingers and if someone really concentrates can see the difference in the hue. She opens her eyes, expecting it to be snow white and sighs in the melancoly of disappointment. But as she sighs, the paper gets definitely whiter, which puts a frown on her face.

Lorne Harlequin smiles a proud smile, something sinister glinting in the back of it, only for a moment, though that fades quickly as he takes the pages from her, looking them over. He speaks with a strange and subdued excitement "Oh, how it grows." Looking up, his tone becomes congratulatory "My dear, you are learning more rapidly than nearly any of the many people I've taught ever have."

Larissa Starostin smiles with a tear her eye. "I pay a high price for it, I feel, Lorne."
She starts to cut the wings of an angel.

Bridgette Plunkett snipsnips away on a snowflake. She watches the paper drop as she continues to make little cuts to ensure her snowflake is very lacy.

Lorne Harlequin smiles back, watching her eyes turn to the paper - watching her hands. "Paid, My dear. Do not fret. I will ensure you reap greater than you sew, and feast." he says with a hungry tone, reaching out to squeaze her hand.

Bridgette Plunkett litters the ground with bits of paper. She cuts little hearts along one side that will bring lines of them down the snowflake when opened. She hears them talking, but is focused on the paper and barely hears what is said. "Ethan never colors," she says. She thinks of Ethan who watches her for hours as she colors though.

Larissa Starostin continues to smile, even if the corner of her mouth quivers a bit. The tear has evaporated.

Larissa Starostin I was looking at the completed snowflake and said "That is beautiful."

Lorne Harlequin pats her hand, little sparks of something like static popping against her skin, as he draws away. Hearing Brit muse, he frowns at the name, equal parts anger and sadness, though the expression fades quickly. He turns to her, the frown fading into a curious smile as he watches her cut. Eyes on her, he picks up a piece of paper, a pair of scissors, and begins folding a piece of paper, clipping out shapes remeniscent of intricate hebrew script

Courtnee Tobias enters the scene: "you there, Lorne?"

Lorne Harlequin looks up from his clipping, smiling momentarily, "Ah, Courtnee. Not seen you in some time." Looks up as he completes a row, turning the paper "How has your stay been this while?"

"It's been quite relaxing" she answers lightly

Bridgette Plunkett gets up to move her glittery snowflake to a make-shift box and returns to see her seat taken. She puffs her cheeks slightly and slides into a different chair.

Courtnee looks around: "This is where you hang out, Lorne?"

Lorne Harlequin furrows his brow at the paper, looking momentarily at the box, then back to his work "Relaxing? Toxia? How curious."

"Haha. I don't fight much so it is relaxing"'

Larissa Starostin looks at the newcomer curiously. Her heart is not raised by the appearance of the pale woman, but she politely smiles at her and nods. "I think we have not yet met. I am Larissa."

Lorne Harlequin looks over at Brit, eyes lingerring, and at Larissa "Yes...Oh, pardon my manners. Courtnee, this is Larissa. Larissa, Courtnee. Brit this is Courtnee. Courtnee, Brit. Courtnee walked up to me in the street one day and said "hello"

Courtnee Tobias: "True story. Nice to meet you two"

Larissa replies without emotions "The pleasure is ours."

Bridgette Plunkett blinks at the vamp and watches her carefully. Brit's look is not menacing or threatening. More...observing. Finally she lisps, "Hello." Then she adds, "Don't bite me."

Larissa continues to cut more angels out of the paper.

Courtnee replies to Brit "I don't bite unless im fighting"

Larissa Starostin smiles at Lorne. " I bite sometimes."

Lorne Harlequin smiles over at Brit, and back to his snowflake, finishing and unfolding it into string of snowflakes, outlined in intricate, lacey, runic writing.

Bridgette says softly, "I don't bite." She goes back to cutting on a snowflake. To Courtnee, she says, "Want to make some paper angels or snowflakes?"

Lorne Harlequin grins at Larissa, then smiles to Brit "Don't worry, dear. At least I won't bite you."

Bridgette Plunkett says to Lorne seriously, "Good." She nods. Her hand brushes back some hair that has escaped from her braid and she continues to cut her snowflake after ooohering over Lorne's.

Larissa Starostin accidentally cuts the wing of her angel at the finish. "Ooops"

Bridgette Plunkett: ooh.....

Lorne Harlequin lets the string drop, and it swishes over to the box, replaced by a fresh page. Pausing while he folds, he looks up to Larissa "...you can fix that." and his eyes flit to Brit a moment

Bridgette Plunkett: i might have some tape...

Larissa Starostin looks at Brit. "Thanks" She puts the tape over the paper, and it blends in, mending the flow.

Courtnee Tobias: snowflakes are pretty

Bridgette Plunkett carefully clips paper. She makes it as lacy as possible and opens it carefully. Her fingers touch the pattern as she observes with the wonder of a child opening a present on Christmas morning.

Lorne Harlequin smiles back to his cutting, eyes catching Courtnee, then looking up to Brit a while. Turning back to Courtnee, he says "That's the idea. Would you like to help?"

Larissa Starostin smiles. And they dance.

Courtnee Tobias: why of course dear Lorne, I'd be delighted

Larissa Starostin raises an eyebrow. "Such a lovely pleasure for all of us"

Lorne Harlequin smiles darkly at the comment, and continues to cut, handing a piece of paper over to Courtnee, and a pair of scissors

Courtnee Tobias thanks Lorne for the scissors and paper and starts thinking of a snowflake design

Bridgette lisps "They dance?" she looks to see

Larissa Starostin looks at Lorne wondering if he can make the snowflakes dance. "They usually do."

Bridgette Plunkett looks to Lorne hopefully. She also notices her chair is empty.

Lorne Harlequin looks up suddenly, smiling, as the snowflakes seems to twirl, though they stand still

Bridgette Plunkett: where did she go?

Bridgette Plunkett immediately loses interest in where Courtnee went as she watches the snowflakes dance. "OOOOH!" She clasps her hands together gleefully!

Larissa Starostin smiles. She like the idea of dancing snowflakes as well as disappearing ladies.

Bridgette Plunkett watches mesmerized as the snowflakes move.

Lorne looks over to the empty chair, blowing out of a circular mouth, then turns back, squinting, and the snowflakes begin dropping flurries of something that sparkles, drifts slowly, and evaporates on Larissa's lap, leaving sounds of sleigh bells

"Such a /delightful/ day. - she stresses the word Courtnee phrased before..."

Bridgette blinkblinks as she watches. Her face shows complete astonishment causing her to completely forget about her task at hand. "Magic," she whispers.

Larissa looks down and laughs as the tickling sensation reaches her.

Lorne grins at the laugh, and nods at the whisper, looking down at an angle in reflection of the feeling, then back up. Looking over to Brit, a bright star appears over her head, and drifts between the two of them. Slowly, softly, there can be heard a quiet chorus, as three camel borne men start riding over Brit's lap, and shepards step across the new snow on Larissa's lap

Bridgette Plunkett 's mouth opens slightly in wonderment. She brings her arms back with her hands near her shoulders and watches the little riders. Almost as if she breaths or touches one, it would disappear. She doesn't blink and eventually reminds herself to breath barely audibly.

Larissa leans back, lifts her hands to the sides, palms upwards as the snowflakes fall.

Bridgette watches. She stays statue still and observes. Her eyes blink slowly as she struggles to understand and process. The little riders move across her lap.

Larissa looks warmly to Lorne, forgetting her bad mood completely.

Lorne grins broadly, watching them, and listenning to the hallowed voices. His smile seems to fade some, his eyes growing distant, as he looks bellow the star between them, a stable laid out in intricate minuature.

Bridgette Plunkett can't resist and holds her hand bridging the raveen for the tiny riders who were struggling to move from one leg to the next. She feels the little hooves of the camels as they ride across her hand. Her breath gasps gleefully as she watches.

Larissa Starostin forgets about her hands in the air as she follows the images take form, as if taken in a moment, not wantind to disturb it even with her breath.

Lorne Harlequin grins, a little misty, as the star's lower tail extends into the stable, the nearest wall seeming to fade, as the sheperds and magi meet up with angels over a humble manger, Mary tired, and Joseph reverently looking on, as the chorus crescendoes, punctuated with the light of the star rising too bright to look at, and the scene is gone.

Bridgette Plunkett squeaks as the star shines and becomes too bright. She holds her hands to her mouth in absolute astonishment.

"Hah. Always a perfectionist, Lorne is." Larissa smiles, amused.

Bridgette Plunkett blinks watching the space where the scene played out. In her mind, her thoughts race. However there is no indication of the religious significance. To her, there is only a scene...as if a doll house has come to life.

Larissa Starostin brushes the memory of snowflakes from her lap.

Bridgette Plunkett blinks slowly and looks around. "Magic?" she asks.

Lorne grins at Brit, nodding "mhm. Did you like it?"

Bridgette gushes, "That was so way awesome!!!!" She nods happily clapping! "How do you do that???"

Larissa Starostin grins "In that I am interested too."