Stupid horrid, vile weeds. OPEN

[©erridwen Corrigan]

"Stupid weeds, stupid, horrid, vile, weeds" said a voice that could be heard over the soft flow of the water. The indoor gardens, where students like to walk, play games, and make Cerridwen's job even harder. It once may have been a beautiful place, with a quaint pond filled with fish, thriving flowers, and lovely wooden furniture to sit upon and think or do homework. Now the garden was over run with weeds, there were no fish, and the furniture trashed, probably by students.

"Why hasn't anyone ever fixed this before. Ugh!" Cerridwen muttered to herself as she pulled at yet more weeds. The gardens inside were over run with them. This was simply ridiculous. When agreeing to come here, she didn't think she'd have to replant, and restore all of the gardens. Who had been maintaining them before she got there? Whoever it was, she would write a very long letter to, bitching about how they did not do their job, and how they needed to get far, far away from the school, because Cerridwen was ready to kill.

Muttering to herself, Cerridwen sat up straight, and wiped her dirty, blackened hands on her apron and blew out a frustrated sigh, and in doing so, blew a stray strand of black hair out of her face. All morning she had been in the indoor garden, pulling weeds, trying to release the poor strangled flowers from their prison, and yet to no avail was the garden looking any better.

Getting up from her knees, Cerridwen looked around and sighed. This was going to be a longer project then she had anticipated. Walking over to the pond she realized she would have to ask a fae with the element water or some sort like that to clean the pond, she would have to order more fish. Unless...

A Koi pond. How cute would that be? A zen. She could take all of this, and turn it into a zen garden. Plus it might provide a relaxing, stable, environment that will really help the kids. She was such a smart cookie. It was decided, instead of reverting all of this mess back to a garden inside, she would try something new, something different and go with a zen. Maybe the kids won't be so compelled to trash it...or so she could hope.

[Dr. Chase Redwicke]

Chase was oblivious to Cerridwen's mutterings. All he saw was a crazy fae woman ripping out his holistic herbs.

"Whoa, wait wait wait!" He cried frantically, hurrying his pace across the gardens. Although Chase was a practitioner of modern medicine, as of late he'd been dipping his toes into herbal remedies. After all, his grandmother swore she lived as long as she did because of her little garden of secret spices. Chase thoroughly suspected some of her little plants were illegal, but he loved the woman too much to remind her that cannabis was slightly illicit in Australia.

The young Australian half-fae had always felt a strong connection to nature, even if he possessed no real fae aspect. Perhaps that was what influenced his decision to study the healing elements of natural remedies versus the widely accepted chemicals doctors were prescribing all over the country.

"Sorry, I should have put a sign or something, but no one seemed to be maintaining this area so I thought it would be safe to plant my own..." A lilting accent accompanied his hurried words, but as he drew closer, his brows pinched in confusion.

"Don't I... don't I know you?" He had a feeling that if he didn't, he should. He swallowed.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen was quite proud of her idea, so proud in fact that she started getting lost in her own little world, a world of plants and tranquility. That is of course until a ma started screaming at her and she dropped whatever weeds she had, had in her hands and turned to look at him.

Was he talking to her? She hadn't done anything wrong, simply her job. Why was he looking so frantic?

Blinking confused for a minute, Cerridwen just stared, her large emerald eyes focusing on him, his every move, his words were tumbling out of his mouth, but it was rather hard for Cerridwen to make out words. He seemed so familiar...he reminded her of someone...someone she didn't want to see. Someone she certainly didn't want to be reminded of.

Eryk.

No. No, this wasn't happening. Blinking again, more rapidly this time, Cerridwen turned away dropping the weeds ready to flee. She was going mad. She had been doing so well too, Maelee had been doing good, and Cerridwen had been doing good, months had past and they had been doing so well, and now this starts up?

Ridiculous. Turning to look back at him, Cerridwen paused narrowing her eyes for a minute. Relax...it's not him. He doesn't even look like him, not to much, you're being utterly ridiculous... and with those words in mind Cerridwen shrugged helplessly.

"This is my garden, these grounds, I'm grounds keeper really, and you shouldn't be planting things here without permission, it's quite against the rules, and you might want to remember that next time before you destroy something what once use to be so beautiful." Cerridwen murmured thinking he was the one who destroyed the gardens. He said he was growing herbs but they looked like weeds to her, she'd never seen these type of herbs though so maybe that's why she couldn't differentiate. Sure she was quite talented in what she did, but she loved flowers, lovely, beautiful flowers, plants, well plants were another story.

"Don't I... don't I know you?"

"I...I don't think so? I don't believe we've met." Cerridwen cleared her throat softly and wiped her palm on her apron before extending her hand. "I'm Cerridwen, grounds keeper, and tutor" She nodded offering up a small weak smile.

There was something about him that spooked her but what? For a minute it had been the resemblance, but that had been just a little freak out, no one said she had been totally over Eryk yet, but what was it that was still there...did she know him? And by chance she did...where from?

[Dr. Chase Redwicke]

It still puzzled him, where he must have seen her before. Chase usually prided himself for knowing right away, and seeing as how Cerridwen didn't seem to recognize him, he was about to pry into her head to see if he could figure it out when she introduced herself.

Cerridwen... the name felt like it should ring some bells, but he was drawing a blank. Groundskeeper and tutor... Chase never really attended staff meetings unless he was summoned to attend, so he figured he must have known Cerridwen from her position, and just forgotten who she was. She wasn't a patient of his though. If she had been, he would have remembered.

He shook her hand and introduced himself, as it only seemed appropriate.

"Chase Redwicke, doctor and all-around nice guy," He only had one job, so he figured he'd add a little something else to his self-proclaimed title. He returned her small smile with a larger, more social one from his side. Now that he'd stopped worrying about his poor herbs, he could take the time to notice Cerridwen was absolutely gorgeous.

Chase liked absolutely gorgeous.

"So... how long have you been here, at the Academy?" The young doctor asked, wondering if perhaps he'd gone to school with her too, further explaining his vague recognition.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen listened to this guy introduce herself, and couldn't help but roll her eyes at All around nice guy. Oh yes. Nice men ran screaming at her to get away from their herbs which they hadn't labeled. Being polite though, Cerridwen nodded in acknowledgment. Alright. Well maybe he wasn't to bad. He was cute. She'd give him that. Cute. Nothing else. Nor would she verbalize this.

Cerridwen looked him over once more, before going back to her work. "You really should label these if you're going to plant here. And with that being said, you should also plant these elsewhere. Somewhere, where the children won't get into them." Cerridwen chided as she tried to fix whatever she had pulled out from the particular section she had worked on.

When he asked her though, how long she had been at the academy, Cerridwen had to stop to think about this. How long HAD she been here?

"A few years I suppose. I was a student here not to long ago, I only began working for them maybe six months ago." Cerridwen informed looking at the weeds she had torn up. There was no use fixing them. They were long gone.

Standing Cerridwen shrugged. "Please be more careful where you plant your...herb's." Cerridwen asked a bit agitated. She didn't like people touching the earth, especially HER earth.

[Dr. Chase Redwicke]

He nodded solemnly at her admonishments, accepting her chastising with good humour, "I've met most of the students here, and the majority wouldn't know the difference between these and regular old weeds," He gave her a pointed look, "Even if they did know what it was, there isn't much they could do with them other than make a salve for a burn wound." If Cerridwen was worried about students smoking up, she needn't be, although he could understand where she was coming from. Still, it didn't stop him from joking around.

When Cerridwen informed him that she'd been a student here six months ago, his eyes lit up. Maybe that's how he recognized her! She might have been one of the students he didn't see on a regular basis. Seeing as how Cerridwen made no opening for him to reciprocate the information, he made one himself. "I've been with the Academy since day one of my education. I worked here right after. It's been... two, almost three years? Wow," He hadn't really thought about it before. He nodded, as though confirming this number to himself.

As Cerridwen stood up, Chase moved back automatically, politely giving her room to do so. She seemed aggravated. He frowned, determined to put her in a better mood than when he left her. He hated to cause anyone distress, especially beautiful faerie women.

"I will be," He promised, "Is there another area you could recommend I use? Some place that wouldn't get in your way?" A hand gestured to the rest of the grounds, which were equally as untamed as his former herb garden had been.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen managed a smile. An actual, legit smile when he suggested that students would do something with the weeds other than to treat burns. "Funny Mr. Redwicke...very funny" She said though in all honesty it was. At least to her. Looking at the plants now, Cerridwen took a closer look and examined them. She picked up one weed that she had ripped out and turned her face up to him now with a sheepish look. "I have no problem helping you plant these again...I did after all rip them up. I am terribly sorry" Cerridwen apologized feeling somewhat embarrassed now. If she had been in Chase's shoes, she would have been livid. People tearing up HER flowers? That was unheard of. Students weren't that dumb.

Her attention was brought back from her thoughts when he mentioned having been with the school for two, almost three years. My word...that was a long time. She hadn't even been here that long. She had been a student here not just two years ago. My word. Time some how found it's ability to fly when one didn't even realize it.

"I don't remember seeing you...interestingly enough." Cerridwen shrugged off offhandedly throwing that little tidbit out there. "Though you may or may not have heard of my sister...she also went to the academy...err not to long ago I suppose..Minerva Corrigan." Cerridwen offered though she didn't think he would know of her.

Honestly? Not many gifted knew of the going-on's in the fae society. Not that she had any problems with that. She wasn't particularly fond of people knowing the fae race wasn't as perfect, flawless, and clean as they appeared to be. Oh certainly they had their quirks. Oh, very much so.

Cerridwen felt in a much better mood. Something about children and plants mixed together...even if it wasn't exactly in the most moral way lifted her spirits. Maybe it was just something about doctors she found appealing...naw. It was the plants and children. Surely.

Cerridwen shook her head. "No, no right here is fine. I can certainly work around your weeds, and I"m sure we can work together and come up with some compromise" Cerridwen nodded. "Plus you WERE here first after all..I can help you replant them? I'm sure we can have them done within the hour?" Cerridwen offered again taking a step closer to him now, not feeling so hostile. She let her eyes look him over taking in all of his sharp features, from his sexy hair, to the slight stubble forming around his chin. Interesting...very, interesting.

[Dr. Chase Redwicke]

Chase thrilled to her apology, not because he wanted her to apologize, but simply because she didn't have to, and it clearly wasn't something she did often. He always had a weakness for girls who thought highly of themselves; after all, if they didn't, why should he? Cerridwen was clearly a classy, sophisticated woman, and he loved that.

"Oh, that's not necessary," He responded to her offer, but it didn't sound like he was flat-out denying her. His ready smile and open tone indicated she was more than welcome to carry out her apology. He let her continue their conversation, and was floored by what she had to say.

"You're... Cerridwen Corrigan," He knew about her. Oh, being part of the Gifted community didn't mean he was completely oblivious to the other culture he was a part of. He knew who the Fae Queen was, at the very least, even if he didn't follow their modern politics. Cerridwen was the Queen's sister... Holy crap. He tried not to look starstruck.

"Er... yeah. I'm the resident doctor... I specialize in studies involving the Gifted genome... I don't get sent many faeries to treat; your medicine back in the Queendom is superior to anything I could provide here." Chase cleared his throat, willing himself to look at her like a normal person, and not royalty. He had the absurd urge to drop to one knee and bow his head in respect. Thankfully he didn't. Cerridwen didn't seem like the kind of woman who wanted or needed that sort of attention.

"If you ah... really want to help replant," He said at last, eyes dropping to the plants still in her hand, "You do an excellent job... weeding..." she was getting closer to him, and his mouth went dry, "It looks like the roots are still there... ready to... go back in," when he looked up at her, she was studying him with... intrigue? He wasn't cocky enough to assume it was admiration, but it sure didn't look like she disapproved of what she saw. His heart jumped.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

When he said it wasn't necessarily for her to replant, Cerridwen smiled at him. "I'd be careful with your words Mr...err Dr. Redwicke" She advised not picking up on his offer. Was he seriously saying she didn't have to? She was the academy's gardener...well if he didn't want her too..."I suppose I don't have to if you would like to do it yourself" Cerridwen offered up lightly adding on a smile and looking down to an angle, away from him. It meant she could not focus on other things, though somewhere deep down she was slightly wounded he didn't want her too. Maybe her work was starting to slack, and he was noticing? That was not good. Oh no.

When he said her name though, she snapped her head to attention. He had a look, and she was not particularly fond of it. Never the less Cerridwen smiled and nodded. "I suppose I'm wrong to assume no one keeps up with fae politics." She shrugged. "Oh well...normally I can say my name or her's freely and no one knows the difference." Cerridwen offered offhandedly. "You're just...intelligent I suppose" she said though her heart began to sink slowly.

He knew who she was? It shouldn't matter...and honestly, it wasn't even fair to consider her 'royalty' since she wasn't eve in the fae queendom to begin with. Then Minerva banished her, and that annoyed her even more.

"Oh well. Don't bother It's my sister's job. Not mine. Thankfully...I'm not really considered much." She smiled thankfully. "But doctor's are very cool on the other hand. They save people." Cerridwen smiled nodding. "It must be a very rewarding job" Cerridwen said gazing up at him. She pushed back some hair that had been falling into her face. Cerridwen reached for an elastic hair-tie around her wrist, and pulled her hair back into a low pony-tail. Here he was looking absolutely beautiful...and here she was..looking like trash, dirty and her apron stained from the dirt. Fan...freaking...tastic.

Cerridwen actually managed to laugh, a light, almost musical sound coming from her lips. "I suppose I could replant them for you. Kneeling down, Cerridwen put on of them back into the ground and covered it with the soil gently. Running her hand over the ground, Cerridwen concentrated on the ground channeling energy into the weed, trying to give life to the poor creature.

The dirt started moving, and being pushed aside to reveal a bud trying to reach for the sunlight. "Now I only have to do that...twenty or so more times"Cerridwen said teasingly as she stood up again. He looked so nervous. Why? Was it because of who her sister was? Or was it something else. Cerridwen looked to the sprout and then to him again trying to figure out what was going on.

"Are you okay?" Cerridwen asked with a laugh. She returned her gaze to him and this time held it there hoping he'd return it.

[Dr. Chase Redwicke]

He of course hadn't meant to insult her, though as insightful and intelligent as Chase was, he didn't recognize the signs of dejection when he casually gave her an out for her offer. He thought he was being kind, meanwhile she thought he was rejecting her. How easily misunderstandings began.

"I can't say I'm all that updated," Chase admitted when she praised his knowledge of the Queendom, "All the information I get is from my mother. And she and I don't get to chat too often," He was sure Cerridwen would understand. His mother was a flighty creature, literally and personality-wise. Whenever something upset her or got her down, she'd take to the skies and flap those pearly faery wings until her troubles were left behind. The last time he spoke to the woman was in harsh tones. He'd been angry with her for not treating his latest girlfriend nicely, and she didn't approve of his taste in women. Petty things to argue over, seeing as how the girl didn't last more than two months. Chase didn't feel the need to bring any of this up.

He instead tried to pay more attention to Cerridwen herself, instead of her family or her politics or her reputation. He watched her move with grace whenever she shifted her position. The way she looked down when she spoke of her position at the faery court. Hmm, so Cerridwen didn't live in the Queendom? Did that mean she lived here, at the Academy? He knew it shouldn't, but his imagination took off on a couple short-lived wild fantasies of Cerridwen coming to visit him at his office...

No! Look at her, idiot. Listen! He shook himself as she turned the subject back to him. She was either ridiculously modest or slightly ashamed...? He chose not to dwell on it, eager to talk about himself, impress her with the intelligence she commented on earlier. He wasn't vain or pompous. It was just that today he was acting as his own wingman, and side-effects might be the appearance of looking like a proud man. Hopefully that was something Cerridwen was into.

"It can be. I like fixing things," He explained, "Some things aren't meant to be broken, and I like to be the one that can heal them right again." That sounded extremely vague. What happened to all his scientific terminology? He looked into the beautiful faery's eyes and knew why he was suddenly lacking in big words.

He fell quiet as Cerridwen took the lead in replanting his medical herbs. He watched her delicately replace them in the earth and harness her floral aspect to breathe life into them. Impressed when she made the bud bloom, he knelt down, uncaring that his black dress pants were getting dirt on them.

"That's incredible," He breathed, studying her hands on the plant. When she stood, so did he, and he had that same distant, admiring, and slightly stupid look on his face.

Was he okay? The woman was thoughtful enough to ask. Chase nodded, tongue-tied again.

"Yeah. I'm okay... can you show me that again?" He gestured to the unkempt garden in front of them again. The doctor was naturally curious, and liked to learn everything he could about a subject. He would exhaust people with questions, devour text books and articles and medical dictionaries... Chase would be forever a student of the world, and would take in everything it had to offer. And right now the world was offering him Cerridwen, so to speak, with her beauty and grace and remarkable ability.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen found this rather interesting about his mother. "Does she live in the fae Queendom?" Cerridwen inquired wondering if that was where she had seen him, and vice versa. He looked about her age, maybe they had gone to school together in the then Fae kingdom. Maybe they had hung out together even, though she found that highly doubtful. Then again, he was half gifted...so maybe...Oh my...

He was half gifted.

The Queen had not liked mixed marriages...not at all...maybe he hadn't gotten the chance to grow up in the fae world. How tragic. It was such a beautiful place. "Wait...have...have you ever been into the fae world?" Cerridwen pried unable to resist. Her curiosity got the best of her as she averted her eyes afraid she had pried a little to deep. She after all has only known him for maybe fifteen minutes now, if that though it seemed like months. There was something about him. Familiar to her and yet so strange and unknown all at the same time. Interesting, very interesting.

Cerridwen smiled at his words. "Very true. You heal people, I heal plants. I suppose we're both...in similar fields you could say, but just different patients." Cerridwen offered creating a link between, some kind of connection she could rely on in the future to if she ever needed to call upon him for anything...or use it as an excuse to talk. As lame as that sounded...

Ugh. What was wrong with her? She was acting like a high school girl. This was nice right. She was over a two hundred years old! She did not need to be acting like this. She was far more mature than this.

When she had knelt to plant, he as well had gone down beside her, and their heads had been so close. How ridiculous.

"O-of course" She stuttered having realize most mortals didn't see her working, nor did they see her magic. It wasn't like she ever showed it. Most fae though thought they were superior to all other races though. After all they controlled the weather, the seasons, and if you pissed them off, they'd screw you over, though that hadn't happened in centuries, so it was safe to say that they were on good terms at the moment. By they she meant the fae and the rest of the world.

Taking another root in hand she settled herself into the ground and reached into the soft earth and let her hand settle under the soil for only a nanosecond before continuing and pushing it aside and placing the root in and letting the dirt be sprinkled back over it.

Cerridwen looked to him and shrugged. "I'm sure this seems lame...It's just planting essentially...and it's just weird...I don't have people watching me normally.." Cerridwen admitted somewhat worried that one day, her aspect would just...stop working. One of her greatest fears, her aspect would stop responding to her, she'd lose that connection that she had cherished. That was unheard of though. That only happened in rare cases, and she was NOT one of those rare cases. Ridiculous.

Once again Cerridwen concentrated her energy into the root below her fingertips letting it flow freely into the plant, and feeling the plant rise as if a child pulling itself up to take it's first step.

Cerridwen watched as the soil once again broke and yet another plant was visible. Now all she needed was his head to come close to hers again...and she should so not be thinking that. They were co-workers. Wrong. Bad. Shame. Bah! Cerridwen busied herself and looked to the ground intently hoping to keep her eyes trained there.

[Dr. Chase Redwicke]

Chase pulled a wry smile at her question. Had he ever been to the fae Queendom?

"Never," He admitted, and the undisguised bitterness cloyed upon his tongue, "was never welcome there." His mother liked to brag about the fae beauty. She'd go on and on while he was a child of how lovely it was, how incredible, and how it was a pity he'd never see it. Chase and his mother shared a complex relationship. He loved her for who she was, but he also hated how clueless the woman was to his emotions. Eventually he resorted to blocking her out of his life, and what pained him was that she didn't seem to notice. Or if she did, she didn't really care. Just another reason for the sour note to his words.

Luckily Cerridwen changed the topic to their similarities, something he was more excited to dwell on than the differences between him and his mother. "Very similar professions, indeed," He commented before Cerridwen agreed to show him the replanting process again.

He knelt next to her again as she settled within the garden, and watched very carefully as she caressed the plant with a delicate hand. Chase tried to stay analytical, tried treating this like a scientific observation, but when she slipped her fingers beneath the soil, and effortlessly brought the plant back to life, patting the dirt around it... a sweat broke across his forehead when his mind interrupted with other activities she might do with those skilled hands. He wanted her to look up at him, but her eyes were glued to the ground like a professional. Her dedication to her work reminded Chase what his place was, and it definitely wasn't rolling around in the garden with the Academy's groundskeeper.

He cleared his throat. "That was fascinating," He sounded very business-like as he got to his feet. He could have watched her planting all day, but of course there was work to tend to. And where he worked there was another woman whom he happened to be dating. Georgia might not be too fond of Chase spending his entire day getting to know another woman. But he'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the idea.

"Well... I should get back to work," He couldn't remember what brought him here. Georgia would likely remind him when he got back to his practice, "It was a pleasure meeting you," Though he sounded rushed, this section of his overly formal speech sounded genuine, "Should you ever need me, I'll be at the medical facility on campus..." Again those fantasies of Cerridwen visiting him plagued his common sense.

"And ah... is there a place I could find you, if say... I had some flora related questions?" He could never close a door all the way. He wanted to be able to contact this incredible woman again. Georgia or no Georgia, he had every right to associate with a fellow colleague. Next time he'd be prepared. Today Cerridwen caught him off-guard with her fae charms and impressive skills. Should they meet again, and he hoped they did, he wanted to demonstrate how cool and collected he could be.

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen noticed he started to rise, so she followed suit, much to her dismay. It would have been much more fun to stay in the dirt. He was so nice, so charming, good-looking, and here she was...just letting him walk--

Cerridwen smiled an idea forming. Pushing the dirt off of herself Cerridwen looked to the ground making sure the plant was alright before meeting his eyes. Her hands clasped together behind her back, fingers fidgeting as she looked for the nerve to ask him. What would he say? Cerridwen was acting childish, they were two grown adults who didn't act this way. Then why couldn't she just come out with it? What was so difficult about asking him?

"Well..."Cerridwen said after a moment of silence. "I could take you to the fae queendom. I mean, my sister does run it. I could certainly bring you in. The old laws that fae were once accustomed too aren't exactly still being used." Cerridwen explained. "Well only a few. My sister is more lenient than the last Queen. That's for sure.." Cerridwen said this though she knew Minerva wanted, and tried more often than not to keep the half breeds out, and to keep the city pure. Chase would be with her though, and Minerva wouldn't dare try that with her sister. She better not at least. The thought made Cerridwen boil slightly as she thought about Minerva's most recent visit, forbidding her to not come to the Fae kingdom. Ridiculous. Like Cerridwen was going to listen.

Cerridwen flushed a deep scarlet when he said he had wanted to leave. Oh she had been rambling. "It was lovely." Cerridwen agreed referring to meeting him. Cerridwen offered up another smile. "Well Dr. Chase, I am a grounds keeper...you'll find me on the grounds. More often than not though, I'll be in here...or the tool shed I suppose. Or possibly in the courtyard" She added with a last breath before she inhaled. It wasn't like she was thrilled he was leaving, though she did need to finish her work...it would probably be best.

[Dr. Chase Redwicke]

Chase stopped his whole departure ideas at Cerridwen's offer to show him the fae world. His heart sped up to double, then triple its usual pace. He doubted she understood the depth to which her offer touched him. No one had ever given him an opportunity such as this before, not in his entire life. When his grandmother gave him a 26er of Jack Daniel's for his sixteenth birthday, he'd been ecstatic. When his father arrived with a BMW at his graduation, Chase thought he'd spread wings and not even need the car. But this...

"I'd love to!" It was impossible to sound casual, and Chase was shameless with the amount of enthusiasm behind his words, "That would be incredible, Cerridwen. Life-changing. You have no idea. I've always wanted to, it's been something I've always - ahem," He cleared his throat, realizing how much like a little boy his excitement made him sound. Not very attractive, he feared, "What I mean is... that would be amazing. Thank you."

He sort of forgot that he was supposed to leave, but when she told him where he could find her, he recalled his 'urgency'. It seemed stupid now. Did he really have to leave? He probably should, but the reason he left to the gardens in the first place was because he had some free time on his hands. No afternoon appointments... he had his pager in case any emergency cases came in. Georgia would call for him if he was needed...

"Would you ah..." He struggled with himself for a moment before losing the battle, "You've been working pretty hard. Do you have scheduled breaks, or can you take them whenever you'd like?" He didn't ask her out forthright and obviously, just hinting that he'd like to spend a little more time with her. Perhaps outside the gardens...

[©erridwen Corrigan]

Cerridwen watched him in stunned silence. His sudden outburst startled her. He...oh my. Cerridwen stared at him for a minute before bursting with laughter. "you--you" She couldn't speak as she looked at him giggling. He was that...excited for the fae realm? Sure it was beautiful, but it wasn't that magical. It had it's beautiful statues, but like everywhere else, no one place was perfect. Each had their sore spots. Oh and the fae kingdom did have their sore spots. Places that were linked with nasty memories, though to him, being an outsider maybe he wouldn't see. Cerridwen mentally kicked herself for calling him that. An outsider. How derogatory. Just atrocious on her part. She was suppose to be setting an example for her sister after all, and there was nothing wrong with being an outsider, nothing wrong at all.

To say she was happy though that he had accepted was a lie. Cerridwen was over the moon with happiness, that means she would get to spend more time with him. She was so caught up in thinking about going to the fae realm with him that she hadn't even stopped to ponder if he had a girlfriend. Cerridwen had never come across that particular problem. A man...she was quite taken with...well already being...taken? Nope, that thought did not strike her at all. How could Chase be dating anyone? The thought was soabsurd that Cerridwen's mind didn't even register it.

"I am so glad...that I could be of use." Cerridwen said finally when her thoughts were all together, and she was able to actually form coherent sentences again.

Cerridwen looked to him when he began to fumble with his words. Was he alright? She had asked this once before and was about to ask it again when he asked...well asked her out? Sort of? Kind of? Cerridwen stared at him in disbelief for a moment unsure whether he was serious. Chase? Wanting to know if she, Cerridwen wanted to take a break with him? Uhm yes? Cerridwen blinked as if trying to comprehend what he said before nodding her head silently.

Cerridwen set down the last root she had been holding, and stood with a smile. "Where to doctor?" She asked teasing. Where would they go? Did he have a specific place in mind? Oh where, oh where did he want to go? Oh what was he thinking?