Park Slope Studios - Brooke's Apartment
The large studio apartment offers a great deal of open space. The studio has been recently renovated to include walls between the rooms, and though it's only 900 square feet seems much larger due to the open concept.
Two bedrooms can be found in the apartment, though only one is an actual bedroom. The second, which looks out onto Prospect Park, has been set up as a home office for a budding new business. Filled with filing cabinets, a computer, several calendars, extra day planners, the office manages to look both comfortable and busy at the same time. Several client clipboards hang on the wall.
French doors separate the two bedrooms from the main living area, which encompasses both a small living room and a dining nook. The living area has exposed brick wall with a fireplace. The remainder of the walls are a soft cream in color, and all the furniture is black.
The small kitchen is simple and elegant, with hardwood floors, and wooden cabinets to match. The appliances are older, but still in good working condition. There's no balcony, but there is access to the rooftop garden through a stairway that runs alongside the entrance.
Characters
 |
 |
| Brooke Bishop | Siobhan Knight |
Sundays have always been great days for lazing around. After her discussion the previous morning, Brooke has done precisely that. Lazed around this morning. Tried to let all of the information sink in, and simply tried to relax and not think about it at all.
It's a bit of a strange mix of things to do, and she's finally just cranked the music up as loud as she dares in her apartment, and started to dance around as she cleaned the place up for the mentoring session with Siobhan Knight.
There is not a speck of dust left anywhere that she can see, the vacuum cleaner has been tucked neatly away in a small closet, and she's just finished making raspberry lemonade. It sits on a tray in the small sitting room in a pitcher filled with ice.
**
Siobhan spent Saturday night moping. Jenna had a date with Chance, Quin had to work and would presumeably be seeing Kay after work and Pres had plans to go to a local gay bar with some friends. As much as Siobhan doesn't mind being the hag from time to time, and a group of gay theatre guys can be fun to hang out with, she wasn't in the mood. Instead she cleaned out and reorganized her closet, rearranged her bedroom, and baked a double batch of brownies and enough chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies for her father to take some to the staff room at the hospital and still leave enough to feed a small grade school.
Her mother tried to talk to her, but a few choruses of "I'm fine, just bored," and Dawna left her alone. She's glad her mother mother cares, but also glad that she knows when to back off.
Some of the brownies and cookies have come with her today as she buzzes in and then knocks on Brooke's door to let her know she's arrived.
**
Deciding that she's comfortable and doesn't honestly feel like getting up, Brooke murmurs a quick unlock and open spell so that Siobhan can just walk right in. She's sitting on the floor by the table, cross-legged in a lotus position.
"Right on time. Come on in, Siobhan." The elder witch motions with her hand for the girl to make herself at home and then focuses on chilling the lemonade a little more with another spell. She's got excess energy today and she's trying to burn it off with magic instead of winding up hurting someone accidentally.
**
The young witch enters with a smile and immediately holds out a gift bag. Inside are little decorated boxes, wrapped in pretty ribbons, with the exception of the one on top that's plain. "I brought brownies. And cookies. I baked." She shrugs and places the bag carefully on the table next to the lemonade.
Divesting herself of her purse and shoes, Siobhan joins Brooke on the floor and gives her a small smile. "The box on top is for us to share. The others are for your boyfriend. For giving us the rooftop Friday nice at Eclairant. It was really sweet of him, and I really appreciated it, and the special little pointe shoe cakes. I don't know how he had the kitchen pull that off on such short notice."
She's just to the side of babbling and she knows it, but Brooke isn't the only one with nervous energy.
**
"Ooh, chocolate. Just what I need!" Brooke takes the bag off the table with a grateful smile and sets it on the floor. Pulling the undecorated box out, she sets it on the table beside the juice, and then tucks the bag and everything inside of it under the table so they don't accidentally tromp on it or try to eat them.
"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. You deserve a nice dinner like that, considering your accomplishment. I'll make sure he gets them later tonight." Not that she's planning on seeing Kieran tonight, but she can at least call and drop off the sweets, or he can come and pick them up.
"He has, far as I can tell, one of the best kitchen staffs in he city. They can cater to any request provided they're given a few hours."
**
Siobhan colors a little and casts her eyes modestly downward. "Thank you. I'm still sort of reeling from it all, I guess. I mean this is - big. Like huge." She shakes her head, "I'm trying not to think about it too much so that I don't spook myself and get cold feet on Tuesday." Not as though there's any turning back now.
Siobhan worries her teeth over her lip, and then sighs. "Harper's gone back to Boston. I'm so pathetic. I miss him already."
**
"It is big. It's extremely huge. Especially at your age." Brooke smiles at her protege and lifts her hand to the pitcher. She doesn't touch it, but it floats up into the air and pours into both glasses before settling down.
"Use a calming spell on yourself before you go in on Tuesday morning, and you'll feel better. It's not really personal gain or anything of the sort. It's a necessity in a situation like that."
Reaching a hand out to touch Siobhan's, she gives the girl a confident smile. "And he'll be back before you know it, I'm sure. The ballet will keep you busy until then, and I can keep you busy as well if you need something to do in your spare time."
**
The witch grins a bit and lifts the glass, taking a sip of the lemonade. She nods her head, "I know that the time will fly by. I hope it will. And it's not like I saw him everyday over summer but it's knowing that he's not here that's getting me down."
Siobhan lifts her head and nods, this time enthusiastically. "Yes, please. Keeping busy would be a good thing." Jenna and Preston are going to be busy with their musical, plus Jenna is dating Chance now and she needs time to spend on that relationship.
As she shifts, she catches sight of the ring on her finger and smiles. It's a reminder that Harper is coming back and this is just a brief separation while he finishes school.
**
"Good. I'll need something to distract me from a few things as well." Brooke reaches for a brownie and breaks it in half. Picking a small piece off of it, she pops it into her mouth and exhales a sigh.
The look to the ring is noticed, and Brooke holds her hand out for it. "I know the perfect thing for today's lesson. We'll need your ring, though."
**
Siobhan blinks, but doesn't ask what Brooke needs to be distracted from. The woman is allowed to have her distractions and life issues, she's only human in a sense.
There's a moment of hesitation and then Siobhan is sliding the ring off her finger. It's not that she doesn't trust Brooke, but she only takes it off when there's a risk of losing it in a public setting. The pool at their condo, for example.
She drops the ring carefully into Brooke's hand and says, "Okay?"
**
"We won't do anything that's going to hurt the ring," she offers quietly. It's a beautiful design, and Brooke honestly doesn't think she's seen so many diamonds in one place since she stopped in at Tiffany's to have a client's watch repaired.
"We're going to charm it with one of my favorite spells when I was around your age."
Beat.
"It's called a memory spell. Only you will be able to use it when it's done, but you'll be able to call up an image of the one who gave it to you. So when you're lonely, you'll be able to see him at the very least."
**
"Oh!" Siobhan breathes. "I like that." The young witch practically beams at the thought. Sure, she knows what Harper looks like and she's not likely to forget it, but being able to see him clearly and easily whenever she wants? That sounds like a fantastic spell.
"That reminds me, I wanted to ask you something," Siobhan says. "You wouldn't happen to know an empathy spell or where to find one?"
**
Brooke used to use the spell when Bryn was back in Wales during the summer. It didn't matter that she knew what he looked like. The point was that she could have him close even when he was far away. Setting the ring on the table, she pulls a grimoire from under the couch. Opening it up to the spell, she stops and blinks at the younger witch.
"An empathy spell. It depends what type of spell you're looking for. There is one in the Bishop grimoires that will allow you to feel another's pain for a brief period. It goes hand in hand with one of the more major healing spells."
**
Siobhan squirms. It's a tell that she's a bit uncomfortable. She bites her lip and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "That's not really what I was thinking about. I was looking more for something to share good feelings with someone. Or to feel their good feelings."
She reaches for a brownie and nibbles at it.
**
There's a slight arching of her right eyebrow, but Brooke doesn't comment further than that. "The spell can always be modified. It's something we can work on. It may take a while to figure it out exactly depending on what you want to do."
Beat.
"We could also take a trip to the Undercity next weekend to see if you can find something more precise. Though I really do suggest spell modification over sharing blood."
**
"Oh no, no blood sharing," Siobhan shakes her head, eyes wide. She could just imagine Harper's face if she suggested that. She's curious, but not that curious.
The younger witch nibbles a bit more on the brownie and then washes it down with some lemonade. "If I tell you something, you can't tell anyone, please?" If she wants Brooke's help, she's going to need to be a bit more honest with her, but she really doesn't want The Coven knowing about Harper and Jenna's gifts.
"Maybe the Undercity and if that doesn't work, we can try modifying it?" She does have a few weeks.
**
"I didn't mean with your boyfriend. Your blood is… perhaps a little more powerful than that of a normal witch. Something that could easily be used against you, and it's one of the highest trades in the Undercity." Beat. "Blood is, not necessarily yours."
Brooke breaks off another small piece of the brownie and nods. "As long as it's not harmful to yourself or anyone else, I've got no reason to share your secrets, Siobhan."
**
"Oh," Siobha flusters and ducks her head, embarrassed at her misunderstanding of Brooke's words. She has, however, been doing a little too much reading of things she probably shouldn't be. Even though she's not going to try the spells, she does recall bits about some of them.
"Yeah," Siobhan nods. "Chance warned me about that." She still ended up giving the blood to Ansalem, but she's not going to admit that here.
She picks at the brownie, looking up at Brooke slowly. "It's not dangerous."
Beat.
"Harper is an empath. He feels what other people feel and he feels a lot from me, I guess. Especially when we're … having sex. I just want … I want to know what he feels, too. You know, the other way around."
**
"No, don't be embarrassed. I wasn't clear in the way I presented it."
Brooke lifts her glass of lemonade and sips from it daintily. She doesn't say a word until the younger witch is done. "An empath. I wasn't sure if the Donovan's were just humans in the know or if there was something about them." It doesn't seem to phase her either way.
"Have you asked him if he actually enjoys feeling what you feel?"
**
"No," Siobhan admits with all due honesty. "But I've mentioned trying not to overwhelm him, and he's told me not to do that. So, I think that he doesn't mind feeling what I feel." It is true, though, she hasn't asked Harper. She simply took Jenna's word for it that it's something of an elating and good feeling, but sharing that is sharing Jenna's relationship with Brooke and she's not going to cross that line.
"I could ask him."
**
"No, he likely doesn't mind." Brooke smiles, curious herself as to what it would be like to feel what Kieran is feeling when they're together. Shaking her head, she taps her hand on the grimoire.
"I'll see what I can do to work on a modification of this spell if I have time this week. If I've got nothing by Sunday, I promise we'll go down to the Undercity. I need to look for something myself." The charm that is supposed to be in her family, that apparently disappeared ages ago.
"For today though, the memory charm. It's one that Bryn Blackwell taught me, so it's a mixture of witch and sorcerer magic."
**
"I'm going to ask him, though." Probably not the next time they talk, but soon. Or maybe she'll wait until he's home and they're alone and face-to-face again. It gives her something else to think about: a spell or a charm to block out her thoughts and emotions if they are too overwhelming for Harper.
"Fair enough," Siobhan agrees. She'd go looking for it herself, but she knows it would be wiser to wait for Brooke. She still might go to find the other, but the witch will think about it for a while. Maybe talk to Jenna a bit, whenever their schedules let them see one another.
"He can teach me anytime," Siobhan says and then immediately bites her lip and shakes her head. Her cheeks turn pink. "I mean … not really. I mean, I love Harper and it was just a comment because he's really hot …"
**
Brooke blinks, and then laughs. Grinning, she nods. "He is really hot. He was cute and sexy when he was younger, but now he's definitely hot." The witch has no problems complimenting her ex. The man is extremely easy on the eyes. "Pretty sure his girlfriend thinks so too." It's not a warning, but she knows what Sera is and therefore she knows that the woman is likely as possessive as Kieran is.
"The spell is simple, really. You hold the object, in this case the ring, in your hand. Close your fingers over it and keep focusing on Harper. Don't let your mind wander." Flipping through a few of the grimoire pages, she frowns. Then she reaches under the couch again for her own little book. It's opened, and she shows it to the younger witch.
"Here it is. When you're ready, recite the Latin and imagine Harper coming from the ring."
**
"Yeah, well I don't think your boyfriend would get kicked out of bed for eating crackers, either," Siobhan grins. The young witch is in love with Harper, but she's still human and she isn't blind.
"I'm not shopping," Siobhan laughs. "Besides, it's not like I could compete with his girlfriend. The woman is like traffic stopping." Siobhan has only seen her a few times, but heads turn when that woman walks into a room.
Drawing a breath, Siobhan does as instructed, folding the ring in her hand. Focusing on Harper is easy. Siobhan thinks about thier first kiss, the way it feels to snuggle up against him, the weight of his hand around hers. She thinks about his serene blue eyes and those long dark lashes, and his smile.
Slowly opening her eyes, she turns her attention to the book and does as Brooke instructed.
**
"Siobhan…"
Brooke exhales a sigh. "You have to promise me you won't call him that around the Matriarch, alright? Mr. Collins and I have a business relationship." There is a slightly distracted tone to her voice and she uses magic to lift the pitcher up and refill both lemonade glasses. It's a good use of energy.
"Okay, now gently unfurl your hand and slip your ring back on. Whenever you concentrate on Harper, you will be able to see an image of him beside you. Life size, so it's better than a picture."
**
"I … won't." Confusion colors Siobhan's voice as she frowns at Brooke. She's young, but not stupid. There is something she's missing, but she's not going to ask about it. It's none of her business anyway. It's not like she expects to be talking to the Matriarch about Brooke's dating life, but if she does, she won't talk about Kieran Collins as Brooke's boyfriend.
Siobhan does as instructed, sliding the ring back on her finger. She blinks down at it, and then decides to try out the spell. It's not much to concentrate on her boyfriend, and she nearly squeals with delight when she can see him beside her, as large and beautiful as life.
"It works!" The witch tells Brooke happily. It's not the same as having him with her, but it's something.
**
"The Force is strong with this one, hmm?" Brooke tries to pull the whole Yoda voice off but winds up laughing before she finishes. Shaking her head, she wipes at her eyes and exhales slowly. "Sorry, I really couldn't help myself. It took me a day to master that spell when I was fourteen. It took you minutes. You're a powerful young witch. Sorcerer. I'm honestly not sure where you draw your magic from."
Watching Siobhan, she sips at the lemonade again, before saying, "It's complicated, and I don't expect you to go running to Regina Young. Let's just say you're not the only one who's gotten into a spot of trouble with the Coven lately."
**
Siobhan smiles, though it's tinged with humility and a bit of embarrassment. She wasn't trying to show off, and she only did exactly as instructed as far as the spell is concerned. "Maybe I just really wanted it to work?" She really wants to have that visualization of her telepathic boyfriend.
It's not the first time Siobhan has mastered something easily that takes other witches days or weeks, and she tries to remember to tone it down. Otherwise, it tends to bring the attention of Regina and the Elders who want to check on her progress and whisper about her behind closed doors.
Fortunately, she knows that there's no danger of that from Brooke.
"Join the club," Siobhan remarks. Is she a witch? A sorcerer? The best of both worlds? The jury is still out.
"Oh." Siobhan has been good. No more wild magic tantrums, or spurts unless you count the random levitating of objects when she's intimate with Harper. Which is better than electrical shorts and exploding things.
The young witch doesn't want to pry. She can't imagine why Brooke would get into trouble, unless it has to do with Kieran Collins, and it's not up to the Coven to dictate who Brooke can date. If she wants to date a hot playboy, good luck to her. "Hopefully, it'll all work out."
**
"It really doesn't matter where you draw your magic from. You know, I've long believed that both magics were originally one anyhow. The separation comes in how we use it." Otherwise, a plain old witch wouldn't be able to learn sorcerer magic at all, and vice versa.
"Never be ashamed or embarrassed about the power you have, Siobhan. Embrace it. Nurture it. Control it. Never let it control you. Don't worry about what Regina and the Elders might say or do, and never let them use you for an experiment." Brooke has no issues with the Elders, though she thinks some of the things that they hold to are rather old fashioned. She does have issues with them thinking of the younger witch as something to be monitored and poked at.
"I'm sure it will. I'm not entirely worried about it." And really, she isn't. She's going to keep doing what she wants to do, and if that means she's got to leave the Coven at some point to preserve her family, she will.
**
"I prefer to stay under the radar," Siobhan admits, sipping her lemonade. "I don't want to be the poster child for powerful witches. Half-breeds. Combos, or whatever." The witch gives a shrug. She knows that she's not normal as far as witches or the offspring of a union between a witch and a sorcerer. Sometimes she feels like a specimen under a microscope when talking to one of the Elders or Regina.
"Good." She takes a bite of the brownie and chews it thoughtfully. "You two look good together."
**
"You are a beautiful, powerful young woman. I honestly can't tell you what Regina is planning in regards to your potential dual magic, I just think that you need to be careful."
Brooke has no fear of speaking honestly with the young woman, simply because she doesn't think that having a sorcerer for a father is going to change her magic all that much.
"Aww, thanks. I like to think we do too." Even though he's 'younger' than she is.
"Is everything going alright otherwise? No whirlpools flying up anywhere? The rocks are working for you?"
**
"I think we can rule out marriage to a sorcerer," Siobhan jokes. It's one thing the animosity between witches and sorcerers assures the Coven won't be advocating. She wrinkles her nose attractively, "I wouldn't trade in anyway. I love my 'normal' boyfriend." The witch makes air quotes around the word 'normal' and giggles.
"You invite me to your wedding and I'll invite you to mine," Siobhan says playfully, polishing off the brownie. She's teasing Brooke, because she doesn't know how serious - or not serious - the older witch is about Collins and he is a notorious playboy.
"Speaking of invites … I'm probably not going to have much of a role, but I'm going to get you tickets to my opening night. It's the New York City National Ballet's big fall gala - no pressure on me, right? - but I'd love it if you could come."
Siobhan shakes her head and laughs. "The rocks are helping. I'm keeping it under control. I even got disgustingly drunk in the Hamptons with no mishaps." She lowers her eyes and clears her throat. "Well, sometimes, when I'm with Harper? I levitate things."
**
"Yes, but that could make your child even more special in the eyes of the coven. Sorcerer, witch, and empath blood. I don't think it's ever been seen before." It may have been, and it could very well be in the old Coven records and grimoires, but it's not something that the witching public would have vast knowledge of.
"I doubt I'll ever get married, but if I do, you'll get an invitation." Brooke would love to explain that marrying a vampire is just something that she's not expecting to ever happen, but she doesn't want to give Kieran's secret away.
"I'll be there. You just let me know when and where, and I'll definitely be there to support you. It doesn't matter how big or small of a role you have. I'll gladly go and watch you dance."
Beat.
"Levitating things is not so bad. There are certain points where we can lose control of our magic, but in time you'll be able to keep that in check too if you want to."
**
"Good thing they don't know about Harper, then." Siobhan is making an assumption. She has no clue what the coven knows or doesn't know, but she knows the Donovans don't advertise what they can do.
"I bet you will." That's all Siobhan will say. She isn't going to pry into Brooke's personal life, and the witch does know better than Siobhan.
She takes a few swallows of the lemonade. "I'll send you tickets as soon as I get them." She knows she can block them at a discount because she's a member of the Company now and few are set aside for company members. Siobhan might not have worked in the business before like this, but she knows how it works. She'll just have to find out whom to talk to and what channels to take.
And how many she'll need. However, she's not doing any of that until she's been there a week and has an idea of what she'll be dancing. Honestly, she's going to be feel silly inviting people if she only twirls across the stage once for five seconds.
Which I probably will.
"It's been small stuff. We figure that we won't worry until I start levitating the bed." Which could be interesting.
**
Brooke presses her lips together in a thin line, and mumbles, "Don't count on them not knowing."
Beat.
"If they do know, I will do everything in my power to keep it under wraps and keep the pair of you safe. I can't promise much. I'm not part of the Elder's circle, but I am very vocal and I will voice my opinion. Loudly." Which will no doubt get her in a slight bit of trouble again, but frankly she doesn't care.
"I appreciate that. Thanks for thinking of me." There's a smile before Brooke reaches out to hug the younger witch. "You're going to be amazing on that stage, and don't let anyone tell you differently." It really is like she's talking to her younger sister. Perhaps a little moreso because she's been in the city, watching the younger witch grow for the last ten years.
"Levitating the bed won't be the problem. Dropping the bed once it's levitating will. If that does happen, just concentrate on calm thoughts until the bed reaches the floor again. It might be hard to explain why the two of you are injured and the bed completely broken if it drops."
**
Siobhan stares at Brooke and nods slowly. The other witch is older and more experienced and Siobhan won't doubt her knowledge.
"Thank you. I don't want our kids being little guinea pigs." She recalls all the 'games' and 'tests' she went through with the Coven when she was younger, and again when she had her first power burst. That one wasn't as bad; Regina was in charge instead of Mrs. Howe, but before Regina it was confusing and frustrating for a seven and eight year old little girl.
"I hope so," Siobhan grins.
She gives a laugh. "It would raise some brows about what we're doing!" She giggles for a while over the notion that she and Harper could be that wild and when she sobers, she nods solemnly and drinks some lemonade as she calms. "Calming thoughts. I'll remember that."
Beat.
"I'm lucky to have Harper. He's so laid back and calm. He takes it all in stride when clothes and books are floating around the room."
**
Oh, Brooke remembers the 'games' that Victoria Howe put her through when she was younger. Games that her older sister never had to play, and she never quite understood why some of them involved blood.
There are reasons why Brooke will go to great lengths to protect a new generation of young witches (or sorcerers, or empaths) from ever having to experience that.
"Let me ask you something…"
Beat.
"You are obviously friends with empaths, I know that you're friends with Chance Harper, a sorcerer as well. Have you ever considered breaking ties with the Coven?"
**
"I …" The younger witch doesn't have an answer. She is young, only twenty, and still finding her feet magically and otherwise. The Coven has always been there, she was raised around the Coven and to be part of it, even though she did sense some disgruntlement at her lineage. Still, if you're a witch, you're Coven and it's never been otherwise.
"I could do that?" It's so innocent, the question, the look on her face confused and earnest. "I didn't know witches do that."
Saying the words, she blushes a bit because in hindsight, it's obvious. If sorcerers break with their dynasties, the way her father did, then obviously witches can break with the Coven. It's what her mother would have done if the Coven hadn't accepted her daughter and her marriage; Dawna has told her that plenty of times.
"I guess I never really thought about it."
**
"Witches can do whatever they want to do," Brooke says gently. "I've been part of the Coven my entire life. My family has been a part of the Coven since its inception. That doesn't mean that I agree with all of their values. They would have removed your mother from its midst for giving birth to you and marrying your father if a select few didn't stand up and argue against it."
Beat.
"I've been toying with an idea. Something that somewhat already exists for witches, empaths, and werewolves." Brooke is certain that there are others involved within the Priory, but she doesn't have a full list.
"Except rather than remaining hidden to protect those races, I was thinking of a council of delegates that would work within the other means. Go-betweens for the Coven, the Dynasties, and the Pack. People that have been involved with each of these things."
Beat.
"You and your friends are pretty much already there, if you think about it. You wouldn't necessarily have to break with the Coven, but I doubt Regina would like a group like that outright."
**
"I know," Siobhan nods slowly. "She told me how she had to fight to stay in the Coven." How the Matriarch before Regina, the one who played games and gave her tests, a few that scared her and a few that left her drained and exhausted, offered to pay to help Dawna have the pregnancy 'taken care of.'
Thoughtfully, the dancer bites her lip. "I don't agree with everything, and some of it's … misguided, I guess. Like not practicing sorcerer magic. It's helpful and I'm good at it, but Daddy can only teach me so much, and he had to promise originally that he wouldn't even teach me what he has." It's safe telling Brooke these things.
"I don't think Regina likes me hanging out with Chance, but he's … not what I expected." After being raised to be wary of sorcerers, and then discovering that her father is friends with a few, she's had to reconsider things. Which is exactly what Robert wanted her to do, once she was old enough. "Quin's not what I was taught to expect either."
Beat.
Siobhan's eyes widen as she realizes that she's just given her friend away, at least that he's some kind of not-normal human, and she hurriedly drinks her lemonade, racking her brain for a recovery and failing. Finally, she peers at Brooke, "You won't tell about that, either, right?" It's possible Regina knows, but Siobhan doesn't want to be the one to out him.
**
"I have no reason to tell Regina anything about your friends, Siobhan. What you share with her is entirely up to you." Brooke lifts her shoulders up in a shrug, and then to make the younger witch feel better, she smiles. "When I was younger I dated a sorcerer, and his best friend was a werewolf. For half the summer, he came to the States, and for the other half, Bryn went home. I happen to know several other sorcerers, and no, they're not all bad."
Beat.
"Though I'd really stay away from the Reynard's if I were you."
Finally finishing off the brownie, the older witch shakes her head. "I know several vampires as well. I am certain either myself, or Bryn can discuss these matters with them and see if we can't find a few humans that could be involved with the group too. After all, they do still out number us."
**
Well, Siobhan won't be telling her about Quintin, that's for certain. Which is amusing because both her parents know what he is and neither of them seem to care in the least. "I don't think that hanging out with Quin would be met with a lot of approval. Just like hanging out with Chance." Siobhan thinks about it and laughs. "I guess I'm a rebel and I'm not even trying." She certainly isn't playing by the rules she's expected to play by.
She reaches for another brownie. No, it's not healthy, but she figures she'll dance it off in the upcoming week. "I met a Reynard. Nicholas Reynard. He wasn't so bad." Siobhan shrugs. "He bought me ice cream." It was a weird encounter.
Blink.
"You know vampires?"
**
Brooke laughs at Siobhan's reaction to her knowing vampires. "Several. You meet quite a few interesting people in the job that I do. Not all of them are bad either. They just live differently than we do." So says the woman, who, a few weeks ago hyperventilated and nearly killed her vampire lover.
"You're young, and you have friends. I think it's healthy that you don't care what their backgrounds are, but that you judge them based on who they are."
Beat.
"That being said, please stay away from the Reynard's. Even if they're being friendly. I've never heard of, or known a Reynard to be nice when they weren't playing up something, or had an ulterior motive."
**
"They're blood-sucking demons." Siobhan frowns. "They use us for food and fun." She's heard all the stories, and given her magical ability, has been specifically warned to stay away from vampires. She doesn't know the why of it, but she hasn't felt the need to ask. Vampires are dangerous.
"I didn't want to, it just sort of happened." Siobhan picks a corner off the brownie. "I mean, with Chance. He was a sorcerer and I was told to stay away from them. But he was nice and he helped us and … he's nothing like what Daddy says his family is like."
Beat.
"I sort of had a crush on Quin."
Siobhan sighs and shakes her head. Jenna kept warning her off, too. "It's not like I made a date with him or went looking for him again. It was just this really weird encounter."
**
"They feed on blood, we eat steaks. I'm fairly certain cows don't appreciate us killing them to eat them. At least vampires only need to take a little blood." Brooke shrugs her shoulders, and then adds, "Besides, they have souls."
Brooke catches Siobhan's eyes and then reaches a hand out for the younger witch's. "Listen to me. I need you to promise to stay away from them. Chance Harper is a nice young man, and he was raised by a father who loved him very much. It isn't like that for the Reynards. Nice on the surface does not mean that they're nice people, and I don't want them trying to use you or hurt you."
**
"Ooo-kay." Siobhan likes Brooke, and respects her. She's willing to give a little and not argue the point right now. Besides, she's never met a vampire (that she knows of), so maybe they aren't all killers. Maybe they are more Twilight (without the emoness and sparkles) and less the type that wants to enslave the world. Maybe.
"They do?" Now, she's going to have to see if there's anything about vampires in her father's grimoires. The ones she's not supposed to be reading, or at least hasn't officially been shown yet.
"Can I at least go dancing at Decades?" Siobhan asks. "It's about the classiest place I can legally get into, that's not an all out college meat market. I did get into Purgatory, but Quintin works there now and he knows that I'm not old enough … and your boy - Kieran Collins owns it, so I probably shouldn't tell you that either. You know, so you have plausible deniability if I ever went there again."
**
"Yes, they do. They also have beating hearts, reflections, and can eat garlic just fine." Brooke allows for a small pause, then winks at her mentoree. "And no, they don't sparkle."
Beat.
"Let me talk to Kieran. I can't promise that he'll let you in. It's an over-21 club so he can't get in trouble for selling alcohol to minors." Among other things. "Your birthday is in eight months though, so he may be willing to grant a little leeway if you have someone older vouching for you."
Sighing, she flicks her fingers at her glass and mutters a soft Latin word and sends it flying through the apartment to the sink. "If you really do want to go to Decades, just don't go alone."
**
The other witch giggles. She can't help it. "I didn't think that they did!" Sparkling vampires really is one of the stupidest things she's ever heard of. The rest of it, though? All things that Siobhan didn't know, which just reinforces the fact that she has no way of knowing if she's ever met a vampire. She's not quite sure how she feels about that.
Beat.
"Really? You'd do that?" Siobhan bounces where she sits. "I swear, swear, swear, I'll behave myself. I won't drink at all. Except for soda and water and virgin drinks. Purgatory is so much more upscale than Decades."
Beat.
"I don't go out to clubs alone. I'll at least take Pres with me if Jenna doesn't want to go."
**
Oh, Brooke is fairly certain that Siobhan has met a vampire or two. Two for certain at the gala, and there were a number of them at the Mid-Summer Ball as well. "There are tells though. Sometimes they forget to breathe." Not the ones who want to play human all that much, but she's sure there are some that do forget from time to time.
Laughing at the younger witch's reaction, she nods. "Yes, I can do that. Your friend Quin can keep an eye on you. Now just remember, I'm not promising anything. It's Kieran's business, and it's up to him whether or not he'll allow you and Miss Donovan in."
**
Brooke speaks almost as though she knows Quintin. Siobhan nods. "He will, too. Frat Boy Removal Services, that's what Jenna called him when we first met him." There's no doubt in Siobhan's mind that Quintin will make sure she's staying out of trouble, which she would be far more prone to get into than Jenna would.
"No, I know you can't promise. It just means a lot that you'll ask."
**
"It's the least I can do. At Purgatory, I know that you're safe. I'm sure that would put Dawna and Robert's thoughts at ease too." Not that she's going to run off and tell them. If they hear about it, however, Brooke can spin it so that they're aware Siobhan and her friend are safer at that club than dancing at Decades.
"Frat Boy Removal Services? That boy could make a fortune selling himself out for that."
**
"He really could! He plays football, and he's very protective." It's one of the things Siobhan likes about him, and knows it's one of the things that attracted Jenna to him. That didn't work out well, but at least Jenna is happy with Chance now, and Quin seems to be happy with Kay. Maybe it did all work out for the best.
"Even if Mr. Collins says no, I'm still be grateful that you asked." It seems weird calling Brooke's boyfriend "Mr" when he's only maybe ten years older than Siobhan, and she's seen him in the tabloids with girls not much older than Siobhan.
"You said that you'd keep me busy and keep my mind occupied so I'm not totally going crazy and missing Harper. What did you have in mind?"
**
"I was considering digitizing the grimoires that I have. I'd like some help with that, because I'm constantly getting called away for business and can't sit down and type for long periods. I would really like to convince Regina that all the Coven grimoires should be digitized. The books are old, frail, and some of the ones they've located are falling apart."
Brooke glances at the younger girl and makes a face. "I'd offer to pay you a little, but to be honest I'm not sure that it'll keep you that busy. I can offer a few more secrets if you'd like."
**
"I don't know, with all the time I'll be putting in at the ballet studio now, it might be more than enough to keep me busy," Siobhan confesses. "I'm not that fast of a typist."
She takes another drink of lemonade and picks another corner off the brownie. "I think that's a good idea. Especially for the older ones. We don't want to lose them. I know my grandmother has some in storage in North Carolina that I've never been allowed to touch because she's terrified they'll crumble to bits." Of course, Siobhan hasn't been there in two years, so now that she's older, Nana might have changed her mind.
**
"Even if I can't get Regina to sign off on it, I'd like to talk to some families individually to see if we can't preserve our history." Brooke smiles at Siobhan, then picks herself up off the floor. Moving toward a small footlocker, she opens it up. Her own grimoires, that she's been writing since she was thirteen. There's about ten of them, filled with some spells from her mother, some from Bryn and more than a few she's collected from the Undercity.
"We can start this afternoon by going through these. We can make a list of what's in them and if there's any duplicate spells. It should occupy the rest of the afternoon until you're ready to leave."
