fandomtownies | Mass, Sunday morning.

Deb lets Carl sleep and goes anyway. She's not too sure about the priest, but there are some candles she owes. She lights them and then talks to Mary for a while on the subject of difficult sons.

[As it happens every Sunday, she walks in dressed simply with a scarf over her hair. She blesses herself at the basin and walks to the front of the sanctuary. She sits in the front, listening to the Father's sermon. From time to time she shifts uncomfortably in her seat. When Mass is complete, she rises to see who is in the church.]

It was like clockwork. Dependable. Open every Sunday at the same time. People went in, stayed, then left.

Kadaj sat outside, across the street from the church. Leaned against his bike, he had no intention of going back into the place with so many people in there. He didn't want to engage in any conversation on the aspects of faith. His interests were elsewhere and he was beginning to wonder if his answers were here at all.

[Stepping out of the church, she sees Kadaj leaning on his bike. She smiles and waves as she walks down the steps.]

She was the one he'd first seen in the church. The one Loz talked about having nice legs. She was also at the park and knew the one guy who owned the book store, Aziraphale, if Kadaj remembered his name right. They called her 'CJ'.

He shifted, his hand lifted in a wave toward her.

[She walks toward him, her smile gentle.] Good morning, Kadaj.

Kadaj nodded, looking from her to the church. "Hey." His hands rested on his hips and he pounded his heel against his other foot. "CJ, right?"

Yes, CJ. You remembered. [She smiles] You didn't come in today.

[Her statement is just that, no questioning or accusation. She pulls her scarf off her head, her red hair shining in the cold, bright sunlight.]

"Yeah, too crowded." He squinted against the sunglare and tilted his head.

His turn for a statment now. "You come here every week."

I do. Every Sunday, no matter what. Rituals are important to me. [She fingers her Rosary as she stands visiting.]

"Why?" While Kadaj and his brothers had their own rituals, they really didn't give them much thought. Only that they did.

That's a good question. [She thinks for a moment before answering.]

Rituals keep me grounded. They're comfortable. I have a lot of them...they help me feel normal, even here where the strange is so common. I always take off my shoes right when I walk in my house. I wake up early every day. And every Sunday I listen to Mass and pray to the Lord and the Blessed Virgin. Rituals, everywhere.

"Sometimes, it's all we have," Kadaj said quietly. He watched her fingers move over the Rosary. "What is that?"

[ooc- *headdesk* Worse than a child with all the questions...]

It's called a Rosary. It's to help you focus your prayers, so they go where they're supposed to. Remember how I told you I talk to the Holy Mother? This is...kind of like a one way phone to Her.

((she gets that. questions are good for both the mom and teacher in her. ask away))

"So you can't just talk to her?" His face pulled into a frown. "You have to...get her attention first? Does she ignore you?"

Hmm, well yes. You can just talk to her. She never ignores you. The Rosary just helps you think clearly. A lot of people talk to her all the time, asking her for comfort when they're sad, mostly. This helps her to help you when you ask. Like a tool. Does that make sense?

Kadaj shook his head. "Not really."

He watched her fingers for a bit longer before holding his hand out.

These are hard questions Kadaj. It's taken me my whole life to understand the little bit I do. [She reaches out and lays the Rosary carefully in his palm, the beads are wood and the small crucifix is silver.] But I'd love to try again...what don't you understand?

His fingers closed around the Rosary and he held it close to examine it. Stripping off a glove, his bare fingertips stroked over the wood beads. "I don't know. If I knew, I would understand, wouldn't I?"

Not really. We know the questions more than we know the answers to most things in life. [She shrugs]That's just the way it is. Do you like it? The Rosary?

"It's...pretty," Kadaj said. He held it out to her. "And you're okay with that? This 'just the way it is'?"

Sometimes. But other times I get sad or angry because I don't know the answers. Being okay with the idea that things just are the way they are is called Faith. And if you believe something, sometimes you're going to have questions you wish you cold answer but can't. [She smiles softly]

Would you like to have that?

He looked at the Rosary dangling from his fingers. It was a representation of her 'faith'. She was willing to give it to him? His hand closed around it again and he pulled it close to examine it once more. "There are always answers. She knows them but I can hardly hear her. Her whispers are so soft..."

But you have faith in Her, right? She's there for you when you need Her? The Mother always gives comfort to her children...that's one reason I believe in her so much.

His laughter was soft. "I don't know if she can reach me anymore or if she wants to." Closing his hand, he tucked the Rosary into his jacket and slipped his glove back on.

Well, Kadaj, that's where you have to have faith. If you hear Her, She's there. Perhaps far off, but She's there. She'll come to you if you ask. If you believe. I lost Her once. Actually, I left Her, but when I went looking, there She was, waiting for me.

[She smiles as he tucks the Rosary in his jacket] You're welcome.

Pushing off the bike, he shrugged. But there was a small smile on his face. "Need a ride?"

[She smiles wide] Really? I'd love one.

He looked at her pointedly. More specifically, her legs. "It'll be short."

[She looks a little disappointed, but smiles] Anything, Kadaj. It's kind of you to offer.

[She throws her leg over the bike and slides in behind him.]

Should I hold on to you?

Kadaj looked over his shoulder. He removed Souba and placed it in a sheath by his leg along side of the bike. "You'll have to," he said.

Once she was situated behind him he started the bike, the engines vibrating and roaring to life. "Where am I taking you?"

I live in the park across from the Rare Books Shop. It's not far at all. In the small blue building in the park.

[She gently slides her arms around him and clasps her hands. Trying to feel secure, but not crowd him, she leans against his back gently.]

Kadaj pulled away from the curb and eased down the narrow streets of Fandom Town. He couldn't open up while in the close quarters so CJ most likely wouldn't get too cool from the moving air.

Once he was clear of the buildings, he sped up to take her the long way around the park before finally pulling up in front of the only blue structure in the park.

When he stopped, he looked over his shoulder again. "Small for a house."

It's called a TARDIS. It's another dimension on the inside. It only looks small out here.

[She looks thankful, but less than thrilled, and she gazes longingly at the bike.]

Thank you for the ride. It was...short, but fun.

He followed her gaze over his bike and smiled. "Put something on your legs," he said simply.

[Smiling brightly, all the way to her eyes, she has a spring in her step as she rushes inside. Moments later she returns in red leather pants, black boots, and a beat up black leather coat.]

Where can we go faster?

"The frontage road is too winding for speed. On the other side of the town on mainland there is...interstate? highway." Kadaj sat forward for her to get on behind him.

[Sliding in behind him once again, this time she's more confortable. She wraps her arms around him and leans against him, her heart racing with excitment.]

That sounds great. Let's go.

With a roar of his engines, Kadaj took off. (http://www.livejournal.com/users/ac_brothers/4534.html)

Mass, Sunday morning.

no subject

no subject

no subject

After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass

Re: After Mass