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Caritas, Wednesday Evening

Jarod watched the band from his spot behind the bar. They didn't seem to be talking to each other at all, and they kept shooting the female dirty looks.

And then the bassist threw his foot at her. She retaliated with an ear and two fingers.

The Caritas spell took over, and suddenly the bassist was out on the street, as was the female. The drummer and non-besotted guitarist left in solidarity.

As if that wasn't enough, the sound system was currently belching the dulcet tones of someone named K-Fed.

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Or, in this case, the sound system and karaoke machine.

He's forgotten his earplugs and isn't happy about it.

Josh bounced into the bar and ordered a celebratory beer from Tino.

With his delicate system, this can only end in tears.

Lana came in and groaned to herself. It was Jarod, the guy who'd been so nice to her when Shep left. This was all she needed. Had she even seen him since then? And would Parker try to kill her for talking to him again, whether the two of them were dating now or not?

"Long Island Iced Tea?" she requested weakly. It was the strongest drink she could think of.

He smiled at her. "Coming right up. Do you have an umbrella color preference?"

She shook her head. "Maybe work through them in rainbow order?" she suggested.

"Why don't we start with red then," Jarod said with a nod, setting her drink in front of her, "and you borrow my ear or shoulder if you feel like talking about it?"

"Red works," Lana said. And took a bigger sip than she'd intended.

"This actually doesn't taste bad," she said looking surprised. "And I don't think I'm allowed to borrow your ear or your shoulder and anyway, you'd just think you were having major deja vu."

"It's got five different kinds of alcohol in it," he explained, "so it's pretty potent, even if it tastes like iced tea through the miracle of chemistry."

Jarod blinked at her in confusion. "What do you mean, you're not allowed? And I've never heard of deja vu before."

"Good. That's exactly what I wanted," Lana said and took another drink.

"Um... not allowed because last time I nearly got killed? After you were so nice to me at the bookstore?" She thought for a moment. "And deja vu is when something happens and you have that weird feeling that you've done that before or seen it before even though you really haven't."

"Nearly got killed? Because of me?" Jarod was still pretty confused on that point. "What happened?"

Jarod had never had that feeling and just looked at Lana. "So...you're telling me that something about you talking to me would make me feel like we'd talked before? But we have talked before."

"Parker happened," Lana said and figured that was excuse enough for another drink.

"And yes, we talked before. About exactly what I'd tell you now, except with a different name, so it would feel like the same conversation." She shook her head. "In fact, if I told you the name, you could probably make up the conversation yourself."

Jarod rolled his eyes. "Well, that shouldn't be a problem this time. Parker's days of telling me what to do are over."

"Well, you could tell me the name, and I could make up a conversation," he said carefully, "but it wouldn't be what you needed to say. For what it's worth, though, I'm sorry."

"Sorry," Lana said. "But that doesn't mean she still won't kill me for it. And she's a lot tougher than I am. I don't think I'll ever be able to own a kitten." She shuddered involuntarily.

"His name is Jim. And I loved him and he's gone. And he says he'll be back like all the others say they'll be back, but none of them came back, so how can I believe he will?" She looked a little teary. "And thanks. It's worth a lot."

"If she gives you problems," he said, reaching across the bar, "let me know, and I'll take care of it. And what's wrong with kittens? I have one of my own."

He frowned. "Sometimes people come back, even if you don't think they will. You have to trust him, just that little bit. He's not them, right?"

Lana nodded. "If I live long enough I'll let you know. And yes, I know you have a kitten. I think that's why she told me I wasn't allowed to have one." She thought for a moment. "I have a major unreasoning fear of Parker. Though... is it unreasoning if you know she could tear you limb from limb if she wanted?"

She passed her empty glass back over to Jarod. "I think orange is next right? Or yellow if you don't have orange." Then she sighed. "It's not a matter of trusting him," she explained. "It's his dad. Who doesn't want us together. And who decides if Jim gets to come back. And my really, really bad luck with guys."

"That may be the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard," Jarod decided. "If you want a kitten and can take care of one, you should have one. And she can't literally tear you limb from limb," he corrected, not knowing what Parker had told Lana, "in case you needed that information. She's just got a bad temper and a tendency towards possessiveness."

He mixed another drink and added an orange umbrella. "Ah, fathers. They can definitely complicate things. I'm sorry again."

"I know," Lana agreed. "About the kitten and the not literal with the limbs thing. But still."

She took a big sip from her new drink. "Fathers. I don't have one. Or rather I have one - two actually - but one's been dead since I was three. And the other one, who turned out to be my real father, can't have anything to do with me or his wife will leave him. And thanks again."

"I have one," Jarod confided, ignoring Sydney's influence in his life because it was too complicated to explain, "but I haven't seen him since I was four, have no idea where he is, and don't know his name, so I understand a little bit of what you're going through. But Parker's father and I...didn't exactly see eye to eye on anything."

"Now I'm sorry," Lana said. "I know a little bit about what that's like. And Parker's dad..." she shivered a little. "He's just scary even to think about."

Jarod clenched his jaw. "You have no idea."

Deciding to distract them both, he asked, "So, Lana, say you've got three days spare time and unlimited funds. What do you do with them?"

Lana smiled, a little dreamily what with the better part of two Long Island Iced Teas inside her. "Paris. I've always dreamed of going to Paris."

"So, are you walking along the river, or painting a picture by the bridge, or hanging out in a cafe..." Jarod liked to hear about people's dreams.

Still here, and a little more soundproofed than the rest of the bar.

Yeah, I don't know.

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Caritas, Wednesday Evening

The Band

The Bar

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The Lounge

OOC