Our Lady of Fandom - Tuesday all day

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

The monkey giving him food yesterday had been generous, Gabriel thought as he chewed on an apple. Hopefully there would be more people like that around. He sighed, threw the apple core away and picked up a Bible.

[The church is open]

Comments

[montecito-east.livejournal.com]

Mary had been out taking a long walk that morning before her shift at the front desk when she spotted the church. She still associated church somehow with her father and normally would have walked away, but today something drew her in. Maybe it's time she buried the past with her father. She walked in, expecting it to be empty on a Tuesday.

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

Gabriel looked up. He was beginning to suspect that perhaps the church wasn't the quiet place he'd first thought it to be. "It's open, but I'm not putting up with any more nonsense," he said, in case the woman also had something to do with the other angels or that doctor. "And leave donations in the tin by the door," he added. It was worth a try.

[I'm off to bed soon. Evil timezones. SP is love.]

[montecito-east.livejournal.com]

Since Mary was new to Fandom and hadn't met any of the other angels or doctors, that wouldn't be a problem.

"No nonsense," Mary assured him. "I'll be as quiet as a church mouse, no pun intended." She didn't have any cash on her but she did find a $20 Montecito casino chip in the pocket of her jacket, so she dropped that in the tin.

[SP is just fine with me.]

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

"Mary," Gabriel said. "I met another Mary once. Well, I've met quite a few, but one stood out particularly." He noted he actually intiatied conversations with the monkeys now, which must be a sign he was getting quite bored.

[montecito-east.livejournal.com]

"It's a fairly common name," said Mary. "Now my last name, Connell, is a bit more unique. The only people I've met with that name were all related to me."

She had a flashback to looking up a Mrs. Connell in the Las Vegas phone book and telling the woman that she had a stepdaughter that Mary's lousy father hadn't told her about. The silence on the other end of the line was deafening, and that was before Mary warned the woman about her father's history with little girls.

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

"Big family, then," Gabriel replied drily. "You pray a lot?" he asked.

[montecito-east.livejournal.com]

"Not really," said Mary. "I think this is the first time I've stepped inside a church in years."

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

"Waste of time, if you ask me." Gabriel shrugged. "So what brings you here?"

Yes, he was unusually chatty today.

[montecito-east.livejournal.com]

"I'm new in town, and I didn't realize there was a church until today," explained Mary.

There was also that business about her father's murder and the part she played in that, but she wasn't about to discuss that with anyone, no matter how much it ate at her soul.

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

"New in town? I take it you arrived here for a reason?" Gabriel asked. It looked like he was stuck here, so he'd better get an idea of the who was who in Fandom.

[montecito-east.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I just took over as manager of the Arms Hotel," explained Mary. Something seemed just a little bit off, because every time she's told someone that, she also had to give her name.

"Hang on a second," she said. "I didn't tell you my name, but you called me Mary. Why?"

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

"It is your name, so why not?"

[montecito-east.livejournal.com]

"But how did you know my name?" she asked.

Mary was instantly suspicious. The last person who could tell her things that she hadn't already shared was that psychic entertainer she'd hired for the Montecito and his secret turned out to be hidden video cameras.

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

Gabriel shrugged. "Why shouldn't I?"

[montecito-east.livejournal.com]

"I don't recall getting your name," replied Mary.

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

"Gabriel," he replied, not smiling.

[montecito-east.livejournal.com]

"Nice to meet you, Gabriel," said Mary. "So, what are you doing in the church?"

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

"I live here," he replied coldly, adding: "Temporarily."

[montecito-east.livejournal.com]

"Are you the caretaker? Where exactly are you staying?" asked Mary, looking worried.

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "...Here."

[montecito-east.livejournal.com]

"It can't be very comfortable," said Mary, looking around. "Like I said, I work over at the Arms Hotel. If you decide that you don't want to stay here, come over to the hotel. I've got plenty of empty rooms and a chef who wants to open a restaurant so there's usually free food in the lobby when he tries a new recipe."

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

"Free food?" Gabriel looked curious. "And you don't happen to be able to lend be a bed?"

[montecito-east.livejournal.com]

"I have plenty of unoccupied beds. I'd be happy to loan you one," said Mary with a smile.

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

Gabriel smiled back, although more because he was pleased with himself than out of friendliness. "I'd appreciate that," he replied.

[ooc: sorry for extreme SP!]

[montecito-east.livejournal.com]

"Just drop by the hotel and I can get you set up with a room," said Mary.

[No problem!]

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

Gabriel gave a nod in reply.