The Park, Monday Evening

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

The portal opened only briefly, just enough time for Cally to step through before it shut behind her. She clutched her child Nicky to her chest, breathing in the fresh air. Not even the air on New Caprica was this crisp.

She knew she'd have to find food and shelter soon, but right now, she sat down on a bench, making sure to keep Nicky close and warm. She just needed a minute, to take in the fact she was here again. It had been so long, but she was back.

[ooc: Open!]

Comments

[angelandwitch.livejournal.com]

Paige was out for a walk since it was a nice evening and she was craving ice cream.

She noticed the young woman and her baby on the bench and offered a tentative smile. It made her miss Piper and the boys. She'd have to visit soon.

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

"Paige?" Cally said, a tinge of hope in her voice. She'd already met two different Paiges in her earlier time at Fandom. There was a possibility it was one of them, right?

"Is that you?"

[angelandwitch.livejournal.com]

That caught Paige off guard and she stopped, studying the other woman with surprise.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, have we met?" she asked.

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

The surprise keyed her in. It had been over two years, but the little peculiarities of Fandom were suddenly readily accessible in her mind.

"Probably not you and me," Cally said, giving her a little apologetic smile. Nicky himself did a little chubby-armed reach towards Paige. "But I've met a Paige Halliwell before. Two, actually."

[angelandwitch.livejournal.com]

Aww, he was a cute baby and Paige reached out to let him grab her hand if he wanted.

"Oh. Yeah. I knew there was a Paige who used to go here," Paige said. "Sorry, I'm from a different universe. You probably know Piper and Phoebe though, huh?"

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

"Definitely knew them," Cally said. "We've kind of fallen out of contact. So you're not the Paige who went here, and you're not the Paige from Piper and Phoebe's..."

Cally pinched the bridge of her nose, this wasn't exactly the sort of thing she'd expected to deal with right away.

"Sorry, it's been a long day."

A long day that involved hitting her husband unconscious with a wrench after discovering he was secretly an 'evil' robot.

[angelandwitch.livejournal.com]

"I'm also not Wyatt and Chris's Paige," she said with a sheepish smile. "If you know them. But I am a Paige. Matthews, though. Not Halliwell. I'm guessing you just got back to Fandom?"

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

Cally nodded, just as Nicky reached out and grabbed Paige's hand. "Been a few years. It was a little bit of a... sudden decision."

"I guess Nicky likes you," she said, kissing his head.

[angelandwitch.livejournal.com]

"He's adorable," Paige said. "Sounds like you've had a rough time. What made you decide to come back here?"

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

Cally paused there, not even sure to get into it all.

"Let's just say I didn't really have any sort of home anymore," she said, deciding on the vaguest explanation. "And that robots suck."

[angelandwitch.livejournal.com]

Paige wasn't sure what to make of that but she nodded. "When did you get here?"

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

Cally thought for a second, then just shrugged. "Don't have a watch. But I'd say ten minutes ago, at most."

[angelandwitch.livejournal.com]

"Oh. Wow."

Paige could tell that she had been through a lot. "Do you have a place lined up to stay?"

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

Cally shook her head, putting on her best apologetic expression. "Did I mention the part where it was a sudden decision?"

[angelandwitch.livejournal.com]

"We have a couple of spare bedrooms at my house," Paige offered. "You and Nicky would be more than welcome to stay there."

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

"I guess my kid gets me the sympathy vote," Cally said, a little cynical. "I probably should tell you my name, though."

She took a deep breath, not sure how to answer. "Cally. The last name... it's not important."

[angelandwitch.livejournal.com]

"Not just the kid," Paige said. "I wouldn't necessarily invite a total stranger to stay in my home, but you're friends with Piper and Phoebe and that means I can trust you."

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

Cally chuckled, a little humorlessly. "Obviously they haven't told you the stories," she said. Like that time she'd gotten possessed by a demon and tried to kill them. "But thank you. I promise, I won't freeload for long. I just have to get my bearings."

[angelandwitch.livejournal.com]

Pfft. Getting possessed and/or turning into an evil being was a regular occurrence in the Halliwell life.

"Don't worry about it. I'm happy to help and we have the space. Plus I would be more than willing to babysit if you need me to. My Wyatt is probably around the same age as your Nicky."

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

"Thanks," Cally said. "But I'm not letting him out of my sight for a bit. He's all I've got left, really."

[angelandwitch.livejournal.com]

Paige nodded. "I can kind of understand that. I don't know what happened but I'm sorry you had to go through whatever it was."

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

"It's hardly the stuff of first meeting conversation," Cally said. "But thank you. I'm just... I'm actually not sure what to think."

It was still very 'now' to her, all that had happened. The fact she wasn't breaking down into sobs was a win right now, for her.

[angelandwitch.livejournal.com]

"You need time to process everything, I'm sure," Paige said.

She planned to call the younger versions of her sisters and let them know their friend was back in town as well.

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

Cally agreed with a nod. "I suppose I'm going to need you to be my guide, here," she said, standing up. "I don't remember much of the town layout."

[angelandwitch.livejournal.com]

"I can definitely do that," Paige promised.

Of course, the island was a lot bigger since Cally left but Paige wasn't aware of that change.

[grand-fallguy.livejournal.com]

Tim was out for a walk, not really on his way to anywhere, or thinking of anything in particular.

When he neared Cally, he did a minor double take. He'd seen this girl before. He thought.

"Hi."

[nomoreveruca.livejournal.com]

Cally had never really been close to Tim, so she only had a vague sense of familiarity when he greeted her. She gave him a friendly half smile and nodded. "Nice evening," she said, not sure what else to say.

[grand-fallguy.livejournal.com]

"It is." he nodded. "Sorry if this seems like a line, but have we met before?" He seemed genuinely unsure. Which was probably not how most guys who say that sound.