A/N: Thanks to the regulars, Nicki, Elyxer and Gerri ;). You guys rock! ___________________________________________________________________ Chapter 6 Justin stops midway into the diner and turns a bright shade of red. I roll my eyes. So much for playing the blind boy. I could have told you since he saw the note outside that he couldn't lie for shit. That kid shows his feelings on his face. "And don't you dare tell me you're blind, I saw you reading the notes outside.", she puts a finger right in front of Justin's face and he steps back, frightened. I roll my eyes again. "Don't be shy. She can hurt you only by hugging you to death.", I say and, what's new, the only sound the others hear is me barking. "I...I didn't want to let him stay outside all by himself.", he stutters and looks with pleading eyes into Debbie's. She looks down at me with a raised eyebrow, and I sit patiently beside Justin and tilt my head. She smiles and then frowns. She looks up at Justin and then back down at me. A chill runs down my back when she frowns and leans in closer to see my eyes more clearly. I hear her chuckle quietly before she leans even closer. "Oh Kiddo, I don't know what you did to deserve this, but let me tell you, you're in deep shit.", she whispers in my right ear and I'm stunned. Somehow everyone who really cares about me seems to recognize me immediately. I roll my eyes. That's just fucking great, I'll never hear the end of it when I'm human again. Then again, no one would believe Deb if she were to tell people about me being a dog, and Gus. Well Gus was only a toddler, who could barely speak. I'm interrupted in my thoughts when I hear Deb speak again. "You know, normally I would kick your ass for trying to fool me, but your dog's eyes remind me of an asshole I know. So sit down. I will be back in a few minutes to take your order.", she says and pats me behind my ears. So, Sunshine, the ball is in your court. I worked my charm, now you only have to use your smile and tell her about your boyfriend and voila we will know where to sleep. A few minutes later Debbie is standing in front of us with her notepad and a bowl of water. I roll my eyes. The disadvantages of being a dog. Deb just smiles devilishly. I sigh and jump down from the booth were I had been lying next to Justin with my head in his lap. Would be kind of impossible for me to hold a cup of coffee in my paws, huh? So, water it is. As Justin orders I see Debbie look at him curiously. She always smells trouble miles away. "So Sunshine, what brings you in my shining Diner today?", she says after her curiosity got the better of her and she sits down on the opposite side of the booth from Justin. I just look up at Justin when he stops patting me behind my ears as he'd been doing the whole time I was down on the floor drinking the water. He looks at me with worry in his eyes, and I can also see all the questions mirrored there. I tilt my head. "Just tell her the truth.", I say and he hears me bark. As always. He smiles as if he understood me and turns back to Debbie. "My boyfriend kicked me out, because he was pissed I bought a dog.", Justin says and Debbie leans closer to him and pats his cheek careful. "He didn't only get pissed, did he?", Debbie asks him and looks at him with worry. Justin just sighs and looks down. I see tears building in his eyes and walk back to him putting my head in his lap again. "Don't cry Sunshine, he isn't worth it.", I whisper and Justin starts to pat me behind my ears again. I sigh. I really could get used to this. It feels really good. Also, Justin seems to gain strength from the patting. Well, and as long as no one complains, who am I to say anything? Not that I could even if I wanted to. °*°*°*°*°*°*° A dark haired girl walked around Liberty Avenue. The one she wanted to meet had told her once that when she was ready to seek out the answers, she would find the person who had them without searching. She would find her. Just as she wanted to turn around to head back home, a black haired woman appeared in front of her with a concerned expression on her face. It was the one she was searching for. The only one she knew who could help. Daphne immediately started to worry about her friend. "Don't worry, the one he's been searching for is with him, but the cards show no good for them.", concerned Mysterious Marilyn patted Daphne's cheek. "I did everything I could to let them meet again, but the stars have their own rules.", just then Mysterious Marilyn took Daphne by the hand and pulled her towards the diner. Confused, Daphne looked at Marilyn who pointed to the colored pane, and she turned taking a look herself. She stepped closer to the pane and put her hand above her eyes to shield them from mirroring the sun. She was stunned when she found her friend in there. Alone. Just as she wanted to turn around something caught her attention. "Since when does Justin have a dog?", Daphne mumbled bewildered. Mysterious Marilyn was leaning back against the window and only looked into the face of the girl. Her young male friend was so lucky to have someone like her. She was really concerned about him. Even if Daphne had told Justin that she wouldn't want to continue their friendship, she never stopped worrying about him. Or his lacking love-life for that matter. When Daphne came to her for the first time she knew that she not only had a job to do. She also knew that she had found a friend. A friend who would be there for her, when she needed her. Not like all the others she had known all through her life. Give and take, not take and take and take... She knew how it was to be alone, with no one to turn to, but first she had a job to do. She had to help the girl's friend to finally find peace, and for the stud of Liberty Ave to settle down. She only wished she knew the outcome of all of this. She only knew that something bad would happen, something that might change all their lives forever. "The stars decided that this was the only way for them to meet again. The only way to protect your precious friend.", Mysterious Marilyn answered her questions and turned around to take a look. She had to chuckle when she saw the stud with his head in the kid's lap. He always was a sucker for gentle touches, even if he refused to admitted it. He was a gentle soul, she'd always sensed that, but Brian Kinney didn't show gentleness or feelings permanently for that matter. Maybe the stars really knew what they were doing. In a way, they were showing the stud how it could be to care for someone other than himself. Just with a simple touch. Sometimes a touch could express what a thousand words couldn't. Now, if only Brian would see that too. Mysterious Marilyn really hoped that Brian would find peace. Peace with his childhood, to know that it wasn't his fault that he got beaten. She turned around and looked up at the sky. She prayed with everything she had, that this would end good for all of them. She sighed. Deep down, she knew that all the prayers in the world wouldn't help to change their destiny. "Daphne honey, we have to go. If we stay here any longer he will see you, and we wouldn't want that.", she laid her hand on the girl's shoulder who turned around with a worried expression. Daphne also knew that something bad was about to happen to her friend. She would do anything to protect Justin, but she knew she couldn't fight fate. She only knew that she would be there to help pick up the pieces. °*°*°*°*°