Budding (Leila)

[Dr. Terrence Jordan]

It wasn't precisely professional to date patients, a fact Terrence was painfully aware of. He supposed that really he ought to refer her to another liver doctor if this became serious; he could help her maintain her health in an unofficial capacity, but it simply looked bad to have a romantic attachment to someone under his care.

He'd called it a date this time; a Halloween date, with costumes, he'd suggested, considering the holiday was right around the corner. Even if this attempt crashed and burned at least it would be memorable.

His costume was fairly traditional, all things considered: cape, cheap fangs, dress shirt and pants. He wasn't going to win awards for creativity but that hadn't been the point of suggesting costumes; he'd merely wanted to give a nod to the season.

He'd decided to pick her up, both because that was the most practical option as well as because it was romantic. To further his romantic efforts he'd picked up a bouquet of flowers at the florist (the nice woman at the mall had been so helpful) full of Peach spray roses, burgundy miniature carnations and butterscotch daisy pompoms.

He held the bouquet behind his back as he rapped at the door, listening for the sound of either Leila or Athena.

[Leila Gold]

Part of Leila knew that she shouldn't be dating one of her doctors. It was always a bad idea for clients and any sort of workers to get romantically involved. But she could worry about that later--she was very good at putting that sort of thing off. And it wasn't like he was operating on her or anything...maybe she'd just have to find another liver doctor. Because she wasn't sure she wanted to stop seeing Terrence.

They were actually going on an official date (it was even being called a date, which gave her little shivers inside--she hadn't been on a date in ages). And if she said she was excited it was probably understating it a bit. But in an effort not to scare anyone away, she'd decided to go with one of her less extravagant costumes. There were a couple she had stashed away, but this one was simple, comfortable, and wouldn't draw too much attention. Just for the heck of it, though, she slung on a cross necklace and grabbed a few pencils to act as "stakes", sticking them through her ponytail just in case.

At the knock on the door Athena raised her head and went over to sniff at the doorjam. Leila called out, "Just a moment!" and finished putting the finishing touches on her make-up. She'd added a little bit of blood on her face, just for the sake of being dramatic, and because in the end she couldn't stand to look so...plain.

She swung the door open wide, smiling at Terrence. Then she got a look at his costume and had to laugh. "Well hello, handsome," she said. "Fancy seeing you here. You know, usually the vampires don't come knocking on my door. But since you don't look too vicious, I think I'll let you live."

She grabbed her bag that was hanging next to the door and checked to make sure her keys and cell phone were inside. "All right, looks like that's everything." Smiling back at Athena, she put a finger on the dog's nose. "Be good while I'm gone, all right?"

Leila stepped forward again toward Terrence and reached out, intending to slide an arm through his. "So where are we off to today, Dracula? Or do you have a different name you prefer?"

[Dr. Terrence Jordan]

Terrence gave Leila a fangy smile as she opened the door, surveying her from head to foot. The pencils in her hair didn't quite scream stakes to him considering the school girl look she had going on (didn't school girls use pencils to keep their hair up sometimes out of convenience?) but the crucifix caused him to step back momentarily.

"Is the necklace to prevent me from getting too close?" He teased as she slid one arm into his. "I assume you had extra garlic before I came, too?"

With his free arm he presented his bouquet to her with what was supposed to be a romantic flourish but looked more like awkward flailing; he didn't have much practice with this. Maybe he should have tried it out in the mirror at home before he picked her up. "They even match your costume, how fortuitous." He commented, sweeping his cape in the direction of his car. "Shall we?"

[Leila Gold]

"Naturally. Garlic bread, garlic sauce on the pizza...I was just nice enough to brush my teeth first. It's in my blood but not my breath," Leila said with a smile. "Don't you recognize the outfit though? Maybe not. I'm Buffy the Vampire Slayer!" she said dramatically. "Admittedly I don't have my stakes or my knives handy, but I had to make do. The costume was a complete accident, though--I had no idea you would dress up as a bloodsucker."

She only giggled a little as he fumbled with the flowers, but she gratefully accepted the bouquet. "They're lovely, thank you. I'm going to set them in the house so they don't get ruined this evening." She set them on the small table by the door.

"Yes, let's, handsome," she said with a flirtatious smile. She paraded out to the car. "So, what's the plan for tonight? Or is it a surprise?"

[Dr. Terrence Jordan]

"Vampire slayers also take cheerleading?" Terrence asked curiously. He'd heard of Buffy but he had minimal knowledge as far as specifics were concerned. Blonde, young and female was all he knew. He thought she had a vampire boyfriend, but as he wasn't entirely certain he felt it was safer not to remark on that.

"I will not try and drink your blood if you do not try and stake me." He offered, moving with her as she darted to put the flowers in the foyer. He bent down to give Athena a pat before they wandered down her driveway to his car.

"I hope you like steak." He informed her, leading her around to the passenger side of his vehicle and holding the door open for her, "Because we have reservations at Long Horn." She didn't wear cowboy hats or croon country tunes in his hearing, but the fact that she was from Texas had made Long Horn seem a good idea (even if it was a Georgia-based franchise). It was moderately upscale, and the food was delicious. He didn't think it was possible to go wrong there. "The cow steak, not the weapons." He clarified as he slid into his seat, pulling the buckle over his shoulder.

[Leila Gold]

"When they're trying to fit in, they do," Leila said with a shrug. "It also helps to keep fit. Even with supernatural strength it can still be good to do some exercise." Terrence didn't know Buffy. That would mean he needed to be caught up. Initiate Movie Nights was officially a go.

Leila smiled as she watched Terrence give Athena a pat. It was a good sign that the dog seemed to like him. Not that she would have expected anything different, but still, it proved that Athena was still a good judge of character. "Deal. Though I doubt a pencil would really do much good. Unless you're the Joker."

She slid into the car and smiled as he closed the door behind her. It was so nice to be waited on, to feel as though you were someone special. She laughed at his joke. "That sounds wonderful, thank you! Yes, I do enjoy a good steak. Stake-outs, a little less fun, bloody stakes a little too hard to clean up after, but good food is wonderful. Especially when I get to have some good company to go along." She smiled up at her date as she buckled her seatbelt.

Was it too early to hope that this would turn into something more? Terrence was so nice, and everything was feeling so wonderful. Leila was just worried about what sort of fall might be coming.

"So, how has work been going recently?" she asked as they started driving.

[Dr. Terrence Jordan]

"Blood does tend to stain," Terrence agreed, expression serious despite the fact that the plastic fangs were beginning to be uncomfortable and difficult to talk through. Good thing he would be able to take them out to eat. "That is why vampires wear so much red and black, makes it much harder for people to notice."

He slowly backed out of her driveway, glancing cautiously behind him to make sure there were no stray dog walkers or early trick or treaters waiting to dart out into the road.

"Work has been spectacularly uneventful." He admitted as he inched out into the road bit by bit. "But with the holidays approaching, the big ones, Thanskgiving and Christmas, things will get busy. People will make mistakes in judgment at parties and the ones who are depressed, the holidays only make it worse, so I will have a lot more work." For better and for worse.

Long Horn wasn't in Pilot Ridge proper, so they would have a bit of a ride. Of course, that meant he could point out Cody's ranch to her.

Which meant he had to tell her he'd been looking into it.

"I have been meaning to ask, I was talking to a young man who owns a ranch just outside of Pilot Ridge, if you're interested in bringing your horse up..."

[Leila Gold]

Leila frowned at the idea of all the people who would be having problems over the holidays. "It's strange to think that a time which is usually supposed to be so happy can be so awful for a lot of people. I guess I just never really think about all those who are still working during that time, or people who have problems. It's too easy to get caught up in my own world." Which was something she would have to work on, with what she was planning.

She was gazing out the window, watching the trees whisk by in the early dark, when Terrence spoke again. She turned to look at him with a big smile.

"Oh really?" she said excited, her smile growing even more. She began to bounce slightly in her seat. "That sounds amazing! Do you know, I never even really looked into it, and every time I would think of it it would just slip my mind. Thank you so much! I can't believe you did that for me, that's so amazing!"

Now she wondered what she could do for him. But she couldn't think of anything off the top of her head, so it was time for her own admission. "I've also been looking at some other changes in my life. I may need an actual car really soon, since it looks like I'll be doing a lot of traveling, especially between here and Burlington." She bit her lip. "I'm going to run for office. I'm hoping to become a state representative for this area. It'll mean living in Pilot Ridge, but working in the capital. And, well, moving out of the law firm. But I already talked to Blue about it, and he said it was okay, so everything's going ahead."

[Dr. Terrence Jordan]

Leila's reaction to his decision to look into stables was encouraging; she was reacting to this as the romantic friendly gesture he'd intended, rather than creepy and potentially socially inappropriate. The enthusiasm in her voice and the smile on her lips was reassuring.

"If you're amenable to the idea, we should stop by sometime. The owner, Mr. Branson, he can talk to horses." He felt it was important to mention this detail.

He flicked on his blinker before easing into the exit lane, heading toward the highway and Burlington. "A state representative." So she'd decided to run after all; she'd mentioned the possibility the last time they'd met for a meal, though at the time she'd seemed less certain about time line. "So you'll be on a mini-campaign trail?" Yes, he could see how a car would be a necessity in her situation.

"It's good your partner is so understanding." From what he'd seen of her partner he was quiet, but he cared about Leila, cared enough to be at her side when she was in the hospital. "When do you begin campaigning?"

[Leila Gold]

"Talk to horses, huh? Like, horse whisperer talk, or something more?" Leila asked with a raised brow. "Either way, it sounds like something we should check out." She'd want to make sure that whatever place Red went to was great...and the chance for them to go together and look at the ranch was another excuse to spend an afternoon together.

"Yeah, a small campaign trail, but just in this area. The town, a few surrounding farms and such. There's actually a really large amount of representatives for a state of such small size." She shrugged. "And then if I make it I'll have to commute to Burlington. But it's not too far, and it wouldn't be every day."

She sagged a bit at the mention of Cobalt. "Yeah. Yeah, he is." Almost too understanding. She had to wonder if he felt like she was abandoning him, no matter what he actually said. At least she wouldn't have to abandon her family in Pilot Ridge completely.

"I've got to start next year, definitely. I am working on some of the preliminary advertisments now. I need to do a lot of sucking up to rich people and the like, you know, basic politician stuff. Not to mention defining a platform. I know where I stand on meta rights, but I have a feeling people are going to want to know more than just that."

[Dr. Terrence Jordan]

"Something more." Terrence confirmed as they cruised down the highway, unconcerned with the fact that every car that came up behind them wound up passing. He was going the speed limit and no amount of SUVs sitting on his bumper until they couldn't stand it anymore was going to urge him to go faster. "He can communicate with them, I suppose telepathically?" He shrugged to show he wasn't entirely sure how this was supposed to work. "He is meta and talking to horses is what he does."

He nodded as she explained the area she would be campaigning in. "Fewer people to convince, that is good. So you'll need to know about farming issues?" Rural voters meant rural concerns, and there were a number of farms and ranches in the area. "But you probably already know the issues farmers care about." After all, she did own a horse.

"If you need a ride to any of your sucking up efforts you only need to ask," He told her as he changed lanes toward the exit, keeping an eye out now for the restaurant. "Do you have a website set up, or will that be for after you have your platform built?"