A Night of Spring Air (Open)

[rachel]

Rachel walked along the sidewalk, glad to be outside instead of in the office. Not that she wasn't happy to have work again, but getting out of the building was nice. Especially now that it was Spring. Everything always seemed better with Spring. Hope bloomed again, as did the trees and plants that could be found. Life seemed brighter, lighter, and not as stressful as during the dark days of Winter.

Rachel paused by the turn for the road that would take her straight home, and decided against it. She wanted to walk around a bit more before shutting herself in at home. One thing never changed with Spring, though. She always had her Tazer, no matter what. The thought made her smile, and she continued walking, head high, enjoying the mostly fresh air of the spring night. She absently wondered if anyone else would be out walking tonight..it was so beautiful...who could pass this up?

[Deleted]

Victor was celebrating today. And his form of celebrating was a nice relaxing walk and then a few hours playing games at home then sleep. He shifted his Indiana Jones style fedora into a straighter position on his head. He smiled and had a spring in his step.

He had finally fulfilled his promise to his uncle. He had got the job at Gotham University. He felt a breeze as he walked down the sidewalk. It wasn't nearly as bad as it was during winter. So instead of a German trench coat. He was wearing his Indiana Jones style jacket. As he walked he saw a woman. A woman that he got the feeling he had seen before. He frowned trying to think about why she gave him that feeling. Victor finally gave into his curiosity and when he got within ear shot he asked. "Have we met before?" Then almost instantly after he asked that question he realized where he had seen this woman before. He had met her. But she had met Wulfen. So he had to quickly stop himself from saying her name. He had to remind himself that Victor doesn't know her.

[rachel]

Rachel looked up as a man approached, apparently also out for the night air and a walk. He seemed somewhat familiar, but she was usually so many places during workhours that she could have seen him anywhere. So it went in Gotham..you might know someone, you might not. It was common to see faces that seemed recognizable, even if you weren't sure of the name.

At his question, she stopped, looking up at him. He really did seem familiar..perhaps he was one of the people she saw more frequently, maybe around the buildings near work.

"I'm not sure if we have met before or not, sir. I see so many people during work, I can never be certain whether I really know someone, or have just seen them a lot."

She smiled, tilting her head a little. He certainly seemed familiar..she couldn't place a name with the face, though. However, this didn't mean she couldn't offer him her name. She held out a hand to him.
"I'm Rachel Dawes, a pleasure to meet you, Mr...?"

[Deleted]

Victor smiled in return and shook her hand. "I'm Victor Grant." He said. "I just had the feeling I had met you before. Sorry if I interrupted anything." He said kindly. Then quickly in his mind he tried to remember everything Wulfen did when he met her. That way he wouldn't give her any clues as to who he was.

"I understand how you feel. I tend to travel around alot so I kinda have that problem too in some parts of the city." He said trying to avoid doing anything that would scream. 'I'm the wolf!' So far he thought that he had managed avoiding that rather well.

[rachel]

Rachel smiled, shaking Victor's hand. He seemed like a very nice person, reminding her of someone else, but then again, she could be wrong. After all, Gotham held so many people, that the person she thought was familiar could just be a face she's seen day after day on commute or during work. Too many faces, too many people to count.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Grant. Or do you prefer Victor?" she queried, knowing that some people preferred to use a less formal name when being greeted.

She smiled at him, and shook her head. "You didn't interrupt anything..I was simply enjoying a walk, taking in the Spring night air..or what you can get of it here, anyway." she said with a wry smile. With cars, buses, taxi's and everything else in the city, it was a wonder if anyone got fresh air.

"I don't want to keep you from anything you yourself were doing. If you weren't up to anything, you could walk with me, if you'd like. Rachel offered, tilting her head. She didn't know if Victor had a schedule to keep, but if he didn't it would be nice to have a walking companion.

[Deleted]

Victor looked at her and said. "I honestly prefer Victor. Mr give me a uncomfortable feeling. But I can pull through if I have too." Then he gave a grin.

"I don't really have much to do right now. I just got hired at the University and I'm, quote, "celebrating" right now." Then when she asked if he would like to walk with her he had to think about it quickly.

"Sure if you would be ok with it I'd be ok with that." He said after a few seconds thought.

'What are you doing? She might find out.' Lupin demanded.

'Its fine she's talking to Victor not Wulfen. Who might I add has only been around since you met me. I know how to be myself better then I know how to be a wolfman.' Victor replied mentally. Hoping he didn't show any signs of what was going on in his head.

[rachel]

Rachel smiled, and continued walking along the sidewalk, noticing Victor's preoccupation, but deciding it probably had to do with work or something. These days, everyone was preoccupied with something..some just hid it better than others.

She tilted her head, watching Victor every so often as they walked. She wondered where he was from..she didn't think he was from Gotham..perhaps he was new to the city...but she had seen him here before tonight..she just couldn't put her finger on it..

"Victor, can I ask you a question?" Rachel glanced at him, and then up at the sky briefly. She wondered if any stars were out tonight..

[Deleted]

When Rachel asked if she could ask him something his heart skipped a beat.

'See what did I tell you?' Lupin complained.

'I'm sure her question doesn't involve you or Wulfen.' Victor reassured.

To Rachel however he said. "Sure what is it?" He kept a kind look on his face as he said that and didn't allow any of the worry he had on his face show. He realized that his hands were in his pockets at the moment and decided to keep them there.

[rachel]

Rachel looked at Victor, and was a bit concerned about how he sort of reacted to her asking if she could ask him a question...a brief flicker of something that could have been worry..? She decided she was seeing things..it was late, after all.

"Do you mind if I ask..where you're from? I don't think I've seen you around very long...not that it's you I've seen when going to and from work..so many people.."

She ended her almost-rambling statement, looking away for a minute. She hoped that he wouldn't think that she was trying to be nosy or anything...it was merely her weakness... curiosity.

[Deleted]

Victor relaxed when she asked where he was from.

'See Lupin. She doesn't know.' Victor said to Lupin with a triumphant tone. And Lupin simply grunted.

"I'm from Texas. The Eastern half." Victor replied with a proud smile. "Why do you ask? Did I do something that's strange for a place like Gotham?" Victor couldn't help but ask.

[rachel]

Rachel watched Victor, and notice him relax. She wondered why he had been so tense...then again, she could understand..most people in Gotham kept to themselves, speaking only to those they knew personally, and not giving much information about themselves without some sort of compensation in return..

She smiled. "I've never been to Texas..what's it like there?"
At Victor's next words, she had to laugh. It was an innocent question.
"Not really..you just seem different from the rest of the people I've seen around, that's all..like you're finding your place here in Gotham."

[Deleted]

Victor took a deep breath when she asked what Texas was like. He reached up and scratched the back of his head. "Well that's kinda a hard question to answer." He said then he looked at her. "You have to remember that Texas is huge. And so its split up into four parts." He thought about how to finish his statement without rambling in. "Which part do you have in mind?"

Then he smiled. "Its that obvious, eh?" Was the reply he gave to Rachel's comment about trying to find his place in Gotham. "I am still kinda new here." He said. Not quite sure how to continue.

[rachel]

Rachel smiled, walking along. It wasn't often she had a companion to join her for a walk, someone who actually was nice, as they seemed. Too many times she had seen people who looked nice, acted nice, and played nice...to the audience. Behind the scenes, out of sight, they were different, darker...

She shook the thoughts away, looking at Victor. He was new, then, as he said. She hoped that Gotham had been kind to him so far, and said so, adding with a smile: "It's not that obvious, just to people who have spent most of their lives here, I guess. *pause* I've never been to Texas...tell me what it's like where you're from?"

He seemed like a man who might have some interesting stories, she thought. She wanted to know more about this mysterious, kind man.

[Deleted]

Victor felt abit more confidant about explaining what it was like in Texas now that he had an idea of where he was going to talk about. "Well East Texas is in essence one big forest. Oak trees and Pine trees abound." He said with a smile. "Plus there are a few cities there."

He looked at Rachel and realized that granted he had met her before, but as Wulfen. So he was seeing her for the first time through his own eyes. He was struck by her beauty he also had the feeling that there were alot of men who probably thought the same thing. But he didn't chase the subject. After all Texans are known for being polite.