The Second Time Around [Vicki & Marc]

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He paused eating when she responded. Drinking his wine he contemplated what she said. This was not something he would have expected from her. She did not ooze any of the traits usually associated with a so-called 'child-star.' It did explain how she was able to afford such a luxurious home in North Gotham. Quite interesting. While a rather blatant look of shock was not on his face, as it was not his standard, there was enough of a deviation to show his reaction.

"Thank you for sharing that. I would not have expected you to have been in front of a camera for so long being so young." He blinked and ran a thumb along his jaw. His own hobbies? He had many.

"I prefer to stay active. Exercise, is one that compromises many others. I run, I swim, I rock climb. I have been known to pick up a camera from time to time, but more as a pastime, than anything else. Nothing to the extent of making a hobby of it." He shrugged before setting his wine down. He then reached to the bottle to refresh his glass and to offer the same for her.

It wasn't that his other hobbies weren't noteworthy, it was that he didn't see it fit to share everything so soon. The bottle was replaced as he smiled at her. "I agree. I am lucky enough that my play is incorporated most of the time into my work, which is done with an integrity on my behalf. But my work does take over much of my life, with travel and meetings and talking. He hoped that would not dissuade her.

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“Are you really that surprised?” Vicki asked playfully, noticing Marc’s slight reaction to her comments.  She tried to laugh away her nervousness.  “I don’t look that homely, do I?”

As Marc listed a few of his hobbies, Vicki nodded.  When he mentioned photography, she smiled.

“So exercise is the secret to keeping your manly physique?  I would’ve never guessed!” she exclaimed sarcastically.  “I’m so glad you watch your figure, Marc.  If you didn’t, no one else would either!"

She giggled at her joke and winked at him.  Then she took another sip of wine while Marc talked about his job consuming most of his time.

“I can identify with your work ethic,” she sighed heavily.  “I’m a workaholic, too.”

Her eyes twinkled mischievously.

“Maybe we could find a way to spend more time together and ‘play’ a little?” she suggested, wiggling her eyebrows.  Then she eyed his almost-empty plate.  "Would you care for some more Coq au vin before dessert?"

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Had he been surprised? Yes and no. He had not assumed anything, so anything she did choose to confide in him would be new to him. "Not surprised, but I had not thought to think in one manner, or the other. And no, dear Vicki, I did not imply homeliness in the least." He hadn't thought his words, or actions had offended her. Did they?

"I had just a different upbringing. My parents were involved in my life, in school in other activities, but it seems those activities varied from what your parents had you involved in. Just different, not bad. That is what makes the world, and it's inhabitants unique. We all have different perspectives and upbringings."

He gave a slight nod as she mentioned exercise. "Mm. That is what I do." He had to smile at her joke. It was a good one. He returned her wink with a large smile before he turned back to his wine. It paired quite well with her cooking he had to admin.

"Ah. I did not say workaholic. Just because I work long hours does not mean I am forced to. My work is intricate. You need to form a relationship with the client, and gain their trust. That takes time with some. So it is not always forced." But he could see where she was coming from. "If you do not like, or enjoy working such long hours, you should not have to." He frowned momentarily before she brought up the next topic.

"That depends on your definition of play, and when we work next, doll." He offered his plate to her, hoping for another helping. "Twist my arm? You really do make an excellent cook." He would not want the dish to go to waste.

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As Marc explained himself about not being surprised by her answer, Vicki flinched, the long quiet stare she gave him accomplishing more than words.  She had that way about her.  Then when he reflected on how influential his parents had been in his life, it made Vicki think about her own upbringing.  She was glad he laughed at her joke, and she was intrigued when he corrected her about the use of the term “workaholic”.   After his comments about long work hours and play, she felt a sharp tug at her heart as two words escaped her lips in reply.  She couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“Oh, Marc,” she cooed.

In those two little words, Vicki managed to convey a world of emotion, a depth of feeling that she hoped matched the changes growing inside him, changes that had begun that first day in Robinson Park.  Ever since he had arrived for dinner, she had sensed something different in Marc.  She presumed something had ignited in his heart, something he’d thought long dead, a feeling dangerously close to hope.  Hope for the future.

With a woman other than Sia.

Vicki laughed nervously, her eyes twinkling with amusement.  For all their closeness, there were still awkward moments when she felt slightly disconnected from Marc.  As if he were holding a portion of himself back.

Or was that her?

Maybe Vicki was the one afraid to take a chance.  Maybe she feared he wouldn’t be able to love her as he’d once loved Sia.

Well, of course he would never love her as he’d once loved Sia.  And that was all right.

Vicki didn’t want to replace Marc’s ex-wife in his heart.  She wanted to be what he needed now, to love him as the man he’d become.

Fearful she would blurt out her feelings and botch the rest of their evening together, Vicki kept quiet and simply watched Marc intently.  She could spend a lifetime looking into those smiling blue eyes with the thick dark lashes.  Leaning in a little closer, her heart took an extra-hard beat.

Unknown to Marc, he had been in Vicki’s thoughts all day – all week, in fact – and she was enjoying this.  Enjoying him.  Deep down, she wished time would stop so she could feel the way she was feeling about him forever.  She realized some of what he was going through emotionally.  It was hard trusting the unknown.  Was total surrender even in his nature?  She wished she could put his fears to rest, but that was something time would have to do for him.  In the meanwhile, all she could do was be the kind of friend to Marc that she wanted Marc to be to her.  He was a smart man.  He’d figure it out eventually.

Vicki knew several obstacles stood between her and Marc, mostly on his end.  Some on hers.  Maybe the changes in their lives would be for the better, not for the worse.  They wouldn’t know unless they tried.  She hoped both of them would let go of their pasts in ways they hadn’t before.

When he requested a second helping, the appeal in his eyes called to the part of her that could deny this man nothing.  From the moment in Robinson Park when their gazes had connected, Vicki had known her life would never be the same again.

“All right.”

Silently, carefully, she took his plate and rose from her chair to embark on the short trek to the kitchen.  Before she walked away, she leaned over and kissed him on the forehead.

“I’ll be back in a moment, handsome,” she whispered.  “Don’t miss me too much.”

When Vicki returned, she placed the plate of hot food before him and took her seat once again.  She loved a man with a hearty appetite.

“Please take your time,” she told him, sipping her wine.  “When you’re finished with that, I’ll treat you with dessert.”

She wiggled her eyebrows and winked an eye.

“Tiramisu.”

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His eyes flicked upward to her face when he stated her name. Did she need something? He was focused on his second helping with gusto, wiping his fingers and mouth as need be as he ate. Hopefully his words made sense to her, despite their similar yet not upbringings. Both had quite involved parents just in different fashions.

Smiling at her as she laughed he raised his glass of wine to her in a subtle gesture as he sipped at it. He liked wine for how it tasted, with it's subtle nuances and flavor.

When she had stood to take his place and kiss him his own arm had wrapped around her waist for a quick squeeze. He smiled at her words and watched as she retreated to the kitchen and was back in no time again. "Thank you." She had barely touched her own meal and he motioned with his fork to her own plate. "I hope I'm not causing you stress, it looks like you've barely touched your own meal, Vicki." He gestured, smiling once more. He understood how cooking could take the edge off one's hunger as they prepared the recipe. But he didn't want her to not indulge and enjoy the fruits of her own labor.

"I am in no rush, my dear. But thank you." When she mentioned dessert he nodded in thought. That was something he hadn't indulged in for a few years. It seemed she thought to entreat him with home-cooked meals. He could appreciate that.

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When Marc thanked her for the second plate of food, Vicki noticed the gentleness in his eyes.  Her own eyes smiled in response as she took her seat.  Then she watched as his eyes narrowed and focused on her plate.  Uncomfortable, she shifted in her chair.

“Thanks for the concern, but I’m enjoying the company more than the food,” she confessed, a slow, endearing smile easing across her face.  Her gaze continued to study him with undisguised admiration.  She had trouble pulling her gaze from his.  His eyes were a mesmerizing shade of blue that reminded her of a midsummer Virginia sky.  Then she tasted a forkful of meat and vegetables.  “I hate to brag, but it is delicious, even if I do say so myself!” she giggled.

Suddenly, there didn’t seem to be anything more to say to Marc.  For the first time that evening, Vicki felt uneasy with him.  Seconds later, she had slipped into her comfort zone – reporter mode – and her mind raced to find a way to segue them into inquisitive conversation.

“So, have you met any other gorgeous and exciting women in Gotham City?” she asked playfully.

The minute the words were out, Vicki wanted to take them back so badly.  She could feel the color sweep her cheeks as the faint quiver of a smile started at the corners of her full, luscious lips, disguising her embarrassment.  It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him she hadn’t meant to say that.  It really wasn't any of her business.

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Running his hand along his jaw as he contemplated the rich Italian dessert he finished his glass of wine and offered to fill hers again. He had quite a high tolerance considering his vocation and his upbringing. To him wine was something to be enjoyed with every joy in the world. He'd taken care to pick out a fine red and a sweeter white for their date tonight.

As he finished his plate and gently laid his fork across the fine china he turned to her. "Food and company can be enjoyed in tandem. And I would have to agree with you. The cook does have quite some skill. Is this a family recipe of your own, Vicki?" He inquired kindly.

As she turned the tables on him and asked him a question playfully he had to rub at his chin. Had he met any exciting and gorgeous women? That depended highly. He'd met a few interesting ones. But something had not quite clicked. And the same for the gorgeous ones. So as he took the time to ponder her question he finally looked up and gazed into her eyes.

"Just one, actually." He'd respond not breaking his gaze with her.

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Vicki laughed when Marc asked if her meal had been a family recipe.  “Heavens, no,” she replied, thinking of her mother and cringing inside.  “I once dated a professional chef.  He revealed all of his culinary secrets to me before he went back to Brazil on personal business.”

Her thoughts reflected on Ethan Young for a moment.  Their time together seemed like it had happened a lifetime ago.  It was now a distant memory.  She hadn’t meant to bring up old boyfriends.  Bruce Wayne was definitely a topic of discussion she wanted to avoid!

Vicki gave Marc a mysterious, half-sideways look as he answered her question about meeting other women in Gotham City.  When he finished, she hesitated, her mouth opening, then closing, and then she slowly nodded.  She furrowed her brow, as if considering something, and then she managed to say, “That’s nice.”

Mentally kicking herself for bringing up the subject, Vicki’s smile faded a little.  She was shocked.  Stunned.  Maybe even a little afraid.  As comprehension washed over her face, her tensed, bunched shoulders relaxed.  At that moment, she was torn between indignation and jealousy for her unknown rival.  She calmed herself by taking a deep, even breath.

“I’ll get our dessert now,” she announced abruptly, standing to her feet and excusing herself.  Although her statement sounded curt, she remained polite and ladylike.

A few minutes later, Vicki returned with two dessert plates in hand.

“Get ready to enjoy mascarpone custard layered with whipped cream and rum and coffee-soaked ladyfingers!” she giggled, placing one of the plates before him.  The dusting of cocoa powder on the top layer of custard added elegance to the presentation.  “And after we finish here, we can either watch a movie in my den, or we can go to a movie theater nearby and watch one of the best French films ever made – Beauty and the Beast," she added.  "It's your choice.  Even though the film was made in 1946, Jean Cocteau’s surreal and magical cinematography will captivate you, guaranteed!  Have you ever seen it, Marc?  Josette Day and Jean Marais are absolutely wonderful in it!”

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Her slight action toward reacting to his question he took note of. Her preferences for whom she dated were also taken into consideration. A chef. That was quite the profession. And it seemed Ms. Vale did prefer exotic men. He chanced a smile at that as he leaned forward slightly on the cleared table. She had done well for herself he noted from the brief glimpsed of her home he'd seen. Even the locale was preferred. It was not his countryside villa, or a smart flat in the city but it was comfortable. Welcoming.

As Vicki did not quite respond as he'd expected her to his smile faded from his lips. "Vicki," he started, his arm snapping out and his hand grabbing her forearm. "I am talking about you. You are the only one that captures both those elements." His grip was firm, but not without warmth. As his eyes sought out her own he stood and brushed a strand of hair from her face before he gently kissed her forehead. He then stepped back and released the hold on her arm as she continued with the next step of their meal; a wonderful dessert carefully plated.

He had seated himself and leaned back as she not only presented the meal but described it. He was well aware of what the dessert was comprised of but the added lengths she went to were much appreciated.

He had waited until she was seated herself before indulging in the dessert. It paired nicely with the wine as well. He waited to respond to her until he finished his bite and washed it down with wine. "Perhaps a movie here?" As social as he was in his day to day life, it was just as enjoyable to spend a night in as well. Perhaps with a good cup of coffee and a beautiful woman on his arm as well. "It has been years but I have partaken of the movie. You have an interest in foreign film, Vicki?" He made polite conversation as he continued to nearly inhale his dessert.

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Vicki stood and turned from the table – and stopped dead in her tracks when Marc reached out and gripped her forearm.  Remaining calm, she tried for a real smile.  After hearing his explanation about her being the only gorgeous and exciting woman in his life, she felt herself blushing as their gazes locked and he brushed a strand of hair from her forehead.  He was so sincere.  So convincing.  Although she couldn’t see her face, she suspected that her cheeks were rosy pink.  At that moment, she was so flattered and so hot for Marc that she felt at risk of self-combusting!

Suddenly, the smile on Vicki’s face turned genuine, conveying to Marc that she understood now, and that everything was all right between them.  His kiss on her forehead calmed her fears.  All she could do was blink at him, momentarily at a loss for words.  Wow.  Just . . . wow.  There was no way in hell she was going to let this one get away!

With a spring in her step, Vicki made a beeline for the kitchen to fetch dessert.  When she returned to the table with plates in hand, Marc sat down again and listened to her super-perky presentation.  There was no doubt she was proud of herself for making a delicious dinner for them both.

As Marc tore into the Tiramisu, Vicki enjoyed a few bites from her own plate.  “There’s plenty more if you’d like seconds,” she told him, delighted that he had a healthy appetite and enjoyed her cooking.

“I adore foreign films!” Vicki exclaimed when Marc asked if she liked that genre of movies.  “I fell in love with them while I was on assignment overseas.  It’s a passion I brought back to the States with me.  Although my French vocabulary is limited, French films are my absolute favorite!”

Vicki shrugged when Marc said that he’d prefer staying at home and watching a movie.  “Alrighty then,” she replied.  “That’s fine.  I insist that you pick the one we’ll watch, but I’m warning you now -- it won’t be an easy decision!  I have an incredible personal library, ranging from slapstick comedies to action/adventure flicks.  You just have to tell me what you’re in the mood for.”

Vicki smiled to herself.  She already knew what she was in the mood for!

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As he went about eating dessert he shook his head. While he did like to indulge too much of a good thing was sometimes too indulgent. "I am good. This is fantastic. But to eat it all in one sitting would be a disservice, Vicki. I appreciate it." Wiping his mouth he turned back to his wine as he watched her eat. She did not eat much he noticed.



Listening to her gush about her work overseas he mentally filed away the information for later. He was not aware she had traveled that extensively. He understood the American preoccupation with all things French but could not pinpoint why. Then again he was from the culture and he was enamored with all things American. Perhaps they could learn culture from one another.



Rubbing his chin as she told him of her library he had to chuckle. "Well, you could direct me to some of your own favorites and perhaps we could narrow it down from there." He had a few of his own favorite movies but they were nothing special. And he wanted to include her in on this. It was never pleasant to entirely take the reins.

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Vicki was too excited to eat.  She was thankful that dinner had gone so well.  Marc seemed to have enjoyed her cooking, which was all she cared about at the moment.  “There are more recipes I’d like to try in the future,” she hinted, opening the door for more meals together, “if you’d like to be my personal taste tester and food critic.  I promise I’ll try not to fatten you up too much, although you might want to consider longer workout sessions at the gym!”

Vicki giggled at Marc’s chuckling.  He had a nice laugh.

“I enjoy the older stuff – black-and-white movie classics mostly,” she admitted, when Marc inquired about her DVD collection.  “I like movies with strong female leads.  Veronica Lake and Barbara Stanwyck are my favorites.  I consider them my role models.”

Standing to her feet, Vicki took Marc’s hand and led him to her den.  Mounted on the far wall was a large flatscreen TV.  On another wall was a huge bookcase filled with nothing but DVDs, all lined up perfectly, spine out and in alphabetical order.  There must’ve been over a thousand movies in her library.

“I’ll leave you here to pick out some of your favorites,” she said.  “I’ll be back in a few minutes.  You’re my guest for the evening, and so I want you to relax and make yourself at home, okay?”

With that, Vicki went upstairs to clean up the kitchen and put away the leftovers.  It didn’t take her very long.  Twenty minutes later, she was back downstairs with the winestand, and the bottles of wine Marc had brought, in hand.

“So what did you pick out?” she asked, setting the winestand near the edge of the sofa where they’d be sitting.  Her curiosity was getting the best of her.