Random Ideas V.3

Willow rolled her eyes and leaned up to plant a quick kiss on his lips. "She acts just like you, Apollo," she murmured in response. Her hands wound around his neck and smirked then. "Minus the 'I-am-going-to-be-a-rebellious-kid' phase," she added with a half smile planted on her lips. She rested her head against his chest as they swayed. A smile rested on her lips as she murmured, "You know, we haven't danced in a long time." Daphne glanced through their pile before she muttered, "You forgot the hot dog. I am not leaving until I have a hot dog. You should too." She sent him a smirk before she headed for the meat section.

Maya slowly glanced over at him incredulously. "No," she began slowly. "I don't smoke....or drink," she answered uncertainly as she slid another mug down the line. "It just wasn't how I was raised," she muttered with a long sigh. Even smelling the secondhand smoke was burning her throat. Although she couldn't exactly wrap her mind around it, she just didn't like it. A moment later, someone came up from behind Jamie and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Give the girl a break, Jamie," the girl muttered, snorting. Before Maya could ask who it was, the girl extended her hand and murmured, "Daphne. You are new here, aren't you?"

Apollo couldn't help but roll his eyes as he heard her. "As weird as it may sound, I sort of wish she had one. I mean, that stage in my life is when I really grew up and realized who I was. It was hard with the people I called my friends not growing up with me. I seemed to be the only one maturing, but I guess not fast enough," he said to himself. He sometimes wondered where the people he called his friends were, but he never looked into it. Gabriel looked down at the things when she said that he forgot the hotdogs, and he nodded, looking around. Where in an American store would he find a prepared hotdog? That was a thing, right. It sounded American. Wait, what was a hotdog?

Jamie nodded as he listened to her, and he smiled a bit. "Well, you were raised a fine lady," he said, and he glanced over his shoulder when he felt a hand. For a moment, he thought that it was the girl he was waiting for, but of course that was a stupid assumption. "Hey, Daph. This is Maya. She's keeping me company while I wait for Janice, but I have a good feeling she ain't coming. It's a shame too! I pulled out my nice war jacket for this occasion too," he said, and he adjusted his jacket, showing off all of his small metals, one of which being a Purple Heart.

"Maybe she doesn't need to grow up quite yet, Apollo. She is only fourteen," Willow murmured as she sent him a small smile. She leaned up and planted a kiss on the side of his mouth. "Besides, would you really want her running of smoking, hiding things from us, lying?" she continued with an arched brow. It wasn't the ideal scenario for her, at least. Daphne sighed when he seemed confused. She brushed past him to the meat section. "Two hot dogs," she muttered to the person behind the counter who prepared the meat. "Make is snappy....please."

Daphne arched a brow at Maya and shook her with her. Though, Maya quickly went back to work. She wasn't sure what to make of this Daphne girl; although her hair was still long, she seemed to resemble a flapper. What else could she actually expect at this point. Shrugging, Daphne muttered, "I told you to give up on her. She's a floozy anyway." She took a seat and leaned back against the back of the stool.

Apollo listened to his wife, knowing she was right anyway. He wasn't the best kid at all, and Maya would grow up on her own terms. She didn't need a scare to bring reality to light. She knew what to do. he just needed to trust her. "I don't know how I would be a parent without you," he said to his wife, and he started to hum a tune so they would have music to dance to. Gabriel followed her, and he blushed a bit, looking down at her. "So, is this common in America stores?" he asked, trying not to look as embarrassed as he was. He wouldn't dare tell her that he had never had a hotdog.

Jamie rolled his eyes, and he leaned back, finishing off his cigarette and reaching for another. "You may be right, but you know that I'm a sucker for innocent girls," he said, but the girl he was falling for was all but innocent. "What do you think of her?" he asked in a low voice, pointing to Maya. The more he looked at her, the more curious he became. He needed to get to know her more. "You know, Daph, I was thinking about buying some stock," he said.

Willow rolled her eyes and rested her head against his chest. "Let's face it, you are still a kid, Pollo," she murmured softly as she swayed with him. In the end, she just wanted her daughter to be safe and happy; that wasn't too much to ask, right? She definitely didn't think so. "I love you," she whispered after a moment, glancing up at him with a small smile. Daphne shrugged at his question as she grabbed the two little baskets the hotdogs were placed in. "In this store, it is," she answered with a small smirk.

Daphne arched a brow as she followed his gaze to Maya. "It's been ten seconds, James," she replied with an eye roll. She then paused, watching the girl thoughtfully. "She's all right, I guess. But she is from the south," she added as she reached into his pocket to pull out a cigarette from his packet. "I will probably need this with the night I am having. I wouldn't be surprised if I have to take you home," she muttered, snorting.

Apollo chuckled a bit as he listened to her, knowing she was right anyway. She was always right. It was almost annoying with her always being right. Almost. "Always will be," he said with a childish smirk, and he kissed her head. Willow meant more to him than she would ever know. Gabriel looked down at the little hotdog. It looked so...American. Greasy, unhealthy, and full of everything under the sun that was fattening. "It isn't made of real dogs, is it?" he asked in an almost hesitant way.

Jamie rolled his eyes, and he smiled brightly as another drink came his way, and he started to down it. "It has not been just ten seconds. It's been longer," he said, and he took another long puff. Oh, what a nice combination. "So what if she's from the south. Gabriel was from England, but he and I got along just fine in those trenches. Besides, we need some southern hospitality up here. People can be rude," he said, and he gave her a glare at her next statement. Knowing her though, she would probably be right, even if he didn't want to admit it. "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked.

Willow glanced up at him, a small smile still on her lips. "Why am I not surprised?" she murmured in a joking tone. To think, that after all these years they still loved each other as much as they did in the beginning. "You think she would tell us, if something was wrong, right?" she asked, meaning Maya. Rolling her eyes, Daphne pulled out her wallet and headed for the cash register. "No, we aren't that bad," she replied, wrinkling her nose. "Dogs are friends. Not food," she added before pulling out some dollar bills. "It's made of pig."

Daphne rolled her eyes and muttered as she lit the cigarette. "It was a guesstimate, Jamie," she replied, snorting as she took a puff. Maya notably wrinkled her nose. It seemed that Jamie's friend was ....what was the term again? Flapper...as well. She only vaguely listened to the conversation as she worked. Daphne snorted and leaned back in her seat, shrugging her shoulders as she did. "It means that if you drink too much, you will total the car dad just bought you," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "So I am better off taking you home."

Apollo stayed quiet for a moment, thinking about the past and the fist few days that he and Willow and moved in together. His thoughts were interrupted as he heard her, and he thought for a moment or two about it. "I think that she would, but then again, she is a teenager. There is no telling what she could be hiding form us," he said, but then he started to wonder why she asked the question. "Do you think she's hiding something?" he asked. Gabriel smiled when she dismissed his fear, and he took a bite of the hotdog. It wasn't all that bad, really. That was until he realized what he was really eating. He nearly choked, coughing and trying to catch his breath.

Jamie shook his head, and he drank a bit more, well into feeling the buzz. "I do not drink too much. I drink a perfectly healthy amount," he said, and he let out a cloud of smoke from his lips. He watched Maya for a bit, and he smiled, his teeth holding the cigarette in. "Watch this," he said, and he stood, with a bit of a struggle, and he made his way over to Maya. "What do you say about me giving you my apartment number," he said with a wink.

Willow merely shook her head as she murmured, "I am just wondering." Her attention moved upstairs thoughtfully, a frown sliding onto her lips. "I mean, I would hate for her to get her hopes up about cheer and not make it," she continued as she slowly brought her attention back to Apollo. "That would break her heart, and then she is getting to the age of dating. I mean, I know we probably don't have anything to worry about but..what if we do?" Daphne frowned at him as she paid for everything. "What is your problem?" she muttered as she took a bite of the hot dog. "You guys eat way worse. Snails are disgusting."

A frown slipped onto Daphne's lips, and she let out a sigh. He was an idiot. An idiot who was making a very bad choice at the moment. Maya furrowed her brows and glanced up from her work. "Uh...for what exactly?" she asked, watching him incredulously. She wasn't sure what to make of this man. She waited for his answer as she leaned back against the counter. "If you need a haircut shaggy, I could help you out, though I am not that great."

Apollo closed his eyes as he listened to his wife. "Don't go on. You will make me lose sleep," he said. He would not be able to sleep when he thought of his daughter growing up. "Should we talk to her? What if she ends up with one of those boys that Jamie hangs around. What if she needs up with Jamie?" he asked, his mind running. He had no idea what to think of his little girl growing up. Gabriel looked down at her, and he rolled his eyes. "Okay, I ate them before I knew they were snails, and they weren't all that bad," he said, and he looked down at the hotdog, sighing. "Well, at least it isn't dog," he said before he took another bite.

Jamie rolled his eyes as she mentioned the haircut, and he shook his head. "Well, I would like to spend time with you. After all, you aren't like most girls I have met," he said, and he paused to take a sip of his drink, closing his eyes contently. "So, tell me," he said after a few moments and reopening his eyes, "am I like most guys you meet here?" he asked, raising a brow. Of course he wasn't.

"Calm down, Apollo," Willow whispered as she glanced up at him. She sent him the tiniest smile as she reached up to plant a kiss on his lips. "Don't worry about her dating right now. There are no guarantees that she will. We just have to be prepared...just in case." Daphne wrinkled her nose as she scooped up the bag and headed for the doors. "No, they still sound disgusting. I don't care what you say," she muttered as she shook her head in disgust. She would rather have a hot dog any day.

Maya rose her brow as she checked the time on her watch. She still had a long time to go, to her dismay. She slowly returned her attention to Jamie as she spoke. "No, you aren't like most guys I know, but it's not like I have been here forever. I haven't been here long at all," she stated with a simple shrug of her shoulders. She paused for a moment before adding, "So who was that girl you and your friend were talking about?"

Apollo looked down at his wife, and a faint smile came to his lips as he heard her. He kissed her back softly, and he nodded. "Okay, I'll calm down, but only for you," he said, and he took her hand in his. She really did mean everything to him. She was his glue in a way. Without her, he would fall apart. Gabriel looked down at her, and he rolled his eyes. "You're weird," he said playfully. He paid for everything, and once it was placed in the bad, he turned back to her. "So, would you like me to drive you home or would you like to stay at my house for a little while?" he asked. He didn't want to take her home if she didn't want to be there.

Jamie smiled, and he did a little victory dance as he heard he words. So he was different! When she asked about the girl that they had spoke of earlier, he sighed. "Well, this girl and I have been talking for a bit. We were going to have a drink and a smoke before going to see a play, but apparently she has had other plans. I just can't seem to meet a girl who will stay loyal to one man. I guess that's what I get for falling for floozies," he said with a dreamy sigh, looking down at his half empty glass.

Willow smiled lightly up at him and leaned up to press a kiss to his jaw. "I love you," she whispered quietly. She rested her chin on his shoulder and sighed thoughtfully. "It doesn't feel like we should be this old," she commented with a small laugh. Their daughter was a teenager. It was hard to believe. Daphne snorted and took another bite of the hot dog. "I am far from weird," she replied as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. She pondered the question for a moment, furrowing her brows. "It depends on if Maya is still there," she murmured finally, sighing.

Maya listened to his answer and wiped her hands on her slight apron. "You realize where you live, right?" she asked him after a moment. It seemed that the entire northern part of the country was populated with floozies. "Maya! Get back to work!" the boss called out to her, and Maya groaned as she pretended to be working once more. "You should have a better choice in women," she stated as she moved around from behind the counter, filling in drink orders here and there.

Apollo rolled his eyes, and he shook his head. "We are not old. Don't think about it, I heard that if we don't think about it, we will still be considered young adults," he said with a laugh, and he held her close, holding her at the sides. He really wasn't sure what to think of his daughter growing up and everything. She still seemed too young. Gabriel rolled his eyes, and he wrapped an arm around her. "Just ask. It isn't that hard. After all, considering what hour it is, I highly doubt she is still there unless she is spending the night," he said jokingly, and he glanced at all of the thing he had bought before he popped a mint into his mouth.

Jamie looked down at her, and he smiled a bit, taking an even longer sip before he looked at Daph. "You're a great person, right? You would help me make sure I get some way to talk to this girl without passing out. I mean, I know I am getting pretty tipsy, but I still need to make sure I can talk to her. I know that this is crazy to say this so early, but I really think she is the one. She is so different than all of the other girls," he said, and he ran a hand through his hair.

Willow laughed softly and shook her head. "I don't think it is that simple, Apollo," she replied with a tired sigh. She just didn't feel as young as she used to, and in between Maya growing up and Maria hitting her last days, she was on the verge of pulling her hair out. Daphne sighed at his response and muttered, "I guess you are right. I should probably head home anyway. The 'parentals' are going to wait up for me otherwise."

Daphne snorted as she puffed on her cigarette. "Jamie," she muttered as she let out the smoke. "You say that just about any girl who pays you a lick of attention," she replied quietly, shrugging her shoulders. It seemed Jamie only attracted the girls who wanted him for money or other relations. Or, they weren't loyal. Although Maya seemed different, she would give her a hard time until she knew for sure. "But I suggest laying off the alcohol."

Apollo closed his eyes, and he looked down at his wife after a few moments. He didn't want to get old. He wanted to stay young and be with his wife forever, but even thing was being put into perspective again. He hated it. "I just hope that everything turns out right," he said in a soft voice, and he pulled her close, letting her head rest on his chest as he swayed once more, trying to forget about everything. "Remember our trip to Paris?" he asked in a quiet voice. Gabriel smiled down at her, and he grabbed his keys. "Well, today was a different day, I will say that. I had a really nice time, though," he said, and he blushed a bit, returning back to his awkward self.

Jamie looked over at Daphne, and he rolled his eyes. "She isn't like those other girls. She's like a fluffy cloud," he said, but after that he became a bit self-aware. "Oh my gosh, I'm really drunk," he said. He took the last sip of his drink before setting the cup down. "Well, I believe that I shouldn't have anymore drinks. Not for at least another hour," he said, and he grabbed one more cigarette. He needed to buy some more. "You think they sell packs here?" he asked.

Willow swayed along with him while listening to the steady beat of his heart. Sometimes, he was the only one who kept her going. It wasn't always the other way around. She needed Apollo just as much as he needed her. "What will we do, Apollo," she whispered quietly, "when we lose her?" She was indicating Maria. The unfortunate fact was...Maria wasn't going to live forever. It was surprise - a pleasant surprise - that she had made it this long. Daphne arched a brow and cracked the smallest smile. "Yeah, I had a pretty good time. You aren't so bad," she stated as she hopped into the car.

Daphne rolled her eyes and crossed her arm over her chest. "Who describes someone as a 'fluffy cloud?'" she insisted with a shake of her head. He was quite the fickle, especially when he was drunk. "Oh no, no more drinks tonight," she refused, rolling her eyes. Although she may be younger, she seemed to be slightly more responsible - which was saying something because Daphne was rarely responsible.

Apollo held her close, and he paused for a moment as he heard her. He didn't wan to think about losing Maria. She seemed to help them with everything. "We are just going to have to suck it up and celebrate her life. I don't know how Spencer is going to take it ," he said, closing his eyes. Spencer had fallen in love with Maria the moment that they met each other. He kissed her softly, and he took her hand. "It will be hard, but I think we can do it," he said. Gabriel looked down at her, and he smiled, blushing a bit. "You aren't bad as well. I think I can appreciate the American ways now," he said. Soon, he parked at her house. Oh, he wanted to kiss her, but he was terrified that she didn't want to. "I-uh-I'll see you tomorrow, right?" he asked. Just in case she did, he leaned a bit closer.

Jamie looked down at her, and he rolled his eyes. "You act like I'm a little baby," he said, but his words slurred together. "Can I have one more drink?" he asked the bartender who only smirked. "Buddy, you're wasted. I would like to, but I have a feeling you can't even get to a cab at this rate," he said. The cigarette hung from Jamie's lip as a few puffs came out. "I can handle it," he said before he hiccuped.

Willow rested her head against his chest once more; she hated thinking about losing Maria, but it was bound to happen. "I guess you are right," she whispered finally. She pulled away and glanced at the time. It was growing late, and she was getting tired. "We should probably head to bed soon," she whispered with a long sigh. They probably both needed the rest. Daphne rose her brows and smirked slightly; she had at least changed his mind about Americans a bit. "Yeah," she began slowly. "See you tomorrow," she agreed, patting his cheek before throwing the door open and tugging the bag over her shoulder. She called over her shoulder, "Maybe next time I'll take you to a party." Though she wasn't talking about any ordinary, cookie cutter party. No, she was talking about the troublesome parties that often were broken up by the police.

Daphne sighed and grumbled, "Only because you act like one." She ordered a drink for herself; at this rate, she needed it more than Jamie. She wouldn't drink enough to grow tipsy. She just needed enough to get a buzz going. "Now go sit down before you drop to the floor," she instructed.

Apollo glanced at the time when he heard her, and he sighed to himself. She was right. It was getting later than he thought it was. He kissed her head, and he smiled a bit. "You head on to tell. I'll tell Maya goodnight," he said, and he kissed her once more before heading up the stairs to her room. Gabriel blushed a bit, hoping she hadn't realized that he wanted to kiss her. "Yeah, I'd like that. I'll-uh-see you tomorrow," he said, blushing. Spencer had seen the lights through the window, and he saw a new car. After watching the boy for a moment, he smiled. "Maria, come here!" he said.

Jamie lied his head down on the bar, yawning. He looked up at Daphne, and he giggled a bit. "You look funny from this angle. Are you always this funny looking?" he asked, and he hiccupped once more. He looked around for Maya, wondering where she went off to. He needed to make sure that he saw her again. Then again, he was too drunk to really think.

Willow nodded and sent him a half smile before yawning. She headed up to their room, rubbing her tired eyes all the while. It had been one long day. Daphne waved one last time before shutting the car door and headed for the door. When Spencer said her name, Maria paused in her cleaning and walked over, drying her hands on a towel. "What is it?" she asked with furrowed brows as she glanced over at him.

Daphne snorted and leaned back in her chair. "You are annoying when you are wasted," she grumbled as she took a sip from the drink. She probably should have stopped him sooner; it was not a good idea for him to drink...at all. She glanced behind the counter and realized the girl he had been flirting with was no longer behind the counter. She could only guess that her shift had ended.

Apollo came to the doors of Maya's room, and he knocked, smiling. "It's dad. I just wanted to tell you goodnight," he said, and he cracked one of the doors open, poking his head in just to make sure she was either okay or asleep. Spencer pointed to the car. "Before Daphne gets in, look at the boy in the car. He's so much different than the guys she has been with before. I think this is a good sign," he said with a bright smile. Maybe Daphne was changing. Gabriel waited until she was in the house to start pulling out and leaving.

Jamie managed to stand, but he had to hold on to anything to keep his balance. "Daph, I need to see her. I need to make sure that I see her again," he muttered, but before long he was passed out, the cigarette on the ground beside him. He honestly looked like a mess. He needed a girl that would stay with him, that was for sure. Anything to pull him from his ways before he got himself killed.

Upon hearing the knock at the door, Maya glanced over to see her father standing in the doorway. She rubbed her eyes and glanced at the time; she had been working on homework, and it was apparently later than she had initially anticipated. "Oh, okay," she began as she slowly climbed out of bed and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "Night daddy," she whispered, yawning as she did so. Maria furrowed her brows and followed his gaze thoughtfully. He definitely had a point. Daphne stepped into the house and frowned slightly. "What's with the goofy grins," she muttered with a snort as she shrugged off her jacket. "And why were you waiting up for me?"

Letting out a sigh of frustration, Daphne leaned down and hoisted Jamie up by the shoulder. He was definitely heavier than he looked. With some effort, she managed to drag him out the door. She wasn't sure how to help him at this point; it wasn't like she could do much herself. {oops that was weak}

Apollo smiled down at his daughter, and he kissed her head. "Good night baby. Don't stay up too late doing homework. It's only the first day," he said, and he gave her one last hug before making his way to their room. Spencer looked down at his "daughter," and he shrugged. "Oh, no reason," he said. He rose a brow when he heard her last part. "We always wait for you to get home. Just incase anything happens. We want to make sure you get home safely," he said.

The next morning, Jamie felt horrible. His head hurt, and he felt like any noise was going to make his head explode, but he needed to go find that girl anyway. He would like sure that he found her. He got up, and he looked at then time. He spelt in more than usual. He would also have to remember to thank Daphne for taking him home. He stopped by the florist, and he picked up a small bouquet of roses, nothing major. "Okay, so all I have to do is go through all the hotels in town. Sure, that won't be hard. He wasn't really sure how many hotels he went through before he finally found Maya's name. "Can you give these to her?" he asked, handing the flowers over. He had even sighed the card Shaggy.

Daphne shrugged the backpack off of her shoulders and muttered, "I'm fine and safe." Her happy mood had quickly evaporated so it seemed. "I'm heading to bed," she added as she glanced at the time. She wanted to avoid confrontation with them if at all possible. It had been a long enough day without going over the basics of how her day went. Besides, she was only going to end up craving another cigarette.

After a long night at the bar, Maya had been paid in advance. Fifty precious dollars. It would be enough to pay for her stay at the hotel as well as get a few snacks. Though, she would have to make it last the week, which was the only downside. As she headed down to the lobby, she furrowed her brows when she saw a boutique of flowers there. The clerk explained that the boutique was sent from her, and once she read the note, she arched a brow. "Weird," she muttered under her breath. Yes, he was quite different than most boys she knew.