FINAL CHAPTER: Cecilia: Room With A View

[Kadael]

"You don't know that it's empty." Cecilia walks up to the desk, tapping her foot impatiently. "The lights are on and everything. I guess we just have to wait?"

"And no." She folds her arms and gives him the sort of look she wears in court. "The computer at the hospital was one thing. This isn't even close."

[Seon]

"What's so different about a comuter? And what kind of a look is that?" Jack said impatiently. He walked next to Cecili and rang the bell.

"This is Captain Jack Fifer of the FBI, demanding that you return to your posts immediately!" he yelled out to anyone within hearing range.

"If nobody comes back, I vote that we try to fiddle with the computer."

[Kadael]

"This is a 'you-are-suggesting-illegal-things-in-the-only-place-we-have-to-get-some-damn-sleep' look!" Cecilia's frown deepens, but she jumps when Jack rings the bell.

"Jack! You're a bartender!" She stamps her foot ineffectually, then attempts to shove him away from the desk. "What do you think you're doing?!"

[Seon]

"Excuse me if I'm a little bit impatient to find another human face or a freaking clue as to what happened to the damn town after being nearly eaten by monsters at least 8 times today! That's 8 more than recommended amount for a life time!" Jack snapped back after he fell on the floor due to Cecilia's push. He sighed as he shook himself up.

"Listen... Let's not fight about a freaking computer and a receptionist... We really have bigger things to worry about."

[Kadael]

Cecilia blinks, her face softening. She hadn't meant to push him over, but he's just as tired as she is. "...You're right. I'm sorry."

"I think we're both on edge right now... justifiably." She makes a halfhearted effort to smile. "I got excited about this beautiful, safe-looking hotel, and then I remembered Katie, and it's like I'm being pulled in two directions."

"It's so different here. Like... the town hall," she says, remembering the light, the decor, and... the strange man. But he doesn't matter.

[Seon]

Jack's face also loosened. "No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..." his hand reached out towards the side of her face.

"I... Umm..." he flicked away something imaginary on Cecilia's cheek. "You had a little bit of dirt on your face. Probably from the lake," he said hurriedly.

[Kadael]

Cecilia looks away, nervously rubbing her arm. "Yeah... I haven't seen a mirror in too long. Probably look about as horrid as I feel." She shrugs, giving the kitten a scratch behind the ears.

Why does he keep looking at her like that? It's almost like he wants to make her feel uncomfortable. She knows that she's far from presentable; does he have to keep staring to rub it in?

[Seon]

"No, no no..." Jack said. "You look really... beautiful..." He coughed.

"When the hell's the receptionist coming here?"

[Kadael]

Cecilia snorts derisively, though she regrets it when the throbbing pain of her broken nose starts up again. "Ow! God... no, you don't have to say that... ugh, the sooner this heals, the better."

She shrugs again, and gives the bell another ring. It is odd - wouldn't someone have heard Jack falling? Or at least the yelling?

[Seon]

"You think I'm joking?"

Jack stared at her, looking confused and uncertain, as if fighting over a major decision.

Seemingly have made a decision, he reached his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him and gave her a small kiss.

"There," he said, letting her go. "No questions?"

[Kadael]

It's easy to misunderstand things. Even easier when you've been unconsciously convincing yourself that the most obvious possibility is wrong. The obliviousness melts away as Cecilia stands there, everything falling into place.

"I..." Her voice catches; her throat feels tight and has the heating in the lobby suddenly come on? The unhealthy pallor of her face has been replaced with a deep flush. Her lips move, but no sound comes out.

She turns her back to him, shoulders hunched almost defensively as she stares at the ground. It's a nice floor. Almost like it's never been walked on before and why?

When was the last time that happened? Cecilia can't shake the feeling that, no matter how small, there was intention behind that kiss.

Something that she's just realized was missing before.

[Seon]

Jack's face reddened and he turned away from Cecilia as well.

"That was... silly of me to do so," he finally said, sighing. "I'm sorry."

[Kadael]

They're both tired. It's not good for judgment. And the receptionist taking so damn long isn't helping either. Cecilia needs some time alone to think about... well, everything, and she's tired and hungry and she'd be doing this whining out loud if she could get a word out!

She reaches over and smacks the bell once. Then twice. Then she's just ringing it to fill the silence.

No one's going to show up. There really isn't anyone here.

[Seon]

"Why don't we... go somewhere else?" Jack offered, keeping a respectful distance away from her and still turned slightly away.

"There are probably couches everywhere in the hotel... Or we could just... borrow a key from the desk."

[Kadael]

"Right. Borrow. Sure." Her mouth is dry as she goes around the desk, looking for wherever the keys are kept. She really ought to care about this 'borrowing,' but for the most part, her mind has gone blank. All that's really left is confusion.

[Seon]

Jack leaned against the wall and buried his face into his hands.

[Laraqua]

There's a key cabinet on the wall but it's locked. There may be a key for it in one of the drawers near the register or perhaps in one of the rooms behind this reception office. They can't hear the piano from this room but there seems to be the tinkling of romantic music coming from a speaker in the gift shop. It wasn't working before. Now it is.

[Seon]

"Alright, now that's just convenient," Jack muttered as he heard the music. He walked around Cecilia and into the office behind her. "I'll be looking for... something, I don't know," he told her as he ineffectively shifted around objects.

[Kadael]

"Mmkay," she mumbles, trying to see if she can pull any of the desk drawers open.

That music. It sounds like Paris. The honeymoon.

Je t'aime, mon coeur, mon ange... She'd said it so earnestly. She was so sure of everything back then.

[Laraqua]

The drawers contain stationary, notepads, guest sign in registry, contractor sign in registry, a roll of complimentary tickets to an Artaud Theatre production, and a de-motivator calender (small). There aren't many drawers here. They could head into one of the back rooms to see what's inside there. A single envelope sits in Room 105's box. Wasn't that the room that Cecilia had hired?