zerbra's eye patch...**invite only**

Hime was overwhelmed when Mateo had gotten down before her and pulled her into a hug..

she new she trusted him... but some how... his embrace felt... right.

her heart fluttered in her chest as she could feel his warmth fill her still somewhat numb body. and His smell... he smelled like Mateo still... yet some how it was a whole new smell that meant completely difernt things to her nose...were as he once smelled human... now... it was comforting...as well as exciting...

she could feel his heart beating as fast as her's was... and she smiled as tears fell from her eye's. she could not help it... she was so happy to see him..

" im... so sorry Mateo... i should have told you i would be back... im just... so happy you are here" she Hime said putting her arms around him to hug him tight as she could... she wanted to be good a sure he would not disappear...that some how by hugging him tightly would tie them together...

" i wont disappear again... i cant... not this time... i dont think i would be strong enough " she said from his chest. she didnt think she could leave his side...

Mateo felt something forming in the back of his mind at his words, it...bothered him but not in a bad way, in a good way. When she held him tighter and said that she was happy to have him there it sparked something that he didn't quite understand. It even made him feel like he wanted to continue to hold her there and not let go. He gave himself a mental kick enough Of one that he was shocked back into reality. Was it right for him to feel that way, for him to realize how much he really did miss her?
A thought of Wanda crying came to mind, his words about their relations. He felt a lump form in his throat as he realized what this must look like, regardless of how he felt.
"Good, it was bad thinking that I lost you." he stroked her hair trying to calm her. He wanted her to know that he was there to keep her safe again. "But now your here. A new begining right?" he said just thinking about her being mortal made him feel amazed. "Is it what you expected?" He asked trying to keep the conversation light.

Hime blinked and pulled away as reality hit her... what was she doing...

she pulled out of Mateo's arms... and practically his lap and sat back. " Human... is... everything is dull...all the senses, but because of that... everything.... is that much more amazing " she said.

she looked away form him. she understood why Humans loved them so much... with bad eye sight there good looks are ravaging.... color ... isn't sharp... but beautiful.... adn night... got so dark.. Hime could remember Night simply being full of color but here.... it was almost too poor to see....

perhaps... we... should go back... " she said trying to keep form looking at him.

she had to keep Wanda in mind.... he was Wanadas after all right?

Hime pulled away, he expected it, and was somewhat relieved. He understood that space was needed, that it was required in the way their lives were working out. Mateo nodded offering her a hand up. Hime looked tired still, and Mateo noticed she wobbled a little on her legs when standing.
Though he argued with himself against it, for the sake of Wanda's feelings, he knew she wouldn't be able to make the long treck at the moment.
"If you don't mind," he began but took her hand and pulled her up against him, before then sweeping her off her feet. It was quick and easy, though she wasn't nearly as light as Wanda but still her size allowed her to be alot easier to pick up.
"Sorry but you seem kinda tired. This will be easier for getting out of here before the guard spots us after all." He said, though wasn't sure why he felt he needed to explain himself, she would understand or so he thought as he walked through the exit with her in his arms.

Hime knew why he was carrying her... but the didn't help the situation...

yet no mater how many times she chanted 'mateo cant be mine' as a mantra... could not stop her heart from fluttering with a life of its own...

it was strange being warm her self... and then still feel the enveloping heat from Mateo...

she started the trip stiff and tense but half way through she slumped against his chest falling back asleep, she could not help it. she felt safe and warm in the gentle rocking of his embrace...

this would be nothing more then a happy dream when she woke in the morning...




Wanda sat up waiting... and waiting as the light faded.... Arata was back in the room as well... both sitting in a thick uneasy air as Wanda tried not to vent out her frustration...

she was jealous of a dead fish after all.... Hime was gone. she could not feel her presence any more... not even a little fuzzy static of her feelings.... she was gone... completely and totally... all but in Mateo's mind....

Mateo was glad when she finally relaxed and fell asleep. Hime needed her rest, after todays whole ordeal. He walked onto the streets of Port Charles, careful to avoid to crowds and noise that might wake her. He was careful with Hime, always had been. He didn't know exactly why but for some reason he viewed her as fragile and easily lost. He couldn't take losing her again, not this soon.
When he reached the inn he took in a breath, bracing himself for the others inside.
What would Wanda think? He felt a small bit of resilience towards that. He didn't want to hurt her, but Hime had a right to be here. He would smooth things over with Wanda if he had to, but first he needed to get Hime settled.
He opened the door and instantly heard Arata let out a breath of relief.
"Finally! Your chick can quit glaring at me like she wants to burn holes through me-OH!" Arata paused, looking at the sleeping girl in the awkward Mateo's arms.
"I'm not one to judge...But it's usually not good to be bringing passed out chicks home when you have a girl-"
"It's not like that Ara." He said all to quickly and felt a small heat come to his cheeks. "It's Hime." He said, a smile coming to his features.
Arata stared at him for a long moment, before looking to "Hime". This girl looked a little like her but everything seemed different. "Mateo I think your a little drunk-"
"I'm not drunk. This really is Hime." He said rather annoyed. He hadn't yet looked to Wanda to see how she'd reacted.

Wanda got up and looked down at the girl... she looked like Hime... but she was not...

could not be.

the color... the smell... everything was wrong. she was a human girl... young... very young...

she closed her eye's and sighed heavily. " Last i checked Mateo... you were not of either the Seelie, or Unseelie Court.... nor were you into crimes... both fay and humans could get in trouble for.... "

she turned pail him her rage.... he missed her so badly he would steal some one that looked a little like her...

" why did you steal that child from her mother... " she said her voice shaking slightly in her anger. " was your pain from missing her that BAD!" she said her voice raising slightly at the end.

Mateo stared at Wanda, at first so confused what the he'll she was talking about, till she said something about 'taking someone' and 'his pain being bad enough to do something like that'. He almost felt his jaw drop.
"Wait you think I-?"
"Mateo, I never thought of you as the sadistic hostage type." Arata said, poking the girls cheek to see if she was still alive. Mateo pulled Hime back from Arata defensively then directed his glare to both of them. "Why is everyone talking like I'm crazy? This is Hime. Walked up to me herself right out of the grave. People I swear it, te lo juro por mi vida." (I swear on my life.) He looked down at Hime, not wanting their arguing to wake her. "You can ask her yourselves when she wake up." He turned to one of the room and walked in, leaving Hime on the bed so that she could get a better sleep. He then came back out shortly after to have the two staring at him again.
"Now Wanda, why would I go around kidnapping people? You've got to have some kind of sense right? She is-well was a mermaid after all." He said when he had shut the door. He leaned against the wood, folding his arms in slight annoyance at how complicated this was becoming.
"She did look alot like her.." Arata said, not quite agreeing with Mateo but stating a fact.
"I guess something happened when she changed." Mateo said then looked back to Wanda. Seems their fight from earlier still weighed heavily on the emotions here. He wasn't sure he would get a good response from her.

wanda wanted to ask if he brought Hime's corps back but she did hear her breathing and a very human if not weak heart beat behind Mateo's stronger one near the door...

but she still did not believe that was Hime. " ill only believe it if she can tell me the seven Seelie principles. " other wise she is a fake...

and if its her corps... then its probably possessed with a demon and she needs to be burned and berried in a silver box with marble and Lye.

Wanda new it was not 'needed' to be so 'over'kill on the banishing of the demon part... but part of her half wished she could do that to Mateo's feeling for her...

" that little girl needs to go back home to the person who loves her " Wanda said trying to sound reasonable.

Mateo huffed and rolled his eyes. What had he expected? Everyone to at least be a little happy to see she was alright? Instead, he got people calling him a crazy kidnapper and drunk. He gave up, honestly he did. If he was the only one happy to have Hime back then fine, that was his deal. But...did Wanda really have to use the last line on him?
He shrugged, now suddenly incredibly worn out, and walked past Wanda into his own room. Arata followed after but hung back long enough that he gave Mateo some space, after all he wasn't sure if the guy was wacked out of his mind at the moment. Mateo fell back on the bed, looking up at the ceiling for a long moment.
'that little girl needs to go back home to the person who loves her.' He felt the thought seething into his conscious. Not because this was some random girl and not Hime, but because...he wasn't sure if she really even wanted to be here. Did she really want to be traveling like this? Or did she want to leave them.... leave him and put the past behind her? His actions may or may not have pursuaded her to come back, but did she really want to be there. The ideas buzzed around in his skull, for a longer ammount of time than he felt comfortable.
He already had problems he needed to fix with his 'relationship' with Wanda, with her already angry with him over Hime....so he shouldn't be thinking about her this much! He rubbed his forehead, completely ignoring Arata as he went to the bathroom to get dressed for sleep.

Wanda sat before the squat fire place and glared into the flames as she listened to the other fall asleep...

she had a moment of thought of taking the poor girl and leaving her out side the door to sleep in the hall... but she decided it was not smart to push Mateo too far...

if he Honestly thought it was Hime... he would be come angry... but there was no way in hell she was sleeping in the same room with it....

Wanda instead fell asleep in the chair she watched the fire in. breathing lightly as she dreamed of the dark depths of the sea.



Hime woke up early in the morning looking about a little confused...

were was she...

sitting up she looked down at her hands seeing how light they were.... getting up form the bed she walked into the bathing space and gasped at her reflection....

she looked like a ghost.... she didnt really look like her self any more... sorta ...

she sighs and touches the glass... she then turned wandering in some one was up... she couldn't help it... but seeing as she had not eaten since... abotu two days ago... she really wanted to eat some thing...

Mateo slept....he'd be lying if he said well. He tossed and turned, even woke up Arata in his bed across the room, forcing him to shove a pillow over his head. But no matter how much he tried Mateo couldn't shake his thoughts of everything going on, it just seemed to consume him. He finally gave up on sleep, getting up about 7 in the morning to fix something to eat. food usually made the world go round and patch up a bad mood. He found the smaller things, from the wife of the owner of the inn. She offered them to him to help with the broken hearted girl and drunk girl that were staying with him. Mateo wanted to shake his head and just throw the food away but took it upstars anyways. It was good bread, eggs and a side of a bit of potatoes and peices of meat, even a bit of fish. A hearty meal he normally didn't see on a ship. When he opened the door again, and placed the food down, he noticed Wanda in the chair. Had she slept out there all night? A guilty part of him made him frown softly at her before he walked over to her.
"Wanda, hey.." He nudged her slightly, shaking her shoulder enough to wake her. "We've got breakfast. Even some fish for you." He said, unable to keep the laugh from his voice when he remembered how bright her face lit up at the thought of having fish for lunch. He wanted to fix things with her, at least patch up this porblem quickly. After all, after she figured out Hime was really Hime, everything would be fixed right? And then they could all get along again right? (face palm)

Wanda woke up hazy and disoriented looking up at Mateo and smiled sleepy.

she sat up and looked around before a frown crossed her face and then she stiffened as everything came back into her mind.

" ah... yeah. thanks... " she said sitting back into the chair. she didnt want to be distant...but she felt hurt...that he would bring that offensive girl back....

and speaking of the devil... the door creaked open slowly... emitting the pail human girl.

Hime blushed as her stomach growled out when she smelled the food.

she stepped out feeling shy as she made her way to Mateo and the food. she stopped a short distance away and smiled squirming slightly.

" mo...morning " she said feeling better rested if not a little confused still like gaps were missing....

Mateo looked up from Wanda, trying not to show his own slight unease. He didn't want her to feel hurt or distant. But he couldn't force her into paying him any mind at the moment after tripping himself up. When he saw Hime, he smiled noticing how she eyed the food though she was only half awake it seemed.
"Good morning." He said straightening so that he could move over to the table of food. "I got you guys something." He said, though he wouldn't tell exactly why he wa up and down stairs.
Arata walked out stretching, his eyes practically having bags under them from how tired he was.
"Happy monday everyone. I got little to no sleep. It sucked." He said simply, giving Mateo a tired squinty look before his eyes caught sight of the food. "Since when can you cook?"
Mateo frowned at him. "I didn't."
"Good, don't have to worry about food poisoning."
Mateo felt his lip twitch slightly withthe want to sneer but contained it for the girls benefit. "You can thank the inn keepers wife for saving you from my horrible cooking." he said in a laugh before motioning to the food as he sat down with them. "Well, dig in."

Wanda grabbed the majority of the fish and sat into eating it as she measured the girl up... not wanting it to be obvious though.

Hime on the other hand was very happy to have to food. she picked up bits and pieces... she new what it was... sorta.

"so was good " Hime said half around her food as she tried to take her time and chew it.

" sorry... i... im sorry thank you " Hime said in a way lost on what to say or do now that she was back.

Wanda looked up and shook her head, " its just food kid eat and be happy. "

Hime blinked and sighed. Wanda was more then ... unhappy she could feel it even with out the special connection....

though she dint quite understand how they were connected she new that Wanda would and could be dangerous...

Hime shut her mouth feeling uneasy. she would have to work on not interacting with Mateo as much as possible...

" ummm A...Arata? " Hime said deliberately not looking at Mateo from Wanda's silent threats. " can... we go and get me a new dress... it might look weird if i were to be seen walking about in a burial gown... "

she could feel the heavy air and wanted to leave the room till Wanda cooled down...

" im sure.... Mateo would be okay with that " she said to help talking him into it... till she blinked remembering... that he new her ... the her that was fuzzy at best... as time went by... not the pail her now... she looked nervously at him wandering if he would reject her.....

(I'm sorry I got home and totally crashed. I'll post some more and be social tomorrow but right now I'm totally out of it. Sorry if the post turns out all wonky.)
Mateo took a bite from the piece of apple he had managed to find, trying not to seem bothered by the fact that she instantly went to Arata with her request. Then again, Wanda wouldn't be alright with him....HE shouldn't even be considering it, not when he had to keep that fine line drawn between them intact.
Arata on the other hand, still not quite convinced this was the same Hime. After all the other Hime had more spunk than this...then again if she was Hime she was just waking up from "death". He looked at her, staring for a moment before he shrugged, putting down his fork.
"I honestly don't care what Mateo would be okay with." He said then leaned forward a bit towards her.
"I only care that you asked for my help Hime. I will go if you ask me." He said, his japanese now more of a god send than a defining factor for him. It was like he was testing her, to see how she could respond to him. Mateo could fake a look but he couldn't fake a language. Besides, he didn't think Mateo knew she even spoke Japanese.

Hime Blinked at his chose of words and answered back fluently to him with out a second thought.

" good cause im asking you nicely even... i did say please right?" she asked half to her self...

she blinked and her brow furrowed up ... was she ;.. when did she learn a second language...

she blinked startled out of her deep thought, " when did i learn English?" she asked honestly

Arata blinked, almost as if he didn't expect her to really speak the language. He looked to Mateo, who was also in a sort of shock himself. The two then looked back to Hime, "I think you said you learned it by traveling Hime.." Arata said, his own confusion showing in his words. He then leaned back in his chair, letting Mateo take over.
"I didn't know you spoke another language. Amazing." He said before giving a slight shrug. He was still feeling uneasy and was trying to hide it. Hime had always spoken english, why would she not remember something like that?
"Well, if we are going to go. Eat as much as you can. I don't have deep enough pockets to keep buying you lunch." He said, running a hand through his hair to smooth out his bangs that still stuck up slightly from sleep.

Hime looked down a slight fear crossing her face before hiding it.

she continued to eat a quick as she could to get up and out of the way of Wanda... and Mateo...

she got up and smiled. " lets go Arata... lets not b other the others long... she looks ready to eat me alive " she said honestly.

feeling the dangers of Wanda's thoughts wash over her with chills...

Arata nodded, looking to Wanda before he got to his feet with a small smirk.
"You were right about the nickname. Wonder fish." He chuckled before offering to hold the door open for Hime so they could exit.
~~~
When they left Mateo felt the silence in the room grow thicker. Mateo felt a little slighted by the convorsation they'd had in another, completely unintelligible language...but he shouldn't worry about that right now, not with Wanda still angry with him.
It seemed he and Wanda didn't speak for a long moment, before Mateo finally gave a sigh. "Wanda," He began, how he always began when talking to her, "I'm sorry. The way I acted yesterday was completely irrational...I shouldn't have acted that way infront of you." He said, his head bowed slightly in guilt. He didn't like making her sad, or angry, it just didn't feel right.
~~~
Arata relished the feeling of fresh morning air, it always seemed to make him feel better, especially when the salt water enfused gusts tugged at the clothes of the women that passed by. He was with Hime, walking along the different stores that lined the street. He looked at each of the sotres they passed till his eyes rested on Hime.
"So, what kind of stuff do you want to wear? Dress? Or something more minuverable like pants? Sure its odd for a woman to want to wear them but, you're an exception after all." He said, talking as if he would with Hime. He swallowed and thought for a moment, wondering if he really could trust that this was Hime.
"Alright, tell me truthfully, Hime. How did you, ya know, come back from the dead?" He asked, just wanting to see how she would answer that.

Hime sighed and looked a little worried.

" its sorta... clouded... like my mind will not work... like its missing something... " she said looking off into now were.

" but...i my self did not die... just the part of me that was cursed... but... i don't understand why i was cursed... or... its more... i cant remember "

she hugged her self looking to the ground feeling odd shivers traveling her spine.

" i guess you can say when i that part of me died... so did my memories... yet i seem to remember people and such... but anything ot tell who i am... is gone other then my name... perhaps the only reason i know that though is because it is the one thing of mine every one else uses"

" but i do know that Wanda is no good news for me.... i can only feel that she can hurt me... but how i don't know... perhaps because there is no grater curse then that of a scorned woman's wrath... " she mused looking back to him and smiled lightly.

looking to the shops about she smiled at a small shop near them. were in the widow was a pair of black tights and a pail silver and pink worn corset.

" that... i can put on the tights... cinch up the skirt and the corset can cover up the fact that this is a bairial dress " she said.

******************

Wanda sighed her self then let her body relax. she still did not like nor believe the girl... second language or not... a rival was a rival and Matoe would not be given to the girl..... even if she had managed to cheat death...

she turned to Matoe and pouted, " im sorry too... i was just jelous of your thoughts.... "

Wanda got up and put her arms around his neck from behind. she then sighed her breath fanning cool against his neck. before she kissed him were it met his shoulder.

" it is a shame our evening was cut short " she said trying to distract him.

Arata's smirk fell slightly listening to her talk. Part of her died? He wanted to shake his head and call her bluff, say it was a load of bull. But, something inside of him wanted to believe it, sensed that maybe it might be the truth. Wether it really was or not he couldn't be sure...but this Hime was really alike to the last.
Which meant he wouldn't let Wanda push her around, especially if the girl wasn't doing anything to provoke her. It was Mateo's fault, not Hime's.
When she noticed the outfit in the windows he smiled slightly. "Alright. It doesn't look bad. Let's go look at it." he walked into the store with Hime and instantly a worker behind the counter came over to help them.
Arata spoke with him, explaining in French what she wanted. When the man came back he offered to help Hime fix the corset, anything to help such a lovely customer.
~~~~
Mateo enjoyed having Wanda's touch, the feeling of her breath and lips. It was oddly calming as well as elating. He couldn't help that he still had an inkling of thought saved for Hime, wondering if she would be okay alone with Arata. But Wanda was who he needed to concern himself with now.
"Yeah, but I can make it up to you, I promise." He said lightly touching one of the arms around his neck. "Anything you want Wanda. I owe you that." He said with a half smile, hoping she would really forgive his actions, so that they could get back to where they were.

" Any thing!" Wanda said as her mind went to work. she hummed and bit her lower lip in thought.

she could not just ask him to do this or that... and she doubted if she said to leave the dead witch here and leave would work either... from what she gathered... most humans would promise the world and only give you an island instead....

but if she could come up with something that would make an " accident' natural...then all was fair in war.

she smiled as a previous though swam up into her mind.

" i want us all to go to the sea witch Leucothea " Wanda said letting go and sitting in his lap lightly.

" see LEUKOTHEA aid's sailors in distress. she will for sure lift your cures!" she said happily.

she also new that she could have her change him into a merman... and then that little human bitch could not dare fallow after him wiggling her hips....

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hime felt horribly uneasy with the store owner too close.....

" ah...Ara..can you do that.. " she said her face showing concern. she was not afraid of them... she just did not know the person and things were still to new...

" please A-Kun... i would feel much safer with you... its weird having strangers touch me... for some reason it feels wrong " she skittered a step or too away form the store owner who didn't understand a word she said.

Mateo blinked, his brow furrowing at Wanda's request. What happened to a stroll in the park, a nice dinner, a kiss and a gift? Nope, Wanda wanted to see a sea witch. He felt the word not settling well with him. Despite the prospect of losing his curse...it wasn't safe to mess around with black magic. That's how he'd ended up with the mark anyways. He looked down at the cloth covered hand and gave a sigh. The thing bothered the living hell out of him anyways...maybe this woman could remove the curse...
He looked to Wanda, his look softening towards her. Could he honestly tell her no, when this was something she was doing for him?
"You're so strange." He said, wrapping his arms loosely around her. "But that's what I love about you." He gave a sigh and then felt a half smile come to his lips. "I don't trust it. But I did say anything, didn't I...?" He looked down as he thought about it. "This isn't going to put you in danger is it?" He asked, using that as a way to try and push the thought away. He didn't want to do anything that could wind them all up in danger again.
~~~
The man that owned the store was a bit offended by Hime's aversion to him. Arata listened to Hime's reasoning and nodded slightly in response before turning to the owner and explaining the situation. The man's eyes softened and he looked to Hime with a less snide look before walking off to go and bring out a price.
"I told him you were feeling a little sick and that you were worried he might tie it too tightly because of the language barrier. He took it alot better than I thought he would." He said, accepting the corset and turning to Hime. He'd undone enough of them to know how they tie, and got to work taking the hard leather that would bind the back together, since it was more durable than the ribbon. He began tying it looping it through the brackets slowly but surely tightening it, but not enough to hurt her.
"Tell me if it gets too tight alright." He said to her, trying to watch her reaction so he could tell if it was hurting her.

Arata new his way around the Corset well enough. he managed to tie it well too.

Hime smiled as they walked out the door. " thanks," she said smiling lightly and sighed. " its a shame it did not take longer.... i really want to spend more time away form Wanda... "

she blushed, " ah i sound so mean.... sorry" she said.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Wanda smiled and kissed his cheek quickly. " thanks " she said happily.

she did not need him to trust it... just to go along with it. this way she could kill three birds with one stone... and with this Wanda was ahead of the game.

Wanda yawned out suddenly even to her surprise. she didn't sleep long.

yet with her plan in motion ... sleep would come much more easy...

" can we sit on the couch so i can use you lap as a pillow?" she asked with an innocent voice, despite the suggestive idea that was implied.

she was going to force him to sit and think about her...