You Again? -Evanna-

[EVANNA NATALIE ARRYN]

Dastan did not sound too hot at the moment, and she felt almost responsible for it. Why, though, she couldn't say because none of this was her fault at all. How was she suppose to know that she'd win out over the parent? The whole thing is still awkward as he added something on, and she was certain that it was more for his benefit and ego rather than her's. People liked to say that kids were like animals and had good intuition about people, Evanna herself thought that was a bunch of lies but she could probably roll with it for right now, "Well...I was the most in demand baby sitter in high school," of course, that was only when the full time nannies went out with their boyfriends. Still, it was a catch of a job in Beverly Hills. There was another thing that could be it, Messier didn't have enough female bonding time in her life but for once, she felt like being nice and not bringing that up since nannies and girlfriends were evidently the last thing on his mind.

Although her annoyance quickly sparked back, but not because of the toddler clinging to her legs, "Please tell me you're kidding," she said now, glancing over at him. The hockey team was at the Hilton? Well, it was the most expensive hotel chain, and people who made money usually did want to stay there and say, not a Holiday Inn. Still, it was annoying. It was one thing to run into somebody you didn't want to see in town, it was an entirely different thing to be staying at the same hotel room. Why didn't the fucking desk manager warn her that there would be stupid hockey players running around? This was the least of her concern though at the moment, changing was.

Actually, it wasn't even changing so much as the fact on whether or not she wanted to get rid of the gun in her purse. Of course, it's not like they checked bags at restaurants or anything. And she just might need it, never know. The cons were dying and running into something unexpected. Seeing as she was here because of a crown though, she doubted that what she was in town for, would come after her, "Food's not a big deal to me," Evanna replied, staying safe was. She was hoping that this wasn't going to turn into something a little crazy, him being a single parent though, well, those were usually a recipe for disaster.

Speaking of which, he just opened his mouth. Evanna stared at him with disdain, and she couldn't even decide if it was because she made up in her mind that he was a werewolf or she was looking at him as a human right now, "You deserve father of the year for that comment," she commented flatly. Oh, she knew he was a single parent, and she was certain that it all became a big shock to him since the mother wasn't around, and seeing as he wasn't angsting over her, she was clearly still alive. Still, that wasn't something to be said if you were a parent, regardless of your situation, "You know, if that's how you really feel, then you really should get help." After all, he could afford it unlike other people.

Evanna glanced down at Messier again now, who was still clinging to her leg. It didn't look like she was going to let go, and she realized now that she was pretty much stuck with Dastan for the night. She tried hard not to sigh at the very thought. The odds of this were still bugging her, if she hadn't been a hunter, and been completely naive about life, she would have considered this to be true love, just like a fucking Disney movie. After all, the girls in those movie only ever seemed to run into the same guy. Dastan was a problem for her though, because she still didn't know what to do with him and the irony was that she told her mother that she lost her little werewolf. Unexpected problems. Bending down, she picked the little girl up, holding her securely with the help of her hip now, "So, want to go back to your dad now? Or am I carrying you?"

[DASTAN GERARD RILEY]

“ I very rarely kid...”he confessed “ you know unless it's really funny” but he didn't what was funny about the fact that she and his team were both staying at the same hotel. There were only so many decent hotels in town and they usually didn't get a choice the decisions were made for them before they even got told what was going on that day.

He just let her attitude hit him, hey he was the one still standing there worrying about elephants and sleepless nights, the opinion of a stranger, it really wasn't going to deter him either direction, he was doing things for himself and for Mess, whatever it took to make sure she was happy. He didn't want her to be one of those spoiled brats either, happy because she had the next coolest thing, he wanted her to be legitimately happy, the kind of kid who could amuse themselves for hours with just a few boxes and one heck of an imagination. He got help, when it was absolutely necessary but he didn't need day to day help, that was what parents were for, to be there for their kids. His parents ...tried though he knew they feared somewhere in the back of their head the vicious cycle was going to continue

The worst part for him was the fact that he was pretty sure Messier remembered before being with him. After all, it wasn't like she'd been dropped off as a newborn, in fact she'd already been a couple months old first, which meant she'd spent all that time with her mother just to be ditched to some essential stranger that she had to get used to. Maybe that was why she was clinging onto Evanna so much, maybe there was some sort of little memory there of her original female influence.

He watched as his daughter tangled her little hands into the strangers hair before resting her head on her shoulder as a symbol of the fact that she so clearly wanted to stay with her instead of going back to him. “Well I think she's made her decision pretty clear” he said stepping forward now to close the space between them.

“come on, if we head back toward the hotel” which clearly, they were both staying at as had been discovered in their conversation “there's a cool ltitle resturant just about a block or two away” he had walked by it a few times that day and had sort of been considering eating there. Now that he had company other than his daughter, who, while adorable, wasn't much of a talker, he figured that he would probably enjoy himself more, unless she kept attacking him verbally and then dinner was probably going to end up as a disaster.

[EVANNA NATALIE ARRYN]

This may not be funny but she honestly still wanted to believe that he was kidding. What were the odds, right? Being in New York at the same time, picking up Messier's elephant, his team and her being in the same fucking hotel. Evanna didn't get it, was it a sign? Was she really suppose to kill him? Stupid question, it is in her nature to kill him and it was perfectly the natural order. The hunter kills the monster and the earth, and the world moves on. Nobody ever explained to her the consequences of meeting someone who you might not want to kill, nobody, "Whatever," she replied sourly, still disgruntled by this whole turn of events. She was more angry at herself and the situation rather than him though, even if Dastan was the cause of this career crisis or odd new idea of how she saw things, "What's going to happen next I wonder? Am I going to run into naked at the sauna?"

She probably shouldn't berate him, it wasn't his fault. Technically. Evanna didn't really find herself in a mood to deal with him period though after his little comment. She should just ditch him, and yet she couldn't bring herself to do it. Manly because she didn't want to chance leaving him with a screaming child. Not that she thought that she was the center of Messier's universe all of the sudden, but considering the odd circumstances that were surrounding this whole entire day as well as holding onto the man's child, Evanna didn't want to take her chances. Screaming children made her feel guilty and she couldn't even explain why. Another thing is, well, maybe she shouldn't be so hard on him, being a single parent and everything. No, that was being nice to a stranger. Single parent or not, it was still inexcusable.

There was a minor distraction from her inner fury though as she felt little hands at her hair now and then the small pressure from a resting head on her shoulder. Evanna glanced down as best as she could to see that evidently, giving the child back to her father wasn't going to happen, and Dastan realized that too, "Sorry," she replied now. She did somewhat actually feel bad about it. Messier as been with him for most of her life and then she just happened to waltz right in and after one brief encounter and then this one, it felt as if she magically became part of their little family according to the two year old girl in her arms. As Dastan took a step towards them, closing the distance, Evanna felt her body tense up. Not on purpose, or at least, not for that reason it just became a natural reaction for her. Wow, training and hunting really had messed up her life.

Evanna merely eyed him for a moment before nodding her head, "Sounds good. Lead the way," she was pretty certain that she knew the restaurant in which he was referring too. Still, being there for only a day didn't mean that she was an expert so it was only logical to her to make Dastan lead. Or maybe she should just lead, because she didn't feel like waiting on a man. So she started to walk, trying to think of some sort of conversation opener but she found herself coming up short. Being natural aggressive towards people really didn't help her in the conversation department, "So....when's your game tomorrow?" Really? That was the best she could do? God, she had no idea how she was going to figure out or not if he was a werewolf, "Wow, that's a stupid question...sorry, conversation's not my forte." He could have probably told her that though.

[DASTAN GERARD RILEY]

"Uhhh well no promises but I don't know how much time I'd have for a sauna anyway" he said a joking tone in his voice, but honestly the way things were going, the way they kept running into each other he wouldn't be surprised if that happened. "Don't worry though because there's probably be lots of people in there anyway you wouldn't even notice me" not like he stuck out like a tree or anything in most situations. Again, he was still joking.

He laughed, he didn't mind the question really it was... fair enough considering he didn't really do much other than play hockey. "It's at five..." he told her with a smile. "No such thing as stupid questions" he assured her. "Well... I wouldn't go that far I've heard some pretty bad ones, but that wasn't one of them" he added walking with her. It was weird, to see someone holding his daughter. He had this itching needed to snatch her away just to make sure that she was safe but Messier seemed so happy that he couldn't bring himself to do it. "I can get you into the game if you're interested "he offered. They had a box for visiting friends, or whatever.

"Can I ask.... why don't you like me?" he started. It usually didn't bother him when people blew him off for one reason or another but that was usually because he played on their enemy team, or he'd missed a shot in a game they had money on. As a general rule, he was a pretty nice guy. This girl was neither someone he had upset, nor a hockey fan so he couldn't quite figure out what she had against him when he hadn't really said anything offensive...at lest not to his knowledge. " I mean I don't expect everyone to like me but.... you seem to really hate me, yet like my kid" he added, or maybe she didn't even like his kid at all and just felt guilty cause Messier seemed to have taken quite a liking to her.

'Da-di' the little voice came as a surprise, she'd discovered certain words but she wasn't exactly a linguist yet. He watched as she turned her head around, still resting on the girls shoulder but so her baby blue eyes were looking at him. "Yeah?" he asked wondering if she was just practicing or really had something to say. Shoe! she said pointing at her own shoe and he laughed. "Yeah... that's your shoe baby" and she seemed pleased with herself enough to turn her attention away from him again to Evanna Shoe! she said again with a shy smile. "Sorry...she's just sort of learning to associate her words" he explained.

[EVANNA NATALIE ARRYN]

His words were joking but she wasn't too sure she trusted them. Everything had been too weird of late, and she didn't believe in destiny or fate. Not when it came to men or relationships. They were expendable. She just stared at him at his next statement, "Won't stand out? You're a tree." He was abnormally tall, something that she still couldn't get over. Evanna thought herself tall for a women, above average, but she still felt like a child standing next to him. How did he even have sex? Well, he probably didn't even worry about that any more since he was a father. Guy didn't need anymore babies, that was for sure. And she didn't need to think about him naked. In a sauna. Because that just totally went against the code.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, he was laughing at her? Well, she did ask a stupid question, Evanna would admit to that. Clearly it was far more embarrassing that she had even cared to matter. She was only mad at herself for that one though, not him, "Five...cool." Why did she ask this again? What was she going to do, flip on the tv and stalk him that way? Maybe he didn't even play that often, "Well thanks, I feel so much better about myself," she replied. It was a lie though, still in some inner turmoil about how that had been her go to question. Then he said something odd, about getting her into the game, followed up by his own question and it might have been the first time that Evanna felt herself rendered speechless for more than five seconds.

'Can I ask...why don't you like me?' What on earth? Why the hell was he asking her such a direction? Evanna just stared at him for a moment before turning her gaze away from him, staring directly ahead now. There was only that main reason, and while she was holding his child, she just didn't feel like throwing that kind of fire at him right now. It was dangerous for her, and she had no intention of threatening his daughter, nor get mistaken for doing so. Before she could even say anything though, the little girl in her arms spoke. Her voice was soft and quiet, but it caught Evanna's attention nonetheless. It sounded like Daddy, and her attention was on her father. She felt a tug at her lips, smiling as she watched their exchange. It was...well, cute.

Evanna smiled at Messier now as she informed her of the shoe as well, causing her to laugh, "Yes," she replied simply before glancing back over at Dastan now, just nodding at his explanation. She had other things that she had to deal with besides just baby talk. The fact is, she couldn't ignore that question, she needed to give him an answer and she still didn't want to use the obvious one that she technically wasn't suppose to know about, "I like all small children. I hate everyone other than my father and my two siblings. Tell me Dastan, what makes you so special that you should be on this list?" Well, he did just offer to get her into the hockey game, "But...it is sweet of you to offer me the game. But I don't know, team wives really aren't that fun. Been to plenty of laker games. I assume all sports teams are the same."

[DASTAN GERARD RILEY]

“Glad to know it's not personal” He said but it felt like...well, more than she was just letting it on to be a general hatred of people. He'd seen the way she was with Mess, no one that just hated people that much was that good with kids, and kids usually didn't like bad people, it was one of those instinct things kind of like a dog or something, but he wasn't going to push it “Oh I don't think I'm special at all” he assured her it wasn't that.

“it's just... people don't usually dislike me until they give themselves a chance to get to know me” he said but whatever it was her prerogative, who was he to care whether she liked him or not, but for some reason it just bothered him....a lot more than he figured it probably should have. “But guess everyone's different” he said simply. She actually seemed to had smiled at his and Messier's exchange which was interesting, she really did like kids.

“Ah nah the wives aren't here” he said simply, well he didn't know that for sure maybe one of them was but generally most of them stayed home in Minnesota, they didn't come on the road with them since generally their road trips were only 5-7 away games and then back for a home stretch. “They usually only show up to home games, you know cause they've got more important things like kids to watch, parties to throw...affairs to have” some of the guys on his team were undoubtedly being two timed, and most of the time they knew it, that was probably the worst part. "the ones that do show are pretty cool...after all Minnesota is no LA" he pointed out.

Yet, they didn't do anything about it. They probably could have done the same themselves but really, it wasn't easy to find the time, they were lucky if they had even a couple hours to go out at all before a game night and then they were back on the next plane to the next city, it wasn't exactly as glamourous as people seemed to think, despite a decent pay grade. “It'll probably be mostly old team mates, or friends from the city” New York was a big place and given their travels they had friends in all places. Besides even the team wives that would be there, they were just... regular people for the most part, there were the glamour attention seekers in every sports family but for the most part his team mates seemed to have chosen well, besides the high maintenance types didn't last long in climates like Minnesota.

[EVANNA NATALIE ARRYN]

Evanna said nothing, she didn't need him asking any more questions about anything being personal because, technically, it was, she just didn't have the proof yet to make it a full fledged thing. The whole thing hadn't really been a lie though, Evanna truly didn't care much for other people. They got in the way, they tied her down, they just made her life and job really difficult. Plus, she didn't want anybody to depend on, that was just weak, "Glad to hear it because I've met a lot of people who thought they were. They are certainly the worst kind of people to be stuck with." Yet he still seemed to be pushing this a little more.

Why does it matter? Relationships and friendships end. People leave one way or another. Attachments are stupid, and therefore it was easier to hate rather than to love. The whole thing made sense in her head, but she didn't feel the need to explain it to him. After all, that would lead to even more questions and quite frankly, Evanna had been lucky that he never seemed to inquire about her personal life. He was far too busy with his daughter which was, well, understandable. He said everybody's different, but she couldn't help but to ask her own question now, "Why is this such a big deal to you Dastan?"

Well, there was one plus about this whole thing: no wives, "Thank god," she muttered under her breath, their conversation turning back to a somewhat normal topic rather than hating on each other. She supposed that would make sense though, about them just staying in Minnesota. Evanna never thought about it since well, with the Lakers, she and her friends had always been there at the home court, "Those words are harsh. Not a fan of all of them?" she asked now, but she could understand why. They were usually just trophy wives anyways. In fact, if it wasn't for the fact that her parents actually had conversations, she would have thought the same thing about her mother despite her lack of family and proper upbringing, "City's still a city."

She still couldn't quite figure out why though they were still discussing this box seat. Evanna couldn't even wrap around the fact of why she had even asked in the first place or why he was even inviting her into the game. It's not like she had been nice to him, she had been nice to his daughter though which may be the key to this whole weird situation playing out now, "Do you even want me to come? Or are you just being nice because I asked you what time your game was?" she asked, eyeing him now, "And what if they ask me questions, then what? Cause it's not like I'm your girlfriend...or your friend for the matter." This suddenly got a lot more complicated in her head, causing her to sigh a little.

[DASTAN GERARD RILEY]

" I guess it's not" he admitted he had run into loads of people in his lifetime who didn't like him but for some reason the fact that she didn't like him really seemed to get under his skin. "Huh? Oh hmm well actually some of them are really great and some of them Aren't I guess it's life right" he admitted.

At her mention of questions he had to admit he didn't think of that. Not that it was a big deal she could just say she was his friend if she was really interested in coming. Otherwise she didn't have to no one was forcing her.

"I wouldn't worry about that too much, honestly it wouldn't be the first time someone invited a pretty girl to watch them play" he started then suddenly realised he'd just called her pretty which she was but he hadn't invited her for that reason at all. "I don't mean... I mean well you are but that's not why I- I uh I didn't invite you for that reason" he rambled his usually cool demeanour seemed to take a back seat when colour found his face. Was he seriously blushing, what the hell was wrong with him.

"I just thought you might enjoy it" he offered with a shrug not even able to look over at her now not until he recovered. "You could tell them anything you like but they most likely wouldn't ask too many details" the guys would probably try to flirt with her. Plus someone would have Mess up there so at least she'd have someone he knew, even if that
Someone was only a baby. As he looked up he realised they had reached the restaurant and he opened the door for her.

[EVANNA NATALIE ARRYN]

That seemed to hit the nail right into the board, and Evanna found themselves safely moving away from this conversation and her hate for him. It was a little relieving, because she didn't know how to entirely handle such a situation. She was still mad at herself for being in this situation. If she had never dropped her keys that day like some stupid school girl, this whole entire situation could have been avoided, "Yeah, I guess you're right," she replied, hoping that this restaurant would come up soon so that there would be something distracting in front of her. Evanna did have Messier though, funny how the little girl was clinging to her and she had nearly forgotten all about it.

She didn't have much time though to get caught up in her thoughts cause Dastan said something unexpected, "...honestly it wouldn't be the first time someone invited a pretty girl to watch them play." Wait, what? Evanna felt herself nearly do a double take as she glanced over at him now, her expression unreadable. But before she could even say anything about it though, he was back tracking and rather quickly at that. He was rambling so much that it almost didn't make any sense, "You're turning red," she stated rather bluntly, ignoring some twinge of a feeling that fluttered in her heart for the briefest of moments.

Ugh, what was that? Was it some sort of feeling? No, of course not. Because this was life and she killed his kind while they hurt mortals. It was a simple rule of life. The hunters couldn't end up with the hunted. But if that was the case, then why was she still here with him right now? This wasn't a date though, and neither was the game. Evanna knew she had to figure out what was going on, but she wouldn't play with his feelings...her feelings...no, there were no feelings. They didn't exist, "It's fine. Don't worry about it, I knew you didn't mean it." Yet he couldn't seem to look her in the eye, "I'll come, but if you can't get me in it's no big deal."

She didn't even know why she was freaking out about questions originally, she tended to put off an air of 'don't talk to me' anyways. Although, Evanna was going to have to figure out the rules just to blend it. Though Dastan was going to take up her soul attention, there were characteristics that hockey might provide insight to that this didn't. She didn't spend much time on these thoughts though, they were at the restaurant and ironically enough, Evanna actually knew the place, "Thanks," she replied as she took a step inside, glancing around, "So...is New York accommodating to the enemy team?"

[DASTAN GERARD RILEY]

"As long as we don't walk around with our jersey's on yeah" He said with a smile shrugging gently. Course they wore those things so freakin much that it really was a true rarity to see them wearing it outside of a game. Hats were usually the tell tale. "But when we're the visiting team we have to be seen in a relatively... presentable manner, so people hardly even recognize us" their suits and ties were a far cry from the helmets and sports padding that protected their bodies.

"Hah yeah... I can feel it" he assured her about the fact he knew he was turning red. "I did mean it..." He corrected her. "That just... wasn't why I asked" he clarified. Calming his mind down significantly and feeling the red fading fast from his face. There, that wasn't so hard. He thought she was pretty. That was a fact, and she was but he wasn't ... that kind of guy. He didn't scope out the town for a pretty girl, invite her to the game to impress her in hopes of having a booty call next time he was in town. There were a lot of guys on the team that did, he just wasn't one of them.

Besides, she wasn't even from there, somehow she just happened to be popping up where ever he found himself. Instincts were telling him it was suspicious but he wasn't to think positively. The confrontation with the man in the alley, he'd warned him of hunters, of being careful but he had nothing to be careful for, he wasn't hurting anyone, and no one, save for his parents, knew his secret. It was fine.

"I can get you in no problem you just have to show up at about 3:30 tomorrow" he told her and he could let her in get her a pass and take her up there before he had to start getting ready for the actual game part of the evening.

"But it's been pretty great so far" no stalkers which was nice. It seemed like a weird thing to say maybe but it happened. There was at least one night that they went out to dinner locally and girls always seemed to somehow show up to take pictures. It was fine, they were used to it and well, if they weren't recognizable they weren't really doing their job, but it was nice when it didn't happen too. He motioned to a table by the window and reached for his daughter. "Come on Mess you gotta let go" he told her. She needed her own seat which she couldn't have if she was clinging to a stranger. He managed to loosen her grip but when she turned into his arms she burrowed her head quickly into his neck and clutched onto him.

Alright well maybe she wasn't eating supper after all. With a slight smile he held his daughter tightly for a moment and just took a seat across from Evanna. "I think she's probably going to fall asleep" which was fine, it wasn't the first time she'd fallen asleep in a resturant, she usually seemed perfectly content conked out on the booth beside him wrapped up in his jacket.

[EVANNA NATALIE ARRYN]

He meant it? He meant that she was pretty? Evanna stared at him for a moment, uncertain of what to think of that. Never mind it not being the reason, the fact that it was still out there in the open, well, it stirred something in her. A twinge happened in her chest, and for a moment, Evanna almost thought that she still had a heart that beat beneath her chest. Some sort of stupid girl emotion that she thought had been dead for a very long time. But it came as quickly as it went, "Well, you're a gentleman," she replied, "I can only imagine what your teammates do then." She wan't falling for him, they couldn't be together, it was dangerous. In fact, she didn't even know why she was having this fucking thoughts.

Honestly, she really had to get a grip of herself right now. There was no need to say anything to Dastan though for she had kept herself a relatively low profile with him and she intended to keep it that way with very little questions aimed in her direction. This running into him today truly had been accidental for she was in Albany for an entirely different reason, but if she wanted to get down to figuring out her wild suspicsions, then she was going to have to be careful. Or, Evanna could just be a normal girl and let it go...but no, she couldn't. For some reason, she felt like she had to know and she didn't entirely know why. Maybe it was the hunter in her, that obsessive compulsive idea that she just needed to know and whether or not there was a problem. If there was a problem. Funny how two conversations with a man who seemed human enough could cause such a change in her views.

"Will do," she replied now, still thinking. Her views didn't change, if Dastan is a monster, she would still kill him. This shouldn't be plaguing her mind though, it shouldn't be plaguing her mind at all. This wasn't a mid life crisis at age twenty five, but she felt herself with a little bit of an identity crisis. Thankfully, there proved to be a minor distraction in conversation, "People don't recognize you because you look presentable?" Wow, hockey fans really just did seem to care all about the game and not the players. Other sports, she felt like girls couldn't shut up about how hot somebody was in soccer or baseball, "Wait, so people leave you alone? They don't flag you down like every other celebrity in the world?"

Or maybe she was just asking way to many questions now. It's not like she really cared, or maybe she did to some degree. Like she wanted to get to know him, or his life style. Her father was rich, they lived in the Hills and never had to worry about anything, but that didn't mean that anybody knew her or her father for that matter unless they were obsessed with military grade weapons. She followed Dastan as she continued to ponder this thought and he soon took his daughter back, allowing her to slide into the booth. Messier seemed to take the transition well, which Evanna was relieved about. As much as she enjoyed the man's daughter, she didn't want her getting used to her because well, they weren't part of each other's lives, "Well, she did have an exhausting day with walking and whatever you were doing before we ran into each other."

[DASTAN GERARD RILEY]

"Exactly" he said with a laugh. When she said it out loud it sounded ridiculous but it was the truth "Well I guess it really depends on where we are, and who they are... it's sort of one of those...out of context things" he admitted. "real fans recognize you anywhere... and the semi-fans will recognize you on home turf or in an arena" he added "then there's just crazy stalkers who will recognize you even if you've got your hood up" he wasn't really answering the question very well he realised. "So yeah...sometimes people flag us but, sometimes we get left alone too it can be a nice balance, I get recognized way more back home" he admitted and he didn't mean Minnesota, he meant Ottawa.

It sounded ridiculous even in his head but Hockey players were like royalty especially 'home town heroes' so it was hard to even walk down the street which made his secret even more of a danger to keep. However annoying it could be at the time he knew that without fans they wouldn't have a team because fans bought tickets and tickets meant an audience for their games, even out of town fans, it mean they were buying the merch and watching the games on TV, which meant they were keeping him on a comfortable salary.

"Trying to get her to walk, apparently we needed you for that" he said casually he said rubbing his hand in a circle on his sleepy daughters back. He couldn't see her face but he could feel her falling asleep. He little mucles relaxing her breathing slowing down. Maybe it was instincts, his perceptions were more heightened, or maybe it just meant being a Dad, he had no idea. He watched as the waitress brought them menus and offered a nod of thanks before turning and laying a sleeping Messier down on the booth beside him, slipping his jacket off he tucked it around her to keep her warm before he watched her sleep quietly holding Gracie tightly in her arm. He smiled a little, she was so peaceful when she slept.

Turning his attention away again he turned his eyes back to the woman in front of him. "So...why New York, you found out why I'm here but I've still yet to figure out why you are..." he realised. He was just asking curiously, not interrogating or anything it just, floored him that he'd run into her twice, in two completely different places, he had never really believed in fate but how else did you describe something like that. "Since as fate would have it, this is our second time meeting... I don't know anything about you, but you seem to know a lot more about me" he also pointed out. She knew he had a daughter, that he was single, that he played hockey for a living and which team he played for, which mean she also knew where he lived. All he knew about her was she was pretty, had lived in California at some time and was randomly popping up in the same places he was, but was certainly, considering the fact that she had quite obviously told him she didn't like him, was not following him.

[EVANNA NATALIE ARRYN]

His lifestyle sounded complicated and annoying. She didn't understand what was so fun about people stalking you. Then again, it's not like he was saying that it was. Still, fans sounded a little, ridiculous. Evanna couldn't imagine dealing with that, with people constantly, it sounded horrid, "I could never be famous." It was easier and nicer, not to mention, you could get away with killing evil beasties. That high profile life of his though sounded a little worse than she originally thought it would have been. If anything, it made him virtually untouchable. Though it could be argued that Evanna was still jumping to wild conclusions in her head, but there were other hunters who have used less to make it a justifiable reason to kill. At least she was being reasonable.

"You didn't need me," she corrected, "You just needed another person." She didn't want these attachments to rise up, not now and not ever. She honestly didn't know why Messier had clung onto her the way she did, unless children could really tell when adults liked them. The world may never know since a child's brain is so innocent and free of the darkness that surrounds their society and lives. Evanna watched Dastan with his child though, and as he laid Messier down to sleep besides him in his jacket, she could not help but to feel a twinge of jealousy for he had a child and she didn't. Children were never going to happen in her life though, she had seen far too much. Still, life seemed to be playing a joke on her where this hypothetical werewolf had a darling daughter and she did not.

It was time to be on her A game though, because the conversation took a turn into the direction in which she had been happy avoiding for so long: her. Evanna could only imagine that she jinxed herself when the thoughts came up. She ignored the menu laying down on the table right now, the only thing she was doing was eyeing Dastan from across the table. His tone was not one of an interrogation, in fact, it was an oddly conversational tone that she didn't know what to make of. Lying was easy, it came naturally to a hunter like a cat were to chase a mouse. Yet, Evanna couldn't decide on what to say, whether he could feel through a lie or not. Dastan's little line of fate though, merely caused her to laugh.

"It's not fate. Fate would suggest that we have something to do with each other," she replied now. Ironically enough, how very true that statement was, but it was easy to face that normal people, which is what they were technically trying to put off to each other, did not have fate. Not with meeting each other, those were random incidents that they played off as fate, destiny, whatever. Evanna thought otherwise. She let out a sigh as if this was going to be the hardest thing in the world though, "I'm looking at an antique tiara for my mother that my sister is going to steal to party in. That's why I'm here, in New York." It wasn't fully a lie, she was there for an antique tiara, "My dad sells weapons to the government. I like to read cosmo magazine for the ridiculous sex tips. My cameo is my child but it's getting too dated, and by that it's two years old. I hate being seen as weak, and I absolutely despise sleazy motels and men who try and pick me up at bars." Evanna leaned forward now on the table, her hands clasped together as she put her weight on her elbows and forearms, "Is there anything else you want to know?"

[DASTAN GERARD RILEY]

"Just glad it's mostly on an athletic level" he admitted he couldn't handle the type of fame that came with movie stars or musicians they never seemed to get left alone. It was the main reason he tried to avoid the any high profile relationships unlike some of his teammates.

"Don't sell yourself short ... I think it had a lot to do with the fact that she likes you more than just the fact that there was another person" he assured her. He knew his daughter well enough by now to know and witness how she interacted with people and she liked this woman for whatever reason that was.

He grinned at her quick rebuttal of fate "what you don't believe in fate? You gotta believe in something... Otherwise this place just sucks" . He laughed at the way she had addressed herself. "Yeah... You missed your favourite colour" he said with a slight shrug he was sort of joking but at the same time genuinely interested in learning more about her.

There was so much coldness behind her and he had to wonder what it meant and why she was so... Harsh. They all had secrets sure, they all had hard times to over come but for some reason hers seemed to come across her face and tone with every word she spoke "Also I'm starting to see what you mean by its not personal" he added she just didn't like to talk about herself clearly.

[EVANNA NATALIE ARRYN]

Evanna didn't really comment, she merely watched him. Funny how he seemed so different compared to other famous people, athletes included because man, there were some who really did like living on the high life with their salaries. Maybe it was Messier though, kids could have that effect on people and make them responsible. Secretes made people responsible too though, especially ones that could ruin your lives, "I feel like you're different," she replied now, "From other athletes. Usually they're all hotheaded and showy...maybe that's just a baseball, basketball and english football thing though."

She didn't quite know what to say to him about his daughter though. Dastan seemed so certain about this little connection that she and Messier had, if that was what one called it. Evanna didn't think so, she truly did just believe that it was just having that second person. After all, this was only her second time meeting each other, and what her life being what it is now, she found it hard to believe that she attracted kids so easily. Not after everything she's seen, "She's only met me twice," Evanna countered. Not to mention, she is an epic bitch to the girl's father, and even at a young age, she would have thought that toddlers could pick up on that sort of thing.

His grin confused her though, and it caused her to roll her eyes, especially at his question, "Don't tell me you believe in it?" she countered now. Evanna thought about what she knew about him, what he had shared, but she couldn't decipher anything as something 'fate' like, other than the baby getting left behind. Or at least, that is what she got from it, "I believe in...dealing with stuff." As if that made any sense, but she didn't really have to explain anything to him. Evanna eyed him when he laughed at her, knowing that his next question was a joke, but she figured she'd humor him anyways, "Gold and plum." At least he couldn't figure out anything from that because all in all, nothing had been too deeply personal.

Although, maybe this was just the brush of a surface. Maybe she would crack and tell him everything at some point. But that made her sound so...weak, and Evanna didn't like that. Then again, she didn't really like a lot of things now. She always put the blame on her mother, the monsters, the job, maybe there was something else at work as well. Or maybe, it really was just Dastan Riley, and this ugly situation that she had allowed herself to get into with him, "I'm glad my words have finally hit home with you, because that took forever." It technically is personal to a degree, but even if he had been anything else, even if he had still been human, her stance would have still been the same, "Is this really that shocking to you?"