The Perfect Fan

Norman jogged down the stairs of the subway while he listened to his music about a week after the Comic Com. It was chilly out and he was glad for the warmth in the station. When he reached the bottom, he paid his fare then walked more into the station. A young woman was standing in front of one of the maps that was posted up on the wall. Slowly he pulled out one of his ear bubs as he looked at her. He knew her. At least he had seen her before, he was sure. She was the girl from the bar he had met, the funny one, she had to be. She looked just like the bar girl. He smiled and reached into his pocket. He turned his music off and headed over to her, tucking his ear bubs into his pocket.

" Do you need some help?" He asked when he was close enough for her to hear him. She jumped at the sound of his voice, making him smile. He was right, it was her. " Paige, right?" She looked back at the map then at him.

" Yeah." She said.

" Are you okay? You look confused." Norman said. She looked back at the map.

" Ah. Yeah. I'm confused." She laughed nervously and looked back at him. " I'm trying to go home but I can't remember what train to take."

" Where do you live?" Norman asked.

" The Franklin building in Manhattan." She said. Norman smiled and looked back at the map. He pointed to a red line.

" See this line? Right now we are at Station number four. To get to your building you need station number ten. Train number twelve will run the entire length of the red line." He moved his finger up the line to the number ten. " So if you stay on train number twelve and get out at number ten, you will be just a short walk to your building." He said as he dropped his arm and smiled at her. Paige sighed hard.

" Ok, we are in four. I need red twelve to red ten." She said. Norman chuckled and nodded when she back looked at him.

" That's right." He said with an easy smile.

" Leo is going to kill me. This is the fourth time I have been lost." Paige said.

" Well, it's gets easier. I promise." Norman said as the announcement went over the loud speaker. " I have to go, that's my train. Yours will be the next one. Just remember what I said and you will be fine."

" Well thanks." Paige said.

" No problem. Have a good day." He said before he turned and headed towards his train.

What where the chances of that? Norman thought. He hoped she was able to find her way home. She seemed like a nice girl. He entered the train then turned so he was facing her. She was looking from the map to a little notebook she was writing in. He smiled to himself. He didn't take the subway that often but he was really glad he had decided to do it that day.

NRNRNR

Norman stuffed his phone and wallet into his back pocket then grabbed the keys to his bike. He was going to eat at his favorite little diner called Bread. He didn't have his son that night and didn't feel like making himself anything to eat. He patted his cat, Eye In The Dark, on the head then headed out, making sure he locked his door behind him. He tossed his keys from one hand to the other as he started down the hallway. The girl from the subway crossed his mind suddenly.

Paige.

He was surprised that he had seen her at the bar and then again at the station but he didn't mind. No guy minded running into a pretty girl not once, but twice. The petite girl with the soft features, great smile, and sparkling green eyes flowed into his mind. He won't mind seeing her again. She was funny and beautiful. He felt a little bad for her. New York could be an overwhelming place at first and she seemed lost and tired.

He laughed to himself as he rode the elevator down the street. It was stupid for him to think he would see her again. New York City was a big place. He was lucky that he had seen her at all, besides thinking about a girl he didn't know was the last thing he needed to do. His plate was full enough and he had promised himself he wouldn't start to date anyone for a while. He needed some time to be with just him and his son. Besides, he needed to stop with his quick to date. A girl smiled at him and he wanted to date her.

NRNRNR

" That girl was the stupidest girl you have ever had sex with." Paige said. Leo smiled and sat back in his chair at the little cafe.

" But she knew what she was doing." He said.

" How could you stand her? Her voice was so annoying."

" I couldn't hear her voice. Her mouth was busy doing something else once we were alone." Leo said. He paused with a grin on his face. " Like sucking my dick." He added, as if she had picked up on what he had been hinting at.

" Disgusting, shut the fuck up." Paige said, frowning hard and making her friend laugh.

" Paige?" Norman's voice made both their heads turn towards him. " I guess you made it home alright today, didn't you?"

" Yeah, I did. Thanks to you." She said. Leo looked at her quickly then back at him.

" Do you want to sit with us?" He offered. Norman smiled and nodded.

" Yeah, yeah, sure thing. Let me order and I'll be back." He said. He quickly walked away and towards the counter. Leo leaned over the table and frowned.

" Did you see him today and not tell me?!" He snapped quietly.

" I did, in the subway. He showed me what train to use." Paige said, her eyes moving from Norman's back to Leo's face.

" And you just didn't tell me!" He hissed.

" I meant too but when I got home my mom called me then after that you started talking about going out to eat. I changed my clothes and forgot." Paige said, defending herself.

" How do you forget something like that?" Leo snapped. " It's Norman Reedus." He looked towards the counter then back at her. " Shit, he's coming back! Be cool, Paige." Leo sat back quickly. Norman sat down with a bowl of tomato soup and bottled water. He was sitting at the end of the table while Leo and Paige were across from each other.

" Have you guys ever been here before or is this your first time?" He asked casually.

" This is our first time." Leo said. " Paige loves soups and salads so we thought we'd give it a shot." His face was flushed with excitement. Norman looked at her and smiled.

" Their soup is great. This is my favorite place to eat." He said. He picked up his bowl then sat back in his chair. " I can't believe I found you guys and this is the third time I have seen you, Paige." He said, dipping his spoon into the bowl. She was in shock that he even remembered her name.

" You can't believe it? I am struggling not to go super fan over here." Leo admitted, making Norman smile.

" So how are you guys liking the city so far?" He asked.

" It's great. Paige can't find her way around though." Leo said with a smirk.

" I saw that today." Norman said, smiling at her and winking. Paige shook her head quickly.

" You got lost today, again? Didn't you bring the map I gave you?" Leo asked.

" Yeah, I got lost, okay? The subway system is confusing to me and yeah, I had the map but it didn't help." She said, shooting her friend a look that read ' Shut it or I am going to kill you.'.

" They are confusing." Norman said as he nodded. He brought his spoon to his mouth and blew on it. " You need to get a map of the subway alone. Then you can highlight all the trains you need to take during the day. It will help. I got lost a lot when I first moved here." He said before slipping the spoon into his mouth.

" See! It's not just me!" Paige said to Leo.

" You could get lost in a brown paper bag." Leo said. Paige started to stir her cream of broccoli soup.

" That is not true!" She defended. " Once I learn the lines I will never forget them and you know it. I have only been here for three weeks and I only started to venture out of the apartment alone three days ago, Dick! And besides, there aren't brown paper bags big enough for me to fit into, so your argument is stupid." She snapped.

" Okay, there aren't, so I will give you that one but I have been here just as long as you have. I only went out with you for a while but when I did start to go out alone, do you know how many times I have gotten lost? None." Leo said. Norman smiled as he watched the friends.

" Don't worry, Paige. People get lost all the time, I'm one of them." He said, coming to her defense.

" I have never lived in a big city before. I have never been on a subway so this is a totally new experience for me." Paige said.

" I promise you, it gets easier, you just have to keep trying." Norman assured her. " So where are you guys from?"

" Ohio." Leo answered.

" And what brought you to New York?" He asked, looking from Leo or Paige while they ate.

" Paige went to work at her uncle's store and I'm working at Dante's." Leo said.

" Dante's? The new restaurant on 55th street?" Norman asked, looked at Leo who smiled.

" Yeah. Have you been there?" He asked in surprised.

" Yeah, I went the first week it open. It's only been open a month, right? It was really good. Are you a cook?" Norman asked. Leo was a chef and had been asked by the restaurant's owner to come and work there.

The three talked while they ate, spending the next half hour together. Leo was barely holding it together but Paige, who always had a tight rein on her emotions, was coming off completely cool and calm. They laughed together and were surprised at how well the three of them got along. Norman felt comfortable with them and the friends made him laugh. At the end of dinner, he shook their hands and thanked them for spending time with him. When he walked out, Leo started to lose his mind. As they walked home, he was jumping up and down, shaking Paige and laughing at how lucky they were.