Dark Tides

"But Teddy, nothing happened!" Emily folded her hands primly in front of her and pouted as her older brother gave her a stern look. Of course Finnigan had ratted her out.

"Finn says you were attacked by robbers," he said.

"Almost attacked," Emily clarified. "But it was all right in the end because I zapped one of them with this." She proudly held up the little electrocution device she had made. She had put it together with spare bits and pieces she had found around Teddy's workshop. His scowl wavered as she showed it to him. The men of her family were far too overprotective, but it was easy to dissuade Teddy's wrath if you distracted him with a new invention. He took the little device and studied it.

"What does it do?" he asked.

"It shoots small electrified pins out of the end." Emily beamed. "You can change the settings to make the current more or less powerful."

"Well. I'm still not pleased about you sneaking about in that neighborhood at night, but I will admit I'm impressed, Em."

"It works perfectly. If you're going to be worried about someone wandering around out there worry about Finnigan."

Teddy chuckled and grimaced. "He was rather shaken up." He kissed her forehead. "Behave yourself though, won't you? You've already turned our poor father grey before his time."

"I'll be good," Emily said, crossing her fingers behind her back. She hugged her brother goodbye and then immediately darted off to her room. She was so excited that she had talked Percy into showing her around, though she did feel a little guilty going off and doing things that made her brothers worry. But then, they did need to learn to stop treating her like a baby sooner or later, didn't they? Emily slipped on a long coat and buttoned it up against the nip in the evening air. Then she scurried down from her balcony like a squirrel and set off for the perfume shop. She tucked herself under the small awning, watching the darkening sky. It smelled like it was going to rain. She pulled her coat tighter around herself, smiling radiantly when she saw Percy approaching.

He looked incredibly serious as usual but she still felt an almost giddy sort of happiness every time she saw him. She wasn't accustomed to having friends she didn't have to act around. Percy thought she was strange, but he didn't look at her with negative judgment in his eyes like everyone else she knew if she said or did something out of the ordinary. Plus it really didn't hurt that he was so rakishly handsome.

"You look tired, you poor thing," she said when he reached her. She grimaced. "I'm sorry for dragging you out here. You didn't have to see the blond beast today, did you?"

Percy actually looked amused. "No."

"Good. The less you see of that man the better your life will be."

"You really don't like him, do you?" Percy asked as she stepped onto the sidewalk and followed him. She had to almost jog to keep up with his long stride.

"That's an understatement," she said. "Why do you seem surprised?"

Percy shrugged. "He's wealthy, and well groomed and good looking. I just figured girls liked that sort of thing."

"His wealth comes from his father, not anything Gregory himself has actually achieved. If you ask me, he's not all that handsome either. And to top it all off I could have a more scintillating conversation with a rock than I could with Gregory. I hope all this fuss about my kidnapping fades soon so he'll lose interest. Then I can fend off any marriage proposals for another two years or so and then I'll be too old to marry and I can become an irrelevant old spinster and carry on with my life."

Percy looked completely puzzled by everything she had just said, and changed the subject. He showed her how to get into the narrow little back streets depending on which side of The Smokes you entered on, and where to go to keep out of sight of the main streets. She listened intently to every word, adopting what her family fondly referred to as her Mule Face as she frowned in deep concentration.

"I really don't think you should be coming out here at all," he said after a while and Emily rolled her eyes.

"You sound like my brothers. I have to come out here. You see, Teddy gets some of his best parts from Lionel and Lionel lives out here. Teddy doesn't always have time to come collect the parts himself, and of course he can always send Finnigan; that's his apprentice; to get them but the trouble is Lionel doesn't like him at all. There was an incident involving a turtle and some of Lionel's favorite whiskey...oh it doesn't matter. Anyway Finn is a very sweet boy really and very smart, but he's terribly worried about everything. I once saw him literally jump at his own shadow. And even though he really is a dear once Lionel decides he doesn't like you that's that. But he absolutely adores me so it's really best if I go to retrieve the parts from him. Besides I invented a weapon to use in a pinch, and poor Finnigan is simply not suited to this kind of thing. He's much too soft. You can feel free to tell me to shut up any time, by the way. It won't hurt my feelings."

"What?" Percy frowned.

"I know I tend to ramble on and on. Aside from Ben and my father it annoys everyone else half to death. You must get terribly sick of me babbling away all the time."

"Oh." Percy looked unsure of himself. "No, it's all right. You can talk all you like."

She caught his arm suddenly, pulling him to a halt. A small dandelion was desperately forcing its way through the broken pavement and Emily pulled her locket free to take a picture, angling it until she got the prettiest lighting.

"What the devil are you doing?"

"It's very pretty. I want a picture."

"It's a weed," Percy said blankly. "You have a whole garden at home, why would you want a picture of a weed?"

Emily straightened and put her hands on her hips. "Percy you have an unfortunate habit of not giving things their due credit. Yes it's a weed, and at first glance perhaps it's not as pretty as a lily or a rose. But you see, all those beautiful flowers in the garden, they've been tended to and cared for all their lives. They've never had to fight to bloom. This little weed is beautiful because despite everything in the world around it telling it can't grow here, there it is. It's persevered. It's survived. Its beauty doesn't fall within the accepted societal standards. I've found in life that in its own way, sometimes a weed is far lovelier than a flower."

She realized she was rambling again and stopped, feeling suddenly self-conscious. Percy was watching her with a strange look, as if she were some sort of riddle he was trying to figure out. The sky chose that to moment to let loose a torrent of rain and Emily pushed a wet strand of hair out of her face.

"You should get home," Percy said. "You're going to get sick if you stay out here."

He ushered her along the alleyway, toward where The Smokes ended and the less dilapidated neighborhoods began. Emily stopped suddenly, hearing a small noise through the latter of rain. Percy bumped into her from behind and nearly sent her sprawling on the ground. He caught her arm at the last moment and pulled her to safety.

"What are you doing now?"

"Shh!" Emily followed the strange noise, and found an old rickety crate in front of an abandoned building. She peered inside and let out a small squeal.

"Percy come look!" Emily reached into the crate to stroke the tiny kittens squirming around inside it, mewing pitifully.

"Oh the poor dears! They can't be very old, and they're probably starving. You have to help me take them home."

"What? Emily, I can't just go waltzing into your house. Besides I don't even like cats."

"Please Percy?" Emily looked up at him pleadingly. "I know I'm such a bother and you must have much better things to do, but I can't leave them out here in the rain."

Percy heaved a sigh and knelt to pick up the crate. Emily jumped up and shed her coat, draping it over the top to keep the water off the kittens.

"You're going to freeze," Percy said.

"I like the rain. I'll be fine," Emily assured him.

"I really don't think your parents are going to be pleased to see a mangy gardener walk in their front door with their unchaperoned daughter," he muttered.

"You're not mangy at all," Emily protested. "Besides my parents are out at the opera tonight, and my brothers don't live there anymore since they have families of their own now. Don't worry. I'll sneak you in the back door and no one will be the wiser."

They almost ran into Mrs. Browne as they smuggled the crate of noisy kittens in through the servant's entrance, and Emily shoved Percy back behind an alcove. Mrs. Browne frowned at her.

"Why are you all wet, Miss Emily?"

"I went out walking the grounds and got caught in the rain." Emily smiled innocently. Mrs. Browne looked skeptical but went on her way without further questioning. Emily hurried Percy up to her room and shut the door with a sigh of relief. She tore her coat away and started rooting in the box before Percy had even set it down.

"They're precious!" She scooped out two kittens and nuzzled them. Percy eyed the little creatures like he expected them to attack.

"Here." Emily thrust the kittens at him. "You watch them while I go get some warm milk."

"Emily, I-"

But she was already gone, fairly skipping down the stairs and making her way to the kitchen. She gathered several bowls and bottles of milk, then heated it up on the stove and carefully poured it into the bowls. She picked them up carefully and went back to her room, pushing the door open gingerly with her foot. She froze in the doorway, smirking as she took in the scene before her. Percy was sitting on the floor with all six kittens crawling across his lap and shoulders. He was holding one small grey tabby in the palm of hand and they were looking at each other in fascination.

"Well you're not so bad, are you?" Percy asked. The kitten licked his nose in reply. Emily cleared her throat and Percy jumped, looking up guiltily.

"They just climbed out of the box," he stammered. "I wasn't playing with them or anything."

"Mmmhm." Emily smiled and stepped into the room, setting the bowls down. The kittens tumbled over each other as they scampered eagerly to the milk. Percy set his new friend down to join them and they all lapped happily. Emily sat down on the edge of her bed and gestured for Percy to join her.

"I'll get it dirty," he said.

"Then I'll wash it. Sit."

He sat beside her and they watched the kittens for a few minutes in silence.

"I really wasn't playing with them," Percy said, face reddening slightly.

"Okay. I believe you." Emily shot him a grin and Percy glared at her.

"Are you going to keep them?" he asked.

"I think I will."

The little grey kitten finished his meal and toddled up to Percy, climbing up his pant leg.

"This one seems to like you," Emily laughed.

"If you think six kittens is a lot to handle, I suppose I could, possibly, find a home for this one," Percy said casually as the kitten made it to his lap and started swatting at the fabric of his shirt. Emily thought she might well and truly melt into a puddle of girlish goo.

"Percy I think that would be wonderful!" In her excitement, she leaned over to kiss his cheek. He turned suddenly, about to tell her something, and Emily found herself with her lips pressed against his. She was so startled that it took her a moment to draw back, and then she jumped to her feet as though bitten. She felt her face turn scarlet as Percy stared at her, dumbstruck.

"Well," Emily said breathlessly, "if you're going to take him you'll need some things to take care of him." She started backing toward the door. "Something warm for him to sleep on, and I'll give you a few more bottles of milk to take with you too...." In her haste to escape she hadn't paid attention to where she was walking. She spun around, preparing to flee, and ran face first into the doorframe.