Somebody to love

"Yes, of course I'm sure." She smiled reassuringly at Vincent as he reluctantly left her alone in the kitchen to make her own lunch. She was not used to being waited on hand and food and she liked cooking her own things. After getting what she needed to put in the oven, she set the timer and took a look around. She followed the next room to some kind of conservatory or den. There was a piano in the corner. Shutting the door, she moved over to the bench and took a seat.

Deftly running her fingertips along the ivories, she looked around to see all doors and windows closed. Playing a few chords, she began to sing one of her favorite Queen songs.

"Can....anybody, find me......somebody to love?" Playing the chords of the song, she sang softly in her soprano voice. "Each morning I get up I die a little, can barely stand on my feet.."

Tolvin was skimming over the security feeds when he saw her. Rochelle was playing and singing. He decided to have some fun and turned off the camera in that room. He smiled and stepped from the security room, using the back passage to slip in unnoticed and simply leaned against the wall, listening to her sing.



He grinned...she was actually quite good. He was tempted to join in at the chorus but resisted the urge. He did not want to break the spell. It was like she was singing just for him.

Her eyes closed and she smiled as she sang along with the piano. "One day I'm gonna be free, lord somebody...somebody...can anybody find me....somebody to love?" She got into the song and really let loose on the keys. Allowing her voice to flow and raise to the high octaves as she put her heart into it.

Getting to the end of the song, she smiled and opened her eyes. "Somebody to....love." She went through each note high to low and ended the notes. She giggled and felt relieved to have some fun, turning around on the bench to go check on her food, her smile quickly vanished when she saw him standing there. She stood quickly and looked around. "If I'm not supposed to be in here...sorry...I'll go." Please to any God say he did not hear her..please.

He smiled as she saw him.

"Actually I was just enjoying the music."

He walked over, kissed her cheek, and whispered in her ear.

"Your voice is beautiful. One more reason to enjoy spending time with you."

She couldn't help but smile after he said he was just enjoying the music. "Well, you know...those shows are not free." She said and tried to be funny but failed. He walked over and kissed her cheek, whispering into her ear as he did so. Chills broke out all over her body at how close he was. There was that smell again...whatever he wore, it caused her insides to go all mushy and her outsides to go all weak. She smiled because of his words and lowered her head, shy and embarrassed about being over heard. "Queen is really good. The Script too, Bruno Mars...really great...songs." She cleared her throat because she was rambling and looked up, seeing him so close still. She swallowed slowly and kept silent not really knowing what to say.

He smiled and walked over, running his hands across the keys.

"She was a bit rough when I found her, but with time and patience, she is like new."

He sat down on the bench, cracking his knuckles and smiled at her as he began to play.

"Oh, her eyes, her eyes
Make the stars look like they're not shinin'
Her hair, her hair
Falls perfectly without her trying
She's so beautiful
And I tell her everyday
Yeah"

He looked at her, winking

"I know, I know
When I compliment her she won't believe me
And it's so, it's so
Sad to think that she don't see what I see"

She watched him walk over to the piano and was shocked to hear that he had found it and fixed it up. "It looks great." She said with a smile. Watching him curiously, he sat and began to play. She recognized the chords instantly and stepped back, her legs hitting the cushions of a chair. It caused her to sit and she listened to him singing with the biggest smile. She pushed her glasses up and knew she looked like she was swooning. He was singing Bruno Mars...Bruno freaking Mars! To her....for her...

As he played the last few notes, he smiled, standing from the piano and pulled her to her feet, looking in her eyes as he sang the last lines to her at just above a whisper.

"The whole world stops and stares for a while
'Cause, girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are"

He cradled her face and kissed her, looking in her eyes.

She was pulled up to stand and just continued staring at him like some star struck teen girl, unable to form any words. He whispered the last bit of the song and she nearly swooned out loud. Maybe she did, she had no idea at this point. "You..." She began but was stopped when his lips pressed against hers and her eyes shot wide open. Staring into his as she kissed him. Her hands reached up to hold onto his arms, if she didn't she'd certainly faint right there.

Vincent shook his head as he lifted the tray from the oven, setting it on the stove-top. That girl seemed so absent minded sometimes. He heard music from the other room and smiled. It had been a while since he heard Tolvin play his piano. Perhaps Miss Petrakis had stepped in to listen. He knocked on the door, opening it quietly and immediately blushed as he turned his back on the pair of them. He cleared his throat and paused a moment.

"um...Miss Petrakis. I moved your food from the oven to the stove-top. I hope you do not mind. I'll leave you to your business."

He quickly scurried out, pulling the door shut behind him.

When he heard Vincent's voice, he stepped back quickly, turning to smiled at him, his ears burning. He smiled as Vincent spun around and spoke quickly. As he left, Tolvin turned back toward Rochelle and laughed softly.

"Leave something cooking, did we?"

She barely heard Vincent but blinked when Tolvin stepped farther back from her and it was then she realized Vincent was talking to her. Her eyes widened and she cursed, "Fiddle sticks! Thanks...Vincent." He left quickly and she looked back over at Tolvin who was chuckling which caused her to smile. When he asked her about leaving something cooking, she reddened a bit.

"I...yeah. It's a Greek recipe which is basically potatoes and chicken with a whole bunch of other stuff added in. Would you like some? I have extra and I probably won't eat it all, that is if it's salvageable and not burnt in which case I would have to..." she just went on and on.

He walked back close to her, smiling as he touched her cheek.

"I'd love to join you. Lunch would be nice."

She stopped short when he touched her cheek, smiling and chuckling. "Okay.." Was all she could say before turning around to walk out the room. She closed her eyes briefly to chastise herself for rambling and being such an idiot. Opening the door and heading straight to the kitchen to check the food. She took a fork and broke a piece off, blowing on it slightly and placing it in her mouth.

"Mmmm" she gave a soft moan and closed her eyes. It wasn't ruined, it was perfect. She smiled and opened her eyes, turning to see him getting closer. "Umm..it's ready."

He smiled when she headed out, and admittedly stalled so he could watch her walk away. He grinned as she moaned, tasting the food. She opened her eyes as he walked closer.

"Umm..it's ready."

"It smells wonderful."

"Do you mind..." She looked over at the plates in the cabinet and knew she'd break them if she touched them. The way her hands were trembling with him being so so close...and the way he kept kissing her...yeah she was shaky.

After fixing them each a plate, she brought her own to the table and he brought his. She took a seat and cleared her throat, nervously picking at her food. It was silent and she thought out loud, it was a question to him but something she had been reeling on since last night. "Why me?"

He stepped into the pantry and opened the chiller, pulling out a bottle of Chianti and walked back into the kitchen. He opened it and let it breathe for a moment before pouring two glasses of wine, bringing them and his plate to the table. He set one next to her plate and the other by his. He smiled at her as she asked a question he had been expecting.

"Why me?"

"You intrigue me, Rochelle. We are alike in many ways, and I do not find that very often. You are intelligent as well as attractive, but not arrogant like many who hold that combination. It is this that makes me curious. "

He lifted his glass, smiling at her.

"Don't worry...the glasses are plastic."

She smiled and listened to his reason why. She intrigued him and the way he saw her was amazing. He thought she was intelligent and attractive. Sir Hotty said SHE was attractive. It brought color to her eyes and she pulled her hair behind her ear before looking back up at him lifting a glass.

She lifted hers and laughed loudly from his joke. "Good thing, since well...my track record sucks and all." She took a sip and set it back down. She chuckled again as she looked at her food and her eyes lifted to meet his. "You intrigue me as well, Tolvin. And if we're being honest...you....well you make me nervous." She chuckled nervously.

He grinned at her comment about being nervous.

"I could kind of tell. I am sure we will get past that eventually."

He took a sip of the wine and smiled as he looked in her eyes.

She smiled. Of course captain obvious, you're like category 5 disaster zone around him. She took a bite of food and tried to make herself not so nervous. Well, she got A for effort. Occasionally looking up at him, she continued to eat. She didn't know what to say so she just said the first thing she thought of.

"Do you play sudoku?"

He grinned at her and pulled a mini book from his back pocket, tossing it on the table.

"Not very well...but I try. It is a good diversion for the mind."

She chuckled when he presented a miniature book and shook her head. "Not that hard. I mean, once you get the hang of it...I can teach you if you like?"

He reached across the table, resting his hand on hers and smiled.

"I'd love that. I may be an impossible student though..."

He laughed softly.

She looked at his hand on hers and smiled bigger. "Well you can teach me something in return. We can make a game of it. I've always wanted to learn how to shoot. You seem pretty good at it." She turned her hand instinctively and looked down at their hands. She realized....she was holding his hand.

He smiled when she turned her hand over and curled her fingers around his. He laughed and nodded.

"I can do that. First thing to learn about is having the proper ammo."

He used his free hand to pull a bullet from his pocket and set it on the table.


"These are custom made for killing vampires. Liquid UV light. It is what I hit that vampire yesterday with. Custom rounds are not cheap, but can be useful when you want something special."