Amanda, Nathan - Monday lunchtime

[xp_daytripper]

It seems it's visitor day... Amanda meets Nate for lunch, which goes far better this time.



The place was nice. Amanda looked around a little awe-struck as she came in. The concierge appeared silently at her elbow and she jumped.

"Can I help you?" he asked, politely, more politely than she was used to from his sort. But then again, she was in her work clothes.

"Um, yeah, I'm here to meet someone. Mr. Morrow? Is he here yet?"

Nathan sensed the familiar mind towards the front of the restaurant, and looked up to see the concierge leading Amanda back towards his table. He smiled, professionally at the man as he pulled out Amanda's chair for her, then more warmly at Amanda.

"Sorry for the ritzy surroundings, but I've got to run right back off to another meeting at the UN in an hour. I'm being diplomatic," he said with an innocent smile.

Amanda smiled, taking her seat ad letting him push the chair in for her. "It's fine. More'n fine. It's really nice."

"I've actually had a couple of lunch meetings here," Nathan said as the concierge retreated and a waiter arrived to fill Amanda's water glass and give her a menu. "It's close to the UN and the food's great. I've had some interesting 'random' conversations over lunch here, too."

"Oh?" Amanda raised her eyebrow at that one, before looking down at the menu. It was... extensive. "How's all that... Elpis, right? How's it going? Angelo's been busy ever since prom."

"Well. The church project in Nicaragua's gotten off to as good a start as could be expected," Nathan said, more positively than the words themselves might suggest. "We're looking at a couple of other potential projects, too. Less need to roll them out immediately, so we have time to do the proper prep-work." He grinned suddenly, lifting his own water glass. "Angelo needs to remember I pay him for a day off every week, and that weekends are not for immuring one's self in the office."

"Sounds like what Pete tells me." Amanda said with a grin. "Then again, Angelo's probably the same way I am - you just get all involved and before you know it, it's gone past ten."

"I'm not a good role model. I admit that freely. I'm hoping Rahne at least brings a little balance to the office - she's been very good about doing things like reminding us we need to eat," Nathan said wryly.

"She would." Amanda sounded approving. "So it's what... you, Angelo, Rahne and Bobby out there now?"

Nathan nodded. "And a whole horde of ex-mercs and ex-operatives in Tel Aviv," he said, sounding amused, but then paused and covered his eyes with his hand. "And I was supposed to email you and let you know on Dom's behalf that she had to go running back to Dushanbe and really, she's going to call you soon."

Amanda looked surprised. "She's okay, then?" she asked, remembering his concern at their last meeting.

"MacInnis sent her off to Central Asia to reestablish some of his old contacts. She hates Central Asia," Nathan said a bit dourly. "But it was a fruitful trip, and while I'm sure she's glossing over all kinds of things with her little 'oh, I was too busy chasing the perfect yak cheese to call', she's sounding more like her usual self these days, yeah."

"That's a relief." Amanda sounded genuinely relieved. "After the stuff you were telling me with her and your... that Gideon, I was worried. Pete said I should contact her, but... well, things got busy here." She reached for her water to cover the sudden awkwardness. She hadn't contacted Dom because she had no idea what to say to the other woman, after all the mess of last year. It was a recurring theme, she realised.

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "She feels just as sheepish about not contacting you. Just in case knowing that might make it easier..."

She snorted. "We really are too bloody alike some times," she said wryly. "I'll email her sometime this week." Email was easier than calling. "So, how was this trip to Nicaragua? It sounds like it didn't go as easy as you'd hoped?"

"Well," Nathan said, his eyes skimming down the menu, "the church itself is ideal, and the people I found to staff it are enthusiastic. We even lined up supplies and contractors for some of the basic remodeling work." He sighed, laying the menu down. "Unfortunately, one of the city councilors felt it neccessary to threat the kids in question with death squads if anything happens with the shelter that he doesn't like."

"Oh for fuck's sake..." Amanda began, and several heads turned at the volume and the language. She blushed and focussed on her menu, ears burning. "That's just stupid. You're doing them a favour and they're hassling you for it?"

"The bastard in question is a bigoted bastard," Nathan said quietly. "Fortunately, there also happens to be a woman who shares certain of my gifts, not to mention my opinions, sitting on the council. She's going to make sure he's all bluster and no action, and let the people running the shelter know with plenty of warning if he actually does anything."

"We get everywhere, don't we?" Amanda said, careful to keep her voice down and talk in the usual euphemisms. Pete's lessons were sticking, despite the previous lapse. "I'm glad you still managed - from what Angelo told me, it's a good set up. Makes me wish they'd had something like that in London when I was on the streets."

"If it works, I'm all for duplicating it elsewhere, even where kids aren't being snatched off the street and locked up. It makes the most minuscule dent in our available funding..." He was starting to realize how much the 'money is power' paradigm was true, especially doing this kind of work. Add that to the well-known names he had on the board of directors, like Charles and Moira and Rollins... Nathan summoned up a wry smile. "And when I get talking like this, I still get the most ridiculous urge to go running back home and hit things. Just from listening to myself."

"Well, you've got the place for it," she pointed out with a laugh. Looking down at the menu, she continued: "I'm lost here, Nate. So much on here I want, but I can't decide on one."

"The lemon thyme chicken is good. I had that the other day," Nathan volunteered. "I'm having the lamb. Rollins had that the last time we had lunch here and told me to try it the next time, but I keep forgetting."

"Well, the days of the Bottomless Pit are long gone," Amanda admitted. "And I have to actually watch meself these days - since I'm not using myself as a power converter for magic any more, I'm not burning off everything I eat. But the chicken looks good. I'll have that."

"I'm actually approaching something close to the weight I should be, according to Moira," Nathan said in amusement, once the waiter had returned to take their orders and then departed again. "For the first time in... oh, two and a half years. She's not even threatening me with vitamin shots anymore."

"I suppose it helps that you're not an open house any more?" she suggested carefully, not wanting to imply it was a good thing the Askani were gone, but knowing the toll they had on him.

"Mmm. Yeah, my metabolism has settled back to what passes for normal, too," he said, perhaps a little too lightly as he took a sip from his water glass again. "I still have the occasional not-quite-epileptic moments, but they're few and far between since I stopped... seeing things I shouldn't."

"Um. That's good." Awkwardness reigned supreme again and Amanda started fiddling with her silverware. At least dating Manuel meant she knew which ones to use. "I started classes this week," she said at last, then remembered he'd already seen her journal. Idiot.

"So I saw," Nathan said more easily. "Teachers seem amiable?"

"Well, it's not like proper school with classes in a big room with a bunch of others," she explained. "More like tutoring. I get work assigned, turn it in and it goes towards the degree I already have so I look useful on paper. But they're all right. Ms. Carson, she's the sociology prof, she's a bit of a fuddy-duddy, but after Strange I don't mind that much. And Chang's Mandarin - he works at the UN as an interpreter sometimes, knows something like five different languages. He's a laugh."

"What are you working on besides the Mandarin with him?" Nathan asked with real interest. He was glad to know she was getting back to the languages. Of course, it was as useful for her new line of work as it was for his, so it was kind of an obvious step. But still...

"The Hindi. I didn't realise until I got to Nepal that I'd lost most of the Hindi. Nepalese and Hindi being similar and all. Cantonese as well, since a lot of stuff goes on through Hong Kong." She sounded much more enthusiastic about this line of conversation. "I've still got the Latin, so I'm thinking of picking up another one of the Romantic languages too. French, maybe, tho' Marie-Ange always said my accent was awful."

"French isn't hard. Not when you've got the Latin especially, I imagine," Nathan said cheerfully. "As for accents... I'm sure Angie'd let you practice on her." He didn't mention the argument he hadn't actually overheard - although the mansion's gossip mill was working as per usual. That was Angie's place to tell Amanda when and if she wanted.

"Well, she's over a lot lately, so I'd have plenty of chances. I picked up Spanish pretty quickly - not too bad at it, according to Angelo, any way." She smiled a little. "Then again, he tends to be captain of the Amanda Sefton Support Squad, so he would say that."

"You should get him to teach you Russian in your spare time," Nathan said. "That's probably one of the next most useful languages you can pick up - it was the first new one I made him learn."

"Well, it'd get him to remember to take that time off you mentioned," Amanda suggested, her innocent tone fooling no-one. "I might do that - one of the best things about being back in New York is seeing Angelo and Angie and the rest again. Didn't realise how much I'd miss having friends until I left."

"His accent's terrible, too, but his grip of syntax is good." Nathan paused, then abruptly attacked the bread basket. "I'm glad you're getting out and being more social. Moira was worried about you in that respect."

"I s'pose I was hermiting a bit for a while there. I'd say it was because there was too much to do, but really it was 'cause I didn't want to put myself forward where I didn't belong. That prom thing helped - no-one got horribly traumatised by me being there and I got to talk to a few people too." Amanda took a bread roll herself, picking at it rather than eating it. "I guess I haven't outgrown the melodrama quite yet, hey?"

"At your ripe old age?" he teased, if gently. "Come on. You've got another two years free and clear before you need to worry about that."

"Bloody hell, another two years? Kill me now." Amanda giggled. "Do you have any idea how much effort it takes being an angsty, melodramatic teenager?"

"Not really," he said cheerfully. "Well, scratch that, I managed the angsty...."

"I seem to remember you and Haroun vying for the whole Drama Queen tiara," she teased right back, unrepentant.

"Adult melodrama," Nathan said tranquilly, and smiled as the waiter arrived with their food. "It's an entirely different thing." He eyed her thoughtfully for a moment. "I should stop by your new place of employment sometime soon. Set up... uh, a consultative relationship. Elpis could use the occasional bit of consultant work. I keep meaning to call Pete about that."

She grinned. "We could do with someone to practice our whole mutant think-tank skills on. Especially those of us still working out what it is we need to do that way." The grin turned self-effacing for a moment and then she turned her attention to her food. "Actually, that whole idea with the place in Nicaragua, making it something bigger, might be something we can help with. Research on what happens to homeless kids, that sort of thing - give you some facts and figures to wave at political types. They love those."

"For all that I called Angelo and call Rahne and Bobby research assistants," Nathan said, "they're not, really. Or at least the research is focused on identifying problems and what we need to make a solution. We don't have the manpower, quite literally, to do that much background research - that's one of the things that's being pointed out to me on a regular basis." His smile was briefly mischievous.

"Besides, sharing information is never bad. We might come across things that you'd like to know, and vice-versa."

"Sounds like we could help each other, then," she agreed, trying the chicken. "This is really good. Great pick, as always."

"I'm starting to appreciate New York a little more than I used to," Nathan admitted with a smile. "Remember that first year when half the time I was afraid to leave the mansion grounds?"

She grinned. "And I kept getting grounded so I couldn't leave. We've both moved on since then. International jet-setters and all."

"I hadn't realized how much I missed the travel. If Mac insists on someone needing to go to Central Asia again, I think I might volunteer. Dom just doesn't appreciate the area like she should," Nathan said in amusement.

"Nepal was fun." Amanda was in the process of demolishing her chicken - her table manners were still on the rough and ready side, despite (or because of) Manuel's influence. "Bit of a fly-by trip, what with having to rescue Strange and all, but I liked it. Maybe I'll get to go back there again sometime. When there's less cults."

"Nepal makes me sad. All those mountains. But I'm supposed to be a responsible husband and father and NGO-runner these days, so I can't precisely go chasing summits anymore," Nathan said a bit wistfully.

"What, you aren't allowed to have the odd holiday?" Amanda asked. "Not from being a dad and hubbie, of course, but I'm pretty sure Moira would give you time off for mountain-climbing sometimes."

"Rock-climbing, yes, mountain-climbing, not likely. It's stupidly dangerous, really, and it's not like my current occupation doesn't have its share of risks," Nathan said. "Besides," he said more ruefully, "I doubt my lungs would hold up anymore."

"Ah." Amanda blushed a little and pushed a few beans around on her plate. "Sorry, I didn't realise."

"Don't apologize. I've just had a few too many viral-related problems over the last couple of years. Fortunately," he said, with a wry grin, "I had very good lungs to start off with, so losing lung capacity doesn't hit me quite as hard. Besides," he said again, his smile turning almost nostalgic, "I've climbed the big ones. And the view's not something you ever forget."

"We didn't get to see much whilst we were there, but the bits we did I liked. Especially the monastery we had to take Strange to. I spent a lot of time in the library they had there, chatted to a couple of the monks. It was... interesting."

"I have a couple of books I could lend you, if you wanted to know more about the area," Nathan said, and almost laughed at himself. But it was good to be able to sit here and chat with Amanda about things like this.

Amanda nodded, enthusiasm clear. "I'd like that - I don't know much about Bhuddism and the rest but I wouldn't mind finding out more. And the area's gorgeous."

"It's got a lot of history," Nathan said. "Well... no, I won't start down that road, because you'll never shut me up, and my lamb will get cold," he said, turning his attention to his plate for a moment. "But I'd like if that's one of the things you do take away from your globetrotting. There's a lot more to the world than the West, and sometimes it takes seeing it to realize that."

"Some places speak to me more than others," she said simply, with a small shrug and a bashful smile. "Like Istanbul."

"Speak to you - literally or figuratively?" Nathan asked, somewhat knowingly.

"Ah, those emails to you and Moira... A bit of both - it's not everywhere, but I haven't pinned down what the common thread is yet." Amanda pushed the beans around her plate again. She'd never liked them, any way. "London, New York, Kathmandu... A little bit at the monastery. Moira says we'll work it out eventually."

Nathan nodded. "You will," he said. "My wife's nothing if not persistent. Part of the reason I married her," he said with a lopsided smile.

"Not 'cause you knocked her up?" Amanda asked in that innocent, teasing tone again, not at all serious.

"Well, that too. And other reasons that you don't really want to know," Nathan said primly.