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Moira and Nathan after his first session with Jack. She takes him to get food and let him unwind and they talk a little about Jack and the session. Moira finally gives him the gift she promised she would.



Moira winced a little at the sun as she and Nathan walked out of one of a building in downtown New York. She hadn't expected it to have gotten so hot so fast. Glancing back over her shoulder, she couldn't help a surge of worry at the slightly pale expression on his face. A light squeeze of his hand and then she was tugging him gently down the street. There was a small...she wasn't really sure what it was. It was like someone had combined the atmosphere of a coffee shop, the food of a good Italian restaurant and the privacy of the little intimate places that made you feel like it was just you and your date.

Nathan, from the feel of the link, needed some food and some down time. The link was fairly abuzz with nervous thoughts and while she knew what Jack's basic routine was for the first day, it had to have been hard on him.

As she led him into the little restaurant, Nathan mustered a smile that he knew couldn't be particularly convincing. "I'm not sure I'm hungry," he said, leaning a bit heavily on the cane. It had been good to get rid of the cast and crutch this morning, but his leg was protesting, just a little.

"Yer goin' ta eat." There was no questioning that tone. "Yer ta bi' for me ta carry back ta th' car, so ye'll get somethin' in ye before we 'ead 'ome." Moira looked over her shoulder at him. "Besides, I need ta eat," she pointed out, mildly, knowing that that was one of the things he would not protest.

"Okay," Nathan said a bit meekly, sinking into the chair. He felt tired and restless at the same time, which was an odd combination. "He is, um, quite something. Jack, I mean," he said as Moira sat down across from him and the waiter set two menus in front of them. "I don't think he's going to let me away with much."

"In part, tha's why I wanted ye ta go ta 'im." She smiled at the waiter as she settled her bag at her feet and picked up a menu. "Jack doesnae stand for anyone's tricks, love." She paused. "Except tha' adorable grandchild o' 'is. 'im 'e lets get away wit' murder."

Nathan laughed a bit weakly. "I saw the pictures. Cute kid." He stared down blankly at the menu, trying to put his thoughts in some semblance of order. "I spent most of the time talking," he said a bit dazedly. "I'm not sure how he managed to get me to do that." Jack hadn't asked many questions, but the ones he had asked...

Moira reached over and brushed the back of his hand lightly. "Yer okay wit' this?" she asked quietly, assessing him to make sure he was holding up.

"I didn't expect it to be easy." He took a deep breath, managing a slightly steadier smile before he looked back down at the menu. "But he's really straightforward. I can appreciate that."

"I'm glad ye like 'im. Jack's verra good at wha' 'e does." She smiled at him over the menu. "Besides...lunch afterward wit' nay anyone ta bother us? Somethin' ta look forward ta if'n ye want me ta accompany ye ta other sessions."

"Definitely a plus," Nathan said, telling himself to let go of the last hour, at least for now. He had some things to do between now and next Saturday, but right now, what he needed to do was to relax and enjoy the time with Moira. "The sandwiches look good, I guess," he said without much enthusiasm. His appetite was nearly nil again today.

"We can always share," she offered. "Stomach's a little off right now." Too many nerves, from both sides of the party, had flooded down the link earlier that morning.

"Okay. Coffee would be... actually, no, it wouldn't be, I guess." Nathan sighed, rubbing at his forehead. "Caffeine and insomnia probably don't mix."

"Tea, nay a lot o' sugar in it." Gently, she nudged his hand so she could hold it. "We'll get a pot o' tea, split tha', an' get one o' the lunch specials."

Nathan snickered suddenly as she squeezed his hand. "He was taken aback by my, um, houseguests."

Moira suddenly looked slightly aghast. "Oh Lord. I forgot ta...'ell, 'e's goin' ta kill me. Or at least make me watch those 'orrid baseball games 'e so enjoys."

"He pointed something out about them, though," Nathan said more soberly. "Remember how I kept experiencing their deaths as if I was the one dying?"

She nodded, it wasn't something she was going to forget any time soon.

"He thinks it might have compounded existing problems," Nathan said, knowing he was being vague. "I might know it wasn't me intellectually, but..."

"But emotionally ye were feelin' like it was?"

Nathan nodded. "Or telepathically, maybe... he just pointed out it was a possibility." He laughed quietly. "So I might not be just falling apart spontaneously. That's a relief, huh?"

Moira smiled in agreement. "Aye, it 'tis. I'm glad ye agreed ta see someone." She smiled a little wistfully. "I'm ta close emotionally ta do much good in some aspects."

"You do so much good in so many others," Nathan said softly, smiling at her. "Felt really good to walk out of his office and see you sitting there. Felt better to know that you were there, the whole time."

Relief and pleasure flooded through her, glad to know that she had provided some sense of comfort when he needed it. Suddenly, Moira grinned at him. "Want yer gift?" she teased.

"Yes," Nathan said immediately. "I was all good and talked myself hoarse to the nice therapist. I want my present." He grinned at her, his mood lightening immensely. "And I'm also five years old, just in case you'd forgotten."

Laughing, Moira drew her hand away from his and rummaged in the bag at her feet. She pulled out a smaller bag and handed it over, smirking at how eagerly he grabbed for it. "Wasnae somethin' I got in Santorini," she remarked, watching him start to open the wrapping inside. "Got it when we made th' stop in Scotland. Ye remember me suddenly 'avin' ta dart back ta th' mainland because me dear, sweet cousin forgot somethin' for me. She picked it up when...well, ye'll see."

Nathan got the wrapping off to reveal a wooden box. Looking intrigued, he set it down on the table and opened it. Inside was a pocket watch, and his eyes widened as he took it out carefully, opening it. "Moira," he said wonderingly. All of the inner workings of the watch were visible through the crystal, and he examined it carefully, taking in every detail. "This is..." He trailed off, seeing the inscription on the case.

'To Nathan
Love is timeless
~Moira'

He swallowed, looking up at her. "And you call me sappy," he said, very softly. "It's gorgeous. I love it. And you and Anna are very sneaky."

"Ye are sappy," Moira replied, smiling at him before leaning across the table for a quick kiss. "An' aye, Anna was verra pleased ta 'elp me be sneaky. I'm glad ye like it, I'm terrible when it comes ta this stuff."

Nathan scrutinized the fine detail on the casing for a few moments longer before laying the watch very carefully back in the box. "Not terrible at all," he said softly, then reached across for her hand again.

"Gettin' better at it," she teased, bringing his hand up to press a light kiss to the back of it. "Got plenty o' practise while we were on vacation."

"We're going to be dueling with little 'surprises' for the next little while, aren't we?"

"Seems like it," Moira replied, beaming. Nathan seemed much more relaxed, her presence and the gift seemed to have done the trick. At least for the moment, anyway. "So...up ta orderin' th' food now before our waiter dies from th' sugar shock?"