Encounters

Chapter One

"Hey Cassandra... Ooh, you look tired."

Cassandra looked up into a pair of warm brown eyes.

"Hey Sam. I know. I've been having really weird dreams lately. They keep waking me up at stupid o'clock and I can't get back to sleep."

"Dreams about what?" he asked, parking his perfect bum on her desk.

"I can't really remember." She frowned, straining her memory. "I remember voices... and a bright light... But everything else is hazy." Cassandra smiled as she looked back at Sam.

"Voices? Bright light? Sounds interesting." He waggled an eyebrow.

"Sam, honestly. How can you make an innuendo from that?" Cassandra laughed.

"It's a talent, love." He leaned forward and looked at her concernedly. "Maybe you should see the doctor?"

Cassandra snorted. "Yeah, right. And pump myself full of useless chemicals? Not gonna happen."

Sam grinned and opened his mouth, only to be interrupted by a would-be smooth voice.

"Having trouble sleeping, Red?" Sam rolled his eyes as Gary draped himself over the top of Cassandra's cubicle, one hand on his hip, the other dangling lazily. "I'll give you something that'll work even better than a sleeping pill." His shirtsleeves were rolled up, showing a lot of dark hair on his arms along with a good bit of muscle. His dark hair was full of product, artfully 'mussed' and his scent almost knocked her off her chair.

"Ooh, that's a good idea!" said Cassandra, giving him a wide-eyed look.

"It is?" Gary looked taken aback for a second before a grin spread over his face.

"Sure! Listening to you would be better than a sleeping pill - almost a sedative!"

Gary glowered as Sam laughed and hastily turned it into a cough. He brushed a dark lock out of his blue eyes and hitched the smile back. "Whatever, Red. You have no idea what you're missing."

"Doesn't look like much from here." Cassandra retorted. Gary flipped his hair and sauntered off, looking back once to give her a cheeky wink.

"He's so into you" said Sam, following him with his eyes.

"He'd be into anything with..." Cassandra stopped herself from making the rather crude remark but Sam seemed to guess what she'd been going to say and grinned. "You never know, Cassandra. He could be just what you need. He's really built. Just imagine stroking that hair - I wonder if he has it all over..." He trailed off mock-dreamily.

"Urgh. Excuse me while I throw up. If I want fur, I'll hug my teddy bear."

The house was quiet when she got home. She hung up her coat then walked up the stairs and out to the balcony overlooking the garden.

"Hi Cass."

"Hey Dad. How was your day?"

"Uneventful. How was work?"

Cassandra waved a hand as she sat in the wicker chair beside Mike. "It was okay."

"Just okay?" He looked concerned.

Cassandra wrinkled her nose in a smile and gazed up at the sky. "Just okay. What are we looking for?"

"Meteor shower forecast for tonight." Mike settled more comfortably and adjusted the large telescope between them.

"Sweet." They exchanged grins. "I think I'll go make coffee."

"Good idea."

She trotted back down the stairs, feeling more awake but putting a fresh pot of coffee on anyway. The warmth would be good, for although the night was clear and fresh, it was quite cold for October.