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Sterling nodded and pulled the blankets up over Dawn, tucking her in. He didn't know why he did it, just he felt he should.

He flinched and looked over at Cici. "Yeah, she wore herself out." He stood up, feeling the bed squeak and lift a little. "Well, I promised her I'd stay the night, that seemed to help." He gathered up the knife and stake in one hand before pausing to look at Cici. "I don't have to though."

Cici nodded, "Yeah, you can stay. If you promised her, you better not disappoint her, or I will do worse to you than anything you'll find out there." She looked at him for a moment, "Besides, you can do me a favour." Her cheeks coloured, but not much - there was no point in being coy.

"Come on, let's go eat. I've got it warming in the stove."

Sterling was slightly surprised by her easy-going attitude. "Alright, sure. Name it." Of course, he had no idea what she might have in mind, and he felt indebted to her anyway.

Dinner smelled great though, and his stomach rumbled hungrily. He retrieved the cutlery he'd been interrupted from getting and set the two places. "Alright, table's set."

Cici pulled the plates out. Only his had steak on it - it really was small, but she has more beans on her plate and the bigger corn. IT was a fair trade off for her, "I wanna sleep with you." She looked him right in the eye as she slid the plate in front of him.

He nearly dropped his fork and knife, at Cici's bluntness. Or perhaps her forwardness. Or maybe because he'd just assumed that her having a kid meant nothing was going to happen anyway... He regretted saying he'd do a favor for her.

"That's the, ah, favor?" he asked her, shifting uncomfortably. "Why?" She didn't strike him as a loose woman. But even as he asked he could figure it out for himself.

"I'm a single mom who is a full time student and works a full time job. I don't date. I haven't been out with a man since before Dawn was born. I've had a couple of one night stands, but that's it. I can't afford to try and invest in a relationship. One night won't kill you - beside it might help you be a little less jumpy."

He couldn't deny what she said so he merely pointed his fork at her plate. "First, eat." He said, and cut his steak in half to drop on her plate.

He chewed in silence, trying to figure out what he could possibly tell Cici or say to break the silence. "You're a good cook," he said once he swallowed. "It's been a long time since I've had a home-cooked meal."

She smiled, "Thanks. I took a few courses in high school. They laid out my entire grade twelve, based on what I would use in the real world with Dawn. I took foods, a sewing course, accounting and a few other classes. It helped a lot." She ate slowly, nervous herself. This was the first time a man would be in her house.

And he was spending the night. What if she disapointed him and he took off, despite his promise to Dawn?

"You've done well for yourself and Dawn." He said after another small pause. "She's happy, and she admires you."

He finished the steak and then set to work on the beans and corn. At last he finished, and looked down at his empty plate and then at Cici. "Thanks for dinner."

Cici beamed at the compliment, "I'll just wash the dishes. There is a TV in the livingroom, if you wanna relax for a little bit." She smiled at him and got up, attempting to take his plate from him. She couldn't meet his eyes suddenly.

He nodded and stood up, gathering his plates to put in the sink and then wandered into the living room. He only spared a glance at the TV, his interest piqued more by the odds and ends that Cici had for decorations than any TV show.

He ambled around the room for a moment and then sat on the couch with a sigh, listening to the sounds of Cici cleaning the dishes. He allowed his mind to wander just momentarily, wondering what his life would have been like if he had settled down and married and had a kid. Probably something like this. He shook his head. That was enough dreaming. If he settled down, he'd have to stop traveling place to place and he'd have to give up Hunting. He couldn't put his family in danger--even a hypothetical.

Cici didn't take too long - the pan and the pots had already been in the sink, soaking to keep the food from getting stuck on. She came out and looked at the living room. There weren't many photos up, but that was because she had decorated the two bedrooms with all of the photos they had, "Hey, whatcha thinking, hon?" She lightly touched his shoulder - though only after speaking aloud. Lesson learned through observation.

He looked up into her eyes and offered a small smile. "Just, ah, thinking about life in general." He paused and frowned and felt he needed to level with her. He patted the seat next to him, indicating for her to sit.

"I never settled down, Cici, because my job is...dangerous. I didn't want to put anyone in danger because of my actions. Or have them come to rely on me for everything when there's a chance that every day I Hunt, there's a probability I might not be coming back. I couldn't start a family," he looked away, "because I wasn't sure I could look after one properly."

Cici sat next to him, nodding, "Well, honestly I don't ever want to try and have a relationship again. Too much has happened, and with how Dawn came to be... I don't think there is a man out there I could trust to ever have a life with. I've toyed with the idea, but frankly, men aren't something I need as a permanent fixture in my life. Dawn's father saw to that." She looked him in the eye, "Your reason is way better than mine, though. I just figure, might as well have a little fun before I'm too old. Like in my forties."

Sterling shrugged. "It could always be worse. He could've been a vampire. I knew a woman who had that happen to her; she has yet to recover."

At her comment about age, though, he couldn't help the grin that pulled at his lips. "You know, a hunter is proud of his age. Not many can reach forty and still have their limbs and minds intact."

she put her hand to her mouth, "I didn't mean you were old. I just... I'm still... I'm a moron. That's what I am." A little alarm went off, "One moment." She got up and rustled through her purse, pulling out a tiny alarm clock and a box of pills. She swallowed one dry and sent back to sit down, "How long have you been doing this?"

He took no offense, merely smiling at her flustered attempts to save face. But at her question, Sterling paused to think about it. "Uh, 26 years, I guess; I didn't start with vampires though. I had to work up to them." He shrugged. "But they're easier to hunt in some ways and pay better so I switched over."

Of course, if they ever did get past the talking stage, Cici would find scars along his chest and lower back.

Cici nodded, "Well, thank you. I don't really know what to say, but what you do for us, is pretty cool, even if I had no idea." She lightly settled her hand on his knee, "So, do you, like, work alone?" Wow, she was even starting to sound like she was in high school. All she needed now was to get her old cheerleading uniform.

Sterling gently put his hand over hers, on his knee. "Yes," he said, quietly. "I've found that I'm more worried about the group when I work with one, than I am about taking out the target."

He gently rubbed his hand up Cici's arm. "It's more dangerous to work alone, but it means the threat is taken care of much quicker. And I make more money in the long run."

The feeling was soothing, comforting, "Aren't you lonely? At least I've got Dawn." She leaned into him, swallowing hard, looking into his eyes, "That's a long time to be alone..." She trailed off, wondering what was coming over her. This wasn't supposed to be a romantic moment, it was supposed to be a favour.