"Oh man.... Morning already..." Lian stirred as the sun came creeping in her window. 'Last night was definitely not a good idea' she thought as she rolled out of bed and stumbling towards the bathroom. It hadn't been that long since she'd gotten home, having spent the last two nights out on the town with Mary and a few of the others from work. She turned the light on as she finally crawled into the bathroom, instantly regretting the decision. "Owwww... oh, I'm never doing this again..." she complained 'I don't care if it's the season to be merry, this is bad, very bad' she thought as the face in the mirror starred back at her.

It was the week in between Christmas and New Years, and everyone was in party mode. Harry had gone to Toronto for the holidays, leaving Joe and Mary in charge of the restaurant. In the month between Thanksgiving and the present, Lian had become quite at home in Vancouver, so much so that she didn't even go home for Christmas, instead spending the break with Renee and Amy. She had enjoyed the few days off work, and it was always good to be with her friends, not to mention spending it with them she saw her first "white" Christmas ever.

But work this week was somewhat of a joke, with everyone being in a party mood, trying to run the restaurant, was interesting to say the least. First day out someone had forgotten to turn the cappuccino machine off, and the next morning the back of the bar was all steamed up. On the third day the seasonal staff got the prep area all messed up, taking the wrong salads out to the display. Then realizing this they started screaming at each other about it, until Joe stepped in and demanded that it be fixed immediately or he'd be making shish kebabs out of the entire group. Then there were the last two nights' festivities after work. Both nights Joe and Sasha had managed to wangle it so that the business was closed by eleven p.m., and then they all went out on the town. Lian celebrating her first New Years in Vancouver was given a royal tour of the city at this time of year, and had sampled many of it's finest alcoholic offerings. Not a good idea, especially two nights running. How she'd allowed herself to be conned into going out twice, well that was going to be one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the world.

Finally she turned the water on and climbed into the shower. "Augh, does this ever feel good" Lian commented as warm running water seeming to wash away the hangover. Eventually hauling herself out of the shower and into her uniform and heading out the door to work.

*************

"Any news from the boss?" Lian asked as she strolled through the front door of the restaurant.

"Yep, good news and maybe bad" Liz replied as she stood up from behind the bar.

"Ok, good is fine, but what's with the bad?" Lian queried.

"Well, it appears that we're gonna get a new recruit" Liz answered.

"Oh, and that's bad, why?" Lian now completely baffled.

"As we hear it, the kid is a bit of a snob, pushes everyone around, that sort of thing...." Liz had gone into full anti- newcomer phase.

"Ah, well we shouldn't get to judgmental, never know, it mightn't be that bad" she didn't want to join in on the 'bashing' of the newbie, after all she herself was only relatively new to the team.

"Yeah, I hope so, cause we're all real comfortable with how things are now, no changes no how" still annoyed with the thought of the "newcomer". They'd heard that the newcomer was Harry's niece, Sabrina, rumor had it, when she was out a few years back, and she had the place jumping in chaos within days.

"Well I can't see Mary or Joe letting, is it a him or her? Get away with too much" she asked still playing the peacemaker.

"Her, Sabrina" Liz said, calming down slowly.

"Uh, well I wouldn't worry too much about this Sabrina, it'll be fine, you'll see" Lian said as she made her way towards the kitchen.

Walking into the warm kitchen, Lian was greeted by her next surprise. Her boss, Joe, standing in the walkway with a big grin on his face.

"Morning mate, how you feeling?" he asked with a cheeky smile.

"Ugh, don't start with me Joe, what you did last night was not funny. " she replied "loading me up with all of that Black Jack was not nice at all!".

"Heh, well you'll live, by the way, thanks for last night too...." he trailed off.

"What do you mean, last night..... What happened?" Lian was now visibly confused. 'Damn, what happened, I can remember leaving here, getting to Baileys Bar, then down to Nigels' and somewhere after that, and then home'.

"Oh well you were quite the entertainer.... Especially for the boys..." he taunted back at her.

"Uh, come on Joe, what happened? Don't play with me here, either tell me or drop it, your choice" Lian could take the situation so far, then it wasn't funny, and if she'd done something last night, she wanted to know about it. Not that she could take it back, but at least she'd know.

"Oh nothing much, a little dancing, and at some point you seemed a little confused as to what day it was, you kept mumbling about mistletoe... " Joe was really enjoying torturing the young Cook.

"Mistletoe.... I didn't happen to.... Oh no!" Lian just grasped what Joe was eluding to "who?" was all she uttered before turning as bright as a beetroot.

"Heh, me to know and you to wonder about...." he finished.

"Can you at least tell me if I know the person?" she was really embarrassed now.

"Huh, people actually, and yes, you know them" Joe was having a thoroughly good time here.

"Oh, people huh... ok. Well what's done is done. So long as there's no hard feelings" Lian had reasoned that it wasn't really entirely her fault. Joe and Sasha had after all been plying her with drinks all night.

"Yeh, there's no hard feelings, but you might want to keep your back to the wall, you made a few promises you might not be so keen on keeping". ÔOkay kid, if you're not freaking out completely by now, that should put the icing on the cakeÕ he chuckled to himself.

"Uh, ok, thanks Joe, I'll.... Remember that." she mumbled as she glanced around the room, slowly eyeing off everyone looking for possible reasons to be embarrassed.

"Anytime sweet cheeks, anytime at all" he answered.

Lian slowly walked away visibly rattled by the conversation. She looked around the room again, everyone seemed normal, no blushes, or shifting of feet, just open greetings from all the staff. Finally getting to her workstation and placing her kit on the shelf above, she set to the day's duties.

About ten a.m. Mary strolled in the door, saying hello to all of the gang. Straightening her shirt and getting her apron out. "Hey Kid, see you made it in ok, wasn't sure you would after last night" she said as she walked past her roommate.

"Uh, yeah, I did. Um... about last night... what, uh, happened?" Lian thought if anyone would tell her, Mary would.

"Well we went out, drank a rather large amount of alcohol, and had a good time" Mary was confused, the night had been good. Everyone had a nice time, Lian was shown the up and down side of the famous Canadian whisky, they danced a bit, and came home, no big deal.

"And you're sure that's all that happened? Nothing else..." Lian gently queried.

"No, not really, you disappeared for a little while, but nothing much else happened" Mary was still confused.

"Oh.... Um, did anyone else, disappear while I was gone?" she was getting a little worried now.

"Uh, no, not that we noticed. Why are you asking all of this, you seemed fine last night." Mary had begun to suspect that her friends had been playing a nasty trick on her roommate.

Sigh "ok, thanks" Well that rules out any of her immediate group. "Yeah, I thought I was too, but Joe said I put on a show for he and the boys and that I'd made a few promises, but I don't remember any of it."

"Oh honey, Joe's teasing you! Yes, you did put on a show, you were.... Ah... well the dancing was quite interesting..." Mary suddenly caught on to Lians fears.

"Any chance you can be a little more specific there?" she asked.

"Um... well, lets just put it this way. Your choice of dancing partners was... in the line with those of the guys...." Mary suddenly finding herself feeling very uncomfortable at having to be the one to tell her friend the events of last night.

"My 'choice' of partners.... Why do I have the feeling I just did something I shouldn't have..." she was now desperately trying to remember what happened.

"Yeah, 'your' choice, seems you were quite the popular one last night, with everyone. Sorry I'll tell you what happened, I can see it's starting to really get to you". So Mary and Lian sat down to discuss just what exactly had 'happened' on their adventures.

Mary told her how they'd gone down to the beach after the visit to Nigels. There is a bar there that is popular with a lot of people, mostly from the trade, but a few outsiders were there also. She told her how Joe had dared her to 'shoot' ten Canadian boilermakers in a row, and Lian being the sort of person she is, rose to the challenge. Only to find out that the 'Canadian' part meant 'Black Jack' a vile concoction that was sold as whiskey. She had done it though, she drank the lot, and in record time too. But the after effects were to be somewhat legendary. In a semi drunken stupor Lian had roamed the bar getting quite cozy with a couple of people before she'd laid her groggy eyes on one particular person. A young girl, about the same age as herself, walking up to her, doing the whole introduction bit and talked the girl into dancing. Whilst they were occupied several other pairs of eyes followed them. The dance hadn't been much, both deciding that they weren't interested. But as Lian was walking off the floor, two guys came up to her. "None of us could hear what they said, or even what you said back, but the next thing your face went a deathly shade of white, then red" Mary was conjuring up the memory or the next bit. " Then all we saw was a blur, and the two guys went down, and you walked away".

"Really, all a that happened wonder why I don't remember it..." Lian was stunned, she honestly didn't remember a thing.

"Oh yeah, it happened all right, and there's more" Mary continued to explain what went on after the 'incident'. "You actually seemed all right, not fazed at all, there were no injuries and the other girl seemed quite thankful it was you they got to first". She then proceeded to tell of how Joe had been drinking whilst watching Lian dancing. And how he seemed a little too happy when things transpired they way they did. "He muttered something about 'nah, not her type' and then watched as you dumped the two guys and said ' now that's my girl" He had been very taken with the idea of her turning both suitors down. She told her about how Lian had made it to the bar, ordered a coke and sat down to drink it. And how Joe had come up along side her, placing his arm over her shoulders and laying on the charm. Then how she'd looked him square in the eyes and planted a kiss fair on his lips, then walked off, none the shaken for it.

"We don't know what he said to you or you to him, but he looked so disappointed when you left, he stayed with us, and you walked out" Mary was now finishing up as she realized that they were now chatting into the busier part of the morning. "You came back in about twenty minutes later, we got our gear and went home, and went our separate ways, that's all I know".

"Oh, well that isn't bad. Who were the guys do you know?" Lian was now greatly relieved at having the full story.

"No, no we don't, but after what you did to them, well I wouldn't expect to see them again" Mary concluded as she stood up.

"I take it I gave 'em what-for huh?" she asked looking up with a very sheepish look on her face.

"Uh, yes dear you did, and if that wasn't enough to make the lot here behave, well they need their heads checked" she replied.

"Oh, that bad, oh well, nice to know I can take care of myself anyway" she said as she slowly stretched out.

"Yeah, but by the look on your face they deserved it" Mary responded as she recalled seeing the two 'men' in question stand up and very gingerly walk out the back way, not to be seen again that night.

"Well so long as they were ok" Lian said as she picked up her knife and turned back to her work "guess we'd both better get some work done, just as well Harry's away, hey did you know he's bringing his niece back with him?"

"No, I didn't, when?" Mary was instantly perturbed by the thought of the little troublemaker. She'd been there the last time this kid was in town, and she'd seen the destruction she'd caused.

"Don't know, I forgot to ask" she off handily remarked "go ask Liz, she seems to know all about it".

"Ok, see you later" she said as she walked into the front of the restaurant thinking to herself 'What on earth, why is Harry bringing her back here, again'.

************

The rest of the day passed in relative sanity, there were one or two minor mishaps, like when Trish the youngest of the seasonal staff described a beef consommé to a customer as a bowl of beef soup. Or when James the new barman had in his zealousness rearranged all the cocktail bottles, causing great distress to Liz and the other staff whom worked the bar from time to time. So by the time that Lians' shift was over, she was well and truly looking forward to it. She patiently waited for Mary's last table to finish so that they could walk home, it was quite cold out now, winter was definitely here, but that didn't bother Lian, she was enjoying her first 'real' winter in this country.

Eventually Mary finished, and her tables had been cleared. Getting her coat and waking through the kitchen and out the back to meet Lian. "Hey, you ready to go home?"

"Uh huh, been a long day, and I'll be happy to see the end of it" she replied as she stood and picked up her kit.

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to a cup of hot chocolate and a nice warm bed" just the thought of that was cause enough to hasten their speed.

Walking along the streets at that time of night was not generally a wise idea, especially at this time of year with the added cold, but tonight was a nice night. The air was crisp, the sky clear, and a feeling that the New Year was full of possibilities.

"So did you find out when Harry is coming back?" Lian started the conversation.

"Ummhmm, in four days" Mary breathed out into the still night air.

"Well it'll be good to have him back, not that having you and Joe running things but you know...". Lian had enjoyed the last week, it'd been fun fooling around with the staff, 'mice playing while the cat was away' but it would be nice to have things back to normal.

"Yeah, I know what you mean, it'll be nice to be 'just' a waitress again. Mind you I don't know how much of 'normal' it'll get back to, especially if he's bringing Sabrina back, she caused so much trouble last time...." she was slowly recalling all the squabbles that had arisen due to her opinions about how things should be run. Hell she was only a teenager and hadn't bothered to at least wait and see how things were run at Roughtons', she'd just started ordering people around from day one, and got progressively worse. Thankfully she'd only been there for the two months of the summer break and gone home again.

"Everyone keeps saying that, just what did she do that was so terrible?" Lian now tired of everyone being vague about the subject at hand.

"Well it wasn't so much what she did, just the fact the 'her' opinion was the only one we could have, she bossed us all around, and nobody dared say anything to Harry about it. She tried to reorganize the whole front service system, how we take orders, and then she moved into the kitchen. It got really intense at one stage, Joe threatened to murder her if she didn't stop. Basically a lot of little things that just added up to one big mess" Mary concluded.

"Oh, well I see how that could be a bit of a problem, but that was a fair while ago wasn't it?" Lian asked still trying to get all the facts.

"About two years ago" she replied kicking at the snow as they walked.

"Well two years is a long time, she's probably grown up since then, things and people change you know...." she answered hoping to be able to remain neutral in this matter.

"Yeah, that's true, she'll be about eighteen now, so hopefully she's a bit more mature now" she hadn't thought about that, the girl would be older now, so maybe Lian was right.

"Well there you go then, it'll be ok, you'll see" pleased with her success in that debate went on to the next subject "What are we doing for New Years, it's in two days, I mean are we doing anything for it? Or just taking it easy...." Lian remembered last years New Years Eve, she'd spent it with Mark and Rox in a park in their home town, laying under a big oak tree watching the fireworks and drinking a bottle of brandy.

"Well probably nothing much, just continue the last two nights expeditions, there's still a lot you haven't seen" was her comment whilst thinking of all the places they hadn't taken Lian to.

"Ok, sounds good, but if that's the case, I'm not going out until then, I need the rest!" Lian chuckled.

"That sounds like a wise idea my friend, New Years' will be one very busy night, and you want to be in top condition for it." Mary replied.

"Great! Sounds like a plan" Lian finished as they approached the door to their apartment building, opening the door and waiting for her roommate to pass through. "So who going to make the hot chocolate, whilst the other makes sure the electric blankets have successfully warmed the beds?".

"I'll get the beds, you get the drinks, that's the one drink you do make better than me" Mary answered as she opened the door to their apartment and walked in.

The apartment had taken on somewhat of a festive feeling, Mary and Lian had put up some fairy lights, which shone all different colors, there was tinsel still hung from all corners of the room, and the tree was standing in its place near the window. As Lian walked into the kitchen she noticed that even though she had now lived in Vancouver for the best part of seven months, she still didn't have any personal items scattered around. Mary had little trinkets lying in various rooms, but Lian still hadn't put anything up, as though she were afraid to.

Lian quietly made the two cups of steaming hot chocolate, making sure both had ample milk and sugar, even lashing out and placing two marshmallows in the cup as she poured the hot water in. The aroma from the cups was intoxicating, melting mallows, warmed chocolate and the combination of milk and sugar, all together was enough to make anyone forget their troubles.

She walked very carefully around to the sofa, placing the drinks on the coffee table. Reaching over and retrieving the remote and turning on the TV. Mary strolled into the room and sat down on the sofa. Lian leaned over and passed her the cup of very hot chocolate "Here you go".

"Thank you ma' dear" she replied as she accepted the vessel and it's contents.

"Not a problem, don't know about you, but I'm so tired that as soon as I've had this, I'm going to bed" she sleepily supplied.

"Well after last night and today, I'm not surprised, your beds all set, and as you're not due in 'til ten tomorrow you can enjoy a long nights rest" Mary commented as she noticed the younger woman starting to doze off.

"Huh, what are you talking about, I'm on first shift aren't I?" Lian mumbled.

"You never do check the roster do you.... No, Joe changed it this morning after he saw the state you were in, so now you don't start until ten". Seven months she'd been working at Roughtons' but the "foreigner" never checked the staff roster, this was of constant amusement to all the other members of the team. Lian was always on time, always there at the right moment, she seemed to be there a lot more than the others, in fact she probably was, if she wasn't at work, or training then she was likely to be home, doing work on her laptop. Mary never asked what she spent her spare time doing on the computer, just figured that if Lian wanted anyone to know, then she'd say so.

"Oh, well that sounds good, can't remember the last time I got to sleep in.". She thought about that, it had been a long time indeed, too long in fact, "Well if you'll excuse me, I have some computer work to do, then I'm going to make full use of tomorrow's bonus".

With that she stood and walked into her room, switching on the laptop in the darkness of the room, the light from the small screen was eerie, it cast strange shadows over everything, the clothes laying on the chest, seeming to give them an unnatural life of their own. Clicking on the connection and starting up the icq program, typing off a quick message to Renee, then got changed into her sleeping shorts and T-shirt.

"Hi, been a while, where've you been?" came the reply.

"Sorry bud, been a little preoccupied the last two nights, the gang took me out, got me plastered and I don't remember some of the more important details" Lian answered.

"Oh really, did you find out anything?" Renee was curious about this turn in events, even at Thanksgiving Lian hadn't been drinking too heavily.

"Yes, I found out most of it, but there are still one or two missing parts" she commented.

"So are you going to tell me, or do I have to badger Mary about?" the thought of a drunken Lian was of great amusement to Renee, and she'd love to know what had happened that the Australian couldn't remember.

"Ok, sure seems everyone else knows, so why not you too" So Lian proceeded to tell the whole story to her friend, from when they left to work 'til when she got home. Not forgetting to fill in the information she herself had only learnt that day "so there you go, that I believe is all that happened".

"WOW, and you don't remember any of it, not hitting those two guys, not the girl, nothing?" she asked.

"Nope, none of it. Mary said she'd never seen the two goons before, and that they left and we're not likely to see them again, it is after all a big city, but I've got a feeling this isn't over yet" Lian answered.

"Oh come on Lian, you've got to be kidding me, after what you did to them. Hell I hope they already had children, cause otherwise you just rendered their services useless" she wasn't surprised at learning what had happened, Renee had her own theories about Lian, but hearing about the fight had given her a suspicion that there was something big changing in Lian.

"Yeah, well I hope so. Oh I forgot, by the sounds of things we're getting another recruit in when Harry gets back, it's his niece, everyone's ragging on her already, apparently she caused quite a few problems last time she was here" Lian remarked.

"Oh, in the front or back of the restaurant?" Renee asked.

"Front, thankfully, because if she is the terror they're all worried she will be, it'll be nice and safe out the back" Lian laughed at the thought of the front staff running around trying not put the cutlery into the newcomers back.

"Ah, well you'll be ok then, just keep your head down and back to the wall" she chuckled knowing that sentence would cause Lian to blush.

"Thanks Ren, I will, and just for that last shot I won't tell you any more stories, so there" she poked her tongue out at the screen as she sent the message off.

"Stick that tongue back in your mouth!" was the reply.

'How does she do that' Lian thought as she typed off her last message "Ok bud, well I'm going to go to bed now, I've got a late morning start, so I'm looking forward to the sleep in, catch you in a few".

"Right you are, take care Hon, and I'll talk to you soon, night" Renee finished.

Lian closed down the laptop, not bothering to check her mail, it'd been a quiet few days in that regard, her parents were still a little annoyed that she didn't come home for Christmas, so she hadn't heard from them for three days. Rox and Mark were on holidays up in Queensland on one of the islands, so she knew there wouldn't be anything from them. Doing one last check of the room, making sure everything was where it belonged. She climbed into bed, snuggling under the warm covers and drifted off to sleep...

***************

"Whoa! What on earth?" Lian shot upright. 'Man was that one weird' she thought reflecting on the dream. It hadn't scared her like the others, more gave her an over whelming sense of loss, of uselessness, that in some way she had failed.

Pushing her disheveled hair out of her face and rolling out of bed. Lian walked into the kitchen and began to prepare a pot of coffee. "I wonder why the dreams changed" she mumbled to herself as she placed a cup full of coffee grounds into the filter, "they're not really any less violent, justÉ. sadderÉ in a way". Flicking the switch on the percolator and pacing back into her room to wait.

Turning to the laptop and booting it up and connecting to the net. 'Wonder if there's any mail' she thought. Waiting while the program searched through all her addresses and downloading the messages. "Eh, not bad, only five new ones, pretty good considering I haven't checked in three days".

Looking over them to see who the senders were she noticed that one was from a fellow classmate at the gym, "weird, don't remember starting any conversations with him". Caught in her curiosity, she selected the message.

(It said)

'Hmm, interestingÉI'll have to think about that one'. She thought clicking on the next message.

"Tessa? Who the?" Lian was somewhat bewildered by the name, trying to remember who 'Tessa' was. While she had gotten along with all her classmates in college, some had stuck out more than others had had, and this was not one of those people. "Tessa? Oh I remember, Boss, of course, duh", how could she have forgotten 'Boss'. Boss had been a pretty decent friend during the course, and in fact was the only other one in her class that really wanted to be a cook. How she'd ended up with the nickname Boss was still unknown, it just appeared one day and no one bothered to use her real name again.

"Well that certainly was a surprise, wonder how the old work horse is?" she mumbled as she stood and walked back into to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. "I haven't heard from her for years, wonder how she ended up on the island".

Fresh coffee in hand she strolled back into her room and opened the next mail.

"How is it one little sentence can annoy me so much?" she grumbled 'just wanted to see if my girl was looking after herself' "Ugh". It'd been funny at first, her father finding the TV commercials' lines to be somewhat relevant to their situation, but after many months of phone calls, emails and constant usage of the line, it had become very tedious. "He knows it annoys me, why can't he just quit using it?" she complained.

Scanning through the other ones, a couple of subscriptions to lists of various hobbies and general notice from the server and she was done. 'Guess I'd better start getting ready for work' she thought standing up and heading towards the bathroom.

"Wonder why Sensi Hiro would want me to go to the competition" she breathed as she turned the shower on, smiling at the feeling of the changing water temperature. From freezing cold to boiling hot in a few seconds and it could go back the other way just as quickly. "I suppose I could always ask him" she mumbled stepping into the shower sighing with relief at the contact of the warm water. "Hmph, but it still doesn't make senseÉ Why would he think it would be 'beneficial' to meÉ to MEÉ". Lian was now more than a little curious as to her teachers' plans. She wasn't good enough to compete, she knew that, there were only a couple of competitors from their dojo, so she could probably rule out moral support. So just why would it benefit her.

Deciding not to think anymore about it, Lian finished showering and changed into her uniform heading out the door for work.

*************

"What do you mean they're here?" the voice bellowed.

"Well it's pretty straight forward Joe, what part of it don't you understand?" she quipped back.

"Don't you start, I'm not in the mood to be polite, having that little shit come back here and ruin things isn't exactly what I'd call a perfect start to the day" he returned.

Lian walking in the door catching the last remarks and wondering what was happening "what's going on?" she carefully asked.

"The bitch is back" Liz answered.

"Oh" Lian sighed "so when is she coming in?"

"In about three hours" Joe said "so we'd all best be getting on with our jobs before that little so-and-so comes in and tells us how to do them".

They all wandered off to their respective jobs, muttering and complaining about their impending doom.

The next few hours passed quickly, too quickly, and before anyone had realized their time was up, the figure they all dreaded was walking in the front door and greeting them like long lost cousins. Harry followed close behind, smiling at everyone, happy to be back home.

"Hi-ho all" Harry chortled.

"Hi Harry, how was the trip, what did you do, did you have a good time?" a dozen voices asked at once.

"Whoa, slow down you lot, one question at a time, but first I think some introductions are in order" he replied to the group of workers.

Harry smiled and introduced his niece Sabrina to everyone, he or she all came forward one by one, the old regulars and the newer ones. There were no unpleasant words passed, no griping remarks, nothing. Standing last in line was Lian, finally reaching the "monster" putting her hand out to shake that of the most dreaded thing in the restaurant save Mary's legendary cocktail mess ups.

"And this Sabrina, is Lian, she's from Australia and has been with us for the last 9 months or so" Harry grinned at Lian and winked.

"Nice to meet you" Sabrina replied taking the proffered hand.

"Likewise" Lian answered squeezing the hand inside hers, looking at the newest addition. Sabrina was beautiful, about five-foot-seven with shoulder length, rich brown hair, brown eyes she swore could read her deepest thoughts and a smile that you could loose yourself in.

"That's some grip you've got there" Sabrina responded wincing slightly.

"Oh, sorry, forget that sometimes" she said letting go and stepping back, not realizing she'd been holding it so tightly

"Don't worry about it, I'm sure it's useful in your trade, which is what exactly?" asked the newcomer.

"I'm a Cook, and yes it does come in handy" she replied stammering lightly as the tingling in her hand slowly faded.

"A Cook, reallyÉ" Sabrina queried

"Yes, just a lowly ole Cook" Lian said turning towards the kitchen "so now if you'll excuse me, I have some work I must get back to".

"Oh yes, of course, I'll catch you later on" Sabrina answered as Lian walked away.

"Ok munchkin what do you want to do now?" Harry asked now that all the formalities were done.

"Um, just get settled in I suppose, nothing too much" she answered still looking in the direction that the cook had just wandered off in.

Smiling that all the introductions had gone well, Harry and Sabrina went for a small tour around Roughtons, Harry showing her all the improvements and additions that had occurred in the last couple of years. Finally having shown her the ins and outs of the restaurant they headed out the door towards Harry's' to get Sabrina settled in.

"Well that was fun" Joe muttered as they watched the two leave.

"Yep, can't wait till Monday when she's in here working, boy is that going to be fun" Liz commented.

"Eh, what will be will be, nothing we can do about it, and besides, she doesn't seem half as bad as what you all made her out to be" Lian chimed in.

"Oh really, well we'll see come Monday" Joe remarked turning to a large leg of lamb he was removing the bone from, "all I'm saying is, if she's half the little shit that she was two years ago, I'm not sitting still and taking it, no way no how".

"Me either" Liz added.

"Ok, whatever. Joe where are the snow peas?" Lian asked returning to her tasks and trying to put the vision of "Sabrina" out of her mind.

The remainder of the day passing in a flurry, Friday was always busy and by the end of the night Lian was happy to be heading home. Home to bed, home to a hot cup of chocolate and sleep.

Walking along the streets, and thinking about the days events. Occasionally looking around at the other stores and cafés.

"So what did you think of her?" Mary asked quietly.

"Her who?" Lian mumbled back not really listening to her friend.

"You know damned well who, Sabrina" Mary shot back.

"Oh, her. UmÉ Well she seems ok" she answered.

"Is that all?" Mary gently prodded.

"What are you getting at Mary? What?" Lian barked back.

"WHOA! Calm down kid, getting a little defensive there aren't weÉ All I was asking is what you thought of her, that's all" Mary quickly replied.

"Mmm, sorry, just been a long day. She's ok, she's pretty and I only saw her for a few minutes, does that answer your question?" she said wondering why she'd just bitten the head off of her roommate.

"It's ok, and yes, that does. Sorry, didn't mean to push, let's get home and into warm beds, this cold weather isn't good for the disposition" Mary replied trying to smooth the ruffled feathers. 'Wonder what got into her. All I did was ask what she thought andÉ OhÉ No way, sheÉ' the thought trailed off as they reached the door to the building.

Opening the door and heading up the stairs, the warm building was a very nice change to that of the cold Vancouver streets. Unlocking the door to their apartment and unloading their jackets, making a pot of hot chocolate and heading for her bedroom. Lian was thinking about what had just happened. Why had she been so short with Mary, it was a simple enough question, and deserved a simple answer, not the beheading that she received, pondering on her actions, Lian changed into her sleeping shorts and shirt and climbed into bed and slowly drifted off to sleep.

***********

The body stirs, the mind slowly coming into focus. "Err, what?" Lian mumbled coming to consciousness. "This is getting weirder by the day" now completely awake and sitting up in bed rubbing her temples.

The dreams had been getting more and more weird, no longer about blood and guts, being stabbed or killed. But the sense of responsibility and loss were the common threads in these dreams. Not being where you should have been when you should have been. The people's faces were familiar, and yet she couldn't place any of them.

Trying to put the scenes out of her mind, she rolled out of bed and padded into the bathroom, flicking the light on and starting the shower. Pausing in front of the mirror and looking straight into her own eyes, noticing that they were slowly changing from a bright clear green to clear blue and finally into her usual gray. 'Gods above, that's weird, their not usually that color, nor change like that' she thought. 'I'm loosing my mind' she contemplated 'nah, can't be, I never had one to start with', and with that thought she chuckled and stepped into the shower, deciding not to think about either of the matters anymore than she had.

*********************

"What do you mean it's missing?" Harry grumbled in the office.

"It's gone, simple as that, we counted last night, it all tallied up, and now it doesn't" Joe replied.

"Ok, well count it again, you've miscounted, it has to be there"

"Fine, I'll do it AGAIN, for the tenth time, and it'll still be short" Joe barked back as he sat down for the umpteenth time to count last nights' takings. Some how between two a.m. and eight a.m. a hundred dollars had gone missing, not that a hundred dollars was a big deal, it was only a piffling amount. But unfortunately this wasn't the first time it'd happened. Over the last four weeks five hundred dollars had been lost, and it was just a little bit annoying.

"Thank you Joe, you're a good man" Harry concluded walking towards the office door "now if you'll excuse me, Sabrina should be in any second and I want to make sure she's comfortable working here".

"Whatever, just don't expect too much from the older staff, we all have long memories" he absently replied now concentrating on the task before him.

"I'm not, but you all do have to realize that she's changed a lot in the last two years. She's not the same girl, you'll all see that, just give her time, please" Harry pleaded, the last thing he wanted was to have to choose sides between his friends and his family.

"Yeah, we'll try, just don't ask for miracles" Joe answered as Harry walked out the door and down the short passageway into the kitchen, almost running right into Lian.

"Oh hi Harry, what's up?" she queried as she carried a crate of strawberries to her bench ready to make the night's special parfait. She and Joe had been working on a "welcome home" dessert for Harry, and had decided to go with a classic strawberry parfait with kirsch cream.

"It goes ok Lian, but I need you to do something for me" he asked, thinking that Lian might just be the one he'd ask to keep an eye on his niece.

"Sure, what is it?" was her reply.

"I need you to keep an eye on Sabrina, make sure she's ok, not getting into too much trouble" he simply stated, adding in his mind 'or creating too much trouble that is'.

"Oh, well sure, I think that shouldn't be a problem. Monday's quiet enough. She working in the front or back?"

"Mostly in the front or maybe even as the Order Manager, she's not too keen on the idea of being out there just yet" he smiled at her "you know how that is".

"Uh, yes, been there, done that" she said "sure I'll keep a watch over her, I don't see what everyone's so worried about, she seems perfectly fine".

"Well I'm glad to see someone has an open mind" he voiced, instantly regretting his slip-up.

"Ahh, I see you're getting the "we're not having her in here" treatment too, oh don't let me forget the "that kid is more trouble than she's worth" Lian semi-jokingly said, not noticing the raven haired girl behind her.

"WHAT THE HELL WOULD YOU KNOW" Sabrina yelled at the Cook.

"Sabrina" Lian mumbled now faced with a very irate body before her.

"Sabrina, wait, you got it wrong, Lian was just commenting onÉ" Harry tried to explain, but being cut off.

"I don't care what she was commenting on, she's an up tight asshole, who quite frankly can just pack her bags and go back to her stupid country as far as I'm concerned" she angrily spat at the duo before her.

"ButÉ IÉ I didn'tÉ" Lian stammered wondering how a perfect morning could go from serene to war like in such a short time.

"I don't want to hear it, you do your job and I'll do mine. I knew it would be hard coming back here, but I didn't expect thisÉ. "treatment" especially from a person who doesn't even know me" Sabrina said slowly calming down.

"But honey, Lian was justÉ" Harry tried to interject again.

"I don't care Uncle Harry, she doesn't know me, and the stories they've all told her are probably exaggerated as well. Why on earth did I think that this would work, coming back here was not a good idea" she said.

"Look, I'm sorry if you think I was taking sides with the others that believe that, but you're right, I don't know you. But you're also wrong, I'm not taking sides, I was commenting on the fact that there are others whose opinions those are, they're not mine". Lian now getting back on her mental feet and feeling a bit annoyed that she was being treated so unfairly commented.

"Oh, well I'm sorry, I didn'tÉ" Sabrina mumbled now feeling very small "I'm just a little nervous about starting back here. I know there's going to be a few walls to break down, I just didn't think it would have started so soon".

"It's ok honey, I'm sure Lian won't hold it against you, but just remember, you were guilty just then of the very thing you're afraid of. You jumped to conclusions before you had all the facts" Harry gently pointed out.

"Mmm, I guess you're right, sorry Lian, no hard feelings?" Sabrina gently pleaded extending her hand in an offer of peace.

"Yeah, it's ok, no hard feelings" she said taking the small hand before her, trying to figure out what the sudden burning impression was that she was feeling, and the weirdest sensations running through her body.

"Ok, well now that we have that cleared up, how about I leave you to your work and get back to my own" Harry grinned, happy that what could have been a very nasty situation between his niece and his favorite Cook had been resolved.

"Fine by me, where am I stationed today?" Sabrina questioned, also pleased that the 'misunderstanding' was simply that. She liked the look of the Cook, she seemed like a nice enough person.

"Actually I'm leaving you in Lians' charge, you'll be working in the mid-section, controlling the orders as they go out and reporting to Lian" he replied.

"Sounds good, that ok with you Lian?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh yeah, fine by meÉ but now that it's getting closer to the noon rush, can I suggest we leave the formalities until after the run" Lian remarked, being a little annoyed with herself at being caught daydreaming.

"Ok by me, see you later Uncle Harry, have fun" Sabrina cheerily said heading off in the direction of the kitchen doors.

"She's gonna be a handful, isn't she?" Lian said laughing.

"Oh no doubt about it, good luck, try not to kill her, please," he added chuckling.

"I'll tryÉ" Lian smirked as she walked off in the direction Sabrina had taken.

The lunch shift went pretty well, Sabrina and Lian working well together. Joe returning from the back office none to happy at the disappearance, but managing to concentrate on the service. The whole back kitchen were rolling in laughter at one stage, when Ben and Trish collided, Ben had been carrying a tray of Bloody Mary's, Trish a tray of soda waterÉ So when they knocked straight into each other, tomato went everywhere, followed by the soda. "At least you had the soda to clean your shirts off with" Joe had said through the tears of laughter. Ben had been covered from head to toe in red, to the point where it was dripping off his nose.

But come five p.m. Lian was happy to be headed home. It hadn't been a long day, but it had been a little stressful, so she was more than happy when her shift was over and she was headed out the door.

"Hey, weren't you going to say good bye?" Sabrina jokingly remarked standing up from behind the bar.

"Eh? Oh, hi, umm, yeah I guess so, Good night" Lian muttered wondering how this girl could be so harsh with her this morning, and now joked with her.

"Oh wow, you've got the Canadian thing happeningÉ See you tomorrow eh?" Sabrina laughed back.

"Heh, guess I do, hadn't noticed that. Yep I'll be here tomorrow" Lian answered with a shy smile as she walked through the front door and onto the cold street.

'I hope so' Sabrinas' mind replied as she watched the older girl walk away.

"You'd better watch out for that one 'lil missy" Sasha remarked as he strolled by.

"Oh, and why is that?" Sabrina asked now a little confused.

"Mmm, nothing, just she's a bit of a wild card. Never know what she's gonna do next" he answered.

"I'm sorry, I don't follow you, she seems perfectly fine to me, kind of nice really"

"Yeah, well you're not the first to think that, just be warned" he said with a bitter tone in his voice, "just be careful, we wouldn't want anything to happen to you".

"Ok, thank you Sash, I'll rememberÉ" she trailed off wondering now on her new friend. She'd appeared perfectly harmlessÉ a little daunting, but of no threat.

*********

Struggling to gain full consciousness, Lian rolled over in the bed, rolling straight off the mattress and onto the floor. "Damn it, I've got to do something about that landingÉ this is getting way too painful". Struggling to her feet and sitting down on her bed to rest for a while, thinking about the latest dream. "It just doesn't make sense, first they're all bloody and terrifying, now it's all sorrow and heartache, it just doesn't make sense" she mumbled to herself recalling the events of the dream.

'I'm so tired of these, why are they bothering me, why? It's not fair' Lian thought to herself as she stared off into space. "Wonder if I am loosing itÉ I don't think I'm mad, but then how do you know you've got a screw looseÉ Wonder if they'll ever stop" were the silent questions she asked herself, trying to rationalize what was happening to her, "Maybe I just need a good work out. Now there's an idea, go for a run, that should help clear the old gray matter".

***********

Pacing herself along the quiet streets, breathing deeply she seemed to unconsciously take in the surroundings. Dodging a car here, a pedestrian there, maintaining a constant speed she thought about how she'd grown up, recalling what little family gatherings there had been, the discussions of other family members, past and present. Her family had been one that was not close, all choosing to do what they wanted regardless of the others. A gathering was a rare sight, even for birthdays and Christmas, things were always strained and Lian had grown to despise them after a while. But the good thing about her family was this, if ever any of them were in trouble, no matter where they were, the rest would come running to help, "Pick a fight with one McGowan" her father had told her once "and you get the whole clan. We're not a close family, but we know when one of us is in trouble". Now, many years later, that began to make sense.

She began to think about her parents, how they'd help make her who she was, and yet they didn't know her at all, they seemed to have skipped over the most important parts of who she'd become, and yet still held the belief that they knew everything about her. Then she thought about her Grandparents. She had spent little time with them as she grew up, her parents for some reason not letting her have too much contact with them. She had adored her Grandfather, and had run to see him whenever he did come around. She actually looked more like him than either of her parents, she remembered climbing up into his lap while he told her stories about a dashing warrior who'd tragically lost his life mate and had spent the rest of his days hunting down the killer.

"WHOA! That's it, that's what I'm dreaming about. Gramps' story, no wonder it never made sense, I can't believe I've been freaking out about a childhood story, what an idiot" she laughed at the recognition of her memories, "Well at least I know I'm not loosing my mind completely".

Jogging back to the apartment with a relieved grin on her face she bounded up the stairs taking three in her stride as she went, finally reaching her floor she burst in the door to be greeted by a startled Mary.

"Well good morning to you too, great fool, you scared the life out of me" Mary chuckled now greatly alleviated that it was her roommate rushing into to the house and not some attacker.

"Oh, sorry mate, didn't realize I'd done that. Sorry" she apologized yanking the fridge door open and pulling out the bottle of orange juice.

"It's ok, but what's put you in such a good mood. By the looks of you, you've been out running, and that doesn't normally make you happy" Mary quizzically asked as she leaned against the counter.

"I think I might have finally figured out why I can't sleep, so I'm in good mood now. So good in fact that I think I'll cook breakfast, you interested?" she beamed back at her confused friend as she poured herself a glass of juice.

"Sounds great" Mary replied completely baffled "I'm glad you're having such a good day, and that now you might be able to get some sleep".

"You and me both my mate, you and me both. Eggs? One or two?" she said turning to the fridge and beginning to prepare the breakfast items.

"Umm, one I guess, thanks"

An hour later the two roommates were walking the street to work, talking as they went about the way things had been going at work and the strange "disappearance" of the money. It seemed that everyone was still a little hesitant around Sabrina, but things looked like they were going to work out for the good, much to the relief of all concerned.

"Yeah, I heard she ruffled a few feathers the first day, and you were one of them, what happened?" Mary gently asked remembering the last time she'd inquired about the newcomer.

"Oh nothing, it was just a misunderstanding. I was talking to Harry about some of the things I'd heard, and she came in at the wrong moment, no biggie" Lian replied.

"Fair enough, I know a few of the seasonals' are annoyed with her, they seem to think that she's getting some special treatment because she's Harry's' niece, but you seem to be getting along with her pretty well" she said with a well-hidden smirk.

"Shut it Mary, I'm not getting into this with you, I'm not interested in her, I'm just not so don't even think about it" Lian barked back, instantly wondering why she'd been so rude, then apologizing profusely "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bite your head off".

"It's ok mate, but I think you might want to try and get a hold of that temperÉ you're getting a little too sensitive on that point" Mary said trying to gauge just what exactly she'd said to set the Australian off. Lian didn't have a boyfriend that anyone knew about and they'd all seen her dancing with the girl at the bar a few weeks ago, so it was assumed that she was single and gay.

"Yeah I know, I just, well people assume a lot of things about me, and it really annoys me that they do" she said as they approached the door to Roughtons, "You do realize that if you assume something you're making an ass out of you and me".

"Oh man, that's a sick one, where on earth did you get that from?" Mary replied threw a fit of giggles as she opened the back door and stepped in, Lian following closely behind.

"What, again? You've got to be kidding me, this can't be right, it can't" Harry shouted.

"Yikes, what's going on now?" Mary asked.

"Has something happened? Is everyone ok?" Lian chimed in wondering what they'd just stepped into.

"Money stolen, yes something has happened, and yes everyone is ok" Harry responded.

"Oh" they said in unison.

"Yeah, 'oh' and if I catch the scum sucking butt wipe that's ripping me off, they're ass is mine" he bellowed "I pay you all the best wages in town, I treat you all well, so there's no excuse for this".

"Whoa there Harry, calm down, we'll sort it out, but if you don't settle down we'll all be visiting you at the hospital" Lian said sitting the older gent down in the office and looking at the books in front of her boss.

Pouring Harry and glass of chilled water and placing it in front of him "Ok, can I suggest you call the heads in get this out in the open, maybe that way it will be stopped, it won't get you the money back, but it might work" Mary said quietly.

"No, I've a better idea. Mary, go get Sabrina and bring her in, I've a plan that might just work" he said with a gleam in his eye that neither of the two girls had seen before.

"Um, ok, sure" she said walking out the door and down the hallway to fetch Harry's niece.

"So what's the plan boss?" Lian asked, liking the intrigue.

"Well I'm going to assign you and Sabrina to find out who's taking the money. I know you're not, you're a good kid and I've been around you too much to suspect you. It's not Mary, she doesn't have a malicious bone in her whole body, and it sure isn't Sabrina" he answered beginning to formulate the plan "So I'll give you two the books, you can see for yourself there what's gone missing and when. Don't forget to check the inventory as well, it's more than possible that whoever it is has been pinching stock on the side as well. Check the rosters to see who was on at what time, and where they were supposed to be working, and tally that with who had access to the safe. Ahh Sabrina sit down m'girl, I have a job for you" he said as his beloved niece came through the door.

Harry explained to Sabrina what was happening to the business and what role she had to play in order to solve the problem. He gave them both the books and walked to the door. "Good luck you two, I know you won't let me down" he said passing through the opening and leaving them alone in the room to find out who was taking the money, and to set a trap to catch them.

To Be Continued