Gavin was not a particularly excellent dancer, but he possessed a certain natural grace of movement due to his other training that allowed him to get by without embarrassing himself. He took Valerie's hand and led her onto the dance floor, positioning her where she couldn't see the friends she'd repeatedly been checking in on. This first song was a moderate tempo, allowing them to begin to move around the dance floor, but still affording them a chance to talk, at least for a few seconds.

"I am quite good. As a gambler, I mine. Reading people is a big part of my business, and I've had a lot of practice."

He rested a hand comfortably on the small of her back, guiding her gently as they danced. Valerie was standing as straight as a rod with perfect form and her face was a mask; Gavin looked at her curiously. She was a cool customer, as well as a beautiful woman, and he couldn't help but wonder what was behind that mask. 

Valerie always did love the idea of dance...  The fluidic grace, the beautiful bonding between partners that could ensue, the beauty of simply watching the art…  But it was not something she typically engaged in herself.  And yet as she allowed Gavin to lead her out to the floor, she would give a small smile placing her back to her friends so that she could fully concentrate on what she was doing.  She allowed the music to flow through her.  A lovely somewhat upbeat song indeed.  The first few moments were spent with Valerie trying to physically find her place in this dance.  She made herself relax and let him lead.  Sure there were a lot of uncertainties here.  She was in foreign territory.  But she found that she enjoyed it.

Chuckling in a happy manner, she nodded quietly as she payed rapt attention to his words, gleaning what she could.  She read people…  It was something she did and found herself a talent at it and yet this Gavin…  He was harder to read.  And something about that intrigued and attracted the young woman more than she’d like to admit.  “Well it seems to have paid off.”  Came her light response and she tilted her head a little.  “Tell me more about your…  Business?  Gambling can’t be the extent of it.  It’s too…  Unpredictable.”  One could see just the tiniest bit of distaste in her eyes as she spoke, but it was wiped away quickly like a drawing in the sand.

Feeling his hand slide to her back, she suppressed a shiver of near delight.  She would scoff at herself inwardly.  She was no giddy schoolgirl. Yet she danced.  Her chocolate brown eyes danced in amusement and delight as they engaged in this moment together.  And like Gavin likely figured…  She was enjoying herself.

Gavin saw her smile as she chuckled, and he matched it with a wink. She was beautiful when she was haughtily staring at the crowd, but even more so when she seemed to forget herself for a moment. 

"Most unpredictable things are rewarding, in my experience. I also..."

Kill people for money.

"... help people solve problems. I can be very persuasive."

As the two dancers moved together, the music picked up to a fast song. Gavin sighed... but he started to move faster, taking Val in his arms, leading her in a mostly-graceful foxtrot. He spun her, grinning, as the song continued. This one was a bit more difficult to talk during, but he suspected the band would follow this one up with a slower number.

Those eyes...  There were few that she found more entrancing to this point.  More than once this evening, she found herself lost in them...  A curious explorer and yet how far would she manage to explore this one?  Seeking to keep her graceful posture even while moving about with the young man before her, she manged to come off fairly swan like, if a little stilted.  But even so, she found that she enjoyed herself.  It was clear that she understood this dance in theory, but she moved like one not quite used to it.  But there were moments where it seemed she could be quite good if she just simply let herself be.  Her brow arched daintily as he spoke of unpredictable things being rewarding.  "Or disappointing..."  The words were simple and yet there was a depth, perhaps a painful one, that shone in those guarded eyes.  But as with most of her flickers of emotion, it was masked again within a partial second.  

But as he divulged what he did, she nodded a little in at least some manner of understanding.  "Noble work then."  She smiled at him, although there was a bit of a glint in her eyes.  "I am also in a similar line of work I'd wager...  Although I don't know any details of yours, I too help people with their problems..."  Her gaze fluttered just a tad as the words rolled easily off her tongue.  It was not a lie, nor was it really even a partial truth.  As they danced, she found their steps bringing them closer and closer and she nodded a brief two jerks.  "I can see that."

As the music picked up, her speaking all but ceased as they danced rapidly.  She had to focus a bit more so not to squash toes or something.  She definitely didn't wish to be remembered as the foot stomping flamingo that she could be.  But as they danced, even at this quicker tempo, her shoulders began to relax just a bit as she followed his lead.  

Gavin and Valerie spun around the dance floor, eventually getting comfortable in a mostly graceful foxtrot, feeling the rhythm of their bodies in the heat. Not wanting to push the dancers too fast, the bandleader slowed things down by playing a slow, playful song for the crowd. Gavin dropped his arms from Valerie's hand and back to link at the small of her back, pulling her into a swaying embrace. He smirked as his icy blue eyes looked down into her shining brown ones, and he almost leaned forward to kiss her before thinking better of it; depending on how much she'd given herself over to the rum and the dance, she might not want a crowd.

"Want to take a walk? Get some fresh air?"

Despite the drop in tempo, Valerie's heart raced even faster as Gavin pulled her close.  What was this feeling?  Whatever it was it was exhilarating.  It also touched on her need for exploration.  These new feelings caused her to feel fairly...  Out of control and frankly that frightened her...  Yet with many intoxicating things, one found themselves wanting more.  And so it was that Valerie became fairly pliant in his arms.  She smiled as she carefully looped her slender arms up over his shoulders swaying to the beat as she sought to calm her rapidly racing heart.  Oh she briefly wondered if he could feel it through her chest.  She also found herself debating on removing her outer shirt...  It wasn't like she was indecent underneath and honestly...  Everyone else was doing it, and the Phoenix heat was brutal...  Perhaps just the outer layer...  

His questions brought her mind bounding back to the here and now and those eyes glittered a little.  Ah further exploration and...  Experimenting.  She liked the sound of it very much.  "I think that would be lovely...  Perhaps we could find another drink along the way?"  Honestly...  She was far too proper at the moment and some more rum to warm her from the inside sounded like just the thing.  From behind her she heard squeals that she recognized, and even the cry of her name.  But for a moment or two she fought the urge to look back.  She knew her friends had spotted her form out on the dance floor, and it was likely she'd never hear the end of it.  

But for now?  She frankly didn't give a darn.  But she gave in and cast a glance over her shoulder and for the first time in years, there was excitement in those brown eyes, and not about some discovery.

Gavin grinned at the suggestion of another drink. Keeping his hand on her back, they drifted through the crowd toward the bar, ordering another glass each. Then, they snuck out the side door, hiding their glasses from the bouncer.

The air outside was still warm, but it was much cooler and more comfortable than it was among the crowd.

Gavin clinked his glass against hers as they wandered down the sidewalk together. Closed shops, a couple hotels, and a few late night joints stretched out before them.

"So... what'd you think? Did you enjoy your research?"

The warmth of his hand, and gentle guiding of it was also another unknown that she found that she was enjoying.  Not that she'd say so out loud...  She was used to being the one guiding so to let someone else was foreign to her.  No wonder she felt the need to have another drink.  Many things that she had pushed out of her sphere of influence she was letting right in on the same evening.  And yet it made her feel alive and tonight, that was a necessary thing.  She smiled at the bartender as they gave them another drink each.  Taking a sip, she also would deftly hide her glass as they weaved their way out through the crowd to the cooler outside.  She sighed in relief as she wandered out to the street gazing down it with new eyes.  Suddenly it seemed as if she could go and do anything on the moonlit street that she wanted!  She wasn't certain where this feeling came from.  It's not like she was limited in pretty much anything at a normal time, but at this moment in time, she had nowhere to be, nothing to do but to enjoy the evening and the man that had decided her presence was worth enjoying for the time being.  

Upon hearing his voice, she turned, gently clinking her glass against his before taking another sip.  Although as the words he spoke took root, she had to focus very hard on not spitting it out again as she laughed.  "Why Mr. Byrne, you do speak my language..."  She pulled herself together quite quickly, but one might notice that she didn't manage to settle the mask quite as perfectly in place again.  "The experiments were...  Quite satisfactory and the data gathered will take much time to decipher and make any sense of."  Her eyes twinkled at this as she stepped a half step closer to him.  "How about you?  Discover anything...  Groundbreaking?"  Oh yes.  Her intoxication level had certainly found it's way higher than she typically let it, and yet she found herself happy to take that plunge.  

"Why Mr. Byrne, you do speak my language... the experiments were...  quite satisfactory and the data gathered will take much time to decipher and make any sense of. How about you?  Discover anything...  Groundbreaking?" 

Gavin nodded and quickly finished what was left of his glass of rum. Mirroring him, Valerie polished off her own. Gavin moved slowly toward her with a wolfish grin, and she backed up with a wicked look of her own that nearly matched his. Happy to discover that she had it in her, Gavin moved to kiss her- and found a willing partner. He moved his body against her, gently kissing her mouth and neck as he removed her outer shirt. He continued to kiss her as the cold concrete behind her contrasted with the warmth of the summer air- and the warmth inside her as well.

A mischievous grin danced upon the girl's face as she engaged in this dance of words with the man before her.  The smile lit up her warm brown eyes with a fire that didn't typically get a chance to shine.  As he moved closer to her, ending their little verbal dance, she did indeed back up, though not out of fear or uncertainty...  No, her eyes told more of the complete opposite message.  She definitely wished for him to follow...  

And he did.

Two steps and her back pressed against the cool concrete wall of the building behind her.  And on he advanced, his wolfish grin sending her heart into a rapid flurry of movement once again.  A soft gasp was taken as his lips pressed against her own and she leaned into his advance with more eagerness than was likely proper.  And out in the public street no less...  But she found that she didn't care.  Her outer shirt which hung loosely around her shoulders was easily stripped away leaving her in her sky blue tank top.  Trembling at his touch, she would return his kisses with near as much eagerness, although the movements were jerky...  Uncertain...  But willing.  Her hands came up, one soft against his cheek and the other sliding fingers through his hair.  Caution thrown to the winds, Valerie gave herself over to her own desires with help from the drink and the wonderful man who explored them with her.  

Roughly A Quarter of a Century Later

"Mr. Byrne...  This may seem...  A strange question.  But do you know a Valerie Pryde?"

Gavin blinked as he remembered the face, the name, the woman and the memories came rushing back to him. He remembered that evening of passion with Valerie- her laughter and her enthusiasm as they returned to the hotel... but the next morning she was a different woman. Cold. Rigid. Precise. She'd thank him for a fun evening, although Gavin wasn't sure how sincere she was, and she'd quickly taken her leave. He'd never heard from her again, even though he'd tried looking her up once or twice.

"I do know a Valerie Pryde, although not particularly well. Your mother, I assume?"

Katherine's heart pounded in her chest.  Once her question was out, it was impossible to take back.  This was a question that had haunted her dreams since she was old enough to have them...  Ever since it was made clear to her that her step father wasn't her real father...  Even after he disappeared and it was just her mother and her all those years...  Every time she would ask about her father, her mother would brush her off or tell her that she'd tell her when she was older...  Ugh she had gotten to hate that statement so very much.  But either way, her mother had never pretended he didn't exist...  And even so there was always a certain...  Conflicted look in her eye when Kat asked about him.  The way her mother's eyes danced briefly with a spark of...  Something only to be brought back down to her normal cool composed self.  It interested Kat to no end to catch her mother off guard with questions like 'What was his name?'  Or 'Did you love him?'  Oh Kat could be cruel...  She would always receive a glare and a reproach from questions like those but even so she could tell that her mother's heart was not in scolding her.  There was a sadness there behind the cool look a choice made...  But perhaps not the right choice.  And yet it was always the same.  Valerie would square her shoulders and tell her that she would tell Kat when it was time.  But it was never time!

Until now.

Kat trembled all over for the few moments it took for the man to answer.  She tried to mask it, taking another healthy drink of that delicious liquid that she had been gifted with.  It caused her to be emboldened the more it filled her veins with fire.  She shivered a tad and went to take another drink only to find it completely empty.  Highly amused by this fact, she gave a slightly playful smirk that was almost her mother...  But not quite.  Her eyes flickered up to the man as he spoke again and the grin changed just a tad only to disappear completely.  Her mother.  He had guessed it in one.  That was one thing that Valerie had said.  He was a master at reading people.  She should have known better.  Her heart beat faster and faster as a realization began to sink in.  He was not a figment.  He was real.  He was true.  The wolf of Race Street as she had heard him called around town...  He was real and he was Gavin Byrne...  Her father.  He knew her mother, or at least had met her...  She tried to calm herself as there was still the ghost of a chance that he was not the same man.  But why would her mother send her looking for him if he wasn't?  She didn't find any other Gavin Byrnes in the phone book...  

"She was..."  Her voice cracked just a tad, but she cleared her throat roughly, pushing herself up to sit up straight and tall once again.  "She passed away..."  She bit her lip softly.  Just the words caused her to retreat back into herself like a scared little girl, not a proud left hand of her beloved family.  But she felt the need to be as up front and honest with this man as she could.  If he was her father...  Ok so honestly, she had a much more romanticized view, a much more hopeful view than she had dared.  Honestly...  Would he even want to know her?  A child from a woman that he barely knew...  Her heart sank a tad as she tried with all her might to discern his reactions and how he might feel about Valerie.  But honestly her ability to read people usually started and stopped with Poker...

And this was no Poker game.

"She was..."

Gavin experienced a fleeting moment of pleasure at being correct; the girl had a resemblance: her eyes... but more the posture. Still, his pleasure was short lived as he processed "was". Too many of his contemporaries had shared the same fate. He sighed, raising his glass to Valerie.

"Well. Here's to old acquaintances, Val."

He finished his whiskey, placing the glass on the table next to him as he faced the young woman.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Kat. I can't say I knew her particularly well or particularly long, but she was an intriguing woman. I wish I'd gotten to know her better."

Katherine felt her throat start to seize up just a little as she quietly and with a mild subtlety delivered the news of her mother's demise to the man who at least was acquainted with her.  She smiled sadly as he lifted his glass in response to her words.  She would also lift her own in response as she trembled just a tad and it showed in the way she held her glass.  Finishing her drink as well, she dipped her gaze for a moment steeling her resolve.  She was not going to cry in front of this man.  Heck no.

Kat's heart sank considerably as Gavin spoke of his little knowledge of her mother.  No...  She had wondered why she knew nothing of this man and yet she couldn't bring herself to believe that he didn't know much of her mother.  But that being said, it suddenly hit her that he might not even care to get to know her...  The possibility hadn't even hit her until this moment in her search as it was brought to an end.  It was becoming more and more likely that this was the man.  

Yet a spark of hope lit within her chest as he stated his wish and Kat felt her heart break.  Anger surged through her at her mother.  If her mother had decided to stick around and form something more with Gavin then she would have grown up with a father.  That piece of her life wouldn't have been hollow...  Missing...  But she swallowed that back.  This was a hurt to process at a later time.

Her heart beat fast as her hand slipped unconsciously to her small satchel.  Her breath caught a tad as it slipped inside.  "You are without a doubt the man I've been looking for."  Kat cringed just a tad at how strange that sounded even to her, but she opened the top of her satchel and reached inside, trembling just a little as her fingertips found what they sought.  Hesitating only a small bit, she would decide if she really wanted to do this next step.  Again if she gave him this item, it couldn't be taken back.  

Yes.  She had to know.

Pulling out a small very unassuming envelope with his name upon the front, she quietly handed it to him, her gaze never leaving his.  "T...  This arrived just a couple days after she passed...  She wrote one to me as well...  I-I haven't opened  yours but they were from her..."  Kat pulled herself back up straight to try and keep at least some composure as she waited to see if he'd open it or not.

Dear Gavin,

I hope you are well.  If you are receiving this message it is because you are among those that I wished to say last goodbyes to.  I know that you're probably angry with me, or at least may have once been.  Or perhaps you weren't at all.  I will never know now.  I don't know what would have been, what might have been had I...  Well I'm certain you are as aware of what transpired after that night.  I should not have done what I did, but what's done is done.  What I know beyond a shadow of a doubt is you changed something in me that night Gavin Byrne.  Changed something in me for the better.  And for that I want to thank you.  I did not do right by you.  I should have stayed and I should have continued in my...  Research.  

But that is not the reason for this letter.  

If you have received this, it means that a young woman by the name of Katherine Pryde has found you.  She is a remarkable young woman, one of the most driven I have ever had the pleasure to know.  She's intelligent.  She's strong...  Or at least she could be.  Up until this time I have been able to protect her and shelter her, but I fear I have done her a disservice.  I know that we are none of us eternal...  But ironically as you're reading this, I thought I'd have more time than this.  

Gavin I don't have words to tell you this gracefully but the young woman before you...  Is your daughter.  Your own flesh and blood, and mine.  That night...  Arguably the best night of my life, was also the night that began the journey of this one here.  I regret not telling you of her Gavin.  I did a disservice to you and for that I will eternally be sorry.  I only hope this my last act, I can even partially redeem that shortfall by bringing you together.  Now obviously I do not expect you to enfold her immediately as if you have known her all your life, but please...  I do ask that you give her a chance.  Growing up...  She asked about you constantly.  She wanted to know her father and I...  In my weakness I did not tell her.  I will not give you excuses but know that I am deeply sorry for this choice of mine and were the power mine to rectify this wrongdoing...  I would hope that I would.  

You taught me to regret nothing Mr. Byrne.  Taught me to live each moment in the fullest in those few brief hours in which we knew each other...  It was a lesson that I wish that I had taken to heart and put into practice more with he that taught it.  I only hope you can teach her a similar one.  Teach her to live her life and not allow her own fears and limitations to stop her from achieving what she should.  

I understand if you don't want to or if this news is too...  unacceptable.  But I didn't know who else to turn to.  

I have never forgotten you, and don't believe I ever would want to,

Val

Gavin flicked open a knife that Katherine hadn't seen and sliced the envelope open; as the knife disappeared, he started reading- first with an affable curiosity, then a furrowed brow. Once or twice he glanced up at Katherine. When he finished, he studied Katherine's face for a moment; then he handed her the letter.

"You should read this too, I think."

And as she read and reacted to the letter, it bought Gavin time to process... this. As Kat scanned the letter, Gavin felt overwhelmed with thoughts. 

How would Bella take this? How would Aurora?

Was this girl even telling the truth? Gavin thought she was. In some ways, it would be easier to deny her- to send her packing and resume his life without this complciation. No, the letter confirmed the truth.

Why the hell would Valerie keep her mouth shut about something like this?

Gavin felt a rage begin to boil slowly within him. But it was mixed with a deep, abiding grief- a sense of something lost forever. As Kat glanced up at him, Gavin met her eyes. It was important to him that she knew he wasn't angry with her. 

Gavin put on his best poker face and spoke.

"I... well, this is obviously a lot to process. I must admit that I'm very angry with your mother. I can assure you that if I'd known about you I would have done... something."

Perhaps not as much as I would now... I was a different person by the time Aurora came into my life, but what if... Gavin closed his mind's eye to the idea of 'what if'. All he could do now was focus on the situation at hand.

"Did you come to me today for a specific reason, Kat? For help with something? I'd be happy to do it. Or was this just to see... a general introduction of sorts?"

Before he forgot, Gavin took back his letter, folded it, and put it in his pocket.

Katherine could only sit in silence as she watched the few emotions that passed over the face of the man before her.  She didn't so much as jump as he pulled the knife to slit the envelope.  He wasn't the first man she'd met that toted a knife and she had done nothing to earn his ire...  Then again that didn't always matter.  Well she'd keep in mind that he had a knife, but there was also quite a bit about her that he did not know.  Kat's heart hammered in her chest as he read.  She couldn't even hope to read his emotions, but somehow she guessed they weren't good.  He wasn't smiling...  What had her mother said?  Had she told him about her before this?  Oh goodness she hoped so...  Oh goodness what if she hadn't...  Valerie was always a very private person.  Too private.  What if...  'Ok calm down Kat...' She took a deep breath trying to calm herself.  Once or twice she met Gavin's eyes as she too tried to keep her poise and composure.  Despite her posture, it was clear that she did not have Valerie's chill...  At least not to the extent of her mother.  The last time Gavin's eyes met her own, she couldn't hold his gaze and she dropped it.  She felt a heat crawl into her cheeks and she suddenly wished to disappear.  She should have been ready for this.  Should have read the letter before so she knew what she was dropping on him.  And yet she didn't.  She had picked it up more than once as it was full of more coveted words from her beloved mother...  But no.  She had left it unopened out of respect for this man she had never even met.  What's more, she traveled states away from home to find this man.  A crazy fool's errand, but she had embarked upon it.  

Finally she looked back up to Gavin a last ditch hope only to find...  She honestly wasn't sure what.  But to see him move and offer the letter out to her, her heart leaped.  A chance to read more of what she could only assume were her mother's last words...  She held herself in check, making herself reach out and take it gracefully and carefully though her hands shook.  There was something amiss here, tension in the air...  What was wrong?

She read the first few lines quickly.  Her eyes ate up every syllable and yet the more she read, the more her heart sank.  Her mother hadn't told him...  Hadn't said a thing by the looks of it.  Had only known him mere hours?  Had-...  Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she read this letter that was addressed to a man she didn't even know, living a life that she didn't even know, and here she had just...  No...  Katherine ran her hand across her face quickly refusing to let her emotion get the better of her.  She made herself keep reading.  She saw in this letter a very different person than the woman she had grown up knowing.  And yet here were the words in her own handwriting.  Kat's breath caught as she reached the end and she found herself dumbfounded.  

"Mr. Byrne..."  She spoke softly.  "I am sorry...  I am so sorry.  I-I shouldn't have come."  

Katherine tensed to rise, but something caused her to pause as eyes moved to meet his.  Swirling in those warm brown depths was a myriad of different emotions.  Anger, fear, sadness, hope?  She honestly wasn't sure what to feel right now.  The most important person in her life had kept someone who should have been equally important from her all her life, and her from him.

Drastically different as night was to day was the face her gaze met.  Well she wasn't sure what this face was.  Void of any readable emotion, Kat found herself quickly unnerved.  But as such, her own best poker face slid into place.  She couldn't show weakness.  Never show weakness.  Wasn't that always what her mother said?  Goodness what had her mother done?  The face of the man from before had been...  Different.  Now it was...  Well...  Different.  Finally he began to speak.  Kat's poker face began to crumble just a tad.  The what ifs beginning to flood back in full.  

She listened intently to his words, squashing the tremors that began to threaten her as she made herself stay in her seat, her back ramrod straight and her eyes forward as she listened intently to him.  He was angry...  He was angry with her mother and for that she couldn't blame him.  Not in the least.  But how far did that anger reach?  Was she loathsome to him?  A child he didn't even know he had?  A child he possibly didn't even want?  Oh goodness, Kat wasn't sure she could take that...  But how could she expect any different?  This was no fairy tale.  Happy endings didn't always happen.

His question gave her pause.  Thoughts ran rampant and she had a hard time formulating an answer.  "No no no!  It's nothing like that!  Not at all!  My mother, it was her last wish that...  No.  I had to...  I mean...  Well.  I...  I had to know if..."  She lost the battle against the tremors and looked down.  "I had to know you were real.  Goodness above that sounds so stupid."  She looked down and glared at her hands there in her lap for a moment before pushing quickly to her feet.  "I'm sorry sir.  I should not have done this.  I thought she would have at least-"  And that was it.  A sob leaped from Katherine's throat as all the last weeks of ups and downs suddenly hit her like a ton of bricks.  Damn.  He didn't deserve this and if he didn't think her crazy yet, he surely did now!

Gavin saw Kat cross her words and her emotions, and he leaned forward to reassure her, though he kept himself from reaching out to her.

"You have nothing to apologize for. Your mother does, or did, but you didn't do anything wrong. I... I'll be honest with you, Kat. This is probably the most shocked I've been in decades. I need some time to think about things- to process- but I'm glad that you shared this with me."

He patted the letter in his pocket.

"Let's meet for a dinner. Tomorrow night. 7. Ralph's."

Gavin stood, nodding respectfully to her.

"By then, I think I'll have made sense of things."

I hope.

"I'm glad you told me this. Please don't say anything to anyone else, yet. I'd like to tell my family."

And I've got a date with a bottle of whiskey. 

"Tomorrow night, Kat. I'll see you then."

He grinned at her, and she could see the conflicting emotions. But above all, the grin conveyed that despite his shock, he looked forward to speaking to Kat again. Nodding his farewell, he turned and briskly walked away.