Fin fidgetted nervously as she paced the foyer of her hotel... heels echoing off the polished tile floors; the noise only halting when she paused to check her reflection in the mirror. She. Felt. Ridiculous. And the quiet snickering from Orlaith each time she peered out the window only heightened her self-conscious anxiety. This was stupid... looked stupid, felt stupid. It was a bad idea. Maybe she should just head back upstairs and call the whole thing off. 

Fin made it three steps toward the stairs before sighing heavily and pacing back to the door. She didn't REALLY want to cancel. ... did she? Maybe? With a frustrated sigh, she melted into an armchair next to Orlaith. She had no idea what she wanted. 

"Relax!" Orlaith coaxed her... sounding almost a bit flustered herself. "Ye look fine. S'all fine." 

Fin, with a look that could kill glared at the older woman. "I cannae believe I let ye force me into this frock. What am I even doin' here? I look like a show poodle. Look at me!" 

Standing from the chair she twirled, showing off her powder blue gown; golden curls bouncing lightly in her coifed updo. 

Orlaith, catching the dumbfounded look on Dominique's face as he stepped through the door at just the right time, stifled a guffaw. Which only brought a pained frown to Fin's sensitive features, who missed the entrance as she looked down at herself, very nearly in tears; her glittering mist-coloured eyes set off by the pale periwinkle of her dress. "What is it," she blurted, sure for a moment that there was something wrong with her, before she noticed Orlaith's far-away gaze tracing over her shoulder. 

PANIC. 

Pure, unfiltered, panic washed over her as she turned bashfully toward the door with an audible gulp. A pale blushed washed over her cheeks and down her chest as she smiled sheepishly. There was no going back now. 

Dominique stood there speechless for a bit. It was the first time he'd seen her dressed out, and she was absolutely stunning. Forgetting for a moment what he'd worn, he looked down to make sure everything was in place properly.

Shoes, pants, shirt, vest, jacket, tie... It was all there in a stunning, tailored, black dinner suit. With a quick breath in and out, he huffed quietly then lifted his head. Confidence returned and owning it, Dom set one foot in front of the other until he reached Fin.

"Finleigh Finnegan... You are beyond stunning. I'd say I've been taken by surprise, but I already knew you were this beautiful." He winked with a smile to kill, the left side of his mouth twisting up slyly.

"Orlaith, how difficult was it to get her into a dress?" He chuckled and reached for her hand, wincing slightly as he did so... Not much of anything, but her trained eye would notice it. Once she looked at his face in question, she'd note a small abrasion on his lip that hadn't been there earlier. Before she could reach for it, his grin widened.

"Don't. Let's not ruin the night. I'm here, you're here, everything is taken care of." Looking passed her to Orlaith in her seat, a look of worry on her features as well, Dom smiled.

"If you meet Uncle Naz at the bar, he could use a hand... He'll deny he needs help, but he has a message to deliver for me. I'd feel better if someone went with him."

Turning back to Fin, he offered his other arm and protected his left side a bit better. "Of course, you don't have to go. I just think he'd enjoy the help and company." Leading Fin away, he looked back over his shoulder at Orlaith and nodded. Whatever her choice was, he'd respect that.

"Now for you, my beautiful, little fae. You have a choice... Steak and Sea? L.A. has some of the best spots for fresh seafood... Or would you like Italian? Mexican? Any cuisine you wish. I know this city and can walk us into any establishment you want with only a marginal wait time at some." He chuckled softly. "My city is your playground."

Pushing her concern aside, Fin took his hand; blushing profusely. 'Beautiful'. He'd said it twice now - more in a single meeting than she'd heard all her life. And something about the way he looked at her made her believe it. It was odd, the way he looked at her. Something she'd never experienced. She was used to being looked at with fear and respect, surprise, disdain, condescension, even lust. But this... this was something else entirely. It made her stomach flutter, her breath catch, and her heart flutter. It was almost uncomfortable... even a little terrifying. 

She was speechless for a long moment, digesting the situation. Her lips twitched at the words 'fae' and 'playground'. The city certainly wasn't the only thing that she wanted to make her playground. "Um... seafood sounds nice," she stammered, "Is that okay?" She chuckled as she eyed him hesitantly, trying her best NOT to look like she was starving.

In the month that they'd spent together, his boyish charm was far from lost on her. She wasn't blind. Nor was she a prude. She'd had a fling here or there. But in the midst of war and rebellion, time for such things was few and far between. And even after, her whole life was ruled by business... a whirlwind of chaos that left little time to appreciate the pretty things in life. But the perfect cut of that tailored suit... Well, that left all the time in the world. 

"Ye... um... ye look... really handsome. I mean... I figured ye clean up nice but... um... wow," she chuckled bashfully. "Tha pleats're a nice touch," her blush darkened as she ran her fingers over the smoothe lapels. "And the contrast," she added, trying to hide hungry glint in her eye. "Very nice."

Dom's lips played up in a smirk as she ran her finger's over his coat. She was either hooked, or she was damn good at faking it. Either way, he didn't care. He was happy she approved (or appeared to). Leading her outside, he nodded.

"Seafood it is. I know -just- the place."

Dominique led her to a Packard Twelve still running on the street corner and opened the back door. "In you go, my dear," Dom smiled as he helped her into the vehicle, then climbed in himself.

"Where too, sir?" a familiar voice called over his shoulder before Johnson spun and winked at Fin.

"The Dining Car, Johnson. That's where we're headed tonight. I think m'lady would enjoy such a fine dining experience."

"Yes sir, Mister Coniglio." Johnson nodded to Fin with a smile then faced the road and pulled the car from the curb.

With Johnson focused on the road, Dominique shifted to the seat beside Fin and smiled, grabbing her hand.

"They have some of the best food around, seafood included. I think you're gonna like it too. No one really bothers ya while you're there. It's kinda tha unspoken rule. Famous, infamous, law-abiding or not, everyone is entitled to 'a leisurely dinner without any unseemly interruptions.'"

Dom pointed to a small pamphlet he had in the car. "Even says so on the ad." He smirked then looked back at her. "So, ya thought any about what I said before? Names for this club?"

Fin blinked down at her hand... just staring for a minute as if it belonged to someone else. Were they 'there'? She didn't think they'd reached 'there'... yet, at least. Had she given him an unintended impression? Or was he just being bold... or kind... or both? The gesture felt somehow intimate, even in his excited innocence. And while she wasn't opposed, it caught her off guard in a way she hadn't expected. 

A soft squeak was all that came out at first as she cleared her throat, fighting the instinctive urge to pull away. She didn't really WANT to pull away, necessarily. But everything in her impulsively screamed for a safe amount of personal space. And his closeness caused a tightening in her throat that made it hard to breathe... like a caged and cornered animal. She hated it. She fought it, forcing herself to stay calm and still, open and gracious... but it was a HARD fight. 

His eyes sparkled as he spoke, clearly excited to share his world... happy to be back in it, no doubt. And - as she gave a sweetly uncomfortable smile - she tried her hardest to lean into that. Chuckling softly, she tried to hide the pale flush that coloured her cheeks, "I donnae think I've ever done anythin' 'leisurely'. It... um..." she stammered sheepishly, "it must be very nice ta have that kind of luxury." 

Sighing softly, she absentmindedly squeezed his hand for comfort as she watched the city slide by. "I did some thinking, but I've nae come up with much. Still looking fer inspiration."

Dom nodded, catching her nerves even as she tried to hide them. Releasing her hand, he slid across the seat to the other side of the vehicle and used the same hand to point outside so it would seem that's why he'd pulled away... It gave her space, and hopefully made it feel like it was because he wanted to do so, not that she'd made him feel he'd been too bold.

"On that hill..." he pointed toward one of the many LARGE hills (mountains) around the city. "That's where my father's house was... There's a small subdivision up there. It's where my grandfather died in war... From there my father and step-mother fled to Philadelphia. Romano had relayed that I was dead to them."

Dom sighed.

"He'd told me they died there too." Shaking his head, he looked back at her. "But that was an age ago, and we've moved beyond that. Uncle Romano is still useful and smart. Not to mention, aside from you and Orlaith now, he's really..." Pausing, Dominique looked up to Johnson who caught his gaze in the rearview. "You to Johnson... You too." Looking back to Fin he continued. "You five are the only real family I have left. We will make new friends and family here, but, we're in this together."

Sighing, he closed his eyes and let his hand rest on the leather of the seat, his head laying back. "We should be at the restaurant in about twenty minutes long as traffic stays good."

Fin softened as he slid away, taking the space to breathe a little easier... even though she hated herself for it. He'd seen her. He played it off amazingly well. But she knew, he'd seen it.  He was the only person on this side of the ocean who'd ever seen. He was too smart for his own good. Bright, cunning, observant. That's what made her so fond of him, what made him truly attractive. He felt like an equal. And that made him rare and precious. 

But, as she watched him speak about his family, something in her softened in a different kind of way. For the briefest moment, she understood. He was an orphan of war... just like the children she rescued... a refugee just like the women she saved. In a different way, sure. But the 'how' didn't matter... not really. He was one of them.

Sliding across the seat, she reached hesitantly for his hand... not taking it outright, but offering hers as she closed the gap between them as much as she comfortably could. "I'm so sorry, Dom," she whispered softly, and the tone of her voice told him she meant it. Something changed in the way she looked at him as she asked, "What... what were they like? Yer family?"

Looking over, he smiled. "My grandfather? He was a surly old bastard. A shark in calm water if there ever were one. My uncles? Most of them were shit stains on the family name compared to my father... But, because he was short-sighted and hot tempered, he was a black-sheep for how things were ran. Ruggiero Coniglio, Roger Coniglio... He was compassionate to a fault, but he had plenty of issues. A complex to save the damsel in distress... That's how he met my mom. Assumedly and reportedly so, that's how he met Jessica too. Helped the girl escape Patton. Not a bad guy, ya know... Just, misguided if you were on tha wrong side of -his- law." Dominique chuckled softly.

"Anyway, they were great until Gino had my moms killed... So he thought. He sent men. Pops helped her get away, faked her death... but to protect her, he left us behind." Dom shrugged. "Is what it is though... He tried to check in on us secretly on occasion. I always knew it was him though. Him an' Romano raised me better than he was prepared for..."

Dominique continued to prattle on about his family and how they'd worked... Their feats... Their weaknesses... As time passed, he seemed to warm as he spoke on them. His only interruption as she listened intently, was Johnson announcing their arrival to the restaurant.

"Sir, madam, your destination..." Johnson boomed to make sure they were aware, before stopping the car and exiting to open their door.

"Oh! Dinner time." Dom reacted with glee, he was certainly hungry and knew she was too. Today had been a busy day. Stepping out of the vehicle, Dominique looked at Johnson as the man reached his hand to help Fin out.

"You know you don't have to speak to us like an actual driver. You're more than that to me, Johnson. I'm certain more than that to Fin as well. You're family. Our inner circle now that you're here with us."

"Yes sir, but this is who I am best. Let me just be your guard... I like my position that way."

Nodding, Dominique took Finleigh's arm and headed toward the door, Johnson on their tail. As they reached the door, Johnson stepped forward and opened it.

"Mister Coniglio and Madam Finnegan for their reservation."

A male at the front podium looked up and blinked, then back down to his small booklet.

"I'm sorry, I've no reservations for a Coniglio or Finnegan on these books."

Johnson stepped forward and looked at the page before reaching in his pocket and setting a bill on the hard wood top.

"Look again..."

The man looked down as he palmed the money and smiled, "Ah, yes. I'm sorry, I've overlooked it. Right this way, sir and madam." The maitre'd led Dominique and Finleigh to a small table on the far side of the rail car, pulling Fin's seat out for her.

"Welcome to the Pacific Dining Car... Our specials tonight are our Scottish Salmon, served a la carte with your choice of roasted bell pepper sauce or ginger maple glaze, and the filet mignon with lobster tail, served with our buttery lobster sauce. Soup and salad come with the specials."

As the man spoke, he poured two glasses of water from a silver pitcher. As he finished his monologue, he turned and walked away to give them a moment or two to look over the menu.

It didn't take long at all for Fin to make up her mind. Within moments, she slid the menu aside. Slipping her napkin into her lap, she set the silverware neatly aside before settling in. "Tell me more?" she asked shyly... starting to feel more 'first date' than 'business dinner'. But, the more she thought about it, the more she convinced herself that it wasn't necessarily a bad thing... per se. The life they lived didn't often leave time for simple pleasantries such as this. In the whirl of chaos and war, they'd followed each other across the country, been a daily presence in each other's lives for nearly a month, and still barely knew anything about each other aside from day jobs. So... it was kosher to do a little Q&A, right? Surely getting to know their partners wasn't a bad idea. A little quality one one one couldn't hurt? RIGHT?? 

The curiosity played enticingly across her expression as she eyed him from across the table. She wanted to know all the things. For the first time in a painfully long time, she wanted to talk. And that realization was both thrilling and terrifying. 

Scooching a little closer, Fin leaned in eagerly, "Yer mother. What was she like?" 

"Tell me more?"

The question popped out of nowhere. He'd pretty much explained as much as he could... What more could she want?

"Yer mother. What was she like?"

His mother. In all of everything, he'd failed to really talk much about his mother. Chuckling, Dominique smiled and nodded.

"Mom was pretty much a saint. She was good to anyone that came to her step. She knew herbs. Could help people with old, traditional remedies straight from her garden when they couldn't afford the docs, ya know?" He grinned even more thinking about it. "And I tell ya, she was the most -amazing- cook. Her recipes, with fresh herbs from the garden?" He kissed his fingertips loudly... "MUAH! Perfezione assoluta!"

He sighed softly. "It's where I get my gardening skills from. She taught me everything about growing plants and taught me a lot about cooking with fresh herbs and vegetables. Sadly, I never took the time to learn her healing skills. Those might have come in handy, hmm? I picked up little things here and there, but I'm nothing like she was."

He snickered and shook his head. "But that's enough about my mom. What about y-"

Dominique stopped mid-sentence and cleared his throat as the waiter approached.

"Sorry for the interruption, could I refill your waters? Perhaps get you a bottle of wine?" He set a plate of freshly baked bread on the table before looking to Dominique. "Unless of course you're ready to place your orders?" He glanced at Fin after posing the question.

"I'm ready, were you, doll?" Dominique looked over to Finleigh with a smile.

Fin nodded quietly. "I'll have tha fillet wit' lobster, please," she asked, drawing an interesting look from the waiter. "Add tha roquefort crust and bordelaise sauce to tha steak, please... with a side o' garlic mushrooms an' creamed spinach." She paused and glanced at Dom, "I'll leave tha wine choice up ta ye. But... um... an order o' tha scallops ta start... if ye don' mind?" 

She paused and waited for Dom to make his order before leaning in again once the waiter toddled off. "Ye were sayin'?" she coaxed eagerly. 

Dom chuckled. "Scallops are fine. I figured you'd order a more seafood specific plate, but I can't argue with a woman that likes a good steak too."

Turning to the waiter, he paused, "I'll take the Lobster Bisque when you bring the scallops, and then the rib-eye, medium-rare, with black pepper sauce. Creamed spinach for a side as well as some mushroom risotto for the table."

As he perused the wine list for a moment, he paused and looked at the waiter. "Bring me a bottle of your best Chardonnay, and a bottle of your best Bordeaux."

"Yes sir, right away," the waiter turned and retreated quickly to the kitchen to have the food started, and the two then saw him dash to the other side of the dining car and vanish behind a door.

"You order boldly. I like it." He grinned at Fin and nodded. "Make sure you eat your lobster first with the white, and then as you transition, trade to the Bordeaux with me. Anyway," he chuckled. "I was saying, enough about my mother. What about you? I know the war over there is rough... Especially considering your people have been fighting for a long time... Longer than the Great war for sure..."

Fin snorted into her glass as she choked on a sip of water. Chuckling lightly though the ensuing coughing fit, she replied, "Almost as boldly as ye question." It wasn't chastizing, and she actually managed a smile through the discomfort. Smoothing the front of her dress, she cleared her throat, her expression going serious. "What do ye want ta know?" 

"I didnae know my parents like ye did. Me mother was a Doxie...  A... um... whaddaye's call it? A Gillie? Split-like... ye ken? At least that's what tha sisters told me. Left me on tha doorstep as a wee sickly lit'le thing, real Moses like. I was a ward o' tha church til I was old enough ta take fate inta me own hands... right early, mind ye. At which point I made me own way streetwise til tha Republic got ahold of me. Used me young idealism an' angst ta make a right bold fighter outta me. An' that's what I did with my life right up til I left... which is nae really a conversation fer public ears, iffin ye catch me drift. Though ye can certainly reserve tha right ta ask me whatever ye like later." 

She smiled... really smiled... with a soft sweetness that he'd not seen yet, "I trust ye enough. An' I quite enjoy conversatin' with ye as such." She winked playfully as the waiter delivered the wine and appetizers. 

"Your dinners will be ready shortly, Sir and Madam." Bowing slightly he poured one glass of each selection before disappearing once again. 

Sipping her wine with a happy coo, Fin nodded her approval. "So," she asked with a kind sparkle, "What was her name?"

"Ravenna."

Dom said the name with a smile. "Her name was Ravenna."

Dom sighed as he looked at his glass of red and shook his head. "Lobster Bisque... Not a drop of red meat on the table and he opened the red."

Grabbing his other glass, he poured himself a white and took a sip with a nod. "That's nice. It will pair lovely with your lobster and my soup." With a chuckle, Dominique spooned the bisque into his mouth with a relieved sigh.

"I'm sorry you never knew your kin. That's a hard pill to swallow. But knowing what was going on over there? I'm not surprised they assumed you would have better luck with the sisters." He spooned another bite then chased it with his wine. "So, things to discuss later. This topic. Things we can discuss now? What to call our club." Dominique grinned as he took his next bite and reached for one of the scallops.

Fin smiled at his smile... then frowned a moment in thought... and smiled wider. 

"Tha's very pretty." 

Grabbing her spoon, she winked at him teasingly as she reached across the table, dipping just the tip into his soup. With a contented sigh, she melted back into her seat a little as she licked the heavy cream from its silver mound. "Ooooh yeah. That's good stuff." 

She grinned playfully as she watched his expression, gaining more joy and peace from the simplicity of his presence than she'd felt in years. Suddenly, her eyes went wide as a light came on behind their frosted blue panes. "Raven," she said it softly at first... like a secret or a prayer. 

"We should use Raven in tha name," she nearly glowed with her beaming smile. "There's plenty we could do with that... depending on how ye want ta go. The Raven Loft is pretty. Or Bella Raven. Hell, we could do tha whole block if ye wanted... Ravenwood, Ravensbrook... Ravensport or Ravensbirth if ye wanted ta include tha dock/warehouse... it could be a thing!" 

Chewing her bottom lip, she eyed him nervously... hoping he'd like the idea. "What do ye think?"

He chuckled as she stole a spoon, smirking at the way she cleaned the cream from it's tip... About to make a bawdy comment, he paused and lofted a brow as her eyes widened... Was it a reaction? Could she not breath? The faint whisper that parted her lips didn't ease him as he started to rise.

"We should use Raven in tha name..."

Blinking, he slowly lowered himself back into his seat as his head tilted to it's side. Intrigued, he allowed her to finish, a smirking grin growing ever wider across his lips until they parted into a full smile.

"Ravenwood... We could make a whole block and call it Ravenwood. And the club? The Raven Loft... Brillante, la mia piccola tesora irlandese"

He stood and came around the table, grabbed her face and kissed both cheeks excitedly. "This is excellent, most excellent!" He gently caressed her face for a brief moment, staring down into her eyes, then released her face and returned to his seat.

"So, the nightclub... The Raven Loft. The block? Ravenwood. What all should we offer? Entertainment? We could build a playhouse, or even a picture theater... Maybe I'd have more time to see one if we owned it." He chuckled softly as he eyed her over the table. Shock was still on her face, even if she hid it well. He'd kissed her. Outright kissed her. Sure, it was on the cheeks... And it was an Italian thing... But still. His lips, her skin. It had happened.

Jokingly snapping a finger at her, he caught her gaze. "Don't dwell on that. I just got excited. You can dwell on the one later." He smirked.

Fin actually jumped as he snapped, as if the sound was somehow painful... like a stubbed toe or a bruising pinch. It took her a long few moments of blinking at him before the most fetching pink blush he'd ever seen washed over her, covering her from cheeks to shoulders. It wasn't so much that he'd kissed her... although that was pleasantly surprising in and of itself, even if it WAS just a cultural thing. The shock came because he'd gotten so close, and to her face no less. 

No panic, no flailing or punching, no knee-jerk defense... he'd put his hands ON HER FACE, and she didn't even react. That NEVER happened. No one touched her anymore. She couldn't let them. And it wasn't that she didn't want them to. In fact, she was desperately touch-starved. She LITERALLY couldn't let them. Whenever anyone got physically close, years of pain, panic, and programming took over with a life of their own. No matter how badly she longed for it, her brain simply and literally DID NOT let it happen.

Yet somehow, he'd manage to slip through those uncontrolled, instinctual defenses TWICE in a single evening. And it lit a cavernous hunger in the pit of her belly the likes of which she hadn't acknowledged in ages. It was disconcerting... and thrilling... and confusing... and wonderful. And so many things that she was wordless for a long moment, staring at him like he was some beautiful oddity... the most precious, frightening, wondrous thing in the whole world. And though she did, indeed, hide it well... she. was. RAVENOUS. 

Clearing her throat softly, Fin stared down at the napkin in her lap for a long moment before taking a deep, shaking breath. For a split second, he might think she was upset, but she was delicately beaming when she smiled back up at him. "I'm glad you like it," she nodded calmly, her cheeks beginning to pale as the flush faded. 

"I think there's lotsa things we could do, dependin' on how much ye want ta invest an' how much space yer planin' ta take over." 

She pulled a small bite of bread and nibbled at it rabbit-like as she continued, "I think the picture show is a nice idea. We could add a traditional theatre fer ballet an' opera an' shit... split tha buildin' fer an all-inclusive kinda thing. That could be nice... serve different interest groups an' whatnot. I think maybe a burlesque cabaret... or at least a cabaret night at tha club. But tha classy kind. None o' that lap show shite... at least not in tha main public area." She winked playfully as she stuck out her tongue. 

"We definitely need a restaurant. Somethin' nice like this. An' maybe an art... um... thingy," she waved her hand, unable to conjure up the right word in English. "An' then there's tha normal stuff. Could add a bank... or at least a loan broker. Maybe a newspaper or publishing house or like penny classifieds... or a bookstore? A nice little shopping area... maybe gelato. Once we get it off the ground, we could take business proposals for shops an' shite. An' if ye wanna go broad, we're close enough ta tha water that we could easily incorporate tha docks and warehouse... maybe even put up fer one o' them fancy fun piers. It could be big," she nodded emphatically, her eyes sparkling as she grew clearly more excited. 

Dom's smile broadened as she spoke. It could most certainly be big... And it should be!

"I like the way you think, la mia bella," he softly spoke as he leaned back in his chair. "Let's not extend our reach too quickly. We will start with the block. A loan office would be nice... We can figure out how that will work out. I also like the playhouse and the theater in a split. Perhaps we can do an underground playhouse in one of the basements, and turn the regular building into the theater? That would be interesting I think."

"Now what would we do for a restaurant? I like the idea of something upscale like this place... A place where people can go out on the town for a night to remember, yeah?"

"Now, a bookstore? It would be nice to have a place where someone can go and sit, read, enjoy some quiet time... Or even purchase some odds and ends to take home, including that new book. A shopping area would be great. We're going to need some help for sure. Now, for art, were you thinking like a museum for an exhibit? Or did you just want an art gallery?"

Dom smiled and looked up as the food showed. "We can finish plans later though. I like these ideas, but let's eat!"

Fin clapped her hands quietly as the food arrived. It looked and smelled amazing, and she was so famished that her mouth was literally watering. Bouncing lightly in her seat, Fin waited patiently for the waiter to place the plates... eyes wide in anticipation and silverware already in hand. As soon as the waiter backed away, she dove in without reservation. The lobster tail, while plump, was rather small and gone all to quickly in a sea of satisfied sighs and muffled moans. "Okay... the scallops were good, but this..." Fin rolled her eyes demonstrably as she slid the last bite across for Dom to try, "It's soo good." 

Switching from the chardonnay to the bordeaux, she eagerly cut into her steak... which she savoured much more slowly. Taking her time, quietly luxuriating in the pure culinary pleasure of the meal, Fin was quiet for a long while... simply enjoying her food... blissfully oblivious to anything outside their little table. 

Again, she saved the last bite for Dominique, sliding her plate across with coy smile as she downed the last sip of deep red wine. 

Folding her hands in her lap, she grinned sheepishly, waiting to take her cues from Dom as to whether they continued the conversation here or not. She hadn't seen dessert on the menu. Maybe that was separate? Or maybe he had other plans? 

Suddenly, she relized how excited she felt. And the thought made her giggle out loud. It was so refreshing to feel excited for once... to actually feel HOPE for the future... rather than just resigned dread. Maybe it was the wine. Maybe it was the evening. Maybe it was just the Coniglio charm. But... for the first time in a long time she was looking forward to the rest of her night.

Dominique chuckled as she bounced, and melted with her as he tried the lobster for himself. It truly was divine. The two ate in moderate silence save for the moaning of sparse F-I-O moments. As their meal came to an end, the waiter returned with another menu.

"Would the lovely couple care for a dessert?"

Dom shrugged and pointed to Fin. "That's up to the lady. Whatever she'd like. Me, however... Tiramisu would be great with a cup of coffee."

As Fin made her decision, Dom waited patiently until the waiter was gone.

"Okay, so, where were we? Bookstores, loan offices, playhouses and theaters, the club of course, and..." He paused as he thought back. "Oh yes, restaurants... What -kind- of restaurant? L.A. has an abundance of diverse styles... What would we cater to? I'm fond of Italian of course, and you can't go wrong with high class dining such as the dining car here. We could do either of those no question, but what about Spanish cuisine, Chinese? We can't very well mix all the styles in one place, but we could always offer different restaurants a chance to come in? What do you think?"

He sipped the last of his glass of red before moving to his water to cleanse his palate before dessert would arrive.