Her bare feet twitched as they touched the cold concrete before beginning to fumble about for her slippers. A restless night's sleep and now cold toes? Could it get any worse? Yes, it could. She could still be living with her parents instead of out on her own. The re-purposed and refurbished warehouse wasn't so bad. She just needed to get used to it. She'd only lived here a week so far. It just took time to adjust. There had been many changes in her life recently. She'd just turned twenty three, her boyfriend of eight years had just dumped her for a leggy stage actress, her grandmother had passed away and left her a butt-load of cash, and she'd moved from the middle of nowhere to New York City. Things could definitely get worse, but instead they were getting better. Her toes finally found purchase in the plushy softness of her slippers and she yawned as she rose from the queen sized bed. Her new apartment was a loft style place in an old converted warehouse in Lower Manhattan.

She trudged down the stairs to the kitchen and set some tea to steep before shambling toward the bathroom. Her parents wouldn't believe it was their little girl who stared out of the mirror. Her waist length ginger hair was dyed candy apple red from the roots to about a foot from the end. She slipped on her chunky black framed glasses and stared at her blue eyed reflection. Based on apperance, she could see why her boyfriend left her. She wasn't anything special. There were curves to her figure, but not much. She wasn't gangly or curvy or a stick figure. She was just petite. Standing a measly five foot two, her body matched her size. She was small everywhere. After scrunching her face this way and that in the mirror, she finally gave herself up as average and continued with her morning. A breakfast of white tea, soft boiled eggs, toast, and Greek yogurt was followed by a quick shower. She slipped on a pair of black leggings that were more holes than fabric, followed by a net mini skirt and a white crop top. After braiding her hair, she added a red and black striped tie and her favorite cadet cap. A few choice pieces of jewelry and securely tied knee high Converse shoes finished the ensemble. Then she grabbed her backpack and camera before leaving.

Shortly after boarding the subway and on commute to work, her phone began to ring. 'Unsatisfied' by The Replacements began blaring through the subway car. Digging in her backpack, she found her phone and answered quickly. "Harley Quinnet, New York Sun." Her voice was soft yet clear. She listened for a moment before speaking again. "Yes boss, I'm on my way. I'll be there in about ten minutes." After listening a moment more she hung up and slipped the phone back in her bag. Harley Quinnet, or just Quinn to most of her friends, had been a journalistic photographer all through high school. Now she worked for the New York Sun, taking pictures of whatever, where ever, and whenever her boss told her to. Today it was going to be a performing arts affair in Central Park.

After arriving at work and grabbing her press badge from her office, Harley hightailed it to the park. If something was going down and she was getting paid to photograph it, she didn't want to miss anything. Her backpack thumped against her as she ran down one of the paths in the park. She had gotten directions to the event from a nearby bike cop. The performance was due to start in just a few minutes and if her luck held out, Quinn would make it just in time.

Zack had arrived on Earth only a few days ago. He quickly learned to hid his skin color. Fortunately his species was good at adapting. He had tried his luck in a smaller town, but strangers attracted took much attention. He decided that the big city was his best chance. There were more people there which encreased his chances of finding a mate. As he walked through the crowd he looked at his ring. It's had been designed by the scientist of his world to find women compatible with him. He didn't understand how the ring could tell him if a women of another species was his mate, but it was all he had. Suddenly the ring went from red to green.

Quinn skidded to a halt and looked at the crowd. The Delacorte Theater was packed and everything was about to begin. The steps down into the amphitheater were thankfully clear. She began a quick jog down the steps toward the bottom, her backpack continuing to bounce against her back. When a security guard attempted to stop her, she quickly flashed her press badge and pushed past him. The emcee took the stage just as Quinn pulled her Canon SLR camera from her bag. After flipping her hat around backwards, she got down to work. A shot of the emcee on stage, a shot of the crowd, a close up of the emcee, close ups of all the community leaders attending as the were introduced to the crowd. The camera didn't leave her eye for a good five minutes, and she didn't even acknowledge any of the other press members around her until then. A shiver went up her back suddenly and Quinn sighed. Shivers like that always meant change in her life. She wasn't sure she could handle any more change, but mental began to brace herself for whatever came next.

Zack carefully made his way through the group of people with cameras. His ring had narrowed his search to this small group. He watched his ring more then where he was going. He bumped into a beautiful red head. The minute his body touched hers Zack knew that she was the one he sought. His ring confirmed his suspicion when it changed fro!m green to royal blue. Zack studied his might. She was perfect. "Well this is a wonderful surprise."

Harley stumbled slightly when someone bumped into her, but managed not to cause a larger accident among the group. She quickly turned to confront her assailant in anger but stopped short. She didn't recognize him. Quinn thought she knew everyone in the press circuit but he was a stranger to her. She noticed he didn't have a badge just as he spoke, and it made her smile. It was more of a smirk than a smile, and she shifted her weight slightly to one side and put her free hand on her hip. "It's a surprise alright. A surprise that you got down here without a press badge. This area is for journalist and their photographers only." Harley gave him another quick once over with her eyes before turning back to the stage. She didn't have time to deal with the stranger, there was a job to do. Raising her camera once more, she began shooting as soon as the performance started.

(stupid server.... double post...)

Zack chuckled as his mate quickly dimissed him. So she was a photographer. Wasnt that just his luck? His mate could easily expose him to the world. He had know this mission would not be easy, but he had never expected something like this. It was clear he wasn't going to be able to get her attention until the event was done, so Zack found a place where he could comfortable watch her work.

Harley knew the stranger had left, but didn't have time to find out where. She couldn't figure out why it even mattered where he went. Shaking herself back to reality, she focused on the task at hand. The performance was just over an hour long and Quinn's camera rarely left her eye the entire time. Afterwards she had a quick talk with the Sun journalist, confirming that she had no other jobs until the political conference tonight. That meant she had an entire afternoon all to herself and she planned to enjoy it. She packed away her camera and began the climb back up the amphitheater steps. Slowly but surely, her mind wandered back to the stranger who had bumped into her. Who was that guy? Why did he keep popping up in her head? She didn't need another guy. Her life was finally getting on track and no man was going to mess it up. "Snap out of it Quinn." she scolded herself.

Zack followed his mate through the crowd. Now that he had identified her he would be able to find her but he didn't want to take a chance on losing her. He keep her in his line of sight. He watched he talked to someone. He was curious who she was talking to and why. He would find out with time. Luckily he was a patient man. He smiled when he heard her talking to herself. "Quinn. That is a lovely name. It suits you."

Harley jumped at the sound of another voice and looked up from her musings. The stranger was still here and had spoken to her. She ignored the comment on her nickname and quickly removed her press badge to hide her real name. "What are you still doing here? The show is over." She kept her voice calm to hide her agitation over him. Putting her ID in her backpack, she swung it over her shoulders and continued up the steps and out of the amphitheater. Quinn calmly set off back across the south end of the park. With no other work until the evening, she fully intended to pass the time at her favorite cafe, Argo Tea.

Zack shook his head. His mate seemed to be a very busy person. She asked him a question but gave him no chance to answer. He had to follow her. Eventually he would gain her attention. Hopefully he could do it without being arrested. Shevleadvhim to someplace called Argo Tea. Zack had never been to the establishment so he wondered what it was. "What a charming place."

Harley spun around so fast that her braided hair whipped from one side to the other. "What are you doing? Why are you following me?" She didn't want to make a scene and get thrown out by the owners, but this stranger was getting ridiculous. Once again shifting her weight to one leg, Quinn placed both fists on her hips and glared at him over her glasses. She knew that by now everyone in the cafe was staring at them. She was used to being stared at here for her alternative style, but this was something different. Quinn wanted to walk away and ignore the fact that this ever happened but she needed answers. Lowering her voice, she spoke again. "I don't like being followed."

Zack gave his msate his most charming smile. "Are you going to allow me to answer your questions this time?" He asked curiously. She had asked him several questions since he had found her,but she had never allowed him to answer them. "Let me buy you a drink and I will answer. If you don't take off on me." He teased her.he was hoping to make her smile.

Harley gave a huff of exasperation that made her bangs fly off her forehead and fall back to frame her face. She turned on her heel and stalked away from him toward the corner. "I'll have a tea sangria please." she called to the barista over her shoulder. Quinn gently set her bag down under a tall bistro table in the corner and hopped onto one of the barstools next to it. She planted her elbows on the table and her chin on her closed fists and quietly watched the stranger from across the room. Something was definitely off about that man, she just couldn't figure out what it was exactly.

Zack chuckled. He wasn't sure if she was accepting his offer or rejecting him once again. He followed her the register. He placed an order for tea. When he got his drink he went to sit beside her. "Is this an acceptance or a rejection? Because I don't know where to explain or not." Zack asked. He hoped that she would allow him to explain although he didn't know what he would say.

Harley picked at the fruit pieces in her drink for a moment before popping an apple chunk in her mouth. She stared at the stranger over her glasses while she chewed. After swallowing she spoke in a calm, quiet voice. "You aren't knocked out cold with a broken nose or in handcuffs being removed by police... Yet. I suggest you start talking." She didn't take her eyes off him as she plucked a grape from the cup and tossed it in her mouth. His explanation had to be good or she really would call the cops, after she punched him.

Zack tried to come up with something believable. The last thing he wanted to do was have her call the police. "I am writing an article on photographers in the area. I've been told your one of the best." He thought that might at least make her curious even to allow him to stay close to her.

Harley almost choked on the sip of tea she'd just taken. It was an effort not to laugh in the stranger's face. After taking a moment to calm down, she responded quietly. "I call bollocks on that mister. I know every photographer and journalist east of the Hudson. You're lying through your teeth, but you get points for the flattery." She smiled then, really smiled. She would bet all she owned that he'd never seen a single one of her photos. The thought made her smile even wider and shake her head in disbelief. "Now you want to tell me why you're really following me? Did Jackson send you? I already told his other buddies that I won't take him back."

"I don't know anyone named Jackson." Zack told her honestly. "I didn't way that I was from around here." He told her. He searched his mind for a paper that wasn't local. He need her to be curious about him. The more her talked the better his chances were of gaining her attention. "I am writing a book. Not a newspaper article. I want to encourage young photographers that there is still a future in photographs."

That last comment stopped her dead in her tracks. She looked at the stranger with a new spark of curiosity in her eyes. "Who says there isn't a future in photographs? Mister, if there weren't a future in photography I wouldn't have a job. What kind of book would say there isn't a future for photographers? Who are you?" she asked him. Quinn stared at him intently, her tea all but forgotten beside her hand. She reached instinctively for her loose hanging tie and the charm necklace that lay hidden under her shirt beneath it. Photography was her everything now. She didn't even know who she'd be without it.