to the rescue

Who: Ian and Shoshannah
Where: The Drake
When: late morning

Shoshannah should have been prepared for this. She'd been out since 2 A.M. last night and while she'd thought of it as a very productive first day out, her parents didn't agree. The fight itself escalated at around 9 A.M., causing Shoshannah to grab her jacket and a large duffel-bag, stuffing it with a pair of her favorite pajamas and a change of day clothes, her camera, her purse, and a scrapbook that she kept most of her developed photos in.

Still in the same ensemble that she wore the day before (right down to the black lace gloves on her hands), Shoshannah stormed out of the house...and consequently, slipped on the ice down her stairs. She picked herself up, attempted to wipe most of the rain water off of her, gave up, and headed to the street again. She figured there might be a bruise in it for her once she settled down enough to care, but right now she stood against the freezing rain, hand up in the air, hailing the first taxi she could.

She hadn't planned this out, but more so subconsciously told the driver to take her to The Drake Hotel as she settled in the backseat. Silently, Shoshannah fumed about her parents and the audacity they had to fight with her. She was twenty-two years old! Why wasn't she allowed a late night every once in a while? She'd made it home safely and unharmed, thanks to the kindness of Angelo (whom she didn't mention to her parents. She wasn't going to start thatfight with them if she could help it), so what was the matter? Luckily, she was drenched wet and angry enough to not feel her condition playing up. Shivering in the backseat of the cab, Shoshannah stared out the windows as the rain pelted down on the glass and created a blurry, foggy barrier between her and the streets.

It took her longer than she expected to make it to The Drake. She'd been in the car for an hour due to all the accidents on the road. Even the cab driver was taking it slow, a miracle in such circumstances. Her clothes were sticking to her, dry but awkward, by the time she got back out in the rain. She paid the driver, unaware of how much money she had in her purse at all, let alone that she would even need it to get into the hotel. She hadn't thought that far ahead.

With her bag, she stepped inside the lobby, slightly favoring her left leg. The spill had been minor, but she figured her leg might be sore for a little while at least. Waiting impatiently in the line at the desk, Shoshannah studied herself. She must look like one hot mess right now. Hopefully she'd at least have a bathroom to clean herself up with. It hadn't hit her yet just how unprepared she was when the clerk at the desk, a friendly enough woman, beckoned her closer. As she explained to the woman she just wanted to check in, but she didn't know what time she wanted to check out or even if she wanted to check out tomorrow, she could feel the woman staring at her. After all, how could she give this frazzled girl a hotel room if she didn't have a check out date in mind?

"Please? Just this once, can't you just give me a room and I'll let you know of a time for check out as soon as I figure it out?" She pleaded with the woman, who still looked unsure but asked for Shoshannah's name anyway. There was no recognition in the woman's face when she heard Shoshannah's name, possibly because she was new at the Drake. Being a Hagel would, under normal circumstances, probably allow you a room for your own use at the Drake, but because Shoshannah was just as clueless about her family history as the woman herself was, she didn't question it.

The clerk set Shoshannah's check out date as twenty-four hours from then and patiently waited while Shoshannah dug through her large bag to get to her purse. Then again when she dug through the purse. "How much did you say that was again? I'm not sure I have that much on me..." Great.

Ian couldn't help but notice the commotion coming from the front desk when he walked out of his office. Dolores was giving some girl a hard time, looking impatient while the girl behind the counter struggled through getting her purse out. Ian hated that, the way the dumb rock of a woman treated some of their guests like they were idiots, as if she had a right to accuse someone of being an idiot. "Dolores," he said to her as he approached the desk in his hotel manager tone. Of course when he actually looked at the girl in front of desk, even Ian didn't have the fake the look of surprise. "Shoshannah?" He'd assumed eventually he'd get her away from her father and his rules. That once he'd brought her into the fold of the family he'd use to his advantage. Instead here she was, with barely any work on his part.

Still frazzled, Shoshannah only stopped rummaging when she heard the voice behind her. She knew that voice. By the time she'd turned to see him, a sense of relief sparked in her. Surely Ian would help her! He'd been so kind the day before. "Ian, hello!" She removed her purse from the counter and dropped it into the bag on the floor, taking in a quick glance at the rumpled skirt of her dress before looking up at him again. He seemed surprised, but then again, why wouldn't he be? She certainly hadn't planned on coming back to the Drake today. "I'm..uhm...well, you see...I'm in need of a room but I don't really have the money on me and I don't have a real check out date set up." She cut her rambling short with a smile. "It was really nice to see you, but I should probably get going." And find a hotel where the clerk won't look at me like an imbocile.

"Shh," he said in his best soothing voice, moving closer to her. "You're fine." It was impossible not to notice the fact that she was still in what she wore the day before, and looking far less put together than she had. "Dolores, Isn't room 430 open?" It was a nicer suite, well out of her price range but she was a Hagel and Ian was willing to make this sacrifice to seal his deal on this. The woman behind the counter nodded to her boss, handing over the keys after a stern look. Reaching down he grabbed her bag, slinging it over his shoulder as he settled his free hand on Shoshannah's lower back, already guiding her away from the desk. "Come on, let's get you to your room."

This whole morning seemed to be happening very quickly. Before she knew it, Ian was leading her away. She barely paid attention to where his hand was, instead looking over her shoulder slightly at Ian. "Are you sure this is all right? I have the money, just not on me..." Technically, she didn't, her father did, but that was a different story and one she hadn't thought through completely. "You really don't have to bend the rules for me..." But even now she looked far less worried than just a few minutes earlier.

"It's fine, I promise." Ian was still using that soothing voice, guiding her into the elevator, not letting go of her once they were in. "Fourth floor," he told the operator, then turned his attention back to Shoshannah. "What happened? Are you alright?" This time he pushed it a little farther, reaching up to brush a lock of hair off her face.

In the back of her mind, she realized that Ian was still touching her, but politely she gave the Operator a smile and a thank you instead of thinking about it. It didn't take long for Ian to have her full attention again as she stared back at him, a blush creeping up on her face. "Me? Oh, yes, I'm fine." She promised, debating how to explain the events of her morning. There was no way around this one, so she might as well tell the truth. "I had a fight with my parents." Unable to physically move away from Ian, Shoshannah settled for glancing downward. "They weren't so keen on the fact that I came home so late last night." Among other things, including the fact that she'd left at all that previous morning. "So I decided that I didn't need to stick around just to hear them yell at me.

Ian closed a little bit more of the space between them, not quite holding on to her, but there in the event she wanted someone to. "I'm sorry to hear that Shannah," he told her, using the nickname she'd given him the day before. "Were they upset you were here?" Honestly Ian was more curious where else she'd been since she'd left him after lunch, but that would have to wait. The more important part was if he should expect Mr. Hagel to storm through his doors, demanding his daughter back. That would shift Ian's timetables up but he could make it work if that was the case.

Were they upset? That was an understatement. Her smile widened, but it wasn't as sweet or genuine as before. "Yes, they were upset. More than upset, I think, but I'm not sure if it was just because I came here or if it was because I spent the whole day out. I think it's mostly because I came home from the One More Round so late last night, but it's not like I did anything wrong." She shook her head a little. "I just needed to leave and clear my head. I'm old enough not to make my own decisions. I should be allowed to make my own curfew." Exhaling, Shoshannah caught Ian's gaze again. "This has to be boring for you."

He listened to her talk, nodding as if understanding. One More Round eh? That was exactly ideal for him, which meant he'd have to figure a way around it or at least a way to use it. "Not boring at all," he told her sympathetically as the elevator arrived on her floor. "This way," he told her hand at her back again, guiding her out of the elevator and down the hall. Once they were to her room he unlocked the door and held the door open for her. "After you."

"It's really kind of you to listen." She stepped out of the elevator with a little coaxing from him and stood patiently as he opened the door. The hotel room was beautiful and much more elaborate than she'd expected. After taking a quick glance around it, she couldn't help but step inside. The bad mood she'd been harboring since she stepped into The Drake was lifting, slowly but surely, at the sight of the hotel. "This is beautiful! You're really sure I'm allowed to stay here even though I haven't paid? You won't get into some sort of trouble, will you?"

"Shannah," Ian said with a little bit of tease as he followed her into the room, shutting the door behind him and moving towards the bedroom to put her bag down. "I run the hotel. What I say goes. You're my guest." He opened the double doors to the bedroom, pushing them wide, and moving in to set her bag on the bed. After setting it down he doubled back, heading for her.

Shoshannah was in awe. She felt like she didn't fit at all in this elegant room, looking like the mess she did at the moment. She took a few steps deeper into the room, shrugging out of her white jacket but still holding it in her hands. "Thank you for all your help, Ian. I don't mean to trouble you, I just didn't know where else to go." She watched as he came closer to her, giving him only a nice smile she she was sure that he could do only nice things. "I'm really thankful. I can get you the money for it as soon as possible."

Reaching out a hand he took her jacket from her, draping it across the back of an arm chair. "You're always welcome here, Shannah. I'm glad you came actually, I wanted to see you again." Ian's smile was gentle and sweet as well. "And don't worry about the money. If my apartment was bigger, I'd take you in there, but I'm afraid it's too small to keep up proper appearances." He offered her his hand to take. "You should sit down, you look exhausted. Do you need anything?"

Her hand found its way into his and soon she was sitting in the arm chair that her jacket was draped over. Now that he mentioned it, she was very tired. And this arm chair was really comfortable. Shoshannah could feel the exhaustion pulling at her mind, but she fought against it and searched for something to talk about, something to focus on. Did he say he would have taken her to his apartment? She felt an odd mixture of unease and flattery in his statement. "I'm glad to be here, actually. It's nice to be in a place where people treat me like I'm a capable adult and not a child." She sighed a little, leaning over in the chair to pull her shoes off her feet. "I think I'll be all right. I've already kept you from doing your job. I wouldn't want to bother you anymore, you've been so kind already."

"You're far from a bother Shannah. And really, helping out a beautiful girl is far better than whatever work I have to do." He paused, kneeling a little in front of the chair so he could see her better. "And I am glad you came by. I was going to call you today." Ian took her hand again, holding it in both of his. "Are you sure you're alright. Do you think someone's going to come looking for you?" I can let security know downstairs if that's the case."

Well, that was more than she expected. She stared down at Ian, holding his hand, and just tilted her head a little. "Who would come looking for me?" She asked, obviously confused. Her father would be the only one who might come looking for her and he was on call today so she doubted he'd come until later, if at all. The thought was strange in itself. She could actually get a security guard to keep her father away from her? She might need that for her mother, but her father only meant well. "I think the only person I'd have to be worried about is my Father and I don't think he'll be showing up today. You could really get me a security guard?"

He could actually just get her a goon, one of the lower family meatheads who were at his disposal. Probably his cousin Joey who tended to just do what he asked if Ian kept his mouth shut about the boy's coke habit. "Of course. If you think you need one, I can get someone up here. Or I can just keep a look out for your father downstairs."

Now Shoshannah was finally starting to think of the consequences her actions might cause. She'd really only just wanted one night away from them and their judgment, but what if her staying here caused a deeper rift between them? She shook her head a little, putting a smile back on her face. "Really, Ian, thank you for the offer but it's not necessary. If my Father shows up, I'll talk to him if I'm here. Besides, it's not like everyone here knows who my father is anyway so would they really know who they were looking for?" Shoshannah asked with a lightness to her voice. She was still so unaware of how involved her father was in this place.

"Fathers looking for their missing daughters are usually easy to spot," he told her with slight smirk. It was quite exciting that she had no idea about who her father was, what really went on here, and even more so...who actually ran this place. Ian squeezed her hand between his again, bringing it up to brush his lips across her fingers. "Get some rest Shannah, enjoy yourself. If you need anything at all, call the front desk and ask for me."

Again, Shoshannah blushed slightly, focused on Ian only now. This was the first time she could remember someone ever kissing her hand. It was generally just handshakes, but she wouldn't deny that the action was nice or that it fueled a little flutter inside a very girlish heart. "Thank you," She kept her voice soft as she spoke, now feeling sleep tugging again at her. "I'll try to leave you alone and let you do your job, though, but I really appreciate your offer. I'll let you know if I need anything."

"Let me know when you wake up, and we'll get something to eat," Ian offered, reaching up brush that lock of hair off her face again. This time he kissed her palm, a little more lingering, hoping to bring out another blush, and then stood to go.

Bringing out another blush wouldn't be hard, especially since Shoshannah had had a pretty evident lack of physical contact. Yes, she'd been on dates before and yes, she'd kissed before, but much more than that she hadn't experienced. "Sure, a lunch would be nice, but only if you're not busy." She insisted, standing as well. That bed was calling her name.

That was perfect, just what he wanted. "Never too busy for you," Ian told her with a voice that could only be believed as the God's honest truth. "Sweet dreams." With that he left the room, closing the door softly behind himself. Once outside he had to pause, just for a moment because he couldn't contain the wild grin that had broken out across his face. This was going to be fun.