Chapter Twenty-one

Mark watched for a while as Keith washed her hair and started to work on it. He could see she was becoming comfortable with Keith. She even giggled sometimes when he made a joke.

Mark knelt down next to her salon chair when Keith was searching for something in his drawers. "Will you be alright if I step out for a second?"

Dawn's eyes twisted as she pouted. "You're going to leave me alone? Here?"

Mark frown at hearing the panic in her voice. "You're not alone. I'll just be a few shops down and be gone for no more than ten minutes. Please don't pop out of here while I'm gone. Please?"

Dawn timidly nodded. "I promise I'll not 'run' to your place while you're gone."

"I want to get you a surprise. I'll be right back." He rose and kissed her lightly on the lips before he turned to Keith. "Don't scare her please."

Keith grinned. "Wasn't planning on it."

Dawn watched Mark walked out of the salon. He smiled sweetly to her at the door and as he walked passed the front windows of the shop.

Keith did all he could to keep her from thinking about Mark not being there with them. But he knew she was having difficulty. She had retreated into a shell. She didn't giggle at any of his jokes anymore or seem to be into any of the conversation.

The second the door chimed, she was looking up and seemed to brighten up when she saw Mark walk in. Keith was putting the finishing touches to her hair. A few more sprits of hairspray and he declared her done.

Mark smiled with his hands behind his back. "You look amazing my beauty." He saw her blush which made him give her a cocky grin. He glanced to Keith. "Was she alright while I was gone?"

"She didn't laugh at my jokes." Keith pouted. "And they were really funny too."

Dawn looked down. "I'm sorry." She whispered feeling like she let Mark down while he was gone. She just missed him so very much.

Mark knelt down in front of Dawn and brought his free hand around to hold her hands. "It's alright. You don't have to feel sorry for not laughing. Would you laugh if I emptied a whole can of mouse on Keith head?"

Dawn started to giggle with a hand over her mouth. "Is that all I had to do while you were gone?!" Keith asked amused. "Or was it Mark willing to do it?"

Dawn point to Mark. "Guess there's your answer. I brighten her up. I bet she just needs time to let everyone else in." Dawn nodded. Mark smirked at Dawn. "Would you like your surprise?" Dawn bite her lower lip and nodded.

Mark smiled brightly as he brought a bouquet of flowers out from behind him. He watched her eyes light up as she looked at the flowers he laid into her arms. There were white calla lilies, red roses, and deep purple orchids. She had never been given flowers before.

Dawn smiled genuinely at the flowers. "They're lovely." She held them to her as she looked up at Mark.

"And that makes it worth it beyond my imagining." He held out his hand. "Shall we start our date?"

"What about the...?" She touched her hair.

"On the house honey, so don't worry." Keith said with a goofy grin. "Though tomorrow I am charging your boyfriend there."

"But wouldn't you charge me?" Dawn asked before she could stop herself.

Keith smiled seeing her opening up even just a little. "Nah-uh. He made the appointment, so he has to pay."

Dawn looked at Mark who was smiling. He knew Keith would do that. Keith told him so over the phone as he drove Dawn here. Its just the way Keith likes to work. Guys pay while girls play.

Mark took one of her hands and kissed it like a gentleman. He raised a eyebrow at her. "Shall we?" He quarried again to receive a shy nod from her.

They said goodbye to Keith and the receptionist as they left the salon. Mark had told her about Keith. That he was best friends with both Angel Kat and Patience. Angel Kat had helped to fund the shop with her husband Darien's help. Dawn found herself listening to the stories Mark told her even about how Keith was there for Patience when Mark had hurt her.

"Did you read any of this in the paper?"

Dawn shock her head. "I kept to myself and even forgo the news for the sake of my sanity. If I stayed out of other people's business, they would stay out of mine. Or so I thought. Worked for fifty years until you showed up with a camera in your hand."

Mark smirked and kissed her hand that he held while he drove. "I am very sneaky, aren't I?"

"So sneaky that I didn't realize that you had snuck behind the walls around my heart."

Mark smiled and then heard the song that just started to play on the radio. He turned it up just before the lyrics sounded in the air. Broken by Seether featuring Amy Lee. That seemed to match them so nicely. He felt broken when she was taken away. And he thinks she felt broken when he had gone away for a few minutes to get her flowers. Even knowing he was coming back, she still missed him terribly.

To his surprise Dawn started to sing along with the song. He smiled as he joined her. She was blushing hearing them sing the song together. He was feeling that she felt connected to the song too. They were both broken and were being healed by the other.

Mark pulled in front of the restaurant he thought she would like to visit. This quiet place was known to feel very private. It was fancy yet not overbearingly so. He figured she would feel comfortable eating here for their first date. He even called ahead to make a reservation while he got her flowers. Though to be truthful, he was planning everything all day and just needed to time to take action.

The valet attendant came around to the driver's side door and opened it for Mark as another opened the passenger door for Dawn. The valet was about to hold out a hand to her when Mark placed a hand on the guy's shoulder and gave his free hand to her. She didn't hesitate to take Mark's hand and let him help her out of his car.

She stayed to his side as they walked through the wood and glass doors of the restaurant. She just let him guide her in. She still held her flowers using them to hide behind a little. She loved their fragrance. So soothing and sweet.

"Welcome. Do you have a reservation?" The hostess asked. Dawn looked to Mark concerned, but he just smiled down at her.

He turned to the hostess who was fairly pretty but too skinny for his liking. She looked like a twig in her straight black dress. "Yes we do. Under Darlene."

The hostess blinked realizing who he was. She seemed to take more of an interest in Mark as she smiled. "Ah...here we are. Right this way Mr. Darlene." She turned very dramatically and led them through the dining room. She seemed to give emphasis as she pushed her breast forward when she turned back around to show them their table. "Here we are. If you need anything, anything at all, don't be afraid to ask." The hostess stated looking Mark in his eyes.

Mark groaned softly as he took his seat after helping Dawn with hers. "I am so sorry about that. They never stop when they realize who I am. Its getting really annoying."

His eyebrows shot up when he saw Dawn smiled lightly. "You like me saying that?" She nodded as a blush tinged her cheeks. "You are far more beautiful than a million of them. They're just too skinny. I like a woman who's not afraid to eat everything off the plate. The women now-a-days are too caught up in trying to be as thin as possible." Thin as a tooth pick was how he saw them.

Dawn giggled at his choice of words. "Oh. Did I make you laugh? Was it me saying 'now-a-days' by chance?" Dawn nodded as her cheeks darkened.

Mark set his elbow on the edge of the table and rested his head in his hand. He was smiling at Dawn. She was happy with him. He had made her laugh because he had sounded older than he as if he was just like her. There never was an age gape between them. Just the fear that there was on her part. He was happy that she was seeing there never was to begin with.

They were so distracted at trading glances at each other, that the waiter had to clear his throat to gain their attention. "Is there anything I can start you both off with first?" The waiter looked to Dawn first. "Miss?"

"A glass of red wine and a glass of unsweetened ice tea with no sugar." Her voice was soft. So soft that they waiter blushed.

The waiter cleared his throat against the lump that had formed. "A-and you sir?" The waiter cringed internally that he stuttered. Her voice had been so sweet to hear that he became nervous.

Mark held back a chuckle at the waiter's reaction. "I'll have the same." The waiter nodded and scurried away feeling a bit embarrassed by his reaction to her voice. Mark had a nearly permanent smile on his face as he looked at Dawn. They both caused reactions in others.

"Why do you keep staring like that?"

"I can't help it. You're just so amazing. Even the waiter almost fell to your feet just by the sound of your voice." Mark had watched the waiter to make sure the guy hadn't over step any bounds. Mark was ready to defend his lady if the need arouse. She was his girlfriend after all.

"But I barely spoke." Dawn shifted in her plush seat uncomfortably.

"All be that as it may, its the sweet sound of your voice that makes people's knees weak. The day we meet, I just wanted to hear your voice knowing it would be the sweetest sound I would ever hear."

Dawn's blushed filled her face as the waiter returned with their drinks. "And have we decided on entrees?"

Dawn bit her lip when Mark looked down at his menu. He held his hand to his mouth trying not to burst out laughing at the shimmering words. "Does this mean you would like me to order for you?" Dawn looked shy and mischievous at the same time as she nodded.

Mark sat up a bit straighter and turned to the confused waiter. Mark had to swallow his laughter and order with a grin on his face. "We would both like the grilled steak with seasonal veggies and lemon butter sauce."

"And how would you like them cooked?" The waiter glanced between the two.

Mark smirked. "Medium?" Dawn nodded. "Both medium. Thank you." They both presented the menus as Mark had a thought. "Also, the mozzarella fritters for our appetizer." The waiter nodded and left not as dazed as he was before when Dawn spoke.

"Did you have fun showing off to me?" Mark asked taking his admiring position again.

"A little. I didn't want for him to be stunned again by my voice." Dawn finally set down her flowers on the table and took a sip of her wine as Mark did the same. "Was it alright?"

"Perfectly alright." He cocked his head to the side. "What is your gift by the way?" He had been constantly curious about it since she mended his armoire.

Dawn looked down at her hands as they rested in her lap. "Well..." She swallowed to give her time to phrase it right. "I have come to think that I can manipulate reality."

"Reality? That's kind of broad."

"It's the only thing I could think summed up what I can do the easiest." She sighed. "The reality of a wall is to separate an individual from the space passed it. I can alter its reality so I could walk through as if it were a bridge that connects to another space." She looked up to Mark. "Does it make any sense?"

He smiled. "Yes. I see what you were trying to say." He leaned forward a bit. "You know that scientists have been trying to do what you can do."

She tilted her head to the side. "Really?" She asked curiously.

"Yes really. Don't you read any science fiction books?"

She shook her head. "Mainly romance novels." Her face went red again. Mark just smirked and thought how cute and perfect she was when she got embarrassed about telling him something else about herself.

Their night was perfect for the both of them. They talked and really got to know each other. Dawn couldn't believe that the more Mark told her about himself, the more she felt connected to him. The more her walls cracked and points of light streamed through the cracks. She was relaxing and being more comfortable with being around Mark.

Mark loved that he was seeing Dawn smile all night. They mainly talked about nothing in particular. Just talked. He felt like a schoolboy who found a favorite subject and couldn't stop asking questions or answering them when Dawn spoke her curiosity. Which was quite often with him now.

They had ended the night cuddled on his couch watching a movie on the TV. She had her legs draped over his with her head leaned on his shoulder. He had one arm around her back to her waist. His free hand held onto her thigh to hold her to him. Both had taken their shoes off when they got to the condo.

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