"You and me, up in the mountains for a good flight?"

Madison's face beamed with happiness. Her only shifter friend was ground-based, so the idea of actually getting to fly with someone and not be afraid was exhilarating.

Heda realized instantly that she'd made the right suggestion.

“Nine o'clock?"

"I can't. I work until midnight, but after that would be good."

“Cool. I'll pick you up after work." She kissed Madison again, albeit more briefly. She loved Madison's lips, and loved the way she smelled.

“If you two are QUITE through," Joanna said, “we're going to Starbucks. You can suck face more when we get there."

"Billy?" Madison asked, feeling stupid as she talked out into space.

"Yes?"

“Are you two going?" she said, still planning her revenge for them setting her up.

“I guess we could, if you promise not to try to hurt us."

‘Damn!' Madison thought.

“Okay. You have a twenty-four hour reprieve."

"Cool!" Joanna said.

“Hey Madison, you wouldn't happen to have a handicapped parking sticker would you? That would be so -—"

"Joanna!" Heda said, almost outraged at the callousness of it. But she knew her roommate didn't have a bigoted bone in her body. She just had no off-switch.

"Joanna," Madison started as if she were about to explain rocket- science to a seven-year-old, "I'm legally blind. Do you understand why they might not give me a special sticker for my CAR?"

Joanna's eyes scrunched up, obviously not particularly humbled by Madison's comments.

"Good point." She smiled again.

"Okay, let's go."

"She needs less caffeine," Madison muttered, "not more."

"She hasn't had anything but water for hours," Heda told her.

"This is her ‘toned down' if you can believe it."

Madison shuddered, then allowed herself to be escorted into Heda's jeep. Keeping up the illusion of being completely blind was beginning to grate. It hadn't been a problem before, because she never had enough people around for it to matter. In her radio booth, it was just her, Billy, and the anonymous masses. She had told Heda that she needed time, but maybe . . . Madison lost herself in thought, but smiled instinctively when she felt Heda take a moment to grip her hand before starting up the jeep.

“What the hell was I thinking?" Madison replied, pacing the short length of her broadcasting booth. Billy was on the other side of the glass, so she couldn't pick up his facial expression, but she was pretty damn sure he was taking no end of delight in her predicament.