Ethan and Averi's Flat

[Victoria Valentine]

"I never said I blamed you, dear," Victoria teased. "Please note that I don't eat the food they serve there myself?"

[Ethan Cheng]

"Duly noted. The XUBs are better for mingling the rabble anyway I guess," he joked. "Plus it's hard to screw up a draft beer."

[Victoria Valentine]

"It certainly is. Although I wouldn't know. In a few weeks, I may not recognize a good beer if it hit me upside the head. Which, I suppose, is likely to happen in the XUB."

[Ethan Cheng]

He winced, taking a seat as well. "Err, sorry about that," he mumbled, knowing that she rather enjoyed wine. Feeling awkward about the topic, he shifted the subject to "So, what's going on in the world of Victoria Valentine?"

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria just looked amused at Ethan. "Don't be so anxious, darling. Yes, I can't drink. Let me whine, let me moan, it'll all help me feel better. I fully expect you to keep drinking right in front of me."

[Averi Cheng]

She smirked over in Ethan's direction then sipped some of her orange juice. "It's been some time since we all went out and did something. Are you free tonight Victoria?"

[Ethan Cheng]

He eased up a bit, nodding at Victoria.

"Right, I guess it will. Averi's right though, I think dinner sounds like a great idea. If your schedule's clear, of course," he added, smiling a bit again. It was obvious that it might take him a while to stop being so awkward in the presence of his possible baby momma, but he was getting there.

[Victoria Valentine]

"I'd be delighted. My schedule is as free as it ever is. I may as well get some more time on the town before I start blowing up like a balloon, hm?"

[Ethan Cheng]

"Might be for the best." His smile was on partially forced. "So what kind of food is the baby wanting? I hope you're not at the 'pickles and ice cream' stage already."

[Victoria Valentine]

"When I do reach that stage, I'll be sure to call you to make you bring them to me," Victoria teased, obviously in much better spirits about things than she had been the last time they spoke. "I have no preference... the baby seems agreeable to just about every type of food, and trust me, I've checked."

[Ethan Cheng]

"I'll just keep sushi off of the list. No alcohol or mercury for baby Valentine. I guess French is still out of the question, too," he added, smirking.

[Victoria Valentine]

"Only so long as you have a functioning sense of taste," Victoria said teasingly.

[Averi Cheng]

Something about that made her smirk. "Well then, how about you choose where we dine Victoria? I'm sure you know some great places as me and my brother haven't got to explore much of London yet."

[Victoria Valentine]

"As a matter of fact, I do," she admitted. "I know of a particularly lovely Italian place, if you aren't adverse to dressing up tonight."

[Ethan Cheng]

((April 15))

Ethan unlocked the door, only barely figuring out the biometrics part to get himself inside.

"Averi. Averi! Where are you?"

[Averi Cheng]

Ethan didn't receive an answer but he could hear running water from the bathroom on Averi's side of the flat. "OW! Okay..perfect..!" She said finally pulling herself out of the bathroom, having successful wiped the away all the (if any) horrible flaws the years have given her. "Ethan..?"

[Ethan Cheng]

"Oh, good! I'm glad you're still here! Did you wake up not knowing where you were too?"

[Averi Cheng]

"Oh wonderful! That is you. Well, yes, I was a little confused. Everything's all off. My cellphone's date is all weird. This definitely is not China however my closest is filled with lovely dresses. Let alone.." She leaned back and peeked at the mirror. "I look a little older...ugh."

[Ethan Cheng]

"We've lost a few years' worth of memories. Or so I was told by this girl that knows both of us..."

[Averi Cheng]

"How in the world did that happen? And where are we then?" She huffed. "Father will have a fit.."

[Ethan Cheng]

"We're in London. It's 2022, and apparently we go to school here."

[Averi Cheng]

"That sounds boring. I was expecting to hear we were kidnapped..there's a ransom note for millions of dollars. You know, the usual.." She rolled her eyes.

[Ethan Cheng]

"Yeah, that's just what we need, on top of me getting a girl knocked up," he muttered.

[Averi Cheng]

She gasped and placed her hands over her mouth. "Did you really!? Does Father know? Well, I guess we wouldn't know that right now." She lowered her hands..then burst out laughing. "You're gonna be in so much trouble!!"

[Ethan Cheng]

He groaned, walking into the kitchen and pouring himself a nice full glass of some ungodly expensive Italian rosso. "He called me this morning, but he seemed pleasant. We didn't talk long, obviously, or I would've figured this out a little sooner. He said something about finally sending mom here, I think, but I was too groggy to understand." He took a good, long sip of wine, not bothering to enjoy the flavor.

"Either he found out a while back and got over it, or he still doesn't know. And she doesn't look all that pregnant, so I'm guessing the latter."

[Averi Cheng]

"What reason would Mother have to come to London? Just visiting up maybe?" That didn't make any sense to her.

"So he will totally beat you when he finds out? Is the girl even Chinese? We're in London..probably not.." She started to giggle.

[Ethan Cheng]

"No. She's...very white. And stop laughing! This isn't anything funny at all, damnit!"

[Averi Cheng]

She tried to compose herself. "You're right. It's horrible. My apologies." She said, hardly managing to hold back and snicker. "In any case, I suppose we should be more worried about this whole memory erase thing. Was it just us..?"

[Ethan Cheng]

"I don't think so. That girl, I think her name was-" he pulled out oh phone to check. "Yeah, Victoria. She knew just what had happened to us. I think it happened to someone else too."

[Averi Cheng]

"Oh fun. Well, I'll go along with my current plan of staying in the house." She nodded. "No reason to go out there and make a fool of myself or get in trouble."

[Ethan Cheng]

"I dunno, I sure was having a good time earlier."

[Ethan Cheng]

((June 10))

Ethan was in the kitchen, pouring some red wine into a cooking pot already filled with chicken broth, garlic, and flour, as he waiting someone in particular to wander in from her classes.

[Averi Cheng]

Ethan could hear Averi sighing before the door even opened. "Ugh. What an incredibly boring day," she lamented as he finally stepped inside. She sat her belongs on their coffee table and took a seat on the couch. "How was yours?" She asked as she turned her head around to glance in the direction of her brother.

[Ethan Cheng]

"Typical. Having to prepare for finals, again." He added a few more touches to the dish, then let it simmer with the lid on. "In other words, it was also boring."

[Averi Cheng]

She simply shook her head and glanced back at her brother. "No surprise there. By the way..just what are you making? It smells wonderful."

[Ethan Cheng]

"Coq au vin. Sort of. I know I'm not all that good at this cooking stuff, but I remember making dinner for Mother for her birthday last year, and even it was amateurish, I think she liked the effort. So I figured I'd practice making something for her when we get back."