Paris, Dresses, Rockets and Brunettes.

There was something magnificent about the French capital. Elijah adored seeing the familiar sites of the city he could truly call home. The most interesting thing was Khaat's desire to see it. She was after, to his knowledge, clothes and he'd decided to tag along. He needed to go anyway and the company was much appreciated.

Arnold had owled Elijah a couple of nights before, requesting his presence at the gallery. According to the moustached, bloated Frenchman, Elijah was due a pay day. And who was Elijah to deny the man a chance to get his own pay-cheque. So, he'd decided to go. Without fail, today Arnold would get his cheque.

The taxi they were in, pulled over by one of the parks and Elijah opened his door. He got out and stepped onto the pavement. He closed the door and reached for Khaat's. He opened it up and grinned at her.

"You alright there?" He questioned gently.

"Paris is so beautiful," she said happily. "I usually only get to see it after dark--which isn't bad, but I dont' ever get to shop. So--I know you're all into beautiful little girls. I really want to find a couple of dresses for Abbey and Dakota. One for their first birthdays and one for Easter. I'd have asked Chris to design something, but the last I saw him, he was so hormonal." She stepped out of the cab and breathed in the spring air. Even the air was different here somehow.

"So, I hope that you'll come to their birthdays. You're welcome to come for Easter too if you like. I don't know what you and Chase have planned, but you know you're always welcome. Angus is planning a spread like you wouldn't believe. He's going to either have to use magic or hire help. Can you believe he is going to make the table longer to fit all the food? Oh, and he talked Brian into buying a sideboard too."

She opened her bag and pulled out a pad of paper that had a list several pages long of things she wanted. Half the list was for Easter and half the list was for the girls' birthdays. She even had a list of people she wanted to buy Easter gifts for on a completely different list, and a list of specialty food items that could only be found in Paris on yet another list. And with Brian's credit card in purse, along with her own card, she was all set. She didn't know if she wanted Eli to see how endlessly long the list was, but then again, Eli was far from stupid.

"You know," she said to Eli as they walked down the street, "I really would like to have about a dozen kids, but I know if I did, Brian would think I lost my mind, and Rob would just go ahead and lose his. No doubt about it. But I really do love kids."

When Khaat mentioned Easter, Elijah blinked at her. He shut the car door before reopening the front one and grabbing his bag. He hit the top of the taxi when he was finished and watched it drive off before turning to his guardian to listen to what she had to say. Easter was still rolling around in his head. He never celebrated that. No one in his family did. He doubted if any of them actually knew what Easter was about. He certainly knew he didn't. He hadn't made a point to listen in the Muggle studies classes he'd taken at Durmstrang.

"Like...spring dresses?" Elijah queried, wondering if it would be an idea to get something for Fauve. Knowing his grandmother and his aunt, however, she probably had a wardrobe ready for the next fifteen years of her life. Still, perhaps a piece of jewellery would be more appropriate. Well, not necessarily appropriate but better. She didn't need more than one of the same item of clothing. That would have been obscene.

The fell into step and began to wander up towards the market place. That was the best place for foods and nicknack's. It was where Elijah got his crepes every morning while he was there. It was right by the river too. Well, a few streets away, but it was close enough. Elijah could smell the pastries from where he stood.

When Khaat spoke about the amount of children she wanted, Eli couldn't help but smile. He nodded in understanding. He knew what she meant. He wanted a house full of his own children. He wasn't far off from reaching that goal either. He wanted more though, as many as possible. More and more until he could barely remember all of their names.

"I don't think Chase would be willing to turn out as many children as I'd like." Elijah laughed. "Still, I can dream. I'd like to see every room in the manor filled. I want to have enough children to have hundreds of Quidditch teams." Elijah smiled. "A bit of a tall order but I think I could convince her."

Khaat laughed. "Yeah, but it would be fun trying," she smiled. She frowned slightly. Did she smell food? Well, and why not? Paris was loaded with those little street cafes. Khaat didn't get to see them much. They were generally closed when she was in Paris. And she didn't usually come for food anyway. But, something smelled delightful.

"Alright," she said, "Where is it? I can smell it. Warm pastries. Warm sugar. Where is it? It smells wonderful." Her stomach growled uncharacteristically loudly. "Sorry, coffee evidently isn't quite enough this morning. I presume you might know exactly where that great smell is coming from?" She felt like eating breakfast now. Something loaded with sugar perhaps.

"I think food would be a good thing, especially since I do have a lot of shopping to do," she said, "And yes, I was thinking of spring dresses. Brian and I are thinking about an easter egg hunt in the grass for the girls. You could come and bring your kids if you want. They're a lot of fun. We hid eggs full of candy, toys or coins in the grass--or in the house if its raining. They love looking for them and seeing how many eggs they can get. Muggles use plastic eggs, but we use mgaic eggs--and the older the child is, the more ornery the eggs are to catch.

"The egg hunt is usually followed by a big dinner. Americans follow that by either lawn games or by watching baseball. Seems they are particularly fond of that. When I was a kid we usually spent the afternoons outside. Seemed like no matter how many afternoons we had to go outside, we never had enough. There was never enough time and never enough adventure. I really want my kids to know what that feels like. I don't want them to know how cruel our world can be until there is no other choice. I'd like to protect them from that as long as I can.

"Anyway,...maybe food first and then dresses?" She was very reluctant to show the pages of thing she needed. Truth be told, this shopping trip, on her part, might take several days if left to her own devices.

Ah, the sweet smell of Parisian pastries in the morning. How Eli adored it. He couldn't help but smile as the smells strengthened and grew sweeter. A spring emerged in his step and he did all he could to ensure he didn't bounce along the path in anticipation. He could hear the laughter from the park and, looking over the hedge, he could see children playing in the shade of one of the trees.

They too could smell the pastries. One of them had stopped to count his Euros before declaring that he would treat them all to a Paris Brest. Elijah was fairly envious of the boy. He would have loved to be able to do that as a child. The only thing he could do was get the tram into town and even then he couldn't stay long. Stelladora would call the police the moment she found that he was missing. That was why he often had to have Alice over. He couldn't leave the grounds and he hated it.

Elijah assumed the women over by the fountain were the mothers of the children. That was before he had a closer look though. Upon taking another glance, Elijah realised that they were models. How had he missed the shear clothing, the boots and the rather skimpy articles of dress? He shouldn't have but he had, much to his dismay.

The models made Elijah stop and stare. He wasn't impressed with any of them for none of them stood out but he hadn't realised what a sight they truly were. There was a contrast, light and the dark. The children were light and innocent, the women were dark and tainted. In that instant, Elijah grew to hate everything they stood for. Not only that, but he hated the way they were used.

Khaat's food tirade broke Elijah from his thoughts and he turned to her, a small smile on his lips. She'd noticed as well. Craving the pastries wasn't uncommon. The smells were intoxicating. A few whiffs and you were caught; you just had to have one -- or five. Elijah knew exactly what she wanted and he was impressed. The one smell that stood out among the rest -- chocolate crepes.

"The stall is this way," Elijah told her, gesturing with his hand in a vague direction to the north-west. "Guess who owns it," he sent a grin her way and set off once more, winding quickly through the people all heading the same way.

Food then dresses was the best move. Then after the dresses, Eli would go and see Arnold.

Khaat laughed. Eli had a huge sweet tooth, and he lovved all things French. So what better investment for all that art money than in a shop that made French pastries. No, if Eli owned it, they would make exceptional pastries.

"You really can be a bit tease, you know that?" She laughed. "I can't wait. The closer we get, the better it smells. I would presume too, then, that you certainly know not only where the best shopping is for little girls' dresses, but maybe the best chocolatier as well? It isn't Easter without enormous quantities of chocolate. All sorts of it. Easter is about spring in every way you can celebrate it. Flowers, candy, food, bright colors, eggs, all sorts of things. And I want to make it a holiday to remember."

When they turned the corner and she knew she was actually seeing the shop that made such wonderful things, she smiled. It could not look more as if it had come from her imagination as if someone had robbed her off that very picture. It felt like she had seen it before somehow. And she knew it would be wonderful

"Well, maybe I an get some good French Roast for a change. Or maybe some espresso. Either one. You'll have to tell me what the best is because I'm starving!"