"I've used it for magic before," Harry said with a shrug. "Besides, it's a good project."

"Interesting," Bahiti said. "Now explain it to me as if I were someone with a basic elemetary-school-kid's understanding of magic." She grinned. "What does it do? Is it like a mirror of Chicago proper?"

"Sort of," Harry hedged. "I built it, and I have to keep it updated. When I use it right, anything that happens in Little Chicago is mirrored in Chicago proper."

"The other way around, too?" Bahiti asked. "Anything that happens in Chicago proper shows up in the model, too?"

"When I have it connected properly, yes," Harry agreed. "Most of the time it's not connected, because it's kind of complicated and takes an insane amount of energy to keep it connected for too long."

"But it's a fascinating theory," Bahiti said. "I'll have to get Tam sometime to tell me what all she's read before about magic so I know what you're talking about most of the time."

Harry snorted. "If you want to know, you'd be better off asking Bob," he said. "He's used to explaining things. Just pick up a few romance novels and he'll tell you whatever you want to know."

Bahiti raised an eyebrow.

"Tam's got the stash of romances, not me," she said, grinning a bit.

"There is a bookstore a few blocks away," Harry pointed out with a grin.

Bahiti rolled her eyes, ignoring her sisters in her head tittering that she was flirting with him.

Harry shook his head after a few moments. "Well, if you have questions, you can ask me."

"I think I'm good for now," Bahiti said. "But if I think of anything, you'll be the first to know."

Harry nodded and just relaxed for a bit.

Which is when Christine decided to text. We got to New York safely and I'm taking over their couch.

Bahiti was actually surprised her phone was still alive, and she opened it to read the message.

Chicago is nice. At Harry's place right now. Harry's too-pretty brother is an incubus. -B

Wow. An incubus? Really? That's a new one. Christine shook her head, flopping across the couch and wiggling a bit to get comfortable.

Way too pretty, all pale and dark hair and everything. Bahiti had to pause a few times in her texting while she waited for her phone to stop freaking out, but she managed to get the message to send.

See if you can take a picture. If your phone doesn't die. Christine paused when she noticed Cal and Niko moving around the apartment, getting settled in again. At least she was out of the way. Awesome kitchen here by the way, huge and roomy.

Bahiti grinned.

Just your size, then. She pushed a couple of buttons on her phone and grinned more when she found the phone still worked. She glanced at Thomas.

"Christine told me the equivalent of 'pics or it doesn't count', so may I?" she asked, holding up the phone.

"Go ahead." Thomas grinned, sitting there so she could get a good picture of him.

Harry snorted at both of them and shook his head.

Thomas waited until after she'd taken the picture to glance between Harry and Bahiti. "Christine?" She hadn't been mentioned yet.

"Housemate," Bahiti replied as she sent the picture to Christine. "We lived with her up until the whole thing in Pittsburgh. My sisters and I, I mean."

"Is she... like you?" Thomas made a vague gesture, raising an eyebrow.

Christine got the picture and whistled quietly. Hot damn. If none of you want him, I'll take him.

He's probably taken.

"Ah, no," Bahiti replied. "No, she isn't part of a Tryad."

Well damn.

"Is she normal?" Thomas looked at Harry.

"No, she's not."

"Oh, good, if I ever meet her I won't have to pretend to be French." He grinned.

"She'd be able to tell, anyways," Bahiti said, waving a hand. "She's more sensitive to such things than we are, she'd know." She paused. "Wait. You pretend to be French?" She snickered. "No way."

"At the salon." Thomas grinned and turned on the horrid French accent. "Isn't that right, 'Arry?"

Harry just groaned.