#bergen_county

"You're a sweet kid, Connor, thank you" She gathers more practical items "Your parents must be very proud of you" A look to Jaymes thinking he must be the kid's dad

Frank gets them each a coffee.

"He's a good boy" Jaymes says without irony

Connor also reaches for the coffee.

Hope springs eternal!

Bunni takes it away "It'll stunt your growth. Don't you want to be tall one day like them?"

"Yes! They drink LOTS of coffee. It must help!"

Jaymes smirks at that, but Connor gets his favorite flavor icee /slurpee instead

"Blue flavor!"

SLURP

He watches Bunni going around shopping for a bit, trotting after her curiously.

She picks up boring stuff mostly, but now and then stops at the impractical. A cheap romance novel on a rack makes her gaze at the cover, wistful

"Bunni, I'd like to arrange a meeting for you with a social worker. See if we can get you a place to stay, get you set up."

"Others need it more" She says "Seen the shelters. They're packed"

"You know, I just realized... how long have you been here?"

"I told you last time I thought? A bout a month?"

"Right, right. A month is a long time on the streets."

Connor tugs at her arm a little. "Scuse me."

"I get by..." And she turns "Yes?"

His head tilts to one side curiously. "Where's Adam?"

"He's been gone an awful long time. But you were his best bestest friend. So if anyone knows, you would."

Frank frowns, and then sighs.

"Did he go small when you went big? Like a teeter totter switcheroo?"

"Adam? Adam who?" She says looking very confused

"Connor." Frank says.

"Adam! Tall, sometimes he has hair and sometimes he's BALD, he wears red and silver, and you're always smoochin'." Nose wrinkled a bit at that, but good naturedly. "Lilly misses him even though she doesn't want to say, and she's my bestest friend. Well, next to Jack, and Lane."

"Oh, yes. I'm Connor! But we did names earlier." Graciously to Frank, who seems to have forgotten.

"I... you know the guy I used to kiss?" She touches her lips "he.. he was real?"

"What's Real?"

Frank sighs again and looks at Jaymes.

"Bunni, let Jayme have those items and he'll ring them up. And then we might want to have a talk." he says gently.

Jaymes says "Connor, Bunni is still adapting"

"I..." A shake of her head and Bunni brings the things to the counter

"If you want her to remember, you need to use glitter." He says in a stage-whisper to Jaymes, rolling his eyes at the silliness of the grumps missing the obvious.

Frank crouches down to meet Connor's eyes "I know, Connor. We're going to let Miss Brekke decide, though."

"Foo. That's no fun for me." A small pout, but acquiescing.

"Thank you."

Jaymes rings up the items and bags them

Frank pays for everything. "Can I walk you back, Bunni? And, if I can find a spot for you, will you consider more permenant lodgings?"

"I think no... I'll be fine" SHe takes her things looking troubled, she says "Adam .. adam.." And she races off with items in her bag

"Byee-eeee...." Connor waves, disappointed that she's leaving.

and once shes' gone, Jaymes says "Is that who Connor said?"

Frank rubs the base of his horns. "Yes."

"Listen, though, we're not makig a big deal of it until after Brekke talks to his family. Ok?"

"Of course! You can't make a big deal right away. It takes time. You have to bake a cake, and get balloons, and put up the streamers..."

"I've asked Lord August to send me records from EarthRunes. Just to brush up on the details. Thing is, Connor, Adam hasn't been seen. Just Bunni. And Bunni, you have noticed, isn't a chimera now. So we need a little time to figure things out."

"Oh, I noticed THAT. But that just happens sometimes."

"How is this possible?" Jaymes shakes his head

"Like Siv!" He suggests, helpfully.

"Maybe you just need to WANT it enough."