Charles sat outside the cafe with a cup of tea and a small wrapped package. He had found Raven's wedding gift and gone ahead to have it wrapped. The tea was a means of celebrating that purchase, he supposed, amused by the idea.

He was feeling pensive, thinking of those he'd met here, those whose lives were twined with his now: Peter most recently, Mattie, Erik and Anna, Raven of course, Lydia, Draco, young Angel, Dr. Cooper, others. Jack perhaps most profoundly.

How had he come to have such connections? He shook his head, chuckling to himself without being aware of it, before looking up, abashed, murmuring, "beg pardon."