Continuing the Tour (Sam, Caleb, open)

[Samantha Montgomery]

"I was right." she said smiling even brighter when he smiled, " You're entire face changes when you smile..." and he was gorgeous, she could admit from purely an artistic view, when he smiled. She felt lucky to have his smile and on faith confided her secret.

"Caleb...professor Renneau..." she began, " Is my brother...well my step brother." she said with a small shrug, " I just...didn't want anyone to treat me different because I was a teacher's sister...I didn't want people sucking up or resenting me for my relationship with him. We're siblings, and we're very good friends."

[Ivan Kresimir]

He half blushed again at the compliment. He didn't take compliments well, especially when he felt that they were sincere ones. His smile didn't vanish completely but he wasn't used to smiling much and his mouth gradually reverted back to a normal expression, for him.

A very brief look of surprise and then relief flashed across his face before dissapearing however when she told him that the professor was infact her brother. To Ivan a step brother was as good as a blood brother in his eyes. He had not expected a family relation, and was odly relieved that his first conclusions had been wrong; And that his initial thoughts of Samantha had not been changed from when he'd met her.

"I understand, I know how it feels to be treated differently because of who you are related to." He didn't tell any more and wasn't about to. There were other people's secrets and not his to share. But he too knew what it was like to have people think badly of him or treat him differently because of his own family. He loved his sister dearly, but had been treated with cold indifference or even feared and hated when it became known what she was. But because of this he treated each person on their own merits and not on those perceptions that family could cause. Even his own cousin and legal guardian was not a family connection he enjoyed claiming himself, but for other reasons. Yes he knew what it was like and kept it all to himself. They were not his secrets to share.

[Samantha Montgomery]

"But you do understand then?" she asked tilting her head, she sighed, "Everyone's been getting such an awful opinion of my relationship with him I have to wonder if just flat out telling people that he's my brother woud be better than having people think what they do." She sighed "Well, if they ask me I will be honest about it, there's no use in lying, however pointedly not talking about it when not directly asked isn't so bad is it?" she asked with a half laugh at herself, "I'm sorry I'm rambling. But I do hope that sets your perception of me in a better light." she smiled, " I'd like to see your smile again, and less frowns for that matter.."

[Ivan Kresimir]

Ivan wasn't sure how best to respond to that last comment, so he didn't. He really was too shy in all honesty to respond. But he did reply to the first part of her ramble. He didn't really think she was rambling though. Ivan liked to listen.

"I think that people may be more understanding if of you being related than the appearance of impropriety with a professor. It's not normal you know to be so close to a professor. So I think maybe it depends if you wish to keep it a secret you should be less fond of him in public. Or you might want to reconsider that your reputation might hurt if you don't. But I'm sure you will do what you feel is right. I will not tell your secret for you." But he would defend her honor if he heard someone speaking ill of her about the professor, without even hesitating. He was just like that, and unless he had reasons to loose trust in their friendship then this would likely not change. Ivan wasn't used to saying so much at once and got quiet again when he'd finished.

[Samantha Montgomery]

"You know I think you're right." she sighed. Her smile in return was dazzling, she had many practiced smiles and it seemed that she smiled all the time, she was used to it after all, but when she looked up and smiled again at him it seemed as if she hadn't been smiling before because the radience of the next smile outdid the last.

"We'll give it a little while, see how well my wings fly without my brother, and then...when the questions roll in I'll be honest about who he is. I do love him, he's as close as blood could be, he's a good older brother." she nodded, "And I'm quite proud of him. I would hate for others to get an impression otherwise, or heaven forbid he thought that I was keeping him a secret because I was embarassed." she shook her head no, "As far as I'm concerned he's a gem for a brother." she nodded as if to set that firmly in stone but then it was only too easy to laugh at what she was saying and how much she was saying, she glanced apologetically amused at Ivan, "I'm sorry, I talk too much, I suppose you're easy to talk to." she smiled, "Strange isn't it? Alright enough of me talking, you brought up several very good points and I think I'll take your advice and simply tell the truth whenever the subject is brought up. " she nodded, "And now I'm done, it's you're turn to talk." she insisted, "I like the sound of your voice." it was deep and resonant.

[Ivan Kresimir]

Ivan was at a loss for words, which wasn't unusual for him in a face to face conversation. This time however he didn't blush, smile or frown... instead he considered and looked to be ..thinking for a long moment before finally speaking.


"Do you like to read or write, Samantha?" He chose a subject that he felt comfortable talking about... books, art, poems, literature... the written word was so much easier to deal with than talking. But at least talking about written words were easier for him than anything else.

[Samantha Montgomery]

Sams lips curved upwards at his change of subject, especially to something that was in her blood. Reading of course, and writing as well, both were so deeply embedded into her life she could probably spend hours and hours talking about it, instead she merely nodded, " I have a deep love for books, and the written word." she did run a magazine after all, and then read a surplus of books from her father's company.

[Ivan Kresimir]

Ivan gave a little tilt of his mouth into what was almost a grin, but his eyes were smiling. He enjoyed talking about books and loved to write, and he enjoyed the company of those who did also. "What is your favorite thing to read about?"

[Samantha Montgomery]

"Oh that's a hard one." she said frowning, "Everything." she announced, giving up on trying to choose one thing. She had a secret affinity for stories with happy endings, but that she would take to the grave. " The classics." she said then as if deciding on one sort of books, but she read everything that came to her father, or at least as much as sh ecould get her hands on.

[Ivan Kresimir]

Ivan could understand enjoying readying everything as she said.. and he enjoyed the classics as well. She was definitely more than she seemed, and he liked that. It was like discovering a new page of a book, you never knew what she'd say when you turned the page. Interesting.

"I like history the most I think, it's amazing what one can learn about the current and future by learning from our pasts."

[Samantha Montgomery]

"Oh?" she asked, she agreed actually but she wanted to hear more from him, "I think that's true in our lives as well, just thinking about our parents and small generations back, if we think about the decisions they made, and how they've affected us are we doomed or blessed to repeat their actions? History is everywhere in the making...I hope to be a part of it one day." she said wistfully but nodded towards him, "'What kind of History do you like?"

[Ivan Kresimir]

Ivan had a very seldom seen sense of odd humor and it showed when he said in an almost flat tone, "Oh that's a hard one. Everything. The Classics." He even managed a perfectly straight face that you'd never know he was mocking you if you weren't paying attention to what he said.

[Samantha Montgomery]

She stared at him with a raised eyebrow, "Are you teasing me?" she asked her hand going to her hip, but she was amused, she had a feeling that Ivan was really a good heart and she could laugh around him, maybe if she worked really hard she could bring him to a laugh, that would make her very happy.

[Ivan Kresimir]

Ivan looked at her with his most serious expression. "yes" It was all he said and all he did, as he waited to see what she would do.

[Samantha Montgomery]

"Two can play that game Mr. Kresimir." she said with a smile, she didn't mind that he teased her, there was no discernable malicious intent behind it as far as she could tell and if that was his way of having fun then she was fine with it.

[Ivan Kresimir]

Ivan's face split open in a big grin that went all the way to his eyes and his perfect white teeth even showed. It was a rare thing but it did happen occasionally when something struck him as truly funny. He waited until she opened the door since his hands were full and walked into the alleyway before he returned to his normal expression, except his eyes were still smiling at Sam.

[Samantha Montgomery]

She was surprised by that smile and her breath hitched, he was very handsome indeed when he smiled if a girl wasn't careful she could lose her heart, such sincerity, you would know when this man was happy or sad, he would not be duplicitious in his emotions,he offered so many great things and Sam wanted to be his friend, once in the alley way she paused, " I should wave down my brother...but I would be very happy if you would join us for the day...that is if you don't have anything else to do." she nodded, "Think on it please, I'll be just a moment." she disappeared then though her phoenix stayed with Ivan as if to watch him, she went back inside to wave Caleb and Lyra down.

[Lyra Newbury]

Lyra caught Sam coming in through the door. "Where did you go?" she questioned. She hadn't seen Sam leave, though honestly she wasn't paying much attention. She was too focused on watching the professor's reactions. He was hysterical.

[Samantha Montgomery]

"No where, just out, we're ready to go if you two are." she said with a slight smirk. She was amused by Lyra's attempts on her brother only because she knew nothing would come of it she waved them outside hoping they would follow.

"I bought all my stuff you two were slacking."

[Caleb Renneau]

"Sam!" he said after Lyra spotted her, "Where-" she answered before he could ask and then his mouth hung open, he wasn't slacking. He had been left behind and then put through an uncomfortable interrogation by a student. He sighed, "Sam." then chewing on his inner lip he followed her.

Then he saw Ivan and his brow rose, "And you are...a student I see."