One of the things which Gwen appreciated about Elijah was that he was attentive. She meant that quite sincerely, and not just in terms of being attentive to manners and so on, but actually in terms of paying attention. He certainly paid attention to the food she'd put in front of him, and that was something which pleased her immensely. Gwen appreciated the almost old-fashioned manners which Eli showed and she noticed that he was quiet until she'd finished speaking, but he nodded and acknowledged her words as they happened. As she tapped his number into her phone, Gwen smiled slightly. Not because she was glad to have his number - although she<i> was</i>- but because she was pleased that he had taken hers. Looking at him, one red eyebrow raised slightly and Gwen considered that hell itself would be frozen over before he called her to ask her to help out in a date. But, if he needed help from work or some such? Maybe.  And frankly, that would do.<br/><br/>She put forward an offer for them working together and, to her surprise, Eli came back with a counter-offer. Gwen considered it and then put her knife and fork down and looked at him. "Once the debt to you for the startup costs is covered, " Gwen said, thoughtfully, "then we go to 60-40. Until then, we have 40-40-20. Forty to you, forty to me, twenty to pay back the set up costs. Once we're even, then I'll go to 60-40. Fair?" She smiled at him and solemnly held out a small hand, placing it into his. "Partners," she said softly and there was a question in it when she did. Because if he wanted to back out, then he could. He'd offered his hand, and she shook it<br/><br/>Perhaps oddly, Miss Sinclair was out of her mind and Gwen looked at Eli with a genuine grin of delight. "I have a hundred ideas, you know." Her green eyes shone in delight. "Students, families, kids, all of these people need stationery. But I was thinking, too, that there's a market for schools." She shook her head, her red hair moved as she did. "I have a hundred ideas. If you talk to the accountants, I'll come up with ideas and cost them. We need to think about how we're going to market, too." Gwen's mind was reeling, suddenly, with possibilities.<br/><br/>"When can we meet?" Gwen thought about it. "If I'm going to leave work, then I have to work a four-week notice. So we can use that as set-up time?" She was about to say more, to launch into some ideas when a small voice, slurred from sleep, piped up from the doorway.<br/><br/>"Mom? Mr P? What're you doing here Mr P?" And there, in a pair of Superman pyjamas, rubbing at his eyes, stood Toby. His hair was wild and he looked confused as his eyes focused on Eli. "Why are you here when my Mom's in her jammies?" Gwen's green eyes widened and she moved, immediately, to kneel in front of her son.<br/><br/>"What is it baby?" Gwen asked and Toby looked at her with wide eyes, which suddenly brimmed with tears.<br/><br/>"I had a bad dream, Mom. There's a monster under my bed. Mr P? Will you kill it?" Gwen looked at him and shook her head. "Toby, there's no monster, I told you," but Toby wasn't having any of it. He stamped his foot. "Mom, you're a girl, you don't<b> get</b>it. There's a<b> monster</b>and it's under my bed. Mr P? Please?"<br/><br/>Toby looked at him with pleading eyes, Gwen glanced at him and gave a slight nod-slight shrug. It was up to him.<br/><br/>"Please?" Toby asked. "It's there, an' I know it's gonna eat me."