Cassandra turned to look at James though it was hard to tell if she was actually looking at him behind the dark sunglasses. Her security detail had no problem letting him through to stand next to her. In fact, they even surreptitiously moved a little farther away from the pair to give them a modicum of privacy. Ever vigilant, their eyes never ceased to observe the comings and goings of everyone in the store. You never could be too careful...<br/><br/>She smiled at James and shook her head. "Not really," she said. "I don't<em>need</em>new clothes, really, but since we were in the area..."<em>I am going to start needing them very soon,</em>she thought. Most of her things were getting uncomfortably tight. The smile faltered just a little but she turned away to look at the dresses again so James wouldn't notice. Or so she hoped. One bad thing about getting close to people- they started to get to know you.<br/><br/>"Let's go check out the bookstore," she said. Her eyes gleamed beneath the glasses. If allowed, she'd happily spend hours there. "Then we should get something to eat and start getting ready for tonight's benefit." Nodding at one of the employees who had been watching her curiously, she walked towards the exit and into the rest of the mall.<br/><br/>She saw a lot more than people guessed through those glasses. Everywhere she went lately there was a palpable... not depression, not tension, but something in the air. People scurried from Point A and Point B, afraid to say too much to each other. Afraid to take any action to make things right. Afraid that it was too late.<br/><br/>It wasn't. She knew that for a fact but the time for action was passing. The quirk of her mouth suggested that she was deep in thought about something as she briskly moved towards the bookstore. "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Meade was right. But how to find those thoughtful citizens and get them to commit? With children on the way, changing the world was more important to her than ever.