Dark eyebrow quirking, Ky looked to where Ally had stuck out her tongue, and seeing nothing amiss with the painting, turned back to Ally with the assumption that she was sticking her tongue out at him.<br/><br/>“Ah, but catfish get lonely. Do you not see? Mine is already starting to look lost without a like-minded companion.”  He ran a long finger lightly and caressingly over the sugar sculpture. He left it to her to read more into his words if she wished.  Lost, raging in frustration to grasp what he was once ---<em>that’s</em>what he was most of the time.<br/><br/>He had caught the dimming of her sparkle, and so did Phaedra.  She resisted the impulse to delve into the other woman’s emotions with her empath.  No, being too curious had gotten her into trouble before, and she wasn’t about to pry indiscriminately now on Earth… unless she was being paid to do it.<br/><br/>“I’m a psychotherapist specializing in dreams.  And yes, we do plan on settling down here.”  She hesitated ever so slightly, hating to lie to someone who had been kind to them, but what other choice did they have?  But maybe half a truth might suffice, and she lowered her voice.  “You see, we’re --- illegal aliens.”  Their slight accents, at least, would give the statement some credence, although they were as alien as aliens came. “If we can establish ourselves here…”  She spread her small hands out, her slender shoulders lifting in a helpless gesture.<br/><br/>For now, they were safe from the bounty hunters who might be tracking them.  Phaedra had made sure of that.  But if they can somehow bury themselves deep into Earth identities, they would be nearly impossible to find, just as Phaedra had been able to spend those other years here on Earth.<br/><br/>Ky was watching Ally, a small smile playing around his firm, sensual mouth.  “What do you do for enjoyment in this fair city of yours, Allegro--- besides making edible sculptures, that is?”<br/>