Before Tomorrow Can Begin
an excerpt

Day 1 (In which Jarad has girl trouble, Talen discovers something

interesting, Moreen's secret to serenity is revealed and staring becomes a

sport)

What the hell just happened? Jarad spun around and looked at the

receptionist. He was certain that he had had that conversation with her

before. Hadn't he? It was possible but then again how many times can her

son ace his exams? Just how many exams did they put kids through these

days? He shrugged it off. After all weird things happened here all the

time. He worked in a blended office that converged faith, magic and science

into one viable workteam. That was the theory anyway. He deftly dodged a

flying airplane that beeped ominously at him. Henderson was back at it

again, no doubt.

He needed a new hobby that Henderson. He must be slipping because Jarad

could remember or he thought he could remember seeing Henderson use that

airplane before.

As Jarad rounded the corner he slammed into Veronica. "OHMYGOSH! I'm so

sorry Mr. Elliot! I was just coming to bring Mr. Darcy his coffee..." Jarad

glanced at his shirt and sighed as he saw the growing brown stain on the

white cotton material. This morning was just getting better and better.

"It's fine, Roni. I'll just keep my jacket buttoned up until I can get a

clean one from home." Veronica smiled at him and then remembering her

errand hustled away with a wave.

Sighing again at the stain he paused and quirked his eyebrow. Glancing down

the hallway he muttered something under his breath and gave his wrist a

flick. The stain faded out. Ahh Good as new.

"And here I thought you were evil. How disappointed I am to find out your

dark arts apply to coffee stains." The familiar snark of Talen's voice

caused his eyebrows to knit together as he looked up into the man's face.

"It's amazing what real magic can do. I'm sure you wouldn't understand that

with your upbringing." Pushing pass Talen he viciously slammed his shoulder

into the other man. Jarad could feel the hatred of Talen's stare. He knew

it had been a low blow to go after Talen's mother like that. However Jarad

got tired of Talen always throwing his 'knowledge of magic' in his face all

the time.

"Boys play nice." The serene voice of Moreen called as he walked over to

his chair followed by Talen who was still glaring daggers at him.

The woman was older than the two young men in front of her. She could see

very clearly from the moment they were introduced as her partners that she

would never have a dull moment. That had been a very correct assumption on

her part. The two constantly butted heads over when things needed handling,

or what to do, or how to do it... or for the mercy of all the universe who

would do whatever they had decided needed to be done. Moreen managed to

keep from screaming herself hoarse at them by merely reminding herself they

would both go to hell. Their imagined screams quite took care of the impulse

to scream herself. She sat back in her chair with a pleased smile on her

lips.

Talen hated it when Moreen looked like that. She always did it when they

were all frustrated and at their breaking points. He wondered what she was

thinking?

Shifting Jarad looked at the others. "So have either of you had dejavu this

morning?"

Talen's glare shifted back to Jarad. Cocky bastard. Perfect hair...How does

he do that? I bet he uses gel.

"Yes, now that you mention it." Moreen's voice was contemplative. "I do

think I had it happen twice. Once by the coffee machine with Luke. You know

his jokes always seem old but I know I've heard that one before. Oh, with

Terry in billing...she says for you to call her Jarad, btw.."

Talen eyed Jarad with suspicion and watched as the man shifted in his seat.

So not only did he style his hair he was promiscuous. Talen felt strangely

upset by that. Best not to dwell on that too long. The gel using slut that

Jarad was chose that moment to catch Talen's eye and raise and eyebrow at

him. Caught in his stare, Talen shifted his attention to Moreen and let

Jarad think what he would.

Why does he keep staring at me? That's the 7th time I've caught him staring

at me. I wonder if I have something on me somewhere. I hope my hair isn't

out of place. A furrow between his brow appeared as the worry caught ahold

of Jarad.

"I did think I've heard Bart announce that menu before." Talen said matter

of factly.

"Well of course you have, you moron. We have the same thing every Thursday."

Jarad finished his cold tone off by looking at his nails showing his obvious

disinterest in anything Talen had to say. Secretly he wondered if it was

possible to see his hair in the reflection of his nails. The idea occurred

that he should wear reflective nail polish. The idea was pondered and set

aside for another time.

Talen rolled his eyes. "Not when he stumbles down the hallway and lands in

front of my desk. I mean honestly, that doesn't happen everyday."

"No just every other day. I had no idea you had started tripping them to get

them under your desk." The look of confusion on Talen's face was priceless

and Jarad waited for him to catch on. The moment that realization dawned in

Talen's eyes Jarad smirked in satisfaction.

"Boys!" Moreen tried to interject. "We aren't children." Moreen looked at

Jarad as if she cared to differ but closed her eyes. The serene smile broke

out on her face and Jarad felt uneasy about that.

Deciding that nothing more would come of the meeting they outlined what they

knew which wasn't much. They decided just to keep an out for things that

seemed odd or repetitive and meet back before heading home for the day.

Out in the hallway Jarad saw that girl from Billing and immediately turned

in the opposite direction. Really it was one date four months ago. A

miserable date at that. Jarad could admit that he liked girls about as much

as he liked guys. Honestly sex wasn't the foremost on his mind most of the

time. He had always been driven and his passion for the magical arts left

little time for anything else. He could count the number of times he had

done anything sexual, with another person anyway, on one hand. At the age

of 24 he wasn't what you would call completely inexperienced but he also had

never thought much on the subject. You could call him a virgin but he didn't

think in such absurd terms. If he didn't care for the person, and really who

had time to develop affection, then there was no point in it.

Jarad ducked quickly into a side cubicle. "You could knock. You know."

Glancing around Jarad was annoyed but only mildly to find he had stepped

into Talen's cubicle. At least Talen wouldn't ask what he was doing and run

out in terror. Raising his hand he cast a concealment charm. Talen glanced

around for a moment and then Terry walked up to the cubicle door. Jarad gave

him a pleading look with his finger to his lips. The seconds dragged on

before the girl finally headed on down the hall in search of her prey.

"Thanks." Jarad said simply as he ended the concealment charm with another

flick of his wrist.

"You shouldn't hide from the girl. What did you do one night stand her?"

Talen went back to organizing some paperwork that he needed to get filed

properly before Stenson asked for it.

Jarad gave the man a look. "One night stand? Ohhh you mean have sex and

then never call."

"Ever so clever." Talen glanced up. "Well did you?"

"Not that it's any of your business but no. We had a date four months ago.

The girl is insane. It was a horrible date." Jarad crossed his arms as if he

thought he should be comforted for his ordeal.

"Of course it was horrible." Talen smiled. "You were there."

Jarad glared at the man. He truly hated him. Truly, with a deep burning

passion. Well that was an odd way to describe it. Burning passion....he is

sort of attractive, you know if you are into geeky and gangly.

Talen looked up to see Jarad looking at him intensely. What sort of mental

defect did the man suffer from? Talen played this game in his mind alot. He

had all sorts of theories but he couldn't get his hands on Jarad's medical

file to prove it. One day though, ONE DAY he would prevail.

"Have you had anything happen?" Jarad said offhandedly.

"Jarad. We just left the meeting 15 minutes ago. What could have happened?"

Talen rolled his eyes again but then stopped to think. "You know that

conversation we just had was a little familiar, but we do argue alot."

"Does this sound familiar?" Jarad's voice was a sigh.

Talen gave the man a look of uncertainty. "Does what?"

"This." Jarad made a sweeping gesture between the two of them.

Talen pondered. "No. No it doesn't. Have you heard anyone else talking about

dejavu? No wait you wouldn't have as you were running from your

girlfriend."

"She. Is. Not. My. Girlfriend." Jarad spoke harshly.

Talen waved offhandedly. "Fine. Fine. Whatever you say. I knew you'd be

gay."

Jarad raised his eyebrow at the other man. "And how did you know that oh

omnipotent one? I don't have a problem saying I'm gay...only I'm not. I'm

bisexual actually. Though.." Jarad tapped his chin in thought. "I don't

suppose I'm that sexual at all. I don't find it that compelling."

Talen stared at the man. He couldn't help it. He was staring. Jarad had

very nonchalantly admitted that he liked guys, ok he may like girls

too...but he likes guys as well. Guys. I'm a guy. Whooooaaa don't go there,

brain.

Jarad thought perhaps Talen's mind had snapped at the implication that the

world was not infact neatly order into lines, black and white.

A commotion out in the hallway caused them both to looked around and Jarad

instinctively stood and moved in front of the desk to protect his partner.

Jarad was after all the more offensive of the two of them, Talen was better

at Defense and Research really.

Talen would have been irritated by Jarad's gesture to protect him if it

wasn't for the recent revelation. His mind revolted against him and was

singing in this horribly childish voice 'He likes me. He wants to protect

me.' Kill. Me. Now.

The commotion barrelled down the hallway and shouted at Jarad that the lab

was on fire. The commotion or better known as Tammy from the Elixirs and

Potions Lab was frantic and Jarad took off down the hall after her with

Talen in toe.

The Lab being on fire was an understatement. It was scorched. The heat

stopped you halfway down the hallway but the magical wards seemed to be

holding the damage to that one section. That's a good thing at least. Talen

glanced at Jarad and saw his chin set firmly in a grimace. Without thinking

he brushed his fingertips over Jarad's palm in a small gesture of comfort.

He could have kicked himself for doing it as Jarad's eyes immediately locked

with his. The man's amber eyes always seemed unnatural to Talen but they

seemed wickedly glowing now. It was probably just the firelight.

Jarad had been stunned when he felt Talen's fingertips. He had to check to

make sure. Yes Talen had been the one to touch him. His skin tingled where

the contact had been and he had the odd desire to grab the man's hand. He

wouldn't but he would imagine what it would be like.

~

After the fire had died down enough that the emergency response teams could

get in and order had been restored Talen headed back to his cubicle. Jarad

chose to walk the hall toward the summoning grounds. He knew this area very

well. It was his home turf here at the institute. Warlocks, Dark Mages,

Necromancers...assorted others...had their skill honing grounds there, their

own research and test areas as well.

As he walked by into a small hallway that housed cubicles for various

magical practioners he heard a conversation and stopped to listen. Placing a

silent concealment charm on himself and assured that he was still hidden

incase those talking could see through the charm somehow he tuned back into

the words. "What do you mean time is looping?" There was an exasperated

sigh. "I mean it keeps starting over. Or I know it has once. Look there's

something else. I think I..." There was a pause. "Fuck the meeting! I'm

sorry, look catch me and explain what you mean!" There was a rushing away of

feet.

"No one is ever going to believe me." The voice sounded girlish and

depressed. Stepping around the corner he saw a young sorceress named Harriet

leaning against the wall looking dejected.

He cast off the concealment charm and the girl jumped. "I'll believe you."

He caught her arm as she seemed prepared to flee. "Don't go running off I'm

just dying to hear your story."

~

When the time came for the team to meet back up Talen got there right on

time. He noted that Moreen had beat him, again. Curse her. Jarad was

noticably late. Probably off setting up other conquests. Just like that

bastard. Careful. That almost sounded jealous.

At that thought the door bumped open and a girl came stumbling into the

room. Her hands were fastened behind her back and Jarad had a vicious snarl

on his lips.

Moreen asked the girl to sit out of sheer manners then demanded Jarad untie

the poor thing. "Unless you like being cursed into something unrecognizable

I wouldn't suggest it. She's a bit antsy."

Talen just watched the scene quietly and took the time to notice Jarad's

skin color and that he had some faint stubble on his chin.

Why is he staring at me again? First the finger touching, now back to the

staring. What if he really is gay?

"Boys?"

The two looked around at Moreen.

"Very good. Now why do we have a guest at our team meeting, Jarad?"