Just Like a Movie.

Unexpected

"Ok, dude, spill... who is she?" Chris slapped him on the shoulder as they walked back to the SUV. "You kept her quiet. Mind you, she's pretty cute, so I don't blame you!"

Tom looked at him, desperately searching for an answer. He decided to go with the truth.

"I have no idea!" He shrugged, and both Chris and Scarlett looked at him, astonished. "What?" He defended himself, "can't I just look at a pretty girl?"

Scarlett laughed as she opened the car door, getting in. "Yeah, right. Just looking eh?"

Chris turned to him with a sly smile. "Dude, there's a world of difference. Looking and undressing her with your eyes." He climbed in and plonked himself next to Scarlett. "That, my dear Loki, was the latter." The two of them nudged each other and giggled like children.

Tom got into the seat in front and looked back at them in the mirror. "I honestly have no idea who she was. It was just one of those moments." He paused, feeling more unsettled than he might have expected. "Doubt if I'll see her again. This is San Diego after all."  His voice was resigned, his mind not so much.

Chris and Scarlett exchanged glances and changed the subject and the car drove off.  As they exited the underground carpark, the crowds parted to let the big black SUV through.  No-one could see in, but they all knew it must be some celebrity or other.  Tom, however, could see out.  For the first time in a long time, he stared out the window scanning the crowd.  What were the chances?  Slim to none, but he had to look.  Seeing no-one he recognised, he sat back.  More disappointed than he would have imagines, he smiled thinly.  Maybe, just maybe they'd meet again.  He really wanted to see that cheeky, beautiful smile again....

Kenny eventually caught up with Alice, still standing dazed in the hallway, after the panel.  She smiled as he grabbed her arm, almost frog-marching her to the foyer of the hall. His face was a study. "What was THAT all about?"

"Dunno WHAT you mean?" She smiled, knowing exactly what he meant. 

"You. Him. Public eye-sex." Kenny smirked, and Alice blushed to the tips of her toes.

"Eye-sex? What does that even MEAN?" She countered, trying to deflect from the subject

"You. Him. Taking each others clothes off with your eyes.  I saw the way he looked at you." Kenny guided her through the melee of people and out into the sunshine. "You might think I'm just a rampant fan-boy for Evans, but I do actually pay attention to what's going on.  'Specially where you're concerned." He winked. "Now, try again. What the hell was going on?"

Alice sighed. "Honestly? I don't know. It was just a moment in time.  One of those things. We looked at each other, we had fun, and we parted." She smiled gently. "He has beautiful eyes....." 

Kenny side hugged her as they walked along the concourse.  "Chin up, if he's here for a small panel like that, he's bound to be around for the next couple of days.  The big marvel panel isn't until Saturday, you know..."

"Yeah, Hall H." she looked at her brother and shrugged wryly.  "That's all very well, but I don't have a pass for Saturday.  Not like you.  Maybe you can wave to him for me?" 

Kenny smiled as they waited at the cross-walk for a large black SUV to pass. Pulling her into a warm hug, burying her face in his shoulder he whispered "If I see him, I promise to give him your number. No matter what it takes Sis.  I promise." he kissed the top of her head and let her go.  "Come on, let's eat.  All this fan behaviour gives me a monster appetite!"  

They walked on into the Gaslamp area of the city looking for somewhere to eat.  As usual the street, now closed to traffic was thronging with people.  Attendees, some in Cosplay wandered around enjoying not just the food on offer, but the atmosphere.  Impromptu photo shoots started as groups of people snapped away at the myriad of costumes proudly on display.  Even the local law enforcement were roped in, all in good natured banter.  

A Stormtrooper held hands with a Jedi, a Star Trek office chatted to a local beat cop and there in the corner, a zombie played the saxophone while people streamed it live on Instagram.  This was Comicon. So was the occasional celebrity surprise.  

Eventually deciding on Italian, Kenny and Alice walked into the Spaghetti Factory on the main street, hoping for a table for two.  The waitress, a young woman with green hair and startling blue eyes, smiled.  "Sorry, there's a wait of about an hour at the moment.  We do have a couple of tables" she indicated the empty seats in front of them, "but they're reserved.  Apparently there's someone "important" coming for lunch shortly."

"No worries, we'll wait, we're in no hurry.  Can we sit here? " Alice indicated some chairs to the side of the hostess stand, usually for the delivery drivers but at this time of day, empty.

"Why not" she smiled. "It's a hot one today, would you like some ice-water while you wait?"  

Nodding, they sat and waited for her , watching the world and his cosplaying wife go by.  Emily, as her name badge told them, returned and handed them the glasses. "Relax, enjoy, I'll try to get you seated as soon as ...." she broke off as the door opened and a large entourage walked in.  The celebrity guests. 

Kenny and Alice sat sipping their drinks, not really paying much attention.  The group seemed to be made up of security staff in tight t-shirts and sunglasses, a couple of very harassed looking PA's with clipboards and ear pieces and a sweaty looking cop who had obviously been standing in the sun too long, waiting to usher the car through the road block.  Outside, the celebs were still in the car, waiting until the last minute and all the arrangements finalised.  It would be a scrum if anyone saw them too soon.  Stage managed arrivals were one thing, battling the hoards quite another.

Emily nodded and pointed out the tables, talking to a young man who looked vaguely familiar to Alice.  She nudged Kenny. "Don't you think he looks awfully like..." She was staring at the man, watching as he signed something and walked with Emily to the table as if indicating seating arrangements.

"Luke Windsor?" Kenny whispered back, "Yeah.  Bet he gets that all the...." Kenny stopped as he looked at the door. "Alice..."

"What?" She murmured not looking round, still fascinated as the security guards did a quick sweep round and then came to wait by the hostess stand again. It all seemed very full-on for some two bit celebrity that probably no-one outside their own particular Nerd-dom had ever heard of.

"ALICE..." he hissed again, this time more urgently. "LOOK."  There was a commotion in the street as the celebrities - it appeared there were more than one, got out and made their way the few yards to the restaurant."

Alice turned, impatient now as she was almost sure she knew the assistant from somewhere, she just needed to look a little longer. "What IS it? Who could be that...." her voice dried up as she watched them walk in the door.  A tall blonde man with a baseball cap and a smile that could defeat Hitler, a shorter blonde woman with a nice line in marshal arts skills and there, at the back... "Oh. My. God."

Tom walked into the restaurant behind Chris and Scarlett, smiling at the fans and waving.  He paused as he got into the cool foyer to catch his breath.  Taking off his Raybans, his eyes adjusted to the relative dark compared to the street, and he paused.  Chris and Scarlet had walked on and were being seated, he on the other hand found himself unable to move, his way blocked by a strangely familiar, but not worrying, face.

"Hi Tom!" the man walked up to him, smiling and holding out a hand.  A hand that contained a scrap of paper. "My name's Kenny Winters and this is my sister's phone number.  She made me promise to give it to you.  This..." he grabbed her arm and dragged her forwards, "almost sentient being is my sister, Alice." He grinned and watched as the two of them self-combust.

"I think you already know each other."