Exile

2.The Kitchen of Perception

'Don't mind him, Jacob's a firm believer in abiding the law; he's like our own personal Captain America.' – Quil Ateara

Blair watched them in thinly veiled disgust; not even in the slums of Brooklyn did people eat like this. If you could call what they were doing eating, she was quite sure eating intended chewing and they certainly weren't chewing…they were just stuffing as much food in as humanly possible in the shortest possible time frame.

She scrunched up her nose; they were disgusting, absolutely revolting.

'Don't you want anything, Blair?' Emily offered for the umpteenth time completely at ease in her role of the perfect hostess.

Blair made a face: 'After this I'm not sure if I'll ever be hungry again.'

'I know what you mean,' Emily said, 'it took me weeks to get used to-, well this!' she laughed gesturing towards the boys as she idly picked at her food in a much more civilized matter than the brutes that surrounded her.

A slight tug on her hair reminded Blair of the tiny girl that was currently residing on her lap.

'Sorry!' Claire said sweetly as she released the offending chestnut curl. 'Your hair is sooo pretty.'

'Thank you Claire,' Blair said smiling pleasantly; she usually had a look don't touch policy when it came to children (tiny hands usually make terrible stains) but this one was just too adorable-, and well flattering to not indulge. 'Maybe I can do your hair?'

Claire let out a squeal of delight before nodding enthusiastically.

Blair pulled a pin out of her own hair and careful not to hurt her modelled Claire's shiny black tresses; the toddler sat perfectly still in her lap making it incredibly easy to braid a lock of hair into a tiny bow. She carefully modelled the braid into a bow before finally fastening it to the side of her head.

'All done,' Blair said pleased with the result; it looked very cute.

'Thank you!' Claire said as she carefully patted the tiny braid.

'Here use this as a mirror,' Blair said intrusting her precious cell phone to the toddler's chubby fingers.

'Pretty!' Claire exclaimed her mouth turning into a perfect little 'o'. 'Look Quil!' she ordered with the authority of a tiny dictator; Blair was impressed.

Quil's gaze immediately snapped to her in a way that reminded Blair of a well trained lapdog.

'You look really pretty Claire-Bear,' he said smiling adoringly at the little girl who let out another squeal of delight before finally pressing a kiss to Blair's cheek much to Blair's surprise; she wasn't exactly used to children, she was pretty sure Claire was the first one to sit on her lap let alone kiss her cheek.

'Thank you,' Blair said quietly, almost embarrassed.

'You're good with kids,' Emily stated grinning as her eyes darted around the table.

'Not really,' Blair said truthfully.

'Well Claire loves you,' Emily said obviously not taking no for an answer. 'And lord knows she's hard to please since Quil took to spoiling her.'

'I don't spoil her,' Quil mumbled before shoving a forkful of spaghetti in his mouth.

'Quil-,' Jacob started giving him a disbelieving look, 'she doesn't even walk when you're around. You're like her personal pony.'

'And you let her put make-up on you,' Paul added with a look of sheer disgust.

'That's Emily's fault!' Quil protested shooting Emily an annoyed look, she just smiled back innocently.