Gemma sneaks out in the morning before her father comes on the early shift. Silas watches her go from the window as she makes her way along the walls home. His brain boiling in turmoil at the nights events, and throb with the start of a hangover. He can not even begin to reconcile what has happened, his thoughts just refuse to come straight despite all attempt to sort it out.
Realising he need help he pulls on a fresh set of clothes and heads for the map room.

Aaron doesn’t even look up when he comes in and yet still manages to say “You look rough. Good party?”
“I don’t know.” Silas pleads, more of a whine in his voice than he would have liked to have had.
At this Aaron looks up.
“I think I did something dumb.”
“Well it seems to have been the night for it. But what do you mean by think?”
Silas looks at him pained. “I upset my girlfriend.” He confesses.
“How?” Aaron asks.
Silas gets the distinct feeling Aaron knows but is determined to make this difficult. “I kind of ended up in bed with Gemma.”
Aaron tries hard to suppress a grin. “You don’t do things by half, do you lad?”
“Oooh.” Silas falls forward on the chair and puts his head in his hands. “What do I do?”
“Does Sally know you slept with Gemma?”
“I…. No.. But she did see us dancing together and she ran off.”
“Is she likely to find out?”
“I don’t know.”
Aaron turns back to the paper work but keep’s talking. “Well frankly Silas you are a crap liar so I think you have to assume she will eventually.”
Silas looks up at him.
“So you have two options.” Aaron looks up, his face serious. “Either you go for the ‘I was pissed defence’ and grovel like a loon.”
“Or?”
“Or. You take this as a wake up call and really re-evaluate your relationship.”
Silas frowns at him.
“How long have you and Sally been an item?”
“Eighteen months maybe.” Silas responds.
“And is it going any where?”
Silas leans back.
“Honestly?” Aaron challenges him.
“Well… “ Silas struggles to come up with an answer that doesn’t sound like no. The best he can manages is “But Gemma.”
“What about Gemma?”
“Well were just mates. It’s not… She’s like a sister or something.” He defends.
Aaron looks at him.
“I mean we just hang out together, And she keeps and eye out for me, and we go to watch films and…
“… She makes you lemsips when you have a cold.” Aaron reminds him of the way she looked after him after they fished him out of the Dee.
“Yeah.” Silas retorts.
“And you like being with her.” Aaron states.
“Yeah.” Silas concedes.
“And through all the shit she’s been the one shoulder you know you could cry on because she understands and she actually wants to waste the time listening to you moan.”
“Yeah.”
Aaron rubs his nose and just sits and looks at him.
“And I missed it didn’t I.” Silas admits.
Aaron nods. “My advice?”
“Yeah?”
“Go and talk to Sally. But end it. Let her go off and find somebody else that doesn’t have to fight daemons and get lost in Caester. Let her go and be normal.”
Silas nods. Realising that Aaron is making perfect sense. “And then?”
“Then go and talk to Charles before he comes and talks to you.” Aaron smiles slightly. “Cos you KNOW he will.”
Silas nods and heads out of the door.
Aaron goes back to the files.
+*+
Silas arrives back at the Dorchester Charles looking up as he walks in. He pauses briefly looking at the well built gentleman with short thinning fair hair dressed as always in the smart suit. Silas suddenly realises that Charles has the same deep brown eyes as his daughter, and then realises that this is probably the first time he has really made eye contact with him in the five years he has been living in the hotel.
As he man looks at him he concludes he has nothing to be gained from putting this off and approaches the desk.
“Can I have a word?”
“Of course sir. “ Charles responds with ultimate professionalism.
“In private?”
Charles looks over to one of the junior members of the team. “Andrea look after the desk whilst I deal with Mr Tremain.” Then he leads him through a door marked Private.
Silas suddenly realises he has never seen “back stage” at the Dorchester. The office in question is surprisingly small and not a little cramped.
Charles looks at him expectantly.
“It’s about Gemma.” Silas admits.
“I thought it might be.” Charles responds. His professional air dropping slightly.
Silas stalls. Not sure what to say next.
Charles looks at him for an age and then states softly. “What bizarre world do you live in that you think that my daughter could leave your suite at 4:30 and no one would shop you both too me?” There is a strong degree of calm control in his voice, as if the man is having to focus on not being angry.
Silas swallows.
“Well?”
Silas only manages a guilty look.
“What are your intentions towards my daughter?”
Silas takes a deep breath. “I’m not sure.” He confesses. “If I said honourable would you believe me?”
“Given this morning behaviour what do you think?”
Silas swallows again.
“May be you should go away and think about it and come back later.” Charles states firmly.
“Would that be ok?” Silas asks.
“If you want to tell me that you have long term plans with my daughter, I want to be damn sure that you have at least thought about it.” Charles responds. “And not just with your testicles.” He adds darkly.
Silas grimaces and nods.
“Now I have a hotel to run.”
He pushes open the door.
Silas leaves with his tail very firmly between his legs, uncertain if he just got off lightly or only prolonged the agony.