Freddie eventually had enough of the toy and just flopped down in the middle of the room, like a marionette with its strings cut.  Lee just grinned down at him.  "You're such a goof, aren't you?" she asked the cat.  The room felt cheerful as she handed Axel the phone, and watching in bemusement as he treated it more as a toy.  She didn't know what to think of that, and wasn't quite sure how to go about asking what the heck he was doing.  She took it back with an uncertain smile, trying to phrase a question that wouldn't be too rude.  Instead she was stunned as he kissed her hand and left before she could recover.

By the time she had the sense check the hallway, he was either out of earshot or not interested in answering her soft call.  Either way, the result was the same.  "What an unusual fellow," Lee said to her cat as he blinked lazily up at her.  "I hope he gets back to his friends okay.  ...I can't figure out if he jumped or not.  I really do hope he'll be okay, whatever his story is."  With a sigh she went to see if the lasagna had cooled enough to eat.

---

The next day was Wednesday, what Lee thought of as her "young adult day".  When Axel spotted her studio that afternoon there were only a couple people present, mostly older teens and college students, talking softly.  It was a nice place, though it had clearly been fixed up a handful of years earlier.  Large windows covered most of the front, and a double set of doors kept the outside weather from getting in.  Beyond the second set of doors lay the studio itself, with a small area for people to sit and watch to one side.  The rest was wooden floor and mirrored walls complete with a barre.  Lee was nowhere to be seen, but one of what were apparently early arrivals looked up at the two newcomers.

"Heya, you here for class?  Miss Lee's in the office right now, but she should be out real soon.  Changing rooms are thataway if you need 'em."  The blonde girl looked from Axel to Calamity.  "You guys ever swing before?"

"Axel?"  Cecilly stepped out of a door into the sitting area, a trio of slim CD jewel cases in one hand.  "Nikki, give these to Jareth to cue up.  He knows how to do it."  She held the discs out to the girl who took them with a grin and headed off.  "I didn't expect to see you here.  What brings you?  Is this the friend you mentioned?"  Lee offered the other woman a hand.  "A pleasure to meet you.  I'm Lee Roseberg.  I guess Axel must have mentioned dropping in yesterday."  A hint of laughter played across her face at the subtle joke, but she said it partially in hopes of gauging just how much Axel's friend knew about what happened.