Pride & Prejudice
By Simarillion

Fandom: TV show RPS (Supernatural, Prison Break, House M.D., Gilmore Girls, One Tree Hill, Smallville, Coupling, Grey’s Anatomy, Numbers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ally McBeal, Desperate Housewives, Will & Grace)
Rating: G to PG-13
Pairing: of interest: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki, Wentworth Miller/Hugh Laurie
Warnings: AU, slash, M/M, evil! Chad
Beta: tecetyeintyale
Summary: There's nothing of greater importance than gossip. Besides marrying your children off. So when Mr. Padalecki announces the opening of a new Padalecki gallery on Third Street, it comes as no surprise that both gossip and marriage plans are on the daily schedule.
Disclaimer: None of the herein presented happenings and events are true. Everything is 100% fiction and that includes the sexuality of the characters. We don’t claim to be in the know about their relations and private affairs and we don’t make any money with the creation of this story.
Notes: The idea of a Jane Austen AU cames to me a very long time ago, with a different Austen novel as the plot and in a completely different fandom. It re-surfaced this summer though, and when talking about it with duchess_of_hell, it soon became clear that the writing of this story would be my summer project.
I absolutely adore the cast of the fic and it took me and Susi hours to decide which actor would be the right one for which character. It was great fun though, and made us laugh so hard at times, that people were looking at us funny.

[Previous Parts]



Chapter One

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” (Austen 1813, p. 5)

If he wasn’t looking for a wife, he must at least be looking for someone to lavish his money on. However he chooses in the end, his neighbours will not be deprived of sticking their noses into his affairs. For his own good, of course. After all, he will be part of the family at some point in the future, right?

So when the word spreads that a Padalecki – yes, THE Padalecki – gallery will open on Third Street, all of the Santa Monica VIPs are excited. Short of a Guggenheim opening its gates, there is nothing of greater importance in the Art world. And with the opening, the man himself is expected to come to Santa Monica.

“Jeff, the rumours are true, for I’ve just talked to Teri on the phone, and she tells me that Mr. Padalecki will arrive in L.A. next week. He’s going to oversee the preparation of the opening himself.”

Jeffrey D. Morgan replies that he is interested to hear about the news, but also cautions his wife to not get overly excited. He knows of his wife’s tendency to get herself into a frenzy over all things gossip.

“But this is of great importance. For there is something he mentioned to a friend.” When Sandra Morgan gets no reply to this, she goes on. “Do you not want to know what he said?”

“Well, I’m not against hearing about it, and you are all for telling me.”

“He expressed the wish to settle down. There.”

“And he wants to settle here in Santa Monica? I am sure he will like it here.” Although he has said all he wishes to, Jeffrey D. Morgan knows that his wife is far from finished with the conversation.

“Isn’t this great for Charisma?”

“How so? How could his wish to live in our neighbourhood have any impact on our daughter?”

“Jeff!” Sandra Morgan is a woman of little patience, and even though she praises herself for being kind-minded towards everyone, there are few people she doesn’t find fault with. “He expressed the wish to get settled, and that includes more than just a permanent residence at one location.”

“And he revealed his intentions to come here to Santa Monica to marry Charisma and live with her here to you?”

“How can you be so tiresome? Of course he did no such thing, but his coming here, wanting to settle somewhere, and our daughter being the handsomest girl in Santa Monica’s society, can only lead to them settling down together.”

Jeffrey D. Morgan sends his condolences to their neighbour-to-be and vexes his wife some more by pointing out the silliness of their daughter. He is a loving father to all of his children, but unlike many parents, he is not blind to their faults. He has long been in pointing out the insufficiencies of his daughter and his sons, much to the vexation of one Sandra Morgan.

“You don’t know how I suffer because of your treatment of our children. It pains me to hear you speak about them in such a manner.”

“Yes my Dear, I am quite aware of your sufferings, but rest assured that my portrayal of them is much in favour of their true condition.” This comment is met with a cry from Sandra Morgan. “But, Sandra, I have my sources for gossip as well, and I can assure you that poor Mr. Padalecki will not have to marry our daughter.”

“And why is that so?”

“I have it on good information that he is gay and not interested in women at all.” Jeffrey D. Morgan then chooses to leave his grieve-stricken wife to mourn the loss of a rich son-in-law privately.

He knows for certain that Sandra Morgan is not somebody to accept defeat so easily and that his wife will soon start her careful planning together with her best friend Teri Hatcher. Combined, the two women were a force to be reckoned with. In no time at all, they will have devised a plan to trap Mr. Jared Padalecki in holy matrimony with Charisma Morgan.

And he is not disappointed in his assumptions when he finds the two women the very same afternoon on the patio, planning and scheming the capture of one Jared Padalecki. Jeffrey D. Morgan then advises them to refrain from their plans but refuses to participate in a discussion about female intuition and charms.

His retreat is remarked upon by his wife and her friend. “I do not know how you do it, Sandra. You work as a renowned brain surgeon, bring up five children, take care of this house and live with a man who knows only about cars.”

“Nobody can understand what I suffer. Jeff is determined to be against everything I am for, and his humour is of such a nature that he must laugh about the mishaps of others.”

“My dear Sandra, you really should consider joining the Yoga class I told you about. I heard that Madonna herself attended the class while living in L.A.”

Teri Hatcher is a long-time friend of Sandra Morgan. The two women have known each other since Sandra Morgan’s coming to Santa Monica after her marriage, and there were never faster friends. Since Teri works as an editor in chief for the Entertainment News at the L.A. Times and as an occasional writer for the Santa Monica Mirror, she is her friend’s source for all things gossip. She is always the first to know new rumours and the latest scandals.

Already in the earliest days of their acquaintance, the two women had formed a symbiosis that is still intact today. It is difficult to determine what responsibilities lie with whom, but the most important part is of course that it works.

And so they spend the rest of the afternoon contemplating the merits of joining the talked about yoga class and their most promising strategies where Jared Padalecki is concerned. With great joy, Teri Hatcher points out that the opening of the gallery is to take place at a time where not only Sandra Morgan’s oldest sons Jensen and Wentworth will have returned from college for the summer, but also Teri Hatcher’s own son David will be back to spend the holidays in Santa Monica.

In the evening, they part with promises to come together the next day and to continue the planning and the contemplating.



Chapter Two

When the invitation to the opening of the Padalecki gallery on Third Street arrives, the whole Morgan household is aflutter. Mrs. Sandra Morgan urges her husband to send an invitation to Mr. Jared Padalecki to the bar-b-q that is to take place on the weekend.

“You have to invite him and his siblings as well, for we can introduce him to Charisma at this occasion.”

“I will do no such thing.” Jeffrey D. Morgan has been listening to the more or less cunning schemes that his wife and her friend have been coming up with for many days now and he notices that his nerves are soon to abandon him. “The bar-b-q on Sunday is a get-together of the city council members, as you very well know, and I am not going to expose neither the city council members nor Mr. Padalecki to an afternoon of your meddling in things that you have no business in.”

This is met with much displeasure and protestation from Sandra Morgan’s side, but in the end, her husband is not to be moved on this. With much frustration and a painful headache, she has to seek refuge in her newly furbished yoga chamber. The former small parlour had steadily been transformed into her retreat after verbal jousts with her husband.

The other family members are not disheartened by their father’s refusal to invite Jared Padalecki for Saturday, for they know that their father likes to tease their mother and that he will ensure that she meets the much talked about young man soon.

So when their mother stays in her yoga chamber, only admitting her friend Teri Hatcher inside, the children dismiss the whole incident and spend their free summer day enjoying their leisure time. The two youngest, Tom and Charisma, love to divert themselves with the many distractions of Third Street, the beach, and the Pier. As for the older three, Masi prefers to stay at home, continuing his search for a formula to bend time and space, while Jensen and Wentworth keep to the beach.

The days are spent quietly, and only night time brings adventures and action. Wentworth and Jensen are not of such a nature that needs diversions, but can find recreation in watching a movie at home or inviting some friends to hang with.

Jensen, who is the oldest of the Morgan siblings, is of a gentle nature and much adored for his beauty. He is said to be the calmest of the four boys, and he is gifted with a tranquil disposition. Being the oldest of the children, he has always felt a need to protect his siblings, and this desire to protect and the ability to care for others is reflected in his chosen field of profession. Having decided on medicine as a future, Jensen is particularly interested in paediatrics.

His studies and his work as a trainee at a local hospital reveal the wisdom in his choice, and there are none who do not agree that he is a fine and most accomplished young man.

What took some by surprise but never became an issue was the revelation that Jensen Morgan is gay. When he revealed his true sexual orientation to his family, it caused no uproar, and the reaction of their parents was simply to ask him to introduce his boyfriend to them.

It is a constant in the Morgan household that Jensen and Wentworth are inseparable, much like the two youngest siblings Tom and Charisma. The two students even share their dorm room at university. The continuous close proximity as well as their favouring the other’s character and disposition ensure the strength and the closeness of the connection between the two older brothers.

Even though the much sought after Mr. Jared Padalecki is not invited to the bar-b-q, it is impossible to escape the talk and speculations about the young man. Teri Hatcher’s constant quest for more information in the name of Mrs. Sandra Morgan has led to an impressive knowledge about the past history of the Padalecki family as well as the exploits of the current Mr. Padalecki.

The titbit of information about Mr. Jared Padalecki’s sexuality is ignored in favour of the future marriage plans that have already been made by the two women. After much persuasion, even Charisma Morgan is won over to the cause, much to the annoyance of Mr. Morgan.

Only one other sibling joins his mother and sister in the scheming and planning, Tom Morgan. This development can be traced back to his close link to his sister, since the two siblings are almost as inseparable as the two older brothers.

And so the weekend and the bar-b-q pass by, and the opening of the new gallery on Third Street is slowly approaching. None of the respectable society of Santa Monica will openly admit it, but the date has become somewhat of a much anticipated day. There are many different expectations, and not one member of the VIPs can keep from gossiping about the famous young man that has the hearts of mothers and daughters aflutter without being present.

The week of the vernissage is a most exhausting one for Mrs. Sandra Morgan. Since she expects much from Friday evening, her mind can not find rest from planning and preparing the encounter between Mr. Padalecki and her daughter Charisma. Even the time she does not actively spend on instructing her youngest child about ways to ensare her supposed future husband, she is not able to keep from thinking about what is about to come and anticipating the merits of this most advantageous match between the Morgan and the Padalecki family.

On Thursday, the two Morgan women join forces with Teri Hatcher and spend the whole day finalising the preparations. A new dress and a visit to the coiffeur are some of the many points on the list that have to be done on that day.

It comes as no surprise to either Jeffrey D. Morgan or his other children that the following morning brings no reprieve from the weeklong chaos that has had the household in its grip. Ever since the news of the gallery on Third Street had reached the ears of one Sandra Morgan, the much sought after peace has been somewhat difficult to come by.

When Mrs. Morgan pitches her fifth fit of the morning and the maid hides in the kitchen to cry, a sharp word from Mr. Morgan has his wife hiding out in her yoga chamber together with their daughter. There is a collective sigh that marks the departure of the two women from the breakfast room, and even Tom, who is almost as excited about the evening as his mother and his sister are, can’t help but enjoy the momentary peace.

Around noon, Teri Hatcher joins the two women for the preparations, and in the middle of the afternoon, Tom Morgan gives in to the desire to be part of the planning and preparing for tonight’s fateful meeting.

The rest of the Morgan family prefers to spend the day at the beach or somewhere else outside, and are therefore able to stay out of Sandra Morgan’s way.

Jeffrey D. Morgan leaves his garage after the scheduling of the production meeting of the new “Pimp my Ride” season, and after a short detour to the studio where he discusses some minor changes to the current season of the show, he makes his way home. By the time he arrives at his villa, the worst has passed, and the women of the family are almost finished with the dressing, the hair, and the make-up. Ignoring the odd cries and wails from the yoga retreat, he goes about his own preparations for the evening and gives his two oldest sons a call to remind them of the time the limousine is to pick them up in the evening.

By the time the long black stretch limousine parks in front of their entrance, the whole family has assembled in the entrance hall, and Sandra Morgan reviews the various outfits, finding fault with their appearance. There is none but herself and Charisma that pass her muster without some sort of complaint, but the comments do not bother the children since they have had a long time to get used to them.

Since it is much too late to change anything about the outfits anyway, Sandra Morgan has to admit defeat, and with only ten minutes delay, the family departs for the gallery opening.



Chapter Three

Third Street is at all hours of the day and night a place filled with throngs of people. Trinity of Synergy is the name of the concept that revitalised the neighbourhood years ago and ensured the success of the city’s project. Today, the area close to the Santa Monica Pier is an address renown for the high quality of its shops, restaurants, and the great variety of celebrities that frequent the street.

Tonight, the bright lights and colours of the neon signs and billboards are joined by the glaring light of the spotlights that illuminate the entrance to the new Padalecki gallery. On the opposite side of the street, spectators have gathered to watch the arrival of the rich and famous of Santa Monica. A red carpet has been rolled out for the occasion especially.

At the Morgan’s arrival, the black stretch limousine rolls up to the curb and stops right in front of the beginning of the velvet carpet. Through the tinted windows, the flashes of the photographers can be seen.

When the door of the car opens Jeffrey D. Morgan is the first to get out. He helps first his wife and then his daughter out, and then turns to the reporter that eagerly asks questions about his expectations for the evening and his opinion on the world famous Padalecki galleries.

If she was asked, Sandra Morgan will easily admit that the media attention they get at public events is something that she would not want to miss. She was the only child of the famous Oh family that originates from the east coast. From her earliest childhood on, the brain surgeon has had to deal with the press and public interest in private matters.

Jeffrey D. Morgan, on the opposite side, has not the vast experience of his wife. His being known by the tabloids and the press was a direct result of his marriage with Sandra Oh. The popularity he enjoys today came much later, though. When being offered the chance to work with MTV on a new show called “Pimp my Ride” he had agreed to start this reality project of.

Today, there is not one person between the ages of 16 and 40 that does not know the name J.D. Morgan. The show is a huge success even after the fifth season, and so Jeffrey D. Morgan is no longer known as the husband of Sandra Oh, but rather the other way around, Sandra Morgan is the wife of the famous owner of SaMorgan Customs.

And so the Morgan family steers through the people on the carpet, dutifully answering questions and smiling for the press. It is nothing new, and steadily they make their way to the entrance. Sandra Morgan finds her best friend Teri Hatcher talking to a reporter and joins her to impart some of her wisdom and opinions on the man.

While their parents are busy with the media, the children spread out and look for their respective friends. While Charisma enjoys the flattering of her high school clique and her brother, Masi, Jensen and Wentworth find their friend David and leave the excitement behind.

Since the press has no access to the gallery for the evening, it is much calmer inside the building, and the four young men take advantage of the momentary reprieve. They know that once their families are finished outside, their mothers will keep them from relaxing for the rest of the evening.

The former hotel has had a complete overhaul, and now the gallery inhabiting the building takes up half of the rooms. The entrance area has been decorated in a tropical style for the opening with potted plants, palm trees, dozens of orchids, and other tropical plants. One wall is covered with vines and leaves of passion flowers.

The reception has been transformed for the evening into a bar, and the four young men head over to the counter to get a drink before everyone has come inside and it will be more difficult to order a drink without a long wait.

The three oldest Morgan siblings and David Hatcher receive their drinks and decide upon strolling through the rooms close to the entrance to keep an eye on the progress outside. The decor of the rooms is very tasteful and especially chosen not to distract the visitors from perusing the art exhibited. Many of the pictures and the photos that are hung are from famous contemporary artists, and when they find themselves in a room with only David LaChapelle photographs, the excitement is to be felt in every one of them.

There is no doubt that Jared Padalecki is the best in his field of profession and that the gallery is a welcome addition to the offers of Third Street.

Slowly the rooms get more crowded as the celebrities that have so far been crowding the red carpet are milling inside. Together, the four young men weave through the crowd on the look out for their families. There are strict behavioural rules for this evening that are to be obeyed. Sandra Morgan as well as Teri Hatcher has made sure that nobody gets the possibility to compromise the union of Jared Padalecki and Charisma Morgan.

The two mothers are situated advantageously to keep the entrance in their field of vision and to ensure that they are they are the first ones to be seen when entering the building. Charisma Morgan’s attention is diverted from the hunt for her future husband by a group of her friends that have gathered next to the cocktail bar. With barely concealed envy, she watches her brother gossiping about the newest scandals and commenting on today’s crowd, outfits, and hairdos.

Jeffrey D. Morgan can be seen on the other side of the room talking with three other council members. There is much satisfaction in their expressions, and it is obvious to everyone who deigns to listen that they are very pleased with how the gallery has turned out.

After everyone has gathered inside, there is the noise of the media going into a frenzy. Many of the people crowd close to the entrance to get a look at what caused this ecstatic flashing of cameras. The murmuring starts, and soon everyone knows that Mr. Jared Padalecki has arrived with his entourage. The gathered crowd has to wait some more minutes until they get the chance to lay eyes on the star of the evening.

Now there are many well-built young men to be found in this room, but rarely is there to be found a young person with so much kindness and cheerfulness in his countenance as Jared Padalecki. None of the persons present that evening will later on be able to say one negative word about the young man, which is a feat almost impossible to meet.

It goes without saying that Sandra Morgan makes sure that she is one of the first to talk to Mr. Jared Padalecki. Most of the time it is impossible for her to be subtle about any thing she feels passionately about, but this time she feels she has to congratulate herself on a move well executed.

What happens, though, is not something she has been expecting and therefore has no plan for. When the young host of the evening moves further into the room away from the clutches of Mrs. Parker, who, in her precious opinion, is not the right society for Mr. Padalecki, Sandra Morgan accidentally blocks Mr. Padalecki’s way. Turning around, she smiles sympathetically at him.

“I am so sorry, Mr. Padalecki.”

“Oh don’t you worry, Mrs. Morgan. Nothing of our glasses got spilled on the other person, and so neither we nor our clothes came to any harm.” The smile that accompanies the reply is the most endearing smile and assures her of the importance of the match between her daughter and this man.

“I have to say that this is a very beautiful reception. There has been much talk about the gallery, and I have to admit that we all were rather curious about how it would turn out.”

Jared Padalecki thanks her for the compliment and asks her about her impression of the art exhibited, which gives Sandra Morgan the possibility to gush some more about the excellent taste of the host and the fame of the Padalecki galleries. Finally, the young man asks about her family, and she gets the prefect chance to present her daughter.

“This is my youngest, and my only daughter, Charisma Morgan. She is a great supporter of the arts and was even responsible for picking the design of the cheerleading outfits this season.”

If there is one thing that can be said with certainty about Charisma Morgan, it is that she is anything but interested in art by the classical definition. Some might think her to be a shallow, materialistic young woman, but her mother never fails to point out the variations of contemporary art and that there is a piece of greatness and art in every thing.

Mr. Jared Padalecki smiles kindly at her and enquires about the rest of the family. Grudgingly, Sandra Morgan has to pause in her capture of the young man to introduce the rest of the family. She points out her youngest son, her husband, and her second youngest son. After a short scan of the crowd, she is even able to point out her two oldest sons to the young man.

Had Mrs. Morgan been any more perceptive, she would have noticed the change in Jared Padalecki’s posture and expression when his eyes came to rest on Jensen Morgan. All her energy would have been more wisely spent if she had listened to her husband from the beginning and concentrated on her gay son rather than her daughter. Unbeknownst to Sandra Morgan, who does her best to praise the modelling skills of Charisma and her attitudes towards the newest trends in the fashion business, Jared Padalecki’s eyes follow Jensen Morgan through the room.

The chance to get to talk to the object of his interest comes when the two brothers join their mother and sister to inform them about their intention to tour the gallery and take a look at the exhibits on the upper floors as well. Mr. Padalecki eagerly offers himself as a guide through the rooms. This is met by much protestation from Sandra Morgan’s side.

Only the appearance of Jeffrey D. Morgan keeps her from voicing her displeasure about the development aloud. Dutifully, she indulges her husband in meeting the new wife of Malcolm McDowell. The young woman is new to Santa Monica’s society and in dire need of some help with how to deal with the local elite.

And so it happens that Jared Padalecki leads Jensen and Wentworth Morgan through the gallery, explaining the various concepts and pointing out his favourites. It is apparent that he favours Jensen Morgan above all other people present, and Wentworth Morgan keeps in the back to allow the two men some privacy.

On the second floor, they stop in a room with pieces of Abstract Expressionism. Stepping back and perusing the canvas on the wall in front of him, Wentworth tunes his brother and Jared Padalecki out. He prefers to actually study the paintings instead of watching the two other men flirt.

Just as he is about to move to the next painting, he gets called over to where he finds his brother not only in the company of Jared Padalecki but also a small group of people consisting of three men and a woman. He is introduced to the strangers and finds out that they are Mr. Padalecki’s brother Milo Padalecki, his sister Kate Miles with her husband Ben Miles, and Jared Padalecki’s oldest and best friend Hugh Laurie.

At the introduction to the last, Wentworth feels a nervous flutter. There is no-one that has not heard of the famous Hugh Laurie, art critic extraordinaire. An artist’s fame and success can depend on a single word of Mr. Laurie. His refined taste and his profound knowledge are valued all around the world.

Together they continue through the exhibition rooms. This time, Wentworth hesitates about giving his opinion on the pieces of art, fearing the repercussions from the famed art critic that is now in their group.

Back on the first floor, the group comes across the rest of the Morgan family, and Sandra Morgan uses the chance to once more point out her daughter’s proficiency in the area of art, remarking especially on the interest the young woman shows in the photographs displayed in the room.

“It is no great difficulty for girls to be interested in fashion photography.” Hugh Laurie is the only one responding to her monologue about the advantages of a woman interested in art.

“Why, I don’t see any difference in the artistic value of one of these photographs compared to some of those stuffy old paintings everyone loves to show. At least the photos are nice to look at and are a modern form of media.” Sandra Morgan makes sure to show that she does not value the opinion of anybody else but herself.

The situation is about to get out of hand until Jared Padalecki points out the value and merits of contemporary and classic art. He then invites everyone to the bar to get a drink. The argument has stopped, but it is clear to everyone present that there will never be any understanding between Sandra Morgan and Hugh Laurie.

Wentworth Morgan worries about the impact his mother’s hostility towards Jared Padalecki’s best friend will have on the tender feelings that are about to blossom between his older brother and their host.

Now it has to be said here that Wentworth Morgan has always felt responsible for his older brother’s well-being. The close bond between the two brothers created over time the protective feeling that has, many times in the past, led to the younger of the two brothers protecting the older. Although it has already been pointed out that Jensen Morgan has been acting on many occasions as the protector of the siblings, the truth is that Wentworth Morgan is the guardian of his older brother.

There have been times in the past when the rational and ordered nature of the younger Morgan sibling prevented Jensen Morgan from coming to harm.

The tense atmosphere lessens as the group gathers at the bar. Jeffrey D. Morgan joins them together with Malcolm McDowell and Edward Herrmann, who are also on the city council. The talk becomes more political, and the three council members question Jared Padalecki about his intentions concerning social topics.

This change in the conversation vexes Sandra Morgan greatly, and more than once she tries to resume her praise of her daughter’s abilities. Her efforts are not successful, and so she can only endure the trying talks about city projects and politics.

Talk comes more easily as time passes by, and soon the group has split into smaller bands of two or three people that converse about their preferred topics. Wentworth Morgan discusses his impressions of the gallery with his friend David Hatcher and Alona Tal, the young wife of Mr. Malcolm McDowell. They are talking about the photojournalism exhibits when he gets interrupted in commenting on a photo he especially liked.

“It doesn’t really surprise me that you have no more taste and knowledge about art than your esteemed mother.”

“Well, not everyone can be as knowledgeable as you, Mr. Laurie.” The attention from Hugh Laurie is unexpected as well as unwanted, and Wentworth Morgan, who at times has been known to judge and act before deeper reflection of the situation or the eventual consequences, makes sure to show Mr. Laurie just how unwanted his comment is.

“That might very well be true, but then again, most people know better than to talk about something they know nothing about.” The words are said with much contempt and pride.

“Alas, you are to endure the silly talk of the brainless today. How you must suffer.”

This comment is not met with a reply and Wentworth sends a glare at the other man to once more convey his negative feelings towards him.

For the rest of the evening, the second oldest son of the Morgan family makes sure to stay clear of Hugh Laurie. Every time he notices the older man watching him or listening in on their talk, he makes sure to comment on the lack of gentleman-like behaviour with most men.

The opening goes on well into the night, and when it is time to disband, it has become quite clear, even to Sandra Morgan, that her daughter will never marry the eligible Jared Padalecki, since the young man shows great interest in Jensen Morgan and rarely parts from the oldest brother’s side.

The only comfort for Mrs. Morgan is that it is one of her children that caught the interest of her intended prey. And so they part, and after promising to call on each other, the respective groups leave for the night.