"One night with you..."

Elvis walked through his Founder's Falls apartment doing something he rarely did there. He was singing a song. His leg twitched as he stood in front of the mirror, combing his hair....

Well she touched mah hand and what a chill Ah got.
Her lips are like a volcano that's hot.
Ah'm proud to say she's mah......buttercup...
Ah'm in love.
Ah'm all shook up!

The King winked at his reflection and grinned. Not since waking up from a twenty year Rikit induced sleep had he felt this good. Tonight was the night. Tonight was his date with the love of his life.....Noelle Frost. They had been seeing each other for a while now, but alot of it had been spent sending villains to the Zig. Well, there had been some other......stuff....in there too, but tonight would be different. Tonight would be just the two of them. Tonight would be a real date.

The city could handle one night without them, couldn't it? Of course it could.

Dinner and dancing at Tony's. Holding hands as they strolled along the beach. Other........stuff...... As long as he was with her, he didn't care. This would definitely be a night to remember.

Checking his reflection once more he was glad he went with some advice from a friend. "Keep it low key, E", they had told him. He hoped his dark blue, pinstriped 'power suit' (as the executives liked to call it) with the shiny, red, tie and black wingtips was 'low key' enough. He looked like he had just stepped out of Donald Trump's wardrobe room. Closing the door behind him, he stopped short as the faces of his neighbors peeked out of their doors......all the way down the hall. Some of the older tenant's jaws were wide open.

"Uhh...sorry 'bout that, y'all. Guess Ah was singing a bit too loud." he said with a grin.

Spinning around fluidly he opened his door again.....dropping his com unit on the nearby table before closing it.

The door opened again and a pair of sunglasses joined the com....

Noelle stood in her bathroom, carefully drying her long hair straight. It wasn't something she did often, but the reason she was doing it wasn't something that came along all that frequently either. A date. A real date, with Kid Galahad. With Elvis. As she wound another section of her hair around a big, wide brush and aimed the hairdryer at it, she realized she could count on one hand the number of actual dates she'd had since coming to Paragon City. Meeting Streak at Pocket-D, the picnic with Kid, and now this. Sure, there'd been other... stuff... but this was a "dress-up and act grown-up" real date. And speaking of dresses...

Her hair dry, but still only half-done, she left her bathroom, crossed the living room with an eye towards the window overlooking the waters around Talos Island and anyone that might be flying by, and headed to her bedroom closet. She didn't even pay attention to the song playing on the radio, but flipped the lightswitch on the wall outside, and ran her hand along the racks of clothes, ignoring, for a moment, her shoe obsession. There! Still in a white garment bag.

Noelle lifted the hanger off the rod and pulled out the bag, hanging the long dress on her closet door, then went back to the bathroom to finish her hair and start her makeup. The dress – she was very excited about the dress. She knew exactly what she wanted to wear the moment Kid first suggested dinner and dancing to her. Knew, but didn't have the slightest idea of where to get it. It wasn't something she could pick up at Icon, and even Kessa didn't have any suggestions of a seamstress who could make it for her. Luckily though, bonding over a sweet new pair of shoes Carson had ordered for her, he dropped a clue about a boutique in Peregrine. Not even a store front, actually, but a third floor office with a backroom full of clothes. Noelle had to twist Carson's arm to get the address, and promise to still buy all her working clothes from him, but finally she had the address and the person to ask for. Madame Chloe.

Madame Chloe took one look at Noelle when she walked in the dusty office, more like a film noir private eye's than a high class boutique, and shushed her, holding up a finger. "I have vhat you need." And she did. There had to have been a touch of the psychic about her. A psychic designer. Only in Paragon.

Noelle finished her hair, spent the bare minimum of time on her makeup, and headed back into her bedroom, carefully lifting the dress off its hanger, dropping her robe, and slipping into it. Long and black, it didn't look like much on the hanger, but against Noelle's pale skin, skimming her curves, it was exactly what she'd hoped for. A soft silk cowl neck that draped lightly against her collarbone, perfectly demure, simple and solid to her ankles with a fluttery little kick. The back, though, was open, bare, with only a string at each shoulder to hold the dress to her, dipping low with a flourish and the slightest hint of further curves below. A high slit from hem nearly to hips completed the design. Standing still, it was simple, classic, especially with Noelle's long hair down. Moving, dancing... it was something else.

She spared a glance at the clock on her bedside table. Almost time. Kid would be here soon. Grabbing a new pair of black strappy sandals, bought from Carson with a grin and buckets of thanks for introducing her to Madame Chloe, Noelle slipped them on, and added a pair of silver dangling earrings. She dithered a moment about taking her comm, or even her cell phone, but decided again that they wouldn't fit in her little black clutch. Not with her lipstick, at least. And what was more important tonight? And after all, the city could do without her for one night. Couldn't it?

Her doorbell rang, followed immediately by a rapid knock. Kid. Noelle spritzed a dash of perfume on her wrists and in the air, then walked through it on her way to the door. She flipped her hair back over her shoulder, gave her outfit a final look over in the entranceway mirror, and opened the door.

"Hey you."

Same thing happened every time he saw her. Elvis knew it would happen. He tried to prepare but he couldn't. No real way to stop it. He rang the bell....impatient, he rapped on the door as well. Here it comes......hold on......the door opened.

Elvis had to catch his breath. Happened every time.

"Hey you." Noelle smiled as she swung the door wide.

For a moment, he just stood there.......taking her in...she looked gorgeous. "Well silly", she teased as she spread her arms wide and threw her head back in mock exhasperation, "What do you think?"

"Ya really gotta ask, darlin?", the King grinned as he took her into his arms and gave her a long, sensuous kiss.

"Mmmm....a girl could get used to this, you know." she teased as he gazed into her eyes...a wry grin crossing his lips.

"Ah was hopin ya'd think that way....ya know........aw hell" he grimaced as he looked down at his Rolex, "c'mawn Chilly....we gotta shake a tail feather. Tony's holdin' his V.I.P room for us and Ah told 'em we'd be on time."

"Oh...V.I.P.room? Wow!" Noelle shrieked in glee, "yeah, we better get going. Time's a wastin'"

The elevator 'dinged', the doors opened and Noelle and Kid dashed out heading towards the lobby....oblivious to the scared man in the corner...surrounded by three Council thugs.

His hand in hers, Elvis grinned as he looked over at the Polar Princess. "Ya know darlin' Ah.....Hey!, what the hell?", the King yelled as something unseen shoved past, bumping him and Noelle to the side.

Half tempted to investigate more, Elvis shook his head...knowing they had to keep their reservation and that, of course, the city could do without him and Noelle for just one night.

"What did you say back there?" Noelle asked as they burst out of the door and Elvis hailed a cab.

"Huh? Ah didn't say nuthin'" Kid replied while grabbing the cab door and ushering the Gorgeous Glacierette inside.

"Oh...I could've sworn I heard you say 'Hrm'."

The most direct route by car from Noelle's apartment in Talos to Tony's restaurant was far from the fastest way there, but having the props -- the crutches, as it were -- of a proper date made it really seem like one. Well, that, and the curiously light feeling of Noelle's left arm, which almost wanted to float up without the weight of her comm around it. Grinning, she tucked her hair behind her left ear, and turned to Kid.

"So, the VIP room, huh? Do you get frequent flyer miles for the number of girls you've brought there?" She joked.

Elvis grinned, "Nah, darlin', though Tony has been known to whip me up a peanut butter and 'nana sandwich."

"Ah yes, of course, that little known Italian speciality."

"Which isn't to say," the King replied, "that Ah haven't done justice to the rest of his menu."

"Oh, granted," Noelle agreed with a grin. The King's appetite was... well, in this case, the word "legendary" was entirely apropos.

They joked the rest of the way to the restaurant, hands entwined in Kid's lap. Noelle perched carefully on the edge of her seat, half-turned towards her date, as they cab whizzed past familiar buildings, statues, a blast of light and a familar figure in a helmet with a ring of knocked out thugs around her, and finally arrived at the nondescript entrance to Tony's. Noelle wasn't surprised -- she'd been around Paragon City for long enough to know that a door could lead just about anywhere -- into an office building, a burning ruin, a secret underground cave system, or a high tech lab -- though it was a relief to step through the door Kid held open for her and smell the tantalizing aroma of garlic that wafted through the room.

"Mmmm," A soft sound escaped her. "I'm suddenly starving."

"Ah hope so," replied Kid, then turned to the maitre d'. "Ah believe you have a reservation for two, under Presley."

The small man in a too-big tuxedo smiled hugely, "Of course! Right this way!" He led Noelle and Kid through a winding maze of tables and held open a heavy velvet curtain for them to pass through. Kid's large hand on the small of her back guided her through the archway, and she was the first to see the spread before them. "Kid! Did you arrange all this?"

Elvis smiled and thanked the maitre d' with a handshake and a suave slip of cash. "Tony took care of most of it, Ah just made a few suggestions." He pulled out a chair for her, and Noelle sat, sweeping her dress around her as she continued to look around.

The alcove was small and cozy, festooned with candles on every available surface. A low bowl in the center of the table set for two was filled with blue roses -- the same color Kid had given to Noelle after their very first date. Besides the curtain which separated the room from the main dining area, and the door to the kitchen, a glass door led to a patio outside, where a few couples were taking advantage of the summer breeze and a small band to dance. A soft lilt of strings and the gentle beat of a bongo drum drifted into the VIP room.

"It's beautiful, Kid. Thanks." Noelle looked across the table at him as he settled into his seat, unfolded his napkin and laid it across his lap. Such a gentleman. And she hadn't even had the chance to comment on how he looked -- out of his signature gold jacket or sleek black working wear, he filled the pinstriped suit to perfection, his ebony hair shining even in candlelight.

Another tuxedoed man entered the room, bringing a bottle of champagne in a silver ice bucket. "Compliments of Tony," he said, and popped the cork, pouring two glasses.

Kid briefly debated demuring, but thanked the waiter, and as Noelle picked up her flute, he raised his water glass. "To us."

The crystal rang as she clinked her glass with his. "To us."

Elvis grinned as their glasses gently clinked and the amber liquid inside danced.

"To us, darlin'."

Gazing into the Sultry Sub-Zero Siren's eyes, something clicked in Kid's brain.

"Chilly? Ya know how to do the 'cha-cha'?" he asked low?

"A little", Noelle whispered back, "can you refresh my memory?"

With a sly wink, Elvis rose and went around the table, pulling the chair out for Noelle as he gently took her hand and lead her to an open clearing in the V.I.P. room.

"One sec, darlin'." Elvis said as he sauntered over to the band and clasped hands with the band leader. The older gent shook Elvis' hand vigorously as The King leanded in and whispered something....his other hand slipping some folded bills into the bandleader's chest pocket.

Patting the pocket, Elvis nodded to the band as the bandleader spied the cash......and promptly turned hoarsley whispering something to the rest of the small band.

With a quizzical look Noelle eyed the band. "What was that all about?" she asked.

"Hang on now, mama", Elvis chided with a grin as he positioned himself and Noelle into the begining steps of the Cha-cha. Something Anne Margaret taught him on the set of Viva Las Vegas

The band began to play and Elvis Presley......sang. Noelle's eyes widened as she gasped....moving in time with the King.

Graceful as two gazelles they cha-cha'ed as if they had been doing it together all of their lives. Elvis staring into Noelle's eyes.....hers into his. The band smiled as they played and watched the duo......each wishing they had what those two did......

Pure Love.

Elvis' hand, hot against the cool skin at the small of her bare back, pressed Noelle to him with a gentle strength. His left hand held her right in its assured grip as their hips moved together. The high slit in the back of Noelle's dress revealed flashes of her bare legs as they danced, their eyes locked on each other.

Even as the song ended, they continued to move, and the bandleader urged his performers into another tune. Noelle and Kid were oblivious as a few other couples joined them on the dance floor, as the sky above the private balcony was illuminated by the flash of a shot fired from a Zeus Titan at a hero above, who returned fire with a blast of his own.

Gliding silently for a time, she leaned her head against his chest when the music changed. Kid brought Noelle's hand to his lips as they continued to turn around the floor, and she looked up at him with a warm smile. "Tastes lahk ice cream," he whispered, and pulled her closer, holding their hands together over his heart.

Eventually, the band took a short break, and Noelle and Kid returned to the VIP room, where their waiter was just setting several plates on their table. Kid pulled out Noelle's chair as she sat down and arched one eyebrow at the display. "You called in our order in advance?"

Elvis shook his head, a black lock of hair falling across his forehead, "Nah, Tony wouldn't hear of us orderin' off the menu. Said he'd whip up sumthin' special."

"Mmmm... well, it smells delicious." Noelle sniffed, then looked over at the waiter as he described their meals then left them to enjoy them alone.

"Sound ahright to ya?" Elvis asked.

"Honestly?" Noelle grinned, "I didn't understand a word of it. But I'm sure it's more than fine." She nudged a piece of food onto her fork with her knife, and slipped it into her mouth. "Ooooooohhhh. My. God."

Kid laughed, "That good, huh?"

She nodded, too busy eating to talk, closing her eyes to savor another bite.

"Am Ah gonna have to compete with Tony now to get you to make that noise again?" His voice was soft, and she looked over at him through a cascade of her hair that had fallen in front of her face.

"It's still always you, Kid. Always."

He reached across the table and tucked her hair behind her ear, his hand skimming her cheek. "Just checkin'."