Cecilia Pound's house.

::Paige and Melinda walk up the path and to the front door. The whitelighter looks at her daughter who, given her current physical form as an adult, probably shouldn't be referred to as her daughter because they could be the exact same age for all Joe Random knows. Turning to the door, Paige lets out her breath before ringing the bell.::

::After a while, a woman in her fifties answers the door. She eyes Paige and Melinda suspiciously.::

"Can I help you?"

::Paige takes a moment to take in the woman's appearance, then plasters a grin over her face.::

"Hi! Are you Cecilia Pound?"

"Are you Witnesses?"

"To what? Oh!"

(Idiot.)

"No! No, not at all. We're uh... history researchers. I mean... historians..."

(Oh my god. B I N freakin' G Not Worth It.)

"There's a lady that wants to talk to you. Her name is Guinevere Pound. She lives in a church in a cemetery in the city."

"Excuse me!?"

"Okay, so we've been tracing your family tree, starting from a distant relative who you might be interested in-"

::Cecilia looks indignant and, well, worried.::

"What on earth is this? Go and bother somebody else!"

::She slams the door in their faces and quickly walks into the kitchen, pacing around the room.::

"Well, who didn't see that one coming?"

::Paige sighs, then bangs on the door again. She opens up the letterbox and calls through it.::

"Don't you think you're being a tad over-cautious, Cecilia? We're not psychos or anything! We just wanna talk!"

::Melinda orbs out and reappears on the other side of the door.::

"Shit!"

::Paige instantly starts panicking.::

"Melinda! Melinda, get back here now!"

::Ignoring her mother, Melinda walks through to where she can hear Cecilia pottering around. She stops in the doorway, watching her for a minute, then speaks.::

"Hi!"

:: Cecilia jumps at the sound and sight of Melinda. She faces the young woman and stares.::

"How did you get in here?!"

"Can I let my mom in? It's cold and she's yelling."

:: There's still more staring on Cecilia's part. She has no idea who these women are and it makes her nervous. They're not used to strange folks round these parts!::

"You still didn't explain how you got into my home."

"I orbed."

::On her knees, Paige cracks open the letter box again and tries to see inside. She whispers urgently.::

"Melinda."

"You... what?"

:: Cecilia gives Melinda a funny look.::

"Can my mom come in?"

::Melinda looks idly around the kitchen, then stares at Cecilia.::

"My name's Melinda."

::Paige calls through the flap now.::

"Cecilia? My name is Paige Matthews. I need to talk to you about your grandmother who was alive two hundred years ago. Please open the door and let me explain."

:: Cecilia is very confused. Her gaze darts to the letterbox which keeps talking back to Melinda.::

"Your mom?"

:: Obviously they're crazy. City folk. On drugs and all sorts! What does she need to know about a relative who passed away more than a lifetime ago?::

"I told you she was yelling."

::Melinda turns and runs through the hallway to the front door. She crouches down and peers at her mum's eyes through the slit, a bemused expression on her face. She starts giggling.::

::This incenses Paige further.::

"Melinda! Sweetie, come on back outside. Please, for mommy."

::Melinda sighs and opens the door.::

::Paige blinks.::

"... it's not even locked..."

::She remains on her knees for a moment before grabbing Melinda's wrist and snatching her outside.::

"Sorry about that, Ms Pound. She's, uh, a little... in the head, you know? Doesn't really grasp personal property..."

::Paige cuts herself off suddenly, angry at herself for making out like Melinda had a mental difficulty.::

:: Cecilia seems to accept this somewhat, it would certainly explain Melinda calling Paige her mother. She takes a couple of steps towards the women, but she's wary.::

"Who are you? Really."

::Paige sighs.::

(The screw-up, that's who I am.)

"Do you think we could maybe come in so I can explain? Please? Look, here's, here's my driver's license to show I am who I say I am."

::She digs out her wallet and removes said card, holding it out to Cecilia.::

(I still have my old ID...)

::She also shows the woman her South Bay Social Services identification card. She's a social worker! She is so safe.::

"It's... been a long drive."

::An hour. Tops.::

:: Cecilia looks at both of these IDs carefully before she steps back and waves the women into her living room.::

"Very well."

::Melinda runs in and looks for cookies.::

::Paige closes the door and walks after her daughter, clearing her throat and giving Cecilia an embarrassed smile as she trudges past.::

"Thank you."

::She enters the living room.::

"Melinda, sweetie, sit down."

::Melinda sighs and folds her arms, not doing as she's told.::

(When the hell was this ever a good idea?)

::Paige decides to lead by example and takes a seat.::

::Melinda promptly sits in Paige's lap and snuggles up.::

:: Cecilia is giving Melinda and Paige an odd look again!::

::Paige gives Cecilia a nervous laugh and tries to ignore the adult squirming in her lap.::

"All right. So do you mind if I ask you a few questions about your family? It's... just a fascinating subject, the Pound dynasty - did you know your family dates back hundreds of years in this very state?"

(Oh REALLY?)

"Of course."

:: Cecilia shoots Melinda another look before she sits across from the women. Normally she would offer tea and cookies, but all hospitatlity has flown out of the window.::

"Heh. Of course. Of course..."

::Paige hasn't felt this crash-and-burn for a good, oh, twelve hours or so. She gently pushes Melinda off her; thankfully they're on a sofa.::

"So do you know much about your... great, great, great, great, great-grandmother? Guinevere Pound?"

"Why was she great?"