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High stake poker games were the best. Not only did it mean money but she just never broke old habits and a card table with liquor was really where she felt most at home. But times changed and to get an invite to one of these shindigs (they were much more to do these days than in the old days) was always a problem. Everybody loved having their secrets.

So when Hermes was kind enough to send an invitation her way, she happily accepted. Best case scenario, she won a lot of money. Worst case scenario, she found some sap to give her a lot of money. She really couldn't lose.

When she arrived, she first went to say hello to Hermes since he was the gracious host. She looked him up him and down approvingly, "I could just eat you up, darlin'." she said with a grin by way of greeting.

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Hermes' smile widened as he saw Kate walk into his little hidden-away haven. He smirked at her and said, "I would let you too, but if you get hungry in the meantime, there's plenty of things to nibble on over there," in reply. "Nice to see you here, you always did play a good game."

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Doc could burn up a room when he set his mind to the stakes. He had been in the gambling life since he was a young man, it was hard to break certain habits. It felt like home. It was comfortable.

He was already at one of the tables when Kate came in. He'd noticed a shift in the air that felt hostile. A familiar feeling walking in that he didn't turn his head to see. Fingering a chip between his fingers, it flipped from knuckle to knuckle back and forth while his challengers bluffed through their cards. Doc had often been called a cheat. Now was no exception to the title, though he most certainly played fair.

"MacKey would keep still," men today got annoyed by little ticks and quirks. It broke their concentration apparently. "Why certainly." He grinned wide over his cards continuing to flap the chip back and forth just for spite. The man bristled "MacKey!"

"Now, now, no reason to get in a huff. We're friends aren't we?" Doc splayed a hand against his chest flabbergasted.

"Shove it up your ass."

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"Nice t'be seen." she drawled as she looked at a couple of other people in the room, not noticing Doc yet. Kate, unlike some of the immortals, had kept a very low profile. She stayed out of the big cities, kept close to her first life roots, and just always stayed below the radar. But she did run into them now and then, there was her little visit to Vegas a few years ago and now she was in New York, she always seemed to trip over her kind in these big populations.

She smiled, "Flattery won't let you keep your money." she felt a little uneasy and brushed it off to first game jitters. It'd been awhile since she played high stakes and she was excited for it. But.. you ever get that feeling of deja vu?

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Hermes chuckled and put his hand on the small of her back. "Wouldn't have it any other way. Come to my table and we'll join in." Perhaps it was sadistic, but Hermes was a trickster. He knew of Kate and Doc's past and he was somewhat acquainted with both of them from the past. He was dying to see what would happen if they were at the same table now.

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Doc started to laugh as their new guest arrived and the angrier man left, throwing his cards across the table in Doc's face.

"You cheat!" he yelled shoving chips into a big pile while Doc collected his winnings. He cleared his throat after while feeling the air shift as the woman took a seat.

He knew her right away, but he had never expected to see her face again. "Shit boys," he said to the other players, "we got a tiger here tonight." It suddenly felt like he'd been thrown back a few decades.

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Kate recognized that laugh before she even saw his smug face. She shot a look that could kill at Hermes because he knew, he knew and that rat bastard.. but she didn't say anything, she'd avoided this for decades and here it was happening. Memo to self: maim Hermes dead.

Kate kept her cool even though she was bristling on the inside. Really. Decades and this is what the asshole had to say to seeing her. But she already knew the facts years ago. She didn't even look at Doc as she smiled at Hermes and waited to be dealt in, "Well maybe our host felt that these gentlemen needed a challenge from a real player and not some washed up ol' drunk."

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Hermes grinned widely, not even trying to hide his amusement at the situation here. He pointed at Kate as the cards were dealt. "That is what our host was thinking," he said jovially. Then to Doc, he said, "if you could manage to not chase my guests away, I would be obliged." To be honest though, Hermes didn't care too much. They always came back in the end. But he had to look like he was trying to keep some manner of decorum here. It was obligatory chastisement and nothing more.

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"Some of 'em just have no patience," Doc answered Hermes, but his eyes were transfixed on Kate. There was even a twinkle in his eye when he said it with a lopsided grin.

"You look like you could spit nails, darlin'" he started gathering up the cards passing them to the dealer. "Now is that any way to say hello to an old friend?" he asked under that dark brown, raised high in amusement at her clear anger.

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Kate could feel Doc's eyes on her but didn't say anything until he flapped his fat mouth. Old friend? If she had a gun she would have shot him right then and there. Cool blue eyes looked at him and she furrowed her brow, "Oh no sugar, you're mistaken. I look like this cause I'm just tryin' to keep back the vomit at seein' your ugly mug again." and she patted her throat.

She looked at Hermes and there was a small grin on her lips. She watched the cards being dealt and asked him quietly as she pulled hers towards her, "Your cable out or somethin'?"

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The look on Hermes' face was nothing short of smug as Doc and Kate squared off. "I've just missed this," Hermes whispered back to Kate. Modern times were so boring.

With the cards dealt, Hermes checked his hand. "If you feel the urge to purge, I would recommend not vomiting on the table."

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"Jus' wonderin' if you actually remember how to play, sugar. It's been a while," he gave her a smug grin and a wink. After all these years he wasn't really sure what to say in the given situation. He'd never expected to see her again. It was a miracle of the almighty that he was here most days, even then that was debatable.

Clearing his throat he picked up his cards.

"Need help?" he teased Kate, flicking a chip over in her direction.

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Kate kept that smile plastered on her face as she looked at her cards but said under her breath so Hermes could hear, "Yer a sick son of a bitch.."

She flicked her ice blue eyes to Doc for a moment then looked back at her hand, saying casually, "You wanna keep that eyeball of yours in yer skull then you best not be winkin' it at me, Doc Holliday." she had never known how she'd react when she spoke to him again, out of the million scenarios that had played through her head over the decades, this had not been one of them.

When he flicked the chip at her, it made her blood boil. He was the only man that could make her go from zero to 60 in under ten seconds. She slapped her hand down and curled her fingers around the chip, lifting it up. She looked at it and then at Doc, a familiar challenge in her eyes, her smile razor sharp, "Care to make it interestin'?"

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