4Disclaimer: I don't own anything - I don't own sanctuary, or Designing Women or Dixie Carter (may she rest in peace) or that speech that I used that ripped directly from an episode: PLEASE don't sue... oh! Wait, I do own 'the lotus,' well the one in this story anyway.
A/N - I've been obsessed with Designing Women reruns lately on youtube and this story kind of came about because I mentioned on twitter that Magnus reminds me of Julia Sugarbaker, and it sucked that Dixie Carter passed away, because I bet Julia and Magnus would've been great friends!
A/N 2 - Although this is not a cross over by your typical definition - I decided to put it in the cross over category, because it is a tribute and I thought it would be weird it I didn't put a tribute fic into the category it belonged too.
Remembering Dixie (or of Sushi and Sugarbakers)
by Mika Uriah
Doctor Helen Magnus chuckled at the face that Kate Freelander made when she stole a California roll from Kate's plate with a wooden pair of chop sticks, "I'm sorry, Doc," she said genuinely apologetic, the girls had a hellish week and Kate decided to treat Magnus to a quiet evening out.
"What are you sorry for, Ms. Freelander?"
'The Lotus' was a little box of a place with a big picture window and a red lacquered door with a little lotus flower on the front of it, passing by it on the street it actually looked like a town house, until Kate dragged her into the little restaurant, it had dim lighting and only two or three tables, but, there was something about it that immediately put Helen to ease, maybe it was the little old grandmother with the cane who could barely stand but insisted on pouring girls more tea, or maybe it was the true 'family' atmosphere as the chef yelled at the two little children - a boy and a girl- who were sitting in the behind the bar and was watching American television.
A gentleman about fifteen years older than Kate was at the bar having beer, but, other than that it was quiet and they were quite alone, just what they needed after the week they had "it's just when I said 'hey I know this great little sushi place, if you're up for it' I knew you were expecting...something different."
"Different?" She raised an eyebrow and urged the woman to go on as she took another sip of tea.
"Yeah, I mean, you've actually had sushi in Japan, and probably like that really expensive like New York City, SOHO kind of sushi with like black truffles and what not in it and..." she trailed off.
"Don't be ridiculous, these little 'hole in the wall places' and I mean that in the most gracious way, have some of the best food and service, I love these little places, I mean don't get me wrong, I love Alfredo's and those 'fancy' places, but there is just something so cool about little family run places, where everyone knows your name and you know exactly what you are getting, this is a very cool place and I would have never have known about it if it weren't for you, this has been one of the best nights I've had in a while, Kate, don't doubt that okay?"
Kate took a piece of sushi off of Magnus's plate like she did with her earlier and nodded "okay good."
Kate was going to say something else, but the guy who was at the bar stood up and was walking towards them, although he was a good looking guy, he was the kind of smarmy jack ass that knew that he good looking, he was much too old for Kate, and obviously too young for Magnus...much, much ,much too young for Magnus, but then again if she paid attention to age in that point of reference she'd be in a very limited gene pool, he was wearing an expensive suit, but cheap bathroom cologne and his Rolex watch was an obvious knock off and Kate didn't even have to get a good look at it to know. Helen Keller would be able to figure that out, but she didn't say anything about it, he took a chair from one of the other two tables that were free and turned it around and straddled it so the back of the chair was against his front "hey ladies, let me introduce myself, I-"
"There's no need, we know who you are," Helen wiped her mouth on a napkin and put down her chop sticks and looked at him closely, his hair was so greased Helen immaturely wondered if she lit a match if he'd go up in flames, his hair grease the only accelerant.
"You do?" his brown eyes crinkled in confusion.
"Of course; you're the guy who is always wherever women gather or try to be alone. You want to eat with us when we're dining in hotels; you want to know if the book we're reading is any good, or if you can keep up company on the plane. And I want to thank you, Ray Don, on behalf of all the women in the world, for your unfailing attention and concern. But read my lips and remember, as hard as it is to believe, sometimes we like talking just to each other, and sometimes we like just being alone."
Kate grinned, but hid it behind her soda glass, the guy nodded "Well...you'll change your mind when you're ready to go," he sounded so sure of himself; he got up and headed to the bar again.
"I didn't think you were a Designing Women fan, Kate grinned "and enough of a one to have that speech like completely memorized! My mom used to watch it all the time, I remember watching it sometimes home from school sick, I loved Julia!"
"I've always wanted to try one of her speeches in public, but I'm not from the south so some of her most popular ones, probably wouldn't sound right," she chuckled "Ashley was a colicky baby, and it I admit it, that was the only show that kept me sane at 3 in the morning," she grinned stupidly, "I admit, I kind of miss the Sugarbaker sisters, Mary Jo and Charlene...Anthony. I never do watch television anymore, no time, but I was heartbroken when I found out about Dixie Carter passing away, I never met her, but, something tells me we could've been great friends."
"Yeah I called my mom and I went over and we watched all of the old episodes and stuff, you know..." Kate blushed "never mind, you probably won't be into it."
"No, what, tell me," she half demanded as she chew the last roll on her plate.
"There is a Designing Women marathon on television tonight, we could order some more sushi to go, or go over to Sugar Mountain and load up on snacks maybe make a night out of it?" Kate sounded so hopeful.
Helen smiled and looked at her watch "I was thinking about it today actually, it starts at 9, if we leave now, we'll just make it, but we'll have to go to Sugar Mountain first."
Kate grinned "check please!" she reached for her purse, she paid for the bill with protest from Magnus, and both women ignored the man sitting at the bar, and instead, as they left the lotus; they laughed and talked about their favorite women...besides each other.