Letting the Days Go By...

The Wonders of the Item Box

Left by herself, there was only one thing left to do: mentally prepare for the barrage of questions waiting front and centre.

As she stepped out into the aisle, Dempsey came to meet her from the left, popping a bottle cap off a vibrantly red drink.

With pinpoint reflexes she caught the cap mid-air as it flipped up, turning her head to the marine with a smile.

To the outside viewer, the smile was like any other, genuinely warm smile. But she knew herself how forced it really was.

They walked down the aisle as Dempsey took a swig - downing half the bottle - before letting out a loud belch, brazenly enjoying the newfound company of the woman.

"Hey, you'll never guess who's back!" He called up to the stage.

Takeo emerged from behind the wing nodding in greeting as Nikolai drunkenly struggled to sit up and face the incoming pair, bleary-eyed and extremely inebriated.

"Who the f*ck let third wife back in!" He shouted, pointing an accusatory finger before his face fell into dull puzzlement and his groggy mind began to focus.

"Oh... It is woman. Dempsey, did you wish really hard for red drink woman to be alive?" He then asked suspiciously.

Dempsey began to laugh as both continued toward and up onto the wooden stage platform.

"I wish it were true Nikolai but hey, she's the next best thing! Am I right?" He replied, letting out another belly laugh. Unbeknownst to him, Chloe had begun to step away as her curiosity peaked at the glimpses of what lay beyond the curtain, before he practically yanked the poor woman closer to him, which he failed to see as a very unwarranted gesture.

Takeo rolled his eyes in annoyance at the obnoxious and frankly, dishonourable exchange.

"Hey, I haven't even asked your name! Well, what's your name, hot stuff?" Dempsey then bellowed out with a wink.

It took a second for his grip to properly unfasten itself from her torso, only then did would she speak.

Now with some distance, she responded bluntly, "I told you my name." Conveying her puzzlement toward his question.

"Really? I musta' been pretty distracted if I can't remember you mentioning your name." Rubbing his chin in thought, a cheeky grin warmed his face. Still, he remained cocky enough to continue in believing his attempted 'way with words' were having any effect on the desired recipient.

Said desired recipient was unperturbed by his awful attempt at flirting and continued.

"The Giant?" She asked, in hopes the name would jog his memory though, it seemed the marine didn't seem to care all too much – more elated with the prospect of a lowly damsel in need of protection by a highly patriotic hero such as himself.

She however, corrected herself immediately as the name hadn't originally been written in English. "Der Riese?"

When there was absolutely no change to his expression, she stayed silent, hoping the words would sink through.

He may as well have branded himself more of a patriotic moron at this point, as Dempsey was starting to get agitated, faster the more she stared at him with that half-concerned, half-confused look. She knew something he didn't, and he didn't appreciate it very much.

"Look lady. Sh*t, I only met you a few minutes ago! You haven't told me your name and you somehow already know mine, without the Doc tellin' ya." Gritting his teeth, he pointed an accusatory finger, mere inches away from jabbing into her chest.