Rose sat at the end of the bar typing away on her laptop. That was the best thing about owning/working in a bar on the day shift, mid week, in a town in the middle of nowhere. She could work on her slow progressing novel in relative peace. Not many people tended to visit the dank old bar at this time, not many avid day drinkers in this town. At least, not during the work week. Few regulars that popped in to have a beer with a microwaved pie, but other than that it was pretty quiet.

So here she was, once again seated in her usual spot, one leg crossed underneath her, second leg heal of her foot settled near the edge of the seat and leg resting against the stool back. Here she had the best vantage point of the bar. To anyone who didn't know her, she would look like a customer. Her long brown hair pulled up into a high pony tail, giving the world a good view of her neck tattoos, little crosses, molnija marks in honour of her fallen family members. Today she was dressed in her usual black leggings and black singlet. Her own chosen uniform for when she was at work. Not that her wardrobe outside of work consisted of many other colours.

She heard the door of the bar open and there was a stream of light that hit the mirror in front of her from behind the bar. She looked up briefly from her screen to glance in the mirror to catch a glimpse of the person entering. It was a male. He approached from behind and continued past her to the main serving area of the bar.

She saved her document and took a sip of water from the glass sitting on the counter top next to her laptop before speaking.

"I know you."

"I'm sorry?"

"I know you. Your face it's rather familiar."

She couldn't pick it. He was tall. Maybe 6"9." Dark semi longish hair and piercing eyes. And an accent. Russian perhaps. Wait, Russian? Of course, Ivan!

"Oh, yes. My cousin lives here. We look very similar. His name is…"

"Ivan. I can see it now. And your name is?"

"Dimitri."

"Rose. So what brings you in here so early in the day Comrade?"

"Comrade?"

"Yer, Comrade. I have nicknames for all my friends."

"And I get Comrade?"

"Well, yer, your Russian, so comrade it is."

"What about Ivan? He's Russian."

"He's P.B-2."

"P.B 2?"

"Playboy 2. So you going to answer my question?"

"I was hoping for a drink, but the bar tender seems to be elsewhere."

Rose stands from her comfortable seat and closes her laptop. Slipping her feet back into her semi laced boots at legs of her stool she moves around the counter of the bar and stops in front of Dimitri.

"What can I get you Comrade? Beer? Or perhaps something a little stronger and closer to home, Vodka?"

"Look at that, bar tenders back. I'll take a beer. Heineken if you have it."

"Not a worry. So, I understand that you're Russian, and your guys are crazy when it comes to drinking… But I must say, 10.30am is even a bit early for Ivan and his boys. What's the story, Comrade?"

"You going to play psychologist for me Rose? Be the helpful bar tender that lends me her ear, sagely advise and age old wisdom?"

"If you need it."

"I live in my families hometown of Baia in southern Siberia. Ivan hailed from there. We grew up together as boys before his family moved here to the States. An old family friend, Tasha, she grew up with us. Practically my best friend besides Ivan."

"Let me guess, she's in love with you and you don't feel the same. So after rejecting her, she begun stalking you, and scaring off any potential women back home, you decided to escape her grasp by moving all the way out here to live with Ivan, only to have her follow you in a desperate attempt for you to realise that she is your perfect match in every way and you just can't see it."

Dimitri stared at her blankly for a moment.

"Okay, that's a little creepy. Ivan told you?"

"No Tasha. She was in here getting wasted last night telling anyone who would listen to her, her grand sob story. Plus I'm friends with her nephew Christian and his girlfriend Lissa, who she is crashing with at the moment. Gotta tell you Comrade, you dodged a bullet with that one. Certifiable I tell ya."

"Perfect. Glad my personal life is gossip for the whole town. And she isn't that bad, she just needs to realise that we are just friends and nothing more."

"You are too nice Comrade. Even Christian is trying to get her parents to force her home to get evaluated and he normally thinks the sun shines out of her arse."

"Don't sugar coat things do you?"

"No time for that Comrade. We only live once. Not gonna try and polish a turd, only for it to still be a turd."

They are both silent for a little bit. It wasn't an awkward silence but comfortable. Rosa returned back around the bar and took her seat again at her laptop.

"What are you writing up? An assignment for college?"

"No. Not attending any college at the present time. Money is tight and college is expensive."

"So what where you typing furiously away at when I walked in the door?"

"A draft for my first novel attempt."

"What's it about?"

Rose turned to Dimitri and looked him with a deadpanned look on her face before answering.

"Vampires."

She could practically see him cringe in disgust at the thought of possibly another horrible Twilight-esk teen novel hitting the shelves.

"I'm kidding Comrade. No need to look so unimpressed. Its target group is young adult not going to lie but it has nothing to do with vampires I promise."

"Thank god. So over that drawn out fad. I have a little sister and if I here the words Team Edward or Jacob ever again it'll be too soon. So if it's not about the creatures of the night then what?"

"It's heavily influenced by the TV shows Nikita and Alias. I've always loved the idea of secret government conspiracy theories. So the basis is that my heroine is a young girl living a normal life only for it to come out that she's actually a billion dollar government funded weapon/assassin that escaped the training facility. It's all really rough and I only have a basic plan down at the moment with bits and pieces written up."

"Sounds intriguing. Will there be a love interest?"

"Maybe. Perhaps a dark haired Russian who is secretly his government's equivalent sent to bring her down but they fall in love and decide to fight together against injustice and corruption."

"Dark haired Russian hey? Do I get royalties?"

"Who said it was you? I was thinking of Ivan."

Rose stared at Dimitri with an eyebrow raised and a smirk on her face. Dimitri's returned grin, caused Rose to purse her lips in an attempt to prevent her own toothy grin and she looked down from Dimitri's stare at the laptop in front of her.

"Well, I should let you continue with your novel writing. Don't want to keep you from writing about your heroine's dark haired Russian love. What do I owe you for the beer?"

"It's on the house. Think of it as a welcome to town present."

"No, I must insist. I don't want you to get in trouble from the bar's owner or for you to be out of pocket from tips or wages."

"I'm pretty sure the owner will be cool with it since the owner is me. It's my families bar. I inherited it when my folks passed a few years back. You're all good. Plus with the way Ivan and his boys drink, they alone will keep me in business for years to come."

"Well, I guess I'll see you round?"

"Absolutely Comrade. It's a small town. You couldn't escape me even if you tried."

"The thought never even crossed my mind. Good day, my dear Roza."

"Roza? Forgotten my name already Comrade?"

"Never. Roza is the Russian equivalent of Rose. You're not the only one who has nicknames for their friends."

Dimitri winked back at Rose as he finished his explanation and exited the bar. Rose turned back to her laptop. Looking up into the mirror across from her seat, her eyes drawn to the bar door automatically searching in hope that Dimitri's figure would re-appear. Looking at her reflection she noticed immediately the stupid grin that didn't seem to want to disappear from her face. With a shake of her head, she began furiously typing away again at her laptop. Bringing to life the character of Comrade, her heroine Roza's dark haired Russian love.