Sorry for the long delay, but first there was NaNoWriMo, then there was preparation for Christmas, then Christmas, then I had my dear co-author over for a visit.

Finally time to breathe and post.

Face looked harshly over to Murdock. He'd already had a few and was obviously going for more. Face didn't like Murdock drunk. He became so... so not-Murdock, when he was. Almost with a violent touch. And a man so gentle by nature shouldn't be violent in any way. Just how had he ended up with Murdock in this bar in the first place? What had driven him to accompany him here?

"Murdock, don't you think you've had enough?" he asked sourly, as Murdock ordered another drink.

"And what is it to you?" Murdock retorted, already with difficulties.

"Well, for one, you've asked me to come along. I thought... I don't think it's very much fun watching you getting drunk." Face took the freshly filled glass and poured it before Murdock could.

"Hey, that was mine!" Murdock protested aloud.

"Buy yourself another one." Face pulled some change from his pocket and dropped it onto the counter in front of Murdock. "I'm gone though. I'll wait for you at the plane." He turned to leave.

"Face, you're not... you're not leaving, are you?" The sudden concern in Murdock's tone made Face stop. "Are you... Are you mad at me?" God, he sounded like a kid, saying that.

"No, I'm not mad at you. But I am leaving." Face realized, he really wasn't mad, not anymore, just annoyed, and even annoyance faded under those begging eyes.

"I'm coming with you," Murdock announced, hopping off the stool and following Face outside.

Face turned left, heading towards their jeep.

"No, let's go there..." Murdock pulled Face into the other direction.

Face started back at the touch. He was finding it more and more uncomfortable to be touched. 'Funny,' he thought, 'it all comes so slowly.' But Murdock was too drunk to notice it. "What you want there?" Face asked uninterested.

"Meet Trin."

"Hey, I don't want to watch you getting smashed and I definitely don't want to watch you having a tart. Clear?" Now Face was angry again. And, strangely enough, this time Murdock didn't care. Or notice.

"She's not a tart. – Well yeah, she is, but she's also a... a sort of a friend."

"Would she spend time with you if you didn't pay her?"

"Rather no than yes."

"She's not a friend then," Face stated coolly.

"I said sort of," Murdock insisted.

"Whatever, I'm not interested." Face crossed his arms and looked coldly down at Murdock, although he had to actually look up.

"You'll like her. She's exactly your type: female." Murdock grinned underhandedly. Face excused it, due to the alcohol, but it was hard. "Come on..." Murdock pleaded.

Face shook his head. "I'm not interested, Murdock. I don't..." But could he just admit that he didn't want body-contact? Wasn't that contradicting the whole concept of 'Face'? Hadn't he made one big mistake by not going into town anymore, picking up the odd girl? Oh yes, he definitely had. He was to change that in future. He definitely had to change that going-into-town-bit. "Fine." It was not quite the enthusiasm he was shooting for, but hey, baby-steps.

TBC