Thanks to fredbassett, my beta-reader.

Man Trap

"Nick? What are you doing up there?"

"Ach! Well! I can explain."

Nick went bright red. Jenny wasn't entirely surprised. She gazed up at him, suspended, as he was, about six feet from the ground in a large net.

"I'm waiting," she said, when he failed to elaborate.

"I was trying to catch an archaeopteryx."

Jenny frowned. "Why did you need a net to catch an archaeopteryx?"

"How else was I supposed to bloody well do it?"

"Abby and I just drove down to the local garden centre and stocked up on bird feed."

"It's an insectivore, Cl- Jenny! It's not going to eat seeds!"

Jenny heard the start of the Claudia and sat down firmly on a nearby stump looking up him.

"I can see that you have never been in the habit of feeding birds," she said, allowing her irritation to show. "You can get specialist bird feed for robins and other insectivores."

"Really," Nick looked genuinely surprised. "I hadn't thought of that."

"Abby'd already rounded up about half the flock before I came looking for you. She probably has them all by now."

"I'm impressed," said Nick solemnly. "Will you get me down?"

"OK, so I understand that you were trying to catch an archaeopteryx with that net, but how did you end up in it?"

Nick's face, having returned almost to its normal colour, went bright red again. "Well obviously, I managed to set off my own trap."

"I can see that." Jenny waited for further explanation, but none appeared to be forthcoming.

"That's it!" he said.

Jenny grinned at him from where she sat. She had every intention of making him pay for every half-formed Claudia that have ever passed his lips..

"You," he said, clearing taking in her expression, "are a cold hearted harridan."

Jenny pondered, quite seriously, going to fetch the rest of the team so they could all have a good laugh together.

"If you must know, I fell over," said Nick, suddenly.

"You fell over?"

"Aye. There's a knife in my kit bag. If you pass it up here, I can cut myself out."

"I think that would count as damaging government property. How did you come to fall over?"

"I was practicing."

"Practicing what?"

"Dancing."

"Dancing!" Jenny took in the large and rather ancient looking tape recorder that sat on the ground. She picked up the empty cassette tape on top of it: Fifty Famous Waltzes.

"Why were you practicing waltzing?"

"Annual Medics' Ball. A member of staff has to lead off the dancing."

Jenny felt the beginning of giggles start to stir at the mental image of Nick, in the middle of a national park, practicing ballroom dancing. "Don't you need a partner to waltz?"

"The departmental secretaries go every year. I thought I'd throw myself on their mercies once I was there."

"I see. Why do you have to lead off anyway?"

"The HoD has decided its one of my admin duties and someone assured him that, in return for no regular teaching, I would nevertheless take admin very seriously."

Jenny shrugged. "It was either that or sign you off the project and take back that research budget we gave you."

"Couldn't you have told the HoD that?"

"I did. He doesn't like prima donnas."

"I'm not a prima donna."

"You certainly don't look much like one at the moment."

"You are the most wonderful and perfect woman in all ways imaginable and I am an oaf and dunce. If I ever call you Claudia again you may phone the HoD and volunteer me for first year tutorials."

"That was almost an apology!" Jenny started looking through his bag for the knife.

"I most abjectly and humbly apolo-"

Nick didn't complete the sentence. Jenny hadn't bothered to hand him the knife but had simply cut the rope herself.

"Oh and yes, by the way."

He gazed up at her in confusion. "Yes, what?"

"Yes I will come to the dance with you. Thank you so much for inviting me."