Happy hour
Deborah Morgan sits on the bar stool staring at the picture of her father. The picture is the classic Harry Morgan pose. He is dressed up in his police uniform with a stern look on his face. In Deborah Morgan's mind, it is how a police officer should look like.
There is a shot of tequila in front of her and a glass of beer. She takes a big breath and pours the shot down her throat. She could feel the effects almost instantly. It had been a while since Deborah had a desire to drink.
This day had not been her finest. She had been working on a case. Being in homicide, she had encountered cases that send chill up her spine. The one thing that Deborah Morgan did not like is an unsolved case. Today, she had to file a case as being unsolved. She did not like that feeling of a job not completed. However, homicide did not provide her the luxury of solving every case. There are all sorts of reasons for it happening. There is always a witness that never comes forward. There is always a murderer that is so carefully that the only clue is a body chopped up into pieces. The only thing that Deborah could do was go on to the next murder case, go to a bar after work and get a drink. Deborah takes a drink from her beer as she continues to stare at her father's picture.
Her father was a decorated police officer. There are days where she wonders if she will ever be like him. It was one of the things that she hears a lot in the department. Is she anything like her old man? Deborah takes another drink from her beer. She does not know the answer to that question, but she has tried her best to be like her father.
Right now, she is just trying to find an excuse to not go to her brother's house. Dexter, her brother, kidnapped her as she was heading out of the office. He told her that Rita wanted to have dinner with everyone. What Deborah wanted was a quiet night by herself. Even though she had a boyfriend, Deborah likes to have some time to herself, even if it is to run on the treadmill for an hour in peace. She takes another drink from her beer at the thought of her me time lost.
Even though she could not find an excuse, she was trying to find some motivation to go to Rita's house. In the end the only reason she had was the fact that she like Rita. Rita was part of the Morgan family. Considering that she is having Dexter's baby, Deborah figured that Rita may just want to have some adult conversation before the baby comes out. Deborah figures that Rita knows from experience that her conversation would be limited to Dexter, the kids and baby talk. She can see why Rita wants a dinner party before the blessed event occurs.
Deb's attention was caught by someone starting to sit down at the bar a few stools over. The red hair woman wearing a business suit sit down on the bar stool. Deborah let out a sigh of frustration. Every once in a while, a civilian would walk into the bar, not knowing that it was a cop bar.
The bar is not pretty, but it did not wanted to be pretty. There are bar stools that have been here since the bar opened. There are pictures of hero cops and fallen cops on a mirror. Behind the counter is a bartender who does not want to be here. There is beer on tap and various bottles of hard liquor ready to be consumes.
"This is a cop bar." said the bartender to the red head.
"You mean that I cannot get a drink here." Deborah can see the frustration on the woman. She can hear an accent from her. It did not take a detective to realize that the woman was out of town.
"Exactly." The bartender did not give any sympathy to the woman. Deborah has seen it before. This is not the first time and it wouldn't be the last time that this situation will happen.
"Look. I have been traveling for a while now with a lunatic and I really need a drink." Deborah watches the woman with interest. The woman took out a wallet from her purse. She took out two hundred dollar bills. "If I buy everyone in this bar a drink, can I get one?"
The bartender stared at her for a moment.
"Yeah." said the bartender after he decided that the two hundred dollars in the woman's hand was more valuable than the repetition of the bar. Deborah was a little surprise. It was the first time someone had made this offer. Deborah watch as the red haired put two fingers in her mouth and whistled loud. Every cop in the bar looks at the red head with unease.
"THE NEXT ROUND OF DRINKS IS ON ME!!" yell out the woman, who is impressing Deborah. Deborah will have to admit that the woman had balls. Every cop in the bar shouts and claps of their approval. The atmosphere in the bar pick up. Deborah could not help but drink the rest of her beer.
"What can I get you?" ask the bartender to Donna.
"Don't do mixes drink, do you?"
"They are all right."
"Oh." Deb saw that red head was a little frustrated. She could have told the woman that the bartender was mostly a keg with feet. "Do you have at least Guinness on tap?"
"Yeah."
"I'll take a pint." The bartender looks at the red head with confusion. Deborah could not help but chuckle at the facial expression on the bartender. He did look very confused at the woman's request. The woman in the suit let out a sigh of frustration. "I'll take it in a glass."
"Why did you not say so?" As the bartender walk away from red head, Deborah could see the face of frustration on red head's face. Deborah takes a deep breath. It was obvious that if Deborah did not step in and be nice to her, the red head will find herself in jail for some sort of assault. Deborah gets up from her chair and approaches her.
"Don't mind the bartender. Nice to look at, but don't carry a long conversation with the guy." The red head turns around to see Deborah standing beside her.
"I can see that." The red head give a small smile. Deborah took the seat beside the woman.
"Deborah Morgan."
"Donna Noble."
"Thanks by the way."
"If you mean the drink, think nothing of it. I just need a drink. I just did not care how I was going to get." The bartender put two glasses of beer in front of the woman. Both took the glass and took a sip.
"So Donna, what brings you to Miami?" ask Deborah, trying to make small talk.
"I am traveling with a friend of mine. Wonderful friend, but a little dense. He does not realize that sometime a girl needs to sleep on a comfortable bed that does not move." reply Donna.
"I understand that. When I was little, my dad took me and my brother out fishing. The whole time that we were out in sea, I could not sleep. The boat kept rocking and I kept throwing up. My dad and my brother, never once did they throw up." reminisces Deborah to the stranger.
"Exactly. My friend can sleep anywhere if he wants to. I got to have bed to put my head on and sleep. Men, they are so dense." said Donna as she takes another drink.
"Yes, they are." agrees Deborah as she finishes off her beer.
"Deb. Can I call you, Deb?" asks Donna as she finishes off her beer.
"Sure."
"You date, right?" Deb squirms at the question.
"Excuse me?"
"You do not have a ring, so I just assume that you were not married." Donna nods her head toward the hand on the table.
"Oh. Well. Yeah, I date." While Deb gave kudos to Donna for being observant, Deb did not like that reminder that she was not married. She was getting that a lot lately. It did not bother her that she was not married. It was bothering her that she was getting asked about it.
"Tell me this. Why are the good ones gay, married, or stupid?" Deborah ponders for a second. It was a question that she thought about in a bar. It was also nice to know that someone had the same thought.
"If I had the answer to that question, I'm pretty sure that I would be rich right now." Donna smiles at the response. Deb could not help but smile.
Both women take a big drink from their beers.
"For a cop bar, it is sure pretty empty." remark Donna as she looks around the bar. There were only a few individuals there. Most were together talking about how their day went.
"Well, it's still early. There will be plenty of guys here in about another two hours." Deborah took another drink from her beer. "So, Donna, what motivates someone like you to walk into this bar?"
"What do you mean?"
"C'mon. This bar is not a tourist bar. This bar serves cops. What makes you to step into this bar?"
"Honestly. I just needed a beer and I did not want to go to the tourist traps. They charge a person a ridiculous price for a beer. I also did not want to get hit on by drunken men. Well, not today. I saw this place and figured why not?"
"One woman coming into a strange bar. I have to say, not the smartest idea." Deborah takes another drink from her beer.
"I have been in worse places." said Donna as she gets the bartender's attention. She points at the two empty glasses.
"Really?"
"Trust me, Deb. I have been. Hence, the beer." Like it was a call of the wild, the bartender takes the empty glasses and replaces them with glasses filled with beer. Donna slides another twenty to the bartender. Both woman took their beer and take another big gulp.
"So, Donna. You don't have a fucking ring. How's your dating life?" Deborah can handle her alcohol. Being a cop, she had to develop a tolerance for it. As for her cussing, that is a different story. Unlike Donna, Deborah knows that she has a problem holding her tongue. Deborah had gotten into trouble because of it. She also knows that she is getting comfortable with Donna like an old friend. It also means that the cussing will flow out.
"Dating is not my strong suit." sigh Donna at the thought.
"Shit. Be glad that you don't have my fucking luck." Even though Deborah has a man now, the wounds of her former single life still stings.
"Oh, I am pretty sure that I can have you beat in that department." reply Donna, who still feels the wounds from her single life healing. Deborah felt her competitive streak flaring up. Donna took a sip from her beer.
"Ask a guy out and he was gay." states Deborah with a smile. Donna looks at Deborah. She likes this woman. She is not going to back down from a challenge. The only thing, Donna was not going out without a fight.
"Please. I got ask out because the guy thought I was a transsexual." Donna smile at Deborah's lame remark. Donna takes another sip from her beer.
"A lesbian thought she can turn me." Counter Deb.
"A lesbian said that I was not her type when I was not even asking her out." Donna smile at her counter.
"While I was in vice, I arrested a guy and he started to stalking me."
"Please, I caught a guy looking through my garbage for info about me."
"I caught the stalker in my bedroom. Naked."
"Caught my stalker wearing my clothes." said Donna. Deborah smile. Donna was not backing down. Donna had a counter for every remark that Deborah made. It was time to bring out the big guns. She hates to bring it up and she will have some explaining to do, but she will make her point.
"Tell you what, Ms. Noble. If you think you can fucking beat me on this next one. I'll buy the next round."
"You are on." agrees Donna. Deborah smiled at the sucker bet.
"How about this? I met a man. A doctor. Fell in love with him. I thought he love me. He proposed to me. Gave me a fucking ring. Then he drugged me. Turn out the man was the Ice Truck killer. That's right. He was a serial killer. Only wanted me as his next victim. Strap me on a table was going to kill me. Only reason I am still here is because of my brother found me." Deborah looks at Donna. She was expecting some sort of sympathy from her. Whenever she whips out the Ice Truck killer incident, most people give her pity. It was one of many reasons she tried to keep it quiet. Donna looks at Deborah, and took a long drink from her beer. She put her drink down. She closes her eye as if she was preparing her counter. She finally opens her eyes with a small smile.
"I meet a man in the office that I was temping at. He got me coffee. Fell in love with him. He proposed to me. He gave me a beautiful ring. On my wedding day, I got drugged and found myself in some field. My friend that I am traveling with found me and took me back to the church. Everyone was at the reception, not looking for me. Reception got crashed by some terrorists. My friend, who by the way is a …police officer found the hideout of the terrorist group, found out that my fiancée was a terrorist. Did I mention that he was trying to poison me since I met him? Then my fiancée tried to kill me properly. Only reason that I am still here is because of my friend. Oh, did I mention all of this happened while I was in my wedding dress. My wedding dress!!" Donna did the one thing that she hadn't done since she joined the Doctor. She chugs down her remaining beer. Once finish, she slams her glass on the counter. "Bartender!! I'll have my free beer now."
Deborah stared at Donna. She was a little shock.
"Wow." Deborah had nothing to beat that.
"Yeah, wow."
"Did you get any cake?"
"No, all the guests ate it."
"No fucking way. I can't compete with that shit." Deborah Morgan had to give the win to Donna.
"No you can't sweetheart."
Both woman look at each other and start to laugh at the absurdity of the conversation.
"Bartender. Bring that fucking bottle of Jack for my friend. She needs it more then I do." yell out Deborah with a smile on her face. She just found her excuse not to go to dinner. She just made a friend.
Dexter looks at his watch. His sister was two hours late. It worried him a little. His sister said that she was coming to dinner. It was not like her not to call or arrived.
Dexter had been washing dishes when he realizes that his sister is not here. He looks at the living room to see his new wife and her kids watching television. Each one of them had a piece of pie in front of them.
As Dexter watch as Rita and the kids enjoy a piece of pie in front of the television, he fold up the towel and places it off to the side. He walks out of the kitchen and walk behind his wife. He bends down and kisses his wife on the top of her head.
"What's wrong?" ask Rita as she look up at her husband.
"I asked Deb to be here." Dexter looks down at his wife's half eaten pie.
"That's right. I completely forgot. You want to call her?" Rita said this knowing full well that Dexter will call his sister. She found it sweet that they were so close to each other.
"I better." Rita had so many qualities about her that made him smile. The calming effect was definitely one of them. He gives his wife another kiss. Dexter went to the bathroom, took out his cell phone and dial Deb's cell.
"HELLO!!" was the first thing he heard.
"Deb?"
"DEXTER!!!" Deb was using her loud voice, which meant that she was drinking, which meant only trouble. Dexter sighs in frustration.
"Where are you, Deb?"
"I'M HERE WITH MY NEW FRIEND, DONNA. SAY HI, DONNA!"
"HELLO!" The other voice was louder than Deb. It was a feat that cannot be matched, which impresses Dexter.
"Deb, are you drunk?"
"YEAH. I THINK I AM A BIT INTOICATED." Deb did not have the habit of drinking to the point of being drunk. In fact, she had been known to drink most guys under the table if she had too. Yet, when she is drunk, Dexter knew that he had to take her home. It was the brotherly duties that he had. Beside, he wanted to protect the city of Miami from his sister.
"I'm on my way there." said Dexter to his sister.
"REALLY!! DONNA, DEXTER'S IS COMING."
"SOUND LIKE A PERSONAL PROBLEM TO ME."
"HEY, THAT'S MY MOTHERFU….."
Dexter really did not want to hear the rest as he hangs up the phone. He knew where his sister was. It was one of many things that he love about his sister was the predictability. Dexter also knew what he had to do. He had to forget about stalking his prey for the night.
Dexter gets out of his car. He walks toward the car when he sees a man simply staring at the bar. The man has wild brown hair and is wearing a long trench coat that look out of place. Dexter notices the shoes. Dexter concludes that the trench coat is not the strangest aspect of this man.
"Are you alright?" ask Dexter, hoping the man says that he is alright.
"I do not know." reply the man with an accent. "My friend is in that bar."
"So, what's the problem?" ask Dexter.
"I never have seen my friend drink." said the man as if that explanation should say it all. He looks at Dexter, noticing the poker face. "I really do not know what to expect."
"Oh." Dexter could understand that. His only advantage that he has is the fact that he knows what to expect from his sister. However, he could remember the first time his sister got drunk. That was a little scary, considering that he had to make sure that Harry did not see Deborah drunk. "Sorry."
"Yeah. My friend is a hand full. I cannot imagine what she is like with a drink in her." The man stares at the bar with a little fear.
"Well. Could be worse."
"Yeah."
"You could be dealing with my sister."
"Is she a hand full?"
"I rather be in your shoes."
"I doubt that." The man looks at Dexter with a small smile. "What is your name?"
"Dexter. And you are?"
"Just call me the Doctor."
"The Doctor?" Dexter looks at the man and simply accepted what he gives him. "Well, I hope your friend's name is not Donna."
"It is." Dexter shook his head when the Doctor said this.
"That's too bad because my sister is very bad influence on people and she just met your friend."
"Really? How bad?'
"I just talked to her and she is drunk with her new friend, Donna."
"Oh. That is not good."
"No, it is not." sigh Dexter. "After you." Dexter points to the door.
The Doctor shook his head and opens the door.
"So, where are they?" ask the Doctor as he look around the crowded bar. It was quitting time from some of the officers. Dexter could tell some of them had a head start in the drinking game.
"I don't know. "
"SPACEMAN!!!" yell out a voice. The Doctor turns toward the direction of the voice and saw Donna and Deborah sitting in a booth. The table was cover by bottles of beer and Jack Daniels. In front of the woman were glasses.
"There's Donna." points out The Doctor. He smiled. Dexter obviously did not know how bad this situation was. Both men approach the women. The two women were laughing loud, particularly Donna. Deb just shook her head. She realizes that Donna was making a joke that was private. She turns around and her face lit up when she saw her brother.
"BIG BROTHER, WHAT TOOK YOU SO FUCKING LONG?" Deb was drunk. The question in Dexter's mind was how drunk is Deb.
"Traffic."
"Sit down and have a daiquiri." motions Deb to her brother. Dexter just stood over the two women. The Doctor went to Donna. He was still trying to process the scene. It was an anomaly that Donna was drinking. Actually, the anomaly was the fact that Donna had drunk too much. He had a little fear that she was now mixing drinks. The Doctor had to get Donna in the right mindset.
"Donna, I know I promise you sun and beaches, but we can't be drinking right now. We got to go. Remember that we are going to Barcelona. In your condition, I really do not want to clean….is that a banana daraqui?" The Doctor took the drink away from Donna. He took a drink from it. The concern was now replaced by a smile.
"It's banana daiquiri and gets your own." Donna took it out of his hands.
"That's not bad." Dexter looks at the Doctor. Dexter knew it would be a bad thing if the Doctor joins in the drinking.
"See, Dex. Why can't you be like the Doctor? Just loose up a bit." Dexter looks at his sister. If only his sister knew. He did loosen up. It was not the typical thing that a normal person would do.
"You do have to go back to work, tomorrow?" remind Dexter to his sister.
"I know that. I am just enjoying myself." Deb looks a little angry. Dexter could not tell if it was the fact that he was not drinking with her or that he was trying to ruin her fun. The ugly face turn into something. Dexter could not tell considering that Deb had stop looking at him. He look at what Deb was staring. Deb did not allow him the luxury to find out.
"DONNA, HE DOES HAVE A BUTT!" proclaim Deborah. Dexter suddenly has the desire to run out of the bar.
"DEB. HE DOES NOT HAVE A BUTT. THE DOCTOR DOES NOT HAVE A BUTT. HE'S TOO SKINNY." Donna joins in the shouting match. Without warning, Deborah smack The Doctor's butt.
"See, he does have a butt. I just felt his butt." The Doctor suddenly felt uncomfortable with this conversation.
"Oh please." Donna then smacks the Doctor's butt, which enforces his uncomfortable feeling. "All I feel is his skin and bones. That's not a butt, it's just a joint." Dexter looks at the Doctor's face. Shock and fright was on his face. Whatever concerns that Dexter had disappeared.
"Dexter."
"Yes."
"I don't think I am going to have my banana daiquiri. All right, everyone. It's time to go home." declare the Doctor as he starts to get Donna off the chair.
"NO!!" said the girls in unison. Disappointment is written all over their faces.
"You heard the man. We got to go home." agrees Dexter. A united front is the best strategy. He knows how his sister is. Something tells him that Donna is the same way.
"Donna, we got to get you to bed." The Doctor wraps his arms around his best friend and slowly gets her out of her chair.
"No. I don't want to go to bed." argue Donna.
"I got a hotel." said the Doctor.
"A good one?" Dexter could see that Donna Noble is very skeptical over her friend.
"The most expensive one in Miami. It has a view." The Doctor said with a smile.
"How nice is the bed?" asks Donna.
"It is like you are sleeping on cloud." reply the Doctor. Donna looks at the Doctor. She studies the Doctor for a minute.
"Okay." Donna finally let herself follow the Doctor. Dexter shook his head. He doubts that trick will work with his sister. He looks at his sister, who just finished another beer.
"Deb, we have to go." Said Dexter.
"Fine. But you are buying me dinner." reply Deborah.
"Hamburger and fries."
"That sounds good."
"Can you get out of that chair?" ask Dexter
"I'm going to need help." said Deborah. Dexter takes Deborah's arm and slowly helps her out of the chair. Dexter wraps his arms around his sister and guides his sister. Dexter follows the Doctor out of the bar.
Dexter looks around the parking lot with caution. He notices that the Doctor was not heading towards a car.
"Do you need a ride back to the hotel?" Dexter figures that he should check with the Doctor.
"No, thanks. I got my own ride." The Doctor smiles at Dexter. Dexter put on his smile.
"Well, nice to meet you." Dexter starts to lead his sister to his car.
The Doctor smile disappears when he saw Dexter looking away. He could see how everything is going to play out for Dexter in the future.
"Hey, grumpy face." Donna grabs the Doctor's attention away from Dexter.
"What?"
"Are you alright?"
"Of course. Let's get to the TARDIS." said the Doctor as he starts to lead Donna.
"HEY! What about the hotel?"
"TARDIS, Hotel, and bed."
"Ok." The Doctor focuses his attention back to Donna.
"I love you." said Deborah as she sits down in the mini van.
"Excuse me." Dexter closes his door.
"I. LOVE. YOU." yell out Deborah.
"I love you too." said Dexter knowing that it was the only response that would not get him kill.
"Really, I love you."
"You realize that you are drunk. You always say that to me when you are drunk." Dexter looks back at his sister, who seems to have difficulties in putting on her seat belt.
"No I don't. I tell it to you when I am sober."
"That is true." Nod Dexter in agreement.
"You are my bestest friend in the whole world." Declare Deborah to her brother.
"You are mine too."
"Don't you ever forget that." said Deborah. "Now hurry the fuck up. I didn't eat anything since lunch.
Dexter shakes his head in amusement as he drives off the bar's parking lot, searching for food for his sister.