Disclaimer: I own nothing, and only borrowed these characters for a little while.


Bunny Watson was busy scribbling away at her desk in the Reference Department, two large tomes open before her. One finger held her place in one book, her eyes skimming the other book as her notes grew.

She vaguely registered the door behind her opening.

When arms came down to prop themselves on her chair, she didn't look up. "Hello Mike," she said in an absent-minded tone.

She could sense that a kiss was almost placed on her head before said lips were pulled back and a voice was heard to exclaim, "Oi".

"Oh, it's you Richard," she amended in an exaggerated tone of sadness and resignation, keeping her face turned toward the desk.

"Minx," muttered Sumner as he leaned down, pressing a kiss to Bunny's cheek as the woman grinned but continued to work.

The determined man rested his head on her shoulder as he looked down at what she was doing. "Ready to ditch this place yet?"

"In a moment darling," promised Bunny, lifting the hand holding her pencil to pat her fiancée's cheek.

Richard rolled his eyes as she went back to scribbling and Peg entered the room. Words died on the buxom woman's lips as she saw the scene before her. "Aw," she couldn't help. "You should get going Bunny."

"Woman after my own heart," declared Sumner standing up. Clasping Peg's upper arms, he smacked her on the cheek before passing her by. "Talk some sense into her," he ordered from his position in the doorway. "I'm going to check on EMMARAC."

"Dictator," muttered Bunny affectionately as she raised her head to look at her friend when he left.

Peg shook her head. "I'd be falling over myself to do his bidding if I had a guy looking at me the way he looks at you."

Bunny's eyes went misty as she propped her chin up on her palm, inspecting the ring finger that housed a solitaire diamond engagement ring. "I know."

"Well," concluded Peg in her no-nonsense tone. Ushering her boss upright, she gathered up the notes strewn across the desk. "Go," she ordered. "We'll be able to manage perfectly well without you."

"Should I be concerned?" asked Bunny wryly, even as she reached for her black and white checked coat.

"Nonsense," dismissed Peg. "You're the life of this place." She made shooing motions forward. "Let's just not have you die in this place."

Bunny was laughing as she scooped up her handbag and left the room. Passing EMMARAC, she patted her man on the back with a merry tap. "Shall we?"

Richard Sumner was engrossed in a sheet of numbers and raised his head long enough to promise that he was almost done. Bunny turned away with a grin as she turned her attention to Ruthie and Sylvie.

When Richard still wasn't forthcoming ten minutes later, she rolled her eyes at her co-workers as she walked between the screen and console of his mechanical baby. Tugging at her fiancée's scarf, she pulled him toward him. "You've got two seconds to drop what you're doing, or I'm going back to work."

The change was astounding as Sumner immediately dropped the clipboard and moved to help Bunny into her overcoat. He had her handbag in his hand as she did up the buttons. It was still in his hand when she reached for the door.

Taking this as an opportunity for some fun, Richard ordered Bunny to hold the door and then turning on his heel, he paraded down the front of the EMMARAC console, turned, posed with the bag and then worked the catwalk out the door.

Peals of laughter followed Bunny and Richard across the short hall.

With their boss and her fiancé gone for the day, Ruthie wiped away tears of mirth before propping up her own chin on her palm. "I wish I had that."

"Keep dreamin' girl," snorted Peg. "Some of us go years without hope."

"You're not that old!" protested Sylvie.

"Thanks hon."

Meanwhile standing outside the elevator, Bunny reclaimed her handbag as Richard pressed the button. Waiting, Bunny gripped her man's coat lapels and tugged him toward her for a kiss.

Not one to complain, Sumner tugged his fiancée closer.

Both parted when they felt someone watching them. Turning as one, they greeted – albeit breathlessly – the person peeking out from behind a wall as the elevator doors opened behind them.

"Hello Smithers."


Finito.