"Hey Dougie?" A girl about 24 years old touched the shoulder of her companion, a man whose suit had evolved into a shirt with rolled up sleeves with a loosened tie and slacks, with beer stains on his shoes. The couple had been at the bar for a couple hours, slowly losing the awkward barrier they had entered with. Claudia was now sitting with her legs across Doug's lap and her head against the wall of the booth they were sitting in. A 90's alternative cover band was the bar's entertainment that night, leading to the slightly off pitch droning of Black Balloon, as Claudia finished off her 3rd bourbon. Fargo looked at the girl he thought his chance with was blown, and he looked at her legs across his thighs and how her jacket had gotten more unzipped as the night went on and her hair had gotten messier.

"Yeah?" He took a sip of his beer, hoping she didn't hear his voice crack. She moved her legs off his and then snuggled into his side. His eyes widened at the abruptness, but he didn't push her off.

"I love you." He choked on the drink he had just swallowed.

"What?" She looked up her eyes wide and glossy.

"Claude you're drunk beyond belief, and you don't mean that and I'm going to take you back to your hotel now." She blocked his reach for his coat.

"No. Don't tell me what I mean, it's not like we haven't been scooting around this issue every damn time we see each other. It's like we act like friends anytime we're around people but get us alone and we're making out. And the only reason I wouldn't be with you is because it isn't fair to you and I never have free time and so I might as well tell you what's been building up before I'm gone again tomorrow." She stood up and handed him his jacket. "And by the way when I kissed you the first time in the warehouse, I wasn't thinking about Todd, I was thinking about how I had just fended off evil robots, with a light saber, with the nicest techie I'd met in a long time." She started out of the bar. Fargo followed quickly after her. He grabbed her by the waist to keep her steady as he walked her to his rental car. After a long silence of about 2 miles he turned and spoke to her.

"You know what; we could have done the distance. We still could. I have vacation days and we could meet up if you were ever on a mission nearby, and there's Skype." She stared at him. And then after another minute or so, "You know after I had met you, I thought my god she's perfect; smart, techie, witty, hot, red headed." Claudia rolled her eyes.

"Hate to break it to you I'm a bottled ginger." He smiled.

"That may be the deal breaker, but really I liked everything about you." She interrupted him.

"I'm socially awkward, with no interests besides my work, and computers, and I like onions."

"That's what makes you, you. And I love onions, and garlic. Anyways when you left and we had to start talking less, I thought well damn I found the one a thousand miles away. And then Holly showed up and she had similar traits not the same but similar, and I thought well here is my chance, but something was off and I didn't know what it was. After that I started working with FarGames and we both know how that turned out." Claudia was fidgeting with her nail polish but a grin came over her face. "And then I found out what Holly was missing. She had no faults but also no depth. And you have this terrible vulnerable thing and it makes you real." She looked up at him.

"Why was I your princess then, if you were already with Holly?" Doug's neck got red.

"Because in a videogame, the princess is supposed to be the thing you strive for or want the most and for me that was you. And by the way I did not add the freckles, the guys did, to generalize the game more." He turned into the Four Seasons Claudia was staying at. He parked in a spot near the entrance and she got out, and walked to the other side.

"So, after that long confession, what do you want to do Doug? Stay in your car and drive away or come up with me. It's been years, and I'm done with this whole will they won't they thing and I'm laying my cards out on the table." She waits a couple seconds before turning around and heading towards the hotel. Running footsteps behind her makes Claudia turn. Fargo reaches her and kisses her, before grabbing her hand and walking with her into the hotel.