Title: Quiz Night
Author: Jen (aka Storm)
Rating: PG
Pairings: John/Claire. Possible hints of others
Summary: A quiz night at the Canley Arms. Written for a challenge set on the Find the Lady Forum a few years ago.
Archive: Anywhere else that wants it, just let me know first.
Spoilers: Nothing worth mentioning
Disclaimer: The Bill and its characters don't belong to me. They never have and never will. I'm just playing with them for a bit. Can I please have John and Claire? They're not in the show anymore after all.
Author's Notes: Written for the challenge on the 'Find The Lady' Forum. The challenge requirements were:
Sunday Night Quiz down the pub, you choose the pub
Car Park outside the pub
Someone's shower/bathroom
Objects:
A mobile phone
A red and a Blue Blouse/Shirt (Female)
Reddy-Brown Eye shadow
Pinkie Red Lipstick
People:
John
Claire
The whole of Sun Hill CID
A guy named Mike
Quiz categories:
Classical
Opera
Food and Drink
Science
I.T
Rugby
General Knowledge
General Sport and
Celebrities
Oh and two more things, you must include the word 'Honey' at least once and you need 2 questions for each quiz category.
The quiz questions were taken from Quiz Zone UK.
All comments, questions and complaints in a review please. Pretty please?
Quiz Night
"Hey, stop that, we'll never get there at this rate," I say, playfully batting away the arm that is intent on making me late to this stupid quiz night we've been roped into going to.
Last week DI Deakin decided to organise a quiz night at the Canley Arms, for the whole of CID and everyone has got to attend.
I finish buttoning up my favourite blue blouse, and apply a thin layer of lipstick, pinkie-red in colour, attach my silver raindrop earrings, grab my bag and head for the door.
"Come on lets go," I say to John, making sure I've got everything.
We both head out of the door and start the long trek to the pub laughing and joking, almost forgetting that no one knows about our relationship. We arrive 10 minutes later and after ordering a drink we join the others who are gathered in a corner.
"Hey," Kerry greets the moment we arrive, full of energy as always, I don't know how she does it; I find it an effort to get out of bed some mornings.
We all chat between ourselves for a while until the DI arrives to start the quiz.
"Ok everybody; what are you all having to drink so we can get this quiz started?" DI Deakin asks loudly.
We all place our orders and he returns with a tray full of drinks. Once everyone is settled the quiz begins.
"Ok, we have about 3 questions for each category; the first person to shout out the correct answer will get a mark placed on this blackboard, at the end of the quiz, the person with the most marks wins. Are we ready?" DCI Meadows explains the rules.
"The first category is Classical," announces the DI, "Question one, what is the largest stringed instrument in a classical orchestra?"
"Bass," shouts out Don Beech, referring to fishing. He gets a mark put on the board.
"Question two, what classical composer wrote some of his greatest music after becoming deaf?"
"Mozart," someone shouts.
"Beethoven," answers Geoff Daly, looking at the other person with disgust.
He receives a mark on the board.
"Question three, which famous Chuck Berry song included the name of a classical composer in its title?"
"Roll over Beethoven," answers Duncan proudly.
"Well done at the end of round one the results are one each to Don, Geoff and Duncan. Now for round two, Opera."
"Oh no," some people grumble.
"Don't look so worried there are only two questions in this category."
"Question one, in which city is `The Phantom of the Opera` set?"
Several cities are shouted out; eventually Kerry gets the correct one.
"Question two, who composed the opera `The Magic Flute`?"
"Mozart," John shouts receiving a mark on the board.
"At the end of round two the scores are one each to Don, Geoff, Duncan, Kerry and John. Come on the rest of you, Round three is Food and Drink."
"From which country does the drink Stella Artois originate?"
"France," someone states.
"No, it's Belgium," I answer, gaining my first mark.
"Where did you learn that?" asks John.
"I can't remember," I answer, not wanting to tell him that I overheard Hodges explaining it to someone last week.
"Which fruit was originally known as the 'love apple'?" the DI interrupts continuing with the quiz.
"Tomato," Kerry answers immediately earning another point.
"Which drink is advertised with the slogan 'made in Scotland from girders'?"
"Duncan should answer that one," comments John, "I mean he is Scottish."
"Irn-Bru," Duncan answers with a smug smirk.
"Founded in Switzerland in 1866 by a German pharmacist, what is the world's largest food company?"
"Nestle," Mickey answers getting involved in the quiz for the first time.
"At the end of round three the results are, one each to Mickey, Claire, John, Don and Geoff and two marks each to Kerry and Duncan."
"The last round is a mixed bag of quick fire questions in the categories of Science, I.T, Rugby, General Knowledge, General Sport and Celebrities, so just shout out the answers, are we ready? Let's Go."
Deakin continues reading out the questions from the list he has got in front of him and DCI Meadows marks each correct answer on the board. Once all the questions have been asked and answered, the DI says, "Ok that's the lot, why don't you all take a break whilst we tally up the score."
We all move away from the table to go and get another drink, visit the bathroom or just to chat with some friend's.
"I'm just gonna go to the loo," I say to John and Kerry who are standing with me.
"Ok," John mumbles aloud.
"I think I'll come too," proclaims Kerry.
We both head to the toilets, carefully moving our way through the crowds of people. Out of the corner of my eye I spot Beech talking to a guy named Mike Palfrey, who I know Hodges has been trailing for quite some time. I check to see if Kerry has noticed I'm not following her, then move closer to them so I can hear what's being said.
The conversation seems suspicious and I try to think of a way to contact Hodges without alerting the attention of anyone else. I don't notice John, over by the bar thinking the exact same things I am. In the end I decide to go into the toilets and send him a text message.
I enter the toilets and go into one of the cubicles locking the door behind me. I pull my phone out of my pocket then sit down on the seat, whilst I compose a message. I send the completed message which reads "Beech & Palfrey, Canley Arms, NOW," to Hodges, then exit the stall and wash my hands.
"Where have you been?" Kerry asks me as soon as she spots me.
"I thought I spotted an old school friend," I lie.
"Oh, ok then."
There is silence between us before she speaks again. "Claire, can I ask you a personal question?"
"Sure," I answer.
"Do you like DS Boulton?"
"What do you mean? Like him how?"
"I dunno really, it was just a rumour I heard from uniform. That someone saw you kissing him outside the station last week and well …"
"You wanted to know if it was true?" I finish for her.
"Exactly. Well that and DS Beech seems convinced that he fancies you."
"To answer your question, no I wasn't kissing him outside the station last week, I never have, so whoever you heard that from must have been dreaming, and as for Beech, well you know what he's like, he'll be saying he fancies you next," I laugh off the accusation.
"Yeah, but you arrived here together tonight and everything."
"We're just good friends," I answer her, it is partially the truth, "Come on".
We exit the toilets and head back to the table to have another drink. Out of the corner of my eye I notice Hodges is now at a table across the other side of the room, with that DCI from AMIT, he always hangs out with. Wonder, why he's always with her, anybody would think he fancies her or something? I turn my attention back to the people who I'm sitting with and listen for the winner of the quiz.
"The winner of tonight's quiz is: Kerry Holmes, well done. You win a bottle of wine and a selection of chocolate bars."
We all congratulate her on her good luck and finish drinking our drinks. An hour or so later, Don gets a call on his mobile and leaves shortly afterwards, Hodges and Marion, following closely behind him I notice.
Not long afterwards we all start following in small groups. Heading home for the night.
John catches up with me just outside the building, and together we head back to my apartment. I know it's a risk, what with my secret undercover work but I'm too tired to worry about it right now.
15 minutes later we are curled up into my bed, reaffirming our love for each other.
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To be Continued