The last edited chapter. This caused me some trouble since I decided to not longer follow my plot line to keep the angst out and the fluff in. Means: Less drama, more love. I hope you can forgive me for the length of the chapter. I will make up with a longer one.

"I have to admit: It really is a bit parky." She chafes her hands, shivers a bit and hates herself for choosing this dress. Short sleeves and a skirt which barely covers her whole knee. Really not the best choice for those temperatures. But you should think a July night is warmer than this.

"What have you expected? 25 degrees like by day?", he asks and puts an arm around her shoulder to give her at least a bit of his body warmth. "But you can't say I didn't tell you."

"Who are you to tell me this right into my face? My mother?", she asks a bit snappishly and wraps her own arms around her additionally. But even the warmth of three arms doesn't make it better, somehow.

"I am your life companion, I am allowed to say that."

"Well, but even if I had believed you, I wouldn't have had other clothes at your place. Neither a dress with longer sleeves nor a jacket or a coat." Staggering a bit because he has his arm very tight around her and doesn't have the same length of steps as her, they go in the direction of the big market in the castle. "Shall we get some hot punch first?" Changing the topic. Avoiding a squabbling. Not snapping at him without a reason, because it's not his fault and because she should appreciate his ministrations.

"Hot punch in a parky night like this? Sounds good to me." Dreamily he looks straight to the lights which show where the big market starts at the end of the back lane. It promises to be a beautiful night, even though they have to be there as 'just friends'. "But tell me when it gets too cold, okay? I know you. If you get a cold, or even the flu, you would go to work, no matter how near death already is."

"Okay, what does that do for me? You won't be able to help me if I should start freezing." She gives him a last and short, but passionate kiss, before they go side by side with enough space between them to not be identified as a couple immediately.

Contrary to the Wizard Tower, Milo's house has the advantage that there are hardly any lamps which light the streets and make every person very visible. In this case, even Marcia appreciates the anonymity of the darkness.

"I bet the stall is on the other side, as always. At least we can already look at the others."

Side by side they stroll over the market, stop to look or buy things, talk to friends, tough most of them are his. At one point they even separate so he can talk shop with another sailor while she joins Dandra and another woman.

"Gosh, it is so bitterly cold..." She comes from behind, stands right beside him. "And I think this is the moment in which I tell you that I am nearly frozen to... Oh, Hello." Confused, she looks into the brown face of a woman.

Obviously, he has talked to her and she has no problem with that, but still... It surprises her because she has never seen her before.

"Hello.", answers the woman with a strong accent and a friendly smile. Is this the woman who comes from a subcontinent far away? She has heard about her. And she has certainly heard the accent before, at least it sounds very familiar. "It's a pleasure to talk to you in person, Madam Marcia."

"Good evening." Marcia forces herself to also smile and tries desperately to suppress her tremor. Shivering because of the for summer freezing temperatures, she is in a bad mood and that is why she clearly does not need a good looking, 30-year-old woman next to her boyfriend, especially a woman whose face expression tells her that she'd like to come to know him better.

Only the soft expression of Milo calms her down a bit and stops her from becoming a bit bitchy towards her.

"I assume you are chilled to the bones by now?", he asks and puts his drink away.

"No, I am warm, don't you see that?", she answers with as much sarcasm in her voice as possible. Five more minutes in this coldness and she might drop dead. "But thank you for asking."

"Before you become highly reserved..." Watched by three surprised persons – the mysterious woman, Marcia and an old man – he undresses his shirt, even though he only wears a T-Shirt underneath it.

"W... What are you doing?", Marcia asks with widened eyes, a bit over-challenged with this situation. Somehow she does not see a link between his words and his action.

It really isn't warm and if she had given the opportunity earlier, he would have done this much earlier. He holds it as if it is her coat he wants to help her in. To the void with her principle of not showing anyone what really is between them, he will not watch her catching death.

Slowly, but at least at all, it dawns at Marcia why he stands there like this. Still a bit confused, she slips into his shirt and immediately appreciates the warmth that is still caught in the fabric. The shivering stops slowly, so does the teeth chattering, but it will be only a matter of time until it will get even colder and it will start again. Besides, she has better things to do than chatting with a random woman when she can spend some time with Milo somewhere else?

"Fancy a hot drink at Ma Coustard's? I think I saw a few people sitting in the Café when I passed it a few minutes ago, so I assume they have not closed yet." Her shoulder slightly touches his upper arm as she looks up to him. "Because I am pretty sure you will be the one who will freeze in a few minutes."

"You may be right.", he replies and investigates his arm on which are already goose bumps. "Tea might be a good idea as well."

After they bid goodbye to the woman, they walk towards their destination with Marcia glaring at anyone who even considers approaching them for a talk.

"I might even need something stronger than tea.", she mutters and links her arm with his to at least get a bit of his body warmth, at least this is her excuse to herself why she allows herself to be near him. "Heck, if it will start raining additionally..."

"Calm down. Let's drink something first and from Ma Coustard, it will be only a few metres for you to reach the Tower."

"Hmph." Not entirely convinced from his estimation of the distance between her home and the Café, she looks at him. "But you do know that you will never get this shirt back?"

He chuckles softly. "Why?"

"You know exactly why." She nudges him with her elbow which only makes him wrap an arm around her shoulders.

Happy and ready for bed, she enters her apartment.

Her curls are rumpled, she is tired and a bit hungry, but her mood is a lot better than it was a few hours ago.

If she ignores the fact that there will be a search in one of the houses near the north gate tomorrow afternoon, she can take a nice shower, snuggle down in her pillows and fall asleep happily afterwards.

The lights in the kitchen are still on; Septimus probably still works on his essay or studies for the first of the many exams he will have to pass before he can graduate.

Dear Septimus...

She decides to join him for a while, wants to let this long day fade away with a conversation.

"Good evening.", she says as she closes the door behind her and walks into the kitchen.

"Good evening, Marcia." With a grin, her apprentice leans back in his seat to be able to see her. "But it's more night, don't you think so?"

"Then good night?" She collapses into a chair opposite to him, still wearing Milo's shirt It is too cosy to undress it and why should she do it? Only because she wants to chat with Septimus? "But you have to admit... It sounds very outlandish. No one of us wants to go to bed right now, so..."

"Don't worry, I was joking. And I am surprised that you came home this late. Actually, I thought you've already gone to bed hours ago.", he says, bending over his books again. "And if you allow this question... Whose shirt is this?" He tries to let it sound casual, but Marcia is not so stupid to think he doesn't nearly burst with curiosity.

She will string him along, won't tell him now. "Of someone."

"Of a man, I guess?"

She hunches her shoulders, feigns ignorance. "Who knows?"

"Come on, please! Don't be so mean. It's none of my business, but still.", he whines.

"You've got it, it is none of your business." She appreciates it. One day she will have to tell him, but not now. Especially because this play is too much fun.

"I've realised it a while ago that you are in a better mood in general and you seem to be happier. I'm happy for you, I really am." Thoughtfully he starts to knock his knuckles onto the table. A habit which nearly has been driven her to insanity several times. "But who is the happy one?"

It had been a bit... weird when the thought of Marcia having a boyfriend crossed his mind the first time. This woman and having a crush? Being in love? Let alone being in a relationship? He has never seen a person in his life who is as focused on work as she is. And at the same time, it has somehow been hard for her to have much contact with other people. Indeed, it got better over the years, but he has never gotten the feeling as if a relationship would be important for her; He had thought that maybe it is the last thing on earth she would ever need in her life.

But it seems like he had been wrong. Again.

This woman is a walking mystery, as well for others, as for herself probably. To him, it often appears as if she has no idea about what she feels, what she wants and what she should do with her feelings herself. That she has a relationship now, surprises him very much.

If he is right with his assumption at all.

"This, my dear, is a secret. I know that I can trust you, but it is too fresh and sensitive to tell it anyone." She smiles and reaches for one of the cookies which he had put on a plate as food for his nerves.

"So you date him?", he asks, knowing that there is no point in continuing with asking for the name. If Marcia Overstrand doesn't want to, she doesn't do it, it's that simple.

"Yes, I think so."