We all strolled down town about half an hour later, and went into a bar called time out. It was fairly busy and we all found a table before doing anything else. Dale bought a round of shots for us all and another drink, then sat on the end, next to me. We all did our shots at the same time, most of us pulling faces at the strong taste of it.

Nate took a gulp of his beer, and Beth watched him do so, then spoke up over the music. "Do you know what.. I reckon Roxie could down a pint quicker than the lot of you.."

I furrowed my eyebrows together and looked at Beth, wondering where her comment had come from.

Nate scoffed. "Yeah, like that'll happen!"

Smithy chuckled. "No chance."

I looked at them both in disbelief. "What, because I'm woman? Not a big-macho-man like you's two?"

"Of course no-" Smithy started.

I cut in "-Well then. Get me a pint and I'll prove I can do it better than you."

Nate laughed. "Go on then Smithy, get her one. Prove her wrong."

Beth shook her head and raised her eyebrows. "Got a feeling you'll regret doing that!"

Smithy scoffed and stood up, walking over to the bar.

"You think you can actually beat them two at downing a pint?" Ben asked.

"Course she can't!" Nate cried.

"Just you bloody watch then, mate!" I said, flashing him a sarcastic smile.

"Bring it on." He mumbled.

Smithy returned with my pint in his hand, and gave it to me. I took it from him and waited as he sat down next to me.

"Hold on a minute, Nate doesn't even have a whole pint?" Smithy said, looking at Nate's glass.

I shrugged. "I'll still beat him."

Beth laughed. "On the count of three, ready?"

We all nodded or answered with 'yeah'.

"One, two, three!" Beth cried. As soon as the word three had left her lips, I pushed the glass to my lips and downed the pint as quickly as I could.

I slammed my glass down a second before Smithy, and Nate a little bit after. I quickly wiped my mouth, then laughed.

Beth cheered. "I told you so, didn't I?!"

Ben clapped his hands, laughing.

"Not bad..." Smithy mumbled.

I turned to an embarrassed Nate. "I think you should buy me a drink as an apology..."

He sighed. "What do you want?"

"Surprise me."

"Move then!"

Smithy and I slid out of booth, and stood at the edge of the table, waiting for Nate to shuffle out.

"Bet you're glad you didn't go home eh?" Smithy said into my ear, making sure I could hear over the music.

I smiled and tiptoed to talk back into his ear. "Free drinks since I got here, couldn't be more glad!"

He chuckled and we both sat back down, leaving a space on the end for Nate.


A while passed, and Nate had gone to chat up some girl at another table. Beth and Ben were at the bar doing shots with a few people they'd bumped into. Smithy and I sat at the table, a new round of shots just been placed in front of us.

"Right, I have a game we can play with these shots." I told him.

"How old are we? And we're going to play shot games?"

"Shut up and listen." I ordered. He smirked and did as he was told. "Right, we're gonna tell each other something about ourselves, could be a lie or the truth. If I think you're bullshitting, I'll say and if I'm wrong, I'll drink a shot. Same for you."

"Alright. You go first."

"Okay." I thought for a moment. "I was ginger as a child."

"Bullshit."

I smiled and nodded, signalling that he was correct.

"I was once held hostage with a little boy called Tim." He said.

I thought about it for a moment... Tim wasn't a very common name for a little boy was it? "Bullshit."

He smirked and shook his head.

"What?! It's true?!"

He nodded. "I'm sure it's not the last time it'll happen either!"

I laughed and downed a shot, then came up with my next one. "Whilst I was at Uni, I fell down some stairs and broke my wrist."

"That is not bullshit..."

"Ugh. You can tell you're a copper." I grumbled. "I don't like this game anymore."

He chuckled, but we continued the game until all of the shots were gone. I'd drank a few more than him, and my eyes started to feel heavy, signalling that I'd drunk a bit more than I'd intended.

"Right. I'm not drinking anything else." I stated.

"Oh really?" He sighed. "I wanted to go into Becca's fella's bar, see what it's like."

"I don't think that's a good idea.. We're both a bit pissed, and I know Becca will be there."

"Oh come on, I'm not going to cause any trouble am I?! I'm a copper remember!"

"How could I forget?" I muttered. "I'm more worried about us showing up Becca in front of her bloke."

Smithy slid out of the booth and pulled me with him. "I'm not taking no for an answer... We're going whether you like it or not..."

I stood up and raised my eyebrows at him. "Is that right?"

"Yes." He said, bending down and grabbing me, throwing me over his shoulder.

I grumbled and punched his back. "Put me down! This is so embarrassing!"

He laughed and started to walk towards the exit. "Agree to come and I'll put you down."

I sighed and flopped my head down. "You're so irritating."

He gripped me a little tighter.

"Fine. We'll go to the bar. Now put me down!"

He chuckled and stopped, putting me back on my feet. He looked at me, a satisfied look on his face, glad that he'd got what he wanted.

"I swear, you're so stubborn. It's always your way or no way!"

He shrugged. "The perks of being Dale Smith!"


We arrived at the bar about twenty minutes later. We'd had to walk quite far to get there, and we weren't in any hurry to be honest. We sat at a table and had a drink that lasted a while. I didn't want to let Becca know we were here because I didn't want us to show her up, but I knew Smithy wanted to see her new bloke, so I pointed him out when he came into sight.

A few drinks more, and it got to closing time. The bouncers started to clear everyone out, and Smithy and I stood up to leave. I finished off my drink then placed it back on the table, then felt a tug on my arm. I turned around to see Smithy trying to pull me in the direction of Becca and the bloke. I tried to pull him back again.

"No don't go over there! We need to go!"

He ignored me, and continued to pull me over there. I gave up and let him, then we paused at the bar where Becca and her bloke were standing.

"Dale?" Becca questioned, looking at him, she then tilted her head to see me. "Roxie?"

I awkwardly smiled at her, wishing Smithy hadn't dragged me over here. I really didn't want the pair of us to make Becca look like an idiot.

"I didn't realize that when you said you were going out for a drink that you'd be coming here?" Becca said.

"It wasn't planned!" I told her. "Someone dragged me here." I looked at her brother and rolled my eyes.

He chuckled. "Quite literally!"

Becca turned to her bloke. "Shaun, this is my brother Dale, and you've already briefly met Roxie."

"Alright mate." Smithy held his hand out for Shaun to shake it.

"Nice to meet you." Shaun shook his hand. "Would you both like a drink?"

"I think we've had enough!" I said, looking around the almost empty bar.

"Don't be silly, we'd both love a drink!" Smithy said, completely defying what I had just said.

Shaun and Becca walked around to the other side of the bar. As they did so, I lent forwards to whisper in Smithy's ear. "I want to punch you in the face right now."

He smirked. "Feisty."

I shot him a glare, then sighed and sat down on a stall. Seeings as it was always his way or nothing, I might as well sit down and have the drink now.

Becca told Shaun what drinks we would have, then they were placed in front of us.

"So you two were working together today?" Becca asked.

"Oh no, I didn't work with him... He just hovered about like a scrounging puppy!" I muttered sarcastically.

"You loved having me around!" Smithy cried.

"Since when did you know what I love?"

"Wow, dejavu." Becca mumbled.

"What?" I looked at Becca, confused.

"I swear you two had a conversation almost the same as this in the hospital?" She said.

I blinked. We had. "Just proves how annoying he still is three years later."

"Oh shut it you!" Smithy said, grinning.

We continued to chat and finished our drinks in the empty bar.

I placed my glass down, then spoke. "Right, I think it's time that we go!"

"I agree." Becca said, looking up at the clock. It was almost four. "Don't you have work tomorrow Dale?"

"Not until twelve." He answered.

"Oh." Becca smiled at me and kissed my cheek. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Alright, see ya!" I climbed down off of the stall and took a few steps towards the door. I looked at Smithy. "Come on you!"

He finished his drink, then said goodbye to his sister and Shaun and we headed towards the door. Nothing was said until we got outside.

"So, will you be coming back to mine?" Smithy asked.

I laughed. "I may be pissed, but not pissed enough to go home with you, Sergeant Smith."

He chuckled. "Worth a try! Not even if it's just a cheaper cab fair?"

I sighed. "You'll do anything won't you." I rolled my eyes and hailed down a cab. "You're giving me the bed, and you're sleeping on the floor."


We arrived at his and both flopped down on the sofa. I took my heels off after wearing them all day. My feet were killing.

"Ugh, I have never worn heels for so long, ever." I grumbled. I put my feet up on his lap. "Give them a message."

He chuckled. "You wish."

"Oh go on, I bet you've really got a soft touch."

He chuckled again and actually started to massage them. I pushed my hair out of my face and put my head back, closing my eyes. I was so tired.

"So.. ever considering coming out with us again? Or have we put you off us lot all together?" He asked.

"Well I'd gladly go out with the others, but I've had more than enough of you to last me a lifetime." I turned my head to him and opened my eyes.

"Oh thanks!" He mumbled sarcastically.

"You're welcome." I joked. We both half-heartedly laughed, both of us tired. I closed my eyes again and it was silent for a while.

Smithy stopped massaging my feet, and I felt him move beside me. Suddenly, I was no longer sat on the sofa, but in Smithy's arms. I kept my eyes closed, knowing that if I opened them he'd probably make me walk.

I kept them closed until I felt the sheets of his bed beneath me. I slowly opened them and looked up at him. "Thanks for the carry."

He chuckled and sat down next to me. I let my eyes fall closed again, I was struggling to even keep them open anymore. I felt Smithy's arm slide around my neck and I made myself comfortable with him, then within seconds I was sound asleep.