"Here, hang on a sec and I'll get a cup of hot tea for you, then you can be on your way. It should give you enough to get home." She puttered around in the kitchen for a bit; fortunately, her little water boiler was simple enough to have survived the EMP and produced a quick cup of hot water. She put a second cup in for herself. "Here you go, Ed – "
He was sitting on her couch. Sound asleep. Heather snorted. Well, she'd give him a few minutes before she woke him up. Sitting down, she sipped the cup of tea in her hand. She'd give him the fresher cup when he woke up. She was nearly done with her cup, listening to his soft snores, when his radio buzzed. Well, I guess I won't need to be the one to wake him up.
"Beck, come in please. Major Beck, please respond."
Wow. He didn't even twitch. Well, that left her.
"Heather here."
"Heather, do you know where he is?"
"Yup. I'm staring right at him."
"Is he okay?"
"He's fine. He just made the mistake of sitting down on my couch."
"What?"
She held the radio up to his nose and keyed the radio. The response was an amused voice.
"Sorry about that, Heather. Want me to send someone by to get him?"
"He's not hurting anything. I'll just send him along when he wakes up"
"That may be a while." Heather raised an eyebrow at nobody. Really?
"How long?"
"Overnight, most likely."
"So… he's done this before?"
"Every so often, so long as he's not on the front lines, he does this. He works himself to exhaustion, then collapses for ten hours. He usually makes it to his cot, but I'm pretty sure your couch is way more comfortable."
"Hmm."
"So should I send someone? I can have a jeep sent out."
"It's not that big a deal. Not big enough to spend precious gas on it."
"10-4. Have a good night, Heather."
Heather put down the radio and considered how to move him to the bed, so he wouldn't have a crick in his neck. Riiight. The opportunity to curl up next to him has nothing to do with it.
He was still softly snoring when Heather woke up, and he didn't respond when she poked him. Well, she still had to go to work. Still, maybe she could leave him a parting gift…
Beck chastised himself as he hustled to the office. Spending the night at Heather's house – what was he thinking? How was he going to explain that? He was so pissed at himself that he didn't notice the repressed smiles that came with the salutes he was getting.
He was in his office, digging out his extra uniform, when Captain Dunne knocked on his open door.
"Sir?"
"Yes?" he turned around to face her. She had a small smile; hopefully she wasn't thinking that -
"Heather's couch was very comfortable, I take it?" Beck nodded At least Heather had enough sense to put that out there right away. "Good."She hesitated, then spoke again. "Sir, do you remember those old Captain Morgan ads?"
"Yes. Why?"
"No reason." Her smile got a little broader as she turned away. What was that about? He wondered. No matter. He gathered his things.
He had just raised his razor to his face when he noticed it. Red sharpie.
"HEATHER!"
Captain Dunne looked around when she heard the outburst from the restroom. Heather had, wisely, taken herself off to Bailey's for a 'snack' when Beck had walked through the door. Now the major stormed out of the bathroom, headed straight for her empty desk.
"She's not here, sir."
"Where is she?"
"Bailey's."
She watched as he stormed off in search of Heather. Whatever he did, at least at Bailey's Heather would have plenty of witnesses in her favor.
Mary became aware of a shift in the atmosphere as she was wiping down the bar. The door had been thrown open, and everyone had fallen quiet as the Major scanned the crowd looking for someone. That didn't last, however, as his appearance fully registered. It was just a muffled titter at first; then a snort broke the dam, and everyone burst out laughing, Jake's shrieks standing out as he doubled over from laughing so hard.
Beck spotted who he came for and moved decisively in her direction. Having been spotted, Heather high-tailed it out of the room, a huge grin on her face.
"Run, Heather, run!"
He caught her, of course, cornering her in the storage room.
Edward was ranting at her. He hadn't yelled at her this much when he'd arrested her. But she didn't – couldn't – listen to the words She couldn't get beyond the red mustache and goatee. It was all she could do not to burst out laughing.
"- dammit, stop that!"
"Sorry." She said, not sounding anything of the sort. "But – " she shrugged, laughter spilling out of her.
"Very, funny, I know. I'll have you know I don't appreciate looking like an old Captain Morgan ad."
"I was actually going for a 'Mirror, Mirror' look – y'know, the evil twin."
Despite himself, his lips twitched.
"Still. And," he added softly, looking at the door, "It could blow our cover."
"Not really. Friends are known for drawing on passed-out friends. Besides," she smirked, "It is pretty convincing proof that you really did pass out at my house, quashing any rumors that you were over there for…other reasons," no matter how much we wish it were true, "before they even have a chance to start."
"I suppose." He admitted. His face turned sheepish. "I guess you got me."
His hand started to rise to her face in apology when Mary knocked on the door.
"Everything okay in there?"
"Yes." Edward answered, then Heather spoke up, opening the door.
"Do you have any alcohol?"
"Not for drinking, sorry."
"No, just enough to get the marker off his face."
"Maybe. Sure you don't want to leave it?"
"I think it's done its job, thanks."
Eric walked into the men's room at Bailey's to find Major Beck scrubbing at his face, the strong scent of alcohol in the air. Apparently the major had had a few drinks.
"You okay?"
"I'm fine, but apparently passing out on Heather's couch turns you into your evil twin."
"What?"
Beck turned around to show the remaining red ink. Eric chortled as he realized the actual situation.
"So that's what all the commotion was about."
"Yeah, I'm never going to live this down. Not quite sure how to get her back for this, but I'm working on it."
Eric laughed.
"Good luck with that."