Richard led Rouge into his suit. It was obvious from his traveling accommodations he was rather well off. "Would you like a drink from the mini bar?" he asked. Rouge hesitated. Mini bars racked up quite the bill. "It's all right, I don't mind. Go ahead, anything you want." Said Richard easily, pulling out a small bottle of vodka.

"I'll take the other vodka." Rouge said shyly.

"Good choice. I lived in Russia for a few years you know, with my father."

"Who is your father?" asked Rouge, moving to sit on the couch rather than lean against it.

"No one especially special. He's a scientist of sorts."

"Oh." There was an uneasy silence. "Do you want to finish my vodka?" Rouge held up a 3-4ths full bottle. "It's a bit stronger than what I'm used to." Richard took the little bottle and drank deeply from it. Rouge knew about men and liquor, it usually got them talking, though she had a sinking feeling it would take a little loving to get what she wanted from Richard. He sat down next to his guest and put his arm behind her shoulders on the couch. He indicated to the view out the window with his pinky finger before sipping his vodka again.

"Quite the site huh? The sea I mean. I sometimes wonder what it would be like if it were frozen. Or if it suddenly caught on fire."

"Do you like Robert Frost?" asked Rouge suddenly.

" 'Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice. From what I've tasted of desire, I hold with those who favor fire. But if I had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate to say that for destruction ice."

"Very good. But what do you think?"

"I think we'll end in fire. It's the scientific answer."

"And you prefer the scientific ideas because of your father?" Rouge turned and snuggled up to Richard, her hand falling lightly on his chest.

"Yes."

"And was he a big- sword- collector too?"

"He started me off on my own collection. His is far more extensive. However, he did give me one signature piece. It is quite beautiful."

"Can I see?" purred Rouge.

Richard got up and gently picked up a beautiful red scabbard with a wonderfully crafted pommel sticking up. He exposed a few inches of the sword and let Rouge gently rub the scabbard and hilt. "It's beautiful!" she exclaimed.

"This sword is called the Ketsuiki Tenshi." Said Richard with a mischievous grin on his face.

"Blood Angel? Not as beautiful but some names I've seen swords called."

"I take the opposite point of view. Some swords have names that don't reflect their use. No matter what the purpose for owning a sword, it is always a tool for killing. I think that this sword is both practical in name and at what it was intended for."

"I think a man who is so assertive in his opinions is charming." Rouge twirled a strand of hair on her finger and looked sweetly at Richard as he set the sword back on the wall.

"And I think you are very beautiful. Wine?" Richard opened the mini bar and took a tiny bottle of wine out. Rouge nodded and sipped it charmingly after it was handed to her. She settled back into the couch and kicked off her shoes and laid her legs on Richard's lap. "I'm sleepy." She said slowly.

"To bad, I had plans this evening." Said Richard, smirking at Rouge.

"Plans? So should I go?"

"Actually my plans involved you, and the last of that vodka."

Eric sat in his bed waiting for the doctor to return with the x-rays. Rouge should have come back by now. She never took this long to get back, he didn't want to feel like a braggart but she was crazy about him. She had never taken more time than was needed before she could return to him. The nurse came in followed by a doctor who declared Eric fine to leave the hospital. It had only taken an hour and a half.

Eric headed back to the hotel on a bus and got off at the stop closest. He walked a block to the hotel with a little pain but managed to get up to the room. He returned to see all of Rouge's stuff gone and a note taped to the bathroom mirror reading, "It's over."

Eric felt weak in the knees and sat on the one bed. Hadn't it been that afternoon that they had been here, on that bed? Together? Hadn't it been that day that she had said she loved him as they walked on the beach? And now it was over. It was all over. Eric had been able to adjust to life with Rouge, but could he go back? It seemed so doubtful. Eric curled painfully up on the bed and stayed dazed.