Consuming whatever they could that was edible at Pattie's, the two went through the appetizers and shared their dinners with each other, topping off with some drinks to go along with the array of food they ordered at the recommendation of the barmaid who gave them their orders.
Baskets of scotch eggs, miniature shepherd's pies, quintessential to pub foods in general, all on their table, they're exchanging baskets as they shared their orders with each other.
Theodore received fish and chips, Lila ordered bangers and mash, with their chosen dinners, they ate from each other's plates.
While eating, they discussed whatever came to mind, to the tune of the flickering table lamp beside them, laughing at jokes, having personal conversations, the same things they typically did when they're in their world, and when they had time.
"Bill's crazy about her," Lila noted that Bill's been communicating with 'Dolus' recently and it sounds like the woman's finally coming down to London for work in the coming months, which Bill talked her into coming out for drinks when she moves into her new place.
She's been video calling her, well, not necessary video calling her, "Dolus" webcam isn't playing nice, and she hadn't the chance getting a new one. Instead, it's Bill video calling and "Dolus" using a picture of her real self, from what she describes her, "Dolus" looked to be about average height, slim, curly auburn hair, dark eyes, pale skin, fine lines under her eyes, and speaks with a distinct inflection, something unheard of according to Bill, which made her embarrassed when Bill pointed it out.
Her father's an upperclassman, a traditionalist, no mother in the picture, she thinks she has a younger sister somewhere, and an older brother elsewhere, the details on that remain murky, but it sounded like "Dolus" family's got skeletons in their closet, at least what Lila thinks.
"Sounds like an awkward Thanksgiving!" Theodore noted this woman's family made him thankful for his, as much as he wanted to twist off Hammond's mouth more than once.
Shrugging her stout shoulders while eating the last of the scotch egg, Lila told him it was what Bill told her, and here's hoping "Dolus" will have better chances in London than wherever she came from, because that family needed help.
"All I know's Bill's going to introduce us when she settles down," Lila recalled what Bill told her, that once "Dolus" settled and starts her new job, Bill's going to introduce her to them.
Bill truly believed "Dolus" is the one and she hadn't formally gone out on dates with the woman, yet, but Bill's certain that this woman is the one.
Which Lila had to keep her grounded for her sake, but that's her job next to keeping Theodore out of trouble.
"If she's as brilliant as Bill says, Hammond might become jealous," Theodore noted if it's true that this "Dolus" is as brilliant as Hammond, then it might make the man jealous, and if it's true, oh, Theodore's going to relish every moment of it.
"Don't get too far ahead, my friend, she's not going to be down here for another couple of months, some merger that's taking too long," Lila calmed Theodore as he anticipated the humiliation on Hammond's face at being bested by someone else for a chance.
"Dolus" job's being merged with another, problem is, it's taking longer than normal for the paperwork to go through, and she can't move until the merger's complete.
Red tape, the most feared of tapes among businesspeople, known to set back projects and time by weeks to years, impossible for anyone to cut with scissors.
"What sort of work does she do?" Theodore asks Lila while she finished off her drink, a stout, before she responded that "Dolus" works at a small museum that's being absorbed into the museum of natural history.
It explains how she's so formative in knowing everything from which way the wind blows, hence Lila can't wait for her to move down to London so she can film Hammond trying to match her.
"Do we have a name on this woman?" Theodore inquired about "Dolus" real name, but Lila said that she didn't want to tell Bill, yet until she's finally moving.
Just in case, whatever, but to Lila it sounded like the woman came from a noble family and the scandal of her being with another woman might be the straw that broke the camel's back, with what Bill told her about the woman.
"Oh, I hope it won't be a repeat of Daria," Theodore worried about the chances of it becoming a repeat of the Daria incident.
Huffing while grabbing the last of the soft baked pretzel and drowned it in beer cheese sauce, Lila tells him that the moment it presents itself as a repeat of that incident, she'll happily send "Dolus" back to Cheshire, express paid shipping and a free boot to the backside.
Sighing, Theodore tells Lila to temper herself, she's likely to get herself into trouble with her infamous temper and she snorted at this, saying that it's just her looking out for her friends.
"Oh, dear Watson, what shall I do with you?" Theodore sighed as he bit through the last of the banger as they continued their conversations.
Their last conversation ended on Lila talking about her family and their respected hereabouts the last time she talked to them last week.
Billy's on HMS Portland while Ethan's on HMS Kent, dad's working on HMS Enterprise for a bit because they're having equipment problems.
They started having problems and had to stop at the same base dad worked in for the moment, so he joined HMS Enterprise to help them, then.
Nothing like the Enterprise he worked on years ago, all in name, honestly, but Lila had fun asking if he saw any wayward Klingon along the way.
"It must be difficult," Theodore noted Lila hadn't gotten to see them in person for a while now, them working on the seas, like clockwork, it almost felt like it'll be years before they receive a chance to go on break and see her.
Sighing as she finished Theodore's stout before the barmaid brought them refills, Lila said she's used to not seeing her family for long periods of time.
Her grandfather on her dad's spent much of his life on the sea before he finally retired, it was the only time Lila could've spent time with him and Nana.
Guess that's where dad got it from, he's been seafaring ever since he joined when he turned eighteen, he'll be at this until the navy forcibly retires him.
"You must miss them terribly," Theodore noticed their long absence must've bothered Lila greatly and she assured him that she's used to them gone for long periods of time, she was born into the life, but yes, it does suck that she can't always have a hotpot dinner with them.
Maybe next spring she'll get that chance, depending on their schedules.
"Such as it the life of the seafaring Watsons," Lila summed as she finished the last of the beer cheese sauce and their conversations continued until finishing the last of their meals before Theodore paid the tab with the money he procured.
Leaving the pub they found by chance, there's soft light coming from the streetlamps, fog starting to encroach the city streets, hanging low as they walked into it, around them, the area darkening.
A slight breeze passed by as they're walking, causing Theodore's multicolored scarf to flutter.
Holding onto his arm, Lila's chestnut eyes looked towards the manhole covers as they passed by them, looking for any signs of Pennywise poking his head through an opened cover.
Oh yes, what adventure would it be without the fear of an eldritch clown monster being the culprit for disappearances?
Well, at least she has Theodore with her, because the fact of the matter's she has a better chance with him than on her own, so that's something.
The fog's thickening and getting hard to see what's in front of them, but Theodore managed to guide them back to the inn just before the fog thickened further, and they're looking out the window, trying to see past the fog.
There's a patrolling constable who came around a few minutes ago, guess he's on call for the moment because of the disappearances, as he's looking into different windows of the closed businesses before moving onto the empty buildings.
Only one, somewhat young, but he managed to go through the block effortlessly as he went around the corner, disappearing up the next block, his lantern like a floating orb.
Otherwise, the street became empty, quiet, not even a horse pulled carriage went down it.
They hardly saw the manhole cover in front of the empty storefront from their window, that it's nearly impossible to tell when someone's coming up from the sewers without opening the window, which isn't suggested because temperatures started dropping like bricks.
The fireplace roared as it's fed with fresh wood, Lila poking the burning pile with the provided iron poker, the crackling echoing in their room.
Theodore looked through the window as Lila did this, feeling the cold coming slightly through the glass as the temperature went down to -12c and it feels like it's dropping further, he's thankful he wore thick clothing to this adventure.
While the fire crackled and burned, Theodore and Lila sat together, looking out the window as the fog settled, looking for any sign of the Bogeyman.
Al's on standby, looking out for the bogeyman on his end, but so far nothing's coming up, and he's been looking through any public records that gets filtered through for any reports of the Bogeyman sighting, too.
So far, it's like the children said, the police didn't care because the supposed Bogeyman only targeted orphanages mostly, when the noblewoman disappeared's the only time they're compelled to look for answers, but even then.
Staring out the window like bored children, the two waited for anything, but it's starting to look like they like they backed the wrong horse, and tomorrow they'll have to leave the inn earlier than expected.
They'll have to brave a trip into the sewers to find the Bogeyman, which neither aren't happy at the thought, but it's their lot in life, thus they have to do it, as no one else would.
Her head on Theodore's shoulder, Lila's chestnut eyes stared out the window, only fog in front of the glass, don't think the Bogeyman's showing up here tonight, maybe it disappeared from the city after all, it's a known quantity, the children feared it, they'll do whatever it takes keeping it from taking them.
Unfortunately, their luck isn't the best, so the Bogeyman's likely going to come around once again, whether to capture more people, or take up shop to do so, which alone's creepy enough.
It's intelligent enough to know not to get caught by others, using the cover of darkness and the sewers, and preying on the apathy of the citizens in the city, but it didn't expect the noblewoman's disappearance to rally the police into action.
"You're tired," Theodore abruptly tells Lila that he noticed her eyes growing heavy and she's dozing off.
Shaking her head, Lila tells him that she spent summer staying up this late, she can handle staying up late here, too, but the aloof giant reminded her of her limits.
Looking up at him as they're sitting together in front of the window, Lila asks how he planned on keeping watch and Theodore assured her that he has his ways.
Prodding her, Theodore tells her to get some sleep, they'll be roaming the city tomorrow, and he lightly tapped her nose as he empathized that they'll need their sleep sooner than later.
"Fine," Lila sighed as Theodore had a point, but she didn't feel the need to move from her spot, she's comfortable right here, and with her head on his shoulder, she reached up and gently squeezed his nose before dozing off to sleep.
Don't know how long it's been, but Lila remembered waking up later, resting on top of her head's Theodore's as he's snoring away, his arm wrapped around her waist, keeping her close to him as the bitter cold raged outside.
About to doze off again, Lila sees in the fog someone moving around, holding a lantern.
It's the constable from earlier, doing another patrol around this quadrant before he went home for the evening.
As her heavy eyes slowly closed, Lila sees the constable moving around, his lantern swaying, before she softly snored to the tune of Theodore's two hearts and the crackling of the wood in the fireplace.