Pie pulled his pillow over his head with a moan. "I ought to throw that mutt out the window..." he muttered. Hattie's puppy was in the bathroom barking, or yelping as Spot described it, for some attention.

"He's just lonely," she replied. "You're the one who insists that he stay in there at night...and while we're at work"

"Because I don't want him destroying this place. We're still trying to get it fixed up." He said, turning to look at her.

She sighed. "Dolan...he's just a puppy"

He closed his eyes. "And he's got to learn"

There was a loud pounding on the door. "Shut that stupid dog up"

Growling, Pie got out of bed and stalked over to the bathroom. He opened the door and picked up the dog. He put the puppy on the foot of the bed. "Go to sleep," he ordered, dropping back onto the bed. The puppy turned three circles before sitting down, going right to sleep.

"Thank you Dolan," she whispered, looking over at him.

He reached over and brushed the hair from her face. "You're welcome Hattie...but he better not getting used to sleeping there"

-----

The little puppy was slowly making his way down the stairs when Pie came home from work. He picked the puppy up by the scruff of his neck. "I would love to let you go, you little mutt...but Hattie would never forgive me and I'm just starting to win her over. So I guess you have to stay." He carried the puppy back upstairs and into the flat, making sure that the door was closed all the way.

"Dinner's almost ready," Hattie called from the kitchen.

Smiling, he walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her cheek. "You smell good"

She blushed. "Dolan...that's my dinner that you smell"

"No. I smell flowers..." he said, continuing to hold her.

"Oh...that...it's just some soap that Rae gave me," she replied, leaning back against him. Hattie couldn't explain it, but something about being in his arms made her feel safe.

"Where did she get it?" he asked, burying his nose in her hair.

"I asked her that...she told me not to ask," she answered, wrinkling her nose.

He laughed. "That sounds like Rae. She's quite a thief that girl"

Hattie pulled away from him and moved the pot of soup to the counter. "Have you known her long"

He leaned against the counter next to her. "She was at the Manhattan house long before anyone else. But something happened just before I came and she changed. At least that's what Spot and Jack told me." He shrugged. "She left about a week before you came." Pie stared at her for a moment before reaching over and pulling one of the pins from her hair.

She swatted at his hand. "Stop that...it will all fall down"

"That's the point," he laughed, pulling another one out. Hattie turned to look at him. He continued pulling the pins out until at last her hair fell in soft waves down her back. He ran his fingers through her hair, stepping closer to her. "Your hair is sceimhiuil."

She lowered her eyes. "It's an awful color..."

"It is sceimhiuil, A Thaisce...don't let anyone else tell you different..." He placed his hand under her chin and lifted her face. "You are sceimhiuil." He gently drew her closer and kissed her softly, resting his other hand on her waist.

After a moment she pulled away and began to dish up the soup she had made for their dinner. "Your dinner is getting cold..."

He stepped behind her again. "Hattie muirnin, we aren't doing anything wrong..."

He was standing so close behind her all she could do was turn and look up at him. "You're the first man that's ever touched me...that's ever kissed me. I don't know what to do."

"It's alright muirnin...I'd be worried if you did," he said, caressing her cheek.

She leaned into his touch. "It's different for you...you wouldn't be looked down upon if you chased after girls. Besides, we girls knew where you guys went on Saturday nights to spend almost every penny you made during the week..."

He hesitated a moment before answering. "I won't deny it, Hattie..." Hattie lowered her eyes once more and he tilted her chin up again. "I know you don't really trust me...but I want you to trust me when I say that I won't force you to do anything until you are ready. If I was going to force you, I would have done it weeks ago. Do you think you can trust me in this?"

She looked deep into his eyes for several minutes before finally nodding and lifting her face for another kiss, which he gladly gave her.

-----

Rae passed Pie as he climbed the stairs after work. She glared at him. "You're an idiot...and if you're not careful, you're going to lose her," Rae told him.

He looked at her, clearly confused. "What are you talking about Rae?"

She huffed. "Your loan shark sent some goons to find you...only they found Hattie instead. They roughed her up a bit and killed her puppy," she said, gesturing to the box tucked under her arm. "They'll be coming back...so you better find a way to get them their money." She turned and stalked down the stairs.

He watched her for a moment before racing up the stairs and into his flat. Hattie was sitting on the couch when her face in her hands. Her dress was torn and her hair had been crudely cut, some places shorter than others. He stopped in the doorway. "Hattie..." She looked up at him. Her left eye was swollen completely shut and her lip was split and still bleeding. For the first time in all the years he had known her, tears were pouring down her cheeks. "Oh...muirnin..." he whispered, stepping toward her.

She stood quickly. "Don't you come near me! And don't call me muirnin!"

He closed the distance between them and reached out to caress her cheek. "Hattie..."

Hattie slapped his hand away. "Don't touch me! This is all your fault!" she sobbed. She quickly moved to the other side of the room. "They did this to me because you weren't here!"

"Hattie, I'm sorry..."

"You're sorry?!" she scoffed.

He stepped toward her. "Don't do this..."

She moved again so that the couch was between them. She stared at him for several minutes, tears pouring down her cheeks. Hattie took a small bank book from her pocket and threw it at him. The book hit him in the chest and fell to the floor. "Use that to pay off your debts," she sobbed, putting her face into her hands.

North Wayne stepped through the open door. "Oh honey...Rae told me what happened," she said, embracing the shorter girl. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up..." Hattie allowed North to lead her from the room and down the stairs to Rae's flat.

Pie watched them leave and then looked down at the floor where the bank book had fallen. He slowly bent down and picked it up, turning it over in his hands. After a few minutes he opened the book and scanned through the columns of figures, until his eyes reached the final figure. It was ten times the amount he needed to pay off the loan shark.

-
Translations:
sceimhiuil - beautiful
A Thaisce My treasure (an endearment)
muirnin - darling, sweetheart