Halt had the first full breakfast he had had in years fresh farm eggs and bacon with fresh bread and piping hot coffee. They ate in a comfortable silence together Pauline's hand resting comfortably on the man beside hers thigh. The man beside her, she thought, her love her… what? Boyfriend? Surely they were too old for such silly titles and yet she wished to have something to call him. She stood and removed his empty plate from in front of him and topped off his coffee "thank you love," he said simply the words slipping easily from his lips. She smiled softly at him "you are welcome-" she said but didn't know how to finish it so the sentence sort of stopped and hung. Halt looked up from his cup noticing the falter. Pauline was looking down at the coffee pot in her hands. "Have I said something wrong?" Halt said standing to face her, his hands resting gently on her arms. She looked at him at his touch "not at all… I just…. It's silly…" she said turning to set the coffee pot down. He touched her shoulder lightly his body close behind her "tell me" he said softly in an encouraging tone. She smiled she must be the only person in the world who has seen him be this tender "I don't know what to call you" she said. He looked at her a little confused "well Halt is my name-…" "No, no, not like that" she said reaching up to caress his cheek as she turned back to him "but I suppose that does help… you are Halt… my Halt, no other title should matter" she said lovingly continuing to caress the rough edges of his beard. He turned into her hand gently kissing her palm. She smiled and leaned in to press a soft kiss to his lips. He returned it tenderly looping his arm around her waist pulling her body up against him when a knock on the door interrupted them.
"Halt I know you are in there I can smell the coffee! Open up it's cold!" Crowley's voice called through the wooden door. Halt sighed softly his forehead resting against Pauline's who smiled softly at him "go and let him in… there will be plenty of time for that" she said gently patting his chest. Halt grumbled something incoherent as he walked toward the door. "Yes dear" Pauline said gently to herself as she turned to put on a fresh pot of coffee. Halt unlatched the door bolt and let in a frost covered Crowley he stepped in quickly "planned to let me freeze did you?... Lady Pauline my apologies I did not know you were here. I was just stopping by on my way to Caraway Fief from the western woods." She smiled softly as poised as ever "I came early to check on Halt and make him some breakfast before heading off to visit family, knowing he wouldn't do it on his own. There is a bit left would you like me to heat it up for you?" she asked. Halt smiled softly behind Crowley's back at Pauline's cover "will you be staying at Redmont long?" Pauline asked him. "Not even for the night I just wanted to stop in and make sure Halt here is taking it easy before moving on" he said sitting at the table as she put down the plate. Halt caught her let out a breath as Crowley started inhaling the plate of food and smirked softly as he went to collect another cup of coffee and settle at the table.
After a while the trio settled into comfortable conversation and Pauline sat next to Halt but distant enough not to alarm Crowley to their situation. The couple still oblivious to having been found out that day in the hospital wing, both the Baron and Crowley unable to discuss the intimate matter. Eventually though Crowley stood insisting that he needed to get on the road if he wanted to make it to Caraway by Yule's eve. "You won't be spending the holidays alone I hope, Halt" Crowley said "at least go to the fief and get yourself a good meal." "I'll consider it" Halt said simply. "So you say every year" Crowley said rolling his eyes heading toward his horse "Anyway Happy Yule, Halt and my lady." "Happy Yule" Pauline said with a gentle nod and Halt mumbled the same still not overly impressed with the holidays. Pauline would have to change that. Then as randomly as he had come he was gone.
As soon as Crowley had left the meadow Pauline turned to Halt and put her arms around his neck and kissed him effectively catching him off guard. It took a few seconds for him to return it and wrap his arms around her. Then the kiss broke when both needed air. "What was that for?" Halt asked softly their faces still quite close together. She rested her hands on his chest toying with the ties on his leather tunic "for your distaste of Yule…. I'm quite intent on changing it," she said. Halt rolled his eyes "oh really?" he said incredulously. She smirked at his eye roll "you seemed quite taken with the holidays last night," she said teasingly. "Perhaps you would like to refresh my memory over the next few days and I will see about coming around to the holidays?" he teased back. "I might be able to handle that" she said softly taking him by the good hand leading him inside out of the cold.