The song here is "Have a Drink on Me" by AC/DC
Have a Drink on Me
Paper work was a bitch. Crowley had to fill out pages and pages and sign until his hand cramped. He cursed and Nerilla sat still in the chair facing his desk, wincing as if she didn't envy his job. At some point, Crowley had to sit back in his chair and rub his eyes.
"Bullocks." He said and looked back at those pages. "Nerilla, make yourself useful and get me a glass of whiskey." He said without looking at her. She stood up immediately and quickly poured him a glass. Once he took it, she sat back down and remained still.
It burned nicely on his tongue and as it slid smoothly down his throat; he could feel his stress decrease.
"Anything else, your Majesty?" Nerilla asked and just by the tone of her voice, Crowley knew he had chipped away at her confidence. Normally, he'd like to have obedient and nervous around him, but with Nerilla, it was more annoying than he anticipated.
"Relax, Nerilla." Crowley said and when he met her eyes, he could see she was very uncomfortable and unsure. "All I ask is that you don't question me." he added and she nodded her head, however he could see it would take more to get her to bounce back. It would probably take Clara. Why did the Knight and the lieutenant love her so much? Sure, they were loyal to him, but they would do anything for Clara, something beyond loyalty. Why didn't he get that?
At that moment, the door opened and it was Nikolai, but he wasn't opening the door for himself… but for Clara who walked in with Ginger and with a powerful aura. Just looking at her, he could feel the presence of his daughter and it thrilled him. He never thought he'd think such a thing, but he couldn't wait for her to be born.
"Hello, darling." Clara said sweetly, but Crowley could tell by the look in her eyes that she wasn't in a loving mood. Once again, her mother pissed her off. "Is that the transfer for Viviane?" she asked and tried to sit on the corner of his desk, but was having a hard time. Just when Crowley got out of his chair to help her, she growled in frustration and snapped her fingers, making her chair appear next to his.
When she was seated, he took her hand and lifted it up to his lips to put a smile on her face. When her lips twitched, it sufficed.
"Indeed, my Queen." He said and she nodded and took her hand away from him.
"Is there one for my mother?" she asked and Crowley then lost his smile. He glanced down at the papers before him and felt a sort of dread. He'd have to fill out another form. Not only that, but as much as he'd like to argue with her, she was willing to release her mother.
"No." he said with that dread in his voice.
"Good." She said, which surprised him slightly. When he glanced at her, she had this hard expression on her soft face. "We'll just let her leave Hell and roam the Earth as a ghost." She added and then met his eyes, arching her eyebrows at his expression. "My grandmother wasn't specific and like Hell we're beaming her up to Heaven." She added and looked away. Crowley grinned and looked at Nikolai who also had a grin on his face.
When he glanced back at Clara, she had this hard look in her eyes like a mother staring at her mischievous child.
"What?" Crowley asked her. She glanced at the paper work and then back at him.
"Are you done?" she asked him and Crowley felt a twinge of irritation.
"It's a lot of work." He snapped and then she raised an eyebrow as if she wasn't impressed. He adjusted his tone of voice before he continued. "I'm almost done." He added and she glanced at the glass of whiskey in his other hand.
"Took a break, I see." she said and when she met his eyes, she really wasn't impressed. She looked angry and as sexy as she seemed, Crowley didn't like having someone boss him around. However, it was his pregnant Queen, so he'd better control his anger.
"I'll need your signature in a few places." Crowley added and she grinned darkly.
"Then why didn't you start off with that?" she asked him and had her hand out for the papers. He took them and placed them in her hand, clenching his jaw to keep from snapping at her once again.
"Because you barked at me." he replied almost in a whisper and she laughed darkly. When she looked back at him, there was a dark glimmer in her eyes and he knew both mother and daughter were feeding off of each other's energy and working together. If Clara felt amused, so did their daughter. It was fascinating.
"I did not." She said and began reading the pages. He then offered her a pen and she took it without looking up at him.
Then Crowley glanced at Nikolai and Nerilla who stood still and silent, enjoying the interaction between their King and Queen. When he narrowed his eyes, Nerilla shrank while Nikolai smirked. Typical. Nothing he did put respect into his Knight.
"Done." Clara said and handed the papers back. Crowley raised an eyebrow, certain she skipped a few pages and skimmed through the papers to verify. Then, Clara smacked him and his eyes shot to her, surprised.
"Are you checking?" she asked, irritated. "I signed." She added, her tone dry and sharp. "Now fill out that last page and let's get Viviane ready." she added and began pushing herself out of the chair and smacking Nerilla's hand that she extended to help her pregnant Queen. Clara walked across the room, opened the door without flicking her fingers and left with Ginger following closely behind.
Crowley sighed and sat back in his chair, swallowing that last sip of his whiskey, as he set down his glass, he let out a low growl.
"I don't remember pregnancy being like this." He said and Nikolai raised an eyebrow and placed his hands in his jacket pocket. He glanced down at Nerilla who looked clueless, then back at Crowley.
"Were you around during the first one?" he asked and Crowley lifted his eyes up to him, feeling that twinge of irritation, but pushed it aside. Nikolai had a point. When Gavin's mother was pregnant with him, he really wasn't around.
"No, I was drunk most of the time." he replied and flipped to the last page and put the pen to the paper, part of him wishing he could get drunk again.