Author's Note: No new notes, just a new chapter. Enjoy!

Beagle Without a Mask

Chapter 22

Dresden Hall

"Bon I don't like this." Bigtime eyes the surrounding neighborhood warily. "We're too close to you-know-who's house."

"Will you relax?" Bonnie responds from the backseat, prodding each of the nervous Beagles on the shoulder. "Just act natural. If any of the locals see you looking so nervous they'll know you don't belong."

"But we don't," Bouncer grumbles, gripping the steering wheel tightly while he frantically searches the area.

"Well, you driving like a ninety year old woman isn't helping. It makes us look even more suspicious." She leans back into her seat. "Just press on the gas a little more. You can still get pulled over for driving too slow."

Bigtime frowns, watching the estates pass by them through the passenger window. He knew them all too well, especially the one owned by Scrooge McDuck. He'd felt the need to point this out the moment Jennifer had given them directions. But the only ones who seemed to be concerned with this were him and Bouncer, who continues to drive at least ten miles under the speed limit despite Bonnie's advice. A groan escapes him as he slouches down even further. He's only pulled away from his brooding when Jennifer offers words of comfort.

"I'm sorry," she says softly, leaning forward to speak to the two seated in front. "I know it's a little awkward for you guys to be here." She smiles at him when he glances back at her. "But if it makes you feel any better, most of these people aren't even home right now; they're all at work or on vacation."

"There, ya see?" Bonnie adds. "Nothing to worry about. The entire world isn't always out to get you. Quit being so paranoid."

"I ain't bein' paranoid," Bigtime defends, scanning the gated off driveways and reading some of the many bronze plaques displaying various statements of dismissal; 'PRIVATE', 'NO SOLICITING', and his personal favorite 'ALL TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED'. "We ain't exactly popular in this part uh town…fer obvious reasons."

"'Ey, I got a question." Bouncer looks at his sister through the rearview mirror. "You two 've been friends fer a while…n' she's been livin' out 'ere dis whole time, right? How come ya nevuh told us?" He shakes head. "Wish ya woulda said somethin' sooner, Bon. We mighta robbed yer best friend n' nevuh known!"

"Bonnie was afraid you'd do that anyway," Jennifer answers for her friend, receiving an eye roll from her. "Although..." She gives a nervous laugh. "I'm gonna say it mostly it has to do with my family's, erm…pedigree?"

Bonnie sighs, grumbling to herself "here we go."

"Really?" The shorter Beagle shifts in his seat to give her a questioning glance. "A member uh the upper-class, huh?" He doesn't suppress a smirk. "That explains you n' McDuck bein' neighbors."

"Not exactly," she explains, fidgeting with the back of his seat. "My family's just been around for a while, is all. Our lineage goes way back…on my mother's side. We're what you'd call… well—"

"Loaded?"

"Bonnie, that's not fair." Jennifer scrunches up her face at the blunt response, giving her a look of annoyance. "It's more about social standing than money and you know it."

"You sure 'bout dat?" asks Bouncer. "Cuz unless I made a wrong turn somewhere—" He points to their left before pulling into a driveway. "—she ain't too off."

Bigtime actually bolts upright at seeing the manor in question as it comes into view through the surrounding trees. Like most of the mansions around them, their owners clearly felt the need to go all out when trying to out-do their wealthy neighbors when it came to extravagance. But unlike the other estates, this one wasn't following suit with the same elegant Tudor or Victorian designs littered about the area. Instead it gave off more of a southern colonial feel with its red brick exterior and numerous windows with standard white molding. The house itself appeared considerably wider than any other colonial home, mainly due to the addition of wings off to each side, taking away from the standard box shape the style was typically known for. The front facade alone was just as breathtaking, adorned with tall white columns and a number of curved steps leading up to a set of double doors serving as the main entrance.

Various bushes and trees are littered about the property, mostly on either side of the loose graveled driveway and all around the base of the house, all of which are pruned and properly cared for. Eventually the rear of the estate comes into view; out back was some sort of garden area, and what looked to be a pool. What stood out the most was a small building appearing to be a fraction of the size of the main house. At first glance it looked to be a large pool house, though judging from it's inviting and homey design it was more likely a guest house.

Compared to a lot of the other homes occupied by the wealthier residents of Duckburg, this one was scaled back rather tastefully. It may not have been as grand and extravagant as McDuck Manor, but it was still very impressive.

Once the car comes to a stop, everyone gets out; Jennifer and Bonnie retrieve their belongings while the two Beagle brothers gape up at the enormous structure, Bouncer finally giving a low whistle.

"Nice digs." He calls over his shoulder. "You seriously lived 'ere?!"

"Yep." She ascends the steps. "But it's just my parents now." When she reaches the doors, she rummages through her bag.

"Okay." Bonnie suddenly steps in front of the convicted felons before they're able to follow. "Time for some ground rules. Don'tchu you roll yer eyes at me!" She scolds Bigtime before counting off on her fingers. "You guys have to promise me that you won't touch anything if it looks heavy or expensive. Don't try to go into any locked rooms. Don't remove anything from the house. Do not, I repeat NOT go looking for hidden safes, or secret passages behind bookcases, portraits, tapestries—"

"Fer cryin' out loud, Bonnie!" Bigtime projects. "We ain't kleptos, ya know!

"Yeah," Bouncer adds, actually offended. "Give us a little credit, will ya?"

She appears unamused, placing her hands on her hips. The brothers exchange an annoyed glance, droning "We promise."

"Thank you." Her harsh tone is more apologetic. "Sorry, but I really like her folks. The last thing I need is for them to have a reason not to trust me to be here."

"What exactly do they do fer a livin'?" Bigtime asks as the three of them go up to join Jennifer. "You'd have tuh be pretty well off tuh afford a place like this."

"Nah, nothing like that," Jennifer answers halfheartedly, still searching her bag. "Dad works with the D.A. at the courthouse and Mom is an anthropologist at the Duckburg Museum. Like I said before, money doesn't have much to do with it. The house itself has been in my family for a few generations." She pauses to think about this before saying "at least a century, I think. Maybe longer? I know it was back when the first settlers founded the town…it might be written in an old journal somewhere." She shrugs. "Well, in any case. I forget exactly how long, but my mom inherited it some years ago. When I was still little."

"Wow." Bigtime blinks at her in surprise, again having to smirk at another insightful look into her background. "Never woulda' pegged you as a blueblood."

"I was half expecting you to say spoiled rich kid." She returns the expression, pulling out a set of keys. "But I'll take it."

The moment she opens one of the double doors, he and Bouncer are blown away for a second time; even without any lights on it's clear that the foyer is meant to be warm and inviting. The floors were covered with a dark, polished wood with matching wall paneling, accented with a hunter green wallpaper covered in French floral patterns. Beneath their feet is spread out a large area rug littered with a similar scheme of designs and color, absorbing the sounds of their footsteps.

Further inward is a grand staircase leading up onto a second floor, breaking off into two separate corridors. On either side of the staircase on the ground floor are two hallways leading further into the house, both draped with carpet runners. What resides beyond them is unclear, as not a single light is on in that area of the house.

The foyer is flanked by two tall archways, each leading into open plan rooms meant for entertaining visitors. Both spaces contain a number of upholstered chairs and loveseats, as well as a few tables and cabinets. Their decor is nearly identical, the only major difference being a baby grand piano in the far corner in one of them. Even in the dim light, various images can be seen adorning the walls, ranging from portraits to landscapes. Once again, it was all tastefully stunning.

"Holy cow." The comment escapes Bigtime despite any efforts to not overreact. "Talk about class! This place is oozin' wit' it!"

"Welcome to Dresden Hall," Jennifer says with forced enthusiasm, her voice carrying through the space surrounding them. "We can do a grand tour later, if you'd like." Once she and Bonnie toss their bags down at the foot of the staircase, she looks between the brothers. "So, is anybody else hungry? I'm starved."

"I could eat!" Bouncer projects. When he notices the odd glance from Bigtime, he shrugs. "What? I didn't get breakfast."

"Perfect," she says. "I'll see what we've got on hand." She unzips and removes her hoodie, draping it over the banister. "Though we'll still need to go out for groceries at some point, especially if we plan on staying for a couple of days."

"I-I could, give ya a hand." Bouncer had taken a step forward. "I mean, if ya like?"

"Sure." Jennifer beams at him before starting down one of the darkened hallways. "Kitchen's this way."

"I got a better idea," Bigtime states, causing Bouncer to pause. "Go bring the rest uh the stuff inside, then move the car somewhere outta site from the main road."

"Wuh—" Bouncer blinks down at him. "Now? But I thought I'd—"

"Try the far side uh the house. Pretty sure I saw a carport 'r a garage over there. If ya can't get it open just park out back."

"Aw come on, Bigtime," Bouncer almost whines. "Can't it wait till aftuh I've had somethin' tuh eat—"

"Who 're you, Burger alluva sudden?" he snaps. "We ain't on vacation, ya goon! Now get back out there and make sure nobody sees that damn car!"

"Yeah but—" The larger Beagle holds his tongue at the other's hardened stare. He glances in the direction the red-head had gone before trudging back through the open doorway, expressing a scathing look of his own before closing it behind him.

"And so it begins," Bonnie murmurs.

Bigtime turns to look at his sister. "Whataya goin' on about now?"

"Seriously?" She sighs irritably at his stoned expression. "Ya know I meant what I said before; he really does like her. And that right there?" She gestures at the closed door. "That was a perfect example of why this is going to blow up in both of yer faces…Bigtime, please, just listen to me," she adds in a more sympathetic tone at seeing him scowl. "I really don't wanna see you guys getting hurt over her, and last thing we need is the two of you at each other's throats. This thing with Bankjob is bad enough, but—"

"Oh will you drop it already!" he barks, now looking at her with a glare similar to the one he'd exchanged with his other sibling. "Get it through yer head, Bon! We got more important things tuh deal with instead uh this 'meetcute' crap!" He jabs a finger at her. "I already told ya tuh stop worryin' about ev'ryone else's problems and start thinkin' about yer own fer a change! In case ya forgot there's some lunatic out there tryin' tuh frame ya! So try focusin' a little more on that instead uh our personal lives!"

The second the words are out of his mouth he regrets them. Here she was trying to be honest with him and all he could do was shout at her for it. Ironically, it was in contrast to his own actions not long ago when he'd gone to see her about the very same problems he was now telling her to disregard. When he had vented to her back at her apartment, Bonnie had welcomed him with understanding and without judgement. If he had even a fraction of her patience and compassion there was no telling what he'd be capable of in life.

"Fine," Bonnie offers quietly after having stared at him for some time. "Have it your way." She heads in the same direction as Jennifer.

"Bonnie, wait." He goes to follow her. "I didn't mean-"

"Nah you meant it." She spins back around to face him. "You want me to mind my own damn business from now on? You got it." It's her turn to jab an accusing finger, her voice a high whisper. "But I warn you; if you being a stubborn idiot ends up tearing this family apart—not to mention ruining the best friendship I've ever had—I hope I'm around to remind you of your every, single, stupid, word, Bigtime Beagle!"

He watches her in silence as she gives him one last daggered stare before disappearing through the hallway. The moment she's gone he lets out a long sigh, rubbing at his eyes. At hearing the sound of an engine turning over, he fixes his gaze on the closed double doors.…

For as far back as he could remember, Bouncer had always been by his side; obediently following every command thrown at him, with a loyalty that was unmatched by anyone else in the family. Whether it was ordering him to repeatedly dig their way out of a prison cell, or putting on a ridiculous disguise in an attempt to fool Scrooge and his nephews, there was never anything he wasn't willing to do, and usually without question.

Though he played the part of right-hand man pretty well, he was even more effective as a bodyguard. Thanks to his own big mouth, there had been so many occasions where his much stronger brother had needed to come between him and someone like Bankjob that he'd lost track of them all! There wasn't a doubt in his mind the only reason he was even still breathing was because Bouncer Beagle always had his back.

He definitely owed him his life, at least a hundred times over.

It suddenly occurs to him that, despite everything he's done for him over the years, Bigtime has never actually thanked him. Not even once, let alone done the same in return. He recalls the night Bankjob had tried to strangle him, and how Bouncer had slugged him right in the jaw for it. It was the only time he'd ever hesitated to step in, though considering who it was he was throwing a punch at it was more than understandable. The largest Beagle Boy could've done some serious damage in response to his assault, and if he hadn't been outnumbered by family he definitely would have.

Bigtime listens as the sound of the running car begins to fade. He goes to sit on the staircase, propping his arms up on his knees and supporting his head as he tries to think. The thought of losing the loyalty of a brother like Bouncer just because of a pretty face sounded a little far fetched. But if there was anything he'd learned over the course of his life as a criminal, it was to always expect the unexpected.

Oddly enough, Scrooge McDuck had taught him that.

"'Do dis, Bouncer'...'Do dat, Bouncer'...'Go unload duh car, Bouncer'...'Stop tryin' tuh enjoy yerself, Bouncer!'"

Bouncer continues to grumble to himself as he shifts through the contents of the back of the car, gathering up whatever looked to be a necessity. Though it was clear everything they'd brought could clearly wait until much later. This did little to improve his mood.

"'Do as I say, Bouncer'...'Go check out duh garage, Bouncer'..." He pauses, letting out a groan at remembering one of the things he was supposed to be doing. He abandons the task of unloading the trunk to investigate the side access door of the detached garage. The car was probably fine where it was, but he wasn't about to take any chances; Bigtime was clearly having one of his 'short fuse' days. The least he could do was put in a little more effort so he could go back and tell him that he'd tried.

When he turns the doorknob, he isn't surprised to find it locked. He considers going back inside and asking Jennifer for the keys but decides against it, having a sneaking suspicion she was the whole reason Bigtime had tasked him with this in the first place. He pushes the thought to the back of his mind; he knew nothing good would come from dwelling on things like that for too long. Besides, they had enough problems at the moment…

He begins looking for a window to force open, instead deciding to focus on the door frame. After a moment of thought, he finally reaches over his head to feel along the top of it. When his hand grazes something small and metallic, he can't help rolling his eyes.

"It's jus' too easy sometimes." He shakes his head as he uses the newly acquired key to unlock the door. Once inside, he immediately notices an immense object covered with a large canvas tarp. He closes the door behind him, making his way around the mystery vehicle to see if there's enough space for their own station wagon. Naturally there's plenty of room to work with, seeing as how it was meant to house three standard sized cars. He's about to go lift up one of the overhead doors so he can get the task over and done with, only to pause, stealing another glance at the tarp...

Eventually curiosity gets the better of him. He walks back around to the front of it, pulling off the canvas as he goes. Once the vehicle is exposed, he lets out a low whistle of admiration; a classic Chrysler town car limousine, similar to the one Scrooge McDuck was always being driven around in, except this one is jet black and in pristine condition. The glossy finish practically shimmers from the afternoon sun pouring in through the thin clerestory windows that wrap around the top of the building.

"Well hell-ooo 'dere, gorgeous." He runs his hand over the polished fender, making his way up to the driver's side door. "Coverin' you up should be illegal." He's half tempted to get in and sit behind the wheel, just for the heck of it. Though when he remembers why he's out there in the first place, he reconsiders. He lets out a regrettable sigh, gingerly patting on the limo's black soft top.

'I wonder if Jennifer will let me take it for a spin later' he thinks to himself, though doesn't feel too confident about it. They really did have more important things to deal with while in Duckburg. He and Bigtime at least agreed on that much. They weren't there for a vacation; they were there for Bonnie. With this in mind, he replaces the tarp back over the extravagant town car before getting back to work.

He goes to stand before the three overhead doors, studying the middle one to see how to get it open. When he spots two bolted latches on either side of it near the concrete floor, he moves them both into the unlocked position. He hefts the long, wood-paneled door over his head with ease, allowing for a cool breeze to come rushing in. He releases his grip on it to see if it stays in place on the track above him. Satisfied that it will, he walks out into the open air, making his way back around the building—

THUD

"Ohmygosh!"

He suddenly collides with someone coming from the direction of the station wagon. Though the encounter nearly gives him a heart attack, it only knocks him back a step. The other is less fortunate, crying out in shock as they topple to the ground in a heap. Various items are flung about the area, including numerous loose papers that have managed to escape an open leather satchel, now fluttering freely in the breeze.

"Jeez Louise, you scared the jeepers outta me!"

Upon hearing the breathless voice, Bouncer—who'd nearly made a run for it out of sheer reflex—now stays rooted to the spot in disbelief, wondering if he'd actually heard right. It takes him a moment to get his wits about him before realizing it was only a woman in business attire he'd barreled into. Instinctively, he'd assumed it was an officer of the law attempting to get the drop on him. The fact that it wasn't is actually more surprising.

"Trust me, lady." He lets out a relieved breath. "Dat makes two uh us."

"Oh, not again." She doesn't look up at him, busying herself with the chaos of paperwork, shoveling it back into the satchel while grumbling to herself. "Why won't this stupid latch ever work?"

"Erm, sorry 'bout dat." He kneels down to her level. It had suddenly occurred to him that it was probably smarter to act more courteous rather than off-putting. He manages to grab some of the papers trying to blow away, as well as any of those closest to him. "I, uh, didn't know anyone was out 'ere-"

"No, it's my own fault." Though she sounds apologetic, it comes out rather exasperated as she continues gathering her belongings, occasionally having to stop and adjust the glasses sliding down the bridge of her nose. "I parked out in front of the mansion, but…walked over here when I saw you driving off instead of…going up to the door. I thought it would be easier to meet you over here. Obviously not." She sighs in frustration. "I don't know why I bother with…Oh no. Nononono!"

She suddenly lets out a gasp, now digging into the bag frantically. "Where are they?! Oh please don't tell me I've lost them! I just made them this morning!"

"Lost what?" He was holding out a stack of papers to her, which she immediately snatched from his hand to rifle through. When it appears she comes up empty handed, she goes through her bag in another flustered panic. He glances around the ground again, unsure of what else to do.

"Unbelievable." The woman lets out a groan, still searching. "Now I'll have to go all the way back to the office and make more. Ugh…" She heaves a long sigh, placing a hand to her forehead. "Like I don't have enough to do today."

Bouncer still searches the earth beneath them, finally noticing something they'd missed. Probably because he'd been standing on it. "Wait." He lifts his boot to retrieve two square envelopes. "Dis what yer lookin' for?"

She looks over at what he has, instantly relieved. "Oh thank goodness! Yes, that's it."

Once they're back on their feet, he offers them to her, though cringes at the large boot print he'd left on one of them. "Oops…"

"That's alright," she remarks, sounding less agitated than before. "The important thing is they're still in one piece." Once in hand, she holds them close to her. "Thank you."

He shrugs. "No problem."

Both of them fall silent. It's quiet for some time before he finally clears his throat. It must've startled her as she'd nearly jumped out of her heels when he'd done so.

"'Ey, so uh, I don't wanna be rude er nuttn', but…" He steals a glance behind him, wondering if anyone from the large house had known she was there. "What is it ya want?"

"Hm? Oh! Right, yes!" A nervous laugh escapes her. "Of course, sorry!" With a bit of effort she manages to grip onto the worse for wear bag while extending a hand to him. "My name is Vivian Renard. I'm from the mayor's office. I'm his personal aid, as well as his event coordinator."

"Oookay?" He eyes the gesture skeptically before accepting it. "Nice to, uh, meetcha. I'm Bouncer Beagle—" The name was out of his mouth before he could stop it. The curious look she gives him reminds him why Bigtime was always the one to come up with their schemes; he was terrible at thinking on his feet! "Wait! Hold on! W-What I meant to say was, uh... I mean, dat is, I just, erm—"

"No no, I get it," she giggles, withdrawing her hand to gesture at his appearance. "Gotta stay in character, right?"

"Huh?" He blinks at her before glancing down at his attire and numbered placard.

"Lemme guess." She points to him expectantly. "It's for a contest, isn't it? I mean, Halloween is this weekend; things like that are happening all over town!" She gestures again. "I've heard the more dedicated you are, it betters yer chances of winning." She shrugs. "I, guess that's how it works. I've, um, never actually been in one before. But they sound fun, though!"

"Well, I uh—"

"Ya know, I gotta say," she adds with a smirk. "You really are a spot on Bouncer Beagle. Dead on, even!" She scans him up and down. "You must get that a lot, though, seeing as how you look so much like him, n' all. But you, um, probably already knew that…I mean, you did dress like him so…" It's her turn to clear her throat awkwardly. "Obviously you, um...know that."

"Uh, yeah...Right...Sure." He steals another glance over at the mansion, desperately wishing for any of the others to come searching for him. Not only was he hopeless at improvising, he'd never been very good at small talk with anyone other than family. Jennifer had been the exception, mainly because she was already very easy to talk to. Another reason for this had been the lack of solitude between them, Bonnie or any of the others always close by. He actually didn't mind, seeing as how the very thought of having a one-on-one conversation with a woman for too long was one of the few things that truly terrified him!

"Well anyway, I've gotten off topic," Vivian finally says. "I'm here to see Jonathan Baronski. Is he in?"

This snaps him back into the present. He notices a slight change in her demeanor; she'd taken half a step back and straightened her posture, appearing more professional. She'd also attempted to fix her long dark hair, some of it coming loose from a hair clip. Despite her attempts, he couldn't help noticing that she still seemed a bit flustered, as well as red in the face. But that was probably from the chill in the air.

"Erm, sorry but, uh, he n' duh misses 're outta town right now," he finally blurts, hoping this was the same Jonathan Baronski that Jennifer had referred to as 'Dad'. "Won't be back fer a while."

"What?" Her expression falls. "Seriously? Well, shoot." She frowns, looking down at the two envelopes somewhat dejected. "So much for making these. Oh well." She sighs, muttering "I'd better call McDuck's secretary later so he knows not to expect them—"

"Wait." The familiar name hits him like a bolt of lightning. "W-What about McDuck?"

She nods, failing to notice his anxious tone. "I was supposed to drop off these invitations for a charity event this weekend. Scrooge McDuck was hoping he and his family would attend." She holds them up. "One is for him and his wife, the other is for their daughter."

"Jenny is invited?" Once again he'd blabbed something without stopping to consider his words first. Where the heck was Bigtime when he needed him?!

Vivian beams. "Oh, you know her? Wait…" She rolls her eyes, actually slapping herself lightly on the forehead with the invitations. "Duh! Of course you know who she is!" She gestures to the garage. "I mean, you work for her parents, right?"

"Right. Cuz I, uh…came outta 'dare garage. Yeah!" He forces a grin, his level of anxiety rising the longer he converses with her. "Yeah, dat…dat makes sense!"

The brunette returns the expression, though hers is far more genuine. "So how long have you—"

BUZZ BUZZ…BUZZ BUZZ

"Oh Jeez! Sorry, one sec." She manages to shift her belongings again, gripping both the invitations and her bag under one arm, digging into the left pocket of her blazer to retrieve a black flip phone. She glances at the screen, unable to hide her irritation before offering him another apology. "Sorry, I need to take this." She didn't wait for a response, which was good because he didn't have one.

She presses the receiver to her ear. "Yes, Mister Mayor?"

Bouncer arches his brow at this, imagining how handy it must be to have a direct line to the mayor's office. Though judging from the forced enthusiasm in her voice, he had a feeling it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. The following exchange convinces him that it definitely wasn't…

"Yes, sir. I may be able to put something like that together. I can start on it first thing in the morning." Her expression falls slightly as she listens to his response. "Well, no. I'm actually not in the office at the moment. I'm delivering more invitations…" She gives Bouncer an uneasy glance before turning around, now trying to keep her voice low. "Sir, I told you I had to write up invites for guests of Mister McDuck…Right, but I needed to hand deliver them because they might not have gotten here before… Yes, I know, it's just that, it's already getting a bit late in the day and I may not have time to get back to the office to go through the entire list. I mean, I could be there all night! Can't I just, start on it early tomorrow? I still have the…Well, that's very kind of you to say, sir, but…"

Bouncer had been watching her with genuine interest at the way her fist had been tightening around her bag during the call, only loosening her grip as it came to an end. He feels an odd twinge of familiarity at her attempts to suppress a defeated sigh. "Of course…yes, I understand." She was about to say something else but didn't get the chance as the call had already been disconnected.

Vivian stares down at the phone for a moment, then flipping it closed. She takes in a breath before getting back to him. It's clear she's troubled by the brief conversation but chooses to give him a warm smile regardless. "Sorry about that. Where we're we?"

He blinks. "Is, uh…everyt'ing okay?"

"Hm? Oh, that!" She laughs again, though this time it's definitely forced. She replaces the phone back into her pocket. "Yeah, that's normal. The mayor is always coming up with random busy-work for me to do— I mean, demands." She shakes her head. "Requests! I meant to say requests!" She's unable to hold back a cringe. "Sorry, I...really shouldn't have said that."

"Nah you had it right duh first time," he offers. "Dat was busy-work." He steals a glance at the station wagon. "I know it when I hear it."

"Still, it was very unprofessional of me." She avoids his gaze, looking out over the driveway. "I shouldn't be so disrespectful. I mean, he is the mayor." She shrugs. "I suppose I should be grateful to be working with him at all."

"No ya don't," Bouncer exclaims, unable to stay quiet at noticing her reserved tone. "Ain't nuttn' about bein' duh mayor uh Duckburg dat makes 'im more important than you 'r me. B'sides, I've met 'im..." He crosses his arms. "He's a putz." When the brunette suppresses a snort of laughter at this, he can't help giving a smirk before adding "Sounds like yer duh one who should be gettn' respect from him. Not duh other way around."

Vivian gives a small smile, pushing a strand of black hair behind her ear, omitting a soft "thank you."

Bouncer had to assume the cold was getting to her again as the red had returned to her cheeks. Deciding things had gone on longer than they should have, he clears his throat a second time. "Well erm…if dere's nuttn' else I can help ya wit', I should prob'ly get back tuh work…I mean, if ya don't mind?"

"Oh…" Vivian stares up at him blankly for a moment before giving her head a brisk shake. "Right, of course. Yeah, sorry about that." She goes to leave. "I-I didn't mean to keep you so long. You, seem really busy." She gestures towards the manor. "I'll just, leave you to it." She pauses, suddenly remembering the items she'd been holding onto. "Oh, wait! I don't suppose you could do me a huge favor?" She goes back over to him, holding up the two envelopes. "Do you mind getting these to Miss Baronski? It would save me a lot of time if I just passed them off to you instead of having to track her down and go through everything again. Especially since now I have to go back to the office for, well…" She rolls her eyes. "You know."

"Uhhh..." He almost takes a step back, surprised she'd gotten so close to him. "Uh-huh. Sure." He quickly takes them. "Y-Yeah. I can, uh, I can do dat."

"You are a lifesaver!" She sighs in relief. "Thank you so much. I really owe you one. Oh, actually—" She reaches into her jacket pocket again. Instead of her phone she has a small metallic case, pulling from it a pen and what looks like a business card. "I'll leave my card with you just in case Miss Baronski has any questions. It has my office number if she needs to reach me, but this..." She goes quiet as she carefully writes something on the back of the card. "...is my personal number." She holds it up to him, having trouble making eye contact. She shrugs. "For, ya know…other…reasons."

"Oh...kay?" Bouncer raises a skeptic brow at the excessive amount of contact information. He slowly takes the card from her. "T'ank you." He gives her a slight grin as a form of reassurance; she seemed to be nervous about something. Probably from standing outside in the cold for so long having to talk to someone dressed as a Beagle Boy. He couldn't really blame her.

"Right. Well…" Vivian backs away from him. "I hope I see ya around, Bouncer Beagle." She offers him a little wave as she walks up the driveway. "Maybe then you can tell me your real name." She then adds "Oh and um...I'd say good luck on that contest, but honestly?" She returns the smile. "You really don't need it."

Bouncer responds with an awkward wave of his own. He watches her for a while longer before finally exhaling. "Phew! Boy, dat was a close one!" He shakes his head in bewilderment, going to the station wagon to open the driver side door. He tosses the envelopes into the front seat, though holds on to the business card to read the name aloud quietly to himself. "Vivian Renard…" He turns it over for a quick glance at the handwritten number. "Hm…"

He looks out at the driveway again, barely catching sight of the young woman as she disappears around the side of the large mansion. His eyes are on the card again…

"Cute kid." He shrugs before pocketing it. "Ain't too observant, though."

I am officially having WAY too much writing Bouncer, and I regret NOTHING!

I can't wait to keep expanding on him and Bigtime's personalities. I'll try to get to some of the other boys too at some point. Hopefully I'm doing them justice :)

The next couple of chapters should be focused on this group as certain events unfold. So stay tuned…