In she came to Hawken's home with no knock, no pause, no qualms about making herself at home. He was like a father to her after all these years. She was as comfortable here as in her own place. "You needed to see me?"

"Oh, yes, yes..I must ask you a special favor. I have a very important package that I need as soon as it arrives and I was wondering if you'd get it for me. I need to get this job done by nightfall. I'm way behind as it is."

He'd always been quick to assist her so it was only natural to return the favor. "Sure, just tell me where and I'll go get it."

Hawken knew Ceri was too sweet to say no. Such a good, little lady..took the bait with ease. "Here's the deal. I need it as soon as it comes in but I'm not sure when that will be. Deliveries are unpredictable here. If you'll go to the bookstore, that's where I ordered it from, tell the clerk you're waiting for my package. Soon as it arrives, he'll give it to you."

"You read?" feigning shock at the knowledge before cracking up with laughter. "Sorry..sure, no problem. I didn't have much to do today." How long could it take right'

"Thank you, my darling. You'll be doing me a great favor." Waving her off as she left. Only after she was out of ear shot did he dare smile or laugh at the ingenious scheme set in motion. After getting hit on all day, Ceri wouldn't want to date a single one of them. No losing this bet.

Only minutes shy of midnight, Ceri had to concede that she'd lost the bet. There was no Prince Charming on a white steed to sweep her off her feet or even a cute waiter to serve her coffee. More important, she now owed money. So it was a slow, cold, walk back to Hawken's home. The whole while scheming and conniving on just how to avoid getting stuck with the bill. In the moments before barging in to his house, realization hit her like a ton of bricks.

"You cheated!" Screaming at the top of her lungs while slamming the door closed.

Rolled Hawken right out of his bed to the cold, wood floor below with a *harumph* as his rotund belly had the wind knocked out of it. "Wha" wha..what?"

"You...cheated." Sassy, little hands went straight to her hips, toe tapping on the floor in a quick, rhythmic pattern. *tap,tap,tap,taptaptap*

He rose up wearing the most indignant expression as if SHE was the one who'd done wrong. "How dare you make such a blasphemous accusation. I did no such thing. You take that back right now young lady. Just because no man would touch you with a ten foot pole because of your pufferfish attitude, does not mean I did anything inappropriate. You should push up those breasts and be nicer."

Her mouth fell open in shock. "Oh no you didn't.." bopping that head and shaking that finger side to side. "For your information, these breasts can't go any higher..sorry, unlike some of these elves around here, I'm all natural and have no desire for flotation devices. ...AND another thing, you made me sit at the bookstore all day long. There was no way to win the bet there. There was no package coming either." Storming right up to face which she had to look up to see. "You cheated. All bets are off." quickly inserting "..except Sundays. I won that fair and square."

"TMI!! Besides, you can stuff. Ladies do that all the time. I must say it is surprising when you're trying to get to the goodies and can't find them."

"Ugh..please..." Ceri rolled her eyes.

"That's beside the point. You had several chances to find a date at the bookstore. I know because I made an ad and put it all over Rhydin."

She suffered another jaw dropping moment. "You what? What ad" What did you say?"

"Was my best work yet. I wrote a love poem about your search for a Valentine..your love of wine..something, something, something..I didn't pay that much attention really." Making sure his body was placed where the small, twin size bed was strategically between them both. In hindsight, Hawken realized he should have built a bigger bed for moments like this. "You had gentlemen callers at the book store didn't you? I win."

Her eyes went wide as the full comprehension of today's events hit home. Then her mouth formed a small O..which turned into a much wider O. Morphing into an audible. "OOOOOO My God! I am so going to kill you!" She may be tiny but Ceri took one leap and cleared the bed as if it weren't there.

"GAH! ..Now now now! Let's be reasonable! ....put the broom down! ...no wait..get the broom again..put the iron skillet down! Crap.." the poor, old elf was running, ducking, trying the zigzag formation as the angry elfess flew at him tossing anything her hands could throw.

"You offered me up to complete strangers! Some of them were psychopaths! Some of them had never seen a toothbrush in their life! One of them smelled like limburger cheese and dead fish!"

Hawken slid into the bathroom, locking the door. "But what of the others" Surely they were not all bad?"

"Hide in there as long as you want. After today, I have plenty of practice waiting." Scooting a chair to sit right by the door. She got to thinking, in those moments that ticked by, whether they all were bad or whether she was on male overload after all the bad encounters. "Ok, so a few were nice."

"Ah ha..see. Like who?" Setting up for the loss.

"Well, there was a King from some place I never quite understood. He was nice. Needed to loosen up a bit though."

Hawken grinned on the other side of the door. "But you're good at loosening people up. He'd relax and be laughing or joking in no time."

"Well, I don't know about that. "

"Who else?"

"Mmm..I got grilled by a detective. Another real serious bloke. I think he wanted to arrest me more than anything. He wasn't there for your mission to make me lose."

"Aaah but did you like talking to him?"

"I like talking with anyone I an argue with. He even laughed. Which seemed impossible."

"So you had two chances to date two men and you blew it. I WIN!"

"HEY! ...Oh no you don't! That's not fair..no..nuh uh...not happening, Hawken!" Banging on the door.

"Rules are rules. Midnight has passed. You lose. I win. Three weeks salary."

Damn him! Ceri kicked the door which only served to hurt her foot. "We'll talk about his later." A clear threat in her tone.

"We'll talk about how you're going to pay me. Small bills, big bills..coins..gold.."

"Whatever.." Storming out the door to go home. She'd find a way out of this yet.