Angus hurt his arm when he fell to the floor that night. His shoes knocked against each other, the left one turning on its side. Getting up he steadied himself on the edge of the bed and quickly tied the right one. The left joined it, and his arm was inspected through the dark. It hurt a lot worse than it looked, not that he could see it very well. Sherrie hadn't woken.

Grabbing his jacket from the table he put it on, making sure his keys were in his pocket. Nothing was out of place. Sherrie was asleep in bed, her figure scooting to the middle of the mattress in her sleep. The heater was blowing keeping her warm, the curtains swaying, revealing the window behind. The clock blazed midnight in red numbers. Quiet steps across the carpet led him to the bed, leaning over the girl. He bent close and kissed her cheek, catching what he could see of her in the moonlight.

The door closed after him with a click, the hallway just as dark. A handful of steps down and he found a beige door with a rusted handle. It took four knocks for it to open. He smiled seeing the girl there, her messy hair brushed in haste. A blanket shrouded her, wrapped tighter when the cold seeped in the room behind her. She stepped into the hallway, her face glowing in the iridescence. The smile was wiped away when he saw her eyes, strained and red. She brought the corner of the blanket to wipe at her nose. "Hey," he said finding her eyes when she turned away from him. He put his fingers on her elbow. "Hey, you okay?"

"I'm fine," she nodded. The blanket was wrapped tighter around her as Angus reached under it to grab her hand. She clutched the fabric in her palms, her frame shivering. "We leaving now?"

"We won't if you don't want to," Angus said. He frowned when she stood at an angle, looking away from him. "Hey, look at me." She didn't. "Hey, what's goin' on? You mad at me or somethin'?" He kept his voice at a soft whisper lest anyone should investigate the racket.

"I'm fine, Angus," she snapped. Immediately she regretted it. "I'm...I'm sorry, I..." Distance between them grew as the hotel room door was pushed open more. "We can...we can go anytime. If you're ready."

"You're takin' a blanket?" he asked. Hannah's cheeks grew hot.

"I'm cold, it's...cold out." Angus looked around the hallway, the two still the only ones awake. While the hotel heating could be on a higher budget, it wasn't anything foreign to him. But who was he to speak for his friend? His jacket was shrugged off his shoulders.

"You can have mine." Hannah's brow furrowed and she held her hand up.

"No, Angus-that's alright. I have my own jacket I can get it." The door was shut, leaving Angus standing there slightly colder than he was before. He waited a minute or two when it opened again. Hannah stood on the other side of the threshold with a leather jacket on, zipping it up. His own jacket was replaced. He looked her over, not exactly knowing what he was looking for. Her eyes met his.

His heart jumped.

"You ready?" he asked after another minute. She nodded, burying her face in his shoulder when he wrapped an arm around her waist, leading her down the dim hallway. This elevator was working properly, and had them down to the lobby in a minute or two. The air outside picked up in a wind when the door was pushed open, Hannah allowed to exit the building first. Streetlights provided a hopscotch path of light down the sidewalk. All the shops were closed for the night, the only activity being the birds by the canals. Two bikes were parked by the railing, abandoned for the night. One was used as a perch for a curious bird who got scared and flew away as the pair approached. Angus removed his arm to sit down behind the railing watching the water below. Hannah joined him and his arm was replaced around her shoulders.

A pebble was picked up in a calloused hand, his fingertips setting it in aim. It became invisible in the air, the only display of it still in existence was the ripples in the water. Angus picked up a second one, the same fate befalling it, as well as four others. There were no more pebbles next to him after that. His companion kept silent, watching his activity. When he ceased tossing stones, she commenced looking for her own occupation. Only twiddling her fingers in her lap could she come up with.

Angus sighed, his breath an illuminating cloud before him. It disappeared in the wind gust, his cheeks reddening. He felt a pressure on his right side where Hannah had pressed closer to him, still shivering. One arm was placed carefully underneath the other, in such a way as if it had been a cast holding it still. It was stiff as if to alleviate any pain. Whenever Angus leaned over she pulled it away, nervous that he should bump it and send a sting throughout. Her ring was dulled by the clouds as it choked her finger. Angus still noticed it.

"Nice out here," he said. Hannah stayed quiet. "I could stay here all night. You comfortable?" She nuzzled into him as a response. "Fresh air, good for me, I suppose." He sighed in content. "Anxious to get home after this, an' not jus' 'cause I miss my own bed." An unidentifiable insect flew over their heads, humming its lullaby. Hannah sniffed into Angus' jacket, sorry that she hadn't thought to bring a tissue with her. "You're quiet."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. He squeezed her shoulder and watched the water.

"Don't be. Maybe a night like this could use a little quiet, yeah? Me an' my big mouth..." The insect returned catching the attention of Angus' hand. "A can of bug spray would be nice."

"Why did you bring me here?" Hannah pulled out of his hug, her body turned at an angle away from him. Her arms were held close to her chest, the ring now hidden. Angus shrugged.

"Dunno...you don't like it?" Hannah gazed at the water. "Is it the water? Is the ground too cold?" Angus gripped the rail in front of him, looking down. The water was parted by something underneath, the dark hiding its identity. "Tell me, is the ground too cold?"

"No, the ground is fine. Wha-what are you doing?" Hannah gripped the rail to keep her balance as she was lifted off the ground and pulled on his lap. She sat up straight, wiping her nose again. Angus watched the water again. Her hands were placed on her lap, face hiding behind her hair. She waited a few minutes before speaking again. "The ground was fine."

"But this is better. Isn't it?" He ignored the tongue she stuck out at him.

"No need to get cheeky."

"No need to hide the truth. I admit, I like it better." He grinned as he turned to her, ruffling her hair.

"You never answered my question," she said changing the subject. She flinched when Angus rubbed her arm up and down.

"Wanted to take you somewhere. To talk. As old friends, ya' know?" His gaze on her relaxed. "Haven't gotten much time since Travis is at your heels." He bit his tongue. "I'm sorry, I meant-"

"No, I agree," she said. "He's not a big fan of me being with someone else, someone he just met and maybe..." She wagged her head. "...doesn't trust too much."

"Feelin's mutual," Angus grumbled. "I'd have asked Malcolm to come along but..." The spell he was under rendered him speechless.

"But?"

"It's that, it's just he's tired. Been extra tired lately, won't really explain."

"I hope he's not sick," Hannah said. Angus laughed.

"Malcolm? Nah, diseases catch him. A little ol' Malcolm bug." The insect buzzed right in Angus' ear. "Trouble is you can't spray him away."

"I wouldn't want to," Hannah smiled. "A friend is a friend." Angus stuck his tongue out at her, imitating her childishness. "I'd take an Angus spray," she decided. "One that makes you smell better."

"I don't smell," he said smelling under his arm. "Fresh as a daisy. Wanna sniff?" Hannah laughed and pushed him away, covering her face with her hands. "It's called deodorant, sweetheart."

"It's called a shower."

"I took one! Ask Sherrie, she's a witness." Angus didn't notice Hannah's smile disappear, and it was a good few minutes before he realized what he said. He opened his mouth to apologize when Hannah changed the subject.

"You know Dutch is considered one of the closest languages to English?" she said. Angus pouted his lips.

"I didn't," he admitted. "You know much?"

"Not as much as I'd like to." She kept silent, hoping her words had distinguished the previous topic. Another bout of wind brushed her skin and she shivered. Her nose was tickled pink, made lavender by the nighttime scene around them. Her cheek pressed up against something warm, something soft and recently doused in cologne. Angus had a vacant stare as he hugged the girl to him, the past replaying in front of him.

"I can't believe the last I saw you was at a school dance," he muttered. "Even that didn't go as planned."

"Actually," Hannah said nuzzling into his neck. "I remember you had an unfortunate encounter on your way home." Angus frowned, the sour memories saturating the sweet.

"Oh yeah, the hospital, that's an even better spot. But then of course, I took you home..." He shook his head, dropping his thought. "I can't believe that son of a bitch would-" He stopped again, remembering why his school enemy had such a burning hatred for him. Granted it was no excuse, but it was better than blind torture. He tightened his embrace, thankful he nor his own brother had ever been hurt in such a way. He loosened his hold when Hannah pushed the weight of his arm off of hers. "Oh, sorry," he said.

She hugged him back out of forgiveness. "Does your eye still hurt?" she asked.

"Thankfully, no," he laughed. "Though every once in a while I'll get a bout of vertigo, ya' know? An' I'll never know for sure, of course. But I like to blame it on him. Gets the confession off my chest, ya' know?"

"I feel bad for Susan," Hannah said. "Maybe I shouldn't. Maybe she doesn't need my pity...but I feel awful that she ended up with someone like him." Angus waited for her to continue. "Everyone deserves love. I just hope Susan didn't get in too far over her head with it."

"She wasn't happy," Angus confessed. "She came to me one day, I could tell she wasn't happy with him. But...who are we to say, huh? Not everyone can be as happy as us." She didn't see his smile, nor knew what effect her next words had on it.

"You're more happy than I am, I'm sure. Sherrie's one of a kind, ain't she? Real special to you?"

"Uh-" He coughed into his arm, thoughts refusing to match with the patterns on his tongue. "Sherrie, yeah. Yeah, Sherrie's great. Thankful every day for her." Hannah smiled. Angus couldn't tell what kind it was.

"The love of your life, isn't she?"

Words refused to form altogether. She wasn't wrong, but something in the way the words came out, the way they sounded in her voice threw him off. They didn't sound right, they didn't sound true. They left a bad taste in his mouth, despite his remaining closed. He borrowed Hannah's tactic when she waited for his reply with patience. "Uh, you still cold?" he coughed. She frowned, but shrugged all the same.

"Yes but...it's manageable. Are you cold?" He didn't hear her. His eyes were focused on the railing, his mind displaying different images. "Angus?"

"Hmm?" He blinked roughly. "Sorry, I was..." Her lashes fluttered at him and he shook his head. "Sorry, what were you sayin'?"

"Nothing," she muttered resting her head against him. Angus watched her for a bit, gently smoothing her hair back. It felt exactly how it looked before the dance so many years ago. Not much about her had changed, yet so much had. The gap in her teeth was fixed, and her hair wasn't tied up so much. Then again, he had never seen her at work since school. Her laugh had stayed the same. The warmth he felt in his heart when she laughed at his jokes stayed the same as well. He wanted to feel that warmth again, even if it be for the last time.

"I don't believe you," he said. "You're hiding somethin' aren't you?"

"What?" she asked. He grinned, baring all his teeth. "I'm not hiding anything." Her arms were pulled closer. Angus, maintaining the look, pressed his nose against hers. "I'm not!"

"Don't make me get it out of you," he warned. Her ribs were right in reach of his fingers and he took advantage of it, the result exactly what he wanted to hear. "If you tell me, I'll stop."

"I just asked-if you were c-cold!"

"I'm not feelin' cold," he said. "You feelin' cold? You catchin' a chill, Hannah?" He put one hand over her mouth to keep her laughter muffled unless they wanted to wake the streets of Amsterdam five and a half hours early. Even when she licked his palm he held his ground. "Ah ah ah, we don't lick people, that's impolite."

"Mm mmm mm!"

"Can you speak up, I can't hear you." She could only laugh again. Finally it subsided to quiet giggles and Angus removed his hand. She hid her face in his shoulder while she calmed down. "You okay?" She didn't answer, Angus tilting her head up to look at him. He studied her face, every imperfection and every sparkle in her eyes. She let a few chuckles escape here and there, unable to control them even with a face moving closer to hers. He pressed his forehead against hers, her minty breath hitting his face.

They were right there.

"Travis wouldn't like you out so late, would he?" he whispered. Her laughter ceased along with her smile. "Especially with me?"

"No, he wouldn't." He pulled away from her and looked out over the water. The insect had left for good while the water ran perfectly still. A few snowflakes began to fall, leaving crystals in their hair. A lone car horn honked a block away while the bulb of a nearby streetlight burned out. Angus rested his chin on her shoulder, tightening his hold.

"Fuck him then," he muttered.