Except for the man with the only shopping trolley with the squeaky wheel and the woman skipping next to him holding a scribbled-on piece of paper, the store was completely empty. It was the first of November, the band making a not so quick visit to London before starting the next leg of the tour. Even without the cold weather keeping everyone home, Monday mornings were not the peak of the town's popularity. The wheel scraped around the corner, Angus considering grabbing a different cart. But as bread, cornflakes, heads of broccoli, and a carton of eggs were already taking up much of its space, he decided against transporting them. Hannah had ceased skipping, eyes glued to the paper in her hand. 

"What's next?" he sighed rubbing his eyes. Did he mention it was seven on a Monday morning?

"Milk," she stated, double-checking the cart to see if it hadn't already been grabbed. Angus backed up the cart.

"I saw it a few aisles down, I'll get it," he said turning the cart as slowly as he could so the wheel wouldn't worsen his already throbbing head. Fuckin' hell it was fun spending his Sunday night in the bar. He wouldn't have drunk anything if the television showing a football game hadn't been fuzzy or if the music they played was worth listening to. But when your only company is the lead singer of your rock and roll band, what else do you expect to happen?

Hannah, as per usual, stayed at home nursing her fourth cuppa. The first three were gone without an issue, but the last one seemed to have sensed her worry at eleven at night and Angus still hadn't come home yet. Finally, around the stroke of midnight, the hotel door opened with a hardly shivering and slightly off-balance Angus McKinnon standing behind it. He bent over to pick up the keys he dropped on the floor when he was practically tackled to the ground in a hug. Maneuvering his way in the room was difficult with his girlfriend standing on his feet, arms squeezing what little life he had left in him. Accepting her hug with a hiccup, he excused himself to the bathroom to rid himself of the whiskey Bon ordered, cursing the man all the while.

Every milk bottle looked exactly the same. Why was it taking so long to pick one? Maybe it was his headache. Maybe it was his lost precious hours of sleep. Or maybe it was the song playing on the intercom. Not any worse than the rubbish played at the bar's jukebox last night, he chose to ignore it. Grabbing the closest one only finding it had been opened slightly by some prankster he put it back grabbing the second closest. This one had an invisible leak getting his hand soaking wet. He sighed, stepping away from the cart and grabbing one near the back, placing it with the rest of the food. The song kept playing. Shouldn't it have ended about three minutes ago?

Returning to the nut aisle, he found Hannah not to be where he left her. Knowing she wouldn't have a crowd of people to carry her off, he didn't worry too much. Snagging a few chocolate bars for himself and her, he wheeled his way down to the fruits where the smell took him to some tropical island at two in the afternoon, where he could sleep in and get room service from a pleasantly dressed-he stopped his thought before Hannah could read his mind and give him a piece of hers. She wasn't the jealous type, not at all. But she'd rather he not spend his time drooling all over their groceries. 

An island...if only he were so lucky.

Taking a little of this and a little of that (mostly bananas and peaches), he made his way to the alcohol portion of the store. Just seeing the various labels soured his mood even more, and he turned around. Though it was nothing compared to the bottle-o back home. He had gone with Malcolm a few times, though despite all the newest additions and absurd flavors they sold he always ended up buying the same beer he'd been buying for God knows how many years now. 

Without thinking he found his way back to the nut aisle and grabbed a few more candy bars. Perhaps he'd have more of an appetite later. Having no list to go off of, he wandered this way and that trying to remember what he had written on it the previous morning. Soft drinks he thought, and maybe...flour? Or sugar...he couldn't be sure. Better stock up on both. 

Hannah still hadn't been spotted as he made his way from one end of the store to the other. And no other customers had shown up either. He thought he caught someone standing at the checkout, but it was just the cashier deciding to show up for work after all with a magazine and chewing gum. 

The wheel scratched against a metal tile in the coffee section. Whether or not it was on the list, he'd be sure to buy about five canisters and plenty of tea bags. Can never have enough of the good stuff. 

Another song began to play on the intercom, this one not much of an improvement from the last one. Angus vaguely remembered hearing it in his living room once, playing from an album Hannah had bought. Not that he wasn't a fan, but he always lovingly reassured her she had no need to share the album with him despite her insistence. Balancing his coffee and tea on the loaf of bread and egg carton, he pushed the cart toward the magazine rack, seeing the typical tabloids and Cosmo. A few fashion magazines caught his eye, and he grabbed some knowing Hannah would be interested. Not that the model on the front didn't interest him, quite the contrary. But women's fashion wasn't his exact top pick in bathroom reading material.

Giving the cashier a chance to finish their own magazine and stick of gum, he refrained from standing at the checkout just yet. Hannah still had their list, and he'd hate to get comfortable at the hotel only to realize they forgot something. But where the devil was she? Making one last stop at the nut aisle (and grabbing a few more candies for the road), he looked around, thinking for sure he'd find her there. When he didn't, he began to get a little concerned.

The store wasn't big. Not many goods apart from food and ingredients were sold there, except a few clearance rack dresses hanging in a window. It being the only area of the shop Angus hadn't paid a visit to, he edged his way over. And, as luck would have it, there Hannah was...wearing the most...how would he put it? Lovely, no-stunning dress he'd ever seen her in, while she and the dress were spinning around the room to the music, in a much less stunning dance routine. 

It draped over her like a pillowcase, the outfit purposed for a much larger woman. But the morning sun shining through the window hit the sequins just right, giving the red color a sort of ruby slipper appearance. Once in awhile the shoulder fell off and Hannah quickly grabbed it before she spun again. Sneaking a bit closer he could see her lips move, singing silently along to the song. How she failed to notice him standing right there he'd never figure out, and he didn't feel much like trying. Forgetting his headache for a few minutes, he watched her, as the song put it, having the time of her life. For the first time in seven and a half hours, he smiled. 

After one particularly big spin, her black hair bow slipped off her head, landing on the floor by his feet. Seeing him standing there, bending over to pick it up and holding it out to her, her face began to match the dress. "Thank God I found ya', been lookin' nigh on a day!"

She stepped up to greet him and took her bow from his hand, placing it back on her head. "Sorry about that," she admitted sheepishly.

"Ah, forget about it," he dismissed tapping his fingers to the cart. "How long have you been over here?"

"I dunno," she shrugged, pulling the dress off. Angus was sad to see it go, but the size was still much too big on her petite self. "I saw it when you went to go get milk and...oh, what are you smirking for?" He laughed at her sudden rise in volume from his smartassery. 

"Nothin', I'm not smirkin' at nothin', hon. Honest." Total lie. "A lovely little number, ain't it?" he asked referring to the dress. Hannah grabbed the hanger and returned it to its rightful place. 

"I thought so too. But unless I want to help myself to that stash you've collected in one sitting I don't think I'll ever fit into it." Angus sighed, the second round of his headache settling in as the sun came out from behind the tallest building. 

"Hey well, sweetheart, I'd love to dance with ya' but I'm afraid of spinnin' too hard an' slashin' the prices to the negatives on these fancy dresses so..." He zipped up his jacket from the sudden chill as another customer opened the door. "If there's anything on the list I didn't grab we'd better get it now before this place fills up." The one other customer made a beeline for the bathroom, skipping over any possible goods for purchase. Hannah gave Angus a look. 

"Have you gotten bananas?"

"An' peaches."

"Tea?"

"Tea an' coffee by the bottle of Bon's drink."

"Milk?" she asked with a little grin.

"Very funny," he muttered. "Oh, an'...here, I got you these," Angus said pulling out the magazines he collected. Hannah's eyes lit up, sparkling more than any dress she could have tried on. 

"You didn't have to!"

"Eh, if it gets me some peace an' quiet for a few minutes this afternoon, I think I can spare a few bucks." He laughed as he dodged the light swat given to him with the magazines. Hannah looked over at the cart again, double-checking everything. 

"Did you get the flour?" she asked unable to locate it in the trolley. 

"Ah-no, slipped me mind. C'mon, we'll get it together." Hannah took his arm and leaned on his shoulder while he pushed the cart back to the food. Flour and sugar were on the list, Angus making sure he grabbed both. A pack of soft drink bottles was placed on the crate at the bottom of the cart, the wheel screeching against the floor while they both slowly pushed it, careful not to spill anything. "Guess it's really too late to change it, eh?"

Finally done with their shopping trip (and giggling to themselves when the customer returned from the bathroom with toilet paper on his shoe), they each grabbed two bags and made the short walk to the hotel. The lobby had been covered in fliers for a party taking place on the fourth floor, right where the couple stayed. Angus, having a real party for a band, thought maybe a good nap would make a better afternoon. 

Taking a good three minutes to find which pocket Angus put his key in, they stumbled into the room and put the bags on the counter. Angus, who was exhausted since last week, took to the couch and collapsed, closing his eyes. Putting the dairy away and sneaking a few chocolate bars in her pocket, Hannah followed Angus and collapsed on top of him. He accepted her request and pulled her in for a hug, resting his face against her hair. The blinds shut, the door locked, the heating kicking on, they relaxed in the welcome silence, Angus feeling himself doze off...

A knock on the door startled him. He almost said a very rude word before he realized they were knocking next door, sighing in relief instead. Before he could even think about sleeping again there came another knock next door, the door constantly opening and shutting. He finally opened his eyes at the sound of music, the loud kind, getting its volume turned up. He frowned, brushing some of Hannah's hair away from his mouth. Realizing they failed to pay attention to the room number on those fliers, he sat still and listened. In the room right next door to them was a very familiar song playing on the record player...Angus' headache returned as Hannah giggled to herself. 

"Ah, Christ!"