Anna's suit switched color as soon as they entered. The emerald shine that almost shaded to Persian green deepened to a darker pine. Anna pursed her lips and then strode on in the darkness.

"You are being awfully mysterious about this," she muttered, but her annoyance wasn't caused by trepidation; it was more borne out of prolonged and unfulfilled curiosity.

Marduk grinned to himself, fondly. Women.

"It's not much further, Anna," he called out. Maybe he was being a little bit secretive about this. It had taken a good deal of thinking to steer Anna past the placards that would have given away their destination for the night's outing. Perhaps this wasn't exactly the standard route they were supposed to take to the auditorium, and maybe it had taken a friendly word of persuasion with the ushers.

And maybe he was enjoying just a little bit how Anna was fidgeting out of her skirt, trying to figure out where he was taking her. It gave him a certain thrill of anticipation: as she hadn't recognized the place already, she clearly hadn't been there.

The cat was out of the bag as soon as the dark passage ended and let out into a spacious theater. Anna stopped on her heel. Marduk waited on tenterhooks as she took in the sight, stock-still. When she finally took a step forward, hesitant but curious, he let out a sigh of relief.

"You brought me to a—"

"—planetarium," Marduk confirmed. He couldn't quite grasp Anna's reaction. It wasn't bad—it was more dazed and taken aback. Cautiously interested. "Come on, let's take a seat," he said quietly, and Anna followed him without objection, eyes still on the hemisphere of space and stellar color that played on the ceiling.

He led Anna to a seat. There were almost no others in the audience, and the relative seclusion didn't preclude quiet conversation. Anna wasn't saying much, though; she was still fixated on the screen. Golden and dark blue reflected in intermittent flashes as her eyes flickered searchingly.

"You brought me star-gazing," Anna said sedately. Her fingers played with the flower attached to her coattails. It was a tiny bud of a rose, from a bunch of flowers Marduk had brought her the other day. It was the first time she had ever pinned his flower to her dress.

Her whisper was drowned out by the jingle that signified the start of the performance, and the theater around them sank into complete darkness.

"Did you enjoy that?"

"I... did." Somehow, Anna sounded very young. Not like the self-assured femme fatale who bowed to none, but like a delicate young woman. Spellbound, somehow. Even her voice lilted softer.

"You ever been to these things?" Marduk asked. He didn't want to break the nearly other-worldly entrancement, but dwelling in silence was foreign to his temper. He couldn't stop asking the obvious, and he did want to hear her words, for the chance they might be laced with the tiniest approval.

"No, never," Anna admitted, almost reluctant to say as much.

"It was either this or roller skating," Marduk said, and instantly, as he said the words, he wished he hadn't. Anna's eyes lit up.

"Let's do that! I want to do that, Craig."

Of course, he would do as she asked him. He would bend over backward, if it pleased her. Her resolute attitude returned, complete with joyful determination that Hell itself would think twice to defy, and cursing himself, Marduk allowed Anna to drag him out of the theater and extract the location of the skating rink out of him. It did warm him up slightly that Anna's hand rested on his forearm. She didn't grasp his arm, didn't grasp his elbow, but let her hand slide along his lower arm and attach onto it, sending a burning tingle along his skin. She wasn't wearing gloves.

Marduk did a sweeping check of his flank and decided he was going to live. He had taken worse beatings before, and it wasn't really the rub of his palm of palm that was dwindling the contusions to nothing. It was Anna, hanging onto his arm, still laughing.

He was fully aware that Anna wasn't laughing with him, but he couldn't find it in himself to be offended. Anna's laugh was so lively and so utterly joyous he didn't mind a little pain at all.

"Skating wasn't big where I grew up," he still said defensively, and Anna bumped into him, tiding over the hilarity.

"And where was that?"

"Outback. Australia. Far out, where there's no one else around."

In retrospect, as he had thought of alternatives to the planetary excursion just in case Anna wanted something more active, he should have skipped indoor roller skating. It was such a date thing to do, and he had thought it up against his better judgment. Marduk straightened out, dignified.

"I grew up in Ireland. But it was a long time ago," Anna said suddenly. Her voice was soft. She looked far away.

She had never talked about her past. Never said a word about her family, if she had any besides the estranged sister, never let on anything about herself. She didn't talk about her work, and Marduk didn't ask, which made the slip of tongue all the more surprising.

"Right, right. That's enough fun at my expense," he said without heat, like he hadn't seen her shell crack. Another kind of exciting heat stabbed him in the side when Anna leaned onto him, and he enveloped an arm around her.

At least, for all his clumsiness, he had been big enough to grab her from flight because natives to the verdant plains of Ireland weren't known for their skating prowess, either. Anna's time on rink had been a safe one, and he had easily held her high, even as he had checked in person just how tough the floor was. It had been pretty tough, but no tougher than Craig Marduk.

Their trek took them to Anna's condo eventually. The walk was long, and she still hadn't reeled from using the sharpest heels a woman could wear. He was still amazed how she could walk in those things, but they looked good to his eye.

Just by the building, Anna detached from him. Marduk stopped, too. This was where they usually said goodbye. This time, Anna looked him straight in the eye.

"I'd like you to come up." Anna's hips swayed, but it wasn't a coquettish swing. It was soft, feminine, and attractive. Gauging interest from a man whom she wanted to be interested. The invitation was extended sincerely, and something in his heart jumped, in a very good way. He smiled slowly.

"I'd like that," Marduk said and followed her.

THE END

Many thanks to all who have reviewed the story over the years. It's been a long road, but I hope you've enjoyed the ride. Thanks for the faves and alerts as well!

Hearty thanks to Gypsie for proofreading the entire story!

Published July 5, 2013.