Dear Readers,

I apologize for not getting this up sooner! But here it is at last. This one takes place the day after "Angel." Thanks again for all your lovely reviews!

Best regards from a bookworm (and obsessed Tesla fangirl),

Miss Pookamonga ;p

VI. Breakfast In Bed

She wakes up to the smell of tea wafting upon the cool air around her.

A bit dazed from her sleep, Helen blinks and eases herself upward into a sitting position, only to find that she is stretched across her office couch, still dressed in her now rumpled work clothes, with the couch throw draped across her body. Frowning in confusion, she rubs her eyes gently and turns her head this way and that as her eyes scan her office, now dimly lit by the soft blue light of early morn, for any clue as to how she arrived in her current position. Her gaze is suddenly drawn to the table beside her by the strong aroma of the tea tickling her nose.

She lets out a little gasp of surprise as she lays eyes upon the odd little sight before her. Resting upon the tabletop is her silver tea tray with a steaming kettle, a cream pitcher, a teacup, a saucer, a spoon, a cloth napkin, a plate of three small pastries, and six cubes of sugar all neatly arranged atop it as if someone has gone through great lengths to ensure that the presentation will appear precisely perfect. Stunned delight floods warmly through Helen's veins at the unexpected kind gesture, and she wonders briefly if perhaps Bigfoot decided to bring her tea up before she calls for him. But upon taking a glance at the clock upon the fireplace mantle, she realizes that the secret Good Samaritan cannot have been her gruff-but-loveable butler, for it is only half-past five. Although he has always been a morning person, this is still far too early for her friend to rise. No doubt he will still be nestled comfortably in his bed for another hour or so.

Her curiosity peaked, she will love nothing more than to solve this mystery, but she is unable to resist the temptation of the tea any longer. Swinging her legs out from under the makeshift blanket, she leans eagerly towards the tray and gently lifts the down-turned cup off the saucer—

—and pauses.

There is a tiny piece of faded brown paper folded and laid across the smooth porcelain surface of her saucer. Her curiosity once again aroused, Helen sets the cup down and gingerly lifts the paper in her slender fingers, unfolding it carefully…

And the minute her eyes meet the familiar handwriting scrawled upon the page, the realization suddenly sweeps over her, and she cannot help but allow a ridiculously giddy smile to tug upon her lips.

"Although I doubt that the amount of comfort that such a poor excuse for a bed can provide is much, I sincerely hope you had a restful sleep. Do take care not to ruin that lovely neck of yours by leaving it bent in uncomfortably awkward positions against your desk chair. It would do no good if it happened to become stuck that way, for I do not think you would enjoy walking around with your pretty head cocked perpetually to the side. Also, it would make stealing kisses from you in the future a bit more complicated than it already is. So I suggest that if you feel the slightest bit drowsy while finishing up your work late at night, you take this as a sign to immediately head off to bed. We would both do much better for it.

All that having been said, I entreat you to enjoy your breakfast. Do kasnije, moja draga.

PS: You look hot."

Blushing furiously, she takes another look at the note before placing it back on the tray with an amused chuckle and a shake of her head. Then, taking the kettle in her hands, she settles down to pour herself a nice, hot cup of tea.