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Unfortunately, no one else demanded birds during 'my' work shift,
(you wondered if I would ever get back to telling you about my first day with Prince Charming didn't you?)
Which meant, that I hardly saw Hatch pretending to be me unless he...she...Okay I'm going to stick with He even though he looked like me....walked by.
He would glance in at me and give an encouraging smile. How was it he could make my smile look good? It had never looked good before.
Of course, I hadn't smiled much since....since....
Anyways.
Time ticked by super slowly when I had to just sit here, covered in feathers, with the noisy birds.
I never realized how much I could get done in a single shift. Certainly Hatch did an amazing job, almost as good as I could have, in finding tasks to do to make the store look nicer.

Finally, and I mean after like an eternity, the jiggling of the lock told me Hatch was finally returning.
He slipped inside, as himself. Though now wearing one of store's work uniforms. How could he make even that shapeless mistake of a uniform choice look fashionable?

"Hey," He flashed a smile at me. "Are you feeling better?"
"Depends. Do I have to stand up?" I replied. Because I felt fine right now, but I hadn't really moved much. "What are you doing in here, looking like...well you?"
He glanced out through the windows. "Harvey has gone on lunch."
I took the implication immediately. He didn't have to look like me with Harvey not around, but that also meant; "I can sneak out without him being the wiser."
"That you're sick. Yes." (I know, we're finishing each other's sentences. Can you say 'Aww!')
I groaned leaning against the wall. "So I do have to stand up."
He crouched down by me. "I'm right here."
"To not carry me, I hope."
He smirked. "I wish I could, but that would defeat the purpose."
"Of pretending I'm not ill. Yah I know. You really didn't have to do that you know." I had no idea what he'd planned for his day, but he'd totally tossed that all aside to rescue me.
"I know." He shrugged. "I chose to." He reached out a hand. "Let me help you up."
"I got it."
He raised a perfect eyebrow, but didn't force the matter.
Good. Because I wanted to do this by myself.
Carefully, and more slowly then I wanted to -I knew I was on a time limit-
I pulled myself to my feet.
And immediately felt like it was the morning all over again.
Hatch's arms surrounded me in a flash. "I got you."
I buried my head into his chest, just trying to keep my knees from buckling. "This..." I swallowed trying to keep my stomach in its proper place.
"Isn't going to work." He finished, exhaling. "I got that, let me think of something."

Karen<3