To say that Meggie was surprised when she woke up to find herself in a strange bed, in a strange room with Dustfinger asleep on the floor was an understatement. Just to add to the mix, one - it was barely dawn, the blue haze of nighttime still lingering on the spires of the city and two - her bladder was ready to burst. Focussing on the latter, the blonde woman staggered out of bed after which came another two events: she forgot Dustfinger was there, lost her footing and fell in a sprawling heap on the wooden floor between the bed and the desk, banging her elbows and, scraping her arms and kneeing the sleeping man with the force of most of her bodyweight. Meggie swore, biting back a cry of pain and scrambled to her feet while Dustfinger awakened with a grunt, clutching his side, his hands glowing. Disorientated, half asleep, her arms and elbows throbbing dully, Meggie found herself stood over Dustfinger, hands outstretched, stuttering out apologies. It must have looked defensive, however, because the anger and pain leaked from his gaze and he looked instead like a disgruntled cat, blue eyes narrowed through his messy hair.

"I'm so sorry." Meggie said one last time, and for a moment there was silence between them as they held each other's gaze.

"If you were trying to escape," he said finally, voice gravelly with sleep, "Aiming for the head might have the desired effect."

Meggie was almost offended.

"If I was trying to escape, I would aim for your crotch."

"My what?"

"Your..." She made a generalised motion towards her crotch and his eyebrows nearly shot out of his head. Before he could reply, Meggie interrupted him.

"Anyway, where's the...chamber pot?"

Dustfinger's eyebrows knitted understandingly.

"Ah, not escaping then."

He pointed to the screen in front of the bath, looking pleased.

"No, but that won't stop me kicking you again."

"I'm quaking in my boots."

"You will be!"

Meggie disappeared behind the partition and and relieved herself gratefully, aware Dustfinger could hear every second. When she came out, however, the man had curled back into his blanket and seemed to be going back to sleep. She climbed over him this time and laid down.

"I can think of several more pleasant means to wake someone up," Dustfinger muttered from below her, "Especially involving the 'crotch' area!"

Even though she now had her back to him, Meggie felt herself flush in embarrassment but pretended she hadn't heard him - trying to lull herself back to sleep around visualising any wake-up calls including Dustfinger's crotch. She finally satisfied her thoughts by imagining kicking him hard in the balls and, smiling, she drifted back to sleep.