Dinner, interrupted

As we eat our meal, I can't help but to look around the room. It is a lot nicer than the road outside the city that we met on, I must admit. And better circumstances to be having a conversation under, as well.

He is so modest when I compliment him, it's hard not to see that he hasn't had a lot of company to cook for - or, he at least hasn't had a reaction like mine before to the stuff that he's made.

"You know, Sam.. you are a really good cook!" I speak up, halfway through my meal. It's not the first (or second) time that I've said so while eating the steak, though he still responds to me about the same way as he did any of the other times I've expressed my delight at the flavor.

Sam smiles at me, a bit of color crossing his face as he looks down and gives a small chuckle. "Well, thank you...Again. I've only really ever cooked for myself." He shrugs, as if it is really no matter, before then going back to eating his own meal. Curious about this, I can't help but to raise my eyebrow and glance around again. His answer makes more sense, now that I think about it. There aren't really any signs of another person around here…

"So..you don't cook for your friends, or..have anyone special?"

Sam laughs at my questions now, a bit more openly. Not in a mean-natured, way, however. It's more amused than anything.

"No, I'm afraid not. I'm just too busy for that." Sam exhales quietly, then clears his throat. Sensing that he's a bit embarrassed by this admission, I continue to eat what is left of my meal before I say anything else. I wouldn't have, but it's really bothering me! He just..seems so incredibly nice…Even for a protector.

"Your work keeps you that busy, Sam?" I ask, my eyebrows creasing together. At this, he still keeps his soft smile. Setting down his fork, he crosses his arms, and nod.

"Yes, it does. After all, someone has to keep a lovely lady like you, and all of the other citizens safe you know." This is stated with an added wink, which I can't help but blush hard at. Nearly choking on the last bite of my food, I shake my head as I stutter lightly.

"I... I-I'm not lovely," I protest his compliment of my looks as I look down at my now empty plate, feeling the heat that's crossed my face seem to make its way up to my ears.

"Yes, you are." Sam snorts a bit, then taking his turn to raise an eyebrow at me in return. "And were you really that hungry? That's cute," he comments, making the heat in my face grow and start to hurt from how much it's deepening. "I'm not going to argue with you about how I look," I finally answer him, chewing at my lower lip as I do so.

"Good," once again, he begins to laugh. "You have the most lovely mint green eyes and beautiful lapis colored hair that I think I've ever seen."

This is the second comment about my eyes I have gotten today… The first that I've gotten about my hair, though. Is that what this color is? I wonder to myself, absently examining a strand or two of my hair. Realizing that I haven't said anything back to him, I sit up a bit and nod slightly.

"Thank you, Sam.." I start, wondering momentarily how else I look - since that is listed among the many things that I don't remember right now - but force my mind back to the present and try to think of something else to say. My mind has gone back to the fact that I haven't seen any trace of another person around his house (other than myself) since I've been here. As a result of that, and what I know of him so far and how kind he seems to be, I come up with the statement: "I don't see how you're single."

A statement that catches him off guard, apparently. He is almost choking on his drink, as he runs a hand through his hair and rubs the back of his neck.

"Oh..really?" He bites his lip, and I think I can see color rising to his face again. "Thank you.." he coughs, then changes the subject as if to try and keep it off of himself for a while, and move it back to me.

"Hey, ah..since I think you said that you don't you don't remember your name, can I give you one?" he asks me, sitting back a bit and tilting his head a little to the right.

Seeing that what I came up with to say wasn't the best, I nod to him. I can't remember my name; having one would make things much less complicated.

"Yeah, I did say that I can't remember.." I muse, partly to myself, then smile a little. "Sure, you can do that, Sam. It would make it easier on us both if I had a name, right?"

"Yeah," Sam nods. "It would." He pauses, thinking it over.

"Hmmm...let me think. What about...Margaret? Margaret Tinker? For short, maybe Maggie?" Sam asks, posing the name to me. I think it over for a moment, and let it repeat a few times in my head.

"Oh..so, like..Maggie... I'd be Maggie Tinker? Maggie Tinker sounds cute. Sure, I like it!" I agree at last, just as Sam's phone starts to ring. Raising an eyebrow as if he is wondering who it might be at this hour, he picks it up and answers it.

"Sorry Maggie I have to take this, it's work." He says to me, covering the receiving end with his hand so I hear him and the caller doesn't. Knowing that his work is important, I nod my head and sit back to stretch a little bit.

"Oh, okay. Go ahead and take it, Sam."

While I am stretching, Sam has his conversation on the phone with who I assume to be one of his coworkers.

"Sam, I need help. We found a ghoul gang." The person on the other side says, causing Sam's good mood to waver and his expression to fall quite suddenly.

"A ghoul gang," Sam repeats the statement and frowns.

On the other end, the person sighs heavily and continues. "Yeah, and that's not all. It's a ghoul gang that is run by a vampire ghoul."

"What? Where?" Sam asks, as he stands from his chair and the face that he is making seems to darken even further. He pulls out a piece of paper to write on, as his partner gives him the address. Hanging up, he quickly went and got his stuff; armed with that, Sam started heading to the door, where he stopped and turned to me again.

"Stay here, Maggie. It's dangerous. I'll be back later, " Sam says to me, looking to be just as serious as he has been nice to me, since we met yesterday. He then goes out the door, leaving me in silence and to wonder why it is so dangerous. And, if so, why he left his weapon behind?

"Sam, wait!" I call, getting up from my seat. I grab his weapon and rush to the door, where my heart sinks as I notice that he's about to leave. He has been so nice to me, that I don't want him to end up getting hurt if I can help it. Without giving it as much thought as I probably should, I jump in the trunk and shut it after me, hoping that I can get it to him before anything bad happens.